Vehicle door including a housing for a de-icing scraper and associated de-icing scraper

Abstract

This front side door (2) of a vehicle (1) comprises a front end (4) intended to be pivotally mounted on the vehicle (1) between a closed position of the vehicle (1) and an open position of the vehicle (1), the door (2) comprising an inner panel (5), an outer panel (6) and a housing (10) for a de-icing scraper, characterized in that the housing (10) has an upper portion (12) and a lower portion (13) arranged in the vertical extension of the upper portion (12), the upper portion (12) being recessed in the inner panel (5) and extending between an upper end (12a) and a lower end (12b) opening onto the lower portion (13), the lower portion (13) being arranged between the inner (5) and outer (6) panels. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig 1

Description

Description Title of the invention: Vehicle door comprising a housing for defrosting scraper and associated defrosting scraper Technical field

[0001] — The invention relates, in general, to de-icing scrapers used for defrost the windows of a motor vehicle, and relates more particularly to a door of a vehicle equipped with a specific housing for storing such a scraper defrosting, as well as a suitable scraper.

[0002] Prior Art

[0003] — De-icing scrapers or squeegees have long been used to remove ice from frost present on the windows of a vehicle.

[0004] — Generally, such a defrosting scraper is kept in the vehicle in one of non-dedicated vehicle storage spaces, so it is common that the user wastes time looking for it when he needs it.

[0005] — To remedy this, it is known to use means of fixing the scraper in the vehicle, for example in the fuel filler flap cover.

[0006] — However, this solution is not ergonomic, the fuel flap being gener- usually very far from the user and the windshield, and requires the user to open the hatch to access the scraper, which can cause things to be forgotten, for example close the trapdoor, and cause material consequences. In addition, the trapdoor Since gasoline is not a natural place for such an accessory, the user may not remember to go get the scraper there.

[0007] — In addition, after using the defrosting scraper, it is common for the user not to don't bother to clean the frost residue stuck to the scraper and that it place the scraper directly in its storage. However, the frost residue melts in the contact with the vehicle's heat, and cause water to flow into the storage and / or inside the vehicle, which may cause material damage,

[0008] The present invention therefore aims to avoid the aforementioned drawbacks and to offer a defrost scraper and a door equipped with a suitable housing for receive the scraper and allowing for reduced manufacturing costs to evacuate the frost residue left on the scraper.

[0009] =— Another object of the invention is to provide a defrosting scraper and a door of motor vehicle that are ergonomic.

