Vehicle Front Structure With Inner Reinforcement Against Joint Rupture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle front structures are prone to rupture at the joint between crash cans and bumper reinforcements when a collision object narrower than the vehicle width distance collides between the crash cans, leading to early detachment and reduced load transmission efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle front structure design that includes a width direction member coupled to the crash cans and bumper reinforcement, with the crash can ends fixed to the rear surface of the reinforcement and the width direction member, enhancing the coupling strength and preventing joint rupture by integrating the deformation of both components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If only a coupling member (bumper reinforcement) is used to join crash cans, then the structure is simple, but the joint portion ruptures under collision load from narrow objects
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling member is divided into two functional parts: a coupling member (bumper reinforcement) that couples the crash cans in the vehicle width direction, and a width direction member (inner bumper reinforcement) disposed between the crash cans. This segmentation allows each part to handle specific loads, preventing joint rupture while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The width direction member extends in the vehicle width direction and is joined to positions on the vehicle rear side of the joint portions, creating a reinforcement structure in the width dimension. This dimensional addition strengthens the coupling against narrow collision objects without significantly increasing overall structural complexity.
2Device complexity
If the crash cans are coupled only by the coupling member, then the coupling is simple, but the coupling strength against collision load is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling system is segmented into a coupling member for width-direction coupling and a width direction member for intermediate reinforcement. This segmentation provides enhanced coupling strength against collision loads while keeping each component relatively simple in design.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling system uses a composite structure of two members (coupling member and width direction member) working together. This composite approach increases coupling strength without requiring a single complex component, maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
3Loss of energy
If the bumper reinforcement deforms under narrow collision object, then the collision load is absorbed, but tensile load at the joint portion increases causing rupture
Solution Approach 1:
The width direction member is pre-positioned and joined to the coupling member at positions on the vehicle rear side of the joint portions. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when deformation occurs, the tensile load is distributed to the width direction member, preventing joint rupture while allowing controlled energy absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The width direction member acts as an intermediary element between the coupling member and the crash cans. During deformation, it mediates the load distribution, transferring tensile loads away from the vulnerable joint portions to the stronger width direction member connections.
Data Source
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AI summary
An object of the invention is to provide a vehicle front structure capable of suppressing a rupture of a joint portion between a crash can and a coupling member when a collision object having a narrower width than a distance in a vehicle width direction between left and right crash cans collides between the left and right crash cans in a vehicle front portion. An inner bumper reinforcement (102) disposed between crash cans (9) and extending along a vehicle width direction (Y) is provided. In the crash cans (9) and an outer bumper reinforcement (101), flange portions (912) of the crash cans (9) are joined to a rear surface of the outer bumper reinforcement (101), and both ends in the vehicle width direction (Y) of the inner bumper reinforcement (102) are joined to a position located on a vehicle rear side (XR) of a joint portion between each of the crash cans (9) and the outer bumper reinforcement (101) and near a front end of each of the crash cans (9).