WO2015094082A1

WO2015094082A1 - Arrangement for attaching an elongated side unit to a vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2015094082A1
Application number: PCT/SE2014/051415
Authority: WO
Inventors: Per Bengtsson; Magnus LIDÉN; Henrik Wentzel
Original assignee: Scania Cv Ab
Priority date: 2013-12-18
Filing date: 2014-11-27
Publication date: 2015-06-25
Also published as: SE1351516A1; SE537751C2

Abstract

An arrangement for fastening an elongate side unit to a vehicle. The arrangement comprises a first clamping device intended to be fastened to the vehicle and a first profile element intended to protrude from the elongate side unit. The first clamping device comprises first and second contact elements separated from one another along a z-axis in the first clamping device, thereby creating between the contact elements a space for accommodating the first profile element. The arrangement further comprises a second clamping device intended to be fastened to the vehicle and a second profile element intended to protrude from the side unit. The second clamping device may fasten the second profile element to the second clamping device and thus put the side unit into a clamped state in which the first profile element is inserted in the space between the contact elements and exerts load upon the two contact elements in the first clamping device so that the first profile element is clamped between the contact elements.

Description

Arrangement for fastening an elongate side unit to a vehicle Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an arrangement for fastening an elongate side unit to a vehicle, and in particular a side unit in the form of a side panel. The invention relates also to a vehicle provided with an elongate side unit which is fastened to the vehicle by means of the arrangement.

Background to the invention

Side panels may be used on a vehicle, e.g. a truck, to reduce air resistance, be visually pleasing and protect cyclists from riding in under or becoming trapped under the vehicle. Such a side panel is placed between the vehicle's wheels and serves as a barrier to foreign objects which might find their way under the vehicle or between its wheels. Inside the side panel it is desired to have the possibility of fastening sundry components to the vehicle, e.g. fuel tanks. For this reason it is desirable that side panels be only fastened at their upper and lower edges. It is also desirable to be able to open and close side panels so that components behind them are readily accessible. Shortage of space and the need to save fuel also make it desirable for the side panels to be as thin as possible.

Long thin side panels result in very low resonance frequencies for vibrations from their surface, which may cause such a panel to rotate about fastenings which attach it to the vehicle. These low resonance frequencies result in a large movements or moments which have to be coped with by the fastenings. A further complicating factor is potentially large tolerances on fastenings pertaining to elongate side panels.

Making side panel fastenings rigid with the object of preventing such movement about them results in the fastenings failing. Making side panel fastenings weak with the object of accommodating rotation about them results in their impinging on constituent parts and/or nearby items, causing disturbing sounds and wear or chafing of constituent parts. It is therefore an object of the invention to propose an arrangement for fastening a side panel to a vehicle which at least partly eliminates any of the problems described above.

Summary of the invention

In one aspect the object described above is achieved by an arrangement for fastening an elongate side unit to a vehicle. The arrangement comprises a first clamping device configured to be fastened to the vehicle and a first profile element configured to protrude from the elongate side unit. The first clamping device comprises first and second contact elements separated by a distance di from one another along a z-axis in the first clamping device, thus creating between the contact elements a space for accommodating the first profile element. The contact elements further have respective first and second contact regions P1 , P2 which delineate the space between the two contact elements. The arrangement further comprises a second clamping device configured to be fastened to the vehicle and a second profile element configured to protrude from the side unit. The second clamping device is configured to fasten the second profile element to the second clamping device and thereby put the side unit into a clamped state in which the first profile element is inserted in the space between the contact elements and imposes upon the two contact regions P1 , P2 on the contact elements in the first clamping device a load such that the first profile element is clamped between the contact elements, the z-axis being defined as an axis which runs between the first and second clamping devices.

Having two contact elements between which the first profile element is clamped provides the side unit with clamping which is highly tolerant of differences between the extent of different side units. In one embodiment the arrangement allows rotation about the z-axis. There are various ways in which this may be achieved. The fact that a certain amount of rotation is allowed reduces the risk of fractures and vibrations when the side unit is subject to loading.

In a second aspect the object is at least partly achieved by a vehicle provided with an elongate side unit which is fastened to it by means of the arrangement.

Preferred embodiments are described in the dependent claims and the detailed description. Brief description of the attached drawings

The invention is described below with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 depicts a vehicle with a side panel fastened to it.

