MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR AND MOTOR VEHICLE INCLUDING SUCH A DOOR

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle door, said door comprising: – a housing having inner and outer walls extending opposite each other; – a trim panel fixed to said housing and disposed opposite said inner wall, said trim panel having a raised portion defining, on the one hand, a recess between said trim panel and said inner wall; – a control plate (11) disposed in the recess; characterized in that said door comprises a retention system (19) for said plate (11), said system (19) comprising two elements (21, 23), on the one hand, located respectively on the plate (11) and on the housing and / or on said trim panel, and on the other hand, configured to cooperate mechanically with each other to form a stop and block the movement of said plate (11). Figure to be published with the abstract: [Fig. 3]

Description

Title of the invention: MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR AND MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING SUCH A DOOR

[0001] The present invention relates to the general field of motor vehicles and passive safety in such vehicles. The invention relates more particularly to vehicle doors, for example side doors, and the protection of occupants in the event of a collision, especially in the event of a side collision between vehicles.

[0002] The invention thus relates to a vehicle door and in particular to a vehicle door of the type comprising an outer wall (or outer panel) and an inner wall (or inner panel) fixed to each other, the inner wall comprising at least one opening.

[0003] Currently, the doors of motor vehicles are traditionally made up of two walls arranged opposite each other: an outer wall, generally made of sheet metal, constituting a bodywork element, and an inner wall, also made of sheet metal, called the lining onto which the outer wall is crimped.

[0004] The inner sheet metal is oriented towards the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, while the outer sheet metal defines a portion of the vehicle's exterior wall. The two sheets converge towards each other at their upper parts, defining a slot suitable for allowing the passage of a window (or glazed panel).

[0005] In addition, these two walls delimit between them a box in the volume of which are arranged various equipment introduced through passage holes provided in the lining, such as a window, a window lift mechanism, a lock, a door opening handle, etc.

[0006] Said door also includes a trim panel made of synthetic material or coated with such material and covering the part of the lining below the "window" for the glass, supporting controls, for example window lift, a defogging device for this glass, a ventilation duct stapled to the lining, storage pockets, etc.

[0007] The inner wall is thus covered with the trim panel attached to the box opposite the inner wall, and the trim panel has a raised portion defining a support side forming an armrest, and consequently, a free space between the trim panel and the inner wall.

[0008] In addition, the door is equipped with a control plate recessed through the support side and extending into the free space, the free space forming a cavity for said control plate. Generally, the control plate is fixed by clips in said cavity and is flush with the surface of the support side and has a peripheral edge that engages with the support side.

[0009] The control board usually includes vehicle control components, such as the actuator for one or more vehicle windows, a control for opening and / or closing one or more doors, a control for adjusting the position of the rearview mirror, etc.

[0010] However, when there is an impact on the vehicle door, for example following a collision with another motor vehicle, there is deformation of the door, in particular of the casing.

[0011] Indeed, if the impact is significant, it causes the outer wall to dent, and then the inner wall against which the outer wall rests. The deformation of the inner wall towards the interior of the passenger compartment then tends to compress the trim panel and the cavity in which the control board is housed, causing the board to unclip and be ejected from its housing cavity.

[0012] The fact that the plate can come out of its housing cavity, following a violent side impact, is not, due to its dispersive nature, authorized by the regulatory safety standards, such an ejection being able to injure the occupants of the vehicle.

[0013] Also, a problem which arises and which the present invention aims to solve is to provide a door, for example a side door, limiting the risk of occurrence of a dispersive phenomenon for passengers in the event of a collision on a door equipped with a control plate.

[0014] The present invention thus aims to remedy at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a new type of motor vehicle door, said door comprising: - a box comprising an inner wall and an outer wall extending opposite each other; - a trim panel fixed to said box and positioned opposite said inner wall, said trim panel having a raised portion defining, on the one hand, a reception cavity between said trim panel and said inner wall and on the other hand, a support side forming an armrest; - a control plate disposed in said receiving cavity; characterized in that said door includes a retention system for said plate, said system comprising two elements, respectively called first and second element, configured to cooperate mechanically with each other to form a stop and block the movement of said plate, said elements being located respectively on said plate, as well as on the casing and / or on said trim panel.

