EP3737604A1

EP3737604A1 - An assembly structure for vehicle exterior parts

Info

Publication number: EP3737604A1
Application number: EP18900318.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Xiaogang GUI; Chunhuan DU
Original assignee: Yanfeng Plastic Omnium Automotive Exterior Systems Co Ltd; Plastic Omnium SE
Current assignee: Yanfeng Plastic Omnium Automotive Exterior Systems Co Ltd; Plastic Omnium SE
Priority date: 2018-01-10
Filing date: 2018-07-12
Publication date: 2020-11-18
Also published as: CN108146517B; EP3737604A4; WO2019136949A1; CN108146517A

Abstract

An assembly structure for vehicle exterior parts, comprising: a first exterior part (1), an internal part (2), and a second exterior part (3) juxtaposed with the first exterior part (1); the first exterior part (1) and the second exterior part (3) being adjacent to each other via, respectively, a first flange (11) of the first exterior part (1) and a third flange (31) of the second exterior part (3), the internal part (2) is provided with a second flange (22) extending and entering in between the first flange (11) and the third flange (31), the third flange (31) being provided with a sinking shoulder (32) in the location opposite to a free end of the second flange (22). The assembly structure for vehicle exterior parts fundamentally resolves the problem that friction occurs between abutting vehicle exterior parts, resulting in detachment of paint and rusting of sheet metal, reduces production cost and labor cost, and presents excellent anti-rusting performance.

Description

An Assembly Structure for Vehicle Exterior Parts

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to the field of vehicle exterior parts, and more particularly, an assembly structure for vehicle exterior parts.

