RETRACTABLE COOLING FACADE ASSEMBLY IN THE EVENT OF AN IMPACT, PARTICULARLY FOR AN ELECTRIC OR HYBRID VEHICLE

Abstract

The cooling facade assembly (FR) comprises two first slide and ball joint assemblies (GHG, GHD) and two second slide and ball joint assemblies (GVG, GVD) which are mounted laterally on either side of the cooling facade in assembly interface with a support structure of the front overhang of the vehicle (VE). The two first and two second slide and ball joint assemblies provide the assembly interface between respectively a lower part (BFG, BFD) and an upper part (HFG, HFD) of the cooling facade and the support structure (BE, PG, PD) and are arranged so as to cooperatively allow a retraction of the lower part outside a repairability zone (ZR) of the front overhang and a rise of the upper part in a pedestrian impact zone (ZP) in the event of a frontal impact on the vehicle. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: COOLING FACADE ASSEMBLY RETRACTABLE IN THE EVENT OF IMPACT, IN PARTICULAR FOR AN ELECTRIC OR HYBRID VEHICLE

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of cooling facades for motor vehicles. More particularly, the invention relates to a vehicle cooling facade assembly that can be retracted in the event of an impact. The invention is applicable in particular to electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles.

[0002] In a vehicle, the cooling facade generally comprises one or more exchangers, such as a glycol water cooling radiator of a powertrain, an air conditioning condenser, as well as a motor-fan unit or others. The cooling facade is typically located in the front part of the vehicle called the "front overhang".

[0003] To free up more space under the hood for the benefit of the powertrain and other vehicle components, the cooling panel can be located in a so-called "repairability zone". In the event of a so-called "repairability zone" impact on the front of the vehicle, corresponding to the vehicle hitting an obstacle at a speed below 16 km / h, the vehicle components located in the "repairability zone", and therefore the cooling panel, are exposed to damage. Indeed, if the cooling panel is fixedly mounted on the vehicle structure, the impact force of the impact can cause the mechanical attachment points of the panel to break by pushing it backward, frequently resulting in damage to the cooling panel itself.

[0004] It is desirable that the cooling facade is not part of the basket of parts to be changed during a "repairable impact", in particular in order to reduce repair costs and avoid immobilization of the vehicle. For this, mechanisms have been proposed to move the cooling facade backwards in the event of an impact.

[0005] Thus, from document FR3100753A1, a device is known for fixing a cooling facade element of a motor vehicle comprising a slide in which is housed a sliding pin secured to the element cooling facade. In the event of an impact, the pin undergoes a guided translation from a first position to another position, thus allowing the cooling facade to move backwards.

[0006] For a vehicle with a low hood, the cooling facade is often installed in an inclined manner, encroaching into the “repairable zone”. The kinematics of the movement of the cooling facade, necessary to preserve it in the event of an impact, can then prove more difficult to implement.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a vehicle cooling facade assembly that can be retracted in the event of an impact, allowing inclined mounting of the cooling facade and suitable for integration into an electric or hybrid vehicle.

[0008] According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a cooling facade assembly integrated into the front overhang of a vehicle, the assembly comprising a cooling facade and a device for moving the cooling facade out of a so-called repairability zone of the front overhang in the event of a frontal impact on the vehicle.According to the invention, the device for moving the cooling facade comprises two first slide and ball joint assemblies and two second slide and ball joint assemblies which are mounted laterally on either side of the cooling facade in assembly interface with a support structure of the front overhang, the two first and two second slide and ball joint assemblies ensuring the assembly interface between respectively a lower part and an upper part of the cooling facade and the support structure and being arranged so as to cooperatively allow a recoil of the lower part outside the repairability zone and a rise of the upper part in a so-called pedestrian impact zone in the event of a frontal impact on the vehicle.

[0009] According to a particular characteristic, in the first two and two second slide and ball joint assemblies, the slide comprises a guide rail and a slider housed in the guide rail and the ball joint comprises a pin fixed to the cooling face and a pin housing orifice provided in the slider.

