FR3121207A1 - DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE POSITIONING OF A PART ON A SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

A device (DC) controls the positioning on a first wall (P1) of a system (SY) of a fixing part (PF) comprising an opening (O) and to which equipment must be fixed while being partially housed in this opening (O). This device (DC) comprises, on the one hand, a support part (PS) comprising three arms (B1-B2) intended to be coupled to the system (SY) in a reference position with respect to the first wall (P1) and a main part (PP) to which the arms (B1-B2) are secured and comprising a passage (PD) open at two opposite ends, and, on the other hand, a control part (PC) mounted to slide in the passage (PD) and comprising a first end (E1) having a shape adapted to its housing in the opening (O) when the fixing piece (PF) is correctly positioned on the first wall (P1). Figure to be published with abstract: Fig. 2

Description

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE POSITIONING OF A PART ON A SYSTEM

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to the control of the positioning of a fixing part on a wall of a system.

State of the art

In many technical fields, and in particular in that of vehicles, possibly of the automobile type, fixing elements are defined on a wall, such as for example studs or threaded holes, which are intended to allow the fixing of a part of fixing to which must be fixed equipment to be placed in a predefined position with respect to this wall. By way of illustrative example, the fixing part whose positioning must be checked can be intended to allow the fixing of equipment constituting an electrical outlet for recharging a rechargeable battery of a system, such as for example a vehicle.

Currently, we generally discover the incorrect positioning of a fixing part on its receiving wall when we try to install the equipment by fixing it on this fixing part. This incorrect positioning of the fixing part, which results from incorrect positioning of its fixing elements on the wall of the system, in fact prevents the fixing of the equipment in the space dedicated to this purpose on the wall. Such a discovery is particularly annoying when the equipment is installed quite late in the system assembly phase. This is particularly the case when the equipment is a vehicle charging socket, since its installation is carried out after the bodywork of this vehicle has been completely treated and painted.

In the presence of such incorrect positioning, one is forced to remove the fixing elements from the wall (for example previously welded studs), which can prove to be (very) complicated to achieve when the area in which they are installed is (very) cramped, then to reposition new fixing elements at the predefined places, which can again prove to be (very) complicated to achieve when the installation area is (very) cramped, then, possibly, to redo locally paint treatments and touch-ups, which can still be (very) complicated to carry out when the installation area is (very) cramped. Sometimes, it is even impossible to correctly reposition a fastener (and more specifically its fasteners) without having to dismantle a relatively large part of the system. In all cases, we are exposed to an increase in the assembly time of the system, possibly very significant, and to an additional cost, possibly very significant.

The object of the invention is therefore in particular to allow control of the positioning of a fixing part on a wall of a system as soon as possible, in order to make possible correct repositioning less difficult and less costly.

Presentation of the invention

It proposes in particular for this purpose a control device intended to control the positioning on a first wall of a system of a fixing part comprising an opening and to which equipment must be fixed while being partially housed in this opening.

This control device is characterized by the fact that it includes:

- a support part comprising at least three arms intended to be coupled to the system in a reference position with respect to the first wall, and a main part to which the arms are secured and comprising an open passage at two opposite ends, and

- a control part mounted sliding in this passage and comprising a first end having a shape adapted to its housing in the opening when the fixing part is correctly positioned on the first wall.

Thanks to this control device, it is now possible to control early the positioning of a fastener (and more precisely of its fasteners) on a first wall of a system, which makes it less difficult and less expensive a possible correct repositioning of the fixing elements.

