Vehicle cover

Abstract

To provide a vehicle cover that can suppress unnecessary deformation.SOLUTION: An undercover 20L includes a first cover 30 and a second cover 40. The first cover 30 is made of nonwoven fabric and extends along a lower surface of a vehicle body to cover a wheel rear part of the lower surface, which is on the rear side of front wheels. The second cover 40 is made of a hard resin material and extends along the lower surface of the vehicle body above the first cover 30 to cover the wheel rear part. The first cover 30 and the second cover 40 are fixed together at the same location on the vehicle body while being overlapped in a vertical direction Z. The second cover 40 includes: a cover main body 41 extending along the lower surface of the vehicle body to cover the wheel rear part; and a protruding wall portion 44 protruding upward from the cover main body 41 and extending in a vehicle width direction X.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle cover. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, in order to protect the lower part of a vehicle and reduce interior noise, it has been proposed to provide a cover that extends along and covers the underside of the vehicle body (see Patent Document 1). Furthermore, in order to reduce the weight of such vehicle covers and improve the noise reduction effect of the covers, it has been proposed to construct the vehicle covers from nonwoven fabrics. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-78966 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a vehicle equipped with the vehicle cover travels on snowy roads, snow kicked up by the wheels may get in and accumulate between the underside of the vehicle body and the vehicle cover in the area behind the wheels of the vehicle cover.

[0005] The vehicle cover is made of nonwoven fabric, which is softer than vehicle covers made of hard resin materials. Furthermore, if snow accumulates on the vehicle cover made of nonwoven fabric, the vehicle cover itself may become submerged in water. In this case, the vehicle cover becomes heavy, making it more susceptible to deformation. Therefore, the vehicle cover may become deformed and droop, and in some cases, the vehicle cover may even fall off. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Various aspects of the device for solving the above problems will be described. [Embodiment 1] A vehicle cover that covers the rear-of-wheel portion of the underside of a vehicle body that is on the vehicle rear side of the wheel, comprising: a first cover made of nonwoven fabric that extends along the underside of the vehicle body to cover the rear-of-wheel portion; a second cover made of a hard resin material or metal material that extends along the underside of the vehicle body above the first cover to cover the rear-of-wheel portion; and a fixing portion that fixes the first cover and the second cover together to the same location on the vehicle body while they are stacked in the vertical direction of the vehicle, wherein the second cover includes a cover main body that extends along the underside of the vehicle body to cover the rear-of-wheel portion, and a protruding wall portion that protrudes from the cover main body toward the top of the vehicle and extends in the vehicle width direction.

[0007] According to the above configuration, by using a first cover made of a portion of the vehicle cover made of nonwoven fabric, it is possible to reduce the weight of the vehicle cover and improve the noise reduction effect of the cover compared to a cover made entirely of a hard resin material or metal material. Moreover, by using a second cover made of a portion of the vehicle cover made of a hard resin material or metal material, it is possible to impart high rigidity to the vehicle cover.

[0008] Furthermore, with the above configuration, even if snow gets in between the vehicle cover and the underside of the vehicle body, the protruding wall of the second cover blocks the snow, preventing it from getting in further rearward than the protruding wall. This narrows the area of ​​contact between the first cover and snow that has gotten in between the vehicle cover and the underside of the vehicle body, thereby preventing water from getting into the first cover. This prevents the weight of the first cover from increasing due to water getting in, preventing unnecessary deformation of the first cover, such as sagging.

[0009] [Aspect 2] A vehicle cover according to [Aspect 1], wherein the protruding wall portion is provided at the end of the cover body on the front side of the vehicle. According to the above configuration, compared to when the protruding wall portion is provided halfway in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle on the cover body, the intrusion of snow into the rear of the vehicle can be prevented over a wider area, thereby effectively preventing unnecessary deformation of the first cover.

[0010] [Aspect 3] A vehicle cover as described in [Aspect 1] or [Aspect 2], in which the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric constituting the first cover is set relatively high among all parts of the first cover in the front portion of the first cover, which is the portion of the first cover that is further forward of the vehicle than the protruding wall portion.

[0011] Nonwoven fabric has the property that the higher the fiber density, the less susceptible to water penetration and the higher its rigidity. According to the above configuration, by relatively increasing the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric constituting the front portion of the first cover, this front portion can be made more susceptible to water penetration and highly rigid. Therefore, even if snow penetrates and accumulates in the front portion of the first cover, unnecessary deformation of the front portion of the first cover due to the penetration of snow can be suppressed.

[0012] [Aspect 4] A vehicle cover described in any one of [Aspect 1] to [Aspect 3], wherein the cover body has a drain hole formed by a through hole that penetrates in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the drain hole drains water that enters the upper surface of the cover body onto the underside of the vehicle.

