DESC:FIELD
The present disclosure relates to the field of mechanical engineering. In particular, the present disclosure relates to the field of vehicles.
DEFINITIONS
A bead – A bead is a deformation which includes, but is not limited to, a groove that extends along the length of the energy absorbing system so as to facilitate a sequential deformation thereof.
BACKGROUND
Conventional energy absorbing systems involve the use of different foams and plastics as the energy absorbing material. But a drawback associated with the conventional energy absorbing systems is that their configuration involves the use of brackets and other complicated joinery, which result in substantial modifications being performed on the front fascia of a vehicle to address the packaging constraints. Further, such complex joinery adversely affects the strength of the structure of the conventional energy absorbing system.
Hence, in order to alleviate the abovementioned drawbacks, there felt a need for an energy absorbing system that is simple and can be easily and quickly fitted onto a bumper of the vehicle for dissipating impact energy of a collision.
OBJECTS
Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:
It is an object of the present disclosure to ameliorate one or more problems of the conventional practices or to at least provide a useful alternative.
An object of the present disclosure is to provide an energy absorbing system that absorbs impact energy of a collision without requiring much change in the front end styling of a vehicle to address the packaging constraints.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an energy absorbing system that involves a minimal use of brackets and other joineries to facilitate an easy fitment of the system onto the vehicle.
Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure envisages an energy absorbing system for fitting onto a bumper of a vehicle. The bumper has an operative top edge and an operative bottom edge. The energy absorbing system comprises a first component, and a second component. The first component is configured to be fitted on the operative top edge of the bumper. The first component has a C-shape configuration. The first component is defined by an operative top, middle, and bottom portions. The operative top portion has a plurality of holes configured thereon. The operative middle portion, extending from the operative top portion, has at least one bead configured thereon. The operative bottom portion, extending from the operative middle portion, has a plurality of holes configured thereon. The second component is configured to be fitted on the operative bottom edge of the bumper. The second component has a C-shape configuration. The second component is defined by an operative top, middle, and bottom portions. The operative top portion has a plurality of holes configured thereon. The operative middle portion, extending from the operative top portion of the second component, has a plurality of holes configured thereon. The operative bottom portion, extending from the operative middle portion of the second component, has a plurality of holes configured thereon.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
The energy absorbing system, of the present disclosure, will now be described with the help of the accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1A illustrates an isometric view of a vehicle without an energy absorbing system assembled thereon;
Figure 1B illustrates an isometric view of a vehicle with an energy absorbing system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, assembled thereon;
Figure 2A illustrates an isometric view of a first component of the energy absorbing system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 2B illustrates an isometric view of a second component of the energy absorbing system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 3A illustrates a front view of the first component of figure 2A;
Figure 3B illustrates a front view of the second component of figure 2B;
Figure 4A illustrates a top view of the first component of figure 2A; and
Figure 4B illustrates a top view of the second component of figure 2B.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Conventionally, an energy absorbing system, used in a vehicle, is manufactured using foam or a plastic material. The mounting of such systems requires additional joinery onto the vehicle which increases the cost associated therewith.
The present disclosure overcomes the abovementioned drawbacks by providing an energy absorbing system which requires same material as that of used for manufacturing a chassis of the vehicle, and is disposed onto the vehicle with minimum joinery.
The energy absorbing system, of the present disclosure, will now be described with reference to figure 1 through figure 4B.
Figure 1A illustrates an isometric view of a vehicle 1 without an energy absorbing system assembled thereon. Figure 1B illustrates an isometric view of a vehicle 1a with an energy absorbing system 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, assembled thereon. Figure 2A illustrates an isometric view of a first component 110 of the energy absorbing system 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2B illustrates an isometric view of a second component 130 of the energy absorbing system 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3A illustrates a front view of the first component 110 of figure 2A. Figure 3B illustrates a front view of the second component 130 of figure 2B. Figure 4A illustrates a top view of the first component 110 of figure 2A. Figure 4B illustrates a top view of the second component 130 of figure 2B.
As seen in Figure 1A, an energy absorbing system is not installed upstream of a front end beam 101 on a vehicle 1. Figure 1B, on the other hand, illustrates the energy absorbing system 100 installed, upstream of the front end beam 101, onto a bumper (not shown in figures) of a vehicle 1a.
The energy absorbing system 100 is fitted onto a bumper (not shown in figures) of a vehicle. The bumper is defined by an operative top edge and an operative bottom edge. The energy absorbing system 100 comprises the first component 110, and the second component 130.
The first component 110 is a channel with a C-shaped configuration. The first component 110 is configured to be fitted on the operative top edge of the bumper (not shown in figures) above the front end beam 101 of the vehicle 1a. The first component 110 is defined by an operative top portion 111 and an operative bottom portion 112 that are interconnected via an operative middle portion 113. The middle portion 113 extends from the operative top portion 111 of the first component 110, wherein the bottom portion 112 extends from the operative middle portion 113 of the first component 110. The first component 110 has a first plurality of holes 114 configured on the operative top portion 111. A second plurality of holes 118 is configured on the operative bottom portion 112 of the first component 110. At least one bead is configured on the operative middle portion 113. In an embodiment, the operative middle portion 113 has a horizontal bead 115 extending along the length thereof. The horizontal bead 115 has a uniform depth and is provided to avoid crumping and provide part stiffness to the first component 110.
At least one hole, configured on the top portion 111 of said first component 110, is aligned with at least one hole configured on the bottom portion 112 of the first component 110. In an embodiment, the first plurality of holes 114 is configured to align with the second plurality of holes 118.
The first plurality of holes 114 and the second plurality of holes 118, formed along the length of the first component 110, enable local weakening of the first component 110 along the length thereof with ease of assembly with other components.
