Instrument Panel Carrier Joint for Coating Access and Torsional Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Instrument panel carriers face challenges in achieving comprehensive corrosion protection coatings, particularly through cathodic dip painting, while maintaining lightweight and torsional rigidity, as existing designs often fail to ensure complete coating of internal cavities and increase weight or complexity.
Innovation Solution
The instrument panel carrier features a laterally open profile carrier part connector connected to tubular carrier parts via a strut, allowing for easy coating and reduced weight, with the strut and connector complementing each other for enhanced stiffness, and the ability to adjust their arrangement for optimal rigidity and frequency tuning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a metal carrier part connector with closed hollow chamber is used to connect carrier parts, then torsional rigidity is improved, but comprehensive corrosion protection coating cannot be achieved and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the closed hollow chamber from the carrier part connector design, extracting the problematic enclosed space that prevented coating access. The connector is redesigned as an open-profile component without internal cavities, allowing dip coating to reach all surfaces while maintaining structural integrity through the open profile geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is designed as a laterally open profile structure that segments the material distribution to provide both stiffness and coating accessibility. The open profile creates a lightweight structure with sufficient torsional rigidity while ensuring all surfaces are exposed to the corrosion protection coating during the dip painting process.
2Strength
If a metal carrier part connector is used to connect offset carrier parts, then structural integrity is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier part connector is designed as a laterally open profile structure that segments the material distribution optimally. This segmentation provides sufficient structural integrity for connecting offset carrier parts while minimizing material usage and overall weight compared to solid closed-section connectors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the connector by using a laterally open profile instead of a closed hollow chamber. This parameter change reduces the cross-sectional area and material quantity required, thereby reducing weight while maintaining the necessary structural integrity through the optimized open profile geometry.
3Reliability
If a laterally open profile carrier part connector is used, then corrosion protection coating is improved, but torsional rigidity may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The laterally open profile is segmented to create an optimized geometry that provides both coating accessibility and torsional rigidity. The segmentation of the profile into specific wall thicknesses and geometric configurations ensures sufficient stiffness while maintaining open access for corrosion protection coating application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the geometric parameters of the laterally open profile, including wall thickness, profile shape, and lateral opening configuration. These parameter changes ensure that the open profile provides adequate torsional rigidity while maintaining complete accessibility for corrosion protection coating.
4Stability of the object's composition
If complex carrier part connectors are used to maintain rigidity, then structural stability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the unnecessary complexity from the connector design by eliminating closed hollow chambers and internal cavities. The simplified laterally open profile structure maintains structural stability while significantly reducing manufacturing complexity and enabling straightforward dip coating processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector is segmented into a simple laterally open profile geometry that provides structural stability without complex features. This segmentation approach creates a manufacturable design with fewer production steps and lower complexity while maintaining the necessary structural performance.
Data Source
AI summary
An instrument panel carrier for a motor vehicle comprising at least two carrier parts following the longitudinal extension of the instrument panel carrier. The two carrier parts are spaced apart from one another by their facing end sections and connected to one another by a carrier part connector. The carrier part connector is profiled in the form of a laterally opening profile in the transverse direction relative to the longitudinal extension. Part of the instrument panel carrier is a strut connected to one of the two carrier parts next to the carrier part connector, and via which strut the instrument panel carrier is supported on the chassis of the motor vehicle, when installed in a motor vehicle.