Lower Stiffener for Bumper of Vehicle

• US 20190135209A1
• Filed: 08/07/2018
• Published: 05/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eelcee, Ltd., Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.), Lotte Chemical Corporation
• Original Assignee: Eelcee, Ltd., Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.), Lotte Chemical Corporation
• Inventors: Cho, Jeong Min, Kim, Tae Hyung, Choi, Chi Hoon, Kim, Hyun Gyung, Jeong, Han Jo, Lee, Jong Wook, Mansson, Jan-Anders, Chang Mansson, Queein, Hwang, Yeun Hee
• Granted Patent: US 10,640,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/03 characterised by material, e.g. composite B60R19/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/12 vertically spaced
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/18 characterised by the cross-section; Means within the bumper to absorb impact
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/1893 comprising a multiplicity of identical adjacent shock-absorbing means

Abstract

A lower stiffener is provided for a bumper of a vehicle. The lower stiffener is mounted on a lower portion of a bumper beam or a front end module (FEM) carrier of the vehicle. The lower stiffener includes a pair of core portions formed by extending in a width direction of the vehicle in an elongated loop shape corresponding to a shape of the bumper of the vehicle, and arranged parallel to each other at a regular interval. A pair of molding portions surrounds the core portions, respectively and a connection portion connects and integrates the pair of molding portions with each other.

Claims

1. A lower stiffener for a bumper of a vehicle, the lower stiffener to be mounted on a lower portion of a bumper beam or a front end module (FEM) carrier of the vehicle, the lower stiffener comprising:

a first core portion;

a second core portion, wherein the first and second core portions extend in a width direction of the vehicle in an elongated loop shape corresponding to a shape of the bumper of the vehicle, the first and second core portions being arranged parallel to each other at a regular interval;

a first molding portion surrounding the first core portion;

a second molding portion surrounding the second core portion; and

a connection portion connecting and integrating the first and second molding portions to each other.

2. The lower stiffener of claim 1, wherein the first and second core portions each have a circular shape in cross section, the circular shape having a diameter of 5 to 10 mm.

3. The lower stiffener of claim 2, wherein the first and second core portions are configured to satisfy Equation 1 below:

3.3≤

(center distance between core portions)/(diameter of core portions)≤

8.

4. The lower stiffener of claim 3, wherein a value of (center distance between core portions)/(diameter of core portions) described in the Equation 1 is 4 to 5.

5. The lower stiffener of claim 1, wherein a thickness each of the first and second molding portions is 1.5 to 4.0 mm and a thickness of the connection portion is 2 to 5 mm.

6. The lower stiffener of claim 1, wherein a volume each of the first and second core portions is 25 to 60 vol % with respect to a sum of volumes of the first and second core portions and the first and second molding portions.

7. The lower stiffener of claim 1, wherein with respect to the width direction of the vehicle, the lower stiffener is divided into:

a first section defined at a center portion of the lower stiffener;

a pair of second sections defined from opposite ends of the first section to mounting portions to be connected to the bumper beam or the FEM carrier; and

a pair of third sections defined from ends of the second sections to ends of the lower stiffener,

wherein molding portions in the first section are configured such that thickness in a front and rear direction of the vehicle is greater than thickness in a height direction of the vehicle.

8. The lower stiffener of claim 7, wherein the molding portions in the first section are configured such that cross-sectional area gradually increases toward a center with respect to the width direction of the vehicle.

9. The lower stiffener of claim 8, wherein the molding portions in the first section are configured such that a thickness in the front and rear direction gradually increases toward the center with respect to the width direction of the vehicle.

10. The lower stiffener of claim 7, wherein the connection portion is configured such that a thickness in the height direction in the first section is greater than a thickness in the height direction in the second and third sections.

11. The lower stiffener of claim 7, wherein the connection portion in the first section is provided with a center rib formed in the front and rear directions,

the connection portion at boundaries of the first and second sections is provided with a pair of vertical ribs,

the connection portion in the first and second sections is provided with X-shaped cross ribs formed at centers of the center rib and the pair of vertical ribs, and

the connection portion in the second sections is provided with horizontal ribs formed by extending from ends of the cross ribs to the mounting portions in the width direction.

12. The lower stiffener of claim 1, wherein the core portions consist of 40 to 60 wt % of a continuous fiber and 40 to 60 wt % of a thermoplastic resin.

13. The lower stiffener of claim 1, wherein the molding portions consist of 20 to 40 wt % of a non-continuous fiber and 60 to 80 wt % of a thermoplastic resin.

14. The lower stiffener of claim 1, wherein the first and second core portions, the first and second molding portions, and the connection portion are made of fiber-reinforced plastic.

15. A vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body;

an apparatus connected to the vehicle body, the apparatus comprising a bumper beam or a front end module (FEM) carrier; and

a lower stiffener mounted on the apparatus, the lower stiffener comprising;

a first core portion;

a second core portion, wherein the first and second core portions extend in a width direction of the vehicle in an elongated loop shape corresponding to a shape of the bumper of the vehicle, the first and second core portions being arranged parallel to each other at a regular interval;

a first molding portion surrounding the first core portion;

a second molding portion surrounding the second core portion; and

a connection portion connecting and integrating the first and second molding portions to each other.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the first and second core portions each have a circular shape in cross section, the circular shape having a diameter of 5 to 10 mm.

17. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the first and second core portions are configured to satisfy Equation 1 below:

3.3≤

(center distance between core portions)/(diameter of core portions)≤

8; and

wherein a value of (center distance between core portions)/(diameter of core portions) described in the Equation 1 is 4 to 5.

18. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein a volume each of the first and second core portions is 25 to 60 vol % with respect to a sum of volumes of the first and second core portions and the first and second molding portions.

19. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein with respect to the width direction of the vehicle, the lower stiffener is divided into:

a first section defined at a center portion of the lower stiffener;

a pair of second sections defined from opposite ends of the first section to mounting portions connected to the bumper beam or the FEM carrier; and

a pair of third sections defined from ends of the second sections to ends of the lower stiffener,

wherein molding portions in the first section are configured such that thickness in a front and rear direction of the vehicle is greater than thickness in a height direction of the vehicle.