3D Printed Porous Armrest Substrate for Vehicle Side Impact Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle armrests lack effective absorption of lateral loads during side impacts, potentially transferring harmful forces to occupants.
Innovation Solution
A single-piece armrest substrate is 3D printed with interior walls designed using a virtual force model generated from a combination of impact and use scenarios, incorporating voids and connecting bosses to distribute and absorb forces, reducing the number of components and waste in manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional armrests are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but lateral load absorption during side impacts is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest substrate incorporates a porous structure with interconnected voids that enable lateral load absorption during side impacts. The porous architecture allows controlled deformation and energy dissipation while maintaining structural integrity, directly addressing the insufficient lateral load absorption of conventional solid armrests.
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest is divided into multiple functional zones including a porous substrate with interconnected voids, a foam core, and a cover assembly. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in specific functions: the porous substrate handles lateral impact absorption, the foam core provides additional cushioning, and the cover assembly offers structural protection and aesthetics.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple components are used in armrest assembly, then manufacturing flexibility is higher, but manufacturing complexity and waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest assembly merges multiple functional components into an integrated unit where the porous substrate, foam core, and cover assembly work together as a unified structure. This merging reduces the number of separate parts, simplifies assembly procedures, and minimizes material waste by eliminating gaps and interfaces between components.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous substrate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides lateral load absorption during side impacts, offers structural support for the armrest, enables controlled deformation for energy dissipation, and creates a framework for the foam core and cover assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components.
3Strength
If interior walls are added to armrest substrate, then lateral impact absorption improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding complex interior walls, the invention uses a porous material structure with interconnected voids that naturally distributes impact forces throughout the substrate. The porous architecture provides numerous pathways for stress distribution without requiring precise interior wall positioning, thereby maintaining manufacturing simplicity while improving impact absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of the substrate from solid to porous, altering its mechanical properties to enable superior impact force distribution. This parameter change allows the material itself to handle force distribution through its cellular structure, eliminating the need for complex interior wall geometries and precise positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle door includes a trim panel coupled to a frame. A single-piece armrest substrate is coupled with the frame. The armrest substrate is a three-dimensionally printed member having interior walls that are printed within the armrest substrate according to a virtual force model generated during a virtual impact scenario. The interior walls define a plurality of voids defined within the armrest substrate.