Lamp baffle for a vehicle body structure

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to a baffle (3) for one or more external lamp (41-n) of a vehicle (5). The baffle (3) includes a plurality of mounting sections (51-n) configured to be mounted to an at least one body panel (17) of the vehicle (5). The plurality of mounting sections (51-n) includes an upper mounting section (51-1) and a lower mounting section (51-2). An inboard wall section (71) extends between the upper and lower mounting sections (51-n). The lower mounting section (51-2), the upper mounting section (51-1) and the inboard wall section (71) are moulded from a plastics material and have a unitary structure. Aspects of the present invention also relate to a body structure (7); and a vehicle (5).

Description

[0001] BAFFLE FOR A BODY STRUCTURE

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a baffle for a body structure. Aspects of the invention relate to a baffle, a body structure and a vehicle.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] It is known to provide a baffle on a body structure of a vehicle to form a light canister. The light canister is typically composed of a sheet metal assembly which is mounted to the body structure. The resulting light canister may limit or restrict design choices. A separate seal may be required between the lamp canister and the body structure to prevent the ingress of water.

[0006] It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide a baffle, a body structure and a vehicle as claimed in the appended claims.

[0009] According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a baffle for one or more external lamp of a vehicle, the baffle comprising:

[0010] a plurality of mounting sections configured to be mounted to an at least one body panel of the vehicle, the plurality of mounting sections comprising an upper mounting section and a lower mounting section; and an inboard wall section which extends between the upper and lower mounting sections; wherein, the lower mounting section, the upper mounting section and the inboard wall section are moulded from a plastics material and have a unitary structure.

[0011] The baffle may form a lamp canister for the vehicle. The baffle may, for example, form a lamp canister for a rear lamp or a rear lamp cluster of the vehicle. The lamp canister may house one or more external lamp for the vehicle. The baffle may form a low-profile lamp canister. At least in certain embodiments, the lamp canister may have a relatively small vertical profile and an elongated longitudinal profile. At least in certain embodiments the unitary structure of the lower mounting section, the upper mounting section and the inboard wall section may facilitate installation of the baffle.

[0012] The at least one body panel may form part of a body structure of the vehicle. The body structure may be a body-in-white of the vehicle. The at least one body panel may form an exterior of the body structure. The baffle may be fasted to the at least one body panel. At least in certain embodiments, the baffle may be integrated into the body structure.

[0013] The at least one body panel may comprise a rear quarter panel of the vehicle. The rear quarter panel may comprise an aperture having an upper edge and a lower edge. The upper and lower mounting sections may be configured to be fastened to the rear quarter panel proximal to the upper and lower edges respectively. The aperture may be configured to receive the baffle.The aperture in the rear quarter panel may be open to the rear edge of the rear quarter panel. At least in certain embodiments, the upper and lower mounting sections of the baffle comprise respective upper and lower rear portions configured to extend to a rear edge of the rear quarter panel. The upper and lower mounting sections may each comprise an inboard end configured to align with the rear edge of the rear quarter panel. The baffle may comprise a rear mounting bracket for mounting to a body structure proximal to the rear edge of the rear quarter panel. The rear mounting bracket may extend between the upper and lower mounting sections. The rear mounting bracket may be co-moulded with the upper mounting section, the lower mounting section baffle and the wall section. The rear mounting bracket may be pre-formed and then co-moulded with the baffle. At least in certain embodiments the rear mounting bracket is a metal bracket.

[0014] The inboard wall section may comprise a lamp support for supporting the one or more external lamp. The lamp support may be integrated into the inboard wall section. For example, the lamp support may be moulded into the inboard wall section.

[0015] The upper and lower mounting sections may be supported by respective upper and lower transverse wall sections. The upper and lower transverse wall sections may be inclined at an angle relative to each other. The upper and lower transverse wall sections may open outwardly at an angle relative to each other in a direction away from the inboard wall section. The upper and lower transverse wall sections may open outwardly relative to each other at an angle which is less than or equal to 20°, 15° or 10°, 8° or 6°. The angle may be greater than or equal to 1 °, 2° or 3°.

[0016] The plurality of mounting sections may comprise an upright (or vertical) mounting section extending between the upper and lower mounting sections. The upright mounting section may be disposed at the front of the baffle (when installed on the vehicle). The upright mounting section may be referred to as a front mounting section.

