Vehicle Front Structure with Closed Cross Section for Impact Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle front structures face challenges in absorbing impact loads efficiently without increasing weight or cost, as they require high-strength materials like high-tensile steel or thicker plates to prevent deformation during narrow offset impacts.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle front structure incorporates U-shaped and longitudinal-plate-like load transmitting members with grooves, forming closed cross sections to reduce deformation and absorb impact loads, while using standard materials and minimizing weight, with additional features like fragile portions and collapsible bumper beam extensions to enhance impact energy absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If high-tensile material or thicker steel plate is used to strengthen the load transmitting member, then impact-energy absorption capability is improved, but parts cost or weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a simple linear load transmitting member to a three-dimensional box-shaped structure by adding hollow portions. This dimensional change creates a closed-section configuration that significantly enhances bending resistance and impact-energy absorption capability without requiring increased material thickness or higher-grade materials, thus avoiding weight increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameter from solid cross-section to hollow box cross-section. This parameter change fundamentally alters the moment of inertia and section modulus, providing superior strength and stiffness characteristics for impact absorption while maintaining or reducing material usage compared to solid sections.
2Strength
If high-tensile material or thicker steel plate is used to strengthen the load transmitting member, then impact-energy absorption capability is improved, but parts cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the structural parameter from solid to hollow box section, which provides enhanced strength characteristics without requiring expensive high-tensile materials or excessive thickness. This parameter change allows the use of standard materials while achieving superior impact-energy absorption, thereby reducing parts cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs standard, readily available steel plates rather than expensive high-tensile materials. The hollow box structure compensates for the lower material strength through geometric optimization, making the overall structure cost-effective while maintaining required performance levels.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a load transmitting member with larger plate thickness is used, then deformation is reduced, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a third dimension by creating hollow portions within the load transmitting member, forming a box-shaped cross-section. This dimensional addition dramatically increases the moment of inertia and section modulus, providing superior deformation resistance equivalent to or exceeding much thicker solid sections, but with significantly reduced material usage and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structural system combining multiple plate members (front plate, rear plate, side plates) to form a hollow box structure. This composite configuration leverages the geometric arrangement of thinner plates to achieve the structural performance of a single thick plate, reducing overall weight while maintaining deformation resistance.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle front structure includes a front side frame and a first load transmitting member that is joined to a front end and an outer surface in a vehicle-width direction of the front side frame and that tapers from the front of the vehicle toward the rear so as to be formed substantially in the shape of a triangle when viewed in plan view. The first load transmitting member includes a substantially U-shaped portion that is open toward the front side frame. A longitudinal-plate-like second load transmitting member is joined to and along the bottom of the substantially U-shaped portion. A closed cross section is formed by the bottom of the first load transmitting member and the second load transmitting member in a continuous manner in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.