Rear vehicle body structure including door of vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a rear body structure of a vehicle, comprising a door (10) movably mounted on two walls by means of an articulated arm (20), one of the walls comprising a guide device (30, 40) for guiding the articulated arm (20), the guide device (30, 40) comprising at least two cam grooves, the articulated arm (20) comprising two cams fixedly connected to the articulated arm (20), the cam grooves (30, 40) comprising at least two cam grooves (30, 40) comprising at least two cam grooves (30, 40). The two cams are each arranged in different cam grooves, the two cam grooves each comprising a first portion (402, 302) and a second portion (404, 304) inclined with respect to the first portion, the first portions (402, 302) of the cam grooves being parallel to each other, the second portions (404, 304) of the cam grooves being inclined in opposite directions with respect to each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the automotive field and more precisely to a rear body structure of a vehicle including a door. The present invention also relates to a vehicle, in particular a multi-purpose vehicle, including such a body structure. Background Art

[0002] Most vehicle doors, especially rear doors, utilize hinges. Thus, the rear door is opened by rotation of the door about an axis passing through its hinges and disposed on the rear face of the vehicle, adjacent to an opening allowing access to the vehicle's loading space. Thus, the open door may hinder loading of the vehicle. Furthermore, the hinges often disrupt the lines of the vehicle and impair its aesthetics. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention provides a rear body structure for a vehicle and a vehicle equipped with such a body structure, making it possible to at least partially alleviate the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0004] To this end, the present invention proposes a rear body structure of a vehicle, the structure comprising at least:

[0005] - two walls facing each other, at least one of the two walls comprising guiding means,

[0006] - at least one articulated arm,

[0007] - a door mounted so as to move relative to two walls by means of an articulated arm, the door being able to close the space between these walls,

[0008] The structure is characterized in that the guiding device includes at least two cam grooves, the articulated arm includes two cams rigidly attached to the articulated arm, each cam is arranged in a different cam groove of the two cam grooves, the two cam grooves each include a first part and a second part inclined relative to the first part, the first parts of these cam grooves are parallel to each other and the second parts of these cam grooves are inclined relative to each other in opposite directions.

[0009] Thanks to the invention, an initial translational movement of the door is achieved by the door when the articulated arm follows the first portion of the cam slot and deflects the door from the two walls while holding the door so that it faces the space between the two walls. This translational movement is followed by a movement that disengages the door laterally relative to the space while holding it between two main extension planes, each corresponding to a wall and extending the wall. The door then performs a movement that combines translational and rotational movement and is positioned above or below the opening that allows access to the space. The door achieves this movement when the articulated arm follows the second portion of the cam slot. In fact, in the case where these second portions are simultaneously advanced by the two cams of the articulated arm and the main extension directions of the second portions are not parallel, the door not only achieves a translational movement to release the space between the two walls, but also rotates on its own without the use of hinges.

[0010] The first part and the second part preferably extend mainly along a straight line segment. This makes it easier to operate the door when opening it.

[0011] The articulated arm advantageously comprises a main arm extending orthogonally with respect to the door and an end arm inclined with respect to the main arm, each end of the end arm carrying a cam of the articulated arm. In this context, "orthogonal" is understood to mean substantially orthogonal or strictly orthogonal. Thus, the main extension direction of the main arm is orthogonal to the main extension plane of the door, for example with a tolerance of five degrees of inclination with respect to this orthogonal relationship. Thus, one end of the main arm is fixed to the door and the other end of the main arm is fixed to the end arm. Thus, the geometry of the profile presented by the articulated arm is substantially gooseneck-shaped, which enables the door to bypass the floor or loading panel of the rear body structure when opening, while remaining close to the floor or loading panel in the open position. Thus, this reduces the volume of the door in the open position and facilitates access to the space.

[0012] More specifically, the second portion of a first cam groove in the cam groove is inclined at an acute angle measured in a clockwise direction relative to the first portion of the first cam groove, and the second portion of a second cam groove in the cam groove is inclined at the same acute angle measured in a counterclockwise direction relative to the first portion of the second cam groove. These acute angles are measured between a first straight line segment, on which the first portion is mostly located, and a second straight line segment, on which the second portion is mostly located.

[0013] The cam slot is preferably a groove and the cam is preferably a roller or a bearing sliding in the groove.This embodiment of the invention has the advantage of simplicity.

[0014] The cam grooves are preferably located in the same plane, which reduces the bulk of the articulation system. This plane is advantageously perpendicular to the plane in which the majority of the floor of the rear structure is located.

[0015] The door preferably comprises two articulated arms, each wall comprising a guide for a separate one of the two articulated arms, the cam slot of the guide for each wall being formed in a plate, the plates of each wall of the rear body structure being arranged parallel to each other. This embodiment with two articulated arms (with or without a plate) imparts stability to the door opening system.

