MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING A PROTECTION DEVICE FOR A MULTI-FUNCTION UNIT

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a battery (1) comprising a support (2), said vehicle comprising a body comprising a front inner wing (3) in the first direction (X), said vehicle comprising safety components and a multi-function unit (4) configured to communicate with the safety components so as to maintain the safety functions during a traffic accident, said multi-function unit (4) being fixed to said battery (1), said vehicle comprising a braking unit (5) configured to provide the braking functions of said vehicle, said braking unit being fixed to said front inner wing (3), characterized in that said vehicle comprises a protection device (6) for the multi-function unit (4), said protection device (6) being fixed to said support (2) between said multi-function unit (4) and said braking unit (5),said brake housing (5) being configured to strike said protective device (6) in the event of a frontal impact. Figure 1,

Description

Title of the invention: MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING A DEVICE FOR PROTECTING A MULTI-FUNCTION UNIT

[0001] The invention relates to motor vehicles, and more particularly to the protection of its components during a traffic accident.

[0002] Known from the prior art is patent application FR3121890 which describes a motor vehicle comprising a body and an arrangement. The arrangement comprises a fuse box comprising at least one fuse for protecting at least one electrical circuit. The fuse box comprises a first part and a second part. Furthermore, the fuse box comprises a means for fixing the first part to the second part. The arrangement comprises a battery. The fuse box is electrically connected to the electrical circuit powered by said battery. Furthermore, the arrangement comprises a brake assist device comprising a master cylinder and a stop. The fuse box is fixed to a steel sheet protection. The protection is positioned partially above said battery. The protection comprises a notch to facilitate the mounting of the battery and to hold said fuse box in its position.However, there are still drawbacks. The aim of the invention described in patent application FR3121890 is to protect the fuse box. However, this does not protect the multi-function unit that provides the functions after a traffic accident. There is therefore a risk that the fuse box, although protected, will hit the multi-function unit, which will prevent the use of the safety components controlled by the multi-function unit.

[0003] The objective of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks and to prevent an impact of a brake housing with the multi-function unit.

[0004] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes a motor vehicle comprising a front running gear and a rear running gear whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane defined by a first longitudinal direction corresponding to straight-line driving, by a second transverse direction orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction and a third vertical direction orthogonal to the first direction and to the second direction and is oriented away from the ground, said vehicle comprising a battery comprising a support, said vehicle comprising a body comprising a front inner wing in the first direction, said vehicle comprising safety components and a multiple function unit configured to communicate with the safety components so as to maintain the safety functions during a traffic accident, said multi-function unit being fixed to said battery, said vehicle comprising a brake housing configured to provide the braking functions of said vehicle, said brake housing being fixed to said front inner wing, remarkable in that said vehicle comprises a device for protecting the multi-function unit, said protection device being fixed to the support between said multi-function unit and said brake housing, said brake housing being configured to strike said protection device in the event of a frontal impact.

[0005] Thanks to the invention, the multi-function unit continues to provide electrical power to the safety components after a frontal impact.

[0006] Advantageously, said protection device comprises a first part and a second part, said first part and said second part each comprising an end, said first part and said second part being linked by their respective ends, said first part having a planar shape according to the base plane, said first part being fixed under said support in the third direction, said second part being perpendicular to said first part in the third direction.

[0007] Advantageously, said protective device comprises a side wall in the second direction.

[0008] The addition of a side wall reinforces the solidity of the protective device so as to reduce the risks of deformation of said protective device during a frontal impact.

[0009] Advantageously, said multiple function unit has a protrusion in the second direction, said protrusion being configured to strike said second part in the first direction in the event of a frontal impact.

[0010] Thus, the protrusion absorbs the shock so as to avoid damage to the braking functions.

[0011] Preferably, said first portion has a first length, said support having a second length, said first length measuring between 0.4 and 0.6 times the second length.

[0012] Preferably, said second portion having a third length, said third length being less than or equal to said first length.

[0013] Such dimensions allow easy arrangement of the protection device in a vehicle without changing its configuration.

[0014] Advantageously, said battery is configured to deliver a voltage equal to 12V to electrically power the safety components of said multiple function unit.

[0015] The invention will be further detailed by the description of non-limiting embodiments, and on the basis of the appended figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: - [Fig.l] schematically illustrates the interior layout of a motor vehicle seen from below according to a first embodiment of the invention; - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates, in perspective, a protection device according to the invention.

