WO2019170971A2

WO2019170971A2 - Assembly comprising a subwoofer and a spare wheel for a vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2019170971A2
Application number: PCT/FR2019/050244
Authority: WO
Inventors: Guillaume ESTIENNE; Laurent DUBUC
Original assignee: Psa Automobiles Sa
Priority date: 2018-03-05
Filing date: 2019-02-04
Publication date: 2019-09-12
Also published as: FR3078514A1; FR3078514B1; WO2019170971A3

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly comprising spare wheel (3) and a subwoofer (20), including a securing means. According to the invention, the assembly is intended to be mounted in a vehicle floor well in the form of a cavity provided in the floor of the vehicle boot in order to store the spare wheel (3) of the vehicle. The subwoofer (20) comprises a loud speaker (21) and can be positioned in the free space inside the spare wheel (2). The assembly comprising the spare wheel (3) and the subwoofer (20) is solidly connected to the vehicle floor well using a securing means which does not extend through the subwoofer (20), said securing means comprising: a first part designed to secure the spare wheel (3) to the vehicle floor well, and a second part designed to secure the subwoofer (20) to the spare wheel (3). The subwoofer (20) is designed to cooperate with the securing nut (12).

Description

ASSEMBLY OF A BASS CASE AND A RESCUE WHEEL FOR

VEHICLE

[001] The invention relates generally to the field of integration of a subwoofer in a vehicle spare tire bowl, and more specifically to a fastening means for a wheel assembly. emergency and a subwoofer, in a vehicle trunk, including a trunk.

[002] In known manner, a vehicle comprises a spare wheel. This spare wheel is useful in case of puncture of a tire and can temporarily replace the wheel having suffered the puncture.

[003] It is known to store a spare wheel, for example a pancake wheel, in a bowl, in other words a cavity, reserved in the trunk of the vehicle. In order that the spare wheel can not move when the vehicle is moving, a fastening means is used to secure the spare wheel to the spare tire bowl, also referred to as the vehicle floor pan, the floor bowl. the vehicle corresponding to the space dedicated to storing the spare wheel.

[004] However, a disadvantage inherent in the presence of a spare wheel in the vehicle floor bowl, whether in the trunk or under the seats, lies in the loss of volume generated. In particular to enhance the lost space occupied by the spare wheel, it is known to install a subwoofer in the interior volume left free by the spare wheel.

[005] Indeed, it is common that a vehicle has a Hi-Fi option to transmit, reproduce and broadcast a sound signal, for example music or radio, in the passenger compartment of the car. In order to reproduce and correctly broadcast a sound signal, speakers are installed in the passenger compartment of the car. A conventional speaker is however not suitable for broadcasting the lowest frequencies with a good playback quality. It is therefore also known to use a subwoofer, specialized in the broadcasting of low frequency signals.

[006] Referring to Figure 1, representative of the state of the art, the X axis will be designated as being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and the Z axis as the axis parallel to the terrestrial vertical. A threaded through screw 101 is fixed vertically, that is, along the Y axis, in the center of the vehicle floor pan. [007] According to the state of the art, the spare wheel 3 is thus placed in a supine position, in other words along the X axis, in the vehicle floor bowl, and the central opening of the spare wheel 3. is screwed on the through screw 101. Indeed, the shape of the subwoofer 200 is adapted to the inner surface SI of the free inner volume of the spare wheel 3 and the subwoofer 200 comprises a central circular opening, the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of the through screw 101. Furthermore, the subwoofer 200 comprises an internal thread 202 at its central opening and this internal thread 202 is adapted to allow the screwing of the subwoofer 200 on the not external screw 103 of the through screw 101. The subwoofer 200 is therefore placed in the free inner volume of the spare wheel 3 and around the through screw 101. The zone ZL01 corresponds to the free internal volume of the wheel of relief 3 where is positioned the speaker 201 of the subwoofer 200.

