Rocker Panel Reinforcement for Crash Integrity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle body designs face challenges in providing adequate structural support and rigidity, particularly during crash tests, due to potential weaknesses in the rocker panel area, which can lead to buckling and separation issues during impact loads.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a reinforcement member fixed to both flanges of the rocker panel, which bridges the potential weak areas, providing additional structural support and resisting buckling and separation, thereby enhancing the vehicle's structural integrity during crash tests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the rocker panel is formed as a separate component and joined to pillars, then the door ring can be assembled from distinct parts, but the structural strength and rigidity of the rocker panel area is insufficient during crash tests
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement member is integrated with the rocker panel through fixed connection, creating a combined structural unit that functions as a single reinforced component. This merging approach increases bending strength while effectively reducing the functional complexity of separate reinforcement elements
Solution Approach 2:
The solution combines the rocker panel with a reinforcement member to create a composite structural system. This composite construction provides enhanced structural strength and rigidity in the rocker panel area, addressing the weakness identified in separate component designs
2Reliability
If the rocker panel uses separate components joined together, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but buckling and separation occur during impact loads
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement member is fixed to the rocker panel to create an integrated structural unit that resists buckling and separation forces. This combination maintains reliability under impact loads while the fixed connection design allows for efficient manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement member is positioned at specific critical locations on the rocker panel to provide targeted structural support. This segmented approach to reinforcement provides reliable buckling resistance at key areas without requiring complete restructuring of the entire rocker panel assembly
3Strength
If reinforcement is added to the rocker panel, then structural integrity during crash tests is improved, but the number of components and seams increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement member is fixedly connected to the rocker panel to form an integrated structural assembly. This merging of components creates enhanced structural integrity for crash resistance while reducing the effective component count through permanent attachment
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of the rocker panel and reinforcement member creates a composite structural system that delivers improved crash test performance. This composite approach achieves higher structural integrity without requiring multiple separate reinforcement components
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle body includes a rocker panel elongated along an axis. The vehicle body includes a pillar fixed to the rocker panel and elongated in a direction transverse to the axis. The rocker panel includes a first flange and a second flange. The first flange and the second flange are on opposite sides of the pillar and spaced from each other in a direction parallel to the axis. The vehicle body includes a reinforcement fixed to the first and second flanges.