Wheel steering element for influencing the direction of wheel movement, especially in the case of a partially covered impact

Abstract

Wheel steering element to increase the safety of vehicle occupants in an accident - with a form element (20) which is arranged from the outside on a wheel arch shell (12) which at least partially surrounds a wheel (10) of a vehicle facing an impact direction, wherein - the form element (20) is designed and arranged to guide the wheel (10) in the event of an accident towards a sill (18) of the vehicle and past a sill (18) of the vehicle to the outside, - the shaped element (20) is designed to reduce the impact energy of the accident and - the form element (20) is formed from the wheel arch shell (12).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a wheel positioning element for increasing the safety of vehicle occupants in an accident, comprising a form element that influences the direction of movement of a wheel and / or reduces impact energy.

[0002] In a frontal collision, the forces acting on the vehicle and its occupants depend on the difference in speed at the time of impact, but also on the degree of overlap between the vehicle and the obstacle or other vehicle. Accidents with a low overlap of 15 percent or less are particularly critical, as the vehicles involved can become entangled, resulting in severe one-sided stress and deformation, which in turn poses a danger to the occupants.

[0003] In particular, due to the low overlap in such partially overlapped frontal crashes, the impact energy cannot be absorbed by the longitudinal beams located further towards the center of the vehicle, as these are not directly subjected to the impact.

[0004] Another critical aspect of such a low-impact frontal collision is that a wheel within the overlap area is moved or shifted towards the passenger compartment, causing significant deformation, particularly in the footwell. This poses a high risk of injury to the front occupants. In the worst-case scenario, the passenger compartment, or parts of it, can also be shifted significantly backward, further increasing the risk of injury to rear-seat occupants.

[0005] For this reason, solutions were sought to reduce the risk to vehicle occupants. This led to the development of deformation elements that, in the event of an accident, create a hole in a tire, allowing the fluid inside to escape and enabling the wheel to travel further before impacting a sill or the passenger compartment, while simultaneously dissipating the impact energy. These deformation elements are located inside the wheel arch liners, facing the respective wheel, and are therefore permanently exposed to external influences such as weather, stone chips, and the like, creating a risk of damage, wear, and corrosion.

[0006] From DE 2 257 940 A1, deflecting elements are known which are arranged behind the front wheel in the direction of travel inside a wheel arch liner and are intended to guide a wheel outwards after an impact. As such, they only take effect relatively late and cannot reliably prevent the wheel from twisting and penetrating towards the passenger compartment.

[0007] Energy-absorbing elements are known from EP 0 978 442 A1, whereby these are also usually arranged inside the wheel arch shell and are therefore constantly exposed to external influences and the associated consequences.

[0008] Finally, solutions have been proposed in which profiles or solid bodies are arranged on or immediately adjacent to a longitudinal member of the vehicle or its crossmember. These are intended to influence the wheel's direction of movement in a partially overlapping frontal crash or to cause a predefined deformation of the longitudinal member. However, such designs are problematic because they can introduce additional vibrations into the vehicle and pose significant risks regarding its structural integrity. In some cases, they lead to a higher insurance rating for the vehicle because they are damaged during the RCAR crash test. Furthermore, if the longitudinal member is deformed, the wheel's direction of movement is not adequately influenced, so deformation of the passenger compartment by the wheel or entanglement with the other occupants can still occur.

[0009] DE 10 2008 062 505 A1, WO 2016 / 085 950 A1, JP 2007- 45 352 A and DE 10 2015 112 506 A1 each disclose wheel adjusting elements for influencing a wheel movement direction, which are arranged on or near a wheel housing shell.

[0010] The invention is based on the objective of proposing a solution for advantageously influencing the direction of movement of a wheel in an accident, particularly one with low overlap, so that the passenger compartment is not damaged or the wheel does not contribute to becoming entangled with another vehicle. Furthermore, the solution should also enable the energy from the impact to be dissipated while being easy to manufacture.

[0011] The object of the invention is achieved with a wheel adjustment element according to claim 1 and a vehicle according to claim 9. Further preferred embodiments of the invention result from the remaining features mentioned in the dependent claims.

[0012] A wheel positioning element is proposed to increase the safety of vehicle occupants in an accident, particularly in a frontal crash with low overlap. Low overlap is defined as an overlap of 15 percent of the vehicle width or less. The wheel positioning element comprises a molded element that is attached externally to a wheel arch liner that at least partially surrounds a vehicle wheel, facing the direction of impact. This molded element is designed and positioned to guide the wheel outwards in the event of an accident, towards and past a sill of the vehicle. The molded element is designed to reduce the impact energy of the accident and is formed from the wheel arch liner.

