JP4413129B2 - Bumper reinforcement - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a structure of a bumper reinforcement attached to the front and rear of an automobile.

Since the bumper reinforcement needs to have a certain impact resistance not only in the collision from the front of the automobile but also in the collision from an oblique direction, generally, as shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), the vehicle width direction Both sides are bent toward the vehicle body in a horizontal plane. In addition, as for the both sides 1a of the bumper reinforcement 1 shown to Fig.4 (a), only the corner part which received the bending process curves, and the outer side inclines, The both sides 2a of the bumper reinforcement 2 shown in FIG.4 (b) Is entirely curved.
This bending process needs to be adapted to the design of the automobile. However, as described in Patent Document 1, when using an aluminum alloy extruded material as a bumper reinforcement, the bending process must be deeply performed due to design requirements. If it does, a crack will enter into the bending outer side which becomes a tension side, and a wrinkle will be made in the bending inner side which becomes a compression side.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-186749

  The present invention is a bumper reinforcement made of an aluminum alloy extruded material having a hollow cross section and bent in the horizontal plane toward the vehicle body side in a horizontal plane, and is bent deep enough to cause cracks and wrinkles during bending. The aim is to obtain bumper reinforcement that can meet the design requirements of automobiles even without them.

For this purpose, the present inventors decided to cut off the end portions on the front side of the both sides in the vehicle width direction that were bent. Even if the aluminum alloy extruded material itself is not bent deep enough to cause cracks and wrinkles, the front side of the both sides in the vehicle width direction is cut diagonally to obtain the same design as if bent deeply be able to. However, in this case, the cut-off portion is not hollow, the width in the inner and outer directions is reduced, the strength and rigidity are lowered, and the impact resistance against a collision from an oblique direction is lowered. On the other hand, if the thickness of the entire aluminum alloy extruded material is increased so that the required impact resistance can be obtained at both sides even if it is cut off, the strength and rigidity are excessive at the center in the vehicle width direction, and the overall weight is reduced. There is a problem of up.
Accordingly, the present inventors have completed the present invention by attaching a reinforcing member to the portion that has been cut off without increasing the weight, in order to give the necessary strength and rigidity to the portion.

The bumper reinforcement according to the present invention is made of an aluminum alloy extruded material having a hollow cross section, and both side portions in the vehicle width direction are bent to the vehicle body side in a horizontal plane so that the remaining thickness of the front side becomes thinner toward the end. A bumper reinforcement main body portion that is cut off obliquely, and a reinforcing member fixed to the bumper reinforcement, which forms a hollow section together with the bumper reinforcement main body portion and is directed to the front side of the cut-off portion, The reinforcing member includes a plate-like portion that comes into contact with and covers the cut surface of the cut-off portion. In the present invention, the front side means the collision surface side (the side opposite to the vehicle body side).
Although the material of the aluminum alloy extruded material is not particularly limited, JIS 600 or 7000 is desirable from the viewpoint of formability, and the cross-sectional shape desirably has a rectangular outline such as a mouth side, a date shape, and an eye shape.
Moreover, it is desirable to provide the flange part which is formed in the upper and lower sides of the said plate-shaped part and pinches | interposes the said bumper reinforcement main-body part from the upper and lower sides.

  According to the present invention, a bumper reinforcement made of an aluminum alloy extruded material having a hollow cross-section has a design requirement for an automobile without being bent so deeply that cracks and wrinkles occur at the time of bending on both sides in the vehicle width direction. It is possible to obtain a bumper reinforcement that can respond to (rounded design) and that does not impair impact resistance against a collision from an oblique direction.

The bumper reinforcement according to the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to FIGS.
The bumper reinforcement 11 includes a bumper reinforcement main body 12 and a reinforcing member 13. As shown in FIG. 2, the bumper reinforcement main body 12 is made of an aluminum alloy extruded material having a cross-sectional shape, and both sides in the vehicle width direction (only one side 14 is shown) at a predetermined angle toward the vehicle body in a horizontal plane. Bending is performed (FIG. 2A), and the front side of the end portion of the side portion 14 is cut off obliquely with respect to the extrusion direction (FIG. 2B). This cut surface is in a vertical plane, and the cross section (cross section perpendicular to the extrusion direction) is not hollow at the cut portion, and is cut away as it goes to the end, so the remaining thickness (thickness in the inner and outer directions) becomes thinner. ing.

The reinforcing member 13 is a groove-shaped member including a plate-like portion 15 and a flange portion 16 formed above and below the plate-like portion 15, and has a width and a length that cover the entire cut portion of the bumper reinforcement main body 12. The reinforcing member 13 is manufactured by extrusion, press molding of a plate material, casting, or the like. The material is preferably an aluminum alloy, but other materials (for example, steel) may be used.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the reinforcing member 13 is addressed to the cut portion of the bumper reinforcement main body 12 from the front side, the plate-like portion 15 abuts the cut surface, and the flange portion 16 is the upper and lower walls of the bumper reinforcement main body 12. It contacts 12a and 12b. In this state, the reinforcing member 13 is joined to the bumper reinforcement main body 12 by welding or mechanical joining (for example, bolting, self-piercing rivet, etc.).

