Vehicle Suspension Member Rib Geometry for Longitudinal Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle suspension members have insufficient strength against external forces in the vehicle longitudinal direction, leading to excessive out-of-plane deformation and reduced load-bearing capacity.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle suspension member with a metal body featuring a specific geometric configuration, including a first and second bush support part and a ball joint support part, connected by lateral parts and vertical ribs, where the intersection of a straight line and a curved line formed by vertical middle points of the ribs controls out-of-plane bending deformation, ensuring a roughly S-shaped bending mode and distributing external forces effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional L-shaped suspension member is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the strength against external forces in the vehicle longitudinal direction is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension member is divided into multiple functional segments: a body part, a rib part extending in the vehicle width direction, and lateral parts connecting support parts. This segmentation allows each segment to bear specific loads, with the rib part specifically designed to resist out-of-plane bending moments, thereby increasing overall strength without requiring a completely complex new structure
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a dimensional element by extending the rib part in the vehicle width direction (out-of-plane direction) perpendicular to the main L-shaped structure. This three-dimensional rib structure provides additional structural stiffness and resistance to out-of-plane bending moments, transforming the planar L-shape into a spatial structure with enhanced load-bearing capacity
2Stability of the object's composition
If the suspension member has a simple L shape, then manufacturing is easy, but out-of-plane bending deformation increases under longitudinal external forces
Solution Approach 1:
The rib part is designed with a curved cross-section having a specific geometric relationship where the curved line connecting vertical middle points of the rib intersects with the straight line between support parts at specific area ratios. This curvature optimization provides structural stability against out-of-plane bending while maintaining manufacturability through standard forming processes
3Strength
If the rib area ratio S2/S1 deviates significantly from 0.8-1.2, then manufacturing flexibility increases, but the maximum load capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the geometric parameters of the rib part, specifically the area ratio S2/S1 between the two regions formed by the intersection of the curved and straight lines. By controlling this parameter within the range of 0.8-1.2, the structure achieves optimal resistance to out-of-plane bending moments while maintaining reasonable design flexibility for different vehicle applications
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a vehicle suspension member securing a strength against external force in a vehicle longitudinal direction. A lower arm includes an arm body, a front bush support part, a rear bush support part, a ball joint support part, a first rib, a second rib, and a third rib. The third rib is disposed in a lateral part connecting the ball joint support part to the rear bush support part. An S-shaped rib center curve of the third rib intersects with a straight line at an intersection. |(1−S2/S1)|≤0.2 is satisfied, where S1 is area of a first region defined by the rib center curve and the first straight line, and S2 is area of a second region.