Side Door Structure With Internal Impact Absorber and Drainage

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Solution Overview

Problem

The adoption of side doors covering vehicle-widthwise outer surfaces of side sills in vehicles reduces the space for impact energy absorption, compromising the ability to adequately protect batteries during side collisions.

Innovation Solution

A side door structure incorporating an inner panel, outer panel, drain hole, and impact absorbing member, where the impact absorbing member is positioned on the vehicle-widthwise inner side of the inner panel, extending in the vehicle body front-rear direction to face the side sill, allowing for adequate rigidity reinforcement without impairing rainwater drainage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If side doors are adopted to cover the vehicle-widthwise outer surfaces of side sills, then dirt adhesion is prevented, but the space for impact energy absorption is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirt adhesion preventionVSAvoidimpact energy absorption space

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The impact absorbing member is disposed inside the side door structure, nesting the impact absorption function within the door assembly. This allows the side door to simultaneously provide dirt protection and maintain adequate impact energy absorption capacity without requiring additional external space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Strength

If an impact absorbing member is disposed inside the side door, then impact energy absorption is improved, but rainwater drainage may be impaired

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact energy absorptionVSAvoidrainwater drainage

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The side door structure incorporates localized drainage holes at specific positions that are strategically placed to ensure rainwater can drain effectively despite the presence of the impact absorbing member. This local modification maintains drainage functionality while preserving the overall impact absorption capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20250303830A1Side door structure

Publication Date: 2025.10.02 SUBARU CORP

AI summary

A side door structure includes an inner panel, an outer panel, a drain hole, and an impact absorbing member. The inner panel covers a vehicle-widthwise outer side of a side sill extending in a front-rear direction of a vehicle body of a vehicle. The outer panel is disposed at a position facing the inner panel and joined, at an edge part of the outer panel, to the inner panel to constitute a side door of the vehicle together with the inner panel. The drain hole is provided in a lower end part of the inner panel. The drain hole is designed to rainwater entering an internal space of the side door from an outside of the vehicle. The impact absorbing member is disposed on a vehicle-widthwise inner side of the inner panel. The impact absorbing member extends in the front-rear direction at a position facing the side sill.