VEHICLE FEATURING A LARGE OPENING WITH SIMPLIFIED LOGISTICS

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle (1) comprising a body element (2) in which an opening (3) is formed, said body element (2) being adapted to cooperate with an opening (4) to selectively open or close said opening (3), said opening (4) comprising a frame fixed to the body element (2) and positioned along the periphery of the opening (3), such that the frame is formed by a first half-frame and a second half-frame, said first half-frame being identical to said second half-frame. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: VEHICLE COMPRISING A LARGE OPENING WITH SIMPLIFIED LOGISTICS

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle which comprises a bodywork element in which an opening is formed, the bodywork element being adapted to collaborate with an opening to selectively close or open said opening, the opening comprising a frame which is fixed to the bodywork element and which is positioned along the periphery of the opening.

[0002] It is known to have such a vehicle which comprises an opening with a frame bordering the perimeter of the opening, whether to ensure sealing or to allow a good finish of the opening.

[0003] However, such a frame has a large dimension, especially in the case of a large opening which covers all or a large part of the roof, which results in high manufacturing costs for the mold used in its manufacture, as well as logistical problems linked to its transport and storage in the final assembly plant.

[0004] The device according to the invention makes it possible to overcome this drawback.

[0005] It comprises, in fact, according to the invention, a vehicle which comprises a bodywork element in which an opening is formed, said bodywork element being adapted to collaborate with an opening to selectively close or open said opening, said opening comprising a frame which is fixed to the bodywork element and which is positioned along the periphery of the opening, such that the frame is formed by a first half-frame and by a second half-frame, said first half-frame being identical to said second half-frame.

[0006] According to a first characteristic of the invention, the first half-frame is connected to the second half-frame by fixing means adapted so that said two half-frames close the perimeter of the opening.

[0007] According to a second characteristic of the invention, each half-frame has a U shape with two branches, a first of the two branches comprising a first part of the fixing means, a second of the two branches comprising a second part of the fixing means.

[0008] According to a third characteristic of the invention, the first part of the fixing means is adapted to be clipped into the second part of said fixing means.

[0009] According to a fourth characteristic of the invention, the clipping direction of the fixing means is in the direction in which the branches of the half-frames extend.

[0010] According to a fifth characteristic of the invention, the frame is fixed at the periphery of the opening on the bodywork element by screwing means in a screwing direction which is oriented perpendicular to the clipping direction of the fixing means of the two half-frames.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment, the bodywork element is a roof of the vehicle.

[0012] According to a first characteristic of the invention,

[0013] The attached drawings illustrate the invention:

[0014] [Fig-1] represents a partial view of a vehicle which has an opening according to the invention.

[0015] [Fig.2] represents a view of a two-part frame of the opening according to the invention.

[0016] [Fig.3] represents a detailed view before assembly of the fixing means of the two parts of the frame according to the invention.

[0017] [Fig.4] represents a detailed view after assembly of the fixing means of the two parts of the frame according to the invention.

[0018] In [Fig.l] a vehicle 1 is shown which comprises a bodywork element 2 in which an opening 3 is formed, with the bodywork element 2 which is adapted to collaborate with an opening 4 to selectively close or open the opening 3.

[0019] As shown in [Fig.2], the opening 4 comprises a frame 5 which essentially comprises two parts; a first half-frame 51 which is identical to the second half-frame 52.

[0020] The two parts of the frame 5 are connected to each other by fixing means 6 adapted so that said two main parts of the frame 5 surround the entire perimeter of the opening 3.

[0021] Each part of the frame 5 has a U shape with two branches; a first branch 53 which comprises a first part 61 of the fixing means 6 and a second branch 54 which comprises a second part 62 of the fixing means 6.

[0022] As more particularly shown in Figures 3 and 4, the first part 61 of the fixing means 6 of the first branch 53 of the first half-frame 51 is clipped to the second part 62 of the fixing means 6 of the second branch 54 of the second half-frame 52 of the frame 5.

[0023] Symmetrically, the same is true on the other side of frame 5.

[0024] The first part 61 of the fixing means 6 extends from the free end of the first branch 53 of the frame 5 and comprises at its base, two rigid walls 63 which allow the first branch 53 of the frame 5 to be positioned laterally relative to the second branch 54 of said frame 5.

[0025] A central core 64 extends between the two rigid walls 63 of the first part 61 of the fixing means 6, to form a support with two arms 65 which can be elastically deform to fold laterally and expand laterally upon assembly of the first part 61 of fixing means 6 with the second part of said clipping means.

[0026] The second part 62 of the fixing means 6 forms a cavity 66 in the free end of the second branch 54 of the frame 5 and comprises an opening 67 for the passage of the two arms 65 of the first part 61 of the fixing means 6.

[0027] The opening 67 has a width which corresponds to the spacing of the two rigid walls 63 of the first part 61 of the fixing means 6.

[0028] Once the opening 67 of the second part 62 of the fixing means 6 has passed, the cavity 66 in its central part widens, forming two shoulders 68 against which the free ends 69 of the two arms 65 of the first part 61 of the fixing means 6 come to bear.

[0029] At the bottom of the cavity 66, an opening 70 makes it possible to wedge the free end of the first part 61 of the fixing means 6.

[0030] the clipping direction of the fixing means 6 is in the direction in which the first branch 53 and the second branch 54 of the frame 5 extend.

[0031] Once the first main part 61 of the fixing means 6 is clipped to the second part 62 of said fixing means 6 and this in a symmetrical manner on each of the two branches of the frame 5, the frame 5 is screwed onto the bodywork element 2.

[0032] The assembly by screwing of the frame 5 onto the bodywork element 2 is carried out in a screwing direction which is oriented perpendicular to the clipping axis of the fixing means 6 of the frame 5.

[0033] Once the frame 5 is screwed onto the bodywork element 2, in this case the roof of the vehicle 1, the fixing means 6 are blocked, making the frame 5 perfectly rigid and allowing good sealing of the opening 4.

Claims

Claims

1. Vehicle (1) comprising a bodywork element (2) in which an opening (3) is formed, said bodywork element (2) being adapted to collaborate with an opening (4) to selectively close or open said opening (3), said opening (4) comprising a frame (5) which is fixed to the bodywork element (2) and which is positioned along the periphery of the opening (3), characterized in that the frame (5) is formed by a first half-frame (51) and by a second half-frame (52), said first half-frame (51) being identical to said second half-frame (52).

2. Vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first half-frame (51) is connected to the second half-frame (52) by fixing means (6) adapted so that said two half-frames (51, 52) close the perimeter of the opening (3).

3. Vehicle (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that each half-frame (51, 52) has a U shape with two branches (53, 54), a first (53) of the two branches (53, 54) comprising a first part (61) of the fixing means (6), a second (54) of the two branches (53, 54) comprising a second part (62) of the fixing means (6).

4. Vehicle (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the first part (61) of the fixing means (6) is adapted to be clipped into the second part (62) of said fixing means (6).

5. Vehicle (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the clipping direction of the fixing means (6) is in the direction in which the branches (53, 54) of the half-frames (51, 52) extend.

6. Vehicle (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the frame (5) is fixed at the periphery of the opening (3) on the bodywork element (2) by screwing means in a screwing direction which is oriented perpendicular to the clipping direction of the fixing means (6) of the two half-frames (51, 52).

7. Vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bodywork element (2) is a roof of the vehicle.

Images