INTERNAL PART FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE AND VEHICLE COMPRISING SUCH A PART

Abstract

The invention relates to an internal part (1) for a motor vehicle, said part (1) comprising at least one electrical connector support (7), characterized in that said support (7) comprises a plurality of ribs (15a, 15b) configured to delimit a receiving cavity (17) for an electrical connector. Abstract figure: [Fig. 3]

Description

Title of the invention: INTERNAL PART FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE AND VEHICLE COMPRISING SUCH A PART

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, and more specifically to the management of electrical harnesses during the manufacture and / or maintenance of a motor vehicle.

[0002] Indeed, on a production line, during the manufacture of a motor vehicle, numerous elements are assembled together sequentially, such as metal and / or plastic parts, electronic components, electrical harnesses, etc.

[0003] Of course, it may be difficult for operators to mount certain elements due to the proximity of other parts and / or the bulk of the element to be mounted.

[0004] An example of this is the assembly of the dashboard during the manufacture of the vehicle. Indeed, during this assembly, on the driver's side, at the footwell, electrical harnesses will hang while waiting to be connected to a suitable component, for example to a lighting means arranged on an interior panel intended to ensure closure under the dashboard.

[0005] However, between the time when the electrical harness is installed on the dashboard, generally upstream on a dashboard preparation line, and the time when the electrical harness is connected on the main assembly line, several intermediate assembly steps are carried out, and having a hanging electrical harness can give rise to snagging of the harness, or even to damage leading to manufacturing non-conformities, while making the work of the assembly and / or preparation line operators more difficult.

[0006] Furthermore, the fact that an electrical harness is free creates in particular the risk that the electrical harness will become snagged on third-party elements when the dashboard is introduced (and fixed) into the vehicle on the main assembly line.

[0007] It is therefore necessary to find a solution to temporarily block the electrical harness(es) at certain stages of assembly of the different elements of a vehicle, in order to limit the risks associated with electrical harnesses that can move freely.

[0008] The present invention thus proposes to remedy at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a new type of internal part for a motor vehicle, said part comprising at least one electrical connector support, characterized in that said support comprises a plurality of ribs configured to delimit a receiving cavity for an electrical connector.

[0009] The part according to the invention is a simple and inexpensive solution for allowing the temporary holding in a given position of an electrical harness by means of its connector. In addition, the proposed solution is easy to integrate on already existing parts, without it being necessary to change the manufacturing tooling or to complicate it.

[0010] According to a possible characteristic, said support comprises three pairs of ribs arranged two by two substantially along the same axis, one of said pairs of ribs being aligned along an axis substantially orthogonal to the axes of the other two pairs of ribs. Said support therefore comprises six ribs grouped into three pairs (two ribs per pair therefore) which are arranged two by two substantially along the same axis, each pair of ribs being aligned or arranged substantially along the same axis. Thus, two pairs of ribs are aligned along axes substantially parallel to each other, while another pair is arranged substantially along an axis orthogonal to the alignment axes of the other two pairs of ribs. In addition, this arrangement of the ribs makes it possible to be compatible with different types of connector, while allowing a keying effect (or "Poka-Yoke"), without however imposing only one direction of insertion of the connector into the support.

[0011] According to another possible characteristic, said part is made of plastic material, such as polypropylene (or PP), etc.

[0012] According to another possible characteristic, said ribs are integral with said part. Advantageously, the ribs forming the support are in one piece with the said part on which the support is fitted, thus avoiding an additional added part, and can therefore be integrated into the part at very low cost, or even zero.

[0013] According to another possible characteristic, said ribs are arranged according to an axial symmetry of order two. The ribs are advantageously configured to delimit a receiving cavity for the electrical connector allowing two positions of the connector in said support. It will also be noted that the ribs are arranged so as to be substantially invariant (at least with respect to the edges of the ribs delimiting the receiving cavity) by a rotation of an angle of 180° (or ji) with respect to at least two axes (of symmetry).

[0014] According to another possible characteristic, said part comprises reliefs, said ribs projecting relative to said reliefs. Said ribs of the support protrude or protrude relative to the adjacent reliefs of the part to facilitate the guiding and insertion of the connector into said support.

[0015] According to another possible characteristic, said support comprises a stop relative to the direction of insertion of the electrical connector. Advantageously, the support comprises a stop for stopping the movement of the electrical connector in its direction of insertion into said support. Said stop thus allows the correct longitudinal positioning of the connector in the receiving cavity.

[0016] According to another possible characteristic, said ribs comprise free ends intended to come into contact with an electrical connector, said free ends having a radiated chamfer. The fact that said free ends of the ribs, in particular the free ends located substantially opposite the electrical connector when the latter is inserted into said support, have a radiated chamfer makes it possible to achieve a “conical effect” which promotes the guidance and insertion of the electrical connector into said support.

