JP2001071942A - Vehicular fender - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lihtweight fender allowing a variety of functional members to be easily assembled thereto, allowing the functional members to fully function, with excellent safety and rustproofness. SOLUTION: This vehicular fender comprises a fender body 1 made from resin and a functional member 2 held in mechanical engagement with the fender body 1. Since the fender body 1 is made of resin, it can be manufactured by a variety of molding methods and has a high degree of freedom for its shape. Thus, projections, pawls, locking holes and the like can be easily formed and a variety of functional members can be easily held by mechanical engagement by use of such members and are also easy to position, resulting in decrease in man-hours for the assembly of the functional members.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a vehicle fender, and more particularly, to a resin-made vehicle fender.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, front fenders are provided on the left and right sides of an upper part of a front wheel of a passenger car from the front. This front fender constitutes a wheel house that receives mud splashes from tires,
The appearance design has been decided.

[0003] Early cars used fenders of a simple shape such as those found in motorcycles, but with the trend of streamlined styles in the 1940's, a design called a flash body was integrated with a fender. Has come to be seen and it is up to the present.

[0004]

The conventional fender is:
It is formed by sheet metal working from the same steel plate as the body. Therefore, rust prevention treatment and painting are required, and the weight is large. Further, since the fender has a high rigidity, there is a problem that the impact on the human body is large when the vehicle collides with the human body.

[0005] Also, various functional members are mounted on the fender. However, since the metal fender has a limit in workability, there is a problem in mounting workability and the like, and reduction in the number of assembling steps is a problem. It has become.

For example, from the viewpoint of rust prevention, in recent automobiles, a resin fender liner is mounted inside a fender. However, the workability of metal fenders is limited, so the fender liner must be assembled with clips or tapping screws, requiring a lot of man-hours for assembling, and mud or pebbles on metal fenders. When a collision occurs, the sound of the collision is heard as noise. For this reason, with conventional fenders, urethane coating etc. is applied to the lower part, and a soft molding is attached to cushion the impact, but an extra painting process is required and assembly of the mall is required. Required. In addition, a clip or a double-sided tape is required for assembling the molding, and there is a problem that positioning is difficult and the assembling man-hour is increased.

[0007] Further, although a side turn ramp is also provided on the fender, it has to be held through a grommet or the like, which increases the number of parts and the number of assembling steps.

The fender is equipped with various functional members such as a fender pole, an emblem, and other fender mirrors for supplementing a sense of vehicle width, and a fender mirror. These are provided through holes formed in the fender. Wear it,
A method of bonding via a double-sided tape or an adhesive is common. Therefore, the man-hour for rust prevention treatment of the hole becomes large, the positioning is difficult, and the number of parts is large, so the man-hour for assembling becomes large.

Further, in the conventional metal fender, a gap is generated between the side member and a member due to an error in manufacturing.
In some cases, water may enter the water from the upper part of the body or the wheel house and freeze to hinder opening and closing of the door. Therefore, a soft fender seal is fixed to a flange portion of the fender with a clip or a double-sided tape. However, with metal fenders, the distance between the tip of the flange and the side member is not constant due to the large restrictions on drawing, making it difficult to use an extruded fender seal. It is necessary to use a fender seal formed by molding, and there is a problem in cost and management.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and various functional members can be easily assembled, and the functions of the functional members are sufficiently exhibited.
It aims at making it a lightweight fender excellent in safety and rust prevention.

[0011]

The vehicle fender according to the present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems, comprises a resin fender body and a functional member mechanically engaged with and held by the fender body. It is in.

As the functional member, the energy absorbing member engaged and held on the back surface side of the fender body as described in claim 2 and the energy absorbing member engaged and held on the lower surface of the fender body as described in claim 3 A damper, a fender liner engaged and held on a peripheral portion of the fender body as described in claim 4, a side turn lamp engaged and held on a surface of the fender body as described in claim 5, and Preferred examples include a decorative body engaged and held on the surface of the fender body as described in claim 6, and a fender seal engaged and held on the fender body and elastically contacting the vehicle body as described in claim 7.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vehicle fender according to the present invention comprises a resin fender body and a functional member mechanically engaged with and held by the fender body. Since the fender body is made of resin, it is free from the problem of rust, can achieve weight reduction, and can reduce air pollution and save resources by improving fuel efficiency.

