Guide rail hinge system, electric sliding door and vehicle body
By designing a guide rail hinge system with extensions, the problem of excessive space occupancy of the electric sliding door guide rail hinge system when entering the occupant cabin is solved, and the assembly process of the front and rear pulling wires is simplified, improving space utilization and occupant comfort.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202421838181.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-07-31
- Publication Date
- 2025-05-06
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-07-31
AI Technical Summary
The existing rail hinge system of electric sliding doors requires longer installation space when entering the direction of the passenger compartment, resulting in narrowing of the passenger compartment space, reducing space utilization, and the assembly of the front and rear cables is more difficult.
A guide rail hinge system is designed, in which a guide wheel is installed on the top support part of the hinge body, a load bearing wheel is installed on the support part, and a pull wire bracket is connected to the load bearing wheel and the guide wheel. The extension extends from the edge of the support part for installing the front pull wire and the rear pull wire, which reduces the space occupied by the guide wheel and simplifies the assembly process.
Through the design of the extension, sufficient assembly space is provided, which reduces the assembly difficulty of the front and rear pulling wires, and moves the front guide wheel to one side of the guide rail, without occupying the installation space at the front end of the guide rail, solving the space layout problem and improving the space utilization rate and occupant comfort in the car.
Smart Images
Figure CN222835602U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of side sliding doors, in particular to a guide rail hinge system, an electric sliding door and a vehicle body. Background Art
[0002] Today's MPV models are equipped with more and more electric sliding doors, making the vehicles more electrified and intelligent. The electric sliding doors are installed on the hinge body, and the hinge body slides along the length of the track. The track is L-shaped and divided into a front section and a rear section. The guide rail of the rear section is installed on the upper side of the vehicle side along the driving direction of the vehicle. The track is installed horizontally, and the guide rail of the front section is bent toward the passenger compartment inside the vehicle. An electric drive system is installed on the side of the track close to the interior of the vehicle. Front and rear pull wires extend from the front and rear sides of the electric drive system. An additional guide wheel is installed in the area where the front end of the track extends toward the passenger compartment. The front pull wire bypasses the front end of the track and is wrapped in the guide wheel, and then fixed on the hinge body. At the same time, the rear pull wire is also wrapped from the rear section of the track and finally fixed on the hinge body. The front and rear pull wires are pulled by the electric drive system to drive the hinge body to slide back and forth along the length of the track.
[0003] Usually, the guide wheel is installed at the end of the front section of the guide rail, and the front pull wire will pass around the end of the front section of the guide rail and then connect to the hinge body. Due to the overlapping length of the guide wheel and the front section of the guide rail, the guide wheel and the front section of the guide rail will occupy the length space in the direction of entering the passenger compartment, which will cause the guide wheel and the front section of the guide rail to require a longer installation space in the direction of entering the passenger compartment. Since the electric sliding door is installed on both sides of the vehicle, this will cause the guide rail hinge system of the electric sliding door to occupy the space of the passenger compartment from the left and right sides of the vehicle body to the inside, making the guide rail hinge system of the electric sliding door on both sides The closer the distance between the rail hinge systems, the narrower the space in the passenger compartment, which reduces the space utilization rate in the vehicle body and affects the comfort of the passengers. In addition, under the existing technology, the load-bearing wheels and the brackets for installing the front and rear cables are designed at the same position, that is, the front mounting holes and the rear mounting holes on the brackets are distributed on both sides of the load-bearing wheels. After the brackets are installed, the space reserved for the operator when fixing the front and rear cables is relatively narrow. Therefore, the front and rear cables need to be assembled first, and then the hinges are assembled to the guide rails. The distance between the front and rear cables is limited, and the assembly is difficult. Utility Model Content
[0004] The utility model aims to provide a guide rail hinge system, an electric sliding door and a vehicle body, which solves the problem of space arrangement of front guide wheels when the installation space at the front of the guide rail is narrow.
