WO2016207843A1 - Crash attenuator device and method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle in case of a frontal collision of the small overlap type - Google Patents

Crash attenuator device and method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle in case of a frontal collision of the small overlap type Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2016207843A1
WO2016207843A1 PCT/IB2016/053767 IB2016053767W WO2016207843A1 WO 2016207843 A1 WO2016207843 A1 WO 2016207843A1 IB 2016053767 W IB2016053767 W IB 2016053767W WO 2016207843 A1 WO2016207843 A1 WO 2016207843A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
obstacle
energy dissipating
frontal
dissipating element
vehicle
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2016/053767
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jean Louis Toneatti
Original Assignee
Tres Srl
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Filing date
Publication date
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Publication of WO2016207843A1 publication Critical patent/WO2016207843A1/en

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R19/00—Wheel guards; Radiator guards, e.g. grilles; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions
    • B60R19/02—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects
    • B60R19/04—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects formed from more than one section in a side-by-side arrangement
    • B60R19/14—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects formed from more than one section in a side-by-side arrangement having folding parts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R19/00—Wheel guards; Radiator guards, e.g. grilles; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions
    • B60R19/02—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects
    • B60R19/04—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects formed from more than one section in a side-by-side arrangement
    • B60R19/16—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects formed from more than one section in a side-by-side arrangement having deflecting members, e.g. rollers, balls
    • 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
    • B60R2021/0002—Type of accident
    • B60R2021/0023—Offset collision

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a crash attenuator device and to a method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in particular for a frontal collision of the "small overlap" type, that is for a frontal collision with a moving or stationary obstacle with a small overlapping width between said vehicle and said obstacle, hence in the case in which a motor vehicle collides against a moving or stationary obstacle such as a barrier or a guard rail or the like, and wherein the collision affect only 25% of the frontal portion of the motor vehicle and, in particular, only 15% of the frontal portion of the vehicle.
  • Attenuate a crash it is usually used at least one polymeric crash absorbing element provided with a plurality of channels which form a honeycomb structure which is inserted within a bumper structure such for example a frontal bumper structure.
  • Said at least one crash absorbing element is capable of absorbing a portion of kinetic energy during a collision of the motor vehicle against a stationary or moving obstacle through a plurality of programmed folding which allows to notably reduce the energy of said collision.
  • lateral portion of the chassis is not capable of withstanding said frontal collision of the "small overlap" type, and therefore there are currently no solutions other than those consisting in a greater stiffening of said lateral portion of said chassis, however with the disadvantage of a substantial increase in the overall weight and also an increase in the cost of production and fuel consumption of the vehicle.
  • Purpose of the present invention is to provide a crash attenuator device and a method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in the case of a frontal collision of small overlap type, which permits to maintain a reduced weight of the vehicle.
  • Another aim is to provide a crash attenuator device and a method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in the case of a frontal collision of the small overlap type, which permits to minimize the impact force transmitted to said vehicle and to reduce the deformations of said passenger cabin of the same.
  • Another aim is to provide a crash attenuator device and a method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in the case of a frontal collision of the small overlap type, which permits an high stability of the vehicle during said collision and that at the same time allows a reduction of the manufacturing costs.
  • Still another aim is to provide a crash attenuator device for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in the case of a frontal collision of the small overlap type, which allows an easy mounting the same on said motor vehicle.
  • a further aim is to provide a crash attenuator device and a chassis for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in the case of a frontal collision of small overlap type, which are both easy to realize and economically advantageous.
  • Such purposes according to the present invention are achieved realizing a crash attenuator device and a method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle in the case of a frontal collision of small overlap type, as explained in claims 1 and 10.
  • Figure 1 is a perspective right side elevation view of a vehicle which impact against an obstacle with a small transversal overlap between said motor vehicle and said obstacle;
  • Figure 2 is a top view of Figure 1 ;
  • FIGS 3 to 7 are bottom views of the vehicle of Figure 1 during a collision of the small overlap type in various successive instants and in which a crash attenuator device according to a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is shown;
  • FIGS 8 to 13 are further bottom views of the vehicle of Figure 1 during a collision of the small overlap type in various successive instants and in which a crash attenuator device according to a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is shown;
  • Figure 14 is a perspective right elevation view of a preferred form of embodiment of a crash attenuator device according to the present invention and of a detail of a chassis of a motor vehicle;
  • Figure 15 is a rear perspective view of the crash attenuator device of
  • Figure 14 which is connected to a chassis of a motor vehicle.
  • a crash attenuator device is provide for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular for reduce the damages to a passenger cabin 99 of the same, during a preferably frontal collision with an obstacle 94, which is mobile or stationary such as in particular a barrier or a guard-rail or similar, with a small overlap width between said vehicle and said obstacle 94, and wherein the collision preferably affects only 25% of the transverse width of said motor vehicle, and in particular only 15% of the transverse width of said vehicle, that is during a frontal collision of the "small overlap" type.
  • said crash attenuator device comprises a first energy dissipating element 10 which is substantially non deformable, and preferably very resistant, and in particular having a plastic deformation stress greater than 10 tons and preferably greater than 30 tons, wherein said first energy dissipating element 10 is able to dissipate at least partially an energy of said collision, in particular substantially without absorbing the same, preferably through removal of a plurality of chips of material, in particular from said obstacle 94 and/or from said first energy dissipating element 10, and/or through a scraping with high friction against said obstacle 94.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is suitable to be used for dissipate at least partially said energy of said collision and for remove a plurality of chips of material, in particular from said obstacle 94 and/or from said first energy dissipating element 10, in particular at a contact interface between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94, in particular when said first energy dissipating element 10 is in a working position.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is suitable to be used for scrape with high friction against said obstacle 94, in particular when said first energy dissipating element 10 is in a working position.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is suitable to be used for remove a plurality of chips of material, in particular from said obstacle 94 and/or from said first energy dissipating element 10, in particular at a contact interface between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94 and for scrape with high friction against said obstacle 94, for dissipate at least partially the kinetic energy of said collision.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is able to move from a rest position, in which in particular the same does not interfere with the normal operation of a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal in the case of a collision preferably frontal with an overlap of at least 50% between said vehicle and said obstacle 94, to a working position for at least partially dissipate the kinetic energy of said collision, and in particular for remove a plurality of chips of material, in particular from said obstacle 94 and/or from said first energy dissipating element 10, in particular at a contact interface between said energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94, and for scrape with high friction against said obstacle 94 which is mobile or stationary.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is not a crash absorbing element, since said first energy dissipating element 10 does not absorb energy by plastic deformation as by means of a plurality of folds or by breaking as occurs in polymeric crash absorbing element as for example of the type commonly known with the English term "crash can" or "crash box".
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is a first crash energy dissipating element 10 and being very resistant, and substantially plastically non-deformable up to at least 30 tons, it is therefore able to dissipate at least a part of kinetic energy of said collision by substantially avoiding to absorb the same through plastic deformation and/or through a plurality of folds or through breaking.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is a protruding element which is associable with, and preferably connectable to a chassis of a motor vehicle and in particular laterally to a longitudinal side member of said chassis or laterally to a third loading line 90 of said chassis, so as to protrude with respect to said longitudinal side member and with respect to said third loading line 90.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is connectable to a third loading line 90 of said chassis of which said chassis it is preferably provided, so as to protrude transversely with respect to the same.
  • said third loading line 90 is also usable as a support for a radiator of said vehicle.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 comprises at least one through hole, and preferably a plurality of through holes, for fixing or for connecting to said chassis, said plurality of holes being preferably made from a first base surface of the said first energy dissipating element 10 itself.
  • said crash attenuator device comprises a first metallic fixing plate 18, in particular substantially planar, which in particular is fixable between a frontal end of said longitudinal side member and a rear end of a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal, or in particular said first metallic fixing plate 18 is fixable between a frontal end of a third loading line 90 of said chassis and a rear end of a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal, preferably so as to be respectively projected transversely with respect to said longitudinal member or longitudinally with respect to said third loading line 90, in particular said first energy dissipating element 10 is fixed to or made integral to a projecting portion of said first metallic fixing plate 18.
  • said bumper structure 70 preferably frontal includes a cross member 75 preferably metallic and at least two polymeric crash absorbing elements 76 which are connected behind to said cross member 75, each of them also having a frontal end 76a and a rear end 76b, and a rear end 76b of at least one of said two polymeric crash absorbing elements 76 is preferably associated with said first metallic fixing plate 18, also in particular each frontal end 76a of each polymeric crash absorbing elements 76 is fixed to said cross member 75.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is fixed externally to said chassis and protrudes transversely with respect to said chassis in said rest position.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is protruding laterally with respect to said chassis for not to stiffen said chassis and for not to stiffen a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal and for not interfere with the same during a during a normal collision preferably frontal which affects at least 50% of the transverse width of the vehicle, preferably also said rest position being further longitudinally advanced with respect to a frontal wheel 93 of said motor vehicle and in particular with respect to a motor 92 of which said vehicle is preferably equipped, and also preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 is fixed in a rest position which is in particular and substantially at the maximum height of said frontal wheel 93 or at a half of the maximum height of the same.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 in said rest position does not interfere with the set of possible positions in which it may be normally said frontal wheel 93, which can be steered as normally the vehicles have the steering acting on frontal wheels.
  • said crash attenuator device is able to pass from a rest position to a working position for reduce the speed of a vehicle and at the same time for at least partially absorb said collision.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is parallel from the mechanical point of view with respect to said bumper structure 70 preferably frontal and also with respect to a third loading line 90 of said chassis and with respect to a longitudinal side member of said chassis.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is provided with a first frontal base surface and a second rear base surface opposite to said first frontal base surface and also preferably is substantially shaped like a parallelepiped with a rectangular base.
  • said first frontal base surface preferably with high friction, is provided with a plurality of holes or grooves.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 comprises a second metallic plate 40 which is constrained or preferably made integral frontally to the same and in particular which is constrained or in particular made integral with said first frontal base surface of said first energy dissipating element 10, and preferably co-molded to the same.
