FRONT TRUNK OF A VEHICLE

Abstract

A front trunk of a vehicle having a storage bin provided with a recess for receiving one or more items. A sealing assembly is arranged along a peripheral portion of a top surface of the storage bin. The assembly surrounds the recess formed in the storage bin. The assembly includes a fixed sealing member secured to a mounting groove defined along the peripheral portion of the top surface of the storage bin and subdivided at a predefined portion to define a receiving space. A tappet is movably arranged in the receiving space defined in the fixed sealing member and is slidable relative to opening and closing of the hood. The assembly further includes a movable sealing member movably arranged adjacent to the receiving space and operatively coupled to the tappet.

Description

PREAMBLE FOR DESCRIPTIONIn the following description, the invention and the manner in which it is to be carried out will be explained in more detail.TECHNICAL FIELDThe present disclosure relates generally to the field of motor vehicles. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present disclosure relates to the front structure of a vehicle. Further embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a front trunk of the vehicle.BACKGROUNDIn recent years, demand for automobiles has been rapidly increasing. With the development of society, cars have become a need for transporting goods and people from one place to another. The human life standard is constantly improving and at the same time the demands of the human are also increasing. In recent years, the concept and types of vehicles for transportation have changed with the development of autonomous vehicles and electric vehicles. Some elements or components of the automobile / vehicle have become a standard for automobile manufacturers to include them in the respective vehicle category. These elements have become standard elements because they protect the components mounted on the vehicle frame and impart aesthetic value to the vehicle. Some of these components or elements are bumper, fenders, hood panels, and the like.The hood of the vehicle plays an important role because it protects the components such as engine, compressor, radiator, washer fluid and the like installed in the hood. This hood is also present in electric vehicles. In electric vehicles, the hood is configured to cover a storage compartment / front trunk and also to receive the washer fluid reservoir. In order to protect the interior of the hood from water, dust and animals or insects, a sealing element is provided. Generally, the hood of the vehicle is pivotally connected to a vehicle frame at two hinge points and is slidable between open and closed states. In order for the hood to be easily brought into the closed state, sufficient air must be able to escape from the front trunk. In the present situation, the air pressure in the front trunk room increases, which leads to difficulties in closing the hood.The prior art discloses an engine compartment and a seal assembly. For example, IN2021111033301A discloses a sealing assembly for sealing a portion of an engine room of a vehicle. However, the prior art does not address one or other problem discussed in the background.The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more of the foregoing or other limitations associated with the prior art.The information disclosed in this Background of the Disclosure section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or an indication that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREOne or more deficiencies of conventional systems are overcome and additional advantages are provided by the mechanism as claimed in the present disclosure. Additional features and advantages are realized by the techniques of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered part of the claimed disclosure.In a non-limiting embodiment of the disclosure, a front trunk of a vehicle is described. The front trunk comprises a storage container provided with a recess for receiving one or more items. A seal assembly is disposed along a peripheral portion of a top surface of the storage container. The seal assembly surrounds the recess formed in the storage container. The seal assembly includes a fixed seal member fixed to a mounting groove defined along the perimeter portion of the top of the storage container. The fixed seal member is divided at a predetermined portion to define a receiving space. A plunger is movably disposed in the accommodating space defined in the fixed sealing member and is slidable relative to opening and closing of the hood. The seal assembly further includes a movable seal member movably disposed adjacent the receiving space and operatively coupled to the plunger. The movable seal member is configured to translate in a direction opposite to translation of the plunger relative to the hood.In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the plunger is slidable between a released and a compressed position relative to the displacement of the hood between an open state and a closed state. The displacement of the hood to the open state displaces the plunger to the released position and the displacement of the hood to the closed state displaces the plunger to the compressed position. The displacement of the plunger to the released position displaces the movable sealing member to an open state and the displacement of the plunger to the compressed state displaces the movable sealing member to the sealed state.In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the plunger includes a plunger head and a second connecting member extending downward from the plunger head. The second connecting member of the plunger is operatively coupled to a first connecting member that is secured to the movable sealing member by a link. The connecting member is a scissors member. The plunger is spring biased to the released position and the movable seal member is spring biased to the sealed position.In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the fixed and movable seal members are comprised of elastomeric materials including industrial rubber and an ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber.The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments and features described above, other aspects, embodiments