Retaining device for a sliding side opening

Abstract

Title of the invention: Retaining device for a sliding side opening The present invention relates to a retaining device (6) for a sliding side opening of a motor vehicle, the retaining device (6) comprising a holding plate (26) and a plurality of retaining means (28, 30) respectively projecting from the holding plate (26), the plurality of retaining means (28, 30) comprising a first retaining means (28) configured to form a stop against movement in a first direction of a support arm (4) of the sliding side opening, the retaining device (6) comprising a second retaining means (30) configured to form a stop against movement in a second direction of the support arm (4) of the sliding side opening, the first direction being opposite to the second direction. (Figure 2)

Description

Title of the invention: Retaining device for a sliding side opening

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of openings intended in particular to equip a motor vehicle. The present invention relates more particularly to a device for retaining a support arm of a sliding side opening moving along a rail of the motor vehicle.

[0002] Certain motor vehicles comprise a sliding side opening, such an opening being able to be arranged, on one side only or on each side of a body of the vehicle, to allow or close access to the interior of the vehicle via an embrasure which the sliding side opening is able to cover if necessary.

[0003] More particularly, these openings are configured to slide in a first direction to a closed position of the opening, in which the sliding side opening completely covers the opening, and in a second direction to a maximum open position of the opening, in which almost the entire opening is uncovered to facilitate access to the interior of the vehicle. Typically, the movement of the opening in one direction or the other is enabled by the movement of at least one roller, arranged at the free end of a support arm secured to the opening, in a rail secured to the structure of the motor vehicle.

[0004] When the opening leaf is opened, the roller circulates in this gutter, from one end of the gutter to an opposite end. It is known to implement a non-return stop allowing, when the opening leaf is opened, to maintain the opening leaf in a nominal open position. Such a non-return stop cooperates with the support arm which comprises a part capable of retracting in contact with this non-return stop and returning to its original position once the non-return stop has been exceeded to maintain the opening leaf in its nominal open position and thus prevent unwanted closing of the opening leaf.

[0005] However, it may happen in certain situations that the movement of the opening along the second direction, that is to say when opening the opening, exceeds the nominal open position of the opening. This movement of the roller beyond the position that it takes in the nominal open position of the opening generates a significant risk that the opening crushes a seal bordering the opening or that the roller of the opening comes out of the rail, causing a risk of separating the opening from the vehicle.

[0006] The present invention falls within this context and aims to overcome at least certain drawbacks of the prior art. The present invention aims in particular to ensure that the opening is held in its nominal open position to prevent unwanted closing of the opening and to prevent the opening from overtravelling to a position in which the risks mentioned above may occur, by means of a retaining device that is simple to produce and easy to assemble on the vehicle.

[0007] Thus, the present invention relates to a retaining device for a sliding side opening of a motor vehicle, the retaining device comprising a retaining plate, extending along a main elongation direction and configured to allow the retaining device to be secured to a structural element of the motor vehicle, and a plurality of retaining means respectively projecting from the retaining plate, the plurality of retaining means comprising a first retaining means, configured to form a stop against movement in a first direction of a support arm of the sliding side opening, and a second retaining means, configured to form a stop against movement in a second direction of the support arm of the sliding side opening, the first direction being opposite to the second direction.

[0008] The first direction of movement corresponds to a movement of the sliding side opening along a rail of the motor vehicle so as to allow closing of the sliding side opening. This first direction of movement tends to bring the support arm of the sliding side opening and the retaining device closer to each other. The second direction corresponds to a movement of the sliding side opening along the rail so as to allow opening of the sliding side opening. This second direction of movement tends to move the support arm of the sliding side opening and the retaining device away from each other.

