FR3102439A1 - Drawer for a vehicle comprising an expanded polypropylene body - Google Patents

Abstract

Drawer for a vehicle comprising a body of expanded polypropylene Drawer (3) for a motor vehicle (1), characterized in that it comprises a body (5) made of expanded polypropylene. Figure for the abstract: figure 4

Description

Drawer for a vehicle comprising a body of expanded polypropylene

The invention relates to a drawer for a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a dashboard for a motor vehicle comprising such a drawer. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising such a drawer or such a dashboard. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such a drawer.

State of the prior art

Motor vehicles are generally equipped with at least one drawer for storing various objects. Such a drawer can be a glove box drawer and be integrated into a dashboard, for example opposite a passenger seat.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a drawer 1' for a vehicle, according to the state of the art. The drawer 1' comprises a plastic structure 2'. In order to give it adequate rigidity and reasonable weight, the structure 2′ comprises various ribs 3′ and/or reinforcement elements. These 3' ribs can be made visible when the drawer is open, which gives it an unattractive appearance. In order to improve the aesthetics of the drawer, the ribbed parts can be covered with covers, but then the manufacturing process for the drawer is more complex.

The drawers known from the state of the art generally take place in an opening provided in a dashboard. Noise from the engine compartment of the vehicle may possibly be transmitted to the passenger compartment via this opening. That is why drawers are usually equipped with a means of sound insulation. This sound insulation means is generally made of felt or recycled textile and must be fixed to the plastic structure 2'.

Finally, for its articulation with the dashboard, 4' slides can be provided. Given the complexity of the shape of the structure 2' of the drawer, supports 5' must generally be provided at the interface between the structure 2' and the slides 3'.

Finally, the manufacture of the drawer requires the assembly of many parts. The manufacture of the drawer is therefore particularly long and complex. In addition, the result obtained does not always achieve a satisfactory aesthetic appearance. The sound insulation at the level of the drawer is not always satisfactory.

Presentation of the invention

The object of the invention is to provide a drawer for a motor vehicle and a method of manufacturing such a drawer overcoming the above drawbacks and improving the drawers and manufacturing methods known from the prior art.

More specifically, a first object of the invention is a drawer for a motor vehicle which is simple to manufacture and to assemble to a motor vehicle, in particular to a dashboard of a motor vehicle.

A second object of the invention is a drawer for a motor vehicle which produces good sound insulation.

A third object of the invention is a particularly light drawer.

A fourth object of the invention is a drawer having a high level of perceived quality.

The invention relates to a drawer for a motor vehicle, the drawer comprising a body made of expanded polypropylene.

The drawer may comprise at least one insert, the at least one insert comprising a first part embedded in the body of the drawer, the body being molded around the first part of the insert, the at least one insert comprising a second part projecting outward from the body of the drawer, the second part of the insert comprising an element of a fastening means.

The body may comprise a set of walls of substantially constant thickness, the body locally comprising an extra thickness in which the first part of the insert is embedded.

The drawer may comprise a guide means, in particular a slide, the guide means being fixed to the body of the drawer by means of the insert.

The body may comprise at least one side wall and a wing extending transversely from the side wall towards the outside of the drawer, the wing covering the guide means.

The body can be monolithic.

The body may comprise a set of walls with a thickness greater than or equal to eight millimeters.

The expanded polypropylene constituting the body of the drawer may comprise a density of between 20 g/l and 120 g/l inclusive, in particular between 20 g/l and 60 g/l inclusive.

The body may include a stop capable of coming into contact with a fixed structure of a vehicle to define the position of the drawer relative to the structure when the drawer is in the closed position.

The body may include a floor, the drawer including a mat covering the drawer floor or the drawer including flocking on the drawer floor, and/or the body may include a rear wall, the drawer including a liner covering the rear wall of the drawer. drawer, in particular the covering comprising a plasticized coated fabric and/or leather and/or textile.

The drawer may include walls devoid of stiffening ribs.

The invention also relates to a dashboard for a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a drawer as defined previously.

The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a drawer as defined above and/or a dashboard as defined above.

The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a drawer as defined previously, the method comprising:
- a first step of manufacturing polypropylene granules by extruding a resin, then
- a second step of manufacturing expanded polypropylene granules, in particular porous expanded polypropylene granules, by mixing the granules obtained at the end of the first step with a blowing agent, then
- A third step of molding the drawer body by injecting said expanded polypropylene granules into an injection mold.

Presentation of figures

These objects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be explained in detail in the following description of a particular embodiment given on a non-limiting basis in relation to the attached figures, among which:

Figure 1 is a perspective and rear view of a drawer according to the state of the art.

Figure 2 is a partial of a drawer according to the state of the art, according to a transverse and vertical section.

