Rear Suspension Mounting Assembly for Cab Intrusion Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rear suspension systems in heavy-duty vehicles do not adequately reduce firewall intrusion during front collision impacts, despite meeting safety regulatory demands, as they do not allow sufficient rearward movement of the cab to dissipate impact energy effectively.
Innovation Solution
A rear suspension mounting assembly with a lower bracket secured to the vehicle chassis and an upper bracket connected via first and second connecting means, where the first connecting means break at a threshold force, allowing the upper bracket to move rearward relative to the lower bracket, while remaining connected, thereby enhancing cab movement and reducing deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the rear suspension is designed to be rigid to meet safety regulatory demands, then the cab remains connected to the vehicle chassis, but the firewall intrusion inside the driver's compartment increases during front collision impact
Solution Approach 1:
The rear suspension mounting assembly is divided into two separate connecting means: first connecting means (rigid connection) and second connecting means (movable connection). This segmentation allows the system to provide both rigid support under normal conditions and controlled movement during collision to reduce firewall intrusion while maintaining cab connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The rear suspension is designed with dynamic characteristics through the second connecting means that allows controlled movement between the upper and lower brackets. This enables the suspension to adapt its stiffness - rigid during normal operation for stability, and flexible during collision to allow cab rearward movement and reduce intrusion.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the rear suspension is designed to allow cab movement to reduce firewall intrusion, then safety is improved, but the cab connection to the vehicle chassis may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is segmented into two functional parts: the first connecting means that provides rigid connection to maintain cab-chassis attachment, and the second connecting means that provides movable connection to enable controlled cab rearward movement. This ensures both cab movement for intrusion reduction and maintained connection for reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges two contrasting connection types (rigid and movable) into a single rear suspension mounting assembly. The first and second connecting means work together to simultaneously achieve cab connection reliability and controlled movement capability, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the first connecting means are dimensioned to break at threshold force to allow cab movement, then impact energy is transferred to cab movement, but the structural integrity of the rear suspension is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The load path is segmented between two connecting means with different strength characteristics. The first connecting means is designed with lower strength to break at threshold force, channeling impact energy into cab movement. The second connecting means maintains higher strength to preserve overall structural integrity and ensure continued cab connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The second connecting means acts as an intermediary that remains intact while the first connecting means breaks. It mediates between the broken first connecting means and the cab-chassis connection, maintaining structural integrity and ensuring the cab remains connected to the chassis even after the first connecting means fails.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a rear suspension mounting assembly adapted to connect a cab to a vehicle chassis. A lower bracket is provided with a first fastener for securing it to a vehicle chassis. An upper bracket is provided with a second fastener for securing it to a cab. First and second connecting means connect the upper bracket to the lower bracket, wherein the first connecting means are adapted to rigidly connect the upper bracket to the lower bracket, the second connecting means are adapted to movably connect the upper bracket to the lower bracket. When the brackets are connected by both connecting means, the upper bracket is rigidly connected to the lower bracket, wherein the first connecting means are dimensioned to break when subjected to a threshold force at which the second connecting means remain intact and allow the upper bracket to move relative to the lower bracket.