[0016] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates the interior arrangement of a motor vehicle according to a first embodiment of the invention, said vehicle comprising a front running gear and a rear running gear whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane XY defined by a first longitudinal direction X corresponding to straight-line driving, by a second transverse direction Y orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction X and a third vertical direction Z orthogonal to the first direction X and to the second direction Y and is oriented away from the ground. It may be an electric, hybrid or thermal motor vehicle. The vehicle comprises a battery comprising a support 2. The interior arrangement is illustrated seen from below in the third direction Z. The support 2 is a structure designed to hold said battery in place and protect it from possible damage.The support 2 may be made of metal or plastic. The vehicle comprises wheels and a body comprising a front inner wing 3 in the first direction X. The front inner wing 3 is a component of the vehicle body located inside the front wheel arch in the first direction X, between the outer body and the engine. In the event of a collision, and in particular a frontal impact, the front inner wing 3 absorbs the impact to protect the other components of said vehicle. In addition, the vehicle comprises safety components and a multiple function unit 4 configured to communicate with the safety components so as to maintain the safety functions of the vehicle during a traffic accident.For example, hazard lights are a safety component and it is necessary to continue to supply the hazard lights with electrical current during a traffic accident to alert other road users. The battery is configured to deliver a voltage equal to 12V configured to electrically power the safety components of said multi-function unit 4. In this context, the multi-function unit 4 ensures that the electrical current from said battery is distributed to the hazard lights. The multi-function unit 4 is fixed to said battery 1. In addition, said vehicle comprises a brake unit 5 which is a component configured to provide the braking functions of said vehicle. The brake unit 5 is fixed to said front inner wing 3. The vehicle comprises a protection device 6 of the multi-function unit 4.The protection device 6 is fixed to the support 2 of said battery 1, between said multi-function unit 4 and said brake housing 5. For example, said protection device 6 is fixed to the support 2 by welding. When a frontal impact occurs, said . brake box is configured to strike said protective device 6.

[0017] In [Fig.2], the protection device 6 is illustrated in perspective. The protection device 6 comprises a first part 6a and a second part 6b. The first part 6a and the second part 6b each comprise an end by which said first part 6a and said first part 6b are connected. The first part 6a has a planar shape along the base plane XY. The second part 6b also has a planar shape. The second part 6b is perpendicular to the first part 6a along the third direction Z. The first part 6a is fixed under said support 2 along the third direction Z. Thus, when a frontal impact occurs, said multiple function unit 4 strikes said second part 6b. In [Fig.l], the multiple function unit 4 comprises a protrusion 5a along the second direction Y.The protrusion 5a is configured to strike said second part 6b of the protection device 6 in the first direction X in the event of a frontal impact. Thus, the impact is absorbed at said protrusion 5a. The presence of the protrusion 5a is optional. Optionally, said protection device 6 comprises a side wall 6c in the second direction Y. The presence of the side wall 6c reinforces the solidity of said protection device 6, and reduces the risks of deformation of said protection device during the traffic accident. In a second embodiment, said protection device is manufactured in a single part having the characteristics previously described. Preferably, said first part 6a has a first length and said support 2 has a second length. The first length measures between 0.4 and 0.6 times the second length. In addition, the second part 6b has a third length.The third length may be less than or equal to said first length. Thus, the dimensions of said protective device 6 are restricted to allow easy mounting of said protective device 6 in the vehicle without changing the configuration of said vehicle. This in particular prevents said protective device 6 from hindering, or even preventing, the mounting of another element of said vehicle due to its dimensions.

Claims

Claims

1. Motor vehicle comprising a front running gear and a rear running gear whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane (XY) defined by a first longitudinal direction (X) corresponding to straight-line driving, by a second transverse direction (Y) orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction (X) and a third vertical direction (Z) orthogonal to the first direction (X) and to the second direction (Y) and is oriented away from the ground, said vehicle comprising a battery (1) comprising a support (2), said vehicle comprising a body comprising a front inner wing (3) in the first direction (X), said vehicle comprising safety components and a multiple function unit (4) configured to communicate with the safety components so as to maintain the safety functions during a traffic accident,said multi-function unit (4) being fixed to said battery (1), said vehicle comprising a brake housing (5) configured to provide the braking functions of said vehicle, said brake housing being fixed to said front inner wing (3), characterized in that said vehicle comprises a protection device (6) for the multi-function unit (4), said protection device (6) being fixed to said support (2) between said multi-function unit (4) and said brake housing (5), said brake housing (5) being configured to strike said protection device (6) in the event of a frontal impact.,

2. Vehicle according to claim 1 characterized in that said protection device (6) comprises a first part (6a) and a second part (6b), said first part (6a) and said second part (6b) each comprising an end, said first part (6a) and said second part (6b) being linked by their respective ends, said first part (6a) having a plane shape according to the base plane (XY), said first part (6a) being fixed under said support (2) according to the third direction (Z), said second part (6b) being perpendicular to said first part (6a) according to the third direction (Z).

3. Vehicle according to claim 2 characterized in that said protection device (6) comprises a side wall (6c) in the second direction (Y).

4. Vehicle according to claim 2 or 3 characterized in that said unit of multiple functions (4) has a protuberance (5a) in the second direction (Y), said protuberance (5a) being configured to strike said second part (6b) in the first direction (X) in the event of a frontal impact.

5. Vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 4 characterized in that said first part (6a) has a first length, said support (2) having a second length, said first length measuring between 0.4 and 0.6 times the second length.

6. Vehicle according to claim 5 characterized in that said second part (6b) has a third length, said third length being less than or equal to said first length.

7. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that said battery (1) is configured to deliver a voltage equal to 12V to electrically power the safety components of said multiple function unit (4).

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