MOTOR VEHICLE WITH TRACTION BATTERY CHARGING CABLE STORED IN A SPIRAL CHANNEL

Abstract

Hybrid or electric motor vehicle comprising a wheel arch formed inside a wheel arch plate (6) of the vehicle body, a protective panel (10) arranged in the wheel arch and covering the wheel, and comprising a charging cable (14) for a traction battery which is arranged in a spiral in a guide duct constituting a chute (32), the wheel arch plate (6) and the protective panel (10) directly forming the chute duct (32) by their facing surfaces. Figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: MOTOR VEHICLE WITH TRACTION BATTERY CHARGING CABLE STORED IN A SPIRAL IN A CHUTE

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric or hybrid motor vehicle equipped with a cable for recharging a traction battery on an electricity distribution network which is arranged in a spiral in an elongated conduit forming a chute.

[0002] Certain hybrid or electric vehicles comprising a traction battery rechargeable on an electricity distribution network, have a cable integrated into the vehicle, equipped with a connector which allows this cable to be removed when stopped to connect the connector to a terminal on the network.

[0003] A known type of vehicle equipped with a charging cable, presented in particular by document DE-A1-4212207, comprises a cable wound in a spiral, arranged in an elongated conduit integrated into the body of the vehicle, forming a chute closed by an external hatch allowing access to the connector arranged at the end of the cable to pull on it.

[0004] The cable spiral has an axial elasticity which tends to bring its contiguous turns back together. In this way, the cable exit gives a permanent axial tension on the stretched turns allowing the network socket to be reached without leaving the cable dragging on the ground. Storage is then made easier with the cable retracting into the chute by a retraction of the spiral when the traction is released.

[0005] In particular, the document presents a cylindrical housing forming a chute arranged in the engine compartment, facing the front of the vehicle, comprising a hatch fitted to the grille of this vehicle.

[0006] Generally speaking, the trunking comprising a length and a diameter adapted to receive a sufficiently long cable, poses problems of space requirement in the bodywork of the vehicle.

[0007] On certain vehicles the chute is arranged behind a wheel, between the wheel arch formed by a sheet of metal of the vehicle body, and an internal protective panel fixed in this passage and covering the wheel, generally made by molding a plastic material, which protects this passage from projections of gravel or mud.

[0008] In this case it is necessary to provide at the level of the chute a total thickness comprising the internal diameter of the chute available for the spiral of the cable, with on each side once the thickness of this chute, then after a clearance the thickness of the wall formed by the wheel arch or the internal protection panel. This results in a significant transverse bulk at the level of the chute which can be difficult to be housed in the vehicle body.

[0009] To limit the transverse size of the chute, a reduction in its internal diameter poses problems of minimum winding radii of the spiral depending on its material, of elasticity to allow its elongation giving the required vehicle exit length, and of chute length which risks being greater.

[0010] The present invention aims in particular to avoid these problems of the prior art.

[0011] To this end, it proposes a hybrid or electric motor vehicle comprising a wheel arch formed inside a wheel arch sheet of the vehicle body, a protective panel arranged in the wheel arch and covering the wheel, and comprising a cable for recharging a traction battery which is stored in a spiral in a guide duct constituting a chute, this vehicle being remarkable in that the wheel arch sheet and the protective panel directly form the chute duct by their facing surfaces.

[0012] An advantage of this vehicle is that by giving particular shapes to at least one of the two walls, the wheel arch or the interior protection panel, the elongated conduit is produced which then has only these two elements as a wall.

[0013] In a simple and economical manner, without adding any additional component, with only modifications to the shapes of the wheel arch sheet or the protection panel which increase costs little, it is possible to avoid interposing the thickness of a specific chute with the necessary clearances on each side towards the two side walls, which makes it possible to reduce the transverse size of the bodywork at the level of the chute.

[0014] The motor vehicle according to the invention may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics, which may be combined with each other.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the protective panel and the wheel arch sheet each comprise an elongated boss forming the chute duct between them.

[0016] In this case, the two elongated bosses may be symmetrical in cross-section.

[0017] In particular, the two elongated bosses may each have a substantially semicircular contour in cross section.

[0018] According to another embodiment, a single wall of the protective panel or the wheel arch sheet metal comprises an elongated boss forming the chute duct inside.

[0019] In this case, the elongated boss may have in cross-section a contour comprising two substantially parallel sides connected by a semicircle.

[0020] According to another embodiment, the protective panel or the wheel arch sheet metal comprises, facing the other wall, two partitions substantially perpendicular to its support forming between them the chute conduit.

[0021] In particular, the trunking duct may be formed in cross-section by at least three points each forming a linear guide, which are distributed over the contour of the cable spiral.

[0022] The invention will be better understood and other characteristics and advantages will appear more clearly on reading the description below given by way of example, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0023] [Fig.l] shows a wheel arch of an electric motor vehicle according to the prior art, the wing of this arch being removed;

[0024] [Fig.2] is a diagram showing in cross-section the chute of this vehicle;

[0025] [Fig.3] is a diagram showing in cross section the chute of a vehicle according to the invention;

[0026] [Fig.4] is a diagram showing in cross section a chute following a first variant; and

[0027] [Fig.5] is a diagram showing in cross section a chute following a second variant.

