Vehicle Pillar Structure for Redirecting Side Impact Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle side portion structures face issues where impact loads during collisions are directly applied to the joining surface between the side wall and outer panel, increasing repair complexity and requiring additional work steps.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle side portion structure with a pillar featuring a side wall, vertical wall, and a joining surface positioned to the outer side in the vehicle width direction, which redirects impact loads away from the joining surface, and includes a closed cross section and angled portions to enhance stiffness and dispersal of impact forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the joining surface is positioned at the side wall portion (conventional design), then the structure is simpler, but the impact load is directly applied to the joining surface causing increased repair complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The joining surface is repositioned from the side wall portion to the vertical wall portion, utilizing the third dimension (vehicle width direction) to relocate the joining surface away from the impact load path. This spatial relocation prevents direct application of impact loads to the joining surface while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical wall portion acts as an intermediary element between the side wall portion and the outer panel. It redirects the impact load away from the joining surface through its geometric configuration, serving as a load path modifier that protects the joining surface from direct impact forces.
2Manufacturing precision
If the outer panel is joined to the side wall portion, then assembly is simpler, but the seal line visibility is reduced compromising sealing quality
Solution Approach 1:
The joining surface is extended in the vehicle front-rear direction from the distal end of the vertical wall portion, creating a new joining plane that is more accessible and visible. This dimensional extension improves seal line visibility and sealing quality without significantly increasing assembly complexity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the vertical wall portion projects further to the outer side, then the joining surface is protected from impact loads, but the pillar width increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical wall portion is provided locally at the outer side of the side wall portion, only where needed to redirect impact loads away from the joining surface. This localized structural addition provides impact protection while minimizing the overall increase in pillar width.
Solution Approach 2:
The pillar structure combines the side wall portion and vertical wall portion as integrated components, creating a composite structural system that provides both impact protection and load-bearing functionality without requiring separate protective elements that would increase width.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle side portion structure (12) includes a pillar (22) provided at a rear side of a wheel house (14) in a vehicle framework at a front side of a vehicle, the pillar extending in a vehicle vertical direction and includes: a side wall portion (77) that extends in the vehicle vertical direction; a plurality of ribs (96,96A,98) that project from the side wall portion toward an outer side in a vehicle width direction; a vertical wall portion (88) that projects from the side wall portion further to an outer side, in the vehicle width direction, than the plurality of ribs, and that extends in the vehicle vertical direction; and a joining surface (92A) that extends in a vehicle front-rear direction from a distal end of the vertical wall portion (88), with an outer panel configuring an outer plate of the pillar being joined to the joining surface.