FR3067692A1 - BACKGROUND FAIRING OF A MOTOR VEHICLE CHASSIS, EQUIPPED WITH A FIXING MEMBER INCORPORATING AN INTERSECTION BETWEEN TWO STACKED FEEDINGS. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a fastener (2) configured to equip a fairing (1) of a bottom of a motor vehicle chassis. The fixing member (2) is extended in elevation (E1) and comprises a cage (5) housing a nut (4) which rests axially (A1) against a bearing face (F1) of the cage (4) and which emerges axially out of the cage (4) through its upper face (F2a). The dimension (D1) in elevation (E1) of the cage (5) between its lower face (F2b) defining the lower face (F5) of the fixing member (2) and its upper face (F2a) through which emerges the nut (4) is greater than the dimension (D2) in elevation of the nut (4) between the bearing face (F1) and the upper face (F3) of the nut (4) defining the face upper (F4) of the fastener (2).

Description

Bottom fairing of a motor vehicle chassis, equipped with a fixing member incorporating a bracing between two stacked fairings.

The present invention relates to the field of bottom elements installed under a platform of a motor vehicle chassis, and more particularly to fairings constituting such bottom elements. The invention relates more specifically to the arrangement of fastening members fitted to such fairings for their mounting under the platform that the chassis comprises.

A motor vehicle comprises a chassis on which various pieces of vehicle equipment are mounted. More specifically, bottom elements are installed under the vehicle body, by being mounted under a chassis covering platform on which various vehicle equipment can be fixed.

Among such bottom elements, bottom fairings protect one or more pieces of equipment installed under the platform. The bottom fairings are also commonly configured as aerodynamic members which make it possible in particular to improve the stability of the moving vehicle and / or to reduce its drag. The bottom fairings are also potentially exploited to channel the air flowing under the body, in order to cool one or more pieces of equipment in the vehicle.

Such a bottom fairing is generally flat and is installed under the platform on which it is fixed by means of fixing devices. According to a common embodiment, the fastening devices each associate a fastening member comprising a nut and a threaded fastening member in particular arranged as a stud. When the fairing is pressed on its upper face against the platform on its lower face, the nuts and the studs are put in cooperation by an operator to fix the fairing to the platform and therefore to the chassis.

To know a technological environment close to the present invention, one can for example refer to documents US20160339970 (MAZDA MOTOR Corp.) and EP2815952 (MITSUBISHI MOTORS Corp.), which describe such methods of fixing a bottom fairing under a platform of a motor vehicle chassis.

The problem arises of the relative positioning between the nuts and the studs, the rigor of which allows them to cooperate with each other during the mounting of the fairing under the platform. There is also the problem of an organization of the methods of fixing the fairing on the platform allowing its assembly which is quick and easy to be carried out by an operator.

A known solution is to pre-equip the fairing with nuts intended to cooperate with studs installed on the platform. The nuts are for example attached inside cages which are assigned to them and which are incorporated in the fairing. The cages are in particular integrated at lower cost into the fairing, by being formed during the manufacture of the fairing and therefore by being made from its material. Thus the fairing is provided with said fixing members each comprising a cage housing a nut.

Furthermore for their storage and / or their transport, the fairings are successively stacked in their overall plane, the upper face of a lower fairing bearing against the lower face of an upper fairing covering the lower fairing.

However, the nuts are preferably emerging from the cage, in particular to facilitate their placing in cooperation with the studs, and then obstruct a satisfactory stacking of the fairings. When the fairings are stacked, the nuts of a lower fairing are in contact with those of an upper fairing, with the effect of knocking and / or causing the nuts to escape from the cages when handling the fairings.

In this context, the subject of the present invention is a fixing member fitted to a bottom fairing of a motor vehicle chassis, for fixing it under a platform that the chassis comprises. The fixing member of the invention is more specifically of the type comprising a cage housing a nut emerging from the cage while projecting from an upper face of the fairing.

The invention also relates to such a bottom fairing provided with at least one fixing member according to the invention.

An object of the invention is to provide a fixing member allowing satisfactory stacking of several fairings, in particular for their storage and / or transport, avoiding degradation of at least the nuts with which they are fitted, or even also fairings themselves. same.

