Patent ID: 12257968

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG.1shows a truck100provided with a front underrun protection device1. As shown inFIG.1the device1is arranged in a lower front position of the truck100.

An embodiment of the front underrun protection device1will now be described with reference toFIGS.2-6.

The front underrun protection device1comprises in general a beam2and first and second longitudinally spaced-apart bracket arrangements21,22(seeFIG.2) for mounting the beam2to the vehicle/truck100. When the device1is arranged onto the vehicle100the beam2extends from side to side of the vehicle100at a lower front position thereof. In this example the beam2is entirely made of a plastic/polymeric material in the form of polymerized dicyclopentadiene (DCPD).

The beam2comprises a housing beam member3and first and second reinforcement beam members4,5all extending in a longitudinal direction of the beam2(seeFIGS.4-5). The housing beam member3has a substantially H-shaped cross-section (seeFIG.4) with first and second substantially parallel outer panels31,32connected by an inner panel33that extends between the first and second outer panels31,32in a plane substantially perpendicular to that of each of the outer panels31,32so as to form first and second channels34,35extending along the housing beam member3at opposite sides of the inner panel33.

The first and second reinforcement beam members4,5have a similar structure but are oriented differently.

When the front underrun protection device1is arranged onto the vehicle100, as inFIG.1, the inner panel33of the housing beam member3extends in a substantially horizontal plane and the first and second reinforcement beam members4,5form upper and lower35beam members.

Each of the first and second reinforcement beam members4,5has an outer shape adapted to fit into the first and second channel34,35, respectively, of the housing beam member3. Further, each of the first and second reinforcement beam members4,5is arranged in its corresponding channel34,35and arranged to extend along the housing beam member3. As indicated inFIGS.6B and6C, the reinforcement beam members4,5are fixed to surfaces of the channels34,35of the housing beam member3by means of adhesives60.

Each of the first and second reinforcement beam members4,5is provided with a plurality of wall elements comprising transversal wall elements51,52distributed along and extending across the reinforcement beam member4,5and longitudinal wall elements53,53′ extending in a longitudinal direction of the reinforcement beam member4,5between the transversal wall elements51.

The transversal wall elements51,52comprise a first type of transversal wall elements51that extend in a plane of the beam2that is perpendicular or mainly perpendicular to the inner panel33of the housing beam member3. In this example, all the transversal wall elements of the first type51are somewhat inclined in relation to the inner panel33of the housing beam member3. This can be seen inFIG.4. Further, adjacent inclined transversal wall elements of the first type51are inclined in different or opposite directions so that a certain pair of adjacent wall elements51are inclined either towards each other or away from each other.

With reference toFIG.4it can be seen that the transversal wall element of the first type that forms part of the first (upper) reinforcement beam member4and that is clearly shown in the magnified part ofFIG.4is inclined in a direction so that its upper part is located further away (further down through the plane ofFIG.4) than its lower part. An adjacent wall element of the first type51located beyond the clearly visible wall element51(but hidden under/behind the wall structure52) is inclined in an opposite direction, i.e. that (hidden) adjacent wall element leans towards the clearly visible wall element51.

The transversal wall elements comprise also a second type of transversal wall elements52that extend in a plane of the beam2that is substantially parallel with the inner panel33of the housing beam member3(seeFIGS.4and6B). The wall element52(see magnified part ofFIG.4) is an example of a transversal wall element of the second type.

As shown or at least indicated in the magnified view ofFIG.4, the transversal wall elements of the second type52are arranged to connect end portions or edges of pairs of adjacent and inclined transversal wall elements of the first type51.

The longitudinal wall elements53,53′ extend in a plane of the beam2that is substantially perpendicular to the inner panel33of the housing beam member3.

FIG.5Aprovides an overview of the complete structure of each of the reinforcement beam members4,5since the two members4,5are similar (but oriented differently), sinceFIG.5Ashows the upper side of the first reinforcement member4and since the not shown lower side of the first reinforcement member4corresponds to the upper side of the second reinforcement member5, which is shown inFIG.5A.

Each reinforcement beam member4,5comprises a large number of transversal wall elements of the first type51, i.e. the more or less vertically arranged transversal wall elements. This means that each reinforcement beam member4,5comprises a first, a second and a third adjacent transversal wall element of the first type51, wherein the first and third transversal wall elements are arranged on opposite sides of the second transversal wall element in the longitudinal direction of the beam2. Further, one or more longitudinal wall elements53extend between the first and the second transversal wall elements and one or more further longitudinal wall elements53′ extend between the second and the third transversal wall elements. The one or more longitudinal wall elements53that extend between the first and the second transversal wall elements (in this example three longitudinal wall elements53, seeFIG.6B) are arranged transversally offset in relation to the one or more further longitudinal wall elements that extend between the second and the third transversal wall elements (in this example two (central) longitudinal wall elements53′, seeFIG.6C).

