VEHICLE WITH A REINFORCING ELEMENT SUPPORTING A SHEET METAL PART.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to motor vehicles equipped with a sliding side door.

[0002] Certain motor vehicles are equipped with at least one sliding side door movable between a closed position applied against the body of the vehicle and an open position in which the door provides a side opening leading to the passenger compartment of the vehicle or to a loading space.

[0003] For this purpose, the sliding door panel is provided with guide carriages running in rails fixed to the vehicle body. In the closed position, the outer surface of the door is aligned in continuity with the entire body, but it is spaced from said body in the open position by the use of a spacer device. The guide rails include, among other things, a lower rail generally associated with the side rail of the motor vehicle chassis.

[0004] To ensure correct alignment in the door closing position, the lower rail in the region corresponding to the end of the door closing, has a portion curved towards the inside of the vehicle whose deviation depends on the gap distance compatible with the door movements. An example of such a side sliding door is given by document EP1745958.

[0005] One of the problems encountered by this configuration is that it generates an opening on the passenger compartment at the location where the lower rail has its curved portion entering the passenger compartment of the vehicle. This opening is located near the hollow body formed by the side member reinforcement and the body side. It has been noted that some users tend to insert their foot into this opening and lean on it with all their weight. This generates sheet metal cracking at the level of said hollow body which is detrimental to the quality of the vehicle as perceived by the user. Furthermore, this support can cause a depression, even temporary, of a portion of the body side panel, which can generate or enlarge a gap between said side member reinforcement and said body side. Such a gap is then likely to allow gravel or other solid objects to penetrate inside this hollow body, which is also detrimental to the perceived quality of the vehicle.There is therefore a need for a solution to address the mentioned drawbacks and improve the perceived quality of the vehicle at this opening level.

[0006] WO 2016 / 176459 A1 discloses reinforcing and sealing elements applied to automotive parts including expanding foam.

[0007] The invention aims to address the problems encountered by the prior art by proposing to arrange in the hollow body a reinforcing element configured to ensure the sealing of said hollow body while supporting the body side panel at the level of the user's foot support zone.

[0008] To this end, and according to a first aspect, the subject of the invention is a motor vehicle comprising a bodywork panel and a structural element, the structural element and the bodywork panel being configured to form a hollow body showing an upper wall, said upper wall being formed by a curved portion of said bodywork panel; the vehicle is remarkable in that it further comprises at least one reinforcing piece fixed to the structural element in said hollow body, said reinforcing piece(s) comprising a base having a body, fixing means, and a support element configured to extend from said base under the upper wall of said hollow body, and in that said reinforcing piece is an inflating insert, so that the fixing means comprise an expanding foam.The vehicle comprises a passenger compartment, a sliding side door having a lower rail having a portion curved towards the interior of the passenger compartment and an opening forming a passage for said rail towards the passenger compartment. The structural element is a side member reinforcement and the body panel is a body side panel. The upper wall of the hollow body is arranged below the opening intended to allow the curved portion of a lower guide rail of a sliding door to enter the passenger compartment.

[0009] As will be understood from reading the definition just given, the invention proposes adding a reinforcing piece in the hollow body under its upper wall, for example at the level of an opening. When the opening in question is intended to allow the curved portion of the lower guide rail to penetrate into the passenger compartment, the reinforcing piece is fixed to the side member reinforcement and has a support element, extending cantilevered under the body panel (i.e. the body side panel). Thus, when the user of the vehicle presses on the upper wall of the hollow body, due to the insertion of his foot into the opening intended for the guide rail, the portion of the body panel pushed in rests against the support element of the reinforcing piece.The sinking of the body panel portion is therefore limited, which reduces the risk of noise emissions, such as sheet metal cracking, and also limits the appearance or widening of a gap between the structural element and the body panel forming the hollow body.

[0010] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the structural element is a side member reinforcement and the body panel is a body side panel. Preferably, the hollow body is arranged under an opening which is, in turn, intended to allow the curved portion of a lower guide rail of a sliding door to enter the passenger compartment.

