Dual-portion Vehicle Impact Absorber for Non-standard Height Compliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current shock absorbers for vehicles do not adequately perform in low-speed impacts between deformable vehicle parts, leading to significant damage due to the rigidity of traditional impact tests, which fail to simulate real-world collisions effectively, particularly for vehicles with non-standard heights like coupés and 4x4s.
Innovation Solution
A dual-portion shock absorber design where one portion is more rigid and positioned above or below the beam to compensate for the absence of a facing beam, allowing for effective absorption of impacts without increasing manufacturing costs, and featuring adjustable reinforcing walls and configurations to adapt to various impact types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single-portion shock absorber is used, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the absorber cannot adequately respond to both pedestrian impacts and barrier impacts for vehicles with nonstandard heights
Solution Approach 1:
The shock absorber is divided into two distinct portions: a first portion facing the impact beam for pedestrian/urban impacts, and a second portion positioned above or below the beam for barrier impacts. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function while together providing comprehensive protection for vehicles with nonstandard heights.
Solution Approach 2:
Each portion of the absorber is given different local properties: the first portion has characteristics optimized for low-speed pedestrian impacts, while the second portion has characteristics optimized for higher-speed barrier impacts. The portions can have different densities, geometries, and material properties suited to their respective impact scenarios.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the impact beam height is adjusted for coupés or 4x4s, then the vehicle design flexibility is improved, but the barrier impact test compliance deteriorates due to beam passing above or below the barrier
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves from adjusting the beam height in the vertical dimension to adding a second absorber portion in the vertical dimension above or below the beam. This allows the beam to remain at its original height for vehicle design flexibility while the additional portion ensures barrier contact compliance for RCAR bumper tests.
Solution Approach 2:
The second portion of the absorber acts as an intermediary element between the impact beam and the barrier. It extends the effective contact height of the absorption system, ensuring that vehicles with nonstandard beam heights still comply with barrier impact test requirements without modifying the beam itself.
3Ease of manufacture
If a rigid barrier is used for impact testing, then the test setup is simplified, but the test accuracy deteriorates because it does not simulate real-world deformable vehicle collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The absorber design incorporates portions with different mechanical parameters to respond appropriately to both rigid barrier tests and deformable vehicle collisions. The first and second portions have different stiffness, density, and geometric parameters that allow the system to behave realistically under various impact conditions, improving test accuracy while maintaining setup simplicity.
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 dual-portion absorber effectively prevents the impact beam from passing above or below the barrier, reducing damage and ensuring good vehicle behavior in pedestrian, urban, and RCAR bumper test scenarios without complex manufacturing or structural modifications, while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
the first portion, intended to be placed facing the beam to respond to a shock such as a pedestrian impact or an urban impact
Implementation Method 2
if the impact beam/absorber assembly has sufficient shock absorption properties to absorb the energy of the impact on its own
Data Source
Figure 1~6
Figure 7~8
AI summary
The device (10) has a protective zone (18) formed by two halves (21, 22) for absorbing collision energy, where the device is made of plastic. One of the halves along a longitudinal direction has an average rigidity higher than an average rigidity of the other half in the direction. The latter half is closer to the front of the former half. A separating wall is arranged along a transverse direction of a vehicle for separating the halves. A compensation zone (20) is projected to the front of the vehicle related to one of the halves for absorbing front side collision energy.