Vehicle Side Structure With Breakaway Lower Hinge Near Battery Case
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles with sliding doors, the lower hinge can interfere with the battery stack during a side collision when positioned at the vehicle width direction outer side of the battery case, potentially damaging the battery cells.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle side portion structure with a lower hinge featuring a weakened portion, such as a bead portion, long hole portion, or joint portion, that deforms or fractures upon collision, reducing the displacement stroke and preventing interference with the battery stack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the lower hinge is disposed at the vehicle width direction outer side of the battery case in elevation view, then the space inside the vehicle is increased, but the lower hinge may interfere with the battery stack during a side collision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming a weakened portion in the horizontal portion of the lower hinge during manufacturing. This weakened portion is designed to deform or fracture first during a side collision, thereby limiting the displacement of the lower hinge before it can reach and interfere with the battery stack. The weakened portion acts as a predetermined failure point that activates before harmful interference occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the structural parameters of the lower hinge through the weakened portion. The horizontal portion is designed with reduced thickness or altered geometry at the weakened portion, changing its mechanical properties (strength, stiffness) to be lower than other portions. This parameter change ensures that the horizontal portion deforms or fractures at a lower load threshold during collision, reducing displacement stroke and preventing battery stack interference.
2Strength
If the horizontal portion of the lower hinge is made stronger to prevent deformation, then the structural integrity is improved, but the displacement stroke increases during collision causing battery interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a non-uniform structure in the horizontal portion of the lower hinge. The weakened portion has locally reduced strength and thickness compared to other portions of the horizontal portion. This local quality difference ensures that during a side collision, the weakened portion deforms or fractures first, limiting the overall displacement stroke of the horizontal portion while maintaining adequate structural integrity in other areas for normal operation.
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 weakened portion of the lower hinge absorbs or redirects the collision load, minimizing interference with the battery stack and preventing damage during a side collision.
Implementation Method 1
a weakened portion that is to be deformed or fractured by a load applied from the vehicle width direction outer side is formed at the horizontal portion
Implementation Method 2
a weakened portion that is to be deformed or fractured by a load applied from the vehicle width direction outer side is formed at the horizontal portion
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle side portion structure includes a battery case and a lower hinge. The lower hinge includes a vertical portion and a horizontal portion. The vertical portion is attached to a lower portion of a sliding door that opens and closes a side portion of the vehicle. The horizontal portion extends from a lower end portion of the vertical portion. The lower hinge supports the sliding door to be slidable in a vehicle front-and-rear direction, and in a state in which the sliding door is closed, at least the horizontal portion is disposed at a vehicle width direction outer side of the battery case in elevation view. A weakened portion that is to be deformed or fractured by a load applied from the vehicle width direction outer side is formed in the horizontal portion.