Vehicle Front Frame Assembly with Deformable Damper Mount
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle front frames often prioritize ride quality and impact resistance, resulting in rigid structures that are less likely to deform during crashes, which can cause damage to nearby components and harm occupants due to inadequate energy dissipation.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle front frame assembly is designed with strategically reinforced and weakened components, where a weaker aluminum sheet is connected to a reinforced casting, allowing the weaker component to deform and absorb impact energy, maintaining separation between critical components and occupants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the frame assembly is made rigid to enhance ride quality and impact resistance, then structural strength is improved, but energy dissipation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The frame assembly incorporates localized weakened components (aluminum sheet portions) within an otherwise rigid structure. These specific locations are designed to deform during crashes to absorb energy, while the rest of the frame maintains its rigidity for structural strength and ride quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame assembly is divided into distinct segments with different mechanical properties - reinforced components (casting) and weakened components (aluminum sheet). This segmentation allows different parts to perform different functions: some provide structural strength while others provide energy dissipation through controlled deformation.
2Reliability
If the frame assembly is made rigid to improve impact resistance, then damage to components is reduced, but crash safety deteriorates due to inadequate energy dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of impact energy into a beneficial deformation process. The weakened aluminum sheet components are designed to deform in a controlled manner during crashes, transforming the harmful impact energy into useful work done during deformation, thereby improving crash safety while maintaining impact resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame assembly includes pre-designed weakened components that are prepared in advance to deform and absorb energy during crashes. These components act as built-in energy absorption mechanisms that activate when needed, providing cushioning against impact forces before they can cause damage to critical components or occupants.
3Loss of energy
If weakened components are added to enable energy dissipation, then crash performance is improved, but structural integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The weakened components are strategically positioned only in specific locations where energy dissipation is needed, while the majority of the frame structure maintains full structural integrity. The aluminum sheet portions are localized and do not compromise the overall strength and stability of the frame assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame assembly uses composite construction combining different materials with different properties - rigid casting for structural strength and aluminum sheet for controlled deformation. This composite approach allows the structure to maintain overall integrity while incorporating energy dissipation capabilities through the aluminum portions.
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 configuration enhances crash performance by dissipating impact energy away from critical components and occupants, reducing damage and harm by allowing controlled deformation of the frame assembly during collisions.
Implementation Method 1
a weaker aluminum sheet connected to a reinforced casting, to facilitate initial deformation of the weaker component in a crash
Implementation Method 2
the relatively weaker component of the frame assembly can be positioned between multiple strengthened components to absorb and dissipate impact energy
Data Source
AI summary
A frame assembly of a vehicle front portion includes a windshield lower beam. A damper mount is disposed on the front portion and deforms when subjected to an impact energy. An A-pillar includes upper and lower pillar portions, the upper pillar portion having a lower end disposed adjacent the windshield lower beam, and the lower pillar portion having an upper end disposed adjacent to the windshield lower beam. A joint includes first and second joint members, the first joint member connecting the windshield lower beam to the lower and upper pillar portions and being connected to the damper mount, the second joint member contained within the first joint member and connected to the windshield lower beam, and upper and lower pillar portions. The joint is configured to resist deformation due to the impact energy such that the damper mount deforms and dissipates the impact energy.