FR2796097A1 - Automobile with pivoting rear tailgate connected by cable to bodywork has separated internal and external parallel walls forming cavity, elongated slots in internal wall communicating with cavity - Google Patents

Abstract

Vehicle has bodywork (4) with rear boot housing (6). Housing is sealed in lower rear part by tailgate panel (8) rotating on hinges (9) about horizontal transversal axis (10). Tailgate has two plane external and internal (12) walls distant from each other to form internal cavity. Internal wall has two elongated slots (14) situated near lower edge of tailgate communicating with cavity. Traction generator (16) with gas spring (18) is directly connected to flexible cable (22) connecting tailgate to bodywork.

Description

The invention relates to motor vehicles having a panel rotatably mounted on the body, such as a tailgate or a rear flap.

A motor vehicle having a rear hatch rotatably mounted on the body around a lower horizontal axis of rotation is known. The tailgate is connected to the body away from the axis of rotation by two flexible side cables limiting the opening stroke of the tailgate. This device, simple and economical, however, has many disadvantages. First, when opening the tailgate, it does not limit the speed of movement. At the opening, the user therefore risks a shock. In addition, the user runs the risk of pinching his finger or hand in the cable when closing. In addition, the cables do not provide any help to the user to assist, the movement at closing. However, these maneuvers are all the more difficult as the tailgate is heavy. This is further aggravated by the current use of the boot consisting of opening or closing the tailgate with one hand. In addition, the cables involve having additional equipment such as a lock to hold and lock the tailgate in the closed position. Finally, the cable itself may be pinched at closing or, if it is not positioned correctly, to damage the seal associated with the tailgate. In addition, the possibilities of arranging the cables on the vehicle are limited.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and economical device limiting the speed to the opening, assisting the closing process, reducing the risk of pinching the cable or damaging the seal, and which also offers many possibilities of arrangement for its housing on the vehicle.

In order to achieve this goal, the invention provides a vehicle comprising a body, a panel, in particular a tailgate, movable to rotate on the body, and at least one flexible element connecting the panel to the body, the vehicle comprising a traction generator connected directly to the flexible element to tend to oppose a movement of the panel relative to the body.

Thus, the traction generator slows the movement of the tailgate during opening, thus limiting the risk of shocks. In addition, it provides dynamic assistance for the closing maneuver, thus facilitating the operation of the tailgate even with one hand. The traction generator can easily be configured to hold the liftgate in the closed position without additional equipment. In addition, the generator pulls on the cable during at least part of the stroke for closing. The cable remains stretched at least during this part of the race. This reduces the risk of pinching the cable and improves cable placement in the closed position, which reduces the risk of damaging the seal. Moreover, the combination of the cable and the traction generator offers a great many possibilities of arrangement for housing them on the vehicle, for example in a space-saving manner, and / or invisible to the user, in particular by means of return rollers .

Advantageously, the vehicle is arranged so that the flexible element is stretched in any position of the panel relative to the body. Thus, the generator limits the opening speed and assists the closing at any point of the tailgate race. In addition, this characteristic causes the cable to be stretched in the closed position of the tailgate so that its position is predetermined. The risks of poor positioning are therefore almost totally absent. In addition, the traction provided by the generator is independent of the position of the tailgate or varies substantially linearly with this position, due to the presence of the cable.

Advantageously, the vehicle is arranged so that, at least in a predetermined position of the panel relative to the body, at least a portion of the flexible element extends inside the panel or in a thickness of a part of the fund.

Thus, the cable is partially concealed. In addition, such a cable housing further limits the risk of pinching or damage of the seal.

Advantageously, the vehicle comprises at least one deflection member of the flexible element.

Thus, such an element offers great freedom to position the cable and the generator.

Advantageously, the traction generator is rotatable with the panel.

Advantageously, the traction generator extends inside the panel.

Thus, it is made invisible to the user. In addition, such a housing poses very little problem of space, unlike other positions on the vehicle.

Advantageously, the traction generator is arranged so that it comprises a stationary portion relative to the body during rotation of the panel. Advantageously, the traction generator extends in a thickness of a part of the body.

Thus, here again, the generator is made invisible and easy to house.

