Vehicle body reinforcement device.

Abstract

The invention relates to a reinforcement device (1) designed to equip a motor vehicle body (2), the device (1) having a body (8) designed to occupy at least a portion of the volume (9) of the body (2) located between a lateral slide (7) and a front frame rail (3) of the body (2), the body (8) having a first face (10) designed to bear against the front frame rail (3), a second face (11) designed to bear against a wheel arch reinforcement (5), and a third face (12) designed to extend at least partially opposite the slide (7), the body (8) being dimensioned so that, when fitted to the vehicle and in the event of a low-overlap frontal impact, it resists the indentation of the slide (7) towards the front frame rail (3) to allow the vehicle to slide on the slide (7). (Figure 2)

Description

Title of the invention: Device for reinforcing a vehicle body.

[0001] The technical field relates to devices for reinforcing a motor vehicle body against low overlap frontal impacts, vehicle bodies having at least one such reinforcing device and motor vehicles having such a vehicle body.

[0002] In terms of road safety, car manufacturers must take into account multiple concerns and regulations when developing new vehicles in order, on the one hand, to ensure the safety of vehicle passengers in the event of a collision.

[0003] In collisions at speeds of approximately 50 km / h or more, vehicles are designed to deform in order to absorb at least some of the energy released during the impact, thereby providing the best possible protection for the passengers. The deformation behavior of a motor vehicle under the effect of an impact is particularly well controlled by car manufacturers, who strive to prevent any deformation of the vehicle from affecting the passenger compartment and its occupants.

[0004] The various impacts that a vehicle can experience are simulated using standardized procedures such as, for example, those described by the American organization IIHS. A particularly demanding frontal test proposed by the IIHS is called the "Small Overlap Front Test." This type of frontal impact test involves propelling a vehicle at a speed of 40 mph, or approximately 64 km / h, into a rigid barrier 1.5 m high, which strikes 25% of the front of the vehicle, on the driver's side. The test simulates a collision with an oncoming vehicle, a tree, or a utility pole.

[0005] A reduced frontal overlap test primarily affects the outer edges of the vehicle, and the impact forces are directed straight to the front wheel, the suspension system, and the firewall. Most modern vehicles feature a passive protection design based on at least two, or even three, paths of force. One of these involves a slide, arranged between the front end of a front strut and a body-mounted member, reinforcing a front fender. The objective of this third path of force is to facilitate the vehicle sliding over the obstacle in order to dislodge the vehicle from the obstacle and thus minimize deformation and intrusion.

[0006] Experience shows that the slide is not sufficient; therefore, to meet the requirements of a reduced frontal overlap collision, automobile manufacturers Manufacturers are required to modify the wheel arches with specific reinforcements and add specific parts such as stretcher end extensions and subframe reinforcements. It is important to note that the reduced frontal overlap crash test is specific to the US market, and these reinforcements and the addition of specific parts therefore generate increased part diversity, which is always detrimental to cost.

[0007] Moreover, the fixing of these reinforcements and / or specific parts sometimes proves complex due to limited access to their locations.

[0008] Thus, there is a need for a solution to improve the behavior of the vehicle during deformation following a reduced frontal overlap crash test, while reducing the diversity of parts and facilitating its assembly.

[0009] 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 for equipping a vehicle conforming to European standards to improve its behavior during a reduced frontal overlap collision while facilitating its assembly compared to the assembly of a version of the vehicle intended for the American market.

[0010] To this end, the present invention relates to a reinforcement device designed to equip a motor vehicle body, the device having a body designed to occupy at least part of the volume of the body arranged between a side rail and a front frame rail of the body, the body having a first face designed to support the front frame rail, a second face designed to support a wheel arch reinforcement and a third face designed to extend at least in part opposite the rail, the body being dimensioned so that, when fitted to the vehicle and in the event of a low overlap front impact, it resists the indentation of the rail towards the front frame rail to allow the vehicle to slide on the rail.

