VEHICLE INTERIOR TRIM ELEMENT

Description

[0001] The present invention claims priority from French application 2106624 filed on June 22, 2021.

[0002] The technical context of the present invention is that of motor vehicles, and more particularly of interior bodywork elements of motor vehicles. More particularly, the invention relates to an interior lining element for a motor vehicle, intended to be fixed securely between a rear pillar and a central pillar of the motor vehicle.

[0003] In the state of the art, a motor vehicle comprises a central pillar and a rear pillar between which, outside the motor vehicle, the rear wing extends and, inside the motor vehicle, an interior lining element extends. More specifically, the rear wing extends above the passage of one of the rear wheels, up to the roof lining and the interior lining element is located inside the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, laterally covering the rear wing and extends from the underbody to the roof lining or to a rear window or a side window of the trunk when the latter is present.

[0004] The interior lining elements extend from the central pillar to the rear pillar of the motor vehicle and extend continuously to the underbody. Each interior lining element for a motor vehicle is designed to withstand stresses. Indeed, the retractor of a seat belt is fixed in a fixing zone close to the interior lining element and in the event of an impact, a high stress, for example a tension of more than one ton per retractor, is exerted from the fixing zone towards the front of the motor vehicle. In order to withstand such stress, the interior lining element has a predetermined size and thickness depending on the desired strength.However, in the event of a more violent impact resulting in the application of particularly high tension to the inner lining element, it must be able to deform or break in such a way as to avoid generating risks for passengers.

[0005] Document EP3034363 describes a vehicle according to the preamble of independent claim 1, comprising an interior lining element fixed between a rear pillar and a central pillar of said vehicle.

[0006] In order to reduce the total mass of the motor vehicle, it becomes necessary to also reduce the mass of the interior lining element and therefore to provide a solution which is just as safe as the existing one and without increasing the number of elements to be assembled.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a novel inner lining element in order to at least largely address the above problems and to further lead to other advantages.

[0008] Another aim of the invention is to propose an interior lining element for a motor vehicle which is configured to limit the number of operations necessary for its assembly, so as to optimize the production time of said interior lining element for a motor vehicle.

[0009] Another object of the invention is to provide an interior lining element for a motor vehicle which is universal and configured to fit different motor vehicles.

[0010] Another aim of the invention is to propose an interior lining element for a motor vehicle which is simple, both from the point of view of its implementation and from the point of view of its manufacture.

[0011] Another object of the invention is to provide an interior lining element for a motor vehicle which is inexpensive, so as to limit the cost of such an interior lining element for a motor vehicle compared to existing interior lining elements for motor vehicles.

[0012] Another aim of the invention is to provide a space-saving interior lining element for a motor vehicle, guaranteeing the compactness and lightness of the motor vehicle.

[0013] According to a first aspect of the invention, at least one of the aforementioned objectives is achieved with an interior lining element for a motor vehicle intended to be fixed securely between a rear pillar and a central pillar of the motor vehicle, the interior lining element comprising a cover sheet comprising an upper flap intended to be fixed securely to a structure of the motor vehicle extending between the rear pillar and the central pillar, and a lower flap intended to be fixed securely to a wheel arch of the motor vehicle, characterized in that the interior lining element comprises a priming zone located between the upper flap and the lower flap, the priming zone taking the form of a concave shape formed in the cover sheet.

[0014] The initiation zone is configured to localize mechanical stresses in the event of an impact on the inner lining element, leading to initiating a deformation of the inner lining element at the initiation zone. In particular, the deformation of the inner lining element corresponds to a rotation of the inner lining element towards the interior of the motor vehicle.

[0015] The presence of such a priming zone allows the lightening of the inner lining element, in order to meet the desire to reduce the total mass of the vehicle, while being just as safe as the existing one and without increasing the number of elements to be assembled on the motor vehicle. More precisely, such an inner lining element is intended to deform in a controlled manner.

[0016] In the interior lining element according to the first aspect of the invention, a concave shape corresponds for example to a fold. The term "concave" refers to the interior of the vehicle, that is to say that the concave shape is seen from the side of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. The concave shape is obtained by stamping or punching the cover sheet.

