Motor vehicle with improved wheel arch trim

Abstract

The invention provides a motor vehicle having improved wheel arch trims, having a median longitudinal axis parallel to a straight driving direction, and comprising: a plurality of wheels; a body shell having two opposite side walls defining a respective wheel chamber for each wheel, the wheel chamber being delimited by a respective wheel arch; and for each wheel chamber, a wheel arch trim provided at the respective wheel arch. Each wheel arch trim comprises: a first arch-shaped portion provided within a volume delimited by the body shell and attached to a structural part of the motor vehicle; a second arch-shaped portion projecting externally from the body shell with respect to the associated wheel arch; and an airflow channel formed at least partially on the second arch-shaped portion to form an airfoil tangent to an outer side wall of the respective wheel and tangent to a region of the respective side wall adjacent to the respective wheel arch.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This patent application claims priority to Italian Patent Application No. 102022000013945, filed on July 1, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to a motor vehicle having an improved type of wheel arch trim. In particular, the following description will be explicitly directed to four-wheeled motor vehicles without loss of generality. Background Technology

[0004] Known motor vehicles, particularly automobiles, have two front wheels and two rear wheels, and include a body shell or chassis, a body shell applied to or integrated with the body shell itself (monocoque body), and a passenger compartment obtained inside the body shell between the front and rear wheels.

[0005] In the area of ​​each wheel, the body shell and body cover form a corresponding wheel chamber, which is defined above and on the sides by corresponding wheel arches; in fact, the wheel arches cover the wheel, but allow vertical movement of the wheel caused by holes and stones, and in the case of the front wheel, it must have a width that makes steering possible.

[0006] In SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) or crossover vehicles, or vehicles typically suited for off-road use, wheel arch trim pieces, usually made of plastic, are fitted to the exterior of the respective wheel arches to protect the painted metal sheet parts from damage that may occur when traveling on dirt roads due to impacts with debris and / or gravel.

[0007] An important aspect to consider in known types of wheel arch trim is their lateral protrusion relative to the sidewalls of the body shell on which they are mounted; in fact, this protrusion must be minimized to avoid excessively impairing the aerodynamics of the vehicle, thereby creating an increase in aerodynamic drag in areas where turbulent slipflow already exists, which is generated by the presence and rotation of the wheel rim and its permeability, as well as the outer shoulder of the tire mounted on the rim itself. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to produce a motor vehicle equipped with wheel arch trim that not only protects adjacent body shell parts from potential damage caused by impacts from gravel and debris during driving, but also significantly improves the management of wheel slippage, thereby reducing or eliminating the resulting turbulence. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The application will now be described with reference to the examples of non-limiting embodiments thereof, illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:

[0010] Figure 1 is a side view of a motor vehicle produced in accordance with the provisions of the application, in which some parts have been removed for the sake of clarity, in which the area of the front and rear wheels has been enlarged to highlight the wheel arch trim used;

[0011] Figure 2 is a side view of the front wheel arch trim of Figure 1 ;

[0012] Figure 3 is a side view of the rear wheel arch trim of Figure 1 ;

[0013] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the front wheel arch trim of Figure 2 ;

[0014] Figure 5 is a cross-section along line V-V of Figure 2 ;

[0015] Figure 6 is a cross-section along line VI-VI of Figure 2 ;

[0016] Figure 7 is a cross-section along line VII-VII of Figure 2 ;

[0017] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the rear wheel arch trim of Figure 3 ;

[0018] Figure 9 is a bottom view of the motor vehicle of Figure 1 ; and

[0019] Figure 10 is an enlarged scale bottom view of the area of the front wheels of the motor vehicle of Figure 1 and Figure 9 , in which the tendency of the slipstream during travel is indicated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Figure 1 and Figure 9 with 1 indicating an entire motor vehicle, in particular a car, having two front wheels 2 and two rear wheels 3, and comprising a chassis or body shell 4 (in Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7visible in the middle), a body shell 5 applied on the body shell 4 or integrated with the body shell 4 itself and a passenger compartment 6 obtained inside the body shell 5 between the wheels 2 and the wheels 3 themselves.