[008] Still with reference to Figure 1, in order to fix the subwoofer assembly 200 and spare wheel 3 to the body, is used a fastening means adapted to be screwed on the upper part of the through screw 101.

[009] However, the size and the position of said through screw 101 greatly limit the volume of the zone ZL01, the free internal volume of the spare wheel 3, where the speaker 201 of the subwoofer 200 is positioned. , the size of the subwoofer speaker 200 is also limited. In practice, the maximum surface area of the speaker membrane 201 is typically of the order of 133 cm ² .

As said before, to properly broadcast a low frequency signal, it is necessary to move a large volume of air, and therefore, increase the maximum diameter of the speaker membrane 201 which is not the case. right here. However, we see in Figure 1, an unused area ZI is not valued. The quality of the sound diffused, in particular bass, in these known systems, is therefore mediocre since the solutions making it possible to increase the diameter of the membrane of the loudspeaker 201 are too expensive or impossible to implement.

The invention aims to solve at least in part these disadvantages by providing a fastening means for preserving a large volume, inside the volume of the bowl left free by the spare wheel, to accommodate a box bass.

For this purpose, the present invention comprises a fastening means not passing through the subwoofer 200 from one side to the other, thus making it possible to increase the volume of the zone. ZL01 and increase the dimensions of the speaker diaphragm 201 and so the sound quality.

More specifically, the present invention is a set of a spare wheel and a subwoofer comprising a fixing means, said assembly being intended to be mounted in a vehicle floor bowl, said floor bowl. vehicle being a cavity made in the floor of a vehicle trunk, for storing the spare wheel of the vehicle, said subwoofer comprising a speaker and being adapted to be positioned in a free inner volume of the wheel emergency, said set of the spare wheel and the subwoofer being secured to the vehicle floor pan by a fixing means, said fixing means not passing through the subwoofer and comprising:

a first portion configured to secure the spare wheel to the vehicle floor pan,

a second part configured to fix the subwoofer on the spare wheel,

said subwoofer being adapted to cooperate with the fixing nut.

Thanks to the invention, the available volume in the subwoofer, to accommodate the speaker, is increased.

According to a first embodiment, the first part of the fixing means comprises:

a cylindrical stud having a lateral thread, welded to the vehicle floor pan, said fastening stud not passing right through the free inner volume of the spare wheel,

a flat head fastening nut having a thread on an inner surface of a lower portion of the fastening nut, said thread of the fastening nut being adapted to cooperate with the lateral thread of the fastening stud, and second part of the fixing means is a thread formed on the vertical flange located on the ends of the flat head of the fixing nut.

According to a second embodiment:

the first part of the fixing means comprises a cylindrical stud having a lateral thread, welded to the vehicle floor pan, said stud not passing right through the free inner volume of the spare wheel, and the second part of the fixing means is derived from material of the subwoofer and comprises a hollow tubular structure having an internal thread adapted to cooperate with the thread of the stud.

According to one embodiment, the subwoofer has a base corresponding to a portion of the subwoofer in contact with the flat head of the fixing nut, said base being defined by a threaded groove, said threaded groove being adapted to cooperate with the thread of the vertical flange of the flat head of the fixing nut of the fastening means to secure the attachment of the subwoofer to the fastening means.

According to one embodiment, the vertical flange of the flat head of the fixing nut of said fixing means comprises recesses, to improve the gripping of the fixing nut and the tightening of said fixing nut on the fixing stud.

Advantageously, the assembly comprises a layer of flexible material, said layer of flexible material being interposed between the fastening means and the base of the subwoofer, to absorb at least partly the noise due to friction of the means of fixing and the subwoofer.

The present invention also provides a method of mounting an assembly of a spare wheel and a subwoofer comprising a fixing means.

According to one embodiment, the fixing means being as defined in the first embodiment:

the spare wheel is placed in a horizontal position in a vehicle floor pan, the central opening of the spare wheel being positioned around the fixing stud,

the spare wheel is fixed in the vehicle floor pan by screwing the fixing nut onto the fixing stud,

the subwoofer, including the loudspeaker, is screwed onto the flat head of the mounting nut.

