GB2152124A

GB2152124A - An openable hatch for a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2152124A
Application number: GB08431935A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dick Olle Ohlsson
Original assignee: Saab Scania AB
Current assignee: Saab AB
Priority date: 1983-12-20
Filing date: 1984-12-18
Publication date: 1985-07-31
Also published as: SE8307043L; GB8431935D0; GB2152124B; SE446840B; SE8307043D0; DE3446562A1

Abstract

An openable hatch (1) in a vehicle, preferably the rear hatch of a car comprises a glass pane (3) that is glued along its side edge portions (11) to a support frame (4). The pane (3) is held relative to the frame (4) during curing of the glue (12) by clips 17. The frame (4) lies on the inside of the pane (3) and wholly within the area of the pane. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Arrangement at an openable hatch on a vehicle The present invention relates to an arrangement at an openable hatch on a vehicle, preferably the rear hatch of a car, the hatch being provided with a glass pane glued to a support frame along its edge portions.

Modern cars of today are equipped to an everincreasing extent with relatively large and heavy rear hatches, and this is particularly applicable with cars of the so-called combiwagon type. From the aspect of viewing through it, a glass pane included in such a rear hatch should be as large as possible, although it then substantially contributes to the weight of the hatch. For the hatch to obtain sufficient stability and stiffness, it is usually formed with a sheet metal section frame surrounding the pane. By gluing the pane to the frame, the pane will contribute to further increasing the stiffness of the hatch, whereby the requirement of strength with regard to the frame surrounding the pane becomes less. At the same time as the frame constitutes the boundary to contiguous car body portions, it also contributes to locating the pane while the glue hardens.

The present invention has the object of creating a comparatively light rear hatch with an aesthetically appealing glass pane mounting, wherein a frame supporting the pane is to a large extent invisible on viewing the hatch from outside.

The invention is distinguished in that the support frame lies on the inside of the plane of the pane and in all essentials is covered by the pane, there also being provided a moulding that is disposed for engaging against the pane with spring bias whiie exercising a force urging the pane towards the frame, the moulding being attached to the frame by separate fastening means, so that the moulding grips the edge of the pane and guides it relative to the frame.

Such an inventive arrangement not only results in a comparatively light rear hatch, but there is furthermore obtained the advantage that the moulding gripping the edge of the pane can also keep it located in relation to the frame during the time required for the glue to harden or cure. Furthermore, the moulding protects the side edges of the pane against shocks and blows.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the moulding is formed along its length with a space for accommodating electric cables.

There is thus enabled a hidden, although easily accessible placing of such cables.

Other features distinguishing the invention are apparent from the accompanying claims and the following description of two embodiments exemplifying the invention. The description is made with reference to the accompanying figures, of which Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the rear portion of a car with a rear hatch fitted to it, Fig. 2 illustrates the hatch separately in the same way as in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a section A-A through the hatch according to Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 illustrates an alternative solution to the moulding arrangement illustrated in Fig.

3.

A rear hatch 1 on a car 2 illustrated in Figs.

1 and 2 includes a glass pane 3 fastened to a support frame 4 and to a sheet metal closure portion 5. The support frame 4 is welded to the portion 5, and in the upper transverse part of the support frame 4 there are hinges (not shown), with the aid of which the hatch 4 is conventionally pivotably disposed on the car body 6. The upper edge 7 and lower edge 8 of the glass pane 3 are formed with a moulding arrangement where the decorative moulding (not shown) is attached to the pane 3. On the two remaining, mutually opposing sides 9 and 10 of the pane 3, there is utilized a moulding arrangement, described below, for retaining the pane 3 relative to the frame 4.

As apparent from Fig. 3, the edge portion 11 of the glass pane 3 engages via a glue bead 1 2 and a plurality of spacers 1 5 against the underlying support frame 4. The surface of the frame 4 facing towards the glass pane is formed with a step 1 3 running inwards of, and accompanying both the outer edge 1 4 of the frame 4 and the bead 1 2. The spacers 1 5 are disposed immediately inwards of the step 1 3. The spacers 1 5 are suitable a plurality of foamed rubber blocks uniformly distributed along the frame 4 and are adapted to limit the impression of the pane 3 on the glue bead 1 2 to a given value.An inwardly decreasing distance between the frame 4 and pane 3 inwards of the step 1 3 keeps the spacers 1 5 in place.

The frame 4 does not extend in the plane of the pane 3 and can be considered covered by the pane 3 on viewing from the outside.

