Slidable Truss Assembly Shear Attachment for Vehicle Impact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle designs face challenges in effectively absorbing and redirecting impact loads during frontal collisions, particularly in Small Offset Rigid Barrier (SORB) tests, where loads applied outboard of the main rail can cause significant intrusion and stress without adequate load distribution.
Innovation Solution
A slidable truss assembly is integrated into the vehicle frame, featuring a forward mounting member, a rear mounting member, and a frame assembly connected to both, with an attachment that shears when a threshold load is exceeded, allowing the rear mounting member to slide relative to the main rail, thereby redistributing and absorbing the impact load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the attachment is made strong to prevent shearing, then the structural strength is improved, but the ability to absorb impact load through sliding is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment is designed with specific material properties and geometric parameters (thickness, width, material strength) that allow it to shear at a predetermined load threshold. By carefully selecting these parameters, the attachment maintains structural integrity during normal operation but fails in a controlled manner during impact to enable load absorption through sliding.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the truss assembly is made rigid to maintain structural stability, then the structural stability is improved, but the ability to deflect loads laterally during impact is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The truss assembly is divided into rigid truss members for structural stability and a detachable attachment component for controlled failure. This segmentation allows the majority of the structure to remain stable while the specific attachment point can fail to enable load redistribution and sliding motion during impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment is designed to transition from a static connected state during normal operation to a dynamic sliding state during impact. The controlled shearing of the attachment allows the rear mounting member to slide relative to the main rail, enabling the structure to adapt dynamically to impact loads.
3Volume of moving object
If the attachment is positioned closer to the forward mounting member, then the structural compactness is improved, but the sliding distance for load absorption is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding motion is enabled in a lateral dimension along the main rail rather than requiring increased longitudinal spacing. This allows the rear mounting member to slide laterally relative to the main rail, providing sufficient sliding distance for load absorption while maintaining compact longitudinal dimensions of the assembly.
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
The slidable truss assembly effectively absorbs and redirects impact loads, minimizing intrusion into the vehicle and reducing peak load by lengthening the load application time, thus enhancing safety during frontal impact tests like the SORB test.
Implementation Method 1
The attachment is configured to shear when a load that exceeds a threshold load is applied to a front of the vehicle. The shearing of the attachment permits the rear mounting member to slide relative to the main rail.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle frame assembly includes, among other things, a main rail of a vehicle and a truss assembly. The truss assembly includes a forward mounting member directly coupled to the main rail, a rear mounting member, a frame assembly connected to the forward mounting member and the rear mounting member, and an attachment that directly couples the rear mounting member to the main rail. The attachment is configured to shear when a load that exceeds a threshold load is applied to a front of the vehicle. The shearing of the attachment permits the rear mounting member to slide relative to the main rail.