Integrated Bumper Crush Box Design for Weight Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle bumper apparatuses require additional separate components to enhance strength and absorb impact energy, leading to increased weight and cost.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle bumper apparatus with a hollow cross-section bumper reinforcement member and integrated crush boxes that include connecting and retaining portions to restrict opening expansion and retain the reinforcement member, eliminating the need for separate components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If separate reinforcement members are added to close the opening of the bumper reinforcement member, then the strength against load is increased, but the weight and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength against loadVSAvoidweight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention integrates the opening-closing function into the crush box structure itself. The crush box includes a vehicle exterior portion that closes the opening of the bumper reinforcement member, eliminating the need for separate reinforcement members. This merging of functions reduces the number of components, thereby reducing weight and cost while maintaining the strength against load through the integrated crush box design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Strength

If separate reinforcement members are added to close the opening of the bumper reinforcement member, then the strength against load is increased, but the cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestrength against loadVSAvoidcost

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention integrates the opening-closing function into the crush box structure itself. The crush box includes a vehicle exterior portion that closes the opening of the bumper reinforcement member, eliminating the need for separate reinforcement members. This merging of functions reduces the number of components, thereby reducing weight and cost while maintaining the strength against load through the integrated crush box design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Weight of moving object

If the bumper reinforcement member has a hollow cross section with open interior portion, then the weight is reduced and strength is increased, but additional separate components are required

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveweightVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention integrates the opening-closing function into the crush box structure itself. The crush box includes a vehicle exterior portion that closes the opening of the bumper reinforcement member, eliminating the need for separate reinforcement members. This merging of functions reduces the number of components, thereby reducing weight and cost while maintaining the strength against load through the integrated crush box design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The crush box is designed to perform multiple functions: it absorbs impact energy through crushing, supports the bumper reinforcement member for mounting to the vehicle body, and closes the opening of the hollow cross-section member. By making the crush box multi-functional, the invention eliminates the need for separate components while maintaining all necessary structural functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 solution achieves weight reduction and increased strength while minimizing mass, effectively absorbing impact energy without additional components, thus reducing weight and cost.

Implementation Method 1

The crush boxes are crushed, for example, by a load in a front-rear direction of a vehicle (in a vehicle front-rear direction) and therefore absorb an impact energy generated by the load

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImpact energy absorption: Deformation

Data Source

PatentUS8844986B2Vehicle bumper apparatus and crush box thereof

Publication Date: 2014.09.30 AISIN SEIKI KK

AI summary

A vehicle bumper apparatus includes a bumper reinforcement member formed to have a hollow cross section and including a vehicle interior portion formed to have an open cross section including an opening, and a crush box supporting the bumper reinforcement member to mount the bumper reinforcement member to a side member of a vehicle body, the crush box including a connecting portion arranged at a vehicle exterior portion, the connecting portion closing the opening of the bumper reinforcement member to restrict the opening from being expanded, and a retaining portion protruding from the connecting portion toward an exterior side of a vehicle to retain the bumper reinforcement member.