Deformable tubular crash box

• US 20040124645A1
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Koch, Eric
• Application Number:
  US10/727,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20040124645A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 293/155
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/34 destroyed upon impact, e.g. one-shot type

Abstract

A crash box is described with which a bumper is attached to the longitudinal beam of a motor vehicle. It ultimately involves segments of steel tubes which display an approximately rectangular cross section. The crash box is arranged such that in the case of a frontal impact on the bumper in the direction of the arrow a radial compression of the tubular crash box takes place.

Such crash boxes can be relatively simply produced and replaced such that a favorable repair cost results.

Claims

1. A deformable tubular crash box between a bumper and a longitudinal beam of a motor vehicle the axis of which is aligned perpendicularly to the longitudinal beam, characterized by the fact that the crash box is manufactured from steel, has an open cross section, base walls of the crash box being arranged facing the longitudinal beam and the bumper respectively, and side walls running perpendicular to the base walls create a space between the longitudinal beam and the bumper, and that the transition between the base and side walls has an arcuate shape.

2. The crash box as in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the side walls run in an arch relative to the cross section of the crash box.

3. The crash box as in claim 2, characterized by the fact that the arch is directed convexly to the inside.

4. The crash box as in claim 1, characterized by the fact that at least one base wall is directed convexly to the inside relative to the cross section of the crash box in an arch.

5. The crash box as in claim 4, characterized by the fact that the zenith of the arch exhibits a distance from the opposite base wall that is clearly shorter than the maximal deformation path of the crash box.

6. The crash box as in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the base walls are attached to the longitudinal beam and to the bumper respectively.