WO2022223897A1

WO2022223897A1 - Land vehicle with a front compartment sealed by a gasket bearing on a quasi-continuous bearing surface

Info

Publication number: WO2022223897A1
Application number: PCT/FR2022/050465
Authority: WO
Inventors: Filipe Videira; Rodolphe Peron; Julien BOUDAN; Thibault Gourvennec
Original assignee: Psa Automobiles Sa
Priority date: 2021-04-19
Filing date: 2022-03-15
Publication date: 2022-10-27
Also published as: EP4326581A1; FR3121905A1; FR3121905B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a land vehicle which comprises a bumper frame (AP) comprising an upper edge (BS) having two ends (E), right and left, secured to which are brackets (PF) for attaching optical units (BO) each comprising an upper face (FS), and a front bonnet comprising an inner face which covers, in the closed position, a front compartment (CM) by having a sub-portion extending above the upper edge (BS) and upper faces (FS). Each attachment bracket (PF) comprises a bearing wall (PP) which extends the upper edge (BS) at the corresponding end (E) towards the upper face (FS) of its optical unit (BO). A sealing gasket (JE) is secured to the sub-portion of the inner face or to the upper edge (BS), bearing walls (PP) and upper faces (FS), in order to provide the seal in the upper front part (PS) of the front compartment (CM).

Description

DESCRIPTION

TITLE: LAND VEHICLE WITH FRONT COMPARTMENT SEALED BY A SEAL PRESSED ON A SUPPORTING SURFACE

5 QUASI-CONTINUOUS

Technical field of the invention

The present invention claims the priority of French application 2104055 filed on 04.19.2021, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference. The invention relates to land vehicles comprising a front compartment masked by a front bonnet, and more specifically the sealing in the upper front part of the front compartment of such vehicles. 5 State of the art

Certain land vehicles, often of the automobile type, comprise a front compartment which is concealed by a front cover. The latter is frequently associated with a seal making it possible to make the upper front part of the front compartment as airtight as possible in order to improve the aerodynamics of the vehicle and/or to prevent the entry of water and/or prevent the overpressure of air in the front compartment from exerting pressure on the bonnet (likely to induce vibrations).

In order to have a continuous seal in the upper front part of the engine compartment, an upper bearing surface can be created on the assembled bumper (for example either on the skin of the bumper, or on a bumper reinforcement part), then secure this seal securely to this upper support surface which covers all the technical parts located in the upper front part of the vehicle, namely the bumper frame , the crosspiece, the right and left optical blocks (or projectors), and the fixings. The inner face of the front cover then exerts pressure on this seal when the latter is in the closed position. However, such a solution is possible only on condition that the bumper is extended towards the top and therefore defines what those skilled in the art call a front shield.

When the bumper is not extended, it is necessary to provide an additional support piece (such as an engine cover or an upper shelf), which is fixed on the technical parts in order to cover them,

5 then a seal is fixedly attached to this additional part. But such a solution leads to an increase in size and weight (because the additional part is very large), but also additional design, manufacturing and assembly time costs.

Instead of using such an additional part, several small seals can be used, but this increases certain costs (number of fixing parts, tools, assembly time), and above all the interruptions between the various seals. do not make it possible to obtain a quality seal.

The aim of the invention is therefore in particular to improve the situation. 5

Presentation of the invention

It proposes in particular for this purpose a land vehicle comprising, on the one hand, a bumper frame comprising an upper edge terminated by two right and left ends to which are respectively secured lugs for fixing optical units each comprising an upper face, and, on the other hand, a front cover comprising an internal face covering in the closed position a front compartment by having a sub-part extending above the upper edge and upper faces.

This land vehicle is characterized by the fact: 5 - that each fixing lug comprises a support wall extending the upper edge at the level of the corresponding end in the direction of the upper face of its optical unit, and

- that it includes a seal fixedly fixed to the sub-part of the internal face, or to the upper edge, support walls and upper faces, in order to ensure a seal in an upper front part of the front compartment.

Thanks to the quasi-continuous bearing surface defined by the bumper reinforcement and the light units, a quality seal can be ensured by a single seal in the upper front part of the front compartment, without the need to add an additional support piece.