Background of the Invention

With the continuous development of vehicles, consumers’requirement for a matching exterior appearance is becoming finer and finer, resulting in a stylistic requirement for a decreasing gap of fitting between adjacent parts, or even a gap-less fitting between a fender or side panel and a skin. Such a high fitting requirement leads to friction between the flange of the fender or side panel and the flange of the skin during the course of driving the vehicle, causing detachment of paint. With time, the flange of the fender or side panel will become rusty, thus resulting in exterior appearance defects and unnecessary repair expenses.
To resolve the problem stated above, the prior art has essentially adopted the following two methods: a. to apply a 3M adhesive tape on the flange of the fender, to prevent the flange of the fender from entering into direct contact with the flange of the skin and generating friction, which will result in detachment of paint and rusting of sheet metal; and b. to lock the fender and the skin solidly with a bolt, to prevent friction between the two, detachment of paint, and rusting of metal.
However, the method a mentioned above has the drawbacks of: on one hand, leading to increased cost, and on the other hand, having the risk of detachment of the 3M adhesive tape; and the method b has the drawbacks of: on one hand, also leading to increased cost, and on the other hand, the obvious difficulty of performing the operation of fixing the bolt within such a small space, causing inconvenience to operators and thus increasing labor cost.
Summary of the Invention
An objective of the invention is to provide an assembly structure for vehicle exterior parts so as to resolve the problem in the prior art that in the course of driving a vehicle, fiction occurs between a fender or side panel and a skin due to vibration, resulting in detachment of paint and rusting of sheet metal.
To resolve the technical problem mentioned above, the invention adopts the following technical solution:
According to a first aspect of the invention, an assembly structure for vehicle exterior parts is provided. The assembly structure comprises: a first exterior part, an internal part, and a second exterior part juxtaposed with the first exterior part; the first exterior part and the second exterior part being adjacent to each other via, respectively, a first flange of the first exterior part and a third flange of the second exterior part, characterized in that, the internal part is provided with a second flange extending and entering in between the first flange and the third flange, the third flange being provided with a sinking shoulder in the location opposite to a free end of the second flange.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the internal part is connected to the first exterior part and/or the second exterior part is supported by the internal part.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the second flange is interference fitted with the first flange.
Advantageously, the second flange extends towards the first flange, until the free end of the second flange abuts against the first flange so as to form the interference fit.
According to the invention, the sinking shoulder on the third flange comprises a shoulder top surface, a shoulder lateral surface extending downwardly, preferably perpendicularly, from the shoulder top surface, and a shoulder bottom surface located in a lower level than the shoulder top surface.
Advantageously, the shoulder bottom surface extends obliquely from a bottom end of the shoulder lateral surface until connecting with the plane of the shoulder top surface.
The maximum depth of the sinking shoulder being D and the thickness of the second flange of the internal part being B, the two respect the following relationship: D < B.
Preferentially, the maximum distance between the first flange and the shoulder bottom surface on the third flange being A, the thickness of the second flange of the internal part being B, and the exterior gap between the first flange and the third flange being C, the three respect the following relationship: A > B, and C > A –B.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the first exterior part is a fender, the internal part is a side bracket, and the second exterior part is a skin.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the first exterior part is a side panel, the internal part is a side bracket, and the second exterior part is a skin.
The side bracket is connected with the skin by a number of snaps.
The second flange on the side bracket is arranged between every two snaps.
The side bracket and the fender are connected by a screw, a rivet, or a bolt.
The length of the flange of the skin in this region is determined according to the depth of the flange of the fender.
The assembly structure for vehicle exterior parts provided by the invention, by adding a flange on the internal part and with the corresponding structural improvement, fundamentally prevents direct contact between the first exterior part and the second exterior part, thus resolving the problem that friction occurs between the first exterior part and the second exterior part due to vibration, resulting in detachment of paint and rusting of sheet metal. Moreover, compared to the closed prior art, this solution, while easy to operate and excellent in anti-rusting performance, has the advantage of reducing production cost.
In summary, the invention provides an assembly structure for vehicle exterior parts that fundamentally resolves the problem that fiction occurs between abutting vehicle exterior parts, resulting in detachment of paint and rusting of sheet metal, and that reduces production cost and labor cost, and presents excellent anti-rusting performance.
Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a schematic view of the overall structure of a fender, a side bracket, and a skin to be assembled according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic view of the structure of a side bracket according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2A is an enlarged schematic view of a partial detail of the side bracket shown in Figure 2;
Figure 3 is a schematic view of the structure of a skin according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figure 3A is a sectional view along the section line A-A in Figure 3;
Figure 4 is a sectional view of a fender, a side bracket, and a skin assembled together;
Figure 4A is an enlarged schematic view of a partial detail of Figure 4;
Figures 5A, 5B, and 5C are schematic views of the process of mounting a fender, a side bracket, and a skin provided according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention is described further in connection with specific embodiments. It should be understood that the embodiments below are merely for describing the invention, not for limiting its scope.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an assembly structure between a fender, a side bracket, and a skin is provided. It should be understood that this is used as an example to illustrate, not to limit. In fact, the assembly structure for vehicle exterior parts according to the invention can also be used for other parts, such as for the assembly between a side panel, a side bracket, and a skin.
As show in Figure 1, a fender 1, a side bracket 2, and a skin 3 are all shown. As in the prior art, the fender 1 is assembled with the side bracket 2 by a screw, rivet, or bolt, and the skin 3 is yet to be assembled. After the skin 3 has been assembled onto the side bracket 2, the skin 3 and the fender 1 abut each other, forming an exterior appearance face of the vehicle body, via, respectively, a third flange 31 on the skin 3 and a first flange 11 on the fender 1 (see Figure 4A) , while the side bracket 2 providing support for the skin 3 from below is invisible from the exterior. However, it can be known by referring to the background section of the present application that, with the vibration caused by driving the vehicle, friction will continuously occur between the third flange 31 of the skin 3 and the first flange 11 of the fender 1, and with time, paint will gradually detach, resulting in rusting of sheet metal and thus causing unnecessary repair expenses to the owner of the vehicle.
To resolve this problem, the invention provides, in particular, the improved assembly structure above, which is described in detail below.
According to the preferred embodiment, in reference to Figure 2 and Figure 2A, an improved side bracket 2 is shown. As shown in the figures, in addition to snaps 21 for snap fit connection with the skin 3, the side bracket 2 is provided with a flange section between every two snaps 21, i.e., a second flange 22.
In reference to Figures 3 and 3A, an improved skin 3 is also shown. As shown in the figures, in addition to the third flange 31 that abuts the fender 1, the skin 3 is provided with a sinking shoulder 32 on the third flange 31. The formation of the sinking shoulder 32 on the third flange 31 provides a shoulder lateral surface 321 extending downwardly and perpendicularly from a first plane 311 of the third flange 31, and a shoulder bottom surface 322 extending obliquely from the bottom end of the shoulder lateral surface 321 until meeting with the first plane 311. We note that the first plane 311 here could be the plane of a top surface of the sinking shoulder 32, and the shoulder bottom surface is positioned in a lower level than the shoulder top surface 311.
Now, in reference to Figures 4 and 4A, after the fender 1, the side bracket 2, and the skin 3 have been assembled together, the second flange 22 on the side bracket 2 is inserted between the first flange 11 of the fender 1 and the third flange 31 of the skin 3, and is interference fitted with the first flange 11 so as to maintain always a gap between the third flange 31 and the first flange 11, thus preventing friction between them. Specifically, the second flange 22 extends towards the first flange 11 until the free end of the second flange 22 abuts against the first flange to form the interference fit.
According to the preferred embodiment, the maximum depth of the sinking shoulder 32 (i.e., the maximum height of the shoulder lateral surface 321) being D (see Figure 3A) , and the thickness of the second flange 22 on the side bracket 2 being B, the two respects that D < B. Thus, the thickness of the second flange 22 is partially absorbed by the sinking shoulder 32.
According to the preferred embodiment, the maximum distance between the first flange 11 and the shoulder bottom surface 322 on the third flange 31 being A, the thickness of the second flange 22 being B, and the exterior gap between the first flange 11 and the third flange 31 being C, the three should respect the following relationship: A > B, and C > A –B. Under this sizing limitation, the flanges 11, 31 of the fender 1 and the skin 3 will never enter into contact, and friction will not occur between the two so that paint will not detach and the problem of rusting will not appear, thus achieving the effect of preventing sheet metal from rusting.
Preferentially, the length of the third flange 31 of the skin 3 in this region is determined according to the depth of the first flange 11 of the fender 1.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a process of mounting the assembly structure described above is also provided. Its specific steps are as follows:
First, as shown in Figure 5A, plastic nut seats 10 are mounted successively into mounting orifice 12 on the fender 1;
Then, as shown in Figure 5B, the side bracket 2 is assembled to the fender 1 by self-tapping screws 20, achieving the assembly between the side bracket 2 and the fender 1;
Immediately afterwards, as shown in Figure 5C, the skin 3 is mounted onto the side bracket 2 by snaps 21 on the side bracket 2, completing the assembly. By this time, the second flange 22 on the side bracket 2 is inserted between the first flange 11 of the fender 1 and the third flange 31 of the skin 3, and is interference fitted with the first flange 11 so as to maintain always a gap between the third flange 31 and the first flange 11, thus preventing friction between them. The skin 3 and the fender 1 abut each other, which, when viewed from the exterior face, is nearly gap-less. The side bracket 2 is invisible from the exterior face. With this specially designed assembly structure, the flanges 11, 31 of the fender 1 and the skin 3 will always be kept apart, thus fundamentally resolving the problem of sheet metal rusting.
What has been described are merely preferred embodiments of the invention, without any purpose of limiting its scope. The embodiments described above of the invention can be subject to various modifications. That is, all simple and equivalent modification and embellishments made according to the claims and specification of the present application fall within the scope of protection of the claims of the invention. What has not been described in detail in the invention all belongs to connectional technology.

