MOTOR VEHICLE BODY PART AND MOTOR VEHICLE INCLUDING SUCH A PART

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle bodywork element (1), said bodywork element (1) comprising a mounting area (5) for a functional component and structural elements (7) framing said mounting area (5), characterized in that said mounting area (5) is located recessed relative to said structural elements (7). [Fig. 2]

Description

Title of the invention: MOTOR VEHICLE BODYWORK ELEMENT AND MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING SUCH AN ELEMENT

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicle bodywork elements. More specifically, the invention relates to a bodywork element, such as a bumper skin, equipped with a functional member, for example a sensor, a radar and / or a camera. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising such a bodywork element.

[0002] Indeed, more and more vehicles equipped with bodywork elements, such as bumper skins, include components or organs which are for example fixed directly to the bumper skin or through it by means of suitable supports.

[0003] More particularly, with the development and widespread use of on-board driver assistance systems, more and more vehicles are equipped with a radar intended for regulating the speed of the vehicle based on safety distances from the outside environment. This type of radar, called "AEBS radar" (acronym in English for "Advanced Energy Braking System") is generally installed on the front of the vehicle.

[0004] Furthermore, when the front bumper skin of a motor vehicle is equipped with such a radar, the radar is generally positioned centered longitudinally relative to the bumper skin, and generally at a lower grille of the bumper skin.

[0005] Thus, during small impacts, for example at speeds of a few kilometers / hour, for example less than or equal to 4 km / h, between the front face of the vehicle and an obstacle (also referred to as "parking impacts"), the lower grille can be pushed in and misalign the radar, or even damage it. In addition, it is also desired that the lower bumper grille can return to position after such impacts.

[0006] However, in the ECE42 regulation, in the case of these small front impacts, it is provided that this radar can find itself facing a rigid impactor launched at 4km / h, this impactor being notably positioned opposite the center of the vehicle following the width of the latter.

[0007] It has thus become necessary to ensure optimal integrity of these systems, particularly in the case of small front impacts also called "parking impacts" or for meet European regulations ECE42.

[0008] The present invention thus proposes to remedy at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a new type of motor vehicle bodywork element, said bodywork element comprising a receiving zone for a functional member and structural elements framing said receiving zone, characterized in that said receiving zone is set back relative to said structural elements.

[0009] The architecture of the bodywork element according to the invention is configured so that during a collision with an obstacle, the obstacle first strikes the structural elements of said bodywork element, which will cause deformation of the structural elements, and by extension of the bodywork element, by limiting the risks of damage to the receiving zone, and more particularly to the functional member when the latter is housed in the receiving zone.

[0010] It will be noted that functional organ or component means any element intended to be housed in or on a bodywork element, such as a headlight, a lighting and / or signaling device, an electrical or electronic device (camera, sensors, radar, etc.), or a decorative element contributing to the general aesthetic appearance of the vehicle.

[0011] According to a possible characteristic, at least one of said structural elements is located substantially in the same plane as the most projecting peripheral edge of said bodywork element. A bodywork element has an external face which is intended, in the mounted position, to be oriented towards the exterior of the vehicle, this external face thus comprising reliefs presenting “altitudes” or spatial extensions of variable sizes. However, the external face of the bodywork element has a relief which is more prominent than the others (or which has a spatial extension greater than that of the other reliefs), this relief can be designated under the term "overall", and therefore corresponds to the part of the bodywork element intended to come into contact first with an obstacle during a collision. The fact that said at least one structural element is located in the same plane as the most projecting relief, corresponding to a peripheral edge of said bodywork element, makes it possible, on the one hand, to limit the risk of damage to the receiving area (and therefore to the functional member) and, on the other hand, to obtain a pleasant aesthetic effect.

[0012] According to another possible characteristic, in the mounted position of the bodywork element, said at least one structural element having the most projecting position relative to the receiving zone is the structural element having the highest altitude. Advantageously, the most protruding structural element is also the element of structure which presents in the assembled position of the bodywork element the highest vertical position, that is to say that the structural element furthest forward in relation to the reception zone is advantageously the structural element which overhangs the other structural elements.

[0013] According to another possible characteristic, at least one of said structural elements is connected to said reception zone by a portion of said at least one structural element having an angle greater than 5° relative to the normal to the main extension plane of said bodywork element (and / or of the reception zone), and preferably greater than 15°. Advantageously, the structural elements comprise a main portion which extends substantially in the same plane, as well as an inclined (or oblique) connecting portion which connects the main portion to the reception area.

