FR3063463B1 - OPTICAL BLOCK OF A MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH A DECORATION ATTACHMENT FIXED BY AT LEAST ONE DEFORMABLE STAPLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an optical unit for a motor vehicle comprising a housing (20) enclosing at least one lighting or signaling light and having an exit opening covered by a transparent cover glass (30) fixed to said housing (20) on the periphery of said opening, said optical block further comprising a decorative accessory (40) comprising a trim (41) extending along a portion of the peripheral edge (31) of said ice (30) being at less partially pressed against the outer face of the latter, said decorative accessory (40) being fixed to said housing (20) on a peripheral collar (22) extending around the periphery of said opening and by means of fastening means having at least one loop-shaped clip (60) comprising two U-shaped end portions cooperating respectively with said peripheral collar (22) of the housing (20) and with said decorative accessory (40).

Description

Title of invention

Motor vehicle optical unit fitted with a decoration accessory fixed by at least one deformable clip

Field of the invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of optical units for motor vehicles. It relates more particularly to such an optical unit provided with a decoration accessory.

Invention background

Front or rear optical units for motor vehicles conventionally comprise a housing containing at least one lighting or signaling light provided with at least one light source associated with a light ray reflector.

The housing is also provided with an outlet opening for the light rays which is covered by a transparent cover glass fixed to the housing around the periphery of this outlet opening.

We know from patent application EP 0 865 965, such an optical unit provided with a decorative accessory comprising a cover which is at least partially pressed against the external face of the glass in order to improve the aesthetic rendering of this optical unit. .

The decoration accessory also includes a double-sided adhesive tape interposed between the inner face of the hubcap and the outer face of the glass in order to fix this hubcap directly on the glass.

However, this solution does not make it possible to offer an optimal visual rendering because of the thickness of the adhesive tape which prevents the hubcap from being perfectly pressed against the outside face of the glass.

On the other hand, the use of an adhesive tape involves significant risks of taking off of the hubcap.

Such takeoff can thus occur in particular when this hubcap extends along a portion of the peripheral edge of the lens of an optical unit integrated in the rear flap of the vehicle and a user unfortunately takes support on this hubcap for lift this rear flap.

It is also known to directly glue such a decorative accessory on the ice, but this technical approach presents certain implementation difficulties which can lead to drips and the risks of takeoff of the hubcap persist.

French patent application FR 3 010 956 proposes a different solution in which the decoration accessory comprises at least one rod extending from the inner face of the hubcap and passing right through the glass and the housing of the optical unit at the level of a compartment formed in the internal volume of this optical unit and insulated in a sealed manner vis-à-vis the remaining part of this internal volume housing the light or lights.

The free end of the rod is further provided with a thread onto which is screwed a nut tight against the rear face of the housing so as to lock in translation the decoration accessory.

This solution thus requires providing an orifice in the ice which weakens it and therefore makes it much more sensitive to shocks even of small amplitude.

In addition, due to an obvious lack of space available for the development of such a sealed compartment, it cannot be implemented when the trim of the decoration accessory extends along a portion of the peripheral edge of the ice.

Subject and summary of the invention

The present invention therefore aims to propose a solution making it possible to ensure effective and lasting plating of the trim of a decoration accessory on the glass of an optical unit of a motor vehicle.

To this end, it provides an optical unit for a motor vehicle comprising a housing containing at least one lighting or signaling light and having an exit opening for the light rays covered by a transparent cover glass fixed to said housing on the periphery of said outlet opening, said optical unit further comprising a decorative accessory comprising a cover extending along a portion of the peripheral edge of said glass by being at least partially pressed against the external face of the latter;

characterized in that said decorative accessory is fixed to said housing on a peripheral collar extending around the periphery of said opening and by means of fixing means comprising at least one clip in the shape of a loop comprising two end portions U-shaped profile cooperating respectively with said peripheral collar of the housing and with said decoration accessory.

This fixing of the decoration accessory on the periphery of the housing makes it possible to effectively and durably maintain the plating of its hubcap against the external face of the cover glass of the optical unit.

In addition, such fastening clips have the advantage of being able to be implemented on portions of the decoration accessory where the hubcap has a reduced width (or height), unlike screw fixing means requiring larger siting areas.

According to preferred characteristics of the optical unit according to the invention, taken alone or in combination:

- The first end portion of each said clip partially surrounds a rib projecting from the face of said peripheral collar oriented opposite to said glass and said decoration accessory;

- Each said rib cooperating with a said clip is bordered laterally by two protrusions forming stops so as to prevent any transverse movement of said first end portion of this clip;

- That the second end portion of a said clip at least partially crosses a window formed in a wall of said decoration accessory resting against the peripheral edge of said glass;

- That the two free ends of the two said end portions of a said clip are bent;

- Each said clip is obtained by cutting and folding from a sheet of elastic metal;

- Said fixing means also comprise at least one fixing member formed on said decoration accessory and comprising a baluster provided with a blind hole in which is screwed a respective screw having previously passed through a corresponding orifice made in said peripheral collar of the housing;

- Said decoration accessory comprises at least one pre-holding tab passing through a cutout made in said peripheral collar of the housing, each said tab having a window receiving a respective tongue extending from one of the edges of a said corresponding cutout ; and or

- Said decoration accessory came from one-piece molding from a thermoplastic polymer.

