Gas-guiding device, in particular air-guiding device, integrated in a motor vehicle beam

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9623824-B2
Application number	US-201414540642-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2014
Priority date	Nov 13, 2013
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle beam, such as a longitudinal beam and/or a crossbeam, in particular a bumper beam, wherein the motor vehicle beam is formed as a hollow component having a closed cross section for the passage of gas, in particular air.

First claim

I claim:

1. A motor vehicle bumper beam formed as a hollow component having a closed cross section adapted for the passage of gas, the motor vehicle bumper beam comprising:
a plurality of shell components which, when interconnected, define a cavity forming a gas-guiding duct extending in a direction aligned with longitudinal ends of the motor vehicle bumper,
wherein one of said shell components is formed as a plastics shell component comprising plastics material as a material, and
wherein one of said shell components has a higher stability and rigidity than the other shell components from the plurality of shell components, and is formed as at least one of a metal shell component comprising metal as a material and reinforced plastics material shell component comprising at least one of fibre-reinforced, mat-reinforced and particle-reinforced plastics material as a material.

2. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 1 , wherein the plastics shell component is arranged on the side of the motor vehicle bumper beam that faces the vehicle interior when mounted.

3. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 1 , wherein the shell component having increased stability and rigidity is arranged on the side of the motor vehicle bumper beam that faces outwards when fully mounted.

4. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 1 , wherein said motor vehicle bumper beam is made up of two shell components including the plastics shell component and the shell component having increased stability and rigidity, which are interconnected in an interlocking manner and/or with a force fit and/or in an integrally bonded manner.

5. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 4 wherein at least one flow flap surrounded by the fully mounted motor vehicle bumper beam is arranged on the plastics shell component and can be moved between a blocking position in which a gas flow cross section through the motor vehicle bumper beam is minimal, and a passage position in which the gas flow cross section through the motor vehicle bumper beam is greater than in the blocking position, so that a gas flow through the motor vehicle bumper beam is possible in a safe manner, and in which the gas flow cross section through the motor vehicle bumper beam is at the maximum.

6. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 1 , wherein at least one flow flap which can be moved relative to the motor vehicle bumper beam is provided thereon and/or therein.

7. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 1 , wherein said motor vehicle bumper beam comprises at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet.

8. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one gas inlet is formed as an opening which penetrates a side wall of the motor vehicle bumper beam, in the region of the longitudinal centre thereof.

9. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 7 , wherein at least one flow flap which can be moved relative to the motor vehicle bumper beam is provided thereon and/or therein, and
wherein the at least one gas inlet and/or the at least one gas outlet is provided with the adjustable flow flap, which can be adjusted between a closed position in which a gas flow cross section through the gas inlet and/or the gas outlet is minimal, and an open position in which the gas flow cross section through the gas inlet and/or the gas outlet is larger than in the closed position so that a gas flow through the gas inlet and/or the gas outlet is possible, and in which the gas flow cross section through the gas inlet and/or the gas outlet is at the maximum.

10. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 9 , wherein the flow flap is part of a flap module, comprising a frame defining a gas-flow opening and the flow flap arranged on the frame so as to be adjustable relative thereto.

11. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 10 wherein the flap module as an assembly is fixed to the shell component having increased stability and rigidity.

12. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 1 , wherein, when installed in a vehicle, said motor vehicle bumper beam extends in its longitudinal direction mainly in the transverse direction of the vehicle, in its vertical direction mainly in the vertical direction of the vehicle and in its depth direction mainly in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the motor vehicle bumper beam having a tapered region in the region of its vertical centre, which tapered region has smaller dimensions in the depth direction than regions positioned thereabove or therebelow in the vertical direction.

13. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 12 , wherein the tapered region extends over substantially the entire length of the motor vehicle bumper.

14. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 1 , wherein the plastics shell component is arranged on the side of the motor vehicle bumper beam that faces the vehicle interior when mounted and forms the side of the motor vehicle bumper beam that faces the vehicle interior.

15. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 1 , wherein the shell component having increased stability and rigidity is a steel shell component, and comprises steel as a material.

16. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 1 , wherein the shell component having increased stability and rigidity is made of at least one of fibre-reinforced, mat-reinforced, and particle-reinforced plastics material as a material.

17. The motor vehicle bumper beam according to claim 1 , wherein the shell component having increased stability and rigidity is made of metal as a material.

Assignees

• Roechling Automotive Se & Co Kg
• Röchling Automative Se & Co Kg

Inventors

• Schneider Jürgen

Classifications

• B62D25/082

  Engine compartments · CPC title

• B60R2019/486

  with air passages, e.g. for cooling · CPC title

• B60K11/085

  with adjustable shutters or blinds · CPC title

• B60R19/48 Primary

  combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds · CPC title

• B62D21/17

  forming fluid or electrical conduit means or having other means to accommodate the transmission of a force or signal · CPC title