MOTOR VEHICLE BODY ARRANGEMENT DESIGNED IN PARTICULAR FOR A COLLISION WITH LITTLE OVERLAP

Abstract

A body arrangement having a longitudinal member arrangement, a bumper cross-member, and a support element. The bumper cross-member is fastened to one end of the longitudinal support and an end portion of the bumper cross-member projects in the transverse direction beyond the longitudinal support. The support element is fastened to the end portion of the bumper cross-member and extends over a predetermined length towards the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The support element preferably extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal member arrangement. The support element is disposed or designed with a predetermined spacing with respect to the longitudinal member arrangement. The support element supports the end portion of the longitudinal member arrangement in the event of a deformation of the end portion of the bumper cross-member following a frontal collision of the vehicle, in particular a frontal collision with little overlap.

Claims

1. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising a longitudinal member arrangement (1, 3), a bumper cross-member (5), which is fastened to one end of the longitudinal member arrangement (1, 3) and wherein one end portion (6) of the bumper cross-member (5) projects beyond the longitudinal member arrangement (1, 3) in the transverse direction, and a support element (7), which is fastened to the end portion (6) of the bumper cross-member (5) and extends over a predetermined length (a) towards the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein the support element (7) is designed with a predetermined spacing (b) with respect to the longitudinal member arrangement (1, 3), wherein the support element (7) is disposed and designed in such a way that it supports the end portion (6) on the longitudinal member arrangement (1, 3) in the event of a deformation of the end portion (6) of the bumper cross-member (5) following a frontal collision of the vehicle, in particular a frontal collision with little overlap. and wherein the support element (7) is made of a plastic, in particular a fibre-reinforced plastic.

2. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support element (7) is designed with such a spacing (b) with respect to the longitudinal member arrangement (1, 3) that in the event of a frontal collision of the motor vehicle the support element (7) allows a predetermined deformation of the longitudinal member arrangement (1, 3).

3. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal member arrangement has a longitudinal support (1) and a deformation element (3) which is fastened, in particular releasably, to one end (2) of the longitudinal support (1) and is fastened to the bumper cross-member (5).

4. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the support element (7) is spaced apart from the deformation element (3) in such a way that in the event of a frontal collision at low speed, at which the longitudinal support (1) should not be damaged, the support element (7) allows a predetermined deformation of the deformation element (3) and the support element does not come into engagement with the longitudinal support (1).

5. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support element (7), the longitudinal member arrangement (1, 3) and the bumper cross-member (5) are disposed substantially in a plane, in particular in a plane parallel to a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis of the motor vehicle.

6. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support element (7) has an inner face (71), which extends substantially parallel to a side face of the longitudinal member arrangement (1, 3), and a front face (73), which extends substantially parallel to the end portion (6) of the bumper cross-member (5), and wherein the support element (7) has in particular an outer face (75) which connects the inner face (71) and the front face (73) to one another.

7. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the support element (7) is of substantially wedge-shaped design, wherein in particular the inner face (71) and the outer face (75) form a tip of the wedge.

8. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support element (7) is preferably designed and disposed in such a way that in the event of a frontal collision with little overlap and with support on the longitudinal member arrangement (1, 3) the support element is not significantly deformed.

9. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support element (7) is produced by plastic injection moulding.

10. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal member arrangement (1, 3) is a component of a main load path in the event of a frontal collision.

11. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support element (7) lies flat on the end portion (6) of the bumper cross-member (5) and is in particular rigidly connected to the end portion (6) of the bumper cross-member (5).

12. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the supporting element (7) is formed with hollow spaces which are separated from one another by a rib structure and the extend parallel to the end portion (6) of the bumper cross-member (5).

13. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the hollow spaces are formed in pairs and separated from one another by a central rib of the rib structure.

14. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the hollow spaces (7) are arranged above one another and/or behind one another.

15. Body arrangement for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support element (7) is formed in one piece.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view of a body arrangement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] A detailed description is given below of an embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. 1.

[0042] A left front portion of a body arrangement of a motor vehicle is shown in FIG. 1. A right front portion (not shown) of the body arrangement is designed in mirror symmetry just like the left front portion of the body arrangement. However, in order to avoid repetitions only the left front portion of the body arrangement is described below.

[0043] In particular the body has a left longitudinal support 1, on the front end of which a crashbox 3 is disposed which constitutes a deformation element according to the invention. A bumper cross-member 5, of which the left end portion 6 projects in the transverse direction beyond the crashbox 3 or the longitudinal support 1, is fastened to the front end of the crashbox 3. A support element 7 according to the invention is fixed to the end portion 6 of the bumper cross-member 5 by fastening means 32.

