Vehicle Cladding Support Structure for Protected Lightweight Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle cladding components are prone to damage from external influences and are heavy due to integrated components, necessitating protection and weight reduction without compromising stiffness and strength.
Innovation Solution
A supporting structure with a cavity that houses sensitive components, attached to the cladding component, providing protection and using lightweight materials like thermoplastics or fiber composites, with fastening modules for secure attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If components such as sensors, lighting modules, and cameras are mounted directly on the cladding component, then the cladding component provides integrated functionality, but the cladding component becomes heavier and more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the cladding component from the supporting structure, creating distinct functional modules. The cladding component remains lightweight while the supporting structure carries the additional weight of mounted components such as sensors, lighting modules, and cameras.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a supporting structure as an intermediary element between the cladding component and the vehicle body. This supporting structure serves as a mediator that provides mounting capabilities and structural support without adding complexity to the cladding component itself.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional components are mounted on the cladding component, then the cladding component gains functional capabilities, but its structural stiffness must be increased which complicates the design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the assembly into separate functional segments: the cladding component for aesthetic and protective functions, and the supporting structure for structural and mounting functions. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the mounting functionality from the cladding component and places it in a separate supporting structure. This extraction removes the complexity of designing a cladding component that must simultaneously provide both aesthetic coverage and structural mounting capabilities.
3Strength
If the cladding component is designed with higher structural stiffness to support additional components, then the structural integrity is improved, but the weight and complexity of the cladding component increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the structural support function from the cladding component and assigns it to a separate supporting structure. This allows the cladding component to maintain its original lightweight design while the supporting structure provides the necessary structural integrity to carry additional components.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting structure acts as an intermediary that assumes the structural load-bearing role, allowing the cladding component to remain lightweight. The supporting structure mediates between the vehicle body and the mounted components, providing structural integrity without requiring the cladding component to be heavier.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2~3a
Figure 3b~4
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to a supporting structure (100) for a cladding component (200) of a vehicle (300), the supporting structure (100) comprises: a body (102) attached to rear of the cladding component (200) of the vehicle (300) forming a cavity (104) between the supporting structure (100) and the cladding component (200) of the vehicle (300); at least one cladding component fastening module (106) for fastening the supporting structure (100) with the cladding component (200) of the vehicle (300); and at least one vehicle fastening module (108) for fastening the supporting structure (100) with the vehicle (300), wherein the supporting structure (100) comprises at least one attachment mounting part (110) for mounting at least one attachment (112) to the supporting structure (100). The present disclosure is further directed to a cladding component (200) of a vehicle (300) and vehicle (300) comprising such a cladding component (200).