[0013] With this configuration, even if water gets onto the upper surface of the cover body due to snow falling on the upper surface of the cover body, the water can be drained to the underside of the vehicle through the drain hole, thereby preventing water from accumulating on the cover body.

[0014] [Aspect 5] A vehicle cover described in any one of [Aspect 1] to [Aspect 4], wherein the rear portion of the first cover, which is the portion rearward of the vehicle from the protruding wall portion, has a water passage formed by a portion of the nonwoven fabric with a higher fiber density than the adjacent portion, and the water passage extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle so that the surface on the upper side of the vehicle is concave.

[0015] According to the above configuration, a water passage through which water flows can be formed in the rear portion of the first cover by using a high fiber density portion, i.e., a portion that is less susceptible to water seepage. This makes it possible for water that has entered the front portion of the first cover to be drained by flowing it to the rear of the vehicle through the water passage formed in the rear portion of the first cover while preventing water from seeping into the first cover.

[0016] [Aspect 6] A vehicle cover as described in any one of [Aspect 1] to [Aspect 3], wherein the rear portion of the first cover, which is the portion rearward of the vehicle from the protruding wall portion, is provided with a water passage formed by a portion of the nonwoven fabric having a higher fiber density than adjacent portions, and the water passage extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle so that the surface on the upper side of the vehicle is concave, and the cover main body has a discharge hole formed by a through hole that penetrates in the up-and-down direction of the vehicle, and the discharge hole that discharges water that enters onto the surface on the upper side of the vehicle in the cover main body to the underside of the vehicle is provided directly above the water passage.

[0017] According to the above configuration, even if water infiltrates the upper surface of the cover body due to snow falling on the upper surface of the cover body, the water can be discharged below the vehicle through the drain hole. This prevents water from accumulating on the cover body. Furthermore, a water passage through which water flows can be formed in the rear portion of the first cover using a high-fiber-density area, i.e., an area that is less susceptible to water penetration. This makes it possible to drain water that has infiltrated the front portion of the first cover by flowing it to the rear of the vehicle through the water passage formed in the rear portion of the first cover while preventing water from seeping into the first cover. Furthermore, water that has infiltrated onto the upper surface of the cover body falls directly into the water passage of the first cover through the drain hole, allowing the water to be discharged smoothly.

[0018] [Aspect 7] A vehicle cover as described in [Aspect 5] or [Aspect 6], wherein the portion of the first cover in which the water passage is provided extends so that it is positioned lower on the vehicle as it moves toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0019] According to the above configuration, gravity can be used to smoothly drain water that has entered the front portion of the first cover to the rear of the vehicle through a water passage formed in the rear portion of the first cover. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present invention, unnecessary deformation of the vehicle cover can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a bottom view of a vehicle to which an undercover as a vehicle cover according to an embodiment is applied; [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view of a first cover that constitutes the undercover. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is an end view of the undercover taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a second cover that constitutes the undercover. [Figure 7] 7 is an end view of the undercover taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 8] 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the flow of water in the undercover. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Hereinafter, a vehicle cover according to one embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Hereinafter, the width direction of the vehicle will be referred to as the vehicle width direction X, the front-rear direction of the vehicle as the front-rear direction Y, and the up-down direction of the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned on a horizontal plane as the up-down direction Z. In addition, the right and left sides in the vehicle width direction X will be referred to simply as the "right side" and "left side", respectively, the front and rear sides in the front-rear direction Y will be referred to simply as the "front side" and "rear side", respectively, and the upper and lower sides in the up-down direction Z will be referred to simply as the "upper side" and "lower side", respectively.

[0023] <Vehicle 10> As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle 10 has an undercover 20L as a vehicle cover that covers the underside. The undercover 20L is fixed to the lower part of the vehicle body 11 so as to cover a middle portion of the underside of the vehicle body 11 in the fore-aft direction Y, more specifically, a portion between the left and right front wheels 12R, 12L and the left and right rear wheels 13R, 13L. The undercover 20L extends in the vehicle width direction X and the fore-aft direction Y, and covers a left portion of the underside of the vehicle body 11. The portion covered by the undercover 20L includes a portion of the underside of the vehicle body 11 that is rearward of the left front wheel 12L (hereinafter referred to as the wheel rear portion P).

[0024] In addition, vehicle covers that cover the underside of the vehicle body 11 include a front undercover 14 that covers the front portion of the underside of the vehicle body 11, and an undercover 20R that covers the right side of the middle portion in the fore-and-aft direction Y.

[0025] <Details of Undercover 20L> Below, we will explain the undercover 20L in detail. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the undercover 20L has a first cover 30 and a second cover 40.

