GB2467927A

GB2467927A - Fastening assembly for mounting of wheel arc claddings

Info

Publication number: GB2467927A
Application number: GB0902817A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lars Andersson; Henrik Karlsson; Anders Persson
Original assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Current assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
Priority date: 2009-02-19
Filing date: 2009-02-19
Publication date: 2010-08-25
Also published as: GB0902817D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fastening assembly for mounting an arc-shaped cladding panel 14 to a body structure 12 of a vehicle, wherein the cladding panel 14 and the body structure 12 comprise mutually engaging fastening elements 22, 42 adapted to slidingly interlock by means of a rotational displacement of the cladding panel 14 relative to the body structure 12 along the cladding panel's circumferential direction. Alternatively, an arc-shaped base member 16 comprising fastening elements 42 adapted to slidingly interlock with corresponding fastening elements of the cladding panel may be provided. The base member comprises a plurality of apertures to receive axially extending mounting pins (38, figure 3) rigidly attached to an outer panel of the vehicle body. The mounting pins may be welded to an outward facing portion of a vehicles wheel arch.

Description

Fastening assembly for mounting of wheel. arc claddings

Description

The present invention relates to a fastening assembly for mounting an arc-shaped cladding panel to a body structure of a vehicle. In particular, the invention refers to a fastening assembly for mounting arc-shaped cladding panels to wheel arcs of a vehicle body.

Background and prior art

Wheel arc claddings are typically designed for four-wheel driven vehicles. Typically, they comprise a panel of molded plastic and serve as a protective cover for the vehicle's wheel arc.

Such a cladding panel is for instance illustrated in US 2004/0004370 Al. Here, the cladding comprises numerous flanges to interact with a clip assembly, wherein the clip assembly comprises a flange engaging head and a cylindrical shaft. The body structure to receive the cladding is provided with numerous key slides. The cladding is applied to the body structure by inserting the shafts of the clips into the key slides until a first engagement position is reached. At this point, the cladding pivots about a pilot aperture. Once aligned, the cladding can be firmly pressed onto the body structure to move the shafts of the clips through key slides into a second engagement position holding the cladding relative to the body structure. Further, mounting bores of the cladding will align with mounting slots of the body structure. Finally, a rib or the like fastener is applied to the bores and mounting slots permanently attaching the cladding to the body structure.

Apart from this cumbersome mounting procedure, such known assemblies making us of clips and rivets extending through mounting slots and bores also feature the disadvantage of the vehicle's body structure has to be provided with holes or other through openings for receiving respective fastening elements.

In particular in the region of a wheel arc, any through opening in an outer body panel may become subject to leakage and water may penetrate the inside of the vehicle, which may lead to various severe difficulties, especially under conditions of long-term use.

Furthermore, a punctual attachment of the cladding panel to a wheel arc may developed sink marks that are visible at the outside of the cladding.

Formation of such sink marks may further be enhanced by aging and weathering processes of the cladding made of molded plastic.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fastening assembly for mounting an arc-shaped cladding panel to a body structure that does no longer require formation of through openings in the body structure. Further, the invention aims to provide a fastening assembly being inexpensive to manufacture and being easy and intuitive in handling and mounting.

Furthermore, the invention aims to provide a fastening assembly for an arc-shaped cladding panel that keeps its shape and outer contour even after a long-term period.

Summary of the invention

The present invention provides a fastening assembly for mounting an arc-shaped cladding panel to a body structure of a vehicle, preferably a motorized vehicle, such as a passenger car. The cladding panel, typically made of molded plastic and the body structure, typically of sheet metal comprise mutually engaging fastening elements, adapted to slidingly interlock by means of a rotational displacement of the cladding panel relative to the body structure. The direction of relative rotation is governed by the curvature of the cladding panel. Preferably, the cladding panel is slidingly rotated relative to the body structure in circumferential direction. Speaking in terms of a circular arc, the cladding panel is rotated relative to the body structure with the center of the circular arc as axis of rotation.

