Abstract:
The present invention relates to a lock ( 3 ) for a device ( 1 ) for temporarily spacing an opening element with respect to a fixed element of a motor vehicle body, said lock comprising, on the one hand, locking means ( 21, 23 ) designed so that they can deform elastically under the action of the stresses exerted by the opening element and, on the other hand, a substantially cylindrical pedestal ( 14 ) provided with fastening means ( 16, 17, 27 ) which can be activated by pivoting the pedestal about its axis. The present invention also relates to a base ( 2 ) intended to cooperate with a lock according to the invention.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a temporary spacing device for an opening element on a fixed element of a motor vehicle body. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Before the final fastening of an opening element, such as a door, hood, or tailgate, inter alia, to a fixed element of a motor vehicle body, steps of applying one or more coatings, such as protective coatings or a layer of paint, are generally carried out. During such treatments, these opening elements are not yet equipped with final closure devices, for example locks. 
         [0003]    For this reason, temporary spacing devices are provided for keeping an opening element in a pseudo-closed position with respect to the fixed element to which it is intended to be fastened. 
         [0004]    Document FR 2 889 227 describes a temporary spacing device comprising firstly a mounting plate for anchoring the device in the fixed element and secondly a body fastened to the mounting plate and forming an abutment against which the opening element can bear. The mounting plate comprises at least two mounting members forming stems, at least one of which is mounted movably with respect to the mounting plate such that it is able to move alternately from a withdrawn position, in which the shortest distance between the mounting members is at a minimum, to a fitted position, in which the shortest distance between the mounting members is at a maximum. 
         [0005]    Thus, such a device enables simpler and quicker mounting and removal by snap engagement without requiring the use of special additional tools. 
         [0006]    However, such a temporary spacing device is ultimately limited to moderately loaded applications because of the tensile loads passing through the holding clip and cannot be employed with heavy vehicles such as trucks. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The present invention aims to alleviate the abovementioned drawback and includes for this purpose a lock for a temporary spacing device for an opening element on a fixed element of a motor vehicle body, said lock comprising firstly locking means designed to be able to deform resiliently under the action of stresses exerted by the opening element, and secondly a substantially cylindrical pedestal having mounting means which can be activated by pivoting the pedestal about its axis. 
         [0008]    According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mounting means comprise at least one mounting element protruding from the lateral surface of the pedestal. 
         [0009]    Advantageously, at least one mounting element includes a longitudinal rib. 
         [0010]    Further advantageously, at least one mounting element has a transverse rib. The thickness of the transverse rib may be variable and preferably increases in the pivoting direction for mounting purposes. 
         [0011]    Further preferably, the mounting means comprise at least one transverse external spur, diametrically opposite the transverse rib and provided on the side opposite the introduction end of the pedestal. 
         [0012]    The present invention also relates to a base comprising fitting means for anchoring it in a fixed element of a motor vehicle body, a housing defining an introduction section for the insertion of the pedestal of a lock according to the invention, and connecting means designed to engage with the mounting means of said lock. 
         [0013]    Thus, in contrast to the prior art outlined above, the invention is achieved by virtue of the fact that the forces that the locking means inevitably transmit to the body via the base do not stress the mounting means themselves. Specifically, the lock is fastened to the base following a translational introduction movement of the pedestal into the housing followed by a movement mounting it by rotation in the housing, this combination enabling the transmission of forces to be uncoupled from the actual “locking” function. 
         [0014]    This mounting is thus particularly significant because firstly it does not require the use of any tool and secondly the mechanical integrity provided by the temporary spacing device after locking is very high. 
         [0015]    Advantageously, the connecting means comprise at least one longitudinal groove provided in the housing. 
         [0016]    Further advantageously, the connecting means comprise a connecting barrier near the introduction section of the housing, said connecting barrier extending parallel to the axis of the housing and having a transverse opening. 
         [0017]    Preferably, the fitting means comprise at least one anchoring barrier extending parallel to the axis of the housing, on the side opposite the introduction section of the housing. 
         [0018]    Further preferably, the fitting means comprise at least one anchoring peg perpendicular to the anchoring barrier. 
         [0019]    Finally, the present invention also relates to a temporary spacing device for an opening element on a fixed element of a motor vehicle body, characterized in that it comprises a lock and a base according to the invention. 
         [0020]    A temporary spacing device of this kind is thus highly advantageous because it can be used on both light vehicles and heavy vehicles. 
