Automotive vehicle floor architecture

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle floor architecture comprising a floor including at least a first (4a) and a second (4b) flat plate having a first edge (17a) shaped to form first interlocking means (6a) and a second edge (17b) shaped to form second interlocking means (6b), said interlocking means being respectively arranged to allow the plates to be joined edge to edge by interlocking, locking said plates apart along said plane, at least one second interlocking means (6b) being in the form of a recess provided with an opening (13), the first interlocking means (6a) being in the form of a projection fitting into said recess, and / or at least one first and one second interlocking means (6a, 6b) are both in the form of recesses, each provided with an opening (13), said means receiving the ends of a connecting piece. Figure 2a

Description

Title of the invention: Motor vehicle floor architecture

[0001] The invention relates to a floor architecture of a motor vehicle.

[0002] It is known to produce a floor architecture for a motor vehicle, said architecture comprising a floor wall intended to be secured to the body of said vehicle and a floor mounted to cover said wall, said floor comprising at least a first and a second flat plate covering said wall, said plates having two respective front faces lying substantially in the same horizontal plane, said first plate having a first edge shaped so as to form first interlocking means and said second plate having a second edge shaped so as to form second interlocking means, said interlocking means being respectively arranged to allow an association of said plates edge to edge by interlocking locking said plates apart according to said plane.

[0003] Such an arrangement makes it possible, when the floor is too large, to be able to introduce said floor into said vehicle - in particular through a rear opening of the vehicle - and to mount it.

[0004] In known arrangements, the fitting means often have a complex geometry which may be difficult to obtain; in particular, it is common to provide recesses made in the thickness of the plates - for example in the form of grooves -, which may require complex machining operations, or even molding with the presence of undercuts leading to increased complexity of the molds.

[0005] Furthermore, it is important, particularly when the floor is intended to cover a utility vehicle loading floor, to maintain optimized flatness of said floor on the side of the front faces to facilitate the loading of objects.

[0006] The aim of the invention is to propose an architecture whose interlocking means have a simplified geometry that is easily achievable, and leads to good flatness of the floor on the side of the front faces.

[0007] To this end, the invention proposes a floor architecture for a motor vehicle, said architecture comprising a floor wall intended to be secured to the body of said vehicle and a floor mounted to cover said wall, said floor comprising at least a first and a second flat plate covering said wall, said plates having two respective front faces substantially inscribed in the same horizontal plane, said first plate having a first edge shaped so as to form first interlocking means and said second plate having a second edge shaped so as to forming second nesting means, said nesting means being respectively arranged to allow an association of said plates edge to edge by nesting locking said plates in spacing according to said plane, said architecture further having, when viewed in a vertical direction, the following characteristics: • at least one second fitting means is in the form of a recess provided with an opening towards the outside, the first corresponding fitting means being in the form of a projection of complementary shape fitting into said recess, • and / or at least a first interlocking means and the corresponding second interlocking means are both in the form of recesses each provided with an opening towards the outside, said means being arranged face to face and receiving the ends of a connecting piece, said ends having a shape complementary to that of said recesses, said piece being in the planar continuity of said front faces.

[0008] 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.

[0009] With such an arrangement, the interlocking means have a “puzzle-type” geometry which is particularly easy to obtain, in particular by cutting or by molding.

[0010] 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.

[0011] The planar continuity of the face faces can simply result from the positioning of the plates in their nominal position, said continuity being ensured due to the weight of said plates.

[0012] We will see later that this planar continuity can be optimized by adding a means of fixing the plates together.

[0013] Other features and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, given with reference to the attached figures, in which:

[0014] [Fig.la] and

[0015] [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,

[0016] [Fig.2a] and

[0017] [Fig.2b] are partial schematic representations in view in a vertical direction of an architectural floor according to the invention, the association of the plates between they being represented according to a first ([Fig.2a]) and a second ([Fig.2b]) embodiment,

[0018] [Fig.3a] and

[0019] [Fig.3b] are respectively representations similar to figures 2a and 2b illustrating alternative embodiments.

