Layout of a motor vehicle underbody comprising a hollow body

Abstract

Layout of a motor vehicle underbody comprising a hollow body. Layout of a motor vehicle underbody, the layout comprising at least one hollow body (5) having a first wall (21) perforated with an opening (22) and a second wall (31) perforated with an opening (32), the layout being characterized in that it comprises a hydraulic connection device (10) intended to pass through the hollow body (5) of the motor vehicle, the hydraulic connection device (10) comprising a fixing flange (14) for fixing said device (10) to one of the perforated walls (21, 31) of the hollow body (5), the device (10) further comprising a conduit (11) configured for the passage of a heat transfer fluid through the hollow body (5), the conduit (11) having two free ends (12, 13) arranged on either side of the hollow body (5) and intended to be connected in a leak-proof manner to a hydraulic circuit of Cooling. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Arrangement of a motor vehicle underbody comprising a hollow body

[0001] The invention relates to an arrangement of a motor vehicle underbody, the arrangement comprising at least one hollow body through which a hydraulic connection device passes. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising such an arrangement. The invention further relates to a method for mounting such an arrangement of a motor vehicle underbody.

[0002] The use of a battery in an electric or hybrid motor vehicle requires an optimized arrangement of the battery's cooling system within the vehicle's body to meet compactness requirements. The battery is generally located in the vehicle's floor, between the front and rear axles. A vehicle's body typically comprises at least one set of several metal parts arranged to form a hollow body, this hollow body being configured to stiffen the vehicle's structure. Thus, the underbody includes one or more hollow bodies delimited by walls. The interior volumes of these hollow bodies generally remain unused.

[0003] Arranging the battery cooling system in relation to one or more hollow sections within the vehicle structure is not always straightforward, particularly when maximizing battery module volume while meeting sealing and compactness requirements. The placement of the hydraulic cooling system components around the metal parts that form the hollow section can then prove complex. These arrangement difficulties are compounded by the fact that the dimensions of the various metal parts that make up the hollow section and the clearances between these metal parts are subject to relatively variable manufacturing tolerances.

[0004] The object of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks described above by providing a simple and economical solution that meets the requirements for sealing and compactness. In particular, the proposed solution compensates for variations in the manufacturing dimensions of the hollow body parts in the arrangement of the cooling system relative to the battery.

[0005] To this end, the invention relates to an arrangement of a motor vehicle underbody, the arrangement comprising at least one hollow body formed in particular by a portion of a bulkhead and / or a floor and / or a cover, the hollow body comprising a first wall with an opening and a second wall with an opening, the arrangement being characterized in that it comprises a device for hydraulic connection intended to pass through the hollow body of the motor vehicle, the hydraulic connection device comprising a fixing flange for fixing said device on one of the perforated walls of the hollow body, the device further comprising a conduit configured for the passage of a heat transfer fluid through the hollow body, the conduit having two free ends arranged on either side of the hollow body and intended to be connected in a sealed manner to a hydraulic cooling circuit.

[0006] According to one embodiment, the conduit has a straight portion and / or an angled portion.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the fixing flange is in the form of a flat plate which includes a groove configured to accommodate a sealing gasket intended to ensure sealing between the hydraulic connection device and the wall of the hollow body on which said device is fixed.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the groove configured to accommodate a sealing gasket is arranged in the face of the fixing flange of the connection device intended to be fixed to the wall of the hollow body.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the conduit of said device passes in particular in a sealed manner through on the one hand the opening of the first perforated wall of the hollow body and on the other hand the opening of the second perforated wall of the hollow body.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the openings have different sizes.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the opening in the second wall is larger than the opening in the first wall.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the arrangement includes a bellows configured to cooperate with an edge of the opening of the second perforated wall so as to ensure sealing between the conduit of the hydraulic connection device and the second wall of the hollow body.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the bellows has a tubular wall and at least a portion of said tubular wall of the bellows is arranged around a part of a hydraulic cooling circuit to which a free end of the conduit of the hydraulic connection device is connected.

