Vehicle Body Transverse Member Catch Element for Wheel Rim Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

In front-end collisions with small width overlap, the backwardly displaced front wheel rim tends to turn inwardly toward the vehicle center, leading to excessive intrusions into the passenger compartment and reduced energy absorption capacity.

Innovation Solution

A body for a passenger motor vehicle featuring a shell structure with a transverse member equipped with a catch element that catches the inwardly rotating rim of the front wheel, preventing excessive inward rotation and allowing the rim to be supported on stiffer structures behind it.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the shell structure behind the wheel housing is constructed to be softer in the direction toward the vehicle center to allow energy absorption, then the energy absorption capacity is improved, but the rim turns inward and causes excessive intrusions into the passenger compartment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy absorption capacityVSAvoidintrusions into passenger compartment

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a transverse member as an intermediary structure between the wheel housing and the softer shell structure. This transverse member with catch element mediates the interaction between the rim and the shell structure, guiding the rim onto stiffer structures and preventing uncontrolled inward rotation while still allowing energy absorption through the controlled failure of the tire and gradual deformation of the transverse member.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The catch element is preliminarily positioned on the transverse member to intercept and guide the rim before it can cause excessive intrusions. This preliminary action of guiding the rim onto the stiffer transverse member structure prevents the harmful inward rotation from occurring in the first place, while the softer shell structure behind can still absorb energy through controlled deformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the shell structure is made stiffer to prevent intrusions, then the protection of passenger compartment is improved, but the energy absorption capacity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintrusions into passenger compartmentVSAvoidenergy absorption capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a differentiated structural system where the transverse member provides localized stiffness and guidance function at the critical interface with the wheel housing, while the shell structure behind maintains its softer, energy-absorbing characteristics. This local differentiation allows the system to simultaneously achieve intrusion prevention and energy absorption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The shell structure is segmented into different functional zones: the transverse member with catch element serves as a stiff guidance structure, while the shell structure behind the transverse member serves as an energy-absorbing zone. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of energy

If the rim is allowed to turn inward freely to absorb energy, then the energy absorption capacity is improved, but the structural integrity and selective failure capability are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy absorption capacityVSAvoidselective failure capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The catch element on the transverse member applies preliminary anti-action by preventing the harmful inward rotation of the rim. This counteracts the uncontrolled motion before it can occur, guiding the rim onto the stiffer transverse member structure instead. This allows the tire to fail selectively and absorb energy through controlled deformation while preventing the rim from causing structural damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS12291268B2Body for a passenger car and passenger car

Publication Date: 2025.05.06 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG

AI summary

A body for a passenger car has a body-in-white structure which is located behind a wheel well for a front wheel of the passenger car and which has a transverse member that extends on the outside of a longitudinal beam of the body-in-white structure in front of a front end wall of the body-in-white structure in the vehicle transverse direction. The transverse member has a catch element which is designed to catch a rim of the front wheel that has moved backwards in the vehicle longitudinal direction in the event of an accident and is turning in rearward towards the vehicle center. The body-in-white structure has an A-pillar located behind the catch element, a lateral sill located behind the catch element, and a support element which is located in the A-pillar and via which the catch element that has moved backwards in the event of an accident and, via the catch element, the rim that has moved backwards in the event of an accident, can be supported towards the rear on the lateral sill.