Front structure of a motor vehicle provided with a washer fluid reservoir

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle front structure and to a suitable washer fluid reservoir. The structure comprises: a cradle and an upright firewall aligned with the cradle enclosing an engine compartment; two front longitudinal members (20) extending substantially parallel to one another in a direction substantially perpendicular to the firewall, while the cradle has two profiled elements (30) respectively extending vertically in line with the two longitudinal members (20) in directions that are substantially parallel to the two longitudinal members (20); two wheel wells (26) respectively extending along the two longitudinal members (20) and away from one another with respect to the two longitudinal members; and a washer fluid reservoir (34) installed in the engine compartment. The washer fluid reservoir (34) has a bottom portion (46) that projects towards the inside of the reservoir to define two opposing wings (52) so as to be able to be mounted astride one of the two profiled elements (30).

Description

[0001] Title of the invention: Front structure of a motor vehicle equipped with a windshield washer fluid reservoir

[0002] (The invention relates to a front structure of a motor vehicle equipped with a windshield washer fluid reservoir.

[0003] It is known to use windshield washers on motor vehicles in order to spray an aqueous cleaning mixture onto their windshield to facilitate cleaning using the windshield wipers.

[0004] Motor vehicles usually have an apron which separates the engine compartment from the passenger compartment and two front side wings in which the wheel arches are arranged and which border this engine compartment.

[0005] A hood covers the engine compartment, while the windshield extends from the hood and from the bulkhead in a rearward inclined manner.

[0006] Also, windshield wipers are installed between the hood and the windshield to wipe the latter, while the windshield washer has injectors installed through the hood and connected by conduits held under the hood to the windshield washer fluid reservoir.

[0007] The latter is usually installed inside the engine compartment in a corner formed by one of the wings and the bulkhead, above the wheel arch. It is thus located near the hood so that it can be easily connected to the injectors, and also so that it is easily accessible for filling.

[0008] The jar is then relatively flat so that it can be inserted into the generally restricted space left by the wheel arch, the apron and the hood.

[0009] As a result, the capacity of the windshield washer fluid reservoir is relatively modest and it must be refilled frequently, especially in geographical areas where the windshield quickly becomes dirty.

[0010] Also, a problem which arises and which the present invention aims to solve is to provide a front structure of a motor vehicle which makes it possible to accommodate a larger windshield washer fluid container.

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a front structure of a motor vehicle and a windshield washer fluid reservoir that can be easily mounted on said front structure. In order to solve this problem, according to a first object, a front structure of a motor vehicle is proposed comprising: a cradle and an apron erected in line with said cradle and delimiting an engine compartment; two front side members extending substantially parallel at a distance from each other in said engine compartment in a direction substantially perpendicular to said apron, while said cradle has two profiled elements extending respectively in line with said two side members in directions substantially parallel to said two side members; two wheel arches extending respectively along said two side members and opposite each other with respect to said two side members; and, a windshield washer fluid reservoir installed in said engine compartment.

[0012] Said windshield washer fluid container has a bottom portion turned inwards towards the inside of said container, defining two opposite wings so that it can be mounted astride one of said two profiled elements.

[0013] Thus, a characteristic of the invention lies in the implementation of a windscreen washer fluid container of a particular shape, where the bottom has a portion turned inwards towards the inside of the container so that it can be easily installed on one of the two profiled elements of the cradle, otherwise called "add-on".

[0014] This way, the free space at the profile element is greater and therefore a larger jar can be attached to it. In addition, thanks to its structure, the jar is more easily mounted on the profile element and is secured to it without the need for numerous other anchoring elements.

