Closing panel for a vehicle trunk comprising a trim panel including a device for storing and hanging a coat hanger

Abstract

Closing panel for a trunk (6) of a motor vehicle, configured to open from bottom to top, comprising an interior trim panel (1) which comprises at least one device for storing and hanging a garment support (5), comprising at least one bar (51) and a suspension hook (50), and said device comprising a hanging element (20) receiving said garment support (5) comprising at least two through holes (201, 202) of said trim panel communicating with each other, and at least one hanging bar (203) located between the two through holes (201, 202) and accessible from said visible face of the trim panel, said holes (201, 202) and said hanging bar (203) being configured to hang the hook (50) of the garment support (5) thereon, and at least one holding tab (21, 22) receiving said at least one bar (51) of the clothing support (5) in storage. Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Closing panel for a vehicle trunk comprising a trim panel including a device for storing and hanging a coat hanger

[0001] The invention relates to a closing panel for a trunk of a motor vehicle, in particular a tailgate, comprising a covering panel comprising a device for storing and hanging a clothing support, in particular of the hanger type, as well as an assembly comprising said covering panel and the associated clothing support.

[0002] The invention applies more particularly to motor vehicles comprising a storage compartment closed by a closing panel opening from the bottom to the top of the vehicle.

[0003] From the state of the prior art in the field of motor vehicles in order to allow a garment to be hung if necessary, hanger attachment devices are known based on a simple hook in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, for example fixed near a side grab handle for a passenger, fixed to the roof, allowing any hanger to be hung there.

[0004] In other cases, two supports each pierced with an opening and fixed to the rear and on either side of a seat headrest make it possible to hold a dedicated hanger at the rear of the headrest, said hanger comprising two wire ends which fit into said openings.

[0005] These devices have disadvantages such as taking up space, being poorly placed in the vehicle so that they can bother the occupants, particularly the rear passengers, being only suitable for the headrests of the front seats as support, or reducing the view towards the outside of the passenger compartment if an item of clothing remains on the hanger.

[0006] Furthermore, there are known simple devices, located at the level of the rear storage compartment of the vehicle, which are for example made up of a simple hook, for example a loop made with a strap fixed to the tailgate and to which a coat hanger can be attached.

[0007] Patent application EP0258278 describes a rack secured to the tailgate closing the storage compartment of a motor vehicle. This rack comprises a pair of support elements each of which is formed with at least one opening, and one or more clothing bars configured to fit inside said openings and be positioned in spaced relation to said tailgate. A disadvantage of such a rack is that it is made of parts that occupy a part relatively large trunk volume.

[0008] In addition to the disadvantages mentioned above, the prior art hanger hanging devices require the hanger to be provided separately. In addition, the hanger storage is not provided so that the hanger can be available at all times.

[0009] The invention aims to resolve the drawbacks of the devices of the prior art, and aims to propose a more practical hanging system allowing storage for a clothing support, in particular of the hanger type.

[0010] To this end, the invention provides a closing panel for a motor vehicle trunk, configured to open from bottom to top, comprising an interior trim panel having a visible face delimited by longitudinal edges and transverse edges including a reference transverse edge proximal to the free edge of the closing panel in the open position and a transverse edge opposite said reference edge, said trim panel comprising at least one device for storing and hanging a garment support which comprises at least one bar and a hanging hook. Said device comprises: - a receiving hook element of the garment support, located in an area distant from the reference transverse edge of the covering panel, preferably in a substantially central area of the covering panel, comprising at least two through holes of said covering panel communicating with each other, and at least one hook bar located between the two through holes and accessible from said visible face of the covering panel, said holes and said hook bar being configured to suspend the hook of the garment support there, and - at least one receiving support tab for said at least one bar of the support for clothing in storage, located on the visible face of said covering panel, and preferably positioned longitudinally between said attachment element and the transverse edge opposite the reference transverse edge of the covering panel.

[0011] Preferably, said storage and hanging device comprises two said holding tabs receiving said at least one bar of the support for clothing in storage, which are spaced from each other and preferably in a direction parallel to the transverse direction of the covering panel.

