WO2020021466A1

WO2020021466A1 - Roll-bar for a motor vehicle with ventilation means

Info

Publication number: WO2020021466A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/056317
Authority: WO
Inventors: Edoardo Giacomo PANZIERA
Original assignee: Quadro Vehicles S.A.
Priority date: 2018-07-25
Filing date: 2019-07-24
Publication date: 2020-01-30
Also published as: TW202007552A; IT201800007487A1

Abstract

The roll-bar (10) comprises a main structure with an upper element (10a) extending horizontally and a pair of side elements (10b) which extend vertically, or inclined to the vertical, and are attached to the upper element (10a), and air moving means (11a, 11b) including a first motorized impeller (11a) carried by the upper element (10a) so as to be positioned above the head of the driver and/or of the passenger of the vehicle (V), when the driver and/or the passenger are seated on board of the vehicle (V). The upper element (10a) has a first air inlet and/or outlet opening in communication with a hollow space (12) within the main structure. The first motorized impeller (11a) is arranged inside the upper element (10a) and is configured to generate a substantially horizontal air flow (F) through the first opening, directed to the outside or to the inside with respect to the upper element (10a).

Description

ROLL-BAR FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE WITH VENTILATION MEANS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a roll-bar for motor vehicles, particularly motorcycles with two or more wheels but also four-wheel "light" vehicles for urban mobility, having the features specified in the preamble of independent claim 1.

A roll-bar of the above-mentioned type is known for example from US 6,202,394 B 1.

According to this known solution, on the top of the roll-bar there is provided a vertical-axis fan which extends horizontally above the head of the driver and is configured to generate a continuous air flow directed downwards, that is, towards the driver, in order to cool the driver and at the same time avoid any possible flow of dust and debris from the road surface upwards, that is, towards the driver. Due to the presence of such a fan, the roll-bar known from the above-mentioned document is particularly bulky and heavy, as well as not very aerodynamic, and therefore unsuitable for being used on motorcycles with two or more wheels and on four-wheel light vehicles. Moreover, such a roll-bar is not able to offer protection to the driver, as well as to the passenger, if any, against atmospheric agents, in particular against the rain.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the known roll-bar discussed above, providing in particular a roll-bar for a motor vehicle that is able to effectively protect the vehicle's driver, and - at least partially - also a passenger, if any, in case of rain, even when the vehicle is stationary or traveling at low speed, and that is not very bulky and heavy and does not adversely affect to a large extent the aerodynamics of the vehicle.

This and other objects are fully achieved according to the present invention by virtue of a roll-bar for motor vehicles as set forth in independent claim 1. Further features of the roll-bar according to the present invention are the subject-matter of the dependent claims.

In short, the invention is based on the idea of providing a roll-bar having a hollow space inside it, at least one first air inlet and/or outlet opening placed at the top of the roll-bar and at least one first motorized impeller configured to generate a substantially horizontal air flow through said at least one first opening, directed inwards or outwards. Such a roll-bar is able to generate, even when the vehicle is stationary or traveling at low speed, a substantially horizontal air flow above the head of the vehicle's driver and is thus able to protect the vehicle's driver from atmospheric agents, in particular from the rain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, given purely by way of non-liming example with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view showing, partially in phantom, a motor vehicle provided with a roll-bar according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing in detail the roll-bar of the vehicle of Figure l ;

Figure 3 is a perspective phantom view showing in detail the roll-bar of the vehicle of Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a windshield that can be installed on the vehicle of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a side view of the windshield of Figure 4, sectioned through a vertical section plane;

Figure 6 is a perspective, partially exploded view, of the windshield of Figure 4;

Figures 7 and 8 are perspective views schematically showing a further example of a windshield that can be installed on the vehicle of Figure 1 ;

Figure 9 schematically shows the air flow that during operation flows through the windshield of Figures 7 and 8;

Figure 10 is a perspective view schematically showing a further example of a windshield that can be installed on the vehicle of Figure 1 ;

Figure 11 schematically shows the air flow that during operation flows through the windshield of Figure 10; and

Figures 12 and 13 are perspective views schematically showing further examples of a windshield that can be installed on the vehicle of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference first to Figure 1, a motor vehicle, which in the present case is a motor vehicle with four tilting wheels, but might also be a motor vehicle of a different type, is generally indicated with V.