Another object of the invention is to propose a fixing device allowing manipulation of the stacked fairings while avoiding a modification of the conforming position of the nuts inside the cages which receive them.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reinforcement of the fairing to keep it in conformation in its overall plane, in particular with regard to the tensions which it is likely to undergo as a result of its fixing on the platform during the cooperation between the nuts and the studs assigned to them.

Other objects of the invention are to achieve at least one of the aforementioned objects at lower cost and / or by limiting the space taken up by the fairing and / or by avoiding undermining effective cooperation and reliable between the nuts and the studs assigned to them.

The aims of the present invention are achieved in isolation or in combination by applying the following provisions, considered in isolation or in combination.

The fastener of the present invention is configured to equip a bottom fairing of a motor vehicle chassis. The fixing member is extended in elevation and comprises a cage housing an axially extended nut in the direction of extension in elevation of the fixing member. The nut rests axially against a bearing face of the cage and emerges axially out of the cage through its upper face.

As already mentioned, the nut is configured to cooperate with a fastening element fitted to a platform that includes the chassis, in particular by screwing. The fixing element is preferably configured as a stud, or is configured in any other similar threaded element such as a screw for example.

If necessary to specify, the concepts lower, base or below and the higher concept, or other related concepts, are relative concepts considered compared to the direction of elevation of the fixing member in the direction of axial extension of l 'nut from the bearing face which the cage presents towards its upper face. Consequently, the radial concept is a concept relating to the axial concept, a radial direction being oriented perpendicular to the axis of the nut and therefore perpendicular to the elevation direction of the fixing member.

In this context, the fixing member of the invention is mainly recognizable in that the elevation dimension of the cage between its lower face defining the lower face of the fixing member and its upper face through which the nut, is greater than the dimension in elevation of the nut between the bearing face and the upper face of the nut defining the upper face of the fixing member.

Thus, when two fairings fitted with fastening members in accordance with the invention are stacked, the nuts of a lower fairing are arranged at a distance from the nuts of an upper fairing covering the lower fairing, to prevent any contact between the nuts installed on the different fairings.

Furthermore, the prohibition obtained from contact between the nuts makes it possible to avoid a modification of their conforming installation position inside the cages, which could be caused as a result of such contact during transport and / or handling when stacked.

Contact and / or a collision between the stacked fairings can also be avoided to preserve them, from an exploitation of the fixing members to brace the fairings at a distance from each other in the elevation direction of the fixing members.

According to a more specific embodiment, the cage comprises at least one elastically deformable member for pressing the nut against the bearing face. In this context, the elastically deformable member advantageously comprises at its upper face a raised extension in elevation, the upper face of which defines the upper face of the cage.

For example, the elastically deformable member is arranged in flexible strip anchored to the bearing face. The strip bears against a sole of the nut resting against the bearing face. In this context, the extension is advantageously configured as a rib extended in elevation, the rib covering at least in part the upper face of the strip.

According to a specific embodiment, the strip is configured as a hook comprising a foot extended in elevation and extended radially by a tab. The foot is anchored to the bearing face and the tab bears against the sole of the nut for its pressing against the bearing face.

In this context, the rib is preferably configured as a square, a first branch extended in elevation is anchored at its base to the bearing face. A second branch of the bracket is of radial extension and covers the upper face of the leg.

It will be noted that the rib, the primary function of which is to provide the enhancement, also has a second function of reinforcing the support of the lamella against the sole of the nut, favoring its retention in position relative to the cage by hardening the elasticity of the coverslip.

Preferably, the second branch is tapered towards the nut to allow satisfactory elastic deformation of the strip despite its hardening provided by the rib. The taper of the second branch is likely to be regular or to be achieved in steps. For example, the elevation extension of the rib is weakened at its end facing the nut.

Preferably, the cage comprises a barrel the upper face of which protects the bearing face and the lower face of which delimits the lower face of the fixing member. The recess of the barrel is preferably provided with at least one reinforcement. For example, the reinforcement is configured as a ring centered on the axis of the nut, the ring preferably being braced radially at its periphery in the direction of the axial wall of the cage which delimits the barrel.

