CN110843925B

CN110843925B - Front end module for vehicle

Info

Publication number: CN110843925B
Application number: CN201910772330.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: T.屈恩; M.伊波利蒂; K.德韦林
Original assignee: Volkswagen AG
Current assignee: Volkswagen AG
Priority date: 2018-08-21
Filing date: 2019-08-21
Publication date: 2022-04-19
Anticipated expiration: 2039-08-21
Also published as: DE102018214105A1; CN110843925A; DE102018214105B4

Abstract

The invention relates to a front-end module for a vehicle, comprising a bumper cross member and a bumper cover, wherein the bumper cross member is connected with a pedestrian protection cross member at the bottom side via a vertical strut, with the lock bracket arranged behind the bumper cross member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle with a longitudinal offset, on which a front hood of a vehicle can be supported and which carries a cooling module, at least one support profile projecting from the bumper cover towards the rear of the vehicle, which is supported in the vehicle height direction, in particular loosely, on a support base of the front module, the support profile of the bumper cover plate being spaced apart from the lock bracket by a longitudinal free travel, in the event of a frontal collision, the bumper cover plate with the support profile is displaced in the direction of the lock bracket with a longitudinal free travel. Between the support profile of the bumper cover and the lock bracket, a protective element is arranged, by means of which the lock bracket and/or the cooling module is protected from damage by the support profile.

Description

Front end module for vehicle

Technical Field

The invention relates to a front end module (Frontendmodul) for a motor vehicle.

Background

In addition to optical technology, the front-end module of the vehicle can also be integrated with the cooling function of the vehicle. Furthermore, the front module must meet the requirements of pedestrian protection, which are stipulated by law. Furthermore, the front-end module must ensure efficient collision-management. Collision-management performs the task of avoiding, reducing damage, or reducing maintenance costs. In this way, an improved insurance classification (Versicherungseinstufung) is achieved. The degree of damage associated with insurance classification was determined in the RCAR-crash-repair test.

Front end modules of this type have a bumper cross member that can be fastened to the vehicle body longitudinal member and a bumper cover (Abdeckung) that covers the bumper cross member on the front side. The bumper cross member is connected to the underside pedestrian protection cross member via vertical struts (Vertikalstrebe), i.e. in the case of a cross member frame which delimits the front air inlet. Furthermore, the front module has a lock bracket (Schlosstraeger) arranged at a longitudinal offset behind the bumper cross member in the vehicle longitudinal direction. A vehicle front hood can be supported on the lock frame. Furthermore, the lock frame carries the cooling module. At least one support profile (stuetzprofilel) may project from the bumper cover plate toward the rear of the vehicle. The support profile of the bumper cover, as viewed in the vehicle height direction, is supported, in particular loosely, on the support base of the front end module in order to stabilize the bumper cover in its installed position. In normal driving operation, the support profile of the bumper cover is spaced apart from the lock bracket or from the cooling module by a longitudinal free travel (Freigang). In the event of a frontal collision, the bumper cover plate with its supporting profile is displaced in the direction of the locking bracket or in the direction of the cooling module in the event of a longitudinal free travel (Aufbrauch).

During this collision, the end of the support profile of the bumper cover at the rear of the vehicle acts as a disturbance profile (stoerkontrur) which is displaced toward the rear of the vehicle and collides with the rearwardly delimited components (i.e. the lock bracket and/or the cooling module) and damages them.

DE 102009041458 a1 discloses an air guide element as a component of a front end structure of a vehicle. DE 19831256 a1 discloses a support for a heat exchanger, in particular for a cooler of a motor vehicle.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a front end module for a vehicle, which can be repaired cost-effectively in the event of a front collision and thus a good safety classification can be achieved. Furthermore, the front-end module should meet the requirements in terms of pedestrian protection and protection against collisions.

The object of the invention is achieved by the features described below.

The invention is based on the fact that the collision of the support profile of the bumper cover plate with the lock bracket/cooling module in the above-mentioned prior art results in a worse bumper class classification. In this context, an additional protective element is arranged between the support profile of the bumper cover plate and the lock bracket/cooling module. The lock bracket and/or the cooling module is protected against damage by the support profile of the bumper cover plate displaced toward the rear of the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision by means of the protective element.

