A crash energy absorption box and a vehicle

Abstract

The utility model provides a kind of collision energy-absorbing box and vehicle, it is related to vehicle parts technical field, collision energy-absorbing box includes shell and energy-absorbing component, shell is used to connect between car body longitudinal beam and crash beam;Energy-absorbing component includes flexible container and filled shear thickening fluid in it, flexible container is set in shell;Flexible container has a stress part, stress part extends to the outside of shell and is used to bear collision force;Shear thickening fluid can change its viscosity in response to different collision speed transmitted by stress part, and change by the deformation resistance of flexible container, so that energy-absorbing box presents different rigidity.The utility model integrates energy-absorbing component in shell, and makes energy-absorbing component consist of flexible container and filled shear thickening fluid in it, realizes the self-adapting adjustment of energy-absorbing box rigidity by the self-adapting change of shear thickening fluid viscosity, solves the contradiction that traditional energy-absorbing box cannot consider low speed and high speed crash performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of vehicle parts technology, and in particular to a collision energy-absorbing box and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] As a key component of vehicle safety structure, the energy-absorbing box in an automotive collision primarily functions to absorb energy through controlled deformation during a collision, thereby protecting the safety of occupants. Currently, energy-absorbing boxes widely used in the industry are typically made of thin metal sheets through stamping and welding, and rely on pre-designed crushing induction grooves and other structures to achieve plastic crushing deformation to dissipate energy.

[0003] However, this traditional homogeneous material structure has an inherent drawback: it struggles to simultaneously meet the conflicting performance requirements of two significantly different collision scenarios—low speed and high speed. Specifically, in low-speed collisions (below 20 km / h), the energy-absorbing box needs low stiffness to effectively protect vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and reduce vehicle repair costs through elastic deformation. However, traditional metal energy-absorbing boxes often fail to provide sufficient cushioning under these conditions due to excessive stiffness. Conversely, in high-speed collisions (above 40 km / h), the energy-absorbing box requires extremely high stiffness and strong energy absorption capacity to ensure the integrity of the passenger compartment. Although traditional structures can meet certain energy absorption requirements through crush deformation, their stiffness is fixed and cannot be adaptively adjusted. While some existing technologies attempt to address this contradiction, such as collapsible bumpers or pneumatic energy-absorbing structures, these solutions typically suffer from system complexity, high cost, or insufficient reliability, hindering widespread application. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, the present invention proposes a collision energy-absorbing box and vehicle to solve the technical problem that traditional energy-absorbing boxes in the prior art cannot adaptively adjust their stiffness at different collision speeds to simultaneously take into account pedestrian protection and passenger compartment safety.

[0005] The technical solution of this utility model is implemented as follows: On the one hand, this utility model provides a collision energy-absorbing box, including: The outer shell is used to connect the longitudinal beams of the vehicle body and the anti-collision beam; An energy-absorbing assembly includes a flexible container and a shear-thickening fluid filled therein. The outer shell has an accommodating space with one end open, and the flexible container is disposed within the accommodating space. The flexible container has a force-receiving portion that extends to the outside of the outer shell and is used to withstand impact forces. The shear-thickening fluid is capable of changing its viscosity in response to different impact velocities transmitted through the force-receiving portion, and the energy-absorbing box exhibits different stiffnesses due to changes in the deformation resistance of the flexible container.

[0006] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, it also includes a force transmission component, which is a cylindrical structure with one end open, which can be axially slidably inserted into the accommodating space and accommodate the flexible container part inside its cylindrical body; the end of the force transmission component away from the outer shell is used to bear the collision force and transmit the collision force to the force-bearing part of the flexible container.

[0007] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the outer shell sidewall is provided with a guide groove along its axial direction, and the outer side of the force transmission component opening end is provided with a limiting part that cooperates with the guide groove, and the limiting part is slidably disposed in the guide groove.

[0008] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, it also includes an elastic reset element. The outer side of the force transmission member away from the outer shell has an annular flange. The elastic reset element is sleeved on the force transmission member, and its two ends abut against the annular flange and the opening end of the outer shell, respectively.

