Moulded part for securing objects in the trunk of a motor vehicle

Abstract

A molded part for fixing an object / multiple objects in a motor vehicle during movement thereof, in particular in the trunk of the motor vehicle, comprising a main body which forms a stop for supporting the object / objects, wherein the main body has a preferably flat underside (3; 4) from which protrude a plurality of hooks which are intended to penetrate between the fibers of a fiber part, in particular into loops formed by the fibers, in order to produce a releasable fastening with hooks and loops, known under the term "Velcro fastener", wherein the fiber element is fixed with respect to the vehicle, in particular formed from a mat (P) or a carpet which is fixed to and covers the floor of the trunk of the motor vehicle, wherein the hooks extend from the main body in a continuous and integral manner therewith, characterized in that the molded part comprises two elements (1;2) which releasably engage with each other.;

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device forming a fitting or molded part, in particular for fixing one or more objects at a position in the trunk of a motor vehicle in such a way that they do not move during the movement of the vehicle.

[0002] Devices of this type are already known from the prior art, in particular from US Pat. No. 6,244,802 B1. The device described therein, forming a molded part, comprises a body made of two parts permanently fitted together to form an L defining an angle. The L-shaped molded part is removably attached via its underside to the mat covering the floor of the trunk of the motor vehicle by means of hooks that penetrate the fibers of the mat to hook into place. These hooks extend from a hook strip that is attached to the underside of the molded part by an adhesive. Thus, due to the detachable nature of the connection between the molded part and the mat, the molded part can be adapted to any use and, in particular, to the dimensions of any object that is desired to be secured for transport.

[0003] These prior art molded devices exhibit several disadvantages. First, they tend to lose their ability to adhere to the vehicle's mat over time, particularly after undergoing a large number of high-amplitude thermal cycles between very cold and very high temperatures, as occurs in vehicles used year-round. Furthermore, these prior art devices are complex to manufacture and, in particular, require a high level of labor. In fact, the molded part body and the hook strip must first be manufactured (generally on different production lines), and then the hook strip must be fixed to a lower surface of the molded part body using an adhesive. This bonding step, in particular, requires a high level of labor.

[0004] From US 5 662 305 A a molded part for fixing one or more objects in a motor vehicle is known, on which the preamble of patent claim 1 or patent claim 4 is based.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing a molded part for fixing one or more objects in a position in a motor vehicle while the latter is in motion, in particular in the trunk thereof, which is intended to cooperate, by means of a hook-containing region, with an element which is fixed to the vehicle and comprises textile fibers, such as a mat, which has a long service life and, in particular, retains well over time the ability to be releasably attached to the fiber element and which is, moreover, very simple to manufacture and, in particular, can be manufactured in a single manufacturing step on a large scale with little labor.

[0006] According to the invention, the molded part intended to fix an object / multiple objects in a motor vehicle during movement, in particular in the trunk of the motor vehicle, in a position comprises the features of claim 1, comprising a main body forming a stop for supporting the object whose fixation is desired, wherein the main body has a preferably flat underside from which several hooks protrude, which are intended to penetrate between the fibers of a fiber region, in particular into loops formed by the fibers, in order to produce a releasable fastening of hooks and loops, known under the term "Velcro fastener", wherein the fiber region is fixed with respect to the vehicle, in particular formed by a mat or carpeting attached to and covering the floor of the trunk of the motor vehicle, characterized in thatthat the hooks extend from the main body in a continuous and integral manner, wherein the hooks and the main body are preferably manufactured by molding in a single step.

[0007] According to the invention, the molded part comprises hooks that are continuous and integral with the body of the molded part, which together form a molded part made of a homogeneous material. In particular, there is no separation in the material forming the molded part, either at the macroscopic or microscopic level, between the hooks and the main body. This eliminates the risk of the hooks detaching over time, for example due to degradation of the adhesive after a certain number of extreme thermal cycles, and the molded part retains its ability to adhere to a trunk mat over time. Furthermore, still according to the invention, the manufacture of the body and the hooks takes place without a manual step for attaching the hooks to the body, which simplifies the manufacturing process.

[0008] Homogeneous means a material that does not contain any interface or discontinuity of separation within the material, especially at the microscopic level.

[0009] According to the invention, the molded part comprises two elements, in a preferred embodiment of a substantially parallelepiped shape, which preferably form an L or an angle, in particular of 90°.

[0010] According to the invention, the two elements can be releasably latched into each other.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a hook field covers substantially the entire underside of the molded part, ie the surface which is intended to come into contact with the ground when the molded part is mounted thereon.

[0012] The present invention also relates to a motor vehicle having the features of claim 4, which comprises a preferably flat surface on which objects are to be placed for transporting the same during a movement, in particular the floor of the trunk of a vehicle, wherein the surface is covered with at least one fiber element which forms in particular loops, in particular a mat, and at least one molded part according to the invention, wherein the hooks of the molded part penetrate between the fibers, in particular into the loops, in order to ensure a detachable fastening of the molded part to the vehicle.

[0013] A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to models. Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of a trunk of a motor vehicle comprising a mat fixed to the floor in which objects are held by moldings according to the invention formed by two substantially parallelepiped elements clipped together. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the two elements of a molded part of the Fig. 1. Fig. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the other element of the molding in the shape of an L according to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 22. Fig. 4 is a representation of the element of Fig. 2 on a larger scale, seen from below.