[0010] — The invention therefore relates to a front side door of a vehicle comprising a front end intended to be pivotally mounted on the vehicle between a position vehicle closing position and a vehicle opening position, the door comprising an inner panel, an outer panel and a defrost scraper housing. The housing comprises an upper portion and a lower portion arranged in the vertical extension of the upper portion, the upper portion being hollowed out in the inner panel and extending between an upper end and a lower end opening onto the lower portion, the lower portion being arranged between the inner and outer panels. Advantageously, the upper portion comprises a trapezoidal indentation hollowed out in the inner panel and configured to accommodate a scraping portion of the scraper, the lower portion comprising a case configured to partially enclose the handle of the scraper for immobilizing the scraper. Preferably, the case comprises an open upper end in contact with the lower end of the upper portion, and a closed oblique lower end. Advantageously, the lower end of the case comprises a hole, the housing comprising a water flow conduit attached to the hole in the lower end of the case for the flow of water collected at the bottom of the case. Advantageously, the water drainage conduit opens into a space defined between the exterior panel and a door box equipped with a water drainage hole. In one embodiment, the housing is disposed at a distance from the front end less than 25% of the total length of the door. Thus, the accommodation is arranged close to the vehicle user. The invention also relates to a defrosting scraper configured to be housed in a suitable housing of a front side door of a vehicle as described previously. Advantageously, the scraper comprises a handle and a scraping portion, the handle being trapezoidal and comprising a first end and a second end opposite and parallel to each other, the scraping portion extending from the second end of the handle, the second end being longer than the first end, the handle comprising a curved intermediate portion connecting the first end to the second end, the scraper comprising a first excess thickness on the first end of the handle and a second excess thickness on the second end of the handle, the first and second excess thicknesses extending from a lower surface of the handle. Advantageously, the scraping portion forms an acute angle with a tangent to the point of an upper surface of the second end of the handle so that the scraper has a curved profile. The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a side door front as described previously and pivotally mounted on the vehicle between an open position of the vehicle and a closed position of the vehicle, this door comprising a housing for a defrosting scraper as described previously, the vehicle comprising a dashboard, the front side door comprising a support zone intended to be in contact in the closed position of the dashboard, the housing for the defrosting scraper being located in the support zone. Brief description of the drawings Other aims, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the appended drawings in which: [Fig.1] illustrates a vehicle and a vehicle door in the open position according to the invention; [Fig.2] illustrates a front side door equipped with a housing for a defrosting scraper according to the invention; [Fig.3] illustrates the housing of the front side door of [Fig.2] without the inner panel; [Fig.4] illustrates a rear view of the interior panel of the door according to the invention; [Fig.5] illustrates a schematic cross-sectional view of the door according to the invention in the closed position; [Fig.6] illustrates a cross-sectional view of the door housing according to the invention and the defrosting scraper according to the invention; [Fig.7] illustrates a top view of a de-icing scraper according to the invention; and [Fig.8] illustrates a side view of the defrosting scraper according to the invention, applied to a frosted window of a vehicle. Detailed description of at least one embodiment [Fig. 1] partially shows a vehicle | according to the invention. The vehicle 1 comprises a front side door 2 and a dashboard 3 arranged at the front of the vehicle 1. For the purposes of the description, reference is made to a direct orthonormal reference frame conventionally used in automobile design, in which the X axis designates the longitudinal direction from the rear to the front of the vehicle 1, oriented forward, the Y axis designates the transverse direction from left to right, oriented right, and the Z axis designates the vertical direction, oriented upwards. The front side door 2 comprises a front end 4 pivotally mounted on the vehicle 1 between a vehicle closing position and a vehicle opening position 1. In [Fig. 1], the door 2 is in the vehicle opening position 1. [Fig.5] schematically illustrates the front side door 2 in cross-section along a plane perpendicular to the X axis, and includes the different elements of this door 2. In [Fig.5], the rest of the vehicle 1 is not shown, but the door 2 is illustrated in the closed position in order to facilitate the description of the elements in relation to the previously described reference frame. The front side door 2 comprises an inner panel 5 and an outer panel 6. The inner 5 and outer 6 panels form the outer surface of the door 2. The interior panel 5 is arranged on the side of the door 2 intended to be inside the vehicle 1 when the door 2 is in the vehicle's closed position. The front side door 2 further comprises a door box 7 disposed between the interior panel 5 and the exterior panel 6. More precisely, the door box 7 is the metal frame of the door 2, and comprises an upper portion 7a framing a window 8 of the door 2, as well as a lower portion formed by a metal plate 7b disposed between the interior 5 and exterior 6 panels. In a known manner, the window 8 is able to slide between a deployed position and a retracted position in which it is housed in a space between the door box 7 and the exterior panel 6. Thus, the door box 7 separates a wet zone from a dry zone within the door 2, the wet zone being arranged between the metal plate 7b and the exterior panel 6 and the dry zone being arranged between the metal plate 7b and the interior panel 5. The upper portion 7a of the box 7 is not shown in [Fig.5]. The outer panel 6 has a substantially