Motor vehicle with improved wheel arch trims
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- FERRARI SPA
- Filing Date
- 2023-06-29
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-07
AI Technical Summary
Existing wheel arch trims in motor vehicles, particularly in SUVs and crossover vehicles, fail to adequately protect painted sheet metal parts from damage while minimizing aerodynamic drag caused by wheel turbulence.
The implementation of wheel arch trims that are partially integrated into the vehicle body, featuring aerodynamic designs with air blades and openings to manage airflow, reducing turbulence and minimizing protrusion, while being attached via skeletal elements for stability and aesthetics.
The solution effectively protects the vehicle body from impacts while significantly improving aerodynamic efficiency by reducing turbulence and drag, offering both functional and aesthetic benefits.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] [CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This patent application claims priority to Italian Patent Application No. 102022000013945, filed July 1, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] The present invention relates to a motor vehicle with an improved wheel arch trim. In particular, the following description refers explicitly to a four-wheeled motor vehicle, but without loss of generality. [Background technology]
[0003] There are known motor vehicles, in particular motor cars, which have two front wheels and two rear wheels and which comprise a body shell or chassis, a bodywork (load-bearing bodywork) applied to the body shell or integrated with the body shell itself, and a passenger compartment obtained inside the bodywork between the front and rear wheels.
[0004] In the area of each wheel, the bodywork and the body shell form a respective wheel compartment bounded above and laterally by a respective wheel arch, which in fact must be wide enough to cover the wheel but allow its vertical movements caused by holes and stones and, in the case of the front wheels, to allow steering.
[0005] In SUV or crossover type motor vehicles, or in general motor vehicles adapted for use as off-road vehicles, wheel arch trims, generally made from a plastic material, are attached from the outside to the respective wheel arches to protect the painted sheet metal parts from damage caused by possible impacts by chipping and / or gravel while driving on dirty roads.
[0006] An important aspect to be taken into account in known types of wheel arch trims is their lateral projection relative to the side wall of the vehicle body to which they are fitted, which must in fact be minimized in order to avoid unduly prejudicing the aerodynamics of the vehicle, resulting in an increase in aerodynamic drag in an area where there is already a turbulent slip flow originating from the presence and rotation of the wheel rim, its permeability and the outer shoulder of the tyre mounted on the rim itself. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0007] The object of the present invention is to produce a vehicle with a wheel arch trim which not only protects adjacent body parts from damage that may be caused by the impact of gravel and chipping during driving, but also reduces or eliminates the resulting turbulence, thereby significantly improving the management of the wheel slipstream. [Means for solving the problem]
[0008] According to the invention a motor vehicle is produced as claimed in claim 1 and the claims dependent thereon. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0009] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show non-limiting examples of embodiments thereof. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a motor vehicle manufactured in accordance with the provisions of the present invention, with parts removed for clarity and with the front and rear wheel areas enlarged to highlight the wheel arch trim used. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged scale side view of the front wheel arch trim of FIG. 1 applied to a related automobile. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged scale side view of the rear wheel arch trim of FIG. 1 applied to a related motor vehicle. [Figure 4]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of components of the front wheel arch trim of FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] 3 is a cross section taken along line VV in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-section taken along line VI-VI in FIG. [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-section taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 2. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of components of the rear wheel arch trim of FIG. 3. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the automobile of FIG. 1. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an enlarged bottom view of the front wheel area of the automobile of FIGS. 1 and 9, showing the tendency of the slipstream while moving. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0010] Figures 1 and 9 show, as a whole, at 1 a motor vehicle, in particular a motor car, presenting two front wheels 2 and two rear wheels 3 and comprising a chassis or body shell 4 (partially visible in Figures 5, 6 and 7), a bodywork 5 attached to the body shell 4 or integrated with the body shell 4 itself, and a passenger compartment 6 obtained inside the bodywork 5 between the wheels 2 and the wheels 3 themselves.
[0011] As can be seen in Figures 1, 9 and 10, each wheel 2, 3 comprises a rim C provided with spokes S and a tire T surrounding the rim C itself and including a tread T1 and respective opposed side walls T2, T3, one of which (T2) faces, in use, towards the inside of the respective wheel compartment 16, 17 and the other (T3) faces towards the outside. With particular reference to Figures 9 and 10, the tread T1 of each wheel 2, 3 is bounded towards the opposed side walls T2, T3 by respective rounded peripheral edges T4, T5 facing respectively towards the inside and outside of the associated wheel compartment 16, 17.
