Arrangement of a vehicle comprising a sliding door and a retaining device.

Abstract

[Arrangement (2) of a motor vehicle comprising a body (6) and a sliding pocket door (4), the sliding door (4) being configured to be moved rectilinearly along a side (3) of the body, between open and closed positions, the arrangement (2) being characterized in that the sliding door (4) comprises a longitudinal rectilinear opening (40) formed in the sliding door, and in that the arrangement comprises at least one retaining device (10) intended to maintain said sliding door (4) in its closed position, the retaining device (10) being intended to move freely inside the longitudinal rectilinear opening (40) when the door slides. Figure for the abstract: Fig.2]

Description

Title of the invention: Arrangement of a vehicle comprising a sliding door and a retaining device.

[0001] The invention relates to an arrangement of a vehicle comprising a sliding pocket door and a retaining device. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising such an arrangement.

[0002] Some motor vehicles are equipped with sliding rear doors which make it possible to obstruct or free access to the passenger compartment and / or a loading area of ​​the motor vehicle with which they are fitted. For each sliding door, a retaining device, commonly called a "shock retaining pin" is generally fixed to the body of the motor vehicle, for example at the B-pillar, in order to retain the front part of the sliding rear door if necessary. Such a "shock retaining pin" is for example described in patent application DE 10 2007 051 718 AL

[0003] A retaining device serves to maintain the sliding rear door in its closed position, it thus prevents the opening of the sliding rear door in the event of a transverse relative movement of said door with respect to the body, inwards and / or outwards. A retaining device known from the state of the art is generally similar to a male part carried by the body of the motor vehicle, this male part is then configured to be inserted into a female housing such as a hole made in the casing of the sliding rear side door, at a front part of the rear door.

[0004] Thus, in the case of a forced transverse displacement of the sliding rear door towards the outside during an impact, the retaining device comes into abutment against the wall delimiting a housing arranged in the sliding side rear door box so as to mechanically connect the latter to the body of the vehicle, thereby preventing the door from opening towards the outside.

[0005] Thus, according to the solutions known in the current state of the art, the maintenance of the rear sliding door in its closed position is ensured by a retaining pin whose positioning on the body is strongly conditioned by the kinematics of normal movement of the door, in particular at the end of the closing path. Very often such kinematics of movement of the opening is complex, in the sense that it simultaneously combines concomitant movements of movement of the front of the sliding rear door along longitudinal and transverse axes. The positioning of the retaining pin to be integrated into the body is all the more complex to achieve since the kinematics of movement of the door is oriented in an inclined manner by the front and the interior of the vehicle.

[0006] The aim of the invention is to propose an alternative to known solutions and to propose a simpler solution for a front service door for a utility vehicle.

[0007] For this purpose, the invention relates to an arrangement of a motor vehicle, in particular on one side of the vehicle, comprising a body and a sliding pocket door, in particular an external pocket door, the sliding door being configured to be moved rectilinearly along one side of the body, between a closed position in which the sliding door closes access to the interior of a passenger compartment and / or a loading area of ​​the vehicle, and an open position in which the sliding door leaves free access to the interior of said passenger compartment and / or said loading area of ​​the vehicle, the arrangement being characterized in that the sliding door comprises a longitudinal rectilinear opening, in particular of the type of a groove or a notch, formed in the sliding door, in particular at a bottom wall of the box of the sliding door,and in that the arrangement comprises at least one retaining device intended to maintain said sliding door in its closed position, in particular in the event of an impact exerted laterally against the sliding door, in particular from the inside to the outside of the vehicle, the retaining device being intended to move freely inside the longitudinal rectilinear opening when the door slides.