The motor vehicle V is provided with a roll-bar 10 installed in the rear part thereof, in particular behind the driver and, in case of a two-seat vehicle, behind the saddle portion intended to accommodate the passenger.

According to the embodiment of Figures 2 and 3, the roll-bar 10 comprises a main structure with an upper element lOa extending essentially horizontally, and a pair of side elements lOb that extend substantially vertically, or slightly inclined to the vertical, and are attached to the upper element lOa.

The roll-bar 10 according to the present invention is configured to perform, in addition to the normal function of protecting the driver, as well as the passenger, if any, from impacts in case of rollover of the vehicle, also the function of protecting the driver, as well as - at least partially - the passenger, if any, from atmospheric agents, in particular from the rain. To this end, the roll-bar 10 comprises air moving means configured to draw air from the outside or emit air to the outside so as to generate an air flow F directed substantially horizontally above the head of the vehicle's driver, as well as of the passenger, if any.

In particular, said air moving means comprise a first motorized impeller l la (i.e. an impeller driven by a motor, in particular an electric motor), which is carried by the upper element lOa of the roll-bar so as to be positioned above the head of the driver, as well as of the passenger, if any, when the driver and the passenger are seated on board of the vehicle. In the illustrated embodiment, the first motorized impeller l la is configured to draw air from the outside, through a first opening (not shown) provided in the upper element lOa, and convey it into a hollow space 12 within the roll-bar 10 towards a pair of second openings (also not shown) provided each at the bottom of a respective side element lOb. Alternatively, the first motorized impeller l la may be configured to emit air from the hollow space 12 to the outside, through said first opening in the upper element lOa, drawing air from the aforementioned second openings provided at the bottom of the side elements lOb.

Preferably, the roll-bar 10 further comprises second motorized impellers l lb arranged within the hollow space 12, for example a pair of motorized impellers 1 lb arranged each at the bottom of a respective side element lOb to emit air to the outside through the aforementioned second openings or, alternatively, to draw air from the outside through the aforementioned second openings.

The impellers l la and 1 lb may be controlled by the vehicle's driver, for example by means of a control unit (not shown) controlling the electric motors that operate the impellers. In this connection, an operating button or lever (not shown) is advantageously provided on board of the vehicle, for example on the steering handlebar or wheel or on the dashboard, to allow the driver to control the impellers, especially when the vehicle V is stationary or traveling at low speed.

In case the vehicle V further comprises a windshield 1, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, also the windshield 1 is preferably configured to generate a substantially horizontal air flow Fl above the head of the driver that, cooperating with the air flow F generated by the roll-bar 10, helps to increase the protection offered to the driver, as well as - at least partially - to the passenger, if any, against atmospheric agents, in particular the rain.

Figures 4 to 13 show some examples of such windshield 1.

With reference first to the example of Figures 4 to 6, the windshield 1 comprises a main body 2 made of transparent material, preferably plexiglas or other suitable material. The main body 2 comprises an upper edge 3 and a base portion 4, the latter comprising in turn an inlet manifold 5 configured to convey an air flow from the outside of the windshield 1 towards the base portion 4 of the main body 2.

In order to better convey the air flow towards the upper edge 3 of the main body 2, the main body 2 also has at least one hollow space 7 (Figure 5) configured to convey the air flow coming from the inlet manifold 5 of the base portion 4 towards the upper edge 3 of the main body 2. In this connection, the main body 2 has a sandwich-like structure including an outer panel 2a and an inner panel 2b which are advantageously made of plexiglas and define the hollow space 7 therebetween.

The upper edge 3 of the main body 2 advantageously comprises at least one outlet opening 30 for allowing the air to flow out of the main body. Preferably, at the upper edge 3 of the main body 2 there is provided an outlet manifold 31 configured to accelerate the air flow conveyed by the hollow space 7. In order to accelerate the air flow flowing through the hollow space 7, the outlet manifold 31 may have a flow area restriction, as can be seen for example in the section view of Figure 5, so that the air blade flowing at high speed out of the outlet opening 30 provided at the upper edge 3 of the main body 2 of the windshield allows to divert the rain from the head of the driver, which will then remain dry.

The inlet manifold 5 comprises an impeller 6 (or alternatively more than one impeller) operated by a motor (not shown), preferably an electric motor, to convey the air flow from the outside into the inlet manifold 5 even when the vehicle is stationary or traveling at low speed.

