Adaptive Exterior Body Panels for Pre-Impact Force Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle safety technologies are limited in their ability to adapt to external driving conditions, often deploying too late and providing insufficient protection due to fixed interior configurations, which can lead to increased injury risk during accidents.
Innovation Solution
A system that adjusts the physical configuration of exterior vehicle body components in response to detected external driving conditions, using actuators and sensors to modify the vehicle's structure and reduce impact forces, thereby enhancing passenger safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing fixed interior vehicle configurations are used, then vehicle structure simplicity is maintained, but passenger safety is reduced due to inability to adapt to external driving conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transforming the fixed interior vehicle configuration into a dynamic, adjustable system. The interior components (seats, steering wheel, dashboard, etc.) are made movable through actuators, allowing the vehicle interior to adapt its configuration in response to detected external driving conditions such as impending collisions, thereby improving passenger safety while maintaining structural feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by detecting external driving conditions (such as impending collisions) and proactively adjusting the interior vehicle configuration before the actual impact occurs. This advance preparation allows passengers to be positioned in safer locations and safety features to be pre-deployed, maximizing protection during the unavoidable collision
2Reliability
If vehicle safety features are improved, then passenger protection is enhanced, but vehicle aesthetics and performance are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses dynamic adjustment of interior components rather than permanent structural modifications. This allows the vehicle to maintain its original aesthetic appearance and performance characteristics during normal operation, while automatically reconfiguring safety features only when needed, thus resolving the conflict between safety improvement and aesthetic/performance maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters of interior components (position, orientation, configuration) in response to driving conditions. By adjusting parameters such as seat position, steering wheel angle, and dashboard configuration rather than adding bulky safety structures, the system enhances protection while preserving the vehicle's design and performance
3Reliability
If conventional single-function safety devices are used, then device simplicity is maintained, but safety effectiveness is limited due to inability to respond to different accident types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional safety system where interior vehicle components can perform multiple functions based on the detected accident type. For example, seats can serve as both seating and impact absorption elements, the steering wheel can adjust position for different collision angles, and the system can deploy various protection strategies depending on whether the collision is frontal, side, or rearward, thereby enhancing safety effectiveness across diverse scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
The system detects impending collision characteristics and pre-positions safety features according to the specific accident type before impact occurs. This allows the safety system to be optimized for the particular collision scenario (frontal, side, rearward) rather than using a single fixed configuration, significantly improving safety effectiveness while maintaining reasonable device complexity
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 effectively reduces the risk of injury by dynamically adjusting the vehicle's exterior structure to absorb or dissipate impact forces, improving safety outcomes in various driving scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
dampen an external force exerted on the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
absorb or dissipate impact forces
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for dampening impact to a vehicle. The system may include a vehicle frame component; a plurality of adjustable exterior vehicle body components coupled to the frame component, wherein the vehicle body components are on different sides of a vehicle and are configurable to dampen an external force exerted on the vehicle; a plurality of actuator components configured to adjust physical configurations of the vehicle body components relative to the frame component; a component configured to collect data representing an external environment of the vehicle; and one or more processors configured to detect, by processing the data, an external driving condition, wherein the external driving condition is an impending collision between the vehicle and one or more objects external to the vehicle, and when the external driving condition is detected, cause the actuator components to correspondingly adjust the physical configurations of the vehicle body components.