EP2707253A1

EP2707253A1 - Luggage attaching device for a vehicle

Info

Publication number: EP2707253A1
Application number: EP12725341.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Fabien JACOBERGER; Richard ANSELMET
Original assignee: Altia Group
Current assignee: Altia Group
Priority date: 2011-05-11
Filing date: 2012-05-11
Publication date: 2014-03-19
Also published as: WO2012152911A1; FR2975056A1; FR2975056B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a luggage attaching device (4) for a vehicle, comprising a base (5) intended to be fixed securely to the vehicle and a loop (6) mounted in rotation about an axis (Y) with respect to the base (5), the device comprising elastic means (7) for blocking the loop (6) in a predetermined angular position.

Description

LUGGAGE ATTACHMENT DEVICE FOR VEHICLE

The present invention relates to the field of vehicles and, more specifically, a device mounted in a trunk of a motor vehicle for attaching at least one piece of luggage in said trunk.

A motor vehicle comprises a trunk located conventionally at the rear of the vehicle and in which are placed the luggage of the vehicle users. To prevent luggage from moving in the trunk when the vehicle is in motion, there is at least one luggage attachment device that securely attach a trunk net or elastic tensioners on the luggage to immobilize and thus avoid their damage. For this purpose, the trunk net or the elastic tensioners comprise at least one hook adapted to be attached to a loop of the luggage attachment device. By way of example, with reference to FIG. 1, there is known in the prior art a fastening device 1 according to the prior art which comprises a base 2 intended to be fixed to a floor 9 of the trunk of the vehicle. and a loop 3 which is rotatably mounted in the base 2 about an axis X of rotation. The base 2 of the attachment device 1 has an L shape and defines a horizontal portion 21 adapted to be fixed to the horizontal floor 9 and a vertical portion 22, integral with the horizontal portion 21, in which the loop 3 is mounted.

In operation, the loop 3 is able to rotate around the horizontal axis X to allow the attachment of the trunk net. Referring to Figure 2 showing a side view of the attachment device 1 of Figure 1, the loop 3 can be in different angular positions during its operation. Subsequently, the vertical position of the loop 3 is defined as the opening reference position PO, the angular position of the loop 3 being determined by an inclination angle α defined with respect to the open position PO as shown. in Figure 2.

Still with reference to FIG. 2, when the angle of inclination a is equal to 90 °, the loop 3 is in a first horizontal closing position referenced P1, the loop 3 being in a second horizontal closing position referenced P2 when the angle of inclination a is equal to -90 °. In other words, the angular range of displacement of the loop 3 is 180 °.

When the loop 3 is not used, the latter is placed by a user in one of the closing positions P1, P2 so that it extends horizontally without protruding from the horizontal floor 9 of the box. When luggage must be kept in the trunk, it is placed on the floor 9 and the trunk net is placed on the luggage. To secure the net, the buckle 3 is moved manually from its closed position to an open position to allow a hook of the trunk net to pass into the loop 3. In practice, the buckle 3 of the fastening device 1 is difficult to open and close by hand and can, for example, protrude from the boot floor 9 which can damage luggage placed on the floor 9. In addition, , the opening position of the buckle 3 is not stable which forces a user to use both hands to attach the trunk net to the buckle 3, a first hand to hold the net while a second hand holds the loop 3. Under the effect of gravity, the loop 3 is driven to the floor 9 and is not stable in the open position.

In order to eliminate at least some of these drawbacks, the invention relates to a luggage attachment device for a vehicle comprising a base intended to be secured to the vehicle and a loop mounted in rotation about an axis with respect to the base, the device comprising elastic means for locking the loop in a predetermined angular position.

The invention was born for a motor vehicle but it applies more generally to any vehicle whether it is land, air or sea.

The elastic means advantageously make it possible to maintain the loop of the device in a predetermined angular position by preventing the latter from falling back under the effect of gravity. The loop being locked in a stable position, an operator can introduce a hook, a tensioner, a strap or a rope in the loop using only one of his hands which is advantageous.

