Transverse support arrangement for a seat of a motor vehicle, and motor vehicle having such a transverse support arrangement for a seat
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- VOLKSWAGEN AG
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-18
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-22
Smart Images
Figure EP2024066999_26122024_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Description
[0002] Seat cross member arrangement of a motor vehicle and motor vehicle with such a seat cross member arrangement
[0003] The invention relates to a seat cross member assembly of a motor vehicle and to a motor vehicle having such a seat cross member. In particular, the invention relates to a seat cross member assembly according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a seat cross member extends, in particular, through the passenger compartment or beneath the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.
[0004] EP 3 190 033 A1 discloses a motor vehicle floor structure that is made at least partially of fiber-reinforced plastic to reduce weight. This motor vehicle floor structure is combined with metallic frame elements and a metallic cross member. The metallic cross member is intended to be used to connect a vehicle seat to the vehicle body. Specific structural designs of the motor vehicle floor structure, the metallic frame elements, or the metallic cross member in conjunction with a vehicle seat for external forces acting in the transverse direction of the vehicle are not described or shown.
[0005] US 2022 / 0144063 A1 discloses a vehicle floor structure for a motor vehicle, which relates to a design for protecting a battery housing arranged beneath a passenger compartment. Structural designs of the vehicle floor structure in conjunction with a vehicle seat for external forces acting in the transverse direction of the vehicle are not described or shown.
[0006] US 2017 / 0217297 A1 discloses a protective structure for a motor vehicle that extends from a side sill located on the outside of the vehicle to a center tunnel of the vehicle via two load paths. One of the load paths leads via the seat cross member, and the other via the floor panel. A battery housing for a vehicle battery is arranged between the floor panel and the seat cross member, protected from the vertical direction of the vehicle. Structural designs of the vehicle floor structure itself in conjunction with a vehicle seat for external forces acting in the transverse direction of the vehicle are not described or shown.
[0007] The invention is based on the object of providing a seat cross member arrangement of a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle with such a seat cross member arrangement, which on the one hand have a low weight and on the other hand offer a high level of protection for a person sitting on a vehicle seat that is firmly connected to the seat cross member.
[0008] The object is achieved according to the invention with the features of the independent claims. Further practical embodiments and advantages of the invention are described in conjunction with the dependent claims.
[0009] A seat cross member assembly of a motor vehicle according to the invention has a seat cross member manufactured in one or more parts, which extends at least from a vehicle-outer cross member section via a seat connection section to a vehicle-inner cross member section, wherein the seat connection section extends at least across the width of the connection elements of a seat. Furthermore, the vehicle-outer cross member section and the vehicle-inner cross member section each adjoin the seat connection section in the vehicle's transverse direction. When loaded in the vehicle's transverse direction, the vehicle-inner cross member section is designed for a medium deformation force level, which is higher than the deformation force level in the vehicle-outer cross member section and lower than the deformation force level in the seat connection section.In other words, the invention comprises a seat cross member arrangement with a two-stage force level. On the one hand, this makes it possible to realize the seat cross member using lightweight construction measures with a low component weight. On the other hand, the design can increase the safety for a person transported in a corresponding motor vehicle because the additional cross member section inside the vehicle enables the seat connection section to be shifted towards the center of the vehicle after the outer region of the vehicle has already absorbed energy, by then also at least partially compressing the cross member section inside the vehicle. A vehicle seat firmly connected to the seat cross member can thus be shifted further towards the center of the vehicle, viewed in the transverse direction of the vehicle, thereby creating additional survival space for a person sitting on a vehicle seat.In a practical embodiment of a seat cross member arrangement according to the invention, the vehicle-outer cross member section is formed by a side sill and / or the vehicle-outer cross member section is formed on the vehicle interior side of a side sill, as viewed in the vehicle transverse direction. Depending on the space available in the vehicle transverse direction of the respective motor vehicle, the cross member section with the low deformation force level can accordingly be formed at least partially or completely on a side sill itself. Or, if space permits, alternatively or in addition to a side sill with a low deformation force level, the vehicle-outer cross member section is formed as part of the cross member, which adjoins the side sill on the interior side.
[0010] Regardless of which of the variants described above is implemented, the cross member is preferably firmly connected to the side sills and extends in the vehicle's transverse direction (y-direction) across the entire vehicle width between the respective side sills. This results in a particularly rigid arrangement between the side sills and the seat cross member.
