Vehicle Structural Support for Small Overlap Impact Load Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
In small overlap frontal impacts, existing vehicle impact protection structures often fail to effectively engage primary load-carrying and energy-absorbing members, leading to uneven energy absorption and potential intrusion into the occupant compartment.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle structural system featuring a radiator cross member, lower load beam, front end module, and impact block that absorbs impact loads by bending rearward and inboard, diverting loads laterally to the transmission to rotate the vehicle away from the collision object, thereby reducing compartment intrusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional impact protection structures are used in small overlap impacts, then the primary load-carrying and energy-absorbing members may fail to engage properly, but this results in uneven energy absorption and potential intrusion into the occupant compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-positioning the FEM and radiator cross member in a configuration that enables automatic engagement with primary load-carrying members during small overlap impacts. The geometric arrangement and mechanical coupling are designed in advance to ensure proper engagement without requiring active control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The radiator cross member serves as an intermediary element that transfers impact loads from the FEM to the primary energy-absorbing members. This mediator component ensures proper load distribution and engagement reliability, preventing direct intrusion into the occupant compartment while maintaining structural integrity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the FEM and radiator cross member are configured to bend rearward and inboard toward the transmission, then impact loads can be diverted laterally to move the vehicle away from the collision object, but this requires specific geometric configuration and coordination of multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the FEM, radiator cross member, and transmission into an integrated load-path system where impact forces are naturally routed through multiple components. This combining of elements creates a unified structural response that diverts lateral loads without requiring separate control systems or complex mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes three-dimensional geometric configuration to redirect impact forces. By positioning the FEM and radiator cross member at specific angles and orientations, the structure converts longitudinal impact forces into lateral motion through spatial arrangement, adding a dimensional aspect to force distribution.
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 system effectively absorbs and redirects impact loads, minimizing vehicle intrusion into the passenger compartment by converting longitudinal impact velocity into lateral motion, enhancing safety in small overlap collisions.
Implementation Method 1
the FEM and the radiator cross member are configured to absorb an impact load resulting from the impact event and bend rearward and inboard
Implementation Method 2
the impact block diverts the impact load laterally to the transmission to move the vehicle in a substantially lateral cross-car direction away from the object
Data Source
AI summary
A structural support system, for a vehicle having a central axis extending from a front of the vehicle to a rear of the vehicle, includes a radiator cross member, a lower load beam having a rearward end coupled to a frame of the vehicle, and a forward end coupled to the radiator cross member, the lower load beam oriented at an angle relative to the central axis and extending outwardly as the lower load beam extends toward the front of the vehicle, a front end module (FEM) coupled to the radiator cross member, and an impact block coupled to a transmission of the vehicle. During an impact event where an object impacts the FEM, the FEM and the radiator cross member are configured to absorb an impact load resulting from the impact event and bend rearward and inboard toward the transmission.