WO2012163487A1

WO2012163487A1 - Front end structure of a passenger car body comprising a support structure which acts on the front wheel in the event of an offset frontal impact

Info

Publication number: WO2012163487A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/002177
Authority: WO
Inventors: Karl-Heinz Blume; Hans Hofele; Matthias Nohr; Jochen Ruf
Original assignee: Daimler Ag
Priority date: 2011-05-28
Filing date: 2012-05-23
Publication date: 2012-12-06
Also published as: DE102011102758A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a front end structure (10) of a passenger car body (12), having a flexible cross-member (16) mounted at two longitudinal beams (18, 20) of the body shell (22) of the front end structure (10) that are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle transverse direction, and having a component interacting with a front wheel in the event of an offset frontal impact. The front end structure is characterised by a component that is secured at least indirectly to the longitudinal beam arranged adjacent to the front wheel or is provided on a subframe joined to the body shell and is designed as a support structure (40, 42). Said component, viewed in the forward driving direction of the passenger car, projects into a region in front of the front wheel, so that in the event of an offset frontal impact the support structure is able to brace against the front wheel and thus a load can be introduced into and via the subframe into the front end structure of the body shell.

Description

PRE-BUILDING STRUCTURE OF A PASSENGER CAR SERIES, WHICH, IN THE EVENT OF AN ADJUSTED FRONT IMPACT, HAS A SUPPORT STRUCTURE ON THE FRONT WHEEL

The invention relates to a stem structure of a passenger car body, according to the preamble of claim 1.

In the context of the mass production of passenger cars, requirements with regard to the representation of a high degree of rigidity as well as with regard to the presentation of advantageous accident behavior, in particular in the case of frontal impact scenarios, are made on front structures with respective shell structures. If a passenger car strikes a barrier with a certain overlap, structures of the shell of the porch structure are subjected to a force and activated as a result of the accident, that is to say, they can become

Energy-absorbing deform and thus contribute at least partly to the reduction of impact energy. In this case, both longitudinal carrier structures of the body shell and components of a front axle, in particular a integral or engine carrier called a subframe, can contribute to the energy reduction. As a result of this energy reduction in or through the front structure, a passenger compartment of the passenger car is largely protected against deformations and intrusions, and the load on occupants of the passenger compartment can be kept very low.

It has been found that known shell structures in a frontal impact with low overlap, in which the longitudinal support structures are not acted upon in the front A / orbaubereich by the impact on a barrier or a pile or the like, so the barrier on the front side member structures

Passing by, can dissipate only little energy, so that it can come to increased intrusions of the passenger compartment.

From DE 102 23 674 A1 discloses a bumper assembly of a motor vehicle, which has a stem with a cross member, which is attached by means of horn-shaped corner parts to inner side members of the motor vehicle support structure. In the event of a crash, the cross member can be decoupled from the corner parts, so that when one also as an offset impact designated offset frontal impact only the affected corner part must be replaced.

From DE 10 2006 023 550 A1 a body stem is apparent in which at the level of a front wheel, a component is arranged, which is displaced in a frontal impact with low structural overlap in the direction of the Vorrades, punctures the tire and engages the wheel rim to the front wheel to turn. In this way, penetration of the front wheel into the foot region of the passenger compartment is to be avoided. The component is attached to a pulled down in front of the front wheel of the upper side member so that it can only be used in a specially designed stem, but not in standard carcass stems.

It is an object of the present invention, a stem structure of a

To provide passenger car body, which has a particularly advantageous accident behavior.

To solve this problem, a stem structure with the features of claim 1 is proposed. Advantageous embodiments with expedient and non-trivial developments of the invention are specified in the remaining claims.

Such a front structure of a passenger car body includes a

Biegequerträger, which is held on two longitudinal members of the shell of the porch structure. The longitudinal members are spaced apart in the vehicle transverse direction. Furthermore, in a staggered frontal impact with a front wheel of the

Passenger car cooperating component provided which

According to the invention, at least indirectly attached to the, preferably inner, lower side member adjacent to the front wheel or held on a subframe connected to the shell and formed as a support structure, which -in the forward direction of the passenger car - projects into a region in front of the front wheel, so that in a staggered frontal impact, the support structure are supported on the front wheel and so load transfer can take place in or on the subframe in the front structure of the shell.