[0005] To achieve this object, the utility model adopts the following technical scheme: the utility model provides a guide rail hinge system, including a hinge body, the hinge body including a main body, a supporting portion on the upper side of the main body, a guide wheel installed on the supporting portion, a supporting portion on the lower side of the supporting portion, a load-bearing wheel installed on the supporting portion, a wire bracket installed between the load-bearing wheel and the guide wheel, the wire bracket extends to the side of the supporting portion to form an extension portion, the extension portion is connected to the front pull wire and the rear pull wire, the hinge body is installed on the guide rail, the guide rail is provided with a through hole, the front pull wire is connected to the wire bracket through the through hole.
[0006] Preferably, the extension portion is provided with a front hole and a rear hole, the front pull wire is passed through and wrapped in the front hole, the rear pull wire is passed through and wrapped in the rear hole, the guide rail has a bottom plate on the lower side and a top plate on the upper side, the top plate and the bottom plate are connected by side plates, and the side plates in the guide rail are provided with through holes.
[0007] Preferably, the wire bracket is provided with a first through hole, and the support portion is provided with a second through hole, and the bolt passes through the first through hole and the second through hole and is screwed and fastened with a nut.
[0008] Preferably, the extension portion is formed with a first layer plate and a second layer plate, the first layer plate is provided with the front hole and the rear hole, the second layer plate is provided with the first fixing hole and the second fixing hole, notches are formed on the first fixing hole and the second fixing hole, the first fixing hole is coaxial with the front hole, the second fixing hole is coaxial with the rear hole, a first pull wire rod is vertically installed at the end of the front pull wire, and a second pull wire rod is vertically installed at the end of the rear pull wire, both ends of the first pull wire rod are inserted into the front hole and the first fixing hole, and both ends of the second pull wire rod are inserted into the rear hole and the second fixing hole.
[0009] Preferably, a main board is formed on the extension portion, a first column and a second column are mounted on the upper side of the main board, the ring at the end of the front pull wire is sleeved on the first column, and the ring at the end of the rear pull wire is sleeved on the second column.
[0010] Preferably, the guide rail hinge system also includes a guide rail and an electric drive component, the guide rail includes a front rail and a rear rail, the front rail is bent toward the side of the vehicle's passenger compartment, the guide wheel is abutted against the top plate, the load-bearing wheel is pressed against the bottom plate, and a front guide wheel is installed on the side panel on the side of the through hole away from the hinge body, the front pull wire and the rear pull wire extend from both sides of the electric drive component, the front pull wire is wrapped around the front guide wheel and passes through the through hole, the front pull wire is connected to the hinge body, and the rear pull wire is installed on the hinge body through the rear guide wheel.
[0011] Preferably, the top plate is U-shaped, the opening of the top plate faces downward, and the rolling surface of the guide wheel abuts between two side surfaces of the top plate.
[0012] Preferably, a bottom supporting portion is formed at the lower side of the supporting portion, a rotating rod is mounted on the bottom supporting portion, and a door body can be mounted on the rotating rod.
[0013] An electric sliding door comprises the guide rail hinge system described above, and the electric sliding door further comprises a door body, wherein the door body is connected to the hinge body.
[0014] A vehicle body, comprising the above-mentioned electric sliding door, side panels are installed at the rear of both sides of the vehicle body, guide rails are installed on the upper side of the side panels, and the door body is installed on the side panel close to the front of the vehicle.
[0015] Beneficial effect: The extension part extends out from the edge of the supporting part, which reserves enough space for the operator to assemble the front and rear pull wires, making it easy for the operator to install the front and rear pull wire brackets on the extension part, making the assembly easier. At the same time, the front guide wheel is moved to one side of the guide rail without occupying the installation space at the front end of the guide rail, solving the problem of the space layout of the front guide wheel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] Figure 1 This is the main diagram of the guide rail hinge system of the utility model;
[0017] Figure 2 This is the installation diagram of the guide rail hinge system of the utility model;
[0018] Figure 3 It is a side view of the vehicle body of the utility model;
[0019] Figure 4 This is the main diagram of the guide rail of the utility model;
[0020] Figure 5 This is the main body diagram of the hinge body of the utility model;
[0021] Figure 6 This is the main body diagram of the wire-pulling bracket of the utility model;
[0022] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of a hinge bracket with a main board of the utility model.
