Vehicle Reinforcing Structure for Small Overlap Collision Energy Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
In small overlap collisions, the front vehicle body's limited collision area and width lead to ineffective energy transfer, resulting in excessive damage and potential safety threats due to poor impact absorption and energy distribution within the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle body reinforcing structure featuring extended front side members, a crash box, a bumper beam, and reinforcing members that protrude outward and are connected at an acute angle to enhance collision area and energy transfer, allowing for efficient impact absorption and distribution away from the passenger compartment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the front side member is positioned at the outer edge portion in the width direction of the vehicle, then the vehicle can respond to small overlap collisions, but the collision area and collision width are limited, resulting in ineffective energy transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing member extends in the width direction beyond the front side member, adding a lateral dimension to the collision interface. This dimensional extension increases the collision width from a single-point contact at the front side member to a broader contact area involving the reinforcing member's outer edge, thereby improving energy transfer effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing member is strategically positioned at the outer edge portion in the width direction, creating a localized enhancement of structural properties at the critical collision zone. This local reinforcement concentrates the collision interaction at the most effective position for energy transfer while maintaining the overall vehicle body structure
2Reliability
If the front side member does not perform impact absorption function well, then the vehicle structure remains simple, but excessive damage may occur at the vehicle body and impact energy is excessively transferred to the passenger compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The impact absorption function is segmented between multiple components: the reinforcing member absorbs initial impact at the outer edge, the front side member handles intermediate energy transfer, and the crash box provides final energy absorption before the passenger compartment. This segmentation distributes the protective function across multiple simpler components rather than requiring a single complex structure
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing member acts as an intermediary element between the external collision barrier and the vehicle's main structure. It mediates the collision force by providing an extended contact surface that improves energy transfer to the front side member and crash box, preventing excessive force from being directly transmitted to the passenger compartment
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 structure effectively increases the collision area and width, absorbs and distributes impact energy, reducing the risk of excessive damage and ensuring passenger safety by transferring energy to the engine compartment and power train, thereby minimizing impact on the passenger compartment.
Implementation Method 1
a crash box which is installed to a front end of the front side member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and absorbs and reduces impact when receiving the impact to be deformed
Implementation Method 2
a crash box which is installed to a front end of the front side member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and absorbs and reduces impact when receiving the impact to be deformed
Implementation Method 3
a reinforcing member which is coupled to both the crash box and the front side member, and protrudes outside of the bumper beam in the width direction of the vehicle to transfer an impact energy to the front side member
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle body reinforcing structure for coping with a small overlap collision may include front side members which may be extended in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle and disposed at left and right sides in a width direction of the vehicle, a crash box which is installed to a front end of the front side member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and absorbs and reduces impact when receiving the impact to be deformed, a bumper beam which is disposed in front of the crash box in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, coupled to the crash box, and extended in the width direction of the vehicle, and a reinforcing member which is coupled to both the crash box and the front side member, and protrudes outside of the bumper beam in the width direction of the vehicle to transfer an impact energy to the front side member.