[0026] <First cover 30> The first cover 30 is made of nonwoven fabric. The first cover 30 extends in the vehicle width direction X and the front-rear direction Y along the underside of the vehicle body 11, and covers the underside of the vehicle body 11. The portion of the underside of the vehicle body 11 covered by the first cover 30 includes a wheel rear portion P (FIG. 1) that is a portion behind the left front wheel 12L.

[0027] Specifically, the front end of the first cover 30 extends in the vehicle width direction X at a position between the left front wheel 12L and the left rear wheel 13L, and extends in the vehicle width direction X at a position between the left front wheel 12L and the left rear wheel 13L. The left end of the first cover 30 extends in the front-rear direction Y along the left end of the underside of the vehicle body 11. The right end of the first cover 30 extends in the front-rear direction Y to the right of the center in the vehicle width direction X. The rear end of the first cover 30 extends in the vehicle width direction X at a position between the left front wheel 12L and the left rear wheel 13L.

[0028] <Latching portion 31> 2 and 3, the first cover 30 has a plurality of locking portions 31 that are used to lock onto the underside of the vehicle body 11. Each locking portion 31 is individually locked onto the underside of the vehicle body 11 by using a fastening member attached to the locking portion 31, a screw member, or a locking pin member.

[0029] <Latching hole 32> The portion of the first cover 30 that covers the rear-of-the-wheel portion P (see FIG. 1 ) (hereinafter referred to as the rear covering portion CP) has four locking holes 32 that penetrate in the up-down direction Z. The four locking holes 32 are formed at positions corresponding to the four corners of a rectangle whose long sides are in the front-to-rear direction in a plan view. The four locking holes 32 are used to secure the first cover 30 and the second cover 40 together.

[0030] <First bracket portion 33> As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the first cover 30 has a first bracket portion 33. The first bracket portion 33 extends in the front-rear direction Y at the left end of the first cover 30. Two of the multiple locking portions 31 are provided on the first bracket portion 33 at intervals in the front-rear direction Y. In this embodiment, the front one of the locking portions 31 (hereinafter referred to as the first locking portion 311) is used to secure the first cover 30 and the second cover 40 together at the same location on the vehicle body 11 in a state where they are stacked in the up-down direction Z.

[0031] <Fiber Density of Nonwoven Fabric Constituting First Cover 30> The first cover 30 is formed by compression molding a nonwoven fabric of a predetermined thickness. The first cover 30 has a high-fiber-density portion of the nonwoven fabric molded at a high compression rate and a low-fiber-density portion of the nonwoven fabric molded at a relatively low compression rate. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the first cover 30 has a first high-density portion 34, a second high-density portion 35, and a water passage 36 as high-fiber-density portions, and a first low-density portion 37, a second low-density portion 38, and a third low-density portion 39 as low-fiber-density portions.

[0032] <1st high density part 34> The first high-density portion 34 extends along the outer edge of the first cover 30. In this embodiment, the outer edge portion of the first cover 30 is configured by the first high-density portion 34, which has a high fiber density of nonwoven fabric, i.e., a portion with relatively high rigidity.

[0033] <Second high density part 35> The second high density portion 35 constitutes a portion of the rear covering portion CP of the first cover 30 that is forward of the two front locking holes 32 of the four locking holes 32. In this embodiment, by providing the second high density portion 35, the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric that constitutes the first cover 30 is set relatively high in the front portion of the first cover 30 that is forward of a protruding wall portion 44 of the second cover 40, which will be described later. This provides the front portion of the first cover 30 with relatively high rigidity and a structure that is relatively resistant to water penetration.

[0034] <Water passage 36> In this embodiment, a water passage 36 is formed in the rear covering portion CP of the first cover 30 by a portion of the nonwoven fabric having a higher fiber density. More specifically, the water passage 36 is formed by a portion of the nonwoven fabric having a higher fiber density than adjacent portions, and extends in the front-to-rear direction Y so that the upper surface of the first cover 30 is concave. The water passage 36 is provided in the rear portion of the first cover 30, which is a portion rearward of the protruding wall portion 44.

[0035] Specifically, the water passage 36 has a first water passage 361, a second water passage 362, a third water passage 363, a fourth water passage 364, and a fifth water passage 365. The first water passage 361 extends in the front-to-rear direction Y from the left side of the front-left locking hole 32 of the four locking holes 32 at the left end of the first cover 30 to the rear end of the first cover 30. The second water passage 362 extends along the periphery of the front-left locking hole 32 to the right and rear of the locking hole 32. The third water passage 363 extends along the periphery of the front-right locking hole 32 to the left and rear of the locking hole 32. The fourth water passage 364 extends in the front-to-rear direction Y from the right side of the front-right locking hole 32 to just before the rear-right locking hole 32. The fifth water passage 365 extends in the vehicle width direction X between the two front locking holes 32 and the two rear locking holes 32 so as to connect the first water passage 361 and the fourth water passage 364.

