OPTIMISED WHEEL ARCH LINER

Abstract

Wheel arch liner for a vehicle comprising at least a structural porous fibrous layer extending longitudinal in a curved shape with a front end and a rear end wherein the porous fibrous layer is at least partly corrugated wherein the corrugations comprises alternating grooves and ridges and wherein at least the ridges are situated at the inner side of the curve shaped porous fibrous layer and wherein the grooves and ridges extend longitudinal transversal to the longitudinal curved shape.

Claims

1. A wheel arch liner for a vehicle comprising: at least a structural porous fibrous layer extending longitudinal in a curved shape with a front end and a rear end, wherein the porous fibrous layer is at least partly corrugated, wherein the corrugations comprises alternating grooves and ridges, and wherein at least the ridges are situated at the inner side of the curve shaped porous fibrous layer, and wherein the grooves and ridges extend longitudinal transversal to the longitudinal curved shape.

2. The wheel arch liner according to claim 1, wherein the grooves and ridges extend longitudinal transversal to the longitudinal curved shape in a U-shape or V-shape.

3. The wheel arch liner according to claim 2, wherein each U-shape or V-shape comprises a tip, and wherein the tip is directed towards the apex of the longitudinal curved shape following an axis of the longitudinal curved shape.

4. The wheel arch liner according claim 1, wherein the height (h) of the corrugation is varying over the longitudinal transversal direction to the longitudinal curved shape.

5. The wheel arch liner according claim 1, wherein each corrugation has an asymmetric cross section.

6. The wheel arch liner according to claim 5, wherein the corrugation comprises an impact side and an acoustic side and wherein the sides extend longitudinal transversal to the longitudinal curved shape and wherein the impact sides are facing the rear end following an axis of the longitudinal curved shape from the front end to the rear end and wherein the angle between the acoustic side and a straight line between the groove at the impact side and the groove at the acoustic side, is smaller than the angle (a) between impact side and the straight line.

7. The wheel arch liner according to claim wherein the impact side has an angle (a) between 65 and 90 degrees.

8. The wheel arch liner according to claim 6, wherein the fibrous layer has a higher density (kg/m3) at the impact sides compared to the fibrous layer at the acoustic sides.

9. The wheel arch liner according claim 1, wherein the porous fibrous layer has a thickness between 1 and 8 mm.

10. The wheel arch liner according claim 1, wherein the porous fibrous layer has an area weight between 200 and 1700 g.Math.m2.

11. The wheel arch liner according claim 1, wherein the wheel arch liner has at least one hinge in the form of at least one folding line.

12. The wheel arch liner according claim 1, wherein the porous fibrous layer comprises filaments or fibres and a thermoplastic binder.

13. The wheel arch liner according to claim 12, wherein the filaments or fibres are at least one of mineral fibres or thermoplastic fibres selected from the group consisting of polyester fibres, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), glass fibres, and basalt fibres, or the fibres or filaments are a mixture of such fibres or filaments.

14. The wheel arch liner according to claim 12, wherein the thermoplastic binder is selected from the group consisting of a copolymer of polyester, a polypropylene, and a polyamide, preferably polyamide-6 or polyamide-66.

15. The wheel arch liner according claim 1, wherein the wheel arch liner further comprises a scrim, film or foil.

16. A method of producing the wheel arch liner according to claim 1, wherein a fibrous layer is placed in a mould, and wherein the fibrous layer is compressed and consolidated by heat, and wherein the corrugations in the fibrous layer and the thickness of the fibrous layer are created during moulding.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0079] FIG. 1 shows a schematic figure of a wheel arch liner.

[0080] FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a schematic picture of a wheel arch liner according to the invention, mounted over a wheel.

[0081] FIGS. 3A and 3B shows schematic pictures of curved V-shaped corrugations with impact and acoustic sides, according to the invention.

[0082] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross section A-A of corrugations with impact and acoustic sides, according to the invention.

[0083] FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross section of corrugations with impact and acoustic sides, according to the invention.

[0084] FIG. 6 shows a schematic figure of a wheel with a schematic figure of the wheel arch liner in the form of a fibrous layer with V-shaped corrugations wherein the tips of the V-shapes are directed towards the apex of the longitudinal curved shape wheel arch liner following an axis of the longitudinal curved shape.

[0085] FIG. 7 shows an example of a wheel arch liner according to the invention with a hinge in the form of a folding line.

[0086] FIG. 1 shows a wheel arch liner moulded in a curved shape to fit the wheel arch and may in addition to the longitudinal curved shape (29) also be curved in the transversal direction (31) to the longitudinal curved shape and well as comprise sides (34) in order to seal towards the wheel arch edge of the vehicle. The wheel arch liner has an outer side (32) directed to the wheel arch and an inner side (33) facing the wheel when mounted on a vehicle. The longitudinal curved shape (29) and the transversal direction (31) to the longitudinal curved shape is indicated in FIG. 1 with arrows.

[0087] According to the state of the art the inner side of a fibrous layer is substantially even or flat without corrugations following the curved shape of the wheel arch liner.

[0088] FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a schematic picture of a wheel arch liner (2) according to the invention, mounted over a wheel, where D is the drive direction when driving the vehicle in forward direction and the corresponding wheel rotation direction (4). The wheel (3) may, when driving on wet roads, spray liquid and dirt against the wheel arch liner with some force as a result of the centrifugal force generated by the movement of the wheel. The wheel may spray liquid and dirt with a certain angle to the wheel arch liner, shown schematically with the arrow (F) and the angle depends, among other things, on the speed of the wheel.

