Keyhole Embossed Panel Reinforcement for Uniform Bending Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle body panel reinforcement techniques face challenges in ensuring uniform bending strength, leading to directional dependency, increased weight, and cost due to thickness and size issues, as well as discomfort and reduced battery capacity from added members.
Innovation Solution
A keyhole-shaped embossed portion is formed by combining a circular embossed portion with an elongated embossed portion extending radially outward, providing uniform reinforcement without directional dependency and maintaining panel size, thus avoiding thickness and size-related issues and eliminating the need for additional members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a bead extending over the substantially entire length of the vehicle body panel is provided to reinforce the panel, then the panel strength in the direction of the bead is improved, but the panel weight and manufacturing cost increase due to increased panel size to accommodate shrinkage tolerance
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous bead is segmented into multiple discrete embossed portions (circular and elongated shapes) distributed across the panel. This segmentation eliminates the need for shrinkage tolerance in the panel size while providing sufficient reinforcement at key locations, thereby maintaining panel strength without increasing panel dimensions and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing uniform reinforcement through a continuous bead across the entire panel, the invention applies embossed portions locally at specific positions where reinforcement is most needed. The embossed portions are strategically placed to provide targeted strength enhancement without unnecessarily increasing panel size or weight in areas where reinforcement is not critical.
2Strength
If the panel thickness is increased to obtain predetermined strength against bending load in the direction of wave form, then the panel strength is improved, but the panel weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses circular and elongated embossed portions with curved surfaces instead of straight wave forms. These curved embossed portions effectively resist bending loads from multiple directions including the wave direction, providing omnidirectional reinforcement without requiring increased panel thickness, thereby maintaining strength while reducing weight.
3Strength
If fore-and-aft member and lateral member are added to reinforce the panel, then the panel strength is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the reinforcement function into the panel itself by forming embossed portions directly on the panel surface, eliminating the need for separate fore-and-aft members and lateral members. This integration simplifies the overall structure by combining what would have been separate components into a single unified panel design, reducing device complexity and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the reinforcement function from separate structural members and incorporates it directly into the panel through embossed portions. By taking out the need for additional reinforcing members and integrating the reinforcement capability into the panel itself, the design achieves the same structural support with fewer components.
4Strength
If fore-and-aft member and lateral member are added on the upper side of the underfoot floor panel, then the panel strength is improved, but the passenger comfort deteriorates due to raised underfoot level
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the reinforcement function from separate members that would project upward and instead incorporates it into the panel surface through embossed portions. This eliminates the projection that would raise the underfoot level, maintaining the original panel surface profile and preserving passenger comfort while still achieving the desired reinforcement.
5Strength
If fore-and-aft member and lateral member are added to the lower side of the underfoot floor panel, then the panel strength is improved, but the battery capacity is reduced due to downward projection
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the reinforcement function from separate members that would project downward and instead incorporates it into the panel surface through embossed portions. This eliminates the downward projection that would encroach on battery installation space, maintaining the original panel thickness profile and preserving maximum battery capacity while achieving the required reinforcement.
Data Source
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AI summary
Keyhole-shaped embossed portion 13 formed by combination of circular embossed portion 11 and elliptic embossed portion 12 having a width smaller than a diameter of circular embossed portion 11, is formed to project from a lower side of rear seat underfoot floor panel 8L in a thickness direction of rear seat underfoot floor panel 8L (from the side of a road surface) toward an upper side thereof in the thickness direction (toward an inside of a vehicle compartment), thereby reinforcing underfoot floor panel 8L. Circular embossed portion 11 serves to uniformly reinforce underfoot floor panel 8L in every direction extending through a center of circular embossed portion 11, so that underfoot floor panel 8L can have a predetermined strength against a bending load applied to underfoot floor panel 8L in every direction, and there is no directional dependency of degree of reinforcement of underfoot floor panel 8L. Circular embossed portion 11 tends to generate buckling that causes displacement of a circular bottom surface in the thickness direction. However, elliptic embossed portion 12 extending from an outer circumference of circular embossed portion 11 in a radially outward direction of circular embossed portion 11 can suppress the buckling.