Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-13
2001-07-31
Johnson, Stephen M. (Department: 3641)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Structural detail
C296S029000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267439
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for fitting an armor member such as a side spoiler to a vehicle body of an automobile.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication Sho63-59082 (59082/1988) discloses a structure for fitting a resin side spoiler to a side sill of an automobile body with a bolt. Said bolt is to be put into a boss which opens to outer lateral surface of a side spoiler which is integrally formed beforehand, and then to be fastened to the automobile body. Furthermore, Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Publication Hei4-122285 (122285/1992) discloses a structure having a rib formed integrally in order to reinforce the fitting part of such resin side spoiler.
Such a side spoiler is desired to have improved aerodynamic characteristic and the appearance of the fitting part not to be externally viewed, so as to perform a great role for the improvement of appearance.
Furthermore, as the said part is provided on the stepping in and out part, it is required to have a certain extent of rigidity, for which purpose relatively thick wall resin is required to be used with proportional increase in weight. Accordingly, it is desirable to make the resin to be used as thin wall as possible.
Moreover, depending on the kind of automobile, there may be fitted a side sill cover in advance as a decorative member having a certain degree of rigidity. In such a case, the side sill cover is required to be removed, with additional steps of work required. Furthermore, the step of disposal after removal is required, and disposal itself means uneconomical. It is an object of the present invention to settle these problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to dissolve the above problems, the present invention is characterized in that, in a vehicle in which a decorative covering member is previously fitted to a part of a vehicle body and the covering member and a part of the vehicle body are brought into contact with each other in an appearance face, the covering member is provided with a resin armor member, a space being formed between the whole covering member and the vehicle body by forcing a part of the armor member to a part of the area of contact between the covering member and the vehicle body, and the said member is fitted to the other part of the armor member.
In this case, the above covering member may be a side sill cover, and the armor member be a side spoiler, so that the forward and backward ends of the side spoiler be pushed in to each connecting part between the forward and backward ends of the side sill cover and the front fender and rear fender.
According to the present invention, when a part of the armor member is pushed into a part of the area of contact between the covering member and the vehicle body in the appearance face, a space is formed between the whole covering member and the vehicle body. Therefore, by inserting other part of the armor member by utilizing this space, the armor member can be fitted without marring the appearance.
Moreover, as the armor member is applied over the covering member which is previously fitted to the vehicle body, the armor member is allowed to utilize the rigidity of the covering member, and the armor member does not much necessitate rigidity. Accordingly, it is possible to make the resin armor member as thin as possible, thereby serving to make the whole member lightweight, so that it may be manufactured at a low cost using a simple forming method such as vacuum molding.
Moreover, as the covering member which is previously fitted to the vehicle body side is utilized as it is, it is unnecessary to remove such member, and the work step for removal can be made unnecessary. As a result, it is also unnecessary to make disposal of the removed covering member, and wasting of resource can be prevented.
Moreover, when a side sill cover is used as a covering member and a side spoiler as an armor member, by pushing in the two ends of the side spoiler in the lengthwise direction to the contact part between the two ends of the side sill cover in the lengthwise direction and the fender, the whole side sill cover is pushed down, so that the intermediate part of the side spoiler can be fitted by insertion into the space between the side sill cover and the lower end of the door formed by this pushing down. Accordingly, it is possible to fit the side spoiler easily and in good appearance, and moreover to utilize the side sill cover which is a rigid member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3884516 (1975-05-01), Gallion et al.
patent: 4440434 (1984-04-01), Celli
patent: 4973103 (1990-11-01), Imajyo et al.
patent: 5288121 (1994-02-01), Graves
patent: 5385377 (1995-01-01), Girard
patent: 5575526 (1996-11-01), Wycech
patent: 5806919 (1998-09-01), Davies
patent: 6102473 (2000-08-01), Steininger et al.
patent: 6-359082 (1988-04-01), None
patent: 4-122285 (1992-11-01), None
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Honda Access Sales Corp.
Johnson Stephen M.
LandOfFree
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