Compact ejection device for vehicle opening

Abstract

Ejection device (1) for an opening (2), in particular a vehicle tailgate, comprising a body (10) intended to be fixed to the vehicle body (3), at least one movable pusher (11), at least one return spring (12) disposed between the pusher and the body, a sliding means (13) for the pusher on the body between compression and release positions of the return spring, wherein the sliding means of the pusher on the body is achieved directly by the pusher and the body, in particular at at least one edge (111, 112) of the pusher. Figure for the abbreviation: [Fig. 4]

Description

Title of the invention: Compact ejection device for vehicle opening Technical field

[0001] The technical field relates to automotive engineering, and more particularly relates to an ejection device for a tailgate, and an arrangement comprising at least one such locking device and a tailgate. State of the art

[0002] In the industrial production of motor vehicles, the search for customer satisfaction requires assembly quality. For this purpose, means are known for rigorously respecting clearances and flushness between assembled bodywork parts. In the quest for clean style lines, it is known that the tailgate of a vehicle does not have a grip handle. For this purpose, the tailgate is gripped to perform its opening movement directly by one of the edges of the tailgate, in particular the lower edge. Such gripping is made possible either by the presence of a dedicated notch provided on the bodywork part directly adjacent to it, or by operating a sufficient half-opening of the opening to make it possible to grip it through the space freed between the lower edge of the opening and the bodywork part directly adjacent to it.By bodywork part directly adjacent to the opening part, we mean in particular a rear bumper. Ejection means are therefore known which exert on the opening part, in particular on the lock carried by the opening part, a pushing force so that at the instant of release of the strike wire by the movable bolt, the opening part passes from a closed position to a half-open gripping position. It is known that the lock intended to ensure the locking of the opening part on the body of the vehicle comprises a movable bolt mounted on the opening part and a strike wire mounted on the body, in particular at the level of a rear skirt partially delimiting the trunk of the vehicle. The movable bolt is rotatably mounted on a lock body fixed to the opening part, in particular by screwing. The strike wire for its part takes a substantially U-shape, extending substantially parallel to a plane of longitudinal and vertical axes of the vehicle, in particular a median plane.The free ends of the striker wire are crimped onto a fixing plate intended to be fixed to the vehicle body, in particular to the rear skirt and / or a rear skirt lining.

[0003] In order to ensure an acceptable grip, the ejection means of the opening comprises a support on which an ejection pusher is slidably mounted. Between the support of said ejection means and the ejection pusher, a spring compression is positioned in order to give the pushing force to the ejection pusher. Advantageously, the ejection pusher is able to move by sliding between a compression position which corresponds to the closed state of the opening in which the ejection pusher is positioned close to a bottom zone of the support of said ejection means, by compressing the spring and a relaxation position, which corresponds to the half-open or open state of the tailgate, in which the ejection pusher is distant from the bottom zone of the support. The rear part of the trunk comprising the ejection means and the lock strike wire is covered with a trim which comprises an access opening to the strike wire through which the body of the lock is free to move.The pusher of said ejection means in the relaxed position is preferably moved against the rear trunk trim, so that it closes the dedicated access passage, which tends to improve the perceived quality. It is known that the sliding movement of the pusher between its working and rest positions is ensured by at least one guide, in particular of the rod type, which is integral with the pusher and which slides through a bearing integral with the bottom of the support of said ejection means.

[0004] It has been noted that such a design requires a useful volume for the movement of the ejection pusher, namely that in the compression position, the guide tends to extend out of the support of said ejection means, for example by approximately 40 mm. The trunk trim being shaped to make such movement suitable, this has the disadvantage of reducing the volume of the trunk accordingly. Considering that the loading volume of a vehicle is an important parameter for the customer, the compactness of the technical elements becomes the key word, so that the known solution described previously is no longer acceptable.

[0005] At least one object of the invention is to provide an ejection device for an opening, in particular a tailgate. The invention also relates to an arrangement comprising a vehicle body, an opening, an ejection means and a trim element. It also relates to a vehicle comprising such an arrangement or ejection device.

[0006] Further, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the following detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Presentation of the invention

[0007] More particularly, the subject of the invention relates to an ejection device for an opening, in particular a vehicle tailgate, comprising a body intended to be fixed to the body of the vehicle, at least one movable pusher, at least one return spring arranged between the pusher and the body, a means for sliding the pusher on the body between compression positions of the return spring and relaxation in in which the spring exerts a lower thrust force on the pusher than in the compression position, according to which said means of sliding the pusher on the body is produced directly by the pusher and the body, in particular at the level of at least one edge of the pusher. Such a conformation makes it possible to reduce the size of the ejection device.

