Vehicle Front Structure With Wrought Reinforcement Against Tensile Breakage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle front portion structures using die-cast connecting members are prone to breakage under tensile loads during collisions due to low tensile strength, compromising the transmission of impact loads to other structural components.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle front portion structure with a connecting member comprising a cast inner portion and a wrought outer portion, reinforced by a wrought member at the tensile load-bearing regions, to enhance tensile strength and prevent breakage during collisions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a cast member is used for the connecting member, then high flexibility of shaping and ease of joining are achieved, but tensile strength is low and breakage occurs under tensile loads during collisions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of joiningVSAvoidtensile strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting member is constructed as a composite structure combining a cast member (providing shaping flexibility and ease of joining) and a wrought member (providing high tensile strength). The wrought member is coupled to the cast member via a coupling portion, creating a hybrid structure that leverages the advantages of both material types to resolve the contradiction between ease of manufacture and tensile strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The connecting member is divided into two distinct segments: a cast member portion and a wrought member portion. This segmentation allows each segment to be optimized for its specific function - the cast member for joining flexibility and the wrought member for tensile load-bearing capacity - thereby resolving the technical contradiction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If a cast member is used for the connecting member, then high flexibility of shaping is achieved, but the connecting member may break under tensile loads during collisions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility of shapingVSAvoidresistance to breakage
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By combining cast and wrought members in a composite structure, the design achieves both shaping flexibility (from the cast member) and breakage resistance (from the wrought member), resolving the contradiction between adaptability and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The segmentation of the connecting member into cast and wrought portions allows each material type to perform its optimal function - the cast member providing geometric flexibility and the wrought member providing structural reliability under tensile loads.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If a reinforcing portion is added to the connecting member, then breakage is suppressed, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebreakage suppressionVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforcing portion is implemented as a separate wrought member segment coupled to the cast member, rather than integrating reinforcement into the cast member design. This segmentation approach suppresses breakage while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The coupling portion acts as an intermediary element that connects the cast member and wrought member, enabling the reinforcing function to be added without directly complicating the design of either component. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction between reliability improvement and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3613656B1Vehicle front portion structure
Publication Date: 2026.04.22 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP3613656B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3613656B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3613656B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A reinforcing plate (62) is provided between an inner central portion that structures a portion of a connecting member (38) and a rear end portion of a dash cross-member (20). The reinforcing plate (62) is a wrought member and is joined (at a join portion (63)) to both the inner central portion and a rear wall portion of the dash cross-member (20) via joining members (51). Because the wrought member has high tensile strength, when the reinforcing plate (62) is provided at the join portion (63) of the connecting member, a tensile load acting on the join portion (63) may be borne by the reinforcing plate (62), and breakage of the connecting member may be suppressed. Therefore, an impact load transmitted from a front side member through the connecting member may be transmitted to the dash cross-member (20) and rockers (12).