  • said second metallic plate 40 comprises a plurality of holes or grooves and it is also constrained or made integral with a first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element 10, and preferably it is also substantially planar.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 and preferably also said first frontal base surface are substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of forward motion of said vehicle, and preferably also of said second metallic plate 40 is substantially orthogonal to said longitudinal direction of forward motion of said vehicle.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 and preferably also said first frontal base surface are substantially parallel to said obstacle 94 or against said barrier so as to scrape, in particular with high friction, against the same.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is a skid which is able of impacting against said obstacle 94 scraping with high friction on the same, in particular with removal of material to an interface with the same for dissipating energy in a fraction of a second and acting as a brake.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 during a collision also has a braking function, that is equivalent to a disc, or drum, and clamp assembly of a brake which pressing on a brake lining which in this case is the obstacle 94, or vice versa, and also said vehicle acts as the pressing means which act on said equivalent disc, or drum, and clamp assembly of a brake.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 crashing against said obstacle 94 or against said barrier it passes from said rest position to said working position through a rotation of the support without failure of the same since said first energy dissipating element 10 is very resistant and then the rotation happen through a yielding of the chassis portion to which the same is fixed.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 comes in contact with an outer surface of said barrier and scrape on the same in particular with friction, and in particular by means of said first frontal base surface and preferably by means of said second metallic plate 40 which is made integral to the same and to said first energy dissipating element 10, also said first energy dissipating element 10 in said working position also is in contact with a motor 92 of said vehicle and advantageously also thanks to the pressure of the same on said obstacle 94 or on said barrier it is determined a very high friction which allows to dissipate a lot of energy of said collision in a fraction of a second, through a removal of a plurality of material chips and/or through the scraping of said first energy dissipating element 10 on said obstacle 94 such for example a barrier, reduce the speed of said vehicle and at the same time determining advantageously an instantaneous displacement of said motor 92 and of said vehicle in the transversal direction, away from said obstacle 94.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 determines through said first frontal base surface an high friction on said obstacle 94 due to the pressure of said motor 92 on the second rear base surface said first energy dissipating element 10, for slowing down the vehicle and in particular for a slow down the speed in said longitudinal direction 95.
  • said second metallic plate 40 comprises a frontal surface preferably rough or knurled in particular comprising a plurality of holes or grooves which are made starting from said frontal surface of said second metallic plate 40.
  • said second metallic plate 40 comprises a plurality of cutting edges, preferably protruding from said frontal surface of said second metallic plate 40, which are preferably realized in correspondence of said plurality of holes or grooves, said frontal surface being capable of contact with said movable or stationary obstacle 94 for determine an high friction with said obstacle 94 and for prevent a relative sliding between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94 and for determine a dissipation of energy through a removal of material at an interface or contact area between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94.
  • said frontal surface preferably rough or knurled and/or provided with a plurality of cutting edges is able to contact said movable or stationary obstacle 94 for further prevent a relative sliding between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said movable or stationary obstacle 94.
  • said plurality of holes or grooves of said second metallic plate 40 preferably perforated, and in particular said frontal surface thereof, opposing to a relative sliding between said first energy dissipating element 10 and the movable or stationary obstacle 94, it determines a high friction with the same and it determines a removal of material to an interface or contact area with said obstacle 94 for dissipate a considerable kinetic energy, substantially without absorbing the same, for reduce the speed of said vehicle and for reduce damages to the same and in particular to a passenger cabin 99 of the same.
  • said second metallic plate 40 allows a high friction accompanied by a dissipation of kinetic energy, since said second metallic plate 40 causes a removal of material from said obstacle 94, and in particular from said barrier.
  • said second metallic plate 40 is a grater suitable for removing a plurality of chips to an interface between said second metallic plate 40 and said obstacle 94 or barrier, which significantly decelerate the vehicle in a instantaneous fraction of a second, determining also a traverse displacement of the same vehicle in which said first energy dissipating element 10 is installed.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 and in particular said first frontal base surface, scraping on said barrier it slows down said vehicle, but at the same time it determines a further effect, since due to the rapid dissipation of energy and the consequent rapid deceleration of said crash attenuator device and of a side portion of said motor vehicle, it determines an heterogeneous profile of accelerations of a series of portions of said vehicle that allows through the consequent forces and the moments of inertia, the creation of a centrifugal acceleration with respect to said obstacle 94 determining a displacement in the transversal direction 96 of said vehicle away from said obstacle 94 in the instants following said collision, advantageously without destabilizing said vehicle and thus avoiding excessive turning of said vehicle or a U-turn of the direction of the same.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is covered by an external bumper covering preferably polymeric cover for avoid a contact between said first energy dissipating element 10 and a pedestrian in the event of a frontal or rear collision with a transverse overlap between said vehicle and said obstacle 94 greater than 50% of the transverse width of said motor vehicle.
  • said crash attenuator device and in particular said first energy dissipating element 10, it is at least partially integrated with a bumper structure preferably frontal for a motor vehicle, advantageously for simplify the assembly of a motor vehicle and also for reduce advantageously the number of the components.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 comprises an outer metallic structure provided with a plurality of holes, which in particular has a substantially "U" shaped cross-section and which comprises a plurality of ribs, said outer metallic structure being at least partially co-molded with an inner polymeric body provided with a plurality of channels for lighten said first energy dissipating element 10.
  • said inner polymeric body is made with a polymeric material selected between: a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polyamide (PA), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polyethylene (PE), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polypropylene (PP), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polystyrene (PS), a mixture of polycarbonate (PC) and a polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), a mixture of polycarbonate (PC) and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a polypropylene rubber, a polyamide rubber, and/or their derivates.
  • PPE polyphenylene ether
  • PA polyphenylene ether
  • PBT polybutylene terephthalate
  • PPE polyethylene
  • PPE polypropylene
  • PPE polys
  • said inner polymeric body of said first energy dissipating element 10 is made with a polymeric material able of withstanding for 1 hour heat treatments at 180°, as in particular a polyamide in particular mixed with polyphenyloxide, and even more in particular a polymeric material commonly known as NORTL®.
  • said crash attenuator device comprises a spacer element 20 which is constrained to the rear of said first energy dissipating element 10, for increase the longitudinal length and for easily adapt said crash attenuator device to different engines, i.e. different types of motors, with the same chassis of said motor vehicle.
  • this allows to significantly reduce design costs and the number of components, also simplifying the production line, since it allows to modify only said spacer element 20 without having to completely design a whole new crash attenuator device allowing to have a crash attenuator device for each chassis, and a plurality of spacer elements for each motor 92.
  • said spacer element 20 has a stress of plastic deformation greater than 10 tons and preferably greater than 30 tons, which makes it substantially non-deformable, and also in particular the spacer element 20 comprises a more outer metallic structure provided with a plurality of holes, which in particular has a substantially "U" shaped cross-section and which comprises a plurality of ribs, said more outer metallic structure is at least partially co-molded with an inner polymeric element provided with a plurality of channels for lighten said spacer element 20.
  • said inner polymeric element is made of a polymeric material selected between: a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polyamide (PA), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polyethylene (PE), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polypropylene (PP), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polystyrene (PS), a mixture of polycarbonate (PC) and a polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), a mixture of polycarbonate (PC) and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a polypropylene rubber, a polyamide rubber, and/or their derivates.
  • PPE polyphenylene ether
  • PA polyphenylene ether
  • PBT polybutylene terephthalate
  • PPE polyethylene
  • PPE polypropylene
  • PPE polys
  • said inner polymeric element of said spacer element 20 is made with a polymeric material able of withstanding for 1 hour heat treatments at 180°, as in particular a polyamide in particular mixed with polyphenyl oxide, and even more in particular a polymeric material commonly known as NORIL®.
  • said crash attenuator device comprises grasping means, in particular plastic grasping means which are able to cooperate with said first energy dissipating element 10, in particular for grip a portion of a motor 92 of said vehicle, and to exert an increase pressure against said obstacle 94 for increase the dissipation of energy of said collision energy and for reduce damages to a passenger cabin 99 of said motor vehicle.
  • grasping means in particular plastic grasping means which are able to cooperate with said first energy dissipating element 10, in particular for grip a portion of a motor 92 of said vehicle, and to exert an increase pressure against said obstacle 94 for increase the dissipation of energy of said collision energy and for reduce damages to a passenger cabin 99 of said motor vehicle.
  • said crash attenuator device comprises a third polymeric crash absorbing element, which is in particular associated to said first energy dissipating element 10, for delaying an instant of collision of said obstacle 94 against said frontal wheel 93, and for allowing a tilting of said vehicle with respect to said longitudinal direction 95 which in turn allows to avoid or reduce the impact of said obstacle 94 against said frontal wheel 93, since said inclination with respect to said longitudinal direction 95 allows to move in the transverse direction 96 said frontal wheel 93 and allows to create a free space in which said frontal wheel 93 can freely deform during a collision with said obstacle 94 but without that said frontal wheel 93 would be pressed against said vehicle and against said passenger cabin 99, or however avoiding that said frontal wheel 93 could deform said passengers cabin 99 or in any case avoiding or reducing to the minimum the deformations and possible damages caused by said frontal wheel 93 to said passenger cabin 99 during said collision.
  • a third polymeric crash absorbing element which is in particular associated to said first energy dissipating
  • this has the function of reducing at least in part the speed of said vehicle and also and at the same time for allowing to at least partially absorb said collision.
  • a mold and an apparatus for the realization of at least a first energy dissipating element 10 having one or more of the previously described features or according to one or more of the previously described forms of embodiment.
  • a mold and an apparatus for the realization of a spacer element 20 having one or more of the previously described features or according to one or more forms of the previously described forms of embodiment.
  • a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal comprising one or more of the previously described features or according to one or more of the previously described forms of embodiments, wherein in particular a corresponding polymeric crash absorbing element 76 is fixed or made integral frontally to a corresponding energy dissipating element 10 so as to be in a lateral more inner position, as shown in figure 14 for example.
  • a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal includes a cross member 75 preferably metallic and at least two polymeric crash absorbing elements 76 which are connected behind said cross member 75, each of which having a frontal end 76a and a rear end 76b, a rear end 76b of at least one of said at least two polymeric crash absorbing elements 76 is preferably associated with said first metallic fixing plate 18, also in particular each frontal end 76a of each polymeric crash absorbing element 76 is fixed to said cross member 75.
