Supply flap arrangement

Abstract

Supply flap arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising a recess (11) in a vehicle outer skin (1), a flap (2) which is pivotably mounted on the vehicle outer skin (1) from a closed position covering the recess (11) to an open position projecting from the vehicle outer skin (1) upwards about a pivot axis (10), and a sealing element (5) which is adjustable on the flap (2) between an inactive position, in which it is concealed in the recess (11) when the flap (2) is in the closed position, and an active position, in which it seals a gap between the vehicle outer skin (1) and an edge of the flap (2) facing it when the flap (2) is in the open position, via an intermediate position that does not touch the vehicle outer skin (1), characterized in that the adjustment of the sealing element (5) is a displacement in a direction tangential to a main surface of the flap (2).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a supply flap arrangement for a motor vehicle with a recess in a vehicle outer skin, in which supply connections such as a fuel filler neck or, in the case of an electrically or hybrid powered motor vehicle, an electrical supply connection can be accommodated, and a flap which is pivotably mounted on the vehicle outer skin from a closed position covering the recess to an open position projecting from the outer skin.

[0002] When such a flap is closed, it presents little difficulty in keeping rainwater running down the vehicle's exterior out of the fuel tank's interior. However, this is no longer easily achieved when the flap is open during refueling. While rainwater entering the fuel tank's interior during refueling may be inconvenient for the user, it generally does not cause technical problems. However, such water can become problematic when charging a battery, as charging a battery takes significantly longer than filling a fuel tank, and if the water reaches the charging contacts, it can cause a short circuit or electrolytic corrosion.

[0003] From DE 10 2016 223 010 A1, a service hatch arrangement for a motor vehicle is known, in which a pivoting hatch is connected to a vehicle outer skin surrounding it in the closed position via a flexible connecting element. In the open position, this element forms an upward-facing channel that collects water running down the vehicle outer skin and deflects it laterally to keep it away from the recess below the connecting element. The connecting element is subjected to significant deformation each time the hatch is opened and closed and must therefore be made of a highly flexible material. If such a material becomes brittle after prolonged use, there is a high probability that the connecting element will break and no longer provide protection.

[0004] A generic supply valve arrangement is known from DE 10 2018 117 980 A1.

[0005] One object of the present invention is to create a supply flap arrangement for a motor vehicle that provides simple, permanent, and reliable protection against the ingress of moisture.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the invention, this problem is solved by a supply flap arrangement with the features of claim 1. By eliminating a permanent connection of the sealing body with the outer skin, the deformations to which the sealing body is subjected when the flap is moved are reduced; furthermore, no tensile stress can occur that could lead to the sealing body tearing.

[0007] The movement of the sealing element between active and inactive positions can be mechanically coupled to the movement of the flap between open and closed positions to ensure that the sealing element is active every time the flap is opened, without requiring any action from the user. According to a preferred embodiment, the movements of the flap and the sealing element are not coupled; thus, the flap can be easily movable, the design of the flap assembly can be kept simple, and the user can limit themselves to activating the sealing element only when weather conditions require it.

[0008] To facilitate movement of the flap, especially from a closed position flush with the surrounding outer skin, a pivot axis of the flap can be arranged above an upper edge of the flap in the closed position.

[0009] The flap is preferably connected to the axis via a swan-neck curved arm; in this way, the passage through the outer skin, which is unavoidable for a connection between the flap and the axis, can be concealed in the recess.

[0010] The adjustment of the sealing element between the inactive and active positions is a displacement in a direction tangential to a main surface of the flap.

[0011] The movable sealing body preferably comprises a plate-like section extending in the tangential direction and in a direction parallel to the axis.

[0012] To facilitate the movement of the sealing body, an operating section protruding from the plate-like section may be provided.

[0013] In the closed position, the operating section can protrude into the recess; this protects it from damage in the closed position and makes it easy to handle in the open position.

[0014] The cost of manufacturing the decorative part by injection molding is low, even when high-quality plastics are used for the decorative part.

[0015] The plate-like section can comprise a rigid base body. This can be sufficient to keep precipitation away from a supply connection in the trough if an edge of the base body projects into the trough in the active position. Preferably, a sealing lip extending along an edge of the base body is provided, which, in the active position, can conform to the outer surface above the trough and thus keep water away from it.

[0016] A guide rail extending along the inside of the flap can be provided for the sealing body, in particular for its rigid base body.

[0017] The guide rail can be designed in particular as a pocket open towards the outer skin in the open position, from which the sealing element can be extended into the active position.

[0018] As explained above, the invention is particularly advantageous when an electrical connection, in particular a charging connection of a battery, is housed in the recess.

