Motor vehicle equipped with a spare wheel

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a chassis which includes a floor (11) defining a storage space for a spare wheel (50). According to the invention, the vehicle further comprises a panel (60), adapted to be placed freely above the floor in the storage space, and a strap, one end of which is fixed to one side of the panel and the other end of which is free. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 4

Description

Title of the invention: Motor vehicle equipped with a wheel of rescue Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the arrangement of spare wheels in motor vehicles.

[0002] It relates more particularly to a motor vehicle comprising a chassis which includes a floor delimiting a storage space for a spare wheel.

[0003] The invention finds a particularly advantageous application in utility vehicles, typically in vans, whether they are in cabin or tipper version. State of the art

[0004] It is known to store a spare wheel under the chassis of a vehicle, for example at the front or rear of the vehicle. This solution is not optimal, in particular because access to the wheel is not easy or clean. Another disadvantage is that this solution requires the use of a heavy cradle to accommodate the wheel. Finally, if these locations were previously left free on thermal vehicles, they are now occupied in electric vehicles, for example by a traction battery or a fuel cell.

[0005] It is then known to place the spare wheel inside the vehicle, for example in the trunk of this vehicle. Document FR2687629 proposes to place the spare wheel under one of the seats of the vehicle, so as not to clutter up the trunk.

[0006] In this document, the spare wheel is more precisely installed in a space provided in the upper part of a fuel tank of this vehicle, which allows access to it from inside the vehicle.

[0007] The disadvantage of this solution is that access to the spare wheel requires tilting the seat base, which is not ideal when it comes to lifting the spare wheel or replacing it with a used wheel. Indeed, this access is inconvenient and requires bending over to grab the spare wheel and then exerting significant effort to remove it from this location. Presentation of the invention

[0008] In order to overcome the aforementioned drawback of the state of the art, the present invention proposes to use a device to facilitate the extraction of the spare wheel and the installation of a used wheel in the vehicle.

[0009] More particularly, the invention provides a motor vehicle such as defined in the introduction, in which it is provided: - a panel, suitable for being freely placed above the floor, in the spare wheel storage space, and - a strap, one end of which is fixed to one side of the panel and the other end of which is free.

[0010] By "freely placed" is meant that the panel is free to slide on the floor of the vehicle. Preferably, it is free to slide to a door of this vehicle.

[0011] Thus, thanks to this panel, it is easy to slide the spare wheel which is placed on it in order to bring it into a position which facilitates its handling and its extraction.

[0012] The strap is designed to facilitate the movement of the panel (and therefore of the spare wheel), for example to replace the assembly in the storage space.

[0013] Other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of the motor vehicle according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are the following: - the panel has at least one dimension greater than or equal to the diameter of the spare wheel; - the panel is formed by a piece of fabric, such as a piece of carpet; - means are provided for attaching the free end of the strap to the panel or to an element fixed to the panel; - the attachment means comprise a strap element which is fixed on one side to the panel and which carries on an opposite side a strap attachment loop or a covering gripping the free end of the strap; - a first return for the strap is provided in said storage space, located on the side of the panel where the first end of the strap is fixed; - a second return for the strap is provided in said storage space, located above the first return; - a third return for the strap is provided in said storage space, located at the height of the second return and opposite the second return in relation to the panel; - the floor is substantially flat at the level of the storage space, and between the storage space and a door of the motor vehicle; - the chassis supports a side door, a seat which comprises a backrest and a seat cushion located at the front of the backrest and which has a first side facing said side door, and means for mounting the seat on the chassis arranged so that the seat cushion and the floor delimit between them the storage space and shaped to allow the extraction from said storage space and the introduction into said storage space of the spare wheel, via said first side and / or via the front of the seat; - the side of the panel where the first end of the strap is attached is located at the rear of the seat and / or opposite the said door; - the mounting means comprise a supporting structure on which the seat is mounted, and, on the first side of the seat, at least one first leg which is mounted in a movable or removable manner relative to the supporting structure.

[0014] Of course, the various features, variants and embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other in various combinations to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. Detailed description of the invention

[0015] The description which follows with reference to the appended drawings, given as non-limiting examples, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be implemented.

