FR3008309A1 - AUTOMOBILE VEHICLE WITH ACCESS FACILITATED BY THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

Vehicle (1) of the type comprising a chassis (2), a passenger compartment (3) delimited by at least a portion of the chassis (2) and a device (10) for lowering and raising the rear of the passenger compartment (3) respectively by raising and lowering the rear wheels (4) of the vehicle (1) relative to the passenger compartment (3), said lowering and lifting device (10) comprising, for each rear wheel (4) vehicle (1), a cylinder (11) coupled to the chassis (2) and a damper (12). Said device (10) further comprises, for each rear wheel, an arm (15) pivoting connecting said wheel (4) to the frame (2) of the vehicle, a first end (13) of the damper (12) is pivotally coupled to this arm (15) / wheel (4) assembly and the second end (14) of the damper (12) is coupled to the jack (11) and mounted under the action of said ram (11) movable between a lowered road position, rear wheels (4), and a raised position of the wheels (4) rear relative to the passenger compartment.

Description

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle of the type comprising a chassis, a passenger compartment delimited by at least a part of the chassis, this cabin being provided with a floor, and a device for lowering and lifting the rear of the passenger compartment. respectively by raising and lowering the rear wheels of the vehicle relative to the passenger compartment, to allow easy access to the passenger compartment from the rear of the vehicle. It relates more particularly to a motor vehicle of the type of which the device for lowering and lifting the rear of the passenger compartment comprises, for each rear wheel of the vehicle, a cylinder coupled to the frame and extending in the forward / reverse direction of the vehicle, these jacks of the pair of rear wheels being configured to operate in synchronism and a damper in the form of a deformable elongated body. Such a vehicle is already described in patent FR 2 315 254. The lowering and lifting device allows, in the raised position of the wheels corresponding to the lowering of the floor of the passenger compartment towards the ground, to facilitate access to the vehicle from the rear of the vehicle, in particular to a person traveling in a wheelchair. Indeed, it becomes easy for the disabled user, once the floor of the vehicle lowered substantially to the ground level and tilted backwards, to open the tailgate or the rear door of the vehicle and engage in housing the cabin without leaving his chair, while being able to act autonomously, without outside help. However, the existing lowering and lifting devices are relatively complex and bulky.

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a motor vehicle of the aforementioned type, the design of the lowering and lifting device of the rear of the cabin is simpler and more compact, compared to the state of the technical, without compromising the characteristics in terms of the damping of the vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to propose a motor vehicle of the aforementioned type, the design of which makes it possible to integrate in the lowering and lifting device, a damper with operation similar to those existing on vehicles not provided with such a device. lowering and lifting. To this end, the subject of the invention is a motor vehicle of the type comprising a chassis, a passenger compartment delimited by at least a part of the chassis, this cabin being provided with a floor, and a device for lowering and lifting the vehicle. rear of the passenger compartment, respectively by raising and lowering the rear wheels of the vehicle relative to the passenger compartment, to allow easy access to the passenger compartment from the rear of the vehicle, said lowering and lifting device comprising, for each rear wheel of the vehicle, a jack coupled at one of its ends, said first end, to the chassis, adapted to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, these jacks of the pair of rear wheels being configured to operate in synchronism, and a damper in the form of an elongate deformable body, characterized in that said lowering and lifting device further comprises, for each rear wheel a linkage arm of said wheel to the chassis of the vehicle, said arm being a pivoting arm mounted at a first end, on the chassis, to pivot about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel; - In that an end, said first end, of the damper is pivotally coupled to the second end of said arm; - In that the other end, said second end, of the damper is coupled directly or indirectly to the other end said second end of the cylinder and mounted, under the action of an extension and a retraction said cylinder, movable between a first position corresponding to the lowered position, said road, rear wheels, and a second position corresponding to the raised position of the rear wheels relative to the passenger compartment, so that the rear of the floor the passenger compartment is lowered.

Preferably, the lowering and lifting device comprises for this second end of the damper, in the first position of this end, means for limiting the upward and downward displacement of this second end of the damper in the direction of the damper. 'a reconciliation or a separation of the floor of the passenger compartment. These displacement limiting means ensure a secure hold in position of the second end of the damper in the road position of the rear wheels. Preferably, the displacement limiting means comprise a male member and a female member mounted one on the chassis, the other integral in displacement of the second end of the damper, said male and female members being able to pass through. a position inserted into one another in the first position of said second end to a position not inserted in second position of said second end of the damper. Preferably, the displacement limiting means comprise a notch provided on the frame and a finger mounted integral with displacement of the second end of the damper and adapted to pass from a position inserted into the notch in the first position of said second end at a position out of the notch in second position of said second end of the damper.