[0036] 2, 4, and 5, the rear covering portion CP of the first cover 30 extends so as to be positioned lower toward the rear. In this embodiment, the rear covering portion CP of the first cover 30 includes a portion of the first cover where the water passage 36 is provided.

[0037] <Low density part 37, 38, 39> The first low-density portion 37 is formed by a portion of the first cover 30 that is surrounded by the first high-density portion 34. The second low-density portion 38 is formed by a portion of the first cover 30 that is surrounded by the first water channel 361, the second water channel 362, the third water channel 363, the fourth water channel 364, and the fifth water channel 365. The second low-density portion 38 forms a part of the portion of the first cover 30 that is below the second cover 40. The third low-density portion 39 forms a portion sandwiched between the two rearmost engaging portions 31 of the four engaging portions 31 in the rear covering portion CP of the first cover 30, and a portion rearward of the two rearmost engaging portions 31. In this embodiment, the low-density portions 37 to 39 have a relatively low fiber density of the nonwoven fabric, and therefore have a higher sound-absorbing function than the high-density portions 34, 35 and the water channel 36.

[0038] <Second cover 40> 1 and 2, the second cover 40 is made of a hard resin material (for example, polypropylene). The second cover 40 is disposed between the underside of the vehicle body 11 and the first cover 30. The second cover 40 extends above the first cover 30 in the vehicle width direction X and the front-rear direction Y along the underside of the rear-of-wheel portion P of the vehicle body 11, and covers the underside of the rear-of-wheel portion P.

[0039] 1 to 3, specifically, the front end of the second cover 40 is located rearward of the front end of the first cover 30. The left end of the second cover 40 extends in the front-to-rear direction Y along the left end of the underside of the vehicle body 11. The right end of the second cover 40 extends in the front-to-rear direction Y behind the tire housing 15 for the left front wheel 12L. The rear end of the second cover 40 extends in the vehicle width direction X at a position forward of the rear end of the first cover 30.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the second cover 40 has a cover main body 41, an extension 42, a second bracket portion 43, and a protruding wall portion 44. <Cover body 41> The cover body 41 extends in the vehicle width direction X and the front-rear direction Y along the underside of the wheel rear portion P of the vehicle body 11 (see FIG. 1). The cover body 41 has a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view. The cover body 41 is provided with lattice-shaped ribs 411 that protrude upward from the top surface. The ribs 411 are composed of two ribs 411 extending in the vehicle width direction X and three ribs 411 extending in the front-rear direction Y. Six spaces S1 to S6 are defined and formed in the upper part of the cover body 41 by the lattice-shaped ribs 411.

[0041] <Latching hole 45> The cover main body 41 is provided with four locking holes 45 formed at the four corners of a rectangle whose longer sides are in the front-rear direction Y in a plan view. Each locking hole 45 has an elongated hole shape extending in the vehicle width direction X. The four locking holes 45 are provided at positions corresponding to the four locking holes 32 of the first cover 30. More specifically, one locking hole 45 is provided in each of the left front space S1, the right front space S3, the left rear space S4, and the right rear space S6 of the six spaces S1 to S6 defined by the lattice-like rib 411. In this embodiment, the four locking holes 45, together with the four locking holes 32 of the first cover 30 (see FIG. 3), are used to secure the first cover 30 and the second cover 40 together.

[0042] In this embodiment, the first cover 30 and the second cover 40 are fixed together as follows. 2 and 6, a fixing member 46 having a pair of opposing walls and a U-shaped cross section is used for this fixation. The fixing member 46 has an insertion hole provided in one of the pair of opposing walls and a female screw portion 461 provided in the other.

[0043] When fastening the first cover 30 and the second cover 40, first, four fixing members 46 are attached to the second cover 40 using the four locking holes 45 of the second cover 40. Specifically, one of the pair of opposing walls of the fixing member 46 is inserted into the locking hole 45, and the pair of opposing walls of the fixing member 46 sandwiches the second cover 40, specifically, the inner edge portion of the locking hole 45. Thereafter, the first cover 30 and the second cover 40 are overlapped. Then, a male screw member 462 (see FIG. 4 ) is inserted from below through the locking hole 32 of the first cover 30 and the insertion hole of one of the opposing walls, and penetrates the cover main body 41 of the second cover 40, and is fastened to the female screw portion 461 of the other opposing wall. In this embodiment, the first cover 30 and the second cover 40 are fastened together in an overlapping state using the fixing members 46 and the male screw member 462.

