Device for the anti-rotation assembly of a rear light housing with a mounting bracket on a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for assembling a rear light housing (1) of a motor vehicle with an intermediate support (2), said device being provided with connecting and indexing means located on a transverse axis (X), characterized in that said connecting and indexing means comprise, on the one hand, two orifices (20a, 20b) arranged at a distance from each other on said support (2) perpendicular to said transverse axis (X) and intended to receive, during assembly, pins (10a, 10b) extending forwards on the underside of the housing (1) and, on the other hand, a locking tab (21) the end of which is intended to abut forwards against at least one rib (11) carried by the underside of said housing (1) and a method for attaching a rear light to the bumper. Abstract figure: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: Device for the anti-rotation assembly of a rear light housing with a mounting bracket on a motor vehicle

[0001] The invention applies to the field of motor vehicle signaling and, in particular, to the fixing of rear lights on the bumper.

[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to a device for the anti-rotation assembly of a rear light housing with an intermediate support intended for docking on a motor vehicle bumper.

[0003] Traditionally, motor vehicles are equipped, on their rear face, with signal light modules (brake lights, reversing lights, ...) integrated into one or more housings.

[0004] The mounting systems traditionally used for attaching these rear lights to the vehicle generally include a bracket allowing direct attachment to the bumper. This bracket is indexed and hooked (for example, with clips) under the rear light housing before the assembly is mounted on the vehicle.

[0005] This assembly is attached to the vehicle body first by screwing the housing to the side of the body and then by screwing in the bracket. In this procedure, the bracket is positioned using the rear light housing. The final step is to mount the bumper by indexing it onto the bracket to ensure proper alignment between the rear light and the vehicle body.

[0006] However, with such an assembly method and due to the lack of available space, it is only possible to obtain two indexing zones between the housing and its support, which leaves a freedom of rotation of one relative to the other along the axis passing through the two indexes and consequently generates an instability detrimental to the assembly.

[0007] In addition, this freedom of rotation entails both risks of separation during assembly of the housing to the support and / or of misalignment of these elements which may lead to poor contact of the assembly with the bumper.

[0008] French patent FR2904598B1 describes a device for mounting a signal light and a bumper skin on the rear structure of a motor vehicle. This device comprises, respectively, on the signal light and the bumper skin, means for centering each relative to the other along a vertical axis and a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, on the bumper skin, means for centering and attaching it to the structure along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and, on the signal light, elements for locking the skin attachment means and the light attachment means.

[0009] However, this device does not include any means of preventing rotational or tilting movement of the light housing and the support relative to each other.

[0010] In this context, the invention aims to provide a technical solution enabling a mechanically stable assembly of the rear light housing with its support, without relative freedom of rotation and without added fixing element.

[0011] This goal is achieved by means of a device for assembling a rear light housing with an intermediate support provided with connecting and indexing means located on a transverse axis of said housing and cooperating with complementary means carried by the lower face of said housing, characterized in that said connecting and indexing means comprise, on the one hand, two orifices provided at a distance from each other on said support perpendicular to said transverse axis and intended to receive, during assembly, pins extending forward on the lower face of the housing and, on the other hand, a locking tab whose end is intended to come to rest forward against at least one rib carried by the lower face of said housing.

[0012] According to an advantageous feature of the invention, the end edge of the tongue extends, in the assembly position, along a line parallel to the transverse axis and offset towards the rear.

[0013] According to another feature, the support has, on its upper face, fins intended to come into contact with the housing and intended to block the possible rotation of the support by pressing against the housing.

[0014] The invention provides that in the assembly position, the fins are spaced by a clearance (a) from the lower face of the housing which is less than the clearance (b) between the end edge of said tab and the top of the rib.

[0015] According to a specific variant of the device of the invention, the tab is flexible and snaps into place, during assembly, behind the rib of the housing.

[0016] Preferably, this rib has a beveled edge ensuring the guidance of the tongue during assembly.

[0017] According to another embodiment of the invention, the lower face of the housing has two identical adjacent ribs.