[0015] The motor vehicle door according to the invention is a simple and inexpensive solution to implement to reduce the risks of ejection, during a collision, of the control plate housed in the door, thus reducing the risks of the vehicle's passengers being injured by the plate. Furthermore, the control panel can be designed to be a common component across multiple vehicles or vehicle models, thereby optimizing manufacturing costs for such control panels. In addition, the present invention requires little or no structural modification to existing doors for implementation.

[0016] According to one possible feature, said organs are located at a distance from each other and are configured to move relative to each other and cooperate mechanically following an impact (or shock) on said casing. Initially, these components are located at a distance from each other and therefore do not cooperate; this has the advantage of facilitating the mounting of the control plate in the dedicated housing cavity, particularly when the mounting of said plate is done by inserting the plate in a vertical direction (for example from top to bottom), thus preventing the components of the retention system from interfering with this simple and quick mounting process.

[0017] According to another possible feature, the first organ includes a protuberance which extends substantially orthogonally to the main extension plane of said box. At least one of the components of the retention system is a protrusion or projection extending away from the element on which it is mounted, i.e., the mounting plate, the trim panel, and / or the housing. In its mounted position, this protrusion or projection advantageously extends substantially orthogonally to the principal plane of extension of the housing (i.e., in its mounted position, substantially horizontally), so as to bring the components closer together and facilitate their mechanical cooperation during an impact on the door and subsequently prevent the mounting plate from being ejected from its housing.

[0018] According to another possible feature, said protrusion is a metallic pin. Advantageously, said protrusion is a pin made of a metal, such as steel or aluminum, in order to be able to resist stresses, in particular shear stresses, when the components cooperate following an impact, thus preventing the pin from breaking and therefore the ejection of said plate from said receiving cavity.

[0019] According to another possible feature, said protuberance is provided on said plate. When said protrusion is provided on the plate, the complementary member configured to cooperate with the protrusion to prevent ejection of the plate upon impact may advantageously be an existing adjacent element of said plate. plate, such as an edge of the inner wall of the casing, etc., or a component specifically fitted on an element of the casing and / or the trim panel.

[0020] According to another possible feature, said plate comprises a main body, said protrusion being formed from the same material as said main body of the plate. The protrusion, which acts as a component of said retention system, is advantageously formed from the same material as the main body of the plate, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of a plate, and therefore of the door according to the invention, but also improving the mechanical strength of said protrusion.

[0021] According to another possible feature, the second member includes a stop surface. The second component configured to cooperate with the first component of the restraint system thus includes a stop surface configured, during a shock, to come into contact with the first component, and thus block the movement of the control plate during a collision.

[0022] According to another possible feature, the second organ includes a leg, said stop surface being provided on said leg. Advantageously, said stop surface is arranged on a dedicated element, such as a lug, configured to move, upon impact on the door, so that the first component comes, on the one hand, to face the stop surface, and on the other hand, comes into contact with the first component, thus preventing the plate from being ejected from its cavity.

[0023] According to another possible feature, said leg has a through opening, said stop surface being at least partly the surface delimiting said opening.

[0024] The lug advantageously has a through opening into which the first component of the retention system can be inserted following a shock (or impact) on said door, and can retain said plate in its cavity. Furthermore, having a through opening with a substantially circular or oval shape allows the first component to be guided into said opening, regardless of the angle of the impact on said door.

[0025] Furthermore, the fact that the stop surface can extend over the entire surface delimiting the through opening allows the protrusion to strike the opposite edges of the through opening, so when said plate oscillates, for example under the effect of the deceleration of the vehicle following the impact, there is dissipation of part of the energy of the shock.

[0026] According to another possible feature, said plate and said cavity include additional fixing means. The said plate advantageously includes means for fixing the plate in the receiving cavity, for example reversible fixing means, allowing the said plate to be mounted and dismounted for vehicle maintenance, such as replacing the plate if it proves to be defective.

