Active Crush Structure Alignment for Off-Center Vehicle Impacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle crush zones are not optimized for oblique or off-center impacts, leading to compromised crashworthiness due to static structures that do not align with the angle of impact, resulting in inefficient energy absorption and potential intrusion into the cabin during small overlap frontal collisions.
Innovation Solution
An active impact control system that includes sensors to determine the location and angle of an impending impact, and actuators to dynamically adjust the crush structure's alignment with the obstacle, allowing for enhanced energy absorption without increasing vehicle length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If static crush zones are used in conventional vehicles, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easier, but the crashworthiness is compromised during oblique or off-center impacts because the crush rails are not aligned with the angle of impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transforming the static crush rails into active, movable crush structures that can change their orientation and position in real-time. The crush rails are equipped with actuators that enable them to dynamically align with the angle of impact during oblique or off-center collisions, thereby improving crashworthiness while managing the increased system complexity through controlled movement mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by using sensors to detect the angle and location of impending impact before the collision occurs. The controller processes this sensor data and pre-positions the movable crush rails to align with the predicted impact angle, ensuring optimal energy absorption is ready in advance rather than relying on passive static structures.
2Reliability
If additional crush structure is added to improve small overlap crashworthiness, then energy absorption improves, but the vehicle length increases due to space requirements in the wheel clearance zone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamics to enable crush structures to be located within the wheel clearance zone and actively positioned during impact. The movable crush rails can extend into the wheel clearance zone without interfering with wheel rotation, allowing improved small overlap crashworthiness within the existing vehicle envelope without increasing front overhang length.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dimensionality change by utilizing the wheel clearance zone space that was previously unused for crashworthiness purposes. The movable crush structures operate in a different spatial dimension (within the wheel clearance zone rather than extending the front overhang), enabling improved energy absorption without increasing vehicle length.
3Loss of energy
If movable crush structures are implemented to align with impact angle, then energy absorption efficiency improves, but the device complexity and control system requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces control complexity by implementing preliminary action - sensors detect the impact angle and location before collision, and the controller pre-positions the movable crush rails to the optimal alignment. This proactive approach eliminates the need for complex real-time adjustment mechanisms during the actual impact, simplifying the control system while maximizing energy absorption efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback by using sensors to continuously monitor the vehicle's environment and impact conditions, providing data to the controller that adjusts the crush rail positioning. This feedback loop enables the system to adapt to varying impact scenarios while maintaining a relatively simple control architecture through sensor-driven automated adjustment.
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 system improves crashworthiness by actively aligning the crush structure with the obstacle, increasing energy absorption efficiency and reducing cabin intrusion during off-center impacts, while maintaining the vehicle's original dimensions.
Implementation Method 1
crush structure located in the wheel clearance zone and configured to absorb mechanical energy during an impact with an object
Data Source
AI summary
An active impact control system includes: at least one actuator couplable to a crush structure of a vehicle and couplable to a portion of a structure of the vehicle; at least one sensor configured to sense impact with an object; and a controller configured to receive information from the at least one sensor and to determine a location and angle of impact based on the information received from the sensor, the controller being further configured to selectively signal the actuator to cause the crush structure to move relative to the structure of the vehicle.