Figure 3 is a schematic view of a motor vehicle according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 is a partial view of a drawer according to one embodiment of the invention, according to a transverse and vertical section.

Figure 5 is a view of the drawer according to a longitudinal and vertical section.

Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating a drawer manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the invention.

detailed description

Figure 3 schematically illustrates a motor vehicle 1 equipped with a dashboard 2 according to one embodiment of the invention. The vehicle 1 can be of any kind. In particular, it may for example be a private vehicle, a utility vehicle, a truck or a bus. The dashboard 2, or dashboard 2 is a device positioned at the front of a passenger compartment, in front of the driver's seat and the passenger seat. It can include different aesthetic or functional accessories. The dashboard 2 comprises a drawer 3 according to one embodiment of the invention and a structure 4 capable of supporting the drawer 3.

In this document, the X axis refers to the longitudinal axis of a vehicle. In forward gear and in a straight line, the vehicle progresses from the rear to the front in a direction parallel to its longitudinal axis. The X axis is oriented from the front to the rear of the vehicle, i.e. in the direction of reverse gear. The Y axis designates the transverse axis of the vehicle. The Y axis is oriented from left to right, with left and right defined from the perspective of a driver of the vehicle. The Z axis refers to the axis perpendicular to the X axis and the Y axis. The Z axis is a vertical axis when the vehicle is resting on horizontal ground. The Z axis is oriented from bottom to top. The X, Y and Z axes form an orthogonal frame. This same reference, defined by reference to a vehicle, will also be used for a single drawer, even considered outside a vehicle, since it is intended for mounting according to a specific orientation on a vehicle. In addition, the vehicle is considered to rest on horizontal ground.

The structure 4 is fixed relative to the dashboard 2 while the drawer 3 is movable in translation parallel to the longitudinal axis X. The drawer can therefore slide reversibly between a closed position, towards the front of the vehicle and a position open, towards the rear of the vehicle 1. The structure 4 can be a part of the structure of the dashboard, fixed to a frame of the vehicle

The drawer 3 is partially illustrated in Figure 4. In this figure only a right half of the drawer is shown. The drawer can be symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal and vertical face. Thus, the left half of the drawer can be deduced by symmetry. The drawer 3 comprises a body 5 made of expanded polypropylene. The body 5 is therefore exclusively made with expanded polypropylene. The body 5 is a part of the drawer 3 substantially in the form of a tray or box open upwards. The body 5 can mainly comprise five walls: a first wall 51 can be a floor of the body 5. It can have a substantially rectangular shape and extend horizontally. A second wall 52, a third wall 53, a fourth wall 54 and fifth wall (not visible in the figures) of the body correspond respectively to four lateral sides of the body. In FIG. 4, the second wall 52 can be seen extending substantially parallel to the X axis and to the Z axis. The second wall 52 corresponds to a right side wall of the body. In FIG. 5, there is the third wall 53 corresponding to a rear wall of the body (towards the passenger compartment) and the fourth wall 54 corresponding to the front wall of the body (at the bottom of the drawer). The rear wall 53 is a visible wall on the dashboard even when the drawer is in the closed position. The other walls 51, 52, 54 can be made visible when the drawer is in the open position. The body may have an overall parallelepipedal shape. It may also have a flared shape at the top, or any other shape imposed by the design of the dashboard and the space available for the drawer. The rear wall 53 can be tilted with respect to the vertical axis Z. The upper edges of the side walls of the drawer can be rounded for a softer contact with the hands or with an object.

The body 5 is monolithic, or in other words one-piece. It is therefore manufactured in one piece, for example by injection of expanded polypropylene into an injection mould. The advantage of having a monolithic body is on the one hand to reduce the manufacturing time but also to improve the rigidity of the body compared to a body made up of several parts. Alternatively, the body could be manufactured by assembling several elements, each monolithic and made of expanded polypropylene.

The body is made of expanded polypropylene, a material commonly referred to as PPE or EPP. Advantageously, expanded polypropylene has great structural strength and great lightness. The expanded polypropylene constituting the body of the drawer can comprise a density of between 20 grams per liter (gr/l) and 120gr/l inclusive, or even between 20gr/l and 60gr/l inclusive. Expanded polypropylene has a very high strength-to-weight ratio.

In addition, expanded polypropylene is resistant to oils, greases, petroleum and most chemicals. It also has very good resistance to high temperatures. Expanded polypropylene can have a shape memory allowing it to deform without breaking and to retain its structure. It can become fluid when heated and harden when cooled, completely reversibly. It is therefore infinitely recyclable. Finally, expanded polypropylene also has very good sound insulation properties. The body of the drawer therefore provides the dual function of forming a rigid structure for storing objects and sound insulation.