[0017] One or more of the plurality of mounting sections may comprise an adhesive for mounting the baffle to the at least one body panel. The adhesive may be suitable for fastening the upper and lower mounting sections to the at least one body panel. The adhesive may be disposed in a continuous or substantially continuous strip. The plurality of mounting sections may each comprise a continuous strip of adhesive for fastening the upper and lower mounting sections to the at least one body panel. The adhesive may be disposed in an elongated line or strip which extends along a length of the or each mounting section. The adhesive may form a seal around at least a portion of the baffle to reduce or prevent ingress of moisture. At least in certain embodiments, the adhesive may form a continuous strip which extends along each of the mounting structures. The continuous strip may be uninterrupted around a perimeter of the baffle. When installed in the vehicle, the adhesive may form a seal around a perimeter of the baffle. This may reduce or prevent ingress of water and / or contaminants. At least in certain embodiments, the seal formed by the adhesive may be hidden from view.

[0018] The adhesive may be a thermally expanding adhesive. The adhesive may be a mastic. The thermally expanding adhesive may be configured to expand after mounting the baffle to the at least one body panel. For example, the at least one body panel and the baffle may be heated to cause the adhesive to expand. Theheating may be performed in a subsequent fabrication or assembly process. For example, the baffle and the at least one body panel may be heated to cure paint applied after mounting the baffle. The heating may be performed in a paint-curing booth.

[0019] The or each mounting section may comprise a mounting surface profiled to match an inner surface of the at least one body panel. The mounting surface and the inner surface of the at least one body panel may have complementary profiles. The mounting surface of the mounting section may abut against the inner surface of the at least one body panel. At least in certain embodiments, this facilitates mounting of the baffle to the at least one body panel. At least in certain embodiments this may facilitate accurate position of the baffle in relation to the at least one body panel.

[0020] The baffle may be moulded from a plastics material, for example using an injection moulding process. The plastics material may comprise a fibre-reinforced plastic. The plastics material may, for example, comprise a glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP). The fibre-reinforced plastic may comprise a plurality of fibres. The fibres in each of the plurality of mounting sections may predominantly extend parallel to the mounting surface of that mounting section. Thermal expansion in a longitudinal direction (i.e. parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fibres) is typically greater than thermal expansion in a transverse direction (i.e. perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fibres). By orienting the fibres parallel to or substantially parallel to the mounting surface, thermal expansion of the mounting section may be controlled. This may help to reduce deformation of the mounting section when heated. The orientation of the fibres is controlled by appropriate positioning of the one or more injection port for moulding the baffle. The one or more injection port may be positioned such that the plastic flows parallel to the mounting surface of the at least one mounting section. For example, the injection ports may be disposed on the mounting section of the baffle to promote orientation of the fibres parallel to the mounting surface(s).

[0021] According to further aspect of the present invention there is provided a body structure of a vehicle comprising a baffle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the baffle is mounted to rear quarter body panel of the body structure;

[0022] the rear quarter body panel comprising an aperture for receiving one or more external lamp, the aperture having an upper edge and a lower edge;

[0023] the baffle comprising an upper mounting section and a lower mounting section;

[0024] wherein the upper mounting section is fastened to the rear quarter body panel along the upper edge; and the lower mounting section is fastened to the rear quarter body panel along the lower edge.

[0025] The baffle may form a lamp canister for the vehicle. The baffle may, for example, form a lamp canister for a rear lamp or a rear lamp cluster of the vehicle. At least in certain embodiments the unitary structure of the lower mounting section, the upper mounting section and the inboard wall section may facilitate installation of the baffle.The rear quarter panel may comprise an aperture having an upper edge and a lower edge. The upper and lower mounting sections may be configured to be fastened to the rear quarter panel proximal to the upper and lower edges respectively. The aperture may be configured to receive the baffle.

[0026] The rear quarter panel comprises an inner surface. The inner surface of the rear quarter panel and the baffle may have complementary profiles. The upper and lower mounting sections may have respective upper and lower mounting surfaces. The upper and lower mounting surfaces may be profiled to match the profile of the inner surface of the rear quarter panel. The upper and lower mounting surfaces may abut against the inner surface of the rear quarter panel. An adhesive may be disposed between the mounting surfaces and the inner surface of the rear quarter panel to mount the baffle.

[0027] The aperture in the rear quarter panel may be open to the rear edge of the rear quarter panel. At least in certain embodiments, the upper and lower mounting sections of the baffle comprise respective upper and lower rear portions configured to extend to a rear edge of the rear quarter panel. The upper and lower mounting sections may each comprise an inboard end configured to align with the rear edge of the rear quarter panel. The baffle may comprise a rear mounting bracket for mounting to a body structure proximal to the rear edge of the rear quarter panel. The rear mounting bracket may extend between the upper and lower mounting sections. The rear mounting bracket may be co-moulded with the upper mounting section, the lower mounting section baffle and the wall section. The rear mounting bracket may be pre-formed and then co-moulded with the baffle. At least in certain embodiments the rear mounting bracket is a metal bracket.