[0023] In the figure: 1, guide rail; 11, front track; 111, through hole; 12, rear track; 13, top plate; 14, bottom plate; 15, side plate; 2, electric drive component; 21, front pull wire; 22, rear pull wire; 3, hinge body; 31, main body; 311, top support part; 312, guide wheel; 313, bottom support part; 314, support part; 3141, second through hole; 315, load-bearing wheel; 316, rotating rod; 32, pull wire bracket; 321, first through hole; 33, extension part; 331, first layer board; 3311, front hole; 3312, rear hole; 332, second layer board; 3321, first fixing hole; 3322, second fixing hole; 333, main board; 334, first column; 335, second column; 4, front guide wheel; 5, rear guide wheel; 6, door body; 7, side enclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] The present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It is to be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts related to the present invention, rather than all structures, are shown in the accompanying drawings.
[0025] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected", "connected", and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.
[0026] In the present utility model, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or may include that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.
[0027] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc., and the orientation or position relationship are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of description and simplified operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish in the description and have no special meaning.
[0028] Under the existing technology, the front guide wheel can be installed before the front section of the guide rail, so that the front pull wire can bypass the end of the front section of the rail and then connect to the hinge. The position of the front guide wheel will increase the total length of the space invading the interior of the vehicle. The front section of the guide rail extends into the interior space of the vehicle, occupying the space inside the vehicle. Since the front guide wheel is also installed at the end of the front section of the guide rail, the front guide wheel will also occupy the space inside the vehicle. This will make the space required for the installation of the electric sliding doors on both sides of the vehicle thicker. Since the original width of the vehicle cannot be changed, the width of the space inside the vehicle is narrowed, resulting in low space utilization inside the vehicle.
[0029] In order to solve the above problems, Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the utility model provides a guide rail hinge system, which includes a hinge body 3, and the hinge body 3 also includes a main body 31. The main body 31 is bent twice and divided into three sections, respectively forming a top supporting portion 311, a supporting portion 314 and a bottom supporting portion 313. The upper side of the main body 31 is bent to form the top supporting portion 311, and a rotating shaft is installed on the top supporting portion 311. The rotating shaft is perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and a guide wheel 312 is installed on the rotating shaft. The top plate 13 is U-shaped, and the opening of the top plate 13 faces downward. The rolling surface of the guide wheel 312 abuts against both sides of the top plate 13. A load-bearing wheel 315 is installed on the supporting portion 314, and a wire bracket 32 is installed between the load-bearing wheel 315 and the guide wheel 312. The wire bracket extends to the side of the support portion 314 to form an extension portion 33, and the extension portion 33 is connected to the front pull wire 21 and the rear pull wire 22, so as to fix the wire bracket 32 between the load-bearing wheel 315 and the guide wheel 312.
[0030] The guide rail hinge system also includes a guide rail 1 and an electric drive component 2. The guide rail 1 includes a front track 11 and a rear track 12. The front track 11 is bent toward the passenger compartment of the vehicle. A top plate 13 is installed on the upper side of the guide rail 1. A bottom plate 14 is installed on the lower side of the guide rail 1. A hinge body 3 is installed between the top plate 13 and the bottom plate 14. The top plate 13 and the bottom plate 14 are connected by a side plate 15. A through hole 111 is opened on the side plate 15 in the front track 11. A front guide wheel 4 is installed on the side plate 15 on the side of the through hole 111 away from the hinge body 3. The electric drive component 2, a front cable 21 and a rear cable 22 extend from both sides. The front cable 21 is wound around the front guide wheel 4 and then passes through the through hole 111. The front cable 21 is connected to the hinge body 3, and the rear cable 22 is installed on the hinge body 3 through the rear guide wheel 5. A guide wheel 312 is installed on the top of the hinge body 3, and a load-bearing wheel 315 is installed on the bottom of the hinge body 3. A cable bracket 32 is installed between the guide wheel 312 and the load-bearing wheel 315. The cable bracket 32 is flush with the middle of the side plate 15, and the cable bracket 32 is connected to the front cable 21 and the rear cable 22 respectively.