According to one embodiment of the mounting method, the fixing means being as defined in the second embodiment: the spare wheel is placed in a horizontal position in a vehicle floor pan, the central opening of the spare wheel being positioned around the fixing stud,

the spare wheel and the subwoofer are fixed in the floor pan of the vehicle by screwing the subwoofer, including a loudspeaker, onto the fixing stud.

According to one embodiment, between the step of fixing the spare wheel and the step of screwing the subwoofer, there is a layer of flexible material between the fastening means and the base of the subwoofer. low, improving the quality of the tightening and avoiding spurious noise due to friction of the base of the subwoofer with the fixing nut.

The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a set of a spare wheel and a subwoofer comprising a fixing means as briefly described above.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only, and with reference to the drawings which show:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a cross-sectional view of an example of a subwoofer in a spare wheel, according to the state of the art,

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a cross-sectional view of an example of an assembly of a spare wheel and a subwoofer according to one embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a cross-sectional view of the fastening nut of a means for fixing a set of a spare wheel and a subwoofer, according to an embodiment of FIG. the invention,

FIG. 4, a view from above showing the fixing nut of the fixing means,

• Figure 5, a 3-dimensional diagram of the fixing nut of the fastening means. FIG. 6 is a diagram of a cross-sectional view of an example of an assembly of a spare wheel and a subwoofer according to a second embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a cross-sectional view of the fastening nut of a means for fixing a set of a spare wheel and a subwoofer, according to a second embodiment. of the invention, said nut being integrated in the subwoofer.

In what follows, the described embodiments focus more particularly on an implementation of the device according to the invention within a motor vehicle. However, any implementation in a different context, in particular in any type of vehicle, is also covered by the present invention.

Referring to Figure 2, a vehicle has a speaker 21 to broadcast for example music and / or radio in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. A subwoofer 20 is provided for broadcasting the low frequency sound signals.

Furthermore, the vehicle comprises a spare wheel 3 with a space dedicated to the storage of said spare wheel 3, said space being designated floor of the vehicle tank, not shown in Figure 2. The spare wheel 3 stored allows the user of the vehicle to replace a wheel of the vehicle by the spare wheel 3, in particular without having to call a professional.

A load floor 4 is disposed above said floor bowl. This load floor is a flat structure whose dimensions are greater than or equal to those of the access opening of the vehicle floor pan. This load floor can support the loads placed in the trunk of the vehicle, above the vehicle floor pan, and thus protect the subwoofer 20 and the spare wheel.

The subwoofer 20 has the function of broadcasting low frequency sound signals in the passenger compartment of the car. Said subwoofer 20 comprises the loudspeaker 21, placed in the center of said subwoofer 20. The shape of the subwoofer 20 is adapted to both the inner surface S1 of the free inner volume of the spare wheel 3, c that is to say on the inner face of the rim of the spare wheel 3 of the vehicle, and to the fastening stud 11, said fastening stud 11 participating, according to the invention, in the fixing of the subwoofer 20 and of the spare wheel 3 in the floor pan of the vehicle. Indeed, said subwoofer 20 is directly supported on the spare wheel and the fixing pin 1 1. For this purpose, the subwoofer 20 comprises a threaded groove 20F delimiting a base 22 of said subwoofer. 20. With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the base 22 designates the portion of the subwoofer 20 which is in contact with the flat head 12A of the fixing nut 12.

According to one embodiment of the invention, with reference to Figure 3, a fixing means immobilizes the spare wheel 3 and the subwoofer 20 relative to the vehicle floor bowl. Said fixing means comprises several parts which cooperate to ensure the maintenance and immobility of the spare wheel 3 in the vehicle floor pan.