[0012] In particular, the two through-orifices of the attachment element communicating with each other open at least into said visible face of the covering panel, and the attachment bar of the attachment element is at the level of or flush with the surface of the visible face.

[0013] Preferably, the closing panel acts as a rear door of a rear trunk of a vehicle.

[0014] Preferably, the closing panel is a tailgate, in other words a closing panel that is hinged to close the rear trunk of a vehicle and can understand the rear window bay.

[0015] Preferably, said attachment element is positioned approximately in the middle of the covering panel in the transverse direction, and is positioned at a distance from the reference transverse edge, in the longitudinal direction, of at least approximately one third of the length of the covering panel.

[0016] The attachment element is preferably positioned in the vicinity of the center of gravity of the closing panel, in particular of a tailgate, in order to generate little force on the balancers of the closing panel, in particular of a tailgate.

[0017] Preferably, said storage and hanging device further comprises a holding tab receiving the hanging hook of the support for clothing in storage, located on the visible face of said covering panel, and preferably positioned longitudinally between said hanging element and the transverse reference edge of the covering panel.

[0018] The clothing support in the storage position can thus be easily removed from the storage and hanging device, according to a movement having a longitudinal direction component.

[0019] Advantageously, said covering panel is a single-piece panel. The storage and hanging device is therefore integrated therein.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said covering panel further comprises at least a first and a second interior handle (to facilitate the folding of the closing panel), proximal to the reference transverse edge of said covering panel, the first handle comprising a first hooking means, receiving the hook, comprising a through hole having an axial direction aligned along a first direction, and the second handle comprising a second hooking means, receiving the hook, comprising two through holes side by side and having respective axial directions aligned along a second direction, said first direction and said second direction being different. In particular, the first and second directions are substantially perpendicular to each other, and more particularly one of the directions is parallel to the longitudinal direction and the other direction is parallel to the transverse direction respectively of the longitudinal and transverse edges of the trim panel, or in other words respectively of the longitudinal and transverse directions of the vehicle.

[0021] Preferably, said handles each have a hollow shape delimited by a wall comprising an opening opening at the level of the reference transverse edge of the trim panel, and said first and second attachment means are arranged respectively in a wall portion bordering the respective opening of the handle relative to said attachment means.

[0022] Advantageously, said storage and hanging device may comprise a storage housing receiving said clothing support, shaped as a hollow on said visible face of the covering panel and in which said clothing support is installed flat.

[0023] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a trunk closing panel as described above and a clothing support comprising at least one bar and a suspension hook, and said storage and hanging device receiving said clothing support such as - in the storage position, the bar of said clothing support is held by the at least one receiving support tab of said bar of the clothing support in storage, and / or - in the hanging position, the hanging hook of said garment support is suspended from said hanging element.

[0024] Said garment support occupies either a storage position or a hanging position. In particular, said garment support can be held by said storage and hanging device in a flat storage position and suspended by its hook in a hanging position.

[0025] Preferably, said clothing support comprises at least transverse locking means (for locking said clothing support in the device), located on said at least one bar of said clothing support cooperating with the at least one receiving retaining tab of said at least one bar of the clothing support, in the storage position.

[0026] In particular, said storage and hanging device comprises two said holding tabs, and said transverse locking means are lugs located on said at least one bar of said garment support, bearing on the respective external lateral side of one of said two holding tabs, in the storage position.

[0027] Advantageously, said hanging hook of the clothing support comprises at least one projecting part, inserted into said at least one receiving retaining tab of the part of the hook, in the storage position. The clothing support is thus securely held on the covering panel, whether the closing panel, in particular a tailgate, is open or closed. Preferably, said suspension hook comprises a straight portion extended by a curved portion, and said projecting portion is located on said straight portion, in particular in the form of a shoulder, and it is preferably proximal to the curved portion.

[0028] Preferably, said clothing support comprises: - at least one bar defining a generally triangular shape, comprising a transverse bar portion which is the bar portion held by the at least one receiving support tab of said at least one bar of the garment support in storage, and - a suspension hook located at a vertex of said generally triangular shape.

