MOTOR VEHICLE SIDE LINE WITH CURVED BUCKLE

Abstract

MOTOR VEHICLE SIDE LINE WITH CURVED BUCKLE The present invention relates to a motor vehicle side member (6) comprising an inner side member (6.2) and an outer side member (6.1) fixed to said inner side member by an upper joining rabbet (8) and a lower joining rabbet (10), notable in that at least one rabbet of the upper and lower joining rabbets is offset transversely, towards the outer side member, on at least a central portion (B) of the side member. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising two side members, notable in that at least one, preferably each, of said two side members is according to the invention. (Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Figure 3)

Description

Title of the invention: MOTOR VEHICLE SIDE LINE WITH CURVED REBATE technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, more particularly to the field of motor vehicle side members. Previous technique

[0002] The ability of a motor vehicle to ensure the safety of its occupants in the event of a collision is assessed by crash tests following different protocols determined by different organizations such as China NCAP and / or Euro NCAP, acronym for "European New Car Assessment Program", an independent international organization based in Brussels, Belgium.

[0003] Among the various collision protocols, there is the side impact protocol against a vertical pole, particularly at an angle of 75° and / or 90° (angle between the vehicle and the pole). In order for a vehicle to withstand the impact of such a protocol, it has a structure incorporating side members that act as a means of absorbing the energy of the side impact by deforming said side member.

[0004] Conventional internal combustion engine vehicles have side members incorporating various reinforcements, for example, increased thickness at the outer and inner walls, internal reinforcements, partitions, etc. In addition, other elements of the motor vehicle are generally reinforced, such as the tunnel, the floor, the B-pillar, the roof, etc. These various reinforcements help to limit dynamic door intrusions, tunnel collapses (leading to floor tears), and bending and / or tearing of the side member, which allows internal combustion engine vehicles to more easily achieve satisfactory results in side impact protocols.

[0005] However, on the latest automotive platforms featuring a battery tray for traction electric energy storage, commonly referred to as a battery tray, the presence of said tray implies a considerable increase in the unladen mass of electric vehicles, which can reach up to 2400 kg. In this configuration, and in order for electric vehicles to achieve satisfactory results in side impact protocols, their side members generally include reinforcement consisting of an aluminum profile providing significant stiffness. Indeed, the aluminum profile reinforcement in the side members of electric vehicles helps to limit pole penetration. during the side impact and thus avoid any contact with the battery tray which would cause a fire.

[0006] However, the addition of such a profile causes a strong opening of the feet A (front) and C (rear) (corresponding to the ends of the spar) during the lateral impact protocols at 75° and / or 90°, and more specifically, the profile causes a strong tear in a rebate of the spar initially assembled by spot welds.

[0007] The published patent document FR 3 111 320 Al discloses a spar reinforcement comprising a central zone having a different grade of steel and / or thickness compared to lateral zones of the reinforcement so as to obtain greater mechanical resistance at the central zone.

[0008] However, the solution presented in the document does not effectively address the technical problem, as it only reinforces the central part of the spar and does not prevent the tearing of the rabbet at the ends of said spar. Description of the invention

[0009] The present invention aims to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art. More particularly, the invention aims to provide a simple, efficient, and economical solution for improving the behavior of the side members of a motor vehicle during collision protocols in order to protect other components of said motor vehicle.

[0010] For this purpose, the invention relates to a motor vehicle side member comprising an inner side member and an outer side member fixed to said inner side member by an upper joining rebate and a lower joining rebate, remarkable in that at least one rebate of the upper and lower joining rebates is transversely offset, towards the outer side member, on at least a central portion of the side member.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the offset towards the outer spar is at least 10%, preferably at least 15%, more preferably at least 20%, of a transverse width of the spar, relative to a transversely central position.

[0012] According to one embodiment, said spar comprises two longitudinal ends, the at least one rebate having a longitudinal profile curved such that at each of said two longitudinal ends, said at least one rebate has an offset towards the outer spar of zero or less than the transverse offset on the central portion.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the curved longitudinal profile has a concavity directed towards the inner spar.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the curved longitudinal profile has a radius of curvature between 800 and 2000 mm.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the longeron further comprising a longitudinal reinforcement extending between the inner and outer longerons.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the longitudinal reinforcement is a profile with a closed section.

[0017] According to one embodiment, each of the inner and outer longitudinal members has a horizontal U-shaped section, the longitudinal reinforcement being housed within said horizontal U-shaped sections.

[0018] Advantageously, the horizontal U-shaped sections are opposite each other.

