Device for reinforcing a side member of a motor vehicle.

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for reinforcing a side member (3) of a car body (2), the device (1) being designed to extend along a lateral face (4) of a side member (3), along a longitudinal axis (AA), the device (1) comprising a central part (5) having a plurality of partitions (6) shaped to deform and absorb part of the energy of a lateral impact sustained by the body (2), the central part (5) being held between an upper part (8) and a lower part (9) of the device (1), each forming a profile shaped to extend along the lateral face (4) of the side member (3) along its longitudinal axis (AA), at least one of the upper (8) and lower (9) parts having an extension (10) projecting from the central part (5), in a direction (D) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (AA), each extension (10) being without a straight edge. (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Device for reinforcing a side member of a motor vehicle.

[0001] The technical field relates to devices for reinforcing a motor vehicle body side member, vehicle bodies comprising at least one such reinforcing device and motor vehicles having such a body.

[0002] In terms of road safety, car manufacturers face several major concerns that define constraints to be considered during the development of new vehicles. First, vehicles must ensure passenger safety in a collision, regardless of speed. Furthermore, car manufacturers must strive to control vehicle repair costs when vehicles are involved in urban impacts. Finally, a third concern is ensuring 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 for the results of these tests are constantly increasing and becoming more difficult to meet, forcing car manufacturers to innovate continuously. Standardized procedures are, for example, described by the international organization Euro NCAP.

[0004] One of these procedures consists in particular of a simulation of impacts against a rigid pole striking the vehicle on the side, at the level of the passenger doors, referred to as a side impact against a pole or simply a side impact. In a side impact, the deformations undergone by the vehicle are specifically studied in order to minimize the intrusion of the pole into the protected space around the passengers.

[0005] In this context, the recent development of electric vehicles imposes new constraints related, on the one hand, to the increase in the mass of the vehicles inherent in the mass of the on-board batteries and, on the other hand, to the need to reinforce the structure, in particular the side rails, in order to protect against impacts and deformations the batteries located under the floor and between the side rails.

[0006] In order to reinforce the side members, some vehicles have various reinforcements positioned against the side members, designed to be impacted before the side members and thus absorb some of the energy of the side impact. However, experience shows that the various existing reinforcements are insufficient to guarantee adequate behavior in the event of a side impact.

[0007] Thus, there is a need for a solution to improve existing spar reinforcements.

[0008] The present invention aims to overcome the problems described above. In this technical context, one objective of the present invention is to provide a reinforcement device to improve the behavior of a body equipped with the device in the event of a side impact, and in particular to stiffen the body at the level of the side members.

[0009] To this end, the present invention relates to a device for reinforcing a side member of an automobile body, the device being designed to extend along a lateral face of a side member of the body, along a longitudinal axis of the side member, the device comprising a central part having a plurality of partitions shaped to deform and absorb at least a part of the energy of a lateral impact suffered by the body, the central part being held between an upper part and a lower part of the device each forming a profile shaped to extend along the lateral face of the side member along its longitudinal axis, at least one of the upper and lower parts having an extension projecting from the central part, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis when the device is fixed on the lateral face of the side member, each extension being devoid of a straight edge.

[0010] The invention also relates to a vehicle body having at least one side member extending along a longitudinal axis, each side member having an external lateral face along which extends at least one reinforcement device according to the invention arranged so as to protect the side member in the event of a lateral impact suffered by the body.

[0011] The present invention finally relates to a motor vehicle having at least one body according to the invention.

[0012] Thus, the reinforcement device according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a vehicle body according to the invention whose rigidity at the level of the side members is improved compared to a conventional body. Each extension effectively strengthens the device against deformations while making the impact against the extension less violent than if the impact occurred on a straight edge of a conventional reinforcement. Each extension of the device is simple to manufacture and provides significant reinforcement of the body against deformations of its side members.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the device, each extension forms a dropped edge.

[0014] According to one possibility, each of the upper and lower parts has an extension.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the reinforcement device, at least one of the upper and lower parts forms a right angle having an L-shaped cross-section, an extension forming a continuation of a branch of the L.

[0016] Advantageously, each of the upper and lower parts is formed from a stamped sheet metal.

[0017] According to one possibility of the reinforcement device, the partitions of the central part form a honeycomb structure.

[0018] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0019] [Fig-1] [Fig.1] represents a partial perspective view of a vehicle body automobile according to the invention and having a reinforcement device according to the invention which protects a side member;

[0020] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a perspective view of the upper and lower part of the reinforcement device of the [Fig.l].

