Motor vehicle bumper device

Abstract

The invention relates to a bumper device (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a cross member (2) and a crash box (3, 4), wherein the cross member (2) has a profile (5) which is open toward the front side (16), the profile having a rear wall (6) and an upper arm (7) and a lower arm (8), and a traction sleeve (18) which is arranged above the upper arm (7) or below the lower arm (8) and is in particular arranged laterally offset near the crash box (3).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a bumper device for a motor vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Bumper devices are installed as standard on the front and rear sides of motor vehicles in order to absorb the impact energy from a collision process so that the supporting structure of the motor vehicle is damaged as little as possible. In addition, the bumper devices should help to minimize injuries to pedestrians or cyclists. Common designs of bumper devices have a cross member, which can be fastened transversely to the longitudinal members of the motor vehicle when a crash box is provided. The cross member serves to direct the energy generated by the collision into the crash box, where the collision energy should be converted into deformation work.

[0003] EP 1 638 815 B1 relates to a prior art bumper device having a bumper or a cross member in the form of an open C-shaped profile, which is suitable for being mounted with its opening facing the outside of the vehicle.

[0004] DE 10 2022 001 443 A1 discloses a vehicle having a bumper device of this type. The bumper device has a cross member and a crash box, wherein the cross member has a profile with a rear wall, an upper arm and a lower arm. A pulling sleeve is also provided, which is arranged below the lower arm of the cross member, wherein the pulling sleeve is fixed to a bracket that engages with the cross member.

[0005] A bumper device is known from KR 10 2016 001 820 A, which has a closed cross member with two cavities arranged one above the other. A pulling sleeve is integrated into the upper cavity of the cross member and passes through it.

[0006] In addition, bumper devices for motor vehicles as disclosed in JP2011-16404A, KR101073952B1, or JP2010-195082A also belong to the prior art.

[0007] In particular, in order to comply with legal requirements, the motor vehicle must have a sufficiently large and easily accessible device for attaching a towing rod or a towing rope at the front and rear. Known towing devices have a towing sleeve accessible from the outside, into which a towing eye for towing the motor vehicle can be screwed. For example, DE 10 2004 056 249 A1 discloses a towing device with a towing sleeve. DE 10 2013 015 518 A1 and DE 10 2019 216 208 A1 also belong to the prior art.

[0008] The traction device is usually integrated into the crash box, which typically restricts the arrangement of the traction device in the vehicle. Summary of the invention

[0009] Starting from this prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a functionally improved motor vehicle bumper arrangement which has greater flexibility with regard to the positioning of the traction device.

[0010] This object is achieved by a motor vehicle bumper device.

[0011] The motor vehicle bumper device has a crossbeam and a crash box. The crossbeam extends along the y-axis (transverse axis of the motor vehicle) of the motor vehicle. The crossbeam has a profile that is open toward the front side of the motor vehicle, and has a rear wall and an upper arm and a lower arm. The profile of the crossbeam is U-shaped, hat-shaped or C-shaped in cross section and is open toward the front side. The crossbeam is oriented toward the motor vehicle with its rear wall. A channel that is open at the front side extends over the length of the crossbeam.

[0012] The bumper device has a traction device with a traction sleeve, which is fixed on the cross member. The traction sleeve is provided with an internal thread, into which a traction ring with an external thread section can be screwed.

[0013] The traction sleeve is arranged outside the crash box above the upper arm and / or below the lower arm. Here, the traction sleeve is fixed to the bracket. The bracket is engaged with the crossbeam.

[0014] A particularly advantageous embodiment of the bumper arrangement according to the invention provides that the pulling sleeve is arranged above the upper arm or below the lower arm and laterally offset near the crash box. Lateral offset means that the pulling sleeve is arranged laterally spaced apart from a vertical central longitudinal plane extending through the crash box along the vehicle transverse axis (y-axis). In particular, the pulling sleeve is arranged laterally spaced apart from the side wall of the nearest crash box. The distance between the pulling sleeve or its support and the crash box should be dimensioned in such a way that sufficient accessibility is ensured for the joining of the crash box to the support and the cross member, in particular for conventional welding methods.

[0015] Terms such as transverse and longitudinal, top and bottom, horizontal and vertical, or longitudinal and transverse, and upper side and lower side each relate to the installation position of the bumper arrangement in the motor vehicle.

[0016] The vehicle coordinate system represents the axles in a motor vehicle. The x-axis corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the y-axis corresponds to the lateral axis of the vehicle, and the z-axis corresponds to the vertical axis of the vehicle.

