CLADDING FOR A WINDOW POST AND ASSOCIATED MOTOR VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to trims for bodywork elements for motor vehicles, and more particularly a trim for a window pillar, and a motor vehicle comprising such a trim.

[0002] Document EP 3 518 553 discloses a passenger compartment 1 of a motor vehicle 2 shown in the figure 1 .

[0003] The passenger compartment 1 includes a dashboard 3 surmounted by a windscreen 4 placed on window pillars 5 each covered with a trim 6, a driver's position 7, and a side air vent 8 located in the dashboard 3.

[0004] The area delimited between the windscreen 4, the bay pillar 5 and the driver's position 7 generally includes access to the means of fixing the dashboard 3 to the vehicle 2, the interface between the dashboard 3 and the trim 6, a supply duct for the side air vent 8, and a loudspeaker 9.

[0005] In order to integrate these different elements into this area of ​​limited size, a compromise on the location of the different elements is necessary.

[0006] To free up space in this area, speaker 8 is placed in trim 6.

[0007] However, the placement of speaker 8 in the trim along a transverse axis of the vehicle degrades the quality of the sound emitted. Indeed, a speaker mounted vertically and close to the windshield is much more acoustically favorable and offers better perception of sound frequencies by the second-row occupants compared to speaker placements on the A-pillar trim oriented along the transverse or longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

[0008] Furthermore, the layout of said area complicates access to the means of fixing the dashboard 3 to the vehicle 2.

[0009] Reference may also be made to documents US 2007 / 0013200, US 2002 / 0097889, and EP 1106439, which disclose a loudspeaker housed in a pillar trim along a transverse direction of the motor vehicle. Document JP 2010 / 179680 A also discloses a pair of A-pillar trims arranged on both sides of a vehicle's dashboard, trims corresponding to the preamble of claim 1.

[0010] Reference can also be made to document EP2211526 which discloses a speaker integrated into the dashboard of a motor vehicle in said area and oriented in a vertical direction so as to optimize the acoustic performance of the speaker.

[0011] Document JP2010 / 179880 also discloses a loudspeaker in a motor vehicle dashboard.

[0012] However, replacing the speaker requires either removing the dashboard, or adding a removable piece to the dashboard to allow access to the speaker, and locating the speaker in the dashboard requires reserving space in said area.

[0013] It is therefore proposed to overcome all or part of the aforementioned disadvantages and, in particular, to position the loudspeaker in such a way as to optimize its acoustic performance while facilitating access to the means of fixing the dashboard to the motor vehicle.

[0014] In view of the foregoing, the invention proposes a trim for a motor vehicle bay pillar, a trim comprising the characteristics of claim 1.

[0015] According to a characteristic, the surface of the tongue along a plane defined by the longitudinal and transverse directions is determined so as to cover the means of fixing the dashboard to the vehicle and to allow the passage of tools to implement the means of fixing.

[0016] Preferably, the trim comprises a variable cross-section so that the trim forms substantially a Y, with the lower part having the largest cross-section.

[0017] Advantageously, the tongue comprises a lower face and an upper face opposite the lower face, the lower face being intended to be housed in the dashboard and comprising means for fixing the speaker to the tongue.

[0018] According to the invention, the tongue includes, in its thickness oriented along a vertical direction of the vehicle, a grid configured to diffuse sounds generated by the loudspeaker, the grid being obtained by molding the trim.

[0019] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a trim as defined above, the trim being fixed to a windshield pillar.

[0020] According to one characteristic, the vehicle further includes a dashboard and means for fixing the dashboard to the vehicle, the tab covering said means.

[0021] Preferably, the vehicle also includes a speaker supported by the tongue.

[0022] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [ Fig 1 ], which was mentioned previously, schematically illustrates a driver's seat in a motor vehicle according to the state of the art, [ Fig 2 ] illustrates a motor vehicle according to the invention, [ Fig 3 ] ] Fig 4 ] illustrate an example of the vehicle's interior, and [ Fig 5 ] illustrates a cross-section of the passenger compartment when the trim according to the invention is removed.

[0023] There figure 2 illustrates a motor vehicle 10 oriented according to a direct orthonormal frame R1(O, X, Y, Z) and shows in particular the windscreen 11, the two bay pillars 12 delimiting the windscreen 11 and the passenger compartment 13 of the vehicle.

[0024] The reference frame R1 includes an origin O, a first axis X oriented along a front-to-back direction of the vehicle 10, a second axis Y along a transverse direction of the vehicle oriented towards the right of the vehicle 10 in the normal direction of travel of the vehicle 10, and a third axis Z along a vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0025] With reference to the figure 3 , the passenger compartment 13 includes a dashboard 14 extending along the first axis X and the second axis Y and comprising a driver's seat 15 and a side air vent 16.

[0026] The driver's station 15 includes gauges and a steering wheel (not shown).

