Cross-vehicle beam with hidden brace for motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10967916-B2
Application number	US-201816044277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2018
Priority date	Jul 26, 2017
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A cross-vehicle beam for a vehicle comprises a tubular portion extending in a longitudinal direction (X), a first brace connected to the tubular portion and intended to be fixed to a windshield lower crossmember of the body of the vehicle, and a second brace connected to the tubular portion and intended to be fixed to a bulkhead of the body of the vehicle. The ends of the first and second braces at the tubular portion are located in the same transverse plane (P 1 ) of the tubular portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Cross-vehicle beam for a vehicle, comprising a tubular portion extending in a longitudinal direction between a first end, intended to be placed on a driver's side of the vehicle, and a second end, intended to be placed on a passenger's side of the vehicle, the cross-vehicle beam comprising:
a steering column support,
a first brace extending between a first end of the first brace, connected to the tubular portion, and a second end of the first brace, adapted to be fixed to a windshield lower crossmember of a body of the vehicle, and
a second brace extending between a first end of the second brace, connected to the tubular portion, and a second end of the second brace, adapted to be fixed to a bulkhead of the body of the vehicle,
wherein the first ends of the first and second braces are located in a same transverse plane of the tubular portion, and
wherein the first brace and the second brace are located between an entirety of the steering column support and the second end of the tubular portion.

2. Cross-vehicle beam according to claim 1 , comprising a third brace, extending between a first end of the third brace, connected to the tubular portion, and a second end of the third brace, intended to be fixed to the windshield lower crossmember of the body of the vehicle.

3. Cross-vehicle beam according to claim 1 , comprising another brace, extending between a first end of said another brace connected to the tubular portion, and a second end of said another brace intended to be fixed to the bulkhead of the body of the vehicle.

4. Cross-vehicle beam according to claim 3 , comprising a third brace, extending between a first end of the third brace, connected to the tubular portion, and a second end of the third brace, intended to be fixed to the windshield lower crossmember of the body of the vehicle, wherein the first ends of the third brace and said another brace are located in the same transverse plane of the tubular portion.

5. Cross-vehicle beam according to claim 1 , having no brace intended to be fixed to the floor of the body of the vehicle.

6. Cross-vehicle beam according to claim 1 , wherein the first ends of the first and second braces are located at a distance, from the first end of the tubular portion, of between one-quarter and one-half of the length of the tubular portion.

7. Cross-vehicle beam according to claim 3 , comprising a third brace, extending between a first end of the third brace, connected to the tubular portion, and a second end of the third brace, intended to be fixed to the windshield lower crossmember of the body of the vehicle, wherein the first end of the third brace and/or the first end of said another brace is located at a distance, from the first end of the tubular portion, of between one-half and three-quarters of the length of the tubular portion.

8. Cross-vehicle beam according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first brace and the second brace are adapted to be fixed between their first and second ends to a ventilation unit of the vehicle.

9. Vehicle dashboard assembly comprising a dashboard and a cross-vehicle beam according to claim 1 , the dashboard being fixed to the cross-vehicle beam.

10. Vehicle dashboard assembly according to claim 9 , further comprising a ventilation unit in a housing, wherein at least one of the first brace and the second brace are fixed, between their first and second ends, to the housing of the ventilation unit, and/or wherein the housing of the ventilation unit forms at least one of the first brace and the second brace.

11. Vehicle comprising a body with a bulkhead and a windshield lower crossmember, a body style defining a passenger compartment for occupants of the vehicle, and a dashboard assembly comprising a dashboard and a cross-vehicle beam, the dashboard being fixed to the cross-vehicle beam, wherein the cross-vehicle beam comprises a tubular portion extending in a longitudinal direction between a first end, placed on a driver's side of the vehicle, and a second end, placed on a passenger's side of the vehicle, the cross-vehicle beam comprising:
a first brace extending between a first end of the first brace, connected to the tubular portion, and a second end of the first brace, fixed to the windshield lower crossmember of the body of the vehicle, and
a second brace extending between a first end of the second brace, connected to the tubular portion, and a second end of the second brace, fixed to the bulkhead of the body of the vehicle,
the first ends of the first and second braces being located in the same transverse plane of the tubular portion.

12. Vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the cross-vehicle beam comprises a third brace, extending between a first end of the third brace, connected to the tubular portion, and a second end of the third brace, fixed to the windshield lower crossmember of the body of the vehicle.

13. Vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the cross-vehicle beam comprises another brace, extending between a first end of said another brace connected to the tubular portion, and a second end of said another brace fixed to the bulkhead of the body of the vehicle.

14. Vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the cross-vehicle beam comprises a third brace, extending between a first end of the third brace, connected to the tubular portion, and a second end of the third brace, fixed to the windshield lower crossmember of the body of the vehicle, wherein the first ends of the third brace and said another brace are located in the same transverse plane of the tubular portion.

15. Vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the cross-vehicle beam has no brace fixed to the floor of the body of the vehicle.

16. Vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the first ends of the first and second braces are located at a distance, from the first end of the tubular portion, of between one-quarter and one-half of the length of the tubular portion.

17. Vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the cross-vehicle beam comprises a third brace, extending between a first end of the third brace, connected to the tubular portion, and a second end of the third brace, fixed to the windshield lower crossmember of the body of the vehicle, wherein the first end of the third brace and/or the first end of said another brace is located at a distance, from the first end of the tubular portion, of between one-half and three-quarters of the length of the tubular portion.

18. Vehicle according to claim 11 , comprising a ventilation unit, wherein at least one of the first brace and the second brace are fixed between their first and second ends to the ventilation unit.

19. Vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the dashboard assembly comprises a ventilation unit in a housing, wherein at least one of the first brace and the second brace are fixed, between their first and second ends, to the housing of the ventilation unit, and/or wherein the housing of the ventilation unit forms at least one of the first brace and the second brace.

20. Vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the dashboard assembly comprises a ventilation unit in a housing and wherein:
one or more of the first brace, the second brace, the third brace, and another brace are fixed, between their first and second ends, to the housing of the ventilation unit; and/or wherein
the housing of the ventilation unit forms one or more of the first brace, the second brace, the third brace, and another brace.

Assignees

• Faurecia Interieur Ind

Inventors

• Baudart Laurent

Classifications

• B62D25/142

  having ventilation channels incorporated therein · CPC title

• B62D25/145 Primary

  having a crossbeam incorporated therein · CPC title

• B62D21/15

  having impact absorbing means, e.g. a frame designed to permanently or temporarily change shape or dimension upon impact with another body (bumpers B60R19/02; shock absorbers in general F16F) · CPC title