Wheel splash guard and lining assembly for a wheelhouse

Abstract

The invention relates to a wheel splash guard (1) for a lining assembly for a wheelhouse, the splash guard (1) comprising an attachment portion (4) shaped to attach the splash guard (1) to a wheel arch protector, the splash guard (1) having a first wall (10) that extends between an inner face (11), designed to be arranged facing an inner space of the wheelhouse, and an opposite face (12), the first wall (10) extending the wheel arch protector in the direction of the ground when the splash guard (1) is mounted in the wheelhouse. The splash guard (1) comprises a second portion (13) forming a second wall (14) that projects from the first wall (10) and is shaped to form a screen so as to conceal a portion of the opposite face (12) when the splash guard (1) is viewed from the side of the vehicle on which the splash guard (1) is mounted.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Title of the invention: Wheel flap and wheel arch trim assembly.

[0003] The present invention claims priority from French application 2208190 filed on August 9, 2022, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] The technical field concerns wheel flaps, wheel arch trim assemblies and vehicles equipped with such assemblies.

[0005] For car manufacturers, the quality of their vehicles' finish and aesthetics are essential to stand out from other brands. For this reason, manufacturers are constantly working to improve these areas.

[0006] Customers are particularly attentive to the quality of the assemblies of the various bodywork elements of a vehicle and it is therefore appropriate to offer assemblies free from visual defects. However, to ensure the fitment of the various elements in certain complex areas where several of these elements come together, such as wheel arches, assembly clearances can cause the existence of visual defects. In the case of a wheel arch, such visual defects are similar to holes in the wheel arch allowing a vehicle user, located on the side of the vehicle, to see the ground through the hole. Such a visual defect can give the user the false impression that the vehicle has been incorrectly assembled. Thus, the assembly requirements generate a perceived quality defect in the vehicle which proves detrimental.

[0007] Thus, there is a need for a solution for assembling the constituent elements of a wheel arch without causing a visual defect as described above. In particular, there is a need for a solution for assembling in a wheel arch a mudguard, a wing trim and a mud flap device without presenting a visual defect.

[0008] The present invention aims to overcome the problems set out above. In this technical context, one aim of the present invention is to provide a wheel flap that can remedy the visual defect while still allowing the vehicle to be assembled.For this purpose, the present invention relates to a wheel flap for a wheel arch trim assembly of a motor vehicle, the wheel flap comprising a fixing portion shaped to fix the flap to a mudguard, the flap having a first wall extending between an internal face, designed to be arranged opposite an internal space of the wheel arch intended to receive a wheel, and an opposite face, the first wall extending the mudguard towards the ground when the wheel flap is mounted on the wheel arch, the wheel flap being characterized in that it comprises a second portion forming a second wall projecting from the first wall and shaped to form a screen so as to mask at least a portion of the opposite face when the flap is observed from a side of the vehicle on which the flap is mounted.

[0009] The invention also relates to a wheel arch trim assembly comprising a mudguard having a partition delimiting an internal space intended to receive the wheel, the assembly also comprising a wing trim designed to form a junction between the partition of the mudguard and a wing of the vehicle surrounding the wheel arch, the assembly further comprising at least one mud flap according to the invention fixed to the mudguard, the second wall extending between the mudguard and the trim.

[0010] The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising at least one assembly according to the invention.

[0011] Thus, the wheel flap according to the invention makes it possible to assemble a trim assembly according to the invention. This trim assembly is free from the usual visual defect since the second wall of the flap forms a screen which conceals the hole. Indeed, the second wall is insertable in a space arranged between the mudguard and the fender trim which usually causes the visual hole. Thus, the wheel flap according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a visually acceptable wheel arch without requiring modification of the adjustments or assembly procedures of the other elements such as the mudguard and the fender trim.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, the fixing portion forms a sleeve designed to be fitted around a fixing lug of the mudguard. According to one possibility, the second wall extends along a vertical plane, when the mudguard is mounted in the wheel arch. According to one embodiment, the second wall extends perpendicular to the first wall.

[0013] The invention will be better understood upon reading the detailed description which follows, given solely as a non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0014] [Fig. 1] Figure 1 represents a front view and a side view of a wheel flap according to the invention;

[0015] [Fig. 2] Figure 2 represents a perspective view of a covering assembly according to the invention implementing the flap of Figure 1.

[0016] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0017] A wheel flap 1, illustrated in Figure 1, is implemented in a trim assembly 2 according to the invention, illustrated in Figure 2, to dress a wheel arch 3, illustrated in Figure 2, of a motor vehicle. The flap 1 is, for example, produced by molding plastic material.