[0015] According to a particularly advantageous characteristic of the invention, said reservoir comprises a first part having said retracted bottom portion and a second part communicating with said first part and adapted to extend laterally opposite said apron relative to said wheel arch. The second part of the windscreen washer fluid reservoir extends in a transverse direction of the vehicle relative to the first part. And it extends opposite said apron relative to the wheel arch, in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0016] In this way, the free space located in front of the wheel arch, opposite the apron, is taken advantage of to implement an even more prominent windshield washer fluid reservoir. Consequently, it can contain larger quantities of windshield washer fluid. Also, said reservoir comprises a filling pipe connected to said second part and extending in line with said first part opposite said bottom portion. The filling pipe is then relatively long so that it can be extended into an easily accessible area as soon as the hood of the motor vehicle is raised. Advantageously, the filling pipe is terminated by a cap connected to the end of the pipe in a captive manner.

[0017] Preferably, said jar has a fixing clip for connecting together said jar and the side member located to the right of said one of said two profiled elements. Thus, thanks to the retracted bottom portion in which the profiled element engages, and the single fixing clip, the jar is perfectly held in a fixed position inside the engine compartment. For example, the fixing clip is connected to the corresponding side member located to the right of the profiled element.

[0018] It is understood that the assembly of the jar is relatively easy and that it is held in a fixed position thanks to the single fixing clip. Indeed, the fixing clip allows it to be held in a fixed position in a vertical direction. And the profile engaged in the retracted portion of the jar prevents any other movement.

[0019] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, said retracted portion of said jar forms a groove of rectangular section. Also, and preferably, said two profiled elements have a rectangular section. In addition, the external section of the profiles is substantially identical to the rectangular internal section of the retracted portion of the jar. In this way, when the jar is installed astride the profile, it is perfectly secured thereto.

[0020] Advantageously, said retracted bottom portion is provided with an adhesive to secure it to said one of said two profiled elements. The adhesive is for example implemented in the form of a tape coated with an adhesive on both sides. Preferably, the tape is an elastically deformable support, for example made of foam. Such a support makes it possible, on the one hand, to forcefully mount the jar onto the profile and to take advantage of the friction forces to perfect the immobilization of the jar on the profile. Then, thanks to the elastically deformable support, the surface of the jar is preserved during installation.

[0021] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, said container is molded from a polymer material. Preferably, it is made of two parts molded independently of one another and then assembled in a sealed manner. Also, according to a second subject, the invention relates to a windshield washer fluid container for a front structure of a motor vehicle as described above, and the windshield washer fluid container has a bottom portion turned inward towards the inside of said container, defining two opposite wings so that it can be mounted astride one of said two profiled elements.

[0022] Furthermore, said jar comprises a first part having said retracted bottom portion and a second part communicating with said first part and adapted to extend laterally opposite said apron relative to said wheel arch.

[0023] Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from reading the description given below of particular embodiments of the invention, given for informational but non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0024] [Fig. 1] is a schematic top view of a front structure of a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0025] [Fig. 2] is a schematic detail view of an element of the object of [Fig. 1];

[0026] [Fig. 3] is a schematic front right perspective view of the object of [Fig. 1]; and,

[0027] [Fig. 4] is a schematic front left perspective view of the object of [Fig. 1];

[0028] [Fig. 1] shows, seen from above, a front structure 10 of a motor vehicle, and it is inscribed in an orthogonal reference frame X, Y, Z, in which the X axis extends in a longitudinal front-rear direction of the motor vehicle, oriented towards the rear; the Y axis extends in a transverse direction of the vehicle, oriented from left to right when in a normal driving situation; and the Z axis extends in a vertical direction, oriented away from the ground.

[0029] Also, [Fig. 1] shows an apron 12 erected in line with a cradle 14, partially hidden by the apron 12. The apron 12 thus delimits an engine compartment 16, from a passenger compartment 18.

[0030] The front structure 10 has two side members which extend into the engine compartment 16, a right side member 20 and a left side member 22. These two side members 20, 22 extend at a distance from each other and substantially parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction X of the motor vehicle. In addition, they pass substantially perpendicularly through the bulkhead 12 above the cradle 14. Also, the two side members 20, 22 are connected together towards the front, by a front cross member 24. The latter extends substantially parallel to the bulkhead 12.