[0009] Moving the sliding side leaf along the second direction initially allows the sliding side leaf to move from a closed position to a half-open position in which the support arm has not reached the retaining device. In this half-open position, the sliding side leaf is not held by the retaining device and the sliding side leaf can freely move along the rail in both the first and second directions. Secondly, moving the sliding side leaf along the second direction allows the sliding side leaf to move from its half-open position to a nominal open position in which the support arm has reached and passed the first retaining means and is held in its nominal open position by cooperation between the first retaining means and the support arm.In this nominal open position, as in the half-open position, a roller secured to the support arm is held in a gutter of the rail without any risk of the roller escaping from the rail and the support arm is held at a distance from a sealing element extending around the perimeter of an embrasure intended to receive the sliding side opening.

[0010] A prolonged movement of the sliding side opening along the second direction beyond the first retaining means causes the sliding side opening to move from its nominal open position to an overtravel open position. The second retaining means makes it possible to prevent the movement of the sliding side opening along the second direction after the first retaining means so that the roller of the support arm does not escape from the rail and the support arm does not constrain the sealing element. It is understood that in the overtravel open position, the support arm is closer to the sealing element than in the nominal open position.

[0011] More particularly, in the nominal open position of the sliding side opening, the support arm is in abutment against the first retaining means. In this nominal travel position, one end of the support arm is arranged between the first retaining means and the second retaining means. The first retaining means then forms a non-return stop preventing the sliding side opening from moving along the first direction from its nominal open position to its half-open position, for example under the effect of its weight. It is understood that this nominal open position corresponds to a position in which the sliding side opening is open and held in the open position by the first retaining means. Such holding makes it possible, for example, to load objects into a loading area delimited by a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle without needing to hold the sliding side opening in position.

[0012] In the open overtravel position of the sliding side opening, the support arm is in abutment against the second retaining means. This overtravel of the sliding side opening may result from the opening of the doorway by the sliding side opening along the second direction with too great a force or from rapid acceleration of the motor vehicle while the sliding side opening is in its half-open position or in its nominal open position.

[0013] Thus, the retaining device makes it possible, with the same part, to form both a non-return stop to prevent the door from closing during, for example, the loading of the motor vehicle by the user and an overtravel stop which makes it possible to prevent a roller circulating in a rail from coming out of said rail or to prevent the support arm from compressing a sealing element arranged around the perimeter of the opening.

[0014] According to a characteristic of the invention, the first retaining means is distinct from the second retaining means. This distinction between the first retaining means and the second retaining means makes it possible to modify the distance separating the first retaining means and the second retaining means. Thus, it is possible to easily and independently define the overtravel open position relative to the position nominal open. In addition, the first retaining means and the second retaining means are made on the same retaining plate which, on the one hand, facilitates the assembly of the retaining device and, on the other hand, limits the assembly clearances between the first retaining means and the second retaining means. Such an embodiment of the retaining device ensures simple assembly and ensures that in the open overtravel position of the sliding side opening the support arm does not constrain the sealing element.

[0015] According to a characteristic of the invention, each of the first retaining means and the second retaining means is formed of a strike wire. The strike wire helps to form a projection of the holding plate. Furthermore, these two strike wires are arranged at a distance from each other and respectively make it possible to ensure a non-return stop of the support arm and to ensure an overtravel stop of the sliding side opening. More specifically, the first retaining means is formed of a first strike wire and the second retaining means is formed of a second strike wire. The first strike wire forms the non-return stop configured to prevent the movement of the support arm in the first direction.In other words, the first strike wire extends across the passage of a retractable portion of the support arm and comprises a first face opposite the second strike wire and a second face opposite the second strike wire and opposite the first face, this second face of the first strike wire forming the anti-return stop face. The second strike wire forms an overtravel stop configured to prevent the support arm from moving in the second direction.

[0016] The retractable portion of the support arm is formed of a portion capable of retracting when it encounters the first face of the first strike wire. Indeed, when the support arm moves along the second direction, the retractable portion of the support arm first encounters the first face of the first strike wire and retracts to allow the support arm to continue its movement along the second direction. By continuing its movement along the second direction, the retractable portion of the support arm returns to its initial position so that the retractable portion abuts against the second face of the first strike wire, preventing the support arm from moving along the first direction.