[0028] According to further aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle comprising one or more baffle as described herein; or a body structure as described herein.

[0029] According to further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of mounting a baffle to a body structure of a vehicle to form a lamp canister, the baffle having at least one mounting section for fastening to an inner surface of an at least one body panel of the body structure, wherein a thermally expanding adhesive is disposed on the or each mounting section; wherein the method comprises:

[0030] locating the baffle on the body structure such that the at least one mounting section is disposed proximal to the inner surface of the at least one body panel; and

[0031] heating the body structure and causing the thermally expanding adhesive to expand and contact to the inner surface of the at least one body panel.

[0032] The method may comprise applying an electrophoretic epoxy primer to the body structure after locating the baffle on the body structure. The method may comprise heating the body structure to cure the electrophoretic epoxy primer. The heating of the body structure to cure the electrophoretic epoxy primer causes the adhesive to expand. Thus, the baffle may be fastened to the body structure concurrent with the curing of the electrophoretic epoxy primer.

[0033] Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and / or in the following description anddrawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and / or features of any embodiment can be combined in anyway and / or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and / or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner.

[0034] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0036] Figure 1 shows a vehicle incorporating a light assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 shows a side view of the vehicle shown in Figure 1 ;

[0038] Figure 3 shows a rear view of the vehicle shown in Figure 1 ;

[0039] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the light assembly installed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 5 shows a horizontal sectional view of the lamp assembly installed in the vehicle;

[0041] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of an exterior of a baffle of the light assembly shown in Figures 4 and 5; Figure 7 shows a perspective view of an interior of the baffle shown in Figures 6; and

[0042] Figure 8 a block diagram representing a method of mounting a baffle to a body structure of a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] A lamp assembly 1 , a baffle 3 and a method 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is described herein with reference to the accompanying Figures. The lamp assembly 1 forms part of an exterior lighting system (denoted herein by the reference 10) of a vehicle 5. In use, the lamp assembly 1 is operative to provide exterior illumination for the vehicle 5. The baffle 3 forms part of the lamp assembly 1 and is fixedly mounted to a body structure 7 of the vehicle 5.

[0045] The vehicle 5 is described herein in relation to a reference frame comprising a longitudinal axis X, a transverse axis Y and a vertical axis Z. The vehicle comprises a longitudinal centreline extending along the longitudinal axis X.

[0046] A schematic representation of the vehicle 5 is shown in Figures 1 , 2 and 3. The vehicle 5 is a road vehicle, such as an automobile, a sports utility vehicle or a utility vehicle. The vehicle 5 comprises one or more torque generating machine (not shown), such as an electric traction motor and / or an internal combustion engine (ICE). The body structure 7 may be referred to as the body-in-white (BIW) of the vehicle 5. The body structure 7 in the present embodiment comprises a plurality of structural components which are fastened to each other, for example utilising mechanical fasteners, welds, structural adhesive, etc. The structural components comprise panels, members, castings etc. The body structure 7 in the present embodiment is predominantly composed of steel and / or aluminium components. In a variant, the body structure 7 may comprise a composite structure, for example comprising carbon fibre members. The body structure 7 forms a cabin 9 for occupants (not shown).The body structure 7 has a front end 11 and a rear end 13. The body structure 7 comprises a plurality of outer body panels which form an outer surface of the vehicle 5 (also known as the A-surface). The front end 11 comprises left and right front fender panels 15 (also known as front wing panels). The rear end 13 comprises left and right rear quarter panels 17 (also known as rear fender panels). The rear quarter panels 17 each comprise a rear edge 19 disposed at or proximal to a rear of the vehicle 5. The vehicle 5 comprises a front bumper 20 and a rear bumper 21. The front bumper 20 is mounted to the front end 11 of the body structure 7 and extends across the front of the vehicle 5. The front fender panels 15 and the front bumper 20 form a substantially continuous outer surface. The rear bumper 21 is mounted to the rear end 13 of the body structure 7 and extends across the rear of the vehicle 5. The rear quarter panels 17 and the rear bumper 21 form a substantially continuous outer surface. A tailgate 23 is hingedly mounted to the rear end 13 of the body structure 7. The tailgate 23 can open and close a tailgate aperture 25 to provide access to a storage space in the vehicle 5. The rear quarter panels 17 are profiled to complement the closed tailgate 23. The rear edge 19 of the rear quarter panels 17 may, for example, extend along a side of the tailgate aperture 25. The rear quarter panels 17 are curved inwardly (in horizontal section) towards the centreline of the vehicle 5 to form a substantially continuous curved profile which extends from the sides of the body structure 7 to the tailgate 23 and the rear bumper 21. The body structure 7 comprises a roof structure 27 which is supported by A-pillars 29A, B-pillars 29B, C-pillars 29C and D-pillars 29D. The C-pillars 29C and the D-pillars 29D are formed integrally with the rear quarter panels 17 in the present embodiment. It will be understood that the vehicle 5 may have different body-styles. For example, the lamp assembly 1 , the baffle 3 and the method 100 are equally applicable to a vehicle 5 having a saloon body-style, a coupe body-style or a convertible body-style.

