Vehicle front end

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle front end (10) comprising at least one body shell element (20), at least one pedestrian protection cross beam (22) and at least one inner front end component (32) which allows a constant gap between two adjacent body shell elements (20) and / or prevents bending of the body shell elements (20) while keeping additional costs and additional weight low. The vehicle front end (10) according to the invention comprises at least one body shell element (20), at least one pedestrian protection cross beam (22) and at least one inner front end component (32) which is located above the pedestrian protection cross beam (22) and behind the body shell element (20), wherein at least one support structure (42) having an extension in the vertical direction of the vehicle is arranged between the body shell element (20) and the pedestrian protection cross beam (22) in order to reduce or prevent bending or lowering of the body shell element (20).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle front end comprising at least one body shell element, at least one pedestrian protection cross member and at least one inner front end component, the inner front end component being located above the pedestrian protection cross member. The term "vehicle front end" refers to an arrangement of a plurality of components at the front of the vehicle, including at least one body shell element. In particular, it relates to a motor vehicle, which comprises at least one front bumper cover and / or at least one radiator grille and / or at least one front spoiler as a body shell element.

[0002] In particular, the present invention relates to a vehicle front end for a motor vehicle, such as a car or truck, such as a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an electric engine, and / or other powertrain including a hybrid powertrain. Background Art

[0003] A pedestrian protection cross member in the sense of the invention is in particular an element having a width in the transverse direction of the vehicle which is at least half of the total vehicle width, preferably greater than 60%, greater than 70% or even greater than 75% of the total vehicle width, the total vehicle width being the maximum vehicle width without exterior mirrors. Optionally, the pedestrian protection cross member is formed as a high-strength and rigid structure, for example as a cross member with a U-shaped cross section, wherein the opening of the "U" points in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle to the front of the vehicle or to the rear of the vehicle.

[0004] Many vehicles have a main crossbeam connected to two longitudinal beams, which extend from the rear end of the main crossbeam to the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The pedestrian protection crossbeam is located lower than the main crossbeam. Optionally, the pedestrian protection crossbeam can be directly connected to the main crossbeam via one, two or more vertical connecting elements, in particular connecting beams.

[0005] A common problem with body shell elements is that a constant gap is desired between two adjacent body shell elements and that bending of body shell elements, in particular body shell elements of large dimensions, for example with a significant width of more than 50 cm, more than 80 cm or more than 100 cm, is prevented. Summary of the invention

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a vehicle front end, which comprises at least one body shell element, at least one pedestrian protection crossbeam and at least one inner front part, allowing a constant gap between two adjacent body shell elements and / or preventing bending of the body shell elements while keeping the additional costs and additional weight low.

[0007] This technical problem is solved by a vehicle front end. Advantageous embodiments and advantages of the invention are also described.

[0008] The vehicle front end according to the invention comprises at least one body shell element, at least one pedestrian protection cross member and at least one inner front end component, which is located above the pedestrian protection cross member and behind the body shell element, wherein at least one support structure having an extension in the vertical direction of the vehicle is arranged between the body shell element and the pedestrian protection cross member to reduce or prevent bending, in particular bending or falling of the body shell element. The vehicle front end of the invention thus comprises an arrangement which allows reducing or preventing bending or falling of the body shell element by providing and arranging the support structure in an advantageous and practical manner, thereby keeping the additional costs and additional weight of the vehicle front end low. This applies in particular to the case of a front end and a support structure configured as described in detail below.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the vehicle front end according to the invention, the support structure is made of an elastic material and / or the support structure extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle, so that the support structure is in contact with the body shell element and / or the pedestrian protection crossbeam. However, the support structure can also be made of any other material, in particular of an inelastic material, preferably if this construction allows the support structure to collapse and / or disappear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision, in particular a frontal collision with a pedestrian. Preferably, the support structure allows an elastic deformation and / or collapse of at least 10 mm, preferably at least 20 mm, and most preferably at least 30 mm in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. This can be achieved by a soft elastic material and / or an elastic sealing lip, allowing at least a part of the seal to be moved away together with the support structure, in particular upwards or downwards, so as to move backwards in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0010] The elastic material refers in particular to a material having an elastic modulus of less than 5 GPa, more preferably less than 1 GPa, and even more preferably less than 0.5 GPa or less than 0.1 GPa. Preferred examples of elastic materials include polymer materials, such as thermoplastic materials and / or elastomeric materials. Specifically, plastic materials, such as PP (polypropylene) / EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber).

