Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-30
2004-02-03
Joyce, Harold (Department: 3749)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Structural detail
C296S187090
Reexamination Certificate
active
06685261
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to the production of fascias (also called dashboards) intended to equip the interior passenger compartment of motor vehicles.
BACKGROUND ART
Fascias are major parts of motor vehicles. They are typically fixed to the structural framework (otherwise termed “body”) of the vehicles.
A problem which arises is that of the versatile nature of the fascias, that is to say, the possibility of using all or part of the fascias on different types of vehicles, with, for example, portions common to vehicles of the “saloon” type and vehicles of the “monospace” type.
In this general context, the invention aims in particular to deal with the problem of the connection between the ventilation structures of the fascias (otherwise termed “air ducts”) and the air vents located on the facade.
To facilitate the manufacture of such areas of fascias, there has already been proposed in FR-A-2 763 287 a solution improving the positioning of an air duct in order to facilitate its connection to an air vent.
Using ducts which are at least locally pliable (that is to say, flexible, deformable) has moreover been proposed. Thus, in FR-A-2 771 054, different means are proposed for holding a pliable duct for the purpose of its assembly.
A problem which nevertheless remains is that of a greater versatility between the members of fascias making it possible to limit the number of parts to be designed, manufactured and assembled, while facilitating the operations of assembly between the air ducts (ventilation structures) and the air vents, for different types of vehicles.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
A solution provided by the invention consists of a method for producing two fascias using two (at least in part) common ventilation structures, comprising the following steps:
a) producing a first and a second ventilation structure, each comprising one or more pliable duct portions identical between the ventilation structures,
b) producing a first fascia cover having one or more first air vents, and a second fascia cover, different from the first and having one or more second air vents (optionally only some air vents could be different from one cover to the other, in terms of position and/or shape and/or dimensions, etc., the covers being otherwise identical in this hypothesis),
c) establishing in an assembly position the pliable duct portion(s) of the first ventilation structure by way of (a possibly first lug provided with) first positioning means and assembling said pliable duct portion(s) of the first ventilation structure and the first air vent(s),
d) establishing in an assembly position the pliable duct portion(s) of the second ventilation structure by way of (a possibly second lug provided with) second positioning means distinct from the first, and assembling said pliable duct portion(s) of the second ventilation structure and the second air vent(s).
With this solution, the assembly operations are facilitated and the costs are reduced.
Still with the same objective of versatility, if the aforesaid first and second lugs are used, they may each be provided with the first and second positioning means. In particular, the first and second lugs may be identical.
In order to facilitate still further the incorporation of the parts in a common structure, another feature of the invention recommends that during step a) a first and a second identical ventilation structures are produced and, preferably, the pliable duct portion(s) is/are connected to the first and/or the second ventilation structure(s) by way of a rigid connection, subsequent to a step of over-moulding or of co-moulding in the same mould, of the ventilation structures with the pliable duct portions.
Thus it will be possible to reduce the assembly times by avoiding the operators having sometimes to intervene in places which are difficult to access.
As an alternative or in addition to the preceding feature, other aspects of the invention propose:
mounting the pliable duct portion(s) on a ball-and-socket joint with respect to the area of connection to the first and/or the second ventilation structure,
during step a), using pliable duct portions having an area deformable both in elongation and in angular orientation,
and/or moulding in one piece at least one of the first and second lugs with the first and/or the second ventilation structure(s).
In that case again, the times and possible difficulties of assembly can be limited.
Once again, in order to propose a solution increasing the versatility, or multi-applications to different types of vehicles, of a significant portion of fascia, another feature of the invention proposes, for two different vehicles:
producing a first and a second fascia body different from each other and adapted to receive, fixed over them, respectively the first and second covers, which are intended to be disposed on the facade (also called front surface) of the passenger compartment,
during the aforesaid step a), producing the first and second ventilation structures so that they each have identical fixing areas allowing them to be fixed irrespectively to said first and second fascia bodies,
fixing the first and second ventilation structures respectively to the first and second fascia bodies, at the location of at least some of said fixing areas,
then fixing each assembly of the first and second fascia bodies and ventilation structures, respectively to the first and second covers, and also to the body of each vehicle.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 5678877 (1997-10-01), Nishijima et al.
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patent: 6273495 (2001-08-01), Haba et al.
patent: 6305733 (2001-10-01), Rahmstorf et al.
patent: 6582005 (2003-06-01), Takano
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patent: 2763287 (1998-11-01), None
patent: 2771054 (1999-05-01), None
patent: 2805777 (2001-09-01), None
Brancheriau Christian
Duchez David
Faurecia Interieur Industrie
Joyce Harold
Rothwell Figg Ernst & Manbeck P.C.
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