[0014] According to another possible characteristic, said structural elements extend on either side of said reception area. Said structural elements advantageously frame the reception area, that is to say that said elements extend at least on two opposite sides of said reception area. Advantageously, said structural elements extend substantially along the longitudinal axis of the bodywork element.

[0015] According to another possible characteristic, said structural elements projecting from the receiving area extend over at least 100 mm on either side of said receiving area, and preferably over at least 150 mm. Said structural elements preferably extend over a predefined area to best meet European regulations such as ECE42, but also to reduce the risk that the obstacle does not hit said structural elements first during a collision.

[0016] According to another possible characteristic, said bodywork element comprises a functional member, said functional member being a camera, a radar and / or a sensor.

[0017] According to another possible characteristic, said bodywork element is a bumper skin, for example a front bumper skin or a rear bumper skin. The invention finds an advantageous application for bodywork elements located on the front or rear of a motor vehicle, these being the most exposed to parking-type impacts.

[0018] According to another possible characteristic, said structural elements are bars forming a grid. Said grid formed by the bars is for example a lower grid defining an air inlet for heat exchangers (advantageously located on the front face of the vehicle).

[0019] According to another possible characteristic, said bodywork element is a single piece. Said bodywork element is for example made of plastic material, such as polypropylene (or PP), polyphenylene ether (or PPE), etc.

[0020] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle, for example thermal, hybrid or electric, characterized in that it comprises a bodywork element as defined above.

[0021] 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, front and perspective view of a bodywork element according to the invention; - [Fig.2] is a schematic, enlarged and perspective view of a grille of the bodywork element of [Fig.l]; - [Fig.3] is a schematic, rear, partial and perspective view of the grid of [[Fig.2]]; - [[Fig.4]] is a schematic, front, partial and perspective view of the grid of [[Fig.2]].

[0022] 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".

[0023] In addition, an orthogonal reference frame XYZ is defined with respect to the vehicle, namely: - an X axis, defining a longitudinal and horizontal direction of the vehicle; - a Y axis, defining a transverse and horizontal direction, which with the X axis defines a horizontal (transverse) XY plane; - a Z axis, defining a vertical direction, orthogonal to the horizontal XY plane, the Z axis with the X axis defining a vertical (longitudinal) XZ plane.

[0024] In the present application, it will be noted that "substantially parallel" means a direction deviating by at most 20°, or even by at most 10° or by at most 5° from a parallel direction. It will also be noted that "substantially orthogonal" means a direction deviating by at most 20°, or even by at most 10° or by at most 5° from an angle of a value of 90°.

[0025] [Fig.l] thus illustrates a schematic, perspective and front view of a bodywork element 1 according to the invention. Such a bodywork element 1 is intended to be mounted on a motor vehicle, for example thermal, hybrid or electric.

[0026] It will be noted that a bodywork element is intended to be fixed to reinforcements (or supports) and / or on a motor vehicle chassis (not shown), thus forming the external surface of the vehicle (surface visible to the user and defining at least in part the general aesthetic appearance of the vehicle).

[0027] Said bodywork element 1 is, in the embodiment presently described, a front bumper skin. Said bumper skin 1 may be in one piece, but in the embodiment presently illustrated, said bumper skin 1 comprises at least two separate elements.

[0028] Said bumper skin 1 thus comprises a main body 2 and a grille 3, called the lower grille. Each of said elements 2 and 3 is advantageously a single piece or unit, and is for example made of plastic material, such as polypropylene (or PP), polyphenylene ether (or PPE), etc. Said grille 3 defines for example an air inlet for the cooling and / or air conditioning circuit of the vehicle (for example for heat exchangers).

[0029] In addition, the bumper skin 1 has two opposite main faces, in particular a first face 1a, called the external face, and a second face 1b, called the internal face. In the mounted position of said bumper skin 1, the internal face 1b of the bumper skin 1 is oriented towards the vehicle, while the external face 1a is oriented towards the outside of the vehicle (the face 1a being a part of the visible face of the vehicle for the user).

[0030] [Fig.2] is an enlarged schematic view, front (therefore of the external face 1a) and in perspective of the lower grid 3, said grid 3 comprising among other things: - a reception area 5 (or fixing support) for a functional organ; - structural elements 7, here bars, which form a mesh surface (or a grid).

