Variable Back Beam for Vehicle Crash Energy Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing front end module of passenger vehicles has limited shock absorption areas due to the shorter length of the back beam and foam in the vehicle-width direction, concentrating impact on the crush box during collisions, which is inadequate for safety assessments like the European new car assessment program's mobile progressive deformable barrier test.
Innovation Solution
A variable back beam design that increases in length during collisions by using an inner beam and operation member to extend the protruding length from the main beam, assisted by an inflator that generates inflation pressure to expand the beam's length, thereby increasing the shock absorption area and reducing impact on the crush box.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the back beam length is kept short to match the front bumper cover length for aerodynamic design, then the aerodynamic performance is improved, but the shock absorption area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The back beam is designed with variable length capability through inner beams that can extend or retract relative to the main beam. During normal driving, the inner beams remain retracted to maintain aerodynamic efficiency. During collision, the inner beams extend outward to increase the shock absorption area and distribute impact forces more effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner beams are nested within the main beam structure, allowing them to be stored compactly during normal operation and deployed when needed. This nesting arrangement enables the back beam to transform from a compact aerodynamic shape to an expanded collision-resistant structure without requiring additional external space.
2Device complexity
If the foam length is kept short to match the back beam length, then the device complexity is reduced, but the shock absorption capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The foam is designed to be compressible and expandable, matching the variable length of the back beam. During normal operation, the foam maintains a compact shape. During collision, as the inner beams extend, the foam compresses and expands to fill the increased space, enhancing shock absorption capability without requiring a permanently larger foam structure.
3Area of moving object
If the back beam length is increased during collision to expand shock absorption area, then the shock absorption capability is improved, but the device complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The back beam is segmented into a main beam and multiple inner beams that can independently extend or retract. This segmentation allows the structure to increase its shock absorption area only when needed, while maintaining a simple compact form during normal operation. Each inner beam can be controlled separately to optimize the shock absorption configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner beams are pre-positioned within the main beam structure, ready for rapid deployment during collision. The operation members are pre-configured to enable quick extension of the inner beams when collision forces are detected, eliminating the need for complex real-time decision-making or complex activation mechanisms during the actual collision event.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The variable back beam effectively increases the shock absorption area and reduces the impact on the crush box and collision object, enhancing safety by distributing the collision energy more effectively during collisions, as demonstrated by reduced deformation and infiltration in safety assessments.
Implementation Method 1
assisted by an inflator that generates inflation pressure to expand the beam's length
Data Source
AI summary
A variable back beam and a method of allowing an inflator to vary the variable back beam in case of collision. The variable back beam includes a main beam connected to a front end module carrier, an inner beam inserted into each of both sides of the main beam, and an operation member operable to move the inner beam in a vehicle-width direction at the time of left front or right front collision of the vehicle. Since the back beam is extended in length at the time of collision, the impact area or shock absorption area of the back beam can be increased, the impact on the back beam, a crush box, and a collision object can be reduced, and particularly, it is possible to reduce the crush length of the left or right end of the back beam.