[0021] In Figure 1 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 it can be seen that each wheel 2, 3 comprises a rim C, provided with spokes S, and a tyre T, which surrounds the rim C itself and comprises a tread T1 and respective opposite two side walls T2, T3, one of which (T2) in use faces the inside of the respective wheel chamber 16, 17, the other (T3) facing outwards; in particular with reference to Figure 9 and Figure 10 the tread T1 of each wheel 2, 3 is delimited towards the opposite side walls T2, T3 by respective circular peripheral edges T4, T5, respectively facing the inside and facing outwards of the relative wheel chamber 16, 17.

[0022] In the example shown Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 the body shell 4 is arranged inside the body shell 5 and comprises, in a known manner, a flat plate 7 and a series of longitudinal members and uprights to which the body shell 5 itself and the other components of the motor vehicle 1 are attached.

[0023] In the case of a body-on-frame, the flat plate 7 is directly part of it, just as the body shell is integrated in the body shell itself.

[0024] In particular, the body shell 5 defines the external profile of the motor vehicle 1 and comprises:

[0025] - two opposite side walls 8, which in the case shown are provided with a front door 9 and a rear door 9;

[0026] - a front engine hood 10;

[0027] - a front bumper 11;

[0028] - a roof 12;

[0029] - a rear luggage compartment 13;

[0030] - a rear bumper 14.

[0031] The motor vehicle 1 also comprises a windscreen 15, which extends between the front engine hood 10 and the roof 11, and a rear window (itself known) facing the windscreen 15 and not visible in the figures.

[0032] The side walls 8 are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of a median longitudinal axis A of the motor vehicle 1, parallel to the rectilinear direction of travel and orthogonal to a median transverse vertical plane P of the motor vehicle 1 itself. The side walls 8 bound the motor vehicle 1 externally on the sides and are in fact arranged facing each other and parallel to the axis A.

[0033] The passenger compartment 6 is bounded in front by a windshield 12, in the rear by a rear window, on the sides by the doors 9 and partially by the side walls 8.

[0034] The motor vehicle 1 can also comprise a single door 9 on each side wall 8.

[0035] With reference to Figures 1-3 , Figures 5-7 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 , the side walls 8, together with the panels 7, define respective front and rear wheel compartments 16, 17 for each front and rear wheel 2, 3; the wheel compartments 16 are bounded by respective front and rear wheel arches 18, 19.

[0036] Furthermore, as can be seen in the attached figures, for each wheel compartment 16, 17 there is a respective front and rear wheel arch trim 20, 21 arranged at the respective wheel arch 18, 19.

[0037] Advantageously, each wheel arch trim 20, 21 comprises:

[0038] - a first arched portion 22 arranged inside the volume delimited by the body shell 5, at least partially and from the inside of the body shell 5 itself facing the respective wheel arch 18, 19, and fastened to a portion of the body shell 4;

[0039] - a second arched portion 23 projecting externally from the body shell 5 with respect to the respective wheel arch 18, 19; and

[0040] - an airflow channel 24 formed at least partially on the arched portion 23 to form an airfoil tangent to the outer side wall of the respective wheel 2, 3 and to the area of the respective side wall 8 adjacent to the respective wheel arch 18, 19. Figure 10 ).

[0041] In particular, as shown in Figure 5 , the distance in horizontal direction and orthogonal to the axis A between the free curved edge of the arched portion 22 of each wheel arch trim 20, 21 and the body shell 5 adjacent to the respective wheel arch 18, 19 is indicated with X and is always greater than zero. The function of the distance X will be clarified below.

[0042] On the contrary, the distance in the vertical direction and orthogonal to the axis A and to the distance X between the free curved end edge of the arched portion 22 of each wheel arch trim 20, 21 and the curved lower end edge of the respective wheel arch 18, 19 is indicated with Y and is always greater than zero; this means that the aforesaid free curved end edge of the arched portion 22 of each wheel arch trim 18, 19 is always placed higher with respect to the lower curved end edge of the respective wheel arch trim 18, 19.

[0043] With reference to Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 , in the case of each front wheel arch trim 20, the channel 24 comprises two through openings 25 obtained on the front end 26 and on the rear end 27 of the arched portion 23 of the wheel arch trim 20 itself.

[0044] The openings 25 each have a respective passage section transverse to the axis A.

[0045] More in detail, the openings 25 have respective delimiting edges 28 which extend around a respective axis of the opening 25 itself, transverse to the median plane P and converging in front towards the axis A.

[0046] As can be seen in particular in Figure 9 and Figure 10 , during the straight travel of the motor vehicle 1, the openings 25 of each front wheel arch trim 20 face the outer edge T5 of the tread T1 of the tyre T of the respective wheel 2.