The barrel makes it possible to reinforce the bearing face with respect to the load that it is capable of supporting. Such a load can be applied when two fairings are stacked and / or when a fairing is mounted under the platform. In addition, the barrel of an upper fairing is capable of accommodating at least partially the nut of a lower fairing when the fairings are stacked. This makes it possible to limit the extension in elevation of a set of stacked fairings, while preventing contact between the nuts of the fixing members with which the fairings are fitted.

The invention also relates to a bottom fairing of a chassis of a motor vehicle equipped with a plurality of fixing members according to the invention.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the cage and / or where appropriate the extension (s) are incorporated into the fairing during its manufacture, in particular by molding, being obtained from its material. The cages and / or the extensions are thus strongly reinforced by forming a monolithic unit with the material from which the fairing comes.

More particularly, the bearing face of the cages is formed by a horizontal wall of the fairing and the elastically deformable member or members are formed by at least one strip overhanging the bearing face, being made of the material the fairing from which comes. Where appropriate, the extension or extensions are incorporated, preferably perpendicular to the walls of the fairing extended in elevation.

Thus, according to one embodiment, the cages of each of the fixing members are anchored to at least one extended wall in elevation of the fairing. In this context, the fixing members are preferably arranged in one or more depressions of the fairing formed below its upper face intended to be oriented towards the platform on which the fairing is intended to be fixed.

The cage is thus reinforced with respect to the load which it is intended to bear when several fairings are stacked. In addition, such a reinforcement of the cage provides a maintenance in conformation of the fairing in its area of attachment to the platform, when the fastening members are placed in cooperation with fastening elements equipping the platform, in particular consisting of studs cooperating with nuts assigned to them.

Thus again according to an advantageous embodiment which reinforces the reinforcement of the cages, the cages are anchored to the extended wall in elevation of the fairing via at least one extension which they are equipped with and which is incorporated in at least one extended wall in elevation of the fairing.

We recognize a set of fairings according to the invention, by the fact that when the fairings are stacked in elevation and considering a lower fairing covered by an upper fairing, the upper fairing rests at least via the lower faces of the cages of the fasteners with which it is fitted against the upper faces of the cages of the fixing members with which the lower fairing is fitted.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in relation to the figures of the appended plates, in which:

-) Figure 1 is a perspective illustration from above of a fairing configured to be installed under a platform that includes a chassis of a motor vehicle.

-) Figure 2 and Figure 3 are illustrations respectively in perspective from above and in axial section, of a fixing member according to the invention configured to equip a fairing such as that illustrated for example in Figure 1.

-) FIG. 4 is a partial illustration in axial section of two stacked fairings equipped with fixing members, such as that illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The figures and their detailed descriptions show the invention according to particular methods which are not restrictive as to the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. The figures and their detailed descriptions can be used to better define the invention, if necessary in relation to the general description which has just been made.

In FIG. 1, a fairing 1 is configured to equip the chassis of a motor vehicle. The fairing 1 extends generally in a plane P1 and is intended to be installed under a platform of the chassis. The fairing 1 extends in elevation E1 perpendicular to its overall plane P1 between an upper face 1a intended to be oriented towards the platform and a lower face 1b intended to be oriented towards the outside of the chassis, in the direction of its plane of rolling.

The fairing 1 is provided with a plurality of fixing members 2 for its mounting under the platform. The fastening members 2 are in particular arranged in depressions in the fairing 1 formed below its upper face

1a. The depressions are for example formed by cells and / or at the edge of the fairing, by presenting vertical walls 3 which extend in elevation E1 from their bottom towards the upper face 1a of the fairing 1.

In FIG. 2, each of the fastening members 2 comprises a nut 4 housed in a cage 5. The cage 5 is in particular derived from the material constituting the fairing 1 by being incorporated by manufacture into the fairing 1, or in other words by being jointly formed with the fairing 1 during its manufacture, in particular by molding.

The nut 4 extends along an axis A1 defining the extension in elevation E1 of the fixing member 2 along the extension in elevation E1 of the fairing 1. The nut 4 is attached to the fairing 1 inside of the cage 5 by elastic interlocking, being pressed against a support face F1 that includes the cage 5 via elastically deformable members 6 each arranged in flexible strip 7.