[0011] Also, the invention preferably relates to a motor vehicle comprising a passenger compartment, a sliding side door provided with a lower rail having a portion curved towards the inside of the passenger compartment and an opening forming a passage for said rail in the direction of the passenger compartment, said vehicle further comprising at least one side member reinforcement and at least one body side panel defining a hollow body arranged under said opening, the vehicle being remarkable in that it further comprises at least one reinforcing piece fixed to the side member reinforcement in said hollow body, said reinforcing piece(s) comprising a base having a body, fixing means, and a support element configured to extend from said base under the upper wall of said hollow body, and in that said reinforcing piece is an inflating insert, so that the fixing means comprise an expanding foam.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the expanding foam is arranged to be placed between said base and the structural element, and / or between said base and the bodywork panel. Preferably, the expanding foam is arranged to be in contact with both the structural element and the bodywork panel. The use of expanding foam in this or these areas is advantageous for its dual function as a sealing element and as a complementary fixing for the part.

[0013] Advantageously, the base has an upper longitudinal rib extending vertically, and expanding foam is carried by the upper edge of said rib so as to ensure a connection with said body panel. This configuration is particularly advantageous for avoiding the formation or enlargement of a gap between the structural element and the body panel.

[0014] According to another preferred embodiment of the complementary or alternative invention, the means for fixing at least one reinforcing piece comprise at least one fixing lug. Preferably, expanding foam is carried by the face of the fixing lug(s) arranged opposite the structural element, so as to ensure a connection with said structural element.

[0015] According to a preferred variant of the invention, the means for fixing at least one reinforcing piece comprise at least one fixing clip. Preferably, the means for fixing said reinforcing piece comprise at least one fixing lug, and at least one fixing clip is carried by a fixing lug. Fixing the reinforcing piece to the structural element by clipping is advantageous due to the ease of assembly of the piece that it provides, which reduces its cost of installation in the vehicle.

[0016] Preferably, at least one reinforcing part comprises at least one stiffening rib forming a bracket connecting the base to the support element, preferably the fixing means comprise at least one fixing lug, and at least one rib is associated with at least one fixing lug. The squaring of the support element makes it possible to increase its rigidity and to reduce the risks of the part bending under stress.

[0017] Optionally, at least one reinforcing piece is asymmetrical along a median vertical plane and comprises keying means, preferably said reinforcing piece comprises at least two fixing lugs and said keying means are in the form of at least two fixing lugs of different length.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment, at least one reinforcing part is made of composite material, said composite material comprising a matrix of thermoplastic resin or thermosetting resin and a fiber reinforcement, preferably the fiber reinforcement comprises glass fibers and / or the matrix is ​​selected from the group comprising polypropylene resins, polyamides, polyphthalamides, polyetheretherketones, polyphenylene sulfides, polyamide-imides, polyetherimides, polyarylamides, polyepoxides, unsaturated polyesters, vinylesters and polyester-vinylesters. More preferably, the matrix is ​​a polyamide resin.

[0019] The invention will be well understood and other aspects and advantages will appear clearly on reading the following description given with reference to the attached drawing plates in which: there figure 1 is a view of the vehicle showing the opening intended to allow the curved portion of the lower guide rail to enter the passenger compartment, with the body side panel. figure 2 is a similar view in which the body side panel has been removed, revealing the reinforcement piece according to the invention. figures 3 et 4 are views showing examples of reinforcement parts. The figure 5 is a view showing a section of the vehicle body showing the positioning of the reinforcement piece relative to the side member reinforcement and the body side panel.

[0020] In the following description, the term "comprise" is synonymous with "include" and is not limiting in that it allows the presence of other elements in the reinforcement part or the vehicle to which it relates. It is understood that the term "comprise" includes the terms "consist of". The terms "lower", "upper", "front" and "rear" will be understood in relation to the general orientation of the vehicle. "Lower" will designate a greater proximity to the ground than "upper" along the vertical axis. In the different figures, the same references designate identical or similar elements.

[0021] The invention will be described in relation to one of its preferred implementations, namely a vehicle comprising a passenger compartment, a sliding side door provided with a lower rail having a portion curved towards the interior of the passenger compartment and an opening forming a passage for said rail in the direction of the passenger compartment. In this preferred implementation, the structural element is a side member reinforcement and the body panel is a body side panel, preferably the opening is intended to allow the curved portion of a lower guide rail of a sliding door to enter the passenger compartment. Those skilled in the art will nevertheless easily apply the invention to other hollow bodies formed by a structural element and a body panel, when said hollow body is arranged under an opening, and when it is possible for significant support to be exerted on the upper part of said hollow body.

