Front Floor Cross Member Layout for Side-Impact Energy Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing front floor reinforcement structures in vehicles, particularly in electric or hybrid vehicles with a battery pack in the tunnel, do not effectively utilize the front floor panel for energy absorption during a side impact, limiting the protection of occupants and requiring additional weight and manufacturing costs for enhanced safety.
Innovation Solution
A front floor reinforcement structure is designed with a front floor cross member that includes a non-deformable portion near the side sill and a deformable portion near the tunnel, where the resistance to plastic deformation is tailored to enhance energy absorption by stretching the front floor panel, thereby increasing the vehicle's energy absorption capacity during a side impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the front floor cross member is designed with uniform high resistance to plastic deformation throughout, then the anti-intrusion capability is improved, but the energy absorption capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The front floor cross member is segmented into a non-deformable portion (first portion) and a deformable portion (second portion). The non-deformable portion located near the side sill provides anti-intrusion support, while the deformable portion located near the tunnel allows controlled deformation for energy absorption during side impacts.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the front floor cross member are assigned different resistance to plastic deformation properties. The non-deformable portion has high resistance to maintain structural integrity and prevent intrusion, while the deformable portion has lower resistance to enable energy-absorbing deformation in the event of a side impact.
2Strength
If the front floor panel is made with high resistance to plastic deformation, then the structural strength is improved, but the energy absorption capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The front floor panel is designed with spatially varying resistance to plastic deformation. Areas near the side sill and tunnel maintain high resistance for structural strength, while intermediate areas are designed with lower resistance to allow stretching deformation that absorbs energy during side impacts.
3Reliability
If additional reinforcement components are added to enhance energy absorption, then the safety is improved, but the vehicle weight and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The front floor cross member is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides anti-intrusion support through its non-deformable portion while simultaneously serving as an energy absorption component through its deformable portion. This eliminates the need for separate reinforcement components, reducing vehicle weight and manufacturing costs while maintaining or improving safety.
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
This design effectively increases the energy absorption during a side impact by utilizing the front floor panel's stretching deformation, reducing vehicle weight and manufacturing costs while enhancing safety, and allows the front floor cross member to act as both an anti-intrusion and energy absorption component.
Implementation Method 1
the resistance to plastic deformation of the non-deformable portion being greater than the resistance to plastic deformation of the deformable portion
Implementation Method 2
the energy absorbed by the front floor reinforcement structure during a side impact will be increased thanks to the stretching deformation of a large surface area of the front floor panel
Data Source
AI summary
A design and a production method of a front floor reinforcement structure 1 for a vehicle 3 having a battery pack 5 in the tunnel 7 designed to improve the energy absorption of the vehicle during a side impact by involving the front floor panel 11 in the energy absorption during the side impact. The front floor reinforcement structure 1 includes a front floor cross member 13 having a non-deformable portion 14 located on the end of the front floor cross member 13 closest to the side sill 9 and a deformable portion 16 located on the end of the front floor cross member 13 closest to the tunnel 7. The resistance to plastic deformation of the non-deformable portion 14 is greater than the resistance to plastic deformation of the deformable portion 16, which is itself greater than the resistance to plastic deformation of the front floor panel 11.