Motor vehicle fender and assembly of such a fender and of a liquid tank

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle fender (1) comprising at least one wall (8), an outer face (10) of which at least partially contributes to defining an outer shape of the motor vehicle and an inner face (14) of which at least partially bounds a region (28) for accommodating a liquid tank (2), the fender (1) comprising at least one attachment point (16) intended to rigidly attach the fender (1) to the vehicle and at least one member (20) for stiffening the wall (8) that projects from the inner face (14) of the fender (1), the fender (1) comprising at least one attachment means (22) intended to support the liquid tank (2).

Description

[0001] Title: Motor vehicle wing and assembly of such a wing and a fluid reservoir

[0002] The present invention relates to the automotive field and more particularly concerns that of wings and liquid reservoirs.

[0003] Currently, windshield washer fluid reservoirs are located in the engine compartment of the vehicle, or in a space delimited by a wing of the vehicle and by an element of the body of said motor vehicle. These reservoirs are secured to the body by means of fixing points, their installation traditionally taking place after the wing has been fitted to the body.

[0004] This design, known from the state of the art, does, however, have drawbacks. A first drawback lies in the fact that the shape, and therefore the volume capacity of this tank, is partly dictated by the shape of the body element on which the tank is fixed. The volume capacity thus depends on the location where it is installed and the configuration of the body element.

[0005] The prior art design suffers from a second drawback. The assembly involves a first step of mounting the wing on the vehicle body, then a second step, separate and subsequent to the first step, of fixing the tank against the body element.

[0006] The invention detailed below at least partially overcomes any of these drawbacks.

[0007] In this context, the main subject of the present invention is a wing intended to equip a motor vehicle, comprising at least one wall, an outer face of which participates at least in part in defining an outer shape of the motor vehicle and an inner face of which delimits at least in part a zone for receiving a liquid reservoir, said wing comprising at least one fixing point intended to secure the wing to a body of the vehicle, at least one member for stiffening the wall and which projects from the inner face of the wing, said wing comprising at least one fixing means intended to carry the liquid reservoir.

[0008] The wing according to the invention is intended to equip a motor vehicle and has the particularity of being able to be associated with a liquid reservoir in order to form a solid assembly, prior to its mounting on a vehicle body. This solid assembly makes it possible to attach two components to the vehicle in a single assembly step, which represents a time saving in the assembly process and allows for cost savings.

[0009] The assembly of the liquid tank to the wing according to the invention then makes it possible to produce a compact assembly, thus ensuring the simultaneous mounting of these two elements on the vehicle.

[0010] The attachment point can, for example, be an area of ​​the wing, for example reinforced, which has at least one hole.

[0011] The stiffening member can, for example, be one or more ribs.

[0012] The fixing means may for example be an orifice or a stud, for example provided at the level of the stiffening member.

[0013] According to another characteristic, the stiffening member comprises at least a first rib and a second rib, both made in one piece with the wall of the wing, the fixing means comprising at least a first orifice formed through the first rib and a second orifice formed through the second rib, said orifices being configured to receive at least one member for securing the liquid reservoir.

[0014] It should be understood here that the fixing means are arranged within the stiffening member originating from the wing so as to correspond to the securing members belonging to the liquid tank once the latter is connected to the wing. The securing member may for example be a tab extending from a body of the liquid tank.

[0015] The stiffening member improves the mechanical strength of the wing because it carries the liquid tank. Since the weight of the liquid tank once filled can reach 5 kg, it is important to ensure that the wing, and more specifically the wing wall, does not deform.

[0016] In addition to the first and second ribs, there is a third rib comprising a third orifice configured to optimize the function of securing the liquid tank to the wing.

[0017] According to another feature, the receiving area is at least partly delimited by one of the ribs. The first rib, for example, delimits one of the ends of the receiving area of ​​the liquid reservoir. This receiving area is also delimited by the inner face of the wing wall, by a wing cheek and by a lining of the body, when the assembly formed by the wing and the liquid reservoir is integral with a vehicle body. In such a configuration, the receiving area can also be delimited by a mudguard.

[0018] According to another feature, the fixing means and the fixing point immediately adjacent to said fixing means are separated by a maximum distance of 50 mm. This feature makes it possible to avoid any deformation of the wing by guaranteeing a maximum distance between the point which carries the liquid tank and the point which secures the wing to the body.

[0019] According to another characteristic, the wing comprises at least three fixing means, each fixing means being arranged so as to block the liquid reservoir in a direction perpendicular to a plane in which each fixing means is inscribed, the planes of the fixing means being intersecting.

[0020] A first attachment means for supporting the reservoir comprises a face that blocks movement of the liquid reservoir in a plane perpendicular to that face. A second attachment means for supporting the reservoir comprises a surface that blocks movement of the liquid reservoir in a plane perpendicular to that surface. A third attachment means for supporting the reservoir comprises a flank that blocks movement of the liquid reservoir in a plane perpendicular to that flank.

