Fluid reservoir for motor vehicles incorporating means of masking.

Abstract

The invention relates to a fluid reservoir (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising a filling opening (2) for filling the reservoir (1) with a fluid, the opening (2) projecting from the reservoir (1) and being designed to be accessible through a filling hole formed in a cover intended to at least partially cover the reservoir (1) installed in the vehicle, the reservoir (1) comprising masking means (12) designed to, when the opening (2) is accessible through the filling hole, mask at least a portion of the reservoir (1) and its surroundings from an observer viewing the opening (2) in the filling hole. (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Liquid reservoir for motor vehicle comprising masking means.

[0001] The technical field relates to automotive fluid reservoirs, as well as assemblies comprising such a reservoir and a cover intended to conceal such a reservoir, and finally vehicles equipped with such assemblies.

[0002] For car manufacturers, the quality of their vehicles' finish and their aesthetic appearance are essential to differentiate themselves from other brands. Therefore, manufacturers make considerable efforts to continuously improve these areas. In particular, customers pay close attention to the fit and finish of the trim used to conceal the vehicle's components.

[0003] Typically, a vehicle has a windshield washer system comprising a reservoir for the washer fluid and various supply tubes for distributing the washer fluid to various washer nozzles. The windshield washer system is generally located in the vehicle's engine compartment, near the windshield wiper mechanism. A plastic cover typically at least partially covers the washer system so that only the reservoir's filler neck is accessible through a filler hole in the cover.

[0004] For reasons related to the assembly of the windshield washer system and the covers, the cover's filler hole is significantly larger than the filler neck to allow for relative movement of the cover and the neck when the latter passes through the filler hole. However, the size of the filler hole makes some of the supply tubes and other components located near the reservoir visible, which a vehicle user may perceive as a fit defect and is therefore likely to reduce the perceived quality of the vehicle.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for a solution to improve the perceived quality for a vehicle user when topping up windshield washer fluid.

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome the problems described above. In this technical context, one objective of the present invention is to provide a reservoir that improves perceived quality by offering a better visual fit between the reservoir and the cover usually used.

[0007] To this end, the present invention relates to a fluid reservoir for a motor vehicle, comprising a filling opening for filling the reservoir with a fluid, the opening projecting from the reservoir and being designed to be accessible through a filler hole provided in a cover intended to cover at least part of the tank installed in the vehicle, the tank having masking means designed to, when the opening is accessible through the filler hole, mask at least part of the tank and its surroundings from an observer looking at the opening in the filler hole.

[0008] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a tank according to the invention and a cover designed to cover at least part of the tank, the cover having a filling hole to allow access to the opening, the masking means being dimensioned to mask at least part of the tank and its environment from an observer looking at the opening through the filling hole.

[0009] The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising an assembly according to the invention.

[0010] Thus, the reservoir according to the invention can be used in place of a conventional container to supply a liquid, in particular windshield washer fluid. The masking means, in conjunction with the filler hole in the cover, allow the reservoir and its surroundings to be at least partially concealed from an observer looking through the opening in the filler hole. The masking means thus improve the perceived quality of the assembly according to the invention.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, the masking means comprise at least one rib projecting from the reservoir and covering an angular sector arranged around the opening.

[0012] Advantageously, the rib is formed on a joint plane of the tank.

[0013] According to one possibility of the assembly, the masking means are designed so that the observer sees only the masking means, the opening and a part of the tank disposed between the opening and the masking means.

[0014] Advantageously, the masking means are designed to support a part of a periphery of the filling hole.

[0015] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0016] [Fig-1] [Fig.1] represents a perspective view of a tank according to the invention;

[0017] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a perspective view of an assembly according to the invention implementing the reservoir of [Fig.1] whose opening is introduced through a filling hole in the cover of the assembly.

[0018] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0019] A liquid reservoir 1 according to the invention, illustrated in [Fig.1], is intended to equip a motor vehicle according to the invention to contain a liquid, in particular a windshield washer fluid.

[0020] As illustrated in [Fig.1], the reservoir 1 includes a filling opening 2 allowing the reservoir 1 to be filled with the liquid, in particular the windshield washer fluid.

