Vehicle Side Rail C-Profile With Nested Energy Absorber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle frames require significant structural space for side rails and energy absorbers, limiting the integration of a high-capacity drive battery and creating structural weak points due to stiffness jumps.
Innovation Solution
Integrate a hollow-chamber profile, preferably a C-profile, within the side rail to reduce structural space and enhance energy absorption, using a combination of open and closed profiles to optimize weight and stiffness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If side rails and energy absorbers are positioned separately laterally next to the frame side rails, then energy absorption capability is improved, but structural space requirement increases and reduces battery integration space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the side rail and energy absorber into a single integrated profile structure. The open profile design allows the energy-absorbing hollow-chamber profile to be positioned within the side rail structure itself, merging two previously separate components (side rail and energy absorber) into one unified element that performs both structural support and energy absorption functions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow-chamber energy absorber profile is nested within the open profile of the side rail. This nesting arrangement allows the energy absorber to be contained inside the structural framework of the side rail, optimizing space utilization by placing one component within another rather than positioning them side-by-side.
2Strength
If a closed rectangular profile is used for the side rail, then structural strength is improved, but structural space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a symmetric closed rectangular profile to an asymmetric open profile design. The open profile with its C-shaped or U-shaped cross-section provides sufficient structural strength while occupying less transverse space compared to a closed rectangular profile of equivalent strength, due to the optimized material distribution and structural geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The open profile design concentrates structural material where it is most needed for strength and stiffness, while leaving other areas open to reduce overall space requirement. The profile geometry is optimized locally to provide adequate strength performance while minimizing the transverse envelope dimensions.
3Loss of energy
If hollow-chamber profile is arranged laterally next to the side rail, then energy absorption is improved, but torsional stiffness becomes too high creating structural weak points
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the hollow-chamber energy absorber with the side rail structure into a unified open profile design, the patent achieves energy absorption functionality while avoiding the creation of discrete high-stiffness zones that would cause abrupt torsional stiffness transitions. The integrated structure distributes stiffness more evenly along the frame.
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle with a supporting vehicle frame, in which the vehicle frame has a side rail formed, at least in a section along its longitudinal extent, namely in an energy absorber section, by an open C-profile which is open towards the outside of the vehicle. A hollow-chamber profile having a plurality of hollow chambers is accommodated inside the open C-profile at least in some sections.