In a technical embodiment, the front module can additionally have an air guide element made of, for example, a plastic soft component, in particular made of a foam material, which is installed between the front air inlet, which is delimited by the above-mentioned vertical cross member frame, and the cooling module mounted on the locking bracket and provides a substantially air-tightly closed air guide between the front air inlet and the cooling module, through which ambient air is guided through the cooling module during driving operation. The air guide element can preferably be of box-shaped design, i.e. it has an underside, horizontal floor wall approximately at the height of the pedestrian protection cross member, from which vertical side walls project upward on both sides in the transverse direction of the vehicle, which merge into an upper, horizontal cover wall. The box-shaped air guide element is joined with its air inlet side at the front of the vehicle in an air-tight manner via a sealing lip at the air inlet opening at the front side. At its air outlet side in the rear of the vehicle, a box-shaped air guide element is joined air-tightly at the cooling module via a sealing lip in order to avoid leakage of the outward air.

If the protective element material is embodied uniformly and/or in one piece at the air guiding element, it is preferable if such an air guiding element is installed in the front module. Preferably, the air element may be a foam piece that absorbs the impact energy.

As already mentioned, the bumper cover has at least one support profile projecting toward the rear of the vehicle, via which the bumper cover is supported on the support base of the front-end module. In technical implementations the support base can be constructed at a support post (Stuetzstrebe). It is preferable if the support column is supported force-transmittingly between the bumper cross member and the lock bracket. In this way, the support post causes it to be transferred to the latch shelf when the front cover is closed. In a dual function, the support column additionally also causes the above-described support of the bumper cover via the support profile. The supporting strut can be arranged, preferably viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, in the installation space between the air guide element wall and the bumper cover.

In a specific embodiment, the supporting struts can diverge in a substantially U-shaped profile for connection to the upper locking bracket, i.e. with a profile base and with a strut arm rising therefrom. The strut arms can be spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction of the vehicle, i.e. in the case of a passage opening which is open in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The profile bottom of the U-profile support column can in this case provide the support base mentioned above for the support profile of the bumper cover plate.

The support profile of the bumper cover can preferably (due to the saving of installation space) project toward the rear of the vehicle into the open passage opening bounded by the two strut arms. In the event of a frontal collision, the support profile can be displaced in a free deformation path toward the rear of the vehicle until it comes into contact with the protective element according to the invention.

The protective element can be designed in a bag-shaped manner with an interior space which is open to the front of the vehicle in view of a defect-free protective effect. The free end of the support profile at the rear of the vehicle protrudes in particular without contact into the protective element interior. The bag-shaped protective element may preferably have a horizontal cover wall (deckwind) at the upper part in the vehicle height direction. Vertical side walls projecting downward on both sides in the vehicle transverse direction may be coupled to the cover wall. Likewise, a vertical rear wall can be coupled to the cover wall toward the rear of the vehicle, which rear wall delimits the protective element interior toward the rear of the vehicle. The vertical rear wall of the protective element and the two vertical side walls can merge into a horizontal bottom wall, which is a component of the air guide element wall bounding the air channel between the vehicle air inlet on the front side and the cooling module. In this case, the protective element can be integrally molded onto the outer side of the air guide element and projects therefrom toward the upper vehicle part.

The protective element, in particular its horizontal cover wall and/or its vertical side wall, can preferably project into the support column passage opening in a space-saving manner.

It is preferable if the box-shaped air-guiding element is made of a resiliently flexible, flexible plastic material, in particular a plastic foam material. Although inherently less rigid in itself in order to achieve a dimensionally stable positioning in the front module, it is preferred if the air guiding element is directly connected with the wall at the supporting column (for example by bolting or adhesive bonding).

Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention are explained next based on the drawings. Wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a front end module of a vehicle in partial side sectional view;

fig. 2 shows a front end module in a perspective illustration, with the bumper cover plate omitted;

fig. 3, 4 and 5 each show a view corresponding to fig. 1, which illustrates the crash process in a frontal crash.

