Air flow adjusting structure for vehicle

• US 10,023,241 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Umemoto, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Romain, Pinel E
• Application Number:
  US15/257,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20170073024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 2961801
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/161 Mud-guards made of non-conventional material, e.g. rubber, plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/18 Parts or details thereof, e.g. mudguard flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/02 by aerodynamic means

Abstract

An air flow adjusting structure for a vehicle includes: a fender liner provided above a tire in a vehicle vertical direction, the fender liner including an arch such that an air flow passage is formed between the arch and the tire; and an adjusting rib projecting from the arch in a vehicle-downward direction, the adjusting rib being inclined relative to a vehicle-width direction, and extending in a direction that intersects with a vehicle-longitudinal direction.

Claims

1. An air flow adjusting structure for a vehicle comprising:

a fender liner provided above a tire in a vehicle vertical direction, the fender liner including an arch such that an air flow passage is formed between the arch and the tire; and

an adjusting rib projecting from the arch in a vehicle-downward direction, the adjusting rib extending between a front end of the adjusting rib and a rear end of the adjusting rib in an extending direction which is inclined relative to both a vehicle-width direction and a vehicle-longitudinal direction,

wherein one of the front end of the adjusting rib and the rear end of the adjusting rib is disposed further forward in the vehicle-longitudinal direction than the other of the front end of the adjusting rib and the rear end of the adjusting rib,

wherein the arch includes a groove extending in the vehicle-longitudinal direction, and projecting upwardly in the vehicle vertical direction, the groove includes an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion, between the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion, the inner wall portion is located inward in the vehicle-width direction, and the outer wall portion is located outward in the vehicle-width direction, and

wherein the adjusting rib is provided in the groove, the rear end is connected to the inner wall portion, and the front end is provided to be apart from the outer wall portion.

2. The air flow adjusting structure for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the adjusting rib extends across the air flow passage in the vehicle-width direction.

3. The air flow adjusting structure for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the adjusting rib is provided at a top of the arch.

4. The air flow adjusting structure for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the front end of the adjusting rib is located at an outer end of the adjusting rib in the vehicle-width direction, and

the rear end of the adjusting rib is located at an inner end of the adjusting rib in the vehicle-width direction.

5. The air flow adjusting structure for the vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

an angle of the inclination in the extending direction of the adjusting rib relative to the vehicle-width direction is within a range from 30°

to 60°

.

6. The air flow adjusting structure for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the groove is provided at an upper part of the arch, and

the upper part of the arch is located within a range from the highest position of the arch in the vehicle vertical direction to a position at ±

40°

.

10. The air flow adjusting structure for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the adjusting rib is a separate body from the fender liner.

7. An air flow adjusting structure for a vehicle comprising:

a fender liner provided above a tire in a vehicle vertical direction, the fender liner including an arch such that an air flow passage is formed between the arch and the tire;

an adjusting rib projecting from the arch in a vehicle-downward direction, the adjusting rib extending between a front end of the adjusting rib and a rear end of the adjusting rib in an extending direction which is inclined relative to both a vehicle-width direction and a vehicle-longitudinal direction; and

a reinforcement rib coupled to the adjusting rib, and projecting downwardly from the arch in the vehicle vertical direction to reinforce the adjusting rib,

wherein one of the front end of the adjusting rib and the rear end of the adjusting rib is disposed further forward in the vehicle-longitudinal direction than the other of the front end of the adjusting rib and the rear end of the adjusting rib.

8. The air flow adjusting structure for the vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the reinforcement rib is provided on a front wall surface of the adjusting rib, the front wall surface facing a vehicle-front side.

9. The air flow adjusting structure for the vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

a projecting height of the reinforcement rib projecting from the arch is smaller than a projecting height of the adjusting rib projecting from the arch.