M-Shaped Vehicle Body Strut for Rigidity and Weight Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle body reinforcement methods require numerous struts and additional elements to achieve high rigidity, leading to increased weight and assembly complexity.

Innovation Solution

A strut with a unique M or W-shaped course that connects different points of the vehicle body, incorporating multiple fastening sections to assume various stability functions, reducing the need for additional reinforcement elements and allowing for weight savings through a lightweight fiber-plastic composite material construction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If multiple struts and reinforcing elements are assembled to meet high rigidity requirements, then the vehicle body rigidity is improved, but the vehicle weight and assembly effort increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle body rigidityVSAvoidvehicle weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple reinforcing functions into a single strut element with a complex M-shaped or W-shaped course. This single element performs the work of multiple separate struts and reinforcing elements, reducing both weight and assembly effort while maintaining the required vehicle body rigidity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The strut is designed with multiple fastening sections (first, second, and further fastening sections) that allow it to perform multiple reinforcing functions simultaneously. The different sections of the strut can be fastened to various points on the vehicle body, enabling a single element to provide multiple stability functions that would otherwise require separate components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Stability of the object's composition

If multiple struts and reinforcing elements are assembled to meet high rigidity requirements, then the vehicle body rigidity is improved, but the assembly effort increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle body rigidityVSAvoidassembly effort

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The strut is divided into multiple functional sections (first leg sections, second leg sections) with different fastening sections that can be independently fastened to different vehicle body points. This segmentation allows the single element to be installed in a way that provides multiple reinforcing functions without requiring multiple separate components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2928757B1Reinforcing strut

Publication Date: 2018.02.28 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG

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AI summary

A strut is provided for reinforcing a vehicle body of a vehicle, in particular an engine compartment, wherein the strut has a first fastening portion and a second fastening portion for fastening the strut to the vehicle body. Further fastening portions are, situated between the first and second fastening portion, for further fastening the strut to points on the vehicle. The strut has a profile with at least two vertices between the first fastening portion and the second fastening portion.