PLASTIC PARTS FIXING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES AND VEHICLES INCLUDING SUCH A DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to a fastening device (9) for plastic parts for motor vehicles, said device (9) comprising at least two plastic parts (3, 7) which have complementary clipping elements (11, 13): a first type of clipping element (11) comprising a wall (15) in which a through opening (17) is provided, and a second type of clipping element (13) comprising an elastic anti-return projection (19) configured to be inserted into said through opening (17), characterized in that said wall (15) of the first type of clipping element (11) has one or more areas (15a) of reduced thickness compared to the average thickness of said wall (15). [Fig. 5]

Description

Title of the invention: DEVICE FOR FIXING PLASTIC PARTS FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE AND VEHICLE COMPRISING SUCH A DEVICE

[0001] The present invention relates to the general field of motor vehicles, and more particularly to the field of fixing devices for fixing plastic parts of a motor vehicle to each other, such as a decorative device for a motor vehicle.

[0002] Current vehicles increasingly include plastic parts on which it is common to attach an added part, such as a decorative device, i.e. the attachment of an emblem to a bodywork element of the motor vehicle, said parts are generally attached by means of fasteners or clips.

[0003] Furthermore, the attachment of these parts to each other must be designed in such a way as to make it more difficult for a non-expert person to subsequently separate said parts, for example during a theft.

[0004] When one of these plastic parts is the emblem of the motor vehicle and is mounted on a bodywork element, it is important to make this clipping (or snap-fastening or clipping) non-removable while keeping the clipping system compact, in particular for reasons of technical integration.

[0005] However, the clipping of the plastic parts together is carried out by a plastic deformation of the clipping elements of said parts, deformation which may be within the limits of elasticity (or beyond these limits) of the plastic material from which said parts are made, preventing the clipping elements from returning completely to their initial position, this having the consequence of not ensuring good fixing of the parts together (and facilitating their disassembly).

[0006] This risk related to the elastic limit is generally common on polypropylene (or PP) parts, such as bumper parts. Indeed, such parts can have clearances and deformations, increasing the risk of being able to dismantle said parts more easily.

[0007] The present invention thus proposes to remedy at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a new type of device for fixing plastic parts for a motor vehicle, said device comprising at least two plastic parts which comprise complementary clipping elements: a first type of clipping element comprising a wall in which a through opening is arranged, and a second type of clipping element comprising an elastic anti-return projection configured to be inserted into said through opening, characterized in that said wall of the first type of clipping element has one or more zones of reduced thickness compared to the average thickness of said wall. The fixing device according to the invention therefore makes it possible to offer a robust, simple and economical solution to the problems of play which may appear on plastic parts, whilst still allowing simple and rapid assembly of the parts together.

[0008] According to a possible characteristic, the zone(s) of reduced thickness extend away from the edge of the through opening. Such a configuration of the reduced thickness zones makes it possible to adapt the elasticity of the walls around the clipping opening, and therefore to optimize the return to position of the wall after the insertion of the non-return elastic projection into said opening.

[0009] According to another possible characteristic, the reduced thickness zone(s) of the wall have a flared shape. The zone(s) of reduced thickness advantageously have a flared shape to allow better control of the elasticity of the wall and a certain progressiveness of the deformation during the insertion of the non-return elastic projection into said through opening.

[0010] According to another possible characteristic, the flare of the zone(s) of reduced thickness of the wall narrows as a function of the distance from the through opening.

[0011] According to another possible characteristic, the opening of the first type of clipping element has an elongated shape. An elongated opening allows, among other things, to better distribute the force undergone by the wall surrounding said opening during the insertion of the second type of clipping element (wall which deforms under the effect of clipping).

[0012] According to another possible characteristic, the zone(s) of reduced thickness of the wall are configured to move substantially in the direction of insertion of said elastic non-return projection into said through opening.

