Modular system for a protective device

Abstract

Modular system for a protective device to protect vehicle occupants in the event of a rollover of a motor vehicle, with a cross member (12) for absorbing side impact forces, a left support device (16) for direct or indirect force-transmitting attachment to a left B-pillar and a right support device (20) for direct or indirect force-transmitting attachment to a right B-pillar, wherein the cross member (12) is fastened to the respective support devices (16, 20) by means of fastening means (22), wherein the fastening means (22) for fastening to an engine bell of a motor vehicle engine are guided through the support device (16, 20).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a modular system for a protective device, in particular a rollover protection device or side impact support, with the aid of which vehicle occupants can be protected in the event of a rollover of a motor vehicle, in particular a convertible / coupe motor vehicle.

[0002] From DE 10 2007 056 705 A1 an active rollover protection device is known in which a cross member is connected at its lateral ends to two extendable supports running in a vertical direction.

[0003] From DE 10 2010 013 975 A1 it is known to attach a roll bar on both sides to a B-pillar and additionally to an engine cover covering an engine compartment.

[0004] There is a constant need to improve the impact protection of vehicle occupants.

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide measures that enable good impact protection for vehicle occupants.

[0006] The object is achieved according to the invention by a modular system for a protective device having the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims and the following description, which may each individually or in combination represent an aspect of the invention.

[0007] According to the invention, a modular system for a protective device, in particular a rollover protection device or side impact support, for protecting vehicle occupants in the event of a rollover of a motor vehicle, in particular a convertible / coupe motor vehicle, is provided with a cross member for dissipating side impact forces, a left support device for direct or indirect force-transmitting attachment to a left B-pillar and a right support device for direct or indirect force-transmitting attachment to a right B-pillar, wherein the cross member is fastened to the respective support devices by means of fastening means, in particular screws, wherein the fastening means for fastening to an engine bell housing of a motor vehicle engine are guided through the support device, in particular substantially in the vertical direction.

[0008] In the event of a collision involving a motor vehicle, particularly a rollover, impact forces can be absorbed by the roll bar and transferred in particular to the B-pillars. In addition, at least a portion of the impact forces can be transferred to the engine bell housing and, if applicable, to a bodywork structure of the motor vehicle engine. This utilizes the knowledge that the engine bell housing can withstand particularly high forces and, by connecting the roll bar to the engine bell housing with the aid of fastening means, can also be functionalized to transfer impact forces. Impact forces acting on the cross member can be transferred via the support devices to the B-pillars and, with the aid of the fastening means, also to the engine bell housing and, if applicable, to the bodywork structure.Impact forces acting on one of the B-pillars can be transferred via the support devices to the other B-pillar, and with the help of the fastening devices, in turn to the engine bell housing and, if applicable, to the bodywork. The resilience of the components can be reduced by distributing the load paths in the event of a vehicle impact, thus providing better protection for the vehicle occupants. By connecting the protective device to the engine bell housing using the fastening devices, impact forces can be distributed across different load paths and transferred to both the B-pillars and the engine bell housing, thus enabling effective impact protection for the vehicle occupants. This applies analogously to a protective device designed as a side impact support for a coupé vehicle.

[0009] The fastening means can, if necessary after overcoming a small gap, engage in a form-fitting manner on the respective support device in the horizontal plane, thereby ensuring a form-fitting attachment of the cross member to the respective support device. In particular, the fastening means can have a head that engages directly or indirectly in the vertical direction on the associated support device, so that the support device can be held down against the engine bell housing. The support device can be attached to the B-pillar directly or, particularly in the case of a convertible / coupe vehicle, indirectly, for example via a convertible top bearing. In principle, it is possible for the vertical relative position of the support device and thus the vertical relative position of the cross member to be predetermined by the attachment of the respective support device to the associated B-pillar.The respective fastening means can, for example, be screwed to the engine bell housing. However, it is also possible to insert the respective fastening means, for example in the manner of a dowel pin and / or rivet, into the engine bell housing, in particular to press it in. Likewise, a positive connection can be achieved by locally raising the engine bell housing, which projects into an opening in the support device. When a force occurs transversely to the longitudinal direction of the fastening means, the fastening means can preferably transfer a sufficient proportion of this force to the engine bell housing. Particularly preferably, the fastening means has a high strength against shear stress, wherein the fastening means in particular has a high shear stress. For example, the fastening means is made from an alloy steel, e.g. stainless steel.