[0018] According to yet another feature, the tab extends in a plane parallel to the lower face of the housing and inclined relative to the transverse axis between the two holes of the support.

[0019] According to a particular embodiment, the orifices are provided in the bottom of two sockets projecting towards the front of the support.

[0020] Another object of the invention is a method for attaching a rear light to the bumper of a motor vehicle by means of an assembly device as defined above, characterized in that the support is positioned at the front and under the housing and They are brought into contact by jointly inserting the pins into the holes of the support while elastically deforming the tab in contact with the rib of the housing until said tab clicks behind said rib, then the support is screwed onto the bumper.

[0021] The device of the invention ensures a rapid, precise, stable and reversible assembly of a rear light with an intermediate support without risk of rotation and accidental fall of the support in the pre-docking phase on the bumper.

[0022] The device of the invention contributes to the improvement of quality by ensuring a satisfactory and repeatable docking between the light and the bumper.

[0023] The device of the invention also provides time savings in assembly and improved ergonomics because the operator no longer has to worry about the risk of separation of the support.

[0024] The assembly device of the invention does not use any added elements (no screws, no glue etc.) and therefore allows, in the event of replacement of the rear light module, the same support to be mounted on the same housing or on another housing identical to the previous one and equipped with the same functional components.

[0025] In addition, the elastic properties of the support tongue allow both automatic locking after release at the end of assembly and subsequent damping of possible vibrations.

[0026] Consequently, the assembly device of the invention offers a significant economic gain, in particular, for after-sales services.

[0027] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, with reference to the attached and detailed figures below.

[0028] [Fig. 1] is an overview perspective view of an embodiment of the device of the invention after assembly of the support under the housing.

[0029] [Fig.2] is a detailed perspective view of the embodiment of [Fig.1].

[0030] [Fig.3] is a partial view from below of the assembly device of [Fig.1].

[0031] [Fig.4A] is a schematic partial cross-sectional view along plane AA ([Fig.3]) of the assembly device of [Fig.1].

[0032] [Fig.4B] is a schematic partial cross-sectional view along plane BB ([Fig.3]) of the assembly device of [Fig.1].

[0033] The right side of the figures here corresponds to the rear of the vehicle and, for clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference signs throughout the figures.

[0034] Naturally, the embodiments of the device of the invention illustrated by the figures shown above and described below are given only by way of non-limiting examples. It is explicitly provided that different embodiments can be proposed and combined to create others.

[0035] The invention relates to the field of motor vehicle signaling and, more particularly, to the mounting on a bumper (not shown in the figures) of a signaling assembly comprising a rear light housing and an intermediate support.

[0036] Fig. 1 represents an embodiment of an assembly device according to the invention intended to equip such a signaling assembly.

[0037] This assembly device includes linking and indexing means carried, respectively, by the lower face of the housing 1 and the upper face of the support 2.

[0038] These linking and indexing means comprise two orifices 20a, 20b provided at a distance from each other on the support 2 and perpendicular to the transverse axis X. These orifices 20a, 20b are intended to receive, during assembly, pins 10a, 10b extending forward on the lower face of the housing 1. The pins 10a, 10b are tapered and have a cross-section.

[0039] In the embodiment of the invention illustrated here by figures 1 and 2, the orifices 20a, 20b are provided in the bottom of two sockets 23a, 23b projecting towards the front of the support 2.

[0040] Traditionally, these connecting means are therefore located on a transverse axis X which is likely to form an axis of rotation or tilting of the support 2 relative to the housing 1. The object of the invention is to prevent this rotation from occurring by providing means for locking the housing 1 / support 2 assembly against rotation.

[0041] For this purpose, the linking and indexing means include, firstly, a locking tab 21, carried by the upper face of the support 2 and whose end edge 21a is intended to come to rest forward against at least one rib 11 made on the lower face of the housing 1. In the embodiment illustrated here in particular by figures 2 and 3, the housing 1 has two identical parallel and adjacent ribs 11.

[0042] The tab 21 extends in a plane parallel to the lower face of the housing 1 and slightly inclined with respect to the transverse axis X between the two holes 20a, 20b of the support 2. The end edge 21a of the tab 21 extends, in the assembled position, along a line X2 parallel to the transverse axis X but which is offset towards the rear with respect to this axis (relative to the orientation of the vehicle) as described later.

