WINDOW SLIDING GUIDE WITH SIMPLIFIED FASTENING

Description

[0001] The present invention claims priority from French application 1912944 filed on November 20, 2019, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The invention relates to a sliding window guide for a vehicle comprising a means for fixing to a structural element of the vehicle, as well as a vehicle door and a vehicle equipped with such a sliding guide.

[0003] In order to guide a sliding window, in particular inside a vehicle side door, it is known to install a slide guide inside the door, fixed to the structure of said door. The slide guide is in the form of an elongated body comprising a groove in which an edge of the sliding window slides. Patent FR3008034 describes a vehicle door comprising a box formed by an inner lining and an outer panel fixed to said lining, and comprising a slide guide inside the box and fixed at one of its two ends to a lock reinforcement itself fixed to the lining.This end of the slide guide comprises a tab with a first hole facing a second hole made in a part of the lock reinforcement, the fixing of the slide guide on the lock reinforcement being carried out by inserting a clip passing through the two holes so as to press and hold the tab against the part of the lock reinforcement comprising the second hole. The tab further comprises a pin entering a third hole on the lock reinforcement next to the second hole, allowing positioning of the slide guide relative to the lock reinforcement and reinforcing the shear resistance of the fixing, in particular when the door is slammed. The other end of the slide guide is fixed to the lining by a screw and a nut, arranged at the end of an arm extending from the slide guide to the fixing zone on the lining.Document EP 1 975 360 A1 discloses a comparable door provided with a sliding guide according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0004] The disadvantage of this arrangement is that the slide guide is difficult for an operator to install due to the difficulty of access and the lack of visibility inside the box. Indeed, access to the inside of the box can generally only be achieved through a limited-size access opening in the lining. In particular, the operator must succeed in positioning the pin in the third hole while preventing it from entering the second hole, then succeed in inserting the fixing clip through the first and second holes by passing the hand through this access opening in the lining. Another disadvantage is that the mechanical strength of the clip is such that under the effect of repeated stresses when the door is slammed, said clip ends up deforming, which generates play between the end of the slide guide and the part on which it is fixed, producing unwanted noise when the door closes.Another disadvantage is that the operator who installs the slide guide in the door has to ensure that the guide is pressed against the part to which it is fixed, at the same time as he pushes in the clip in order to ensure that there is no play between the parts and no unwanted noise. This double operation of pressing the part and pushing in the clip is difficult to carry out due to the lack of access already mentioned. This results in a significant number of defects in the manufactured doors.

[0005] The objective of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks. In particular, one of the objectives is to facilitate the fixing of the slide guide in the door box. Another collective is to reinforce the resistance of the fixing of the slide guide to repeated slamming of the door.

[0006] This aim is achieved according to the invention, thanks to a window sliding guide according to claim 1.

[0007] Thus advantageously, the slide guide is easily fixed to a structural element of the vehicle by a simple sliding in which the fixing interface grips a structural element of the vehicle. By inserting the claw of this type of fixing interface into an opening made in a structural element of the vehicle, so as to grip a part of said structural element arranged around this opening, the fixing interface can be advantageously blocked by the edges of said opening, the only movement then possible being that corresponding to the claw leaving the opening following a movement opposite to that which allowed its insertion. This maintenance provided by the claw does not require any additional part, such as a clip or a screw.This will make it easier and faster for an operator to assemble the slide guide onto the structural element, without requiring any parts to enable this assembly, such as screws or clips.

[0008] According to the invention, the bearing surface is a substantially planar surface, the holding portion is a substantially planar wall parallel to the bearing surface, and the connecting portion connects an edge of the wall of the holding portion to the bearing surface.

[0009] Thus advantageously, the holding portion and the bearing surface are particularly suitable for gripping a structural element of the vehicle of planar shape, such as a flat sheet metal element. By choosing a spacing between the holding wall and the bearing surface substantially equivalent to or slightly less than the thickness of the structural element, the insertion of the structural element between the holding portion and the bearing surface ensures effective holding, without play in the direction perpendicular to the bearing surface.

[0010] According to another embodiment of the invention, the holding portion comprises a guide wall forming an obtuse angle with the holding wall in the direction opposite the bearing surface.

[0011] Thus advantageously, the guide wall forms a surface against which the edge of the structural element on which the fixing interface is to be fixed can abut, and effectively guide the insertion of the structural element between the bearing surface and the retaining wall thanks to its angle, facilitating the insertion of this structural element against the retaining wall and the bearing surface. Preferably, the angle is greater than 120°.

