FR3132889A1 - SUPPORT DEVICE WITH DEFORMABLE AND MOBILE SUPPORT FOR A VEHICLE RECEPTION SPACE - Google Patents

Abstract

A support device (DS) equips a reception area (EA) delimited by two right and left side walls (PAL), a floor (PLS) and a roof (TS) of a vehicle (V). This support device (DS) comprises two U-shaped slideways (GD) secured to the side walls (PAL) by having two sub-parts (SP1-SP2) located at different first and second levels and comprised between the floor ( PLS) and the roof (TS), and a deformable support (SD) having two side edges slidably mounted in the guides (GD) so that the deformable support (SD) can be driven between a first position located at the first level and adapted to the object(s) support and a second position located on the second level. Figure to be published with abstract: Fig. 1

Description

SUPPORT DEVICE WITH DEFORMABLE AND MOBILE SUPPORT FOR A VEHICLE ACCOMMODATION SPACE Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to vehicles comprising a reception space, and more specifically to support devices making it possible to support objects inside such reception spaces.

State of the art

Many vehicles, generally of the automobile type (and frequently of the utility type), include a reception space (or loading area) in which objects can be placed and delimited by two right and left side walls, a floor and a roof (or pavilion). Generally, the side walls are part of the vehicle structure and are located respectively on two opposite side sides (right and left) of the vehicle. It will be understood that this type of reception space (or loading area) can be located in a trunk or cargo box or even a trailer.

It has been proposed, in particular in document US-B2 10,457,218, to install in the trunk of a vehicle an electrical support device intended to hide a lower sub-part housing a spare wheel (or wheel). This support device comprises two elongated slides secured respectively to the side walls of the reception space at the level of the upper end of the lower sub-part of the reception space, a deformable support slidably mounted in the slides , and an electric reel capable of driving the deformable support to move it from a deployed position, in which it hides the lower sub-part and can support objects placed above it due to the fact that it constitutes a false floor , to a rolled up position in a box, and vice versa.

This type of support device does not offer the possibility of modularity for supporting objects at different floor levels in a reception area (or loading area). In particular, it does not make it possible to define a subdivision of the reception space (or loading zone) into superimposed sub-zones making it possible to respectively accommodate and separate objects of different types and/or belonging to different users.

The invention therefore aims in particular to improve the situation.

Presentation of the invention

For this purpose, it offers in particular a support device intended to equip a reception space delimited by two right and left side walls, a floor and a roof (or roof) of a vehicle.

This support device is characterized by the fact that it includes:

- two U-shaped slides capable of being secured respectively to the side walls by having two sub-parts located respectively at a first level and a second level, higher than the first level, both included between the floor and the roof, and

- a deformable support having two side edges slidably mounted respectively in the slides so that the deformable support can be driven between a first position located at the first level and adapted to the support of object(s) and a second position located at the second level.

Thus, the support device makes it possible to offer modularity of levels for the support of objects, since the latter can now be supported by the floor and/or the deformable support placed at least in its first position.

The support device according to the invention may include other characteristics which can be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

- the second level can be intended to be located near the roof so that in the second position the deformable support is retracted under the roof. In this case, the first level is intended to be located below the second level in an intermediate zone of the reception space away from the floor and the roof;

- alternatively, the first and second levels can be intended to be located in an intermediate zone of the reception space distant from the floor and the roof and in which the second position is adapted to the support of object(s);

- the deformable support may comprise rigid blades coupled together so that they can be disoriented relative to each other during training from the first position towards the second position or during training from the second position towards the first position;

- in the presence of the last option, the deformable support can comprise two rigid blades located at opposite front and rear ends and comprising, for at least one of them, a gripping element intended to be grasped by a hand a user in order to allow the latter to cause training by pushing or pulling;

- it may include an electric drive mechanism capable of driving the deformable support on the order of a user from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position.

The invention also proposes a vehicle comprising, on the one hand, two right and left side walls, a floor and a roof delimiting a reception space, possibly of automobile type, and, on the other hand, at least one device for support of the type presented above and secured to the side walls (in the reception area).

