Combination of motor vehicles and motor vehicles comprising such a combination

Abstract

A motor vehicle assembly and a motor vehicle comprising such an assembly. The invention relates to a motor vehicle assembly comprising: - a lateral rear side member (9), - a coupling crossmember (13), - a structural reinforcement piece (27), mounted on said lateral rear side member and bearing against said coupling crossmember, said coupling crossmember and said lateral rear side member each having a fixing hole (25) arranged opposite each other. According to the invention, the structural reinforcement piece (27) comprises a cover flange (33) having a fixing hole (35) opposite said fixing holes of said lateral rear side member and said coupling crossmember, said fixing holes being intended to receive a fixing means ensuring the fixing between said lateral rear side member, said coupling crossmember and said structural reinforcement piece.The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising such an assembly. Figure 3.

Description

Title of the invention: Assembly of a motor vehicle and motor vehicle comprising such an assembly technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of motor vehicles and more particularly to a motor vehicle assembly and a motor vehicle comprising such an assembly. Previous technique

[0002] A motor vehicle body comprises a set of elements forming the framework of the motor vehicle.

[0003] Among these elements, parts assembled together form the underbody of the motor vehicle.

[0004] The rear underbody of a motor vehicle comprises a rear floor, bordered laterally by lower horizontal elements comprising, from the front to the rear of the vehicle body, side rails and rear lateral rails behind the side rails.

[0005] On certain vehicle models, the rear underbody can be extended at the rear by a transverse tow bar allowing a trailer, caravan, bicycle rack, etc. to be attached to the motor vehicle.

[0006] In a known manner, the coupling crossmember is fixed to the lateral rear side members of the rear underbody of the motor vehicle.

[0007] However, the traction forces exerted by the coupling crossmember on the rear lateral side members tend to pull the coupling crossmember away from the rear lateral side members.

[0008] There is therefore a need to increase the tensile strength of the coupling crossmember. Description of the invention

[0009] The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, and to this end relates to a motor vehicle assembly comprising: - a lateral rear side member, - a coupling crossmember, - a structural reinforcement piece, mounted on said lateral rear side member and bearing against a front portion of said coupling crossmember, said coupling crossmember and said lateral rear side member each having a fixing hole arranged opposite each other, said assembly being notable in that said structural reinforcement piece has a cover flange having a fixing hole arranged opposite each other screws of the said fixing holes of the said lateral rear longitudinal member and of the said coupling crossmember, said fixing holes being intended to receive a suitable fixing means to ensure the fixing between said lateral rear side member, said coupling cross member and said structural reinforcement piece.

[0010] Thus, by providing a motor vehicle assembly in which the structural reinforcement piece, mounted on the rear lateral side member and bearing against a front portion of the coupling crossmember, has a cover flange having a fixing hole arranged opposite the fixing holes of the rear lateral side member and the coupling crossmember, an extra thickness is created at the fixing area of ​​the coupling crossmember on the rear lateral side member, which makes it possible to reinforce the fixing of the coupling crossmember.

[0011] In this way, the tensile strength of the coupling crossmember is increased.

[0012] The assembly obtained according to the invention then exhibits a tensile strength at the level of the coupling cross member much higher than that obtained in prior art configurations.

[0013] According to optional features of the assembly according to the invention: - said fixing hole of said structural reinforcement piece is made near a front edge of said structural reinforcement piece; - said coupling cross member has a contact surface against which said structural reinforcement piece rests, and said lateral rear side member has a side member end arranged at a rear end of said lateral rear side member and interfacing between said structural reinforcement piece and said contact surface of said coupling cross member; - said cover flange extends from a rear edge of said structural reinforcement piece, in contact with said longitudinal end piece, to a front edge of said structural reinforcement piece; - said lateral cover flange has a substantially trapezoidal geometric shape; - said coupling cross member includes a longitudinal fixing plate and said fixing hole of said coupling cross member is made on said longitudinal fixing plate;

[0014] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle, remarkable in that it comprises an assembly obtained according to the invention. Brief description of the drawings

[0015] Other features, purposes and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, for the understanding of which reference should be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0016] [Fig-1] is an isometric view of the rear underbody of a motor vehicle according to the invention.

[0017] [Fig.2] is an isometric view of the coupling crossmember of the motor vehicle according to the invention.

[0018] [Fig.3] is an enlargement of zone III of [Fig.1]. Description of the implementation methods

[0019] In the following description, elements having an identical structure or analogous functions are designated by the same reference.

