Accident Safety Device for a Motor Vehicle, Motor Vehicle and Method for Controlled Conversion of Impact Energy by Means of an Accident Safety Device

Abstract

An accident safety device for a motor vehicle includes two separate accident safety bodies which are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and are fastenable opposite each other to a motor vehicle bodyshell. One of the accident safety bodies is fastenable to an underbody element of the motor vehicle body shell. Another of the accident safety bodies has a catch element which corresponds to the one accident safety body and is designed to block the two accident safety bodies from avoiding each other in the event of an accident of the motor vehicle. A motor vehicle is equipped with such an accident safety device and a method controls the conversion of impact energy into work of deformation by use of the accident safety device.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. An accident safety device for a motor vehicle, comprising: two separate accident safety bodies which are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and are fastenable opposite each other to a motor vehicle body-in-white, wherein one of the accident safety bodies is fastenable to an underbody element of the motor vehicle body-in-white, and another of the accident safety bodies has a catch element which corresponds to the one accident safety body and is configured to block the two separate accident safety bodies from avoiding each other in an event of an accident of the motor vehicle.

12. The accident safety device according to claim 11, wherein the accident safety body fastenable to the underbody element is configured to be fastenable to a housing of an electrical energy storage unit of the motor vehicle body-in-white.

13. The accident safety device according to claim 11, wherein the catch element on the other accident safety body and a counter element of the one, opposite, accident safety body correspond to one another to close a form fit between the two accident safety bodies.

14. The accident safety device according to claim 11, wherein the catch element has two spaced-apart catch walls, which are spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal axis of the accident safety device parallel to one another at a distance corresponding at least to a thickness of a limb of the one, opposite, accident safety body, and which are arrangeable parallel to the limb.

15. The accident safety device according to claim 14, wherein the two spaced-apart catch walls are arranged obliquely to one another along a transverse axis of the accident safety device, so that the catch element is widened in the direction of the one, opposite, accident safety body.

16. The accident safety device according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the two accident safety bodies has auxiliary maintenance openings on at least one of its edges.

17. The accident safety device according to claim 11, wherein one of the two accident safety bodies is held on the motor vehicle body-in-white via a trim element.

18. The accident safety device according to claim 17, wherein the trim element is a sill cover.

19. The accident safety device according to claim 17, wherein the trim element comprises two trim components, which are fastenable to one another reversibly without destruction by way of a connection arrangement of the trim element.

20. A motor vehicle, comprising: an accident safety device, which comprises two separate accident safety bodies, which are spaced apart from each other via a predetermined distance and are fastened opposite one another to a motor vehicle body-in-white, wherein one of the two accident safety bodies is fastened to an underbody element of the motor vehicle body-in-white, and another of the two accident safety bodies comprises a catch element, which corresponds to the one accident safety body and is configured to block the two accident safety bodies from avoiding each other in an event of an accident of the motor vehicle.

21. A method for controlled conversion of impact energy into work of deformation by use of an accident safety device in an event of an impact of the motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a collision of an element belonging to another entity involved in an accident with an outer accident safety body of the accident safety device; displacing in translation the outer accident safety body in a direction of an opposite accident safety body of the accident safety device, whereby a predetermined distance between the accident safety bodies is reduced; mutually catching the accident safety bodies via a catch element, thus blocking the accident safety bodies from avoiding each other; and converting at least some of the impact energy by performing controlled work of deformation at the mutually caught accident safety bodies.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic and perspective view of a motor vehicle with a trim element;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the motor vehicle with a conventional accident safety device;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a perspective and sectional view of the motor vehicle with an improved accident safety device in comparison to the conventional accident safety device;

[0024] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the motor vehicle with the improved accident safety device;

[0025] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the motor vehicle with the improved accident safety device; and

[0026] FIG. 6 is a schematic and sectional view of the motor vehicle with the improved accident safety device in the event of an accident.

[0027] Like or functionally like elements are provided in the figures with like reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Hereinafter, an improved accident safety device 1, a motor vehicle 2 equipped therewith, and a method for the controlled conversion of impact energy by means of the accident safety device 1 will be described jointly.