         [0021]    In addition, even though this temporary spacing device includes two separate elements, it is nonetheless easy to transport, store and manage since it can be molded and delivered to the client in a single piece, the lock and the base then being connected by breakable links that can be severed at the last moment. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    The implementation of the invention will be more easily understood with the aid of the detailed description given below with reference to the appended drawing, in which: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a temporary spacing device according to the invention, before the lock is fastened to the base; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is a detail view of  FIG. 1  showing the positioning of the lock before the insertion of the pedestal into the base; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of a temporary spacing device according to the invention before being assembled; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a similar view to  FIG. 3  when the base has been mounted in the fixed element of the motor vehicle body; 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a similar view to  FIG. 4  when the lock is mounted in the base; 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is a detail view of  FIG. 5  showing the positioning of the lock in relation to the base when it has been mounted; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is a similar view to  FIG. 5  when the opening element is in the pseudo-closed position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    A temporary spacing device  1  according to the invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 7 , is broken down into a one-piece base  2  and a one-piece lock  3  made of plastic, for example based on polyamide, in order that it can withstand the high temperatures to which said device is exposed during painting operations, while still having resilient properties and relatively low manufacturing costs. 
         [0031]    More precisely, the base  2  comprises a mounting plate  4  intended to be arranged parallel to the plane in which a corresponding fixed body element  5  of a motor vehicle is contained. 
         [0032]    This mounting plate  4  comprises a rear part  6  and a front part forming a disk-shaped housing  7  delimiting an introduction section  8 . 
         [0033]    More precisely, and as shown in  FIG. 2 , the housing  7  comprises a rim having a perfectly circular profile  7   a  at the front and around part of the rear and a substantially straight profile  7   b  at the rear. The introduction section  8  therefore has a substantially circular geometry except at the junction of the profiles  7   a  and  7   b  where there is a corner  7   c.    
         [0034]    A connecting barrier  9 , at the base of which there is a transverse opening  10 , protrudes orthogonally from the mounting plate  4  near the introduction section  8 , at the junction between the rear part  6  and the housing  7 . 
         [0035]    Furthermore, the mounting plate  4  is equipped with fitting means including an anchoring barrier  11  made in the form of a portion of a cylinder and two anchoring pegs  12  forming stems. 
         [0036]    More precisely, the anchoring barrier  11  protrudes orthogonally on the side opposite the introduction section  8 , behind the housing  7 . 
         [0037]    The anchoring pegs  12  are provided in the mounting plate  4  and project beyond the rear part  6 . These anchoring pegs  12  are arranged parallel to the mounting plate  4  on the side opposite the introduction section  8 . 
         [0038]    As shown more particularly in  FIG. 2 , a longitudinal groove  13  is provided in the internal lateral surface of the profile  7   a  of the housing  7 , facing the anchoring barrier  11 . 
         [0039]    The lock  2  comprises schematically a pedestal  14  surmounted by locking means. 
         [0040]    More precisely, the pedestal  14  has a lateral surface  15  from which protrude firstly a longitudinal rib  16  and secondly a transverse rib  17  arranged between the longitudinal rib  16  and the introduction end  18  of said pedestal  14 . 
         [0041]    The thickness of the transverse rib  17  increases radially and said rib has a maximum external shoulder  17   a  designed such that the minimum distance between the axis of the pedestal  14  and said external shoulder  17   a  is slightly greater than the diameter of the introduction section  8 . 
         [0042]    The longitudinal rib  16  is longer than the housing  7  is thick. 
         [0043]    The pedestal  14  has, on the side opposite its introduction end  18 , a transverse external spur  27  diametrically opposite the transverse rib  17 . 
         [0044]    The pedestal  14  and the external spur  27  are surmounted by a substantially triangular wall  19  arranged parallel to the axis of the pedestal  14 , and a base wall  30  perpendicular to said wall  19 . A bracket  20  overhangs said wall  19  and base wall  30  and is arranged perpendicular to these walls. A tab  21  surmounts the bracket  20 . 
         [0045]    More precisely, the tab  21  has a face equipped with a protruding nose  22  occupying a part of its length and its other face is fastened to the bracket  20  by way of a bridge  23 . The tab  21  is inclined such that it tilts toward the bracket  20 . The tab  21  and the bridge  23  form the locking means. 
