VEHICLE WITH A RETRACTABLE ACCESS HATCH

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle (100) comprising an access hatch (1) to a compartment (2) having a fuel tank or a charging socket (3), the access hatch (1) having a pivoting connecting element joining the access hatch (1) to the vehicle (100), said access hatch (1) being able to be in three positions among: - a first freely closed position in which the access hatch (1) covers the access to the fuel tank or the electrical charging socket (3); - a second open position in which the access hatch uncovers the access to the fuel tank or the electrical charging socket (3), said access hatch (1) being able to translate; - a third retracted position in which the access hatch (1) is fully inserted into the housing in which the access hatch (1) is fully inserted into the motor vehicle (100). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: VEHICLE COMPRISING A RETRACTABLE ACCESS HATCH

[0001] The invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, and more particularly to fuel tank access hatches or to access hatches to an electric charging socket.

[0002] Known from the prior art is a patent application US 10878644 describing a charging hatch for an electric motor vehicle that can be opened so that the hatch partially penetrates into a receptacle provided for this purpose. When the hatch is closed, it covers the entire charging socket. To uncover the charging socket, the hatch is rotated through an angle of 90° around hinges so that it can partially engage in the receptacle. However, a drawback remains. When the hatch is in the open position, it always partially protrudes from the body of the vehicle. Thus, there is a risk of damage to the hatch, which may be intentional in the case of damage by a malicious third party or involuntary in the case of an accident causing an impact during the recharging of the vehicle, for example.

[0003] The objective of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks by providing a hatch which is fully protected when open.

[0004] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes a motor vehicle comprising an access hatch to a compartment having a fuel tank or to a recharging socket, said motor vehicle having a running gear whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane defined by a first longitudinal direction corresponding to straight-line driving, and by a second transverse direction orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction and a third vertical direction orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction and to the second transverse direction and is oriented away from the ground, the vehicle comprising a body, said body comprising a housing intended to receive said access hatch and having a pivot connection element, said access hatch being connected to the body by means of said pivot connection element, said access hatch being capable of having three positions among: - a first closed position in which the access hatch covers access to the fuel tank or the electric charging socket; - a second open position in which the access hatch reveals access to the fuel tank or to the electric charging socket, said access hatch being able to translate in the second transverse direction; - a third position retracted into the housing in which the access hatch is fully inserted into the motor vehicle.

[0005] Thanks to the invention, the access hatch of the vehicle remains open only for a short transitional period before being integrated into the bodywork of the vehicle. Thus, during the filling of the fuel tank or during the recharging of the vehicle battery, the hatch does not remain open. In this way, the probability of damage, intentional or involuntary, to the access hatch is drastically reduced. Furthermore, the aesthetics of the vehicle are preserved even when the hatch is open because it is concealed.

[0006] Advantageously, the pivot connection element allows rotation of the access hatch at an angle less than or equal to 90°.

[0007] This avoids the risk of damage to the compartment which could cause damage to the compartment and the access hatch.

[0008] Advantageously, said access hatch comprises at least one rail capable of allowing the access hatch to be inserted into the housing.

[0009] This configuration makes it easier to slide the access hatch inside the housing.

[0010] Furthermore, said access hatch is flush with the bodywork by a distance less than or equal to 10 mm in the third position.

[0011] Advantageously, the pivot connecting element has an axis parallel to the first longitudinal direction.

[0012] Furthermore, the pivot connecting element has an axis parallel to the third vertical direction.

[0013] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for opening the access hatch of the mobile vehicle previously described, said method comprising the following steps: - a step of tilting the access hatch from the first position to the second position by means of the pivot connection element; - a step of sliding the access hatch from the second position to the third position.

[0014] The invention will be further detailed by the description of non-limiting embodiments, and on the basis of the appended figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: - [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a perspective view of a motor vehicle according to the invention; - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a side view of an access hatch of a motor vehicle in a first position A and in a second position B; - [Fig.3] schematically illustrates a side view of an access hatch of a motor vehicle in a second position B and in a third position C.

[0015] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a perspective view of a motor vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 comprises a running gear whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane XY defined by a first longitudinal direction X corresponding to straight-line travel, and by a second transverse direction Y and orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction X and a third vertical direction Z orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction X and to the second transverse direction Y and is oriented away from the ground. The vehicle comprises a body having an access hatch 1. Said access hatch 1 is in the open position B. The arrow indicates a translational movement in the second transverse direction Y to retract the access hatch 1 into a housing 5.

