Bumper arrangement

Field of technology

The invention relates to a bumper arrangement for the front or rear area of ​​the body.

State of the art

DE 196 11 934 discloses a bumper arrangement for a front module of a passenger car which has two transverse beams lying one above the other. While the upper cross member is connected directly to the upper longitudinal members of the car body, shock absorbers are incorporated between the lower longitudinal members of the lower body and the cross member at the lower cross member. In addition, the two crossbeams are connected to each other by tension and pressure struts arranged in the area of ​​the shock absorber and built together in a V-shape. they run from the upper cross member to the sections of the shock absorber connected to the lower cross member. Furthermore, the tensile struts, which are made weaker in terms of resistance, are provided with predetermined bending points, the task of which is not to release as many loads as possible on the upper plane of the beam in the event of an impact.

In the known case, both transverse beams are to form a frame connection, rigid in bending. In the event of an impact at low speeds, a pressure load is applied to the upper cross member, which transmits with the pressure struts to a relatively bending-resistant

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0 * · the lower plane of the beam and is captured by it. At the same time, a bending load is applied to the connection points of the pressure struts on the basis of the force components acting in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. By integrating the tension struts, these connection points are relieved. The pressure struts essentially load only the lower plane of the beam. With such an arrangement, a front module is to be created which has high accident stability, is easy to repair and has optimal impact behavior, both in low speed and high speed impact.

The essence of the invention

The object of the invention is, based on the state of the art, to provide a bumper arrangement for the front or stern area of ​​a passenger car body covered by a cladding, which fulfills its function on a large scale power level at high speed.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the features of claim 1.

In the context of the invention, the cross member, the cross member, the spacer brackets and the spacer struts are understood as a system which generally relates to the specified requirements. In this way, a specific case of collision can be targeted. On the one hand, this is a low-power collision at low speed. This can be a light or heavy impact. It can also be a high-force impact with high speed and high weight.

An additional cross member under the cross member allows additional energy capture in the event of a frontal or stern impact.

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In addition to the additional energy capture, another positive effect of this arrangement is that a substantially flatter obstacle is involved. This means that the type of impact changes. Furthermore, the conversion of energy to at least two different levels of power is now taking place. At the same time, each force level is adapted to a certain impact situation. In particular, all components of the bumper arrangement can be created differently in function, material and position, while optimizing the passive and active components for the safety of the vehicle with regard to the fulfillment of their function and requirements.

The deformation areas on the cross member and / or on the spacer brackets can be designed in various ways. The material of the deformation areas can be metallic or non-metallic. A combined design is also possible. Aluminum, steel, plastic, magnesium or foams can be used. A hybrid arrangement is also possible.

Overall, a front or stern module is already provided, which as a whole is integrated into the body of the passenger car and, if necessary, can be completely replaced or its individual parts can be replaced.

According to claim 2, the cross member arranged below the cross member can be formed tubular. The crosspiece can have a round, rectangular or triangular cross section.

According to claim 3, however, an embodiment is also possible in which the crosspiece is designed as a profile construction. In particular, a hat-shaped profile with a bridge, two arms and two flanges can be used as the profile construction.

Irrespective of whether the cross member is made of tubular or as a profile structure, steels, high-strength steels, aluminum, plastics or

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In order to allow further energy absorption in the area of ​​the crosspiece, it may be sensible according to the features of claim 4 to provide the crosspiece with a layer of energy-absorbing material at least on the surface areas facing the cladding. As such a material, for example, reversible or non-reversible foam in the form of polyurethane (PUR), aluminum, epoxy resin (EP), etc. can be used.

If the crosspiece has a round cross-section, the layer is preferably arranged around the entire circumference. In the case of other cross-sections or in the case of a cross-section in the form of a profile construction, for example a cap-shaped cross-section, a layer of energy-absorbing material is expediently provided, facing only on the outside.

According to claim 5, the spacer struts arranged between the cross member and the stop plates are preferably formed as a profile construction. The hat-shaped profile is mainly used in cross section. This allows the wall thickness of the spacers to be kept comparatively thin.

However, according to claim 6, the spacer struts can also be designed as hollow sections. Rectangular, triangular or round cross-sections are possible.

As already mentioned in the introduction, the cross member and / or the spacer brackets can be integrated at least in part into at least two deformation areas with different force levels lying one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In an embodiment of claim 7, the low-force deformation areas are assigned to spacer brackets consisting of a rectangular, triangular or round hollow profile. In this embodiment, the deformation areas are formed by corrugating the walls of the spacer brackets. It can be

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However, according to the features of claim 8, in the case of spacer brackets consisting of hollow sections of arbitrary cross sections, it is also possible to form deformation areas with a low force level by regionally reducing the wall thickness of the spacer brackets.

