Front Bumper Layout for Pedestrian-Safe Decorative Member Retraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing vehicle-body front structures face challenges in improving pedestrian protection performance due to the stereoscopic shape of decorative members, which restricts the retraction of these members upon collision, leading to inadequate damage suppression on pedestrian leg portions.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle-body front structure is designed with a front bumper, a bumper reinforcement extending in the vehicle width direction, and cross members positioned at higher or lower levels than the decorative member. The bumper reinforcement is placed inside the opening of the bumper fascia, and the cross members extend beyond the bumper reinforcement, allowing for increased retraction of the decorative member without interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a high-stiffness bumper reinforcement is positioned on the vehicle rear side of the decorative member, then the structural strength is improved, but the decorative member retraction is restricted leading to reduced pedestrian protection performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the bumper reinforcement from the vehicle rear side to the vehicle front side of the decorative member, changing its spatial dimension. This allows the reinforcement to be placed inside the bumper fascia opening, creating space for the decorative member to retract freely during pedestrian collisions while maintaining structural strength through alternative support configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cross members as intermediary structural elements that extend beyond the bumper reinforcement in the vehicle width direction. These cross members provide structural support and strength while being positioned to avoid interfering with the rearward retraction of the decorative member, thus mediating between the need for strength and pedestrian protection.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the bumper reinforcement is positioned on the vehicle rear side of the decorative member, then the design flexibility is improved, but the pedestrian protection performance deteriorates due to limited retraction space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the bumper reinforcement to the vehicle front side and positions it inside the bumper fascia opening, utilizing the depth dimension of the bumper assembly. This spatial reconfiguration provides adequate retraction space for the decorative member while maintaining design flexibility through the cross members that extend beyond the reinforcement.
3Device complexity
If the cross member is positioned at the same level as the decorative member and does not extend beyond the bumper reinforcement, then the structural simplicity is improved, but the pedestrian protection performance is reduced due to collision interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the cross member at a different vertical level than the decorative member (either higher or lower) and extends it beyond the bumper reinforcement in the vehicle width direction. This three-dimensional arrangement allows the cross member to provide structural support without interfering with the rearward retraction path of the decorative member during pedestrian collisions.
Data Source
AI summary
To improve protection performance for a pedestrian colliding with a front portion of a traveling vehicle, a front bumper includes a bumper fascia, a front grill, and decorative member. The disposition position and shape of a bumper reinforcement are set such that the bumper reinforcement is positioned inside an opening of the bumper fascia in a front view. Cross members are arranged at higher and lower positions than the decorative member and extend toward a vehicle-width-direction outer side beyond the bumper reinforcement.