Motor vehicle headlight unit provided with means for retaining the bumper cover

Abstract

The invention relates to a headlight unit (100) for a motor vehicle, including a casing (110) closed by cover lens (120) having a front face (121) intended to be surrounded at least partially by a bumper cover, the cover lens also having an outer rim (122) extending rearwards from and along at least part of the outer contour of the front face; said headlight unit further comprising a plurality of support elements (127) extending below the lower portion of the outer rim of the cover lens and forming bearing surfaces for the lower surface of a flange of a portion of the bumper cover, as well as a plurality of bosses (128) projecting from the lower surface of the lower portion of the outer rim and forming bearing surfaces for the upper surface of said flange, such that the latter is sandwiched vertically between the bosses and the support elements.

Description

Description Title of the invention: Motor vehicle optical unit provided with means for holding the bumper skin [Technical field] [1] The present invention claims priority from French application 2300108 filed on 05.01.2023, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference. The present invention relates generally to the problem of clearances and flushes between a motor vehicle optical unit and the bumper skin of this vehicle. It relates in particular to such an optical unit provided with holding means capable of cooperating with a fallen edge of a portion of said bumper skin, so as to manage the clearances and flushes between this portion of said skin and the lower part of the outer contour of the front face of the glass of this optical unit. [2] [Prior technique] [3] Motor vehicles have a front end comprising, among other things, two optical units which constitute the front lighting components of the vehicle, and a bumper skin. [4] Such an optical unit conventionally comprises a housing containing at least one light module and having an opening closed by a cover glass comprising a front facade intended to be surrounded at least partially by this bumper skin. [5] The management of clearances and flushnesses between these optical units and the bumper skin is essential for the aesthetics of the front of the vehicle. This bumper skin must therefore be supported in the vertical direction so that the clearance between the latter and the optical units is zero or at least uniform. [6] To achieve this goal, one solution is to use an intermediate piece which presses the bumper skin onto the glass of each optical unit. This part most often called "presser" has the function of ensuring zero play by pressing the bumper skin onto the glass of each optical unit. [7] Document FR 2 783 797 A1 discloses such a solution, the pressers are here fixed in the lower part of the technical front face of the vehicle which is itself connected to the front ends of the stretchers of this vehicle. The dispersion of the length of these stretchers induces a dispersion of the positioning of the pressers and therefore of the bumper skin so that the clearances between the optical units and the bumper skin are not properly controlled and constant. [8] In order to improve the management of clearances between the optical units and the bumper skin, it is known in particular from document FR 2 914 265 A1 to provide directly on the glass of each optical unit holding means capable of cooperating with a fallen edge of a portion of said skin so as to manage the clearances and flushness between this portion of said skin and the lower part of the external contour of the front face of the glass. [9] These holding means comprise several support elements arranged below the lower part of an outer edge of the glass extending substantially longitudinally towards the rear from and along at least part of the outer contour of its front face, these support elements forming support surfaces for the lower face of said fallen edge.

[0010] However, some optical units have windows with a particular geometry and / or layout involving a greater number of flush areas between this window and the bumper skin, so as to generate certain difficulties in managing the clearances and flush areas between certain portions of said skin and the front face of the window. [Statement of the invention]

[0011] The present invention aims to improve the situation.

[0012] To this end, it proposes a motor vehicle optical unit comprising a housing containing at least one light module and having an opening closed by a cover glass comprising a front facade intended to be surrounded at least partially by a bumper skin, said glass also comprising an outer rim extending substantially longitudinally rearwardly from and along at least a portion of the outer contour of said front facade, said optical unit further comprising holding means capable of cooperating with a fallen edge of a portion of said skin so as to manage the clearances and flushnesses between this portion of said skin and the lower portion of the outer contour of said front facade of the glass, said holding means comprising several support elements extending below the lower portion of said outer rim of the glass and forming bearing surfaces for the lower face of said fallen edge; characterized in that said holding means also comprise several bosses projecting from the lower face of said lower portion of the outer rim and forming bearing surfaces for the upper face of said fallen edge, so that said fallen edge is vertically sandwiched between said bosses and said support elements.

[0013] The addition of these bosses thus makes it possible to ensure effective pinching of the fallen edge of the portion of bumper skin concerned so as to ensure, without generating hyperstaticism, better management of the clearances and flushness between this portion of said skin and the lower part of the external contour of said front face of the window.

[0014] According to preferred characteristics of said optical unit according to the invention: - said bosses are arranged in a staggered pattern with respect to said support elements; - said support elements are aligned in a transverse direction, being spaced two by two by the same predetermined transverse interval; - said bosses are also aligned in a transverse direction, being spaced two by two apart from said predetermined transverse interval; - said support elements extend projecting from the front face of the lower part of an external peripheral strip of the window extending said external edge and intended to be covered by said bumper skin; - each said support element is in the form of a hollow block with a longitudinal axis comprising a flat front wall and a side wall extending between this front wall and said lower part of the outer peripheral strip; - said support elements and said bosses are molded from a single piece of plastic material with said glass; - this comprises anti-indentation ribs each taking root on a corresponding support element, projecting in front of the latter and forming stops for the rear face of said portion of the bumper skin; and / or - said anti-indentation ribs are molded from a single piece of plastic material with said support elements.

