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EP-4735287-A1 - SUPPORT DEVICE FOR AT LEAST ONE PIPE INTENDED TO BE FITTED TO A MOTOR VEHICLE

EP4735287A1EP 4735287 A1EP4735287 A1EP 4735287A1EP-4735287-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a support device (1) for at least one pipe (2), in particular a plurality of pipes (2), each being intended to be fitted to a motor vehicle and to extend between a first component (20) of the vehicle on a body (8) of the vehicle and a second component (24) of the vehicle on a mechanical plate (12) of the vehicle that is able to be joined to the body (8), the support device (1) comprising, on the one hand, a structural element (28) and, on the other hand, an intermediate support (30), the structural element (28) being configured to be attached to the mechanical plate (12) or to the body (8) of the motor vehicle, the intermediate support (30) being attached to the structural element (28) and comprising at least one region for receiving an attachment means (44) configured to enable the attachment of a pipe (2).

Inventors

  • GHIRARDINI, Armand

Assignees

  • AMPERE s.a.s.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240620

Claims (10)

  1. 1. Support device (1) for at least one pipe (2), in particular a plurality of pipes (2), each intended to equip a motor vehicle and to extend between a first component (20) of the vehicle mounted on a body (8) of the vehicle and a second component (24) of the vehicle mounted on a mechanical plate (12) of the vehicle capable of being assembled on said body (8), said support device (1) comprising on the one hand a structural element (28) and on the other hand an intermediate support (30), the structural element (28) being configured to be fixed on the mechanical plate (12) or on the body (8) of the motor vehicle, the intermediate support (30) being fixed to the structural element (28) and comprising at least one receiving zone of a hooking means (44) configured to ensure the fixing of a pipe (2).
  2. 2. Support device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate support (30) comprises a first face (30a) pressed against a fixing wall (28a) of the structural element (28) and a second face (30b) opposite the first face (30a), the pipe (2) being opposite this second face (30b).
  3. 3. Support device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the structural element (28) comprises at least one orifice (34) for the passage of a fixing means (32) of the intermediate support (30) to the structural element (28), the fixing means (32) projecting from the first face (30a) of the intermediate support (30).
  4. 4. Support device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the structural element (28) and the intermediate support (30) comprise an anti-rotation system (36) formed by a tab (38) made on one of these two parts and by an opening (39) formed in the other part, the tab (38) being configured to be inserted into the opening (39).
  5. 5. Support device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the intermediate support (30) comprises at least one hole (42) configured for the passage of a fixing head of a hooking means (44).
  6. 6. Support device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one first hole (42a) is configured to receive a means (44) for attaching a first pipe (2) and at least one second hole (42b) is configured to receive a means attachment (44) of a second pipe (2), the at least one first hole (42a) having a shape and/or an orientation different from that of the second hole (42b).
  7. 7. Support device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the first hole (42a) and the second hole (42b) are adjacent and have an oblong shape, the first hole (42a) and the second hole (42b) being arranged so that their main elongation axes are substantially perpendicular to each other.
  8. 8. Support device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the intermediate support (30) is a part having several portions (40) extending respectively in different planes, the parts of the anti-rotation system (36) and of the fixing means (32) formed on the intermediate support (30) both being arranged on the same portion (40) of the intermediate support.
  9. 9. Motor vehicle comprising a plurality of components respectively fixed to a body (8) of the vehicle or to a mechanical plate (12) of the vehicle and comprising a plurality of pipes (2) connecting these components together, said vehicle comprising at least one support device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and on which all or part of the pipe(s) is fixed.
  10. 10. A method of assembling a motor vehicle comprising a support device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising at least the following steps, among which a step of fixing the intermediate support (30) to the structural element (28), a step of connecting a first end (18) of a pipe (2) to a component (20) arranged on the mechanical plate (12), respectively on the body (8), a step of fixing the pipe (2) to the intermediate support (30) via a hooking means (44), a step of docking the mechanical plate (12) to the body (8) of the vehicle with a fixing of the body and the mechanical plate (12) via the structural element (28) and a step of assembling a second end (22) of the pipe (2) to be connected to a component (24) arranged on the body (8), respectively on the mechanical plate (12).

Description

Title: Support device for at least one pipe intended to equip a motor vehicle The present invention relates to the field of mechanics and automobiles and more particularly concerns that of the assembly of components, and in particular of supply pipes arranged between these components, within a motor vehicle engine compartment. The assembly of a vehicle involves a docking step of a body, associated with the passenger compartment and on which are positioned different components of a motorization system or a thermal regulation system for example, and a mechanical plate, associated with the running gear and on which are positioned other components of these systems. Pipes extend between the components of the same system, for a circulation of water, lubricant or refrigerant fluid for example, and this whether these components are mounted on the body or on the mechanical plate. These pipes are previously fixed on one or more components located on the mechanical plate, or on the body, and must be connected to another or more other components located on the body, or on the mechanical plate, once the body and the mechanical plate are fixed to each other at the end of the docking step. During the docking stage, when the mechanical plate is moved towards the body, the pipes, which at this time have a free end, should not become entangled, which could cause them to be damaged, and should not become sandwiched between a component of the body and a component of the mechanical plate, which would result in damage to the pipe and poor attachment of the mechanical plate to the body. Furthermore, once the body and the mechanical plate are assembled, and the pipes connected at each of their ends, the pipes should be held in a position that prevents them from rubbing against the transmission elements of the vehicle, to avoid heating and wear. In this context, support devices are provided that combine clips, or plastic tabs, present on the pipes and attachment means associated with the body or the mechanical plate, which are capable of cooperating with the clips. These attachment means may consist of screw-nut systems that lock the position of the clip by coming into an appropriate orifice formed on the body or the mechanical plate. The positioning of these orifices, and therefore the pipe attachment points, is specific to each vehicle and the positioning of the different components. Such a solution is therefore complicated to implement for different vehicles that share the same mechanical plate with different bodies, or vice versa, since the position of the components and the resulting path of the pipes can be modified from one vehicle to another. In this context, the main subject of the present invention is a support device for at least one pipe, in particular a plurality of pipes, each intended to equip a motor vehicle and to extend between a first component of the vehicle mounted on a body of the vehicle and a second component of the vehicle mounted on a mechanical plate of the vehicle capable of being assembled on said body, said support device comprising on the one hand a structural element and on the other hand an intermediate support, the structural element being configured to be fixed on the mechanical plate or on the body of the motor vehicle, the intermediate support being fixed to the structural element and comprising at least one receiving zone, in particular a plurality of receiving zones, of a hooking means configured to ensure the fixing of a pipe. The support device according to the invention is intended to equip a motor vehicle and has the particularity of having an integral assembly formed by the association of a structural element and an intermediate support. This integral assembly makes it possible to associate a structural function, with the structural element, which can in particular make a mechanical link between the body and the mechanical plate, and the intermediate support which is designed to allow the attachment of one or more pipes respectively making it possible to circulate a particular type of fluid from a component arranged in a first subassembly of the vehicle, formed by the body, to another component arranged in a second subassembly of the vehicle, formed by the mechanical plate. In the case of a plurality of pipes to be managed when assembling the mechanical patina on the body, the intermediate support allows the fixing of several pipes, which avoids having to provide a plurality of fixing zones arranged everywhere on the body or on the mechanical plate, and which facilitates the operations of fixing the pipes to the support device, since the operator only has one place to attach the pipes. The present invention thus aims to propose a solution making it possible to have a compact support device for a motor vehicle, with a structural element that is as standard as possible, in other words applicable to the greatest number of vehicle models. automobiles, and capable of fixing an intermediate s