[0029] Preferably, the bar of generally triangular shape defines three bar parts, two of which are inclined side bar parts, each having a first end, these two first ends joining with a bearing vertex of the straight part (also called rod) of the suspension hook, and each having a second end opposite the first, a transverse bar part connecting said two second ends. The transverse bar part, which is preferably horizontal, is the bar part held by the at least one receiving support tab of said at least one bar of the support for clothing in storage.

[0030] In particular, the at least one receiving support tab of said at least one bar of the garment support in storage has a U shape, the transverse bar portion of the garment support being inserted between the two branches of the U.

[0031] Preferably, said at least one bar and the hook are flat.

[0032] Preferably, said clothing support is a single piece.

[0033] In particular, the clothing support comprises a hanging hook which comprises a straight part (or rod) one end of which is at one of the vertices of the generally triangular shape, and the other end is extended by a curved part allowing hanging. The projecting part (in particular in the form of a shoulder) of the hanging hook can be located at the end of the straight part (rod) and at the base of the curved part.

[0034] The number of retaining tabs of the garment support bar and the presence of the hook retaining tab may depend on the curved or flat shape of the visible face of the covering panel and the curved or straight shape of the bar of said garment support.

[0035] For example, the visible face of the covering has a concave shape and the bar portion of said garment support opposite the hanging hook has a straight shape and is force-held in said concave shape, and preferably said device comprises two holding tabs which receive said straight bar portion of the garment support, while a hook holding tab may be a plus but not essential. For example, said visible face of the covering has a flat shape and the bar part of said garment support opposite the hook has a curved shape which is maintained, said device comprises two holding tabs which receive said curved bar part of the garment support.

[0036] Preferably, the closure panel is configured to open from the bottom up, and close from top to bottom.

[0037] Preferably, the reference transverse edge of the trim panel when it is a tailgate, is the rear transverse edge, the notion of “rear” being defined by the tailgate, mounted hinged on the vehicle, in the open position. The opposite transverse edge is then called the “front edge”.

[0038] In particular, the closing panel is a tailgate which may comprise a receiving bay for the rear window of the vehicle, frontally to said device, beyond said transverse edge opposite the reference transverse edge. In particular, the attachment element of the device for said clothing support is located in a proximal zone of the receiving bay for the rear window of the vehicle.

[0039] More particularly, said clothing support is removable whether it is in the storage position or in the hanging position, it can then be easily used and stored at the level of said storage and hanging device.

[0040] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the description given below of particular embodiments of the invention, given for informational but non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0041] [Fig. 1] is a view of an assembly comprising a clothing support and a closing panel of a rear trunk of a motor vehicle, comprising a trim panel according to one embodiment of the invention, said closing panel being a tailgate.

[0042] [Fig.2] is a perspective view of a tailgate trim panel having a device for hanging and storing a clothing support shown in [Fig.l].

[0043] [Fig.3] is an enlarged and perspective view of the hanging and storage of [Fig.2].

[0044] [Fig.4] is a front view of the tailgate trim panel and tailgate support hanger-type garment stored on the visible face of the dressing panel shown in [Fig.l].

[0045] [Fig.5] is a view of the garment support shown in the preceding figures.

[0046] [Fig.6] shows a partial rear view of a tailgate trim panel further comprising handles arranged according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

[0047] [Fig.7A] is a view of one of the handles shown in [Fig.6] and supporting a hanger.

[0048] [Fig.7B] is a view of the other of the handles shown in [Fig.6] and supporting a hanger.

[0049] [Fig.8] is a perspective view of a classic orthonormal XYZ reference frame of a motor vehicle.

[0050] The orientations expressed in the description of the figures are given for reference to an orthonormal reference frame XYZ of a motor vehicle according to [Fig.8], in which X represents the longitudinal direction, oriented from the front to the rear of the vehicle, Y the transverse direction oriented towards the right of the vehicle, and Z the vertical direction oriented towards the top of the vehicle in the usual position, resting on its wheels.

