DE102004030996A1 - Vehicle e.g. passenger car, has safety unit arranged between chassis and front hood in such manner that front hood is held back in its exposed position before windshield of vehicle against main driving direction of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The vehicle has a front hood fastened to a chassis of the vehicle, where the front hood can be brought by an actuator (12) into an exposed position. A safety unit (32) with a hauling cable is arranged between the chassis and the front hood in such a manner that the front hood is held back in its exposed position before a windshield of the vehicle against a main driving direction of the vehicle.

Description

The The invention relates to a vehicle with an exhibitable element the outer skin of the vehicle, in particular a front flap, which on a Chassis of the vehicle is fixed and in the event of a personal impact can be brought by means of an actuator in a flared position.

to Improve the protection of persons in an accident, be in modern vehicles, such as passenger cars, Actuators used by means of which an element of the outer skin of the vehicle, in particular its front flap, in the event of a collision in the short term raised a few inches and thus the distance between the front door and an underneath rigid drive unit be enlarged can.

There it under certain circumstances also to a false trip Such aggregates can also be provided restoring devices, with which one triggered Actuator can be moved back to its original position.

The equipped with such actuators exposed elements can only limited to the emerging new requirements. For example, the rigidity of the systems is exhibited Condition z.T. still insufficient and the displayable elements can partly the burden during of restoring not withstand.

Of the Invention is therefore the object of a vehicle with a exhibitable element of the outer skin to provide in which overcomes the above problems and its functioning in particular with regard to the triggering and reversing of the Systems is improved.

The Task is according to the invention with a vehicle of the type mentioned above, in which a security element is provided, which is between the Chassis and the exhibitable element is arranged and with the the exhibitable element in its flared position against a Main accident direction of the vehicle is retained.

With the security element according to the invention For example, a front door of a motor vehicle in issued Condition retained in front of a windshield of the vehicle when the vehicle suffers a frontal or near-frontal accident. Under the term used here main accident direction is so be understood in the direction in which improved according to the invention Vehicle or trained exhibitable element with it high probability of an impact acts. In general, this is Direction the main direction of travel of the vehicle.

The Security element according to the invention can Advantageous a tension element in the form of a hook, a pull rope or a slider, which by a slight movement of the displayable element during of an accident. So can the security element be advantageously designed with a hook on the particular the exhibitable element in its flared position by a minor Displacement against the main accident or direction of travel of the vehicle hooked. Furthermore, the security element can be advantageous with a Traction rope be designed, which on the one hand on the chassis and on the other attached to the displayable element. In addition, the security element advantageously be designed with a slide, which at a slight shift the exhibitable element in its raised position up to a Stop is moved and there the exhibitable element in his issued Retains position against the main direction of travel of the vehicle. The Pull element according to the invention in particular must be designed sufficiently stable, so that it the forces acting on the element of the impact to the chassis of the vehicle can pass without thereby destroyed itself to become. An important aspect regarding the stability of the tension element is its attachment to the components involved. So are the traction cable designed as a pull or traction elements particularly advantageous directly on the chassis of the vehicle and / or directly on the display Element attached so that in the area of this attachment comparatively high forces defined transfer can be.

The The object underlying the invention is further with an input solved said vehicle, in which a tension element is provided, which on the one hand on the chassis and on the other hand attached to the displayable element and a Hinge joint forms, on which the exhibitable element to the manual Reversing the actuator can be pivoted, and in which the Tension element is designed with a clutch, which is the manual reset of the actuator over the tension element transferable Force limited to a predetermined maximum value.

In systems for stiffening and reversing an element of the outer skin of the vehicle actuators are used, which under one Hinge of the element are arranged and can be reset after their release by pivoting the element. In this pivoting, a tension member is used, which is arranged between the element and the chassis and forms a hinge joint, is pivoted about. The element itself forms in this pivoting about the tension element a two-armed lever in which the operator attacks on one arm and the actuator is forced back to its original position on the other arm. When reversing, however, there is a risk that the operator does not recognize when the actuator is fully reversed and falsely continued, although the hinge of the element is already at the stop. In such a case, the entire length of the element or the front flap acts as a lever arm and there could be a (plastic) deformation on the hinge attachment of the element. Only after such a deformation a gas spring arranged on the element would reach its stop and prevent further bending of the element or the front flap by the much less favorable lever arm. In existing solutions, the timing of proper reversing can not be clearly felt, audible and visible. Such an ad is difficult to communicate under the current technical conditions. The inventive limitation of the force generated on the tension element to a predetermined maximum value, this risk of plastischern deformation of the element is reliably prevented and the operator by opening the clutch and a corresponding "sagging" of the pivoted element when reversing a clear signal for the complete resetting given the actuator.