  As shown in FIG. 1, the bumper reinforcement 11 has an end front side of the side portion 14 cut off obliquely, and the cut surface is covered with the plate-like portion 15 of the reinforcing member 13 with an equal thickness. Compared with the shape of the extruded material before cutting indicated by the phantom line, the front surface of the side portion 14 is largely moved toward the vehicle body side (see the white arrow), and finished in the same form as if the extruded material was bent deeply. Yes. Moreover, the reinforcement member 13 is attached to the cut portion, so that a decrease in strength due to partial excision of the extruded material is compensated for, and a reduction in rigidity is compensated for by having a hollow cross section. In FIG. 1, 17 is a bumper stay.

FIG. 3A shows a cross-sectional shape (perpendicular to the extrusion direction) of the cut portion of the side portion 14 of the bumper reinforcement 11, and the bumper reinforcement main body 12 includes upper and lower walls 12 a and 12 b, an inner wall 12 c and a rear wall 12 d. It is a groove type. The groove-shaped reinforcing member 13 has a plate-like portion 15 that abuts the cut surface, and upper and lower flange portions 16 and 16 sandwich the bumper reinforcement body 12 from above and below, and are fixed to the bumper reinforcement body 12 in this form. Yes.
FIGS. 3B to 3F are other examples, and all of them have a hollow cross section formed at the cut portion of the side portion of the bumper reinforcement main body by the reinforcing member. FIG. 3B shows an example in which the reinforcing member 18 is composed only of a plate-like portion, and this is in contact with the cut surface. FIG. , 12b, and the plate-like portion 20 is in contact with the cut surface (only the top of the middle wall 12c).

  3D, the reinforcing member 21 includes a plate-like portion 22 and upper and lower flange portions 23, 23, and a plate-like reinforcing protrusion 24 along the longitudinal direction at the substantially inner center of the plate-like portion 22. This is an example in which the reinforcing protrusion 24 is along the inner wall 12c of the bumper reinforcement main body 12 and the front end thereof is in contact with the rear wall 12d. In FIG. 3E, the bumper reinforcement main body 25 is made of an aluminum alloy extruded material having a cross-sectional type, and the reinforcing member 26 has a length inside the plate-like portion 27 in addition to the plate-like portion 27 and the upper and lower flange portions 28 and 28. This is an example in which a reinforcing protrusion 29 having a cross-sectional truss structure is provided along the direction, and the tip of the protrusion 29 is in contact with the rear wall 25d of the bumper reinforcement main body 25. 3 (f), the reinforcing member 30 includes a plate-like portion 31 and upper and lower flange portions 32, 32, and a reinforcing protrusion 33 having a rectangular cross section along the length direction inside the plate-like portion. In this example, the tip of the protrusion 33 is in contact with the rear wall 25d of the bumper reinforcement body 25. In addition, since the depth of the groove changes along the extrusion direction at the side cut portion of the bumper reinforcement main body, in the reinforcing members 21, 26, 30 shown in (d) to (f), the protrusions 24, 29 , 33 also change along the length direction. Accordingly, it is particularly preferable to use a cast material for the reinforcing members 26 and 30.

It is the front view (a) and the top view (b) of the bumper reinforcement which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view of the bumper reinforcement main body of the bumper reinforcement according to the present invention before cutting (a) and after cutting (b). It is sectional drawing of the vehicle width direction side part of the bumper reinforcement which concerns on this invention. It is a top view of the conventional bumper reinforcement.

Explanation of symbols

11 Bumper reinforcement 12, 25 Bumper reinforcement main body 13, 18, 19, 21, 26, 30 Reinforcement member 14 Vehicle width direction side 15 Plate-like part 16 Flange part

Claims (3)

Made of an aluminum alloy extruded material having a hollow cross section, both sides in the vehicle width direction are bent to the vehicle body side in a horizontal plane, and slanted so that the remaining thickness of the front side of the end of both sides becomes thinner toward the end The bumper reinforcement main body (12) cut off, and a reinforcement that is directed to the front side of the cut-off portion and forms a hollow cross section with the bumper reinforcement main body (12), and is fixed to the bumper reinforcement main body A bumper reinforcement comprising a member (13), wherein the reinforcing member (13) includes a plate-like portion (15) that comes into contact with and covers the cut surface of the cut-off portion. The bumper reinforcement according to claim 1, wherein the aluminum alloy extruded material has a rectangular outline. The said reinforcing member (13) is provided with the flange part (16) which is formed in the upper and lower sides of the said plate-shaped part (15), and pinches | interposes the said bumper reinforcement main-body part (12) from the upper and lower sides. Bumper reinforcement described in 1.

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