FR3139109A1 - Support device for the foot of a motor vehicle and motor vehicle equipped with such a device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a foot support device (1) for a motor vehicle foot cellar, characterized in that the device (1) comprises a main body (3) configured to be fixed to a structural element of a motor vehicle , a shock-absorbing block (5) comprising a support surface (5c, 5d) for the foot of a driver, and a chute (7) configured to accommodate an electrical harness. Figure to be published with the abstract: [Fig. 2]

Description

Support device for the foot of a motor vehicle and motor vehicle equipped with such a device

The present invention relates to a foot support device intended to be placed between an apron and a floor (or a carpet, a textile layer, etc.) of a motor vehicle, generally in the driver's foot cellar, and for example near and/or under a foot cellar pedal.

A foot support device makes it possible in particular to limit the risk of injury to the lower limbs of the driver of the motor vehicle during an accident. In fact, the foot support device, on which the driver's foot rests, is intended to absorb, during an accident, the kinetic energy of part of the impact. This absorption of shock energy particularly limits injuries to the ankle, shin and also the knee.

For this, the foot support device generally comprises a shock-absorbing element, for example made of a flexible material, such as expanded polypropylene, which works in compression during the shock, and therefore best absorbs the kinetic energy of the shock. The damping element of the foot support device is generally embedded in a thickness of polyurethane foam for acoustics, and is covered in its upper part with a carpet or cabin mat.

However, there are two main types of driver's foot cellar design in the field of motor vehicles:
- a first design, in which there is a chute containing a bundle of electrical cables (which extends through the foot cellar) arranged under the passenger compartment carpet and on which the driver's heel (for example below of the accelerator pedal) will come to bear, particularly in the event of an accident;
- a second design, in which there is the presence of a plastic spacer placed in or above the layer of soundproofing covering part of the apron of the foot cellar, and positioned under the carpet, the spacer making acts as a support for the user's foot, while allowing the absorption of kinetic energy in the event of an impact.

Thus, when a beam passes through the driver's footwell, there is no wedge to allow the driver to have a damping element to absorb the kinetic energy during an impact. In addition, the geometry, positioning and/or size of the beam do not necessarily correspond to an ideal support point for the driver's heel, and therefore to effective protection of said driver during an impact. Conversely, when there is a wedge, the conductor foot cellar does not include a chute allowing the passage of a beam through the conductor foot cellar.

In addition, the constraints of producing the soundproofing layers, particularly at the level of the manufacturing and/or assembly processes, can make it complicated to integrate a wedge into the foaming, and not make it possible to have a wedge presenting an adequate volume and/or geometry to guarantee the safety of a user during an accident.

The present invention thus proposes to remedy at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a new type of support device for a foot for a motor vehicle foot cellar, characterized in that the device comprises:
- a main body configured to be fixed to a structural element of a motor vehicle,
- a shock-absorbing block comprising a support surface for a driver's foot;
- a chute configured to accommodate an electrical harness.

The present invention thus presents a technical solution making it possible to take into account both the need:
- to have a chute to pass one or more beams into the cellar area on foot, of a vehicle, but also,
- to integrate a service allowing, during an impact, on the one hand, the absorption of energy (for example at the level of the heel and the ankle on the accelerator pedal side for the driver), to on the other hand, to stabilize the movement of the foot, in order to limit the risk of injury to the driver.

According to another possible characteristic, the main body comprises a reception housing in which the shock-absorbing block is housed.
The receiving housing facilitates in particular the correct positioning of the shock-absorbing block, but also makes it possible to limit the risks of movement of said block, in particular outside the housing, whether during an impact or by the forces exerted by a foot of the user on said block.

According to another possible characteristic, the main body comprises at least one wall delimiting the housing for receiving the shock-absorbing block, for example oriented along the longitudinal axis of the main body (or in the mounted position, along the transverse axis of the vehicle), acting as a stop for the shock-absorbing block.
Said at least one wall of the housing is therefore configured to be in contact with one of the faces of the shock-absorbing block, and therefore acts as a stop to said block, therefore limiting the movements of the shock-absorbing block during an impact.

According to another possible characteristic, the foot support device is intended to be fixed, in particular via the main body, to a part of the apron located in the foot cellar of a vehicle, for example the foot cellar driver.

According to another possible characteristic, the foot support device has an elongated shape. Advantageously, the foot support device is intended to be fixed to a part of the apron of the foot cellar, for example a part of the apron located near and/or under a pedal of the vehicle (in particular an accelerator pedal). . Furthermore, in the mounted position, that is to say when the foot support device is fixed to the apron of the vehicle, the longitudinal axis of the foot support device is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle (or substantially parallel to the transverse axis of the vehicle).

