AT LEAST ONE HEADLAMP

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a grille for vehicle and for example automotive vehicles. Especially, the invention relates to a grille for vehicle overlapping partially at least one headlamp.

Background Art

To improve the vehicle design, and in particular the front end of an automobile vehicle, it has been suggested designing the decorative grille so it overlaps partially at least one headlamp. This design constraint has been followed by technical constraints for which the invention brings solutions.

One of the problems faced is that the portion of the grille that will overlap the headlamp tends to vibrate and, as a result, produces noise pollutions. It would be interested to avoid such noise vibrations. Another problem is that a shock on the grille is transmitted to the headlamp and may damage it. A solution to protect the headlamp is therefore to be found here. Moreover problems of assembly generated by the relative positioning of the different independent pieces are expected. For example solutions are to be found with respect to spacing differences between headlamps from a vehicle to the other one and/or variations of angular orientation of the grille with regard to the horizontal. The first occurring solution to have the decorative grille being divided in several pieces so the central part is independent from the parts overlapping the headlamp was not found satisfactory from an aesthetic point of view.

To the knowledge of the applicant, as such design is new, no solution to the problem encountered with its application can be found in the prior art. For example, EP2082923 discloses an arrangement for assembling an embellisher inside the housing of a headlight of a motor vehicle. However, it does not relate to an embellisher located outside the housing of such headlight. To improve the appearance of an engine, JP2006021547 describes a sealing structure for sealing the gap between the engine hood and the radiator grille. Such document does not provide a solution to the above problems.

Summary of the Invention

The invention solves the problems encountered by the application of such a new design. In particular the invention brings a solution to reduce vibration noise and/or to protect the glass of the headlamp from the transmission of a shock through the overlapping part of the grille.

One aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle comprising a pair of headlamps placed on both sides of a grille, comprising fastening means to fasten the grille to at least one of the headlamps.

In another definition the invention relates to a vehicle comprising a pair of headlamps placed on both sides of a grille, the headlamps having a housing and a front glass, wherein the grille is configured to overlap a portion of at least one headlamp, and wherein the vehicle comprises fastening means to fasten the grille to the partially overlapped headlamps.

According to particular modes of realization, the invention can include one or some of the following characteristics, taken remotely or according to all the combinations technically possible:

the grille further comprises fastening means to be fastened to the vehicle front bumper;

the grille is fastened to the front face of at least one headlamp;

the grill shows at least one lateral extension configured to overlap the portion of at least one headlamp, and said fastening means to fasten the grille to the partially overlapped headlamps include fastening means located on said at least one lateral extension;

the lateral extensions are made in a single piece with the grille;

the lateral extensions are pieces being rooted in both the grille and the headlamps;

at least one headlamp's housing comprises at least one mounting flange configured to overlap the portion of the front glass so as to be inserted between the grille and the front glass of said headlamp and said fastening means to fasten the grille to the partially overlapped headlamps include fastening means located on said at least one mounting flange;

the mounting flange are made in a single piece with the housing;

the front glass of the partially overlapped headlamp shows a groove dimensioned to accommodate both the housing's mounting flange and the grille's lateral extension in order to allow a flush-mounting of the grille with the overlapped headlamp;

the fastening means are clipping means for clipping the grille onto at least one headlamp, with preference onto the housing of at least one headlamp; the fastening means are clipping means for clipping the lateral extension of the grille to the mounting flange of the headlamp's housing;

the clipping means for clipping the grille onto at least one headlamp comprise at least one clipping lug attached to the grille and a clipping device attached to the housing or formed in the housing of at least one headlamp, said clipping device being intended to retain and lock the clipping lug;

the clipping lugs of the grille have one end in the shape of an arrow which snap into said clipping device of the housing of the at least one headlamp; the clipping device is adapted to provide to the clipping lug a positioning tolerance over the transverse direction of the vehicle;

the clipping device is an elongated hole formed in the mounting flange;

a buffer device is inserted between the headlamp and the grille.

Another aspect of the invention relates to an headlamp for the vehicle such as defined above, the headlamp having a housing and a front glass, wherein said housing comprises at least one mounting flange configured to overlap a portion of the front glass, and further wherein at least one mounting flange includes fastening means designed to cooperate with corresponding means of a vehicle's grille to fasten said grille to said headlamp.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a grille for the vehicle such as defined above, wherein it shows at least one lateral extension configured to overlap a portion of at least one of the vehicle's headlamp, and further wherein said at least one lateral extension includes fastening means designed to cooperate with corresponding means of said headlamp to fasten said grille to said partially overlapped headlamp. It is understood from this definition that the invention resides in a first aspect into a grille partially overlapping at least one headlamp of the vehicle wherein the grille is fastened to the headlamp in order to eliminate, or at least reduce, the vibrations occurring from the interface of the two pieces. The invention also allows to bring a solution to the problems of geometrical dispersal between different pieces and thus to assure a straight assembly of the grille with respect to the headlamps.

In a second aspect, the invention resides into the fastening of the grille to the front face of the headlamp but not in the front glass. The grille is fastened to the housing of the headlamp in order to protect as much as possible the front glass from being damaged by a shock transmitted from the grille. To achieve this effect, the housing shows a mounting flange that extends on the front face of the headlamp so as to be inserted between the front glass and the grille.

In a third aspect, the invention resides into the possibility to form a continuous plane between the grille and the headlamp's front glass. To achieve this effect the headlamp's front glass shows, in its overlapped portion, a groove dimensioned to receive the grille's lateral extension.

