JP4785131B2 - Spare tire equipment for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a spare tire device in a vehicle including a spare tire attached to the rear surface of a vehicle body so as to be positioned above a rear bumper, and a tire cover assembled to be fitted on the spare tire.

  Conventionally, there is an automobile which is a vehicle as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below. According to this publication, the automobile is provided with a rear bumper supported at the lower end of the rear surface of the vehicle body, a spare tire that is detachably attached to the rear surface of the vehicle body so as to be positioned above the bumper, and the spare tire. And a tire cover assembled to be fitted. A lower end portion of the tire cover is divided into left and right parts so that the tire cover can be fitted and detached from the spare tire, and the left and right divided parts can be separated from each other.

The tire cover is fitted on the spare tire to protect the spare tire, and the spare tire is not visible in appearance so that the appearance of the automobile is maintained well. On the other hand, when the spare tire is used, such as when a car tire is punctured, first, the left and right dividing portions of the tire cover are separated from each other, and the tire cover is developed. The tire cover developed in this manner can be fitted and removed from the spare tire. Then, when the developed tire cover is detached from the spare tire, and then the spare tire is detached from the vehicle body, and the spare tire and the tire are exchanged, the vehicle can run again.
JP-A-8-150964

  By the way, the tire cover is not hermetically sealed. For this reason, when it rains, some of the rainwater that has poured onto the tire cover tends to enter the tire cover. This water flows down along the outer surface of the spare tire. Then, this water passes through the gap between the left and right dividing portions of the tire cover and is drained below the tire cover.

  In this case, the gap is formed over the entire front and rear direction of the lower portion of the tire cover, and therefore, part of the water drained through the gap tends to fall on the bumper.

  Here, a tire anti-aging agent may be mixed as a part of the chemical substance in the spare tire. In this case, the anti-aging agent that oozes from the spare tire falls through the gap together with the water. Then, the anti-aging agent also falls on the bumper, reacts with a chemical substance on the surface of the bumper and is fouled, and there is a possibility that the appearance of the bumper is remarkably lowered.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a spare tire attached to the rear surface of the vehicle body so that the vehicle is positioned above the rear bumper, and an external fit to the spare tire. In the case where the tire cover is provided, when the water flows down the outer surface of the spare tire in rainy weather or when the car is washed, the bumper is prevented from being soiled by the water.

As shown in FIGS. 6-8 , the invention of claim 1 is a rear bumper 6 supported at the lower end of the rear surface of the vehicle body 2, and a spare tire attached to the rear surface of the vehicle body 2 so as to be positioned above the bumper 6. 7 and a tire cover 8 that is assembled so as to be fitted on the spare tire 7, and the lower end of the tire cover 8 is left and right so that the tire cover 8 can be fitted and detached from the spare tire 7. In the vehicle in which the left and right dividing parts 16 and 16 can be separated from each other,
A lower cover 29 interposed between a lower end surface of the spare tire 7 and a lower portion of the tire cover 8, covers the lower end portion of the spare tire 7 from below and collects water 28 flowing down from the spare tire 7. A drain hole 38 is formed in the lower cover 29, and the drain hole 38 is positioned behind the rear surface of the bumper 6,
The front and rear edges of the lower cover 29 are projected forward and rearward of the front and rear surfaces of the spare tire 7 ,
In a front view of the vehicle 1 (FIG. 7), the curvature radius R2 of the lower cover 29 is made larger than the curvature radius R1 of the lower inner surface of the tire cover 8, and the left and right ends of the lower cover 29 and the tire cover 8 is formed between the tread portion 7a of the spare tire 7 and the left and right end portions of the lower cover 29 .

  6-8, in addition to the invention of claim 1, a bead 40 is formed on the lower cover 29, and the protruding end of the bead 40 is formed on the left and right sides of the tire cover 8. It is inserted between the dividing parts 16 and 16.

  In this section, the reference numerals appended to the above terms are not to be construed as limiting the technical scope of the present invention to the section “Example” described later or the contents of the drawings.

