Body parts including locking rings

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle body part (1) comprising a body (2) made of plastic and at least one structural reinforcement (5) at least partially fixed to a first portion (3) of the body (2). The part (1) also comprises at least one connecting part (7) for connecting the first portion (3) to a second portion (4) of the body (2), comprising an end (8) whose subdivision forms a locking ring (9) surrounding a fastening element (13) to couple the connecting part (7), the structural reinforcement (5) and the first portion (3).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, and more particularly to motor vehicle body parts made of plastic. More specifically, the present invention relates to the safety of such parts in the event of a collision during driving. Background Art

[0002] Vehicle body parts are known that include anti-collision systems based on structural reinforcements or absorbers in order to ensure the safety of the occupants in the event of a collision, in particular in the event of a collision with another vehicle.

[0003] However, such a collision, when occurring more violently during driving, may cause the struck part to separate into at least two separate parts. One of these parts may break away and be ejected onto the road, creating a safety risk for other road users located behind the vehicle.

[0004] In order to alleviate this safety problem, a known solution is to integrate a connecting element in the part, which connects two parts that can be separated in the event of an impact on the body part. Through experiments and calculations, it is possible to determine the area of ​​minimum strength of the part, thereby determining the fracture area and therefore the position of the part that can be separated under the impact. Such known connecting elements can be fiber braids or wire cables.

[0005] More precisely, one end of the connecting element is fixed to a structural reinforcement in one of the parts of the component and connects the reinforcement to the body frame of the vehicle at a point of high mechanical strength in the other part of the component, thereby ensuring a mechanical connection between the two parts of the component.

[0006] It is known, for example, to use wire cables equipped with connectors crimped at their ends, but this adds considerable weight to the part and thus to the vehicle, which constitutes a real drawback in the motor vehicle sector. Moreover, the use of wire cables may generate noise due to vibrations of the cable during driving.

[0007] A drawback of these known solutions is that fixing the ends of the connecting elements to the structural reinforcement often implies complex assembly steps, such as screwing or welding, which significantly prolong the part manufacturing process time. These steps therefore significantly increase the part production costs. Summary of the invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks by providing a motor vehicle body part comprising:

[0009] - a body made of plastic, comprising at least a first part and a second part, the first part having at least one opening;

[0010] at least one structural reinforcement at least partially fixed to the first portion, the structural reinforcement having at least one opening facing the first portion to form a through hole;

[0011] - At least one connecting part for connecting the first part and the second part, which has an end, the end including at least one section that penetrates the through hole at least once, forming a locking ring around the fastening element to connect the connecting part, the structural reinforcement and the first part.

[0012] Thus, it is possible to simply and quickly achieve the locking between the connecting part connecting the first and second parts of the body and the whole formed by the structural reinforcement fixed to the first part of the body. In fact, the through hole formed by the respective openings of the structural reinforcement and the first part of the body makes it possible to introduce the end of the connecting part and form a locking ring around the fastening part. This ring allows the whole to be connected in this precise position of the part. Thus, taking into account the connecting part connecting the two parts of the body and taking into account the local locking and the connection between the connecting part and the second part, the two parts of the part remain connected, even in the case where the part breaks into two parts after a collision. The part according to the invention thus allows to effectively respond to safety issues related to collisions to which the body part is subjected during driving, without thereby complicating the manufacturing process and without increasing the production costs of the connecting elements and the part.

[0013] "A first part and a second part of the body of a body part" are understood to be two parts of a part which are known to be likely to separate under the effect of an impact. As a non-limiting example, the first part may be the upper part of a tailgate intended to be connected to the vehicle body frame, and the second part may be the lower part of the tailgate including, in particular, the lock assembly. The two parts of the body part of the invention may be adjacent or separated by one or more parts. In the case where the first and second parts are adjacent to each other, they are preferably defined by an area of ​​low mechanical strength which is known to be more likely to break in the event of a strong impact. The two parts are preferably integral. Furthermore, they are preferably made on the basis of the same material.