For example, the side walls may be part of a vehicle structure and may be located respectively on two opposite side sides (right and left) of the vehicle.

Also for example, this vehicle can be of automobile type. In this case, the vehicle can also be of the utility type, for example.

Brief description of the figures

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

illustrates schematically and functionally, in a sectional view in a longitudinal and vertical plane, a part of an example of a utility vehicle comprising a reception space equipped with an exemplary embodiment of a support device according to the invention having its deformable support placed in its first position, and in the presence of objects placed in two superimposed sub-zones,

illustrates schematically and functionally, in a sectional view in a longitudinal and vertical plane, the vehicle of the , with the deformable support of its mobile device placed in its second position, and in the presence of a bulky object placed in a single zone,

illustrates schematically and functionally, in a sectional view in a transverse and vertical plane, the vehicle of Figures 1 and 2, with the deformable support of its mobile device placed in its first position and in the absence of an object, and

illustrates schematically and functionally, in a sectional view in a transverse and vertical plane, the vehicle of Figures 1 and 2, with the deformable support of its mobile device placed in its second position and in the absence of an object.

Detailed description of the invention

The invention aims in particular to propose a support device DS intended to equip a reception space EA with a vehicle V and making it possible to define a subdivision of this reception space EA into superimposed sub-zones making it possible to accommodate and respectively separate objects of different types and/or belonging to different users.

In what follows, we consider, by way of non-limiting example, that the support device DS is intended to be part of a vehicle V of the automobile type, and more precisely of the utility type. But the invention is not limited to this type of vehicle. It concerns any vehicle (land, sea (or river), or air) comprising at least one reception space (or loading zone) capable of housing objects and being equipped with at least one storage device. DS support.

Furthermore, we consider in what follows, by way of non-limiting example, that the DS support device is installed in a loading zone of a utility vehicle passenger compartment, placed behind the ZV zone dedicated to the front passengers. But it could be installed in a trunk or cargo box or even a trailer.

In Figures 1 to 4, the direction longitudinal X, and the direction Z is the vertical direction of the vehicle V, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal X and transverse Y directions.

We have schematically illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 a part of an example of vehicle (here utility) V comprising a structure delimiting a passenger compartment subdivided by a protective partition CP into a front zone ZV dedicated to the front passengers and a rear zone constituting a reception area (or loading area) EA. The EA reception space is delimited by two right and left PAL side walls (see figures 3 and 4), a PLS floor and a TS roof.

It will be noted that in the example illustrated non-limitingly in Figures 1 to 4 the side walls PAL are part of the structure of the vehicle V and therefore are located respectively on the two opposite lateral (or longitudinal) sides of the vehicle V. But this does not is not obligatory. Indeed, at least one of the PAL side walls could be attached to the structure of the vehicle V or a trailer of the vehicle V, or the PAL side walls could be part of the structure of a trailer coupled to the vehicle V .

As illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the reception space EA is equipped with a support device DS according to the invention which comprises at least two slides GD and a deformable support SD. Note that an EA reception area may possibly include several (at least two) DS support devices.

The two slides GD (right and left) are U-shaped (rotated by 90°) and are capable of being secured respectively to the side walls PAL by having two sub-parts SPj (j = 1 or 2) located respectively at a first level and a second level, higher than the first level, with these first and second levels both included between the PLS floor and the TS roof. Here the two sub-parts SPj are parallel to the longitudinal direction X.

Each GD slide can, for example, be secured to its PAL side wall by screwing or riveting.

Each first sub-part SPj constitutes one of the two parallel sub-parts of the U of its slide GD and is located at the first level which is lower than the second level where the second sub-part SPj which constitutes the other sub-part is located parallel part of the U of its GD slide.

The deformable support SD has two lateral (or longitudinal) edges which are slidably mounted respectively in the slides GD so that it (SD) can be driven between a first position (illustrated in Figures 1 and 3) and a second position ( illustrated in Figures 2 and 4). The first position is located at the first level and adapted to support object(s). The second position is located on the second level.

