WO2022223896A1

WO2022223896A1 - Device for protecting an item of equipment belonging to a land vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2022223896A1
Application number: PCT/FR2022/050462
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bernard PATOUT; Nicolas Tropee; Stephane Fonfrede; Ludovic Meresse; Marc Peru
Original assignee: Psa Automobiles Sa
Priority date: 2021-04-21
Filing date: 2022-03-15
Publication date: 2022-10-27
Also published as: CN117177902A; EP4326603A1; FR3122146A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a protection device (DP) with which a land vehicle (V) is equipped, comprising a first cross-member (T1) secured, upstream of an item of equipment (BV), to right- and left-hand-side longitudinal members (L1) framing the item of equipment (BV). The device (DP) comprises a second cross-member (T2) intended to be secured fixedly and without play to the longitudinal members (L1) downstream of the item of equipment (BV), in order to define a protective frame for the equipment (BV) together with the first cross-member (T1) and the longitudinal members (L1).

Description

DESCRIPTION

TITLE: LAND VEHICLE EQUIPMENT PROTECTION DEVICE

5 Technical field of the invention

The present invention claims the priority of French application 2104121 filed on April 21, 2021, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference.

The invention relates to land vehicles, and more specifically the protection of certain equipment forming part of such vehicles.

State of the art

Some land vehicles, possibly of the automotive type, comprise a crosspiece which is secured, upstream of at least one item of equipment, to right and left side members framing the latter. For example, these stringers can be what those skilled in the art call "stringers" which are installed under the rear trunk of the (land) vehicle. In this case, the equipment which is framed by the rails can, for example, be a rechargeable battery protected by a cover and0 supplying electrical energy to at least one electric motor machine of the powertrain (or GMP) of the vehicle.

When the vehicle undergoes an impact that is at least partially longitudinal from the rear, its side members (or longitudinal members) are capable of withstanding this impact without the equipment and its possible bonnet being damaged. But,5 when the vehicle undergoes an at least partially transverse impact at the level of one of its side members (or side members), it often happens that the latter flexes inwards and therefore towards the equipment because it does not It is fixedly attached only to one of the two opposite ends of the crosspiece (installed upstream of the equipment) and therefore cannot withstand the shear forces. Such a deflection can then damage the equipment, even when it is protected by a cover, which can prove to be potentially dangerous, in particular when this equipment is a rechargeable battery. This can in fact cause a short circuit and/or a leak of potentially toxic product.

The aim of the invention is therefore in particular to improve the situation by better protecting the equipment in the event of an impact, at least partially.

5 transverse stress suffered by the vehicle at the level of one of its side members (or longitudinal members).

Presentation of the invention

In particular, it proposes for this purpose a protective device intended to equip a land vehicle comprising a first crosspiece secured, upstream of at least one piece of equipment, to right and left longitudinal members framing the latter.

This protection device is characterized by the fact that it comprises a second crosspiece intended to be secured fixedly and without play, by screwing, to the longitudinal members downstream of the equipment, in order to define with the first crosspiece and the longitudinal members a frame of protection for this equipment.

Thanks to this protective frame that surrounds the equipment, it is now effectively protected not only in the event of a longitudinal impact0 but also in the event of a transverse impact.

The protection device according to the invention may comprise other characteristics which may be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

- Its second crosspiece may be intended to be secured fixedly and without play by screwing to the side members;

- It may comprise two fasteners fixedly secured by welding respectively to the two right and left ends of the second crosspiece, and intended to be fixedly secured by screwing and without play respectively to the right and left longitudinal members; 0 - in the presence of the last option, each fixing part can comprise, on the one hand, a first part of parallelepipedic shape comprising an internal face oriented towards the corresponding end of the second crosspiece and fixedly secured by welding at this end, and an external face parallel to this internal face and intended to be placed without play in front of an internal face of the corresponding spar, and, on the other hand, a second part of parallelepipedic shape comprising a lower face fixedly secured to an upper face of this first part and intended to be placed without clearance by screwing in front of an upper face of the corresponding spar;

- in the presence of the last sub-option, each first part of a fixing part can constitute a hollow body inside which is installed at least a first reinforcing wall, possibly obliquely with respect to a vertical plane which is parallel to its internal face and external face;

- in the presence of the last sub-option, each second part of a fixing part can constitute a hollow body inside which is installed at least one second reinforcing wall in a vertical plane which is perpendicular to its lower face; - in the presence of the last option, it may comprise two right and left reinforcing angles each comprising an internal wall intended to be inserted without clearance between the corresponding fixing part and an internal face of the corresponding spar, and an upper wall intended to be interposed without clearance between the corresponding fixing part and an upper face of the corresponding spar;

- in the presence of the last sub-option, each reinforcing angle may extend over at least half of an extension along a longitudinal direction of the corresponding side member.

