Vehicle Bumper Shock Absorber with Directional Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle front bumper designs struggle to absorb energy from collisions with pedestrians, particularly in large vehicles where collisions can occur from multiple directions, requiring a balance between low rigidity for energy absorption and high rigidity to prevent deformation under vertical loads.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle front bumper structure featuring a hat-shaped shock absorbing member and a rigidity member within the upper panel, allowing deformation in the front-rear direction while maintaining high rigidity in the up-down direction, achieved through a specific configuration of walls and connections that facilitate energy absorption and load distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the shock absorbing member is made with low rigidity to allow deformation for energy absorption during pedestrian collisions, then energy absorption capability is improved, but rigidity under vertical loads deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The shock absorbing member is designed with non-uniform thickness, having a first thickness in the front-rear direction and a second thickness in the up-down direction, where the ratio between them is controlled within a specific range. This local variation in thickness allows the member to exhibit different rigidity characteristics in different directions: lower rigidity in the front-rear direction for energy absorption during collisions, and sufficient rigidity in the up-down direction to support vertical loads from workers or components.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the shock absorbing member deforms to absorb collision energy from the front side, then pedestrian protection is improved, but structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention controls the thickness ratio parameter between the front-rear direction and up-down direction within a specific range (0.5 to 2.0). This parameter control enables the shock absorbing member to achieve optimal balance between deformability for shock absorption and stability for structural integrity. The controlled thickness ratio ensures that the member can deform adequately to absorb collision energy while maintaining sufficient structural stability to prevent excessive deformation or collapse.
3Strength
If the upper panel is designed with high rigidity to support vertical loads from workers or components, then structural support is improved, but energy absorption capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The shock absorbing member integrated in the upper panel has directionally differentiated thickness: a first thickness in the front-rear direction that allows deformation for energy absorption, and a second thickness in the up-down direction that provides rigidity for supporting vertical loads. This local quality differentiation enables the same component to fulfill both functions: the front-rear thickness facilitates collision energy absorption through controlled deformation, while the up-down thickness ensures sufficient rigidity to support workers or heavy components during maintenance operations.
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 structure effectively absorbs energy from collisions with pedestrians by allowing deformation in multiple directions while maintaining sufficient rigidity to prevent deformation under vertical loads, enhancing pedestrian protection.
Implementation Method 1
the shock absorbing member is deformed with respect to a collision load input from the obliquely upper side of the vehicle front side, so that the shock at the time of the collision can be reduced
Implementation Method 2
achieving energy absorption through deformation of a vehicle component (a shock absorbing member for pedestrian protection) at the collision section
Implementation Method 3
a certain rigidity or more needs to be secured in the upper panel with respect to the load vector in the up-down direction
Data Source
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AI summary
A front bumper (1) includes a bumper fascia (11), an upper panel (13), and a shock absorbing member (2) and a rigidity member (3) which are provided in the interior of the upper panel. The shock absorbing member is formed in a hat shape in cross section by a front wall (211), a front-side upper wall (212) and a rear-side upper wall (221), a rear wall (22), and a lower wall (223); the rigidity member includes an upper end portion (31) fixed to the upper wall, a lower end portion (32) fixed to the lower wall, and an intermediate portion (33) connecting the upper end portion and the lower end portion in the vehicle up-down direction; and the intermediate portion is disposed so as to be spaced apart from the rear wall in the vehicle front-rear direction.