and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGSThe novel features and characteristics of the disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. The disclosure itself, as well as a mode of use, other objects and advantages thereof, will, however, be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of an embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. One or more embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like elements, and in which: FIG. 1 shows an example perspective view of a vehicle having a front trunk, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 shows an example schematic view of a seal assembly for the front trunk according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 shows another perspective view of the front trunk seal assembly of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 4 aand 4 b show a schematic side view of the seal assembly illustrating operation of the seal assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.The figures show embodiments of the disclosure, which are for illustrative purposes only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the apparatus illustrated herein may be used without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONWhile the embodiments described in the disclosure are subject to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the figures and will be described below. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular form shown, but on the contrary, is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.It should be appreciated that one skilled in the art would be motivated by the present disclosure and modify various features of the front-trunk arrangement of a vehicle without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Therefore, such modifications are considered part of the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings show only the specific details that are relevant to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure in order not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the present description. Additionally, the system of the present disclosure may be used in any type of vehicle, including commercial vehicles, passenger cars, and the like. However, for convenience, neither the vehicle nor the entire vehicle frame of the vehicle is illustrated in the drawings of the disclosure.The terms "comprises...a", "comprising", or other variations thereof used in the disclosure are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a system comprising a list of components not only comprises those components, but may also comprise other components not expressly listed or associated with such a mechanism. In other words, one or more elements in a mechanism continuing with "comprises... a" does not exclude, without further limitations, the presence of other or additional elements in the system or device.Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a front trunk with a seal assembly. The seal assembly of the present disclosure ensures that a hood of the vehicle can be closed without significant effort. In addition, the sealing arrangement also ensures air tightness. The sealing arrangement prevents the ingress of dust, water and insects / animals. The seal assembly according to the present disclosure is substantially inexpensive and simple. The seal assembly may be installed in existing vehicle lines.The trunk of the present disclosure includes a storage container provided with a recess for receiving one or more articles. A seal assembly may be disposed along a perimeter portion of a top surface of the storage container. The mounting arrangement includes a solid sealing member secured to a mounting groove defined along the perimeter portion of the top surface of the storage container. The fixed seal member is divided at a predetermined portion to define a receiving space. A plunger may be movably disposed in the accommodating space defined in the fixed sealing member and may be slid relative to opening and closing of a hood. The sealing arrangement further comprises a movable sealing element, which is arranged movably next to the receiving space and is operatively coupled to the plunger. The movable seal member is configured to translate in a direction opposite to translation of the plunger relative to the hood. The system is explained below in conjunction with the corresponding figures.In the following paragraphs, the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS.( s) 1 to 4 b. In the figure, the same element or elements having similar functions are denoted by the same reference numerals. Referring generally to the drawings, a trunk for a vehicle in accordance with the teachings of the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure is illustrated and generally designated by the reference numeral 100 in the corresponding figures. In the figures, a part [front part] of the vehicle is shown with the trunk 100. Other features and / or elements of the trunk (100) of the vehicle are represented in the corresponding figures with corresponding reference numerals [see list of reference numerals], which will be used hereafter according to the respective features. It should be understood that the teachings of the present disclosure are not limited to a particular vehicle. Also, the corresponding figures only show a part of the vehicle, the entire vehicle is not shown in the corresponding figures for simplicity.The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the application and use. Moreover, there is no intention to be bound by any theory set forth in the foregoing background or in the summary or in the following detailed description. It is to be understood that the disclosure may take various alternative orientations and sequences of steps, unless expressly stated otherwise. It is also to be understood that the specific devices or components illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification are merely exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Therefore, specific dimensions or other physical properties relating to the embodiments are not to be considered as limiting, unless expressly stated otherwise in the claims. