Motor vehicle tailgate comprising a plastic box structure

The motor vehicle tailgate has a plastic box structure including at least one structural element supporting a rear screen. The structural element delimits, with the rear screen, a housing including an interior opening, the interior opening being closed by way of a lining which is attached in such a way that the housing houses an electrical element of the vehicle.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a motor vehicle tailgate comprising a plastic box structure comprising at least one structural element supporting a rear screen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to manufacture tailgate structural elements from steel, for example lateral uprights surrounding the rear screen, or a lower horizontal cross member arranged in the lower part of the rear screen. This type of steel structural element generally consists of an elongated hollow body with a closed cross-section to stiffen the tailgate and arrange a rear screen bonding track which is attached to the structural element. It is also possible to manufacture plastic structural elements, not requiring a closed cross-section and having for example a greater depth and equivalent stiffness. In this case, the cross-section of the structural element can be U-shaped with an opening facing the outside of the vehicle and subsequently closed by the tailgate screen. In these two types of structural element, the space delimited by the structural element and optionally the screen is a closed inaccessible space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention aims to propose a tailgate arranged more optimally and thus limit the costs of manufacturing the back of the vehicle.

To this end, the invention relates to a motor vehicle tailgate comprising a plastic box structure comprising at least one structural element supporting a rear screen, the structural element being elongated in a “longitudinal” direction, in which the structural element delimits, with the rear screen, a housing comprising an interior opening, the interior opening being closed by means of a lining which is attached so as to form at least partially a longitudinal wall of the housing adjacent to the rear screen and arranged towards the inside of the rear screen, in such a way that the housing houses an electrical element of the vehicle.

Thus, it is proposed to use a part of the vehicle which is traditionally not accessible after assembly, and therefore not used, to provide new vehicle functions, i.e. the housing of electrical functions. The inventors have in fact discovered that when using plastic structural elements, the longitudinal inner wall of the structural element arranged towards the inside of the rear screen, or second leg of the ∪, is not totally essential to provide the rigidity function of the upright and can be replaced by a lining. This type of lining no longer needs to provide a rigidity function and can advantageously provide a function of closing a dry area, in order to house an electrical element. We therefore obtain an easy solution for integrating electrical elements in the hollow shape of the tailgate structural element, in addition to a decoration function provided by the lining, in particular to hide the inside of the structural element. It is understood that the interior opening is preferably sealed by the lining.

Furthermore, and particularly advantageously, a tailgate is therefore provided that can easily integrate rear optical elements, in particular brake lights, reversing lights, indicator lights, while the rear light units are traditionally arranged directly on the vehicle, for example in the lower part, on the body in the side areas or in air deflectors, also called spoilers, placed in the extension of the roof or of side parts of the rear. Thus, by providing the rear lights on the tailgate rather than on the rest of the vehicle, firstly new aesthetic configurations can be proposed for the tailgate and the rest of the vehicle, and secondly the rear of the vehicle is less constrained by the presence of optical elements, for example there is no need to provide sealed deflectors.

The term “plastic box structure” means a box structure composed, not exclusively, of plastic. It is understood that this expression includes in particular a box structure comprising a composite material. The term “vehicle electrical element” means any member delivering, receiving or passing electrical energy, for example and not exclusively an optical element, a camera, a sensor, a receiver, a transmitter, an antenna or an electric wire. Thus, the electrical element may perform a wide variety of functions, such as the temperature function, the rain function, the anti-pinch function, the radar function, the indicator light function, or the style lighting function, and also use a wide variety of technologies such as infrared, radio waves, capacitive sensor, etc. It is understood that the “interior opening” is an opening made in a longitudinal wall of the housing adjacent to the rear screen and arranged towards the inside of the rear screen, i.e. which is closer to the centre of the rear screen than an opposite longitudinal wall, which is considered as an exterior longitudinal wall of the housing. In other words, the inside is directed towards the centre of the rear screen and the outside is directed in the opposite direction. A longitudinal wall is understood to be, in reference to the elongated shape of the structural element, the direction of elongation defining the longitudinal direction. It is understood that the interior longitudinal wall is a wall which is adjacent to the rear screen, often substantially perpendicular to the rear screen, and which is therefore different from a bottom longitudinal wall which is substantially parallel to the rear screen. It is also understood that a tailgate “rear screen” is a vehicle rear window, made for example of glass. It is generally transparent and may locally include opaque parts, produced for example by screen printed areas.

