Motor vehicle body equipped with speaker module

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle body (1) comprising at least one wheel housing (2), in particular a rear wheel housing, which is formed by assembling at least one portion of a body shell lateral lining (4), which is a rear quarter lining defining the outer part of the wheel housing (2), and an inner part (5), which is a portion for connecting the lateral lining to a floor, in particular a trunk floor, and which defines the inner part of the wheel housing (2). The inner part (5) comprises an opening (50) through which a reinforcement (6) of a lower support (7) is added and welded, the reinforcement being intended to at least partially ensure the mounting of a loudspeaker module (8), in particular a subwoofer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention resides in the field of vehicles whose vehicle body comprises an adaptation dedicated to incorporating a loudspeaker module.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to a vehicle body, in particular a motor vehicle body, comprising at least one wheel housing, in particular a rear wheel housing, which is formed by assembling at least one portion of a body side lining, in particular a rear quarter lining defining an outer portion of the wheel housing, and an inner portion which is a portion for connecting the side lining to a floor, in particular a trunk floor, which defines an inner portion of the wheel housing. Background Art

[0003] Motor vehicles are usually equipped with a speaker module, such as a subwoofer. Such a subwoofer is usually located in the floor of the motor vehicle, for example in the rear floor. However, the trend in regulations regarding the decontamination of internal combustion engines tends to produce complex and bulky pollutant treatment systems. The available volume in the rear floor is then insufficient to accommodate the speaker module.

[0004] Motor vehicles are also typically produced with a body whose structure is made from an assembly of sheet metal parts of varying thicknesses, so that moving the speaker module to a portion of the body other than the floor creates new bonding difficulties. As an example, one bonding problem that has been discovered is the special and complex construction of certain portions of the body that address the styling constraints of the vehicle, and sheet metal stamping industry standards dictate the geometry of the sheet metal parts to be stamped in order to avoid any material tearing, and also dictate the deformation resistance of the areas where the speaker module is fixed when these areas are made from sheet metal of insufficient thickness. Summary of the invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to allow the installation of a loudspeaker module that remedies the above-mentioned drawbacks. In particular, the present invention proposes a motor vehicle body that simply and reliably supports the loudspeaker module and is cheap to produce.

[0006] To achieve this object, the invention relates to a motor vehicle body comprising at least one wheel arch, in particular a rear wheel arch, which wheel arch is formed by assembling at least one portion of a body lateral lining, which is a rear quarter lining defining the outer part of the wheel arch, and an inner portion, which is a portion for connecting the lateral lining to a floor, in particular a trunk floor, which defines the inner part of the wheel arch. The body comprises an opening through which a reinforcement of a lower support is added and welded, which reinforcement is intended to at least partially ensure the mounting of a loudspeaker module, in particular a subwoofer.

[0007] The inner portion may comprise a top wall, in particular a portion bent about the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis so as to define the top portion of the wheel arch, the opening of the inner portion being in the form of an elongated hole produced in the top wall approximately along the longitudinal axis.

[0008] The reinforcement of the lower support may comprise in the top part a bearing surface against which the bottom area of ​​the loudspeaker module can rest, the bearing surface being in particular planar or substantially planar and arranged to protrude vertically from the inner part, in particular from the top wall.

[0009] The reinforcement of the lower support may comprise an opening in the form of an elongated hole centrally or substantially centrally located in the bearing surface.

[0010] The vehicle body may comprise sealing means, in particular at least one seal having a closed hole added along the periphery of the opening of the lower support reinforcement, in particular a seal produced in one piece, which extends along the entire periphery of the opening of the lower support reinforcement.

[0011] The lower support is a fixing fork joint intended to ensure reversible mounting of the loudspeaker module, which is added and welded to the lower support reinforcement so as to partially surround the reinforcement, in particular the portion of the reinforcement arranged to protrude vertically from the top wall.

[0012] The fixing clevis can comprise a connecting strip beyond which at least one fixing lug, in particular two fixing lugs, arranged in substantially the same plane as the bearing surface of the top portion of the reinforcement of the lower support element, protrudes.

[0013] The lower support reinforcement comprises a peripheral flange, in particular produced by stamping, arranged below the inner portion along the contour of the opening of the lower support reinforcement, to which the lower support reinforcement is fixed, in particular by welding.

[0014] The wheel arch can be a component element of a subwoofer of the loudspeaker module, in particular an acoustic nozzle.

[0015] The vehicle body may comprise a reinforcement of the lateral lining for fastening the upper support intended to at least partially ensure the mounting of the loudspeaker module.

[0016] The reinforcement of the lateral lining can be arranged on the outer side of the lateral lining, and the lateral lining reinforcement includes at least one screw that passes through the lateral lining and is used for the reversible installation of the upper support, in particular the fixing bridge of the lateral lining that links the speaker module to the vehicle body.

