BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a more detailed explanation of the invention, an example of embodiment of the latter is described below in greater detail with the aid of the drawings, wherein:
In the figures:
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a vehicle with a shifted-out vehicle door;
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a vehicle with two shifted-out vehicle doors;
FIG. 3 shows a detail view of the vehicle according to FIG. 2 with a removed vehicle rear door and through a vehicle front door shifted out by a device according to the invention for side impact protection;
FIG. 4 shows a perspective first side view of a device according to the invention for moving the vehicle doors in the normal position;
FIG. 5 shows a perspective second side view of the device for moving the vehicle door in the normal position, rotated through 180° compared to FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the device for moving the vehicle door according to FIG. 4 in the shifted-out position;
FIG. 7 shows a detail view of the device for the side impact protection in the positioning on the vehicle door and vehicle bodywork in the region of the door opening, according to FIG. 3;
FIG. 8 shows a more simplified perspective detail view of the device according to FIG. 7, whereby the cover elements of the B-pillar of the vehicle have been removed for the purpose of illustration; and
FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram in plan view of a part of the vehicle door, the device for the side impact protection and a part of a side wall of the vehicle bodywork.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a vehicle 1 with a shifted-out vehicle front door 2. FIG. 2 shows a four-door vehicle 1 with a shifted-out vehicle front door 2 and a likewise shifted-out vehicle rear door 3. The vehicle front door and the vehicle rear door are both shifted outwards in order to absorb a side impact. The shifting-outwards can be released before or during a side impact. For this purpose, sensors are arranged on the vehicle, which detect a side impact situation before and/or during a side impact and send a corresponding signal to a device 4 for the side impact protection. The device can better be seen in FIG. 3, which shows a detail view of vehicle 1 according to FIG. 2.
Device 4 for the side impact protection serves to shift outwards the side doors of the vehicle before and/or during a side impact and to hold them in the shifted-out position. For this purpose, it is arranged in the region of door lock 5 of the vehicle. The device comprises at least one arrangement 6 for moving the vehicle door. Only a part thereof is shown in FIG. 3, which part is fixed on the vehicle bodywork side. Said part engages with a lock stirrup 60 in a closure eyelet 61 which is provided on the door side. Such a closure eyelet is usually provided on a door as the lock part provided there, just as a lock stirrup is usually arranged on the vehicle bodywork side in order to engage in the closure eyelet. The distinction from the usual door locks consists solely in the fact that the lock stirrup is arranged on the arrangement for moving the vehicle door, which enables a shifting-outwards of the door. An embodiment of such an arrangement is represented in detail in FIGS. 4 to 6.
FIG. 4 shows a first perspective side view of the arrangement. The latter comprises two parts mobile with respect to one another, whereby first part 62 is provided with a lock stirrup 60 and a second part 63 is fixed to the vehicle bodywork. Arrangement 6 can either be installed in B-pillar 7 of the vehicle, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or be arranged in a separate housing, which for its part is fixed to the B-pillar or, for the vehicle rear door, the C-pillar. First part 62 of arrangement 6 comprising lock stirrup 60 has an elongated roughly straight section 64, which is provided with a guide connecting-link path 65 provided in its longitudinal direction, as can be seen best from FIG. 6. The guide connecting-link path it designed as a perforation in the embodiment shown, but can for example also be designed as a groove. A guide pin 66 engages in guide connecting-link path 65, said guide pin being fixed to second part 63. Guide pin 66 is also indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6.
Second part 63 of arrangement 6, which is fixed on the vehicle bodywork side, also comprises a connecting-link path 67, in which a connecting-link pin 68 engages, which for its part is fixed to first part 62. Connecting-link path 67 is designed curved as distinct from guide connecting-link path 65 and has at its one end a widened portion 69 as a latching or locking or arresting contour or trough. Guide pin 68, after passing through curved connecting-link path 67, can be arrested or latched in this widened portion of the connecting-link path, whereby in this extended position first part 62 containing the lock stirrup is fully extended, as can be seen in FIG. 6. The procedure for the shifting-outwards of this part 62 of arrangement 6 is dealt with in greater detail in the following.