[0009] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the flexible container has a drain port at the end away from the force-bearing part, and the drain port is equipped with a pressure relief valve.

[0010] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, it also includes a liquid storage container, the inlet of which is connected to the drain outlet via a pipe.

[0011] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, it also includes a liquid storage shell, which is fixedly disposed on the end face of the outer shell, and the liquid storage container is contained in the liquid storage shell.

[0012] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, a collapse-inducing structure is provided on the wall surface of the outer shell.

[0013] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the flexible container is made of silicone.

[0014] On the other hand, this utility model discloses a vehicle, including a body longitudinal beam and a crash beam, and the collision energy absorption box described in the first aspect, wherein the collision energy absorption box is disposed between the body longitudinal beam and the crash beam.

[0015] The present invention has the following advantages over the prior art: (1) This utility model integrates an energy-absorbing component inside the shell, and the energy-absorbing component is composed of a flexible container and a shear-thickening fluid filled therein. The force-bearing part of the flexible container extends to the outside of the shell to bear the impact force. The adaptive adjustment of the stiffness of the energy-absorbing box is achieved through the adaptive change of the viscosity of the shear-thickening fluid, which solves the contradiction that traditional energy-absorbing boxes cannot take into account both low-speed and high-speed collision performance.

[0016] (2) By setting up the force transmission component, the problem of deflection and twisting that easily occurs when the flexible container is directly subjected to force due to the soft properties of silicone material is effectively solved. It ensures that the collision force is accurately and smoothly transmitted to the force-bearing part of the flexible container along the axial direction of the shell, thereby improving the accuracy of the collision speed response of the shear thickening fluid. In addition, the rigid support of the force transmission component protects the flexible container from damage caused by local stress concentration, enhances the overall durability, and works in conjunction with the sliding fit of the shell and the elastic reset element to push the system to reset quickly after a low-speed collision, so as to achieve reusability and significantly reduce maintenance costs.

[0017] (3) By setting a pressure relief valve, which opens when the internal pressure of the flexible container becomes too high due to a high-speed collision, some of the shear-thickening fluid is allowed to be discharged, preventing the flexible container from rupturing or the energy-absorbing box from becoming excessively rigid. This solves the problem that the traditional energy-absorbing box may affect the safety of the longitudinal beam due to excessive rigidity in a high-speed collision, and maintains the stability of the energy absorption process through controllable pressure relief.

[0018] (4) By setting a collapse-inducing structure on the wall of the shell, the shell is guided to collapse in an orderly manner during extreme collisions, which helps to absorb energy, prevents irregular deformation, and complements the adaptive stiffness of the shear-thickening fluid, ensuring that the energy-absorbing box can work reliably under various working conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the collision energy-absorbing box disclosed in this utility model; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the collision energy absorption box disclosed in this utility model; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the collision energy-absorbing box disclosed in this utility model; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Planar section view at point AA; Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of a section at point B in the middle; Figure label: 1. Outer shell; 2. Energy-absorbing component; 21. Flexible container; 22. Shear-thickening fluid; 210. Force-bearing part; 3. Force-transmitting component; 10. Accommodating space; 11. Guide groove; 31. Limiting part; 4. Elastic reset element; 32. Annular flange; 211. Drain port; 5. Pressure relief valve; 6. Liquid storage container; 7. Liquid storage shell; 12. Collapse induction structure. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of this utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this utility model, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0023] In the description of the embodiments of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0024] In the description of the embodiments of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this utility model.

[0025] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0026] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0027] The following disclosure provides numerous different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of the present invention. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples. Such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. In addition, examples of various specific processes and materials are provided in this invention; however, those skilled in the art will recognize the applicability of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0028] like Figure 1 As shown, combined with Figure 2-5 This utility model discloses a collision energy-absorbing box, including a shell 1 and an energy-absorbing component 2.

[0029] The outer shell 1 serves as the supporting structure for the energy-absorbing box, connecting it between the vehicle body longitudinal beam and the anti-collision beam to provide a stable installation base.