  • said motor vehicle comprises in particular at least two crash attenuator devices preferably constrained in a forward position with respect to the corresponding frontal wheels 93, and in particular it comprises four energy dissipating elements of which two fixed in lateral positions in the rear of said vehicle, so as to be covered by a polymeric covering of a rear bumper structure of which said vehicle is equipped.
  • said a bumper structure 70 comprises an outer bumper covering preferably polymeric.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is covered by an outer bumper covering preferably polymeric for avoid a contact between said first energy dissipating element 10 and a pedestrian in the event of a frontal or rear collision with a transverse overlapping between said vehicle and said obstacle 94 greater than 50% of the transverse width of said motor vehicle.
  • a chassis for a motor vehicle comprising at least one crash attenuator device having one or more of the previously described features or according to one or more of the previously described forms of embodiment.
  • a motor vehicle comprising a chassis, a motor 92 connected to said chassis, at least four wheels of which at least a one frontal, a passenger cabin 99 positioned behind said motor 92, and a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal, and also comprising at least one crash attenuator device having one or more of the features previously described or according to one or more of the previously described forms of embodiments.
  • said bumper structure 70 preferably frontal includes one or more of the previously described features or according to one or more of the previously described forms of embodiment, in which in particular a corresponding polymeric crash absorbing element 76 is frontally fixed or made integral to a corresponding energy dissipating element 10, so as to result in a side more inner position, as shown in figure 14 for example.
  • a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal includes a cross member 75 preferably metallic and at least two polymeric crash absorbing elements 76 which are connected behind said cross member 75, each of which having a frontal end 76a and a rear end 76b, a rear end 76b of at least one of said at least two polymeric crash absorbing elements 76 is preferably associated with said first metallic fixing plate 18, also in particular each frontal end 76a of each polymeric crash absorbing element 76 is fixed to said cross member 75.
  • said motor vehicle comprises in particular at least two crash attenuator devices preferably constrained in a forward position with respect to the corresponding frontal wheels 93, and in particular it comprises four energy dissipating elements 10 of which two are fixed in lateral positions in the rear of said vehicle, so as to be covered by a polymeric covering of a rear bumper structure of which said vehicle is equipped.
  • a motor vehicle preferably traveling at a speed of about 60 km/h, which collide an obstacle 94 movable or stationary, such as in particular a barrier.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is able to move from a rest position, in which the same does not interfere with the functioning of said bumper structure 70 preferably frontal, to a working position in which the same scrape on said obstacle 94 and simultaneously it result solidly associated to said motor 92 for determine a pressure increase on said obstacle 94 and for determine a dissipation of energy of said collision by friction and for determine a centrifugal acceleration for move away instantly said vehicle from said obstacle 94, in particular by means of a consequent displacement of said vehicle in a transversal direction 96 away from said obstacle 94, before that a frontal wheel 93 collide against said obstacle 94.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is constrained and fixed to said chassis of said vehicle, in particular to a third loading line 90 of said chassis, and protrudes externally in the transversal direction 96 with respect to said chassis, said rest position is also advanced longitudinally with respect to said motor 92 and also with respect to said frontal wheel 93, so as not to interfere with the possible movements of said frontal wheel 93 and for not interfere with the functioning of said bumper structure 70 preferably frontal during a crash preferably frontal which affects at least 50% of the transversal width of said vehicle.
  • a method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle which moves with a predetermined speed, such for example about 60 km/h, and which comprises a chassis, a motor 92 and in particular at least two frontal wheels, and in particular for reduce the damages to a passenger cabin 99 of a motor vehicle, preferably for a crash preferably frontal of "small overlap" type, therefore in case of a collision preferably frontal with an obstacle 94, which is movable or stationary, such as in particular a barrier or a guard-rail or similar, with a small overlap in width between said vehicle and said obstacle 94, and wherein preferably said collision only affects the 25% of a transverse width of said motor vehicle and in particular only 15% of the transverse width of said vehicle.
  • Said method being realized by means of a crash attenuator device comprising a first energy dissipating element 10, also said method comprising the following steps:
  • said method being realized by means of a crash attenuator device connected or directly constrained to a chassis of said vehicle, and in particular constrained to a first metallic fixing plate 18, preferably substantially planar, which is positioned between a frontal end of a longitudinal side member and a rear end of a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal of said motor vehicle, or in particular said first metallic fixing plate 18 is fixed between a frontal end of a third loading line 90 of said chassis and a rear end of a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal of said motor vehicle, and even more preferably said first metallic fixing plate 18 is constrained and in particular made integral to a frontal end of said longitudinal side member or to said frontal end of said third loading line 90.
  • said crash attenuator device comprises a first energy dissipating element 10 comprising a first frontal surface and a second rear surface opposite to said first frontal surface, which is able to dissipate at least a part of kinetic energy of said collision, avoiding substantially to absorb the same by means of plastic deformation and/or by a plurality of folds.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is a skid which is able of impacting against said obstacle 94 scraping with high friction on the same, in particular with a removal of material to an interface with the same for dissipate energy in a fraction of a second and acting as a brake.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 during a collision also has a braking function, that is equivalent to a disc, or drum, and clamp assembly of a brake which pressing on a brake lining which in this case is the obstacle 94, or vice versa, and also said vehicle acts as the pressing means which act on said equivalent disc, or drum, and clamp assembly of a brake.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 and in particular said first frontal base surface, scraping on said barrier it slows down said vehicle, but at the same time it determines a further effect, since due to the rapid dissipation of energy and the consequent rapid deceleration of said crash attenuator device and of a side portion of said motor vehicle, it determines an heterogeneous profile of accelerations of a series of portions of said vehicle that allows through the consequent forces and the moments of inertia, the creation of a centrifugal acceleration with respect to said obstacle 94 determining a displacement in the transversal direction 96 of said vehicle away from said obstacle 94 in the instants following said collision, advantageously without destabilizing said vehicle and thus avoiding excessive turning of said vehicle or a U-turn of the direction of the same.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 is provided with a first frontal base surface and a second rear base surface opposite to said first frontal base surface and also preferably it is substantially shaped as a parallelepiped with a rectangular base.
  • said first frontal base surface preferably with high friction, is provided with a plurality of holes or grooves.
  • said first energy dissipating element 10 comprises a second metallic plate 40 which is constrained or preferably made integral frontally to the same and in particular which is constrained or in particular made integral with said first frontal base surface of said first energy dissipating element 10, and preferably co-molded to the same.
  • said second metallic plate 40 comprises a plurality of holes or grooves and it is also constrained or made integral with a first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element 10, and preferably it is also substantially planar.
  • said second metallic plate 40 comprises a frontal surface preferably rough or knurled in particular comprising a plurality of holes or grooves which are made starting from said frontal surface of said second metallic plate 40.
  • said second metallic plate 40 comprises a plurality of cutting edges, preferably protruding from said frontal surface of said second metallic plate 40, which are preferably realized in correspondence of said plurality of holes or grooves, said frontal surface being capable of contact with said movable or stationary obstacle 94 for determine an high friction with said obstacle 94 and for prevent a relative sliding between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94 and for determine a dissipation of energy through a removal of material at an interface or contact area between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94.
  • said frontal surface preferably rough or knurled and/or provided with a plurality of cutting edges is able to contact said movable or stationary obstacle 94 for further prevent a relative sliding between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said movable or stationary obstacle 94.
  • said plurality of holes or grooves of said second metallic plate 40 preferably perforated, and in particular said frontal surface thereof, opposing to a relative sliding between said first energy dissipating element 10 and the movable or stationary obstacle 94, it determines a high friction with the same and it determines a removal of material to an interface or contact area with said obstacle 94 for dissipate a considerable kinetic energy, substantially without absorbing the same, for reduce the speed of said vehicle and for reduce damages to the same and in particular to a passenger cabin 99 of the same.
  • said second metallic plate 40 allows a high friction accompanied by a dissipation of kinetic energy, since said second metallic plate 40 causes a removal of material from said obstacle 94, and in particular from said barrier.
  • said second metallic plate 40 is a grater suitable for removing a plurality of chips to an interface between said second metallic plate 40 and said obstacle 94 or barrier, which significantly decelerate the vehicle in a instantaneous fraction of a second, determining also a traverse displacement of the same vehicle in which said first energy dissipating element 10 is installed.
  • Said crash attenuator device being able to pass from a rest position in which it does not interfere with the functioning of a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal during a normal frontal collision that affects preferably at least 50% of the transverse width of said vehicle to a work position in which the same interacts with said obstacle 94 for reduce damages to said vehicle, and in which is in contact with said obstacle 94.
  • said method comprises a step of b) to collide said first energy dissipating element 10 against said obstacle 94 by determining a first pressure on said obstacle 94, wherein said step b) being performed at least in part before said step z).
  • said method further comprises a step of p) dissipate kinetic energy of said vehicle, in particular substantially without absorbing the same, preferably by removal of a plurality of material chips in particular from said obstacle 94 and/or from said first energy dissipating element 10, and/or in particular by means of a scraping with friction, in particular with high friction, of said first energy dissipating element 10 against said obstacle 94, said step p) being performed at least partially before the beginning of said step z), for advantageously reduce damages to said motor vehicle and in particular to a passenger cabin 99 of the same.
  • said step p) includes a step of n) remove material, in particular a plurality of chips of material, in particular from said obstacle 94 and/or from said first energy dissipating element 10, preferably at an interface between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94, in particular at a first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element 10.
  • said step n) comprises a step of o) remove a plurality of chips of material from said obstacle 94, in particular said step o) being performed by means of a second metallic plate 40 having in particular a plurality of holes or grooves and/or a plurality of cutting edges, which is constrained or made integral with said first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element 10.
  • said step p) of said method comprises a step of c) scrape with friction, in particular with high friction, said first energy dissipating element 10 against said obstacle 94, preferably for determining a first instantaneous deceleration of said vehicle, said step c) being performed at least in part before the beginning of said step z), and in particular said step c) is performed for at least 0,01 s and in particular for at least 0,02 s, wherein preferably said step c) comprises said step b).
  • step c) is partially performed during said step n) and in particular being also partially performed alternately to said step n).
  • said step p) of said method comprises a step of m) scratch said first energy dissipating element 10, and in particular a first frontal surface of the same, against said obstacle 94.
