Motor Vehicle Liquid Container Slosh-Noise Damping Structure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for reducing sloshing sounds in motor vehicle liquid containers, such as baffles and knitted or woven fabric mats, are ineffective due to direction-dependent damping, material inefficiency, and potential disruption of internal components, and are costly to produce and install.
Innovation Solution
A liquid container with a structure comprising a random arrangement of interlinked threads connected by substance bonding to form a monolithic structure, which is integrated into the container wall to reduce sloshing sounds independently of flow direction, using plastics like HDPE and PP for the threads and wall, and connecting methods like welding or gluing for a secure, weight-efficient solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If knitted, worked or woven fabric mats are arranged in a liquid container to reduce sloshing sounds, then the damping capacity is improved, but the damping becomes direction-dependent and threads may detach to adversely affect internal components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a porous plastic foam structure instead of woven or knitted fabric. This foam material provides effective sloshing sound damping while eliminating the risk of thread detachment that plagues fabric-based solutions. The closed-cell foam structure maintains integrity under liquid exposure and mechanical stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite approach by combining the plastic foam damping structure with the container wall through integral forming or adhesive bonding. This creates a unified system where the damping layer and container wall work together, improving both acoustic performance and structural reliability.
2Strength
If additional fixing elements are used to attach matting to the tank inner wall, then the matting is securely connected, but the mats can still knock or rub against the container wall during operation and create additional sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the damping structure with the container wall by integrating the foam directly into the wall structure during manufacturing or by using adhesive bonding. This eliminates the need for separate fixing elements that could create knocking or rubbing noises, while maintaining secure attachment of the damping layer.
3Device complexity
If hedgehog matting is attached at a few points on the tank inner wall to disrupt wave movements, then the structure is simple, but the mat itself can knock against the tank inner wall and contribute to noise excitation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid hedgehog pins with a flexible porous foam structure that can absorb liquid movement energy without creating rigid contact points that knock against the container wall. The foam's cellular structure provides damping while conforming to wall movements, eliminating noise excitation.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a random arrangement of interlinked threads connected by substance bonding is used to form a monolithic structure, then sloshing sounds are reduced across all flow directions, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state and bonding parameters of the plastic material during manufacturing. By heating the plastic to a moldable state and then cooling it to form the integral damping structure, the complex monolithic foam structure is created in a single manufacturing step, making the process economically viable despite the structural complexity.
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 effectively reduces sloshing sounds across all flow directions without disrupting internal components and is economically produced with a secure, integral connection that prevents additional noise generation, enhancing acoustic protection without increasing weight.
Implementation Method 1
a structure (2) which is intended to be arranged in the interior (26) of the liquid container (28) in order to reduce sloshing sounds
Implementation Method 2
The connection between the wall and the structure may be achieved by welding individual threads of the structure to the wall
Implementation Method 3
The connection between the wall and the structure may be achieved by gluing the structure to the wall
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing a liquid container (28) for a motor vehicle, having the method steps: providing a wall (14), which is provided in order to delimit an interior chamber (26) of the liquid container (28) for receiving a liquid (34); providing a structure (2), which is provided in order to be arranged in order to reduce sloshing noises in the interior chamber (26) of the liquid container (28), wherein the structure (2) comprises a random arrangement of threads (4) cross-linked with each other and wherein a plurality of the threads (4) of the structure (2) are integrally joined, at least in sections, to at least one or more additional threads (4) of the structure (2), such that a substantially monolithic structure (2) is formed; connecting the structure (2) to the wall (14).