[0011] If the supporting structure extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle so that it contacts the body shell element and / or the pedestrian protection cross member, a maximum support of the body shell element without bending or with little bending can be expected depending on the elasticity of the supporting structure and the optional preload.

[0012] According to a solution that can be implemented with almost no additional costs and with little additional weight, the support structure is at least one local vertical projection extending downwards on the front section of the inner front part. In this case, the support structure can in particular be a separate element attached to a surface pointing towards the ground, i.e. pointing downwards in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0013] The invention is particularly applicable to vehicles with a vehicle front end, wherein the inner front end component is an air guide structure having a length and a width that (significantly) exceeds the height. More specifically, it relates to an air guide structure formed as a bottom element in the form of a closed planar structure, preferably as a bottom wall of an essentially horizontal wall, for example leading to a mounting bracket for a radiator module and / or to an air channel to a radiator module. The air guide structure is preferably made of a plastic material.

[0014] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the support structure is attached to the front section of the inner front part, or the support structure is part of the front section of the inner front part, wherein the support structure and / or the front section of the inner front part are made of an elastic material. If both the support structure and the front section of the inner front part are made of an elastic material, a suitable geometry of the elastic material allows a sealing effect to be achieved, a geometry that can collapse in the event of longitudinal forces, such as occur in a frontal collision, in particular with a pedestrian, and a geometry that can absorb supporting forces in a perpendicular vehicle direction, in particular from body shell elements, for transfer to the pedestrian protection cross member.

[0015] If the support structure of the vehicle front end of the invention is formed integrally with the front section of the inner front end part and / or the support structure is attached to the sealing lip, then further advantages arise in terms of manufacturing costs. Preferably, the support structure is formed integrally and attached to the sealing lip of the inner front end part. In this case, the support structure can be made of the same material as the sealing lip and is manufactured as a sealing lip at the same time. Preferably, the sealing lip has a longer extension in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, because the remaining part of the sealing lip without the support structure allows and improves the degree of collapse in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0016] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support structure of the front end of the vehicle comprises at least one support block, which has an extension in the vehicle transverse direction and in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Such a support block can have an extension that matches the width in the vehicle transverse direction and / or the length in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the pedestrian protection cross beam, in particular the upper surface of the pedestrian protection cross beam.

[0017] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the vehicle front end comprises a plurality of support structures spaced apart from one another in the vehicle transverse direction. This embodiment is cost and weight optimized, since it requires less material.

[0018] In another more weight-optimized and more functional embodiment, the support structure of the vehicle front end comprises a plurality of support ribs. This means that at least one support structure is formed by a plurality of preferably parallel ribs. It is possible that the ribs are separate ribs spaced apart from one another and that each rib itself forms a support structure. Alternatively, a plurality of ribs can be arranged as support blocks, wherein one or more support blocks and / or one or more separate ribs can be provided depending on the forces to be withstood in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0019] Finally, an embodiment of a vehicle front end is concerned, in which the inner front end part extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from a body shell element to a radiator mounting bracket for a radiator module. The invention is particularly designed for such a vehicle front end and can be implemented in a particularly cost-effective manner if the inner front end part is part of the vehicle front end of the invention. In particular, it relates to an inner front end part which is an air guide structure formed as a bottom wall of an air channel leading to a radiator module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0021] Figure 1 An isometric view of the front end of the vehicle is shown;

[0022] Figure 2 Shown according to Figure 1 A cross-sectional view along the cutting line II-II in FIG.

