A lower A-pillar reinforcement structure that improves frontal collision performance

Abstract

This invention discloses a lower A-pillar reinforcement structure that improves frontal collision performance. It includes an inner lower A-pillar panel, an outer lower A-pillar panel, and a reinforcing plate structure disposed between the inner and outer lower A-pillar panels. The reinforcing plate structure comprises a large reinforcing plate and a set of small reinforcing plates. The large reinforcing plate is an integral reinforcing plate structure, and the small reinforcing plates are disposed within the large reinforcing plate. This lower A-pillar reinforcement structure, which improves frontal collision performance, is rationally designed. This structure ensures a firm connection between the door sill and the lower A-pillar, and allows for flexible control of the A-pillar strength, significantly improving performance under various frontal collision conditions. It also reduces the rearward displacement of the lower A-pillar, thus avoiding structural penalties and penalties in dummy assessments during collisions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle body structure technology, and in particular to a lower A-pillar reinforcement structure that is beneficial to frontal collision performance. Background Technology

[0002] New energy vehicles, due to their heavier battery packs, experience greater collision energy, requiring higher strength in their body structure design compared to traditional gasoline vehicles. Furthermore, with increasingly fierce competition in the domestic market, more and more automakers are considering international markets, such as Southeast Asia and Australia. This necessitates right-hand drive development. A significant challenge for automakers is how to quickly develop vehicles that meet the collision standards and regulations of different countries within a limited development scope, based on existing platforms or models.

[0003] Automotive crash safety performance is always a top concern for consumers. To meet customer demand and boost sales, automakers often aim for a five-star rating in newly launched models according to C-NCAP standards. Globally, the frontal crash test is the most important crash test among various crash standards; it involves many scenarios and carries a large weight in the score. In frontal crashes, significant A-pillar displacement is a common penalty, which further leads to significant displacement of the dashboard beam, resulting in even lower head area penalties and scores. Therefore, this often directly determines whether a five-star rating can be achieved.

[0004] The lower A-pillar structure is a crucial component affecting frontal collision performance, directly influencing the rearward displacement of both the A-pillar and the instrument panel beam. A large rearward displacement of the A-pillar directly results in structural penalties during a collision, while the rearward displacement of the instrument panel beam directly impacts the stability of the airbag-dummy contact, affecting not only dummy scores but also penalties for the head area. Currently, high-strength and ultra-high-strength steel are commonly used in the lower A-pillars of domestically produced vehicles. Higher-end cars utilize more advanced one-piece hot-formed door opening technology to improve A-pillar performance in collisions; however, advanced technology brings higher costs. Furthermore, with the internationalization of automakers, domestic models may be extended into international models. Different countries have different collision regulations, and these standards and regulations are constantly being updated. This necessitates meeting varying strength requirements within the same body frame; designing a strong lower A-pillar that meets these diverse strength requirements presents a significant challenge for automakers.

[0005] For example, Chinese patent CN217515236U discloses an A-pillar under-reinforcement plate assembly and an automobile. The A-pillar under-reinforcement plate assembly includes a front bulkhead inner panel and an A-pillar under-reinforcement plate located below the A-pillar and respectively on the inner and outer sides of the vehicle body. Both are arranged longitudinally and enclose a longitudinal cavity. From top to bottom, a box-shaped upper hinge reinforcement member and a lower hinge reinforcement member are arranged in the cavity. The different reinforcement members are arranged separately, which limits the improvement of structural strength and makes it difficult to adjust the structural form. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a lower A-pillar reinforcement structure that improves frontal collision performance, thereby enabling flexible control of the A-pillar structural strength.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0008] The lower A-pillar reinforcement structure, which is beneficial to frontal collision performance, includes an inner lower A-pillar panel and an outer lower A-pillar panel, as well as a reinforcement plate structure disposed between the inner and outer lower A-pillar panels. The reinforcement plate structure includes a large reinforcement plate and a set of small reinforcement plates. The large reinforcement plate is an integral reinforcement plate structure, and the small reinforcement plates are disposed within the large reinforcement plate.

