Luggage Compartment Liner Cutout for Armrest Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing solutions for vehicle trunk side wall trims require multiple specific parts and tooling for different vehicle versions, leading to increased costs and complexity, as they cannot be adapted to fit both five-seat and seven-seat configurations efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A trunk side wall trim design featuring a gasket with a cutout for armrest support and a securing element, such as a lug with a hole, allows for a single tool to be used across two vehicle versions, ensuring a robust and high-quality fit by catching the armrest support's edge between the armrest and support, and utilizing transverse ribs for assembly assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If specific side wall trims are provided for each vehicle version (five-seater and seven-seater), then the trim adapts perfectly to its environment, but the number of different parts and manufacturing tooling increases considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is designed with a universal structure that can be used for both five-seater and seven-seater vehicle versions. The boss portion fits the wheel arch relief in both versions, while the upper part can be configured with or without cutouts depending on the vehicle version, allowing a single gasket design to serve multiple functions across different vehicle configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The gasket is divided into distinct functional portions: a boss portion for fitting the wheel arch relief and an upper part that can be selectively configured. This segmentation allows the lower boss to remain consistent across versions while the upper part adapts to different requirements (with or without armrest cutouts), reducing the need for completely different gasket designs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If specific side wall trims are provided for each vehicle version, then the trim adapts perfectly to its environment, but manufacturing costs increase due to separate tooling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
By designing a universal gasket that can accommodate both five-seater and seven-seater versions through selective configuration of the upper part, the invention eliminates the need for separate manufacturing tooling for each vehicle version, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The gasket design allows for dynamic configuration of the upper part based on the vehicle version requirements. The presence or absence of cutouts can be determined during manufacturing or assembly, allowing the same basic gasket structure to adapt to different vehicle configurations without requiring completely different tooling sets.
3Reliability
If edges of the cutout are caught between the armrest and armrest support, then the armrest support is securely attached, but the securing element must be precisely positioned
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket's cutout edges serve a dual function: they define the opening shape for the armrest support and simultaneously act as securing elements that engage with the armrest and support. This self-service feature eliminates the need for separate securing mechanisms while maintaining reliable attachment, provided the cutout is properly positioned during manufacturing.
Data Source
AI summary
An arrangement of a liner (10') on a lateral wall (16) of a motor vehicle luggage compartment comprising a profile (22) corresponding to a wheel arch and, above the profile (22), an armrest (18) fixed by means of a support (20), characterised in that the liner (10') comprises: - in the lower part, a protuberance (12') intended to conform to the profile (22) of the lateral wall (16) - and, in an upper part of the protuberance (12'), at least one cutout (24) designed to allow the support (20) of the armrest (18) to pass therethrough, and in that the edges (25, 25s) of the cutout (24) are held between the armrest (18) and the support (20) of the armrest (18).