UNIQUE AND EFFECTIVE GRILL CONSTRUCTION WITH INTEGRATED ENERGY ABSORBER AND ENERGY ABSORBER WITH LOCKING FEATURE

Abstract

Energy absorber arrangement (20) for a motor vehicle (10), comprising: a first deformable energy-absorbing component (30); and at least one deformable second energy-absorbing component (28) associated with a motor vehicle grill arrangement (22); wherein the first energy-absorbing component (30) defines at least one receptacle (34) for the engagement of a portion of the at least one second energy-absorbing component (28), whereby the receptacle (34) and the at least one second energy-absorbing component (28) remain engaged upon receiving an impact, wherein the second energy-absorbing component (28) is contained in a grill support component (26) of the motor vehicle grill assembly (22), and the grill support component (26) comprises several second energy-absorbing components (28), each designed to engage in slot engagement with several corresponding receptacles (34) of the first energy-absorbing components (30), characterized by the fact that the first energy-absorbing component (30) is carried on a bumper assembly (12) of the motor vehicle (10) and is arranged between a vehicle fairing and the bumper assembly (12), and the second energy-absorbing component (28) is arranged between the vehicle fairing and the bumper assembly (12) and in the direction of travel in front of the first energy-absorbing component (30).

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] This disclosure relates to motor vehicle energy absorbers. In particular, the disclosure relates to an energy absorber for a motor vehicle which includes a locking feature to prevent the separation of a grill structure during an impact, which also includes an integrated energy absorber, thereby increasing the effectiveness in absorbing the impact energy. BACKGROUND

[0002] Modern motor vehicles incorporate various safety features, including seat belts, airbags, and bumpers, to protect vehicle occupants in the event of a collision. A motor vehicle bumper typically includes an energy-absorbing component. Such energy-absorbing components are designed for impact protection in the event of a vehicle or pedestrian collision and are typically deformable elements designed to absorb a large portion of the impact energy at the beginning of the collision, while also providing pedestrian protection.

[0003] US patent 8,480,143 B2 discloses a bumper arrangement for a motor vehicle comprising a bumper in conjunction with a vehicle frame and an energy-absorbing component extending laterally adjacent to the front surface of the bumper. The energy-absorbing component comprises a plurality of laterally spaced strips, each of which includes an upper wall, a lower wall, and a front wall. The strips are connected along adjacent rear corners of the upper walls and / or adjacent rear corners of the lower walls, such that the front portions of the strips are not connected to each other. This design allows the strips to deform individually during a collision with a pedestrian, with the upper and lower walls buckling to optimally absorb the energy.The energy-absorbing components may have fastening options that fit the shock absorber structure to form a press fit.

[0004] In European Publication EP 1 773 629 B1, a motor vehicle part with an energy absorption device is described, wherein the device is arranged between a bumper skin and a rigid structure attached to the vehicle body, and wherein the motor vehicle part has an air intake grille that is rigidly connected to the absorption device, the grille and the absorption device being manufactured from a single part. The absorption device is particularly adapted to absorb energy from an impact against a pedestrian's leg by virtue of its arrangement in a low area.

[0005] In publication US 2009 / 0066096A1, an energy-absorbing arrangement for a motor vehicle is described, comprising a first deformable energy-absorbing component and at least one deformable second energy-absorbing component associated with a grille arrangement of a corresponding motor vehicle. The first energy-absorbing component defines at least one receptacle for the engagement of a portion of the at least one second energy-absorbing component, such that the receptacle and the at least one second energy-absorbing component remain engaged upon receiving an impact.

[0006] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, a bumper assembly 12, which carries an energy absorber 14, is typically arranged in a motor vehicle 10. A grille assembly 16 and an air intake element 18 are also shown. Referring to Fig. 2. The areas occupied by the grill arrangement 16 and the energy absorber 14 do not conventionally overlap (see brackets A and B).

[0007] However, many modern motor vehicles incorporate grille arrangements that cover a larger portion of the vehicle's front area, both to provide a greater airflow to the engine for cooling purposes and for aesthetic reasons and due to consumer preference. Enlarging the grille arrangement 16 undesirably results in the area occupied by the grille arrangement 16 overlapping with the area occupied by the energy absorber 14 (see Fig. 3, brackets A and B). This places the grille assembly 16 in an area of ​​the front of the motor vehicle 10 where damage to the grille and also penetration of the grille into the engine compartment of the motor vehicle 10 are likely in a frontal impact. That is, in a frontal impact, the grille assembly 16 will likely separate from the energy absorber 14, since there is no connection between them. Safety regulations do not permit the placement of grille assemblies 16 in areas where damage can occur, unless the grille is proven to absorb impact energy as an integral part of the energy absorber system of the motor vehicle 10.