[0017] According to the invention, the traction sleeve is fixed to a bracket. The bracket engages with the crossbeam and optionally additionally engages with an adjacent crash box. The adjacent crash box is the crash box closest to the bracket. The bracket with the traction sleeve is located outside the crash box and also outside the channel of the crossbeam.

[0018] According to the invention, the bracket has a front flange and a rear flange. The front flange and the rear flange are arranged at a distance from each other along the longitudinal axis of the traction sleeve. The longitudinal axis of the traction sleeve extends along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle (x-axis). The traction sleeve engages with the front flange and the rear flange. The fastening of the traction sleeve to the front flange and the rear flange arranged at a distance from each other along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle (x-axis) ensures a particularly stable arrangement.

[0019] Particularly preferably, the bracket has a first L-shaped profile and a second L-shaped profile that abut against each other. The L-shaped profile is an angle iron made of steel, whose flanges can be equilateral or unequal. Two L-shaped profiles are assembled into a bracket. The two L-shaped profiles abut against each other so that they form a hollow profile. This rectangular configuration of the bracket in cross section ensures a high planar moment of inertia, which is advantageous when the bracket is subjected to bending and torsional stresses. The bracket is compact and stable. The front flange is constructed on one L-shaped profile, and the rear flange is constructed on the other L-shaped profile. In this way, a low-cost and lightweight, but highly stable bracket structure is obtained.

[0020] The support for the traction sleeve is essentially composed of a first L-shaped profile and a second L-shaped profile. A receptacle is provided in each of the front and rear flanges, in which the traction sleeve is positioned and held. The traction sleeve is connected to the support in a materially bonded manner. This is preferably done in or along the receptacle. The receptacle can be realized as a circular hole in the flange, wherein the diameter of the receptacle is matched to the outer diameter of the traction sleeve.

[0021] Due to the space requirements, it may happen that the distance between the pulling sleeve and the adjacent crash box is too small to allow the bracket to be joined to the cross member in the assembled state. In this case, the bracket, which is composed of individual components, in particular the L-shaped profile design of the bracket, allows the bracket to be joined step by step with accessibility optimized for the joining process, in particular welding, without adversely affecting or hindering the weldability of the crash box to the cross member. It is also possible to first join the crash box to the cross member and to join the front or front first L-shaped profile of the bracket to the cross member and then to join the rear second L-shaped profile to the first L-shaped profile.

[0022] An embodiment which is particularly advantageous for practical purposes provides that the support has a connection region at the lower end on the crossbeam side. Depending on the position of the support above or below the crossbeam, the support rests with the connection region on the upper arm or lower arm and the rear wall and engages with the crossbeam at least partially in the contact region. The connection region is structurally adapted to the engagement surface of the crossbeam.

[0023] In an advantageous embodiment, the bracket is attached to the cross member. Here, the bracket stands on the upper arm of the cross member. The upper outer tab oriented toward the motor vehicle butts against the bracket with its end face in the bracket region. In the butt region or contact region between the upper outer tab and the bracket on the front flange of the bracket, the two are joined in a materially bonded manner.

[0024] In particular, in tall vehicles, the bracket with the pulling sleeve can be arranged below the cross member. Here, the bracket abuts on the lower arm of the cross member. The lower outer tab oriented toward the motor vehicle abuts on the bracket with its end face. In the abutment area, the lower outer tab and the bracket are bonded to each other in a material-locking manner.

[0025] Another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the cross member has a closure plate on the front side in the region in front of at least one crash box or in the region of the support. In particular, the closure plate is arranged in front of the crash box adjacent to, i.e., closest to, the traction device with the support and the traction bushing. The closure plate in the region in front of the crash box and / or in the region of the support ensures favorable vehicle-specific load characteristics. In particular, the bending loads caused by the traction process, in which tensile forces and bending moments are introduced into the cross member by the traction device, can be compensated by the closure plate. The closure plate acts in particular as a tie rod and prevents the cross member from being unfavorably bent and / or twisted due to the loads during the traction process.

[0026] In addition to the closing plate in the area in front of the crash box and / or in the area in front of the bracket, it can also be provided that a closing plate or a reinforcing insert or patch is arranged in the middle section of the crossbeam or crossbeam profile and is connected to the crossbeam profile in a materially bonded manner.