Preferably, the link arm of the wheel to the frame and the damper extend in the extension of one another, substantially aligned, in the raised position of the rear wheels, and form between them an angle close to 900 in the lowered position of road of the rear wheels. Preferably, the linkage arm of the wheel to the frame extends substantially parallel to the floor, and the damper substantially perpendicular to the floor, in the lowered position of the rear wheels road. This results in compactness of the assembly and simple operation of the device. Preferably, the connecting arm of the wheel to the frame is a pulled arm.

Preferably, the jack is pivotally coupled to the frame by a pivot connection axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheels and extends, in the coupled state, above the link arm of the wheel. frame. Preferably, the extension of the jack corresponds to the passage from the first to the second position of the second end of the damper, and the retraction of the jack corresponds to the passage from the second to the first position of said second end. Preferably, the second end of the damper is, in the state coupled directly or indirectly to the cylinder, further coupled to the frame. This results in increased strength of the device. Preferably, the connection of the second end of the damper to the frame is formed by a rod pivoting about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheels. The cylinder is coupled to the second end of the damper via the connecting rod to which it is connected by a pivot link axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheels 15. When the vehicle is of the type comprising at least one access ramp to the passenger compartment, pivotally mounted about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheels, between a lowered ground support position and a raised position inside the passenger compartment, each ramp is coupled to a movable part of the lowering and lifting device by a mechanical connection for a synchronous movement of each ramp and the rear wheels, so as to allow, parallel to the passage of the rear wheels from the lowered road position to the raised position, the passage of each ramp from the raised position to the lowered position. The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: FIG. 1 represents a side view of a vehicle in the raised position of the rear wheels and lowered by ramps, for access behind the cockpit by a person in a wheelchair; - Figure 2 shows a partial schematic view of the rear portion of a vehicle in the lowered position of road rear wheels; FIG. 3 shows a partial view of FIG. 2, the rear wheel having been removed in order to better visualize the lowering and lifting device; - Figure 4 shows a partial schematic view of the rear part of a vehicle in the raised position of the rear wheels; - Figure 5 shows a partial view of Figure 4, the rear wheel has been removed to better visualize the lowering device and lifting. As mentioned above, the automobile vehicle 1, object of the invention, is more particularly intended to allow easy access to the passenger compartment from the rear of the vehicle, especially for people traveling in a wheelchair 8. This vehicle 1 may also be used as a commercial vehicle, to facilitate loading and unloading of cargo from the rear. Preferably, this vehicle is an electric vehicle, although the invention also applies to vehicles with internal combustion engine. This vehicle comprises a chassis 2, a passenger compartment 3 provided with a floor 6 and defined by at least a portion of the frame 2, wheels comprising at least 20 a driving front wheel and two non-driving rear wheels 4 and independent one by report to the other. This vehicle 1 further comprises, for each rear wheel 4, a device 10 for lowering and lifting the rear of the passenger compartment, respectively by raising and lowering the rear wheels 4 of the vehicle relative to the passenger compartment 3.

