FR2841205A1 - Motor vehicle with roof containing photovoltaic cells has panel attached to body of vehicle by brackets allowing for removal and replacement - Google Patents

Abstract

The vehicle roof (11), containing a photovoltaic cells assembly with at least one cells for generating electricity from light radiation, has a metal, glass or transparent roof panel fastened to the vehicle body (30) by removable brackets (25) and fixings (28). The brackets are e.g. of a metal such as steel, or a plastic, and can be rectangular in shape and stepped; the fastening cam also incorporate a seal.

Description

integral with a crosspiece (13).

MOTOR VEHICLE WITH A ROOF

  COMPRISING PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS

  The invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a tone 'on which one or more photovoltaic cells are fixed to produce an electrical energy from a light radiation received on the tone'. Such tones for wind vehicles known in particular from the German patent DE 3540353. The electrical energy produced by the photovoltaic cells can be used for example to power a fan inside the vehicle when it is stopped, or else for recharge the vehicle's main storage battery when it is in motion. Photovoltaic cells are permanently attached to the tone of the vehicle, on the outside of the tone if the tone is metallic, or on the inside of the tone if it is transparent. A thin layer of glass covers the cells to protect and protect them

electrical insulation.

  One problem with known tones is that they are permanently fixed on the vehicle body. In fact, the metallic tones are generally welded on a frame of the vehicle body which supports the tone, and a protective paint covers the welded joint. The transparent tones, produced in a material different from the support frame, wind soda or glues depending on the cast. The glue joint or the weld wind forms then covered with an email or a protective paint, in particular against humidity, which encroached

  both on the support frame and on the tone '.

  A disadvantage of such fixing methods is that, in order to remove the tone, it is necessary to remove first the layer of enamel or paint, then the joint of glue or solder. This cannot be achieved without damaging the tone 'itself. This is particularly damaging, especially in the case of transparent tones and / or supporting an assembly

of photovoltaic cells.

  An object of the invention is to solve this problem, by proposing a means of fixing a tone 'which can be removed in a simple, inexpensive manner and without damaging the tone', in particular to facilitate its

  recycling at end of vehicle life.

  With this objective in view, the invention relates to a vehicle comprising a tone 'on which is fixed a set of photovoltaic cells comprising at least one cell for producing electrical energy. According to the invention, the vehicle also comprises a removable means for fixing the

ton 'on a frame of the vehicle.

  At any time, or at the end of the life of the vehicle, the tone 'can thus be removed easily since it is fixed in a removable manner; this simplifies the recycling of the vehicle and its parts. In addition, the tone 'can be removed without damaging it; we can then consider a new or another use. A tone 'with photovoltaic cells can thus be advantageously used as a solar collector

after disassembly.

  The tone can be made of glass or transparent resin such as polycarbonate, or of metal. According to one embodiment, the fixing means comprises a fixing profile, one half of which in a longitudinal direction maintains a corresponding end of the tone 'on the frame of the vehicle and the other half of which is fixed by

rivets on the said frame.

  The fixing profile is rigid to resist impact, it is for example made of metal such as iron or aluminum, or plastic. The fixing profile has a section adapted to the shape of the frame

  so as to maintain the tone 'in contact with the frame.

  The fixing profile has for example a substantially rectangular section or else substantially in

"Z" shape.

  Preferably, the fixing means also comprises a seal placed between an end of the tone 'and the frame and / or between the fixing profile and the end of the tone' and / or between the fixing profile and the frame , at

vicinity of contact areas.

  Preferably also, the shape of the frame in the vicinity of the top of a vehicle door or in the vicinity of an end of a vehicle hood is adjusted so that a corresponding shape of the door or the hood masks at least

partially the rivets.

  The invention will be better understood and other features and advantages will become apparent from the invention.

  s reading of the description which follows, of examples

  of implementing a mode of setting a tone 'of

  vehicle according to the invention. The description is a

  fire in relation to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic representation in top view of a vehicle comprising a 'fixed tone according to the invention, - Figures 2 to 4 show details of a

  tone setting according to the invention.

  Figure 1 shows schematically a vehicle according to the invention, comprising a tone '11 extending from the rear to the front of the vehicle. The tone is fixed on a support frame of the body. The support frame is delimited at the rear by a rear beam 12 on which is also fixed a rear cover 13. The support frame is delimited at the front by a front beam 14 in the vicinity of one end of a front cover and in front of the passenger compartment. The support frame is also delimited on the sides by longitudinal beams 15, 16 each extending between one end of the front beam 14 and one

  corresponding end of the rear beam 12.

  The shape of the tone 'does not matter in the context of the invention, for example the tone' can be (partially) flat, or more or less bomb; its shape is chosen in practice on the basis of criteria such as overall aerodynamics or the aesthetics of the vehicle. In the example, the vehicle does not include a front windshield. In another example, the tone 'is limited to the front by a front beam 17 (shown in dotted lines in Figure 1) above the passenger compartment. A known windshield is of course in this case a] all at the front, it comes to rest on the

beams before 14 and 17.