[0047] The exterior lighting system 10 comprises two of the lamp assemblies 1 disposed on the left and right sides of the vehicle 5 respectively. The lamp assemblies 1 have like configurations but are mirror symmetrical about the longitudinal centreline of the vehicle 5. For the sake of brevity, only the lamp assembly 1 disposed on the left side of the vehicle 5 is described herein. It will be understood that the lamp assembly 1 disposed on the right side of the vehicle 5 has a like configuration.

[0048] The lamp assembly 1 in the present embodiment is a rear lamp assembly 1. A perspective view of the lamp assembly 1 is shown in Figure 4. The rear quarter panel 17 is represented as being partially transparent in Figure 4 to aid understanding. A horizontal sectional view (in the XY plane) through the lamp assembly 1 and the rear quarter panel is shown in Figure 5. As described herein, the lamp assembly 1 is fastened to the rear quarter panel 17. The rear quarter panel 17 comprises a lamp mounting aperture 31 for receiving the lamp assembly 1 . The rear quarter panel 17 comprises an upper portion 33 which extends above the lamp mounting aperture 31 ; and a lower portion 35 which extends below the lamp mounting aperture 31 . The upper and lower mounting sections 51-1 , 51-2 are vertically offset from each other and extend in a longitudinal direction. The rear quarter panel 17 comprises a front portion 37 which extends vertically between the upper and lower portions 33, 35. The rear quarter panel 17 has a unitary structure and the upper portion 33, the lower portion 35 and the front portion 37 are formed integrally. The rear quarter panel 17 is formed of a sheet of metal, such as steel or aluminium. In a variant, the rear quarter panel 17 may made of a composite material, such as carbon fibre. The upper and lower portions 33, 35 of the rear quarter panel 17 are spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction. The upper portion 33 of the rear quarter panel 17 extends upwardly to the tailgateaperture 25 or a rear quarter window aperture (not shown). The upper portion 37 may be profiled, for example to form a shoulder line of the body structure 7. The front portion 37 is formed in front of the lamp mounting aperture 31. The front portion 37 extends forwards to a door aperture (not shown). The lower portion 35 extends to the rear bumper 21. The rear bumper 21 may be mounted to the lower portion 35 of the rear quarter panel 17. In a variant, the left- and right-rear quarter panels 17 and the rearbumper21 may be formed integrally with each other in a single component.

[0049] The lamp mounting aperture 31 is open to the rear of the body structure 7 (adjacent to the tailgate aperture 25) such that the upper and lower portions 33, 35 are not connected to each other at the rear of the lamp mounting aperture 31. The rear quarter panel 17 comprises a flange 39 which extends around the lamp mounting aperture 31 . The flange 39 is formed integrally with the rear quarter panel 17 and extends inwardly. The flange 39 and the lamp assembly 1 have complementary profiles. The flange 39 extends along an upper edge 31 A of the lamp mounting aperture 31 (formed on the upper portion 33 of the rear quarter panel 17), a lower edge 31 B of the lamp mounting aperture 31 (formed on the lower portion 35 of the rear quarter panel 17) and along a front edge 31 C of the lamp mounting aperture 31 (formed on the front portion 37 of the rear quarter panel 17).

[0050] The lamp assembly 1 comprises one or more lamp unit 41 -n, a baffle 3, a reflector 45 and a transparent lens 47. The transparent lens 47 is configured to locate inside the flange 39 extending around the lamp mounting aperture 31 in the rear quarter panel 17 when the lamp assembly 1 is installed. The one or more lamp unit 41-n form an external lamp of the vehicle 5. The or each lamp unit 41 -n may comprise one or more of the following: an incandescent or halogen bulb, a High Intensity Discharge (HID) source, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) or a laser. In the present embodiment, the lamp assembly 1 comprises a plurality of the lamp units 41 -n. The lamp units 41 -n are LED lamps and each comprise a plurality of LEDs (not shown). A control unit 49 is provided for controlling the or each lamp unit 41 -n. The control unit 49 may control the supply of electrical power to the or each lamp unit 41 -n in dependence on a control signal received from a vehicle controller (not shown). The lamp units 41 -n in the present embodiment form a taillight and a stop light of the vehicle 5. The lamp units 41-n may optionally also form a turn signal light or a hazard light of the vehicle 5. In a variant, the lamp assembly 1 may be a front lamp assembly disposed at a front of the vehicle 5. The one or more lamp unit 41 may, for example, form a headlamp, a daylight running light ora fog light of the vehicle 5. The reflector 45 is configured to reflect light emitted from the lamp units 41 -n. The transparent lens 47 forms an outer surface of the lamp assembly 1 . The transparent lens 47 is profiled to form a continuation of the surrounding body panel(s). In the present embodiment, an outer surface of the transparent lens 47 forms a continuation of the rear quarter panel 17. In particular, the transparent lens 47 forms a continuation of the upper and lower portions 33, 35 of the rear quarter panel 17. A rear edge 47A of the transparent lens 47 aligns with the closed tailgate 23.

