VEHICLE CHASSIS FORMED FROM A COMPOSITE HYDROGEN TANK INCORPORATING AN ANTI-SUBMARINATION BUMP

Abstract

Title: VEHICLE CHASSIS FORMED FROM A COMPOSITE HYDROGEN TANK INTEGRATING AN ANTI-SUBMARINATION BUMP This vehicle chassis (1) (2) includes a floor (3) formed by a composite hydrogen tank (4), the floor (3) having an anti-submarining bump (5). Figure for abbreviation: [Fig 1]

Description

Title of the invention: VEHICLE CHASSIS FORMED FROM A COMPOSITE HYDROGEN TANK INCORPORATING AN ANTI-SUMARINATION BUMP Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the structure of hydrogen-powered vehicles comprising a single hydrogen tank, in particular motor vehicles.

[0002] The present invention aims to constitute a chassis of such a vehicle, which is structurally formed in part by the hydrogen tank, and which notably integrates an anti-submarining hump. Previous techniques

[0003] Vehicles, particularly automobiles, systematically have anti-submarining bumps to hold the pelvis of passengers in the event of an accident, so that they do not fall under the strap of their seat belts which pass over their thighs and which are each fixed by two lateral peduncles fixed to the floor on each side of each passenger.

[0004] The anti-submarining hump is formed either by a bulge in the floor sheet metal, or by a solid bar which is welded or bolted to the floor, so as to stop the movement of the passengers' pelvis going forward, flexibly at first, by deformation at the moment of impact between the passenger's thighs and the anti-submarining hump, then abruptly with very limited deformation to stop the movement of the passengers' pelvis.

[0005] These two deformation phases are programmed to accommodate the passengers well, that is to say without stopping too abruptly, in order to store a maximum of effort.

[0006] In known hydrogen vehicle chassis, the anti-submarining hump for the rear passenger seats is fixed because it is formed from tubes or made up of the sheet metal of the vehicle floor, which makes the vehicle heavier and increases the number of parts, in particular the sheet metal parts and the side members. Statement of the invention

[0007] The invention relates to a vehicle in which the floor of the body chassis is replaced by the hydrogen tank itself, which therefore does away with structural elements linked to the floor and interface parts.

[0008] The invention proposes a hydrogen engine vehicle chassis capable of combining the advantages of lightness, simplicity and reliability for its implementation.

[0009] In view of the above, the invention relates to a chassis for a vehicle body, comprising a floor formed by a hydrogen tank made of material composite, the floor including an anti-submarining hump.

[0010] Preferably, the anti-submarining hump is formed by a bulge in the floor, so as to dampen and then stop the movement of the pelvis of passengers of the vehicle seated on a rear bench seat of the vehicle coupled to the chassis, with damping initially, by a first deformation at the time of impact between the thighs of the passenger and the anti-submarining hump, then abruptly with a second deformation more limited than the first to stop the movement of the pelvis of said passengers.

[0011] For example, the hydrogen tank comprises a composite material.

[0012] Advantageously, the anti-submarining hump incorporates fixings for a rear bench seat of the vehicle.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the fasteners comprise vehicle seat belt peduncles, said peduncles being fixed to the tank.

[0014] In one embodiment, the anti-submarining hump incorporates an articulation for a backrest of a rear bench seat of the vehicle, said articulation being adapted to be able to position said seat in a substantially vertical position.

[0015] Advantageously, the joint is fixed to the tank.

[0016] The chassis may further provide that the anti-submarining hump is slightly smaller opposite a location intended for the basins of the passengers of the vehicle on a rear bench seat of the vehicle, and that between a rear end of the tank and the anti-submarining hump of the tank is arranged a plastic casing also covering the floor, and that a thickness of rigid foam is inserted between said casing and the tank.

[0017] The invention also relates to a vehicle body comprising such a chassis, and to a vehicle comprising such a vehicle body. Brief description of the drawings

[0018] The invention will be better understood from a detailed study of an embodiment taken as a non-limiting example and illustrated by the appended drawings, in which:

[0019] [Fig-1] represents the chassis according to the invention, in side sectional view at the level of the center of the right rear passenger seat of the vehicle's rear seat cushion.

[0020] [Fig.2] represents the chassis in perspective view. Detailed description

[0021] [Fig.l] illustrates the vehicle chassis 1 according to the invention, intended for a vehicle comprising a hydrogen engine, in particular a motor vehicle.

[0022] In all the Figures, the direct orthonormal reference XYZ conventionally designates the front-rear longitudinal direction of the vehicle by the X axis, a left-right lateral direction for a passenger of the vehicle by the Y axis, and the upward direction vertical by the Z axis.

[0023] The chassis 1 is intended to be mounted on a vehicle body 2, in particular a vehicle transporting passengers.

[0024] The chassis 1 comprises a floor 3 forming the lower wall of the vehicle and formed by a hydrogen tank made of composite material 4.

[0025] The tank 4 is for example a tank such as that described in patent application FR2888915, comprising an internal enclosure for storing hydrogen formed from a plurality of opposing walls which can be connected internally by shafts allowing mechanical reinforcement of the enclosure.

[0026] The floor 3 includes an anti-submarining hump 5, intended to retain the pelvis of the passengers during an accident, so that the latter do not pass under the strap of the seat belts which pass above their thighs and which are each fixed by two lateral peduncles fixed to the floor on each side of each passenger.