[0017] The invention also relates to a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising a body as defined above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] These objects, characteristics and advantages of the invention will be explained in detail in the following description of an embodiment given by way of non-limiting example with respect to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] [ Figure 1 ] schematically shows the incorporation of a speaker module on the lateral side of a vehicle body including a rear wheel arch.

[0020] [ Figure 2 ] schematically shows the outer side of the vehicle body side lining, to which a reinforcement portion is added for fixing the speaker module.

[0021] [ Figure 3 ] indicates that along Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of III-III.

[0022] [ Figure 4 ] A lateral side of the vehicle body is shown by a partially exploded view, which is provided with upper and lower supporting elements intended to cooperate with the speaker module, as well as reinforcement elements of these supporting members.

[0023] [ Figure 5 ] indicates Figure 1 An enlarged view of the arrangement of FIG. 1 shows in detail the bottom fixing means of the loudspeaker module which links it to the body of the vehicle.

[0024] [ Figure 6 ] schematically shows Figure 1 A cross section of an arrangement showing sealing means and fixing means intended for supporting a loudspeaker module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Although the following description relates to the left rear wheel arch, the solution can be applied to the right rear wheel arch.

[0026] The direction in which the vehicle moves in a straight line is defined as the longitudinal direction X. By convention, the direction at right angles to the longitudinal direction X and lying in a plane parallel to the ground is called the lateral direction Y. The third direction at right angles to the other two directions is called the vertical direction Z.

[0027] Figure 1 The arrangement of loudspeaker module 8 on motor vehicle body 1 , more specifically on wheel housing 2 of rear wheel 3 , is shown.

[0028] The loudspeaker module is shown here in a position arranged in a downwardly inclined rear part of the top part facing away from the wheel arch. This is why the latter is in an inclined position. The loudspeaker module 8 is accommodated in a recess formed by the body inner lining 4 and the inner part 5. The inner part 5 is a connecting part that links the body side lining 4 to the floor (not shown) of the vehicle. The wheel arch 2 is thus composed of an inner wheel arch, which is produced partly by the inner part 5, and an outer wheel arch, which is produced partly by the body side lining 4. The body side lining 4 is a quarter lining, the lower part of which includes a wheel arch, the curvature of which is defined relative to the wheel type.

[0029] The body 1 also comprises a body part visible from the outside of the vehicle, which is added from the outside against the body interior lining 4. This body part is a body side 10.

[0030] The superposition of the body interior lining 4 and the inner part 5 forms the wheel housing 2. The inner wheel housing is welded to the outer wheel housing. Prior to this assembly, reinforcements 6, 16 are added and welded to the lateral lining 4 or to the inner part 5.

[0031] The reinforcement 16 intended for fixing the upper support 17 of the loudspeaker module is superimposed on the outer face of the lateral lining 4, in the fixing area of ​​the lateral lining 4, which is intended to form the fixing area of ​​the upper support 17 of the loudspeaker module, as in Figure 2 and Figure 3 It is clearly visible in Figure 1 As shown, the reinforcement 17 is arranged along a transverse axis between the interior lining 4 and the body side 10 .

[0032] In the following, the reinforcement 16 also serves as the reinforcement 16 of the upper support 17. The reinforcement 16 is made of a steel plate, the thickness of which is greater than the thickness of the steel plate used to make the body lining 4. Due to this increased thickness, the thickness of the reinforcement 16 is between 1 mm and 1.5 mm, while the thickness of the inner lining is smaller, for example between 0.6 mm and 0.9 mm, in particular 0.65 mm, and the fixing screws 18 can be fixed to the reinforcement 16. The fixing area of ​​the screws is reinforced by peripheral ribs. The reinforcement 16 is made lighter by the presence of an opening centered relative to the screws 18 (there are three screws here). The screws 18 pass through the lateral lining 4 through dedicated holes. These screws allow the clamped assembly of the upper support 17 to be accommodated in the recess (the indentation on the side of the body at the rear end of the trunk).

[0033] The upper support 17 is a section made by folding a steel sheet to form a fixing bridge which ensures an approximately vertical alignment of the loudspeaker module 8 . Figure 4A perspective view of the upper support 17 is shown. Regardless of the contour of the lateral lining 4, the upper support 17 ensures that the lateral lining 4 is in contact with the loudspeaker module, in particular with the loudspeaker module through which it passes. Figure 1 The upper support 17 comprises an opening for the screws 18 of the reinforcement 16 to pass through. The upper support 17 is then fixed by nuts. The upper support also comprises a fixing screw intended for the reversible mounting of the loudspeaker module, as in Figure 1 Visible in.