[0011] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle body comprising, on each side, a front frame extending from a front end, designed to be attached to a bumper beam, a wheel arch reinforcement extending over a part of a front wheel arch of the body and a side rail, arranged between the front end of the front frame and a load-bearing element of the body, the body further comprising, on each side, a safety device according to the invention, the first and second faces being mounted respectively in support of the front frame and the wheel arch reinforcement, the third face extending opposite the rail, the device occupying at least a part of the volume of the body arranged between the side rail and the front frame.

[0012] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle having a vehicle body according to the invention.

[0013] Thus, the reinforcement device according to the invention makes it possible to equip a vehicle meeting European standards to make the vehicle compliant with American standards. The reinforcement device strengthens the guardrail to prevent or minimize its deformation. The reinforcement device according to the invention, thanks to its first face, in particular, replaces the stretcher end extensions. The second face supports the standard wheel arch reinforcement. In a low frontal overlap impact, the reinforcement device according to the invention minimizes or prevents deformation of the guardrail, which supports the third face. The wall impacting the vehicle cannot, therefore, thanks to the reinforcement device according to the invention, impact the wheel arch reinforcement, which would cause a dangerous rotation of the vehicle.The installation of a device according to the invention remains simple and replaces several parts: the diversity of parts is reduced since the classic wheel arch reinforcement can be used and certain additional parts such as the stretcher end extension are no longer necessary.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the device, the body is made of composite material.

[0015] According to one possibility of the device, the second face has a groove sized to allow the passage of a mounting tab for a motor hand. Thus, the reinforcement device according to the invention facilitates the assembly of the vehicle and also its disassembly if the groove is sized to allow access for a screw tool within the groove.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the device, the third face has a plurality of fixing points designed to allow the device to be secured with the slide.

[0017] According to one possibility of the case, the third face is secured to the slide by a plurality of fixing points.

[0018] In one embodiment of the body, when the second face has a groove dimensioned to allow the passage of a mounting tab of a motor hand, the body includes a motor hand whose mounting tab is fixed to the wheel arch reinforcement and occupies the groove of the device.

[0019] 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:

[0020] [Fig-1] [Fig.1] represents a plate of main views of a device reinforcement according to the invention;

[0021] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a perspective view of one side of a crate of vehicle according to the invention showing the reinforcement device of the [Fig.1] mounted on the body;

[0022] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a top view of the side of the vehicle body of the [Fig.2];

[0023] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0024] A reinforcement device 1 according to the invention, illustrated in particular in [Fig.1], is designed to equip a body 2 of a motor vehicle according to the invention, illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

[0025] Conventionally, the vehicle body 2 comprises, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, on each side, a front frame 3 extending from a front end 4 designed to be attached to a bumper beam, not shown. The body 2 also comprises, on each side, a wheel arch reinforcement 5 extending over a portion of a wheel arch 6 of the body 2. The body 2 further comprises a lateral slide 7 arranged between the front end 4 and a load-bearing element, not shown, of the body 2. The slide 7, in particular, forms a reinforcement of a front fender of the body 2, not shown. The slide 7 is intended to facilitate the sliding of the vehicle according to the invention against the obstacle in the event of a low-overlap frontal impact. Such a body 2 is particularly suitable for motor vehicles intended for the American market.

[0026] As illustrated in [Fig.1], the reinforcement device 1 has a body 8 designed to occupy at least part of the volume 9 of the crate 2 arranged between a lateral slide 7 and a front stretcher 3 of the crate 2.

[0027] The body 8 has a first face 10 designed to bear against the front frame 3, and a second face 11 designed to bear against the wheel arch reinforcement 5. The body 8 also has a third face 12 designed to extend at least partially opposite the slide 7. As illustrated in [Fig. 1], the first face 10 is designed to extend on two sides of the front frame 3.

[0028] The body 8 is dimensioned so that, when fitted to the vehicle and in the event of a low overlap frontal impact, it resists the indentation of the slide 7 towards the front frame 3 to allow the vehicle to slide on the slide 7.