[0017] It should be noted that a lining element is an element that covers another element. The term "interior" qualifying the lining refers to the location of the lining relative to the motor vehicle, that is to say that the lining is located in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. The interior lining element is intended to be covered by an interior trim after its attachment to the motor vehicle.

[0018] The inner lining element according to the first aspect of the invention advantageously comprises at least one of the improvements below, the technical characteristics forming these improvements being able to be taken alone or in combination: The cover sheet is a metal sheet; the concave shape comprises at least one fold passing through the initiation zone. In other words, the initiation zone comprises at least one folding angle defining the concave shape. The at least one fold is intended to extend in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, when the interior lining element is fixed to said motor vehicle. The interior lining element comprises a strut located at a peripheral end of the cover sheet, the strut comprising a mechanical reinforcement element configured to reinforce the cover sheet in the event of a tensile force on the cover sheet. The presence of the mechanical reinforcement element makes it possible to prevent the cover sheet from tearing in the event of high mechanical stress. The mechanical reinforcement element is for example a stamping or a local increase in thickness.The strut has a rear portion, a rear edge of which forms a non-zero angle with a rear edge of a lower portion of the strut, the lower portion being intended to be securely fixed to the wheel arch. The mechanical reinforcement element is provided on the rear portion of the strut. This prevents localized tearing in this portion. The mechanical reinforcement element takes the form of a stamping provided at a peripheral zone of the rear portion of the strut. The stamping forming the mechanical reinforcement element is delimited by the rear edge of the rear portion of the strut. The stamping takes the form of a polygonal zone opening onto the rear edge of the rear portion of the strut. The stamping takes the form of an ellipsoid opening onto the rear edge of the rear portion of the strut.The inner lining element comprises at least one stiffening rib located behind the initiation zone and which extends towards said initiation zone. Such a stiffening rib makes it possible to stiffen the cover sheet and to improve its behavior, i.e. its resistance to tearing and / or buckling, in the event of an impact on the inner lining element. The stiffening rib has a rectilinear shape. The stiffening rib corresponds to an excess thickness of the cover sheet. The stiffening rib is located in an upper portion of the inner lining element and / or the stiffening rib is located in a rear portion of the inner lining element. The stiffening rib is located between the mechanical reinforcement element, such as the stamping, and the initiation zone.

[0019] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a motor vehicle comprising: a passenger compartment delimited laterally by a central pillar and a rear pillar located longitudinally behind the central pillar; and an interior lining element in accordance with the first aspect of the invention or according to any of its improvements, the interior lining element being fixed integrally to a structure of the motor vehicle between the central pillar and the rear pillar.

[0020] In the motor vehicle according to the second aspect of the invention, it is understood that the structure corresponds to the frame of the motor vehicle. The interior lining element is located in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

[0021] Such a motor vehicle equipped with an interior lining element that is lighter than a lining element of the prior art has a lighter total mass, while being equipped with an interior lining element that is just as safe and whose deformation is controlled.

[0022] The motor vehicle in accordance with the second aspect of the invention advantageously comprises at least one of the improvements below, the technical characteristics forming these improvements being able to be taken alone or in combination: the interior lining element is securely attached to the structure of the motor vehicle by a first fastening member located at the upper flap; and to a wheel arch of the motor vehicle by a second fastening member located at the lower flap. the first fastening member and / or the second fastening member takes the form of a weld bead. Additionally or alternatively, the first fastening member and / or the second fastening member comprises at least one rivet passing through the cover sheet and respectively the structure and the wheel arch of the motor vehicle. the initiation zone is located below a rear window of the motor vehicle and behind a seat belt reel for a rear seat of the motor vehicle. The rear window is for example a trunk side window.the inner lining element provides an opening in the structure of the motor vehicle located between the rear pillar and the wheel arch, the opening being located behind the strut of the inner lining element, the lower part of the strut being fixed integrally to a rear area of ​​the wheel arch. preferably, the lower part of the strut is fixed integrally to a rear area of ​​the wheel arch by a weld bead, alternatively or additionally by riveting.