[0014] The connecting member is a member capable of maintaining a continuous connection between the first and second parts of the body, even after the two parts have been separated from each other, for example after a collision, and still keeping them connected. To this end, the connecting member can be a braid, for example a braid made of glass fibers. Preferably, the cross section of the braid is flat.

[0015] The locking ring can be obtained in a variety of ways. It can be obtained by surrounding a fastening element from the first part of the body or the structural reinforcement, or attached to the structural reinforcement and / or the first part of the body. The fastening element protrudes from the side opposite to the side (hereinafter referred to as the "introduction side") on which the end of the connecting element is introduced into the through hole. As a result, the section into which the end of the connecting component is introduced surrounds the protruding fastening element before returning to the introduction side. In the case of a single through hole, the end of the connecting component passes through the through hole twice. The protruding fastening element can be an element added to the structural reinforcement and / or the first part of the body, or it can be an element integrally formed with the structural reinforcement or the first part.

[0016] The locking ring can also be obtained as follows. The structural reinforcement and the first part of the main body have a plurality of through holes, each of which is obtained in the same manner as the first through hole, i.e. by making two openings face each other, one of which is present in the structural reinforcement and the other in the first part of the main body. In an embodiment in which the structural reinforcement and the first part have a pair of through holes, the end of the connecting part can be introduced through one through hole and returned to the introduction side through the other through hole. In this example, the locking ring can be formed around a fastening element such as any one of the ones described in the previous examples, or around a surface in the part that separates the two through holes. In this second case, the surface of the part that separates the two through holes forms the fastening element, and the locking ring is formed around the fastening element.

[0017] Advantageously, the first body portion and / or the structural reinforcement comprises, at the periphery of their respective openings, at least one edge having a protrusion capable of gripping a portion of the end forming a locking ring.

[0018] Thus, the presence of one or more edges forming one or more suitable protrusions allows to exert mechanical stress on the portion of the end of the connecting part in contact with these edges. Thus, the freedom of movement of the end of the connecting part is reduced and the risk of disconnection between the connecting part, the structural reinforcement and the first part is reduced. Moreover, the mechanical stress exerted on the portion of the end of the connecting part in contact with the edge once the locking ring is formed ensures a strict fixation of the end of the connecting part, depending on the protrusions exerted on the edge and the stress exerted on the connecting part when forming the locking ring.

[0019] Advantageously, the portion of the end introduced into the through-hole is fixed to the portion of the end not introduced, preferably by adhesive bonding.

[0020] Thus, by fixing the introduced sub-portion of the end of the connection part with the non-introduced sub-portion of this same end, an additional safety is provided which allows reducing the risk of the locking ring becoming uncoupled. Such fixing can be obtained by adhesion between these two sub-portions, but can also be obtained by any other means known to a person skilled in the art. In the case of adhesion, it is possible to consider removing the protective film from the adhesive area present on at least one face of the sub-portion of the end, this face being intended to come into contact with the other face in order to achieve the fixing. Such implementation is rapid and simple for the operator.

[0021] Alternatively or in addition to adhesion, the connecting member may comprise - at least at the two portions forming the ends of the locking ring - particles of thermoplastic resin capable of gluing the two portions of the connecting member when they are heated and brought into contact.

[0022] Advantageously, the connecting member is connected to an anchoring point of the second part, such as the lock assembly.

[0023] Thus, the connecting part is connected on the one hand to one of the positions of the second part of the body representing a high strength point for a firm connection to the vehicle body frame, and on the other hand to a structural reinforcement fixed to the first part of the body. Since the connecting part is attached to a high mechanical strength point in the two parts of the part body, the two parts of the body part according to this embodiment are better maintained after a collision that occurs during driving. Generally, an "anchor point" in the sense of the present invention refers to a point of attachment to the vehicle body frame. As a non-limiting example, the high mechanical strength point can be formed by a lock assembly or an internal reinforcement (for example a side anti-collision beam connecting the two side edges of the body part) or a hinge of a closing part (for example a side door or a tailgate).

