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US 10,703,185 B2Granted
Rear crash management system (CMS)
AssigneeThunder Power Electric Vehicle Limited
InventorJens Maier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rear impact system for an electric vehicle, the rear impact system includes a rear crash element extending laterally along a rear of the electric vehicle. The rear crash element defines an interior having a number of ribs extending between a front surface and a rear surface of the rear crash element. The system includes a left crash beam coupled between a rear portion of a rear wheel arch of the electric vehicle and the rear crash element of the electric vehicle and a right crash beam coupled between the rear portion of the rear wheel arch and the rear crash element of the electric vehicle.
Claims20
A rear impact system for an electric vehicle, the rear impact system comprising:
- a bumper extending laterally along a rear of the electric vehicle;
- a left rear crash element coupled proximate a left end of the bumper, wherein the left rear crash element defines a first interior comprising a first plurality of ribs extending between a first front surface and a first rear surface of the left rear crash element;
- a right rear crash element coupled proximate a right end of the bumper, wherein the right rear crash element defines a second interior comprising a second plurality of ribs extending between a second front surface and a second rear surface of the right rear crash element;
- a left bumper mount that couples the left rear crash element with the bumper;
- a right bumper mount that couples the right rear crash element with the bumper;
- a left crash beam having a first front end that is received within a left rear portion of a left rear wheel arch of the electric vehicle and a first rear end that is coupled with the left rear crash element of the electric vehicle, wherein the left rear crash element extends between a rear end of the left crash beam and the bumper, wherein the left crash beam has an octagonal cross-section;
- and
- a right crash beam having a second front end that is received within a right rear portion of a right rear wheel arch of the electric vehicle and a second rear end that is coupled with the right rear crash element of the electric vehicle, wherein the right rear crash element extends between a rear end of the right crash beam and the bumper, wherein the right crash beam has an irregular octagonal cross-section.
5 more elements
A rear impact system for an electric vehicle, the rear impact system comprising:
- a bumper extending laterally along a rear of the electric vehicle;
- a left rear crash element coupled proximate a left end of the bumper;
- a right rear crash element coupled proximate a right end of the bumper, wherein each of the left rear crash element and the right crash element comprises a left surface, a right surface, a front surface, and a rear surface that define an interior comprising a plurality of ribs extending between a front surface and a rear surface of the respective rear crash element, wherein the right surface and the left surface have different lengths;
- a left bumper mount that couples the left rear crash element with the bumper;
- a right bumper mount that couples the right rear crash element with the bumper;
- a left crash beam;
- and
- a right crash beam, wherein:
- each of the left crash beam and the right crash beam comprises a front end of each is received within a rear portion of a respective rear wheel arch of the electric vehicle and a rear end that is coupled with a respective one of the left rear crash element or the right crash element;
- and
- each of the left crash beam and the right crash beam has an irregular octagonal cross-section.
8 more elements
A method of absorbing a rear impact with an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
- receiving a collision at a bumper of the electric vehicle;
- absorbing force using a plurality of ribs of each of a left rear crash element and a right rear crash element of the electric vehicle via bumper mounts coupled with each of the rear crash elements, wherein each of the left rear crash element and the right rear crash element defines an interior comprising the plurality of ribs, wherein each of the plurality of ribs extends between a front surface and a rear surface of the respective rear crash element;
- transferring force from a rear edge of each respective rear crash element to at least one crash beam that is coupled with a front edge of each respective rear crash element, wherein the at least one crash beam comprises an irregular octagonal cross-section;
- transferring a force from the collision from a rear edge of the at least one crash beam to a medial portion of the at least one crash beam, the at least one crash beam being received within a rear portion of a rear wheel arch of the electric vehicle and extending to the rear end of the electric vehicle;
- and
- transferring any remaining portion of the force to the rear end of the rear wheel arch.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.