Wheel mud flap and wheel arch trim kit.

Abstract

The invention relates to a wheel mud flap (1) for a wheel arch trim assembly, the wheel mud flap (1) comprising a mounting portion (4) shaped to fix the mud flap (1) to a mudguard, the mud flap (1) having a first wall (10) extending between an inner face (11), designed to be positioned opposite an internal space of the wheel arch, and an opposite face (12), the first wall (10) extending the mudguard towards the ground when the wheel mud flap (1) is mounted on the wheel arch. The mud flap (1) has a second portion (13) forming a second wall (14) projecting from the first wall (10) and shaped to form a screen so as to obscure a portion 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. (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Wheel mud flap and wheel arch trim assembly.

[0001] The technical field relates to wheel mud flaps, wheel arch trim assemblies and vehicles equipped with such assemblies.

[0002] For car manufacturers, the quality of finish of their vehicles and their aesthetic aspects are essential to stand out from other brands.

[0003] For this reason, manufacturers are making many efforts to constantly improve these areas.

[0004] Customers are particularly attentive to the quality of the assembly of the various body panels of a vehicle, and it is therefore important to offer assemblies free from visual defects. However, to ensure the proper fitting of the various panels in certain complex areas where several of these panels come together, such as wheel arches, the assembly process can sometimes result in visual defects. In the case of a wheel arch, such visual defects are similar to holes in the wheel arch that allow a vehicle user, standing to the side of the vehicle, to see the ground through the hole. Such a visual defect can give the user the mistaken impression that the vehicle has been incorrectly assembled. Thus, the assembly requirements generate a perceived quality defect in the vehicle that proves detrimental.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for a solution that allows the components of a wheel arch to be assembled without causing a visual defect such as described above. In particular, there is a need for a solution that allows a mudguard, a fender trim, and a mud flap assembly to be assembled within a wheel arch without presenting a visual defect.

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome the problems described above. In this technical context, one objective of the present invention is to provide a wheel mud flap that remedies the visual defect while allowing the vehicle to be assembled.

[0007] To this end, the present invention relates to a mud flap for a wheel arch trim assembly of a motor vehicle, the mud flap comprising a mounting portion shaped for attaching the mud flap to a mudguard, the mud flap having a first wall extending between an inner face, designed to be positioned opposite an internal space in the wheel arch intended to receive a wheel, and an opposite face, the first wall extending the mudguard towards the ground when the mud flap is mounted on the wheel arch, the mud flap being characterized in that it comprises a second part forming a second wall projecting from the first wall and shaped to form a screen so as to mask at least part of the opposite face when the mud flap is observed from a side of the vehicle on which the mud flap is mounted.

[0008] 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 fender trim designed to form a junction between the mudguard partition and a fender of the vehicle enveloping the wheel arch, the assembly further comprising at least one mud flap according to the invention fixed on the mudguard, the second wall extending between the mudguard and the trim.

[0009] The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising at least one assembly according to the invention.

[0010] Thus, the mud flap according to the invention allows for the assembly of a trim kit according to the invention. This trim kit is free of the usual visual defect since the second wall of the mud flap forms a screen that conceals the hole. Indeed, the second wall is inserted into a space located between the mudguard and the fender trim, which usually causes the visual hole. Thus, the mud 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 other elements such as the mudguard and the fender trim.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, the fixing part forms a sleeve designed to be fitted around a fixing tab of the mudguard.

[0012] According to one possibility, the second wall extends along a vertical plane, when the mud flap is mounted in the wheel arch.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the second wall extends perpendicularly to the first wall.

[0014] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0015] [Fig.1] [Fig.1] represents a front view and a side view of a wheel mud flap according to the invention;

[0016] [Fig.2] [Fig.2], represents a perspective view of a dressing assembly according to the invention implementing the bib of [Fig.1].

[0017] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0018] A wheel mud flap 1, illustrated in [Fig. 1], is implemented in a trim assembly 2 according to the invention, illustrated in [Fig. 2], to cover a wheel arch 3, illustrated in [Fig.2], of a motor vehicle. The mud flap 1 is, for example, made by molding plastic material.

[0019] The wheel mud flap 1 includes a fixing part 4 shaped to fix the mud flap 1 onto a mudguard 5 of the assembly 2. In a conventional manner, 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.

[0020] In the example illustrated in [Fig.1], the fastening part 4 forms a sleeve 8 designed to be fitted around a fastening tab 9 of the mudguard 5.

[0021] The mud flap 1 has a first wall 10 extending between an inner face 11, designed to be positioned opposite the inner 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 mud flap 1 is mounted on the wheel arch 3, in particular the first wall 10 extends the partition 6.

[0022] The first wall 10 extends and comes from the material with the fixing part 4.

[0023] The wheel mudguard 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 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.

[0024] As illustrated in [Fig.1], the second wall 14 extends along a vertical plane when the mud flap 1 is mounted in the wheel arch 3. Advantageously, and also as illustrated in [Fig.1], the second wall 14 extends perpendicularly to the first wall 10.

[0025] 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.

[0026] The wheel arch trim assembly 2 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 enveloping the wheel arch 3. In the trim assembly 2 according to the invention, each wheel mud flap 1 is fixed to the mudguard 5, by means of 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 mud flap 1 according to... The invention has two versions, each version forming an image of the other version in a mirror so as to be able to equip both sides of a vehicle.

[0027] Thus, the wheel mud flap 1 according to the invention allows for the creation of a wheel arch 3 in which the trim assembly 2 is mounted. The hole 18 usually observed with the mudguard 5 and the wheel trim 16 is obstructed by the second wall 14 of the mud flap 1. The vehicle according to the invention is thus free of the usual visual defect. The mud flap 1 according to the invention is simple to produce from a conventional mud flap device and avoids modifications to the assembly procedures and / or other elements such as the mudguard 5 or the wheel trim 16.

[0028] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the bib described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope and extent of the present invention.

Claims

Demands

1. A wheel arch (3) cladding assembly (2) comprising a mudguard (5) having a partition (6) delimiting an internal space (7) intended to receive a wheel, the assembly (2) also comprising a fender trim (16) designed to form a junction between the partition (6) of the mudguard (5) and a fender (17) of the vehicle enveloping the wheel arch (3), the assembly (2) further comprising a mud flap (1) fixed to the mudguard (5), the mud flap (1) comprising: - a fixing portion (4) shaped to fix the mud flap (1) to the mudguard (5), - a first wall (10) extending between an internal face (11), designed to be positioned opposite the internal space (7), and an opposite face (12), the first wall (10) extending the partition (6) of the mudguard (5) towards the ground,characterized in that the mud flap (1) 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 part of the opposite face (12) when the mud flap (1) is observed from one side of the vehicle, and in that the second wall (14) extends between the mudguard (5) and the wheel trim (16).

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

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

4. A covering assembly (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the second wall (14) of the flap (1) extends perpendicularly to the first wall (10).

5. Vehicle comprising at least one (2) bodywork assembly according to one of claims 1 to 4.

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