Vehicle Door Trim Impact Absorber Holder Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for mounting impact absorption materials in vehicles face a contradiction between preventing the materials from falling during normal conditions and maintaining adequate strength for side collisions, as direct fixation can lead to damage and increased load on occupants.

Innovation Solution

A structure featuring a holder with a base and legs disposed around the impact absorption material, where the base is fixed to the interior material and the legs extend along the material's peripheral surface, allowing the material to be securely held between the holder and interior material, while the holder's lower strength in side collisions enables effective impact absorption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the holder has high strength to prevent impact absorption material from falling during normal conditions, then the material remains securely mounted, but the load on occupants increases during side collision

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting stabilityVSAvoidholder strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the strength parameter of the holder by introducing a leg structure with controlled thickness (5-10mm) and material properties. The legs are designed to have lower strength than the base, creating a gradient strength distribution that allows the holder to be reliable during normal conditions while buckling safely during collisions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The holder is segmented into a base and multiple legs, where each component has different strength characteristics. The base provides high strength for mounting stability, while the legs provide lower strength for controlled buckling during side collisions. This segmentation allows the system to satisfy both contradictory requirements simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Strength

If the holder has low strength to reduce load on occupants during side collision, then the impact load is reduced, but the impact absorption material may fall during normal conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveholder strengthVSAvoidmounting stability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Different parts of the holder have different local qualities: the base has high strength (thickness 10-20mm) to ensure mounting stability, while the legs have lower strength (thickness 5-10mm) to reduce impact load on occupants. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between reliability and strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The holder transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic structure where the legs can buckle during side collisions. This dynamic behavior allows the holder to maintain high strength during normal conditions for stability, while automatically reducing strength during collisions to protect occupants.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the holder frame surrounds the entire peripheral surface of the impact absorption material, then the material is securely held, but the impact strength increases during side collision

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial retentionVSAvoidimpact force
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The holder frame is segmented into a base and multiple discrete legs arranged around the impact absorption material. This segmentation allows the material to be retained securely during normal conditions while the legs can buckle individually during side collisions, reducing the overall impact force transmitted to occupants.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2258590B1Structure of mounting impact absorption material for use with vehicle
Publication Date: 2013.04.17 TOYOTA BOSHOKU KK
  • EP2258590B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2258590B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2258590B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An aspect in accordance with the present invention is a structure of mounting an impact absorption material for use with a vehicle. The structure includes: a door trim 30, a holder 10, and an EA pad 20. The holder 10 includes a base 11 and a plurality of legs 12, the base 11 of the holder 10 being disposed on the compartment outer side surface of the EA pad 20. The plurality of legs 12 are disposed at intervals around an outer peripheral edge of the base 11 of the holder 10 and extend from the base 11 of the holder 10, along an outer peripheral side surface 22 of the EA pad 20, and to the door trim 30, thereby fixing the base 11 of the holder 10 to the door trim 30.