GB2510697A - Vehicle safety system - Google Patents

Vehicle safety system Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2510697A
GB2510697A GB201322362A GB201322362A GB2510697A GB 2510697 A GB2510697 A GB 2510697A GB 201322362 A GB201322362 A GB 201322362A GB 201322362 A GB201322362 A GB 201322362A GB 2510697 A GB2510697 A GB 2510697A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
support plate
vehicle
safety system
occupant
energy absorption
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB201322362A
Other versions
GB201322362D0 (en
Inventor
Gopal Krishnan Chinnaswamy
Kalyan Cheruvu
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Mercedes Benz Group AG
Original Assignee
Daimler AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Daimler AG filed Critical Daimler AG
Priority to GB201322362A priority Critical patent/GB2510697A/en
Publication of GB201322362D0 publication Critical patent/GB201322362D0/en
Publication of GB2510697A publication Critical patent/GB2510697A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60N3/00—Arrangements or adaptations of other passenger fittings, not otherwise provided for
    • B60N3/06—Arrangements or adaptations of other passenger fittings, not otherwise provided for of footrests
    • B60N3/066—Arrangements or adaptations of other passenger fittings, not otherwise provided for of footrests with protection systems against abnormal g-forces
    • 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
    • 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
    • B60R2021/0273—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads automatically movable to an operative position, e.g. in case of collision or impending collision

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)

Abstract

A vehicle safety system 20 comprises a support plate 22 arranged in the area of a floor 12 and bounding a foot space 24. The support plate 22 is movable by an actuator from the stowed position into the protective position in the event of an accident of the vehicle, in which a support surface 28 of the support plate 22 extends diagonally in relation to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (Fig. 3). An energy absorption element (32, Fig. 3) supports the support plate 22 in the protective position and absorbs energy as a result of a movement of the support plate 22 due to an accident of the vehicle.

