FR3136440A1 - Support arm of a mudguard. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a support arm (10) for a wing of a motor vehicle, such as a mudguard of a utility vehicle, comprising a tubular metal element (12) provided at one end with a flange (14) for fixing the arm to a wall (102) of a supporting structure (100) of the vehicle in a final destination position, characterized in that the fixing flange (14) comprises a means (20) for attachment temporary of the support arm (10) on the wall (102) of the supporting structure (100) in the final destination position in order to temporarily suspend the support arm (10) on the supporting structure (100) before its definitive fixing on the supporting structure (100).. Figure 1 _

Description

Support arm of a mudguard.

The present invention relates to the technical field of mudguards for motor vehicles. It applies more particularly but not specifically to a support arm of a rear mudguard for a utility vehicle.

Such utility vehicles can be trailer tractors, which are often referred to by the English term "trucks" and generally include a supporting structure which supports in particular the transmission chain equipped with a powertrain and various bodywork elements. such as a mudguard wing.

Generally, the mudguard wing has a general rounded shape that can partially surround a wheel of the utility vehicle concerned and can be made from any material, metallic or synthetic.

The rear mudguard wings of motor vehicles are generally made of plastic material, in which different components can be integrated, such as for example, the license plate holder, the relative lighting, and the motor vehicle's own headlights such as as the position lights and turn signals. For a trailer tractor, other components can be integrated, such as parts of the air deflector, a cabin tilt pump or pressure tanks.

Generally, the mudguard wings are fixed to the chassis of the motor vehicle by means of support arms which project laterally with respect to a longitudinal direction of the chassis. Such arms can in particular be bent in order to form a double curve and thus, lower in the vertical direction, the suspension point of the mudguards.

In general, the arms are made of a metallic material which allows them to have rigidity and robustness to securely hold the mudguard wings so as to guarantee resistance to vibrations and aerodynamic flows to which the mudguards are subjected.

As a result, the support arms are often very heavy and have a very significant weight. Thus, the installation of the support arms on the supporting structure of the motor vehicle concentrates all the operator's efforts on carrying the article using both hands, which makes fixing the support arm on the vehicle laborious. .

The invention particularly aims to provide a support arm for the mudguard of a utility vehicle which is sufficiently rigid to securely hold a mudguard wing on the supporting structure of the vehicle in order to resist oscillations occurring on the chassis of the vehicle while being able to be easily mounted on the supporting structure of the motor vehicle by a single operator.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a support arm for a wing of a motor vehicle, such as a mudguard of a utility vehicle, comprising a metallic tubular element provided at one end with a flange for fixing the arm to a wall of a supporting structure of the vehicle in a final destination position, characterized in that the fixing flange comprises a means for temporarily attaching the support arm to the wall of the supporting structure in the position final destination in order to temporarily suspend the support arm on the supporting structure before its definitive attachment to the supporting structure.

The support arm according to the invention allows very easy assembly by a single operator who can free both hands when definitively fixing the support arm to the wall of the supporting structure.

A support arm according to the invention may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for attaching the flange is a mounting tab.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mounting tab is shaped to rest against an internal face of the wall of the supporting structure to hold the fixing flange against an external face of the wall of the supporting structure.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hooking means comprises at least one mounting tab pre-deformed to cooperate with the internal face of the wall through an orifice made in the wall.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tab has the general shape of a tongue being provided with at least one outward inflection so as to be retained against the internal face of the wall through the orifice .

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mounting bracket has a general “S” or “U” shape.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flange having a general plate shape delimited by a peripheral edge, the mounting tab extends from the peripheral edge transversely outwards in a vertical direction in the destination position final.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flange and the tubular element are made of a metallic material.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hooking means is arranged on the fixing flange such that the flange is essentially biased on the supporting structure by the action of gravity towards the final destination position.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fixing flange comprises holes for fixing by screwing to the wall of the supporting structure.

The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a supporting structure and a support arm of a wing of the motor vehicle such as a mudguard, the support arm being intended to be fixed on a predefined location of a wall of the supporting structure in a final destination position, characterized in that the structure comprises a complementary hooking means configured to cooperate with the hooking means of the support arm according to the invention in the final destination position.