[0008] Simply attaching the energy absorber 14 to the grill assembly 16 could alleviate this problem, but would introduce additional difficulties, increased complexity, and higher costs into the vehicle assembly process. To solve these and other problems, the present disclosure describes an energy absorber arrangement for a motor vehicle. Advantageously, in the event of an impact, the disclosed energy absorber arrangement maintains the engagement between a bumper-mounted energy absorber and a grill assembly, thereby integrating the grill assembly into the overall energy absorption system of the motor vehicle without requiring the actual attachment of any part of the grill assembly to the bumper-mounted energy absorber. SUMMARY

[0009] According to the tasks and advantages described herein, an energy-absorbing arrangement for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The first energy-absorbing component is mounted on a bumper assembly of the motor vehicle, and the second energy-absorbing component is contained within a grille support component of the motor vehicle's grille assembly. The arrangement comprises a first deformable energy-absorbing component and at least one deformable second energy-absorbing component associated with a grille assembly of the motor vehicle. The grille support component includes several second energy-absorbing components designed to engage in slots with several corresponding receptacles of the first energy-absorbing components. This feature ensures that the receptacle and the second energy-absorbing component remain engaged when the first deformable energy-absorbing component deforms upon receiving a frontal impact.

[0010] In another aspect, a grill arrangement for a motor vehicle is provided, comprising a grill element that defines at least one air inlet and a grill support element for holding the grill element. The grill support element comprises at least one deformable energy-absorbing component that engages with a corresponding receptacle in a slot defined in a deformable energy absorber mounted on the bumper of the motor vehicle.

[0011] In another aspect, a bumper-mounted or body-panel-mounted deformable energy absorber for a motor vehicle is provided, comprising a deformable energy-absorbing component that defines at least one receptacle for the engagement of a part of at least one corresponding grille-mounted deformable energy-absorbing component. The receptacle is designed to remain engaged with the part of the corresponding grille-mounted deformable energy-absorbing component upon receiving an impact.

[0012] The following description shows and describes embodiments of the disclosed automotive energy absorber arrangement. As should be apparent, other different embodiments of the energy absorber arrangement are possible, and their details can be modified in various obvious aspects without deviating from the energy absorber arrangement as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be understood as exemplary and not as limiting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The accompanying drawings, which are included here and form part of the description, illustrate several aspects of the disclosed energy absorber arrangement and, together with the description, serve to explain certain principles thereof. The drawings show: Fig. 1 a motor vehicle front with a conventional energy absorber; Fig. 2 the motor vehicle front of Fig. 1, where the grill and the energy absorber do not overlap; Fig. 3 a motor vehicle front with a larger grille arrangement in which the grille and the energy absorber overlap; Fig. 4 an energy absorber arrangement according to the present disclosure; Fig. 5 a side view of the assembled energy absorber assembly of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 the joint energy absorption function of the arrangement of Fig. 4; Fig. 7A the interaction of the components of the energy absorption arrangement of the present disclosure prior to a frontal impact; Fig. 7B the interaction of the components of the energy absorption arrangement of the present disclosure directly during a frontal impact; and Fig. 7C the interaction of the components of the energy absorption arrangement of the present disclosure directly after a frontal impact.

[0014] Now, detailed reference is made to the embodiments of the disclosed energy absorber arrangement, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawing figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] Now, the focus will shift to... Fig. Reference is made to Figure 4, which represents an energy absorber arrangement 20 according to the present disclosure. A grill arrangement 22 comprises a grill component 24 and a grill holder or support 26. The grill holder or support 26 contains several grill support energy absorbers 28.

[0016] A bumper-mounted or vehicle body-mounted energy absorber 30 is provided, comprising several spaced-apart deformable energy-absorbing structures 32 which, as is known in the field, deform individually upon impact and thereby absorb the impact energy. As mentioned, the energy absorber 30 can be mounted on a vehicle bumper or on bodywork attached to the vehicle. Each of the structures 32 defines a receptacle 34 that receives a portion of a grille-support energy absorber 28. When the grille assembly 22 is mounted on the vehicle, a portion of each grille-support energy absorber 28 engages in a slot with a receptacle 34 of the bumper-mounted energy absorber 30 (see Fig. 5). As in Fig. As shown in Figure 6, even in motor vehicles 10, in which the areas of the grill arrangement 22 and the energy absorber 30 overlap (see brackets A, B), the grill arrangement 22 and the energy absorber 30 actually form a composite element through the interaction of the receptacle 34 and the grill carrier energy absorber 28, which jointly fulfills the function of energy dissipation.

