EP2203618B1 - Device acting as a stand-off between an opening element and a fixed element, particularly of a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) acting as a stand-off holding a door away from a frame, comprising a yoke (2) for attaching to the frame, and a support element (4) for attaching to the door, the support element being extended by a guide (3) comprising a contact zone broken down into a first and a second track (22, 23) running respectively on each side of ramps (21), the yoke being fitted with a follower element (10) designed to travel along the contact zone so that the opening element can be positioned alternately in a closed position or in an open position, characterized in that the guide is designed in such a way that the contact zone is created in a housing that has at least one overlapping wall (17) protecting the said contact zone from any splashes and/or any unwanted deposition of dirt.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for spacing a member opening relative to a fixed element, and more particularly to a device for spacing a door relative to the frame of a body of a motor vehicle.

It's been known for a long time, for example from the document FR 849.440 , to install such a spacer device, in particular between each door and the frame of the motor vehicle.

Generally, this spacing device is made of steel and comprises first fixing means on the opening element or the fixed element, and secondly, second fixing means on the fixed element or the opening element. , the second fastening means being extended by a guide comprising a contact zone decomposing into a first track and a second track extending on either side of displacement resistance means, the first fixing means being equipped at least one follower element adapted to move along the contact zone so that the opening element can be alternately arranged in the open position or in the closed position.

The displacement resistance means consist of a point projecting from the guide and obliging the person opening the opening member to exert additional forces in order to force the follower element to overcome this obstacle to come into contact with the guide. the second track. The opening element is then stabilized in the open position.

It is therefore necessary to exert efforts in the opposite direction to force the follower to cross the tip to return to contact with the first track to close the opening member.

A major disadvantage presented by this type of spacer device lies in the fact that, during opening / closing manipulations subsequent to the cataphoresis and / or application of one or more layers of paint, grains or Scales are formed by the friction of the follower element against the contact zone which has been at least partially covered by one or more of these coatings during the previously identified steps. These scales are then brought, mainly under the effect of gravity and / or projection (s), to come to rest on a part of the frame located below, and will constitute visual defects once covered by a layer of paint for example.

Such defects, if they can be admitted for entry-level vehicles, are however not acceptable for high-end vehicles where the finishes must be exemplary.

The object of the present invention is to solve the problem mentioned above, and for this purpose consists in a spacer (1) of an opening element (5) with respect to a fixed element (6), said spacer device comprising on the one hand, first fixing means (2) on the opening element or the fixed element, and secondly, second fixing means (4) on the fixed element or the opening element, the second fastening means being extended by a guide (3) comprising a contact zone decomposing into a first track (22) and a second track (23) extending on either side of displacement resistance means (21), the first fixing means being equipped with at least one follower element (90) designed to move along the contact zone so that the opening element can be alternately arranged in the closed position or in the position of opening according to whether the follower is in contact with e the first track or the second track, characterized in that the guide is designed so that the contact area is formed in a housing having at least one cover wall (17) protecting said contact area from any projection and / or any inadvertent soil deposit, said housing comprising two side walls (18) disposed on either side of the covering wall (17).

Thus, the contact zone being protected from the outside, in particular during cataphoresis and / or application of one or more layers of paint, the friction of the follower element against the contact zone is more generator of scales or polluting dusts likely to be deposited by gravity and / or projection (s) on the lower part of the frame.

Advantageously, each side wall has an inner face, and the contact surface is formed in said inner faces.

According to a preferred embodiment, the guide has a substantially U-shaped inverted section once positioned in the opening element or in the corresponding fixed element.

Preferably, the first fixing means comprise a stirrup.

Preferably, the follower element comprises a substantially cylindrical sliding finger.

According to one characteristic of the invention, the displacement resistance means comprise at least one constriction provided in the contact zone.

Preferably, the constriction is made using at least two elastically deformable elements located face-to-face.

Preferably, each elastically deformable element is constituted by an internal shoulder forming a springboard in the direction of the second track.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the spacer device is made of plastic. Thus, such a spacer can be temporarily installed for the application steps of the various coatings on the opening element and / or the entire body, and then be replaced by a conventional metal spacing device, as described for example in the introductory part of the present application.

According to a second variant embodiment of the invention, the spacer device is made of metal. The fixing means and the guide can be made in the form of a one-piece body. Such a spacer device can then be installed permanently.

