Passenger Compartment Pillar Cover Ribs for Head Impact Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle passenger compartment pillars struggle to absorb head impacts effectively while maintaining compactness, aesthetic appeal, and compliance with regulatory deceleration limits without excessive empty space or bulky metal components.
Innovation Solution
A covering element with a plastic skeleton featuring ribs made of thermoplastic or polyurethane material, designed with localized thickness reductions to facilitate breaking and energy absorption, reducing the need for additional empty space and metal components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If empty space is provided between the inner surface of the covering element and the rigid part of the pillar, then impact energy absorption is improved, but the overall dimensions increase and visibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating localized thickness reductions (weakenings) in specific areas of the covering element rather than uniformly reducing thickness throughout. These localized weak spots concentrate deformation in specific zones, enabling effective energy absorption with minimal overall empty space, thus resolving the contradiction between impact absorption and compact dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of the covering element locally by creating weakened zones with reduced material thickness. This parameter change allows the covering element to deform more easily in specific areas during impact, improving energy absorption while maintaining compact overall dimensions without requiring excessive empty space.
2Loss of energy
If metal components with elasticity are added between the rigid part of the pillar and the covering element, then impact energy absorption is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the energy absorption function directly into the covering element itself by integrating weakened zones within the single-piece thermoplastic or polyurethane structure. This eliminates the need for separate metal elastic components, reducing device complexity while maintaining effective impact energy absorption through the deformation of the integrated weakened zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material structures within the covering element by combining regions of different thicknesses in a single thermoplastic or polyurethane piece. The varied thickness creates zones of different stiffness, allowing the element to absorb impact energy through controlled deformation without requiring additional metal components, thus simplifying the overall structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If the covering element is made with uniform thickness, then manufacturing is simplified, but impact energy absorption is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating localized thickness reductions (weakenings) in specific areas of the covering element rather than uniformly reducing thickness throughout. These localized weak spots concentrate deformation in specific zones, enabling effective energy absorption with minimal overall empty space, thus resolving the contradiction between impact absorption and compact dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thickness parameter of the covering element locally by creating weakened zones with reduced material thickness. This parameter change allows the covering element to deform more easily in specific areas during impact, improving energy absorption while maintaining compact overall dimensions without requiring excessive empty space.
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
Enhances impact energy absorption while maintaining compactness and aesthetic integrity, complying with regulatory deceleration limits and simplifying manufacturing, with ribs breaking to absorb energy and minimize dispersion within the cavity.
Implementation Method 1
this empty space, combined with the deformation of the material of the covering element, tends to limit the decelerations of the head
Implementation Method 2
at least some of the ribs (17) have a reduction in thickness... so as to generate a weakening that facilitates the breaking of the ribs (17) themselves
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~6
AI summary
A motor vehicle (1) has a passenger compartment (2) with a plurality of pillars (6), each provided with a respective covering element (11) having an outer surface (14) delimiting the passenger compartment (2); the covering elements (11) have a skeleton (13), which is defined by a single piece of polymer material and includes a wall (15) spaced apart from the corresponding pillar (6), so as to define a cavity (19), and a plurality of ribs (17) projecting from said wall (15) towards the pillar (6); at least some of the ribs (17) have respective reduced thickness portions (20a), each with a thickness ranging from 25% to 75% with respect to a maximum thickness of the respective rib (17).