Nested Reinforcing Element for Front Foot Structural Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle body structures fail to adequately prevent deformation of the passenger compartment and excessive rotation of the front foot during frontal impacts, leading to potential injuries and increased vehicle mass through excessive reinforcement.
Innovation Solution
A reinforcing element with an omega-shaped cross-section is fixed to the inner face of the foot liner, creating a second hollow body that absorbs impact forces and limits front foot rotation, comprising a U-shaped central part and optional flat second wing, welded to the foot liner, to enhance structural integrity without significantly increasing vehicle mass.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the front pillar is dimensioned to be relatively undeformable and equipped with reinforcements, then the structural strength is improved, but the vehicle mass increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing a reinforcing element inside the hollow body formed by the foot lining and foot reinforcement. The reinforcing element is positioned within the existing structural cavity, creating a nested configuration that adds strength without requiring external additions or increasing overall dimensions. This internal reinforcement strategy allows the front pillar to achieve undeformable characteristics while avoiding the mass penalty of external reinforcements.
2Reliability
If existing reinforcement structures are used to prevent deformation, then the passenger compartment protection is improved, but the front foot rotation during impact is not sufficiently limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the limitation of existing reinforcement structures by adding a reinforcing element that extends in a different spatial dimension. The reinforcing element has a longitudinal extension along the front pillar and a transverse extension that connects to the foot reinforcement, creating a three-dimensional reinforcement pattern. This multi-dimensional configuration effectively limits front foot rotation around the vertical axis during impact, complementing the existing passenger compartment protection without relying solely on traditional reinforcement approaches.
3Strength
If multiple separate reinforcement elements are installed to improve safety, then the structural integrity is improved, but the device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by integrating multiple reinforcement functions into a single reinforcing element. This single component simultaneously provides longitudinal reinforcement along the front pillar, transverse reinforcement connecting to the foot reinforcement, and internal strengthening within the hollow body. By combining these multiple reinforcement functions into one integrated element, the patent reduces the number of separate parts, simplifies assembly, and lowers production complexity while maintaining comprehensive structural integrity.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a motor vehicle body structure (10) comprising a front structure (11) provided with a vertical wall (16) separating a passenger compartment (12) from an engine compartment (13) and front feet (17) behind and in the immediate vicinity of said vertical wall, which extend said front structure laterally and vertically on the side of said passenger compartment, each front foot comprising a foot lining (18) and a foot reinforcement (19) which are interconnected as a closed profile defining a first hollow body (20), characterised in that a reinforcing element (22) is fixed against an inner face (23) of said foot lining inside the first hollow body (20) such that said reinforcing element defines, with said inner face, a second hollow body (24) arranged inside said first hollow body.