[0044] <Exhaust hole> In this embodiment, the four engagement holes 32 formed in the cover body 41 of the second cover 40 are discharge holes constituted by through holes that penetrate in the vertical direction Z, and function as discharge holes that discharge water that infiltrates onto the upper surface of the cover body 41 downward.

[0045] 2, 3, and 6, the left front locking hole 32 of the four locking holes 32 is provided directly above the second water passage 362. The right front locking hole 32 of the four locking holes 32 is provided directly above the third water passage 363. Furthermore, the two rear locking holes 32 of the four locking holes 32 are each provided directly above the fifth water passage 365. In this manner, in this embodiment, the four locking holes 32 are provided at positions that overlap with the water passages 36 in a plan view of the undercover 20L seen from above.

[0046] 6, the cover body 41 is provided with through holes 412 that penetrate the cover body 41 in the up-down direction Z, in addition to the locking holes 45. Of the six spaces S1 to S6 defined by the lattice-like ribs 411, one through hole 412 is provided in each of the left front space S1, the front center space S2, the right front space S3, and the rear center space S5.

[0047] <Extending part 42> 2, 3, and 6, the extension portion 42 extends so as to protrude forward from the right portion at the front end of the cover main body 41. The extension portion 42 extends from the front end of the cover main body 41 to just before the locking portion 31 (hereinafter, referred to as the second locking portion 312) provided at the front end of the first cover 30 and located at the rear of the wheel well 15 (see FIG. 1).

[0048] <Second bracket part 43> The second bracket portion 43 extends in the vehicle width direction X and the front-rear direction Y at the left end of the second cover 40. The second bracket portion 43 has a through hole 431 that penetrates in the up-down direction Z. The through hole 431 is provided at a position that overlaps with the first locking portion 311 of the first cover 30 in a plan view. In this embodiment, this through hole 431, together with the first locking portion 311, is used to secure the first cover 30 and the second cover 40 together at the same location on the vehicle body 11 in a state where they are stacked in the up-down direction Z.

[0049] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7 , in this embodiment, the first cover 30 and the second cover 40 are fixed to the vehicle body 11 as follows. For example, a fixing member 31A is attached to the first locking portion 311 of the first bracket portion 33 of the first cover 30. This fixing member 31A is then inserted into the through-hole 431 of the second bracket portion 43 of the second cover 40 and fastened to the underside of the vehicle body 11. In this manner, in this embodiment, the first cover 30 and the second cover 40 are fixed together in an overlapping state using the first locking portion 311 of the first cover 30, the fixing member 31A, and the through-hole 431 of the second cover 40. In this embodiment, the first locking portion 311 of the first cover 30, the fixing member 31A, and the through-hole 431 of the second cover 40 correspond to fixing portions.

[0050] <Protruding wall portion 44> 2 and 4 to 6, the protruding wall portion 44 has a shape that protrudes upward, more specifically, diagonally forward, from the left portion of the front end portion of the cover main body 41. The protruding wall portion 44 extends in the vehicle width direction X and the up-down direction Z. Three ribs 441 that protrude rearward and extend in the up-down direction Z are provided on the rear surface of the protruding wall portion 44.

[0051] <Operation of this embodiment> The operation of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the undercover 20L is provided behind the left front wheel 12L so as to cover a rear-of-wheel portion P of the underside of the vehicle body 11. Therefore, when the vehicle 10 is traveling on a snowy road, there is a risk that snow kicked up by the left front wheel 12L may get in between the first cover 30 of the undercover 20L and the underside of the vehicle body 11 from the front side, as shown by arrow A in FIG.

[0052] In this embodiment, the second cover 40, which is disposed above the first cover 30, has a cover main body 41 extending in the vehicle width direction X and the front-rear direction Y, and a protruding wall portion 44 protruding upward from the front end of the cover main body 41. Therefore, even if snow kicked up by the left front wheel 12L infiltrates between the first cover 30 of the undercover 20L and the underside of the vehicle body 11 as described above, the protruding wall portion 44 blocks the snow from infiltrating rearward of the protruding wall portion 44. This makes it possible to narrow the area where snow that infiltrates between the first cover 30 of the undercover 20L and the underside of the vehicle body 11 comes into contact with the first cover 30. This prevents water from seeping into the first cover 30, which is made of nonwoven fabric.

[0053] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the range of snow that penetrates between the first cover 30 of the undercover 20L and the underside of the vehicle body 11 can be limited to the area forward of the protruding wall portion 44. This prevents the snow from getting on the low-density portions 38, 39 of the first cover 30 that are behind the protruding wall portion 44. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cover body 41 of the second cover 40 is shaped to cover the upper side of the second low-density portion 38, and this cover body 41 also prevents the snow from getting on the second low-density portion 38. The low-density portions 38, 39 are composed of portions of nonwoven fabric with low fiber density, so they tend to have a high water penetration amount, i.e., the amount of moisture retained therein. According to this embodiment, water penetration into the low-density portions 38, 39 is prevented.

