Body components including current dissipation surfaces

Abstract

The present invention relates to a body element (1) of a motor vehicle, the body element including a liner (2) defining an internal volume (3) for being enclosed by an outer skin, the liner (2) being made of a non-conductive material. The body element (1) includes at least two internal structural elements (8) disposed in the internal volume (3), and a conductive surface (10) of a conductive material extends between the at least two internal structural elements and spaced apart from the liner (2).

Description

[0001] This invention claims priority to French application No. 2101239, filed on February 10, 2021, the contents of which (text, drawings and claims) are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to the field of vehicle body components, and more particularly to a rear trunk lid (volet de coffre) including a conductive surface for the purpose of dissipating electrical energy.

[0003] The present invention also relates to vehicles equipped with such body components. Background Technology

[0004] Modern vehicles are equipped with an increasing number and variety of electrical devices. However, these devices can be interfered with by unwanted current, and as much current as possible should be consumed. Therefore, radio antennas and numerous amplifiers are considered the most sensitive parts of these electrical devices to be protected, in order to improve the quality of the in-vehicle audio system in particular.

[0005] Traditional solutions for avoiding or dissipating unwanted currents use metal braided wires (tresse), also known as grounding braids, which connect the electrical equipment to be protected to the vehicle's metal body. These solutions specifically propose implementing conductive hinges at the joints between these body parts to ensure continuity of electrical conductivity. In practice, this electrical equipment is typically housed in the doors, and particularly in the rear trunk lid.

[0006] Motor vehicle manufacturers are increasingly using plastic or composite body parts to assemble their vehicles because these materials offer numerous advantages, such as reduced implementation costs, lighter weight, and increased styling possibilities. However, using these body parts can complicate the dissipation of undesirable electrical currents. To overcome the poor conductivity of such body parts, vehicle manufacturers have become accustomed to adding a metal toilet during the molding process. Adding a metal toilet incurs significant additional costs, and in some cases, it is entirely impractical.

[0007] Therefore, there is a need for technological solutions that can integrate dissipative components to dissipate unwanted currents in vehicles, including body parts made of non-conductive materials, while avoiding the use of the aforementioned overly complex and expensive traditional solutions. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The present invention aims to overcome the above-mentioned problems. In this context, the object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle body element capable of dissipating unwanted current to protect at least one piece of electrical equipment, while reducing manufacturing costs.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention relates to a body element of a motor vehicle, the body element including a liner defining an internal volume for enclosing by an outer skin, the liner being made of a non-conductive material, and the body element including at least two internal structural elements disposed within the internal volume, the conductive surface of a conductive material extending between the at least two internal structural elements and spaced apart from the liner to dissipate electrical energy. The invention also relates to a trunk lid including a body element according to the invention, the body element including an outer skin assembled on the liner.

[0010] Finally, the present invention relates to a vehicle that includes a trunk lid according to the invention.

[0011] Therefore, the body element according to the invention can achieve a trunk lid that dissipates all or part of the unwanted current, even if the body element is made of a non-conductive material. In fact, the conductive surfaces arranged in the interior space of the liner can at least partially dissipate the unwanted current. Otherwise, the unwanted current could generate electromagnetic interference. It can be understood from the body element being made of a non-conductive material that the body element according to the invention is not necessarily made of one or more materials.

[0012] Furthermore, the conductive surface can be easily secured, particularly by adhesive bonding, while extending between at least two of the internal structural elements. Therefore, by extending the conductive surface between two internal structural elements, there is no need to add metal fabric during the molding of the liner. Thus, the body element according to the invention is simple and has low production costs, and it is possible to obtain a sufficiently large conductive surface to dissipate all or part of the unwanted current. Extending the conductive surface between at least two internal structural elements and distancing it from the liner allows the liner to be free from complex shapes and volumes.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the invention, at least one of the internal structural elements is a reinforcing rib of the liner. The presence of one or more ribs is common in liners for body parts, so that little or no modification is required to obtain a liner-based body element according to the invention.