According to another possible characteristic, the foot support device comprises fixing means, such as threads, openings, screws, bolts, etc. configured to attach the foot support device to a structural element of the motor vehicle, such as a vehicle apron. Advantageously, the fixing means are arranged and/or located on the main body of said footrest.

According to another possible characteristic, the main body comprises a support surface, for example flat, for a user's foot (for example his heel).
Said support surface of the main body is generally inclined relative to the horizontal, and therefore, in the mounted position, relative to the floor of the vehicle. Furthermore, in the mounted position, the inclination of the support surface is advantageously configured to maximize the contact surface between the support surface and a user's foot.

According to another possible characteristic, the main body includes stiffening ribs.
Advantageously, the stiffening ribs make it possible to mechanically reinforce the main body and to make it resistant to the mechanical stresses that it is required to undergo, in a usual manner, from the feet of a user, or during a shock.

According to another possible characteristic, the main body is a one-piece (or unitary) part.
Advantageously, the main body is in one piece, in order to reduce its manufacturing cost and/or improve its mechanical strength.

According to another possible characteristic, the chute is arranged in the main body.
Said chute is advantageously arranged or shaped in the main body, thus avoiding the need for an additional part, thus reducing its manufacturing cost and improving the ease of assembly of said device.

According to another possible characteristic, said chute comprises at least two contiguous walls delimiting a reception volume for a bundle of electrical cables.
Advantageously, the contiguous walls, delimiting a reception volume for a beam, facilitate its positioning in the foot support device and make it possible to protect the beam from environmental constraints.

According to another possible characteristic, the chute comprises several stiffening stops (stops connecting for example the contiguous walls of the chute).
Said stiffening stops allow, on the one hand, the mechanical reinforcement of the structure of the chute (and incidentally of the main body), and on the other hand, good positioning of the beam in the chute.

According to another possible characteristic, said chute comprises one or more fixing interfaces for a beam, that is to say shapes and/or openings, allowing fixing means, such as clips or clamps … to secure the beam to the chute (and therefore to the main body), for example to one of the walls of said chute.

According to another possible characteristic, the chute comprises one or more visual indicators configured to signal the position of a fixing interface.

These visual indicators are advantageously arranged on a visible part of the foot support device when it is mounted in the foot cellar, in order to allow the operator to attach the beam to the chute without needing a direct view of the harness and/or the fixing interface, thus facilitating the fixing of the harness in the trunking.
Visual indicators are for example a symbol, a shape, a label, etc. arranged or arranged on the main body facing the fixing interfaces, advantageously on the support surface of the main body (one of the ends of said support surface joining one of the walls of the chute).

According to another possible characteristic, the main body comprises a curved end configured to be positioned resting on a layer of soundproofing covering a motor vehicle apron.
This curved end of the main body, resting on the sound-absorbing layer of the vehicle apron, makes it possible to hook and/or anchor the main body of the device according to the invention to a layer of sound-absorbing covering the apron. This “unhooked” end of the main body therefore acts as an additional retaining means and therefore helps maintain the foot support device in position during an impact.

The invention also relates to a motor vehicle, for example thermal, electric or hybrid, characterized in that it comprises at least one foot support device comprising all or part of the characteristics set out above.

The invention will be better understood, and other aims, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given solely for illustrative purposes and not restrictive, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:
- there illustrates a schematic, partial, perspective and top view of a vehicle comprising a foot support device according to the invention arranged in a foot cellar;
- there is a schematic perspective view, from the front and from above, of the device of the ;
- there is a schematic perspective view from below of the device of the [ ] ;
- there is a schematic, enlarged and partial view of part of the device of the ;
- there is a schematic, enlarged and partial view of part of the device of the , in particular a means of fixing said device;
- there is a schematic, enlarged and vertical sectional view of the means of fixing the ;
- there [ ] is a schematic view, in perspective from above, of a damping block of the device of the ;
- there is a schematic view, in perspective from below, of a damping block of the device of the ;
- there [ ] is a schematic, partial view from above and in perspective of a chute of the device of the ;
- there [ ] is a schematic, partial, enlarged and perspective view of part of the chute of the [ ].