According to another embodiment, the complementary hooking means is formed by pre-drilling the wall of the supporting structure.

The invention will be well understood and its advantages will appear better, on reading the detailed description which follows, of embodiments represented by way of non-limiting examples. The description refers to the attached drawings in which:

There is a front perspective view of a support arm according to the invention fixed to a wall of a supporting structure of a motor vehicle;

There is a perspective view from behind of a support arm according to the invention fixed to a wall of a supporting structure of a motor vehicle;

There schematically illustrates, in a sectional view, a step of mounting the support arm of the on the wall of the motor vehicle;

There illustrates schematically, in a sectional view, a step of mounting the support arm according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

We represented on the a support arm for a wing of a motor vehicle fixed to a wall of a supporting structure of the vehicle. The support arm is designated by the general reference 10 and the supporting structure by the general reference 100.

This support arm 10 is intended to allow the fixing of a wing (not shown in the figures) of a motor vehicle, for example a mudguard wing of a utility vehicle.

This support arm 10 forms in this example a strut for the suspension of a mudguard of a wheel belonging to the vehicle. The support arm 10 comprises a first section, one end of which is intended to be fixed on the structure or load-bearing frame of the vehicle and a second section, one end of which is intended to be fixed to the mudguard.

As shown on the , this support arm 10 comprises a tubular metal element 12 provided at one end 12A with a flange 14 for fixing the arm 10 to a wall 102 of the supporting structure 100 of the vehicle in a final destination position.

The tubular metal element 12 is formed for example by a hollow metal profile which is directly connected to a support plate forming the fixing flange 14. In the example illustrated, the flange 14, assembled at the end 12A of the tubular element 12, is located on a plane transverse to the longitudinal direction of the arm 10.

The fixing flange 14 is presented in the example illustrated in the form of a base plate which is mounted in a final destination position on the wall 102 of the supporting structure 100 by conventional fixing means 18, for example by screwing using bolts. In the example illustrated, the holes for receiving the bolts are formed in the four corners of the fixing plate 14 of the arm 10 to the wall 102.

According to the invention, the fixing flange 14 comprises a temporary hooking means 20 of the support arm 10 on the wall 102 of the supporting structure 100 in the final destination position in order to suspend the support arm 10 on the supporting structure 100 during its final fixation on the supporting structure 100.

Preferably and as appears in Figures 1 and 2, the mounting tab 22 is shaped to rest against an interior face 102A of the wall 102 of the supporting structure 100 to temporarily hold the fixing flange 14 against the wall 102 of the supporting structure 100.

According to the invention, the structure 100 comprises a complementary hooking means 104 configured to cooperate with the hooking means 20 of the support arm 10.

In the example illustrated, the hooking means 20 comprises at least one mounting tab 22 pre-deformed to cooperate with the internal face 102A of the wall 102 through an orifice 104 made in the wall 102, forming the means additional hanging.

For example, the support arm 12 is intended to be fixed on a predefined location of the wall 102 of the supporting structure 100 in the final destination position. This location preferably includes a plurality of pre-drilled holes (not referenced in the figures).

Preferably, the flange 14 having a general plate shape delimited by a peripheral edge 16, the mounting tab 22 extends from the peripheral edge 16 transversely outwards in a vertical direction in the final destination position.

Preferably, the hooking means 20 is arranged on the fixing flange 14 such that the flange 14 is essentially biased on the supporting structure 100 by the action of gravity towards the final destination position. In other words, the mounting tab 22 is arranged on the fixing flange 14 so as to present a balance of loads on either side of the tab 22 to stabilize the positioning of the flange 14 on the wall 102.

The tab 22 comprises at least one portion for attachment to the peripheral edge 16 and a portion for retaining against the internal face 102A of the wall 102. In this example, the tab 20 is in the general form of a tongue developing from of the peripheral edge 16 with a curvilinear profile presenting at least one inflection. In this example, the tab 22 is curved outwards so as to be retained against the internal face 102A of the wall 102.

In the example illustrated, the hooking means 20 comprises at least one mounting tab 22 shaped like a hook in the general shape of an “S” ( ) or alternatively in a general “U” shape ( ) to cooperate with the orifice 104 made in the wall 102 of the supporting structure 100.

