MOTORIZED SLIDING WING OF A VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motorized vehicle doors. More particularly, the present invention relates to the architecture of such doors allowing for the electrical connection of either a power supply to a drive motor located within the door or a locking / unlocking control device to a drive motor located on the vehicle body.

[0002] Some motor vehicles include a sliding door, such a door being able to be arranged on one side only, on both sides or at the rear of a body of the vehicle.

[0003] Document EP 2 052 896 A1 discloses such a sliding opening.

[0004] These opening panels are configured to slide in one direction to open the panel and in a second direction to close it. The user can remotely control the panel's movement in either direction by activating one or more motors that drive the panel accordingly.

[0005] At least one motor or motors involved in moving the opening mechanism must be powered by an electrical energy storage device located in the vehicle. For this purpose, said motor(s) are connected to the electrical energy storage device by a power supply cable.

[0006] This power cable must be able to move with the opening mechanism relative to the vehicle. To protect it, it is common practice to house the power cable directly in a compartment built into an interior panel of the opening mechanism.

[0007] Indeed, this housing is traditionally made by stamping the inner panel, which results in a significant consumption of space.

[0008] The present invention falls within this context and aims to overcome at least some of the drawbacks of the prior art and in particular to propose an architecture of a motorized opening that protects a power cable while minimizing the bulk of the opening to protect said power cable.

[0009] Thus, the present invention relates to a motorized sliding door intended to equip a vehicle, the motorized sliding door comprising an outer panel, an inner panel, at least part of a drive means configured to allow the opening and / or closing of the motorized sliding door, said drive means comprising in particular a motorization making the sliding door motorized and at least one power cable disposed within the volume of the motorized sliding door, the at least one power cable being configured to allow the supply of electrical energy to at least one drive motor included in the motorized sliding door and / or to an electrical control of the drive means comprising at least one drive motor disposed on the body of the vehicle on which the motorized sliding door is intended to be mounted to slide,The inner panel includes a cutout in which a protective tray is housed; the protective tray forms a housing in which at least one power cable is placed; the protective tray is separate from the inner panel and attached to said inner panel.

[0010] A motorized sliding door is a door on a vehicle, such as a car, that moves along a guide rail, either on the vehicle itself or on the motorized sliding door, to allow or restrict access to the vehicle. A motorized sliding door can be a side door or a rear door of a commercial vehicle, provided that its opening and / or closing is achieved by sliding along a guide rail.

[0011] The drive system includes at least one drive motor for motorizing the opening and / or closing of the motorized sliding door. The power cable allows direct activation of at least one drive motor or an electrical control of said drive motor to enable the movement of the motorized sliding door.

[0012] The motorized sliding door consists of at least one outer panel and one inner panel. The outer panel forms the vehicle's bodywork element in direct contact with the environment outside the vehicle.

[0013] This exterior body panel has a structure that allows the motorized sliding door to withstand impacts and external damage. The interior panel forms the vehicle's interior component.

[0014] The volume of the motorized sliding door is defined as the space between the outer and inner panels. It is understood that the power cable is located within the volume of the motorized sliding door so that when the motorized sliding door is in a closed position, the power cable is housed within the motorized sliding door between the outer and inner panels.

[0015] The inner panel is cut out so that its dimensions complement those of the protective tray, allowing the tray to fit snugly within the cutout while minimizing the gap between the tray and the inner panel. The inner panel is thus precisely cut to accommodate the protective tray, with the tray's edges positioned as close as possible to the edges of the inner panel that define the cutout.

[0016] The protective tray is attached to the inner panel and is designed to house a power cable for the motorized sliding door. This power cable is designed to move with the motorized sliding door as it moves between its open and closed positions. During this movement, the power cable moves with the motorized sliding door, remaining at least partially contained within the protective tray. As the motorized sliding door moves, the power cable is extended from the tray to follow its movement. It is understood that at least a portion of the power cable is continuously connected to a component of the motorized sliding door.

[0017] The protective tray forms a housing, this housing being located within a defined thickness, or volume, of the motorized sliding door between the outer and inner panels. The outer and inner panels, with at least one panel having a non-planar shape, are joined together, particularly around their perimeter, to create a watertight space within the door between the outer and inner panels. It is understood that the thickness of the motorized sliding door, within which the protective tray is positioned, is formed by the thickness of the outer panel, the thickness of the inner panel, and the space between the inner and outer panels.

