Combination of motor vehicles and motor vehicles comprising such a combination

Abstract

Motor vehicle assembly and motor vehicle comprising such an assembly. The invention relates to a motor vehicle assembly (135) comprising: - a body structure including a central pillar (129) extending vertically, - a trim piece (131) of said central pillar assembled to said central pillar, including a central portion (137) extending along said central pillar (129). According to the invention, the assembly (135) is notable in that said central portion (137) defines a slope which, relative to a longitudinal median plane (L, V) of said motor vehicle, slopes away from the rear towards the front of said vehicle when said assembly (135) is mounted in said vehicle, and in that it includes a deflection element (147), arranged between said trim piece (131) and said central pillar (129), designed to compress at least partially when a force is exerted on said trim piece.The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising such an assembly (135). Figure 3.

Description

Title of the invention: Motor vehicle assembly and motor vehicle comprising such an assembly Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, in particular to the field of passive safety of the motor vehicle to provide protection in the event of a side impact.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to a motor vehicle assembly and a motor vehicle comprising such an assembly. Prior art

[0003] A motor vehicle body comprises a set of structural sheet metal elements providing stiffness to the motor vehicle, assembled together and forming the frame of the motor vehicle.

[0004] The vehicle body includes, among these sheet metal elements, a left side structure and a right side structure.

[0005] Each lateral structure comprises a set of upper and lower horizontal elements, extending substantially longitudinally relative to the body, and a set of vertical elements, extending substantially vertically relative to the body.

[0006] The upper horizontal elements comprise, from the front to the rear of the body, a bay pillar and a roof arch, and the lower horizontal elements comprise a side member defining part of the perimeter of the body underbody.

[0007] The vertical elements comprise, from the front to the rear of the body, a front foot, a central foot, or middle foot, connecting the side member to both the bay upright and the roof arch, and a rear foot.

[0008] The body structure is covered inside the motor vehicle by a covering or trim piece, for example plastic. In particular, a trim is provided along the central pillar and over all or part of the surface of the vehicle doors.

[0009] Among the plurality of tests used for the approval of motor vehicles, a so-called "pole" impact, also called "side impact" is carried out, in particular in order to reveal performance criteria relating to the protection of occupants.

[0010] This test consists of projecting the motor vehicle at a speed of approximately 30 km / h laterally against a rigid post, so that the vehicle defines an angle of approximately 75° relative to the post.

[0011] In the event of a side impact, the post becomes embedded in the motor vehicle at the level of the driver's side front door.

[0012] In the event of a side impact, the protection of the occupants placed in the front seats of the motor vehicle is ensured, in particular, by the strength of the lateral structure of the central pillar and the front door which has undergone the impact, by the stiffness of the trim of the central pillar and the front door and by the correct functioning of the seat belts.

[0013] In order to further increase the safety of the occupants in the event of a side impact, the motor vehicle includes safety airbags, in particular a curtain airbag which is located above the front and rear doors of the motor vehicle, and a side seat airbag which is located in the seats of the motor vehicle.

[0014] [Fig.l] shows a motor vehicle 1 of the prior art in which an occupant 3 is seen seated on a front seat 5, a curtain airbag 7 and a side seat airbag 9 in the deployed position following a side impact, the dotted lines of the airbags 7, 9 defining the lateral edges of the airbags 7, 9.

[0015] The curtain airbag 7 and the side seat airbag 9 are adapted and installed in the motor vehicle 1 so as to avoid an interaction between the two airbags 7, 9 at the time of their deployment, an interaction which could degrade the protection of the occupants.

[0016] This results in the appearance of a so-called “dead” zone 11 near the occupant's shoulder, where the airbags 7, 9 do not protect the occupant 3.

[0017] However, at the level of the zone 11 without protection, the clearance available between the trim and the body structure at the level of the central pillar is generally very small, which does not allow the kinetic energy of the shoulder to be dissipated in the event of a side impact.

