Body structure with roof tensioners.

Abstract

The invention relates to a body structure (1) of a motor vehicle comprising at least one pair of roof rails (2) extending in a longitudinal direction of the structure (1) and designed to laterally delimit at least one part of the roof of the vehicle and to support the attachment of a roof headliner, the structure (1) comprising at least one roof tensioner (3a, 3b) intended to be arranged opposite the roof headliner and having, on the one hand, at least a first part (4a, 4b) extending from at least one roof rail (2) in a transverse direction and, on the other hand, at least a second part (6) extending along a part of the rail (2), each roof tensioner (3a, 3b) comprising a third part (7) extending between the first (4a, 4b) and second (6) parts and shaped to limit the sinking of the roof into the passenger compartment in the event of the vehicle rolling over. (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Body structure with roof tensioners.

[0001] The technical field relates to the body structures of motor vehicles providing protection to passengers in the event of a rollover, as well as motor vehicles equipped with such a body structure.

[0002] In terms of road safety, automobile manufacturers must face several major concerns that define constraints to be taken into account when developing new vehicles. First of all, vehicles must ensure the safety of passengers in the event of a collision regardless of speed. Furthermore, automobile manufacturers must strive to control the repair costs of vehicles when they undergo urban impacts. Finally, a third concern is to ensure the safety of other road users, particularly the most vulnerable such as pedestrians.

[0003] 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.

[0004] Among the many impact situations envisaged, there are in particular standardized test procedures which make it possible to verify the behavior of the vehicle during an accident involving a rollover of the vehicle. In the event of a rollover, it is essential to minimize the deformations of the roof panel which cause it to sink into the passenger compartment volume.

[0005] Furthermore, manufacturers strive to achieve mass reductions whenever possible, in particular to increase the vehicle's autonomy and / or for style reasons. The vehicle body is certainly one of the heaviest elements, but making it lighter is difficult because it is likely to reduce its resistance to deformations, and in particular to deformations linked to overturning.

[0006] Thus, there is a need for a solution making it possible to reinforce a vehicle body to lighten its mass and its silhouette, while guaranteeing acceptable behavior in the various standardized test procedures and in particular in the event of a rollover.

[0007] The present invention aims to overcome the problems set out above. In this technical context, one aim of the present invention is to provide a body structure making it possible to limit or avoid the roof lining sinking into the vehicle's passenger compartment in the event of a rollover, while also lightening the body structure.

[0008] For this purpose, the present invention relates to a body structure of a motor vehicle comprising at least one pair of roof rails extending in a longitudinal direction of the structure and designed to laterally delimit at least one part of the roof of the vehicle and to support the attachment of a roof roof, the structure comprising at least one roof tensioner intended to be arranged opposite the roof roof and having, on the one hand, at least a first part extending from at least one roof rail in a transverse direction of the structure and, on the other hand, at least a second part extending along a part of the rail, each roof tensioner comprising a third part extending between the first and second parts and shaped to limit the sinking of a part of the roof into the passenger compartment in the event of the vehicle rolling over.

[0009] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle having a body structure according to the invention.

[0010] Thus, the body structure according to the invention makes it possible to limit or avoid the roof lining being dented in the event of the vehicle rolling over. Indeed, each roof tensioner makes it possible to limit or avoid the denting thanks in particular to its third part which transmits the forces to the roof rail to which the second part is associated while each first part prevents the roof rails from coming together, in the transverse direction, during a rollover. Thus, each roof tensioner makes it possible to stiffen the body structure and prevent the roof lining from being dented. Each roof tensioner thus makes it possible to reinforce the body structure, each of the other elements of which can consequently be lightened.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, each first part forms a profile with an omega-shaped cross-section.

[0012] According to one possibility of the body structure, the third part is formed of a reinforcing plate.

[0013] Advantageously, the reinforcing plate has a triangular shape.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the body structure comprises two roof tensioners secured to each other by their respective first parts.

[0015] Advantageously, the first part of a roof tensioner is fitted into the first part of another roof tensioner.

[0016] According to one possibility, each roof tensioner is obtained by stamping.

[0017] The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, given solely as a non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawing in which:

[0018] [Fig.l] [Fig.l] represents a perspective view of a body structure according to the invention.