[0044] The longitudinal member arrangement consisting of the longitudinal support 1 and the crashbox 3, just like the bumper cross-member 5 with the end portion 6 and the support element 7 are all disposed predominantly in a plane parallel to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a transverse direction of the vehicle. In this case the support element 7 is formed at a distance b with respect to the crashbox 3, wherein the support element 7 is not fixed to the longitudinal support 1 nor to the crashbox 3. The support element 7 has a maximum length a in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0045] The support element 7 is a fibre-reinforced injection moulded plastic part which is provided with a suitable reinforcing rib structure or honeycomb structure—the rib structure is shown schematically in FIG. 1—and has a substantially wedge-shaped form. The rib structure is formed in such a way that the supporting element 7 can be produced by means of second tool halves. The cells which form hollow spaces according to the invention extend parallel to the end portion 6 of the bumper cross-member 5. The cells are arranged in pairs, wherein the pairs of cells are separated from one another by a central rib. Two or more cells can be arranged one above the other. In the present exemplary embodiment two cells are arranged one above the other. Furthermore, a plurality of cells can be arranged one behind the other. In the present exemplary embodiment four cells are arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel. The cells are separated from one another by the rib structure and are open at the side. The supporting element 7 is fastened to the bumper cross-member 5 for example by two bolt connections. The bumper cross-member 5 can made from a metal material, such as for example steel or aluminium. The wedge has an inner face 71, which extends substantially parallel to the crashbox 3 or the longitudinal support 1, and a front face 73, which extends substantially parallel to the end portion 6 of the bumper cross-member 5 and bears against this in a flush manner. Furthermore the wedge has an outer face 75 which connects one end of the front face 73 to one end of the inner face 71. Basically the support element 7 may also have a different shape if it has the function described below.

[0046] The crashbox 3 is fixed releasably by means of fastening means 31 and 52, for example screws, on the longitudinal support 1 or the bumper cross-member 5. In particular, the fastening means 31 form a screw connection 31 to the longitudinal support in a transverse direction.

[0047] A mode of functioning and action of the body arrangement according to the invention is described below in the case of a frontal collision with a large overlap and a frontal collision with little overlap.

[0048] In the event of a frontal collision with a large overlap, the collision opponent impacts directly on the longitudinal member arrangement or on a location between the left and right longitudinal member arrangement.

[0049] In the event of such a frontal collision with a large overlap and at a low speed of for example less than approximately 15 or 20 km/h, preferably only the crashbox 3 is deformed, without the longitudinal support 1 being irreversibly damaged. In this case it is necessary that the crashbox 3 has sufficient space for deformation in the transverse direction, i.e. in the y-direction of a vehicle co-ordinates system, which is ensured by the spacing b between the support element 7 and the crashbox 3. In the event of a collision with a large overlap and at low speed the crashbox 3 is increasingly deformed, i.e. compressed, wherein the bumper cross-member 5 moves in the direction of the longitudinal support 1. As a result the support element 7 also moves in the direction of the longitudinal support until, if applicable, it overlaps with the longitudinal support 1 in the transverse direction of the vehicle, but due to the predetermined spacing b predominantly does not engage with the longitudinal support 1 and damage it. Accordingly due to the arrangement according to the invention the support element 7 advantageously does not restrict the functioning and action of the crashbox 3 in the event of a frontal collision with a large overlap.

[0050] In the event of a frontal collision with little overlap, in which a collision opponent impacts outside the longitudinal member arrangement on the bumper cross-member, i.e. in particular impacts only on the end portion 6 of the bumper cross-member 5, the end portion 6 of the bumper cross-member 5 is initially deformed until the inner face 71 of the support element 7 impacts on the crashbox 3 or possibly also on the longitudinal support 1 and is supported there. If need be, the inner face 71 of the support element 7 can also engage with the fastening means 31, for example screw heads, in order to prevent sliding of the inner face 71 on the longitudinal member arrangement and thus to increase the effect of the support element 7. The support element 7 is designed to be relatively rigid, so that in the collision it is not deformed or at least only slightly deformed and in this way it supports a collision load sufficiently on the longitudinal member arrangement consisting of the crashbox 3 and the longitudinal support 1 and introduces the load into the longitudinal member arrangement. As a result a transverse impulse between the motor vehicle and the collision opponent can be generated so that they can be advantageously pushed away from one another. Thus a crash structure of the motor vehicle must advantageously absorb significantly less collision energy.