Vehicle cover device

Abstract

A vehicle cover device is provided with: a cover arm which is rotatably attached to a vehicle body of a vehicle and which opens and closes an oil supply opening provided in the vehicle body; and an outer panel attached to the outside of the cover arm, the surface of the outer panel constituting the design surface of the vehicle body, the cover arm having at least one protrusion protruding toward the outer panel and the tip of which is in contact with the rear surface of the outer panel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a structure of a vehicle cover device. Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-108086 discloses a cover device including a housing, a cover arm rotatably mounted relative to the housing, and an outer panel mounted on the cover arm. The cover arm of the cover device is provided with a reinforcing rib extending toward the outer panel. Summary of the invention

[0003] The outer panel of the vehicle cover device is sometimes made of resins such as PPE and PA. These resins are water-absorbent, so they swell when they absorb water on rainy days. At this time, if there is a surface that absorbs more water and a surface that absorbs less water, the swelling amount of the surface that absorbs more water becomes larger, and sometimes warping occurs in the form of expansion of the surface that absorbs more water. If warping occurs in the outer panel of the vehicle cover device, there is a case where the end portion floats from the vehicle body and the aesthetics is reduced.

[0004] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to suppress the warping of a resin outer panel of a vehicle cover.

[0005] The vehicle cover device disclosed in the present invention comprises: a cover arm, which is rotatably mounted on the vehicle body and opens and closes an opening for oil supply or power supply provided on the vehicle body; and an outer panel, which is mounted on the outer side of the cover arm and whose surface constitutes the appearance design surface of the vehicle body. The cover arm has at least one protrusion protruding toward the outer panel and the front end of which contacts the back side of the outer panel.

[0006] In this way, by making the protrusion contact with the back surface of the outer panel, the warping of the resin outer panel when it swells due to water absorption can be suppressed. In addition, this can suppress the floating of the end and suppress the reduction of the aesthetics.

[0007] The vehicle cover device disclosed herein may also be that at least one of the protrusions is arranged on the central portion of the panel portion of the cover arm for mounting the outer panel, and a plurality of fixing portions for fixing the outer panel are arranged on the outer periphery of the panel portion of the cover arm, and the plurality of fixing portions are arranged on the outer periphery in a manner of clamping at least one of the protrusions.

[0008] In this way, since the fixing portion of the outer panel is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the cover arm so as to sandwich the protrusion, it is possible to suppress the outer panel made of resin from warping in a manner of being recessed toward the cover arm due to water absorption.

[0009] The vehicle cover device disclosed herein may also be that when the cover arm is installed on the vehicle body, a plurality of reinforcing ribs extending in the up-down direction of the vehicle are erected on the outer surface of the panel portion, the plurality of reinforcing ribs are arranged in a transverse direction with gaps therebetween, and the protrusion protrudes from the front end of the reinforcing ribs toward the outer panel.

[0010] Thus, the gaps between the reinforcing ribs can be used as drainage paths for draining water from the space between the cover arm and the outer panel, and accumulation of water in the space between the cover arm and the outer panel can be suppressed.

[0011] The present disclosure can suppress the warping of a resin outer panel of a vehicle cover. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Features, advantages, technical and industrial significance of embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements.

[0013] Figure 1 It is a perspective view of the cover device according to the embodiment, and is a view showing a state in which the outer panel is removed.

[0014] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a cover device according to an embodiment, Figure 1 Section II-II is shown.

[0015] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional view of a cover device of a comparative example.

[0016] Figure 4 It is a top view showing other shapes of reinforcing ribs and protrusions. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Next, a vehicle lid device (hereinafter referred to as lid device 100) according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FR, UP, and RH shown in each figure represent the front side, the upper side, and the right side of the vehicle to which the lid device 100 is installed, respectively. In addition, the opposite directions of FR, UP, and RH represent the rear side, the lower side, and the left side. In the following description, the lid device 100 installed in the vehicle closes the fuel supply opening 52 (refer to FIG. 1 ) provided on the side of the vehicle body 50. Figure 2 ) are described as the front side, upper side, and right side of the vehicle in the state of being turned off, respectively.