In a fourth aspect, the invention resides in the introduction with the fastening means of a positioning tolerance according to the transverse direction of the vehicle so as to solve the problems of fittability resulting from clearance between the different pieces.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be clearer after a reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings provided, in which:

FIG. 1 is a frontal partial view of an automobile front end having a grille mounted between a pair of two headlamps, in accordance with a preferred aspect of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional partial view of an headlamp partially overlapped by the grille according to the invention. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

With reference to FIG. 1 there is shown a front end portion of an automobile having a decorative grille 1 mounted between a pair of headlamps 3 and fastened to the engine front bumper 5. The decorative grille 1 is formed to have a patterned central portion which includes a cross-hatch member 7 (or a vertical grille member) surrounded by an external support member 9 for both esthetic and structural purposes. Generally, the grille 1 is made in plastic chrome -plated. According to the invention, the grille 1 is also fastened to at least one of the headlamps 3. Preferably, the grille 1 is fastened to both headlamps 3 between which it is mounted. Advantageously, the grille 1 is fastened to the front face of at least one, with preference both headlamps 3.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the grille 1 shows at least one lateral extension 11 extending in direction of at least one headlamp 3 in order to partially overlap such headlamp's front face. With preference, the grille shows two lateral extensions 11. The two lateral extensions 11 are diametrically set so as to extend to each side of the grille 1 according to the transverse direction of the vehicle. The fastening means to fasten the grille 1 to at least one of the headlamps 3 include fastening means located on said at least one lateral extension 11 and corresponding fastening means supported by at least one headlamp 3. The lateral extensions 11 form part of the surrounding support member 9 of the grille 1, so that the lateral extensions 11 are made in a single piece with the grille 1. However, according to an embodiment of the invention not illustrated, the lateral extensions are pieces being rooted in both the grille and the headlamps for decorative purpose.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the headlamps 3 comprise a housing 13 and a front glass 15. According to the invention at least one headlamp 3 comprises at least one mounting flange 17 which forms part of the housing 13, so that that the mounting flange 17 is made in a single piece with the housing 13. The mounting flange can also be a piece of the housing secured to one wall of the housing. The mounting flange 17 extends transversally from the housing's side adjacent to the grille 1. The mounting flange 17 is placed over the front glass 15 so as to be inserted between the front glass 15 and the part of the grille 1 overlapping the front glass 15 (i.e. the lateral extension 11 overlapping the headlamp 3). With preference the shape matching between the mounting flange 17 and the lateral extension 11 enables the grille 1 not to be in direct contact with the front glass of the headlamp 3. The fastening means 19 of the grille 1 will therefore cooperate with the mounting flange 17 in order to ensure the fastening of the grille 1 to the headlamp 3 and not with the front glass 15. As a result the headlamp 3 keeps its waterproof characteristics. Another advantage is that in case of shock on the grille 1, the housing 13 by means of the mounting flange 17 will absorb the stress transmitted by the grille 1 and protect the front glass 15. For aesthetic reasons, the lateral extension 11 can be larger than the mounting flange 17 so as to overcoat it. In such a configuration (not illustrated) a portion of the lateral extension may be in contact with the front glass. Depending on the surface of the portion of the lateral extension in contact with the front glass, it may be considered to insert a buffer device between the front glass and the lateral extension, such as a rubber sheet, to protect the front glass and to avoid direct contact with the grille.

In a preferred embodiment, the fastening means are clipping means for clipping the grille onto at least one headlamp, i.e. onto the housing of at least one headlamp. For example the clipping means comprise at least one clipping lug 19 attached to the grille 1 and a clipping device 21 attached to, or formed in, the housing 13 of the headlamp 3 and intended to retain and lock the clipping lug. The clipping device 21 is, for example, an elongated hole, or recess, in the mounting flange 17 adapted to receive the clipping lug 19 supported by the lateral extension 11. The elongated hole 21 is directed according to the transverse direction of the vehicle to offer a positioning tolerance according to such direction when fastening the grille 1 to the headlamps 3. The clipping lugs 19 of the lateral extensions 11 of the grille 1 have one end in the shape of an arrow which is elastically deformable and snap into said clipping devices 21 of the mounting flanges 17 of the headlamps 3. Preferably the clipping lugs 19 are formed integrally with the grille 1. However, the man skilled in the art may consider other kinds of clipping means to achieve the same result. For example the clipping lugs can form part of the mounting flanges and can be adapted to snap into a deformable clipping device forming part of the lateral extensions of the grille. It is to be noted that, because of its dimensions, the support of the grille is not assured by its fastening to the headlamps but rather by it fastening to the vehicle front bumper.

With preference the lateral extension 11 of the grille 1 is flush mounted with the front glass 15 of the headlamp 3 that it partially overlaps, so as to form a continuous plane and with preference a continuous surface, with the front glass 15. To this end the front glass 15 surface shows a groove 23 dimensioned to accommodate both the mounting flange 17 and the lateral extension 11. The groove 23 of the front glass 15 is shape-matched with the lateral extension 11 taken into account a clearance between the two pieces. However, it is also possible that the lateral extension is mounted in order to show an excessive thickness with respect to the surface of the front glass.

It is understood that the fastening zone of the grille 1 onto one headlamp 3 corresponds to the lateral extension 11 of the grille 1 covering the headlamp 3. Such lateral extension 11 is preferably smaller than the width of the headlamp 3. It is for example mounted more or less halfway up of the front glass 15 but other locations are possible.

From the above, it can be appreciated that the present invention teaches the fastening of a grille to headlamps and in particular to headlamp housings. Such fastening is preferably made in addition to a main fastening of the grille to the vehicle front bumper.

While this invention has been described in terms of several embodiments, it is obvious that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example the geometry of the grille, and preferably of the lateral extensions of the grille, could be significantly altered, while still being able to be fastened to at least one headlamp.