Vehicle Side Pillar-Rocker Structure for Side Collision Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle side collision structures fail to effectively suppress the collapsing-in of pillars towards the vehicle's transverse direction during a side collision, compromising the protection of the vehicle cabin.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle side portion structure featuring a rocker with an extending portion and a frame member positioned to the vehicle's transverse direction inner side of the rocker, which includes a closed cross-sectional design and is connected to a battery side frame, enhancing rigidity and load transmission to stabilize the rocker and pillar during a side collision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the rocker is connected only to the pillar at the upper side, then the structure is simpler, but the pillar collapses-in toward the vehicle transverse direction inner side during side collision
Solution Approach 1:
The rocker is extended from a single-point connection at the upper side to a multi-point connection spanning multiple dimensions (upper side, lower side, and vehicle transverse direction outer side). This dimensional expansion allows the frame member to be positioned at the lower side of the extending portion, creating a more stable triangular support configuration that prevents pillar collapsing-in during side collision.
2Device complexity
If the frame member is positioned only at the upper side of the rocker, then the structure is simpler, but the torsional rigidity is insufficient to suppress rocker collapsing-in
Solution Approach 1:
The frame member is repositioned from the upper side to the lower side of the extending portion of the rocker. This positional change in the vertical dimension creates a larger moment arm, enhancing the torsional rigidity of the rocker assembly. The extended portion now spans from the upper side to the lower side of the frame member, forming a more rigid triangular structure that effectively resists side collision forces.
3Device complexity
If the extending portion does not extend toward the vehicle transverse direction inner side, then the structure is simpler, but the load transmission to the frame member is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The extending portion is designed with asymmetric extension, extending further toward the vehicle transverse direction inner side than the vehicle transverse direction center of the battery side frame. This asymmetric configuration optimizes the load transmission path, allowing the extending portion to effectively transfer collision loads to the frame member at the lower side, enhancing overall structural integrity during side collision.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle side portion structure has: a pillar extending in a vehicle vertical direction at a vehicle side portion; a rocker extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction at a lower side of the pillar and connected to the pillar, and structured to include a main body portion and an extending portion that extends toward a vehicle transverse direction inner side from an upper portion of the main body portion; and a frame member disposed at a vehicle transverse direction inner side of the main body portion and a vehicle lower side of the extending portion.