[0014] The invention also relates to a method for assembling an arrangement for a motor vehicle as described above, the method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - assembly of the components of the hollow body of the motor vehicle structure; - insertion of the hydraulic connection device conduit through the openings in the walls of the hollow body; - fixing the flange of the hydraulic connection device onto the first wall of the hollow body; - connection of the free ends of the hydraulic connection device conduit to the hydraulic circuit of the cooling system; - placement of the bellows against the second wall of the hollow body.

[0015] The invention also relates to a vehicle equipped with an arrangement as described above.

[0016] These objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the following description of a particular embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying figures, among which:

[0017] Fig. 1 illustrates an arrangement of a portion of a motor vehicle underbody.

[0018] Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the arrangement of Fig. 1.

[0019] Fig. 3 is a detail view of the cross-sectional view of Fig. 2.

[0020] Figure 4 illustrates one embodiment of the hydraulic connection device.

[0021] In this description, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are not intended to imply or create a particular order of elements, nor to limit an element to a single element, unless expressly stated, for example, by using the terms "before," "after," "unique," and other such terms. Rather, the use of these terms serves to distinguish the elements from one another. For example, a first element is distinct from a second element, and the first element may encompass more than one element and follow (or precede) the second element in an order of elements.

[0022] A trihedral frame with three axes X, Y, and Z is illustrated in [Fig. 1]. In this document, the X-axis denotes the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle 10. When moving forward in a straight line, the vehicle 10 progresses from rear to front, in a direction parallel to its longitudinal axis. The X-axis is oriented from the front to the rear of the vehicle 10, that is, in the direction of reverse. The Y-axis denotes the transverse axis of the vehicle 10. The Y-axis is oriented from left to right, left and right being defined from the perspective of a driver of the vehicle 10. The Z-axis denotes the axis perpendicular to the X-axis and the Y-axis. The vehicle 10 is assumed to be resting on a horizontal surface. The Z-axis is a vertical axis, oriented from bottom to top. The X, Y, and Z axes form an orthogonal coordinate system.This same reference frame, defined by reference to a vehicle 10, will also be used to describe the transverse, even when considered outside of the vehicle 10, since this part is intended for mounting according to a specific orientation in the vehicle 10.

[0023] Figure 1 illustrates an example of a portion of an arrangement 1 of a motor vehicle underbody. Only certain components of the underbody are shown in Figure 1; the underbody is only partially represented. The components are, for example, a floor 2, a firewall 3, or a cover 4. The components of the underbody may be metal parts and / or other parts plastics. Some components of the base are arranged to form one or more hollow bodies 5.

[0024] Figure 2 illustrates an example of such a hollow body 5 of arrangement 1. In In the example illustrated in [Fig. 2], the hollow body 5 is notably delimited by a portion of the floor slab 2 and by a lower portion of the deck 3. In other words, the walls 21 and 31 that delimit the volume of the hollow body 5 illustrated in [Fig. 2] are portions of the substructure components. The walls 21 and 31 of the hollow body 5 are relatively thin; their thickness is, for example, on the order of a few millimeters.

[0025] The hollow body 5 thus comprises a first wall 21 with an opening 22 and a second wall 31 with an opening 32. The first wall 21 is arranged opposite the second wall 31. The first wall 21 and the second wall 31 may be substantially parallel to each other, but they are not necessarily so. In the example illustrated in [Fig. 2], the first wall 21 corresponds to a part of the floor 2 while the second wall 31 corresponds to a portion of the lower part of the deck 3. In this same example, the first wall 21 is slightly inclined and the second wall 31 is also inclined, however the direction of inclination is not the same.

[0026] The opening 22 in the first perforated wall 21 is arranged opposite the opening 32 in the second perforated wall 31. The openings 22 and 32 may have similar or different shapes, and / or similar or different sizes. According to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the opening 32 in the second wall 31 is larger than the opening 22 in the first wall 21. This facilitates the alignment of the opening 32 in the second wall 31 with the opening 22 in the first wall 21 during assembly. In this same embodiment, the opening 22 in the first perforated wall 21 is circular, while the opening 32 in the second perforated wall 31 is rectangular. Other shapes may be considered for the openings 22 and 32.