[0031] Furthermore, the front structure 10 has, outside the space which extends between the two side members 20, 22, two wheel arches, a right wheel arch 26 and a left wheel arch 28.

[0032] The wheel arches, right 26 and left 28, extend respectively along the right 20 and left 22 side members.

[0033] In addition, the cradle 1 is extended, towards the front by two profiled elements, or addons, a right profiled element 30, and a left profiled element 32 extending respectively in line with the side members, right 20 and left 22. The two profiled elements 30, 32 are of substantially square cross-section.

[0034] The right 30 and left 32 profiled elements extend respectively, substantially parallel to the right 20 and left 22 side members. This means that the profiles extend respectively relative to the corresponding side member, at an angle of the order of 10° for example.

[0035] Also, the front structure 10 is equipped with a windshield washer fluid reservoir 34 located in the engine compartment 16, straddling the right profiled element 30.

[0036] It will be noted that the windscreen washer fluid reservoir can just as easily be installed on the left profiled element 32.

[0037] We will first describe in detail the single windshield washer fluid container 34 with reference to [Fig. 2], before describing it precisely in its situation inside the engine compartment 16.

[0038] Thus, the windshield washer fluid container 34 has two parts, communicating with each other, a polyhedral part 36 and a substantially triangular part 38. The windshield washer fluid container 34 thus defines a sealed interior space 40.

[0039] The polyhedral part 34 has an upper face 42 and an adjacent lateral face 44. This adjacent lateral face 44 may also be described as an internal face as will be explained below.

[0040] Opposite the upper face 42, the polyhedral part 34 has a bottom portion 46 retracted towards the inside of the jar 40. The retracted bottom portion 46 forms a groove 48 of rectangular section and defining two opposite wings, a first wing 50 extending in line with a lower edge 51 of the adjacent lateral face 44, and a second wing 52, parallel and spaced from the first wing 50. It will be observed that the two wings 50, 52 extend from each other by a distance substantially equal to the width of the straight profiled element 30.

[0041] The triangular part 38 of the windshield washer fluid container 34 extends in a direction that is substantially vertical and perpendicular to the groove 48, between a lower end 54 located substantially at the level of the bottom portion 46 and an upper end 56 located at a level higher than that of the upper face 42 of the polyhedral part 34. For example, the triangular part 38 has a height close to twice the height of the polyhedral part 36.

[0042] Also, the triangular part 38 has an external lateral face 58, opposite the adjacent lateral face 44 of the polyhedral part 34.

[0043] Advantageously, the external lateral face 58 corresponds to a wall attached and bonded in a sealed manner to close the triangular part 38. And in this way, the polyhedral part 46 and the triangular part 38 can be molded together in a single piece in a polymer material. The wall corresponding to the external lateral face 58 is itself formed in a polymer material so that it can be connected in a sealed manner to said single piece.

[0044] Also, the windshield washer fluid container 34 has a fixing clip 60 molded together with said single part. The fixing clip 60 extends projecting from the upper face 42 of the polyhedral part 34. Its role will be explained in the remainder of the description.

[0045] Furthermore, a feed duct 62 is installed on the triangular part 38 at the upper end 56. The feed duct 62 extends obliquely from the triangular part 38 and in line with the polyhedral part 36. It ends with a filler end 64 bent so that it can be oriented substantially vertically once installed in the engine compartment 16 as will be explained with regard to [Fig. 3] and [Fig. 4],

[0046] In [Fig. 3], we find the right side member 20 of the front structure 10 and, vertically, the right profiled element 30 of the front structure 10. We also find the right wheel arch 26.

