Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
  • B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
  • B60R21/04—Padded linings for the vehicle interior ; Energy absorbing structures associated with padded or non-padded linings
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16F—SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION
  • F16F7/00—Vibration-dampers; Shock-absorbers
  • F16F7/12—Vibration-dampers; Shock-absorbers using plastic deformation of members
  • F16F7/125—Units with a telescopic-like action as one member moves into, or out of a second member

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a shock absorbing device.
• a shock absorbing device We know that we are increasingly seeking to protect the interior of motor vehicle interiors, in order to limit the consequences of an accident for occupants. It is thus necessary to introduce shock absorbing devices in different locations such as the vehicle doors or the headrests of the seats. Furthermore, efforts are also being made to reduce the noise level inside the passenger compartment.
• floor carpets are used for this purpose. A location where such carpet is particularly useful for its acoustic effects is in the lining of the deck separating the engine compartment from the passenger compartment.
• this apron is also an essential protective element in the event of a frontal impact since it prevents the penetration of engine elements into the passenger compartment. However, in the case of such a frontal impact, it may have to back off suddenly and thus exert considerable compressive forces in the legs of passengers who have their feet on it.
• the present invention is based on the idea of using the floor mat simultaneously as an acoustic screen and as a shock absorber. More particularly, it aims to provide a shock absorbing device which can in particular, but not exclusively, be used in a floor mat intended to cover the passenger compartment apron of a motor vehicle.
• the subject of the invention is a shock absorbing device, characterized in that it comprises at least one set of tubular elements arranged end to end, two adjacent elements having different sections, and that of these two elements having the largest section being liable to break along its line of contact with the external side wall of the other element when an axial compression force of predetermined value is applied to said elements to fit them one into the other 'other telescopically.
• tubular elements are of substantially circular section.
• a device having a conical or frustoconical type shape can be envisaged.
• sections of other shape can be envisaged.
• elements with a square section give shape devices of pyramidal type.
• Each element other than the end elements can have d 'one of its sides an adjacent element of section larger than its own, and on its other side an adjacent element of section smaller than its own
• the device With elements of circular section, the device then has a cone or truncated cone shape.
• at least one element can have two adjacent elements on one of its sides, one of section greater than its own, and the other of section lower than hers
• At least one element has a rupture initiator along its line of contact with the external lateral wall of the adjacent element of lower section.
• the device according to the invention is made in one piece from molded plastic
• the invention also relates to an energy-absorbing surface coating, in particular for the protection of the passenger compartments of motor vehicles, characterized in that it comprises at least one device as described above, mounted on a material made of relatively rigid sheet
• the aforementioned sheet material may in particular consist of a sound-absorbing complex based on carpet and / or "heavy mass" (high density plastic sheet) possibly accompanied by foam or felt.
• Said device can in particular be fixed or welded to the sheet material, or be made in one piece, in particular by molding, with this material
• said device is embedded in a plastic foam
• FIG. 1 is a view in axial section of an energy absorbing device according to the invention
• - Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 of another embodiment
• - Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a mat making use of a device according to the invention
• FIG. 4 is a top view of another embodiment of the invention.
• an energy absorbing device 1 is composed of a plurality of tubular elements 2, arranged end at the end, the axial end 2a of an element 2 being connected to the end 2b of an adjacent element 2 'of lower section, and its other end 2c being connected to the end 2d of the other adjacent element 2 "of upper section
• the elements have variable sections so that a particular element 2 has on one of its sides 2a an adjacent element 2 'of lower section, and on its other side 2c an element 2" of upper section
• the elements 2 are HERE circular, so that they form rings More particularly, these rings have HERE, in axial section, a rectangular section
• the section of the elements varies continuously along the axis of the device which, thus, is in the general form of a cone
• an element intermediate 3 constitutes a sort of "cusp" where the taper is reversed so that the device forms an outer truncated cone 4 containing a cone 5, the intermediate element 3 forming the base of the cone 5 and the small base of the trunk cone 4
• a rupture initiator 10 can be formed in the form of a groove formed in the end surface 11 of an element, along the junction line between this element of large section and the lateral surface 12 of the adjacent element of smaller section.
• energy absorbing devices 1 can be welded or fixed by clips 10 to the surface of a skin 1 1 made of relatively rigid plastic to form an energy absorbing mat.
• the devices 1 are here embedded in a foam 12.
• the carpet thus obtained can be pressed against the apron 13 for separating the engine compartment from the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, and in turn be covered with carpet 14 on the passenger side. It thus provides protection against shocks exerted from the front of the vehicle.
• a set of energy absorbing devices 20 of the type described above are molded in one piece with a skin 21 to which they are connected by their base.
• the devices 20 are here arranged in staggered lines.
• the sheet thus obtained can in turn enter into the composition of a sound-absorbing carpet.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Passenger Equipment (AREA)
• Vehicle Interior And Exterior Ornaments, Soundproofing, And Insulation (AREA)
• Vibration Dampers (AREA)
• Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9491232

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (15)

Family Cites Families (13)

• 1996
  • 1996-04-16 FR FR9604721A patent/FR2747445A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 1997
  • 1997-04-15 WO PCT/FR1997/000665 patent/WO1997039254A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1997-04-15 AU AU26425/97A patent/AU2642597A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-04-15 EP EP97918222A patent/EP0832374A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1997-04-15 JP JP09536810A patent/JP2001500594A/ja active Pending

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events