[0012] In the illustrated example (Figures 5, 6, 7), the body shell 4 is placed within the vehicle body 5 and, in a known manner, comprises a flatbed 7 and a series of longitudinal members and uprights to which the vehicle body 5 itself and other components of the motor vehicle 1 are attached.
[0013] In the case of a bearing body, the flatbed 7 is a direct part of it, in the same way that a body shell is integrated into the body itself.
[0014] In particular, the bodywork 5 defines the external contour of the motor vehicle 1; - in the case shown, two opposing side walls 8 provided with front and rear doors 9; -Front hood 10, -Front bumper 11 and -Roof 12 and -Rear trunk 13, A rear bumper 14 is provided.
[0015] The motor vehicle 1 further comprises a windscreen 15 extending between the front hood 10 and the roof 11, and a rear window (known per se) facing the windscreen 15 and not visible in the accompanying drawings.
[0016] The side walls 8 are arranged symmetrically on either side of the central longitudinal axis A of the vehicle 1, are parallel to the direction of travel and perpendicular to the central transverse vertical plane P of the vehicle 1 itself. The side walls 8 bound the vehicle 1 laterally outwards and are in fact arranged opposite each other and parallel to the axis A.
[0017] The passenger compartment 6 is bounded in front by a windscreen 12 , in the rear by a rear window, laterally by doors 9 and partly by side walls 8 .
[0018] The vehicle 1 may also be provided with a single door 9 on each side wall 8 .
[0019] 1-3, 5-7 and 9-10, the side walls 8 together with the flatbed 7 define respective front and rear wheel compartments 16, 17 for each front wheel 2 and rear wheel 3. The wheel compartments 16 are bounded by respective front and rear wheel arches 18 and 19.
[0020] Additionally, for each wheel compartment 16,17 there are respective front and rear wheel arch trims 20,21 disposed in respective wheel arches 18,19 as can be seen in the accompanying drawings.
[0021] Advantageously, each wheel arch trim 20, 21 has a first arched portion 22 that is arranged in the volume defined by the body 5 and faces the respective wheel arch 18, 19 at least partially from the inside of the body 5 itself and is fastened to a part of the body shell 4; a second arched portion 23 projecting outwardly from the bodywork 5 relative to each wheel arch 18, 19; an air passage 24 formed at least partially in the arched portion 23 to form an air blade (Figure 10) which contacts the outer side wall of each wheel 2, 3 and the area of each side wall 8 adjacent the respective wheel arch 18, 19.
[0022] In particular, as shown in Figure 5, the distance between the free curved edge of the arched portion 22 of each wheel arch trim 20, 21 and the body 5 adjacent the respective wheel arch 18, 19, in a direction horizontal and perpendicular to the axis A, is indicated by X and is always greater than zero. The function of the distance X is elucidated below.
[0023] Instead, in the vertical direction, perpendicular to the axis A and the distance X, the distance between the free curved edge of the arched portion 22 of each wheel arch trim 20, 21 and the curved lower edge of the respective wheel arch 18, 19, is indicated by Y, and is always greater than zero. This means that said free curved edge of the arched portion 22 of each wheel arch trim 18, 19 is always positioned higher with respect to the lower curved edge of the respective wheel arch 18, 19.
[0024] With reference to Figures 1, 2, 4, 9 and 10, for each front wheel arch trim 20, the flow passage 24 comprises two through openings 25 obtained in a front end portion 26 and a rear end portion 27 of the arched portion 23 of the wheel arch trim 20 itself.
[0025] Both openings 25 have respective passage sections transverse to the axis A.
[0026] More specifically, the openings 25 have respective boundary edges 28 that extend about their own respective axes, which intersect the mid-plane P and converge forwardly towards the axis A.
[0027] As can be seen particularly from Figures 9 and 10, the opening 25 of each front wheel arch trim 20 faces the outer edge T5 of the tread T1 of the tyre T of the respective wheel 2 when the vehicle 1 is travelling in a straight line.
