MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle (1) designed to carry a fold-up warning triangle (2) which can be removed from the vehicle, where the vehicle comprises an opening (4) defined by a boundary edge (3) and covered by a hatch (5) such as a luggage hatch or engine bonnet, which hatch is arranged so that it can be moved between a closed position and an opened position. The invention is characterized in particular by the fact that the warning triangle (2), in the folded-up position, is secured in an edge portion (6) of the hatch bearing against the boundary edge (3) of the opening (4) in the closed position of the hatch (5), in such a way that a warning surface (7) of the warning triangle is visible to other traffic when the hatch (5) is in its opened position. In a preferred embodiment, the folded-up warning triangle (2) is releasably fitted in a recess (8) in the edge portion (6) of the hatch (5), which recess has a wall (9) interrupted by at least one hole (10) through which the said warning surface (7) is visible to other traffic when the hatch (5) is in its opened position.

Description: Motor vehicle TECHNICAL FIELD: The present invention relates to a motor vehicle designed to carry a fold-up warning triangle which can be removed from the vehicle. The term motor vehicle is here used in particular to signify a vehicle of the passenger car or delivery van type. The vehicle comprises an opening covered by a hatch such as a luggage hatch or engine bonnet. The hatch is arranged so that it can be moved between a closed position and an opened position, and the warning triangle is arranged in the vehicle in such a way that it gives a warning to other traffic when the hatch is in its opened position. It is already known to secure a warning triangle on the inside of the rear hatch of a vehicle in such a way that the warning triangle is visible to following traffic when the rear hatch is open. Such an arrangement is described, for example, in German laid-open application DE-OS 1 956 025 and in DE-3 627 100. A common feature of these arrangements is that the warning triangle is secured to the inside of the hatch in such a way that its characteristic triangular shape is clearly evident to following traffic when the hatch is open. The advantages of such arrangements are obvious, as a visual warning signal is given to other traffic as soon as the hatch is opened. In addition, access to the warning triangle is made considerably easier since the said warning triangle can be easily seized, for the purpose of placing it on the road, even when the luggage space is fully loaded. However, the known solutions are best suited to passenger cars of the saloon type which are equipped with a traditional luggage hatch. Such a luggage hatch generally has no transparent surfaces and is instead entirely covered by sheet metal or other surface material. There is therefore no problem in accommodating the whole of the folded-up triangle on the inside of the hatch. However, in vehicles such as estate cars, mini-vans and multi- purpose vehicles (MPV), the rear hatch has relatively large glazed surfaces on which attachment of a folded-up warning triangle is not possible, for reasons of visibility and road safety. The remaining, non-transparent part of the hatch often represents a small portion of the total surface area of the hatch and therefore, for reasons of space, does not permit attachment of a folded-up warning triangle. Another difficulty in applying the previously hatch and therefore, for reasons of space, does not permit attachment of a folded-up warning triangle. Another difficulty in applying the previously known solutions to a rear hatch of a vehicle of the multi-purpose type is that the hatch, in the open position, seldom has an inner surface essentially at right angles to the road surface on which the vehicle is standing, which is a prerequisite for the aforementioned solutions to be able to work. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: The invention solves the abovementioned problems by providing a motor vehicle designed to carry a fold-up warning triangle which can be removed from the vehicle, where the vehicle comprises an opening defined by a boundary edge and covered by a hatch such as a luggage hatch or engine bonnet, which hatch is arranged so that it can be moved between a closed position and an opened position. The invention is characterized in particular by the fact that the warning triangle, in the folded-up position, is secured in an edge portion of the hatch bearing against the boundary edge of the opening in the closed position of the hatch, in such a way that a warning surface of the warning triangle is visible to other traffic when the hatch is in its opened position. In a preferred embodiment, the folded-up warning triangle is releasably fitted in a recess in the edge portion of the hatch. The recess has a wall interrupted by at least one hole through which the said warning surface is visible to other traffic when the hatch is in its opened position. The hole is preferably triangle-shaped as a symbolic representation of the shape of the warning triangle in its deployed position. The proposed solution is considerably more compact than the previously known arrangements described, without losing sight of the main function which is that of providing a warning to other traffic when the hatch is in its opened position. Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: The invention will be described below on the basis of an illustrative embodiment and with reference to the attached drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a partial, diagrammatic perspective view of a motor vehicle according to the invention, where two folded-up warning triangles are shown just before being fitted into the recesses in the rear hatch. In the embodiment shown, one leg of the folded-up triangle is coated completely with reflecting material; Fig. