HEAT PUMP FOR ELECTRIC OR HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLES COMPRISING A FIRST SUPPORT AND A SECOND SUPPORT

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat pump (1) for an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a first support (2) including a reservoir (3) and a second support (4) including a cooling device (5), the first support (2) including a first interface (6), the second support (4) including a second interface (7), the first interface (6) and the second interface (7) being connected by at least one breakable fastening means, the first interface (6) being configured to slide on said second interface (7) when said at least one breakable fastening means is broken. The invention also relates to an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising said heat pump (1) and an associated method. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: HEAT PUMP FOR AN ELECTRIC OR HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING A FIRST SUPPORT AND A SECOND SUPPORT

[0001] The invention relates to heat pumps for electric or hybrid motor vehicles.

[0002] Prior art patent application FR3047469 is known, describing a device for supporting a motor vehicle component to prevent damage in the event of a frontal collision. The device comprises a plate including means for securing said component. Furthermore, said plate includes means for attaching it to a structural element of said vehicle. The attachment means break during the frontal collision. The support device includes a deflector in the form of a ramp. The deflector has an end portion and an opposite end. The end portion extends to the height of the plate, while the opposite end is inclined relative to said plate. However, a drawback remains. During the frontal collision, the component separates from the structural element of the vehicle. Thus, the component is left unattached to the vehicle.Therefore, it is highly probable that this component will collide with other vehicle components during the frontal impact, or even during a subsequent impact. This presents a risk to the safety of the vehicle's occupants because the collision of this component with a potentially hazardous component, such as the battery, could cause damage to the vehicle.

[0003] The objective of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks and to enable the controlled separation of a heat pump from an electric or hybrid motor vehicle during a frontal impact.

[0004] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes a heat pump for an electric or hybrid motor vehicle remarkable in that said heat pump comprises a first support including a reservoir and a second support including a cooling device, the first support including a first interface, the second support including a second interface, the first interface and the second interface being linked by at least one breakable fastening means, the first interface being configured to slide on said second interface when said at least one breakable fastening means is broken.

[0005] Thanks to the invention, the heat pump separates into two parts in a controlled manner during a frontal impact so as to avoid deformation of the heat pump and deterioration of the components surrounding said heat pump.

[0006] Advantageously, the first support and the second support form an assembly having a substantially parallelepiped shape having a substantially rectangular section, the first interface and the second interface form a breakable interface, said breakable interface being oblique with respect to the substantially rectangular section.

[0007] Thus, the sliding of the first interface on the second interface is facilitated.

[0008] Advantageously, said breakable interface has an angle between 10° and 50° with respect to the assembly formed by the first support and the second support.

[0009] Preferably, the angle between 15° and 30°.

[0010] Preferably, the first interface and the second interface each include a sliding means, preferably a slide.

[0011] This makes it easier to slide the first interface onto the second interface.

[0012] Preferably, said first interface and said second interface are linked by a plurality of separable fastening means.

[0013] This reduces the risks of detachment of the first support and the second support in the absence of a frontal impact.

[0014] The invention also relates to an electric or hybrid 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 driving in a straight line, by a second transverse direction orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction and a third vertical direction orthogonal to the first and second directions and is oriented away from the ground, said vehicle comprising at least one stretcher, notable in that said stretcher comprises a heat pump described previously, the first support being positioned behind the second support along the first direction, the first interface being configured to slide on the second interface in the event of a frontal impact along the first direction.

[0015] Advantageously, said vehicle comprises at least one lateral side along the second direction, said lateral side comprising a compressor and a water circuit, said stretcher being positioned on said lateral side.

