Vehicle Rear Frame Lock Counterpart Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle body shell constructions face challenges in achieving a balance between cost-effectiveness, operational reliability, durability, and lightweight construction, particularly in the design and assembly of the rear frame, where reinforcement elements are often necessary for the lock counterpart of the tailgate.
Innovation Solution
A multi-part supporting rear panel is used, comprising a central part and two side parts, where the central part serves as the lock counterpart and can be independently configured for stability, allowing for the elimination of metal sheet doubling and reinforcement elements, enabling adjustable length and reduced material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the supporting rear panel is assembled from a single piece with integrated lock counterpart, then the structure is simpler, but the lock counterpart cannot be independently optimized for stability and requires reinforcement elements
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting rear panel is divided into a central part and at least two side parts. The central part is specifically designed as the lock counterpart and can be independently configured to provide the necessary stability and reinforcement features without requiring additional reinforcement elements throughout the entire panel.
Solution Approach 2:
The central part of the supporting rear panel is designed with different material properties or structural characteristics compared to the side parts. This allows the lock counterpart region to have enhanced stability and reinforcement where needed, while other regions maintain simpler construction.
2Reliability
If metal sheet doubling or reinforcement elements are used in the lock counterpart region, then the stability is improved, but the material consumption and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the supporting rear panel into a central part and side parts, the reinforcement measures are localized only to the central part where the lock counterpart is positioned. This eliminates the need for metal sheet doubling or reinforcement elements in the entire panel, reducing overall material consumption while maintaining stability where required.
Solution Approach 2:
The central part is designed with specific material thickness or structural properties optimized for the lock counterpart function, rather than uniformly reinforcing the entire panel. This local optimization reduces material consumption while providing necessary stability at the critical lock counterpart location.
3Device complexity
If the supporting rear panel is made as a single integrated component, then the assembly process is simpler, but the adaptability to different vehicle designs is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The supporting rear panel is segmented into a central part and side parts that can be manufactured and assembled separately. This modular approach allows the central part to be independently designed and optimized for different lock counterpart requirements, enhancing adaptability to various vehicle designs while maintaining reasonable assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular structure allows for flexibility in assembly, where the central part and side parts can be configured in different arrangements or configurations depending on the specific vehicle design requirements, enabling adaptability without significantly increasing assembly complexity.
4Strength
If thicker material is used throughout the entire supporting rear panel, then the overall strength is improved, but the weight and material cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The central part of the supporting rear panel is designed with greater material thickness or stronger material properties specifically where the lock counterpart is located, while the side parts use thinner or lighter material. This local quality differentiation provides overall strength where needed without unnecessarily increasing the weight of the entire panel.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the panel and assigning different material specifications to different segments, the design achieves optimal strength-to-weight ratio, using thicker material only in the central region requiring enhanced strength while keeping the rest of the panel lightweight.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle body of shell construction has a rear frame extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The rear frame has a support rear panel configured as an inner shell and a rear panel configured as an outer shell. The support rear panel is composed of a center part and at least two side parts. The center part is configured as a lock counterpart for a lock of a rear flap. In the region of the lock counterpart, the rear frame is solely comprised of the center part as the inner shell and the support rear panel as the outer shell, without sheet metal doubling or reinforcement structures.