  The effects of the present invention are as follows.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a rear bumper supported at a lower end portion of a rear surface of a vehicle body, a spare tire attached to the rear surface of the vehicle body so as to be positioned above the bumper, and a tire assembled to be fitted on the spare tire. In a vehicle provided with a cover, the lower end of the tire cover is divided into left and right so that the tire cover can be externally fitted and detached from the spare tire, and the left and right divided parts can be separated from each other.
A lower cover is provided between the lower end surface of the spare tire and the lower portion of the tire cover, covers the lower end portion of the spare tire from below, collects and collects water flowing down from the spare tire, and drains the lower cover. A hole is formed, and the drain hole is located behind the rear surface of the bumper.

  For this reason, when the water that has poured onto the tire cover enters the tire cover and flows down along the outer surface of the spare tire during rainy weather or car washing, the water that falls from the spare tire is placed on the lower cover. Collected. And the water on this lower cover is drained below the tire cover through the drain hole.

  Here, as described above, since the drain hole is located behind the rear surface of the bumper, the water drained through the drain hole is directed to the rear area of the bumper. It is prevented that the bumper is soiled.

Further, in the front view of the vehicle, the curvature radius of the lower cover is made larger than the curvature radius of the lower inner surface of the tire cover, and the left and right ends of the lower cover and the inner surface of the tire cover are brought into contact with each other. Between the tread portion of the spare tire and the left and right end portions of the lower cover, openings are formed that open outward and upward.

For this reason, the water that has flowed down along the tread portion of the spare tire passes through the opening and is more reliably collected on the lower cover and drained through the drain hole. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the bumper from being soiled by the water.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, a bead is formed on the lower cover, and a protruding end portion of the bead is fitted between the left and right divided portions of the tire cover.

  For this reason, relative positioning of the tire cover and the lower cover in the circumferential direction of the spare tire can be performed appropriately and easily. Therefore, the work of assembling the tire cover and the lower cover with respect to the spare tire can be performed appropriately and easily.

  The present invention relates to a spare tire device for a vehicle according to the present invention, in the case where the vehicle includes a spare tire attached to the rear surface of the vehicle body so as to be positioned above the rear bumper and a tire cover fitted to the spare tire. The best mode for carrying out the present invention is as follows in order to achieve the object of preventing the bumper from being polluted by water when the water flows down along the outer surface of the spare tire. It is.

  That is, the vehicle has a rear bumper supported at the lower end of the rear surface of the vehicle body, a spare tire attached to the rear surface of the vehicle body so as to be positioned above the bumper, and a tire cover assembled to be fitted on the spare tire. It has. A lower end portion of the tire cover is divided into left and right parts so that the tire cover can be fitted and detached from the spare tire, and the left and right divided parts can be separated from each other.

A lower cover is provided between the lower end surface of the spare tire and the lower portion of the tire cover, covers the lower end portion of the spare tire from below, and receives and collects water flowing from the spare tire. A drainage hole is formed in the lower cover, and the drainage hole is located behind the rear surface of the bumper. The front and rear end edges of the lower cover are projected forward and rearward of the front and rear surfaces of the spare tire. Further, in the front view of the vehicle, the curvature radius of the lower cover is made larger than the curvature radius of the lower inner surface of the tire cover, so that the left and right ends of the lower cover and the inner surface of the tire cover are brought into contact with each other. ing. Openings that open outward and upward are respectively formed between the tread portion of the spare tire and the left and right end portions of the lower cover.
(Reference example)

First, a reference example will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a vehicle exemplified by a two-box type automobile. An arrow Fr indicates the front of the vehicle 1 in the traveling direction. The left and right described below correspond to the width direction of the vehicle 1.

  The vehicle 1 includes a vehicle body 2, a tire 3 that is suspended from the vehicle body 2 and supports the vehicle body 2 on a running surface, and a back door 5 that closes and opens a door opening 4 formed in the rear wall of the vehicle body 2. A rear bumper 6 made of resin that is supported at the lower end of the rear surface of the vehicle body 2 and protrudes rearward from the lower end portion of the rear surface, and at least a part of the rear bumper 6 is located above the rear surface of the vehicle body 2 A spare tire 7 that is detachably attached to the rear surface of the back door 5 and a tire cover 8 that is assembled to be fitted on the spare tire 7. The spare tire 7 extends so that its axis 9 is directed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1.

