Conch-shell-imitating round tube improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure and application

Abstract

The invention relates to an improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure of a trumpet-shell-imitating circular tube, and belongs to the technical field of impact-resistant protection, and a structural monomer or a structural modular array can be used for dynamic load protection. The structure of the circular tube is improved through a bionic method, on the premise that the mass of a traditional circular tube is not increased at all, the manufacturing cost is controllable by means of simple structural design, compared with the traditional circular tube, the energy absorption value under the unit mass is improved, and the problem of sharp initial peak crushing force existing in axial crushing of the traditional circular tube is thoroughly solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure and its application in a conch shell-like circular tube, belonging to the field of impact protection technology. The structural unit or structural modular array can be used for dynamic load protection. Background Technology

[0002] In fields such as protective engineering, transportation equipment, and aerospace, structures must possess excellent energy absorption and impact resistance when subjected to transient high-energy loads such as explosive impacts and drop collisions to ensure the safety and reliability of the system. In recent years, sandwich structures have become an important research direction in protective structures due to their lightweight, high specific strength, and excellent energy dissipation characteristics. The core layer topologies of sandwich structures are diverse, including honeycomb, foam, lattice, and origami types. Although these structures perform well under static or low-velocity impact conditions, they still suffer from problems such as high initial peak force, unstable collapse modes, and complex manufacturing processes under high-speed or strong impact environments, limiting their further engineering applications.

[0003] Compared with various complex sandwich structures, thin-walled circular tubes have always been one of the most typical energy-absorbing elements due to their simple geometry, mature manufacturing process, and high energy absorption efficiency. They are widely used in fields such as automotive anti-collision beams, buffer devices, and protective components for rail vehicles. However, traditional circular tubes have obvious shortcomings under axial compression: (1) the initial peak crushing force is high, which easily generates an excessive load peak in the early stage of impact, causing the impact energy to be transferred to the protected component; (2) the energy absorption mode is singular, and the plastic wrinkles are unevenly formed, resulting in low energy dissipation efficiency; (3) the deformation mode is limited by axisymmetry, and the collapse process is difficult to control precisely, affecting the stability and repeatability of the energy absorption process. Therefore, traditional circular tubes cannot simultaneously achieve the comprehensive performance of low initial peak crushing force and high energy absorption capacity, and it is urgent to achieve a performance breakthrough through structural innovation.

[0004] In recent years, biomimetic design concepts have provided new insights into optimizing the impact resistance of thin-walled structures. Over long periods of evolution, plants and animals in nature have developed various structural forms with excellent impact resistance, protection, or energy dissipation properties. Examples include the gradient layered structure of bamboo culms, the multi-cavity composite structure of beetle elytra, and the spirally stacked shells of snails. These natural structures, while maintaining lightweight design, effectively disperse and absorb external impact energy, providing important inspiration for the lightweight and protective design of engineering structures.

[0005] Currently, numerous patents both domestically and internationally have attempted to apply biomimetic concepts to energy-absorbing structure design. For example, patent CN116279251A proposes a cylindrical energy-absorbing box based on bamboo joint biomimicry, which improves energy absorption performance through partitions; patent CN119057077A discloses a bamboo-tube-shaped beetle elytra-inspired biomimetic energy-absorbing superstructure and its preparation method, which improves energy absorption efficiency through a helical array of cellular structures. These research and patent achievements demonstrate that biomimetic structure design has significant advantages in improving the impact resistance and lightweight potential of thin-walled energy absorbers, but the processes are complex and difficult to achieve using traditional methods. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to address the problems of high initial peak crushing force, low energy absorption efficiency, and difficult-to-control deformation mode in traditional circular tube structures by making minor structural modifications, without altering the mass of the circular tube and while maintaining the low-cost advantage of thin-walled circular tube energy absorbers. Under conditions of controllable cost and simple manufacturing process, an improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure based on a conch shell-like circular tube is proposed. The individual structural units can be used in impact protection applications such as vehicle energy-absorbing boxes; multiple units arranged in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional array can serve as the core layer of a "sandwich" structure for blunt force protection in individual soldier protective equipment.

[0007] The structural technical solution proposed in this invention is:

[0008] An improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure based on a conch shell-like cylindrical tube is proposed. Without altering the tube's diameter or height, the wall structure is formed through a helical sweeping motion. The minimum wall height of this structure is [missing information]. , The height is equal to the residual height of the circular tube after axial compression and compaction; the maximum height is , Consistent with the overall dimensions of the round tube; The wall surface is swept and shaped by two spiral lines spaced 180° apart, thus forming a central antisymmetric configuration; The structure has four radially extending ribs inside, including two high ribs and two low ribs. The two high ribs are coplanar, the two low ribs are coplanar, and the two high ribs and the two low ribs are arranged in a cross shape. Among them, the two parallel short ribs are trapezoidal, with the upper base of the trapezoid connected to the wall, and the height of the upper base of the trapezoid is... The lower base of the trapezoid is located at the central axis of the cylinder, and the height of the lower base of the trapezoid is... ; The high-ribbed plate is also a trapezoidal structure, with the lower base of the trapezoid connected to the wall. The height of the lower base of the trapezoid is... The upper base of the trapezoid is located at the central axis of the cylinder, and the height of the upper base of the trapezoid is... ; The four ribs form a spiral gradual support system in space, which enables the circular tube to form a multi-layered, gradual collapse path during the compression process. Under axial compressive load, the biomimetic structure, relying on its helically tapered wall surface and the mutual constraint of its internal ribs, achieves inelastic buckling deformation in the zero-stiffness region and exhibits an approximately linear increase in crushing force with displacement throughout the entire crushing process. Through the aforementioned biomimetic geometric design, this structure achieves a balance between low initial peak crushing force and high energy absorption performance without increasing mass or compromising manufacturing complexity, thus enhancing the overall performance of circular tube energy-absorbing elements in the field of impact protection.

