Electronic box support for deformable automotive compartment

Abstract

Support (1) for an electronic box (2) intended to equip a deformable compartment of a vehicle, the support being formed of a single part configured to be mounted directly on a structural element (3) of the compartment and comprising a first fixing element (15, 16) for fixing the electronic box to the support, the support comprising a plate (5) forming mechanical protection of the electronic box and comprising a positioning element (8, 9, 10) connected to the plate by a first end and extending towards the electronic box when it is mounted on the support, the positioning element comprising a second end, the second end being provided with a second fixing element (17, 18, 20) for fixing the support to the structural element, the positioning element protecting the electronic box between the plate forming mechanical protection and the structural element when the electronic box is mounted on the support.Figure for abstract: Figure 2.

Description

Title of the invention: Electronic box support for deformable automobile compartment Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a support for one or more electronic boxes for a deformable compartment of a motor vehicle. Previous techniques

[0002] There are computers, in particular computers used for the electrical management of a motor vehicle or the management of a gearbox, which are placed, in the form of one or more electronic boxes, in a deformable compartment of the vehicle, for example under the hood of the vehicle. A deformable compartment is here a compartment designed to deform in the event of an impact or crash in order to absorb part of the energy of the impact or crash and limit its effects on the passenger compartment and / or on the people located inside it.

[0003] The deterioration or destruction of such electronic boxes during an impact or a crash does not generally pose any particular problems, because they do not have any particular roles during the impact or crash, nor after. It is therefore not necessary to protect them and the supports used to fix these electronic boxes inside the deformable compartment of the motor vehicle are as simple as possible in order, in particular, to contain the number of parts handled during the manufacture of motor vehicles and to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of these electronic boxes, in order to limit installation and maintenance costs. Such supports are generally mounted on a structural element of the deformable compartment, for example, on a reinforcing element such as a cowl-side reinforcement (also known as RCA).

[0004] However, there are other computers which, when placed in a deformable compartment of a motor vehicle, must be protected. By way of illustration, a computer used to manage the injection of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) must be protected to allow, in the event of an impact or crash, the supply of LPG to the engine to be stopped.

[0005] There are solutions for protecting such electronic boxes. In particular, there are bells configured to be fixed or mobile to the computer supports and to protect the latter in cavities formed between the supports and the bells.

[0006] Although such solutions generally give satisfaction in terms of mechanical protection, they nevertheless have drawbacks, particularly in terms of logistics, installation, maintenance and costs. Statement of the invention

[0007] The aim of the invention is to propose a support for at least one electronic box equipping a deformable automobile compartment, the support being simple and economical to manufacture, assemble and disassemble.

[0008] The invention thus relates to a support for at least one electronic box intended to equip a deformable compartment of a vehicle, the support being formed from a single part configured to be mounted directly on a structural element of the compartment and comprising a first fixing element for fixing the at least one electronic box to the support, the support comprising a plate forming mechanical protection for the at least one electronic box and comprising at least one positioning element connected to said plate by a first end and extending in the direction of the at least one electronic box when it is mounted on the support, the at least one positioning element comprising a second end, the second end being provided with a second fixing element for fixing the support to the structural element,the at least one positioning element being configured to protect the at least one electronic box between the plate forming mechanical protection and the structural element when the at least one electronic box is mounted on the support.

[0009] The support according to the invention makes it possible to limit the number of parts necessary for the assembly and mechanical protection of electronic boxes in a deformable compartment of a vehicle. It is light, simple and economical to manufacture, assemble and disassemble.

[0010] According to one characteristic, a portion of the at least one positioning element, extending towards the at least one electronic housing when it is mounted on the support, is flat and comprises a reinforcing rib. Such a characteristic makes it possible in particular to improve the protection of the electronic housings.

[0011] According to another characteristic, the part of the at least one positioning element, extending towards the at least one electronic box when it is mounted on the support, is partially hollowed out. Such a characteristic makes it possible in particular to lighten the support and to reduce the quantity of material necessary for the manufacture of the support.

[0012] According to yet another characteristic, the part of the at least one positioning element, extending in the direction of the at least one electronic box when it is mounted on the support, is substantially perpendicular to the plate forming mechanical protection.

[0013] According to another characteristic, the second end of the at least one positioning element comprises a fixing lug substantially perpendicular to the part of the at least one positioning element, extending towards the at least one electronic housing when mounted on the support.

[0014] According to yet another characteristic, the support comprises a plurality of positioning elements of different shapes.

[0015] According to yet another characteristic, the support comprises a plurality of positioning elements, at least two positioning elements being arranged on opposite edges of the plate forming mechanical protection. Such a characteristic makes it possible in particular to improve the protection of electronic boxes.

[0016] According to another characteristic, the plate forming mechanical protection is partially hollowed out. Such a characteristic makes it possible in particular to lighten the support and to reduce the quantity of material necessary for the manufacture of the support.