[0051] The baffle 3 is configured to mount the lamp assembly 1 to one of the outer body panels of the body structure 7. The baffle 3 may form a lamp canister for the lamp assembly 1. In the present embodiment, the baffle 3 is configured to mount the lamp assembly 1 to the rear quarter panel 17. A perspective view of an outer side of the baffle 3 is shown in Figure 6; and a perspective view of an inner side of the baffle 3 is shown in Figure 7. The baffle 3 comprises at least one mounting section 51 -n for mounting the lamp assembly 1 to an innersurface 17A of the rear quarter panel 17. Each mounting section 51 -n has an elongated profile and comprises a mounting surface 53-n for positioning in contact with, or adjacent to, an inner surface 17A of the rear quarter panel 17. The mounting surfaces 53-n form a substantially continuous (i.e. uninterrupted) surface for positioning against the inner surface 17A of the rear quarter panel 17. The mounting surface(s) 53-n and the rear quarter panel 17 have complementary profiles. The baffle 3 may optionally be configured also to mount the lamp assembly 1 to one or more inner members of the body structure 7.

[0052] The baffle 3 in the present embodiment comprises a plurality of the mounting sections 51-n. As shown in Figure 6, the plurality of mounting sections 51-n comprise an upper mounting section 51 -1 , a lower mounting section 51-2 and a front mounting section 51-3. The upper mounting section 51-1 is configured to be mounted proximal to the upper edge 31 A of the lamp mounting aperture 31. The upper mounting section 51-1 extends along the length of the upper portion 33 ofthe rear quarter panel 17 to the rear edge 19. The lower mounting section 51-2 is configured to be mounted proximal to the lower edge 31 B of the lamp mounting aperture 31. The lower mounting section 51-2 extends along the length ofthe lower portion 35 ofthe rear quarter panel 17 to the rear edge 19. The front mounting section 51-3 is configured to be mounted proximal to the front edge 31 C of the lamp mounting aperture 31.

[0053] The upper mounting section 51-1 comprises an upper mounting surface 53-1 and an upper transverse wall section 55-1. The lower mounting section 51-2 comprises a lower mounting surface 53-2 and a lower transverse wall section 55-2. The front mounting section 51-3 comprises a front mounting surface 53-3 and a front transverse wall section 55-3. The front transverse wall section 55-3 extends between the upper and lower wall sections 61-1 , 61-2. The upper and lower transverse wall sections 61-1 , 61-2 are inclined relative to each other to define a draft angle. The draft angle is an included angle (defined in a vertical YZ-plane) between the upper and lower transverse wall sections 61-1 , 61-2. The draft angle is non-zero and is typically less than or equal to 10°, 15° or 20°. In the present embodiment the draft is approximately 6°. The draft angle may be less than or greater than 6°. The upper and lower transverse wall sections 61-1 , 61-2 open outwardly towards an exterior ofthe body structure 7 (i.e. in a direction away from the centreline ofthe vehicle 5).

[0054] The mounting sections 51-n are fastened to the inner surface 17A of the rear quarter panel 17. The upper mounting section 51-1 is fastened to the upper portion 33 ofthe rear quarter panel 17. In particular, the upper mounting section 51-1 is fastened proximal to an upper edge 31 A ofthe lamp mounting aperture 31. The lower mounting section 51-2 is fastened to the lower portion 35 of the rear quarter panel 17. In particular, the lower mounting section 51-2 is fastened proximal to a lower edge 31 B of the lamp mounting aperture 31. The front mounting section 51-3 is fastened to the front portion 37 of the rear quarter panel 17. In particular, the front mounting section 51-3 is fastened proximal to a front edge 31 C ofthe lamp mounting aperture 31 . Each ofthe plurality of mounting sections 51-1 , 51-2, 51-3 comprise a continuous strip of an adhesive 65 for fastening the baffle 3 to the rear quarter panel 17. In the present embodiment, the mounting surfaces 53-1 , 53-2, 53-3 ofthe respective mounting sections 51-1 , 51-2, 51-3 are adhesively fastened to the inner surface 17A of the rear quarter panel 17 using the adhesive 65. The adhesive 65 is disposed at the interface between the or each mounting surface 53-n and the inner surface 17A ofthe rear quarter panel 17. In the present embodiment, theadhesive 65 is an expanding adhesive which expands (or foams) upon heating. Other types of adhesives may be used.

