Arrangement for the protection of a motor vehicle's passenger compartment in the event of a frontal collision with an obstacle with low overlap.

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement (100) for protecting a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle in the event of a frontal collision with an obstacle (30) with a small overlap, comprising a subframe (10) attached to the vehicle body, to which the wheel carriers (12) supporting the wheels (12-1) of a front axle are connected, wherein the wheel carriers (12) are connected in their lower link planes to the subframe (10) via a front link (14) viewed in the longitudinal direction (FL) of the vehicle and a rear link (16) spaced apart therefrom, wherein the front links (14) are each pivotally mounted on the subframe (10) via a front link bearing (14-1) and the rear links (16) are each pivotally mounted via a rear link bearing (16-1).The invention is characterized in that the subframe (10) has a cantilever (10-A) extending outwards in the transverse direction (FQ) of the vehicle in front of the wheels (12-1), which is designed and arranged to introduce the loads occurring in a frontal collision with an obstacle (30) with a small overlap into the subframe (10), and that the subframe (10) has a deformation section (10-D) which is designed and arranged such that, when a predetermined abuse load is exceeded, the front control arm bearing (14-1) performs a rearward displacement towards the rear control arm bearing (16-1).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an arrangement for protecting a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle according to the type specified in the preamble of claim 1 and to a motor vehicle according to claim 11.

[0002] As is well known, frontal collisions with an obstacle with a small overlap, also known as a small-overlap crash, are extremely problematic, especially with regard to injuries to the front vehicle occupants.

[0003] In such frontal collisions, the problem arises that a corresponding lateral longitudinal member of the body, located on the inside of a front wheel, is not impacted by the obstacle / other vehicle due to the small overlap and therefore cannot contribute to absorbing impact energy. Instead, such frontal collisions result in an accident scenario where the vehicle structure struck by the obstacle and / or the wheel accelerated due to the accident can experience high stress in the area of ​​the front bulkhead of the passenger compartment, a front pillar, and / or a side panel. This can potentially lead to intrusions into the passenger compartment, particularly in the area of ​​the footwells, as well as to a rearward displacement of the cockpit, including the steering column and steering wheel.

[0004] A generic protective device for the body of a passenger car is disclosed in DE 10 2012 004 682 A1.

[0005] The invention is based on the objective of further developing an arrangement according to the type specified in the preamble of claim 1 in such a way that the arrangement requires less installation space and is more weight-efficient.

[0006] This problem is solved by the characterizing features of claim 1 in conjunction with its preamble features.

[0007] Subclaims 2 to 10 represent advantageous further developments of the invention.

[0008] The arrangement comprises a subframe attached to the vehicle body, to which the wheel carriers supporting the wheels of the front axle are connected. The wheel carriers are connected to the subframe in a known manner at their lower link planes via two links: a front link (viewed in the longitudinal direction FL of the vehicle) and a rear link spaced apart from it. The front links are pivotally mounted to the subframe via a front link bearing in a known manner; similarly, the rear links, also referred to as trailing arms, are pivotally mounted to the subframe via a rear link bearing.

[0009] The directional specifications used above and below refer to a vehicle-fixed coordinate system whose x-axis runs along the vehicle's longitudinal axis, i.e., vehicle longitudinal direction FL, and points in the forward direction, whose y-axis runs along the vehicle's transverse axis, i.e., vehicle transverse direction FQ, and points to the left accordingly, and whose z-axis is aligned upwards along the vehicle's vertical axis, i.e., vehicle vertical direction FH.

[0010] According to the invention, the subframe has a cantilever extending outwards in the transverse direction FQ of the vehicle in front of the wheels, which is designed and arranged such that the loads occurring in a frontal collision with an obstacle with a small overlap are transferred into the subframe. Furthermore, according to the invention, the subframe has a deformation section which is designed and arranged such that, when a predetermined abuse load is exceeded, it deforms in such a way that the front control arm bearing undergoes a rearward displacement towards the rear control arm bearing.

