Automotive vehicle floor architecture

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle floor architecture (1), comprising a floor wall (2) and a floor (3) mounted over said floor wall, said floor comprising at least a first (4a) and a second (4b) flat plates over said wall, said plates having two respective front faces (5a, 5b) lying substantially in the same horizontal plane, said first plate having a first edge shaped to form first interlocking means and said second plate having a second edge shaped to form second interlocking means, said interlocking means being respectively arranged to allow the plates to be joined together by interlocking along a junction zone (7). Figure 1a

Description

Title of the invention: Motor vehicle floor architecture

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle floor architecture and a method for mounting a floor of such an architecture in a vehicle.

[0002] It is known to produce a floor architecture for a motor vehicle, said architecture comprising a floor wall - in particular made of sheet metal - intended to be secured to the body of said vehicle and a floor mounted to cover said floor wall.

[0003] However, it may happen that the floor is too large to be able to be introduced - in particular through a rear opening of the vehicle - and mounted in said vehicle.

[0004] Furthermore, it is important, particularly when the floor is intended to cover a utility vehicle loading floor, to preserve an optimized flatness of the front face of said floor to facilitate the loading of objects.

[0005] The aim of the invention is to propose an architecture allowing easy mounting of the floor in the vehicle and good flatness of its front face.

[0006] To this end, and according to a first aspect, the invention proposes a motor vehicle floor architecture, said architecture comprising a floor wall intended to be secured to the body of said vehicle and a floor mounted to cover said floor wall, said architecture furthermore having the following characteristics: • said floor comprises at least a first and a second flat plate covering said wall, said plates having two respective front faces substantially in the same horizontal plane, • said first plate has a first edge shaped so as to form first interlocking means and said second plate has a second edge shaped so as to form second interlocking means, said interlocking means being respectively arranged to allow said plates to be joined together by interlocking according to a junction zone.

[0007] In this description, the terms of positioning in space (vertical, horizontal, etc.) are taken with reference to the vehicle in which the ground architecture is arranged, said vehicle extending longitudinally along its length, transversely along its width and vertically along its height.

[0008] As will be seen later, the mounting of the floor in the vehicle is made possible by the introduction into said vehicle of the plates separated from one another, said plates then being associated with each other by interlocking.

[0009] The planar continuity of the place faces can result from the positioning of the plates in their nominal position due to their own weight.

[0010] We will see later that this planar continuity can be optimized by adding a means of fixing the plates together.

[0011] According to a second aspect, the invention proposes a method of mounting a floor of such an architecture in a vehicle.

[0012] Other features and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, given with reference to the attached figures, in which:

[0013] [Fig.la] and

[0014] [Fig.lb] are partial schematic representations in section of an architecture provided with a fixing means according to one embodiment and with a floor receiving element according to a first ([Fig.la]) and a second ([Fig.lb]) embodiment,

[0015] [Fig.2a] and

[0016] [Fig.2b] are partial schematic representations in view according to one direction vertical of an architectural floor according to the invention, the association of the plates between them being represented according to a first ([Fig.2a]) and a second ([Fig.2b]) embodiment.

[0017] With reference to the figures, a description is given of a motor vehicle floor architecture 1, said architecture comprising a floor wall 2 intended to be secured to the body of said vehicle and a floor 3 mounted to cover said floor wall, said architecture furthermore having the following characteristics: • said floor comprises at least a first 4a and a second 4b flat plate covering said wall, said plates having two respective front faces 5a, 5b substantially in the same horizontal plane, • said first plate has a first shaped edge - in particular by cutting - so as to form first interlocking means 6a and said second plate has a second shaped edge - in particular by cutting - so as to form second interlocking means 6b, said interlocking means being respectively arranged to allow said plates to be joined together by interlocking according to a junction zone 7.

[0018] According to the embodiments shown, the plates 4a, 4b are fixed together by a fixing means 8 which does not project from the front faces 5a, 5b, so as to block said front faces in the same horizontal plane and to optimize the planar continuity between said front faces due to the non-projecting nature of said fixing means.

[0019] According to the embodiments shown in figures 1a and 1b, the fixing means 8 is in the form of a film strip provided on its two faces with self-adhesive substance, one face of said strip adhering to the plates 4a, 4b on reverse faces 10a, 10b opposite the front faces 5a, 5b and the other face of said strip adhering to a receiving element 12 of the floor 3 in support.

[0020] According to a first embodiment, shown in [Fig.1a], the receiving element 12 is formed by a zone of the floor wall 2 receiving the junction zone 7 as support.

