Carter including a fin

Abstract

Housing (1) comprising a fin (2) shaped to provide a means for attaching (5) a sheath (3). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Housing comprising a fin

[0001] The present invention relates to a housing comprising a fin, this fin holding a cable along the housing.

[0002] It relates in particular but not limited to the field of motor vehicles and more particularly vehicles with hybrid or fully electric propulsion.

[0003] The routing of this cable, for example electrical, in these vehicles is often complex because of the little space available for its passage, thus imposing multiple curves on the cable to get around a multitude of obstacles.

[0004] Furthermore, this cable is in an environment comprising components that are a source of vibrations and temperature increases, requiring minimum separation distances from these components to avoid mechanical or thermal deterioration of the cable, or requiring maximum distances between two cable attachments to avoid the latter from sloshing.

[0005] To hold these cables, we know of staples, or supports using pre-existing or specific fixing holes.

[0006] Furthermore, patent document US-A1-20080272268 discloses a heat engine block comprising cooling fins. In order to maintain this cable, a cable support is inserted between these fins.

[0007] These solutions require additional parts (staples, supports, clips) which complicate the cable holding system. In addition, this requires numerous assembly operations and therefore increases the risk of poor quality, such as a poorly mounted staple or support which becomes detached due to vibrations.

[0008] Consequently, the problem underlying the invention is to remedy at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks by optimizing this holding system.

[0009] To this end, the present invention relates to a casing comprising a fin, this casing being such that the fin is shaped so as to have a means for fixing a sheath.

[0010] Throughout the text of this document, the term “sheath” will be understood to mean a protective envelope surrounding a solid, liquid, or gaseous material. The solid material is, for example, an electrically conductive copper or aluminum wire, the sheath then being an electrically insulating sheath. Another example of a solid material is a cable of braided metal wires or a single-strand metal cable sliding in the sheath, for example for clutch, accelerator, hood or window opening or gearbox gear changes controls for a vehicle. An example of a fluid is, for example, a sheath surrounding a water or oil pipe, respectively for cooling or control, the sheath being able to be the pipe itself. Another example of a fluid is air, for example ventilation air, then forming a ventilation duct.

[0011] The fin being shaped to present the fixing means, there is thus no part other than the fin to hold the sheath, which makes it possible to have a particularly simple fixing means. This simplicity also provides reliability of assembly by eliminating all the operations of assembly of the parts which were reported in the prior art presented.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, the fin comprises a protrusion, the fixing means being arranged in the protrusion.

[0013] Thus the conformation of the fin does not weaken the fin, does not change its mechanical characteristics and makes it possible to keep the original design of the fin, in particular its rigidity and / or its thermal or vibration properties.

[0014] According to this embodiment of the invention, this protrusion is dedicated solely to the fixing means.

[0015] This protrusion therefore does not provide any additional mechanical or thermal characteristics which are dimensional for the fin.

[0016] According to this embodiment of the invention, this protrusion comprises a thickness less than the thickness of the rest of the fin.

[0017] Because this protrusion is not dimensioned for the fin, it is thus possible to minimize the weight added to the fin by using the material added by the protrusion to the strict minimum necessary to ensure the function of maintaining the sheath.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the invention, the fixing means has a U shape.

[0019] According to this embodiment of the invention, the U-shape has an opening shrunk.

[0020] This narrowed opening allows the sheath to force its way into the U, but not to be able to come out without the effort of an operator for example. Thus the vibrations of the fin or the sheath will not be sufficient for the sheath to escape from the U shape.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, the fixing means is arranged in the plane of the fin.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the invention, this fin comes from the casing by continuity of material, in particular from casting.

[0023] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a sheath and a casing as previously described, this sheath being an electrical cable sheath, or a sheath of a mechanical control cable, or a sheath of a fluid pipe.

[0024] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising an assembly as previously described, and comprising a member from among an electric motor, an inverter, a current or voltage converter, a heat engine or a mechanical transmission, the casing being a casing of this organ.

[0025] Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description of the non-limiting exemplary embodiments which follow, made with reference to the figures, which represent:

[0026] [Fig-1] a perspective view of the invention in an exemplary environment automotive technology.

[0027] [Fig.2] the same view but focused on the invention.

[0028] It should be borne in mind that the figures are given as examples and are not limiting of the invention. They constitute schematic representations of principle intended to facilitate the understanding of the invention and are not necessarily on the scale of practical applications. In particular, the dimensions of the various elements illustrated are not representative of reality.

[0029] In the following, reference is made to all figures taken in combination. When reference is made to one or more specific figures, these figures are to be taken in combination with the other figures for the recognition of the designated numerical references.

[0030] [Fig. 1] represents a casing 1 according to the invention, this casing 1 comprising several fins 2, at least one of which is shaped so as to have a means 5 for fixing a sheath 3.

[0031] This casing 1 is in this example a casing of a member 11 of a vehicle, for example an electric motor machine, the function of the fins 2 having an acoustic function: by stiffening the casing 1, the fins 2 move a natural mode of the casing 1 away from an excitation frequency of the casing 1 caused for example by the rotor of the electric motor machine 11.

[0032] The sheath 3 is held by the fixing means 5, but also by secondary fixing means 16, distant from the fixing means 5. One of the advantages of the fixing means 5 is for example that it is arranged in an area inaccessible by a screwdriver or the hand of an operator, given that this fixing means 5 has no added part to mount other than the sheath 3. Conversely, the secondary fixing means 16 are for example in more accessible areas, and comprise for example a boss from the casting of the casing 1 and screws or clips taken in these bosses, these secondary fixing means 16 having the advantage of holding the sheath 3 more firmly.

