Shock-absorbing device for tricycle vehicles.

Abstract

The invention relates to a shock-absorbing device (1) designed to be fitted to a tricycle vehicle chassis (2), the device (1) comprising a first part (4) forming a cross member designed to extend transversely between a front cross member (5) of the chassis (2) and the front wheel (6) of the vehicle, the device (1) comprising a second part (9) designed to extend along at least a portion of the first part (4), the second part (9) being disposed between the first part (4) and the front wheel (6), the second part (9) being made of an elastically deformable material, shaped to be impacted by the front wheel (6) when the device is mounted on the chassis (2), and to deform in the event of a frontal impact on the vehicle in order to absorb at least a portion of the energy released by the impact. (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Anti-shock device for tricycle vehicle.

[0001] The technical field relates to anti-shock devices to protect a tricycle vehicle chassis in the event of a front impact, chassis equipped with such devices and tricycle motor vehicles having such chassis.

[0002] Automobile manufacturers are particularly attentive to the safety of their customers when they are in their vehicles. Four-wheeled vehicles intended for the American and / or European markets are subject to numerous road safety regulations. Thus, automobile manufacturers must ensure the safety of vehicle occupants in the event of a collision. In order to guarantee passenger safety, vehicles are subjected to various standardized crash simulation procedures against a rigid obstacle impacting the vehicle. Such standardized procedures are, for example, described by the various national road safety authorities. Automobile manufacturers are therefore accustomed to studying the behavior of their vehicles subjected to standardized crash procedures.

[0003] Certain types of vehicles, such as some tricycles, are not intended for markets that require stringent testing procedures. Therefore, the safety of some tricycles could be improved.

[0004] In this context, some tricycle vehicles have a chassis with two side rails and a central rail extending between the side rails. The three side rails are connected by a front crossmember positioned opposite the vehicle's front wheel. The central crossmember supports the vehicle's steering system and extends to a support that holds a seat and a battery housed beneath it. This type of vehicle presents significant risks in the event of a frontal collision. Experience shows that during a frontal impact against a rigid wall, the front crossmember is struck by the front wheel, which transmits the forces to the central crossmember. The latter undergoes plastic deformation and may eventually break; after breaking, the central crossmember is then forced into the battery. An impact on the battery can cause a fire.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for a solution to improve the behavior of this type of tricycle motor vehicle in the event of a front impact in order to protect the battery or any other element to be protected.

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome the problems described above. In this technical context, one objective of the present invention is to provide an anti-shock device that can be attached to a conventional tricycle vehicle structure to prevent or limit the risk of the battery being impacted by the central frame rail.

[0007] To this end, the present invention relates to an anti-shock device designed to equip a tricycle vehicle chassis, the device comprising a first part forming a cross member designed to extend transversely between a front cross member of the chassis and the front wheel of the vehicle, the device comprising a second part, designed to extend along at least a portion of the first part, the second part being disposed between the first part and the front wheel, the second part being made of elastically deformable material, shaped to be impacted by the front wheel, when the device is mounted on the chassis, and to deform in the event of a front impact suffered by the vehicle in order to absorb at least a part of the energy released by the impact.

[0008] The invention also relates to a tricycle vehicle chassis comprising at least two side rails connected at their ends by a front cross member, the chassis having an anti-shock device according to the invention fixed to the chassis and disposed between the front wheel and the front cross member.

[0009] The invention finally relates to a tricycle motor vehicle having at least one chassis according to the invention.

[0010] Thus, the shock-absorbing device according to the invention is designed to be attached to a conventional tricycle vehicle structure. In the event of a frontal collision, the first and second parts are then exposed to the impact of the front wheel, instead of the front crossmember. The second part absorbs an initial amount of the frontal impact energy. When the second part is unable to absorb all of the frontal impact energy, the first part also deforms and is thus able to limit the deformation of the central longitudinal member and consequently the breakage of the central longitudinal member. Thus, thanks to the shock-absorbing device, the chassis according to the invention presents a reduced risk of breakage of the central longitudinal member. In the event of a frontal collision, the vehicle according to the invention presents a reduced risk of fire due to damage to the battery.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the shock-absorbing device includes at least one connecting beam designed to connect the shock-absorbing device to the front crossmember of the chassis.

[0012] According to one possibility of the shock-absorbing device, the first part forms a profiled beam delimiting at least one notch designed to accommodate the second part.

[0013] Advantageously, a notch has a U or V shape.

[0014] According to one possibility, the notch is arranged on either side of the middle of the beam.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the shock-absorbing device, the second part is formed of absorbent foam and / or elastomer.

[0016] According to one possibility, the tricycle vehicle chassis comprises a central longitudinal member extending from the front cross member, the second part extending at least between the front wheel and the central longitudinal member.

[0017] According to one possibility, when the vehicle has a central longitudinal member extending from the front crossmember, the second part extending at least between the front wheel and the central longitudinal member, the vehicle has a battery arranged in line with the central longitudinal member.

[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 perspective view of a tricycle motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0020] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a perspective view of an anti-shock device fitted to the vehicle of [Fig.1];

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

[0022] An anti-shock device 1 according to the invention, illustrated in the figures, is designed to equip a chassis 2 of a tricycle vehicle, illustrated in [Fig. 1]. The vehicle having the chassis 2 is, for example, equipped with a battery 3, in particular a motor battery.

