Fuel Cell and H2 Storage Impact Frame With Linear Crash Buffering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel-cell vehicles lack efficient protection for externally mounted components such as hydrogen cylinders and fuel cells, making them vulnerable to damage from collisions.
Innovation Solution
An impact protective structure is implemented, comprising impact bars, buffers, and reaction arms to absorb and redirect non-axial forces, with impact sensors to trigger a drive-inhibit function and manual override, providing protection and control during collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If components are mounted externally on the vehicle frame to optimize space utilization, then space efficiency is improved, but vulnerability to impact damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
Impact buffers are installed between the impact bars and the vehicle frame beforehand to cushion against future impact forces. These buffers are pre-positioned to absorb energy during collisions before the force reaches the externally mounted components, thereby protecting them from damage while maintaining their external mounting configuration for space efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Impact bars serve as intermediary protective elements that are positioned between external objects and the vehicle components. These bars act as mediators that first receive impact forces and transfer them through buffers to the frame, preventing direct contact between harmful external forces and the valuable components like hydrogen cylinders and fuel cells.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If impact protection structures are added to protect externally mounted components, then protection effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The impact protection system is segmented into distinct functional components: impact bars for force reception, impact buffers for energy absorption, and mounting brackets for structural attachment. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall design by breaking down the complex protection function into manageable, standardized parts that can be easily assembled and maintained.
Solution Approach 2:
The impact buffers utilize parameter changes in their material properties to absorb impact energy. The buffers are designed to deform elastically under impact forces, changing their physical state temporarily to absorb energy, then returning to their original state. This parameter-based approach provides effective protection without requiring complex mechanical structures, as the protection mechanism is embedded in the material behavior itself.
3Reliability
If impact sensors and drive-inhibit systems are implemented, then vehicle safety is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Impact sensors provide continuous feedback about the vehicle's operational state to the control system. When an impact is detected, the sensor signal feeds back to the controller, which then activates the drive-inhibit function to prevent further operation. This feedback mechanism enables automatic safety responses without requiring complex manual intervention systems, as the vehicle self-monitors and self-protects based on sensor input.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive-inhibit system provides self-service safety protection by automatically responding to impact conditions without requiring external intervention. The control system monitors sensor inputs and autonomously determines when to inhibit vehicle operation, making the safety system self-regulating. This reduces the need for complex operator training and manual safety procedures, as the system serves its own safety needs through automated control.
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 impact protective structure effectively absorbs and redirects impact forces, preventing damage to externally mounted components and ensuring vehicle safety by immediately reducing torque during collisions.
Implementation Method 1
The impact buffer is designed to absorb an impact force in a linear (axial) fashion over a predetermined distance
Implementation Method 2
One or more reaction arms can also be provided to transfer non-axial side impact forces (loads) into the impact frame and main vehicle frame
Data Source
AI summary
An impact protection structure includes an impact frame and one or more impact bars connected to the impact frame through one or more impact buffers. The impact buffers are configured to linearly absorb an impact force over a predetermined displacement distance. The impact bars can include slotted holes for receiving hinge pins connecting the impact bars to the impact buffers. The impact frame can be connected to a vehicle frame in a manner that permits some deformation of the vehicle frame without deforming the impact frame. One or more sensors can be provided to detect impacts. An impact alert signal can trigger a drive-inhibit function that removes torque from the drive motor. A manual override can permit an operator to drive the vehicle during the drive-inhibit function until the drive-inhibit function is reset by authorized service personnel. Additional equipment can be retrofitted to the vehicle using the impact frame.