  • said step p) of said method comprises a step of k) create friction, in particular a high friction, between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94 in particular between a first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element 10 and an outer surface of said obstacle 94 which facing and contacting said first energy dissipating element 10.
  • said method comprises a step of g) press said first energy dissipating element 10 against said obstacle 94 by determining a first pressure and a step of g2) increase the pressure on said obstacle 94, said step g2) preferably comprising a step of h) press a motor 92 of said vehicle against said first energy dissipating element 10, determining a second pressure on said obstacle 94 added to said first pressure.
  • this allows to increase the friction between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94, for increase consequently the dissipation of energy through said step p) and in particular through said step n), and preferably through said step c).
  • said step g) comprises a step of i) grip said motor 92 of said vehicle in particular through gripping means such as in particular a plastically deformable gripping means as in particular a spacer element 20 or through a third polymeric crash absorbing element, in particular constrained or made integral with the rear of said first energy dissipating element 10.
  • gripping means such as in particular a plastically deformable gripping means as in particular a spacer element 20 or through a third polymeric crash absorbing element, in particular constrained or made integral with the rear of said first energy dissipating element 10.
  • step i) is performed before said step h).
  • this allows to considerably increase the friction between said first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94 and in particular between said second metallic plate 40 and said obstacle 94 for increase the dissipation of energy through said step p), and in particular through said steps o) and/or c).
  • said method comprises a step of r) to decelerate said vehicle by means of kinetic energy dissipation through a removal of material in correspondence of an interface, or contact zone, between said first energy dissipating element 10 at an obstacle 94, and/or in particular also through a scraping with friction, in particular with high friction, between said first energy dissipating element 10 at an obstacle 94, said step r) being performed at least in part before the beginning of said step z).
  • this determines a almost instantaneous deceleration of the speed of said motor vehicle and at the same time it determines a centrifugal force with respect to an instantaneous rotation center that is given by contact area between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94, said centrifugal force causing a transverse displacement of said vehicle away from said obstacle 94 that allows to reduce damages to said vehicle and in particular to a passenger cabin 99 of the same.
  • This also advantageously allows to prevent that a frontal wheel 93 hurting in the following instants against that obstacle 94 could be pressed against said passenger cabin 99 also preventing damages and deformation that normally causes said frontal wheel 93 to said passenger cabin 99 during a collision of small overlap type.
  • said step p), and in particular said step r comprises a step of r2) brake said first energy dissipating element 10 against said obstacle 94 by removal of a plurality of chips of material in correspondence of said interface between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94, in particular by means of a second metallic plate 40 having in particular a plurality of holes or grooves and/or a plurality of cutting, which is constrained or made integral to a first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element 10, and/or by a scraping with friction of said first energy dissipating element 10 against said obstacle 94, said step r) being performed at least in part before the beginning of said step z).
  • said first frontal base surface of said first energy dissipating element 10 is a substantially planar surface.
  • said method preferably comprises a step of d) prevent that said first energy dissipating element 10, and in particular also that said crash attenuator device interferes with the functioning of a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal of said vehicle during a collision preferably frontal with a transverse overlap between said vehicle and said obstacle 94 greater than 50% of the width of said vehicle.
  • said method includes a step of s) rotate said first energy dissipating element 10 about a vertical axis in particular by means of a plastic yielding of the support means of the same and even more in particular by plastic yielding of a longitudinal side member to which said first energy dissipating element 10 is preferably connected, in particular simultaneously with the step of g) press said first energy dissipating element 10 against that obstacle 94.
  • said method comprises a step of v) compress said first energy dissipating element 10 between said obstacle 94 and said motor 92 for increase a dissipation of energy in particular through said step n) and in particular also through said step c) for slow down further said motor vehicle.
  • said method comprises a step of v2) compress a third polymeric crash absorbing element between said obstacle 94 and said motor 92 for partially absorb said collision and for further slow said motor vehicle.
  • crash attenuator device and the method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in the case of a frontal collision of small overlap type, so conceived are susceptible of numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the same inventive concept.

Abstract

Crash attenuator device for reduce damages to a passenger cabin of a vehicle during a frontal collision with an obstacle (94) with a small overlap, including a first energy dissipating element (10) able to dissipate at least partially a collision energy substantially without absorbing the same, by removal of a plurality of chips of material from the obstacle (94) and/or by means of high friction against the barrier (94) itself. Method comprising a step of a) collide the vehicle against the obstacle (94), and a step of z) collide a frontal wheel (93) of the motor vehicle against the obstacle (94), said method comprising a step of p) dissipate kinetic energy of the vehicle by removal of a plurality of in particular material chips from the obstacle (94) and/or from a first energy dissipating element (10), and/or by means of a scraping with friction of the first energy dissipating element (10) against the obstacle (94).

Description

Title: "Crash attenuator device and method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle in case of a frontal collision of the small overlap type".
The present invention relates to a crash attenuator device and to a method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in particular for a frontal collision of the "small overlap" type, that is for a frontal collision with a moving or stationary obstacle with a small overlapping width between said vehicle and said obstacle, hence in the case in which a motor vehicle collides against a moving or stationary obstacle such as a barrier or a guard rail or the like, and wherein the collision affect only 25% of the frontal portion of the motor vehicle and, in particular, only 15% of the frontal portion of the vehicle.
Usually in the automotive industry for attenuate a crash it is usually used at least one polymeric crash absorbing element provided with a plurality of channels which form a honeycomb structure which is inserted within a bumper structure such for example a frontal bumper structure.
Said at least one crash absorbing element is capable of absorbing a portion of kinetic energy during a collision of the motor vehicle against a stationary or moving obstacle through a plurality of programmed folding which allows to notably reduce the energy of said collision.
One disadvantage of current motor vehicles and in particular of frontal bumpers of the same is that during a frontal collision of the small overlap type, this does not affect the frontal bumper structure, and therefore the collision against a stationary obstacle such as a barrier, completely deforms the chassis portion of the vehicle which is affected by the collision without obstacles. Another disadvantage is that in the successive instants the obstacle collides against a frontal wheel which, being very resistant, is pressed against the passenger cabin, so deforming and damaging the same and also causing severe damages to the driver or the passengers.
Another disadvantage is that the lateral portion of the chassis is not capable of withstanding said frontal collision of the "small overlap" type, and therefore there are currently no solutions other than those consisting in a greater stiffening of said lateral portion of said chassis, however with the disadvantage of a substantial increase in the overall weight and also an increase in the cost of production and fuel consumption of the vehicle.
Purpose of the present invention is to provide a crash attenuator device and a method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in the case of a frontal collision of small overlap type, which permits to maintain a reduced weight of the vehicle.
Another aim is to provide a crash attenuator device and a method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in the case of a frontal collision of the small overlap type, which permits to minimize the impact force transmitted to said vehicle and to reduce the deformations of said passenger cabin of the same.
Another aim is to provide a crash attenuator device and a method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in the case of a frontal collision of the small overlap type, which permits an high stability of the vehicle during said collision and that at the same time allows a reduction of the manufacturing costs.
Still another aim is to provide a crash attenuator device for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in the case of a frontal collision of the small overlap type, which allows an easy mounting the same on said motor vehicle.
A further aim is to provide a crash attenuator device and a chassis for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in the case of a frontal collision of small overlap type, which are both easy to realize and economically advantageous.
Such purposes according to the present invention are achieved realizing a crash attenuator device and a method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle in the case of a frontal collision of small overlap type, as explained in claims 1 and 10.
Further features of the invention are highlighted from the subsequent claims.
Features and advantages of a crash attenuator device and of a method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in the case of a frontal collision of the small overlap type, according to the present invention will become more evident from the following exemplary and non limiting description, referring to the attached schematic drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective right side elevation view of a vehicle which impact against an obstacle with a small transversal overlap between said motor vehicle and said obstacle;
Figure 2 is a top view of Figure 1 ;
Figures 3 to 7 are bottom views of the vehicle of Figure 1 during a collision of the small overlap type in various successive instants and in which a crash attenuator device according to a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is shown;
Figures 8 to 13 are further bottom views of the vehicle of Figure 1 during a collision of the small overlap type in various successive instants and in which a crash attenuator device according to a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is shown;
Figure 14 is a perspective right elevation view of a preferred form of embodiment of a crash attenuator device according to the present invention and of a detail of a chassis of a motor vehicle;
Figure 15 is a rear perspective view of the crash attenuator device of
Figure 14 which is connected to a chassis of a motor vehicle.
In the drawings a longitudinal direction 95, a transverse direction 96 which is orthogonal to said longitudinal direction 95 and a vertical direction 97 which is orthogonal to said longitudinal direction 95 and to said transverse direction 96, are shown.
According to the present invention, a crash attenuator device is provide for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular for reduce the damages to a passenger cabin 99 of the same, during a preferably frontal collision with an obstacle 94, which is mobile or stationary such as in particular a barrier or a guard-rail or similar, with a small overlap width between said vehicle and said obstacle 94, and wherein the collision preferably affects only 25% of the transverse width of said motor vehicle, and in particular only 15% of the transverse width of said vehicle, that is during a frontal collision of the "small overlap" type.
According to the present invention said crash attenuator device comprises a first energy dissipating element 10 which is substantially non deformable, and preferably very resistant, and in particular having a plastic deformation stress greater than 10 tons and preferably greater than 30 tons, wherein said first energy dissipating element 10 is able to dissipate at least partially an energy of said collision, in particular substantially without absorbing the same, preferably through removal of a plurality of chips of material, in particular from said obstacle 94 and/or from said first energy dissipating element 10, and/or through a scraping with high friction against said obstacle 94.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 is suitable to be used for dissipate at least partially said energy of said collision and for remove a plurality of chips of material, in particular from said obstacle 94 and/or from said first energy dissipating element 10, in particular at a contact interface between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94, in particular when said first energy dissipating element 10 is in a working position.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 is suitable to be used for scrape with high friction against said obstacle 94, in particular when said first energy dissipating element 10 is in a working position.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 is suitable to be used for remove a plurality of chips of material, in particular from said obstacle 94 and/or from said first energy dissipating element 10, in particular at a contact interface between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94 and for scrape with high friction against said obstacle 94, for dissipate at least partially the kinetic energy of said collision. Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 is able to move from a rest position, in which in particular the same does not interfere with the normal operation of a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal in the case of a collision preferably frontal with an overlap of at least 50% between said vehicle and said obstacle 94, to a working position for at least partially dissipate the kinetic energy of said collision, and in particular for remove a plurality of chips of material, in particular from said obstacle 94 and/or from said first energy dissipating element 10, in particular at a contact interface between said energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94, and for scrape with high friction against said obstacle 94 which is mobile or stationary.
