Rear wheelhouse vent assembly and a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9783248-B1
Application number	US-201715438821-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 22, 2017
Priority date	Feb 22, 2017
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

A rear wheelhouse vent assembly and a vehicle include a wheelhouse liner. A first edge of the wheelhouse liner defines a cutout that is open along the first edge. The assembly includes a side panel and a duct. The side panel defines a recess, and the wheelhouse liner is disposed along the recess transverse to the side panel to define an open area. The duct is disposed in the cutout. The duct includes a first wall, a second wall and a third wall. The second wall is disposed between the first and third walls. The first and third walls each extend outwardly away from the second wall to respective distal ends to space the second wall from an inner surface of the side panel. The duct is secured to the inner surface and presents a tunnel that vents the open area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rear wheelhouse vent assembly comprising:
a wheelhouse liner having a first end and a second end spaced from each other, and having a first edge and a second edge spaced from each other, and wherein the first and second edges each extend between the first and second ends, with the first edge defining a cutout that is open along the first edge, and spaced from the second edge and the first and second ends;
a side panel defining a recess, with the wheelhouse liner disposed along the recess transverse to the side panel to define an open area, and wherein the side panel includes an outer surface facing away from the first edge of the wheelhouse liner and an inner surface facing at least part of the first edge of the wheelhouse liner, with the first edge disposed closer to the side panel than the second edge, and with the second edge spaced from the side panel;
a duct disposed in the cutout and having a first end coupled to the wheelhouse liner and a second end spaced from the wheelhouse liner, with the first end of the duct defining an inlet and the second end of the duct defining an outlet; and
wherein the duct includes a first wall, a second wall and a third wall, with the second wall disposed between the first and third walls, and the first and third walls each extending outwardly away from the second wall to respective distal ends to space the second wall from the inner surface of the side panel, and with the duct secured to the inner surface and presenting a tunnel that vents the open area.

2. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the duct is characterized by an absence of a fourth wall such that the first, second and third walls and the inner surface of the side panel define the tunnel that vents the open area.

3. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the duct includes a fourth wall disposed between the first and third walls, with the fourth wall spaced from the second wall and abutting at least a portion of the inner surface such that the first, second, third and fourth walls define the tunnel that vents the open area.

4. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the side panel defines an aperture, with the outlet of the duct aligning with the aperture of the side panel.

5. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 further including a rear panel disposed transverse to the side panel such that an inner surface of the rear panel is spaced apart and faces the wheelhouse liner, and wherein the rear panel defines an aperture, with the outlet of the duct aligning with the aperture of the rear panel.

6. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the duct includes a flange at the first end, with the flange overlapping a portion of the wheelhouse liner.

7. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wheelhouse liner includes a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, with the second surface concealed by the side panel, and wherein the flange overlaps a portion of the first surface.

8. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and third walls each define a first width at the inlet of the duct and a second width at the outlet of the duct, with the second width less than the first width of the first and third walls.

9. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second wall angles toward the inner surface of the side panel.

10. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first wall is disposed transverse to the inner surface of the side panel and transverse to the second wall, and wherein the first wall defines a slot.

11. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first wall angles toward the third wall as the first wall extends from the first end of the duct to the second end of the duct.

12. The assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein the first wall narrows as the first wall extends from the first end of the duct to the second end of the duct.

13. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and third walls each include at least one projection, with the projection secured to the inner surface of the side panel.

14. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and third wall are spaced a first distance from each other at the inlet of the duct, and further including at least one louver attached to the first and third walls such that the louver extends along the first distance and blocks a portion of the inlet.

15. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the side panel includes a rear quarter panel fascia and further including a rear panel that includes a bumper fascia.

16. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tunnel narrows between the first and second ends of the duct.

17. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tunnel is characterized by an absence of a louver.

18. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 :
further including a rear panel disposed transverse to the side panel such that an inner surface of the rear panel is spaced apart and faces the wheelhouse liner, and wherein at least one of the side panel and the rear panel defines an aperture, with the outlet of the duct aligning with the aperture;
wherein the wheelhouse liner includes a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, with the second surface concealed by the side panel, and wherein the flange overlaps a portion of the first surface;
wherein the second wall angles toward the inner surface of the side panel such that the tunnel narrows between the first and second ends of the duct; and
wherein the first wall is disposed transverse to the inner surface of the side panel and transverse to the second wall, and wherein the first wall defines a slot disposed closer to the first end of the duct than the second end of the duct.

19. The assembly as set forth in claim 1 :
wherein the side panel defines an aperture, with the outlet of the duct aligning with the aperture of the side panel;
wherein the wheelhouse liner includes a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, with the second surface concealed by the side panel, and wherein the flange overlaps a portion of the first surface;
wherein the second wall angles toward the inner surface of the side panel such that the tunnel narrows between the first and second ends of the duct; and
wherein the first wall is disposed transverse to the inner surface of the side panel and transverse to the second wall, and wherein the first wall defines a slot disposed closer to the first end of the duct than the second end of the duct.

20. A vehicle comprising:
a bumper fascia;
a rear quarter panel fascia disposed transverse to the bumper fascia and defining a recess, with the rear quarter panel fascia including an outer surface and an inner surface opposing the outer surface;
a wheelhouse liner disposed along the recess transverse to the rear quarter panel fascia to define an open area;
wherein the wheelhouse liner has a first end and a second end spaced from each other, and has a first edge and a second edge spaced from each other, and wherein the first and second edges each extend between the first and second ends, with the first edge defining a cutout that is open along the first edge, and spaced from the second edge and the first and second ends;
wherein the outer surface of the rear quarter panel fascia faces away from the first edge of the wheelhouse liner and the inner surface of the rear quarter panel fascia faces at least part of the first edge of the wheelhouse liner, with the first edge disposed closer to the rear quarter

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Welty Mark

Classifications

• B62D25/02

  Side panels {(B62D33/046 takes precedence; sideboards for open load compartments B62D33/023)} · CPC title

• B60R19/48

  combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds · CPC title

• B62D25/16

  Mud-guards or wings; Wheel cover panels (equipped with means for freeing wheels or tyres from foreign matter B60S) · CPC title

• B62D25/08

  Front or rear portions {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11)} · CPC title

• B62D35/008 Primary

  Side spoilers (B62D35/001 takes precedence) · CPC title