[0027] The anti-submarining hump 5 is for example formed by a bulge in the floor 3 so as to dampen and then stop the movement of the passenger pelvis of the vehicle seated on a rear bench seat of the vehicle 7 coupled to the chassis 1.

[0028] Unlike the prior art in which the anti-submarining hump 5 is formed by a rigid bar welded or bolted to the floor 3, the anti-submarining hump 5 integrated into the tank 4 does not require any additional parts and simplifies the production and maintenance of the vehicle.

[0029] The anti-submarining hump 5 allows the movement of the passengers' pelvis to be stopped with damping initially, by a first deformation at the moment of impact between the passenger's thighs and the anti-submarining hump 5, then suddenly with a second deformation more limited than the first to completely stop the movement of the pelvis of said passengers.

[0030] For example, the hydrogen tank 4 comprises a composite material.

[0031] This material allows sufficient resistance to pressure differences caused by the storage of hydrogen, while offering the possibility for the tank 4 to be produced in a shape best suited to the vehicle for the structuring of the chassis 1 and its integration into the body of the vehicle.

[0032] The tank 4 can therefore have hollowed-out parts 6, which makes it possible to make a shape of the underside of the fixed rear seat of the vehicle which is capable of being filled with foam for the padding 14 of the seat and / or for shock absorption from below.

[0033] The tank 4 may further have a curved portion to create the anti-submarining hump 5 so as to retain the passengers' pelvis, by stopping the forward translational movement of the vehicle if the impact is on the front.

[0034] A rear end 11 may also include a hump adapted for the same passenger pelvis restraint in the rear X direction.

[0035] Advantageously, the anti-submarining hump 5 incorporates fixings 10 for a rear bench seat of the vehicle 7.

[0036] As illustrated by [Fig.2], the fasteners 10 may comprise vehicle seat belt stalks 10, said stalks 10 being fixed to the tank 4.

[0037] In one embodiment, the anti-submarining hump 5 incorporates an articulation 12 for a backrest of a rear bench seat of the vehicle 7, said articulation 12 being adapted to be able to position said seat 7 in a substantially vertical position.

[0038] Advantageously, the articulation 12 is fixed to the reservoir 4.

[0039] The chassis may further provide that the anti-submarining hump 5 is slightly smaller, in particular along the lateral axis Y, opposite a location intended for the basins of the passengers of the vehicle on a rear bench seat of the vehicle 7.

[0040] Thus, the anti-submarining hump 5, formed by the tank 4, is slightly smaller in front of the passenger basin, which makes it deformable thanks to the narrowing 13 and gives it a cushioning effect initially in the event of an impact, before becoming more rigid.

[0041] Furthermore, between a rear end 11 of the tank 4 and the anti-submarining hump 5 of the tank 4 is arranged a plastic casing 8 also covering the floor 3, and a thickness of rigid foam 9 is interposed between said casing 8 and the tank 4.

[0042] Between the regulatory points of the anti-submarining hump 5 and the hump of the tank 4, for example the end hump 11, a plastic casing is placed so as to form a lining covering the floor 3, and the intermediate foam 9 between said casing 8 and the tank 4 is selected for its hardness.

[0043] A particularly light chassis 1 is thus obtained, which minimizes the sheet metal to be welded for its assembly, therefore shortens its assembly time on a vehicle, and which is such that during an accident, the pelvis of the passengers seated on the rear bench seat forming the seat 7 for these passengers will crush a padding 14 of said seat 7, which will come into contact with the plastic casing 8, which will itself crush the hard foam 9 against the anti-submarining bump 5 formed in the particularly rigid composite of the hydrogen tank 4, which makes it possible to keep the passengers linked to this rigid structure, while allowing the attachment of the belt peduncles and the articulation of the rear bench seat backrest directly to the tank 4.

Claims

Claims

1. Chassis (1) for a vehicle body (2), comprising a floor (3) formed by a hydrogen tank (4), the floor (3) comprising an anti-submarining hump (5).

2. Chassis (1) according to claim 1, in which the anti-submarining hump (5) is formed by a bulge in the floor (3) so as to dampen and then stop the movement of the pelvis of passengers of the vehicle seated on a rear bench seat of the vehicle (7) coupled to the chassis (1), with damping in a first stage, by a first deformation at the moment of impact between the thighs of the passenger and the anti-submarining hump (5), then abruptly with a second deformation more limited than the first to stop the movement of the pelvis of said passengers.

3. Chassis (1) according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the hydrogen tank (4) comprises a composite material.

4. Chassis (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the anti-submarining hump (5) incorporates fixings (10) for a rear seat base of the vehicle (7).

5. Chassis (1) according to claim 4, wherein the fasteners (10) comprise vehicle seat belt peduncles, said peduncles being fixed to the tank (4).

6. Chassis (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the anti-submarining hump (5) incorporates an articulation (12) for a backrest of a rear bench seat of the vehicle (7), said articulation (12) being adapted to be able to position said seat (7) in a substantially vertical position.

7. Chassis (1) according to claim 6, wherein the articulation (12) is fixed on the tank (4).

8. Chassis (1) according to claim 2, in which the anti-submarining hump (5) is slightly smaller opposite a location intended for the basins of the passengers of the vehicle on the seat (7), and between a rear end (11) of the tank (4) and the anti-submarining hump (5) of the tank (4) is arranged a plastic casing (3) also covering the floor (3), and a thickness of rigid foam (9) is interposed between said casing (3) and the tank (4).

9. Vehicle body (2) comprising a chassis (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

10. A vehicle comprising a vehicle body (2) according to claim 9.

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