Polyurethane Vehicle Door Protector with Cutout Window
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles parked in high-traffic areas are prone to dings, dents, scratches, and other blemishes on their finish and paintwork due to adjacent vehicles' doors being opened, causing accidental contact and resulting in costly damage.
Innovation Solution
A lightweight vehicle door protector with a durable polyurethane shell member and securing straps that can be easily installed over a vehicle door, featuring a metallic exterior surface and a cutout window section, to absorb impacts without damaging the vehicle's paintwork.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a vehicle door protector is installed to protect the paintwork from dings and dents, then the protection effectiveness is improved, but the weight of the door increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a thin film door protector made of polyurethane material that is laminated to the exterior surface of the vehicle door. This thin film provides protection against dings, dents, and scratches while adding minimal weight to the door, resolving the contradiction between protection effectiveness and weight increase.
2Strength
If a durable exterior surface material is used for the door protector, then the durability is improved, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material structure consisting of a polyurethane base layer providing durability and protection, combined with a metallic flake dispersion layer that adds aesthetic value. This composite structure achieves both durability and lightweight properties, avoiding the weight penalty of using solely heavy durable materials.
3Reliability
If a complete coverage shell member is used, then the protection coverage is improved, but the visibility through the door area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the door protector material selectively to specific areas of the door exterior surface where damage is most likely to occur, such as the lower portions and edges. The material is not applied uniformly across the entire door, including areas around windows and mirrors, thereby maintaining visibility while providing protection where it is most needed.
4Reliability
If a complex securing system with multiple straps is used, then the attachment reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the securing function from the main door protector body by using separate adhesive layers applied directly to the door surface. This eliminates the need for complex mechanical strap systems with multiple attachment points, achieving reliable attachment while significantly reducing device complexity.
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
Effectively protects the vehicle's finish and paintwork from dings, dents, and scratches by receiving the impact of adjacent doors, reducing damage and maintenance costs while maintaining visibility through the window section.
Implementation Method 1
a lightweight vehicle door protector with a durable polyurethane shell member... to absorb impacts without damaging the vehicle's paintwork
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle door protector that includes a lightweight single unit construction shell member configured to overlie and superimpose substantially the entire exterior of a sole vehicle door, said shell member having a durable exterior surface and a pliable interior surface, wherein the shell member is releasably securable to the vehicle door by means of a plurality of securing straps, whereby the finish and paintwork of the vehicle door to which the device is attached is protected from dings, dents, scratches and other blemishes rendered thereto by the opening of doors of adjacently parked vehicles.