Vehicle Wheel Carrier Crash Release Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wheel carrier designs fail to safely release the front or rear wheel from its guide during a crash, potentially endangering vehicle occupants by allowing vehicle parts to penetrate the interior.
Innovation Solution
A wheel carrier with a press-fit connection to a spring strut, featuring a screw connection and a lever with a material taper or recess around the hole, allowing the screw to be partially loosened and levered out during a crash, enabling the wheel to move freely and reducing the need for a massive lever.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a screw connection is used to clamp the press-fit connection, then the wheel carrier can be securely connected to the spring strut, but the screw cannot be easily loosened during a crash to release the wheel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming a material taper or recess in the wheel carrier around the hole where the screw sits. This pre-prepared geometric feature ensures that when force is applied during a crash, the screw can be systematically and reliably loosened without requiring excessive force or complex mechanisms. The material reduction is created during manufacturing, enabling the release function to work as intended when needed.
2Reliability
If a massive lever is used to loosen the screw during a crash, then the screw can be forced out, but the lever becomes too heavy and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the geometric parameters of the wheel carrier material around the screw hole. The material taper or recess changes the distribution of material density and structural strength in that specific region. This parameter modification allows a relatively lightweight lever to generate sufficient loosening force on the screw during a crash, eliminating the need for an overly massive lever while maintaining reliable release functionality.
3Strength
If the screw is tightly clamped to ensure secure connection, then the connection is strong, but the screw requires excessive force to loosen during a crash
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a material taper or recess in a specific local region around the screw hole, while the rest of the wheel carrier maintains its full structural integrity and strength. This localized material reduction is strategically positioned to facilitate screw loosening during a crash, while the surrounding material structure continues to provide the necessary connection strength during normal operation. The local modification does not compromise overall connection strength.
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 allows for a repeatable and reliable release of the press-fit connection, enabling the wheel to move safely during a crash without damaging the screw, thus protecting occupants by preventing penetration of vehicle parts into the interior.
Implementation Method 1
When force is applied to the lever, this material taper or recess allows the screw to break out of the hole easily. This force acting on the impact section causes the lever to exert a force on the screw.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a wheel carrier of a vehicle having a clamping-fit connection to a further component, preferably a suspension strut, comprising a threaded connection having a screw for clamping the clamping-fit connection; a hole, in which the screw sits; and a lever, which has a fastening segment and an impact segment, wherein the fastening segment is fastened by means of the threaded connection and wherein the impact segment protrudes from the fastening segment in such a way that, in the event of a vehicle crash and the accompanying deformation, a part of the vehicle applies a force to the impact segment in order to at least partially loosen the threaded connection; wherein at least one material taper or material recess is formed in the material of the wheel carrier surrounding the hole in order to enable an at least partial break-out of the screw from the hole in the event of the application of force to the lever.