Vehicle, having an internal combustion engine which comprises a flexible drive

Abstract

A vehicle having an internal combustion engine mounted in the vehicle such that a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine runs in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle is provided with a flexible drive is provided that comprises a wheel, in particular a pulley, which is arranged such as to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and which is arranged in front of the internal combustion engine when viewed in the direction of travel of the vehicle. The wheel has at least one weakened section which allows or facilitates a compression of the wheel in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle upon a head-on collision. In addition, the wheel may be arranged to cooperate with a recess in the front of the engine to permit further displacement of the wheel toward the engine during a collision.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising: an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a flexible drive having a wheel arranged to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle at a front end of the internal combustion engine, wherein the wheel has at least one weakened section arranged to facilitate a compression of the wheel in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in a frontal collision of the vehicle, and the at least one weakened section is a plurality of weakened sections spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the wheel.

2. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wheel is a laser-sintered component.

3. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of weakened sections are formed by slots.

4. The vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the slots have a length in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle which is greater than a width of the slots in the circumferential direction of the wheel.

5. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wheel is secured on a flywheel of the internal combustion engine.

6. The vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flywheel has a circular depression configured to receive at least one of a circumferential and a lateral surface segment of the wheel in the frontal collision of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a splitting element configured to split at least one of a circumferential and a lateral surface segment of the wheel in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle at at least one point on the at least one circumferential and lateral surface segment in a frontal collision.

8. The vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the splitting element includes a shank portion extending concentrically with respect to an axis of rotation of the wheel and at least one cutting-edge element configured to penetrate into the at least one circumferential and lateral surface segment of the wheel in a frontal collision provided on an underside of a head portion of the splitting element facing the wheel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a belt pulley in accordance with the prior art;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a belt pulley screwed to a flywheel, wherein a groove-type depression is provided on the flywheel in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 3 shows the belt pulley of FIG. 2 in a collision;

(4) FIG. 4 shows a belt pulley in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention having axial slots;

(5) FIG. 5 shows a laser-sintered belt pulley in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

(6) FIG. 6 shows a belt pulley in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention having a splitting element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(7) FIG. 1 shows a conventional belt pulley 1 of an auxiliary unit drive of an internal combustion engine, having a flywheel 1, which is driven by the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine and to which a belt pulley 2 is screwed. The belt pulley 2 has a circumferential or lateral surface 4, which is provided with profiling 3 and on which a belt 5 of an auxiliary unit drive (not shown specifically here) is mounted. A base 6 connected to the circumferential or lateral surface 4 is screwed to the flywheel 1 by screws 7, 8.

(8) In a head-on collision of the vehicle, the belt pulley 2 is compressed in the vehicle longitudinal direction, this being indicated in FIG. 2 by an arrow 9. In order to achieve as large as possible a crumple zone, a semicircular groove-type depression 10, which extends over a full circle in the flywheel 1, is provided in the flywheel 1 in the illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 2. During a deformation of the belt pulley 2, a front side 2a of the belt pulley 2 can deform into the groove-type depression 10, this being illustrated in FIG. 3. The depth of the groove-type depression 10 thus represents an additional crumple zone.

(9) A deformation of the belt pulley 2 can be additionally assisted by slots 11a-11e provided in the belt pulley 2. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the slots 11a-11e extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction or parallel to the axis of rotation of the belt pulley 2. The slots 11a-11e are arranged spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the belt pulley 2.

(10) Of course, the slots 11a-11e can be combined with a groove-type depression 10 provided in the flywheel 1, thereby making it possible to achieve a larger crumple zone overall.

(11) FIG. 5 shows an illustrative embodiment of a belt pulley 2 which has a very complex geometry, having a circumferential or lateral surface 4 which is connected to the base 6 of the belt pulley by a plurality of ribs 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d. Such a complex belt pulley geometry can be produced by laser sintering, for example. The belt pulley 2 can be sintered from a metal powder or from a metal-containing powder, for example.

(12) FIG. 6 shows an illustrative embodiment in which a mushroom-shaped splitting element 13 is provided in addition to the belt pulley 2. The splitting element 13 has a shank portion 13a and a head portion 13b. The shaft portion 13a, which is represented by zigzag lines, is made relatively soft when considered in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, i.e. in the direction of rotation of the belt pulley 2. In a head-on collision of the vehicle, the shank portion 13a can thus be compressed relatively easily. The head portion 13b has cutting-edge-type elements 13c spaced apart by 90° in the circumferential direction, e.g. four such elements. If the splitting element 13 is compressed in a head-on collision, the cutting-edge-type elements 13c penetrate into the circumferential or lateral surface segment 4 of the belt pulley and split the latter. As a result, compression of the belt pulley 2 is additionally assisted in a collision.

(13) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.