MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING A STRETCHER SIDE REINFORCEMENT, AND PROCESSES ON THE BASIS OF SUCH A VEHICLE

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a body (C) which includes: - a longitudinally arranged stretcher arm (B); - a front support device (A) located at the front of the stretcher arm (B); - a shock absorption system (P) located at the front of the front support device (A); - at least one lateral support piece (V) located laterally to the stretcher arm (B), characterized in that the body (C) further comprises a reinforcement piece (R) arranged between the front support device (A) and said lateral support piece (V). The invention also relates to a method based on such a vehicle. Abstract figure: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING A LATERAL STRETCHER REINFORCEMENT, AND A METHOD BASED ON SUCH A VEHICLE

[0001] The invention relates to the field of passive safety and repairability of impacts on motor vehicles, in particular with regard to a front-end impact on a motor vehicle.

[0002] The prior art proposes a front-end impact resistance structure, illustrated in [Fig. 1]. The structure comprises a front stretcher B equipped with a front support A and a shock absorption system P at the front of the vehicle. The stretcher B is fixed to the vehicle body, and the body further comprises a lateral arm V (generally referred to as the "third way") arranged laterally to the stretcher B.

[0003] Unfortunately, in the event of a repairability shock against a rigid wall M inclined at a=10° with respect to the point of impact, the wall M tends to destabilize the front stretcher B because the force of the rigid wall M on the vehicle is not perfectly in the axis of the stretcher B.

[0004] This direction of effort (F decomposed into Fx, Fy) and destabilization of the stretcher B (i.e. the undesired effort Fy), induces plastic deformations on it, critical for the shock performance because it reduces the so-called SB index.

[0005] Patent FR3081818B1 proposes a vertical stretcher reinforcement arranged between the front support A and the shock absorption system P. This type of reinforcement does not allow resistance to repairability shocks with an inclined angle.

[0006] An objective of the present invention is to remedy the defects of the prior art, and in particular to propose a stretcher reinforcement solution capable of withstanding repairability shocks against an inclined wall.

[0007] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes a motor vehicle in a spatial frame of reference comprising a longitudinal axis along a direction of movement of the vehicle, a lateral axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and a vertical axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and to the lateral axis, the motor vehicle comprising a body which includes: - a stretcher arm arranged longitudinally along the longitudinal axis; - a facade support device positioned at the front of the stretcher arm with reference to the longitudinal axis; - a shock absorption system located at the front of the facade support device; - at least one lateral support piece located laterally to the stretcher arm with reference to the lateral axis, characterized in that the casing further comprises a reinforcing piece arranged between the front support device and said lateral support piece.

[0008] Advantageously, the invention optimizes repairability performance in crash tests with ease of implementation. The invention is easily transferable to other vehicles with a similar architecture.

[0009] Preferably, said side support piece includes a third-way arm or a wheel arch piece.

[0010] This allows the use of common mechanical structures of motor vehicle bodies.

[0011] Preferably, the reinforcing piece includes a hollow reinforcing arm.

[0012] This helps to limit the weight of the reinforcement piece.

[0013] Preferably, the reinforcing piece has a straight shape.

[0014] This allows for good mechanical strength for a small size of reinforcement part.

[0015] Preferably, the reinforcing piece extends obliquely backwards along the longitudinal axis, and laterally along the lateral axis.

[0016] This makes it possible to strengthen the mechanical resistance to shocks in an oblique direction.

[0017] Preferably, the reinforcing piece is welded to the front support device and to said side support piece.

[0018] This allows for a solid fixing.

[0019] Preferably, the reinforcing piece has a parallelepiped shape.

[0020] This allows for an easy-to-manufacture reinforcement piece.

[0021] Preferably, the reinforcing piece has a base with a length between 30 and 50 mm, preferably 40 mm; a width between 50 and 70 mm, preferably 57 mm; and a thickness between 1 and 3 mm, preferably 2 mm.

[0022] This allows for a suitable reinforcement piece size for typical case architectures.

[0023] The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing a motor vehicle according to the invention, comprising a step of installing a reinforcement piece between the front support device and said lateral support piece.

[0024] Preferably, the setup step is a welding step.

