Safety device for the front area of ​​a motor vehicle

Abstract

Safety device (1) for a front area (2) of a motor vehicle (3), comprising at least the following components: - a front hood (4) with a cabin-side end (5) and a front-side end (6); - a shell (7) of the motor vehicle (3); and - a hinge (8) by means of which the front hood (4) is pivotably mounted on the body shell (7), wherein the safety device (1) comprises a pull rope (9) which is connected to the body shell (7) at a first attachment point (10) and to the front hood (4) and / or the hinge (8) at a second attachment point (11), wherein the second attachment point (11) is located at the cabin-side end (5) of the front hood (4) and the first attachment point (10) is offset in relation to the second attachment point (11) towards the front end (6) of the front hood (4), so that in the event of a frontal crash, an impact force transmitted to the front hood (4) can be absorbed by means of the pull cable (9) in order to deflect the cabin-side end (5) of the front hood (4) vertically downwards, characterized by the fact that the hinge (8) has a predetermined bending point (12), and that the predetermined bending point (12) is located on the front side of the second attachment point (11).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a safety device for a front area of ​​a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a motor vehicle with such a safety device.

[0002] In purely electric vehicles, the combustion engine is eliminated from the front of the vehicle. The resulting freed-up space allows for the integration of a trunk into the front. Such a trunk must be sealed against the elements, preventing leaks and water ingress. In industrial practice, this is achieved through a seal, such as a bladder seal, between the trunk well and the hood. The hood therefore features a corresponding sealing flange around its perimeter.

[0003] DE 10 2010 023 285 A1 discloses a motor vehicle body comprising a frame, a hood, an actuator extendable from a rest position to raise the hood to a stop position upon contact with a contact surface of the hood, and a front and a rear element, each attached to a mounting point on the frame and a mounting point on the hood, respectively, and held taut in the stop position, limiting the lifting of the hood by the actuator. These elements define an instantaneous center of rotation about which the hood can pivot from the stop position. Pivoting the hood about this instantaneous center of rotation drives the actuator towards its rest position. The actuator is driven by a spring. Both limiting elements are held taut when the hood pivots from the stop position.

[0004] DE 10 2021 130 927 A1 discloses a hinge arrangement for attaching a front hood to a stationary body part of a motor vehicle, comprising a lower hinge part which is attached to the stationary body part and which is pivotably connected via a pivot point to an upper hinge part which is attached to the front hood, wherein at least one deformation area of ​​the lower hinge part acting in the vertical direction of the vehicle is provided in the area of ​​the pivot point, wherein the lower hinge part is manufactured in one piece, and wherein a tension strut is provided as a deformation area.

[0005] EP 0 992 418 A2 discloses a bonnet which has a bonnet wall with an upper part and a lower part.

[0006] DE 10 2004 061 303 B4 discloses a bonnet with an outer sheet metal forming the outside of the bonnet and an inner sheet metal made of an aluminum alloy covering the inside of the outer sheet metal facing the engine compartment.

[0007] JP H11 - 34 925 A discloses a hinged hood in which the rear end of the hood springs up upon detecting a collision between the front end of a vehicle and an obstacle, wherein this hinged hood has a connecting part on the vehicle body side, which is provided on a highly rigid vehicle body part to secure the interior in the event of a vehicle collision in which the front part of a vehicle is crushed, and has a connecting part on the hood side, which is provided on the hood on a side located behind the connecting part in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein both the connecting part on the vehicle body side and the connecting part on the hood side are connected to each other by a connecting element.

[0008] JP H11-198860A discloses a rear structure of a hinged hood that detects a collision between a vehicle and an obstacle and causes the rear of the hood to spring up from the vehicle body. The rear structure of the hinged hood is provided with a limiting device that restricts the upward movement of the rear corner portion of the hood from the vehicle body, and the limiting device bends the rear corner portion towards the side of the vehicle body when the hood springs up.

