Reinforcing bracket for a vehicle tunnel

Abstract

The invention relates to a reinforcing bracket for a vehicle tunnel positioned at a front seat crossmember (4), characterised in that the bracket (1) comprises at least two reinforcing elements and at least one connecting element, each reinforcing element comprising a main face comprising a transverse portion and two branches, and at least two lateral sides projecting from each branch, the at least one connecting element comprising a planar face and at least two lateral sides projecting from either side of the planar face, the at least one connecting element being configured to be positioned between the at least two reinforcing elements, the connecting element making it possible to maintain the at least two reinforcing elements substantially opposite one another.

Description

Description Title of the invention: Reinforcing stirrup for a vehicle tunnel

[0001] The present invention claims priority from French application 2213900 filed on December 20, 2022, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference. The invention relates to a reinforcing stirrup for a vehicle tunnel.

[0002] After the removal of the aluminum side member and during an impact with a post at an angle of 75° at a speed of 32 km / h, problems in the structural integrity of the underbody were identified, particularly between the tunnel and the floor on the side of the front seat crossmember of the vehicle. A large opening and unbuttoning of the welding points were detected, which created an imbalance in the underbody. The interior of the tunnel in the part connected to the front seat crossmember then shows a weakness.

[0003] The invention therefore aims to propose at least one solution which overcomes this drawback.

[0004] For this purpose, the invention relates to a reinforcing bracket for a vehicle tunnel.According to the invention, said stirrup comprises at least two reinforcing elements and at least one connecting element of the at least two reinforcing elements, each reinforcing element comprising a main face having a substantially U shape and at least two lateral sides, the main face comprising a transverse part and two branches, the at least two lateral sides projecting from each branch, the at least one connecting element comprising a flat face and at least two lateral sides projecting on either side of said flat face, the at least one connecting element being configured to be positioned between the at least two reinforcing elements, the at least two sides of the connecting element bearing on the two main faces of the at least two reinforcing elements at the transverse parts, the connecting element making it possible to hold the at least two reinforcing elements substantially opposite each other.

[0005] To make mass optimizations, the aluminum profile of the side member which functions for the impact according to the American homologation, identical to the European one in the case of the invention, of thermal vehicles has been removed. The invention makes it possible to preserve the structural integrity of the underbody in the event of a side impact of a vehicle with a post at an angle of 75° at 32 Km / H for example without aluminum profile. The invention therefore aims to reinforce the tunnel by adding a stirrup according to the invention. The invention consists of reinforcing the interior of the tunnel in the part connected to a front seat crossmember and distributing the forces between the heel board, seat crossmember and A-pillar. To solve this problem, a stirrup according to the invention is added in the area while respecting a functional clearance of 25 mm between the silencer and the tunnel.This solution corrects the opening problem between the tunnel and the floor, and also corrects the problem of unbuttoning the welding points in this area. The invention provides better structural behavior of the underbody. The invention also allows a significant gain in terms of manufacturing cost price and mass given the elimination of the aluminum profile in the side member. The stirrup according to the invention is positioned between the front seat crossmembers and contributes to resistance to deformation in the event of a side impact.

[0006] Each reinforcement element can have a height of 134 mm.

[0007] Each reinforcement element can have a length of 164 mm.

[0008] Each reinforcement element can have a thickness of 2 mm.

[0009] Each reinforcement element can be in DP980.

[0010] Each connecting element can be in DP 1180.

[0011] The invention also relates to a vehicle tunnel comprising at least one stirrup according to the invention.

[0012] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising at least one tunnel according to the invention.

[0013] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the description illustrated by the appended drawings, in which the figures represent: [Fig. 1] illustrates a general view of a stirrup according to the invention positioned in a tunnel, [Fig. 2] illustrates a front view and a rear view of a reinforcing element according to the invention, [Fig. 3] illustrates a general view of a connecting element according to the invention, [Fig. 4] illustrates two different views of a stirrup according to the invention, [Fig. 5] illustrates the attachment points with the tunnel of a stirrup according to the invention.

[0014] These embodiments being in no way limiting, it will be possible in particular to consider variants of the invention comprising only a selection of characteristics described or illustrated subsequently isolated from the other characteristics described or illustrated (even if this selection is isolated within a sentence comprising these other characteristics), if this selection of characteristics is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention compared to the state of the prior art. This selection comprises at least one preferably functional characteristic without structural details, and / or with only a part of the structural details if this part only is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention compared to the state of the prior art.

[0015] In the following description, the terms "lower", "upper", "top", "bottom" etc. . . are used with reference to the drawings for ease of understanding. They should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention.