[0011] In the event of a crash, the rearward displacement of the front control arm bearing towards the rear control arm bearing, and the resulting control arm kinematics, as provided for in the invention, has the effect that the affected wheel performs a pivoting movement about the vehicle's vertical direction FH. Consequently, the rear portion of the wheel is turned outwards and moved out of the danger zone. That is, the protective function, namely rotating the wheel out of the danger zone, is now realized via the subframe according to the invention; in other words, the protective function has been integrated into the subframe. Due to this functional integration into the subframe, additional components are not required to ensure the desired protective function. This advantageously ensures that the arrangement according to the invention is lighter and more compact and requires less installation space.

[0012] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the front link is designed to release the wheel carrier when the crash forces resulting from the rearward displacement, which are introduced into or absorbed by the front link, exceed a defined crash load. An advantage of this design is that, due to the release of the wheel carrier by the front link, the rear portion of the affected wheel can now be rotated further outwards and thus further out of the danger zone.

[0013] Preferably, the front linkage has a predetermined breaking point designed so that, if the defined crash load is exceeded, the front linkage fails in the area of ​​the predetermined breaking point.

[0014] An alternative design provides that a front steering joint, which supports the front control arm on the wheel carrier, is designed to fail in a controlled manner when the defined crash load is exceeded.

[0015] In order to enable the wheel to be completely ejected from the danger zone during the further course of an accident or crash, a further preferred embodiment provides that the rear link is designed to release the wheel carrier when - after exceeding the crash load and thus after the targeted failure of the front link - the loads introduced into the rear link and to be absorbed by the rear link exceed a defined limit load.

[0016] Similar to the front linkage, the rear linkage can have a correspondingly designed predetermined breaking point, i.e., a predetermined breaking point that fails in a targeted manner when the defined limit load is exceeded, or the rear linkage can be connected to the wheel carrier via a rear linkage joint designed in this way, which fails in a targeted manner when the defined limit load is exceeded.

[0017] The subframe comprises, in a known manner, two longitudinal members FL oriented in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, at least one cross member oriented in the transverse direction FQ, by which the two longitudinal members are connected to each other, and front and rear control arm mounting points for supporting the front and rear control arm bearings, i.e., for connecting the front and rear control arms to the subframe. Control arm mounting points are defined as bearing mounts / support brackets provided or formed on the subframe for receiving or supporting the corresponding control arm bearings. The subframe is characterized in particular by the fact that the front cross member is designed with wheel-side extensions and that the longitudinal members in the area between the front and rear control arm mounting points are designed with a deformation section.

[0018] A structurally simple and therefore cost-effective design provides that the longitudinal beams in the deformation section each have a buckling area which is designed to buckle when the specified abuse load is exceeded, thus shifting the front steering bearing back towards the rear steering bearing.

[0019] Another particularly advantageous embodiment provides that the auxiliary frame-side cantilever has a sliding surface on its side facing the wheel, which is designed to cause the motor vehicle to slide "inwards", i.e. away from the obstacle, and thus reduce the overlap with the obstacle.

[0020] The invention further aims to develop a motor vehicle, which includes an arrangement for protecting the passenger compartment in the event of a frontal collision with an obstacle with a small width overlap, in such a way that occupant protection is ensured by a space-saving and weight-optimized design.

[0021] This problem is solved by designing the arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 10.

[0022] All descriptions of the arrangement according to the invention can be applied analogously to the motor vehicle according to the invention, so that the aforementioned advantages can also be achieved with it.

[0023] Further advantages and application possibilities of the invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the embodiment shown in the drawing.

[0024] In the drawing, this means: Fig. 1 a view obliquely from above of an arrangement according to the invention, and Fig. 2. The functioning of the arrangement according to the invention in schematic representation.

[0025] Fig. Figure 1 shows an arrangement, designated as reference numeral 100, for the protection of a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle in the event of a frontal collision with an obstacle with a small overlap.