[0009] DE 100 25 784 C1 discloses a system for the targeted deformation of a hood cover of a motor vehicle, comprising a sensor, a modular hood, and at least one actuator. The sensor detects an impact resulting from a collision and activates the actuator, which deforms the flexible hood cover in such a way that the vertical distance between the flexible hood cover and the engine block of the vehicle is increased by a predefinable safety margin.

[0010] To be approved for road use, motor vehicles in many countries and regions must meet legal requirements regarding the safety of occupants and other road users. Additional requirements include, for example, consumer protection regulations. This concerns, for instance, the safety of other road users in the event of a head impact against the hood of the vehicle.

[0011] To dissipate the energy of a road user's head in such a collision, and thus to protect the user, the hood and surrounding components are designed to be deformable. The head typically impacts the hood in a largely vertical trajectory. In industrial practice, this results in a head penetration of up to 100 mm.

[0012] To achieve the necessary deformation range of up to 100 mm, the hinge by which the hood is mounted to the vehicle's body shell must be designed to be flexible in the z-direction, i.e., in the vertical direction. This ensures that there is no stable counter-bearing for the hood in the event of a frontal crash.

[0013] Legal, consumer protection, and manufacturer-specified safety requirements for a frontal crash must still be met. In a frontal crash, the kinetic energy of the collision is dissipated through deformation of the front longitudinal members. During this deformation, the hood is subjected to an impact force in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. This impact force can cause the hood to be forced out of its hinges and against the windshield. This may result in the windshield breaking. A broken windshield or hood poses a risk of damaging the airbag, potentially leading to an impermissible rupture.

[0014] Based on this, the present invention aims to overcome, at least partially, the disadvantages known from the prior art. The features of the invention are defined in the independent claims, for which advantageous embodiments are shown in the dependent claims. The features of the claims can be combined in any technically meaningful way, whereby the explanations in the following description and features from the figures, which comprise supplementary embodiments of the invention, can also be used.

[0015] The invention relates to a safety device for the front area of ​​a motor vehicle, comprising at least the following components: - a front hood with a cabin-side end and a front-side end; - a bare motor vehicle body; and - a hinge by means of which the front hood is pivotally mounted on the body shell, wherein the safety device comprises a pull cable which is connected to the body shell at a first attachment point and to the hood and / or the hinge at a second attachment point, wherein the second attachment point is located at the cabin-side end of the hood and the first attachment point is offset towards the front end of the hood in relation to the second attachment point, so that in the event of a frontal crash an impact force transmitted to the hood can be absorbed by means of the pull rope in order to deflect the cabin-side end of the hood.

[0016] Unless explicitly stated otherwise, ordinal numbers used in the preceding and following descriptions serve solely for unambiguous differentiation and do not indicate any order or ranking of the components referred to. An ordinal number greater than one does not necessarily imply the presence of another such component.

[0017] A safety device for the front of a motor vehicle is proposed here. The motor vehicle is preferably a purely electric vehicle, particularly preferably with a trunk in the front. The front extends preferably from a passenger compartment forward along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, i.e., in the direction of travel.

[0018] The safety device is designed to protect vehicle occupants in the passenger compartment and / or other road users outside the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision. In a frontal collision, the vehicle collides with an object, such as another road user or a stationary object, for example, in the direction of travel.

[0019] The safety device features a front hood, a basic structure, and a hinge.

[0020] The hood comprises a cabin-side end and a front end. When installed, the cabin-side end of the hood is therefore oriented towards the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and the front end is oriented in the opposite direction, towards the front of the vehicle. Thus, when installed, the hood extends along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle between the front end and the cabin-side end.

[0021] The body-in-white is the structural frame of a motor vehicle. It is designed in such a way that it deforms little or not at all in a crash. For example, compared to the vehicle's deformation elements, which absorb at least some of the energy from a crash through deformation, the body-in-white exhibits high stiffness. Preferably, the body-in-white forms a deformation-resistant passenger cell within the vehicle's passenger cabin.

