Extruded Side Sill Front End Absorbs Collision Energy

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle body structures fail to fully absorb collision energy during high-speed head-on collisions, leading to potential rearward movement of the front wheel, which can deform the side sill and floor panel, and require reinforcement to prevent this movement, increasing vehicle weight.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle body structure featuring a side sill made of extruded material with a front end protruding beyond its connection to an outrigger, designed to absorb collision energy and prevent the front wheel from moving backward, thereby eliminating the need for reinforcement and additional load-absorbing means.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If load absorbing means are provided on the front and rear sides of the front wheel, then collision energy absorption is improved, but the structure becomes more complex and weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision energy absorptionVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the load-absorbing function from separate honeycomb members and relocates it to the side sill structure itself. The side sill is designed with a specific cross-sectional shape that enables it to absorb collision energy directly, eliminating the need for additional load-absorbing components while maintaining energy absorption effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the side sill and load-absorbing means into a single integrated structure. The side sill is designed with an optimized cross-section that combines both structural support and energy absorption functions, eliminating the need for separate load-absorbing components and reducing overall structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the side sill is reinforced to prevent front wheel movement, then wheel position stability is improved, but vehicle weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefront wheel position stabilityVSAvoidvehicle weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies local quality by optimizing the cross-sectional shape of the side sill at specific locations. The side sill has a larger cross-sectional area at the front end where collision forces are applied, providing localized strength to prevent wheel movement, while other portions of the side sill maintain appropriate thickness to avoid unnecessary weight increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of energy

If load absorbing means are added to absorb collision load, then collision energy absorption is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision energy absorptionVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This configuration effectively absorbs collision energy at the front end of the side sill, preventing the front wheel from moving backward and reducing the risk of deformation to the floor panel, while maintaining a lighter weight and higher rigidity without the need for reinforcement or additional load-absorbing components.

Implementation Method 1

the collision load deforms in order of a front bumper, a front part of a fender protector, the load absorbing means disposed on the front side of the front wheel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDeformation: Deformation

Implementation Method 2

the at least one side sill is made of an extruded material and has a front end portion protruding vehicle frontward from a connecting portion between the at least one side sill and the at least one outrigger

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS7900995B2Vehicle body structure

Publication Date: 2011.03.08 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A vehicle body structure includes at least one side sill and at least one outrigger, the at least one side sill being connected to the at least one outrigger, wherein the at least one side sill is made of an extruded material and has a front end portion protruding vehicle frontward from a connecting portion between the at least one side sill and the at least one outrigger. In the vehicle body structure, the front end of the side sill is disposed frontward from a front end of a side sill in a conventional vehicle body structure and the front end of the side sill is formed to be a part for receiving a front wheel.