Method for pre-assembling a front end onto a motor vehicle body and vehicle bodywork obtained by the process

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for assembling a body (1) consisting of assembling a front-end module (3) onto a body (2), comprising at least one clipping interface (4), each designed to cooperate with a tenon (5) to form a clip-on fastener. The method comprises a first step of attaching at least one positioning interface (6) to the body (2) by at least one crimping operation, each interface being provided with at least one tenon (5) designed to cooperate with a clipping interface (4), each tenon (5) being positioned indexed relative to at least one reference element (8) during the first step. The first step is followed by a second step of clipping each clipping interface (4) onto a tenon (5) to ensure the pre-holding of the module (3) in a pre-held position indexed relative to each reference element (8). (Figure 3)

Description

Title of the invention: Method for pre-assembling a front panel onto a motor vehicle body and vehicle bodywork obtained by the process.

[0001] The technical field relates to the assembly methods of a front-end module on a vehicle body allowing pre-positioning of the front-end module on the body, the bodies obtained by implementing such a method and the motor vehicles having such a body.

[0002] Customers of car manufacturers are very sensitive to the finishes of vehicles, which includes among other things the adjustment of the assemblies of the different elements of the vehicles.

[0003] To improve production rates, the assembly of a vehicle involves very complex procedures and however the assembly time devoted to a vehicle must be limited in order to be able to respect production rates.

[0004] Assembly procedures often involve a front module that allows for the pre-assembly of various components onto a structure and is then attached to the body of the vehicle to be assembled. The front module is then directly fixed at the ends of the frame rails. The position of the front module must be carefully controlled to ensure proper fit and thus the quality perceived by customers. Indeed, the positioning of the front module directly impacts the fit and alignment between the hood, front fenders, front bumper, and headlights.

[0005] The positions of the ends of the stretchers cannot be guaranteed with sufficient precision at the exit of the forging line due to manufacturing variations. Therefore, to overcome this precision problem, there is a costly solution that consists of precisely measuring and cutting the stretchers to obtain the required positioning accuracy. This solution, which involves preparing the stretchers, requires adapting the forging lines by adding complex and expensive equipment. Furthermore, this solution does not allow for achieving the desired production rates.

[0006] Thus, there is a need for a solution that allows a front-end module to be positioned precisely and as simply as possible.

[0007] The present invention aims to overcome the problems described above. In this technical context, one objective of the present invention is to provide a solution for simplifying production procedures and increasing production rates.

[0008] To this end, the present invention relates to a method for assembling a motor vehicle body consisting of assembling a front panel module onto a vehicle body, comprising at least one clip interface, each designed to cooperate with a tenon to form a clip fastening, the method comprising a first step consisting of fixing at least one positioning interface onto the body by at least one hardware operation, each positioning interface being provided with at least one tenon, each designed to cooperate with a clip interface to form a clip fastening, each tenon being positioned in an indexed manner with respect to at least one reference element of the body during the first step,The first step is followed by a second step consisting of clipping each clipping interface onto a tenon to ensure the pre-retaining of the front panel module in a pre-held position indexed relative to each reference element.

[0009] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle body, obtained by implementing a method according to the invention and comprising a front face module fixed on a vehicle body, the front face module having at least one clipping interface cooperating with a tenon of a positioning interface of the body fixed by implementing the method.

[0010] The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a body according to the invention.

[0011] Thus, the method according to the invention makes it possible to position, during the first step and by one or more relatively simple metalworking operations, a tenon that can cooperate with a clipping interface to clip the front panel module onto the body. The first step makes it possible to position the tenon in an indexed manner with respect to at least one reference element, the position of which can be used to measure the position of any other element, in particular any body panel element. Thus, the method according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a body according to the invention in which the positioning of the front panel module respects the required adjustments and flushness with the body panels. The method according to the invention simplifies the assembly procedures and eliminates the costly operations of cutting the frame rails.Finally, pre-positioning the front panel module in a pre-maintained position, indexed relative to the reference element, simplifies its assembly and allows for increased production rates.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the method of the invention, the second step is followed by a third step consisting of screwing the front panel module onto the case in the pre-held position.