[0022] The hinge is arranged between the hood and the body shell. Preferably, the hinge is arranged vertically between the hood and the body shell. The hood is pivotally mounted to the body shell by means of the hinge. For example, the trunk of the vehicle can be opened by pivoting the hood. For example, the safety device comprises two such hinges, which are arranged at the same height along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The hinge is arranged in the area of ​​the cabin-side end of the hood, so that the hood can be opened at the front end and pivoted about a pivot axis formed by the hinge. Preferably, a locking mechanism is arranged in the area of ​​the front end of the hood, by means of which the hood can be locked to the vehicle body.

[0023] The safety device now further includes a pull cable. The pull cable is connected to the vehicle body at a first attachment point and to the hood and / or the hinge at a second attachment point. Preferably, the pull cable is connected to the vehicle body or the hood and / or the hinge at its two opposite ends. The pull cable is designed to absorb impact forces as tensile forces that act on the hood of the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision. In an unloaded state, i.e., when no crash is occurring, the pull cable is unloaded and, for example, hangs slightly or is under tension. Preferably, one pull cable is provided for each hinge.

[0024] The second attachment point is located at the cabin-side end of the hood. This means the second attachment point is located directly at or near the cabin-side end of the hood. For example, the second attachment point is located in an area along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle of a maximum of 15%, 10%, or 5% of the length of the hood between the front end and the cabin-side end.

[0025] The first attachment point is offset relative to the second attachment point towards the front end, i.e., along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Preferably, the second attachment point is offset along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle by at least 5 cm, at least 10 cm, at least 15 cm, or at least 20 cm. Preferably, the tow cable is arranged at an angle of at most 20°, at most 30°, at most 45°, or at most 60° to a horizontal.

[0026] The pull cable is designed to absorb the impact force exerted on the hood during a frontal collision, deflecting the cabin-side end of the hood vertically downwards. In a frontal collision, the hood is forced horizontally towards the passenger compartment of the vehicle, thus experiencing a corresponding impact force in that direction. As already explained, the hinge is not designed to absorb such an impact force in every case and prevent the hood from penetrating the windshield. Therefore, this impact force is at least partially absorbed by the pull cable and transferred into the very rigid body shell of the vehicle via the first and second attachment points.In an idealized scenario, used here for illustrative purposes, involving an ideally stiff towing cable that experiences no elongation under the applied forces and an ideally stiff, i.e., non-deforming, body shell, the second attachment point moves in a circular path around the first attachment point when the hood is moved horizontally towards the passenger cabin. This deflects the second attachment point, and thus the cabin-side end of the hood, vertically downwards along this circular path. Consequently, the cabin-side end of the hood does not strike the windshield, but rather the body shell or other elements of the vehicle that pose a lower safety risk than the windshield.

[0027] The pull cable thus provides a safety device offering a particularly high level of safety for the vehicle's occupants. In particular, this safety device prevents the hood from striking the windshield in a frontal collision, thereby potentially preventing damage to the windshield and / or the airbag.

[0028] The hinge has a predetermined bending point.

[0029] The hinge of the safety device includes a predetermined bending point. For example, the hinge is arc-shaped or hook-shaped. Preferably, in such a case, the predetermined bending point is located in a curved section of the hinge or the section of the hinge with the smallest bending radius. Preferably, the predetermined bending point is designed to allow the hinge to bend about a bending axis by plastic deformation. The bending axis is preferably arranged parallel to a transverse direction of the vehicle, i.e., orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0030] Preferably, the hinge is designed so that in a frontal crash, an upper hinge section, which is connected to the hood, is bent towards the passenger cabin, while a lower hinge section, which is connected to the body shell, remains stationary.

[0031] The predetermined bending point allows for a predefined deformation of the hinge in a frontal crash. This provides a particularly safe safety device.

[0032] The intended bending point is located on the front side of the second connection point, preferably between the first connection point and the second connection point.