The control device according to the invention may comprise other characteristics which may be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

- in the presence of two reference holes defined on the system for the reference position, the first and second arms of the support part can each comprise a free end provided with a protrusion capable of being housed in a corresponding reference hole when the support piece is in the reference position;

- in the presence of the last option, a third arm of the support piece may include a free end capable of resting on a surface of the system in the reference position;

- also in the presence of the last option, its support piece may include a rigid reinforcing bar and connecting the first and second arms to each other so that their protrusions are spaced at a constant distance;

- the passage of the support piece can have a circular cylindrical shape. In this case, the control part may have a circular cylindrical shape adapted to its sliding in the passage with a clearance which is between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm;

- in the presence of an opening of unclosed semi-circular shape and having a first radius, the first end of the control part may have a circular shape and having a second radius less than the first radius by a value which is between 1.5mm and 2.5mm;

- its control part may include a second end opposite its first end and arranged in such a way as to allow sliding over a maximum predefined distance by action of a user;

- in the presence of the last option, the first end of the control part can be an integral part of the latter, and the second end can be attached to the control part;

- it can be arranged to control the positioning of a fixing part intended to allow the fixing of equipment constituting an electrical outlet for recharging a rechargeable battery of the system.

Brief description of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on examination of the detailed description below, and of the appended drawings (obtained in CAD/DAO (“Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Drawing”), from which the presence of certain levels of gray), on which:

schematically illustrates, in a front view, a part of an exemplary vehicle body to which a fixing part is secured and to which is coupled in a reference position a first exemplary embodiment of a control device according to the 'invention,

schematically and functionally illustrates, in a sectional view in a longitudinal plane, the device for controlling the coupled to the system in the reference position,

schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, the device for controlling the , And

schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, a second embodiment of a control device according to the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The aim of the invention is in particular to propose a control device DC intended to allow the control of the positioning of a fixing part PF on a first wall P1 of a system SY.

In what follows, it is considered, by way of illustrative example, that the system SY is a vehicle of the automobile type, such as for example a car. But the invention is not limited to this type of system. It relates in fact to any system comprising at least one wall on which equipment must be installed in a predefined position, via a fixing piece.

Furthermore, it is considered in what follows, by way of illustrative example, that the first wall P1 forms part of the bodywork (or body) of the vehicle SY, and more precisely that it delimits a bottom of a housing to which one accessed by a hatch flap rotatably mounted on a second wall P2 also forming part of the bodywork (or body) of the vehicle SY. But the invention is not limited to this type of first wall.

In addition, it is considered in what follows, by way of illustrative example, that the equipment to be fixedly secured to the fixing part PF is an electrical socket for recharging a rechargeable battery of the vehicle (or system) SY. But the fixing piece can allow at least partial fixing of any other equipment.

We have schematically illustrated on the part of an example of bodywork (or body) of an SY system (here a vehicle) comprising a first wall P1 to which is secured a fixing part PF whose positioning on the latter (P1) is to be controlled by means of a DC control device according to the invention. This attachment part PF comprises an opening O in which equipment must be partially housed (here an electric charging socket) during its subsequent fixed attachment to this attachment part PF.

The object of the check, which must be carried out by means of the checking device DC, is therefore to determine, before the installation of the equipment, whether the positioning of its fixing piece PF on the first wall P1 is correct, which , if so, would guarantee its installation in a predefined position with respect to the first wall P1. It is recalled that the first wall P1 comprises fixing elements, such as for example studs or threaded holes, which are intended to allow the fixing of the fixing part PF, and therefore that it is the incorrect positioning of its elements fixing on the first wall P1 which will induce an incorrect positioning of the fixing part PF and therefore in the end an impossibility to install the equipment on the first wall P1 in its predefined position.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, a control device DC, according to the invention, comprises a support part PS and a control part PC coupled together.

The support part PS comprises a main part PP comprising a passage PD open at two opposite ends and to which are fixedly secured at least three arms Bj. These arms Bj are intended to be coupled to the system SY in a reference position with respect to the first wall P1. This reference position is illustrated in figures 1 and 2.

The control part PC is slidably mounted in the passage PD of the main part PP, in order to be able to be translated by a user (for example a technician carrying out the control of the positioning of the fixing part PF after having secured the latter (PF) to the corresponding fixing elements of the first wall P1). This control part PC comprises a first end E1 having a shape which is adapted to its housing in the opening O of the fixing part PF when the latter (PF) is correctly positioned on the first wall P1.

