Deployable device mounted to vehicle frame

A vehicle includes a frame, a wheel supported by the frame; and a device fixed to the frame. The device includes an inflator and an inflatable member in fluid communication with the inflator. The inflatable member is inflatable away from the frame and into contact with the wheel to push the wheel away from the frame during sensed impact of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND

During an offset frontal impact of a vehicle, the impact is offset from major structural components of the vehicle. Offset frontal impacts can be simulated with a small offset rigid barrier (“SORB”) frontal crash test. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (“IIHS”) sets a standard for SORB frontal crash tests. In a SORB frontal crash test, the vehicle impacts a rigid barrier at 40 miles/hour with 25% of an outer portion of a front end of the vehicle overlapping the rigid barrier.

During a SORB impact, the rigid barrier may tend to miss the major structural components of the vehicle, e.g., a frame rail. Consequently, the rigid barrier may directly impact a wheel of the vehicle, thereby pushing the wheel toward a passenger cabin of the vehicle. In such instances, the orientation of the wheel may determine the likelihood of the wheel entering into the passenger cabin, e.g., through a floor or dash of the vehicle. The wheel turned away from the frame rail of the vehicle may reduce the likelihood of the wheel entering into the passenger cabin. Intrusion of the wheel into the passenger cabin of the vehicle is a metric recorded in the IIHS SORB frontal crash test.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, a vehicle10includes a frame12, a wheel14supported by the frame12, and a device16fixed to the frame12. The device16includes an inflator18and an inflatable member20in fluid communication with the inflator18. The inflatable member20is inflatable away from the frame12and into contact with the wheel14.

When an impact of the vehicle10is sensed e.g., an offset frontal impact such as a small offset rigid barrier (SORB) impact, the device16inflates from an undeployed position, as shown inFIG. 2, to a deployed position, as shown inFIG. 3. Specifically, the inflatable member20of the device16inflates away from the frame12and into contact with the wheel14. As the inflatable member20contacts the wheel14, the inflatable member20forces the wheel14away from the frame12.

With reference toFIG. 4, a frame rail22is elongated along a longitudinal axis L. The longitudinal axis L of the frame rail22may extend along the vehicle-forward direction VF and vehicle-rearward direction VR, as identified inFIG. 1.

With reference toFIG. 4, the frame12may include a pair frame rails22spaced from each other and extending generally in parallel along the vehicle-forward direction VF and vehicle-rearward direction VR. Specifically, one of the pair of frame rails may be at a left side26of the vehicle10and the other of the pair of frame rails22may be at a right side28of the vehicle10. In the examples shown in the Figures, the device16is mounted to the frame rail22at the left side26. In the alternative, or in addition, another device16may be mounted to the frame rail22at the right side28. In such an example, the devices16may be identical, or nearly identical, and may be mirror images of each other.

The frame rails22have an outboard side30and an inboard side32opposite the outboard side30. Specifically, the outboard side30and the inboard side32of each frame rail22oppose each other about the longitudinal axis L, i.e., are spaced from each other opposite the longitudinal axis L. The outboard side30and the inboard side32are each elongated along the longitudinal axis L. The outboard side30faces away from a centerline (not labelled) of the vehicle10, as identified inFIG. 1, and the inboard side32faces toward the centerline of the vehicle10.

The frame rails22may support other components of the vehicle10. The frame rails22may be designed to absorb energy and deform in a controlled manner during a sensed impact, e.g., SORB frontal impact. The frame rails22may be constructed of metal (such as steel, aluminum, etc.), or any other suitable material. The frame rail22may be tubular, or any other suitable shape.

With reference toFIG. 4, the frame12includes cross-members36extending from one of the frame rails22to the other of the frame rails22in a cross-vehicle direction CV. The cross-members36may be fixed to the frame rails22, e.g., by welding, fastening, etc. The cross-members36add structural rigidity to the rest of the frame12, and may support other components. One of the cross-members36may be, more specifically, an engine cradle that supports components of a powertrain of the vehicle10, e.g., the engine, transmission, etc.

A body38and frame12may have a body-on-frame construction (also referred to as a cab-on-frame construction). In other words, the body38and frame12are separate components, i.e., are modular, and the body38is supported on and affixed to the frame12. As another example, the body38and frame12may be of a unibody construction. In the unibody construction, the underlying frame12and the body38, including the pillars and roof rails, are unitary, i.e., a continuous one-piece unit. Alternatively, the body38and frame12may have any suitable construction. The body38and/or the frame12may be formed of any suitable material, for example, steel, aluminum, etc.

With reference toFIG. 1, the vehicle10may include a front bumper40and a rear bumper42. The front bumper40and the rear bumper42are each supported by the frame rails22, i.e., either directly or indirectly through an intermediate component. The front bumper40and the rear bumper42extend in the cross-vehicle direction CV. The frame rails22may extend continuously from the front bumper40to the rear bumper42.

