Reinforcing Element for Motor Vehicle Structural Cavity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for reinforcing motor vehicle structures, such as bodywork and frames, fail to provide sufficient mechanical reinforcement, especially in high-load areas like the A-pillar and roof frame, while maintaining lightweight construction.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a structural element with two interconnected sheets forming an elongated cavity, a reinforcing member with side walls and ribs, and a non-expandable adhesive that optimally distributes force from the first sheet to the second sheet, allowing for efficient mechanical amplification without significant weight increase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If reinforcing elements are used to enhance cavities in structural components, then the mechanical strength is improved, but the weight of the component increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing element is divided into multiple segments or sections along its length, with varying thicknesses and reinforcement densities. This segmentation allows the structure to provide maximum strength where needed while minimizing material usage in areas with lower load requirements, thereby reducing overall weight while maintaining mechanical strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing element features locally varied properties, with thicker sections positioned at critical stress points and thinner sections in areas with lower mechanical demands. This local quality optimization ensures that the reinforcing element provides enhanced strength precisely where required without unnecessarily increasing the weight of the entire component.
2Weight of moving object
If the volume of the reinforcing element is reduced to minimize weight, then the weight is decreased, but the mechanical reinforcement effect is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing element is designed with pre-calculated optimal dimensions, thickness variations, and material distributions that are determined in advance through structural analysis. This preliminary design ensures that even with reduced volume, the element provides sufficient mechanical reinforcement by strategically placing material where it is most effective for load bearing.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing element utilizes composite materials with high strength-to-weight ratio characteristics. These composite materials enable the element to maintain adequate mechanical reinforcement effects while occupying less volume and weighing less than traditional homogeneous materials would require.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
A system of a reinforced structural element of a motor vehicle comprises: a structural element comprising a first sheet and a second sheet, wherein the sheets are joined to each other at a first joint and at a second joint, and wherein the sheets form an elongated cavity in the area between the first joint and the second joint, and wherein the second sheet has a bulge in the area between the first joint and the second joint, with a first leg located at the first joint and with a second leg located at the second joint; a reinforcing element comprising a first side wall, a second side wall and a connecting wall joining the side walls, and which is arranged in the cavity of the structural element; and adhesive which bonds the reinforcing element to the structural element;wherein the first side wall of the reinforcing element is arranged in the area of the first joining point and the second side wall of the reinforcing element is arranged in the area of the second leg of the second sheet, so that a force acting on the first joining point in the direction of the reinforcing element is predominantly transferred by the reinforcing element to the second leg of the second sheet.