Underfloor Waterproof Electronics Box to Free Instrument Panel Space
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current motor vehicles lack sufficient storage space in the instrument panel due to the compact arrangement of indicators and accessories, which fails to meet the demands of drivers and passengers for more storage capacity.
Innovation Solution
A waterproof box housing electronic equipment is positioned below the cabin floor, allowing at least 75% of the box to extend below the floor, thereby freeing up space in the instrument panel and minimizing its presence within the passenger compartment, while maintaining protection for the electronic components from the external environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the box housing electronic equipment is disposed in the instrument panel, then the electronic equipment is protected and accessible, but the storage space in the instrument panel is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The box housing electronic equipment is relocated from the horizontal plane of the instrument panel to the vertical dimension below the cabin floor. This dimensional transition allows the instrument panel to regain its storage space while the box remains accessible through cables extending to the floor level.
Solution Approach 2:
The box housing electronic equipment is extracted from the instrument panel and positioned below the cabin floor. This extraction removes the space-consuming element from the instrument panel while maintaining the functional connection through cables that extend from the floor to the instrument panel area.
2Volume of moving object
If the box is positioned below the cabin floor, then storage space in the instrument panel is increased, but the electronic equipment becomes more exposed to the external environment
Solution Approach 1:
The box is designed with a waterproof housing that acts as a protective barrier against the external environment. This flexible shell approach ensures that even though the box is positioned below the floor where it is more exposed, the electronic equipment inside remains protected from moisture and environmental factors.
3Volume of moving object
If at least 75% of the box extends below the floor, then the space taken in the passenger compartment is minimized, but the assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The box is segmented into two functional zones: the majority (at least 75%) positioned below the floor for minimal passenger compartment intrusion, and a smaller portion extending into the passenger compartment to accommodate cable connections and provide accessibility. This segmentation optimizes both space utilization and assembly feasibility.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a motor vehicle intended to be driven by a driver comprising a cabin comprising a floor with an upper surface, a passenger compartment delimited in a vertical direction by the upper surface of the floor and extending on an upper side of the upper surface, at least one electronic device configured to be electronically controlled, and a box housing an electronic equipment configured to control the at least one electronic device, wherein the box is waterproof and at least a portion of the box extends on a lower side of the upper surface, the lower side of the upper surface being opposite to the upper side. The invention also relates to a method for assembling the box to the cabin of the motor vehicle.