[0034] Once the upper support 17 and the lateral lining 4 are assembled, the latter is arranged between the reinforcement 16 and the upper support 17 .

[0035] The fixing of the speaker module 8 is also completed by the lower support member 7, which will be described in detail below. Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 7. The lower support 7 is associated with a reinforcement 6, which is also referred to hereinafter as reinforcement 6 of the lower support 7. The reinforcement 6 ensures the mechanical link of the lower support 7 with the inner wheel arch produced by the inner part 5. Regardless of the curvature of the inner part 5, in particular of the top wall 51 of the inner part 5, the reinforcement 6 passes through the opening 50, since it extends vertically from the top wall 51 produced with the opening 50. The fact of this arrangement allows the reinforcement 6 to produce a bearing surface 61 against which the loudspeaker module is added and supported.

[0036] According to an embodiment of the loudspeaker module 8, the bearing surface 61 comprises sealing means 9, such as a seal, in particular a seal with closed pores, which is glued directly to the interface of the loudspeaker module 8, which interface is the fixing base of the module 8. Once the loudspeaker module 8 is added and fixed to the vehicle body, the sealing is obtained by compressing the seal 9 on the area 61 of the reinforcement 6.

[0037] According to a variant embodiment, the body can include sealing means 9, in particular at least one seal with closed holes added directly along the periphery of the opening 60 of the lower support reinforcement 6. The seal can be produced in a single piece extending along the entire periphery of the opening of the lower support reinforcement.

[0038] A bearing surface 61 is created in the top portion of the reinforcement 6 of the lower support 7, against which the lower region of the loudspeaker module 8 is positioned and supported. Advantageously, the bearing surface 61 is planar or substantially planar. The reinforcement 6 forms a bearing surface suitable for the loudspeaker module 8, whatever the curvature of the top wall 51.

[0039] The reinforcement 6 of the lower support 7 comprises an opening 60 in the form of an elongated hole centered or approximately centered in the bearing surface 61 .

[0040] The opening 50 has substantially the same form, since it may also be in the form of an elongated hole approximately oriented along the longitudinal axis X.

[0041] The reinforcement 6 comprises a peripheral flange 62 which is produced in particular by stamping. Figure 6 A flange 62 is arranged below the inner part 5 along the contour of the opening 50 in order to ensure fixation by welding, in particular electric spot welding.

[0042] The opening 50 of the inner part 5 and the opening 60 of the lower support reinforcement 6 are substantially coaxial. This arrangement makes it possible to establish a communication path between the loudspeaker module 8 and the wheel arch 2, so that the body 1 of the vehicle is an element of the subwoofer of the loudspeaker module, which element gives significant acoustic performance. An advantage also lies in the fact that the loudspeaker module 8 is small in size, since the volume of the subwoofer is partly generated by the body itself.

[0043] The wheel housing 2 comprises an internal screen 11 intended in particular to prevent the rise of air and projectiles towards the body, in particular the openings 50 , 60 which create a communication path between the inside and the outside of the body.

[0044] The lower support 7 is a fixing fork joint to which the bottom part of the loudspeaker module is directly fixed, preferably by screwing, in order to make the mounting reversible, which is useful for after-sales replacement. The lower support 7 is made of a steel sheet which is folded in such a way that the fork joint comprises a connecting strip 71 beyond which at least one fixing lug 72, in particular two fixing lugs, onto which the loudspeaker module is screwed, protrudes, as in Figure 1 and Figure 5 When the lower support 7 is welded to the reinforcement 6, the fixing lugs 72 are arranged in substantially the same plane as the plane of the bearing surface 61 of the top portion of the reinforcement 6 of the lower support 7. The top portion of the strip 71 comprises a drooping edge which gives it increased rigidity. The drooping edge extends in the same plane as the fixing lugs 72. The strip 71 is substantially U-shaped, as shown in Figure 4 The strip 71 partially surrounds the reinforcement 6 , preferably the front lateral side, the rear lateral side and the inner side of the reinforcement 6 .

[0045] The body of the invention makes it possible to exploit the space inside the lateral lining of the trunk, more specifically between the trunk lining and the sides of the body including the inner wheel housings. As a result, space is saved at floor level. The body 1 thus comprises a rear floor provided with a volume that can now be used to accommodate, in particular, other equipment of the vehicle, for example to receive a decontamination device such as a urea tank.

[0046] Furthermore, this solution makes it possible to integrate the loudspeaker module inconspicuously in the rear trunk, since the loudspeaker module is preferably concealed by the lateral lining of the trunk. The loudspeaker module is not visible even when the trunk lid is opened.