Fig. 2A depicts a side panel and an arrangement for fastening an elongate side unit to a vehicle according to one embodiment.

Fig. 2B depicts the side unit in Fig. 2A from the outside.

Fig. 3A depicts an arrangement on one side of the side panel according to one embodiment.

Fig. 3B depicts an enlarged view of a first clamping device and a first profile element in the arrangement in Fig. 3A according to one embodiment.

Figs. 4A-4B illustrate schematically how the first profile element is clamped in the first clamping device according to one embodiment.

Fig. 5 illustrates an enlarged view of the first clamping device according to one embodiment.

Fig. 6 depicts an enlarged view of the first clamping device and the first profile element according to another embodiment.

Fig. 7A illustrates the second profile element according to one embodiment. Fig. 7B illustrates the second clamping device according to one embodiment. Fig. 7C illustrates how the second profile element may be fastened to the second clamping device according to one embodiment.

Figs. 8A-8D illustrate how first and second clamping devices cooperate with first and second profile elements in order to fasten the second profile element to the second clamping device and to clamp the first profile element to the first clamping device.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

Fig. 1 depicts a vehicle 1 in the form of a truck with a chassis 2 and a front wheel 3a and a rear wheel 3b. An elongate side panel 4 fitted between these front and rear wheels is attached to the chassis. An arrangement described below is intended to attach the side panel to the chassis and may also be used to attach other units to the vehicle, e.g. a hatch or the like. These units are herein referred to generally as elongate side units 4. The elongate extent of the side unit 4 defines the direction of a y-axis.

Fig. 2A depicts a separated view of the elongate side unit 4 in Fig. 1 as seen from inside the vehicle. An arrangement for attaching the side unit to the vehicle is circled by broken lines marked "A" and "B". The side unit is here fastened openably to the vehicle by the arrangement "A" and "B" at the ends of the side unit's elongate extent. "A" denotes the left part of the arrangement in the drawing, and "B" its right part. The arrangement may also comprise only the right part or the left part. The arrangement may be fastened to the vehicle's chassis 2 via a partly depicted loadbearing structure 30. Fig. 2B depicts a separated view of the elongate side unit 4 in Fig. 1 as seen from outside the vehicle.

Fig. 3A depicts the left part "A" of the arrangement in Fig. 2A, in which the side unit 4 is attached to the vehicle 1 in a clamped state. The arrangement comprises here a first clamping device 21 configured to be fastened to the vehicle. The arrangement also comprises a first profile element 6 configured to protrude from the elongate side unit 4 and be inserted in the first clamping device 21 . The arrangement further comprises a second clamping device 22 configured to be fastened to the vehicle, and a second profile element 20 configured to protrude from the side unit. The second clamping device 22 is configured to fasten the second profile element 20 to the second clamping device 22 and thereby put the side unit into the clamped state. The first and second clamping devices 21 , 22 are here supported by a member 27, e.g. a U-member, and are each situated at their respective end of the member 27. The two clamping devices and the member 27 may for example be made of steel. The first profile element 6 and the second profile element 20 are situated in one embodiment at a distance from one another which substantially corresponds to the extent of the side unit 4 in any direction. The member 27 has here substantially the same extent in the z- direction along a z-axis as the side panel 4. The z-axis is defined as an axis which runs between the first clamping device 21 and the second clamping device 22. An x-axis is defined as being orthogonal with the z-axis and the y-axis. In one embodiment the x-axis runs in the same direction as a perpendicular "N" from the side panel's surface 5 when the side panel is put into the clamped state. The profile units 6, 20 may for example be made of steel.

Fig. 3B depicts an enlarged view of the first clamping device 21 and the first profile element 6. In the first clamping device 21 , first and second contact elements 7a, 7b are separated by a distance di from one another along a z-axis. The first clamping device has in this embodiment two parallel mutually opposite side-pieces 1 0a, 10b which may take the form of the U-member's two opposite sides. The first and second contact elements 7a, 7b are placed between the side- pieces and are fastened to them by bolts 8a, 8b or the like which pass through holes in the contact elements 7a, 7b and corresponding holes in the side-pieces 10a, 10b. The first profile element 6 is accommodated in a resulting space between the contact elements 7a, 7b which is delineated by the contact elements 7a, 7b and the insides 10c, 10d (Fig. 5) of the side-pieces 10a, 1 0b. Fig. 3B depicts also an upper profile element 9a which protrudes through an aperture in the first clamping device 21 and has a function explained below.

