Unit support device and motor vehicle having such unit support device

Abstract

A unit support device (10) for supporting a unit (2) relative to a vehicle body (3) comprises a support body (11) for supporting relative to the vehicle body (3) and a support arm (12) having a first end section (13) and a second end section (14). The first end section (13) of the support arm (12) is connected to the support body (11), and the second end section (14) of the support arm (12) is provided with a device (15) for fixing the unit (2). The support arm (12) is designed between the first end section (13) and the second end section (14) in such a way that the support arm (12) breaks or bends under the action of a force (F) in the direction from the second end section (13) to the first end section (14) in the event of exceeding a predetermined threshold for the force (F). The invention also relates to a motor vehicle in which such a unit support device (10) is arranged between the unit (2) and the traction battery (4).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicle technology, and in particular to an assembly support device for supporting an assembly relative to a vehicle body. The assembly support device comprises a support body for supporting the assembly relative to the vehicle body.

[0002] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a unit for driving the motor vehicle, a body and a traction battery.

[0003] A unit support device of the type mentioned at the outset is known, for example, from patent specification DE 10 2020 113 946 A1.

[0004] A motor vehicle of the type mentioned at the outset is described, for example, in patent specification DE 10 2019 216 990 A1.

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to improve the support of the unit relative to the vehicle body in terms of collision safety.

[0006] In particular, in the event of a collision in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, it is intended to prevent vulnerable parts of the motor vehicle from being damaged by the assembly support due to the impact-induced forces acting on the assembly.

[0007] This technical problem is solved by a unit support device according to claim 1. The unit support device according to the invention comprises a support body for supporting the vehicle body and also comprises a support arm, which has a first end section and a second end section, wherein the support arm is connected to the support body with its first end section, and the support arm has a device for fixing the unit at its second end section, and wherein the support arm is designed between the first end section and the second end section so that the support arm bends or breaks under the action of a force in the direction from the second end section to the first end section when a predetermined threshold for the force is exceeded.

[0008] In the event of a collision, the forces acting on the assembly are directed into the motor vehicle body via the assembly support. In the present disclosure, this is achieved by a support arm that buckles or breaks when a predetermined threshold is exceeded. This ensures that the support body of the assembly support does not have an impact protrusion effect on components located in the direction of the impact. Accordingly, these components are protected from damage in the event of a collision.

[0009] The supporting arm is designed in such a way that it absorbs the operating loads occurring during the proper operation of the motor vehicle and is suitable for supporting the assembly relative to the vehicle body.

[0010] The aggregate may be, for example, an electric engine (or electric motor) for driving the motor vehicle, an internal combustion engine, a transmission provided for the engine, or a unit consisting of an engine and a transmission.

[0011] The solution according to the invention makes it possible to increase the crash safety by simple means, since it can be realized without additional components and without additional assembly effort.

[0012] Special embodiments of the invention are the subject of the other claims.

[0013] For example, according to a special embodiment, the support arm can have a plurality of fingers, each of which has a separate device for fixing the assembly, thereby achieving a particularly stable support of the assembly for the proper operation of the motor vehicle.

[0014] According to a further special embodiment, the support arm can be made of a die-cast alloy. The die-cast alloy is relatively brittle, so that the support arm breaks reliably in the event of an overload.

[0015] Alternatively, the support arm can also be made of plastic in order to fail in a targeted manner in the event of an overload. Other materials are also possible.

[0016] According to a further special embodiment, the support arm can be made of sheet metal. In this case, in the event of an overload in a collision, the support arm will bend, if necessary also break, transversely to the connecting line between the first end section and the second end section, thereby relieving the load on the support body.

[0017] According to another special embodiment, the support arm can be designed to have an S-shaped bend between its first end section and its second end section. This facilitates the induction of fracture or lateral bending. The S-shaped bend can be understood as an undulation relative to a straight line or relative to a plane.

[0018] If necessary, a reinforcing rib can be provided on the support arm, which extends from the first end section to the second end section and has a wave shape relative to the shortest connecting line between the first end section and the second end section. This, on the one hand, achieves good support of the operating loads during the proper operation of the motor vehicle. On the other hand, this facilitates the initiation of fractures or lateral buckling in the event of an overload in a collision.

[0019] According to a further special embodiment of the invention, the bearing body can have a bearing bushing, wherein the support arm is arranged on the bearing bushing and protrudes radially beyond the bearing bushing. Vibration isolation between the unit and the vehicle body can be achieved, for example, by means of the bearing bushing.

[0020] The support arm is preferably welded to the bearing bushing, which results in greater freedom in the design of the two components. However, it is also possible in principle to construct at least parts of the support arm and the bearing bushing in one piece with one another.