The support structure according to the invention is particularly advantageous in load cases with very little overlap, so if the respective, laterally arranged next to the front wheel inner, lower side member of the collision partner is not activated acted upon. In this case, the shell and / or subframe, in particular integral support provided support structure displaced against the front wheel, is supported there, so to speak, and thus forms an additional load path or a bond between the front wheel and subframe, in particular integral support. The aim is to allow load transfer into the integral carrier or via the integral carrier into the shell structure through the lateral support structure and thus contribute to the energy reduction.

Alternatively or in addition to the connection to the integral support, the lateral

Support structure, for example, be connected to the existing side rail structures. A connection of the lateral support structure on its outside to a wheel arch structure can additionally be provided. Alternatively or additionally, other structures such as longitudinal and transverse beams can be used to connect the support structures. This is intended to ensure stabilization of the lateral structure while driving and, at the same time, to increase the rigidity in the stem.

So it remains to be noted that the support structure allows the inclusion of at least part of the impact energy and the activation of not directly activated in the event of a crash shell structures of the stem structure by the impact energies are introduced via the support structure in the shell, even if the space provided for this Vorbaumtruktur due to the low coverage with the

Collision partner is not activated directly because the barrier moves past it.

By means of the support structure, the passenger compartment is thus largely protected against deformations and intrusions even in such a load case with only slight overlap, so that the forces acting on occupants of the passenger compartment loads can be kept low.

The part of the front structure which is advantageously activated by the support structure is, for example, longitudinal member structures which comprise the side members which are spaced apart in the vehicle transverse direction and into which the impact energies can be introduced in the case of accidental application of force to the support structure.

Furthermore, the side members can support the initiated impact forces, at least partially convert into deformation energy and distribute it in other structures of the shell of the porch structure. This therefore means that at least one of the support structures formed by the longitudinal beams

(Main) load paths at least one additional load path is formed over which the Impact energies can be at least partially taken up and introduced into the shell. Thus, the corresponding structures of the shell can be activated and acted upon with impact energy and reduce the impact energy accordingly.

Are the corresponding front wheels at least partially disposed in the respective wheel arches and there is a frontal impact with only a slight overlap, in which the barrier mainly on one side of the stem structure on one of the support structures, at least this is a support structure in the lateral region of the front structure in Support system moves with the corresponding, arranged in the vehicle longitudinal direction behind this one support structure front wheel. Are the

Support structures, for example, on an integral support for holding a

Drive unit, in particular an internal combustion engine, at the

Attached front structure, so by the support of at least one support structure on the rear wheel arranged behind a composite between the front wheel and the integral support on the corresponding support structure created, so that a particularly advantageous introduction of impact energy into or over the support structure and the integral support in the shell is possible. Thus, the shell can contribute to reducing the impact energy and protect the occupants.

As an alternative or in addition to the connection to the integral carrier, the supporting structure can be connected to the longitudinal carrier structures, in particular to a longitudinal carrier.

Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible that the support structure is connected in particular on its outer side in the vehicle transverse direction on the shell and in particular on a respective wheel arches at least partially limiting shell component.

Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible to connect the support structure on longitudinal and / or cross members of the front structure or the shell, thereby realizing a particularly advantageous energy input into the shell, so that the shell as early as possible in the course of the impact on the vehicle front on the degradation the impact energies can participate. Likewise, a stabilization of lateral structures of the front structure during driving can be ensured as well as the stem structure stiffened.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the support structure is formed integrally with the integral support. The integral carrier can be held, for example, on the front structure, in particular on the inner lower side members. With In other words, the support structure is integral and integral part of the

Integral carrier, which keeps the number of parts and the weight of the stem structure low.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the support structure is formed as a respective element separate from the integral support and the shell, and as

Mounting scope attached to the integral support and shell. Likewise, it can be provided that the support structure than by the longitudinal members and of

Energy absorption elements of the stem structure, about the example of the

Biegequerträger is held on the longitudinal members, formed separate element and is mounted as a mounting perimeter on the longitudinal members and / or on the energy absorbing elements.

