Pipe Nut Stopper Structure for Spot-Welded Vehicle Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pipe nut fixing structures for vehicle body frames face inefficiencies in production due to the need for masking materials to prevent spatter during arc welding, leading to increased work hours and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A fixing structure for a pipe nut that includes a pipe nut main body with a first and second stopper, where the first stopper abuts the outer surface of the vehicle body frame and the second stopper restricts movement in the longitudinal direction, allowing for secure attachment via spot welding without the need for masking materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If arc welding is used to join the pipe nut flange to the vehicle body frame, then attachment rigidity is improved, but spatter occurs during welding requiring masking material attachment and detachment processes that increase work hours and reduce production efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces arc welding with spot welding to join the pipe nut flange to the vehicle body frame. Spot welding is a mechanical/electrical process that produces minimal spatter compared to arc welding, thereby eliminating the need for masking material attachment and detachment processes while maintaining attachment rigidity through controlled spot weld joints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the welding parameters by switching from arc welding (continuous weld) to spot welding (discrete weld points). This parameter change reduces spatter generation significantly, allowing the welding process to proceed without masking material steps, thus improving production efficiency while achieving sufficient attachment rigidity through optimized spot weld patterns.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If masking material is attached and detached before and after arc welding, then spatter prevention is improved, but work hours are increased and production efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces arc welding with spot welding, which inherently produces minimal spatter. This substitution eliminates the need for masking material application and removal processes entirely, thereby preventing spatter without incurring the time loss associated with these additional steps, thus resolving the contradiction between spatter prevention and work hours.
3Strength
If the pipe nut is joined by arc welding, then attachment rigidity is enhanced, but the complexity of the welding process increases due to additional masking material steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes arc welding with spot welding, simplifying the welding process by eliminating masking material steps. Spot welding achieves sufficient attachment rigidity through controlled electrical resistance heating and melting at discrete points, reducing process complexity while maintaining the required strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the welding methodology from continuous arc welding to discrete spot welding with optimized parameters. This parameter change simplifies the overall process by removing masking material requirements while achieving equivalent or superior attachment rigidity through precisely controlled spot weld characteristics such as weld diameter, depth, and distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
A fixing structure for a pipe nut includes a pipe nut main body, a first stopper, and a second stopper. A female screw portion is provided inside of the pipe nut main body, and the pipe nut main body penetrates a vehicle body frame having a hollow cross section. The first stopper is provided at a base end of the pipe nut main body and abuts on an outer surface of the vehicle body frame to restrict movement of the pipe nut main body in a longitudinal direction. The second stopper is provided on the pipe nut main body and abuts on a surface of the vehicle body frame different from the outer surface of the vehicle body frame on which the first stopper abuts, and the second stopper restricts movement of the pipe nut main body in the longitudinal direction.