[0017] According to a characteristic of the invention, the strike wire comprises a fixing part extending along the holding plate while being secured to said holding plate, and a stop part extending along a main elongation plane secant to the main elongation direction of the holding plate. The fixing part extending along the holding plate makes it possible to promote the securing between the strike wire and the holding plate by increasing the contact surface. Thus, in the event of impact of the support arm against the strike wire, the connection between the fixing portion and the retaining plate are sufficiently strong to prevent the strike wire from becoming detached from the retaining plate. In addition, it is understood that the first retaining means and the second retaining means are distinct from the retaining plate. More particularly, the first retaining means and the second retaining means are elements made distinct from one another and which are respectively fixed to the retaining plate, for example, by welding. However, alternatively, the first retaining means and the second retaining means may be made in one piece with the retaining plate, for example by obtaining the retaining device by molding.

[0018] According to a characteristic of the invention, the projecting dimension relative to the holding plate of the second retaining means is greater than the projecting dimension relative to the holding plate of the first retaining means. It should be noted that the projecting dimension mentioned in connection with the first retaining means and the second retaining means is assessed in a direction perpendicular to the main elongation direction of the holding plate. In other words, at least a portion of the second retaining means extends perpendicular to the main elongation direction of the holding plate beyond the first retaining means.This projecting dimension of the second retaining means, greater than the corresponding dimension of the first retaining means, makes it possible to arrange, on the passage of the support arm during movement of the support arm along the second direction, the first retaining means so that it is across the passage of the retractable part of the support arm, which is arranged at a free end of the support arm, without however being across a rigid portion of the support arm distinct from the retractable part, and the second retaining means so that it is across the passage of this rigid portion of the support arm distinct from the retractable part.

[0019] According to a characteristic of the invention, one end of the second retaining means comprises a hook forming a housing sized to receive the support arm of the sliding side opening. The hook makes it possible to avoid transverse clearance, that is to say perpendicular to the main elongation direction of the retaining plate, of the support arm from the housing, which ensures optimal maintenance and blocking of the support arm in the open overtravel position. In addition, this hook has a shape complementary to the rigid portion of the support arm intended to come into contact with the second retaining means.

[0020] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a sliding side opening, a structural element and a retaining device conforming to any one of the characteristics previously mentioned.

[0021] According to a characteristic of the invention, the sliding side opening is configured to assume a closed position, a nominal open position and an overtravel open position, the nominal open position being maintained by the first retaining means, the overtravel open position being defined by the second retaining means.

[0022] According to a characteristic of the invention, the support arm of the sliding side opening comprises a latch capable of taking a first position and a second position, said latch being configured so that in its first position the latch cooperates with the first retaining means so as to maintain the sliding side opening in its nominal open position, the support arm comprising a rigid element distinct from the latch and cooperating with the second retaining means to block the movement of the sliding side opening beyond the overtravel open position. The latch forms the retractable part of the support arm. The rigid element distinct from the latch forms at least in part the rigid portion of the support arm and may be any element of the support arm abutting against the second retaining means.Thus, the rigid element may, for example, be a protuberance formed in the material of the support arm, this protuberance being able to accommodate a pivot axis and an associated return spring of the latch forming the retractable part.

[0023] According to a characteristic of the invention, the first retaining means forms a stop against the movement of the latch of the support arm. The first retaining means has a free end formed by the stop portion of the first strike wire which extends, perpendicular to the main elongation direction of the holding plate, less projecting than a free end of the second retaining means. This difference in the projecting dimension of the first retaining means and the second retaining means makes it possible to ensure that the first retaining means is only across the passage of the latch while the second retaining means is across the passage of the latch and the rigid element.

[0024] According to a characteristic of the invention, the structural element participates in delimiting an embrasure which comprises on at least part of its periphery a sealing element, and, in the open overtravel position of the sliding side opening, the support arm is at a distance from the sealing element by means of the second retaining means.

