Shock-absorbing unit, manufacturing method thereof, and member connection structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10035544-B2
Application number	US-201615352067-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2016
Priority date	Jul 5, 2016
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

A shock-absorbing unit may include a reinforcement part made of a composite material, which has a panel shape, two opposing end portions of which are connected to the inner panel to divide the inner space into a separation space adjacent to the outer panel and a partition space adjacent to the inner panel, and which has a coupling protrusion protruding from the inner surface thereof toward the inner panel, and a shock-absorbing part made of a composite material, which has a coupling recess formed in one side thereof to receive the coupling protrusion so as to be connected to the reinforcement part in the partition space, and the opposite side of which is connected to the inner surface of the inner panel and is supported by the inner panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shock-absorbing unit disposed in an inner space defined by an outer panel and an inner panel, the shock-absorbing unit comprising:
a reinforcement part made of a composite material, the reinforcement part having a panel shape, having two opposing end portions connected to the inner panel to divide the inner space into a separation space adjacent to the outer panel and a partition space adjacent to the inner panel, and having a coupling protrusion protruding from an inner surface thereof toward the inner panel;
a shock-absorbing part made of a composite material, the shock-absorbing part having a coupling recess formed in a first side thereof to receive the coupling protrusion to be connected to the reinforcement part in the partition space and having an opposite side connected to an inner surface of the inner panel to be supported by the inner panel; and
a reinforcement panel connected to a connection portion between the outer panel and the inner panel and to an outer surface of the reinforcement part.

2. The shock-absorbing unit according to claim 1 , wherein the shock-absorbing part is hollow to form an independent space therein, and
the shock-absorbing unit further comprises a support part disposed in the independent space and connected integrally with the shock-absorbing part to divide the independent space into unit spaces.

3. The shock-absorbing unit according to claim 2 , wherein the shock-absorbing part includes:
a first inner surface having an indented portion extending in an inward direction of the independent space corresponding to the coupling recess;
a second inner surface positioned opposite to the first inner surface 220 while being spaced apart from the first inner surface toward the inner panel; and
a pair of connection inner surfaces connecting two opposing ends of the first inner surface and two opposing ends of the second inner surface to form the independent space.

4. The shock-absorbing unit according to claim 3 , wherein the support part includes:
a first support body connecting the indented portion in the first inner surface and the second surface facing the indented portion; and
a second support body intersecting the first support body and connecting the pair of connection inner surfaces.

5. The shock-absorbing unit according to claim 2 , wherein the shock-absorbing part is formed in a tube shape having a predetermined section, extends along a longitudinal direction of the outer panel, the inner panel and the reinforcement part, and has a first side having an outer surface contacting an inner surface of the reinforcement part and an opposite side having an outer surface contacting an inner surface of the inner panel.

6. The shock-absorbing unit according to claim 5 , wherein the support part is configured as a plurality of panels arranged to intersect each other, extends along a longitudinal direction of the outer panel, the inner panel and the reinforcement part, and has ends connected to inner surfaces of the shock-absorbing part.

7. A member connection structure comprising:
a first member including an outer panel, an inner panel, and an inner space defined by the outer panel and the inner panel;
a shock-absorbing unit including a reinforcement part made of a composite material, the reinforcement part having a panel shape, having two opposing end portions connected to the inner panel to divide the inner space of the first member into a separation space adjacent to the outer panel and a partition space adjacent to the inner panel, and having a coupling protrusion protruding from an inner surface thereof toward the inner panel, a shock-absorbing part made of a composite material, the shock-absorbing part having a coupling recess formed to receive the coupling protrusion to be connected to the reinforcement part in the partition space and being hollow to form an independent space therein, and a support part disposed in the independent space and connected integrally with the shock-absorbing part to divide the independent space into unit spaces; and
a second member having a plurality of fastening portions formed at a first end portion thereof and connected to the first member such that each of the fastening portions is inserted into a corresponding one of the unit spaces.

8. The member connection structure according to claim 7 , wherein the fastening portions are contacted and secured to inner surfaces of the shock-absorbing part and the support part using an adhesive.

9. A method of manufacturing a shock-absorbing unit disposed in an inner space defined by an outer panel and an inner panel, the method comprising:
forming a reinforcement part of a composite material using reinforced fiber and resin so that the reinforcement part has a panel shape and has a coupling protrusion protruding from an inner surface thereof;
integrally forming a shock-absorbing part of a composite material so that the shock-absorbing part has a coupling recess formed to receive the coupling protrusion and is hollow to form an independent space therein, and a support part disposed in the independent space and connected integrally with the shock-absorbing part to divide the independent space into unit spaces; and
coupling the reinforcement part and the shock-absorbing part through coupling between the coupling protrusion and the coupling recess.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the integrally forming includes:
drawing reinforced fiber so that a sectional shape made by the shock-absorbing part and the support part is uniform; and
impregnating resin into the drawn reinforced fiber.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Sang Heon
• Kim Chang Dong

Classifications

• B62D21/157 Primary

  for side impacts · CPC title

• B62D65/00

  Designing, manufacturing, e.g. assembling, facilitating disassembly, or structurally modifying motor vehicles or trailers, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B62D25/025 Primary

  Side sills thereof · CPC title

• B62D29/041

  Understructures · CPC title

• B62D29/005

  preformed metal and synthetic material elements being joined together, e.g. by adhesives · CPC title