[0021] The first plane intersects the second and third planes. The face, surface, and flank also lie in intersecting planes.

[0022] According to another feature, the wall, the stiffening member, the fixing means and the at least one fixing point are made of synthetic material. In other words, it is a wing made of a synthetic material.

[0023] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a wing as described in the present document and a liquid reservoir, characterized in that the liquid reservoir comprises at least one securing member fixed to at least one fastening means originating from said wing. Once the securing members belonging to the liquid reservoir are aligned with the fastening means originating from the wing and correspond to each other, screws are added to pass through the holes in the fastening means as well as the securing members, so as to fix the liquid reservoir to the wing.

[0024] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle body comprising an assembly as described above, said assembly being secured to the vehicle body by at least one fixing point, said liquid reservoir being carried by the wing.

[0025] This feature has the advantage of first producing a compact sub-assembly comprising both the wing and the liquid tank, facilitating production and assembly operations on the vehicle body.

[0026] According to another characteristic, the box comprises a lining which at least partially delimits the reception area of ​​the liquid reservoir, said liquid reservoir comprising a filling conduit which passes into an opening provided through the lining.

[0027] The purpose of the filler pipe is to supply an internal volume of the liquid tank from a compartment of the body, for example a front, rear or engine compartment(s).

[0028] The invention also relates to a method of mounting an assembly as previously described on a motor vehicle body during which, in a first step, the liquid reservoir is secured to the wing by connecting at least one securing member to at least one means of fixing the wing; then, in a second step, the assembly thus formed of the wing and its liquid reservoir is secured to the body.

[0029] According to an optional feature of the method mentioned above, it is provided that the filling conduit is arranged through the opening of the body liner, after the first and second steps.

[0030] Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the description which follows on the one hand, and examples of embodiment given for informational and non-limiting purposes with reference to the appended drawings on the other hand, in which:

[0031] [Fig. 1] schematically illustrates an outer face of a wing according to the invention;

[0032] [Fig. 2] schematically illustrates an inner face of the wing according to the invention; [Fig. 2] schematically illustrates a liquid reservoir intended to be associated with the wing according to the invention;

[0033] [Fig. 4] schematically illustrates the assembly formed by the wing according to figure 2 and the liquid tank;

[0034] [Fig. 5] illustrates a first assembly step of the method which is the subject of the invention,

[0035] [Fig. 6] illustrates a second assembly step of the method which is the subject of the invention.

[0036] 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 conceived 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 and / or to differentiate the invention from the state of the prior art.

[0037] In the detailed description which follows, the terms “longitudinal”, “vertical” and “transverse” refer to the orientation of the wing intended to receive the liquid reservoir. A longitudinal direction corresponds to a direction in which the main elongation axis of the wing is inscribed, this longitudinal direction being parallel to a longitudinal axis L of a reference frame L, V, T. A vertical direction corresponds to a direction perpendicular to the ground on which the vehicle equipped with the wing according to the invention rests and the corresponding vertical axis V is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. Finally, a transverse direction corresponds to a direction parallel to a transverse axis T of the reference frame L, V, T, this transverse axis T being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L and to the vertical axis V.

[0038] As a reminder, the invention proposes a wing 1 intended to equip a body of a motor vehicle, said wing 1 being designed to carry a liquid tank 2. This wing 1 is particular in that it comprises at least one stiffening member 20, a first role of which is to stiffen the wing 1 and a second role of which is to serve as a point for fixing the liquid tank 2. When the liquid tank 2 is integral with the wing 1, these elements form a unitary assembly, which offers a time saving in the vehicle assembly process.

[0039] Figures 1 and 2 respectively represent an exterior view and an interior view of the wing according to the invention, intended to be secured to the body of the vehicle.

[0040] As detailed in Figure 1, the wing 1 comprises a wall 8 which defines the shape of the wing 1. The wall 8 comprises an outer face 10 visible from the exterior of the vehicle. The outer face 10 defines the aesthetic appearance of this area of ​​the vehicle. The wall 8 also delimits a wheel arch 12 in which a wheel of the vehicle moves.

[0041] As detailed in Figure 2, the wall 8 comprises, among other things, an inner face 14 arranged opposite the wheel arch mentioned above. The wing 1 comprises a first attachment point 16a located on a first front end 18a of the wing 1 and intended to secure the wing 1 to the body of the vehicle. A second attachment point 16b projects from an upper edge 18b of the wing 1 and a third attachment point 16c projects from a cheek 18c constituting the wing 1. The first attachment point 16a, the second attachment point 16b and the third attachment point 16c have the role of ensuring the mechanical attachment of the wing 1 to the body.