[0043] The tab 21 is flexible and snaps into place, during assembly, behind the rib 11 of the housing 1. For this purpose, the ribs 11 have beveled edges lia ([Fig.2]) ensuring the guidance of the tab 11 during its snapping.

[0044] Secondly, the support 2 has, on its upper face, fins 22a, 22b extending opposite the housing 1 and intended to block the possible rotation of the support 2 by pressing against the underside of the housing. These fins extend laterally downwards, at least partially defining the holes 20a, 20b of support 2.

[0045] However, and as illustrated by [Fig.4A] in the assembled position, there remains a gap a between the lower face of the housing 1 and the upper face of the anti-rotation fins 22a, 22b. The fins 22a, 22b must be located on a line XI situated ahead (in the direction of the vehicle) of the potential rotation line formed by the axis X on which the two orifices 20a, 20b are centered, as illustrated by [Fig.3].

[0046] The edge 21a of the tongue 21 must be located on a line X2 situated behind (in the direction of the vehicle) the axis X ([Fig. 3]). As illustrated by [Fig. 4B], there is a clearance b between the apex lia of the ribs 11 and the end edge 21a of the tongue 21

[0047] The blocking of the rotation of the support 2 relative to the housing 1 is ensured if the condition (a < b) is satisfied.

[0048] The method for attaching a rear light to the bumper of a motor vehicle is implemented using the assembly device described above. This method consists first of positioning the bracket 2 at the front and under the housing 1. Then the bracket 2 is moved rearward (or the housing forward) to bring them into contact by inserting the pins 10a, 10b into the holes 20a, 20b of the bracket 2 while elastically deforming the tab 21 against the ribs 11 of the housing 1 until the tab clicks into place behind the ribs. The final operation is carried out by screwing the bracket 2 onto the bumper.

Claims

Claims

1. Device for assembling a motor vehicle rear light housing (1) with an intermediate support (2), said device being provided with connecting and indexing means located on a transverse axis (X), characterized in that said connecting and indexing means comprise, on the one hand, two orifices (20a, 20b) arranged at a distance from each other on said support (2) perpendicular to said transverse axis (X) and intended to receive, during assembly, pins (10a, 10b) extending forwards on the lower face of the housing (1) and, on the other hand, a locking tab (21) whose end is intended to come into abutment forwards against at least one rib (11) carried by the lower face of said housing (1); the support (2) has, on its upper face, fins (22a, 22b) intended to come opposite the housing (1) and intended to block any rotation of the support by pressing against the housing.

2. Fixing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the end edge (21a) of said tongue (21) extends, in the assembly position, along a line (X2) parallel to the transverse axis (X) and offset towards the rear.

3. Fixing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the assembled position, said fins (22a, 22b) are spaced by a clearance (a) from the lower face of the housing (1) which is less than the clearance (b) between the end edge (21a) of said tongue (21) and the top (11a) of the rib (11).

4. Fixing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tab (21) is flexible and snaps, during assembly, behind the rib (11) of the housing.

5. Fixing device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said rib (11) has a beveled edge (11a) ensuring the guidance of said tab (21) when it is snapped in.

6. Fixing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower face of the housing (1) carries two identical parallel and adjacent ribs (11).

7. Fixing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tongue (21) extends in a plane parallel to the lower face of the housing (1) and inclined relative to the transverse axis (X) between the two orifices (20a, 20b) of the support.

8. Fixing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said orifices (20a, 20b) are provided in the bottom of two sockets (23a, 23b) projecting towards the front of the support (2).

9. Method for docking a rear light on the bumper of a motor vehicle by means of an assembly device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support (2) is arranged in front of and under the housing (1) and they are brought into contact by introducing the pins (10a) into the orifices (20a, 20b) of the support (2) while elastically deforming the tongue (21) in contact with the rib (11) of the housing (1) until said tongue snaps behind said rib and then the support (2) is screwed onto the bumper.

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