U.S. patent application number 14/706661 was filed with the patent office on 2015-12-03 for motor-vehicle front structure with an improved front-end unit.
The applicant listed for this patent is Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.. Invention is credited to Gianfranco DEL NERO, Rosario IANIA, Marco SCHIERANO, Bogdan STOENESCU.
Application Number | 20150343973 14/706661 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51399701 |
Filed Date | 2015-12-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150343973 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
STOENESCU; Bogdan ; et
al. |
December 3, 2015 |
MOTOR-VEHICLE FRONT STRUCTURE WITH AN IMPROVED FRONT-END UNIT
Abstract
A motor-vehicle front structure includes a pair of longitudinal
struts having front-ends to which two strut plates are secured. A
front cross-member is located forwardly of the strut plates and has
ends with two rearwardly facing crash-box plates connected to the
front cross-member by two crash-box structures. The crash-box
plates are connected to a lower auxiliary cross-member by two
respective supports. A front-end unit for supporting one or more
auxiliary motor-vehicle components has an upper cross-member and a
lower cross-member. The crash-box plates are connected directly to
the strut plates. The upper and lower cross-members of the
front-end unit are made of elements which are separated from each
other. The upper cross-member is connected directly to the
crash-box plates, whereas the lower cross-member is connected
directly to the supports, through which it is connected to the
crash-box plates.
Inventors: |
STOENESCU; Bogdan; (Torino,
IT) ; SCHIERANO; Marco; (Caselle Torinese (Torino),
IT) ; IANIA; Rosario; (Frossasco (Torino), IT)
; DEL NERO; Gianfranco; (Orbassano (Torino), IT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A. |
Torino |
|
IT |
|
|
Family ID: |
51399701 |
Appl. No.: |
14/706661 |
Filed: |
May 7, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
293/133 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 19/34 20130101;
B60R 19/12 20130101; B60R 19/03 20130101; B62D 21/152 20130101;
B60R 2019/242 20130101; B62D 25/085 20130101; B60R 19/023
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60R 19/34 20060101
B60R019/34; B60R 19/02 20060101 B60R019/02; B60R 19/03 20060101
B60R019/03 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 27, 2014 |
IT |
TO2014A000418 |
Claims
1. A motor-vehicle front structure, comprising: a pair of
longitudinal struts, having front ends to which two strut plates
are secured, a front cross-member placed in front of the strut
plates and having ends provided with two rearwardly facing
cross-member plates, which are rigidly connected to said strut
plates, wherein each cross-member plate of the cross-member plates,
is a crash-box plate, connected to said front cross-member with an
interposition of a crash-box structure, wherein said crash-box
plates are connected to a lower auxiliary cross-member, through two
respective supports, each of which has an upper end connected to a
respective crash-box plate of said crash-box plates and a lower end
connected to a respective end of the lower auxiliary cross-member,
a front-end unit for supporting one or more motor-vehicle auxiliary
components, said front-end unit being interposed between the front
cross-member and the strut plates and including at least an upper
cross-member formed of plastic material, wherein said crash-box
plates are connected directly to said strut plates, with no
interposition of elements forming part of the front-end unit
therebetween, said front-end unit including at least a front-end
lower cross-member formed of plastic material, said upper
cross-member and said front-end lower cross-member formed by
elements which are separated from each other and both connected at
ends thereof to said crash-box plates, the upper cross-member of
the front-end unit being an element of plastic material having ends
screwed directly to the crash-box plates, and the front-end lower
cross-member of the front-end unit being connected to the crash-box
plates through said supports; and wherein said supports comprise
two L-shaped metal sheets, having vertical portions bolted to the
lower ends of said crash-box plates and horizontal portions to
which the ends of said front-end lower cross-member are
screwed.
2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said crash-box
plates are directly in contact with said strut plates and include
upper portions that protrude upwardly above said strut plates, so
as to define connecting brackets for connection of the ends of said
upper cross-member of the front-end unit.
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a motor-vehicle front
structure, of the type comprising:
[0002] a pair of longitudinal struts, with front ends to which two
strut plates are secured,
[0003] a front cross-member located forwardly of the strut plates
and having ends provided with two rearwardly facing cross-member
plates, which are rigidly connected to said strut plates,
[0004] wherein each cross-member plate is a crash-box plate,
connected to said cross-member with the interposition of a
crash-box structure,
[0005] wherein said crash-box plates are further connected to an
auxiliary lower cross-member, by means of two respective supports
each having an upper end connected to the respective crash-box
plate and a lower end connected to a respective end of the
auxiliary cross-member,
[0006] a front-end unit for supporting one or more motor-vehicle
auxiliary components, said front-end unit being interposed between
the front cross-member and the strut plates, and including at least
an upper cross-member and a lower cross-member constituted of
plastic material.
