BUMPER SYSTEM FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20110175379A1
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: ERZGRÄBER, Matthias, Wüst, Andreas, Glaser, Stefan, WENTZIEN, Heino, HOCK, Theobald
• Granted Patent: US 8,276,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 293/132
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/18 characterised by the cross-section; Means within the bumper to absorb impact
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/184 Blow moulded
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/186 Additional energy absorbing means supported on bumber beams, e.g. cellular structures or material

Abstract

A bumper system for a motor vehicle includes, but is not limited to, a bumper cross member, which is fixed to a stiff frame of the motor vehicle, a pliable bumper shell, a compressible structure which is formed between an upper area of the shell and the cross member and one support section which supports the lower area of the shell, which, together with a crash box holding the cross member is anchored to the flange plates of the frame.

Claims

1. A lower impact region of a bumper system for a motor vehicle that includes a stiff frame or structure, the lower impact region of the bumper system comprising:

a support section supporting a lower area of a malleable bumper shell and comprising a cross beam and two support arms that are connected to each other by the cross beam, wherein at least one of the support arms has a curved contour and both of the support arms extend rearwardly from the cross beam to operably connect the cross beam to the stiff frame or the structure of the motor vehicle.

2. The lower impact region of the bumper system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the support arms has a S-shaped curved contour.

3. The lower impact region of the bumper system according to claim 2, wherein the S-shaped curved contour is disposed along a substantially horizontal plane that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle.

4. The lower impact region of the bumper system according to claim 2, wherein the S-shaped curved contour is disposed along a substantially vertical plane that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle.

5. The lower impact region of the bumper system according to claim 1, wherein the cross beam and the support arms are respectively configured to include a C-Profile and an I-Profile, wherein the C-Profile has outer webs that overlap with the I-Profile.

6. The lower impact region of the bumper system according to claim 5, wherein the cross beam and the support arms are stiffened via ribs running between the outer webs.

7. The lower impact region of the bumper system according to claim 6, wherein the ribs of the cross beam and the support arms overlap.

8. The lower impact region of the bumper system according to claim 1, wherein the support section is made in one piece from an elastic plastic material.

9. The lower impact region of the bumper system according to claim 8, wherein the plastic material is polyamide.

10. The lower impact region of the bumper system according to claim 8, wherein the plastic material is mixed with fibers.

11. The lower impact region of the bumper system according to claim 1, wherein both of the support arms extend rearwardly upward from the cross beam to operably connect the cross beam to the stiff frame or the structure of the motor vehicle.