Pivoting Entry Step Structure for Sliding Door Side-Impact Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles with sliding doors, side collisions can result in significant intrusion of the sliding door into the vehicle due to the absence of a center pillar, compromising vehicle rigidity and potentially allowing water ingress.
Innovation Solution
A boarding and alighting step is deployed on the vehicle's side, pivotable between a use state and a closed state, overlapping with the sliding door in the closed position to enhance vehicle rigidity and include a seal member to prevent water ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a sliding door with two door portions is provided without a center pillar, then the ease of operation is improved, but the strength is worsened due to increased intrusion risk during side collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The step is positioned in advance to overlap with the sliding door in the closed state, creating a preliminary structural reinforcement that prevents intrusion during side collisions before the collision actually occurs
Solution Approach 2:
The step acts as an intermediary structural element between the sliding door and the vehicle body side surface, transmitting collision inputs from the side collision vehicle to the body side surfaces on both sides of the sliding door, thereby reducing sliding door intrusion
2Ease of operation
If the step is deployed outward for passenger boarding and alighting, then the ease of operation is improved, but the rigidity of the side portion is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The step is designed to be movable between a deployed state for passenger boarding and alighting and a closed state that overlaps with the sliding door to increase rigidity, allowing the structure to dynamically adapt to different operational requirements
3Stability of the object's composition
If the step is closed on the vehicle side surface, then the rigidity of the side portion is improved, but the ease of operation is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The step is designed to be movable between a closed state for rigidity and a deployed state for ease of operation, allowing the structure to dynamically adapt to different operational requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A boarding and alighting step-mounted vehicle includes an entrance provided in a vehicle side portion, a sliding door having two door portions for opening and closing the getting-on/off port by sliding in directions opposite to each other in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a step body having a step body for allowing an occupant to step when getting on and off the vehicle. The step is switchable between the use state and the closed state by rotating the vehicle lower portion on the entrance side as a pivot axis. In the use state of the step, the step body is in a posture deployed outward of the vehicle. In the closed state of the step, the step body is closed on the vehicle side and is in a posture facing the sliding door.