Underrun Protection L-Shaped Bracket for End Deformation Resistance

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing underrun protections in vehicles, such as trucks, deform rearward and downward when subjected to loads, necessitating increased panel thickness to prevent deformation, which in turn increases weight.

Innovation Solution

Incorporation of an L-shaped bracket with a vertical and horizontal panel inside the underrun protection's main body, positioned away from the wheel, to reinforce end portions and prevent deformation without increasing weight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the panel thickness of the underrun protection is increased to prevent deformation, then the resistance to deformation is improved, but the weight of the underrun protection increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresistance to deformationVSAvoidweight of underrun protection

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The underrun protection is divided into multiple functional parts: a main body for overall structure, connecting parts for mounting, and brackets for localized reinforcement. This segmentation allows reinforcement to be applied only where needed (at the distal end) rather than increasing the thickness of the entire panel, thus improving resistance to deformation without proportionally increasing weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of uniformly increasing the panel thickness throughout the underrun protection, the invention applies localized reinforcement through brackets at the distal end where deformation occurs. This local quality approach concentrates the reinforcement material only in the critical area, improving resistance to deformation at the vulnerable location while minimizing the overall weight increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Stability of the object's composition

If the panel thickness is increased to prevent rearward and downward deformation, then the structural stability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The underrun protection is divided into multiple functional parts: a main body for overall structure, connecting parts for mounting, and brackets for localized reinforcement. This segmentation allows reinforcement to be applied only where needed (at the distal end) rather than increasing the thickness of the entire panel, thus improving resistance to deformation without proportionally increasing weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of uniformly increasing the panel thickness throughout the underrun protection, the invention applies localized reinforcement through brackets at the distal end where deformation occurs. This local quality approach concentrates the reinforcement material only in the critical area, improving resistance to deformation at the vulnerable location while minimizing the overall weight increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12528435B2Underrun protection and vehicle

Publication Date: 2026.01.20 ISUZU MOTORS LTD

AI summary

An underrun protection mounted on a vehicle body frame includes: a main body that is hollow in shape and has a longitudinal direction along the width direction of a vehicle; a connecting part connected to the vehicle body frame; a bracket provided farther toward a distal end in the longitudinal direction than the connecting part, inside the main body. The bracket includes a vertical panel disposed along the vertical direction, and a horizontal panel that is connected to a lower end of the vertical panel and is disposed along the longitudinal direction.