Bumper for vehicle

Abstract

To provide a bumper for a vehicle having a vertically divided structure capable of obtaining a sufficient energy absorption amount at a low cost without accompanying increase in weight, increase in the number of components, deterioration in appearance, and the like.SOLUTION: The other bumper component 2 is engaged with one bumper component 1 protruding so as to collide with an obstacle first from the outer surface side thereof, the upper and lower bumper components 1 and 2 are connected, a reinforcing structural member 22 extending inward from the other bumper component 2 rises with a hinge portion 23 as an axis along an inner surface side of the one bumper component 1, and a tip end portion of the reinforcing structural member 22 is coupled to the inner surface side of the one bumper component 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle bumper having a structure divided into upper and lower halves. [Background technology]

[0002] In vehicle design, a bumper divided into an upper bumper structure 51 and a lower bumper structure 52 is considered, as shown in Fig. 8. In this example, the upper bumper structure 51 protrudes forward, and the lower bumper structure 52 is shaped to recede downward, the lower bumper structure 52 covers the front surface of the lower part of the upper bumper structure 51, and engaging claws 54 of the lower bumper structure 52 are inserted into engaging holes 53 of the upper bumper structure 52 from the front side, connecting the upper and lower bumper structures 51, 52. Then, a vehicle body structure 30 such as a cross member is located behind the bumper.

[0003] In a bumper having such a structure, when the impactor 40 is caused to collide with the upper bumper component 51 according to the test method of the Agreement Regulations Concerning the Protection of Pedestrian Legs in the Event of a Collision, the upper bumper component 51 is pushed rearward, the engaging claws 54 come out of the engaging holes 53, the engagement between the engaging holes 53 and the engaging claws 54 is released, and the energy is not sufficiently absorbed, causing the upper bumper component 51 to hit the body structure 30 hard, which may result in failure to meet the standard value.

[0004] Incidentally, Patent Document 1 listed below describes a bumper reinforcement structure in which a bumper cover main body and an undercover are connected so as to be able to swing freely, allowing for a choice between a first state in which the undercover is folded back toward the rear side of the bumper cover main body to absorb impacts in the front-to-rear direction, and a second state in which the undercover swings downward from the bumper cover main body to ensure ease of vehicle maintenance work.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 listed below describes a method in which a reinforcing body is integrally molded via a thin hinge by utilizing an opening in the bumper, and after molding, the reinforcing body is rotated around the thin hinge as an axis and connected to a facial rib extending rearward from the lower part of the front side, thereby reducing costs and improving strength. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5338634 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3672802 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, as a measure to increase the amount of energy absorbed during a bumper collision as shown in FIG. 8, the reinforcement structures described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 cannot be applied because they have different basic configurations.

[0008] Another approach would be to increase the thickness of the bumper, but this would require increasing the thickness over a wide area to prevent sink marks during injection molding, which would result in a significant increase in the weight of the bumper.

[0009] It is also possible to add an energy absorbing material to the inside of the bumper, but this increases the number of parts, which increases the manufacturing costs of the parts and also increases the weight of the bumper.

[0010] Furthermore, it is also conceivable to extend the mating surfaces at the connection points of the upper and lower bumper components 51, 52 of the bumper to form a double structure for the connection points; however, in this case, since the mating surfaces are located at a lower position relative to the impactor 40, the overlap amount with the impactor 40 is small and the amount of energy absorption does not increase significantly.

[0011] It is also possible to add a reinforcing rib to the inside of the bumper, but in this case, the rib would be located on the back side of a part that is visible when viewed from the outside of the upper bumper structure 51, which could cause sink marks when the bumper is molded, resulting in a poor appearance.

[0012] Another option is to add fixing points to attach the bumper to the vehicle, but this requires additional parts for fixing, which not only increases the manufacturing cost of the parts but also increases the weight.In addition, it is difficult to place fixing points in effective positions due to the structure of the bumper.

[0013] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a bumper with an upper and lower divided structure that can achieve sufficient energy absorption at low cost without increasing weight, increasing the number of parts, or worsening appearance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a vehicle bumper in which one of the bumper components is divided into upper and lower parts, and the other bumper component engages with the outer surface of the other bumper component to connect the upper and lower bumper components, and the other bumper component is provided with a reinforcing structural member that extends from its inner surface towards the inside of the vehicle via a hinge portion, and the reinforcing structural member is bent at the hinge portion and extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle towards the one bumper component side, and is joined to the inner surface of the one bumper component (Configuration 1).