[0016] We will first describe, with reference to [Fig. 1], a general view of a stirrup according to the invention positioned in a vehicle tunnel. In Figure 1, it can be seen that the stirrup 1 is positioned between two parts of a front seat crossmember 4. The stirrup 1 comprises two parts: reinforcing elements 2 and a connecting element 3. [Fig. 2] illustrates a front view and a rear view of a reinforcing element 2 according to the invention. Each reinforcing element 2 comprises a main face 22 that is substantially flat or slightly curved and two lateral sides 21. The face 22 has a substantially U-shape and comprises a transverse part and two branches. The transverse part connects the two branches. The two lateral sides 21 protrude from each of the branches. The face 22 comprises, at the transverse part, a tongue-type extension comprising two openings. The two openings are intended for stamping or for manufacturing constraints.The flat face 22, more precisely the transverse part of it, has a functional clearance of 25 mm. with the tunnel when the stirrup is positioned.

[0017] [Fig. 3] illustrates a general view of a connecting element according to the invention. Each connecting element 3 comprises a flat face 30 and at least two lateral sides 31 and 32. The connecting element also comprises two additional lateral sides 33 (one of the additional sides not being visible in FIG. 3). The flat face 30 has a substantially rectangular shape and comprises two openings. The two openings are intended for stamping or for manufacturing constraints. The at least two lateral sides 31 and 32 project in a direction y (upwards) from the flat face 30 at an angle of between 20 and 90 degrees. Preferably, the lateral sides 31 and 32 are inclined towards the outside of the flat face 30. The lateral side 31 comprises two openings and a tab 311 folded back relative to the lateral side 31 so as to be substantially parallel to the flat face 30.The tab 311 is not centered relative to the middle of the flat face 30. The lateral side 32, facing the lateral side 31, also comprises two openings and a tab 321 folded back relative to the lateral side 32 so as to be substantially parallel to the flat face 30. The tab 321 is centered relative to the middle of the flat face 30. The tab 311 is longer than it is wide, while the tab 321 is wider than it is long. The two additional lateral sides 33, opposite each other and located across the width of the flat face 30, project in a -y direction (downwards) from the flat face 30 at an angle of between 20 and 90 degrees. Preferably, the lateral sides 33 are inclined towards the outside of the flat face 30. The lateral sides 33 correspond to a tab that is longer than it is wide.

[0018] [Fig. 4] illustrates two different views of a stirrup according to the invention. Two reinforcing elements 2 are positioned face to face. A connecting element 3 is positioned on the two reinforcing elements 2 at the transverse parts thereof. The connecting element 3 has a shape complementary to the space created between two reinforcing elements 2. Preferably, the gap between two reinforcing elements is equal to 73 mm. The two reinforcing elements are positioned back to back. The openings of the reinforcing elements 2 are then superimposed on the openings of the connecting element 3 when the latter is positioned. As seen in Figure 1, the tunnel rests on the lateral sides 33 as well as on the tabs 311 and 321 when the latter is mounted on the stirrup. The front seat crossmember is then fixed to the tunnel. The tunnel is fixed to the stirrup via weld points as shown in Figure 5.

[0019] In other embodiments, the caliper according to the invention may, for example, comprise three reinforcing elements and two connecting elements. The number of elements of the caliper may be adapted according to the need and / or the type of vehicle. The number of connecting elements is always equal to N1, N being the number of reinforcing elements.

[0020] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described and numerous adjustments can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention. Of course, the various characteristics, forms, variants and embodiments of the invention can be associated with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, all the variants and embodiments described above can be combined with each other.

Claims

Claims

1. A reinforcing stirrup for a vehicle tunnel, characterized in that said stirrup (1) comprises at least two reinforcing elements (2) and at least one connecting element (3) for the at least two reinforcing elements (2), each reinforcing element (2) comprising a main face (22) having a substantially U-shape and at least two lateral sides (21), the main face (22) comprising a transverse portion and two branches, the at least two lateral sides (21) projecting from each branch, the at least one connecting element (3) comprising a flat face (30) and at least two lateral sides (31, 32) projecting on either side of said flat face (30), the at least one connecting element (3) being configured to be positioned between the at least two reinforcing elements (2), the at least two sides of the connecting element (3) bearing on the two main faces of the at least two reinforcing elements (2) at the portions transverse,the connecting element (3) making it possible to hold the at least two reinforcing elements (2) substantially opposite each other.,

2. A reinforcing stirrup according to claim 1, wherein each reinforcing element (2) has a height of 134 mm.

3. A reinforcing stirrup according to any preceding claim, wherein each reinforcing element (2) has a length of 164 mm.

4. A reinforcing stirrup according to any preceding claim, wherein each reinforcing element (2) has a thickness of 2 mm.

5. A reinforcing stirrup according to any preceding claim, wherein each reinforcing element (2) is made of DP980.

6. Reinforcing stirrup according to any one of the preceding claims, in which each connecting element (3) is made of DP 1180.

7. Vehicle tunnel comprising at least one stirrup according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. Motor vehicle comprising at least one tunnel according to claim 7.

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