[0027] The side ventilation opening 16 is connected to a supply line 17 shown in dotted lines.

[0028] A trim piece 18 covers the part of the pillar 12 located in the passenger compartment 13, the trim piece being obtained for example by molding a plastic material.

[0029] The trim 18 includes a lower part 19 integrated into the dashboard 14, and includes a tab 20 extending longitudinally in a first direction and transversely in a second direction, which correspond respectively to the first X axis and the second Y axis.

[0030] The thickness of the tongue 20 extends along the third axis Z.

[0031] For example, the tongue 20 is sized so that the tongue 20 and the dashboard 13 are at the same level to form a flat surface.

[0032] The trim 18 comprises a variable cross-section so that the trim forms substantially a Y, the lower part 19 having the largest section.

[0033] The tongue 20 further includes in its thickness a grid 21, for example circular, obtained by molding the lining 18 so that the lining does not require an added grid.

[0034] The supply line 17 is arranged in the dashboard 14 so that it is not below the trim 18 along the third axis Z.

[0035] We refer to the figure 4 which illustrates a section along a plane defined by the first and third axes X, Z and passing through the center of grid 21.

[0036] The tab 20 comprises a lower face 22 housed in the dashboard 14 and an upper face 23 opposite the lower face.

[0037] A loudspeaker 24 is fixed to the lower face 22 of the tongue by first means of fixing, for example by snapping or screwing.

[0038] Speaker 24, for example, is of the "tweeter" type.

[0039] The first fixing means are arranged on the lower face 22 so that the loudspeaker is oriented along the vertical direction of the vehicle, in a position in which the diaphragm of the loudspeaker 24 is perpendicular to the third axis Z so that the sounds emitted by the loudspeaker 24 initially propagate through the grille 21 along the Z axis before being diffused into the passenger compartment 13.

[0040] This orientation optimizes the acoustic quality of the sound generated by the speaker in the passenger compartment 13, through the grille 21.

[0041] Since the speaker 24 is integral with the trim 18, its removal only requires the removal of the trim 18.

[0042] In addition, as the speaker 24 is concealed under the tab 20, the visual appearance of the cabin 13 is improved.

[0043] Grille 21 diffuses the sounds generated by speaker 24.

[0044] The dashboard 14 is mounted on a cross member 25 of the vehicle 10 by means of second fastening comprising for example at least one screw 26 cooperating with a threaded plate of the cross member 25.

[0045] Since the space below the tab 20 does not contain any vehicle component 10, such as a speaker or a power conduit, the dashboard 14 may include, for example, a cavity 28 housing the screw head 26.

[0046] The surface of the tongue 20 defined according to a plane including the first and second axes X, Y is determined so as to cover the second means of fixing and furthermore to allow the passage of tools to implement the second means of fixing.

[0047] There figure 5 illustrates the section along the plane defined by the first and third axes X, Z and passing through the center of the grid 21 when the trim 18 is removed from the passenger compartment 13.

[0048] Screw 26 was removed by tool 29.

[0049] The cavity 28 allows sufficient space to be cleared to access the second means of fixing covered by the tab 20 so as to easily remove the dashboard 14 by inserting the tool 29 into the cavity 28.

Claims

1. Trim (18) for a window pillar (12) of a motor vehicle (10), comprising a lower part (19) configured to be integrated in a dashboard (14) of the vehicle, the lower part of the trim comprising a tongue (20) extending in a longitudinal direction (X) and a transverse direction (Y), said tongue being configured to support a loudspeaker and comprising, in its thickness oriented in a vertical direction (Z) of the vehicle (10), a grille (21) configured to deliver sounds generated by the loudspeaker (24), characterized in that the tongue is configured to support a loudspeaker (24) oriented in a vertical direction (Z) and in that the grille is obtained by moulding the trim.

2. Trim according to Claim 1, comprising a transverse section that is variable such that the trim (18) substantially forms a Y, the lower part (19) having the largest section.

3. Trim according to either one of Claims 1 and 2, wherein the tongue (20) comprises a lower face (22) and an upper face (23) opposite the lower face, the lower face being intended to be housed in the dashboard (14) and comprising means for fastening the loudspeaker to the tongue.

4. Motor vehicle (10) comprising a trim (18) according to any one of the preceding claims, the trim being fastened to a pillar (12) of the windscreen (11).

5. Vehicle according to Claim 4, further comprising a dashboard (14) and means (26, 27) for fastening the dashboard to the vehicle, the tongue (20) covering said fastening means (26, 27), the surface area of the tongue (20) in a plane defined by the longitudinal (X) and transverse (Y) directions being determined so as to cover means (26, 27) for fastening the dashboard to the vehicle (10) and allow the passage of tools (29) so as to implement the fastening means.

6. Vehicle according to Claim 5, further comprising a loudspeaker (24) supported by the tongue (20).