According to claim 9, it is furthermore possible for the deformation areas with a low force level to be formed by providing perforations in the walls of the spacer brackets.

Within the scope of the features of claim 10, an embodiment can be realized in which the spacer brackets also consist of hollow sections of any cross section, the deformation areas with a low level of force being formed by the foam bodies. The force level can be optimally adjusted by the thickness of the foam body. Reversible or irreversible foams.

According to claim 11, the deformation areas of the low-force spacer brackets are arranged adjacent to the cross member. The proximity position on the cross member increases and optimizes the lateral strength of the spacer brackets.

However, an embodiment is also conceivable in which, according to claim 12, the deformation areas of the low-force spacer brackets are arranged adjacent to the stop plates.

The U-shaped crossbeam with a longitudinal notch (claim 13) arranged in a bridge facing the cladding is used in particular when the deformation areas with a low force level are integrated in the spacer brackets.

In the case of the embodiment of claim 14, it is transverse

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An embodiment of claim 15 proposes a tubular cross member. It is mainly a rectangular cross beam in cross section, the longer axis of which runs vertically. In the longitudinal wall of the transverse beam, facing the cladding, the recesses are arranged at a distance from one another. Foam blocks are inserted into these recesses, which rest on the inner side of the side wall, lying against the side wall with the recesses. The foam blocks protrude above the cross member in the direction of the cladding. They come into contact mainly on the inside of the cladding. Preferably, the foam blocks have a rectangular cross-section, so that they are secured against overturning. Their function is fulfilled if the foam blocks are completely pushed into the tubular structure during the collision.

Also in the embodiment according to claim 16, the transverse beam is integrated in two deformation areas lying at different force levels. For this purpose, the cross member consists of two U-profiles. The inner U-profile facing away from the casing preferably has two more flanges projecting from the arms in opposite directions. The outer U-profile is connected to the inner profile by its arms. They can be welded or glued joints. There may be other connections as well. The two bridges of the U-profiles are spaced apart. The U-profile adjacent to the cladding is the wall thickness and / or the quality of the material

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99 9 due to the level of force created weaker. In the event of an impact, this U-joint is first elastically and / or plastically deformed. If the impact does not subside further, the two U-profiles together form a resistance to the impact at a higher level of force.

According to an embodiment of claim 17, the transverse beam is again provided with deformation areas lying at different force levels. It consists of two U-profiles, ordered with their arms facing each other. Preferably, both Uprofiles have flanges on the arms by which the U-profiles are connected to each other. Also in this case, the U-profile adjacent to the cladding is made weaker by the wall thickness and / or the quality of the material with respect to the force level.

Overview of figures in the drawings

The invention will be explained in more detail by means of specific exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bumper arrangement for the front area of ​​a passenger car, FIG. 2 is a schematic enlarged view of the vertical

<td></td><td>section of figure 1 along other variants,</td><td>planes II-II se</td><td>three</td>

<td>Fig. 3</td><td>view matching fifth embodiment,</td><td>showing figure 2</td><td>according to</td>

<td>Fig. 4</td><td>view matching sixth embodiment,</td><td>showing figure 2</td><td>according to</td>

Fig. 5 is a diagram of a view corresponding to the view

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8 ·· · · · · ···· “· ·······» te · · · · ······ • · · · ♦ · ···· ···· ·· · Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to the view of Figure 2 according to the eighth embodiment, Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to the view of Figure 2 according to the ninth embodiment, Fig. 8 is a view corresponding to the view of Figure 2 according to the tenth embodiment, and Fig. 9 is a view corresponding to the view of Fig. 2 according to an eleventh embodiment.

Examples of embodiments of the invention

Reference numeral 1 denotes, in FIG.

The bumper arrangement 1 comprises, as can also be seen in Figure 2, a cross member 5 connected on the end side by spacer brackets 2 consisting of rectangular hollow sections and stop plates 3 with body longitudinal beams 14, as well as a cross member 6 arranged below the cross member. beam 5.

The cross member 5 is substantially U-shaped. It has a bridge 7, two arms 8 as well as two flanges 9. The spacer brackets 2 are welded to the cross member 5. On the other hand, each spacer bracket 2 is welded to the stop plate 3. which is again detachably connected to a stop plate 10, which is welded from the front side of each longitudinal beam

4.

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• · 4 • · · · • · · ·

The cross member 6 below the cross member 5 is formed tubular. It has on its surface 24 a peripheral layer 11 of energy-absorbing material, such as foam.

The crosspiece 6 is connected below the spacer brackets 2 by obliquely extending spacer struts 12 to the stop plates.

3. The spacer struts 12 can be formed as a profile structure, such as U-profiles or hat-shaped profiles. However, hollow sections of any cross section are also suitable as spacer struts 12.