[0010] In particular, the support devices can be clamped between the engine bell housing and the cross member using the fastening means. It is not necessary to fasten the cross member to the support devices and then to fasten the support devices to the engine bell housing using a separate set of fastening means. Instead, the fastening means provided for the direct or indirect connection of the cross member to the respective support device can be connected directly to the engine bell housing, making it possible to press the support devices toward the engine bell housing. The support devices can thus be clamped and / or braced, which can increase the strength of the support devices. In addition, a positive fit between the parts can be provided.In particular, the support devices are positioned at a distance from the engine bell housing, for example by the vertical relative position of the support devices to the engine bell housing being predetermined by the connection to the B-pillars, so that the fastening means are loaded at shear planes offset from one another when impact forces occur.

[0011] The respective support device preferably comprises a support formed from a multi-chamber profile, wherein the fastening means are passed through the respective support. Due to the multi-chamber profile, the support can be designed as a lightweight component that can have high strength despite a low weight. Furthermore, the support could be deformed in a directionally manner by the multiple chambers in the manner of a crash box in the event of particularly high impact forces in order to absorb impact energy through the deformation work required for the deformation. Furthermore, it is possible in principle for the multi-chamber profile to automatically provide through-openings through which the fastening means can be inserted. The respective support device has, in particular, a fastening body to which the support can be connected, for example by screwing and / or welding.The fastening body can be connected directly or indirectly, for example via a convertible top bearing, to the associated B-pillar. The fastening body is designed, for example, as a substantially two-dimensional flange or as a profile, in particular as a hollow chamber profile.

[0012] Particularly preferably, the respective support has an elongated hole extending substantially in the transverse direction, with the respective fastening means being inserted into the respective associated elongated hole. The elongated hole allows for compensation of manufacturing and assembly tolerances, which can generally occur in the transverse direction. This makes it possible, in particular, to pre-assemble the support devices with the respective B-pillar in a movable manner and to attach the remaining protective device as a common assembly with the support devices by connecting the fastening means to the engine bell housing.

[0013] In particular, the respective support can be manufactured by extrusion and / or by light metal forging and / or by light metal casting. The support and thus the respective support device can thus be manufactured cost-effectively. In particular, the support of the left support device and the support of the right support device are designed as identical parts, one of which only needs to be rotated to install both supports mirror-inverted in the corresponding support device. Likewise, the supports for a convertible / coupe vehicle and for a coupe vehicle can be designed identically. This keeps manufacturing costs low.

[0014] Preferably, the cross member is connected to a left-hand holding arrangement and to a right-hand holding arrangement, in particular welded or screwed, wherein the cross member can be connected to the respective support device and the engine bell housing via the left-hand holding arrangement and the right-hand holding arrangement with the aid of the fastening means. The cross member therefore does not need to be bent in a complicated manner and / or provided with a complicated three-dimensional geometry in order to be able to connect the cross member. Instead, the cross member can be designed as a simple hollow chamber profile, in particular one that is only slightly bent. The cross member can therefore be manufactured cost-effectively and can still absorb high forces. In particular, the cross member is connected to the support devices and / or the engine bell housing exclusively indirectly via the holding arrangements.As a result, the fasteners intended for attachment to the engine bell housing do not need to pass through the cross member, but only need to engage the respective retaining arrangement. In particular, the respective retaining arrangement can form a sufficient support for a fastener head to engage and for the support device to rest on.

