Vehicle Lateral Surface Member Structure for Battery Pack Side Impact

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lateral surface member structures of vehicle bodies fail to effectively suppress local deformation while maintaining impact absorption capacity, particularly in protecting battery packs from lateral collisions in electrified vehicles.

Innovation Solution

A lateral surface member structure featuring a tubular body with an impact absorbing member that includes a web sandwiched by vehicle outer and inner flanges with ribs, allowing for efficient energy absorption and deformation resistance, supported by an intersecting member to distribute loads and reduce deformation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a simple tubular body structure is used, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but local deformation suppression capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural complexityVSAvoidlocal deformation suppression

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The impact absorbing member is segmented into multiple functional components: a web structure for primary impact absorption, vehicle outer flange and vehicle inner flange for load distribution, and ribs for localized reinforcement. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall structural effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The web structure employs varying sheet thicknesses in different regions to optimize performance: thinner sections for energy absorption and thinner sections for structural integration. The ribs are strategically positioned to provide localized reinforcement where needed, creating non-uniform local properties that enhance overall deformation suppression capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If a thick-web structure is used to suppress deformation, then local deformation suppression improves, but impact absorption capacity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocal deformation suppressionVSAvoidimpact absorption capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The web structure employs varying sheet thicknesses in different regions to optimize performance: thinner sections for energy absorption and thinner sections for structural integration. The ribs are strategically positioned to provide localized reinforcement where needed, creating non-uniform local properties that enhance overall deformation suppression capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The impact absorbing member integrates multiple material configurations within a single component: the web with varying thickness, the flange structures, and the rib reinforcements. This composite approach allows different regions to have optimized properties for their specific functions, achieving both deformation suppression and energy absorption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If the web sheet thickness is increased to suppress local deformation, then deformation resistance improves, but manufacturing cost and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeformation resistanceVSAvoidmember weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The web structure employs varying sheet thicknesses in different regions to optimize performance: thinner sections for energy absorption and thinner sections for structural integration. The ribs are strategically positioned to provide localized reinforcement where needed, creating non-uniform local properties that enhance overall deformation suppression capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The impact absorbing member is segmented into multiple functional components: a web structure for primary impact absorption, vehicle outer flange and vehicle inner flange for load distribution, and ribs for localized reinforcement. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall structural effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 structure effectively absorbs impact energy and suppresses local deformation, protecting the battery pack from lateral collisions by dispersing impact loads and maintaining structural integrity.

Implementation Method 1

the web may be compressed in an up-down direction in a state of being sandwiched from above and below by the rib

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 2

the web may be compressed in an up-down direction in a state of being sandwiched from above and below by the rib

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDeformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentEP4101741B1Lateral surface member structure of vehicle body

Publication Date: 2024.03.13 NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION

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AI summary

A lateral surface member structure (100) of a vehicle body (1) includes a tubular body (110) extending in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body (1) and an impact absorbing member (120) disposed inside the tubular body (110). The impact absorbing member (120) includes a web (121) extending along the front-rear direction and flat in a vehicle width direction, a vehicle outer flange (122) joined to a vehicle outer end portion of the web (121) and extending along the front-rear direction, and a vehicle inner flange (123) joined to a vehicle inner end portion of the web (121) and extending along the front-rear direction. The vehicle outer flange (122) and the vehicle inner flange (123) each include a rib (122R, 123R) disposed so as to sandwich the web (121) from above and below and extending along the front-rear direction.