Protective device for the front structure of a motor vehicle

Abstract

Protective device (22) for a front structure (10) of a motor vehicle, comprising an upper protective structure (24) with an upper cross member (26) which is supported by respective energy absorption elements (28) at the level of a main longitudinal member plane, and a lower protective structure (30) with a lower cross member (34) arranged below the upper cross member (26) which is supported by respective support elements (32) at the level of a lower longitudinal member plane, characterized in that the upper protective structure (24) and the lower protective structure (30) are connected to each other by respective supports (38) extending obliquely from front top to rear bottom, that the support elements (32) extend obliquely from rear top to front bottom, that the support elements (32) are connected to the respective laterally corresponding supports (38) including an angle (α),that the support elements (32) are connected to the laterally corresponding supports (38) via a respective hinge, and that the upper crossbeam (24) has respective bearing brackets (40) on which the associated supports (38) are supported.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a protective device for a front-end structure of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] To achieve adequate off-road capability, off-road vehicles and SUVs, for example, require a certain ground clearance and a corresponding approach angle in the area of ​​the front end. However, this raises the problem that the lower structures of the front end structure, for example, in the area of ​​a subframe or integral support, are relatively difficult to activate in the event of a frontal collision, so that they can also absorb sufficient accident forces in the lower area of ​​the front end.

[0003] From the generic document DE 10 2006 011 781 A1, an under-protection device for an off-road vehicle or a pick-up is already known, in which an arc-shaped impact plate extending in the transverse direction and in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is provided at the level of a subframe or integral support, which can be moved between a retracted and an extended position.

[0004] DE 10 2010 041 184 A1 discloses a body structure for a front area of ​​a vehicle, in which longitudinal member structures arranged at a height distance from one another are connected to one another by means of support elements.

[0005] DE 10 2008 039 972 A1 discloses a front structure of a motor vehicle with a lower bumper running in the transverse direction of the vehicle and an upper bumper arranged above it, which are connected to one another by means of vertically running stiffening elements.

[0006] Finally, DE 20 2014 103 165 U1 discloses a front end of a motor vehicle having a deflection arrangement provided laterally next to a main longitudinal member. This arrangement comprises a front member having an inner end pivotably coupled to the main longitudinal member and an outer end, and a rear member having an inner end slidably coupled to the main longitudinal member and an outer end pivotably coupled to the outer end of the front member.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a protective device of the type mentioned at the outset, by means of which accident forces in the area of ​​the front of the motor vehicle can also be absorbed in an improved manner in the lower area of ​​the front structure.

[0008] This object is achieved according to the invention by a protective device having the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0009] The protective device according to the invention comprises an upper protective structure with an upper cross member, which is supported by respective energy absorption elements at the level of a main longitudinal member plane. Furthermore, the protective device comprises a lower protective structure with a lower cross member arranged below the upper cross member, which is supported by respective support elements at the level of a lower longitudinal member plane. To improve accident behavior in the protective device, particularly in the area of ​​the front structure, the invention provides that the upper and lower protective structures of the protective device are connected to one another by respective supports extending obliquely from the top front to the bottom rear.

[0010] If, as a result of a frontal collision, the protective device in the area of ​​the upper cross member is subjected to an accident-related force which includes a force component acting from front to rear in the vehicle's longitudinal direction and causes a deformation of the energy absorption elements rearward in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, the supports which connect the upper and lower protective structures and extend diagonally from the top front to the bottom rear cause the lower cross member to be pressed downwards during the accident scenario and, as a result, the lower protective structure to be better activated.Accordingly, if an obstacle or a vehicle involved in an accident strikes the protective device, not only is the upper area of ​​the protective device subjected to the corresponding accident forces, but the respective diagonally running supports ensure that the lower cross member and the lower protective structure are lowered, so that the protective device is also better positioned and supported in the lower area relative to the vehicle involved in an accident or the obstacle, and can absorb the corresponding accident forces in an improved manner. Thus, on the one hand, the present invention makes it possible to maintain the necessary slope angle and ground clearance for vehicles with a correspondingly high structure, such as off-road vehicles or SUVs, and on the other hand, the appropriate arrangement of the supports ensures that the lower regions of the protective device and the front structure of the vehicle involved in an accident can be activated more effectively.This results in a much more homogeneous imprint in the event of a frontal collision with the vehicle and thus a significantly better result in the event of a corresponding accident-related force being applied to the protective device.