[0014] The figures show a fitting or molded part according to the invention. This comprises an element 1 in the form of a wall piece and an element 2 in the form of a wall piece, the two elements interlocking. Together, they form an angle element in the shape of an L, defining an angle of preferably 90°. Each wall piece has a vertical inner stop surface (relative to the angle formed between them) for supporting an object in order to fix it, in particular to secure it in position against slipping or tipping during the movement of a motor vehicle on a floor on which it is placed.

[0015] The two securing surfaces of the two wall sections 1 and 2 are vertical. They can also be inclined. The stop surfaces can be of essentially any shape, it being essential that the object comes into contact with the stop surface for immobilization through part of its outer surface. Each wall section comprises a bottom or lower section 3 and 4, which are essentially perpendicular to the two vertical support surfaces. A hook field protrudes from each surface 3 and 4 of the two wall sections 1 and 2. The hook field covers essentially the entire surface 3 and the entire surface 4. However, hook fields can also be applied to only part of these surfaces 3 and 4.These hooks are designed to interact with looped areas, in particular the mat P or the carpet made of textile, in particular knitted, material, in such a way that the hooks penetrate the loops and hold the shaped part, which is formed from two wall parts or a single wall part, in a position with respect to the floor covered with the mat.

[0016] For example, the location of these molded parts in a trunk can be chosen by positioning them as desired or removing them from their interaction with the mat. For example, a water bottle can be placed upright and the corner piece positioned so that both surfaces are in contact with the bottle, preventing it from sliding in one direction. Then, a second corner piece of the same type is placed on an opposite side of the bottle in such a way that the bottle is clamped between the two corner pieces and cannot slide or tip over, especially when the vehicle is braking or accelerating. Instead of molded parts in the shape of a corner piece, you can also use molded parts consisting of one of the two elements that make up the corner piece.

[0017] The hooks extend from each wall piece, integral with the wall piece and from a single and identical piece, and are, in particular, injection-molded in the same mold as the wall piece. To produce such a system from a single piece by injection molding, it is advantageous to use the device and method described in French patent application No. 0803707, filed on July 1, 2008, in the name of the applicant, given the difference in material volumes between the volume of the material forming the wall pieces and that forming the hooks.

[0018] For example, the body and the hooks are made of a thermoplastic material, in particular of polyethylene, polypropylene, PMMA, polyester and the like. The material is homogeneous without an interface and without a discontinuity, in particular at the microscopic level, between the hooks and the body or a main part of the body.

[0019] The hooks have a height of, for example, between 0.8 mm and 1.6 mm, for example and preferably 1.4 mm. The density of the hooks in the hook field on the underside is, for example, between 45 and 60 hooks per cm, for example and preferably 55 hooks / cm. The hooks can also have the shape of grippers or the like. The width of the hooks, i.e., the largest transverse dimension, is between 0.7 mm and 1.4 mm, preferably and for example 1.2 mm.

[0020] Each wall piece element has a substantially parallelepiped shape, wherein the height is, for example, between 75 mm and 150 mm, preferably and for example 100 mm, the width of its base is between 20 mm and 50 mm, preferably and for example 25 mm and the length of its base is between 100 mm and 200 mm, preferably and for example 150 mm.

[0021] According to the invention, a hook is understood to be an element comprising a shaft from which a head portion protrudes laterally, allowing for hooking or fastening. It can be a hook, as shown in the figures, but also a mushroom-shaped hook, a gripper, a double hook, or the like, but always with a laterally projecting portion.

Claims

[1] A molded part for securing an object / multiple objects in a motor vehicle during movement thereof, in particular in the trunk of the motor vehicle, comprising a main body forming a stop for supporting the object / objects, the main body having a preferably flat underside (3; 4) from which protrude a plurality of hooks intended to penetrate between the fibers of a fiber part, in particular into loops formed by the fibers, in order to produce a releasable fastening with hooks and loops, known under the term "Velcro fastener", the fiber element being fixed with respect to the vehicle, in particular being formed from a mat (P) or a carpeting which is fixed to and covers the floor of the trunk of the motor vehicle, the hooks extending from the main body in a continuous and integral manner therewith, characterized bythat the molded part has two elements (1;2) which releasably engage with each other. [2] Moulded part according to claim 1, characterized by that the two elements (1;2) have a substantially parallelepiped shape, which together form an L or an angle, in particular of 90°. [3] Moulded part according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that a check mark field covers substantially the entire underside (3;4) of the molded part, which is the surface that is intended to come into contact with the ground when the molded part is placed thereon. [4] Motor vehicle, comprising a preferably flat surface on which an object / several objects is / are to be placed for transporting the same during a movement, in particular the floor of the trunk of a vehicle, the surface being covered with a loop-forming fiber element, and a molded part intended to fix the object / objects in a position during the movement of the motor vehicle, the molded part comprising a main body forming a stop for supporting the object / objects, the main body having a preferably flat underside (3;4) from which several hooks protrude, which can penetrate into the loops formed by the fibers of the fiber element to produce a releasable fastening with hooks and loops, known under the term "Velcro", the fiber element being fixed with respect to the vehicle, in particular comprising a mat (P) or a carpet fixed to and covering the floor of the trunk of the motor vehicle, the hooks extending from the main body in a continuous and integral manner therewith and penetrating the loops to ensure a releasable fastening of the molded part to the vehicle, ; characterized by that the molded part has two elements (1;2) which releasably engage with each other. [5] Vehicle according to claim 4, characterized by that the two elements have essentially a parallelepiped shape, which together form an L or an angle, in particular of 90°. [6] Vehicle according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by that a check mark field covers substantially the entire underside (3;4) of the molded part, which is the surface that is intended to come into contact with the ground when the molded part is placed thereon.

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