[0029] The motor vehicle 2 has two sill covers 3 along a vehicle transverse direction y, which are spaced apart from each other over a vehicle width. This means that one of the sill covers 3 is arranged on the left side and the other of the sill covers 3 is arranged on the right side on the motor vehicle 2. Furthermore, the motor vehicle 2 has an underbody 4, on which there is arranged or fastened at least one underbody element 5 (shown for the first time in FIG. 3).

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of a conventional accident safety device 101, which is fastened to a conventional motor vehicle 102. The conventional motor vehicle 102 has a conventional sill cover 103 and a conventional underbody 104, to which there is fastened a conventional underbody element 105. The conventional accident safety device 101 has an accident safety element 106, which extends laterally in the vehicle transverse direction y, that is to say toward an outer side 107 or toward the sill cover 103 of the conventional motor vehicle 102. In the event of a side impact of the conventional motor vehicle 102, in which case the conventional sill cover 103 and a (not shown in FIG. 2) element of another entity involved in the accident impact against one another or on one another, a deformation path 108 is particularly small, since this is defined by the accident safety element 106, and extends merely as far as a fastening arrangement 109 of the conventional sill cover 103. If the accident safety element 106 were to extend further in the direction of the conventional sill cover 103 or further in the direction of the outer side 107 over the fastening arrangement 109, the fastening arrangement 109 would be covered by the accident safety element 106 and thus blocked. On account of this, a particularly long unusable path 110 is created, along which an impact energy of the impact or accident can be converted into work of deformation merely via the conventional sill cover 103 and/or via a body-in-white of the conventional motor vehicle 102.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a perspective and sectional view of the motor vehicle 2, which is equipped with the accident safety device 1 improved in comparison to the convention accident safety device 101. It can be seen that the (improved) accident safety device 1 has two separate accident safety bodies 6, 7, which can be arranged, and in the present example are arranged, on a motor vehicle body-in-white 8 of the motor vehicle 2. The two accident safety bodies 6, 7 in the present example are each in strip form and are held on the motor vehicle body-in-white 8 spaced apart from each other over a predetermined distance 9. Here, the two accident safety bodies 6, 7 run at least substantially parallel to a vehicle longitudinal direction x, wherein the distance 9 runs parallel to the vehicle transverse direction y. Furthermore, the two accident safety bodies 6, 7 are opposite one another or face one another and are arranged on a common outer side 10 of the motor vehicle 2.

[0032] The motor vehicle 2, which in particular is formed as a passenger car, is electrically drivable or propellable. This means that the motor vehicle 2 has an electric energy storage unit 11, which comprises at least one (not shown) electric traction accumulator. Since the energy storage unit 11 is usually particularly heavy on account of the electric traction accumulator, at least the electric traction accumulator of the energy storage unit 11 is arranged on the underbody 4 of the motor vehicle 2, in order to ensure an advantageously particularly low center of gravity position of the motor vehicle 2. For this purpose, the electric energy storage unit 11 in the present example has a housing 12, which accommodates the electric traction accumulator and via which the latter is held on the underbody 4 of the motor vehicle 2. In this regard, the underbody element 5 is formed at least in part by the electric energy storage arrangement 11. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the accident safety body 7 fastenable to the underbody element 5 is arranged on or fastened to the housing 12 of the electric energy storage unit 11. This means that the accident safety device 1 at least in part forms a crash structure for the electric energy storage unit 11.

[0033] The sill cover 3 forms a trim element 13 of the motor vehicle 2, in particular of a side sill. In the present example, the accident safety body 6 is integrated in the trim element 13 or in the sill cover 3. Furthermore, the accident safety body 6 can be held on or can be fastened to the motor vehicle body-in-white 8 by means of the trim element 13 or by means of the sill cover 3. In the state as shown in FIG. 3, in which the accident safety device 1 is fastened to the motor vehicle body-in-white 8, the accident safety body 6 is thus held or on or fastened to the motor vehicle body-in-white 8 via the sill cover 3. In this state, respective longitudinal axes x, transverse axes y and vertical axes z of the motor vehicle 2 and of the accident safety device 1 coincide with one another. The trim element 13 or the sill cover 3 comprises a first trim component 14 and a second trim component 15, which are fastened to one another, for example can be formed in one piece with one another. Here, one of the trim components 14, 15, in the present example the trim component 15, is fastened to the underbody 4 of the motor vehicle body-in-white 8, whereas the corresponding other trim component 14 is fastened to the motor vehicle body-in-white 8, in particular on the other side of the underbody 4, for example on a side wall. Therefore, the trim component 15 extends through between the two accident safety bodies 6, 7 arranged opposite one another or facing one another, so that the accident safety body 6 is arranged in a space enclosed by the motor vehicle body-in-white 8 and the trim element 13 or the sill cover 3. This in turn means that the accident safety bodies 6, 7 are separated from one another by means of the trim component 15.