[0013] According to the invention, the molded element is formed from the wheel arch liner. This means that the molded element is manufactured together with the wheel arch liner, in particular from the same material and preferably in the same operation. The wheel arch liner and the molded element are thus formed integrally. This ensures a secure connection between the wheel arch liner and the molded element, and therefore also prevents the molded element from breaking or tearing off the wheel arch liner during use.

[0014] The form element is to be understood as a solid body that has a predetermined shape, size, and material adapted to the use according to the invention. It is arranged on the outside of a wheel arch liner. "On the outside of a wheel arch liner" means on the side of the liner facing away from the wheel, which at least partially surrounds the wheel. In simplified terms, the form element points away from the wheel. However, the form element is positioned at a point on the wheel arch liner that points in the direction of impact. Thus, in the case of a wheel adjustment element for a front wheel, the form element is arranged in front of the wheel on the wheel arch liner in the direction of travel; in the case of a wheel adjustment element for a rear wheel, it is arranged behind the wheel in the direction of travel.

[0015] The design element is arranged such that, due to its shape, size, material, position, and orientation, it guides a wheel in the event of an accident towards a sill of the vehicle and / or outwards past a sill. For example, if an obstacle strikes the vehicle's bumper in a partially overlapping frontal collision, the bumper is pushed backwards and deformed, pressing against the wheel-aligning element. This wheel-aligning element is then pushed further towards the wheel and impacts it.

[0016] The shape, size, position, and orientation of the design element either push or shove the wheel straight back onto the sill, or twist it outwards, moving it past the sill and away from the vehicle's longitudinal axis. The design element can make contact across the entire width of the wheel or tire, or only across a portion of it. When the wheel impacts the sill, the sill can absorb a significant portion of the impact energy, mitigating the effects on the vehicle occupants.

[0017] By guiding the wheel straight onto the sill, it can be prevented from twisting inwards and striking the passenger compartment. This avoids damage from such an impact. Guiding the wheels outwards and past the sill achieves the same result. However, the outward deflection of the wheel can also cause it to break off, thus preventing the risk of it becoming entangled with another vehicle.

[0018] Alternatively or additionally, the structural element is designed to dissipate the impact energy and thus reduce the accelerations resulting from the impact on the vehicle occupants. This can be achieved, for example, by deformation of the structural element.

[0019] Both the influencing of the wheel kinematics in the course of an accident and the reduction of the impact energy are also achieved in a rear-end collision when one vehicle hits another from behind and the wheel adjusting elements according to the invention are arranged facing the direction of impact.

[0020] By arranging the form element on the outer surface of the wheel arch liner, and thus spatially separated from the wheel, several advantages can be achieved. Firstly, the form element is not directly exposed to external influences such as weather or stone chips, thus ensuring its durability. The wheel adjustment element also cannot be damaged in an RCAR crash test, as it is located in a protected position. Furthermore, it does not introduce any additional vibrations into the vehicle and therefore poses no risk to its operational reliability. In addition, wheel arch liners with the wheel adjustment element according to the invention can be stacked just as before without such an element, thus ensuring continued space-saving storage.

[0021] Nevertheless, the influence on the wheel and its guidance is ensured by the design and arrangement according to the invention.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the forming element is designed and arranged to exert compressive forces on the inside of a wheel rim. This embodiment provides that the forming element is shaped, positioned, and oriented such that, upon contact with the wheel as a result of an impact, it presses against the inside of the rim, thereby causing the wheel to rotate outwards, thus guiding it outwards and, in particular, past the rocker panel. The inside of the rim is the side of the rim facing the vehicle's central longitudinal axis.

[0023] The application of pressure forces to the inside of the rim means that the molded element acts on the wheel and thus on the tire. However, due to the displacement towards the wheel resulting from the accident, such large forces are exerted that they extend all the way to the rim. Furthermore, the tire is typically deformed or destroyed by the forces acting upon it, allowing the molded element to exert pressure on the rim. Therefore, the molded element normally acts indirectly on the rim.

[0024] The effect on the inside of the rim can be achieved, for example, by a form element that is at least partially wedge-shaped and / or an asymmetrical arrangement of the form element on the wheel arch shell in relation to the width of the wheel corresponding to the inside of the rim.

[0025] Alternatively or additionally, the form element is arranged at the height of a wheel axle. It is therefore positioned on the wheel arch liner at a height corresponding to the wheel axle. At this height, the wheel has its greatest horizontal extent in the direction of travel, so that in the event of an impact, the earliest possible point of application of the wheel-adjusting element is achieved on the wheel, thus influencing the wheel's direction of movement.

