Motor Vehicle Body Component with Integrated Photovoltaic Module
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for integrating solar cells into motor vehicle body components are complex and costly due to precise gluing requirements and limited protection against external forces, and alternative solutions like solar sliding roofs are not standard equipment.
Innovation Solution
A body component design featuring an inner part and an outer part with a large-area opening to house a prefabricated photovoltaic module, which is firmly connected to the outer part frame, allowing for standardized integration and enhanced stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If solar cells are glued directly to the outer surface of the motor vehicle body, then the outer surface can be equipped with photovoltaic functionality, but the gluing process becomes extremely complicated and expensive due to precision requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The outer surface is divided into modular body component units, each with integrated photovoltaic modules. This segmentation allows standardized manufacturing of individual units with pre-installed solar cells, eliminating the need for complex precision gluing of individual cells to the entire outer surface. The modular units can be assembled using conventional joining techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
Photovoltaic modules are pre-installed onto body component units during the manufacturing process before final assembly to the vehicle. This preliminary integration allows for controlled, standardized installation in a factory setting using automated processes, rather than requiring precision field installation, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
2Reliability
If a sliding glass roof with solar cells is used, then solar cells can be integrated in a multi-layer structure, but the structure becomes complex and is not standard equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The body component units serve multiple functions: they provide the outer surface structure, integrate photovoltaic modules for energy generation, and offer protection for the solar cells. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate sliding glass roof structures, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining protective capabilities through standardized body component design.
3Ease of manufacture
If the outer surface is glued directly to solar cells, then photovoltaic functionality is achieved, but protection against external forces is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Photovoltaic modules are nested within body component units, which themselves are nested within the overall vehicle structure. This nested arrangement provides multiple layers of protection for the solar cells, with body components serving as protective housings that shield the integrated photovoltaic modules from external forces while maintaining integration simplicity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
Body component for a motor vehicle, comprising an inner part (2) and an outer part (5) connected to the inner part, which in the assembly position forms an outer surface of the motor vehicle, wherein the outer part (5) has an outer part frame (6) with at least one large-area opening (8) and a photovoltaic module (7) inserted into this opening, filling it and firmly connected to the outer part frame (6).