Waterproof interior trim for motor vehicles

Abstract

WATERPROOF INTERIOR LINING FOR MOTOR VEHICLES The present invention relates to a motor vehicle passenger compartment (2), comprising: a front bulkhead (4); a front floor (6) joined to the front bulkhead; notable in that the front floor comprises a front wall (6.1) forming a left wheel arch (7.1) and a right wheel arch (7.2), and comprising a vertical upper edge (6.2) joined to a lower edge (4.1) of the front bulkhead. (Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: WATERPROOF INTERIOR LINING FOR MOTOR VEHICLES technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, more particularly to the field of motor vehicle floors. Previous technique

[0002] Motor vehicles conventionally comprise a floor assembly including a front bulkhead, a rear bulkhead, and a front bulkhead positioned between the front bulkhead and the rear bulkhead. The assembly further includes two wheel arches attached respectively to the front bulkhead and the front bulkhead.

[0003] However, such a design may present a sealing problem, particularly at the wheel arches where water leaks into the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle may occur.

[0004] The published patent document FR 2 994 554 Al discloses a motor vehicle body structure assembly comprising a front apron, a rear part, and a floor assembly extending between the front apron and the rear part and comprising a central tunnel element, said floor assembly being fixed by welding to the front apron and the rear floor.

[0005] However, the solution proposed by the document does not solve the aforementioned sealing problem because, for example, under driving conditions of the motor vehicle, water can easily pass through the welds. Description of the invention

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art. More particularly, the invention aims to provide a simple and economical solution for ensuring the airtightness of vehicle passenger compartments.

[0007] For this purpose, the invention relates to a motor vehicle passenger compartment, comprising: - a front apron; - a front floor joined to the front apron; remarkable in that the front floor includes a front wall forming a left wheel arch and a right wheel arch, and comprising a vertical upper edge joined to a lower edge of the front apron.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the lower edge of the front apron covers an outer face of the upper edge of the front wall.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the front floor comprises a horizontal bottom wall integrally formed with the front wall.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the lower edge of the front apron and the upper edge of the front wall extend horizontally over at least 80% of said lower edge and said upper edge.

[0011] Preferably, at least 80% of the total area of ​​the lower edge of the front apron and the upper edge of the front wall lies in a horizontal plane. More preferably, at least 80% of said area lies between two horizontal planes separated by a distance of no more than 100 mm and parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the front apron forms a forward projection, at a distance from the lower edge, and receiving the upper edge of the front wall.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the front wall comprises on an outer face pins adjacent to the upper edge and engaging in cavities of the front apron.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the front apron includes fixing barrels adjacent to the lower edge and into which screws engage through the front wall.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the cavities and / or fixing shafts are watertight with respect to the outside.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the passenger compartment further comprising: a rear floor with a front edge joined to a rear edge of the front floor.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the rear edge of the front floor is covered by the front edge of the rear floor.

[0018] Preferably, the front apron and the front and rear floors correspond to molded plastic parts.

[0019] Advantageously, the passenger compartment of the invention ensures total sealing of the motor vehicle. Indeed, the junction of the front wall of the front floor with the lower edge of the front bulkhead effectively counteracts any water splashes, thus preventing any risk of water infiltration into the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

[0020] Advantageously, the front floor does not require additional parts at the wheel arches, resulting in significant cost savings. Furthermore, the assembly of the passenger compartment of the invention is advantageously ergonomic and does not require any adjustments, thus resulting in considerable cycle time savings. Brief description of the drawings

[0021] [Fig.1] represents an exploded view of a motor vehicle passenger compartment according to the invention;

[0022] [Fig.2] represents a cross-sectional view along axis AA of a junction between a deck front and a front floor of the passenger compartment of the [Fig.l];

[0023] [Fig.3] represents a cross-sectional view along axis BB of the junction between the deck front and the front floor of the passenger compartment of the [Fig.l];

[0024] [Fig.4] represents a cross-sectional view along axis CC of a junction between the floor front and rear floor of the passenger compartment of the [Fig.l];

[0025] [Fig. 5] represents a cross-sectional view along the axis DD of the junction between the floor front and rear floor of the passenger compartment of the [Fig.l]. Detailed description

[0026] Fig. 1 represents an exploded view of a motor vehicle passenger compartment according to the invention.

