WATER DRAINAGE DEVICE FROM A VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for draining water from the windshield of a vehicle comprising at least one cowl grille (1) provided with at least one gravity drainage channel for the water collected on the cowl grille (1), and a front fender support (5), characterized in that the cowl grille (1) and the front fender support (5) are not in contact and in that one face (4) of the cowl grille (1) and one face (6) of the front fender support (5) are on two parallel planes and define a gap (9) allowing water to drain from the cowl grille (1) towards the ground. The invention also relates to a vehicle equipped with such a device. Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: DEVICE FOR DRAINING WATER FROM A VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a device for draining water from the windshield of a vehicle.

[0002] Here, the term vehicle refers to a car, a van, a truck, a public transport vehicle, a piece of public works or agricultural machinery, regardless of the type of engine.

[0003] On most vehicles, water flowing from the windshield is drained through openings located on the side of the vehicle, at the level of the cowl grille that provides outside air intake into the passenger compartment. The cowl grille rests on the front fender support, so that the water flows onto the ground outside the front fender liners, without the flow being obstructed by the front fender supports. This configuration not only prevents water from entering the passenger compartment through the cowl grille or into the engine compartment, but also complies with the requirements of crash tests in the event of a collision between the vehicle and a pedestrian. A crash test is a standardized laboratory test that assesses the behavior of vehicles with respect to passengers or pedestrians in the event of an impact or collision.According to EURO-NCAP standards, in a head-impact collision involving a pedestrian dummy traveling at 40 km / h, the head must be protected, as it typically makes first contact with the hood or front fender. To achieve this, the front fender, particularly the fender liner, is designed to eliminate any hard spots. As a reminder, the fender liner is a body protection component mounted on the wheel arch, under the fender. However, with a lower hood, it may no longer be possible to position the cowl drain as previously required, in order to comply with regulations regarding pedestrian impact.

[0004] The invention aims to provide a solution for draining water from the canopy grille without creating a hard spot on the front wing lining, and thus complying with the standard in the event of a head impact, regardless of the configuration of the vehicle's hood, including when the hood is lowered.

[0005] To this end, the invention relates to a device for draining water from the windshield of a vehicle comprising at least one cowl grille provided with at least one gravity drainage channel for the water received on the cowl grille, and a front fender support, characterized in that the cowl grille and the front fender support are not in contact and in that one face of the cowl grille and one face of the fender support before are on two parallel planes and define between them at least one gap allowing the evacuation of water from the canopy grid towards the ground.

[0006] Thanks to the invention, water flows from the cowl grille without contacting the front fender support, regardless of the position of the front fender support and therefore of the front fender liner relative to the ground. Thus, regardless of whether the hood is lowered or not, the position of the front fender liner can be adjusted to a lower position, so as not to create a hard point in the event of a collision with a pedestrian. This ensures compliance with impact safety standards without affecting the flow of water from the windshield to the ground.

[0007] According to advantageous, but not mandatory, aspects of the invention, such a device for draining water from the windshield of a vehicle may include one or more of the following features:

[0008] The canopy grille is positioned above the front wing support.

[0009] The parallel faces of the canopy grille and the front wing support are flat end faces.

[0010] The position of the canopy grille is adjustable downwards and the position of the front wing support is adjustable upwards, thus changing the dimensions of the gap between their parallel faces.

[0011] The front wing support includes at least one cutout in a configuration complementary to that of at least one water drainage duct for the canopy grille.

[0012] The canopy grille includes two water drainage channels and the front wing support includes two cutouts.

[0013] The two water drainage channels are positioned directly above the two cutouts made in the front wing support, the gap between the cowl grille and the front wing support ensuring that there is no contact between the channels and the cutouts.

[0014] The front wing support is configured in an L-shaped cross-section.

[0015] A so-called vertical part of the front wing support is permanently fixed on a front wing liner, the front wing liner being thus height-adjustable in the same direction as when adjusting the height of the front wing support.

[0016] The invention also relates to a vehicle equipped with a device for draining water from the windshield of a vehicle conforming to at least one of the preceding characteristics.