concave profile relative to the metal plate 7b, and is fixed by its upper and lower ends to the upper and lower ends of the metal plate 7b, thus defining the wet zone. When the window 8 of the door 2 is lowered, it is housed in this wet area. Holes are made at the lower end intended to face the ground of the box 7 and the outer panel 6 to evacuate the water entering the wet area, for example via the window 8. The interior panel 5 comprises an armrest 9 extending longitudinally along the X axis on the door 2 in the closed position. [Fig. 2] illustrates a front view of the front side door 2 of the vehicle 1. The front side door 2 comprises a housing 10 for a de-icing scraper, into which a de-icing scraper 11 according to the invention is intended to be inserted and which will be described later. The dashboard 3 extends transversely in the vehicle 1 and comprises a side face 3a at each of its transverse ends. The door 2, and more particularly the interior panel 5, comprises a support zone 2a intended to be in contact with the dashboard 3 when the door 2 is in closing position of the vehicle 1. The support zone 2a is thus configured to rest against the lateral face 3a of the dashboard 3. In other words, the support zone 2a constitutes a part of the interior panel 5 having a shape complementary to the lateral face 3a of the dashboard 3, so that the door 2 and the dashboard 3 cooperate without causing material damage to the vehicle 1 when opening and / or closing the vehicle 1. The support zone 2a is thus located on the interior panel 5, and extends from the front end 4, for example over a distance of approximately 25% of the total longitudinal length of the door 2. The housing 10 for the defrosting scraper is located on the support zone 2a, and is therefore arranged at a distance from the front end 4 less than 25% of the total longitudinal length of the door 2. The housing 10 comprises an upper portion 12 and a lower portion 13, and is illustrated in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 6. [Fig.3] illustrates a front view of the door 2 such as [Fig.2], on which the interior panel 5 is shown in transparency. [Fig.4] illustrates a view of the rear face of the door 2, on which the outer panel 6 and the box 7 are not shown in order to reveal the back of the inner panel 5. The upper portion 12 of the housing 10 is hollowed out in the inner panel 5, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The upper portion 12 thus comprises a trapezoidal imprint hollowed out in the support zone 2a of the inner panel 5. In other words, the upper portion 12 comprises a high end 12a and an opposite low end 12b which are parallel to each other, giving the upper portion 12 a trapezoid shape of which the high end 12a and the low end 12b are respectively the large base and the small base. Indeed, the high end 12a is longer longitudinally than the low end 12b. The lower portion 13 is arranged in the direct vertical extension of the upper portion 12, so that the lower end 12b of the upper portion 12 is in contact with an upper end 13a of the lower portion 13. The lower portion 13 is a case comprising the upper end 11a and a lower end 13b. The case is secured to the inner panel 5 by fastening means illustrated in [Fig. 3]. These fastening means comprise, for example, screws inserted into tabs formed on side walls of the case 13. The lower portion 13 is arranged between the inner panel 5 and the outer panel 6, and more precisely between the inner panel 5 and the metal plate 7b of the box 7. Thus, the lower end 12b of the upper portion 12 and the end upper 13a of the lower portion 13 are open so that the upper portion 12 opens onto the opening of the case of the lower portion 13. The lower end 13b of the case of the lower portion 13 is configured to converge frost residues remaining on the defrosting scraper 11 and having melted in contact with the heat of the vehicle 1. More precisely, the bottom of the lower end 13b of the case of the lower portion 13 is oblique so that the recovered water converges towards a hole 14 dug in a corner of the lower end 13b arranged lowest which is visible in Figures 2 and 3. The housing 10 further comprises a water flow conduit 13c mounted in the hole 14 so that water converging towards the hole 14 enters the water flow conduit 13c. The water flow conduit 13c comprises a first end fixed to the hole 14 and opens through a second end into the wet zone between the box 7 and the outer panel 6. In this way, the water under the effect of gravity flows into the wet zone to the drainage holes previously described. Thus, the housing 10 according to the invention uses a pre-existing water drainage means and therefore generates reduced manufacturing costs and constraints. The armrest 9 is secured to the interior panel 5 by an armrest reinforcing means 9a secured to the interior panel S inside the door 2a and configured to hold and stiffen the armrest 9. The armrest reinforcing means 9a extends the entire length of the armrest 9 longitudinally on the interior panel 5, and is secured to the interior panel 5 by a plurality of fastening means such as screws as illustrated in |Fig.4|. Preferably, the case 13 forming the lower portion of the housing 10 is directly machined on the armrest reinforcement means 9a, in order to reduce costs, so that the case 13 and the armrest reinforcement part 9a form a single piece. The scraper 11 is shown inserted into the housing 10 in Figures 3 and 6. [Fig.6] illustrates a view of the housing 10 and the scraper 11 according to a cross-section of the vehicle 1 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X. [Fig.7] shows a top view of the scraper 11, i.e., a view of an upper surface 11a of the scraper 11. The scraper 11 also includes an opposite lower surface 11b, visible in the profile view of the scraper 11 illustrated in [Fig.8]. The scraper 11 comprises a handle 15 and a scraping portion 16. The handle 15 is trapezoidal and thus comprises a first end 15a and an opposite second end 15b, the two ends 15a and 15b being parallel to each other, and constituting respectively the small base and the large base of the trapezoid. In other words, the second end 15b is longer than the first end 15a. As visible in [Fig.8] which represents a profile view of the scraper 11, the handle 15 comprises an intermediate body 15c connecting the two ends 15a and 15b. The intermediate body 15c of the handle 15 is curved, as