Thus, when the deformable support SD is placed in its first position, and therefore located at the first level, it subdivides the reception space EA into two superimposed sub-zones (located respectively below and above it). This makes it possible to respectively accommodate and separate Om objects of different types and/or possibly different sizes (in particular in the vertical direction Z)) and/or belonging to different users. In other words, the support device DS makes it possible to offer a modularity of levels for the support of objects Om, since the latter (Om) can now be supported by the floor PLS and/or the deformable support SD placed at the less in its first position.

Note that in the example illustrated non-limitingly in Figures 1 to 4 the second level is located near the roof TS so that in the second position the deformable support SD is retracted under the roof TS, and therefore is not used for support of object. In this case, the first level is located below the second level in an intermediate zone of the reception space EA which is far from the PLS floor and the TS roof. The distance (in the vertical direction Z) separating the two sub-parts SPj of each slide GD can vary depending on the needs of the user of the vehicle V. In the example illustrated non-limitingly in Figures 1 to 4 the first level is located approximately halfway between the PLS floor and the TS roof. But in alternative embodiments not illustrated, the first level could be located closer to the PLS floor than it is to the TS roof, or even closer to the TS roof than it is to the PLS floor.

In the arrangement illustrated on the , the floor PLS supports two objects O1 (m = 1) and O2 (m = 2) located in the lower sub-zone of the reception space EA, and, the deformable support SD being placed in its first position (at first level), it supports two objects O3 (m = 3) and O4 (m = 4) located in the upper sub-zone of the reception space EA, as an illustrative example.

In the arrangement illustrated on the , the deformable support SD is placed in its second retracted position (at the second level) and therefore cannot support an object. But this makes it possible to no longer have a subdivision of the reception space EA into lower and upper sub-zones, and therefore to place on the PLS floor a very bulky object O5 (m = 5), particularly in the vertical direction Z .

In a variant embodiment not illustrated, the first and second levels could be intended to be located in an intermediate zone of the reception space EA which is far from the floor PLS and the roof TS and in which the second position is adapted to the support object(s), just like the first position. Such an arrangement makes it possible to support objects on the floor PLS and/or on the first or second level (depending on whether the deformable support SD is placed in its first or second position). This makes it possible to modulate the height at which the separation plane is located between the lower and upper sub-zones of the reception space EA (defined by the level where the deformable support SD is temporarily placed).

For example, and as illustrated without limitation in Figures 1 and 2, the deformable support SD can comprise rigid blades LR which are coupled together so that they can be disoriented relative to each other during the training of the first position to the second position or from the second position to the first position. This coupling can be done by joints or hinges between rigid LR blades or by reductions in the thickness of material at the interface between neighboring rigid LR blades, for example. This capacity for disorientation (and therefore deformation) of the deformable support SD is made necessary by the presence of at least one portion of curvilinear slide GD to allow the passage of the deformable support SD from one of the sub-parts SPj to the other subpart SPj'. It will be understood that in the example illustrated the rigid blades LR are installed parallel to the transverse direction Y of the vehicle V.

Also for example, and as illustrated without limitation in Figures 1 to 4, the deformable support SD can comprise two rigid blades LR located at opposite front and rear ends and comprising, for at least one of them (LR) , a gripping element EP which is intended to be grasped by a hand of a user in order to allow the latter to cause training by pushing or pulling.

In the example illustrated without limitation in Figures 1 to 4, each of the two rigid blades LR located at the front and rear ends of the deformable support SD comprises a gripping element EP. Thus, when the deformable support SD is in its first position and the user wants to move it manually into its second position, he can, for example, grasp the gripping element EP of the rigid blade LR located at the end rear of the deformable support SD (closest to the rear end of the vehicle V), then push this gripping element EP until the deformable support SD is placed in its second position. Alternatively, the user can, for example, grasp the gripping element EP of the rigid blade LR located at the front end of the deformable support SD then pull on this gripping element EP until the deformable support SD is placed in its second position.