[0033] The hinge's intended bending point is now located on the front side of the second attachment point. Preferably, the intended bending point is located along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle between the first and second attachment points. The first attachment point is therefore located on the cabin side of the intended bending point.

[0034] The arrangement of the intended bending point according to the embodiment proposed here makes it possible for the force exerted on the hinge by the pull cable in a frontal crash to cause a defined bending of the hinge towards the passenger cabin and thus cause a defined movement of the cabin-side end of the front hood.

[0035] In a further advantageous embodiment of the safety device, it is proposed that the hinge comprises a hinge eye on which the front hood is pivotally mounted, and preferably the second attachment point is located at the hinge eye.

[0036] According to this embodiment, the hinge now includes a hinge eye. The hinge eye forms a joint that allows the hood to pivot relative to the body shell. Preferably, the hinge eye is formed at a first connection point of the hinge where the hinge is connected to the hood, so that the hood can pivot relative to the hinge.

[0037] Preferably, the second attachment point is located at the hinge eye. For example, the second attachment point is formed by the hinge eye.

[0038] In a further advantageous embodiment of the safety device, it is proposed that a first connection point, at which the hinge is connected to the front hood, is arranged on the cabin side of a second connection point, at which the hinge is connected to the body shell.

[0039] According to this embodiment, it is proposed that a first connection point, where the hinge is connected to the hood, is located on the cabin side, separated from a second connection point, where the hinge is connected to the body shell. This ensures that even with an initially high vertical force component in the pull cable's tensile force during a crash, a defined buckling of the hinge (as described above) and a corresponding vertical downward deflection of the cabin-side end of the hood are guaranteed.

[0040] In a further advantageous embodiment of the safety device, it is proposed that the traction cable be a steel cable or a fiber composite cable.

[0041] The proposed safety device allows an impact force to be transferred to a front hood in the form of a tensile force via the pull cable onto the body shell.

[0042] It is now proposed that the traction cable be suitable for withstanding high tensile forces. For example, the traction cable could be a steel cable or a fiber composite cable.

[0043] In a further advantageous embodiment of the safety device, it is proposed that the front hood be double-layered. wherein a first, lower layer of the front hood is profiled, and wherein a second, upper layer of the front hood comprises an outer visible surface, has a lower stiffness than the first lower layer and is spaced apart from the first lower layer to form a vertical deformation zone for an impacting object.

[0044] According to this embodiment, the front hood is two-layered. That is, preferably the front hood comprises two layers of spaced-apart sheet metal. For example, the layers of the front hood are spaced apart from each other at least in an area where, in the event of a collision with a pedestrian or cyclist, the head of the pedestrian or cyclist is highly likely to strike the hood (compared to other areas).

[0045] Preferably, a first, lower layer of the front hood is profiled. This means that sealing surfaces, for example, are preferably formed in this layer, which stiffen it compared to an unprofiled layer.

[0046] A second upper layer of the front hood preferably comprises an externally visible surface and is preferably unprofiled or less profiled than the first layer. Preferably, the second layer is unprofiled and has low stiffness, at least in the area where a head is likely to (with high probability) impact.

[0047] The gap between the first and second layers thus forms a vertical deformation zone into which the second layer is pressed when an object, such as a head, hits the second layer.

[0048] According to this embodiment, a safety device offering a particularly high level of safety for other road users is proposed.

[0049] According to another aspect, a motor vehicle is proposed that has at least the following components: - a drive machine for providing a drive torque; - at least one drive wheel which is in torque-transmitting connection with the drive engine in order to provide propulsion of the motor vehicle based on the drive torque; and - a safety device according to an embodiment as described above.

[0050] A motor vehicle is proposed here which includes at least one drive motor, at least one drive wheel and a safety device as described above.

[0051] The drive motor is designed to provide drive torque. For example, the drive motor is located on an axle or a drive wheel.

[0052] Propulsion of the motor vehicle can be provided by means of the drive wheel. Preferably, the motor vehicle comprises four wheels, of which at least two or four are designed as drive wheels.

