U.S. patent application number 13/975661 was filed with the patent office on 2014-02-27 for bumper beam assembly system.
This patent application is currently assigned to LOTTE CHEMICAL CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is LOTTE CHEMICAL CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Jun Youp KIM, Jong Wook LEE, Kyo Min LEE, Choul Won SO.
Application Number | 20140054907 13/975661 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49033973 |
Filed Date | 2014-02-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140054907 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SO; Choul Won ; et
al. |
February 27, 2014 |
BUMPER BEAM ASSEMBLY SYSTEM
Abstract
Provided is a bumper beam assembly system. The A bumper beam
assembly system includes a bumper beam and a stay connecting the
bumper beam to a vehicle, wherein the stay is replaceably coupled
to both sides of the bumper beam to occupy a corner portion of the
bumper beam.
Inventors: |
SO; Choul Won; (Daejeon,
KR) ; LEE; Jong Wook; (Daejeon, KR) ; KIM; Jun
Youp; (Daejeon, KR) ; LEE; Kyo Min;
(Sokcho-si, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LOTTE CHEMICAL CORPORATION |
Seoul |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
LOTTE CHEMICAL CORPORATION
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
49033973 |
Appl. No.: |
13/975661 |
Filed: |
August 26, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
293/120 ;
293/133 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 19/03 20130101;
B60R 19/34 20130101; B60R 2019/1833 20130101; B60R 19/18 20130101;
B60R 19/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
293/120 ;
293/133 |
International
Class: |
B60R 19/03 20060101
B60R019/03; B60R 19/34 20060101 B60R019/34 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 27, 2012 |
KR |
10-2012-0093512 |
Aug 27, 2012 |
KR |
10-2012-0093513 |
Claims
1. A bumper beam assembly system comprising: a bumper beam; and a
stay connecting the bumper beam to a vehicle, wherein the stay is
replaceably coupled to both sides of the bumper beam to occupy a
corner portion of the bumper beam.
2. The bumper beam assembly system of claim 1, wherein the stay
comprises a bucket structure or a partition wall structure.
3. The bumper beam assembly system of claim 2, wherein the bucket
structure comprises: a frame assembly part that is coupled to a
frame; a first sidewall disposed on one side of the frame assembly
part to constitute the corner portion of the bumper beam; a second
sidewall disposed on the other side of the frame; and a bumper beam
assembly part extending from the frame assembly part, the first
sidewall, and the second sidewall in a flange shape and coupled to
the bumper beam.
4. The bumper beam assembly system of claim 2, wherein the
partition wall structure comprises: a first outer wall couples to a
rare end of the bumper beam; a second outer wall disposed on one
side of the first outer wall to constitute the corner portion of
the bumper beam; a third outer wall disposed on the other side of
the first outer wall; a fourth outer wall connecting the second
outer wall to the third outer wall, the fourth outer wall being
couple to the frame; and at least one partition wall vertically
connecting the first outer wall to the fourth outer wall.
5. The bumper beam assembly system of claim 1, wherein the stay is
formed of steel or a thermoplastic or thermosetting composite
material.
6. The bumper beam assembly system of claim 5, wherein the
composite material comprises a synthetic resin and a glass fiber
and is press-molded.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a bumper beam assembly
system for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a bumper beam
assembly system which is capable of minimizing repair costs of a
corner part when the corner portion is crashed at a low speed.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A bumper beam assembly represents a functional part
protecting a frame when a vehicle is crashed at a low speed and is
usually provided with a bumper beam and a stay. In this case, the
bumper beam may absorb most of crash energy, and the stay may
absorb the rest of the crash energy. That is, the bumper beam that
is directly crashed may firstly absorb the crash energy, and the
stay through which the bumper beam is connected to the frame to
support the bumper beam may secondly absorb the crash energy.
