Multipart apron for a vehicle

Abstract

An apron for a vehicle is formed of a plurality of partial aprons. In order to prevent damage to the apron requiring a complete replacement of the apron, the novel apron has a plurality of partial aprons, wherein at least one of the partial aprons has a predetermined breaking point that is configured to break earlier than the other partial apron in case of mechanical stress.

Claims

1. A multipart apron for a vehicle, the multipart apron comprising: a first partial apron and a second partial apron; at least one connecting element disposed to connect said first and second partial aprons to one another in an end to end position along a width direction of the multipart apron at a joint between said first and second partial aprons and to enable said first and second partial aprons to be repeatedly separated from and attached to each other; said first partial apron being formed with a structural weakening defining a predetermined breaking point configured to break earlier, when subjected to a mechanical load, than said at least one connecting element and/or said second partial apron, said predetermined breaking point being a material cross section reduction at a position offset from said joint in the width direction of the multipart apron.

2. The multipart apron according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined breaking point is a material weakening in said first partial apron.

3. The multipart apron according to claim 1, wherein said first partial apron is formed by an additive process.

4. The multipart apron according to claim 1, which further comprises a third partial apron and wherein: in a mounted state of the multipart apron, said second partial apron is arranged between said first partial apron and said third partial apron and attached to said first and third partial aprons by way of at least one respective said connecting element so as to be able to be separated and reconnected repeatedly; and said third partial apron is formed with a structural weakening defining a predetermined breaking point configured to break earlier than said connecting element between said second partial apron and said third partial apron and/or than said second partial apron under mechanical load.

5. The multipart apron according to claim 4, wherein said third partial apron is formed by an additive process.

6. A motor vehicle, comprising a multipart apron according to claim 1 formed as one of a front apron or a rear apron of the motor vehicle.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the motor vehicle is a rail vehicle.

8. The multipart apron according to claim 2, wherein said material weakening is a thinned or hollow material cross-section.

9. The multipart apron according to claim 1, wherein said first partial apron is formed with a reinforcing rib and said reinforcing rib is formed with said predetermined breaking point.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) The properties, features and advantages of this invention as described above, and the manner in which these are achieved, will become clearer and significantly more comprehensible in connection with the following description of the exemplary embodiments, which are explained in more detail below in connection with the drawings. The drawings show:

(2) FIG. 1 a diagrammatic front view of an exemplary embodiment of the apron according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 a diagrammatic rear view of the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 a portion of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 in front view, and

(5) FIG. 4 a sectional view of the previous exemplary embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) The invention is explained as an example below with reference to embodiments relating to the drawings. The different features of the embodiments may be combined with each other independently, as has already been explained for the individual advantageous embodiments.

(7) FIG. 1 shows in a frontal view a three-part apron 1 for a vehicle as an example of a multipart apron. In mounted state of the apron 1, the side visible in the figure points in the direction of travel of the vehicle. The apron 1 has a first partial apron 2, a second partial apron 3 and a third partial apron 4. The second partial apron 3 is shown between the first partial apron 2 and the third partial apron 4, and is attached to these. The second partial apron 3 may be described as the middle partial apron, and the first partial apron 2 and third partial apron 4 may be described as outer partial aprons.

(8) The first partial apron 2 and/or the third partial apron 4 may each have at least one receiver 5, 6, wherein the receivers 5, 6 may be open at least partially in the direction of travel of the vehicle. The receivers 5, 6 may be configured to receive for example at least portions of daytime running lights 7, 8 or other elements such as flashers.

(9) In the assembled state, the apron 1 may be suitable for handling integrally with or without daytime running lights 7, 8, whereby mounting of the apron 1 on the vehicle becomes easier.

(10) FIG. 2 shows the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1 in a rear view, wherein the visible side of the apron 1 shown may face towards the interior of the vehicle when the apron 1 is mounted on the vehicle. The first and the third partial aprons 2, 4 are each attached fixedly but releasably by means of at least one connecting element 9 to the second partial apron 3.

(11) At least one of the partial aprons 2, 3, 4, and for example the first partial apron 2 and/or the third partial apron 4, may have a predetermined breaking point 10 formed as a structural weakening. If an object, for example another vehicle, impacts against the partial apron 2, 3, 4 formed with the predetermined breaking point 10, this partial apron 2, 3, 4 breaks at the predetermined breaking point 10 before the adjacent partial apron 2, 3, 4 can be damaged. For this, the predetermined breaking point 10 may be configured to break earlier than the connecting element 9 and/or the adjacent partial apron 2, 3, 4 under mechanical load.

(12) The predetermined breaking point 10 may be provided as a material weakening. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the first partial apron 2 and the third partial apron 4 have thinned and in particular slotted portions to form the predetermined breaking point, wherein the material weakening points of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2 are aligned with each other in a height direction H of the apron 1. A width direction B of the apron 1 runs transversely to this height direction H. The partial aprons 2, 3, 4 are arranged behind each other in the width direction B. The predetermined breaking points 10, provided for example by slots in FIG. 2, open in particular away from the front of the apron 1, i.e. in mounted state against the direction of travel of the vehicle if the apron is a front apron. If the apron 1 is a rear apron, the slots may open also in the direction of travel i.e. into the interior of the vehicle.

(13) As an alternative to the thinner material cross-section depicted, the material cross-section of the respective partial apron 2, 3, 4 may be also be provided as a hollow material cross-section. Since a hollow material cross-section would not however be visible in the view of FIG. 2, this exemplary embodiment has not been depicted.

(14) To guarantee that both the apron 1 and at least one of the partial aprons 2, 3, 4 have sufficient stiffness for mounting and operation and to be able to conduct mechanical forces efficiently to the predetermined breaking point 10, at least the partial apron 2, 3, 4 having the predetermined breaking point 10, for example the first partial apron 2 and/or the third partial apron 4, may have at least one reinforcing rib 11. The second partial apron 3 may also have at least one reinforcing rib 11. The predetermined breaking point 10 may run through the at least one reinforcing rib 11 of the respective partial apron 2, 4.

(15) Preferably, the predetermined breaking point 10 is formed in the vicinity of a contact region 12 in which the first partial apron 2 or the third partial apron 4 makes contact with the second partial apron 3. For example, the predetermined breaking point 10 has a distance of up to 50 mm, up to 40 mm, up to 30 mm, up to 20 mm or up to 10 mm from the contact region 12. This guarantees that a mechanical load occurring also in the vicinity of the connecting element 9 is prevented from damaging the second partial apron 3 by the predetermined breaking point 10.

(16) FIG. 3 shows an enlarged portion of the apron 1 of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, and in particular the front view of the FIG. 1 with the daytime running light 7. A fixing element 13, for example a screw, is provided for attaching the daytime running light 7.

(17) FIG. 4 shows the enlarged view of FIG. 3 in a sectional depiction, wherein the section plane runs along the width direction B and transversely to the height direction H.

(18) The fixing element 13 is arranged in a fixing receiver 14 provided through the apron 1 and is attached to the apron 1 therein. The fixing receiver 14 is adjacent to the receiver 5 but separate from the receiver 5. Undamaged daytime running lights 7 can therefore easily be changed if the partial apron 2, 4 must be replaced. This also applies to the daytime running light 8 if the third partial apron 4 is formed with the fixing receiver 14. The fixing receiver 14 may extend parallel to the direction of travel and be provided as a continuous or a closed opening.