Offset Power Train Bracket Yaw Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles where the power train is offset to one side, existing structures fail to adequately protect passengers during oblique or small overlap collisions, as the power train tends to retract into the passenger compartment, posing a risk to occupants.
Innovation Solution
A power train support structure that includes a mounting bracket with a front fixing portion and a rear fixing portion, where the rear fixing portion is designed to break under collision load, allowing the power train to retract while performing yaw motion, guiding it towards the vehicle width center and preventing linear movement into the passenger compartment, and featuring a load receiving portion on the power train to maximize yaw motion and downward displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the power train is disposed offset to one side in the accommodation room, then the space utilization is improved, but the passenger safety deteriorates in the event of oblique or SOL collision due to power train retraction
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket is divided into multiple fixing portions (front fixing portion and rear fixing portion) with different strength characteristics. The rear fixing portion is designed to break at a predetermined load while the front fixing portion maintains strength to prevent uncontrolled retraction, segmenting the load-bearing function to achieve both space efficiency and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the mounting bracket are designed with different strength properties. The rear fixing portion has lower strength to break first and guide motion, while the front fixing portion has higher strength to maintain structural integrity. This local differentiation of quality allows the bracket to simultaneously enable space optimization and control power train movement for passenger protection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the mounting bracket is designed with high strength to prevent power train retraction, then the passenger safety is improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple fixing portions with different strength requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket is segmented into front and rear fixing portions, each with distinct strength characteristics. This segmentation allows the bracket to provide controlled resistance to power train retraction - the rear portion breaks to guide motion while the front portion maintains strength, achieving safety without requiring an overly complex multi-component system.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of designing a uniformly strong bracket that completely prevents retraction, the invention inverts the approach by designing a bracket with a deliberately weak rear fixing portion that is meant to fail. This controlled failure mode guides the power train along a safe trajectory, simplifying the overall structure compared to designing for complete prevention of movement.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the rear fixing portion is designed to break under collision load, then the power train is guided to perform yaw motion for safety, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase to ensure controlled breaking behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The rear fixing portion is designed with locally reduced strength compared to the front fixing portion, creating a predetermined weak point. This local quality differentiation ensures that under collision load, the rear portion breaks first to initiate controlled yaw motion, while the front portion maintains sufficient strength. The localized design simplifies manufacturing precision requirements compared to uniformly controlling strength throughout the entire bracket.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting bracket is pre-designed with a rear fixing portion that has predetermined reduced strength, preparing it in advance to break at a specific load threshold. This preliminary action ensures that during collision, the breaking behavior occurs as intended without requiring real-time control, reducing manufacturing and control precision requirements during actual collision events.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A power train support structure includes a first front side frame disposed on one of left and right sides of a power train; a second front side frame disposed on the other of the left and right sides of the power train, and being greatly away from the power train with respect to the first front side frame; a mounting bracket having one of left and right ends connected to the power train; and a connecting member for connecting the mounting bracket and the second front side frame. The mounting bracket includes a front fixing portion and a rear fixing portion to be fixed to the power train. A strength of the front fixing portion and the rear fixing portion is set to such a strength that the rear fixing portion is broken by a collision load from a front side, and the front fixing portion is not broken.