With continued reference toFIG. 4, the frame12may include a shock tower bracket44. The shock tower bracket44may be supported by the frame rail22and, more specifically, may be fixed to the frame rail22, e.g., by welding, fastening, etc. The shock tower bracket44may, for example, provide support for a suspension component, e.g., shock, strut, spring, etc. As shown inFIG. 4, the frame12may include two shock tower brackets44, i.e., one on each frame rail22.

With continued reference toFIG. 4, the frame12may include a cab mount bracket46. Specifically, the cab mount bracket46may be fixed to the frame rail22, e.g., by welding, fastening, etc. The cab mount bracket46may, for example, be fixed on either the outboard side30of the frame rail22, as shown in the Figures, or the inboard side32of the frame rail22. The cab mount bracket46supports the body38and may be fixed to the body38, e.g., by a coupler (not shown) that engages the body38and the cab mount bracket46, to marry the body38to the frame12. The cab mount bracket46may be constructed of metal, e.g. steel, aluminum, etc.

The frame rail22may include a cavity48that houses the device16. As shown inFIG. 4, the cavity48may be on the outboard side30of the frame rail22in the vehicle-rearward direction VR relative to the shock tower bracket44. Specifically, the cavity48may be located between the shock tower bracket44and the cab mount bracket46. The cavity48houses the device16in both the undeployed position and the deployed position. The cavity48allows the device16to be disposed within the cavity48on the frame rail22in an unobtrusive manner. For example, the device16may be flush with, or recessed relative to, the rest of the outboard side30when housed in the cavity48in the undeployed position.

The vehicle10may include a rocker50, i.e., the body38includes the rocker50. The rocker50is elongated along a second axis (not shown) parallel to the longitudinal axis L. The second axis extends along the frame12in the vehicle-forward direction VF and vehicle-rearward direction VR. The rocker50may be integral with, i.e., formed together as a single continuous unit, or formed separately and subsequently attached to the rest of the body38. The rocker50is disposed along a bottom edge of the body38.

The vehicle10includes the wheel14supported by the frame12. The wheel14may be aligned with the shock tower bracket44along the longitudinal axis L. As shown inFIGS. 2-3, the wheel14may be located in the vehicle-forward direction VF relative to the rocker50and in the vehicle-rearward direction VR relative to the front bumper40, i.e., a front wheel. The outboard side30of the frame rail22faces the wheel14. The wheel14is rotatable about a rotational axis54.

The body38of the vehicle10includes a wheel well56. The wheel14is disposed in the wheel well56. The device16is positioned in the wheel well56. The body38may include cladding, e.g., formed of plastic, lining the wheel well56. In such an example, when the device16is inflated, the device16may move and/or break through the cladding to impact the wheel14.

With reference toFIGS. 5-7, the inflatable member20includes a front panel58and a rear panel60. The rear panel60may be spaced from the front panel58in the undeployed position, and is spaced from the front panel58in the deployed position. The inflatable member20may include folds62, e.g., accordion shaped folds, that are folded when the inflatable member20is undeployed and unfold as the inflatable member20is deployed. The folds62may extend entirely around a periphery of the device16from the rear panel60to the front panel58.

The device16includes an inflation chamber64defined between the rear panel60, the front panel58, and the folds62. The inflation chamber64may be inflated with an inflation medium, as set forth further below, to inflate the inflatable member20from the undeployed position to the deployed position.

As shown inFIG. 4, the device16is positioned along the frame rail22to contact the wheel14and force the wheel14away from the frame rail22. The device16may, for example, be fixed to the outboard side30of the frame rail22. The device16may be fixed to the frame12in a vehicle-rearward direction VR relative to the shock tower bracket44. Specifically, the device16may be positioned in a vehicle-rearward direction VR relative to the wheel14along the longitudinal axis L, i.e., the device16may be positioned along the longitudinal axis L in a vehicle-rearward direction VR relative to the rotational axis54of the wheel14. More specifically, the device16may, for example, be positioned along the longitudinal axis L between the rotational axis54and the rocker50.

The device16is positioned relative to the frame rail22, including the positioning described above, to prevent interference with the turning of the wheel14, i.e., the turning radius as the vehicle10is steered, when the device16is in the undeployed position. In addition to the positioning described above, as also set forth above, the device16may be disposed in the cavity48of the frame rail22. The device16disposed in the cavity48may be flush with, or recessed relative to, the rest of the outboard side30of the frame rail22, i.e., a thickness of the device16may be less than or equal to a depth of the cavity48.

