Vehicle Side Member with Segmented Sheet Metal Chambers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing side members for road vehicles face challenges in achieving an optimal combination of low weight and mechanical strength while being cost-effective, with traditional designs either increasing weight or compromising on stability, especially during crashes.
Innovation Solution
A side member design featuring inner sheet metal elements with webs and flanges produced by gap profiling or gap bending, forming chambers and connected to outer elements, which allows for adjustable thickness and structure to optimize weight and mechanical properties, enabling efficient energy absorption in crashes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If closed square profile or U-profile made of sheet steel is used, then mechanical strength is improved, but weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The side member is divided into multiple chambers (first, second, and third chambers) separated by webs, creating a segmented structure. This segmentation provides multiple load-bearing paths and enhances mechanical strength while using thinner sheet metal, thereby reducing overall weight compared to a solid closed profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The side member combines different structural elements (outer elements, inner elements, webs, and flanges) made from sheet metal to create a composite chamber structure. This composite design optimizes the strength-to-weight ratio by distributing structural functions across multiple components rather than relying on a single thick-walled profile.
2Weight of moving object
If chamber design with extruded aluminum profiles is used, then weight is reduced, but manufacturing cost increases and stability under certain conditions decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The design uses sheet metal with adjustable thickness (e.g., 0.5mm to 2mm) for different components (outer elements, inner elements, webs) to optimize the weight-cost-stability balance. By varying the thickness parameters of different sheet metal parts, the design achieves lightweight construction without requiring expensive aluminum extrusion processes.
3Strength
If thicker sheet metal is used to achieve desired mechanical properties, then strength is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using uniformly thick sheet metal, the design segments the structure into multiple chambers with strategically placed webs and flanges. This segmentation creates multiple load-bearing pathways that distribute stresses efficiently, allowing the use of thinner sheet metal (reducing weight) while maintaining or improving overall mechanical strength through the multi-chamber configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The design transitions from a two-dimensional thick-walled profile to a three-dimensional multi-chamber structure with vertical webs and flanges. By adding the vertical dimension with multiple chambers stacked together, the structure achieves enhanced moment of inertia and bending resistance without increasing the thickness of individual sheet metal layers, thereby reducing weight.
4Productivity
If multi-chamber design is used to optimize weight and mechanical strength, then structural efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The design uses a standardized multi-chamber configuration with consistent web and flange geometries across all chambers. By maintaining uniform parameters (thickness, spacing, angles) for the sheet metal components, the manufacturing process is simplified despite the multi-chamber structure, as the same forming and joining operations can be repeated for each chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer elements and inner elements serve multiple functions: they form the chamber boundaries, provide mounting surfaces for flanges, and act as load-bearing structures. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while achieving the structural efficiency of a multi-chamber design.
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 design achieves a balance of low weight and high mechanical strength, with adjustable length and structure, enhancing stability and energy absorption capacity during crashes, while being cost-effective and adaptable to various vehicle models.
Implementation Method 1
with two flanges produced by gap profiling or gap bending of sheet metal
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a longitudinal beam (1) for a road vehicle, comprising: a plurality of interior elements (2-6), which, in the cross-section of the longitudinal beam (1), run in a first direction (Y) and are arranged at an offset to one another in a second direction (Z); and at least one planar exterior element (10), which runs in the second direction (Z), wherein at least two interior elements (2-6) are connected to one another at both ends with respect to the first direction (Y) by means of at least one exterior element (10) such that at least one chamber (11) is formed therebetween (10). The aim of the invention is to provide a longitudinal beam that is optimized with respect to both weight and mechanical properties and that is economical to produce. This aim is achieved, according to the invention, in that at least one interior element (2-6) is designed as a sheet metal part having a web (2.1, 3.1, 4.1) running in the first direction, from which web flanges (2.2, 3.2, 4.2) protrude at at least one end of said web, which flanges are produced by the shaping splitting of sheet metal and at least one of which flanges is connected to an exterior element (10).