Patent ID: 12251995

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1A to4show a motor vehicle tailgate1according to a first embodiment of the invention. The motor vehicle is not shown in the figures.

As can be seen in particular inFIG.2, the tailgate1comprises an inner panel2, preferably made of plastic material, provided with an upper part2A in which a first opening21is made that is intended to accommodate a rear window7. The rear window7is in particular fastened to the inner panel2via a bead of glue8.

The tailgate1also comprises an outer skin3, at least partially made of plastic material, placed against the inner panel2, comprising an inner surface31located opposite an outer surface23of the inner panel2. “Outer surface23of the inner panel” means the surface facing the outside of the vehicle. The outer surface23is opposite an inner surface24of the outer panel, which itself faces the passenger compartment.

As can be seen inFIG.4, the tailgate1further comprises a support plate4for at least one equipment item6. The inner surface31of the outer skin3is applied directly to an outer surface of the support plate4in a sealed manner.

The support plate4is more particularly arranged inside an inner volume5A delimited, on the one hand, by the outer surface23of the inner panel2and, on the other hand, by the inner surface31of the outer skin3.

The support plate4is applied directly to the inner panel2so that the assembly consisting of the support plate4and the outer skin3is mounted removably on the inner panel2, and in particular so that it can be detached and then moved away from the inner panel2toward the outside (in the left-to-right direction ofFIGS.4to7) of the vehicle, as will be explained later.

More specifically, in the example shown in the figures, the support plate4here is applied directly, via its inner surface, to the outer surface23of the inner panel2.

The support plate4comprises a niche N whose walls delimit a volume5B in which said at least one equipment item6is housed, as well as a peripheral rim51extending the walls of the niche N.

The sealing of the volume5B is ensured by means of a peripheral seal50arranged between the support plate4and the inner surface31of the outer skin3.

The peripheral rim51is removably attached to the outer surface23of the inner panel2. To this end, as can be seen inFIG.4, it is in particular assembled to the outer surface23of the inner panel using screws25. The screws25are inserted into the support plate4and the inner panel2so that their heads can be accessed, and therefore unscrewed, from inside the vehicle via the inner surface24(passenger compartment side).

It will be noted that the screws25allowing the removable assembly of the support plate4to the outer surface23of the inner panel2could be arranged in places other than the peripheral rim51. In particular, in a variant that is not shown, the fastening of the support plate4to the outer surface23of the inner panel2can be carried out proximate one of the walls of the niche N, outside the rim51.

It is of course possible to envisage fastening means other than screws, such as clips, for example, as long as they allow removal of the support plate4from the inner panel2in a removable manner. The term “removable” means a fastening means that can be reversed several times without altering the parts, unlike gluing, for example.

A seal (not visible in the figures) can also be placed between the peripheral rim51and the outer surface23of the inner panel. It may be for example a foam seal compressed between the peripheral rim51and the outer surface23of the inner panel. Alternatively, the seal will be compressed between another part of the support plate4facing the outer surface23of the inner panel and the outer surface23of the inner panel.

The outer skin3is applied, preferably directly, to the support plate4. In this first embodiment of the invention shown inFIGS.4and5, the outer skin3is glued with glue9, via its inner surface31, to the support plate4.

However, the outer skin3is not necessarily fastened to the inner panel3: it may only be connected to the latter via the support plate4, as shown inFIGS.4and5. Nevertheless, the outer skin3here is applied against the outer surface23of the inner panel2while being in contact with the latter, but without being fastened thereto. In particular, it may be applied against the outer surface23of the inner panel2in a sealed manner, for example using a seal placed between the inner surface31of the outer skin3and the outer surface23of the inner panel2(the seal is not visible in the figures). Whether or not the outer skin3is fastened to the inner panel2, it is preferably, in all cases, applied (there may or may not be contact) against the outer surface23of the inner panel2.

Since the support plate4is attached in a removable manner to the inner panel2owing to reversible fastening means such as screws, it is possible to detach and remove the assembly consisting of the support plate4and the outer skin3of the inner panel2, in particular from the inside to the outside of the vehicle, which is removed inFIG.5. In the embodiment shown in the figures, to detach the support plate4from the inner panel2, the screws25(or any other means for fastening the support plate4to the inner panel2) are unscrewed from inside the vehicle (passenger compartment side). Then, one can remove the assembly consisting of the support plate4and the outer skin3of the inner panel2from outside the vehicle and separate this assembly from the rest of the vehicle.FIG.5illustrates the assembly separated from the rest of the vehicle.

The support plate4comprises one or more equipment items6, only one of which is visible in the illustrated sections4to8. Of course, these can be different from each other. It may, for example, be one or more light devices that emit electromagnetic radiation R in the visible spectrum. This electromagnetic radiation is shown schematically by a dotted arrow inFIGS.4and6. These light devices can be distributed over all or part of the width of the support plate4in order to establish the desired light signature. Thus, it is possible to obtain a light signature with a continuous appearance over the entire width of the tailgate if so desired.