[0018] like Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, the cover device 100 is a device for opening and closing the fuel supply opening 52 provided in the vehicle body 50. The fuel supply opening 52 is provided with a fuel supply port 60. The cover device 100 is composed of a cover arm 10 and an outer panel 40. The cover arm 10 is rotatably mounted on the vehicle body 50 and is a member for opening and closing the fuel supply opening 52 provided on the side of the vehicle body 50. The outer panel 40 is a resin plate member mounted on the outer side of the cover arm 10 and having a surface 42 constituting the exterior design surface of the vehicle body 50.

[0019] The cover arm 10 is composed of a mounting portion 20 and a panel portion 30. The mounting portion 20 is composed of a tube 22 rotatably mounted on the vehicle body 50 and an arm 21 bent from the tube 22 and extending toward the outside of the vehicle body 50. The panel portion 30 is a plate-shaped portion connected to the front end of the arm 21. An outer panel 40 is mounted on the outer surface 32 of the outer side of the panel portion 30. The panel portion 30 includes a base panel 31, a plurality of reinforcing ribs 33, a plurality of protrusions 34, and a plurality of engaging claws 35U, 35L, 36U, 36L, 37U, 37L. The plurality of engaging claws 35U, 35L, 36U, 36L, 37U, 37L constitute a fixing portion.

[0020] The base panel 31 is a thin tray-type component consisting of a roughly octagonal plate portion 31A and a flange 31B erected at the outer peripheral end of the plate portion 31A. The reinforcing rib 33 is a plate component extending in a zigzag shape in the up-down direction and provided on the outer surface 32 of the plate portion 31A on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. A plurality of reinforcing ribs 33 are arranged in a plurality at intervals in the transverse direction. In addition, the transverse direction is the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The protrusion 34 is provided on each curved portion of each reinforcing rib 33. Each protrusion 34 protrudes from the front end of the reinforcing rib 33 toward the outer panel 40, and the front end of each protrusion 34 is in contact with the back surface 46. Three engaging claws 35U, 36U, and 37U are arranged in a row from the rear of the vehicle to the front of the vehicle on the outer peripheral portion of the upper side of the plate portion 31A. In addition, three engaging claws 35L, 36L, and 37L are arranged in a row from the rear of the vehicle to the front of the vehicle on the outer peripheral portion of the lower side of the plate portion 31A. In addition, a pedestal portion 38 protruding from the plate portion 31A is provided at the rear end portion of the base panel 31. In addition, a pedestal portion 39 protruding from the plate portion 31A is provided at the front portion of the base panel 31.

[0021] The plurality of engaging claws 35U, 35L, 36U, 36L, 37U, 37L are arranged three each on the outer periphery of the upper side and the outer periphery of the lower side of the plate portion 31A in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Therefore, the plurality of protrusions 34 are arranged in the central portion of the plate portion 31A in a manner surrounded by the plurality of engaging claws 35U, 35L, 36U, 36L, 37U, 37L. Therefore, each protrusion 34 is clamped by any two of the plurality of engaging claws 35U, 35L, 36U, 36L, 37U, 37L in the up-down direction, the front-rear direction, or the oblique direction. For example, Figure 2As shown, the three protrusions 34 arranged in the center in the vertical direction are clamped by the engaging claws 36U and the engaging claws 36L arranged in the upper and lower outer peripheral parts. In this way, the plurality of engaging claws 35U, 35L, 36U, 36L, 37U, 37L are arranged in a manner to clamp at least one protrusion 34 from the vertical direction, the front-back direction or the oblique direction.