[0033] [Fig.2] discloses the fin 2 comprising a protrusion 12, the fixing means 5 being arranged in the protrusion 12.

[0034] This protrusion 12 is for example dedicated solely to the fixing means 5, which allows this protrusion to have a thickness 14 less than the thickness 15 of the rest of the fin 2. These thicknesses 14, 15 are to be understood, throughout the text of this document, in the direction of an average thickness: in fact, for fins 2 from foundry, each of the faces of fin 2 will have a clearance angle varying the thickness of fin 2 and protrusion 12.

[0035] The faces of the fin 2 will be understood to mean the faces connecting the base 13 of the fin 2, by which it is fixed to the casing 1, to a free edge 4 of the fin 2 opposite the base of the fin 13. The distance between the faces is the thickness of the fin 2.

[0036] The fixing means 5 is for example a U-shape, the bottom of which houses the sheath 3. This sheath 3 has in this example a circular section, but it can be of any other shape, the bottom of the U then being adapted to this other shape, for example rectangular. Furthermore, this U-shape can contain several sheaths 3 simultaneously, and have a suitable U-shape bottom.

[0037] Still according to the example illustrated, the U-shape has a narrowed opening 10 9 allowing the sheath 3 to be blocked once introduced into the U-shape.

[0038] This narrowing 9 is for example 10% of the width of the opening. The engagement of the sheath through the opening is then facilitated if the sheath 2 has a possibility of elastic deformation, whether by its constituent material such as a plastic or elastomer, or by its shape such as a hollow pipe. An equivalent effect can be obtained by carrying out this elastic deformation at the level of one of the branches of the U-shape, or by lining the interior of the U-shape with an elastic coating.

[0039] In an alternative embodiment, not illustrated, this coating comprises a particular characteristic of adhesion to the sheath 3, for example by being an elastomer with a rough surface state.

[0040] In an alternative embodiment, not illustrated, the U-shape comprises a particular characteristic of adhesion to the sheath 3, for example by having a rough surface condition.

[0041] This fixing means 5 is arranged in the plane 7 of the fin 2. Thus this U-shape becomes a simple notch in the free edge 4 of the fin 2, which allows an extremely simple production of the fixing means 5. Of course, if the fin 2 is oversized compared to its initial function, that is to say compared to a state of the casing 1 pre-existing without the presence of this invention, the protrusion 12 is then not useful and as a variant this notch can be made in the fin 2 without protrusion.

[0042] This solution also has the advantage of being able to produce this fixing means in a common demolding plane with the fin 2, when the fin 2 is cast with the casing 1. The mold then remains very simple.

[0043] In the example illustrated in [Fig.2], the fixing means 5 is arranged in the plane 7 of the fin 2, but other variants not illustrated are possible:

[0044] - the protrusion 12 can be in a plane orthogonal to one of the faces of the fin, the U-shape being made in the protrusion like the notch previously described,

[0045] - the protrusion 12 can be in this plane orthogonal to one of the faces of the fin, the U-shape being made in the protrusion in excess thickness,

[0046] - the U-shape can be made in excess thickness of the fin 2, whether the protrusion is present or not.

[0047] [Fig.2] still shows the fin 2 as being derived from the casing 1 by continuity of material, in particular from casting. But as a variant, other embodiments are possible: fins added, welded, glued, hooped. These fins 2 can also have functions different from the acoustic function previously described: heat dissipation function, channeling of an air flow, mechanical protection of the casing 1, stiffening of the casing 1, or simply aesthetic.

[0048] [Fig.l] illustrates an assembly comprising the sheath 3 and the casing 1 as previously described, this sheath 3 being an electrical cable sheath, or a sheath of a mechanical control cable, or a sheath of a fluid pipe.

[0049] The electric cable is of circular section or other shapes, in particular rectangular. This cable can be flexible or rigid. Flexible means a cable made of twisted wires, and rigid means a single-strand cable or, for example, busbars, also known as busbars.

[0050] This embodiment preferably applies to a motor vehicle comprising an assembly as previously described, and comprising a member 11 among an electric motor, an inverter, a current or voltage converter, a thermal engine or a mechanical transmission, the casing 1 being a casing of this member 11.

[0051] Indeed, the electrical cables of the electrical harnesses often have complex routes to get around these parts, in particular in an engine compartment or under the floor of the vehicle. This invention advantageously and very simply allows electrical cables or harnesses of electrical cables to be held in areas where there is no room to attach a fixing, or in areas inaccessible to the assembly operator.

Claims

Claims

1. Casing (1) comprising a fin (2), characterized in that the fin (2) is shaped so as to have a means (5) for fixing a sheath (3), this means of fixing (5) having a U shape.

2. A casing (1) according to claim 1, the fin (2) comprising a protrusion (12), the fixing means (5) being arranged in the protrusion (12).

3. Housing (1) according to claim 2, this protrusion (12) being dedicated solely to the fixing means (5).

4. Casing (1) according to claim 3, this protrusion (12) comprising a thickness (14) less than the thickness (15) of the rest of the fin (2).

5. Housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, the U-shape having a narrowed (9) opening (10).

6. Housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, the fixing means (5) being arranged in the plane (7) of the fin (2).

7. Casing according to one of the preceding claims, this fin (2) being produced from the casing (1) by continuity of material, in particular produced by casting.

8. Assembly comprising a sheath (3) and a casing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, this sheath (3) being an electrical cable sheath, or a sheath of a mechanical control cable, or a sheath of a fluid pipe.

9. Motor vehicle comprising an assembly according to claim 8, and comprising a member (11) among an electric motor, an inverter, a current or voltage converter, a heat engine or a mechanical transmission, the casing (1) being a casing of this member (11).

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