[0012] According to another embodiment of the invention, the width of the claw decreases from the junction of the connecting part with the support surface to the edge of the guide wall opposite the holding part.

[0013] The width is taken in the direction given by the junction between the holding part and the connecting part. This shape of the connecting part advantageously makes it easier to insert the holding part into an opening arranged in the structural element. Indeed, if the opening is larger than the holding part, and of a width substantially identical to that of the junction of the connecting part with the surface of the support, said holding part is easily inserted into said opening by inserting the end of the guide wall opposite the holding wall 22, while as the connecting part is inserted, the increase in the width of the holding part and of the connecting part towards the support surface makes it possible to position and block in the direction of this width the fixing interface relative to the structural element.

[0014] According to the invention, the slide guide comprises a guide means extending projecting from the holding part in the opposite direction to the bearing surface so as to guide the insertion of the claw into an opening of a structural element on which the fixing interface is intended to be fixed.

[0015] Thus advantageously, the engagement of the holding part in an opening arranged on a structural element is facilitated, in particular when the fixing zone on this structural element is difficult to access and / or with poor visibility. Indeed, the guide means can easily be placed in the opening, because the operator can feel by touch the moment when the guide means begins to enter the opening. Once the guide means is in the opening, it is sufficient to continue its insertion until the holding part passes through the opening and the bearing surface is pressed against the surface of the part of the structural element located around the opening.

[0016] According to another embodiment of the invention, the holding part comprises a straight holding rib extending projecting and perpendicular to said holding part from a face of said holding part oriented towards the support surface.

[0017] Thus advantageously, by creating a slot in the structural element gripped in the fixing interface so that the rib fits into the slot, the positioning of the slide guide is improved. Another advantage is that this holding rib makes it possible to create complementary contact surfaces with the structural element on which the fixing interface is fixed, and therefore to reinforce the resistance of this fixing with respect to forces oriented parallel to the plane of the bearing surface and perpendicular to said rib, such as for example the forces resulting from the slamming of the door.

[0018] The invention also relates to a vehicle door comprising a slide guide as described previously, comprising a sheet metal structural element gripped by the fixing interface, the bearing surface being arranged on one side of the structural element and the holding part being positioned on the other side of the gripped structural element.

[0019] Preferably, the sheet metal structural element has an opening sized so that the claw passes through the opening and grips a portion of the structural element at the edge of the opening.

[0020] In a particular embodiment of the door, the slide guide comprises the retaining rib and the structural element comprises a slot arranged to receive the retaining rib.

[0021] In another embodiment of the vehicle door, the structural member is a fixing lug derived from a door lock reinforcement and fixed to a lining of said door.

[0022] Thus, the assembly of the slide guide on the door is easy and quick, and does not require handling many small parts for its fixing in a difficult-to-access area, the inside of the door, and with little visibility.

[0023] The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a sliding guide as described previously and a door as described previously.

[0024] The invention will be better understood from reading the following description, given solely by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which: [ Fig.1 ] represents a door lining of a vehicle comprising a sliding guide according to the invention. Fig.2 ] represents a perspective view of the slide guide attachment interface. Fig.3 ] represents a fixing lug receiving the fixing interface. [ Fig.4 ] represents a view of a variant of the slide guide attachment interface attached to a structural element. Fig. 5 ] represents the fixing lug receiving the fixing interface in its variant of the Fig. 4 . [ Fig.6 ] represents a variant of the slide guide in which the fixing interface is located between its ends.

[0025] The drawings are schematic representations to facilitate understanding of the invention. The components are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same references correspond to the same components from one figure to another.

[0026] The vertical or horizontal directions are taken in the vehicle's frame of reference.

[0027] There figure 1 shows a vehicle door lining 4 on which a slide guide 1 is fixed. The door lining 4 is a structural element of the door generally made of stamped sheet metal on which an exterior panel is fixed (not shown in the figure 1 ). The slide guide 1 allows a sliding window to be guided in a generally vertical direction between a closed position in which it closes a window part and an open position in which the window is located in the volume formed between the lining 4 and the outer panel, a volume generally called the door box, located under the window part. The sliding of the window generally follows a curved path according to the curvature of the window. To allow this guidance, the slide guide 1 has a groove in which one of the edges of the window slides.