Description

Safety System for a Vehicle, in particular a Passenger Vehicle The invention relates to a safety system for a vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle.
Safety systems for vehicles are well known from the general prior art. Such a safety system comprises, for example, at least one airbag which is deployable from a stowage position into a protective position. In the protective position the airbag is configured to cushion at least one occupant moving, for example, towards the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and/or towards the side in the transverse direction of the vehicle due to an accident of the vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, the safety system can comprise at least one seat belt tensioner configured to restrain the occupant. Moreover, a lift car floor with a damping function is known from CN 201458467 U. It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety system for a vehicle, by means of which safety system at least one occupant of the vehicle can be restraint particularly advantageously in the event of an accident.
This object is solved by a safety system having the features of patent claim 1.
Advantageous embodiments with expedient and non-trivial developments of the invention are indicated in the other patent claims.
The safety system according to the present invention comprises at least one support plate arranged in the area of a floor of the vehicle. The support plate bounds a foot space of the vehicle at least partially in the vertical direction of the vehicle towards the bottom.
Moreover, the support plate is movable from a stowage position into at least one protective position. In the protective position a support surface of the support plate extends diagonally in relation to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
The safety system further comprises at least one actuator for moving the support plate from the stowage position into the protective position in the event of an accident of the vehicle. In other words, if an accident is detected by, for example, at least one sensor the support plate is moved from the stowage position into the protective position by means of the actuator.
Furthermore, the safety system comprises at least one energy absorption element via which the support plate is supported on at least one component of the vehicle in the protective position. This means the support plate bears against the energy absorption element at least in the protective position. Moreover, the energy absorption element bears against the component at least in the protective position. The energy absorption element is capable of absorbing energy as a result of a movement of the support plate in relation to the component due to an accident of the vehicle.
By means of the support plate being in the protective position, at least one foot or feet of an occupant sitting in the vehicle and, thus, the lower body of the occupant can be restrained by means of the support plate since the foot or the feet can be supported on or bear against the support plate being in the protective position. For example, if the occupant is moved towards the support plate as a result of forces acting upon the occupant due to an accident, the feet and, thus, the lower body of the occupant can be supported by the support plate. Moreover, the support plate supporting the occupant can be moved in relation to the component on which the support plate is supported via the energy absorption element.
Since the energy absorption element is supported or supportable on the component and the support plate the energy absorption element is deformed, in particular compressed, due to the movement of the support plate in relation to the component. For example, the energy absorbing element can be deformed elastically or plastically. By means of this deformation of the energy absorption element energy, in particular kinetic energy of the occupant can be absorbed at least partially by the energy absorption element in such a way that impact energy or kinetic energy is transformed into, for example, deformation energy. Thus, the support plate acts as a restraining mechanism during a crash, the mechanism restraining the lower body of the occupant. Thereby, the danger of injuries can be kept particularly low. Moreover, the kinetic energy of the occupant can be managed during the crash by absorbing the energy at least partially at the feet of the occupant.
For example, the support plate is configured as an ejecting floor plate which can be moved or ejected from the stowage position into the support position. Thus, by means of the safety system an ejecting energy absorbing floor of the vehicle can be realized.
Further advantages, features and details of the present invention derive from the following description of preferred embodiments as well as from the drawing. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respective indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention.
The drawing shows in: Fig. 1 a schematic side view of an interior of a vehicle in the form of a passenger vehicle comprising a safely system having at least one support plate being arranged in the area of a floor and bounding a foot space at least partially in the vertical direction of the vehicle towards the bottom, the support plate being movable from a stowage position into at least one protective position in which a support surface of the support plate extends diagonally in relation to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; Fig. 2 part of a schematic side view of the safety system; Fig. 3 part of a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the safety system, wherein the support plate is in its protective position; and Fig. 4 part of a schematic side view of a second embodiment of the safety system, wherein the support plate is in its protective position.
In the figures the same elements or elements having the same function are designated with the same reference sign.
Fig. 1 shows an interior 10 of a vehicle in the form of a passenger vehicle. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the passenger vehicle comprises a floor 12 bounding the interior 10 in the vertical direction of the vehicle towards the bottom. The passenger vehicle further comprises a front seat 14 and a back seat 16 which is arranged behind the front seat 14 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Both the front seat 14 and the back seat 16 are attached to the floor 12. An occupant 18 of the passenger vehicle sits on the back seats 16.
The passenger vehicle further comprises a safety system designated as a whole with reference sign 20. The safety system 20 comprises at least one support plate 22 arranged in the area of the floor 12. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the support plate 22 can be part of the floor 12 so that the support plate 22 can be a floor plate which is, for example, movably attached to at least one further floor plate or floor element of the floor 12.
The support plate 22 bounds a foot space 24 at least partially in the vertical direction of the passenger vehicle towards the bottom. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the occupant 18 sitting on the back seat 16 can place his feet 26 in the foot space 24 while sitting on the back seat 16. With respect to the occupant 18 sitting in the vehicle the support plate 22 is arranged beneath the feet 26 of the occupant 18.
The support plate 22 is movable from a stowage position shown in Fig. 1 into at least one protective position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, wherein Fig. 3 shows a first embodiment of the safety system 20 and Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of the safety system 20. In the protective position a support surface 28 of the support plate 22 extends diagonally in relation to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In the protective position the support surface 28 extends from top front to bottom rear so that the support surface 28 is facing the occupant 18 in the protective position.
In the stowage position the support surface 28 extends at least substantially horizontally.
For example, the support surface 28 sits flush with a surface 30 of the floor 12 in the stowage position, the surface 30 extending at least substantially perpendicularly in relation to the vertical direction of the vehicle. The safety system 20 further comprises at least one actuator for moving the support plate 22 from the stowage position into the protective position in the event of an accident of the vehicle. For example, if a crash such as a frontal impact of the passenger vehicle is detected by means of at least one sensor, the support plate 22 is moved from the stowage position into the protective position by means of the actuator.
As can be seen from Fig. 3, the safety system 20 further comprises at least one energy absorption element 32 via which the support plate 22 is supported on at least one component 34 of the vehicle in the protective position. For example, the component 34 is a floor element of the floor 12, the component 34 being supported, for example, on the body of the passenger vehicle.
The energy absorption element 32 is capable of absorbing energy as a result of a movement of the support plate 22 in relation to the component 34 due to an accident of the vehicle. In the present case, the energy element 32 comprises at least one spring 36 and at least one damper 38 which are supported on the support plate 22 on one side and the component 34 on the other side.
As can be seen from Fig. 3, the feet 26 of the occupant 18 can be supported by the support plate 22 in the protective position when the feet 26 are moved in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle towards the front due to an accident such as a frontal impact of the vehicle. In other words, the feet 26 can bear against the support plate 22. By supporting the feet 26 the lower body of the occupant 18 can be supported and, thus, restrained so that the movement of the lower body of the occupant 18 in the longitudinal direction towards the front due to an accident can be limited.
Since accelerations resulting from the accident act upon the occupant 18, the feet 26 are moved forwards. This movement of the feet 26 effects a movement of the support plate 22 in relation to the component 34, wherein the support plate 22 is pushed towards the component 34 by the feet 26. In other words, in the event of an accident the support plate 22 is pushed by the feet 26 from the protective position towards the stowage position. This movement of the support plate 22 in relation to the component 34 results in a compression of the spring 36 and the damper 38. Thereby, the energy absorption element 32 absorbs energy, in particular kinetic energy of the occupant 18.
Alternatively or additionally, the energy absorption element 32 can comprise at least one energy absorption part made of an energy absorbing material. The movement of the support plate 22 in relation to the component 34 effects a deformation, in particular a compression, of the energy absorption part so that the energy absorption part can absorb energy by deforming.
For example, the spring 36 can be used as the actuator to move the support plate 22 from the stowage position into the protective position. For this purpose, the spring 36 is, for example, pre-stressed in the stowage position.
Alternatively or additionally, the actuator comprises at least one pyrotechnical element by means of which the support plate 22 can be moved from the stowage position into the protective position very fast. Alternatively or additionally, the actuator can comprise at least one spring being pre-stressed in the stowage position, the spring being configured to move the support plate 22 from the stowage position into the protective position in the event of an accident.
The support plate 22 is configured as an ejected or ejectable floor plate which lifts the feet 26 so that the feet 26 have a gradient which can be seen from Fig. 3. During a crash the occupant 18 is supported by the ejected support plate 22 and sliding of the feet 26 can be kept particularly low since the support plate 22 extends diagonally in the protective position. Thus, the safety system 20 acts as a restraint system to keep the danger of injuries of the occupant 18 particularly low. Furthermore, the safety system 20 helps manage the occupant energy. Thus, a plurality of design options for an overall restraint system having the safety system 20 and at least one airbag and/or at least one seat belt and/or at least one other mechanism can be realized.
Fig. 4 shows the second embodiment of the safety system 20, the safety system 20 according to the second embodiment comprising at least one further energy absorption element 40. As can be seen from Fig. 4, the energy absorption element 32 is arranged in a front portion 42 of the support plate 22, wherein the energy absorption element 40 is arranged in a rear portion 44 of the support plate 22.
The energy absorption element 40 also comprises at least one spring 46 and a damper 48, wherein the s support plate 22 is supported on the component 34 via the energy absorption element 32 and the energy absorption element 40.
List of reference signs interior 12 floor 14 front seat 16 backseat 18 occupant safety system 22 support plate 24 foot space 26 feet 28 support surface surface 32 energy absorption element 34 component 36 spring 38 damper energy absorption element 42 front portion 44 rear portion 46 spring 48 damper