[0054] In this embodiment, snow heading rearward between the first cover 30 and the underside of the vehicle body 11 is blocked by the protruding wall 44, and as a result, as shown by "SN" in Fig. 5, there is a risk that snow will accumulate in the front portion of the first cover 30, which is the portion forward of the protruding wall 44. The accumulation of snow in the front portion of the first cover 30 may cause flooding.

[0055] Nonwoven fabric has the property that the higher the fiber density, the less susceptible to water penetration and the higher its rigidity. In this embodiment, the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric constituting the first cover 30 in the front portion of the first cover 30 is set to be relatively high among all portions of the first cover 30. This makes the front portion of the first cover 30 less susceptible to water penetration and highly rigid. Therefore, even if snow accumulates in the front portion of the first cover 30, water penetration due to this snow accumulation is suppressed.

[0056] In this embodiment, the four locking holes 32 formed in the cover body 41 of the second cover 40 are drain holes constituted by through holes that penetrate in the vertical direction Z, and function as drain holes that drain water that has entered the upper surface of the cover body 41 downward. Therefore, even if water enters the upper surface of the cover body 41 due to snow falling on the upper surface of the cover body 41, this water is drained to the underside of the cover body 41 through the locking holes 32.

[0057] The front portion of the first cover 30 becomes wet due to the intrusion of snow and rainwater kicked up by the left front wheel 12L and the melting of accumulated snow. In this embodiment, a water passage 36 through which water flows is formed by a portion with a high fiber density, i.e., a portion that is less susceptible to water penetration, in the rear portion of the first cover 30 that is rearward of the protruding wall portion 44. Also, in this embodiment, the portion of the first cover 30 where the water passage 36 is provided extends so that it is positioned lower as it moves toward the rear.

[0058] Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown by the dashed arrow in Figure 8, water present in the front portion of the first cover 30 flows rearward by utilizing gravity and enters the water passage 36, and then flows through the water passage 36. As a result, the water present in the front portion of the first cover 30 is guided by the water passage 36 and is discharged from the rear end of the undercover 20L, more specifically, from the rear end of the first water passage 361, to the outside of the undercover 20L.

[0059] In this embodiment, the four locking holes 32 of the cover body 41 are provided directly above the water passages 36 of the first cover 30. Therefore, when water that has entered the upper surface of the cover body 41 is discharged to the underside of the cover body 41 through the locking holes 32, the water falls directly into the water passages 36. The water that falls into the water passages 36 is then guided by the water passages 36 and discharged to the outside of the undercover 20L.

[0060] <Effects of this embodiment> The effects of this embodiment will be described. (1) The undercover 20L has a first cover 30 and a second cover 40. The first cover 30 is made of nonwoven fabric and extends along the underside of the vehicle body 11 to cover the rear-of-wheel portion P. The second cover 40 is made of a hard resin material and extends along the underside of the vehicle body 11 above the first cover 30 to cover the rear-of-wheel portion P. The first cover 30 and the second cover 40 are fixed together to the same location on the vehicle body 11 while being stacked in the vertical direction Z. The second cover 40 includes a cover main body 41 that extends along the underside of the vehicle body 11 to cover the rear-of-wheel portion P, and a protruding wall portion 44 that protrudes upward from the cover main body 41 and extends in the vehicle width direction X.

[0061] According to the above configuration, by using the first cover 30 made of nonwoven fabric for a portion of the undercover 20L, it is possible to reduce the weight of the undercover 20L and improve the noise reduction effect of the cover 20L compared to an undercover that is made entirely of a hard resin material. Moreover, by using the second cover 40 made of a hard resin material for a portion of the undercover 20L, it is possible to impart high rigidity to the undercover 20L.

[0062] According to the above configuration, even if snow kicked up by the left front wheel 12L gets in between the first cover 30 and the underside of the vehicle body 11, the snow is blocked by the protruding wall portion 44 of the second cover 40, thereby preventing the snow from getting in behind the protruding wall portion 44. This prevents the weight of the first cover 30 from increasing due to water intrusion, thereby preventing unnecessary deformation of the first cover 30, such as deformation that causes the first cover 30 to sag.

[0063] (2) The protruding wall portion 44 is provided at the front end of the cover body 41. Therefore, compared to when the protruding wall portion 44 is provided midway in the front-to-rear direction Y on the cover body 41, the protruding wall portion 44 can prevent snow from entering the rear side over a wider area, thereby preferably preventing unnecessary deformation of the first cover 30.