[0021] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0022] A reinforcement device 1 according to the invention, illustrated in the figures, is designed to equip a motor vehicle body 2 according to the invention illustrated in [Fig. 1]. The vehicle body 2 conventionally comprises at least one longitudinal member 3 extending along a longitudinal axis AA, illustrated in [Fig. 1]. Each longitudinal member 3 forms a profile having several lateral faces 4.

[0023] The device 1 is designed to extend along an external lateral face 4 of a longeron 3 along a longitudinal axis AA of the longeron 3. An external lateral face 4 is defined in contrast to the internal lateral faces 4 arranged opposite another longeron 3. The device 1 is intended to be fixed, directly or indirectly opposite the external lateral face 4 of a longeron 3.

[0024] The device 1 according to the invention comprises a central part 5 having a plurality of partitions 6 shaped to deform and absorb at least part of the energy of a lateral impact sustained by the body 2, in order to protect the side member 3. In the example illustrated in [Fig. 2], the partitions 6 form a honeycomb structure 7, visible in [Fig. 1]. The honeycomb structure 7 is oriented so that its cells extend along an axis substantially perpendicular to the lateral face 4 when the device 1 is attached to the side member 3.

[0025] In the device 1 according to the invention, the central part 5 is held between an upper part 8 and a lower part 9 of the device 1, each forming a profile shaped to extend along the lateral face 4 of the longitudinal member 3 along its longitudinal axis AA. In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, each The upper part 8 and lower part 9 are formed from stamped sheet metal. The upper part 8 and lower part 9 allow, for example, the attachment of the device 1 to the body 2, directly or indirectly to the longitudinal member 3.

[0026] In the device 1 according to the invention, at least one of the upper 8 and lower 9 parts has an extension 10 projecting from the central part 5, along a direction D, illustrated in [Fig. 1], perpendicular to the longitudinal axis AA when the device 1 is fixed on the external lateral face 4 of the longitudinal member 3. In the device 1 according to the invention, each extension 10 is devoid of a straight edge.

[0027] In the example illustrated in the figures, each of the upper 8 and lower 9 parts has an extension 10. For example, at least one of the upper 8 and lower 9 parts, in this case each, forms a right angle 11 having an L-shaped cross-section, an extension 10 forming a continuation of a branch of the L.

[0028] Advantageously and as illustrated in [Fig.2], each extension 10 forms a dropped edge 12.

[0029] Finally, in order to lighten the device 1, each of the upper 8 and lower 9 parts is provided with openings 13 and / or reinforcing ribs 14, as illustrated in [Fig.2],

[0030] Thus, the reinforcement device 1 according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a vehicle body 2 with improved rigidity at the level of the longitudinal members 3 compared to a conventional body. Each extension 10 effectively reinforces the device 1 against deformation while making the impact against the extension 10 less violent than if the impact occurred on a straight edge of a conventional reinforcement. Each extension 10 of the device 1 is simple to manufacture and provides significant reinforcement of the body 2 against deformation of its longitudinal members 3.

[0031] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the reinforcement device described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments may be designed by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope and extent of the present invention.

Claims

Demands

1. A device (1) for reinforcing a side member (3) of a motor vehicle body (2), the device (1) being designed to extend along a lateral face (4) of a side member (3) of the body (2), along a longitudinal axis (AA) of the side member (3), the device (1) comprising a central portion (5) having a plurality of partitions (6) shaped to deform and absorb at least a portion of the energy of a lateral impact sustained by the body (2), the central portion (5) being held between an upper portion (8) and a lower portion (9) of the device (1), each forming a profile shaped to extend along the lateral face (4) of the side member (3) along its longitudinal axis (AA), at least one of the upper (8) and lower (9) portions having an extension (10) projecting from the central portion (5), in a direction (D) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (AA) when the device (1) is fixed to the lateral face (4) of the longeron (3),each extension (10) being devoid of a right edge.

2. Reinforcement device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each extension (10) forms a dropped edge (12).

3. Reinforcement device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each of the upper (8) and lower (9) parts has an extension (10).

4. Reinforcement device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one of the upper (8) and lower (9) parts forms a right angle (11) having an L-shaped cross-section, an extension (10) forming a continuation of a branch of the L.

5. Reinforcement device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each of the upper (8) and lower (9) parts is formed of a stamped sheet.

6. Reinforcement device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the partitions (6) of the central part (5) form a honeycomb structure (7).

7. Vehicle body (2) having at least one side member (3) extending along a longitudinal axis (AA), each side member (3) having an external lateral face (4) along which extends at least one reinforcement device (1) according to one of the

8. claims 1 to 6 arranged so as to protect the longitudinal member (3) in case of a lateral impact suffered by the body (2). motor vehicle having at least one body (2) according to claim 7.

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