[0028] In the example shown in Figures 1, 9 and 10, the front bumper 11 has, at its own opposing side ends 11a, 11b, respective through windows 11c facing openings 25 provided in the front part 26 of the front wheel arch trim 20, generating an air flow along the respective side walls 8 when the vehicle 1 is travelling in a straight line.
[0029] Preferably, and with reference to Figures 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7, each front wheel arch trim 20 is attached to a part of the body shell 4 by means of the interposition of a respective skeleton element 30, which is also arch-shaped. In particular, each wheel arch trim 20 is bonded and / or glued to the respective skeleton element 30 so as to completely cover it on the outside.
[0030] Figures 5 to 7 show how each skeletal element 30 is attached to the body shell 4. In particular, a centring element 31, such as a centring pin, integrally obtained on each skeletal element 30, and a releasable restraining element 32, such as a snap-lock pin 33 and a metric thread 34, are used. The centring element 31 and the restraining element 32 releasably engage in respective holes 4a, 4b, 4c obtained on the body shell 4.
[0031] The centring element 31 represents the first point where each wheel arch trim 20 joins with the body shell 4, which in practice takes place at the hole 4a. The function of the centring element 31 is to ensure correct positioning of each wheel arch trim 20 without actual visual inspection by the operator. A snap lock pin 33 is used to hold each front wheel arch trim 20 locally on the body shell 4 and to ensure a correct and robust pre-assembly before tightening the metric threads 34, thus ensuring stability of the assembly over time.
[0032] During the assembly of each skeletal element 30, the centering elements 31 are first engaged in their respective holes 4a in the body shell 4. At this point, by pressing firmly, the pins 33 are snapped into the holes 4b, thus obtaining the pre-assembly of the skeletal elements 30 on the body shell 4. The final operation is the tightening of the metric threads 34 in the respective threaded holes 4c.
[0033] The distance X defined above and shown in figure 5 must be such as to allow a minimum translation of each skeletal element 30 to enable its assembly onto the body shell 4. The same applies for the subsequent assembly of each wheel arch trim 20 on its respective skeletal element 30.
[0034] The rear wheel arch trim 21, essentially as shown in Figures 3 and 8, has a structure and shape very similar to that of the front wheel arch trim 20, and therefore only the parts that differ therefrom will be described below. The same or equivalent parts of the front and rear wheel arch trims 20, 21 will be identified below by the same reference numerals.
[0035] In particular, each rear wheel arch trim 21 differs from the front wheel arch trim 20 essentially in that they do not have an opening 25 in the front part 26 and in that they are formed by several components, assembled together as shown, each forming a curved portion of the total arch profile, approximately half as shown.
[0036] As can be seen from FIG. 8, the rear wheel arch trim 21 is also attached to a part of the body shell 4 by means of a respective framework element 35 which is likewise arch-shaped and identical to the framework element 30 .
[0037] In particular, again in this case, each wheel arch trim 21 is connected and / or glued to the respective skeleton element 31 so as to completely cover the latter externally.
[0038] The way in which each skeletal element 35 is attached to the body shell 4 is identical to that used for the skeletal elements 30, i.e. via the same centering elements 31 and restraining elements 32 as described above, namely the snap lock pins 33 and metric threads 34. This method will therefore not be described further and reference should be made to the above description.
[0039] In use, when the vehicle 1 is driving straight ahead, air is directed from the windows 11c on either side of the front bumper 11 towards the two side walls 8.
[0040] The windows 11c act synergistically with the openings 25 in the two front wheel arch trims 20 to form powerful air blades that aerodynamically seal the front wheels 2 and prevent the emission of turbulent air transverse to the axis A (Figures 9 and 10).
[0041] At the rear of the front wheel arch trim 20, further openings 25 allow the extraction of air from inside the wheel compartment 16 to be maximized, thereby ensuring the correct direction of the flow coming from the forward area along the respective adjoining side wall 8 (Figure 10).
[0042] The particular solution of the rear wheel arch trim 21 allows a powerful extraction of air from the rear wheel compartment 17 via the openings 25. Furthermore, the surface of the arched portion 22 of said wheel arch trim 21 is elongated and contoured so as to be able to manage the rear point of separation of the air flows flowing around the side wall 8 and the wheels 2, 3.
[0043] By examining the characteristics of the vehicle 1 manufactured according to the invention, the advantages which can be obtained thereby become apparent.