The second component 130 is also a channel having a C-shaped configuration. The second component 130 is configured to be fitted on the operative bottom edge of the bumper (not shown in figures) below the front end beam 101 of the vehicle 1a. The second component 130 is defined by an operative top portion 131 and an operative bottom portion 132 interconnected via an operative middle portion 133. The middle portion 133 extends from the operative top portion 131 of the second component 130, wherein the bottom portion 132 extends from the operative middle portion 133 of the second component 130. A third plurality of holes 134 is formed on the operative top portion 131 of the second component 130. The operative middle portion 133 is configured to have a fourth plurality of holes 138. A fifth plurality of holes 140 is formed on the operative bottom portion 132 of the second component 130.
At least one hole, configured on the top portion 131 of the second component 130, is aligned with the at least one hole configured on the bottom portion 132 of the second component 130. In an embodiment, the third plurality of holes 134 is configured to align with the fifth plurality of holes 140.
The third, fourth and fifth pluralities of holes 134, 138, and 140 respectively enable local weakening of the second component 130 along the length thereof, and provide ease of assembly with other components. In an embodiment, the bead (not shown in figures) is formed on the second component 130 so as to avoid crumping, and provide part stiffness to the second component 130.
The pluralities of holes collectively have a shape selected from a group comprising a rectangular, a square, a triangular, a trapezoidal, geometrical shape, non-geometrical shape, and any combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the pluralities of holes collectively have a rectangular shape.
The bead and the pluralities of holes are strategically placed on the first component 110 and the second component 130 so as to facilitate a controlled deformation thereof upon receiving the impact energy of a collision, thereby resulting in maximum absorption and dissipation of the impact energy of the collision. The pattern of bead formation and the pluralities of holes formed on the first component 110 and the second component 130 can be clearly viewed in the figure 3A and figure 3B respectively.
The shapes and the patterns of the pluralities of holes on the first component 110 and the second component 130 have been configured to maintain the load flow path with respect to the crash loads and the durability loads. Moreover, the pluralities of holes also facilitate the provision of a desired and predictable deformation sequence to the first component 110 and the second component 130, such that the pedestrian safety regulations are also met.
As can be understood from figure 4A and figure 4B, the profile of the first component 110 and the second component 130 has a bent configuration. The profile of the first component 110 and the second component 130 is so defined to meet the criteria of structural stiffness in Y-direction and to provide an ease of joinery. The first component 110 is defined by a first end 116 and a second end 117. Similarly, the second component 130 is defined by a first end 136 and a second end 137. Because of the bent configuration, the first component 110 and the second component 130 can easily be fitted onto the bumper of the vehicle 1a without the use of additional brackets and other joineries. Therefore, the assembly and the disassembly of the energy absorbing system 100 are quick and easy.
In an embodiment, the first component 110 and the second component 130 are fitted onto the bumper of the vehicle 1a by a method selected from a group consisting of a press fitting and a spot welding process.
The C-shaped configuration of the first component 110 and the second component 130 provides an adequate deformable crush space. The first component 110 is relatively more bent as compared with the second component 130. The distance through which the first component 110 is bent, is denoted as ‘D’ in figure 4A. This bend is provided to the first component 110 to match up with the position of the second component 130, and the bend also provides additional crush space to the first component 110.
In the present embodiment, the first component 110 and the second component 130 are made of steel. Since the first component 110 and the second component 130 of the present disclosure are made from steel and do not involve the use of materials like foam and rubber, the energy absorbing system 100, of the present disclosure, is cost effective as compared to conventional energy absorbing systems.
The configuration of the first component 110 and the second component 130 provides an adequate crush space without consuming much extra space on the vehicle 1a. The energy absorbing system 100 of the present disclosure, thus, has simple configuration and requires no change in the front end styling of a vehicle to address the packaging constraints. The overall length of the vehicle thus remains unchanged.
TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS
The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages including, but not limited to, the realization of an energy absorbing system that:
• absorbs impact energy of a collision without requiring much change in the front end styling of a vehicle to address packaging constraints; and
• involves a minimal use of brackets and other joineries to facilitate easy fitment of the energy absorbing system onto the vehicle.
The disclosure has been described with reference to the accompanying embodiments which do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.
The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully revealed the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.
Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.
The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like that has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this application.
The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the specification specific to the contrary.
While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation. ,CLAIMS:1. An energy absorbing system for fit onto a bumper of a vehicle, said bumper defined by an operative top edge and an operative bottom edge, comprising:
a first component, configured to be fitted on said operative top edge of said bumper, having a C-shape configuration, said first component defined by:
- an operative top portion having a plurality of holes configured thereon;
- an operative middle portion, extending from said operative top portion, having at least one bead configured thereon; and
- an operative bottom portion, extending from said operative middle portion, having a plurality of holes configured thereon;
a second component, configured to be fitted on said operative bottom edge of said bumper, having a C-shape configuration, said second component defined by:
- an operative top portion having a plurality of holes configured thereon;
- an operative middle portion, extending from said operative top portion, having a plurality of holes; and
- an operative bottom portion, extending from said operative middle portion, having a plurality of holes configured thereon.
2. The energy absorbing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pluralities of holes collectively have a shape selected from a group consisting of a rectangular, a square, a triangular, a trapezoidal, geometrical shape, non-geometrical shape, and any combinations thereof.
3. The energy absorbing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pluralities of holes collectively have a rectangular shape.
4. The energy absorbing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said energy absorbing system is fitted onto said bumper of said vehicle by a method selected from a group consisting of a press fitting and a spot welding.
5. The energy absorbing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one hole, configured on said top portion of said first component, is aligned with at least one hole configured on said bottom portion of said first component.
6. The energy absorbing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one hole, configured on said top portion of said second component, is aligned with said at least one hole configured on said bottom portion of said second component.