Patent Application
20050253420
The present invention relates to a liner for a motor vehicle grille.
One of the present preoccupations in the motor vehicle industry lies in managing the various clearances between bodywork parts in order to optimize the appearance of the vehicle and the functional effectiveness of said bodywork parts.
The inventors working on the present invention have found that the clearance between a bumper shield and a motor vehicle grille cannot be managed in simple manner.
A particular object of the invention is to overcome that problem.
To this end, the invention provides a liner for a grille, the liner being positioned above a bumper shield, said shield having a top rim, the liner being characterized in that it includes means for supporting the top rim of the shield.
Since this grille liner is intended to position the grille, the fact that it is used to support the shield makes it simple to manage the clearance between the shield and the grille.
Optionally, the means for supporting the top rim of the shield form a transverse beam constituting a bearing surface level with the femur of a pedestrian's leg when the liner is mounted on a vehicle. Thus, in the event of an impact against a pedestrian, a leg of the pedestrian pressing against the top rim of the shield is not subjected to potentially dangerous deformation.
A grille liner of the invention may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics:
Furthermore, the grille liner of the invention is optionally of a general shape that fits substantially to the inside shape of the grille, so as to stiffen the grille so as to avoid small deformations in response to weak forces being applied to the grille.
According to other optional characteristics:
These characteristics have the advantage of conferring protection on the front panel which, in the event of a Danner impact, is not damaged by the grille and its support being pushed in.
According to other optional characteristics:
These characteristics have the advantage of protecting a pedestrian in the event of a pedestrian impact.
Finally, according to a last optional characteristic, the grille liner is made of thermoplastic material.
The invention will be better understood on reading the following description given purely by way of example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The liner 10 is generally made of thermoplastic material and comprises reinforcing ribs 13 serving to stiffen it, and means 14 for fastening to the vehicle. In the embodiment described, the vehicle has a front panel 16, and the means 14 for fastening to the vehicle are means for being fastened to said front panel 16.
The vehicle also includes a bumper shield 20. The shield 20 is provided with a top rim 22 including means 23 for fastening the grille 12 to the bumper shield 20. The bottom edge of the grille 12 is provided with horizontally-movable snap-fastener tabs 24 and the fastener means 23 include orifices formed on projections 25 from the top rim 22, suitable for receiving the tabs 24 on snap-fastening.
The liner 10 is also designed to be positioned above the bumper shield 20, and it has means 26 for supporting the top rim 22.
In general, the means 26 for supporting the top rim 22 form a transverse beam 27, as can be seen in
In order to be reinforced, in particular in a vertical direction, the bottom shelf 28 includes at least one longitudinal reinforcing rib 30 extending substantially perpendicularly to said bottom shelf 28.
In addition, the shield 20 is secured to the bottom shelf 28 at two fastening points 29 by means of two screws.
It should be observed that the liner 10 makes it simple to manage the clearance between the shield 20 and the grille 12. Both the shield 20 and the grille 12 are carried by the liner 10.
In addition to managing the positioning of the shield 20 relative to the grille 12, the liner 10 can also perform several other functions.
Thus, the liner 10 also performs the function of reinforcing the grille 12. For this purpose, the liner 10 is of a shape that fits generally closely to the inside shape of the grille 12. This stiffens the grille 12 and serves to prevent possible deformation of the grille 12 resulting from weak forces being applied thereto.
In addition, the liner 10 is made in such a manner as to provide protection for a pedestrian in the event of a pedestrian impact. For this purpose, the transverse beam 27 is situated level with the femur of a pedestrian's leg so as to press against the femur in the event of a pedestrian impact. The pedestrian's leg thus bears against the front of the vehicle during a pedestrian impact in such a manner as to avoid suffering potentially dangerous deformation.
The liner 10 also has energy-absorber means 32, e.g. comprising an array of ribs. These energy-absorber means 32 are located level with the higher part of a pedestrian's leg or with the head of a child when the liner 10 is mounted on a vehicle.
Furthermore, the liner 10 is made in such a manner as to protect the front panel 16 in the event of a Danner impact.
For this purpose, it should be observed that the fastener means 14 for fastening the liner 10 to the front panel 16 are suitable for breaking in the event of said liner 10 being subjected to a force greater than a predetermined force that corresponds to a Danner impact. The energy corresponding to the Danner impact is thus not transmitted to the front panel 16 by the fastener means 14.
In addition, the liner 10 is concave in shape, and it is shaped in such a manner as to be suitable for flattening on being subjected to a force corresponding to a Danner impact.
Finally, in its bottom portion the liner 10 has ends 34 for bearing against the front panel 16. Both of these bearing ends 34 are chamfered in shape so as to be capable of tilting upwards or sideways in order to escape when a horizontal force is exerted on said bearing ends 34, e.g. during a Danner impact. The front panel 16 is thus spared during a Danner impact.
8. A grille liner (10) according to claim 7, in which the means (14) for fastening to the front panel (16) are suitable for breaking in the event of the liner (10) being subjected to a force greater than a predetermined force, corresponding to a Danner impact.
9. A grille liner (10) according to any preceding claim, the liner being concave in shape and being shaped in such a manner as to be capable of flattening in the event of being subjected to a force greater than a predetermined threshold, corresponding to a Danner impact.
10. A grille liner (10) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, including, in its bottom portion, bearing ends (24) for bearing against the front panel (16) and shaped so as to escape downwards or sideways so as to preserve the front panel (16) and/or members mounted thereon such as a radiator in the event of the liner (10) being subjected to a force greater than a predetermined force, corresponding to a Danner impact.
11. A grille liner (10) according to claim 10, in which the bearing ends (34) are shaped to escape downwards or sideways in such a manner that a horizontal force exerted on said bearing ends (34) causes them to tilt in a desired direction.
12. A grille liner (10) according to claim 11, in which each of the bearing ends (34) is of chamfered shape.
13. A grille liner (10) according to any preceding claim, including localized energy-absorber means (32) on the liner (10) suitable for being level with the high portion of a pedestrian's leg or the head of a child when said liner (10) is mounted on a vehicle.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0401019 | Feb 2004 | FR | national |