[0031] The front guide wheel 4 can turn the front pull wire 21 so that the front pull wire 21 is turned and connected to the target structure. Since a through hole 111 is provided on the side plate 15 on the front track 11, the front pull wire 21 can pass through the through hole 111 to connect with the hinge body 3. In order to make the front pull wire 21 turn at the position of the through hole 111, the front guide wheel 4 is installed on the side of the side plate 15 away from the hinge body 3, so that the installation positions of the front guide wheel 4 and the front track 11 can overlap, and the front pull wire 21 directly passes through the side plate from the middle. 15, adjust the cable bracket 32 to the middle of the hinge body 3, so as to directly connect with the front cable 21, and project it perpendicular to the side panel 15. At this time, the front guide wheel 4 and the front track 11 are in a superimposed state. In this installation form, only the front track 11 occupies the space on the side of the cabin entering the vehicle, reducing the space occupied by the front guide wheel 4. Since the installation position of the front guide wheel 4 coincides with the front track 11, the space inside the vehicle can be increased, the space utilization rate inside the vehicle is improved, and the comfort of the passengers is also improved. Since the front guide wheel 4 is installed on the guide rail 1, the guide rail 1 needs to be increased (the height perpendicular to the ground), and the width of the side panel is increased by 22mm, which can also be determined according to the space requirements for the front guide wheel 4 to be arranged in the middle of the guide rail 1.
[0032] The hinge body 3 also includes a main body 31, which is in a sheet shape. The upper side of the main body 31 is bent to form a supporting portion 311. A rotating shaft is installed on the supporting portion 311, and the rotating shaft is perpendicular to the horizontal plane. A guide wheel 312 is installed on the rotating shaft. The top plate 13 is U-shaped, and the opening of the top plate 13 faces downward. The rolling surface of the guide wheel 312 abuts against both sides of the top plate 13.
[0033] The main body 31 is bent to form a bottom supporting portion 313 , on which a rotating rod 316 is vertically mounted, on which the door body 6 is mounted, and the rotating rod 316 can be connected to the door body 6 .
[0034] The main body 31 of the hinge body 3 of the utility model is in the form of a sheet, and its upper and lower sides are bent to form a top supporting part 311 and a bottom supporting part 313. This structure can be convenient for material collection and processing. At the same time, the guide wheel 312 is connected to the top of the track, so that the hinge body 3 can be turned between the front track 11 and the rear track 12, so as to facilitate the movement of the door body 6.
[0035] The bottom supporting part 313 and the top supporting part 311 are connected by a supporting part 314, the angle between the supporting part 314 and the top supporting part 311 is 90°, the angle between the supporting part 314 and the bottom supporting part 313 is 90°, and the side of the supporting part 314 close to the through hole 111 is equipped with a load-bearing wheel 315, which abuts against the bottom plate 14 at the lower side. The load-bearing wheel 315 is mainly responsible for supporting the weight of the door body 6, so that the external force required during the movement of the door body 6 is smaller.