[0015] Particularly preferably, the respective holding arrangement, in particular in a convertible / coupe motor vehicle, has a front fastening bracket and a rear fastening bracket, wherein the fastening brackets are welded directly or indirectly to the cross member via a, in particular vertically running, weld seam, which is provided in particular on a side facing the associated B-pillar, and have a fastening projection that projects substantially horizontally and has a fastening opening, wherein the fastening means are inserted in the respective associated fastening opening. The respective fastening projection can rest on the support device and provide a support for a head of the fastening means inserted in the fastening opening.The weld seam of the respective support assembly can run in the neutral axis when impact forces occur, thus relieving the weld seam under load. Furthermore, it is possible to connect a round component running vertically, particularly a tubular component, via the weld seam, thus eliminating the need to provide a rectangular profile for connecting the cross member using the weld seam. In particular, the front and rear mounting brackets form a groove, allowing both the front and rear mounting brackets to be welded.

[0016] In particular, the cross member, particularly in a convertible / coupe motor vehicle, is connected to the holding arrangement via a substantially vertically extending connecting means, wherein the connecting means projects into an opening region, in particular a chamber of a multi-chamber profile, of the respective associated support device. The cross member is thus only indirectly connected to the respective support device via the holding arrangement. An additional positive connection can be achieved by suitable designs of an adapter located above the holding arrangement for a luggage retaining bar resting above it. The connection of the holding arrangement to the support device can be made in such a way that any tolerance-related offset, particularly in the transverse direction, can be compensated for.Since the connecting means connecting the cross member to the holding arrangement extends into the opening area of ​​the support device, sufficient space can remain around the connecting means within the support device so that the connecting means does not strike the support device laterally and prevent tolerance compensation. For example, the connecting means can be designed as a screw connection, of which a screw head or a nut can be arranged within the opening area, in particular within a chamber of the support of the support device designed as a multi-chamber profile. The cross member can thus be easily connected to the holding arrangement without compromising the fastening of the holding arrangement to the support device and / or tolerance compensation.

[0017] Particularly preferred is an adapter, particularly for connecting a luggage support bar, which is positively connected to the mounting brackets and / or the cross member to dissipate lateral forces. The adapter allows the luggage support bar to be easily connected, allowing luggage to be transported behind the cross member. At the same time, the adapter itself can stiffen the protective device and dissipate lateral forces, thus increasing the stability of the protective device.

[0018] Preferably, a left roll bar for protecting the head area of ​​a left-hand vehicle occupant and / or a right roll bar for protecting the head area of ​​a right-hand vehicle occupant is attached to the cross member, particularly in a convertible / coupe motor vehicle, wherein an end region of the respective roll bar is guided through the associated support device and in particular through the associated holding arrangement to such an extent that a part of the end region projects downwards from the support device to engage the engine bell housing. Particularly in a motor vehicle designed as a convertible / coupe motor vehicle, the roll bar can cover the head area of ​​a vehicle occupant of the motor vehicle and protect them from injury. For this purpose, the roll bar can be designed as a substantially U-shaped profile whose legs point downwards.The legs of the roll bar can be firmly connected to the cross member, in particular screwed and / or welded, in order to be able to dissipate any impact forces that occur via the cross member. One or both legs of the roll bar can be extended downwards below the height level of the cross member, so that the end region of the roll bar running below the cross member can project into the engine bell housing and / or onto a side wall of the engine bell housing. This means that the roll bar can also be supported on the engine bell housing and dissipate impact forces via the engine bell housing. For this purpose, at least one leg of the roll bar can be passed through an opening region of the support device, in particular a chamber of the support of the support device designed as a multi-chamber profile.If necessary, the end section of the roll bar can be supported laterally against the support structure under load, for example, after elastic and / or plastic deformation, so that impact forces acting on the roll bar can also be dissipated via the support structure, for example, to the B-pillars. In addition, the through-passed roll bar can distribute lateral forces into parallel load paths.

