Intermittent side rail energy absorbing elements and methods of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10173728-B2
Application number	US-201515522899-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2015
Priority date	Oct 30, 2014
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle energy absorbing system for a high-speed, small-overlap impact, comprising: lobes ( 12 ) spaced intermittently along a vehicle rail ( 1 ), wherein the lobes ( 12 ) include an impact arm ( 14 ), a reactionary arm ( 16 ), and a base ( 22 ), wherein a shape of the base ( 22 ) is complimentary to a shape of the vehicle rail ( 1 ) and wherein the impact arm ( 14 ) and the reactionary arm ( 16 ) protrude outwardly from the base ( 22 ) and the vehicle rail ( 1 ), wherein a channel ( 20 ) is formed in the space between the base ( 22 ), the impact arm ( 14 ), and the reactionary arm ( 16 ), wherein the channel ( 20 ) extends through the lobe ( 12 ) from end to end.

First claim

We claim:

1. A vehicle energy absorbing system for a high-speed, small-overlap impact, comprising:
lobes spaced intermittently along a vehicle rail, wherein the lobes include an impact arm, a reactionary arm, and a base, wherein a shape of the base is complimentary to a shape of the vehicle rail and wherein the impact arm and the reactionary arm protrude outwardly from the base and the vehicle rail, wherein a channel is formed in the space between the base, the impact arm, and the reactionary arm, wherein the channel extends through the lobe from end to end;
wherein the lobes have a geometrical configuration and comprise a material designed to
absorb energy upon collision with an impactor; or
deflect the vehicle away from an impactor; or
transfer energy to the vehicle rails; or
absorb energy upon collision with an impactor and deflect the vehicle away from an impactor; or
absorb energy upon collision with an impactor and transfer energy to the vehicle rails;

wherein the impact arm and the reactionary arm converge from the base at an angle and wherein the angle is 0° to 45°.

2. The vehicle energy absorbing system of claim 1 , wherein the lobe further comprises a cover over the channel on one end of the lobe or wherein the lobe further comprises a cover over each end of the lobe.

3. The vehicle energy absorbing system of claim 1 , wherein the lobes are spaced intermittently along an A pillar of the vehicle and along the vehicle rails.

4. The vehicle energy absorbing system of claim 1 , wherein the lobes comprise a material selected from a metallic material, a polymeric material, a composite material, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

5. The vehicle energy absorbing system of claim 1 , wherein the lobes have a geometrical shape selected from a triangle, a cone, a pyramid, a cylinder, a square, a rectangle, a parallelogram, trapezium, elliptical, hexagonal, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

6. The vehicle energy absorbing system of claim 1 , wherein the impact arm or the reactionary arm or the impact arm and the reactionary arm includes a corrugated shape.

7. The vehicle energy absorbing system of claim 1 , further comprising greater than or equal to 2 impact arms or further comprising greater than or equal to 2 reactionary arms.

8. The vehicle energy absorbing system of claim 1 , wherein the impact arm and the reactionary arm converge toward an interface disposed between the arms.

9. The vehicle energy absorbing system of claim 1 , wherein the impact arm has a length, l 1 , and the reactionary arm has a length, l 2 , wherein l 1 is equal to l 2 or wherein l 1 is not equal to l 2 .

10. The vehicle energy absorbing system of claim 1 , wherein the lobes comprise a multilayer structure in the channel.

11. The vehicle energy absorbing system of claim 1 , wherein the base is attached to the vehicle rail with a mechanism selected from hooks, snap-fit, mechanical fastener, structural adhesive, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

12. A vehicle comprising the vehicle energy absorbing system of claim 1 .

13. A vehicle energy absorbing system for a high-speed, small-overlap impact, comprising:
lobes spaced intermittently along a vehicle rail, wherein the lobes include a honeycomb structure protruding outwardly from the vehicle rail at an angle thereto;
wherein the lobes comprise a material designed to
absorb energy upon collision with an impactor; or
deflect the vehicle away from an impactor; or
absorb energy upon collision with an impactor and deflect the vehicle away from an impactor; wherein the honeycomb structure extends from the base at an angle of 0° to 45°.

14. The vehicle energy absorbing system of claim 13 , wherein the honeycomb structure is crushed axially along a length, l h , after collision with an impactor.

15. A method of making a vehicle energy absorbing system, comprising:
forming lobes comprising an impact arm, a reactionary arm, and a base, wherein a shape of the base is complimentary to a shape of a vehicle rail to which the lobe is attached and wherein the impact arm and the reactionary arm protrude outwardly from the base and the vehicle rail, wherein a channel is formed in the space between the base, the impact arm, and the reaction arm, wherein the channel extends through the lobe from end to end; and
attaching the base of the lobes intermittently to the vehicle rail;
wherein the impact arm and the reactionary arm converge from the base at an angle and wherein the angle is 0° to 45°.

Assignees

• Sabic Global Technologies Bv

Inventors

• Munjurulimana Dinesh
• Nagwanshi Dhanendra Kumar
• Marks Matthew D

Classifications

• B62D21/152 Primary

  Front or rear frames · CPC title

• B62D25/082

  Engine compartments · CPC title

• B62D21/155 Primary

  Sub-frames or underguards · CPC title

• B62D29/041

  Understructures · CPC title