[0011] Improved activation of the lower protective structure by means of the respective supports extending diagonally from the top front to the bottom rear is also achieved by the support elements of the lower protective structure, on which the lower cross member is supported at the front, extending diagonally from the top rear to the bottom front. This also allows for an improved lowering of the lower cross member and thus of the lower protective structure in the event of an accident-related force being applied.

[0012] Because the support elements are connected to the corresponding laterally positioned supports by including an angle, this results in an improved lowering movement of the lower protective structure with the lower cross member in the event of a frontal collision.

[0013] The support elements are connected to the corresponding lateral supports via a respective joint. This allows a highly reliable folding mechanism to be created between the supports and the corresponding support elements, which enables a particularly advantageous lowering movement of the lower protective structure in the event of an accident-related force being applied.

[0014] According to the invention, it is further provided that the upper cross member has respective bearing brackets on which the associated supports are supported. This results in particularly stable support of the supports on the upper cross member.

[0015] In this context, a further advantageous embodiment provides for the supports to be hinged to the respective bearing brackets of the upper cross member. This allows the accident forces transmitted to the upper cross member or the upper protective structure to be transferred particularly effectively to the lower support elements of the lower protective structure.

[0016] A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the lower cross member is firmly connected to the front ends of the support elements. This results in particularly favorable support for the lower cross member of the lower protective structure.

[0017] Finally, it has proven advantageous if the lower cross member and the upper cross member are arranged at least substantially overlapping each other with respect to the vehicle's longitudinal direction. This creates the desired flat and large-format surface of the protective device, which can absorb the forces generated in a frontal collision due to the impact of the other vehicle involved in the accident or a barrier in a particularly large and even manner.

[0018] Further advantages and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures, can be used not only in the respective combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0019] Showing: Fig. 1 is a partial perspective view of a passenger car, on the front structure of which the protective device according to the invention is arranged; Fig. 2 a partial and enlarged perspective view of the front of the front end structure of the motor vehicle according to Fig. 1 arranged protective device; Fig. 3 a partial and schematic perspective view of the motor vehicle with the protective device according to the invention; Fig. 4 a perspective view of the separately shown protective device according to the invention; and Fig. 5 a partial plan view of the front area of ​​the protective device according to the invention.

[0020] Fig. 1 shows a partial perspective view of a front end structure 10 of a motor vehicle body, which adjoins a bulkhead 14 that defines a passenger compartment 12 at the front. The front end structure 10 comprises, in particular, respective longitudinal members 16 of a main longitudinal member plane as well as respective longitudinal members 18 at the level of respective fender sills 20.

[0021] A protective device 22 is arranged at the front of this front structure 10, which is further described in Fig. 2 in a partial perspective view. This protective device 22 comprises an upper protective structure 24 with an upper cross member 26, which is supported by laterally assigned energy absorption elements 28 at the respective front ends of the longitudinal members 16 of the main longitudinal member plane. Accordingly, the energy absorption elements 28 extend forward in the vehicle's longitudinal direction at the level of or as an extension of the respective longitudinal members 16 of the main longitudinal member plane.

[0022] Below the upper protective structure 24, the protective device comprises a lower protective structure 30, which has respective support elements 32 arranged laterally below the corresponding energy absorption elements 28, on the front of which a lower cross member 34 is supported. The lower cross member 34 is therefore supported via the respective support elements 32 at the level of a lower longitudinal member plane, wherein the lower longitudinal member plane is formed, for example, by respective holes 36 of a subframe or integral member, which are connected to one another via respective cross members and are fastened to the underside of the longitudinal members 16 of the main longitudinal member plane.

[0023] In conjunction with Fig. 4, which shows the protective device 22 separately from the front structure 10, it can be seen that the protective device 22 can be fastened to the front of the front structure 10, for example by suitable mechanical connecting means such as screws or the like.

[0024] As can be seen from a summary of the Fig. 2 and Fig. 4, the upper protective structure 24 and the lower protective structure 30 are connected to one another via respective supports 38 extending diagonally from the front top to the rear bottom. The supports 38 extend in relation to the vehicle's longitudinal direction as an extension of the respective support elements 32. The supports 38 are supported against the upper cross member 26 by means of respective bearing brackets 40, which are fastened to a lower chord 42 of the upper cross member 26. In the specific embodiment, the supports 38 are connected to the upper cross member 26 by means of respective bolts 44 ( Fig. 4) hinged to the bearing brackets 40.

