Coupling link for a fold-out roll bar of a motor vehicle

Abstract

Coupling link for a fold-out roll bar (12) of a motor vehicle (10), with a first cover plate (24), a second cover plate (26) separate from the first cover plate (24), wherein the first cover plate (24) and the second cover plate (26) are arranged one above the other at a distance from one another, and at least one bearing pin (32, 34) connected to the first cover plate (24) and to the second cover plate (26) for forming a rotary joint with a handlebar lever (14, 16) mountable on the bearing pin (32, 34).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a coupling link with the aid of which a foldable roll bar, in particular designed as a four-bar linkage, can be formed for a motor vehicle.

[0002] From DE 10 2011 051 764 A1 an extendable roll bar for a motor vehicle is known in which a U-shaped bent profile is articulated to a handlebar lever.

[0003] DE 10 2013 103 826 A1 shows a rollover protection system for a motor vehicle, in which the hinged bar legs provided for erecting a roll bar are designed as a square hollow body from which two sides protrude in both longitudinal directions in order to be able to be hinged to a hinge pin.

[0004] There is a constant need for a cost-effective foldable roll bar with good crash performance.

[0005] The object of the invention is to demonstrate measures that enable a cost-effective fold-out roll bar with good crash behavior.

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

[0007] According to the invention, a coupling link for a fold-out roll bar of a motor vehicle, in particular designed as a four-bar linkage, is provided with a first cover plate, a second cover plate separate from the first cover plate, the first cover plate and the second cover plate being arranged one above the other at a distance from one another, and at least one bearing pin connected to the first cover plate and to the second cover plate for forming a pivot joint with a link lever which can be mounted on the bearing pin.

[0008] The coupling link can thus be designed as a stable, multi-chamber profile, particularly made of aluminum, to which additional control arms can be connected. If high impact forces act on the roll bar during a crash in which the vehicle rolls over, these impact forces can act on the narrow sides of the cover plates. With this direction of force application, the cover plates can withstand comparatively high impact forces until plastic deformation and / or component failure occurs. This can achieve a high level of accident safety and good crash behavior of the roll bar. Furthermore, the acting impact forces do not cause the cover plates to be pushed apart and the bearing pin to dislodge from the coupling link.Instead, at least one control arm connected via the respective bearing pin remains connected so that some of the impact forces can also be dissipated via the control arm. This prevents the roll bar from breaking open at the joints if the vehicle rolls over. In particular, the cover plates are connected via two spaced-apart bearing pins so that, after joining, two different control arms can be rotatably connected, preferably to form a four-bar linkage, and the cover plates can be supported at at least two spaced-apart points. The cover plates can be inexpensively punched from sheet metal and connected to the at least one bearing pin, for example by welding, preferably without any further forming step. The bearing pin can be inexpensively manufactured from a cost-effective standard component or a rod-shaped semi-finished product.The disk-shaped cover plates, which are connected to one another via the bearing bolts and can be manufactured cost-effectively, enable a favorable introduction of impact forces on the narrow sides of the cover plates, so that a cost-effective fold-out roll bar with good crash behavior is possible.

[0009] The bearing pin can be made, in particular, of an aluminum material. The bearing pin and the cover plates can be made, in particular, of the same material or of a material suitable for a joining process.

[0010] In particular, the first cover plate and the second cover plate are identically shaped. The first cover plate and the second cover plate can thus be designed as identical parts, which can reduce manufacturing costs. When joining, the first cover plate and the second cover plate can be arranged in a mirror-image arrangement.

[0011] Preferably, the first cover plate and the second cover plate have a substantially L-shaped basic form, wherein, in particular, the first cover plate and the second cover plate each have a longer leg and a shorter leg integrally connected to the longer leg. If the coupling link protrudes from the vehicle body in the unfolded position, the longer leg can, for example, be oriented substantially vertically, while the shorter leg extends predominantly horizontally. This allows the roll bar to achieve a sufficient width in the unfolded position.

