Thermoformed Tonneau Cover Holder With Plastic Hinge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tonneau cover and separation device holders for vehicle luggage spaces are costly, heavy, difficult to assemble and disassemble, and do not integrate well with vehicle interior elements, making removal and transport cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
A box holder formed by thermoformed thermoplastic half-shells with a plastic hinge, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly, and featuring a longitudinal slot for retractable member extraction and releasable coupling to vehicle support pockets, along with a handle for improved transport and a finishing layer for aesthetic integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the box holder is made of metal (extruded aluminium or rolled steel sheet), then the holder provides sufficient structural strength, but the production cost increases and the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to thermoplastic polymer, fundamentally altering the weight and cost characteristics while maintaining structural adequacy through appropriate material selection and design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adopts a cheaper material (thermoplastic) that can be easily manufactured and potentially replaced, trading long-term durability for reduced initial cost and weight, suitable for applications where the holder can be easily replaced
2Strength
If the box holder is made of metal, then the holder provides sufficient structural strength, but the production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to thermoplastic polymer, fundamentally altering the cost and manufacturing characteristics while maintaining structural adequacy through appropriate material selection and design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adopts a cheaper material (thermoplastic) that can be easily manufactured, trading long-term durability for reduced initial cost, suitable for applications where the holder can be easily replaced
3Reliability
If the holder is made of metal with coupling members at the ends, then the holder can be securely fastened to support pockets, but the removal and transport become difficult as users must operate at the ends of the holder
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the coupling mechanism from the end positions and relocates it to the center of the holder, separating the fastening function from the end positions and making it accessible from the center for easier operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a central control element that acts as an intermediary to operate the coupling members, allowing users to control the fastening and release mechanisms from the center rather than reaching the ends
4Stability of the object's composition
If the holder is made of metal with a linear shape, then the holder provides structural stability, but the holder cannot be integrated with other internal vehicle body elements and the surface finish does not integrate with vehicle interior
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to thermoplastic polymer, enabling surface finishing treatments that allow aesthetic integration with vehicle interiors while maintaining structural stability through appropriate design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different surface finishes or treatments to different parts of the holder to match various vehicle interior elements, allowing local adaptation to different aesthetic requirements while maintaining overall structural integrity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces production costs, enhances ease of assembly and transport, and integrates better with vehicle interiors, facilitating quick removal and installation of the tonneau cover or separation device.
Implementation Method 1
the box-like body (6) comprises two concave substantially rigid half-shells (11, 12) which are obtained by thermoforming of a sheet of thermoplastic material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
Holder (1) of a tonneau cover (2) of a vehicle including an internally hollow box-like body (6) accommodating the tonneau device and provided with a longitudinal slot (7) for extracting a retractable member (4) of the tonneau device, and with opposite closed ends (8,9), received in use in pockets carried by the vehicle body and provided with releasable coupling means (1 Q) for coupling to the pockets; in which the box-like body (6) includes: two half-shells (11,12) thermoformed preferably in one single piece (6b) together with a plastic hinge (13) defined by at least one deformable tongue (14), which joins the half-shells to each other along respective opposite first longitudinal sides (15) of the half-shells; the half- shells are reciprocally couplable by overlapping with respective facing concavities (16) thereof; and a pair of opposite cup-shaped heads (21,22) which, with the half-shells coupled, are fitted on corresponding opposite ends (19,20) of the half-shells, to form the ends of the box-like body; the opposite second longitudinal sides (17) of the half-shells, opposite the first, define between them, with the half-shells coupled, the longitudinal slot (7) of the box-like body.