Collapsible Vehicle Striker Assembly for Hood Impact Deflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional striker assemblies for vehicle hoods and tailgates rigidly contact and restrain the exterior surfaces, becoming points of contact for impacting objects and causing inwards deflection, which is undesirable.
Innovation Solution
A striker assembly that includes a reinforcement plate with deflection tabs and a striker arm that translates through an attachment plate, allowing the striker to collapse towards the exterior surface without rigidly contacting it, thereby deflecting the deflection tabs and providing a degree of 'give' upon impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the striker rigidly contacts and restrains the exterior surface, then the latch mechanism reliability is improved, but the exterior surface becomes vulnerable to inwards deflection from impacting objects
Solution Approach 1:
The striker is designed with dynamic collapse capability, allowing it to transition from a rigid restraining state during normal operation to a collapsible state during impact events. The striker includes a collapse initiation region that enables controlled buckling or deformation, transforming the static rigid structure into a dynamic system that can adapt its rigidity based on applied forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The striker's effective rigidity parameter is changed by introducing a collapse initiation region with reduced cross-sectional area or weakened geometry. This creates a controlled weak point that allows the striker to change its mechanical behavior from rigid to flexible under impact loads, thereby protecting the exterior surface while maintaining latch reliability under normal conditions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the striker is allowed to collapse towards the exterior surface, then the exterior surface protection is improved, but the striker's structural strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The striker is segmented into distinct functional regions: a strong attachment region that maintains structural integrity for latch retention, a collapse initiation region with reduced strength that enables controlled deformation, and a collapse region that absorbs impact energy. This segmentation allows different parts of the striker to have different strength characteristics optimized for their specific functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The collapse initiation region acts as an intermediary element between the strong attachment region and the exterior surface. It serves as a controlled weak point that mediates the force transmission, allowing the striker to collapse in a controlled manner to protect the exterior surface while the strong attachment region maintains overall structural integrity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the striker rigidly restrains the exterior surface, then the latch mechanism stability is improved, but the striker becomes a point of contact for impacting objects causing inwards deflection
Solution Approach 1:
The striker transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic system with controlled collapse capability. The collapse initiation region enables the striker to maintain stability during normal latch operation while providing dynamic response during impact events, allowing it to collapse towards the exterior surface to prevent inwards deflection.
Solution Approach 2:
The potential harm of the striker becoming a rigid point of contact during impact is converted into a benefit by designing the collapse initiation region to fail in a controlled manner. The controlled collapse or buckling of this region redirects impact forces away from the exterior surface, transforming what would be a harmful rigid contact into a protective mechanism.
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 striker assembly effectively prevents the striker from becoming a point of contact for impacting objects, reducing the risk of inwards deflection of the exterior surface and providing a controlled degree of movement during impacts.
Implementation Method 1
the arm is adapted to contact a deflection tab coupled to the reinforcement plate when the attachment plate and the striker are compressed together and the arm translates through the hole defined by the attachment plate, thereby deflecting the deflection tab towards an exterior surface
Data Source
AI summary
A striker assembly for a vehicle. The striker of the striker assembly, when retained within the associated latch mechanism, is configured to collapse towards the exterior surface of the associated hood, tailgate, or other door such that the exterior surface of the hood, tailgate, or other door is allowed to deflect inwards without the striker significantly contacting the exterior surface and becoming a point of contact for an impacting object causing the inwards deflection of the exterior surface. The striker assembly utilizes a reinforcement plate with a pair of deflection tabs or the like to enable this functionality, the striker contacting the pair of deflection tabs and being allowed to translate through the associated attachment plate of the striker assembly when hood impact occurs.