Crash box and bumper for a motor vehicle

Abstract

A crash box for placement between a bumper beam and a side rail of a motor vehicle includes a longitudinal profile made of two U-shaped shells having overlapping ends sized to realize a material doubling for increasing side stiffness and to suit the side stiffness to a load level. A flange plate is provided on a side-rail-proximal end of the longitudinal profile and has an opening for passage of the longitudinal profile. The side-rail-proximal end of the longitudinal profile is configured with a collar which is turned outwards. The collar rests against the flange plate and is joined with the flange plate. In the event of a collision, the longitudinal profile of the crash box is moved into the side rail as the longitudinal profile folds into the side rail starting from the flange plate, while the side-rail-proximal end of the longitudinal profile remains secured to the flange plate.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 10 2007 012 137.9, filed Mar. 12, 2007, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a crash box for placement between a bumper beam and a side rail of a motor vehicle, and to a bumper provided with such a crash box.[0003]Nothing in the following discussion of the state of the art is to be construed as an admission of prior art.[0004]A standard bumper is typically mounted on the front or rear of a motor vehicle to absorb impact energy and thereby prevent damage to the vehicle structure in the event of a frontal or rear impact. The bumper typically includes a bumper beam which is mounted to the side rails of the vehicle frame through intervention of crash boxes. The bumper beam is provided to introduce energ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]The longitudinal profile rests with the collar upon the side-rail-distal side of the flange plate, i.e. on the flange plate side which is adjacent to the side rail, and is welded to the flange plate in this area. This may be realized by a continuous, circumferential welding seam, or intermittent welding seam, or spot welding seam. The stiffness of the collar may be adjusted by varying the geometric configuration of the collar, such as length of its marginal legs, radius of deformation and angle of the margin legs of the collar in relation to the body of the longitudinal profile. In this way, the functionally desired folding operation and its initialization can be controlled and triggered in the event of impact.

[0014]According to another feature of the present invention, the longitudinal profile may have rounded corners. The longitudinal profile is thus substantially rectangular with rounded length edges, as viewed in vertical cross section. As a result, side stiffness is further improved and positively affects the deformation and folding

Problems solved by technology

Slide-in tubes of this type afford only little lateral stiffness.

A problem common to conventional bumpers is the fact that the available space for energy

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