[0034] So that the accident safety bodies 6, 7 do not avoid each other in the event of an accident of the motor vehicle 2 or in the event that the accident safety device 1 and an element 16 of another entity involved in the accident (see FIG. 6) impact against one another, the accident safety device 1 has a catch element 17, which is formed on one of the accident safety bodies 6, 7, in the present case on the accident safety body 7. The catch element 17 corresponds to the corresponding other of the accident safety bodies 6, 7, that is to say, in the present example the catch element 17 corresponds to the accident safety body 6. In this regard, the catch element 17 has a geometry and dimensions corresponding to, for example matching, at least a part of the accident safety body 6.

[0035] The catch element 17 will be described in greater detail hereinafter. For this purpose, FIG. 4 in the presented view shows the motor vehicle 2 with the improved accident safety device 1. It can be seen that the accident safety body 6 in cross-section has a first limb 18 and a second limb 19, which are arranged at right angles to one another and each run parallel to the vehicle longitudinal axis x. The accident safety body 6 corresponds to the catch element 17 in that the limb 18 has an outer contour which fits in a catch space 20 of the catch element 17. This means that the catch element 17 on the accident safety body 7 and a counter element 21 of the accident safety body 6, specifically its limb 18, correspond to one another in order to close a form fit between the accident safety bodies 6, 7. In other words, the limb 18 or the counter element 21 forms a first form-fit element, whereas the catch space 20 of the catch element 17 forms a second form-fit element. The form-fit elements are spaced apart from each other, for example via the predefined distance 9, so that the form fit is then not formed, at least not while the accident safety device 1 is not subjected to any impact. The catch space 20 is open on a side facing the opposite accident safety body.

[0036] In the present case, the catch space 20 or the catch element 17 has two catch walls 22 spaced apart from each other, which are spaced apart from each other in parallel over a distance 23 along the longitudinal axis x of the motor vehicle 2 or along a longitudinal axis x of the accident safety device 1. The distance 23 and a thickness 24 of the limb 18 or of the counter element 21 are the same, or the distance 23 is greater than the thickness 24. The catch walls 22 are furthermore arranged parallel to the limb 18 or to the counter element 21 or to the accident safety body 6.

[0037] Furthermore, the catch walls 22 are arranged at an incline to one another along a transverse axis y of the accident safety device 1 or along the transverse axis y of the motor vehicle 2. Therefore, the catch element 17 widens in the direction of the opposite accident safety body 6. In this regard, the catch space 20 widens in the direction of the accident safety body 6 so that the limb 18 of the accident safety body 6 is guided by the catch walls 22 when—for example in the event of the impact—the accident safety body 6 moves in the direction of the accident safety body 7 and plunges further into the catch space 20 via the open side thereof. Since the catch walls 22 taper toward one another in the transverse direction y, the catch walls 22 furthermore form a centering element, by means of which the accident safety body 6 and the accident safety body 7 can be centered on one another.

[0038] Due to the catch element 17, the two accident safety bodies 6, 7 are prevented from avoiding each other during an accident or impact of the motor vehicle 2. Since, in the event of the accident or impact, the accident safety bodies 6, 7 are moved towards one another, the limb 18 of the accident safety body 6 plunges into the catch space 20 of the catch element 17 on the accident safety body 7 and is guided by the catch walls 22 in relation to the accident safety body 7 and centered as appropriate and ultimately blocked with the accident safety body 7. Since the catch element 17 at least partially surrounds the limb 18 of the accident safety body 6 by means of the catch walls 22, the form fit is closed, thus preventing the accident safety bodies 6, 7 from avoiding each other. For example, a rotation of the accident safety body 6 about the vehicle longitudinal axis x is prevented on account of the form fit. Furthermore, a twisting or rotation of the accident safety body 6 about a vehicle vertical axis z and about the vehicle transverse axis y is likewise prevented. Here, it is assumed that, during the accident or impact, an impact force 25 (shown for the first time in FIG. 6) is exerted continuously on the accident safety device 1 or on the accident safety body 6.