[0016] In the attached drawings:

[0017] [Fig-1] is a schematic view of an interior part of a motor vehicle in accordance with the invention;

[0018] [Fig.2] is a schematic sectional view of a leg of a seat of the motor vehicle of [Fig.l];

[0019] [Fig.3] is a schematic perspective view of another leg of the seat of the motor vehicle of [Fig.l];

[0020] [Fig.4] is a schematic perspective view of the interior part of the motor vehicle of [Fig.l], shown from a different angle, and in which a spare wheel is illustrated in two separate positions;

[0021] [Fig.5] shows schematic side views of the seat of the motor vehicle of [Fig.l], illustrating steps for changing and unloading a spare wheel.

[0022] A motor vehicle generally comprises a chassis on which all the vehicle components are mounted (body panels, doors, powertrain, braking system, axles and wheels, etc.).

[0023] This chassis delimits with the body panels and the doors a passenger compartment which can accommodate a driver and passengers.

[0024] It has a floor that supports seats for its drivers and passengers.

[0025] Here, the term “seat” will also designate an armchair designed to accommodate a single person than a bench designed to accommodate several people.

[0026] As shown in [Fig.l], the seat 20 is in the form of a bench.

[0027] This seat 20 can be installed in the front row (next to the driver's seat) as well as in the rear row, provided that the vehicle is provided with one.

[0028] In the remainder of the description, the terms “front” and “rear” will be used by in relation to this motor vehicle, the front of an element designating the side of this element which faces the hood of the vehicle and the rear designating the side of this element which faces the trunk.

[0029] Similarly, the terms "lower" (or "bottom") and "upper" (or "top") will be used in relation to this motor vehicle, the lower side of an element designating the part of this element which faces towards the floor of the vehicle and the upper side designating the part of this element which faces towards the ceiling.

[0030] Finally, the term “lateral” will also be used in relation to this motor vehicle, to designate a side facing one or other of the vehicle's doors.

[0031] In the example illustrated in [Fig.l], the motor vehicle being of the van type, it is provided with a single row of seats. Also, the seat 20 shown in [Fig.l] is a seat for two front passengers, located on the right side of the vehicle, next to the driver's seat.

[0032] In this [Fig.l], a part of the floor 11 of the chassis 10 is shown. This floor 11 is here in the form of a substantially flat metal plate (it only has a succession of shallow recesses, to increase its rigidity).

[0033] The seat 20 comprises a seat 21 and a backrest 22. The seat is here a single piece while the backrest comprises two separate parts (see [Fig.4]). In the position of use, the seat 21 is oriented substantially horizontally, at the front of the backrest. The backrest is oriented substantially vertically.

[0034] This seat 20 is fixed to the floor using fixing means 30.

[0035] Very schematically in [Fig.l], these fixing means firstly comprise a supporting structure 31 in the form of a horizontal frame, formed of four beams.

[0036] They further comprise, on one side of the seat 20 (hereinafter called the driver's side), two fixed vertical feet 32 ​​(only one of which is visible in [Fig. 1]), and, on the other side of the seat 20 (hereinafter called the door side), a support 300 comprising two mobile feet 310, 320. These four fixed and mobile feet are distributed at the corners of the supporting structure 31 and make it possible to raise the seat 20 above the floor 11, so as to delimit a storage space 40 for a spare wheel 50 (see [Fig. 4]).

[0037] The four fixed and movable feet are arranged in such a way that the spare wheel 50 has sufficient space to stand on them.

[0038] For this, the distance between two opposite feet is greater than or equal to the diameter of the spare wheel 50. The height of the fixed and mobile feet is greater than the width of the spare wheel 50.

[0039] The storage space 40 is closed, on the rear side, by a partition 18 making it possible to separate the trunk of the van from the passenger compartment (see [Fig.5]).

[0040] It is partially closed on the driver's side by components such as the gearbox lever, the handbrake...

[0041] On the other hand, it is open towards the front and towards the side.

[0042] The distance between the two movable feet 310, 320 is less than the diameter of the spare wheel 50, so that it is not possible to remove the spare wheel by passing between them.

[0043] Similarly, the space between the seat 20 and the dashboard of the vehicle is not sufficient to allow the spare wheel to be removed through the front of the seat 20.