The present invention also relates to a guide for such a spacer device, characterized in that the guide comprises a contact zone decomposing into a first track and a second track extending on either side of means resistance to movement, in that the displacement resistance means comprise at least one constriction in the contact zone, and in that the guide is designed so that the contact zone is formed in a housing having at least one at least one covering wall protecting said contact zone from any projection and / or any inadvertent soil deposit, the housing comprising two side walls disposed on either side of the covering wall.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective de dessus du dispositif d'écartement selon l'invention en position de fermeture ;
• La figure 2 est une vue en perspective de dessous du dispositif d'écartement représenté à la figure 1 ;
• La figure 3 est une vue similaire à la figure 2, lorsque le dispositif d'écartement est en position d'ouverture ;
• La figure 4 est une vue détail du dispositif d'écartement représenté à la figure 3 au niveau des moyens de résistance au déplacement ;
• La figure 5 est une vue du dispositif d'écartement selon l'invention en position d'ouverture, une fois monté sur un véhicule ;
• La figure 6 est une vue depuis l'intérieur du véhicule du dispositif d'écartement en position de fermeture.

The implementation of the invention will be better understood with the aid of the detailed description which is explained below with reference to the appended drawing in which:

• The figure 1 is a perspective view from above of the spacer device according to the invention in the closed position;
• The figure 2 is a perspective view from below of the spacer device shown in FIG. figure 1 ;
• The figure 3 is a view similar to the figure 2 when the spacer is in the open position;
• The figure 4 is a detail view of the spacer device shown in FIG. figure 3 at the level of the displacement resistance means;
• The figure 5 is a view of the spacer device according to the invention in the open position, when mounted on a vehicle;
• The figure 6 is a view from inside the vehicle of the spacer in the closed position.

A spacer device 1 according to the invention, as shown in FIGS. Figures 1 to 4 , is broken down into three distinct parts, preferably made of a plastic material, namely respectively a stirrup 2, a guide 3 passing through the stirrup 2, and a support element 4 to which is attached the guide 3. It must however be well understood that an alternative embodiment could consist in the fact of making the support member 4 and the guide 3 integrally.

More specifically, and as represented in Figures 5 and 6 , the stirrup 2 and the support element 4 constitute respectively the first fixing means of the spacer device 1 on a fixed element, in this case a frame 6 of a motor vehicle, and the second fixing means of the spreading device 1 on an opening element, in this case a door 5. The door 5 is articulated around the frame 6 by means of a plurality of hinges 30.

The stirrup 2 is made in one piece and comprises a substantially rectangular edge 7 delimiting a central opening 8. On either side of the latter, each long side is extended symmetrically by a fastening zone comprising a central bore 9 .

A follower element, made in the form of a substantially cylindrical sliding finger 10 disposed in the plane of the stirrup 2, protrudes from one of the long sides and opens into the central opening 8. This sliding finger 10 is arranged so as to extend parallel to a line joining the centers of the two bores 9.

The support element 4 comprises an elongate plate 11 having an orifice 12 at each of its two ends, from which a l-shaped partition 13 protrudes. This partition 13 comprises a base 15 surmounted by a pin 16.

The guide 3 is in the form of a slightly curved elongated piece, and has a U-shaped cross-section. For this purpose, this guide 3 comprises a covering wall 17, as well as two side walls 18 arranged on both sides. other of said cover wall 17, and perpendicular thereto. The width of the covering wall 17 is chosen so that the smallest distance separating the inner faces of the two side walls 18 is substantially equal to the diameter of the sliding finger 10.

This guide 3 has a first end ending in a bore 19 designed to cooperate with the stud 16 by conjugation of shapes. The guide 3 can therefore rotate to a certain extent around the stud 16 so as to make the spacing device 1 adaptable and therefore usable on different types of vehicle. This guide 3 also has a second end constituted by a semi-cylindrical partition 20 forming a stop.

Near the second end of the guide 3, each inner face of the side walls 18 has an internal shoulder forming a springboard 21.

These two springboards 21 face each other, and act as displacement resistance means in the form of a throttling. More specifically, the internal faces constitute a zone of contact with the sliding finger 10, and this contact zone is broken down into, on the one hand, a first track 22 extending from the first end of the guide 3 to said springboards 21, and on the other hand, a second track 23 going schematically from said springboards 21 to the vicinity of the partition 20.