[0023] Various embodiments of the invention are provided, incorporating, according to all of their possible combinations, the various optional features set out herein.

[0024] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description on the one hand, and from several examples of embodiment given for informational and non-limiting purposes with reference to the attached schematic drawings on the other hand, in which: [ Fig.1 ] illustrates a schematic side view of a motor vehicle according to the second aspect of the invention; [ Fig.2 ] illustrates a schematic view of an interior lining element securely attached to the structure of a motor vehicle according to the second aspect of the invention;w [ Fig.3 illustrates a schematic view of an interior lining element for a motor vehicle according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0025] Of course, the features, variants and different embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other, in various combinations, provided that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, variants of the invention may be imagined comprising only a selection of features described below in isolation from the other features described, if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention from the prior art.

[0026] In particular, all the variants and embodiments described can be combined with each other if there is no technical obstacle to this combination.

[0027] In the figures, elements common to several figures retain the same reference.

[0028] There FIGURE 1 shows a motor vehicle 1 according to the second aspect of the invention, seen from the side. In the remainder of the description, a reference frame is defined in which a longitudinal axis x, a transverse axis y and a vertical axis z are defined. The longitudinal axis x corresponds to the trajectory of the motor vehicle 1 when it is moving forward, in a straight line and on a flat road. The longitudinal axis corresponds to a direction going from the rear to the front of the motor vehicle 1, and it is oriented from the rear to the front of the motor vehicle 1. A longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal axis x is also defined, the adjectives "front" and "rear" refer to this reference direction, as does the term "length". The transverse axis y corresponds to the axis around which the wheels of the motor vehicle turn, and the direction of the y axis is oriented from the driver's side to the passenger's side, in the non-Anglo-Saxon standard.A transverse direction is also defined as parallel to the transverse axis y, and the adjectives "lateral" or "transverse" refer to this reference direction, as does the term "width". The vertical axis z is an axis perpendicular to the x and y axes simultaneously and oriented from the floor of the motor vehicle to its roof, the adjectives "upper" and "lower" refer to this reference direction, as does the term "height".

[0029] There FIGURE 1 shows that the motor vehicle 1 comprises a central pillar 2 and a rear pillar 3. The rear pillar 3 is located longitudinally behind the central pillar 2. The passenger compartment H is delimited laterally by the central pillar 2 and the rear pillar 3. On the outside E of the motor vehicle 1, the rear wing 4 extends between the central pillar 2 and the rear pillar 3. On the inside H of the motor vehicle 1, an interior lining element 10 extends, visible in FIGURE 2 , in lateral covering of the rear wing 4. More precisely, the rear wing 4 extends above one of the rear wheels 7, up to the roof lining 6 and the interior lining element 10, inside the passenger compartment H of the motor vehicle 1, extends from a wheel arch 9 up to the roof lining 6 or up to the location 8 for a rear window or a trunk side window when the latter is present.

[0030] There FIGURE 2 shows that the interior lining element 10 is fixedly attached to a structure S of the motor vehicle 1, extending between the central pillar 2 and the rear pillar 3. The structure S is also what is called the frame of the motor vehicle 1.

[0031] More particularly, the interior lining element 10 for a motor vehicle 1 comprises a cover sheet 11 comprising an upper flap 12 and a lower flap 13. In order to obtain the flaps 12, 13, the cover sheet 11, upon leaving the manufacturing process, has undergone folding steps. The upper flap 12 has a folding angle that is preferably obtuse relative to a main body of the cover sheet 11 that has not undergone a folding step, the upper flap 12 having been obtained by folding in a first direction of rotation, for example counterclockwise. The lower flap 13 has a folding angle that is preferably substantially perpendicular or acute relative to the main body of the cover sheet 11 that has not undergone a folding step, the lower flap 13 having been obtained by folding in a second direction of rotation, opposite to the first direction of rotation, for example clockwise.

[0032] The upper flap 12 is securely attached to a portion of a perimeter defining the location 8 for the rear window or the side window of the trunk of the motor vehicle 1. The lower flap 13 is securely attached to a wheel arch 9 of the motor vehicle 1. The wheel arch 9 is an interior fairing behind which the wheels, here the rear wheels 7, are located.