[0014] According to an embodiment, the conductive surface is composed of a sheet of at least one conductive material. As can be understood from the conductive material, the sheet can be composed of one or more materials. The conductive material sheet is easily stretched and fixed between the two internal structural elements. Moreover, conductive material sheets (especially metal sheets, such as aluminum sheets) are readily available and inexpensive. Advantageously, a metal film is tensioned between the two internal structural elements: during assembly, the operator simply tensions the film and attaches it to these internal structural elements to secure them, for example, by gluing it.

[0015] Advantageously, each sheet of conductive material is a metal film reinforced with a film of plastic material. This plastic film reinforces the metal film and thus prevents any tearing during the assembly of the body components or the trunk lid.

[0016] According to an embodiment, the conductive surface is electrically connected to at least one tab, the at least one tab being used to ensure electrical continuity between the conductive surface and at least one piece of electrical equipment to be protected from unwanted current. Each tab serves to directly or indirectly electrically connect the electrical equipment to be protected to the conductive surface so as to guide unwanted current toward the conductive surface.

[0017] Advantageously, at least one tongue extends through the liner.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the outer skin is adhered to an adhesive area arranged on the outer contour of the inner lining and is distinct from the internal structural elements. Therefore, the conductive surface is suspended in the internal space between the inner lining and the outer skin of the trunk lid. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The invention will become clearer from the following detailed description, given only by way of non-limiting example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0020] - Figure 1 A perspective view is shown for obtaining the liner of the body element according to the invention, and internal structural elements for forming the body element according to the invention are shown;

[0021] - Figure 2 It shows the basis Figure 1 The above is a perspective view of the body components obtained from the lining;

[0022] - Figure 3 It shows the basis Figure 2 The luggage compartment cover obtained by the body components shown above Figure 1 and Figure 2 The longitudinal sectional view of axis AA shown above.

[0023] In these figures, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same elements. Detailed Implementation

[0024] According to the present invention Figure 2 The body component 1 shown includes, for example: Figure 1 and Figure 2 The lining 2 shown above defines a space for use with materials such as... Figure 3 The outer skin 4 shown above encloses the internal volume 3. The inner liner 2 and the outer skin 4, for example, fixed to the inner liner 2 by adhesive, form a structure as shown above. Figure 3 The luggage compartment cover 5 shown above, especially the rear luggage compartment cover 5 of a motor vehicle according to the invention (not shown in the figure), has an inner liner 2 and a cover 5 having an angle as shown in the figure. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The longitudinal extension of axis AA shown above. For assembling the outer skin 4 onto the inner liner 2, the inner liner has an adhesive area 6 arranged on the outer contour of the inner liner 2. During assembly, adhesive tape 7 is thus arranged on the inner liner 2, and then the outer skin 4 is pressed onto the tape 7. The inner liner 2 is made of a non-conductive material. It is not specified that the inner liner 2 is made of one or more non-conductive materials. For example, the inner liner 2 is made of one or more plastics. The body element 1 according to the invention also includes, as shown in the internal volume 3, such as... Figure 1 At least two internal structural elements 8 are shown above. These internal structural elements 8 are components of the liner 2 in the example shown in the figure, but can also be added to the liner by adhesive and / or any other fixing method. In such... Figure 1 In the example shown above, each internal structural element 8 forms a rib 9 to reinforce the liner 2.

