Martensitic Steel Sill Reinforcement for Side Impact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery electric vehicles face challenges in absorbing side impact forces due to the weight and location of batteries, which can lead to deformation and potential damage during collisions, and existing body designs fail to effectively distribute impact forces to prevent intrusion into the battery compartment.
Innovation Solution
A reinforcement structure comprising a unitary martensitic steel reinforcement with a specific cross-sectional design, including a first and second lobe with cavities, is integrated between the sill inner and sill outer to absorb impact forces and prevent intrusion into the battery compartment, providing structural rigidity and energy absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the battery is placed in the battery compartment between the sills, then the weight distribution of the vehicle changes, but the body becomes more susceptible to impact deformation and battery damage during side impact
Solution Approach 1:
The sill is divided into multiple components: sill inner, sill outer, and reinforcement member. This segmentation allows each component to perform specific functions - the sill inner and outer provide structural framework while the reinforcement member specifically addresses impact resistance, resolving the contradiction between weight distribution and impact strength
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement member is made of martensitic steel, a high-strength composite material with superior mechanical properties. This material choice enables the reinforcement to absorb impact forces effectively while maintaining overall vehicle weight distribution, addressing both the weight and strength requirements
2Stability of the object's composition
If the body is designed to reinforce the battery compartment, then structural rigidity is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional reinforcement components
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement member is integrated between the sill inner and sill outer, merging multiple structural functions into a unified assembly. This integration provides structural rigidity to the battery compartment while avoiding the complexity of separate, discrete reinforcement components
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement member features a specific cross-sectional geometry with lobes and valleys that concentrate structural strength where needed - between the sill inner and outer - while maintaining simplicity in other areas. This localized quality enhancement provides rigidity without overall structural complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A rocker including a sill elongated along an axis and a reinforcement disposed in the sill. The reinforcement, in cross-section transverse to the axis, includes an intermediate portion, a first lobe, and a second lobe. The first lobe has a first wall extending from the intermediate portion to a first end. The second lobe has a second wall extending from the intermediate portion to the second end. The first and second ends abut opposite surfaces of the intermediate portion. The first lobe and the second lobe of the reinforcement resist buckling in response to components of the impact force applied to the sill reinforcement.