Abstract
A bumper arrangement, is coupled to a motor vehicle via crash boxes, having a main crossmember and an auxiliary crossmember which is below the main crossmember in the vertical direction of the motor vehicle, wherein the main crossmember and the auxiliary crossmember are connected to one another in their end region, wherein a connecting part is in the form of an extruded profile which in lengthwise portions extends with an orientation in the transverse direction Y of the motor vehicle as extension of the main crossmember and/or the auxiliary crossmember and in lengthwise portions is oriented in the vertical direction Z of the motor vehicle by way of a bending operation.
Claims
1-13. (canceled)
14. A bumper arrangement, which is coupled to a motor vehicle via crash boxes, the bumper arrangement comprising: a main crossmember; and an auxiliary crossmember which is above or below the main crossmember in a vertical direction of the motor vehicle, wherein each of the main crossmember and the auxiliary crossmember has corresponding end regions, the main crossmember and the auxiliary crossmember are connected to one another via the corresponding end regions, and a connecting part is configured as an extruded profile which in lengthwise portions extends with an orientation in a transverse direction of the motor vehicle as an extension of at least one of the main crossmember or the auxiliary crossmember, and in the lengthwise portions is oriented in a vertical direction of the motor vehicle via at least one bend in the connecting part.
15. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the connecting part comprises one piece made of a same material.
16. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the connecting part comprises a single-chamber hollow profile in a region of the at least one bend.
17. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the connecting part in the lengthwise portions is configured as a two-chamber hollow profile in a non-bent region of the connection part.
18. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the connecting part extend both the main crossmember and the auxiliary crossmember in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle.
19. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein a lateral extension of the connecting part, in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle, corresponds to at least 5% of a length of the at least one of the main crossmember or the auxiliary crossmember.
20. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the main crossmember or the auxiliary crossmember is configured as a hollow-chamber profile in a cross section of the crossmember.
21. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the connecting part laterally, at least in the lengthwise portions, is plugged into or onto the at least one of the main crossmember or the auxiliary crossmember by more than 2% of a length of the at least one of the main crossmember or the auxiliary crossmember.
22. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the connecting part is additionally coupled to the at least one of the main crossmember or the auxiliary crossmember by an integral bond.
23. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the connecting part is bent away in relation to a wheel arranged behind the bumper arrangement.
24. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein a rear side of the connecting part which faces a wheel is at least one of being flattened or being widened.
25. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the at least one bend has a bend radius which corresponds to 1 to 5 times of a height of a chamber of the connecting part.
26. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the main crossmember and the auxiliary crossmember are configured in one piece and made of a same material.
27. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein a lateral extension of the connecting part, in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle, corresponds to more than 10% of a length of the at least one of the main crossmember or the auxiliary crossmember.
28. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the connecting part laterally, at least in the lengthwise portions, is plugged into or onto the at least one of the main crossmember or the auxiliary crossmember by more than 4% of a length of the at least one of the main crossmember or the auxiliary crossmember.
29. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the at least one bend has a bend radius which corresponds to 1.5 to 3 times a height of a chamber of the connecting part.
30. The bumper arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the main crossmember and the auxiliary crossmember are connected to one another via at least two flanges protruding from the main cross member.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] The following description relates to further advantages, features, properties and aspects of the disclosure. The figures depict exemplary embodiments to illustrate the concept of the disclosure. In the figures:
[0025] FIG. 1 shows a bumper arrangement according to at least one embodiment of the disclosure,
[0026] FIG. 2A shows a front view of a bumper arrangement according to at least one embodiment of the disclosure,
[0027] FIG. 2B-FIG. 2D show cross-sectional views along the sectional lines B-B, C-C and D-D of FIG. 2A,
[0028] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a bumper arrangement according to at least one embodiment of the disclosure,
[0029] FIG. 4A-FIG. 4B show modifications to FIG. 2A-FIG. 2D,
[0030] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B show modifications to FIG. 2A-FIG. 2D,
[0031] FIG. 6 shows an exemplary embodiment of a connecting part for a bumper arrangement according to at least one embodiment of the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] In the figures, the same reference signs are used for the same or similar components, albeit a repeated description is omitted for reasons of simplification.