[0016] The vehicle body structure according to the invention preferably comprises at least one balancer, a first end of which is rigidly attached to the wall and a second end of which is rigidly attached to the articulated arm. For example, the second end is fixed to an elbow joint of the articulated arm, which connects the main arm of the articulated arm with the end arm. For example, when the door comprises two articulated arms, a balancer is used for each articulated arm.

[0017] The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a rear body structure according to the invention, the vehicle comprising a floor flanked by the wall and the door, the vehicle further comprising a loading panel parallel to the floor and mounted on the wall, the door being able to freely enter the space between the loading panel and the floor by a first translational movement in a direction parallel to the floor, followed by a second movement which places the door above the lower surface of the loading panel or below the upper surface of the floor.

[0018] For example, the vehicle according to the invention is a multi-purpose vehicle comprising a cab and a divided rear area. Specifically, the rear area comprises: the space between the floor and the loading panel, which is safe and can therefore be used due to the presence of the door, and a loading area above the loading panel, which is open or closed. This allows a cost-effective use of the space between the floor and the loading panel, while the loading panel cannot be placed very low, that is to say as close as possible to the chassis of the vehicle, in order to fully utilize the loading area. In fact, the load placed on the loading panel must be set quite high to prevent the user of the multi-purpose vehicle from experiencing back problems.

[0019] The floor advantageously comprises rails adapted to protect the guide means and the articulated arms of the rear body structure when loading said space. The floor preferably comprises two rails on one side of each wall comprising the guide means to protect both the articulated arms and the balancer. The rails can also guide the loading of large objects into the space left between the floor and the loading panel. Thus, the rails as described herein can fulfil a protection function and also a guidance function.

[0020] The loading panel advantageously comprises an assembly and locking means adapted to receive a removable loading box and secure it to the loading panel. The loading panel is for example bolted to a wall and is specific to one type of loading box. Thus, the vehicle can be easily adapted to accommodate another type of loading box by bolting another loading panel to the wall of the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description on the one hand and from a number of embodiments provided by way of non-limiting illustrative examples on the other hand with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

[0022] [ Figure 1 ] depicts a vehicle according to the present invention in a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

[0023] [ Figure 2 ] depicts Figure 1 A vehicle with a loading box,

[0024] [ Figure 3 ] depicts a guide device according to the invention provided with a wall of a vehicle,

[0025] [ Figure 4 ] depicts an articulated arm of a door of a vehicle according to the invention,

[0026] [ Figure 5 ] depicts a rear vehicle body structure according to the present invention with the door in a closed position,

[0027] [ Figure 6 ] depicts Figure 5 The rear body structure with the doors in the middle opening position,

[0028] [ Figure 7 ] depicts Figure 6 The rear body structure of the vehicle with the door in the open position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 The vehicle 2 according to the invention represented in 1 comprises a cab and a rear body structure which itself comprises a floor 4, two side walls 6 and 12 of the vehicle, and a rear panel 8 comprising a door 10. The vehicle 2 is for example a utility vehicle and comprises a loading panel 14 bolted to the side walls 6 and 12. Alternatively, the loading panel is fixed in a manner other than by bolting the loading panel to the wall of the rear body structure.

[0030] The vehicle extends longitudinally in a horizontal direction X, the walls 6 and 12 extend in the horizontal direction X and in a vertical direction Z, and the door 10 extends in the vertical direction Z and in a transverse direction Y orthogonal to the horizontal direction X and the vertical direction Z.

[0031] The door 10 allows access to the loading space 80 left between the loading panel 14 and the floor 4. In a variant embodiment, the door is placed between the wall of the cab and the rear panel. Of course, the invention can also be simplified to be practiced on a non-multi-purpose vehicle, for example, the loading panel can be replaced by the roof of a non-multi-purpose vehicle. In this case, the door 10 constitutes a hatch at the rear of the vehicle.

[0032] The vehicle 2 according to the invention comprises a loading box 16 which is fixed to the loading panel 14 by means 18 for assembling and locking the loading box 16 to the loading panel 14. For example, these means 18 are quarter-turn devices which can be electrically activated. The loading box 16 is placed on the loading panel 14 by means of, for example, a forklift, the forks of which can be inserted between the loading panel 14 and the lower surface of the loading box 16. In practice, the assembling and locking means 18 are positioned at the corners of the loading box 16 and the loading panel 14 so as to leave a space between the loading box 16 and the loading panel 14 which enables the forks of the forklift to be inserted.

[0033] The door 10 is mounted so as to move on the walls 6 and 12 by means of two articulated arms, each of which comprises an end rigidly fixed to the door 10 and an opposite end mounted so as to move relative to one of the walls 6 or 12 .