[0025] The invention will be further detailed by describing non-limiting embodiments, and based on the accompanying figures, among which: - [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a top view of a vehicle body according to the prior art; - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a view in space of a vehicle body according to the invention; - [Fig.3] schematically illustrates a top view of the case of [Fig.2]; and - [Fig.4] schematically illustrates a top view before and after an impact along a repairability angle and the stretcher arm after such an impact.

[0026] The invention proposes a motor vehicle which includes a body illustrated in [Fig.2],

[0027] The motor vehicle is illustrated in a coordinate system in space comprising a longitudinal axis X along a direction of movement of the vehicle, a lateral axis Y perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X; and a vertical axis Z perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X and to the lateral axis Y.

[0028] Crate C includes: - a stretcher arm B; - a facade support device A; - a shock absorption system P; - at least one lateral support piece V which can be a third track arm or a wheel arch piece.

[0029] The stretcher arm B is arranged longitudinally along the longitudinal axis X. The front support device A is located in front of the stretcher arm B with reference to the longitudinal axis X. The shock absorption system P is located in front of the front support device A.

[0030] According to the invention, the case C further comprises a reinforcement piece R arranged between the front support device A and said lateral support piece V.

[0031] In particular, the invention consists of adding a hollow body (reinforcement) to create a link between the front support A and the third track arm (or against the front wheel arch piece in this example).

[0032] This linking solution between the third track and the stretcher arm B makes it possible to counter the transverse force of a repairability wall M ([Fig.4]) and to reduce the stresses on the stretcher arm B (and therefore to limit the plastic deformations of the latter).

[0033] As can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, the reinforcing piece R is a hollow reinforcing arm, which may be straight in shape. In the preferred embodiment, it extends obliquely backwards along the longitudinal axis X, and laterally along the lateral axis Y. It may be parallelepiped in shape, such as a hollow profile.

[0034] Regarding the fixing of the reinforcement piece R, it can be welded to the front support device A and to said lateral support piece V (here the wheel arch piece).

[0035] The reinforcement piece R may have a base with a length of 40mm, a width of 57mm, and a thickness of 2mm.

[0036] Shock repairability is becoming increasingly difficult on new vehicles: - Vehicle weights are increasing (particularly due to the race for greater range in electric vehicles); and - spare parts are scarce and assembly and repair times are shortened.

[0037] This type of simple solution makes it possible to guarantee the integrity of the rolling base (without straightening) after a small shock.

[0038] The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing a motor vehicle as described above.

[0039] In this process, the reinforcement piece R is placed between the front support device and said lateral support piece V, in particular by welding.

Claims

Demands

1. A motor vehicle in a frame of reference in space comprising a longitudinal axis (X) along a direction of movement of the vehicle, a lateral axis (Y) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X); and a vertical axis (Z) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X) and to the lateral axis (Y), the motor vehicle comprising a body (C) which includes: - a stretcher arm (B) arranged longitudinally along the longitudinal axis (X); - a front support device (A) disposed at the front of the stretcher arm (B) with reference to the longitudinal axis (X); - a shock absorption system (P) disposed at the front of the front support device (A); - at least one lateral support piece (V) arranged laterally to the stretcher arm (B) with reference to the lateral axis (Y), characterized in that the body (C) further comprises a reinforcement piece (R) arranged between the front support device (A) and said lateral support piece (V).

2. Motor vehicle according to claim 1, said side support piece (V) comprises a third-way arm or a wheel arch piece.

3. Motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the reinforcement part (R) comprises a hollow reinforcement arm.

4. Motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the reinforcing piece (R) has a straight shape.

5. Motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the reinforcement piece (R) extends obliquely backwards along the longitudinal axis (X), and laterally along the lateral axis (Y).

6. Motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the reinforcement piece (R) is welded to the front support device (A) and to said side support piece (V).

7. Motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the reinforcing piece (R) has a parallelepiped shape.

8. Motor vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that the reinforcement piece (R) has a base having a length between 30 and 50 mm, preferably 40 mm; a width between 50 and 70 mm, preferably 57 mm; and a thickness between 1 and 3 mm, preferably 2 mm.

9. Method of manufacturing a motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a step of placing a reinforcement piece (R) between the front support device and said side support piece (V).

10. A manufacturing method according to claim 9, wherein the setup step is a welding step.

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