In the example illustrated, the flange 14 and the tubular element 12 are made of a metallic material.

For example, the fixing flange 14 comprises holes for fixing by screwing to the wall 102 of the supporting structure 100.

Generally, the technique of mounting a support arm 12 on a vehicle chassis by means of the fixing device as described above is as follows: the hook of the mounting plate of the support arm 10 is first engaged inside the hole 104 of the wall 102 of the chassis 100.

As can be seen on the schematically illustrating a mounting step, the support arm 10 is inclined relative to the wall 102 of the supporting structure 100 so that the end of the mounting tab 22 can be engaged inside the orifice pre-drilled 104 of the wall 102. Then, the flange 14 is brought to the final destination position by coming to apply against the wall 104.

Alternatively, as illustrated in the , the mounting tab 22 is engaged inside the pre-drilled orifice 104 by a translation of the support arm 10 without pivoting then by vertical descent of the support arm so that the "u" of the tab 22 comes engage on a free internal edge of the orifice 104 of the wall 102.

As a result, the suspension takes place very quickly. Once the support arm 10 is temporarily suspended on the chassis 100, the operator can easily position the fixing holes 18 of the mounting plate 14 in correspondence with the holes in the wall 102 of the chassis 100. Bolts 18 are introduced into through the holes in the plate 14 and the wall 102 of the chassis 100.

With the support arm 10 of the invention, the use of a single operator is necessary so that the assembly of the support arm 10 is facilitated. In addition, such mounting of the support arm 10 can be adapted to several models of supporting structure.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments previously described. Other embodiments within the reach of those skilled in the art can also be considered without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the claims below.

Claims (12)

Support arm (10) of a wing of a motor vehicle, such as a mudguard of a utility vehicle, comprising a tubular metal element (12) provided at one end with a fixing flange (14) of the arm to a wall (102) of a supporting structure (100) of the vehicle in a final destination position, characterized in that the fixing flange (14) comprises a means (20) for temporarily attaching the support arm (10) on the wall (102) of the supporting structure (100) in the final destination position in order to temporarily suspend the support arm (10) on the supporting structure (100) before its definitive fixing on the supporting structure (100) ). Support arm (10) according to the preceding claim, in which the hooking means (20) of the flange (14) is a mounting tab. Support arm (10) according to the preceding claim, in which the mounting tab (22) is shaped to rest against an internal face (102A) of the wall (102) of the supporting structure (100) to hold the flange fixing (14) against an external face (102B) of the wall (102) of the supporting structure (100). Support arm (10) according to the preceding claim, in which the hooking means (20) comprises at least one mounting tab (22) pre-deformed to cooperate with the internal face (102A) of the wall (102) at through an orifice made in the wall (102). Support arm (10) according to the preceding claim, in which the tab (22) has the general shape of a tongue being provided with at least one outward inflection so as to be retained against the internal face (102A) of the wall (102) through the orifice (104). Support arm (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the mounting tab (22) has a general “S” or “U” shape. Support arm (10) according to the preceding claim, in which the flange (14) having a general plate shape delimited by a peripheral edge (16), the mounting tab (22) extends from the peripheral edge (16) transversely outwards in a vertical direction in the final destination position. Support arm (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flange (14) and the tubular element (12) are made of a metallic material. Support arm (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the hooking means (20) is arranged on the fixing flange (14) such that the flange (14) is essentially stressed on the structure carrier (100) by the action of gravity towards the final destination position. Support arm (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the fixing flange (14) comprises holes for fixing by screwing to the wall (102) of the supporting structure (100). Motor vehicle comprising a supporting structure (100) and a support arm (10) of a wing of the motor vehicle such as a mudguard, the support arm (10) being intended to be fixed on a predefined location of a wall (102) of the supporting structure (100) in a final destination position, characterized in that the structure (100) comprises a complementary hooking means (104) configured to cooperate with the hooking means (20) of the support arm (10) according to any one of the preceding claims in the final destination position. Motor vehicle according to the preceding claim, in which the complementary attachment means (104) is formed by pre-drilling the wall (102) of the supporting structure (100).