[0017] According to another aspect, the invention relates to an assembly comprising a support as defined above and an electronic box mounted on the support.

[0018] The assembly according to the invention allows simple and economical assembly and disassembly, in a deformable compartment of a vehicle, of electronic boxes which must be mechanically protected in the event of impact or crash.

[0019] Still according to another aspect, the invention relates to a motor vehicle equipped with an assembly comprising a support as defined previously on which at least one electronic box is mounted. Brief description of the drawings

[0020] Other aims, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0021] [Fig-1] represents a perspective view of a portion of a compartment of formable of a motor vehicle, comprising a support according to the invention;

[0022] [Fig.2] illustrates a perspective view of the support of [Fig.l]; and

[0023] [Fig.3] illustrates a sectional view of the support of [Fig.l] mounted in a com deformable part of a motor vehicle. Detailed description of at least one embodiment

[0024] A detailed description of particular embodiments of the invention will be found below, with reference to the drawings in which the same references identify the same structural elements in each of the figures.

[0025] [Fig.l] represents a perspective view of a portion of a deformable compartment of a motor vehicle located, for example, under the hood of the vehicle. By way of illustration, the portion shown is here located on the front right side of the vehicle, near a wheel arch. In the illustrated embodiment, the portion of the deformable compartment of the motor vehicle comprises a support 1 for an electronic control unit 2 which must be protected in the event of a side impact or crash. Electronic control unit 2 is, for example, an LPG injection computer, which is configured to stop the injection of LPG into the engine in the event of a side impact or crash.

[0026] As illustrated, the support 1 is fixed to a structural element of the deformable compartment, here a reinforcement on the awning side 3 itself fixed to a wing 4 and to other structural elements of the vehicle. According to embodiments, the support 1 consists of a single part made for example of plastic, steel or aluminum. The support 1 comprises in particular a plate 5, solid or partially hollow, for example substantially flat, as well as an element for fixing the electronic box 2, such as one or more holding tabs or a recess configured to cooperate with a fixing means such as a bolt, a rivet or any other similar means. According to the example illustrated, the plate 5 comprises two holes (visible in [Fig. 2]) capable of receiving bolts or rivets 6 and 7 making it possible to fix the electronic box 2 to the support 1.

[0027] The support 1 further comprises one or more positioning elements, for example three positioning elements 8, 9 and 10. The positioning element(s) make it possible to precisely position the support, and therefore the electronic box(es), relative to the structural element 3 to which the support is fixed. They extend, from the plate 5, in the direction of the electronic box, for example substantially perpendicular to the plate 5. They also act as a spacer to form a cavity between the plate 5 and the structural element 3 and / or between the plate 5 and one or more other elements connected directly or indirectly to the structural element 3, for example the wing 4. This cavity is configured to accommodate the electronic box 2.

[0028] According to particular embodiments, at least two positioning elements are mounted on opposite edges of the plate 5 to improve the resistance to movement of the plate 5 in the event of an impact or crash. Two positioning elements can also be mounted at opposite ends of the same edge of the plate 5 to improve its stability in the event of an impact or crash.

[0029] Still according to particular embodiments, one, several or all of the positioning elements may comprise one or several reinforcing ribs, for example obtained by stamping, to stiffen the positioning elements 8, 9 and 10 and, thus, improve the mechanical protection of the electronic housing 2. According to the example illustrated, the positioning elements 8 and 10 comprise the reinforcing ribs 11 and 12, respectively.

[0030] The positioning elements comprise a first end connected to the plate 5 and a second end comprising one or more fixing elements, allowing the support 1 to be fixed to the structural element 3. For example, the second end of the positioning elements 8 and 10 comprises a recess (visible in [Fig.2]) configured to cooperate with a fixing means such as a bolt, a rivet or any other similar means. According to the illustrated example, the second end of the positioning element 8 comprises a hole capable of receiving a bolt or a rivet 13 allowing the support 1 to be fixed to the structural element 3.

[0031] It is observed here that the positioning elements may have identical or different shapes. They may be solid or partially hollowed out, for example to lighten the support and / or allow the passage of elements such as a connector 14 connecting the electronic housing 2 to remote electrical and / or electronic elements, for example sensors, actuators, an electrical source, etc. The positioning elements may comprise a part such as a substantially planar part acting as a spacer, for example a part substantially perpendicular to the mechanical protection plate 5. The positioning elements may also provide a mechanical protection function for the electronic housing. The second end may take the form of a tab provided with a hole configured to receive a fixing means such as a bolt, a rivet or any other similar means.According to particular embodiments, the tab is substantially perpendicular to the part acting as a spacer.

[0032] It is also observed here that according to other embodiments, the electronic housing(s) are attached to one or more positioning elements or to the plate and to one or more positioning elements.