[0012] Particularly preferably, the first cover plate and the second cover plate are connected to one another via a spacer body, wherein in particular the first cover plate and the second cover plate are each connected to the spacer body, in particular by welding. The spacer body can block elastic and / or plastic bending of the cover plates toward and / or away from one another, so that the necessary stability and crash safety of the coupling link are reliably achieved. The spacer body can be firmly connected to the cover plates and the at least one bearing bolt. In particular, the spacer body is connected to the cover plates, for example by welding, and / or clamped between the cover plates.

[0013] In particular, the spacer can be manufactured by extrusion. This allows the spacer to have several interconnected webs, particularly in a lightweight design, while using very little material, thus achieving a high degree of stability for the coupling link at a particularly low cost.

[0014] The bearing pin is preferably designed as a sleeve. This allows for particularly low material consumption for the bearing pin. For example, the bearing pin can be made from a sheet metal bent into a sleeve and welded longitudinally.

[0015] Particularly preferably, the bearing bolt is connected to the first cover plate and to the second cover plate via a fastening means passed through the bearing bolt, in particular a screw connection and / or rivet connection and / or lock ring bolt connection. The design of the bearing bolt as a sleeve creates a hollow space that can be used to fasten the cover plates using the fastening means. For example, a screw can be inserted on one side and screwed to a nut on the other side. A screw bolt can also be inserted on one side and a nut bolt on the other side, so that the screw connection can take place inside the bearing bolt. It is also possible to insert a rivet on one side and provide it with a locking head on the other side.In addition, a locking ring bolt can be inserted on one side and connected to a locking ring positioned on the other side, whereby an end of the locking ring bolt protruding from the locking ring can be broken off at a predetermined breaking point if necessary.

[0016] In a further embodiment, a cup-shaped recess can be introduced into at least one of the cover plates, in particular by stamping and / or deep drawing, which enables the mounting of an adjacent handlebar lever. This eliminates the need for a sleeve-like bearing pin. The mounted connection of the adjacent handlebar lever can also be realized via a screw bolt, a riveted connection, or a locking ring bolt. For this purpose, the cup-shaped recess is designed to be open, in particular at the bottom, and can be designed, in particular, as a collar protruding from the cover plate.

[0017] In particular, the first cover plate and / or the second cover plate have at least one through-hole offset from the bearing pin to create a local material weakening for a defined deformation path. The through-hole allows the respective cover plate to be deliberately weakened so that, in the event of excessive impact forces, component deformation occurs first at a precisely defined point on the coupling link. This makes it possible to provide a defined deformation behavior in the roll bar.

[0018] The invention further relates to a roll bar for a motor vehicle with a first link lever which can be pivoted to a motor vehicle body, a coupling link which is pivotally connected to the first link lever and which can be designed and developed as described above, wherein the first link lever at least partially engages around the bearing pin of the coupling link, and an actuating system for pivoting the first link lever and the coupling link between a position retracted in the motor vehicle body and a position extended from the motor vehicle body.

[0019] In particular, a second link lever is provided which can be pivoted to the motor vehicle body, wherein the second link lever at least partially engages around another bearing pin of the coupling link, wherein the actuating system in particular has an extendable piston and / or spring drive which can be engaged in the region of a joint point of the first link lever with the coupling link or in the region of a joint point of the second link lever with the coupling link. The roll bar is thus designed as a four-bar linkage. This makes it easier to move the roll bar between the retracted and extended positions with the aid of the telescopic actuating system in the manner of a toggle lever. In particular, the actuating system is connected to the motor vehicle body in an articulated manner so that the actuating system can follow a shift in the point of action.The actuation system can act in particular on the bearing pin or the further bearing pin or at least in their vicinity.

[0020] Preferably, the coupling link, in particular the spacer body, has a first stop surface for supporting the first link lever in the extended position and / or a second stop surface for supporting the second link lever in the extended position. This allows the end position of the roll bar in the extended position to be defined. Furthermore, forces can be dissipated via the stop surface, so that forces occurring in an impact do not have to be dissipated solely via the bearings. This increases the strength and / or stability of the roll bar in the extended position.