[0009] This invention relates to the field of protective structure design, specifically disclosing an improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure inspired by a conch shell circular tube, belonging to the technical field of protective energy-absorbing structures. This structure, without changing the diameter and total height of the traditional circular tube, uses two spiral lines spaced 180° apart to sweep across the wall, constructing a centrally anti-symmetrical spiral gradient support system. Four radially arranged ribs are arranged in a cross shape inside the structure, with two short ribs and two tall ribs being trapezoidal, connecting with the outer arc surface to form a multi-layered support network. This biomimetic geometric design originates from the spiral gradient characteristics of a conch shell, enabling the circular tube to achieve zero-stiffness, inelastic buckling deformation during axial compression, with the crushing force increasing approximately linearly with displacement. Compared to traditional circular tubes, this invention solves the problem of sharp initial peak crushing force in circular tubes without increasing mass or controlling manufacturing complexity, improving energy absorption efficiency and deformation stability, and is suitable for applications such as vehicle anti-collision beams, rail transit buffer devices, and protective equipment.

[0010] The beneficial effects of this invention are: by improving the circular tube structure through biomimetic methods, the manufacturing cost can be controlled with the help of simple structural design without increasing the mass of the traditional circular tube. Compared with the traditional circular tube, its energy absorption value (SEA) per unit mass is improved (for example, by 16%), and the sharp initial peak crushing force problem of the axial crushing of the traditional circular tube is completely solved. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 Front view, top view, and side view of the improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure for a conch shell-shaped cylindrical tube; Figure 2 It is a "sandwich" structure with an improved impact-resistant and energy-absorbing structure based on a conch shell-shaped tube as the core layer; Figure 3 The diagram shows a comparison of the compressive force-displacement curves of the structure of this invention, which is 3D printed using PLA material, and a traditional cylindrical tube of the same mass, wall thickness, diameter, and height, under quasi-static compressive stress. The left image shows the cylindrical structure, and the right image shows the structure of this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0012] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0013] An improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure based on a conch shell-shaped circular tube is proposed. Without altering the diameter and overall height of the traditional circular tube, the structure utilizes two spiral lines spaced 180° apart to sweep across the wall, creating a spatially anti-symmetrical arrangement. The minimum height of the wall is... 1, its value is equal to the residual height of a traditional circular tube after axial compression and entering the compaction stage; the maximum wall height is The total height is consistent with that of a traditional circular tube; four ribs are radially arranged inside the tube, and the ribs are arranged in a cross shape; among them, two parallel short ribs are trapezoidal, and their outer sides are connected to the outer arc surface, with a height of The height at the axis is The two parallel high ribs are trapezoidal in shape, with their outer sides connected to the outer arc surface and a height of [missing information]. The height at the axis is also 3; The ribs and the spiral wall together form a spiral gradient support system.

[0014] The spiral wall surface has a continuous and smooth height variation curve in the axial direction, so that the structural cross section varies along the height direction to achieve a gradual collapse path.

[0015] Through the above biomimetic geometric design, the unity of zero initial peak crushing force and high energy absorption performance is achieved without increasing structural mass and with controllable manufacturing complexity, thereby improving the overall performance of circular tube energy-absorbing elements in the field of impact protection.

[0016] This invention relates to an improved impact-absorbing structure using a conch shell-like cylindrical tube, which can be used as the core layer of a "sandwich" cushioning structure. In a single-unit structure, the improved impact-absorbing structure 2 using a conch shell-like cylindrical tube is placed between a top plate 1 and a bottom plate 3, with its top and bottom edges contacting and fixed to the top plate 1 and bottom plate 3, respectively. In a two-dimensional array structure, multiple improved impact-absorbing structures 2 using a conch shell-like cylindrical tube are arranged along two perpendicular directions, placed between the top plate 1 and the bottom plate 3, with their top and bottom edges contacting and fixed to the top plate 1 and bottom plate 3, respectively, forming a two-dimensional array core layer.

[0017] In both structural modes described above, when the structure is subjected to impact loads, the top plate 1 or the bottom plate 3 serves as the impact-bearing surface; when the structure is subjected to explosive loads, the top plate 1 or the bottom plate 3 serves as the blast-facing surface. By improving the plastic deformation of the impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure through a conch shell-like circular tube, impact or explosive energy can be effectively dissipated, achieving a buffer protection function.

