Fuel Cell Sloping Frame Side Impact Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional fuel cell vehicle mounting structures fail to adequately protect the fuel cell unit from side collisions without increasing vehicle weight, and peripheral devices like DC-DC converters are susceptible to damage during impacts.

Innovation Solution

A fuel cell assembly with a protective structure featuring a sloping frame that absorbs impact by redirecting it away from the fuel cell unit, combined with inclined flanges and relief shapes for enhanced mechanical strength, and a protective panel for additional protection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional mounting structures are used, then the fuel cell unit is vulnerable to side collision impact, but adding protective members increases vehicle weight

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of fuel cell unitVSAvoidvehicle weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs curved protective members including a front protective member with an arc-shaped impact surface, rear protective members with curved surfaces, and side protective members that extend along the fuel cell unit. These curved surfaces are designed to redirect collision impacts away from the fuel cell unit, providing effective protection while maintaining lightweight construction. The arc-shaped geometry allows impact forces to be distributed and redirected rather than absorbed by heavy rigid structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective members are designed as thin-walled structures with optimized curvature rather than thick rigid barriers. The front protective member, rear protective members, and side protective members form a lightweight shell structure that redirects impacts through geometric design rather than relying on mass. This approach provides sufficient protection against side collisions without significantly increasing vehicle weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Strength

If reinforcing members with high rigidity are added to improve impact resistance, then the fuel cell unit is better protected, but vehicle weight increases and fuel economy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact resistanceVSAvoidvehicle weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using heavy rigid reinforcing members, the patent employs curved protective members with arc-shaped surfaces that passively redirect collision forces. The front protective member's arc-shaped impact surface and the curved rear protective members work together to deflect impacts away from the fuel cell unit, achieving high impact resistance through geometric design rather than material strength and mass.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful collision impact into a beneficial redirection of force. The curved surfaces of the protective members are designed to intercept collision forces and redirect them away from the fuel cell unit, transforming the harmful direct impact into a controlled force redistribution that protects the fuel cell without requiring heavy reinforcement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Device complexity

If the floor frame alone is used to absorb impact, then the structure remains simple, but the fuel cell unit is not sufficiently protected from strong side collisions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemounting structure complexityVSAvoidprotection effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The protective structure is divided into multiple segmented components: a front protective member, rear protective members (left and right), and side protective members. Each segment is positioned at specific locations around the fuel cell unit to address different collision scenarios. This segmented approach provides comprehensive protection while maintaining structural simplicity and avoiding a single complex heavy-duty frame.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each protective member incorporates curved surfaces designed to redirect impacts. The front protective member has an arc-shaped impact surface, the rear protective members have curved surfaces, and side protective members extend along the fuel cell unit. These geometric features enable the simple segmented structure to effectively protect against strong side collisions through passive force redirection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS8932769B2Fuel cell assembly and vehicle

Publication Date: 2015.01.13 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

Provided is a mounting structure of a fuel cell system capable of withstanding a collision from the side face of a fuel cell vehicle. The fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell unit for housing a fuel cell, and a protective structure having a mounting surface for mounting the fuel cell unit. The protective structure includes sloping frames provided obliquely relative to the mounting surface at a position opposing at least one side face of the fuel cell unit. Since the protective structure has the sloping frames as the structural objects to be subjected to the impact of the collision from the side face, the protection of the entire height of the fuel cell unit is realized by the lightest structural objects.