[0013] According to another possible characteristic, the average thickness of the wall is at least 1 mm and the zone(s) of the wall having a reduced thickness have a thickness of between 0.1 and 0.8 mm. Such reduced thickness values ​​of said wall allow a good compromise between robustness and elasticity.

[0014] According to another possible characteristic, said device is a decorative device for a motor vehicle. The fixing device according to the invention finds an advantageous application in the fixing of a decorative part or a trim on a plastic part of a motor vehicle.

[0015] According to another possible characteristic, said plastic parts of said device are a bumper grille and an emblem.

[0016] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle, for example thermal, electric or hybrid, characterized in that said vehicle comprises a fixing device as defined above.

[0017] The invention will be better understood, and other aims, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given solely for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - [Fig.l] illustrates a schematic, partial, front view of a motor vehicle bodywork element which comprises a fixing device according to the invention; - [Fig.2] is a schematic, partial, enlarged and rear view of the bodywork element of [Fig.l]; - [[Fig.3]] is a schematic, partial and enlarged view of the device for fixing the bodywork element of [[Fig.2]]; - [[Fig.4]] is a schematic, front and enlarged view of a clipping element of the fixing device of [Fig.3]; - [[Fig.5]] is a schematic, partial, sectional view of clipping elements of the fixing device of [[Fig.3]].

[0018] In the following description, the term "comprise" is synonymous with "include" and is not limiting in that it allows the presence of other elements in the vehicle, or the structure to which it relates. It is understood that the term "comprise" includes the terms "consist of". Similarly, the terms "lower", "upper", "front", "rear", "longitudinal" and "transverse" will be understood in relation to the general orientation of the motor vehicle, whether it is hybrid or electric.

[0019] [Fig.l] and [Fig.2] illustrate schematic representations, respectively front and rear, of a bodywork element 1 of a motor vehicle, and more particularly of a bumper grille 3 on which a plastic part 7 is fixed.

[0020] Said bumper grille 3 is for example configured to be fixed on a reinforcement piece (not shown) and so that the fixing zones 3a between said grille 3 and the reinforcement piece are covered by a bumper skin (not shown).

[0021] Said bumper grille 3 also comprises a support zone 5 (rear part of said zone which is more particularly visible in [Fig.2]) configured so that the plastic part 7 can be fixed there, in particular by means of a fixing device 9. The plastic part 7 intended to be fixed on the support zone 5 of the grille 3 is for example an emblem 7, in this case, the fixing device 9 is a decorative device for a motor vehicle. Note that an emblem is a part, generally plastic, whose visible face bears the brand or logo of the vehicle manufacturer.

[0022] The bumper grille 3 and the emblem 5 are advantageously made of plastic material, for example polypropylene, polyethylene, etc. The fixing device 9 thus comprises complementary clipping elements 11 and 13 (more particularly visible in [Fig.4] and [Fig.5]) distributed over the bumper grille 3 and the emblem 7, in particular the respective faces of said parts 3 and 7 intended to be in contact.

[0023] [Fig. 3] is a schematic, enlarged view of the rear face of the support zone 5 of the grid 3 on which the emblem 7 is mounted, that is to say that complementary clipping elements 11 and 13 are configured to be in mechanical cooperation with each other.

[0024] Said complementary clipping elements 11 and 13 comprise: - at least one first type of clipping element 11 which is a female type clipping element; - at least one second type of clipping element 13 which is a male type element; the male element 13 being configured to cooperate with the female element 11 in order to fix the plastic parts to each other, here the bumper grille 3 and the emblem 7.

[0025] The first and second types of clipping elements 11 and 13 are advantageously located on the periphery respectively of the support zone 5 of the grid 3 and of the emblem 7, in order to facilitate the positioning and centering of these plastic parts 5 and 7 relative to each other.

[0026] It will also be noted that the fixing device 9 thus comprises several complementary clipping elements 11 and 13 distributed over said plastic parts 3 and 7. Said clipping elements 11 and 13 are also advantageously made of the same material as said plastic parts 3 and 7 respectively.