In the example illustrated, the elastically deformable members 6 are three in number distributed at 90 ° around the axis A1 of the nut 4. The strips 7 are configured in hooks 8, 9 comprising a foot 8 extended in elevation E1 and anchored at its base to the support face F1. The foot 8 is extended at its upper end by a lug 9 extending radially from the foot 8 towards the nut 4.

The nut 4 is provided with a flange 10 against which the elastically deformable members 6 bear in the direction of the support face F1. The sole 10 is preferably provided with a groove 11 housing a finger 12 formed at the free end of the tab 9 as more particularly visible in FIGS. 3 and 4. In the example illustrated, the sole 10 is shaped as disc centered on the axis A1 of the nut 4 and the fingers 12 are shaped as a spherical cap.

The nut 4 is introduced inside the cage 5 by sliding C1 along the plane P2 of extension of the support face F1. The introduction of the nut 4 inside the cage 5 causes a deformation by tilting of the hooks 8, 9 authorizing the passage of the nut 4 towards the inside of the cage 5, then a reverse tilting of the hooks 8 , 9 when the fingers 12 which they comprise are introduced into the groove 11.

Note the subsidiary and preferred presence of an elastically deformable stop 13 formed upstream of the nut 4 in its direction of introduction by sliding C1 inside the cage 5. When sliding the nut 4 towards the inside the cage 5, the stop 13 is retracted downwards from the bearing face F1 by the nut 4, to allow its passage towards the cage 5, then forms an obstacle against an escape from the nut 4 out of the cage 5.

In FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 more particularly, the nut 4 installed inside the cage 5 emerges in elevation from the upper face F2a of the cage 5. The upper face F3 of the nut 4 thus delimits the upper face F4 of the fixing member 2, the lower face F5 of which is delimited by the lower face F2b of the cage 5.

The cage 5 comprises a barrel 14 which is centered on the axis A1 of the nut 4. The barrel 14 extends below the bearing face F1 formed by the upper face of the barrel 14, the lower face of which defines the lower face F2b of the cage 5 and therefore the lower face F5 of the fixing member 2 extending in elevation E1 between the lower face F2b of the cage 5 and the upper face F3 of the nut 4.

The barrel 14 is provided with an annular rib 15 formed inside the recess of the barrel 14 and centered at a radial distance R1 on the axis A1 of the nut 4. The annular rib 15 delimits a housing 16 provided for receiving a nut 4 fitted to a lower fairing 11 when an upper fairing 1S is superimposed on the lower fairing 1 S, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

In FIGS. 2 to 4, the cage 4 also includes extensions 17 which are formed on the elastically deformable members 6 and which extend in elevation E1. Such extensions 17 are configured to increase the extension in elevation E1 of the cage 4.

The risers 17 are formed of ribs 18 at least integrated into the elastically deformable members 6, and preferably also when possible at a vertical wall 3 of the fairing 1 extended in elevation E1 and formed near the fixing member 2.

Each of the risers 17 is arranged in a square 19a, 19b preferably at right angles. The bracket 19a, 19b comprises a first branch 19a extended in elevation E1 and anchored at its base to the support face F1. A second branch 19b of the bracket extends the first branch 19a in the direction of the nut 4 by bearing on the upper face of the tab 9 of the strip 7 which is assigned to it.

The second branch 19 is preferably tapered in the direction of the nut 4, such as by at least one bearing in the example illustrated. The part of the second branch 19 essentially covering the strip 7 is thinner in elevation E1 than the part of the second branch 19 extending in the direction of the vertical wall 3 of the fairing 1 bordering the fixing member 2.

More particularly in FIG. 3, the dimension D1 in elevation E1 of the cage 5 between its lower face F2b and its upper face F2a, is greater than the dimension D2 in elevation of the nut 4 between the bearing face F1 and the upper face F3 of the nut 4.

This avoids contact between the nuts 4 respectively fitted to a lower fairing 11 and an upper fairing 1S when at least two fairings 1 are stacked, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

More particularly in FIG. 4, when several fairings 1 are stacked, it is considered that an upper fairing 1S covers a lower fairing

11. The lower face F5 of the upper fairing 1S bounded by the lower faces

F2b of the cages 5 of the fastening members 2 with which it is equipped, then rests on the extensions 17 which the fastening member 2 fitted to the lower fairing 11 includes.

