Vehicle Frame Footrest Support via Cross Member Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle frame structures fail to effectively support large foot pressures during driving on rough roads, leading to instability and discomfort for occupants.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle frame structure featuring a dash panel with a foot operation zone and footrest supported by connection frames between a lower and upper cross member, enhancing rigidity and allowing the footrest to receive large loads, while the partly curved dash panel improves design freedom and load distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a flat floor portion is used for footrest, then the structure is simple, but it cannot support large foot pressure effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The footrest area is segmented from the floor portion and supported by a dedicated frame structure consisting of lower cross member, upper cross member, and connection frames. This segmentation allows the footrest area to be reinforced independently without complicating the entire floor structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution adds a vertical dimension by introducing an upper cross member positioned above the lower cross member, with connection frames linking them. This creates a three-dimensional frame structure that provides superior load-bearing capacity compared to a single-plane floor portion.
2Strength
If the footrest is made more rigid to support large pressure, then load bearing improves, but the dash panel design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The footrest is merged with the dash panel as an integrated structure. The dash panel itself serves as the footrest surface, eliminating the need for separate footrest components and reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining rigidity through the combined frame support.
Solution Approach 2:
The dash panel serves multiple functions: it acts as both the dashboard structure and the footrest surface. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying the overall design while providing the necessary rigidity through the underlying frame structure.
3Strength
If connection frames are added to support the footrest, then load distribution improves, but the number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The load support function is segmented from the main frame and handled by dedicated connection frames positioned specifically between the foot operation zone and footrest. This targeted segmentation provides efficient load distribution only where needed, rather than reinforcing the entire frame structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Connection frames act as intermediary elements between the lower cross member, upper cross member, and dash panel. These intermediaries efficiently transfer and distribute loads without requiring direct connection between all major components, reducing the total number of connections needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle frame structure allowing a footrest to support an even larger force. A foot operation zone and a driver's footrest are disposed between a lower cross member disposed so as to extend laterally across front ends of a pair of left and right lower main frames and an upper cross member disposed upward of, and extending in parallel with, the lower cross member. Connection frames connecting the lower cross member with the upper cross member are disposed between the foot operation zone and the driver's footrest.