[0020] With reference to the figures, a motor vehicle floor architecture 1 is described, 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 wall, said floor comprising 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 P, said first plate having a first edge 17a shaped so as to form first interlocking means 6a and said second plate having a second edge 17b shaped so as to form second interlocking means 6b, said interlocking means being respectively arranged to allow an association of said plates edge to edge by interlocking locking said plates apart according to said plane, said architecture furthermore having,in view in a vertical direction, the following characteristics: , • at least one second fitting means 6b is in the form of a recess provided with an opening 13 towards the outside, the corresponding first fitting means 6a being in the form of a projection of complementary shape fitting into said recess, • and / or at least a first fitting means 6a and the corresponding second fitting means 6b are both in the form of recesses each provided with an opening 13 towards the outside, said means being arranged face to face and receiving the ends 16a, 16b of a connecting piece 15, said ends having a shape complementary to that of said recesses, said piece being in the planar continuity of said front faces.

[0021] According to an embodiment not shown, the two modes of association of the plates 4a, 4b - either by direct interlocking, as illustrated in figures 2a and 3a, or by means of one or more connecting pieces 15, as illustrated in figures 2b and 3b - can be used concomitantly.

[0022] It will be noted here that the openings 13 appearing in the embodiments corresponding to FIGS. 2a and 2b are in the form of narrowings forming a neck preventing horizontal dislocation.

[0023] Furthermore, concerning the variants corresponding to figures 3a and 3b, the openings 13 cannot allow horizontal disengagement due to the hook shape of the recesses.

[0024] According to the embodiments shown in figures 1a and 1b, 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 P and to preserve a planar continuity between said front faces.

[0025] In particular, the fixing means 8 is in the form of a film strip provided on both its 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.

[0026] According to the embodiment of [Fig.1a], the receiving element 12 is formed by a zone of the floor wall 2 receiving the first 17a and second 17b edges in support.

[0027] According to the embodiment of [Fig. 1b], 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 first 17a and second 17b edges.

[0028] According to various embodiments, the plates 4a, 4b are optionally based on: • agglomerated wood fibers with a binding agent, • or plywood, • or extruded and laminated thermoplastic material, • or a honeycomb structure - for example made of cardboard shaped into a honeycomb - the opposite faces of which are each coated with a reinforcing fibrous layer - for example based on glass fibres - provided with an agent for binding the fibres of said layer - for example in the form of polyurethane -, • or a multi-layer structure made of thermoplastic material comprising a cellular core - for example made of cellular polypropylene, said core being provided on its opposite faces with two respective layers of non-cellular polypropylene -,

[0029] the first 6a and second 6b fitting means being derived from cutting made in said plates.

[0030] In the case of a honeycomb structure whose opposite faces are each coated with a reinforcing fibrous layer, it may be provided to produce the plates 4a, 4b by molding, the cutting being carried out in the molding mold.

[0031] 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 the said plates together edge to edge by fitting them together - directly or by connecting pieces 15.

[0032] It is also possible to provide for fixing the plates 4a, 4b together by a fixing means 8 - for example by a film strip provided on both sides with self-adhesive substance, said strip having been previously fixed to a 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 wall, said floor comprising 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 (P), said first plate having a first edge (17a) shaped so as to form first interlocking means (6a) and said second plate having a second edge (17b) shaped so as to form second interlocking means (6b), said interlocking means being respectively arranged to allow an association of said plates edge to edge by interlocking locking said plates apart according to said plane, said architecture being characterized in that,in view in a vertical direction: • at least one second fitting means (6b) is in the form of a recess provided with an opening (13) towards the outside, the corresponding first fitting means (6a) being in the form of a projection of complementary shape fitting into said recess, • and / or at least one first fitting means (6a) and the corresponding second fitting means (6b) are both in the form of recesses each provided with an opening (13) towards the outside, said means being arranged face to face and receiving the ends (16a, 16b) of a connecting piece (15), said ends having a shape complementary to that of said recesses, said piece being in the planar continuity of said front faces.,

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 (P) 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).

4. Architecture (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the receiving element (12) is formed by an area of ​​the floor wall (2) receiving the first (17a) and second (17b) edges in 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 first (17a) and second (17b) edges.

6. Architecture (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plates (4a, 4b) are optionally based on: • agglomerated wood fibers with a bonding agent, • or plywood, • or extruded and laminated thermoplastic material, • or a honeycomb structure whose opposite faces are each coated with a reinforcing fiber layer provided with an agent for bonding the fibers of said layer, • or a multilayer structure of thermoplastic material comprising a honeycomb core, the first (6a) and second (6b) interlocking means being derived from cutting made in said plates.

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