  On tone '11 wind installed a set of photovoltaic cells 18 connected together at an entry point 19 of an electrical circuit. The number of cells 18 is chosen according to the technical and electrical characteristics of the cells, the energy which it is desired to obtain from these cells, and the climate. In one example, the number of cells is chosen so as to obtain sufficient energy to power a fan in order to ventilate the vehicle when it is stopped and the temperature at

  the interior exceeds a threshold of around 30.

  The photovoltaic cells are distributed in tone so that the whole of the cells receives the maximum of brightness; this distribution is notably a function of the dimensions of the tone 'and of its

overall shape.

  The tone '11 can be made of transparent resin, for example of the polycarbonate type. The photovoltaic cells 18 wind in this case preferably embedded in the tone resin, they wind well protected, humidity and small shocks in particular. The tone could also be achieved in glass. If it is limited to the level of the beam 17, the tone 'may also be metallic. In these cases, the photovoltaic cells are preferably glued on your ', then covered with a thin and transparent protective layer, for example

resin or glass.

  Figures 2 to 4 show details of the tone setting mode according to the invention. For the sake of readability, only a partial view of the elements is

shown in the figures.

  A beam of the support frame has for example a section 21 substantially in quarter disc, or

  indeed a section 22 substantially parallelepipedic.

  The section can also be variable along the perimeter of the frame. The section of the profile may also include a slight recess 23 serving

  for the support and the positioning of the tone '11.

  The tone '11 comes to bear over the entire length of the beam, or more generally of the support frame. The thickness 24 of the tone 'in the vicinity of the zone of contact of the tone' and of the frame can be

slightly thinned.

  The contact zone between tone '11 and the frame thus forms a band of approximately a few millimeters to a few centimeters wide and steadies over the whole

the length of the support frame.

  A fixing profile 25 comes to rest on the one hand on tone '11 to hold it plate on the

  S frame and on the other hand over the length of the frame itself

  even where it is fixed. The section of the profile is adapted to the shape of the section of the frame on which it comes to bear. The profile can thus have a section 26 in the form of a substantially "Z", or else a rectangular shape 27, depending on the section of the frame. The profile is rigid to resist in the event of an impact; it can for example be made of steel,

  aluminum, plastic or resin.

  The fixing profile 25 is fixed by rivets 28. The rivets 28 have a good resistance to tearing, which makes it possible to obtain a good fixing of the tone. The rivets also have a head whose shear strength is chosen not too important, so that the rivet parties can be broken, for example using a specific key, a piece or a piercing tool or trenchant. The tone can thus be easily removed

  and recover, for example at the end of the vehicle's life.

  Preferably, for the sake of safety, the shape (represented by the dots 29 in FIG. 4) of the frame of a door or of a hood of the vehicle, at the front and / or the rear, in the vicinity of the support frame, is adjusted so as to mask at least the area of the fixing profile on which the positioning rivets are positioned. This avoids any risk of tone removal by an ill-intentioned person. More preferably, a seal 31 is placed between the fixing profile 25 and the tone '11, and / or between the profile 25 and the upper surface 30 of the support frame and / or between the tone' 11 and the upper surface 30 of the support frame, at the contact areas. The seal 31 extends over the entire length of the frame; its section can be for example rectangular 32 or in the shape of an "h" 33. The seal 31 achieves the tightness of the tone ', in particular to water, noise and dust. The seal 31 is for example made of rubber, or any other equivalent material,

flexible and waterproof.

Claims (9)

  1. Vehicle comprising a tone (11) on which is fixed a set of photovoltaic cells (18) comprising at least one cell for producing electrical energy, characterized in that it also comprises a fixing means (25 , 28, 31) removable from   ton 'on a frame (12, 14, 15, 16, 30) of the vehicle.   2. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the fixing means comprises a fixing profile (25) of which a half in a longitudinal direction maintains a corresponding end of the tone '(11) on the frame (30) of the vehicle and whose l other half is   fixed by rivets (28) on said frame.   3. Vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the fixing profile (25) is made of metal such as iron or aluminum, or plastic.   4. Vehicle according to one of claims 2 to 3,   wherein the fixing profile (25) has a section adapted to the shape of the frame (30) so as to maintain the   ton '(11) in contact with the frame (30).   5. Vehicle according to claim 4, in which the fixing profile (25) has a substantially rectangular section (27) or substantially in the shape of a "Z" (26).   6. Vehicle according to one of claims 2 to 5,   2s in which the fixing means (25) also comprises a sealing joint (31) placed between an end of the tone '(11) and the frame (30) and / or between the fixing profile (25) and the tone end (11) and / or between the fixing profile (25) and the frame (30), at the vicinity of contact areas.   7. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 6,   S wherein the shape of the frame (30) near the top of a vehicle door or near an end of a vehicle hood is adjusted so that a corresponding shape of the door or hood   come mask at least partially the rivets (28).   8. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 7,   in which the tone '(11) is made of glass or resin   transparent such as polycarbonate.   9. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 7,