[0027] According to another possible characteristic, said complementary fastening means are complementary clipping elements. The additional means of fixing are advantageously complementary elements, for example made of material, configured to cooperate, reversibly, by clipping.

[0028] The invention also relates to a control plate for a motor vehicle door, characterized in that said plate is configured to be implemented in a door as defined above.

[0029] The object of the invention further relates to a motor vehicle, for example thermal, hybrid or electric, characterized in that said vehicle has a door as defined above.

[0030] The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, features and advantages thereof will become more apparent from the following description of two particular embodiments of the invention, given solely by way of illustration and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Fig. 1 illustrates a very schematic, partially exploded and three-quarter perspective view of a door according to a first embodiment of the invention; - Fig. 2 illustrates a very schematic and perspective view of three-quarters of a control plate mounted in the door of Fig. 1; - the [[Fig.3]] is a very schematic, partial, enlarged and perspective view of a retention system for the control plate of the door of the [Fig.1]; - the [[Fig.4]] is a very schematic, partial, and perspective view of the operation of the restraint system of the [Fig.3]; - Fig. 5 illustrates a very schematic and perspective view of three-quarters of a control plate according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0031] In the following description, the term "include" is synonymous with "include" and is not limiting in that it permits the presence of other elements in the vehicle, or the structure to which it relates. It is understood that the term "include" includes the terms "consist of". Furthermore, it should be noted that in the various figures, the same reference numerals designate identical or similar elements.

[0032] Fig. 1 illustrates a very schematic, partially exploded and three-quarter perspective view of a door 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention, door 1 intended to be mounted on a motor vehicle, such as a thermal, hybrid or electric vehicle.

[0033] The door 1 of the motor vehicle thus comprises: - a box 3 comprising an inner wall 5 and an outer wall 7 extending opposite each other; - a trim panel 9 intended to be fixed to the inner wall 5 of the box 3 and positioned opposite said inner wall 5; - a control plate 11 fixed to said trim panel 9 and / or said box 3, for example to the inner wall 5.

[0034] Said trim panel 9 includes among other things a raised portion 13 defining, on the one hand, a reception cavity 15 between said trim panel 9 and said inner wall 5 and on the other hand, a support side 17 forming an armrest.

[0035] In addition, the inner and outer walls 5 and 7 converge towards each other in their upper parts by defining a slot 3a, or an opening, suitable for allowing the passage of a pane of glass (or glazed wall).

[0036] Fig. 2 illustrates, for its part, a very schematic and perspective side view of the control plate 11 alone. The said control plate 11 includes, for example, vehicle control elements 12, such as the actuator for one or more vehicle windows, a control for opening and / or closing one or more doors, a control for adjusting the position of the rearview mirror, etc.

[0037] Furthermore, said plate 11 includes a main body 14, for example made of a plastic material, such as polypropylene, and fixing means 14a configured to fix said plate 11 to the cavity 15, the cavity 15 including additional fixing means (not shown) which are for example arranged on the wall defining the perimeter of said receiving cavity 15.

[0038] Said fastening means 14a are advantageously reversible, in order to allow the mounting and dismounting of said plate 11 from the cavity 15. Thus, said fastening means 14a are advantageously clipping elements (or clips), such as organs or elements configured to cooperate mechanically by engaging with each other, and thus secure the plate 11 to the cavity 15.

[0039] Said organs or elements of said complementary fixing means 14a (arranged on the main body 14 and the walls of the cavity 15), for example made of material, are thus configured to cooperate, reversibly, by clipping with each other.

[0040] Thus, when the control plate 11 is fixed, for example by clips, in said cavity 15, then an upper surface 14b of the main body 14 is flush with the surface of the support flank 17 and has a peripheral edge that engages with the support flank 17.

[0041] Fig. 3 illustrates, for its part, a very schematic, partial, enlarged and perspective view of a retention system 19 for the control plate 11 intended to equip the vehicle door 1.