[0025] Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the description which follows on the one hand, and examples of embodiment given for informational and non-limiting purposes with reference to the appended schematic drawings on the other hand, in which:

[0026] [Fig-1] schematically represents a general view of an opening system in which a support arm intended to be secured to a sliding side opening is re presented when said sliding side opening is in a nominal open position;

[0027] [Fig.2] schematically represents a general view of the visible opening system in [Fig.l], from another perspective angle, when the sliding side opening is in an overtravel open position;

[0028] [Fig.3] schematically represents a retaining device intended to maintain the sliding side leaf in its nominal open position by means of a first retaining means and blocking the movement of the sliding side leaf beyond the overtravel open position by means of a second retaining means;

[0029] [Fig.4] schematically represents the support arm of the sliding side opening when the second retaining means of the retaining device blocks the movement of the sliding side opening beyond the overtravel open position;

[0030] [Fig.5] schematically represents the support arm of the sliding side opening when the first retaining means of the retaining device holds the sliding side opening in its nominal open position;

[0031] [Fig.6] schematically represents a perspective view of the support arm highlighting a cable for manually controlling the position of a retractable latch on the support arm.

[0032] The features, variants and different embodiments of the invention may be combined with each other, in various combinations, provided that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, variants of the invention may be imagined comprising only a selection of features described below in isolation from the other features described, if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention from the state of the art.

[0033] In the figures, the elements common to several figures retain the same reference.

[0034] In the detailed description which follows, the terms “longitudinal”, “transverse” and “vertical” refer to the orientation of a motor vehicle. A longitudinal direction corresponds to a direction of advance of a vehicle comprising the retaining device according to one aspect of the invention, this longitudinal direction being parallel to a longitudinal axis L of a reference frame L, V, T illustrated in the figures. A transverse direction corresponds to a direction perpendicular, in a plane parallel to the road on which the vehicle is traveling, to the direction of advance of the vehicle, this transverse direction being parallel to a transverse axis T of the reference frame L, V, T and this transverse axis T being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. Finally, a vertical direction corresponds to a direction parallel to a vertical axis V of the reference frame L, V, T, this vertical axis V being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L and to the transverse axis T.

[0035] Figures 1 and 2 illustrate an opening system 2 comprising a support arm 4 of a sliding side opening, not shown here, of a motor vehicle and a retaining device 6 fixed to a structural element of this motor vehicle, also not shown to make the retaining device 6 more particularly visible. The sliding side opening forms an element of the motor vehicle making it possible to authorize or prohibit the passage of a user through an embrasure delimited within said structural element of the motor vehicle. This structural element forms a part of a body of the motor vehicle forming the structure of the motor vehicle, and more particularly a side of the body of the vehicle.It is understood that the embrasure forms an opening allowing a user to enter or exit a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle or allowing the user to load objects into a loading area of ​​the motor vehicle delimited by the passenger compartment of said motor vehicle.

[0036] The support arm 4 of the sliding side opening comprises a main body 8 extending between a first end 10 and a second end 12. The first end 10 comprises a fixing zone for securing the support arm 4 to the sliding side opening. The support arm 4 comprises a guide device comprising a roller 14, a locking means, which in the embodiment shown is a retractable latch 16, and a pivot connection 18 allowing the pivoting of said retractable latch 16 such that in a deployed position of the retractable latch 16, one end of the retractable latch 16 extends the main body 8 of the support arm 4.

[0037] The retractable nature of the retractable latch 16 allows it, in contact with the retaining device 6, to be housed in the main body 8 so that the movement of the support arm relative to the retaining device 6 is not constrained by the retractable latch 16. The retractable latch 16 is made retractable by means of the pivot connection 18 arranged at a protuberance 17 made at the second end 12. This protuberance 17 locally extends the main body 8 at the second end 12 in the direction of the first direction.

[0038] It should be noted that in Figures 4 to 6 the roller of the support arm is not shown to facilitate reading of the figures.

[0039] Furthermore, the motor vehicle comprises a rail 20 secured to the structural element, not shown in the figures, and extending along one side of the doorway. The second end 12 of the support arm 4 cooperates with the rail 20 so as to allow linear movement of the support arm 4 along the rail 20. For this purpose, the rail 20 comprises a gutter 22 in which the roller 14 circulates. The co operation between the roller 14 and the gutter 22 makes it possible to guide the support arm along the rail 20, from one end of said rail 20 to an opposite end. It is understood that the cooperation between the support arm 4 and the rail 20 participates in the movement of the sliding side opening along the embrasure so as to allow the opening and closing of the embrasure by the sliding side opening.