  In FIG. 1-5, the tire cover 8 includes a side cover 12. The side cover 12 has a ring shape and is fitted on the outer peripheral portion of the spare tire 7 so as to cover the tread portion 7a and the shoulder portions 7b of the spare tire 7. The shaft center 13 of the side cover 12 is located substantially at the same position as the shaft center 9 of the spare tire 7.

  The side cover 12 is constituted by a pair of left and right cover members 14 which are divided into left and right and form an arc shape. The upper ends of these cover members 14 are pivotally supported by hinges 15. From the original state of the side cover 12 fitted around the spare tire 7 (solid line in the figure), each cover member 14 moves forward and backward A and backward ( It is possible to reverse A). By the forward rotation A of each cover member 14, the left and right dividing portions 16, 16 at the lower end of each cover member 14 can be separated from each other, and the side cover 12 can be deployed by this separation (see FIG. One-dot chain line in 2). The tire cover 8 developed in this manner can be fitted and detached from the spare tire 7.

  In the original state of the tire cover 8, a known locking tool 17 is provided for locking the left and right dividing portions 16, 16 of the cover members 14 so as to be detachable. Further, a sealing material 18 is provided that is attached to each outer edge portion of each cover member 14. Further, in the original state of the spare tire 7, a gap 19 that is long in the front-rear direction is formed between the left and right dividing portions 16, 16 of each cover member 14. The gap 19 is located at the lowermost end of the side cover 12 at the center in the left-right direction of the side cover 12.

  The tire cover 8 has a disk-shaped center cover 22 that is substantially the same in diameter as the spare tire 7 and that covers the entire rear surface so as to be joined to the rear surface of the spare tire 7. Of the front and rear openings 23, 24 of the side cover 12, the opening edge of the rear opening 24 is fitted onto the center cover 22, and the rear opening 24 is closed by the center cover 22. If the side cover 12 is developed as described above, the side cover 12 can be externally fitted to and detached from the combination of the spare tire 7 and the center cover 22.

  The side cover 12 externally fitted to the spare tire 7 and the center cover 22 is pressed almost entirely over the front shoulder portion 7b of the spare tire 7, and the rear shoulder portion 7b of the spare tire 7 is pressed. On the other hand, almost the whole is pressed through the outer edge portion of the center cover 22. The tire cover 8 is assembled to the spare tire 7 without rattling by the pressure contact.

  A lower cover 29 is provided at the lower end portion of the center cover 22 of the tire cover 8 by a support 27, covers the lower end portion of the spare tire 7 from below, and receives and collects water 28 falling from the spare tire 7. ing.

  The lower cover 29 is a resin molded product and has a dish shape that opens upward. The lower cover 29 is interposed between the lower end surface of the spare tire 7 and the lower portion of the side cover 12 and is fitted on the lower end portion of the spare tire 7. The lower cover 29 extends so as to straddle the left and right dividing portions 16 and 16 of the cover members 14. The upper surfaces of the front and rear portions 30 and 31 of the lower cover 29 are brought into pressure contact with the front and rear shoulder portions 7b of the spare tire 7 by the pressing force from the side cover 12 side. The front and rear end edges of the lower cover 29 protrude forward and rearward of the front and rear surfaces of the spare tire 7. A gap 33 is formed between the upper surface of the midway portion 32 between the front and rear portions 30, 31 of the lower cover 29 and the tread portion 7 a of the spare tire 7.

  In particular, in FIG. 4, the support tool 27 has a plurality of (four) support pieces 35 formed by cutting and raising a part of the lower cover 29. The support pieces 35 are fitted and bent in a plurality (four) of support holes 36 formed at the lower end of the center cover 22. Accordingly, the lower cover 29 is supported by the lower end portion of the center cover 22.