[0055] The adhesive 65 is initially disposed in one or more aperture 57 formed in one or more of the mounting sections 51 -n. The application of thermal energy causes the adhesive 65 to expand out of the aperture 57 and into contact with the inner surface 17A of the rear quarter panel 17.

[0056] The one or more aperture 57 in the present embodiment comprises a channel 57 formed in one or more of the mounting surfaces 53-n. The adhesive 65 is provided along a length of the or each channel 57 to form a continuous strip or line. In the present embodiment the channel 57 is a continuous (i.e. uninterrupted) channel 57 which extends along the length of each of the mounting sections 51-1 , 51-2, 51-3. The channel 57 there extends around the upper, lower and front perimeter of the lamp mounting aperture 31. The adhesive 65 is a continuous strip extending along the length of the channel 57. The installation of the baffle 3 comprises positioning the mounting sections 51 -n against (or proximal to) the inner surface 17A of the rear quarter panel 17. Thermal energy is applied which causes the adhesive 65 to expand into contact with the inner surface 17A of the rear quarter panel 17. The adhesive cures and fastens the baffle 3 to the rear quarter panel 17. At least in certain embodiments, the adhesive 65 forms a substantially waterproof seal between the baffle 3 and the rear quarter panel 17 to prevent or reduce the ingress of water.

[0057] The baffle 3 comprises an inboard wall section 71 which extends between the inboard ends of the upper and lower transverse wall sections 61-1 , 61-2. In the present embodiment, the inboard wall section 71 is configured to be adhesively fastened to one or more structural member 73 of the body structure 7. The structural member 73 is disposed inboard of the rear quarter panel 17 towards the longitudinal centreline of the vehicle 5. The structural member 73 may, for example, form a sidewall of a load bay accessed by opening the tailgate 25. An adhesive 75 is provided for adhesively fastening the inboard wall section 71 to the structural member 73. The adhesive 75 in the present embodiment is the same as the adhesive 65 described herein. In particular, the adhesive 75 is a thermally expanding adhesive. It will be understood that a different adhesive may be used. The adhesive 75 is disposed in one or more aperture 77 formed in the inner surface of the inboard wall section 71 . In the present embodiment, the one or more aperture 77 comprise a continuous channel 77 which extends around a perimeter of a wall aperture 79 formed in a rear section of the inboard wall section 71.

[0058] The inboard wall section 71 comprises an integrated lamp support 81 for supporting the or each lamp unit 41-n. The lamp support 81 comprises a concave wall which projects upwardly from the lower mounting section 51-1. The lamp support 81 comprises at least one mounting aperture 83 for receiving one or more electrical cables. The lamp mounting aperture 83 may promote convective heat dissipation from the lamp unit 41 -n. One or more heat sink (not shown) may be provided to promote conductive heat dissipation from the lamp unit 41-n.

[0059] The mounting sections 51-n are fastened to the inner surface 17A of the rear quarter panel 17. The upper mounting section 51-1 is fastened to the upper portion 33 of the rear quarter panel 17. In particular, the upper mounting section 51-1 is fastened proximal to an upper edge 31 A of the lamp mounting aperture 31. The lowermounting section 51-2 is fastened to the lower portion 35 of the rear quarter panel 17. In particular, the lower mounting section 51-2 is fastened proximal to a lower edge 31 B of the lamp mounting aperture 31. The front mounting section 51-3 is fastened to the front portion 37 of the rear quarter panel 17. In particular, the front mounting section 51-3 is fastened proximal to a front edge 31 C of the lamp mounting aperture 31 . Each of the plurality of mounting sections 51-1 , 51-2, 51-3 comprise a continuous strip of an adhesive 65 for fastening the baffle 3 to the rear quarter panel 17. In the present embodiment, the mounting surfaces 53-1 , 53-2, 53-3 of the respective mounting sections 51-1 , 51-2, 51-3 are adhesively fastened to the inner surface 17A of the rear quarter panel 17 using the adhesive 65. The adhesive 65 is disposed at the interface between the or each mounting surface 53-n and the inner surface 17A of the rear quarter panel 17. In the present embodiment, the adhesive 65 is an expanding adhesive which expands (or foams) upon heating. Other types of adhesive may be used.

