Air conveyor mounted on a bumper frame.

Abstract

The invention relates to an air conveyor (1) intended to equip a front face (2) of a motor vehicle, the conveyor (1) forming at least one duct (5) extending each between an air inlet and an air outlet (7), each being designed to convey a flow of fresh air, the conveyor (1) having a docking interface (11), provided around each air inlet, designed to allow the conveyor (1) to dock on a bumper frame (4) in order to position each air inlet opposite an opening (12) provided in the frame (4) to allow the passage of an air flow through the opening (12) into a duct (5), the docking interface (11) having fastening means (14) designed to allow the conveyor (1) to be fixed on the frame (4). The invention also relates to the frame (4) having a receiving interface (21) designed to accommodate the docking interface (11) for fixing the conveyor (1) onto the frame (4). (Figure 2)

Description

Title of the invention: Air conveyor mounted on a bumper frame.

[0001] The technical field concerns air conveyors, bumper frames, assemblies of such a conveyor with such a bumper frame, the front faces of a vehicle and finally motor vehicles having such a front face.

[0002] In terms of road safety, automobile manufacturers must face several major concerns that define constraints to be taken into account when developing new vehicles. Firstly, vehicles must ensure the safety of passengers and other road users in the event of an impact involving the vehicle. In this context, some vehicles are equipped with a bumper frame to support an outer bumper skin.

[0003] The functions of bumper frames are multiple: bumper frames must, by nature, ensure a certain rigidity to combat unwanted vibrations, aerodynamic deformations or even to resist repairable impacts. In certain cases, the bumper frame must also participate in the air supply to the motor-fan unit. This air supply to the powertrain is ensured by a supply circuit which passes through the frame. The supply circuit generally comprises air ducts having flexible walls mounted on a rigid structure. The ducts are often fixed to an upper cross member, cantilevered, and put on hold before being finally connected to the frame during a subsequent assembly step.A fuel system with flexible pipes therefore presents a certain complexity which is synonymous with several disadvantages: the assembly of the fuel system requires a significant amount of assembly time to assemble the numerous parts which constitute it. In addition, the risks of incorrect assembly are also greater.

[0004] Furthermore, despite the advantages of flexible air ducts, it may be economically preferable to use rigid ducts, for example made of polypropylene. However, a rigid duct has a greater mass than a flexible duct, so that the use of a rigid duct placed on standby on an upper cross member, in a cantilever, is not feasible due to a problem of robustness.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for a solution allowing the implementation of pipes made of rigid plastic material.

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome the problems set out above. In this technical context, one aim of the present invention is to provide a conveyor and a frame allowing the implementation of elements made of rigid plastic such as polypropylene.

[0007] For this purpose, the present invention relates to an air conveyor intended to equip a front face of a motor vehicle, the conveyor forming at least one duct each extending between an air inlet and an air outlet, each duct being designed to convey a flow of fresh air coming from outside the vehicle to its engine compartment, the conveyor having a docking interface, arranged around each air inlet, designed to allow the conveyor to dock on a bumper frame in order to position each air inlet opposite an opening arranged in the frame to allow the passage of an air flow through the opening into a duct, the docking interface having fixing means designed to allow the conveyor to be fixed on the bumper frame.

[0008] The invention also relates to a bumper frame, for a front end of a motor vehicle, designed to be mounted on a shock absorption system of the front end to support a bumper, the frame having at least one opening, each designed to allow the passage of at least one air flow through the frame to an air inlet of a conveyor according to the invention, the frame comprising at least one receiving interface, each receiving interface being capable of receiving the docking interface of the conveyor, the receiving interface being designed to cooperate with the fixing means to allow the conveyor to be fixed to the frame.

[0009] The invention further relates to an assembly comprising a frame according to the invention and an air conveyor according to the invention, the docking interface being received in the receiving interface, the means for fixing the conveyor ensuring the fixing of the conveyor on the frame, so that each air inlet is arranged opposite at least one opening of the frame.

[0010] The invention also relates to a front face comprising an assembly according to the invention, the frame of the assembly being fixed to a shock absorption system of the front face.

[0011] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle having a front face according to the invention.

