Vehicle Subframe Counterface Geometry for Oblique Collision Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles, oblique collisions can cause unintended contact between the subframe and body counterfaces, leading to potential damage to installed parts in the front compartment due to rotational motion, and increasing the body's rigidity to prevent this also increases its weight.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle design includes counterfaces on the body and subframe that are inclined downward and inward in the rearward direction, preventing unintended contact during oblique collisions by ensuring the subframe disengages properly from the body without increasing the vehicle's weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the rigidity of the body is increased to prevent unintended contact between counterfaces during oblique collision, then the damage to installed parts is avoided, but the weight of the body increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new dimensional aspect to the counterface geometry by adding an inclination toward the inner side in the right-left direction, in addition to the existing downward inclination in the rearward direction. This dual-dimensional inclination creates a three-dimensional surface profile that actively guides the subframe away from the body during oblique collisions, preventing harmful contact without requiring increased body rigidity or weight
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the geometric parameters of the counterfaces by specifying particular inclination angle ranges (5-15 degrees downward in rearward direction, and 5-10 degrees inward in right-left direction). These parameter changes optimize the disengagement behavior during collisions, achieving reliable protection of installed parts while maintaining the original body weight
2Strength
If the subframe is designed to disengage from the body during head-on collision, then deformation of the body is suppressed, but unintended contact may occur during oblique collision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates an asymmetric counterface profile by combining a downward inclination with an inward inclination toward the centerline of the vehicle. This asymmetric geometry ensures that during oblique collisions, the subframe follows a disengagement path that avoids contact with the body, while during head-on collisions, the downward inclination still enables proper disengagement and body deformation suppression
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a body including a front compartment and a subframe configured to support an installed part disposed in the front compartment. The body includes a first counterface that inclines downward in a rearward direction of the vehicle. The subframe is attached to the body from below. The subframe includes a second counterface facing the first counterface of the body. The second counterface is inclined downward in the rearward direction of the vehicle. At least one of the first counterface and the second counterface includes a portion inclined rearward toward an inner side in a right-left direction of the vehicle.