Side Exhaust Duct Layout for Front Crash Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing road cars face issues with increased weight and compromised aerodynamics due to the presence of buffer struts or elongated pillars, which are necessary for crash protection but add significant mass and affect performance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of side exhaust ducts that extend between the under-door side members and front wheels, absorbing kinetic energy during crashes and eliminating the need for auxiliary buffer struts, thereby optimizing the support frame design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If buffer struts or elongated pillars are added to protect against front crashes, then crash protection is improved, but vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust ducts are integrated with the support frame structure, merging the exhaust function with the crash protection function. The exhaust ducts extend between the under-door side members and front wheels, forming a structural element that absorbs kinetic energy during crashes while simultaneously serving as an exhaust pathway, thereby eliminating the need for separate buffer struts or elongated pillars
Solution Approach 2:
The exhaust ducts are designed to perform multiple functions: they serve as exhaust pathways for the engine exhaust gases and simultaneously act as crash protection elements that absorb kinetic energy. This multi-functionality allows the vehicle to achieve both exhaust performance and crash protection without adding dedicated buffer struts or elongated pillars
2Reliability
If buffer struts or elongated pillars are added to protect against front crashes, then crash protection is improved, but aerodynamic performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust ducts are integrated with the support frame structure, merging the exhaust function with the crash protection function. The exhaust ducts extend between the under-door side members and front wheels, forming a structural element that absorbs kinetic energy during crashes while simultaneously serving as an exhaust pathway, thereby eliminating the need for separate buffer struts or elongated pillars
Solution Approach 2:
The exhaust ducts are positioned in the space between the under-door side members and front wheels, utilizing the available volume in this region. This spatial arrangement allows the ducts to function as crash protection elements without protruding outward and disrupting the vehicle's aerodynamic profile
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 design reduces the overall weight of the vehicle and enhances aerodynamic performance by eliminating the need for heavy buffer struts and elongated pillars, while providing effective crash protection through the exhaust ducts.
Implementation Method 1
the exhaust ducts being at least partly aligned with the relative wheel parallel to the direction 6 and being configured to absorb at least part of the kinetic energy produced by a front crash of the car 1
Data Source
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AI summary
A road car has a passenger compartment (4), a front engine (10) mounted in front of the passenger compartment (4), two under-door side members (9a), each mounted under a relative access door (8) of the passenger compartment (4), a front axle provided with a pair of front wheels (7), a pair of side exhaust ducts (13), each at least partly extending between a relative under-door side member (9a) and a relative front wheel (7), being at least partly aligned with the relative front wheel (7) in a travel direction (6) of the road car and being configured to release the exhaust gases produced by the engine (10) and to at least limit the movement of the relative front wheel (7) following a front crash of the road car.