Structuring air duct
AssigneeFaurecia Interieur Industrie
InventorsJean-Michel Laborie, David Duchez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention concerns a motor vehicle air duct also serving as crosspiece forming part of the structure of the vehicle. The invention is characterised in that the duct comprises two half-shells (2, 12) including each a tubular portion (6, 16) and two lateral flanks (4a, 4b; 14a, 14b); it further comprises: two stop elements (22a, 22b) defining each a rib projecting relative to one of the contact surfaces of one of the half-shells and having a stop surface arranged immediately proximate to an abutting surface (40a, 40b) provided on the other half-shell (12), a continuous weld bead (13a, 13b) extending between the contact surfaces of the half-shells which are in contact with each other.
Claims11
Air duct (1) of a motor vehicle, extending in a direction of elongation (10) and comprising two half-shells (2, 12) arranged opposite one another, such that:
- each half-shell has:
- a tubular portion (6, 16) extending in the direction of elongation of the duct, the tubular portions defining between them an air cavity (30) extending in said direction of elongation,
- two lateral flanks (4a, 4b;
- 14a, 14b) extending one on each side of the tubular portion and each having a contact surface (5a, 5b;
- 15a, 15b) in contact with one of the contact surfaces of the other half-shell, and
- a continuous weld seam (13a, 13b) extends substantially in the direction of elongation of the duct between the contact surfaces of the half-shells which are in contact with one another,
- said duct being characterized in that said half-shells also have two stop elements (22a, 22b) having the following features:
- each stop element defines a rib extending in the direction of elongation of the duct and projecting relative to one of the contact surfaces,
- each stop element has, in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface relative to which it projects, an end region (32a, 32b),
- each stop element has a stop surface (46a, 46b) extending between the end region and one of the contact surfaces, said stop surface belonging to one of the half-shells (2) and being in the immediate vicinity of an abutment surface (40a, 40b) provided on the other half-shell (12).
Duct according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the duct also comprises, in said end region (32a) of the stop elements, at least one weld seam (42a, 142a, 242a) connecting the two half-shells.
Duct according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stop surfaces (46a, 46b) form an angle of from 45 to 90 degrees with the contact surfaces (5a, 5b).
Duct according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stop surfaces (46a, 46b) are substantially flat.
Duct according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that:
- the weld seam is formed by a strip (13a, 13b) extending in the direction of elongation of the duct,
- the duct comprises at least one rectilinear portion (44a) and one curved portion (44b),
- the stop elements are present in the rectilinear portion and absent from the curved portion.
Duct according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is constituted by a hybrid material comprising a metal core overmolded with plastics material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.