Bumper crossmember and vehicle provided therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12545204-B2
Application number	US-202118249822-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2021
Priority date	Oct 29, 2020
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

A bumper crossmember having a profiled carrier profile, which extends with its longitudinal direction in the vehicle transverse direction (y direction) and has portions with a U-shaped profile in the z direction at least on the end sides formed by two limbs and a profile base connecting the two limbs, and a widening element profiled in the z direction, connected to each end side of the carrier profile, via which the carrier profile is extended in the longitudinal direction. Each widening element has a connecting portion, which has a U-shaped profile with a contact portion and a mating portion adjoining the contact portion, and an extension portion adjoining the mating portion. The connecting portion has a profile base connecting two limbs of the U-shaped profiling, engages with one of the two U-shaped portions of the carrier profile, and is arranged overlapping the latter in the y direction. At least in the region of its contact portion, the connecting portion is connected to the profile base of the carrier profile, and in the region of its mating portion, the connecting portion makes contact at least in regions by way of its limbs with the limbs of the carrier profile.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A bumper crossmember comprising:
a carrier profile with a longitudinal direction thereof extending in a vehicle transverse direction (y direction), the carrier profile having, at least at ends thereof, sections with a U-shaped profile in a vehicle height direction (z direction) formed by two legs and a profile base connecting the two legs, and a widening element profiled in the z direction connected to each end of the carrier profile, via which the carrier profile is extended in the longitudinal direction (y direction), wherein each widening element has a connection section with a U-shaped profile, the connection section having a contact section and a fitting section adjoining the contact section, and each widening element has an extension section adjoining the fitting section, wherein the connection section has a profile base connecting two legs of the U-shaped profile and is engaged with one of the two U-shaped sections of the carrier profile and arranged overlapping therewith in the y direction, wherein the connection section is connected to the profile base of the carrier profile at least in an area of the contact section, wherein the fitting section of each widening element provides a fit for connection to the carrier profile, wherein the legs of the connection section contact the legs of the carrier profile in a region of the fitting section at least in some areas, and wherein the contact section of each widening element is only connected with the profile base thereof to the profile base of the carrier profile.

2 . The bumper crossmember of claim 1 , wherein the legs of the connection section in the region of the fitting section are each in contact with an outside thereof with an inside of the legs of the carrier profile, and an outside of the profile base of the connection section facing toward the profile base of the carrier profile is connected to the profile base of the carrier profile in the contact section.

3 . The bumper crossmember of claim 2 , wherein the profile base of the connection section is also connected to the profile base of the carrier profile in the region of the fitting section.

4 . The bumper crossmember of claim 1 , wherein the legs of the contact section of the connection section engaging in the U-shaped profile of the carrier profile are, at least up to an adjacent transition area, spaced apart from the legs of the carrier profile.

5 . The bumper crossmember of claim 1 , wherein the connection section has a slot-like recess following a longitudinal extension thereof (y direction) in a region of the contact section.

6 . The bumper crossmember of claim 5 , wherein the contact section is welded in the recess to the profile base of the carrier profile.

7 . The bumper crossmember of claim 1 , wherein a free end face of the contact section is welded to the profile base of the carrier profile.

8 . The bumper crossmember of claim 1 , wherein the U-shaped profile of the carrier profile is designed as a hat profile with flanges formed on the two legs, wherein the legs of the U-shaped profile of the connection section of the widening element extend to a plane of the flanges, and wherein the carrier profile is closed with a closing plate, and the closing plate is joined with the flanges of the carrier profile and at least in sections with the legs of the widening element.

9 . The bumper crossmember of claim 1 , wherein the widening element has a greater leg height in relation to the U-shaped profile in the extension section, at least in one or more leg sections, than in the fitting section, and wherein the height of the legs in the one or more leg sections of the widening element is flush with a terminus of the carrier profile on an open profile side thereof.

10 . The bumper crossmember of claim 9 , wherein projections, which extend the leg height, are formed on the one or more leg sections aligned with the terminus of the carrier profile, and the projections either extend laterally to a section of a closing plate located therebetween or engage in corresponding openings formed in the closing plate.

11 . The bumper crossmember of claim 1 , further comprising an additional extension element arranged on each widening element opposite the carrier profile.

12 . The bumper crossmember of claim 1 , wherein the extension section of the widening element has two support arms arranged spaced apart from one another in the z direction and extending from the legs of the widening element in the longitudinal direction away from the carrier profile.

13 . The bumper crossmember of claim 1 , wherein two crash boxes spaced apart from one another in the y direction are connected to the carrier profile and the contact section of each widening element is arranged at least partially overlapping with an end face of a crash box.

14 . The bumper crossmember of claim 1 , wherein the widening element has a predetermined buckling point in an area of the extension section which, when a predetermined holding force is exceeded, is configured to allow a buckling movement in the y direction of an outer part of the extension section relative to an inner part of the extension section around a buckling axis aligned in the z direction.

15 . A vehicle having at least one bumper crossmember according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Kirchhoff Automotive D Gmbh

Inventors

• Lagin Stephan

Classifications

• B60R19/04

  formed from more than one section {in a side-by-side arrangement} · CPC title

• B60R2019/247

  Fastening of bumpers' side ends · CPC title

• B60R2019/186

  Additional energy absorbing means supported on bumber beams, e.g. cellular structures or material · CPC title

• B60R2019/1806

  Structural beams therefor, e.g. shock-absorbing · CPC title

• B60R19/34

  destroyed upon impact, e.g. one-shot type · CPC title