[0021] It is also possible to press the bearing bushing into the support arm.

[0022] According to a further special embodiment, the bearing bushing has a bearing axis, wherein the introduction of force into the bearing bushing by the first end section is arranged in a first plane perpendicular to the bearing axis, the introduction of force into the second end section on the assembly side is arranged in a second plane perpendicular to the bearing axis, and the first plane and the second plane are parallel to each other and offset relative to each other. The offset between the planes of the introduction of force additionally facilitates an intentional failure, in particular a fracture or a buckling, of the support arm in the event of a crash.

[0023] In principle, the bearing bushing can be fastened directly to the vehicle body, and in the present disclosure, structures fixed relative to the vehicle body, such as auxiliary frames or subframes, are also considered as the vehicle body. However, according to another special embodiment, the support body can have a dedicated fixing bracket, which itself has a device for fixing to the vehicle body. In this case, the bearing bushing is supported on the fixing bracket. The fixing bracket allows a more flexible selection of the support position of the unit on the vehicle body, so that the design of the vehicle body on which the support is ultimately realized does not need to be too much considered in terms of the support position. The design and production expenditure associated with this is thereby reduced.

[0024] Preferably, the bearing bushing is elastically supported on the fastening bracket with an interposed elastomer.

[0025] The above technical problem is also solved by a motor vehicle according to claim 11. The motor vehicle comprises a unit for driving the motor vehicle, a vehicle body, a traction battery and a unit support device according to any one of the preceding claims, the unit being supported on the vehicle body by the unit support device, wherein the unit support device is arranged between the unit and the traction battery.

[0026] By means of the unit support device according to the invention and its arrangement on the vehicle, the traction battery of the motor vehicle is very effectively protected from damage by the unit support device, in particular the supporting body of the unit support device, in the event of a crash-induced force acting on the unit, because the support arms of the unit support device break or buckle before the fastening of the supporting body on the vehicle body can fail. In other words, the threshold for the buckling or breaking is expediently selected to be below the level of the fastening force of the supporting body on the vehicle body and above the level of the support of the operating forces during the intended operation of the motor vehicle.

[0027] A further advantage of this arrangement is that the support can optionally be provided by a single unit support between the unit and the traction battery, since the positioning of the unit support no longer requires consideration of the transmission of impact forces past the traction battery. The installation of additional crash elements for protecting the traction battery can also be avoided. However, this does not exclude the use of a plurality of unit supports of the above-described type or the use of other different unit supports for supporting the unit.

[0028] According to a special embodiment of the motor vehicle, the unit support device can be arranged on the motor vehicle in such a way that the support arm of the unit support device is directed away from the traction battery on the support body. This ensures that, in the event of a collision between the motor vehicle and an obstacle, in particular in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the force flow of a possible impact force first strikes the support arm before it can reach the support body. This ensures that the support arm is reliably separated, i.e., broken, or reliably buckled before the fastening of the support body to the vehicle body can fail.

[0029] According to a special embodiment of the motor vehicle, the assembly support is arranged above the steering gear in the vehicle height direction. For this purpose, the bracket of the support body can in particular span the steering gear and be fastened to the auxiliary frame of the vehicle body both before and after the steering gear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. This achieves an additional reinforcement effect on the vehicle body.

[0030] The following is a detailed description of the method for implementing the present invention according to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0031] Figure 1 A schematic top view of a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0032] Figure 2 A three-dimensional detailed view showing the support of a unit on a vehicle body by a unit support device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 Another perspective detailed view of the unit support device is shown;

[0034] Figure 4 A side view showing the support of the unit on the vehicle body by the unit support device, wherein the force effect in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle caused by the collision is shown; and

[0035] Figure 5 A diagram is shown to illustrate the derivation of the force effects caused by a collision in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0036] This embodiment Figure 1 Schematically depicts a motor vehicle 1 having a unit 2 for driving the motor vehicle 1 , a body 3 and a traction battery 4 arranged on the body 3 .

[0037] In this example, the vehicle body 3 is also provided with a structure fixed relative to the vehicle body, such as a subframe or an auxiliary frame 3 a .

[0038] exist Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, the unit 2 is arranged on the auxiliary frame 3a at the front in the forward driving direction. Another unit 2 can be arranged on the auxiliary frame 3a at the rear in the forward driving direction. The traction battery 4 is located between the two auxiliary frames 3a of the vehicle body 3 relative to the vehicle longitudinal direction x.

[0039] The traction battery 4 is electrically connected to the one or more units 2 via an electrical line 5 to supply power to the units. The one or more units 2 are preferably designed as electric motors or variable speed motors.