[0047] In the example illustrated in Figure 1 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 , the front bumper 11 has respective through windows 11c at the opposite side ends 11a, 11b thereof, which face the openings 25 obtained on the front 26 of the front wheel arch trim 20, to form an air flow guide along the respective side wall 8 during the straight travel of the motor vehicle 1.

[0048] Preferably, with reference to Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 , each front wheel arch trim 20 is attached to a portion of the bodyshell 4 by the insertion of a respective skeletal element 30, which is also arched. In particular, each wheel arch trim 20 is coupled and / or glued to the respective skeletal element 30, so as to completely cover it from the outside.

[0049] Figures 5 to 7The way in which each skeletal element 30 is attached to the body shell 4 is shown. In particular, the use is made of centering elements 31, such as centering pins obtained integrally on each skeletal element 30, and releasable constraint elements 32, such as snap-lock pins 33 and metric screws 34; the centering elements 31 and the constraint elements 32 are releasably engaged with corresponding holes 4a, 4b, 4c obtained on the body shell 4.

[0050] The centering elements 31 represent the first point of interface of each wheel arch trim 20 with the body shell 4 and this actually occurs at the holes 4a; the function of the centering elements 31 is to guarantee the correct positioning of each wheel arch trim 20 without the need for the operator to carry out an actual visual check. The snap-lock pins 33 serve to locally hold each front wheel arch trim 20 on the body shell 4 and guarantee a correct and solid pre-assembly before clamping the metric screws 34, which guarantees the stability of the assembly over time.

[0051] During the assembly of each skeletal element 30, the centering elements 31 are first engaged in the corresponding holes 4a of the body shell 4; at this point, by firmly pressing, the pins 33 are snapped into the holes 4b, thus obtaining the pre-assembly of the skeletal elements 30 on the body shell 4; the last operation is to clamp the metric screws 34 in the corresponding threaded holes 4c.

[0052] The distance X defined above and shown in Figure 5 must allow a minimum translation of each skeletal element 30 to allow its assembly on the body shell 4; the same applies to the subsequent assembly of each wheel arch trim 20 on the corresponding skeletal element 30.

[0053] The rear wheel arch trims 21, substantially shown in Figure 3 and Figure 8 have a very similar structure and shape to the front wheel arch trims 20, so only the different parts will be described below; the same or equivalent parts of the front wheel arch trims 20 and the rear wheel arch trims 21 will be identified below with the same reference numbers.

[0054] In particular, each rear wheel arch trim 21 differs from the front wheel arch trims 20 mainly in that they do not have openings 25 on the front portion 26 and they are formed by several components assembled together, in the case shown they are formed by two components assembled together, and each component forms a curve segment, in the case shown approximately half of the entire arch profile.

[0055] As can be seen in Figure 8 , the rear wheel arch trims 21 are also attached to a portion of the body shell 4 through the insertion of corresponding skeletal elements 35, which are also arched and identical to the skeletal elements 30.

[0056] In particular, in this case each wheel arch trim 21 is also coupled and / or glued to the respective skeleton element 31, thus completely covering it on the outside.

[0057] Each skeleton element 35 is attached to the body shell 4 in the same way as for the skeleton element 30, i.e. through the same centering elements 31 and restraining elements 32, i.e. the snap-lock pins 33 and the metric screws 34, as those described above. This method is therefore not further described and should be referred to the above description.

[0058] In use, during the straight-ahead travel of the motor vehicle 1, the air is guided from the windows 11c towards the two side walls 8 at the sides of the front bumper 11.

[0059] The windows 11c cooperate with the openings 25 of the two front wheel arch trims 20 to form a powerful air blade that aerodynamically seals the front wheels 2, preventing the release of turbulence in the transverse direction of the axis A. Figure 9 and Figure 10 ).

[0060] At the rear of the front wheel arch trims 20, further openings 25 allow the air extraction from the inside of the wheel house 16 to be maximized, thus ensuring the correct direction of the flow coming from the front area along the respective side wall 8 to which it is attached. Figure 10 ).

[0061] The particular solution of the rear wheel arch trims 21 allows a powerful extraction of air from the rear wheel house 17 through the openings 25; moreover, the surface of the arched portion 22 of the wheel arch trim 21 described above is elongated and has a profile capable of managing the air flow around the side wall 8 and the wheel 2, 3 with a rear separation point.