[0047] The windshield washer fluid reservoir 34 is then installed, the polyhedral part 46 straddling the straight profiled element 30, while the triangular part 38 extends in front of the straight wheel arch 26. The straight profiled element 30 is thus embedded in the groove 48 of the retracted bottom portion 46. In other words, the retracted bottom portion 46 is installed straddling the straight profiled element. And, the two opposite wings 50, 52 extend on each side of the two opposite side walls of the straight profiled element 30. According to a particularly advantageous characteristic of the invention, before mounting the windscreen washer fluid reservoir 34, a sticky foam, for example based on polyurethane, is applied to the interface between the bottom of the groove 48 and the straight profiled element 30. In this way, the straight profiled element 30 and the retracted bottom portion 46 are secured.Furthermore, thanks to the foam, the vibrations of the straight profiled element 30 are not fully transmitted to the jar 34.

[0048] It will then be observed that the supply duct 62 extends transversely above the right side member 20, towards the center of the engine compartment 16, while its filling end 64 extends substantially vertically along the Z axis.

[0049] Also, the fixing clip 60 found in [Fig. 4] is connected by means of a screw 66 to the outer face of the right side member 30. In this way, the retracted bottom portion 46 is perfectly held in engagement on the right profiled element 30.

[0050] Thus, the windshield washer fluid reservoir 34 is held in a fixed position between the right side member 20 and the right profiled element 30 by its polyhedral part 36, while its triangular part 38 extends in front of the right wheel arch 26.

[0051] It will be observed, in this [Fig. 4], that the triangular part 38 has a curved side 68 making it possible to substantially match the curved shape of the right wheel arch 26.

[0052] A windshield washer fluid reservoir symmetrical to that illustrated in [Fig. 2] with respect to a plane parallel to the adjacent side face 44, can be installed in the same way on the left profiled element 32 of the vehicle structure 10.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. [Front structure of a motor vehicle comprising: - a cradle (14) and an apron (12) erected in line with said cradle, delimiting an engine compartment (16); - two front side members (20, 22) extending substantially parallel at a distance from each other in said engine compartment (16) in a direction substantially perpendicular to said bulkhead (12), while said cradle (14) has two profiled elements (30, 32) extending respectively in line with said two side members (20, 22) in directions substantially parallel to said two side members (20, 22); - two wheel arches (26, 28) extending respectively along said two side members (20, 22) and opposite each other with respect to said two side members; and, - a windshield washer fluid reservoir (34) installed in said engine compartment (16); characterized in that said windshield washer fluid reservoir (34) has a bottom portion (46) retracted towards the inside of said reservoir, defining two opposite wings (50, 52) so that it can be mounted astride one of said two profiled elements (30).

2. Front structure of a motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that said jar (34) comprises a first part (30) having said retracted bottom portion (46) and a second part (38) communicating with said first part (36) and adapted to extend laterally opposite said apron (12) relative to said wheel arch (26).

3. Front structure of a motor vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that said jar (34) comprises a filling conduit (62) connected to said second part (38) and extending in line with said first part (36) opposite said bottom portion (46).

4. Front structure of a motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said jar (34) has an attachment fixing (60) for connecting together said jar (34) and the spar (20) located to the right of said one (30) of said two profiled elements.

5. Front structure of a motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said retracted portion (46) of said jar forms a groove (48) of rectangular section.

6. Front structure of a motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said two profiled elements (30, 32) have a rectangular section.

7. Front structure of a motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said retracted bottom portion (46) is provided with an adhesive for securing it to said one of said two profiled elements (30, 32).

8. Front structure of a motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said jar (34) is molded from a polymer material.

9. Windscreen washer fluid container for a front structure of a motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it has a bottom portion (46) retracted towards the inside of said container, defining two opposite wings (50, 52) so that it can be mounted astride one (30) of said two profiled elements.

10. Windscreen washer fluid container according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a first part (36) having said retracted bottom portion (46) and a second part (38) communicating with said first part (36) and adapted to extend laterally opposite said apron (12) relative to said wheel arch (26).

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