[0015] The invention also relates, in a second aspect, to a motor vehicle comprising at least one such optical unit. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] The description of the invention will now be continued by the detailed description of an exemplary embodiment, given below for illustrative but non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - [Fig 1] represents a three-quarter front perspective view of the left part of the front facade of a motor vehicle comprising an optical lighting and / or signaling unit according to the invention embedded in an opening made in the bumper skin of this vehicle; - [Fig 2] is a perspective view of the optical unit according to the invention; - [Fig 3] represents an enlargement from another angle of the lower part of the optical block of figure 2; - [Fig 4] is a sectional view of the lower part of the optical block of figure 2, taken along a vertical longitudinal plane passing through a support element; and - [Fig 5] represents a sectional view of the lower part of the optical block of figure 2, taken along a vertical longitudinal plane crossing a boss. [Detailed description]

[0017] Figure 1 represents a three-quarter front perspective view of the left part of the front facade 1 of a motor vehicle comprising a front lighting and / or signaling optical unit 100 embedded in an opening made in the bumper skin 200 of this vehicle, the upper portion of which is not shown.

[0018] In the description which follows and by convention, when referring to qualifiers of orientation (such as the terms “vertical”, “transverse” or “horizontal”) or position (such as the terms “front”, “rear”, “upper” or “lower”), the latter will be defined in relation to the normal mounting position of this optical unit 100 in the vehicle and according to the ordinary direction of progression of the latter.

[0019] The terms "external" and "internal" will be used to define the relative position of an element with reference to the median vertical longitudinal plane of the vehicle. The element closest to this plane will thus be described as internal, as opposed to the other element further from this same plane, which will be described as external.

[0020] Finally, the term "substantially" will indicate that a slight deviation is permitted from a predetermined nominal position or arrangement, while remaining within the scope of the invention. For example, "substantially vertical" indicates that a deviation of the order of 15 to 20° from a strictly vertical orientation is permitted within the scope of the invention.

[0021] The optical unit 100 will now be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2.

[0022] This optical unit 100 comprises a housing 110 advantageously molded in one piece from a thermoplastic polymer such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and containing at least one light module M (partially visible in figs 4 and 5) providing one or more photometric lighting functions (such as the dipped beam and / or main beam functions) and / or signaling functions (such as the lantern, daytime running light and / or indicator functions).

[0023] The housing 110 also has an exit opening for the light rays which is closed by a cover glass 120 advantageously molded from a transparent plastic polymer such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

[0024] The glass 120 is fixedly attached to the housing 110 on the peripheral edge of its opening, for example by laser welding so as to ensure perfect sealing.

[0025] As can be seen in this figure 1, the window 120 comprises a front facade 121 visible from the exterior of the vehicle and surrounded at least partially by the bumper skin 200.

[0026] Presenting a substantially U-shaped contour lying down whose concavity is turned towards the external side, the front facade 121 comprises two upper branches 121 A and lower 121 B joined by an internal branch 121C.

[0027] The window 120 also comprises an outer rim 122 extending substantially longitudinally towards the rear from and along at least part of the outer contour of the front facade 121, this outer rim 122 extending by an outer peripheral strip 123 intended to be covered by the bumper skin 200.

[0028] The glass 120 further comprises an inner rim 124 extending substantially longitudinally rearwardly from and along the inner contour of the front facade 121, to a closing wall 126 extending back from the facade 121 between the two upper branches 121A and lower branches 121B.

[0029] The upper part of the outer peripheral strip 123 comprises several attachment ribs 127 projecting from its front face and on which are fitted metal clipping staples 130 intended to allow the snap-fastening of a portion (not shown) of the bumper skin 200 covering this upper part of the outer peripheral strip 123 flush with the upper part of the outer contour of the front facade 121.

[0030] The closing wall 126 also comprises several attachment ribs 127 projecting from its front face and on which are fitted metal clipping staples 130 intended to allow the snap-fastening of a portion 220 of the bumper skin 200 covering this closing wall 126 flush with the inner contour of the front facade 121, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0031] Still with reference to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the bumper skin 200 also comprises a portion 230 covering the lower part of the outer peripheral strip 123 of the window 120 flush with the lower part of the outer contour of the front facade 121.

[0032] However, and in order to avoid generating hyperstaticism, this portion 230 of the bumper skin 200 is not fixed by snap-fastening to the lower part of the outer peripheral strip 123 of the window 120.

[0033] In order to manage the clearances and flushnesses between the portion 230 of the bumper skin 200 and the lower part of the outer contour of the front facade 121, the optical unit 100 comprises holding means capable of cooperating with an upper fallen edge 231 of this portion 230, visible in figures 4 and 5.

[0034] These holding means comprise several support elements 127 (four in this case) extending projecting from the front face of the lower part of the outer peripheral strip 123, below the lower part of the outer rim 122, and the respective upper ends of which constitute bearing surfaces for the lower face of the fallen edge 231 of the portion 230 of the bumper skin 200.

