Powertrain Support Programmed Deformation for Frontal Impact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing powertrain supports in motor vehicles are not designed to break during frontal impacts, making them too rigid and preventing the stretcher from deforming freely, which can lead to increased intrusions into the passenger compartment and potential occupant injury.
Innovation Solution
A powertrain support with a programmed deformation zone, featuring a cage with reduced mechanical resistance and a flexible wedge, allowing controlled deformation during impacts, integrated with attachment interfaces to the stretcher, ensuring the support deforms in sync with the chassis frame without altering the vehicle body or powertrain design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the powertrain support is designed without a programmed deformation zone, then the support maintains high structural strength and rigidity, but the stretcher cannot deform freely during frontal impact, causing increased intrusions into the passenger compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The powertrain support is segmented into distinct zones: rigid portions that maintain structural strength and a programmed deformation zone that allows controlled collapse. This segmentation enables different parts of the same component to have different mechanical properties, resolving the contradiction between overall strength and localized deformability.
Solution Approach 2:
The powertrain support features local quality variation through the programmed deformation zone, which has reduced mechanical resistance compared to other portions. This allows the support to be strong where needed while being deliberately weak in specific areas to enable energy-absorbing deformation during impact.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the powertrain support is made rigid to maintain structural integrity, then the support provides stable powertrain mounting, but it prevents the stretcher from deforming freely during impact, increasing compressibility loss to 40%
Solution Approach 1:
The programmed deformation zone is pre-designed with specific geometric features (grooves, reduced thickness sections) that predictably control where and how deformation will occur during impact. This preliminary structuring ensures that the support will deform in a controlled manner, absorbing energy while maintaining stable mounting in non-deformation zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical resistance parameter is deliberately changed across different portions of the powertrain support. The programmed deformation zone has reduced thickness or includes grooves that lower its mechanical resistance, allowing it to deform at lower stresses while other portions maintain higher resistance for stable mounting.
3Loss of energy
If a programmed deformation zone is added to the powertrain support to enable controlled deformation, then compressibility loss is reduced to 15%, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The programmed deformation zone utilizes thin-walled structural features, grooves, or reduced-thickness sections that are inherently more compliant. These thin-film-like structures enable controlled deformation and energy absorption without requiring complex active mechanisms, sensors, or control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The programmed deformation zone is designed as a sacrificial element intended to deform or fail in a controlled manner during impact. This disposable-like approach allows simple geometric modifications rather than complex reusable mechanisms, reducing overall device complexity while achieving energy absorption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The support effectively absorbs impact energy, reducing intrusions into the passenger compartment by limiting compressibility loss to 15%, compared to 40% without the programmed deformation zone, enhancing safety and maintaining similar design and manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a programmed deformation zone having reduced mechanical resistance... The support according to the invention enables the powertrain support to deform at the programmed deformation zone during a frontal impact of the vehicle, thereby following the deformation of the chassis frame
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an assembly for a motor vehicle comprising: - at least one side rail (11) having a longitudinal extension direction (D1), and - at least one powertrain support (13) attached to said side rail (11), said support (13) having: - a cage (16) of closed circumference delimiting a hollow interior space, - a wedge (24) made of a flexible material arranged at least partly inside the hollow interior space of the cage (16), and - at least two interfaces for attachment (25) to the side rail (11) provided in the cage (16). In accordance with the invention, a portion of the cage (16) extending longitudinally in the longitudinal extension direction (D1) of the side rail (11) has a programmed deformation zone (33) with reduced mechanical strength.