Dash Panel Reinforcement Structure for Crash Stiffness Without Weight Gain

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Solution Overview

Problem

In electric vehicles, the dash panel is prone to deformation during a collision, which can lead to insufficient protection of the battery assembly and potential injury to passengers, and increasing structural members to address this issue results in increased vehicle weight and reduced all-electric range.

Innovation Solution

A dash panel structure with reinforcing members, including transverse and longitudinal extensions, is mounted on the lower portion of the dash panel to enhance its stiffness and prevent deformation during a collision, ensuring the battery assembly's safety and maintaining passenger protection without excessive weight gain.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple structural members are mounted to protect the battery assembly, then battery protection is improved, but vehicle weight increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery protectionVSAvoidvehicle body weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by positioning reinforcing members specifically at the lower portion of the dash panel where impact forces are most likely to occur during a collision. This targeted reinforcement provides battery protection only where needed, rather than strengthening the entire dash panel structure, thereby minimizing weight increase while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The reinforcing members are designed as separate, modular components that can be independently mounted on the dash panel. This segmentation allows for selective placement and optimization of reinforcement zones, enabling the structure to achieve adequate protection with minimal material usage and weight addition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If the dash panel is made more rigid to prevent deformation, then impact safety space is maintained, but vehicle weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedash panel stiffnessVSAvoidvehicle body weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of making the entire dash panel more rigid, the patent applies local quality by installing reinforcing members only at the lower portion of the dash panel. This localized reinforcement maintains impact safety space and prevents deformation in the critical impact zone without requiring the entire panel to be strengthened, thus avoiding excessive weight gain.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The reinforcing members extend in multiple directions (transversely and longitudinally) from the dash panel surface, creating a three-dimensional reinforcement structure. This dimensional approach provides enhanced stiffness and deformation resistance at the lower portion without requiring increased thickness or material throughout the entire panel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS12084112B2Dash panel structure for vehicle

Publication Date: 2024.09.10 KIA CORPORATION

AI summary

An embodiment dash panel structure for a vehicle includes a battery assembly located under a floor of the vehicle, a front subframe located in front of the battery assembly, a dash panel located behind the front subframe and connected to a front of the floor, and a first reinforcing member mounted on a lower portion of the dash panel facing the front subframe.