[0040] In a variation of the present embodiment, an internal combustion engine including a transmission or a corresponding engine block may also be provided as the unit 2 .

[0041] The unit 2 is supported relative to the vehicle body 3 by a unit support device 10 described in detail below. Figure 1 As shown, the unit support device 10 is arranged in the longitudinal direction x of the vehicle between the unit 2 and the traction battery 4 .

[0042] In the present example, preferably only a single assembly support 10 is used in the region between the assembly 2 and the traction battery 4 , which is again preferably located in the middle of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle transverse direction y.

[0043] However, the support in the region between the aggregate 2 and the traction battery 4 can also be provided by a plurality of, preferably identical, aggregate mounting devices 10 .

[0044] The unit 2 can also be supported on the vehicle body 3 via other fixing points other than the above-mentioned area.

[0045] The unit support device 10 includes a support body 11 for supporting the vehicle body 3 and also includes a support arm 12 .

[0046] The support arm 12 has a first end section 13 and a second end section 14 .

[0047] The supporting arm 12 is arranged in such a way that a first end section 13 is connected to the carrier 11 and a second end section 14 is connected to the unit 2 .

[0048] Accordingly, means 15 for fixing the unit 2 are provided on the second end section 14. These means 15 can be designed, for example, as openings, through which the unit 2 is fixed to the second end section 14 by means of fixing bolts 16. However, the unit 2 can also be fixed to the second end section 14 of the support arm 12 in other ways.

[0049] The support arm 12 is designed between the first end section 13 and the second end section 14 such that in the event of a collision, the support arm 12 fails in a targeted manner, in particular bends or breaks, under the action of a force F in the direction from the second end section 14 to the first end section 13 when a preset threshold for the force F is exceeded.

[0050] The threshold value for the force F is selected such that the support arm 12 absorbs the operating forces during the intended operation of the motor vehicle 1 and is suitable in this case for supporting the assembly 2 relative to the vehicle body.

[0051] The threshold for the force F is also selected such that the support arm 12 breaks or buckles before the fastening of the support body 11 to the vehicle body 3 fails. This ensures that, in the event of a crash, the support body 11 cannot move toward the traction battery 4 under the action of a force having a significant component in the longitudinal direction x of the vehicle, thereby protecting the traction battery from possible damage in the event of a crash.

[0052] Due to the geometric design of the support arm 12, the impact load occurring in the vehicle longitudinal direction x, ie the force F, induces a load F in the vehicle transverse direction y. Q , which load in the transverse direction of the vehicle specifically and intentionally causes the support arm 12 to fail (see Figure 4 ).

[0053] like Figure 3 As shown, the support arm 12 can be designed, for example, with a plurality of fingers 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, which have separate devices 15 for fixing the unit 2, in order to achieve a particularly stable support of the unit 2. The fingers 12.1, 12.2, 12.3 can optionally be connected to one another in a fan-shaped manner.

[0054] The support arm 12 is preferably made of a die-cast alloy, for example an aluminum die-cast alloy. This is particularly useful when a targeted breaking and separation of the support arm 12 is desired.

[0055] However, it is also possible to manufacture the support arm 12 from a sheet metal sheet. In this case, the support arm usually does not break during a collision, but rather bends laterally.

[0056] The support arm may also be made of plastic or other materials.

[0057] The support arm 12 is preferably connected to the support body 11 by welding. However, it is also possible to form at least a plurality of sections of the support body 11 in one piece with the support arm 12 .

[0058] Without being limited thereto, the support body 11 of the unit support device 10 may have a support bushing 17 and, if necessary, may also have a fixing bracket 18 for accommodating the support bushing 17, such as in particular Figures 2 to 5As can be clearly seen in .

[0059] The fastening bracket 18 , which can preferably be produced from a die-cast alloy, in particular an aluminum die-cast alloy, has means 19 for fastening to the vehicle body 3 , which can be designed, for example, in the form of an opening for receiving a fastening bolt 20 .

[0060] In the embodiment shown, the fixing bracket 18 is designed as an arch bridge, which spans the steering gear 6 arranged on the auxiliary frame 3a. The fixing bracket 18 is fixed to the auxiliary frame 3a of the vehicle body 3 both before and after the steering gear 6 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle x.

[0061] Furthermore, the fastening bracket 18 forms a bearing seat which has two side cheeks 18 a and 18 b , between which the bearing bushing 17 is accommodated and supported in the manner of a fork.

[0062] The side cheeks 18 a and 18 b are preferably located in the top region of the bridge formed by the fixing bracket 18 .