[0012] Thus, the conveyor according to the invention, thanks to the docking interface and the fixing means that it comprises, is designed to dock perfectly on the frame according to the invention in the receiving interface. Thus, the fixing of the conveyor on the frame is easily ensured to form an assembly according to the invention. The assembly according to the invention then has the robustness necessary to allow the use of a conveyor according to the invention made of rigid plastic material. Thus, the conveyor according to the invention can be fixed to the frame according to the invention and the assembly is put on hold for fixing to an upper facade crosspiece during a later step. The conveyor and the frame according to the invention thus make it possible to implement an economically interesting technical solution.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the invention, the fixing means comprise at least one clipping tab, each designed to allow the conveyor to be clipped into a clipping slot provided in the frame.

[0014] According to one possibility of the air conveyor, the docking interface has at least one docking lip, each designed to bear on the frame to ensure a seal of the docking between the conveyor and the frame.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the air conveyor is made of rigid plastic material.

[0016] According to one possibility of the frame, the receiving interface comprises a docking rim designed to allow the support of a docking lip when the conveyor comprises such a lip.

[0017] Advantageously, the fixing of the frame to the absorption system is carried out by means of at least one adjustable bracket making it possible to adjust the positioning of the assembly relative to the shock absorption system.

[0018] The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0019] [Fig-1] [Fig. 1] represents a perspective view of an air conveyor according to the invention;

[0020] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a cross-sectional view of a front face according to the invention;

[0021] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a detailed view of the docking of the conveyor of [Fig.l] in the frame of [Fig.2];

[0022] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] represents a detail view showing the adjustment between the assembly according to the invention and an upper cross member of the vehicle.

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

[0024] An air conveyor 1 according to the invention, illustrated in [Fig. 1], is intended to equip a front face 2 of a motor vehicle, illustrated in [Fig. 2], and makes it possible to form an assembly 3 according to the invention, illustrated in Figures 2 to 4, with a frame 4 according to the invention, visible in [Fig. 2].

[0025] As illustrated in [Fig.l], the conveyor 1 forms at least one duct 5 each extending between an air inlet 6 and an air outlet 7, each duct 5 being designed to convey a flow of fresh air coming from the outside 8 to the engine compartment 9 of the vehicle. The air inlet 6 or the air outlet 7 advantageously comprise a grille 10 designed to prevent the entry of debris into the conduit 5.

[0026] The conveyor 1 is advantageously made of molded plastic material.

[0027] The conveyor 1 has a docking interface 11, arranged around each air inlet 6, to allow the conveyor 1 to dock on the bumper frame 4 in order to position each air inlet 6 opposite an opening 12 provided in the frame 4, to allow the air flow to pass through the opening 12 into a duct 5. The docking interface 11 has, as illustrated in [Fig. 3], at least one docking lip 13, each designed to bear on the frame 4 to ensure a seal of the docking between the conveyor 1 and the frame 4.

[0028] As illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the docking interface 11 has fixing means 14 designed to allow the conveyor 1 to be fixed to the bumper frame 4. The fixing means 14 comprise, for example, at least one clipping tab 15, each designed to allow the conveyor 1 to be clipped into a clipping slot 16 provided in the frame 4.

[0029] The bumper frame 4 is designed to be mounted on a shock absorption system 17 of the front face 2, partially illustrated in [Fig.2], comprising in particular two boxes 18 supporting a bumper crossmember 19.

[0030] The frame 4 has at least one opening 12, each designed to allow the passage of an air flow through the frame 4 towards an air inlet 6 of the conveyor 1. The frame 4 further comprises at least one receiving interface 21, each receiving interface 21 being able to receive the docking interface 11 of the conveyor 1. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the receiving interface 21 is designed to cooperate with the fixing means 14 to allow the conveyor 1 to be fixed to the frame 4. For this purpose, the receiving interface 21 comprises a docking rim 20 designed to allow the support of a docking lip 13 of the conveyor 1, when the conveyor 1 comprises such a lip 13.

[0031] Thus, the conveyor 1 and the frame 4 make it possible to form an assembly 3, the docking interface 11 being received in the receiving interface 21 while the fixing means 14 ensure the fixing, by clipping, of the conveyor 1 on the frame 4. In the assembly 3 each air inlet 6 is arranged opposite at least one opening 12 of the frame 4.