[0022] We will first refer to the figure 1 . In this figure, the body side panel 1 can be partially seen mounted on the vehicle structure. This panel has an opening 3 intended to be closed by the side sliding door of the vehicle (not shown) and an opening 5 intended to allow the curved portion of the lower guide rail of the sliding door to pass into the passenger compartment of the vehicle. It can be seen that a portion of the body panel 1 extends substantially horizontally in the lower part of the opening 5 for the lower guide rail. It is this area on which the user will press with his foot when he inserts it into the opening 5 of the guide rail.

[0023] On the figure 2 , the body side panel has been removed, revealing a reinforcement piece 7 fixed to the side member reinforcement 9 under the opening 5. The opening 5 is intended to receive the lower guide rail of the sliding door.

[0024] According to the invention and as illustrated in the figures 3 et 4 , the reinforcing part 7 comprises a base 11 having a body and fixing means (13, 15, 17), the base 11 further having a support element 19 connected to the base 11 by one of its ends and configured to extend from said base 11 in a direction non-parallel to the body of said base 11. This cantilevered arrangement allows the support element 19 to be placed under the body side panel at the opening so as to be able to support a portion of this panel, and limit its sinking resulting from a support on the upper surface of the hollow body. The reinforcing part 7 is remarkable in that it constitutes an inflating insert, so that the fixing means comprise an expanding foam 13. The expression "inflating insert" designates a part comprising a base, for example made of plastic material or metallic material, surmounted by an expanding foam 13.In this case, the said base is formed by the reinforcement piece itself.

[0025] Generally speaking, expanding inserts are sealing solutions, known per se, and widely used in the field of automobile manufacturing. They are produced in sheets, cut to order, then glued to the bases, or as in the present case, glued directly to the base of the reinforcement piece. The reinforcement piece 7 supporting the expanding foam 13 is mounted on the body of the vehicle during the fitting. During the cataphoresis phase, the expanding foam 13 swells under the effect of the heat produced by the oven.

[0026] As illustrated in figure 3 ou 4 , the expansive mouse 13 is arranged to be placed: on the rear face of said reinforcement piece 7 intended to be opposite the side member reinforcement, and the side member reinforcement; and / or in the upper part of said reinforcement piece 7 intended to be opposite the body side panel and said body side panel.

[0027] Thus, the reinforcement piece 7 is connected by its expanding foam 13 to the side member reinforcement 9 and / or to the body side panel 1. Preferably, the reinforcement piece 7 is connected by its expanding foam 13 to both the side member reinforcement 9 and the body side panel 1.

[0028] According to a variant of the invention not shown, it is possible to arrange a seal or a sealing lip at the upper part of the sealing part, provided that this seal or this sealing lip is made of a heat-resistant material.

[0029] According to a preferred embodiment, at least one reinforcing piece 7 has one or more zones of expanding foam 13 arranged to be in contact with both the side member reinforcement 9 and the body side panel 1. Thus, the reinforcing piece 7 may have several zones of expanding foam 13. Preferably, the reinforcing piece 7 has a single zone of expanding foam 13 arranged to be in contact with both the side member reinforcement 9 and the body side panel 1. It is thus made possible to ensure a continuous connection between the reinforcing piece 7, the side member reinforcement 9 and the body side panel 1.

[0030] Thus, preferably, the base 11 has an upper longitudinal rib 21 carrying expanding foam 13, advantageously at its upper edge or on one of the lateral faces of said rib 21, so as to ensure a connection with said body side panel. When the expanding foam 13 is carried by one of the lateral faces of said upper rib 21, the person skilled in the art will advantageously choose the lateral face of the rib opposite the side member reinforcement in order to ensure a direct connection between the three parts and thus avoid the formation of a gap between the side member reinforcement 9 and the body side panel 1.

[0031] Advantageously, the longitudinal upper rib 21 extends in a vertical direction higher than the support element 19. This configuration is advantageous for facilitating the mounting of the reinforcement piece 7, and for avoiding possible friction between said reinforcement piece 7 and the body side panel 1, in its portion defining the upper part of the hollow body. Furthermore, this configuration makes it possible to have a fixing over the entire length of the reinforcement piece 7 while the support element 19 may have a length less than the total length of said piece 7.

[0032] According to a preferred embodiment, at least one reinforcing piece 7 comprises at least one stiffening rib 23 forming a bracket connecting the base 11 to the support element 19. The presence of such stiffening ribs 23 limits the risks that the support element 19, arranged in a cantilevered position, bends under the force, when it has to support the weight of a user of the vehicle.