The fastening elements of cladding panel and body structure are integrally formed with said panel and body structure. In this way, additional fastening elements, such as rivets, bolts or screws are no longer required for mounting the arc-shaped cladding panel to the vehicle's body. Also, the entire fastening procedure is rather simple and straight forward. The cladding panel is to be moved up against the body structure in an orientation, in which corresponding fastening elements of cladding panel and body structure are not yet engaged. By a subsequent rotational displacement of the cladding panel, respective fastening elements of cladding panel and body structure mesh in such a way, that the cladding panel and the body structure are fixed at least in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation. The fastening assembly therefore comprises a bayonet-coupling-like mounting and fastening of cladding panel and body structure.

io Since the cladding panel is particularly adapted to serve as a cladding of a wheel-arc of a vehicle, the following terminology shall be used throughout the

following description. Axial direction refers to a

direction parallel to the respective wheel axis. Axial direction therefore coincides with the vehicle cross axis. Radial direction also refers to the vehicle's wheel. A radially outwardly lying portion has a larger distance to the wheel's center than a radially inward lying portion. Further, circumferential direction refers to the bending direction of the cladding panel.

According to a first preferred embodiment, in interlocked configuration, wherein the cladding panel is mounted to the body structure, the fastening elements of cladding panel and body structure at least partially overlap in radial and axial direction. Radial and axial interlock of cladding panel and body structure may further be provided by the geometric shape of cladding panel and body structure.

Furthermore, in another embodiment, the fastening elements comprise mutually engaging projections and receptacles. For instance, the cladding panel may comprise radially and/or circumferentially extending projections to be received by respective receptacles of the body structure. The shape of projections and receptacles may also vary, in particular along circumferential direction. In this way, a clamping effect of corresponding projections and receptacles may be achieved during rotational displacement of the cladding panel relative to the body structure.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the body structure's fastening elements protrude radially outwardly. They are further distantly arranged along the outer circumference of the arc-shaped cladding panel. The interstitial space between these radially outwardly protruding fastening element may serve as receptacle for correspondingly designed but radially inwardly projecting fastening elements of the cladding panel. Also these radially inwardly projecting fastening elements of the cladding panel are typically distantly, e.g. equidistantly arranged over the outer circumference of the arc-shaped cladding panel.

If during the mounting procedure, the cladding panel is moved up against the body structure, the cladding panel will be oriented in such a way, that radially inwardly pointed projections of the cladding and radially outwardly protruding protrusions of the body structure do not overlap. This non-overlapping orientation allows the cladding panel to abut against the body structure. A subsequent rotational displacement then brings the fastening elements of cladding panel and body structure in an overlapping, hence interlocking position.

In a further embodiment, the cladding panel's fastening elements comprise an undercut section, which is adapted to receive a body structure's fastening element's radially outwardly protruding portion. In other words, also the body structure's fastening element comprises a radially outwardly opened receptacle, adapted to receive a radially inwardly pointing projection of the cladding element or its radially inwardly pointing projection.

In another preferred embodiment, the fastening element's circumferential dimension is at least half of the distance between adjacently arranged fastening elements. At most the circumferential width of fastening elements equals the interstitial space between adjacent fastening elements. Such circumferentially enlarges fastening elements serve to increase the contact surface of fastening elements, thus leading to a reduction of the fastening element's pressure load under long-term conditions. In this way, formation of sink holes can be effectively countervailed.

In another embodiment, the body structure comprises axially extending T-or L-shaped fastening pins axially protruding from the body structure. Also, the cladding panel, at its inner side facing the body structure comprises corresponding receptacles, adapted to receive the fastening pins in a radially widened portion, extending into a narrowing section. In this narrowing section as an effect of the rotational displacement of the cladding panel, the pins become frictionally engaged and the cladding panel is clamped to the body structure.

In a further preferred embodiment, at least a major part of the body structure's fastening elements is arranged on a common arc-shaped base member. This base member, preferably made of sheet metal is intended to be separately and rigidly mounted to the body structure.

Therefore, the base member may comprise a number of apertures adapted to receive axially extending mounting pins. These mounting pins are rigidly attached to an outer panel of the vehicle body. Preferably, they are welded to an outward facing portion of the vehicle's wheel arc. In this way, a fastening system for a wheel arc cladding panel is provided, wherein formation of through holes in the vehicle body structure for mounting purposes becomes redundant. The fastening pins may comprise a thread or may serve as rivet or bolt for a positively or frictionally engaged mounting of the base member to the vehicle body.

In another preferred embodiment, the base member and/or the cladding panel comprise an L-shaped cross-section, with a lower or radially inwardly facing axially inwardly protruding portion, which is adapted to radially outwardly abut against an inward facing surface wall of the vehicle's wheel arc. By means of this lower etch portion, an upwardly directed displacement of the cladding panel relative to the body structure is effectively prevented. The opposite, downward or radially inward displacement of the cladding panel is impeded by the interlocking fastening elements of cladding panel and body structure or base member, respectively.

