Bonnet structure for automobiles with improved safety characteristics

• US 20030214151A1
• Filed: 05/13/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adlev SRL
• Original Assignee: Adlev SRL
• Inventors: Toneatti, Jean Louis, Vismara, Mario
• Granted Patent: US 6,824,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/187.04
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/343 using deformable body panel, bodywork or components
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/34 Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians B60R19/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/15 having impact absorbing means, e.g. a frame designed to permanently or temporarily change shape or dimension upon impact with another body bumpers B60R19/02; shock absorbers in general F16F
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/105 for motor cars
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/001 characterised by combining metal and synthetic material
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/005 preformed metal and synthetic material elements being joined together, e.g. by adhesives

Abstract

A bonnet structure for automobiles with improved safety characteristics, in particular in the case of collisions in road accidents between automobiles and pedestrians, comprising at least one absorbency element (14), made for example from expanded polypropylene, expanded polyurethane or in a honey comb, placed between the outer surface (10) and the lower or inner surface (11) of the bonnet; the absorbency element (14) can be fixed through gluing or other mechanical connection means and, moreover, it is possible to foresee placing a material (16) with strong resistance to traction and with zero or almost zero bending moment on at least one of the sides of the absorbency element (14), in order to connect the outer and inner surfaces (10, 11) of the bonnet more firmly and to improve local resistance to breaking of the absorbency element (14).

Claims

1. Bonnet structure for automobiles with improved safety characteristics, in particular in the case of collisions in road accidents between automobiles and pedestrians, characterised in that it comprises at least one absorbency element (14), placed between an outer or upper surface (10) and an inner or lower surface (11) of said-bonnet.

2. Bonnet structure for automobiles according to claim 1, characterised in that said absorbency element (14) is fixed to said surfaces (10, 11) through gluing (15), carried out locally on at least one peripheral portion of said absorbency element (14), or through other mechanical connection means.

3. Bonnet structure for automobiles according to claim 1, characterised in that, on at least one of the sides of said absorbency element (14), it is foreseen to place a material (16) with strong resistance to traction and with zero or almost zero bending torsion moment, in order to connect said outer and inner surfaces (10, 11) of the bonnet more firmly and to improve local resistance to breaking of the absorbency element (14).

4. Bonnet structure for automobiles according to claim 1, characterised in that said outer or upper surface (10) of the bonnet can be coated with a surface layer having aesthetic functions, whereas said lower surface (11) is variously shaped in order to be able to house, in the motor space, the various apparatuses and the components foreseen for the automobile and to give rigidity.

5. Bonnet structure for automobiles according to claim 4, characterised in that said outer surface (10) consists of at least one sheet of steel plate, bent or folded at its ends (12, 13) for aesthetic and anti-injury reasons.

6. Bonnet structure for automobiles according to claim 1, characterised in that said absorbency element (14) is made from expanded polypropylene, expanded polyurethane, expanded polystyrene, or expanded products made with their alloys or copolymers of polypropylene, polystyrene or polyurethane, as aluminium foil or plastic honey comb, and in any case from in whatever material which has adequate shock-absorbency characteristics.

7. Bonnet structure for automobiles according to claim 4, characterised in that said outer surface is made from steel of the Fe—

Po₄ type, with a thickness equal to about 0.7 mm, and in that said absorbency element (14) has an overall rigidity within the range 0.05 N/mm² and 0.2 N/mm², in particular, in the range 0.05 N/mm² and 0.1 N/mm².

8. Bonnet structure for automobiles according to claim 4, characterised in that said absorbency element (14) is placed between the outer surface (10) and the inner surface (11) arranged at a minimum distance (l) of between 40 and 70 mm.

9. Bonnet structure for automobiles according to claim 4, characterised in that said outer surface (10) is made from aluminium plate or plastic.

10. Bonnet structure for automobiles according to claim 1, characterised in that said absorbency element (14) is joined, mechanically, physically or by gluing, at least one element (16) made from a material which has high resistance to traction and zero or almost zero bending moment, in order to keep the desired characteristics of yield and deformation during the collision of the entire structure and to further improve local resistance to breaking, without worsening the characteristics of rigidity of the absorbency element (14).

11. Bonnet structure for automobiles according to claim 10, characterised in that said element (16) is made from fabric or non-woven fabric and can be positioned on the whole outer perimeter of the absorbency element (14), so as to connect said outer (10) and inner surface (11) of the bonnet more firmly and to thus improve local resistance to pulling apart.

12. Bonnet structure for automobiles according to claim 10, characterised in that said element (16) can be inserted inside said absorber (14), so as to improve the resistance to breaking of said absorber (14) during the collision, said element (16) also being able to be co-moulded together with the absorber (14) before carrying out the final assembly of the structure.