[0051] For simplification, the orientations of the closing panel (i.e. the tailgate according to the example), of the trim panel, and of the device for attaching and storing a coat hanger, refer to these orientations when the tailgate is open, raised to the rear of the vehicle and towards the top of the vehicle, the terms front and rear also being indicated with reference to the front and rear of the motor vehicle.

[0052] Indeed, the longitudinal direction of the tailgate or of the trim panel, for the tailgate thus raised, comprises a component along the longitudinal direction X of the vehicle, the tailgate being more or less raised along a Z component. In the figures, for simplification, the longitudinal direction of the raised tailgate, or of the trim panel as it would be arranged on the inside of the box of the raised tailgate, is assimilated to a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0053] Figures 1 to 5 are commented on together.

[0054] [Fig.l] illustrates the inner side of a tailgate 6 comprising a box 60 provided with a covering panel 1 fitted with the storage and hanging device which will be described, the hanger-type clothing support 5 being stored therein. The box comprises an arrangement for the trunk lock in correspondence with the cutout 4 of the covering panel, and opposite, a bay B receiving a rear window of the vehicle. Said tailgate acts as a rear door for a rear trunk of a motor vehicle, and is mounted articulated around a transverse axis to open from the bottom upwards to give access to the trunk, and to close from the top downwards.

[0055] [Fig. 2] represents the trim panel 1, without the hanger 5. This trim panel has a visible face 10 delimited by longitudinal and transverse edges including a rear transverse edge 11 comprising the location of the lock 4 in the form of a cutout receiving the tailgate lock to be locked on the trunk. Said rear transverse edge 11 is the proximal reference transverse edge of the free edge of the tailgate in the open position, and the opposite transverse edge 12 is called the “front edge” of the panel (with reference to the directions of the tailgate when opening).

[0056] This trim panel comprises a first and a second interior handle 31, 32 facilitating the gripping of the tailgate to fold down the open tailgate, situated in a rear part of said trim panel, on either side of the location of the lock 4. Said handles each have a hollow shape delimited by a wall 310, 320 comprising a rear opening 3100, 3200, in other words open towards the rear edge 11 of the trim.

[0057] This covering panel 1 comprises a storage and hanging device 2 for a clothing rack 5.

[0058] The garment support 5 is a hanger shown in [Fig. 5]. It comprises a bar for receiving a garment to be hung, the bar being a curved bar 51 in a triangular shape and a hanging hook 50 for hanging it. This hanger is a single, flat piece. It is made of molded plastic. The curved bar 51 is made up of three bar parts 510, 511, 512 corresponding to the three sides of the triangular shape, two bar parts 511 and 512 being inclined to meet at a vertex of the triangle where the hook 50 is located. The triangle comprises a horizontal bar part 510 at the junction between the other two bar parts 511, 512, and located opposite the vertex carrying the hook 50.

[0059] The storage and hanging device 2 comprises a hanging element 20 arranged in a substantially central area of the trim panel, in the vicinity of the center of gravity of the tailgate, to suspend the hanger 5 there in the hanging position, by the hanging hook 50. This hanging element comprises two orifices 201, 202 passing through the trim panel and communicating with each other. It also comprises a hanging bar 203 located between the two orifices, like a bridge, and visible on the visible face 10 of the panel. The two orifices 201, 202 are accessible from the visible face 10 of the panel and receive the hook 50 of the hanger 5, which then rests on the internal face of the hanging bar 203.

[0060] The storage and hanging device comprises two holding tabs 21, 22 receiving the bar 51 of the hanger, and more particularly the bar portion 510 which is opposite the hook 50. Said holding tabs 21, 22 are located on the visible face 10 of said covering panel, close to the hanging element 20. They are positioned longitudinally between said hanging element 20 and the transverse edge 12 opposite the reference transverse edge of the covering panel. They are further arranged spaced apart from each other in a direction parallel to the transverse direction of the covering panel, and as preferred, equidistant from the hanging element 20. They each have a U-shape, between the branches of which the horizontal bar portion 510 of the bar 51 of the hanger is force-fitted, the holding tabs having a certain flexibility.