[0016] The invention will be further detailed by describing non-limiting embodiments, and based on the accompanying figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: - [Fig. 1] schematically illustrates a heat pump for an electric or hybrid motor vehicle before a frontal impact; - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates the heat pump shown in [Fig. 1] after a frontal impact. Figure 1 schematically illustrates a heat pump 1 of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle. The vehicle has a front axle and a rear axle whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane XY defined by a first longitudinal direction X corresponding to straight-line driving, 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 the second direction Y and oriented away from the ground. The heat pump 1 has a first support 2 and a second support 4. The first support 2 includes a reservoir. The reservoir, also called a "tank," allows for the storage of a refrigerant. The second support 4 includes a cooling device that cools the refrigerant through a series of compression and expansion cycles.When said heat pump 1 is mounted in said vehicle, the first support is positioned behind said second support along the first direction X. The first support 2 has a first interface 6, while the second support 4 has a second interface 7. Before a frontal impact occurs, the first interface 6 is positioned opposite the second interface 7. The first interface 6 and the second interface 7 are connected by at least one breakable fastening means. Optionally, the first support 2 and the second support 4 form a substantially parallelepiped-shaped assembly with a rectangular cross-section. The first interface 6 and the second interface 7 form a breakable interface. The breakable interface is oblique to said rectangular cross-section as shown in [Fig. 1].Advantageously, the breakable interface has an angle between 10° and 50° with respect to the assembly formed by the first support 2 and the second support 4. Preferably, the angle is between 15° and 30°. Preferably, the first interface 6 and the second interface 7 are connected by a plurality of breakable fastening means to reduce the risk of accidental detachment of the first support 2 and the second support 4. The first interface 6 is capable of sliding on the second interface 7 when at least one of the breakable fastening means breaks. To facilitate the sliding of the first interface 6 on the second interface 7, the first interface 6 and the second interface 7 optionally each have a sliding means, such as a guide rail. Preferably, the vehicle has at least one stretcher, and the heat pump is positioned on the stretcher.Advantageously, the vehicle has at least one lateral side along the second direction, preferably a right and a left lateral side. The stretcher is positioned on said lateral side. The lateral side includes a compressor and a water circuit. Thus, the heat pump is positioned near said compressor and the water circuit. The compressor's role is to pump and heat. Compress the refrigerant. The water circuit allows heat exchange from the refrigerant to the water so that the heat is dissipated via the water circuit. Preferably, the stretcher is positioned on the right lateral side. Before the frontal impact, the heat pump 1 has a standard length along the first X direction.

[0017] In [Fig. 2], the heat pump 1 is shown following the separation of the first support 2 and the second support 4, i.e., following the occurrence of the frontal impact. To achieve this separation, at least one breakable fastening means breaks under the effect of the frontal impact during a rupture step, then the first interface 6 slides on the second interface 7, thus causing the separation of the first support 2 and the second support 4. Thus, the heat pump 1 is in the configuration illustrated in [Fig. 2]. The length of the heat pump 1 is reduced compared to the standard length due to the sliding.

Claims

Demands

1. Heat pump (1) for electric or hybrid motor vehicle characterized in that said heat pump (1) comprises a first support (2) comprising a reservoir (3) and a second support (4) comprising a cooling device (5), the first support (2) comprising a first interface (6), the second support (4) comprising a second interface (7), the first interface (6) and the second interface (7) being linked by at least one breakable fastening means, the first interface (6) being configured to slide on said second interface (7) when said at least one breakable fastening means is broken.

2. Heat pump (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that the first support (2) and the second support (4) form an assembly having a substantially parallelepiped shape having a substantially rectangular section, the first interface (6) and the second interface (7) form a breakable interface, said breakable interface being oblique with respect to the substantially rectangular section.

3. Heat pump according to any one of claims 1 to 2 characterized in that the first interface (6) and the second interface (7) each comprise a sliding means, preferably a slide.

4. Heat pump according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that said first interface (6) and said second interface (7) are linked by a plurality of separable fastening means.

5. An electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a front axle and a rear axle whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane (XY) defined by a first longitudinal direction (X) corresponding to straight-line travel, 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 the second direction (Y) and oriented away from the ground, said vehicle comprising at least one stretcher, characterized in that said stretcher comprises a heat pump (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the first support (2) being positioned in 6 rear of the second support (4) along the first direction (X), the first interface (6) being configured to slide on the second interface (7) in case of frontal impact (F) along the first direction (X).

6. Vehicle according to claim 5 characterized in that said vehicle comprises at least one side along the second direction (Y), said side comprising a compressor and a water circuit, said stretcher being positioned on said side.

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