Maintenance Cover Turning Support for Engine Undercover
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing car body forepart structures face challenges in maintainability due to increased workspace requirements and potential deformation of engine undercovers during maintenance, especially when a maintenance cover is provided, which compromises rigidity and strength.
Innovation Solution
The car body forepart structure incorporates a maintenance cover with lateral and central turning support parts, a rear-edge latch, and a semi-bowl shaped protrusion to facilitate sliding and rotation, allowing for maintenance without removing the whole cover, while ensuring rigidity through metallic reinforcing members and improved aerodynamic performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If a maintenance cover is provided on the plastic engine undercover, then maintainability is improved, but the rigidity and strength of the engine undercover deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The engine undercover is segmented into a front cover and a rear cover that can be separated from each other. The maintenance cover is integrated with the front cover, allowing the front cover and maintenance cover to be removed together as a unit. This segmentation enables maintenance access without compromising the overall structural integrity of the engine undercover, as the rear cover remains intact to maintain rigidity and strength.
2Ease of repair
If an inspection cover is slidably retained in the undercover, then maintainability is improved, but the work space is increased by the stroke required for retraction
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance cover is designed with a dynamic removal mechanism where the front cover can be pivoted open about a hinge axis. This dynamic design allows the maintenance cover to be swung open to a convenient working position without requiring significant retraction stroke, thereby minimizing the additional work space needed while improving access for maintenance operations.
3Ease of operation
If the maintenance cover is made thin and light-weighted, then ease of operation is improved, but the number of supporting points must be increased to handle heavy load during sliding
Solution Approach 1:
The maintenance cover is nested within the front cover structure, sharing common supporting points including hinge pins and mounting brackets. This nested arrangement allows the maintenance cover to be thin and light-weighted while utilizing the structural support of the front cover, avoiding the need for additional supporting points. The shared support structure handles the heavy load during sliding operations efficiently.
Data Source
AI summary
A maintenance cover includes a pair of lateral turning support parts provided at right and left sides of a front edge part, and a central turning support part. The lateral turning support parts have opening parts that can be caught by hook parts with an L-shaped cross-section that are provided at a cover main body part. The central turning support part has a stopper that is engageable with an inner wall surface of a side wall part provided at the cover main body part. When the maintenance cover is slid backwardly, a sliding operation of the maintenance cover is stopped by the lateral turning support parts and the central turning support part, and the maintenance cover is rotated with the lateral turning support parts being as supporting points.