[0022] The outer panel 40 is composed of a panel body 41 and a plurality of engaging claws 43. Figure 1 As shown, the panel body 41 is a rectangular resin plate member, and the surface 42 constitutes the exterior design surface of the vehicle body 50. The engaging claws 43 are vertically provided on the back surface 46 of the panel body 41. The engaging claws 43 are provided at positions corresponding to the multiple engaging claws 35U, 35L, 36U, 36L, 37U, and 37L provided on the base panel 31, and each front end engages with the multiple engaging claws 35U, 35L, 36U, 36L, 37U, and 37L. Figure 2 As shown, when each engagement claw 43 is engaged with the plurality of engagement claws 35U, 35L, 36U, 36L, 37U, 37L, the outer periphery of the panel body 41 abuts against the front end of the flange 31B of the base panel 31 and the front ends of the plurality of protrusions 34. In addition, the surface 42 of the upper end 44 and the lower end 45 of the panel body 41 is substantially flush with the design surface of the side panel 51 of the vehicle body 50.

[0023] The surface 42 and the back surface 46 of the panel body 41 are coated with paint. The thickness of the coating film on the surface 42 is thicker than the thickness of the coating film on the back surface 46.

[0024] Next, a case where water falls on the cover device 100 will be described. When water falls on the cover device 100, the water falls on the surface 42 and the back surface 46 of the outer panel 40. The outer panel 40 is made of resin, so the outer panel 40 absorbs the water falling on the surface 42 and swells. As described above, the coating thickness of the surface 42 is thicker than the coating thickness of the back surface 46, so water is easier to penetrate into the back surface 46 than the surface 42. Therefore, the amount of water absorbed by the panel body 41 from the back surface 46 is greater than the amount of water absorbed by the panel body 41 from the surface 42, and the amount of swelling near the back surface 46 is greater than the amount of swelling near the surface 42. As a result, the panel body 41 warps in a manner of being recessed toward the plate portion 31A of the base panel 31, and the upper end 44 and the lower end 45 tend to float from the design surface of the side panel 51. However, since the protrusion 34 is arranged on the plate portion 31A so as to be in contact with the back surface 46 of the outer panel 40, the warping of the panel body 41 is restrained. In this way, the cover device 100 according to the embodiment can suppress the warping of the outer panel 40 when it is wet.

[0025] In addition, if Figure 1As shown by the dotted line 91 in FIG. 8 , water that has entered between the outer panel 40 and the base panel 31 flows downward through the gaps between the plurality of reinforcing ribs 33 and is discharged from the lower portion of the base panel 31 .

[0026] Next, refer to Figure 3 The case where rainwater falls on the comparative cover device 110 is described. The comparative cover device 110 has the same structure as the previously described cover device 100 except that a reinforcing rib 133 not including the protrusion 34 is erected on the plate portion 31A of the base panel 31 instead of the reinforcing rib 33 .

[0027] Falling in water Figure 3 In the case of the cover device 110 of the comparative example shown in FIG. 1 , since there is no protrusion 34, Figure 3 As shown by the middle dotted line, the panel body 41 is warped and deformed so as to be recessed toward the plate portion 31A of the base panel 31. Therefore, the upper end 44 and the lower end 45 of the panel body 41 are lifted, and a step is formed between the panel body 41 and the design surface of the side panel 51 of the vehicle body 50.

[0028] On the other hand, in the lid device 100 of the embodiment, as described above, when a person falls into water, the protrusions 34 can restrain the warping of the panel body 41 and suppress the warping deformation of the outer panel 40 .

[0029] In this way, the cover device 100 is provided with a plurality of engaging claws 35U, 35L, 36U, 36L, 37U, and 37L for fixing the outer panel 40 on the outer periphery of the base panel 31 in a manner of clamping the protrusion 34. Moreover, the protrusion 34 is in contact with the back surface 46 of the outer panel 40. Thus, it is possible to suppress the outer panel 40 made of resin that swells due to water absorption from warping and deforming in a manner of being recessed toward the base panel 31. In addition, it is possible to suppress the upper end 44 and the lower end 45 from floating due to warping, and suppress the reduction of the aesthetics.