[0024] Advantageously, the vehicle body part further comprises a second structural reinforcement at least partially fixed to the first portion of the main body, the second structural reinforcement having at least one opening facing the opening of the first portion of the main body to form a second through hole.

[0025] Thereby, a second position can be created connecting the first and second parts of the body, either by the same connecting member or by an additional connecting member. The risk of losing the first and / or second part in the event of a crash is further reduced.

[0026] Advantageously, the connecting component comprises a second end portion comprising at least one section penetrating at least once into the second through hole, the section forming a second locking ring surrounding the second fastening element to couple the connecting component, the second structural reinforcement and the first portion.

[0027] Thus, the connecting member connects the two structural reinforcements respectively fixed to different sub-sections of the first part of the main body, and thus doubly connects the first part and the second part of the main body. Preferably, the connecting member connects each integral body consisting of the sub-sections of the structural reinforcement fixed to the first part to the same position of the second part, which position is preferably the anchor point as described above.

[0028] Advantageously, the body part further comprises a second connecting component for connecting the first part and the second part, which comprises an end portion, wherein the end portion comprises at least one section that penetrates the second through hole at least once, and the section forms a second locking ring surrounding the second fastening element to connect the second connecting component, the second structural reinforcement and the first part.

[0029] According to the requirements and restrictions associated with the different geometries that the body part can adopt, it is thus possible to connect the first part to the second part at two different locations. In other words, the first part can be connected to two different anchoring points of the second part by means of two connecting members, each connecting member being connectable to one of the anchoring points.

[0030] Advantageously, the second connecting member is connected to an anchoring point of the second part, such as the lock assembly.

[0031] Advantageously, the part is a closure element, such as a tailgate or a side door.

[0032] When the part according to the invention is a tailgate, the first part may be the upper part of the tailgate connected to the hinge, while the second part may be the lower part including the lock assembly. Similar constructions may be considered for side doors of the "butterfly wing door" type, whose hinges are located on the top of the vehicle instead of on the side. As for side doors whose hinges are located on the side, the first part of the part may be the side part directly attached to the vehicle body frame, while the second part may be the other side part.

[0033] The subject of the present invention is also a method for manufacturing a motor vehicle body part, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps:

[0034] - producing at least one structural reinforcement element comprising at least one opening;

[0035] - producing a body made of plastic, divided into at least a first part and a second part, the first part having at least one opening intended to be arranged opposite the opening of the structural reinforcement;

[0036] - at least partially fixing the structural reinforcement to the first portion of the body so that the facing openings form a through hole;

[0037] - introducing at least a portion of the end of the connecting member for connecting the first part and the second part into the through hole, forming a locking ring around the fastening element to couple the connecting member, the structural reinforcement and the first part.

[0038] The step of fixing the structural reinforcement on the first part can be achieved by any technique known to those skilled in the art. As an example, such method can be adhesion, gluing, screwing, riveting or molding.

[0039] Advantageously, the steps of producing the main body and at least partially fixing the structural reinforcement to the first portion of the main body are simultaneously achieved by overmolding the structural reinforcement when molding the main body.

[0040] As a result, both the overall length of the manufacturing method and the space required for its implementation are reduced. The resulting gain from such a reduction leads to an overall reduction in the manufacturing costs of the body part. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] The invention will be better understood from the following description given by way of example only and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0042] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a tailgate according to the present invention;

[0043] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 an enlarged view of a subsection of the tailgate (in the dashed box) shown;

