Closing device for a vehicle, with stationary multi-part panel

The present invention relates to a closing device of a flush body opening.

The best known way to report ice on the bay of such a vehicle an automobile, a bus, a truck or even a railway car, is to provide an ice linking frame to the edges of the bay which is two inner and outer parts towards each other to pinch simultaneously the edges of the ice and the opening with a liner sealing.

The aesthetic criteria have evolved, the trend is currently to seek to remove if the presence of the least visual impression breaking that provides a framework so that the ice is seen as a transparent portion of the body without solution of continuity with it.

By this invention there is provided a solution to close a vehicle window by a flush panel provided with a movable part for ensure ventilation function.

To this end the invention relates to a device for closing a bay made in the body of a vehicle according to claim 1.

The closure of the bay device therefore has no external frame which protrudes with respect to the body, contrary to what is the case today for devices which comprise panels in two parts that is to say, the windows of which is movable relative to a stationary part for ensure ventilation or aerating a cab or a vehicle passenger compartment.

One of the functional elements fastening methods on the inner face of fixed panel will be sticking. We can also implement ways through fixing which the part situated outside of the panel can be covered with a cover relatively flattened.

The fixed panel is reconstructed from several parts around a recess, the junction areas of these parts being masked by profiles Flush connection and patterns eg screen printed on these pieces. The functional elements can also cooperate in the assembly of the parts constituent of the fixed panel.

In a second embodiment, the fixed panel is simply reported by bonding to the edges of the recessed body opening.

In this case in particular, if the functional elements comprise at least a cross member, it extends to the panel edges so that the ends of the cross are sandwiched between the panel and the edges of the Bay. This arrangement meet certain standards requirements on the broken windows on vehicles.

The mobile panel which forms the element allowing desired ventilation, may be hinged or sliding. In the case of a pivotable member, the cross constitutes the fixed element of a longitudinal hinge, the mobile element carries the movable panel by bonding along an edge of this panel.

In the case of a sliding vent panel, the functional elements comprise two parallel cross support guide rails for this panel, rails optionally having a suitable shape for movement tacking of the movable panel relative to the fixed panel.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention appear from the description given below of several embodiments.

Reference is made to the attached drawings among which:<ul><li>Figure 1 is a front view of a first embodiment embodiment of a device similar to that the invention,</li><li>Figure 2 is a section along the plane II-II of Figure 1,</li><li>Figure 3 is a sectional view along the plane III-III of figure 1,</li><li>Figure 4 is a sectional view along the plane IV-IV of figure 1,</li><li>the figure 5 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of achieving close to that of the invention, </li><li>Figure 6 is a general view of an embodiment of the invention.</li></ul>

Is presented in Figure 6 a fixed panel glass 4 and the movable panel 8 slide. The panel 4 is in parts (in two parts 4a and 4b delimit the aperture 6, the part 4a having three sides of the opening and 4b the fourth panel). The panels are assembled by any appropriate means arranged on the inner side which may involve a side and cross members Functional binding of the mobile panel. The parts connecting regions forming the fixed panel are disposed in screen printed areas.

Mounting a device according to the invention is, with the exception of initial pre-assembly of component parts of the fixed panel, the same way as the fixed panel device integrally illustrated by Figures 1 to 5.

In these figures, reference numeral 1 corresponds to a body panel vehicle in which there is provided a bay 2. The edges of the array are slightly recessed from the outer surface of the body so as to to accommodate a closure panel which is flush with the surface outer panel 1. These edges bear the reference numeral 3 in FIGS.

Closing this bay is formed by a panel 4 housed in the hollow 3, the edges of the bay 2 form the bottom and stuck by its periphery on these edges 3. The panel 4 is cut to provide an opening 5 (Figure 1) or 6 (Figure 6) which can be closed by a movable secondary panel 7 (Figure 1) and 8 (Figure 6). The panel 7 of Figure 1 is mounted articulated by means of a crosspiece 9 itself bonded to the inner face of the panel 4, for example in the vicinity the immediate edge of the opening 5. A special feature of the embodiment shown is that the crossbar 9 extends into under the edge of panel is glued onto the edge 3 of the bay 2. Thus, as illustrated in Figure 2, each end 9a of the cross member 9 is sandwiched between the edge 3 and the panel 4.

Figure 4 illustrates that the cross member 9 is actually a wing of a hinge 10, the pivot axis extends parallel to the longest edge of the opening 5 and the other wing 11 of the hinge 10 forming the support of the panel 7. Indeed, the panel 7 is attached by bonding to the flange 11 in a area adjacent to its lower edge. The upper edge of the panel can include a stop 12 which interacts with the body element or part upper panel 4 to hold the panel 7 in the closed position and ensure by means of elements not shown the sealing of the closure.

The embodiment shown in Figure 5 includes most elements already described with the same references. Panel 4 here carries on its inner face 4₁ a frame 13 which forms a closed structure inside the panel and spaced from the peripheral edge of the panel a sufficient distance so that this panel can be attached by adhesive between the edges 3 Bay 2. This frame 13 can constitute the support of a number of accessories in particular for fixing the panel on the bodywork by means e.g. flanges 14. It will be noted in Figure 1 that for masking the bonding zones, the fixed panel 4 includes screen-printed patterns on its periphery and at of the cross member 9. This screen printing, known in itself on the window vehicles, also hides coverage cabochons heads screw or rivet may be used to secure the cross member 9 to the panel 4, the place and stead of bonding or in addition to it.

Finally in figure 6, the panel 8 for closing the opening 6 provided in the panel 4 is mounted to slide between two sleepers 15 and 16, these cross 15 and 16 having their ends being arranged as the end 9a of the through 9 illustrated by Figure 2. The webs 15 and 16 are here represented simple and panel 8 slides in a different plane than the panel 4, the inner side thereof. It is not out of the invention to provide a known way that the scenes 15 and 16 are equipped with ramps that the panel 8 is the law of the opening 6 movement tacking for its investment in the same plane of the panel 4.

Preferably, the panels 4, 7 and 8 will be ice, ice that despite the fact that they are equipped with mobile elements for aeration the passenger compartment, are always flush with respect to the body of this vehicle. The aesthetic advantage of such an arrangement results in a lack of continuity, at least visually between the body and the ice.

It is not within the scope of the invention to provide elements of panel 4 (when it is in several parts) that are not in ice but a other material. A fixed panel, in accordance with the invention must be understood as a one-piece element which is due on the vehicle body, this element in one or more portions being preassembled panel of the carrier mobile and functional elements binding.