Pivoting Rear Bumper for Dynamic Impact Absorption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rear impact guards for vehicles lack the ability to dynamically adjust their position in response to driving conditions, which can lead to inefficient energy absorption during collisions and inadequate ground clearance, and do not provide timely warnings to drivers about potential bumper collisions.
Innovation Solution
A rear impact guard system where a bumper is pivotally connected to the vehicle frame and actuated by hydraulic, pneumatic, or mechanical means, allowing it to pivot between a vertical and angled position, with a controller issuing warnings based on driving mode and potential collision threats, and optionally featuring power-operated steps for enhanced accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the bumper is fixed in a vertical position, then ground clearance is maintained, but impact force absorption during collisions is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper is designed to pivot between a vertical position (for normal driving and ground clearance) and an angled position (for collision impact absorption). This dynamic repositioning allows the bumper to adapt to different operational conditions, providing both ground clearance maintenance and effective impact force absorption during collisions.
2Strength
If the bumper is fixed in an angled position, then impact force is absorbed, but ground clearance is reduced and accessibility is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper transitions from a fixed angled design to a dynamically adjustable system that can pivot between vertical and angled positions. This allows the bumper to provide impact absorption when needed while maintaining ground clearance and accessibility during normal operations.
3Strength
If a rigid connection is used between the bumper and frame, then structural strength is maintained, but impact energy dissipation is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the bumper and frame is changed from rigid to pivotal, allowing the bumper to rotate and absorb impact energy through controlled movement. This dynamic connection maintains structural strength while enabling effective impact energy dissipation through the pivoting action.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the bumper position is manually adjusted, then adaptability to driving conditions is achieved, but response time is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that automatically detect collision conditions and trigger the bumper to pivot to the angled position without manual intervention. This self-activating mechanism eliminates the time delay associated with manual adjustment while maintaining adaptability to driving conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to detect collision conditions and provides feedback to the control system, which then activates the actuator to reposition the bumper. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures rapid automatic response to changing driving conditions without manual intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a frame and a bumper pivotally connected to the frame. An actuator is mounted to the frame and coupled to the bumper. The actuator is operable to pivot the bumper relative to the frame between a substantially vertical position and an angled position. A user interface is used to activate the actuator. A vehicle controller is programmed to receive a signal from the user interface, and responsive to receiving the signal, activate the actuator to pivot the bumper. The controller may also issue warnings to the driver when the bumper is in an incorrect position for the current driving conditions.