[0003] Required performance of the bumper beam assembly constituted
as described above may be tested through two tests such as a low
speed crash regulation test and a repair cost evaluation crash test
which is performed by General Insurance Association (Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Research Council for
Automobile Repairs (RCAR)). In particular, since the low speed
crash test performed by General Insurance Association may evaluate
the repair costs after a low speed crash to utilize a standard for
appropriating a premium, and thus the low speed crash test has a
large effect on vehicle sales. Thus, most automobile manufacturers
are putting a great deal of effort to develop a bumper beam
assembly having cheap repair costs in consideration of the repair
cost evaluation (commercial value evaluation) performed by General
Insurance Association.
[0004] In this regard, IIHS may offset a central portion of a
vehicle bumper and about 15% of an overall width of the vehicle by
using a bumper dummy to perform a low speed crash test at about 10
KPH and about 5 KPH, as shown in FIG. 1, thereby appropriating the
repair costs and announcing to mass communication. For reference, a
result of the low speed crash test performed by IIHS is exemplified
in FIG. 2. Generally, a bumper beam having excellent performance
may have repair costs required when the bumper beam assembly and
the bumper cover assembly are replaced without being damaged in
itself after the test is performed by IIHS.
[0005] In recent years, a bumper beam formed of a low-weight,
high-performance plastic composite material is widely applied so as
to improve fuel efficiency. Since the plastic composite material is
lighter than steel, the plastic composite material may be effective
in aspects of vehicle fuel efficiency. However, since the plastic
composite material is relatively expensive when compared to that of
the steel, the repair cost evaluation performed by General
Insurance Association may cause poor results due to the high
replacement costs. Also, the bumper beam formed of the plastic
composite material may have high strength through
compression-molding. However, the bumper beam may be weak in
strength at both ends thereof due to the compression-molding. As a
result, the damaged beam and deformed stay should be replaced in
the 15% offset test performed by IIHS (hereinafter, referred to as
an "IIHS 15% offset test").
[0006] In detail, bumper assemblies having various shapes are
disclosed in Korean Patent Application Nos. 10-2008-0069637,
10-2009-0081580, 10-2007-0002937, 10-2009-0093518, 10-2008-0059204
and 10-2011-0122098. However, in the related arts above described,
as shown in FIG. 3, simple and usual steel beams or plastic
composite material beams are provided. Also, since an extruded
crash box for a vehicle is disposed behind the bumper beam, the
bumper beam may be firstly crashed and damaged, and then the stay
or crash box may be deformed or damaged in the IIHS 15% offset
test. Therefore, costs for replacing the whole bumper beam assembly
may be required.
DISCLOSURE
Technical Problem
[0007] The present invention provides a bumper beam assembly system
in which repair costs for replacing components damaged when the
vehicle is crashed at a low speed are reduced to satisfy an IIHS
15% offset test.
[0008] The present invention also provides the bumper beam assembly
which overcomes a limitation in a shape of a stay and improves
vehicle fuel efficiency through weight lighting thereof.
Technical Solution
[0009] According to an aspect of the present invention, a bumper
beam assembly system includes: a bumper beam; and a stay connecting
the bumper beam to a vehicle, wherein the stay is replaceably
coupled to both sides of the bumper beam to occupy a corner portion
of the bumper beam.
[0010] The stay may include a bucket structure or a partition wall
structure.
[0011] The bucket structure may include: a frame assembly part that
is coupled to a frame; a first sidewall disposed on one side of the
frame assembly part to constitute the corner portion of the bumper
beam; a second sidewall disposed on the other side of the frame;
and a bumper beam assembly part extending from the frame assembly
part, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall in a flange shape
and coupled to the bumper beam.
[0012] The partition wall structure may include: a first outer wall
couples to a rare end of the bumper beam; a second outer wall
disposed on one side of the first outer wall to constitute the
corner portion of the bumper beam; a third outer wall disposed on
the other side of the first outer wall; a fourth outer wall
connecting the second outer wall to the third outer wall, the
fourth outer wall being couple to the frame; and at least one
partition wall vertically connecting the first outer wall to the
fourth outer wall.
[0013] The stay may be formed of steel or a thermoplastic or
thermosetting composite material.