[0040] Furthermore, it is notable in Figures 1 and 2 that the motor vehicle comprises a sealing element 24 extending at least partly around the perimeter of the doorway. It should be noted that the sealing element 24 is shown alone and in sectional view in Figures 1 and 2 to allow a better understanding of the figures. When the doorway is closed by the sliding side opening, the sealing element 24 is compressed between the sliding side opening and the structural element to ensure the sealing of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle when the sliding side opening is closed. In the open positions of the doorway, with the sliding side opening which is disengaged from the doorway, as can be seen in particular in [Fig.l], the support arm 4 is close to the sealing element 24.Advantageously, according to the invention and thanks to the presence of the retaining device 6, the support arm 4 is never in contact with the sealing element 24 in the open positions and in particular in the event of overtravel, the retaining device 6 making it possible to block the movement of the support arm 4 so that it does not reach a position in which the support arm 4 would be in contact with the sealing element 24. In other words, the retaining device 6 makes it possible to ensure that the support arm 4 does not deform the sealing element 24.

[0041] The retaining device 6, visible in more detail in [Fig. 3], comprises a holding plate 26 and a plurality of retaining means. In the embodiment shown, the plurality of retaining means comprises a first retaining means 28 and a second retaining means 30.

[0042] The holding plate 26 extends along a main elongation direction which, in the embodiment shown, is parallel to the longitudinal axis L. This main elongation direction is parallel to a direction along which the rail 20 extends. This holding plate 26 makes it possible to secure the retaining device 6 to the structural element of the motor vehicle. For this purpose, the holding plate 26 comprises fixing means intended to cooperate with complementary fixing elements produced on the structural element. As an illustrative and non-limiting example of the invention, these fixing means are formed of two orifices 32 produced on the holding plate 26 and coming opposite tapped holes produced on the structural element to allow a securing means, such as a screw, to secure the retaining device 6 to the structural element.

[0043] The first retaining means 28 and the second retaining means 30 each form a projection of the holding plate 26. It is particularly noteworthy in [Fig. 3] that the first retaining means 28 and the second retaining means 30 each comprise a fixing part 38 extending along the holding plate 26 while being secured to said holding plate 26 and a stop part 40 extending along a main elongation plane secant to the main elongation direction of the holding plate 26.

[0044] In addition, the first retaining means 28 and the second retaining means 30 are each formed of a strike wire. More specifically, the first retaining means 28 is formed of a first strike wire 34 and the second retaining means 30 is formed of a second strike wire 36. These first strike wire 32 and second strike wire 34 are each formed of a metal wire forming a single piece of small section. It is understood that the first retaining means 28 formed of the first strike wire 34 is distinct from the second retaining means 30 formed of the second strike wire 36.

[0045] Indeed, the first strike wire 34 and the second strike wire 36 have a general “U” shape, each free end of the branches of this “U” shape of which forms the fixing part 38 and extends, in the embodiment shown, substantially parallel to the main elongation direction of the holding plate 26 while being secured to said holding plate 26, for example, by welding.

[0046] As mentioned above, the movement of the roller 14 in the rail 20 makes it possible to set the sliding side opening in motion. More specifically, the rail 20 visible in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a lower rail of the motor vehicle, that is to say arranged close to a floor of the motor vehicle. However, it should be noted that the movement of the sliding side opening can be ensured by the cooperation of a plurality of support arms 4 distributed over the vertical dimension of the sliding side opening and a plurality of rails 20 distributed over the vertical dimension of the motor vehicle. Also, the invention applies equally well to a rail 20 arranged at the level of the upper part of the motor vehicle or at the level of the lower part of the motor vehicle.Furthermore, in an alternative embodiment, at least one rail 20 can be produced on the sliding side opening which cooperates with a support arm 4 secured to the structural element of the motor vehicle.

