MOTOR VEHICLE ENGINE COMPRISING EQUIPMENT FIXED ON A SUPPORT CROSS BEAM

Abstract

Motor vehicle engine comprising, for a vehicle placed on a horizontal surface, a powertrain (6) fixed below a crossmember (2) extended axially along a lateral direction of the vehicle, which has a flat, substantially horizontal rectangular cross-section, and comprising equipment (10) fixed below the crossmember next to the powertrain (6), the equipment (10) comprising a support including, in a transverse plane, two hooks arranged oppositely on each side of the crossmember (2), each having a lower face and an upper face framing this crossmember (2) in a stack that is tightened by a fixing screw (12). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: MOTOR VEHICLE ENGINE COMPRISING EQUIPMENT FIXED ON A SUPPORT CROSSMEMBER

[0001] The present invention relates to a motor vehicle engine comprising a powertrain and equipment fixed to a support crossmember, as well as a motor vehicle comprising such an engine.

[0002] A known type of motor vehicle engine, presented in particular by document FR-A1-3077778, comprises a cross member made from an aluminum alloy extruded in an axial direction, having a constant horizontal flat section, which is fixed by its ends to the body of the vehicle in the engine compartment, in the transverse direction of this vehicle.

[0003] A power unit comprising an electric traction machine and a reducer is suspended under the cross member by two spaced elastic connections which are each fitted into a housing of this cross member. The cross member has an axial groove receiving an elongated fixing bar having tapped holes, which makes it possible to receive several screws for fixing equipment on this cross member with this single bar.

[0004] However, it is possible to seek to fix certain relatively heavy equipment below the crosspiece, having a center of gravity far from this crosspiece, in a space comprising, in the axial direction, a reduced available length.

[0005] In this case the connection of the equipment to the cross member may have a certain flexibility around a transverse axis, which gives, with the mass of the equipment and its center of gravity distant from the cross member, a sufficiently low natural vibration frequency of this equipment around the transverse axis which may be excited by different vibration frequencies generated during rolling. There are then risks of destruction of the equipment or its fixings, generating breakdowns.

[0006] Furthermore, during the fixing of the equipment under the crosspiece, in a limited space, keeping it in position occupies one of the operator's hands, which leaves only the other hand free for tightening the fixing screws, making this operation difficult to carry out.

[0007] The present invention aims in particular to avoid these problems of the prior art.

[0008] To this end, it proposes a motor vehicle engine comprising, for a vehicle placed on horizontal ground, a powertrain fixed below a cross member axially elongated in a lateral direction of the vehicle, which has a substantially horizontal flat rectangular cross-section, and comprising equipment fixed below the cross member next to the powertrain, this motorization being remarkable in that the equipment comprises a support comprising in a transverse plane two hooks arranged in opposition on each side of the cross member, each having a lower face and an upper face framing this cross member forming a stack which is tightened by a fixing screw.

[0009] An advantage of this motorization is that the two hooks having their upper and lower faces enclosing the cross-member section, form a guide allowing one end of the cross-member to be inserted into these hooks, then the support to be slid to position it axially in its mounting position. The equipment with its support is then held in position under the cross-member, which allows an operator to then engage the hook tightening screws from above, without having to hold the equipment, which facilitates this operation.

[0010] In addition, the faces of the hooks tightened flat by their screws on the two faces of the crosspiece, on both sides of this crosspiece, ensure that the equipment is held in place, which can be very rigid, while avoiding excessive flexibility around a transverse axis which could cause vibration of this equipment.

[0011] The motor vehicle engine according to the invention may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics, which may be combined with each other.

[0012] Advantageously, the support is formed by a folded sheet metal.

[0013] In this case, advantageously the support comprises a vertical face which extends after a fold of the sheet by a horizontal face comprising the lower faces of the hooks.

[0014] In addition, each hook can be formed by a fold which extends the lower face to form a vertical face, then by a second fold to form the upper face.

[0015] Advantageously, the support comprises a vertical face receiving the equipment on one side facing the powertrain.

[0016] Advantageously, the hooks have on their edges facing axially towards the motorization curvatures forming entry chamfers of the crosspiece into these hooks.

[0017] Advantageously, the lower face of each hook has a threaded hole receiving a fixing screw.

[0018] Advantageously, the support comprises axial stops at one end of the crosspiece.

[0019] In this case, advantageously the axial stops each comprise a point facing the crosspiece, which fits into an axial hollow of this crosspiece.

[0020] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle equipped with an electric powertrain fixed under a crossmember, which forms part of an engine comprising any one of the preceding characteristics.

[0021] The invention will be better understood and other characteristics and advantages will appear more clearly on reading the description below given by way of example, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0022] [Fig-1] is a diagram of a powertrain according to the invention comprising a equipment fixed under the cross member;

[0023] [Fig.2] is an exploded view of the equipment arranged under one end of the crosses; and

[0024] [Fig.3] is a view of the equipment fixed under the cross member.

[0025] Throughout the document the upper and lower sides and the expressions above or below are relative to a vertical axis linked to a vehicle placed on a horizontal surface, the forward direction AV is relative to the direction of travel of this vehicle, the right and left sides are defined by looking towards the front of the vehicle.

[0026] [Fig. 1] shows a cross member 2 made by extrusion of an aluminum alloy in an axial direction, having a horizontally arranged rectangular flat section, the ends of which are fixed by supports 4 to the side members of the vehicle in the engine compartment.

[0027] The crosspiece 2 receives below a powertrain group 6 held by elastic connections, and above the control equipment of this motor 8, including in particular an inverter.

