Skid Plate Attachment to Vehicle Frame Side Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle skid plates are not directly attached to the vehicle frame, which can lead to inadequate protection for engine components during off-road excursions, as they are typically attached to bumper and fender elements rather than structural parts.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle front-end assembly design where a skid plate is directly attached to the downward-facing surfaces of the front side members of the vehicle frame using mechanical fasteners, ensuring secure attachment and enhanced protection for the underside of the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the skid plate is attached to bumper and fender elements, then the attachment structure is simpler, but the protection reliability for engine components is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the attachment system into two distinct parts: attachment means (fasteners) that secure the skid plate to the frame, and engagement means (protrusions and recesses) that connect the skid plate to the bumper assembly. This segmentation allows the skid plate to be reliably attached to the frame while maintaining simpler connection to the bumper assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The skid plate itself serves as an intermediary element between the vehicle frame and the bumper assembly. By attaching the skid plate directly to the frame with separate attachment means, the system achieves reliable protection while the engagement means provide the connection to the bumper assembly, resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the skid plate is attached to the vehicle frame directly, then the protection for engine components is enhanced, but the device complexity increases due to additional attachment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The skid plate assembly serves multiple functions: it protects engine components from debris, attaches to the vehicle frame for structural support, and engages with the bumper assembly for integrated positioning. The attachment means and engagement means enable this multi-functionality without requiring separate complex systems for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the protection function and attachment function into a single integrated skid plate assembly. The main body provides protection while the attached flanges with attachment means and engagement means provide secure mounting, combining multiple functions into one component that reduces overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If the skid plate uses separate attachment means and engagement means, then the attachment reliability is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment flanges with attachment means and engagement means are pre-formed as integral parts of the skid plate assembly during manufacturing. This preliminary action of pre-attaching the connection elements simplifies the final assembly process and reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining high attachment reliability through the separate attachment and engagement mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle front-end assembly includes a vehicle frame and a skid plate. The vehicle frame has a first front side member and a second front side member. Each of the first and second front side members has a corresponding front-end portion with a downward facing surface. The skid plate has a main section, a first attachment flange extending from a first lateral side of the main section and a second attachment flange extending from a second lateral side of the main section. The first attachment flange is attached to the downward facing surface of the first front side member. The second attachment flange is attached to the downward facing surface of the second front side member such that the main section covers a forward area of an underside of the vehicle.