[0061] To prevent transverse movement of the hanger 5 in the storage position when the vehicle is moving, for example in a bend, the curved bar 51 of the hanger 5 comprises two transverse locking means 52, 53 of the hanger. These locking means are in the form of lugs 52, 53 located on the horizontal bar portion 510 which is opposite the hook 50, which cooperate in abutment with respectively the holding tabs 21, 22 receiving said horizontal bar portion 510 of the hanger 5 in the storage position. The lugs 52, 53 are positioned against the external side of the transverse portion of the U (portion connecting the branches of the U) respective of the holding tabs 21, 22, so that the horizontal bar portion 510 is blocked on each side, in the transverse direction Y.

[0062] Furthermore, the storage and hanging device 1 comprises a third holding tab 23, located on the visible face 10 of the covering panel 1, receiving the rod, straight part of the suspension hook. A shoulder 500 forming a projection on the rod of the hook connecting the curved bar 51 and the curved part of the hook, is inserted into this third holding tab 23.

[0063] This third holding tab 23 is positioned longitudinally between said attachment element 20 and the rear transverse edge 11 of the panel. It is positioned on the other side of the attachment element 20 relative to the first and second holding tabs 21, 22, so as to substantially form a triangle with these two other holding tabs 21, 22 around the attachment element 20. Furthermore, this third tab 23 holds the hanger 5 in the storage position when the tailgate is closed, the hanger then being in a substantially vertical position.

[0064] The hooking element 20 is positioned in the vicinity of the center of gravity of the tailgate in order to generate little force on the tailgate balancers. It is positioned as close as possible to the bay B, however a space can be reserved for the rear windshield wiper motor, when there is one.

[0065] The shape and position of the hooking element 20 make it possible to hang a hanger supporting at least one item of clothing, in the middle of the tailgate in the raised position. The fact that the hooking element is positioned close to the center of gravity of the tailgate generates little force on the tailgate balancers even for a heavy item of clothing and / or if several items of clothing are hung there, the hooking bar 203 being able to receive, if necessary, several hangers side by side. The items of clothing can be hung sheltered from the weather.

[0066] The tailgate can be closed with the hanger stored around the hooking element, held by the retaining tabs and the various locking means.

[0067] The hanger 5 in the storage position can thus be easily removed from the storage and hanging device, according to a longitudinal direction movement.

[0068] According to an example not shown in the figures, the storage and hanging device may comprise a storage housing receiving the hanger, shaped as a hollow following the geometric shape of the hanger, around the hanging element, on the visible face of the covering panel, and in which the hanger is installed flat so as not to be in excess of the visible face 10 of the panel.

[0069] With reference to Figures 6, 7A and 7B illustrating an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the storage and hanging device may comprise additional hanging means located in the interior handles 31', 32' of the tailgate for hanging a coat hanger there. A first 311' and second 322' additional hanging means are thus arranged respectively in a rear part of the wall bordering the rear opening 3100', 3200' respectively of the handle relating to said attachment means.

[0070] For one of the handles 31', the attachment means 311' is a through hole in the rear part of the wall, of substantially oblong shape, rectangular according to the example, the main axial orientation X'X' of which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction X, so that the hook 50 of the hanger is inserted therein in this direction, when the tailgate is raised ([Fig.7A]).

[0071] For the other of the handles 32', the attachment means 322' comprises two through holes 3221', 3222', in the rear part of the wall, arranged side by side separated by a portion of wall 3120', said holes 3221', 3222', being of the same main axial orientation Y'Y' parallel to the transverse direction Y, so that the hook 50 of the hanger is inserted therein in this direction, when the tailgate is raised ([Fig.7A]). One of said holes 3221' is of substantially square shape and the other 3222' is of substantially rectangular shape.

[0072] The clothes can thus be positioned at the end of the tailgate, allowing for example to dry them without risk of dripping inside the trunk. To avoid too much stress on the tailgate balancers, these additional hanging means are preferably used for light clothes or in exceptional cases to drain a piece of clothing.

[0073] The invention makes it possible to have a relatively simple but effective device for storing and hanging a hanger, well integrated into the trim panel of the tailgate. It makes it possible to always have a hanger available, easy to store and remove for use, and to hang a garment in optimal conditions for a user.

