Modular bumper arrangement for a vehicle

• US 9,079,549 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Company KG (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Company KG (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Krammer, Christoph, Schermaier, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Pedder, Dennis H
• Application Number:
  US13/509,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20120228888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 293 12-122, 293/133, 293/155, 296 12-122, 296/133, 296/155
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2019/1853 of reinforced plastic material

Abstract

A modular bumper arrangement for a vehicle, including a cross-member composed of fiber reinforced plastic, two side parts made of plastic, wherein one side part is arranged or is arrangeable in each case at each of the two ends of the cross-member, and two fastening parts for fastening the bumper arrangement to a body structure of the vehicle, in which one fastening part is fastened or is fastenable to each side part.

Claims

1. A modular bumper arrangement for a vehicle, the modular bumper arrangement comprising:

a cross-member composed of fiber reinforced plastic;

side parts composed of plastic and connected non-releasably via a fused joint to a respective end of the cross-member which is produced upon cooling of a hot melt of an injection mold of the side part; and

fastening parts for fastening the modular bumper arrangement to a body structure of the vehicle, each fastening part configured for fastening to each side part.

2. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cross-member is composed of at least one of a carbon fiber reinforced plastic and a fiber mat containing material.

3. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cross-member is composed of at least one of glass mat reinforced thermoplastic and endless fiber reinforced plastic.

4. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cross-member has an arcuate shape which is configured to correspond to the contour of an inner surface of the outer skin of the vehicle in an installed position of the modular bumper arrangement.

5. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 1, wherein the side parts are composed of a polypropylene containing material.

6. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 1, wherein, relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the side part and the fastening part are spatially arranged one behind another in an installed position of the modular bumper arrangement.

7. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 1, wherein each fastening part is adhesively bonded to a respective side part.

8. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 1, wherein each fastening part is composed of a metal.

9. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 8, wherein each fastening part includes a plurality of bores configured to permit mechanical fastening of the fastening part to a body structure of the vehicle.

10. A bumper arrangement for a vehicle, the bumper arrangement comprising:

an upper cross-member composed of fiber reinforced plastic;

upper side parts composed of plastic and connected non-releasably via a first fused joint to a respective end of the upper cross-member which is produced upon cooling of a hot melt of an injection mold of the upper side parts to the upper cross-member;

a lower cross-member composed of fiber reinforced plastic and spaced from the upper cross-member;

lower side parts composed of plastic and connected non-releasably via a second fused joint to a respective end of the lower cross-member which is produced upon cooling of a hot melt of an injection mold of the lower side parts to the lower cross-member; and

fastening parts fastened to the upper and lower cross members and which permit fastening of the bumper arrangement to a body structure of the vehicle.

11. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 10, wherein the upper cross-member has an arcuate shape which is configured to correspond to the contour of an inner surface of the outer skin of the vehicle in an installed position of the modular bumper arrangement.

12. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 10, wherein the lower cross-member has an arcuate shape which is configured to correspond to the contour of an inner surface of the outer skin of the vehicle in an installed position of the modular bumper arrangement.

13. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 10, wherein, relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the upper side parts and the fastening part are spatially arranged one behind another in an installed position of the modular bumper arrangement.

14. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 10, wherein, relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the lower side parts and the fastening part are spatially arranged one behind another in an installed position of the modular bumper arrangement.

15. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 10, wherein the fastening parts are adhesively bonded to a respective one of the upper side parts and the lower side parts.

16. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 10, wherein the fastening parts are composed of a metal.

17. The modular bumper arrangement of claim 16, wherein the fastening parts include a plurality of bores configured to permit mechanical fastening of the fastening part to a body structure of the vehicle.

18. A method for producing a bumper arrangement for a vehicle, comprising:

providing a cross-member composed of fiber reinforced plastic;

arranging a side part composed of plastic on a respective end of the cross-member during a hot and liquid state of each injection molded side part;

forming a fused joint between each side part and the respective end of the cross-member by cooling the hot and liquid injection mold of the side parts to the upper cross-member; and

fastening, using a fastening part which is fastening to a respective side part, the bumper arrangement to a body structure of the vehicle.