[0021] The reservoir 1 forms a hollow body 3 for receiving the liquid and is, for example, formed of two half-shells 4 joined at a parting line 5. In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 1], the reservoir further comprises at least one supply tube 6 for distributing the liquid contained in reservoir 1 to nozzles not shown. The supply tube 6 is, for example, clipped onto a side 7 of the reservoir 1.

[0022] In the vehicle according to the invention, the tank 1 is partially concealed under a cover 8, illustrated in [Fig.2], which is part of an assembly 9 according to the invention which further includes the tank 1. The cover 8 is, for example, formed of a molded plastic panel.

[0023] The opening 2 protrudes from the tank 1 and is designed to be accessible through a filler hole 10 provided in the cover 8. For this purpose, the opening 2 is connected to the hollow body of the tank by a neck 11. The opening 2 is therefore sufficiently clear of the hollow body 3 of the tank 1 to allow its insertion into the filler hole 10. In the example illustrated in [Fig. 2], the cover 8 is formed so that the neck 11 also extends through the filler hole 10. For mounting reasons of the assembly 9 on the vehicle according to the invention, the dimensions of the filler hole 10 are larger than the dimensions of the opening 2, in order to allow the opening 2 and possibly the neck 11 to move within the filler hole 10 during assembly.

[0024] The reservoir 1 includes masking means 12 designed to, when the opening 2 is accessible through the filling hole 10, mask at least a part of the reservoir 1 and its surroundings from an observer looking at the opening 2 in the filling hole 10. Thus, the masking means 12 make it possible to mask a part of the side 7 and of each supply tube 6. The surroundings of the reservoir 1 include in particular each supply tube 6, any mechanical parts located near the reservoir 1, such as for example a pump designed to pump the liquid from the reservoir 1 or wiper linkages.

[0025] As illustrated in [Fig. 1], the masking means 12 comprise at least one rib 13 projecting from the reservoir 1 and covering an angular sector A, illustrated on [Fig.l], arranged around the opening 1. Advantageously, the rib 13 is provided on the joint plane 5 of the reservoir 1, illustrated on [Fig.l].

[0026] The masking means 12 are designed so that the observer sees, by looking at the opening 1 through the filling hole 10, only the masking means 12, in this case the rib 13, the opening 2 and a part of the reservoir 1 disposed between the opening 2 and the masking means 12, in this case the neck 11 and a part of the hollow body 3.

[0027] Advantageously, the masking means 12 are designed to support a part of a perimeter 14 of the filling hole 10.

[0028] Thus, the reservoir 1, thanks to the rib 13 arranged at least partially around the opening 2, makes it possible to conceal most of the reservoir 1 and the various elements such as the supply tubes 6, which are usually visible through the filling hole 10 with a conventional can. The perceived quality of the assembly 9 according to the invention is therefore improved.

[0029] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the tank and assembly described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope and extent of the present invention.

Claims

Demands

1. Assembly (9) comprising a liquid reservoir (1) for a motor vehicle and a cover (8) designed to cover at least part of the reservoir (1), the reservoir (1) comprising a filling opening (2) for filling the reservoir (1) with a liquid, the opening (2) projecting from the reservoir (1) and being designed to be accessible through a filling hole (10) provided in the cover (8), characterized in that the reservoir (1) has masking means (12) which are dimensioned to, when the opening (2) is accessible through the filling hole (10), mask at least part of the reservoir (1) and its surroundings from an observer looking at the opening (2) in the filling hole (10).

2. Assembly (9) according to claim 1, characterized in that the masking means (12) comprise at least one rib (13) projecting from the reservoir (1) and covering an angular sector (14) arranged around the opening (2).

3. Assembly (9) according to claim 2, characterized in that the rib (13) is formed on a joint plane (15) of the tank (1).

4. Assembly (9) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the masking means (12) are designed so that the observer sees only the masking means (12), the opening (2) and a portion of the reservoir (1) disposed between the opening (2) and the masking means (12).

5. Assembly (9) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the masking means (12) are designed to support a portion of a perimeter (15) of the filling hole (10).

6. Vehicle comprising an assembly (9) according to any one of the preceding claims.

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