The emerging part of the nuts 4 outside the cages 5 which receive them 5 from the fixing members 2 equipping the lower fairing 11, is then housed in the recess 16 of the barrel 14 that each of the cages 5 of the fixing members 2 equipping the fairing include. higher 1S. Thus, contact between the nuts 4 of the fixing members 2 equipping the lower fairing 11 and those 4 of the fixing members 2 equipping the upper fairing IS is avoided.

The nuts 4 are thus protected from any impact between them during the handling of the fairings 1 by an operator, liable to alter them and / or cause a modification of their position inside the cages 5. In addition, a deformation of the areas for fixing the fairings 1 to the platform via the fixing members 2 is avoided, by means of the risers 17 which are anchored to the vertical walls 3a of the fairings 1.

Claims (10)

1Fixing member (2) configured to equip a bottom fairing (1) of a motor vehicle chassis, the fixing member (2) being extended in elevation (E1) and comprising a cage (5) housing a nut ( 4) axially (A1) extended in the direction of extension in elevation (E1) of the fixing member (2), the nut (4) resting axially (A1) against a bearing face (F1) of the cage (4) and emerging axially from the cage (4) through its upper face (F2a), characterized in that the dimension (D1) in elevation (E1) of the cage (5) between its lower face (F2b) defining the lower face (F5) of the fixing member (2) and its upper face (F2a) through which the nut (4) emerges, is greater than the dimension (D2) in elevation of the nut (4 ) between the bearing face (F1) and the upper face (F3) of the nut (4) defining the upper face (F4) of the fixing member (2). 2, - Fixing member (2) according to claim 1, characterized: in that the cage (5) comprises at least one elastically deformable member (6) for pressing the nut (4) against the bearing face (F1), and in that the elastically deformable member (6) comprises on its upper face, an extension (17) extended in elevation, the upper face of which defines the upper face (F2a) of the cage (4). 3, - Fixing member (2) according to claim 2, characterized: in that the elastically deformable member (6) is arranged in a flexible strip (7) anchored to the bearing face (F1) and bearing against a flange (10) of the nut (4) resting against the face d 'support (F1), and in that the extension (17) is configured as a rib (18) extended in elevation (E1), the rib (18) covering at least partially the upper face of the lamella (7). 4, - Fixing member (2) according to claim 3, characterized: in that the strip (7) is configured as a hook comprising a foot (8) extended in elevation (E1) and extended radially (R1) by a lug (9), the foot (8) being anchored to the bearing face (F1) and the tab (9) bearing against the sole (10) of the nut (4), and in that the rib (18) is configured as a square (19a, 19b) including a first branch (19a) extended in elevation (E1) is anchored at its base to the bearing face (F1) and of which a second branch (19b) of radial extension (R1) covers the upper face of the tab (9). 5, - Fixing member (2) according to claim 4, characterized in that the second branch (19b) is tapered towards the nut (4). 6, - Fixing member (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cage (4) comprises a barrel (14), the upper face of which protects the bearing face (F1) and the face of which lower delimits the lower face (F2b) of the fixing member (2). 7, -Carénage (1) bottom of a motor vehicle chassis equipped with a plurality of fixing members (2) according to any one of the preceding claims. 8, -Carénage (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the cages (5) of each of the fixing members (2) are anchored to at least one wall (3) extended in elevation (E1) of the fairing (1 ). 9, -Carénage (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the cages (5) are anchored to the wall (3) extended in elevation (E1) of the fairing (1) via at least one extension (17) which they are equipped and which is incorporated in at least one wall (3) extended in elevation (E1) of the fairing (1). 10, -Assembly of fairings (11, 1S) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the fairings (11, 1S) being stacked in elevation (E1) and considering a lower fairing (11) covered by an upper fairing (1 S), the upper fairing (1S) rests at least via the lower faces (F2b) of the cages (5) of the fixing members (2) with which it is fitted against the upper faces (F2a) of the cages ( 2) fixing members (2) with which the 5 lower fairing (11). Μ *