An electrically operated door assembly to access a connector for recharging a motor-vehicle battery pack, provided with a mounting frame rigidly connected to the vehicle bumper structure

Abstract

Motor-vehicle including a battery pack provided for powering the vehicle propulsion, comprising: - a door assembly (2) to access an input electrical connector for recharging said battery pack, wherein said door assembly (2) is mounted on a bumper structure (1) of the motor-vehicle, - wherein said door assembly (2) comprises a support casing (4), a door (5) movable between a closed position and an open position, a locking member for locking the door (5) into its closed position, movable between an active locked position and a deactivated position which allows opening of the door, and electrically operated actuator means (6) to cause a movement of said locking member towards its deactivated position, - a mounting frame (7) rigidly connected to an installation portion of said bumper structure (1), provided for mounting the door assembly (2), - wherein said support casing (4) is rigidly connected to the mounting frame (7) by means of a plurality of fixing elements (8) with removable connection, in such a way that, in the event of failure of the door assembly (2), the door assembly (2) can be separated from the mounting frame (7) integral with the bumper structure (1).

Description

[0001] “An electrically operated door assembly to access a connector for recharging a motor-vehicle battery pack, provided with a mounting frame rigidly connected to the vehicle bumper structure”

[0002] ****

[0003] TEXT OF THE DESCRIPTION

[0004] Field of the invention

[0005] The present invention relates to a motor-vehicle including a battery pack provided for powering the vehicle propulsion, comprising:

[0006] - a door assembly to access an input electrical connector for recharging one or more vehicle batteries, wherein said door assembly is mounted on a bumper structure of the motor-vehicle,

[0007] - wherein said door assembly comprises a support casing, a door movable between a closed position and an open position, a locking member for locking the door into its closed position, movable between an active locked position and a deactivated position that allows opening of the door, and electrically operated actuator means to cause a movement of said locking member towards its deactivated position.

[0008] Prior art

[0009] For high-end so-called “premium” vehicles, manufacturers choose to provide the door assembly for recharging the batteries with electrically operated actuator means for opening and closing the door. Some known solutions provide that the door is arranged on the bumper structure of the vehicle, for example on the front bumper, and that the door support casing is welded directly onto the surface of the bumper. Therefore, in light of the permanent bond between the door assembly and the bumper structure, such known solutions have the drawback of making it impossible to replace the door assembly in the event of damage to one or more of its parts (for example the electrically operated means, or the locking member), thus making it necessary to replace the entire bumper structure to provide the vehicle with a new door assembly.

[0010] Object of the invention

[0011] The object of the present invention is to provide a door assembly and a related bumper structure that are able to overcome the drawbacks described above with reference to the prior art.

[0012] Summary of the invention

[0013] In order to achieve one or more of the aforementioned objects, the invention relates to a motor-vehicle including a battery pack provided for powering the vehicle propulsion, comprising:

[0014] - a door assembly to access an input electrical connector for recharging said battery pack, wherein said door assembly is mounted on a bumper structure of the motor-vehicle,

[0015] - wherein said door assembly comprises a support casing, a door movable between a closed position and an open position, a locking member for locking the door into its closed position, movable between an active locked position and a deactivated position which allows opening of the door, and electrically operated actuator means to cause a movement of said locking member towards its deactivated position,

[0016] - a mounting frame rigidly connected to an installation portion of said bumper structure, provided for mounting the door assembly,

[0017] - wherein said support casing is rigidly connected to the mounting frame by a plurality of fastening members with removable connection, in such a way that, in the event of failure of the door assembly, the door assembly can be separated from the mounting frame integral with the bumper structure.

[0018] In the preferred embodiment, the door assembly is located along an upper lateral area of the bumper structure, below a light unit of the vehicle.

[0019] Brief Description of the Figures

[0020] Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description with reference to the attached drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, in which:

[0021] - figure 1 is an enlarged scale view of the internal side of the bumper structure, in the installation area of a door assembly for accessing to a connector for recharging the vehicle battery pack,

[0022] - figure 2 is a further perspective view of the aforementioned area in which a door assembly is mounted, in accordance with the present invention,

[0023] - figure 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale illustrating further features of the invention.

[0024] Detailed description of multiple embodiments

[0025] The following description illustrates various specific details aimed at a thorough understanding of examples of one or more embodiments. The embodiments may be implemented without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc.