[0039] In order to prevent the underbody element 5 or the housing 12 of the electric traction accumulator from having to be removed from the underbody 4 of the motor vehicle 2 and in order to be able to reach the fastening arrangement 26 normally for disassembly of the trim element 13 or the sill cover 3, in a further advantageous embodiment the trim element 13 in which the accident safety body 6 is integrated is formed in two parts. This means that the trim component 14 and the trim component 15 have been produced separately from one another and the trim components 14, 15 can be fastened to one another and released from one another reversibly without destruction, for example by means of a connection arrangement 27. This means that, in the state as shown in FIG. 4, wherein the accident safety device 1 together with the trim element 13 is fastened to the motor vehicle body-in-white 8, the trim components 14, 15 are then fastened reversibly to one another by means of the connection arrangement 27. Therefore, the trim components 14, 15 are releasable from one another without destruction, wherein “without destruction” means that there is no material separation or material machining, for example cutting or sawing. In this way, the trim component 15 can remain fastened to the motor vehicle body-in-white 8 for disassembly of the trim element 13 or the sill cover 3 and in particular of the accident safety body 6.

[0040] It can also be seen in FIG. 4 that a fastening arrangement 26, by means of which the trim element 13 or the sill cover 3 is fastened to the motor vehicle body-in-white, is covered at least in part by one of the accident safety bodies 6, 7, in the present case the accident safety body 7.

[0041] In this regard, FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of the motor vehicle 2 with the improved accident safety device 1, wherein the accident safety body 7 has auxiliary maintenance openings 29 on an outer edge 28. This means that the accident safety body 7 has, in the region of each fastening arrangement 26, the auxiliary maintenance opening 29 formed as a corresponding material recess. The fastening arrangement 26 is hereby reachable normally, for example by means of a tool head, without having to remove beforehand the accident safety body 7 or the underbody element 5 connected thereto from the underbody 4 of the motor vehicle body-in-shite 8. The accident safety device 1 is of a particularly maintenance-friendly design, since disassembly—and consequently replacement—of the trim element 13, of the sill cover 3, and/or of the accident safety body 6 is made possible particularly easily or with little effort.

[0042] The outer edge 28 is interrupted merely in regions by the auxiliary maintenance openings 29, so that the functionality of the accident safety device 1 is maintained.

[0043] Should the motor vehicle 2 equipped with the accident safety device 1 ultimately be involved in an accident, at least some of the impact energy will be able to be converted in a controlled manner into work of deformation by means of the accident safety device 1. In this regard, FIG. 6 shows a schematic and sectional view of the motor vehicle 2 with the improved accident safety device 1 in the event of an accident. Upon impact of the element 16 of another entity involved in the accident against the accident safety body 6, which in the present case is formed as an outer accident safety body, the impact force 25 is applied via the element 16 of another entity involved in the accident firstly to the trim element 13, which deforms on account of the impact force 25.

[0044] During the further course of the impact or collision against one another, the impact force 25 acts on the outer accident safety body 6, which is sufficiently hard or flexurally rigid so as not to be deformed immediately on account of the impact force 25. Instead, the outer accident safety body 6 is shifted, on account of the impact force 25 acting thereon, in the vehicle transverse direction y in the direction of the accident safety body 7, which in the present example forms an inner accident safety body. A corresponding direction of action of the impact force 25 is different from accident to accident, wherein there is a need, however, to reduce or absorb or convert the impact force 25, at least during the impact, along an energy absorption direction 30, which is predefined during production of the motor vehicle 2 or of the accident safety device 1. This energy absorption direction 30 is significantly determined, for example by an inner structure, an outer geometry, a material selection, etc. of the accident safety bodies 6, 7 and of the motor vehicle body-in-white 8.

[0045] In order to now ensure that, in the event of the impact, the accident safety bodies 6, 7 do not avoid each other, but instead move and/or deform at least substantially along the energy absorption direction 30, the accident safety device 1 has the catch element 17. In the event of the impact, the accident safety body 6 is moved further in the direction of the accident safety body 7 on account of the impact force 25 in order to overcome the distance 9, and therefore the accident safety body 6 plunges at least in part, in particular with its limb 18, into the catch space 20 of the catch element 17. As the accident safety body 6 moves, a first part of the impact energy or of the impact force 25 is already converted under execution of controlled work of deformation at the motor vehicle body-in-white 8, until the accident safety bodies 6, 7 contact one another directly, that is to say immediately.

