FRONT STRUCTURE FOR A UTILITY VEHICLE, PREFERABLY FOR A LORRY

Abstract

The invention relates to a front structure for a utility vehicle, preferably for a lorry, as well as a utility vehicle comprising a front structure of this type. The front structure comprises two lateral longitudinal frame rails, a cooling module (3) arranged between the longitudinal frame rails and supported on the longitudinal frame rail via lateral pivot bearings (6) with a common pitch axis, and a pendulum support (7) secured to the cooling module (3) and supported directly or indirectly on the longitudinal frame rail for absorbing tilting movements of the cooling module. The pendulum support (7) is characterised by a target failure point (8), which is designed to fail in the event of a head-on crash with a crash-related application of force (F), in order to release a tilting movement of the cooling module (3) and/or to no longer absorb same. In this way, in the event of a head-on crash, the backward displacement of a driver cabin mounted on the front structure can be improved and the intrusion of the driver cabin can thereby be reduced and the safety of the occupant improved.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A front structure for a utility vehicle, comprising: a) two lateral frame longitudinal beams; b) a cooler module which is arranged between the frame longitudinal beams and which is supported by means of lateral pivot bearings with a common pitch axis at the frame longitudinal beam side; and c) a hinged support which is secured to the cooler module and which is supported indirectly or directly on the frame longitudinal beam for absorbing pitch movements of the cooler module, wherein the hinged support has a desired failure location which is configured under the crash-related action of forces to fail in the event of a front-end crash in order to release and/or no longer to absorb a pitch movement of the cooler module.

17. The front structure as claimed in claim 16, wherein a) the cooler module has a front first cooler and a rear second cooler; b) the first cooler and the second cooler are connected to each other by means of an articulated connection; and c) a movement of the second cooler relative to the first cooler via the articulated connection is prevented by a mechanical securing which has a desired failure location which is configured in the event of crash-related action of forces to fail in the event of a front-end crash in order to release a movement of the second cooler relative to the first cooler via the articulated connection.

18. The front structure as claimed in claim 17, wherein the mechanical securing is carried out by a rigid connection element which is provided with a desired breaking location and which is arranged between the two coolers and rigidly connected thereto.

19. The front structure as claimed in claim 17, wherein a) the rear second cooler is arranged plane-parallel with the first cooler; or b) the mechanical securing is carried out by a rigid connection element which is a web.

20. The front structure as claimed in claim 18, wherein the desired breaking location is formed by a geometric shape or configured by means of a locking connection which independently disengages or is destroyed in the event of a crash.

21. The front structure as claimed in claim 16, further having an underride protection device which is arranged below the frame longitudinal beams.

22. The front structure as claimed in claim 21, wherein the underride protection device is arranged below a lower end region of the first cooler and at the height of a lower end region of the second cooler.

23. The front structure as claimed in claim 22, wherein the front structure is sized and configured in such a manner that, in the event of a crash-related action of forces in the case of a front-end crash and after failure of the hinged support and the mechanical securing at the respective desired failure locations, the lower region of the first cooler pivots forward over the underride protection device and the second cooler pivots backward via the articulated connection.

24. The front structure as claimed in claim 16, wherein the hinged support is in the form of at least one coupling rod which a) has securing joints at the ends thereof; and/or b) is constructed in a rigid manner and extends substantially in the frame longitudinal beam direction and/or in the longitudinal vehicle direction.

25. The front structure as claimed in claim 16, wherein the hinged support is secured directly at the vehicle side to at least one of the frame longitudinal beams or is secured to a component which is secured to the frame longitudinal beam, such as, for example, a front underride protection device or a bracket for this or a drive unit or battery module which is arranged between the frame longitudinal beams.

26. The front structure as claimed in claim 17, wherein the articulated connection is arranged at an upper end region of the first and second cooler and is in the form of a pivot connection.

27. The front structure as claimed in claim 17, wherein a) the first cooler is a charge air cooler or coolant cooler and the second cooler is a coolant cooler, for example, a water cooler; and/or b) the first cooler and the second cooler are arranged one behind the other.

