Device for protecting the feet of a motor vehicle driver.

Abstract

The invention relates to a protective device (1) designed to protect the foot (2) of a front occupant of a motor vehicle in the event of a frontal collision, the device (1) comprising a first part (6) designed to allow the device (1) to be attached to a linkage bar (3) of a pedal assembly (4), the device (1) comprising a second part (8) designed, when the first part (6) is attached to the linkage bar (3), to be positioned at least partially between the foot (2) to be protected and the linkage bar (3), and to deform and absorb a portion of the energy of the frontal collision sustained by the vehicle and transmitted to the linkage bar (3). (Figure 3)

Description

Title of the invention: Device for protecting the feet of a motor vehicle driver.

[0001] The technical field relates to foot protection devices for the front occupants of a motor vehicle, pedal systems including such a protection device and vehicles equipped with such a pedal system.

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

[0003] First, vehicles must ensure passenger safety in a collision, regardless of speed. Furthermore, car manufacturers must strive to control vehicle repair costs when vehicles are involved in urban collisions. Finally, a third concern is ensuring the safety of other road users, particularly the most vulnerable, such as pedestrians.

[0004] The behavior of motor vehicles in these three situations is regulated and tested by implementing standardized test procedures. The requirements for the results of these tests are constantly increasing and becoming more difficult to meet, forcing car manufacturers to innovate continuously. Standardized procedures are, for example, described by the international organization Euro NCAP.

[0005] In this context, some right-hand drive vehicles have a linkage bar designed to connect a pedal assembly, located on the right side of the vehicle, to a master cylinder, located on the left side of the vehicle. Such a linkage bar therefore extends across the passenger compartment, above the floor and in front of the driver's left foot. However, in the event of a frontal collision, particularly a severe one, the front bulkhead is pushed into the passenger compartment. Consequently, the pedal assembly and its linkage bar are also pushed towards the driver. The pedal assemblies are generally designed to collapse or deform in such a situation to limit injuries to the driver's right foot resting on the pedals. Thus, in the event of a frontal collision causing the bulkhead to intrusion into the passenger compartment, the driver's right foot is relatively protected against injuries that could be caused by the pedal assembly.However, the driver's left foot is not protected, and experience shows that the rigid, metallic deflector bar is likely to cause injuries to the driver's left foot.

[0006] Thus, there is a need for a solution to protect the left foot of the driver of a right-hand drive vehicle equipped with a pedal return bar.

[0007] The present invention aims to overcome the problems described above. In this technical context, one objective of the present invention is to provide a protective device designed to protect the left foot of a driver of a right-hand drive motor vehicle equipped with a pedal linkage.

[0008] To this end, the present invention relates to a protective device designed to protect a foot of a front occupant of a motor vehicle in the event of a frontal collision, the device comprising a first part designed to allow the device to be attached to a linkage bar of a pedal assembly, the device comprising a second part designed, when the first part is attached to the linkage bar, on the one hand to be disposed at least in part between the foot to be protected and the linkage bar, and on the other hand to deform upon contact with the foot and absorb part of the energy of the frontal collision suffered by the vehicle and transmitted to the linkage bar.

[0009] The invention also relates to a pedal system for a motor vehicle comprising at least one linkage bar designed to connect a pedal assembly to a master cylinder to transmit a movement from a pedal of the pedal assembly to the master cylinder, the linkage bar being designed to extend across the vehicle, in front of at least one foot of a front occupant of the vehicle equipped with the pedal system, the system comprising at least one device according to the invention each attached to the linkage bar and positioned on the linkage bar so that each second part of a device is disposed at least in part between a linkage bar and at least one foot of a front occupant of the vehicle.

[0010] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle, in particular having right-hand drive, the vehicle having at least one pedal system according to the invention.