The land vehicle according to the invention may include other characteristics

5 which may be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

- the support wall of each mounting lug can end just before the upper face of its optical unit so that they are separated by an opening promoting separation between this mounting lug and its optical unit in the event of an impact; 0 - as a variant, the support wall of each fixing lug can extend to the upper face of its optical unit;

- the upper face of each optical unit can be inclined relative to a horizontal plane of the vehicle by having an increasing level from its fixing lug. In this case, the support wall of each fixing lug can be inclined with respect to this horizontal plane at an increasing level from the corresponding end of the upper edge of the bumper reinforcement;

- in the presence of the last option, each mounting bracket may comprise under its bearing wall at least one reinforcing rib extending to the corresponding end of the upper edge of the bumper reinforcement in order to prevent deformation of its bearing wall when the gasket is pressed against it;

- in a first embodiment, the seal can be fixedly attached to the upper edge, support walls and upper faces. In this case, the sub-part (of the inside face of the front bonnet) can rest continuously5 on the seal when the front bonnet is in the closed position;

- in this first embodiment, each of the upper edges, bearing walls and upper faces may comprise at least one hole to which is coupled a clip to which the seal is coupled;

- in a second embodiment, the seal can be fixedly secured to the sub-part of the inner face (of the front cover) which is part of a lining of the front cover, and can rest continuously against the upper edge, support walls and upper surfaces when the front cover is in the closed position; - In this second embodiment, the liner may comprise holes to which clips are coupled to which the seal is coupled;

- it can be of the automotive type.

5

Brief description of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on examination of the detailed description below, and of the appended drawings (obtained in CAD/DAO (“Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Drawing”)), on which :

[Fig. 1] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view from the front side, a front left part of an example of a front compartment of a land vehicle according to the invention, with the seal installed,

[Fig. 2] schematically illustrates, in a front view of the front side, the left front part 5 of the land vehicle of Figure 1, before the installation of the seal,

[Fig. 3] schematically illustrates, in a sectional view in a vertical and longitudinal plane at the level of the support wall of the fixing lug of the left optical unit, the left front part of the land vehicle of FIG. 1, with the front bonnet in the closed position,

[Fig. 4] schematically illustrates, in a front view of the rear side, the fixing lug of the left optical unit of the land vehicle of FIG. 1, and [Fig. 5] schematically illustrates, in a sectional view in a vertical and longitudinal plane at the level of the support wall of the mounting bracket of the left optical unit5, the bumper reinforcement of the land vehicle of FIG. 1 with the left headlight unit mounting bracket placed on the left end of its upper edge.

Detailed description of the invention 0 The object of the invention is in particular to propose a land vehicle comprising a front bonnet CV masking in the closed position a front compartment CM whose upper front part is sealed and which is partly delimited by a bumper frame AP to which are attached optical units BO.

In what follows, it is considered, by way of non-limiting example, that the land vehicle is a motor vehicle, such as a car for example. But

5 the invention is not limited to this type of land vehicle. It relates in fact to any land vehicle comprising a front bonnet masking in the closed position a front compartment CM.

Furthermore, it is considered in what follows, by way of non-limiting example, that the front compartment CM is an engine compartment accommodating at least part 0 of the powertrain (or GMP) of the land vehicle. But this is not mandatory. Indeed, the front compartment CM could be a storage space (or front trunk).

In what precedes and what follows, the notion of "front" is defined in relation to the front end of the vehicle, and the notion of "rear" is defined in relation to the rear end of the vehicle (as opposed to the front end). Therefore, the front part (or face) of an element is oriented towards the front end of the vehicle, while the rear part (or face) of this element is oriented towards the rear end of the vehicle.

In Figures 1 to 5, the X direction is the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, which is parallel to the lateral sides comprising the side doors, the Y direction is the transverse direction of the vehicle, which is perpendicular to the lateral sides and to the longitudinal direction X, and the Z direction is the vertical direction of the vehicle, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal X and transverse Y directions. according to the invention. This front compartment CM is intended to be masked by a front cover CV when the latter (CV) is in a closed (or folded down) position illustrated in FIG. 3. 0 The front part of this front compartment CM is in particular delimited by a frame of bumpers AP and two optical units BO right and left (only the left being represented).

It is considered in what follows, by way of non-limiting example, that each block optical BO is a projector (or headlight) providing at least one lighting function, such as for example a high beam function or a dipped beam function. The two right and left BO optical units are therefore installed respectively close to the right lateral (or longitudinal) sides

5 and left of the vehicle which include the side doors. But the invention is not limited to this type of optical unit.

The AP bumper frame is one of the elements of the vehicle's front bumper. It is fixedly attached to the structure of the vehicle. Although this does not appear in the figures, the front bumper also comprises a support fixedly secured to the bumper frame AP and to which the bumper skin is fixedly secured (part visible from the outside of the vehicle).