[0026] The arrangement 100 essentially comprises a subframe 10 for the front axle of a motor vehicle and the wheel carriers 12 supporting the right and left wheels, which are connected to the subframe 10 in a known manner in the lower link plane via two links, namely the front link 14 viewed in the longitudinal direction FL of the vehicle or in the x-direction and the rear link 16.

[0027] How Fig. As can be seen further in Figure 1, the auxiliary frame 10 has two longitudinal members 10-1, 10-2 extending in the longitudinal direction FL and in the x-direction, respectively, and one transverse member 10-3 extending in the transverse direction FQ and in the y-direction, respectively. The front control arms 14 are connected to the auxiliary frame 10 via associated front control arm connection points 18; correspondingly, the rear control arms 16, which are positioned further back in the longitudinal direction FL and in the x-direction, respectively, are mounted on the auxiliary frame via rear control arm connection points 20.

[0028] The following are - as Fig. Figure 1 further shows - the front linkage points 18 of the front linkages 14 are arranged on the cross member 10-3 and are designed in the form of cross member-side bearing mounts, and the rear linkage points 20 are designed in the form of bearing brackets attached to the longitudinal members 10-1, 10-2.

[0029] The front control arm bearing, which pivotally supports the front control arm 14 at the front control arm mounting point 18, is designated by reference numeral 14-1, and the front control arm joint, which supports the front control arm 14 on the wheel carrier side, is designated by reference numeral 14-2. Similarly, the rear control arm bearing, which pivotally supports the rear control arm 16 at the rear control arm mounting point 20 or the bearing bracket, is designated by reference numeral 16-1, and the rear control arm joint, which supports the rear control arm 16 on the wheel carrier 12, is designated by reference numeral 16-2. Fig. 2.

[0030] How Fig. As further shown in Figure 1, the crossbeam 10-3 of the auxiliary frame 10 has outward cantilevers 10-A. The cantilevers 10-A are arranged such that in the load case "small overlap crash" the obstacle 30, cf. Fig. 2, collided with the boom 10-A. This means that the loads occurring during the frontal collision with the obstacle 30 are transferred from the boom 10-A via the crossbeam 10-3 into the associated longitudinal beams 10-1, 10-2 of the auxiliary frame 10.

[0031] How Fig. As can be seen further in Figure 1, the longitudinal members 10-1, 10-2 have a deformation section 10-D in the area between the front and rear control arm mounting points 18, 20. This section is designed to deform or shorten in a controlled manner when a predetermined abuse load is exceeded, causing the front control arm bearing 14-1, and thus the wheel carrier 12 and the wheel, to shift rearward. In this case, the deformation section 10-D has a correspondingly dimensioned buckling area that buckles in a controlled manner when the predetermined abuse load is exceeded, thereby shortening the distance between the front control arm bearing 14-1 and the rear control arm bearing 16-2.

[0032] Arrangement 100 also provides that in the load case “Small-Overlap-Crash” after the retraction of the front control arm bearing 14-1, the front control arm 14 will fail in a controlled manner and subsequently, i.e. after failure of the front control arm 14, a controlled failure of the rear control arm 16 will occur.

[0033] The controlled failure of the control arms 14, 16 is achieved here by a corresponding design of the control arm joints 14-2, 16-2 that connect the control arms 14, 16 to the wheel carrier 12. That is, the control arm joints 14-2, 16-2 are designed to fail in a controlled manner when a critical load is exceeded.

[0034] With reference to Fig. Section 2 below explains the operation of arrangement 100. To this end, it shows Fig. 2 in a view from below, one side of a vehicle shows three states: left before the collision, middle during the collision, and right after the collision.

[0035] As already explained, the wheel carrier 12, which carries the wheel 12-1, is connected to the subframe 10, of which only the longitudinal member 10-2 is visible here, via the front control arm 14 and the rear control arm 16. A body-side longitudinal member 22 and a body-side sill 24 are also shown.

[0036] The collision with the obstacle 30 occurs – as can be seen in the central illustration – via the boom 10-A. As the central illustration further shows, the force introduced via the boom 10-A leads to the deformation of the subframe-side longitudinal member 10-1, i.e., the distance between the front control arm bearing 14-1 and the rear control arm bearing 16-1 is reduced. The altered control arm kinematics caused by the rearward displacement results in the wheel 12-1 being turned outwards.