[0017] According to another possible characteristic, said ribs have a clearance angle of at least 0.5°, and preferably a clearance angle of between 0.5° and 2°. Said ribs, for example each face of said ribs, advantageously have a clearance angle of 0.5° relative to the demolding axis of the part, facilitating the demolding, and therefore the manufacturing, of the internal part.

[0018] According to another possible characteristic, said part is a dashboard support part for a motor vehicle. The invention finds an advantageous application in the context of a dashboard support part, said support part being a part through which many elements pass, in particular electrical harnesses, and whose positions need to be blocked temporarily until their final connection.

[0019] The invention may also relate to an electrical connector support as defined above configured to be fixed to a part, an element or an internal part of a motor vehicle.

[0020] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle, for example electric, thermal or hybrid, characterized in that said vehicle comprises an internal part 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, partial and perspective view of an internal part of a motor vehicle according to the invention; - [Fig.2] is another schematic, partial and perspective view of the internal part of [Fig.l]; - [Fig.3] illustrates a schematic, enlarged, partial and perspective view of an electrical connector support of the internal part of [Fig.l]; - [[Fig.4]] and [Fig.5] are schematic, enlarged, partial and perspective views of the electrical connector support of [Fig.3] in which an electrical connector is housed.

[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] [Fig.l] illustrates a schematic, partial and perspective view of an internal part 1 of a motor vehicle, said part 1 being in the embodiment currently described a support or structural part of a dashboard for a motor vehicle.

[0024] Said dashboard support part 1 is therefore configured to be mounted in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle (not shown) and to support a dashboard of the vehicle (not shown).

[0025] [Fig.l] illustrates more particularly an enlarged and partial view of the footwell, driver's side, before a dashboard closing piece is fixed, and conceals the support piece 1.

[0026] Thus, the support part 1 is generally a part through which various elements pass and / or are fixed, such as air ducts 3, electrical harnesses 5, electronic components, etc.

[0027] Said support part 1 thus comprises at least one electrical connector support 7 configured to accommodate at least temporarily the end of an electrical harness 5 ending in an electrical connector 9. As is more particularly visible in [Fig.l], the connector 9 of the harness 5 is introduced (or inserted) into the support 7, thus preventing the harness 5 from being free to move.

[0028] Then, as more particularly illustrated in [Fig.2], a dashboard closing piece 11 is fixed or mounted on the support piece 1 to thus partially delimit the driver's footwell (in particular its upper part). The closing piece 11 comprises an electronic or electrical member 13, such as a lighting device intended to illuminate the footwell.

[0029] Said lighting device 13 is advantageously fixed on the internal face of the closing part 11 and must be connected to an electrical harness to be powered and / or communicate with the on-board computer of the vehicle, and thus carry out its function, that is to say to illuminate the foot cellar when the user of the vehicle wishes.

[0030] Thus, during the manufacture of the motor vehicle, the dashboard support part 1 can be prepared, for example by fixing electrical harnesses and the electrical connector intended to be connected to a member 13 located on another part can be blocked or temporarily housed in the electrical connector support 7, until the closing part 11 is mounted and the connector 9 is removed from the support 7 and connected to said member 13.

[0031] Furthermore, as can be seen in [Fig.2], the connector 9 of the harness 5 is connected to the lighting device 13, thus leaving the support 7 unoccupied.

[0032] Said support part 1 is generally made of plastic material, such as polypropylene (or PP) or one of its derivatives, such as polypropylene loaded with glass fibers, talc, etc. In addition, said part is for example made by injection molding.

[0033] [Fig. 3] illustrates a schematic, enlarged, partial and perspective view of the support part 1, and more particularly of the connector support 7. Said connector support 7 comprises a plurality of ribs 15a and 15b configured to delimit a receiving cavity 17 for an electrical connector, such as that of the electrical harness 5.

[0034] Said ribs 15a and 15b are advantageously shaped in the support piece 1, or made of the same material as said support piece 1. Said ribs 15a and 15b, and more generally said support 7, are therefore monobloc or unitary with said support piece 1.

[0035] Furthermore, said ribs 15a and 15b have a clearance angle of at least 0.5° relative to the demolding axis of said support part 1, and preferably a clearance angle relative to the demolding axis of between 0.5° and 2°, this in particular to allow the addition of such ribs 15a and 15b to a dashboard support part 1 having large dimensions.

[0036] It will be noted that the values ​​of the clearance angles are preferably as small as possible, in order to obtain the longest possible rib length, but also to obtain the greatest possible rib thickness, in particular at the end of the rib (i.e. at its free end), so that the ribs have good mechanical strength (or robustness).

[0037] In the embodiment presently described, said support 7 comprises six ribs 15a and 15b which are grouped into three pairs (two ribs per pair) which are arranged two by two substantially along the same axis, each pair of ribs being aligned or arranged substantially along the same axis (alignment axes of said pairs distinct from each other).

