Bumper Beam Segmented Cross Member for Offset Impact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bumper beams do not effectively address vertically offset impacts and fail to provide adequate stiffness and weight reduction while maintaining a good interface with crash boxes, especially when produced for cars with different wheel suspensions.
Innovation Solution
A bumper beam design featuring a main cross member and a cross member part that form closed chambers on either side, providing enhanced attachment strength and deformation behavior through a complementary profile and attachment mechanism, allowing for weight savings and improved impact resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a bumper beam is designed with a main cross member that is extendable upwardly or downwardly to cope with vertically offset impacts, then the adaptability to different impact positions is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper beam is divided into a main cross member and a separate cross member part that can be positioned at different heights. This segmentation allows the cross member part to be independently adjusted to different vertical positions, enabling the bumper beam to adapt to vertically offset impacts from different heights without redesigning the entire structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross member part is designed to be movable relative to the main cross member, allowing it to be dynamically repositioned to different vertical locations. This dynamic capability enables the bumper beam to adapt to varying impact positions while maintaining a relatively simple base structure, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity.
2Strength
If closed chambers are added to the bumper beam to improve stiffness and reduce weight, then the strength-to-weight ratio is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cross member part is designed to form closed chambers when combined with the main cross member. By merging the structural support function with the chamber-forming function, the design achieves increased stiffness and reduced weight without requiring separate chamber components, thereby limiting the increase in manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross member part serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, forms closed chambers for stiffness enhancement, and can be positioned at different heights for adaptability. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, balancing the benefits of closed chambers against manufacturing complexity.
3Weight of moving object
If the cross member part covers only a portion of the main cross member in the cross direction, then the weight is reduced, but the interface area with crash boxes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cross member part is designed to cover only the portions of the main cross member where closed chambers need to be formed, rather than covering the entire cross section. This localized approach reduces weight while concentrating the interface strength where it is most needed for crash box attachment, balancing weight reduction with sufficient interface strength.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a bumper beam (B) comprising a main cross member (1) and a cross member part (2) fixedly attached to said main cross member (1). Said cross member part (2) forms in itself or together with one or more portions of the main cross member (1) a closed chamber (C) in a cross section of the bumper beam and is arranged at an upper side (11) or at a lower side (12) of said main cross member (1). Said closed chamber (C) abuts and extends over only a portion of said upper side (11) or said lower side (12) of said main cross member (1) as seen in the cross direction of said main cross member (1) and over essentially the entire length and in a longitudinal direction of said main cross member (1). Said main cross member (1) together with said cross member part (2) form a closed main chamber (M).