Vehicle Body Side Structure With Overlapping Pillar Crush Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle body side structures require significant deformation of pillars to effectively absorb collision loads, which can result in the pillar entering the vehicle interior during a collision.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle body side structure design featuring side sills, a center pillar with a crushing member and an impactor that overlap in the upward/downward direction, where the impactor collapses inward and downward to actively crush the crushing member, minimizing pillar deformation and absorbing collision loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the pillar is designed to absorb collision load through deformation, then collision energy is absorbed, but the pillar enters the vehicle interior
Solution Approach 1:
The pillar structure is segmented into multiple functional sections: a deformation allowable section at the upper end, an intermediate section, and a crushing member with impactor at the lower end. This segmentation allows different parts to perform different functions - the upper part deforms to absorb energy while the lower crushing member crushes actively to prevent intrusion, resolving the contradiction between energy absorption and intrusion prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The crushing member and impactor act as intermediary elements between the external collision load and the pillar structure. The impactor, positioned inside the pillar outer, actively crushes the crushing member which is joined to the side sill, creating a controlled deformation zone that absorbs energy without allowing the main pillar to intrude into the vehicle interior
2Stability of the object's composition
If the pillar is held in a straight line state at initial collision stage, then pillar shape is maintained, but significant deformation is required before effective load absorption
Solution Approach 1:
The deformation allowable section is pre-configured with reduced deformation strength at the upper end portion of the pillar, and the crushing member with impactor is pre-positioned at the lower end. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when collision occurs, the upper section deforms first in a controlled manner, initiating energy absorption before the main pillar structure is compromised, thus maintaining pillar stability while enabling efficient load absorption
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
This design effectively absorbs collision loads while minimizing pillar deformation, enhancing safety by reducing the likelihood of the pillar entering the vehicle interior during a collision.
Implementation Method 1
the crushing member can be actively crushed... it is possible to absorb energy due to a collision load input to the pillar
Data Source
AI summary
This vehicle body side structure includes: side sills provided at both end portions of a floor section in a width direction of a vehicle and extending in a forward/rearward direction of the vehicle; a pillar extending upward from each of the side sills and having a pillar outer provided on an outside in the width direction of the vehicle; a crushing member provided inward in the width direction of the vehicle with respect to the pillar outer and having a lower portion joined to the side sill and extending above the side sill; and an impactor which is provided above the crushing member, which is joined to an inside of the pillar outer in the width direction of the vehicle, and in which the impactor and the crushing member at least partially overlap in an upward/downward direction.