[0064] (3) In the front portion of the first cover 30, the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric constituting the first cover 30 is set to be relatively high compared to other portions of the first cover 30. This makes the front portion of the first cover 30 less susceptible to water penetration and provides high rigidity. Therefore, even if snow accumulates in the front portion of the first cover 30, unnecessary deformation of the front portion of the first cover 30 due to this accumulation can be suppressed. Furthermore, foreign objects (snow, rainwater, stones, etc.) kicked up by the left front wheel 12L when the vehicle 10 is traveling collide with the front portion of the first cover 30. In this embodiment, the high rigidity of the front portion of the first cover 30 prevents unnecessary deformation of the front portion of the first cover 30 due to the collision of foreign objects.

[0065] (4) The cover body 41 is provided with a locking hole 32, which is a drain hole formed by a through hole penetrating in the vertical direction Z and functions as the drain hole to drain water that enters the upper surface of the cover body 41 to the underside of the cover body 41.

[0066] According to the above configuration, even if water enters the upper surface of the cover body 41 due to snow falling on the upper surface of the cover body 41, the water can be discharged to the lower side of the cover body 41 through the locking holes 32. Therefore, it is possible to prevent water from accumulating in the cover body 41.

[0067] (5) The rear portion of the first cover 30 is composed of a portion having a higher fiber density of nonwoven fabric than the adjacent portion, and a water passage 36 is provided extending in the front-to-rear direction Y so that the upper surface of the first cover 30 is concave.

[0068] According to the above configuration, a water passage 36 through which water flows can be formed by a portion with a high fiber density, i.e., a portion that is less susceptible to water penetration, in the rear portion of the first cover 30. This makes it possible for water that has entered the front portion of the first cover 30 to be drained by flowing it to the rear side via the water passage 36 formed in the rear portion of the first cover 30 while preventing water from entering the first cover 30.

[0069] (6) The four locking holes 32 of the cover body 41 are provided directly above the water passages 36 of the first cover 30 . According to the above configuration, water that has entered the upper surface of the cover main body 41 falls directly into the water passage 36 of the first cover 30 through the locking hole 32, allowing the water to be smoothly discharged outside the undercover 20L.

[0070] (7) The portion of the first cover 30 where the water passage 36 is provided extends so that it is positioned lower toward the rear. Therefore, water that has entered the front portion of the first cover 30 is made to flow rearward by utilizing gravity, and can be smoothly discharged rearward via the water passage 36 formed in the rear portion of the first cover 30.

[0071] <Example of change> The above embodiment can be modified as follows: The above embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0072] The extension 42 of the second cover 40 can be omitted. The protruding wall portion 44 may be provided at a middle position in the front-rear direction Y of the cover main body 41 instead of at the front end portion of the cover main body 41 .

[0073] The material for forming the second cover 40 can be changed arbitrarily as long as it is a hard resin material. The second cover 40 can also be formed from a metal material. The method for fixing the first bracket portion 33 of the first cover 30 and the second bracket portion 43 of the second cover 40 together to the lower part of the vehicle body 11 can be changed as desired. Examples of the fixing method include a method of fastening by screws using a male screw member, a method of fixing via a clip member that engages with the lower part of the vehicle body 11, and a method of crimping by using a crimping member.

[0074] The fixing portion of the first cover 30 that is fixed to the lower part of the vehicle body 11 together with the second cover 40 can be changed as desired. For example, the fixing portion can be a middle portion of the first cover 30 in the vehicle width direction X.

[0075] The fixing portion of the second cover 40 that is fixed to the lower part of the vehicle body 11 together with the first cover 30 can be changed as desired. For example, the right end portion of the cover body 41 or the middle portion of the cover body 41 in the vehicle width direction X can be used as the fixing portion. In addition, it is also possible to fix the protruding wall portion 44 of the second cover 40 to the lower part of the vehicle body 11 together with the first cover 30.

[0076] The first cover 30 and the second cover 40 may be fixed together at multiple locations on the lower part of the vehicle body 11 . The fixing structure for fixing the first cover 30 and the second cover 40 is not limited to a fixing structure using the fixing member 46 and the male screw member, but can be changed as desired. For example, the fixing structure can be a fixing structure in which a crimping member is used for crimping, or a fixing structure in which an adhesive is used for adhesive fixation.

[0077] The first cover 30 and the second cover 40 do not necessarily have to be fixed at four locations, but may be fixed at one to three locations, or at five or more locations. The shape of the ribs 411, 441 of the second cover 40 can be changed as desired. The ribs 411, 441 of the second cover 40 can also be omitted.

