The vehicle crossbeam extending between the two shock absorber cups

Abstract

The present invention relates to a strut tower support beam (20) for a motor vehicle, the strut tower support beam comprising a central portion (21) and two side ends (22, 23), each of the side ends (22, 23) comprising an interface (24, 25) for attachment to the vehicle body and an interface (26, 27) for attachment to a shock absorber cup, the beam (20) being made of cast aluminum.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, and more particularly to transverse beams or crossbeams extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of a motor vehicle.

[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a front axle assembly of a motor vehicle, which includes a suspension member resting on a shock absorber cup. Background Technology

[0003] Typically, the shock absorber cup is fastened to the axle, which includes two side rails connected laterally by a crossbeam.

[0004] It is also known to mount crossbeams on the interior side of a vehicle; these crossbeams are in the form of tubular beams extending laterally within the driver's compartment of a motor vehicle. Driver's compartment crossbeams allow for the mounting of various driver's compartment components, such as the dashboard, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system, vehicle steering column, glove box, etc.

[0005] These crossbeams are produced by hot or cold deformation of the tubes. Obtaining these crossbeams requires the use of steel with high mechanical properties.

[0006] However, the structure of these beams does not allow for the separation of bending and torsional inertia, and the methods for manufacturing them are complex and require many steps, including pressing, heat treatment, riveting, and shot peening.

[0007] Furthermore, the anti-tipping stiffness provided by this type of beam is highly sensitive to the shape of the beam and the end constraints.

[0008] It is also known to include crossbeams comprising multiple sections welded together and secured to the body of a vehicle via fastening devices at each end of the crossbeams.

[0009] However, the welds between pipe sections pose a high risk of cracking at the weld joints.

[0010] There is a need to optimize the crossbeams of motor vehicles to meet stringent requirements in terms of stiffness and damping capacity. Summary of the Invention

[0011] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages and to provide a vehicle crossbeam whose shape is optimized to be lighter, more ergonomic and less expensive, while providing safety for passengers in the event of a frontal collision.

[0012] One aspect of this invention is a strut tower support crossbeam for a motor vehicle, comprising a central portion and two side ends, each side end including an interface for attachment to the vehicle body and an interface for attachment to a shock absorber mount or shock absorber cup, the crossbeam being made of cast aluminum. Thus, the strut tower support crossbeam extends laterally between two shock absorber cups.

[0013] Therefore, the support beam of the pillar tower can ensure the dynamic operating stiffness of the damping cup.

[0014] Advantageously, the crossbeam is a single, integrated component.

[0015] For example, an interface for fixing to the vehicle body includes at least one aperture through which a screw fastening element passes, and an interface for fixing to a shock absorber cup includes at least one aperture through which a screw fastening element passes. As a variation, multiple apertures, two or more, may be provided.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the crossbeam includes at least one fixed lug that protrudes from a central portion in a direction away from the vehicle interior and forms a mounting interface for a charging device for a battery of the propulsion unit.

[0017] Therefore, the support beam of the pillar tower also has the function of ensuring the dynamic stiffness of the charging device.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the crossbeam includes two pairs of fixing lugs for the charging device, each pair of fixing lugs including a recess formed by a material defect that cooperates with a support mount of a corresponding shape fastened to the charging device.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the crossbeam includes at least one fixed lug that protrudes from the central portion and forms a mounting interface for mounting an HVAC type heating unit.

[0020] The mounting lugs for the charging device and the mounting lugs for the heating unit can be the same lug or separate lugs.

[0021] For example, the central section includes multiple protruding parts that extend toward the interior of the vehicle.

[0022] Such protruding parts are cut out in a way that fits the shape of other parts of the motor vehicle.

[0023] As a variant, the rear can be configured with other cutout shapes to suit all types of motor vehicles.

[0024] Each end may include a mounting interface for securing the water tank and / or a mounting interface for securing the wiper mechanism.

[0025] The bottom surface of the central portion of the crossbeam may include multiple reinforcing ribs.

[0026] A second aspect of the invention relates to a front axle assembly for a motor vehicle, the front axle assembly including an engine compartment defined by two longitudinal arms, at least a first transverse beam connecting the arms, and a vehicle body, the front axle assembly including two suspension members (e.g., suspension springs or shock absorbers), each suspension member being connected to the front wheel of the vehicle via one end and to a support mount or support cup via its other end, characterized in that the front axle assembly includes a strut tower support beam as described above, the strut tower support beam extending laterally between the shock absorber cups within the engine compartment.