[0028] Figures 1 and 2 show a wheel arch 2 receiving a rear wheel of an electric vehicle 4, arranged inside a wheel arch sheet 6 formed on the body of the vehicle and fixed to the side of the rear trunk floor 8.

[0029] A protective panel 10, formed by a plastic molding, covers the wheel 4 as closely as possible to prevent gravel and mud from being thrown into the entire wheel arch which would strike the passage plate 6 and the inside of the wing, generating noise and damaging their protection.

[0030] An attached chute 12 of circular section, arranged in the space between the protective panel 10 and the passage sheet 6, forms an elongated conduit ending in the upper part by an inlet 16 fixed to the inside of the wing, which is closed by a tilting hatch 18 fitted to the outer bodywork.

[0031] The chute 12 contains a charging cable 14 wound in a spiral, connected in the lower part to a charger of the traction battery of the vehicle. Its upper end presented as coming out of the bodywork comprises a connector 20 for connection to the socket of a charging terminal of an electricity distribution network.

[0032] An operator opening the hatch 18 grasps the connector 20 and pulls on it, which releases the cable 14 by an elongation of its spiral causing it to slide out of the chute 12.

[0033] The transverse width L1 at the level of the chute 12 between the walls of the protection panel 10 and the passage sheet 6, includes the external diameter of this chute, and the clearances J necessary on each side to avoid stresses and friction on these nearby walls, taking into account the manufacturing dispersions of these different components.

[0034] In practice, according to a known embodiment, for an internal diameter of chute 12 of 85mm, a thickness of the material of this chute of 3mm, and clearances J of 2mm on one side and 5mm on the other, a transverse width L1 of 98mm is obtained.

[0035] [Fig. 3] shows, according to a first embodiment of the invention, the wheel arch plate 6 and the protection panel 10 each forming a substantially symmetrical elongated boss 30, having a contour constituting in cross-section a semicircle, which runs along the passage of the spiral cable 14 in order to produce directly between these two walls an integrated channel conduit 32 for guiding this cable.

[0036] A chute conduit 32 of circular section is obtained, guiding the spiral of the cable 14 in the same way as an attached chute 12.

[0037] The transverse width L2 between the walls close to the level of the integrated conduit forming the chute 32, comprising only the internal diameter for the passage of the spiral of the cable 14, is reduced with the two thicknesses of added chute 12 and the two clearances J less.

[0038] A possibility of better integration into the vehicle body is obtained. It is also possible to additionally take advantage of a larger internal diameter of the trunking conduit 32 to increase the output length of the cable 14 in order to facilitate its connection to a charging station.

[0039] In practice, in the trunking duct 32 for an identical passage diameter of the spiral of the cable 14 of 85 mm, a transverse width L2 of the same value is obtained, which gives a transverse space saving of approximately 14%.

[0040] [Fig.4] shows, according to a second embodiment, only the panel of protection 10 which is modified to form a boss 30 comprising a contour forming in cross section substantially a semicircle then two parallel sides connecting to the wheel arch plate 6 which has the advantage of not being modified. The shape of the boss comprising two parallel sides ending in the semicircle allows easy molding in plastic of the protection panel 10.

[0041] [Fig. 5] shows, according to a third embodiment, only the protection panel 10 which is modified to form, on its rear face facing the wheel arch sheet 6 during its molding, two lateral guide partitions substantially perpendicular to this panel 40, forming between them the conduit of the chute 32. The partitions 40 can be added to a reduced boss 30 formed on the protection panel 10.

[0042] Alternatively, any form of bosses can be made on the protection panel 10 or the wheel arch 6, or on these two walls, to form a guide for the spiral of the cable 14 which does not need to be circular. In particular at least three points distributed around the contour of the spiral of the cable 14 is sufficient to ensure its guidance and sliding.

[0043] The vehicle according to the invention also makes it possible to eliminate the attached chute 12, which reduces the cost of management and manufacturing of this component, as well as the labor costs for its assembly.

Claims

Claims

1. Hybrid or electric motor vehicle comprising a wheel arch (2) formed inside a wheel arch plate (6) of the vehicle body, a protective panel (10) arranged in the wheel arch (2) and covering the wheel (4), and comprising a charging cable (14) of a traction battery which is stored in a spiral in a guide duct constituting a chute (32), characterized in that the wheel arch plate (6) and the protective panel (10) directly form the chute duct (32) by their facing surfaces.

2. Motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the protective panel (10) and the wheel arch plate (6) each comprise an elongated boss (30) forming between them the chute duct (32).

3. Motor vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the two elongated bosses (30) are symmetrical in cross-section.

4. Motor vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that the two elongated bosses (30) each have a substantially semicircular contour in cross section.

5. Motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that a single wall of the protective panel (10) or of the wheel arch plate (6) comprises an elongated boss (30) forming inside the chute duct (32).

6. Motor vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the elongated boss (30) has in cross section a contour comprising two substantially parallel sides connected by a semicircle.

7. Motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the protective panel (10) or the wheel arch plate (6) comprises facing the other wall two partitions (40) substantially perpendicular to its support forming between them the chute duct (32).

8. Motor vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chute duct (32) is formed in cross-section by at least three points each forming a linear guide, which are distributed over the contour of the spiral of the cable (14).

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