[0026] In other instances, known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of the embodiments. Reference to “an / one embodiment” in this specification means that a particular configuration, structure, or feature described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment.

[0027] Thus, phrases such as “in an / one embodiment,” which may appear in various places in this specification, do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0028] Furthermore, particular configurations, structures, or features may be appropriately combined in one or more embodiments and / or associated with embodiments differently from the way illustrated herein, such that, for example, a feature exemplified herein in connection with one figure may be applied to one or more embodiments exemplified in a different figure.

[0029] References herein are for convenience only and do not limit the scope or extent of the embodiments.

[0030] In figures 1 , 2, the numbers 1 , 2 indicate respectively a bumper structure of a motor-vehicle and a door assembly for access to an input electrical connector for recharging a battery pack of the vehicle. The door assembly 2 is mounted in correspondence with an installation area of the bumper structure 1 , where a corresponding access window 3 is provided to access the connector with the door open.

[0031] According to a preferred embodiment, the door assembly 2 is located along an upper lateral area of the bumper structure 1 , below a light unit of the vehicle.

[0032] With reference to the door assembly 1 illustrated in figure 2, the door assembly 1 comprises a support casing 4, a door 5 movable between a closed position and an open position, a locking member for locking the door 5 into its closed position, movable between an active locked position and a deactivated position that allows the opening of the door 5, and electrically operated actuator means 6 to cause a movement of said locking member towards its deactivated position.

[0033] The number 7 indicates as a whole a mounting frame rigidly connected to the bumper structure 1 , arranged for connection to the door assembly 2. The mounting frame 7 can be welded or glued to the internal surface of the bumper structure 1 in proximity to the access window 3.

[0034] In one or more embodiments, the mounting frame 7 comprises a single substantially annular element having respective surface parts for mounting the door assembly 1 , extended around the access window 3.

[0035] According to the present invention, the support casing 4 of the door assembly 1 is rigidly connected to the mounting frame 7, by means of a plurality of fastening members 8 with removable connection, distributed along the surface of the mounting frame 7.

[0036] In one or more embodiments, in association with said fastening members 8, the frame 7 comprises a plurality of centering elements 9 arranged for coupling with respective counterparts 10 provided on the support casing 4 of the door assembly 1 .

[0037] In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the centering elements 10 may be provided in association with a respective fastening member 8 and / or in correspondence with an area of the frame 7 without fastening members 8.

[0038] It will therefore be appreciated that in the event of structural and / or operational anomalies of the door assembly 1 , the latter may be easily disassembled from the bumper structure 1 by removing the fastening members 8 described above.

[0039] Of course, notwithstanding the principle of the invention, the construction details and the embodiments may vary widely with respect to what is described and illustrated purely by way of example, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined in the attached claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A motor-vehicle including a battery pack provided for powering the vehicle propulsion, comprising:- a door assembly (2) to access an input electrical connector for recharging said battery pack, wherein said door assembly (2) is mounted on a bumper structure (1 ) of the motor-vehicle,- wherein said door assembly (2) comprises a support casing (4), a door (5) movable between a closed position and an open position, a locking member for locking the door (5) into its closed position, movable between an active locked position and a deactivated position which allows opening of the door (5), and electrically operated actuator means (6) to cause a movement of said locking member towards its deactivated position,- a mounting frame (7) rigidly connected to an installation portion of said bumper structure (1 ), provided for mounting the door assembly (2),- wherein said support casing (4) is rigidly connected to the mounting frame (7) by means of a plurality of fastening members (8) with removable connection, in such a way that, in the event of failure of the door assembly (2), the door assembly (2) can be separated from the mounting frame (7) integral with the bumper structure (1 ).

2. The motor-vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the door assembly (2) is located along an upper lateral area of the bumper structure (1 ), below a light unit of the vehicle.

3. The motor-vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said installation portion comprises an access window (3) for accessing the electrical connector with the door (5) in its open position, wherein the mounting frame (7) comprises a single substantially annular element having respective surface parts for mounting the door assembly (1 ), extended around the access window (3).

4. The motor-vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the frame (7) comprises a plurality of centering elements (9) arranged for coupling with respective counterparts (10) provided on the support casing (4).

5. The motor-vehicle according to claim 4, wherein some centering elements (9) are provided in association with a respective fastening member (8) and other centering elements (9) are provided in correspondence with a respective area of the frame (7) without fastening members (8).

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