[0021] 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 sectional view of a part of a motor vehicle with fold-out roll bars in the extended state, Fig. 2: a schematic sectional view of a roll bar from Fig. 1 in a retracted state, Fig. 3: a schematic sectional view of the roll bar from Fig. 2 in a partially extended state, Fig. 4: a schematic sectional view of the roll bar from Fig. 2 in an almost extended state, Fig. 5: a schematic sectional view of the roll bar from Fig. 2 in a fully extended state, Fig. 6: a schematic perspective view of a part of a coupling link of the roll bar from Fig. 2 at an initial assembly time, Fig. 7: a schematic perspective view of a part of a coupling link of the roll bar from Fig. 2 at a second assembly point before a joining process, Fig. 8: a schematic perspective view of a part of a coupling link of the roll bar from Fig. 2 at a third assembly time, Fig. 9: a schematic perspective view of a spacer body of the coupling link from Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, Fig. 10: a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of the coupling link before a joining process, Fig. 11: a schematic perspective view of the coupling link from Fig. 10 after the joining process, Fig. 12: a schematic perspective sectional view of the coupling link from Fig. 11. Fig. 13: a schematic perspective view of a third embodiment of the coupling link before a joining process, Fig. 14: a schematic perspective view of the coupling link from Fig. 13 after the joining process and Fig. 15: a schematic perspective sectional view of the coupling link from Fig. 15.

[0022] In the Fig. In the motor vehicle 10 shown in Figure 1, an area is shown behind the driver's seats of the motor vehicle 10, from which a roll bar 12 is extended for each driver and passenger. Each roll bar 12 has an inner first control lever 14 articulated to the motor vehicle body and an outer second control lever 16 articulated to the motor vehicle body, which are connected to one another in a movement-coupled manner via a coupling link 18, each of which is connected in an articulated manner. The first control lever 14, the coupling link 18, and the second control lever 16 form a four-bar linkage. At a joint point at which the coupling link 18 is connected to the second control lever 16, a telescopic actuating system 22 in the manner of a toggle lever engages via a smaller extension piece 20. The actuating system 22 is also articulated to the motor vehicle body of the motor vehicle 10.

[0023] When the roll bar 12 is retracted, the actuation system 22 is fully retracted, as shown in Fig. 2. In the Fig. In the retracted position shown in Figure 2, the first link lever 14, the coupling link 18, and the second link lever 16 are positioned substantially completely retracted into the vehicle body of the motor vehicle 10. When the roll bar 12 is to be extended, the actuation system 22 can build up a force that lifts the coupling link 18 from the second link lever 16, as shown in Fig. 3, and the joint moves towards its dead center, as shown in Fig. 4 until the second handlebar lever 16 stops laterally in the extended position, as shown in Fig. 5. In the extended position, the dead center of the articulation point can be at least slightly exceeded, resulting in an over-dead center position of the roll bar 12 in the extended position. In the extended position, the coupling link 18 and the second link lever 16 are aligned substantially vertically with one another, resulting in a particularly large installation height for the roll bar 12. The substantially L-shaped configuration of the coupling link 18 and the first link lever 14 results in a sufficient extension of the roll bar 12 transversely to the direction of travel of the motor vehicle 10 in order to achieve adequate protection for the occupants.

[0024] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 6, the coupling link 18 has a first cover plate 24 and an identically shaped second cover plate 26, in which through-openings 28 can be provided for a defined deformation behavior in the event of a crash. A spacer body 30 is provided between the first cover plate 24 and the second cover plate 26, as shown in Fig. 7. The spacer body 30 is firmly connected to the cover plates 24, 26 as well as to a bearing pin 32 designed as an aluminum sleeve and to a further bearing pin 34 designed as an aluminum sleeve. The first link lever 14 can be hinged to the bearing pin 32 and the second link lever 16 can be hinged to the further bearing pin 34. The bearing pins 32, 34 can be fastened to the cover plates 24, 26, if necessary with the aid of a fastening means. The spacer body 30 can be as in Fig. 9, the spacer body 30 can be designed as a lightweight construction element, wherein the spacer body 30 can be produced in particular by extrusion. The spacer body 30 is connected to the cover plates 24, 26, for example, by welding.