[0033] Each flap 12, 13 matches at least in part, or in full, the shape of the structure S or the wheel arch 9 to which it is fixed, so as to be pressed against the structure S or the wheel arch 9. In order to follow the rounded shapes of the wheel arch 9, the lower flap 13 may include cutouts revealing the most rounded shapes of the wheel arch 9, which facilitates pressing the lower flap 13 onto the structure S, and also folding the cover sheet 11 to obtain the lower flap 13. Of course, the upper flap 12 may also include cutouts adapted to more easily match the shapes of the structure S to which it is fixed.

[0034] The cover sheet 11 is a metal sheet. The flaps 12, 13 are fixed to the structure S by a fixing member which may take the form of a weld bead and / or a rivet passing through both one of the flaps 12, 13 and the structure S. For example, the upper flap 12 is fixed to the structure S, i.e. to the portion of the periphery defining the location 8 for the rear window or the side window of the trunk of the motor vehicle 1, by riveting. The lower flap 13 is fixed to the wheel arch 9 of the motor vehicle 1 by a weld bead deposited over the entire length of the lower flap 13. After the interior lining element 10 has been fixed to the structure S of the motor vehicle 1, the latter is then intended to be covered by an interior trim.

[0035] The inner lining element 10 comprises a front portion 21 located towards the front of the motor vehicle 1 relative to a median vertical axis M of the wheel arch 9 and a rear portion 22 located towards the rear of the motor vehicle 1 relative to this same median vertical axis M of the wheel arch 9. The inner lining element 10 comprises an upper portion 23 located above a highest point P of the wheel arch 9 and its longitudinal projection L and a lower portion 24 located below the highest point P of the wheel arch 9 and its longitudinal projection L. The front 21, rear 22, upper 23 and lower 24 portions can also be understood relative to a center of gravity of the inner lining element 10 and its longitudinal and vertical projection.

[0036] There FIGURE 3 shows that the inner lining element 10, in particular in its rear portion 22, comprises a strut 14, that is to say a support element in the event of strong mechanical stress. The strut 14 comprises a rear part 140 of which the edge 141, also called rear edge 141, forms a non-zero angle A14 with the edge 142 of a lower part 143 of the strut 14, the lower part 143 being intended to be fixed securely to the wheel arch 9, in particular via the lower flap 13.

[0037] In order to lighten the inner lining element 10 compared to a lining element of the prior art, the inner lining element 10 provides an opening 15, which in particular prevents the inner lining element 10 from being fixed to the underbody F, as shown in FIGURE 2 . In other words, the opening 15 extends from the underbody 5 until it reaches the strut 14. More particularly, the opening 15 at the structure S of the motor vehicle 1 is located between the rear pillar 3 and the wheel arch 9. It should be noted that once the inner lining element 10 is fixed to the structure S of the motor vehicle 1, the highest point P of the wheel arch 9 is always higher than the highest point of the opening 15, the height being defined along the z axis. The opening 15 is located behind the strut 14 of the inner lining element 10, the lower part of the strut 14 being fixed securely to a rear area of ​​the wheel arch 9. Preferably, the lower part 143 of the strut 14 is fixed securely to the rear area of ​​the wheel arch 9 by a weld bead and / or by a rivet.

[0038] There FIGURE 3shows that the inner lining element 10 has a priming zone 16 located between the upper flap 12 and the lower flap 13. The priming zone is located in the upper portion 23 of the inner lining element 10. The priming zone 16 takes the form of a concave shape formed in the cover sheet 11. In the example illustrated, the concave shape is located on the fold separating the upper flap 12 from the main body of the cover sheet 11. More precisely, the deepest part of the priming zone is located halfway along the fold line separating the main body of the cover sheet 11 and the upper flap 12.

