Vehicle Shock Absorber Intermediate Element for Impact Balance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current shock absorption assemblies in vehicles face challenges in achieving compactness without becoming aggressive during high-speed impacts, as increasing stiffness to reduce overhang for low-speed impact efficiency leads to aggressive behavior in high-speed offset frontal impacts.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an additional intermediate absorber above or below the upper absorber to distribute deformation forces over a greater height, reducing aggressive behavior by limiting penetration during high-speed impacts, and dimensioning it to remain within the elastic limit of the upper absorber during low-speed impacts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Length of moving object

If the stiffness of the absorbers is increased to gain compactness and reduce front overhang, then the vehicle behavior during low-speed impact is improved, but the vehicle exhibits aggressive behavior during high-speed offset frontal impact

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefront overhangVSAvoidaggressive behavior during high-speed impact
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The shock absorption system is divided into multiple independent absorbers arranged at different heights (upper absorbers, intermediate absorbers, and lower absorbers). Each absorber segment handles different aspects of the impact, allowing the system to achieve compactness while controlling deformation forces to prevent aggressive behavior during high-speed impacts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The absorbers are arranged in a vertical dimension rather than only horizontally. By distributing absorbers at different heights (upper, intermediate, lower positions), the system achieves compact front overhang while the vertical arrangement allows deformation forces to be distributed over a greater height, preventing aggressive behavior during high-speed impacts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Use of energy by moving object

If the stiffness of the absorbers is increased to improve low-speed impact energy absorption, then the compactness is improved, but the deformation force distribution becomes concentrated leading to aggressive behavior

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy absorption during low-speed impactVSAvoidconcentrated deformation force
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The energy absorption function is segmented across multiple absorbers positioned at different heights. The upper, intermediate, and lower absorbers collectively absorb impact energy, distributing the deformation forces vertically rather than concentrating them in a single location, thus preventing aggressive behavior while maintaining effective low-speed impact energy absorption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The deformation force distribution is extended into the vertical dimension by arranging absorbers at different heights. This vertical distribution of deformation forces over a greater height allows the system to absorb low-speed impact energy effectively while preventing force concentration that would cause aggressive behavior during high-speed impacts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 solution effectively reduces aggressive behavior during high-speed impacts while maintaining efficient energy absorption in low-speed impacts, ensuring a balanced performance without significant weight increase or requiring modifications to existing industrial installations.

Implementation Method 1

The intermediate absorber 17 is arranged offset in the vertical direction relative to the ends of the structural elements of the vehicle... The intermediate absorber 17 makes it possible to reduce or even eliminate the aggressive behavior of the vehicle during an offset frontal impact at high speed by limiting the ability of the upper beam to penetrate into another vehicle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDeformation: Deformation

Implementation Method 2

dimensioning it to remain within the elastic limit of the upper absorber during low-speed impacts

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3141434B1Shock-absorbing assembly for front or rear end of a vehicle
Publication Date: 2018.12.26 PSA AUTOMOBILES SA
  • EP3141434B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3141434B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a vehicle shock absorption assembly, said vehicle comprising longitudinal shafts (1) and shaft gussets (11) disposed at the end of said shafts (1), said assembly comprising upper absorbers (5) intended to be disposed on said shaft gussets (11) in the extension of said shafts (1) and an upper bumper beam (3) transversely connecting the upper absorbers (5), the assembly further comprises at least one intermediate absorber (17) intended to be disposed on a shaft gusset (11).