[0013] According to one possibility of the method, each tenon is fixed on a portion of a flat and horizontal surface of a plate of the positioning interface, the first step including indexing the flat surface portion of the plate on a vertical axis of the case, before fixing it to the case.

[0014] Advantageously, the positioning of each tenon on its plate is indexed with respect to a reference element which corresponds to a bodywork element of the vehicle, in particular a front wing of the vehicle.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the assembly method according to the invention, each positioning interface is fixed to one end of a stretcher.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the invention, each clipping interface has a slot dimensioned to cooperate with a tenon, each slot being associated with a locking spring allowing the tenon to be locked in the slot.

[0017] Advantageously, each tenon has a groove dimensioned to cooperate with the locking spring.

[0018] According to one possibility, a reference element is a bodywork element, in particular a front wing.

[0019] 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:

[0020] [Fig-1] [Fig. 1] represents a perspective and detail view of one end of a stretcher of a crate on which a positioning interface is fixed by implementing a first step of a method according to the invention;

[0021] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a schematic view of a front panel module equipped with clipping interfaces;

[0022] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a perspective view of details of a body according to the invention showing the positioning interface and the clipping interface forming a clip-on fastening.

[0023] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0024] An assembly method according to the invention allows a body 1 of a motor vehicle according to the invention to be assembled, illustrated in [Fig.3].

[0025] The method according to the invention consists of assembling a front-end module 3 onto a vehicle body 2, illustrated in part in Figures 1 and 3. A front-end module 3 is, for example, a structure (not illustrated) on which one or more elements are fixed, including, for example, a motor-fan assembly, a radiator grille, a shock absorber system, a hood locking device, a radar bracket, a radar, an airbag sensor, one or more antennas, a locking sensor, dipped headlights, a hood hook bracket, anti-recirculation baffles.

[0026] The front face module 3 includes at least one clip interface 4 each designed to cooperate with a tenon 5 to form a clip fastening.

[0027] The method includes a first step which consists of attaching at least one positioning interface 6 to the body 2 by at least one body-in-white operation. A body-in-white operation is typically carried out on a body-in-white line on which various stamped parts are welded by robotic means, for example, in order to obtain what is commonly called the body-in-white by those skilled in the art.

[0028] As illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, each positioning interface 6 is fixed to one end of a stretcher 7 of the crate 2.

[0029] Each positioning interface 6 is provided with at least one tenon 5, each designed to cooperate with a clipping interface 4 of the front-facing module 3 to form a clip-on fastener. Each tenon 5 is positioned, during the first step of the process, in an indexed manner with respect to at least one reference element 8 of the case 2, for example a reference surface of a stretcher 7, in this case a horizontal surface of the stretcher 7.

[0030] Furthermore, in the embodiment illustrated in the figures, each tenon 5 is fixed on a flat and horizontal portion 9 of a plate 10 of the positioning interface 6, the first step comprising an indexing of the flat surface portion 9 on a vertical axis Z of the case 2, before fixing it on the case 2. Thus, a reference point of the plate 10, preferably positioned on the portion 9 is positioned, along the vertical axis Z, at a predetermined distance d from a horizontal reference plane of the case 2.

[0031] Advantageously still, the positioning of each tenon 5 on its plate 10, during the implementation of the first step of the process, is indexed with respect to at least one reference element 8 which is a bodywork element of the vehicle, in particular a front wing of the vehicle.

[0032] The first step of the process is followed by a second step consisting of clipping each clipping interface 4 onto a tenon 5 to ensure the pre-holding of the front face module 3 in a pre-held position indexed with respect to each reference element 8.

[0033] Thus, implementing the method according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a body 1 according to the invention comprising a front-end module 3 fixed to the vehicle body 2. In the body 1, the front-end module 3 has at least one clipping interface 4 cooperating with a tenon 5 of a positioning interface 6 of the body 2, having been fixed by implementing the first step of the method according to the invention.

