Lateral Push Element for Vehicle Side Impact Load Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle structures fail to effectively provide a lateral load path during partial overlap collisions, as hollow beam structures on the vehicle's lateral sides are often heavily deformed and unable to transfer lateral forces, missing an opportunity to generate a side push that could help in sliding off incoming barriers.
Innovation Solution
A lateral push element is mechanically attached inside the hollow beam structure on the vehicle's lateral side, equipped with reinforcing structures to enhance load transfer in the lateral direction, guiding colliding components away from the vehicle and generating a lateral force by utilizing the internal space within the beam structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If hollow beam structures are used on the lateral side of the vehicle, then the vehicle structure is simplified and manufacturing is easier, but the hollow beam structures are heavily deformed in partial overlap collisions and cannot transfer lateral forces
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral push element is nested inside the hollow beam structure, utilizing the internal space of the existing hollow beam. This allows the lateral push element to provide lateral force transfer capability without replacing the entire hollow beam structure, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while improving reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral force transfer function is segmented from the hollow beam structure and assigned to a separate lateral push element. This allows the hollow beam to maintain its simple manufacturing characteristics while the lateral push element specifically handles the lateral force transfer task, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and reliability
2Loss of energy
If the hollow beam structure is designed to absorb energy through deformation, then energy absorption is improved, but the hollow beam structure cannot provide a lateral load path in partial overlap collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The energy absorption function and lateral force transfer function are segmented into different components: the hollow beam structure handles energy absorption through controlled deformation, while the lateral push element provides the lateral load path. This resolves the contradiction by assigning different functions to different parts of the system
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral push element acts as an intermediary component that transfers lateral forces from the hollow beam structure to the vehicle's lateral structure. It mediates between the deforming hollow beam and the rigid vehicle structure, enabling lateral force transfer even when the hollow beam is deforming to absorb energy
3Strength
If reinforcing structures are added to the lateral push element, then the ability to transfer lateral load is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Reinforcing structures are added only to specific areas of the lateral push element where they are most needed for lateral load transfer, rather than uniformly throughout the entire structure. This provides the necessary strength while minimizing the increase in device complexity
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The disclosed subject matter generally relates to a lateral push element (10) adapted to be arranged inside a hollow beam structure (102) disposed on a lateral side of a vehicle (103). The lateral push element is configured to provide a lateral load path (104) in the event of a partial overlap collision involving the vehicle. Some hollow beam structures on the lateral sides of the vehicle are often heavily deformed when the incoming barrier hit the hollow beam structures. The hollow beam structures are not in themselves able to transfer a lateral force. The inventors therefore realized that the space inside the hollow beam structures may be utilized for enabling additional lateral forces in the event of a partial overlap collision. Based on this insight, the inventors propose a lateral push element adapted to be arranged inside the hollow beam structure disposed on a lateral side of a vehicle, and that is configured to provide a lateral load path in the event of a partial overlap collision involving the vehicle.