GB2076344A

GB2076344A - Motor-vehicle body

Info

Publication number: GB2076344A
Application number: GB8112918A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Daimler Benz AG
Current assignee: Daimler Benz AG
Priority date: 1980-05-03
Filing date: 1981-04-27
Publication date: 1981-12-02
Also published as: FR2481662A1; DE3017052A1; JPS57952A; IT8148357A0; IT1170922B

Abstract

A motor-vehicle body comprises a bonnet 1 which extends between laterally located wings 3, from which it is separated by gaps 2. Flexible beads 4 mounted on edge regions of the bonnet overlap the gaps and edge regions of adjacent wings. The beads may be continued as flexible water-collecting channels in the region of side pillars framing the windscreen. The beads may be attached to the bonnet in readily detachable manner, for example by clip means. The beads protect pedestrians in the event of an accident. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Motor-vehicle body The invention relates to a motor-vehicle body, particularly for a passenger car, of the kind comprising a front bonnet which extends between laterally located wings from which it is separated by gaps extending longitudinally of the vehicle.

The invention seeks so to improve a motorvehicle body of this kind that risk of injury to pedestrians or cyclists, in the event of collision with them, is reduced as far as possible.

According to the invention, in a motorvehicle body of the aforesaid kind, flexible beads, preferably of a rubber or plastics material, are mounted on edge regions of the bonnet along the gaps and overlap the gaps and edge regions of the adjacent wings.

A basis for the invention was the appreciation that the regions of longitudinal joints of arrangements of the aforesaid kind are partic uiarly dangerous to persons who are struck by them in an accident because sharply bent sections of the bonnet and wing afford reinforcement or rigidity which entails increased danger in the event of accident.

It has already been proposed in German Patent Specification 894056 and German Auslegeschrift 10 87 470, to provide edge regions of bonnets with elastic shock-absorbing strips. However, these bonnets were so-called full-width bonnets which overlap, at least almost completely, the wings below them so that there is no gap between bonnet and wing such as exists in the vehicle body according to the invention. Also, the known flexible strips do not serve to protect pedestrians in the event of accident, but act generally as a protection against the effect of ramming or as splash protection for lateral regions of the body.

One embodiment of the invention by way of example will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front of a car body, and Figure 2 is a section on the line ll-ll in Fig.

1 to a larger scale.

The body of the passenger motor car illustrated comprises a bonnet 1 which adjoins lateral wings 3 at longitudinally extending gaps 2.

Mounted on each region of the bonnet 1 adjacent to a gap 2 is a voluminous elastic bead 4 which overlaps the respective gap 2 and, adjacently thereto, an edge region of the wing 3. The beads may be in the form of integral foam moulded parts, PU hollow bodies or in some cases even thin-walled sheetmetal hollow bodies. Connection to the bonnet may be effected by adhesive, (as in the example illustrated in Fig. 2), clips, screws, rivets or the like. It is, however, preferable to employ an easily releasable connection means, so that the beads can be readily removed, for example for painting the bodywork.

In addition to their primary intended purpose, namely to protect pedestrians in the event of accident, the beads 4 afford the additional important advantage that the gaps 2 can be kept relatively wide and no special requirements have to be imposed with respect to their parallelism, which results, for example in substantially easier fitting.

In the region of side pillars 5 framing the windscreen, the beads 4 may merge into flexible channels 6 (not shown in detail) by which dirty water is collected and allowed to run away.

1. A motor-vehicle body comprising a front bonnet which extends between laterally located wings thereof from which it is separated by gaps extending longitudinally of the vehicle, flexible beads being mounted on the edge regions of the bonnet along the gaps and overlapping the said gaps and edge regions of adjacent wings.

2. A body according to Claim 1, wherein the beads are continued as flexible watercollecting channels in the region of side pillars framing the windscreen.

3. A body according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the beads are attached to the bonnet in readily detachable manner.

4. A body according to Claim 3, wherein the beads are attached to the bonnet by clip means.

5. A motor-vehicle body substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Motor-vehicle body The invention relates to a motor-vehicle body, particularly for a passenger car, of the kind comprising a front bonnet which extends between laterally located wings from which it is separated by gaps extending longitudinally of the vehicle. The invention seeks so to improve a motorvehicle body of this kind that risk of injury to pedestrians or cyclists, in the event of collision with them, is reduced as far as possible. According to the invention, in a motorvehicle body of the aforesaid kind, flexible beads, preferably of a rubber or plastics material, are mounted on edge regions of the bonnet along the gaps and overlap the gaps and edge regions of the adjacent wings. A basis for the invention was the appreciation that the regions of longitudinal joints of arrangements of the aforesaid kind are partic uiarly dangerous to persons who are struck by them in an accident because sharply bent sections of the bonnet and wing afford reinforcement or rigidity which entails increased danger in the event of accident. It has already been proposed in German Patent Specification 894056 and German Auslegeschrift 10 87 470, to provide edge regions of bonnets with elastic shock-absorbing strips. However, these bonnets were so-called full-width bonnets which overlap, at least almost completely, the wings below them so that there is no gap between bonnet and wing such as exists in the vehicle body according to the invention. Also, the known flexible strips do not serve to protect pedestrians in the event of accident, but act generally as a protection against the effect of ramming or as splash protection for lateral regions of the body. One embodiment of the invention by way of example will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front of a car body, and Figure 2 is a section on the line ll-ll in Fig. 1 to a larger scale. The body of the passenger motor car illustrated comprises a bonnet 1 which adjoins lateral wings 3 at longitudinally extending gaps 2. Mounted on each region of the bonnet 1 adjacent to a gap 2 is a voluminous elastic bead 4 which overlaps the respective gap 2 and, adjacently thereto, an edge region of the wing 3. The beads may be in the form of integral foam moulded parts, PU hollow bodies or in some cases even thin-walled sheetmetal hollow bodies. Connection to the bonnet may be effected by adhesive, (as in the example illustrated in Fig. 2), clips, screws, rivets or the like. It is, however, preferable to employ an easily releasable connection means, so that the beads can be readily removed, for example for painting the bodywork. In addition to their primary intended purpose, namely to protect pedestrians in the event of accident, the beads 4 afford the additional important advantage that the gaps 2 can be kept relatively wide and no special requirements have to be imposed with respect to their parallelism, which results, for example in substantially easier fitting. In the region of side pillars 5 framing the windscreen, the beads 4 may merge into flexible channels 6 (not shown in detail) by which dirty water is collected and allowed to run away. CLAIMS