[0030] The energy-absorbing component 2 includes a flexible container 21 and a shear-thickening fluid 22 filled therein. The outer shell 1 has an accommodating space 10 with one end open. The flexible container 21 is disposed within the accommodating space 10. The material of the flexible container 21 is limited to be able to undergo elastic deformation under pressure; for example, the flexible container 21 can be made of silicone. The flexible container 21 has a force-receiving part 210 that extends to the outside of the outer shell 1 and is used to withstand impact forces. The shear-thickening fluid 22 can change its viscosity in response to different impact velocities transmitted through the force-receiving part 210, and the energy-absorbing box exhibits different stiffnesses through the change in deformation resistance of the flexible container 21.

[0031] Specifically, shear-thickening fluid (STF) is a typical non-Newtonian fluid whose composition typically consists of high-solids-content nanoparticles dispersed in a polymer base liquid. For example, a common formulation contains approximately 58% nano-silica as the dispersed phase and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as the continuous phase base liquid. This high-solids-content design allows the STF to exhibit a low-viscosity liquid state under static or low-shear conditions, while at high shear rates, the nanoparticles rapidly aggregate to form a solid-like network, thereby causing a sharp increase in viscosity by several orders of magnitude.

[0032] The shear-thickening fluid 22 is sealed in a flexible container 21, and its force-bearing part 210 directly bears the impact force, which allows the shear-thickening fluid 22 to adjust its viscosity in real time according to the impact speed. The entire energy absorption process does not require external control and relies entirely on the material's own properties, ensuring rapid response and reliability.

[0033] Specifically, the core of the energy absorption mechanism of the shear-thickening fluid 22 lies in its shear rate-dependent rheological properties: during low-speed collisions (such as below 20 km / h), the applied shear rate is low, and the shear-thickening fluid 22 maintains a low viscosity state, allowing the fluid to easily dissipate energy through flexible flow and micro-deformation, achieving a soft buffering effect; during high-speed collisions (such as above 40 km / h), the instantaneous high shear rate triggers the shear thickening effect of the shear-thickening fluid 22, and the viscosity surges, causing the fluid to exhibit high-stiffness solid-like behavior, absorbing a large amount of impact kinetic energy through shear deformation and internal friction, while suppressing the peak value of the reaction force.

[0034] In low-speed collisions, such as those below 20 km / h, the flexible container 21 transfers the impact force to the shear-thickening fluid 22. The shear-thickening fluid 22 operates at a low shear rate, maintaining a low viscosity. This allows the fluid to easily dissipate energy through flexible flow and micro-deformation, and allows the flexible container 21 to deform easily, thereby reducing the stiffness of the energy-absorbing box and achieving a soft buffering effect, thus providing cushioning protection for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians. In high-speed collisions, such as those above 40 km / h, the impact generates an extremely high shear rate, causing the fluid viscosity to rise sharply and exhibiting high-stiffness, solid-like behavior. This increases the deformation resistance of the flexible container 21, making the energy-absorbing box exhibit high stiffness, effectively absorbing energy and protecting the occupant compartment.

[0035] This invention integrates an energy-absorbing component 2 within the outer shell 1. The energy-absorbing component 2 consists of a flexible container 21 and a shear-thickening fluid 22 filled within it. The force-bearing portion 210 of the flexible container 21 extends to the outside of the outer shell 1 to withstand the impact force. Furthermore, by adaptively adjusting the viscosity of the shear-thickening fluid 22, the contradiction between traditional energy-absorbing boxes and their inability to simultaneously handle low-speed and high-speed impacts is resolved. Overall, this solution achieves adaptive adjustment of the energy-absorbing box stiffness, meeting the needs of multiple scenarios without the need for complex mechanical structures.

[0036] Since the flexible container 21 needs to withstand the impact force of the anti-collision beam, the flexible container 21 needs to be connected to the anti-collision beam. However, the flexible container 21 is made of silicone, which has good deformation ability but insufficient structural strength. If the force-bearing part 210 extending out of the shell 1 is directly connected to the anti-collision beam and subjected to the impact, it is very easy to deflect, twist or even tear due to lateral component force or non-uniform load during the force process. This will cause the shear thickening fluid 22 to be unable to respond in an orderly manner along the axial direction, which will seriously weaken the energy absorption effect or even cause early failure.

