Bumper system for a motor vehicle
A bumper system for a motor vehicle includes, but is not limited to, a bumper cross member, which is fixed to a stiff frame of the motor vehicle, a pliable bumper shell, a compressible structure which is formed between an upper area of the shell and the cross member and one support section which supports the lower area of the shell, which, together with a crash box holding the cross member is anchored to the flange plates of the frame.
1. A bumper system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a stiff frame of the motor vehicle having flange plates for connecting to the stiff frame;
a bumper cross member and crash-boxes, the bumper cross member operably connected to the stiff frame by the crash-boxes;
a malleable bumper shell;
a compressible structure configured between an upper area of the malleable bumper shell and the bumper cross member; and
a support section supporting a lower area of the malleable bumper shell, wherein both the support section and the crash-boxes are fastened to the flange plates of the stiff frame, and wherein the support section includes a cross beam and two support arms each extending rearwardly from the cross beam to connect the support section with the flange plates, and the cross beam and the support arms are respectively configured to include a C-Profile and an I-Profile, wherein the C-Profile has outer webs that overlap with the I-Profile, and wherein the cross beam has cross beam ribs that run between the outer webs and the support arms have support arm ribs that run along an inside of the I-Profile, the cross beam ribs and the support arm ribs are cooperatively configured to stiffen the cross beam and the support arms.
2. The bumper system according to claim 1 , wherein the support section is made in one piece from an elastic plastic material.
3. The bumper system according 2 , wherein the plastic material is polyamide.
4. The bumper system according to claim 2 , wherein the plastic material is mixed with fibers.
5. The bumper system according to claim 1 , wherein the support section is fixed on a lower area of the flange plates adjacent to the crash-boxes which are fixed on an upper area of the flange plates.
6. The bumper system according to claim 1 , wherein the cross beam ribs overlap with the support arm ribs.
7. The bumper system according to claim 1 , wherein the support section and the crash-boxes are separately fastened to the flange plates of the stiff frame.
8. The bumper system according to claim 1 , wherein the crash-boxes are each configured as a section of pipe extending longitudinally between the support section and one of the flange plates of the stiff frame.