Breakaway Service Member for Vehicle Cooling Module Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle cooling modules are prone to damage during frontal collisions, leading to high repair costs due to broken mounting assemblies and the need for additional plastic fixing elements, which increase labor and material expenses.
Innovation Solution
A service member with a first element and a second element connected by a connection portion that breaks controllably upon impact, featuring a tongue portion for secure attachment to the cooling module and a side wall for force transfer, allowing easy replacement and minimizing additional parts and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If a separate plastic fixing element is used to mount the radiator, then the mounting assembly can be replaced after an accident, but additional parts and labor costs increase for all successive cooling modules
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the mounting assembly function directly into the radiator housing structure itself, eliminating the need for separate plastic fixing elements. The housing integrates mounting lugs or attachment points that serve both structural and mounting purposes, reducing the total number of parts while maintaining repairability.
Solution Approach 2:
The radiator housing is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the protective enclosure for the cooling elements and as the mounting structure for attachment to the vehicle. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated separate mounting components.
2Reliability
If the radiator is damaged during a head-on collision, then the cooling system fails, but high repair costs result from replacing the entire radiator
Solution Approach 1:
The radiator is designed as a modular assembly with the housing as a separate replaceable component from the internal cooling core. This segmentation allows the housing to be replaced independently if damaged, while preserving the expensive cooling elements, thereby reducing overall repair costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed with energy-absorbing features and controlled breakage points that allow it to deform or break in predictable ways during collision, protecting the internal cooling elements from damage. This prior cushioning design ensures that only the housing needs replacement, not the entire radiator.
3Strength
If the mounting assembly breaks off during frontal collision, then the radiator remains undamaged, but the mounting assembly must be replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is pre-designed with controlled breakage zones or weakened sections that are intended to fail first during collision. This preliminary design ensures that the housing absorbs the impact and breaks in a predictable manner, protecting the radiator core while allowing the housing to be replaced as a single unit.
Data Source
AI summary
A servicing member for a vehicle cooling module includes a first element with a bumper portion, a first fixing interface located on the first element for fixing to the vehicle module, a second element connected to the first element and a second fixing interface located on the second element for fixing the servicing member to a vehicle structure. The first element is connected with the second element by a connection portion adapted to controllably break upon imparting a predetermined force to the bumper portion. The first fixing interface includes a tongue portion adapted for releasable connection with a slot in the vehicle cooling module, the first fixing interface including a first side wall extending adjacent to the tongue portion between said tongue portion and the bumper portion so that a free space is created between the tongue portion and the first side wall.