[0018] The presence of the dead zone 11 therefore results in a significant risk of injury for the occupant 3 in the event of a side collision.

[0019] In order to limit the risk of injury in the dead zone, document EP 0 676 315 provides for injecting an absorbent foam into the entire central pillar trim part, arranged so as to absorb the shock of the occupant at the shoulder.

[0020] However, the thickness generated by the presence of absorbent foam between the central foot and the covering part is very significant in order to absorb the forces during the impact.

[0021] However, the presence of such a thickness at the level of the central pillar goes against the constant search for optimization of the space available in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. Statement of the invention

[0022] The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, and to this end relates to a motor vehicle assembly comprising: - a body structure comprising a central leg extending substantially vertically securely relative to said motor vehicle, said central leg being intended to be fixed on the one hand to an upper horizontal element of said body structure, and on the other hand to a lower horizontal element of said body structure, - a covering part for said central leg, assembled to said central leg, comprising a central portion extending along said central leg, said assembly being remarkable in that said central portion defines a slope which moves away, relative to a longitudinal median plane of said motor vehicle, from the rear towards the front of said motor vehicle when said assembly is mounted in said motor vehicle, and in that it comprises a deflection element, arranged between said trim piece and said central foot, designed to compress at least partially when a force is exerted on said trim piece.

[0023] Thus, at the moment of impact of the shoulder of an occupant against the trim piece of the central pillar, the combined action of the central portion of the trim piece, which defines a slope, and of the deflection element, which partially compresses, makes it possible to guide the shoulder of the occupant towards the front of the motor vehicle.

[0024] In this way, at the end of the impact, the occupant's shoulder impacts the trim part of the front door of the motor vehicle.

[0025] The clearance between the trim piece and the front door being significantly greater than the clearance between the trim piece and the central pillar, the shock is absorbed by the trim piece of the front door.

[0026] This eliminates the need to use a block of absorbent material of significant thickness at the central foot. This increases the space available in the passenger compartment, which improves the comfort of the occupants.

[0027] According to optional characteristics of the assembly according to the invention: - said deflection element is arranged at a front end of said central portion of said covering part; - said deflection element has a width of between approximately 30% and approximately 50% of the width of said cladding piece; - said deflection element has a length of between approximately 100mm and approximately 200mm; - the slope of said central portion is contained in a plane forming an angle with a plane parallel to said longitudinal median plane (L, V) of between approximately 1° and approximately 10°; - the assembly comprises a rear part comprising a rigid zone and a front part comprising a deformable zone; - said assembly has an asymmetrical horizontal section; - said deflection element is fixed inside the cladding part by gluing; - said deflection element consists of a foam block.

[0028] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising an assembly, remarkable in that said assembly is according to the invention. Brief description of the drawings

[0029] Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows, for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

[0030] [Fig-1] shows a motor vehicle of the prior art, seen from the side.

[0031] [Fig.2] shows a motor vehicle according to the invention, seen from the side.

[0032] [Fig.3] is a sectional view along line AA of [Fig.2].

[0033] [Fig.4] shows the motor vehicle assembly according to the invention in isometric view.

[0034] [Fig.5] partially shows the motor vehicle in front view.

[0035] [Fig.6] shows in horizontal section along line BB of [Fig.5] a first stage of the kinematics undergone by the assembly according to the invention and by the occupant during a side impact.

[0036] [Fig.7] shows in horizontal section along line BB of [Fig.5] a second stage of the kinematics undergone by the assembly according to the invention and by the occupant during a side impact.

[0037] [Fig.8] shows in horizontal section along line BB of [Fig.5] a third stage of the kinematics undergone by the assembly according to the invention and by the occupant during a side impact.

[0038] [Fig.9] shows in horizontal section along line BB of [Fig.5] a fourth stage of the kinematics undergone by the assembly according to the invention and by the occupant during a side impact. Description of the embodiments

[0039] In the remainder of the description, elements having an identical structure or similar functions are designated by the same reference.