[0034] Each wall 6, 12 comprises, on its side common to the loading space 80, a plate 50 which is Figure 3 , this plate is bolted to the rear body structure and comprises a guide device 35 consisting of two cam grooves 30 and 40 which enables the articulated arm of the door 10 to be guided when opening or closing it.

[0035] The plate 50 is arranged in a plane P which is parallel to the longitudinal direction X relative to the vehicle 2 and to the vertical direction Z relative to the vehicle 2 .

[0036] For better visibility, Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 7 A single articulated arm 20 is shown in FIG. 1 , but the invention finds a particular application when the rear body structure comprises two guide devices 35 and two articulated arms 20 .

[0037] For the sake of simplicity, only the guide means 35 associated with the wall 6 and the articulated arm 20 are described, while the wall 12 still comprises guide means 35 (similar to those of the wall 6) for guiding an articulated arm similar to the articulated arm 20. This similar guide means and this similar articulated arm are arranged symmetrically with respect to the guide means on the wall 6 and with respect to the articulated arm 20 about a vertical plane that divides the vehicle 2 longitudinally into two parts.

[0038] Figure 4The articulated arm 20 represented in the figure comprises a main arm 204, one end of which is rigidly fixed to the door 10, for example bolted to the door 10. Specifically, the main arm 204 extends orthogonally to the main extension plane of the door 10 as far as an elbow joint, from which an end arm 202 of the articulated arm 20 extends. The articulated arm 20 is cut from a flat plate, and the end arm 202 forms an obtuse angle with the main arm 204, thereby giving the main arm 20 a substantially gooseneck-shaped profile.

[0039] The first cam 208 is fixed to the end of the end arm 202 at the elbow of the articulated arm 20, and the second cam 206 is fixed to the other end of the end arm 202. The cams 208 and 206 are rollers mounted to rotate on an axis orthogonal to the main extension plane of the articulated arm 20 or bearings mounted on the articulated arm 20.

[0040] like Figure 3 As shown, the first cam 208 is mounted to slide in the first cam groove 40 (here a groove in the plate 50), and the second cam 206 is mounted to slide in the second cam groove 30 (here another groove in the plate 50). Alternatively, the first cam groove 40 and the second cam groove 30 are sleeves fixed to the wall 6.

[0041] The first cam groove 40 close to the door 10 relative to the second cam groove 30 includes: a first portion 402 extending in a straight line in a first direction u parallel to the horizontal direction X; and a second portion 404 extending mainly in a second direction v inclined at an acute angle α in a clockwise direction relative to the first direction u. The second portion 404 extends the first portion 402 at an elbow joint connecting one end of the second portion 404 to one end of the first portion 402. The other end of the second portion 404 forms an abutment in the first cam groove 40, and the other end of the first portion 402 forms another abutment in the first cam groove 40. The second portion 404 is close to the door 10 relative to the first portion 402.

[0042] The second cam groove 30 also includes: a first portion 302 extending in a straight line in a direction u; and a second portion 304 extending in a direction w inclined at an acute angle α in a counterclockwise direction relative to the direction u. The second portion 304 extends the first portion 302 at an elbow joint that connects one end of the second portion 304 to one end of the first portion 302. The other end of the second portion 304 forms an abutment in the second cam groove 30, and the other end of the first portion 302 forms another abutment in the second cam groove 30. The second portion 304 is closer to the door 10 relative to the first portion 302.

[0043] The second portion 304 of the second cam groove 30 is placed above the first portion 402 of the first cam groove 40 in the vertical direction Z. The cam grooves 30 and 40 can of course be arranged differently, as long as these cam grooves enable the two cams 206 and 208 to follow the cam grooves 30 and 40 together, and the distance between the two cams 206 and 208 is fixed. For example, the second cam groove 30 can be close to the door, while the first cam groove 40 is on the far side relative to the door. In this variant, the articulated arm moving in these cam grooves is arranged to move with the Figures 3 to 7 The variant depicted in FIG. 1 is bent in the opposite way to the bending of the articulated arm 20 to enable the door to be opened, so that in the open position the door is positioned below the base plate 4 .

[0044] like Figure 5 As shown, when the door 10 is in the closed position, the cams 206 and 208 are respectively positioned near an abutment portion in the second cam groove 30 away from the door and near an abutment portion in the first cam groove 40 away from the door.

[0045] When the user of the vehicle 2 pulls the door 10 by means of a handle located on the upper surface of the door 10 parallel to the bottom plate 4, the cams 206 and 208 follow the first portions 302 and 402 of the cam grooves 30 and 40, respectively, as far as the elbow joint of each of the cam grooves 30 and 40. Figure 6 As represented in , this travel of the cams 206 and 208 enables translational movement of the door 10 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction X of the vehicle, thereby moving the door 10 away from the storage space 80 while maintaining the door so that it faces this space.

