Support for a heat-producing object for a motor vehicle and motor vehicle provided with such a support

Abstract

The invention relates to a support (1) for a heat-producing object for a motor vehicle, the support (1) comprising: – resilient bearing tabs (13) configured, when the heat-producing object is in the mounted position, to bear thereagainst; – retaining elements (15) configured, when the heat-producing object is in the mounted position, to block same; the bearing tabs (13) and the retaining elements (15) being configured to be in contact with opposite faces of the heat-producing object, characterised in that at least one of the bearing tabs (13) comprises a recess and / or a thickened portion.

Description

Description Title of the invention: HEAT-HEADING OBJECT SUPPORT FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE AND MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH SUCH A SUPPORT [1] The present invention claims priority from French application 2303079 filed on March 30, 2023, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference. The present invention relates to the general field of motor vehicles, and more particularly to the field of object support devices, in particular a heat-generating object. [2] It should be noted that a heat-generating or thermogenic object is an object that generates heat; this could be a container containing a hot liquid, an electronic box, a heat exchanger, etc., as long as it releases heat permanently, temporarily and / or intermittently. [3] A motor vehicle comprises thousands of parts that need to be arranged and / or fixed in relation to each other, so it is very common for a vehicle to comprise one or more supports in which an object, for example a heat-generating object, can be placed. [4] More specifically, motor vehicles generally include a dashboard and / or a central console in which electronic boxes are generally installed, such as a driver alertness aid box (the box being located in the passenger area of ​​the dashboard and is generally associated with a camera located at the steering wheel). These electronic boxes are often fixed by clipping onto a supporting part, or support, generally made of plastic. [5] However, during assembly, the installation of the electronic box on the support is often difficult and can cause positioning or mechanical resistance defects over time, such as inversions, turning over, etc. as well as poor installation of the electronic box on the support. [6] It is therefore, among other things, necessary to improve the positioning of the electronic box in its support, while ensuring that the box is properly mounted on said support. [7] The present invention thus proposes to remedy at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a new type of heat-generating object support for a motor vehicle, said support comprising: - elastic support legs configured to be, in the mounted position, supported on said heat-producing object; - retaining elements configured to, in the mounted position, block the heat-producing object (for example in a direction opposite to the support direction of said support legs); said support legs and retaining means being configured to be in contact with opposite faces of said heat-producing object, characterized in that at least one of said support legs comprises a recess and / or an excess thickness. [8] Said support according to the invention is therefore configured to accommodate a heat-producing object which is held in position by means of elastic support tabs and retaining elements configured to be in contact on either side of the heat-producing object (in particular in contact with opposite faces of the object). Thus, the elastic support tabs exert a force on one of the faces of the object, while the retaining elements exert a force in the opposite direction on the opposite face. [9] Said support is therefore configured to hold a heat-bearing object between the support legs and the retaining elements, and advantageously at a distance from the main extension plane of said support (or in “levitation”), thus limiting the contact zones with the support itself, and the mounting efforts, but ensuring that the object is correctly mounted and that the heat released by the object is correctly dissipated.

[0010] Furthermore, it is easy to mount a heat-producing object in said support due to the elasticity of said support legs. Furthermore, once the object is mounted on the support according to the invention, the elastic support legs make it possible to avoid the risk of vibration (parasitic noise, untimely movements, etc.) when using the motor vehicle in which said support is placed, thus improving the perceived quality of the vehicle by the user.

[0011] According to a possible characteristic, said support comprises a main body on which said support legs and said retaining elements are located. Said support advantageously comprises a main body which has, for example, substantially the shape of a plate, said support tabs and said retaining elements extending away from the main body.

[0012] According to another possible characteristic, said support is monobloc. Advantageously, said support is a single-piece unit, thus reducing its cost and manufacturing difficulty. In addition, said support legs and said retaining elements are, for example, integral with the main body of the support.

[0013] According to another possible characteristic, said support is made of plastic material, such as a homopolymer (for example polypropylene) loaded with 40% minerals (so that it has high rigidity for injection molding applications). The support according to the invention is advantageously made of plastic, making it easier to manufacture, for example by injection.

