Front end of a motor vehicle

Abstract

In a front section (1) of a motor vehicle which has a radiator module (2) with a radiator housing (4), a crash element (6) which is longitudinally displaceable in the event of a crash is arranged on the radiator housing (4) of the radiator module (2) according to the invention.

Description

The invention relates to a front vehicle of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.In the front end of a motor vehicle, there is often a very restricted installation situation because of the large number of components to be accommodated there, with the result that the different components consequently have to be positioned close to one another in the front end of the motor vehicle. In many motor vehicles, a cooler module is also arranged in the front end, in particular, which is provided for cooling air conditioning components of the motor vehicle and / or for cooling engine components of the motor vehicle and / or for cooling transmission components of the motor vehicle.In the event of a crash of the motor vehicle acting on the front region of the motor vehicle, in particular in the event of a frontal crash of the motor vehicle, the components in the front end of the motor vehicle are often pushed onto one another and are thus damaged due to the tight installation situation of the components mentioned. This is disadvantageous in particular in the event of damage to the cooler module resulting therefrom, since this component is very expensive and can be replaced only in a very complicated and therefore cost-intensive manner.In this context, DE 10 2010 027 460 A1 discloses a device on a front structure for motor vehicles for protecting a cooler module in the event of an accident-induced force application in the event of a frontal crash. The radiator module is arranged behind a cross member of the front structure, as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, and the cross member is connected indirectly or directly to a bumper which forms a body outer skin and has a grille region assigned to the radiator module. In this case, a support element protruding from the latter is provided on the cross member, which support element defines a defined support region of the grille region, in particular a grille region provided with a block-like functional element. This functional element is supported on the support element in the event of a crash-induced displacement in the direction of the cooler module. This reliably prevents, in the event of an unfavorable constellation of the crash parameters or an impact obstacle, the critical support region of a radiator grille region from moving in such a way that it damage the cooler module lying behind it.Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 2021 / 0 284 242 A1 describes a cargo space of a motor vehicle in which, in the event of a crash affecting the cargo space, although the cargo space is deformed and squeezed, the surrounding structures are not impaired.FR 2 898 847 A1 describes an energy absorption device for the front part of a motor vehicle, comprising an absorption element, which in a rest position is retracted into the front part, and displacement means arranged to bring the absorption element into an active position in response to an impact detection signal.DE 10 297 210 B4 discloses a front end of a motor vehicle, having a cooler module and a cooler housing. On the cooler housing of the cooler module, a crash element is arranged which is longitudinally displaceable in the event of a crash. In the event of a crash, the weak section deforms and a displacement in the longitudinal direction occurs.The invention is based on the object of providing a front end of a motor vehicle in which reliable protection of the cooler module accommodated there is realized in a simple manner in the event of a crash of the motor vehicle.This object is achieved according to the invention by a front end of a motor vehicle having the features of claim 1.Also claimed is a method for protecting a radiator module according to claim 7 arranged in the front end of a motor vehicle.Advantageous further developments of the invention are part of the further patent claims.In the front end of a motor vehicle according to the invention, a crash element which is longitudinally displaceable in the event of a crash is arranged on the cooler housing of the cooler module. This longitudinally displaceable crash element as a displaceable cover on the cooler module is possibly damaged in the event of a crash and in particular in the event of a crash in the front region of the motor vehicle without the crash having effects on the cooler module, as a result of which no damage occurs to the cooler module or to the cooler module either. On the longitudinally displaceable crash element, a first contact element formed by a formation is formed. On a component in the front end of the motor vehicle, which component is arranged adjacent to the radiator module, a second contact element corresponding to the first contact element is designed as a component formation of this component. In the event of a crash of the motor vehicle and preferably in the event of a crash or impact of the motor vehicle occurring in the front region of the motor vehicle, the second contact element acts on the first contact element and thus also on the longitudinally displaceable crash element on the cooler housing of the cooler module in such a way that the longitudinally displaceable crash element is longitudinally displaced in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle (x direction) on account of the displacement force acting thereon or exerted thereon. The two contact elements are arranged here such that they meet in all tolerance positions in the event of a crash of the motor vehicle and preferably in the event of a crash or impact of the motor vehicle occurring in the front region of the motor vehicle, so that the longitudinally displaceable crash element is also longitudinally displaced in all tolerance positions of the cooler module and of the component arranged adjacent to the cooler module in the event of a crash or impact of the motor vehicle preferably occurring in the front region of the motor vehicle.In a further advantageous development of the invention, the longitudinally displaceable crash element and in particular also the first contact element formed on the longitudinally displaceable crash element consist of a dimensionally stable material. For this purpose, the longitudinally displaceable crash element and in particular also the first contact element formed on the longitudinally displaceable crash element can have a ribbed structure. This dimensional stability of the longitudinally displaceable crash element and in particular also of the first contact element formed on the longitudinally displaceable crash element ensures that the longitudinally displaceable crash element and in particular also the first contact element formed on the longitudinally displaceable crash element are not destroyed in the event of a crash of the motor vehicle and preferably in the event of a crash or impact of the motor vehicle occurring in the front region of the motor vehicle and thus also maintain the desired functionality assigned to them.In a further advantageous development of the invention, the longitudinally displaceable crash element and in particular also the first contact element formed on the longitudinally displaceable crash element consist of a dimensionally stable plastic material as hard plastic or of a metallic material.The first contact element and the second contact element corresponding to the first contact element preferably have a web-shaped configuration, wherein the first contact element preferably extends over the entire width of the cooler housing of the cooler module and the second contact element is preferably formed as wide as the first contact element.In some motor vehicles, a front trunk or front load space of the motor vehicle, which is located in the front vehicle of the motor vehicle and is accessible by opening the front flap of the motor vehicle, which flap is usually referred to as a hood or front hood or hood, is provided as a so-called chunk. This load space in the front end of the motor vehicle or the chunk is preferably provided as the further component arranged adjacent to the cooler module in the front end of the motor vehicle, so that the second contact element corresponding to the first contact element formed on the longitudinally displaceable crash element is designed as a component formation of the component housing of the load space or the chunk.With the method according to the invention, damage to the cooler module can be avoided in a simple manner with high efficiency in the event of a crash of the motor vehicle and preferably in the event of a crash or impact of the motor vehicle occurring in the front region of the motor vehicle as a result of the displacement and thus targeted impairment of the longitudinally displaceable crash element. This also makes it possible to effectively avoid high subsequent costs and extensive repair measures.Further advantages, features and details of the invention are evident from the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment and on the basis of the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description and 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 respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the scope of the invention.The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows an illustration of a detail of the front carriage of a motor vehicle. FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of a detail of the front carriage of a motor vehicle with a cooler module and a cargo space. FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of a detail of the cooler housing of the cooler module with longitudinally displaceable crash element before and after a crash situation.In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.According to FIG. 1, in the front end 1 of a motor vehicle, below the engine hood 9 or front hood of the motor vehicle, further components are arranged in a compact construction in addition to a radiator module 2 performing a variety of cooling functions. For example, a load space 3 is provided adjacent to the radiator module 2 in the front end 1 of the motor vehicle as a so-called chunk, the component housing 5 of which is thus located directly next to the radiator housing 4 of the radiator module 2. In particular, the component housing 5 of the chunk 3 has a metallic base plate 13, on which a web-shaped metallic second contact element 8 is arranged as a housing formation of the component housing 5 of the chunk 3. Mounted on the upper side 12 of the cooler module 3 is a longitudinally displaceable crash element 6, on which a first web-shaped contact element 7 corresponding to the web-shaped metallic second contact element 8 is formed. In the event of a crash of the motor vehicle, the component housing 5 of the chunk 3 is moved in the direction of the cooler housing 4 of the cooler module 2 on account of a displacement force 10 acting on the front end 1 of the motor vehicle. As a result, the second web-shaped contact element 8 comes into contact with the first web-shaped contact element 7 and displaces this first web-shaped contact element 7 in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle (in the x direction), as a result of which the entire longitudinally displaceable crash element 6 is correspondingly also displaced or moved in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle (in the x direction).FIG. 2 shows how the longitudinally displaceable crash element 6 has been displaced along the displacement path 11 in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle (in the x direction) in the event of a crash of the motor vehicle. This means that in the event of a crash of the motor vehicle, only the longitudinally displaceable crash element 6 is displaced out of its original position, the cooler module 2 and in particular also the cooler housing 4 of the cooler module 2 thereby remain undamaged even in the case of a displacement force 10 acting on the front end 1 of the motor vehicle.FIG. 3 shows this displacement of the longitudinally displaceable crash element 6 along the displacement path 11 in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle (in the x direction) in a detailed view. The left-hand illustration of FIG. 3 shows the starting position of the longitudinally displaceable crash element 6 before the action of the displacement force 10 on the longitudinally displaceable crash element 6.