[0074] The invention has been described in the context of a tailgate closing a rear trunk but it could be applied to a vehicle having a front trunk closed by a hood, in this case, the proximal transverse reference edge of the free edge of the hood in the open position would be the front edge when the hood is open, instead of the rear edge.

Claims

Claims

1. A closing panel for a trunk (6) of a motor vehicle, configured to open from bottom to top, comprising an interior trim panel (1) having a visible face (10) delimited by longitudinal edges and transverse edges including a reference transverse edge (11) proximal to the free edge of said closing panel in the open position and an opposite transverse edge (12) to said reference edge, said trim panel comprising at least one device for storing and hanging a garment support (5), comprising at least one bar (51) and a suspension hook (50), and said device comprising: - a hooking element (20) receiving said garment support (5), located in an area distant from the reference transverse edge (11) of the trim panel, preferably in a substantially central area of the trim panel, comprising at least two through-holes (201, 202) of said trim panel communicating with each other,and at least one hanging bar (203) located between the two through holes (201, 202) and accessible from said visible face of the covering panel, said holes (201, 202) and said hanging bar (203) being configured to suspend there the hook (50) of the garment support (5), and - at least one holding tab (21, 22) receiving said at least one bar (51) of the garment support (5) in storage, located on the visible face (10) of said covering panel, and preferably positioned longitudinally between said hanging element (20) and the transverse edge (12) opposite the reference transverse edge of the covering panel, preferably two said holding tabs (21, 22) which are spaced from each other and preferably in a direction parallel to the transverse direction of the covering panel.,

2. Closing panel according to claim 1, characterized in that said storage and hanging device further comprises a holding tab (23) receiving the hanging hook (50) of the garment support (5) in storage, located on the visible face (10) of said covering panel (1), and preferably positioned longitudinally between said hanging element (20) and the transverse reference edge of the covering panel (11).

3. A closure panel according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that said cladding panel (1) is a single-piece panel.

4. Closing panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said covering panel comprises at least a first and a second internal handle (31', 32'), proximal to the reference transverse edge (11) of said covering panel, the first handle (31') comprising a first hooking means (311') receiving the hook (50) comprising a through hole having an axial direction (X'X') aligned along a first direction and the second handle (32') comprising a second hooking means (322') receiving the hook comprising two through holes (3221', 3222') side by side and having respective axial directions (Y'Y') aligned along a second direction, said first direction and said second direction being different.

5. Tailgate according to the preceding claim 4, characterized in that said handles (31', 32') each have a hollow shape delimited by a wall comprising an opening opening at the level of the reference transverse edge (11) of the covering panel, and said first (311') and second (322') attachment means are arranged respectively in a wall part bordering the respective opening of the handle relative to said attachment means.

6. Closing panel according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said storage and hanging device comprises a storage housing receiving said clothing support (5), shaped as a hollow on said visible face (10) of the covering panel and in which said clothing support is installed flat.

7. Assembly comprising a trunk closure panel according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and a garment support comprising at least one bar (51) and a suspension hook (50), and said storage and hanging device receiving said garment support (5) such that in the storage position, the bar (51) of said garment support is held by the at least one holding tab (21, 22) receiving said bar (51) of the garment support (5) in storage, and / or in the hanging position, the suspension hook (50) of said garment support (5) is suspended from said hanging element (20).

8. Assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that said garment support (5) comprises at least locking means transverse (52, 53), located on said at least one bar (51) of said garment support (5) cooperating with the at least one holding tab (21, 22) receiving said at least one bar (51) of the garment support (5), in the storage position.

9. Assembly according to one of claims 7 to 8, characterized in that said suspension hook (50) of the garment support comprises at least one projecting part (500), inserted into said at least one holding tab (23) receiving said suspension hook in the storage position.

10. Assembly according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that said garment support (5) comprises: - at least one bar (51) defining a generally triangular shape, comprising a transverse bar part (510) which is the bar part held by the at least one holding tab (21, 22) receiving said at least one bar of the garment support in storage, and - a suspension hook (50) located at a vertex of said generally triangular shape.

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