[0060] At least the upper mounting section 51-1 , the lower mounting section 51-2 and the inboard wall section 53 of the baffle 3 have a unitary structure. The baffle 3 is moulded from a plastics material and has a one-piece structure. In particular, the baffle 3 is injection moulded from a plastics material. The plastics material in the present embodiment is a fibre-reinforced plastic material. A plurality of fibres is incorporated into the plastics material. The fibres in the present embodiment are glass fibres. The baffle 3 is moulded from a glass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP). It will be understood that other fibres may be used to reinforce the baffle 3, for example carbon fibres. The baffle 3 is moulded such that the fibres in each of the mounting sections 51-1 , 51-2, 51-3 predominantly extend parallel to, or substantially parallel to, the respective mounting surfaces 53-1 , 53-2, 53-3. Thus, when the lamp assembly 1 is installed, the fibres in the mounting sections 51-1 , 51-2, 51-3 predominantly extend parallel to, or substantially parallel to, the inner surface 17A of the rear quarter panel 17. This arrangement helps to reduce thermal expansion of the mounting sections 51-1 , 51-2, 51-3, for example during a paint-curing process during manufacture of the vehicle 5. The thermal expansion of the fibres in a lengthwise direction is greater than in a transverse direction. By orienting the fibres lengthwise along the mounting sections 51-1 , 51-2, 51-3, the thermal expansion perpendicular to the mounting surfaces 53-1 , 53-2, 53-3 is reduced. This helps to reduce deformation of the baffle 3 and may help to maintain alignment with the rear quarter panel 17. The desired alignment of the fibres is achieved by injecting the plastics material (in which the fibres are suspended) into a mould cavity through injection ports disposed along the length mounting sections 51-1 , 51-2, 51-3. The plastics material is injected in a liquid state and travels within the mould cavity to form the mounting sections 51-1 , 51-2, 51-3. The movement of the plastics material within the mould cavity helps to align a majority of the fibres lengthwise along the mounting sections 51-1 , 51-2, 51-3.

[0061] The baffle 3 comprises a rear mounting bracket 91 and a front mounting bracket 93 for mounting to the body structure 7. The rear mounting bracket 91 and the front mounting bracket 93 are metal brackets which are integrated into the baffle 3. In the present embodiment, the rear mounting bracket 91 and the front mounting bracket 93 are co-moulded with the baffle 3. The rear mounting bracket 91 and the front mounting bracket 93 are pre-formed and located in the mould cavity prior to injection of the plastics material. In a variant, the rear mounting bracket 91 and the front mounting bracket 93 may be composed of a plastics material, for example integrally moulded with the baffle 3. The rear mounting bracket 91 extends between the upper portion 31 and the lower portion 33 of the rear quarter panel 17. The rear mounting bracket 91 comprises one or more rearmounting aperture 85 for receiving a mechanical fastener (not shown) to mount the baffle 3 to the body structure 7. The front mounting bracket 91 comprises a front mounting aperture 97 for receiving a mechanical fastener (not shown) to mount the baffle 3 to the body structure 7. The rear mounting bracket 41 extends between the rearmost portions of the upper and lower portions 31 , 33. In use, the rear mounting bracket 41 is disposed proximal to the rear edge 19 of the rear quarter panel 17. The rear mounting bracket 91 and the front mounting bracket 93 are provided to fasten the baffle 3 to the body structure 7 during installation. The mechanical fasteners retain the baffle 3 in position. Thermal energy is then applied to heat the adhesive 65. The adhesive 65 may be heated directly or indirectly. The heat causes the adhesive 65 to expand and contacts the inner surface 17A of the rear quarter panel 17. The adhesive 65 then cures to adhesively fasten the baffle 3 to the body structure 7. The heating of the adhesive 65 may occur during a subsequent fabrication process. In the present embodiment, the heating of the adhesive 65 occurs when the body structure 7 is heated to cure an electrophoretic epoxy primer.