[0008] The ejection device which is the subject of the invention may further comprise the following characteristics taken separately or in combination with each other:

[0009] - the body comprises a bottom wall, side walls connected to each other by the bottom wall and a centering wall perpendicular to said bottom and side walls;

[0010] - the centering wall is connected to the bottom and side walls, which allows construct a rigid structure in the form of an open cage facilitating the assembly of the constituent elements of the ejection device;

[0011] - it comprises fixing interfaces intended for assembling the body to a support part, in particular on the body of a vehicle, each fixing interface extending in a plane substantially parallel to that of the centering wall, which allows for easy assembly which can be carried out quickly;

[0012] - the fixing interfaces are connected to the free ends of the walls lateral so that the fixing interfaces, the centering wall, and the side walls delimit a housing in which a part of a lock is able to extend, in particular a plate for fixing a strike wire, which allows the elements to be brought together, guaranteeing a reduction in the size;

[0013] - the body and / or the pushers is made by molding a plastic material, which makes it simple and economical in terms of mass production;

[0014] - the bottom wall comprises a tubular portion, in particular cylindrical, in in which the return spring is housed and in that a centering finger is arranged concentrically to the tubular portion in order to orient the spring in the compression position, which allows optimal guidance of the return spring during its change of state between the compressed position and the relaxation position;

[0015] - the sliding means is produced by at least one assembly composed of a rail produced at the level of one of at least one side wall and / or the centering wall and / or the pusher, and of an associated carriage produced at the level of the other of at least one side wall and / or the centering wall and / or the pusher, the rib being of a shape substantially complementary to that of the groove, apart from functional clearances;

[0016] - it comprises an anti-rotation means provided by the pusher which comprises at at least one pin arranged projecting from its lateral edge, in particular having a substantially T-shaped profile, and by the lateral wall which comprises a groove-type guide in which the pin is intended to slide, the branches of the pin preventing the rotation of the pusher around a longitudinal axis;

[0017] - said sliding means is produced at the level of the pusher by at least one rib of substantially rectangular profile, in particular two ribs arranged projecting out of a base part of the pusher facing the central wall, and at the centering wall by at least one groove of complementary shape, in particular two grooves, in order to guide the pusher in its linear movement along the body. The constituent elements of said sliding means are mainly produced on the centering wall, which can be made of a material of a different nature to that of the bottom wall or the fixing interfaces, to reduce the sliding resistance, in order to increase the resistance over time;

[0018] - at least one groove of the body comprises a movement stop element sliding of the pusher on the body such that in the spring's relaxed position, the pusher bears against the stop element, which prevents the lining element from being deformed by its direct bearing against the pusher,

[0019] - the centering wall comprises an opening through which a strike wire is capable of expanding, which allows the operator in the manufacturing line to quickly and almost blindly place the ejection device on the vehicle body;

[0020] - it comprises two pushers connected to each other by a connecting arm, in particular arranged at an edge of the pusher opposite the edge comprises said sliding means, such that the pushers move simultaneously along the body, which tends to create a balance aimed at avoiding the pushers buckling during their movement;

[0021] - it comprises a finishing plate surrounding the at least one pusher in the position of spring relaxation, which makes it possible to soften the junction between the trim element and the ejection device, in particular by masking the space between them;

[0022] The invention also relates to an arrangement comprising an opening, in particular a vehicle tailgate, a lock, a body and a trim element, and an ejection device comprising the aforementioned characteristics, according to which in the spring's relaxed position, the at least one pusher is positioned flush with the trim element, which improves the perceived quality of this loading sill area visible to the user;

[0023] According to this arrangement, the fixing interface of the body of the ejection device is screwed to the body, in particular to a rear skirt lining, which provides fixing rigidity.

[0024] According to this arrangement, the strike wire is connected to the body by a screwed fixing plate and in that the plate extends between the body and the centering plate, it is thus masked by the ejection device;

[0025] According to the arrangement, the strike wire extends between two pushers parallel to each other, which creates a balance of symmetry pleasing to the eye of the user.