[0047] In standard operation, the sliding side opening is able to take a closed position, a half-open position and a nominal open position. To take these different positions, the sliding side opening is able to move in a first direction or closing direction in which the sliding side opening moves along the rail 20 to close the opening and in a second direction or opening direction in which the sliding side opening moves along the rail 20 to free the space opposite the opening.

[0048] It should be noted that the sliding side opening is capable of taking a plurality of half-open positions. These half-open positions are defined between the closed position and the nominal open position in which the retractable latch 16 cooperates with the first retaining means 28 to maintain the sliding side opening in its nominal open position. Furthermore, in certain situations, the sliding side opening may take an overtravel open position in which the support arm 4 moves along the second direction beyond the nominal open position.

[0049] In the closed position of the sliding side opening, the embrasure is closed by the sliding side opening, that is to say that in its closed position the sliding side opening is opposite the entire perimeter of the embrasure. More specifically, in its closed position, the sliding side opening compresses the sealing element 24 so as to ensure the sealing of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. In this closed position of the sliding side opening, locking means in the closed position can be implemented to block the movement of the sliding side opening along the rail 20. The user must then manually operate the opening of the embrasure by the sliding side opening.

[0050] Furthermore, in the closed position of the sliding side opening, the guide device of the support arm is arranged at a distance from the retaining device 6 while being closer to the first retaining means 28 than to the second retaining means 30.

[0051] In its nominal open position, the sliding side opening is offset relative to the embrasure, that is to say that the sealing element 24 is not compressed by the sliding side opening. In this nominal open position, a user is able to enter or exit the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle or to load an object into a loading area of ​​the motor vehicle.

[0052] The nominal open position is defined by a position in which the guide device is arranged beyond the first retaining means 28 so that the movement of the sliding side opening in the first direction, for example under the effect of its own weight, is constrained by the first retaining means 28. It is understood that the guide device is then arranged between the first retaining means 28 and the second retaining means 30. More precisely, in the nominal open position of the sliding side opening, the retractable latch 16 is arranged between the stop portion 40 of the first retaining means 28 and the stop portion 40 of the second retaining means 30 while being in contact with the stop portion 40 of the first retaining means 28.

[0053] The passage of the sliding side opening from its closed position to its nominal open position is achieved by a movement of the support arm 4 parallel to the main elongation direction of the rail 20 in the second direction going from the first retaining means 28 towards the second retaining means 30. This nominal open position is then maintained by the contact between the retractable latch 16 and the part stop 40 of the first retaining means 28 which allows the sliding side opening to be locked in its nominal open position.

[0054] During said passage of the sliding side opening into its nominal open position, the retractable latch 16 is in a first position in which a part of the retractable latch 16 comes into contact with the stop part 40 of the first retaining means 28. In its first position, the retractable latch 16 projects from the free end of the main body 8 of the support arm 4. By continuing the movement of the support arm 4 along the second direction, the retractable latch 16 is driven into a second position by a rotation around the pivot connection 18. In its second position, the retractable latch 16 is retracted into a housing made in the support arm 4. This passage of the retractable latch from its first position to its second position allows the retractable latch 16 to exceed the first retaining means 28.After the stop portion 40 of the first retaining means 28 has passed, a return member, such as a spring, in this case a torsion spring, allows the retractable latch 16 to move from its second position to its first position. Once returned to its first position, the movement of the retractable latch 16 along the first direction, opposite to the second direction, is prevented by the specific shape of the retractable latch 16 which abuts against the abutment portion 40 of the first retaining means 28. More specifically, the first retaining means 28 comprises a first face 29 opposite the second retaining means 30 and a second face 31 facing the second retaining means 30. Once the retractable latch 16 has passed the first retaining means 28 and is in its first position, a portion of the retractable latch 16 is against the second face 31 of the first retaining means 28.

