WO2005056371A1

WO2005056371A1 - Vehicle floor comprising a pedal travel stop

Info

Publication number: WO2005056371A1
Application number: PCT/FR2004/050588
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean Charles Bouillon
Original assignee: Renault S.A.S.
Priority date: 2003-12-04
Filing date: 2004-11-16
Publication date: 2005-06-23
Also published as: FR2863243A1; EP1692036A1; FR2863243B1

Abstract

The vehicle floor (2) comprises a stop (22) for the end of the travel of a pedal (16), and a force-absorbing bulkhead (20) in case of impact. The stop is directly fixed to the bulkhead.

Description

I

The invention relates to pedestrian end stops for motor vehicles. We know that the soul of a pedal is often made up of a relatively thin steel wire. In the case of a very robust user, it is possible that the pedafe experiences a chafing in the carpet of the vehicle which leads to deformation the pedafe beyond the limit of elasticity of the material which constitutes it. Under these conditions, the paddle does not return to its initial position and thus the normal travel of use of the pedal during a landing maneuver is hampered by the carpet. To overcome this, there is known, for example from document US-5,083,811, a vehicle floor provided with an end-of-travel stop for a pedal intended to be actuated by the driver of the vehicle. The arrangement provided in this document has the advantage of providing a precise stop of the pedal at the end of the stroke. However, the stop is attached to the floor of the vehicle in the factory by an operator who is forced to take an uncomfortable and not very ergonomic posture for this, in particular in a dark area of the vehicle. In addition, the stop is visible in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. It must therefore be treated with the design to improve its appearance as much as possible, which is an additional constraint. An object of the invention is to propose an arrangement of a different type for the end stops of the pedal stroke, and in particular to improve the mounting thereof as well as the aesthetics. To this end, provision is made according to the invention for a vehicle floor comprising: ~ a b \ âê® end of stroke, and

»A force damping block in the event of an impact, the stopper being fixed directly to the block. Thus, the stop can for example be attached to the block before the latter is mounted on board the vehicle. The fixing of the stop is therefore made easier for the operator. In addition, it becomes possible to conceal the stopper under the carpet of the passenger compartment, which eliminates any appearance problem in this regard. The floor according to the invention may also have at least ¥ u any of the following characteristics: - the stop is glued to the wedge; - the stop is ciipsêe on the wedge; - The stop extends near a sheet metal of the floor, or even resting on it; - The stop comprises at least one elongated part in the direction of the sheet and having a curved end adjacent to the sheet; • "the bu each elongated part ^" has at least one lug ûe retained from the stop on the wedge; ~ It includes a mat, the stopper extending entirely under the mat; and - it comprises an acoustic insulation material in which the wedge is embedded. Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description of preferred embodiments given by way of nonlimiting examples with reference to the appended drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a sectional view along a vertical longitudinal plane of the vehicle with a floor according to a first embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 2 is a & view similar to Figure 1 showing a floor according to a second embodiment of the invention; and

- Figures 3 and 4 are respectively front and side views of the stop shown in Figure 2, There is illustrated in Figure 1 a first embodiment of a floor 2 according to the invention. The floor 2 comprises a floor sheet 4 constituting the underside of the floor. This extends from an apron 8, the lower part of which is visible at the top left in FIG. 1 and corresponding to the front ά of the vehicle Up to m sheet of spar 8 visible in the right part of the figure. The floor 2 comprises a layer of an acoustic insulation material 10 extending above the surface of the sheet 4. The insulation layer 10 comprises a heavy mass constituting a thin upper layer 10a of your layer 10, and a spring mass constituting a lower thick layer 10b of the layer 10. The latter is made of synthetic material such as polyurethane foam, in this case. This floor includes a carpet such as a carpet 12 visible from the passenger compartment 14 of the vehicle. Above the floor extends a pedestrian 1β which can be actuated by the foot of a driver 18. It may be a pedestrian of any type such as an ^" accelerator / clutch pedal or brake The floor comprises a wedge 20 for absorbing force in the event of an impact, such a wedge, also called “padding”, constitutes a padding in the passenger compartment which protects the legs of the driver 18 during a collision. Depending on the case, the shim 20 may be made of a synthetic material such as a semi-rigid polyurethane or an expanded polystyrene.