[0053] The safety device is designed according to one of the preceding descriptions, to which reference is hereby made. Preferably, the basic structure of the safety device thus forms a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

[0054] In a further advantageous embodiment of the motor vehicle, it is proposed that the motor vehicle includes a horizontal deformation zone adjoining the body shell at the front.

[0055] According to this embodiment, the vehicle now includes a deformation zone adjacent to the front of the body shell. The deformation zone is designed as a horizontal deformation zone and thus essentially for absorbing horizontal forces. Preferably, the deformation zone is designed to compensate for at least some of the forces in a frontal crash through deformation. For this purpose, the deformation zone preferably comprises several deformation areas, which are preferably connected in series.

[0056] For example, a first deformation zone is a particularly soft deformation zone, designed to absorb minor impacts such as parking bumps. A front bumper, for instance, is a deformation element of the first deformation zone.

[0057] For example, an optional second deformation zone is a medium-sized deformation zone designed to absorb frontal collisions with light moving objects or at low speeds. Cost-effective deformation elements are provided to create this second deformation zone; these elements are replaceable after use. These elements prevent, for example, expensive damage to structural components of the vehicle or to the deformation elements of the third deformation zone in minor collisions.

[0058] For example, a third deformation zone is a hard deformation zone designed to absorb high amounts of energy in frontal crashes at medium or high speeds. The deformation elements of this third zone might be longitudinal beams, such as those made of aluminum profiles.

[0059] In a further advantageous embodiment of the motor vehicle, it is proposed that the motor vehicle is a battery-electric motor vehicle and that the front hood is a cover for a trunk of the motor vehicle.

[0060] According to this embodiment, it is now proposed that the motor vehicle be a battery-electric vehicle. The motor vehicle thus comprises at least one, for example two or four, electric drive motors. The electric drive motor can be supplied with energy by means of a traction battery. The space in the front area of ​​the motor vehicle no longer occupied by an internal combustion engine is used, for example, by a trunk, the cover of which is formed by the hood.

[0061] The invention described above is explained in detail below against the relevant technical background with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show preferred embodiments. The invention is in no way limited by the purely schematic drawings, although it should be noted that the drawings are not dimensionally accurate and are not suitable for defining size relationships. It is illustrated in Fig. 1: A schematic representation of the front of a motor vehicle with a safety device; Fig. 2: the front area made of Fig. 1 in a head-on collision; and Fig. 3: a motor vehicle equipped with a safety device.

[0062] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the front area 2 of a motor vehicle 3 with a safety device 1.

[0063] The safety device 1 comprises a front hood 4, a body shell 7, a hinge 8, and a pull cable 9. The front hood 4, with a visible surface 16, opens to close a trunk 19 or an access opening to the trunk 19 located above the trunk 19. For this purpose, the front hood 4 is pivotally mounted on the hinge 8, which in turn is attached to the body shell 7, for example by riveting, welding, gluing, or screwing.

[0064] The hood 4 is mounted at a cabin-side end 5 on the hinge 8, so that the front end 6 of the hood 4 can be pivoted open. To prevent the hood 4 from opening unintentionally, it includes a locking mechanism 28. For example, the trunk 19 can be locked using the locking mechanism 28. The hinge 8 includes a predetermined bending point 12, which allows for a predetermined deformation of the hinge 8 in the event of a frontal crash, and connection points 14, 15, at which the hinge 8 is connected to the hood 4 and the body shell 7. The first connection point 14 connects the hood 4 of the vehicle 3 to the hinge 8, and the second connection point 15 connects the hinge 8 to the body shell 7 of the vehicle 3. The hinge 8 also includes a hinge eye 13, which pivots the hood 4.

[0065] The body shell 7 forms a passenger cell to protect the occupants of the passenger cabin. The passenger cell, or body shell 7, exhibits high rigidity to prevent or minimize deformation in the event of a crash.