[0027] An embodiment which improves the load-bearing properties of the crossbeam as a whole provides that a front tab oriented transversely to the crossbeam is provided on the front end of the crossbeam arm or the crossbeam profile, to which an outer tab bent toward the motor vehicle is connected. Particularly preferably, a front tab extending along the transverse axis (y-axis) of the motor vehicle is provided both on the upper arm and on the lower arm. The front tab on the upper arm is oriented upward. The front tab on the lower arm is oriented downward. The upper outer tab and the lower outer tab are connected to the upper front tab and the lower front tab, respectively, in a manner bent toward the motor vehicle.

[0028] The outer webs can be connected (at least partially) to end webs bent from the outer webs. In particular, the end webs are arranged on the lower outer webs on the bottom side. The end webs are inclined downward from the lower outer webs.

[0029] An advantageous embodiment of the bumper device according to the invention is that the bracket is fastened in a supporting manner to the front and / or outer and / or end tabs. According to an embodiment, the bracket is arranged on the upper side of the cross member or on the lower side of the cross member. Here, the bracket is supported on a component section of the cross member and is joined thereto, in particular welded in a materially bonded manner, along mutually contacting joint surfaces.

[0030] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] In the attached picture:

[0032] Figure 1 A simplified and schematic top view of a motor vehicle bumper arrangement according to the invention is shown;

[0033] Figure 2 Show according to Figure 1 A front view of the bumper assembly shown in FIG.

[0034] Figure 3 A perspective view showing a portion of a bumper device according to the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 A partial view showing an alternative embodiment of a bumper assembly;

[0036] Figure 5 A top view showing an end region of a motor vehicle bumper device on the crash box side;

[0037] Figure 6 The following figure shows Figure 5 a perspective view of a portion of the diagram;

[0038] Figure 7 A perspective view showing a traction device with a bracket and a traction sleeve;

[0039] Figure 8 shows a vertical cross section of the bumper arrangement in a region outside the crash box;

[0040] Fig. 9 A vertical cross section of the bumper arrangement in the region adjacent to the crash box with the front end panel is shown;

[0041] Fig.10 A top view of an alternative embodiment of a motor vehicle bumper arrangement is again shown in a technically simplified and schematic manner; and

[0042] Fig.11 Show according to Fig.10 Front view of a schematic diagram of . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] exist Figure 1 and Figure 2 as well as Fig.10 and Fig.11 1 and 2 show a bumper device 1 for a motor vehicle. The bumper device 1 is used in the front or rear region of a motor vehicle, in particular in the front region of a motor vehicle body.

[0044] The bumper device 1 has a cross member 2 which is arranged transversely to the longitudinal members (not shown here) of the motor vehicle. The bumper device 1 is supported on the longitudinal members by means of crash boxes 3, 4 which are arranged at the end sides or in the end side region of the cross member 2. In addition to the cross member 2, the crash boxes 3, 4 are intended to absorb the energy generated by a collision, which is converted into deformation work in the collision.

[0045] The cross member 2 extends along the transverse axis (y-axis) of the vehicle and is formed in one piece from a metal sheet, in particular a steel sheet. The cross member 2 has a U-shaped or hat-shaped or C-shaped profile 5 in a vertical cross section (see also Figure 3 and Figure 4 as well as Figure 8 and Fig. 9 ). The cross member 2 has a rear wall 6 and an upper arm 7 and a lower arm 8. Front tabs 9, 10 pointing outwards transversely to the respective arms 7, 8 are connected to the upper arm 7 and the lower arm 8 at the front side. An upper outer tab 11 oriented toward the motor vehicle is connected to the upper front tab 9. A lower outer tab 12 bent toward the motor vehicle is connected to the lower front tab 10. An end tab 13 oriented downward from the lower outer tab is connected to the lower outer tab 12. It should be noted that even if the outer tab 12 is provided in the embodiment shown here, it can be completely or partially omitted in the case of certain structural space limitations.

[0046] The channel 14, which is open at the front, extends along the longitudinal direction of the cross member 2 over the length of the cross member 2. The channel 14 is formed by the U-shaped, hat-shaped or C-shaped profile 5 of the cross member 2. The cross-sectional configuration of the profile 5 extends at least over the majority of the length of the cross member 2, in particular until it extends beyond the crash boxes 3, 4 respectively into the lateral end sections 15 of the cross member 2. The profile 5 of the cross member 2 is open toward the front side 16. The open front side 16 is oriented forward or backward away from the motor vehicle.