[0039] The initiation zone 16 is configured to localize mechanical stresses in the event of an impact on the inner lining element 10, leading to initiating a deformation of the inner lining element 10 at the initiation zone 16. In particular, the deformation of the inner lining element 10 corresponds to a rotation of the inner lining element 10 towards the interior of the motor vehicle 1. The presence of an initiation zone 16 allows the lightening of the inner lining element 10, in order to meet the desire to reduce the total mass of the vehicle, while being just as safe as existing solutions and without increasing the number of elements to be assembled on the motor vehicle 1. More precisely, such an inner lining element 10 comprising this initiation zone is intended to deform in a controlled manner.The inner lining element 10 therefore constitutes a reinforcing part which limits the forces on the welding / riveting points at the flaps 12, 13 and by distributing the forces uniformly. In the event of a rear impact and tension on a seat belt reel fixed in a fixing zone F, such an inner lining element 10 makes it possible to prevent the body from sinking.

[0040] When the interior lining element 10 is fixed to said motor vehicle 1, the initiation zone 16 is located below a rear window 8 of the motor vehicle 1. More particularly, the initiation zone 16 is located below the side window 8 of the trunk of the motor vehicle 1. The initiation zone 16 is also located behind the fixing zone F of the seat belt reel of a rear seat of the motor vehicle 1, the term rear being understood along the longitudinal axis x defined previously. Thus, in the event of an impact, the rotation of the interior lining element 10 does not risk hitting a passenger.

[0041] The concave shape corresponds for example to a fold. The term "concave" refers to the interior of the motor vehicle 1, that is to say that the concave shape is seen from the side of the passenger compartment H of the motor vehicle 1. The concave shape is for example obtained by stamping or punching the cover sheet 11. The concave shape comprises at least one fold 160 passing through the initiation zone 16. In other words, the initiation zone 16 comprises at least one folding angle defining at least a portion of the concave shape. The fold extends in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle 1, when the interior lining element 10 is fixed to said motor vehicle 1. The concave shape is for example obtained by several folds 160.

[0042] The upper flap 12 comprises at its end a plating flap 120 forming a folding angle of substantially 90° with the upper flap 12. The plating flap 120 extends in a vertical direction, moving away from the main body of the cover sheet 11. The plating flap 120 is intended to be secured to the structure S located as close as possible to a lower edge of the rear window or the trunk side window. It should be noted that the upper flap 12 comprises lights 121.

[0043] In order to reinforce the cover sheet 11, in particular in the event of a tensile force on the cover sheet 11, the inner lining element 10 comprises a mechanical reinforcement element 17. The mechanical reinforcement element 17 is for example a stamped portion 170 or a local increase in thickness. The presence of the mechanical reinforcement element 17 makes it possible to prevent the cover sheet 11 from tearing in the event of high mechanical stress. The stamped portion 170 is located at a peripheral end of the cover sheet 11. Preferably, the mechanical reinforcement elements 17 are located in the strut 14.

[0044] According to the example illustrated, the mechanical reinforcement element 17 is provided on the rear portion 22 of the inner lining element 10 and more particularly on an outer periphery of the strut 14. In fact, a stamped portion 170 is provided at a peripheral zone of the rear portion 140 of the strut 14. Thus, the stamped portion 170, forming the mechanical reinforcement element 17, is delimited by the rear edge 141 of the rear portion 140 of the strut 14.

[0045] The stamped part 170 takes the form of a polygonal zone opening onto the rear edge of the rear part of the strut 14. More precisely, the stamped part 170 takes the form of an ellipsoid opening onto the rear edge 141 of the rear part 140 of the strut 14. It should be noted that the stamped part 170 forms a blind cavity seen from the passenger compartment H of the motor vehicle 1. A plurality of stamped parts 170 may be provided on the cover sheet 11, whether or not they have their concave part on the passenger compartment H side of the motor vehicle. The stamped part 170 makes it possible to prevent the cover sheet 11 from tearing in the event of high mechanical stress.