[0033] According to the invention, and as illustrated in figure 3 , at least one reinforcing piece 7 comprises at least one stiffening rib 23 forming a bracket connecting the base 11 to a support of the upper longitudinal rib 21. This configuration in which the upper longitudinal rib 21 can be supported by the body of the base and / or by a support extending from the base 11, offers greater geometric freedom in the design of said upper longitudinal rib 21 and therefore the possibility of designing a non-rectilinear upper longitudinal rib 21, matching the shape of the area to be supported and sealed. Furthermore, the presence of such a reinforcing piece 7 increases the lateral impact absorption capacity presented by the vehicle, contributing to the protection of the side member in the event of a collision, and therefore to the repairability of the vehicle.

[0034] The fixing of the reinforcing piece 7 on the spar reinforcement 9 can advantageously be improved, with a view to sufficient resistance to stress, by fixing means (15, 17) other than expanding foam 13. Thus, preferably, the fixing means (13, 15, 17) of at least one reinforcing piece 7, comprise at least one fixing lug 15 extending from the base 11. Preferably, at least one stiffening rib 23 is associated with at least one fixing lug 15. This configuration is advantageous in that it makes it possible to have a sufficient length for the stiffening ribs 23 without requiring the body of the base 11 to be dimensioned accordingly. This configuration is therefore economical in terms of material used and therefore makes it possible to lighten the reinforcing piece 7.

[0035] As illustrated in figure 4 , the expanding foam 13 can be arranged on the face of the fixing lug(s) 15 intended to be placed opposite the spar reinforcement so as to ensure a connection with said spar reinforcement over a larger surface area.

[0036] The reinforcing piece may be made of metallic material and may be screwed or welded to the spar reinforcement. In such a case, the fixing lugs advantageously have holes for the passage of the fixing screws. Preferably, the fixing piece 7 is fixed to the spar reinforcement by fixing clips 17, advantageously arranged at the level of the fixing lugs 15. The use of fixing clips 17 allows easy and economical mounting of the reinforcing piece 7.

[0037] Said fixing clips 17 can be attached to the fixing lug(s) 15. However, according to a preferred implementation of the invention, the reinforcing part 7 is made of a composite material comprising a thermoplastic or thermosetting matrix and the fixing clips are integral with said reinforcing part. The base 11, the fixing lugs 15, the fixing clips 17, the support element 19 and the stiffening ribs 23 are molded in one piece. This embodiment offers several advantages such as reducing the cost price of the reinforcing part 7, but also reducing its mass compared to an equivalent part made of metal.

[0038] The reinforcing part 7 can therefore, for example, be made of thermoplastic or thermosetting composite material. A preferred implementation of the invention will favor the use of thermoplastic matrices which have higher delamination and rupture limits than thermosetting resins.

[0039] The reinforcement part 7 can be manufactured from thermoplastic material, for example, by injection. It can also be produced by thermo-stamping, comprising a step of compression molding of pre-impregnated materials consisting of the combination of reinforcements and a thermoplastic polymer matrix. It can also be produced using a compression and transfer molding process. In addition, it is possible to combine the molding of the device with at least one step of over-injection of a thermoplastic matrix filled with chopped fibers of the same polymer family to produce reinforcement decorations such as, for example, ribs. These different methods are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0040] Whatever the manufacturing process chosen, the person skilled in the art will benefit from selecting the thermoplastic polymer matrix from one or more materials chosen from polypropylene (PP), polyphthalamide (PPA), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyamide-imide (PAI), polyetherimide (PEI), polyarylamide (PAA), or polyamide (PA) such as, for example, polyamide 6 (PA 6 or polycaprolactam) or polyamide 6.6 (PA 6.6 or polyhexamethylene adipamide). Preferably, the polymer matrix will be a polyamide (PA).

[0041] The device can be manufactured from thermosetting material using known techniques such as RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding) or SMC (Sheet Moulding Compound). The resins used can be selected from polyepoxide resins, unsaturated polyester resins, vinylester resins, and copolymers such as polyester-vinylester resins.

[0042] Preferably, the composite material used (thermoplastic or thermosetting matrix) comprises a reinforcement (or filler) made of fibers or a mixture of fibers selected from glass, carbon, ceramic, graphite, natural fibers such as linen, hemp or bamboo fibers, organic polymers such as polyester fibers. Preferably, the fibers used in the composite material are glass and / or carbon fibers.