[0066] To absorb energy in a crash, deformation zones 18 are arranged outside the body shell or passenger compartment. Here, a deformation zone 18 is shown in the front area 2 of the vehicle 3, which is specifically designed to absorb energy generated in a frontal crash. The deformation zone 18 comprises deformation elements that deform in a frontal crash and thereby absorb the energy.

[0067] Here, three deformation areas 29, 30, 31 of deformation zone 18 are symbolically represented, which are connected in series.

[0068] A first deformation zone 29 is a particularly soft deformation zone, for example to absorb minor impacts such as parking bumps. For example, a front apron is a deformation element of the first deformation zone 29.

[0069] An optional second deformation zone 30 is a central deformation zone designed to absorb frontal collisions with light moving objects or at low speeds. For example, cost-effective deformation elements are provided to form the second deformation zone 30, which are replaceable after use. These deformation elements prevent, for example, expensive damage to structural elements of the vehicle 3 or to the deformation elements of the third deformation zone 31 in minor collisions.

[0070] A third deformation zone 31 is a hard deformation zone designed to absorb high amounts of energy in frontal crashes at medium or high speeds. For example, the deformation elements of the third deformation zone 31 are longitudinal beams, for example made of aluminum profiles.

[0071] The deformation elements or deformation zone 18 adjoin the front of the shell structure 7.

[0072] The safety device 1 further comprises a pull cable 9. The pull cable 9 is, for example, a steel cable or a fiber composite cable, which is connected at one end to the body shell 7 of the vehicle 3 by means of a first attachment point 10. The pull cable 9 is connected at its other end to the hood 4 by means of a second attachment point 11, and / or also to the hinge 8 by means of the hinge eye 13. The second attachment point 11 of the pull cable 9 is located at a front end of the body shell in the longitudinal direction 27 of the vehicle. The second attachment point 11 is also located in front of the second connection point 15 of the hinge 8. From the second connection point 15, the hinge 8 extends in a curved direction upwards and towards the passenger compartment (shown on the left).Accordingly, the first connection point 14 and the first connection point 10, which is identical to the first connection point 14, are arranged on the cabin side of the second connection point 15.

[0073] In a frontal collision, the hood 4 is pushed horizontally towards the passenger cabin. The pull cable 9 absorbs this horizontal movement on the cabin side and guides the second attachment point 11, and thus the cabin-side end 5 of the hood 4, downwards in a circular path. Due to the shallow angle of the pull cable 9, which results from the distance between the two attachment points 10 and 11 along the longitudinal direction 27 of the vehicle, the cabin-side end 5 of the hood 4 is moved with a high vertical component from the outset.

[0074] The front hood 4 is designed with a crease to withstand a frontal crash, so that it absorbs the energy of the frontal crash upwards at the crease (compare Fig. 2) Furthermore, the front hood 4 deforms away from the windshield or the front section 2 of the vehicle 3 and thus does not penetrate it. For example, the cabin-side end of the front hood 4 is directed onto the body shell 7 of the vehicle 3.

[0075] In Fig. 2 is the front area 2 from Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a frontal crash. The deformed horizontal deformation zone 18 of the front area 2 of the motor vehicle 3 is depicted.

[0076] The horizontal deformation zone 18 was deformed along the longitudinal direction 27 of the vehicle and underwent compression. All three deformation areas 29, 30, and 31 were deformed. Simultaneously, the front hood 4 was pushed horizontally towards the passenger cabin by the impact force. The pull cable 9 blocked the horizontal movement at the cabin-side end 5 of the front hood 4 and redirected the cabin-side end downwards, bending the hinge 8. At the same time, the movement was counteracted by a counterforce, causing the front hood 4 to deform. Instead of penetrating the windshield, the front hood 4 buckled upwards at a predetermined weak point.

[0077] The hinge 8 was deformed at the intended bending point 12 such that an upper hinge section 25 was bent downwards by means of the pull cable 9, as shown in the illustration, while a lower hinge section 26 remained firmly attached to the frame 7. Due to the fixed length of the pull cable 9, the first attachment point 10 follows an indicated circular path (shown here as a dashed line) around the second attachment point 11, so that the upper hinge section 25 bends towards the passenger cabin.