This device 10 for lowering and lifting comprises, for each rear wheel 4, a cylinder 11 adapted to extend in the forward / backward direction of the vehicle, that is to say in the direction of the length (and not of the width) of the vehicle, in a vertical longitudinal plane with one end positioned towards the front of the vehicle. This jack is in the form of an elongated element, conventionally formed of a body and a rod. This cylinder is coupled to one of its ends, said first end, in this case, here, body side, to the frame. This coupling is here a pivotal coupling. The jack is thus pivotally coupled to the chassis by a pivot link axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheels. The lowering and lifting device 10 further comprises, for each rear wheel 4, a damper 12 in the form of a deformable elongate body and an arm 15 for connecting the wheel 4 to the chassis 2 of the vehicle, said arm 15 wheel carrier being a pivoting arm mounted on the frame 2 to pivot about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel 4. This arm 15 is connected to one of its ends, said first end to the chassis by a pivot link axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheels 4, so that, in the same way as the cylinder, the arm 15 can extend in the forward / reverse direction, c that is, in the direction of the length and not the width of the vehicle. The first connecting end of the arm 15 to the frame 2 is shown at 151 in the figures. The arm 15 is at or near its other end, said second end, coupled to the wheel 4, in particular to the hub 41 of the wheel so that the wheel is mounted free to rotate relative to said arm. This connecting arm 15 is here a pulled arm disposed beneath the cylinder 11. The damper 12 has one of its ends, said first end 13, pivotally coupled to the second end of the arm 15 and the other end. end, said second end 14, indirectly or directly coupled to the cylinder 11, in this case the second end of the cylinder, that is to say the rod side of the cylinder. The first end of the damper is coupled to the second end of the connecting arm opposite to that coupled to the frame, this end of the link arm carrying said wheel. The pivot connection between the first end 13 of the damper and the second end of the arm 15 is again a pivot link axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheels 4. The second end 14 of the damper is as to it is coupled directly or indirectly to the cylinder at the end, said second end, of the jack opposite to that, said first end, coupled to the frame, that is to say the rod side of the jack. This second end 14 of the damper is thus mounted, under the action of an extension of the cylinder 11, movable from a first position corresponding to the lowered position, said road, rear wheels 4 to a second position corresponding to the raised position of the rear wheels 4 relative to the passenger compartment, so that, in this raised position, the rear of the floor 6 of the passenger compartment is lowered and, under the action of retraction of the cylinder, mobile since the second position to the first position. Due to the configuration described above, the link arm of the wheel 4 to the frame and the damper 12 extend in the extension of each other substantially aligned or at an obtuse angle preferably 125 ° neighbor in the raised position of the rear wheels 4 and form between them an angle of 90 ° or an acute angle in the lowered position of road wheels 4 rear. It should be noted that, by "angle close to 90 °" or an acute angle, is meant that, in the lowered position of the rear wheels road, the linkage arm 25 of the wheel 4 to the chassis and the damper 12 form between them an angle between 70 ° and 100 °. In the lowered position of the road of the rear wheels 4, the arm 15 connecting the wheel 4 to the chassis extends substantially parallel to the floor 6, that is to say forms with the plane parallel to the floor and passing through the axis pivot arm 15 an angle between -10 ° and +100 and the damper 12 extends substantially perpendicular to the floor 6, that is to say forms an angle between 80 ° and 1000 with the floor surface. To enhance the solidity of the assembly, the second end 14 of the damper 12 is coupled directly or indirectly to the cylinder 11 and further directly or indirectly coupled to the chassis 2. In the examples shown, the second end 14 of the damper is coupled by a connecting rod 17 to the frame, the links between connecting rod and the second end of the damper on the one hand, and rod and frame on the other hand, being, in each case, pivot connections to pivoting about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheels. In this embodiment, the cylinder 11 is coupled indirectly to the second end 14 of the damper 12 and is thus fixed by the end of its rod pivotally to the rod 17. The lowering device and the lifting comprises, for this second end 14 of the damper 12, in the first position of this end 14, means 16 for limiting the displacement in rise and fall of this second end 14 of the damper 12 in the direction of a rapprochement or a spacing of the floor 6 of the passenger compartment. These means 16 for displacement limitation here comprise a notch 161 formed on the frame 2 and a finger 162 mounted integral with displacement of the second end 14 of the damper 12. In the example shown, the finger 162 is carried by the connecting rod 17 connecting the second end of the damper to the frame 2. This finger 162 is thus able to pass from a position inserted in the notch 161 in the first position of said second end 14 to a position outside the notch 161 in second position of said second end 14 of the damper 12.

The vehicle 1 further comprises one or two passenger access ramps 3 mounted to pivot about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheels 4 between a lowered ground support position and a raised position. inside the cockpit.

Each ramp 5 is coupled to a moving part of the lowering and lifting device 10 by a mechanical link 7 for a synchronous movement of each ramp 5 and the rear wheels 4, so as to allow, parallel to the passage of the rear wheels 4 from the lowered road position to the raised position, the passage of each ramp 5 from the raised position to the lowered position. This mechanical link 7 is here formed by a simple rod disposed between the pivotally rotating axis of rotation of the ramps and the connecting rod 17 of the damper to the frame and pivotally coupled to each of these elements. This rod has the function of transmitting the movement of the connecting rod to the pivot axis of the ramp. The vehicle further comprises a drive unit of the cylinders 11 of the pair of rear wheels, these cylinders being, preferably, electric cylinders. This control unit is an electronic device and / or computer control, able to transmit from input data, control signals of said cylinders. This input data can be provided from remote input data supply means such as a remote control or from input data input means integrated into the vehicle, such as control panel positioned at the dashboard of the vehicle.

These cylinders are configured to operate in synchronism and allow simultaneous movement of each of the rear wheels in the direction of raising or lowering said wheels. The operation of the lowering and lifting devices as described above is as follows: the operation of a single device associated with a rear wheel will be described below, since the operation of the other device is similar and synchronous. It is assumed that the rear wheels of the vehicle are in the lowered position as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 and that a wheelchair user wishes to gain access to the interior of the vehicle. The person therefore controls, for example using a remote control, the operation of the cylinder 11 in the direction of an extension. This extension of the jack causes a pivotal movement of the rod 17, which generates an extraction of the finger 162 of the notch 161 and a displacement of the second end 14 of the damper 12 towards the rear of the vehicle. This displacement causes the connecting arm 15 and the damper 12 to pass from a position in which they together form an angle substantially 900 to one another with the damper positioned vertically (see FIG. 3) at a position in which they are positioned. extend substantially in alignment with each other (see FIG. 5), which results in a lift relative to the passenger compartment of the connection zone between the first end of the shock absorber and the link arm and therefore, a rise of the rear wheel 4 which is coupled to the link arm substantially at the level of this connecting zone.