[0019] The invention further relates to a motor vehicle with a motor vehicle engine having an engine bell housing and / or a body shell, a left B-pillar, a right B-pillar and a protective device connected to the left B-pillar and the right B-pillar, manufactured from the modular system which can be designed and developed as described above, wherein the fastening means of the protective device are fastened, in particular screwed, to the engine bell housing and optionally additionally to a body shell. By means of the protective device connected to the engine bell housing by means of the fastening means, impact forces can be distributed over different load paths and dissipated both at the B-pillars and at the engine bell housing, thus enabling good impact protection for the vehicle occupants.

[0020] The invention will be explained below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings using preferred embodiments, wherein the features presented below can represent an aspect of the invention both individually and in combination. They show: Fig. 1: a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a protective device designed as a side impact support for a convertible / coupe motor vehicle, Fig. 2: a schematic sectional view of a part of the protective device from Fig. 1, Fig. 3: a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of a protective device designed as a side impact support for a convertible / coupe motor vehicle, Fig. 4: a schematic plan view from below of a part of the protective device from Fig. 3 and Fig. 5: a schematic side view of the protective device from Fig. 4.

[0021] The Fig. The protective device 10 for a motor vehicle, illustrated in Figure 1 and composed of a modular system, comprises a cross member 12, which is connected to a left support device 16 via a holding arrangement 14 on the left in the direction of travel 13, and to a right support device 20 via a holding arrangement 18 on the right in the direction of travel 13. The protective device 10 can be designed as a side impact support or rollover protection device. For this purpose, vertically extending fastening means 22 designed as screws are provided, which, in order to fasten the cross member 12 to the support devices 16, 20, fasten the holding assemblies 14, 18 to a motor vehicle engine bell housing (not shown) arranged below the support devices 16, 20, and in doing so, if necessary, clamp or at least tension the support devices 16, 20 between the holding assemblies 14, 18 and the engine bell housing.The respective support device 16, 20 has a support 24 designed as a multi-chamber profile, to which a fastening body 26, designed, for example, as a profile or as a forged or cast part, can be welded. The respective fastening body 26 can be attached directly or indirectly, for example, by screwing, to a respective associated B-pillar in order to be able to dissipate impact forces occurring in the event of a collision of the motor vehicle.

[0022] The respective support arrangement 14, 18 has a front fastening bracket 28 and a rear fastening bracket 30, which can be welded, screwed and / or clamped to the cross member in order to be able to transmit forces of the cross member 12. In Fig. 1 and Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the mounting brackets 28, 30 of the respective support arrangements 14, 18 are designed as a single-piece profile. The cross member 12 is inserted into a suitable hollow chamber and connected to the mounting brackets 28, 30 via a vertically extending connecting element 32 designed as a screw connection. The connecting element 32 projects essentially centrally into a chamber 34 of the support 24, which is designed as a multi-chamber profile. In addition, an adapter 35 arranged above it for a luggage retaining bar (not shown) indirectly loads the cross member 12 when a lateral force is introduced via the support arrangement 14, 18.

[0023] At the Fig. 3 illustrated embodiment of the protective device 10 composed of a modular system are compared to the one shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. In the embodiment of the protective device 10 shown in Figure 2, a roll bar 36 on the left in the direction of travel 13 and a roll bar 38 on the right in the direction of travel 13 are connected to the cross member 12. The protective device 10 can be designed as a side impact support. In addition, the fastening angles 28, 30 of the holding assemblies 14, 18 are shaped differently. The fastening angles 28, 30 of the holding assemblies 14, 18 are connected to the cross member 12 via horizontally extending connecting means 32 designed as screw connections. On the respective end face of the cross member 12 facing in the transverse direction, sufficient installation space is provided in the respective holding assembly 14, 18 so that an end region 40 of the respective roll bar 38 facing the associated B-pillar can extend below the height level of the cross member 12 through one of the chambers 34 of the support 24 ( Fig. 4) can protrude into the engine bell ( Fig. 5). The fastening angles 28, 30 of the holding arrangements 14, 18 can be welded to the end region 40 of the associated roll bar 38 via at least one vertically extending weld seam 42, as shown in Fig. 5 shown.

