Compact vehicle canopy

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle canopy (1) (2) comprising a grille (4) for mounting on a sheet metal plate (5), the sheet metal plate (5) extending between a first face (7), defining a canopy area (9), and a second face (8), defining an engine compartment (10) for housing an engine, the canopy (1) further comprising a duct (11) designed to conduct an airflow (F) from the canopy area (9) to an air conditioning unit, the duct (11) extending between an inlet (12) and an outlet (13), the sheet metal plate (5) comprising an opening (14) defined by a perimeter (15) and formed through the first (7) and second (8) faces, the inlet (12) being shaped to form a sealed connection with the opening (14) preventing air exchange between the engine compartment (10) and the canopy area (9) through the opening (14), the conduit (11) being designed to extend into the motor space (10). (Figure 3)

Description

Title of the invention: Compact vehicle canopy

[0001] The technical field relates to motor vehicle canopies designed to collect runoff water from a windshield and to motor vehicles having such canopies.

[0002] Most motor vehicles have a cowl grille located at the lower end of the windshield, behind which water running off the windshield is collected and directed to a so-called wet area located above a mudguard. Runoff management is usually ensured by a cowl collector located behind the grille, defining a cowl area. In addition to collecting runoff, the cowl area is generally used to supply fresh air from outside to an air conditioning unit. For this purpose, the cowl area has an opening leading into the passenger compartment through a bulkhead to allow the circulation of fresh air. Located between the engine compartment and the passenger compartment, the cowl area thus guides airflow from the outside to the inside of the vehicle without it passing through the engine compartment.

[0003] Such a conventional design may prove impossible to implement when the available space in the engine compartment necessitates minimizing the canopy area. Indeed, a reduced canopy height then prevents the inclusion of an opening into the passenger compartment.

[0004] Thus, there is a need for a solution that reduces the canopy area while allowing a flow of fresh air to be collected through the canopy grille for the ventilation unit.

[0005] The present invention aims to overcome the problems described above. In this technical context, one objective of the present invention is to provide a vehicle canopy that reduces the dimensions of the canopy area while still allowing airflow management for the air conditioning unit.

[0006] To this end, the present invention relates to a motor vehicle canopy comprising a canopy grille intended to be mounted on a canopy collector plate, the plate extending between a first face, designed to delimit a canopy area located between the plate and the canopy grille, and a second face, designed to delimit an engine compartment intended to house a vehicle engine, the canopy further comprising an air duct designed to conduct an airflow from the canopy area to a vehicle air conditioning unit, the duct extending between an air inlet and an air outlet, the collector plate comprising an opening delimited by a perimeter and formed through the first and second faces, the inlet air being shaped to form a tight connection with the opening in the sheet metal preventing air exchange between the engine space and the canopy area through the opening, the duct being designed to extend into the engine space when the inlet is connected to the opening.

[0007] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a canopy according to the invention arranged in the extension of a windshield of the vehicle to collect runoff water from the windshield, the canopy grille being fixed on the collector sheet, the air inlet of the duct forming a sealed connection with the opening of the sheet preventing an exchange of air between the engine space and the canopy area through the opening, the air outlet of the duct being connected to an air conditioning unit.

[0008] Thus, the canopy according to the invention makes it possible to reduce the dimensions of the canopy area located above the manifold plate. The opening in the plate allows for the connection of the duct, in a sealed manner to prevent air exchange between the engine compartment and the canopy area. In the vehicle equipped with the canopy, the duct passes through the engine compartment to reach the air conditioning unit. Therefore, the duct uses a limited portion of the engine compartment, compared to the space that would have been required for a conventional canopy.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the canopy further comprises a deflector, designed to be fixed to the collector plate and to extend over at least part of the perimeter of the opening by projecting from the first face, the deflector comprising at least one wall extending partially across the opening. The wall thus limits the entry of water into the conduit.

[0010] Advantageously, the deflector includes a frame designed to extend around the perimeter of the opening, the wall extending from the frame.

[0011] Advantageously still, the vehicle canopy according to the invention includes at least a first seal designed to be disposed between the frame and the collector sheet to ensure sealing between the frame and the sheet.

[0012] According to one possibility of the canopy, the grille extends along a transverse axis and includes at least one air intake to allow the entry of the airflow into the canopy area, each air intake being located at a distance from the opening along the transverse axis, when the grille is fixed on the collector sheet.

[0013] According to one possibility of the vehicle, the conduit passes through a bulkhead of the vehicle to open into the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0014] Advantageously, the motor vehicle includes a second seal designed to ensure a seal between the apron and the duct.

[0015] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0016] [Fig.1] [Fig.1] represents perspective view of a vehicle according to the invention showing the canopy of the vehicle according to the invention;

[0017] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a detailed view of the collector sheet of the canopy of [Fig.1];

[0018] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the canopy of [Fig.1].

[0019] In these figures, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same elements.

[0020] A canopy 1 according to the invention, illustrated in the figures, is designed to equip a motor vehicle 2 according to the invention.

[0021] As illustrated in [Fig.1], the vehicle 2 according to the invention comprises a windscreen 3, the canopy 1 being arranged in the extension of the windscreen 3 to collect the water running off the windscreen 3.

[0022] As illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the canopy 1 includes a canopy grille 4 intended to be mounted on a canopy collector plate 5. As illustrated in [Fig. 1], the grille 4 extends along a transverse axis AT of the vehicle 2 and has at least one air intake 6, in this case two air intakes 6. The canopy grille 4 is, for example, obtained by molding plastic material.

