IP Library Granted Patent US 8,622,463
Granted Patent B2
US 8,622,463 · App. 13/338,297 · Granted Jan 7, 2014

Front region of a vehicle and vehicle

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,622,463
App. No.
13/338,297
Granted
Jan 7, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A front region of a vehicle is provided that includes, but is not limited to an upper front region, a middle front region, and a lower front region. The upper front region includes, but is not limited to an engine hood, front regions of mudguards headlamps or driving direction indicators. The middle front region includes, but is not limited to an impact energy-absorbing region and has molding elements in driving direction. The molding elements interact with impact energy-absorbing, yielding structures. The yielding structures are plastically deformable. The lower front region includes, but is not limited to a molding apron. The lower front region is elastically deformable.

Claims (28)

1. A front region of a vehicle, comprising:

an upper front region an engine hood, front regions of mudguards, headlamps, or driving direction indicators;

a middle front region is configured as an impact energy-absorbing region and comprises molding elements in a driving direction that interact with impact energy-absorbing, yielding structures and the impact energy-absorbing, yielding structures are plastically deformable; and

a lower front region that is elastically deformable and comprises a molding apron,

wherein the molding apron comprises an elastic material that is elastically supported on a vehicle underbody, and rubber-elastic buffers with hollow profiles are arranged between the molding apron and the vehicle underbody.

2. The front region according to claim 1 , wherein the molding elements are arranged upstream of the front region of a front radiator block in the driving direction.

3. The front region according to claim 2 , wherein the molding apron is configured to cover a lower region of the front radiator block and arranged below the front radiator block.

4. The front region according to claim 1 , wherein the lower front region is substantially free of components that are not elastically deformable.

5. The front region according to claim 4 , wherein the components that are not elastically deformable are air intake manifolds, radiator grille and fog headlamps.

6. The front region according to claim 4 , wherein the components that are not elastically deformable is a radiator grille.

7. The front region according to claim 4 , wherein the components that are not elastically deformable are fog headlamps.

8. The front region according to claim 1 , wherein the molding apron comprises an elastic material and fixed to the middle impact energy-absorbing front region transversely to the driving direction and with a lower edge arranged in a freely suspended manner.

9. The front region according to claim 1 , wherein elastically resilient elements are arranged between the molding apron and the vehicle underbody.

10. The front region according to claim 9 ,

wherein the vehicle underbody towards the molding apron comprises a cross member and energy-absorbing crash boxes, and

wherein the elastically resilient elements are arranged upstream of the crash boxes in the driving direction.

11. The front region according to claim 1 , buffers of rubber-elastic foams are arranged wherein between the molding apron and the vehicle underbody.

12. The front region according to claim 1 , wherein an elongated buffer is arranged between the molding apron and the vehicle underbody, which comprises a rubber-elastic foam.

13. A front region of a vehicle, comprising:

an upper front region an engine hood, front regions of mudguards, headlamps, or driving direction indicators;

a middle front region is configured as an impact energy-absorbing region and comprises molding elements in a driving direction that interact with impact energy-absorbing, yielding structures and the impact energy-absorbing, yielding structures are plastically deformable; and

a lower front region that is elastically deformable and comprises a molding apron,

wherein the molding apron comprises an elastic material that is elastically supported on a vehicle underbody, and an elongated and rubber-elastic hose is arranged between the molding apron and the vehicle underbody and transversely to the driving direction with a hollow profile.

14. A front region of a vehicle, comprising:

an upper front region an engine hood, front regions of mudguards, headlamps, or driving direction indicators;

a middle front region is configured as an impact energy-absorbing region and comprises molding elements in a driving direction that interact with impact energy-absorbing, yielding structures and the impact energy-absorbing, yielding structures are plastically deformable; and

a lower front region that is elastically deformable and comprises a molding apron,

wherein a hose-shaped airbag is arranged transversely to the driving direction on a lower edge of the molding apron.

Assignments (3)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034287/0415 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 28, 2012
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 028458/0184 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2012
From: SCHAEFER, JOACHIM
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 027834/0329 →