The invention also relates in a second aspect to a motor vehicle comprising a rear flap incorporating at least one such optical unit.

Brief description of the drawings

The description of the invention will now be continued with the detailed description of an exemplary embodiment, given below by way of illustration but not limitation, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a partial front view of the side part of a rear shutter of a motor vehicle incorporating an optical unit according to the invention comprising a decorative accessory provided with a cover partially pressed against and along the lower portion the peripheral edge of the lens of this optical unit;

- the figure 2 is a view of below of block optical of the figure 1 ; - the figure 3 represents a seen from back in perspective of only accessory : decoration; - the figure 4 is a view of section of block optical according to

the invention taken along a plane extending perpendicular to the curve of the ice and near its external lateral end;

- Figure 5 is an enlargement of detail V of the figure;

- Figure 6 shows an enlarged perspective view of the external lateral portion of the optical unit of Figure 2;

- Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing a fixing area by screwing the decoration accessory on the peripheral collar of the housing; and

FIG. 8 represents a cross-section view of the optical unit according to the invention taken along a plane extending perpendicularly to the curve of the glass and at the level of the fixing area by screwing in FIG. 7.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

Figure 1 shows an optical signaling unit 10 according to the invention mounted in a recess 4 formed in the lateral part of the skin 3 of a rear flap 2 of a motor vehicle.

In the description which follows and by convention, the terms "lower", "upper", "longitudinal" "lateral" and "transverse" will be defined relative to the mounting position of this optical signaling unit 10 on such a vehicle . The terms "external" and "internal" will be used to define the relative position of an element with reference to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The element closest to this axis will thus be qualified as internal as opposed to the other element more distant from this same axis which will in turn be qualified as external.

The optical signaling unit 10 comprises a housing 20 (visible in FIG. 2) advantageously molded in one piece from a thermoplastic polymer such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and conventionally containing one or several signaling lights not shown and constituted for example by a stop light, a daytime running light, a fog light and a flashing direction change light.

This housing 20 has an outlet opening 21 for the light rays which is covered by a transparent cover glass 30 advantageously molded in one piece from a transparent synthetic polymer such as poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA ) and fixed on this housing 20 by laser welding so as to ensure a perfect seal (Figures 4 and 5).

More specifically, the peripheral edge 31 of the cover glass 30 carries on its rear face (that oriented towards the housing 20) a longitudinal rib 32 whose end is interwoven by welding with a peripheral collar 22 formed on this housing 20 and s extending over the periphery of the opening 21 (this mixture of material between the end of the rib 32 and the collar 22 being illustrated by the partial superposition of these two elements in FIGS. 4 and 5).

The signaling optical unit 10 also includes a decorative accessory 40 advantageously molded in one piece from a thermoplastic polymer such as an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

This decorative accessory 40 comprises an elongated cover in the form of a rod 41 extending along the lower part of the peripheral edge 31 of the cover glass 30 following its curve and whose rear or external face forming its visible facade is covered with decorative chrome plating.

More specifically, the upper edge of this hubcap 41 is pressed against the rear face (that situated opposite the housing 20) of this peripheral edge 31 while its lower edge comes flush with the edge of the recess 4 formed in the skin 3 of the rear flap 2, so as to ensure perfect continuity of style between this flap 2 and the lower part of the optical unit 10.

The spacing between the lower part of the peripheral edge 31 of the glass 30 and the rim of the recess 4 of the skin 3 gradually decreases along the optical unit 10 between its internal end and its external end, the width (or height) of the hubcap 41 thus decreases correspondingly between its two ends as is clearly visible in FIG. 1.

The latter thus has at its external lateral end a width of approximately 20 mm while the latter exceeds 50 mm at its internal lateral end.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 to 8, the decoration accessory 40 is not fixed directly to the cover glass 30 but to the peripheral collar 22 of the housing 20 by means of a plurality of fixing means .

The decoration accessory 40 thus comprises two fixing members 42 extending from the front or interior face of the hubcap 41 (the one facing the glass 30) at its internal lateral portion 41B (the largest) and cooperating by screwing with two corresponding circular orifices 23 formed in this peripheral collar 22 of the housing 20 (Figures 3, 7 and 8).

Each fixing member 42 comprises a cylindrical barrel 43 taking root on the hubcap 41 and carrying a column 44 provided with a tapped blind hole in which is screwed a respective screw 5 having previously passed through a corresponding circular orifice 23.

As a variant, the blind holes in the drums can be initially smooth and tapped during assembly of the decoration accessory 40 by the use of self-tapping screws.

As the width of the external lateral portion 41A of the hubcap 41 is not sufficient to implant fixing members therein such as 42, the fixing of this portion 41A to the housing 20 is ensured by a deformable clip 60 in the form of handle (Figures 4 to 6).

