SAFETY DEVICE FOR A VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE

A safety device for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, including a door that is movably situated at a body of the vehicle, a crash bolt that protrudes laterally from the body at a retaining section, in the direction of the door, and a recess that is provided at the door and designed to partly accommodate the crash bolt. It is provided that the crash bolt is fastened to the body, and a crash element that extends at least essentially over the length of the door is situated at the door, the crash element being designed to be supported, at a first end thereof having the recess, on the retaining section of the body in the event of a side collision.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a safety device for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, including a door that is movably situated at a body of the vehicle, in particular for freeing up and closing a door opening of the body, a crash bolt that protrudes laterally from the body at a retaining section, in the direction of the door, and a recess that is provided at the door and designed to partly accommodate the crash bolt. The invention further relates to a vehicle that includes the safety device.

Description of the Background Art

Safety devices are known from the prior art. For example, Unexamined Patent Application KR 20070084667 discloses a safety device of a motor vehicle in which a crash bolt, present on the body side, cooperates with a recess on the door side to prevent the door from being pressed into the vehicle interior in the event of a lateral impact or a side collision. Due to the engagement of the crash bolt in the recess, the door is additionally retained at the body and prevented from penetrating into the vehicle interior. The recess is formed in a reinforcing plate of the vehicle door, so that the crash bolt cooperates with the reinforcing element in the event of a collision.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved safety device which in particular offers increased stability and in particular convenience for a user of the vehicle.

In an example, the invention is characterized in that the crash bolt can be fastened to the body, and a crash element that extends at least essentially over the entire length of the door can be arranged at a door, the crash element being designed to be supported, at a first end thereof having the recess, on the retaining section of the body in the event of a side collision. The safety device according to the invention has the advantage that the crash bolt cooperates with a crash element that extends at least essentially over the entire door length, so that high forces may advantageously be transmitted and reduced without the door deforming into the vehicle interior. As a result of the crash bolt being situated directly at the body or fastened thereto, the crash bolt is also particularly securely mounted on the motor vehicle, and conducts the collision forces directly into the vehicle body. Due to the crash element extending at least essentially over the entire length of the door, i.e., over the entire length or practically the entire length of the door, the crash element extends from one door edge to an opposite or neighboring door edge, thus providing a high level of stability for the door. The door is preferably swivelable at the body, in particular about a vertical or horizontal axis, and/or movably supported.

Furthermore, a trim part can conceal the crash bolt and is penetrable by the crash bolt during a side collision is situated at the body, so that the crash bolt passes into the recess. As a result of the trim part, the crash bolt is thus concealed under normal conditions, which provides an enhanced appearance and also protects the user from being caught on the crash bolt with a part of clothing, such as a coat or the like, when getting in, thereby, or upon subsequent closing of the door, damaging the part of clothing.

Also, an interior trim part can be additionally or alternatively situated at the door, and conceals the crash element and is penetrable by the crash bolt during a side collision, so that the crash bolt passes into the recess. Thus, the recess is also not initially visible and is protected from external influences, for example. The interior trim part thus prevents, for example, small items or dirt from entering the recess, which could subsequently reduce the action of the crash bolt engaging in the recess. The door is also thus protected from water retention and corrosion.

The trim part, at least in the retaining section, can extend at least essentially parallel to the interior trim part of the door. This ensures a tight fit of the door in the region of the retaining section at the body of the motor vehicle.

The crash bolt can have a cutting point, facing the door, for cutting the trim element and/or the interior trim part during a side collision. The cutting point is characterized in particular by a cutting edge or cutting blade that is formed at the free end of the crash bolt.

The cutting point can be designed in one piece with the crash bolt or integrated into the crash bolt. For this purpose, the crash bolt has a wedge shape, for example, at its free end.

The crash bolt can be situated at or near a vehicle pillar. This ensures that high forces may be transmitted into the body of the motor vehicle during a side collision.

The door can be swivelably supported on a first vehicle pillar of the body, and the crash bolt can be situated at a second vehicle pillar of the vehicle. As a result, the crash bolt can be situated at the body at a distance from the swivel bearing of the door, so that side collision forces may be reliably absorbed on the one hand by the swivel bearing, and on the other hand by the crash bolt. In particular, the second vehicle pillar is a vehicle pillar neighboring the first vehicle pillar.

Furthermore, The crash bolt can be situated at the transition of the vehicle pillar to a side member of the body. As a result, the crash bolt can be situated in a region of the body with high load capacity, so that high forces may be absorbed during a lateral impact without the door being pressed into the vehicle interior. In addition, an example in which the door is not swivelable on the first vehicle pillar with the crash bolt situated at the second vehicle pillar, but instead, the vehicle door can be movably supported on the body, for example, in particular on a side member between neighboring vehicle pillars of the body, the crash bolt can be preferably situated at the transition from one of the vehicle pillars to the side member of the body.

The crash element can be oriented at an angle to the side member. Due to the inclined orientation, the crash element extends in particular from the transition region of the vehicle pillar to the side member and to an opposite section of the door, which in particular is situated above the side member, for example at mid-height of the door or between hinges via which the door is swivelably supported on the body. An advantageous force transmission and protective effect are thus ensured.

