Roll-Formed Vehicle Beam With Central Insert for Impact Stiffness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle bumper structural beams are costly and time-consuming to manufacture due to their multiple, separately formed components, and they often require increased mass to meet impact energy absorption requirements, which compromises weight efficiency and cost.
Innovation Solution
A roll-formed structural beam with a reinforcing insert integrated during the roll-forming process, featuring an elongated hollow body with a central insert that divides the interior volume into elongated areas, providing enhanced stiffness and impact energy absorption while maintaining a lightweight design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If multiple separately formed components are used in conventional bumper structural beams, then impact energy absorption requirements can be met, but manufacturing time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separately formed components into a single integrated structural beam that is formed in one piece. The beam includes an outer shell with integrated reinforcement features and internal structure, eliminating the need for assembly of multiple components. This merging reduces manufacturing time while maintaining the strength and impact energy absorption capabilities through optimized monolithic design.
2Strength
If multiple separately formed components are used in conventional bumper structural beams, then structural integrity can be achieved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple structural functions into a single manufactured component. The structural beam is formed as one piece with integrated outer shell, reinforcement elements, and internal structure, reducing the number of manufacturing steps, assembly operations, and associated costs while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The single structural beam component performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, impact energy absorption, and structural reinforcement through its integrated design. This multi-functionality in a single component reduces the need for separate parts and assembly operations, lowering manufacturing costs.
3Strength
If increased mass is used in structural beams to meet impact energy absorption requirements, then impact resistance is improved, but vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies reinforcement strategically at specific locations within the structural beam where it is most needed for impact resistance. The integrated design includes localized thickening, ribs, or reinforcement elements positioned to maximize impact energy absorption while keeping other areas of the beam lighter, optimizing the strength-to-weight ratio.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural beam utilizes composite construction with the outer shell and internal reinforcement features forming a composite structure. This allows different regions of the beam to have different material properties or thicknesses, providing high strength where needed for impact resistance while maintaining lower weight in non-critical areas.
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 solution reduces manufacturing time and costs by forming a single sheet of metal with a reinforcing insert, achieving increased stiffness and impact energy absorption without significantly increasing vehicle weight, thus balancing strength and weight efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a roll-formed outer beam profile having an elongated hollow body formed from a sheet material
Implementation Method 2
The intermediate wall of the reinforcing insert may be welded to the front wall portion of the outer beam profile
Implementation Method 3
The zero-thickness bends may be annealed during the roll-forming process
Data Source
AI summary
A reinforcement beam for a vehicle has an outer beam profile and a reinforcing insert introduced during the roll-forming process. The outer beam profile defines an elongated hollow body and includes a front wall portion and a rear wall portion. The outer beam profile may include upper and lower flanges formed in planar extension of the font wall portion. The reinforcing insert may define an upper shear wall and a lower shear wall that each extend between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion. The reinforcing insert may be introduced to a partial profile in a roll-forming process through an automated operation. The reinforcing insert may be present over a central section of the elongated hollow body and have a length that is less than half the length of the elongated hollow body.