[0026] In another preferred embodiment, the wheel adjustment element is designed with a bracket and attached to the wheel arch liner by means of the bracket. The molded element and the bracket are preferably directly connected to each other. The wheel adjustment element is connected to the wheel arch liner by means of the bracket, either detachably or permanently. Detachable connections can be made, for example, using screws or clamps, while permanent connections can be made, for example, by gluing or welding. This design allows for simple and secure, and above all, needs-based installation. Furthermore, the wheel adjustment element can also be retrofitted to vehicles.

[0027] In a further advantageous embodiment, the molded element is designed with a honeycomb structure, a chamber structure, and / or a foam. A honeycomb structure is modeled on the honeycomb of bees. Honeycombs exhibit extremely high stability while requiring little weight and material. Loads are distributed across the honeycomb walls and thus are not concentrated at a single point on the surface where a body with a honeycomb structure is mounted. A molded element with a honeycomb structure can, for example, be designed as an extruded profile.

[0028] Forming the element with a foam offers comparable advantages. Here, too, high stability and load distribution can be achieved with minimal material and weight.

[0029] Alternatively, or in combination, the molded element can also have a chambered structure, in which individual chambers are formed inside the molded element. This design also serves to minimize weight and material while simultaneously increasing stability.

[0030] If the molded element features a honeycomb structure, a chamber structure, and / or foam, only a small amount of additional weight is introduced into the vehicle, yet the element is highly resilient, enabling it to guide the wheel in the desired direction in the event of an impact. Furthermore, a foam, chamber, and / or honeycomb structure can contribute advantageously to dissipating the impact energy.

[0031] The component can be made of a plastic or a metal, particularly an aluminum alloy or a steel alloy. Plastics are lightweight and corrosion-resistant. The use of metals is advantageous due to their stability. By using alloys, such as steel or aluminum alloys, the properties of the metal can be influenced as desired, for example, with regard to weight, corrosion resistance, and / or stability.

[0032] The wheel arch liner should ideally be reinforced, at least in the area of ​​the molded element. To prevent breakage or tearing of the wheel arch liner during use, it should therefore be reinforced or stiffened, at least in the area of ​​the molded element or its attachment to the wheel arch liner. Reinforcement or stiffening can be achieved by geometrically modifying the wheel arch liner, for example, by making sections thicker or by molding them in a profiled shape. Alternatively or additionally, reinforcement or stiffening can be achieved by using fiber-reinforced plastics in the area of ​​the molded element or its attachment to the wheel arch liner.

[0033] Another advantageous design is seen in the wheel arch liner having a deflecting element corresponding to the molded element on the side facing the wheel, with the deflecting element being arranged opposite the molded element. The deflecting element is intended to guide the wheel, which is moved towards the sill in the event of an impact, away from the vehicle interior and onto the sill, or outwards past it, in addition to the molded element, thus ensuring that the wheel is not deflected towards the passenger compartment, even if, for example, due to the circumstances of the accident, the molded element cannot reliably guide the wheel towards or past the sill.

[0034] The deflector element should be positioned inside the wheel arch liner, specifically on the surface of the liner facing the wheel. It should be positioned opposite and corresponding to the molded element. "Opposite" in this context means at the other end of the wheel arch liner. Therefore, if the molded element is positioned in front of the wheel, the deflector element should be positioned behind it. Conversely, if the molded element is positioned behind the wheel, the deflector element should be positioned in front of it. In this configuration, the molded element and the deflector element work together to guide the wheel backward and / or outward in the event of an impact.

[0035] The invention also provides for a vehicle with at least one wheel adjusting element according to the invention, wherein the form element is arranged on a wheel arch shell of a front wheel facing the direction of travel and / or on a wheel arch shell of a rear wheel facing away from the direction of travel. It is highly preferred if one wheel adjusting element according to the invention is provided on each front wheel. It is also advantageous to arrange one wheel adjusting element on each rear wheel. The arrangement of one wheel adjusting element on each wheel is particularly preferred.

[0036] When installed on the front wheels, the wheel adjustment element with its form component is positioned in front of the wheel, i.e., facing the direction of travel. When installed on the rear wheels, it is positioned behind the wheel, i.e., facing away from the direction of travel. As previously explained, in the event of a frontal collision, this allows the front wheels of the vehicle to be guided rearward onto the sill and / or outward past it, and / or reduces the impact energy through the respective form component. In a rear-end collision, the rear wheels can be guided forward onto the sill and / or outward past it, and / or reduce the impact energy through the respective form component.

[0037] The proposed wheel positioning element actively influences the kinematics of a wheel in an accident, preventing it from impacting, deforming, or even penetrating the passenger compartment. This effectively reduces the risk of injury to vehicle occupants. Because the impact energy is dissipated, the resulting accelerations on the occupants are also effectively reduced. The design of the wheel positioning element does not negatively affect the handling and stackability of the wheel arch liners. Furthermore, the wheel positioning element can be retrofitted to existing vehicles.