[0046] As the user continues to pull the door 10, the cams 206 and 208 then follow the respective second portions 302 and 402 of the cam grooves 30 and 40 as far as the abutment of the respective cam grooves 30 and 40 close to the door 10. This movement causes the door 10 to rise while causing the door itself to rotate about a quarter of a turn, this rotation being achieved about an axis of rotation parallel to the transverse direction Y of the rear vehicle body structure. According to the invention, the axis of rotation moves in translation along a straight line segment having a longitudinal component and a vertical component. This movement causes the door 10 to enter Figure 7 The location depicted in .

[0047] Thus, the door 10 moves above the loading panel 14 while remaining close to the loading panel. Thus, the opening volume of the door 10 is reduced compared to a classic vehicle tailgate opening.

[0048] In order to keep the door 10 in the open position, a hinged arm 20 is provided between the wall 6. Figure 5 and Figure 7, which can for example take the form of a cylinder. More precisely, an end 602 of the balancer 60 is fixed to the wall 6, and the other end 604 of the balancer 60 is fixed at the elbow joint of the articulated arm 20.

[0049] Two rails 70 are fixed to the base plate 4 on the respective sides close to the walls 6 and 12, in particular bolted to the base plate 4. Each of these lateral rails 70 is oriented parallel to the longitudinal direction X so as to protect the door opening system during loading or unloading of the storage space 80, that is to say, the cam grooves 30 and 40 on the walls 6 and 12, the plate 50 including the cam grooves 30, 40 (when the invention includes the cam grooves), the balancer 60, and the two hinged arms of the door 10.

[0050] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples that have been described and many modifications may be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A rear body structure of a vehicle (2), the structure comprising at least: - two walls (6, 12) facing each other, at least one of the two walls comprising guide means (35), - at least one articulated arm (20), a door (10) mounted so as to be movable relative to the two walls (6, 12) by means of the articulated arm (20), the door (10) being able to close the space (80) between the walls (6, 12), The structure is characterized in that the guiding device (35) includes at least two cam grooves (30, 40), the articulated arm (20) includes two cams (206, 208) rigidly attached to the articulated arm (20), each cam is arranged in a different cam groove of the two cam grooves (30, 40), the two cam grooves (30, 40) each include a first portion (402, 302) and a second portion (404, 304) inclined relative to the first portion (402, 302), the first portions (402, 302) of the cam grooves (30, 40) are parallel to each other, and the second portions (404, 304) of the cam grooves (30, 40) are inclined relative to each other in opposite directions.

2. The rear vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein: The first portions (402, 302) and the second portions (404, 304) extend primarily along straight line segments.

3. The rear vehicle body structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The articulated arm (20) comprises a main arm (204) extending orthogonally relative to the door (10) and an end arm (202) inclined relative to the main arm (204), each end of the end arm (202) carrying a cam (206, 208) of the articulated arm (20).

4. The rear vehicle body structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The second portion (404) of the first cam groove (40) of the cam grooves (30, 40) is inclined at an acute angle (α) measured in a clockwise direction relative to the first portion (402) of the first cam groove (40), and the second portion (304) of the second cam groove (30) of the cam grooves (30, 40) is inclined at the same acute angle (α) measured in a counterclockwise direction relative to the first portion (302) of the second cam groove (304).

5. The rear vehicle body structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The cam slots (30, 40) are grooves, and the cams (206, 208) are rollers or bearings that slide in the grooves.

6. The rear vehicle body structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: These cam grooves (30, 40) are located in the same plane (P).

7. The rear vehicle body structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The door (10) comprises two articulated arms (20), each wall (6) comprises a guide device (30, 40) of a separate articulated arm (20) of the two articulated arms (20), the cam groove (30, 40) of the guide device (15) of each wall (6, 12) being formed in a plate (50), these plates (50) of each wall (6, 12) of the rear body structure being arranged parallel to each other.

8. A rear vehicle body structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising at least one balancer (60), a first end (602) of the at least one balancer being rigidly attached to the wall (6) and a second end (604) of the at least one balancer being rigidly attached to the articulated arm (20).

9. A vehicle (2) comprising a rear body structure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the vehicle (2) comprising a floor (4) flanked by the walls (6, 12) and the door (10), the vehicle (2) further comprising a loading panel (14) parallel to the floor (4) and mounted on the walls (6, 12), the door (10) being able to freely enter the space (80) between the loading panel (14) and the floor (4) by a first translational movement in a direction parallel to the floor (4) followed by a second movement which places the door (10) above a lower surface of the loading panel (14) or below an upper surface of the floor (4).

10. The vehicle (2) as claimed in the preceding claim, wherein: The floor (4) comprises rails (70) adapted to protect the guides (35) and the articulated arms (20) of the rear body structure when loading the space.

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