Seat cross member intended to be fixed to the floor of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a seat cross member (1) for a motor vehicle, consisting of a U-shaped profile, one end of which comprises, at the base (10) of the U-shaped profile and each branch (11) of said U-shaped profile, a fixing element intended to allow the fixing of the seat cross member (1) with an internal side member of the motor vehicle, said fixing elements being constituted by parts of the U-shaped profile extending in projection from the end of said U-shaped profile. The invention consists in that the part extending in projection in the extension of the base (10) of the U-shaped profile has at least one cutout made along the longitudinal axis of the U-shaped profile, thus defining two fixing lugs (121). Figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: Seat cross member intended to be fixed to the floor of a motor vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates to a seat crossmember intended to be fixed to the floor of a motor vehicle.

[0002] Such a cross member generally extends between the interior side members of the floor and allows the fixing of the seats for the passengers of a vehicle. They therefore serve as support for the slides along which said seat can be moved.

[0003] These parts are very thick because they must withstand the weight and forces experienced by the slides, seat and weight of the passenger or driver. In addition, these cross members play an important role in the safety of the passenger compartment, because they help to resist side impacts by forming a continuity across the width of the vehicle between the interior side members.

[0004] Such crosspieces are described in CN216660059 and are in the form of a U-shaped profile whose ends are provided with tabs allowing the crosspiece to be fixed to a side member. Thus, a tab is provided corresponding to an extension of the base of the U-shaped profile which extends substantially in a horizontal plane, parallel to the plane of the floor and a tab on each branch of the U extending substantially in a vertical plane. The so-called horizontal tab has a width corresponding to the width of the base of the U-shaped profile and which thus allows fixing to the top face of the side member by several welding points.

[0005] These three horizontal and vertical fixing lugs are intended, during assembly, to come and rest on the interior side members mounted on each side of the vehicle floor. As these lugs are generally obtained by cutting the end of the U-shaped profile, they have a thickness corresponding to that of the profile, they are therefore rigid and can no longer be deformed.

[0006] For some vehicle models, assembly requires first mounting the seat crossmembers on the floor and then the inner side members. Once the seat crossmembers are mounted, the mounting brackets can no longer really be deformed. As a result, mounting the inner side members after the crossmembers can cause difficulties. In particular, the high thickness of the brackets does not allow them to be deformed. There is then a risk of overstressing when mounting the inner side member due to the lack of shape tolerance of the horizontal bracket and the vertical brackets, which prevents the inner side members from being correctly positioned on the seat crossmembers.

[0007] The present invention therefore aims to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art by offering a seat crosspiece which allows in particular the mounting of the crosspieces on a floor then the mounting of the interior side members, without creating constraints with the crosspiece fixing lugs.

[0008] Thus, the subject of the invention is a seat crossmember for a motor vehicle, consisting of a U-shaped profile, one end of which comprises, at the base of the U-shaped profile and each branch of the U-shaped profile, a fixing element intended to allow the seat crossmember to be fixed to an internal side member of the motor vehicle, said fixing elements being made up of parts of the U-shaped profile extending in projection from the end of said U-shaped profile, characterized in that the part extending in projection in the extension of the base of the U-shaped profile has at least one cutout made along the longitudinal axis of the U-shaped profile, thus defining two fixing lugs.

[0009] Thus advantageously, the cutout or notch made in the fixing element projecting from the base of the U-shaped profile gives greater flexibility to this fixing element, thus forming two fixing lugs which extend parallel to each other.

[0010] This embodiment makes it possible to reduce the rigidity of this projecting fixing element and to give it a spring function making it possible to accept a reduction in the over-stress when fitting the internal side members onto the base crosspieces.

[0011] Preferably, when the fixing element consists of a projecting part of width equivalent to the width of the base of the U-shaped profile, said projecting part has two cutouts along the longitudinal axis defining three fixing lugs. Advantageously, the fixing lugs coming from the base of the U-shaped profile extend substantially in the extension of said base, in a plane parallel to that of the floor, called horizontal (x, y) in the reference frame of the vehicle. This reference frame x, y, z corresponds for x to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, y to the transverse axis of the vehicle and z to the axis of the height of the vehicle. The horizontal plane is therefore defined by (x, y).

[0012] Advantageously, the projecting parts provided at the end of the branches of the U-shaped profile form a fixing element having the shape of an elongated fixing lug, which extends in the extension of the branch of the U-shaped profile and is then bent to extend in a plane orthogonal to that of the branch of the U-shaped profile. These fixing lugs have a length greater than that of conventional fixing lugs, giving them greater flexibility.

[0013] The fixing lugs coming from the branches extend in the extension of the branches of the U-shaped profile which extend substantially in a vertical plane (y, z), but folded back relative to said branches, therefore in a vertical plane (x, z). As a result, they extend in a vertical plane (x, z) relative to the horizontal fixing lugs zontals originating from the base of the U-shaped profile which extend in a horizontal plane (x,y). Thus, the projecting parts provided at the end of the branches of the U-shaped profile have the shape of an elongated fixing lug extending in a vertical plane substantially orthogonal to that of the branch and to that of the fixing element of the base of the U-shaped profile.