Figs. 4A and 4B illustrate schematically the function of the first and second contact elements 7a, 7b and how the clamping device 21 cooperates with the first profile element 6 to put the side unit 4 into a clamped state. The contact elements 7a, 7b have respective first and second contact regions P1 , P2 which delineate the space between the two contact elements. In Fig. 4A the first profile element 6 is inserted between the two contact elements but does not yet exert any appreciable load upon either of them. In an embodiment here depicted the contact elements 7a, 7b at least partly overlap one another in the x-direction along the x-axis which is orthogonal with the z-axis when there is substantially no load upon the contact regions P1 , P2. Fig. 4B depicts the first profile element 6 pressed towards the z-axis, and hence against the first and second clamping devices 21 , 22, with a clamping force F to achieve a clamped state in which the second clamping device 22 is fastened to the second profile element 20, and the first profile element 6 is clamped in the space between the contact elements 7a, 7b in the first clamping device 21 . The contact regions P1 , P2, which constitute respective contact surfaces on the contact elements 7a, 7b which are in contact with the first profile element 6, have partly moved as a result of the load exerted.

The distance di (Fig. 3B) between the first and second contact elements 7a, 7b is between 20 and 40 mm in one embodiment, which may result in a lever arm of about 1 :20 upwards to the upper edge of the side unit 4. This means that by fitting with a clamping force F of 50 N the rollers or pucks will be clamped at 1000 N. Fig. 4b shows the first profile element 6 somewhat resilient and flexible and bending under the effect of the clamping force F. The contact elements 7a, 7b here are also at least partly made of resilient material and are pressed together by the load from the first profile element 6 in such a way that their respective contact regions P1 , P2 are caused to be substantially parallel with the z-axis and also, in one embodiment, to lie substantially along the z-axis when the side unit 4 is in the clamped state. The contact regions P1 , P2 may for example be substantially in line with one another. The resilient material may for example be rubber or polyurethane. The result is a clamping of the side-piece 4 which is flexible about the z-axis with the object of accommodating the rotation about the z-axis which may occur when the side panel 4 is acted upon by forces due to the vehicle being in motion. The first clamping device 21 is therefore configured to allow rotation of the second profile element 20 about the z-axis and will therefore better tolerate stresses such as vibrations. In one embodiment the first clamping device will tolerate rotation of about 3^° to 5^° about the z-axis. In one embodiment the side panel 4 is also at least partly made of resilient material. Fig. 5 depicts the first clamping device 21 separated from the first profile element 6. The insides 10c, 10d of the side-pieces 10a, 10b are opposite one another and the contact elements 7a, 7b are in the first clamping device 21 between the insides 10a, 1 0d. The first and second contact elements 7a, 7b in an embodiment depicted in Figs. 3B and 5 each take the form of a roller with a hollow at its middle. The first profile element 6 is then guided towards the hollows when it abuts against the contact elements 7a, 7b, making it possible to avoid wear between the first profile element 6 and the insides 10c, 10d of the side-pieces 10a, 10b. Where the two contact elements 7a, 7b take the form of rollers, they have an elongate extent along the y- axis. In one embodiment the rollers have a diameter of between 20 and 40 mm at most, and between 10 and 20 mm at the hollow. In another embodiment depicted in Fig. 6 the first and second contact elements may take the form of pucks 28a, 28b respectively placed in the first profile element 6 against a forward side 29a and a rear side 29b. The first profile element 6 is inserted between the two pucks, and when a clamping force F acts upon it the first profile element presses the pucks so that they are pushed outwards. This embodiment with pucks may be advantageous where the clamping force F required is large. In one embodiment different configurations of the contact elements 7a, 7b are combined so that at least one of them takes the form of a roller or puck. The other contact element may take the form of the other kind, resulting in one contact element 7a being a roller and the other contact element 7b a puck.