[0023] Figure 3 A first embodiment of an inner front end component in the form of an air guiding structure having a plurality of support structures is shown in a bottom view; and

[0024] Figure 4 A second exemplary embodiment of an inner front part in the form of an air guiding structure with a supporting structure is shown in a view from below.

[0025] In the drawings and hereinafter, the X direction (reference arrow X) indicates the vehicle longitudinal direction, the Y direction (reference arrow Y) indicates the vehicle lateral direction, and the Z direction (reference arrow Z) indicates the vehicle vertical direction (not shown).

[0026] Figure 1 A vehicle front end 10 is shown including a front bumper cover 12 , headlights 14 , an upper grille 16 , and a lower grille 18 , all of which are body shell elements 20 .

[0027] like Figure 2As shown, the front bumper cover 12 extends to a pedestrian protection beam 22 in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the pedestrian protection beam 22 has a U-shaped cross section. In this embodiment, the opening of the "U" points to the rear of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In addition, the pedestrian protection beam 22 includes a lower flange 24 on the rear end of a horizontal lower arm 28 and an upper flange 26 at the rear end of a horizontal upper arm 30.

[0028] Above the pedestrian protection cross member 22 and behind the front bumper cover 12, the vehicle front end 10 comprises an inner front section component 32 in the form of an air guide structure 34. The air guide structure 34 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (X-direction) from the front bumper cover 12 to a radiator mounting bracket 36 for a radiator module (not shown). Figure 2 As can be seen from FIG. 1 , the air guide structure 34 extends significantly in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The air guide structure 34 has a closed surface and is used to guide air along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the transverse direction of the vehicle. Figure 2 The direction of arrow A in FIG. 1 leads from the front of the vehicle to the lower wall of the air passage of the radiator module (not shown).

[0029] The front section 38 of the air guide structure 34 is formed as a sealing lip 40. The sealing lip 40 is formed integrally with a supporting structure 42, wherein the supporting structure 42 is only shown as Figure 2 . The support structure 42 extends downwardly in the vehicle vertical direction to the upper arm 30 of the pedestrian protection cross member 22. In the vehicle longitudinal direction, the support structure 42 extends over the entire length of the upper arm 30. In addition, the support structure 42 extends in the vehicle vertical direction and extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction to the supported section of the front bumper cover 12. Therefore, a force directed in the vehicle vertical direction, such as the weight of the bumper cover 12, is supported by the support structure 42. Therefore, the bumper cover 12 is prevented from bending, and the bumper cover is properly supported.

[0030] Figure 3 and Figure 4 Two different and preferred embodiments of an inner front part 32 in the form of an air guiding structure 34 are shown.

[0031] exist Figure 3 In the embodiment of the invention, the front section 38 of the air guide structure 34 has a sealing lip 40 with four support blocks 44, each of which includes three support ribs 46. The support ribs 46 extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and are oriented parallel to one another. The length of the support ribs 46 is shorter than the extension of the sealing lip 40, so that the sealing lip 40 including the support ribs 46 can collapse in the X direction in the event of a frontal collision, in particular in the event of a pedestrian. Therefore, in the event of a frontal collision, the presence of the support ribs 46 is insignificant and therefore does not interfere with the pedestrian protection function of the vehicle front end 10, in particular the area around the pedestrian protection cross member 22.

[0032] If a load is applied to the bumper cover 12 in the vertical direction downward, the bumper cover 12 is supported by the support structure 42, since the support structure 42 is supported on the upper arm 30 of the pedestrian protection cross member 22. The inventive design of the air guiding structure 34 thus helps to prevent the body shell element 20, i.e. the bumper cover 12, from bending and thus allows a constant gap between two adjacent body shell elements 20, in particular between the bumper cover 12 and an adjacent body shell element 20, such as the lower grille 18.

