Wheel Arch and Front Side Member Structure for Frontal Energy Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle designs with single-piece casting members having an open cross-section structure face challenges in achieving both sufficient energy absorption and structural stiffness during frontal collisions, as the front side members tend to slide outward, reducing their effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle design where the wheel arches and cross members are cast in a single piece, with a separate front side member fixed to the wheel arches, creating a closed cross-section structure at the lower part, enhancing stiffness and energy absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If front side members are molded with open cross-section structure due to die sliding, then manufacturing ease is improved, but structural stiffness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the open cross-section wheel arch with a separate side member to create a closed cross-section structure. The side member closes the open section of the wheel arch, transforming it from an open to closed cross-section configuration, thereby improving structural stiffness while maintaining the manufacturing advantages of the original open-section design
2Device complexity
If wheel arches and cross member are cast in single piece, then device complexity is reduced, but energy absorption capability deteriorates due to open cross-section structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the single-piece casting advantage with the energy absorption capability of a closed cross-section by adding a side member. This creates a hybrid structure that maintains the simplicity of single-piece casting for the wheel arch and cross member while the added side member provides the necessary energy absorption through closed-section behavior during collision
Data Source
AI summary
A front side member is provided as a separate body from a single-piece casting member including a wheel arch. Thus, even when the wheel arch itself has an open cross-section structure, a lower part of the wheel arch can have a closed cross-section structure by fixing the front side member to the lower part of the wheel arch. For this reason, even with a configuration including the single-piece casting member having a so-called open cross-section structure, which makes it possible to improve stiffness in the wheel arch including the front side member, an energy absorption amount can be ensured.