Underrun protection device for vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to an underrun protection device for vehicles, in particular for motor vehicles, for the complete or partial covering of the underside of the vehicle, in particular in areas at risk of damage, consisting of a multi-layered cover part (1; 10; 11; 14; 15; 16) and fastening elements (5; 8; 9; 13) connected to the cover part, wherein the cover part (1; 10; 11; 14; 15; 16) consists of a middle layer (2) in a cellular structure with cover layers (3; 4) closing the middle layer (2), in the edge regions of which rail-shaped fastening elements (5; 8; 9; 13) are inserted.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an underrun protection device for vehicles, in particular for motor vehicles, for completely or partially covering the underside of the vehicle, in particular in areas at risk of damage, consisting of a multi-layered cover part and fastening parts connected to the cover part.

[0002] Such underrun protection devices, which are particularly used in off-road vehicles, are typically manufactured from profiles and plates made of aluminum or aluminum alloys, which is a complex process. Not only is the material itself a high cost factor, but so is the processing of the material through machining, etc., and welding.

[0003] For heat and sound insulation, underbody panels are known from the prior art, which consist of a large, multi-layered thermoplastic material. For example, DE 10 2004 053 751 A1 shows an underbody panel consisting of a porous foam core and foil-like cover layers. The porous core can be reinforced with fiberglass to increase rigidity. However, rigidity refers only to the inherent rigidity of the large-surface component. This underbody panel does not provide sufficient off-road protection, for example, against the vehicle bottoming out on the ground.

[0004] Multilayer materials are also known from the prior art, for example, for use as loading floors for motor vehicles – see, for example, WO 2009 / 098423 A2 and US 2003 / 0205917 A1. These multilayer panels are only partially suitable, or not at all, for use as underrun protection devices.

[0005] DE 601 09 869 T2 also shows a multi-layer engine underbody protection system. This system, in addition to providing protection against stone chips and water or dirt splashes, is also intended to offer increased rigidity to simplify attachment to the vehicle and simultaneously provide greater stability in the event of a crash. The system consists of a plastic structural element manufactured in a complex manufacturing process, reinforced with a honeycomb structure with partial fiberglass reinforcement. This construction, too, is only partially suitable as an underbody protection device for off-road use.

[0006] The invention was based on the object of creating a highly effective underrun protection device, for example for off-road vehicles, which should be simple to manufacture, construct and assemble and, with the lowest possible weight and space requirement, should also lead to cost savings compared to the designs used today.

[0007] According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the cover part consists of a middle layer in a cellular structure with cover layers closing this middle layer, in the edge regions of which rail-shaped fastening elements are inserted.

[0008] The middle layer of the cover part can preferably have a honeycomb structure made of a glass-fiber-reinforced plastic. The cover layers can also be made of glass-fiber-reinforced plastic, and in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cover and middle layers can be cast as a single piece. In a further embodiment of the invention, it is particularly advantageous to insert the rail-shaped fastening elements into the edge regions of the middle and cover layers during the casting process and to cast them in, thus achieving a virtually one-piece production of the underrun protection device.

[0009] The rail-shaped fastening elements can expediently extend approximately the entire length of the cover part, e.g., in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle on both long sides. The rail-shaped fastening elements expediently have molded-on portions ("eyelets") for attaching the underrun protection to the vehicle.

[0010] This choice of material for the subject matter of the invention, as well as the simple manufacturing process, allow the cover and mounting rails to be shaped to suit the underbody of the vehicle or the areas at risk of damage. To achieve the necessary rigidity and thus optimal protection against external and sub-surface influences, such as impact during rough off-road use, it is advisable to include a glass fiber content of at least 15% to approximately 45% in a cover molded from an elastomer, for example.

[0011] Compared to the underrun protection device currently in use, constructed from profiles and plates made of aluminum or aluminum alloys, an underrun protection device according to the invention, with appropriate design, can achieve approximately 50% weight savings and up to 50% cost savings. Furthermore, adapting the underrun protection device to the different underbody designs of vehicles is relatively easy.

[0012] Further features and advantages of the invention are explained below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawing.

[0013] It shows: Fig. 1 the layer structure of the cover part according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows, by way of example, a first embodiment of a cover part according to the invention with its rail-shaped fastening elements; Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of the subject matter of the invention; Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment of an underrun protection device according to the invention; Fig. 5 a large-area underrun protection device according to the invention for protecting an engine; and Fig. 6 a two-part underrun protection device according to the invention.