[0078] The rear covering portion CP of the first cover 30 is not limited to a shape that extends downward toward the rear, but may have any shape, such as a shape that does not slope in the front-to-rear direction Y. It is preferable that the rear covering portion CP of the first cover 30 has a shape that extends downward toward a discharge portion that discharges water to the outside (for example, an end of the first cover 30 or a discharge hole provided in the first cover 30). With this configuration, water on the first cover 30 can flow to the discharge portion by utilizing gravity, and can be discharged to the outside of the undercover 20L via the discharge portion.

[0079] At least one of the four locking holes 32 may be provided at a position that does not overlap with the water passage 36 in a plan view of the undercover 20L seen from above. In addition to using the locking hole 32 as a drain hole to drain water that has entered the upper surface of the cover body 41 downward, a separate through hole that penetrates the cover body 41 in the vertical direction Z can be provided and used as the drain hole.

[0080] The drain hole, which is a through-hole that penetrates the cover body 41 in the vertical direction Z and drains water that has entered the upper surface of the cover body 41 downward, can be omitted. For example, the fastening structure that fastens the first cover 30 and the second cover 40 can be a fastening structure that does not use the locking hole 32, and the locking hole 32 can be omitted.

[0081] The shape of the water passage 36 can be changed as desired, for example, by omitting the second water passage 362 and the third water passage 363, or by shaping the fourth water passage 364 to extend to the rear end of the first cover 30. It is also possible to omit the water passage 36 altogether.

[0082] The arrangement of high-fiber-density and low-fiber-density nonwoven fabric portions in the undercover 20L can be changed as desired. It is also possible to make the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric uniform in each portion of the undercover 20L.

[0083] The vehicle cover according to the above embodiment can be applied to the undercover 20L, as well as to the undercover 20R that covers the rear portion of the right front wheel 12R, and to a rear undercover that covers the rear portions of the rear wheels 13R, 13L. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 10...Vehicle 11...Vehicle body 12R...Right front wheel 12L…Left front wheel 13R,13L…Rear wheel 14...Front under cover 15...Tire house 20R, 20L...Undercover 30...First cover 31...Latching part 311...First locking portion 312...Second locking portion 32...Latching hole 33...First bracket part 34...1st high density part 35…Second high density part 36…Water passage 361…First waterway 362…Second waterway 363…3rd waterway 364…4th waterway 365…5th waterway 37…1st low density part 38…Second low density part 39...Third low density part 40...Second cover 41...Cover body 411...Rib 412...Through hole 42...Extending part 43...Second bracket part 431...Through hole 44...Protruding wall part 441...Rib 45...Latching hole 46...Fixing member 461... Female thread

Claims

1. A vehicle cover that covers a rear portion of the wheel on the underside of the vehicle body, the rear portion being on the vehicle rear side of the wheel, a first cover made of nonwoven fabric and extending along the underside of the vehicle body to cover the rear portion of the wheel; a second cover made of a hard resin material or a metal material, extending along the underside of the vehicle body above the first cover and covering the rear portion of the wheel; a fixing portion that fixes the first cover and the second cover together to the same location on the vehicle body in a state where the first cover and the second cover are stacked in the vehicle vertical direction, The second cover includes a cover main body extending along the underside of the vehicle main body to cover the rear portion of the wheel, and a protruding wall portion protruding from the cover main body toward the upper side of the vehicle and extending in the vehicle width direction. Vehicle cover.

2. The protruding wall portion is provided at an end portion of the cover main body on the vehicle front side. The vehicle cover according to claim 1 .

3. In a front portion of the first cover, which is a portion of the first cover that is closer to the front of the vehicle than the protruding wall portion, the fiber density of the nonwoven fabric that constitutes the first cover is set to be relatively high among all portions of the first cover. The vehicle cover according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The cover body has a drain hole formed by a through hole penetrating in the vehicle vertical direction, and the drain hole drains water that has entered onto the surface of the cover body on the upper side of the vehicle to the underside of the vehicle. The vehicle cover according to claim 1 or 2.

5. a water passage formed by a portion of the nonwoven fabric having a higher fiber density than an adjacent portion in a rear portion of the first cover that is a portion rearward of the protruding wall portion of the first cover, the water passage extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle so that an upper surface of the vehicle is concave; The vehicle cover according to claim 1 .

6. a water passage configured by a portion of the nonwoven fabric having a higher fiber density than an adjacent portion is provided in a rear portion of the first cover that is a portion rearward of the protruding wall portion of the first cover, and the water passage extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle so that a surface on an upper side of the vehicle is concave, The cover body has a drain hole formed by a through hole penetrating in the vehicle vertical direction, and the drain hole is provided directly above the water passage, and drains water that has entered the vehicle upper surface of the cover body to the vehicle lower side. The vehicle cover according to claim 1 .

7. The portion of the first cover where the water passage is provided extends so as to be positioned lower on the vehicle rear side.

7. The vehicle cover according to claim 5 or 6.

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