28. The front structure as claimed in claim 16, further having a U-shaped stabilizer rocker which is articulated in the region of the rear ends thereof on bearing blocks which are arranged so as to be secured to the frame longitudinal beams, wherein the cooler module is arranged behind a stabilizer rod of the stabilizer rocker.

29. The front structure as claimed in claim 28, wherein the stabilizer rocker has at each of the two outer sides thereof a member which is arranged substantially in the frame longitudinal beam direction, wherein the members are connected in the region of the front ends thereof by means of a stabilizer rod which extends transversely relative to the frame longitudinal beam direction and are supported in the region of the rear ends thereof in each case on a bearing block which is arranged on one of the frame longitudinal beams.

30. The front structure as claimed in claim 29, wherein the stabilizer rod is arranged at the height of an upper half of the cooler module.

31. The front structure as claimed in claim 28, wherein, under the crash-related action of forces in the event of a front-end crash, as a result of failure of the hinged support at the desired failure location thereof, a backward displacement space of the stabilizer rocker is increased in order to increase a backward displacement of a driver's cab which is supported on the front structure in the event of a front-end crash.

32. The front structure as claimed in claim 28, wherein, under the crash-related action of forces in the event of a front-end crash, as a result of failure of the mechanical securing as claimed in claim 2 at the desired failure location thereof, a backward displacement space of the stabilizer rocker is increased in order to increase a backward displacement of a driver's cab which is supported on the front structure in the event of a front-end crash.

33. A utility vehicle comprising a front structure as claimed in claim 16.

34. The utility vehicle of claim 33, wherein the utility vehicle is a lorry.

Description

[0030] The preferred embodiments and features of the present disclosure as described above can be freely combined with each other. Other details and advantages of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the front structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a highly schematic side view of the front structure in the non-deformed initial state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] FIG. 3 shows the view of FIG. 2 in a first deformation state during a front-end crash;

[0034] FIG. 4 shows the view of FIG. 2 in a second deformation state during a front-end crash; and

[0035] FIG. 5 shows a utility vehicle.

[0036] Elements which are identical or equivalent are given the same reference numerals in all the Figures and are sometimes not described separately.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the front structure 1 of a utility vehicle which is illustrated in FIG. 4 purely by way of example in the form of a lorry 17.

[0038] The front structure 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises in a manner known per se two lateral frame longitudinal beams 2 and a cooler module 3 which is arranged between the frame longitudinal beams.

[0039] The cooler module 3 has a front first cooler 4 and a rear second cooler 5 which is arranged plane-parallel with the first cooler. The two coolers 4, 5 are configured in a plate-like manner. In this instance, the first cooler 4 is a charge air cooler and the second cooler 5 is a coolant cooler for example, a water cooler. The coolant cooler 6 is connected to a coolant circuit (which is not illustrated) of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle, whilst the charge air cooler 4 serves to cool the charged combustion air of the internal combustion engine. The cooler module may comprise additional components, for example, a capacitor of a coolant circuit of an air-conditioning system. The inner structure and the fluidic connections of the two coolers 4 and 5 may be configured in a manner known per se and do not have to be described in greater detail here.

[0040] FIG. 1 further shows a front cross-beam 16 by means of which the front regions of the two frame longitudinal beams 2 are connected to each other. The front structure 1 further has an underride protection device 12 or an underride protection profile which is arranged below the front cross-beam 3 and below the frame longitudinal beams 2 and which substantially comprises a tubular material which is bent over at the left side and right side in a slightly U-shaped manner counter to the travel direction. The underride protection device 12 may be secured to a front end region of the frame longitudinal beams by means of brackets or to a bearing block or a connection console which is secured to the front end region of the frame longitudinal beams 2.

