Chamfered Deformation Profile for Flat Bumper Attachments

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing deformation profiles in bumper systems face challenges in attaching additional components due to protruding ridges formed by corrugations on the side walls, which complicate the coupling process and reduce the available flat surface for attachments.

Innovation Solution

The deformation profile features chamfered corner areas on the upper and/or lower walls, ensuring that ridges do not project beyond the walls, thereby maintaining a flat surface for coupling, and is manufactured as a one-piece extruded profile made of light metal material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If grooves are pressed into the side walls to control folding behavior, then deformation control is improved, but ridges protrude beyond the upper and lower walls reducing flat surface area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefolding controlVSAvoidflat surface area
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different geometric configurations to different locations of the deformation profile. The side walls have grooves for folding control, while the corner areas have chamfers to contain ridges. This local differentiation allows the upper and lower walls to maintain flat surfaces for attachment while the side walls provide deformation control through grooves.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If ridges are formed on the side walls to control deformation, then folding behavior is standardized, but coupling additional attachments becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedeformation standardizationVSAvoidattachment coupling
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the ridge-containing function from the upper and lower walls by placing it in the corner areas instead. The chamfered corner areas act as dedicated zones that contain the ridges formed during groove pressing, separating the deformation control function from the attachment surface, thereby maintaining ease of attachment coupling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Area of stationary object

If chamfers are added to corner areas to contain ridges, then flat surface for attachment is maintained, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflat surface areaVSAvoidprofile geometry
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the chamfer feature with the corner areas in a way that integrates smoothly with the existing groove structure. The chamfers are positioned at the corners where side walls meet upper and lower walls, combining the functions of ridge containment and structural transition in a single geometric feature that does not require separate manufacturing steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4382367B1Deformation profile
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 AUDI AG
  • EP4382367B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP4382367B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2c
  • EP4382367B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3c

AI summary

The invention relates to a deformation profile 1 comprising two opposing side walls 2, 3, wherein the side walls 2, 3 are connected by an upper wall 4 and a lower wall 5, and both side walls 2, 3 have at least one groove 6 extending over the entire height H of the respective side wall 2, 3, wherein an upper corner region 9 is formed between each of the side walls 2, 3 and the upper wall 4, and a lower corner region 10 is formed between each of the side walls 2, 3 and the lower wall 5. The invention is characterized in that the upper corner regions 9 and/or the lower corner regions 10 have a concave shape 12 or a chamfer 11 in cross-section. The invention further comprises a deformation profile arrangement 13 comprising a deformation profile 1 and an attachment part 8. The deformation profile arrangement 13 is characterized in that the attachment part 8 is detachably coupled to the upper wall 4 or the lower wall 5.