Bumper Reinforcement Extending Portion Design for Steering Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bumper structures for vehicles face challenges in designing the front or rear end portions due to the difficulty in locally bending the bumper reinforcement, leading to limited design freedom and increased weight, which can degrade steering stability.
Innovation Solution
A bumper structure featuring a hollow body portion extending in the vehicle width direction with an extending portion formed by pressing a metal plate, allowing for increased curvature and reduced weight, enabling efficient load transmission and improved steering stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the bumper reinforcement is formed by extruding a metal material and bending an intermediate body, then the structural strength is improved, but the design freedom of the front end portion is reduced due to difficulty in locally bending the right and left end portions
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper reinforcement is divided into a central portion and right/left end portions. The central portion is formed by extrusion while the end portions are formed by pressing metal plates, allowing independent shaping of each segment to satisfy both strength requirements and design freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The bumper reinforcement uses a composite construction where the central portion is made of extruded metal material and the end portions are made of pressed metal plates, combining the advantages of both manufacturing methods to achieve both strength and design flexibility.
2Strength
If the projecting member of the bumper reinforcement is made of metal and formed into a block shape, then the collision resistance is improved, but the weight of the front end portion is increased, degrading steering stability
Solution Approach 1:
The projecting member is formed as a thin-walled hollow structure made by pressing metal plates, providing collision resistance through its geometric shape and material distribution rather than through solid mass, thereby reducing weight while maintaining strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The projecting member changes from a solid block shape to a hollow structure with optimized wall thickness, altering the density and mass distribution parameters to achieve better strength-to-weight ratio for improved steering stability.
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 enhances design flexibility for the bumper reinforcement, reduces weight, and improves steering stability by allowing for efficient load distribution during collisions, effectively moving the vehicle cabin away from impact while maintaining structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
an extending portion (40L (40R)) arranged on one end portion of the hollow body portion in a longitudinal direction of the hollow body portion; and a side member (10L (10R)), which is formed to extend in a vehicle front-and-rear direction of the vehicle, and is configured to support one end portion of the bumper reinforcement in a longitudinal direction of the bumper reinforcement
Implementation Method 2
when an object collides against one end portion of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction to break the one end portion of the side member in the longitudinal direction of the side member, the protruding portion of the extending portion is abuttable against the projecting portion of the side member
Data Source
AI summary
A bumper structure includes: a bumper reinforcement including: a hollow body portion extending in a vehicle width direction of a vehicle; and an extending portion arranged on one end portion of the hollow body portion in a longitudinal direction of the hollow body portion; and a side member, which is formed to extend in a vehicle front-and-rear direction of the vehicle, and is configured to support one end portion of the bumper reinforcement in a longitudinal direction of the bumper reinforcement. The extending portion includes: a proximal end portion to be sandwiched between the one end portion of the hollow body portion in the longitudinal direction of the hollow body portion and one end portion of the side member in a longitudinal direction of the side member; and a protruding portion formed to extend outward from the proximal end portion in the vehicle width direction. The side member includes a projecting portion protruding outward in the vehicle width direction. When an object collides against one end portion of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction to break the one end portion of the side member in the longitudinal direction of the side member, the protruding portion of the extending portion is abuttable against the projecting portion of the side member.