[0019] Advantageously, each of the inner and outer spars comprises a vertical upper flange and a vertical lower flange, forming the joining rebates.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the outer spar has a transverse width between an external vertical wall of said outer spar and at least one rebate increasing from the central portion towards at least one longitudinal end of the spar, and the inner spar has a transverse width between an internal vertical wall of said inner spar and at least one rebate decreasing from the central portion towards at least one of said longitudinal ends.

[0021] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising two longitudinal members, remarkable in that at least one, preferably each, of said two longitudinal members is according to the invention.

[0022] Advantageously, the side member of the present invention makes it possible to control the bending of said side member during the different collision protocols (side impact against a vertical post at 75° and / or at 90° and / or frontal impact with low overlap), and this in a simple way not requiring the addition of additional parts and no addition of weld points / beads at the rabbets, which makes it possible to control the mass of motor vehicles comprising such side members, and to strengthen the technical and economic interest of the invention. Brief description of the drawings

[0023] [Fig-1] represents a perspective view of a vehicle body automobile comprising a longitudinal member according to the invention;

[0024] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of the spar shown in [Fig.1];

[0025] [Fig.3] represents a view from below of the spar of the [Fig.l];

[0026] [Fig.4] represents in two views from below the behavior of a longeron according to 1' state of the art, and of the side member according to the invention during a side impact protocol. Detailed description

[0027] In this description, the terms "transverse" and "longitudinal," in relation to sections, refer to the principal direction of the object in question. A transverse section of a longitudinal member of the motor vehicle is therefore transverse with respect to the motor vehicle.

[0028] Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a body 2 of a motor vehicle 4 comprising a longitudinal member 6 according to the invention.

[0029] Preferably, the motor vehicle 4 is an electric vehicle comprising a battery tray (not shown).

[0030] Advantageously, the longitudinal member 6 ensures the rigidity of the bodywork 4 in order to prevent any tearing of said bodywork during an impact which could cause an intrusion which could damage the battery tray.

[0031] In this regard, the longeron 6 includes an outer longeron 6.1, as well as other components visible along the cross section AA illustrated in [Fig.2].

[0032] It should be noted that [Fig.2] has been greatly simplified to facilitate reading.

[0033] With reference to [Fig.2], it can be seen that the longeron 6 includes the longeron exterior 6.1 and an interior spar 6.2 fixed to said exterior spar 6.1 by means of an upper joining rebate 8 and a lower joining rebate 10.

[0034] Preferably, the upper rebate 8 is substantially symmetric to the lower rebate 10 along a horizontal plane P crossing the stringer 6 at mid-height.

[0035] The longeron 6 includes, between the outer longerons 6.1 and inner longerons 6.2, a longitudinal reinforcement 12 corresponding to a closed section aluminium profile having a substantially rectangular shape and extending, preferably, over a whole longitudinal extent of the longeron 6.

[0036] In this configuration, each of the inner spars 6.2 and outer spars 6.1 has a horizontal U-shaped section, the longitudinal reinforcement 12 being housed in said horizontal U-shaped sections.

[0037] Preferably, the inner 6.2 and outer 6.1 stringers are formed from stamped steel sheets. For this purpose, their assembly is preferably ensured by a multitude of electric weld points at the junction rebates 8 and 10, commonly designated as PSE.

[0038] Advantageously, the longitudinal reinforcement 12 induces significant stiffness in the vehicle body at the side member 6, so as to further protect against floor intrusions and damage to the battery tray.

[0039] It can also be seen in [Fig. 2] that the outer stringer 6.1 has a transverse width e between an external vertical wall 5 of said outer stringer 6.1 and the rebate 8, 10. Similarly, the inner stringer 6.2 has a width transverse i between an internal vertical wall 7 of said internal stringer 6.2 and the rebate 8, 10.

[0040] The transverse widths e, i vary along the longitudinal direction, preferentially over the entire extent of the spar 6. Such a variation can be observed in [Fig.3].

[0041] Fig. 3 represents a view from below of the side member 6 showing a first longitudinal end A, disposed upstream of the motor vehicle 2 of Fig. 1, and a second longitudinal end C, disposed downstream of the motor vehicle 2 of Fig. 1, and a central portion B disposed in the center of the side member 6 between the two longitudinal ends A and C.

[0042] It can be seen on [Fig.3] that the rebate 8, 10 is transversely offset towards the outer spar 6.1 and towards the outer vertical wall 5, with respect to a transversely central position (corresponding to a point located at half a transverse width w of the spar 6), at the level of the central portion B. Preferably, such an offset towards the outer spar 6.1 is between 10% and 60% of the transverse width w of the spar 6, and more preferably between 15% and 45%, and even more preferably between 20% and 30%.