[0037] Subsequently, as shown in the right-hand illustration, the front control arm 14 fails in a controlled manner. This is followed by the controlled failure of the rear control arm 16, and the wheel 12-1 is ejected. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2012 004 682 A1

[0004]

Claims

[1] Arrangement (100) for protecting a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle in the event of a frontal collision with an obstacle (30) with a small overlap, comprising a subframe (10) attached to the vehicle body, to which the wheel carriers (12) supporting the wheels (12-1) of a front axle are connected, wherein the wheel carriers (12) are each connected in their lower link planes to the subframe (10) via a front link (14) viewed in the longitudinal direction (FL) of the vehicle and a rear link (16) spaced apart therefrom, wherein the front links (14) are each pivotally mounted on the subframe (10) via a front link bearing (14-1) and the rear links (16) are each pivotally mounted via a rear link bearing (16-1), characterized by, that the subframe (10) has a cantilever (10-A) extending outwards in the transverse direction (FQ) of the vehicle in front of the wheels (12-1), which is designed and arranged to introduce the loads occurring in a frontal collision with an obstacle (30) with a small overlap into the subframe (10), and that the subframe (10) has a deformation section (10-D) which is designed and arranged such that, when a predetermined abuse load is exceeded, the front control arm bearing (14-1) performs a displacement towards the rear control arm bearing (16-1). [2] Arrangement (100) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the front link (14) is designed to release the wheel carrier (12) when the crash forces resulting from the rearward displacement and introduced into the front link (14) exceed a defined crash load. [3] Arrangement (100) according to claim 2, characterized by, that the front link (14) has a predetermined breaking point which fails when the defined crash load is exceeded. [4] Arrangement (100) according to claim 2, characterized by , that a front steering joint (14-2) supporting the front control arm (14) on the wheel carrier (12) is designed to fail when the defined crash load is exceeded. [5] Arrangement (100) according to claim 2, characterized by , that the rear link (16) is designed to release the wheel carrier (12) when - after exceeding the crash load - the loads to be absorbed by the rear link (16) exceed a defined limit load. [6] Arrangement (100) according to claim 5, characterized by , that the rear link (16) has a predetermined breaking point which fails when the defined limit load is exceeded. [7] Arrangement (100) according to claim 5, characterized by, that a rear steering linkage joint (16-2) which supports the rear control arm (16) on the wheel carrier (12) is designed to fail when the defined limit load is exceeded. [8] Arrangement (100) according to any of the aforementioned claims, characterized by , that the subframe (10) comprises two longitudinal members (10-1, 10-2) oriented in the longitudinal direction (FL) of the vehicle, at least one cross member (10-3) oriented in the transverse direction (FQ) of the vehicle connecting the two longitudinal members (10-1, 10-2), and front and rear linkage attachment points (18, 20) for supporting the front and rear linkage bearings (14-1, 16-1), wherein the cross member (10-3) is designed to have the wheel-side extensions (10-A) and the longitudinal members (10-1, 10-2) are designed to have the deformation section (10-D) in the area between the front and rear linkage attachment points (18, 20). [9] Arrangement (100) according to claim 8, characterized by, that the longitudinal members (10-1, 10-2) in the deformation section each have a buckling area which is designed to buckle when the specified abuse load is exceeded and thus move the front steering bearing (14-1) back towards the rear steering bearing (16-1). [10] Arrangement (100) according to any of the aforementioned claims, characterized by , that the boom (10-A) has an outer sliding surface designed to deflect the motor vehicle inwards after a frontal collision with the obstacle with low lateral overlap, thereby reducing the overlap with the obstacle. [11] Motor vehicle comprising an arrangement (100) for a wheel of a front axle of a motor vehicle in the event of a frontal collision with an obstacle with a small overlap, characterized by that the arrangement is designed according to one of claims 1 to 10.

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