Vehicle Rocker Reinforcement Structure for Up-Down Load Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The rigidity of vehicle rockers with respect to loads in the up-down direction is insufficient, leading to deformation and reduced ride quality, as well as noise propagation to occupants.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle lower body structure is reinforced by incorporating a rocker with a body portion and projecting portions that project in the up-down direction, joined to the rocker's wall surfaces, and a shared panel that interconnects the upper and lower parts of the rocker, enhancing rigidity and absorbing impact loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the rocker is made with simple structure, then manufacturing is easier, but rigidity against up-down loads is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement is divided into a body portion and multiple projecting portions that extend in the vehicle width direction. This segmentation allows the reinforcement to effectively resist deformation at multiple points along the rocker while maintaining a manageable structural complexity. The projecting portions are positioned at specific intervals to provide distributed support against up-down loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement is positioned inside the rocker structure, with the body portion nested within the rocker's cross-sectional space. This nesting arrangement allows the reinforcement to strengthen the rocker from the interior without significantly increasing the external dimensions or overall structural complexity of the vehicle side portion.
2Strength
If reinforcement is added inside rocker, then rigidity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement is designed with a modular segmented structure consisting of a body portion and multiple projecting portions. This segmentation enables the reinforcement to be manufactured as a standardized component that can be efficiently produced and then installed inside the rocker, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while achieving the desired rigidity improvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement acts as an intermediary element that is installed inside the rocker to provide the necessary structural support. By introducing this separate intermediate component rather than attempting to modify the rocker structure itself, the manufacturing process is simplified as each component can be produced independently and then assembled.
3Reliability
If rocker cross-section deforms, then ride quality deteriorates, but increasing rigidity adds weight
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement is designed to provide localized quality enhancement only where needed inside the rocker structure. The projecting portions are positioned at specific locations along the vehicle width direction to resist deformation at critical points. This localized approach improves ride quality by preventing cross-sectional deformation without requiring uniform thickening of the entire rocker, thereby minimizing additional weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement structure creates a composite construction within the rocker, combining the rocker material with the reinforcement material. This composite arrangement provides enhanced rigidity and improved ride quality while using materials and结构设计 that optimize the strength-to-weight ratio, avoiding excessive weight increase.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle lower body structure, including a rocker configuring a part of a vehicle lower side of a vehicle side portion, the rocker disposed along a vehicle front-rear direction; and a reinforcement including a body portion provided inside the rocker and a projecting portion that projects in a vehicle up-down direction from the body portion and that is joined to a wall surface of the rocker positioned on a projecting direction side of the projecting portion.