The thickness E of the walls of the body can be generally constant. Advantageously, the thickness E of the walls is greater than or equal to eight millimeters (8mm). A thickness E of 8 mm may be necessary to confer sufficient rigidity on the body for use as a motor vehicle drawer. It can thus withstand a large number of manipulations and it can support the weight of objects commonly stored in a drawer of a motor vehicle. The body 5 does not need to be stiffened by ribs. It therefore does not include any ribs, which improves its aesthetics and facilitates the manufacture of an injection mold for its manufacture. The relatively large thickness of the walls contributes to increasing the perceived quality of the drawer.

As illustrated in Figure 5, the drawer 3 is connected to the structure 4 via a guide means. In this case the guide means is one of a slide 6, in particular a ball slide. The ball bearing slide comprises a first rail 61 secured to the structure 4 and a second rail 62 secured to the body 5. Balls 63 are arranged between the first rail 61 and the second rail 62. A support 7, for example made of injected plastic, can be interposed between the structure 4 and the first rail 61. Advantageously, the drawer comprises two identical or symmetrical slideways on either side of the body 5 to support and guide the body 5 in translation.

The drawer further comprises at least one insert 8 making it possible to fix the guide means, in particular the second rail 62, to the body 5. Advantageously, the drawer even comprises two identical or symmetrical inserts 8 on either side of the body 5 for fix two slides respectively. The inserts are then integrated respectively into the left and right side walls 52. The drawer could even include more inserts 8 to fix each of the slides. For example, each slide could be attached to body 5 via two or even more inserts. In such a case, the inserts used to fix the same slide could be arranged one behind the other along the longitudinal axis X.

The insert 8 comprises a first part 81 embedded in the body of the drawer, the body being molded around the first part 81. As is clearly visible in Figure 4, the first part 81 of the insert 8 can have a section substantially in the shape of a T in order to ensure effective retention of the insert inside the body. The insert 8 can for example be made of injected plastic for more lightness, or alternatively of metal.

The insert 8 also comprises a second part 82 projecting outwards from the body of the drawer. The second part 82 of the insert 8 comprises an element of a means of attachment to the second rail 62. The second part 82 can for example comprise a threaded axis cooperating with a nut 9 as shown in FIG. 4. As a variant , the fastening means element integrated into the second part 82 could be different from a threaded axis. It could include for example a rivet, or a smooth axis capable of cooperating with a claw washer or even a simple opening through which a fastening means could pass.

According to a variant embodiment of the invention, the insert 8 could not be useful for fixing a slide but any other means of articulation of the drawer with respect to the structure 4. As a variant or in addition, such an insert could be used to fix a drawer covering element such as a handle or a lock, or any other type of function.

The wall 52 in which the insert 8 is integrated locally comprises an extra thickness 521 in which the first part 81 of the insert is embedded. The thickness of the wall 52 at the extra thickness 521 is therefore strictly greater than the average thickness of the other walls. This additional thickness 521 is intended to provide sufficient anchoring for the insert 8 and a sufficiently large bearing surface for the second rail of the slide 62. Thus the contact surface between the second rail 62 and the body 5 is large enough not to not damage the body 5. The guide means can therefore bear directly on the body 5, without intermediate piece

The extra thickness 521 is extended by a wing 522 extending transversely from the side wall 52. The wing 522 therefore extends substantially parallel to a horizontal plane towards the outside of the drawer (that is to say towards the left considering a wing on the side of the left side wall, and respectively to the right when considering a wing on the side of the right side wall). The wing 522 covers the slide 6. That is to say that the wing 522 at least partly masks the slide 6 when observing the top drawer. The wing 522 therefore aims to improve the aesthetics of the drawer while providing sufficient anchoring volume for the insert 8. In addition, the wing 522 makes it possible to protect the slide from possible falling particles, dust or liquids that could interfere with its operation. Advantageously, the wing 522 extends to a short distance from the structure 4 or the support 7, so as to form a baffle, which further reduces the risk of intrusion of particles, dust or liquids towards the medium. guidance.

Figure 5 illustrates other particularities of the drawer 3. The body 5, in particular the rear wall 53 comprises an abutment 531 capable of coming into contact with the structure 4 to define the position of the drawer relative to the structure when the drawer is in closed position. The stop 531 protrudes with respect to an inner face of the rear wall 53. The stop is made directly in the body of the drawer, in expanded polypropylene. The consistency of expanded polypropylene makes it possible to produce an abutment with good acoustic and rigidity characteristics. The stop 531 can come into contact against an armature 41 of the structure 4.

In addition, the drawer may also include a carpet 10 covering the first wall 51 forming the floor. This carpet 10 can be removable in order to facilitate cleaning of the drawer. As a variant or in addition, the upper face of the first wall 51 could also be covered with flocking. Furthermore, the drawer may also include a coating 11 covering the outer face of the rear wall of the drawer. The covering 11 can comprise a plasticized coated fabric and/or leather and/or textile. It can be fixed, for example glued, directly against the third wall 53.