It will be understood that once the technician (or user) has secured the fixing part PF to the corresponding fixing elements of the first wall P1, he couples the control device DC, and more precisely its support part PS, to the system SY in a reference position (see figures 1 and 2), then causes the PC control part to slide in the direction of the opening O. If the first end E1 of the PC control part lodges in the opening O, this means that the fixing part PF is correctly positioned (just like its fixing elements) and therefore that the equipment can be installed on the first wall P1 in its predefined position. On the other hand, if the first end E1 of the control part PC cannot enter the opening O, this means that the fixing part PF is not correctly positioned (just like its fixing elements) and therefore that the the equipment cannot be installed on the first wall P1 in its predefined position. It is then necessary to separate the fixing part PF from its fixing elements, then to separate the latter from the first wall P1 in order to reposition them (or to reposition new ones) in the predefined places guaranteeing correct positioning of the fixing part PF.

Thus, the control device DC allows control of the positioning of a fastener PF (and more precisely of its fasteners) on a first wall P1 of a system SY at an early stage of assembly of the latter. (SY), and in particular before carrying out the treatments and the application of the layers of paint on the bodywork in the case of a vehicle, in order to make any possible correct repositioning of the fastening elements less difficult and less costly. In addition, the use of the DC control device by a technician is very simple and ergonomic, which facilitates control.

It will be noted that in the example illustrated without limitation in FIGS. 1 to 4, the support part PS comprises three arms B1 to B3 (j=1 to 3). But it could include more than three arms Bj, and for example four.

For example, and as illustrated without limitation in FIGS. 1 and 2, the system SY can comprise two reference holes TR1 and TR2 for the reference position of the support piece PS. In this case, the first B1 and second B2 arms can each comprise a free end EL provided with a protrusion PR capable of being housed in a corresponding reference hole TR1 or TR2 when the support piece PS is in its reference position. This allows the PS support part to be precisely installed in its reference position before sliding the PC control part.

The two protrusions PR can be in the form of circular cylindrical studs, for example and as illustrated.

The two reference holes TR1 and TR2 can, as illustrated, be defined in a second wall P2 of the system SY, remote from the first wall P1 comprising the fixing elements of the fixing part PF. In the example illustrated, the two reference holes TR1 and TR2 are defined in a lower portion of the peripheral part of the second wall P2 which delimits the opening of the housing in which the fixing part PF and equipment and which is defined slightly set back from the exterior face of the bodywork in order to accommodate the hatch flap.

For example, and as illustrated without limitation in the , a (the) third arm B3 of the support piece PS may comprise a free end EL' capable of resting on a surface SS of the system SY in the reference position. In the example illustrated, the surface SS forms part of the upper portion of the peripheral part of the second wall P2 which delimits the opening of the housing in which the fixing part PF and the equipment are finally installed. This allows distributed support of the support part PS on the second wall P2.

Also for example, and as illustrated without limitation in the , the support part PS may comprise a rigid reinforcing bar BR connecting together the first B1 and second B2 arms so that their protrusions PR are spaced apart by a constant distance. This stiffening of the fixing part PF makes it possible to improve the precision of the placement of the control part PC and therefore of its first end E1 with respect to the predefined position in which the opening O must be placed, when the fixing part PF is in its reference position with respect to the first wall P1.

It will be noted, as illustrated without limitation in FIGS. 1 to 3, that the passage PD can have a circular cylindrical shape. In this case, the control part PC has a sliding part PCC having a circular cylindrical shape which is adapted to its sliding in this passage PD with a play which can, for example, be between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm. . By way of example, this clearance may be equal to 0.2 mm. This allows precise sliding of the control part PC relative to the main part PP of the support part PS, and therefore precise displacement of the first end E1 relative to the opening O of the fixing part PF.

Also for example, and as illustrated without limitation in the , the opening O can have an unclosed semi-circular shape (adapted to the future housing of the equipment), and can have a first radius r1. In this case, the first end E1 may have a circular shape and may have a second radius r2 smaller than the first radius r1 by a value which is between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm. By way of example, the difference between the first r1 and second r2 radii can be equal to 2 mm. This makes it possible to leave a little positioning margin for the fixing part PF and therefore for the future equipment, while taking into account their dimensional variations resulting from their manufacture.