[0027] With reference to the left part of [Fig.1], the passenger compartment 2 is illustrated in an assembled configuration, the passenger compartment 2 includes a front apron 4 which can be seen in perspective on the right part of [Fig.1].

[0028] The front apron 4 includes a lower edge 4.1. The front floor 6 includes a front wall 6.1 comprising a vertical upper edge 6.2 and a horizontal bottom wall 6.3 integrally formed with the front wall 6.1. The lower edge 4.1 is joined to the upper edge 6.2 to form a first junction 7, the design of which will be detailed in this description.

[0029] Advantageously, the front floor 6 extends transversely (along the Y axis) over the entire width of said front floor 6 from a lateral door frame 6.4 of the motor vehicle to another opposite door frame 6.4.

[0030] In this configuration, the front wall 6.1 forms a left wheel arch 7.1 and a right wheel arch 7.2. This makes it possible to cover and protect the motor vehicle from any water infiltration.

[0031] Preferably, the lower edge 4.1 of the front apron 4 and the upper edge 6.2 of the front wall 6.1 generally extend horizontally over at least 80% of the total transverse extent of said edges 4.1 and 6.2, and more preferably, the latter extend horizontally over the entire width of the floor. In this respect, the two edges 4.1 and 6.2 are contained between two horizontal planes separated from each other by a distance of no more than 100 mm and which are parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0032] The front floor 6 further includes a rear wall 6.5 with a rear edge 6.6. The rear wall 6.5 is preferably substantially perpendicular to the horizontal bottom wall 6.3, or inclined at most 30°, so as to form a step which advantageously frees up space under the front floor 6 in order to install, for example, a battery pack (not shown).

[0033] The passenger compartment 2 also includes a rear floor 8 having a front edge 8.1 configured to be joined to the rear edge 6.6 of the front floor 6 so as to form a second junction 9.

[0034] Fig. 2 represents a cross-sectional view along axis AA of the first junction 7 between the front apron 4 and the front floor 6 of the passenger compartment 2 of Fig. 1.

[0035] It can be seen that the lower edge 4.1 of the front apron 4 covers an outer face 6.7 of the upper edge 6.2 of the front wall 6.1.

[0036] The front apron 4 forms a forward step 4.2, at a distance from the lower edge 4.1, and receiving the upper edge 6.2. In this configuration, the front wall 6.1 is flush with the front apron 4.

[0037] The outer face 6.7 includes pins 6.8 adjacent to the upper edge 6.2 and engaging in cavities 4.3 of the front apron 4.

[0038] Advantageously, the cavities 4.3 externally form protrusions 4.4 which extend forwards to be inserted into holes or grooves 10.1 belonging to the structure 10 of the motor vehicle. The cavities 4.3 are watertight with respect to the outside.

[0039] The junction 7 also includes sealed chambers 12 formed by the overlap of the deck 4 with the front wall 6.1. The chambers 12 can be delimited vertically (along the Z axis of [Fig.1]) by partitions 4.5 belonging to the front deck 4.

[0040] Advantageously, the chambers 12 comprise a sealing element, preferably a foam, which maximizes the seal at the junction 7 and absorbs any assembly play. Preferably, the foam occupies the entire volume of the chamber 12.

[0041] Chamber 12 comprises a depth p of approximately 5 mm. The term "approximately" in this description implies a tolerance of ±20% from the nominal value.

[0042] Preferably, the bulge 4.2 and the upper edge 6.2 are spaced about 2 mm apart with a curvature having an angle α between 5° and 30°, and more preferably being equal to 14°.

[0043] Fig. 3 represents a cross-sectional view of the first junction 7 along the axis BB illustrated in Fig. 1.

[0044] The front apron 4 includes fixing barrels 14 adjacent to the lower edge 4.1 and into which screws (not illustrated) engage through the front wall 6.1 by means of holes 6.9 arranged opposite the latter.

[0045] Preferably, the front apron 4 includes raised sections 4.6 arranged between the mounting posts 14 and the lower edge 4.1. In addition, the partitions 4.5 may be arranged between the 4.6 steps and the lower edge 4.1. For this purpose, the fixing shafts 14 are completely watertight with respect to the outside.