[0010] According to another particular characteristic, the guide rails of the first two slide and ball joint assemblies are arranged in alignment with a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and are supported respectively by cradle extensions of the support structure, and the guide rails of the second two slide and ball joint assemblies are arranged in alignment with a vertical axis of the vehicle and are supported respectively by cradle beams of the support structure.

[0011] According to yet another particular characteristic, the cooling facade assembly also comprises a device for retaining the cooling facade in a predetermined nominal position, the retaining device being arranged so as to release the cooling facade in the event of a frontal impact on the vehicle, thus allowing it to be moved outside the repairable zone.

[0012] According to yet another particular characteristic, at least one of the two first and two second slide and ball joint assemblies comprises a locking element in the position of the slide, releasing the latter during a frontal impact, and a spring exerting a force on the slide so as to facilitate a translation of the latter in the guide rail during a frontal impact.

[0013] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle, in particular of the electric or hybrid type, comprising an assembly as briefly described above.

[0014] Other advantages and characteristics of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the detailed description below of a particular embodiment of the invention, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0015] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] is a schematic side view showing one embodiment particular aspect of a cooling facade assembly according to the invention, integrated into a motor vehicle, in a nominal mounting position, before the occurrence of an impact on the front part of the vehicle.

[0016] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a schematic side view showing the cooling face assembly of [Fig.l] in a position taken after the occurrence of a so-called "repairable impact" impact on the front part of the vehicle.

[0017] In the figures, the front overhang of a motor vehicle, referenced VE, is schematically represented, in which a particular embodiment of a cooling facade assembly according to the invention, referenced EFA, is integrated. The vehicle VE is considered here to be placed in a space defined by an orthogonal reference frame XYZ, with a lateral axis, a longitudinal axis and a vertical axis of the vehicle which are aligned respectively along the X, Y and Z axes of the orthogonal reference frame.

[0018] As shown in the figures, the front overhang of the vehicle VE comprises in particular a cradle BE having left and right cradle beams BG, BD, intended in particular to support the powertrain (not shown), and left and right cradle extensions PG, PD. Only the left cradle beam BG and the left cradle extension PG are visible in the figures.

[0019] The cradle beams BG, BD have substantially the same architecture and are arranged symmetrically with respect to a central longitudinal plane YZ of the vehicle. The cradle beams BG, BD extend in the Y axis towards the front of the vehicle and comprise front end portions BRG, BRD, respectively, usually designated “repairability beams” by those skilled in the art. The “repairability beams” BRG, BRD are located in the “repairability zone”, marked ZR (see [Fig.l]), of the front overhang of the vehicle. The beams BRG, BRD are designed to deform in compression during a frontal impact, by absorbing part of the impact energy.

[0020] The cradle extensions PG, PD have substantially the same architecture and are arranged symmetrically with respect to the aforementioned central longitudinal plane YZ of the vehicle. The cradle extensions PG, PD extend in the Y axis towards the front of the vehicle and include front end parts located in the “repairable zone” ZR of the vehicle’s front overhang.

[0021] The rigid members present in the front overhang of the vehicle must be installed under a design limit envelope represented schematically by the broken line LC. The purpose of this arrangement is to reserve a deformation zone ZP, called the “pedestrian impact zone”, for the hood CP of the vehicle, so as to allow deformation of the hood CP without a rigid obstacle in the event of a pedestrian impact.

[0022] The cooling facade assembly EFA of the invention essentially comprises a cooling facade FR and two pairs of slide and ball assemblies GHG, GVG, and GHD, GVD, substantially identical. Only the pair of slide and ball assemblies GHG, GVG is visible in the figures.

[0023] The slide and ball assemblies GHG and GHD are located on the left side and the right side of the cantilever, as assembly interfaces of the cooling face FR on the cradle extensions PG and PD, respectively. More specifically, the slide and ball assemblies GHG and GHD provide the assembly interface of a lower left part BFG and a lower right part BFD of the cooling face FR on the cradle extensions PG and PD, respectively. Only the lower left part BFG of the cooling face FR is visible in the figures.