  A drain hole 38 is formed in the lower cover 29 so that the water 28 in the lower cover 29 can be drained. The drainage hole 38 has a long hole shape that is long on the left and right, and is formed directly above the gap 19 and in the midway part 32 of the lower cover 29. The drain hole 38 is entirely located behind the rear surface of the bumper 6.

  The lower cover 29 can be attached (retrofitted) to the existing tire cover 8.

  Although the above is based on the illustrated example, the lower cover 29 may cover the lower ends of the spare tire 7 and the side cover 12 from below. The lower cover 29 may be supported by the side cover 12 or may be made of a thin sheet metal. Further, these cover members 14 are integrally formed so that the upper end portions of the left and right cover members 14 are integrated with each other, and the side cover 12 has elasticity as a whole so that it can be developed by elastic deformation. It may be.

  According to the above configuration, the lower cover 29 is provided so as to cover the lower end portion of the spare tire 7 from below and collect the water 28 that flows down from the spare tire 7 and collects the drain cover 38. Is positioned behind the rear surface of the bumper 6.

  For this reason, the water 28 that has poured onto the tire cover 8 enters the tire cover 8 during rainy weather or car wash, and travels along the outer surface of the spare tire 7 (including the groove inner surface of the tread pattern not shown). When flowing down, the water 28 falling from the spare tire 7 is collected directly (or through the gap 19) on the lower cover 29. Then, the water 28 on the lower cover 29 is sequentially discharged through the drain hole 38 and the gap 19 (or the gap 19 and the drain hole 38) and below the tire cover 8.

  Here, as described above, since the drain hole 38 is located behind the rear surface of the bumper 6, the water 28 drained through the drain hole 38 is directed to the rear area of the bumper 6, Therefore, the bumper 6 is prevented from being soiled by the water 28.

  Further, as described above, the drain hole 38 is a long hole that is long to the left and right.

  For this reason, first, the drain hole 38 can be positioned sufficiently rearward of the rear surface of the bumper 6, the opening area can be increased, and a sufficient amount of drainage can be secured.

  Second, when the lower cover 29 is assembled to the spare tire 7 together with the tire cover 8, the drainage of the spare tire 7 may occur even if some assembly error occurs in the lower cover 29 in the circumferential direction. At least a part of the hole 38 is more reliably located at the lowermost end portion of the lower cover 29. Therefore, the water 28 on the lower cover 29 is drained without passing through the drain hole 38.

The following Figure 6-8 shows an embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is common in many respects to the configuration and operational effects of the reference example . Therefore, regarding these common items, common reference numerals are attached to the drawings, and redundant description thereof is omitted, and different points are mainly described. Further, the configuration of each portion in the these reference examples and examples, the object of the present invention may be combined variously in light of the operation and effect.

In order to describe the present invention in more detail, an example thereof will be described with reference to the accompanying FIGS. 6-8.

  The support 27 is a rivet. A bead 40 extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the middle portion 32 of the lower cover 29, and other beads 41 extending left and right through the front end portion of the bead 40 are formed. Each end portion of the other bead 41 is The lower cover 29 opens from the outer end toward the outer side. These beads 40 and 41 reinforce the lower cover 29. The beads 40 and 41 protrude downward, and the grooves 42 and 43 in the beads 40 and 41 communicate with each other. Further, the drain hole 38 is formed so as to cross the middle part of the groove 42 of the bead 40.

  For this reason, the water 28 received and collected by the lower cover 29 flows into the grooves 42 and 43, travels to the drain hole 38, and is drained through the drain hole 38.

  The other bead 41 is disposed close to the upper surface of the rear end of the bumper 6 in the vertical direction. Further, the groove 43 of the other bead 41 is located slightly behind the rear surface of the bumper 6 as a whole.

  Here, when the vehicle 1 is stopped on a downhill road and the water 28 received on the lower cover 29 gathers on the front side of the lower cover 29, the water 28 is separated from the other beads 41. The water is discharged from each outer end side of the lower cover 29 through the groove 43.

  In this case, as described above, since the groove 43 of the other bead 41 is positioned behind the rear surface of the bumper 6, the water 28 drained through the groove 43 of the other bead 41 is Thus, the bumper 6 is prevented from being polluted by the water 28.

