[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the technical field of safety arrangements
in passenger vehicles. In particular, the present disclosure pertains to an improved side door
intrusion beam for passenger vehicles to enhance safety of occupants of the vehicle during a side
crash.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Passenger vehicles must be designed to be capable of withstanding high forces
experienced during front as well as side collisions. Of these, side collision poses a bigger challenge
in ensuring automotive safety as the location of impact is very close to the occupants of the
passenger vehicles. To protect passenger from side impact vehicle must be equipped with many
passive safety measures and components to reduce the intrusion of the impacted components into
the passenger compartment.
[0003] A commonly employed method to enhance safety of the occupants of passenger
vehicles from side impacts is to provide side intrusion beams in side doors to absorb side impact
and reduce inward intrusion of the door panel and thereby protect the occupants. However, such
beams provide only a limited protection. It would be advantageous if protection provided by the
intrusion beams could be enhanced.
[0004] US6220652B1 discloses use of a light weight side impact protection barrier employed
alone or in combination with a horizontal door beam, The light weight side impact protection
barrier includes a synthetic cable made from a plurality of helically braided bundles of fibres. The
synthetic cable includes attachments to the front and rear pillars of the door frame when the door
is closed. Stiffness of the synthetic cable suppresses intrusion of the door panel into the passenger
compartment. While the cited reference discloses a side impact protection device that is based on
synthetic cable made from a plurality of helically braided bundles of fibres, it is possible to provide
an improved side protection side intrusion beam for enhanced protection.
[0005] There is, therefore, a need to provide an improved side protection beam for passenger
vehicles to enhance safety of occupants of the vehicle during a side crash.
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OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0006] A general object of the present disclosure is to enhance safety of occupants of
passenger vehicles during a side crash.
[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an improved side intrusion beam that
has higher side impact absorption ability.
[0008] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an improved side intrusion beam
that transfers the side impact forces to the corresponding door pillars.
SUMMARY
[0009] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to an improved intrusion beam for side doors
of passenger vehicles that includes a secondary impact absorption mechanism, thus providing a
higher protection for occupants of the vehicle against side impact in event of side crashes. In an
aspect, the secondary mechanism for absorbing the side impact is a spring member that deflects to
absorb impact load and the deflection results in its two opposite ends to move away from each
other transferring the impact load to corresponding door pillars.
[0010] In an aspect, the present disclosure provides a side door assembly for passenger
vehicles having the disclosed intrusion beam with the secondary impact absorption mechanism,
the disclosed side door assembly having an outer panel that acts as a first barrier against a side
impact load in event of a side crash involving the vehicle, and an intrusion beam fixed on an inner
side of the outer panel in a generally horizontal orientation. The door assembly further includes an
elongate spring member oriented along the intrusion beam, with the two ends of the spring member
being fixed with the intrusion beam in a sliding configuration.
[0011] In an aspect, the spring member is located in relation with the intrusion beam such
that in event of the side crash, the intrusion beam deforms along with the outer panel to absorbed
the initial side impact load, and the deformation of the intrusion beam results in the spring member
coming in contact with the first barrier to absorb further increase in the side impact load by
deflection.
[0012] The spring member may have a camber such that when the spring member deflects
under the side impact load, the two ends of the spring member move away from each other.
[0013] The sliding configuration of the two ends of the spring member with the intrusion beam
may be achieved by a pair of pins fixed with the respective end of the spring member and a pair
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of slots provided in the intrusion beam, with the pins in sliding engagement with the respective
slots.
[0014] In an embodiment, the slots may be of trapezoidal shape being narrower in direction
of movement of the respective pin when the spring member deflects under the side impact load.
The tapering opposite sides of the trapezoidal shaped slots that are in contact with the
corresponding pin during sliding movement of the pin, may be configured to deform and move
away from each other under the side impact load transferred to the two ends of the spring member.
[0015] In an alternate embodiment, the slots may be of generally rectangular shape with
opposite sides, which are in contact with the corresponding pin during sliding movement of the
pin, may have protuberances provide resistance to the sliding movement of the pin. The
protuberances may be configured to deform under the side impact load transferred to the two ends
of the spring member when the spring member deflects under the side impact load.
[0016] In an embodiment, the spring member may comprise a leaf spring made of spring steel.
[0017] In an alternate embodiment, the spring member may comprise one or more rods made
of a spring steel.
[0018] Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the inventive subject matter will
become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with
the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the
present disclosure, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings
illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description,
serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the disclosed side door assembly fitted with
the proposed intrusion beam having a secondary absorption mechanism, in accordance with
embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0021] FIGs. 2A and 2B are exploded views of the disclosed door assembly and the intrusion
beam with the secondary impact absorption mechanism respectively, in accordance with
embodiments of the present disclosure.
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[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation showing sliding configuration of ends of a spring
member of the secondary impact absorption mechanism, in accordance with embodiments of the
present disclosure.