The fastening means comprises two main portions:

a first part makes it possible to fix the spare wheel (3) to the vehicle floor pan,

a second part makes it possible to fix the subwoofer (20) on the spare wheel

(3),

The first and second parts can be made in different ways. According to one embodiment, the first part comprises:

as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a cylindrical fixing pin 11, arranged vertically, having a lateral thread 11 F. This fastening stud 11 is short and, in any case, it does not pass through the zone ZL1, defined as being the free internal volume of the subwoofer 20 where the speaker 21 is placed. The zone ZL1 has a much larger volume than in the state of the art, since the fixing stud 11 occupies no volume in the ZL1 area.

with reference to Figures 4 and 5, a fastening nut 12 comprising a flat head 12A, said flat head 12A being located above the lower part 12B hollow. Furthermore, a thread 12AF is provided on an outer surface of the vertical flanges of the flat head 12A and a tapping 12BT is provided on an inner surface of a lower portion 12B of the fastening nut 12.

According to this embodiment, the second portion comprises a thread 12AF made on the vertical flange located on the ends of the flat head 12A of the fastening nut 12.

Regarding the first part, the fastening means and the vehicle floor pan cooperate to fix the spare wheel 3. In fact, the fixing stud 11 is secured to the floor pan of the vehicle. Furthermore, the tapping 12BT of the inner part of the lower part 12B of the fastening nut 12 is adapted to cooperate with the lateral thread 1 1 F of the fastening pin 1 1. In other words, the tapping 12BT of the inner part the lower part 12B of the fastening nut 12 is adapted to be screwed onto the lateral thread 1 1 F of the fixing stud 1 1.

Regarding the second part, the base 22 of the subwoofer 20 and the fastening means cooperate to ensure the fastening of the subwoofer 20 to said fastening means. The threaded groove 20F of the subwoofer 20 is adapted to cooperate with the thread 12AF of the flat head 12A of the fixing nut 12. In other words, the threaded groove 20F of the subwoofer 20 is adapted to be screwed onto the thread 12AF of the flat head 12A of the fastening nut 12.

Optionally, with reference to Figure 3, a layer of flexible material 40, circular and whose dimensions are smaller than those of the flat head 12A of the fastening nut 12, can be disposed between the upper surface of the flat head 12A of the fastening nut 12 and the base 22 of the subwoofer 20. Said layer of flexible material 40 improves the quality of the clamping between these two parts while absorbing at least partly the spurious noise due to the friction of the base 22 of the subwoofer 20 with the fixing nut 12.

Furthermore, with reference to FIG. 4, recesses 13 may be made vertically on the vertical flanges of the flat head 12A of the fastening nut 12. This improves the gripping of said fixing nut 12 as well as by Therefore, the tightening of the subwoofer 20 on the flat head 12A of the fixing nut 12.

To ensure the permanence of the clamping between the subwoofer 20 and the flat head 12A of the fastening nut 12 a pawl can further be added.

The invention also relates to a method of mounting an assembly of a spare wheel 3 and a subwoofer 20 comprising a fixing means. According to this method, the spare wheel 3 is first disposed horizontally in the vehicle floor pan on a vertical stud 11 welded to the bottom of said bowl.

Then, the spare wheel 3 is secured to the vehicle floor bowl by screwing the fastening nut 12 on the fastening pin 1 1, thanks to the tapping 12BT of the lower portion 12B of the nut of the vehicle. fastener 12, adapted to cooperate with the thread Lateral 1 1 F of the fixing bolt 1 1. After this step, the spare wheel 3 is stationary and locked between the vehicle floor pan and the flat head 12A of the fixing nut 12.

Optionally, in the case where the layer of flexible material 40 is used, said layer of flexible material 40 is disposed on the upper surface of the flat head 12A of the fastening nut 12.