The structure 4 can for example be made of injected plastic or else of metal. Alternatively, it could also be made entirely or partly of expanded polypropylene, which would further improve the sound insulation properties of the assembly formed by the drawer 3 and the structure 4 supporting the drawer. According to the example of Figure 5, the support 4 comprises a lower part 42 and an upper part 43. The upper part 43 is made of expanded polypropylene. The armature 41 against which the abutment 531 comes into contact can be overmolded by the expanded polypropylene forming the upper part 43.

FIG. 6 illustrates three steps of a manufacturing method for drawer 3 according to one embodiment of the invention. In a first step E1, granules are produced by extrusion of a resin, in particular polypropylene granules. You can extrude a solid wire or a tube. In the case where a solid yarn is extruded, an expanded polypropylene can subsequently be obtained, the density of which is between 20 g/l and 120 g/l. In the case where a tube is extruded, an expanded polypropylene can subsequently be obtained, the density of which is between 20 g/l and 60 g/l. In a second step E2, expanded polypropylene granules or beads, in particular porous expanded polypropylene granules, are produced. For this purpose, the granules obtained during the first step can be mixed in an oven with a blowing agent. In a third step E3, the body of the drawer is molded by injecting said expanded granules into an injection mold. The inserts 8 can be positioned in the injection mold so as to be overmolded at the same time as the manufacture of the body. A monolithic body is thus obtained with overmolded inserts. As a variant, the inserts could be fixed to the body after the molding of the latter, thanks to a self-tapping part of the insert. Such a fixing would make it easier to dismantle the insert, if necessary. The body 5 can then be assembled to the slides 6. It can be equipped with the carpet 10, the covering 11, and/or be flocked.

When the vehicle 1 is in use, the expanded polypropylene walls offer both good rigidity to support the objects contained in the drawer and good acoustic insulation. The cabin remains quiet and passenger comfort is improved. The drawer according to the invention can not only be fitted to motor vehicles but also to any type of vehicle, for example trains, planes or boats.

Claims (14)

Drawer (3) for a motor vehicle (1), characterized in that it comprises a body (5) made of expanded polypropylene.
Drawer (3) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises at least one insert (8), the at least one insert comprising a first part (81) embedded in the body (5) of the drawer, the body being molded around the first part of the insert, the at least one insert comprising a second part (82) projecting towards the outside of the body of the drawer, the second part of the insert comprising an element of a fixing means .
Drawer (3) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the body comprises a set of walls (51, 52, 53, 54) of substantially constant thickness (E), the body locally comprising an extra thickness (521) in which is embedded the first part of the insert (8).
Drawer (3) according to one of Claims 2 or 3, characterized in that it comprises a guide means, in particular a slide (6), the guide means being fixed to the body (5) of the drawer via of the insert (8).
Drawer (3) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the body (5) comprises at least one side wall (52) and a wing (522) extending transversely from the side wall towards the outside of the drawer, the wing covering the guide means.
Drawer (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the body (5) is monolithic.
Drawer (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the body (5) comprises a set of walls (51, 52, 53, 54) with a thickness greater than or equal to eight millimetres.
Drawer (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the expanded polypropylene constituting the body of the drawer comprises a density of between 20 g/l and 120 g/l inclusive, in particular between 20 g/l and 60 g/l inclusive .
Drawer (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the body comprises an abutment (531) capable of coming into contact with a fixed structure (4) of a vehicle (1) to define the position of the drawer relative to the structure when the drawer is in the closed position.
Drawer (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the body (5) comprises a floor (51), the drawer comprising a carpet (10) covering the floor of the drawer or the drawer comprising flocking on the floor of the drawer, and/or
in that the body comprises a rear wall (53), the drawer comprising a covering (11) covering the rear wall of the drawer, in particular the covering comprising a plasticized coated fabric and/or leather and/or textile.
Drawer (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises walls (51, 52, 53, 54) devoid of stiffening ribs.
Dashboard (2) for a motor vehicle (1), characterized in that it comprises a drawer (3) according to one of the preceding claims.
Motor vehicle (1) characterized in that it comprises a drawer (3) according to one of Claims 1 to 11 and/or a dashboard (2) according to the preceding claim.
Method of manufacturing a drawer (3) according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it comprises:
- a first step (E1) of manufacturing polypropylene granules by extrusion of a resin, then
- a second step (E2) of manufacturing expanded polypropylene granules, in particular porous expanded polypropylene granules, by mixing the granules obtained at the end of the first step with a blowing agent, then
- A third step (E3) of molding the body (5) of the drawer by injecting said expanded polypropylene granules into an injection mould.