In the following description, the term “include” is synonymous with “include” and is not restrictive in that it authorizes the presence of other elements in the vehicle, or the structure to which it relates. It is understood that the term “understand” includes the terms “consist of”. Likewise, the terms “lower”, “upper”, “front”, “rear”, “longitudinal” and “transverse” will be understood in relation to the general orientation of the motor vehicle, whether thermal or hybrid. or electric.

The term “lower” will designate a greater proximity to the ground than “higher” along the vertical axis. Furthermore, it will be noted that in the different figures, the same references designate identical or similar elements.

In the present application, it will be noted that “substantially parallel” means a direction deviating by at most 20°, or even by at most 10° or at most 5° from a parallel direction. It should also be noted that “substantially orthogonal” means a direction deviating by at most 20°, or even by at most 10° or by at most 5°, from an angle with a value of 90°. .

There thus illustrates a very partial, schematic perspective and top view of a foot cellar of a motor vehicle which comprises a support device for foot 1 according to the invention.

The foot support device 1 is advantageously arranged between a part of the apron (not shown) and a part of the floor (not shown) of a motor vehicle, in particular in a driver's foot cellar. Said foot support device 1 is generally positioned under the passenger compartment carpet (not shown) and above a layer of sound-absorbing apron C.

The foot support device 1 thus generally has an elongated shape, and comprises:
- a main body 3 configured to be fixed to a structural element of the motor vehicle, in particular to the apron of the vehicle;
- a shock-absorbing block 5 comprising at least one support surface 5c and/or 5d for the foot of a driver;
- a chute 7 configured to accommodate an electrical harness 8.

The foot support device 1 is therefore intended to be fixed, in particular via the main body 3, to a part of a structural element of the vehicle, such as a part of the apron located in the foot cellar of a motor vehicle, for example the driver's foot cellar.

Advantageously, the foot support device 1 is located near and/or under a pedal of the vehicle (in particular an accelerator pedal). Furthermore, in the mounted position, that is to say when the foot support device 1 is fixed to the apron of the vehicle, the longitudinal axis of the foot support device 1 is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle (or substantially parallel to the transverse axis of the vehicle).

As is more particularly visible in And , the main body 3 thus has two opposite main faces 3a and 3b: a first face 3a, called the upper face, and a second face 3b, called the lower face.

In the mounted position, that is to say when the foot support device 1 is fixed to the apron of the vehicle, in the foot cellar, the lower face 3b of the body 3 is oriented towards the apron, and is in contact with the sound-absorbing layer C covering the apron, while the upper face 3a is oriented towards the outside of the apron, and is intended to be covered by a passenger compartment carpet, or a carpet-type textile (in particular for compliance aesthetic constraints).

It will also be noted that the main body 3 is advantageously made of a thermoplastic material, such as polypropylene, and is for example produced by injection. The main body 3 is therefore advantageously a one-piece or unitary part.

The main body 3 also has, at one of its ends 3c, intended to be in contact with the sound-absorbing layer C of the apron, a curved shape, or a recess, configured to be positioned ( e) resting on the sound-absorbing layer C covering the apron of the motor vehicle.
The shape of the end 3c of the main body 3 thus makes it possible to hook and/or anchor the main body 3 of the device 1 to the sound-absorbing layer C. This curved end 3c of the main body 3 therefore acts as a means additional restraint and promotes maintaining the position of the foot support device 1 during an impact. Advantageously, the curved (or unhooked) shape of the end 3c extends over the entire length of the main body 3c.

The damping block 5 has, for its part, substantially the shape of a polyhedron, for example the shape of a prism. Block 5 is advantageously made of a thermoplastic material, such as expanded polypropylene, and is for example produced by molding. The damping block 5 is also advantageously a one-piece or unitary part.

Said chute 7, for its part, is advantageously arranged in the main body 3, for example by shaping said body 3 to provide shapes and/or structures making it possible to accommodate one or more electrical harnesses 8.

As is particularly illustrated in , the main body 3 includes:
- a support surface 9 (advantageously flat), generally inclined relative to the floor of the vehicle, intended to receive at least one user's foot;
- a reception housing 11 in which the damping block 5 is housed;
- one or more fixing means 12, such as threads, openings, screws, bolts, etc. configured to fix the main body 3, and therefore the foot support device 1, to a structural element of the motor vehicle, such as the apron of the vehicle (for example through the sound-absorbing layer C, and therefore directly on apron).

As is more particularly visible in the , the support surface 9 of the body 3, located on the upper face 3a, presents, when the foot support device 1 is in the mounted position, a predetermined angle with respect to the floor and/or the apron of the vehicle, for example example greater than 10° from the horizontal. Advantageously, the support surface 9 is configured to, in the mounted position, maximize the contact surface with the driver's foot.