According to advantageous but non-mandatory aspects of the invention, the tailgate may include one or more of the following characteristics, taken alone or in combination.The structural element belongs to the group comprising a lateral upright and a horizontal cross member. In particular, the plastic box structure may comprise three structural elements, i.e. two lateral uprights connected by a lower horizontal cross member.The lining forms a support for the electrical element. Thus, the electrical element can be preassembled to the lining before this subassembly is attached to the structural element. The fact that it is the lining, and not the structural element, which carries the electrical element also simplifies maintenance and replacement of the electrical element. In addition, integrating the electrical element in the lining makes it easier to manage the optional functions of a vehicle series given on the basis of a single tailgate. In fact, since the lining is an attached part, different linings can be attached depending on the electrical options to be integrated. However, it is easier to manage the complexity by making different shapes on the linings, generally of smaller dimensions, than on larger linings.The electrical element is an optical element, for example a light source.The lining comprises an attachment part for a light source and an attachment part for a reflector, these attachment parts being for example holes made in offset support surfaces, i.e. at different distances from the rear screen. The light source consists for example of a printed circuit board (PCB) and light emitting diodes (LEDs). The reflector may comprise one or more clips to cooperate with the hole(s) so as to be attached to the lining. Moreover, it is further possible to provide an attachment part for an electrical cable in the lining. Thus, the lining may carry several optical elements.The electrical element comprises an element from the group consisting of a camera, a sensor, a receiver, an antenna. These elements are often used for optional functions in a vehicle series. It is therefore interesting to integrate them in the attached lining.The electrical element is a current receiver or transmitter, which is different from a wire or electrical cable which simply passes current. Thus, while an electric wire could be housed relatively easily in a non-dry area, ensuring that the wire is watertight, a current receiver or transmitter, such as an optical element, a camera, a sensor, a receiver or an antenna, must be housed in a dry area and the solution proposed here provides a particularly interesting advantage.The structural element assembled with the screen and the lining has a cross-section whose outer contour has a substantially quadrilateral shape, for example a trapezoidal shape, one side of the quadrilateral being formed by the rear screen, two other consecutive sides being formed by the structural upright and the last side, connecting the rear screen and the structural element, being formed at least partially by the lining. Alternatively, one side of the quadrilateral is formed by the rear screen, an adjacent side is formed by the structural upright, an opposite side, adjacent to the rear screen, is formed by the lining, and the last side is formed partly by the lining and partly by the structural upright.The lining is removably mounted on the structural upright, for example by means of a rivet, screw, clip or any other technical solutions allowing the lining part to be easily removed. Thus the lining can be easily removed from the structural element to simplify maintenance and replacement of the electrical element.The lining comprises a longitudinal edge connecting with the rear screen, provided with a flexible seal, for example a leaf type seal or any other solution to achieve closure or light-tightness if the electrical element has a lighting function. Preferably, the rear screen comprises a screen printed area at the position of this seal to conceal the connection with the lining.The lining is made of thermoplastic material. The structural upright is made of thermoplastic material, thermosetting material or composite material.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

We now refer toFIG. 1. A motor vehicle tailgate10comprises a plastic box structure comprising, in this example, two side uprights16and a lower horizontal cross member17connecting the side uprights16. The uprights16and the cross member17surround and support a glass rear screen12. Each upright16and the cross member17each form an elongated structural element, each extending in a longitudinal direction corresponding to the axis of elongation of the structural element. More precisely, the cross member17is elongated in a substantially horizontal direction considering the tailgate when mounted on the vehicle so that the longitudinal direction of the cross member17corresponds to this substantially horizontal direction. The side uprights16are elongated in a substantially vertical direction when the tailgate is mounted on the vehicle, so that the longitudinal direction of the side uprights16is the substantially vertical direction.