Finally, the subwoofer 20, comprising the speaker 21, is placed horizontally in the free inner volume of the spare wheel 3, positioning the surface on which was made the threaded groove 20F vis-à-vis With the fastening bolt 1 1, to fasten the subwoofer 20 to the fastening nut 12, said subwoofer 20 is screwed onto the fastening nut 12. In fact, as explained above, the threaded groove 20F of the subwoofer 20 is adapted to cooperate with the thread 12AF of the flat head 12A of the fastening nut 12.

Thus, thanks to the fixing means, the interior volume of the subwoofer 3 for housing a speaker 21 is larger than the dimensions of the subwoofer are not constrained by the environment of said subwoofer 3, in particular by the fixing means thereof, according to the present invention, not passing through the subwoofer 20 from one side to the other. In other words, in the case of the invention, there is no screw passing through said free internal volume of the subwoofer 3 from one side to the other.

The volume of the subwoofer 20 is larger, it is possible to implement a speaker 21 whose dimensions are greater than those of the speaker 201 of the subwoofer 200 shown in Figure 1, representative of the state of the art. In practice, in the case of the invention, the surface of the diaphragm of the loudspeaker 21 is typically of the order of 213 cm ² . Since the low frequency sound quality is proportional to the size of the speaker diaphragm 21, the quality of said low frequency sounds is significantly improved.

Furthermore, in the case of a vehicle that does not have a subwoofer 20, said attachment means can also be used to fix the spare wheel 3 in the vehicle floor pan and fix equipment, provided with a threaded base such as the base 22 of the subwoofer 20, on the thread 12AF of the flat head 12A of the fixing nut 12. Referring to Figures 6 and 7, according to a second possible embodiment, fastening means immobilizes the spare wheel 3 and the subwoofer 2-20 relative to the floor of the vehicle without the tank. use of a separate fixing nut, as in the first embodiment, the nut being integrated in the subwoofer 2-20.

Thus, according to this second embodiment and with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the fixing means comprises:

a vertically disposed cylindrical fixing pin 2-1 1 having a lateral thread 2-11 F. This fastening stud 2-11 is short and, in any case, it does not cross the zone ZL1, defined as being the free internal volume of the subwoofer 2-20 where the loudspeaker 2-21 is placed. The ZL1 zone has a much larger volume than in the state of the art, since the fixing stud 2-11 occupies no volume in the zone ZL1.

a tubular structure 2-12, arranged in the material of the subwoofer 2-20, comprising an internal thread 2-13 adapted to cooperate with the thread 2-11 F of the fastening stud 2-11.

Thus, according to this embodiment, said subwoofer 2-20 relies directly on the spare wheel 3 and the fixing stud 2-11.

With regard to the assembly, by means of the fastening means according to the second embodiment, the user first places the spare wheel 3 in a horizontal position in a floor bowl of the vehicle, the central opening of the spare wheel 3 positioned around the fixing stud 2-11. Then, it will attach the spare wheel 3 and the subwoofer 2-20 into the vehicle floor pan by screwing the subwoofer 2-20, including the loudspeaker 2-21, onto the mounting stud 2 1. The fixation of the fixing means is thus carried out in two steps.

As for the first embodiment, this fastening means also makes it possible not to constrain the interior volume of the subwoofer 2-20 since said fastening means does not pass through the subwoofer 2-20 from one side to the other. share. In other words, in the case of the invention, there is no screw passing through said free internal volume of the subwoofer 3 from one side to the other.

Claims

Claims:

An assembly of a spare wheel (3) and a subwoofer (20) including attachment means, said assembly being adapted to be mounted in a vehicle floor pan, said vehicle floor pan being a cavity made in the floor of a vehicle trunk, for storing the spare wheel (3) of the vehicle, said subwoofer (20) comprising a loudspeaker (21) and being adapted to be positioned in a free internal volume of the spare wheel (3), said assembly of the spare wheel (3) and the subwoofer (20) being secured to the vehicle floor pan by a fixing means, said fixing means passing through the subwoofer (20) and comprising:

a first portion configured to attach the spare wheel (3) to the vehicle floor pan,

a second portion configured to attach the subwoofer (20) to the spare wheel (3),

said subwoofer (20) being adapted to cooperate with the fixing nut (12).