[0025] In a Fig. In the alternative embodiment of the coupling link 18 shown in Figures 10 to 12, instead of a three-part construction of the coupling link 18 with a spacer body 30 arranged between two cover plates 24, 26, a two-part construction of the coupling link 18 can be provided, in which the cover plates 24, 26, made in particular of steel or aluminum, are designed as three-dimensional profiles. The first cover plate 242 and / or the second cover plate 26 can be designed as a bent sheet metal part and have connecting webs 36 pointing towards the other cover plate 26, 24. The at least one connecting web 36 can be connected to the other cover plate 26, 24, in particular by welding, so that the spacer body 30 is omitted. In this case, the connected connecting webs 36 represent the distance between the cover plates 24, 26.

[0026] At the Fig. 13 to 15 are compared to the embodiment shown in Fig. In the embodiment of the coupling link 18 shown in Figures 10 to 12, the cover plates 24, 26 are even designed in one piece.

Claims

[1] Coupling link for a fold-out roll bar (12) of a motor vehicle (10), with a first cover plate (24), a second cover plate (26) separate from the first cover plate (24), wherein the first cover plate (24) and the second cover plate (26) are arranged one above the other at a distance from one another, and at least one bearing pin (32, 34) connected to the first cover plate (24) and to the second cover plate (26) for forming a rotary joint with a handlebar lever (14, 16) mountable on the bearing pin (32, 34). [2] Coupling link according to claim 1 characterized by that the first cover plate (24) and the second cover plate (26) are identically shaped. [3] Coupling link according to claim 1 or 2 characterized bythat the first cover plate (24) and the second cover plate (26) have a substantially L-shaped basic shape, wherein in particular the first cover plate (24) and the second cover plate (26) each have a longer leg and a shorter leg connected in one piece to the longer leg. [4] Coupling link according to one of claims 1 to 3 characterized by that the first cover plate (24) and the second cover plate (26) are connected to one another via a spacer body (30), wherein in particular the first cover plate (24) and the second cover plate (26) are each connected to the spacer body (30), in particular by welding. [5] Coupling link according to claim 4 characterized by that the spacer body (30) can be produced by extrusion. [6] Coupling link according to one of claims 1 to 5 characterized by that the bearing pin (32, 34) is designed as a sleeve. [7] Coupling link according to claim 6 characterized bythat the bearing bolt (32, 34) is connected to the first cover plate (24) and to the second cover plate (26) via a fastening means, in particular a screw connection and / or rivet connection and / or locking ring bolt connection, which is passed through the bearing bolt (32, 34). [8] Coupling link according to one of claims 1 to 7 characterized by that the first cover plate (24) and / or the second cover plate (26) has at least one through-opening (28) offset from the bearing pin (32, 34) for producing a local material weakening for a defined deformation path. [9] Roll bar for a motor vehicle (10) with a first control lever (14) which can be pivoted to a motor vehicle body, a coupling link (18) which is pivotally connected to the first control lever (14) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first control lever (14) at least partially engages around the bearing pin (32) of the coupling link (18), and an actuating system (22) for pivoting the first control lever (14) and the coupling link (18) between a position retracted in the motor vehicle body and a position extended from the motor vehicle body. [10] Roll bar according to claim 9 characterized bythat a second link lever (16) which can be linked to the motor vehicle body is provided, wherein the second link lever (16) at least partially engages around a further bearing pin (34) of the coupling link (18), wherein in particular the actuating system (22) has an extendable piston and / or spring drive which can be engaged in the region of a joint point of the first link lever (14) with the coupling link (18) or in the region of a joint point of the second link lever (16) with the coupling link (18). [11] Roll bar according to claim 9 or 10 characterized by that the coupling link (18), in particular the spacer body (30), has a first stop surface for supporting the first link lever (14) in the extended position and / or a second stop surface for supporting the second link lever (16) in the extended position.

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