Deflector device for low overlap front impacts.

Abstract

The invention relates to a deflector device (1) designed to equip a motor vehicle body (2) in order to cause a transverse displacement of the body (2) during a front impact with low overlap, the device (1) forming a body (3) extending between a fixing face and a deflection face (4), the fixing face being designed to be fixed on the body (2) bearing on a front suspension support (7), the deflection face (4) being inclined relative to the fixing face so as to form a ramp (11) designed to transmit to the body (2), perpendicular to the fixing face, part of the forces exerted on the deflection face (4) when a barrier slides on the ramp (11) during a front impact with low overlap and when the device (1) is fixed to the body (2). (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Deflector device for low overlap front impacts.

[0001] The technical field relates to deflector devices designed to equip a vehicle body, vehicle bodies equipped with such devices, and motor vehicles having such a body.

[0002] In terms of road safety, automobile manufacturers must take into account multiple concerns and regulations when developing new vehicles. In particular, automobile manufacturers must ensure the safety of vehicle passengers in the event of an impact. The behavior of motor vehicles in different impact situations is regulated and tested by implementing standardized test procedures. The requirements in terms of results in these tests are ever more numerous and more difficult to satisfy, forcing automobile manufacturers to constantly innovate.

[0003] Among the standardized procedures, one of them consists of causing a frontal collision between the vehicle and a barrier, the barrier impacting the vehicle only on a lateral quarter of the front bumper. Such a frontal impact is commonly called a low overlap frontal impact. Hereinafter, a frontal impact more particularly designates such a low overlap frontal impact.

[0004] In a low overlap front impact situation, automobile manufacturers strive to reduce the crushing of the vehicle structure along its longitudinal axis. In particular, it is crucial to limit the crushing of the area between the suspension mounting bracket and the front pillar in order to limit intrusions into the passenger compartment.

[0005] When a motor vehicle suffers a frontal impact, its body structure deforms in order to dissipate part of the energy released by the impact. This dissipation is carried out via three distinct force paths: a first path, called the upper path, involves the body side rail, a second path, called the lower path, involves a subframe extension and finally a third path, simply called the third force path, passes through the front legs of the body. The third force path comprises an external hollow element and a wing lining. In the case of a low overlap front impact, the third force path is the main force path for managing energy dissipation and is designed to promote the sliding of the vehicle along the barrier, in order to induce a transverse movement of the vehicle, that is to say in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the impact, to thus limit longitudinal crushing.This third line of effort, although effective, still needs to be... improved, especially in a context where car manufacturers are seeking to make their vehicles lighter.

[0006] Thus, there is a need for a solution to improve the efficiency of the third force path of a motor vehicle.

[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 deflector device making it possible to promote transverse movement of the vehicle during a front impact with low overlap.

[0008] To this end, the present invention relates to a deflector device designed to equip a motor vehicle body in order to cause a transverse displacement of the body during a front impact with low overlap, the device forming a body extending between a fixing face and a deflection face, the fixing face being designed to be fixed on the body resting on a front suspension support, the deflection face being inclined relative to the fixing face so as to form a ramp designed to transmit to the body, perpendicular to the fixing face, part of the forces exerted on the deflection face when a barrier slides on the ramp during a front impact with low overlap and when the device is fixed to the body.

[0009] The invention also relates to a vehicle body comprising at least one deflector device according to the invention fixed to bear on a front suspension support, the deflection face being oriented towards the outside of the body so as to form a ramp to allow the sliding of a barrier during a front impact with low overlap.

[0010] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle having a body according to the invention.

[0011] Thus, the deflector device, once fixed to the body according to the invention, makes it possible to form a ramp thanks to the deflection face. Thus, during a front impact with low overlap, the implementation of the third force path causes the barrier to slide on the body of the vehicle, and on this occasion the barrier to slide on the ramp of the device, which makes it possible to amplify the transverse movement of the vehicle and thus makes it possible to reduce the deformations likely to cause intrusions into the passenger compartment. The device according to the invention, simple to produce, makes it possible to considerably improve the behavior of the body during a front impact with low overlap.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a hollow space arranged between the fixing and deflection faces and open to the exterior of the device to allow the introduction of a welding clamp or a fixing screw into the hollow space.

[0013] According to one possibility, the device has a prism shape.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the device is formed from folded steel, stamped steel or an aluminum profile.

[0015] According to one possibility, each deflector device is fixed on a wing lining, between the wing lining and a wing skin.

[0016] Advantageously, the body comprises two deflector devices, each fixed to a separate front suspension support.

[0017] 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:

[0018] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] represents a perspective and side view of a box according to the invention showing a deflector device attached to a wing liner;

[0019] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a top view of the body of [Fig.l];

[0020] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0021] A deflector device 1 according to the invention, illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, is designed to equip a motor vehicle body 2, partially illustrated in the figures, in order to cause a transverse displacement of the body 2 during a front impact with low overlap. By transverse displacement, it is necessary to understand a displacement initiated in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the impact of a barrier impacting the vehicle according to the invention during a front impact with low overlap. The direction of the transverse displacement is indicated by an arrow DT in [Fig.l].

