Crushable Door Assembly for Side Impact Energy Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle door designs in side impact crash tests are too rigid, requiring excessive force to deform and absorb impact energy effectively, which can lead to inadequate protection during collisions.
Innovation Solution
A door assembly with a monolithic base featuring a top panel offset from the cross-vehicle axis, attachment panels extending at an acute angle, and a crushable member supported by the base, designed to improve lateral crush characteristics by allowing easier deformation and energy absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the door assembly is made rigid to maintain structural integrity, then strength is improved, but crush resistance increases making it difficult to deform and absorb impact energy
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly is segmented into a rigid door structure and a separate crushable member with a crushable panel. This segmentation allows the door to maintain structural integrity while the crushable panel deforms independently to absorb impact energy, resolving the contradiction between strength and crush resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The crushable member is positioned at specific locations on the door assembly where impact forces are expected. This local quality approach allows targeted deformation zones that absorb energy without compromising the overall structural integrity of the door, balancing strength and crushability.
2Strength
If the door assembly is made rigid to maintain structural integrity, then strength is improved, but ease of deformation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly is segmented into a rigid door structure and a separate crushable member with a crushable panel. This segmentation allows the door to maintain structural integrity while the crushable panel deforms independently to absorb impact energy, resolving the contradiction between strength and crushability.
Solution Approach 2:
The crushable panel is designed with specific geometric parameters (thickness, width, spacing) that control its deformation characteristics. By optimizing these parameters, the panel achieves ease of deformation under impact while the overall door assembly maintains structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between strength and ease of deformation.
3Loss of energy
If the crushable member is positioned closer to the impact zone to improve energy absorption, then energy absorption is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The crushable member is merged with the door assembly as an integrated component rather than a separate add-on system. This merging approach improves energy absorption by positioning the crushable panel optimally while avoiding the complexity of additional independent systems, resolving the contradiction between energy absorption and device complexity.
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 vehicle's ability to absorb impact energy during side crashes by reducing crush resistance and facilitating easier deformation, thereby improving safety and compliance with standardized crash tests.
Implementation Method 1
The crushable member may include a crushable panel. The door assembly may improve lateral crush characteristics of the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
designed to improve lateral crush characteristics by allowing easier deformation and energy absorption
Data Source
AI summary
A door assembly includes a monolithic base including a top panel having a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The monolithic base includes an attachment panel extending downwardly from the first end at an acute angle. The monolithic base includes an outer panel extending downwardly from the second end.