EP4238180A1 - Passive thermal protection of a connectivity box by means of an insulating foam - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the thermal insulation of a connectivity box of a land motor vehicle, and in particular to an insulating foam (81; 82; 83) configured to define a cooling tank (14) of the connectivity box.

Description

Description

Title: Passive thermal protection by an insulating foam of a connectivity box

The present invention claims the priority of French application 2010989 filed on 27.10.2020, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention belongs to the field of electronic components responsible for the connectivity of a motorized land vehicle. In particular, it relates to the passive cooling of a connectivity box housed in an opening in the roof of the vehicle.

“Motor land vehicle” means any type of vehicle such as a motor vehicle, a moped, an airplane, a train, a motorcycle, a storage robot in a warehouse, etc.

“Housed in an opening in the roof” means that the connectivity box is placed in the opening. In particular, it can be inserted into a housing (cavity of the bodywork dedicated to receiving the case) then glued or screwed. In one embodiment, the box is glued or screwed to the bodywork, above an opening.

The latest generation connectivity boxes are generally linked directly to an exterior surface of the vehicle. Such an arrangement poses problems of overheating of the electronic components included in the case. These electronic components themselves generate significant thermal energy (heat) and, by their arrangement on the bodywork, are subject to the thermal energy provided by the external environment.

Typically, a connectivity box itself generating significant thermal energy housed in a body painted in a dark color (body color), receiving direct sunlight can see its operation degraded.

There is therefore a need to limit the effects of overheating of the connectivity boxes.

The present invention improves the situation. To this end, a first aspect of the invention relates to a land motor vehicle comprising:

- a roof, one side of the roof being outside the vehicle;

- a headliner, one side of the headliner being in the passenger compartment of the vehicle;

- a connectivity box housed in an opening in the roof;

- An insulating foam configured to define a cooling tank of the connectivity box, the cooling tank being included in an intermediate space formed between the roof and the headliner; wherein the headliner has an air vent configured for airflow between the passenger compartment and the coolant reservoir.

The cooling tank thus defined puts cool air, or less at least less hot, to the device of the connectivity box.

Indeed, the circulation of air with the passenger compartment allows the tank to be at a temperature close to that of the passenger compartment.

Efficient and easy-to-implement cooling is thus proposed. It is simple to implement because the assembly of the foam is simple, it suffices for example to assemble it to the connectivity box and to assemble the box to the vehicle, the foam being simply compressed.

In one embodiment, the cooling reservoir is located under the connectivity box. Thus, the sun's rays on the body do not heat the tank.

In one embodiment, the insulating foam conforms to a contour of the underside of the connectivity box. Thus, the sun's rays on the body do not heat the tank.

In one embodiment, the insulating foam is assembled by clipping to the connectivity box. Thus, the foam is very simple to assemble. A second aspect of the invention relates to a method for mounting a motorized land vehicle according to the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising:

- a first step of assembling the insulating foam to the connectivity box;

- a second assembly step of the foam and the box to the headliner, the second assembly step comprising at least partial crushing of the foam on the headliner.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examination of the detailed description below, and of the appended drawings in which:

[Fig 1] is a diagram illustrating a roof of the vehicle comprising the connectivity box according to one embodiment of the invention;

[Fig 2] is a diagram illustrating the connectivity box according to one embodiment of the invention;

[Fig 3] is a diagram illustrating the underside of the connectivity box with a foam according to one embodiment of the invention;

[Fig 4] is a diagram illustrating a view of the connectivity box housed in the pavilion according to one embodiment of the invention.

The invention is described below in its non-limiting application to the case of a connectivity box installed on a roof, also called a roof, of a motor vehicle. Other applications, such as a connectivity box installed on the handlebars of an electric bicycle or placed on a headlight of a moped are also possible.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a roof of the vehicle comprising the connectivity box according to one embodiment of the invention. In particular, Figure 1 shows the roof 2 (part of the roof is shown in Figure 1) of the vehicle.

The connectivity box 4 is included on the roof. In particular, the box 4 is housed in an opening in the roof, as will be illustrated in Figure 4.