The invention also proposes a land vehicle comprising a first cross member secured, upstream of at least one piece of equipment, to right and left longitudinal members framing the latter, and a protection device of the type presented above.

For example, this equipment may be a rechargeable battery.

Also, for example, this land vehicle can be of the automobile type, and in this case its longitudinal members, its protection device and its equipment can be installed under its rear trunk.

Brief description of figures Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on examination of the detailed description below, and of the appended drawings (obtained in CAD/DAO (“Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Drawing”), from which the presence of certain levels of gray), on which:

5 [Fig. 1] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view from above, an example of the rear part of a land vehicle comprising an embodiment of a protection device according to the invention,

[Fig. 2] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view from above, the right sub-part of the rear part of the land vehicle of FIG. 1.0 [Fig. 3] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, part of the protection device of Figures 1 and 2, before its installation in a land vehicle,

[Fig. 4] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, the right part of the second crosspiece of the protection device of FIGS. 1 to 3, and 5 [Fig. 5] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, the right fixing part of the protection device of Figures 1 to 3.

Detailed description of the invention

The aim of the invention is in particular to propose a protection device DP intended in particular to allow the protection of a BV equipment of a land vehicle V in the event of an at least partially transverse shock suffered by the latter (V) at the level of the one of its spars (or spars) Lj.

In what follows, it is considered, by way of illustrative example, that the land vehicle V is of the automobile type. For example, a car. But5 the invention is not limited to this type of land vehicle. It relates in fact to any vehicle comprising a first cross member secured, upstream of at least one item of equipment to be protected, to right and left longitudinal members framing the latter.

In what follows and what precedes the notions of “upstream” and “downstream”0 are understood relative to the front end of the vehicle V. Consequently, a first element located upstream of a second element is closer to the front end of the vehicle V than is the second element. Conversely, a first element located downstream of a second element is closer to the rear end of the vehicle V than is the second element.

Furthermore, it is considered in what follows, by way of illustrative example, that the BV equipment to be protected is a rechargeable battery. For example, this

5 rechargeable battery BV is protected by (or housed in) a cover CP (or casing) and responsible for supplying electrical energy to at least one driving electric machine of the powertrain (or GMP) of the (land) vehicle V. But the invention is not limited to this type of equipment. It relates to any land vehicle equipment to be protected and installed between two longerons of the latter.

In addition, it is considered in what follows, by way of illustrative example, that the equipment BV to be protected, the longitudinal members Lj and the protection device DP are installed in a rear part of the vehicle V, under the rear trunk of this last (V). But the equipment BV to be protected, the longitudinal members Lj and the protection device DP could be installed in a front part of the vehicle V.

In FIGS. 1 to 5, the direction X is the longitudinal direction of the vehicle V, which is parallel to the lateral sides comprising the side doors, the direction Y is the transverse direction of the vehicle V, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X, and the direction Z is the vertical direction of the vehicle V, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal X and transverse Y directions.

There is schematically illustrated in Figure 1 an example of the rear part of a (land) vehicle V comprising a first cross member T1, right and left side members Lj (j = 1 or 2), equipment BV (here a hidden rechargeable battery by a protective cover CP), and an embodiment of a protection device DP according to the invention

The side members (or side members) L1 and L2 are secured respectively to the right and left ends of the first cross member T1 and frame the equipment BV (and its protective cover CP) on the right and left longitudinal sides of the vehicle V.

The first crosspiece T1 is installed upstream of the BV equipment (and its protective cover CP) and frames the latter (BV, CP) on a transverse side.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a protection device DP, according to the invention, comprises at least a second crosspiece T2 which is intended to

5 be secured firmly and without play, by screwing, to the side members Lj downstream of the BV equipment, in order to define with the first cross member T1 and the side members Lj a protective frame for this BV equipment. It will be understood that the first T1 and second T2 crosspieces are mutually parallel (in the transverse direction Y). It will also be understood that the play is understood to be along the transverse direction Y.

The front and rear ends of each spar (or spar) Lj are now fixedly attached to the right or left ends of the first T1 and second T2 crosspieces, which allows the spars Lj to withstand significant shear forces (in the event of an impact at least 5 partially transverse undergone by the vehicle V at their level), and therefore not to bend inwards (in the direction of the equipment BV). The latter (BV) is therefore particularly well protected by the protective frame that surrounds it in the XY plane, not only in the event of a longitudinal impact but also in the event of a transverse impact. 0 For example, and as illustrated without limitation in Figures 1 and 2, the second crosspiece T2 may be intended to be secured fixedly and without play, by screwing, to the beams Lj. Fastening by screwing advantageously makes it possible, unlike that by welding, to install a DP protection device in a vehicle that is already fully assembled. This DP protection device then constitutes a kind of “protection kit” for the equipment concerned.

