Fender for a vehicle including a body portion and a flexible seal portion

• US 9,278,716 B1
• Filed: 08/27/2014
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Joseph, Thomas, Barthelemy, Bruno M., Pleet, Edward Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrow, Jason S
• Application Number:
  US14/469,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20160059901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 296/198, 296/193.11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/16 Mud-guards or wings; Wheel cover panels equipped with means for freeing wheels or tyres from foreign matter B60S
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/165 including sealing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/18 Parts or details thereof, e.g. mudguard flaps
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/043 Superstructures B62D25/161 takes precedence

Abstract

A fender for a vehicle includes a body portion and a seal portion. The body portion presents an outer surface and an inner surface facing opposite the outer surface. The seal portion extends from the inner surface and is flexible relative to the body portion. The body portion is formed of a first material and the seal portion is formed of a second material different than the first material. The seal portion is integral with the body portion.

Claims

1. An exterior assembly for a vehicle, the exterior assembly comprising:

a bodyside;

a hood;

a fender adjacent the bodyside;

the fender including a body portion formed of plastic, the body portion presenting an outer surface that is a class-A surface, the body portion including an inner surface facing the bodyside;

the fender including a seal portion extending from the inner surface of the body portion, the seal portion presenting a sealing surface spaced from the inner surface of the body portion and permanently sealed to the body side;

the fender including a ledge extending from the inner surface;

a second seal portion spaced from the seal portion and extending from the ledge of the fender and resiliently engaging the hood;

the seal portion and the second seal portion being integral with the body portion and being formed of rubber and being flexible relative to the body portion;

the seal portion and the second seal portion each including a base integral with the body portion and an extension that is thinner than and flexible relative to the base;

the fender including portions of increased thickness integral with body the at the base of the seal portion and the base of the second seal portion.

2. The exterior assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second seal portion includes a lip for resiliently engaging a hood of the vehicle.

3. The exterior assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sealing surface is shaped to abut the bodyside for sealing to the bodyside.