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention, where one leg of the folded-up warning triangles is only partially covered with reflecting material, in a pattern corresponding to the shape of the holes which are formed in the walls of the recesses; Fig. 3 shows a diagrammatic view seen from behind the vehicle, where the folded-up warning triangles are fitted into their respective recesses, and where the reflecting material is visible through the holes of the recesses in the rear hatch; Fig. 4 shows a diagrammatic perspective view of the rear part of the vehicle when the rear hatch is in its closed position, in which the reflecting warning surfaces are no longer visible from outside the vehicle. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS: In Fig. 1 , reference number 1 generally designates a motor vehicle according to the invention. The motor vehicle 1 shown in the example is of a type which goes under one of the terms estate car, mini-van, MPV (multipurpose vehicle) or SUV (sports utility vehicle). The vehicle 1 is provided in a conventional manner with a rear hatch 5 which is shown in its opened position in Fig. 1. The rear hatch 5 comprises a glazed, transparent part 11 and an unglazed and thus untransparent part 12. The rear hatch 5 is further designed to cover an opening 4 in the rear part of the vehicle. The opening 4 is defined in turn by a boundary edge 3. The rear hatch 5 also has an edge portion 6 which bears against the boundary edge 3 of the opening 4 when the rear hatch 5 is in its closed position, which is shown in Fig. 4. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the vehicle 1 is equipped with two fold-up warning triangles 2. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the vehicle can be equipped with only one fold-up warning triangle 2. The waming triangles 2 preferably have a compact rectangular shape when folded up, as can be seen in Fig. 1. The warning triangle 2 essentially consists, in a known manner, of three triangle legs of equal length which, in the deployed state, together form an isosceles triangle (not shown). The legs of the warning triangle 2 are moreover coated with reflecting material, for example in the form of a reflector film which is fixed to the legs of the warning triangle 2 by means of an adhesive. The surface which is covered by the reflector material thus constitutes a warning surface 7. The basic concept of the invention is that the warning triangle 2, in the folded-up state, is secured in the abovementioned part 6 of the rear hatch 5 in such a way that the warning surface 7 of the warning triangle 2 is visible to other traffic when the hatch 5 is in its opened position. Fig. 1 shows two folded- up triangles 2 just as they are about to be fitted into respective recesses 8 in the edge portion 6 of the rear hatch 5. However, the extent of the recess 8 can best be seen from Fig. 3. The recesses 8 have outer boundary walls 9 which are interrupted by holes 10 through which the said warning surface 7 is visible to other traffic when the hatch 5 is in its opened position. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 , the boundary walls 9 of the recesses 8 are interrupted by four holes 10 arranged alongside each other, of which three are triangle-shaped as a symbolic representation of the shape of the warning signal 2 in its deployed position. In the examples shown, the fourth hole 10 in each recess 8 is rectangular in order to illustrate that the holes according to the invention can be of any shape. Figures 1 to 3 show that the warning surface 7, which according to Fig. 3 is visible through the holes 10, is oriented essentially at right angles to a road surface (not shown) when the rear hatch 5 is in its opened position. The warning surfaces 7 are thus immediately visible to other traffic behind the vehicle when the rear hatch 5 is opened. When the rear hatch 5 is closed again, the reflecting warning surfaces 7 are thus no longer visible from outside the vehicle, as is shown in Fig. 4. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 , that side of one leg of the warning triangle 2 which is directed towards the holes 10 when the warning triangle 2 is releasably fitted into the recess 8 is essentially completely coated with reflecting material. The boundary walls 9 and the holes 10 thus constitute slides of desired shape - preferably symbols of a warning triangle - through which a reflecting warning surface 7 of the said shape is visible. Fig. 2 shows an alternative embodiment in which the said side of one leg of the warning triangles 2 is only partially covered with reflecting material, according to a pattern directly corresponding to the shape of the holes 10. As the vehicle 1 is provided with two fold-up warning triangles 2, it is possible, in an emergency, for one of these to be removed from its recess 8, deployed and placed on the roadway at a prescribed distance behind the vehicle. At the same time, the second warning triangle 2 is left in the folded-up position in its recess 8, whereby a warning to following traffic is also given locally from the vehicle when the rear hatch 5 is left in its opened position. Such an application of the two warning triangles 2 thus has a favourable and road safety-enhancing effect. As has already been mentioned, the folded-up warning triangles 2 are releasably fitted in the recesses 8. The warning triangles 2 are held in the recesses 8 by means of snap-fitting members in the form of a clip or the like, in such a way that they can easily be removed from the recesses 8. The invention is not limited to the illustrative embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, but can be varied within the scope of the attached patent claims. For example, a warning triangle 2 in the folded-up state can be secured in the front part of the vehicle in the same way as has been described above. In such an embodiment, the recesses can be situated in the front part of the engine bonnet (not shown). Correspondingly, a warning triangle 2 can be placed in a vehicle door (not shown).