[0027] Therefore, the support beam of the pillar tower ensures the dynamic operating stiffness of the damping cup.

[0028] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a motor vehicle including the front axle assembly as described above. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Further objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given only by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the front axle assembly of a motor vehicle, including a crossbeam, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A bottom view of the beam; and

[0032] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Top view of the beam. Detailed Implementation

[0033] In the following description, the terms "longitudinal," "lateral," "vertical," "front," "rear," "left," and "right" are defined according to the general orthogonal reference system for a motor vehicle depicted in the accompanying drawings, and this orthogonal reference system includes:

[0034] - The longitudinal axis X, which is horizontal and points from the front to the rear of the vehicle;

[0035] - The horizontal axis Y is horizontal, perpendicular to the vertical axis X, and oriented from the left side of the vehicle to the right side as the vehicle moves forward;

[0036] - Vertical axis Z, which is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis X and the transverse axis Y.

[0037] Figure 1A portion of a front axle assembly 10 of a motor vehicle is depicted. The front axle assembly includes an axle comprising two longitudinal arms 11 and 12 connected by a first transverse beam 13 and defining an engine compartment 15 together with a front bumper beam 14 and a vehicle body 16. Arm 11 connects the vehicle body (not depicted) to a support mount (not depicted) for wheels.

[0038] The engine compartment 15 is separated from the interior of the (unreferenced) motor vehicle by a wall 16 or partition extending in the YZ plane.

[0039] The "lateral" direction refers to the direction perpendicular to the vehicle's longitudinal direction X.

[0040] The front axle assembly 10 further includes two suspension members, such as suspension springs or shock absorbers (not depicted), each of which is connected to the front wheel of the vehicle via one end and to a support mount or support cup (not depicted) via the other end.

[0041] The front axle assembly 10 includes a strut tower support beam 20 that extends laterally between the shock absorber cups in the engine compartment 15.

[0042] The support beam 20 of the support tower is made of cast aluminum. The support beam 20 is in the form of a plate with a vertical dimension smaller than its longitudinal dimension.

[0043] Specifically, this is because the current design of the engine compartment for electric vehicles does not allow for the integration of a tubular crossbeam between the two damping cups.

[0044] The support beam 20 of the pillar tower includes a central section 21 and two side ends 22 and 23.

[0045] The strut tower support beam 20 is secured to the vehicle body and the corresponding shock absorber cup at its two ends 22 and 23 by screw fastening elements. Therefore, the beam ensures the dynamic operating stiffness of the shock absorber cup.

[0046] Each end 22, 23 has a mounting interface 24, 25 for fixing to the vehicle body and a mounting interface 26, 27 for fixing to the shock absorber cup.

[0047] As shown, the mounting interfaces 24, 25 for fixing to the vehicle body include two holes 24a, 24b and 25a, 25b for screw fastening elements to pass through. Alternatively, multiple holes other than the two at each end can be provided, for example, three or more.

[0048] As shown in the figure, the fixing interfaces 26 and 27 for fixing to the shock absorber cup include two holes 26a and 26b and 27a and 27b for screw fastening elements to pass through. Alternatively, multiple holes other than the two at each end can be provided, for example, more than or equal to three.

[0049] Completely non-limiting, each end 22, 23 includes a fixing interface 29a, 29b for fixing a water tank (not depicted) and a fixing interface 30 for fixing a wiper mechanism (not depicted).

[0050] The central portion 21 of the support tower beam 20 is defined by a rear end 21a facing the interior of the vehicle and a front end 21b facing away from the interior of the vehicle on the opposite side of the rear end 21a.

[0051] As shown in the figure, the rear 21a includes a plurality of protruding portions 31 that project toward the interior of the vehicle and are spaced apart from each other. The protruding portions 31 are designed to cooperate with the partition of the motor vehicle.

[0052] Such protruding parts are cut out in a way that fits the shape of other parts of the motor vehicle.

[0053] As an alternative, the rear 21a can be configured to have other cutout shapes to accommodate all types of motor vehicles.

[0054] As shown, the front 21a of the crossbeam 20 includes fixed lugs 32, 33, 34, and 35, four in this example.

[0055] Fixed lugs protrude from the front 21a. These fixed lugs may protrude in a direction away from the vehicle interior. In a variant embodiment not shown, the fixed lugs may protrude in the opposite direction.