[0024] The function of the GHG (GHD) slide and ball joint assembly is to allow horizontal movement in -Y (arrow DH, [Fig.2]) of the lower part BFG (BFD) of the FR cooling face in the event of a frontal impact.

[0025] As visible in the figures, in the GHG (GHD) assembly, the slide function is provided by a guide rail BRG (BRD) and a slider BCG (BCD). The guide rail BRG (BRD) is arranged horizontally, along the Y axis, and is fixedly attached to the cradle extension PG (PD), with the slider BCG (BCD) housed in the guide rail BRG (BRD) and able to move by sliding inside it. The ball joint function is provided by a pin BNG (BND) forming a male ball joint element and a pin housing orifice BOG (BOD) forming a female ball joint element. The pin BNG (BND) is arranged horizontally, along the X axis, with its base which is fixedly attached to the lower part BFG (BFD) of the cooling face FR. The BOG (BOD) pin housing hole is provided in the BCG (BCD) slide.The BNG (BND) pin is housed in the BOG (BOD) hole of the BCG (BCD) slide and forms, together with the latter, a ball joint having an axis of rotation parallel to the X axis.

[0026] The slide and ball assemblies GVG and GVD are located on the left side and the right side of the cantilever, as assembly interfaces of the cooling face FR on the cradle beams BG and BD, respectively. More specifically, The GVG and GVD slide and ball assemblies provide the assembly interface of a left upper part HFG and a right upper part HFD of the FR cooling face on the BG and BD cradle beams, respectively. Only the left upper part HFG of the FR cooling face is visible in the figures.

[0027] The function of the GVG (GVD) slide and ball joint assembly is to allow vertical movement in +Z (arrow DV, [Fig.2]) of the upper part HFG (HFD) of the FR cooling face in the event of a frontal impact.

[0028] As visible in the figures, in the GVG (GVD) assembly, the slide function is provided by a guide rail HRG (HRD) and a slider HCG (HCD). The guide rail HRG (HRD) is arranged vertically, along the Z axis, and is fixedly attached to the cradle beam BG (BD), with the slider HCG (HCD) housed in the guide rail HRG (HRD) and able to move by sliding inside it. The ball joint function is provided by a pin HNG (HND) forming a male ball joint element and a pin housing orifice HOG (HOD) forming a female ball joint element. The pin HNG (HND) is arranged horizontally, along the X axis, with its base which is fixedly attached to the upper part HFG (HFD) of the cooling face FR. The HOG pin housing hole (HOD) is provided in the HCG slide (HCD).The HNG pin (HND) is housed in the HOG hole (HOD) of the HCG slide (HCD) and forms, together with the latter, a ball joint having an axis of rotation parallel to the X axis.

[0029] The nominal position of the cooling facade FR, that is to say, the position of the latter before the occurrence of an impact on the front part of the vehicle, is shown in [Fig.l]. In this position, the lower part of the cooling facade FR is located in the “repairability zone” ZR of the front overhang of the vehicle and the upper part of the cooling facade FR is located below the design limit envelope LC. The maintenance of the cooling facade FR in this position is ensured by one or more retaining means which are here integrated in the slide and ball joint assemblies, such as locking elements RE and a spring ER included in the assembly GVG visible in [Fig.l].

[0030] The position taken by the cooling facade FR after the occurrence of a “repairability impact” on the front part of the vehicle is shown in [Fig.2]. In this position, the cooling facade FR, initially in the “repairability zone” ZR, was preserved from the impact by its movement having predefined kinematics. During the impact, the forces exerted on the slide and ball joint assemblies GHG, GHD, and GVG, GVD, cause an unlocking of the aforementioned retaining means. The assemblies GHG, GHD, and GVG, GVD, once unlocked, allow the cooling facade FR to move horizontally along the arrow DH, in -Y, and vertically along the arrow DV, in +Z. The predefined kinematics of the movement of the FR facade, obtained using the GHG, GHD, and GVG, GVD sets, allows the lower part of the FR facade to be removed from the “repairability zone”, by exploiting the “pedestrian impact zone” ZP to position the upper part of the FR facade there.

