Deformable Fuel Inlet Bracket for Rear-Collision Leak Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel leakage from vehicles during or after collisions is a significant issue, particularly from the fuel tank, fuel pump, piping, and fuel inlets, which can lead to damage and increased repair costs.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a vehicle main body, a fuel inlet box, and a pusher bracket mechanism that includes a rear bracket, center shaft, and forward bracket, designed to deform and actuate the fuel inlet box outward during a rear collision, reducing interaction between the fuel inlet box and fuel inlet and thereby minimizing damage and leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the fuel inlet box remains fixed during collision, then the structure is simple and stable, but the fuel inlet is vulnerable to damage and leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The forward bracket is designed to deform dynamically during rear collision, transforming from a static structure to an active protective mechanism. The bracket's deformation absorbs collision energy and actuates the fuel inlet box outward, preventing fuel inlet damage while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The collision force, which is harmful to the fuel inlet, is converted into a beneficial actuating force that deforms the forward bracket and pushes the fuel inlet box outward. The harmful rear collision energy is thus transformed into protective action that prevents fuel leakage.
2Reliability
If the forward bracket is designed to deform during collision, then fuel inlet protection is improved, but the bracket structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The forward bracket's material or geometric parameters are designed to change under collision load, enabling controlled deformation. This allows the bracket to remain simple in normal conditions while automatically activating protective function during collision through parameter changes in its structural response.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the fuel inlet box is actuated outward during collision, then fuel leakage is reduced, but the mechanism requires additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The forward bracket serves multiple functions: it is both a structural support component and a collision actuator. By merging these functions into a single component, the system achieves fuel inlet protection without requiring separate actuators or additional complex mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The forward bracket is designed as a multi-functional component that provides both structural support during normal operation and collision actuation during impact. This universality eliminates the need for dedicated collision protection components, reducing overall system 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 system effectively reduces the likelihood of fuel leakage by moving the fuel inlet box away from the fuel inlet during a collision, minimizing damage and subsequently lowering repair costs and safety risks.
Implementation Method 1
the forward bracket designed to deform in response to a rear collision of the vehicle to actuate the fuel inlet box
Data Source
AI summary
A system for reducing risk of fuel leakage of a vehicle during a collision includes a vehicle main body configured to support and at least partially enclose a passenger. The system further includes a fuel inlet box configured to house a fuel inlet. The system further includes a rear bracket coupled to the vehicle main body at a location aft of the fuel inlet box. The system further includes a center shaft coupled to the rear bracket and extending forward from the rear bracket. The system further includes a forward bracket coupled to the vehicle main body at a location forward relative to the rear bracket and coupled to the center shaft, the forward bracket configured to deform in response to a rear collision of the vehicle to actuate the fuel inlet box in order to reduce the likelihood of a fuel leak from the fuel inlet.