[0023] FIGs. 4A to 4E illustrate different possible configurations of slots of the sliding
configuration that facilitate transfer of side impact load to side pillars of the door, in accordance
with embodiments of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] The following is a detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure depicted in
the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such details as to clearly communicate the
disclosure. However, the amount of details offered is not intended to limit the anticipated
variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents,
and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the
appended claims.
[0025] Embodiments explained herein relate to an intrusion beam for side doors of passenger
vehicles having a secondary impact absorption mechanism. The secondary impact absorption
mechanism is based on a spring member that, on being subjected to side impact from a side crash,
deflects to absorb the impact load in form of stored energy as well as transfers the load to side
pillars of the door. Thus the disclosed intrusion beam with the secondary impact absorption
mechanism reduces inward intrusion of the door panel thereby increasing safety of occupants in
the event of side crashes.
[0026] In an embodiment, the spring member is configured with the intrusion beam such that
in event of the side crash, the intrusion beam deforms along with the outer panel to absorbed the
initial side impact load, and the deformation of the intrusion beam results in the spring member
coming in contact with the outer panel of the door to absorb further increase in the side impact
load by deflection.
[0027] In another embodiment, the spring member is configured with the intrusion beam such
that when the spring member deflects under the side impact load its two end slide outward. in
another embodiment, the ends of the spring members are configured with the intrusion beam such
that the sliding action results in transfer of side impact load gets transferred to the intrusion beam
along a longitudinal direction, i.e. towards the side pillars of the door.
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[0028] The sliding configuration of the two ends of the spring member with the intrusion beam
may be achieved by a pair of pins fixed with the respective end of the spring member and a pair
of slots provided in the intrusion beam, with the pins in sliding engagement with the respective
slots.
[0029] In an embodiment, the slots may be of trapezoidal shape being narrower in direction
of movement of the respective pin when the spring member deflects under the side impact load.
The tapering opposite sides of the trapezoidal shaped slots that are in contact with the
corresponding pin during sliding movement of the pin, may be configured to deform and move
away from each other under the side impact load transferred to the two ends of the spring member.
[0030] In an alternate embodiment, the slots may be of generally rectangular shape with
opposite sides, which are in contact with the corresponding pin during sliding movement of the
pin, may have protuberances provide resistance to the sliding movement of the pin. The
protuberances may be configured to deform under the side impact load transferred to the two ends
of the spring member when the spring member deflects under the side impact load.
[0031] In an embodiment, the spring member may comprise a leaf spring made of a spring
steel.
[0032] In an alternate embodiment, the spring member may comprise one or more rods made
of a spring steel.
[0033] Referring now to FIG. 1 where a schematic diagram of a side door assembly fitted with
the proposed intrusion beam having a secondary absorption mechanism is shown, the door
assembly 100 includes an outer panel 102, an intrusion beam 104 and a spring member 106. As
can be appreciated the outer panel 102 is the first to receive the impact force in event of side crash
and acts as a first barrier, and to minimize inward intrusion of the outer panel 102, the intrusion
beam 104 can be fitted on an inner side surface of the outer door panel 102 in a generally horizontal
orientation. The fixing of the intrusion beam 104 to the outer panel 102 may be done by riveting
or spot welding. Thus, in case of side crash, the initial impact is absorbed by the outer panel 102
and the intrusion beam 104 leading to inward deformation of the intrusion beam 104.
[0034] The spring member 106 may be an elongate part and may be oriented along the
intrusion beam 104. The two ends of the spring member 106 can be being fixed with the intrusion
beam in a sliding configuration.
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[0035] In an embodiment of implementation, the spring member 106 may be a leaf spring.
The leaf spring may have a thickness of 4mm and its material may be plain carbon steel having
0.90 to 1.0% carbon.
[0036] In an alternate embodiment, the spring member may be one or more rods made of a
spring steel.
[0037] In an aspect, the spring member 106 may be located in relation with the intrusion
beam 104 such that the deformation of the outer panel 102 and the intrusion beam 104 due to
absorbed of the initial side impact load, as explained above, results in the spring member 106
coming in contact with the first barrier of the impact, i.e. the outer panel 102 or the intrusion beam
104 as the case may be, to absorb further increase in the side impact load by deflection.
[0038] Referring to FIGs. 2A and 2B where exploded views of the disclosed door assembly
100 and the intrusion beam with the secondary impact absorption mechanism respectively, are
shown, the spring member 106 may have a camber such that when the spring member deflects
under the side impact load, its length increases leading to the two ends of the spring member
moving away from each other.
[0039] FIGs. 2A, 2B and 3 show the sliding configuration of the two ends of the spring
member 106 with the intrusion beam 104. The sliding of the ends of the spring member 106 may
be achieved by a pair of pins 108 fixed with the respective end of the spring member 106 and a
pair of slots 110 provided in the intrusion beam 104. The pins 108 may be in sliding engagement
with the respective slots 110 as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, when the spring member 106 elongates
under the side impact load, the pins 108 slide outwards in the respective slots 110.