[0063] The bearing bushing 17 can be elastically supported on the fixing bracket 18 with an elastic body 17 a interposed therebetween.

[0064] The elastomer 17a is preferably arranged within the outer sleeve 17b of the bearing bushing 17 and connects it to the bearing core 17c, which protrudes axially beyond the elastomer 21 and is fixed with its end sections to the fixing bracket 18, in particular to its side cheeks 18a and 18b.

[0065] The support arm 12 is arranged on the bearing bushing 17, in particular, on the outer periphery of the outer sleeve 17b of the bearing bushing. Here, the support arm 12 protrudes from the bearing bushing 17 in the radial direction.

[0066] The support arm 12 can be welded, for example, to an outer peripheral section of the bearing bushing 17, in particular to an outer sleeve 17b of the bearing bushing, as in Figure 3 However, it is also possible to construct the outer sleeve 17b and the support arm 12 in one piece.

[0067] It is also possible to press the bearing bushing 17 into the support arm 12, for which purpose a corresponding receiving opening is provided on the support arm 12. The pressed-in bearing bushing 17 can have the above-mentioned components 17a, 17b and 17c. However, it is also possible to press the elastomer 17a without the outer sleeve 17b directly into the receiving opening on the support arm 12.

[0068] As especially from Figure 4 and Figure 5As can be seen in FIG. 1 , the support arm 12 is arranged on the support body 11 , in particular on a support bushing 17 of the support body, in the installed position on the motor vehicle 1 , pointing away from the traction battery 4 .

[0069] The unit bearing 10 is preferably arranged in the vehicle height direction z above the steering gear 6. In this case, the longitudinal axis A of the bearing bushing 17 extends in the vehicle height direction z above the steering gear 6 in the installed position.

[0070] In addition, if Figure 4 As shown, the bearing axis A of the bearing bushing 17 is preferably located above the upper edge of the traction battery 4 relative to the vehicle height direction z.

[0071] As already mentioned, the support arm 12 protrudes radially beyond the bearing bushing 17. The introduction of force from the first end section 13 of the support arm 12 to the bearing bushing 17 can be located in a first plane E1 perpendicular to the bearing axis A, while the introduction of force from the unit side to the second end section 14 is arranged in a second plane E2 perpendicular to the bearing axis A. The first plane E1 and the second plane E2 are preferably parallel to each other and also have an offset a relative to each other. This offset a contributes to the breaking or buckling of the support arm 12 in the event of a crash, i.e., in the event of an overload force F acting in the longitudinal direction x of the vehicle.

[0072] The breaking or bending of the support arm 12 can also be promoted in that the support arm is designed to have an S-shaped bend in the connecting area 21 between its first end section 13 and its second end section 14, so that the support arm has undulations at this point relative to the shortest connecting line between the first end section 13 and the second end section 14.

[0073] Furthermore, reinforcing ribs 22 can be provided on the support arm 12, which extend from the first end section 13 to the second end section 14 and have a wave shape relative to the shortest connecting line between the first end section 13 and the second end section 14. This allows for a more stable support of the operating forces without impairing the desired breakage or buckling in the event of a crash.

[0074] The above-described embodiment of the unit support device 10 enables a soft crash-resistant support of the unit support device relative to the vehicle body 3. By means of a specifically adjustable breaking or bending of the relevant support arms 12 in the event of a crash, it is prevented that fragile parts are damaged by the support body 11 of the unit support device 10. In particular, the traction battery 4 can be protected from damage by the support body 11 of the unit support device 10 which is arranged in the longitudinal direction x of the vehicle between the unit 2 and the traction battery 4.

[0075] This measure eliminates the need for a corresponding assembly support 10 to be arranged laterally on the outside in the vehicle transverse direction y. Instead, in the present disclosure, for example, support can also be provided solely via a central assembly support 10 in the middle of the vehicle.

[0076] Furthermore, the installation of additional crash elements for protecting traction battery 4 can be avoided.

[0077] Therefore, the design according to the present invention avoids additional effort in structural design and assembly technology, is less costly and lighter in weight, and can be realized without additional components.

[0078] Although the unit support device 10 has been described above with respect to a motor vehicle with an electric drive, such a unit support device can also be used in motor vehicles with other drive schemes, for example a unit 2 with an internal combustion engine, in which fragile parts should be additionally protected from being pushed by the support body 11 of the unit support device 10 in the event of a collision.

[0079] The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to embodiments and further variants. In particular, even if not explicitly described, individual technical features described above in conjunction with other individual features can also be implemented independently of these other individual features and can be implemented in conjunction with further individual features, as long as it is technically feasible. Therefore, the present invention is explicitly not limited to the described embodiments and variants, but includes all designs defined by the claims.