[0014] This allows the mounting of the crosspieces on the floor and then the assembly of the internal side members without creating a situation of over-stress due to the shape tolerances between the horizontal legs and the vertical legs which would prevent the correct positioning of the internal side members on the seat crosspieces. In fact, the fixing legs of the crosspiece according to the invention, both horizontal and vertical, can deform and the docking is carried out in an optimal manner.

[0015] The present invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising such crossmembers.

[0016] The invention will be well understood and other aspects and advantages will appear clearly on reading the following description, given by way of example with reference to the appended drawing in which the figures represent:

[0017] [Fig. 1] a top view of a floor of a vehicle comprising seat cross members according to the state of the art;

[0018] [Fig.2] a view of detail A of [Fig.l];

[0019] [Fig.3] a view of the end of a crosspiece according to the invention;

[0020] [Fig.4] a view according to [Fig.2] with crosspieces according to the invention; and

[0021] [Fig.5] a view of the section along axis AA of [Fig.4].

[0022] As can be seen in [Fig.l], a BC underbody of a motor vehicle includes a PL floor on which seat crosspieces T are mounted transversely. These crosspieces T extend between the two interior side members L which longitudinally border the PL floor.

[0023] Conventional T-crossbars consist of a U-shaped profile made of a sheet metal having a certain thickness in order to give said T-crossbar sufficient strength to carry the bases. In order to produce elements for fixing the T-crossbar to an internal side member L, one end of the T-crossbar is cut so that the base BA of the U-shaped profile has a projecting part extending in the extension of the base BA of the U-shaped profile, that is to say with a width substantially equivalent to that of the base BA. This projecting part forms a fixing element in the form of a rigid fixing lug P while at the end of the branches BR of the U-shaped profile, fixing elements are provided in the form of fixing lugs P' provided projecting from the edge of the branches BR of the U-shaped profile and of reduced width compared to the fixing lug P.

[0024] The fixing lug P extends in a plane parallel to that of the base 10 of the profile U-shaped, horizontal in the vehicle frame of reference and is intended to rest on a horizontal face of the inner side member L. This frame of reference x, y, z corresponds for x to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, y to the transverse axis of the vehicle and z to the axis of the height of the vehicle. The horizontal plane is therefore defined by (x, y). The legs P' extend in the extension of the branches BR of the U-shaped profile and therefore in a vertical plane (y, z) relative to the leg P. In order to be fixed on an inner side member L, the legs P' are curved to press against said side member L. As a result, the legs P' are curved and extend in a vertical plane (x, z).

[0025] According to the invention, as can be seen in [Fig. 3], a crosspiece 1 is made up of a U-shaped profile, one end of which is cut out so that the base 10 of the U-shaped profile has a projecting part 12 extending in the extension of the base 10 of the U-shaped profile, that is to say with a width substantially equivalent to that of the base 10. This projecting part 12 thus forms a fixing element which also has two cutouts 120 which thus define three fixing lugs 121.

[0026] These cutouts are made so as to extend along the longitudinal axis of the crosspiece 1, from the edge of the projecting part 12 to the vicinity of the base 10 of the U-shaped profile. Advantageously, the fixing element consisting of these three fixing lugs 121 thus has greater flexibility than that of the projecting part 12 without cutout.

[0027] At the end of the branches 11 of the U-shaped profile, fixing elements are provided in the form of fixing lugs 13 provided projecting from the edge of the branches 11 of the U-shaped profile and of a width less than that of the projecting part 12.

[0028] In order to also provide greater flexibility to the vertical fixing legs 13, these have an increased length.

[0029] Thus the projecting part 12 forming the horizontal fixing element has a notched cutout while keeping a large flat surface necessary for the welding points on the internal side member L. In addition, being made up of the three fixing lugs 121, it has a reduced rigidity giving it a so-called spring function, which makes it possible to accept a reduction in the over-stress when fitting the internal side members onto the base crosspieces.

[0030] It is thus possible to fix the crosspieces 1 on the PL floor, thus forming between the PL floor and the fixing lugs 121 crosspieces 1, which when the internal side member is put in place, which corresponds to the putting in place of a U (side member) in another “U”, is facilitated due to the flexibility of the fixing lugs 121.

Claims

Claims

1. Seat cross member (1) for a motor vehicle, consisting of a U-shaped profile, one end of which comprises, at the base (10) of the U-shaped profile and each branch (11) of said U-shaped profile, a fixing element intended to allow the fixing of the seat cross member (1) with an internal side member (L) of the motor vehicle, said fixing elements being constituted by parts of the U-shaped profile extending in projection from the end of said U-shaped profile, characterized in that the part (12) extending in projection in the extension of the base (10) of the U-shaped profile has at least one cutout (120) made along the longitudinal axis of the U-shaped profile, thus defining two fixing lugs (121).

2. Crosspiece (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixing element consists of a projecting part of width equivalent to the width of the base (10) of the U-shaped profile and said projecting part (12) has two longitudinal cutouts (120) defining three fixing lugs (121).

3. Crosspiece (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the projecting parts provided at the end of the branches (11) of the U-shaped profile have the shape of an elongated fixing lug (13) extending in a vertical plane substantially orthogonal to that of the branch (11) and to that of the fixing element of the base (10) of the U-shaped profile.

4. Motor vehicle characterized in that it comprises at least one cross member according to one of claims 1 to 3.

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