The vehicle may further have at least one of the following features - the flexible element connects two points of the panel at two respective points of the body; the vehicle comprises two flexible elements connecting the panel to the body in parallel with each other, the traction generator being directly connected to a respective end of each flexible element; - The generator has two moving parts relative to each other, between which is exerted traction, and directly connected to the respective flexible elements; - The generator has two moving parts relative to each other, between which is exerted traction, one of the parts being directly attached to one of the panel and the body, the other part being connected directly to the flexible element or at least one of the flexible elements; - The generator has two moving parts relative to each other between which is exerted the traction, and comprises a compressible element interposed between the two parts, the generator being arranged so that when a traction tends to to move the two ends of the parts away from one another, it produces a compression of the compressible element; the generator has two mutually movable parts between which traction is exerted, each part having a distal end and a proximal end extending between the distal and proximal ends of the other part by reference to a direction of relative movement of the two parts, the generator having a compressible element interposed between the proximal ends; the generator has two moving parts relative to each other between which the traction is exerted and comprises locking means able to immobilize the two parts in a predetermined relative position different from one end of a relative stroke both parties; - The two parts are movable to slide relative to each other; - The traction generator comprises a gas chamber capable of generating traction; - The vehicle is arranged so that the traction produced by the generator is sufficient to keep the stationary panel in a predetermined position relative to the body, including a closed position of the panel on the body; - The generator is arranged to tend to oppose a movement away from a closed position in which the panel seals the body; - The vehicle comprises an abutment portion fixed to the body or panel, and a stop member fixed to the flexible member to bear against the abutment portion during movement of the panel; the vehicle comprises a lock arranged to engage the generator or the flexible element to lock the panel in a closed position on the body; and the panel comprises two movable walls, for example rotating, relative to one another. Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description of five preferred embodiments given as non-limiting examples. In the accompanying drawings - Figures 1 to 4 are four partial perspective views showing the rear of a vehicle according to four preferred embodiments of the invention with the tailgate in the open position; and FIGS. 5 to 7 are three side views of a vehicle according to a fifth embodiment of the invention illustrating different positions of the tailgate.

FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the vehicle according to the invention. It is for example a passenger car 2 having a body or bodywork 4 having a rear trunk housing 6. The housing is closable at the rear lower part by a panel 8 such as a tailgate generally movable rotating plane by means of two hinges 9 about a horizontal axis transverse to the direction of running of the vehicle. The tailgate 8 is movable between an open position illustrated in Figure 1 in which it is substantially horizontal and a closed position in which it is substantially vertical and closes the case housing 6. The tailgate comprises in particular two outer and inner planar walls 12, parallel to each other, spaced from each other and forming between them an internal cavity in the thickness of the tailgate. The inner wall 12 has two elongate slots 14 located near the lower edge of the tailgate and its respective lateral sides, communicating with this cavity.

The vehicle comprises a traction generator 16 comprising here a balancer or gas spring 18 not shown in detail. The balancer is a device known per se comprising a piston movable in a sealed tube filled with a pressurized gas, the piston being provided with a nozzle placing in communication the two compartments of the tube. This is for example a gas balancer marketed under the trademark BLOC-0-LIFT or LIFT-0-MAT (D by the company with the trade name STABILUS.

The generator 16 further comprises two yokes 20 in the shape of a very elongated U, arranged so that the U are crisscrossed head to tail with their bases facing and their parallel branches. The balancer 18 is housed between the two bases. One of the bases is connected to the piston and the other to the balancer tube. Thus, each yoke 20 has its base located between the base and the end of the branches of the other yoke (20). Thus, an extension of the length of the balancer 18 under the effect of the gas produces a reduction in the length of the generator 16, and traction on its ends. The generator 16 is housed in the cavity of the tailgate 8, near the upper edge, and extends parallel to the axis 10.

The vehicle comprises two flexible cables 22 arranged in parallel with each other. Each cable 22 has an end end attached to the bodywork 4 in the location occupied by the tailgate in the closed position, on a respective vertical lateral side of this location, and another end end fixed to the ends of the legs of the yoke 20 in a U-shape. the closest. Each cable 22 passes through a respective one of the lights 14 to enter the tailgate. The tailgate has its own for each cable rollers 24, 25, here two in number, housed in the tailgate cavity near the respective side edge. The first roller 24 is positioned near the lumen 14 and has its axis of rotation parallel to that of the tailgate. The second roller 25 is located closer to the upper edge of the tailgate and has its axis perpendicular to the general plane of the tailgate. Thus, each cable 22 extends from the body, through the light 14, and on the roller 24 and the roller 25 to the generator 16. The generator 16, as is the case here, will not necessarily attached to the tailgate. E-n fact, it is here maintained in position by the only traction that it exerts on the two cables 22.

The tailgate operates as follows.

To close the boot from the open position illustrated in Figure 1, the user lifts the tailgate 8 to rotate about its axis 10. The generator 16 is here arranged so that it always exerts traction on the two cables 22, even in the open and closed position. During the closing maneuver, the balancer 18 tends to push the bases of the yokes 20 so that the generator 16 pulls on the two cables 22, which assists the closing maneuver by offsetting the weight of the tailgate. During the movement of the tailgate, the cables 22, permanently pulled by the generator, penetrate more and more into the cavity, roll on the rollers 24, 25 and remain in the stretched state. When the tailgate arrives in the closed position, the lights 14 are adjacent or contiguous to the ends of the cables 22 fixed to the body. In this way, most of the cables are housed in the tailgate. No pinching of the finger or damage to the seal is to be feared because of the cables 22.

