Instrument Panel Support Using Pultruded Composite Beams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional instrument panel support structures in vehicles are heavy, lack rigidity, and require costly and time-consuming welding processes, making them inefficient for lightweighting efforts in the transportation industry.
Innovation Solution
The use of pultruded crossmembers and molded polymeric components replaces traditional steel structures, providing a lighter, stiffer, and stronger alternative with reduced production costs by eliminating the need for welding through a combination of pultruded beams and molded polymeric mounting features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If traditional metal beam assembly is used, then structural support is provided, but weight is excessive and welding is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite materials consisting of pultruded fiberglass beams with integrated polymeric mounting features. This composite construction replaces traditional metal assemblies, achieving weight reduction while maintaining structural integrity. The pultruded fiberglass beams provide high strength-to-weight ratio, and the integrated polymeric features enable non-welded assembly through mechanical interlocking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the beam structure with mounting features by integrating polymeric mounting features directly into the pultruded beams. This consolidation eliminates separate welding operations and assembly steps, as the mounting features are formed as part of the beam itself during the pultrusion process, thereby simplifying manufacturing and reducing weight.
2Strength
If traditional metal instrument panel is used, then structural support is provided, but stiffness and bending strength are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The pultruded fiberglass beams provide superior strength-to-weight ratio compared to traditional metals. The composite material construction delivers enhanced bending strength and stiffness while significantly reducing weight, as the fiberglass-reinforced polymer structure offers high mechanical properties without the density penalty of metal materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters by transitioning from metal to pultruded composite materials. This parameter change includes altering density, tensile strength, and modulus of elasticity characteristics, resulting in a structure that achieves higher bending strength and stiffness at lower weight through optimized composite material selection and beam geometry.
3Productivity
If laser welding is used for assembly, then components are joined, but production time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the welding process entirely from the manufacturing sequence by designing components that assemble through mechanical interlocking of integrated polymeric mounting features. This extraction eliminates the need for laser welding equipment, skilled welders, and post-weld inspection, thereby reducing production time and simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining assembly integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated polymeric mounting features are self-contained and self-explanatory in their assembly function. The components are designed to self-assemble through straightforward mechanical insertion and interlocking, eliminating the need for complex welding procedures, specialized equipment, or highly skilled labor, thereby enhancing productivity and ease of manufacture.
Data Source
AI summary
An instrument panel assembly comprising: a crossmember (2) including a first beam (4) and a second beam (6), a center support assembly (8) with a first structural arm (30), a second structural arm (32), and a center support bracket (34); wherein the first beam (4) is hollow and has a larger diameter than the second beam (6), and the second beam (6) is adapted to slide into the first beam (4).