Panel arrangement for a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10017131-B2
Application number	US-201615195316-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2016
Priority date	Jun 29, 2015
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a panel arrangement for a motor vehicle with an air inlet panel for the through-flow with ambient air, and a service panel including a water-collecting region arranged beneath the air passage region. The water-collecting region is constituted for draining water in the vehicle transverse direction, in particular to at least one wheel well of the motor vehicle. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car, with such a panel arrangement assembled fixed in the vehicle in the assembly position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A panel arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising:
an air inlet panel having an air passage region with an air passage for the through-flow with ambient air; and
a service panel having a water-collecting region subjacent to the air passage region, the water-collecting region including a front end wall, a rear end wall, and a bottom wall that is closed in entirety, the front end wall and the rear end wall connected by the bottom wall, the front end wall, the rear end wall and the bottom wall forming a channel that is continuous in the vehicle transverse direction, wherein the water-collecting region is configured to drain water in the vehicle transverse direction of the motor vehicle.

2. The panel arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the air inlet panel comprises a second air passage region with a second air passage spaced apart from the air passage region in the vehicle transverse direction by at least 2% of a total extension of the air inlet panel, the air passage regions separated by an air passage-free region and the air passages comprising perforated regions in the air inlet panel, wherein the water-collecting region is subjacent to the second air passage region.

3. The panel arrangement according to claim 1 , comprising a pair of suspension strut domes disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle, wherein the water-collecting region extends in the vehicle transverse direction over at least 75% of a total extension of the service panel, and the channel extends over each of the suspension strut domes.

4. The panel arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein the channel is disposed above the suspension strut domes and is configured to direct all water collected in the channel over the suspension strut domes.

5. The panel arrangement according to the claim 3 , comprising a pair of wheel wells, one of which is positioned outboard, in the vehicle transverse direction, from each respective one of the suspension strut domes, wherein the channel extends in the vehicle transverse direction across the vehicle in an uninterrupted configuration, and wherein the channel includes a pair of end walls that are open, the channel configured to direct all collected water through the ends walls and into the wheel wells.

6. The panel arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the bottom wall in the assembly position in the vehicle transverse direction falls away to at least one side of the vehicle at a location outboard from each suspension strut dome.

7. The panel arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the service panel comprises a structure that is unitary and is detachably connected to the vehicle.

8. The panel arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein the air inlet panel and the service panel each comprise a one piece, plastic molded part.

9. The panel arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the air inlet panel includes a front closed end wall and a rear closed end wall and is configured for guiding water to drain in the vehicle transverse direction.

10. The panel arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein the air inlet panel defines an assembly opening configured to receive a windscreen wiper and disposed between the front closed end wall and the rear closed end wall.

11. A motor vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body defining first and second wheel wells lying opposite one another in a vehicle transverse direction on opposite sides of the vehicle;
a first suspension strut dome adjacent the first wheel well;
a second suspension strut dome adjacent the second wheel well;
a service panel having a water-collecting region configured to drain water in the vehicle transverse direction of the motor vehicle, the water-collecting region including a front end wall and a rear end wall connected with the front end wall by a bottom wall, the front end wall, the rear end wall and the bottom wall forming a channel that is continuous in the vehicle transverse direction, wherein the channel extends in the vehicle transverse direction across each of the suspension strut domes and includes a pair of end walls that are open, one of the end walls located outboard in the vehicle transverse direction relative to each one of the suspension strut domes, the channel configured to direct all collected water through the ends walls and into the first and second wheel wells; and
an air inlet panel covering the channel and having an air passage region with an air passage for the through-flow of ambient air, the air passage region opening into the channel, wherein the air inlet panel includes a front closed end wall and a rear closed end wall and is configured for guiding water to drain in the vehicle transverse direction and into the wheel wells.

12. The motor vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the air inlet panel and the service panel each comprise a one-piece part that is detachably secured the vehicle body of the motor vehicle.

13. A panel arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising:
an air inlet panel having an air passage region with an air passage for the through-flow with ambient air; and
a service panel having a water-collecting region subjacent to the air inlet panel, the water-collecting region including a front end wall, a rear end wall, and a closed bottom wall connecting the front end wall and the rear end wall, the closed end wall being entirely closed, and the front end wall, the rear end wall and the closed bottom wall forming a channel that is continuous in a vehicle transverse direction, wherein the channel includes open end walls on opposite sides of the vehicle in the vehicle transverse direction, and the channel is configured to drain all water collected in the channel through the open end walls.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Kempfer Fabian
• Chlyeh Younes
• Zipp Peter

Classifications

• B62D25/081 Primary

  Cowls (ventilating openings situated directly in front of the vehicle front window B60H1/28) · CPC title

• B60H1/28

  the openings being situated directly in front of vehicle front window · CPC title

• B60R13/07 Primary

  Water drainage or guide means not integral with roof structure (B60R13/06, {B60J10/25} take precedence; {integral with roof structure B62D25/07; drainage openings having movable or removable closures B62D25/24}) · CPC title