[0018] According to one feature of the invention, the housing is arranged in the volume of the motorized sliding opening defined between the outer panel and the inner panel.

[0019] According to one feature of the invention, the housing is delimited at least partially by a back wall and a side wall, the side wall and the back wall forming a first angle with each other of between 90° and 120°. Such an angle between the side wall and the back wall makes it possible to limit the size of the protective tray within the motorized sliding door. Indeed, by forming the walls of the housing with a protective tray inserted into an opening created by cutting out the inner panel, rather than directly by stamping the inner panel, it is possible to approximate a right angle as closely as possible, which limits the angle between the back wall and the side wall and thus limits the space occupied by the protective tray within the motorized sliding door.

[0020] According to one feature of the invention, the housing for the protective tray is delimited by a peripheral edge of the protective tray, the peripheral edge being fixed to the inner panel. The peripheral edge extends perpendicularly from the side wall at an end opposite to that connected to the bottom wall, and it extends this side wall outwards from the protective tray.

[0021] According to one feature of the invention, the housing has a shape that conforms to the shape of the power cable. To limit the bulk of the protective tray in the motorized sliding door, the housing has dimensions that allow it to conform to the shape of the power cable.

[0022] According to one feature of the invention, the power cable is entirely housed in the housing formed by the protective tray.

[0023] According to one feature of the invention, the peripheral edge is in contact with the inner panel by means of a flat support.

[0024] It is understood that the peripheral edge extends in a plane parallel to the plane in which the portion of the inner panel in contact with the peripheral edge is inscribed.

[0025] According to one feature of the invention, the protective tray is attached to the outer panel at a portion of the protective tray distinct from the peripheral edge.

[0026] According to one feature of the invention, the portion of the protective tray at which it is attached to the outer panel is positioned opposite the housing. This portion of the protective tray increases the rigidity of the motorized sliding door by creating a connection point between the outer and inner panels via the protective tray. More specifically, this portion of the protective tray forms the bottom wall of the protective tray.

[0027] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a motorized sliding door conforming to at least some of the characteristics, the motor vehicle comprising a guide rail in which the motorized sliding door is able to move between an open position and a closed position, the protective tray of the motorized sliding door being arranged directly opposite the guide rail. The arrangement of the motorized sliding door opposite the guide rail may be opposite a drip edge, that is to say, opposite a protective element of the vehicle's underbody. Such an arrangement of the protective tray at the level of the guide rail provides better protection for the power cable, particularly in the event of an impact from outside the vehicle.

[0028] Other features, details and advantages of the invention will become clearer upon reading the following description on the one hand, and the illustrative and non-limiting examples of embodiments given with reference to the attached schematic drawings on the other hand, in which: [ Fig.1 ] schematically represents a general view of a motorized sliding door according to an embodiment of the invention intended to equip a motor vehicle; [ Fig.2 ] schematically represents a general view of a protective tray for the motorized sliding door visible on the figure 1 , the protective tray being designed to house an electrical power supply cable for one or more electric motors of the motorized sliding door; Fig.3 ] schematically represents a local cross-sectional view of the motorized sliding door visible on the figure 1 at the level of the protective tray visible on the figure 2 ; Fig.4 ] schematically represents a cross-sectional view of the motorized sliding door by a cutting plane extending longitudinally and transversely when it is attached to a motor vehicle and is in a closed position; Fig.5 ] schematically represents a cross-sectional view of the motorized sliding door by a cutting plane extending longitudinally and transversely when it is linked to the motor vehicle and is in an open position.

[0029] The features, variants, and different embodiments of the invention can be combined in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, variants of the invention may include only a selection of features, described hereafter 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.

[0030] In the figures, elements common to several figures retain the same reference.

[0031] In the detailed description that follows, the terms "longitudinal," "transverse," and "vertical" refer to the orientation of the motorized sliding door according to the invention. A longitudinal direction corresponds to the direction of travel of a vehicle equipped with the motorized sliding door, this longitudinal direction being parallel to a longitudinal axis L of a frame of reference L, V, T illustrated in the figures. A transverse direction corresponds to a direction perpendicular, in a plane parallel to the road on which the vehicle is traveling, to the direction of travel of the vehicle equipped with the motorized sliding door, this transverse direction being parallel to a transverse axis T of the frame of reference L, V, T, and this transverse axis T being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L.Finally, a vertical direction corresponds to a direction parallel to a vertical axis V of the L, V, T frame, this vertical axis V being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L and to the transverse axis T.