[0027] The arrangement 1 further includes a hydraulic connection device 10 for passing through the hollow body 5. This hydraulic connection device 10 comprises a conduit 11 configured for the passage of a heat transfer fluid through the hollow body 5, and two free ends 12, 13 (visible in [Fig. 4]) arranged on either side of the hollow body 5 (not visible in [Fig. 4]). These free ends 12, 13 of the conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10 are intended to be sealed into a hydraulic cooling circuit of a motor vehicle equipped with such an arrangement 1. The free ends 12, 13 of the conduit 11 can be standardized to facilitate the connection of the device 10 to the hydraulic cooling circuit. Thus, hydraulic connectors commonly called " "Quick connectors" can be used to connect the free ends 12, 13 of the conduit 11 in a leak-proof manner to the hydraulic cooling circuit.

[0028] The shape of the conduit 11 depends on the arrangement of the two perforated walls 21, 31 relative to each other, as well as on the position of the openings 22 and 32 relative to each other. In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 4], the conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10 comprises a straight portion and an angled portion. As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, it is the straight portion of the conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10 that passes through the hollow body 5. In other words, it is the straight portion of the conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10 that extends through the opening 22 in the first perforated wall 21 and through the opening 32 in the second perforated wall 31.

[0029] The length of the straight portion of the conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10 depends essentially on the distance between the two perforated walls 21, 31 of the hollow body 5 through which said conduit 11 passes. A short conduit 11 helps to limit pressure losses during the circulation of the heat transfer fluid inside said conduit 11. Such a hydraulic connection device 10 with a short conduit 11 can also prove to be lighter than piping usually used for the hydraulic circuit of the cooling system.

[0030] In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 2 to 4, the angled portion of the conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10 is located outside the hollow body 5. A conduit 11 with an angled portion optimizes the compactness of the hydraulic connection device 10 and reduces its size within the arrangement 1 of the vehicle's underbody. An angled conduit 11 can also facilitate the installation of the hydraulic connection device 10 within said arrangement 1 and can make the ends 12, 13 of the conduit 11 more accessible for connecting said ends 12, 13 to the hydraulic circuit of the cooling system.

[0031] According to the embodiment of the hydraulic connection device 10 illustrated in [Fig. 4], the elbow forms a right angle, i.e., an angle of 90°. However, other angles can be considered for such an elbow of the conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10. Thus, the angle of the elbow connecting the end 12 to the conduit 11 can, for example, be between 90° and -90° with respect to the axis of the conduit 11 relative to the normal to the conduit 11. In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the elbow of the hydraulic connection device 10 is arranged outside the hollow body 5.

[0032] The hydraulic connection device 10 includes a mounting flange 14 for fixing said device 10 to one of the perforated walls 21, 22 of the hollow body 5. In the example illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the mounting flange 14 allows more particularly to fix the hydraulic connection device 10 on the first wall 21, i.e. on a part of the floor 2.

[0033] The fixing flange 14 can take the form of a flat plate intended to come at least partially into contact with the wall 21 of the hollow body 5 on which it is intended to be fixed.

[0034] The flat plate which then acts as a fixing flange 14 can extend in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10. The plane in which the fixing flange 14 extends depends mainly on the orientation of the wall 21 of the hollow body 5 on which the flange 14 is intended to be fixed.

[0035] According to the embodiment of the hydraulic connection device 10 illustrated in [Fig.4], the fixing flange 14 is located for example between the straight portion and the angled portion of the conduit 11.

[0036] Various means of fixing can be envisaged to keep the fixing flange 14 pressed against the wall 21 of the hollow body 5. These means of fixing can be removable, which then allows replacement of the hydraulic connection device 10 in the event that it suffers damage and / or deformation.

[0037] Alternatively, it may be fastening means which allow permanent fixing of the flange 14 of the device 10 on one of the walls 21, 31 of the hollow body 5. Such permanent fastening means allow in particular a high resistance to vibrations during the use of the motor vehicle.

[0038] According to the embodiment of the hydraulic connection device 10 illustrated in [Fig. 4], the flat plate that serves as a mounting flange 14 has a quadrilateral shape, and in particular a rectangular shape. However, other shapes can be considered for the mounting flange 14.

