Tubular Back Beam for Vehicle

• US 20130147217A1
• Filed: 06/26/2012
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: KIM, Hyun Gyung
• Granted Patent: US 8,864,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 293/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/12 vertically spaced

Abstract

A tubular back beam for a vehicle is provided to effectively cope with crashes, including a head-on crash, an offset crash, etc., thus promoting excellent crashworthiness, and thereby maximally reducing damage to a vehicle body, in addition to maximally mitigating injuries to a pedestrian and a passenger.

Claims

1. A tubular back beam for a vehicle, comprising:

an upper beam and a lower beam spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction, each beam having a tubular structure;

a plurality of connecting lugs disposed along a longitudinal direction between the upper and lower beams and interconnecting the upper and lower beams;

a center bracket interconnecting central portions of the upper and lower beams in the longitudinal direction thereof to each other; and

a pair of side brackets interconnecting opposite ends of the upper and lower beams to each other.

2. The tubular back beam as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the upper and lower beams include a rectangular or elliptical cross-section to ensure rigidity.

3. The tubular back beam as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of the upper and lower beams includes a elliptical cross-section, and a portion having a maximum diameter of each of the upper and lower beams is oriented in a direction from a front to a rear of the vehicle.

4. The tubular back beam as set forth in claim 1, wherein a maximum spacing distance between the upper and lower beams is about 100 mm to 110 mm

5. The tubular back beam as set forth in claim 1, wherein a pitch interval between the connecting lugs is about 1.8 to 2.2 times as long as the maximum spacing distance between the upper and lower beams.

6. The tubular back beam as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the connecting lugs includes a circular cross-section and is welded at opposite ends thereof to the upper and lower beams.

7. The tubular back beam as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the connecting lugs includes a U-shaped cross-section that is open in a direction where a side member is located, and is welded at opposite ends thereof to the upper and lower beams.

8. The tubular back beam as set forth in claim 1, wherein

one end of a crash box is coupled to each of the opposite ends of the upper and lower beams in such a way as to face the side bracket, and

the other end of the crash box is coupled to the side member.