Hybrid Molded-Pultruded Structural Members for Lightweight Vehicle Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transportation vehicles face challenges with structural members that are heavy, costly, and difficult to manufacture, often requiring additional materials that increase weight and risk damage, while lacking sufficient structural support and customization options.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid structural member combining a pultruded secondary member with a molded carrier, featuring dissimilar materials and design elements like ribs, projections, and adhesive materials for enhanced strength and attachment capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If heavy materials are used for structural members, then strength and structural support are improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure combining a pultruded plastic profile (lightweight) with embedded metal reinforcement elements (strong). This hybrid approach allows the structural member to achieve the strength of metal while maintaining the weight benefits of plastic, directly resolving the contradiction between strength and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural member is divided into distinct functional segments: a lightweight plastic carrier profile and separate metal reinforcement elements positioned at critical stress points. This segmentation allows each material to be optimized for its specific function - plastic for weight efficiency and metal for structural strength.
2Weight of moving object
If polymeric carrier structure with adhesive material is used, then weight is reduced, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the adhesive material directly into the pultrusion manufacturing process of the plastic profile, combining what would traditionally be separate steps (molding carrier, applying adhesive, assembling) into a single continuous extrusion operation. This merging eliminates multiple manufacturing stages and reduces overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive material is pre-positioned within the plastic profile during the pultrusion process itself, rather than being applied later during assembly. This preliminary action ensures proper bonding preparation is built-in from the start, eliminating subsequent complex assembly operations.
3Weight of moving object
If lightweight materials are used for structural members, then weight is reduced, but structural support strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite structure where lightweight plastic provides the base structure and metal reinforcement elements provide the necessary strength. The combination allows the overall member to be lightweight while maintaining the structural support strength required for vehicle applications.
Solution Approach 2:
Metal reinforcement elements are strategically positioned only at locations where high strength is required, rather than uniformly distributing material throughout. This local quality approach provides strength exactly where needed while minimizing unnecessary material weight.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional structural members are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but customization and tunability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The pultrusion process allows for dynamic adjustment of profile geometry, material composition, and reinforcement placement during manufacturing. This enables customization of structural members for different applications while maintaining the efficiency of continuous production, bridging the gap between manufacturing simplicity and adaptability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The hybrid member provides lightweight, cost-effective, and customizable structural support with improved manufacturing efficiency, maintaining strength and reducing the risk of damage.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive material located onto at least one of the carrier and secondary member
Data Source
AI summary
A structural member (10) comprising: (i) a pultruded secondary member (14) including a first surface and an opposing second surface: and (ii) a molded carrier (12) overmolded onto at least one of the first and second surface of the pultruded secondary member, the molded carrier including a plurality of ribs (16); wherein the secondary member and the carrier are dissimilar materials.