Bumper Crossmember Reinforcing Plate for Controlled Crash Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bumper cross members in vehicles face challenges in achieving high rigidity against bending while dissipating crash energy during impact without buckling, which is crucial for preventing damage to the vehicle's internal components during pole or pile tests.
Innovation Solution
A bumper cross member with a hollow profile and a separate reinforcing plate inserted in its central section, featuring tapered ends that decrease in depth towards the ends, is designed to maintain rigidity and allow controlled deformation, preventing buckling and promoting a safe, curve-shaped deformation during impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a bumper cross member is designed to be rigid to prevent buckling during pole or pile tests, then structural stability is improved, but the ability to dissipate crash energy through controlled deformation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper cross member is divided into distinct functional zones: a central rigid section with a reinforcing plate for stability, and tapered end sections that are designed to deform. This segmentation allows different parts to perform different functions - the central portion resists buckling while the end portions dissipate energy through controlled deformation
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing plate is positioned specifically in the central length section of the bumper cross member, providing localized stiffening where structural stability is most critical. The tapered ends without full reinforcement allow controlled deformation for energy dissipation, achieving local optimization of both rigidity and energy absorption
2Strength
If a reinforcing plate is added to the central section of the bumper cross member, then rigidity against bending is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing function is extracted as a separate, removable plate component rather than being integrated into the main bumper structure. This allows the reinforcement to be added only where needed in the central section, simplifying manufacturing and assembly while providing the necessary rigidity enhancement
3Ease of manufacture
If the reinforcing plate has uniform depth throughout, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the ability to promote controlled curve-shaped deformation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing plate features asymmetric depth variation, being deepest in the central section and tapering towards the ends. This asymmetric design promotes controlled curve-shaped deformation during impact by allowing the tapered ends to deform while the central section maintains rigidity, creating an arch-like deformation pattern that dissipates energy effectively
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
This design achieves a high level of rigidity and controlled deformation, effectively reducing crash energy and preventing penetration into the vehicle's internal compartments, while avoiding complex reworking measures.
Implementation Method 1
the reinforcing plate prevents the cross section from buckling. Because the ends of the reinforcing plate are now tapered, the cross section of the hollow profile of the bumper cross member conforms to the ends of the reinforcing plate due to deformation. A buckling process is thus avoided for as long as possible.
Implementation Method 2
When a pole or pile hits, especially in the middle of the bumper cross member, the bumper cross member is pressed in an arc or deforms in an arc. Targeted bend or curved deformation is thereby promoted over the longitudinal course of the cross member during the penetration of the pole or pile.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a)~2c)
Figure 3a)~3c)
AI summary
The present invention relates to a bumper crossmember 2 for a motor vehicle, which extends in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle and has a hollow profile in cross-section, which in particular has a rectangular cross-section. A reinforcing plate 5 is inserted in a central longitudinal section, wherein the depth T of the reinforcing plate 5 decreases in the longitudinal direction X of the motor vehicle towards the ends of the reinforcing plate 5.