Rear Vehicle Body Combination Structure for Wheel Base Variation

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing vehicle manufacturing processes face inefficiencies and increased costs due to the need for separate development and production of center and rear floor panels for different wheel bases within the same platform, leading to time and cost burdens.

Innovation Solution

A rear vehicle body combination structure that allows for flexible response to wheel base changes by adjusting the welding points between the center and rear floor panels, forming an overlap region that can be welded in various configurations to enhance rigidity and unify production processes across different wheel bases.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If separate center floor panel and rear floor panel are manufactured for different wheel bases, then wheel base variations can be accommodated, but development time and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewheel base variation accommodationVSAvoiddevelopment time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The floor panel system is divided into a center floor panel and a rear floor panel that can be independently manufactured and then assembled together. This segmentation allows each panel to be produced using standard processes while the combination adapts to different wheel base requirements through adjustable overlap configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The center floor panel and rear floor panel are designed as universal components that can be used across multiple vehicle models with different wheel bases. By standardizing the panel designs and allowing flexible overlap positioning, the same panels serve multiple functions and configurations, eliminating the need for model-specific panel variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If separate center floor panel and rear floor panel are manufactured for different wheel bases, then wheel base variations can be accommodated, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewheel base variation accommodationVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The floor panel system is divided into a center floor panel and a rear floor panel that can be independently manufactured and then assembled together. This segmentation allows each panel to be produced using standard processes while the combination adapts to different wheel base requirements through adjustable overlap configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The center floor panel and rear floor panel are designed as universal components that can be used across multiple vehicle models with different wheel bases. By standardizing the panel designs and allowing flexible overlap positioning, the same panels serve multiple functions and configurations, eliminating the need for model-specific panel variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Strength

If center floor panel and rear floor panel are welded with larger overlap area, then connection strength increases, but vehicle body rigidity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepanel connection strengthVSAvoidvehicle body rigidity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The welding configuration parameters (number of rows, overlap length, welding position) are optimized to achieve the minimum overlap area required for sufficient connection strength. By precisely controlling these parameters, the connection maintains adequate strength while minimizing the impact on vehicle body rigidity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The welding structure is designed to form a closed cross-section configuration that dynamically distributes structural loads. The closed section geometry provides structural efficiency, maintaining rigidity while using minimal overlap area for the welding connection between panels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

This approach minimizes development investment, improves vehicle body rigidity, and enables the use of common panels across different wheel bases, maximizing profitability through process unification and reducing production costs.

Implementation Method 1

One end surface of the center floor panel and one end surface of the rear floor panel may be joined by welding along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWelding: Welding

Data Source

PatentUS11608119B2Rear vehicle body combination structure

Publication Date: 2023.03.21 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A vehicle body combination structure includes a center floor panel extending from a lower portion of a vehicle body along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and a rear floor panel disposed at a rear of the vehicle body and connected to the center floor panel, wherein one end surface of the center floor panel and one end surface of the rear floor panel are vertically overlapped to form an overlap region, and wherein the rear floor panel and the center floor panel form a wheel base of the vehicle body.