Wheel Deflector Assembly for Offset Collision Wheel Redirection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In frontal offset collisions, vehicle components such as the suspension and wheels can under-ride the vehicle frame, leading to potential rollover due to the wheel becoming trapped between the underbody and the road, particularly in vehicles with higher ride height, shorter wheelbase, and large wheels.
Innovation Solution
A wheel deflector assembly with a deflector plate extending outward from the vehicle frame, reinforced by a bracket and bulkhead, deflects the wheel away from the frame to prevent it from traveling beneath the vehicle, comprising a deflector plate, reinforcement bracket, shield, and bulkhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the vehicle has higher ride height, shorter wheel base, and/or large wheels, then the vehicle may have improved ground clearance and maneuverability, but the vehicle becomes more susceptible to wheel under-riding and rollover in offset frontal collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The deflector plate serves as an intermediary component positioned between the wheel and the vehicle frame. When the wheel is forced toward the frame during collision, the deflector plate intercepts the wheel and redirects it away from the frame, preventing the wheel from traveling beneath the vehicle and causing rollover.
Solution Approach 2:
The deflector plate extracts the harmful function of the wheel-to-frame contact by intercepting the wheel separately. The deflector plate is a distinct component that handles the wheel redirection, separating this protective function from the main vehicle frame structure.
2Shape
If the vehicle has higher ride height, shorter wheel base, and/or large wheels, then the vehicle may have improved ground clearance and maneuverability, but the suspension and wheel can become trapped between the underbody and the road
Solution Approach 1:
The deflector plate acts as an intermediary that intercepts the wheel before it can become trapped between the underbody and road. The plate redirects the wheel away from the frame, eliminating the entrapment hazard created by the vehicle's geometric characteristics.
3Reliability
If a wheel deflector assembly is added to prevent wheel under-riding, then rollover resistance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel deflector assembly is segmented into separate functional components: the deflector plate for wheel redirection, the reinforcement bracket for structural support, and the bulkhead for additional framing. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while working together as an integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel deflector assembly combines multiple materials and structural elements - the deflector plate, reinforcement bracket, and bulkhead - to create a composite structure that provides both wheel redirection and structural reinforcement, achieving multiple protective functions simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle that includes a vehicle frame, a wheel attached to the vehicle frame, and a wheel deflector assembly attached to the vehicle frame. The wheel deflector assembly includes a deflector plate that extends angularly outward from the vehicle frame, and the wheel deflector assembly is configured, in the event of an offset frontal impact to the vehicle that forces the wheel in a direction toward the frame, to be struck by the wheel and deflect the wheel in a direction away from the frame to prevent the wheel from travelling beneath the vehicle frame.