[0011] In another practical embodiment of a seat cross member assembly, structural measures are implemented to adjust the deformation force level in the vehicle's interior cross member section and / or the vehicle's exterior cross member section. This refers, in particular, to structural adjustments to a cross member that runs either in one piece with a consistent cross-sectional profile from a right side sill to the left side sill. This can be achieved, for example, by creating suitable weak points in those areas with a medium and a low deformation force level.For example, a low deformation force level can be achieved by forming hole patterns with larger through-holes, larger recesses, and / or stronger and / or larger embossing, and a medium deformation force level can be achieved by forming medium-sized through-holes, medium-sized recesses, and / or medium-strong and / or medium embossing. Hole patterns with circular through-holes are particularly preferred, with the size of the diameters and / or the spacing of the through-holes being varied to vary the force levels. Preferably, the through-holes within a cross member section are each spaced at the same distance from one another.Alternatively or additionally, the seat connection section, the vehicle-interior cross-member section, and / or the vehicle-outterior cross-member section can also be formed from separate elements, each of which has a different cross-sectional geometry and / or different cross-sectional sizes and / or different material thicknesses and / or is made of different materials. Accordingly, at least one separate element can be arranged in the vehicle-interior cross-member section and / or the vehicle-outterior cross-member section to adjust the deformation force level.
[0012] Separate elements include not only those elements that can absorb energy through plastic deformation, but also relatively movable elements, such as hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or other devices that can be pushed together and thus also deformed when certain deformation forces acting in the transverse direction of the vehicle are exceeded. One advantage of such cylinders or other devices is that they can be moved back to their original position by applying a counterforce, so that crash-induced deformation is reversible and can be reversed. Therefore, replacing the element is not absolutely necessary, even after an accident. It may be sufficient to return the relatively movable element to its original state.
[0013] In a further practical embodiment of a seat cross member assembly according to the invention, at least one tailored blank is formed or arranged in the vehicle's interior cross member section and / or the vehicle's exterior cross member section to adjust the deformation force level. In this context, particular reference is made to tailored welded blanks, tailored rolled blanks, tailored strips, tailored tubes, and tailored orbitals, which are particularly suitable, both individually and in combination, for the design and structural configuration of cross member sections.
[0014] If, in a seat cross member arrangement according to the invention, the seat cross member has the same profile height in the vehicle-outer cross member section, in the seat connection section and / or in the vehicle-inner cross member section, in particular if this applies to all of the aforementioned sections, a structurally preferred variant results because a compact design with a flat surface of the vehicle floor can then be realized. The same advantages also arise if individual cross member sections have a reduced cross-sectional area that does not protrude upwards compared to the upper side of the adjacent sections. In a further practical embodiment of a seat cross member arrangement according to the invention, at least one profile cross section is designed to vary in at least one dimension in order to adapt the deformation force level in the vehicle-interior cross member section and / or in the vehicle-outer cross member section.In particular, step-free transitions between individual elements of a multi-part seat cross member can be produced, for example a transition in the vehicle vertical direction from a side sill via an outer cross member section to a seat connection section or a transition from a seat connection section via a vehicle-interior cross member section to a cross member center section adjoining further inside the vehicle.
[0015] The invention particularly relates to seat cross-member assemblies in which a battery housing of a traction battery is arranged below the seat cross-member. It is preferred that the battery housing be designed such that the battery cells arranged therein are not damaged in the event of deformation of the vehicle's outer cross-member section, or at least that there is no risk of the battery cells catching fire due to the action of external forces.
[0016] In a further practical embodiment of a seat cross member arrangement according to the invention, the vehicle outer cross member section is designed relative to the vehicle inner cross member section such that when a force acts on the seat cross member from the outside in the vehicle transverse direction, a compression of the vehicle outer cross member section is effected in a first deformation stage and only when further energy is to be dissipated, a compression of the vehicle inner cross member section is effected in a second deformation stage.
[0017] For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that the invention also relates to a motor vehicle with a seat cross member arrangement as described above. In this context, particular reference is made to motor vehicles having two, three, or four parallel seat cross member arrangements as described above per vehicle seat or row of vehicle seats. Reference is also made to motor vehicles with one or more vehicle seats or rows of vehicle seats, wherein the one vehicle seat or the several vehicle seats or rows of vehicle seats are firmly connected to the respective seat connection section. Further practical embodiments of the invention are described below in conjunction with the drawings. They show:
[0018] Fig. 1 shows a motor vehicle in a side view with dashed areas in which a seat cross member arrangement according to the invention can be located within the motor vehicle,
[0019] Fig. 2 shows a first embodiment of a seat cross member arrangement according to the invention in a schematic sectional view in the yz plane of the motor vehicle,
[0020] Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of the deformation force levels Foef over the deformation path s of the cross member arrangement in the vehicle outer seat cross member section, in the seat connection section and in the vehicle inner seat cross member section,
[0021] Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment of a seat cross member arrangement according to the invention in a schematic sectional view in the yz plane of the motor vehicle,
[0022] Fig. 5 shows a further embodiment of a seat cross member arrangement according to the invention in a schematic sectional view in the yz plane of the motor vehicle and
[0023] Fig. 6 shows a further embodiment of a seat cross member arrangement according to the invention in a schematic sectional view in the yz plane of the motor vehicle.