Figs. 7A-7C show how the second profile element 20 may be fastened to the second fastening unit 22 according to one embodiment. Fig. 7A depicts the second profile element 20 separated, here in the form of one end of a longitudinal profile unit 1 1 . The other end of this profile unit may at least partly constitute the first profile element 6. The profile unit 1 1 may at least partly take the form of an L- shaped member, the first L-section of which may be fastened to the side unit 4. This first L-section has an extension in the form of a transverse profile 14 which may be fastened to the side unit via fastenings 15 which pass through holes 16 in the transverse profile 14. The second L-section runs in the perpendicular direction N from the surface 5 of the side unit when the first L-section is fastened to the side unit. The second L-section has running through it a hole 12 in which a bushing 13 is placed. This bushing in one embodiment is made of resilient material. The bushing has running through it a hole 12 which fits with a pin 19 (Fig. 7C).

Fig. 7B depicts the second clamping device 22 in which the second profile element 20 is intended to be fastened. The second fastening unit 22 may also take the form of an end of the member 27, which is for example a U-member. The second clamping device 22 has third and fourth side-pieces 10e, 10f which may be the U-member's two opposite sides. These side-pieces have running through them two holes 17a, 17b in which for example a nut 1 8a and/or a washer 18b may be placed. The pin 19 is shown separated but is intended to be fitted in the holes 1 7a, 17b when the bushing 13 has been inserted between these two holes.

Fig. 7C shows how the second profile element 20 is fastened to the second clamping device 22. This second clamping device is provided with a pin 19 and the second profile element 20 is provided with the bushing 1 3. The pin 19 is configured to engage with the bushing in order to secure the second profile element 20 to the second clamping device 22. The bushing will be placed between the holes 1 7a, 17b and the pin will be inserted in the holes 17a, 17b and in the hole which runs through the bushing. The bushing in one embodiment is made of resilient material, e.g. rubber or polyurethane. When the side unit 4 is subject to vibrations, it may try to rotate about its fastenings, as illustrated in Fig. 7C by rotation about the z-axis. As the bushing is resilient, a certain amount of rotation about the z-axis will be allowed. The fastening of the second profile element 20 to the second clamping device 22 is therefore configured to allow rotation of the second profile element about the z-axis. The pin 19 which abuts against the bushing, in the hole which runs through the bushing, will then sink somewhat into the bushing, thereby allowing the rotation. In one embodiment the second profile element 20 is also made of resilient material.

Figures 8A-8D illustrate how the first and second clamping devices 21 , 22 cooperate with the first and second profile elements 6, 20 to fasten the second profile element 20 to the second clamping device 22 and to fasten the first profile element 6 to the first clamping device 21 in the arrangement. The first and second clamping devices 21 , 22 each constitute here their respective end of the L-member 1 1 , and the first and second profile elements 6, 20 each constitute their respective ends of the U-member 27. The L-member 1 1 here also has upper and lower profile elements 9a, 9b. The first profile element 6 is placed between, and protrudes slightly past, the upper and lower profile elements 9a, 9b. Fig. 8A depicts the two members 1 1 , 27 apart from one another before being brought together. The pin 19 is depicted schematically above the U-member 27. In Fig. 8B the first profile element 6 has been inserted in the space between the two contact elements 7a, 7b far enough for the lower profile element 9b to make contact with the lower contact element 7b. In this state the first profile element 6 rests against the lower contact element 7b, and the lower profile element 9b serves to stop further insertion of the first contact element 6 into the space. Fig. 8C illustrates a clamping force F applied to the upper part of the L-member 1 1 to cause the second profile element 20 to move towards the second clamping device 22. The L-member moves about the lower contact element 7b. Fig. 8D depicts the arrangement in a clamped state in which the first profile element 6 has contact with and exerts load upon the two contact elements 7a, 7b and is thus clamped between them. The second profile element 20 is fastened to the second clamping device 22 by the pin 19. The whole of the L-shaped member 1 1 will now be clamped to the U-shaped member 27. The arrangement will cope with relatively large tolerances in the x-direction, since it depends only on point contacts at the bottom and a bushing 13 on the long pin 19 at the top. Tolerances in the y- direction will be absorbed in the large movement required for the clamping.

As explained above, there are various ways of achieving the clamped state. One or both of the members 1 1 , 27 may for example be resilient, in which case the contact elements 7a, 7b and the bushing 13 (Fig. 7A) may be rigid. Alternatively, the contact elements 7a, 7b and the bushing 13 may be resilient and the members 1 1 , 27 be rigid. In another embodiment the two members 1 1 , 27 and the contact elements 7a, 7b and the bushing 13 are at least partly resilient and together create the possibility of rotation about the z-axis.