[0014] According to another possible characteristic, the excess thickness or recess of a support leg extends both on the leg and on the main body. The addition or removal of material at the level of the support legs, and in particular on the base of said legs, preferably both partly on the main body and the start of said leg, therefore in two distinct planes, makes it possible to modify the elasticity of said support leg (i.e. to modify the stiffness coefficient of said leg), for example depending on the weight of the object that the support is intended to accommodate (as well as the distribution of the weight of the object).

[0015] It should be noted that it is thus possible to design a predefined support which is easily modifiable, by simply removing material at the level of said support legs, depending on the mass and / or the mass distribution of the heat-producing object intended to be mounted on the support (or if said object is to be modified).

[0016] According to another possible characteristic, said main body is openwork. The said main body thus has several openings which facilitate the circulation of air, generally by convection due to the heating of the air by the heat-producing object.

[0017] According to another possible characteristic, said support comprises stops configured to, in the mounted position, limit the movement of the heat-producing object along a plane substantially orthogonal to the support direction of said legs. support. Said stops are for example ribs, projections and / or protuberances, for example made of the same material as the main body of the support, which are configured to be located, in the mounted position, opposite the heat-producing object, and to prevent said object from being able to move, for example in a plane orthogonal to the support direction of said legs or in a plane parallel to the main extension plane of said support.

[0018] According to another possible characteristic, at least one of said support legs has a rounded contact end. One or more of the support legs advantageously have a rounded contact end (with said heat object), in order to limit the contact area between said leg and the heat object, and therefore to limit the conduction of heat from the heat object to the support via said support legs.

[0019] According to another possible characteristic, the recess and / or the excess thickness of said at least one support tab advantageously has a length at least twice its width.

[0020] The invention also relates to an assembly for a motor vehicle, said assembly comprising a heat-producing object and a support on which said heat-producing object is mounted, characterized in that said support is a heat-producing object support as defined above.

[0021] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle, for example thermal, electric or hybrid, characterized in that it comprises a support as defined above or an assembly as defined above.

[0022] The invention will be better understood, and other aims, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given solely for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - [Fig.1] illustrates a very schematic view, in perspective and from above, of a support according to the invention on which a heat-producing object is mounted; - [Fig. 2] is a schematic, perspective view from above of the support of [Fig. 1]; - [Fig. 3] is a schematic and bottom view of the support of [Fig. 1],

[0023] In the following description, the term "comprise" is synonymous with "include" and is not limiting in that it allows the presence of other elements in the vehicle, or the structure to which it relates. It is understood that the term "comprise" includes the terms "consist of".

[0024] In the present application, it will be noted that "substantially parallel" means a direction deviating by at most 20°, or even by at most 10° or at most 5° from a parallel direction. It will also be noted that "substantially orthogonal" means a direction deviating by at most 20°, or even by at most 10° or at most 5° from an angle of a value of 90°.

[0025] [Fig. 1] illustrates a very schematic, perspective and top view of a heat object support 1 on which a heat object 3 is mounted (or arranged). It will be noted that in the embodiment illustrated and described below, the heat-generating object 3 is an electronic box, but that said support is intended to support and accommodate any type of heat-generating or thermogenic object, that is to say one which releases heat, such as a container containing a hot liquid, a mobile phone, etc.

[0026] Said support 1 and said electronic box 3 thus form an assembly 5 intended to be mounted in a motor vehicle, said electronic box 3 being for example a driver vigilance aid box which is generally mounted under the dashboard on the passenger side and which is connected to a camera (not illustrated) located at the level of the steering wheel of the vehicle.

[0027] Said box 3 thus generally comprises: - an electronic circuit (not shown, but which is capable of generating heat) arranged inside said housing 3; - heat dissipation means 7, such as a radiator, generally made of aluminum, provided with fins; - electrical connectors 9 for communication and / or power supply allowing said box (and the electronic circuit) to be connected to other components of the vehicle, for example, in the case of a vigilance aid box, to the camera located on the steering wheel of the vehicle.

