Power Tailgate Cylinder Mount With Hidden Wall Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power opening tailgates in vehicles experience high load on the vehicle body structure due to the weight of the tailgate and unfavorable angles of the working cylinders, leading to stress on the vehicle wall and potential aesthetic issues when reinforcement plates are used.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising an attachment means and a reinforcement component, where the load from the working cylinder is transferred from the attachment means to the reinforcement component, which is then distributed to the vehicle body structure, reducing stress on the vehicle wall and eliminating the need for additional reinforcement plates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a reinforcement plate is attached by bolts at the position where the ball stud is attached to the wall, then the stress on the vehicle wall is reduced, but the appearance of the exposed surface is negatively impacted and additional space is required
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement component is nested within the hollow spacer structure, with the bracket positioned inside the spacer's internal cavity. This nesting arrangement allows the reinforcement function to be integrated within the existing spacer volume, eliminating the need for external reinforcement plates that would compromise appearance and requiring additional mounting space.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket acts as an intermediary element between the attachment means and the vehicle wall, transferring loads through its structure to the spacer and ultimately to the vehicle body. This intermediary bracket distributes stresses internally within the spacer rather than requiring external reinforcement plates, thus preserving the exposed surface appearance while maintaining structural integrity.
2Device complexity
If the working cylinder is mounted directly to the vehicle wall, then the structure is simple, but the load concentration causes high stress on the vehicle wall
Solution Approach 1:
The load path is segmented into multiple components: the attachment means connects to the bracket, which connects to the spacer, which ultimately connects to the vehicle body. This segmentation distributes the concentrated load from the working cylinder across multiple structural elements and connection points, reducing stress concentration on the vehicle wall while maintaining reasonable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow spacer introduces a three-dimensional volumetric structure between the attachment means and the vehicle wall, transforming a two-dimensional surface mounting problem into a three-dimensional load distribution system. The spacer's internal cavity and wall structure provide additional load paths and distribution surfaces, reducing stress concentration without significantly increasing overall complexity.
3Reliability
If a reinforcement plate is used to compensate for the load, then the structural integrity is improved, but additional space is required and assembly becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement function is merged with the spacer structure by positioning the bracket inside the hollow spacer. This combination integrates the reinforcement component within the existing spacer volume, eliminating the need for separate external reinforcement plates and reducing the total number of discrete components while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket is nested within the hollow spacer, with the reinforcement component placed inside the spacer's internal cavity. This nested arrangement consolidates multiple functions (spacers, reinforcement, load distribution) into a single integrated assembly, reducing component count and simplifying assembly while preserving structural reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a device (13) for a power opening tailgate (2) of a vehicle (1). The device comprises an attachment means (11) mountable to a vehicle wall (7) at a first side (14) of the vehicle wall for supporting a working cylinder (3) for opening the tailgate (2), and a component (12) for reinforcement of the vehicle wall (7). The reinforcement component (12) is mountable to the vehicle wall (7) at a second side (16) of the vehicle wall, which second side (16) is opposite to the first side (14) of the vehicle wall, and the attachment means (11) and the reinforcement component (12) are mechanically connectable to each other via a through hole (17) of the vehicle wall (7).