[0031] [Fig.3] and [Fig.4] are, for their part, enlarged, partial schematic views and in perspective of the lower grille 3. [Fig.3] is thus a view of the internal face 1b of said grille 3 (therefore by extension of the bumper skin 1), while [Fig.4] is a view of the external face 1a of said grille 3 (therefore by extension of the bumper skin 1).

[0032] The bars 7 extend on either side of said receiving zone 5, said bars 7 advantageously framing the receiving zone 5, for example on each of the opposite sides of the receiving zone 5 extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bumper skin 1 (and / or the grille 3). Advantageously, said bars 7 therefore extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said bumper skin 1 (and / or the grille 3).

[0033] The lower grid 3 advantageously comprises a functional member 9, more particularly visible in [Fig. 3]. Said functional member 9 is fixed on the internal face 1b of the grid 3, for example by means of fixing members, such as screws, bolts, rivets, etc.

[0034] Said functional member 9 is for example a headlight, a lighting and / or signaling device, an electrical or electronic device, such as a camera, a sensor, a radar, etc., or a decorative element contributing to the general aesthetic appearance of the vehicle.

[0035] The external face 1a of the bumper skin 1 comprises reliefs having “altitudes” or spatial extensions of variable sizes, the reliefs extending away from the bumper skin 1 (i.e. substantially along the X axis when the bumper skin 1 is in the mounted position).

[0036] The bumper skin 1 thus has at least one relief or shape which projects more than the others (or which has a spatial extension greater than that of the other reliefs), this relief generally being designated by the term “overall” and therefore corresponds to the part of the bumper skin 1 intended to come into contact first with an obstacle during a collision. The overall may be a zone and / or points of contact arranged on the main body 2 and / or on the grid 3 of the bumper skin 1.

[0037] Said reception zone 5 is located set back from the bars 7. Preferably, at least one of said bars 7 is located substantially in the same plane as the most projecting peripheral edge, or the overall edge, of the bumper skin 1.

[0038] It will be noted that one, several or all of the bars 7 may be located substantially in the same plane as the most projecting peripheral edge, or the overall edge, of the bumper skin 1.

[0039] Furthermore, in the mounted position of the bumper skin 1, said bumper skin 1 extends substantially in the YZ plane (and transversely to the vehicle), the longitudinal axis of the bumper skin 1 extending substantially parallel to the Y axis (or a horizontal transverse axis).

[0040] Thus, said bar 7 which has the most advanced position relative to the reception zone 5 is advantageously the bar 7 which has the highest altitude (i.e. which has the highest position along the Z axis). Said at least one bar 7 which has the most advanced position relative to the reception zone 5 thus overhangs the other bars 7.

[0041] Furthermore, each of said bars 7 comprises a main portion 7a which extends substantially in the same plane (and for example substantially in the same plane as the overall), as well as an inclined (or oblique) connecting portion 7b which connects the main portion 7a to the reception zone 5.

[0042] The bars 7 are therefore connected to said reception zone 5 by a connecting portion 7b which has an angle greater than 5° relative to the normal to the main extension plane of the bumper skin (and / or of the reception zone 5), and preferably a angle greater than 15°, for example between 5° and 60°.

[0043] Furthermore, said bars 7 located projecting relative to the reception zone 5 extend at least 100 mm on either side of the reception zone 5, and preferably at least 150 mm.

Claims

Claims

1. Bodywork element (1) of a motor vehicle, said bodywork element (1) comprising a reception zone (5) for a functional member and structural elements (7) framing said reception zone (5), characterized in that said reception zone (5) is located set back from said structural elements (7).

2. Bodywork element (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that at least one of said structural elements (7) is located in the same plane as the most projecting peripheral edge of said bodywork element (1).

3. Bodywork element (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, in the mounted position of the bodywork element (1), said at least one structural element (7) having the most projecting position relative to the receiving zone (5) is the structural element (7) having the highest altitude.

4. Bodywork element (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said structural elements (7) is connected to said receiving zone (5) by a portion of said at least one structural element (7) having an angle greater than 5° relative to the normal to the main extension plane of said bodywork element (1).

5. Bodywork element (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said structural elements (7) extend on either side of said reception zone (5).

6. Bodywork element (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said structural elements (7) projecting from the receiving zone (5) extend over at least 100 mm on either side of said receiving zone (5).

7. Bodywork element (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said functional member (9) is a camera, a radar and / or a sensor.

8. Bodywork element (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said bodywork element (1) is a bumper skin.

9. Bodywork element (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said structural elements (7) are bars forming a grid.

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

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