In another preferred embodiment, the cladding panel comprises at least one locking member extending axially inwardly and being adapted to rotatably lock the cladding panel relative to the body structure, once the cladding panel has been rotatably disposed in the interlocking position. Typically, the body structure, the base member or an adjacently arranged bumper assembly comprise at least one respective receptacle for receiving the locking member. The locking member may comprise a clip and may be releasably clipped and connected to the body structure, to the base member or to a bumper assembly.

Finally, the invention provides a bayonet-like, preferably releasable assembly and mounting for an arc-shaped cladding panel to a wheel arc of a vehicle.

In another independent aspect, the invention refers to an arc-shaped cladding panel comprising fastening elements, wherein the cladding panel is adapted to be fastened to a body structure or to a base member of a vehicle by means of the above described fastening assembly.

Further, in another independent aspect, the invention provides an arc-shaped base member that comprises fastening elements adapted to slidingly interlock with corresponding fastening elements of a cladding panel as described above. Further, the base member comprises a number of apertures to receive axially extending mounting pins, rigidly attached to an outer panel of the vehicle body.

Brief description of the drawings

In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail by making reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 in a perspective view illustrates the cladding panel to be mounted to a vehicle's body, Figure 2 in another perspective view illustrates the cladding panel as seen from its inner side, Figure 3 in a partially transparent view depicts the cladding panel in abutment but released io configuration at the body structure, Figure 4 depicts the cladding according to Figure 3 in interlocked configuration, Figure 5 illustrates base member and outer body panel in cross-section and Figure 6 depicts the base member and panel according to Figure 5 with mounted cladding

Detailed description

The fastening assembly according to the present invention is schematically illustrated in Figure 1 in an exploded view. The fastening assembly 10 comprises the cladding panel 14 and a base member 16, wherein the base member 16 is rigidly attached to the body 12 of the vehicle by means of axially projecting fastening pins 38, as indicated in the enlarged view of Figure 3.

The fastening pins 38 are preferably welded to the body panel 12. The base member 16 comprises almost equidistantly arranged embossed receptacles 40 with through holes for receiving the fastening pins 38. The -10 -entire base member, which serves as retaining member for the cladding 14 can be pre-assembled to the vehicle's body, already in its Body-in-White (81W) configuration.

For the subsequent mounting and fixing of the cladding panel 14 to the body structure 12, there are generally no further fixing elements required. The cladding panel 14 with integrated radially inwardly protruding projections 22, as illustrated in Figure 2 is moved up against the base member 16, wherein the cladding panel 14 is oriented as depicted in Figure 3.

As illustrated, the radially inwardly extending projections 22 of the cladding panel 14 are positioned adjacent the radially outwardly protruding protrusions 42 of the base member 16. As can be seen further in Figure 3, the lower right end section 30 of the cladding panel 14 apparently overlaps with the rear bumper assembly 20 of the vehicle. By a rotational displacement of the cladding panel 14 in counterclockwise direction relative to the body structure 12, the fastening elements 22, 42 of cladding panel 14 and base member 16 mutually interlock, as depicted in Figure 4.

Additionally, when reaching the final assembly position, the axially protruding locking members 24 and 26 at the inner and outer circumference of the cladding panel, as illustrated in Figure 2 are clipped into respective receptacles 36, 34 of the base member 16 or the bumper assembly 20, depending on their specific geometry. The clip-like locking member 24 is to be received by a slit-like receptacle 34 and the locking member 26 is adapted to be received by the slit-like receptacle 36. Receptacles 36, 34 are disposed on -11 -opposite sides of an arc-like axially protruding abutment piece 32. Once the clip-like locking members 24, 26 are received in respective receptacles 34, 36, a further rotation of the cladding panel 14 relative to the body structure 12 or relative to the base member is impeded.

In this way, the cladding panel 14 can be mounted to the body structure 12 simply by means of a bayonet-like mounting mechanism making additional mounting and fixing tools almost obsolete. Therefore, the entire mounting procedure can be conducted in a time-and thus cost-saving way.

The cladding panel comprises oppositely disposed and sections 28, 30 and without limitation comprises a circular arc of almost 1800.