[0044] It is in this context that the support 300, which is recalled to comprise the two movable feet 310, 320, is arranged to be able to be maneuvered manually in order to move out of the way and leave a passage to extract the spare wheel 50 and replace it there. The idea is more precisely to ensure that the front foot on the door side can move out of the way and that the spare wheel 50 can be extracted diagonally, that is to say from the front and the side of the seat.

[0045] As shown in [Fig.l], the support 300 is preferably formed from a single piece. For this purpose, it comprises at least one crosspiece 340 which connects these two movable feet 310, 320 and fixes them to each other. Here, each movable foot 310, 320 is in the form of a vertical metal tube, and two crosspieces 340 are provided, also in the form of metal tubes. If the two movable feet 310, 320 are straight, the two crosspieces 340 are here partly curved to adapt to the geometry of the rest of the vehicle. These two crosspieces 340 are spaced vertically from each other to stiffen the support as much as possible.

[0046] Here, the support 300 is therefore produced by assembling metal tubes by welding operations, but alternatively, it could be produced differently. Typically, it could be in the form of a plastic panel or a stamped metal part.

[0047] The support 300 is here mounted so as to be able to pivot relative to the supporting structure 31 and relative to the floor 11.

[0048] For this, one of the two movable feet 310, here the rear foot, is mounted so as to be able to rotate around its central longitudinal axis AL. For this, as shown in [Fig.2], its ends 311, 312 are engaged through two coaxial openings provided in annular metal flanges 313, 314 respectively fixed to the supporting structure 31 and to the floor 11.

[0049] When the support 300 rotates around this central longitudinal axis A1, the other of the mobile feet 320, here the front foot, describes an arc-shaped movement towards the outside.

[0050] The support 300 is thus movable between a position of use ([Fig.l]) in which the front movable foot 320 extends between the floor 11 and the supporting structure 31, at one of the corners of the latter, and a spaced position ([Fig.4]) in which it extends outside the vehicle (the support 300 passing through the door 19 which must then be opened). In this spaced position, the spare wheel can easily be extracted from the storage space 40.

[0051] Means 330 are provided for locking the support 300 in the position of use ([Fig.l]).

[0052] These locking means 330 could take various forms. They could thus, for example, comprise snap-fastening means adapted to clip onto corresponding reliefs provided on the floor or under the seat.

[0053] But here, as shown in [Fig. 3], they are in the form of two fingers 331, 332 mounted to slide in the front movable foot 320 and adapted to engage in catches 13 (cavities) provided in correspondence in the floor 11 and in the lower face of the supporting structure 31.

[0054] These fingers 331, 332 have cylindrical shapes of revolution, of equal diameter, apart from the operating clearance, to the internal diameter of the tube forming the front movable foot 320.

[0055] These fingers 331, 332 are movable in the movable foot 320 between a position engaged in its latch 13 and a position retracted from its latch.

[0056] In the engaged position, these fingers come to rest on the bottoms of the cavities delimited by the latches, so as to form a support for the supporting structure 31 and therefore for the seat 20.

[0057] A return means makes it possible to push these fingers 331, 332 back into the engaged position. Here, this return means is in the form of a spring 339 housed in the front movable foot 320 and compressed between the two fingers 331, 332. This spring 339 therefore makes it possible to push the upper finger 331 back into the cavity provided in the supporting structure 31, and the lower finger 332 back into the cavity provided in the floor 11.

[0058] Means 335 for operating these fingers 331, 332 are provided, allowing them to be removed from their cavities in the retracted position, in order to release the pivoting mobility of the support 300. These operating means are here in the form of two levers 336, 337 which extend radially from the fingers 331, 332 (on the side of their opposite ends). These levers are here located on the inside of the vehicle (towards the driver when the support 300 is in the position of use). They extend through two openings 326, 327 (or “slots”) provided in the tube forming the front movable foot 320.

[0059] These two lights extending rectilinearly in the axis of one another, apparently- ally to the central longitudinal axis of this mobile foot 320, but do not communicate with each other. They therefore allow the user to slide the fingers 331, 332 in this foot, one towards the other, in the retracted position.

[0060] To retain the fingers in the retracted position in the movable foot 320, a notch is provided at the opposite ends of the slots 326, 327. The shape of each of these notches is provided so that the user can wedge the lever there. In practice, each notch forms a V with the rectilinear part of the slot. When the user places a lever there, the spring 339 makes it possible to retain this lever at the bottom of this notch, so that the corresponding finger does not hinder the pivoting of the support 300.

