Door side molding

Abstract

To provide a door side molding that straightens an air flow jetted from a wheel house to reduce air resistance of a vehicle side face, and also maintains designability of a side door.SOLUTION: A door side molding 40 has a molding top face 41 which is fitted to a side door 20 of a vehicle 1, and extends in a vehicle front-rear direction to protrude in a vehicle width outward direction. The door side molding 40 is characterized in that the angle that a right top face 21 of the side door 20 where the door side molding 40 is installed and the molding top face 41 of the door side molding 40 contain is 90 degrees or less, and the molding top face 41 has a tip part 44 protruding most in the vehicle width outward direction, and is also provided below an upper end position of a wheel house 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a door side molding provided on a side door of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] When a vehicle is moving, turbulence in the airflow that blows out from the wheelhouse to the rear of the vehicle increases air resistance on the side of the vehicle and affects driving stability. The exterior surface of the side door forms the design surface of the side door and is textured. The textured surface on the exterior surface of the side door can cause turbulence in the airflow on the side of the vehicle.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a door side molding that is attached to a side door and has a direction indicating means. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-179077 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] To rectify turbulent airflow on the sides of a vehicle, the uneven surfaces of the side doors are sometimes covered with large door side moldings, but this detracts from the design of the side doors and also increases the weight of the larger door side moldings.

[0006] The door side molding described in Patent Document 1 is provided to protect the door of the vehicle, and is not provided with the intention of rectifying the airflow on the side of the vehicle while it is moving.

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a door side molding that rectifies the airflow ejected from the wheel house, reduces air resistance on the side of the vehicle, and maintains the design of the side door. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The door side molding according to the present disclosure is attached to a vehicle side door, extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and has an upper surface that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction. The door side molding is characterized in that the angle formed between the upper surface of the door side molding and the surface of the door side molding is 90 degrees or less, and the upper surface of the molding has a tip that protrudes most outward in the vehicle width direction and is located below the upper end of the wheel house. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The door side molding according to the present disclosure can rectify the airflow ejected from the wheel house, thereby reducing air resistance on the side of the vehicle and maintaining the design of the side door. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a vehicle, showing the position of a door side molding according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle body contour taken along line XX in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the results of a simulation of the airflow on the side of a vehicle that does not have a door side molding. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating simulation results of airflow on the side of a vehicle equipped with a door side molding according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a door side molding according to another embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a door side molding according to still another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, specific shapes, materials, directions, numerical values, etc. are examples for facilitating understanding of the present disclosure and can be appropriately changed according to the application, purpose, specifications, etc. Furthermore, it is originally anticipated that the components of the embodiments and modified examples described below can be selectively combined.

[0012] In each drawing of this disclosure, arrow F indicates the forward direction (travel direction) of the vehicle, and the direction opposite to arrow F indicates the rearward direction of the vehicle. Arrow W indicates the leftward direction of the vehicle, and the direction opposite to arrow W indicates the rightward direction of the vehicle. Arrow H indicates the upward direction of the vehicle, and the direction opposite to arrow H indicates the downward direction of the vehicle.

[0013] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a vehicle 1 on which a door side molding 40 of this embodiment is installed, showing the left side of the vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 has a door glass 10, a side door 20, and a door side molding 40 on its side. The vehicle 1 has a wheel house 30 in front of the side door 20 that houses a tire 60. Although not essential, the vehicle 1 may have a side step 50 below the side door 20. In FIG. 1, the side step 50 is indicated by a dashed line.

[0014] The side door 20 has an inclined surface 21 that extends downward from the lower end 11 of the door glass 10 toward the vehicle and cuts inward from approximately the center in the height direction toward the bottom. The inclined surface 21 of the side door 20 and the area below it form unevenness, forming a design surface. However, the shape of the side door 20 is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 1 . The side door 20 may have various forms in consideration of design. In this embodiment, the door side molding 40 is installed on the side door 20 having the inclined surface 21. However, even if the outer surface of the side door 20 has another shape, the door side molding 40 can be configured to satisfy the conditions described below and thereby reduce the air resistance on the side of the vehicle.