[0015] In addition, in configuration 1, the one bumper structure has an engaging portion formed therein with which the other bumper structure engages and a connecting portion to which the other bumper structure is connected, and the reinforcing structural member is joined to the back surface of the one bumper structure across the connecting portion (configuration 2).

[0016] Furthermore, in configuration 2, the reinforcing structural member extends from a position near the connection portion when the one bumper structure and the other bumper structure are combined together (configuration 3).

[0017] Furthermore, in configuration 2, the engaging portions of the connecting portions and the reinforcing structural members are arranged alternately in the vehicle width direction (configuration 4).

[0018] In addition, in configuration 1, a step is formed on the outer surface of one of the bumper structures, with the outer surface recessed toward the inside of the vehicle, and the engaging portion of the reinforcing structural member is located near the step (configuration 5).

[0019] In addition, in configurations 1 to 4, the hinge portion of the reinforcing structural member is configured as a thin-walled portion formed to be thinner than other portions (configuration 6). [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to this invention, one of the protruding bumper components is partially supported from the inside by a reinforcing structural member that extends inward and stands up from an inconspicuous part of the other bumper component, so that it is possible to efficiently reinforce the bumper component and obtain a sufficient amount of energy absorption while suppressing increases in weight, the number of parts, costs, and appearance. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle bumper according to an embodiment of the present invention from the inner surface side; [Figure 2] Vertical cross-sectional side view of the same [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing another example of fixing the reinforcing structural member by the engagement claws of the same; [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing an example of fixing the reinforcing structural member with screws; [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the round groove hinge portion of the same; [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the V-groove hinge portion of the same; [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the band-shaped hinge portion of the same; [Figure 8] A longitudinal side view showing the pedestrian leg protection test of a vehicle bumper without a reinforcing structural member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the front side of the vehicle will be simply referred to as the front side, the rear side of the vehicle will be simply referred to as the rear side, the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle will be simply referred to as the fore-and-aft direction, and the width direction of the vehicle will be simply referred to as the vehicle width direction.

[0023] Fig. 1 shows a portion of a bumper on the front side of a vehicle from the inside (rear) side. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this bumper has a structure divided into upper and lower halves, and is made up of an upper bumper-structure 1 and a lower bumper-structure 2. The upper bumper-structure 1 and the lower bumper-structure 2 are each injection-molded using polypropylene (PP) as a material. A vehicle body structure 30 such as a cross member is located behind this bumper with a small gap between them.

[0024] The upper bumper component 1 is shaped to project upward and forward so as to collide with an obstacle first in the event of an accident, while the lower bumper component 2 is shaped to project downward and retreat.

[0025] The lower part of the upper bumper component 1 bends inward (rearward) so as to form a dividing surface, and a claw receiving piece 11 which serves as a connecting part for the lower bumper component 2 protrudes downward from the edge across the vehicle width direction, and a plurality of horizontally elongated slot-shaped engaging holes 12 are provided in the claw receiving piece 11 at intervals in the vehicle width direction. The engaging holes 12 serve as engaging parts with the lower bumper component 2. A step 13 which is recessed on the upper outer surface side is formed in the middle part of the upper bumper component 1 in the vertical direction.

[0026] The upper part of the lower bumper structure 2 covers the front surface of the claw receiving piece 11 of the upper bumper structure 1, and its edge forms a parting surface with the upper bumper structure 1, and a plurality of engaging claws 21 are provided facing this parting surface and protruding rearward at intervals in the vehicle width direction. The engaging claws 21 have tapered tips, and are inserted into and engaged with engaging holes 12 of the upper bumper structure 1 from the front side, joining the upper bumper structure 1 and the lower bumper structure 2 together.

[0027] The lower bumper component 2 has a strip-shaped reinforcing structural member 22 that extends inward (rearward) from its base at a position cut slightly downward from the dividing surface of the upper edge, and the engaging claws 21 and the bases of the reinforcing structural members 22 are arranged alternately in the vehicle width direction facing the dividing surface between the lower bumper component 2 and the upper bumper component 1.

[0028] A hinge portion 23 that is thinner than other portions is formed at a position slightly away from the base of the reinforcing structural member 22, and the reinforcing structural member 22 is bent so as to rise up around the hinge portion 23 as an axis along the inner surface side of the upper bumper component 1.