[0043] For this purpose, the curved profile of the rebate 8, 10 is substantially concave, with a concavity directed towards the inner stringer 6.2.

[0044] Preferably, the concavity of the curved profile of the rebate 8,10 can be defined by a radius of curvature between 500 and 2500 mm, and preferably between 800 and 2000 mm, and even more preferably between 820 and 1925 mm. Advantageously, at least 95% of the profile of the rebate 8,10 is curved along the radius of curvature.

[0045] The transverse width e of the outer spar 6.1 increases from the central portion B towards the ends A and C. In this configuration, the outer spar 6.1 has a width el at the central portion B which is less than the widths e2 and e3 at the ends A and C, respectively.

[0046] Preferably, the widths e2 and e3 are substantially equal or differ by less than 10%. This ensures homogeneity in the longitudinal distribution of forces during a lateral impact.

[0047] In parallel, the transverse width i of the inner spar 6.2 decreases from the central portion B towards the ends A and C. In this configuration, the inner spar 6.2 has a width il at the central portion B which is greater than the widths i2 and i3 at the ends A and C, respectively.

[0048] Advantageously, the curved profile of the rebate 8, 10 makes it possible to reduce the leverage effect at the longitudinal ends A and C, during a lateral impact, while maintaining the rigidity provided by the longitudinal reinforcement to the side member 6.

[0049] Fig. 4 represents in two views from below the behavior of a spar 6' according to the state of the art, and of the spar 6 according to the invention during the side impact protocol.

[0050] With reference to a left-hand part of [Fig.4], it can be seen that the spar 6' of the prior art does not include any curvature at the level of its rebate 10'. For this reason, following the lateral impact, the spar 6' being very stiff due to the presence of a longitudinal reinforcement (not shown), undergoes a V-shaped deformation which induces a strong lever arm at the end A' leading to a tear R of the rebate 10' and a delamination of the electrical weld points PSE.

[0051] With reference to a right-hand portion of [Fig. 4], it can be seen that even after the lateral impact, the rebate 8, 10 does not tear, and the PSEs remain intact. It is also observed that the longeron 6 undergoes a V-shaped deformation this time, rather than a V-shaped deformation with a substantially straight portion near end A. This means that the lever arm is significantly less than during a prior art longeron deformation, while the overall stiffness of the longeron 6, provided by the longitudinal reinforcement, remains unchanged.

Claims

Demands

1. Motor vehicle (2) side member (6) comprising an inner side member (6.2) and an outer side member (6.1) fixed to said inner side member (6.2) by an upper joining rebate (8) and a lower joining rebate (10), at least one rebate of the upper joining rebates (8) and lower joining rebates (10) being offset transversely, towards the outer side member (6.1), on at least a central portion (B) of the side member (6), characterized in that said side member (6) comprises two longitudinal ends (A, C), the at least one rebate (8, 10) having a longitudinal profile curved such that at each of said two longitudinal ends (A, C), said at least one rebate (8, 10) has an offset towards the outer side member (6.1) of zero or less than the transverse offset on the central portion (B).

2. Longitudinal (6) according to claim 1, wherein the offset towards the outer longitudinal (6.1) is at least 10%, preferably at least 15%, more preferably at least 20%, of a transverse width of the longitudinal (6), relative to a transversely central position.

3. Longeron (6) according to claim 1, wherein the curved longitudinal profile has a concavity directed towards the inner longeron (6.2).

4. Longeron (6) according to any one of claims 1 and 3, wherein the curved longitudinal profile has a radius of curvature between 800 and 2000 mm.

5. Longer (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a longitudinal reinforcement (12) extending between the inner (6.2) and outer (6.1) longerons.

6. Longeron (6) according to claim 5, wherein the longitudinal reinforcement (12) is a closed section profile.

7. Longitudinal (6) according to any one of claims 5 and 6, wherein each of the inner (6.2) and outer (6.1) longitudinals has a horizontal U-shaped section, the longitudinal reinforcement (12) being housed in said horizontal U-shaped sections.

8. Longitudinal member (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the outer longitudinal member (6.1) has a transverse width (e, e1, e2, e3) between an outer vertical wall (5) of said longitudinal member exterior (6.1) and at least one rebate (8, 10) increasing from the central portion (B) towards at least one longitudinal end (A, C) of the spar (6), and the inner spar (6.2) has a transverse width (il, i2, i3) between an inner vertical wall (7) of said inner spar (6.2) and at least one rebate (8, 10), decreasing from the central portion (B) towards at least one of said longitudinal ends (A, C).

9. Motor vehicle (2) comprising two longitudinal members (6), characterized in that at least one, preferably each, of said two longitudinal members (6) is according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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