[0028] The electronic box 3 thus has a substantially rectangular shape, and therefore two opposite faces: - a first face (not visible in the figures) which is intended to be, in the mounted position, arranged opposite the support 1; - a second face 3a, corresponding here to the upper face of the radiator 7, which is, in the mounted position, the free face or the visible face of said housing 3.

[0029] Said support 1 advantageously comprises fixing elements (not shown) allowing the fixing of said support 1 to a structural element or a part of the motor vehicle. Said fixing elements are for example screws, nuts, rivets, threaded or unthreaded holes, etc.

[0030] [Fig. 2] is a schematic, perspective and top view of the support 1 for a heat-generating object for a motor vehicle, said support 1 comprising: - a main body 11, for example substantially plate-shaped; - elastic support tabs 13, advantageously arranged on said main body 11, configured to be, in the mounted position, supported on said housing 3, in particular at the level of the first face of the housing 3; - retaining elements 15, also advantageously arranged on said main body 11, configured to bear on said housing 3, in particular at the level of the second face 3a of the housing 3.

[0031] It will be noted that said main body 11 here has substantially the shape of a rectangular plate, but that said main body 11 can have any shape as long as it allows said support tabs 13 and said retaining elements 15 to be configured to be in contact with said housing 3 at two of its opposite faces.

[0032] Said support 1 is advantageously a single-piece element, and by extension said main body 11 is also a single-piece (or unitary). In addition, said support 1, in particular the main body 11, is for example made of plastic material, such as a homopolymer, for example polypropylene, loaded with 40% minerals (so that it has high rigidity for applications of injection molding). Furthermore, said support tabs 13 and the retaining elements 15 are advantageously made in one piece with the main body 11, and therefore by extension with the support 1.

[0033] In addition, said main body 11 is perforated, that is to say that one or more openings 17 are provided in said body 11, for example to facilitate the circulation of air heated by said housing 3, and thus promote the dissipation of the heat generated by the housing 3.

[0034] The support legs 13, for their part, each have substantially the shape of a blade or strip which extends away from the main body 11 (therefore from the main extension plane of said body and in the direction of the heat-producing object).

[0035] It will also be noted that a support tab 13 comprises several consecutive portions, including a so-called “base” portion which is connected to the main body 11, as well as an end portion which corresponds to the free contact end 13b, called the contact end, of the support tab 13 intended to be in contact with the housing 3. Advantageously, the contact end 13 of said support tabs 13 is rounded, that is to say that its terminal edge has a substantially round shape.

[0036] The retaining elements 15, for their part, have substantially a clip or hook shape, said retaining elements 15 extending away from the main body 11. Said retaining elements 15 are configured to be in contact with the housing 3, when the latter is mounted on the support 1, in particular the end, for example in the form of a hook, of the retaining elements 15 with the second face 3a of the housing, the bearing directions of the tabs 13 and of the retaining elements 15 being opposite (and substantially collinear or parallel) to guarantee the isostatism of the housing 3 in the support 1. In addition, at least one retaining element 15 advantageously has at its base a fillet 15a, fillet 15a located in the transition zone between the main body 11 and the retaining element 15.

[0037] Thus, when mounting the housing 3 in the support 1, the retaining elements 15 and the support 1 can deform to facilitate the insertion of the housing between the support tabs 13 and the retaining elements 15, the first face of the housing 3 being then in contact with the support tabs 13, while the retaining elements 15 are in contact with the second face 3a of the housing 3.

[0038] Each of said tabs 13 and said retaining elements 15 exerts a force on the housing 3 along an axis orthogonal to the main extension plane of the body 11, the forces exerted by the tabs 13 and the elements 15 on the housing 3 (in particular its opposite faces) having opposite directions.

[0039] The housing 3 is thus kept at a distance from the main extension plane of the main body 11, or even kept “in levitation”, the only contact zones between the housing 3 and the support 1 being the rounded free ends 13b of said tabs 13 and the terminal portion of the hooks of the retaining elements 15.