shown by the arrows 17 in [Fig.8]. The handle further comprises two lateral edges 15d and 15e each connecting the ends 15a and 15b on one side of the handle 15. The corners defined by edges 15d and 15e with the first end 15a are rounded so as to avoid injury to the user. The scraping portion 16 extends from the second end 15b and extends the handle 15 over substantially the entire length of the second end 15b in order to maximize the scraping range. The scraping portion 16 comprises a scraping blade 16a at its end opposite the handle 15. The scraping portion 16 forms an angle with the handle 15 by accentuating the curvature of the intermediate body 15c. More precisely, the scraping portion forms an acute angle α with the tangent 18 at the point of the upper surface 11a of the second end 15b. Preferably, the angle is between 5 and 50 degrees. In this way, the scraper 11 has a curved profile. In other words and as shown in [Fig.8], the scraper 11 has a convex profile relative to a window 19 on which it is intended to be used. Thus, the holding of the scraper 11 is improved and reinforced during its use. Indeed, the user of the scraper 11 applies a force to the scraper 11 illustrated by a plurality of arrows 20. The curved shape of the profile of the scraper 11 makes it possible to convert these forces 20 into a force applied to the frosted window 19 at a point of contact with the scraping portion 16, as well as to compensate for resulting counter-forces 17 in order to avoid wear or even breakage of the scraper 11. Also, the curved profile of the scraper 11 helps to avoid vibrations and unwanted micro-movements during its use. Furthermore, as illustrated in [Fig.6], the curved shape of the scraper profile 11 is complementary to the shape of the dashboard 3, and more particularly of the lateral face 3a of the dashboard 3. Thus, this allows the scraper 11 to better integrate into the environment and the trim of the vehicle 1 and the housing 10. The scraper 11 comprises a first thickening 21a and a second thickening 21b both extending from the lower surface 11b of the scraper 11. The first excess thickness 21a is arranged on the first end 15a of the handle 15, and the second excess thickness 21b is arranged on the second end 15b of the handle, at the junction with the scraping portion 16. The first extra thickness 2la and the second extra thickness 21b constitute ren- local forces improving the rigidity of the scraper 11. Apart from the extra thicknesses 21a and 21b, the thickness of the scraper 11 is 2 to 3 millimeters in order to ensure sufficient rigidity. Thus, the scraper 11 and the housing 10 have complementary shapes. With reference to [Fig. 3], the upper portion 12, and more precisely the trapezoidal indentation, is configured to accommodate the scraping portion 16 and more generally to receive the widest part of the trapezoidal handle 15 constituted by a first section S1 of the scraper 11 extending from the scraping blade 16a to a point of the handle 15 for which the width of the scraper 11 is substantially equal to the dimension of the opening of the upper end 13a of the lower portion 13. The trapezoidal indentation has a shape identical to that of the first section S1 of the scraper 11, the indentation however having a width greater by 2 to 4 millimeters than that of the first section S1 at any point of the first section S1 in order to guide the insertion and removal of the scraper 11 in the housing 10. The lower portion 13 of the housing 10 is configured to partially enclose the handle 15 of the scraper 11. In particular, the lower portion 13, and more particularly the upper end 13a of the case, is of a dimension greater than the width of the first end 15a of the handle and less than the maximum width of the handle 15, so that the lower portion 13 is configured to partially enclose the handle 15 of the scraper 11. Indeed, the scraper 11 is capable of being partially introduced into the case of the lower portion 13. More particularly, the handle 15 comprises a second section S2 intended to be inserted into the lower portion 13, and extending between the first end 15a and the point of the handle 15 for which the width of the handle 15 is substantially equal to the maximum dimension of the opening of the lower portion 13, this point already constituting one end of the first section S1. The length of this second section S2 is thus sufficiently large to ensure the maintenance and immobilization of the scraper 11 in the housing 10. The case of the lower portion 13 is thus capable of blocking the vertical translation of the scraper 11 in the housing 10, while receiving a sufficiently large part of the scraper 11 to ensure the maintenance and immobilization of the scraper 11 in the housing 10. The insertion of the scraper 11 into the housing 10 is therefore by means of a vertical translation along the Z axis of the scraper 11 first in the upper portion 12 then in the lower portion 13. More particularly, the first end 15a of the handle 15 is first introduced into the upper end 12a of the upper portion 12 of the housing 10, before the rest of the scraper 11 is slid into the housing 10 in a movement of vertical translation. The removal of the scraper 11 from the housing 10 consists of an identical translational movement in the opposite direction. The housing 10 being arranged on the support zone 2a is in fact mostly invisible to the user when the door is in the closed position. However, if the housing 10 is arranged in an upper rear corner of the support zone 2a, a part of the housing 10 can remain visible to the user when the door 2 is in the closed position, so as to allow verification that the scraper 11 is indeed present in the housing 10. Furthermore, the movement of insertion and extraction of the scraper 11 from the housing 10 consisting of a vertical translation movement, it is possible to insert or extract the scraper 11 even when the door is in the closed position when the housing 10 is positioned on the support zone in an appropriate manner. In a second embodiment, the housing 10 is arranged in a centered area of ​​the door 2 so that the scraper is more easily extractable when the door 2 is in the closed position. In other embodiments, the housing 10 may be equipped with electrical connections allowing, for example, a battery of the scraper 11 to be recharged. Optionally, the scraper 11 can be manufactured by injection and 3D printing.