An assembly of a spare wheel (3) and a subwoofer (20) according to claim 1, wherein:

the first part of the fixing means comprises:

a cylindrical pin (11) having a lateral thread (11 F), welded to the vehicle floor pan, said fastening stud (11) not passing right through the free inner volume of the spare wheel (3); ), o a fastening nut (12) with a flat head (12A) having a thread (12BT) formed on an inner surface of a lower portion (12B) of the fastening nut (12), said tapping (12BT) with the fastening nut (12) being adapted to cooperate with the lateral thread (11 F) of the fastening stud (11), the second part of the fastening means is a thread (12AF) formed on the rim delimiting the circumference of the flat head (12A) of the fixing nut (12).

The assembly of a spare wheel (3) and a subwoofer (2-20) according to claim 1, wherein:

the first part of the fastening means comprises a cylindrical pin (2-11) having a lateral thread (2-11 F), welded to the vehicle floor pan, said fastening stud (2-11) not passing through apart from the free inner volume of the spare wheel (3), and the second part of the fixing means is derived from the material of the subwoofer (2-20) and comprises a hollow tubular structure (2-12) having an internal thread (2-13) adapted to cooperate with the thread (2-11); F) of the stud (2-11).

4. A set of spare wheel (3) and a subwoofer (20) according to claim 2, wherein the subwoofer (20) has a base (22) corresponding to a part of the subwoofer. (20) in contact with the flat head (12A) of the fixing nut (12), said base (22) being delimited by a threaded groove (20F), said threaded groove (20F) being adapted to cooperate with the threading (12AF) of the vertical flange of the flat head (12A) of the fastening nut (12) of the fastening means for fixing the subwoofer (20) to the fastening means.

5. Set of a spare wheel (3) and a subwoofer (20) according to the preceding claim, wherein the vertical flange of the flat head (12A) of the fastening nut (12) of said means fixing device comprises recesses (13) for improving the gripping of the fixing nut (12) and the tightening of said fixing nut (12) on the fixing stud (11).

6. A set of spare wheel (3) and a subwoofer (20) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a layer of flexible material (4), said layer of flexible material (40) being interposed between the fixing means and the base of the subwoofer (20), to absorb at least part of the noise due to friction of the fixing means and the subwoofer (20).

7. A method of mounting an assembly of a spare wheel (3) and a subwoofer (20) comprising a fixing means, according to one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, in which :

the spare wheel (3) is placed in a horizontal position in a vehicle floor pan, the central opening of the spare wheel (3) being positioned around the fixing bolt (11),

the spare wheel (3) is fixed in the vehicle floor pan by screwing the fastening nut (12) onto the fixing bolt (11),

the subwoofer (20), comprising the loudspeaker (21), is screwed onto the flat head (12A) of the fixing nut (12).

8. A method of mounting an assembly of a spare wheel (3) and a subwoofer (20) comprising a fixing means, according to claim 3, wherein:

the spare wheel (3) is placed in a horizontal position in a vehicle floor pan, the central opening of the spare wheel (3) being positioned around the fixing bolt (2-11),

the spare wheel (3) and the subwoofer (2-20) are fixed in the floor pan of the vehicle by screwing the subwoofer (2-20), comprising a loudspeaker (2-21), on the fixing stud (2-11). 9. Method of mounting a set of a spare wheel (3) and a subwoofer

(20) comprising a fixing means, according to claim 7, wherein, between the step of fixing the spare wheel (3) and the screwing step of the subwoofer (20), there is disposed a layer of flexible material (40) between the fixing means and the base of the subwoofer (20) improving the quality of the clamping and avoiding spurious noise due to friction of the base (22) of the subwoofer (20) with the fixing nut (12).

10. Vehicle, comprising a set of a spare wheel (3) and a subwoofer (20) comprising a fixing means according to one of the preceding claims.