[0015] The wheel house 30 is a space provided in front of the side door 20 for accommodating a tire 60. As shown in FIG. 1, an upper end 31 of the wheel house is located above the center of the side door 20 in the height direction.

[0016] The door side molding 40 is installed below the wheel house upper end 31 and adjacent to and below the inclined surface 21 of the side door 20. The door side molding 40 extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction. The door side molding 40 is made of, for example, resin.

[0017] The side step 50 is a long, narrow plate that is attached to the side of the vehicle below the side door 20 and extends in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle. As described above, the side step 50 is not an essential component and can be omitted.

[0018] Next, the door side molding 40 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle body taken along line XX in Fig. 1. Since this disclosure deals with the rectification of airflow on the side of the vehicle, Fig. 2 and Figs. 5 and 6, which will be described later, omit the internal structure of the vehicle.

[0019] 2 shows the outlines of the left door glass 10, side door 20, and door side molding 40 of the vehicle 1. Furthermore, in FIG. 2, the position of the wheel house 30 when viewed from the front of the vehicle 1 is indicated by a dashed line.

[0020] 2, the door side molding 40 is installed below the side door 20 and below a position H1 of the wheel house upper end 31. The height position of the wheel house upper end 31 is indicated by a dashed line.

[0021] The door side molding 40 of this embodiment is formed in the shape of a triangular prism, consisting of a molding upper surface 41, a molding lower surface 42, and a molding mounting surface 43. The door side molding 40 is connected to the lower side of the inclined surface 21 of the side door 20. The door side molding 40 is formed so that the molding upper surface 41 and the molding lower surface 42 protrude outward in the vehicle width direction from the upper and lower ends of the molding mounting surface 43, and protrudes most outward in the vehicle width direction at a tip end 44. Note that the cross-sectional shape of the door side molding 40 shown in FIG. 2 is a substantially triangle with the tip end 44 as the apex, but is not limited to this. If the door side molding 40 satisfies the conditions for the door side molding 40 described below, it will have the effect of reducing air resistance.

[0022] When the vehicle is traveling, airflow is ejected from the upper end of the wheel house 30 toward the rear of the vehicle. This airflow flows from above the side door 20 to below the side of the vehicle. If turbulence occurs in this airflow, air resistance on the side of the vehicle increases, affecting driving stability. If the side door 20 has unevenness, turbulence is likely to occur in the airflow on the side of the vehicle. The door side molding 40 of the present disclosure suppresses (rectifies) the occurrence of turbulence in the airflow on the side of the vehicle.

[0023] The shape and installation conditions of the door side molding 40 will be described in more detail with reference to Figure 2. As described above, the door side molding 40 is configured to satisfy the following conditions when installed on the side door 20. Condition 1: The angle θ between the surface directly above the side door 20 (hereinafter referred to as the "directly upper surface") to which the molding upper surface 41 is connected and the molding upper surface 41 is 100 degrees or less, preferably 90 degrees or less. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the directly upper surface of the side door 20 is the inclined surface 21. Condition 2: The molding upper surface 41 has a tip 44 that protrudes most outward in the vehicle width direction, and is preferably formed so that the protruding width L of the molding upper surface 41 in the vehicle width direction is 25 mm or more. Condition 3: The door side molding 40 is installed below the position H1 of the wheel house upper end 31. In FIG. 2, the upper end position of the molding upper surface 41 in the vehicle height direction, indicated by the dashed line, is installed below the position H1 of the wheel house upper end 31. By installing the door side molding 40 so as to satisfy the above conditions, it is possible to straighten the airflow that is blown out from the upper end of the wheel house 30 toward the rear of the vehicle, thereby reducing air resistance on the side of the vehicle. Each condition will be explained below in order.

[0024] <Regarding Condition 1> When the vehicle is traveling, the airflow ejected from the upper end of the wheel house 30 toward the rear of the vehicle flows downward along the inclined surface 21 from above the side door 20 on the side of the vehicle. By installing the door side molding 40 in the flow path of the airflow along the inclined surface 21, the airflow can be caused to collide with the molding upper surface 41. This allows a vortex to be formed below the door side molding 40. The vortex formed below the door side molding 40 becomes a vertical vortex that flows rearward along the side of the vehicle. The air on the side of the vehicle and the airflow ejected from the wheel house 30 are attracted to the low-pressure vertical vortex, thereby suppressing air turbulence. By forming the door side molding 40 so that the angle θ between the molding upper surface 41 and the inclined surface 21 is 90 degrees or less, the airflow that flows from above to below the inclined surface 21 can be caused to directly face the molding upper surface 41.