Since the fender body is made of resin, it can be manufactured by various molding methods, and has a high degree of freedom in shape. Accordingly, projections, claws, locking holes, and the like can be easily formed, and various functional members can be easily held by mechanical engagement using these, and positioning is also easy. The man-hour is reduced. In addition, since it is free from the problem of rust, it is possible to eliminate the need for a sealing member such as a grommet or a packing, which is conventionally required, and it is possible to reduce the number of parts from this aspect. Furthermore, since a design pattern, a character, or the like can be formed in a convex or concave shape during molding, a decorative body such as an emblem can be eliminated.

[0015] The fender body can be formed from various hard thermoplastic resins such as polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene, ABS and polyester. These include various fibers such as glass fibers or calcium carbonate,
It is also preferable to form by mixing a reinforcing material such as talc and mica. Also, in some cases, unsaturated polyester,
It can also be formed from a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin, or a mixture of a thermosetting resin and a reinforcing material. This fender body may be used as it is, or may be painted on its surface.

The functional member can be, for example, an energy absorbing member engaged and held on the back side of the fender body. By arranging the energy absorbing member on the back surface side of the fender body, energy at the time of collision can be absorbed, and impact on a human body is absorbed, so that safety is improved. Such energy absorbing members are those that absorb collision energy by buckling, destruction, or plastic deformation, and are known energy absorbing members such as a lattice-shaped member formed by combining ribs, a resin foam, or a sheet metal member. Can be used.

In order to hold the energy absorbing member on the back side of the fender body, a housing capable of housing the energy absorbing member may be formed on the back side of the fender body, and the housing is integrally formed when the fender body is molded. It is also possible.

The functional member may be a damping material engaged and held on the lower surface of the fender body. By arranging the damping material at the lower part of the fender body, it is possible to buffer an impact when mud or pebbles rolled up by a tire collides during traveling, and reduce vibration of the fender body. Therefore, collision noise is reduced, and noise can be reduced. As such a damping material, a material having a damping action formed of a soft resin such as urethane or a thermoplastic elastomer, or rubber can be used.

In order to hold the damping material at the lower portion of the fender body, the damping material may be fixed with a clip or a bolt. However, when the fender body and the damping material are formed, the locking holes and the engaging projections are integrally formed. It is desirable to form and hold and fix by these engagements. This facilitates positioning, reduces the number of parts, and reduces the number of assembly steps.

The functional member may be a fender liner engaged and held on the peripheral edge of the fender body. By disposing the fender liner on the peripheral edge of the fender body, it is possible to prevent mud and water from adhering to the front body and causing rust. As such a fender liner, a liner formed in a predetermined shape from high-density polyethylene or the like by vacuum molding or the like can be used.

In order to hold the fender liner on the peripheral edge of the fender body, the fender liner may be fixed with a clip, a bolt, or the like. However, when the fender body and the fender liner are formed, locking holes and engagement projections are integrally formed. And
It is desirable to hold and fix by these engagements. As a result, the number of parts is reduced, and the number of assembling steps can be reduced.

The functional member may be a side turn lamp engaged and held on the surface of the fender body. By arranging the side turn lamp on the surface of the fender body, the side turn lamp can be used as a signal for turning right and left, and can be visually recognized from the side of the vehicle, thereby improving safety.

As the side turn lamp, the same one as the conventional one comprising a bulb lit by a battery and a lens can be used. In order to hold the side turn lamp on the surface of the fender body, it is desirable that a recess is formed integrally when the fender body is molded, and that the lamp is held in the recess and the lens is held so as to cover the recess. This improves the integrity of the lens and the fender body and improves the appearance quality, reduces the level difference between the surface of the fender body and the surface of the lens, and reduces wind resistance by reducing air resistance. Sound can be reduced.

The lamp can be held in a through hole formed in the recess. In addition, it is desirable that the lens is formed integrally with a locking hole, an engagement projection, and the like when the fender body and the lens are formed, and the lens is held and fixed by the engagement.
As a result, the number of parts is reduced, and the number of assembling steps can be reduced.

