A thermal encapsulation apparatus for reducing heat loss from a vehicle component includes an insulating layer which, together with a surface of the component, forms a cavity between them. The apparatus also includes at least one baffle located within the cavity so as to define at least one cell therein. Within the cell, a convective-driven airflow caused by a temperature gradient between the surface of the component and the insulating layer is recirculated. The apparatus allows the component to store heat when it is not operational so that upon restarting the component, e.g. the vehicle engine, there is reduced friction in the moving parts, particularly in relatively cool ambient temperatures.

According to the present invention, a panel-shaped first metal body (2) comprises a space-forming part (2a) and an overlap part (2b) that is continuous with the space-forming part (2a). A panel-shaped second metal body (4) comprises a space-forming part (4a) and an overlap part (4b) that is continuous with space-forming part (4a). When the first metal body (2) and the second metal body (4) have been assembled, a housing space layer (S1) that is for housing a sheet-shaped glass wool material 3 is formed between the space-forming parts (2a, 4a), and the overlap parts (2b, 4b) overlap. A solid joining part (W1) that connects the overlap parts (2b, 4b) is formed between the overlap parts (2b, 4b).

The invention disclosed herein is an automotive acoustic panel including a porous sound-absorption material made from a polymer and an expanded perlite. One or more silane compounds may be coupled or coated onto the expanded perlite while a coupling agent and a chemical foaming agent may additionally be added to the automotive acoustic panel.

An undercover (31) for rectifying airflow under a floor of a vehicle while driving the vehicle includes screw pedestals (42) for fixing screws (41) or nut pedestals for nuts, which are served as fastening points to a vehicle body (29). Interference caps (58) which are a molded product made from an elastic resin material are fitted between the adjacent pedestals. Under a state that the undercover (31) is engaged with and is attached to the vehicle body by the screws, a top portion (60) of the interference caps (59) is elastically deformed and is abutted to the opposite vehicle body surface, and the above abutment is maintained. Small clearance between the undercover and the vehicle body are maintained, and interference between the undercover and the vehicle due to vibration while driving is prevented, without changing the number of fastening points of the undercover to the vehicle body.

An arrangement (10) in a wheel well (2) of a vehicle (1), comprising at least one passage (11) providing fluid communication between an engine compartment (3) and the wheel well to permit airflow there through, wherein the passage is non-straight in order to prevent ingress of water into the engine compartment. Also disclosed is a vehicle comprising such an arrangement.

A vehicle body rear structure includes: a cross member and a curvature portion each formed by a part of a floor panel, the part projecting downward at a rearward portion (spare tire pan) of the floor panel, wherein the cross member and the curvature portion each constitute a projected portion; and an underbody coating applied to the projected portions and having a first step and a second step which are oriented perpendicular to a front-rear direction.

An insulating element for insulating a structural element in a vehicle including a carrier element having an edge region and an expandable material which is provided at least on the edge region on the carrier element. The expandable material projects beyond the edge region of the carrier element in at least one direction so that the expandable material forms a flexible projection in this at least one direction.

The invention disclosed herein is an automotive acoustic panel including a porous sound-absorption material made from a polymer and an expanded perlite. One or more silane compounds may be coupled or coated onto the expanded perlite while a coupling agent and a chemical foaming agent may additionally be added to the automotive acoustic panel.

A heat protection device for a wheel electronics unit on a rim of a wheel of a vehicle, having a main body with a fastening portion for fastening to the wheel electronics unit, and at least one heat protection portion for thermally insulating the wheel electronics unit in the fastened position.

A nonwoven fabric web having an excellent sound absorption coefficient in a frequency range from 800 Hz to 1000 Hz when used as a sound absorbing member for a vehicle exterior. The nonwoven fabric web including a nonwoven fabric having meltblown fibers and binder fibers arranged so as to be confounded with the meltblown fibers and fused with the meltblown fibers at some of the confounding points at the very least, the weight per unit area of the nonwoven fabric being from 400 g/m.sup.2 to 1500 g/m.sup.2, and the flexural rigidity of the nonwoven fabric being from 2.0 N/50 mm to 20.0 N/50 mm.