Bumper Beam Insert Structure for Crash Energy Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of cross members for bumper beams faces challenges in achieving optimal energy absorption and ductility while maintaining structural integrity, particularly due to the integration of plastic reinforcement elements, which requires strict geometrical tolerances and additional costly manufacturing steps to ensure bonding and prevent cracking during crashes.
Innovation Solution
A cross member design featuring a metallic outer beam with internal reinforcement ribs that abut the front beam wall and are connected by transversal branches, optimizing energy absorption and bonding without increasing weight, and a method for producing this design that allows for efficient assembly and coating post-manufacturing, reducing material usage and production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a plastic reinforcement element is inserted into the metallic outer beam to increase energy absorption, then the energy absorption capacity is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to strict geometrical tolerances and additional bonding steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the metallic outer beam and plastic reinforcement element into a single integrated cross-member structure where the plastic element is inserted into the metallic beam's hollow section. This merging creates a composite structure that achieves both energy absorption improvement and manufacturing simplification by eliminating the need for separate bonding processes through proper geometric design of the insertion interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by designing specific geometric features at the interface between the metallic outer beam and plastic reinforcement element. The metallic beam includes a hollow section with specific dimensions and the plastic element includes corresponding protrusions that fit into this hollow section, creating localized bonding areas that ensure structural integrity without requiring complex manufacturing processes.
2Reliability
If additional contact surfaces are designed on the reinforcement element to ensure bonding during crash, then the bonding reliability is improved, but the energy absorption capacity is reduced due to non-optimized plastic reinforcement shape
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing specific geometric features at the interface between the metallic outer beam and plastic reinforcement element. The metallic beam includes a hollow section with specific dimensions and the plastic element includes corresponding protrusions that fit into this hollow section, creating localized bonding areas that ensure structural integrity without requiring complex manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the cross-member into distinct functional zones: the metallic outer beam provides structural framework and crash load transmission, while the plastic reinforcement element inserted within the hollow section provides energy absorption through controlled deformation. This segmentation allows each material to optimize its specific function without compromising the other.
Data Source
AI summary
A cross member for a bumper beam includes an outer beam, an inner reinforcement element extending inside at least a part of the outer beam inner volume and comprising at least two reinforcement ribs protruding towards the front beam wall, the reinforcement ribs being connected together at least at their back end, opposite to the front beam wall, by an upper transversal branch and a lower transversal branch, the upper and lower transversal branches being attached respectively to the upper and lower beam flanges of the outer beam, wherein each reinforcement rib abuts the front beam wall and the length of the upper transversal branch is less than the length of the upper beam wall and the length of the lower transversal branch is less than the length of the lower beam wall, the lengths being measured in the longitudinal direction.