Claims

Front end (1) of a motor vehicle, having a cooler module (2) with a cooler housing (4), wherein a crash element (6) which is longitudinally displaceable in the event of a crash is arranged on the cooler housing (4) of the cooler module (2), characterized in that the longitudinally displaceable crash element (6) has a first contact element (7) formed by a formation and a component (3) arranged adjacent to the cooler module (2) has a component formation as a second contact element (8) corresponding to the first contact element (7), wherein, in the event of a crash of the motor vehicle, the second contact element (8) acts on the first contact element (7) in such a way that the longitudinally displaceable crash element (6) is displaceable on the cooler housing (4) of the cooler module (2) in the front end (1).Front end (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the longitudinally displaceable crash element (6) and the first contact element (7) which is integrally formed on the longitudinally displaceable crash element (6) consist of a dimensionally stable material.Front end (1) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the first contact element (7) which is integrally formed on the longitudinally displaceable crash element (6) consists of a dimensionally stable plastics material or of a metallic material.Front end (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first contact element (7) and the second contact element (8) corresponding to the first contact element (7) are designed in the form of a web.Front end (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the longitudinally displaceable crash element (6) extends over the entire width of the cooler housing (4) of the cooler module (2)s.Front end (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a loading space is provided as a further component (3) in the front end (1) of the motor vehicle, and in that the second contact element (8) corresponding to the first contact element (7) is formed on the component housing (5) of the loading space (3).Method for protecting a radiator module (2) arranged in the front end (1) of a motor vehicle with a front end according to Claim 1, characterized in that, in the event of a crash of the motor vehicle, a longitudinally displaceable crash element (6) arranged on the radiator module (2) is displaced in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle (x direction) by a displacement force (10) acting on the longitudinally displaceable crash element (6).Method according to Claim 7, characterized in that, in the event of a crash in the front region of the motor vehicle, the displacement force (10) is exerted on the longitudinally displaceable crash element (6) by a further component (3) which is arranged adjacent to the cooler module (2) in the front chassis (1) of the motor vehicle and is displaced in the front region of the motor vehicle and acts on the longitudinally displaceable crash element (6).Method according to Claim 8, characterized in that, in the event of a crash in the front region of the motor vehicle, the displacement force (10) is exerted on the longitudinally displaceable crash element (6) by a component housing (5) of a load space (3) which is arranged adjacent to the cooler module (2) in the front chassis (1) of the motor vehicle and is displaced in the front region of the motor vehicle and acts on the longitudinally displaceable crash element (6).

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