[0017] That is, in a frontal collision with a compartment barrier 36, as in the Fig. As shown in Figures 7A to 7C, each energy-absorbing structure 32 begins to deform in order to absorb the impact energy. While each energy-absorbing structure 32 deforms, the engagement of the grill assembly 22 and the energy absorber 30 is maintained by the slot engagement of the receptacle 34 and the grill carrier energy absorber 28 (see Figures 7A to 7C). Fig. 7B and Fig. 7C). Due to this maintained interaction, the grill assembly 22 and the energy absorber 30 act as a unit to dissipate the impact energy. Without these structures, the interaction of the grill assembly 22 and the energy absorber 30 would be dissolved, and the grill assembly 22 would separate from the energy absorber 30 and would no longer be able to contribute to the absorption of the impact energy when the energy-absorbing structure 32 is fully deformed upon impact (see Fig. 7C).

[0018] The person skilled in the art will recognize that the energy absorber arrangement disclosed herein provides a simple and effective mechanism for allowing the grille arrangement of a motor vehicle to become part of the vehicle's energy dissipation system. This disclosed energy absorber arrangement enables larger grille arrangements without violating safety regulations regarding impact protection.

Claims

[1] Energy absorber arrangement (20) for a motor vehicle (10), comprising: a first deformable energy-absorbing component (30); and at least one deformable second energy-absorbing component (28) associated with a motor vehicle grille assembly (22); wherein the first energy-absorbing component (30) defines at least one receptacle (34) for engagement of a portion of the at least one second energy-absorbing component (28), whereby the receptacle (34) and the at least one second energy-absorbing component (28) remain engaged upon receiving an impact, wherein the second energy-absorbing component (28) is contained in a grille support component (26) of the motor vehicle grille assembly (22), and the grille support component (26) comprises a plurality of second energy-absorbing components (28), each adapted to be in slot engagement with a plurality of corresponding receptacles (34) of the first energy-absorbing components (30), characterized by , that the first energy-absorbing component (30) is carried on a bumper assembly (12) of the motor vehicle (10) and is arranged between a vehicle panel and the bumper assembly (12), and the second energy-absorbing component (28) is arranged between the vehicle panel and the bumper assembly (12) and in front of the first energy-absorbing component (30) in the direction of travel. [2] Energy absorber assembly (20) according to claim 1, wherein the impact is a frontal impact of the motor vehicle (10). [3] Motor vehicle (10) including the energy absorber arrangement (20) according to one of the preceding claims. [4] A method for transmitting at least a portion of an impact energy associated with a frontal impact to a motor vehicle grille assembly (22) of a motor vehicle (10), comprising: Providing a first deformable energy-absorbing component (30) carried on a bumper assembly (12) of the motor vehicle (10) and disposed between a vehicle fascia and the bumper assembly (12); and Providing at least one deformable second energy absorbing component (28) associated with the grille assembly (22); wherein the first energy-absorbing component (30) is engaged with a portion of the at least one second energy-absorbing component (28), whereby the first energy-absorbing component (30) and the at least one second energy-absorbing component (28) remain engaged upon receiving an impact, characterized byin that the method comprises providing the second energy-absorbing component (28) as an element of the grill support component (26) of the motor vehicle grill assembly (22), and in this case comprises providing the grill support component (26) with a plurality of second energy-absorbing components (28) which are arranged between the vehicle trim and the bumper assembly (12) and in front of the first energy-absorbing component (30) in the direction of travel and are each designed to come into slot engagement with a plurality of receptacles (34) of the first energy-absorbing components (30). [5] The method of claim 4, comprising providing the first energy absorbing component (30) supported on a bumper assembly (12) of the motor vehicle (10). [6] Grill assembly (22) for a motor vehicle (10), comprising: a grill element (24) defining at least one air inlet; a grill support element (26) for holding the grill element (24), wherein the grill support element (26) comprises at least one deformable energy-absorbing component (28), and the at least one deformable energy-absorbing component (28) of the grill support element (26) is designed to be in slotted engagement with a corresponding receptacle (34) defined in a deformable energy absorber (30) mounted on the bumper of the motor vehicle (10) and arranged between a vehicle panel and the bumper assembly (12), wherein the deformable energy-absorbing component (28) of the grill support element (26) is arranged between the vehicle panel and the bumper assembly (12) and in front of the first energy-absorbing component (30) in the direction of travel. [7] The grille assembly (22) of claim 6, wherein the grille support member (26) includes a plurality of deformable energy absorbing components (28) each adapted to slot engage with a plurality of corresponding receptacles (34) defined in the bumper-mounted deformable energy absorber (30). [8] Motor vehicle (10) including the grill arrangement (22) according to one of claims 6 or 7.

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