Opening with an access hatch to an electrical socket fixed to a vehicle body

Abstract

An arrangement (1) comprising a vehicle body (2; 21; 22) (3), an opening (4), an electrical outlet (5), a rear window (44), and a lighting device (6), the opening (4) being, in particular, a tailgate (41) or a drawer (42), the lighting device (6) being mounted integrally with the body and positioned adjacent to the opening, the lighting device being, in particular, located at the edge of an opening (7) intended to be closed by the opening, in particular a rear opening of the body, the electrical outlet (5) being connected to a vehicle battery, in particular a battery powering an electric drivetrain, characterized in that it comprises an access hatch (8) to the electrical outlet, the access hatch (8) being movable between open and closed positions, and in that the opening (4) comprises said access hatch (8). Figure for the abbreviation: 2

Description

Title of the invention: Opening comprising an access hatch to an electrical socket fixed to a vehicle body

[0001] The invention relates to the field of hybrid or electric vehicles. It concerns an arrangement comprising a vehicle body, an opening, an electrical socket, a lighting device, and an access hatch to the electrical socket. The invention also relates to a vehicle having such an arrangement.

[0002] Hybrid or electric vehicles are traditionally equipped with a charging port connected to a battery that powers an electric drivetrain. The primary purpose of the charging port is to recharge the battery, and it is located at the front of the vehicle, for example, on the front grille, front bumper, or right or left front fender. It can also be located at the rear, for example, on the rear bumper or right or left rear fender. The location of the charging port and its access panel is highly dependent on the available space on the vehicle body to accommodate and secure the charging port bracket.The electrical socket has a compact geometry, which is less the case for the access hatch, which is generally larger than the socket because it must also cover the entirety of a socket support which includes, in particular, a robust and lockable hinge device for the access hatch as well as a locking device for the electrical connection between the socket and a charging cable end.

[0003] It is known to position the vehicle charging socket at a predetermined height above the ground, preferably more than 1 meter, to provide the user with the ergonomics required for the least cumbersome connection possible. However, it has been observed that many charging cable storage solutions require opening the trunk, even when the charging socket is located on the side of the vehicle. The user must therefore move from one side of the vehicle to the rear with the charging cable. It was therefore considered to relocate the socket to the rear of the vehicle. Such a rearward placement of the socket also offers a safety advantage, as access to the charging socket is possible without obstructing the roadway or sidewalk.

[0004] However, this has revealed numerous integration constraints. The rear part of the vehicle body includes a rear opening for accessing the luggage compartment, the geometry of which would be significantly affected by the presence of a imposing hatch support. The relocation of traditional electrical sockets would have the main effect of reducing the lateral dimension of the rear opening, thereby degrading access to the luggage compartment as well as the narrowing of the rear of the car necessary for aerodynamics.

[0005] The invention aims to provide a solution to this drawback by proposing an arrangement that allows for an increased size of the rear opening of the body with a placement of the charging point on the rear face of the vehicle.

[0006] The invention relates to an arrangement comprising a vehicle body, an opening, an electrical socket, and a lighting device, the opening being in particular a tailgate or a drawer, the lighting device being mounted integrally with the body and positioned adjacent to the opening, the lighting device being in particular located at the edge of an opening intended to be closed by the opening, in particular a rear opening of the body, the electrical socket being connected to a vehicle battery, in particular a battery powering an electric drivetrain. The arrangement is notable in that it includes an access hatch to the electrical socket, the access hatch being movable on the opening between open and closed positions, and in that the opening includes said access hatch.

[0007] This advantageously allows for the relocation of some of the components of the access hatch, particularly the hinge mechanism on the opening. Other components enabling the operation of the access hatch can also be moved on the opening, which tends to reduce the size of the electrical socket support, thus facilitating its integration into the vehicle body.

[0008] The arrangement may include the following features, taken separately or in combination with each other: - the tailgate or drawer includes at least one hinge on which the access hatch is fixed; - the tailgate includes the drawer as well as an articulation device, in particular a device for rotation around a transverse axis; - the lighting system includes the electrical outlet; - the lighting device includes a body fixed to the casing, the body forming a support for fixing the electrical socket; - the access hatch is mounted to rotate around a substantially vertical axis to the body when the opening is in a closed position, in particular the rear opening; - the opening is a tailgate mounted in an articulated manner around a substantially transverse axis, in particular with rotation in its upper part around the body, or a drawer mounted in an articulated manner around a substantially transverse axis, in particular with rotation in its lower part around the tailgate; - the electrical outlet is accessible when the door is in the open position; - the electrical outlet is accessible when the storage drawer is in the open position; - the opening includes a means of locking the access hatch in the closed position and in the open position such that the movement of the opening is carried out with the access hatch in the open or closed position.

[0009] The invention relates to a vehicle, in particular of the type of an electric or hybrid powered automobile, comprising an arrangement having the aforementioned characteristics.