[0029] For example, the reinforcement device 1 is made of composite material.

[0030] The second face 11 has a groove 13 dimensioned to allow passage of a fixing bracket 14 of a motor hand 15, illustrated in figures 2 and 3. Advantageously, the groove 13 is dimensioned to allow the passage of a screwdriver in order to allow the fixing bracket 14 to be screwed in.

[0031] As illustrated in [Fig.3], according to one possibility of the device 1 described in the figures, the third face 12 has a plurality of fixing points 16 designed to allow the device 1 to be secured with the slide 7.

[0032] As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, when the reinforcement device 1 is attached to the crate 2, the first 10 and second 11 faces are mounted to support the front stretcher 3 and the reinforcement 5, respectively. The third face 12 extends opposite the slide 7. The third face 12 is located from the slide 7 by a distance on the order of a centimeter or even a few centimeters, for example, a distance between 1 cm and 10 cm. The device 1 then occupies at least part of the volume 9 of the crate 2 situated between the lateral slide 7 and the front stretcher 3.

[0033] Finally, as illustrated in [Fig.3], the motor hand 15 occupies the groove 13.

[0034] Thus, the reinforcement device 1 according to the invention makes it possible to equip a vehicle meeting European standards to make the vehicle compliant with American standards. The reinforcement device 1 strengthens the guardrail 7 to prevent or minimize its deformation. The reinforcement device 1, thanks in particular to its first face 10, replaces the stretcher end extensions. The second face 11 supports the standard wheel arch reinforcement 5. In a low frontal overlap impact, the reinforcement device 1 prevents the wall impacting the vehicle from striking the wheel arch reinforcement 5, which would cause a dangerous rotation of the vehicle.The installation of a device 1 according to the invention remains simple and replaces several parts: the diversity of parts is reduced since the conventional wheel arch reinforcement 5 can be used and since certain additional parts such as the stretcher end extension are no longer necessary.

[0035] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the reinforcement device described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope and extent of the present invention.

Claims

Demands

1. Reinforcement device (1) designed to equip a motor vehicle body (2), the device (1) having a body (8) designed to occupy at least a part of the volume (9) of the body (2) disposed between a lateral slide (7) and a front frame (3) of the body (2), the body (8) having a first face (10) designed to support the front frame (3), a second face (11) designed to support a wheel arch reinforcement (5) and a third face (12) designed to extend at least partially opposite the slide (7), the body (8) being dimensioned so that, when fitted to the vehicle and in the event of a low overlap frontal impact, it resists the indentation of the slide (7) towards the front frame (3) to allow the vehicle to slide on the slide (7).

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the body (8) is made of composite material.

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second face (11) has a groove (13) dimensioned to allow the passage of a fixing tab (14) of a motor hand (15).

4. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the third face (12) has a plurality of attachment points (16) designed to allow the device (1) to be secured with the slide (7).

5. A motor vehicle body (2) comprising, on each side, a front frame (3) extending from a front end (4) designed to be secured to a bumper beam, a wheel arch reinforcement (5) extending over a portion of a front wheel arch (6) of the body, and a lateral slide (7) arranged between the front end (4) of the front frame (3) and a load-bearing element of the body (2), the body (2) further comprising, on each side, a safety device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the first (10) and second (11) faces being mounted respectively to support the front frame (3) and the wheel arch reinforcement (5), the third face (12) extending opposite the slide (7), the device (1) occupying at least a portion of the volume (9) of the body (2) located between the lateral slide (7) and the front frame (3).

6. Vehicle body (2) according to claim 5, characterized in that the third face (12) is secured to the slide (7) by a plurality of attachment points (16).

7. Vehicle body (2) according to claim 5 or 6, in combination with claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a motor hand (15) of which a fixing tab (14) is fixed to the wheel arch reinforcement (5) and occupies the groove (13) of the device (1).

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

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