The functional member may be a decorative body engaged and held on the surface of the fender body. By arranging the decorative body on the surface of the fender body, the design is improved. Examples of the decorative body include an emblem and a mark.

In order to hold the decorative body on the surface of the fender body, the decorative body may be adhered with an adhesive or a double-sided tape. However, when the fender body and the decorative body are formed, locking holes and engaging projections are integrally formed. It is desirable to hold and fix by these engagements. This facilitates positioning, reduces the number of parts, and reduces the number of assembly steps.

The functional component may be a fender seal engaged with and held by the fender body and elastically contacting the vehicle body. By arranging the fender seal at the rear end of the fender body and making elastic contact with the vehicle body, it is possible to prevent water from entering and prevent the door from becoming difficult to open and close due to icing. Further, the shape and dimensions of the fender body are stable because it is not restricted by the drawing process as in the case of a metal fender. Therefore, if the distance from the side member is determined, a fender seal having a fixed cross section can be obtained, and an extruded product can be used, so that the cost can be reduced. In addition, a common fender seal can be used regardless of the type of the vehicle, and the cost can be significantly reduced.

The fender seal desirably comprises a hard portion held by the fender body and a soft portion such as a side member which elastically contacts the vehicle body. Thereby, both the holding property and the sealing property can be satisfied. Such fender seals of different materials can be easily formed by two-color extrusion of a hard resin and a soft resin.

In order to hold the fender seal on the fender body, the fender body may be fixed with a clip or a bolt. However, when the fender body and the fender seal are formed, a locking hole or an engagement projection is integrally formed. Can be held and fixed. Or you may make it hold | grip the edge part of a fender main body with the hard part of a fender seal. As a result, the number of parts is reduced, and the number of assembling steps can be reduced. In some cases, the fender and the fender seal can be integrally formed by two-color molding.

The functional member may be a fender pole, a fender lamp, a fender mirror, or the like. By arranging these on the fender body, the sense of vehicle width is supplemented, running on narrow roads, approaching width,
Garage can be easily placed.

To hold the fender pole, fender lamp, fender mirror, etc. on the fender body,
What is necessary is just to form a fixing hole in the fender body and fix it. Since the fender body is made of resin, there is no fear of rusting even if the mounting holes are drilled. Therefore, the consumer can easily wear it.

The vehicle fender of the present invention can be applied to both a front fender and a rear fender.

[0033]

The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to examples. In each of the following embodiments, the present invention is applied to a front fender of a passenger car as shown in FIG.

Embodiment 1 FIGS. 2 to 4 show a fender according to an embodiment of the present invention. The fender includes a fender body 1 made of polypropylene (PPF) containing a reinforcing material and an energy absorbing member 2 made of PP engaged and held on the back side of the fender body 1.

The energy absorbing member 2 is formed in a shape in which a large number of plate-shaped resin ribs are combined in a lattice shape, and has a two-step shape as a whole. A concave portion 20 is formed in a part, and a protrusion 21 is formed in the concave portion 20.

On the other hand, a step 10 having the same shape as the energy absorbing member 2 is formed on the back side of the fender body 1, and a housing 11 is formed between the step 10 and the back of the fender body 1. . A recess 12 having a through hole 13 is formed in a part of the step portion 10. This step 10,
The recess 12 and the through hole 13 are formed integrally when the fender body 1 is formed.

At the time of assembling, the energy absorbing member 2 is engaged with the step portion 10 from below and disposed in the housing 11, and the projection 21 is fitted into the through hole 13 as shown in FIG. Then, the fender body 1 and the energy absorbing member 2 are fastened to the side member 100 using the bolt 101. That is, in this fender, the energy absorbing member 2 can be easily assembled to the fender body 1, and the number of assembling steps is small.

In this fender, when a human body collides with the fender, the collision energy is transmitted to the energy absorbing member 2 through the fender body 1, and the collision energy is generated by the buckling and crack growth and destruction of the resin rib of the energy absorbing member 2. Is absorbed. Therefore, the impact on the human body can be reduced, and the safety is high.

