Divided Crossmember and Joint Cover for Vehicle Front Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing front vehicle body structure interferes with the steering shaft's optimal positioning due to a central crossmember, compromising both passenger compartment space and the steady deformation mode of the front side frames during a head-on collision.
Innovation Solution
A front vehicle body structure with divided left and right crossmembers that sandwich a cup-shaped joint cover, allowing the crossmember to extend at an optimal height and incorporating features like outriggers, stiffeners, and a vertical reinforcing member to manage collision loads and deformation effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a central crossmember is disposed along the vehicle width direction, then the crossmember can be connected to the left and right front side frames, but the crossmember interferes with the joint cover through which the steering shaft is inserted
Solution Approach 1:
The crossmember is divided into a left crossmember and a right crossmember that are disposed separately on the left and right sides of the vehicle, rather than as a single central component. This segmentation allows the joint cover to be positioned in the center without interference, enabling optimal steering shaft positioning while maintaining crossmember structural function
Solution Approach 2:
The crossmember structure transitions from a single central element to a distributed left-right configuration. This dimensional redistribution allows the joint cover to occupy the central space optimally while the crossmembers are positioned laterally, resolving the spatial conflict between structural support and steering mechanism positioning
2Ease of operation
If the crossmember is disposed lower to avoid interfering with the joint cover, then the joint cover position is optimized, but the crossmember cannot be disposed at an optimum height for steady deformation mode during head-on collision
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the crossmember into left and right separate components, each crossmember can be positioned at the optimal height for collision deformation while the central joint cover remains undisturbed. This segmentation decouples the positioning constraints that would otherwise force a compromise in either steering shaft positioning or deformation mode stability
Solution Approach 2:
Each crossmember (left and right) can have locally optimized positioning and structural characteristics tailored to its specific function - the joint cover area prioritizes steering shaft accessibility while the crossmember areas maintain optimal height for deformation mode control during collisions
3Reliability
If the crossmember is disposed at an optimum height for steady deformation mode, then collision performance is improved, but the crossmember interferes with the joint cover and steering shaft positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The crossmember is segmented into left and right components that can be positioned laterally at the optimal height for deformation mode stability, while the central joint cover remains free to accommodate the steering shaft at its optimal position. This segmentation eliminates the interference that would exist with a single central crossmember
4Device complexity
If a single central crossmember is used, then the structure is simpler, but both the steering shaft positioning and crossmember deformation function cannot be optimized simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
While increasing the number of crossmember components from one to two, the segmentation enables both the joint cover and crossmembers to be positioned at their respective optimal locations. The left and right crossmembers can be independently optimized for deformation mode while the central joint cover optimizes steering shaft positioning, achieving superior overall system performance
Data Source
AI summary
A structure for a vehicle body front portion, provided with a cross-member (24) which is provided to a dashboard lower panel (19) on the engine room (13) side thereof and is extended between left and right front side frames (16, 16). The cross-member (24) is divided into left and right cross-members (65, 66). A cup-shaped joint cover (22) is sandwiched between the left and right cross-members (65, 66).