This clip 60 is here obtained by cutting and folding from a sheet made of an elastic metal such as spring steel.

The clip 60 comprises two end portions 61, 62 with U-shaped profiles which cooperate respectively with the peripheral collar 22 of the housing 20 and with the decoration accessory 40.

More precisely and as is clearly visible in FIG. 5, the first end portion 61 partially surrounds a rib 24 projecting longitudinally from the front face (that oriented opposite the crystal 30 and the decoration accessory 40 ) of the peripheral collar 22.

The rib 24 is bordered laterally by two protrusions 25 projecting longitudinally forward and forming stops so as to prevent any transverse movement of this first end portion 61 of the clip 60 (Figure 6).

The second end portion 62 of this clip 60 at least partially crosses a rectangular window 45 formed in a wall 46 of the decoration accessory 40 extending from the upper edge of the trim 41 at its external lateral portion 41A and resting in abutment against the peripheral edge 31 of the glass 30 (FIG. 6).

This bearing wall 46 is also connected to the front face of the hubcap 41 by a reinforcing rib 47 as well as by a wall 48 forming the external lateral end of the decoration accessory 40.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the two free ends 61A, 62A of the two end portions 61, 62 in a U shape of the clip 60 are bent in order to facilitate the positioning of the latter (downstream effect) as well as to avoid that their sharp edges do not attack the peripheral collar 22 of the housing 20 and the bearing wall 46 of the decoration accessory 40.

The decoration accessory 40 also comprises three pre-holding members 50 cooperating with complementary means provided on the peripheral collar 22 of the housing 20 in order to facilitate the mounting of this accessory 40 while avoiding the operator to maintain it during screwing screws 5 in the balusters 44 and the fitting of the clip 60.

These pre-holding members consist of lugs 50 extending from the front face (that facing the housing 20 and the lens 30) of the hubcap 41 and passing through a respective cutout 26 made in the peripheral collar 22 of the housing 20.

Each of these legs 50 has a window 51 receiving a corresponding tongue 27 extending substantially vertically from the lower edge of a corresponding cutout 26.

According to variant embodiments not shown, the number of staples 60, fastening members 42 and / or pre-holding members 50 is different and the latter can be shaped differently.

According to other alternative embodiments not shown, the hubcap is devoid of pre-holding members and / or of fixing members such as 42 (its fixing then being ensured only by staples such as 50).

According to yet other variant embodiments, not shown, the shape and the profile of the crystal, of the housing and of the decoration accessory are different from those of the optical unit 10.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but it encompasses any variant. In particular, it relates to any type of optical signaling and / or lighting unit intended to be installed at the front or at the rear of a motor vehicle.

Claims (10)

1. Optical unit for a motor vehicle comprising a housing (20) containing at least one lighting or signaling light and having an outlet opening (21) for light rays covered by a transparent cover glass (30) fixed to said housing (20) on the periphery of said outlet opening (21), said optical unit further comprising a decoration accessory (40) comprising a cover (41) extending along a portion of the peripheral edge (31) said glass (30) being at least partially pressed against the outer face of the latter; characterized in that said decoration accessory (40) is fixed to said housing (20) on a peripheral collar (22) extending around the periphery of said opening (21) and by means of fixing means comprising at least one clip (60) in the form of a handle comprising two end portions with a U-shaped profile (61, 62) cooperating respectively with said peripheral collar (22) of the housing (20) and with said decoration accessory (40). 2. Optical unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the first end portion (61) of each said clip (60) partially surrounds a rib (24) projecting from the face of said peripheral collar (22) oriented at opposite of said glass (30) and of said decoration accessory (40). 3. Optical unit according to claim 2, characterized in that each said rib (24) cooperating with a said clip (60) is bordered laterally by two protrusions (25) forming stops so as to prevent any transverse movement of said first portion d end (61) of this clip (60). 4. Optical unit according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the second end portion (62) of a said clip (60) at least partially passes through a window (45) formed in a wall (46 ) of said decoration accessory (40) resting against the peripheral edge (31) of said glass (30). 5. Optical unit according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the two free ends (61A, 62A) of the two said end portions (61, 62) of a said clip (60) are bent. 6. Optical unit according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that each said clip (60) is obtained by cutting and folding from a sheet of elastic metal. 7. Optical unit according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said fixing means also comprise at least one fixing member (42) formed on said decoration accessory (40) and comprising a baluster (44) provided a blind hole into which is screwed a respective screw (5) having previously passed through a corresponding orifice (23) formed in said peripheral collar (22) of the housing (20). 8. Optical unit according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said decoration accessory (40) comprises at least one pre-holding tab (50) passing through a cutout (26) formed in said peripheral collar (22 ) of the housing (20), each said tab (50) having a window (51) receiving a respective tab (27) extending from one of the edges of a said corresponding cutout (26). 9. Optical unit according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said decoration accessory (40) came from molding in one piece from a thermoplastic polymer. 10. Motor vehicle characterized in that it comprises a rear flap (2) integrating at least one optical unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 9.