Granted Patent B2

US 8,191,664 · App. 12/295,589 · Granted Jun 5, 2012

Abstract

Claims (33)

1. A front section for a motor vehicle that is located between two sides of the motor vehicle, the front section comprising:

a bumper having a rear side; and

a radiator module arranged behind the bumper, the radiator module comprising:

a front side disposed between a first side and a second side, wherein the front side faces the rear side of the bumper; and

a first holder and a separable second holder adapted to hold the radiator module,

wherein the first holder protrudes from the radiator module in an upward direction and allows a movement of the radiator module with one degree of freedom in a direction facing away from the bumper when the separable second holder is separated,

wherein the separable second holder comprises: a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion protrudes laterally from the first side of the radiator module towards one of the sides of the motor vehicle, and wherein the second portion of separable second holder is separable from the first portion by a rearward motion of the bumper.

2. The front section according to claim 1 , wherein the degree of freedom concerns a pivoting motion.

3. The front section according to claim 1 , wherein the first holder defines a pivoting axis.

4. The front section according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the separable second holder comprises a clamp that is open in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and wherein the first portion of the separable second holder comprises a projection inserted into an open side of the clamp.

5. The front section according to claim 4 , wherein the projection engages into the clamp in a form-fitting fashion.

6. The front section according to claim 1 , wherein the radiator module and the bumper are separated by an air gap.

7. The front section according to claim 1 , wherein the radiator module comprises:

a radiator; and

a frame that encloses the radiator,

wherein the frame protrudes over a front side of the radiator that faces the bumper.

8. The front section according to claim 7 , wherein the frame further comprises:

projections that extend toward the bumper.

9. The front section according to claim 7 , wherein the frame carries a yoke that spans a front side of the radiator.

10. The front section according to claim 1 , wherein the rear side of the bumper that faces the radiator module has a concave contour.

11. The front section according to claim 1 , wherein the radiator module further comprises:

an upper side that faces in the upward direction;

a bottom side that faces in a downward direction; and

a rear side, opposite the front side, that faces in a rearward longitudinal direction, and

wherein the front side faces in a frontward longitudinal direction towards the bumper,

wherein the first and second sides of the radiator module face in opposing transverse directions that are substantially orthogonal to the rearward longitudinal direction and the frontward longitudinal direction.

12. The front section according to claim 11 , wherein the upward direction and the downward direction are both substantially orthogonal to the rearward longitudinal direction and the frontward longitudinal direction.

13. The front section according to claim 11 , wherein the upward direction and the downward direction are both substantially orthogonal to the opposing transverse directions.

14. The front section according to claim 11 , wherein the first holder comprises:

first and second pins that protrude from the radiator module in an upward direction and allow movement of the radiator module about a pivoting axis with one degree of freedom in the direction facing away from the bumper when the separable second holder is separated, wherein the pivoting axis extends horizontally through the first and second pins in the opposing transverse directions.

15. The front section according to claim 11 , wherein the first portion of the separable second holder protrudes laterally from the first side of the radiator module in one of the opposing transverse directions towards one of the sides of the motor vehicle, and wherein the separable second holder further comprises:

a third portion that protrudes laterally from the second side of the radiator module in the other one of the opposing transverse directions towards the other one of the sides of the motor vehicle; and

a fourth portion that is separable from the third portion by the rearward motion of the bumper.

Assignments (12)