[0040] We will adopt by convention, without limitation, longitudinal, vertical and transverse orientations indicated by the direct trihedron (L, V, T) designating the longitudinal, vertical and transverse axes of the vehicle.

[0041] In the following, the terms “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “lower” and “upper” are understood in relation to the vehicle.

[0042] Reference is made to [Fig.2] showing a motor vehicle 101 according to the invention, seen from the side from the right of the motor vehicle 101, in which an occupant 3 is installed sitting on a front seat 5.

[0043] The motor vehicle 101 comprises a body structure 113 comprising a set of sheet metal elements, assembled together and forming the frame of the motor vehicle 101.

[0044] Among these sheet metal elements, structures, in particular left and right lateral ones, equip the body structure 113.

[0045] A left lateral structure is visible in [Fig.2]. The body structure 113 has a longitudinal median plane of symmetry (L, V). Thus, the description given for the left lateral structure applies by analogy to a right lateral structure.

[0046] The body structure comprises at its lateral structure a set of upper 115 and lower 117 horizontal elements, extending substantially longitudinally relative to the body, and a set of vertical elements 119, extending substantially vertically relative to the body structure 113.

[0047] The upper horizontal elements 115 comprise, from the front to the rear of the body structure 113, a bay upright 121 and a roof arch 123.

[0048] The lower horizontal elements 117 comprise a side member 125 defining a portion of the perimeter of the base of the body structure 113.

[0049] The vertical elements 119 comprise, from the front to the rear of the body structure 113, a front foot 127, a central foot 129, or middle foot, connecting the side member 125 to both the bay upright 121 and the roof arch 123, and, behind the central foot 129, a rear foot (not shown).

[0050] The body structure 113 comprises, inside the motor vehicle 101, a set of trim pieces, or upholstery, for example plastic, covering the metal body structure 113.

[0051] In particular, a trim piece 131 is mounted opposite the central leg 129, defining an assembly 135 for a motor vehicle.

[0052] A trim piece is also mounted on a part of the front and rear doors of the motor vehicle, not shown but the location of the front door of which is designated by the reference 133.

[0053] The motor vehicle 101 comprises a curtain airbag and a seat side airbag, the deployed position of which following a side impact is that shown in dotted lines in [Fig.l]. The curtain airbag and the seat side airbag are installed in the motor vehicle 101 so as to avoid an interaction between the two airbags at the time of their deployment, an interaction which could degrade the protection of the occupants. This leads to the appearance of a so-called “dead” zone 11 opposite the shoulder of the occupant 3, where the airbags do not protect the occupant 3.

[0054] Reference is made to [Fig.3] which is a horizontal sectional view of the assembly 135 in the dead zone 11, along the line AA of [Fig.2].

[0055] The covering piece 131 has a central portion 137 which extends along the central foot 129.

[0056] At a front end 139 of the central portion 137, the covering piece 131 comprises a covering edge 141. At a rear end 143, the covering piece 131 comprises a covering edge 145.

[0057] The covering edges 141, 145 are curved towards the central foot 129 to be covered. The central portion 137 extends along a flat surface. The central portion 137 is non-convex.

[0058] As visible in [Fig.3], the assembly 135 has an asymmetrical horizontal section.

[0059] When the trim piece 131 is assembled to the central leg 129 to be trimmed, the central portion 137 of the trim piece 131 defines a slope which moves away, from the rear to the front of the motor vehicle 101, from the longitudinal median plane (L, V) of the motor vehicle 101.

[0060] The slope of the central portion 137 is contained in a plane Pi forming a non-zero angle α with a plane P2 parallel to the longitudinal median plane (L, V) of the motor vehicle. In an exemplary embodiment, the angle α is between approximately 1° and approximately 10°, for example between approximately 2° and approximately 8°.