Second part 63 further comprises a release device 8. In the case shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, this comprises a magnetic switch 80 and a release pin 81. A preloaded leg spring 90 of a shifting-out mechanism 9 engages with the release pin, which shifting-out mechanism, after the releasing of the release device, brings about a shifting-out or swinging-out of first part 62 into the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. Leg spring 90 has two legs 91, 92 and a coil portion 93 lying between the latter, which is wound around a spring mounting pin 94, as can be seen in FIGS. 4 to 6. First leg 91 is supported not only on release pin 81, but also on guide pin 68, which rests in curved connecting-link path 67. Second leg 92 is supported on the bodywork side, although this cannot be seen in FIGS. 4 to 6.
Curved connecting-link path 67 in second part 63 of arrangement 6 for moving the vehicle door is arranged in a carrier plate 160 in the example shown in FIGS. 4 to 6. It can be designed as a groove or a perforation, connecting-link path 67 being designed as a perforation in fixing plate 160 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.
In order to enable the fixing of arrangement 6 for example in a B-pillar or, in the case of use for a vehicle rear door 3, in C-pillar 10 of the vehicle, fixing can take place for example by means of fixing plates 161, which are fixed at an angle from carrier plate 160, as can be seen particularly well in FIGS. 4 to 6. Alternatively, or in addition, the arrangement can be arranged in a housing, which for its part is fixed to the vehicle bodywork.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show arrangement 6 for moving the vehicle door in the normal or rest position, whereas FIG. 6 shows the arrangement in the shifted-out position for the shifting-out of a vehicle door. The curvature of connecting-link path 67 is matched in particular to respective door opening 11 of the vehicle. In the rest state, preloaded leg spring 90 acts via its first leg 91 on guide pin 68. A deflection of the leg spring is avoided by release pin 81 until release device 8 or magnetic switch 80 receives a corresponding release signal, as a result of which the release pin is released and a deflecting movement of the leg spring is enabled. On account of the positioning of guide pin 68 in curved connecting-link path 67, said guide pin is moved by leg 91 of leg spring 90 along connecting-link path 67 and thereby performs a shifting-out or folding-out movement for first part 62 which carries the lock stirrup. The guide pin is moved until it is in widened portion 69 of curved connecting-link path 67 and arrested or latched in this trough-shaped widened portion 69. During the shifting-out or folding movement for the shifting-out of first part 62, which contains lock stirrup 60, with respect to second part 63, first part 62 containing the lock stirrup is guided in a restricted fashion by guide pin 66 along its longitudinally running guide connecting-link path.
As can be seen from FIG. 6, guide pin 68 latches in widened portion 69 or the arresting or latching trough and is not pushed back again along connecting-link path 67 despite the action of a force exerted in the direction of arrow 12, which acts during the side impact on the vehicle door and thus also on first part 62 of arrangement 6. Instead of the trough of the widened portion of curved connecting-link path 67 shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, another kind of latching arrangement can also be provided in order to prevent an undesired movement of guide pin 68 out of this end portion of the connecting-link path. After reaching this end portion of the connecting-link path, a stable unity of arrangement 6 is intended to be provided, which reliably withstands the acting impact force. Uncontrolled jumping-out or sliding-out of guide pin 68 from this portion 69 is thus reliably avoided.
In order to guide first part 62 carrying the lock stirrup back into its initial rest or normal position, the lock stirrup is first released from closure eyelet 61 and is returned back into its initial position by using a suitably provided tool, whereby the spring is returned back into its initial position, as is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and is then held again by release pin 81.