[0042] Said gate 1 therefore includes the retention system 19 of said plate 11 which comprises at least two parts 21 and 23, referred to respectively as first part 21 and second part 23.

[0043] Said first and second members 21 and 23 are located, on the one hand, on said plate 11 and, on the other hand, on the box 3 and / or on said trim panel 9, said members 21 and 23 being configured to cooperate mechanically with each other to form a stop and block the movement of said plate 11.

[0044] It will be noted that in the embodiment described herein, the first member 21 is arranged on the inner wall 5, while the second member 23 is intended to be arranged on the plate 11, but the position of said members can be reversed, and one of the members 21 or 23 can be arranged only on the inner wall 5 or on the trim panel 9, but also both on the inner wall 5 and on the trim panel 9.

[0045] Said first and second organs 21 and 23 are thus located at a distance from each other, and are configured to move relative to each other and cooperate mechanically following an impact on said box 3.

[0046] The first component 21 comprises a protrusion 21a, or projection, which extends substantially orthogonally to the principal extension plane of said box 3 (or to the principal extension plane of the inner wall 5). Said protrusion 21a is advantageously a metallic pin, for example made of steel or aluminum.

[0047] Furthermore, the first member 21 advantageously comprises a tab 25 fixed to the inner wall 5 (and / or to the trim panel 9 in the case of other variants of the invention not shown), said tab 25 is for example made of material from the inner wall 5 or the trim panel 9, and extends in a plane substantially parallel to the main extension plane of the inner wall 5 (or to the main extension plane of the trim panel, or of the box), said protrusion 21a being for example fixed to said tab 25.

[0048] It will be noted that the metal pin 21a comprises, for example, a cylindrical body and has two opposite longitudinal ends, one of its ends being integral with the leg 25, for example by being overmolded onto a part of said pin 21a. While the other end is surmounted by a sphere or a ball, a collar being advantageously provided at the connection between the cylindrical body and the sphere.

[0049] The second member 23 comprises, for its part, a stop surface 23a configured, upon impact, to come into contact (or cooperate mechanically) with the first member 21, here more particularly the protrusion 21a, to block any movement relative between the plate 11 and the box 3, and thus prevent the plate 11 from being ejected out of the receiving cavity 15.

[0050] Advantageously, the second member 23 comprises a leg 27 having a through opening 27a, the said stop surface 23a being thus provided on said leg 27. Moreover, said stop surface 23a is at least partly the surface delimiting said opening 27a. It should also be noted that the through opening 27a has a substantially circular or oval shape.

[0051] It will be noted that the leg 27 of the second component 23 is advantageously located centrally with respect to the plate 11, for example substantially at the center of gravity of said plate 11.

[0052] Fig. 4 is a very schematic, partial and perspective view of the plate 11 and the restraint system 19, before an impact or collision at the door 1 of the vehicle.

[0053] Thus, as is more particularly illustrated in [Fig.4], before the impact, the first organ 21 is located at a distance and opposite the second organ 23. Indeed, the protuberance 21a, here the metal pin, is substantially in the axis of the opening 27a of the leg 27, that is to say that the longitudinal axis of the protuberance 21a is positioned to cross, preferably in a centered manner, the passage section of the opening 27a.

[0054] Thus, when the door 1 is subjected to a shock or a collision, a force represented by the arrow referenced 29 is applied substantially orthogonally to the main extension plane of the door 1 (or of the box 3).

[0055] Then, under the effect of the force 29, the outer wall 7 deforms until it comes into contact with the inner wall 5 which in turn deforms towards the vehicle, and the trim panel 9.

[0056] Under the effect of the deformation of the inner wall 5, the first member 21 will move towards the second member 23 of the retention system 19, until the protrusion 21a of the first member 21 is inserted into the opening 27a of the second member 23.

[0057] In addition, the deformation of the inner wall 5 leads concomitantly to the deformation of the trim panel 9, also towards the interior of the vehicle, and therefore to the reduction of the volume of the housing cavity 15 in which the control plate 11 is housed.

[0058] The force 29 therefore compresses the receiving cavity 15, causing the plate 11 to move upwards, out of the cavity 15, and the possible breakage of the additional fixing means 14a.