[0062] A method 100 of mounting a baffle 3 of the type described herein to a body structure 7 will now be described with reference to a block diagram 110 shown in Figure 8. The body structure 7 is for a vehicle 5 and comprises at least one body panel 17, such as a rear quarter panel 17. As described herein, the baffle 3 comprises at least one mounting section 51 -n for fastening to an inner surface 17A of the at least one body panel 17. The adhesive 65 is disposed on the or each mounting section 51-n of the baffle 3. The adhesive 75 may optionally also be provided on the inner side of the inboard wall section 71 of the baffle 3. The adhesive 65, 75 in the present embodiment is a thermally expanding adhesive. The method 100 comprises locating the baffle 3 on the body structure 7 such that the at least one mounting section 51-n is disposed proximal to, or in contact with, the inner surface 17A of the at least one body panel 17 (BLOCK 120). One or more mechanical fastener is used to fasten the baffle 3 to the body structure 7 (BLOCK 130). In the present embodiment, mechanical fasteners are located in the mounting apertures formed in the rear mounting bracket 91 and the front mounting bracket 93 to fasten the baffle 3 to the body structure 7. The method may optionally comprise applying a coating 145, such as a primer or paint, to the body structure (BLOCK 140). The coating 145 may comprise or consist of an electrophoretic epoxy primer 145. The method comprises heating the body structure 7 to cause the adhesive 65 to expand (BLOCK 150). The heating of the body structure 7 (BLOCK 140) may be performed to cure the electrophoretic epoxy primer 145. The adhesive 65 on the mounting section(s) 51-n expands into contact with the inner surface 17A of the rear quarter panel 17. The adhesive 75 on the inboard wall section 71 expands into contact with the structural member 73. The adhesive 65, 75 cures and adhesively fastens the baffle 3 to the body structure 7 (BLOCK 160). The heating of the body structure 7 may be performed after application of a primer for painting the body structure 7. The primer may, for example, comprise an electrophoretic epoxy primer. The primer may be applied before fastening the baffle 3 to the body structure 7. The heating may be performed to cure the primer. The method 100 may comprise fitting the or each lamp unit 41 -n after the baffle 3 is fastened to the body structure 7.

[0063] It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present application.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A baffle for one or more external lamp of a vehicle, the baffle comprising:a plurality of mounting sections configured to be mounted to an at least one body panel of the vehicle, the plurality of mounting sections comprising an upper mounting section and a lower mounting section; and an inboard wall section which extends between the upper and lower mounting sections; wherein, the lower mounting section, the upper mounting section and the inboard wall section are moulded from a plastics material and have a unitary structure.

2. A baffle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one body panel comprises a rear quarter panel of the vehicle, the rear quarter panel comprising an aperture having an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein the upper and lower mounting sections are configured to be fastened to the rear quarter panel proximal to the upper and lower edges respectively.

3. A baffle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the upper and lower mounting sections comprise respective upper and lower rear portions configured to extend to a rear edge of the rear quarter panel.

4. A baffle as claimed in claim 3 comprising a rear mounting bracket for mounting to a body structure proximal to the rear edge of the rear quarter panel, the rear mounting bracket extending between the upper and lower mounting sections.

5. A baffle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rear mounting bracket is a metal bracket co-moulded with the upper mounting section, the lower mounting section baffle and the wall section.

6. A baffle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inboard wall section comprises a lamp support for supporting the one or more external lamp.

7. A baffle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper and lower mounting sections are supported by respective upper and lower transverse wall sections.

8. A baffle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper and lower transverse wall sections open outwardly from each other at an angle of less than or equal to 20°, 15° or 10°.

9. A baffle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of mounting sections comprise a front mounting section extending between the upper and lower mounting sections.

10. A baffle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the plurality of mounting sections comprise a continuous strip of adhesive for fastening the upper and lower mounting sections to the at least one body panel.

11. A baffle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the adhesive is a thermally expanding adhesive.

12. A baffle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each mounting section comprises a mounting surface profiled to match the inner surface of the at least one body panel.

13. A baffle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plastics material comprises a fibre-reinforced plastic.

14. A baffle as claimed in claims 12 and 13, wherein the fibre-reinforced plastic comprises a plurality of fibres, the fibres in each of the plurality of mounting sections predominantly extending parallel to the mounting surface of that mounting section.

15. A body structure of a vehicle comprising a baffle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the baffle is mounted to rear quarter body panel of the body structure;the rear quarter body panel comprising an aperture for receiving one or more external lamp, the aperture having an upper edge and a lower edge;the baffle comprising an upper mounting section and a lower mounting section;wherein the upper mounting section is fastened to the rear quarter body panel along the upper edge; and the lower mounting section is fastened to the rear quarter body panel along the lower edge.

16. A vehicle comprising one or more baffle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14 or a body structure as claimed in claim 15.

17. A method of mounting a baffle to a body structure of a vehicle to form a lamp canister, the baffle having at least one mounting section for fastening to an inner surface of an at least one body panel of the body structure, wherein a thermally expanding adhesive is disposed on the or each mounting section; wherein the method comprises:locating the baffle on the body structure such that the at least one mounting section is disposed proximal to the inner surface of the at least one body panel; andheating the body structure and causing the thermally expanding adhesive to expand and contact to the inner surface of the at least one body panel.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the method comprises applying an electrophoretic epoxy primer to the body structure after locating the baffle on the body structure; and heating the body structure to cure the electrophoretic epoxy primer.

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