[0062] The advantages that can be obtained by examining the features of the motor vehicle 1 produced according to the present application are evident.

[0063] In particular, the solution of the wheel arch trims 20, 21 described makes it possible to obtain a significant improvement in the management of the slipstream of the wheels 2, 3, thus eliminating the turbulence generated by the presence and rotation of the rims C and finally being able to obtain a clean and uniform air flow along the side of the wheels 2, 3 themselves.

[0064] In fact, this type of result is obtained by positioning the wheel arch trims 20, 21 partially under the body shell 5, thus minimizing the protrusion of the wheel arch trims 20, 21 themselves with respect to the body shell 5, while minimizing the aerodynamic resistance; the positioning of the wheel arch trims 20, 21 under the body shell 5 creates a "floating" effect, i.e. it brings the impression that the vehicle body "rests" on the wheel arch trims 20, 21 themselves. Figure 1 ).

[0065] Furthermore, by attaching the body shell 4 to the skeleton elements 30, 35, the wheel arch trims 20, 21 can perform only the aerodynamic function described above and can also perform an aesthetic function; this therefore allows greater flexibility with respect to the materials used (for example, plastic or composite materials) and / or the surface finish applied to the wheel arch trims 20, 21 (for example, embossing or paint finish).

[0066] Finally, it is clear that modifications and variants can be made to the motor vehicle 1 described and illustrated, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle (1) having a central longitudinal axis (A) parallel to the straight-line direction of travel and comprising: - Multiple wheels (2, 3); - A body shell (5) defining the external profile of the motor vehicle (1) and having two opposing sidewalls (8) defining corresponding wheel chambers (16, 17) for each wheel (2, 3), the wheel chambers (16, 17) being defined by corresponding wheel arches (18, 19); and - For each wheel chamber (16, 17), wheel arch trim (20, 21) is provided at the corresponding wheel arch (18, 19); The characteristic feature is that each wheel arch trim (20, 21) comprises: - A first arched portion (22), which is disposed within a volume defined by the body shell (5), faces at least partially and from the interior of the body shell (5) toward the corresponding wheel arches (18, 19) and is attached to a structural part (4) of the motor vehicle (1), the structural part (4) being interior relative to the body shell (5); - A second arched portion (23) protrudes externally from the body shell (5) relative to the wheel arches (18, 19); and - An airflow passage (24), which is at least partially formed on the second arched portion (23), forms an air blade that is tangent to the outer sidewall of the corresponding wheel (2, 3) and to the area of ​​the corresponding sidewall (8) adjacent to the corresponding wheel arch (18, 19).

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The channel (24) includes one or more through openings (25) obtained at at least one front end (26) and / or one rear end (27) of the second arched portion (23) of the wheel arch trim (20, 21).

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The opening (25) or multiple openings (25) have a passage section or corresponding passage section transverse to the longitudinal axis (A).

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each wheel (2, 3) is equipped with a tire (T), and during the straight-line travel of the motor vehicle (1), the opening (25) or the plurality of openings (25) of each wheel arch trim (20, 21) faces the outer peripheral edge (T5) of the tread (T1) of the tire (T) of the corresponding wheel (2, 3).

5. The motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Each of the wheel arch trim pieces (20, 21) is attached to the structural part (4) of the motor vehicle (1) by the insertion of a corresponding skeleton element (30, 35), which is also arched.

6. The motor vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each wheel arch trim piece (20, 21) is joined and / or glued to the corresponding skeleton element (30, 35) so as to completely cover it on the outside.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each of the skeleton elements (30, 35) is attached to the structural part (4) by a releasable centering element (31) and a releasable restraint element (32).

8. The motor vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 4, further comprising a front bumper (11) having corresponding through windows (11c) at its two opposite ends (11a, 11b) facing an opening (25) formed on the front end (26) of the wheel arch trim (20) of the corresponding front wheel (2) of the motor vehicle (1) itself to facilitate air guidance along the corresponding sidewall (8) during straight-line travel of the motor vehicle (1).

9. The motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The structural component is the body shell (4) of the motor vehicle (1), and the body shell (5) is applied to the body shell.

10. The motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Each of the wheel arch trim pieces (20, 21) may be formed by a single component or by several components assembled together, each component forming a curved segment of the arch profile.

Images