[0028] The powertrain 6 and the inverter 8 comprise a cooling fluid circulation circuit comprising an electric fluid heater 10, in order to regulate the temperature of these different pieces of equipment and to ensure heating of the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0029] The electric heater 10 has a substantially parallelepipedal volume, comprising a flat shape with a small width in the axial direction, which is fixed under the left end of the cross member 2, in a reduced space located between the power unit 6 and the left cross member support 4.

[0030] To install the electric heater 10 on the vehicle, it is necessary to position and maintain this heater under the crossmember 2, in its precise mounting position, then to insert from above two clamping screws 12 aligned in the transverse direction and distributed on each side of this crossmember.

[0031] Figures 2 and 3 show an equipment sheet 20 comprising a vertical part 22 arranged longitudinally in the vehicle, and a horizontal part 24 formed by a folding of the sheet towards the inner side of the engine compartment indicated by the arrow INT. The electric heater 10 constitutes equipment fixed on the inner side of the vertical portion 22, comprising rearwardly facing fluid outlets 28.

[0032] A support 30 formed by a folded sheet metal comprises a vertical face 32 fixed on the outer side of the vertical part of the equipment sheet metal 20, and a horizontal face 34 coming after a fold turned towards the inner side INT.

[0033] The crosspiece 2 comprises a vertical opening 50 receiving an elastic suspension block of the powertrain group 6, and towards its end two holes 54 for fixing the electric heater 10 which are aligned in the transverse direction of this crosspiece. The crosspiece 2 comprises in its thickness two axial hollows 52 each having a horizontally elongated rectangular section.

[0034] The horizontal face 34 of the support 30 forms the lower face of two hooks 36 arranged in a transverse plane facing each other, each comprising, starting from the lower face after a first fold, a vertical face coming to bear on the edge of the crosspiece, then after a second fold an upper horizontal face 38 facing the other hook and coming to bear on the top of the crosspiece.

[0035] The two facing hooks 36 define a rectangular passage receiving the crosspiece 2 in a fitted manner. The edge of the hooks 36 facing the inner side INT of the lower face 34 has a downward curvature 42 and that of the upper face 38 has an upward curvature 44, so as to form on each side of the crosspiece 2 an engagement chamfer which facilitates the engagement of the end of this crosspiece in the passage between the hooks.

[0036] The vertical plane 32 of the support 30 extends above the lower horizontal face 34, by two spaced legs 46 comprising a vertical part, then a horizontal point facing the crosspiece.

[0037] When the operator introduces the end of the crosspiece 2 into the passage between the hooks 36, he pushes the support 30 while sliding it to retract the points of the tabs 46 into the hollows 52 of this crosspiece, until the end face of this crosspiece comes to bear on the vertical part of the points, forming an axial stop for the electric heater 10.

[0038] Both axial positioning of the electric heater 10 and rotational maintenance of this equipment around a transverse axis are obtained thanks to the two hooks 36 engaged around the crosspiece 2, and to the tips of the legs 46 adjusted on the base of the hollows 52, which form axially spaced supports preventing downward tilting of these tips and of the complete equipment.

[0039] Each upper face of hook 38 has a hole 40 aligned with a hole 48 of the lower horizontal face 34 having a thread, and with a hole 52 of the crosspiece 2. In this way, after positioning the equipment 10 on the crosspiece 2, the operator has both hands to engage each screw 12 successively in the upper face drilling 40, the cross-member drilling 54 which is automatically aligned thanks to the precise positioning of this equipment, then the lower face threaded drilling 48, to finally tighten the screw in this last drilling in order to achieve complete locking of the stacking.

[0040] A simple maneuver is obtained to execute, without having to maintain the equipment 10 which can be arranged in a restricted and inaccessible space. In addition, the axial distance between the tip 46 and the hooks 36 ensures significant stiffness of the attachment of the equipment 10 for vibrations around a transverse axis.

Claims

Claims

1. Motor vehicle engine comprising, for a vehicle placed on horizontal ground, a power unit (6) fixed below a cross member (2) axially elongated in a lateral direction of the vehicle, which has a substantially horizontal flat rectangular cross section, and comprising equipment (10) fixed below the cross member next to the power unit (6), characterized in that the equipment (10) comprises a support (30) comprising: - in a transverse plane two hooks (36) arranged in opposition on each side of the cross member (2), each having a lower face (34) and an upper face (38) framing this cross member (2) forming a stack which is tightened by a fixing screw (12), - axial stops (46) of one end of the cross member (2), these axial stops (46) each having a point facing the cross member (2), which fits into an axial hollow of this cross member (52).

2. Motorization according to claim 1, characterized in that the support (30) is formed by a folded sheet metal.

3. Motorization according to claim 2, characterized in that the support (30) comprises a vertical face (32) which extends after a fold of the sheet by a horizontal face comprising the lower faces (34) of the hooks (36).

4. Motorization according to claim 3, characterized in that each hook (36) is formed by a fold which extends the lower face (34) to constitute a vertical face, then by a second fold to constitute the upper face (38).

5. Motorization according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support (30) comprises a vertical face receiving the equipment (10) on one side facing the powertrain (6).

6. Motorization according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hooks (36) have on their edges facing axially towards the motorization (6) curvatures (42, 44) forming entry chamfers of the crosspiece (2) in these hooks (36).

7. Motorization according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower face of each hook (34) comprises a threaded bore receiving a fixing screw (12).

8. Motor vehicle equipped with an electric powertrain (6) fixed under a crossmember (2), characterized in that this powertrain (6) is part of an engine according to any one of the preceding claims.

Images