In particular, said first energy dissipating element 10 is not a crash absorbing element, since said first energy dissipating element 10 does not absorb energy by plastic deformation as by means of a plurality of folds or by breaking as occurs in polymeric crash absorbing element as for example of the type commonly known with the English term "crash can" or "crash box".
Preferably, said first energy dissipating element 10 is a first crash energy dissipating element 10 and being very resistant, and substantially plastically non-deformable up to at least 30 tons, it is therefore able to dissipate at least a part of kinetic energy of said collision by substantially avoiding to absorb the same through plastic deformation and/or through a plurality of folds or through breaking.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 is a protruding element which is associable with, and preferably connectable to a chassis of a motor vehicle and in particular laterally to a longitudinal side member of said chassis or laterally to a third loading line 90 of said chassis, so as to protrude with respect to said longitudinal side member and with respect to said third loading line 90.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 is connectable to a third loading line 90 of said chassis of which said chassis it is preferably provided, so as to protrude transversely with respect to the same.
Preferably said third loading line 90 is also usable as a support for a radiator of said vehicle.
In particular said first energy dissipating element 10 comprises at least one through hole, and preferably a plurality of through holes, for fixing or for connecting to said chassis, said plurality of holes being preferably made from a first base surface of the said first energy dissipating element 10 itself.
Preferably said crash attenuator device comprises a first metallic fixing plate 18, in particular substantially planar, which in particular is fixable between a frontal end of said longitudinal side member and a rear end of a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal, or in particular said first metallic fixing plate 18 is fixable between a frontal end of a third loading line 90 of said chassis and a rear end of a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal, preferably so as to be respectively projected transversely with respect to said longitudinal member or longitudinally with respect to said third loading line 90, in particular said first energy dissipating element 10 is fixed to or made integral to a projecting portion of said first metallic fixing plate 18.
In particular, said bumper structure 70 preferably frontal includes a cross member 75 preferably metallic and at least two polymeric crash absorbing elements 76 which are connected behind to said cross member 75, each of them also having a frontal end 76a and a rear end 76b, and a rear end 76b of at least one of said two polymeric crash absorbing elements 76 is preferably associated with said first metallic fixing plate 18, also in particular each frontal end 76a of each polymeric crash absorbing elements 76 is fixed to said cross member 75.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 is fixed externally to said chassis and protrudes transversely with respect to said chassis in said rest position.
Preferably in said rest position said first energy dissipating element 10 is protruding laterally with respect to said chassis for not to stiffen said chassis and for not to stiffen a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal and for not interfere with the same during a during a normal collision preferably frontal which affects at least 50% of the transverse width of the vehicle, preferably also said rest position being further longitudinally advanced with respect to a frontal wheel 93 of said motor vehicle and in particular with respect to a motor 92 of which said vehicle is preferably equipped, and also preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 is fixed in a rest position which is in particular and substantially at the maximum height of said frontal wheel 93 or at a half of the maximum height of the same.
Preferably also said first energy dissipating element 10 in said rest position does not interfere with the set of possible positions in which it may be normally said frontal wheel 93, which can be steered as normally the vehicles have the steering acting on frontal wheels.
Preferably said crash attenuator device is able to pass from a rest position to a working position for reduce the speed of a vehicle and at the same time for at least partially absorb said collision.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 is parallel from the mechanical point of view with respect to said bumper structure 70 preferably frontal and also with respect to a third loading line 90 of said chassis and with respect to a longitudinal side member of said chassis.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 is provided with a first frontal base surface and a second rear base surface opposite to said first frontal base surface and also preferably is substantially shaped like a parallelepiped with a rectangular base.
In particular, said first frontal base surface, preferably with high friction, is provided with a plurality of holes or grooves.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 comprises a second metallic plate 40 which is constrained or preferably made integral frontally to the same and in particular which is constrained or in particular made integral with said first frontal base surface of said first energy dissipating element 10, and preferably co-molded to the same.
In particular said second metallic plate 40 comprises a plurality of holes or grooves and it is also constrained or made integral with a first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element 10, and preferably it is also substantially planar.
Preferably in said rest position said first energy dissipating element 10 and preferably also said first frontal base surface are substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of forward motion of said vehicle, and preferably also of said second metallic plate 40 is substantially orthogonal to said longitudinal direction of forward motion of said vehicle.
Preferably in said working position said first energy dissipating element 10 and preferably also said first frontal base surface are substantially parallel to said obstacle 94 or against said barrier so as to scrape, in particular with high friction, against the same.
In particular said first energy dissipating element 10 is a skid which is able of impacting against said obstacle 94 scraping with high friction on the same, in particular with removal of material to an interface with the same for dissipating energy in a fraction of a second and acting as a brake.
Advantageously said first energy dissipating element 10 during a collision also has a braking function, that is equivalent to a disc, or drum, and clamp assembly of a brake which pressing on a brake lining which in this case is the obstacle 94, or vice versa, and also said vehicle acts as the pressing means which act on said equivalent disc, or drum, and clamp assembly of a brake.
Advantageously during said collision said first energy dissipating element 10 crashing against said obstacle 94 or against said barrier it passes from said rest position to said working position through a rotation of the support without failure of the same since said first energy dissipating element 10 is very resistant and then the rotation happen through a yielding of the chassis portion to which the same is fixed.
Also in said working position said first energy dissipating element 10 comes in contact with an outer surface of said barrier and scrape on the same in particular with friction, and in particular by means of said first frontal base surface and preferably by means of said second metallic plate 40 which is made integral to the same and to said first energy dissipating element 10, also said first energy dissipating element 10 in said working position also is in contact with a motor 92 of said vehicle and advantageously also thanks to the pressure of the same on said obstacle 94 or on said barrier it is determined a very high friction which allows to dissipate a lot of energy of said collision in a fraction of a second, through a removal of a plurality of material chips and/or through the scraping of said first energy dissipating element 10 on said obstacle 94 such for example a barrier, reduce the speed of said vehicle and at the same time determining advantageously an instantaneous displacement of said motor 92 and of said vehicle in the transversal direction, away from said obstacle 94.
Said displacement in the transverse direction away from said obstacle 94, together with the slowing down of the vehicle, it allows the creation of a free space between the side surface of said vehicle and said obstacle in which advantageously a frontal wheel 93 of said vehicle, which is very resistant and rigid, but can freely deform and eventually break away, thanks to said free space, advantageously avoiding that the frontal wheel 93 itself impacting against said obstacle could be forced to press against the vehicle by deforming and compressing a passenger cabin 99 of the same, thereby avoiding that the frontal wheel 93 enters the vehicle deforming the same and especially a passenger cabin 99 with a risk of harm to the passengers or to the driver.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 determines through said first frontal base surface an high friction on said obstacle 94 due to the pressure of said motor 92 on the second rear base surface said first energy dissipating element 10, for slowing down the vehicle and in particular for a slow down the speed in said longitudinal direction 95.
Preferably said second metallic plate 40 comprises a frontal surface preferably rough or knurled in particular comprising a plurality of holes or grooves which are made starting from said frontal surface of said second metallic plate 40.
Besides in particular said second metallic plate 40 comprises a plurality of cutting edges, preferably protruding from said frontal surface of said second metallic plate 40, which are preferably realized in correspondence of said plurality of holes or grooves, said frontal surface being capable of contact with said movable or stationary obstacle 94 for determine an high friction with said obstacle 94 and for prevent a relative sliding between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94 and for determine a dissipation of energy through a removal of material at an interface or contact area between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94.
In particular said frontal surface preferably rough or knurled and/or provided with a plurality of cutting edges is able to contact said movable or stationary obstacle 94 for further prevent a relative sliding between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said movable or stationary obstacle 94.
In particular said plurality of holes or grooves of said second metallic plate 40 preferably perforated, and in particular said frontal surface thereof, opposing to a relative sliding between said first energy dissipating element 10 and the movable or stationary obstacle 94, it determines a high friction with the same and it determines a removal of material to an interface or contact area with said obstacle 94 for dissipate a considerable kinetic energy, substantially without absorbing the same, for reduce the speed of said vehicle and for reduce damages to the same and in particular to a passenger cabin 99 of the same.
In particular said second metallic plate 40 allows a high friction accompanied by a dissipation of kinetic energy, since said second metallic plate 40 causes a removal of material from said obstacle 94, and in particular from said barrier.
In other words said second metallic plate 40 is a grater suitable for removing a plurality of chips to an interface between said second metallic plate 40 and said obstacle 94 or barrier, which significantly decelerate the vehicle in a instantaneous fraction of a second, determining also a traverse displacement of the same vehicle in which said first energy dissipating element 10 is installed.
This is because said first energy dissipating element 10, and in particular said first frontal base surface, scraping on said barrier it slows down said vehicle, but at the same time it determines a further effect, since due to the rapid dissipation of energy and the consequent rapid deceleration of said crash attenuator device and of a side portion of said motor vehicle, it determines an heterogeneous profile of accelerations of a series of portions of said vehicle that allows through the consequent forces and the moments of inertia, the creation of a centrifugal acceleration with respect to said obstacle 94 determining a displacement in the transversal direction 96 of said vehicle away from said obstacle 94 in the instants following said collision, advantageously without destabilizing said vehicle and thus avoiding excessive turning of said vehicle or a U-turn of the direction of the same.
Furthermore it also determines an additional effect since the center of mass of the vehicle which is on the axis of the motor 92, also through the inertia of the vehicle and the forces and moments of inertia that are determined, it determines a rotating moment in which said first energy dissipating element 10 act as instantaneous rotation center which is transverse with respect to said motor and with respect to a central axis of the vehicle, and which advantageously allows the creation of a free volume for a free deformation of the frontal wheel 93 in the following instants in which the same collides against the barrier, preventing the frontal wheel 93 tend to press and deform said vehicle damaging said passenger cabin 99 with possible damages to the passengers or the driver.