Claims

An assembly structure for vehicle exterior parts, comprising: a first exterior part (1) , an internal part (2) , and a second exterior part (3) juxtaposed with the first exterior part (1) ; the first exterior part (1) and the second exterior part (3) being adjacent to each other via, respectively, a first flange (11) of the first exterior part (1) and a third flange (31) of the second exterior part (3) , characterized in that, the internal part (2) is provided with a second flange (22) extending and entering in between the first flange (11) and the third flange (31) , the third flange (31) being provided with a sinking shoulder (32) in the location opposite to a free end of the second flange (22) .
The assembly structure according to claim 1, wherein the internal part (2) is connected to the first exterior part (1) and/or the second exterior part (3) is supported by the internal part (2) .
The assembly structure according to any one of the previous claim, wherein the second flange (22) is interference fitted with the first flange (11) .
The assembly structure according to the previous claim, wherein the second flange (22) extends towards the first flange (11) , until the free end of the second flange (22) abuts against the first flange (11) so as to form the interference fit.
The assembly structure according to any one of the previous claim, wherein the sinking shoulder (32) on the third flange (31) comprises a shoulder top surface (311) , a shoulder lateral surface (321) extending downwardly from the shoulder top surface (311) , and a shoulder bottom surface (322) located in a lower level than the shoulder top surface (311) .
The assembly structure according to the previous claim, wherein the shoulder bottom surface (322) extends obliquely from a bottom end of the shoulder lateral surface (321) until connecting with the plane of the shoulder top surface (311) .
The assembly structure according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the maximum depth of the sinking shoulder (32) being D and the thickness of the second flange (22) of the internal part (2) being B, the two respect the following relationship: D < B.
The assembly structure according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the maximum distance between the first flange (11) and the shoulder bottom surface (322) on the third flange (31) being A, the thickness of the second flange (22) of the internal part (2) being B, and the exterior gap between the first flange (11) and the third flange (31) being C, the three respect the following relationships: A > B, and C > A –B.
The assembly structure according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the first exterior part (1) is a fender or side panel, the internal part (2) is a side bracket, and the second exterior part (3) is a skin.
The assembly structure according to the previous claim, wherein the side bracket is connected with the skin by a number of snaps (21) .
The assembly structure according to the previous claim, wherein the second flange (22) on the side bracket is arranged between every two snaps (21) .
The assembly structure according to any one of claims 9-11, wherein the side bracket and the fender are connected by a screw, a rivet, or a bolt.