[0025] The outer surface and inclined surface 21 of the side door 20 are not necessarily flat. If the side door 20 has a different outer surface shape, air turbulence can be suppressed by configuring the angle θ between the upper surface 41 of the molding and the directly upper surface 21 of the side door 20 to which the molding upper surface 41 is connected to be 100 degrees or less, preferably 90 degrees or less.

[0026] As described above, the airflow along the side of the vehicle can be rectified if the angle θ formed between the upper surface 41 and the surface directly above the side door 20 to which the upper surface of the molding is connected is 90 degrees or less. However, from the perspectives of the length of the upper surface 41 of the molding, the size of the door side molding 40, and the rectification effect, the angle θ may be 70 degrees or more and 100 degrees or less. The reason for setting the angle θ to 70 degrees or more is that a small angle θ reduces the efficiency of capturing the airflow flowing along the inclined surface 21. Furthermore, since the following condition 2 specifies the protrusion width of the upper surface 41 of the molding toward the outside of the vehicle width, a small angle θ requires the upper surface 41 of the molding to be correspondingly longer, resulting in an increase in the size of the door side molding 40. The reason for setting the angle θ to 100 degrees or less is that the reduction in airflow rectification performance is small when the angle θ is greater than 90 degrees but up to 100 degrees.

[0027] <Regarding Condition 2> In order to ensure that the airflow flowing from above to below the side door 20 collides with the molding upper surface 41 and forms a vortex below the door side molding 40, the molding upper surface must protrude outward in the vehicle width direction by a predetermined amount or more. By protruding the molding upper surface outward in the vehicle width direction from the inclined surface 21 by 25 mm or more, a vortex can be formed reliably.

[0028] <Regarding Condition 3> Since the airflow ejected from the wheel house 30 flows below the position H1 of the wheel house upper end 31, the door side molding 40 needs to be installed below the position H1.

[0029] There is no particular limitation on the length of the molding mounting surface 43 of the door side molding 40 in the vehicle height direction. The door side molding 40 of this embodiment can be made to have a height that is sufficiently smaller than the length of the side door 20 in the vehicle height direction, making it possible to make a small and lightweight door side molding 40. There is no need to cover the entire uneven surface of the side door 20, and the design of the side door 20 is not impaired.

[0030] Next, the results of a simulation of the airflow rectifying effect of the door side molding 40 of this embodiment are shown. Fig. 3 shows the results when the door side molding 40 is not installed, and Fig. 4 shows the results when the door side molding 40 of this embodiment is installed.

[0031] 3 and 4, the flow of airflow ejected from the wheel house 30 is indicated by a dashed line. The magnitude of air resistance on the side of the vehicle caused by turbulence in the airflow is indicated by the density of the satin pattern. The density of the satin pattern indicates that a dense pattern results in relatively high air resistance, and a sparse pattern indicates relatively low air resistance.

[0032] 3, it can be seen that when the door side molding 40 is not installed, the airflow ejected from the wheel house 30 flows from above to below along the side of the vehicle and wraps around to the bottom of the side of the vehicle. The airflow ejected from the wheel house 30 does not flow smoothly toward the rear of the vehicle, causing turbulence in the airflow on the side of the vehicle.

[0033] Looking at the density of the matte pattern of the air resistance on the side of the vehicle, it can be seen that large air resistance is generated on the side of the vehicle immediately behind the wheel house 30. It can be seen that large air resistance is generated on the side of the vehicle all the way to the rear of the vehicle due to turbulence in the air flow on the side of the vehicle. This is because the air flow on the side of the vehicle cannot be efficiently released to the rear of the vehicle, causing turbulence in the air flow and generating large air resistance.