[0061] The assembly 135 further comprises a deflection element 147, arranged between the trim piece 131 and the central foot 129 at least at the level of the dead zone 11 located opposite the shoulder of an occupant of the motor vehicle.

[0062] The deflection element 147 used in the context of the invention has mechanical properties which allow it, as will be seen in the remainder of the description, to deform and partially compress so as to form a guide ramp or deflection ramp for the shoulder of the occupant towards the front of the motor vehicle 101 at the moment of contact of his shoulder on the trim piece 131, contact which may occur during a side collision.

[0063] Also, the deflection element 147 has mechanical properties which allow it to dissipate part of the kinetic energy of the shoulder at the moment of contact between the shoulder and the covering part 131.

[0064] The deflection element 147 is housed in a clearance J available between the covering part 131 and the central foot 129. For example, the clearance J is between approximately 10 mm and approximately 30 mm.

[0065] The deflection element 147 can be fixed inside the covering part 131, for example by gluing.

[0066] The deflection element 147 is housed at the front of the covering part 131, at the level of the front end 139 of the central portion 137.

[0067] In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the deflection element 147 comes into contact with the front covering edge 141.

[0068] The fixing of the covering piece 131 on the central foot 129 is such that the assembly 135 has a rigid zone 149 at its rear part and a deformable zone 151 at its front part. Thus, the covering part 131 has a progressive compression stiffness from the rear, stiffer, towards the front, more flexible.

[0069] For example, at its rear part, the covering piece 131 is fixed to the central foot 129 by means of a rigid fixing element, for example a rigid clip holder 153.

[0070] In the same way, at its front part, the covering piece 131 is fixed to the central foot 129 by means of a semi-rigid fixing element, for example a semi-rigid clip holder 155.

[0071] Alternatively, the deformable zone 151 can be obtained by dispensing with the presence of the semi-rigid fixing element in the front part of the covering piece 131. In this case, only the rigid fixing element is used to fix the covering piece 131 to the central foot 129.

[0072] In an exemplary embodiment, the deflection element 147 is a foam block. When the deflection element 147 is a foam block, it is not stressed during the mounting of the covering part 131 on the central foot 129.

[0073] Reference is made to [Fig.4] showing the assembly 135 in isometric view.

[0074] In an exemplary embodiment, the deflection element 147 has a rectangular geometric shape.

[0075] For example, the length L of the deflection element 147, shown in transparency in [Fig.4], is between approximately 100mm and approximately 200mm, for example approximately 150mm to approximately 200mm, so as to cover the variations in position of the occupant's shoulder depending on his size.

[0076] Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment, the width li of the deflection element 147 is equal to a value between approximately 30% of the width 12 of the covering piece 131 and approximately 50% of the width L2 of the covering piece 131.

[0077] Reference is made to [Fig.5] partially showing the motor vehicle 101 in front view in which the occupant 3 is installed sitting on the front seat 5.

[0078] When the occupant 3 is seated on the front seat 5, his left shoulder 157 is opposite the dead zone 11 at the level of which the deflection element 147 is installed, visible in figures 6 to 9 to which reference is made and showing, in horizontal section along the line BB of [Fig.5], the kinematics undergone by the assembly 135 and by the occupant 3 during a side impact.

[0079] As visible in [Fig.6], before a side collision of the motor vehicle 101, a distance DI is included between the left shoulder 157 of the occupant 3 and the trim piece 131.

[0080] When the motor vehicle 101 suffers a side impact, the assembly 135 moves towards the inside of the motor vehicle 101 and the distance between the left shoulder 157 of the occupant 3 and the trim piece 131 is reduced, as shown in [Fig.7] showing the kinematics of the impact after an intermediate time Th The shoulder 157 of the occupant 3 moves according to the arrow 159 substantially transversely to the motor vehicle 101, moving away from the longitudinal median plane (L, V).

[0081] Referring to [Fig.8]. The impact continues and, after an intermediate time T2, the shoulder 157 of the occupant 3 impacts the trim piece 131 made of plastic material and stresses the trim piece 131.