[0033] FIG. 1 shows a bumper arrangement 1 according to the disclosure, having a main crossmember 2 arranged at the top and an auxiliary crossmember 3 arranged below it in the vertical direction 7 of the motor vehicle. The main crossmember 2 and the auxiliary crossmember 3 are connected to one another via vertical struts 4. The main crossmember 2 and the auxiliary crossmember 3 are coupled to one another via a respective connecting part 6 in the respective end regions 5. The main crossmember 2 is also fixed to a motor vehicle, not illustrated in more detail, or to longitudinal members of the motor vehicle via crash boxes 7. The respective connecting part 6 connects the main crossmember 2 and the auxiliary crossmember 3 in the vertical direction of the motor vehicle. The connecting part 6 also extends the main crossmember 2 and the auxiliary crossmember 3 in the transverse direction Y of the motor vehicle, with the result that they in turn protrude laterally beyond the crash boxes 7 by way of their end regions 5. A vertical portion, which is oriented in the vertical direction of the motor vehicle, is arranged in front of a wheel 11, not illustrated in more detail, in the longitudinal direction X of the motor vehicle.
[0034] FIG. 2A shows a front view of a bumper arrangement 1 according to the disclosure. The upper main crossmember 2, such as in the vertical direction Z of the motor vehicle, is considerably larger than the auxiliary crossmember 3 arranged below it. The main crossmember 2 and the auxiliary crossmember 3 are connected to one another via additional vertical struts 4. An upper part of the connecting part 6 is plugged in laterally in the end region 5 of the main crossmember 2. Therefore, the main crossmember 2 has an extension in the transverse direction Y of the motor vehicle. The connecting part 6 is then positionally fixed in the main crossmember 2 via for example two plug welds 9. The connecting part 6 has two bends 10 each with a bend radius R and is formed in one piece and made of one and the same material. The connecting part 6, running in a vertical part 8 in the vertical direction of the motor vehicle and in a lower region in turn in a transverse direction Y of the motor vehicle, is then plugged onto the lower auxiliary crossmember 3, such as an end region 5 of the lower auxiliary crossmember 3. An additional integrally bonded coupling is able to take place here, too.
[0035] The cross sections or outer contours, respectively matched to the main crossmember 2 and the auxiliary crossmember 3, of the connecting part 6 are for load transfer and stability. An integrally bonded connection or additionally a force-fitting connection with one or both crossmembers 2, 3 is also able to be formed.
[0036] FIG. 2B-FIG. 2D show various cross-sectional views along the sectional lines B-B, C-C and D-D of FIG. 2A. According to FIG. 2B, the connecting part 6 is in the form of a double-chamber hollow profile in an upper region and a single-chamber hollow profile in a lower region. According to the sectional line of FIG. 2C, the connecting part 6 is plugged into the main crossmember 2, and substantially corresponds to the outer cross-sectional profile of the connecting part 6, such as here the two-chamber hollow profile corresponds to the inner cross-sectional profile of the main crossmember 2 in the end region 5. The connecting part 6 is also plugged onto the auxiliary crossmember 3 in the lower region. Here, the inner cross-sectional profile of the connecting part 6 corresponds to the outer cross-sectional profile of the auxiliary crossmember 3.
[0037] FIG. 2D shows the main crossmember 2 and the auxiliary crossmember 3 along the sectional line D-D of FIG. 2A. The main crossmember 2 is able to have a flange 17 which protrudes with a downward orientation. The latter is able to serve as additional fastening option for example for the vertical struts 4, provided that the flange 17 is not formed in one piece with and made of one and the same material as the auxiliary crossmember 3. The main crossmember 2 and the auxiliary crossmember 3 are arranged substantially on one level in the longitudinal direction X of the motor vehicle according to FIG. 2D. The main crossmember 2 and the auxiliary crossmember 3 are also able to be offset in the longitudinal direction X of the motor vehicle.
