Vehicle Impact Beam Lateral Load Transfer Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles, offset collisions cause impact beams to bend or collapse around frame rails, failing to transfer impact loads effectively, which can lead to increased intrusion into the passenger compartment and severe deceleration.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of load transferring members attached to impact beams and body panel mounts, extending at specific angles to transfer both longitudinal and lateral components of impact loads to adjacent frame rails, thereby distributing the force and reducing intrusion and deceleration severity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the impact beam is extended laterally outboard of the frame rails to handle offset collisions, then the ability to receive impact loads is improved, but the impact beam bends or collapses around the frame rail and fails to transfer the load effectively
Solution Approach 1:
A load transferring member is introduced as an intermediary component between the impact beam and the frame rail. This member extends from the impact beam toward the frame rail and transfers impact loads that would otherwise cause the impact beam to bend or collapse around the frame rail, thereby resolving the contradiction between extending the impact beam laterally and maintaining its structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The load transfer function is segmented into multiple components: the impact beam receives the impact load, the load transferring member transmits the load, and the frame rail ultimately bears the load. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, preventing the impact beam from having to bear the full structural burden
2Device complexity
If the impact beam bends or collapses around the frame rail during offset collision, then the impact load is not transferred to the frame rail, but this causes increased intrusion into the passenger compartment and severe deceleration
Solution Approach 1:
The load transferring member acts as a mediator that prevents the harmful deformation of the impact beam from occurring in the first place by providing an alternative load path to the frame rail, thereby eliminating the harmful effect of passenger compartment intrusion
Solution Approach 2:
The load transferring member is pre-positioned and pre-configured to engage with the impact beam before collision occurs, establishing a load transfer pathway in advance that prevents harmful deformation during the actual impact event
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a frame rail and an impact beam attached to an axial end of the frame rail. A body panel mount is attached to the frame rail. The body panel mount is axially spaced from the impact beam a distance along a longitudinal axis. A load transferring member includes a first axial end attached to one of the impact beam and the body panel mount, and a second axial end disposed adjacent to and a pre-defined distance from the other of the impact beam and the body panel mount. The load transferring member is disposed outboard of the frame rail. The load transferring member extends at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis between the impact beam and the body panel mount.