US Patent 11851104 Lower control arm mechanism for a small overlap crash

A system for managing wheel kinematics during a collision event includes a break-away region for releasing a joint of a lower control arm. The system includes a recess arranged in a frame member, and a pin arranged vertically in the recess and configured to couple the lower control arm to the frame member. The break away region includes a reduced stiffness and is configured to fail under the collision event to allow the pin to move laterally out of the recess. The recess may be formed by a top plate and a bottom plate or a C-shaped bracket, which include through features to accommodate the pin. The break-away region includes a first notch and a second notch that reduce a stiffness of the structures that form the recess, thus allowing the pin to be released under a predetermined loading. The break-away region may fracture to release the pin.