Bumper Reinforcement Cutout Design for Gouging Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bumper reinforcements risk gouging sharply into obstacles during collisions due to exposed angular corners, which can lead to damage both to the reinforcement and the obstacle.
Innovation Solution
A bumper reinforcement design featuring a cutout in the horizontal wall that divides the lateral end portion into a front and rear portion, with the front portion bent rearward and protruding laterally outward, covering the rear corner and dispersing stress, thereby preventing sharp bending or gouging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the bumper reinforcement has a simple rectangular structure without cutouts, then the manufacturing process is simple and structural integrity is maintained, but angular corners are exposed forward creating risk of gouging into obstacles during collision
Solution Approach 1:
The horizontal wall at the lateral end is segmented by introducing a cutout that divides it into multiple sections. This segmentation creates a protruded portion that bends rearward, covering the angular corner while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard cutting and bending operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruded portion is bent rearward to create a curved profile instead of a sharp angular corner. This curvature eliminates the gouging risk by rounding off the previously sharp corner, transforming the geometric form from angular to curved at the critical lateral end region.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the front end portion is bent rearward to cover the rear corner, then angular corners are eliminated and gouging risk is reduced, but the structural strength at the bent portion may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cutout is positioned specifically at the lateral end portion where the gouging risk is highest, rather than uniformly throughout the structure. This localized modification addresses the harmful effect at the critical region while preserving the full strength of the horizontal wall in other areas where bending is not applied.
Solution Approach 2:
Only the specific section of the horizontal wall at the lateral end is bent rearward, rather than bending the entire horizontal wall. This partial action eliminates gouging risk at the critical corner while maintaining the structural integrity and strength of the majority of the horizontal wall that remains unbent.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the protruded portion protrudes laterally outward further than the rear end portion, then the rear corner is covered and angular corners are eliminated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The horizontal wall is divided into distinct segments by the cutout: a front end portion that protrudes laterally, a rear end portion, and the connecting bent section. This segmentation creates the complex profile through simple geometric divisions rather than requiring complex manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutout is formed in the horizontal wall before the bending operation. This preliminary action prepares the structure for subsequent bending, allowing the protruded portion to be formed more easily and reducing the complexity of the overall manufacturing process by sequencing operations logically.
Data Source
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AI summary
A bumper reinforcement includes a front wall (12), a rear wall (14) disposed behind the front wall (12), at least one horizontal wall (16) connecting the front wall (12) and the rear wall (14), and a cutout (22) in the at least one horizontal wall (16). The cutout (22) extends laterally inward from a lateral end of the at least one horizontal wall (16). The cutout (22) divides a lateral end portion of the bumper reinforcement (10) between a front end portion (24) located in front of the cutout (22) and a rear end portion (26) located behind the cutout (22). The front end portion (24) includes a protruded portion (28) which is bent rearward to be tilted with respect to the rear wall (14) and protrudes laterally outward further than a lateral end of the rear end portion (26).