A moulding 1 7 is attached by a plurality of screws 15, or other removable fastening elements, to the frame 4 along the respective side edges 1 6 of the pane 3. The moulding 1 7 grips over the edge 1 6 of the pane, and engages with a given spring bias against the outer surface thereof. There is thus obtained good engagement and fastening effect between the bead 1 2, the pane 3 and the frame 4. The force developed by the moulding 1 7 is furthermore sufficient to keep the pane 3 in a predetermined position during the hardening or curing time of the glue.The moulding 1 7 thus enables the hatch 1 to be attached to the car body during the hours required for curing a polyurethane glue, thus permitting the hatch to withstand movements without the vibra tions and shocks thus occurring altering the predetermined location of the pane 3 relative to the frame 4.

It is also apparent from Fig. 3 how the rear hatch 1 engages via the support frame 4 against a sealing strip 29 attached to a receiving frame 30 on the body 6 for the hatch 1.

The moulding 1 7 illustrated in Fig. 3 has a section having a cavity 21 between the pane edge 1 6 and the inner surface of the moulding 1 7. To advantage, a harness of electric cables 22 is placed in the cavity, the cables leading to lamps (not shown) and possibly other currentconsuming apparatus mounted on the hatch 1. The harness 22 is thus given prntected, although easily accessible placing.

The presence of the cavity 21 provides a substantially free space, however, which enables the take-up of shocks for preventing damage to the pane edge 16. The cavity 21 also allows a margin for adjusting measurement deviations and possible skew of the pane 3 and/or frame 4, which has a favourable effect on the requirement for tolerances and accurate assembly of the ingoing parts.

In the alternative solution illustrated in Fig.

4, certain parts are identical with those illustrated in Fig. 3, and the same reference numerals have been used in such cases. In the embodiment according to Fig. 4, a moulding 1 9 running round the pane 3 is disposed to engage laterally against the side edge 1 6 of the pane. Since there is a corresponding moulding 1 9 on the opposite side 9 of the pane 3, there is afforded extremely good location of the pane relative to the frame 4.

The hatch 1 will thereby be able to withstand great external disturbing forces during the time it takes for the glue to cure, without the occurrence of the pane 3 being displaced in relation to the frame 4.

The moulding 1 9 is formed with a longitudinal ridge 24 against which the pane 3 engages at a predetermined distance relative to the frame 4. The harness of cables 22 is accommodated in the moulding 1 9 in a space 25 directly accessible from the outside. This space 25 can be closed by a covering strip 26 attached to the moulding 1 9 by a snap-on method.

To advantage, both the frame 4 and the moulding 1 7 or 1 9 are made in aluminium, but other materials such as plastics may also be used. Similarly, the expression glass pane shall not only signify that the pane is made from glass, since plastics material suitable for the purpose can also be used.

The invention also enables the hatch 1 to be implemented such as to form a relatively narrow gap 31 to the hatch-receiving frame 30 on the body 6 in the closed position of the hatch 1. There is thus obtained a smooth joint to a fixed rear side pane 20 on either side of the vehicle. This is favourable with the rear view of the driver in mind. From the aesthetic point of view, each rear side pane 20 may be given a configuration which can be regarded as being a continuation of the rear hatch pane 3. An outer decorative moulding 23 then surrounds either side pane 20 to form along the frame 30 on the body 6 the narrow gap 31 relative to the side moulding 17 of the closed hatch 1. By suitable colouring, e.g.

matte black, of the mouldings 1 7, 1 9 and 23, the pane 3 of the closed hatch 1 and the side panes 20 can be understood by an observer on the outside to be a single pane.

The invention is not restricted to the illustrated embodiments. and within the scope of the accompanying claims it may be modified in a plurality of alternative embodiments.

Claims

1. Arrangement at an openable hatch on a vehicle, preferably the rear hatch of a car, the hatch being provided with a glass pane glued to a support frame along its edge portions, characterized in that the support frame lies on the inside of the plane of the pane and is thus in all essentials covered by the pane, in that a moulding is disposed for engaging against the pane with spring bias whiie exercising a force urging the pane towards the frame, and in that the moulding is fastened to the frame with the aid of separate fastening elements so that the moulding grips over the edge of the pane and guides the pane relative to the frame.

2. Arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the moulding is formed with a space along its length for accommodating a harness of cables or the like.

3. Arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the moulding grips over the edge of the pane at least along two mutually opposing sides of the pane.

4. Arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the maximum compression of the glue bead by the pane is limited by at least one spacer the position of which is fixed in relation to the frame.

5. Arrangement as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that the space is arranged between the inner surface of the moulding and at least one mounting-free edge side of the pane.

6. Arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the moulding, in the closed position of the hatch, is arranged to join up, via a gap, with a moulding surrounding a side pane rigidly attached to the vehicle body.

7. Arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.