[0034] Next, the results of a simulation of the airflow in a vehicle when the door side molding 40 of this embodiment is installed will be referred to in FIG.

[0035] The airflow ejected from the wheel house 30 flows downward along the side of the vehicle from above the side door 20. Because the door side molding 40, which protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction, is located in the middle of this downward airflow, the airflow collides with the upper surface 41 of the molding and forms a vortex as it flows toward the lower surface 42 of the molding. This vortex forms a low-pressure vertical vortex that flows toward the rear of the vehicle. The airflow on the side of the vehicle is attracted toward the vehicle by this low-pressure vertical vortex. As a result, the airflow ejected from the wheel house 30 is also attracted toward the vehicle, suppressing airflow turbulence and reducing air resistance on the side of the vehicle.

[0036] 3, it can be seen that air resistance is reduced rearward from the position where the airflow ejected from the wheel house 30 hits the door side molding 40. This result confirms the effect of the door side molding 40 in straightening the airflow on the vehicle side and reducing air resistance.

[0037] The door side molding 40 of this embodiment can suppress turbulence of the airflow blowing out from the wheel house 30 to the side of the vehicle, reducing air resistance and thereby improving driving stability. Second Embodiment 5 shows a door side molding 140 of the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0038] Compared with the door side molding 40 of the first embodiment, the door side molding 140 of the second embodiment extends downward in the vehicle height direction. Specifically, the door side molding 140 covers the side door 20 up to the lower end thereof.

[0039] The angle θ between the molding upper surface 141 of the door side molding 140 and the inclined surface 21 is set to 100 degrees or less, preferably 90 degrees or less. The molding upper surface 141 is also set to have a protruding width L outwardly of the vehicle of 25 mm or more. The door side molding 140 is also installed below the position H1 of the wheel house upper end 31.

[0040] The door side molding 140 thus formed has the effect of suppressing turbulence of the airflow blowing out from the wheel house 30 on the side of the vehicle, similar to the first embodiment.

[0041] Third Embodiment 6 shows door side moldings 240A, 240B, and 240C of the third embodiment. While only one door side molding 40 is provided in the first embodiment, this embodiment differs in that three door side moldings are provided in the vehicle height direction.

[0042] The door side molding 240A located at the lowest position in the vehicle height direction is substantially the same as the door side molding 40 of the first embodiment.

[0043] The door side moldings 240B, 240C are also configured to satisfy the same conditions as those of the first embodiment. Each of the multiple door side moldings 240A, 240B, 240C can straighten turbulence in the airflow on the side of the vehicle, thereby reducing air resistance on the side of the vehicle. The multiple door side moldings 240A, 240B, 240C straighten the airflow, thereby achieving an air resistance reduction effect equal to or greater than that of the first embodiment.

[0044] As described above, the door side molding of the present disclosure can suppress turbulence of the air flow on the side of the vehicle while maintaining the design of the side door.

[0045] The above embodiment shows only the configuration of the left side of the vehicle, but the configuration of the right side of the vehicle is formed symmetrically or approximately symmetrically to the configuration of the left side of the vehicle, and the effects described in the above embodiment can be obtained in the same way.

[0046] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and its modifications, and various changes and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims of this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1 vehicle, 10 door glass, 11 lower end, 20 side door, 21 upper surface (inclined surface), 30 wheel house, 31 upper end of wheel house, 40 door side molding, 41 upper surface of molding, 42 lower surface of molding, 43 molding mounting surface, 44 tip, 50 side step, 60 tire, 140, 240A, 240B, 240C door side molding, 141 upper surface of molding

Claims

[Claim 1] A door side molding attached to a side door of a vehicle, The molding has an upper surface that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction and protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction, a mounting surface of the side door on which the door side molding is installed is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction toward the vehicle bottom with respect to a direct upper surface of the side door to which the molding upper surface is connected, and an angle formed between the direct upper surface and the molding upper surface of the door side molding is 90 degrees or less; the upper surface of the molding has a tip end portion that protrudes most outward in a vehicle width direction, and is formed so that the protruding width of the upper surface of the molding in the vehicle width direction is 25 mm or more, It is provided below the upper end position of the wheel house. Door side molding.

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