[0009] Further:

[0010] The large reinforcing plate has a through-type structure.

[0011] The large reinforcing plate is a cavity structure with an opening.

[0012] The small reinforcing plate is a Z-shaped connecting plate.

[0013] The top and bottom of the large reinforcing plate are both equipped with an integrated bent sealing plate structure.

[0014] The large reinforcing plate has flanges on its two corresponding edges, and the outer side of the flanges is welded to the inner wall of the outer A-pillar of the car.

[0015] The large reinforcing plate has reinforcing ribs at the bottom of the cavity and on the flange.

[0016] A portion of the smaller reinforcing plates within the large reinforcing plate have openings facing outwards, while another portion have openings facing inwards.

[0017] The top outer side of the zigzag connecting plate is provided with a surrounding panel structure.

[0018] Two small reinforcing plates with openings facing different directions are welded together to form a reinforcing plate unit, which is then welded inside a large reinforcing plate.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0020] The lower A-pillar reinforcement structure, which is beneficial to frontal collision performance, is reasonably designed. This structure ensures a firm connection between the door sill and the lower A-pillar and allows for flexible control of the A-pillar strength, significantly improving performance under various frontal collision conditions. It also reduces the rearward displacement of the lower A-pillar to avoid structural penalties and dummy scoring penalties during collisions. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The following is a brief explanation of the contents of each of the accompanying drawings and the markings in the drawings:

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the large reinforcing plate structure of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the small reinforcing plate structure of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the combined reinforcing plate structure of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-plate combination of the combined reinforcing plate of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the A-pillar reinforcement structure of the present invention.

[0027] In the picture:

[0028] 1. Large reinforcing plate; 2. Inner A-pillar panel of the car; 3. Outer A-pillar panel of the car; 4. Small reinforcing plate. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and through the description of the examples.

[0030] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the lower A-pillar reinforcement structure, which is beneficial to frontal collision performance, includes an inner lower A-pillar panel 2 and an outer lower A-pillar panel 3, as well as a reinforcing plate structure disposed between the inner lower A-pillar panel and the outer lower A-pillar panel; both the inner lower A-pillar panel and the outer lower A-pillar panel have mating flanges on their edges, and the mating flanges of the inner lower A-pillar panel and the mating flanges of the outer lower A-pillar panel are welded together to form an integral lower A-pillar structure.

[0031] The inner panel of the lower A-pillar of the car is lapped and welded to the inner panel of the sill beam, and the outer panel of the lower A-pillar of the car is lapped and welded to the outer panel of the sill beam. The inner panel of the sill beam and the outer edge of the sill beam are welded together, that is, the lower A-pillar of the car is lapped and welded to the front end of the sill to form part of the overall body structure.

[0032] The reinforcing plate structure includes a large reinforcing plate 1 and a set of small reinforcing plates 4. The large reinforcing plate 1 is an integral reinforcing plate structure, and the small reinforcing plates are located inside the large reinforcing plate. Furthermore, the large reinforcing plate is a through-type structure, and the through-type integral large reinforcing plate is vertically arranged between the inner panel of the lower A-pillar of the car and the outer panel of the lower A-pillar of the car.

[0033] A set of small reinforcing plates can be flexibly arranged and fixed according to the vehicle model and overall vehicle requirements. The number and arrangement of the small reinforcing plates can be flexibly adjusted according to the strength requirements, which can flexibly control the strength of the A-pillar and significantly improve the performance of various frontal collision conditions. This reduces the rearward displacement of the lower A-pillar to avoid structural penalties and penalties in dummy ratings during collisions.

[0034] The large reinforcing plate is a cavity structure with an opening; preferably, the large reinforcing plate has flanges on the two corresponding edges to form a through cavity structure, which can be formed by stamping in one piece, resulting in high structural strength, simple forming, and low processing cost.

