JP4377154B2 - Automotive bumper equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automobile bumper device having an improved joint between an energy absorber and a bumper force.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In addition to safety at the time of a collision between a wall and a vehicle, when a car comes into contact with a pedestrian, it is necessary to efficiently absorb even low impact (load) energy to ensure the safety of the pedestrian. is there. That is, even if the impact is low (load), it is necessary to absorb the impact energy more efficiently without causing any obstacle to the pedestrian.
[0003]
In response to this requirement, an energy absorber made of a foamed resin material is disposed in the front part of the bumper force fixed to the side member of the automobile.
[0004]
However, what remains a problem in the energy absorber made of a synthetic resin foam having high rigidity and high foaming density is the remaining collapse of the foam. The foam of the known example is obtained by deforming polypropylene (PP) into a porous shape. However, when an impact is applied, the porous portion of the pores is crushed, and a crushed residue as a completely dense compressed body appears. The crush residue is a compression body that is completely dense or lacks elasticity of about 1/3 of the volume of the foam and does not have an impact energy absorbing function.
[0005]
In order to absorb more collision energy with a lower impact force, the above-described crush residue needs to increase the thickness of the energy absorber in anticipation of the crush residue, which limits the degree of freedom in designing the automobile and The minimum turning radius of the car is increased.
[0006]
For this reason, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-342812 proposes welding or bolting an energy absorption beam integrally formed with a steel plate or resin to a bumper force.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-342812 [0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-342812 described above proposes welding or bolting an energy absorber having a shape in which the lower part protrudes forward from the upper part to the bumper force, but welding is performed by connecting the energy absorber and the bumper force. It is necessary to use the same material, and further, the energy absorber is deformed, and when replacing the energy absorber, an operation such as cutting welding is necessary and troublesome.
[0009]
The work of bolting increases the man-hours for attaching the energy absorber to the bumper force.
Therefore, this invention makes it the subject which should be solved to eliminate the malfunction of the prior art mentioned above.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention basically has a bumper force provided with a step portion and a locking piece, and absorbs energy between the flat surface of the step portion and the contact surface of the locking piece. Means are used to fix the energy absorber to the bumper force through the end of the body.
[0011]
Employment of this means is only the engagement work of the locking piece to the energy absorber, does not require welding or bolting work, and greatly reduces the man-hours for assembling the energy absorber to the bumper force. be able to.
[0012]
According to the present invention, the hollow bumper force that extends in the vehicle width direction and has the upper and lower wall portions and the front and rear wall portions connected to the upper and lower wall portions, and the end portion is fixed to the bumper force and the bumper force is fixed. A bumper device for an automobile having an energy absorber attached to a bumper , a step formed at a connecting portion between an upper wall portion and a front wall portion of the bumper force, and the step portion extending forward and vertically a flat surface, and a locking piece having a contact surface spaced apart facing the said flat surface, securing an end of the energy absorber stepped portion of the bumper Ryin force, the bumper Ryin force by the flat surface and the locking piece automotive bumper system you characterized in that there is provided.
[0013]
According to the present invention, the hollow bumper force that extends in the vehicle width direction and has the upper and lower wall portions and the front and rear wall portions connected to the upper and lower wall portions, and the end portion is fixed to the bumper force and the bumper force is fixed. A bumper device for an automobile having an energy absorber attached to a stepped portion formed at a connecting portion between a lower wall portion and a front wall portion of a bumper force, and the stepped portion extending forward and vertically extending a flat surface, and a locking piece having a contact surface spaced apart facing the said flat surface, securing an end of the energy absorber stepped portion of the bumper Ryin force, the bumper Ryin force by the flat surface and the locking piece automotive bumper system you characterized in that there is provided.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The hollow bumper force 2 that constitutes the bumper device 1 for an automobile and extends in the vehicle width direction includes a front wall portion 3, a rear wall portion 4, an upper wall portion 5, a lower wall portion 6, and a connecting wall portion 7. It is formed from an extruded aluminum alloy shape. The bumper force 2 in the illustrated example has a letter shape in section, but the sectional shape is not limited to the illustrated example.
[0015]
A step portion 8 is formed at a joint portion between the front wall portion 3 and the upper and lower wall portions 5 and 6. The step portion 8 is composed of a flat surface 9 in the vehicle longitudinal direction and a flat surface 10 in the vertical direction. The flat surface 9 is located inward from the outer surfaces of the upper and lower wall portions 5 and 6, and the flat surface 10 is the front wall portion 3. Located rearward.
[0016]
The locking piece 11 is attached behind the flat surface 10 of the stepped portion 8. The locking piece 11 is preferably formed integrally with the bumper force 2.
The locking piece 11 is formed in a cross-sectional key shape having a main body 12 along the upper and lower wall portions 5 and 6, and a front surface of the main body 12 and an abutting surface 13 that faces the flat surface 10 of the stepped portion 8 and faces the flat surface 10. The rear end portion of the locking piece 11 is integral with the bumper force 2, and the locking piece 11 is rotatable around the rear end portion.
The inner surface of the main body 12 of the locking piece 11 and the outer surfaces of the upper and lower wall portions 5 and 6 are spaced apart from each other.
[0017]
The energy absorber 14 extending along the bumper force 2 in the vehicle width direction is formed of a steel plate or a synthetic resin material, and an end thereof is a step 15 corresponding to the step 8 of the bumper force 2, It consists of a flat portion 16 extending between the inner surface of the locking piece 11 and the outer surface of the bumper force 2.
[0018]
The energy absorber 14 is attached to the bumper force 2 by bringing the upper and lower step portions 15 of the energy absorber 14 into contact with the flat surface 10 of the step portion 8 of the bumper force 2 and making the flat portion 16 the upper and lower wall portions. Along the outer surfaces of 5 and 6. Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the contact surface 13 of the locking piece 11 of the bumper force 2 is locked to the outer surface of the step portion 15 of the energy absorber 14, and the energy absorber 14 is moved to the bumper force 2. Fix it.
[0019]
The example shown in FIG. 3 is an example in which the flat portion 16 at the end of the energy absorber 14 is excluded, and only the step portion 15 is provided. The contact surface 13 of the locking piece 11 is brought into contact with the step portion 15, and the step portion 15. Is pressed against the flat surface 10 to fix the energy absorber 14 to the bumper force 2. The locking piece 11 may be formed separately, and the end of the locking piece 11 may be press-fitted into a groove (not shown) of the bumper force 2 to fix the locking piece 11 to the bumper force 2.
[0020]
In the example shown in FIG. 4, either one of the upper and lower wall portions 5 and 6 of the bumper force 2 is a hook-shaped hook portion 17. In this case, the end portion of the energy absorber 14 corresponding to the hook portion 17 is an engagement portion 18 having a U-shaped cross section.
When the energy absorber 14 is attached to the bumper force 2, the step portion 15 and the flat portion 16 of the energy absorber 14 are engaged with the engaging portion 18 engaged with the hook portion 17 as shown in FIG. Is fitted along the outer surface of the stepped portion 8 of the bumper force 2 and the upper wall portion 5, and the contact surface of the locking piece 11 is fitted into the stepped portion 15 of the energy absorber 14 as shown in FIG. The part 15 is brought into close contact with the flat surface 10.
Thus, the energy absorber 14 is fixed to the bumper force 2.
[0021]
In response to demands for reducing the weight of automobiles, even if the bumper force is made of an aluminum alloy and the energy absorber is made of a synthetic resin, that is, a combination of different materials, the work of fixing the energy absorber to the bumper force is Easy.
The locking piece is bent around its end, and the contact surface is pressed against the step at the end of the energy absorber, but the front wall functions as a die during this operation. Does not require special tools for work.
[0022]
The energy absorber is caulked to the bumper force step by the locking piece, but there is no plastic deformation, and even if the energy absorber is made of a different metal from the bumper force, there is no problem such as electrolytic corrosion.
The end of the energy absorber is caulked to the bumper force by the locking piece, and the bonding strength between the two is high.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an attachment state of an energy absorber to a bumper force.
FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an example in which a flat portion is removed from an end portion of an energy absorber.
FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an example using a hook portion.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Bumper Reinforce 3 Front wall portion 5, 6 Upper and lower wall portion 8 Step portion 9, 10 Flat surface 11 Locking piece 13 Contact surface 14 Energy absorber 15 Step portion 16 Flat portion 17 Hook portion 18 Engagement portion