(Embodiment 2) FIGS. 5 and 7 show a fender of this embodiment. This fender includes a fender body 1 formed of the same resin as that of the first embodiment, and a soft molding 3 engaged with and held at a lower portion of the fender body 1 and formed of an olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPO). ing. A recess 16 having a plurality of engagement holes 14 and through holes 15 is formed in a lower portion of the fender body 1. A recess 16 having a plurality of engagement holes 14 and through holes 15
Are integrally formed when the fender body 1 is formed.

The molding 3 has a plurality of engaging projections 30 and a plurality of through holes 31 as shown in FIG. Is held in. Further, in this state, the through hole 15 and the through hole 31 communicate with each other, and are fixed to the side member 100 by a bolt 102 penetrating through the through hole 15 and the through hole 31 as shown in FIG. Therefore, positioning is easy and the number of parts is small, so that the number of assembling steps can be reduced. The molding 3 has the same color tone and the same surface as the locker panel molding, so that a sense of unity is enhanced.

In the fender of this embodiment, when mud or pebbles collide with the molding 3, the impact is buffered by the molding 3, so that the vibration of the fender body 1 is reduced, and the collision sound is reduced, thereby suppressing noise. be able to.

In the present embodiment, the molding 3 is formed separately from the fender body 1, but the molding 3 can be integrally formed with the fender body 1 by two-color molding or molding twice. In this way, the number of assembly steps of the mall 3 can be reduced to zero.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 8 shows a conventional fender liner. Since the conventional fender body is made of metal, the fender liner is held on the fender body by a plurality of clips 200 and a plurality of tapping screws 201. Therefore, the number of parts was large and the number of assembling steps was also large.

Therefore, the fender of the present embodiment comprises a fender body 1 similar to that of the first embodiment and a fender liner 4 formed of high-density polyethylene, as shown in FIG. A plurality of engaging holes 17 are arranged at intervals in a peripheral portion of the fender body 1 toward the wheel house, and a plurality of through holes (not shown) are formed on a surface facing the wheel house. The plurality of engagement holes 1
7 and the through-hole are integrally formed when the fender body 1 is formed.

On the other hand, a plurality of engaging projections 40 are arranged in a row at the periphery of the fender liner 4 at intervals, and a through hole 41 is formed at the center as in the conventional case. The engaging projection 40 is fitted into the engaging hole 17, and the clip 200 is fitted into the through hole 41 and the through hole of the fender body 1, so that the fender liner 4 is engaged and held by the fender body 1. I have.

That is, in the fender of this embodiment, a plurality of tapping screws 201, which are conventionally required, are not required, so that the number of parts is reduced and the positioning is easy, so that the number of assembling steps can be reduced.

(Embodiment 4) FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a fender according to the present embodiment. This fender includes a fender body 1 formed of the same resin as in the first embodiment, and a side turn lamp 5 held on the fender body 1 as shown in FIG.

A concave portion 18 is formed at a predetermined position on the side surface of the fender body 1, and a socket hole 18a and a pair of engaging holes 18b are formed in the concave portion 18. Also the recess 18
A drain hole (not shown) is provided at the bottom of the. The recess 18, the socket hole 18 a, the engagement hole 18 b, and the drain hole are formed integrally when the fender body 1 is formed.

On the other hand, the side turn lamp 5 is composed of a bulb 50 held in the socket hole 18a and turned on by power supply from a vehicle-mounted battery, and an acrylic resin lens 51 covering the concave portion 18. An engagement projection 52 is formed. And the engaging projection 52
Is engaged with the engagement hole 18b, so that the lens 51 is held by the fender body 1.

That is, in the fender of this embodiment, the side turn lamp 5 can be visually recognized from the side, and the safety is high. Also, since the fender body 1 is made of resin, packing for sealing water is not required,
It is only necessary to provide a drain hole. Also, when the lens 51 is assembled, positioning is easy, screws and grommets or packing are not required, and the number of parts is small.

(Embodiment 5) FIG. 11 shows a fender of this embodiment. This fender includes a fender body 1 formed of the same resin as in the first embodiment, and an emblem 6 held on the fender body 1 as shown in FIG.