However, in an alternative embodiment, the second crosspiece T2 could be secured fixedly and without clearance, by welding, to the side members Lj.

It will be noted, as illustrated without limitation in Figures 1 and 2, that le0 protection device DP may comprise two fixing parts PFj fixedly joined together by welding respectively at the two right and left ends Ej of its second crosspiece T2. These two fasteners PFj are intended to be fixedly secured by screwing (or welding) and without clearance respectively to the right and left longitudinal members Lj. It will be understood that in this arrangement it is the two fixing parts PFj which serve as coupling interfaces (without play) between the second crosspiece T2 and the

5 Lj spars. Preferably, and as illustrated, the longitudinal extension (along X) of each fastener PFj is strictly greater than the longitudinal extension of the second crosspiece T2, which makes it possible to distribute over a larger surface, and thus to reduce , the forces which are absorbed by the second crosspiece T2 when the spar Lj concerned undergoes an at least partially transverse shock.

For example, and as illustrated without limitation in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 5, each fixing part PFj can comprise first parts P1 and second parts P2 fixedly secured to each other.

The first part P1 has a parallelepipedic shape and comprises5 an internal face FI1 oriented towards the corresponding end Ej of the second crosspiece T2 and fixedly secured by welding to this end Ej. In addition, this first part P1 comprises an external face FE1 parallel to its internal face FI1 and intended to be placed without clearance in front of an internal face FI2 of the corresponding spar Lj. 0 The second part P2 has a parallelepipedic shape and comprises a lower face FI3 fixedly secured to an upper face FS1 of the first part P1 and intended to be placed without play by screwing (or welding) in front of an upper face FS2 of the corresponding spar Lj. In the case of screwing, the second part P2 comprises at least one through hole 5 TV allowing the passage of a screw for its fixed attachment to the upper face of the corresponding spar Lj, as illustrated in Figure 5.

Thus, each fastener PFj has a cross-section with the general shape of an inverted L in a vertical and transverse plane YZ. 0 In what follows and what precedes, a face is said to be "external" when it is oriented towards the outside of the vehicle, and a face is said to be "internal" when it is oriented opposite to an external face of the vehicle. the same element. Moreover, in what follows and what precedes a side is called "upper" when it is oriented upwards, and a face is called "lower" when it is oriented opposite to an upper face of the same element and therefore oriented downwards.

As it appears better on figure 5, each first part P1 of a

5 fixing piece PFj can constitute a hollow body inside which is installed at least a first reinforcing wall PR1. For example, this first reinforcement wall PR1 can be installed obliquely with respect to a vertical plane XZ which is parallel to its internal face FI1 and external face FE1. In this case, as illustrated without limitation, the lower et0 upper parts of the first reinforcing wall PR1 can be located respectively close to the internal faces FI1 and external FE1. This makes it possible to reinforce the rigidity of each first part P1 in the transverse direction Y and therefore to allow each fixing part PFj to withstand greater transverse forces without deformation (or 5 almost).

It will be noted that each first reinforcement wall PR1 may optionally include a programmed microdeformation zone (or zone of weakening) so as to filter out a dynamic peak of force received.

As a variant, instead of each first reinforcing wall PR1 being installed obliquely, it can be installed substantially horizontally. Its orientation is indeed chosen according to the filtering needs of the dynamic peak of effort received.

It will also be noted that each first part P1 can, for example, be made of aluminum, by extrusion. 5 As is also best seen in Figure 5, each second part P2 of a fastener PFj can also constitute a hollow body inside which is installed at least one second reinforcing wall PR2 in a vertical (and longitudinal) plane ) XZ which is perpendicular to its lower face FI3. In the example illustrated without limitation, the hollow body of each second part P2 accommodates two second reinforcing walls PR2 parallel to each other. But it could only house one. This makes it possible to reinforce the hold of each second part P2 in the vertical direction Z and therefore to prevent it from collapsing in the event of a transverse impact. It will be noted that each second part P2 can, for example, be made of aluminum, by extrusion, possibly at the same time as the associated first part P1 (which avoids having to weld them together).

It will also be noted that the second crosspiece T2 can also, for example,

5 be a hollow body made of aluminum, by extrusion. In this case, the thickness of the walls of the second crosspiece T2 may be less than the thickness of the walls of the fasteners PFj.

