Vehicle Fender Assembly Alignment Ramp for Door Clearance

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Solution Overview

Problem

The installation of a fender baffle in a vehicle fender assembly can cause misalignment, leading to improper installation and interference with the vehicle door, particularly due to the fender and baffle.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a vehicle fender assembly with a fender baffle and a trim molding, the alignment ramp enables the trim molding to rotate inward during installation to align with the fender and fender baffle, ensuring proper installation and preventing door interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a fender baffle is installed to the fender, then noise reduction and debris containment are improved, but misalignment occurs causing door interference

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise and debrisVSAvoidalignment

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The alignment ramp is pre-formed on the fender baffle during manufacturing, creating a built-in alignment feature that guides the trim molding into the correct position before final installation, preventing misalignment issues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The alignment ramp acts as an intermediary element between the fender baffle and trim molding, facilitating proper alignment through its inclined surface that guides the trim molding into the correct position

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the trim molding is installed directly without rotation, then installation simplicity is improved, but gap enclosure and alignment are worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation simplicityVSAvoidalignment and gap enclosure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The trim molding is designed with rotational capability during installation, transitioning from a horizontal to a vertical orientation through the alignment ramp, allowing dynamic adjustment to achieve proper alignment and gap enclosure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The alignment ramp uses an inclined curved surface to guide the trim molding through a rotational path, enabling smooth transition and proper positioning through geometric guidance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS20260001592A1Vehicle fender assembly

Publication Date: 2026.01.01 NISSAN NORTH AMERICA INC

AI summary

A vehicle fender assembly includes a fender, a fender baffle and a trim molding. The fender is part of a vehicle body defining a tire installation area. The fender baffle is a sound reducer installed to the fender. The fender baffle has an alignment ramp defining a bottom outer edge of the fender baffle that faces a vehicle direction when the fender baffle is installed to the fender. The trim molding is installed to the fender and the fender baffle along the alignment ramp. The alignment ramp enables the trim molding to rotate towards the fender during installation to enclose a gap between the fender and the fender baffle.