Later, if the user wants to manually pass the deformable support SD into its first position, he grasps the gripping element EP of the rigid blade LR located at the rear end of the deformable support SD (former front end in the first position) then can, for example, push this gripping element EP until the deformable support SD is placed in its first position. Alternatively, the user can, for example, grasp the gripping element EP of the rigid blade LR located at the front end of the deformable support SD (former rear end in the first position) then pull on this gripping element EP until the deformable support SD is placed in its first position.

It will be noted, as illustrated without limitation in Figures 1 to 4, that each gripping element EP can also serve as a rear or front transverse stop intended to prevent a neighboring object Om from leaving the deformable support SD through its rear or front end when it is in a position adapted to the support of the object(s). Although this is not the case in the example illustrated, when the deformable support SD can support object(s) in its first and second positions, each gripping element EP can extend in the vertical direction Z both upwards and downwards, in order to serve as a transverse stop in the first position as well as in the second position.

It will also be noted, although this is not illustrated, that the support device DS can also include an electrical drive mechanism which is capable of automatically driving the deformable support SD, on the order of a user, of the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position. For example, such an electric drive mechanism may comprise at least one electric motor rotating a pinion partially passing through one of the two slides GL and meshing with teeth that comprise the rigid blades LR in this automated arrangement. Note that in this arrangement the number of rigid blades LR of the deformable support SD can be greater than in the manual arrangement illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 because the length of the deformable support SD must be greater than half of the total length with a GD slide.

It should also be noted that this automated arrangement is compatible with the presence of a gripping element (and possibly a transverse stop) EP on the rigid blade LR located at the front end and/or on the rigid blade LR located at the end back.

It should also be noted that the rigid LR blades can be made of a metallic material (such as for example aluminum or steel), or in a plastic or synthetic material (such as for example polycarbonate (or PC) or a mixture polycarbonate and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (or ABS PC)).

It will also be noted that at least in the manual arrangement illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the support device DS may optionally include a locking mechanism making it possible to temporarily lock, and therefore reversibly, the deformable support SD in each position (first and/or second) in which it can support objects.

Claims (10)

Support device (DS) for a reception space (EA) delimited by two side walls (PAL) right and left, a floor (PLS) and a roof (TS) of a vehicle (V), characterized in that 'it comprises i) two U-shaped slides (GD) capable of being secured respectively to said side walls (PAL) by having two sub-parts (SPj) located respectively at a first level and a second level, higher than said first level , both included between said floor (PLS) and roof (TS), and ii) a deformable support (SD) having two side edges slidably mounted respectively in said slides (GD) so that said deformable support (SD) can be driven between a first position located at said first level and adapted to the support of object(s) and a second position located at said second level. Support device according to claim 1, characterized in that said second level is intended to be located near said roof (TS) so that in said second position said deformable support (SD) is retracted under said roof (TS), and in that said first level is intended to be located below said second level in an intermediate zone of said reception space (EA) distant from said floor (PLS) and roof (TS). Support device according to claim 1, characterized in that said first and second levels are intended to be located in an intermediate zone of said reception space (EA) remote from said floor (PLS) and roof (TS) and in which said second position is adapted to said object(s) support. Support device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said deformable support (SD) comprises rigid blades (LR) coupled together so that they can be disoriented relative to each other during driving from said first position to said second position or when driving from said second position to said first position. Support device according to claim 4, characterized in that said deformable support (SD) comprises two rigid blades (LR) located at opposite front and rear ends and comprising, for at least one of them (LR), a gripping element (EP) intended to be grasped by a user's hand in order to allow the latter to cause said drive by pushing or pulling. Support device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises an electrical drive mechanism capable of driving said deformable support (SD) on the order of a user from said first position to said second position and from said second position to said first position. Vehicle (V) comprising two right and left side walls (PAL), a floor (PLS) and a roof (TS) delimiting a reception space (EA), characterized in that it further comprises at least one device for support (DS) according to one of claims 1 to 6, secured to said side walls (PAL). Vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that said side walls (PAL) form part of a structure of said vehicle (V) and are located respectively on two opposite lateral sides of said vehicle (V). Vehicle according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that it is of the automobile type. Vehicle according to claim 9, characterized in that it is of the utility type.