A technically comparatively simple and thus also very reliable Continuing this solution provides that the tension element is formed with a slider, the pivoting of the displayable element via a first distance is displaceable and subsequently to an insurmountable Stop is movable, as a coupling for limiting the predetermined Maximum force is provided.

The Task is finally solved with a vehicle of the type mentioned, in which a tension element is provided, which on the one hand on the chassis and on the other hand is attached to the displayable element and a hinge connection forms on which the exposed element for manual reversing of the actuator can be pivoted, and in which the tension element on the chassis and / or the displayable element with a key-keyhole connection is attached. The intended connection meets all requirements with regard to the required power transmission over the entire Lifetime of a vehicle. The connection makes it possible Furthermore, that the tension element is particularly easy to install and, if necessary, for example can be easily removed during repair or maintenance.

following is an embodiment of a vehicle according to the invention with the attached schematic drawings with respect to the improvement of the invention explained in more detail. It shows:

1 a perspective view of a pivoting device on a vehicle in a first position, which is provided with a safety and tension element according to the invention, and

2 the view according to 1 in a second position of the pivoting device.

In the 1 and 2 is a swivel device 10 with its actuator 12 illustrates, with an unillustrated exhibitable element is pivotally mounted on a likewise not illustrated in detail chassis of a passenger car.

The exhibitable element is, for example, a front flap of the passenger car, in a known manner by means of the pivoting device 10 can be opened and closed manually. The actuator 12 is intended to slightly raise the deployable member in the event of a frontal crash, thereby increasing the distance between the member and an underlying rigid unit of the vehicle. Such an elevation of the element or a front flap is particularly useful in the event of a person impacting the front edge of the element (see also the main direction of travel of the vehicle indicated by an arrow A), where the person may subsequently rest with his head on the rear region of the vehicle Front flap hits. This rear area of the element is related to the 1 and 2 each on the left above the illustrated pivoting device 10 ,

The pivoting device 10 is among other things designed with a two-part attachment, by means of which it is attached to the chassis. Here are a lower hinge holder 14 and an upper hinge holder or a hinge base 16 provided, of which the lower hinge holder 14 with two screws 18 is bolted to the chassis stationary.

The actuator 12 in turn is also fixedly mounted on the chassis and the upper hinge holder 16 is on two lifting pins 20 of the actuator 12 with the help of two screw connections 22 attached. The lifting pins 20 can when a triggering of the actuator 12 lifted with a not illustrated lifting mechanism and thereby the upper hinge holder 16 from the lower hinge holder 14 be lifted off.

In this lifting the upper hinge holder 16 become two pivot levers 24 and 26 the pivoting device 10 and a hinged element holder 28 raised. The element holder 28 carries with the help of two screws 30 the non-illustrated pivotable element, which thus when lifting the upper hinge holder 16 slightly raised as mentioned above.

Within the pivoting device 10 Form the upper hinge holder 16 as well as the two hinge levers 24 and 26 together with the element holder 28 a 4-joint, with which the pivotable element can be manually opened and closed in a conventional manner.

At the pivoting device 10 is also a safety and tension element 32 intended.

This safety and tension element 32 is from two bars 34 and 36 formed, which partially overlap each other and are designed to be displaceable relative to each other.

The related to the 1 and 2 lower bar 34 is directed with one end to the lower hinge holder and there with a rivet 38 hinged. In an alternative embodiment of the pivoting device, not shown 10 is the staff 34 pivotally mounted directly on the chassis of the vehicle.

The other staff 36 , which is displaceable with the rod 34 connected is with a rivet 40 on the element holder 28 or alternatively, pivotally mounted directly on the movable member.

The bars 34 and 36 together form a security element with which a slightly movable connection is created between the chassis and the deployable element. This compound is tightened when the deployable element is displaced in a frontal impact relative to the chassis against the main direction of travel. The security element performs this function, in particular in the case in which the exhibitable element has been raised during the frontal impact with the actuator and thus has been dissolved out of its composite in the outer skin of the vehicle.

The bars 34 and 36 In addition, a second function is assigned by using it as a reversing rod to reset the pivoting device 10 serve when the upper hinge holder 16 with the actuator 12 from the lower hinge holder 14 has been lifted. The bars 34 and 36 act in this function as a tension element, with the between the chassis and the lower hinge holder 14 and the hinged element is provided with a hinge connection. A deployable element in the form of a front door is pivoted about this hinge connection when it has been lifted by the actuator and subsequently a user of the vehicle opens the front door. When panning around with the bars 34 and 36 formed joint connection is related to the 1 and 2 right end of the element holder 28 pressed down and thus are over the hinge lever 24 and 26 also the lifting pins 20 of the actuator 12 pushed back to its rest position down.