List of reference numerals

1 Lock frame

3. Bumper-beam

5. Vehicle body longitudinal beam

7 Bumper cover

9. Vertical support

11 pedestrian protection element

13 vertical beam frame

15 air inlet

17 front cover

19 Cooling module

21-box-shaped air guide element

23 wall section

25 space of deformation

27 support column

29 profile bottom

31 column arm

33 passage opening

35 support the free end of the profile

37 support profile

39 protective element

41 protective element-inner space

43 horizontal cover wall

45 vertical side wall

47 vertical rear wall

49 horizontal bottom wall.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a front module with a plastic locking bracket 1, which extends in the transverse direction y of the vehicle. The front module furthermore has a bumper cross member 3 which is disposed in front of the lock bracket 1 in the vehicle longitudinal direction x and is positioned below the lock bracket 1 with a height offset (Hoehenversatz). The bumper cross member 3 is joined at its two laterally outer ends to the lateral body longitudinal members 5 and is covered on the front side by a bumper cover 7. In addition, in fig. 1 or 2 the bumper cross member 3 is connected via vertical struts 9 to a bottom-side pedestrian protection cross member 11, i.e. in the case of a vertically standing cross member frame 13, it delimits an air inlet 15 on the front side of the vehicle in a frame-like manner. In fig. 1, a front cover 17 is shown supported on the lock frame 3. Furthermore, the lock frame 3 carries a cooling module 19, which may be built up from a plurality of cooling components, such as NT-coolers, HT-coolers, condensers, electric blowers, etc.

In fig. 1 or 2, a box-shaped air guide element 21 is positioned between the air inlet 15 on the front side and the cooling module 19 fitted at the lock frame 1. The air guide element 21 provides a substantially air-tightly closed air guide between the vehicle air inlet 15 on the front side and the cooling module 19. For this purpose, the air guide element 21 is joined in an air-tight manner at its air inlet at the front of the vehicle via a sealing lip to the air inlet 15 on the front side. At its air outlet in the rear of the vehicle, the air guide element 21 is likewise joined in an air-tight manner to the cooling module 19 via a sealing lip.

As fig. 1 also shows, a free deformation space 25 is present between the front bumper cover 7 and the rearwardly and upwardly inclined wall 23 of the air guide element 21. Two support struts 27 which are spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction y of the vehicle extend in the deformation space 25. Each of these support struts 27 is supported in force-transmitting fashion between the bumper cross member 3 and the upper lock bracket 1. Furthermore, the inclined wall 23 of the air guiding element 21 is fixed to the support column 27 via a screw connection, not shown. For the connection to the lock frame 1, the respective support strut 27 is U-shaped. The U-shaped profile support post 27 has a profile base 29 and a post arm 31 drawn up therefrom. They are spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction y of the vehicle, i.e. in the case of a passage opening 33 which is open in the longitudinal direction x of the vehicle and are fastened at their upper end to the lock frame.

The contour bottom 29 of the respective supporting strut 27 forms a supporting base for the rear end 35 of a supporting contour 37 which is formed at the bumper cover 7. The support profile 37 is supported loosely in the vehicle height direction z on the profile base 29 of the respective support strut 27 and is spaced apart from the lock frame 1 or from the cooling module 19 by a longitudinal free path f in normal driving operation (fig. 1).

As can be seen in particular from fig. 2, a protective element 39 of substantially bag-shaped design is located between the free end 35 of the support profile 37 of the bumper cover 7 at the rear of the vehicle and the lock bracket 1/cooling module 19, the functional manner of which is explained below with reference to fig. 3 to 5. As can be seen from fig. 2, the protective element 39 is formed in a bag-like manner with an interior space 41 which is open to the front of the vehicle. The free end 35 of the support profile 37 projects without contact into the interior 41 of the protective element 39. The box-shaped protective element 39 is configured in fig. 2 with a horizontal cover wall 43 above in the vehicle height direction z, to which vertical side walls projecting downward on both sides in the vehicle transverse direction y and a vertical rear wall 47 are connected. The rear and

side walls

45, 47 merge into a horizontal bottom wall 49, which is part of the air guide element wall 23.

In normal driving operation (fig. 3), the protective element 39 projects with its cover wall 43 and its side walls 45 into the passage opening 33 of the respective support column 27. In the event of a frontal collision (fig. 4 and 5), the bumper cover 7 with the support profile 37 is displaced in the direction of the lock bracket 1/cooling module 19, using the longitudinal free travel f. The support profile 37 can be prevented from colliding directly with the lock frame 1 or the cooling module 19 by means of the above-defined protection element 39. The lock frame 1 or the cooling module 19 is thereby protected from damage by the support profile 37 displaced towards the rear of the vehicle.