Preferably, the base having a yoke in which is mounted a rectilinear part of the loop, the elastic means are arranged to exert a bearing force on the straight part of the loop.

Advantageously, the elastic means act directly on the pivot connection of the loop with the base blocking the rectilinear part of the loop mounted in the yoke. This advantageously makes it possible to optimally block the loop in a given angular position while limiting the size of the fastening device.

Advantageously, the resilient means are configured to exert a calibrated support force on the rectilinear portion of the loop so as to allow manual movement of the loop by a user of a first angular position determined at a second predetermined angular position. . Thus, the user can choose the angle of inclination of the loop when attaching luggage.

More preferably, the elastic means are arranged to exert an upper bearing force on the rectilinear part when the loop is in the open position than when the loop is in a closed position. In other words, the elastic means maintain in a firm and stable manner the loop in the closed position since any angular displacement of the loop around a closed position generates a large bearing force on the straight portion so as to maintain the loop in the closed position. According to one aspect of the invention, the yoke comprises an opening in which the elastic means are in contact with the rectilinear portion of the loop. Thus, the elastic means are integrated in the device which limits its size.

Preferably, the rectilinear portion of the loop comprises at least one curvilinear outer surface adapted to cooperate with the elastic means for an angular opening position of the loop. Thus, in the open position, the elastic means exert a bearing force on the curvilinear outer surface of the buckle so as to block its rotation. Advantageously, when the outer surface is circular over a given angular range, the bearing force of the elastic means is substantially identical over the entire angular range.

More preferably, the rectilinear part of the loop comprises at least one flat adapted to cooperate with the elastic means for an angular position closing the loop. Advantageously, the flat part makes it possible to determine a preferred position of closure, any angular displacement of the loop around the closed position causing a displacement of the loop towards this closed position. In other words, the closed position is stable from a mechanical point of view.

Preferably still, the rectilinear part of the loop comprises two flats adapted to cooperate with the elastic means for two angular positions closing the loop. This gives two stable closing positions. Preferably, the closing angular positions are opposite of 180 °.

According to a preferred aspect of the invention, the resilient means cooperate by complementarity of shapes with said flat part of the loop to ensure stability of the contact with the flat and thus form a stable closed position.

According to another aspect of the invention, the elastic means are mounted in the base which allows to limit the size of the device. Preferably, the elastic means are in the form of at least one spring, preferably at least one leaf spring, such a blade having a low cost as well as reduced dimensions.

Preferably, the leaf spring has a first end secured to the base and a second free end resting on the loop, preferably on the outer surface of the straight part of the loop. Thus, the spring blade is deformed according to the profile of the outer surface in contact with the leaf spring, a curvilinear surface causing a greater deformation of the leaf spring than a flat. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing a fastening device as presented above, wherein:

elastic means are placed in a groove of a metal band, a ring is placed in the groove in contact with the elastic means, the metal band is deformed to form a base wrapping a part of the ring, the ring being connected at the base by a pin axis connection.

Such a manufacturing method is simple to implement, only elastic means to be added to form the device according to the invention. The invention will be better understood on reading the description which will follow, given solely by way of example, and referring to the appended drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a luggage attachment device according to the prior art;

Figure 2 is a side view of the device of Figure 1 according to a plurality of angular positions;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a luggage attachment device according to the invention; Figure 4 is a partial sectional view of the device of Figure 3;

FIGS. 5A-5D are views of the mounting steps of a fastening device according to FIG. 3, in particular

- Figure 5A shows a bent metal strip in which is mounted a leaf spring;

FIG. 5B represents an attachment device ring,

FIG. 5C represents the positioning of the ring of FIG. 5B on the metal strip,

FIG. 5D shows the fastening device according to the invention after crimping the ring with the leaf spring, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a fastening device according to the invention. It should be noted that the figures disclose the invention in detail to implement the invention, said figures can of course be used to better define the invention where appropriate.

