Front Bumper Beam Notches for Shock Absorber Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle body structures fail to provide optimal lateral protection for shock absorbers during frontal impacts with lateral forces, leading to potential damage and increased repair costs, particularly in low-speed collisions.
Innovation Solution
A bumper beam design with a central zone and lateral zones extending from the shock absorbers, featuring notches that allow the lateral zones to fold rearward during impacts, eliminating the need for separate attachments and simplifying manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If lateral protection elements are added to protect the shock absorber during frontal impacts with lateral forces, then the shock absorber protection is improved, but the device complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the lateral protection function directly into the bumper beam structure by creating lateral zones that extend from the central zone. This merging eliminates the need for separate lateral protection elements and their associated fasteners, thereby improving shock absorber protection while reducing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The bumper beam is segmented into a central zone and two lateral zones with distinct functions. The lateral zones are designed to fold during impact to protect the shock absorber, while the central zone maintains structural integrity. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for its specific protective function without requiring additional complex components
2Reliability
If separate fasteners are used to attach lateral protection elements to the crossmember, then the lateral protection is improved, but the assembly process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral zones are formed as an integral part of the bumper beam structure, eliminating the need for separate fasteners to attach lateral protection elements. This merging of functions simplifies the assembly process while maintaining the integrity of lateral protection through the monolithic structure
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral zones are pre-formed during bumper beam manufacturing with the appropriate geometry for folding during impact. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex assembly operations involving separate fasteners and attachment steps, thereby simplifying the assembly process while ensuring proper protective function
3Strength
If the lateral zones are made rigid to provide strong protection, then the protective function is improved, but the ability to absorb impact energy through folding is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral zones are designed with dynamic characteristics that allow them to fold during impact, transforming from a rigid protective barrier into a controlled deformation structure. This dynamic behavior enables the lateral zones to absorb impact energy through folding while maintaining sufficient strength to protect the shock absorber from direct impact forces
Solution Approach 2:
The structural parameters of the lateral zones (thickness, geometry, material properties) are optimized to balance strength and deformability. The zones are designed with parameters that allow controlled folding during low-speed impacts while maintaining adequate strength for high-speed impacts, thereby achieving both protection and energy absorption
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 design enhances shock absorber protection by reducing impact forces on the absorber and minimizing damage to the underbody, thereby lowering repair costs and maintaining structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
the lateral zone to fold in the event of a low-speed frontal impact that also induces a lateral force... The notch therefore acts as a folding point and allows the lateral zone to fold towards the rear of the vehicle
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a body structure with two absorbers (1), each absorber (1) having at least an outer side (3), and with a bumper beam (5) having a front face (7) and comprising a central zone (9) mounted on the two absorbers (1), the vehicle being characterized in that the central zone (9) is continued by two lateral zones (11), each lateral zone (11) extending from the outer side (3) of an absorber (1) to a lateral side of the vehicle, and in that each lateral zone (11) has, on the front face (7), a notch (13) arranged at a level situated in proximity to the absorber (1), said notch (13) extending over the height of the lateral zone (11). The invention also relates to a method for assembling such a vehicle.