As partially illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, this bumper reinforcement AP comprises an upper edge BS which is terminated by two right and left ends5 E (only the left is shown here) and to which are respectively secured fixing lugs PF right and left BO optical units (only the left is shown here). For example, and as illustrated without limitation (and at least partially) in FIGS. 1 to 3, each fixing lug PF can be secured to the corresponding end E0 by screwing. In this case, it comprises a hole T1 intended to be crossed by a screw which is screwed into a threaded hole of the corresponding end E or into a nut placed behind another hole defined in the corresponding end E.

Each optical unit BO comprises an upper face FS. In example 5 illustrated without limitation in Figures 1, 2 and 4, each upper face FS is part of a housing BB of an optical unit BO, to which is fixedly attached a glass G through which photons come out which participate in each photometric function ensured by the latter (BO). But in an alternative embodiment the upper face FS could be part of the glass G. 0 Furthermore, in the example illustrated without limitation in Figures 1, 2 and 4, each fixing lug PF is part of the housing BB of the block optical BO. But in a variant embodiment, the fixing lug PF could be part of the crystal G. As partially illustrated in Figure 3, the front cowl CV comprises an internal face Fl which covers the front compartment CM in the closed position by having a sub-part SP which extends above the upper edge BS of the bumper reinforcement -shocks AP and upper faces FS of the optical blocks

5 BO. For example, and as illustrated without limitation in FIG. 3, this internal face F1 can be part of a lining DC of the front cover CV.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, each fixing lug PF of an optical unit BO comprises a support wall PP which extends the upper edge BS of the bumper reinforcement AP at the level of the corresponding end E en0 towards the upper face FS of its optical block BO. The expression “which extends” here means which continues almost in continuity. The support wall PP is therefore oriented upwards (along Z).

There is thus a quasi-continuous support surface defined (from left to right) by the upper face FS of the left optical unit BO, the support wall PP of the fixing lug PF of the left optical unit BO , the upper edge BS of the bumper frame AP, the bearing wall PP of the mounting bracket PF of the right optical unit BO, and the upper face FS of the right optical unit BO.

As illustrated without limitation in Figure 1, the vehicle also includes a seal JE which is responsible for sealing in an upper front part PS of the front compartment CM. In the example illustrated without limitation in FIG. 1, this seal JE is fixedly fixed to the upper edge BS, bearing walls PP and upper faces FS, and consequently, the sub-part SP is continuously supported on the JE5 seal when the CV front cover is in the closed position, which presses the JE seal against the quasi-continuous bearing surface. But in a variant embodiment not shown, the seal JE could be fixedly secured to the sub-part SP of the internal face Fl which extends above the upper edge BS of the bumper reinforcement AP and the upper faces FS of the optical blocks BO when the front cover CV is in the closed position. In this variant, it is therefore the seal JE which presses continuously against the upper edge BS, bearing walls PP and upper faces FS (and therefore against the quasi-continuous bearing surface) when the CV front cover is in the closed position.

Thanks to the quasi-continuous bearing surface defined by the bumper reinforcement AP and the optical units BO, a quality seal can be ensured by a single seal JE in the upper front part PS of the

5 CM front compartment, without the need to add an additional support piece.

For example, and as illustrated without limitation in Figures 2 and 4, the support wall PP of each fixing lug PF can end just before the upper face FS of its optical block BO so that they are separated by a 0 opening OF which favors the separation between this fixing lug PF and its optical unit BO in the event of an impact suffered. It will indeed be understood that this opening OF (local absence of material) makes it possible to confer local fusibility on the housing BB of the optical unit BO such as to allow a depression of the latter (BO) during a frontal impact of a person with her head. 5 But in a variant embodiment not shown, the bearing wall PP of each fixing lug PF could extend (without discontinuity) as far as the upper face FS of its optical unit BO. However, it adds rigidity to the BB case.

It will be noted, as illustrated without limitation in Figures 1, 2 and 4, that the upper face FS of each optical unit BO can be inclined with respect to a horizontal plane XY of the vehicle by having an increasing level from its mounting bracket PF. In this case, the bearing wall PP of each fixing lug PF is inclined with respect to this horizontal plane XY having an increasing level from the corresponding end E of the upper edge BS. On5 will understand that the inclination of the support wall PP is intended to pass from the level (along Z) of the upper edge BS (at the level of its end E) to the level (along Z) of the upper face FS (at the level of the interface with the fixing bracket PF). These inclinations are not necessarily linear (and therefore constant). Moreover, this is not the case in the example illustrated. 0 When the support wall PP is inclined, each fixing lug PF may comprise under its support wall PP at least one reinforcing rib NR which extends to the corresponding end E of the upper edge BS, in order to to rely on it, as illustrated without limitation in Figures 4 and 5. This makes it possible, when the seal JE is pressed against the bearing wall PP, to prevent deformation of the latter (PP) (which could induce a local reduction in the quality of the seal).