The equipment item(s)6can also be driving assistance devices, such as for example radars (which generally emit electromagnetic radiation between 20 and 80 GHz), lidars (which generally emit electromagnetic radiation belonging to the infrared spectrum) or reversing cameras. Finally, it can also be communication equipment, such as information screens or antennas. In general, the equipment item(s)6can be any device requiring wave transparency.

The zone of the outer skin3located opposite the equipment item6is a transmission zone32made of plastic material at least partially transparent to the electromagnetic radiation of the equipment, in the case where the latter emits and/or receives electromagnetic radiation. “At least transparent to electromagnetic radiation” means that this transmission zone32allows the passage of a quantity of electromagnetic waves sufficient for the equipment to be able to fulfill its dedicated function correctly and continuously. In the case of a light device, for example, this means that the transmission zone32allows the light rays emitted by the device to pass so that they can be seen by an observer outside the vehicle.

The outer skin3is preferably made of one of the following materials:polypropylene (PP);polyamide (PA);polyethylene (PE);acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS);polyethylene terephthalate (PET);polystyrene (PS);polycarbonate (PC);polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA);cyclo-olefin copolymer (COC);
as well as any combination of these materials.

The support plate4can be in one piece, which simplifies its manufacture and avoids the steps of assembling several elements on the outer skin3. Alternatively, the support plate4can be made of several parts assembled together either before being introduced into the inner volume5A, or after having been introduced into the inner volume5A.

In the first embodiment according to the invention, and as shown inFIGS.4and5, the support plate4is provided with an access orifice42that allows access to the equipment item6carried by the plate4, for example with a view to its installation or maintenance. In particular, the access orifice42is made in the bottom of the niche N, which allows the most direct access to the equipment item6.

It is thus possible to guarantee access to the inner volume5A once the support plate4has been detached and removed from the inner panel2as shown inFIG.5.

Of course, several access orifices42distributed in the support plate4can be provided, in order to be able to easily access all the equipment items6carried by the support plate4.

The access orifice42is preferably closed via a closure member43or cover that thus makes it possible to create an additional inner volume5B that is closed, and more preferably mounted in a sealed manner, on the bottom of the niche N, within the same main inner volume5A, as can be seen inFIG.4. Thus, the equipment item(s)6carried by the support plate4are located within a dry and sealed zone that protects them.

It will be noted that in a variant of the invention, not shown, the fastening of the support plate4to the outer surface23of the inner panel2can be carried out at the bottom of the niche in which the access orifice42is made. Thus, the screws25could be carried by the bottom of the niche N in which the access orifice42is made.

Furthermore, in the examples shown in the figures, the equipment item6is carried by the closing member43, which has the advantage of being able to remove the equipment item6from the volume5B at the same time as the closure member43. However, this is only an example and the equipment item(s)6can be carried by any other wall of the niche N in particular. In this case, the closure member43only makes it possible to fill the opening42giving access to the equipment item6, and its removal makes it possible to provide access to the equipment item6, which can be removed from the volume5B after the closure member43has been removed from the rest of the support plate4. Alternatively, depending on the needs, the equipment item6does not have to be removed from the niche5B to be able to benefit from maintenance, the operator being able to intervene through the access orifice42.

In a second embodiment of the invention illustrated inFIGS.6and7, the outer skin3is no longer glued to the support plate4, but is applied thereto in a removable manner, for example by screwing using screws35(only one is shown inFIG.6). It is thus possible to detach the outer skin of the support plate4, as can be seen inFIG.5, and thus to have access to the niche N and to the equipment item6. Naturally, fastening means other than screws, such as clips, can be provided, as long as they allow removable and preferably reversible removal.

Also in this embodiment, to seal the volume5B, a seal50may be provided between the outer skin3and the support plate4. It may in particular be a foam seal compressed between the peripheral rim51(or another zone of the support plate4opposite the inner surface31of the outer skin) and the inner surface31of the outer skin3. The seal50may in particular be carried by the support plate4once the outer skin3has been detached therefrom as illustrated inFIG.7. Alternatively, the seal50may be carried by the outer skin3.

In this second embodiment, since the outer skin3is removably mounted on the support plate4, it is no longer necessary to make an access orifice42to the equipment item6in the plate, as can be seen inFIGS.6and7. Nevertheless, it can still be provided in a variant not shown.

In an embodiment that is not shown, optionally, the outer skin3could be removably fixed, for example by screwing, to the inner panel2.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described here, and other embodiments will become clearly apparent to a person skilled in the art. It is possible in particular to envisage any combination of the embodiments presented.

LIST OF REFERENCES

1: tailgate2: inner panel2A: upper part of the inner panel2B: lower part of the inner panel3: outer skin4: equipment support plate5A: inner volume of the opening panel5B: inner volume of the plate6: equipment item of the plate7: rear window8: bead of glue of the rear window23: outer surface of the inner panel24: inner surface of the inner panel25: screws between the support plate and the inner panel31: inner surface of outer skin32: transmission zone35: screws between the support plate and the outer skin42: plate access orifice43: closure member50: seal51: rim of the plateN: niche of the support plateR: electromagnetic radiation