Granted Patent B2

US 8,002,072 · App. 12/112,536 · Granted Aug 23, 2011

Abstract

Claims (20)

1. A frontal structure for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a radiator;

a bumper girder;

a support structure, fastened to the radiator and on which the bumper girder is mounted in front of the radiator in such a manner that it yields backward toward the radiator in case of an impact;

a frame fastening the radiator to the support structure;

a plurality of connection elements retaining the radiator and anchored to the support structure which detach if a maximum force is exceeded,

wherein the frame is adapted to the form of the bumper girder and the radiator to come into contact with the bumper girder earlier than the radiator in case of yielding backward of the bumper girder, wherein the plurality of connection elements anchoring the frame to the support structure comprise a plurality of lower connection elements and a plurality of upper connection elements, and in case of detachment of one of the plurality of lower connection elements and upper connections, the other one of the plurality of lower connection elements and upper connection elements defines an axis around which the radiator is pivotable; and

wherein a heat transfer line extends adjacent to the axis between the radiator and the support structure.

2. The frontal structure according to claim 1 , wherein the connection elements are pins which are destructible by exceeding the maximum force.

3. The frontal structure according to claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a plurality of vertical ribs projecting beyond a front side of the radiator toward the bumper girder.

4. The frontal structure according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of ribs laterally border the radiator.

5. The frontal structure according to claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of upper connection elements and lower connection elements is designed to detach earlier than the other one of the plurality of lower connection elements and upper connection elements under a force exerted on the frame by the bumper girder.

6. A frontal structure for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a radiator;

a bumper girder;

a support structure, fastened to the radiator and on which the bumper girder is mounted in front of the radiator in such a manner that it yields backward toward the radiator in case of an impact;

a frame fastening the radiator to the support structure;

a plurality of connection elements retaining the radiator and anchored to the support structure which detach if a maximum force is exceeded,

wherein the frame is adapted to the form of the bumper girder and the radiator to come into contact with the bumper girder earlier than the radiator in case of yielding backward of the bumper girder, wherein the plurality of connection elements anchoring the frame to the support structure comprise a plurality of lower connection elements and a plurality of upper connection elements, and in case of detachment of one of the plurality of lower connection elements and upper connections, the other one of the plurality of lower connection elements and upper connection elements defines an axis around which the radiator is pivotable, wherein one of the plurality of upper connection elements and lower connection elements is designed to detach earlier than the other one of the plurality of lower connection elements and upper connection elements under a force exerted on the frame by the bumper girder; and

wherein the depth of a free space behind the radiator is deeper at the height of the plurality of lower connection elements and upper connection elements detaching earlier than the height of the plurality of lower connection elements and upper connection elements detaching later.

Assignments (12)