Vehicle Rocker Assembly With Integrated Multi-Cell Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The incorporation of battery trays in electric and hybrid electric vehicles increases the lateral inboard area, necessitating a reduction in side impact intrusion distance to maximize battery storage volume while maintaining structural integrity and compliance with regulatory impact force requirements.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle reinforcement component, such as a rocker assembly, is designed with a multi-tubular structure incorporating integrated reinforcement structures in the sill panels to enhance stiffness and strength, reducing material usage and weight while absorbing side impact forces effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If internal reinforcements are added to the rocker section to increase stiffness and reduce side impact intrusion distance, then the structural strength and stiffness are improved, but the device complexity and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rocker section is divided into multiple tubular chambers (first, second, and third tubular sections) separated by bulkhead members. This segmentation creates a multi-cell structure that increases stiffness and strength to resist side impact forces while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The bulkhead members are positioned within the hollow interior of the rocker section, nesting the reinforcement structure inside the existing rocker geometry. This allows the reinforcement to be integrated without significantly increasing the external dimensions or overall structural complexity
2Strength
If the rocker section stiffness is increased to reduce side impact intrusion distance, then the safety and regulatory compliance are improved, but the battery tray storage volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement structure is positioned in the vertical dimension (height of the rocker section) rather than encroaching on the lateral inboard space. The multi-tubular structure with bulkheads utilizes the vertical space to create stiffness without reducing the horizontal storage volume available for battery trays
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcement is applied locally at specific positions (bulkhead members at spaced intervals along the longitudinal length) rather than uniformly throughout the entire rocker section. This provides targeted stiffness where side impact forces are most critical while leaving other areas available for battery tray integration
3Reliability
If traditional welding techniques are used to assemble the rocker assembly, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the manufacturing cost and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sill inner, sill outer, bulkhead members, and reinforcement structures are integrally formed as a single monolithic component. This merging of multiple parts into one eliminates the need for welding or other joining operations, maintaining structural integrity while dramatically improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing production costs
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle rocker assembly includes a sill inner and a sill outer. An upper flange portion of the sill inner is coupled with an upper flange portion of the sill outer, and a lower flange portion of the sill inner is coupled with a lower flange portion of the sill outer to enclose a hollow interior of the vehicle rocker assembly. One of the sill inner or the sill outer includes a reinforcement structure integrated in the sill wall of the respective still inner or sill outer. The reinforcement structure includes walls that each laterally span the hollow interior and form a multi-hollow cross-sectional shape with the sill inner and sill outer.