[0044] Figure 3 It is along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along section plane III-III of , which shows the assembly between the connecting component, the structural reinforcement and the first part of the body according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 4 It is along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along section plane III-III of , which shows the assembly between the connecting component, the structural reinforcement and the first part of the body according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 5 It is along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along section plane III-III of , which shows the assembly between the connecting component, the structural reinforcement and the first part of the body according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 6 It is along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view along section plane III-III of , which shows the assembly between the connecting component, the structural reinforcement and the first part of the body according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 7 It is along Figure 2 sectional view along section plane III-III of , which shows the assembly between the connecting component, the structural reinforcement and the first part of the main body according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The vehicle body part 1 according to the invention comprises a body 2 made of plastic, comprising at least a first portion 3 and a second portion 4, the first portion 3 having at least one opening. The body part 1 also comprises at least one structural reinforcement 5 at least partially fixed to the first portion 3, the structural reinforcement 5 having at least one opening, which faces the opening of the first portion 3 to form a through hole 6. In addition, the part 1 comprises at least one connecting part 7 for connecting the first portion 3 and the second portion 4, comprising an end 8, said end 8 comprising at least one section penetrating at least once into the through hole 6, forming a locking ring 9 surrounding a fastening element 13 to couple the connecting part 7, the structural reinforcement 5 and the first portion 3.

[0050] The following will describe the body part 1 ( Figure 1 ). However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is applicable to any other vehicle body parts that may be separated into at least two parts after a collision during driving, such as side doors.

[0051] exist Figure 1 In the example of a tailgate shown, the first portion 3 of the body 2 corresponds to the upper portion relative to the dividing line shown in dashed lines and comprises a hinge allowing the tailgate to be fastened to the vehicle body frame (not shown). The second portion 4 corresponds to the lower portion relative to the dividing line shown in dashed lines and comprises an anchoring point, in this example a lock assembly 10, which represents a point of high mechanical strength in the second portion 4 of the body 2, in view of its direct connection to the vehicle body frame. In this example of the invention, the part 1 comprises two structural reinforcements 5, each of which is fastened to a different subdivision of the first portion 3. The two structural reinforcements 5 are connected to each other by a single connecting part 7. The connecting part 7 extends in the body 2 from the structural reinforcement 5 in the direction of the second portion 4 and passes through the lock assembly 10 of the second portion 4.

[0052] like Figure 2 As shown, the locking ring 9 allows the connection part 7, the structural reinforcement 5 and the section of the first part 3 to which the structural reinforcement 5 is fixed. Figures 3 to 7 The locking ring 9 can be obtained in a variety of ways, all of which are suitable for Figure 1 Tailgate shown.

[0053] In an embodiment of the locking ring 9 that is not shown, the first part 3 of the body 2 comprises a fastening element 13 that protrudes on the side opposite to the side where the end 8 of the connecting part 7 is introduced. A portion of the end 8 is introduced into the through hole 6 and penetrates it from one side to the other, the through hole being formed by the opening present in the first part 3 of the body 2 and the opening present in the structural reinforcement 5. The introduced portion of the end 8 surrounds the protruding fastening element 13 and comes out again through the same through hole 6, thereby forming the locking ring 9. In other words, the portion of the end 8 penetrates the through hole 6 twice, thereby returning to the introduction side once the locking ring 9 is formed. Thus, this specific portion of the end 8 can be fixed to another portion of the connecting part 7 located on the introduction side, so as to ensure the formation of the locking ring 9 and thus a reliable connection between the connecting part 7, the structural reinforcement 5 and the portion of the first part 3 to which the structural reinforcement 5 is fixed.