The longitudinal distance between the first and the second transversal wall element forms a first type of section, wherein the longitudinal distance between the second and the third transversal wall element forms a second type of section, wherein each reinforcement beam member4,5in the longitudinal direction thereof comprises a repetitive pattern of sections where a plurality of first and second sections are arranged adjacent each other in alternating order.

The above concerning first, second and third transversal wall elements of the first type51, different sections, etc., can be explained with reference toFIGS.6A-6C.FIG.6Aindicates positions for cross sections A and B, which are shown inFIGS.6B and6C, respectively. As can be seen from several of the figures, each reinforcement beam member4,5are made up of, at least over a portion of its length, a repetitive pattern of two types of sections. Each section extends between two adjacent transversal wall elements of the first (vertical) type51. Cross section B is taken through a first type of section and cross section C is taken through a second type of section. InFIG.6Athe cross sections B and C are located at some distance from each other but since there is a repetitive pattern of the first and second type of sections, cross sections of adjacent sections has the same structure as shown inFIGS.6B and6C.

Thus, in the first type of section (FIG.6B) there are three longitudinal wall elements53, which are connected to and covered on an outside by a transversal wall element of the second type52, and in an adjacent second type of section (FIG.6C) there are two longitudinal wall elements53′ (besides the outer sides of the reinforcement beam member4,5) arranged transversally offset in relation to the three longitudinal wall elements53of the first type of section. This offset feature can be clearly seen by comparingFIGS.6B and6C. In the second type of section (FIG.6C) the transversal wall element of the second type52connects the longitudinal wall elements53′ on an inside of the reinforcement beam members4,5, i.e. close to inner panel33of the housing beam member3.

For a certain pair of adjacent and inclined transversal wall elements of the first type51where the distance between the edges of the two wall elements51in the pair is (because of the inclination) less on one side of the reinforcement beam member4,5than on the opposite side, the corresponding transversal wall element of the second type52is arranged on that side of the reinforcement beam member4,5where the distance between the edges of the two adjacent and inclined transversal wall elements51is less. This is another way of saying that the transversal wall element of the second type52is arranged on one side of the reinforcement beam member4,5for the first type of section and on the opposite side for the second type od section (seeFIGS.6B and6C). The pattern of alternating sections and alternating sides for the position of the transversal wall element of the second (horizontal) type52can be seen from e.g.FIGS.5A and6A-6C.

As shown inFIGS.2-3, each of the first and second bracket arrangements21,22comprises a front23,24and a rear25,26mounting point for connection to corresponding support points, respectively, arranged on the vehicle100, wherein the rear mounting point25,26is connected to the beam2by means of first and second crash tubes27a,27b,28a,28bthat are inclined in relation to each other and that also are inclined in relation to the inner panel33of the housing beam member3so that, when the front underrun protection device1is mounted to the vehicle100, the rear mounting point25,26will be located above the beam2.

Moreover, the first crash tube27a,28aextends, as projected to a horizontal plane, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the beam2.

The second crash tube27b,28bconnects to the beam2at a position that is closer to an end of the beam2than a position at the beam2where the first crash tube27a,28aconnects to.

The housing beam member3, the first and second reinforcement beam members4,5and the plurality of wall elements51,52,53,53′, which form an integrated part together with the corresponding reinforcement beam member, are all made of a plastic or polymeric material.

The bracket arrangements21,22can be made of metal, such as aluminium or steel, or can be made of a combination of different materials.

Examples of typical dimensions for parts of the front underrun protection device1include:

Length of beam2: 2200 mm (the width of the vehicle100may be around 2500 mm);

Width of beam2(width of housing beam member3): 120 mm;

Height of beam2(height of housing beam member3): 132 mm;

Width of reinforcement beam member4,5: 100 mm (corresponding to width of channels34,35in housing beam member3);

Height of reinforcement beam member4,5: 60 mm; and

Thickness of wall elements51,52,53,53′: 8 mm.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings; rather, the skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims. For instance, the exact structure of the wall elements may be varied. Further, other plastic/polymeric materials than DCPD may be used. As an example, a stiffer material, such as nylon, may be used for the reinforcement beam members.