[0035] The outer panel 3 of the lower A-pillar of the car is a through-type integrated structure with an inner opening. The structure of the large reinforcing plate is similar to that of the outer panel of the lower A-pillar of the car. The outer side of the large reinforcing plate is welded to the inner wall of the cavity of the outer panel of the lower A-pillar of the car. The outer side of the flange is welded to the inner wall of the outer panel of the lower A-pillar of the car. The welded connection is firm and the structure has high strength.

[0036] The top and bottom of the large reinforcing plate 1 are provided with an integrated bending sealing plate structure; preferably, the flange width of the large reinforcing plate is smaller than the middle width of the large reinforcing plate cavity, the flange protruding parts on both sides of the top of the large reinforcing plate are bent inward, the middle protruding part of the top cavity of the large reinforcing plate is bent inward, the top flange protruding bending part is located below the middle protruding bending part of the top, and the corresponding protruding bending parts are overlapped and welded together.

[0037] The bottom bend sealing plate structure of the large reinforcing plate is similar to the top bend sealing plate structure of the large reinforcing plate; the bottom two sides of the large reinforcing plate bend inward on both sides, and the middle part of the bottom cavity of the large reinforcing plate bends inward on both sides. The bottom bend extending and bending part is located above the middle part of the bottom extension bending part, and the bending parts are horizontally overlapped and welded together; furthermore, the edge of the middle part of the bottom extension bending upward again to form an upward bending part, which is welded to the inner panel of the lower A-pillar of the car to improve the structural strength.

[0038] The bottom of the cavity and the flange of the large reinforcing plate are provided with reinforcing ribs; preferably, the reinforcing ribs are a group of horizontal ribs distributed vertically, which can effectively improve the structural strength of the large reinforcing plate. The structural forms of the group of reinforcing ribs are basically the same, which is convenient for processing.

[0039] A set of small reinforcing plates is set inside the cavity of the large reinforcing plate; its strength can be precisely controlled by adjusting the material thickness of the large and small reinforcing plates and the number of reinforcing plates, so as to ensure that the strength meets the requirements while ensuring the optimal weight and cost.

[0040] The small reinforcing plates are U-shaped connecting plates, whose flanges and tops can be connected to corresponding components, ensuring structural stability and reliability. Furthermore, some of the small reinforcing plates within the large reinforcing plate have outward openings, while others have inward openings. This invention allows for flexible adjustment of the A-pillar strength through arrangement to meet different strength level requirements, and also enables zoned strength control by adjusting the position of the foundation reinforcing plates.

[0041] Furthermore, a surrounding plate structure is provided on the outer side of the top of the U-shaped connecting plate. By wrapping the top of the U-shaped connecting plate with the surrounding plate structure, the structural strength is further improved, which is convenient for simpler manufacturing. The surrounding plate structure is an open bending plate structure and can be manufactured by stamping and welded to the top of the small reinforcing plate.

[0042] The two small reinforcing plates with different opening directions are welded and combined to form a reinforcing plate unit. The reinforcing plate unit is welded inside the large reinforcing plate, which can effectively improve the structural strength. The reinforcing plate unit can select two small reinforcing plates of different sizes, with the openings arranged opposite to each other. The flanging of the smaller small reinforcing plate is welded to the inner cavity wall of the larger small reinforcing plate. The top of the smaller small reinforcing plate is welded to the inner wall of the large reinforcing plate. The flanging of the larger small reinforcing plate is also welded to the inner wall of the large reinforcing plate. The top of the larger small reinforcing plate is welded to the inner wall of the outer panel of the lower A-pillar of the vehicle, forming a "combined" reinforcing plate with the large reinforcing plate, resulting in a lower A-pillar with higher strength.

[0043] The structure of the present invention can flexibly allocate the reinforcing plates to meet different strength level requirements, or can also meet different strength design requirements in different regions by adjusting the positions of the reinforcing plates. In this design, the lower A-pillar reinforcing plate is a through-type integrated large reinforcing plate, with a combination of small reinforcing plates connected inside and outside in a "U" shape. The U-shaped connecting plate can be selected as one, two or more according to needs, and can be selectively connected to the through-type large reinforcing plate in two opposite directions. The through-type large plate is connected to the front end of the sill, and the connection form can be welding, plug welding, riveting or bolt connection.

