Impact Transmission Structure for Side Impact Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current side impact systems in vehicles face challenges in accurately and efficiently detecting side impacts, particularly due to the recessed position of side sill reinforcements relative to doors and seats, leading to delayed airbag deployment and potential trapping of airbags between occupants and side doors, and difficulties in discriminating between impact events that warrant safety system activation.
Innovation Solution
An impact transmission structure (ITS) is positioned outboard of the outer side sill reinforcement, featuring a stiff honeycomb structure with polyhedral units that transmit side impact forces effectively, providing an earlier crash detection signal and matching stiffness to the side sill reinforcement, thus enhancing the detection and deployment efficiency of side airbags.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the side sill reinforcement is positioned recessed relative to doors and seats, then the vehicle structure is more compact and easier to manufacture, but the impact detection is delayed and airbag deployment timing is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The impact transmission structure serves as an intermediary element positioned between the outer vehicle body (doors/seats) and the recessed side sill reinforcement. It transmits impact forces from the outer body to the side sill reinforcement, enabling earlier impact detection while maintaining the compact recessed configuration. The ITS effectively mediates the spatial separation between the impact point and the sensor location.
2Measurement precision
If the impact transmission structure has high stiffness to transmit impact forces effectively, then impact detection accuracy improves, but the structure absorbs impact energy and reduces signal transmission to the sensor
Solution Approach 1:
The stiffness of the impact transmission structure is precisely controlled by adjusting the geometric parameters of the honeycomb structure, specifically the cell size, wall thickness, and overall dimensions. This allows the ITS to have sufficient stiffness to transmit impact forces effectively while maintaining enough flexibility to avoid excessive energy absorption, optimizing the balance between force transmission and signal preservation.
3Reliability
If the side airbag is deployed from a roof side rail or seat location, then the airbag can cover the space between occupant and side door, but the deployment may be trapped between the occupant and the side door due to delayed detection
Solution Approach 1:
The impact transmission structure is pre-positioned to extend laterally outward from the side sill reinforcement toward the outer vehicle body. This preliminary positioning ensures that impact forces are immediately transmitted to the side sill reinforcement and sensors upon collision, enabling earlier detection and timely airbag deployment before the door intrudes into the occupant space.
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 ITS enables earlier and more robust side impact signal transmission, improving the timing and effectiveness of airbag deployment by reducing the delay in detecting side impacts and ensuring sufficient deployment space, thereby enhancing vehicle safety.
Implementation Method 1
the impact transmission structure having a stiffness approximately equal to a stiffness of the side sill reinforcement and being configured to communicate an impact force resulting from a side impact into the vehicle into the frame and not absorb the impact force
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a vehicle including a frame having a side sill reinforcement, the side sill reinforcement running along a length of a side of the frame, and an impact transmission structure mounted to and extending laterally outward from an exterior surface of the side sill reinforcement, the impact transmission structure having a stiffness approximately equal to a stiffness of the side sill reinforcement and being configured to communicate an impact force resulting from a side impact into the vehicle into the frame and not absorb the impact force.