Instrument Panel Side Face Rib Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing instrument panel structures face limitations in widening the longitudinal direction while maintaining the premium texture perceived by users, as increasing the thickness of the foamed material leads to a decrease in the filling factor and compromised texture due to the gap between the base material and the skin.
Innovation Solution
The instrument panel structure incorporates a base material with bent end portions, a foamed material covering the surface, a skin joined to a sealing rib, and a widening rib on the upper face side, along with an optional third rib between them, allowing for increased width and maintained texture through strategic rib placement and foamed material support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the thickness of the foamed material is increased in both end portions in the longitudinal direction to widen the instrument panel, then the instrument panel width is increased, but the filling factor of the foamed material decreases and the texture perceived by the user deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the side face portion into multiple segments by introducing ribs (sealing rib, widening rib, and third rib) that protrude from the base material. These ribs create distinct zones: a sealing zone for joining the skin, a widening zone for increasing panel width, and intermediate zones for maintaining texture. This segmentation allows the foamed material thickness to be increased in the widening zone while maintaining proper filling factor in the texture-critical zones near the skin joining area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different structural characteristics to different regions of the side face portion. The sealing rib creates a region with controlled gap for skin joining, the widening rib creates a region with increased foamed material thickness for panel widening, and the third rib creates intermediate regions. Each region has optimized local properties: the sealing region maintains tight filling for texture, while the widening region allows increased thickness without compromising overall texture quality.
2Length of stationary object
If the position of the general surface of the side face portion of the base material is moved outward to widen the instrument panel, then the panel width is increased, but the mating surface of the side panel is limited by the vehicle body structure
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the general surface of the side face portion outward in the longitudinal direction (which is constrained by vehicle body mating surfaces), the patent introduces protrusions (ribs) in the vertical direction from the base material. The sealing rib, widening rib, and third rib extend outward from the base material surface, creating width increase in a different dimensional approach that does not conflict with the horizontal mating surface constraints of the vehicle body side panels.
Data Source
AI summary
An instrument panel structure includes: a base material that has both end portions in the longitudinal direction bent toward the lower face side to form a side face portion; a foamed material that covers a surface of the base material; and a skin that covers a surface of the foamed material. The instrument panel structure also includes a sealing rib that protrudes outward in the longitudinal direction from the side face portion in an arrangement position spaced apart by a predetermined gap toward the lower face side from a bent position of the base material, and to which an end portion of the skin is joined. The instrument panel structure also includes a widening rib that protrudes outward in the longitudinal direction from the side face portion on an upper face side of the arrangement position of the sealing rib on the side face portion, and is covered with the foamed material.