[0039] In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 4], the conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10 is located in a central area of ​​the flat plate that acts as a mounting flange 14 for the hydraulic connection device 10. According to this same embodiment, the bend of the conduit 11 is located near the mounting flange 14 and outside the hollow body 5, to optimize the compactness of the hydraulic connection device 10. According to an alternative embodiment, the conduit can be offset from the central position of the flat plate forming the mounting flange 14 without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0040] The conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10 passes in a sealed manner through, on the one hand, the opening 22 of the first perforated wall 21 of the hollow body 5 and, on the other hand, the opening 32 of the second perforated wall 31 of the hollow body 5. To achieve this, the mounting flange 14 includes, for example, a groove (not shown in the figures) configured to accommodate a sealing gasket (not shown in the figures) intended to ensure a seal between the hydraulic connection device 10 and the wall 21 of the hollow body 5 to which said device 10 is fixed. In other words, the groove configured to accommodate a sealing gasket is arranged in the mounting flange 14, and specifically in the face of the mounting flange 14 that is in contact with the first wall 21 of the hollow body 5 to which said device 10 is fixed. In this way, the risk of leakage of the heat transfer fluid inside the hollow body 5 and at the opening 31 of the first wall 21 is limited. The hollow body 5 therefore remains closed and sealed, without any opening for communication with the front area of ​​the second wall 31 or with the rear area of ​​the first wall 21.

[0041] According to a preferred embodiment, the arrangement further comprises a bellows 40 configured to cooperate with an edge of the opening 32 of the second perforated wall 31 so as to ensure a seal between the conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10 and the second wall 31 of the hollow body 5. In this way, the risks of leakage of the heat transfer fluid inside the hollow body 5 and at the opening 32 of the second wall 31 are limited. The hollow body 5 therefore remains closed and sealed, without any opening for communication with the front area of ​​the second wall 31 or with the rear area of ​​the first wall 21.

[0042] The bellows 40 can be articulated to accommodate misalignment of the axis of the conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10 with respect to a groove located at the end of said bellows 40, forming a connection eyelet. To achieve this, the bellows 40 is, for example, made of a flexible material. Thus, the flexible wall of the bellows 40 includes, for example, one or more folds configured to absorb deformation of said flexible wall of the bellows 40 during its installation and / or when it is mounted in the arrangement 1 of the underbody of the motor vehicle. The bellows 40 can, for example, have an angled shape to adapt to the geometry of the cooling circuit, in order to minimize the overall size of the arrangement. Such an angled bellows 40 is illustrated in particular in Figures 2 and 3.

[0043] In order to optimize the compactness of the arrangement and minimize its size, the bellows 40 can be arranged so that its walls surround a portion of a conduit 11 of the hydraulic circuit of the cooling system. This is shown in particular in Figures 2 and 3.

[0044] In the embodiment of the arrangement illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the bellows 40 notably has a tubular wall. As illustrated in [Fig. 3], at least a portion of said tubular wall of the bellows 40 can be arranged around a part of the hydraulic cooling circuit to which a free end 13 of the conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10 is connected. Such an arrangement of the bellows 40 relative to the conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10 optimizes the compactness of the arrangement 1.

[0045] According to the embodiment of arrangement 1 illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the tubular wall of the bellows 40 may have an angled and / or conical and / or cup-shaped form. Such shapes optimize the compactness of arrangement 1.

[0046] The bellows 40 is further preferentially connected to a hydraulic conduit originating from the front area of ​​the wall 31. The hydraulic conduit is then positioned inside the bellows 40, which surrounds it. This hydraulic conduit is intended to connect with the end 13 of the conduit 11. Given the deformable nature of the bellows 40 by bending, it is possible to compress the bellows 40 in order to enable the connection of the hydraulic conduit to the end 13 during the assembly and disassembly operations of the hydraulic connection device 10.