Furthermore, a vehicle is provided that includes the safety device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1shows a simplified side view of a motor vehicle1, of which essentially only a body2is shown here. The body2has two frame-shaped door openings3,4, with which a door5or6, respectively, is or may be associated. InFIG.1the doors5,6are shown to be essentially transparent to allow the advantageous design to be illustrated. The door5is swivelably supported on a first vehicle pillar7, in particular an A-pillar, by one or more swivel joints8. The door6is swivelably supported on a second vehicle pillar9, in particular a B-pillar, by one or more swivel joints10. In the closed position of the door5, it also rests against the second vehicle pillar9, and in the closed position the door6rests against a third vehicle pillar11, in particular a C-pillar, of the motor vehicle1in order to close the particular door opening.

The two doors5,6include a crash element12,13, respectively. The crash elements12,13are each designed as crash tubes or crash struts which in each case extend at least essentially over the entire length of the respective door5,6. In the closed position of the door, a first end14of the crash element13is associated with the transition of the vehicle pillar11to a side member15of the body2. The crash element13thus ends in the bend or in the corner in which the vehicle pillar11and the side member15meet. The same applies for the crash element12, which ends at the transition of the vehicle pillar9to the side member15. The crash elements13,12are in particular each oriented at an angle to the side member15in such a way that they end with the respective first end14at the transition of the particular vehicle pillar10,11to the side member15, and with the second end at approximately mid-height of the door at the respective opposite vehicle pillar7,9. The respective second end of the particular crash element12,13is thus situated at the level of or near to one of the swivel joints8,10, or between the swivel joints8,10.

The crash elements12,13are part of a safety device16,17, respectively, of the motor vehicle1. Since the safety devices16,17have basically the same design, the design of both safety devices16,17is explained in greater detail below with reference to the safety device17.

FIG.2shows a detailed view of the body2of the motor vehicle1in a detailed illustration of the safety device17. The vehicle pillar11and the side member15are shown. A retaining section18of the body2is formed in the transition region, and in the closed state of the door4is opposite from the first end14of the crash element13. A crash bolt19is situated in the retaining section18. The crash bolt19is fastened to the body2, either directly or with the aid of a reinforcing element20. The crash bolt19protrudes laterally, in particular horizontally, from the body at the retaining section18in the direction of the door6, in particular in the direction of the end14of the crash element13, as shown inFIG.4A, for example, so that with its free end21the crash bolt faces the door4. The free end21is thus spaced apart from the body2and protrudes from the retaining section18.

FIG.3shows the same detailed view fromFIG.2, except that now the body2is provided with a trim part22. The trim part22, in particular the trim panel, covers the body2and the crash bolt19, so that the crash bolt19is concealed behind the trim part22and thus is not discernible from the outside.

FIGS.4A and4Bshow a sectional illustration along the line A-A fromFIG.1through the region of the safety device17, in which the crash bolt19is situated. In addition to the body2,FIG.4Ashows the trim element22which conceals the crash bolt19. For this purpose, the trim element22, at least in the region of the crash bolt19, extends at a distance from the retaining section18, so that the free end21of the crash bolt19is spaced apart from the trim part22.

At its end14opposite from the crash bolt19, the crash element13has a recess23, which according to the present example is designed as an opening or aperture in the crash element13. The recess23has an inner contour that is slightly larger than the outer contour of the crash bolt19. In the closed position of the door4, the recess23is situated opposite from the free end21of the crash bolt19. The door6includes an interior trim part24that covers and conceals the crash element13at the inner side of the door. The interior trim part24thus also extends over the recess23so that it is not discernible from the outside. The interior trim part24extends parallel to the trim element22in the region of the retaining section18, so that the door6may be situated particularly close to the body2in the closed position. In the closed position, as shown inFIG.4A, a gap preferably remains between the interior trim part24and the trim part22.

During a side collision or a lateral impact, the following function of the safety device17is now provided in the region of the door6, as shown in particular byFIG.4B.

FIG.4Bshows by way of example the safety device17in the activated or deformed state after a side collision. As a result of the side collision, the door6is acted on by a force in the direction of the interior of the motor vehicle1, thus deforming the door6. In particular, the crash element13is pushed into the vehicle interior, as a result of which the free end14is also moved in the direction of the crash bolt19. If the force generated by the lateral impact is sufficiently high, the crash element13is moved and pressed against the retaining section18in such a way that the crash bolt19cuts through the trim part22and the interior trim part24and is pushed into the recess23of the crash element13. For this purpose, the crash bolt19preferably has a cutting edge25at its free end21which is designed to cut through the trim part22and the trim part24during such an impact or side collision. Due to the crash bolt19engaging in the recess23, a form-fit connection is now established between the crash element13or the door6and the crash bolt19or the body2, via which the door6locks against the crash bolt19at the end remote from the swivel joint10, and is prevented from penetrating into the vehicle interior.

The safety device17thus ensures that the door6cannot be moved into the vehicle interior during a side collision. The risk of injury to vehicle occupants is thus advantageously reduced. Due to the concealed arrangement of the fastening bolt and also of the recess23, the safety device17on the one hand does not become visible, and on the other hand, persons getting in or out cannot be injured, and their clothing cannot be damaged, by the fastening bolt.

Although the present example relates to a swivelable door6, according to a further example it is provided that the door is movably supported on the body2of the vehicle, in particular on the side member15. At least one crash bolt19is then preferably situated in the transition region or at the transition between one of the vehicle pillars7,9,11and the side member15.