Resin Panel Rib Welding for Weight Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing resin panels used in luggage compartments of vehicles face challenges in reducing weight and thickness while maintaining mechanical strength, as the formation of inner ribs leads to thinned portions that can deform or crack, necessitating a minimum average wall thickness of 1.5 mm to prevent damage.

Innovation Solution

A resin panel design with a rear wall and a front wall of varying thicknesses, where the rear wall has ribs indented towards the front wall and welded to its inner surface, allowing the front wall to be lighter and thinner, achieved by extruding molten resin sheets of different thicknesses and shaping them to form ribs during the molding process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If inner ribs are formed on the rear wall by indenting and welding, then mechanical strength is improved, but thinned portions are created that may deform or crack

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidresistance to deformation and cracking

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making the rear wall thicker than the front wall. Specifically, the rear wall has a thickness of 1.5-2.5mm while the front wall has a thickness of 1.0-2.0mm. This localized thickness variation allows the rear wall to bear the mechanical loads and resist deformation/cracking, while the front wall can be thinner for weight reduction. The ribs are formed on the thicker rear wall where they provide strength without creating critical thinned portions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a uniform thickness design to a variable thickness design by adding the thickness dimension differentiation between front and rear walls. This dimensional change allows the structure to have different functional requirements satisfied simultaneously: the rear wall provides structural support with greater thickness, while the front wall reduces weight with lesser thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If uniform wall thickness is used in cylindrical parison, then manufacturing is simplified, but weight and thickness cannot be reduced below 1.5mm average

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidpanel weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality by extruding the rear wall with a greater thickness (1.5-2.5mm) than the front wall (1.0-2.0mm). This allows different regions of the panel to have optimized thickness for their specific functions, enabling weight reduction below the 1.5mm average threshold while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through sequential extrusion and welding processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If rear wall thickness is increased to prevent deformation, then reliability is improved, but weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresistance to deformationVSAvoidpanel weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves this contradiction by applying local quality - the rear wall is made thicker (1.5-2.5mm) specifically where structural support and deformation resistance are needed, while the front wall is made thinner (1.0-2.0mm) where aesthetic and weight reduction priorities dominate. This localized differentiation achieves the desired reliability without proportionally increasing overall weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the panel into two distinct wall portions with different thickness characteristics - the rear wall segment and the front wall segment. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized independently for its specific functional requirements, with the rear wall providing structural integrity and the front wall contributing to weight reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 design enables a resin panel with reduced weight and thickness, preventing deformation or cracking of contact surfaces while maintaining mechanical strength, allowing the average wall thickness to be less than 1.5 mm without compromising durability.

Implementation Method 1

extruding molten resin sheets of different thicknesses

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectViscous flow: Viscometer

Implementation Method 2

extruding molten resin sheets

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 3

molten resin sheets

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal energy: Heating

Implementation Method 4

welded to its inner surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWelding: Welding

Data Source

PatentUS10179441B2Resin panel and molding method

Publication Date: 2019.01.15 KYORAKU CO LTD

AI summary

A resin panel of which contact surfaces of a rear wall to be in contact with another member are made unlikely to deform while reducing the weight of the resin panel. The panel includes a rear wall having a plurality of contact surfaces to be in contact with another member, and a front wall opposing the rear wall with an interval therebetween, the resin panel including a plurality of ribs obtained by indenting parts of the rear wall toward the front wall and welding the parts to an inner surface of the front wall, wherein a wall thickness of the front wall is generally equal to or smaller than a wall thickness of the rear wall.