Referring to Figure 3 showing a luggage attachment device 4 for a motor vehicle according to the invention, the device 4 comprises a base 5 intended to be fixed to a floor 9 of the trunk of the vehicle, and a loop 6 (or ring 6) which is rotatably mounted in the base 5 about a Y axis of rotation.

Subsequently, a horizontal plane is defined relative to the horizontal portion 51 of the base 5 which is adapted to be fixed to the horizontal floor 9 of the vehicle trunk. As shown in FIG. 3, the base 5 has in this example an L shape and defines a horizontal portion 51 adapted to be fixed to the horizontal floor 9 and a vertical portion 52, integral with the horizontal portion 51, in which is mounted the loop 6. The horizontal portion 51 of the base 5 comprises in this example a through orifice 53 arranged to receive a fixing screw and thus allow the base 5 to be secured to the floor 9 of trunk 9. It goes without saying that any other means fastening to the floor 9 could also be suitable.

The vertical portion 52 of the base 5 comprises a yoke 54 extending rectilinearly along the Y axis to receive a rectilinear portion 8 of the loop 6 in order to form a Y-axis pivot connection between the loop 6 and the base 5. In this example, the loop 6 is circumferential and has, on the one hand, a rectilinear portion 8 mounted in the yoke 54 and, on the other hand, a curvilinear portion (not referenced) capable of rotating about the Y axis for allow the attachment of a boot net, a tensioner, a strap and the like on the buckle 6. Similar to a device according to the prior art, the buckle 6 of the fastening device 4 is adapted to to be placed in an open position in which it extends substantially orthogonally to the floor of the vehicle 9 and in at least one closed position in which it extends substantially parallel to the floor of the vehicle 9. Thereafter, the vertical position of the loop 6 as the position of re aperture angle PO, the angular position of the loop 6 being determined by an inclination angle a defined with respect to the reference position PO as shown in FIG. 4. Referring to FIG. 4, when the angle d inclination a is equal to 90 °, the loop 6 is in a first horizontal closing position referenced P1, the loop 6 being in a second horizontal closing position referenced P2 when the angle of inclination a is equal to -90 ° . In this example, the loop 6 is able to move over an angular range of 180 °, but it goes without saying that the angular range could be different, for example, equal to 90 °.

An opening position of the loop 6 corresponds to an angular position of the loop 6 around its reference position, preferably between -50 ° and + 50 °.

In order to maintain the loop 6 in the open position and prevent the latter from falling under the effect of gravity, the device 4 according to the invention comprises elastic means 7 for locking the loop 6. The elastic means 7 are arranged to exert a pressing force F on the rectilinear part 8 of the loop 6 in order to block the rotation of the latter in the yoke 54 as shown in FIG. 3. In other words, the support force F of the elastic means 7 opposes the force of gravity and makes it possible to keep the buckle 6 in the open position, that is to say say, for an angle of inclination between -50 ° and + 50 °. Preferably, the elastic means 7 make it possible to block the loop 6 at its reference open position PO. More preferably, the elastic means are configured to exert a bearing force F passing through the center of gravity of the loop 6.

The support force F of the elastic means 7 is advantageously calibrated so as to allow manual movement of the loop 6 by a user of a first determined angular position at a second predetermined angular position. Thus, the user can choose and change the opening position of the loop 6 when attaching luggage.

In this example, the elastic means 7 are in the form of a leaf spring 7, which is mounted in the base 5 as shown in Figures 3 and 4. In particular, the leaf spring 7 has a first end 71 secured to the base 5 and a second free end 72 bearing on the loop 6, in particular on the straight portion 8 of the loop 6. Preferably, the first end 71 of the leaf spring 7 is mounted in the part horizontal 51 and in the vertical part 52 of the base 5 as shown in Figure 4. In this example, the base 5 is formed by deformation of a metal blade so as to form a base 5 whose thickness comprises two metal layers , the first end 71 of the leaf spring 7 is mounted between the two thicknesses of the base 5 as shown in Figure 4.