[0043] Optionally, the reinforcement part 7 may have local reinforcement elements. For example, it comprises unidirectional ribbons or tubular elements obtained by pultrusion, pull-winding or knitting (braiding). Such continuous fiber-based reinforcement elements in the form of fabric strips or unidirectional ribbons may be placed in the mold to reinforce the part in the stress concentration areas, such as for example at the support element 19.

[0044] The reinforcing piece 7 may be symmetrical and suitable for being mounted on both the right and left lateral sides of the vehicle. According to a preferred embodiment, the reinforcing piece(s) 7 are adapted to the specific environment of each side of the vehicle and at least one reinforcing piece 7 is asymmetrical along a median vertical plane and comprises keying means. For example, said reinforcing piece 7 comprises at least two fixing lugs 15 and said keying means are in the form of at least two fixing lugs 15 of different lengths.

[0045] There figure 5 illustrates the arrangement of the reinforcement piece 7 as arranged in the hollow body formed by the side member reinforcement 9 and the body side panel 1.

[0046] The reinforcing piece 7 may be symmetrical and suitable for being mounted on both the right and left lateral sides of the vehicle. According to a preferred embodiment, the reinforcing piece(s) 7 are adapted to the specific environment of each side of the vehicle and at least one reinforcing piece 7 is asymmetrical along a median vertical plane and comprises keying means. For example, said reinforcing piece 7 comprises at least two fixing lugs 15 and said keying means are in the form of at least two fixing lugs 15 of different lengths.

[0047] There figure 5 illustrates the arrangement of the reinforcement piece 7 as arranged in the hollow body formed by the side member reinforcement 9 and the body side panel 1.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle comprising a body panel (1) and a structural element (9), the structural element (9) and the body panel (1) being configured to form a hollow body showing an upper wall, said upper wall being formed by a curved part of said body panel (1), the vehicle further comprising at least one reinforcing piece (7) fixed to the structural element (9) in said hollow body, said reinforcing piece(s) (7) comprising a base (11) having a body, fixing means (13, 15, 17), and a support element (19) configured to extend from said base under the upper wall of said hollow body, and said reinforcement piece (7) is an inflating insert, so that the fixing means (13, 15, 17) comprise an expansive foam (13), said vehicle comprising a passenger compartment, a sliding side door provided with a lower rail having a portion curved towards the interior of the passenger compartment and an opening (5) forming a passage for said rail in the direction of the passenger compartment, said vehicle being characterized in that the structural element (9) is a side rail reinforcement and the side rail panel the body (1) is a body side panel, and the upper wall of the hollow body is arranged under the opening (5) for allowing the curved portion of a lower guide rail of a sliding door to enter the passenger compartment.

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that said expansive foam (13) is arranged to be disposed between said base (11) and the structural element (9), and / or between said base (11) and the bodywork panel (1).

3. Vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the base (11) has an upper longitudinal rib (21) extending vertically; and in that expansive foam (13) is carried by the upper edge of said rib (21), so as to ensure a connection with said bodywork panel (1).

4. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the means (13, 15, 17) for fixing at least one reinforcing piece (7) comprise at least one fixing lug (15); preferably, expansive foam (13) is carried by the face of the fixing lug or lugs (15) arranged opposite the structural element (9), so as to ensure a connection with the said structural element (9).

5. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the means (13, 15, 17) for fixing at least one reinforcing piece (7) comprise at least one fixing clip (17); preferably the means (13, 15, 17) for fixing said reinforcing piece (7) comprise at least one fixing lug (15) and at least one fixing clip (17) is carried by said fixing lug (15).

6. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least one reinforcing piece (7) comprises at least one stiffening rib (23) forming a bracket connecting the base (11) to the support element (19), preferably the fixing means comprise at least one fixing lug (15) and at least one stiffening rib (23) is associated with at least one fixing lug (15).

7. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one reinforcement piece (7) is asymmetrical in a median vertical plane and comprises polarizing means, preferably the said reinforcement piece (7) comprises at least two fixing lugs (15) and the said polarizing means are in the form of at least two fixing lugs (15) of different lengths.

8. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least one reinforcing piece (7) is made of composite material and in that said composite material comprises a matrix of thermoplastic resin or of thermosetting resin and a fiber reinforcement, preferably the fiber reinforcement comprises glass fibers and / or the matrix is selected from the group comprising polypropylene, polyamide, polyphthalamide, polyetheretherketone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyamide-imide, polyetherimide, polyarylamide, polyepoxide, unsaturated polyester, vinylester and polyester-vinyl ester resins.