[0038] Said ribs 15a and 15b comprise two types of ribs, a first type of ribs 15a of which two pairs of ribs 15a are arranged along axes sen possibly parallel to each other. In addition, the ribs 15a of each of the pairs are at a distance and facing each other, thus defining a space between ribs 15a.

[0039] Furthermore, said ribs 15a and 15b comprise a second type of rib 15b which comprises a pair of ribs 15b aligned along an axis substantially orthogonal to the alignment axes of the other two pairs of ribs 15a of the first type.

[0040] It will be noted that the ribs 15a and 15b therefore delimit the receiving cavity 17 for the electrical connector 9 which here each have (cavity and connector) a section of substantially rectangular shape. However, said ribs 15a and 15b may be arranged differently depending on the shape of the section of the electrical connector. Said ribs 15a and 15b may for example delimit a receiving cavity 17 of substantially square section to house an electrical connector of substantially square shape section.

[0041] It may also be noted that said support part 1 comprises reliefs 1a, such as shapes, walls, reinforcements, etc., said ribs 15a and 15b projecting relative to said reliefs 1a. Thus, said ribs 15a and 15b protrude relative to the reliefs 1a adjacent to said ribs 15a and 15b of the support part 1.

[0042] Said support 7 may also comprise a stop 19 relative to the direction of insertion of the electrical connector 9. Said stop 19 comprises for example one or more protuberances arranged at the bottom of the receiving cavity 17 which are configured to stop the movement of the electrical connector 9 in its direction of insertion into the receiving cavity 17.

[0043] Said ribs 15a and 15b further comprise free ends which delimit the receiving cavity 17 and free ends situated in a plane substantially orthogonal to the direction of insertion of the electrical connector 9 (the direction of insertion being substantially parallel to the axis of demolding of said ribs 15a and 15b and / or the direction of extension of said ribs 15a and 15b).

[0044] The free ends of said ribs 15a and 15b intended to come into contact with an electrical connector have a radiused chamfer, and preferably a radiused chamfer of between 3 and 5 mm.

[0045] The fact that said free ends of the ribs 15a and 15b, in particular the free ends situated substantially opposite the electrical connector when the latter is inserted into said support 7, have a radiated chamfer makes it possible to produce a “conical effect” which promotes the guidance and insertion of the electrical connector 9 into the receiving cavity 17.

[0046] Said ribs 15a and 15b are therefore arranged at least according to an axial symmetry of order two, that is to say that there is invariance of the ribs 15a and 15b, at least on the part delimiting the receiving cavity 17, by a rotation of an angle of 180° (or ji) by relative to at least two axes (of symmetry), or that the arrangement of said ribs 15a and 15b has at least two planes of symmetry (for example orthogonal to each other).

[0047] As is more particularly illustrated in [Fig.4] and [Fig.5], the arrangement (or configuration) of said ribs 15a and 15b allows at least two positions for placing the electrical connector 9 in the cavity 17, avoiding an operator having to think about the direction of insertion of the connector 9 into the support 7, and therefore wasting time and / or risking defects in the waiting (or temporary blocking) of the connector 9 (and therefore by extension of the beam 5) in the support 7. It will be noted that the position of the connector 9 between [Fig.4] and [Fig.5] corresponds substantially to a rotation of 180° relative to the alignment axis of the ribs of the second type 15b.

[0048] Furthermore, the spaces between two ribs of the second type 15b are configured to accommodate a part of the connector 9, here a keying part 9a, making it possible to house the connector 9 in the support 7 in two distinct positions.

[0049] In a variant embodiment of the invention not shown, said ribs are arranged in a circular manner, thus delimiting a receiving cavity whose section is substantially circular in shape. Said ribs are also aligned, along the same axis, two by two, and therefore advantageously have central symmetry.

Claims

Claims

1. Internal part (1) for a motor vehicle, said part (1) comprising at least one electrical connector support (7), characterized in that said support (7) comprises a plurality of ribs (15a, 15b) configured to delimit a receiving cavity (17) for an electrical connector.

2. Part (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said support (7) comprises three pairs of ribs (15a, 15b) arranged two by two substantially along the same axis, one of said pairs of ribs (15b) being aligned along an axis substantially orthogonal to the axes of the other two pairs of ribs (15b).

3. Part (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ribs (15a, 15b) are integral with said part (1).

4. Part (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ribs (15a, 15b) are arranged according to a symmetry of order two.

5. Part (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said part (1) comprises reliefs (la), said ribs (15a, 15b) projecting relative to said reliefs (la).

6. Part (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support (7) comprises a stop (19) relative to the direction of insertion of the electrical connector.

7. Part (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ribs (15a, 15b) comprise free ends intended to come into contact with an electrical connector, said free ends having a radiated chamfer.

8. Part (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ribs (15a, 15b) have a clearance angle of at least 0.5°.

9. Part (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said part (1) is a dashboard support part for a motor vehicle.

10. Motor vehicle, characterized in that said vehicle comprises an internal part (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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