Passenger Car Front End Catch Structure for Collision Intrusion Restraint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing front ends for passenger cars do not effectively manage accident-induced rearward displacement of components during low-speed collisions, leading to potential damage and excessive repair costs.
Innovation Solution
A front end design featuring a catch element that connects upper and lower longitudinal member planes, limiting rearward displacement by overlapping components with the catch element, thereby maintaining a small deformation path and preventing excessive intrusion into the vehicle interior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional front end design without catch elements is used, then the deformation path is larger allowing energy absorption, but components experience excessive rearward displacement during low-speed collisions causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The catch element acts as an intermediary component between the bumper and the longitudinal members. It connects to both the bumper and the longitudinal members, mediating the interaction during collision to prevent excessive rearward displacement while maintaining an appropriate deformation path for energy absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The catch element is pre-positioned and pre-connected to the bumper and longitudinal members before collision occurs. This preliminary arrangement creates a restraining structure that actively prevents the harmful rearward displacement of components during low-speed collisions, countering the potential damage before it can occur.
2Reliability
If the front end structure is made more rigid to prevent component displacement, then component protection improves, but the ability to absorb collision energy through deformation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The front end structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: the bumper can deform to absorb energy, while the catch element provides rigid restraint to prevent component displacement. This segmentation allows different parts to perform different functions - energy absorption and position stability - simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the front end have different mechanical properties tailored to their specific functions. The bumper is designed with properties suitable for energy absorption through deformation, while the catch element and its connections to longitudinal members provide localized rigidity to prevent component displacement, creating local quality differentiation.
Data Source
AI summary
A front end for a passenger car includes a first, upper side-member plane, which has first longitudinal side members mutually spaced in the vehicle transverse direction and a first crossmember, by which the first side members are connected to each other, and a second, lower side-member plane, which has second longitudinal side members mutually spaced in the vehicle transverse direction and a second crossmember, by which the second side members are connected to each other. A catch element is provided, which is connected to the crossmembers and by which at least one component of the front end provided in addition to the crossmembers, the side members and the catch element, is at least partially overlapped toward the rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction, whereby an accident-induced rearward displacement of the component can at least be limited.