The springboards 21 are designed to have an ascending slope towards the second track 23.

As represented in Figures 5 and 6 , the mounting of the spacer device 1 on the vehicle is carried out as follows.

The second end of the guide 3 has been previously slid through the central opening 8 of the stirrup 2. The sliding finger 10 is therefore in contact with the internal walls of the side walls 18, preferably at the first track 22.

As can be deduced more particularly from figure 6 , the stirrup 2 is first fixed in an amount of the frame 6 by means of two fastening screws 26 inserted in the bores 9 of the stirrup 2 and in two corresponding bores formed in said amount. The latter has two openings 24, 25 facing each other in order to allow the passage of the first end of the guide 3.

It should be understood that the stirrup 2 has been fixed so that the covering wall 17 of the guide 3 is arranged above the sliding finger 10. The covering wall 17 and the side walls 18 then constitute a tunnel-shaped housing in which the sliding finger 10, as well as the inner faces of the side walls 18, are protected from any type of projections and / or unwanted soiling that may occur for example during the steps of applying a or layers of paint. Consequently, the friction of the sliding finger 10 against the contact zone of the guide 3 does not generate any flake or dust liable to deposit, under the effect of gravity and / or projection (s), on parts of the buildings located below.

The bore 19 of the guide 3 is then fitted on the pin 16, and the support member 4 is fixed in the door 5 via its plate 11, as shown in FIG. figure 5 . For this, two fixing screws 27 are inserted into the two orifices 12 and into two corresponding orifices formed in the said door 5.

In one direction or the other, the springboards 21 constitute a point of resistance which, to be overcome, requires an increase in the forces exerted on the door 5. In doing so, the sliding finger 10 can cross the throttle causing the elastic deformation of the springboards 21 so as to widen the passage.

When the door 5 is placed in the open position, the sliding finger 10 is stabilized between the springboards 21 and the partition 20, the yoke 2 then bearing against said partition 20.

It should be noted that the support element and the guide may alternatively be made in one piece. The degree of latitude consisting in the possible rotation of the bore 19 around the pin 16 will thereby be suppressed.

Although the invention has been described in connection with particular embodiments, it is obvious that it is not limited thereto and that it comprises all the technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations if they are within the scope of the invention.

Claims (9)

1. A device (1) for spacing an opening element (5) away from a fixed element (6), said spacing device comprising, on the one hand, first means (2) for fastening to the opening element or the fixed element and, on the other hand, second means (4) for fastening to the fixed element or the opening element, the second fastening means being extended by a guide (3) comprising a zone of contact which is made up of a first track (22) and a second track (23) extending on either side of means (21) for resisting movement, the first fastening means being equipped with at least one follower element (10) designed to be moved along the zone of contact in order that the opening element can be located either in a closed position or an open position depending on whether the follower element is in contact with the first track or with the second track, characterized in that the guide is designed such that the zone of contact is formed in a housing having at least one covering wall (17) protecting said zone of contact from any splashing and/or from any deposition of unwanted dirt, said housing comprising two side walls (18) located on either side of the covering wall (17).
2. The spacing device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each side wall (18) has an inner face and in that the contact surface is formed in said inner faces.
3. The spacing device (1) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the guide (3) has an approximately inverted-U-shaped cross section once positioned in the opening element (6) or in the corresponding fixed element (5).
4. The spacing device (1) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first fastening means comprise a bracket (2).
5. The spacing device (1) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the follower element comprises an approximately cylindrical sliding finger (10).
6. The spacing device (1) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the means (21) for resisting movement comprise at least one narrowing formed in the zone of contact.
7. The spacing device (1) as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the narrowing is made with the aid of at least two elastically deformable elements located opposite one another.
8. The spacing device (1) as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that each elastically deformable element consists of an internal shoulder forming a ramp (21) in the direction of the second track (23).
9. A guide (3) for a spacing device (1) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the guide comprising a zone of contact which is made up of a first track (22) and a second track (23) extending on either side of means (21) for resisting movement, in that the means for resisting movement comprise at least one narrowing formed in the zone of contact, and in that the guide is designed such that the zone of contact is formed in a housing having at least one covering wall (17) protecting said zone of contact from any splashing and/or from any deposition of unwanted dirt, the housing comprising two side walls (18) located on either side of the covering wall (17).

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