Vehicle Panel Stiffeners with Embedded Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle body panels made from molded thermoplastic, plastic, or composite materials often experience unforeseen vibrations at specific excitation frequencies, particularly when equipped with heavier motorization or additional equipment options, which can occur late in the development phase, making it impractical to redesign the structural lining and mold.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating connecting elements with adapted rigidity that connect stiffeners via embedding connections, providing additional stiffening means and filtering longitudinal vibrations by forming bridges between chosen attachment points on the structural lining.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the structural lining is redesigned to suppress vibrations, then the vibratory response is reduced, but the development time and cost increase due to late-stage discoveries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating vibration suppression features directly into the standard lining design before vehicle production and testing. The lining includes pre-positioned stiffening elements and damping structures that are manufactured in advance, allowing vibration issues to be prevented rather than corrected later. This eliminates the need for late-stage redesigns and associated time losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the lining into modular components with distinct vibration control functions. Different zones of the lining are equipped with specific stiffening elements or damping materials tailored to local vibration characteristics. This segmentation allows targeted vibration suppression without requiring complete redesign of the entire lining structure.
2Power
If heavier motorization or additional equipment is added to the vehicle, then the vehicle performance is improved, but unexpected vibrations occur in the body panel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the lining's vibration characteristics adaptable to different vehicle configurations. The lining includes adjustable stiffening elements or damping structures that can be tuned or activated based on the specific motorization and equipment combination. This allows the lining to dynamically respond to changing mass and vibration characteristics when heavier components are added.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by pre-installing damping materials and vibration isolation structures in the lining before the heavier equipment is mounted. These cushioning elements are positioned in advance to counteract the specific vibration frequencies and amplitudes that will be generated by the known equipment combinations, preventing unexpected vibrations before they occur.
3Reliability
If a new lining design is created to address vibration anomalies, then the vibratory response is suppressed, but the manufacturing cost increases due to new mold requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a standardized lining platform that can serve multiple vehicle models and equipment configurations. The lining incorporates universal stiffening elements and vibration control features that can be adapted to different applications without requiring completely new molds. This multi-functional design allows the same basic lining structure to address vibration issues across various vehicle versions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying existing lining parameters such as material density, stiffener spacing, or damping coefficient rather than redesigning the entire lining geometry. These parameter adjustments can be achieved through material selection or component configuration changes that do not require new injection molds, thereby suppressing vibrations while maintaining manufacturing cost-effectiveness.
Data Source
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AI summary
Vehicle body panel (1), comprising an outer wall (5) supported by a structural lining (2), made by molding a plastic or composite material, including stiffeners (20, 20a, 20b, 20c) arranged to give said body panel a given mechanical strength. One or more added connecting elements (3), whose rigidity is adapted to suppress a vibration response of the stiffeners (20, 20a, 20b), connect at each of their ends (31) separate attachment points (21) arranged on the lining, and in which each end (31) of the connecting element is inserted into a housing, arranged on a stiffener (20, 20a, 20b), to form with said stiffener a fixed connection.