[0044] As Figure 1 shown, a basic form of a firm and reliable lower A-pillar reinforcing structure is a through-type integrated large reinforcing plate; the purpose of adjusting the strength can be achieved by adjusting the material grade and thickness; the reinforcing plate structure is connected to the lower A-pillar body and the lower part is connected to the front end of the sill. The connection form can be in the form of solder joints, riveting, bolts, etc.; the lower part of the reinforcing plate is designed in a self-connection form to increase the strength.

[0045] As Figure 2 shown, the small reinforcing plate can be a simple stamping type or a self-connection type; a "U" shaped small reinforcing plate can be added inside the large reinforcing plate; the small reinforcing plate is connected to the large reinforcing plate, forming a "combined" reinforcing plate with the large reinforcing plate, resulting in a lower A-pillar with higher strength. It can be selectively connected to the through-type large reinforcing plate in two opposite directions, as Figure 3 shown. The small connecting plate can be selected as one, two or more according to needs, as Figure 4 shown.

[0046] In the present invention, when connected and coordinated with the surroundings in the vehicle, as Figure 5 shown, the reinforcing plate structure is between the inner panel assembly and the outer panel assembly of the lower A-pillar, and the lower part overlaps with the front end of the sill to form an integral structure.

[0047] The lower A-pillar reinforcement structure of this invention is reasonably designed. This structure makes the door sill and the lower A-pillar firmly connected and allows for flexible control of the A-pillar strength, significantly improving performance under various frontal collision conditions. It also reduces the rearward displacement of the lower A-pillar to avoid structural penalties and dummy scoring penalties during collisions. Furthermore, it can extend the platform's lifespan and reduce the development scope.

[0048] The above description is merely an illustration of preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the above technical features can be arbitrarily combined to form multiple embodiments of the present invention.

[0049] The present invention has been described above by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-described manner. Any non-substantial improvements made using the concept and technical solution of the present invention, or the direct application of the concept and technical solution of the present invention to other occasions without modification, are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lower A-pillar reinforcement structure for facilitating front collision performance, comprising a lower A-pillar inner panel of an automobile and a lower A-pillar outer panel of the automobile and a reinforcement panel structure provided between the lower A-pillar inner panel of the automobile and the lower A-pillar outer panel of the automobile, characterized by: The reinforcing plate structure comprises a large reinforcing plate and a set of small reinforcing plates, the large reinforcing plate is an integral reinforcing plate structure, and the small reinforcing plates are arranged in the large reinforcing plate; The lower A-pillar inner plate of the automobile is connected to the inner plate of the rocker beam through lap welding, the lower A-pillar outer plate of the automobile is connected to the outer plate of the rocker beam through lap welding, and the inner plate of the rocker beam and the outer edge of the rocker beam are connected through edge welding; The large reinforcing plate is a through structure; the large reinforcing plate is a cavity structure provided with an opening; the small reinforcing plates are H-shaped connecting plates; the top and bottom of the large reinforcing plate are each provided with an integral bending sealing plate structure; part of the small reinforcing plates in the large reinforcing plate are arranged with the openings outward, and the other part of the small reinforcing plates are arranged with the openings inward.

2. The lower A-pillar reinforcement structure for front impact performance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The large reinforcing plate is provided with flanges corresponding to the two edges, and the outer sides of the flanges are connected to the inner wall of the lower A-pillar outer plate of the automobile through welding.

3. The lower A-pillar reinforcement structure for front impact performance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the cavity of the large reinforcing plate and the flanges are each provided with a reinforcing rib structure.

4. The lower A-pillar reinforcement structure for front impact performance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer side of the top of the H-shaped connecting plate is provided with a surrounding plate structure.

5. The lower A-pillar reinforcement structure for front impact performance according to claim 1, characterized in that: The small reinforcing plates with different opening directions are welded to form reinforcing plate units, and the reinforcing plate units are welded in the large reinforcing plate.

Images