The device16, e.g., the inflatable member20, may be fixed to the frame rail22with a fastener66. As one example, adhesives may connect the device16to the frame rail22. Specifically, the adhesive may connect the rear panel60of the inflatable member20to the frame rail22, e.g., in the cavity48. The adhesive may, for example, be epoxy adhesive, acrylic adhesive, etc.

Alternatively, or in addition to the adhesive, the device16, e.g., the inflatable member20, the fastener66may be pins, clips, Christmas-tree fasteners, etc., fixed to the device16and the frame rail22. Specifically, fasteners66may be molded on the rear panel60of the inflatable member20and may be engaged with holes52on the frame rail22. The fasteners66may be formed of the same or a different material than the rear panel60. As one example, the fasteners66may be plastic.

The inflatable member20may be formed of a thermoplastic elastomer. The inflatable member20may, for example, be formed of any suitable plastic material, e.g., polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) etc. The thermoplastic elastomer is a polymeric material with both thermoplastic and elastomeric properties. A suitable class of TPE material may, for example, be thermoplastic olefin (TPO). The properties of the plastic material of the inflatable member20allow the inflatable member20to extend from the frame12to the deployed position toward the wheel14. The thermoplastic elastomer may be 1-4 millimeters thick. The manufacturing flexibility afforded by the plastic material may allow the inflatable member20to be formed, e.g., blow molded, injection molded, etc., into any suitable shape, size, and thickness.

With reference toFIGS. 4-9, the device16includes the inflator18. The inflator18may be in fluid communication with the inflatable member20such that the inflator18inflates the inflatable member20. The inflator18may be located inside or outside the device16, i.e. inflatable member20. As one example, as shown inFIG. 8, the inflator18may be fixed on the inboard side32of the frame rail22and be in fluid communication with the inflatable member20through a fill tube78. The fill tube78may, for example, pass through the frame rail22connecting the inflator18to the inflatable member20. Alternatively, or in addition to, the fill tube78may pass over and/or under the frame rail22.

As another example, the inflator18may be disposed in the inflation chamber64. In this configuration, for example, the device16may define at least one clip68in the inflation chamber64that fixes the inflator18to the inflatable member20. The clip68may be of any suitable size and shape to fix the inflator18to the inflatable member20. The clip68may, for example, be integral with the front panel58, rear panel60, as shown inFIGS. 5-7), and/or folds62, i.e., formed simultaneously with the front panel58, rear panel60, and/or folds62as a single continuous unit. Alternatively, the clip68may be formed separately from and subsequently connected to the front panel58, rear panel60, and/or folds62.

Upon receiving a signal from, e.g., a controller70, the inflator18may inflate the inflation chamber64with an inflation medium, such as a gas. The inflator18may be, for example, a pyrotechnic inflator that uses a chemical reaction to drive inflation medium to the inflatable member20. The inflator18may be of any suitable type, for example, a cold-gas inflator.

The device16may include a cover (not shown). The cover may partially or entirely cover the inflatable member20to protect the inflatable member20from the elements, e.g., rain, snow, road salt, etc. The cover may be formed of any suitable material that is resistant to the elements. The cover may be frangible relative to the inflatable member20so that the inflatable member20breaks the cover when the device16is deployed. The cover may include a tear seam (not shown) that encourages the cover to rupture during deployment of the device16to the deployed position.

With reference toFIG. 9, the vehicle10may include a control system72having the controller70in communication with the inflator18and/or an impact sensor74. The controller70, the inflator18, and the impact sensor74may communicate through a communications network76.

The controller70may be a microprocessor-based controller. The controller70may include a processor, memory, etc. The memory of the controller70may store instructions executable by the controller70.

The impact sensor74may be in communication with the controller70. The impact sensor74is adapted to detect an impact, e.g., offset frontal impact, to the vehicle10. The impact sensor74may be of any suitable type, for example, post-contact sensors such as accelerometers, pressure sensors, contact switches; and pre-impact sensors such as radar, LIDAR, and vision-sensing systems. The vision-sensing system may include one or more cameras, CCD image sensors, CMOS image sensors, etc. The impact sensor74may be located at numerous points in or on the vehicle10.

The control system72may transmit signals through the communications network76(such as a controller area network (CAN) bus), Ethernet, and/or by any other wired or wireless communication network.

As shown inFIG. 9, in response to an impact of the vehicle10with another object, e.g., an offset impact, the impact sensor74may transmit an instruction through the communications network76to the controller70. The controller70may be programmed to instruct the device16, i.e., inflator18, to inflate the inflatable member20. As set forth above, the inflatable member20is inflatable away from the frame rail22and into contact with the wheel14to force the wheel14away from the frame rail22. The position of the wheel14facing away from the frame12may reduce the likelihood of the wheel14entering into the passenger cabin of the vehicle10.