[0036] The support part 314 is detachably connected with a wire bracket 32 in the middle part in a direction perpendicular to the ground. The support part can be connected by welding, riveting or other methods. The wire bracket 32 is installed between the load-bearing wheel 315 and the guide wheel 312, so that the hinge body 3 is more integrated. The wire bracket 32 extends to the outside of the side of the support part 314 to form an extension part 33. The extension part 33 is arranged on one side of the support part 314, which is convenient for workers to install during the subsequent installation of the front pull wire 21 and the rear pull wire 22, and sufficient installation space is reserved for operators and workers. At the same time, a front hole 3311 and a rear hole 3312 are opened on the extension part 33 through which the front pull wire 21 is passed through and wrapped in the front hole 3311, and the rear pull wire 22 is passed through and wrapped in the rear hole 3312.
[0037] The wire bracket 32 is provided with a first through hole 321 , and the support portion 314 is provided with a second through hole 3141 . The bolt passes through the first through hole 321 and the second through hole 3141 and is screwed and fastened with a nut.
[0038] The extension portion 33 is bent in opposite directions to form a first layer plate 331 and a second layer plate 332. The first layer plate 331 and the second layer plate 332 are parallel to each other. The first layer plate 331 is provided with a front hole 3311 and a rear hole 3312, and the second layer plate 332 is provided with a first fixing hole 3321 and a second fixing hole 3322. Notches are formed on the first fixing hole 3321 and the second fixing hole 3322. The first fixing hole 3321 is coaxial with the front hole 3311, and the second fixing hole 3322 is coaxial with the rear hole 3312. A first pull rod is vertically installed at the end of the front pull wire 21, and a second pull rod is vertically installed at the end of the rear pull wire 22. Both ends of the first pull rod are inserted into the front hole 3311 and the first fixing hole 3321, and both ends of the second pull rod are inserted into the rear hole 3312 and the second fixing hole 3322. The extension portion 33 extends from the side of the support portion 314 , and the extension portion 33 is away from the hinge body 3 , leaving enough installation space for the installer, so as to facilitate the subsequent installation of the front pull wire 21 and the rear pull wire 22 by the installer.
[0039] Press the first pull rod into the first fixing hole 3321 along the notch, and press the second pull rod into the second fixing hole 3322 along the notch. Then, insert the other end of the first pull rod into the front hole 3311, and insert the second pull rod into the rear hole 3312, so as to realize the rapid fixation of the front pull wire 21 and the rear pull wire 22 to the hinge body 3. At this time, the front pull wire 21 and the rear pull wire 22 are placed between the first layer board 331 and the second presentation board, which is convenient for workers to connect and disassemble.
[0040] The electric sliding door also includes a door body 6, which is mounted on the guide rail hinge system. The door body 6 is driven to move by the hinge body 3. The rear of both sides of the body of the MPV vehicle are equipped with side panels 7, and the upper side of the side panels 7 is equipped with a rear track 12. The side panels 7 are close to the front side of the vehicle and are equipped with the door body 6.
[0041] In addition, the extension portion 33 can also be connected to the front pull wire 21 and the rear pull wire 22 in other forms, wherein a main board 333 is formed on the extension portion 33, and a first column 334 and a second column 335 are installed on the upper side of the main board 333, and the ring at the end of the front pull wire 21 is sleeved on the first column 334, and the ring of the rear pull wire 2 is sleeved on the second column 335. The installation form of the front pull wire 21 and the rear pull wire 22 is not limited to the two forms of the utility model, and can also be replaced by other detachable connection forms. In addition, the front pull wire 21 and the rear pull wire 22 can also be fixed to the first column 334 and the second column 335 by welding.
[0042] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for the purpose of clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation methods of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, various obvious changes, readjustments and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. It is not necessary and impossible to list all implementation methods here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included in the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.
