Metal-Insert Thermoplastic Vehicle Component for Creep Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle components made of thermoplastic materials face issues with creep failure due to concentrated stress from strut components, which are not adequately addressed by current lightweight design solutions.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a metal insert with a strut component, where the strut is attached to a metal insert via an anchoring portion, and a thermoplastic rib is overmolded onto the metal insert to distribute stress over a larger surface, improving creep resistance and time to failure behavior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a thermoplastic structural part is used to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but creep behavior under constant load causes part failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining thermoplastic material with a metal insert to create a hybrid structure. The metal insert is embedded within the thermoplastic structural part at locations subject to constant load, creating a composite component that leverages the weight advantages of thermoplastic while gaining the creep resistance of metal. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining weight reduction benefits while eliminating creep failure risks in critical areas.
2Device complexity
If strut component force is concentrated at a small surface, then attachment is simple, but stress concentration causes creep and part failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the metal insert specifically at the load-bearing attachment points where the strut component connects to the structural part. Rather than making the entire component composite, the metal reinforcement is locally applied only where stress concentration occurs. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple attachment geometry while improving stress distribution through localized metal reinforcement that disperses concentrated loads.
3Strength
If aluminum is used to maintain mechanical properties, then mechanical properties are maintained, but material cost and cladding cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using a metal insert that can be separately manufactured and then integrated into the thermoplastic component. Rather than requiring expensive aluminum alloying and cladding processes for the entire component, a smaller, more cost-effective metal insert is used only where mechanical property enhancement is needed. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining necessary mechanical properties at critical locations while significantly reducing overall material and manufacturing costs compared to full aluminum construction.
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 combination of a metal insert and thermoplastic rib effectively distributes stress, enhancing the life performance of thermoplastic vehicle components by reducing creep and increasing the time to failure.
Implementation Method 1
a thermoplastic part overmolded on a first surface of the metal insert
Implementation Method 2
a thermoplastic rib overmolded on a second surface of the metal insert, the rib extending from the second surface
Implementation Method 3
the stress within the vehicle component exerted by the strut component is distributed over a relatively larger surface, such that creep and time to failure behavior are improved
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle component, comprising a thermoplastic part; a metal insert having an anchoring portion, a peripheral portion, and a first insert surface and an opposite second insert surface, wherein the first surface is overmolded by the thermoplastic part, a thermoplastic rib overmolded on a second surface of the metal insert the rib extending from the second surface and being at least partly adjacent to the thermoplastic part; and a strut component attached to the metal insert at the anchoring portion on the first surface of the metal insert. The invention further relates to a vehicle comprising such a vehicle component, wherein the vehicle is one of a railway vehicle, a marine vehicle, a road vehicle, or an aircraft.