[0028] In the embodiment of the figure 1 , the slide guide 1 is fixed at one of its ends to the door lining 4 by a fixing element 5, and at its other end to a lock reinforcement 3 by a fixing interface 2. The lock reinforcement 3 is a sheet metal part on which the lock is fixed. The thickness of the sheet metal of this reinforcement 3 is generally greater than the thickness of the sheet metal forming the door lining 4 in order to withstand the closing forces of the lock and to protect said lock in the event of a side impact against the vehicle. The lock reinforcement 3 comprises a fixing lug 30 on which the fixing interface 2 is fixed.

[0029] As illustrated in figure 2 , the fixing interface 2 comprises a substantially flat bearing surface 21, from which a claw 20 projects. The claw 20 comprises a holding portion 22 distant from the bearing surface 21 so as to leave a space between this holding portion 22 and said bearing surface 21, a space into which a portion of the fixing lug 30 enters. The holding portion 22 is connected to the bearing surface 21 by a connecting portion 23. The insertion of a portion of the fixing lug 30, for example until it abuts against the connecting portion 23, in the space between the holding portion 22 and the bearing surface 21, allows the fixing interface 2 to be held relative to the fixing lug 30. The spacing between the bearing surface 21 and the holding portion 22 is for example substantially equal to the thickness of the fixing lug 30 so that the bearing surface 21 and the holding part 22 are both in contact with the fixing lug 30.Alternatively, this spacing is slightly smaller so as to allow the insertion of the part of the fixing lug 30 while generating a pinch on this fixing lug 30.

[0030] In the embodiments illustrated in the figures, the holding portion 22 is a substantially planar wall parallel to the bearing surface 21, forming a holding wall. The connecting portion 23 connects an edge of the holding wall 22 to the bearing surface 21. In the representation of the figure 2 , the connecting part 23 is a flat wall perpendicular to the bearing surface 21 and to the holding wall 22, forming a connecting wall. Other orientations and shapes can be envisaged.

[0031] A guide wall 24 extends from an edge of the retaining wall 22 opposite the edge of said retaining wall 22 connected to the connecting wall 23. This guide wall 24 forms an obtuse angle with the retaining wall 22 in the direction opposite to the bearing surface 21 so as to move away from this bearing surface 21 from its junction with the retaining wall 22. That is to say that the guide wall 24 is at an angle relative to the retaining wall 22, the part of the guide wall 24 closest to the bearing surface 21 being at the junction with the retaining wall 22 and the furthest part being at the end of the guide wall 24 opposite said junction with the retaining wall 22. This guide wall 24 makes it possible to assist in the insertion of a part of the fixing tab 30 between the retaining wall 22 and the bearing surface 21.In order to obtain easier insertion, the guide wall 24 is substantially planar and forms an obtuse angle with the holding wall 22. This angle is chosen, for example, to be greater than 120 degrees and less than 180 degrees to ensure efficient guidance. The guide wall 24 may have other shapes or be formed at other angles with the holding wall 22.

[0032] In the embodiment of the fixing interface 2 illustrated in the figure 2 , the support surface 21 comprises a molding opening 26 opposite the holding wall 22. This molding opening 26 makes it possible to create the holding wall 22 and to have a demolding perpendicular to the support surface 21 without requiring a mold comprising drawers, a part of the mold passing through this opening 26 to form the holding wall 22.

[0033] There figure 3 shows the shape of the part of the fixing lug 30 receiving the fixing interface 2. The fixing lug 30 has a rectangular opening 31, the shape of which allows the passage of the claw 20: the holding wall 22 with the connecting wall 23 and the guide wall 24 can pass through this opening 31 so that a part of the fixing lug 30 located on one of the edges of the opening 31 is inserted between the holding wall 22 and the bearing surface 21, until it comes into contact with the connecting wall 23. The trapezoidal shape 29 drawn in broken lines represents the general shape of the holding wall 22 with the guide wall 24. This trapezoidal shape 29 is superimposed on the opening 31 which is rectangular in shape. The narrower end of this trapezoid shape 27 corresponds to the small base of the trapezoid, and the wider end to the large base.This general trapezoidal shape 29 of the assembly formed by the guide wall 24 and the holding wall 22 allows easy insertion into the opening 31 of the claw 20 by its narrowest end, end corresponding to the end of the guide wall 24, and to position and hold the claw 20 in the opening 31 as it passes through said opening 31 thanks to the increase in its width in the direction of the connecting wall 23, the widest end of this trapezoidal shape 29 being at the level of the connecting wall 23. When the claw 20 has passed through the opening 31, the fixing interface 2 is pushed until the fixing lug 30 is gripped on one side by the bearing surface 21 and on the other side by the holding wall 22 of the claw 20. The part of the fixing lug 30 gripped clamp is a part of the leg 30 at the edge of the opening 31.