[0007] In the past the applicant has developed a motor-vehicle
having a structure of the above indicated type, wherein said upper
and lower cross-members of the front-end unit form part of a single
structure of plastic material incorporating two uprights which
connect the upper and lower cross-members of the front-unit to each
other In this prior solution, within the uprights of the front-end
unit there are embedded two metal plates which are interposed in
the connection between the two crush-box plates and the two strut
plates.
[0008] Document EP 2 301 825 A2, to which the preamble of annexed
claim 1 refers, discloses a motor-vehicle front structure of the
same type indicated above, in which the front-end unit has no lower
cross-member and in which moreover said crash-box plates are
connected directly to said strut plates, without the interposition
therebetween of elements forming part of the front-end unit.
[0009] A front-end structure is also known from document FR 2 919
567 A1.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The object of the present invention is that of providing a
motor-vehicle structure of the type indicated at the beginning of
the present description which maintains the advantage which are
proper of a front-end unit, among which that of using this unit for
supporting motor-vehicle auxiliary components (such as the radiator
or components of the air conditioning system), as well as that of
contributing to accumulate impact energy in the case of low speed
impacts and to enable easier assembling and repairing operations on
the motor-vehicle, and further having a structure which is simpler
and of lower cost and yet provided with suitable characteristics
with regard to the structural resistance and the capability of
accumulating impact energy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] In view of achieving the above indicated object, the
invention provides a motor-vehicle front structure, comprising a
pair of longitudinal struts with front-ends to which two strut
plates are secured,
[0012] a front cross-member located forwardly of the strut plates
and having ends provided with two rearwardly facing cross-member
plates, which are rigidly connected to said strut plates,
[0013] in which each cross-member plate is a crash-box plate,
connected to said front cross-member with the interposition of a
crash-box structure,
[0014] wherein said crush-box plates are further connected to a
lower auxiliary cross-member, by means of two respective supports
each having an upper end connected to the respective crash-box
plate and a lower end connected to a respective end of the lower
auxiliary cross-member,
[0015] a front-end unit for supporting one or more motor-vehicle
auxiliary components, said front-end unit being interposed between
the front cross-member and the strut plates and including at least
an upper cross-member constituted of plastic material,
[0016] wherein said crash-box plates are connected directly to said
strut plates, with no interposition of elements forming part of the
front-end unit, therebetween,
[0017] characterized in that:
[0018] said front-end unit includes, beyond said upper
cross-member, at least a lower cross-member also constituted of
plastic material,
[0019] said upper and lower cross-members of the front-end unit are
constituted by elements which are separated from each other and
both connected at their ends to said crash-box plates, the upper
cross-member of the front-end unit being an element of plastic
material having ends screwed directly to the crash-box plates, and
the lower cross-member of the front-end unit being connected to the
crash-box plates through said supports.
[0020] Due to the above indicated features, the structure of the
front-end unit is greatly simplified and has a simpler and more
inexpensive construction, while insuring the required
characteristics with regard to structural resistance and ability of
accumulating impact energy.
[0021] In the preferred embodiment, the crash-box plates which are
placed in contact directly with the strut plates have upper
portions projecting above the strut plates for forming two
connecting brackets for connection to the ends of the upper
cross-member of the front-end unit. At their bottom, the two
crash-box plates are connected to said two supports carrying said
lower auxiliary cross-member. In one exemplary embodiment, these
supports are constituted by two steel sheets, which are L-shaped,
with vertical portions connected to the two crash-box plates and
horizontal portions connected to the ends of the lower cross-member
of plastic material of the front-end unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT
[0022] Further features and advantages of the invention will become
apparent from the description which follows with reference to the
annexed drawings, given purely by way of non limiting example in
which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a motor-vehicle front
structure made according to a known solution developed by the same
applicant,
[0024] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the structure of
FIG. 1,
[0025] FIGS. 3, 4 are a perspective view and an exploded
perspective view of, the preferred embodiment of the motor-vehicle
front structure according to the invention,
[0026] FIG. 5 is a side view, partially in cross-section, of a
detail of the structure of FIGS. 3, 4, and
[0027] FIGS. 6, 7 are further perspective views of some details of
the structure of FIGS. 3, 4.
[0028] Referring initially to FIGS. 1, 2, the known solution which
has been already discussed in the foregoing and developed by the
same applicant is of a type in which the motor-vehicle structure
comprises, in a way which is per se conventional, two longitudinal
beans L on whose front ends there are secured in any known way
(such as by welding) two strut plates P1.