[0041] The front structure 1 further has a U-shaped stabilizer rocker 14 which is articulated in the region of the rear ends thereof to bearing blocks 15 which are in turn arranged to be secured to the frame longitudinal beam and which extend above the frame longitudinal beams 2 in the vertical vehicle axis direction. The stabilizer rocker 14 has at the two outer sides thereof members 14b which are arranged in each case substantially in the frame longitudinal beam direction. The members 14b are connected in the region of the front end thereof by means of a stabilizer rod 14a which extends transversely relative to the frame longitudinal beam direction and are supported in the region of the rear ends thereof on one of the bearing blocks 15 in each case. The stabilizer rod 14a is arranged in front of the cooler module 3 and at the height of an upper half of the cooler module 3.

[0042] This front structure 1 is used for front support (not fully illustrated in this instance) of a driver's cab (not illustrated) of a lorry. In this instance, in a manner known per se and purely by way of example, the driver's cab can be secured at the front to two connection consoles, articulated by means of these to two resilient damper struts, cushioned via these with respect to the frame longitudinal beam 2 and further guided transversely on the U-shaped stabilizer rocker 14 and pivotably articulated for tilting. The connection consoles may be composed of two portions, that is to say, an upper carrier portion on which the driver's cab is secured and a lower bearing portion on which at one location a resilient damper strut and at another location the stabilizer rocker 14 are articulated.

[0043] The entire cooling module 3 is supported via the front first cooler 4 with respect to the utility vehicle. To this end, the cooler module 6 is supported via the front first cooler 4 by means of lateral pivot bearings 6 with a common pitch axis at the frame longitudinal beam side, which can be better seen in FIGS. 2 to 4. The pivot bearing 6 has an articulation location through which a pivot axis which extends perpendicularly to the drawing plane, that is to say, in the Y direction, extends. The cooler module 3 can consequently be pivoted about this pivot axis through the articulation location.

[0044] There is further provided a hinged support 7 which is concealed in FIG. 1 by the frame longitudinal beams 2 but which is illustrated schematically in FIG. 2. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the hinged support 7 is secured at one end to the cooler module 3 and is supported at the other end at the side of the frame longitudinal beam. The hinged support 7 consequently absorbs pitch movements of the cooler module 4 which are produced during travel operation as a result of vibrations, shocks, etcetera. The hinged support 7 may be in the form of a tie bar or a coupling rod which is connected in the end region thereof in an articulated manner.

[0045] The hinged support extends substantially in the frame longitudinal beam direction or in the longitudinal vehicle direction. This direction is designated x in FIG. 2. The vertical vehicle axis direction is designated y.

[0046] The hinged support 7 has a desired breaking location 6 which is configured in such a manner that the hinged support breaks at the desired breaking location 8 under the crash-related action of forces F in the event of a front-end crash in order to release and/or no longer to absorb a pitch movement of the cooler module 3. The desired breaking location is consequently intended to be configured in such a manner that it breaks when forces which typically occur in the event of a front-end impact event or front-end crash act on the hinged support or the desired breaking location. The desired breaking location 8 can be produced by means of a geometric shape, for example, in the form of a constriction of the hinged support 7.

[0047] As further schematically illustrated in FIG. 2, the first cooler and the second cooler 4, 5 are connected to each other by means of an articulated connection 9. In this instance, the articulated connection 9 is arranged at an upper end region of the first cooler and second cooler 4, 5 and in the form of a pivot joint whose pivot axis corresponds to a pivot axis which extends perpendicularly to the drawing plane, that is to say, in the y direction.

[0048] In the initial state, however, the movement of the second cooler 5 relative to the first cooler 4 is prevented by a mechanical securing 10 which is in the form of a rigid connection element 10 which is arranged between the two coolers 4, 5 and which is securely connected thereto. The connection element 10 may be in the form of a rigid web or strut.