[0040] The slots 110 may be configured to provide resistance to the outward sliding
movement of the respective pins 108, thereby absorbing and transferring the side impact load in
longitudinal direction. Different configurations of the slots 110 that may be used to offer resistance
to the sliding movement of the pins 108 are shown in FIGs. 4A to 4E, wherein FIG. 4A shows a
simple rectangular slot 110 that does not offer any resistance to the sliding movement of the pin
108.
[0041] In an embodiment, as shown in FIGs. 4B and 4C, the slots 110 may be of generally
rectangular shape with opposite sides, which are in contact with the corresponding pin 108 during
sliding movement of the pin 108, may have protuberances, such as protuberance 402, that provide
resistance to the sliding movement of the pin 108. The protuberances 402 may be configured to
Internal Ref: 2020P00443 IN
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deform under the side impact load transferred to the two ends of the spring member 106 when the
spring member 106 deflects under the side impact load. The deformation of the protuberances 402
may be facilitated by providing holes, such as holes 404, adjacent the protuberances 402, as shown
in FIG. 4B, or by providing a slot, such as slot 406, shown in FIG. 4C.
[0042] In an alternate embodiment, the slots 110 may be of trapezoidal shape, as shown in
FIGs. 4D and 4E, that are narrower in direction of movement of the respective pin 108 when the
spring member 106 deflects under the side impact load. The tapering opposite sides of the
trapezoidal shaped slots 110 that are in contact with the corresponding pin during sliding
movement of the pin 108, may be configured to deform and move away from each other under the
side impact load transferred to the two ends of the spring member 106 as the spring member 106
deflects under the side impact load. Deformation and moving away of the opposite sides may be
facilitated by providing a plurality of lateral slots, such as lateral slots 408 shown in FIG. 4E.
[0043] Thus, the present disclosure provides an improved intrusion beam for side doors of
passenger vehicles that includes a secondary absorption mechanism. The secondary absorption
mechanism is a spring member, either a leaf spring or at least one rod or a combination of the two.
The spring member deflects to absorb the side impact load as well as transfers the side impact load
in a longitudinal direction to be absorbed by side pillars of the door. Thus, the improved intrusion
beam reduces inward deformation of the door enhancing passenger safety.
[0044] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention, other and further
embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The
scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the
described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having
ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and
knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[0045] The present disclosure provides a means to enhance safety of occupants of passenger
vehicles during a side crash.
[0046] The present disclosure provides an improved side intrusion beam that has higher side
impact absorption ability.
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[0047] The present disclosure provides an improved side intrusion beam that transfers the side
impact forces to the corresponding door pillars.

We Claim:

1. A side door assembly (100) for passenger vehicles, comprising:
an outer panel (102) that acts as a first barrier against a side impact load in event of a
side crash involving the vehicle;
an intrusion beam (104) fixed on an inner side of the outer panel in a generally
horizontal orientation; and
an elongate spring member (106) oriented along the intrusion beam, wherein each of
two ends of the spring member are fixed with the intrusion beam in a sliding configuration;
wherein the spring member (106) is located in relation with the intrusion beam (104) such
that in event of the side crash, the intrusion beam (104) deforms along with the outer panel
(102) to absorbed the initial side impact load, and the deformation of the intrusion beam
(104) results in the spring member (106) coming in contact with the first barrier to absorb
further increase in the side impact load by deflection.
2. The side door assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring member (106) has a
camber such that when the spring member (106) deflects under the side impact load, the two
ends of the spring member (106) move away from each other.
3. The side door assembly (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sliding configuration of the
two ends of the spring member (106) with the intrusion beam (104) is achieved by a pair of
pins (108) fixed with the respective end of the spring member (106) and a pair of slots (110)
provided in the intrusion beam (104), with the pins (108) in sliding engagement with the
respective slots (110).
4. The side door assembly (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the slots (110) are of trapezoidal
shape being narrower in direction of movement of the respective pin (108) when the spring
member (106) deflects under the side impact load.
5. The side door assembly (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the tapering opposite sides of
the trapezoidal shaped slots (110) that are in contact with the corresponding pin (108) during
sliding movement of the pin (108), are configured to deform and move away from each other
under the side impact load transferred to the two ends of the spring member (106) as the
spring member (106) deflects under the side impact load.
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6. The side door assembly (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the slots (110) are of generally
rectangular shape with opposite sides, which are in contact with the corresponding pin (108)
during sliding movement of the pin (108), having protuberances (402) provide resistance to
the sliding movement of the pin (108).
7. The side door assembly (100) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the protuberances (402) are
configured to deform under the side impact load transferred to the two ends of the spring
member (106) when the spring member (106) deflects under the side impact load.
8. The side door assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring member (106)
comprises a leaf spring made of spring steel.
9. The side door assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring member (106)
comprises one or more rods made of a spring steel.