Vehicle Bumper Frame Member for Unobstructed Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bumper devices obstruct the airflow to coolers in low-profile vehicles, preventing optimal cooling airflow due to their transverse crossmember arrangement, which is in front of the coolers and blocks or divides the intended airflow.
Innovation Solution
A bumper device with a transversely arranged bumper crossmember arrangement featuring a central frame member that surrounds an opening, with an upper and lower crossmember and support pillars, allowing unimpeded airflow to coolers positioned behind, and optionally includes a grille, cable, or lamellar arrangement to protect the coolers without obstructing airflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional bumper crossmember arrangement is provided at the vehicle front, then structural integrity and collision resistance are improved, but the cooling air flow is obstructed or blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper crossmember arrangement is segmented into a first crossmember and a second crossmember positioned at different vertical levels. This segmentation allows the cooling air flow to pass through the space between the crossmembers while still providing the necessary structural support and collision resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The crossmembers are arranged at different vertical levels (heights) rather than being positioned in a single plane. This vertical dimensionality change creates pathways for cooling air flow to pass through the bumper device while maintaining structural integrity through the multi-level crossmember configuration.
2Reliability
If a bumper crossmember arrangement is provided in front of coolers, then collision protection is improved, but the coolers receive insufficient cooling air flow
Solution Approach 1:
The bumper crossmember arrangement is divided into multiple crossmembers at different vertical positions. This segmentation creates open spaces between the crossmembers that allow cooling air to reach the coolers effectively, while the distributed crossmember structure maintains collision protection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
By positioning crossmembers at different vertical levels, the design creates three-dimensional pathways for cooling air flow to reach the coolers. This vertical arrangement ensures that cooling air can bypass the crossmembers and reach the coolers, maintaining thermal efficiency while preserving collision protection.
Data Source
AI summary
A bumper device for a motor vehicle has two bumper support members arranged parallel to the vehicle longitudinal center plane. The bumper device has a bumper crossmember arrangement arranged transversely with respect to the vehicle longitudinal center plane. The bumper crossmember arrangement has two fastening portions at which the bumper crossmember arrangement can be fastened to the associated bumper support member directly or by a respective connecting structure. A central portion between the fastening portions and two lateral end portions protrudes beyond the fastening portions. The central portion of the bumper crossmember arrangement is designed as a frame member surrounding an opening, with an upper crossmember, a lower crossmember, a left support post and a right support post.