[0029] Also according to a technique which is conventional per se,
the known structure further comprises a front cross-member T1, made
of aluminium and located forwardly of the two strut plates P1. The
ends of the front cross-member T1 are connected by means of two
crash-box structures CB to two crash-box plates P2. Both plates P2
and the crash-box structures CB are made of aluminium. The
crash-box structures CB are configured so as to be adapted to be
deformed and thereby accumulating impact energy in the case of low
speed impacts.
[0030] The two crash-box plates P2 are further connected to a lower
auxiliary cross-member T2, made of steel, by means of two side
supports S having a structure of aluminium configured for being
able to accumulate impact energy. Cross-member T2 is specifically
provided for transmitting the impact energy to the two supports S
in the case of a low speed front impact against a pedestrian.
[0031] Reference FE generally designates a front-end unit for
supporting one or more motor-vehicle auxiliary components (not
shown). The unit FE is interposed between the front cross-member T1
and the strut plates P1. More specifically, in the case of the
known solution shown in FIGS. 1, 2, the front-end unit FE has a
single structure of plastic material including a front-end upper
cross-member M1, a front-end lower cross-member M2, and two
uprights U which connect the ends of the upper and lower
cross-members M1, M2 to each other. Within the uprights U of
plastic material there are embedded two steel plates P3.
[0032] In the above mentioned known solution, the plates P3 forming
part of the structure of the front-end unit are interposed in the
connection between the crash-box plates P2 and the strut plates P1.
This connection is provided by screws V which engage cooperating
holes formed in plates P1, P2, P3. Therefore, in the known
solution, the crash-box plates P2 are connected to the strut plates
P1 with the interposition of plates P3 forming part of the
front-end unit.
[0033] The connection of the front-end unit to the motor-vehicle
structure is completed by a steel bracket B which has one end
connected by means of screws to the central part of the upper
cross-member M1 of the front-end unit FE and the opposite end
connected to a bracket B1 secured to the central part of the front
cross-member T1.
[0034] The preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown
in FIGS. 3-7. A comparison of FIGS. 3, 4 with FIGS. 1, 2
immediately shows the main differences of the invention with
respect to the known solution, In these figures, the parts in
common to those of FIGS. 1, 2 are designated by the same reference
signs.
[0035] As shown in the drawings, and in particular in FIG. 4, in
the case of the invention the two crash-box plates P2 are directly
connected to the two strut plates P1, without any interposition of
elements forming part of the front-end unit therebetween. As
clearly shown in FIG. 4, in the case of the invention the plates P3
forming part of the front-end unit according to the known solution
have been completely eliminated. In the case of the invention, the
front-end unit FE comprises an upper cross-member M1 made of
plastic material and a lower cross-member M2 made of plastic
material which constitute two elements which are separated from
each other and both connected to the two crash-box plates P2. The
upper cross-member M1 of the front-end unit FE has its ends
connected directly to the two crash-box plates P2. To this end, the
two crash-box plates P2, which are placed directly in contact with
the two strut plates P1 and are screwed thereto by screws V,
include upper portions A projecting above the strut plates P1 in
the mounted condition and adapted to form two attachment lugs for
screwing thereto of the ends of the upper cross-member M1 of
plastic material of the front-end unit. The lower cross-member M2
of plastic material of the front-end unit FE is connected to the
crash-box plates P2 with the interposition of the two supports S,
which support the auxiliary cross-member T2.
[0036] In the case of the embodiment disclosed herein, the two
supports S are constituted by two steel sheets, having an L-shape,
with vertical portions S1 screwed to the lower ends of the two
crash-box plates P2, and two horizontal portions S2 to which the
ends of the lower cross-member M2 of plastic material of the
front-end unit FE are screwed.
[0037] As shown, in the case of the present invention, not only the
two plates P3 of the known solution have been totally eliminated,
but also the two uprights U of plastic material, forming part of
the known front-end unit have been eliminated. As a consequence,
the front-end unit according to the embodiment disclosed herein is
constituted by two separate components, i.e. the upper cross-member
M1 and the lower cross-member M2. However, the possibility is not
excluded of providing the two uprights U so as to have a single
structure of plastic material including these uprights U and the
two upper and lower cross-members M1, M2, being understood that in
the case of the present invention plates P3 are completely
eliminated, which instead in the known solution are incorporated
within the structure of the front-end unit, and being also
understood that in the case of the present invention, therefore,
the crash-box plates P2 are connected directly and are in contact
with the strut plates P1, and that the plates P2 are also used for
the connection of the upper cross-member of the front-end unit.
[0038] In the case of the embodiment disclosed herein, the central
part of the upper cross-member M1 of the front-end unit FE is
connected by means of the bracket B to the central part of the
front-cross member T1, similarly to the known solution.
[0039] Naturally, while the principle of the invention remains the
same, the details of construction and the embodiments may widely
varying with respect to what has been described and illustrated
purely by way of example, without departing from the scope of the
present invention.
* * * * *