Extendable Vehicle Bumper With Dynamic Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle bumper systems lack the ability to dynamically adjust their position in response to varying collision scenarios, which can affect energy absorption and damage mitigation during impacts.
Innovation Solution
The development of extendable bumper systems that include elongate structural members and extension assemblies, allowing the bumper to move between retracted and extended positions, supported by crushable side rails and actuators, enabling dynamic adjustment of the bumper's position relative to the vehicle structure to enhance energy absorption and collision response.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the bumper is positioned in a fixed location, then the vehicle structure is simple, but the energy absorption capability during collisions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper system is made dynamically adjustable through actuators that can move the bumper between retracted and extended positions. This allows the bumper to adapt its position based on collision scenarios, improving energy absorption while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through controlled movement rather than complex permanent mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The bumper system is divided into separate functional components: the bumper itself, elongate structural members that can crush, extension portions for position adjustment, and actuators for movement control. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, improving energy absorption capability without requiring the entire system to be complex
2Strength
If the bumper is positioned closer to the vehicle structure, then energy absorption is improved, but the vehicle's effective length and clearance are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper position is made dynamic rather than fixed. The system can extend the bumper outward to increase effective vehicle length and clearance when needed, then retract it closer to the vehicle structure during collisions to maximize energy absorption. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining length and improving energy absorption
3Reliability
If the bumper structure is made more complex to absorb energy, then collision safety is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful impact force into beneficial energy absorption through controlled crushing of the elongate structural members and cellular structure. Instead of using complex active systems to detect and respond to collisions, the passive crushable structures automatically absorb energy, improving collision safety while keeping manufacturing relatively simple
Solution Approach 2:
The bumper system uses composite structures combining different materials and mechanisms: plastic bumper covers, cellular plastic structures for crushing, metal or plastic elongate structural members, and actuator systems. This composite approach allows energy absorption functionality to be achieved through material properties and structural design rather than complex mechanical systems
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 extendable bumper system effectively increases the vehicle's length in the extended position, improving energy absorption during impacts by allowing the bumper to move closer to the vehicle structure, thereby enhancing collision safety and damage mitigation.
Implementation Method 1
The elongate structural member is able to crush longitudinally in response to application of force in a longitudinal direction
Implementation Method 2
The extension portion is able to crush longitudinally in response to application of force in the longitudinal direction
Implementation Method 3
The extension assembly includes a piston and a cylinder, and the cylinder is operable to move the piston with respect to the cylinder to cause movement of the bumper
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a vehicle structure, a bumper, an elongate structural member, and an extension portion. The elongate structural member is able to crush longitudinally in response to application of force in a longitudinal direction. The extension portion is able to crush longitudinally in response to application of force in the longitudinal direction, is connected to the elongate structural member such that the elongate structural member and the extension portion support the bumper with respect to the vehicle structure, and is operable to move the bumper between an extended position and a retracted position with respect to the vehicle structure to change a distance between the bumper and the vehicle structure.