rear structure of motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a rear structure for a motor vehicle comprising, on the one hand, a rear panel (2) forming a rear portion of the structure so as to extend across the width of the vehicle, the structure comprising, on the other hand, at least one bumper support, the rear panel (2) having a mounting interface (4) designed to receive and secure each bumper support to the panel (2), at least a portion of the mounting interface (4) being covered with at least one absorbing element (6), each made of absorbing material, designed to absorb a portion of the energy released during a rear impact sustained by the vehicle structure (1), and positioned so that at least a portion of an absorbing element (6) is interposed between the panel (2) and a bumper support when the latter is mounted on the interface (4). (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Rear structure of a motor vehicle

[0001] The technical field relates to the rear structures of motor vehicles in which the rear panel is protected from deformation and to motor vehicles having such a structure.

[0002] In terms of road safety, automobile manufacturers must face at least three major concerns which define constraints to be taken into account when developing new vehicles.

[0003] Firstly, vehicles must ensure the safety of passengers in the event of a collision, regardless of speed. Then manufacturers are concerned with ensuring the safety of other road users, particularly the most vulnerable such as pedestrians, by seeking to minimise the risk of injury and trauma inflicted on a pedestrian in the event of a collision with a vehicle, particularly to the pedestrian's legs.

[0004] Finally, automobile manufacturers must strive to control the repair costs of vehicles when they undergo urban impacts, called repairable impacts, i.e. impacts suffered at low speeds of around 15 to 20 kilometers per hour.

[0005] The behavior of motor vehicles in these three situations is regulated and tested by implementing standardized test procedures. The requirements in terms of results in these tests are increasingly numerous and more difficult to meet, forcing car manufacturers to constantly innovate. The standardized procedures are, for example, described by the international organization Euro NCAP.

[0006] The results of repairable impacts are particularly decisive for insurance companies, which establish ratings of marketed vehicles aimed at reflecting the potential costs incurred during a repairable impact. Also, to improve the results of repairable impact tests, it is necessary to ensure that such a repairable impact impacts as few parts of the vehicle as possible and / or minimizes the deformation of the bodywork elements.

[0007] In this context, the rear panel of a motor vehicle is particularly vulnerable because it generally forms a hollow body which is liable to undergo deformations caused by the support of a central support and to generate significant repair costs.

[0008] In certain cases, the deformations at the rear panel level are prohibitive for the standardized test procedure aimed at analyzing the behavior of the vehicle in the event of a repairable impact, because the deformations generate straightening costs and, therefore, consequently, failure to comply with requirements to obtain a classification advantageous to insurance companies.

[0009] Thus, there is a need for a solution to protect the rear panel against deformations resulting from a rear repairable impact.

[0010] The present invention aims to overcome the problems set out above. In this technical context, an aim of the present invention is to provide a vehicle rear structure in which at least part of the energy of a repairable impact generated on the rear bumper is not transmitted to the rear panel.

[0011] For this purpose, the present invention relates to a rear structure of a motor vehicle comprising, on the one hand, a rear panel forming a rear portion of the structure so as to extend in the direction of the width of the vehicle, the structure comprising, on the other hand, at least one bumper support, the rear panel having a fixing interface designed to receive and fix each bumper support to the panel, at least a portion of the fixing interface being covered with at least one absorbent element each made of absorbent material, designed to absorb a portion of the energy released during a rear repairable impact suffered by the vehicle structure, and positioned so that at least a portion of an absorbent element is interposed between the panel and a bumper support, when the latter is mounted on the interface.

[0012] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle having a rear structure according to the invention.

[0013] Thus, the vehicle rear structure according to the invention is capable of protecting the rear panel in the event of a repairable impact suffered by the vehicle. Indeed, in the event of a repairable impact suffered by the vehicle, the forces generated on the bumper are transmitted to each bumper support which will in return transmit them towards the panel. However, the absorbent element(s) arranged between the support and the panel are capable of absorbing all or part of the transmitted energy in order to reduce the forces suffered by the panel, which makes it possible to avoid or limit deformations of the panel. Thus, the vehicle according to the invention, equipped with the rear structure according to the invention, has very limited or no deformations of the panel in the event of a rear repairable impact, in particular in the event of a repairable impact at a speed of less than 10 km / h.A motor vehicle according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a classification that is advantageous for insurance companies.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the invention, the absorbent element(s) cover at least 80% of the surface area of ​​the fixing interface, preferably at least 90% of the surface area of ​​the fixing interface.

[0015] According to one possibility, each support is fixed at a distance from the panel, resting on at least one absorbent element.

[0016] Advantageously, the absorbent element(s) form at least one rectangular strip.

[0017] According to one possibility of the rear structure, at least one absorbent element is fixed by gluing to the panel and / or to a bumper support before assembling the support on the panel.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the rear structure, it comprises a bumper support arranged in the central position of the rear panel.

[0019] According to one possibility, the absorbent material is chosen from foams, rubbers and / or composite materials designed to absorb part of the energy of an impact.

[0020] The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0021] [Fig-1] [Fig. 1] represents a perspective view of a rear panel of a structure according to the invention;

[0022] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a side view of a vehicle structure featuring implements the rear panel of [Fig.l].