[0042] According to the invention, the wall 8 comprises a stiffening member 20 configured to optimize the strength and the hold of the wing 1 due to the fact that the latter is intended to carry the weight of the liquid reservoir 2 once fixed to the wing 1. The stiffening member 20 comprises for example a first rib 20a, a second rib 20b and a third rib 20c, all made of the same material as the wall 8 of the wing 1 and projecting from the inner face 14. The stiffening member 20 can of course take another form as long as it gives the wall 8 improved mechanical strength.

[0043] In the present case, the first rib 20a and the second rib 20b are each a flat protrusion which projects perpendicularly from the inner face 14 of the wall 8. This protrusion extends from the upper edge 18b to a band in the shape of an arc of a circle which terminates the wing 1.

[0044] Each rib 20a, 20b, 20c comprises a fixing means 22 intended to fix the liquid reservoir 2 on the wing 1, as will be detailed in FIG. 3. The fixing means 22 may for example comprise a first orifice 22a, a second orifice 22b and a third orifice 22c. The first rib 20a comprises the first orifice 22a. The second rib 20b comprises the second orifice 22b and the third rib 20c comprises the third orifice 22c. The orifices 22a, 22b, 22c are each intended to be passed through by screws configured to fix the liquid reservoir 2 to the wing 1. Alternatively, a fixing means may also take the form of a stud made from a single material with the rib which carries it.

[0045] The wing 1 comprises a wall 25 which extends in a plane parallel to the plane in which a rib is inscribed, here the second rib 20b. The latter delimits with this wall 25 a cavity 24 configured to receive a securing member 26 belonging to the liquid reservoir 2, as will be detailed in FIG. 3.

[0046] The first rib 20a makes it possible to fix and block the position of the liquid reservoir 2 against the wing 1 in a first direction DI which is perpendicular to a first plane PI in which the first rib 20a is inscribed. The second rib 20b makes it possible to fix and block the position of the liquid reservoir 2 against the wing 1 in a second direction D2 which is perpendicular to a second plane P2 in which the second rib 20b is inscribed. The third rib 20c makes it possible to fix and block the position of the liquid reservoir 2 against the wing 1 in a third direction D3 which is perpendicular to a third plane P3 in which the third rib 20c is inscribed. The first plane PI, the second plane P2 and the third plane P3 are intersecting, advantageously orthogonally.

[0047] The orientations imposed by these three planes make it possible to block the position of the liquid tank 2 against the wing 1 so as to ensure optimal support of the entire body of the liquid tank 2.

[0048] The first rib 20a delimits a first edge of a receiving zone 28 of the liquid reservoir 2, this receiving zone 28 being illustrated by a dotted zone in FIG. 2. It is also noted that the receiving zone 28 is delimited by the wing cheek 18c and by the inner face 14 of the wall 8.

[0049] In Figure 3, the liquid reservoir 2 comprises a first securing member 26a which extends in the plane of a first side 30a of the liquid reservoir, a second securing member 26b which extends in a plane of a second side 30b of the liquid reservoir and a third securing member 26c which extends in a plane of a third side 30c of the liquid reservoir.

[0050] Each of the securing members 26a, 26b and 26c comprises a hole and a captive nut 32a, 32b and 32c.

[0051] The liquid tank 2 also comprises a lower face which follows an arcuate profile and which joins the first side 30a, the second side 30b and the third side 30c. It is noted that the second side 30b is the one which is intended to come opposite the body of the vehicle, when the assembly formed by the wing and the liquid tank is integral with the body.

[0052] Opposite this second side 30b, the liquid reservoir 2 comprises a fourth side 30d which is the one intended to come opposite the inner face 14 of the wall 8 of the wing 1.

[0053] The liquid reservoir 2 comprises a channel 29 formed at the fourth side 30d intended to receive the second rib 20b. The role of such a channel 29 is to avoid any mechanical interference between the liquid reservoir 2 and the second rib 20b coming from the inner face 14 of the wing 1.

[0054] As further detailed in Figure 3, the liquid reservoir 2 comprises a filling conduit 36 ​​through which the liquid is introduced into a volume of the reservoir. The filling conduit 36 ​​consists, for example, of a corrugated sheath making it possible to modulate the position and / or the length of said filling conduit 36.

[0055] As seen in Figure 4, the first securing member 26a of the liquid reservoir 2 is arranged opposite the first fixing means 22a, the latter being arranged in the first stiffening member 20a of the wing 1. The second securing member 26b of the liquid reservoir 2 is arranged opposite the second fixing means 22b, this second fixing means 22 being arranged in the cavity 24 delimited by the second stiffening member 20b of the wing 1 and by the wall 25. Also, the third securing member 26c is carried by the third fixing means 22c, the latter being arranged in the third stiffening member 20c of the wing 1. The alignment of each securing member with a fixing means allows the passage of a screw to fix the liquid reservoir 2 to the wing 1.