The yoke 54 of the base 5 comprises, in this example, an opening 55 (Figure 3) by which the rectilinear portion 8 is visible from the outside. In other words, the yoke 54 has two lugs 56 spaced from each other by the opening 55.

The second free end 72 of the leaf spring 7 extends substantially vertically and is supported on the outer surface of the straight portion 8 of the loop 6 located in the opening 55 of the yoke 54. The outer surface of the portion rectilinear 8 of the loop 6, located in the ears 56, is preferably circular so as to allow the rectilinear portion 8 to rotate in the yoke 54 and form a Y-axis pivot connection.

Referring to Figure 4, in order to stabilize the loop 6 in its closed positions P1, P2, the straight portion 8 of the loop 6, located in the opening 55, comprises two flats 81, 83 adapted to cooperate with the means resilient 7 in the closing angular positions P1, P2 of the loop 6. In this example, the flats 81, 83 extend orthogonally to the plane in which the ring 6 globally fits.

The flats 81, 83 are diametrically opposed to the surface of the rectilinear part 8 of the loop, since the closing positions P1, P2 are diametrically opposed (angle of inclination equal to -90 ° or + 90 °). Thus, if one traverses circumferentially the outer surface of the straight portion 8 of the loop 6, the latter comprises successively a first flat 81, a first curvilinear surface 82, a second flat 83 and a second curvilinear surface 84. angular range of the first curvilinear surface 82 corresponds to the angular range of the opening positions of the loop 6.

When the loop 6 is in the first closed position P1, the leaf spring 7, whose free end 72 is flat, bears flat on the first flat 81 which stabilizes the position of the loop 6 because of the complementarity of shapes between the flat 81 and the leaf spring 7. Indeed, any angular displacement of the loop 6 around its first closed position P1 (+ 90 °) tends to bring the loop 6 in the first closed position P1 . For example, a displacement of the loop 6 to the + 85 ° angular position causes a bearing force F automatically returning the loop 6 in the first closed position P1. To place the loop 6 in an open position, a user manually raises the loop 6 so that the latter is substantially vertical, the leaf spring 7 then being in contact with the first curvilinear surface 82 of the straight portion 8 .

The elastic means 7, in particular the leaf spring 7, are arranged to exert a greater support force F on the rectilinear part 8 when the loop 6 is in the open position than when the loop 6 is in a closed position . Indeed, the curvilinear surfaces 82, 84 of the straight portion 8 of the loop 6 more significantly deform the leaf spring 7 than the flats 81, 83. Due to the resilient nature of the leaf spring 7, the force of The support F is proportional to the deformation of the leaf spring 7.

The invention has been presented with two flats 81, 83 corresponding to the two closed positions P1, P2 but it goes without saying that the loop 6 could comprise only one flat for a single closed position or more than two flats for more than two closing positions. In the closed position, the ring 6 is held in a plane parallel to the horizontal portion 51 of the base 5 which is adapted to be fixed to the horizontal floor 9 of the vehicle trunk.

The method of manufacturing a fastening device according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 5A-5D. With reference to FIG. 5A, the base 5 of the fastening device 4 is in the form of a longitudinal metal strip (metal strip) which is bent so as to form a groove intended to receive the ring 6. The base 5 is for example made by mechanical or hydraulic forming from a flat metal strip.

The base 5 has a longitudinal opening 55 in which is placed the leaf spring 7. The base 5 comprises successively a first horizontal portion 51A, a first vertical portion 52A, a second vertical portion 52B and a second horizontal portion 52A as shown in Figure 5A. The first and second horizontal portions 51A, 51B are arranged to cooperate together to form a horizontal portion 51 of the base 5 having a double thickness of metal strip. The first and second horizontal portions 51 A, 51 B respectively comprise a first orifice 53A and a second orifice 53B which are arranged to form, after cooperation, a through hole 53. Similarly, the first and second vertical portions 52A, 52B are arranged to cooperate together to form a vertical portion 52 of the base 5 having a double thickness of metal strip.