[0059] However, since the protrusion 21a is inserted into the opening 27a, the upward movement of the plate 11 will cause contact between the protuberance 21a and stop surface 23a, and therefore blocking the movement (upwards) of the plate 11 out of the cavity 15, thus preventing the ejection of the plate 11 out of the cavity 15.

[0060] Furthermore, under the effect of the deceleration of the vehicle following the impact, said plate 11 can oscillate, that is to say that the protuberance 21a will strike the opposite edges of the through opening 27a, the stop surface 23a thus being able to include the opposite surfaces of said opening 27a.

[0061] Fig. 5 illustrates, for its part, a very schematic and perspective view of three-quarters of a control plate 11' according to a second embodiment of the invention, plate 11' intended to be mounted on a motor vehicle door similar to the door 1 described above.

[0062] Unlike the first embodiment of the invention illustrated in [Fig.1] to [Fig.4], the door (not shown) of the vehicle includes a retention system 19' which itself comprises a first element 21'. Said first element 21' thus comprises a protrusion 21'a which is fixed on the plate 11'.

[0063] Said plate 11' includes as before a main body 14 on which is fitted the protuberance 21'a (or projection), protuberance 21'a for example coming from material with said main body 14 of the plate 11'.

[0064] Said protuberance 21'a advantageously includes stiffening ribs and extends, in the mounted position, substantially orthogonally to the main extension plane of the inner wall 3 of the door (or to the main extension plane of the box), that is to say, in the mounted position, substantially horizontally.

[0065] Said protuberance 21'a is thus configured to cooperate with a second element (not shown) which includes a stop surface, the cooperation between the protuberance 21'a and the stop surface blocking any relative movement of the plate 11' during a shock.

[0066] The second member which includes the stop surface can be arranged on the inner wall and / or on the trim panel of the vehicle door, said second member being for example a lip of the inner wall, etc. or an additional element specifically arranged on an element of the box and / or the trim panel, such as a tab with a through opening similar to that described in the first embodiment of the invention.

[0067] Furthermore, as before, the two components 21' of the restraint system are located at a distance from each other, and are configured to move closer together and cooperate following a shock or collision on the vehicle door.

Claims

Demands

1. Motor vehicle door (1), said door (1) comprising: - a casing (3) having an inner wall (5) and an outer wall (7) extending opposite each other; - a trim panel (9) fixed to said casing (3) and disposed opposite said inner wall (5), said trim panel (9) having a raised portion (13) defining, on the one hand, a reception cavity (15) between said trim panel (9) and said inner wall (3) and on the other hand, a support side (17) forming an armrest; - a control plate (11; 11') disposed in said reception cavity (15); characterized in that said door (1) comprises a retention system (19; 19') for said plate (11; 11'), said system (19; 19') comprising two members (21, 23; 21'), respectively called first and second member, configured to cooperate mechanically with each other to form a stop and block the movement of said plate (11;11'), the said organs (21, 23; 21') being located respectively on the said plate (11; 11'), as well as on the casing (3) and / or on the said trim panel (9).;

2. Door (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said members (21, 23; 21') are located at a distance from each other and are configured to move relative to each other and cooperate mechanically following an impact on said box (3).

3. Door (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first member (21; 21') comprises a protrusion (21a; 21'a) which extends substantially orthogonally to the principal extension plane of said box (3).

4. Door (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said protrusion (21a) is a metal pin.

5. Door (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that said protrusion (2l'a) is arranged on said plate (11').

6. Door (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said plate (11') comprises a main body (14), said protrusion (2l'a) being formed of material with said main body (14) of the plate (11').

7. Door (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second member (23) comprises a stop surface (23a).

8. Door (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the second member (23) comprises a tab (27), said stop surface (23a) being provided on said tab (27).

9. Control plate (11; 11') for door (1) of motor vehicle, characterized in that said plate (11; 11') is configured to be implemented in a door (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

10. Motor vehicle, characterized in that said vehicle comprises a door (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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