[0016] [Fig. 2] schematically illustrates a motor vehicle 100 comprising an access hatch 1 to a compartment 2 having a charging socket 3. This example is not limiting, the charging socket 3 can also be replaced by a fuel tank. It can in fact be a thermal, electric or hybrid motor vehicle. In [Fig. 2], the access hatch 1 is illustrated in two positions. In a first position A, the access hatch 1 covers the compartment 2 so that the charging socket 3 is not accessible to a user. To be able to access the charging socket 3, the user tilts the access hatch 1 downwards in the third vertical direction Z. Once tilted, the access hatch 1 is in a second position B. A pivot connecting element 4 forms the junction between the access hatch 1 and the compartment 2 to allow the tilting of said access hatch 1. In [Fig.2], the hatch is tilted downwards in the third vertical direction Z. However, this embodiment is not limiting. Indeed, the tilting can be done upwards in the third vertical direction Z or on one of the sides, right or left, of the compartment 2 in the first longitudinal direction X. The pivot connecting element 4 allows the access hatch 1 to tilt at an angle of 90°. In this way, the access hatch in position B is parallel to the ground in the first longitudinal direction X.

[0017] In [Fig. 3], a motor vehicle 100 is shown having an access hatch 1 in two positions. Firstly, the access hatch 1 is in the second position B in which it is parallel to the ground in the first longitudinal direction X. To conceal the access hatch 1, the user then pushes the access hatch 1 towards the vehicle 100 in the second transverse direction Y. In this way, the access hatch 1 is in position C. The access hatch 1 is retracted into the housing 5. One or more rails may be present to facilitate the sliding of the access hatch 1 into the housing 5. In position C, the access hatch 1 is flush with the body of the vehicle 100. Preferably, the distance between the access hatch 1 and the body is less than 10 mm. Thus, the access hatch 1 no longer protrudes from the vehicle 100. In this way, the aesthetics of the vehicle 100 are preserved even during reloading of the vehicle 100. In addition, the access hatch 1 is protected when it is embedded in the vehicle 100. Indeed, a malicious third party cannot damage the access hatch 1 because, in the closed position, it merges with the body of the vehicle 100 and, in the open position, it is concealed in the vehicle 100. The same applies in the case of involuntary damage.For example, a third party reversing their vehicle to a very close distance from a vehicle having a configuration according to the prior art during recharging risks hitting the access hatch, then open to the outside for a long period of time, of the order of several minutes to several hours. Thanks to the invention, the time during which the access hatch 1 remains open, in a second position B, is of the order of only a few seconds. Thus, the third party does not have the opportunity to hit the access hatch 1 because it is protected inside the housing 5 during its recharging.

Claims

Claims

1. A motor vehicle (100) comprising an access hatch (1) to a compartment (2) having a fuel tank or to a recharging socket (3), said motor vehicle (100) having a running gear whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane (XY) defined by a first longitudinal direction (X) corresponding to straight-line driving, and by a second transverse direction (Y) and orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction (X) and a third vertical direction (Z) orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction (X) and to the second transverse direction (Y) and is oriented away from the ground, the vehicle (100) comprising a body, said body comprising a housing (5) intended to receive said access hatch (1) and having a pivot connection element (4), said access hatch (1) being connected to the body by means of said pivot connection element,said access hatch (1) being able to have three positions among: - a first closed position (A) in which the access hatch (1) covers the access to the fuel tank or to the electric charging socket (3); - a second open position (B) in which the access hatch uncovers the access to the fuel tank or to the electric charging socket (3), said access hatch (1) being able to translate in the second transverse direction (Y); - a third position (C) retracted into the housing (5) in which the access hatch (1) is fully inserted into the motor vehicle (100).,

2. Vehicle (100) according to claim 1 characterized in that the pivot connection element (4) allows rotation of the access hatch (1) at an angle less than or equal to 90°.

3. Vehicle (100) according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that said access hatch (1) comprises at least one rail capable of allowing the insertion of the access hatch (1) into the housing (5).

4. Vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that said access hatch (1) is flush with the bodywork by a distance less than or equal to 10 mm in the third position (C).

5. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that the pivot connecting element (4) has an axis parallel to the first longitudinal direction X.

6. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the pivot connection element (4) has an axis parallel to the third vertical direction Z.

7. Method for opening the access hatch (1) of the motor vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step of tilting the access hatch (1) from the first position (A) to the second position (B) by means of the pivot connecting element (4); - a step of sliding the access hatch (1) from the second position (B) to the third position (C).

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