[0019] A body structure 1 according to the invention, illustrated in the figure, is designed to equip a motor vehicle according to the invention.

[0020] The body structure 1 comprises at least one pair of roof side members 2 each extending in a longitudinal direction of the structure 1 and designed to laterally delimit at least one part of the roof of the vehicle and to support the attachment of a roof rail, not shown.

[0021] The structure 1 comprises at least one roof tensioner 3a, 3b intended to be arranged opposite the roof roof. In the example illustrated in the figure, each roof tensioner 3a, 3b is positioned above a rear passenger seat. Each roof tensioner 3a, 3b has, on the one hand, at least a first part 4a, 4b extending from at least one roof side member 2 in a transverse direction. Each first part 4a, 4b forms a profile with an omega-shaped cross-section.

[0022] In the example illustrated in the figure, the body structure 1 comprises two roof tensioners 3a, 3b each extending from a roof side member 2, such that each is secured to the other by its respective first part 4a, 4b. In this case, the first part 4a of a roof tensioner 3a is fitted into the first part 4b of the other roof tensioner 3b. For this purpose, the first parts 4a, 4b respectively have an end 5a, 5b sized for this purpose.

[0023] Each roof tensioner 3a, 3b has, on the other hand, at least one second part 6 extending along a part of the spar 2. Each second part 6 has a shape complementary to the spar 2 to allow the roof tensioner 3a, 3b to rest against the spar 2. The first 4a, 4b and second 6 parts extend respectively in perpendicular directions.

[0024] Each roof tensioner 3a, 3b further comprises a third part 7 extending between the first 4a, 4b and second 6 parts and shaped to limit the sinking of a part of the roof into the passenger compartment in the event of the vehicle rolling over.

[0025] Advantageously, each third part 7 is secured, on the one hand, to the first part 4a, 4b of the roof tensioner 3a, 3b and on the other hand to the second part 6 of the same roof tensioner 3a, 3b. Furthermore, each third part 7 is shaped to extend opposite the roof so as to form, in particular, a barrier to the roof being pushed in in the event of a rollover.

[0026] In the example illustrated in the figure, each third part 7 is formed from a reinforcing plate 8. Advantageously, each reinforcing plate 8 has a triangular shape. In addition, each reinforcing plate 8 is perforated. in order to lighten each roof tensioner 3a, 3b. Each reinforcing plate 8 also comprises at least one boss making it possible to reinforce the resistance to deformation of the third part 7.

[0027] Thus, the body structure 1 according to the invention makes it possible to limit or avoid the roof rails being dented in the event of the vehicle rolling over. In fact, each roof tensioner 3a, 3b makes it possible to limit or avoid the denting thanks in particular to its third part 7 which transmits the forces to the roof rail 2 with which the second part 6 is associated while each first part 4a, 4b prevents the roof rails 2 from coming together, in the transverse direction of the structure 1, during a rollover.

[0028] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the body 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. Body structure (1) of a motor vehicle comprising at least one pair of roof rails (2) extending in a longitudinal direction of the structure (1) and designed to laterally delimit at least one part of the roof of the vehicle and to support the attachment of a roof roof, the structure (1) comprising at least one roof tensioner (3a, 3b) intended to be arranged opposite the roof roof and having, on the one hand, at least a first part (4a, 4b) extending from at least one roof rail (2) in a transverse direction of the structure (1) and, on the other hand, at least a second part (6) extending along a part of the rail (2), each roof tensioner (3a, 3b) comprising a third part (7) extending between the first (4a, 4b) and second (6) parts and shaped to limit the sinking of a part of the roof into the roof. the passenger compartment in the event of the vehicle rolling over.

2. Body structure (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each first part (4a, 4b) forms a profile with an omega-shaped cross-section.

3. Body structure (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the third part (7) is formed from a reinforcing plate (8).

4. Structure (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the reinforcing plate (8) has a triangular shape.

5. Structure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises two roof tensioners (3a, 3b) secured to each other by their respective first parts (4a, 4b).

6. Structure (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the first part (4b) of a roof tensioner (3b) is fitted into the first part (4a) of another roof tensioner (3a).

7. Structure (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that each roof tensioner (3a, 3b) is obtained by stamping.

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

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