[0008] According to the invention, the arrangement may comprise the following characteristics, taken separately or in combination with each other: - the retaining device is fixed to a front leg on one side of the body, in particular at the level of a rear edge of a front leg intended to be arranged opposite a front edge of the sliding door in the closed position; - the retaining device is fixed to a center pillar on one side of the body, in particular at a front edge of the center pillar extending substantially perpendicularly, in particular transversely, to the back wall of the sliding door; - the sliding door, in particular an outer wall of the sliding door, in the closed position is flush with the front pillar, in particular an outer wall of the front pillar; - the retaining device comprises a finger projecting from the side of the vehicle body, in particular from the rear edge of the front pillar, said finger comprising a main rod extending longitudinally to the vehicle, a free end of which comprises a head, in particular in the form of a hook or disc, the retaining device being spaced from the door, in particular from the front edge of the sliding door, so that it can move freely between the open and closed positions without coming into contact with the retaining device; - the bottom wall of the sliding door box extends opposite an outer edge of the middle pillar regardless of the position of the sliding door; - the retaining device comprises a finger projecting transversely from the side of the vehicle body, said finger comprising a main rod extending transversely and longitudinally to the vehicle, a free end of which of longitudinal orientation comprises a head, in particular in the form of a hook or disc; - said finger comprises a fixing plate on the side of the body, in particular a fixing plate screwed onto the rear face of the front pillar or onto the front face of the middle pillar; - the retaining device is intended to come into contact with the sliding door in order to keep it in the closed position on the side of the body during a side impact; - the retaining device is spaced from the sliding door, in particular spaced from the edges of the longitudinal opening and / or from a passage provided at the level of a transverse wall, the retaining device being intended to come into mechanical contact against the door in the closed position during an impact, in particular against the transverse wall of the box, the wall being in particular a reinforcing piece attached to the bottom wall of the box; - the arrangement comprises a deformable element for masking said longitudinal housing, in particular an element of the lip seal type, crossed by the retaining device so as in particular to separate the lips.

[0009] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising an arrangement having in whole or in part the above-mentioned characteristics.

[0010] These objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be explained in detail in the following description of a particular embodiment made without limitation in relation to the attached figures among which: [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a vertical axis section of an arrangement of a motor vehicle body comprising a sliding pocket door and a retaining device, the door being in the closed position, according to the invention. [Fig.2] schematically illustrates an alternative embodiment of an arrangement of [Fig.l], the door being in the closed position, according to the invention. [Fig.3] shows the arrangement of [Fig.2] with the sliding door in the open position, according to the invention. [Fig.4] is a sectional view of axis AA of [Fig.2], according to the invention.

[0011] A trihedron with three axes X, Y, Z is illustrated in certain figures. In this document, the X axis designates the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle. When moving forward and in a straight line, the vehicle moves from the rear to the front, in a direction parallel to its longitudinal axis. The X axis is oriented from the front to the rear of the vehicle, i.e. in the direction of reverse travel. The Y axis designates the axis transverse axis of the vehicle. The Z axis refers to the axis perpendicular to the X axis and the Y axis. The vehicle is considered to be resting on horizontal ground. The Z axis is a vertical axis, oriented from bottom to top. The X, Y and Z axes form an orthogonal reference frame.

[0012] There are several types of body arrangement 2 comprising a sliding door for a motor vehicle. Generally speaking, a distinction is made between so-called "classic" sliding doors and so-called "pocket" sliding doors 4.

[0013] A sliding door of a motor vehicle is said to be “conventional” when the movement of the sliding door from its closed position to its open position or vice versa involves a lateral movement of the door towards the outside of the vehicle. In other words, in a “conventional” sliding door arrangement, the movement of said sliding door is not a rectilinear translation along a single axis of movement, in particular along a longitudinal axis for a sliding side door, but a movement along two directions perpendicular to each other, in particular along the lateral direction Y and along the longitudinal direction X.

[0014] A sliding door 4 of a motor vehicle is said to be a "pocket door" when the sliding door 4 is not moved laterally outwards during its movements between its open and closed positions. In other words, in a body arrangement 2 of a vehicle comprising a sliding door 4 with a pocket for a motor vehicle, the sliding door 4 is movable in rectilinear translation between its open and closed positions in a single direction, parallel to the axis X of the motor vehicle.

[0015] Two subcategories of body arrangements 2 are also distinguished, comprising a sliding pocket door 4, namely the sliding door 4 with interior pocket and the sliding door 4 with exterior pocket.

[0016] In the case of sliding doors 4 with interior pocket, the sliding door 4 slides along the interior side of a body 6 of the motor vehicle. Thus, when the sliding door 4 is in its open position, said sliding door 4 is located behind a foot of the body of the motor vehicle, inside the passenger compartment 8 or a loading area of ​​said motor vehicle.

[0017] In the case of sliding doors 4 with external pocket, the sliding door 4 slides along the outer side 3 of the body 6 of the motor vehicle, i.e. in front of the body pillar seen from the outside, so that it is continuously made visible. Thus, said sliding door 4 is located on the outer side 3 and outside the passenger compartment 8 of said motor vehicle both in its open position and in its closed position, as is made visible in [Fig.l], [Fig.2] and [Fig.3].

