Vehicle Strut Mount Panel Stepped Contact Surface Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing strut assembly and shock absorber mounting panel systems suffer from permanent deformation under continuous load, leading to insufficient strength and increased material costs due to the need for additional reinforcing members.
Innovation Solution
The shock absorber mounting panel is redesigned with a contact surface portion having a cross-sectional area less than the nut, a flat surface portion, and a spacing surface portion, which minimizes contact with the shock absorber housing cover and absorbs input loads effectively, reducing deformation and material costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the shock absorber mounting panel is made with a standard coupling structure, then the assembly is simple to manufacture, but the panel and vehicle body continuously deform under load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a stepped structure with multiple levels (first stepped portion, second stepped portion) that creates different dimensional zones for load distribution. The contact surface is positioned at a different vertical level than the nut, creating a multi-level arrangement that separates the load bearing functions and prevents deformation through dimensional differentiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: a contact surface portion for panel contact, a first stepped portion for load distribution, a second stepped portion for additional structural support, and a nut portion for fastening. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally without interfering with others.
2Strength
If additional reinforcing members are added to the shock absorber mounting panel, then the panel strength is improved, but the material cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the mounting panel by introducing stepped portions with specific height differences and contact surface areas. The first stepped portion has a smaller cross-sectional area than the contact surface, and the second stepped portion has an even smaller area, creating a gradient structure that optimizes strength-to-material-ratio without adding reinforcing members.
Solution Approach 2:
The stepped structure creates local quality variations where different portions of the panel have different thicknesses and structural properties. The contact surface portion has maximum thickness for strength, while the stepped portions gradually reduce in thickness, providing localized reinforcement exactly where needed rather than uniformly throughout the entire panel.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the contact surface area is reduced, then the deformation is minimized, but the contact pressure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the pressure-concentration problem by introducing a vertical dimension through stepped portions. The contact surface is positioned at a higher vertical level than the nut, creating a multi-level structure that distributes the load through different vertical zones. This dimensional change allows a smaller contact area to effectively bear the load without excessive pressure concentration.
Data Source
AI summary
A strut assembly for a vehicle may include a shock absorber housing cover, into which a strut is inserted, and which is mounted, along with the strut, to a vehicle body, a shock absorber mounting panel configured to cover an upper portion of the shock absorber housing cover, and mounted to the vehicle body, and a coupling bolt inserted upward into a bolt coupling hole formed in the shock absorber housing cover, wherein the shock absorber mounting panel includes a contact surface portion having a cross-sectional area less than a cross-sectional area of a nut coupled with the coupling bolt, the contact surface portion having a hole corresponding to the bolt coupling hole, and the shock absorber mounting panel is brought into contact with the shock absorber housing cover by the contact surface portion.