[0023] As illustrated in [Fig. 2], the shock-absorbing device 1 according to the invention comprises a first part 4 forming a cross member designed to extend transversely between a front cross member 5 of the chassis 2 and the front wheel 6 of the vehicle, as illustrated in [Fig. 1]. For example, the first part 4 is made of metal. In the example illustrated in [Fig. 2], the first part 4 forms a profiled beam 7 defining a notch 8. In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 2], the notch 8 has a U-shape. Advantageously, the notch 8 is centered on the beam 7 so as to extend on either side of the midpoint of the beam 7.

[0024] The device 1 also includes a second part 9, designed to extend along at least a portion of the first part 4. On the chassis 2 according to the invention, the second part 9 is positioned between the first part 4 and the front wheel 6. For example, the second part 9 is bonded to a portion of the first part 4. Indeed, the second part 9 is made of an elastically deformable material. The second part 9 is shaped to be impacted by the front wheel 6 when the device 1 is mounted on the chassis 2, and to deform in the event of a frontal impact on the vehicle in order to absorb at least a portion of the energy released by the impact.

[0025] In the present case, the second part 9 is arranged in the notch 8 of the first part 4. The second part 9 advantageously has a shape complementary to the notch 8 to fill the space formed by the notch 8.

[0026] By way of example, the second part 9 is made of absorbent foam and / or elastomer.

[0027] The chassis 2 according to the invention has at least two side rails 10 connected at their ends by the front crossmember 5. The shock-absorbing device 1 is attached to the front crossmember 5 by at least one connecting beam 11 designed to connect the device 1 to the front crossmember 5. In this case, the device 1 comprises three connecting beams 11: two connecting beams 11 located at each end of the profiled beam 7, allowing attachment by welding to the front crossmember 5 and / or the side rails 10. The shock-absorbing device 1 also comprises a third connecting beam 11 projecting from the middle of the profiled beam 7 and allowing the device 1 to be attached to a central side rail 12 of the chassis 2. The central side rail 12 extends from the front crossmember 5 to a support for the battery 3 and a seat 13. The central side rail 12 extends in the horizontal plane a guide 14 connecting the front wheel 6 to a steering 15 of the vehicle.Battery 3 is positioned in line with the central longitudinal member 12.

[0028] In the example illustrated in [Fig.1], the chassis 2 further has load stringers 16 extending in a plane parallel to the side stringers 10 and fixed to the latter by vertical supports 17. The load stringers 16 are designed to support a loading floor 18 arranged behind the seat 13.

[0029] Thus, the shock-absorbing device 1 according to the invention is designed to be attached to a conventional tricycle vehicle structure. In the event of a frontal collision, the first 4 and second 9 parts are then exposed to the impact of the front wheel 6, instead of the front crossmember 5. The second part 9 absorbs an initial amount of the frontal impact energy. When the second part 9 is unable to absorb all of the frontal impact energy, the first part 4 also deforms and is likely to limit the deformations of the central longitudinal member 11 and consequently the breakage of the central longitudinal member 11. Thus, thanks to the shock-absorbing device 1, the chassis 2 according to the invention presents reduced or eliminated risks of breakage of the central longitudinal member 11 and of fire.

[0030] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the shock-absorbing 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. Anti-shock device (1) designed to be fitted to a chassis (2) of a tricycle vehicle, the device (1) comprising a first part (4) forming a cross member designed to extend transversely between a front cross member (5) of the chassis (2) and the front wheel (6) of the vehicle, the device (1) comprising a second part (9), designed to extend along at least a portion of the first part (4), the second part (9) being disposed between the first part (4) and the front wheel (6), the second part (9) being made of elastically deformable material, shaped to be impacted by the front wheel (6), when the device is mounted on the chassis (2), and to deform in the event of a frontal impact suffered by the vehicle in order to absorb at least a portion of the energy released by the impact.

2. Anti-shock device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one connecting beam (11) designed to connect the anti-shock device (1) to the front cross member (5) of the chassis (2).

3. Shock-absorbing device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first part (4) forms a profiled beam (7) delimiting at least one notch (8) designed to accommodate the second part (9).

4. Shockproof device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that a notch (8) has a U or V shape.

5. Shock-absorbing device (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the notch (8) is arranged on either side of the middle of the beam (7).

6. Shock-absorbing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the second part (9) is formed of absorbent foam and / or elastomer.

7. A tricycle vehicle chassis (2) comprising at least two side rails (10) connected at their ends by a front cross member (5), the chassis (2) having an anti-shock device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 fixed to the chassis (2) and disposed between the front wheel (6) and the front cross member (5).

8. Tricycle vehicle chassis (2) according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a central longitudinal member (12) extending from the front cross member (5), the second part (9) extending at least between the front wheel (6) and the central longitudinal member (12).

9. Tricycle motor vehicle having at least one chassis (2) according to claim 7 or 8.

10. Motor vehicle according to claim 9, in combination with claim 8, characterized in that the vehicle comprises a battery (3) arranged in the extension of the central longitudinal member (12).

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