In front of the cross member 5 and the cross member 6, a plastic sheath 13 extends in a U-shaped configuration (Figure 1).

As indicated by the dashed line in Figure 2, the bridge 7 of the cross member 5 facing the cladding 13 can be provided with a longitudinal notch 14.

The cross member 5 and / or the spacer brackets 2 can be integrated at least in part into at least two deformation areas in the longitudinal direction 15 of the vehicle with different force levels.

In addition, the bumper arrangements 1a and 1b of Figures 3 and 4 suggest that the spacer brackets 2 consist of hollow profiles and the low force deformation areas 16 are formed by corrugating the walls 17 of the spacer brackets 2.

In this case, it is possible for the deformation areas 16 of the low-force spacer brackets 2 to be arranged adjacent to the stop plates 3 or, as shown in FIG.

However, as indicated in Figure 2,

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4 44 4 44 4 »·» 44 444 ··· • 4 4444 4444 • 444 · 4 44 »4 ·· In the case of the spacer brackets 2, the low-strength deformation areas 16a of the hollow sections can also be formed by reducing the wall thickness 17 of the spacer brackets 2 These deformation areas 16a can then, as in the illustration of Figures 3 and 4, either be adjacent to the stop plates 3 or to the cross member 5.

An embodiment is also possible which is also indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 2 and in which the deformation areas 16b are formed by a partial weakening of the walls 17 of the spacer brackets 2. This can be done, for example, by longitudinal openings. These openings can be arranged adjacent to the cross member 5 or adjacent to the stop plates 3.

Figure 5 shows a bumper arrangement 1c in which the low force deformation areas 16c are formed by plate-shaped foam bodies. Also these deformation areas 16c can be arranged either adjacent to the stop plates 3, as shown in figure 5, or according to figure 4 adjacent to the transverse beam 5.

Also the transverse beams 5 according to Figures 3 to 5 can be provided with longitudinal ridges 14 according to Figure 2.

The bumper arrangement Id shown in FIG. it is formed by a lath-shaped foam body projecting over the arms 18 towards the cladding 13 and held in the channel 20 of the cross member 5a.

It can further be seen that in the arrangement 1d of the bumper of figure 6, there is a cross member 6a lying below the cross member 5a.

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In addition, it can be seen from Figure 6 that the cap crosspiece 6a is provided on the surface 24a facing the sheath 13 with a layer 11a of energy-absorbing material, such as foam. Both the deformation area 16d on the cross member 5a, consisting of a lath-shaped foam body, and the foam layer 11a on the cross member 6a are in contact with the sheath 13 from the inside.

The bumper arrangement 1 of Figure 7 proposes a transverse beam 5b of a rectangular hollow profile with a vertical longitudinal axis with rounded corners. In the side wall 25 facing the cladding 13, a plurality of rectangular recesses 26 are spaced apart. Adapted foam blocks are inserted into these recesses 26 as deformation areas 16e with a low level of force, which are in contact with the sheath 13 and on the other hand rest on the inner surface 27 of the side wall 28 opposite the side wall 25 with recesses 26.

Below the cross member 5b there is a cross member 6a according to the embodiment of figure 6.

Figure 8 shows a bumper arrangement 1f in which the transverse beam 5c consists of two U-profiles 29, 30 forming different deformation areas connected to one another. The U-profile 29, adjacent to the casing 13, is connected by its arm 42, e.g. welded, with the U-profile 30 facing away from the casing 13. This facing U-profile 30 has

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4444 44 · 4 44 44 In addition, there are flanges 32 on the arms 31. The U-profile 30 is again connected to the spacer brackets 2, consisting of hollow profiles. The low-strength deformation area 16f is formed by a thinner wall 33 of the profile 29, adjacent to the sheath 13.

Below the cross member 5c there is a cross member 6a according to the embodiment of figure 6.

In the embodiment of the bumper arrangement 1g of FIG. 9, the cross member 5d consists of two U-profiles 36,

37, directed by their arms 34, 35 against each other and connected by arms 34, 35. In addition, the U-profiles 36, 37 also have flanges.

38, 39. The low force deformation region 16g is formed by a U-profile 36 adjacent to the sheath 13, in that its wall 40 is thinner than the wall 41 of the U-profile 37 facing away from the sheath 13. This is connected to spacer brackets 2, consisting of hollow sections.

Below the cross member 5d there is a cross member 6a with the embodiment according to figure 6.

Of course, it is possible to use the crosspieces 6 shown in Figures 1 to 5 instead of the crosspieces 6a shown in Figures 6 to 9.

On the other hand, in the embodiments of Figures 1 to 5, the crosspieces 6a of the embodiments of Figures 6 to 9 can be used instead of the crosspieces 6 shown there.