Door Structure Load Transfer for Unobstructed Vehicle Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional passenger vehicles with four doors often have intermediate vertical structures (B-pillars) that obstruct passengers' views and impede ingress/egress, while also failing to effectively distribute dynamic and quasi-static loading to the vehicle body independently of the roof structure during safety tests.
Innovation Solution
The design eliminates intermediate vertical structures by using front and rear doors with primary internal door structures that transfer loading directly to the vehicle's forward and rearward base structures and floor, allowing unobstructed views and independent loading distribution to the vehicle body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If intermediate vertical structures (B-pillars) are used to transfer loading, then structural strength is improved, but passenger view and ingress/egress are impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the intermediate vertical structure (B-pillar) from the vehicle body, extracting the obstructing element while maintaining structural integrity through an alternative load transfer mechanism using the door structures
Solution Approach 2:
The door structures are designed to serve multiple functions: they act as both access components and primary load-bearing structures, transferring dynamic and quasi-static loading to the vehicle body without requiring separate intermediate vertical supports
2Force
If intermediate vertical structures are used to transfer loading to the roof, then load transfer capability is improved, but independence from roof structure is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the dependency on the roof structure for load transfer by redesigning the load path to flow directly through the door structures to the vehicle body, eliminating the need for intermediate vertical structures that connect to the roof
Solution Approach 2:
The load transfer system is segmented into independent door structures that can handle dynamic and quasi-static loading separately from the roof structure, allowing each component to be optimized independently
3Strength
If separate openings for passenger access are created by vertical structures, then structural support is improved, but continuous opening for access is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the load-bearing function into the door structures themselves, allowing the removal of intermediate vertical structures and creating a continuous opening while maintaining structural support through the door assemblies
Data Source
AI summary
A passenger vehicle a vehicle body, a front door, and a rear door. The vehicle body comprises a forward base structure, a rearward base structure, and a floor structure extending between the forward base structure and the rearward base structure, which cooperatively define a passenger compartment and a continuous opening for a passenger to enter into and exit out of the passenger compartment. The front door is movable between a first closed position and a first open position. The rear door is movable between a second closed position and a second open position. When the front door is in the first closed position and the rear door is simultaneously in the second closed position, the continuous opening is closed cooperatively by the front door and the rear door.