[0019] Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1 a section of the outer skin of a motor vehicle with a flap according to the invention in the closed position in a perspective view; Fig. 2 a view of the flap in the open position and with a sealing element in the inactive position; Fig. 3. A view of the flap in the open position and with the sealing element in the active position; and Fig. 4. Make a cut through the flap in the open position; and Fig. 5 one to Fig. 4 analogous cuts according to a modification.

[0020] Fig. Figure 1 shows a section of a vehicle outer skin 1, cut in the usual manner, with a flap 2 flush with an opening 12 in the vehicle outer skin 1 when closed. The section shown can be located, for example, on a rear fender of a motor vehicle, behind a door whose door opening 3 is on the left. Fig. 1 can be seen. The flap 2 can be formed from a sheet metal blank; preferably it is a molded part made of a plastic colored to match the surrounding vehicle outer skin 1.

[0021] Fig. Figure 2 shows flap 2 in a position opposite to the closed position. Fig. 1. Open position rotated by approximately 90°. In the perspective shown, obliquely from below, a component can be seen attached to the inside of the flap 2 by adhesive bonding, snap-fit ​​or in another suitable manner, which serves as a guide rail 4 for a sealing element 5. The sealing element 5 is in the inactive position of the Fig. 2 almost completely concealed in a pocket open towards the vehicle outer skin 1, which extends between the flap 2, a base plate 6 of the guide rail 4 opposite the flap 2 and is bounded by side walls 7 of the guide rail 4, which connect the base plate 6 to the flap 2 on three of its four sides.

[0022] The flap 2 has an edge area 8 that extends beyond the guide rail 4 on all sides, concealing the guide rail from a normally sized user standing next to the vehicle and handling the flap 2.

[0023] Adjacent to its side facing the vehicle outer skin 1, a swan-neck curved arm 9 extends from the base plate 6, which pivots the flap 2 around a horizontal pivot axis 10 (see Fig. 4) pivotably connects to the vehicle body. The pivot axis 10 runs behind the vehicle outer skin 1 inside the body, above the opening 12.

[0024] The in Fig. The exposed opening 12 is backed by a recess 11 which provides space for one or more supply connections. The supply connections are of any known type and are therefore in Fig. 2 are not shown and are not described in detail. They may, in particular, be filler necks for liquid or gaseous operating fluids of the motor vehicle, especially fuel, or electrical connections for charging a battery. The design of the recess 11 can vary depending on the type of supply connections; in the simplest case, the recess 11 is an injection-molded plastic part in which an electrical connector is inserted or parts of the connector are molded in one piece. The supply connection is typically located at the bottom 13 of a central, lowest area of ​​the recess 11 or in a Fig. 2 non-visible side walls adjacent to the ground 13 and closing off the trough 11 at the bottom.

[0025] A large window 15 is cut into a side wall 14 of the trough 11, which adjoins the floor 13 at the top. The arm 9 extends through this window to the pivot axis 10, which runs above the side wall 14 and is already mentioned. The arm 9 guides the flap 2 between the closed and open positions along a path that runs almost perpendicular to the vehicle's outer skin 1 near the closed position. This allows the flap 2 to fill the opening 12 with a tight tolerance in the closed position, minimizing the probability of precipitation entering the trough 11 without its edges touching those of the opening 12 when the flap 2 is swung open.

[0026] Around the central area of ​​the trough 11, a ring-shaped rim area 16 of shallow depth extends, complementary to the rim area 8 of the flap 2. Here, or as in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, on an intermediate step 17 between the edge area 16 and the bottom 13, an elastic buffer 18 can be provided to form a stop for the closing movement of the flap 2.

[0027] A slot 19 is recessed in the base plate 6, which, in the open position, extends approximately perpendicular to the vehicle outer skin 1 surrounding the flap 2. An operating section 20 of the sealing body 5 extends downwards through the slot 19 into the open air. In the configuration of the Fig. 2 the operating section 20 is located at an end of the slot 19 facing away from the vehicle outer skin 1, and only an outer edge of a sealing lip 21 of the sealing body 5 projecting from the pocket formed by flap 2 and guide rail 4 is visible.

[0028] As in Fig. As can be seen in Figure 4, the sealing lip 21 forms the edge of a plate-like section 23 of the sealing body 5 facing the vehicle outer skin 1. This section extends in the pocket parallel to the pivot axis 10, transversely to the cutting plane, and longitudinally along the cutting plane of the slot 19. A base body 24 of the plate-like section 23 is rigid and is held displaceably by the guide rail 4 in the longitudinal direction of the slot 19. The sealing lip 21 can be made of a different plastic than that of the base body 24 and can be injection-molded; it is also conceivable to mold the sealing lip 21 and base body 24 as a single piece and to achieve the required elasticity of the sealing lip 21 and rigidity of the base body 24 by using different wall thicknesses. The operating section 20 is anchored to the base body 24.