[0055] This maintenance of the nominal open position by the retractable latch 16 is enabled by the specific shape of the retractable latch 16. This specific shape includes in particular two opposing edges, among which a ramp-forming edge, i.e. one whose surface is inclined at an angle of between 20° and 70° relative to a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the sliding side opening, and a straight edge, substantially perpendicular to this direction of movement. The ramp-forming edge is oriented in the direction of the first retaining means 28 when the sliding side opening has not yet reached the first retaining means 28. This slope allows the retractable latch 16 to naturally move from its first position to its second position when the sliding side opening moves along the second direction.Conversely, when the retractable latch 16 has completely passed the first retaining means 28, the right edge is opposite the second face 31 of the first retaining means 28 and this stop prevents the sliding side opening from moving in the opposite direction.

[0056] Thus, as illustrated in particular in [Fig. 5], the first retaining means 28 makes it possible to maintain the sliding side opening in its nominal open position. This maintenance is, as described previously, ensured by the cooperation between the retractable latch 16 and the first retaining means 28.

[0057] When the sliding side opening is in this nominal open position and the user wishes to close the doorway, and therefore translate the sliding side opening and the support arm in the first direction, the user must, in the embodiment shown, actuate a cable 42, visible in [Fig. 6], to manually move the retractable latch 16 from its first position to its second position and authorize the movement of the support arm along the first direction.

[0058] As mentioned above, when the opening is beyond the first retaining means, there is a risk of overtravel of the opening which may imply that the roller, there is a risk that the roller 4 of the guide device comes out of the gutter 22 of the rail 22. Indeed, it is particularly remarkable in Figures 1 and 2 that the proximity between the rail 20 and the sealing element 24 does not allow the rail 20 to be extended sufficiently to ensure that in the event of overtravel of the support arm 4 the roller 14 remains in the gutter 22 of the rail.

[0059] It is possible when, for example, the kinetic energy of the sliding side opening is very large, that the displacement of the sliding side opening in the second direction is such that the sliding side opening can exceed the nominal open position and reach the overtravel open position. Indeed, any displacement of the sliding side opening in the second direction beyond the nominal open position brings the sliding side opening into an overtravel open position. More specifically, the overtravel open position of the sliding side opening is a position in which the displacement of the sliding side opening along the rail 20 in the second direction is greater than the nominal open position. It is understood that the overtravel open position of the sliding side opening is, when the opening moves in the second direction, after the nominal open position. It should be noted that in [Fig.4] an extreme overtravel position is visible in which the roller of the support arm 4 is engaged in the rail and the main body 8 of the support arm brushes the sealing element without being in contact with the latter. The second retaining means 30 makes it possible to block the movement of the sliding side opening in this extreme position so that it does not move beyond this extreme position.

[0060] In this case, the second retaining means 30 makes it possible to block the movement of the sliding side opening beyond the overtravel open position. More specifically, the second retaining means 30 cooperates with the protuberance 17 of the support arm 4 to block the movement of the sliding side opening beyond the overtravel open position.

[0061] It is remarkable in Figures 4 and 5 that the projecting dimension of the second retaining means 30 is greater than the projecting dimension of the first retaining means 28. In other words, the second retaining means 30 extends, in a direction perpendicular to a plane in which the holding plate is inscribed, beyond the first retaining means 28 along the same direction. As a result, when the sliding side opening is moved along the second direction, the retractable latch 16 retracts by passing opposite the stop portion 40 of the first strike wire 34, which allows the support arm 4 to exceed the first retaining means 28 and to come into abutment against the stop portion 40 of the second strike wire 36.

[0062] Furthermore, it is particularly noteworthy in [Fig. 4] that a free end of the second retaining means 30, and more particularly the stop portion 40 of the second strike wire 36, extends in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and to the second direction while the first retaining means 28 is slightly inclined relative to this perpendicular direction. This slight inclination of the first retaining means 28 makes it possible to cooperate with the ramp of the retractable latch 16 to move it from its first position to its second position. Furthermore, the free end of the second retaining means 30 forms a hook forming a housing sized to receive the support arm 4 of the sliding side opening. More specifically, this housing makes it possible to cooperate with the shape of the protuberance 17 of the support arm 4 so that the connection is housed in said housing. It is notably visible in [Fig.4] that the free end of this hook forms a slight fold towards the holding plate 26 so that the pivot connection 18 of the support arm 4 cannot pass over the hook.