[0023] As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the manifold plate 5 of the canopy 1 extends between a first face 7 and a second face 8. The first face 7 is designed to delimit a canopy area 9 located between the plate 5 and the canopy grille 4. The second face 8, for its part, is designed to delimit an engine compartment 10 intended to house an engine of the vehicle 2. The manifold plate 5 forms part of the body of the vehicle 2.

[0024] The canopy 1 further includes an air duct 11 designed to conduct an airflow, symbolized by arrows F in [Fig. 3], from the canopy area 9 to a vehicle air conditioning unit 2, not shown. The duct 11 extends between an air inlet 12 and an air outlet 13. For example, the duct 11 is formed by molding plastic material.

[0025] As shown in [Fig. 3], the collector plate 5 comprises an opening 14 delimited by a contour 15 and formed through the first 7 and second 8 faces. For example, the opening 14 has a rectangular shape. The inlet 12 of the conduit 11 has a shape complementary to the shape of the contour 15.

[0026] The air inlet 12 is shaped to form a tight connection with the opening 14 in the sheet metal 5 preventing air exchange between the engine space 10 and the canopy area 9 through the opening 14. In the vehicle 2, as shown in [Fig.3], the duct 11 extends into the engine space 10 when the inlet 12 is connected to the opening 14.

[0027] As illustrated in [Fig. 1], each air intake 6 is located at a distance from the opening 14 along the transverse axis AT, when the grille 4 is fixed to the canopy sheet 5. Thus, runoff and rainwater do not enter the opening 14.

[0028] As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the canopy 1 further comprises a deflector 16, designed to be fixed to the collector plate 5 and to extend over at least part of the periphery 15 of the opening 14 by projecting from the first face 7. The deflector 16 comprises at least one wall 17, visible in particular in [Fig. 3], extending partly across the opening 14. The deflector 16 has a frame 18 designed to extend over the periphery 15 of the opening 14, the wall extending from the frame 18. In the example illustrated in [Fig. 2], the opening 14 and the frame 18 have a substantially rectangular shape. The frame 18 is, for example, designed to support the first face 7. As illustrated in [Fig.3], the canopy 1 has at least one first seal 19 designed to be positioned between the frame 18 and the collector plate 5 to ensure sealing between the frame 18 and the collector plate 5.

[0029] In the example illustrated in [Fig.3], the vehicle 2 has an apron 20 separating the engine space 10 and the passenger compartment of the vehicle 2; the conduit 11 passes through the apron 20. Advantageously, the vehicle 2 has a second seal 21 designed to ensure a seal between the apron 20 and the conduit 11.

[0030] Thus, the canopy 1 according to the invention makes it possible to reduce the dimensions of the canopy area 9, located above the manifold plate 5. The opening 14 in the plate 5 allows the connection of the duct 11, in a sealed manner to prevent air exchange between the engine compartment 10 and the canopy area 9. In the vehicle 2 equipped with the canopy 1, the duct 11 passes through the engine compartment 10 to reach the air conditioning unit connected to the air outlet 13. Thus, the duct 11 uses a limited portion of the engine compartment 10, compared to the space that would have been required for a conventional canopy.

[0031] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the canopy described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope and extent of the present invention.

Claims

Demands

1. A motor vehicle (2) canopy (1) comprising a canopy grille (4) for mounting on a canopy collector plate (5), the plate (5) extending between a first face (7), designed to delimit a canopy area (9) located between the plate (5) and the canopy grille (4), and a second face (8), designed to delimit an engine compartment (10) for housing a motor unit of the vehicle (2), the canopy (1) further comprising an air duct (11) designed to conduct an airflow (F) from the canopy area (9) to an air conditioning unit of the vehicle (2), the duct (11) extending between an air inlet (12) and an air outlet (13), the collector plate (5) comprising an opening (14) delimited by a perimeter (15) and formed through the first (7) and second (8) faces,the air inlet (12) being shaped to form a tight connection with the opening (14) in the sheet metal (5) preventing air exchange between the engine compartment (10) and the canopy area (9) through the opening (14), the duct (11) being designed to extend into the engine compartment (10) when the inlet (12) is connected to the opening (14).

2. A canopy (1) for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a deflector (16), designed to be fixed to the collector plate (5) and to extend over at least a part of the perimeter (15) of the opening (14) by projecting from the first face (7), the deflector (16) comprising at least one wall (17) extending partly across the opening (14).

3. Vehicle canopy according to claim 2, characterized in that the deflector comprises a frame (18) designed to extend around the perimeter (15) of the opening (14), the wall (17) extending from the frame (18).

4. Vehicle canopy (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises at least one first seal (19) designed to be disposed between the frame (18) and the collector sheet (5) to ensure sealing between the frame (18) and the sheet (5).

5. A vehicle canopy (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the grille (4) extends along a transverse axis (AT) and includes at least one air intake (6) to allow the entry of the airflow (F) into the canopy area (9), each air intake (6) being located at a distance from the opening (14) along the transverse axis (AT), when the grid (4) is fixed on the collector plate (5).

6. Motor vehicle (2) comprising a canopy (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5 disposed in the extension of a windscreen (3) of the vehicle (2) to collect runoff water from the windscreen (3), the canopy grille (4) being fixed to the collector plate (5), the air inlet (12) of the duct (11) forming a sealed connection with the opening (14) of the plate (5) preventing air exchange between the engine space (10) and the canopy area (9) through the opening (14), the air outlet (13) of the duct (11) being connected to an air conditioning unit.

7. Motor vehicle (2) according to claim 6, characterized in that the conduit (11) passes through an apron (20) of the vehicle to open into the passenger compartment of the vehicle (2).

8. Motor vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a second seal (21) designed to ensure a seal between the apron (20) and the conduit (11).