Vehicle Crash Box Structure for Controlled Deformation Under High Loads
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle crash boxes do not provide sufficient control over deformation while maintaining resistance to high loads during collisions.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle crash box design featuring a tubular member with longitudinally extending walls, where the transverse extensions of the lateral sides decrease away from the interface, providing controlled deformation and resistance to high loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the tubular member is designed with uniform lateral walls to maintain sufficient resistance to high loads, then strength is improved, but deformation control capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral wall is designed with varying thickness along its longitudinal extension, creating different local properties: the first lateral side portion has a first thickness and the second lateral side portion has a second thickness that is different from the first. This allows the wall to provide sufficient strength where needed while enabling controlled deformation in specific regions during collision.
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral wall is segmented into multiple lateral side portions (first lateral side portion and second lateral side portion) with different thicknesses. This segmentation allows each portion to serve different functions: one portion resists high loads while another portion controls deformation, resolving the contradiction between strength and deformation control.
2Manufacturing precision
If the tubular member is designed with varying wall thickness to control deformation, then deformation control is improved, but structural simplicity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using completely different structures, the invention varies the thickness of the lateral wall locally along its longitudinal extension. This maintains the overall simple tubular structure while introducing controlled variations in specific regions to achieve desired deformation characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameter (thickness) of the lateral wall along its longitudinal extension. By varying the thickness parameter from the first lateral side portion to the second lateral side portion, the deformation control is achieved without fundamentally changing the structural form, thus maintaining simplicity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the overall external width is reduced for better vehicle configuration, then adaptability is improved, but collision resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular member can maintain a compact overall external width for better vehicle configuration while having specific local regions (lateral wall portions) with increased thickness to provide collision resistance. The varying thickness allows the structure to be compact overall but strong where needed during impact.
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 design enhances the controlled deformation and energy absorption of the vehicle crash box during collisions, while maintaining sufficient rigidity and resistance to high loads, thus improving the performance of the vehicle bumper structure.
Implementation Method 1
the transverse extensions of the two or more lateral sides of the lateral wall decrease in a direction away from the interface... providing controlled deformation and resistance to high loads
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A vehicle crash box (100a, 100b) for attaching a bumper beam (200) to a vehicle (230). The vehicle crash box (100a) comprises a tubular member (102) having a longitudinal extension (104) extending in a longitudinal direction (106); and an interface (108) for the attachment of the tubular member (102) to the bumper beam (200). The tubular member (102) comprises a plurality of longitudinal walls (110a-d) having a longitudinal extension (112a-d) extending in the longitudinal direction (106). The plurality of longitudinal walls (110a-d) comprises two lateral walls (110a-b) opposite one another. The lateral wall (110a; 110b) comprises two or more lateral sides (114a-c; 116a-c) spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction (106). The lateral side (114a-c; 116a-c) has a longitudinal extension (118a-c; 120a-c) and a transverse extension (122a-c; 124a-c). The two or more lateral sides (114a-c; 116a-c) of the lateral wall are aligned in the longitudinal direction (106). The transverse extensions (122a-c; 124a-c) of the two or more lateral sides (114a-c; 116a-c) of the lateral wall (110a; 110b) decrease in a direction (128) away from the interface (108).