Automobile Shock Absorption Module with Air Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current shock absorption systems in motor vehicles, particularly for insurance-type impacts, require a significant overhang to absorb energy, limiting the exterior geometry of the vehicle and imposing a large support surface, which is not efficient and can lead to irreversible deformation during impacts.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a shock absorption module with an absorber frame that includes upper and lower transverse elements and legs, allowing energy absorption on multiple bearing surfaces, including a lower structural part, which remains intact during impacts, and integrates an air guide to direct airflow to the radiator, reducing the thickness of absorption elements and enhancing compatibility and aerodynamics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the transverse element depth in the longitudinal direction is increased to absorb sufficient energy during insurance impacts, then the energy absorption capability is improved, but the vehicle overhang increases which limits the exterior geometry
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a lower structural part extending downward from the longitudinal members, creating a vertical dimension for energy absorption. The lower transverse element and legs compress against this lower structural part, distributing energy absorption across multiple levels (upper and lower) rather than relying solely on longitudinal depth. This dimensional expansion allows sufficient energy absorption with reduced longitudinal overhang.
Solution Approach 2:
The shock absorption system is segmented into multiple independent compression zones: the upper transverse element compressing against the impact beam, and the lower transverse element with legs compressing against the lower structural part. This segmentation distributes the energy absorption function across multiple bearing surfaces, reducing the required depth of any single element while maintaining overall energy absorption capability.
2Device complexity
If a conventional shock absorption system uses a single upper transverse element and impact beam arrangement, then the structure is simple, but the total compression surface area is limited reducing energy absorption efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The lower structural part extends vertically downward, and the lower transverse element with legs provides a second level of compression surface. This vertical dimensionality addition increases the total compression surface area without significantly complicating the overall structure, as the lower elements follow a similar configuration to the upper elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The lower structural part serves multiple functions: it provides a bearing surface for energy absorption during insurance impacts, maintains structural integrity during pedestrian impacts, and enables the legs and lower transverse element to compress against it. This multi-functionality increases compression surface area without requiring separate dedicated components for each function.
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
This solution enables efficient energy absorption with reduced overhang, improved compatibility, and enhanced aerodynamics by providing a larger impact surface and guiding airflow, while maintaining structural integrity and reducing the number of vehicle parts needed.
Implementation Method 1
energy absorption is not ensured solely by the upper transverse element combined with the impact beam... but also by elements arranged at a lower height than that of the longitudinal members, in particular thanks to the compression of the lower transverse element or the legs against said lower structural part of the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
the total compression surface of absorbers is greater than in the state of the art. The bearing surfaces thus include not only the end of the beams (such as a mounting plate for the impact beam), but also a bearing surface offered by the lower structural part
Implementation Method 3
a wall forming an air guide extending from the upper transverse element towards the radiator, a particularly advantageous function that can be provided by the absorption module consists in guiding the incoming air through openings, provided in the skin of the bumpers, towards the radiator of the vehicle
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 2~3
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a shock absorption module (10) for an automobile, that comprises: an upper transverse member (12) that bears against the shock beam (32) of the vehicle; a lower transverse member (14) and two jambs (16a, 16b) connecting the upper (12) and lower (14) transverse members in order to substantially define a so-called absorption frame (18); the lower transverse member (14) or one of said two jambs (16a, 16b) bearing against a lower structural part (36) of the vehicle, while a wall (30) defining an air guide extends from the upper transverse member (12) to the radiator (54) of the vehicle.