[0024] In the coordinate systems shown in Figure 1-6, x denotes the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x-direction) forwards, y denotes the vehicle's transverse direction (y-direction) and z denotes the vehicle's vertical direction (z-direction) upwards.
[0025] Figure 1 shows a motor vehicle 10 in a side view. In particular, the left front wheel 12, the left rear wheel 14, the left side sill 16 extending from the front wheel 12 to the rear wheel 14, a front left door 18, and a rear left door 20 can be seen. In the area V of the front door 18, marked by the dashed lines, and in the area H of the rear door 20, marked by the dashed lines, two seat cross member assemblies according to the invention are arranged (not shown in Figure 1), which are explained below in connection with Figure 2. The seat cross member assembly according to the invention shown in Figure 2 has a multi-part seat cross member 22, which extends from a vehicle-outer cross member section 24 via a seat connection section 26 to a vehicle-inner cross member section 28.In the embodiment shown, the seat connection section 26 extends over a width that is greater than the distance between the connection elements 30 of a seat 32 extending in the vehicle transverse direction (y-direction). In the embodiment shown, the width of the seat connection section 26 is also selected to be greater than the maximum width of the seat 32.
[0026] In the embodiment shown, the vehicle-outer cross member section 24 and the vehicle-inner cross member section 28 each directly adjoin the seat connection section 26 in the vehicle's transverse direction. Further inside the vehicle-inner cross member section 28, in the embodiment shown, a cross member center section 40 adjoins. A battery housing 42 is arranged underneath the seat cross member 22 and the side sill 16. This is an optional element, meaning the seat cross member arrangement can also be implemented independently of the battery housing 42 in a motor vehicle.
[0027] In the embodiment shown, the vehicle's outer cross member section 24 is considered to extend beyond the side sill 16. In the embodiment shown, the side sill 16 is formed by two half-shells 34, 36 connected to one another via flanges. The connection is designed, in particular, as a welded joint. A crash element 38 is arranged within the side sill 16.
[0028] In the event that a post 44 or other external obstacle acts on the seat cross member assembly in the direction of arrow F, the vehicle-interior cross member section 28 is designed for a medium deformation force level that is higher than the deformation force level in the vehicle-outterior cross member section 24 and lower than the deformation force level in the seat connection section 26. This design serves to initially absorb the kinetic energy introduced into the cross member assembly by the action of the post 44 exclusively by deforming the vehicle-outterior cross member section 24. This preferably occurs in a first deformation stage by plastic deformation of the vehicle-outterior cross member section 24, preferably by folding or other deformation, down to a block dimension.If the block dimension is reached and kinetic energy still exists that needs to be dissipated, the vehicle-interior cross member section 28 is fully or partially compressed in a second deformation stage to dissipate further kinetic energy. Due to the compression, the seat 32 is displaced further toward the center of the vehicle, thereby further protecting a person sitting on the seat 32 from intrusion by the pole 44. Due to the seat cross member arrangement according to the invention, the survival space for the person shifts toward the center of the vehicle at the start of the second deformation stage, thereby further increasing the safety and probability of survival for a person sitting on the seat 32.
[0029] In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the deformation force level in the entire vehicle outer cross member section 24, which in this embodiment also includes the side sill 16, is at the comparatively lowest force level L1, for example in a range between 100 kN and 1,000 kN.
[0030] In the vehicle interior cross member section 28, the deformation force level is designed to a medium force level L2 which is higher than the force level L1, for example in a range between 1,000 kN and 2,000 kN.
[0031] In the seat connection section 26, the deformation force level is designed for a high force level L3, which is even higher than the force level L2. In the cross member center section 40, the deformation force level is also preferably higher than the force level L2, for example, also L3.
[0032] These force levels L1, L2 and L3 are visualized in the diagram shown in Figure 3.
[0033] In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the force levels L1, L2, and L3 are formed by suitable hole patterns 46 in the respective cross member sections 28, 24. These are shown only schematically in Figure 2.
[0034] Figures 4-6 show further embodiments of seat cross member arrangements according to the invention, wherein the same reference numerals as in Figures 1 and 2 are used for identical or at least functionally equivalent elements.