[0026] The invention also relates to a vehicle, in particular an automobile, which comprises an above-mentioned ejection device, or which comprises an arrangement previously described. Presentation of figures

[0027] Other advantages may also become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the examples below, illustrated by the appended figures, given by way of example: [Fig.l] represents, in a sectional view, a part of a vehicle comprising an arrangement including in particular an ejection device, an opening, a lock and a trim, according to the invention, [Fig.2] is a perspective representation of an ejection device taken in isolation, according to the invention, [Fig.3] is a perspective representation, seen from above, of the part of the vehicle of [Fig.l], [Fig.4] shows the design features of the ejector device of [Fig.3], the packing element having been removed here, according to a solid line representation of a compression position of a return spring and a dot-and-dash line representation of a relaxation position of the spring. Detailed description of the invention

[0028] In [Fig.l] is shown an ejection device 1 for an opening 2, which is intended to place the opening in a half-open position when the lock 30 releases the opening from the body. The opening may be a vehicle tailgate which gives access to a luggage compartment for example.

[0029] The ejection device 1 comprises a body 10 which is intended to be fixed to the body of the vehicle, a pusher 11 against which the lock 30 is supported. However, in this figure, for reasons of simplification, the ejection device 1 is not shown in a position of compression of the return spring despite the very interest of the ejection device which is to exert on the opening a pushing force when the latter is in the closed position as shown.

[0030] The ejection device is assembled to the vehicle body in such a way that the thrust direction is oriented in the direction of movement of the opening from its closed position to its half-open position. The ejection device 1 is in the line continuity of the lock when the opening 2 is in the closed position. The lock 30 comprises a module mounted on the opening in which the movable bolt moves, while the strike wire 31 moves inside the ejection device 1. The strike wire has a substantially U-shaped profile which extends parallel to a longitudinal and vertical axis plane of the vehicle. The strike wire 31 can be positioned in the median plane of the vehicle. The ejection device is capable of taking an evolving position between the relaxed position of the return spring 12 and the compressed position as shown in [Fig.l], depending on the position of the opening between its closure and its half-open position. Given the weight of the opening, and therefore the force to be exerted on the opening in order to bring it into its half-open position, the spring 12 works in compression. It is important to maintain a positioning of the spring 12 on the body 10. For this purpose, the body 10 comprises a bottom wall 101 which extends perpendicular to the axis of movement of the pusher 11 and which comprises a tubular portion 105 projecting inside the body 10. The tubular portion defines a retaining ring inside which the end of the spring 12 is placed. In order to avoid radial deformation of the spring 12 during its compression, a centering finger 106 extends parallel to the axis of movement of the pusher 11. The free end of the centering finger projects out of the tubular portion such that the height of the centering finger corresponds to at least twice the height of the tubular portion 105.The base of the centering finger 106 is in relation with the bottom wall 101. The centering finger 106 and the tubular portion 105 are coaxial, as can be seen in [Fig.2]. Preferably, the centering finger 106 as well as the tubular portion 105 are made from the material of the bottom wall 101.

[0031] The ejection device 1 is shown in [Fig.l] in the compression position of a return spring 12, the pusher 11 being arranged close to the bottom wall 101 of the body 10. The housing of the lock 30 carried by the opening 2 in the closed position is in abutment against the pusher 11. The pusher 11 is then arranged at the bottom of the cage delimited by the body 10 of the ejection device 1.

[0032] In [Fig. 2], the ejection device 1 of [Fig. 1] is shown in isolation in the relaxed position of the return spring 12. The ejection device 1 comprises a finishing plate 14 which can be clipped onto the body 10. The finishing plate 14 thus covers the body 10 from above. The finishing plate 14 can also cover the lining 14 in order to fill the gap between the body 10 and the opening of the lining 4 through which the ejection device 1 extends.

[0033] The ejection device 1 of [Fig.l] and [Fig.2] comprises a movable valve module consisting of lateral pushers 11 connected to each other by a connecting arm 113. Each pusher 11 is in relation to the bottom wall 101 by a return spring 12. The connecting arm 113 is positioned between the body 10 and the strike wire. The connecting arm 113 is intended to ensure the simultaneous movement of the pushers, in this meaning that it provides a force balancing function so that the pushers 11 slide without arching along the body 10, as will be detailed in detail later.

[0034] According to an alternative embodiment visible in [Fig. 3], the ejection device 1 is devoid of the finishing plate, the trim 4 is then designed to come directly flush with the pushers 11 in the spring release position. To further improve the perceived quality, the profile of the outer face of the pushers 11 can then be substantially identical to the profile of the adjacent trim 4 so as to create a continuity of style line which tends to make the strike wire carried by the body even more invisible when the opening is in the open position.

