Vehicle Front Structure With Angled Load Path for Offset Collisions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle front section structures fail to effectively generate a reaction force that displaces the vehicle towards the opposite side during an offset collision, such as a small overlap head-on collision.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle front section structure featuring a left-right pair of front pillars, front side members, suspension towers, a connection member with an inclined connection portion, and a brace connecting the inclined portion to the front pillar, which transmits collision loads at an angle to enhance reaction force generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a conventional connection member configuration is used, then the structure is simple, but the reaction force to displace the vehicle toward the opposite side during offset collision is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The connection member is configured with an inclined connection portion that extends in both the vehicle width direction and the vehicle front-rear direction, creating a diagonal load transmission path. This dimensional change allows collision load to be transmitted at an angle to the front pillar, generating a reaction force component that displaces the vehicle toward the opposite side during offset collision
Solution Approach 2:
The connection member is divided into distinct functional portions: a main body extending in the vehicle width direction and an inclined connection portion extending toward the rear side and vehicle width direction outer side. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function - the main body provides lateral connection while the inclined portion directs load at an angle to generate the desired reaction force
2Force
If the inclined connection portion extends toward the rear side and vehicle width direction outer side, then collision load is transmitted at an angle to generate larger reaction force, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection member merges the functions of lateral connection (main body) and angled load transmission (inclined connection portion) into a single integrated component. This consolidation achieves the complex load transmission function without requiring multiple separate members, thereby limiting the increase in structural complexity while still generating the desired reaction force
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle front section structure includes: a left-right pair of front pillars; a left-right pair of front side members extending along a vehicle front-rear direction and disposed at a vehicle front side of the left-right pair of front pillars; a left-right pair of suspension towers respectively projecting toward an upper side with respect to the front side members; a connection member connecting the left-right pair of suspension towers or connecting the left-right pair of front side members, the connection member including a main body extending in the vehicle width direction, and an inclined connection portion that extends toward a rear side and toward a vehicle width direction outer side from at least one end portion of a first side end portion or a second side end portion, in the vehicle width direction, of the main body; and a brace connecting the inclined connection portion to a front pillar.