FRONT PART FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE BODY

• US 20110187134A1
• Filed: 12/02/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: STAHL-OFFERGELD, Matthias, STELLER, Claus, HEIM, Gunther, NGUYEN, Viet-Hung
• Granted Patent: US 8,307,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 293/115
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/48 combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/52 Radiator or grille guards ; Radiator grilles cooling aspects B60K11/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/486 with air passages, e.g. for cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/527 integral with bumpers

Abstract

A front part of a motor vehicle body is provided that includes, but is not limited to a radiator and a bumper support transversely extending in front of the radiator and an air passage aligned with the radiator and formed in the bumper support.

Claims

1. A front part of a motor vehicle body, comprising:

a radiator;

a bumper support extending transversely in front of the radiator; and

an air passage formed in the bumper support that is aligned with the radiator.

2. The front part according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of struts crossing the air passage and adapted to stiffen the bumper support.

3. The front part according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of struts are aligned with narrow sides in a driving direction located at a front.

4. The front part according to claim 1, wherein the bumper support comprises two side pieces fastened to a body side member and an upper frame and a lower frame that delimit the air passage at a top and a bottom and merge with side pieces at a branching.

5. The front part according to claim 4, wherein the upper frame extends in an arc about the air passage.

6. The front part according to claim 4, wherein the lower frame extends in an arc about the air passage.

7. The front part according to claim 4, wherein the lower frame projects forward to a greater extent than the upper frame.

8. The front part according to claim 4, wherein the lower frame is located at least predominantly at a height of a lower thigh of an adult pedestrian.

9. The front part according to claim 4, wherein the upper frame and the lower frame are hollow.

10. The front part according to claim 4, wherein the upper frame and the lower frame have a closed cross section.

11. The front part according to claim 4, wherein the upper frame and the lower frame have an open cross section.

12. The front part according to claim 1, wherein the bumper support is at least partially formed of a plastic.

13. The front part according to claim 1, wherein the bumper support is at least partially formed of a fiber-reinforced plastic.

14. The front part according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of struts are formed in a single piece of plastic.

15. The front part according to claim 1, further comprising a bumper covering comprising an opening aligned with the air passage.