[0014] The composite material may include a synthetic resin and a
glass fiber and is press-molded.
Advantageous Effects
[0015] According to the present invention, the stay may be
separably mounted on both side ends of the bumper beam so that only
the damaged stay is replaced when the corner portion of the bumper
beam is crashed to significantly reduce the repair costs.
[0016] Also, since the all of the steel and the plastic composite
material are used as the stay, the stay is very superior in
applicability. Particularly, if it is difficult to mold the stay by
using the steel material, the plastic composite material may be
used to freely realize the desired shapes as well as to improve the
vehicle fuel efficiency through the weight lighting of the
stay.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0017] The above and other features and advantages of the present
invention will become more apparent by describing in detail
exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached
drawings in which:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a process of an IIHS low speed
crash test;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a view exemplifying a result of an IIHS low speed
crash test;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a view of a steel bumper beam assembly and a
plastic composite material bumper beam assembly according to a
related art;
[0021] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a bumper beam
assembly system according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0022] FIG. 5 is a front view of the bumper beam assembly system
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the bumper beam assembly system
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a stay of the bumper beam
assembly system according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0025] FIG. 8 is a plan view of a bumper beam assembly system
according to another embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 9 is a front view of the bumper beam assembly system
according to another embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the bumper beam assembly system
according to another embodiment of the present invention; and
[0028] FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a stay of the bumper beam
assembly system according to another embodiment of the present
invention.
BEST MODE
[0029] The present invention will now be described more fully with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary
embodiments of the invention are shown. The present invention may,
however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed
as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. In the drawings,
anything unnecessary for describing the present disclosure will be
omitted for clarity, and like reference numerals refer to like
elements throughout.
[0030] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a bumper beam
assembly system according to an embodiment of the present
invention, FIG. 5 is a front view of the bumper beam assembly
system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the bumper beam assembly system according
to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0031] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, a bumper beam assembly system 100
according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a
bumper beam 110 and a stay 120. Here, the current embodiment is
characterized in that the bumper beam 110 is shortened in length,
and then the stay 120 is applied on the shortened portion of the
bumper beam 110. Hereinafter, each of parts will be described in
detail.
[0032] The bumper beam 110 is configured to absorb an impact
generated when a vehicle is frontally crashed. The bumper beam 110
is connected to a frame by the stay 120. The bumper beam may be
compression-molded by using a plastic composite material. The
bumper beam 110 may have a length (L) shorter than that of the
bumper beam according to the related art as described above. In
detail, as shown in FIG. 6, the length (L) of the bumper beam may
be determined in consideration of a crash position and gap (G) so
that the bumper beam 110 may do not overlap a barrier 300 in an
IIHS corner bumper dummy test.
[0033] The stay 120 is configured to absorb an impact generated
when a corner portion of the vehicle is crashed. The stay 120 is
coupled to the bumper beam 110 by using a coupling unit 130. The
present invention is characterized in that the stay 120 occupies
both ends of the bumper beam 110. That is, the stay 120 may be
disposed on the portion of the bumper beam 110 of which the length
is reduced. Thus, only the stay 120 damaged when the corner portion
is crashed at a low speed may be replaced to significantly reduce
repair costs. Hereinafter, a structure of the stay 120 will be
described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0034] FIG. 7 is a view illustrating the stay of the bumper beam
assembly system according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0035] Referring to FIG. 7, the stay 120 includes a frame assembly
part 121 having an approximately `` shape in sectional structure
and coupled to the frame, a first sidewall 122 disposed on one side
of the frame assembly part 121 to constitute a corner portion of
the bumper beam 110, a second sidewall 123 disposed on the other
side of the frame assembly part 121, and a bumper beam assembly
part 124 extending from each of the frame assembly part 121, the
first sidewall 122, and the second sidewall 123 in a flange shape
and coupled to the bumper beam 110.