[0054] exist Figure 3 . In this embodiment, it can be seen that there are two through-holes 6, each of which is formed by two openings facing each other, one opening being present in the first part 3 of the body 2 and the other in the structural reinforcement 5. A portion of the end 8 of the connecting part 7 is introduced into one of the through-holes 6 from the introduction side, passes through it and comes out again from the other through-hole 6, thereby forming a locking ring 9 around the surface of the part 1 that separates the two through-holes 6. This surface thus forms a fastening element 13 in this example, around which the locking ring 9 is formed. In this embodiment, it can be seen that there is a clamping edge 14 with a beveled protrusion, which is arranged to clamp one portion of the end 8 between said edge 14 and another portion of the end 8 when the connecting part is subjected to tension. As a result, the locking ring 9 can be subjected to tension once it has been formed, and there is less risk that the ring 9 will loosen. The fastening element 13 also has a further edge with projections similar to those of the clamping edge 14, which allow the portions of the ring 9 in contact with each edge of the fastening element 13 to be clamped when the connecting part 7 is subjected to tension. This tension is carried out either after the other end of the connecting part 7 has been connected to the anchor point of the second part 4, or after this other end has formed a second locking ring 9 around a second fastening element (not shown) located in another part of the first part 3 of the part 1. Figure 5 The effect of such a tensile force on the end 8 of the connecting part 7 is shown in FIG. The edge 14 can be fully considered for the above-mentioned embodiment. Figures 3 to 7As shown, the edge 14 and its particular protrusion can be formed when the structural reinforcement 5 is overmolded with the plastic material forming the first part 3 of the body 2. However, such a clamping edge 14 can also be formed when the body 2 is manufactured, independently of its fixation to the structural reinforcement 5. In this first embodiment, the free edge (brin in French) of the end 8 of the connecting part is clamped between the clamping edge 14 and the non-free edge of the end 8, which further makes the strength of the locking ring 9 reliable over time. Moreover, once the locking ring 9 has been formed, the adhesive 11 is applied between the free edge and the non-free edge of the end 8 over a significant length. The application of this adhesive 11 allows to provide additional security in the event that the pulling force applied to the connecting part 7 is not optimal or is damaged over time.

[0055] A second embodiment of the component 1 of the present invention ( Figure 4 ) differs from the first embodiment described above as follows. The fastening element 13 has a projection protruding from the side opposite the introduction side. Such a projection helps to allow a good clamping of the end 8 at the clamping edge 14 once the connecting part 7 is subjected to tension. In addition, once the locking ring 9 is formed, the adhesive 11 is also applied between the free edge and the non-free edge of the end 8.

[0056] The third embodiment of the present invention ( Figure 5 ) and the second embodiment ( Figure 4 ) is that an adhesive layer 11 is applied over the entire length of the end 8 of the connecting part 7. Thus, when the connecting part 7 is subjected to tension, the portion of the end 8 in contact with the fastening element 13 adheres to the fastening element. The free edge of the end 8 is also adhered to the non-free edge of the end 8 over a greater length. Thus, in addition to providing additional safety, the braid can also be adhered to the body 2, which also allows to prevent any sound nuisance that may be caused by an undesired movement of the free edge of the end 8 against the body 2.

[0057] Fourth embodiment ( Figure 6 ) and the first embodiment ( Figure 3 ) is that the clamping edge 14 forms a convex portion protruding from the introduction side. Such a shape of the clamping edge 14 allows increasing the clamping force that clamps the free edge of the end 8 between the non-free edge of the end 8 and the clamping edge 14 when the connecting part 7 is subjected to tension.

[0058] In the fifth embodiment ( Figure 7), the part 1 comprises an additional fastening element 15 between the fastening element 13 and the section of the first part 3 comprising the clamping edge 14. More precisely, the body element 1 according to the fifth embodiment has three through-holes 6, two of which are located on both sides of the additional fastening element 15 and one between the fastening element 13 and the section of the first part 3 not comprising the clamping edge 14. In this embodiment, the locking ring 9 is formed in this way. The free edge of the end 8 is introduced into the hole between the first part 3 and the additional fastening element 15 from the introduction side. The free edge is brought into the hole between the additional fastening element 15 and the fastening element 13 from the side opposite to the introduction side. The free edge is then introduced into the last hole between the fastening element and the first part 3. Finally, the free edge is reintroduced into the hole between the first part 3 and the additional fastening element 15, but this time from the opposite side, to form the locking ring 9. The free edge is then fixed to the non-free edge by means of an adhesive 11. Thus, a double clamping of the end 8 of the connecting part 7 is achieved when subjected to tension, namely one at the additional fastening element 15 and one at the clamping edge 14. The formation of the locking ring 9 by the end 8 of the connecting part 7 is thus further made reliable.

[0059] The present invention is not limited to the described embodiments and variations of these embodiments, and those skilled in the art can conceive other embodiments. In particular, in another feasible embodiment of the present invention, the body part is a side door; or in another embodiment, more than two through holes are provided and used to form a locking ring.