To the above-mentioned functions of the safety and tension element 32 to enable is at the bar 34 in the longitudinal direction of a slot 42 trained in which the rod 36 with a rivet 44 is guided. At the bar 36 are in the area of the rivet 44 Furthermore, on both longitudinal sides guide arms 46 provided which the side surfaces 48 of the staff 34 embrace and thus a sole displacement of the rod 36 in the longitudinal direction of the rod 34 to ensure. Alternatively or in addition to the rivet 44 can in the slot 42 for slidably connecting the two rods 34 and 36 also provided with a collar and provided in cross-section elongated guide pin.

At the bar 34 are also surmountable attacks 50 provided, which are designed in the form of one each, which on each of the side surfaces 48 of the staff 34 are formed. The attacks 50 limit when moving the rod 36 its movement by the guide arms 46 this rod 36 come to the stops 50 to concerns. In this position, where the guide arms 46 at the attacks 50 abut and the staff 36 a first route 52 has overcome, the safety and tension element can absorb a predetermined maximum force. This maximum force is dimensioned so that by a manual pivoting of the exposed element, the lifting pins 20 of the actuator 12 can be safely moved back to their rest position, on the other hand, however, the exhibitable element can not be plastically deformed.

If a user of the vehicle applies an unduly high force during manual pivoting of the deployable member, and thus the risk of plastic deformation of the deployable member could result, that is at the stops 50 acting force so large that the guide arms 46 about the attacks 50 be pushed until the rivet 44 at the end of the slot 42 abuts. The attacks 50 act in this case as a kind of clutch, which when manually resetting the actuator 12 the over the safety and tension element 32 limited transferable force to a predetermined maximum value.

The slipping of the guide arms 46 on the conquerable attacks 50 The user of the vehicle perceives as a "fall through" the front flap opened by him, whereby he gets taught that now no more force should be spent, because the lifting pins 20 of the actuator 12 safely in the reset position.

So that the thus acting security and tension element 32 particularly advantageous on the pivoting device 10 can be mounted, in a non-illustrated embodiment, the rivets 38 and 40 each designed as a key hole, in which one of the bars 34 respectively. 36 on the associated bearing element 14 respectively. 28 set and then can be brought by a slight rotation of the rod in a no longer levied position.

10

Pivot means

12

actuator

14

lower hinge bracket

16

upper hinge bracket

18

screw

20

lift pin

22

screw

24

hinge lever

26

hinge lever

28

element holder

30

screw

32

safety and tension element

34

Rod

36

Rod

38

rivet

40

rivet

42

Long hole

44

rivet

46

guide

48

side surface

50

surmountable attack

52

first path

Claims (7)

Vehicle with a displayable element of the outer skin of the vehicle, in particular a front flap, which is fastened to a chassis of the vehicle and in the event of a collision by means of an actuator ( 12 ) can be brought into a raised position, characterized in that a security element ( 32 ), which is arranged between the chassis and the displayable element, such that with the security element ( 32 ) the exhibitable element is retained in its deployed position against a major accident direction of the vehicle. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the security element ( 32 ) is designed with a hook on which in particular the exhibitable element hooked in its flared position by a slight displacement against the main direction of travel (A) of the vehicle. Vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the security element ( 32 ) is designed with a pull rope, which is attached on the one hand to the chassis and on the other hand on the exhibitable element. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the security element ( 32 ) with a slider ( 34 . 36 ) is designed, which is displaced in a slight shift of the displayable element in its raised position to a stop and there retains the exhibitable element in its raised position against the main direction of travel (A) of the vehicle. Vehicle, in particular according to one of the preceding claims, with an expandable element of the outer skin of the vehicle, in particular a front flap, which is fastened to a chassis of the vehicle and in the event of a collision by means of an actuator ( 12 ) can be brought into a flared position, and with a tension element ( 32 ), which is fastened on the one hand to the chassis and on the other hand to the deployable element and forms an articulated connection, on which the deployable element for manually reversing the actuator ( 12 ), wherein the tension element ( 32 ) with a coupling ( 46 . 50 ), which is the case of manual reversal of the actuator ( 12 ) via the tension element ( 32 ) limits transmittable force to a predetermined maximum value. Vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the tension element ( 32 ) is formed with a slide, which upon pivoting of the displayable element over a first path ( 52 ) is displaceable and subsequently to a surmountable stop ( 50 ) is movable as a clutch ( 46 . 50 ) is provided for limiting the predetermined maximum force. Vehicle, in particular according to one of the preceding claims, with an exhibitable element of the outer skin of the vehicle, in particular a front flap, which is attached to a chassis of the vehicle and in the event of a personal impact by means of an actuator ( 12 ) can be brought into a flared position, and with a tension element ( 32 ), which is fastened on the one hand to the chassis and on the other hand to the deployable element and forms an articulated connection, on which the deployable element for manually reversing the actuator ( 12 ), wherein the tension element ( 32 ) is attached to the chassis and / or on the exhibitable element with a key-keyhole connection.