[0040] Said main body 11 (and therefore by extension the support 1) further comprises stops 19 configured, in the mounted position, to limit the movement of the housing 3. Said stops 19 are for example ribs, projections, protuberances, etc. which extend away from and substantially orthogonally to the main extension plane of said body 11.

[0041] Said stops 19 are for example integral with said main body 11 of the support 1. Furthermore, the stops 19 are configured to be located, in the mounted position, opposite the side walls of the housing 3, and for example in contact with said side walls, this in order to limit the movements of the housing 3 in a plane orthogonal to the support direction of said tabs 13 (or in a plane parallel to the main extension plane of the main body 11).

[0042] It will also be noted that the retaining elements 15 can also act as stops and / or foolproofing devices, in fact, a portion of said elements 15, such as the part or wall between the base and the hook, limits the movements of said object 3 in the mounted position. Furthermore, the arrangement of said stop elements 15 can also define a template (or contour) in which only the object 3 can be positioned during assembly.

[0043] [Fig. 3] is, for its part, a schematic and bottom view of the support 1 on which it can be seen that at least one of said support legs 13 comprises a localized recess 21. Said recess 21 is located both on the leg 13 and on the main body 11, the recess is advantageously straddling the base portion 13b of the leg 13 and the portion of the main body 11 opposite said portion 13b.

[0044] In a variant embodiment of the invention not shown, at least one of said support tabs 13 has a localized excess thickness which is located both on the tab 13 and on the main body 11, the excess thickness advantageously straddles the base portion 13b of the tab 13 and the main body 11 opposite said portion 13b (for example the part or portion of the body 11 located opposite and in the continuity of the support tab 13).

[0045] In another variant embodiment of the invention, not shown, said support tab 15 may have both a recess and an excess thickness, in order to give it a specific elastic behavior (for example, preventing certain modes of vibration).

[0046] It will be noted that it is advantageous for the recess and / or the excess thickness to extend in two distinct planes, the plane containing the main body 11 and the plane of the base portion, that is to say substantially their respective main extension planes, so that the elasticity of the support tab 13 is modified accordingly.

[0047] Indeed, the elastic support legs 13 can be likened to springs having a stiffness constant defined by their geometry and / or structure (thickness, width, length, material, etc.). However, the object intended to be supported by the support 1 may have its mass vary, or have an unevenly distributed mass, thus the stiffness constant of the support legs 13 can be modified by removing material (or by “punching”), in order to obtain a support leg 13 exerting the required force on the object, and thus guaranteeing its good maintenance over time.

[0048] It may also be noted that the stiffness coefficient of the support legs 13 may be selected by parameters relating to the recess 21 or the excess thickness, for example as a function of their length, their width, their depth and / or their shape. The recess 21 or the excess thickness of a support leg 13 advantageously has a length at least twice its width, j

Claims

Claims

1. Support (1) for a heat-producing object (3) for a motor vehicle, said support (1) comprising: - elastic support legs (13) configured to be, in the mounted position, supported on said heat-producing object (3); - retaining elements (15) configured to, in the mounted position, block the heat-producing object (3); said support tabs (13) and said retaining elements (15) being configured to be in contact with opposite faces (3a) of said heat-producing object (3), characterized in that at least one of said support tabs (13) comprises a recess (21) and / or an excess thickness.

2. Support (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said support (1) comprises a main body (11) on which said support tabs (15) and said retaining elements (15) are located.

3. Support (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the excess thickness or the recess (21) of a support tab (13) extends both on said tab (13) and on the main body (11).

4. Support (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said main body (11) is perforated. [Claim s] Support (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support (1) comprises stops (19) configured to, in the mounted position, limit the movement of the heat-producing object (3) along a plane substantially orthogonal to the support direction of said support legs (13).

6. Support (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said support legs (13) has a rounded contact end (13b).

7. Support (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support (1) is in one piece. [Claim s] Support (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support (1) is made of plastic material.

9. Assembly (5) for a motor vehicle, said assembly (5) comprising an electronic box (3) and a support (1) on which said box (3) is mounted, characterized in that said support (1) is a heat-producing object support according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises an assembly (5) according to the preceding claim.

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