Vehicle Chassis with Oblique Composite Sheets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle chassis manufacturing methods result in heavy, rigid, and resource-intensive pressed steel chassis with significant environmental footprints, while lighter alternatives like tubular frames are complex and costly to produce, and ladder chassis lack torsional rigidity.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle chassis comprising a framework of interconnected tubular sections with composite sheets bonded to it, featuring unidirectional fibres oriented obliquely for enhanced rigidity and manufactured using modern methods like laser cutting and CNC welding, reducing production time and material usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If pressed steel chassis is used, then rigidity is sufficient, but weight is excessive and environmental footprint is large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by bonding composite sheets to a tubular framework chassis. The composite sheets contain unidirectional fibres arranged in specific orientations (including oblique rearward orientation) to provide enhanced rigidity and strength. This composite construction achieves the necessary chassis stiffness while significantly reducing weight compared to conventional pressed steel chassis, thereby resolving the contradiction between strength and weight.
2Strength
If tubular frame chassis with multiple cross members is used, then rigidity is improved, but manufacturing time is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the chassis into a modular tubular framework structure with interconnected tubular sections. This segmentation allows for standardized components that can be manufactured separately and assembled efficiently, reducing overall manufacturing time while maintaining the rigidity benefits of a multi-member frame structure.
Solution Approach 2:
By bonding composite sheets to the tubular framework, the patent enhances chassis rigidity without requiring additional complex structural members. The composite material provides structural reinforcement that reduces the need for numerous cross members, thereby simplifying the assembly process and reducing manufacturing time.
3Strength
If space frame structure is used, then torsional rigidity is sufficient, but structural complexity is too high for mass production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite sheets with unidirectional fibres bonded to a simplified tubular framework. The fibre orientation in the composite material (particularly the oblique rearward orientation) is specifically designed to resist torsional loads, providing the necessary torsional rigidity without requiring the complex diagonal bracing of a traditional space frame. This reduces structural complexity while maintaining performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies composite material reinforcement locally to specific areas of the tubular framework where strength and torsional resistance are most needed, rather than creating a uniformly complex space frame structure throughout. This localized reinforcement approach achieves necessary rigidity with minimal added complexity.
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 enables volume production of a lightweight, rigid chassis with a significantly reduced environmental footprint, allowing for efficient manufacturing, lower material costs, and compact transportation, while maintaining crashworthiness and handling performance.
Implementation Method 1
at least one composite sheet bonded to the framework, characterised in that at least part of the composite sheet comprises fibres arranged unidirectionally
Implementation Method 2
composite sheet bonded to the framework
Data Source
AI summary
A chassis for a vehicle is disclosed which combines rigidity, speed of manufacture, and a small environmental footprint. Such a chassis (10) comprises a framework of interconnected tubular sections (14, 18) and at least one composite sheet (50) bonded to the framework, at least part (78) of the composite sheet comprising unidirectionally-arranged fibres, the part of the sheet and the unidirectional fibres extending obliquely rearwardly from one side of the chassis to another side. Laser cutting, CNC bending, and computer-controlled welding mean that the required production time can be kept to 120 seconds and the rigidity of the structure as a whole is sufficient. Such a chassis also has an exceptionally low carbon footprint. The sheet may comprise a plurality of sections, joined by a method allowing a positional tolerance so that any tolerance in the construction of the framework can be accommodated. The part of the sheet that is of unidirectional fibres extends obliquely rearwardly from a tubular section on one side of the chassis to another tubular section on the other side of the chassis, the fibres also being oriented obliquely rearwardly in the same sense. A further similar part (80) extends in the opposite direction, symmetrically, overlapping as necessary to form the sheet (50).