Vehicle Armrest Ribs for Sequential Collision Energy Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle armrests are ineffective in absorbing impact energy during side collisions, as the energy is concentrated on ribs that may break suddenly, failing to absorb the collision energy step by step.
Innovation Solution
The armrest design features a protruded section with alternating high and low rigidity ribs arranged in the vehicular front-rear direction, where the high rigidity ribs have greater perimeter lengths and widths, allowing them to absorb collision energy step by step by breaking sequentially, starting with low rigidity ribs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If ribs are arranged to extend over the entire width area of the back surfaces, then the structural strength of the armrest is improved, but the impact force is concentrated on certain portions causing the ribs to break at once and fail to absorb collision energy step by step
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the rigidity of different ribs. Specifically, the armrest includes both high rigidity ribs and low rigidity ribs arranged in the vehicular front-rear direction. The low rigidity ribs are designed to break first during side collision to absorb energy, while the high rigidity ribs maintain structural integrity. This non-uniform distribution of rigidity properties allows the armrest to both maintain strength and absorb energy progressively.
2Ease of manufacture
If uniform rigidity ribs are used throughout the armrest, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the ability to absorb collision energy step by step is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by creating ribs with different rigidity characteristics in specific locations. The low rigidity ribs are positioned to break first during collision, absorbing energy in a controlled manner. This localized variation in rigidity is achieved through differences in rib dimensions (width, thickness) or material properties at specific positions, allowing progressive energy absorption while maintaining reasonable manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the rib structure into multiple functional zones with different rigidity levels. By dividing the reinforcing ribs into high rigidity and low rigidity categories and arranging them in the vehicular front-rear direction, the structure creates a segmented failure mode where low rigidity ribs fail first to absorb energy, followed by high rigidity ribs that maintain structural support.
Data Source
AI summary
An armrest includes a protruded section extending in a vehicular front-rear direction and protruded toward a vehicular interior side, and the protruded section includes an upper section, a lower section, and an intermediate section that is between the upper section and the lower section and connects the upper section and the lower section on a vehicular interior side. The armrest further includes ribs that are on a vehicular exterior side with respect to the intermediate section and arranged in the vehicular front-rear direction and each of the ribs extends from the upper section to the lower section. The ribs include a low rigidity rib and a high rigidity rib that are arranged next to each other in the vehicular front-rear direction, and the high rigidity rib having rigidity higher than that of the low rigidity rib.