[0031] The invention allows optimization of the volume available in the front overhang of the vehicle, by installing the cooling facade in the “repairable zone”, without it being degraded during a “repairable impact”.

[0032] The invention is not limited to the particular embodiment which has been described here by way of example. Those skilled in the art, depending on the applications of the invention, will be able to make various modifications and variants falling within the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

1.

2.

3. Claims Cooling facade assembly integrated into the front overhang of a vehicle (VE), said assembly (EFA) comprising a cooling facade (FR) and a device for moving said cooling facade (FR) out of a so-called repairability zone (ZR) of said front overhang in the event of a frontal impact on said vehicle (VE), characterized in that said device for moving said cooling facade (FR) comprises two first slide and ball joint assemblies (GHG, GHD) and two second slide and ball joint assemblies (GVG, GVD) which are mounted laterally on either side of said cooling facade (FR) in assembly interface with a support structure (BE, PG, PD) of said front overhang, said two first and two second slide and ball joint assemblies (GHG, GHD;GVG, GVD) ensure said assembly interfacing respectively between a lower part (BFG, BFD) of said cooling façade (FR) and said support structure (BE, PG, PD) and between an upper part (HFG, HFD) of said cooling façade (FR) and said support structure (BE, PG, PD), and are arranged so as to allow, in cooperation, a retraction (DH) of said lower part (BFG, BFD) out of said repairable zone (ZR) and a rise (DV) of said upper part (HFG, HFD) into a so-called pedestrian shock zone (ZP) in the event of a frontal shock on said vehicle (VE).; Cooling face assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, in said two first and two second slide and ball joint assemblies (GHG, GHD; GVG, GVD), said slide comprises a guide rail (BRG, BRD; HRG, HRD) and a slider (BCG, BCD; HCG, HCD) housed in said guide rail (BRG, BRD; HRG, HRD) and said ball joint comprises a pin (BNG, BND; HNG, HND) fixed to said cooling face (FR) and a pin housing orifice (BOG, BOD; HOG, HOD) arranged in said slider (BCG, BCD; HCG, HCD). Cooling facade assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that said guide rails (BRG, BRD) of said first two slide and ball joint assemblies (GHG, GHD) are arranged in alignment with a longitudinal axis (Y) of said vehicle (VE) and are supported respectively by cradle extensions (PG, PD) of said support structure, and said guide rails (HRG, HRD) of said two second slide and ball joint assemblies (GVG, GVD) are arranged in alignment with a vertical axis (Z) of said vehicle (VE) and are supported respectively by cradle beams (BG, BD) of said support structure.

4. Cooling facade assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it also comprises a device (RE) for retaining said cooling facade (FR) in a predetermined nominal position, said retaining device (RE) being arranged so as to release said cooling facade (FR) in the event of a frontal impact on said vehicle (VE), thus allowing the movement of the latter (FR) outside said repairability zone (ZR).

5. Cooling facade assembly according to claim 4 and claim 2 or 3, characterized in that at least one of said two first and two second slide and ball joint assemblies (GHG, GHD; GVG, GVD) comprises an element (RE) for locking said slider (BCG, BCD; HCG, HCD) in position, releasing the latter (BCG, BCD; HCG, HCD) during a frontal impact, and a spring (ER) exerting a force on said slider (BCG, BCD; HCG, HCD) so as to facilitate a translation thereof (BCG, BCD; HCG, HCD) in said guide rail (BRG, BRD; HRG, HRD) during a frontal impact.

6. Motor vehicle characterized in that it comprises a cooling facade assembly (EFA) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. Motor vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that it is of the electric or hybrid type.

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