[0029] To prevent precipitation running down the vehicle's outer skin 1 from entering the recess 5 during a charging process, the user can move the operating section 20 towards the end of the slot 19 facing the vehicle's outer skin 1. This moves the plate-like section 23 inside the pocket until the sealing lip 21 fits snugly against the vehicle's outer skin 1 above the opening 12, forcing any precipitation running down the vehicle's outer skin 1 to flow laterally around the opening 12.

[0030] The length of the operating section 20 can be adapted to the shape of the recess 11 or the shape and position of the at least one supply connection arranged in the recess 11, so that when the flap 2 is removed from the configuration of Fig. 3 is pivoted into the closed position, the operating section 20 is blocked by the recess 11 or the supply connection before the sealing lip 21 can be clamped between the edges of the flap 2 and the opening 12; this prevents the sealing lip 21 from shearing off when transitioning into the closed position.

[0031] Alternatively and as in Fig. As sketched in Figure 4, a bar 25 can be displaceable together with the sealing body 5 via struts 28 extending on one or both sides of the arm 9 and guided slidably on the arm 9 in a manner approximately parallel to the flap 2, in order to engage simultaneously in a contour 26 of the arm 9 and in correspondingly oriented contours on side walls of the recess 11 in the active position of the sealing body 5 and thus lock the flap 2 in the open position.

[0032] One in Fig.According to the variant sketched in Figure 5, a lever 27 can be articulated to the side wall 15 on one side and to the operating section 20 on the other. Since the point of application of the lever 27 lies between the pivot axis 10 and the operating section 20 in the open position, when the flap 2 is pivoted into the closed position, the lever 27 pushes the sealing element 5 deeper into the pocket, so that the sealing lip 21 detaches from the vehicle outer skin 1; conversely, when the flap 2 is opened, it is pulled out of the pocket again until the sealing lip 21 abuts the vehicle outer skin 1. This eliminates the need for the user to move the sealing element 5 manually.

[0033] It is understood that the above detailed description and the drawings, although representing certain exemplary embodiments of the invention, are intended only for illustration. Reference symbol list 1 Vehicle outer skin 2 flaps 3 Door opening 4 guide rail 5 sealing elements 6 Base plate 7 Side wall 8 Edge area 9 Arm 10 Swivel axis 11 trough 12 Opening 13 Floor 14 Side wall 15 windows 16 Edge area 17 Intermediate stage 18 buffers 19 slots 20 Operating section 21 Sealing lip 22 attacks 23 plate-like section 24 basic shapes 25 bars 26 contour 27 handlebars 28 strut

Claims

A service flap arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising a recess (11) in a vehicle outer skin (1), a flap (2) which is pivotably mounted on the vehicle outer skin (1) from a closed position covering the recess (11) to an open position projecting from the vehicle outer skin (1) upwards about a pivot axis (10), and a sealing element (5) which is adjustable on the flap (2) between an inactive position, in which it is concealed in the recess (11) when the flap (2) is in the closed position, and an active position, in which it seals a gap between the vehicle outer skin (1) and an edge of the flap (2) facing it when the flap (2) is in the open position, via an intermediate position that does not touch the vehicle outer skin (1), characterized in that the adjustment of the sealing element (5) results in a displacement in a direction tangential to a main surface of the flap (2). is. Supply flap arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the pivot axis (10) of the flap (2) runs above an upper edge of the flap (2) in the closed position. Supply flap arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flap (2) is connected to the pivot axis (10) via a swan-neck curved arm (9). Supply flap arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the sealing body (5) comprises a plate-like section (23) extending in the tangential direction and in a direction parallel to the pivot axis (10). Supply flap arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the sealing body (5) has an operating section (20) projecting from the plate-like section (23). Supply flap arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the operating section (20) protrudes into the recess (11) in the closed position. Supply flap arrangement according to one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the plate-like section (23) comprises a rigid base body (24). Supply flap arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sealing body (5) comprises a sealing lip (21) which is elastically deformed in the active position in contact with the vehicle outer skin (1) above the recess (11). Supply flap arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, in which a guide rail (4) extending along the inside of the flap (2) is provided for the sealing body (5). Supply flap arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the guide rail (4) is designed as a pocket open towards the vehicle outer skin (1) in the open position. Supply flap arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, in which an electrical connection, in particular a charging connection of a battery, is provided in the recess (11).

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