[0025] The body component 1 according to the present invention further includes a conductive material formed in Figure 2 and Figure 3 A conductive surface 10, visible above, is designed to dissipate all or part of the current flowing through it. It is understood that the conductive surface 10 is indiscriminately made of one or more materials. The conductive surface 10 extends between at least two of the internal structural elements 8 and is spaced apart from the liner 2 between the internal structural elements 8. The conductive surface 10 is fixed to these internal structural elements 8. This fixing of the conductive surface 10 is achieved, for example, by adhesive bonding. For this purpose, the conductive surface 10 advantageously has... Figure 2 and Figure 3 The visible folding portion 11 folds onto the side 12 of the internal structural element 8, one of which is located on... Figure 2As can be seen above, this is to improve the fixation of the conductive surface 10 on these internal structural elements 8. The conductive surface 10 is conveniently formed by means of a sheet of conductive material 13 (especially a metal film 14). For this purpose, an aluminum film is particularly suitable for forming the conductive surface 10. Advantageously, the metal film 14 forming the conductive surface 10 is reinforced by a film of plastic material adhered to the metal film 14. This reinforcement by means of the plastic film prevents tearing of the metal film 14 during assembly of the body components 1. For optimal protection of the metal film 14, the plastic film completely covers the surface of the metal film 14. Advantageously, the metal film 14 is taut between these internal structural elements 8.

[0026] Advantageously, the conductive surface 10 is electrically connected to at least one tab 15, which serves to ensure electrical continuity between the conductive surface 10 and at least one electrical device (not shown in the figure), which needs to be protected from unwanted currents that are typically sources of electromagnetic interference. Therefore, each tab 15 is capable of guiding unwanted currents from the electrical device to be protected toward the conductive surface 10, which at least partially contributes to dissipating the unwanted currents. In the example shown in the figure, the body element 1 includes two tabs 15. Advantageously, these tabs 15 are formed by extensions of the conductive surface 10. Where necessary, especially when the electrical device to be protected is arranged outside the internal volume 3, at least one tab 15 extends through the liner 2, for example, through holes 16 arranged in the liner 2 for this purpose, one of which... Figure 3 As shown above.

[0027] Therefore, the body component 1 according to the invention can obtain a trunk lid 5, which can dissipate all or part of the unwanted current by means of a conductive surface 10, even if the body component 1 is made of a non-conductive material. The conductive surfaces 10 arranged in the interior space 3 of the liner 2 can be easily installed, regardless of the size and complexity of the interior volume 3. The process for assembling the body component 1 is simple and highly economical.

[0028] like Figure 3 As shown above, in order to form the luggage cover 5 according to the invention, the outer skin 4 is adhered to an adhesion area 6 that is preferably different from these internal structural elements 8, so that the metal film 14 also extends to be spaced apart from the outer skin 4.

[0029] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments of the body element 1 or the trunk cover 5 described above, but is merely an example. Those skilled in the art can design other embodiments without departing from the framework and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A body element (1) for a motor vehicle, the body element including a liner (2) defining an internal volume (3) to be enclosed by an outer skin (4), the liner (2) being made of a non-conductive material, and the body element (1) including at least two internal structural elements (8) disposed in the internal volume (3), a conductive surface (10) of a conductive material extending between the at least two internal structural elements and spaced apart from the liner (2) to dissipate electrical energy.

2. The vehicle body component (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the internal structural elements (8) is a reinforcing rib (9) of the liner (2).

3. The vehicle body component (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The conductive surface (10) is composed of a sheet (13) of at least one conductive material.

4. The vehicle body component (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each sheet (13) of conductive material is a metal film (14) reinforced with a film of plastic material.

5. The vehicle body element according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The conductive surface (10) is electrically connected to at least one tongue (15), the at least one tongue being used to ensure electrical continuity between the conductive surface (10) and at least one piece of electrical equipment protected from unwanted current.

6. The body component (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that, At least one tongue (15) extends through the liner (2).

7. A trunk lid (5) comprising a body element (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the body element comprising an outer skin (4) assembled on the inner liner (2).

8. The luggage compartment cover (5) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The outer skin (4) is pasted on the pasting area (6) arranged on the outline of the inner lining (2) and is different from the inner structural element (8).

9. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle includes a trunk lid (5) as described in claim 7 or 8.

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