Resin Door Inner Panel Fragile Portions Impact Deformation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicular door inner panels made of resin tend to undergo significant deformation and cracking during side-impact collisions, leading to unwanted protrusion towards the interior, which existing technologies fail to adequately mitigate.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating linear or dotted line-shaped fragile portions on the door inner panel, combined with high rigidity portions such as ribs and thickened areas, to concentrate stress and control deformation, thereby limiting the extent of deformation towards the interior member.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If the door inner panel is made of resin to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but deformation resistance under impact load deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor inner panel weightVSAvoiddeformation resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The door inner panel is segmented into multiple regions by providing fragile portions (notches) that divide the panel into multiple segments. These segments can deform independently under impact load, distributing the stress and preventing catastrophic failure while maintaining overall structural integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The panel is designed with non-uniform local properties: fragile portions (notches) are strategically placed in specific regions to control deformation patterns, while other regions maintain full thickness for strength. This creates zones with different mechanical properties optimized for their specific functions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If the door inner panel thickness is increased to improve strength, then deformation resistance is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeformation resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fragile portions (notches) are pre-formed during the molding process itself, rather than requiring post-manufacturing operations. The molding cavity includes features that directly create the notches and varied thickness regions, integrating the strengthening features into the base manufacturing process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The panel thickness parameter is varied locally throughout the structure. Instead of uniform thickness, the panel has regions of different thickness (full thickness in some areas, reduced thickness at fragile portions), optimizing strength where needed while reducing material usage elsewhere

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If fragile portions are provided in the door inner panel to control deformation, then deformation control is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeformation controlVSAvoidfragile portion positioning precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The fragile portions are pre-formed as integral features of the molding process. The mold cavity includes built-in features that automatically create the notches and varied thickness regions during standard molding operations, eliminating the need for separate precision machining or post-processing steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The solution effectively reduces the amount of deformation of the door inner panel towards the interior member by concentrating stress in fragile areas and increasing rigidity between them, allowing for stable bending and absorption of impact loads, thus preventing excessive protrusion and enhancing safety.

Implementation Method 1

stress is concentrated in the fragile portions, and the door inner panel bends and deforms toward the vehicle interior, using the fragile portions as starting points of bending deformation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectStress concentration:

Implementation Method 2

the door inner panel is deformed when an impact load is applied to the door inner panel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImpact energy absorption: Impact Force

Data Source

PatentEP2990246B1Vehicular door structure
Publication Date: 2019.12.25 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP2990246B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2990246B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2990246B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A vehicular door structure includes a door outer panel (14) that constitutes a door exterior panel; a door inner panel (16) that constitutes a door interior panel and is made of a resin, the door inner panel having a first side that is provided to the door outer panel; and a door interior member located on a second side of the door inner panel, the door interior member facing to the vehicle interior, wherein the door inner panel includes a panel part (16P) that has a plurality fragile portions (24), the fragile portions having a linear shape or a dotted line shape and being provided in parallel with each other while being spaced from each other in at least one direction of a door width direction and a door vertical direction.