[0014] Fig. 1 shows only the exemplary structure of a cover part 1 of an underrun protection device for motor vehicles. The cover part 1 consists of a middle layer 2 with a cellular structure; in the exemplary embodiment, the cellular structure is honeycomb-shaped. The cover layers 3 and 4, which close the honeycomb structure, are integrally connected to this honeycomb-shaped middle layer 2 in a casting process. The cover part 1 or its layers 2, 3, and 4 are made of glass-fiber-reinforced plastic, e.g., an elastomer, with the glass fiber content preferably being 20%. The layers 2, 3, and 4, together with the rail-shaped fastening elements 5, are cast in a tool, preferably in a single operation.

[0015] Fig. Figure 2 shows the underrun protection device according to the invention, consisting of the cover part 1 with its layers 2, 3, and 4. The rail-shaped fastening element 5 has projections 6 and 7 for attaching the underrun protection to the vehicle. The fastening element 5 is preferably made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy to achieve maximum stability.

[0016] Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention which differs slightly in shape; the structure corresponds - apart from the dimensions - exactly to that described above with reference to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The rail-shaped fastening elements 8 and 9 preferably extend over the entire length of the cover part 10, depending on the vehicle-specific requirements with regard to the areas at risk of damage that must be securely covered by the cover part.

[0017] In Fig. Figure 4 shows an underrun protection device according to the invention, in which the cover part 11 has a wave-shaped profile. The recess 12 in the cover part 11 can, for example, be provided to accommodate protruding parts of the engine, e.g., the oil pan. With such a design of the cover part 11, it is conceivable that the fastening elements 13 are not continuous over the entire length of the cover part 11, but are provided only in the largely straight areas of the cover part 11.

[0018] Fig. 5 shows an example of a large-area covering of the entire engine with a cover part 14 according to the invention, while Fig. 6 shows the covering of partial areas in the floor area of ​​the vehicle by two separate cover parts 15 and 16 respectively.

[0019] It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the design and manufacturing process of an underrun protection device according to the invention allow for a wide range of configurations. Only a few examples are shown above for illustrative purposes.

Claims

[1] Underrun protection device for vehicles, in particular for motor vehicles, for the complete or partial covering of the underside of the vehicle, in particular in areas at risk of damage, consisting of a multi-layered cover part (1; 10; 11; 14; 15; 16) and fastening elements (5; 8; 9; 13) connected to the cover part, characterized by that the cover part (1; 10; 11; 14; 15; 16) consists of a middle layer (2) in a cellular structure with cover layers (3; 4) closing the middle layer (2), in the edge regions of which rail-shaped fastening elements (5; 8; 9; 13) are inserted. [2] Underrun protection device according to claim 1, characterized by that the middle layer (2) of the cover part (1; 10; 11; 14; 15; 16) is made of glass fibre reinforced plastic in a honeycomb shape. [3] Underrun protection device according to claim 1, characterized by that the cover layers (3; 4) consist of glass fibre reinforced plastic. [4] Underrun protection device according to claim 1, characterized by that the middle layer (2) and the cover layers (3; 4) are cast in one piece. [5] Underrun protection device according to claim 1, characterized by that rail-shaped fastening elements (5; 8; 9; 13) are cast into the edge regions of the middle (2) and cover layers (3; 4) during the casting process. [6] Underrun protection device according to claim 5, characterized by that the rail-shaped fastening elements (5; 8; 9) extend approximately over the entire length of the cover part (1; 10; 14; 15; 16). [7] Underrun protection device according to claim 5 and / or 6, characterized by that the fastening elements (5; 8; 9; 13) are made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. [8] Underrun protection device according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized by that the fastening elements (5; 8; 9; 13) have molded portions (6; 7) for fastening the underrun protection to the vehicle. [9] Underrun protection device according to claim 1, characterized by that the cover part (1; 10; 11; 14; 15; 16) is shaped to match the underbody shape of the vehicle or the areas at risk of damage. [10] Underrun protection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the cover part (1; 10; 11; 14; 15; 16) is formed from an elastomer with a glass fiber content of 15% to 45%.

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