Shock Absorber Cup Structure With Cable Passage and Tangent Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shock absorber cups for vehicles with double wishbone front axles are bulky, limit component volume, and weaken connections due to the need for additional reinforcement pieces, complicating manufacturing and maintenance, especially when accommodating electrical and hydrogen charging networks.
Innovation Solution
A hollow cylindrical shock absorber cup with tangent arms allowing passage for power supply networks, composed of a single cast aluminum piece, ensuring robust attachment and reducing mass, facilitating manufacturing and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a single solid piece shock absorber cup is used to withstand high forces from double wishbone front axle, then the attachment robustness is improved, but the cup becomes bulky and limits volume for power supply networks
Solution Approach 1:
The cup is divided into multiple parts: a hollow cylindrical body and two arms that are tangent to the cylinder. This segmentation allows the structure to maintain strength while reducing overall volume and creating passage spaces for power supply networks through the hollow interior and between the arms.
Solution Approach 2:
The design transitions from a solid three-dimensional mass to a structured framework with hollow interiors and strategic openings. The two arms tangent to the cylindrical body create linear passage dimensions, while the hollow cylinder provides volumetric passage space, allowing power supply networks to pass through without compromising structural integrity.
2Strength
If reinforcement pieces are added to the cup to compensate for weak connections, then the attachment robustness is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cup body and arms are designed to be integrated components, preferably formed as a single piece through casting or forging. This merging eliminates the need for separate reinforcement pieces and multiple assembly steps, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining connection robustness through the unified structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cup design serves multiple functions simultaneously: the hollow cylindrical body provides structural support and attachment points, while also creating passage space for power supply networks. The tangent arms provide both structural reinforcement and define additional passage geometry, eliminating the need for dedicated reinforcement pieces.
3Strength
If sheet steel is used to make the cup, then the attachment robustness is improved, but the mass and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The material parameter is changed from sheet steel to cast aluminum or forged aluminum. This parameter change reduces the cup mass by approximately 50% compared to sheet steel construction, while the casting or forging process maintains the structural strength required for robust attachment in double wishbone front axle applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The design utilizes aluminum as a lightweight material that can be formed into complex shapes through casting or forging. This material choice creates a composite effect where the hollow cylindrical structure and tangent arms work together to provide both strength and weight reduction, eliminating the need for heavy sheet steel construction.
Data Source
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AI summary
Shock absorber cup (1) for a motor vehicle, the cup (1) comprising a hollow cylindrical body (2) and two arms (3). The cylindrical body comprises a central part which comprises means for fixing to an upper end of a shock absorber of the vehicle, and a lower part which comprises means for fixing to a side member of the vehicle. The two arms are tangent to the cylindrical body and are intended to be fixed to a body of the vehicle. The arms (3) delimit an opening (130) configured to allow the arrangement of a supply network inside the body, the opening being configured to be crossed by the supply network.