Vehicle fenders – Buffer or bumper type – Combined
Patent
1998-11-25
2000-03-21
Pape, Joseph D.
Vehicle fenders
Buffer or bumper type
Combined
293102, B60R 1948, G01S 1593
Patent
active
06039367&
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a preferably overpaintable bumper with a holder for acceptance of a an ultrasound transducer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Ultrasound transducers are increasingly being inserted into the bumper of a motor vehicle for use with distance warning equipment, parking aids, and similar equipment. To this end, a series-manufactured bumper must be prepared for acceptance of the ultrasound transducer. This is achieved by drilling an opening and inserting a holder which, in turn, accepts the ultrasound transducer. The holder is frequently welded permanently to the bumper. Exchangeable holding devices have also been proposed, as described in the applicant's patent application 195 28 474.7, through which transducers of various dimensions can be fitted to the uniform acceptance opening of a bumper.
There is a growing trend toward painting the bumpers on motor vehicles. The disadvantage of known bumpers that are equipped with a holder for acceptance of an ultrasound transducer is that they feature relatively narrow mold seams, which result in a poor appearance after overcoating. In addition, paint tends to creep along the adjacent interfaces of the mold seams and then harden.
Consequently, the objective of the invention is to specify novel designs of bumper holders that are particularly advantageous in terms of painting of the bumper.
Thus, an initial solution of the objective consists, in principle, in immediately connecting a first holder to the bumper in one piece and then later connecting a second holder segment permanently to the first holder segment. The advantage here consists in the fact that it is possible, to mold the first holder segment directly to the bumper during its manufacture, with the first holder segment being installed in a relatively simple manner. Consequently, the casting molds are not required to meet any special specifications, as the connecting elements between the holder and the transducer casing, which are known, for example, from 195 28 474.7, are not integrally cast directly to the bumper. In this respect, no special advance performance is provided for the event that the bumper is to be delivered without ultrasound transducers, and the addition of the first holder segment only adds a slight complication to the shape of the bumper. The opening in the bumper needed for acceptance of the transducer casing can either be incorporated immediately during the bumper casting process or this opening can be cut out later for installation of the transducer. The primary advantage of this invention solution consists in the fact that a visible mold seam, which would otherwise be created when the entire holder is subsequently welded into the bumper, is avoided on the visible surface of the bumper between the bumper and the holder.
An additional advantage consists in the fact that the second holder segment, which is later joined to the first segment, can assume a certain adapter function in that it can be used, for example, to match the external dimensions of various transducers to the internal dimensions of the first holder segment. All that is required to achieve this is to pull an annular protrusion of the second holder segment forward to the visible end of the transducer casing on the bumper, with the inner diameter of the second casing segment matching the outer diameter of the corresponding transducer casing.
Measures are disclosed for purposes of permanently connecting the two holder segments to one another.
To enlarge the connection surface between the two holder segments, it is advantageous to apply projection or recess features on the bumper. The two corresponding connection elements (projection and recess) provide both for centering and for enlargement of the connection surface. However, as described above, the use of corresponding steps in the two holder segments can also result in an advantageous solution which, at the same time, can exercise a certain adapter function.
An especially simple design of a bumper equipped with a holder results when the pr
REFERENCES:
patent: 4636997 (1987-01-01), Toyama et al.
patent: 5951194 (1999-09-01), Faass et al.
Search Report of the German Patent Office Relating to Parent German Patent Application 196 01 987.7.
German Publication Application No. 34 23 601.
Mathes Joachim
Muller Harry
Engle Patricia
ITT Manufacturing Enterprises Inc.
Lewis J. Gordon
Pape Joseph D.
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