[0037] To address the aforementioned issues, the energy-absorbing box in this embodiment is further equipped with a force-transmitting component 3. This component 3, being a cylindrical structure with one open end, is axially slidably inserted into the accommodating space 10, partially housing the flexible container 21 within its cylindrical body. This fundamentally reconstructs the force transmission path: its cylindrical structure forms a natural guiding constraint, ensuring that the collision force is strictly transmitted axially along the outer shell 1 to the force-bearing portion 210 of the flexible container 21, preventing lateral deviation. Simultaneously, the force-transmitting component 3 is typically made of metal or high-strength engineering plastic, with a rigidity far exceeding that of silicone containers. This effectively withstands and disperses collision impacts, protecting the flexible container 21 from damage caused by localized stress concentration.

[0038] In some embodiments, the sidewall of the outer casing 1 has a guide groove 11 along its axial direction, and the outer side of the opening end of the force transmission member 3 has a limiting part 31 that cooperates with the guide groove 11. The limiting part 31 is slidably disposed within the guide groove 11. This design constrains the movement trajectory of the force transmission member 3, preventing it from deflecting or jamming during sliding, and ensuring that the impact force is smoothly transmitted axially. The cooperation between the guide groove 11 and the limiting part 31 improves the controllability of the energy-absorbing box, especially during high-speed collisions, maintaining structural alignment and avoiding failure due to lateral forces, thereby enhancing reliability.

[0039] Because the shear-thickening fluid 22 inside the flexible container 21 is in a low-viscosity state under low-speed collision, its own restoring force is weak and it cannot quickly push the container and the internal fluid to return to their original state, which may result in residual deformation of the energy-absorbing box and affect subsequent collision performance.

[0040] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the energy-absorbing box in this embodiment also includes an elastic reset element 4, such as a helical spring. The outer side of the force transmission member 3 away from the outer shell 1 has an annular flange 32. The elastic reset element 4 is sleeved on the force transmission member 3, and its two ends abut against the annular flange 32 and the opening end of the outer shell 1, respectively.

[0041] As such, during a low-speed collision, the force transmission component 3 slides inward under the impact force, compressing the elastic reset element 4 to store energy; after the collision force disappears, the elastic potential energy stored in the element is rapidly released, pushing the force transmission component 3 to axially reset, and also pulling the flexible container 21 to restore its initial shape and position, realizing the reuse of the energy absorption box and reducing maintenance costs. This process effectively overcomes the problem of rebound lag caused by the low viscosity of STF fluid.

[0042] In some implementations, the flexible container 21 has a drain port 211 at the end away from the force-bearing part 210. The drain port 211 is equipped with a pressure relief valve 5, which serves as a safety mechanism. This valve opens when the internal pressure of the flexible container 21 becomes excessively high due to a high-speed collision, allowing some of the shear-thickening fluid 22 to drain out, preventing the flexible container 21 from rupturing or the energy-absorbing box from becoming excessively rigid. This solves the problem that traditional energy-absorbing boxes may affect the safety of the longitudinal beams due to excessive rigidity during high-speed collisions, maintaining the stability of the energy absorption process through controllable pressure relief.

[0043] As one implementation, the collision energy-absorbing box in this embodiment also includes a liquid storage container 6, the inlet of which is connected to a drain port 211. The liquid storage container 6 stores the shear-thickening fluid 22 after pressure relief, avoiding environmental pollution and facilitating subsequent maintenance or recycling.

[0044] As one embodiment, the collision energy-absorbing box in this example also includes a liquid storage shell 7, which is fixedly disposed on the end face of the outer shell 1, and the liquid storage container 6 is housed in the liquid storage shell 7. By fixing the liquid storage shell 7 to the end face of the outer shell 1, the liquid storage container 6 is protected from external impacts, thereby improving the integration and durability of the overall structure.

[0045] At the same time, the liquid storage shell 7 can not only protect the structure of the liquid storage container 6, but also serve as a connecting bridge with the longitudinal beams of the vehicle body.

