Engine Deflector Element for Brake Booster Collision Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for deflecting a brake booster during vehicle collisions are either costly to manufacture, rely on complex mechanisms, or fail to prevent penetration into the passenger compartment, especially during lateral collisions, and often compromise accessibility for maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A deflector element with a chamfer is integrated into the engine's cylinder block and cylinder head, angled at an obtuse relative to the collision direction, which deflects the brake booster away from the passenger compartment, reducing the force transferred during a collision and maintaining accessibility for service.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sliding chamfers are arranged on both the engine mount and brake booster to deflect the brake booster during collision, then the brake booster deflection performance is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases and standard brake boosters cannot be used
Solution Approach 1:
The deflection function is extracted from the brake booster itself and transferred to the engine mount structure. The engine mount is designed with an integrated deflection path that guides the brake booster during collision, eliminating the need for special chamfers on the brake booster and allowing use of standard components
Solution Approach 2:
The deflection function is merged into the engine mount structure itself. The engine mount combines both its original function of supporting the engine and the additional function of providing a deflection path for the brake booster during collision, eliminating the need for separate deflection components
2Reliability
If sliding chamfers are arranged on the engine mount to deflect the brake booster, then frontal collision protection is improved, but lateral collision protection remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The deflection path is designed in three dimensions with multiple directional components. The engine mount structure provides deflection capability not only in the frontal direction but also in lateral directions, creating a multi-dimensional protection zone around the brake booster
3Reliability
If the engine mount is designed with complex deflection features, then brake booster deflection capability is improved, but the space for manual intervention and maintenance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The engine mount structure is designed with locally optimized deflection features only in the regions where collision forces are expected, while maintaining open and accessible spaces in the regions where maintenance activities need to be performed. This creates zones of different functional qualities within the same structure
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for one or more deflector elements coupled to an engine. In one example, a system includes a deflector element physically coupled to an interface at which edges of an engine head and an engine block join, wherein the deflector element extends around a portion of the edge and a screw boss, where the screw boss bulges out from the edges.