As can be seen onFIG. 2, the upright16has a “semi-U-shaped” cross-section, i.e. one side inner leg of the ∪ is not complete. The outer wall of the upright16is bonded to the screen12by a glue bead18, which both maintains the screen12and seals the box structure with respect to the outside of the vehicle. The screen12has a screen printed area20at the bonding tape18. ??// It is understood in this case that the outside of the vehicle corresponds to the part that is farthest from the centre of the rear screen12, i.e. the left part ofFIG. 2, and that the inside of the vehicle corresponds to the part that is closest to the centre of the rear screen12, i.e. the right side ofFIG. 2.

The upright16delimits, with the rear screen12, a housing14comprising an interior opening which is closed by means of a lining22which is attached so as to form at least partially a longitudinal wall of the housing, adjacent and arranged towards the inside of the rear screen12. The lining22is removably mounted to the upright16, for example by means of a rivet24. Furthermore, the lining22comprises a longitudinal edge connecting with the screen12, provided with a leaf type flexible seal26. The screen12comprises a second screen printed area40at the seal26.

Thus, the upright16, assembled with the screen12and the lining22, has a cross-section whose outer contour has a substantially quadrilateral shape, in this case a trapezoidal shape. A first side of the quadrilateral is formed by the rear screen12and two other consecutive sides, the two left and lower sides, are formed by the upright16. The last side, the right side connecting the rear screen12and the upright16, is formed at least partially by the lining22. In this example, substantially all the last side, except the part forming the corner, is formed by the lining. The upright16further comprises a blocking rib36to position the elements described below.

In this example, the lining22forms a support for several electrical elements housed in the housing14. In particular, it carries a printed circuit board PCB32provided with LEDs33and a connection cable34. The lining22also forms a support for a reflector30.

As can be seen onFIG. 3, the lining22has a first group of support surfaces42and a second group of support surfaces44which are offset relative to each other, in other words the support surfaces42and the support surfaces44are at different distances from the rear screen12. Attachment means46,48are made respectively in these support surfaces42,44to attach the reflector30and the PCB32.

As illustrated onFIG. 5, the reflector30has at least one clip56to be inserted into the hole46to attach the reflector30to the lining22. Similarly, clips48made on the support surfaces44are adapted to attach the PCB32by clipping.

The lining22is also shown onFIG. 4. In addition to the means for attaching the optical elements, the lining comprises means50for attaching the connection cable34consisting of a hollow with resilient tabs58to grip the cable34. Moreover, the lining22comprises in its wall covering the side opening a hole54which allows it to be attached by the rivet24to the upright16.

We now refer toFIGS. 6 and 7illustrating a second example of a structural element.

In this case, the screen12extends vertically and covers in its lower part the junction of an outer skin15of the tailgate10with an inner lining of the tailgate, composed by the box structure. It is therefore understood that in this case, the outer part of the screen12is in the lower part and that the inner part of the screen, being closer to the centre of the screen, is in the upper part of the figure. The outer skin15is attached to the box structure of the tailgate10at the cross member17by a bonding tape78. The screen12has a screen printed area70at the bonding tape78. The cross member17is part of the tailgate box structure and forms a structural element.

The cross member17delimits, with the rear screen12, a housing74comprising an interior opening which is closed by means of a lining72which is attached so as to form a longitudinal wall of the housing, adjacent and arranged towards the inside of the rear screen12. In this case, the cross member17locally has a “semi-∪-shaped” cross-section in which the bottom of the ∪ is not complete and the side inner leg of the ∪ does not exist.

Furthermore, the lining72comprises a longitudinal edge connecting with the rear screen12, provided with a leaf type flexible seal76. The screen12comprises a second screen printed area90at the seal76.

In this example, the lining72forms a support for an electrical element80, for example an external camera or a light. To this end, the lining72comprises a substantially horizontal plate76which supports the electrical element80.

The lining72is removably mounted on the cross member17by means of a screw.

In the examples described, the box structure of the tailgate10is made of composite material, such as fiber reinforced plastic.

The invention is not limited to the examples described and other embodiments will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

In particular, the structural element may take a different overall shape. Preferably, it has a “semi-∪-shaped” cross-section, i.e. at least one side leg of the ∪ is absent.