As further illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the base member 16 as well as the cladding panel 14 are of L-shaped cross-section. The lower, radially inwardly disposed and axially inwardly extending sections 48, 50 of base member 16 and cladding panel 14 are adapted to radially abut against a flange-like portion 46 of the wheel arc 18. The base member 16 is rigidly mounted to the body structure 12, as illustrated in Figure 3. The radially outwardly protruding protrusion 42 forms a receptacle 52 with an undercut in order to receive the radially inwardly extending projection 22 of the cladding panel 14 as illustrated in Figure 6.

Also, the radially inwardly pointing projection 22 forms an undercut 44, which receives the nose-like tip of the fastening element 42. -12

Moreover, the gap formed between the protrusions 42 and the sidewall 12 may constantly or abruptly vary in circumferential direction. The same may also apply to the gap formed between the inner surface of the cladding panel 14 and its radially inwardly pointing projection 22. In this way, by a sliding rotational displacement of cladding panel 14 relative to the base member 16, a typical bayonet-like clamping effect can be achieved.

-13 -List of Reference Numerals 10 fastening assembly 12 body structure 14 cladding panel 16 base member 18 wheel-arc 20 rear bumper assembly 22 projection 24 locking member 26 locking member 28 end section 30 end section 32 abutment piece 34 receptacle 36 receptacle 38 fastening pin 40 receptacle 42 protrusion 44 undercut 46 flange portion 48 flange portion 50 flange portion 52 receptacle

Claims

-14 -Claims 1. A fastening assembly for mounting an arc-shaped cladding panel (14) to a body structure (12) of a vehicle, wherein the cladding panel (14) and the body structure (12) comprise mutually engaging fastening elements (22, 42) adapted to slidingly interlock by means of a rotational displacement of the cladding panel (14) relative to the body structure (12) along the cladding panel's circumferential direction.
2. The fastening assembly according to claim 1, wherein in interlocked configuration, the fastening elements (22, 42) of cladding panel (14) and body structure at least partially (12) overlap in radial and axial direction with respect to the cladding panel's arc-shaped geometry.
3. The fastening assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fastening elements (22, 42) comprise mutually engaging projections and receptacles.
4. The fastening assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body structure's (12) fastening elements (42) protrude radially outwardly and are distantly arranged corresponding to the outer circumference of the arc-shaped cladding panel (14) -15 -
5. The fastening assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cladding panel's (14) fastening elements (22) project radially inwardly and are distantly arranged over the outer circumference of the arc-shaped cladding panel (14)
6. The fastening assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cladding panel's (14) fastening elements (22) comprise an undercut section (44) adapted to receive a body structure's (12) fastening element's (42) radially outwardly protruding portion.
7. The fastening assembly according to any one of the preceding claims 4 to 6, wherein the fastening element's (22, 42) circumferential dimension is at least half of the distance between adjacently arranged fastening elements (22, 42)
8. The fastening assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body structure (12) comprises axially extending T-shaped fastening pins and wherein the cladding panel (14) comprises corresponding receptacles adapted to receive the fastening pin in a radially widened portion extending to a narrowing section, in which the pins become frictionally engaged in response of the relative rotational displacement of cladding panel (14) and body structure (12).
9. The fastening assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body structure's (12) fastening elements (42) are arranged on a common -16 -arc-shaped base member (16).
10. The fastening assembly according to claim 9, wherein the base member (16) comprises a number of apertures to receive axially extending mounting pins (38) rigidly attached to an outer panel of the vehicle body (12).
11. The fastening assembly according to claim 10, wherein the mounting pins (38) are welded to an outward facing portion of a vehicle's wheel arc (18)
12. The fastening assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base member (16) and/or the cladding panel (14) comprise an L-shaped cross section with a lower axially inwardly protruding portion (48, 50) adapted to radially abut against an inward facing inside surface of the vehicle's wheel arc (18)
13. The fastening assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cladding panel (14) comprises at least one locking member (24) extending axially inwardly and being adapted to rotatably lock the cladding panel (14) relative to the body structure (12)
14. An arc-shaped cladding panel comprising fastening elements (22) and being further adapted to be fastened to a body structure (12) of a vehicle by means of a fastening assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.-17 -
15. An arc-shaped base member comprising fastening elements (42) adapted to slidingly interlock with corresponding fastening elements (22) of a cladding panel (14) according to claim 14, wherein the base S member further comprises a number of apertures to receive axially extending mounting pins (38) rigidly attached to an outer panel of vehicle body (12)L