[0049] The mechanical securing or the connection element 10 also has a desired breaking location 11 which is configured to break under the crash-related action of forces F in the event of a front-end crash in order to release a movement of the second cooler 5 relative to the first cooler 4 via the articulated connection 9. The desired breaking location 11 may be produced by means of a geometric shape, for example, in the form of a constriction of the connection element 10.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows an initial state of the front structure 1 prior to a front-end crash event in which both the hinged support 7 and the mechanical securing 10 are intact, that is to say, are not broken at the desired breaking locations 8 and 11 thereof, respectively.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows in contrast the view of FIG. 2 in a first deformation state during a front-end crash, in which the hinged support 7 is already broken at the desired breaking location 8 as a result of the crash-related action of forces F in the event of a front-end crash. In the event of a front-end crash, the stabilizer rod 14a of the stabilizer rocker 14 is pressed against the upper front region of the front cooler 4 as a result of the crash. The force F leads to breakage of the hinged support 7 at the desired breaking location 8.

[0052] Accordingly, the cooler module 3 may carry out a pitch movement about the pivot axis of the pivot bearing 6, wherein the upper portion of the cooler module 3 pivots backward and the lower portion of the cooler module 3 pivots forward. The two coolers 4 and 5 are, however, still rigidly connected by means of the mechanical securing 10.

[0053] Since the underride protection device 12 extends below a lower end region 4a of the first cooler 4, but at the height of a lower end region 5a of the second cooler 5, the lower portion 5a of the second cooler 4 strikes the underride protection device 12. This leads to breakage of the mechanical securing 10 at the desired breaking location 11.

[0054] This leads to a situation which is illustrated in FIG. 4. After breakage of the desired breaking location 11, this releases a further rotation path of the cooler module 3. The two coolers 4, 5 and are now still connected only in an articulated manner at the articulated connection 9 so that the front cooler 4, as a result of the crash-related action of force F of the stabilizer rod 14a, pivots further so that the upper region of the first cooler is moved further backward and consequently releases a larger deformation space for the stabilizer rod 14a. The lower region 5a of the rear cooler 5 can pivot away from the lower region 4a of the front cooler 4.

[0055] The backward displacement space R available in the event of a crash for the stabilizer rocker 14 and consequently the backward displacement space for the driver's cab which is connected to the stabilizer rocker is thereby increased overall.

[0056] The front structure shown consequently enables, in the event of a crash-related action of force in the case of a front-end crash, as a result of failure of the hinged support 7 at the desired failure location 8 thereof and as a result of the failure of the mechanical securing 10 at the desired failure location 11 thereof, a backward displacement space of the stabilizer rocker 14 to be increased. A backward displacement of a driver's cab 18 which is supported on the stabilizer rocker 14 in the event of a front-end crash is thereby increased. The driver's cab can thereby be moved even further out of the crash zone in the event of a front-end impact. As a result of the greater cab backward displacement of the driver's cab, the intrusion of the cab in the event of a crash is significantly reduced, and the survival spaces for the passenger in the event of a crash are significantly increased.

[0057] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described preferred embodiments. Instead, a large number of variants and modifications which also make use of the notion of the present disclosure and are therefore included within the protective scope are possible. In particular the present disclosure also claims protection for the subject-matter and the features of the dependent claims regardless of the claims referred to. In particular, the individual features of the independent claim 1 are disclosed in each case independently of each other. In addition, the features of the dependent claims are also disclosed independently of all the features of the independent claim 1. All range indications herein are intended to be understood to be disclosed in such a manner that all the values falling within the respective range are disclosed individually so to speak, for example, also as preferred narrower outer limits of the respective range.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0058] 1 Front structure [0059] 2 Frame longitudinal beam [0060] 3 Cooler module [0061] 4 First cooler [0062] 4a Lower region of the first cooler [0063] 5 Second cooler [0064] 5a Lower region of the second cooler [0065] 6 Pivot bearing [0066] 7 Hinged support, for example, desired breaking location [0067] 8 Desired failure location [0068] 9 Articulated connection [0069] 10 Mechanical securing [0070] 11 Desired failure location, for example, desired breaking location [0071] 12 Underride protection device [0072] 13 Bracket [0073] 14 Stabilizer rocker [0074] 14a Stabilizer rod [0075] 14b Member [0076] 15 Bearing block [0077] 16 Front cross-beam [0078] 17 Utility vehicle [0079] 18 Driver's cab [0080] F Action of force in the event of a front-end crash [0081] R Backward displacement space