[0080] Reference numerals list

[0081] 1Motor Vehicle

[0082] 2 units

[0083] 3 Body

[0084] 3a Auxiliary framework

[0085] 4 Traction batteries

[0086] 5 Electric lines

[0087] 6 Steering transmission mechanism

[0088] 10 Unit support device

[0089] 11 Support

[0090] 12 Support arms

[0091] 12.1 Fingers

[0092] 12.2 Fingers

[0093] 12.3 Fingers

[0094] 13 First end section of the support arm

[0095] 14 Second end section of the support arm

[0096] 15 Device for fixing the unit

[0097] 16Fixing pin

[0098] 17 Support bushing

[0099] 17a Elastomer

[0100] 17b Outer sleeve

[0101] 17c Support core

[0102] 18Fixed bracket

[0103] 18a Cheek

[0104] 18b Cheek

[0105] 19 Device for fixing on the vehicle body

[0106] 20Fixing pin

[0107] 21 Connection area with S-shaped bend

[0108] 22 Strengthening ribs

[0109] aOffset

[0110] x Longitudinal direction of vehicle

[0111] y Vehicle lateral direction

[0112] zVehicle height direction

[0113] A Longitudinal axis of the bearing bushing

[0114] E1 First plane

[0115] E2 Second Plane

[0116] F-Force

[0117] F Q Induced loads, forces in the lateral direction of the vehicle

Claims

1. A unit support device (10) for supporting a unit (2) relative to a vehicle body (3), comprising: a support body (11) for supporting the vehicle body (3), It is characterized in that Also included is a support arm (12) having a first end section (13) and a second end section (14), The support arm (12) is connected to the support body (11) with its first end section (13) and has a device (15) for fixing the unit (2) at its second end section (14). The support arm (12) is designed between the first end section (13) and the second end section (14) such that the support arm (12) breaks or bends under the action of a force (F) in the direction from the second end section (13) to the first end section (14) when a preset threshold for the force (F) is exceeded.

2. The unit support device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support arm (12) has a plurality of fingers (12.1, 12.2, 12.3) which have separate devices (15) for fixing the unit (2).

3. The unit support device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The support arm (12) is made of a die-cast alloy or of plastic.

4. The unit support device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The support arm (12) is made of sheet metal.

5. The unit support device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The support arm (12) is designed with an S-shaped bend in the connecting region (21) between its first end section (13) and its second end section (14).

6. The unit support device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: A reinforcing rib (22) is arranged on the support arm (12), the reinforcing rib extending from a first end section (13) to a second end section (14) and having a wave shape relative to the shortest connecting line between the first end section (13) and the second end section (14).

7. The unit support device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The support body (11) has a support bushing (17), and the support arm (12) is arranged on the support bushing (17), wherein the support arm (12) protrudes radially beyond the support bushing (17).

8. The unit support device (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The support arm (12) is welded to the bearing bushing (17), or the bearing bushing (17) is pressed into the support arm (12).

9. The unit support device (10) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The bearing bushing (17) has a bearing axis (A), the force introduction of the first end section (13) to the bearing bushing (17) is arranged in a first plane (E1) perpendicular to the bearing axis (A), the force introduction of the unit side to the second end section (14) is arranged in a second plane (E2) perpendicular to the bearing axis (A), and the first plane (13) and the second plane (14) are parallel to each other and have an offset (a) relative to each other.

10. The unit support device (10) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that: The support body (11) has a fastening bracket (18) with a device (19) for fastening to the vehicle body (3), and the support bushing (17) is supported on the fastening bracket (18).

11. The unit support device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The bearing bushing (17) is elastically supported on the fixing bracket (18) with an elastic body (17a) connected in between.

12. A motor vehicle (1), comprising A unit (2) for driving a motor vehicle (1), Body (3) and Traction battery (4), It is characterized in that A unit support device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims is provided, by means of which the unit (2) is supported on the vehicle body (3), The unit support device (10) is arranged between the unit (2) and the traction battery (4).

13. The motor vehicle (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that The support arm (12) is arranged on the support body (11) so as to point away from the traction battery (4).

14. Motor vehicle (1) according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that The unit support device (10) is arranged above the steering transmission mechanism (6) along the vehicle height direction (z).

15. The motor vehicle (1) according to claim 14, characterized in that A fastening bracket (18) of the support body (11) spans the steering gear (6) and is fastened to an auxiliary frame (3a) of the vehicle body (3) both before and after the steering gear (6) in the longitudinal direction (x) of the vehicle.

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