[0018] The wheel flap 1 comprises a fixing part 4 shaped to fix the flap 1 on a mudguard 5 of the assembly 2. Conventionally, the mudguard 5 forms a partition 6 describing a semicircle and delimits an internal space 7 of the wheel arch 3 intended to receive a wheel of the vehicle, not illustrated. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the fixing part 4 forms a sleeve 8 designed to be fitted around a fixing lug 9 of the mudguard 5.

[0019] The mud flap 1 has a first wall 10 extending between an internal face 11, designed to be arranged opposite the internal space 7 of the wheel arch 3 and an opposite face 12. The first wall 10 extends the mudguard 5 towards the ground when the wheel flap 1 is mounted on the wheel arch 3, in particular the first wall 10 extends the partition 6.

[0020] The first wall 10 extends and is made of the same material as the fixing part 4.

[0021] The wheel flap 1 further comprises a second part 13 forming a second wall 14 projecting from the first wall 10 and shaped to form a screen so as to mask at least a part of the opposite face 12, when the flap 1 is observed from a side of the vehicle on which the flap 1 is mounted.

[0022] As illustrated in Figure 1, the second wall 14 extends along a vertical plane, when the mud flap 1 is mounted in the wheel arch 3. Advantageously and as also illustrated in Figure 1, the second wall 14 extends perpendicular to the first wall 10.

[0023] For example, the second wall 14 shares a common edge 15 with the first wall 10 which is oriented in a vertical direction when the mud flap 1 is mounted on the vehicle according to the invention.

[0024] The assembly 2 for covering the wheel arch 3 comprises, in addition to the mudguard 5 and at least one mud flap 1 according to the invention, a wing trim 16. The fender trim 16 is designed to form a junction between the partition 6 of the mudguard 5 and a fender 17, partially illustrated in FIG. 2, of the vehicle surrounding the wheel arch 3. In the trim assembly 2 according to the invention, each wheel flap 1 is fixed to the mudguard 5, thanks to its fixing part 4, so that its second wall 14 extends between the mudguard 5 and the trim 16. As illustrated in FIG. 2, when the trim assembly 2 is mounted in the wheel arch 3 of the vehicle according to the invention, the second wall 14 occupies a position such that visually a hole 18 is masked by the second wall 14. In the absence of the second wall 14, the wheel arch 3 would have a visual defect consisting of the hole 18 which would be visible to a user located on the corresponding side of the vehicle.The wheel flap 1 according to the invention has two versions, each version forming a mirror image of the other version in order to be able to equip both sides of a vehicle.

[0025] Thus, the wheel flap 1 according to the invention allows the production of a wheel arch 3 in which the trim assembly 2 is assembled. The hole 18 usually observed with the mudguard 5 and the hubcap 16 is obstructed by the second wall 14 of the flap 1. The vehicle according to the invention is thus free from the usual visual defect. The flap 1 according to the invention is simple to produce from a conventional flap device and makes it possible to avoid modifications to the assembly procedures and / or other elements such as the mudguard 5 or the hubcap 16.

[0026] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the flap described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1 . Wheel flap (1) for an assembly (2) for covering a wheel arch (3) of a motor vehicle, the wheel flap (1) comprising a fixing part (4) shaped to fix the flap (1) to a mudguard (5), the flap (1) having a first wall (10) extending between an internal face (11), designed to be arranged opposite an internal space (7) of the wheel arch (3) intended to receive a wheel, and an opposite face (12), the first wall (10) extending the mudguard (5) towards the ground when the wheel flap (1) is mounted on the wheel arch (3), the wheel flap (1) being characterized in that it comprises a second part (13) forming a second wall (14) projecting from the first wall (10) and shaped to form a screen so as to mask at least a part of the opposite face (12) when the mud flap (1) is viewed from a side of the vehicle on which the mud flap (1) is mounted.

2. Wheel flap (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixing part (4) forms a sleeve (8) designed to be fitted around a fixing lug (9) of the mudguard (5).

3. Wheel flap (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second wall (14) extends along a vertical plane, when the flap (1) is mounted in the wheel arch (3).

4. Wheel flap (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the second wall (14) extends perpendicular to the first wall (10).

5. Wheel arch trim assembly (2) comprising a mudguard (5) having a partition (6) delimiting an internal space (7) intended to receive the wheel, the assembly (2) also comprising a wing trim (16) designed to form a junction between the partition (6) of the mudguard (5) and a wing (17) of the vehicle surrounding the wheel arch (3), the assembly (2) further comprising at least one mud flap (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4 fixed to the mudguard (5), the second wall (14) extending between the mudguard (5) and the trim 6. Vehicle comprising at least one assembly (2) according to claim 5.

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