Furthermore, as is more particularly illustrated in , the main body 3 comprises one or more stiffening ribs 31, ribs 31 located in particular on the lower face 3b.

The stiffening ribs 31 extend transversely (for example substantially orthogonally) relative to the longitudinal axis of the main body 3. Thus, when the foot support device 1 is in the mounted position, the stiffening ribs 31 are oriented along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, that is to say in the axis along which the user's foot exerts a force on the foot support device 1.

The fixing means 12, for their part, are advantageously arranged and/or located on the main body 3 of said footrest 1. Furthermore, it will be noted that the number of fixing means 12 of the main body 3 is a function of the length of said main body 3 and are advantageously arranged at regular intervals from each other. However, the fixing means 12 are advantageously at least two in number to limit the risks of rotation linked to a single fixing point.

As is particularly visible in , And , the fixing means 12 are for example structures shaped (in the main body 3) to be clipped onto studs G and/or screws welded onto the apron T of the vehicle (apron T more particularly visible at the ). Thus, the main body 3, via the fixing means 12, is fixed on the apron T, the main body 3 thus being positioned above a sound-absorbing layer C of said apron T. Advantageously, openings are provided in said sound-absorbing layer of the apron T, allowing access to the studs G and/or screws welded to the apron T.

In addition, the fixing means 12 advantageously comprise a collar 12a, more particularly visible, on the one hand, at the which is a schematic view, from above, and in perspective of a fixing means 12, and, on the other hand, at the which is a schematic and sectional view, substantially in a vertical plane, of the fixing means 12 of the .

Said collar 12a is thus configured to be, in the mounted position, in contact with the sound-absorbing layer C of the apron, this in particular to limit acoustic leaks, and therefore not to degrade the acoustic performance of the vehicle. Said collar 12a therefore advantageously surrounds the stud G and the various additional fixing means.

Said fixing means 12 may also comprise a fixing clip 13 mounted between the stud G, welded to the apron T, and the main body 3 (and in particular the parts of the main body 3 in which said fixing means 12 are fitted or shaped) , in order to reinforce the mechanical connection between the device 1 and the apron T and to limit the play between elements of the fixing means 12 and the stud G. In addition, the fixing means 12 can also include another flange 12b, which is surrounded by the collar 12a, configured to come to rest on the fixing clip 13 (thus blocking the main body 3 relative to the stud G).

THE And are, for their part, very schematic views, in perspective, respectively from above and below of the damping block 5. The damping block 5 has two opposite main faces 5a and 5b: a first face 5a, called the upper face, and a second face 5b, called the lower face. In addition, block 5 comprises transverse faces 5e connecting said upper 5a and lower 5b faces.

Thus, in the mounted position, that is to say when the block 5 is housed in the receiving housing 11 of the body 3, the second face 5b of the block 5 is in contact with the housing 11, while the first face 5a is, on the one hand, oriented towards the outside of the housing 11 (and therefore of the main body 3), and, on the other hand, intended to be covered by a passenger compartment carpet, or a carpet-type textile .

The shock-absorbing block 5 also comprises, arranged on its upper face 5a, two support surfaces 5c and 5d configured to receive the driver's foot: a first support surface 5c inclined relative to the horizontal, when the device 1 is in the mounted position, and a second support surface 5d, extending the first support surface 5c, substantially parallel to the horizontal. Advantageously, in the mounted position, the first support surface 5c is configured to be substantially parallel to the driver's heel, for example during an impact and the sliding of the driver's foot towards the front (of the vehicle), while the second support surface 5d helps limit the forward movement of the driver's heel during an impact.

Note that in the usual position the driver's heel is not resting on block 5, however during an impact, the foot tends to slide forward. The heel then comes to rest on the upper face 5a of the device 5, in particular on the first bearing surface 5c of the block 5. The block 5 will thus, initially, absorb the kinetic energy, in particular by intermediate the first and second supporting surfaces 5c and/or 5d, then stabilize the position of the foot to prevent injuries to the driver's ankle.

Housing 11, more particularly illustrated in , thus has a bottom 11a (bottom which is, in the mounted position, in contact with the lower face 5b of the block 5) and comprises one or more structures 11b configured to cooperate with one or more complementary shapes 5f arranged or fixed in the block 5 , more particularly visible at the , such as blind holes provided, for example by recessing, in the lower face 5b of said block 5.