These additional effects will also take place in the version of said first energy dissipating element 10 even without said second metallic plate 40, even if the same greatly enhances these additional effects.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 is covered by an external bumper covering preferably polymeric cover for avoid a contact between said first energy dissipating element 10 and a pedestrian in the event of a frontal or rear collision with a transverse overlap between said vehicle and said obstacle 94 greater than 50% of the transverse width of said motor vehicle.
Preferably said crash attenuator device, and in particular said first energy dissipating element 10, it is at least partially integrated with a bumper structure preferably frontal for a motor vehicle, advantageously for simplify the assembly of a motor vehicle and also for reduce advantageously the number of the components.
Also this advantageously allows to optimize the behavior of said crash attenuator device and of said bumper structure respectively during a collision with a small overlap in a transverse direction 96 between said motor vehicle and said movable or stationary obstacle in particular inferior to 25% of the transverse width of said motor vehicle, and during a collision with an overlap in a transverse direction 96 between said motor vehicle and said movable or stationary obstacle of at least 50% of the transverse width of said motor vehicle.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 comprises an outer metallic structure provided with a plurality of holes, which in particular has a substantially "U" shaped cross-section and which comprises a plurality of ribs, said outer metallic structure being at least partially co-molded with an inner polymeric body provided with a plurality of channels for lighten said first energy dissipating element 10.
Preferably said inner polymeric body is made with a polymeric material selected between: a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polyamide (PA), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polyethylene (PE), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polypropylene (PP), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polystyrene (PS), a mixture of polycarbonate (PC) and a polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), a mixture of polycarbonate (PC) and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a polypropylene rubber, a polyamide rubber, and/or their derivates.
Preferably said inner polymeric body of said first energy dissipating element 10 is made with a polymeric material able of withstanding for 1 hour heat treatments at 180°, as in particular a polyamide in particular mixed with polyphenyloxide, and even more in particular a polymeric material commonly known as NORTL®.
Preferably said crash attenuator device comprises a spacer element 20 which is constrained to the rear of said first energy dissipating element 10, for increase the longitudinal length and for easily adapt said crash attenuator device to different engines, i.e. different types of motors, with the same chassis of said motor vehicle.
Advantageously this allows to significantly reduce design costs and the number of components, also simplifying the production line, since it allows to modify only said spacer element 20 without having to completely design a whole new crash attenuator device allowing to have a crash attenuator device for each chassis, and a plurality of spacer elements for each motor 92.
Preferably said spacer element 20 has a stress of plastic deformation greater than 10 tons and preferably greater than 30 tons, which makes it substantially non-deformable, and also in particular the spacer element 20 comprises a more outer metallic structure provided with a plurality of holes, which in particular has a substantially "U" shaped cross-section and which comprises a plurality of ribs, said more outer metallic structure is at least partially co-molded with an inner polymeric element provided with a plurality of channels for lighten said spacer element 20.
Preferably said inner polymeric element is made of a polymeric material selected between: a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polyamide (PA), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polyethylene (PE), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polypropylene (PP), a mixture of polyphenylene ether (PPE) and polystyrene (PS), a mixture of polycarbonate (PC) and a polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), a mixture of polycarbonate (PC) and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a polypropylene rubber, a polyamide rubber, and/or their derivates.
Preferably said inner polymeric element of said spacer element 20 is made with a polymeric material able of withstanding for 1 hour heat treatments at 180°, as in particular a polyamide in particular mixed with polyphenyl oxide, and even more in particular a polymeric material commonly known as NORIL®.
Preferably said crash attenuator device comprises grasping means, in particular plastic grasping means which are able to cooperate with said first energy dissipating element 10, in particular for grip a portion of a motor 92 of said vehicle, and to exert an increase pressure against said obstacle 94 for increase the dissipation of energy of said collision energy and for reduce damages to a passenger cabin 99 of said motor vehicle.
Preferably said crash attenuator device comprises a third polymeric crash absorbing element, which is in particular associated to said first energy dissipating element 10, for delaying an instant of collision of said obstacle 94 against said frontal wheel 93, and for allowing a tilting of said vehicle with respect to said longitudinal direction 95 which in turn allows to avoid or reduce the impact of said obstacle 94 against said frontal wheel 93, since said inclination with respect to said longitudinal direction 95 allows to move in the transverse direction 96 said frontal wheel 93 and allows to create a free space in which said frontal wheel 93 can freely deform during a collision with said obstacle 94 but without that said frontal wheel 93 would be pressed against said vehicle and against said passenger cabin 99, or however avoiding that said frontal wheel 93 could deform said passengers cabin 99 or in any case avoiding or reducing to the minimum the deformations and possible damages caused by said frontal wheel 93 to said passenger cabin 99 during said collision.
Advantageously, this has the function of reducing at least in part the speed of said vehicle and also and at the same time for allowing to at least partially absorb said collision.
According to another aspect of the present invention it is provided a mold and an apparatus for the realization of at least a first energy dissipating element 10 having one or more of the previously described features or according to one or more of the previously described forms of embodiment.
According to another aspect of the present invention it is provided a mold and an apparatus for the realization of a spacer element 20 having one or more of the previously described features or according to one or more forms of the previously described forms of embodiment.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal comprising one or more of the previously described features or according to one or more of the previously described forms of embodiments, wherein in particular a corresponding polymeric crash absorbing element 76 is fixed or made integral frontally to a corresponding energy dissipating element 10 so as to be in a lateral more inner position, as shown in figure 14 for example.
Preferably a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal includes a cross member 75 preferably metallic and at least two polymeric crash absorbing elements 76 which are connected behind said cross member 75, each of which having a frontal end 76a and a rear end 76b, a rear end 76b of at least one of said at least two polymeric crash absorbing elements 76 is preferably associated with said first metallic fixing plate 18, also in particular each frontal end 76a of each polymeric crash absorbing element 76 is fixed to said cross member 75.
Preferably said motor vehicle comprises in particular at least two crash attenuator devices preferably constrained in a forward position with respect to the corresponding frontal wheels 93, and in particular it comprises four energy dissipating elements of which two fixed in lateral positions in the rear of said vehicle, so as to be covered by a polymeric covering of a rear bumper structure of which said vehicle is equipped.
In particular said a bumper structure 70 comprises an outer bumper covering preferably polymeric.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 is covered by an outer bumper covering preferably polymeric for avoid a contact between said first energy dissipating element 10 and a pedestrian in the event of a frontal or rear collision with a transverse overlapping between said vehicle and said obstacle 94 greater than 50% of the transverse width of said motor vehicle.
According to another aspect of the present invention it is provided a chassis for a motor vehicle comprising at least one crash attenuator device having one or more of the previously described features or according to one or more of the previously described forms of embodiment.
According to another aspect of the present invention it is provided a motor vehicle comprising a chassis, a motor 92 connected to said chassis, at least four wheels of which at least a one frontal, a passenger cabin 99 positioned behind said motor 92, and a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal, and also comprising at least one crash attenuator device having one or more of the features previously described or according to one or more of the previously described forms of embodiments.
Besides also said bumper structure 70 preferably frontal includes one or more of the previously described features or according to one or more of the previously described forms of embodiment, in which in particular a corresponding polymeric crash absorbing element 76 is frontally fixed or made integral to a corresponding energy dissipating element 10, so as to result in a side more inner position, as shown in figure 14 for example.
Preferably a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal includes a cross member 75 preferably metallic and at least two polymeric crash absorbing elements 76 which are connected behind said cross member 75, each of which having a frontal end 76a and a rear end 76b, a rear end 76b of at least one of said at least two polymeric crash absorbing elements 76 is preferably associated with said first metallic fixing plate 18, also in particular each frontal end 76a of each polymeric crash absorbing element 76 is fixed to said cross member 75.
Preferably said motor vehicle comprises in particular at least two crash attenuator devices preferably constrained in a forward position with respect to the corresponding frontal wheels 93, and in particular it comprises four energy dissipating elements 10 of which two are fixed in lateral positions in the rear of said vehicle, so as to be covered by a polymeric covering of a rear bumper structure of which said vehicle is equipped.
In particular in the drawings it is shown a motor vehicle, preferably traveling at a speed of about 60 km/h, which collide an obstacle 94 movable or stationary, such as in particular a barrier.
In particular said first energy dissipating element 10 is able to move from a rest position, in which the same does not interfere with the functioning of said bumper structure 70 preferably frontal, to a working position in which the same scrape on said obstacle 94 and simultaneously it result solidly associated to said motor 92 for determine a pressure increase on said obstacle 94 and for determine a dissipation of energy of said collision by friction and for determine a centrifugal acceleration for move away instantly said vehicle from said obstacle 94, in particular by means of a consequent displacement of said vehicle in a transversal direction 96 away from said obstacle 94, before that a frontal wheel 93 collide against said obstacle 94.
Preferably in said rest position said first energy dissipating element 10 is constrained and fixed to said chassis of said vehicle, in particular to a third loading line 90 of said chassis, and protrudes externally in the transversal direction 96 with respect to said chassis, said rest position is also advanced longitudinally with respect to said motor 92 and also with respect to said frontal wheel 93, so as not to interfere with the possible movements of said frontal wheel 93 and for not interfere with the functioning of said bumper structure 70 preferably frontal during a crash preferably frontal which affects at least 50% of the transversal width of said vehicle.
According to another aspect of the present invention, it is provided a method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle which moves with a predetermined speed, such for example about 60 km/h, and which comprises a chassis, a motor 92 and in particular at least two frontal wheels, and in particular for reduce the damages to a passenger cabin 99 of a motor vehicle, preferably for a crash preferably frontal of "small overlap" type, therefore in case of a collision preferably frontal with an obstacle 94, which is movable or stationary, such as in particular a barrier or a guard-rail or similar, with a small overlap in width between said vehicle and said obstacle 94, and wherein preferably said collision only affects the 25% of a transverse width of said motor vehicle and in particular only 15% of the transverse width of said vehicle. Said method being realized by means of a crash attenuator device comprising a first energy dissipating element 10, also said method comprising the following steps:
a) collide said vehicle against said obstacle 94, and
z) collide said frontal wheel 93 against that obstacle 94.
