Translucent Vehicle Pillar with Embedded Truss Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle pillars limit the field of view from inside a vehicle, restricting situational awareness by obstructing the visual perception of objects outside the vehicle window due to their opaque nature.
Innovation Solution
The development of a vehicle pillar made from a translucent polymer composite with embedded trusses, which provides structural support while allowing optical transmissibility, enhancing the visibility of external objects by incorporating chopped reinforcing fibers and potentially colored design elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional opaque pillars are used, then structural support is provided, but field of view is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the principle of color changes by transitioning the pillar material from opaque to translucent. This allows light to pass through the pillar, enabling observers to see external objects through it, thereby expanding the field of view while maintaining structural support functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining translucent polymer composite with embedded trusses and chopped reinforcing fibers. This composite structure provides the necessary structural strength and support while maintaining translucency to allow visual perception of external objects
2Loss of information
If translucent materials are used, then field of view is enhanced, but structural integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by using composite materials that combine translucent polymer composite with embedded trusses and chopped reinforcing fibers. The trusses provide structural framework while the translucent polymer matrix allows light transmission, and the chopped fibers enhance mechanical properties, achieving both translucency and structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the properties of different components: the trusses provide localized structural support at critical points, the chopped reinforcing fibers provide distributed strength enhancement, and the translucent polymer composite provides the overall translucent matrix. Each component has optimized properties for its specific function
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 enhances situational awareness by allowing visual perception of external objects, while maintaining structural integrity and aesthetic appeal through the use of translucent materials and embedded trusses that share loading conditions, thereby improving the observer's field of view without compromising support.
Implementation Method 1
a translucent polymer composite with a truss structure embedded therein... allowing optical transmissibility
Implementation Method 2
a translucent polymer composite with chopped reinforcing fibers incorporated therein and a truss structure embedded therein
Data Source
AI summary
A pillar for a vehicle includes a translucent polymer composite having chopped reinforcing fibers incorporated therein. The pillar also includes a truss embedded in the translucent polymer composite and disposed substantially along a length of the pillar. The truss and the translucent polymer composite share a loading condition applied to the pillar. The pillar is to be disposed between a lower body portion of the vehicle and a roof of the vehicle to support the roof.