Reinforced Vehicle Rocker Structure for Vertical Load Rigidity

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Solution Overview

Problem

The rigidity of vehicle rockers with respect to loads in the up-down direction is insufficient, leading to deformation and reduced ride quality, as well as noise propagation to occupants.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle lower body structure is reinforced by incorporating a rocker with a body portion and projecting portions that project in the up-down direction, joined to the rocker's wall surfaces, and a shared panel that interconnects the rocker's upper and lower parts, enhancing rigidity and absorbing impact loads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the rocker structure is kept simple without internal reinforcements, then the device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is easier, but the rigidity of the rocker with respect to loads in the vehicle up-down direction is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverigidity of rockerVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcement is nested inside the rocker structure, with the body portion positioned within the rocker's internal space and projecting portions extending to join the wall surfaces. This nesting approach increases rigidity without significantly increasing external dimensions or complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The reinforcement is divided into a body portion and multiple projecting portions that independently join to different wall surfaces of the rocker. This segmentation allows the reinforcement to effectively resist deformation from multiple directions while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the rocker cross-section is allowed to deform under road loads, then the structure can absorb impact energy, but road noise propagates to the occupant and ride quality is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveroad noise propagationVSAvoidresistance to deformation

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcement features curved surfaces and angled projecting portions that optimize stress distribution. The curved body portion and inclined joining surfaces help distribute road impact loads more evenly, reducing noise propagation while maintaining necessary deformation characteristics for ride comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Strength

If the reinforcement is directly joined to the rocker wall surfaces, then the rigidity is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and joining process difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverigidity enhancementVSAvoidjoining process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcement provides localized rigidity enhancement at specific positions where projecting portions join the rocker wall surfaces. This local quality approach strengthens the rocker where needed while keeping the overall manufacturing process relatively simple, as the reinforcement is a single integrated component rather than multiple separate joints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20250206379A1Vehicle lower body structure

Publication Date: 2025.06.26 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

A vehicle lower body structure, including a rocker configuring a part of a vehicle lower side of a vehicle side portion, the rocker disposed along a vehicle front-rear direction; and a reinforcement including a body portion provided inside the rocker and a projecting portion that projects in a vehicle up-down direction from the body portion and that is joined to a wall surface of the rocker positioned on a projecting direction side of the projecting portion.