Nested Resin-Filled Structural Member for Crash Load Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Structural members for mobile bodies, such as bumper reinforcements, face a reduction in withstand load performance due to cross-sectional collapse during crashes, as they deform and tilt inward, leading to a decrease in the maximum load they can bear.
Innovation Solution
A structural member design featuring a first member with a hat-shaped cross section and a second member with vertical walls and flanges, where the second member's vertical walls are positioned inside the first member's vertical walls, and resin is filled between them to suppress tilting and increase the structural member's ability to withstand crash loads without significant weight increase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the structural member uses a hat-shaped cross section with vertical walls, then it can absorb impact by bending deformation, but the vertical walls tilt inward during crash causing cross-sectional collapse and reduced withstand load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing the second member (closing plate with vertical walls) inside the first member (hat-shaped member with vertical walls). The second vertical walls are positioned inside the first vertical walls, creating a nested configuration. This nested structure prevents the outer vertical walls from tilting inward during crash by providing internal support, thereby maintaining cross-sectional shape stability while preserving impact absorption capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces resin as an intermediary material filled in the space between the first and second vertical walls. This resin acts as a mediator that prevents direct contact and potential tilting between the two members during crash. The resin maintains the positional relationship between the nested members, preventing cross-sectional collapse while allowing controlled bending deformation for impact absorption.
2Strength
If the structural member increases height in transverse cross section to increase withstand load, then maximum load bearing capacity increases, but the structural member becomes heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The nested configuration of the second member inside the first member allows the structure to maintain its original external dimensions (and thus original weight) while increasing the effective height in transverse cross section. The second vertical walls extend the load-bearing path internally without increasing the external footprint, thereby increasing maximum load bearing capacity without adding significant weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure by combining the first member (hat-shaped), second member (closing plate), and resin filler. This composite construction achieves enhanced withstand load performance through the synergistic interaction of multiple materials and configurations, rather than simply increasing the size of a single material, thus avoiding proportional weight increase.
Data Source
AI summary
A structural member includes a first member, a second member, and resin. The first member includes a top plate, vertical walls, flanges, and ridge portions. The second member includes a top plate, vertical walls, flanges, and ridge portions. The vertical walls of the second member are disposed along the vertical walls of the first member on an inner side of the vertical walls. The flanges of the second member are joined to the flanges of the first member, respectively. The resin is filled in between the vertical walls of the second member.