Split Fender Mount Bracket for Alignment and Pedestrian Impact

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing front vehicle body structures face a challenge in balancing the strength of mounting brackets for fender panels to prevent deformation during assembly, which can lead to offset issues, while also ensuring pedestrian protection in collisions, as weak brackets may not adequately absorb impact loads, potentially increasing injury risk.

Innovation Solution

A fender panel mounting unit with a lower mounting bracket and an upper mounting bracket, featuring strength reinforcements and a variable strength portion, which includes deformation sections and adjusting holes to secure the fender panel's mounting strength and absorb pedestrian collision loads effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the strength of the mounting bracket is set weakly to absorb pedestrian impact load, then pedestrian protection performance is improved, but deformation of the mounting bracket occurs during assembly causing offset between the fender panel and other parts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepedestrian protection performanceVSAvoidassembly alignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting bracket is divided into two separate components: a lower mounting bracket with strength reinforcement for structural stability, and an upper mounting bracket with variable strength portions for impact absorption. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in one function, resolving the contradiction between assembly precision and pedestrian protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The upper mounting bracket incorporates local quality variations through the variable strength portion, which includes a deformation section with reduced thickness. This localized weakness is strategically positioned to absorb impact energy during pedestrian collisions while maintaining overall bracket integrity and assembly alignment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If the strength of the mounting bracket is set strongly to prevent deformation during assembly, then assembly alignment precision is improved, but the risk of injury to the pedestrian increases during collision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly alignment precisionVSAvoidpedestrian injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting bracket is divided into two separate components: a lower mounting bracket with strength reinforcement for structural stability, and an upper mounting bracket with variable strength portions for impact absorption. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in one function, resolving the contradiction between assembly precision and pedestrian protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The upper mounting bracket incorporates local quality variations through the variable strength portion, which includes a deformation section with reduced thickness. This localized weakness is strategically positioned to absorb impact energy during pedestrian collisions while maintaining overall bracket integrity and assembly alignment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the mounting bracket is designed with variable strength portions to absorb impact load, then pedestrian protection performance is improved, but the structural stability during assembly may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact load absorptionVSAvoidstructural stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting bracket is divided into two separate components: a lower mounting bracket with strength reinforcement for structural stability, and an upper mounting bracket with variable strength portions for impact absorption. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in one function, resolving the contradiction between assembly precision and pedestrian protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lower mounting bracket and upper mounting bracket are merged into a single integrated assembly that combines both structural stability and impact absorption functions. The strength reinforcement in the lower bracket provides structural support, while the variable strength portion in the upper bracket enables controlled deformation for energy absorption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20250010922A1Fender panel mounting unit for vehicle body

Publication Date: 2025.01.09 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

An embodiment fender panel mounting apparatus for mounting a fender panel on a fender apron member of a vehicle body is provided. The apparatus includes a lower mounting bracket connected to the fender apron member and having a strength reinforcement and an upper mounting bracket connected to an upper portion of the lower mounting bracket, connected to the fender panel, and having a strength variable portion.