[0024] The support 24 of the respective support device 16, 20 has transversely extending elongated holes 44 ( Fig. 4), through which the fastening means 22 extend. This allows a tolerance compensation of the pre-assembled module of the protective device 10 to be connected to the support devices 16, 20. In addition, Fig. 3 to Fig. In the embodiment of the protective device 10 shown in Figure 5, the fastening body 26 is designed as a flange.

Claims

[1] Modular system for a protective device to protect vehicle occupants in the event of a rollover of a motor vehicle, with a cross member (12) for absorbing side impact forces, a left support device (16) for direct or indirect force-transmitting attachment to a left B-pillar and a right support device (20) for direct or indirect force-transmitting attachment to a right B-pillar, wherein the cross member (12) is fastened to the respective support devices (16, 20) by means of fastening means (22), wherein the fastening means (22) for fastening to an engine bell of a motor vehicle engine are guided through the support device (16, 20). [2] Modular system according to claim 1 characterized by that the support devices (16, 20) can be clamped between the engine bell and the cross member (12) by means of the fastening means (22). [3] Modular system according to claim 1 or 2 characterized by that the respective support device (16, 20) has a support (24) formed from a multi-chamber profile, wherein the fastening means (22) are guided through the respective support (24). [4] Modular system according to claim 3 characterized by that the respective support (24) has an elongated hole (44) extending substantially in the transverse direction, wherein the respective fastening means (22) is inserted in the respective associated elongated hole (44). [5] Modular system according to claim 3 characterized by that the respective support (24) can be produced by extrusion and / or by light metal forging and / or by light metal casting. [6] Modular system according to one of claims 1 to 5 characterized byin that the cross member (12) is connected, in particular welded or screwed, to a left-hand holding arrangement (14) and to a right-hand holding arrangement (18), wherein the cross member (12) can be connected to the respective support device (16, 20) and the engine bell housing via the left-hand holding arrangement (14) and the right-hand holding arrangement (18) with the aid of the fastening means (22). [7] Modular system according to claim 5 characterized byin that the respective holding arrangement (14, 18) has a front fastening angle (28) and a rear fastening angle (30), wherein the fastening angles (28, 30) are welded directly or indirectly to the cross member (12) via a, in particular vertically running, weld seam (42), which is provided in particular on a side facing the associated B-pillar, and have a fastening attachment which projects essentially horizontally and has a fastening opening, wherein the fastening means (22) are inserted in the respective associated fastening opening. [8] Modular system according to claim 6 or 7 characterized by in that the cross member (12) is connected to the holding arrangement (14, 18) via a substantially vertically extending connecting means (32), wherein the connecting means (32) projects into an opening region, in particular a chamber (34) of a multi-chamber profile, of the respective associated support device (16, 20). [9] Modular system according to one of claims 6 to 8 characterized by that an adapter (35), in particular for connecting a luggage holding bracket, for transferring lateral forces of the fastening angles (28, 30) to the cross member (12) is positively connected to the fastening angles (28, 30) and / or to the cross member (12). [10] Modular system according to one of claims 1 to 9 characterized by that a left roll bar (36) for protecting a head area of ​​a left-hand vehicle occupant and / or a right roll bar (38) for protecting a head area of ​​a right-hand vehicle occupant is fastened to the cross member (12), wherein an end region (40) of the respective roll bar (36, 38) is guided through the associated support device (16, 20) and in particular through the associated holding arrangement (14, 18) to such an extent that a part of the end region (40) projects downwards from the support device (16, 20) for insertion into the engine bell housing. [11] Motor vehicle with a motor vehicle engine having an engine bell housing, a left B-pillar, a right B-pillar and a protective device (10) connected to the left B-pillar and the right B-pillar and manufactured from the modular system according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the fastening means (22) of the protective device are fastened, in particular screwed, to the engine bell housing.

Images