[0046] If the limb 18 of the accident safety body 6 now plunges into the catch space 20 of the catch element 17, the limb 18 is oriented in relation to the accident safety body 7 on account of the inclined position of the catch walls 22, so that the accident safety body 6 is then already prevented from rotating, for example about the vehicle longitudinal axis x. The accident safety bodies 6, 7 are completely caught on one another or completely blocked with one another when the form fit between the accident safety bodies 6, 7 is fully closed. In this state, the limb 18 is plunged as far as possible into the catch space 20 of the catch element 17, so that the limb 18 is surrounded at least in part by the catch walls 22. Furthermore, the limb 18 is supported via a front face on a bottom face of the catch space 20, so that at the latest a rotation of the accident safety body 6 about the axes x, y, z is then blocked or prevented.

[0047] During the further course of the impact or accident, at least a further part of the impact energy or the impact force 25 is then converted in that controlled work of deformation, that is to say along the energy absorption direction 30, is executed at the accident safety bodies 6, 7 caught on one another or blocked with one another and/or at the motor vehicle body-in-white 8.

[0048] On the whole, the invention shows how accident safety of the motor vehicle 2, which in the present case is electrically drivable, can be improved, in particular by means of the accident safety device 1. The conflict of interest presented at the outset between a design of the accident safety bodies 6, 7, that is to say of the crash profile, that is particularly well optimized in respect of assembly/servicing and a particularly large lateral extent of the accident safety bodies is solved. The fundamental concept here is to divide the crash profile of the high-voltage store or of the electric traction accumulator into at least two constituents, specifically into the accident safety bodies 6, 7. In the present example the accident safety body 7 forms an inner part, which is fixed to the high-voltage store and which is configured such that the outer accident safety body 6 is caught at least in the vehicle vertical direction z. For this purpose, the accident safety body 7 is equipped with the catch element 17. Furthermore, the accident safety body 6 is integrated in the trim element 13 or in the sill cover 3. Here, the sill cover 3 is configured such that it nestles against the inner accident safety body 7, in particular against the catch element 17, in the event of a crash of the motor vehicle 2 or the accident safety device 1. In order to avoid any twisting of the accident safety body 6 about the vehicle longitudinal axis x, it is L-shaped in the present example, wherein, as a result of the limb 19, the accident safety body 6 and the element 16 of another entity involved in the accident come into contact with one another over a particularly large area, thus further counteracting the twisting of the accident safety body 6. The element 16 of another entity involved in the accident may be formed, for example, as a pole or post, wherein the corresponding motor vehicle accident is then referred to as a “pole impact”. Furthermore, the outer accident safety body 6—as already mentioned—is sufficiently flexurally rigid or sufficiently hard to make a significant contribution to the conversion of the impact energy, in particular in the region of the auxiliary maintenance openings 29.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0049] 1 accident safety device [0050] 2 motor vehicle [0051] 3 sill cover [0052] 4 underbody [0053] 5 underbody element [0054] 6 accident safety body [0055] 7 accident safety body [0056] 8 motor vehicle body-in-white [0057] 9 distance [0058] 10 outer side [0059] 11 energy storage unit [0060] 12 housing [0061] 13 trim element [0062] 14 trim component [0063] 15 trim component [0064] 16 element of another entity involved in an accident [0065] 17 catch element [0066] 18 limb [0067] 19 limb [0068] 20 catch space [0069] 21 counter element [0070] 22 catch wall [0071] 23 distance [0072] 24 thickness [0073] 25 impact force [0074] 26 fastening arrangement [0075] 27 connection arrangement [0076] 28 outer edge [0077] 29 auxiliary maintenance opening [0078] 30 energy absorption direction [0079] 101 conventional accident safety device [0080] 102 conventional motor vehicle [0081] 103 conventional sill cover [0082] 104 conventional underbody [0083] 105 conventional underbody element [0084] 106 accident safety element [0085] 107 outer side [0086] 108 deformation distance [0087] 109 fastening arrangement [0088] 110 unusable distance [0089] x longitudinal axis [0090] y transverse axis [0091] z vertical axis