In the arrangement described above, only the left part "A" in Fig. 2A has been described. The configuration of the right part "B" is similar to that of the left part. The arrangement may therefore comprise a further first clamping device 21 fastened to the vehicle, a further first profile element 6 configured to protrude from the elongate side unit 4, a further second clamping device 22 fastened to the vehicle and a further second profile element 20 configured to protrude from the elongate side unit 4, etc. The present invention is not restricted to the embodiments described above. Sundry alternatives, modifications and equivalents may be used. The aforesaid embodiments therefore do not limit the invention's scope, which is defined by the attached claims.

Claims

1 . An arrangement for fastening an elongate side unit (4) to a vehicle (1 ), c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the arrangement comprises

a first clamping device (21 ) configured to be fastened to the vehicle (1 ), a first profile element (6) configured to protrude from the elongate side unit (4), while the first clamping device (21 ) is provided with first and second contact elements (7a, 7b) separated by a distance di from one another along a z-axis in the first clamping device (21 ), resulting in there being a space between the contact elements (7a, 7b) to accommodate the first profile element (6), the contact elements (7a, 7b) further having respective first and second contact regions P1 , P2 which delineate the space between the two contact elements (7a, 7b),

a second clamping device (22) configured to be fastened to the vehicle (1 ), and

a second profile element (20) configured to protrude from the side unit (4), while the second clamping device (22) is configured to fasten the second profile element (20) to the second clamping device (22) and thus put the side unit (4) into a clamped state in which the first profile element (6) is inserted in the space between the contact elements (7a, 7b) and exerts load upon the two contact regions P1 , P2 on the contact elements (7a, 7b) in the first clamping device (21 ) so that the first profile element (6) is clamped between the contact elements (7a, 7b), the z-axis being defined as an axis which runs between the first clamping device (21 ) and the second clamping device (22).

2. The arrangement according to claim 1 , in which the contact elements (7a, 7b) at least partly overlap one another along an x-axis which is orthogonal with the z-axis when there is substantially no load upon the contact regions P1 , P2.

3. The arrangement according to any one of the foregoing claims, in which the contact elements (7a, 7b) are made of resilient material.

4. The arrangement according to claim 3, in which the contact elements (7a, 7b) are configured to be pressed together by the load exerted from the first profile element (6) so that the contact regions P1 , P2 will be substantially along the z- axis when the side unit (4) is in the clamped state.

5. The arrangement according to any one of the foregoing claims, in which the first clamping device (21 ) is configured to allow rotation of the second profile element (20) about the z-axis.

6. The arrangement according to any one of the foregoing claims, in which the first profile element (6), the second profile element (20) and/or the side unit (4) are at least partly made of resilient material.

7. The arrangement according to any one of the foregoing claims, in which the fastening of the second profile element (20) to the second clamping device (22) is configured to allow rotation of the second profile element (20) about the z-axis.

8. The arrangement according to claim 7, in which the second clamping device (22) is provided with a pin (1 9) and the second profile element is provided with a bushing (13), and the pin (19) is configured to engage with the bushing (13) in order to secure the second profile element (20) to the second clamping device (22).

9. The arrangement according to any one of the foregoing claims, in which the first profile element (6) and the second profile element (20) are at a distance from one another which corresponds to the extent of the side unit (4) in any direction.

10. The arrangement according to any one of the foregoing claims, in which the two contact elements (7a, 7b) have an elongate extent along the y-axis.

1 1 . The arrangement according to claim 10, in which at least one of the contact elements (7a, 7b) takes the form of a roller or a puck.

12. The arrangement according to any one of the foregoing claims, in which one member (27) supports both the first and the second clamping devices (21 , 22).

13. The arrangement according to any one of the foregoing claims, which arrangement comprises

- a further first clamping device (21 ) fastened to the vehicle (1 );

- a further first profile element (6) configured to protrude from the elongate side unit (4);

- a further second clamping device (22) fastened to the vehicle (1 );

- a further second profile element (20) configured to protrude from the elongate side unit (4).

14. A vehicle (1 ) provided with an elongate side unit (4) which is fastened to the vehicle (1 ) by means of the arrangement according to any one of the foregoing claims.

15. A vehicle (1 ) according to claim 14, in which the elongate side unit (4) is an elongate side panel.