[0046] Fig. 4 represents a cross-sectional view along axis CC of the second junction 9 between the front floor 6 and the rear floor 8 of the passenger compartment 2 of Fig. 1.

[0047] It can be seen that the rear edge 6.6 of the front floor 6 is covered by the front edge 8.1 of the rear floor 8. In this respect, the front floor 6 includes fixing barrels 16 adjacent to the rear edge 6.6 and into which screws engage through holes 8.2 arranged in the rear floor 8.

[0048] The front floor 6 forms a vertically downward step 11, at a distance from the rear edge 6.6, and receiving the front edge 8.1. In this configuration, the front floor 6 is flush with the rear floor 8. Preferably, the angle a and a geometric dimensioning between the step 11 and the front edge 8.1 are similar to that of the first junction.

[0049] Similar to the first junction, the second junction 9 includes sealed chambers 18 formed by the overlap of the front floor 6 with the rear floor 8. The chambers 18 can be delimited longitudinally (along the X axis of [Fig.1]) by partitions 6.7 belonging to the front floor 6 which are similar to the partitions 4.5 of the front deck 4 illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

[0050] Advantageously, the chambers 18 include the sealing foam in order to maximize the sealing at the second junction 9. Preferably, the foam occupies the entire depth p and width b of the chamber, said width b being equal to approximately 15 mm.

[0051] Preferably, the chamber 18 is separated from the mounting shafts 16 by a distance a corresponding to approximately 30 mm. The rear floor preferably comprises partitions 8.3 between the shafts 16 and the rear edge 6.6. Advantageously, the partitions 8.3 ensure the rigidity of the assembly to counteract any potential sagging.

[0052] Fig. 5 represents a cross-sectional view of the second junction 9 along the axis DD illustrated in Fig. 1.

[0053] The rear floor 8 preferably includes pins 8.4 inserted into the structure 10 through holes 10.2. This makes it possible to stiffen the second joint 9 and to prevent sagging of the rear floor 8.

[0054] It can be seen on [Fig.5] that the front floor 6 can be fixed to the structure 10 by screwing or bolting at the hole 10.3 located at the right of said structure 10.

[0055] Preferably, the front apron, the front floor 6 and the rear floor 8 correspond to molded plastic parts with a thickness e of approximately 2.5 mm.

[0056] Advantageously, the first and second junctions make it possible to effectively counter any possible water splashes in order to avoid any risk of water infiltration into the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, thus guaranteeing total sealing.

Claims

Demands

1. Passenger compartment (2) of a motor vehicle, comprising: - a front apron (4); - a front floor (6) joined to the front apron (4); the front floor (6) comprising a front wall (6.1) forming a left wheel arch (7.1) and a right wheel arch (7.2), and comprising a vertical upper edge (6.2) joined to a lower edge (4.1) of the front apron (4), the lower edge (4.1) of the front apron (4) covering an outer face (6.7) of the upper edge (6.2) of the front wall (6.1) and the front apron (4) forming a forward projection (4.2) at a distance from the lower edge (4.1), and receiving the upper edge (6.2) of the front wall (6.1), characterized in that the front wall (6.1) comprises on an outer face (6.7) pins (6.8) adjacent to the upper edge (6.2) and engaging in cavities (4.3) of the front apron (4), the cavities (4.3) and / or the fixing shafts (14) being watertight vis-à-vis the outside world.

2. Passenger compartment (2) according to claim 1, wherein the front floor (6) comprises a horizontal bottom wall (6.3) integrally formed with the front wall (6.1).

3. Passenger compartment (2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower edge (4.1) of the front apron (4) and the upper edge (6.2) of the front wall (6.1) extend horizontally over at least 80% of said lower edge (4.1) and said upper edge (6.2).

4. Passenger compartment (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the front apron (4) comprises fixing shafts (14) adjacent to the lower edge (4.1) and in which screws engage through the front wall (6.1).

5. Passenger compartment (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: - a rear floor (8) with a front edge (8.1) joined to a rear edge (6.6) of the front floor (6).

6. Passenger compartment (2) according to claim 5, wherein the rear edge (6.6) of the front floor (6) is covered by the front edge (8.1) of the rear floor (8).

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