Vehicle Headliner Lattice Material for Thin Impact Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current energy absorbing materials for vehicle headliners are limited in thickness, constraining design flexibility and failing to meet safety standards for reducing head impact forces efficiently, as they require a specific thickness to accommodate existing materials, which restricts the space between the headliner and the steel roof frame.
Innovation Solution
A multi-cellular energy absorbing material with a lattice structure formed from interconnected cells, featuring lattice elements with diameters no greater than 2.5 mm, and a body-centered cubic or Kelvin geometry, made from 3D printable nylon, allowing for reduced thickness while maintaining effective energy absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current energy absorbing materials are used in headliners, then head impact forces can be reduced to meet safety standards, but the thickness required constrains design flexibility and reduces passenger compartment space
Solution Approach 1:
The energy absorbing material is divided into a multi-cellular lattice structure composed of numerous small cells (e.g., octet truss, Kelvin cell, or body-centered cubic configurations). This segmentation allows the material to achieve effective energy absorption at reduced thickness while maintaining structural integrity and meeting HIC standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a porous lattice structure with controlled cell sizes and configurations. The porous nature of the lattice enables energy absorption through cell collapse and deformation mechanisms, achieving effective HIC reduction at thinner profiles compared to solid foam materials.
2Volume of moving object
If headliner thickness is reduced to increase passenger compartment space, then more space is available for switches, head space, and accessories, but current energy absorbing materials cannot meet safety standards at reduced thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes key parameters of the energy absorbing material including lattice cell size (e.g., 2-10 mm), material density, and structural configuration (octet truss, Kelvin cell, body-centered cubic). These parameter changes enable the material to achieve effective energy absorption at reduced thickness, thereby increasing passenger compartment volume while maintaining HIC compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The energy absorbing material is formed as a composite structure combining polymeric foam or resin with a lattice framework. This composite approach allows optimization of both energy absorption properties and thickness, enabling reduced headliner thickness while maintaining protective performance.
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 material effectively reduces head impact forces, meeting or exceeding safety standards while providing designers with the flexibility to increase passenger compartment space, accommodating thinner profiles between the headliner and steel roof frame.
Implementation Method 1
The material effectively reduces head impact forces, meeting or exceeding safety standards while providing designers with the flexibility to increase passenger compartment space
Data Source
AI summary
An energy absorbing material includes a multi-cellular structure formed from a plurality of interconnected cells having a lattice structure. Each of the plurality of interconnected cells includes at least four nodes and at least one lattice element extending between each of the at least four nodes. The at least one lattice element has a diameter no greater than 2.5 mm.