[0047] The bumper arrangement 1 has a traction device 17 with a traction bushing 18. The traction bushing 18 is arranged outside the crash boxes 3, 4 and in the exemplary embodiment shown above the upper arm 7 of the cross member 2.

[0048] The pulling sleeve 18 can also be arranged below the lower arm 8 (not shown in the drawings).

[0049] exist Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the bumper device 1 shown in FIG. 1 , the pulling sleeve 18 is arranged above the upper arm 7 and is arranged laterally offset outside the crash box 3 near the crash box 3. The pulling sleeve 18 has a distance a from the inner side wall 19 of the closest, i.e. adjacent, crash box 3 along the vehicle transverse axis (y axis).

[0050] The pulling sleeve 18 is fastened to a bracket 20 , wherein the bracket 20 engages with the cross member 2 and optionally with an adjacent crash box 3 .

[0051] The basic structure of the bracket 20 is in the embodiment of the bumper device 1 (such as in Figure 1 and Figure 2 as well as Fig.10 and Fig.11 ) are the same.

[0052] The bracket 20 has a first L-shaped profile 21 and a second L-shaped profile 22, which abut against and engage with each other. The L-shaped profiles 21, 22 assembled into the bracket 20 enclose a cavity having a substantially rectangular cross section.

[0053] The support 20 has a front flange 23 and a rear flange 24, which are each formed by an arm of the first L-shaped profile 21 or the second L-shaped profile 22. The arms of the L-shaped profile 21 or 22 forming the front flange 23 and the rear flange 24 are longer than the side arms 25, 26 of the L-shaped profile 21, 22, which are oriented transversely thereto along the y-axis. The front flange 23 and the rear flange 24 are arranged at a distance b from one another along the longitudinal axis L of the traction sleeve 18. Along the mutually abutting contact surfaces between the L-shaped profiles 21, 22 or the flanges 23, 24 and the side arms 25, 26, they are bonded to one another in a materially bonded manner. The traction sleeve 18 is bonded to the front flange 23 and to the rear flange 24.

[0054] The front flange 23 has a receptacle 27 and the rear flange 24 has a receptacle 28, in which the traction sleeve 18 is held and engages with the bracket 20. The traction sleeve 18 is cylindrical with a circular outer circumference. Accordingly, the receptacles 27, 28 in the front flange 23 and in the rear flange 24 are formed by circular holes. The traction sleeve 18 is held in the receptacles 27, 28 and engages with the flanges 23, 24 in a material-locking manner.

[0055] Especially in Figure 6As can be seen in the figure, the support 20 has a connection area 30 at the lower end 29 on the crossbeam side. The support 20 is placed on the crossbeam 2. Here, the support 20 rests with the connection area 30 on the upper arm 7 and at least partially on the rear wall 6 of the crossbeam 2 and is connected to the crossbeam 2.

[0056] according to Figure 8 and Fig. 9 It can be seen that the bracket 20 engages at the upper side with the upper arm 7. Furthermore, the upper outer web 11 of the cross member 2 abuts against the front flange 23 and engages therewith.

[0057] In an embodiment not shown, the bracket is engaged not only with the cross member 2 but also with the adjacent crash box 3 .

[0058] The traction sleeve 18 is received in the bracket 20 and engages with it. Here, the traction sleeve 18 projects beyond the front flange 23 with a front end 31 and beyond the rear flange 24 of the bracket 20 with a rear end 32. Here, the projection at the rear end 32 is greater than the projection at the front end 31.

[0059] exist Figure 3 In the embodiment shown, a closing plate 33 is provided on the front side in the region in front of the crash box 3 adjacent to the traction device 17. The closing plate 33 reinforces the bumper device 1 in the end region on the crash box side and compensates for tensile forces and / or bending moments introduced into the bumper device 1 by the traction device 17. The closing plate 33 extends in the longitudinal direction of the profile 5 of the cross member 2 into the region in front of the bracket 20.

[0060] exist Figure 4 In the embodiment shown, no closing plate is provided in front of the crash box 4. This may be an embodiment of the bumper device 1 without a closing plate. Figure 3 This also corresponds to the other end of the bumper device 1 or the cross member 2 having the crash box 4 ( Figure 1 and Fig.10 A view of the end region of the crash box side (on the right in the drawing plane).

[0061] In accordance with Figure 1 and Figure 2 The view of the bumper device 1, as shown in accordance with Figures 3 to 9 As explained, the bracket 20 is arranged vertically offset above the upper arm 7 of the cross member 2 and laterally offset next to the crash box 3 . The bracket 20 with the pulling bushing 18 is located outside the crash box 3 and outside the cross member 2 .