[0017] The invention will be better understood and other advantages thereof will become more apparent upon reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0018] [Fig-1] is a simplified and partial side view of a part of the device in place on a vehicle according to one embodiment of the invention,

[0019] [Fig.2] is a simplified section, at another scale, along the section plane II-II at the [Fig.l],

[0020] [Fig.3] is a partial top view, at a different scale, of the device illustrated in [Fig.1] and

[0021] [Fig.4] is a top view of part of [Fig.3], without the canopy grid.

[0022] Figure 1 illustrates part of the windshield water drainage system of a The vehicle is shown facing the ground. Figure 1 is a simplified, partial side view from inside the engine compartment of a vehicle, looking outwards towards the front fenders. The part shown in the upper part of Figure 1, labeled 1, is a cowl grille. As a reminder, a cowl grille prevents any object, leaf, or other debris from entering the passenger compartment's air supply system through the cowl, while also allowing water to drain to the ground before it enters the passenger compartment through the cowl and / or the engine compartment. The cowl grille 1 is a relatively flat, metallic or polymer part positioned between a section of the bodywork at the base of the windshield, schematically illustrated and labeled 2, and the rear of the hood. For clarity, only the seal 3 located at the hood hinge is shown here.The canopy grille 1 occupies at least one area directly below a front wing and is oriented according to the width of the vehicle. Advantageously, there are two canopy grilles positioned at each front wing. In another embodiment, the canopy grille is a single piece and occupies the entire width of the vehicle.

[0023] For the sake of simplicity, a single cowl grille 1 above a front fender will be described hereafter, it being understood that the invention applies to both grilles located directly above the two front fenders or to the grille spanning the entire width of the vehicle. The upper surface of the grille 1 has areas defining channels and / or conduits, open or closed, for the gravity drainage of water from the windshield towards the ground. Obviously, the grille 1 also has at least one inlet allowing outside air to enter the passenger compartment. This inlet, which is not visible, is generally fitted with a filter and / or a mesh to retain any object, for example, leaves, so that they do not enter the passenger compartment. As shown in [Fig. 1], an end face 4 of the grille 1 is generally flat, at least in the vicinity of a part referenced 5.

[0024] Part 5 is called the front wing support. Its function is to allow the front wing to be attached to the body. Its configuration is adapted to the configuration of the front wing. One end face 6 of the support 5 is generally flat. The two faces 4 of the grille 1 and 6 of the support 5 are parallel to each other and substantially vertical. In all cases, the grille 1 and the support 5 are not in contact with each other. The wing support 5 is positioned on a front wing liner 7. The front wing liner 7 is located on the inside of the front wing and protects the wheel arch. and the vehicle bodywork. Another part, referenced as 8 and called the front reinforcement, provides reinforcement and rigidity to the structure on the passenger side, at the level of each front wing.

[0025] Figure 2 is a simplified cross-sectional view along section plane II-II, i.e., along the width of the vehicle. It is noted that there is a gap, referenced as 9, between the end face 4 of the grille 1 and the end face 6 of the front fender support 5. Since the grille 1 is not supported by the front fender support 5, water passes freely through this gap 9 without obstruction. If necessary, the support 5 can be moved upwards along arrow F5 and / or the grille 1 downwards along arrow F1. In other words, the respective positions of the canopy grille 1 and the front fender support 5 relative to the ground are adjustable. This modifies the dimensions of the gap 9, allowing the size and configuration of the water passage between the grid 1 and the support 5 to be increased or decreased, thus optimizing water flow towards the ground. Most importantly, the position of the liner 7 can be adjusted, moving it closer to or further from the grid 1.This solution, when used with a vehicle with a lowered hood, prevents the fender liner 7 from forming a hard point when the hood is compressed in the event of a collision with a pedestrian. This would occur if the fender liner 7 remained in a high position, similar to that found in prior art. The invention thus ensures compliance with current European standards in the event of a collision, regardless of the hood configuration.