[0018] In such an arrangement 2, it is possible to design a retaining device 10 which makes it possible to maintain the sliding door 4 with external pocket in its closed position, in particular in the case of an impact exerted laterally against the door. sliding 4. Such an impact exerts a force against the sliding door oriented either inwards or outwards of the door, such that the retaining device is respectively capable of either preventing the intrusion of the door into the passenger compartment or loading area, or maintaining the body opening in the state closed by the door.

[0019] [Fig.l], [Fig.2] and [Fig.3] schematically illustrate sectional views of an arrangement 2 of a lateral side 3 of a motor vehicle comprising a sliding door 4 with an external pocket and a retaining device 10. In [Fig.l], the sliding door 4 is shown in its closed position. It is a service door which, in the closed position, extends transversely to the right of the driver's seat or the row of seats among which the driver's seat is located. In this closed position, the sliding door 4 obstructs access to the interior of a passenger compartment 8 and / or a loading compartment of the motor vehicle. The body opening 6 which is intended to be closed by the sliding door 4 is delimited in part by the front pillar 6A and the middle pillar 6B.In the closed position, the front edge of the door 4 is arranged in line with the front leg 6A, in the sense that the rear wall 6AR of the front leg 6A is arranged opposite the front edge of the door 4, while the rear edge of the door 4 is arranged to overlap the outside of the middle leg 6B, the inner wall of the door 4 being partly arranged to overlap the outer wall 6BE of the middle leg 6B. The middle leg 6B is transversely offset inwards relative to the front leg 6A, such that the offset in Y is substantially linked to the thickness of the sliding door 4.

[0020] Thus, the retaining device 10 comprises a protruding rod 12A, 12B carried by a side 3 of the body 6 of the motor vehicle. More precisely, the protruding rod 12B projects from a middle pillar of said vehicle body 6, commonly called pillar B. The protruding rod 12B comprises a free end 14 which has a disc shape. According to an alternative embodiment not shown, it could be a free end 14 having a hook shape. This free end 14 is configured to hold the sliding door 4 in its closed position, in particular in the case of an impact exerted laterally against said sliding door 4.

[0021] In the specific embodiment illustrated in [Fig.l], the free end 14 cooperates with a housing 16 arranged in the sliding door 4 so as to maintain said door 4 in its closed position. This housing 16 may be delimited by a box 43 of the door 4, said box comprising a bottom wall, the inner face of which is intended to come opposite the middle pillar 6B, as illustrated in [Fig.3]. The housing 16 may be delimited by at least one transverse partition 42, which extends vertically in the door 4. The portion of the protruding rod 12B which extends along the axis X passes through the transverse partition 42 through an opening 46 dedicated, which is at least of section substantially complementary to that of the free end 14, with the sliding clearance. [Fig.4] represents a particular embodiment which will be described in detail later.

[0022] The box 43 of the door 4 has a longitudinal opening 40 which extends from the rear housing 16 towards the front part of the door 4. The dimension of the opening 40 is rectilinear with axis X and is greater than the opening travel of the door so that the retaining device 10 extending through the opening 40 in a direction with axis Y can move freely when the door 4 is moved between its open and closed positions. The height of the opening 40 is greater than that of the protruding rod 12 so that the free end 14 can move through the rectilinear opening 40 when mounting the retaining device 10 on the side 3 of the body 6.

[0023] The rectilinear opening 40 may be a groove or a groove made at the level of the bottom wall of the box 43.

[0024] According to a specific embodiment of the retaining device 10 comprises at least one protruding rod 12, 12A, 12B, it is a single piece, which makes it more robust. In this embodiment, the protruding rod 12A, 12B has a cross section of substantially square shape. More generally, the protruding rod 12A, 12B may have a cross section of polygonal shape. At the junction between the protruding rod 12A, 12B and its free end 14, a connecting block in the form of a prism with a triangular base may be present in order to reinforce the junction between the protruding rod 12A, 12B and its free end 14.

[0025] According to a specific embodiment of the retaining device 10, a fixing plate 20 is made integral with the protruding rod 12B in particular by welding. In [Fig.4] such a fixing plate 20 is shown with screwing means allowing assembly on the center pillar 6B, more particularly on the front wall 6BF.

