Vehicle Frame Blocker Structures for Small Offset Impact Load Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
In small overlap frontal crashes, the vehicle's wheel can become trapped between the rigid barrier and the body structure, applying local loads that exceed the strength of steel or aluminum materials, leading to increased intrusion into the occupant compartment and reduced effectiveness of existing impact structures, particularly in body-on-frame vehicles with increased weight.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of front and rear blocker structures, made from high-strength steel, which are coupled to the vehicle frame to redirect and manage the energy of small offset impacts, thereby limiting the movement of the wheel and reducing intrusion into the passenger compartment by transferring impact forces to the frame rails and cross members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional crush-zone structures are used in small overlap crashes, then the wheel can be trapped between the barrier and body structure, but the local loads exceed material strength and cause increased intrusion into the occupant compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle frame structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: a crush zone for energy absorption, a transition zone with gusset plates for load distribution, and an occupant compartment protection zone. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally, preventing wheel intrusion while managing crash forces.
Solution Approach 2:
Gusset plates are pre-installed at the frame rails in the crush zone area to create a reinforced load path before the crash occurs. These plates are positioned to intercept and distribute crash forces before they can concentrate on the wheel well structure, preventing excessive intrusion into the occupant compartment.
2Reliability
If the wheel is prevented from moving, turning or twisting during frontal impact, then structural protection is improved, but the wheel can still get trapped between the rigid barrier and body structure applying local loads that surpass material strengths
Solution Approach 1:
Gusset plates serve as intermediary elements between the crush zone and the wheel well structure. These plates intercept crash forces and redistribute them across a larger area of the frame rails, acting as a mediator that prevents direct transmission of concentrated loads to the wheel well and occupant compartment structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural parameters are changed by adding gusset plates that increase the moment of inertia and section modulus of the frame rails in the crush zone. This parameter change allows the structure to withstand higher bending moments and distributed loads without exceeding material strength limits, while still controlling wheel movement.
3Strength
If body-on-frame vehicle architecture is used with increased vehicle weight, then structural strength is improved, but the effectiveness of wheel kinematics modifiers becomes reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves from controlling wheel kinematics in three-dimensional space to a two-dimensional load path management approach. Gusset plates create a reinforced planar structure that distributes forces across the frame rails, effectively managing crash loads without relying on complex wheel kinematics modifiers that become less effective with increased vehicle weight.
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 blocker structures effectively reduce the intrusion of the wheel and tire into the occupant compartment during small overlap impacts, enhancing the structural integrity and IIHS SORB rating performance by dissipating impact energy across the vehicle frame, thus improving crash performance and reducing material stress.
Implementation Method 1
transferring impact forces to the frame rails and cross members
Implementation Method 2
dissipating impact energy across the vehicle frame
Data Source
AI summary
A body on frame vehicle includes a vehicle frame having a small offset impact load management system including upper and lower rear blocker structures and a reinforcement blocker structure for managing impact loads applied to the wheel and tire of the vehicle from being directed further toward the body. The reinforcement blocker structure includes a base member welded to openings in the frame side rail and extending angularly outwardly and located rearward and distal the wheel and tire and proximal a longitudinal cross frame member for transferring the small offset impact loads transferred by the wheel and tire in a cross vehicle direction.