[0044] In particular, the solution described for the wheel arch trims 20, 21 makes it possible to significantly improve the management of the slip flow of the wheels 2, 3 and thus eliminate the turbulence generated by the presence and rotation of the rim C, and thus obtain a clean and uniform air flow along the flanks of the wheels 2, 3 themselves.
[0045] In practice, this type of result is obtained by partially positioning the wheel arch trim 20, 21 below the vehicle body 5 in such a way as to minimize the protrusion of the wheel arch trim 20, 21 itself relative to the vehicle body 5 and at the same time minimize the aerodynamic drag. Positioning the wheel arch trim 20, 21 below the vehicle body 5 creates a "floating" effect, i.e. the impression that the vehicle body is "resting" on the wheel arch trim 20, 21 itself (detail in Figure 1).
[0046] Furthermore, by entrusting the attachment to the body shell 4 to the skeleton elements 30, 35, the wheel arch trims 20, 21 can fulfill not only the aerodynamic function mentioned above, but also an aesthetic function. This therefore allows for greater flexibility with regard to the materials used, e.g. plastic or composite materials, and / or the surface coatings applied to the wheel arch trims 20, 21, e.g. embossing or paint finishes.
[0047] Finally, it is evident that changes and modifications can be made to the vehicle 1 described and illustrated without departing from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. An automobile (1) presents a central longitudinal axis (A) parallel to the direction of linear movement, - Multiple wheels (2, 3) - A vehicle body (5) having two opposing side walls (8) that define the external contour of the automobile (1) and define the respective wheel compartments (16, 17) of each wheel (2, 3) that are bounded by their respective wheel arches (18, 19), -Each wheel compartment (16, 17) is provided with a wheel arch trim (20, 21) positioned on each wheel arch (18, 19), Each wheel arch trim (20, 21) - A first arch-shaped portion (22) is positioned within the volume defined by the vehicle body (5), and at least partially facing the respective wheel arches (18, 19) from the inside of the vehicle body (5) itself, and is attached to the structural component (4) of the automobile (1) internally relative to the vehicle body (5), - A second arch-shaped portion (23) that protrudes outward from the vehicle body (5) relative to the wheel arches (18, 19), An automobile characterized by comprising: an air passage (24) at least partially formed in the second arched portion (23) to form an air blade that contacts the outer side wall of each of the wheels (2, 3) and the area of each of the side walls (8) adjacent to each of the wheel arches (18, 19).
2. The automobile according to claim 1, wherein the flow path (24) comprises one or more through-openings (25) obtained in at least one front end portion (26) and / or one rear end portion (27) of the second arched portion (23) of the wheel arch trim (18, 19).
3. The automobile according to claim 2, wherein one or more openings (25) have one or each of their passage sections that traverse the longitudinal axis (A).
4. The automobile according to claim 1, wherein each wheel (2, 3) is provided with a tire (T), and one or more openings (25) of each wheel arch trim (20, 21) face the outer edge (T5) of the tread (T1) of the tire (T) of each wheel (2, 3) while the automobile (1) is traveling in a straight line.
5. The automobile according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of the wheel arch trims (20, 21) is attached to the structural component (4) of the automobile (1) by the interposition of similarly arched skeletal elements (30, 35).
6. The automobile according to claim 5, wherein each wheel arch trim (20, 21) is bonded and / or glued to the respective skeletal elements (30, 35) so as to completely cover it outward.
7. The automobile according to claim 5, wherein each of the frame elements (30, 35) is attached to the structural component (4) by a releaseable centering element (31) and a releaseable restraining element (32).
8. The automobile according to claim 2, further comprising a front bumper (11), wherein the front bumper (11) has through windows (11c) at its opposing ends (11a, 11b) facing the openings (25) formed in the front end portions (26) of the wheel arch trims (20) of the respective front wheels (2) of the automobile (1) itself to facilitate airflow along the respective side walls (8) during the linear movement of the automobile (1) itself.
9. The automobile according to claim 1, wherein the structural component is the body shell (4) of the automobile (1) to which the vehicle body (5) is attached.
10. The automobile according to claim 1, wherein each of the wheel arch trims (20, 21) may be formed from a single component or from several components assembled together, each forming a curved portion of an arched contour.