In particular said method being realized by means of a crash attenuator device connected or directly constrained to a chassis of said vehicle, and in particular constrained to a first metallic fixing plate 18, preferably substantially planar, which is positioned between a frontal end of a longitudinal side member and a rear end of a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal of said motor vehicle, or in particular said first metallic fixing plate 18 is fixed between a frontal end of a third loading line 90 of said chassis and a rear end of a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal of said motor vehicle, and even more preferably said first metallic fixing plate 18 is constrained and in particular made integral to a frontal end of said longitudinal side member or to said frontal end of said third loading line 90.
Preferably said crash attenuator device comprises a first energy dissipating element 10 comprising a first frontal surface and a second rear surface opposite to said first frontal surface, which is able to dissipate at least a part of kinetic energy of said collision, avoiding substantially to absorb the same by means of plastic deformation and/or by a plurality of folds.
In particular said first energy dissipating element 10 is a skid which is able of impacting against said obstacle 94 scraping with high friction on the same, in particular with a removal of material to an interface with the same for dissipate energy in a fraction of a second and acting as a brake. Advantageously said first energy dissipating element 10 during a collision also has a braking function, that is equivalent to a disc, or drum, and clamp assembly of a brake which pressing on a brake lining which in this case is the obstacle 94, or vice versa, and also said vehicle acts as the pressing means which act on said equivalent disc, or drum, and clamp assembly of a brake.
This is because said first energy dissipating element 10, and in particular said first frontal base surface, scraping on said barrier it slows down said vehicle, but at the same time it determines a further effect, since due to the rapid dissipation of energy and the consequent rapid deceleration of said crash attenuator device and of a side portion of said motor vehicle, it determines an heterogeneous profile of accelerations of a series of portions of said vehicle that allows through the consequent forces and the moments of inertia, the creation of a centrifugal acceleration with respect to said obstacle 94 determining a displacement in the transversal direction 96 of said vehicle away from said obstacle 94 in the instants following said collision, advantageously without destabilizing said vehicle and thus avoiding excessive turning of said vehicle or a U-turn of the direction of the same.
Furthermore it also determines an additional effect since the center of mass of the vehicle which is on the axis of the motor 92, also through the inertia of the vehicle and the forces and moments of inertia that are determined, it determines a rotating moment in which said first energy dissipating element 10 act as instantaneous rotation center which is transverse with respect to said motor and with respect to a central axis of the vehicle, and which advantageously allows the creation of a free volume for a free deformation of the frontal wheel 93 in the following instants in which the same collides against the barrier, preventing the frontal wheel 93 tend to press and deform said vehicle damaging said passenger cabin 99 with possible damages to the passengers or the driver.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 is provided with a first frontal base surface and a second rear base surface opposite to said first frontal base surface and also preferably it is substantially shaped as a parallelepiped with a rectangular base.
In particular said first frontal base surface, preferably with high friction, is provided with a plurality of holes or grooves.
Preferably said first energy dissipating element 10 comprises a second metallic plate 40 which is constrained or preferably made integral frontally to the same and in particular which is constrained or in particular made integral with said first frontal base surface of said first energy dissipating element 10, and preferably co-molded to the same.
In particular said second metallic plate 40 comprises a plurality of holes or grooves and it is also constrained or made integral with a first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element 10, and preferably it is also substantially planar.
Preferably said second metallic plate 40 comprises a frontal surface preferably rough or knurled in particular comprising a plurality of holes or grooves which are made starting from said frontal surface of said second metallic plate 40.
Besides in particular said second metallic plate 40 comprises a plurality of cutting edges, preferably protruding from said frontal surface of said second metallic plate 40, which are preferably realized in correspondence of said plurality of holes or grooves, said frontal surface being capable of contact with said movable or stationary obstacle 94 for determine an high friction with said obstacle 94 and for prevent a relative sliding between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94 and for determine a dissipation of energy through a removal of material at an interface or contact area between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94.
In particular said frontal surface preferably rough or knurled and/or provided with a plurality of cutting edges is able to contact said movable or stationary obstacle 94 for further prevent a relative sliding between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said movable or stationary obstacle 94.
In particular said plurality of holes or grooves of said second metallic plate 40 preferably perforated, and in particular said frontal surface thereof, opposing to a relative sliding between said first energy dissipating element 10 and the movable or stationary obstacle 94, it determines a high friction with the same and it determines a removal of material to an interface or contact area with said obstacle 94 for dissipate a considerable kinetic energy, substantially without absorbing the same, for reduce the speed of said vehicle and for reduce damages to the same and in particular to a passenger cabin 99 of the same.
In particular said second metallic plate 40 allows a high friction accompanied by a dissipation of kinetic energy, since said second metallic plate 40 causes a removal of material from said obstacle 94, and in particular from said barrier.
In other words said second metallic plate 40 is a grater suitable for removing a plurality of chips to an interface between said second metallic plate 40 and said obstacle 94 or barrier, which significantly decelerate the vehicle in a instantaneous fraction of a second, determining also a traverse displacement of the same vehicle in which said first energy dissipating element 10 is installed.
Said crash attenuator device being able to pass from a rest position in which it does not interfere with the functioning of a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal during a normal frontal collision that affects preferably at least 50% of the transverse width of said vehicle to a work position in which the same interacts with said obstacle 94 for reduce damages to said vehicle, and in which is in contact with said obstacle 94.
Preferably said method comprises a step of b) to collide said first energy dissipating element 10 against said obstacle 94 by determining a first pressure on said obstacle 94, wherein said step b) being performed at least in part before said step z).
According to the present invention said method further comprises a step of p) dissipate kinetic energy of said vehicle, in particular substantially without absorbing the same, preferably by removal of a plurality of material chips in particular from said obstacle 94 and/or from said first energy dissipating element 10, and/or in particular by means of a scraping with friction, in particular with high friction, of said first energy dissipating element 10 against said obstacle 94, said step p) being performed at least partially before the beginning of said step z), for advantageously reduce damages to said motor vehicle and in particular to a passenger cabin 99 of the same.
Preferably said step p) includes a step of n) remove material, in particular a plurality of chips of material, in particular from said obstacle 94 and/or from said first energy dissipating element 10, preferably at an interface between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94, in particular at a first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element 10.
Preferably said step n) comprises a step of o) remove a plurality of chips of material from said obstacle 94, in particular said step o) being performed by means of a second metallic plate 40 having in particular a plurality of holes or grooves and/or a plurality of cutting edges, which is constrained or made integral with said first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element 10.
Preferably said step p) of said method comprises a step of c) scrape with friction, in particular with high friction, said first energy dissipating element 10 against said obstacle 94, preferably for determining a first instantaneous deceleration of said vehicle, said step c) being performed at least in part before the beginning of said step z), and in particular said step c) is performed for at least 0,01 s and in particular for at least 0,02 s, wherein preferably said step c) comprises said step b).
Preferably said step c) is partially performed during said step n) and in particular being also partially performed alternately to said step n).
Preferably said step p) of said method comprises a step of m) scratch said first energy dissipating element 10, and in particular a first frontal surface of the same, against said obstacle 94.
Preferably said step p) of said method comprises a step of k) create friction, in particular a high friction, between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94 in particular between a first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element 10 and an outer surface of said obstacle 94 which facing and contacting said first energy dissipating element 10.
Preferably said method, and in particular said step k) comprises a step of g) press said first energy dissipating element 10 against said obstacle 94 by determining a first pressure and a step of g2) increase the pressure on said obstacle 94, said step g2) preferably comprising a step of h) press a motor 92 of said vehicle against said first energy dissipating element 10, determining a second pressure on said obstacle 94 added to said first pressure.
Advantageously, this allows to increase the friction between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94, for increase consequently the dissipation of energy through said step p) and in particular through said step n), and preferably through said step c).
In particular said step g) comprises a step of i) grip said motor 92 of said vehicle in particular through gripping means such as in particular a plastically deformable gripping means as in particular a spacer element 20 or through a third polymeric crash absorbing element, in particular constrained or made integral with the rear of said first energy dissipating element 10.
In particular said step i) is performed before said step h).
Advantageously this allows to considerably increase the friction between said first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94 and in particular between said second metallic plate 40 and said obstacle 94 for increase the dissipation of energy through said step p), and in particular through said steps o) and/or c).
Preferably said method comprises a step of r) to decelerate said vehicle by means of kinetic energy dissipation through a removal of material in correspondence of an interface, or contact zone, between said first energy dissipating element 10 at an obstacle 94, and/or in particular also through a scraping with friction, in particular with high friction, between said first energy dissipating element 10 at an obstacle 94, said step r) being performed at least in part before the beginning of said step z).
Advantageously this determines a almost instantaneous deceleration of the speed of said motor vehicle and at the same time it determines a centrifugal force with respect to an instantaneous rotation center that is given by contact area between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94, said centrifugal force causing a transverse displacement of said vehicle away from said obstacle 94 that allows to reduce damages to said vehicle and in particular to a passenger cabin 99 of the same.
This also advantageously allows to prevent that a frontal wheel 93 hurting in the following instants against that obstacle 94 could be pressed against said passenger cabin 99 also preventing damages and deformation that normally causes said frontal wheel 93 to said passenger cabin 99 during a collision of small overlap type.
Preferably said step p), and in particular said step r), comprises a step of r2) brake said first energy dissipating element 10 against said obstacle 94 by removal of a plurality of chips of material in correspondence of said interface between said first energy dissipating element 10 and said obstacle 94, in particular by means of a second metallic plate 40 having in particular a plurality of holes or grooves and/or a plurality of cutting, which is constrained or made integral to a first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element 10, and/or by a scraping with friction of said first energy dissipating element 10 against said obstacle 94, said step r) being performed at least in part before the beginning of said step z).
In particular said first frontal base surface of said first energy dissipating element 10 is a substantially planar surface.
Besides said method preferably comprises a step of d) prevent that said first energy dissipating element 10, and in particular also that said crash attenuator device interferes with the functioning of a bumper structure 70 preferably frontal of said vehicle during a collision preferably frontal with a transverse overlap between said vehicle and said obstacle 94 greater than 50% of the width of said vehicle.
In particular said steps p), n), o), c), r), r2), all being performed at least in part before said step z).