[0060] Reference numerals list

[0061] 1: Vehicle body parts

[0062] 2: Main body

[0063] 3: The first part of the body

[0064] 4: The second part of the body

[0065] 5: Structural reinforcement

[0066] 6: Through hole

[0067] 7: Connecting parts

[0068] 8: End of connecting parts

[0069] 9: Locking ring of connecting parts

[0070] 10: Lock assembly

[0071] 11: Adhesive

[0072] 13: Fastening elements

[0073] 14: Clamping edge of connecting parts

[0074] 15: Additional fastening elements for connecting parts

Claims

1. A motor vehicle body part (1), characterized in that: The body parts include: - a body (2) made of plastic, comprising at least a first part (3) and a second part (4), the first part (3) having at least one opening; - at least one structural reinforcement (5) at least partially fixed to said first portion (3), said structural reinforcement (5) having at least one opening facing said opening of said first portion to form a through-going hole (6); - at least one connecting part (7) for connecting the first part (3) and the second part (4), comprising an end (8), the end (8) comprising at least one section penetrating at least once into the through hole (6), forming a locking ring (9) surrounding a fastening element (13) to connect the connecting part (7), the structural reinforcement (5) and the first part (3).

2. The component (1) according to claim 1, wherein: The first portion (3) of the body (2) and / or the structural reinforcement (5) comprise at the periphery of their respective openings at least one edge (14) having a protrusion capable of gripping a portion of the end (8) forming the locking ring (9).

3. The component (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The portion of the end portion (8) introduced into the through hole (6) is fixed to the portion of the end portion (8) not introduced.

4. The component (1) according to claim 3, wherein: The portion of the end portion (8) introduced into the through hole (6) is fixed to the portion of the end portion (8) not introduced by adhesion.

5. The component (1) according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein: The connecting member (7) is connected to an anchoring point of the second part (4).

6. The component (1) according to claim 5, wherein: The anchor point is a locking assembly (10).

7. A part (1) as described in any one of claims 1 and 2, which further includes a second structural reinforcement (5) at least partially fixed to the first part (3) of the main body (2), and the second structural reinforcement (5) has at least one opening facing the opening of the first part (3) of the main body (2) to form a second through hole (6).

8. The component (1) according to claim 7, wherein: The connecting component (7) comprises a second end (8), the second end (8) comprising at least one section which penetrates the second through hole (6) at least once, and forms a second locking ring (9) surrounding a second fastening element (13) to connect the connecting component (7), the second structural reinforcement (5) and the first part (3).

9. The part (1) as described in claim 7 further includes a second connecting component (7) for connecting the first part (3) and the second part (4), which includes an end (8), and the end (8) includes at least one section that penetrates the second through hole (6) at least once, and the section forms a second locking ring (9) around the second fastening element (13) to connect the second connecting component (7), the second structural reinforcement (5) and the first part (3).

10. The component (1) according to claim 9, wherein: The second connecting member (7) is connected to an anchoring point of the second part (4), which is a locking assembly (10).

11. The component (1) according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein: The part (1) is a closing part.

12. The component (1) according to claim 11, wherein The part (1) is a tailgate or a side door.

13. A method for manufacturing a motor vehicle body part (1), characterized in that: The method comprises the following steps: - producing at least one structural reinforcement (5) comprising at least one opening; - producing a body (2) made of plastic, divided into at least a first part (3) and a second part (4), said first part (3) having at least one opening intended to be arranged opposite said opening of said structural reinforcement (5); - fixing the structural reinforcement (5) at least partially on the first part (3) of the body (2) so that the facing openings form a through hole (6); - Introducing at least a portion of the end (8) of a connecting member (7) for connecting the first part (3) and the second part (4) into the through hole (6), forming a locking ring (9) around a fastening element (13) to connect the connecting member (7), the structural reinforcement (5) and the first part (3).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein: The steps of producing the body (2) and at least partially fixing the structural reinforcement (5) on the first portion (3) of the body (2) are simultaneously achieved by overmolding the structural reinforcement (5) when molding the body (2).

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