Vehicle Impact Absorber Rib for Lateral Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Impact-absorbing members for vehicles fail to maintain effective impact-absorbing properties when subjected to oblique impact loads, leading to lateral displacement and loss of functionality, which can be addressed without increasing vehicle width or adding auxiliary components.
Innovation Solution
A tubular impact-absorbing member with a projecting rib on its side wall, extending parallel to the axial direction, is integrated between the vehicle body and bumper member, preventing lateral displacement by maintaining the rib's dimension throughout or decreasing it towards the bumper end, ensuring stable impact absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the impact absorbing member is subjected to oblique impact loads, then the vehicle can be protected from impact, but the impact absorbing member falls down laterally and loses impact-absorbing properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new structural dimension by adding a projecting rib that extends in the width direction (lateral dimension) of the vehicle. This rib projects from the side wall of the tubular body toward the vehicle outer side, creating a three-dimensional structural feature that resists lateral displacement. The rib's extension in the width direction provides geometric constraint against oblique impact forces, preventing the member from falling down laterally while maintaining the accordion collapse capability in the axial direction for impact energy absorption.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the vehicle width is increased to prevent lateral falling, then lateral stability is improved, but the vehicle width increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding the projecting rib only at specific locations on the side wall of the tubular body, rather than increasing the overall vehicle width. The rib is positioned at predetermined locations along the axial direction and projects locally in the width direction to provide lateral stability. This localized structural modification maintains the original vehicle width dimensions while providing the necessary geometric constraint against lateral displacement at the critical impact absorption location.
3Stability of the object's composition
If auxiliary members are added to prevent lateral falling, then lateral stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the lateral stability function into the existing impact absorbing member by integrating the projecting rib directly into the side wall of the tubular body. This single integrated structure performs both functions: the tubular body with concave grooves provides axial collapse for impact energy absorption, while the projecting rib provides lateral stability. By combining multiple functions into one component, the patent eliminates the need for separate auxiliary members, thereby reducing device complexity while achieving lateral displacement prevention.
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 solution effectively prevents lateral falling and maintains excellent impact-absorbing properties without increasing vehicle width or adding components, thus enhancing crash performance and productivity.
Implementation Method 1
When subjected to a compressive load, the impact absorbing member collapses like an accordion in the axial direction, thereby absorbing the impact energy
Data Source
AI summary
Of side wall portions (60a, 60b) of a tubular body portion (52) mainly constituting an impact absorbing member (50), a wider side wall portion (60a) on the vehicle inner side is provided with a projecting rib (70) projects outward in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the body portion. The projecting rib (70) extends from an axial end (52a) adjacent to a mounting plate (54) and parallel to the axial direction of the body portion. Therefore, even when an impact load is applied to the impact absorbing member (50) in an oblique direction with respect to the vehicle to generate a moment load, the existence of the projecting rib (70) prevents the impact absorbing member from falling down laterally. Accordingly, excellent impact-absorbing properties are stably obtained. The projecting rib (70) is formed not to reach the load input side, i.e., the axial end (52b) adjacent to a mounting plate (56), where collapse starts. Therefore, no load increase occurs in a crash initial stage to well maintain impact-energy-absorbing properties.