Claims: PATENT CLAIMS: 1. Motor vehicle (1 ) designed to carry a fold-up warning triangle (2) which can be removed from the vehicle, where the vehicle comprises an opening (4) defined by a boundary edge (3) and covered by a hatch (5) such as a luggage hatch or engine bonnet, which hatch is arranged so that it can be moved between a closed position and an opened position, characterized in that the warning triangle (2), in the folded-up position, is secured in an edge portion (6) of the hatch bearing against the boundary edge (3) of the opening (4) in the closed position of the hatch (5), in such a way that a warning surface (7) of the warning triangle is visible to other traffic when the hatch (5) is in its opened position. 2. Motor vehicle (1 ) according to Patent Claim 1 , characterized in that the said warning surface (7) is situated on one of the three legs of the warning triangle (2). 3. Motor vehicle (1) according to Patent Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the folded-up warning triangle (2) is releasably fitted in a recess (8) in the edge portion (6) of the hatch (5), which recess has a wall (9) interrupted by at least one hole (10) through which the said warning surface (7) is visible to other traffic when the hatch (5) is in its opened position. 4. Motor vehicle (1) according to Patent Claim 3, characterized in that the hole (10) is triangle-shaped as a symbolic representation of the shape of the warning triangle (2) in its deployed position. 5. Motor vehicle (1) according to Patent Claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the wall (9) of the recess (8) is interrupted by a number of holes (10) arranged alongside each other. 6. Motor vehicle (1) according to Patent Claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the wall plane (9) of the recess (8) is interrupted by three holes (10) arranged alongside each other. 7. Motor vehicle (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said warning surface (7) is oriented essentially at right angles to a road surface used by the vehicle when the hatch (5) is in its opened position. 8. Motor vehicle (1 ) according to one or more of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that two warning triangles (2) are releasably fitted in respective recesses (8) in the edge portion (6) of the hatch (5).

Inventors: BERGQUIST AAKE, GUNNARSON ANDERS, LAMARRE SIMON, LARSSON GOERAN, LENNARTSSON EINAR, REIKERAAS KARIN, REIKERAAS KJELL, THORSSON BIRGITTA, BERGQUIST, AAKE, GUNNARSON, ANDERS, LAMARRE, SIMON, LARSSON, GOERAN, LENNARTSSON, EINAR, REIKERAAS, KARIN, REIKERAAS, KJELL, THORSSON, BIRGITTA
Applicants: BERGQUIST AAKE, GUNNARSON ANDERS, LAMARRE SIMON, LARSSON GOERAN, LENNARTSSON EINAR, REIKERAAS KARIN, REIKERAAS KJELL, THORSSON BIRGITTA, VOLVO PERSONVAGNAR AB, BERGQUIST, AAKE, GUNNARSON, ANDERS, LAMARRE, SIMON, LARSSON, GOERAN, LENNARTSSON, EINAR, REIKERAAS, KARIN, REIKERAAS, KJELL, THORSSON, BIRGITTA
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B60Q7
IPC codes: B60Q1, B60Q7