[0011] Thus, the protective device according to the invention is designed to be attached to the guide bar by means of its first part. In the pedal system according to the invention, the second part of the protective device according to the invention is then positioned between the guide bar and the driver's left foot. In the event of a frontal impact causing the guide bar to recoil into the passenger compartment, the second part comes to rest on the foot to be protected, generally the driver's left foot, and deforms to absorb some of the energy transmitted to the guide bar. Thus, the protective device according to the invention makes it possible to propose a pedal system capable of protecting both feet of the driver of a right-hand drive motor vehicle.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, the second part forms at least one housing designed to accommodate at least one padding element comprising at least one absorbent foam.

[0013] According to one possibility, the first and second parts form a single piece made of plastic material, in particular polypropylene.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the device, each housing forms a cylindrical envelope with a semicircular base.

[0015] According to one possibility, each housing comprises at least one absorbent foam padding element having a density between 20 g / L and 60 g / L.

[0016] Advantageously, each housing is filled by at least one padding element.

[0017] According to one embodiment, each foam is formed of at least one material chosen from polyethylene, polyurethane, synthetic rubber in particular based on ethylene-propylene-diene monomer, and / or expanded polystyrene.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the first part forms a profiled body having a C-shaped cross-section and is shaped to be clipped around the return bar.

[0019] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0020] [Fig-1] [Fig. 1] represents a perspective view of a one-piece component enabling the formation of a protective device according to the invention;

[0021] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a perspective view of a protective device formed from the one-piece part of [Fig.1];

[0022] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a pedal system formed from the protection device of [Fig.2].

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

[0024] A protective device 1 according to the invention, illustrated in [Fig. 2], is designed to protect a foot 2, illustrated in [Fig. 3], of a front occupant of a motor vehicle in the event of a frontal collision, in particular the left foot 2 of the driver of a right-hand drive vehicle. The protective device 1 prevents, in the event of a frontal collision, the foot 2 from being struck and injured by a connecting rod 3, designed to connect a master cylinder, not shown, to a pedal assembly 4 in order to transmit the movements of a brake pedal 5 from the pedal assembly 4 to the master cylinder. The connecting rod 3 has, for example, a cylindrical shape with a circular base.

[0025] The device 1 includes a first part 6 designed to allow the device 1 to be secured to the return bar 3, illustrated in [Fig.3].

[0026] In the example illustrated in the figures, the first part 6 forms a profiled body 7 made of elastically deformable plastic. The first part 6 has a C-shaped cross-section and is shaped to be clipped around the guide bar 3. The dimensions of the first part 6 are obviously adapted to diameter of the return bar 3 so that the first part 6 can be inserted and held immobile around the return bar 3.

[0027] The device 1 also includes a second part 8 designed so that, when the first part 6 is attached to the guide bar 3, on the one hand, it is positioned at least in part between the foot 2 to be protected and the guide bar 3, and on the other hand, it is designed to deform upon contact with the foot 2 and absorb part of the energy of the frontal impact suffered by the vehicle and transmitted to the guide bar 3. Under the effect of a frontal impact, part of the energy of the frontal impact is transmitted to the guide bar 3 by causing it to move backward towards the feet of the front occupants of the vehicle.

[0028] As illustrated in [Fig. 1], the first 6 and second 8 parts form a single piece 9 made of plastic, in particular polypropylene. The single piece 9 is obtained, for example, by extrusion and has a material thickness of approximately 2 mm. The length of the single piece 9 along the extrusion direction is, for example, approximately 80 mm.

[0029] The second part 8 forms at least one housing 10 designed to accommodate at least one padding element 11 comprising at least one absorbent foam 12. As illustrated in [Fig. 1], each housing 10 forms a cylindrical shell 13 with a semicircular base. Advantageously, the first part 6 is joined to the second part 8 by means of the wall of the cylindrical shell 13, which forms its diameter. Advantageously, the first 6 and second 8 parts extend along two parallel axes. In the example illustrated in [Fig. 2], the first part 6 has a diameter of approximately 32 mm. The second part 8 forms a housing 10 which, in cross-section, has the shape of a crown sector 14. In the example illustrated in [Fig. 2], the crown sector 14 has a thickness of approximately 30 mm. A suitable thickness for the crown sector 14 is, for example, between 15 mm and 50 mm.