It may also be made of honeycomb cardboard, for example with a structure of honeycombs. The floor further comprises an end stop 22 of the pedal. The stop is here constituted by a plate of isorel material of rectangular shape in plan and not very thick. The aforementioned isorel material, constituted by agglomeration of wood particles, has the advantage of great rigidity for a reduced cost price. The stop 22 may alternatively be made of a synthetic material such as polypropylene. The floor is configured so that the wedge 20 extends under the foot to the driver, that is to say under the junction between a flat horizontal area 24 of the carpet and an inclined front area 26 of the carpet. The hold

20 extends as far as the stop 22. In the present example, the stop 22 is glued by its lower face to an upper face of the shim 20. The shim 20 is moreover in abutment at this location by its lower face against the sheet 4. Thus the shim 20 serves as a force transmission spacer between the stop 22 and the sheet 4. The stop 22 is positioned so as to be at the right of the pedal in its lowest position and thus constitute a stop. limit switch for this one. In the present example, the heavy mass sheet 10a is shaped on the suction side of the mold. Specifically, there is the coffee 20 equipped with its stop 22 in the mold, where the sheet 10a shaped awaits. This mold is closed and the layer 10b is formed by injection into the air gap of this mold, so as to drown a wedge 20 in the material of the layer 10b. To manufacture this floor, the stop 22 is first mounted on the wedge 20, before or after having embedded the latter in the material of the layer 10b. It is then the assembly constituted by the coffee 20, the stop 22 and the layers 10a and 10b which is attached to the vehicle to be installed on board thereof, then it is installed over the screen 12, This mode embodiment has the advantage that the stop 22 is inexpensive to produce. Its assembly cost is also very low insofar as this assembly is not necessarily carried out in the vehicle construction plant. It is not necessary to provide a particular aesthetic for the stop 22, this being at the end of the manufacturing entirely concealed under the carpet 20. This arrangement does not present any risk for the safety of the users of the vehicle in the case of very violent shocks. In addition, the heavy mass 10a of the acoustic insulating layer 10 having a preserved continuity, no acoustic leak takes place through the floor 2. Finally, no risk of marking the carpet is to be feared provided that the use thirsty pedal of the normal and normal type. A second embodiment of the floor 102 according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 2. Most of the constituents of the floor 2 are found in the floor 102 of this second mode. This time, the stop 122 is no longer shaped as a plate as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Elf comprises an upper wall 130 having a shape analogous to the shape of the stop 22 in the first embodiment. The stop 122 has two ribs 132 each having a profiled pfane shape. The of x ribs extend parallel to each other, and at a distance from and facing one another from the wall 130 on the same side thereof. They bear on their internal face 134 being located opposite one another of the lugs 136 making it possible to clip the stop 122 on ur finger of the wedge 20 having a rectangular profile constituting a male part complementary to the female shape delimited by the euxeux ribs 132. The abutment 122 can therefore be clipped so that the wall 130 comes to bear on the upper face of the wedge 20 while ^" the two ribs 132, thanks to their lugs 138, prevent the separation of the abutment and The steps for manufacturing the floor according to this second mode are carried out in the same order as for the first mode. Firstly, here, by clipping, your stop 122 is fixed to the shim 20, the latter being previously or subsequently embedded in the insulating layers 10a and 10b, then this assembly is put into place on board the vehicle and the carpet 12 is installed over it. In this embodiment, the elongated parts formed by the ribs res 132 extend until they are in contact at their ends 138 with the internal face of the sheet 4. These ends are bent in the direction opposite to the other rib so as to form an arc of circle on a quarter of an oven. Once mounted, the stop 122 is therefore supported by the ends 138 on the sheet metal 4. In the event of a violent impact, the curved shape of the ends 138 causes the ribs 132 to move apart from one another and therefore the erasing the stop. Such a shock corresponds to a force greater than 100 dN. In the present example, between the ends 138 of the stop 122 and the sheet 4, there is a clearance of 2 mm to avoid the rise of noise and vibrations, in particular of rolling. Thanks to the support of the buil 122 directly on the sheet 4. the forces which its wall 130 undergoes are directly transmitted to the sheet 4 and taken up by the latter. We therefore guarantee a precise and constant position of the stop for good positioning of the end of the pedal travel. Of course, many modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims

1. Vehicle floor (2; 102) comprising: - a stop (22 122) at the end of the pedal stroke (16), and - a wedge (20) for absorbing force in the event of an impact, characterized in that that the stopper is fixed directly to the shim.

2. Floor according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the stop (22) is glued to the wedge (20).

3. Floor according to any one of the preceding claims, ^" characterized in that the stop (122) is clipped onto the wedge (20),

4. Floor according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stop (122) extends near a sheet (4) ύu floor, or even supported on ceife ~ ci.

5. Floor according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the abutment ^' (122) comprises at least ^' a portion (132) elongated ^' in the direction of the sheet (4) and having a curved end (138) adjacent to the sheet,

8. Floor according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the or each elongated part (132) has at least one ergoi (1336) for retaining the stop on the wedge.

7. Floor according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a mat (12), the stop (22; 122) extending entirely under the mat.

8. Floor according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an acoustic insulation material (10) in which the wedge is embedded (20).