VEHICLE WITH RECHARGEABLE TRACTION BATTERY AND CHARGING CABLE PROTECTION BAR

Abstract

An electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a traction battery rechargeable from an electricity distribution network via a charging cable, and a rear bumper (6) having a housing (30) elongated along the lateral direction of the vehicle, which contains a removable cable protection bar (20) having, in cross-section between two ground supports (44), a boss forming below a longitudinal passage for the cable. Figure 2

Description

Title of the invention: VEHICLE WITH RECHARGEABLE TRACTION BATTERY AND CHARGING CABLE PROTECTION BAR

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a power supply battery for an electric traction machine rechargeable on an electricity distribution network, and an on-board bar for protecting a charging cable, as well as a method for implementing this protection bar.

[0002] A known type of electric vehicle equipped with a traction battery rechargeable on an electricity distribution network, presented in particular by document DE-Al-102017130468, comprises a charging cable stored in the trunk which can exit through a passage provided in an opening.

[0003] The trunk of the vehicle comprises an opening flap comprising a lower edge having a horizontal part which comes to bear on an elastomer bead arranged vertically on the threshold of the passage to ensure, after its closure, a seal of the vehicle, then towards the outside of the vehicle a descending vertical part which covers this bead in order to protect it when the trunk is closed.

[0004] The passage threshold has a hollow forming a channel receiving the bead allowing the passage of the charging cable when the trunk flap is closed. This provides both a seal for the trunk by the bead which is compressed around the cable, and protection for the exit of this cable which is covered by the descending vertical part.

[0005] Furthermore, generally speaking, for a vehicle parked along a sidewalk, with a charging cable crossing the sidewalk to connect, for example, this vehicle to a building on the other side, there is a cable laid on the ground which is in the way of pedestrians, or light rolling vehicles such as a stroller or a scooter.

[0006] The cable crossing the sidewalk poses problems for users using it, particularly safety problems, especially for people who have difficulty moving, who may trip over it, fall and injure themselves, or for the passage of light rolling vehicles by blocking small wheels. In addition, since the cable is generally black in color, it may be difficult to see, which increases the risk of accidents.

[0007] The present invention aims in particular to avoid these problems of the prior art.

[0008] To this end, it proposes an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a traction battery rechargeable on an electricity distribution network by by means of a charging cable, and a rear bumper, this vehicle being remarkable in that the bumper comprises an elongated housing following the lateral direction of the vehicle, which contains a removable cable protection bar having in cross section between two supports on the ground a boss forming below a longitudinal passage of the cable.

[0009] An advantage of this motor vehicle is that with a modification of an existing type of bumper, keeping the same external shape and adding the housing with an opening accessible from the outside, the protection bar having a certain length is stored in this bumper, which remains easily accessible from the outside of the vehicle.

[0010] When using the cable, which can be kept in the vehicle with a connection to a socket in a building, or available outside with a connection to a socket in this vehicle, the protective bar remaining outside this vehicle is easily removed to place it on the cable laid on the ground at the level of a pedestrian crossing, in order to form a protection comprising between the sides resting on the ground the substantially smooth boss which prevents bumping into it.

[0011] After using the cable, the operator stores the protection bar in the vehicle's bumper, forming an external housing receiving this bar which can be wet, dusty or muddy without risking dirtying the interior of the vehicle.

[0012] The motor vehicle according to the invention may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics, which may be combined with each other.

[0013] Advantageously, the protection bar comprises two faces forming an angle between them.

[0014] In this case, advantageously a first face of the protection bar constitutes, after its storage in the bumper, a cover of the housing.

[0015] Advantageously, the protection bar comprises at least two parts which in a storage position are superimposed.

[0016] In this case, advantageously the two parts comprise on their opposite faces guide rails which fit into each other so as to ensure that these parts are held together, allowing longitudinal sliding.

[0017] Furthermore, advantageously the protection bar comprises at least one end-of-travel stop allowing these parts to be aligned with each other in the transverse direction in the storage position.

[0018] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising any one of the preceding characteristics, remarkable in that the protection bar comprises, under the boss, lower hooks receiving the cable above in its position of use.

[0019] Advantageously, at least one lower hook forms an end-of-travel stop.

[0020] Advantageously, the base of a flap of a rear trunk of the vehicle arranged above the rear bumper, comes when this trunk is closed above the protection bar by locking its position.

[0021] The invention also relates to a method of using a motor vehicle comprising any one of the preceding characteristics, remarkable in that it comprises, when using a battery charging cable, the removal of the protection bar from its housing, and its placement on this cable by adjusting it in lower hooks formed under this bar.

[0022] Advantageously, the protection bar comprising lower hooks, the method comprises a step of passing the cable above these hooks.

[0023] The invention will be better understood and other characteristics and advantages will appear more clearly on reading the description below given by way of example, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0024] [Fig-1] shows the rear face of a vehicle according to the invention comprising above from the rear bumper access to the storage compartment containing the protection bar;

[0025] [Fig.2] shows the exit of the protection bar from its storage housing;

[0026] [Fig.3] shows the protection bar seen from the right side comprising two parts su perposed presented in the storage position; and

[0027] [Fig.4] shows the deployed protection bar covering a charging cable.

[0028] Throughout the document the forward direction AV of the vehicle is relative to its direction of travel, the right and left sides are given relative to this direction of travel.

[0029] [Fig.l] shows an electric or hybrid motor vehicle equipped with a traction battery rechargeable by an electricity distribution network, comprising a rear bumper 6 forming a transverse strip having two rising end parts surmounted by two lights 4 which frame the lower part of a rear trunk flap 2.