[0062] In accordance with Fig.10 and Fig.11In the embodiment of the bumper device 1 shown in the figure, the bracket 20 with the towing socket 18 is arranged above the upper arm 8 of the cross member 2 and above the crash box 3. The illustration is technically simplified and schematic. In this design, the crash box 3 partially surrounds the profile 5 of the cross member 2 with its cross member-side end. The bracket 20 is arranged above the upper arm 7 of the profile 5 and is connected to the cross member 2 and the crash box 3.

[0063] Reference numerals list

[0064] 1 Bumper device

[0065] 2 Beam

[0066] 3. Crash energy absorption box

[0067] 4 Crash energy absorption box

[0068] 5 Profile

[0069] 6 Back wall

[0070] 7 Upper arm

[0071] 8 Lower arm

[0072] 9 Upper front tab

[0073] 10 Lower front tab

[0074] 11 Upper external tab

[0075] 12 Lower external tab

[0076] 13 End tabs

[0077] 14 channels

[0078] 15 End of beam

[0079] 16 Front

[0080] 17 Traction device

[0081] 18 Traction sleeve

[0082] 19 Side walls of the crash box

[0083] 20 Bracket

[0084] 21 First L-shaped profile

[0085] 22 Second L-shaped profile

[0086] 23 Front flange

[0087] 24 Rear flange

[0088] 25 Legs of the first L-shaped profile

[0089] 26 Legs of the second L-shaped profile

[0090] 27 Accommodation

[0091] 28 Accommodation

[0092] 29 Lower end of bracket

[0093] 30 Connection Area

[0094] 31 Front end of the traction sleeve

[0095] 32 Lower end of the traction sleeve

[0096] 33 Closing plate

[0097] a Distance

[0098] b Distance

[0099] L Longitudinal axis of the traction sleeve

Claims

1. A bumper device for a motor vehicle, the bumper device comprising a crossbeam (2) and a collision energy absorption box (3, 4), wherein: The crossbeam (2) has a profile (5) open toward the front side (16), the profile has a rear wall (6) and an upper arm (7) and a lower arm (8), and is provided with a traction sleeve (18), the traction sleeve (18) being fixed to a bracket (20) and the bracket (20) being connected to the crossbeam (2), characterized in that the bracket (20) has a front flange (23) and a rear flange (24), the front flange (23) and the rear flange (24) being arranged at a distance (b) from each other along a longitudinal axis (L) of the traction sleeve (18), and the traction sleeve (18) being connected to the front flange (23) and the rear flange (24), forming a channel (14) open toward the front side by the rear wall (6) and the upper arm (7) and the lower arm (8), the bracket (20) having a connecting area (30) at the end on the crossbeam side, and The traction sleeve (18) is arranged above the upper arm (7), and the bracket (20) is in contact with and engaged with the upper arm (7) and the rear wall (6) of the crossbeam (2) with the connecting area (30); or The pulling sleeve (18) is arranged below the lower arm (8), and the bracket (20) rests and engages with the connecting region (30) on the lower arm (8) and the rear wall (6) of the cross member (2).

2. The bumper device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The traction sleeve (18) is arranged in a laterally offset manner near the collision energy absorption box (3).

3. The bumper device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bracket (20) is engaged with an adjacent collision energy absorption box (3).

4. The bumper device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The bracket (20) comprises a first L-shaped profile (21) and a second L-shaped profile (22), wherein the first L-shaped profile and the second L-shaped profile abut against each other to form a hollow profile.

5. The bumper device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The front flange (23) has a first receptacle (27) and the rear flange (24) has a second receptacle (28), in which the traction sleeve (18) is held.

6. The bumper device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The cross member (2) has a closing plate (33) on the front side in the region in front of at least one crash box (3) and / or in the region of the support (20).

7. The bumper device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: A front tab (9, 10) oriented transversely to the arm is provided on the front side of one of the upper arm and the lower arm.

8. The bumper device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The front web is connected to outer webs (11, 12) which are bent toward the motor vehicle.

9. The bumper device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The front webs (9, 10) are connected to outer webs (11, 12) which are bent toward the motor vehicle, and the outer webs are at least partially connected to end webs (13) which are at an angle to the outer webs.

10. The bumper device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The bracket (20) is supported on the outer tabs (11, 12) or the end tabs (13), and is at least partially engaged with the outer tabs (11, 12) or the end tabs (13).

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