The visible face of the flag in Figure 1 is located outside the vehicle.

Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the connectivity box according to one embodiment of the invention.

The connectivity box 4 comprises an antenna 41 and a processing box 42. The antenna, of the shark fin type, comprises several antennas according to the communication channels concerned (wifi, cellular, etc.) which are connected to components present in the box 42. Said components are configured to process, and therefore for example to modulate/demodulate, the signals received by the antennas.

Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the underside of the connectivity box with a foam according to one embodiment of the invention.

The bottom of the connectivity box 4 is represented here, in particular a lower part of the processing box 42.

An insulating foam 8 is assembled to the connectivity box. As will be detailed below with reference to FIG. 4, the foam thus forms a cooling reservoir under the connectivity box. In particular, the insulating foam follows a contour of the lower face of the connectivity box.

The insulating foam is assembled by clipping to the connectivity box. One of the clips 6 is shown in Figure 3. The term "assembly by clipping" means any assembly where a deformable part is placed by deformation on another part, once the assembly is complete, the deformable part resumes its initial shape and returns thus possible an assembly of the two parts. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a view of the connectivity box housed in the pavilion according to one embodiment of the invention.

In FIG. 4, the connectivity box 4 is housed in an opening of the roof 2. In particular, the antenna 41 comes out above the roof and the processing box 42 is located under the antenna and, at certain parts such as in front of the antenna, under the roof.

A headliner 12 is included in the vehicle. It delimits an upper part of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. It typically includes a textile or plastic trim for the passenger compartment. Thus, one side of the headliner being in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

An intermediate space is present between the roof 2 and the trim 12. It is in this space that the cooling tank 14 is included.

A lower front part 81, an upper front part 82 and a rear part 83 of the foam 8 are shown. Indeed, in Figure 4, the front part (consisting of parts 81 and 82) of the foam is not compressed to illustrate the positioning of the foam. In reality, once the trim is assembled to the roof on which the connectivity box was previously assembled, the front part consisting of parts 81 and 82 is compressed so that part 81 is no longer present and the entire part before compressed at the level of the part 82. The rear part 83 can also be compressed, depending on the shapes of the roof and the passenger compartment of the vehicles.

Thus, a cooling tank 14 is included in the intermediate space.

The roof lining 12 comprises a ventilation grille 10 configured for air circulation between the passenger compartment and the cooling tank. The air is therefore exchanged with the passenger compartment and thus provides active cooling devices, such as a fan, of the connectivity box with fresh air. One embodiment of the invention relates to a method for mounting a motorized land vehicle according to the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising:

- a first step of assembling the insulating foam to the connectivity box, typically by clipping; - a second assembly step of the foam and the box to the headlining, the second assembly step comprising crushing (described above with reference to Figure 4 with the compression of the front part of the foam) at least partial foam on the headliner. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above by way of examples; it extends to other variants.

Thus, an embodiment has been described in which the invention was implemented for a connectivity box having a shark fin type antenna. The invention can however be implemented for any type of antenna such as a patch or wire antenna.

Claims

Claims

1. Land motor vehicle comprising:

- a roof (2), one side of the roof being outside the vehicle;

- a headliner (12), one face of the headliner being in the passenger compartment of the vehicle;

- a connectivity box (4) housed in an opening in the roof;

- an insulating foam (8; 81; 82; 83) configured to define a cooling tank (14) of the connectivity box, the cooling tank being included in an intermediate space formed between the roof and the headliner; wherein the headliner includes an air vent (10) configured for air circulation between the passenger compartment and the coolant reservoir.

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cooling tank is located under the connectivity box.

3. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, in which the insulating foam follows a contour of the underside of the connectivity box.

4. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the insulating foam is assembled by clipping to the connectivity box.

5. A method of mounting a land motor vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, the method comprising:

- a first step of assembling the insulating foam to the connectivity box;

- a second assembly step of the foam and the box to the headliner, the second assembly step comprising at least partial crushing of the foam on the headliner.

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