[0030] The bumper 6 has in its central part, under the lower edge of the flap 2, a projecting rear bead 10 elongated in the transverse direction of the vehicle, comprising a constant section successively comprising an upper horizontal surface 12, a descending rear part 14, then a vertical part offset towards the front 16 which receives a registration plate of the vehicle.

[0031] The rear bumper protruding bead 10 forms an elongated housing receiving a protection bar 20 of the vehicle charging cable which can be carried on board the vehicle to plug it into an external socket, or available at a charging station by plugging it into a vehicle socket.

[0032] Figures 2 and 3 show the protection bar 20 comprising an external part 22 covering an internal part 24, each part forming an angle having two equivalent rectangular faces with an angle of approximately 90° between them.

[0033] The two parts 22, 24 of the protection bar 20 are formed from plastic material, for example with a plastic injection process or thermoforming of a plate.

[0034] The housing 30 has a rectangular upper opening formed in the upper horizontal surface of the bumper 12, which extends in length and width over a major portion of this surface.

[0035] The external part of the protection bar 22 has, in its storage position, a first upper face 32 arranged at the level of the horizontal surface of the bumper 12 and fitted into the contour of its opening, so as to form a cover closing this opening. The second front face 34 of the protection bar 20, facing the front AV, is arranged vertically descending into the housing 30.

[0036] Ease of removal of the protection bar 20 is obtained by pulling it vertically out of its housing after unlocking which can be controlled manually, for example with a button located in the trunk, or controlled remotely by a remote control.

[0037] The protection bar 20 is replaced by simply lowering this bar into the housing 30, which at the end of its travel comes onto stops to automatically align its upper face 32 with the horizontal upper surface of the bumper 12. At the end of its descent, the locking is advantageously done by a ratchet which engages automatically, which avoids having to carry out an additional maneuver.

[0038] The left end of the upper face 32 of the external part 22 and the right end of the upper face of the internal part 24 each comprise a hook 36 perpendicular to the face, which starting from the rear of this face descends then forms towards the front a rising edge having an internal radius making it possible to accommodate the diameter of the charging cable 40.

[0039] The outer side of each face of the inner part 24 and the inner side of each face of the outer part 22 have a groove allowing these grooves to fit together, in order to form a guide rail giving an assembly of these two parts comprising longitudinal sliding.

[0040] The hook 36 of the external part 22 further constitutes a sliding stop for the internal part 24, which allows, when pressed against this stop, to store this internal part by aligning it under the external part. In this storage position with the internal part 24 adjusted under the external part 22, the assembly fits perfectly into the housing 30 of the bumper 6 while using the maximum available length of this housing to form the two parts of the protection bar 20.

[0041] [Fig.4] shows the protection bar 28 which has been stretched by sliding the internal part 24 under the external part 22, until obtaining the total length corresponding to the width of the cable passage 40 to be covered. The external sides of the faces of the two parts 22, 24 form ground supports 44 leaving between them an upper boss providing the passage of the cable 40 underneath, each hook 36 being raised relative to the ground so as not to hinder the support of these sides on the ground.

[0042] The two hooks 36 formed at the ends of the protective bar 20 which is deployed, make it possible to ensure that the bar is held on the ground thanks to the weight of the cable 40, as well as that this bar is held on the cable despite occasional or accidental movement of the assembly during its use.

[0043] The folding between them of the two faces 32, 34 of each bar part 22, 24 has a radius large enough to obtain an upper surface sufficiently progressive to facilitate the passage of pedestrians or light vehicles.

[0044] After using the protection bar 20 and sliding it to superimpose the two parts 22, 24, it is stored directly in the housing 30 of the rear bumper 6, without having to open the vehicle, which allows a system that may be wet or dirty to be put back in place without damaging its interior.

[0045] Advantageously, the base of the trunk flap 2 comes above the protection bar 20 when this trunk is closed, which allows, in a simple and automatic manner, when the trunk is closed, to block this bar which can only come out of its housing 30 upwards. In this way, no additional maneuver is required to lock the protection bar 20 which remains outside the vehicle, and in particular to prevent a person from taking it.

Claims

Claims

1. Electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a traction battery rechargeable on an electricity distribution network via a charging cable (40), and a rear bumper (6), characterized in that the bumper (6) comprises a housing (30) elongated in the lateral direction of the vehicle, which contains a removable bar (20) for protecting the cable (40) having in cross section between two ground supports (44) a boss forming below a longitudinal passage for the cable (40).

2. Motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the protection bar (20) has two faces (32, 34) forming an angle between them.

3. Motor vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that a first face (32) of the protection bar (20) constitutes, after its storage in the bumper (6), a cover of the housing (30).

4. Motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the protection bar (20) comprises at least two parts (22, 24) which in a storage position are superimposed.

5. Motor vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the two parts (22, 24) comprise on their opposite faces guide rails (34) which fit into each other so as to ensure that these parts (22, 24) are held together, allowing longitudinal sliding.

6. Motor vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the protection bar (20) comprises at least one end-of-travel stop allowing these parts to be aligned with each other in the transverse direction in the storage position.

7. Motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the protection bar (20) comprises under the boss lower hooks (36) receiving above the cable (40) in its position of use.

8. Motor vehicle according to claims 4 and 7, characterized in that at least one lower hook (36) forms an end-of-travel stop.

9. Motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base of a flap of a rear trunk of the vehicle (2) arranged above the rear bumper (6), comes when this

10. trunk is closed above the protection bar (20) by locking its position. Method of using a motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises, when using a battery charging cable (40), removing the protection bar (20) from its housing (30), and placing it on this cable (40) by adjusting it in lower hooks (36) formed under this bar (20).

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