Vehicle Front End Structure for Small Overlap Impact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle front end structures experience significant rotational displacement during small overlap tests with rigid barriers, leading to inefficient energy absorption and lateral movement of the vehicle, which can result in increased damage and safety concerns.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle front end structure featuring an engine cradle with a force receiving member and a lateral energy transfer member, where the force receiving member is fixedly attached to the engine cradle and angled to redirect longitudinally directed forces laterally, thereby minimizing rotational displacement and maximizing lateral movement away from the impact point.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional vehicle front end structures are used, then the vehicle can absorb impact forces, but significant rotational displacement occurs during small overlap tests leading to increased damage and safety concerns

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidrotational displacement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The front end structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: a force receiving member at the front corner to receive impact forces, a force transmitting member to redirect forces laterally, and an engine cradle to absorb and dissipate energy. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally, preventing unwanted rotational displacement while maintaining safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The force transmitting member redirects impact forces from the longitudinal direction (front-to-rear) into the lateral direction (side-to-side). By changing the dimension of force transmission, the structure converts what would be rotational moments into lateral forces, eliminating rotational displacement while maintaining energy absorption capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Force

If conventional structures absorb impact energy, then impact forces are reduced, but contact time increases and more force is transferred rearward

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact forceVSAvoidcontact time

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The structure changes the parameters of force transmission by using rigid members with specific geometric orientations. The force transmitting member is positioned and angled to redirect forces laterally, which changes the duration and magnitude of force transmission to the rear, reducing both contact time and rearward force transfer while maintaining impact force reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the force receiving member is angled to redirect forces laterally, then rotational displacement is minimized, but the structure complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotational displacementVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The force receiving member, force transmitting member, and engine cradle are merged into an integrated assembly where components work together as a unified force redirection system. This merging reduces the number of separate assemblies and connections needed, simplifying the overall structure while achieving the force redirection function to minimize rotational displacement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 solution effectively reduces rotational displacement and enhances energy absorption by redirecting impact forces laterally, resulting in reduced damage and improved safety by maintaining more of the initial kinetic energy as forward velocity, while minimizing contact time and force transferred rearward.

Implementation Method 1

The force receiving member is configured with respect to the engine cradle to redirect at least a portion of the longitudinally directed rearward force laterally to the engine cradle at the engine mounting structure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectForce redirection through geometric orientation: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS9180913B2Vehicle front end structure

Publication Date: 2015.11.10 NISSAN MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A vehicle front end structure includes an engine cradle including an engine mounting structure and a force receiving member. The force receiving member is fixedly attached to the engine cradle. The force receiving member includes a force receiving surface extending rearward from a front corner of the engine cradle in a laterally outbound direction at an inclined angle with respect to a vehicle longitudinal direction. The force receiving member is arranged with respect to the engine cradle to receive a longitudinally directed rearward force on the force receiving surface. The force receiving member is configured with respect to the engine cradle to redirect at least a portion of the longitudinally directed rearward force laterally to the engine cradle at the engine mounting structure which is located rearward of the front corner.