When opening the tailgate 8, the movement of the tailgate pulls on the cables 22 and on the generator 16. This provides traction in response to the cables which tends to retain the tailgate against the gravity and thus slows the opening by damping it and limiting the risk of shock. The traction generator 16 is here rotatable with the tailgate 8.

FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment which constitutes a variant of the first. The cables 22, the rollers 24, 25 and the generator 16 are arranged as in the first mode. The tailgate 8 here comprises a yoke 26 or collar fixed to the tailgate in the cavity and in which the two yokes 20 in U of the generator 16 are movable to slide parallel to the axis 10. The yoke 26 retains against the outer wall of the tailgate the traction generator. This avoids repetitive impacts of the generator against the walls of the tailgate that the movement of the vehicle could generate. Alternatively, or cumulatively, one or more foam damping elements can be interposed between the generator and the tailgate walls.

The tailgate 8 further comprises a lock 40 operable from outside the vehicle when the tailgate is in the closed position. The lock comprising a latch 42 rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the tailgate and adapted in the locked position to enter an opening 44 formed in a branch of one of the yokes 20 to lock it in position, prohibiting any opening the tailgate. We can thus dispense with a conventional lock connecting the tailgate to the cash register. Alternatively, the lock could engage with one of the cables 22 or an element attached thereto.

A third embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 3. The vehicle further comprises a gas balancer 18. This time, the tube portion 28 of the balancer is rigidly fixed in the cavity to the external wall of the tailgate, thanks to a fastener its free terminal end and a cap 30 enclosing it near its other end. The piston portion 32 remains slidably movable in the tube portion. The two cables 22 have their fixed end attached to the body as before and pass through the openings 14 and the rollers 24, 25. The other end of the cable drum is attached to the piston portion 32. A return roller 34 having a Rotation perpendicular to the tailgate plane is provided near the middle of the tube portion 28 for the piston-side cable. Thus, the traction produced by the two cables 22 is exerted in the same direction on the piston 32. The traction generator 16 is here formed by the combination of the balancer 18 with the roller 34. The tailgate operates of the same way that in the first mode, the extension of the piston 32 of the balancer 18 producing the traction necessary for the tension of the two cables 22 to assist, closing and dampen the opening. Alternatively, it could be provided that the piston portion 32 is fixed rigidly to the tailgate 8 with the sliding tube portion 28.

In the embodiment of Figure 4, the lights 14 and the rollers 24, 25 are identical to those of the first mode. However, the cable 22 is unique. I1 has a fixed end attached to the body 4 in the location of the tailgate as previously, on the left in Figure 4. It passes through the nearest light 14, then crosses the roller 24, the two rollers 25 and the other roller 24 to emerge from the tailgate by the other light 14 towards the body. In place of the attachment of the other cable in the first mode is provided another deflection roller 36 having an axis of rotation parallel to the axis 10. The gas balancer 18 extends for example parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle. I1 is here housed in the thickness of the wing of the bodywork 4 between the sheet forming the outer wall, and the lining forming the passenger side wall. The tube portion 28 is rigidly fixed to the wing. The piston portion 32 is slidably movable toward the front of the vehicle through the forward end of the tube 28. The other end end <B> of the cable 22 is attached to the piston portion 32. The tailgate operates in the same way as for the previous modes. The balancer 16 actuates the single cable 22. This in fact defines two cable sections arranged in parallel with each other and each connecting the tailgate to the bodywork. Note that most of the cable extends into the tailgate in any position of the latter. The tube portion 28 of the generator is fixed relative to the body during the movement of the tailgate 8.

We see that each of these embodiments makes it unnecessary to provide a housing for the cable or cables 22 between the tailgate and the body in the closed position since the cable or cables are then housed in the tailgate for a significant part of their length. In addition, the force exerted by the generator 16 is the same regardless of the opening angle of the tailgate.

It can be provided that a stop function in the open position, limiting the tailgate stroke, will be provided by the end of the race balancer 16 itself. Alternatively, there may be a specific stop 50 fixed to the cable or one of the cables, as in Figure 1, and adapted to abut against a stop 52 of the tailgate and to house the traction generator.

In each case, the balancer 16 may be sized to provide sufficient traction to maintain alone the tailgate in the closed position. The invention offers great freedom to position the anchor points of the cable on the body and / or the tailgate and to house the traction generator.