Claims

Claims

1. Front side door (2) of a vehicle (1), comprising an end front (4) intended to be pivotally mounted on the vehicle (1) between a vehicle closing position (1) and an opening position of the vehicle (1), the door (2) comprising an interior panel (5), a outer panel (6) and a housing (10) for defrosting scraper, ca- characterized in that the housing (10) comprises an upper portion (12) and a lower portion (13) arranged in the extension vertical of the upper portion (12), the upper portion (12) being hollowed out in the inner panel (5) and extending between one end high (12a) and a low end (12b) opening onto the in- portion lower (13), the lower portion (13) being arranged between the panels interior (5) and exterior (6).

2. A door according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion (12) includes a trapezoidal indentation cut into the panel interior (5) and configured to accommodate a scraping portion (16) of the scraper (11), the lower portion comprising a case (13) configured to partially grip a handle (15) of the scraper (11) to immobilization of the scraper (11).

3. A door according to claim 2, wherein the case (13) comprises a upper end (13a) open in contact with the lower end (12b) of the upper portion (12), and a closed oblique lower end (13b).

4. Door according to claim 3, in which the lower end (13b) of the case (13) comprises a hole (14), the housing (10) comprising a water drain pipe (13c) attached to the hole (14) of the lower end (13b) of the case (13) for the flow of water collected at the bottom of the case (13).

5. A door according to claim 4, wherein the flow conduit water (13c) opens into a space delimited between the outer panel and a door box (7) equipped with a water drainage hole.

6. Door according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the housing (10) is arranged at a distance from the front end (4) in- less than 25% of the total length of the door (2).

7. A de-icing scraper (11) configured to be housed in a housing (10) adapted from a front side door (2) of a vehicle (1) according to one of the claims | to 6.

8. A scraper (11) according to claim 7, comprising a handle (15) and a scraping portion (16), the handle (15) being trapezoidal and comprising a first end (15a) and a second end (15b) opposite and parallel to each other, the scraping portion (16) extending from the second end (15b) of the handle, the second end (15b) being longer than the first end (15a), the handle (15) comprising an intermediate portion (15c) curved connecting the first end (15a) to the second end (15b), the scraper (11) comprising a first excess thickness (21a) on the first end (15a) of the handle (15) and a second sur- thickness (21b) on the second end (15b) of the handle (15), the first and second overthicknesses (21a and 21b) extending from a lower surface {11b) of the scraper (11).

9. A scraper (11) according to any one of claims 10, wherein the scraping portion (16) forms an acute angle (a) with a tangent (18) at the point of an upper surface (1 1a) of the second end (15b) of the handle so that the scraper (11) has a curved profile.

10. Vehicle (1) comprising a front side door (2) according to one any of the claims | to 5 pivotally mounted on the vehicle (1) between a vehicle opening position and a position of closing the vehicle and comprising a housing (10) for a scraper defrosting (11) according to one of claims 7 to 10, the vehicle (1) comprising a dashboard (3), the front side door (2) comprising a support zone (2a) intended to be in contact in position dashboard closing (3), the housing (10) for the scraper defrosting being located in the support zone (2a).