[0030] As illustrated in [Fig.2], each housing 10 is filled by at least one padding element 11. Each padding element 11 is made using at least one absorbent foam 12 having a density between 20 g / L and 60 g / L.

[0031] For example, each absorbent foam 12 is made of at least one material chosen from polyethylene, polyurethane, synthetic rubber in particular based on ethylene-propylene-diene monomer, and / or expanded polystyrene.

[0032] The protective device 1 allows for the formation of a pedal system 15, illustrated in [Fig. 3], comprising at least one device 1, each secured to the return bar 3 and positioned on the return bar 3 such that each second part 8 of a device 1 is located between the return bar 3 and at least one foot 2 of a front occupant of the vehicle. In order to immobilize the device 1 on the return bar 3, In addition to the first part 6, which is clipped onto the guide bar 3, the second part 8 is positioned between a center console 16 and a steering column 17 of the vehicle. The second part 8 is thus advantageously secured opposite the driver's left foot 2, preventing lateral movement of the device 1 on the guide bar 3 by sliding. To prevent the protective device 1 from pivoting around the guide bar 3, the second part 8 is designed to rest on a floor or floor mat (not shown) in the event of unexpected rotation of the device 1 around the guide bar 4.

[0033] Thus, the protective device 1, attached to the guide bar 3 by means of its first part 6, allows the pedal system 15 to be formed, in which the second part 8 of the protective device 1 is then positioned between the guide bar 3 and the driver's left foot 2. In the event of a frontal impact causing the guide bar 3 to recoil into the passenger compartment, the second part 8 comes into contact with the foot 2 to be protected and deforms. The cylindrical casing 13 of the housing 10 offers no resistance and allows the foam 12 to absorb part of the impact energy transmitted to the guide bar 3. Thus, the protective device 1 according to the invention makes it possible to provide a pedal system 15 capable of protecting both feet of the driver of a right-hand drive motor vehicle.

[0034] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the protection device described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments may be designed by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope and extent of the present invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Protective device (1) designed to protect a foot (2) of a front occupant of a motor vehicle in the event of a frontal impact, the device (1) comprising a first part (6) designed to allow the device (1) to be secured to a return bar (3) of a pedal assembly (4), the device (1) comprising a second part (8) designed, when the first part (6) is secured to the return bar (3), on the one hand to be arranged at least partly between the foot (2) to be protected and the return bar (3), and on the other hand to deform on contact with the foot and absorb part of the energy of the frontal impact suffered by the vehicle and transmitted to the return bar (3).

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the second part (8) forms at least one housing (10) designed to accommodate at least one padding element (11) comprising at least one absorbent foam (12).

3. Device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the first (6) and second (8) parts form a single-piece part (9) made of plastic material, in particular polypropylene.

4. Device (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that each housing (10) forms a cylindrical envelope (13) with a semicircular base.

5. Device (1) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that each housing (10) comprises at least one padding element (11) made of absorbent foam (12) having a density of between 20 g / L and 60 g / L.

6. Device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that each housing (10) is filled with the at least one padding element (H).

7. Device (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that each foam (12) is formed from at least one material chosen from polyethylene, polyurethane, synthetic rubber, in particular based on ethylene-propylene-diene monomer, and / or expanded polystyrene.

8. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first part forms a profiled body having a C-shaped cross-section and is shaped to be clipped around the return bar (3).

9. A pedal system (15) for a motor vehicle comprising at least at least one deflection bar (3) designed to connect a pedal assembly (4) to a master cylinder to transmit a movement of a pedal (5) from the pedal assembly (4) to the master cylinder, the deflection bar (3) being designed to extend across the vehicle, in front of at least one foot (2) of a front occupant of the vehicle equipped with the pedal assembly system (15), the system (15) comprising at least one device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8 each secured to the deflection bar (3) and positioned on the deflection bar (3) so that each second part (8) of a device (1) is arranged at least partly between a deflection bar (3) and at least one foot (2) of a front occupant of the vehicle.

10. Motor vehicle, in particular having right-hand drive, the vehicle having at least one pedal system (15) according to claim 9.

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