[0034] Other shapes of the assembly formed by the retaining wall 22 and the guide wall 24 can be used, these shapes having the particularity of offering a width which decreases from the connecting wall 23 to the end of the guide wall 24 opposite the retaining wall 22.

[0035] Similarly, the connecting wall 23 has a general trapezoidal shape, that is to say that its width at its junction with the bearing surface 21 is wider than its width at its junction with the holding wall 22, the width being in the direction defined by the junction. The greatest width of this connecting wall 23 is substantially identical to the width of the opening 31 once the fixing interface 2 grips the part of the fixing tab 30 with the edge of the opening 31 abutting against the holding wall 23. This shape of the holding wall 23 and this dimensioning of the opening 31 allows effective wedging of the claw 20 against the edges of the opening 31. The opening 31 may be of non-rectangular shape, such as for example trapezoidal, with dimensions allowing the insertion and precise positioning of the claw.

[0036] A guide means 25 projects from the retaining wall 22 in the opposite direction to the bearing surface 21. In the embodiments according to the invention illustrated in figure 2 And 6 , the guide means 25 is produced by a set of trapezoidal-shaped ribs which extend perpendicular to the retaining wall 22, the widest part of these trapezoidal ribs being at the level of their connection with the retaining wall 22 and the narrowest part at the opposite. In the figure 2 , the guide means 25 is formed by three parallel guide ribs 251, facing each other, and a fourth guide rib 252 perpendicular to the three other guide ribs 251 and passing through these first three guide ribs 251. These four ribs 251, 252 give the guide means 25 a generally conical shape. This guide means 25 allows an operator who mounts the slide guide 1 in a door without visibility, to detect the opening 31 by sliding the guide means against the structural element on which the fixing interface 2 must be fixed, for example on the fixing lug 30 in the embodiments presented in the figures, until he feels by hand that said guide means 25 encounters the opening 31. When the guide means 25 passes at the level of the opening 31, the operator in fact feels with his hand the presence of said opening 31, the guide means 25 then seeking to enter the opening 31.The end of the guide means 25 opposite the holding wall being smaller than the holding wall 22 itself and than the opening 31, the operator then simply needs to push this guide part 25 into the opening 31 to easily pass said guide means 25 then the claw 20 through said opening 31. As illustrated in the . figures 3 And 6 , if the claw 20 comprises a guide wall 24, the guide means 25 also extends on this guide wall, on its face opposite the support surface 21.

[0037] As illustrated in figure 1 , the lining 4 has a reduced-size access opening 41 allowing an operator to insert equipment into the box, and in particular the slide guide 2. The reduced size of this access opening 41 makes access to the interior of the box difficult and does not allow an operator to have good visibility of the interior of the box once he has inserted his arm inside said box to install the slide guide 2.

[0038] In the embodiment presented in figure 4 , the fixing interface 2 comprises a straight holding rib 27 extending from the holding wall 22, perpendicular to said holding wall 22, on the side of the bearing surface 21. It can extend as far as the connecting wall 23 as shown in the figure 4 , or stop before the connecting wall 23. The holding rib 27 extends in the same direction as that in which the claw 20 is moved in the opening 31 to grip a part of the fixing lug 30. In a complementary manner, the opening 31 has on one of its edges a slot 32 arranged so that when the fixing interface 2 grips the fixing lug 30, the holding rib 27 is inserted into this slot 32. This slot 32 and this holding rib 27 are therefore in the same direction of assembly of the fixing interface 2 with the fixing lug 30. This slot 32 and this holding rib 27 make it possible to improve the strength of the fixing between the fixing interface 2 and the fixing lug 30, in particular with respect to forces perpendicular to this assembly direction and in a plane parallel to the bearing surface 21.