[0082] At the moment of impact of the shoulder 157 against the plastic trim piece 131, the central portion 137 of the trim piece 131, which defines a slope which moves away from the longitudinal median plane (L, V) of the motor vehicle 101, guides the shoulder 157 of the occupant 3 towards the front of the motor vehicle. The guidance is furthermore optimized thanks to the progressive compression stiffness of the trim piece 131 from the rear to the front.

[0083] The deflection element 147 partially compresses, also forming a guide ramp for the shoulder 157 towards the front of the motor vehicle, allowing the shoulder 157 to move in the direction of the arrow 161.

[0084] Also, the deflection element 147, having mechanical properties which allow it to dissipate part of the kinetic energy of the shoulder 157 at the moment of impact against the trim part 131, makes it possible to prevent the shoulder 157 from impacting the central metal foot 129 of the body structure.

[0085] Referring to [Fig.9] showing the last stage of the shock. The shock continues and the shoulder 157 continues its movement in the direction of the arrow 163.

[0086] When the impact is over, the shoulder 157 is completely deflected towards the front door 165 of the motor vehicle 101 and impacts the trim piece 167 of the front door 165.

[0087] The clearance between the trim piece 167 and the front door 165 is significantly greater than the clearance J between the trim piece 131 and the central pillar 129, which makes it possible to absorb the shock and prevent the occupant 3 from being injured.

[0088] Thus, in the present invention, there is no attempt to absorb the shock at the level of the covering part 131 of the central foot 129, unlike certain embodiments of the prior art.

[0089] Indeed, in the context of the present invention, the shock is absorbed by the trim piece 167 of the front door 165 and not by the deflection element 147, which makes it possible to limit the thickness of the deflection element 147 compared to the absorbent elements which can be used in the prior art. Thus, the space available in the passenger compartment is increased, improving the comfort of the occupants.

[0090] As goes without saying, 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 as illustrative examples, but on the contrary it embraces all the 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. Assembly (135) of a motor vehicle (101) comprising: - a body structure (113) comprising a central leg (129) extending substantially vertically relative to said motor vehicle (101), said central leg (129) being intended to be fixed on the one hand to an upper horizontal element of said body structure (113), and on the other hand to a lower horizontal element of said body structure (113), - a trim piece (131) of said central leg (129), assembled to said central leg (129), comprising a central portion (137) extending along said central leg (129), said assembly (135) being characterized in that said central portion (137) defines a slope which moves away, relative to a longitudinal median plane (L, V) of said motor vehicle (101), from the rear to the front of said motor vehicle (101) when said assembly (135) is mounted in said vehicle automobile (101),and in that it comprises a deflection element (147), arranged between said covering piece (131) and said central foot (129), designed to compress at least partially when a force is exerted on said covering piece (131).,

2. Assembly (135) according to claim 1, characterized in that said deflection element (147) is arranged at a front end (139) of said central portion (137) of said covering piece (131).

3. Assembly (135) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said deflection element (147) has a width (11) between approximately 30% and approximately 50% of the width (12) of said covering part (131).

4. Assembly (135) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said deflection element (147) has a length (L) of between approximately 100mm and approximately 200mm.

5. Assembly (135) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the slope of said central portion (137) is contained in a plane (Pi) forming an angle (a) with a plane (P2) parallel to said longitudinal median plane (L, V) of between approximately 1° and approximately 10°.

6. Assembly (135) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a rear part comprising a rigid zone (149) and a front part comprising a deformable zone (151).

7. Assembly (135) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said assembly (135) has an asymmetrical horizontal section.

8. Assembly (135) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said deflection element (147) is fixed inside the covering part (131) by gluing.

9. Assembly (135) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said deflection element (147) consists of a foam block.

10. Motor vehicle (101) comprising an assembly (135), characterized in that said assembly (135) is according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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