Claims (5)

  1. Claims A safety system (20) for a vehicle, the safety system comprising: -at least one support plate (22) arranged in the area of a floor (12) and bounding a foot space (24) at least partially in the vertical direction of the vehicle towards the bottom, the support plate (22) being movable from a stowage position into at least one protective position in which a support surface (28) of the support plate extends diagonally in relation to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; -at least one actuator for moving the support plate (22) from the stowage position into the protective position in the event of an accident of the vehicle; and -at least one energy absorption element (32) via which the support plate (22) is supported on at least one component (34) of the vehicle in the protective position, the energy absorption element (32) being capable of absorbing energy as a result of a movement of the support plate (22) in relation to the component (34) due to an accident of the vehicle.
  2. 2. The safety system (20) according to claim 1, characterized in that the support surface (28) of the support plate (22) extends at least substantially horizontally in the stowage position.
  3. 3. The safety system (20) according to any one of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the energy absorption element (32) comprises at least one spring (36) and/or at least one damper (38).
  4. 4. The safety system (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuator comprises a pyrotechnical element and/or a spring being pre-stressed in the stowage position.
  5. 5. The safety system (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that with respect to an occupant (18) sitting in the vehicle the support plate (22) is arranged beneath the feet (26) of the occupant (18).
GB201322362A 2013-12-18 2013-12-18 Vehicle safety system Withdrawn GB2510697A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB201322362A GB2510697A (en) 2013-12-18 2013-12-18 Vehicle safety system

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB201322362A GB2510697A (en) 2013-12-18 2013-12-18 Vehicle safety system

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201322362D0 GB201322362D0 (en) 2014-02-05
GB2510697A true GB2510697A (en) 2014-08-13

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Family Applications (1)

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GB201322362A Withdrawn GB2510697A (en) 2013-12-18 2013-12-18 Vehicle safety system

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2021063739A1 (en) * 2019-09-30 2021-04-08 Audi Ag Foot support device for a footwell of a vehicle
DE102021201417A1 (en) 2020-12-02 2022-06-02 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Footrest for a motor vehicle
US11827359B2 (en) 2022-04-01 2023-11-28 B/E Aerospace, Inc. Devices for HIC reduction

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH10297341A (en) * 1997-04-28 1998-11-10 Honda Motor Co Ltd Foot rest device for automobile
JPH10310011A (en) * 1997-05-09 1998-11-24 Honda Motor Co Ltd Foot protective device for vehicle
DE19727598A1 (en) * 1997-06-28 1999-01-07 Volkswagen Ag Motor vehicle occupant foot supporting safety device during impact
WO2001068410A1 (en) * 2000-03-14 2001-09-20 Autoliv Development Ab A safety arrangement

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH10297341A (en) * 1997-04-28 1998-11-10 Honda Motor Co Ltd Foot rest device for automobile
JPH10310011A (en) * 1997-05-09 1998-11-24 Honda Motor Co Ltd Foot protective device for vehicle
DE19727598A1 (en) * 1997-06-28 1999-01-07 Volkswagen Ag Motor vehicle occupant foot supporting safety device during impact
WO2001068410A1 (en) * 2000-03-14 2001-09-20 Autoliv Development Ab A safety arrangement

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2021063739A1 (en) * 2019-09-30 2021-04-08 Audi Ag Foot support device for a footwell of a vehicle
US11964603B2 (en) 2019-09-30 2024-04-23 Audi Ag Foot support device for a footwell of a vehicle
DE102021201417A1 (en) 2020-12-02 2022-06-02 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Footrest for a motor vehicle
US11827359B2 (en) 2022-04-01 2023-11-28 B/E Aerospace, Inc. Devices for HIC reduction

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)