Curved Crossmember Frame for Side Impact Energy Absorption

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Solution Overview

Problem

In frame vehicles, the entry stroke of a barrier into the body during a side collision is not adequately reduced due to limited relative displacement between the body and the frame skeleton, leading to increased impact on occupants.

Innovation Solution

The frame vehicle incorporates a ladder-shaped frame skeleton with crossmembers near the cab mounts featuring curved sections that buckle and deform upward during a collision, releasing the fastening members and increasing relative displacement, thereby reducing the entry stroke of the barrier and absorbing impact energy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the body is rigidly fastened to the frame skeleton, then structural strength is improved, but the entry stroke of the barrier to the body becomes large during side collision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidentry stroke of barrier

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The crossmembers are designed with curved parts that enable dynamic deformation during collision. The curved parts buckle and deform upward when subjected to impact force, allowing the body to move relative to the frame skeleton and reducing the entry stroke of the barrier, while maintaining structural integrity during normal operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The crossmembers change their structural parameters during collision by deforming from a rigid state to a buckled state. The curved parts are specifically designed to change their shape and position under impact, transforming the rigid connection into a dynamic, deformable connection that reduces barrier entry stroke

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the fastening members are designed to break easily, then the entry stroke is reduced, but the structural strength and safety are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveentry stroke of barrierVSAvoidstructural strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The crossmembers are segmented into different functional zones: curved parts designed to buckle and deform upward during collision, and other parts that maintain structural strength. This segmentation allows different portions to serve different purposes - energy absorption through deformation while maintaining overall structural integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The curved parts of the crossmembers are designed to fail in a controlled manner by buckling upward during collision. This controlled deformation converts the harmful impact energy into beneficial structural deformation, reducing the entry stroke while absorbing impact energy and protecting occupants

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Manufacturing precision

If the crossmembers are made rigid, then manufacturing precision is improved, but impact energy absorption is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrossmember geometryVSAvoidimpact energy absorption

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The curved parts are pre-formed with specific geometry during manufacturing to enable predictable buckling behavior during collision. The curved shape is preliminarily designed and manufactured with precise dimensions, but is pre-configured to deform in a specific way when subjected to impact force, combining manufacturing precision with energy absorption capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This design effectively reduces the entry stroke of the barrier into the body, particularly in the second half of a side collision, and minimizes the impact force on occupants by allowing the body to move relative to the frame skeleton and absorbing energy through crossmember deformation.

Implementation Method 1

the crossmembers placed near the cab mounts buckle and deform upward in the vehicle up-down direction at the curved parts provided in the central parts of the crossmembers in the vehicle width direction. Hereby, the body is pushed toward an opposite side from the collision side

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11286000B2Frame vehicle

Publication Date: 2022.03.29 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

Provided is a frame vehicle including: a ladder-shaped frame skeleton including side rails and first to ninth crossmembers provided so as to stretch over the side rails; and a body fastened onto cab mounts attached to the side rails. The sixth and seventh crossmembers placed near the cab mounts have curved parts in central parts of the sixth and seventh crossmembers in the vehicle width direction, the curved parts being curved to project upward in the vehicle up-down direction.