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some specific terms are used that point in a particular direction, the use of these terms or words is merely intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Accordingly, it should be noted that the meaning of these terms or words should not unduly limit the technical scope of the present invention.Moreover, the term approximation such as "substantially" when used in relation to physical properties in the present disclosure should be understood to encompass a range of deviations that will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art to be satisfactory for a corresponding use, function, purpose, or the like. The term "substantially" is a descriptive term commonly used in disclosures to avoid strict numerical limitation of the specified parameter. The term "substantially" should be read in connection with the terms "perpendicular", "central", "circular", "along a radius", "vertical", "conformal", etc.It is also to be understood that the terminology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be considered as limiting. Unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "housed," "mounted," "connected," "supported," and "coupled," and variations thereof, are used in the broadest sense to include both direct and indirect attachments, connections, supports, and couplings. Moreover, the terms "connected" and "coupled" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific devices, methods, applications, conditions, or parameters described and / or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example and is not to be taken as a limitation on the invention as claimed. In the following description, various embodiments will be described. For purposes of explanation, specific configurations and details are outlined in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without the specific details. In addition, known features may be omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the described embodiment. The trunk (100) will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4b.Referring to FIG. 1 of the corresponding figures, an example schematic front view of the vehicle is shown. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is contemplated when referring to the vehicle that the vehicle may have at least several different uses and may be referred to as passenger cars, heavy and light commercial vehicles, etc. The vehicle may include a plurality of wheels (not shown in the figures) to provide mobility to the vehicle. Moreover, the vehicle may include a vehicle frame / frame. Accordingly, the vehicle may have a body-frame structure, such as may be known for use as a passenger car or the like. In some embodiments, the vehicle may include a tube frame / monocoque / backrest construction. The vehicle may be a passenger car, a commercial vehicle, a sport utility vehicle (SUV), a wagon and / or a sport utility vehicle, a multi utility vehicle (MUV), a sedan, or any other vehicle without deviating from the scope of the disclosure. The vehicle may be any vehicle including electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, or internal combustion engine [ICE powered vehicles].The vehicle may have a front end, also referred to as a front structure, a rear end, a right side, and a left side [not shown in the figures], defining a profile of the vehicle. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the body structure of the vehicle may be configured to support a powertrain that drives the wheels via a transmission system to move the vehicle on a surface such as a road in a known manner. Moreover, the front structure may include provisions for accommodating a hood (101) which may be configured to cover a space that can be configured as an engine compartment, e.g., an engine [in the case of an engine vehicle] or a travel drive motor [in the case of electric vehicles]. The hood (101) may be pivotally mounted to the frame of the vehicle and adjustable between closed and open states. In some embodiments, e.g., electric vehicles, the compartment on the front structure may be configured as a storage compartment for storing luggage or various accessories of the vehicle and is commonly referred to as a storage bin (102). The storage container (102) at the front may be enclosed by the hood (101). In the open state of the hood (101), the user of the vehicle can access the storage container (102) to remove or store one or more items, and in the closed state of the hood (101), the storage container (102) is covered / enclosed by the hood (101). In an embodiment, the trunk (100) may further include a seal assembly (103). The sealing arrangement (103) may be designed to prevent ingress of dust, water and insects / animals. In addition, the seal assembly ( 103) can ensure airtightness of the storage container ( 102). The sealing arrangement ( 103) provided in the trunk (100) is partially shown in FIG. 2. The arrangement of the seal assembly ( 103) can prevent the build-up of air pressure in the trunk room ( 100) and thereby ensure easy displacement of the hood ( 101) to the closed state. The arrangement of the sealing arrangement ( 103) can be explained in more detail in the following sections in conjunction with FIG. 3 in conjunction with FIG. 2.The seal assembly ( 103) according to the present disclosure includes a fixed seal member ( 1031), a plunger ( 1033), and a movable seal member ( 1032). The fixed seal member (1031) may be disposed along a peripheral portion of an upper surface of the storage container (102). In one embodiment, the storage container (102) may be defined with a floor, wherein a wall structure extends substantially upwardly from a peripheral portion of the floor. The storage container (102) may further be provided with a flange at an end of the side wall structure opposite to the bottom. The flange may form the top of the storage container (102), and the perimeter of the top of the storage container (102) may be configured to receive the solid sealing element (1031). The peripheral part of the upper surface may be provided with a mounting groove. The mounting groove may be configured to receive and fix the fixed sealing member ( 1031). The solid sealing member ( 1031) may be made of materials such as industrial rubber, without being limited thereto. In one embodiment, the solid sealing member (1031) may be made of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. The fixed sealing member (1031) may be cut at a predetermined portion