Vehicle Front-End Structure With Vibration-Damped Assembly Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional front-end structures of motor vehicles face challenges in achieving high crashworthiness and stiffness, particularly with the shift towards electric vehicles that have shorter overhangs and different component arrangements, which can compromise crash safety and acoustic comfort.

Innovation Solution

A front-end structure featuring a unitized body with two spaced bodyshell parts, a bulkhead, and an assembly support that covers part of the bulkhead, along with a vibration-damped support element mounted on the assembly support, providing a stiffening effect and decoupling vibrations to enhance crashworthiness and acoustic comfort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the overhang is shortened to accommodate electric vehicle component arrangements, then the vehicle can achieve better space utilization and modern design, but the crash safety and stiffness of the front-end structure are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace utilizationVSAvoidcrash safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The front-end structure is segmented into multiple functional components: the bulkhead for compartment separation, the assembly support for structural stiffness, and the vibration-damped support element for noise reduction. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, enabling short overhangs while maintaining crash safety through the rigid assembly support structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite construction with the assembly support and support element forming a hybrid structure that combines rigid load-bearing components with vibration-damped elements. This composite approach allows the structure to simultaneously achieve high stiffness for crash safety and vibration isolation for acoustic comfort, resolving the contradiction between short overhangs and structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional mounting methods are used for components in the front-end structure, then the assembly process is simple, but vibrations and noise are not effectively reduced, compromising acoustic comfort

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidvibrations and noise

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The vibration-damped support element acts as an intermediary component between the assembly support and the mounted component. This intermediary element specifically targets and dampens vibrations and noise while maintaining the overall assembly simplicity, as the support element can be integrated into the existing mounting process without requiring complex additional steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Length of moving object

If the bulkhead is positioned closer to the front to reduce overhang, then the vehicle achieves better space efficiency, but the structural stiffness and crash energy absorption are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoverhang lengthVSAvoidstructural stiffness

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The assembly support extends in the vehicle transverse direction, adding structural reinforcement perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. This transverse dimension provides additional stiffness and crash energy absorption pathways, allowing the bulkhead to be positioned forward for reduced overhang while maintaining overall structural integrity through the laterally-extending assembly support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 achieves high crash safety and stiffness, even with short overhangs, by effectively absorbing crash energy and reducing vibrations, thereby protecting occupants and improving acoustic characteristics in electric vehicles.

Implementation Method 1

The support element is mounted in vibration-damped fashion on the assembly support by means of the mounting elements

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Implementation Method 2

The mounting elements are preferably of elastically deformable form or formed from an elastically deformable material, in particular from rubber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11814101B2Front end structure for a motor vehicle, in particular for a passenger vehicle, and motor vehicle, in particular passenger vehicle

Publication Date: 2023.11.14 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG

AI summary

A front-end structure for a motor vehicle includes two first bodyshell parts spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction of the vehicle for a self-supporting body of the motor vehicle, and includes a bulkhead in the form of a second bodyshell part for the self-supporting body. At least one assembly carrier forwardly overlaps at least a partial region of the bulkhead in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is in the form of a third bodyshell part for the body, and via which the two first bodyshell parts are connected to each another. A carrier element is formed separately from the assembly carrier and separately from the first bodyshell parts, and is mounted on the assembly carrier in a vibration-damped manner via bearing elements and on which at least one component for the motor vehicle, which component is formed separately from the bodyshell parts, separately from the carrier element and separately from the bearing elements, is held.