Retaining Member for Thermoplastic Molding Shape Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Moldings for vehicles, made of thermoplastic resin, often lose their curved shape during storage due to heat exposure, preventing them from conforming to vehicle parts upon attachment.
Innovation Solution
A retaining member with an attachment portion groove is used to maintain the shape of the molding's curved portion, featuring a higher Young's modulus and heat distortion temperature than the molding, ensuring the shape is preserved even at high temperatures, and includes abutting and pressing portions to secure the molding in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If curving processing is performed on thermoplastic resin moldings, then the molding can conform to vehicle shapes, but the curved shape cannot be maintained during storage due to heat exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-curving the molding to the desired shape before storage and using a retaining member to maintain this pre-established curved shape during storage and transportation, preventing heat-induced deformation before the molding is installed on the vehicle
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining member acts as an intermediary between the molding and the storage environment, physically supporting the curved portion of the molding and isolating it from harmful thermal effects during storage and transportation
2Ease of manufacture
If the molding is stored without a retaining member, then storage is simple, but the curved portion returns to linear shape due to heat
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining member serves as an intermediary device that introduces minimal complexity to the storage system while providing reliable shape retention, acting as a simple support structure that maintains the curved shape without requiring complex mechanisms
3Stability of the object's composition
If a retaining member is used to maintain curved shape, then shape stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retaining member is designed as a simple, inexpensive, and potentially disposable component that provides shape stability during storage and transportation, whose low cost and simple structure justify the added device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining member is a simple intermediary device with straightforward structure that provides effective shape maintenance without introducing excessive complexity to the storage system
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 retaining member effectively maintains the curved shape of the molding during storage and transportation, preventing shape changes due to heat exposure, and allows for easy removal without excessive force.
Implementation Method 1
a retaining member having an attachment portion groove into which at least the curved portion of the attachment portion is configured to be fitted is used, the method including: storing the molding by retaining at least the curved portion of the molding by the retaining member in a state where a shape of at least the curved portion of the molding is maintained
Implementation Method 2
the retaining member is provided with an abutting portion on which an end surface of the curved portion of the molding is configured to abut, and a pressing portion protruding from the abutting portion and configured to restrict an end portion of the curved portion of the molding from moving
Data Source
AI summary
An inner molding is stored by retaining at least a curved portion of the inner molding by a retaining member in a state where a shape of at least the curved portion of the inner molding is maintained. The inner molding is retained by fitting at least a curved portion of an attachment portion of the inner molding into an attachment portion groove of the retaining member so that an outer surface of a first horizontal wall of the attachment portion abuts against a first inner wall surface of the attachment portion groove and an outer surface of a second horizontal wall of the attachment portion abuts against a second inner wall surface of the attachment portion groove.