The impeller 6 (but the same applies also to the case of more than one impeller) may be controlled by the driver, for example via a control unit (not shown) controlling the motor that operates the impeller 6. In this connection, an operating button or lever (not shown) is advantageously provided on board of the vehicle, for example on the steering handlebar or wheel or on the dashboard, to allow the driver to control the impeller(s), especially when the vehicle is stationary or traveling at low speed. When the impeller 6 is operated, it generates an air flow that is conveyed from the outside, through the inlet manifold 5, into the hollow space 7 provided in the main body 2 of the windshield 1 and then from the hollow space 7 towards the outlet opening 30 at the upper edge 3 of the main body 2 of the windshield 1. As already mentioned above, the air flow leaving the outlet opening 30 generates an air blade above the head of the driver, which protects the driver from the rain even when the vehicle is stationary or traveling at low speed.

A second example of the windshield 1 is shown in Figures 7 to 9, where parts and elements identical or corresponding to those of Figures 4 to 6 are indicated with the same reference numerals.

According to this example, the hollow space 7 extends only along the perimeter edges of the main body 2 of the windshield 1. In particular, as shown in Figure 9, the hollow space 7 comprises a first side portion 7a and a second side portion 7b that are joined to an upper portion 7c placed at the upper edge 3 of the main body 2. The side portions 7a and 7b and the upper portion 7c are provided with respective outlet openings, which are indicated with 30a and 30b as far as the side portions 7a and 7b, respectively, are concerned and with 30 as far as the upper portion 7c is concerned, and through which the air flowing through the hollow space 7 can flow out of the windshield. The outlet openings 30a and 30b of the side portions 7a and 7b of the hollow space 7 are arranged so as to be facing, in the mounted condition of the windshield on board of the vehicle, towards the driver of the vehicle.

As schematically shown in Figures 8 and 9, according to this second example the windshield 1 generates not only an upper air blade (flowing out of the upper outlet opening 30) forming a barrier above the head of the driver, but also side air blades (flowing out of the side outlet openings 30a and 30b) that allow to improve the comfort of the driver, especially at high speed.

Advantageously, the air flowing out of the windshield 1 may be heated by suitable heating means, for example electrical resistances, placed preferably close to the impeller(s) of the inlet manifold 5. Clearly, this allows to further improve the comfort of the driver of the vehicle. Such heating means may also be provided for in the first example of Figures 4 to 6.

With reference now to Figures 10 and 11, where parts and elements identical or corresponding to those of the examples of Figures 4 to 9 are indicated with the same reference numerals, according to a further example the inlet manifold 5 is configured to split the air flow coming from the outside into a first air flow that flows through one of the two side portions 7a and 7b of the hollow space 7, namely the portion 7a, and a second air flow that flows through the other side portion 7b.

Advantageously, each of the two side portions 7a and 7b extends along the upper edge 3 of the main body 2 with a first upper portion 7c' and a second upper portion 7c", respectively. Each of the two side portions 7a and 7b and of the two upper portions 7c' and 7c" has a respective outlet opening for allowing the air to flow outwards. More specifically, with reference to Figure 11, the first side portion 7a has a first side outlet opening 30a, the second side portion 7b has a second side outlet opening 30b, the first upper portion 7c' has a first upper outlet opening 30' and the second upper portion 7c" has a second upper outlet opening 30". By virtue of the provision of such outlet openings, the windshield 1 allows to spread in a more varied way the air flowing out of the windshield. There may also be provided selector means, arranged for example on the steering handlebar or wheel or on the dashboard of the vehicle, to allow the driver to manage the air flows through the outlet openings 30a, 30b, 30' and 30".

Also in this example, the inlet manifold 5 is provided with a motorized impeller 6, so as to be able to generate an air flow towards the hollow space 7 even in case the vehicle is stationary or traveling at low speed.

Finally, Figures 12 and 13, where parts and elements identical or corresponding to those of Figures 4 to 11 are indicated with the same reference numerals, show a windshield 1 having a structure like the one of the example of Figures 10 and 11, that is to say, with a hollow space including two side portions having respective outlet openings 30a and 30b and two upper portions having respective outlet openings 30' and 30". However, unlike the embodiment of Figures 10 and 11, the inlet manifold 5 is provided with a plurality of motorized impellers 6, instead of a single one, namely two impellers 6 in the example of Figure 12 and four impellers 6 in the example of Figure 13.

Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining unchanged, the embodiments and the constructional details may vary widely from those described and illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. Roll-bar (10) for a motor vehicle (V) with two or more wheels, comprising

a main structure with an upper element (lOa) extending horizontally and a pair of side elements (lOb) which extend vertically, or inclined to the vertical, and are attached to the upper element (lOa), and

air moving means (l la, l lb) including a first motorized impeller (l la) carried by said upper element (lOa) so as to be positioned above the head of the driver and/or the passenger of the vehicle (V), when the driver and/or the passenger are seated on board of the vehicle (V),

characterized

in that said main structure has a hollow space (12) within the same,

in that said upper element (lOa) has at least one first air inlet and/or outlet opening in communication with said hollow space (12), and

in that said first motorized impeller (1 la) is arranged inside said upper element (lOa) and is configured to generate a substantially horizontal air flow (F) through said at least one first opening, directed to the outside or to the inside with respect to said upper element (lOa).

2. Roll-bar according to claim 1, wherein at the bottom of said side elements (lOb) there are provided second air inlet and/or outlet openings in communication with said hollow space (12).

3. Roll-bar according to claim 2, further comprising a pair of second motorized impellers (l lb) arranged within said hollow space (12), each at the bottom of a respective side element (lOb) of said main structure close to a respective second opening.

4. Motor vehicle with two or more wheels, comprising a seat for a driver and/or a passenger and a roll-bar (10) according to any one of the preceding claims placed behind said seat.

5. Motor vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a windshield (1) having a main body (2) of transparent material with an upper edge (3) and a base portion (4) provided with an inlet manifold (5) configured to convey an air flow from the outside towards the base portion (4) of the main body (2),

wherein the main body (2) has a hollow space (7) configured to convey the air flow coming from the inlet manifold (5) towards the upper edge (3) of the main body (2), as well as one or more outlet openings (30, 30', 30", 30a, 30b) for the air flow flowing through the hollow space (7) of the windshield (1), at least one (30, 30', 30") of said one or more outlet openings (30, 30', 30", 30a, 30b) being placed at the upper edge (3) of the main body (2) and being configured to generate an air blade (FI) above the head of the driver on board of the vehicle, and

wherein the inlet manifold (5) is provided with at least one motorized impeller (6) so as to be able to convey air from the outside towards the base portion (4) of the main body (2).

6. Motor vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the inlet manifold (5) comprises at least one pair of motorized impellers (6).

7. Motor vehicle according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the upper edge (3) of the main body (2) comprises an outlet manifold (31) configured to accelerate the air flow that, flowing through the hollow space (7) of the windshield (1), leaves said at least one outlet opening (30, 30', 30") placed at the upper edge (3) of the main body (2).

8. Motor vehicle according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the main body (2) has a sandwich-like structure comprising an outer panel (2a) and an inner panel (2b) defining the hollow space (7) of the windshield (1) therebetween.

9. Motor vehicle according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the hollow space (7) of the windshield (1) extends from the inlet manifold (5) to the upper edge (3) of the main body (2) along perimeter edges of the main body (2).

10. Motor vehicle according to claim 9, in cui the hollow space (7) of the windshield (1) comprises two side portions (7a, 7b) that extend along side edges of the main body (2) and at least one upper portion (7c, 7c', 7c") that extends along the upper edge (3) of the main body (2) and is joined to the two side portions (7a, 7b).

11. Motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said outlet openings (30, 30', 30", 30a, 30b) are provided in each of the two side portions (7a, 7b) and in said at least one upper portion (7c, 7c', 7c") of the hollow space (7) of the windshield (1).

12. Motor vehicle according to claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the inlet manifold (5) is configured to split the air flow coming from the outside into a first air flow flowing through one (7a) of the two side portions (7a, 7b) of the hollow space (7) of the windshield (1) and a second air flow flowing through the other side portion (7b) of the hollow space (7) of the windshield (1), and wherein the hollow space (7) of the windshield (l)comprises a first upper portion (7c') and a second upper portion (7c"), each joined to a respective one of the two side portions (7a, 7b).