[0056] Each pair of fixed lugs 32, 33; 34, 35 includes recesses 32a, 33a; 34a, 35a formed by material defects, which are used to receive correspondingly shaped support mounts 40, 41, which are fastened to a charging device 42 for a battery used in the propulsion unit.

[0057] Therefore, the support beam 20 of the pillar tower also has the function of ensuring the dynamic stiffness of the charging device 42.

[0058] The support mounts 40, 41 for the charging device 42 are configured to break in the event of a frontal collision with a motor vehicle, and thus guide the charging device in the vertical direction rather than the longitudinal direction.

[0059] Each mounting lug 32, 33; 34, 35 includes a mounting interface 32b, 33b; 34b, 35b for mounting to an HVAC type heating unit 50.

[0060] As an alternative, one pair of these fixing lugs can be configured to include a fixing interface for fixing to the heating unit 50.

[0061] Therefore, the heating unit 50 is located in the engine compartment 15, rather than inside the vehicle as is the case in known motor vehicles.

[0062] like Figure 3 As shown in detail, the support beam 20 of the pillar tower includes a plurality of reinforcing ribs 60, particularly provided in the central portion 21 of the beam.

[0063] Rib 60 here has a closed profile.

[0064] As a variation, other forms of reinforcing ribs 60 can be provided.

[0065] As shown in the figure, the support beam 20 of the pillar tower is asymmetrical about the longitudinal axis X.

[0066] The support beam 20 of the pillar tower is essentially flat and is not an extruded one-piece component.

[0067] The support beam 20 of the pillar tower is advantageously produced by casting aluminum in a mold and then cutting it, so as to be able to accommodate a large number of motor vehicles.

[0068] Therefore, a modular strut tower support beam can be created using a single mold, allowing the strut tower support beam to be adapted to a variety of vehicles.

[0069] The strut tower support beam 20 can support multiple mechanical components of a motor vehicle, particularly but not exclusively, such as shock absorbers, charging devices and heating units, while maintaining the dynamic stiffness of the components and reducing the manufacturing cost of the beam.

Claims

1. A front axle assembly (10) for a motor vehicle, the front axle assembly including an engine compartment (15) defined by two longitudinal arms (11, 12), at least a first transverse crossbeam (13) connecting the arms, and a vehicle body (16), the front axle assembly including two suspension members, each suspension member being connected to a front wheel of the vehicle via one end and to a support cup via the other end, the front axle assembly including an integral strut tower support crossbeam (20) made of cast aluminum and extending laterally in the engine compartment (15) between support cups of shock absorbers, the strut tower support crossbeam including a central portion (21) and two side ends (22, 23), each of the side ends (22, 23) including an interface (24, 25) for fixing to the vehicle body and an interface (26, 27) for fixing to the shock absorber cup, characterized in that, The strut tower support beam (20) includes at least one fixed lug (32, 33, 34, 35) that protrudes from the central portion (21) in a direction away from the vehicle interior and forms a mounting interface for a charging device (42) for a propulsion unit battery. The strut tower support beam includes two pairs of fixed lugs (32, 33, 34, 35) for securing the charging device (42). Each pair of fixed lugs (32, 33; 34, 35) includes a recess (32a, 33a; 34a, 35a) formed by a material defect. The recess cooperates with a correspondingly shaped support mount (40, 41) fastened to the charging device (42). The support mount (40, 41) is configured to break in the event of a frontal collision with a motor vehicle and thus guide the charging device in the vertical rather than longitudinal direction.

2. The front axle assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The interfaces (24, 25) for fixing to the body of the vehicle include at least one aperture (24a, 24b; 25a, 25b) for screw fastening elements to pass through, and the interfaces (26, 27) for fixing to the shock absorber cup include at least one aperture (26a, 26b; 27a, 27b) for screw fastening elements to pass through.

3. The front axle assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising a heating unit (50) disposed in the engine compartment (15), wherein, The support beam (20) of the pillar tower includes at least one fixed lug that protrudes from the central portion (21) and forms a mounting interface for mounting the heating unit (50).

4. The front axle assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The central portion (21) of the support tower beam (20) includes a plurality of protruding portions (31) that project toward the interior of the vehicle and are configured to cooperate with the vehicle’s partitions.

5. The front axle assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein, Each of the side ends (22, 23) of the support tower beam (20) includes a fixing interface (29a, 29b) for fixing the water tank and / or a fixing interface (30) for fixing the wiper mechanism.

6. A motor vehicle comprising a front axle assembly as described in any of the preceding claims.

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