Claims
1. A guide rail hinge system, characterized in that: The hinge body (3) comprises a main body (31), the main body (31) having a supporting portion (311) on the upper side, a guide wheel (312) installed on the supporting portion (311), a supporting portion (314) on the lower side of the supporting portion (311), a load-bearing wheel (315) installed on the supporting portion (314), a wire support bracket (32) installed between the load-bearing wheel (315) and the guide wheel (312), the wire support bracket (32) extending to the side of the supporting portion (314) to form an extension portion (33), the extension portion (33) being connected to a front wire (21) and a rear wire (22), the hinge body (3) being installed on a guide rail (1), a through hole (111) being provided on the guide rail (1), the front wire (21) being connected to the wire support bracket (32) through the through hole (111).
2. The guide rail hinge system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The extension portion (33) is provided with a front hole (3311) and a rear hole (3312); the front pull wire (21) is passed through and wound in the front hole (3311); the rear pull wire (22) is passed through and wound in the rear hole (3312); the guide rail (1) has a bottom plate (14) on the lower side and a top plate (13) on the upper side; the top plate (13) and the bottom plate (14) are connected via a side plate (15); and a through hole (111) is provided on the side plate (15) in the guide rail (1).
3. The guide rail hinge system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The wire support bracket (32) is provided with a first through hole (321), and the support portion (314) is provided with a second through hole (3141). The bolt passes through the first through hole (321) and the second through hole (3141) and is screwed and fastened with a nut.
4. The guide rail hinge system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The extension portion (33) is formed with a first layer plate (331) and a second layer plate (332), the first layer plate (331) is provided with the front hole (3311) and the rear hole (3312), the second layer plate (332) is provided with a first fixing hole (3321) and a second fixing hole (3322), notches are formed on the first fixing hole (3321) and the second fixing hole (3322), the first fixing hole (3321) is coaxial with the front hole (3311), the second fixing hole (3322) is coaxial with the rear hole (3312), a first wire rod is vertically installed at the end of the front pull wire (21), and a second wire rod is vertically installed at the end of the rear pull wire (22), two ends of the first wire rod are inserted into the front hole (3311) and the first fixing hole (3321), and two ends of the second wire rod are inserted into the rear hole (3312) and the second fixing hole (3322).
5. The guide rail hinge system according to claim 2, characterized in that: A main board (333) is formed on the extension portion (33), and a first column (334) and a second column (335) are installed on the upper side of the main board. The ring at the end of the front pull wire (21) is sleeved on the first column (334), and the ring of the rear pull wire (22) is sleeved on the second column (335).
6. The guide rail hinge system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The guide rail hinge system also includes a guide rail (1) and an electric drive component (2), wherein the guide rail (1) includes a front track (11) and a rear track (12), wherein the front track (11) is bent toward one side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle, the guide wheel (312) is in contact with the top plate (13), the load-bearing wheel (315) is pressed against the bottom plate (14), a front guide wheel (4) is installed on the side plate (15) on the side of the through hole (111) away from the hinge body (3), the front pull wire (21) and the rear pull wire (22) extend from both sides of the electric drive component (2), the front pull wire (21) is wound around the front guide wheel (4) and passes through the through hole (111), the front pull wire (21) is connected to the hinge body (3), and the rear pull wire (22) is installed on the hinge body (3) through the rear guide wheel (5).
7. The guide rail hinge system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The top plate (13) is U-shaped, the opening of the top plate (13) faces downward, and the rolling surface of the guide wheel (312) abuts between two side surfaces of the top plate (13).
8. The guide rail hinge system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A bottom supporting portion (313) is formed on the lower side of the support portion (314), a rotating rod (316) is installed on the bottom supporting portion (313), and a door body (6) can be installed on the rotating rod (316).
9. An electric sliding door, characterized in that: Including the guide rail hinge system according to claim 8, the electric sliding door also includes a door body (6), and the door body (6) is connected to the hinge body (3).
10. A vehicle body, characterized in that: It comprises the electric sliding door as claimed in claim 9, wherein the rear parts of both sides of the vehicle body are provided with side panels (7), the upper sides of the side panels (7) are provided with guide rails (1), and the door body (6) is provided on the side of the side panels (7) close to the front of the vehicle.