Benteler-automobiltechnik Gmbh

Daimler Chrysler Ag

Benteler Automobiltechnik Gmbh & Co Kg

Wilhelm Arns

Arndt Birkert

Matthias Schroeder

Michael Roll

Elmar Mollemeier

Hans-Jürgen Knaup

Ulrich Lütke-Bexten

Oliver Müller

Sven-Lars Rotzoll

Peter Göer

Martin Schr&ouml;ter

A bumper assembly for a motor vehicle comprising a cross member that extends transverse the motor vehicle, and has an open hat-shaped hollow profile with a rear-sided web and legs, extending from the web, wherein flanges extend from a free end of the legs in the vertical direction; and an opening pointing away from the motor vehicle, in the longitudinal direction. At least one closing plate is arranged allowing the opening to be completely closed in the vertical direction and arranged allowing a partial length of less than 50% of the length of the opening to be closed in the transverse direction; and that the flanges are offset from each other with an offset in the longitudinal direction; and that the cross member has a varying cross section over its length, wherein a central region is offset upwards from the end regions with a height offset to the vertical direction.

Bumper assembly with closing plate

A passenger car includes a body having two opposite wheel wells and a electric energy source which is arranged between two the wheel wheels for supply of electric energy. A protection made of steel sheet is arranged above the electric energy source and has depressions which extend in a direction from one of the wheel wells to another one of the wheel wells.

Passenger car with protection

In a method of making a motor vehicle body structure, at least one region of a sheet metal plate of hardenable steel sheet is pierced using a blanking and/or cutting process. The at least one region of the sheet metal plate is preformed into a preform which is then hot formed in a hot forming tool and press hardened.

Method for the production of a hot formed and press hardened motor vehicle body structure, and motor vehicle body structure

A bumper system for a motor vehicle includes a cross-member having a U-shape that opens away from the motor vehicle and includes a pair of outer flanges. At least one crush box is connected with the cross-member and supports the same on the motor vehicle. A closure member is operably connected with the outer flanges of the cross-member, and includes first and second longitudinal segments, each of which has a generally U-shaped configuration which opens toward the cross-member, and includes a base, a pair of legs, and a pair of flanges. A coupling member attaches the first and second segments of the closure member to the outer flanges of the cross-member and includes a connecting bar that extends in a generally vertical plane and is connected with the base of each of the first and second segments.

Bumper system for motor vehicles

Elongated structural components having regions of different thicknesses, especially for use in automobile bodies, are produced by flexible rolling metal strip so as to form along a length thereof rolled-strip segments of different wall thickness. The sheet bars are cut from the rolled strip and have regions of different wall thickness. Each sheet bar is reshaped in at least one hot-forming tool in at least one hot-forming state and the reshaped sheet bar is then rapidly cooled in the hot-forming tool of the last reshaping stage.

Structural component

A bumper structure for the front and rear area of a motor vehicle includes a bumper cross member, and a crash box placed between the cross member and an end of a side rail. At least two bolted connections, extending in upright direction of the motor vehicle and disposed in parallel relationship, are provided for detachably securing the cross member to the crash box, wherein one of the bolted connections extends through a bore to define a pivot axis of the cross member whereas the other one of the bolted connections is arranged in an oblong hole to allow a limited rotation of the cross member about the pivot axis. In this way, damage to the crash box that is distal to the impact site is prevented.

Bumper structure

A bumper structure for a motor vehicle includes a cross member, and a crash box placed between the cross member and a longitudinal member, with the crash box having an attachment zone. Bolts extend through walls of the attachment zone and the longitudinal member for securing the crash box to the longitudinal member by forcing the attachment zone against the wall of the longitudinal member. The attachment zone undergoes hereby locally an elastic or plastic deformation for realizing a self-centered disposition of the crash box in relation to the longitudinal member. The walls of the attachment zone and the longitudinal member extend at a tolerance distance before the crash box is secured to the longitudinal member.

Bumper structure for a motor vehicle

A bumper for a motor vehicle includes a cross member disposed transversely to side rails of a motor vehicle frame and having a U-shaped cross section with a wall and two legs extending from opposite ends of the wall. The cross member is supported via integral crash boxes against the side rails. Each crash box has a cross member proximal end which abuts against the wall of the cross member, and includes vertical legs and horizontal legs to define a casing-like configuration. The wall of the cross member is formed in an area of the cross member proximal end of the crash box with a depression which extends in a direction of the crash box, with the vertical legs of the crash box joined at the cross member proximal end to the wall of the cross member, and with the horizontal legs of the crash box spaced from the wall of the cross member by a distance.

Bumper for a motor vehicle

A bumper structure for the front and rear area of a motor vehicle includes a bumper cross member and a crash box which is placed between the cross member and an end of a side rail. The crash box is configured in the form of a hollow body made of two sheet-metal shells which overlap one another in an overlap zone and are interconnected, at least in sections thereof, through material union. The cross member is detachably secured to the crash box by a bolted connection having at least one bolt which extends in upright direction of the motor vehicle and is arranged in the overlap zone of the crash box. Force introduction from the cross member into the crash box is hereby improved.

Method of making structural components

A bumper assembly has a cross beam formed with an outer vertical web and two horizontal sides extending inward from upper and lower edges of the web, and two vehicle frame members having support ends spaced inward from and vertically offset from a center of the cross-beam web. Respective crash boxes each formed as a horizontally extending tube have an outer end engaging the bumper cross beam and an inner end fixed to the frame members. The outer ends of the crash boxes are vertically offset from the respective inner ends. The inner ends of the crash boxes bear outward generally only on the web and on one of the sides of the cross beam. The other of the sides of the cross beam is generally out of engagement with the crash boxes.

Crash-box bumper mount

A hardened steel part of complex shape is made from a workpiece by first heating the workpiece to an annealing temperature. Then, while the workpiece is still at the annealing temperature, the workpiece is rapidly deformed by a machine into an intermediate shape. The deformed workpiece is then moved from the machine to a press, and, while the workpiece is still at the annealing temperature, it is deformed in the press to the complex shape and then held in the press to harden the workpiece.

Method of making a hardened motor-vehicle part of complex shape

The invention relates to a method for producing a hardened sheet metal section from a flat blank, wherein the flat blank is provided with collared holes that are collared and with two groove-like indentations which serve to support the sheet metal blank on a conveyor during heating treatment in an oven; subsequently, the blank is formed in a press tool into a sheet metal section by warm forming and where, if required, the formed indentations can be flattened; and thereafter the section is hardened while remaining clamped within the tool.

Method for producing a hardened sheet metal section

A bumper for a motor vehicle; includes a cross member having an U-shaped cross section and intended for attachment to longitudinal members of a vehicle chassis. The cross member includes a web and two legs connected to the web. Received in the cross member is an impact absorber which has a cross member proximal end joined to the web and to confronting ends of the legs.

A device for manufacturing a hollow body from two plates. The device includes an internal high pressure forming tool having an interior surface defining a mold chamber corresponding to a shape of the hollow body. The forming tool being arranged to receive two plates resting against each other. An expansion lance is insertable between the plates via an axial drive, and the expansion lance and the axial drive forming a pushing plunger. The expansion lance has a pinching section along a circumferential contour, and the plates to be pinched are arranged between the pinching section and the forming tool. The expansion lance includes a feed bore communicable with a high pressure fluid source. The expansion lance defines an axial stop to abut axial edges of the plates. The axial stop has a radial periphery which is smaller than that of the mold chamber.

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Paderborn, Germany

Wilhelm Arns