Claims (8)

A hollow bumper force that extends in the vehicle width direction and has upper and lower wall portions and front and rear wall portions connected to the upper and lower wall portions, and an energy absorber that is attached to the bumper force with an end portion fixed to the bumper force. In an automobile bumper device having
A stepped portion formed on the connecting portion between the upper wall and the front wall of the bumper Ryin force, and the flat surface of the stepped portion extends in a direction and a vertical direction forward abutment surface away facing the said flat surface and a locking piece having the energy absorber of the stepped portion of the bumper Ryin force the end, automobile bumper system you characterized in that secured to the bumper Ryin force by the flat surface and the locking piece. A hollow bumper force that extends in the vehicle width direction and has upper and lower wall portions and front and rear wall portions connected to the upper and lower wall portions, and an energy absorber that is attached to the bumper force with an end portion fixed to the bumper force. In an automobile bumper device having
A stepped portion formed in a connecting part between the lower wall and the front wall of the bumper Ryin force, and the flat surface of the stepped portion extends in a direction and a vertical direction forward abutment surface away facing the said flat surface and a locking piece having the energy absorber of the stepped portion of the bumper Ryin force the end, automobile bumper system you characterized in that secured to the bumper Ryin force by the flat surface and the locking piece. The automobile bumper device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one end of the locking piece is integrally coupled to the bumper force. A portion where the end portion of the energy absorber is in contact with the stepped portion, and a flat surface extending from the portion to the coupling portion between the locking piece and the bumper force, and the end portion includes the locking piece and the bumper force. The automobile bumper device according to claim 3, which is disposed between the two. The automobile bumper device according to claim 4, wherein a front portion of the locking piece is positioned in front of a portion in contact with the step portion of the energy absorber to prevent the locking piece from coming off. The automobile bumper device according to claim 1, further comprising a step portion at a connecting portion between the lower wall portion and the front wall portion. The automobile bumper device according to claim 1, wherein a hook portion is formed at a connecting portion between the lower wall portion and the front wall portion, and the hook portion is engageable with an end portion of the energy absorber. The automobile bumper device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an end portion of the energy absorber is brought into contact with a step portion of the bumper force, and a contact surface of the locking piece presses the end portion against a flat surface of the step portion.

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