Rollover Protection Housing-Free Drive Unit

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rollover protection systems for motor vehicles require a housing that encases the rollover body and drive unit, increasing space usage, weight, and production costs, while compromising the strength of the vehicle shell structure.

Innovation Solution

A rollover protection system with a housing that does not encompass the rollover body, featuring an assembly-stable connection between the rollover body and drive unit, allowing direct power transmission and eliminating the need for a separate housing, thus reducing installation space and weight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a housing encases the rollover body and drive unit, then the rollover protection system can be handled and assembled as a structural unit, but the system takes up a considerable amount of space on the shell structure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly as structural unitVSAvoidinstallation space on shell structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the housing component from the rollover protection system. The drive unit is designed to directly connect to the rollover body without requiring an enclosing housing, thereby removing the unnecessary structural element that consumed installation space while maintaining the functional integrity and assembly capability of the system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of manufacture

If a housing encases the rollover body and drive unit, then the system can be handled as a structural unit, but the weight of the system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling as structural unitVSAvoidsystem weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is extracted and removed from the system design. The drive unit incorporates direct connection mechanisms that eliminate the need for a housing structure, thereby reducing the overall weight of the rollover protection system while maintaining structural integrity and ease of handling during assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If receptacles are provided on the shell structure for the housing, then the rollover protection system can be installed, but the strength of the shell structure is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation capabilityVSAvoidshell structure strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The housing and its associated receptacles are extracted and removed from the system. The drive unit is designed to connect directly to the shell structure with minimized attachment requirements, thereby reducing the impact on shell structure strength while maintaining installation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The connection system is segmented into minimal necessary attachment points. Instead of requiring large receptacles for a housing, the drive unit uses focused, localized connection points that minimize the disruption to the shell structure's overall strength while enabling proper installation.

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

The system achieves a compact, lightweight design with enhanced structural integrity, allowing for efficient rollover protection without additional housing, reducing the need for complex structural adaptations and lowering production costs.

Implementation Method 1

A spring system is generally used as the drive energy store for the drive unit, with the rollover body generally being prestressed in the rest position by the spring system

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring prestress: Spring

Data Source

PatentEP2420413B1Rollover protection for motor vehicles
Publication Date: 2014.04.23 METALSA AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
  • EP2420413B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2420413B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The system (1) has a rollover body (2) displaceable from a resting position into a rollover position. A drive unit (3) adjusts the body in a danger case from the resting position into the rollover position. The drive unit has a drive energy storage having drive energy required for adjusting the body. The body is connected with the drive unit over a housing (4) of the drive unit for assembly-stable arrangement of the body. A connection unit extends over a partial area of the body and/or the drive unit. A projection (6) is arranged in a retainer (7) extending over a partial area of the housing.