A concave portion 19 is formed at a predetermined position on the side surface of the fender body 1, and the concave portion 19 has a pair of engaging holes 19a.
Are formed. The engagement hole 19a is formed integrally when the fender body 1 is formed.

On the other hand, the emblem 6 is formed of an acrylic resin, and engagement claws 60 are formed at both ends thereof. The emblem 6 is held by the fender body 1 by the engagement of the engagement claws 60 with the engagement holes 19a.

That is, in the fender of this embodiment, the emblem 6 improves the design. And emblem 6
When assembling, positioning is easy, and double-sided tape and adhesive are not required, and the number of parts is small.
There is an advantage that the number of assembly steps is small.

(Embodiment 6) FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a fender of this embodiment. This sectional view corresponds to the AA section in FIG. This fender includes a fender body 1 formed of the same resin as in the first embodiment, and a fender seal 7 held by the fender body 1.

As shown in FIG. 13, the fender seal 7 has a grip portion 70 made of PPF capable of gripping an end of the fender body 1 facing the door panel 102, and a lip portion made of TPO extending from the grip portion 70. 71. The fender seal 7 is held by the fender main body 1 by the gripper 70 gripping the end of the fender main body 1 facing the door panel 102. The fender seal 7 is manufactured by two-color extrusion molding.

In the fender of this embodiment, the lip 71
Is in contact with the side member 100. Therefore, mud and water rolled up by the tires cause the door panel 10
Intrusion between the side member 100 and the side member 100 is prevented, and it is prevented that opening and closing of the door becomes difficult due to icing.

In the fender of this embodiment, since the fender body 1 and the fender seal 7 are both made of resin, it is easy to keep the distance between the fender and the body constant, and the fender seal 7 is formed by extrusion molding. It can be manufactured at low cost.

Although the fender seal 7 is formed separately from the fender body 1 in this embodiment, the fender seal 7 and the fender body 1 can be integrated. For example, if a soft lip is formed at the end of the fender body 1 and the lip is elastically contacted with the side member 100, the lip functions as a fender seal. A fender body having such a lip can be easily manufactured by two-color molding or integral molding.

[0060]

According to the fender for a vehicle of the present invention, the weight is lighter than that of a conventional metal fender, so that the fuel efficiency of the vehicle is improved. And since it has a functional member, various functions by the functional member are exhibited. Furthermore, since the assembling of the functional member is extremely easy, the number of assembling steps can be reduced and an inexpensive fender can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part of a passenger car having a fender according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a fender according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part of a passenger car having a fender according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part of a passenger car having a fender according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a fender according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of a molding used for a fender according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a main part of a passenger car having a fender according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory perspective view showing a method for assembling a conventional fender liner.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a fender according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a main part of a fender according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a main part showing a configuration of a fender according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a main part of a passenger car having a fender according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of a fender according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: fender body 2: energy absorbing member (functional member) 3: molding (functional member) 4: fender liner (functional member) 5: side turn lamp (functional member) 6: emblem (functional member) 7: fender seal (function) Element)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroki Tsuge 1 Ochiai Ogaai, Kasuga-cho, Nishi-Kasugai-gun, Aichi Prefecture Inside Toyota Gosei Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) in Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. 3D003 AA04 AA11 BB01 CA53 CA55 CA63 DA27

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle fender comprising: a resin fender main body; and a functional member mechanically engaged with and held by the fender main body. 2. The vehicle fender according to claim 1, wherein the functional member is an energy absorbing member engaged and held on a back side of the fender body. 3. The vehicle fender according to claim 1, wherein the functional member is a damping material engaged and held on a lower surface of the fender body. 4. The vehicle fender according to claim 1, wherein the functional member is a fender liner engaged and held on a peripheral portion of the fender body. 5. The vehicle fender according to claim 1, wherein the functional member is a side turn lamp engaged and held on a surface of the fender body. 6. The vehicle fender according to claim 1, wherein the functional member is a decorative body engaged and held on a surface of the fender body. 7. The vehicle fender according to claim 1, wherein the functional member is a fender seal engaged with and held by the fender body and elastically contacting the vehicle body.