[0018] Example like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, an improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure based on a conch shell-shaped circular tube is created by forming a wall structure through a helical sweeping method without changing the diameter and height of the circular tube. The minimum height of the wall of this structure is [missing information]. , The height is equal to the residual height of the circular tube after axial compression and compaction; the maximum height is , The overall dimensions are consistent with those of the circular tube; the wall thickness of the cylindrical tube is 1mm. The wall surface is swept and shaped by two spiral lines spaced 180° apart, thus forming a central antisymmetric configuration; The structure has four radially extending ribs inside, including two high ribs and two low ribs. The two high ribs are coplanar, the two low ribs are coplanar, and the two high ribs and the two low ribs are arranged in a cross shape. Among them, the two parallel short ribs are trapezoidal, with the upper base of the trapezoid connected to the wall, and the height of the upper base of the trapezoid is... The lower base of the trapezoid is located at the central axis of the cylinder, and the height of the lower base of the trapezoid is... ; The high-ribbed plate is also a trapezoidal structure, with the lower base of the trapezoid connected to the wall. The height of the lower base of the trapezoid is... The upper base of the trapezoid is located at the central axis of the cylinder, and the height of the upper base of the trapezoid is... ; The four ribs form a spiral gradual support system in space, which enables the circular tube to form a multi-layered, gradual collapse path during the compression process. When structure 2 is subjected to impact load, the top plate 1 or the bottom plate 3 serves as the impact-bearing surface; when the structure is subjected to explosive load, the top plate 1 or the bottom plate 3 serves as the blast-facing surface. By improving the plastic deformation of the impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure through a conch shell-like circular tube, impact or explosive energy can be effectively dissipated, achieving a buffer protection function.

[0019] Under axial compressive load, the biomimetic structure, relying on its helically tapered wall surface and the mutual constraint of its internal ribs, achieves inelastic buckling deformation in the zero-stiffness region and exhibits an approximately linear increase in crushing force with displacement throughout the entire crushing process. Through the aforementioned biomimetic geometric design, this structure achieves a balance between low initial peak crushing force and high energy absorption performance without increasing mass or compromising manufacturing complexity, thus enhancing the overall performance of circular tube energy-absorbing elements in the field of impact protection.

[0020] The structure of this invention, 3D printed using PLA material, is compared with the quasi-static compressive force-displacement curve of a traditional circular tube of the same mass, wall thickness, diameter, and height under quasi-static compressive force, as shown in the figure below. Figure 3 As shown, the structure of the present invention no longer exhibits an initial peak value, and the energy absorption value is higher.

[0021] In summary, the above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure using a conch shell-like circular tube, characterized in that: This energy-absorbing structure is obtained by modifying a circular tube, the height of which is... The residual height of the circular tube after axial compression and entering the compaction stage is ; The energy-absorbing structure includes four ribs and a wall surrounding the four ribs; The four ribs include two high ribs and two low ribs. The two high ribs are coplanar, and the two low ribs are coplanar. The two high ribs and the two low ribs are arranged in a cross shape within the wall surface. Without changing the diameter and height of the circular tube, a wall is formed by a helical sweeping method. The wall consists of two parts, both with a central anti-symmetrical configuration; the minimum height of each part is... Maximum height .

2. The improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure of a conch shell-like circular tube according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wall surface is formed by sweeping two spiral lines spaced 180° apart, thus creating a centrally antisymmetric configuration.

3. The improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure of a conch shell-like circular tube according to claim 1, characterized in that: The two short ribs are trapezoidal, with the upper base of the trapezoid connected to the wall. The height of the upper base of the trapezoid is... The lower base of the trapezoid is located at the central axis of the cylinder, and the height of the lower base of the trapezoid is... .

4. The improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure of a conch shell-like circular tube according to claim 3, characterized in that: The two high ribs are trapezoidal, with the lower base of the trapezoid connected to the wall. The height of the lower base of the trapezoid is... The upper base of the trapezoid is located at the central axis of the cylinder, and the height of the upper base of the trapezoid is... .

5. The improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure of a conch shell-like circular tube according to claim 4, characterized in that: The four ribs form a spiral-gradient support system in space, which causes the circular tube to form a multi-layered, progressive collapse path during the compression process.

6. An application of the improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure in a conch shell-like circular tube as described in claim 1, characterized in that: This energy-absorbing structure is used as the core layer of a "sandwich" cushioning structure.

7. The application of the improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure based on a conch shell-shaped circular tube according to claim 6, characterized in that: In the single-structure mode, the energy-absorbing structure is placed between the top plate and the bottom plate, with the top of the energy-absorbing structure in contact with and fixed to the top plate, and the bottom of the energy-absorbing structure in contact with and fixed to the bottom plate.

8. The application of the improved impact-resistant energy-absorbing structure of a conch shell-like circular tube according to claim 6, characterized in that: In the two-dimensional array structure mode, multiple energy-absorbing structures are placed between the top plate and the bottom plate. The top of the energy-absorbing structure is fixed in contact with the top plate, and the bottom of the energy-absorbing structure is fixed in contact with the bottom plate, forming a two-dimensional array core layer.

Images