[0032] There figure 1 This illustrates a motorized sliding door 2 according to an embodiment of the invention. The motorized sliding door 2 is intended to be fitted to a vehicle, and more particularly a motor vehicle. This motorized sliding door 2 forms, in the embodiment shown, a side door of a motor vehicle.

[0033] The motorized sliding door 2 is mounted to slide relative to the vehicle so that it can move, firstly, in one direction to reach an open position allowing, for example, a user to enter or exit the vehicle, and secondly, in a closed position preventing, for example, a user from entering or exiting the vehicle. It is understood that the first and second directions are in the same direction.

[0034] The movement of the motorized sliding door 2 is made possible, by way of illustrative and non-limiting example of the invention, by rollers attached to the motorized sliding door 2 and running in at least one guide rail mounted on the motor vehicle. It is understood that the rollers are connected to the motorized sliding door 2 and cooperate with the at least one guide rail to keep the motorized sliding door 2 attached to the motor vehicle.

[0035] Of course, any other means of sliding the motorized sliding door 2 between an open position and a closed position as described above may be used.

[0036] According to the invention, the movement of the motorized sliding door 2 is controlled by at least one drive motor configured to move the motorized sliding door 2 relative to the vehicle between the open and closed positions. The movement of the motorized sliding door 2 by the at least one drive motor can be achieved, by way of illustrative and non-limiting examples of the invention, by controlling the movement of at least one roller in the guide rail or by the movement of a toothed wheel attached either to the motorized sliding door 2, within a rack attached to the motor vehicle, or to the vehicle body, within a rack attached to the motorized sliding door.

[0037] At least one drive motor is an electric motor supplied with electrical energy from an energy storage device. The electrical energy storage device is located in the motor vehicle and is connected to at least one drive motor by a power cable 4, shown in more detail on the figures 2 à 5 . The means of storing electrical energy can, for example, be the batteries of the automobile.

[0038] The motorized sliding door 2 includes an outer panel 6 forming the part of the motorized sliding door 2 intended to be in contact with the environment outside the motor vehicle and an inner panel 8 attached to the outer panel 6 and forming the part of the motorized sliding door 2 intended to be in contact with the environment inside the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

[0039] Furthermore, the motorized sliding door 2 includes a protective tray 10 in which the power cable 4 is housed. The protective tray 10 is attached to the inner panel 8 and forms a housing 11 within a volume, or thickness, of the motorized sliding door 2, delimited between the outer panel 6 and the inner panel 8. It should be noted that the power cable 4, as will be described in more detail below, is designed to move within the protective tray 10 so as to accompany the motorized sliding door 2 during its movement between its open and closed positions. To accommodate the protective tray 10, the inner panel 8 includes a cutout forming an opening the same size as the protective tray 10. This cutout creates a void within the inner panel 8, allowing the protective tray 10 to be inserted into the volume of the motorized sliding door 2.

[0040] It is remarkable in the way it is implemented, as represented by the figure 1 that the motorized sliding door 2 includes a boss 12 disposed against the outer panel 6. This boss 12 and the protective tray 10 are disposed opposite each other so that the boss 12 helps to protect the protective tray 10, for example from an external impact to the vehicle which could damage the protective tray 10.

[0041] There figure 2 The diagram schematically represents the protective tray 10 in which the power cable 4 is housed. More specifically, the protective tray 10 extends along a main longitudinal elongation direction between a first end 14 and a second end 16. The housing 11 extends within the protective tray 10 between the first end 14 and the second end 16 parallel to the main longitudinal elongation direction of the protective tray 10.

[0042] The protective tray 10 includes a peripheral edge 18 that extends around the entire perimeter of the protective tray 10, radially defining the opening of the housing 11. In the embodiment shown, the peripheral edge 18 extends in a plane parallel to the longitudinal direction. This peripheral edge 18 is fixed to the inner panel 8, as will be described in more detail in connection with the figure 3 and ensures a watertight seal between the protective tray 10 and the inner panel 8.

