Integrated Composite Bumper Structure for Lightweight Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional vehicle bumpers are heavy, expensive to manufacture, and challenging to recycle due to their reliance on high-strength steel, which fails to meet the needs of lightweight and sustainable automotive requirements.
Innovation Solution
A composite bumper is manufactured by integrating a preformed bumper reinforcement structure into a mould with a bumper fascia material, optimizing mass-efficient impact protection and reducing the number of components by eliminating the need for an impact bar, using additive manufacturing and computer-implemented design optimization techniques to create a unitary structure that can be recycled.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high-strength steel is used for impact bars, then collision protection is improved, but weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by integrating a bumper reinforcement structure made of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) into the bumper fascia. The FRP material combines fibers (such as glass, carbon, or aramid) with a polymer matrix to achieve high strength-to-weight ratio, providing collision protection while significantly reducing weight compared to traditional high-strength steel impact bars
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges previously separate components (bumper fascia and impact bar) into a single integrated composite bumper structure. The reinforcement structure is embedded within the bumper fascia, eliminating the need for separate steel impact bars and reducing overall component weight while maintaining collision protection functionality
2Strength
If multiple separate components are used in traditional bumper assemblies, then collision protection functionality is achieved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate components (bumper fascia, impact bar, and mounting structures) into a single integrated composite bumper assembly. The reinforcement structure is directly embedded within the bumper fascia during manufacturing, eliminating the need for separate assembly steps and reducing the total number of components while maintaining all necessary collision protection functionalities
3Strength
If traditional multi-component bumper assemblies are used, then impact absorption is achieved, but recyclability becomes difficult and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses fiber-reinforced plastic composite materials that offer improved recyclability compared to traditional steel and plastic combinations. The composite structure allows for potential separation and reuse of fiber and matrix materials, and the integrated design eliminates the need to separate multiple different material types, making the bumper more economically and environmentally viable to recycle
Solution Approach 2:
By merging the bumper fascia and reinforcement structure into a single integrated component, the patent simplifies the recycling process. Instead of separating and processing multiple different materials (steel, plastic, adhesives), the integrated composite structure can be processed as a unified material system, reducing recycling complexity and cost
Data Source
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AI summary
According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a composite bumper (300) for a vehicle (200). The method comprises: introducing a bumper fascia material (302) around a preformed bumper reinforcement structure (304) in a mould, thereby forming a composite bumper (300) comprising a bumper fascia (302) with an integrated bumper reinforcement structure (304) for impact absorption. The bumper reinforcement structure (304) is configured to transmit impact forces, acting on the composite bumper in the event of a collision, to the chassis.