[0061] It is understood that the spring 339 makes it possible to push the fingers 331, 332 back into the engaged position in their catches. However, it has reduced stiffness, since the user must be able to manually compress it. Its stiffness is therefore not sufficient for the front movable foot 320 to form a good support for the supporting structure 31, in particular when users of large build sit on the seat 20.

[0062] Means are then provided for retaining the fingers in the engaged position at the bottom of the cavities. Thanks to these means, when a user sits on the seat, the fingers are blocked in the engaged position and the front movable foot 320 is therefore able to support the seat 20.

[0063] These means are presented here in the form of notches (not visible in the figures) provided at the ends of the two lights which are located opposite one another. These notches have shapes similar to those provided at the opposite ends of the two lights 326, 327.

[0064] In practice, each light therefore has a rectilinear shape with two notches at its ends, which gives it a C or S shape.

[0065] At this stage, it is understood that the spare wheel 50 can be removed from the vehicle and replaced by the used wheel.

[0066] To facilitate these two extraction and replacement operations, the spare wheel 50 is installed on a panel placed on a flat part of the floor 11, at the level of the storage space 40.

[0067] As shown in [Fig.4], this panel 60 has dimensions greater than or equal to those of the spare wheel 50.

[0068] Here, this panel 60 has an octagonal shape, having a smaller width greater than or equal to the diameter of the spare wheel 50. It therefore has eight sides, in particular a front side 61 and a rear side (not visible).

[0069] This panel 60 is preferably light and flexible. It could, for example, be a plastic wall. Here, it is rather a piece of fabric (in this case a piece of carpet) which, by its nature, will slide without difficulty on the floor 11 when a user seeks to remove the spare wheel 50 from its location.

[0070] The panel 60 in fact has a lower face which is designed to slide with less effort on the floor 11 than the spare wheel 50 if it were placed directly against the floor 11. In fact, a wheel is generally mainly made of rubber, which has a coefficient of friction on steel which is much higher than that of a fabric.

[0071] In order for the panel 60 to slide easily, the floor 11 is flat not only at the storage space 40, but also between this space and a spare wheel unloading site at which this wheel can be easily handled. In practice, the floor 11 is flat at the storage space, as well as between this space and the edge of the floor 11 located at the nearest door 19.

[0072] Thus, it is easy to pull on the spare wheel 50 to extract it from under the seat and bring it to the edge of the floor 11 so that it can be grasped more easily.

[0073] In order to easily bring the used wheel (or a new wheel) back into the storage space 40, this panel 60 is equipped with a strap 70, one end 71 of which is fixed to its edge.

[0074] It is fixed here to the rear side of the edge of the panel 60, but alternatively, it could be fixed to the side opposite the door or even to the side located between the two aforementioned sides.

[0075] As shown in the top view of [Fig.5], this strap 70 has a sufficient length to be passed over the spare wheel 50 and pulled to the front of the seat 20.

[0076] It allows, as shown in the bottom view of this [Fig.5], to exert a traction force on the panel 60 in order to bring the used wheel back into the storage space 40.

[0077] Means are provided for attaching the free end 72 of this strap 70 in order to maintain it in a position accessible to the user.

[0078] These attachment means are preferably provided to allow the free end 72 of the strap 70 to be attached to the edge of the panel 60 or to an element fixed to the edge of the panel 60.

[0079] In practice, a section of strap 80 is fixed to the front edge 61 of the carpet panel 60. This section of strap 80 could be equipped with a loop allowing the free end 72 of the strap 70 to be fixed there. But here, to make the operation easier, it is instead provided with an automatic attachment means, such as a Velcro® strip. The free end 72 of the strap 70 is then covered with a strip of associated material, so as to ensure a good attachment between the strap 70 and the section of strap 80.

[0080] As shown in the second and third views of [Fig.5], to extract the spare wheel 50 from the storage space 40, it is therefore sufficient to open the door 19, pivot the support 300 through the opening left by this door, then detach this Velcro® strip, and finally pull on the section of strap 80 in order to slide the carpet panel 60 and the spare wheel 50 towards this opening.

