Sliding Door Load Transmission via Rocker Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles with sliding doors, the existing side portion structures struggle to effectively transmit collision loads to the rocker during a side collision, resulting in reduced load transmission due to the design of the door hinge, which limits the energy absorption and distribution to the vehicle's frame.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle side portion structure that includes a rocker, a sliding door connected by a door hinge, and a load transmitting member mounted to the door inner panel, which transmits collision loads to a region of the rocker different from the hinge connection, enhancing load transmission paths and distributing forces to the rocker and center pillar.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the door hinge is structured to pivot with the vehicle vertical direction being the axial direction, then the sliding door can move in the vehicle transverse direction, but the collision load cannot be transmitted rectilinearly along the vehicle transverse direction
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly is segmented into two independent load transmission paths: the door hinge for movement control and the load transmitting member for collision load transmission. This segmentation allows the hinge to pivot for door operation while the load transmitting member transmits collision loads rectilinearly to the rocker.
Solution Approach 2:
The load transmitting member acts as an intermediary element between the door outer panel and the rocker. It receives collision loads from the door outer panel and transmits them to the rocker, serving as a mediator that enables rectilinear load transmission without interfering with the hinge's pivoting function.
2Ease of operation
If the door hinge connects the rocker and sliding door, then the door can be operated, but the collision load transmitted to the rocker is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The door assembly is segmented into two independent load transmission paths: the door hinge for movement control and the load transmitting member for collision load transmission. This segmentation allows the hinge to pivot for door operation while the load transmitting member transmits collision loads rectilinearly to the rocker.
Solution Approach 2:
The door inner panel's mounted-to portion serves multiple functions: it provides the mounting interface for the door hinge enabling door operation, and simultaneously provides the mounting interface for the load transmitting member enabling collision load transmission. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by allowing both door operation and effective load transmission through a single mounting location.
3Force
If a load transmitting member is added to transmit collision load to a different region of the rocker, then collision load transmission is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The load transmitting member is merged with the door inner panel through the mounted-to portion, forming an integrated assembly. This merging reduces the number of separate parts while maintaining the load transmission function, as the load transmitting member becomes a structural component of the door assembly rather than a separate attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The door inner panel's mounted-to portion serves multiple functions: it provides the mounting interface for the door hinge enabling door operation, and simultaneously provides the mounting interface for the load transmitting member enabling collision load transmission. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by allowing both door operation and effective load transmission through a single mounting location.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle side portion structure including: a rocker that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction at a vehicle transverse direction outer side of a vehicle body lower portion; a sliding door that slides in the vehicle longitudinal direction, includes a door inner panel, which is connected to the rocker by a door hinge slidable in the vehicle longitudinal direction and which has a mounted-to portion that is lined up in a vehicle transverse direction with the rocker, and includes a door outer panel that is disposed further toward a vehicle transverse direction outer side than the door inner panel; and a load transmitting member that is mounted to the mounted-to portion and transmits a collision load, which is input to the door outer panel from a vehicle side, to a region of the rocker that is different from a region to which the door hinge is connected.