  In the front view of the vehicle 1 (FIG. 7), the curvature radius R2 of the lower cover 29 is larger than the curvature radius R1 of the lower inner surface of the side cover 12. The inner surface of the side cover 12 is in pressure contact with each end portion in the left-right direction of the lower cover 29, and the center portion in the left-right direction of the lower cover 29 is in pressure contact with the tread portion 7 a of the spare tire 7. Thus, an opening 45 is formed between the tread portion 7a of the spare tire 7 and the left and right end portions of the lower cover 29 so as to open outward.

  Therefore, the water 28 that has flowed down along the tread portion 7 a of the spare tire 7 passes through the opening 45 and is more reliably collected on the lower cover 29 and drained through the drain hole 38. Therefore, the bumper 6 is prevented from being contaminated by the water 28 more reliably.

  As described above, the lower cover 29 is supported by the center cover 22, the bead 40 is formed on the lower cover 29, and the protruding end portion of the bead 40 is formed by the left and right divided portions 16 of the side covers 12 of the tire cover 8. 16 is inserted.

  For this reason, relative positioning of each side cover 12 and center cover 22 of the tire cover 8 and the lower cover 29 in the circumferential direction of the spare tire 7 can be performed appropriately and easily. Therefore, the assembly work of the tire cover 8 and the lower cover 29 with respect to the spare tire 7 can be performed appropriately and easily.

  Although the above is based on the illustrated example, when the lower cover 29 covers the lower ends of the spare tire 7 and the tire cover 8 from below, the following may be performed. That is, the bead 40 is protruded upward, and the bead 40 is fitted between the left and right dividing portions 16 and 16 of the tire cover 8. In this way, the relative positioning of the tire cover 8 and the lower cover 29 can be appropriately and easily performed as described above.

It is a side sectional view of a vehicle rear portion showing a reference example . It is a perspective development view of a vehicle rear portion showing a reference example . It is a partial front sectional view of a spare tire and a tire cover, showing a reference example . FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 1 showing a reference example . It is an assembly partial perspective view of a center cover and a lower cover, showing a reference example . It shows an embodiment and is a view corresponding to FIG. It shows an embodiment and is a view corresponding to FIG. It shows an embodiment and is a view corresponding to FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle 2 Car body 6 Bumper 7 Spare tire 7a Tread part 7b Shoulder part 8 Tire cover 9 Axle center 12 Side cover 13 Axle 14 Cover member 16 Dividing part 19 Gap 22 Center cover 24 Opening 27 Supporting tool 28 Water 29 Lower cover 38 Drain hole 40 bead 41 bead 42 groove 43 groove 45 opening A rotation R1 radius of curvature R2 radius of curvature

Claims (2)

A rear bumper supported at the lower end of the rear surface of the vehicle body, a spare tire mounted on the rear surface of the vehicle body so as to be positioned above the bumper, and a tire cover assembled to be fitted on the spare tire. In a vehicle in which the lower end portion of the tire cover is divided into left and right so that the tire cover can be externally fitted and detached from the tire, and the left and right divided portions can be separated from each other.
A lower cover is provided between the lower end surface of the spare tire and the lower portion of the tire cover, covers the lower end portion of the spare tire from below, collects and collects water flowing down from the spare tire, and drains the lower cover. A hole is formed, and this drainage hole is located behind the rear surface of the bumper,
The front and rear end edges of the lower cover are projected forward and rearward of the front and rear surfaces of the spare tire ,
In the front view of the vehicle, the curvature radius of the lower cover is made larger than the curvature radius of the lower inner surface of the tire cover, the left and right ends of the lower cover and the inner surface of the tire cover are brought into contact with each other, and the spare A spare tire device for a vehicle, wherein an opening that opens outward and upward is formed between a tread portion of the tire and each of left and right ends of the lower cover .   2. The spare tire device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a bead is formed on the lower cover, and protruding end portions of the bead are fitted between left and right lower end portions of the tire cover.

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