[0081] To replace the used wheel in this location, the solution used here consists of starting by tilting the seat 21 relative to the supporting structure 31 in order to easily access the free end 71 of the strap 70. This operation is of course not essential. Then the used wheel is installed on the carpet panel 60. Finally, by pulling on the free end 72 of the strap 70, the user can replace the used wheel in place of the spare wheel 50.

[0082] Returns are provided for this purpose in the storage space 40, so that a tensile force exerted on this free end 72 allows the panel 60 to be returned to its initial location.

[0083] In practice, a first return 91 is provided located at the rear of the storage space 40. This first return is preferably located at the height of the panel 60 so that a tensile force on the strap does not generate a lifting of the rear edge of the panel 60.

[0084] Preferably, a second return 92 is also provided located above the first, at a distance from the latter greater than or equal to the width of the spare wheel 50.

[0085] Finally, a third return 93 may advantageously be provided located in front of the second return and substantially at the same height as the latter.

[0086] Thus, when the used wheel is correctly positioned in the storage space 40, the user can pass the strap 70 around the wheel, passing it successively through the first, second and third return links, so that its free end 72 remains accessible for the next time.

[0087] The references 91, 92, 93 here all have identical shapes. They may, for example, be simple rods around which the strap is wound, or hooks or even loops having openings with closed contours. They will typically be fixed to the floor 11 (for the first reference 91) and to the supporting structure 31 (for the other two).

[0088] The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described and shown, but those skilled in the art will be able to provide any variant in accordance with the invention.

[0089] Typically, it could be provided that the panel 60, the strap and the return(s) are installed not under a seat of the vehicle, but in the trunk of the vehicle or even in the engine compartment.

[0090] It could further be provided that the strap is used to facilitate the extraction of the spare wheel from the storage space, but that it does not facilitate its replacement (if this replacement does not pose any difficulty).

Claims

Claims

1. Motor vehicle comprising a chassis (10) which comprises a floor (11) delimiting a storage space (40) for a spare wheel (50), characterized in that it further comprises: - a panel (60), adapted to be placed freely above the floor (11), in the storage space (40), and - a strap (70) of which a first end (71) is fixed to one side of the panel (60) and of which another end (72) is free.

2. Motor vehicle according to claim 1, in which the panel (60) has at least one dimension greater than or equal to the diameter of the spare wheel (50).

3. A motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the panel (60) is formed by a piece of fabric, such as a piece of carpet.

4. Motor vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which means are provided for attaching the free end (72) of the strap (70) to the panel (60) or to an element fixed to the panel (60).

5. A motor vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the attachment means comprise a strap element (80) which is attached by one side to the panel (60) and which carries on an opposite side an attachment loop for the strap (70) or a covering gripping the free end (72) of the strap (70).

6. Motor vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 5, in which there is provided in said storage space (40) a first return (91) for the strap (70), located on the side of the panel (60) where the first end (71) of the strap (70) is fixed.

7. Motor vehicle according to claim 6, wherein there is provided in said storage space (40) a second return (92) for the strap (70), located above the first return (91).

8. Motor vehicle according to claim 7, wherein there is provided in said storage space (40) a third return (93) for the strap (70), located at the height of the second return (92) and opposite the second return (92) relative to the panel (60).

9. Motor vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which the floor (11) is substantially flat at the storage space (40), and between the storage space (40) and a door of the motor vehicle.

10. Motor vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 9, in which the chassis (10) supports: - a side door (19), - a seat (20) which comprises a backrest (22) and a seat (21) located at the front of the backrest (22) and which has a first side facing said side door (19), - mounting means (30) of the seat (20) on the chassis (10) arranged so that the seat (21) and the floor (11) delimit between them the storage space (40), and shaped to allow the extraction from said storage space (40) and the introduction into said storage space (40) of the spare wheel (50), by said first side and / or by the front of the seat (20), and wherein the side of the panel (60) where the first end (71) of the strap (70) is fixed is located at the rear of the seat (20) and / or opposite said door (19).

11. Motor vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the mounting means (30) comprise a supporting structure (31) on which the seat (21) is mounted, and, on the first side of the seat (20), at least one first leg (320) which is mounted in a movable or removable manner relative to the supporting structure (31).

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