[0046] As one implementation, a collapse-inducing structure 12 is provided on the wall surface of the outer shell 1. These collapse-inducing structures 12 are multiple collapse stress grooves, recesses or thinning areas provided on the wall surface along the axial direction of the outer shell 1. By providing the collapse-inducing structure 12, the outer shell 1 is guided to collapse in an orderly manner during extreme collisions, which helps to absorb energy, prevents irregular deformation, and complements the adaptive stiffness of the shear thickening fluid 22, ensuring that the energy-absorbing box can work reliably under various working conditions.

[0047] The collision energy-absorbing box disclosed in this embodiment can be reused after a low-speed collision due to the restoring effect of the elastic reset element 4 and the flexible container 21, allowing it to return to its original state. However, after a high-speed collision, the energy-absorbing box may crack and deform significantly, rendering it unusable.

[0048] This utility model embodiment also discloses a vehicle, including a body longitudinal beam and a crash beam, and a collision energy absorption box disclosed in the above embodiment, wherein the collision energy absorption box is disposed between the body longitudinal beam and the crash beam.

[0049] By placing the collision energy-absorbing box between the vehicle's longitudinal beams and the anti-collision beams, the vehicle as a whole acquires adaptive collision protection capabilities: thanks to the properties of the shear-thickening fluid 22, the energy-absorbing box automatically presents a low-stiffness state during low-speed collisions, effectively protecting pedestrians and reducing vehicle maintenance costs. During high-speed collisions, it instantly switches to a high-stiffness mode, powerfully absorbing impact energy to ensure the integrity of the passenger compartment, thereby improving the vehicle's safety performance, economy, and reliability in different collision scenarios.

[0050] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A collision energy-absorbing box, characterized in that, include: The outer casing (1) is used to connect the longitudinal beams of the vehicle body and the anti-collision beam; The energy-absorbing component (2) includes a flexible container (21) and a shear-thickening fluid (22) filled therein. The outer shell (1) has an accommodating space (10) with one end open. The flexible container (21) is disposed in the accommodating space (10). The flexible container (21) has a force-receiving part (210) that extends to the outside of the outer shell (1) and is used to withstand impact forces. The shear-thickening fluid (22) can change its viscosity in response to different impact velocities transmitted through the force-receiving part (210) and the energy-absorbing box exhibits different stiffnesses through the deformation resistance changes of the flexible container (21).

2. The collision energy-absorbing box as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a force transmission component (3), which is a cylindrical structure with one end open. It is axially slidably inserted into the accommodating space (10) and partially accommodates the flexible container (21) inside its cylindrical body. The end of the force transmission component (3) away from the outer shell (1) is used to bear the impact force and transmit the impact force to the force-receiving part (210) of the flexible container (21).

3. The collision energy-absorbing box as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The outer shell (1) has a guide groove (11) on its side wall along its axial direction. The force transmission member (3) has a limiting part (31) on the outer side of its opening end that cooperates with the guide groove (11). The limiting part (31) is slidably disposed in the guide groove (11).

4. The collision energy-absorbing box as described in claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes an elastic reset element (4). The force transmission element (3) has an annular flange (32) on the outer side of the end away from the outer shell (1). The elastic reset element (4) is sleeved on the force transmission element (3), and its two ends abut against the annular flange (32) and the opening end of the outer shell (1), respectively.

5. The collision energy-absorbing box as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The flexible container (21) has a drain port (211) at the end away from the force-bearing part (210), and the drain port (211) is equipped with a pressure relief valve (5).

6. The collision energy-absorbing box as described in claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a liquid storage container (6), the inlet of which is connected to the drain port (211).

7. The collision energy-absorbing box as described in claim 6, characterized in that: It also includes a liquid storage shell (7), which is fixedly disposed on the end face of the outer shell (1), and the liquid storage container (6) is housed in the liquid storage shell (7).

8. The collision energy-absorbing box as described in claim 2, characterized in that: A collapse-inducing structure (12) is provided on the wall surface of the outer shell (1).

9. The collision energy-absorbing box as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible container (21) is made of silicone.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, It includes a vehicle body longitudinal beam and a crash beam, and a collision energy absorption box as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the collision energy absorption box is disposed between the vehicle body longitudinal beam and the crash beam.

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