Vehicle Protective Panel With Low-Friction Edge Deflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional vehicle protection methods are inadequate due to ill-fitting, single-piece plastic parts that apply excessive force, lack low friction movement, and do not extend to the vehicle's border, leading to damage and snagging on obstacles.
Innovation Solution
A protective panel with pockets and rails designed to reduce surface area contact, incorporating edges that match vehicle contours, and using materials with low friction to minimize force transfer and prevent snagging, installed using factory fasteners or adhesives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional add-on protective pieces are used, then vehicle protection is provided, but excessive force is applied to the vehicle causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The protective panel is divided into multiple segments or pieces that can flex independently during impact. This segmentation allows the panel to absorb and distribute impact forces across multiple sections rather than transferring excessive force to a single point on the vehicle, thereby providing protection while reducing damage risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The panel utilizes materials with specific friction parameters that allow controlled movement over obstacles. By changing the friction parameter through material selection and surface treatment, the panel can slide over curbs and obstacles with reduced force transfer to the vehicle, while still providing effective protection.
2Reliability
If traditional protective pieces contact obstacles, then protection is provided, but the protective piece snags and becomes a liability
Solution Approach 1:
The panel employs materials with optimized friction parameters that enable smooth movement over obstacles. The friction coefficient is controlled to allow the panel to glide over curbs and rocks without snagging, while maintaining enough grip to stay attached to the vehicle during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective panel is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to adapt its behavior during movement. The panel can flex, rotate, and adjust its position dynamically when encountering obstacles, enabling it to clear obstacles smoothly without snagging, while maintaining stable attachment during normal vehicle operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional protective pieces are made from thin material, then cost is reduced, but the panel cannot withstand increased force
Solution Approach 1:
The protective panel utilizes composite material construction combining different materials with complementary properties. This includes using durable polymers, thermoplastics, or thermoplastic elastomers that provide both cost-effectiveness and high strength-to-weight ratio, enabling the panel to withstand increased forces while remaining economical to manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The panel incorporates varying material properties in different regions to optimize both cost and strength. High-strength materials are concentrated in areas subject to maximum impact forces, while lighter, more cost-effective materials are used in lower-stress areas, achieving overall strength without excessive cost.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional protective pieces do not extend to vehicle border, then installation is simplified, but protection coverage is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The protective system uses multiple smaller panel segments that can be distributed across the vehicle surface to achieve comprehensive coverage. These segments can be installed in modular fashion, extending protection to vehicle borders and corners while maintaining relatively simple installation procedures through standardized mounting interfaces.
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 panel effectively reduces damage by minimizing surface area contact and force transfer, ensuring precise fit and low friction movement over obstacles, protecting vehicle surfaces from scratches and dings.
Implementation Method 1
using materials with low friction to minimize force transfer and prevent snagging
Data Source
AI summary
A protective panel for a vehicle substantially conforming to a portion of a vehicle. The protective panel having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the lower surface having a reduced surface area in order to limit force applied to the protective panel and the vehicle. The panel further having an edge portion disposed along a perimeter, between the upper and lower surface, for deflecting obstacles, and one or more mounting points for removably attaching the protection panel to a portion of the exterior of a vehicle.