Telescoping Vehicle Bumper for On-Road and Off-Road Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-use vehicles face challenges in configuring their bumpers to meet both on-road safety regulations and off-road performance needs, as existing bumper designs either compromise off-road capability or are inconvenient to reconfigure, often leading to non-compliance with safety regulations when driven on paved roads.
Innovation Solution
A configurable bumper system featuring a center body with telescoping end assemblies and locking mechanisms, allowing the bumper to be adjusted between two axial positions, ensuring compliance with on-road safety requirements while optimizing off-road performance without the need for removing components, and incorporating on-board storage for all parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the bumper extends the full track width to comply with on-road safety regulations, then safety compliance is improved, but off-road performance deteriorates due to restricted wheel movement and reduced approach angle
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper incorporates telescoping end assemblies that can dynamically adjust their length between extended and retracted positions. This dynamic adjustment allows the bumper to extend the full track width for on-road safety compliance while retracting to clear wheel wells for off-road operation, resolving the contradiction between safety compliance and off-road performance
Solution Approach 2:
The bumper is segmented into a center body and separate telescoping end assemblies. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of the end assemblies relative to the center body, enabling the bumper to be configured for different operating conditions without compromising the structural integrity of the entire assembly
2Adaptability or versatility
If the bumper is customized for optimal off-road performance by removing or shortening end assemblies, then off-road capability is improved, but on-road safety compliance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The telescoping end assemblies provide dynamic adjustability, allowing the bumper to be extended to full track width for on-road safety compliance and retracted for off-road capability. This eliminates the need for permanent customization or removal of components, enabling the vehicle to meet safety requirements when driven on public roadways while maintaining off-road performance
3Ease of operation
If the bumper components are made removable and storable in a compact space, then ease of configuration is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The telescoping end assemblies nest within the center body when retracted, providing compact on-board storage without requiring separate storage compartments. This nesting arrangement simplifies the configuration process by eliminating the need to completely remove and manually store components, while the integrated design minimizes the increase in device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A configurable bumper for a vehicle may include a center body, one or more telescoping end assemblies adapted to slide in a direction parallel to the axis of the center body and perpendicular to the axis of vehicle, and a locking mechanism for each telescoping end assembly. The telescoping end assemblies may be secured in at least two different axial positions on the center body. A method for manufacturing a bumper may include forming bumper components in near-net shape by a profile extrusion process and sizing to length.