Bumper structure for a motor vehicle

A bumper structure for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a cross member
• a crash box firmly mounted to the cross member and extending between the cross member and a longitudinal member, said crash box having a cross-member-proximal first zone and a second cross-member-distal elastic attachment zone and being made of two half-shells connected to one another at least in the first zone;
• and
• fastening means, extending 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, while the attachment zone undergoes locally an elastic or plastic deformation for realizing a self-centered disposition of the crash box in relation to the longitudinal member by allowing a transverse shift of the half-shells of the crash box transversely to a vehicle length axis, said walls of the attachment zone and the longitudinal member extending at a tolerance distance relative to one another before the crash box is secured to the longitudinal member,
• wherein the half-shells of the crash box have marginal webs which are connected to one another to define first flanges and which form part of the attachment zone, said longitudinal member comprised of two half-shells which have marginal webs connected to one another to define second flanges, said webs of the crash box extending at a distance to one another in the attachment zone and surrounding the second flanges at a distance corresponding to the tolerance distance.

A bumper structure, for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a cross member;
• a crash box firmly mounted to the cross member and extending between the cross member and a longitudinal member, said crash box having a cross-member-proximal first zone and a second cross-member-distal elastic attachment zone and being made of two half-shells connected to one another at least in the first zone;
• and
• fastening means, extending 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, while the attachment zone undergoes locally an elastic or plastic deformation for realizing a self-centered disposition of the crash box in relation to the longitudinal member by allowing a transverse shift of the half-shells of the crash box transversely to a vehicle length axis, said walls of the attachment zone and the longitudinal member extending at a tolerance distance relative to one another before the crash box is secured to the longitudinal member,
• wherein the attachment zone is constructed for placement into the longitudinal member.

A bumper structure for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a cross member;
• a crash box firmly mounted to the cross member and extending between the cross member and a longitudinal member, said crash box having a cross-member-proximal first zone and a second cross-member-distal elastic attachment zone and being made of two half-shells connected to one another at least in the first zone;
• and
• fastening means, extending 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, while the attachment zone undergoes locally an elastic or plastic deformation for realizing a self-centered disposition of the crash box in relation to the longitudinal member by allowing a transverse shift of the half-shells of the crash box transversely to a vehicle length axis, said walls of the attachment zone and the longitudinal member extending at a tolerance distance relative to one another before the crash box is secured to the longitudinal member,
• wherein the cross member has a hat-shaped cross section with a center plate which is recessed in a direction of the crash box and terminates in angled legs, said half-shells of the crash box having marginal webs which are connected to one another to define flanges for connection to the legs.