Offset Floor Panel Joining for Stress Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor panel designs face constraints in reducing the number of parts and enhancing design freedom due to stress concentration at joining portions, which can lead to increased complexity and the need for additional reinforcing members during collisions.
Innovation Solution
A floor panel design where the central and outer side portions are joined via offset second joining portions in the vehicle longitudinal direction, reducing stress concentration and eliminating the need for reinforcing members by dispersing collision loads through tailored blanking and varying plate thicknesses and tensile strengths to enhance rigidity and strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the central joining portion and outer side joining portions are positioned at the same location in the vehicle longitudinal direction, then the structure is simpler and easier to manufacture, but stress concentrates at one place leading to potential failure during collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by intentionally offsetting the central joining portion from the outer side joining portions in the vehicle longitudinal direction. This asymmetric arrangement prevents stress concentration at a single location while maintaining structural integrity during collisions, resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the joining portions along the vehicle longitudinal direction, creating distinct positioning for central and outer side joining portions. This segmentation distributes stress across multiple locations rather than concentrating it, improving collision resistance without requiring additional reinforcing members.
2Strength
If plate members of different rigidity or strength are joined together, then the floor panel can achieve optimized rigidity and strength distribution, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by joining plate members with different rigidity or strength characteristics at specific locations. This allows the floor panel to have optimized strength distribution where needed while maintaining ease of manufacture through standardized joining processes for different plate types.
Data Source
AI summary
A floor panel has: a floor panel main body whose central portion and both outer side portions in a vehicle transverse direction are joined together, and that is formed by plural plate members being joined together at the central portion and the both outer side portions in the vehicle transverse direction. Among the second joining portions, a position of a central joining portion at the central portion in the vehicle transverse direction of the floor panel main body is offset in the vehicle longitudinal direction with respect to positions of outer side joining portions at the both outer side portions in the vehicle transverse direction of the floor panel main body. A different-type member joining portion, which is formed by plate members being joined together, is provided at at least one of the central portion, one of the outer side portions, and another of the outer side portions.