[0035] The body 10 of the ejection device 1 will now be detailed with reference to [Fig. 4]. In addition to the bottom wall 101, the body 10 comprises parallel side walls 102. The side walls 102 extend perpendicular to the bottom wall 101. Once assembled to the body 3 of the vehicle, the side walls 102 extend in a plane approximately with longitudinal and vertical axes to the vehicle, i.e. in a plane substantially parallel to that in which the striker wire 31 is inscribed. The side walls 102 are in mechanical relation with the bottom wall 101 by their respective ends. The bottom walls 101 and side walls 102 can be produced by a molding operation of a plastic material.

[0036] The body 10 of the ejection device 1 may comprise a centering wall 103 which comprises a central opening intended for the passage of the strike wire of the lock 30. The centering wall 103 extends perpendicular to the bottom 101 and side 102 walls so that it is intended for a position substantially parallel to the body 3 against which the ejection device 1 is intended to be mounted. The centering wall 103 is spaced from the end edge of each of the side walls 102. The centering wall 103 may be in mechanical relation with at least one of the side walls 102 and bottom walls 101. Preferably, the centering wall 103 is integral with the bottom walls 101 and side walls 102. The body 10 comprising the bottom walls 101, side walls 102 and centering walls 103 may be produced by molding a plastic material.

[0037] The body 10 comprises fixing interfaces 104 which extend transversely projecting out of the side walls 102, in particular from one of their transverse end edges of each of the side walls. When the body 10 is assembled to the body 3 of the vehicle, this transverse end edge of the side walls 102 evolves in a plane with a longitudinal axis and transverse to the vehicle, just like the fixing interfaces 104. The fixing interfaces 104 are flat walls comprising at least one opening through which a fixing screw is intended to pass to ensure the fixing by screwing the body 10 to the body 3. The fixing interfaces 104 extend in a plane substantially parallel to that of the centering wall 103.

[0038] The centering wall 103 being offset from the end edges of the side walls 102, the body 10 delimits with the box 3 a housing intended to receive a plate 32 of the strike wire 31, which can be secured to the box 3 by screwing, as can be seen in [Fig.4].

[0039] In order to make the ejection device 1 operational, the latter comprises a sliding means, in particular of the guide / slide type. The sliding means may comprise a rail made in one of the side wall 102 and the pusher 11, and a carriage made in the other of the side wall 102 and the pusher 11. Preferably, said sliding means comprises an assembly formed by a longitudinal rib made in each of the side walls, and a groove or pin projecting from the lateral edge 111 of the pusher 11. The rail formed by the rib of the side wall 102 has a profile complementary to that of the carriage of the pusher 11, apart from the sliding clearances to make it possible for the pusher 11 to slide on the body 10. The groove or pin of the pusher 11 has a substantially T-shaped profile in order to block the rotational movement of the pusher around a longitudinal axis.

[0040] Said sliding means may furthermore be produced at the centering wall 103, in particular by means of at least one rectilinear groove, having in particular a U-shaped opening section. Preferably, the centering wall 103 comprises two parallel rectilinear grooves per pusher. The pusher then comprises at least one longitudinal rib, two in the preferred embodiment, which are shaped according to the geometry of the associated rectilinear groove. The base of the pusher 11 directly facing the centering wall 103 is longer than the free opposite end of the pusher. The pusher may have, in a longitudinal section, a substantially triangular profile, the external face of which would be the hypotenuse. The external face of the pusher against which the lock 30 is intended to bear may have an approximately S-shaped profile as shown in [Fig.4], thus forming an evolving ramp allowing the pusher 11 to apply a quasi-constant force to the opening, whatever the state of compression or relaxation of the return spring 12. Due to the greater thickness of the base of the pusher, the lateral pin of the pusher has a smaller longitudinal geometry than that of the ribs under the pusher. The lateral pin can be seen as a means of anti-rotation of the pusher around a longitudinal axis, which aims to keep the ribs of the pusher inside the paths defined by the rectilinear grooves of the centering wall 106.

[0041] The ejection device 1 may comprise a stop 131 for the axial movement of at least one pusher. Such a stop 131 is produced on the centering wall 103, in particular inside said sliding means. The stop 131 is produced in particular in the guide rail formed by the rectilinear groove. It may be a vertical protrusion against which the end of a rib of the pusher 11 is able to come to bear when the ejection device 1 is in the relaxed state of the return spring 12.