[0056] The receiving zone 28 is configured to receive the liquid reservoir 2. According to one aspect of this embodiment, one of the sides of the liquid reservoir 2 comes to bear against the first rib 20a, while another side of the reservoir comes to rest on the third rib 20c

[0057] The liquid tank 2 assembled on the wing 1 thus forms a compact and unitary assembly 34. The assembly 34 is then secured to the vehicle body by the fixing points 16a, 16b, 16c.

[0058] Figure 5 and Figure 6 show the two main steps of the method of assembling the assembly 34 on the vehicle body. This assembly method comprises a first step of securing the liquid tank 2 to the wing 1. Such securing is made possible by the cooperation between the securing members 26a, 26b and 26c constituting the liquid tank 2 and the fixing means 22 of the wing 1, which carry this liquid tank 2. This first step takes place at a distance from the body 27 of the vehicle.

[0059] The assembly method comprises a second step illustrated by Figure 6 during which the assembly 34 formed by the wing 1 and the liquid tank 2 is fixed to the body 27 of the vehicle. Here, the assembly is secured thanks to the different fixing points 16a, 16b, 16c arranged on the wing 1.

[0060] It is noted that, between the first step and the second step, the assembly method provides for the introduction of the filling conduit 36 ​​into an opening 31 of the lining constituting the body 27. After its passage through the opening 31, the filling conduit 36 ​​is fixed to the body, for example with a staple.

[0061] As just described, the invention achieves the aims it has set itself, namely to simplify a method of assembling a vehicle with regard to its liquid tank and its wing, by providing a wing configured as a support having the function of individually carrying the liquid tank, these two components then forming a unitary assembly which can be attached to the vehicle in a single assembly step.

[0062] The present invention cannot, however, be limited to the means and configurations described and illustrated here and it also extends to any equivalent means and configuration as well as to any technically effective combination of such means.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Wing (1) intended to equip a motor vehicle, comprising at least one wall (8) of which an outer face (10) participates at least in part in defining an outer shape of the motor vehicle and of which an inner face (14) delimits at least in part a receiving zone (28) of a liquid reservoir (2), said wing (1) comprising at least one fixing point (16a, 16b, 16c) intended to secure the wing (1) to a body of the vehicle and at least one stiffening member (20) of the wall (8) which projects from the inner face (14) of the wing (1), said wing (1) comprising at least one fixing means (22) intended to carry the liquid reservoir (2).

2. Wing (1) according to the preceding claim, in which the stiffening member (20) comprises at least a first rib (20a) and a second rib (20b), both made in one piece with the wall (8) of the wing (1), the fixing means (22) comprising at least a first orifice (22a) formed through the first rib (20a) and a second orifice (22b) formed through the second rib (20b), said orifices (22a, 22b) being configured to receive at least one securing member (26) of the liquid reservoir (2).

3. Wing (1) according to claim 2, in which the receiving zone (28) is at least partly delimited by one of the ribs (20a, 20b).

4. Wing (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fixing means (22) and the fixing point (16) immediately adjacent to said fixing means (22) are separated by a maximum distance of 50 mm.

5. Wing (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises at least three fixing means (22), each fixing means (22) being arranged so as to block the liquid reservoir (2) in a direction perpendicular to a plane (PI, P2, P3) in which each fixing means (22) is inscribed, the planes (PI, P2, P3) of the fixing means (22) being intersecting.

6. Wing (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the wall (8), the stiffening member (20), the fixing means (22) and the at least one fixing point (16) are made of synthetic material.

7. An assembly (34) comprising a wing (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and a liquid reservoir (2), wherein the liquid reservoir (2) comprises at least one securing member (26) fixed to at least one fixing means (22) originating from said wing (1).

8. Motor vehicle body comprising an assembly (34) according to claim 7, said assembly (34) being secured to the vehicle body by at least one fixing point (16a, 16b, 16c, 16d), said liquid reservoir (2) being carried by the wing (1).

9. Motor vehicle body according to claim 8, comprising at least one lining which at least partially delimits the receiving area (28) of the liquid reservoir (2), said liquid reservoir (2) comprising a filling conduit (36) which passes into an opening (31) formed through the lining.

10. Method for mounting an assembly (34) on a motor vehicle body according to any one of claims 8 to 9 during which: in a first step, according to which the liquid reservoir (2) is secured to the wing (1) by connecting at least one securing member (26) to at least one fixing means (22) of the wing, then, in a second step, according to which the assembly (34) thus formed of the wing (1) and its liquid reservoir (12) is secured to the body.

11. Assembly method according to claim 10, the body being in accordance with claim 9, during which the filling conduit (36) is arranged through the opening (31) of the body liner, after the first and second steps.

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