[0026] In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig.3], the grid 1 includes two water drainage channels referenced 10 and 11. Alternatively, the number and / or shape of the water drainage channels are different, provided that there is at least one water drainage channel. According to the configuration illustrated in [Fig. 3], there is not a single gap 9 between the grid 1 and the support 5, but two gaps, referenced 9A and 9B, allowing the water to flow from the drainage channels 10 and 11 respectively. In order to optimally receive the drainage channels 10, 11, at least one, advantageously two cutouts 12, 13 are provided in at least one face of the support 5. The shape of the cutouts 12, 13 is complementary to that of the channels 10, 11 and the dimensions of the cutouts 12, 13 are slightly larger than those of the channels 10, 11.When the conduits 10, 11 are in place within the cutouts 12, respectively 13, not only are the clearances 9A, 9B maintained, but there is also no contact between the external faces of the drainage conduits 10, 11 and the internal walls of the cutouts 12, 13. This prevents any unwanted noise and / or vibration. Such a configuration, with the conduits 10, 11 inserted into the cutouts 12, 13 without contact, prevents any water from flowing onto the support 5 and / or onto any other part of the body and / or engine. It is understood that, in the case of a single cutout in the support 5, it is sized to receive both drainage conduits without contact. Similarly, the shapes and / or dimensions of the drainage conduits of... The water and cutouts may differ from those illustrated as long as they are complementary and preserve the absence of contact between the pieces.

[0027] According to the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the wing support 5 has an L-shaped cross-section. The support 5 comprises a horizontal portion 50, visible in Figures 4 and 5, which forms one arm of the L. The other arm forms a vertical portion 51. Portions 50 and 51 are generally flat. The vertical portion 51 defines support and fixing areas for the support 5 on the wing lining 7, permanently secured by welding. The horizontal portion 50 defines a flat area extending outwards, towards the front of the vehicle, from the grille 1. Portion 50 can accommodate, if necessary, additional fixing elements, such as hood stops or other fasteners. For this purpose, fixing points such as holes, nuts, or other fasteners are provided on portion 50.The cutouts 12, 13 are made in the horizontal part 50 of the support 5, in the vicinity of the junction area with the vertical part 51. .

[0028] Due to the permanent fixing of the wing support 5 on the lining 7, the invention allows, at the factory, the height of the lining 7 to be adjusted relative to the grid 1 and therefore the dimensions of the gap(s) between the grid 1 and the support 5. Thus, the position of the wing support 5 and the wing lining 7 can be adapted to the configuration of the hood while respecting the standards in force and ensuring the flow of water.

Claims

Claims

1. Device for draining water from the windshield of a vehicle comprising at least one cowl grille (1) provided with at least one discharge conduit (10, 11) by gravity of the water received on the cowl grille (1), a front wing support (5), characterized in that the cowl grille (1) and the front wing support (5) are not in contact and in that a face (4) of the cowl grille (1) and a face (6) of the front wing support (5) are on two parallel planes and define between them at least one clearance (9, 9A, 9B) allowing the evacuation of water from the cowl grille (1) towards the ground.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the awning grille (1) is positioned above the front wing support (5).

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the parallel faces (4, 6) are flat end faces (4, 6) of the awning grille (1) and the front wing support (5).

4. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the position of the awning grille (1) is adjustable (Fl) downwards and the position of the front wing support (5) is adjustable (F5) upwards, thus modifying the dimensions of the clearance (9, 9A, 9B) between their parallel faces (4, 6).

5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the front wing support (5) comprises at least one cutout (12, 13) of configuration complementary to that of at least one conduit (10, 11) for discharging water from the awning grille (1).

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the awning grille (1) comprises two water drainage conduits (10, 11) and the front wing support (5) comprises two cutouts (12, 13).

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the two water evacuation conduits (10, 11) are positioned directly above the two cutouts (12, 13) made in the front wing support (5), the clearance (9A, 9B) between the awning grille (1) and the front wing support (5) ensuring the absence of contact between the conduits (10, 11) and the cutouts (12, 13).

8. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the front wing support (5) is configured in L-shaped cross-section (50, 51).

9. Device according to claims 4 and 8, characterized in that a so-called vertical part (51) of the front wing support (5) is permanently fixed on a front wing lining (7), the front wing lining (7) thus being adjustable in height in the same direction (F5) as when adjusting the height of the front wing support (5).

10. The invention also relates to a vehicle equipped with a device for draining water from the windshield according to any one of the preceding claims.

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