[0063] This second retaining means 30 ensures that, if the sliding side opening leaf exceeds the nominal open position, the roller 14 remains engaged in the rail and the support arm 4 does not come into contact with the sealing element 24, which could damage the latter. Thus, the support arm 4 is kept at a distance from the sealing element 24. To do this, it is important to control the positioning of the second retaining means relative to the opening end of the guide rail, i.e. the end which the roller approaches when the sliding side opening leaf is in the overtravel position. More particularly, the longitudinal component of the distance between the stop portion 40 of the second strike wire 36 and the opening end of the guide rail is less than the longitudinal component of the distance between the center of the roller 14 and the edge of the protuberance 17 intended to be in contact with the stop portion 40.

[0064] The present invention achieves the aim it set itself by proposing a retaining device making it possible, on the one hand, to maintain the sliding side opening in its nominal open position and on the other hand, to prevent the sliding side opening from overtraveling to limit the risks of compression of the sealing element by the support arm and the roller coming out of the rail which could cause the sliding side opening to become detached from the structural element of the motor vehicle.

[0065] The present invention cannot, however, be limited to the means and configurations described and illustrated here and it also extends to any equivalent means and configuration as well as to any technically effective combination of such means.

Claims

Claims

1. Retaining device (6) for a sliding side opening of a motor vehicle, the retaining device (6) comprising a retaining plate (26), extending along a main elongation direction and configured to allow the retaining device (6) to be secured to a structural element of the motor vehicle, and a plurality of retaining means (28, 30) respectively projecting from the retaining plate (26), the plurality of retaining means (28, 30) comprising a first retaining means (28), configured to form a stop against movement in a first direction of a support arm (4) of the sliding side opening, and a second retaining means (30), configured to form a stop against movement in a second direction of the support arm (4) of the sliding side opening, the first direction being opposite to the second direction.

2. A retaining device (6) according to claim 1, wherein the first retaining means (28) is separate from the second retaining means (30).

3. A retaining device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein each of the first retaining means (28) and the second retaining means (30) is formed of a strike wire (34, 36).

4. A retaining device (6) according to claim 3, wherein the strike wire (34, 36) comprises a fixing portion (38) extending along the holding plate (26) while being secured to said holding plate (26), and a stop portion (40) extending along a main elongation plane secant to the main elongation direction of the holding plate (26).

5. A retaining device (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the projecting dimension relative to the holding plate (26) of the second retaining means (30) is greater than the projecting dimension relative to the holding plate (26) of the first retaining means (28).

6. A retaining device (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein one end of the second retaining means (30) comprises a hook forming a housing sized to receive the support arm (4) of the sliding side opening.

7. Motor vehicle comprising a sliding side opening, a structural element and a retaining device (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. Motor vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the sliding side opening is configured to take a closed position, a nominal open position and an overtravel open position, the nominal open position being maintained by the first retaining means (28), the overtravel open position being defined by the second retaining means (30).

9. Motor vehicle according to claim 8, in which the support arm (4) of the sliding side opening comprises a latch (16) capable of taking a first position and a second position, said latch being configured so that in its first position the latch (16) cooperates with the first retaining means (28) so as to maintain the sliding side opening in its nominal open position, the support arm (4) comprising a rigid element separate from the latch (16) and cooperating with the second retaining means (30) to block the movement of the sliding side opening beyond the overtravel open position.

10. Motor vehicle according to claim 9, in which the first retaining means (28) forms a stop against the movement of the latch (16) of the support arm (4).

11. Motor vehicle according to any one of claims 8 to 10, in which the structural element participates in delimiting an embrasure which comprises on at least part of its periphery a sealing element (24), said vehicle being characterized in that, in the open overtravel position of the sliding side opening, the support arm (4) is at a distance from the sealing element (24) by means of the second retaining means (30).

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