[0022] As illustrated in the figures, the device 1 forms a body 3 extending between a fixing face, not visible in the figures, and a deflection face 4, visible in Figures 1 and 2. In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the body 3 has a prism shape. For example, the body 3 further comprises two flanks 5 connecting the fixing and deflection faces 4. Each flank 5 has, for example, a triangular shape. The fixing and deflection faces 4 are joined by a common edge 6.

[0023] The device 1 is formed, for example, from folded steel, stamped steel or an aluminum profile.

[0024] The fixing face is designed to be fixed on the body 2 by bearing on a front suspension support 7, illustrated in particular in [Fig. 2]. For this purpose, the device 1 comprises a hollow space 8 arranged between the fixing and deflection faces 4 as well as between the two sides 5. The hollow space 8 is open to the outside of the device 1 to allow the introduction of a welding clamp or a fixing screw, not illustrated, into the hollow space 8. In the case where the fixing of the device 1 is carried out by screwing, the fixing face is then provided with at least one fixing hole, not shown, for the passage of the screw through the fixing face. The fixing of the device 1 is obtained by welding and / or screwing.

[0025] When the device 1 is fixed to the body 2, the latter is fixed to a wing lining 9, between the wing lining 9 and a wing skin 10, illustrated in [Fig.2]. The screwing is then carried out through the wing lining 9 and the front suspension support 7. The welding is carried out on the wing lining 9 opposite the suspension support 7, preferably opposite a weld between the wing lining 9 and the front suspension support 7. The deflection face 4 is oriented towards the outside of the vehicle. In this case, the deflection face 4 is arranged opposite the wing skin 10.

[0026] The body 2 according to the invention advantageously comprises a deflector device 1 fixed to each of the wing linings 9.

[0027] The deflection face 4 is inclined relative to the fixing face so as to form a ramp 11 designed to transmit to the body 2, perpendicular to the fixing face, a portion of the forces exerted on the deflection face 4 during sliding on the ramp 11 of a barrier, not shown, during a low overlap front impact and when the device 1 is fixed to the body 2. In order to allow sliding on the ramp 11 of the barrier, the device 1 is fixed so that the common edge 6 is oriented towards the front of the body 2. Furthermore, the fixing and deflection faces 4 as well as the flanks 5 are shaped to give the device 1 sufficient rigidity to cause the barrier to slide and the body 2 to move in the direction of transverse movement during a low overlap front impact.The device 1 is dimensioned so that, when it reaches the limit of rigidity under the effect of the front impact, it crushes under the effect of the sliding of the barrier so as to transmit at least part of the energy released to the body 2 in the direction of the transverse movement.

[0028] In the example illustrated in the figures, the ramp 11 is flat. Other shapes are however conceivable.

[0029] Thus, the deflector device 1, once fixed on the body 2, makes it possible to form a ramp 11 thanks to the deflection face 4. During a front impact with low overlap, the implementation of the third force path causes the barrier to slide on the body 2 of the vehicle and the barrier to slide on the ramp 11 of the device 1, making it possible to amplify the transverse movement of the vehicle. This thus makes it possible to reduce the deformations likely to cause intrusions into the passenger compartment.

[0030] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the deflector device 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. A deflector device (1) designed to equip a body (2) of a motor vehicle in order to cause a transverse displacement of the body (2) during a front impact with low overlap, the device (1) forming a body (3) extending between a fixing face and a deflection face (4), the fixing face being designed to be fixed on the body (2) bearing on a front suspension support (7), the deflection face (4) being inclined relative to the fixing face so as to form a ramp (11) designed to transmit to the body (2), perpendicular to the fixing face, a portion of the forces exerted on the deflection face (4) during the sliding on the ramp (11) of a barrier during a front impact with low overlap and when the device (1) is fixed to the body (2).

2. Deflector device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a hollow space (8) arranged between the fixing and deflection faces (4) and open to the outside of the device (1) to allow the introduction of a welding clamp or a fixing screw into the hollow space (8).

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has a prism shape.

4. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is formed from folded steel, stamped steel or an aluminum profile.

5. Vehicle body (2) comprising at least one deflector device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4 fixed in support on a front suspension support (7), the deflection face (4) being oriented towards the outside of the body (2) so as to form a ramp (11) to allow the sliding of a barrier during a front impact with low overlap.

6. Vehicle body (2) according to claim 5, characterized in that each deflector device (1) is fixed on a wing lining (9), between the wing lining (9) and a wing skin (10).

7. Vehicle body (2) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that it comprises two deflector devices (1), each fixed on a separate front suspension support (7).

8. Motor vehicle having a body (2) according to one of claims 5 to 7.

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