[0025] At the respective opposite rear end, the supports 38 are articulated to the respective laterally corresponding support element 32 by means of respective bolts 46. It should be noted here that instead of the respective articulated mounting by means of the bolts 44, 46, the respective supports 38 can also be rigidly connected to the cross member 26 and / or the respective laterally assigned support element 32. It is particularly important that the respective supports 38 extend obliquely from the front top to the rear bottom. In the present exemplary embodiment, the respective support elements 32 also extend obliquely from the rear top to the front bottom relative to the vertical direction of the vehicle. Overall, this results in an at least substantially V-shaped arrangement of the respective supports 38 with the respective support element 32, including a respective angle α.

[0026] The oblique arrangement of the respective supports 38 from the top front to the bottom rear has the effect that in the event of a frontal collision of the passenger car with a vehicle involved in the accident or an obstacle, when an accident-related force is applied and the respective energy absorption element 28 is deformed as a result of the cross member 26 being displaced backwards by the respective support 38, the corresponding support element 32 and thus the lower cross member 34 of the lower protective structure is pressed downwards and thus the front surface of the protective device 22 formed by the upper protective structure 24 and the lower protective structure 30 is enlarged, wherein in particular the lower protective structure brings about improved load distribution and force absorption as well as improved activation of the front end of the crash partner in order to achieve the most favorable conditions possible in the event of a frontal collision with a vehicle involved in the accident.Especially in off-road vehicles or SUVs, this allows for the ground clearance and approach angle to be maintained, while also activating the lower structures of the front end, formed, for example, by the subframe or integral support, to leave the most homogeneous imprint possible on the other party involved in the accident. In other words: The folding mechanism described here allows the lower regions of the front end of the vehicle and the other party involved in the accident to be activated in an improved manner, allowing the overall impact forces to be distributed more evenly across the entire height of the vehicle.

[0027] Based on the Fig. 3 and Fig. 5, which show the protective device in a partial side view in its position at the front of the front structure 10 or in a partial top view in a separate illustration, it can be seen that the lower cross member 34 and the upper cross member 26 of the respective protective structures 24 and 30 are arranged at least substantially overlapping one another with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0028] From the Fig. 3 to 5 show a comparison of the lower protective structure 30 according to the support described here with a conventional protective structure, wherein the lower cross member 34 of the conventional protective structure is indicated in dashed lines. A comparison of the lower cross member 34 according to the support described here with the lower cross member 34 of the conventional type shows that the lower cross member 34 in this case, even when a frontal collision is imminent, is still arranged approximately - with respect to the vehicle's longitudinal direction - in overlap with the upper cross member 26 of the upper protective structure, whereas the conventional lower cross member is displaced significantly upwards and backwards as a result of the deformation of the upper protective structure 24 with the upper cross member 26 and the energy absorption elements 28. In particular with reference to Fig.5 shows the better accident behavior of the lower cross member 34, which is more deformed due to its greater involvement in the accident scenario.

Claims

[1] Protective device (22) for a front-end structure (10) of a motor vehicle, comprising an upper protective structure (24) with an upper cross member (26) which is supported by respective energy absorption elements (28) at the level of a main longitudinal member plane, and a lower protective structure (30) with a lower cross member (34) arranged below the upper cross member (26) which is supported by respective support elements (32) at the level of a lower longitudinal member plane, characterized bythat the upper protective structure (24) and the lower protective structure (30) are connected to one another via respective supports (38) extending obliquely from the front top to the rear bottom, that the support elements (32) extend obliquely from the rear top to the front bottom, that the support elements (32) are connected to the respective laterally corresponding supports (38) by including an angle (α), that the support elements (32) are connected to the respective laterally corresponding supports (38) via a respective joint, and that the upper cross member (24) has respective bearing brackets (40) on which the associated supports (38) are supported. [2] Protective device (22) according to claim 1, characterized by that the supports (38) are articulated to the respective bearing brackets (40) of the upper cross member (26). [3] Protective device (22) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the lower cross member (34) is firmly connected to the front ends of the support elements (32). [4] Protective device (22) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the lower cross member (34) and the upper cross member (26) are arranged at least substantially overlapping one another with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction.

Images