[0038] Unless otherwise stated in individual cases, the various embodiments of the invention mentioned in this application can be advantageously combined with one another.

[0039] The invention is explained below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a front wheel with wheel arch shell and wheel adjusting element according to the invention in an exemplary embodiment, and Fig. 2 a detailed representation of the wheel adjusting element from Fig. 1.

[0040] Fig. Figure 1 shows a section of a front wheel 10 of a vehicle with a wheel arch liner 12 and, in section, a sill 18. A wheel adjusting element according to the invention is arranged on the wheel arch liner 12 in the direction of travel in front of the wheel 10 and at the level of the wheel axle 16. It is arranged on the side of the wheel arch liner 12 facing away from the wheel 10 and thus between the wheel arch liner 12 and the bumper.

[0041] In Fig.Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of the wheel adjusting element. The wheel adjusting element consists of a molded element 20 and a holder 22. In this exemplary embodiment, the molded element 20 has a round cross-section and a chambered structure. These chambers are intended to increase the stability of the molded element 20 while keeping it very lightweight.

[0042] In this embodiment, the molded element 20 is made of a high-strength plastic and is directly connected to the bracket 22. The molded element 20 is attached to the wheel arch liner 12 by means of this bracket 22. The attachment can, for example, be a screw connection.

[0043] To prevent the wheel adjusting element from breaking or tearing out of the wheel housing shell 12 during use, the wheel housing shell 12 is reinforced with glass fibers in the area of ​​the form element 20 and its support 22 and in the area immediately surrounding it (not shown).

[0044] In a frontal collision, particularly a low-profile frontal collision, the vehicle's bumper is displaced and deformed rearward, impacting the wheel alignment element and, in particular, the form element 20. This element, along with the wheel arch liner 12, is pushed and displaced toward the wheel 10. Upon impact with the wheel 10, the position, size, and orientation of the form element 20 cause the wheel 10 to be pushed rearward toward the sill 18. The sill 18 absorbs the impact energy, thus reducing the accelerations resulting from the impact on the vehicle occupants.

[0045] A further reduction of the acting forces results from the fact that the form element 20 with its chamber structure can absorb some of the impact energy through deformation, which occurs as soon as the wheel 10 hits the sill 18.

[0046] By means of a chamfered surface of the form element 20, which results in an approximately wedge-shaped formation of the form element 20, it can also be achieved that the wheel 10 is guided backwards and outwards, i.e. past a sill 18, in a frontal crash.

[0047] If the form element 20 is arranged further in the direction of the vehicle's central axis in this embodiment, it acts predominantly on the inside of the rim 14 and, in the event of a frontal crash, also causes the wheel 10 to be guided backwards and past the sill 18.

[0048] Naturally, the arrangement shown can also be provided in a suitably adapted manner on a rear wheel of a vehicle and, in the event of an impact on the rear of the vehicle, guide the rear wheel forward towards or past a sill 18. Reference symbol list 10 wheels 12 Wheel arch liner 14 rim 16 wheel axle 18 sills 20 Form element 22 bracket

Claims

[1] Wheel adjustment element to increase the safety of vehicle occupants in an accident - with a form element (20) which is arranged from the outside on a wheel arch shell (12) which at least partially surrounds a wheel (10) of a vehicle facing an impact direction, wherein - the form element (20) is designed and arranged to guide the wheel (10) in the event of an accident towards a sill (18) of the vehicle and past a sill (18) of the vehicle to the outside, - the shaped element (20) is designed to reduce the impact energy of the accident and - the form element (20) is formed from the wheel arch shell (12). [2] Wheel adjusting element according to claim 1, characterized by , that the form element (20) is designed and arranged to exert compressive forces on the inside of a rim (14) of the wheel (10). [3] Wheel adjusting element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by, that the form element (20) is arranged at the height of an axle (16) of the wheel (10). [4] Wheel adjusting element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that it has a bracket (22) and is attached to the wheel arch shell (12) by means of the bracket (22). [5] Wheel adjusting element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the mold element (20) is formed with a honeycomb structure, a chamber structure and / or with a foam. [6] Wheel adjusting element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the form element (20) is formed with a plastic or a metal, in particular an aluminium alloy or a steel alloy. [7] Wheel adjusting element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the wheel arch shell (12) is reinforced at least in the area of ​​the form element (20). [8] Wheel adjusting element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the wheel arch shell (12) facing the wheel (10) has a deflecting element corresponding to the form element (20), wherein the deflecting element is arranged opposite the form element (20). [9] Vehicle with at least one wheel positioning element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the form element (20) is arranged on a wheel arch shell (12) of a front wheel facing the direction of travel and / or on a wheel arch shell (12) of a rear wheel facing away from the direction of travel.

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