Claims

1. Front end module for a motor vehicle, having a bumper cross member (3) which can be fastened to a body side rail (5) and a bumper cover (7) which covers the bumper cross member (3) on the front side, wherein the bumper cross member (3) is connected via vertical struts (9) to a bottom pedestrian protection cross member (11), i.e. in the case of a cross member frame (13) which delimits a front-side air inlet (15), having a locking bracket (1) which is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle behind the bumper cross member (3) with a longitudinal offset and on which a front hood (17) of the vehicle can be supported and which carries a cooling module (19), wherein at least one support profile (37) which is supported in the vehicle height direction on a support base of the front end module projects from the bumper cover (7) toward the rear of the vehicle, wherein a support profile (37) of the bumper cover plate (7) is spaced apart from the lock bracket (1) via a longitudinal free travel, and wherein the bumper cover plate (7) together with the support profile (37) is displaced in the direction of the lock bracket (1) in the event of a frontal collision with the longitudinal free travel being consumed, characterized in that a protective element (39) is arranged between the support profile (37) of the bumper cover plate (7) and the lock bracket (1), by means of which the lock bracket (1) and/or the cooling module (19) is protected from being damaged by the support profile (37) of the bumper cover plate (7) displaced towards the rear of the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision.

2. Front end module according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a box-shaped air guiding element (21) which provides a substantially air-tightly closed air guide between the air inlet (15) of the front side and the cooling module (19) fitted at the lock frame (1).

3. Front-end module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support base for the support profile (37) of the bumper-cover plate (7) is constructed at a support column (27), which is force-transmissively supported between the bumper-cross beam (3) and the lock frame (1).

4. Front end module according to claim 3, characterized in that the supporting strut (27) for the connection to the lock bracket (1) is formed with a profile base (29) in a U-shaped profile and a strut arm (31) which is raised therefrom and which is spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction of the vehicle and which is connected at its free end to the lock bracket (1).

5. Front end module according to claim 4, characterized in that the two strut arms (31) and the profile bottom (29) of the strut (27) delimit a passage opening (33) which is open in the vehicle longitudinal direction, into which passage opening the strut profile (37) projects towards the vehicle rear and through which passage opening the strut profile can be displaced towards the vehicle rear in the event of a crash.

6. Front-end module according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the protective element (39) is pocket-shaped with an interior space (41) which is open to the front of the vehicle, into which the free end of the support profile (37) at the rear of the vehicle projects.

7. Front-end module according to claim 6, characterized in that the support base for the support profile (37) of the bumper cover plate (7) is constructed at a support column (27) which is supported force-transmittingly between the bumper cross beam (3) and the lock bracket (1), wherein the protective element (39) projects into a passage opening (33) of the support column (27) and/or the support column (27) is arranged in the vehicle longitudinal direction in a deformation space (25) between an air guide element wall (23) and the bumper cover plate (7).

8. Front end module according to claim 7, characterized in that the air guide element-wall (23) is joined at the supporting column (27) and/or the air guide element (21) is made of an elastically flexible, flexible plastic material.

9. Front end module according to claim 1, characterized in that the support profile (37) is loosely supported in the vehicle height direction on a support base of the front end module.

10. Front-end module according to claim 2, characterized in that the protective element (39) is constructed of a material that is uniform and/or one-piece at the air-guiding element (21) and/or the protective element (39) is a foam piece that absorbs impact energy.

11. Front-end module according to claim 4, characterized in that the profile bottom (29) of the supporting column (27) forms a supporting base of a supporting profile (37) of the bumper-cover plate (7).

12. Front-end module according to claim 6, characterized in that the free end of the support profile (37) at the rear of the vehicle projects into the interior space without contact.

13. The front-end module as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the protective element (39) has a cover wall (43) which is upper in the vehicle height direction and to which downwardly projecting side walls (45) are coupled on both sides in the vehicle transverse direction and/or a rear wall (47) is coupled to the vehicle rear, which delimits the protective element interior (41) to the vehicle rear, and/or in that the rear wall (47) and the two side walls (45) of the protective element (39) merge into a bottom wall (49), which is an integral part of the air guide element wall (23).

14. Front-end module according to claim 13, characterized in that the support base for the support profile (37) of the bumper cover plate (7) is constructed at a support column (27) which is supported force-transmittingly between the bumper cross beam (3) and the lock bracket (1), wherein a cover wall (43) and/or a side wall (45) of the protective element (39) projects into a passage opening (33) of the support column (27) and/or the support column (27) is arranged in the vehicle longitudinal direction in a deformation space (25) between an air guide element wall (23) and the bumper cover plate (7).

15. The front end module of claim 8, wherein the plastic material is a plastic foam-material.