[0029] A horizontally long slot-shaped engagement hole 24 is provided at the tip portion on the upper end side of the reinforcing structural member 22, and an engagement claw 14 that protrudes rearward is provided on the inner surface below the step 13 of the upper bumper structure 1. The engagement claw 14 has a tapered tip side, and is inserted into and engaged with the engagement hole 24 of the reinforcing structural member 22, whereby the tip portion of the reinforcing structural member 22 is locked to the inner surface (rear surface) side of the upper bumper structure 1.

[0030] In such a bumper, the upper bumper component 1, which juts out forward so as to hit an obstacle first in the event of an accident, is partially supported from the inside by the strip-shaped reinforcing structural member 22 extending from the lower bumper component 2, so that reinforcement can be achieved efficiently while suppressing an increase in weight, and a sufficient amount of energy can be absorbed from the early to middle stages of a collision phenomenon.

[0031] This reduces the peak impact load that occurs when the bumper, pushed backward by the collision, hits the body structure 30 shown in Figure 2, thereby reducing damage to the legs of the pedestrian that is hit.

[0032] Furthermore, by molding the reinforcing structural member 22 integrally with the lower bumper structure 2, it is possible to prevent an increase in the number of parts and costs.

[0033] Furthermore, by extending the reinforcing structural member 22 from an inconspicuous portion facing the dividing surface between the lower bumper component 2 and the upper bumper component 1, it is possible to minimize deterioration of the appearance due to sink marks during injection molding.

[0034] Furthermore, the presence of the reinforcing structural member 22 can improve the holding rigidity of the divided portion between the upper bumper component 1 and the lower bumper component 2.

[0035] In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, harness mounting holes 25 for attaching a wire harness can be provided in the reinforcing structural member 22 without having to worry about sink marks that may occur during injection molding, which increases the freedom of handling the wire harness.

[0036] In the above embodiment, the engaging claws 14 of the upper bumper structure 1 protrude rearward from the inner surface below the step 13, but as shown in FIG. 3, the engaging claws 14 may protrude rearward from the inner surface at the position of the step 13.

[0037] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, in the upper bumper component 1, a screw-fastening base 15 may be provided on the inner surface side below the step 13, and the tip end of the reinforcing structural member 22 may be engaged with the inner surface side of the upper bumper component 1 by screwing a tapping screw 3 into a pilot hole of the screw-fastening base 15 via a screw through-hole 26 located at the tip end of the reinforcing structural member 22.

[0038] Furthermore, the hinge portion 23 of the reinforcing structural member 22 may be formed in a V-groove shape as shown in FIG. 6 or a band shape as shown in FIG. 7, in addition to the round groove shape as shown in FIG.

[0039] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example has been given in which the upper bumper component 1 protrudes forward and the lower bumper component 2 recedes from the upper bumper component 1, but conversely, the lower bumper component 2 may protrude forward so as to collide with an obstacle first in the event of an accident, and the upper bumper component 1 may recede from the lower bumper component 2. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1 Bumper structure (upper side) 2 Bumper structure (lower side) 3 tapping screws 11 Claw receiving piece (connection part) 12 Engagement hole (engagement part) 13 Steps 14 Engagement claw 15 Screw mounting base 21 Engagement claw 22 Reinforcing structural members 23 Hinge part 24 Engagement hole 25 Harness mounting holes 26 screw through holes 30 Body Structure 40 Impactor

Claims

1. A vehicle bumper in which one of the bumper structures divided into upper and lower parts is engaged with the other bumper structure from an outer surface side of the other bumper structure, and the upper and lower bumper structures are connected, the other bumper structure is provided with a reinforcing structural member extending from its inner surface toward the vehicle interior via a hinge portion, The reinforcing structural member is bent at the hinge portion and extends in the vehicle vertical direction toward the one bumper structure, and is joined to the inner surface of the one bumper structure.

2. the one bumper structure has an engaging portion formed therein with which the other bumper structure engages, and a connecting portion to which the other bumper structure is connected, The vehicle bumper according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing structural member is joined to the rear surface of the one bumper structure across the connecting portion.

3. 3. The vehicle bumper according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcing structural member extends from a position near the connection portion when the one bumper structure and the other bumper structure are combined together.

4. 3. The vehicle bumper according to claim 2, wherein the engaging portions of the connecting portions and the reinforcing structural members are alternately arranged in the vehicle width direction.

5. 2. The vehicle bumper according to claim 1, wherein a step is formed on the outer surface of the one bumper structure such that the outer surface is recessed toward the inside of the vehicle, and an engaging portion of the reinforcing structural member is located near the step.

6. 5. The vehicle bumper according to claim 1, wherein the hinge portion of the reinforcing structural member is formed as a thin portion that is thinner than other portions.

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