[0020] By convention, and without limitation, longitudinal, vertical and transverse orientations will be adopted as indicated by the direct trihedron (L, V, T) designating the longitudinal, vertical and transverse axes of the vehicle.

[0021] In what follows, the terms "front", "rear", "left", "right", "lower" and "upper" are understood in relation to the vehicle.

[0022] Reference is made to [Fig.1] in which isometric view is shown of a rear subframe 1 of a motor vehicle according to the invention, the rear subframe 1 being shown in reverse position relative to its position in the motor vehicle.

[0023] The rear underbody 1 of the motor vehicle includes a rear floor 3, bordered laterally by lower horizontal elements 5 comprising, from front to rear of the vehicle body, two lateral longitudinal members 7 and two rear lateral longitudinal members 9, behind the lateral longitudinal members 7.

[0024] The rear side rails 9 extend below wheel arches 11, relative to a vertical direction of the motor vehicle.

[0025] The rear underbody 1 further includes a coupling cross member 13 allowing a trailer, caravan, bicycle carrier, etc. to be attached to the motor vehicle.

[0026] Reference is made to [Fig.2] showing an example of an embodiment of the coupling cross member 13.

[0027] The coupling crossmember 13 includes a transverse coupling bar 15, which can extend substantially over the entire width of the motor vehicle and receives a coupling hook 17.

[0028] The coupling cross member 13 further comprises two fixing plates 19 arranged in front of the transverse coupling bar 15 and extending longitudinally relative to the motor vehicle when the coupling cross member is mounted in the motor vehicle.

[0029] Each mounting plate 19 is intended to be inserted inside each corresponding lateral rear longitudinal member 9.

[0030] The coupling cross member 13 further comprises two contact surfaces 21, arranged behind each fixing plate 19 and in front of the transverse coupling bar 15.

[0031] The coupling cross member 13 has fixing holes 23 arranged opposite fixing holes 25 (visible in [Fig.3]) provided on the corresponding rear side rails 9.

[0032] The fixing holes 23 are for example made on the fixing plates 19 of the coupling cross member 13.

[0033] In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the coupling cross member 13 has two fixing holes 23, each fixing plate receiving one of the two fixing holes 23.

[0034] According to an alternative embodiment not shown in the figures, more fixing holes 23 may be provided.

[0035] Reference is made to [Fig.3] showing an enlargement of zone III of [Fig. 1].

[0036] The rear subframe 1 further comprises two structural reinforcement pieces 27, also called longitudinal frame extensions, mounted on the lateral rear longitudinal frames 9 and bearing against a front portion of the coupling cross member 13.

[0037] Providing two structural reinforcement pieces 27 mounted on the corresponding rear side members 9 and bearing against a front portion of the coupling crossmember 13 allows a counter-reaction force to be exerted against the coupling crossmember 13, thereby limiting the bending deformations of the coupling crossmember 13 that could occur during an impact, for example when the motor vehicle encounters an obstacle while reversing. Each structural reinforcement piece 27 thus constitutes a load-bearing element.

[0038] The support exerted by the structural reinforcement piece 27 against the front portion of the coupling cross member 13 can be direct or indirect.

[0039] In the configuration shown in the figures, each rear lateral side member 9 has a side member end 29 arranged at a rear end 31 of the rear lateral side member 9 and interfacing between the structural reinforcement piece 27 and the contact surface 21 of the coupling cross member 13.

[0040] The presence of the longitudinal end piece 29 further limits the bending deformations of the coupling crossmember 13 which may occur during an impact, for example when the motor vehicle encounters an obstacle while reversing.

[0041] When the rear side member 9 includes the side member end 29, the support exerted by the structural reinforcement piece 27 against the front portion of the coupling crossmember 13 is thus indirect, the structural reinforcement piece 27 bearing against the contact surface 21 of the coupling cross member 13 via the end of the longitudinal member 29.

[0042] In a configuration not shown in the figures, no end piece 29 is mounted at the rear ends of the lateral rear side members 9.

[0043] In this case, the support exerted by the structural reinforcement piece 27 against the front portion of the coupling cross member 13 is direct, the structural reinforcement piece 27 coming directly into contact with the contact surface 21 of the coupling cross member 13.

[0044] According to the invention, the structural reinforcement piece 27 comprises a lateral cover flange 33, having at least one fixing hole 35 arranged opposite the fixing hole 23 of the coupling cross member 13 and opposite the fixing hole 25 of the corresponding lateral rear side member 9.