Parallel to this displacement of the rear wheel 4, the ramp 5 unfolds to bear against the ground. In this lowered position of the rear part of the floor and deployed ramps, access to the cabin can take place. Once access is complete, simply actuate the cylinder in the direction of a retraction to reposition the link arm 15 and the damper 12 in a position corresponding to the lowered road position of the rear wheels. During this retraction, the finger 162 is locked in the notch 161 to limit the movement up and down the second end 14 of the damper 12.

Claims (10)

REVENDICATIONS1. Vehicle (1) of the type comprising a chassis (2), a passenger compartment (3) delimited by at least a part of the chassis (2), this cabin (3) being provided with a floor (6), and a device ( 10) lowering and lifting the rear of the passenger compartment (3), respectively by raising and lowering the wheels (4) rear of the vehicle (1) relative to the passenger compartment (3), to allow access facilitated to the passenger compartment (3) by the rear of the vehicle (1), said lowering and lifting device (10) comprising, for each rear wheel (4) of the vehicle (1), a jack (11) coupled by one of its ends, said first end, to the frame (2), able to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle (1), these jacks (11) of the pair of rear wheels being configured to operate in synchronism, and a damper (12) in the form of an elongate deformable body, characterized in that: said device (10) for lowering and the lift also comprises, for each rear wheel, an arm (15) connecting said wheel (4) to the frame (2) of the vehicle, said arm (15) being a pivoting arm (15) mounted at a first end, on the chassis (2), pivoting about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel (4), - in that an end, said first end (13), of the damper (12) ) is pivotally coupled to the second end of said arm (15) - in that the other end, said second end (14), of the damper (12) is coupled directly or indirectly to the other end second end of the jack, and mounted, under the action of an extension and a retraction of said cylinder (11), movable between a first position corresponding to the lowered position, said road, rear wheels (4), and a second position corresponding to the raised position of the wheels (4) rear relative to the passenger compartment, in such a way the rear of the floor (6) of the passenger compartment (2) is lowered. 2. Vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the device (10) for lowering and lifting comprisesfor this second end (14) of the damper (12), in the first position of this end (14) means (16) for limiting movement in upward and downward movement of this second end (14) of the damper (12) in the direction of an approaching or spacing of the floor (6) of the passenger compartment ( 3). 3. Vehicle (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the means (16) of displacement limitation comprise a notch (16) formed on the frame (2) and a finger (162) mounted integral displacement of the second end of the damper (12) and adapted to pass from a position inserted in the notch (16) in the first position of said second end (14) to a position outside the notch (16) in the second position of said second end (14) of the damper (12). 4. Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the arm (15) connecting the wheel (4) to the frame (2) and the damper (12) extend in the extension l one of the other, in a substantially aligned manner or form an obtuse angle between them, in the raised position of the rear wheels (4), and form between them an angle close to 900 or an acute angle in the lowered position of the road of the wheels ( 4) back. 5. Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the arm (15) connecting the wheel (4) to the frame (2) extends substantially parallel to the floor (6), and the damper (12) substantially perpendicular to the floor (6), in the lowered road position of the rear wheels (4). 6. Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the arm (15) connecting the wheel (4) to the frame (2) is a drawn arm. 7. Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cylinder (11) is pivotally coupled to the frame (2) by a pivot connection axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheels . 8. Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the extension of the cylinder (11) corresponds to the passage from the first to the second position of the second end (14) of the damper (12) , and in that the retraction of the cylinder (11) corresponds to the passage from the second to the first position of said second end (14). 9. Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second end (14) of the damper (12) is, in the state coupled directly or indirectly to the cylinder (11), coupled in addition to the frame (2). 10. Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, the type further comprising at least one ramp (5) access to the passenger compartment (3), pivotally mounted about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheels (4) between a lowered ground support position and a raised position inside the passenger compartment, characterized in that each ramp (5) is coupled to a movable part of the device (10) lowering and lifting by a link (7) mechanical for a synchronous movement of each ramp (5) and the wheels (4) back so as to allow, parallel to the passage of the wheels (4) rear of the lowered position of route to the raised position, the passage of each ramp (5) from the raised position to the lowered position.