Preferably said method includes a step of s) rotate said first energy dissipating element 10 about a vertical axis in particular by means of a plastic yielding of the support means of the same and even more in particular by plastic yielding of a longitudinal side member to which said first energy dissipating element 10 is preferably connected, in particular simultaneously with the step of g) press said first energy dissipating element 10 against that obstacle 94.
Preferably said method comprises a step of v) compress said first energy dissipating element 10 between said obstacle 94 and said motor 92 for increase a dissipation of energy in particular through said step n) and in particular also through said step c) for slow down further said motor vehicle.
Preferably said method comprises a step of v2) compress a third polymeric crash absorbing element between said obstacle 94 and said motor 92 for partially absorb said collision and for further slow said motor vehicle. It has thus been seen that a crash attenuator device and a method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in the case of a frontal collision of small overlap type, according to the present invention realize the previously highlighted purposes.
The crash attenuator device and the method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular to a passenger cabin of the same, in the case of a frontal collision of small overlap type, so conceived are susceptible of numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the same inventive concept.
Moreover, in practice the materials used, as also their size and components, may be any according to technical requirements.

Claims

1. Crash attenuator device for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular for reduce damages to a passenger cabin (99) of the same, during a collision preferably frontal with an obstacle (94), which is movable or stationary, with a small overlap width between said vehicle and said obstacle (94), characterized by comprising a first energy dissipating element (10) which is substantially non-deformable and in particular having a plastic deformation stress greater than 10 tons and preferably greater than 30 tons, said first energy dissipating element (10) is able to dissipate at least partially an energy of said collision, in particular substantially without absorbing the same, through removal of a plurality of chips of material, in particular from said obstacle (94) and/or from said first energy dissipating element (10), and/or through a scraping with high friction against said obstacle (94).
2. Crash attenuator device according to claim 1, characterized in that said first energy dissipating element (10) is suitable to be used for at least partially dissipate said energy of said collision and for remove a plurality of chips of material, in particular from said obstacle (94) and/or from said first energy dissipating element (10), in particular at a contact interface between said first energy dissipating element (10) and said obstacle (94), in particular when said first energy dissipating element (10) is in a working position.
3. Crash attenuator device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said first energy dissipating element (10) is suitable to be used for scrape with high friction against said obstacle (94), in particular when said first energy dissipating element (10) is in a working position.
4. Crash attenuator device according to any of claims from 1 to 3, characterized in that said first energy dissipating element (10) is able to pass from a rest position, in which in particular the same does not interfere with the normal functioning of a bumper structure (70) preferably frontal in the case of a collision preferably frontal with an overlap of at least 50% between said vehicle and said obstacle (94), to a working position for at least partially dissipate the kinetic energy of said collision.
5. Crash attenuator device according to any of claims from 1 to 4, characterized by comprising a first metallic fixing plate (18), in particular substantially planar, in particular which is fixable between a frontal end of said longitudinal side member and a rear end of a bumper structure (70) preferably frontal, or in particular said first metallic fixing plate (18) is fixable between a frontal end of a third loading line (90) of said chassis and a rear end of a bumper structure (70) preferably frontal, preferably in a way to result transversely projecting with respect to said longitudinal side member or with respect to said third loading line (90), in particular said first energy dissipating element (10) being fixed to or made integral to a projecting portion of said first metallic fixing plate (18).
6. Crash attenuator device according to any of claims from 1 to 5, characterized in that said first energy dissipating element (10) is provided with a first frontal base surface and with a second rear base surface opposite to said first frontal base surface, said first frontal base surface, preferably with high friction, it is in particular provided with a plurality of holes or grooves, also said first energy dissipating element (10) comprises a second metallic plate (40) which is constrained or preferably made integral frontally to the same and in particular which is constrained or made integral in particular to said first frontal base surface of said first energy dissipating element (10), and preferably co- molded to the same, preferably said second metallic plate (40) comprises a frontal surface preferably rough or knurled in particular comprising a plurality of holes or grooves which are made starting from said frontal surface of said second metallic plate (40), also in particular said second metallic plate (40) comprises a plurality of cutting edges, preferably protruding from said frontal surface of said second metallic plate (40), which are preferably realized in correspondence of said plurality of holes or grooves, said frontal surface being able to contact said movable or stationary obstacle (94) for determine an high friction with said obstacle (94) and for prevent a relative sliding between said first energy dissipating element (10) and said obstacle (94) and for determine a dissipation of energy by means of a removal of material to an interface or contact area between said first energy dissipating element (10) and said obstacle (94).
7. Crash attenuator device according to any of claims from 1 to 6, characterized by comprising a spacer element (20) which is constrained to the rear of said first energy dissipating element (10), for increase the longitudinal length and for easily adapt said crash attenuator device to different engines.
8. Chassis for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one crash attenuator device according to any of claims from 1 to 7.
9. Motor vehicle comprising a chassis according to claim 8, and further comprising a motor (92) connected to said chassis, at least four wheels of which at least one frontal, a passenger cabin (99) positioned behind said motor (92), and in particular comprising a bumper structure (70) preferably frontal comprising a cross member (75) preferably metallic and at least two polymeric crash absorbing elements (76) which are connected behind to said cross member (75), each of which also having a frontal end (76a) and a rear end (76b), a rear end (76b) of at least one of said at least two polymeric crash absorbing elements (76) is preferably associated with said first metallic fixing plate (18), also in particular each frontal end (76a) of each polymeric crash absorbing element (76) is fixed to said cross member (75), wherein said motor vehicle comprises in particular at least two crash attenuator devices preferably constrained in an advanced position with respect to the corresponding frontal wheels (93) and in particular comprising four energy dissipating elements (10).
10. Method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle, and in particular for reduce damage to a passenger cabin (99) of a motor vehicle, in the case of a collision preferably frontal with an obstacle (94), which is movable or stationary, with a small overlap width between said vehicle and said obstacle (94), said method being performed by means of a crash attenuator device comprising a first energy dissipating element (10), said method comprising a step of a) collide said vehicle against said movable or stationary obstacle (94), and a step of z) collide a frontal wheel (93) of said motor vehicle against said movable or stationary obstacle (94), said method characterized by comprising a step of p) dissipate kinetic energy of said vehicle, in particular substantially without absorbing the same, preferably by removal of a plurality of chips of material in particular from said obstacle (94) and/or from said first energy dissipating element (10), and/or in particular by means of a scraping with friction, in particular with high friction, of said first energy dissipating element (10) against said obstacle (94), said step p) being performed at least in part before the beginning of said step z), advantageously for reduce damages to said motor vehicle and in particular to a passenger cabin (99) of the same.
1 1. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that said step p) comprises a step of n) removing material, in particular a plurality of chips of material, in particular from said obstacle (94) and/or from said first energy dissipating element (10), preferably at an interface between said first energy dissipating element (10) and said obstacle (94), in particular at a first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element (10).
12. Method according to claim 1 1, characterized in that said step n) comprises a step of o) removing a plurality of chips of material from said obstacle (94), in particular said step o) being performed by means of a second metallic plate (40) having in particular a plurality of holes or grooves and/or a plurality of cutting edges, which is constrained or made integral with said first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element (10).
13. Method according to any of claims from 10 to 12, characterized in that said step p) comprises a step of c) scrape with friction, in particular with high friction, said first energy dissipating element (10) against said obstacle (94), preferably for determining a first instantaneous deceleration of said vehicle, said step c) being performed at least in part before the beginning of said step z), and in particular said step c) is performed for at least 0,01 s in particular for at least 0,02 s, preferably said step c) being partially performed during said step n) and in particular partially performed alternately to said step n).
14. Method according to any of claims from 10 to 13, characterized in that said step p) of said method comprises a step of m) scratch said first energy dissipating element (10), and in particular a first frontal surface of the same, against said obstacle(94).
15. Method according to any of claims from 10 to 14, characterized in that it comprises a step of g) press said first energy dissipating element (10) against said obstacle (94) determining a first pressure and a step of g2) increasing the pressure on said obstacle (94), said step g2) preferably comprises a step of h) press a motor (92) of said vehicle against said first energy dissipating element (10) determining a second pressure on said obstacle (94) which is added to said first pressure, in particular said step g) comprising a step of i) grip said motor (92) of said vehicle in particular by means of plastically deformable gripping means such as in particular a spacer element(20) or by means of a third polymeric crash absorbing element, in particular constrained or made integral with the rear of said first energy dissipating element (10), in particular said step i) being performed before said step h).
16. Method according to any of claims from 10 to 15, characterized in that said step p) includes a step of r2) to brake said first energy dissipating element (10) against said obstacle (94) by removal of a plurality of material chips at said interface between said first energy dissipating element (10) and said obstacle (94), in particular by means of a second metallic plate (40) having in particular a plurality of holes or grooves and/or a plurality of cutting edges, which is constrained or made integral to a first frontal surface of said first energy dissipating element (10), and/or by means of a scraping with friction of said first energy dissipating element (10) against said obstacle (94), said step r) being performed at least in part before the beginning of said step z).
17. Method according to any of claims from 10 to 16, characterized by comprising a step of d) to prevent that said first energy dissipating element (10), and in particular also that said crash attenuator device, interferes with the functioning of a bumper structure (70) preferably frontal of said vehicle during a collision preferably frontal with a transverse overlapping between said vehicle and said obstacle (94) greater than 50% of the width of said vehicle.
18. Method according to any of claims from 10 to 17, characterized by comprising a step of v) compress said first energy dissipating element (10) between said obstacle (94) and said motor (92) for increase a dissipation of energy in the particular by means of said step n) and in particular also by means of said step c) for further decelerate said motor vehicle.
PCT/IB2016/053767 2015-06-24 2016-06-24 Crash attenuator device and method for reduce damages to a motor vehicle in case of a frontal collision of the small overlap type WO2016207843A1 (en)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN111038425A (en) * 2018-10-12 2020-04-21 通用汽车环球科技运作有限责任公司 Energy-saving deflector of vehicle body structure for small overlap collision
CN111038425B (en) * 2018-10-12 2022-12-27 通用汽车环球科技运作有限责任公司 Energy-saving deflector for vehicle body structure for small overlap collision
CN113120090A (en) * 2021-04-30 2021-07-16 东风汽车集团股份有限公司 Structure for changing collision deflection direction of front wheel of automobile and automobile

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