[0023] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0024] A rear structure 1 of a motor vehicle according to the invention - illustrated in [Fig.2] - comprises, on the one hand, a rear panel 2 illustrated in [Fig.l] and forming a rear part of the structure 1 so as to extend in the direction of the width of the vehicle. The structure 1 comprises, on the other hand, at least one bumper support 3. Each bumper support 3 is designed to be fixed to the rear structure 1 and to support a rear bumper beam, not illustrated.

[0025] The rear panel 2 has a fixing interface 4 designed to receive and fix each bumper support 3 to the panel 2. In the example illustrated in the figures, the rear structure 1 comprises a bumper support 3 arranged in the central position of the rear panel 2.

[0026] In order to accommodate and fix a support 3, the fixing interface 4 has, for example, fixing orifices 5, illustrated in [Fig. 1]. The fixing interface 4 advantageously has a surface adapted to form a support for each bumper support 3.

[0027] In order to attenuate the forces transmitted to the rear panel 2 by each bumper support 3 during a rear repairable impact, at least a portion of the fixing interface 4 is covered with at least one absorbent element 6, each made of absorbent material designed to absorb a portion of the energy released during a rear repairable impact suffered by the vehicle structure 1. In the structure 1 according to the invention the absorbing element(s) 6 are positioned so that at least a portion of an absorbing element 6 is interposed between the panel 2 and a bumper support 3, when the latter is mounted on the interface 4.

[0028] Advantageously, each bumper support 3 is fixed at a distance from the panel 2, bearing on at least one absorbent element 6. Thus, each bumper support 3 bears directly on one or more absorbent elements 6.

[0029] The absorbent material used to form each absorbent element 6 is chosen from foams, rubbers and / or composite materials designed to absorb part of the energy of an impact.

[0030] As illustrated in [Fig. 2], each absorbent element 6 has, for example, a thickness of the order of a few millimeters to a few centimeters, preferably of the order of one centimeter. For this purpose, the densities of the foams used are adapted to obtain adequate absorption of energy in order to avoid or minimize deformations of the panel 2 in the event of a rear repairable impact suffered by the structure 1. Similarly, the rubber is advantageously an expanded or cellular rubber, that is to say having a porous structure by introduction of swelling agents or gas in the form of bubbles trapped inside the rubber.

[0031] As illustrated in [Fig.l], the absorbent element(s) 6 cover at least 80% of the surface area of ​​the fixing interface 4, preferably at least 90% of the surface area of ​​the fixing interface. By surface area of ​​the interface 4, it is appropriate to understand the area of ​​the interface 4 arranged opposite one or more absorbent elements 6.

[0032] In the example described, the absorbent element(s) 6 form at least one rectangular strip 7. Advantageously, the rectangular strip 7 covers the entire surface of the interface 4 located between each support 3 and the panel 2. In order to allow the passage of the fixings of each support 3, holes 8 are made in the absorbent element(s) 6 in line with the fixing orifices 5.

[0033] It should be noted that when several absorbent elements 6 are used, the structure 1 according to the invention may comprise stacks of absorbent elements 6 to form stacks of layers. Each absorbent element 6 is then formed, as desired, of a material different from the other absorbent elements 6 or identical to the others.

[0034] In order to produce the rear structure 1 according to the invention, at least one absorbent element 6 is fixed by gluing to the panel 2 and / or to a bumper support 3 before assembling the support 3 on the panel 2.

[0035] Thus, the rear vehicle structure 1 according to the invention is capable of protecting the rear panel 2 in the event of a repairable impact suffered by the vehicle. Indeed, in the event of a rear repairable impact suffered by the vehicle, the forces generated on the bumper are transmit to each bumper support 3 which propagate them towards the panel 2. Each absorbing element 6 arranged between the support 3 and the panel 2 absorbs all or part of the transmitted energy in order to reduce the forces undergone by the panel 2, which makes it possible to avoid or limit the deformations of the panel 2. Thus, the vehicle according to the invention, equipped with the rear structure 1 according to the invention, has very limited or non-existent deformations of the panel 2 in the event of a rear repairable impact.

[0036] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the rear structure described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Rear structure (1) of a motor vehicle comprising, on the one hand, a rear panel (2) forming a rear portion of the structure (1) so as to extend in the direction of the width of the vehicle, the structure (1) comprising, on the other hand, at least one bumper support (3), the rear panel (2) having a fixing interface (4) designed to receive and fix each bumper support (3) to the panel (2), at least a portion of the fixing interface (4) being covered with at least one absorbent element (6) each made of absorbent material, designed to absorb part of the energy released during a rear impact suffered by the vehicle structure (1), and positioned so that at least a portion of an absorbent element (6) is interposed between the panel (2) and a bumper support (3), when the latter is mounted on the interface (4).

2. Rear structure (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the absorbent element(s) (6) cover at least 80% of the surface area of ​​the fixing interface (4), preferably at least 90% of the surface area of ​​the fixing interface (4).

3. Rear structure (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each support (3) is fixed at a distance from the panel (2), resting on at least one absorbent element (6).

4. Rear structure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the absorbent element(s) (6) form at least one rectangular strip (7).

5. Rear structure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one absorbent element (6) is fixed by gluing to the panel (2) and / or to a bumper support (3) before assembly of the support (3) on the panel (2).

6. Rear structure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a bumper support (3) arranged in the central position of the rear panel (2).

7. Rear structure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the absorbent material is chosen from foams, rubbers and / or composite materials designed to absorb part of the energy of an impact.

8. Motor vehicle having a rear structure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7.

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