Asymmetric Bumper Beam Forward-Sloping Step Anti-Overlap
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Solution Overview
Problem
In collisions between vehicles with bumper beams of different heights, the beams tend to slide past each other, preventing effective energy absorption through deformation due to the mismatch in heights.
Innovation Solution
A bumper beam with a hat profile and a central flange featuring a forward-sloping step on its lower portion, which helps to securely lock with a lower-positioned bumper beam during deformation, utilizing high-strength hot-formed steel and attachment to the vehicle's side rails for enhanced stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the bumper beam is positioned higher for high vehicles, then it provides adequate ground clearance and protection, but it risks sliding over or under the bumper beam of colliding vehicles with different heights, preventing effective energy absorption
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper beam employs asymmetric design through a forward-sloping step on its lower portion, creating a non-uniform profile that provides both upward and downward slopes. This asymmetric geometry enables the beam to interact effectively with bumper beams at different heights, allowing it to lock securely during collisions while maintaining adaptability across various vehicle types.
2Ease of manufacture
If the bumper beam has a symmetric profile, then it is simpler to manufacture, but it cannot effectively lock with bumper beams of different heights during collision
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper beam employs asymmetric design through a forward-sloping step on its lower portion, creating a non-uniform profile that provides both upward and downward slopes. This asymmetric geometry enables the beam to interact effectively with bumper beams at different heights, allowing it to lock securely during collisions while maintaining adaptability across various vehicle types.
3Device complexity
If the bumper beam uses a vertical step on its lower portion, then it has simpler geometry, but it allows sliding during collision with mismatched heights
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper beam employs asymmetric design through a forward-sloping step on its lower portion, creating a non-uniform profile that provides both upward and downward slopes. This asymmetric geometry enables the beam to interact effectively with bumper beams at different heights, allowing it to lock securely during collisions while maintaining adaptability across various vehicle types.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution introduces a sloping dimension to the step geometry, transforming it from a simple vertical feature into a three-dimensional surface with both vertical and horizontal components. This dimensional change creates mechanical interlocking capability that prevents sliding while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Data Source
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AI summary
A bumper beam (10) e.g. for an SUV, has its flange portions (18, 19) positioned high and extends asymmetrically downwards relative to them. It has an outwardly convex profile which has in its lower portion a longitudinal concavity (16) which, near to the lower edge of the profile, ends with a forward-pointing profile portion (21). The result is less risk that the bumper will climb up over a lower-positioned bumper (30) which it collides with.