[0010] The attached drawings represent, by way of example, an embodiment of a door frame according to the invention. Fig. 1 represents, from a right lateral side view, a vehicle comprising the arrangement according to the invention. Figure [Fig. 2] represents the vehicle of Figure [1] from a rear view. Figure [Fig. 3] schematically represents the arrangement along section line III-III of Figure [Fig. 2], Figure [Fig.4] schematically represents a variant of the opening according to the arrangement of [Fig.2]. Figure [Fig. 5] schematically represents the arrangement along the cutting line VV of Figure [Fig. 2],

[0011] Reference will be made to a direct orthonormal XYZ frame, in which the X axis designates the rear-front longitudinal direction of the vehicle, oriented towards the front, the Y axis designates the transverse direction of the vehicle and is oriented from the left to the right of the vehicle, the left and the right being defined according to the point of view of a driver of the vehicle, the Z axis designates the vertical direction, and is oriented from the bottom to the top, the vehicle resting on a horizontal ground. The terms "upper" and "lower" are defined with reference to the Z-axis. The terms "front" and "back" are defined with reference to the X-axis.

[0012] The invention proposes an arrangement 1 which is visible in [Fig.1] and which includes a vehicle body 2 3, an opening 4, an electrical socket 5 and a lighting device 6. Vehicle 3 includes a powertrain that is either hybrid or electric. The vehicle includes at least one electrical power system, referred to as the "high-voltage system." The vehicle includes at least one on-board electrical system, referred to as the "low-voltage system," which operates at a voltage of 12 V. Body 2 is understood as the structural element of the vehicle including in particular the body sides, the underbody with a floor, the roof lining. Electrical socket 5 is fixed to the body 2, at the rear of the vehicle. Electrical socket 5 is positioned adjacent to opening 7.

[0013] The lighting device 6 is fixed to the body 2, at the rear of the vehicle. The lighting device 6 is arranged adjacent to the opening 7. The lighting device 6 comprises a diffusion area of ​​at least one light beam which extends in a profile substantially in C for the left side of the vehicle, or in an inverted C for the right side of the vehicle, as can be seen in [Fig. 2].

[0014] The electrical socket 5 is located inside the lighting device 6. According to one embodiment, an electrical socket support 5 is fixed to the case 2. The lighting device 6 is also fixed to the case 2. The lighting device 6 may include the electrical socket 5, in that the socket support is included in the lighting device 6 as a common component of the lighting system. The lighting device 6 and the electrical socket 5 thus form an electrical module connected to the vehicle's electrical network for lighting and to the high-voltage electrical network for battery charging.

[0015] The electrical socket 5, fixed to the housing 2 via the socket support, is covered by an access panel 8. Unlike the electrical socket 5, the access panel 8 is assembled to the opening 4 in such a way as to allow it to tilt between closed and open positions. The hinge mechanism of the access panel 8 is thus supported by the opening 4.

[0016] The opening 4 is located at the rear of the vehicle so that, in the closed position, it seals the rear opening 7 in the body. The rear opening 7 forms a rear ring, providing improved rigidity to the body. The rear opening 7 is delimited by a lateral portion adjacent to a lighting device 6. The opening 4 can be a tailgate 41 which includes an upper part having an opening closed by a rear window 44. The tailgate 41 includes a lower part having the hinge device for the access hatch 8. The lower part can also include a part of the lighting device 6 which extends transversely to the extension of the lighting device 6 fixed to the body 2. The tailgate 41 is rotationally mounted on the body by hinges with a Y-axis (not shown). These hinges are positioned at the top of the tailgate 41 when closed, so that the tailgate is flush with the roof of the vehicle 3. Access to the luggage compartment and / or the passenger compartment is achieved by tilting the tailgate 41 upwards. The rear opening is closed by tilting the tailgate 41 downwards.

[0017] According to an alternative embodiment not shown, the opening 4 is an access cover for a luggage compartment only, without a rear window. Such a cover may include a vertical portion on which the access hatch 8 is located.

[0018] According to another embodiment, which is shown in dashed lines in [Fig. 2], the opening 4 on which the access hatch 8 to the electrical socket 2 is located is a drawer 42 intended for storing an electrical cable for charging the battery of the electric or hybrid vehicle. The drawer 42 is hinged to the tailgate 41 by means of Y-axis hinges (not shown). These hinges are positioned on the lower part of the drawer 42, such that the drawer 42 opens with a downward movement. The tailgate 41, which receives the pivotally hinged drawer 42, includes a housing that defines a recess for the drawer 42. The drawer 42 includes an inner face on which is located a box forming a compartment for storing the charging cable. This cable includes a connector with a shape complementary to the electrical socket 5.

[0019] Regardless of the type of the aforementioned opening 4, it includes the access hatch 8.

[0020] Figure 3 shows a tailgate-type opening 41 which includes a hinge device 41 for the access hatch. The tailgate-type opening 41 includes an inner stiffening wall which supports the hinge device 43. The body 2 includes a bumper 21 and a sealing element 10 against which the tailgate 41, in the closed position, rests in order to seal the rear opening 7.

