Articulating Hinge Lever for Vehicle Front Flap Pedestrian Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hinge devices for motor vehicle front flaps fail to provide adequate pedestrian protection and stability during accidents, as they can jam or fail to raise into a protective position under frontal impact, leading to potential injury and kinematic issues.
Innovation Solution
A hinge device with an overload connection that holds the hinge lever in place relative to the vehicle body, featuring a support lever and spring element that pivots to absorb impact forces, allowing the front flap to adjust and protect pedestrians by releasing the hinge lever when vertical loads are exceeded, and supporting it when horizontal loads are applied, thereby maintaining stability and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the hinge device allows the front flap to pivot freely for pedestrian protection, then pedestrian protection is improved, but stability during frontal impact deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge device employs dynamic behavior through the support lever that can pivot between different positions. During normal operation, the hinge lever is held stable by the overload connection. During pedestrian impact, the hinge lever pivots downward allowing the front flap to move and absorb impact energy. This dynamic response resolves the contradiction between providing pedestrian protection through movement and maintaining stability during normal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the mechanical state parameters of the hinge lever based on impact direction. For vertical pedestrian impact, the overload connection releases allowing the hinge lever to pivot and the front flap to move downward. For horizontal frontal impact, the support lever engages to prevent excessive movement. This parameter change approach allows the same mechanism to provide different levels of freedom based on the type of impact.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the hinge lever is held firmly in position, then stability is improved, but ability to absorb vertical impact deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge device is segmented into functionally distinct components: the overload connection that releases under vertical load, the support lever that provides controlled pivoting, and the spring element that absorbs impact energy. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in one function - the overload connection maintains stability during normal operation but releases during vertical impact, while the support lever and spring handle energy absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The support lever acts as an intermediary between the hinge lever and the body. It transmits and controls the movement of the hinge lever during impact events. The spring element serves as a mediator that absorbs the impact energy generated when the hinge lever pivots during pedestrian impact, converting mechanical energy into elastic potential energy.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the front flap is locked in closed position, then stability is improved, but deformation space for pedestrian protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge device is pre-configured with the support lever positioned to engage with the hinge lever. In the event of pedestrian impact, this preliminary arrangement allows the support lever to immediately begin pivoting the hinge lever downward, creating deformation space before the impact force is fully applied. The spring element is also pre-positioned to begin absorbing energy as soon as movement occurs.
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
Enhances pedestrian protection by allowing the front flap to pivot and absorb impact forces, reducing the risk of injury and maintaining stability during both vertical and horizontal accidents, ensuring the flap remains secure and functional.
Implementation Method 1
the hinge lever pivots the support lever against the force of a spring element
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The articulating device has an articulating lever (2), which is indirectly connected to the front lid (1) pivoting about a pivot axis and indirectly supported at the other end on the car body (5) of the vehicle over a pivot bearing. A support lever (15) is indirectly supported on the car body pivoting about an axis (16) and the support lever pivots against the force of spring element in a crash such as a pedestrian on the front lid.