[0036] That is, the stay 120 according to the present invention may
be provided in a bucket shape of which one side is opened to define
an empty space therein. Thus, the bumper beam 110 may be inserted
to the empty space to butt-couple the bumper beam 110 to the frame
in a state where the stay 120 is coupled to the bumper beam
110.
[0037] In this case, the first sidewall 122 may have a
predetermined angle .theta.1 with respect to the frame assembly
part 121 in consideration of an overlapping amount (about 15% of an
overall width of the vehicle) in the IIHS corner bumper dummy test.
Also, the second sidewall 123 may have a predetermined angle
.theta.2 with respect to the frame assembly part 121 in
consideration of the IIHS corner bumper dummy test.
[0038] The stay 120 may be molded through press-drawing by using a
steel material or may be press-compression molded by using a
plastic composite material. However, since each of most vehicles
being released at the present have a great package space, it may be
difficult to mold the stay 120 by using a steel material for which
deep-drawing is required. Thus, in this case, an easily moldable
plastic composite material may be used. As a result, a limitation
in shape realization may be overcome, and also, fuel efficiency may
be improved through weight lighting of the stay 120. In this case,
a thermoplastic composite material and a thermosetting composite
material, which contain a synthetic resin and a glass fiber, may be
used as the plastic composite material.
[0039] The bumper beam assembly system according to an embodiment
of the present invention was described above. Hereinafter, a bumper
beam assembly system according to another embodiment of the present
invention will be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0040] FIG. 8 is a plan view of a bumper beam assembly system
according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 9 is
a front view of the bumper beam assembly system according to
another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a plan
view of the bumper beam assembly system according to another
embodiment of the present invention.
[0041] As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, a bumper beam assembly system 200
according to another embodiment of the present invention may
include a bumper beam 210 and a stay 220, like the foregoing
embodiment. However, the stay 220 may have a structure different
from that of the foregoing embodiment. Hereinafter, stay 220 will
be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0042] FIG. 11 is a view illustrating the stay of the bumper beam
assembly system according to another embodiment of the present
invention.
[0043] Referring to FIG. 11, the stay 220 may include a partition
wall structure including a plurality of outer walls 221, 222, 223,
and 224 and partition walls 225 and 226.
[0044] In detail, the outer walls 221, 222, 223, and 224 may
include a first outer wall 221 coupled to a rear end of the bumper
beam 210, a second outer wall 222 disposed on one side of the first
outer wall 221 to constitute a corner portion of the bumper beam
210, a third outer wall 223 disposed on the other side of the first
outer wall 221, and a fourth outer wall 224 connecting the second
outer wall 222 to the third outer wall 223 and couple to the frame.
As a result, the outer walls 221, 222, 223, and 224 may define a
space therein. The partition walls 225 and 226 may be vertically
disposed at a uniform distance between the first outer wall 221 and
the fourth outer wall 224 to provide a supporting force.
[0045] In this case, the second outer wall 222 may be bent at a
predetermined angle .theta.3 with respect to the fourth outer wall
224 in consideration of an overlapping amount (about 15% of an
overall width of the vehicle) in an IIHS corner bumper dummy test.
Also, the third outer wall 223 may be bent at a predetermined angle
.theta.4 with respect to the fourth outer wall 224 in consideration
of the IIHS corner bumper dummy test.
[0046] Unlike the stay formed by using steel or aluminum according
to the related art, the stay 220 may be injection or
extrusion-molded by using a thermoplastic or a thermosetting
plastic to improve vehicle fuel-efficiency through weight lighting
thereof.
[0047] The exemplary embodiments of the present invention were
described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered
illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are
intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other
embodiments, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the
present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the
scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest
permissible interpretation of the following claims and their
equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the
foregoing detailed description.
[0048] The exemplary embodiments of the present invention were
described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The description of the present invention is intended to be
illustrative, and those with ordinary skill in the technical field
of the present invention pertains will be understood that the
present invention can be carried out in other specific forms
without changing the technical idea or essential features.
[0049] While the present invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will
be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various
changes in form and details may be made therein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by
the following claims.
* * * * *