[0026] According to a particular architecture of the arrangement 2, the front wall 6BF of the middle pillar 6B extends transversely to the extension of the transverse partition 42 of the door 4 in the closed position. Such a design feature aims to distribute the force of an external impact applied to the door 4 directly onto a highly structuring zone of the middle pillar 6B.

[0027] The front part of the door 4 may comprise a locking device 50 ensuring the locking of the door on the front foot 6A.

[0028] According to the embodiment variant of [Fig.2], the retaining device 10 comprises a protruding rod 12A carried by the front foot 6A. In this case, the protruding rod 12A is arranged to project from the rear wall 6AR of the front foot 6A. It can be arranged vertically at the same level as the protruding rod 12B of the middle leg 6B. The sliding door 4 comprises a front end edge in which an opening 46A is provided through which said protruding rod 12A is able to extend when the door is in the closed position. The opening 46A provided at the front edge of the door 4 can then be substantially coaxial with the opening 46B provided at the transverse partition 42. Such a double retaining finger architecture makes it possible to distribute the lateral forces of an impact applied to the door between the front 6A and middle 6B legs. The dimensioning of each of the protruding rods 12A, 12B can be reduced, compared to the embodiment of [Fig.l] whose retaining device 10 comprises a single protruding rod 12, 12B at the middle leg 6B. In [Fig. 3], the sliding door 4 of [Fig. 2] is shown in its open position. In this open position, the sliding door 4 provides access to the interior of the vehicle. An arrow indicates the direction of movement followed by the sliding door 4 when it is moved from its closed position to its open position.

[0029] In all the embodiments conceivable for the retaining device 10, the latter comprises a protruding rod 12 with a free end 14 which has a disc or hook shape, configured to maintain said door in its closed position.

[0030] In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 3], the protruding rod 12B carried by the body 6, more particularly by the center pillar 6B of the vehicle, is outside the housing 16 located in the rear part of the door. The protruding rod 12B is then arranged near the front end of the rectilinear opening 40 of the door 4, which adjoins the locking device 50. The latter could, according to one embodiment, comprise a bolt which would be able to engage with the protruding rod 12B, the latter would then ensure the role of a center pillar striker. In this case, the retaining device 10 is partly merged with a locking device 50 of the sliding door 4 in the open configuration.

[0031] Thus, the retaining device 10 makes it possible on the one hand to maintain the sliding door 4 in its closed position, and on the other hand to participate in the locking device 50 in maintaining the sliding door 4 in its open position.

[0032] [Fig. 4] is an enlargement of the arrangement of [Fig. 1] along section AA, the sliding door 4 being shown in its closed position. In this closed position, the sliding door 4 obstructs access to the interior of the vehicle such that the retaining device 10 extends via the protruding rod 12 through the rectilinear opening 40, and by its end 14 inside the housing 16. According to the embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 4], the opening 46 made at the partition 42 is substantially rectangular in section, while the end 14 has a circular profile. The partition 42 connects the bottom wall 44 of the box 43 to the external panel not shown, at least in an area of ​​the door 4 located opposite the retaining device 10. The rectilinear opening 40 is concealed by a masking means 60 assembled against the external face of the bottom wall 44 of the box 43. Said masking means 60 is deformable, it can be made from a plastic material, such as rubber. Said masking means 60 can comprise two lips vertically opposite one another. According to an alternative embodiment not shown, said masking means could be of the comb type whose teeth extend vertically. The masking means 60 is preferably open at the protruding rod 12 and closed at a distance from the rod, as shown in dotted lines.Advantageously, such a masking means 60 contributes to the sealing of the door 4, so that it could also be described as a sealing means.

[0033] According to one example, the retaining device 10 comprises a metallic material. This metallic material may for example comprise aluminum. The retaining device 10 may in particular be manufactured using a molding process.

[0034] It is thus possible to design, in the case of an arrangement 2 of a motor vehicle body comprising a sliding door 4 with an external pocket, a retaining device 10 which is capable of moving inside a rectilinear opening 40 when the door is moved. Such a design makes it possible to limit the thickness of the door 4 which moves outside the vehicle, which contributes to increasing the useful volume in the passenger compartment or the loading area 8 accessible from the outside by a body opening 6 which the door 4 is intended to close.