[0043] Furthermore, the power cable 4 is fixed to the protective tray 10 at its second end 16 and movable relative to the protective tray 10 at its first end 14, as will be described in more detail in connection with the figures 4 et 5 The power cable 4 is attached to a mounting point 20 fixed to the vehicle. At this mounting point 20, the power cable 4 can connect to the electrical energy storage device, if necessary by passing through the vehicle body.

[0044] There figure 3 represents a cross-sectional view of the motorized sliding door 2 by a cross-sectional plane extending transversely and vertically, i.e. parallel to the T and V axes.

[0045] The housing 11 of the protective tray 10 is delimited in particular by a bottom wall 22 of the protective tray 10 which extends opposite the opening of the housing 11 and opposite the inner face of the outer panel 6, that is to say the face of the outer panel opposite the inner panel 8, and by a side wall 24 joining the bottom wall 22 to the peripheral edge 18.

[0046] The bottom wall 22 extends in a plane substantially parallel to a plane in which extends a portion of the outer panel 6 directly opposite the bottom wall 22. The side wall 24 extends from a proximal transverse end of the outer panel 6 in contact with the bottom wall 22 to a distal transverse end of the outer panel 6 in contact with the peripheral edge 18.

[0047] Furthermore, the side wall 24 forms a first angle 26 with the bottom wall 22, between 90° and 120°. Preferably, this first angle 26 is less than 100°. This first angle 26 helps to minimize the size of the protective tray 10 by allowing the side wall 24 to conform to the shape of the power cable 4, thus limiting the space occupied by the housing 11 on the motorized sliding door 2. Of course, "conform" should be understood to mean that the side wall 24 is as close as possible to the power cable 4 without restricting the movement of said power cable 4 within the housing 11.

[0048] The side wall 24 forms a second angle 28 with the peripheral edge 18, which, in the embodiment shown, is equal to the first angle 26. Indeed, in the embodiment shown, the peripheral edge 18 extends in a plane parallel to the plane in which the bottom wall 22 extends. More specifically, the second angle 28 formed between the side wall 24 and the peripheral edge 18 is between 90° and 120°. Preferably, this second angle 28 is less than 100°.

[0049] From the preceding description of the protective tray 10, it is understood that the protective tray 10 is an added component of the inner panel 8; that is, the protective tray 10 and the inner panel 8 are two parts formed separately. The angle values ​​mentioned earlier are obtained because the protective tray 10 is distinct from the inner panel 8, which allows these angle values ​​to be determined.

[0050] Furthermore, it is remarkable on the figure 3 that the bottom wall 22 is joined to the outer panel 6 by a joining member 30 interposed between the bottom wall 22 and the outer panel 6. This joining member 30 contributes to stiffening the motorized sliding door 2 at the level of the protective tray 10. More precisely, in the embodiment shown, the joining member 30 is formed by sealant ensuring a point of connection directly with the protective tray 10, which makes it possible to improve the rigidity of the motorized sliding door 2 by creating a point of connection between the outer panel 6 and the inner panel 8 via the joining member 30 and the protective tray 10.

[0051] Indeed, the protective tray 10 is, as previously mentioned, attached to the inner panel 8 at the peripheral edge 18. As visible on the figure 3 The peripheral edge 18 extends in a plane parallel to the plane of the portion of the inner panel 8 located near the peripheral edge 18. This feature allows for a secure connection, notably by clipping, between the inner panel 8 and the peripheral edge 18, forming a flat support. Such a flat support allows, in particular, by way of illustrative and non-limiting example of the invention, the positioning of a trim panel against the inner panel 8 and the peripheral edge.

[0052] There figure 3 also allows us to highlight a cross-section of the power cable 4. The power cable 4 is formed of a cable carrier chain and includes a succession of articulated links 32 and at least one electrical cable 34. This configuration of the power cable 4 allows it to accompany the movement of the motorized sliding door 2.

[0053] THE figures 4 et 5 represent a cross-sectional view of the motorized sliding door 2 according to a cross-sectional plane extending longitudinally and transversely, i.e. parallel to the L and T axes.