Provision can be made for the traction generator 16 to be locked in any position by locking means 54 known per se, illustrated in FIG. 1. In the case of a closed position, it will thus replace the tailgate lock. It may be an intermediate positon, to carry small items with the tailgate partially open. If the vehicle is such that the tailgate can open under the effect of gravity, we can configure the generator 16 by self-opening from the closed position: by action on a control member such as a button or a lever, it unlocks the generator 16, which releases the tailgate and produces the smooth opening thereof. FIGS. 5 to 7 illustrate a fifth embodiment. This mode is identical to the fourth mode, except that it also has the following characteristics.

In this embodiment, the tailgate 8 comprises a tailgate element 60 identical to the tailgate of FIG. 4, comprising the cavity, and further comprises an additional wall 62 movably mounted relative to the element 60, for example rotatable. around an axis parallel to the axis 10. The wall 62 is for example connected by hinges to the element 60. The additional wall 62 may be fixed either to the body 4 or to the element 60. Thus when the tailgate is fully closed, the element 60 and the wall 62 are in a vertical position, as in FIG. 5. The element 60 can be opened and the wall 62 can be left in the closed position: the element 60 can then be used transporting a load 64 while the additional wall 62 closes the trunk housing, as in Figure 6. Finally, can be opened in one piece the element 60 and the wall 62 to give free access to the trunk housing or form a seat for a Of course, many modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the scope thereof.

The invention is applicable to a movable rear shutter around an upper horizontal axis.

 The gas balancer may be replaced by a mechanical spring. The traction generator 16 can be housed in the thickness of the roof or floor of the vehicle.

 In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be possible to provide a gas balancer for each cable. The or each cable 22 may be replaced by a chain or other link; flexible.

Claims (22)

1. Vehicle comprising - a body (4); - A panel (8), including a tailgate, movable rotation on the body; and - at least one flexible element (22) connecting the panel to the body, characterized in that it comprises a traction generator (16) directly connected to the flexible element (22) to tend to oppose a movement panel (8) relative to the body. 2. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that it is arranged so that the flexible element (22) is stretched in any position of the panel (8) relative to the body. 3. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that it is arranged so that, at least in a predetermined position of the panel (8) relative to the body, at least a portion of the flexible element (22) extends inside the panel (8) or in a thickness of a part of the body (4). 4. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises at least one return member (24, 25, 24, 36) of the flexible element (22). 5. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the traction generator (16) is rotatable with the panel (8). 6. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the traction generator (16) extends inside the panel (8). 7. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the traction generator (16) is arranged so that it comprises a portion (28) stationary relative to the body (4) during the rotation of the panel (8). 8. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the traction generator (16) extends in a thickness of a portion of the body (4). 9. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the flexible element (22) connects two points (14) of the panel (8) at two respective points of the body (4). 10. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, caraçterérisé in that it comprises two flexible elements (22) connecting the panel (8) to the body in parallel to each other, the traction generator (16) being directly connected to a respective end of each flexible member (22). 11. Vehicle according to claim 10, characterized in that the generator (16) has two parts (20; 28; 32) movable relative to each other, between which is exerted traction, and connected directly to the respective flexible elements (22). 12. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the generator (16) has two parts (20; 28; 32) movable relative to each other, between which is exerted one of the parts being directly attached to one of the panel (8) and the box (4), the other part being connected directly to the flexible element (22) or to at least one of the flexible elements (22). 13. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the generator (16) has two parts (20) movable relative to each other between which is exerted traction, and comprises a compressible element (18), interposed between the two parts, the generator being arranged so that, when a traction tends to move two ends of the parts away from one another, it produces a compression of the compressible element (18 ). 14. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the generator (16) has two parts (20) movable relative to each other between which is exerted traction, each part ( 20) having a distal end and a proximal end extending between the distal and proximal ends of the other portion with reference to a direction of relative movement of the two parts, the generator (16) having a compressible member (18) interposed therebetween between the proximal ends. 15. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the generator (16) has two parts (20; 28; 32) movable relative to each other between which is exerted and comprises locking means (54) able to immobilize the two parts in a predetermined relative position different from one end of a relative stroke of the two parts. 16. Vehicle according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the two parts (20; 28, 32) are slidably movable relative to each other. 17. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the traction generator (16) comprises a gas chamber capable of generating traction. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that it is arranged so that the traction produced by the generator (16) is sufficient to keep the panel (8) stationary in a predetermined position relative to at the body (4), in particular a closed position of the panel on the body. 19. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the generator (16) is arranged to tend to oppose a movement away from a closed position in which the panel (8) closes the box. 20. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that it comprises an abutment portion (52) attached to the body (4) or the panel (8), and a stop member (50). fixed to the flexible element (22) to bear against the abutment portion during movement of the panel. 21. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that it comprises a lock (40) arranged to engage with the generator (16) or the flexible element (22) to block the panel ( 8) in a closed position on the body. 22. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the panel comprises two displaceable walls (60, 62), for example rotating relative to each other.