[0047] Note that the body of the invention thus achieves the objective of optimizing the volume of the rear floor and provides the following advantages:

[0048] - it is compatible with different loudspeaker modules, in particular with loudspeaker modules of different sizes, which makes it possible to at least partially standardize the production of inner wheel arches (possibly between different ranges of vehicles) and makes it possible to save production costs,

[0049] The stamping extent of the inner wheel arch can be easily adapted to the type of loudspeaker module, that is to say by producing an opening 50 in case the loudspeaker module needs to be open to the outside and by not producing an opening otherwise.

[0050] The invention is particularly well suited to motor vehicles provided with an internal combustion engine which requires a depollution device in its exhaust system.

[0051] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle equipped with such a vehicle body.

[0052] Finally, although the solution has been described for the rear wheel housing, it can also be applied to the front wheel housing, in particular in the case of motor vehicles provided with a rear-mounted engine. In fact, motor vehicles whose engine compartment is located at the rear are more restricted in terms of volume at the rear wheel housing, not to mention less restricted in the front wheel housing.

Claims

1. A body (1) of a motor vehicle, comprising a wheel housing (2) for at least one wheel (3), the wheel housing being formed by assembling at least one portion of a body lateral lining (4) which is a rear quarter lining defining an outer portion of the wheel housing (2), and an inner portion (5) which is a portion for connecting the lateral lining to a floor, the inner portion (5) defining an inner portion of the wheel housing (2), characterized in that The inner part (5) comprises an opening (50) through which a reinforcement (6) of the lower support (7) is added and welded, the reinforcement being intended to at least partially ensure the mounting of the loudspeaker module (8).

2. Carbody (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The inner part (5) comprises a top wall (51), the opening (50) of the inner part (5) being in the form of an elongated hole of the longitudinal axis (X) produced in the top wall.

3. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that The inner portion (5) includes a portion bent about a longitudinal axis (X) and a transverse axis (Y) so as to define a top portion of the wheel housing (2).

4. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that The reinforcement (6) of the lower support (7) comprises in the top portion a bearing surface (61) against which the bottom area of ​​the loudspeaker module (8) can rest.

5. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that The support surface is planar and is arranged to protrude vertically from the inner part (5).

6. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that The support surface is arranged to protrude vertically from the top wall (51).

7. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that The reinforcement (6) of the lower support (7) comprises an opening (60) in the form of an elongated hole centrally located in the bearing surface (61).

8. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that The vehicle body comprises sealing means (9) which extend along the entire periphery of the opening of the reinforcement of the lower support.

9. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that The sealing means (9) is at least one sealing member having a closed hole arranged along the periphery of the opening (60) of the reinforcement member (6) of the lower support member (7).

10. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that The sealing device (9) is a sealing device produced in one piece.

11. The vehicle body (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 10, characterized in that: The lower support (7) is a fixing fork intended to ensure the reversible mounting of the loudspeaker module (8), which is added and welded to the reinforcement (6) of the lower support so as to partially surround the reinforcement.

12. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that The fixing fork partially surrounds the portion of the reinforcement (6) arranged to protrude vertically from the top wall (51).

13. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that The fixing fork joint comprises a connecting strip (71) beyond which at least one fixing lug (72) arranged in substantially the same plane as the bearing surface (61) of the top portion of the reinforcement (6) of the lower support (7) protrudes.

14. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that Two fixing lugs (72) are arranged in substantially the same plane as the bearing surface (61) of the top portion of the reinforcement (6) of the lower support (7).

15. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that The reinforcement member (6) of the lower support member (7) comprises a peripheral flange (62).

16. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 15, characterized in that The peripheral flange is produced by stamping and is arranged below the inner part (5) along the contour of the opening (50) of the inner part (5).

17. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 16, characterized in that The reinforcement (6) of the lower support is fixed to the inner part (5) by welding.

18. The vehicle body (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that The wheel housing (2) of the wheel (3) is a component of the subwoofer of the speaker module (8).

19. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 18, characterized in that The component element is an acoustic nozzle.

20. The vehicle body (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that The vehicle body comprises a reinforcement (16) of the lateral lining (4) intended for fixing an upper support (17) intended to at least partially ensure the mounting of the loudspeaker module (8).

21. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 20, characterized in that The reinforcement (16) of the lateral lining (4) is arranged on the outer side of the lateral lining (4), and the reinforcement (16) of the lateral lining comprises at least one screw (18) which passes through the lateral lining (4) and is intended for the reversible mounting of the upper support (17).

22. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 21, characterized in that The at least one screw is intended for linking the loudspeaker module (8) to a fixing bridge of the lateral lining (4) of the vehicle body.

23. The vehicle body (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The wheel cover is a rear wheel cover, and the floor is a trunk floor.

24. A vehicle, characterized in that: The vehicle comprises a vehicle body (1) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

25. The vehicle according to claim 24, characterized in that The vehicle is a motor vehicle.

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