[0021] Figure 4 differs from the embodiment of Figure 3 in that it represents the variant in which the opening 4 is a drawer 42 on which the hinge device 43 for the access hatch 8 to the electrical socket is arranged. The drawer 42 is rotatably mounted on the tailgate 4L. The outer wall of the tailgate 41 includes a recessed housing for the box forming the compartment for the charging cable. In this way, the volume of the drawer 43 is integrated into the tailgate 41, which includes a sealing element 11 for the drawer 42 relative to the tailgate 4L.

[0022] Figure 5 shows, in a cross-sectional view along axes XZ, the lighting device 6 and the electrical socket 5. The lighting device comprises an upper beam-difference guide 61 and a lower beam-difference guide 62, which are arranged respectively above and below the electrical socket 5. The body 63 of the lighting device comprises the upper beam-difference guides 61 and 62. The guides can be connected to one another. to the other by one of their ends in order to form a light beam guide module with a profile substantially in C, or inverted C.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the light device 6 comprises a single light beam diffusion guide.

[0024] The position of the access hatch 8 in the open position is shown in dashed line on [Fig.5], and in solid line in the closed position. The light device 6 fixed to the body 2 can be extended by a wing 22 at the top and by a bumper 21 at the bottom. A sealing means 12 surrounds the electrical socket 5, while being fixed to the electrical socket support 5. The body of the lighting device may include the electrical socket support 5.

[0025] Due to the assembly tolerances of the opening 4 on the body 2, the access hatch 8 is able to come precisely into contact with the sealing means 12 in order to perfect the sealing of the electrical socket 5.

[0026] The hinge device 43 carried by the opening 4 includes a locking means that locks the access hatch in an open or closed position. This locking means can be connected to a control unit that takes into account the presence of an electrical connection between the charging cable end and the electrical socket 5.

[0027] The power outlet support 5 may include a locking device for the charging cable connector in electrical connection with the power outlet. The control unit may take into account the locked or unlocked state of the charging cable connector locking device to lock or unlock the access cover locking device 8 in the open or closed position so that, when the battery is charging, the access cover 8 is locked in the open position. The opening 4 can be operated safely because the access cover 8 will not come into contact with the charging cable connector when it is positioned in the power outlet 5.

[0028] By thus deporting the means of articulation and / or locking of the access hatch 8 on the opening 4, i.e. outside the support of electrical socket 5 fixed on body 2, it becomes possible to integrate the latter more easily on the rear part of the body 2 of the vehicle, at least such an integration does not penalize the geometry of the rear opening 7 whose lateral edges are spaced as far apart as possible to improve access to the trunk.

[0029] The ease of integration can extend to locating the electrical outlet 5 in the immediate vicinity of the lighting device 6, or even to integrating the electrical outlet directly into the lighting device. Integration can thus be taken to its extreme, namely that the lighting device 6 includes the outlet electrical, in the sense that the electrical socket support 5 is made in the body of the lighting device 6.

[0030] The lighting device 6 can be a rear light from a hybrid or electric vehicle. Thus, the lighting device 6 is connected to the vehicle's on-board electrical network, referred to as the "low voltage" network, for lighting functions, and to the vehicle's "high voltage" electrical network for battery charging by connection to a charging station via the charging cable, the connector of which is inserted into the vehicle's electrical socket 5.

Claims

Demands

1. An arrangement (1) comprising a vehicle body (2), an opening (4), an electrical outlet (5), and a lighting device (6), the opening (4) being, in particular, a tailgate (41) or a drawer (42), the lighting device (6) being mounted integrally with the body and positioned adjacent to the opening, the lighting device being disposed at the edge of a rear opening (7) in the body intended to be closed by the opening, the electrical outlet (5) being connected to a vehicle battery, the battery powering an electric drivetrain, characterized in that it comprises an access hatch (8) to the electrical outlet, the access hatch (8) being movable on the opening (4) between open and closed positions, in that the lighting device (6) comprises the electrical outlet (5) fixed to the body adjacent to the opening (7), and in that the opening (4) comprises said access hatch (8).

2. Arrangement (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the tailgate (41) or the drawer (42) includes at least one hinge (43) on which the access hatch (8) is fixed.

3. Arrangement (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tailgate (41) includes the drawer (42) as well as an articulation device, in particular a rotation device about a transverse axis (Y).

4. Arrangement (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lighting device (6) comprises a body (63) fixed to the casing (2), the body forming a support for fixing the electrical socket (5).

5. Arrangement (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the access hatch (8) is mounted to rotate about a substantially vertical axis (Z) to the body (2) when the opening (4) is in a closed position, in particular the rear opening (7).

6. An arrangement (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the opening (4) is a tailgate (41) mounted in a hinged manner about a substantially transverse axis (Y), in particular with rotation at its upper part about the body (2), or a drawer (42) mounted in a hinged manner about an axis substantially transverse (Y), in particular with rotation in its lower part around the tailgate (41).

7. Arrangement (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electrical socket (5) is made accessible when the opening (4) is in the open position, in particular on the case.

8. Arrangement (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the opening (4) includes a means for locking the access hatch (8) in the closed position and in the open position such that the movement of the opening (4) is carried out with the access hatch in the open or closed position.

9. Vehicle (3), in particular of the type of an electric or hybrid powered automobile, comprising an arrangement (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

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