[0027] [Fig.4] is a schematic and enlarged view of a first type of clipping element 11 (or female clipping element), while [Fig.5] is a schematic and sectional view of the first type of clipping element 11 in which a second type of clipping element 13 is inserted.

[0028] Said at least one first type of clipping element 11 is located on the support zone 5 and comprises a wall 15 in which a through opening 17 is arranged.

[0029] In addition, said at least one second type of clipping element 13 comprises, for its part, an elastic anti-return projection 19 configured to be inserted into said through opening 17. Said elastic projection 19 has for example sen possibly a hook shape, one of the rear parts of which acts as a stop preventing the removal of said projection 19 from the opening 17 (once the projection 19 is inserted into the opening 17).

[0030] Furthermore, said wall 15 of the first type of clipping element 11 has one or more zones of reduced thickness 15a compared to the average thickness of said wall 15.

[0031] The zone(s) of reduced thickness 15a extend away from the edge of the through opening 17. Said zones 15a have, for example, a flared shape, the flare of the zone(s) of reduced thickness 15a narrowing as a function of the distance from the through opening 17.

[0032] The through opening 17 of the first type of clipping element 11 has an elongated shape, for example an oval or rounded rectangular shape, the zone(s) of reduced thickness 15a extending substantially transversely, or even orthogonally, to the longitudinal axis of said opening 17 (longitudinal axis extending in the main extension plane, plane also corresponding to the section of the opening).

[0033] Furthermore, the reduced thickness zone(s) 15a of the wall 15 have a thickness of between 0.1 and 0.8 mm, while the average thickness of the wall 15 is at least 1 mm.

[0034] Thus, when the non-return elastic projection 19 is inserted into the through opening 19, the zone(s) of reduced thickness 15a of the wall 15 are configured to move substantially in the direction of insertion of said non-return elastic projection into said through opening, then to return to position by coming to bear against said projection 19.

[0035] It will be noted that the embodiment illustrated in [Fig.l] to [Fig.5] has two zones of reduced thickness 15a, but that in an alternative embodiment not shown, the wall 15 may comprise only one zone of reduced thickness 15a, for example arranged at the level of the lower edge and centrally relative to the opening 17 (for example that the zone 15a and the opening 17 have the same axial symmetry).

Claims

Claims

1. Device (9) for fixing plastic parts for a motor vehicle, said device (9) comprising at least two plastic parts (3, 7) which comprise complementary clipping elements (11, 13): a first type of clipping element (11) comprising a wall (15) in which a through opening (17) is arranged, and a second type of clipping element (13) comprising an elastic anti-return projection (19) configured to be inserted into said through opening (17), characterized in that said wall (15) of the first type of clipping element (11) has one or more zones (15a) of reduced thickness compared to the average thickness of said wall (15).

2. Fastening device (9) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the zone(s) (15a) of reduced thickness extend away from the edge of the through opening (17).

3. Fixing device (9) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the zone(s) (15a) of reduced thickness of the wall (15) have a flared shape.

4. Fixing device (9) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the flare of the zone(s) (15a) of reduced thickness of the wall (15) narrows as a function of the distance from the through opening (17).

5. Fastening device (9) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the opening (17) of the first type of clipping element (11) has an elongated shape.

6. Fixing device (9) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the zone(s) (15a) of reduced thickness of the wall (15) are configured to move substantially in the direction of insertion of said elastic anti-return projection (19) into said through opening (17).

7. Fixing device (9) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the average thickness of the wall (15) is at least 1 mm and that the zone(s) (15a) of the wall having a reduced thickness have a thickness of between 0.1 and 0.8 mm.

8. Fixing device (9) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said device is a decorative device for a motor vehicle.

9. Fixing device (9) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said plastic parts (3, 7) of said device (9) are a bumper grille (3) and an emblem (7).

10. Motor vehicle (1), characterized in that said vehicle comprises a fixing device (9) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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