Removable Motor Vehicle Front Frame Structure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current motor vehicle technical front face structures face challenges in achieving a balance between being robust, lightweight, and cost-effective while allowing for easy assembly and maintenance, as existing solutions either result in bulky assemblies or lack the ability to be dismantled for maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A technical front face structure comprising a frame with two parallel side uprights and upper and lower crosspieces, where the lower crosspiece and side uprights form a one-piece assembly with reversible fastening elements, allowing for simple and robust assembly and easy access for maintenance, with the option to dismantle parts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If welding, screwing, or riveting is used to join reinforcing inserts to ensure frame rigidity, then the structural strength is improved, but the assembly process becomes more complex and costly with additional positioning and fastening steps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveframe rigidityVSAvoidassembly process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical joining methods (welding, screwing, riveting) with a polymer material bonding system. The polymer material is injected into the frame structure to bond reinforcing inserts, eliminating the need for complex mechanical fastening operations while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the bonding mechanism from mechanical (threads, welds) to chemical/adhesive (polymer material bonding). This parameter change in the joining method simplifies the assembly process by eliminating positioning and fastening steps while preserving the required frame rigidity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If reinforcing inserts are embedded in polymer material with T-shaped embedding zones to create robust assembly without welding or screwing, then the assembly robustness is improved, but the structure becomes bulky and heavy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly robustnessVSAvoidframe weight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies polymer material bonding locally at specific bonding zones rather than creating extensive T-shaped embedding zones throughout the structure. This localized approach maintains assembly robustness where needed while avoiding the bulk and weight associated with comprehensive embedding structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If traditional joining methods are used to ensure frame rigidity, then the structural strength is improved, but maintenance becomes more difficult due to inability to disassemble frame components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveframe rigidityVSAvoidmaintenance accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a hybrid joining system where the lower crossbar and side posts form a permanent monobloc unit for structural integrity, while the upper crossbar uses reversible fastening elements that allow dynamic disassembly and reassembly. This enables maintenance access while preserving frame rigidity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Ease of repair

If the structure is made in two separate parts (lower and upper) to allow disassembly for maintenance, then the ease of repair is improved, but the structure becomes bulky and the parts are not connected

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance accessibilityVSAvoidstructural compactness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the frame into a permanent monobloc lower unit (lower crossbar + side posts) and a removable upper unit (upper crossbar). This segmentation allows the upper part to be detached for maintenance while the lower part remains permanently assembled, avoiding the bulkiness of completely separate constructions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3233609B1Partially removable motor vehicle technical front end structure
Publication Date: 2019.08.14 RENAULT SA
  • EP3233609B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3233609B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b
  • EP3233609B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5b

AI summary

The invention relates to a motor vehicle technical front end structure comprising a frame formed by two parallel lateral uprights (2) and an upper (5) and a lower cross member connecting the lateral uprights (2), characterized in that: -the lower cross member and the two lateral uprights (2) form a one-piece assembly, -each lateral upright (2) has, at its free end, a housing (10) inside which one end of the upper cross member (5) is fitted, and -each end of the upper cross member (5) is kept inside said housing (10) by reversible fastening elements.