Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Body shell
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-02
2001-02-27
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Body shell
C296S182100, C296S204000, C280S784000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193303
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control device for controlling rigidity of a car body or deformation of a frame of a car body. An appropriate level of rigidity can be provided by the control device according to a form of collision of the car having a structure of absorbing an impact generated by collision.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Applications No. Hei. 10-91552 and No. Hei. 10-206156, which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since rigidity of a car body has an important effect upon safety of driving of the car, various countermeasures are taken for enhancing rigidity of the car. For example, frame members composing the car body are composed of steel plates of high strength, thickness of the frame members is increased, and reinforcement members are attached to appropriate portions of the frame members. At the same time, from the viewpoint of protecting passengers in the case of collision, it is desirable to provide a body structure capable of appropriately absorbing energy generated in collision. This absorption of impact energy generated in collision is mainly conducted by plastic deformation of a right and a left side frame extending in the longitudinal direction at the front portion of the car body. When rigidity of the side frames is appropriately set, deceleration generated in a passenger's chamber in the case of collision can be reduced, and the passenger is given an impact, the intensity of which is reduced.
In the case of a form of collision such as a front barrier collision in which the front surface of a car body collides entirely (this form of collision will be referred to as an overall collision in this specification hereinafter), an external force given to the car in collision is dispersed to the right and the left side frame. On the other hand, in the case of a form of collision such as an offset collision in which the front surface of a car body partially collides (this form of collision will be referred to as a partial collision in this specification hereinafter), an external force given to the car in collision is concentrated upon one of the side frames. For the above reasons, the following problems may be encountered. For example, when rigidity appropriate for partial collision is set in each side frame, the rigidity becomes too high when an impact of collision is absorbed in the case of an overall collision, and a high deceleration is generated. On the other hand, when rigidity appropriate for overall collision is set in each side frame, the rigidity becomes insufficient in the case of a partial collision, and an impact can not be sufficiently absorbed and the passenger's chamber is greatly affected by the collision. As described above, it is difficult to compose the side frames so that the most appropriate impact absorption can be conducted by them in both forms of collision.
Further, physical strength such as rigidity or breaking characteristic is affected by a stress-strain characteristic of material itself. Further, physical strength is affected by a sectional form represented by moment of inertia of area, and a shape in the longitudinal direction of a frame represented by a neutral axis of the frame. Furthermore, deformation of the frame is changed by an intensity and direction of an external force inputted into the frame, and a mechanical strength of the frame is greatly changed by a state of deformation. For example, when the frame is given an external force of a direction in which bending moment is generated in the frame, in many cases, the bending strength is insufficient compared with the compression strength. Therefore, buckling is caused in the frame. Accordingly, the mechanical strength is greatly insufficient compared with a case in which the frame is given an external force in the axial direction.
Consequently, in order to obtain predetermined rigidity and breaking characteristic, it is necessary to consider a state of deformation of the frame according to an intensity and direction of a predicted external force when a shape of the frame is designed. It is possible to optimize the shape of the frame by conducting a prediction in simulation or making experiments. However, from the actual viewpoint, it is very difficult to realize the most appropriate shape and state of deformation of the frame, because the manufacturing cost, space and weight are restricted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished to solve the above problems of the conventional art. It is an object of the present invention to provide a control device for controlling rigidity of a car body by which an appropriate impact absorption can be conducted irrespective of a form of collision.
It is another object of the invention to provide a control device for controlling deformation of a frame capable of obtaining a predetermined strength characteristic by controlling a state of deformation of the frame without relying on the shape.
In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a control device for controlling rigidity of a car body comprising: a means
4
for adjusting rigidity of a right and a left side frame
2
,
3
extending in the longitudinal direction of the car
1
, the means being attached to the side frames
2
,
3
; and a control means
8
for controlling operation of the means for adjusting rigidity of a right and a left side frame according to a form of collision judged by an output of a collision detection means
5
. Due to the foregoing, rigidity of the right and the left side frame can be adjusted to values appropriate for the form of collision by the means for adjusting rigidity of the right and the left side frame. Accordingly, it is possible to absorb an impact of collision appropriately in any form of collision including overall collision and partial collision.
The means for adjusting rigidity of the side frame is a solid element actuator such as a piezoelectric element or a magentostriction element to generate a force in a direction of restricting plastic deformation of the side frame or facilitating plastic deformation of the side frame. Alternatively, the means for adjusting rigidity of the side frame is a reinforcement member capable of being displaced between a position at which rigidity of the side frame is enhanced and a position at which no influence is given to rigidity of the side frame. Further, it is possible to provide the same action by using a reinforcement member combined with the side frame via explosion bolts which are broken according to an operation signal sent from the control means.
In this connection, examples of the collision detection means are: an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration generated in the longitudinal direction of a car body in collision; a strain sensor for detecting strain generated in the side frame in collision; and a displacement sensor for detecting displacement of a measurement point which is caused by deformation of the car body in collision, wherein the measurement point is appropriately set in the side frame or bumper attaching member. Concerning the acceleration sensor, it is possible to use a piezoelectric element from which a voltage signal is outputted according to strain, a semiconductor, the resistance of which is changed by strain, and glass fibers, the transmission characteristic of which is changed by strain, and acceleration can be detected by strain caused in a support section of the sensor. Concerning the strain sensor, the sensors described in the above acceleration sensor can be used. In addition to that, it is possible to use a solid element actuator composed of a piezoelectric element or a magentostriction element. Concerning the displacement sensor, it is possible to use a variable resistor, a laser beam displacement meter, and a limit switch, the structure of which is a simple gap type.
Further, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a control device for controlling deforma
Higuchi Eisei
Urushiyama Yuta
Dayoan D. Glenn
Engle Patricia
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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