Vehicle Floor Spacer With Variable Width Ridges
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing impact-absorbing pads for vehicle leg portions are limited in their ability to effectively absorb impact energy across a wide range of heel positions, leading to inadequate protection during vehicle collisions.
Innovation Solution
A floor spacer system comprising a pad with ridges formed on its undersurface, using expandable beads, where the ridges have a wider second portion extending from the midpoint, allowing for enhanced impact absorption and manufacturing efficiency by integrating the pad and horizontal spacer with different expansion ratios and materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ridge is provided to extend in the width direction of the vehicle to limit heel portion placement, then impact absorbing performance is enhanced in that limited range, but the placing positions of heel portions cannot be covered across a wide range
Solution Approach 1:
The ridge structure is designed with varying width along its longitudinal direction, creating different local properties: a narrow first portion for toe placement and a wide second portion for heel placement. This local variation in geometry allows the single ridge structure to adapt to different foot positions while maintaining effective impact absorption across a broader range of placements.
Solution Approach 2:
The ridge is designed to deform plastically under impact load, with the degree and pattern of deformation adapting to the position and force of impact. The variable width design allows different sections of the ridge to deform differently based on where the impact occurs, dynamically adjusting to protect against impacts across a wide range of heel positions.
2Productivity
If the pad and horizontal pad are integrally molded, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to different expansion ratios and materials
Solution Approach 1:
The impact-absorbing pad and horizontal pad are integrally molded as a single piece, combining two functional components into one manufacturing process. This merging eliminates the need for separate production and assembly steps, improving manufacturing efficiency despite the complexity of using different expandable bead materials with different expansion ratios.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite materials consisting of expandable beads with different expansion ratios in different regions of the integral structure. The first portion uses beads with a first expansion ratio for impact absorption, while the second portion uses beads with a second expansion ratio for horizontal support, creating a functionally differentiated composite material system within a single molded component.
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 solution effectively reduces impact loads on heel portions, prevents brittle fracture, and allows for lighter weight while maintaining necessary impact resistance, with improved manufacturing efficiency and shape accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
Much energy can be absorbed in a short time by the recessed grooves being plastically deformed at the time of collision of the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
a pad for absorbing an impact on leg portions which is constituted of expandable beads
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A pad for absorbing an impact on leg portions excellent in impact absorbing performance at a time of collision of a vehicle and the like, and a floor spacer for a vehicle are provided. A pad 1 for absorbing an impact on leg portions has a plurality of ridges 3, 3, ... on a bottom surface to be on a vehicle body side when placed in a vehicle, and is constituted of expandable beads. A floor spacer 10 is constituted of the pad 1 for absorbing an impact on leg portions and a horizontal pad 2. The ridge 3 has a wide portion 32 which becomes relatively wide from a midpoint in its longitudinal direction. The heel portions of the feet of an occupant are placed on the region of the wide portion 32.