Vehicle Side Pillar Impact Bar Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing vehicle side body structures face challenges in accurately deforming the center pillar during a side collision while maintaining a reduced size, and in distributing the collision load effectively between the upper and lower members, which affects the pillar's deformation mode and intrusion into the vehicle interior.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle side body structure with a pillar member comprising an upper member and a lower member, where the upper member has higher rigidity and the lower member has lower rigidity, and an impact bar positioned to overlap both members, ensuring the load is distributed evenly and the pillar deforms in a desired mode by adjusting the relative positional relationship and using a reinforcing member to manage bending rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the pair of vertical wall parts of the lower member is inclined so that the interval of the pair of vertical wall parts is larger toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, then the bending rigidity against bending toward the vehicle interior is improved, but the width in the vehicle front-rear direction of the lower member becomes large, thereby increasing the size of the center pillar
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating an asymmetric structure where the lower member has different geometric properties at different locations. Specifically, the vertical wall parts are inclined so that the interval between them is larger toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, creating a non-uniform cross-sectional shape that optimizes bending rigidity locally without requiring a larger overall size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetry by making the cross-sectional shapes of the upper member and lower member different, with the lower member having an asymmetric configuration where the vertical wall parts are inclined at different angles. This asymmetric design allows the lower member to achieve higher bending rigidity against vehicle interior bending while maintaining a compact overall size.
2Manufacturing precision
If plate members having different thicknesses and different strengths are integrated or press molded with plate members superposed on each other to improve the rigidity of a part, then the accuracy of deformation of the lower part and the upper part of the center pillar is improved, but the complexity of the manufacturing process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the center pillar into an upper member and a lower member with different thicknesses and material strengths. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function - the upper member for overall structural support and the lower member for controlled deformation accuracy - while simplifying the manufacturing process compared to creating a single complex piece.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by varying the thickness and material strength parameters between the upper member and lower member. The lower member is designed with different thickness and material properties compared to the upper member, allowing precise control over the deformation characteristics of each section during a side collision without requiring complex manufacturing processes.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the relative positional relationship between the impact bar and the center pillar is appropriately set, then the center pillar can be deformed in a desired deformation mode when a collision load is applied, but the design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the relative positional relationship between the impact bar and the center pillar before a collision occurs. The impact bar is positioned to contact specific locations on the upper and lower members at predetermined angles, ensuring that when a collision load is applied, the pillar deforms in the desired mode without requiring complex real-time control or adjustment mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle side body structure having a pillar member including an upper member and a lower member that is joined to the upper member and has a rigidity lower than the upper member, the pillar member partitioning a side part opening of a body into a front part and a rear part; a side door disposed adjacently to the pillar member; and an impact bar provided in the side door, in which a front end portion of the impact bar overlaps with both the upper and lower members in side view while the side door is closed. The upper member has a reinforcing member and the front end portion of the impact bar covers a region of the upper member in which the reinforcing member is present, a region of the upper member in which the reinforcing member is not present, and the lower member in side view.