The present invention relates to a protection device for passengers of automobiles, and, more particularly, to vehicle rollover protection devices for passengers.
Protection features to protect passengers in vehicle rollover accidents are known. In at least one known type of rollover protection device, two separated lateral bulkheads are provided in vehicles, and a structural unit in the form of a module beam is inserted therebetween. In a vehicle rollover, the module beam constitutes the main force transmitting component and is loaded in case of a crash not only by bending stress but also by torsion stress and for these reasons has to be designed very robustly.
DE U 201 03 001 (PCT/EP 01/06515) discloses a module beam made of fiber composite plastic material that stiffens a vehicle body and a lateral bulkhead. A structural unit is therefore employed utilizing a single lateral bulkhead, and weight is saved significantly by the material choice compared to a conventional metal sheet construction.
DE 41 00 506 A discloses a rollover protection device including a rigid metallic guiding frame which receives rollover bars and which is completed by covers associated with the lower parts of the rollover bar and the driving mechanisms and control means for the rollover bars. The guiding frame is mounted at a lateral bulkhead and is fixed at both sides thereof by threaded connections in the vehicle body. Resilient rubber bearings are provided between the vehicle body bottom and the guiding frame. This construction, however, results in undesirably heavy weight for the protection device, and in case of a vehicle rollover, forces are introduced into the vehicle body predominantly only sidewardly.
EP 1 028 050 A discloses a rollover protection device including a base plate of a structural unit that constitutes a main carrying element and at the same time a lateral bulkhead in the vehicle body. The base plate has respective hollow lateral profile beams in the upper and lower base plate portions. The rollover bars are guided at the upper profile beam and at the front side (relative to a vehicle travelling direction) of the base plate. The rollover bars are received by enforcing blocks secured to the upper profile beam. Each of the enforcing blocks is prolonged downwardly by an inclined covering wall, the lower end of which is fixed at the lower profile beam of the base plate. Guiding elements of the rollover bars are inserted from above into the lower profile beam. All components of the structural units are extruded light metal profiles. This results in a heavy weight, and the vehicle body bottom is not used to take up forces from the protection device.