Closed-Section Side Rail Corner Reinforcement for Choppy Ride
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for reducing choppy ride in vehicle bodies, such as enlarging side rail sectional shape or increasing steel plate thickness, result in increased weight and manufacturing costs, which are undesirable.
Innovation Solution
A side rail with a closed-section polygonal structure featuring base members and reinforcement plate members with greater thickness, where the reinforcement plate members are laser-welded to the base members at corner portions, enhancing bending rigidity without enlarging the rail's sectional shape or increasing weight, and allowing for efficient antirust coating application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the sectional shape of the side rail is enlarged to enhance bending rigidity, then choppy ride is reduced, but the space required for arranging the side rail increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning reinforcement plate members with greater thickness specifically at corner portions of the side rail's closed-section structure, rather than uniformly enlarging the entire sectional shape. This localized reinforcement enhances bending rigidity where it is most needed while maintaining a compact overall footprint, thus resolving the contradiction between strength improvement and space consumption.
2Strength
If the plate thickness of the entire steel plate configuring the side rail is increased to enhance bending rigidity, then choppy ride is reduced, but the weight of the vehicle body increases greatly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the plate thickness of the entire steel plate, the patent implements local quality by using reinforcement plate members with greater thickness only at specific corner portions. This selective thickening provides the necessary bending rigidity enhancement to reduce choppy ride while avoiding the great weight increase that would result from uniform thickness increase across the entire side rail structure.
3Strength
If reinforcements are laid on and welded to the inner surfaces of the side rail to enhance bending rigidity, then choppy ride is reduced, but the weight of the vehicle body increases greatly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by applying reinforcement plate members with greater thickness at the corner portions rather than laying reinforcements across the entire inner surface. This localized approach enhances bending rigidity where it is most effective while minimizing the added weight, avoiding the great weight increase associated with comprehensive inner surface reinforcement.
4Strength
If arc welding is used to join base members and reinforcement plate members, then structural integrity is achieved, but welding spatters and oxided scales are generated making coating application difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/thermal arc welding process with laser welding, which uses a concentrated laser beam to join the base members and reinforcement plate members. This substitution maintains structural integrity while significantly reducing the generation of welding spatters and oxided scales, thereby making subsequent coating application much easier and more effective.
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
This configuration effectively reduces choppy ride without increasing vehicle body weight or manufacturing costs, while maintaining high antirust effectiveness by minimizing welding spatters and oxided scales.
Implementation Method 1
the reinforcement plate members are laser-welded to the base members at corner portions
Data Source
AI summary
A side rail includes a reinforcement region having a closed-section structure by base members and reinforcement plate members having a greater plate thickness than a plate thickness of the base members. In the reinforcement region, in a state in which the reinforcement plate members are fitted in fitting portions provided at positions corresponding to respective corner portions in the base members, the base members and the reinforcement plate members are joined to each other by laser welding.