[0032] As illustrated in [Fig.2], in the front face 2 according to the invention the assembly 3 is fixed by means of the frame 4 which is fixed to the cross member 19 of the shock absorption system 17. This fixing is advantageously ensured using at least one adjustable bracket 22 making it possible to adjust the positioning of the assembly 3 relative to the absorption system 17. In the example illustrated in the figures, the adjustment is carried out along a vertical axis of the vehicle.

[0033] Finally, as illustrated in [Fig.4], thanks to the fixing of the conveyor 1 on the frame 4 by the interaction of the docking interface 11 with the receiving interface 21, on the one hand, and on the other hand thanks to the adjustment of the assembly 3 on the crosspiece 19 with the bracket 22, it is easy to adjust the position of the duct 5 and the air outlet 7 relative to an upper facade crosspiece 23 on which the conveyor 1 comes to bear. In order to facilitate docking between the upper facade crosspiece 23 and the air outlet 7, the latter has, for example, a peripheral edge 24 whose shape is complementary to a docking zone 25 of the upper facade crosspiece 23 to form a sealed docking.

[0034] Thus, the conveyor 1 according to the invention, thanks to the docking interface 11 and the fixing means 14 which it comprises, is designed to dock perfectly on the frame 4 according to the invention in the receiving interface 21. Thus, the fixing of the conveyor 1 on the frame 4 is easily ensured to form the assembly 3 according to the invention. The assembly 3 then has the robustness necessary to allow the use of a conveyor 1 made of rigid plastic material, such as for example polypropylene. Thus, the conveyor 1 is fixable to the frame 4 and the assembly 3 is put on standby for fixing on the upper facade crosspiece 23 during a later step.

[0035] The invention is not limited to the embodiments of the air conveyor or the frame described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Air conveyor (1) intended to equip a front face (2) of a motor vehicle, the conveyor (1) forming at least one duct (5) each extending between an air inlet (6) and an air outlet (7), each duct (5) being designed to convey a flow of fresh air coming from the exterior (8) of the vehicle to its engine compartment (9), the conveyor (1) having a docking interface (11), arranged around each air inlet (6), designed to allow the docking of the conveyor (1) on a bumper frame (4) in order to position each air inlet (6) opposite an opening (12) arranged in the frame (4) to allow the passage of an air flow through the opening (12) into a duct (5), the docking interface (11) having fixing means (14) designed to allow the fixing the conveyor (1) on the bumper frame (4).

2. Air conveyor (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixing means (14) comprise at least one clipping tab (15), each designed to allow the conveyor (1) to be clipped into a clipping slot (16) provided in the frame (4).

3. Air conveyor (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the docking interface (11) has at least one docking lip (13), each designed to bear on the frame (4) to ensure a seal of the docking between the conveyor (1) and the frame (4).

4. Air conveyor (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is made of rigid plastic material.

5. Bumper frame (4), for a front face (2) of a motor vehicle, designed to be mounted on a shock absorption system (17) of the front face (2) to support a bumper, the frame (4) having at least one opening (12), each designed to allow the passage of at least one air flow through the frame (4) to an air inlet (6) of a conveyor (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, the frame (4) comprising at least one receiving interface (21), each receiving interface (21) being capable of receiving the docking interface (11) of the conveyor (1), the receiving interface (21) being designed to cooperate with the fixing means (14) to allow the conveyor (1) to be fixed to the frame (4).

6. Bumper frame (4) according to claim 5, characterized in that that the receiving interface (21) comprises a docking rim (3) designed to allow the support of a docking lip (13) when the conveyor (1) comprises such a lip (13).

7. Assembly (3) comprising a frame (4) according to claim 5 or 6 and an air conveyor (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, the docking interface (11) being received in the receiving interface (21), the fixing means (14) of the conveyor (1) ensuring the fixing of the conveyor (1) on the frame (4) so ​​that each air inlet (6) is arranged opposite at least one opening (12) of the frame (4).

8. Front face (2) comprising an assembly (3) according to claim 7, the frame (4) of the assembly (3) being fixed to a shock absorption system (17) of the front face (2).

9. Front face (2) according to claim 8, characterized in that the fixing of the frame (4) on the absorption system (17) is carried out by means of at least one adjustable bracket (22) making it possible to adjust the positioning of the assembly (3) relative to the shock absorption system (17).

10. Motor vehicle having a front face (2) according to claim 8 or 9.

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