[0035] These support elements 127 are aligned in a transverse direction, advantageously being spaced two by two by the same predetermined transverse interval.

[0036] As can be better seen in Figure 3, each support element 127 is in the form of a hollow stud with a longitudinal axis comprising a flat front wall 127A and a side wall 127B extending between this front wall 127A and the lower part of the outer peripheral strip 123.

[0037] According to the invention, the holding means also comprise several bosses 128 (three in this case) projecting from the lower face of the lower part of the outer rim 122 and the respective lower ends of which constitute bearing surfaces for the upper face of the fallen edge 231 of the portion 230 of the bumper skin 200, so that this fallen edge 231 is vertically sandwiched between these bosses 128 and the support elements 127, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0038] These bosses 128 are also aligned in a transverse direction, being advantageously spaced two by two by the same predetermined transverse interval, preferably equal to that separating two support elements 127.

[0039] In order to better distribute the forces exerted on the fallen edge 231 of the portion 230 of the bumper skin 200 and to allow it to deform slightly so that it can be integrated more easily between the support elements 127 and the bosses 128, the latter are advantageously arranged in a staggered manner with respect to the support elements 127 (i.e. transversely spaced from them).

[0040] The support elements 127 and the bosses 128 are advantageously molded in a single piece of plastic material with the glass 120. However, and according to alternative embodiments not shown, the support elements 127 and / or the bosses 128 may constitute added parts and fixed in an appropriate manner on the glass 120.

[0041] The optical unit 100 further comprises anti-indentation ribs 129 each taking root on a corresponding support element 127 projecting in front of the latter, these ribs 129 being provided to come into abutment against the rear face of the portion 230 of the skin 200 in the event of expansion or slight depression of this skin 200 so as to prevent the rear end of the fallen edge 231 of this portion 230 of the skin 200 from coming into contact with the lower part of the outer peripheral strip 123 of the glass 120 and causing the generation of parasitic squeaking noises.

[0042] These anti-indentation ribs 129 are advantageously molded from a single piece of plastic material with the support elements 127, which in particular makes it possible to easily adjust their longitudinal depth by removing or adding material in the injection mold used to manufacture the plastic part in which these support elements 127 are made, so as to adjust the spacing between these ribs 129 and the portion 230 of the skin 200 (this spacing being for example between 3 and 10 millimeters).

[0043] According to other embodiment variants not shown, the number and / or the conformation of the support elements 127 and the bosses 128 may vary.

[0044] Many other variant embodiments are of course conceivable and it is recalled that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but that it encompasses any variant execution within the reach of those skilled in the art, i

Claims

Claims

1. Optical unit (100) of a motor vehicle comprising a housing (110) containing at least one light module (M) and having an opening closed by a cover glass (120) comprising a front facade (121) intended to be surrounded at least partially by a bumper skin (200), said glass (120) also comprising an outer rim (122) extending substantially longitudinally towards the rear from and along at least a part of the outer contour of said front facade (121), said optical unit (100) further comprising holding means capable of cooperating with a fallen edge (231) of a portion (230) of said skin (200) so as to manage the clearances and flushnesses between this portion (230) of said skin (200) and the lower part of the outer contour of said front facade (121) of the glass (120),said holding means comprising a plurality of support elements (127) extending below the lower part of said outer rim (122) of the glass (120) and forming bearing surfaces for the lower face of said flanged edge (231); characterized in that said holding means also comprise a plurality of bosses (128) projecting from the lower face of said lower part of the outer rim (122) and forming bearing surfaces for the upper face of said flanged edge (231), so that said flanged edge (231) is vertically sandwiched between said bosses (128) and said support elements (127).,

2. Optical unit (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said bosses (128) are arranged in a staggered manner with respect to said support elements (127).

3. Optical unit (100) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said support elements (127) are aligned in a transverse direction while being spaced two by two by the same predetermined transverse interval.

4. Optical unit (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that said bosses (128) are also aligned in a direction transversely by being spaced two by two from said predetermined transverse interval.

5. Optical unit (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said support elements (127) extend projecting from the front face of the lower part of an external peripheral strip (123) of the glass (120) extending said external edge (122) and intended to be covered by said bumper skin (200).

6. Optical unit (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that each said support element (127) is in the form of a hollow stud with a longitudinal axis comprising a flat front wall (127A) and a side wall (127B) extending between this front wall (127A) and said lower part of the outer peripheral strip (123).

7. Optical unit (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said support elements (127) and said bosses (128) are molded in a single piece of plastic material with said glass (120).

8. Optical unit (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises anti-indentation ribs (129) each taking root on a corresponding support element (127) projecting in front of the latter and forming stops for the rear face of said portion (230) of the bumper skin (200).

9. Optical unit (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that said anti-indentation ribs (129) are molded in a single piece of plastic material with said support elements (127).

10. Motor vehicle comprising at least one optical unit (100) according to one of claims 1 to 9.

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