Sliding Door Stopper Bracket Force Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
The C-pillar in vehicle sliding door structures experiences high concentrations of stress and potential deformation due to repeated slamming impacts from sliding doors, as the impacting forces are not effectively distributed to other structural elements.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle sliding door structure that includes a stopper bracket rigidly attached to both the C-pillar and the track member, which absorbs and distributes the impacting forces to the track member and roof rail, thereby reducing the stress on the C-pillar.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the sliding door is opened quickly with significant force, then the door opening speed is improved, but the impacting force on the C-pillar increases causing stress concentration and potential deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper bracket is divided into two distinct attachment points: one attached to the C-pillar and another attached to the track member. This segmentation allows the impacting force to be distributed to multiple structural elements (C-pillar and roof rail via the track member) rather than concentrating it all on the C-pillar, thereby reducing stress concentration while still providing effective door opening stopping force
Solution Approach 2:
The stopper bracket acts as an intermediary component between the sliding door and the vehicle structure. It receives the impacting force from the sliding door and redistributes it to both the C-pillar and the track member, serving as a force distribution mediator that protects the C-pillar from excessive stress concentration
2Reliability
If a stop block or cushioning mechanism is installed on the C-pillar, then the door stopping function is provided, but the C-pillar experiences high concentrations of stress leading to fatigue and deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper bracket creates a segmented force distribution system with two separate attachment points on different structural elements. This segmentation ensures that the door stopping function is maintained while the stress is shared between the C-pillar and the track member, preventing the C-pillar from bearing the full impacting force alone
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potentially harmful concentrated impact force on the C-pillar into a beneficial distributed force system. By attaching the stopper bracket to both the C-pillar and the track member, the harmful concentrated stress is transformed into a beneficial distributed load that utilizes the structural strength of multiple components, thereby protecting the C-pillar from fatigue and deformation
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle body structure has a first structural member that at least partially defines an upper side of a door opening and a second structural member that extends downward from the first structural member and at least partially defines one side of the door opening. An elongated track member is attached on the first structural member. A sliding door is movably supported on the track member for movement along the track member between a closed position and an open position. A stopper bracket is rigidly attached on the second structural member. The stopper bracket is dimensioned and configured to absorb impacting forces of the sliding door as the sliding door moves from the closed position to the open position. The stopper bracket is rigidly attached to the track member such that the impacting forces are at least partially transmitted to the track member.