[0045] The fixing holes 23, 25, 35 are intended to receive a suitable fixing means to ensure the fixing between the lateral rear longitudinal member 9, the coupling cross member 13 and the structural reinforcement piece 27.

[0046] The fact that the lateral cover flange 33 has a fixing hole 35 arranged opposite the fixing hole 25 of the lateral rear side member 9 and the fixing hole 23 of the coupling cross member 13 makes it possible to create an extra thickness at the fixing area of ​​the coupling cross member 13 on the lateral rear side member 9, which makes it possible to reinforce the fixing of the coupling cross member 13. By reinforcing the fixing of the coupling cross member 13, its tensile strength is increased.

[0047] The fixing between the rear lateral side member 9, the coupling cross member 13 and the structural reinforcement piece 27 can for example be obtained by an assembly comprising a fixing screw (not shown) and a corresponding nut (not shown).

[0048] The fixing screw passes through the structural reinforcement piece 27, the rear lateral side member 9 and the coupling cross member 13 at their fixing holes 35, 25, 23, and the nut is mounted on the fixing plate 19 of the coupling cross member 13, inserted inside the rear lateral side member 9.

[0049] The lateral cover flange 33 extends along a lateral face 37 of the lateral rear side member 9, that is to say it extends in a plane (L, V) of the motor vehicle, a substantially longitudinal plane.

[0050] The cover flange 33 extends from a rear edge 39 of the structural reinforcement piece 27, in contact with the longitudinal end 29, to a front edge 41 of the structural reinforcement piece 27.

[0051] Thus, this makes it possible to create a reinforcement along the longitudinal direction, from the fixing hole 35 to the end of the longitudinal member 29.

[0052] The cover flange 33 has a geometric shape, for example substantially trapezoidal.

[0053] However, the cover flange 33 can adopt any other geometric shape suitable for transmitting forces from the transverse coupling bar 15 of the coupling cross member 13 to the corresponding lateral rear longitudinal member 9.

[0054] In the example of the embodiment of the structural reinforcement piece 27 illustrated in the figures, the fixing hole 35 of the cover flange 33 is positioned near the front edge 41 of the structural reinforcement piece 27.

[0055] However, the cover flange 33 can be extended longitudinally in front of the fixing hole 35 or vertically towards the top of the motor vehicle.

[0056] As will be understood, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments of this motor vehicle assembly and of this motor vehicle comprising such an assembly, described above solely by way of illustrative examples, but on the contrary it encompasses all variants involving the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Motor vehicle assembly comprising: - a rear lateral beam (9), - a coupling crossmember (13), - a structural reinforcement piece (27), mounted on said rear lateral beam (9) and bearing against a front portion of said coupling crossmember (13), said coupling crossmember (13) and said rear lateral beam (9) each comprising a fixing orifice (23, 25) arranged opposite each other, said coupling crossmember (13) comprising a contact surface (21) said rear lateral beam (9) comprises a beam end piece (29) arranged at a rear end (31) of said rear lateral beam (9) said assembly being characterized in that said coupling crossmember (13) comprises a contact surface (21) against which said structural reinforcement piece (27) comes into support,the side rail end piece (29) interfaces between said structural reinforcement piece (27) and said contact surface (21) of said coupling cross member (13), said structural reinforcement piece (27) comprises a covering flange (33) extending from a rear edge (39) of said structural reinforcement piece (27) in contact with said side rail end piece (29), to a front edge (41) of said structural reinforcement piece (27), said covering flange (33) comprising a fixing orifice (35) arranged opposite said fixing orifices (23, 25) of said rear lateral side rail (9) and said coupling cross member (13), said fixing orifices (23, 25, 35) being intended to receive a fixing means adapted to ensure fixing between said rear lateral side rail (9), said cross member coupling (13) and said structural reinforcement part (27).,

2. Motor vehicle assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said fixing orifice (35) of said structural reinforcement part (27) is made near a front edge (41) of said structural reinforcement part (27).

3. Motor vehicle assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said flange of covering (33) has a substantially trapezoidal geometric shape.

4. Motor vehicle assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, in which said coupling crossmember (13) comprises a longitudinal fixing plate (19), characterized in that said fixing orifice (23) of said coupling crossmember (13) is made on said longitudinal fixing plate (19).

5. Motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises an assembly obtained according to any one of the preceding claims.

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