[0054] More specifically, the figure 4 represents the motorized sliding door 2 connected to a motor vehicle 36 when the motorized sliding door 2 is in its closed position. In the closed position of the motorized sliding door 2, the latter is held in said closed position by a locking system provided on the motorized sliding door 2 and cooperating with a complementary device on the motor vehicle 36. The figure 5 represents the motorized sliding door 2 linked to the motor vehicle 36 when the motorized sliding door 2 is in its open position.

[0055] As can be seen by comparing the figures 4 et 5 The power cable 4 is connected to the motorized sliding door 2 at the second end 16 of the protective tray 10. During the movement of the motorized sliding door 2, the power cable 4 is able to follow said movement of the motorized sliding door 2. Indeed, as can be seen on the figures 4 et 5 When the motorized sliding door 2 moves from its closed position to its open position, the power cable 4 folds back on itself so that part of the power cable 4 at the second end 16 of the protective tray 10 remains attached to the motorized sliding door 2 while the rest of the power cable 4 is able to come out of the housing 11 to allow the movement of the motorized sliding door 2.

[0056] Of course, we understand that when the motorized sliding door 2 moves from its open position to its closed position, the power cable 4 comes to rest in the housing 11.

[0057] Thus, the present invention achieves its objective by proposing an architecture for a motorized opening that protects a power cable while minimizing the size of the motorized sliding opening by means of a protective tray in which a housing accommodates a power cable by conforming to the shape of the power cable to minimize the space of said housing.

Claims

1. Motorized sliding opening leaf (2) intended to be fitted to a vehicle (36), the motorized sliding opening leaf (2) comprising an outer panel (6), an inner panel (8), at least a part of a drive means configured to make possible the opening and / or closing of the motorized sliding opening leaf (2), said drive means having in particular a drive system making the sliding opening leaf (2) motorized and at least one power supply cable (4) disposed in the volume of the motorized sliding opening leaf (2), the at least one power supply cable (4) being configured to make it possible to supply electrical energy to at least one drive motor contained in the motorized sliding opening leaf (2) and / or to an electrical control of the drive means having at least one drive motor disposed on the bodyshell of the vehicle, on which the motorized sliding opening leaf (2) is intended to be mounted so as to be able to slide, characterized in that the inner panel (8) comprises a cutout in which a protective tray (10) is housed, the protective tray (10) forms a receiving housing (11) in which the at least one power supply cable (4) is disposed, the protective tray (10) being distinct from the inner panel (8) and secured to said inner panel (8).

2. Motorized sliding opening leaf (2) according to the preceding claim, wherein the housing (11) is disposed in the volume of the motorized sliding opening leaf (2) defined between the outer panel (6) and the inner panel (8).

3. Motorized sliding opening leaf (2) according to the preceding claim, wherein the housing (11) is delimited at least in part by a bottom wall (22) and by a lateral wall (24), the lateral wall (24) and the bottom wall (22) forming a first angle (26) with one another of between 90° and 120°.

4. Motorized sliding opening leaf (2) according to either one of Claims 2 and 3, wherein the housing (11) of the protective tray (10) is delimited by a peripheral edge (18) of the protective tray (10), the peripheral edge (18) being secured to the inner panel (8).

5. Motorized sliding opening leaf (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (11) has a shape that matches the shape of the power supply cable (4).

6. Motorized sliding opening leaf (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the power supply cable (4) is entirely housed in the housing (11) formed by the protective tray (10).

7. Motorized sliding opening leaf (2) according to Claim 4, wherein the peripheral edge (18) is in contact with the inner panel (8) via a flat bearing surface.

8. Motorized sliding opening leaf (2) according to Claim 7, wherein the housing (11) is delimited by the peripheral edge (18).

9. Motorized sliding opening leaf (2) according to either one of Claims 4 and 8, wherein the protective tray (10) is secured to the outer panel (6) at a portion of the protective tray (10) that is distinct from the peripheral edge (18).

10. Motorized sliding opening leaf (2) according to the preceding claim, wherein the portion of the protective tray (10) at which the protective tray (10) is secured to the outer panel (6) is disposed facing the housing (11).

11. Motor vehicle (36) comprising a motorized sliding opening leaf (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, the motor vehicle (36) comprising a guide rail in which the motorized sliding opening leaf (2) is able to move between an opening position and a closing position, the protective tray (10) of the motorized sliding opening leaf (2) being disposed directly facing the guide rail.