[0033] [Fig. 2] is a perspective view of the support 1 of [Fig. 1], without the electronic box 2 and not mounted on a structural element of a deformable compartment of a motor vehicle. As illustrated, the support 1 here comprises two holes 15 and 16 configured to fix the electronic box 2 to the support 1 using bolts (for example bolts 6 and 7), rivets or any other similar means. It also comprises three holes of which only the holes 17 and 18 of the positioning elements 8 and 10 are visible, the hole of the positioning element 9 being masked by the protective plate 5 and the positioning element 9 itself. The holes 17 and 18 and that of the positioning element 9 (referenced 20 in [Fig.3]) are configured to fix the support 1 to the structural element 3 using bolts (for example bolt 6), rivets or any other similar means.

[0034] [Fig. 3] is a sectional view of the support 1 of [Fig. 1], mounted on the structural element 3 of a deformable compartment of a motor vehicle and comprising the electronic box 2, along a plane perpendicular to the plate 5 and passing through the axial centers of the bolts 6 and 7.

[0035] As illustrated, the positioning element 9 here comprises a reinforcing rib 19 and, at the end opposite that connecting it to the plate 5, a hole allowing the support 1 to be fixed to the structural element 3 using a bolt 20, a rivet or any other similar means.

[0036] According to other embodiments, one or more positioning elements comprise, at the end opposite that connecting them to the plate forming mechanical protection, a connecting element allowing the support to be snapped onto a structural element, simplifying the installation and removal of the support on the structural element by reducing the number of bolts or rivets necessary for its fixing.

[0037] As illustrated in [Fig. 3], the spacer function of the positioning elements 8, 9 and 10 makes it possible to create a cavity 21 between the plate 5 and the structural element 3, in which the electronic box 2 is located, which is thus mechanically protected.

[0038] The support 1 can be manufactured by stamping a sheet metal, for example a steel or aluminum sheet metal.

[0039] According to particular embodiments, one or more electronic boxes such as the electronic box 2 are mounted on a support such as the support 1 using bolts, rivets and / or any other similar means. The support can then be mounted on a structural element of a deformable compartment of a motor vehicle, using bolts, rivets and / or any other similar means and, where appropriate, a snap-in mechanism. Conversely, to dismantle the electronic box(es), for example to replace them, the support of the electronic box(es) is dismantled and then the electronic boxes are detached from the support.

[0040] The support according to the invention makes it possible to reduce the number of parts necessary for the installation of one or more electronic boxes which must be mechanically protected and to simplify the operations of mounting and dismounting these electronic boxes. The support illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 can be mounted in any type of vehicle.

Claims

Claims

1. Support (1) for at least one electronic box (2) intended to equip a deformable compartment of a vehicle, the support being formed of a single piece configured to be mounted directly on a structural element (3) of the compartment and comprising a first fixing element (15, 16) for fixing the at least one electronic box (2) to the support (1), characterized in that the support (1) comprises a plate (5) forming mechanical protection for the at least one electronic box (2) and comprises at least one positioning element (8, 9, 10) connected to said plate (5) by a first end and extending towards the at least one electronic box (2) when it is mounted on the support (1), the at least one positioning element (8, 9, 10) comprising a second end, the second end being provided with a second fixing element (17, 18, 20) for fixing the support (1) to the structural element (3), the at least one positioning element (8, 9,10) being configured to protect the at least one electronic box (2) between the plate (5) forming mechanical protection and the structural element (3) when the at least one electronic box (2) is mounted on the support (1).,

2. Support according to claim 1, wherein a part of the at least one positioning element (8, 9, 10), extending towards the at least one electronic housing (2) when mounted on the support (1), is planar and comprises a reinforcing rib (11, 12, 19).

3. Support according to claim 2, wherein the part of the at least one positioning element (8, 9, 10), extending towards the at least one electronic housing (2) when mounted on the support (1), is partially hollowed out.

4. Support according to claim 2 or claim 3, in which the part of the at least one positioning element (8, 9, 10), extending towards the at least one electronic box (2) when mounted on the support (1), is substantially perpendicular to the plate (5) forming mechanical protection.

5. Support according to any one of claims 2 to 4, in which the second end of the at least one positioning element (8, 9, 10) comprises a fixing tab substantially perpendicular to the part of the at least one positioning element (8, 9, 10), extending towards the at least one electronic box (2) when it is mounted on the support (1).

6. A support according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the support (1) comprising a plurality of positioning elements of different shapes.

7. Support according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the support (1) comprising a plurality of positioning elements, at least two positioning elements being arranged on opposite edges of the plate (5) forming mechanical protection.

8. Support according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the plate (5) forming mechanical protection is partially hollowed out.

9. Assembly comprising the support (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and comprising the at least one electronic box (2) mounted on the support (1).

10. Motor vehicle equipped with an assembly according to claim 9.

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