[0021] According to a second embodiment, shown in [Fig.lb], the receiving element 12 is formed by a wedge inserted into a cavity 14 - in particular in the form of a trench - provided in the floor wall 2 opposite the junction zone 7.

[0022] According to a first embodiment, shown in [Fig.2a], the first fitting means 6a are in the form of projections fitting with the second fitting means 6b in the form of recesses of a shape complementary to that of said projections, said projections being shaped so that fitting can only be done in a vertical direction so that the plates 4a, 4b are locked horizontally apart from each other.

[0023] According to a second embodiment, shown in [Fig.2b], the first 6a and second 6b fitting means are in the form of recesses arranged respectively opposite one another, said architecture further comprising a plurality of connecting members 15 fitting into said recesses, said connecting members having a front face inscribed in the planar continuity of the front faces 5a, 5b of the plates 4a, 4b, so as to preserve a planar continuity between said front faces of said plates, said recesses being shaped so that the fitting of said members can only be done in a vertical direction so that said plates are locked in horizontal spacing from one another after fitting of said members.

[0024] According to various embodiments, the plates 4a, 4b are optionally based on: • agglomerated wood fibers with a bonding agent, • or plywood, • or extruded and laminated thermoplastic material, for example polypropylene,

[0025] the first 6a and second 6b fitting means being derived from cutting made in said plates.

[0026] Finally, a method of mounting in a vehicle a floor 3 of architecture 1 as described previously is described, said method comprising the following steps: • introduce into said vehicle - for example through a rear opening - the plates 4a, 4b separated from each other, • join said plates together by interlocking - directly or by connecting members 15 - according to the junction zone 7.

[0027] It is also possible to provide for fixing the plates 4a, 4b together by the fixing means 8 - for example by a film strip provided on both sides with self-adhesive substance, said strip having been previously fixed to the receiving element 12.

Claims

Claims

1. Architecture (1) of a motor vehicle floor, said architecture comprising a floor wall (2) intended to be secured to the body of said vehicle and a floor (3) mounted to cover said floor wall, said architecture being characterized in that: • said floor comprises at least a first (4a) and a second (4b) flat plate covering said wall, said plates having two respective front faces (5a, 5b) substantially in the same horizontal plane, • said first plate has a first edge shaped so as to form first interlocking means (6a) and said second plate has a second edge shaped so as to form second interlocking means (6b), said interlocking means being respectively arranged to allow an association of said plates with each other by interlocking according to a junction zone (7).

2. Architecture (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the plates (4a, 4b) are fixed together by a fixing means (8) not projecting from the front faces (5a, 5b), so as to block said front faces in the same horizontal plane and to preserve a planar continuity between said front faces.

3. Architecture (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the fixing means (8) is in the form of a film strip provided on its two faces with self-adhesive substance, one face of said strip adhering to the plates (4a, 4b) on reverse faces (10a, 10b) opposite the front faces (5a, 5b) and the other face of said strip adhering to a receiving element (12) of the floor (3) in support.

4. Architecture (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the receiving element (12) is formed by a zone of the floor wall (2) receiving the junction zone (7) as support.

5. Architecture (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the receiving element (12) is formed by a wedge inserted into a cavity (14) provided in the floor wall (2) opposite the junction zone (7).

6. Architecture (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first interlocking means (6a) are in the form of projections interlocking with the second interlocking means (6b) in the form of recesses of a shape complementary to that of said projections, said projections being shaped so that interlocking can only take place in a vertical direction so that the plates (4a, 4b) are locked horizontally apart from each other.

7. Architecture (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first (6a) and second (6b) interlocking means are in the form of recesses arranged respectively opposite one another, said architecture further comprising a plurality of connecting members (15) interlocking in said recesses, said connecting members having a front face inscribed in the planar continuity of the front faces (5a, 5b) of the plates (4a, 4b), said recesses being shaped so that the interlocking of said members can only be done in a vertical direction so that said plates are blocked in horizontal spacing from one another after interlocking of said members.

8. Architecture (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plates (4a, 4b) are optionally based on: • wood fibers agglomerated with a bonding agent, • or plywood, • or extruded and laminated thermoplastic material, the first (6a) and second (6b) interlocking means being derived from cutting made in said plates.

9. Method for mounting in a vehicle an architectural floor (3) (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, said method comprising the following steps: • introducing into said vehicle the plates (4a, 4b) separated from one another, • associating said plates together by interlocking according to the junction zone (7).

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