Reinforcement Bracket for Front End Assembly Impact Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle front end assemblies fail to evenly distribute impact forces during a front impact, leading to excessive bending moments on leg impactors during pedestrian collision tests.
Innovation Solution
A front end assembly featuring a headlamp assembly, an upper bumper assembly, and a reinforcement bracket with higher rigidity than the brace portion, which engages with the upper bumper assembly to inhibit its rearward movement during a front impact, thereby distributing forces more evenly in the vehicle-vertical direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the upper bumper assembly is designed to elastically deform to absorb impact energy, then impact energy absorption is improved, but the ability to evenly distribute forces in the vehicle-vertical direction deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The front end assembly is divided into multiple structural segments: the upper bumper assembly for energy absorption, the headlamp assembly with brace portion for force distribution, and the reinforcement bracket for structural support. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the bumper deforms to absorb energy while the stiffer headlamp assembly and reinforcement bracket maintain structural integrity and distribute forces evenly in the vertical direction
Solution Approach 2:
The front end assembly uses composite structural design combining materials with different mechanical properties. The upper bumper assembly uses more compliant materials for elastic deformation, while the headlamp assembly and reinforcement bracket use stiffer materials to provide structural support and force distribution. This composite approach allows simultaneous energy absorption and force distribution
2Stability of the object's composition
If the bumper assembly is made more rigid to inhibit rearward movement, then force distribution is improved, but impact energy absorption capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the front end assembly have different rigidity characteristics tailored to their specific functions. The upper bumper assembly has lower rigidity for energy absorption, while the headlamp assembly and reinforcement bracket have higher rigidity for force distribution and rearward movement control. This local differentiation of mechanical properties resolves the contradiction between rigidity and energy absorption
3Strength
If a reinforcement bracket with higher rigidity is added to the headlamp assembly, then the ability to inhibit rearward bumper movement is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement bracket is integrated with the headlamp assembly, combining the headlamp housing and brace portion into a unified structural unit. This merging approach allows the reinforcement function to be achieved while sharing mounting points and structural elements with the existing headlamp assembly, thereby reducing the increase in device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a headlamp assembly, an upper bumper assembly, and a reinforcement bracket. The headlamp assembly includes a headlamp housing and a brace portion. The brace portion includes a front end that extends forward beyond the headlamp housing in the vehicle-longitudinal direction. The upper bumper assembly extends in a vehicle-lateral direction. The upper bumper assembly is positioned forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction with respect to the brace portion. The reinforcement bracket is attached to the brace portion. The reinforcement bracket has a rigidity higher than a rigidity of the brace portion. The reinforcement bracket reinforces the brace portion upon engagement with the upper bumper assembly as the upper bumper assembly deflects rearward in the vehicle-longitudinal direction in response to a front impact to the upper bumper assembly to inhibit movement of the upper bumper assembly rearward in the vehicle-longitudinal direction.