         [0046]    Since the present invention does not relate to the locking means themselves, the person skilled in the art is directed for more details to the documents FR 2 885 633, FR 2 885 634 and FR 2 885 635, which describe how said locking means of the lock  3  are arranged. The main advantage of providing locking means able to deform resiliently is that impacts with the opening element can be absorbed. In this way, the resistance to forces is greatly improved and any deformation of the opening element or breakage of the temporary spacing device as a result of an impact is prevented. 
         [0047]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 7 , it can be seen that personnel wishing to install the device  1  will begin by positioning the base  2  in a prepared area of the fixed element  5  in which two rear bores  25  and a front bore  26  have been cut. 
         [0048]    The personnel will firstly introduce the base  2  such that the two pegs  12  point toward the fixed element  5  and in a plane perpendicular to the latter. 
         [0049]    The spacing between the two pegs  12  is chosen such that the distance between them is approximately equal to the distance measured between the two rear bores  25 . 
         [0050]    In the process, it is thus possible to introduce each peg  12  into the rear bore  25  which corresponds to it, and then pivot the base  2  such that the mounting plate  4  comes into contact with the element  5 . 
         [0051]    The spacing between the anchoring barrier  11  and the two pegs  12  is chosen such that the anchoring barrier  11  is automatically housed in the front bore  26  when the pegs  12  are inserted in the rear bores  25 . 
         [0052]    The base  2  is finally moved translationally rearward until the pegs  12  and the anchoring barrier  11  respectively butt against the rims of the rear bores  25  and the rim of the front bore  26 . The introduction section  8  is then completely free and the pedestal  14  of the lock  3  can thus pass through it. 
         [0053]    The lock  3  is then introduced into the base  2 , as shown more specifically in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0054]    For this purpose, the lock  3  is positioned such that the external shoulder  17   a  of the transverse rib  17  is vertically beneath the corner  7 c of the housing  7 . In the process, the lock  3  can be moved translationally downward so as to be fitted into the housing  7 . 
         [0055]    As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , all that remains is to pivot the lock through 90° counterclockwise until the longitudinal rib  16  is housed in the corresponding longitudinal groove  13 . It should be clearly understood that this pivoting is made possible by virtue of the fact that the material chosen for the lock  3  and the base  2  enables resilient deformations at the longitudinal rib  16 , the latter recovering its original form when it is housed in the longitudinal rib  13 . 
         [0056]    In the process, the transverse rib  17  is located under the housing  7  and the external spur  27  is housed in the transverse opening  10  until it comes into abutment against the connecting barrier  9 . 
         [0057]    More precisely, the lock  3  is thus securely fastened in the base  2  since, apart from the fact that it is held in position by the longitudinal rib  16  fitted in the longitudinal groove  13 , this lock  3  is firstly prevented from undergoing translational movement by the external spur  27  arranged in the transverse opening  10  and secondly is prevented from rocking backward and forward, partly by the base wall  30 , which butts against the barrier  9 , and partly by the external spur  27  arranged in the transverse opening  10 . 
         [0058]    However, it should be understood that firstly the anchoring barrier  11  can also form an abutment with regard to the pedestal  14  preventing any rocking forward of the lock  3 , and secondly the transverse rib  17 , depending on its position along the lateral surface  15 , may come into abutment against the profile  7   a  of the housing  7  if said lock  3  rocks backward or moves translationally upward. 
         [0059]    The longitudinal rib  16 , the transverse rib  17  and the external spur  27  thus form the means for mounting the lock  3 , while the groove  13  and the transverse opening  10  in the connecting barrier  9  form the means for connecting the base  2 . 
         [0060]    The personnel can finally close the opening element  28 . The latter conventionally hits the nose  22  of the tab  21 . The latter is then rotated counterclockwise and moves aside under the action of the opening element  28 , offering minimal resistance. Once the opening element  28  is in its pseudo-closed position, the tab  21  and the bridge  23  are released from any stress and can thus recover their original forms, as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0061]    The opening element  28  is now in abutment against the barrier  9 , as shown more particularly in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0062]    When the paint application operations are complete, it is possible to remove the opening element  28  from the locking means by forcing the tab  21  aside. All that is then required is to pivot the lock  3  through 90° clockwise and then move it translationally upward in order to remove the lock  3  from the base  2  and finally to detach the base  2  from the fixed element  5 . 
         [0063]    It is then possible to wash the base  2  and the lock  3  and reuse them, either with light vehicles or with heavy vehicles. 
         [0064]    Although the invention has been described in connection with particular exemplary embodiments, it is clear that it is in no way limited thereby and that it includes any technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations, as long as these are within the scope of the invention.