FIG. 5C shows the assembly of the ring 6 of FIG. 5B in the groove of the base 5, the ring 6 having for example been produced by mechanical or hydraulic forming. The rectilinear portion 8 of the ring 6 is placed in the groove of the base 5 and bears on the leaf spring 7. After positioning the base 5, the ring 6 and the leaf spring 7 as illustrated on the 5C, the base 5 is deformed so that, on the one hand, the first and second horizontal portions 51A, 51B are in contact with each other to form the horizontal portion 51 of the base 5 and, on the other hand, the first and second vertical portions 52A, 52B are in contact with each other to form the vertical portion 52 of the base 5 as shown in Figure 5D. The deformation of the base 5 is preferably carried out by mechanical or hydraulic crimping. After deformation, the ring 6 is housed between the two thicknesses of the strip 5. The invention has been presented for a passenger vehicle having a boot net, but it goes without saying that the attachment device applies to all land vehicle, for example, a commercial vehicle in which baggage or parcels are held stationary by means of turnbuckles, ropes or straps connected to fasteners. The invention applies more generally to a maritime or air vehicle. For a boat, the attachment device is preferably made of stainless steel.

Furthermore, the invention has been presented previously for a fastening device 1 having an L-shaped base 5. It goes without saying that the base 5 can have various shapes. For example, the invention also relates to a fastening device 14 comprising a straight base 15 in which is mounted a ring 6 'as shown in Figure 6. In this example, the flats of the ring 6' s 'extend parallel to the plane in which the ring 6' globally fits. Thus, in the closed position, the ring 6 'is held in a plane parallel to the right base 15.

Claims

Vehicle luggage attachment device (4) having a base (5) to be secured to the vehicle and a loop (6) rotatably mounted about an axis (Y) relative to the base (5). ), the base (5) being in the form of a longitudinal metal strip (5) which is bent to form a groove for receiving the loop (6) between the two thicknesses of the strip (5), characterized in that it comprises at least one spring blade (7) for locking the loop (6) in a predetermined angular position, the leaf spring (7) having a first end (71) integral with the base (5) and a second free end (72) resting on the loop (6).

Device according to claim 1, wherein, the base (5) having a yoke (54) in which is mounted a rectilinear portion (8) of the loop (6), the leaf spring (7) is arranged to exert a force of support (F) on the rectilinear part (8) of the loop (6).

Device according to claim 2, wherein the spring blade (7) is arranged to exert an upper bearing force (F) on the rectilinear part (8) when the buckle (6) is in the open position only when the buckle (6) is in a closed position

Device according to one of claims 2 to 3, wherein the rectilinear portion (8) of the loop (6) comprises at least one curvilinear outer surface (82, 84) adapted to cooperate with the spring blade (7) for a position angular opening of the loop (6).

Device according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the rectilinear portion (8) of the loop (6) comprises at least one flat (81, 83) adapted to cooperate with the spring blade (7) for an angular position of closing the loop (6).

Device according to claim 5, wherein the rectilinear portion (8) of the loop (6) comprises two flats (81, 83) adapted to cooperate with the spring blade (7) for two angular positions closing the loop (6). .

Device according to one of claims 5 to 6, wherein the spring blade (7) cooperates in complementary form with said flat (81, 83) of the loop (6).

A method of manufacturing a fastening device (4) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein:

at least one spring blade (7) is placed in a groove of a metal band, a ring (6) is placed in the groove in contact with the spring blade (7), the metal band is deformed to form a base (5). ) wrapping a portion of the ring (6), the ring (6) being connected to the base (5) by a pin pivot connection (Y), the leaf spring having a first end (71) integral with the base (5) and a second free end (72) resting on the ring (6).