[0030] In the cover device 100, the gaps between the plurality of reinforcing ribs 33 constitute a drainage path for draining water from the space between the base panel 31 and the outer panel 40. This can prevent water from accumulating in the space between the base panel 31 and the outer panel 40.

[0031] Next, refer to Figure 4 The reinforcing ribs 33A of other shapes and the protrusions 34A of other shapes are described. The reinforcing ribs 33A of other shapes are similar to those previously described. Figure 1 , Figure 2 The reinforcing ribs 33 described above are similarly provided upright on the outer surface 32 of the plate portion 31A of the base panel 31. Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 1 , the reinforcing rib 33A is composed of a plurality of rib units 33B. Each rib unit 33B is formed by combining rectangular flat plates 33C and 33D into a T-shape. Figure 4 In the figure, one rib unit 33B is indicated by hatching. The reinforcing rib 33A connects the rib unit 33B up and down in such a way that the directions of the flat plates 33C and 33D of the T-shaped rib unit 33B become inclined directions. A protrusion 34A protruding from the front end of the flat plate 33C toward the outer panel 40 is provided at the connection portion between the flat plate 33C and the flat plate 33D. The front end of the protrusion 34A contacts the back surface 46 of the outer panel 40.

[0032] like Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 1 , a plurality of reinforcing ribs 33A are arranged on the plate portion 31A at intervals in the lateral direction. Figure 4 As shown by the dotted line 92 in FIG. 8 , the gaps between the plurality of reinforcing ribs 33A constitute a drainage path from the space between the base panel 31 and the outer panel 40 .

[0033] Instead of the reinforcing ribs 33 and protrusions 34 described above, Figure 4 The cover device 100 with the reinforcing rib 33A and the protrusion 34A in other shapes shown can also suppress the warping deformation of the outer panel 40 when water falls, as described above. In addition, it can suppress the accumulation of water in the space between the base panel 31 and the outer panel 40.

[0034] The cover device 100 described above is described as a structure for opening and closing the oil supply opening 52 provided on the side of the vehicle body 50, but is not limited to this, and may also be configured to open and close a power supply opening (not shown) provided on the side of the vehicle body 50. In addition, the cover device 100 may also be configured to open and close a power supply opening provided on the front surface or the rear surface of the vehicle body 50. In addition, when the cover device 100 is provided on the front surface or the rear surface of the vehicle body 50, the lateral direction of the cover device 100 is the vehicle width direction.

[0035] In the above description, the protrusion 34 is described as being provided at the front end of the reinforcing rib 33 , but the present invention is not limited thereto and the protrusion 34 may be provided on the outer surface 32 of the plate portion 31A independently of the reinforcing rib 33 .

Claims

1. A vehicle cover device, comprising: A cover arm is rotatably mounted on a vehicle body to open and close an opening for oil supply or an opening for electricity supply provided on the vehicle body; and The outer panel is installed on the outer side of the cover arm, and the surface constitutes the appearance design surface of the vehicle body. The cover arm includes at least one protrusion that protrudes toward the outer panel and whose front end contacts the back surface of the outer panel.

2. The vehicle cover device according to claim 1, wherein: At least one of the protrusions is provided at a central portion of a panel portion of the cover arm on which the outer panel is mounted, A plurality of fixing portions for fixing the outer panel are provided on the outer periphery of the panel portion of the cover arm. The plurality of fixing portions are arranged on the outer peripheral portion so as to sandwich at least one of the protrusions.

3. The vehicle cover device according to claim 2, wherein: When the cover arm is mounted on the vehicle body, a plurality of reinforcing ribs extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle are erected on the outer surface of the panel portion. The plurality of reinforcing ribs are arranged in a horizontal direction with gaps therebetween. The protrusion protrudes from a front end of the reinforcement rib toward the outer panel.

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