[0039] For installation of the slide guide 1 in a vehicle door, the assembly direction will be substantially in a vertical plane and longitudinal to the vehicle when the door is closed. This assembly direction is substantially in the extension direction of the slide guide 1. The holding rib 27 associated with the slot 32 also being substantially in this same assembly direction, it makes it possible to ensure reliable holding of the fixing interface 2 on the fixing lug 30 when the door slams, these slams generating significant forces perpendicular to the direction of this holding rib 27, in particular when the window is in the open position where the fixing interface 2 must resist the forces resulting from the inertia of the window located in this case close to the fixing interface 2.

[0040] In the figures 1, 2 And 4, the fixing interface 2 is located at the end of the slide guide 1. Alternatively, the fixing interface 2 may be arranged between the two ends of the slide guide 1 as illustrated in figure 6 .

[0041] In figure 1 , the fixing interface 2 is fixed on the fixing lug 30 produced by the lock reinforcement 3 fixed to the door lining 4. In a variant not shown, the fixing lug 30 may be a specific lug fixed to the door lining 4 or originating from said door lining, or from other equipment of the door. In another variant not shown, the fixing interface 2 may be fixed directly on the door lining 4, by inserting the claw 20 in a suitable opening. In another variant not shown, the slide guide 1 may be in a part of the vehicle other than a door, fixed to a structural element of the vehicle, such as for example a structural element on the lateral side of the vehicle, for example in the case where the slide guide 1 guides a sliding rear quarter window.

[0042] In figures 2 And 4, the bearing surface 21 comprises a molding opening 26 opposite the holding wall 22 and the guide wall 24. Alternatively, the bearing surface 21 does not comprise this type of molding opening 26 and extends completely opposite the holding wall 22 and the guide wall 24 as shown in figures 6 .

[0043] In another variant not shown, the opening 31 is arranged on the edge of a structural element, so as to form a notch along this edge into which the fixing interface 2 is inserted so as to grip the part of the structural element located at the bottom of the notch.

Claims

1. Window slide guide (1) for a vehicle sliding window comprising a fastening interface (2) to a structural item (30) of the vehicle, said fastening interface (2) comprising a bearing surface (21) and a claw (20) projecting by report from the bearing surface (21), said claw being formed by a connecting part (23) and a holding part (22), the holding part (22) being distant from the bearing surface (21) and the connecting part (23) connecting the holding part (22) to the bearing surface (21), so as to clamp a part of the structural item (30) between the holding part (22) and the bearing surface (21), the bearing surface (21) being a substantially planar surface, the holding part (22) is a substantially planar wall and parallel to the bearing surface (21), and the connecting part (23) connects an edge of the wall of the holding part (22) to the bearing surface (21), the guide, slide (1) comprising guide means (25) projecting from the holding part (22) in management opposite the bearing surface (21) so as to guide the insertion of the claw (20) into an opening (31) of a structural item (30) on which the fixing interface (2) is intended to be fixed, wherein the guide means (25) is realised by a set of trapezoidal-shaped ribs which extend perpendicularly to the wall of the holding part (22) the bearing surface (21), the widest part of these trapezoidal ribs being at the level of their connection with the said wall of the holding part (22) on the bearing surface (21) and the narrowest part on the opposite side.

2. Slide guide (1) according to the previous claim, the holding part (22) of which comprises a guide wall (24) forming an obtuse angle with the holding wall (22) in management opposite the bearing surface (21).

3. Slide guide (1) according to Claim 2, the width of the claw (20) of which decreases from the junction of the connecting part (23) with the bearing surface (21) to the edge of the guide wall (24) opposite the holding part (22).

4. Slide guide (1) according to one of the previous claims, the holding part (22) of which comprises a straight holding rib (27) extending protruding perpendicularly to the said holding part (22) from a face of the said holding part (22) orientated on the side of the bearing surface (21).

5. Gate for a vehicle comprising a slide guide (21) according to one of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises a structural item (30) made of sheet metal gripped by the fixing interface (2), the bearing surface (21) being arranged on one side of the structural item (30) and the holding part (22) being positioned on the other side of the structural item (30) gripped.

6. Gate according to claim 5, with a slide guide (1) according to claim 4, the structural item (30) of which comprises a slit (32) arranged so as to leave the holding rib (27).

7. Vehicle Gate according to either of Claims 5 and 6, characterised in that the structural item (30) is a fixing lug coming from a gate lock reinforcement (3) and fixed to a lining (4) of the said gate.

8. Vehicle comprising a sliding guide (21) according to one of Claims 1 to 4 or a gate according to one of Claims 5 to 7.