Concentric Collar Spacer for Mudguard Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle mudguards face challenges in assembly, particularly near fuel supply ducts, where protruding fixing screws increase the risk of puncturing the fuel supply pipe and complicate mounting due to variable screw lengths and potential creep issues during assembly.
Innovation Solution
A mudguard design featuring a spacer with concentric collars and ribs at assembly openings, which increases the thickness and reduces screw protrusion, enhancing creep resistance and facilitating assembly by providing a consistent mounting surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If fixing screws are used to attach the mudguard to the vehicle structure, then the mudguard can be firmly fixed, but the screws protrude by variable length behind the structure increasing the risk of piercing fuel supply ducts
Solution Approach 1:
A spacer element is introduced as an intermediary component between the mudguard and the vehicle structure. This spacer has a first face that contacts the mudguard and a second face that contacts the vehicle structure, with at least one assembly opening passing through it. The spacer mediates the connection, allowing the fixing screw to engage the spacer rather than protruding directly behind the structure, thereby eliminating the harmful protrusion effect while maintaining firm fixation.
2Ease of operation
If the same family of fastening screws is used for all fastening members, then assembly is facilitated and assembly errors are limited, but the fixing screws protrude by variable length depending on thickness variations
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer element changes the effective thickness parameter at the assembly location. By introducing this intermediate component with a specific thickness, the total assembly thickness becomes consistent regardless of variations in the mudguard or vehicle structure thickness. This allows the use of the same fastening screw family for all positions while achieving consistent screw engagement and eliminating variable protrusion.
3Device complexity
If fixing screws are used without a spacer, then the assembly structure is simple, but creep occurs during mounting of the mudguard
Solution Approach 1:
The connection assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: the mudguard, the spacer element, and the fixing screw. The spacer is specifically designed with an assembly opening that receives the fixing member and a surface that contacts the vehicle structure. This segmentation allows the spacer to bear the mounting loads and prevent creep at the interface between the mudguard and vehicle structure, while adding minimal complexity to the overall assembly.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a spacer (11) for assembling a mudguard (1) onto a motor vehicle (5) structure (2), the spacer (11) comprising a first collar (111) and a second collar (112), which is concentric to the first collar (111) in order to increase the creep resistance of the spacer. The spacer (11) is located on a rear face (13) of the mudguard (1), around an assembly opening (14) through which an attachment member (6) is inserted in order to rigidly attach the mudflap (1) to the structure (4) of the motor vehicle (5). The invention also relates to an assembly (20) for a motor vehicle (5) wheel (3), the assembly (20) comprising such a mudguard (1) and a plurality of attachment members (6) working together with each assembly opening (14) of the mudflap (1).