[0038] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a bumper arrangement 1 according to the at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The main crossmember 2 has a curvature about the vertical direction of the motor vehicle. The connecting parts 6 thus extend the crossmembers, or the bumper arrangement 1, not just in the vertical direction of the motor vehicle. Rather, the connecting parts 6 are also curved or bent away in the longitudinal direction X of the motor vehicle. The connecting parts 6 are thus arranged with an orientation toward a wheel 11 which is behind them in the longitudinal direction X of the motor vehicle. In the event of a frontal crash, the connecting part 6 thus presses in the direction of the wheel 11, comes into contact here and provides an additional load path in the event of a crash. To this end, a rear side 12 of the connecting part 6 is able to have a flattened form in front of the wheel 11, as illustrated here, and/or have a widened shape. Therefore, no corners or sharp edges penetrate the wheel 11. The length 13 by way of which the connecting part 6 protrudes laterally beyond the main crossmember 2 is greater than 5% of the length 14 of the main crossmember 2. The length 15 by way of which the connecting part 6 is plugged into the main crossmember 2 is also larger than 2% of the length 14 of the main crossmember 2.
[0039] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B show modifications to FIG. 2A-FIG. 2D. In this case, the main crossmember 2 is laterally extended by the connecting part 6. The auxiliary crossmember 3 is however not laterally extended by the connecting part 6. The auxiliary crossmember 3 extends completely (FIG. 4a) or virtually (FIG. 4b) over the entire width or length of the bumper arrangement 1. According to the embodiment variant of FIG. 4A, the vertical part of the connecting part 6 is upright on the auxiliary crossmember 3 and is coupled thereto from the top. According to the embodiment variant of FIG. 4B, the vertical part of the connecting part 6 engages over the auxiliary crossmember 3 and is coupled thereto at the end. The auxiliary crossmember 3 is in this case however not extended laterally by the connecting part 6.
[0040] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B show a modification. In this case, the main crossmember 2 by way of its downwardly protruding flange 17 is laterally extended by the connecting part 6. In this case, the connecting part 6 is coupled to the flange 17, such as by welding or screwing. A lower part of the connecting part 6 is laterally plugged onto the auxiliary crossmember 3. In the case of the embodiment variant of FIG. 5A, the auxiliary crossmember 3 this likewise extends through the connecting part 6 with an orientation in the transverse direction Y of the motor vehicle. In the case of FIG. 5B, the connecting part 6 is likewise coupled to the downwardly protruding flange 17 of the main crossmember 2. The auxiliary crossmember 3, however, extends over the entire width or length 16 of the bumper arrangement 11 in the transverse direction Y of the motor vehicle. In FIG. 5A the height H2 in the region of the main crossmember 2 is larger than, or twice as high as, the height H3 of the connecting part 6 in the region of the auxiliary crossmember 3. For example, the connecting part 6 is able to be produced in the form of a double-chamber hollow profile by extrusion. After the extrusion operation and before the bending operation, a chamber is machined by cutting in the region of the smaller height H3. Two connecting parts 6 are able to be produced at the same time in the form of a double-chamber hollow profile in each case and to separate them by a separating process.
[0041] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a connecting part 6. The connecting part 6 is in the form of a two-chamber hollow profile. Between an upper chamber 18 and a lower chamber 19 there is formed a connecting web 20 which connects these two chambers. The connecting web 20 is able to be severed in lengthwise portions, with the result that the vertical part and extension, aligned in the transverse direction Y of the motor vehicle, of the auxiliary crossmember 21 are each in the form of a one-chamber hollow profile. The connecting web is still partially present but also is able to be completely cut away by separation technology. In this embodiment variant, the possibility of plugging the upper part into the main crossmember 2 and plugging the lower part onto the auxiliary crossmember 3 is provided.
[0042] The foregoing description of some embodiments of the disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The specifically described embodiments explain the principles and practical applications to enable one ordinarily skilled in the art to utilize various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
