Tailgate Opening D-Pillar Transverse Member Closed-Section Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing vehicle body structures of tailgate openings in SUVs and MPVs face excessive deformation and rigidity issues, particularly when parked with one front wheel on a curb, leading to difficulties in closing the tailgate and inadequate durability performance, especially when a four-row pop-up seating configuration is applied.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle body structure that includes a D-pillar member, transverse member, back panel, cover member, reinforcement member, and support members forming closed cross-section structures to enhance rigidity and strength at the lower portion of the tailgate opening, with members interconnected to distribute stress and loads effectively across multiple axes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the vehicle body structure uses a conventional tailgate opening design, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the rigidity and strength of the lower portion of the opening are insufficient, causing excessive deformation when parked with one front wheel on a curb
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle body structure is divided into multiple functional members: D-pillar members (first and second), transverse members (third and fourth), back panels, cover members, and reinforcement members. Each segment serves a specific structural purpose, with the D-pillars providing vertical support, transverse members providing horizontal reinforcement, and reinforcement members specifically strengthening the lower corner portions where stress concentrates during curb parking scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle body structure employs composite construction by combining multiple materials with different properties. The D-pillar members and transverse members are formed from materials with appropriate strength-to-weight ratios, while reinforcement members in corner portions use materials optimized for high-stress resistance. This composite approach allows the structure to achieve superior overall rigidity without excessive weight gain.
2Reliability
If the vehicle body structure is reinforced to prevent deformation, then the rigidity and durability are improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The D-pillar members, transverse members, and reinforcement members are designed and pre-positioned to proactively counteract deformation forces before they occur during curb parking scenarios. The reinforcement members are strategically placed in corner portions where stress concentrates, providing preemptive structural support that prevents deformation rather than correcting it afterward.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than uniformly reinforcing the entire vehicle body, the invention applies reinforcement members specifically to the lower corner portions of the tailgate opening where stress concentrates during asymmetric loading (one wheel on curb). This localized reinforcement approach provides maximum durability improvement with minimal additional manufacturing complexity, as only critical high-stress areas are strengthened.
3Productivity
If the tailgate opening structure is simplified for ease of assembly, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the overall rigidity of the vehicle body is insufficient, making it difficult to satisfy durability performance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The D-pillar members and transverse members are merged to form integrated closed-loop structures at the corners of the tailgate opening. The reinforcement members are combined with cover members and back panels to create unified corner assemblies. This merging approach maintains assembly efficiency by reducing the number of separate fastening operations while achieving superior rigidity through the interconnected closed-loop geometry that resists deformation forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from two-dimensional panel structures to three-dimensional closed-loop frameworks by forming the D-pillar members and transverse members into interconnected spatial structures. The reinforcement members extend into corner spaces to block and strengthen the three-dimensional volume, creating a rigid framework that resists deformation in multiple directions simultaneously, thereby satisfying durability requirements without compromising assembly efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle body structure of a tailgate opening enhances rigidity and strength of a lower portion of an opening through a change in the vehicle body structure of a tailgate opening. The vehicle body structure includes: a D-pillar member configured to form a closed cross-section structure and vertically installed on each of both sides of a tailgate opening; and a transverse member installed in a lower portion of the tailgate opening in a left-right direction and including side portions at both ends of the transverse member. In particular, the side portions are inserted into a lower end of the D-pillar member such that the side portions are surrounded by and coupled to an inner surface of the lower end of the D-pillar member to form a closed cross-section structure.