To realize a desired energy absorption capacity, the

Support structure, for example, at least one support element, at least

partially has a hollow cross-section. In this case, the support element may be at least substantially tubular and / or flat and / or cup-shaped.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the support element is at least substantially made of a metallic material such as a steel or a

Alloy, in particular an aluminum alloy formed. It is also possible that the support structure is formed of a composite material, in particular a fiber composite, or of a plastic material. Furthermore, in an area relative to the vehicle longitudinal direction between respective suspension legs of the front structure and respective front headlights at least one, in particular flat

Absorption element to be integrated, which provides for a very advantageous energy absorption in different frontal impact scenarios, however, especially in a frontal impact with low coverage.

It is still to be noted that the stem structure according to the invention at least one support structure, as described above or according to

at least one of the claims is formed comprises. In this case, the support structure is preferably arranged on the driver's side. If such a support structure is required on both sides of the passenger car, then these are preferably formed identically.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the Drawing. The features mentioned above in the description and

Feature combinations as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures are not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in others

Combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Showing:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a front view of a

Embodiment of an inventive, only partially illustrated front structure of a passenger car body;

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the front structure of FIG. 1 obliquely from the front to the left side of the passenger car and

Fig. 3 is a schematic side view of the stem structure according to FIGS. 1 and

Second

1 to 3 show a front structure 10 of a body 12 of a

Passenger motor vehicle 14. The front structure 10 includes a bumper device with a bending cross member 16 which is held on inner, lower side members 18 and 20 of a first longitudinal beam level, preferably lower longitudinal beam plane of the shell 22 of the front structure 10. The longitudinal members 18, 20 are spaced apart in the vehicle transverse direction.

Through the shell 22 two spaced apart in the vehicle transverse direction wheel arches 24, 26 are at least partially formed, which are spaced apart in the vehicle transverse direction. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 to 3, respective front wheels 28, 30 of a front axle of the passenger car 14 are arranged in the wheel arches 24, 26 at least in regions. The front wheels 28; 30 are sprung via respective struts 32, 34 supported on the shell 22 and damped. For this purpose, the struts 32, 34 are supported on the one hand on a respective wheel carrier and on the other hand on respective damper domes 36, 38 of the shell 22.

The stem structure 10 comprises respective support structures 40 and 42 with a respective support element 44, 46, which the respective wheel arches 24, 26 and thus the front wheels 28, 30 in the vehicle longitudinal direction to cover forward and in

Vehicle vertical direction below the bending cross member 16 connect to this. The bending cross member 16 has with view towards the front wheels only a very small overlap with these.

The exemplary one-piece support members 44, 46 are formed in the embodiment shown in the figures substantially L-shaped and have a substantially extending in the vehicle vertical direction first longitudinal region 48 and 50 and a substantially extending in the vehicle transverse direction second longitudinal region 52 and 54 respectively. The transition region between the first and second longitudinal region is curved. Since both support elements 44 and 46 are identically constructed and fastened in the same way to the body shell, their attachment will be explained in more detail below with reference to the support element 44.

The support element 44 is connected to the free end or leg of its second length portion 52, which is substantially parallel to an imaginary

Horizontal and in the vehicle transverse direction is aligned, at one also as

Subframe designated integral support 60 of the stem structure 10 fixed on a front cross member of the integral support 60. The integral support 60 serves to keep a drive unit, such as an internal combustion engine, for driving the passenger car 14 on the front structure 10. For this purpose, the integral support 60 is attached to the shell 22.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the first length portion 48 of the support member 44 is arranged substantially centrally to the front wheel 28 and coupled in its end with a bracket which in turn in the region of the free end of the bending cross member 16 at this and also at the wheel well 24 or a Part of the wheel arch 24 forming shell structural member 56 is attached. This curved, the shape of the wheel housing 24 with ausprägende structural component 56 extends high up to an upper side rail level and is fixed there accordingly. The structural component 56 itself is connected near its connection region to the support element 44 by means of a connecting and support strut laterally also on the inner side member 18.

It is important that the support element 44 - viewed in the direction of the vehicle front - is arranged in overlap with the front wheel 28, so that in the case of a crash-induced rearward displacement of the support element 44, the front wheel 28 is taken or the support member 44 can be supported on the front wheel 28. As described above, the support member 44 is integrated into the front structure, that although it is a mounting part or a mounting part could be part of the same and in the event of a crash, the forces laterally in the shell or shell structures, in particular directly into the side member structures or the integral carrier in the porch structures on or forwards, where they can be at least partially absorbed.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, a possible impact region P is indicated by way of example, in which, in particular, predominantly the accidental application of force to the support structure 40 as a result of the head-on collision of the passenger car 14 can occur on the barrier with only slight overlap.