Furthermore, and as illustrated without limitation in Figure 4, when the second crosspiece T2 is a hollow body, the latter can house at least one third reinforcing wall PR3 in a vertical and transverse plane YZ. In the example illustrated without limitation, the hollow body of the second crosspiece T2 houses two third reinforcing walls PR3 parallel to each other. But it could only accommodate one. This makes it possible to reinforce the hold of the second crosspiece T2 in the vertical direction Z and therefore to prevent5 it from collapsing in the event of a transverse impact.

It will also be noted, as illustrated without limitation in FIGS. 1 to 3, that the protection device DP may also comprise two right and left reinforcing angles CRj each comprising an internal wall PC1 and an upper wall PC2 extending mutually, for example0 substantially at 90°. The internal wall PC1 is intended to be interposed without play between the corresponding fixing part PFj and an internal face FI2 of the corresponding spar Lj. The upper wall PC2 is intended to be interposed without play between the corresponding fixing part PFj and the upper face FS2 of the corresponding spar Lj. It then comprises as many through holes as the second part P2 of the associated fastener PFj for the passage of the fastening screws to the upper face FS2 of the corresponding spar Lj, except in the case of welding because the upper wall PC2 is then welded to the corresponding fastener PFj and to the upper face FS2 of the corresponding spar Lj. 0 This internal positioning of each reinforcing angle CRj on the corresponding spar Lj opposes the deflection of the latter Lj and therefore makes such a deflection very unlikely. In addition, the more a reinforcing angle CRj is extended along the longitudinal direction X, the more it allows a distribution over the length (in X) of the corresponding spar Lj of the force exerted in the impact (or shock) zone. Therefore, and preferably, each reinforcing angle CR can extend over at least half of the extension along the longitudinal direction X of the corresponding spar Lj 5, as illustrated without limitation in Figures 1 and 2. It can even extend over almost all of the corresponding spar Lj.

It will also be noted that each reinforcing angle CR can, for example, be made of steel.

It will also be noted that in the example illustrated without limitation in the figures, the protection device DP comprises two fixing parts PFj which are attached respectively to the ends Ej of the second crosspiece T2. But this is not mandatory. Indeed, the ends Ej of the second crosspiece T2 could be arranged so as to respectively define these two fasteners PFj.

Claims

1 . Protection device (DP) for a land vehicle (V) comprising a first crosspiece (T1) secured, upstream of at least one piece of equipment

5 (BV), to right and left beams (Lj) framing the latter (BV), characterized in that it comprises a second crosspiece (T2) intended to be fixedly secured and without play to said beams (Lj) downstream of said equipment (BV), in order to define with said first crosspiece (T1) and said beams (Lj) a protective frame for said equipment (BV). 0 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said second crosspiece

(T2) is intended to be secured firmly and without play by screwing to said beams (Lj).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises two fixing parts (PFj) fixedly secured by welding5 respectively to two ends (Ej) right and left of said second crosspiece (T2), and intended to be fixedly secured by screwing and without clearance respectively to said right and left longitudinal beams (Lj).

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that each fixing part (PFj) comprises i) a first part (P1) of parallelepipedal form0 comprising an internal face (FI1) oriented towards the end (Ej) corresponding to said second crosspiece (T2) and fixedly secured by welding at this end (Ej), and an external face (FE1) parallel to said internal face (FI1) and intended to be placed without play in front of an internal face (FI2) of said spar (Lj) corresponding, and ii) a second part (P2) of 5 parallelepipedal shape comprising a lower face (FI3) fixedly secured to an upper face (FS1) of said first part (P1) and intended to be placed without play by screwing in front of an upper face (FS2) of said corresponding spar (Lj).

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that each first part (P1) of a fixing part (PFj) constitutes a hollow body inside which is installed at least a first reinforcing wall (PR1).

6. Device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that each second part (P2) of a fixing part (PFj) constitutes a hollow body to inside which is installed at least a second reinforcing wall (PR2) in a vertical plane perpendicular to its lower face (FI3).

7. Device according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that it comprises two right and left reinforcing angles (CR) each comprising an internal wall (PC1) intended to be inserted without play between said fixing part (PFj) corresponding and an internal face (FI2) of said spar (Lj) corresponding, and an upper wall (PC2) intended to be interposed without play between said fixing part (PFj) corresponding and an upper face (FS2) of said spar ( Lj) corresponding. 0

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that each reinforcing angle (CR) extends over at least half of an extension along a longitudinal direction of said corresponding spar (Lj).

9. Land vehicle (V) comprising a first crosspiece (T1) secured, upstream of at least one piece of equipment (BV), to side members (Lj) 5 right and left framing the latter (BV), characterized in that it further comprises a protection device (DP) according to one of the preceding claims.

10. Vehicle according to claim 9, characterized in that said equipment (BV) is a rechargeable battery. 0