The structures 11b are for example barrels which fit (for example by force), or clip, into the blind holes 5f of the block 5, thus making it possible to secure (via the housing 11) the damping block 5 to the main body 3.

This cooperation between the structures 11b of the housing 11 and the complementary shapes 5f of the block 5 allows in particular, on the one hand, the positioning of the block 5 in the housing 11, and on the other hand, to limit, or even prevent, the movement of the block 5 (for example outside the housing), particularly during a frontal impact.

In addition, the main body 3 advantageously comprises one or more walls 11c delimiting the receiving housing 11 of the damping block 5. Said walls 11c delimiting the housing 11 are therefore in contact with one or more faces of the damping block 5, in particular the faces transverse 5th of said block 5, and act as a stop to said block 5, therefore limiting the movements of the damping block 5 during an impact.

As is more particularly illustrated in [ ], the chute 7 comprises at least two contiguous walls 7a and 7b delimiting a reception volume 71 for at least one bundle 8 of electrical cables. Said two contiguous walls 7a and 7b are arranged substantially orthogonal to each other.
In addition, the chute 7 comprises several stiffening stops 72 connecting said contiguous walls 7a and 7b of the chute 7. Said stiffening stops 72 are thus configured to act as stops for the beam, and therefore position, as best as possible, the beam in the reception volume 71 of the chute 7.

Furthermore, as is more particularly visible in And , said trunking 7 comprises one or more fixing interfaces 73 for a cable bundle, that is to say shapes and/or openings allowing fixing means, such as clips, staples (for example staples fir tree type), to secure a beam 8 to the chute 7 (and therefore to the main body 3), for example to one of the walls 7a of said chute 7.

In addition, said fixing interfaces 73 are advantageously arranged in the wall 7a of the chute 7, wall 7a which is substantially orthogonal to the horizontal, when the device 1 is in the mounted position. The number of fixing interfaces 73 is variable and can be adapted according to the length of the beam 8, according to the length of the main body 3 and/or according to the level of fixing sought between the beam(s) with the device 1.

The chute 7 also includes one or more visual indicators 74 configured to signal the position of a fixing interface 73.

These visual indicators 74 are advantageously arranged on a part visible, by an operator, of the support device for foot 1 during its assembly in a foot cellar, this in order to allow the operator to fix the beam 8 to the chute 7 without needing a direct view of the beam 8 and/or the fixing interface 73, thus facilitating the fixing of the beam 8 in the chute 7.

The visual indicators 74 are for example a symbol, a shape, a label, etc. arranged or arranged on the main body 3 facing the fixing interfaces 73, advantageously on the support surface 9 (one of the ends of said support surface 9 joining one of the walls 7a of the chute 7) or at the top of the wall 11c delimiting the housing 11 of the main body 3.

In a variant embodiment not shown, the damping block 5 is fixed to the bottom 11a of the housing 11 by adhesive, that is to say by covering one of the faces in contact, for example the lower face 5b of the block 5, by a layer of adhesive. It should also be noted that in addition to comprising structures 11a and shapes, block 5 can be fixed to housing 11 by a layer of adhesive.

In another alternative embodiment not shown, the chute 7 is not arranged on a transverse face of the main body 3, but on the lower face 3b of said body 3, the chute 7 is then located under the main body 3 when the device 1 is in the up position.

Claims (10)

Support device for a foot (1) for a motor vehicle foot cellar, characterized in that the device (1) comprises:
- a main body (3) configured to be fixed to a structural element of a motor vehicle;
- a shock-absorbing block (5) comprising a support surface (5c, 5d) for the foot of a driver;
- a chute (7) configured to accommodate an electrical harness. Foot support device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the main body (3) comprises a receiving housing (11) in which the shock-absorbing block (5) is housed. Foot support device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the main body (3) comprises at least one wall (11c) delimiting the housing (11) for receiving the shock-absorbing block (5). Foot support device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the main body (3) comprises a support surface (9) for a user's foot. Foot support device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chute (7) is arranged in the main body (3). Foot support device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the main body (3) is a single piece. Foot support device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said chute (7) comprises one or more fixing interfaces (73) for a beam (8) allowing fixing means of secure a beam (8) to the chute (7). Foot support device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the chute (7) comprises one or more visual indicators (74) configured to signal the position of a fixing interface (73). Foot support device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the main body (3) comprises a curved end (3c) configured to be positioned in support of a layer of sound-absorbing material (C). covering the apron of the motor vehicle. Motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a foot support device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.