Instead of using a leg spring, use may also be made for example of a deformation element which, after actuation of a suitably designed release mechanism, acts on first part 62 carrying lock stirrup 60, in order to move said first part along curved connecting-link path 67. Such a deformation element can be designed for example as a hollow body filled with gas in the form of an airbag, which can expand between the vehicle bodywork and the vehicle door and thereby releases the displacing and rotating guided movement of first part 62 of arrangement 6 for moving the vehicle door.
FIG. 7 shows a detail view of vehicle door 2, B-pillar 7 and arrangement 6 for moving the vehicle door. First part 62, which comprises lock stirrup 60, is hereby extended and the lock stirrup hooks into closing eyelet 61 of door 2. The situation for absorbing a side impact is thus represented. When first part 62 of arrangement 6 is extended, therefore, a defined door gap 13 is created, which depends on the length of section 64 with lock stirrup 60, or more precisely the length thereof projecting from the surface of the B-pillar. By this means, therefore, the space can be determined that is additionally made available for the protection of the vehicle occupants. Furthermore, side and head airbags can also be opened into this space, so that more space is also available here for the vehicle occupants, since said airbags can open not only into the interior, but then also into the door gap.
As can be seen from FIG. 7, arrangement 6 is integrated into B-pillar 7, whereby it is covered to the exterior by a closure cover 70, so that second part 63, which can be seen in FIG. 8, is concealed to the exterior behind closure cover 70. In the rest position of arrangement 6, as it is represented in FIGS. 4 and 5, lock stirrup 60 projects out of closure cover 70, as is the case with standard door locks. To that extent, a vehicle provided with the device according to the invention does not differ from a vehicle not provided with the device. If sufficient space for the integration of the arrangement is not available in the B-pillar, an additional housing can be provided which surrounds arrangement 6 and is fixed to the B-pillar. In the case of installation in the B-pillar, such a housing can of course also surround arrangement 6. It proves to be advantageous to provide such a housing, since it can prevent the penetration of moisture when suitable seals are provided, so that protection against corrosion is provided for the arrangement in the interior of the housing.
The schematic diagram of a plan view of the situation of the shifted-out vehicle door represented in FIG. 7 is shown in FIG. 9, whereby it is also ensured, when the length of first part 62 of arrangement 6 is being extended, that an overlap of the door and vehicle side wall 14 is retained, as indicated by gap overlap 15 shown in FIG. 9. Gap overlap 15 serves to prevent the vehicle door from being shifted outwards to such an extent that, in the event of a side impact, objects can enter into the interior of the passenger compartment and injure occupants seated therein. Gap overlap 15 in the given case can be designed specific to the application, i.e. adapted to the given vehicle type and the existing installation circumstances in the region of the vehicle door, the vehicle side walls and also, as the case may be, a B-pillar or C-pillar of the vehicle bodywork.
Apart from the embodiments of devices described above and shown the figures for the side impact protection for a vehicle door of a vehicle, numerous others can also be formed, wherein in each case at least one arrangement is provided for moving the vehicle door before and/or during an impact outwards in the direction away from the vehicle occupants. Apart from the described variant wherein at least one arrangement for moving the vehicle door is arranged in the region of a door lock, such an arrangement can for example be arranged, additionally or alternatively, in a suitably modified design in the region of door hinges. Furthermore, it is possible to provide an arrangement for moving the vehicle door in the region of a door seal, for example in the form of an expandable door seal.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
1 vehicle
2 vehicle front door
3 vehicle rear door
4 device for side impact protection
5 door lock
6 arrangement for moving the vehicle door
7 B-pillar
8 release device
9 shifting-out mechanism
10 C-pillar
11 door opening
12 arrow
13 door gap
14 vehicle side wall
15 gap overlap
60 lock stirrup
61 closure eyelet
62 first part
63 second part
64 section
65 guide connecting-link path
66 guide pin
67 curved connecting-link path
68 guide pin
69 widened portion
70 closure cover
80 magnetic switch
81 release pin
90 leg spring
91 first leg
92 second leg
93 coil portion
94 spring mounting pin
160 carrier plate
161 fixing plate
Patent Application
20070267239