[0047] In order to ensure a seal at the second wall 31 of the hollow body 5, a sealing grommet 41 (called a "sealing grommet" or simply "grommet") can be arranged at the opening 32 in the perforated second wall 31. The sealing grommet 41 can be made of a flexible material. Preferably, the bellows 40 comprises the sealing grommet 41.

[0048] It is thus possible to design a hydraulic connection device 10 for a subframe arrangement 1, in which the hydraulic connection device 10 allows passage through the walls 21, 31 of a hollow body 5 in the structure of the motor vehicle in order to reduce the length of the hydraulic circuit of a cooling system. The hydraulic connection device 10 thus acts as a shortcut for the hydraulic cooling circuit by partially utilizing the internal volume of the hollow body 5 while ensuring the sealing of the hollow body 5 through which it passes.

[0049] An example of a method for assembling such an arrangement 1 may comprise various steps and more specifically the following steps: - assembly of the components of the hollow body 5 of the structure of the motor vehicle; - insertion of the conduit 11 of the hydraulic connection device 10 through the openings 22, 32 of the walls 21, 31 of the hollow body 5; - fixing of the flange 14 of the hydraulic connection device 10 on the first wall 21 of the hollow body 5; - connection of the free ends 12, 13 of the conduit 11 of the connection device to the hydraulic circuit 10 of the cooling system; - placement of the bellows 40 against the second wall 31 of the hollow body 5.

Claims

Demands

1. An arrangement of a motor vehicle underbody, the arrangement comprising at least one hollow body (5) formed in particular by a portion of a bulkhead (3) and / or a floor (2) and / or a cover (4), the hollow body (5) comprising a first wall (21) with an opening (22) and a second wall (31) with an opening (32), the arrangement being characterized in that it comprises a hydraulic connection device (10) intended to pass through the hollow body (5) of the motor vehicle, the hydraulic connection device (10) comprising a fixing flange (14) for fixing said device (10) to one of the walls (21, 31) with openings in the hollow body (5), the device (10) further comprising a conduit (11) configured for the passage of a heat transfer fluid through the hollow body (5), the conduit (11) comprising two free ends (12,13) arranged on either side of the hollow body (5) and intended to be connected in a watertight manner to a hydraulic cooling circuit.

2. Arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the conduit (11) has a straight portion and / or an angled portion.

3. Arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fixing flange (14) is in the form of a flat plate which includes a groove configured to accommodate a sealing gasket intended to ensure sealing between the hydraulic connection device (10) and the wall (21) of the hollow body (5) on which said device (10) is fixed.

4. Arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the groove configured to accommodate a sealing gasket is arranged in the face of the flange (14) for fixing the connection device (10) intended to be fixed to the wall (21) of the hollow body (5).

5. Arrangement according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conduit (11) of said device (10) passes in particular in a sealed manner through on the one hand the opening (22) of the first perforated wall (21) of the hollow body (5) and on the other hand the opening (32) of the second perforated wall (31) of the hollow body (5).

6. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the openings (22, 32) have different sizes, and more particularly in that the opening (32) in the second wall (31) is larger than the opening (22) in the first wall (21).

7. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a bellows (40) configured to cooperate with an edge of the opening (32) of the second wall (31) perforated so as to ensure sealing between the conduit (11) of the hydraulic connection device (10) and the second wall (31) of the hollow body (5).

8. Arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the bellows (40) has a tubular wall and in that at least a portion of said tubular wall of the bellows (40) is arranged around a part of a hydraulic cooling circuit to which is connected a free end (13) of the conduit (11) of the hydraulic connection device (10).

9. A method for assembling an arrangement for a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps: - assembly of the components of the hollow body (5) of the structure of the motor vehicle; - insertion of the conduit (11) of the hydraulic connection device (10) through the openings (22, 32) of the walls (21, 31) of the hollow body (5); - fixing of the flange (14) of the hydraulic connection device (10) on the first wall (21) of the hollow body (5); - connection of the free ends (12, 13) of the conduit (11) of the hydraulic connection device (10) to the hydraulic circuit of the cooling system; - placement of the bellows (40) against the second wall (31) of the hollow body (5).

10. Motor vehicle characterized in that it comprises an arrangement (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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