[0042] An arrangement comprising the opening 2, the lock 30, the body 3, the trim element 4 and the ejection device 1 described previously will now be detailed. The body 3 of the vehicle may comprise, among the numerous structural elements, a rear skirt reinforced by a rear skirt lining 33. Such an assembly aims to create a stiffening beam on which the lock 30 of the opening 2 can be assembled, in particular by screwing a plate 32 of the strike wire. The strike wire 31 has a U-shaped profile, its assembly to the plate 32 being able to be carried out by screwing. The plate 32 comprises through holes for clamping screws screwed to the free ends of the strike wire 31 which comprise tapped holes dedicated to this assembly by screwing. The lock 30 on the body 3 side is first assembled, then comes the ejection device 1.The latter is reported to superimpose the plate 32 in such a way that the strike wire passes through the opening of the centering wall 103. The fixing interfaces 104 are arranged to bear against the rear skirt lining 33, to be fixed there by screwing. The trim element 4 is subsequently fixed to the body 2 in such a way that the outer faces of the pushers 11 are positioned substantially flush therein in the relaxed state of the return spring 12, as shown in [Fig. 3]. The strike wire 31 is then interposed between the pushers 11 which are directly adjacent to it by its lateral edges. The plate 32 is then interposed between the body 3 and the centering wall 103, inside the housing thus delimited by the assembly of the ejection device 1 on the body 3.

[0043] The arrangement is designed so that no element protrudes outside the trim element 4, which tends to improve the perceived quality.

[0044] The fact of arranging said sliding means of the ejection device 1 on the side walls 102 and centering 103 makes it compact, compared to a guide provided by the bottom wall. This allows the trim element 4 to be moved closer to the bottom wall 101, which reduces the space requirement and consequently increases the volume of the trunk.

Claims

Claims

1. Ejection device (1) for an opening (2), in particular a vehicle tailgate, comprising a body (10) intended to be fixed to the body (3) of the vehicle, at least one movable pusher (11), at least one return spring (12) arranged between the pusher and the body, a sliding means (13) of the pusher on the body between compression positions of the return spring and relaxation, the sliding means of the pusher on the body is produced directly by the pusher and the body, in particular at the level of at least one edge (111, 112) of the pusher, the body (10) comprises a bottom wall (101), side walls (102) connected to each other by the bottom wall and a centering wall (103) perpendicular to said bottom and side walls, characterized in that the bottom wall (101) comprises a tubular portion (105), in particular cylindrical,in which the return spring is housed and in that a centering finger (106) is arranged concentrically to the tubular portion in order to orient the spring (12) in the compression position.,

2. Ejection device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the centering wall (103) is connected to the bottom (101) and side (102) walls.

3. Ejection device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises fixing interfaces (104) intended for assembling the body to a support part, in particular to the body (3) of a vehicle, each fixing interface (104) extending in a plane substantially parallel to that of the centering wall (103).

4. Ejection device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the fixing interfaces (104) are connected to the free ends of the side walls (103) so that the fixing interfaces (104), the centering wall (103), and the side walls (102) delimit a housing in which a part of a lock (30) is able to extend, in particular a plate (32) for fixing a strike wire (31).

5. Ejection device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sliding means (13) is produced by at least one assembly composed of a rail produced at the level of one of at least one side wall and / or the centering wall and / or the pusher, and an associated carriage produced at the level of the other of at least one side wall and / or the centering wall and / or the pusher, the rib being of a shape substantially complementary to that of the groove, apart from functional clearances.

6. Ejection device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an anti-rotation means produced by the pusher (11) which comprises at least one pin arranged projecting from its lateral edge (111), in particular having a substantially T-shaped profile, and by the lateral wall (102) which comprises a groove-type guide in which the pin is intended to slide.

7. Ejection device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sliding means is produced at the level of the pusher (11) by at least one rib of substantially rectangular profile, in particular two ribs arranged projecting out of a base part (112) of the pusher facing the central wall (103), and at the level of the centering wall (103) by at least one groove of complementary shape, in particular two grooves, in order to guide the pusher (11) in its linear movement along the body (10).

8. Ejection device (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that at least one groove of the body (10) comprises a stop element (131) for the sliding movement of the pusher on the body such that in the spring-relaxed position, the pusher (11) bears against the stop element.

9. Arrangement comprising an opening (2), in particular a vehicle tailgate, a lock (30), a body (3) and a trim element (4), characterized in that it comprises an ejection device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, and in that in the relaxed position of the spring (12), the at least one pusher (11) is positioned flush with the trim element (4).

10. Vehicle, in particular an automobile, characterized in that it comprises an ejection device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, or in that it comprises an arrangement according to the preceding claim.

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