[0035] In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, a cylinder 48 is arranged in the vehicle-interior seat cross member section 28. This cylinder is set to the force level L2, which is higher than the force level L1 required for plastic deformation in the vehicle-outterior seat cross member section 24. The cylinder 48 can, in particular, be a hydraulic or pneumatic damper.
[0036] In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, a tailored blank 50, shown only schematically, is arranged in the vehicle-interior seat cross member section 28. This tailored blank is set to force level L2, which is higher than force level L1 required for plastic deformation in the vehicle-outterior seat cross member section 24. A tailored blank 52 is also arranged in the vehicle-outterior seat cross member section 24.
[0037] In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, a profile shown only schematically with the cross-sectional area A2 is arranged in the vehicle-interior seat cross-member section 28, which is larger than the cross-sectional area Ai in the vehicle-outterior seat cross-member section 24. The cross-sectional area A3 in the seat connection section 26 is in turn larger than the cross-sectional area A2. The cross-sectional areas Ai, A2 and A2 are selected such that for the plastic deformation, the force level L1 results in the vehicle-outterior cross-member section 24, the force level L2 in the vehicle-interior cross-member section 28 and the force level L3 in the seat connection section 26, in order to bring about a plastic deformation in each case.
[0038] The features of the invention disclosed in the present description, the drawings, and the claims may be essential, both individually and in any combination, for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments. The invention may be varied within the scope of the claims and taking into account the knowledge of the person skilled in the art.
[0039] In particular, it is pointed out that the design options mentioned in the exemplary embodiments and described by separate elements can be combined with each other as required and can also be transferred to other seat cross member sections as required.
[0040] Motor vehicle
[0041] front wheel
[0042] rear wheel
[0043] Side skirts front door rear door
[0044] Seat cross member vehicle outer cross member section
[0045] Seat connection section vehicle interior cross member section
[0046] Connecting element
[0047] seat
[0048] half shell
[0049] half shell
[0050] Crash element
[0051] Cross member center section
[0052] Battery case
[0053] post
[0054] hole pattern
[0055] Cylinders (especially hydraulic or pneumatic dampers)
[0056] Tailored Blank
[0057] Tailored Blank
Claims
Claims 1. Seat cross member arrangement of a motor vehicle (10) with a seat cross member (22) produced in one or more parts, which extends at least from a vehicle-outer cross member section (24) via a seat connection section (26) to a vehicle-inner cross member section (28), wherein the seat connection section (26) extends at least over the width of the connection elements (30) of a seat (32) and wherein the vehicle-outer cross member section (24) and the vehicle-inner cross member section (28) each adjoin the seat connection section (26) in the vehicle transverse direction (y-direction), characterized in that the vehicle-inner cross member section (28) is designed for a mean deformation force level when loaded in the vehicle transverse direction, which is higher than the deformation force level in the vehicle-outer cross member section (24) and which is lower than the deformation force level in the seat connection section (26).
2. Seat cross member arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the vehicle outer cross member section (24) is formed by a side sill (16) and / or is formed on the vehicle inner side of a side sill (16) viewed in the vehicle transverse direction.
3. Seat cross member arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that structural measures are designed to adapt the deformation force level in the vehicle interior cross member section (28) and / or in the vehicle exterior cross member section (24).
4. Seat cross member arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one separate element is arranged in the vehicle interior cross member section (28) and / or in the vehicle exterior cross member section (24) for adapting the deformation force level.
5. Seat cross member arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one tailored blank (50, 52) is formed or arranged in the vehicle interior cross member section (28) and / or in the vehicle exterior cross member section (24) to adapt the deformation force level.
6. Seat cross member arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the seat cross member (22) in the vehicle outer cross member section (24), in the seat connection section (26) and / or in the vehicle inner cross member section (28) each has the same profile height.
7. Seat cross member arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in order to adapt the deformation force level in the vehicle interior cross member section (28) and / or in the vehicle exterior cross member section (24), at least one profile cross section is designed to vary in at least one dimension.
8. Seat cross member arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a battery housing (42) of a traction battery is arranged below the seat cross member (22).
9. Seat cross member arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle outer cross member section (24) is designed relative to the vehicle inner cross member section (28) such that when a force acts on the seat cross member (22) from the outside in the vehicle transverse direction, a compression of the vehicle outer cross member section (24) is brought about in a first deformation stage and only when further energy is to be dissipated, a compression of the vehicle inner cross member section (28) is brought about in a second deformation stage.
10. Motor vehicle with a seat cross member arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 9.