[0078] In Fig. Figure 3 shows a motor vehicle 3 with a safety device 1 in a schematic top view. The motor vehicle 3 comprises a traction battery 20, a front hood 4, which here is designed as a cover for an access opening of a trunk 19, a drive motor 17 and a transmission 21 with a differential 22.

[0079] The drive motor 17 is designed to convert energy stored in the traction battery 20. For example, torque provided by the drive motor 17 is transmitted via a rotor shaft through the gearbox 21 and the differential 22 to a left drive wheel 23 and a right drive wheel 24, as shown at the rear of the vehicle 3. The vehicle 3 is thus movable along its longitudinal direction 27.

[0080] A safety device is provided which prevents the hood from penetrating the windshield in the event of a frontal collision of a motor vehicle. Reference symbol list 1 safety device 2 Front area 3 Motor vehicle 4 Front hood 5 cabin-side end 6 front end 7 Shell construction 8 hinge 9 tow rope 10 first connection point 11 second connection point 12 Target bending point 13 hinge eye 14 first connection point 15 second connection point 16 Visible surface 17 Drive machine 18 horizontal deformation zone 19 trunk 20 traction batteries 21 gearboxes 22 Differential 23 left drive wheel 24 right drive wheel 25 upper hinge section 26 lower hinge section 27 Vehicle longitudinal direction 28 Locking mechanism 29 first deformation area 30 second deformation area 31 third deformation area

Claims

Safety device (1) for a front area (2) of a motor vehicle (3), comprising at least the following components: - a front hood (4) with a cabin-side end (5) and a front-side end (6); - a body shell (7) of the motor vehicle (3); and a hinge (8) by means of which the front hood (4) is pivotably mounted on the body shell (7), wherein the safety device (1) comprises a pull cable (9) which is connected to the body shell (7) at a first attachment point (10) and to the front hood (4) and / or the hinge (8) at a second attachment point (11), wherein the second attachment point (11) is arranged at the cabin-side end (5) of the front hood (4) and the first attachment point (10) is offset in relation to the second attachment point (11) in the direction of the front end (6) of the front hood (4), so that in the event of a frontal crash an impact force transmitted to the front hood (4) can be absorbed by means of the pull cable (9),to deflect the cabin-side end (5) of the front hood (4) vertically downwards, characterized in that the hinge (8) has a predetermined bending point (12), and that the predetermined bending point (12) is arranged frontally to the second attachment point (11). Safety device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the intended bending point (12) is arranged between the first attachment point (10) and the second attachment point (11). Safety device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the hinge (8) comprises a hinge eye (13) on which the front hood (4) is pivotably mounted. Safety device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a first connection point (14) at which the hinge (8) is connected to the front hood (4) is arranged on the cabin side of a second connection point (15) at which the hinge (8) is connected to the body shell (7). Safety device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the traction rope (9) is a steel rope or a fiber composite rope. Safety device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the front hood (4) is two-layered, wherein a first, lower layer of the front hood (4) is profiled, and wherein a second, upper layer of the front hood (4) comprises an outer visible surface (16), has a lower stiffness than the first lower layer and is spaced apart from the first lower layer to form a vertical deformation zone for an impacting object. Motor vehicle (3) comprising at least the following components: - a drive motor (17) for providing a drive torque, - at least one drive wheel which is in torque-transmitting connection with the drive motor (17) in order to provide propulsion of the motor vehicle (3) based on the drive torque; and - a safety device (1) according to one of the preceding claims. Motor vehicle (3) according to claim 7, wherein the motor vehicle (3) comprises a horizontal deformation zone (18) adjoining the body shell (7) at the front. Motor vehicle (3) according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the motor vehicle (3) is a battery electric motor vehicle (3) and the front hood (4) is a cover of a trunk (19) of the motor vehicle (3).

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