to define a receiving space. The predefined area may be located at the front end of the storage container 102. The receiving space defined by the fixed sealing element (1031) may be configured as an air gap (denoted by "F" in FIG. 4 b ) for the escape of the air from the trunk (100) to eliminate the build-up of air in the trunk (100) during the displacement of the hood (101) into the closed state. Since the air pressure build-up in the trunk room (100) is eliminated, the hood (101) can be easily brought into the closed state. However, once the hood (101) is in the closed state, the receiving space must be sealed in the fixed sealing member (1031) to prevent the entry of dust, water and animals / insects in order to protect the material stored in the storage container (102) of the trunk (100).For sealing the receiving space defined by the fixed sealing element (1031), the sealing arrangement (103) is provided with the movable sealing element (1032). The movable sealing member ( 1032) may be movably disposed adjacent to the receiving space. That is, the movable seal member (1032) may be positioned on the top of the storage container (102), such that the movable seal member (1032) may be positioned behind the receiving space of the fixed seal assembly (1031). The movable seal member ( 1032) may be slidable between an open state (e) and a sealed state (d) based on the displacement of the hood ( 101) between the open state and the closed state. The movable shutter member ( 1032) may be configured to selectively cover and expose the accommodating space. In the open state of the hood ( 101), the movable sealing element ( 1032) can be displaced into the open state (e) in order to expose the receiving space, as shown in FIG. 4 band denoted by "a". In the closed state of the hood ( 101), the movable sealing member ( 1032) may be displaced to the sealed state (d) to cover the accommodating space, as illustrated in FIG. 4 a. In the sealed state (d), the movable seal member (1032) may be structured to make contact with the hood (101) and also cover the accommodation space in the fixed seal member (1031), thereby forming an airtight seal. The movable seal member ( 1032) may be displaced between the open state (e) and the sealed state (d) by the plunger ( 1033). The plunger (1033) may be movably disposed in the accommodating space defined in the fixed sealing member (1031), and may be displaced between a released position (a) and a compressed position (b). The movable seal member ( 1032) may be configured to translate in a direction opposite to translation of the plunger ( 1033) relative to the hood ( 101).The plunger (1033) may include a plunger head (1033a) and a second connecting member (1033b) extending downwardly from the plunger head (1033a). The plunger head (1033a) may be disposed above the top of the storage container (102), and the second connecting member (1033b) may extend downward from the top. The second link (1033b) may be operatively coupled to a first link (1032a) attached to the movable seal member (1032). In one embodiment, the second connector (1033b) and the first connector (1032a) may be operatively coupled by a link (104). The link (104) may be, but is not limited to, a scissors link. The link (104) may include one or more resilient members adapted to bias the movable sealing member (1032) and plunger (1033) toward the sealed state (d) (as shown in FIG. 4a) and the released position (a) (as shown in FIG. 4b), respectively. In the following section, an exemplary operation of the sealing arrangement ( 103) is illustrated.In the exemplary embodiment, the movable sealing member ( 1032) of the present disclosure may be slidable between the sealed state (d) and the open state (e) (as shown in FIG. 4 b). In the sealed state (d), the movable sealing member (1032) may cover the accommodation space in the fixed sealing member (1031) side by side. Together with the cover of the receiving space, the movable sealing element ( 1032) can also bear against the hood ( 101) in the closed state. In the above-described state, the movable seal member (1032) can close the storage container (102) airtight together with the fixed seal member (1031). In the closed state of the hood ( 101), the plunger ( 1033) arranged in the receiving space can be in the compressed position (b) (as partially illustrated in FIG. 4 a), thereby ensuring that the movable sealing element ( 1032) is in the sealed state (d). When the hood (101) is displaced to the open state, the plunger (1033) may be displaced to the released position (a). The pressing force of the elastic member connected to the plunger (1033) may allow the plunger (1033) to move to the released position (a). The displacement of the plunger ( 1033) into the released position (a) in turn displaces the movable sealing element ( 1032) into the open state (e). In the open state (e) of the movable sealing element ( 1032), the receiving space in the fixed sealing element ( 1031) can be exposed, whereby the air gap is formed. The air gap formed in the fixed seal member (1031) can prevent the air pressure build-up in the storage container (102) during the displacement of the hood (101) from the open state to the closed state because the air in the storage container (102) escapes through the storage space.The seal assembly ( 103) according to the present disclosure facilitates the displacement of the hood ( 101) from the open to the closed state because the air pressure build-up is eliminated. The arrangement of the sealing arrangement ( 103) in the trunk room ( 100) ensures airtightness and can prevent the ingress of dust, water and insects / animals. The arrangement of the sealing arrangement ( 103) is substantially simple and cost-effective. The sealing arrangement ( 103) can also be installed in existing vehicle lines and is thus modular.It is understood that a person skilled in the art can develop a system having a similar configuration without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Such modifications and variations may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the present disclosure cover such modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.Equivalents:With regard to the use of terms in the plural and / or singular, the person skilled in the art can translate from the plural into the singular and / or from the singular into the plural depending on the context and / or application. The various singular / plural permutations may be expressly listed herein for clarity.Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms used herein, and particularly in the appended claims (e.g., the portions of the appended claims), are generally to be understood as "open" terms (e.g., the term "including" should be interpreted as "including, but not limited to", the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least", the term "comprising" should be interpreted as "comprising, but not limited to", etc.). Those skilled in the art will further understand that when a particular number of introduced claims are intended, such an intention is expressly recited in the claim and that when such a suggestion is absent, such an intention is not present. For convenience in explanation, the following claims may use the introductory terms "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce claim formulations, for example. However, the use of such terms should not be construed as the introduction of claim enumeration by the indefinite articles "a" or "an" limiting a particular claim containing such introduced claim enumeration to inventions containing only such enumeration, even if the same claim contains the introductory terms "one or more" or "at least one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and / or "an" should typically be construed to mean "at least one" or "one or more"); the same applies to the use of certain articles to initiate claim formulations. Although a particular number of claims introduced is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such a denomination should generally be construed to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the mere denomination of "two denominators" without other modifiers will generally mean at least two denominators or two or more denominators). Moreover, in cases where a convention analogous to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." is used, generally such a construction is meant in the sense that one skilled in the art would understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" would include, but is not limited to, systems having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc.). In cases where a convention analogous to "at least one of A, B or C, etc." is used, such a construction is generally meant in the sense that one skilled in the art would understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B or C" would include, but is not limited to, systems having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B and C together, etc.). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that virtually any disjunction word and / or set of two or more alternative terms in the specification, claims or drawings should be understood to include one of the terms, one of the terms or both terms. Thus, for example, the formulation "A or B" includes the possibilities "A" or "B" or "A and B". Although various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive, the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims.List of reference numbers:100 Front trunk 101 Hood 102 Storage case 103 Seal assembly 1031 Fixed seal member 1032 Movable seal member 1032 aFirst connection member 1033 Plunger 1033 a Stößel head 1033 bSecond connection member 104 Connection member a Released position b Compressed position d Sealed state e Open state F Air gap

Claims

A front trunk (100) of a vehicle, comprising: a storage container (102) provided with a recess for receiving one or more items; a seal assembly (103) disposed along a peripheral portion of an upper surface of the storage container (102), the seal assembly (103) surrounding the recess defined in the storage container (102), the seal assembly (103) comprising: a fixed seal member (1031) fixed to a mounting groove defined along the peripheral portion of the upper surface of the storage container (102), the fixed seal member (1031) being divided at a predetermined portion to define a receiving space; a plunger (1033) movably disposed in the accommodating space defined in the fixed sealing member (1031), the plunger (1033) being slidable relative to opening and closing of a hood (101); a movable sealing member (1032) movably disposed adjacent to the accommodating space and operatively coupled to the plunger (1033), the movable sealing member (1032) being configured to slide in a direction opposite to the displacement of the plunger (1033) relative to the hood (101).The front trunk (100) of claim 1, wherein the plunger (1033) is slidable between a released position (a) and a compressed position (b) relative to the displacement of the hood (101) between an open state and a closed state.The front trunk 100) of claim 1, wherein the displacement of the hood (101) to the open state displaces the plunger (1033) to the released position (a) and the displacement of the hood (101) to the closed state displaces the plunger (1033) to the compressed position (b).Front trunk (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the displacement of the plunger (1033) to the released position (a) displaces the movable sealing element (1032) to an open state (e) and the displacement of the plunger (1033) to the compressed state (b) displaces the movable sealing element (1032) to a sealed state (d).The front trunk (100) of claim 1, wherein the plunger (1033) includes a plunger head (1033a) and a second link member (1033b) extending downward from the plunger head (1033a).The front trunk (100) of claim 5, wherein the second link (1033b) of the plunger (1033) is operatively coupled to a first link (1032a) secured to the movable seal member (1032) by a link (104).The front trunk (100) of claim 4, wherein the plunger (1033) is spring biased to the released position (a) and the movable sealing member (1032) is spring biased to the sealed position (d).The front trunk room (100) according to claim 1, wherein the fixed sealing member (1031) and the movable sealing member (1032) are made of elastomer materials including industrial rubber and an ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber.The front trunk (100) of claim 1, wherein the link (104) is a scissors link.A vehicle having a front trunk (100) according to claim 1.

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