[0089] The porous fibrous layer extend longitudinal in a curved shape (30) with a front end (8) and a rear end (7) with corrugations seen from the side of the wheel arch liner and the corrugations have alternating grooves (11) and ridges (10) and the ridges are situated at the inner side (9) of the curve shaped porous fibrous layer, facing the wheel. The impact sides (5b, 5f) are facing the rear end (7) following the axis (30) of the longitudinal curved shape (30) from the front end (8) to the rear end (7). The impact sides shadows the acoustic sides (6b, 60 and therefore protect the acoustic sides from the liquid and dirt impact. Behind the wheel the impact sides (5b) are facing downwards and the acoustic sides (6b) are facing upwards since the flow of liquid and dirt is coming from below and in front of the wheel the impact sides (50 are facing upwards and the acoustic sides (60 are facing downwards since the flow of liquid and dirt is coming from above.

[0090] The corrugations may only cover a part of the fibrous layer, for example only behind the wheel or only in front of the wheel or only close to the apex of the fibrous layer or any combination thereof.

[0091] FIGS. 3A and 3B shows schematic pictures of examples of curved V-shaped (13, 16) corrugations according to the innovation. The corrugations are show as flat in the longitudinal transversal direction but the corrugations may be curved in the longitudinal transversal direction.

[0092] FIG. 3A shows the V-Shaped corrugations for the area behind (12) the wheel and FIG. 3B shows the V-Shaped corrugations for the area in front (15) of the wheel.

[0093] FIG. 3A shows the V-Shaped (13) corrugations for the area behind (12) the wheel where the impact sides (5b) facing away from the direction of tip (14) of the V-shaped corrugation. The tip may be situated in the centre of the wheel arch liner or towards one side of the wheel arch liner. The spray (F) of liquid and dirt come from below, behind the wheel, when driving the vehicle in forward direction, and therefor the impact sides (5b) are facing downwards and the acoustic sides (6b) are facing upwards when the wheel arch liner is mounted on the vehicle. A-A is indication the cross section shown in FIG. 4.

[0094] FIG. 3B shows the V-Shaped (16) corrugations for the area in front (15) of the wheel where the impact sides (5f) facing the same direction as the tip (17) of the V-shaped corrugation. The spray (F) of liquid and dirt come from above, in front of the wheel, when driving the vehicle in forward direction, and therefor the impact sides (5f) are facing upwards and the acoustic sides (60 are facing downwards when the wheel arch liner is mounted on the vehicle.

[0095] The impact sides (5b, 5f) will protect the acoustic sides (6b, 6f) from most of the impact of liquid and dirt. After the impact, the energy of the impacting liquid and dirt is heavily reduced and the liquid and dirt not absorbed is drained, by gravity and supported by the airflow generation be the wheel movement, to the sides of the wheel arch liner. The V-shape is enhancing the drainage to the sides of the wheel arch liner.

[0096] FIG. 4 is showing cross section A-A (18) of the corrugations shown in FIG. 3A. In this embodiment example the impact sides (5b) are shorter and steeper than the acoustic sides (6b). The sides may be straight or curved. Most preferred are rather straight impact sides and stronger curved acoustic sides creating a larger protected area increasing the acoustic performance. F is indication the general main liquid and dirt spray direction.

[0097] FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross section of corrugations (19) according to the invention with impact sides (5) and acoustic sides (6). FIG. 5 is showing how the impact side (5) and acoustic side (6) may be arranged in relation to each other. Preferably the corrugations are designed such that the angle (b) between the acoustic side (6) and a straight line (20) between the groove (11a) at the impact side (5) and the groove (11b) at the acoustic side (6), is smaller than the angle (a) between impact side and the straight line (20). The straight line (20) is an imaginary line allowing an estimate of the angles. The angles can be measured directly or by measuring the distance between the groove (11a) at the impact side (5) and the groove (11b) at the acoustic side (6) as well as the acoustic side and the impact side, creating a triangle allowing estimation of the angles.

[0098] The length (Li) of the impact side is preferably shorter than the length (La) of the acoustic side.

[0099] Both the impact side and acoustic side may be slightly curved and the angles should then be estimated based on the average angle of the sides, e.g. taking an average straight line through the curved impact side and or an average straight line through the curved acoustic side.

[0100] The height (h) and pitch (p) of the corrugation may be varied according to the need and space available. Corrugation with a higher height will increase the impact area and give better protection to the acoustic sides.

[0101] FIG. 6 shows a schematic figure of a wheel and a schematic figure of the wheel arch liner (21) where D is indicating the drive direction of the vehicle and the corresponding wheel rotation direction (4) when driving in forward direction and the generated spray (F) of liquid and dirt when driving on wet roads. The rear end (7) of the wheel arch liner is situated behind the wheel and the front end (8) of the wheel arch liner is situated in front of the wheel. The corrugations in this example is V-shaped (22, 23) and the tip of each V-shape is directed towards the apex (25) of the longitudinal curved shape following an axis of the longitudinal curved shape (24). In this example the tips of the V-shape is situated in the centre or middle of the wheel arch liner but they may be situated towards one side of the wheel arch liner.

[0102] The tips of the U-shaped or V-shaped corrugations situated close to the rear end and front end of the fibrous layer is directed in a vertical or substantially vertical direction and the tips of the U-shaped or V-shaped corrugations situated close to the apex of the wheel arch liner is directed in a substantially horizontal or horizontal direction.

[0103] FIG. 7 shows an example of a wheel arch liner (27) according to the invention with one hinge (27) in the form of a folding line. FIG. 7 shows the wheel arch liner unfolded taking less space than when being fully curved.