[0035] Furthermore, the retaining device 10, the primary function of which is to hold the door 4 on the body 6 in the event of a side impact likely to cause relative movement between the closed sliding door 4 and the body 6, is also capable of participating in locking the door 4 in the open position. Furthermore, the body arrangement 2 is remarkable in that the retaining device 10 is installed discreetly, and the rectilinear opening 40 can advantageously be masked in a sealed manner.

Claims

Claims

1. Arrangement (2) of a motor vehicle, in particular on one side (3) of the vehicle, comprising a body (6) and a sliding pocket door (4), in particular an external pocket door, the sliding door (4) being configured to be moved rectilinearly along one side (3) of the body, between a closed position in which the sliding door (4) closes access to the interior of a passenger compartment (8) and / or a loading area of ​​the vehicle, and an open position in which the sliding door (4) leaves free access to the interior of said passenger compartment (8) and / or said loading area of ​​the vehicle, the arrangement (2) being characterized in that the sliding door (4) comprises a longitudinal rectilinear opening (40), in particular of the type of a groove or a notch, formed in the sliding door, in particular at a bottom wall (44) of the box (43) of the sliding door,and in that the arrangement comprises at least one retaining device (10) intended to maintain said sliding door (4) in its closed position, in particular in the event of an impact exerted laterally against the sliding door (4), in particular from the inside to the outside of the vehicle, the retaining device (10) being intended to move freely inside the longitudinal rectilinear opening (40) when the door slides.,

2. Arrangement (2) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the retaining device (10) is fixed to a front leg (6A) of one side (3) of the body (6), in particular at the level of a rear edge (6AR) of a front leg (6A) intended to be arranged opposite a front edge (4F) of the sliding door (4) in the closed position.

3. Arrangement (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the retaining device (10) is fixed to a center pillar (6B) on one side (3) of the body (6), in particular at a front edge (6BF) of the center pillar extending substantially perpendicularly, in particular transversely, to the bottom wall (44) of the sliding door (4).

4. Arrangement (2) according to claim 2 or according to claim 2 in combination with claim 3, characterized in that the sliding door (4), in particular an outer wall (45) of the door sliding (4), in the closed position is flush with the front foot (6A), in particular with an external wall (6AE) of the front foot (6A).

5. Arrangement (2) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the retaining device (10) comprises a finger (13) projecting from the side (3) of the body (6) of the vehicle, in particular from the rear edge (6AR) of the front leg (6A), said finger (13) comprising a main rod extending longitudinally to the vehicle, a free end (14) of which comprises a head, in particular in the form of a hook or a disc, the retaining device (10) being spaced from the door (4), in particular from the front edge (4F) of the sliding door (4), so that it can circulate freely between the open and closed positions without coming into contact with the retaining device (12).

6. Arrangement (2) according to any one of the preceding claims in combination with claim 3, characterized in that the bottom wall (44) of the box (43) of the sliding door (4) extends opposite an outer edge (6BE) of the middle leg (6B) regardless of the position of the sliding door.

7. Arrangement (2) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the retaining device (10) comprises a finger (13) projecting transversely out of the side (3) of the body (6) of the vehicle, said finger (13) comprising a main rod extending transversely and longitudinally to the vehicle, a free end (14) of longitudinal orientation of which comprises a head (15), in particular in the form of a hook or disc.

8. Arrangement (2) according to one of the preceding claims in combination with claim 3, characterized in that said finger (13) comprises a fixing plate (20) on the side (3) of the body (6), in particular a fixing plate (20) screwed onto the rear face (6AR) of the front foot (6A) or onto the front face (6BF) of the middle foot (6B).

9. Arrangement (2) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the retaining device (10) is intended to come into contact with the sliding door (4) in order to keep it in the closed position on the side (3) of the body (6) during a side impact.

10. Arrangement (2) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the retaining device (10) is spaced from the sliding door (4), in particular spaced from the edges of the longitudinal opening (40) and / or a passage (46) provided at the level of a transverse wall (41, 42), the retaining device (10) being intended to come into mechanical contact against the door in the closed position during an impact, in particular against the transverse wall (41, 42) of the box (43), the wall being in particular a reinforcing piece attached to the bottom wall (44) of the box (43).

11. Arrangement (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a deformable masking element (60) for said longitudinal housing (40), in particular an element of the lip seal type, crossed by the retaining device (10) so as in particular to separate the lips.

12. Motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises an arrangement (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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