If it comes to a head-on collision of the passenger car 14 on a barrier with only a slight overlap, for example on the left side of the body 12 and thus on the side of the support structure 40, in which the adjacently arranged side member 18 of the barrier just not hit and thus not is activated and moves past it in the direction of the front wheel 28, so in particular the support member 44 of the support structure 40 due to the impact at least in

Moved substantially in the vehicle longitudinal direction in support system to the front wheel 28. Due to the attachment of the support member 44 to the integral support 60 is thereby a bond between the front wheel 28 and the integral support 60 via the

Support member 44 is formed, whereby a first load path is created in the frontal structure 10 in the frontal impact and the associated accidental application of force. Impact energy can be absorbed and introduced into the integral carrier 60 via this first load path and can be further introduced from this into the shell of the front-end structure 10. As a result, further shell structures of the front structure 10 and formed by this further load paths are activated and with impact energy

so that the shell can participate in absorbing and reducing impact energy by converting it into deformation energy in addition to the support structure 40. In other words, via the first load path, a load introduction into or via the integral support 60 into the shell, for example also into the side member 18, to which the integral support 60 is fastened, inter alia, so that the shell can contribute early to the energy reduction. A second load path from the support element 44 in the front structure, namely the bending cross member 16 is formed by means of the holder, via which the support member 44 is attached to the bending cross member, which in turn is preferably coupled via crash boxes with the side rails 18, 20. Further load paths from the support element 44 in the front structure, in particular the side member structures are on the connection of the shell structural component 56 of the wheel arch and the lateral support or connection of this

Structural component 56 is realized by means of the connecting and support strut on the laterally adjacent, inner lower side member 18 realized.

As a result, the passenger compartment of the passenger car 14 can be at least largely protected against deformation and intrusions, particularly in the case of the impact of the passenger car 14 on the barrier with only slight overlap, so that the loads acting on the occupants of the passenger compartment can be kept to a particularly low level.

The support elements 44, 46 are at least substantially tubular and allow a particularly advantageous absorption and initiation of the impact energy in particular in the integral support 60, then the impact energy can be introduced into the shell 22 and distributed in this.

Claims

claims

1 . A front structure (10) of a passenger car body (12) with a two transverse to the vehicle transverse direction of longitudinal members (18,20) of the shell (22) of the front structure (10) held bending cross member (16) and one, in a staggered frontal impact with a front wheel

cooperating component,

characterized in that

the component is fastened at least indirectly to the side member arranged adjacent to the front wheel and / or provided on a subframe connected to the shell and is designed as a support structure (40, 42) which is in -in

Seen forward driving direction of the passenger car until it projects into an area in front of the front wheel, so that in a staggered frontal impact the

Support structure (40,42) are supported on the front wheel and so a load transfer can be done at least in or on the subframe in the front structure of the shell.

2. stem structure (10) according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the supporting structure (40, 42) is an integral part of the subframe, in particular integral carrier (60) for holding a drive unit on the front structure (10).

3. stem structure (10) according to claim 2,

characterized in that

the support structure (40, 42) is formed integrally with the integral support (60).

4. stem structure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

the supporting structure (40, 42) is a mounting part for attachment to the subframe and / or shell.

5. stem structure (10) according to any one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the supporting structure (40, 42) is fastened to one of the side members (18, 20) of the stem structure (10) and / or to an energy absorption element of the stem structure (10).

6. stem structure (10) according to any one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the support structure (40,42) on the shell (22), in particular in the field of

Wheel arches (24, 26), is attached.

7. stem structure (10) according to any one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the support structure (40, 42) comprises at least one surface element and / or at least one substantially tubular profile (44, 46) and / or shell element.

8. stem structure (10) according to any one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

between respective, spaced apart in the vehicle transverse direction

Federbeindomen (36, 38) and respective front headlamps of the stem structure (10) each at least one, in particular flat, energy absorbing element is arranged.