[0033] exist Figure 4 In the embodiment of the invention, the front section 38 of the air guide structure 34 has a sealing lip 40 with nine supporting structures 42 formed as nine individual supporting ribs 46, all of which are oriented parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other. The distance from one rib 46 to the adjacent rib 46 is approximately 10 cm.

[0034] For the sake of completeness, reference is made to a coupling element 48 at the rear end of the air guide structure 34 which allows for easy connection and mounting from the air guide structure 34 to the radiator mounting bracket 36 .

[0035] The features of the invention disclosed in this specification, the drawings and the claims are essential for the implementation of the invention in its various embodiments, either individually or in any combination. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments. These embodiments may vary within the scope of the claims and in view of the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0036] In particular, the following options are involved, namely the support block of the rib (not shown) extending to at least half the width of the inner front part can be provided integrally with the inner front part, in particular the air guide structure, or alternatively, the support structure is produced separately and positioned to reduce or prevent bending or lowering of the body shell element. For example, the following options are involved, namely, in particular with Figure 2 The manner shown adheres the foam material to the inner front part and / or the occupant protection cross member and / or the body shell element in such a way as to support the forces applied by the occupant protection cross member in a vertical direction downwards to the body shell element.

[0037] replace Figure 3 and 4 In the case of the ribs 46 shown in FIG. 4 , the support structure can also be a solid block having a support surface which extends significantly beyond the width of the pedestrian protection beam and / or the width of the inner front part.

[0038] List of Reference Numerals

[0039] 10Vehicle front end

[0040] 12Front bumper cover

[0041] 14 Headlights

[0042] 16 Upper grille

[0043] 18 Lower grille

[0044] 20 Body shell elements

[0045] 22 Pedestrian protection beam

[0046] 24 lower flange

[0047] 26 Upper flange

[0048] 28 Lower arm

[0049] 30 Upper arm

[0050] 32 Inner front end parts

[0051] 34 Air guide structure

[0052] 36 Radiator mounting bracket

[0053] 38 front section

[0054] 40 Sealing lip

[0055] 42Support structure

[0056] 44 support block

[0057] 46 support ribs

[0058] 48 coupling elements

Claims

1. A vehicle front end, comprising at least one body shell element (20), at least one pedestrian protection cross member (22) and at least one inner front end component (32), the inner front end component (32) being located above the pedestrian protection cross member (22) and behind the body shell element (20), characterized in that At least one supporting structure (42) having an extension in the vertical direction of the vehicle is arranged between the body shell element (20) and the pedestrian protection cross member (22) to reduce or prevent bending or lowering of the body shell element (20), wherein the supporting structure (42) is at least one local vertical protrusion extending downward on the front section of the inner front part (32).

2. The vehicle front end according to claim 1, characterized in that The support structure (42) is made of elastic material and / or extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle, so that the support structure (42) is in contact with the body shell element (20) and / or with the pedestrian protection cross beam (22).

3. The vehicle front end according to claim 1, characterized in that The inner front end component (32) is an air guide structure (34) having a length and a width that exceed its height.

4. The vehicle front end according to claim 1, characterized in that The support structure (42) is attached to the front section (38) of the inner front end part (32) or is part of the front section (38) of the inner front end part (32), wherein the support structure (42) and / or the front section (38) of the inner front end part (32) are made of elastic material.

5. The vehicle front end according to claim 1, characterized in that The support structure (42) is formed integrally with the front section (38) of the inner front end part (32) and / or the support structure (42) is attached to the sealing lip (40).

6. The vehicle front end according to claim 1, characterized in that The support structure (42) comprises at least one support block (44) having an extension in a vehicle transverse direction and in a vehicle longitudinal direction.

7. The vehicle front end according to claim 1, characterized in that A plurality of support structures (42) are provided and are positioned spaced apart from each other in a vehicle transverse direction.

8. The vehicle front end according to claim 1, characterized in that The support structure (42) includes a plurality of support ribs (46).

9. The vehicle front end according to claim 1, characterized in that The inner front part (32) extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the body shell element (20) to a radiator mounting bracket (36) for a radiator module.

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