Hydroformed Tubular Bracket for Motor Vehicle Flap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tubular brackets for motor vehicle flaps are complex to manufacture and assemble, leading to material thickening, weight increase, and high production costs, while offering limited design freedom and dimensional accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A tubular bracket made from a pre-bent tube via hydroforming with variable cross-sections and peripheral recesses for cable routing, eliminating the need for component separation and welding, allowing for reduced weight and cost through targeted material use and simplified manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the tubular bracket is formed by several individual parts with separate connections, then the cable can be routed through separate cable ducts, but the manufacturing complexity and assembly complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the tubular bracket and cable duct into a single integrated component manufactured via hydroforming. The cable duct is formed as an integral part of the tubular bracket, eliminating the need for separate cable duct components and their associated connections. This merging resolves the contradiction by maintaining cable routing functionality while dramatically reducing assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tubular bracket is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support for the flap, serves as a cable conduit through its integrated cable duct, and maintains dimensional accuracy. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated cable duct components, reducing overall device complexity while preserving cable routing capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate connections are used at end areas of the tubular bracket, then the cable duct can be separately connected, but material thickening and weight increase occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the tubular bracket and cable duct into a single monolithic component formed by hydroforming. This eliminates separate connections at end areas that would require additional material for thickening and reinforcement. The integrated design maintains connection flexibility while avoiding the weight penalty of material doubling.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydroforming process allows for local variation in wall thickness and cross-sectional properties only where structurally necessary, rather than requiring uniform material thickening throughout. This localized material distribution maintains connection flexibility at end areas while minimizing overall weight increase.
3Ease of manufacture
If the tubular bracket is formed by several individual parts, then the cable duct can be separately manufactured, but production costs and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the manufacturing of the tubular bracket and cable duct into a single hydroforming process. This eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly operations for the cable duct, thereby reducing production costs and improving manufacturing efficiency despite the increased complexity of the hydroforming tooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable duct geometry is pre-integrated into the hydroforming die design, allowing the cable conduit pathway to be formed during the initial bracket manufacturing process. This preliminary integration eliminates subsequent assembly steps and reduces overall manufacturing complexity and cost.
4Ease of manufacture
If uniform cross-section is used throughout the tubular bracket, then manufacturing is simpler, but bending resistance is insufficient in heavily loaded areas
Solution Approach 1:
The hydroforming process enables local variation in cross-sectional properties and wall thickness at heavily loaded areas of the tubular bracket. This allows the bracket to have enhanced bending resistance where needed while maintaining simpler geometry in less critical areas, optimizing the balance between manufacturing simplicity and structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the hydroforming process to vary the cross-sectional dimensions and wall thickness of the tubular bracket at different locations. By adjusting forming pressure, temperature, and die geometry, the bracket achieves optimized bending resistance in heavily loaded areas while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
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 solution achieves reduced weight and cost, enhanced design freedom, and high dimensional accuracy with improved bending resistance, while avoiding welding distortions and material doubling, resulting in a more efficient and cost-effective component.
Implementation Method 1
The tubular bracket (1) is made from a pre-bent tube by means of hydroforming
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
The clamp (1) has a fixed or adjustable vehicle part pivotably connected at an end region about a real or virtual fixed or portable rotational axis (4). A flap of a motor vehicle is fixed at another end region. The clamp is manufactured from a bent tube by an internal high-pressure deformation, and a large cross section is provided with a large bending resistive torque. A peripheral recess (5) is formed at the former end region of the clamp facing the flap. A cable or cable winch is guided into an inner of the clamp, and a one-sided flattened wall region (6) is connected with the flap.