Twelve-Cornered Cellular Structure for Lightweight Energy Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional structural components with polygonal cellular structures, such as honeycomb, increase weight while aiming to enhance impact energy absorption and bending resistance, and lack design flexibility to meet various applications effectively.
Innovation Solution
A cellular structure with twelve-cornered cells, featuring twelve straight sides and twelve corners creating nine internal and three external angles, which provides improved energy absorption and stability while minimizing mass per unit length, and allowing for tunable cross-sectional designs to optimize strength and manufacturing feasibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional polygonal cellular structures (e.g., hexagonal honeycomb) are used to enhance impact energy absorption and bending resistance, then structural strength is improved, but mass per unit length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the cellular structure from conventional polygonal shapes (triangular, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, or octagonal) to a specific twelve-cornered cross-section with twelve straight sides. This parameter change in the cellular geometry provides enhanced compressive energy absorption and crush stability while reducing mass per unit length compared to traditional hexagonal honeycomb structures
Solution Approach 2:
The structural component combines a outer shell with an inner cellular structure made of twelve-cornered cells, creating a composite construction that optimizes both strength and weight. The cellular structure is positioned within the interior space of the wall, forming a hybrid system that achieves superior energy absorption with minimized mass
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional polygonal cellular structures are used to improve compressive energy absorption, then crush stability is enhanced, but design flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a twelve-cornered cross-section with twelve straight sides and twelve corners creating nine internal angles and three external angles, providing a unique geometric configuration that delivers stable axial crush behavior. The specific angle distribution (nine internal and three external angles) creates favorable stress distribution patterns during compression while allowing adaptation to various structural requirements
3Strength
If basic polygonal cellular structures are used to increase strength, then load carrying capacity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The twelve-cornered cellular structure with its specific geometric parameters (twelve straight sides, nine internal angles, three external angles) is designed to be manufacturable using conventional processes such as stamping and 3D printing. The geometry balances structural performance with manufacturing feasibility, avoiding overly complex shapes while achieving superior load carrying capacity compared to basic polygonal designs
Data Source
AI summary
A structural component includes at least one wall surrounding a component interior space. The structural component also includes a first cellular structure positioned within the component interior space. The first cellular structure includes a plurality of cells each having a twelve-cornered cross section including twelve sides and twelve corners creating nine internal angles and three external angles.