[0034] As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, each clipping interface 4 has an oblong slot 11 formed in a plate 12, opening onto an edge of the plate 12. Each slot 11 is dimensioned to cooperate with a tenon 5, i.e., it has a width slightly greater than the width of the tenon 5 to allow the tenon 5 to slide into the slot 11. Each slot 11 is associated with a locking spring 13 that protrudes at least partially into the slot 11 and allows the tenon 5 to be locked into the slot 11. As illustrated in [Fig. 2], each locking spring 13 extends along the contour of the associated slot 11 and forms a constriction 14 requiring elastic deformation of the locking spring 13 to allow the tenon 5 to be inserted beyond the constriction 14. Each tenon 5 advantageously has a groove 15 dimensioned to cooperate with the locking spring 13 in order to keep the clipping interface 4 bearing against the flat, horizontal portion 9 of the plate 10.

[0035] As illustrated in [Fig. 2], each slot 11 is provided at a free end 16 of a substantially flat tab 17 positioned and oriented so as to bear against the flat, horizontal surface portion 9 of the plate 10. Thus, by bearing against the portion 9, each tab 17 ensures correct positioning along the vertical axis Z of the front-facing module 3. Positioning along the other two spatial directions is then ensured by the indexed positioning of each tenon 5 relative to each reference element 8.

[0036] Thus, the method according to the invention makes it possible to obtain the body 1 according to the invention while avoiding the need to cut the ends of the frame members 7. The method according to the invention therefore simplifies and reduces the production costs of the vehicles according to the invention. Finally, the method according to the invention makes it possible to achieve the desired production rates.

[0037] The invention is not limited to the method of implementation of the process or the method of embodiment of the bodywork described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments may be designed by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope and extent of the present invention.

Claims

Demands

1. A method for assembling a motor vehicle body (1) comprising assembling a front-end module (3) onto a vehicle body (2), comprising at least one clip interface (4), each designed to cooperate with a tenon (5) to form a clip fastening, the method comprising a first step of attaching at least one positioning interface (6) to the body (2) by at least one hardware operation, each positioning interface (6) being provided with at least one tenon (5), each designed to cooperate with a clip interface (4) to form a clip fastening, each tenon (5) being positioned in an indexed manner relative to at least one reference element (8) of the body (2) during the first step,the first step being followed by a second step consisting of clipping each clipping interface (4) onto a tenon (5) to ensure the pre-retention of the front panel module (3) in a pre-retained position indexed with respect to each reference element (8), characterized in that each tenon (5) is fixed on a portion (9) of a flat and horizontal surface of a plate (10) of the positioning interface (6), the first step comprising indexing the portion (9) of the flat surface of the plate (10) on a vertical axis (Z) of the body (2), before fixing it onto the body (2), the positioning of each tenon (5) on its plate (10) is indexed with respect to a reference element (8) corresponding to a bodywork element of the vehicle, in particular a front wing of the vehicle.

2. Assembly method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second step is followed by a third step consisting of screwing the front panel module (3) onto the case (2) in the pre-held position.

3. Assembly method according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that each positioning interface (6) is fixed to one end of a stretcher (7).

4. Motor vehicle body (1), obtained by implementing a method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and comprising a front-end module (3) fixed to a vehicle body (2), the front-end module (3) having at least one clipping interface (4) cooperating with a tenon (5) of an interface of positioning (6) of the box (2) fixed by the implementation of the process.

5. Bodywork (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that each clip interface (4) has a slot (11) dimensioned to cooperate with a tenon (5), each slot (11) being associated with a locking spring (13) allowing the tenon (5) to be locked in the slot (11).

6. Body (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that each tenon (5) has a groove (15) dimensioned to cooperate with the locking spring (13).

7. Bodywork (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that a reference element (8) is a bodywork element, in particular a front wing.

8. Vehicle comprising a body (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 7.

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