EV Underride Sandwich Structure With Ribbed Battery Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing underride protection devices for battery-electric vehicles lack sufficient stability and cost-effective manufacturing methods, particularly in sandwich arrangements with fiber-reinforced plastic materials.
Innovation Solution
A double sandwich arrangement is introduced with ribs on the upper cover layer, connected to both the cover layer and a top layer, using polyurethane foam ribs and glass fiber-reinforced plastic cover layers, enhancing stability and allowing for cost-effective production through long fiber injection molding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a simple sandwich arrangement with a core layer between cover layers is used, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the stability and structural integrity of the underride protection device is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces ribs that extend vertically from the upper cover layer, creating a third dimension in the structure. These ribs transform the simple planar sandwich arrangement into a three-dimensional structure with enhanced stiffness and load-bearing capacity, while still using the same basic materials and manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines fiber-reinforced plastic cover layers with a foam core layer to create a composite sandwich structure. The fiber-reinforced plastics provide tensile strength and structural integrity, while the foam core provides compressive strength and dimensional stability, achieving optimal structural performance through material composition
2Stability of the object's composition
If ribs are added to the upper cover layer to increase stability, then the structural integrity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The underride protection device is segmented into distinct functional components: upper and lower cover layers, a foam core layer, and ribs extending from the upper cover. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall structural integrity through controlled interfaces between segments
Solution Approach 2:
The ribs are integrally formed with the upper cover layer, merging two structural elements into a single monolithic component. This integration eliminates the need for separate rib components and their associated fastening mechanisms, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the stability benefits of the ribbed structure
3Stability of the object's composition
If a double sandwich arrangement with ribs surrounded by top layers is used, then the stability is significantly increased, but the manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ribs are formed as integral parts of the upper cover layer during the same molding process, performing the rib formation action preliminarily before final assembly. This eliminates subsequent rib installation steps and reduces manufacturing complexity, though the initial mold design is more complex
Data Source
AI summary
An underride protection device for a battery-electric vehicle, having a sandwich arrangement with a core layer arranged between an upper cover layer and a lower cover layer made of a fiber-reinforced plastic material. In order to functionally improve the underride protection device, ribs are arranged on the upper cover layer, which are materially connected to the upper cover layer, wherein the ribs arranged on the upper cover layer are surrounded by a respective top layer, which is materially connected to the upper cover layer at two retaining sections.