But the opening O can have other closed or unclosed, geometric or non-geometric shapes. Thus, it may, for example, have an at least semi-elliptical shape. In this case, the first end E1 no longer has a circular shape, but a general shape adapted to that of the opening O. It will be noted that when the general shape of the first end E1 is not circular and that the part PCC of the control part PC, which slides in the passage PD and to which it is secured, is off-center with respect to its own center, it is advantageous to provide a pin intended to pass through the main part PP of the support part PS and this sliding part PCC of the control part PC in order to prevent any rotation of the control part PC in this passage PD. It is then also necessary to provide in this sliding part PCC of the control part PC a light allowing it to translate with respect to this through pin during its sliding in the direction of the opening O.

It will also be noted, as illustrated without limitation in FIGS. 1 to 4, that the control part PC may comprise a second end E2 opposite its first end E1 and arranged so as to allow it to slide over a maximum predefined distance by the action of a user (or technician). This option (relating to the particular arrangement of the second end E2) makes it possible to prevent the first end E1 from being translated over too great a distance, which could cause it to pass beyond the opening O and cause it to block , then possibly its damage during its release.

To allow this control of the maximum sliding distance, the second end E2 may, for example, have a diameter strictly greater than the diameter of the passage PD, and/or at least one stop projecting on a rear face (oriented towards the second end E2 ) over a chosen distance.

For example, and as illustrated without limitation in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first end E1 can form an integral part of the control part PC, and the second end E2 can be attached to the control part PC.

By way of example, the sliding part PCC of the control part PC, which slides in the passage PD, may comprise, opposite the first end E1, an internal thread suitable for screwing the second end E2. But this second end E2 could be force-fitted into the part of the control part PC which is opposite its first end E1.

But in a variant embodiment, the first end E1 could be attached to the control part PC and the second end E2 could form an integral part of the control part PC. In this case, the same sliding part PCC can be used with different first ends E1 of different shapes for different fasteners.

For example, all the components of the DC control device can be made using a 3D printer. But they could also be made by molding (or injection).

Claims (9)

Control device (DC) for controlling the positioning on a first wall (P1) of a system (SY) of a fixing part (PF) comprising an opening (O) and to which equipment must be fixed while being partially housed in said opening (O), characterized in that it comprises i) a support piece (PS) comprising at least three arms (Bj) intended to be coupled to said system (SY) in a reference position with respect to said first wall (P1) and a main part (PP) to which said arms (Bj) are secured and comprising a passage (PD) open at two opposite ends, and ii) a control part (PC) mounted to slide in said passage ( PD) and comprising a first end (E1) having a shape adapted to its housing in said opening (O) when said fixing piece (PF) is correctly positioned on said first wall (P1). Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that in the presence of two reference holes (TR1, TR2) defined on the said system (SY) for the said reference position, first (B1) and second (B2) arms each comprise a free end (EL) provided with a protuberance (PR) capable of being housed in a corresponding reference hole (TR1, TR2) when said support piece (PS) is in said reference position. Device according to Claim 2, characterized in that a third arm (B3) comprises a free end (EL') capable of resting on a surface (SS) of the said system (SY) in the said reference position. Device according to Claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the said support piece (PS) comprises a rigid reinforcement bar (BR) connecting the said first (B1) and second (B2) arms together so that their protrusions (PR) are spaced a constant distance apart. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the said passage (PD) has a circular cylindrical shape, and the said control part (PC) has a circular cylindrical shape adapted to its sliding in the said passage (PD) with a clearance between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in the presence of an opening (O) of unclosed semi-circular shape and having a first radius, the said first end (E1) has a circular shape and has a second radius less than said first radius by a value between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the said control part (PC) comprises a second end (E2) opposite the said first end (E1) and arranged in such a way as to allow the said sliding over a predefined maximum distance by user action. Device according to Claim 7, characterized in that the said first end (E1) forms an integral part of the said control part (PC), and the said second end (E2) is attached to the said control part (PC). Device according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is arranged to control the positioning of a fixing part (PF) intended to allow the fixing of equipment constituting an electrical socket for recharging a rechargeable battery of said system (SY).