[0046] Furthermore, the inner lining element 10 comprises at least one stiffening rib 18 located behind the initiation zone 16 and which extends towards the initiation zone 16. More particularly, the stiffening rib 18 is located between the stamping 170, described previously, and the initiation zone 16. The stiffening rib 18 is an excess thickness of the cover sheet 11. The stiffening rib extends in a rectilinear manner and has a non-zero length. More specifically, the stiffening rib 18 extends into the upper 23 and rear 22 portions of the inner lining element 10. The stiffening rib 18 is preferably made of the same material as the cover sheet 11. Such a stiffening rib 18 makes it possible to stiffen the cover sheet 11 and improve its behavior, i.e. its resistance to tearing and / or buckling, in the event of an impact on the inner lining element 10.

[0047] In summary, the invention relates to an interior lining element 10 for a motor vehicle 1 intended to be fixed securely between a rear pillar 3 and a central pillar 2 of the motor vehicle 1. The interior lining element 10 comprises a cover sheet 11 comprising an upper flap 12, a lower flap 13 and a priming zone 16 located between the upper flap 12 and the lower flap 13, the priming zone 16 taking the form of a concave shape formed in the cover sheet 11.

[0048] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described and numerous adjustments can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the different characteristics, forms, variants and embodiments of the invention can be associated with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, all the variants and embodiments described above can be combined with each other.

Claims

1. Inner lining element (10) for a motor vehicle (1) intended to be fixed integrally between a rear pillar (3) and a centre pillar (2) of the motor vehicle (1), the inner lining item (10) comprising a coverage sheet (11) comprising an upper flap (12) intended to be fixed integrally to a structure (S) of the motor vehicle (1) extending between the rear pillar (3) and the centre pillar (2), and a lower flap (13) intended to be fixed integrally to a wheel arch (9) of the motor vehicle (1), characterised in that the inner lining item (10) comprises a priming zone (16) located between the upper flap (12) and the lower flap (13), the priming zone (16) taking the form of a concave shape provided in the coverage plate (11).

2. Liner element according to the previous claim, in which the concave shape comprises at least one fold passing through the priming zone (16).

3. Lining element according to any one of the previous claims, in which the inner lining item (10) comprises a strut (14) located at a peripheral end of the coverage plate (11), the strut (14) comprising a mechanical reinforcing item (17) configured to reinforce the coverage plate (11) in the event of a tensile force on the coverage plate (11).

4. Lining element according to the previous claim, in which the strut (14) comprises a rear part (140), a rear edge (141) of which forms a non-zero angle (A14) with a rear edge (142) of a lower part (143) of the strut (14), the lower part (143) being intended to be fixed integrally to the wheel arch (9).

5. Lining element according to the previous claim, in which the mechanical reinforcement item (17) takes the shape of a stamped portion (170) provided on the level of a peripheral zone of the rear portion (140) of the support leg (14).

6. Lining element according to any one of the previous claims, in which the inner lining item (10) comprises at least one stiffening rib (18) located at the rear of the priming zone (16) and which extends at the management of the said priming zone (16).

7. Motor vehicle (1) comprising: - a passenger compartment (H) delimited laterally by a centre pillar (2) and a rear pillar (3) located longitudinally at the rear of the centre pillar (2); - an inner lining item (10) according to any one of the previous claims, the inner lining item (10) being fixedly attached to a frame (S) of the motor vehicle (1) between the centre pillar (2) and the rear pillar (3).

8. Motor vehicle according to the previous claim, in which the inner lining item (10) is fastened integrally: to the structure (S) of the motor vehicle (1) by a first fastening member located on the level of the upper flap (12); and to a wheel arch (9) of the motor vehicle (1) by a second fixing member located on the level of the lower flap (13).

9. Motor vehicle according to the previous claim, in which the priming zone (16) is located: - under a rear window of the motor vehicle (1); and - in rear of a safety belt retractor for a motor vehicle rear seat (1).

10. Motor vehicle according to either of Claims 8 and 9 taken in combination with the inner lining item (10) according to Claim 3, in which the inner lining item (10) provides an opening (15) at the level of the motor vehicle frame (S) located between the rear pillar (3) and the wheel arch (9), the opening (15) being located at the rear of the support leg (14) of the inner lining item (10), the lower part (143) of the strut (14) being fixedly attached to a zone rear of the wheel arch (9).