In the example illustrated without limitation in Figures 4 and 5, each leg

5 PF fixing comprises two reinforcing ribs N R erected perpendicularly to the inner face of its bearing wall PP and defined substantially parallel to a vertical and longitudinal plane XZ of the vehicle. But each fixing lug PF could comprise a single reinforcing rib NR or even more than two reinforcing ribs NR. 0 Note also, as illustrated without limitation in Figures 1, 2 and

4, that when the JE seal is fixedly attached to the upper edge BS, bearing walls PP and upper faces FS, each of the latter (BS, PP and FS) can comprise at least one hole T2 to which is coupled a AF staple. The JE gasket is then coupled to each 5 AF clip. Preferably, each support wall PP comprises only one hole T2, the upper edge BS comprises at least three holes T2, and each upper face FS comprises at least two holes T2.

When the seal JE is fixedly secured to the sub-part SP of the internal face Fl which forms part of the lining DC of the front cowl CV, this lining DC may comprise holes to which staples are coupled. In this case, the JE gasket is coupled to these DC liner clips.

Note also, as illustrated without limitation in Figures 1, 2 and

5, that each end E may include an indexing pin PI erected5 in the vertical direction Z and intended to pass through a hole T3 defined in the fixing lug PF. This indexing pin PI facilitates the pre-positioning of the upper part of the optical unit BO on the corresponding end E before screwing it in via its hole T1. In addition, once tightened, it prevents rotation of the PF0 fixing lug concerned. As a variant, it is each fixing lug PF which could comprise an indexing pin intended to pass through a hole defined in the corresponding end E.

Claims

1. Land vehicle comprising a bumper frame (AP) comprising an upper edge (BS) terminated by two straight ends and

5 left (E) to which are respectively attached fixing lugs (PF) of optical units (BO) each comprising an upper face (FS), and a front cover (CV) comprising an inner face (Fl) covering in the closed position a front compartment (CM) having a sub-part (SP) extending above said upper edge (BS) and upper faces (FS), characterized in that each fixing lug (PF) comprises a support wall (PP) extending said upper edge (BS) at the corresponding end (E) in the direction of said upper face (FS) of its optical unit (BO), and in that it comprises a seal ( JE) fixedly secured to said sub-part (SP) of the internal face (F1) or to said upper edge (BS),5 bearing walls (PP) and upper faces (FS), in order to ensure a seal in a upper front part (PS) of said front compartment (CM).

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that said bearing wall (PP) of each fixing lug (PF) ends just before said upper face (FS) of its optical block (BO) so that they are separated by a 0 opening (OF) favoring a separation between this fixing lug (PF) and its optical unit (BO) in the event of an impact suffered.

3. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that said bearing wall (PP) of each fixing lug (PF) extends to said upper face (FS) of its optical unit (BO). 5

4. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said upper face (FS) of each optical block (BO) is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane of said vehicle having an increasing level from its leg (PF), and in that said bearing wall (PP) of each fixing lug (PF) is inclined with respect to said horizontal plane having a level 0 increasing from said end (E) corresponding to said upper edge (BS).

5. Vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that each fixing lug (PF) comprises under said support wall (PP) at least one rib reinforcement (NR) extending to said end (E) corresponding to the upper edge (BS) in order to prevent deformation of said bearing wall (PP) when said seal (JE) is pressed against her (PP).

6. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that

5 said seal (JE) is fixedly secured to said upper edge (BS), bearing walls (PP) and upper faces (FS), and in that said sub-part (SP) rests continuously on said seal (JE) when said front cover (CV) is in the closed position.

7. Vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that each of said upper edge (BS), support walls (PP) and upper faces (FS) comprises at least one hole to which is coupled a clip (AF) to which is coupled said seal (JE).

8. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said seal (JE) is fixedly secured to said sub-part (SP) of5 the inner face (Fl) which is part of a lining (DC) of said front cover (CV), and rests continuously against said upper edge (BS), support walls (PP) and upper faces (FS) when said front cover (CV) is in the closed position.

9. Vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that said lining (DC) comprises holes to which clips are coupled to which said gasket (JE) is coupled.

10. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is of the automotive type.