Description:A FENDER PANEL SUPPORTING BRACKET

TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present subject matter described herein relates to an engine room area in a vehicle. The present invention is particularly related to a fender panel supporting bracket provided on the front hood area on the engine room area of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND
[0002] Background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present subject matter. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
[0003] In the automotive industry, every vehicle must adhere to strict pedestrian safety regulations, which mandate pedestrian head impact energy absorption and distribution to various parts of the vehicle's hood and under-hood structure.
[0004] However, a challenge arises in maintaining the right balance between energy absorption and structural strength. To meet the Head Injury Criterion (HIC) for Pedestrian safety, the fender panel supporting bracket is often designed to prioritize energy absorption. This emphasis on energy absorption can lead to a compromise in the overall strength and load-carrying capacity of the fender panel supporting bracket, potentially resulting in inadequate support for the fender and Headlamp having a joinery with hood. Consequently, inconsistency in fender and headlamp mounting bracket may result in poor fit and finish of the vehicle front area i.e., joinery with hood which can lead to poor aesthetic look of the vehicle front area.
[0005] Existing fender mounting brackets come in various shapes and designs, each attempting to meet the required pedestrian impact performance standards. However, meeting these standards poses significant challenges. Some designs excel in absorbing impact energy but lack the necessary strength to handle mounting loads and maintain positional accuracy during welding. On the other hand, certain designs are structurally robust but may not efficiently dissipate energy during pedestrian impacts, which compromises pedestrian safety.
[0006] Thus, it becomes crucial to develop a fender mounting supporting bracket that overcomes these limitations and provides an optimal solution to address both impact energy absorption and structural strength requirements.

OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0007] It forms an object of the present disclosure to overcome the aforementioned and other drawbacks/limitations in the existing solutions available in the form of related prior arts.
[0008] It is the primary objective of the present disclosure to optimize energy absorption and structural strength of a fender panel supporting bracket.
[0009] It is another object of the present disclosure to address the Head Injury Criterion (HIC) and other safety standards by providing the fender panel supporting bracket that effectively balances energy absorption and structural strength.
[0010] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a cost-effective solution to achieve the above objectives.
[0011] These and other objects and advantages of the present subject matter will be apparent to a person skilled in the art after consideration of the following detailed description taken into consideration with accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present subject matter are illustrated.

SUMMARY
[0012] A solution to one or more drawbacks of existing technology and additional advantages are provided through the present disclosure. Additional features and advantages are realized through the technicalities of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered to be a part of the claimed disclosure.
[0013] The present disclosure provides a solution in the form of a fender panel supporting bracket in front of a vehicle. The fender panel supporting bracket comprises a vertical base portion defining an upper mounting face and a lower mounting face, wherein the upper mounting face connected to the fender support arm, the lower face perpendicularly extends from the vertical base portion and mounted on an apron extension, a first side leg extended from one vertical lateral side of the vertical base portion and a second side leg extended from another vertical lateral side of the vertical base portion, respectively, where each of the first side leg and the second side leg define a mounting face, where the mounting faces extend in a perpendicularly outward direction from the first side leg and the second side leg to attach with the fender panel and a connecting member provided in between the first side leg and the second side leg to divide the fender panel supporting bracket into two regions.
[0014] In an aspect, distal ends of the connecting member are welded on the first side leg and the second side leg.
[0015] In an aspect, the connecting member is positioned parallel to the lower face of the fender panel supporting bracket.
[0016] In an aspect, wherein the connecting member can have a cross-sectional shape selected from the group comprising of cylindrical, rectangular, square, triangular, hexagonal, elliptical, I-beam, H-beam, and T-shaped.
[0017] In an aspect, the distal ends of the connecting member define a smaller diameter (x) as compared to the diameter (X) at the center of the connecting member.
[0018] In an aspect, the connecting member defines a plurality of steps or bulges along the length of the connecting member.
[0019] In an aspect, one step from the plurality of steps is located at a distal end of the connecting member.
[0020] In an aspect, the lower face extends in the same direction as the first side leg and the second side leg.
[0021] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
[0022] It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the present subject matter and are therefore not to be considered for limiting of its scope, for the present disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments. The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to refer to like features and components. Some embodiments of system or methods or structure in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0023] Fig. 1a illustrates a fender panel supporting bracket mounted on an apron extension at the front of a vehicle according to the present invention;
[0024] Fig. 1b illustrates a perspective view of the fender panel supporting bracket according to the present disclosure;
[0025] Fig. 2 illustrates a backside view of the fender panel supporting bracket according to the present disclosure.
[0026] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[0027] The detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments are described herein in such details as to communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of details provided herein is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
[0028] It is also to be understood that various arrangements may be devised that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as specific examples, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
[0029] It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two figures shown in succession may be executed concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
[0030] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skilled in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
[0031] In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration of specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
[0032] Hereinafter, a description of an embodiment with several components in communication with each other does not imply that all such components are required. On the contrary, a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0033] The present invention discloses a fender panel supporting bracket that optimizes energy absorption while maintaining structural rigidity, thus significantly enhancing pedestrian safety and overall vehicle performance.
[0034] Referring to FIG. 1a and 1b, the fender panel supporting bracket (100) described herein is designed to securely mount a fender panel (101) and headlamp at the front of a vehicle. The fender panel supporting bracket (100) is mounted vertically on an apron extension (104) with respect to the length of the vehicle body.
[0035] The fender panel supporting bracket (100) comprises a vertical base portion (201) with an upper mounting face (202a) and a lower mounting face (202b). The upper mounting face (202a) is connected to the fender support arm (102), while the lower mounting face (202b) perpendicularly extends from the vertical base portion (201) to be mounted on the apron extension (104).
[0036] There are two side legs, a first side leg (203a) and a second side leg (203b), that extend from the vertical lateral sides of the vertical base part (201). The first side leg (203a) and the second side leg (203b) are extended in a perpendicular direction from the vertical base part (201) towards the fender panel (101).
[0037] To enhance the structural integrity and energy absorption capabilities of the fender panel supporting bracket (100), a connecting member (204) is provided between the first side leg (203a) and the second side leg (203b). The connecting member (204) is horizontally connected to the fender panel supporting bracket (100) in the direction of the length of the vehicle. The connecting member (204) is connected by means of arc welding with the first side leg (203a) and the second side leg (203b).
[0038] Further, the connecting member (204) divides the fender panel supporting bracket (100) into two distinct regions within the fender panel supporting bracket (100) to clear the pedestrian impact zone. The upper region of the fender panel supporting bracket (100), i.e., above the mounting point of the connecting member (204) is weaker to absorb maximum amount of energy during pedestrian impact and the lower region of the fender panel supporting bracket (100), i.e., below the mounting point of the connecting member (204) is strengthened enough to maintain positional accuracy during welding of bracket and assembly process of the fender panel (101). It helps in maintaining the mounting of the fender panel supporting bracket (100) consistent with the front hood area.
[0039] Referring to FIG. 1b and FIG. 2, to ensure a strong and rigid connection, distal ends (301a, 301b) of the connecting member (204) are welded to the first side leg (203a) and the second side leg (203b). The welding ensures a secure attachment of the connecting member (204) to the first side leg (203a) and the second side leg (203b). Moreover, the connecting member (204) is positioned in a parallel orientation to the lower mounting face (202b) of the fender panel supporting bracket (100). Additionally, the connecting member (204) is positioned to clear pedestrian impact zone area for optimal structural integrity.
[0040] Further, a mounting face (203aa, 203bb) is extended perpendicularly outwards from each of the first side leg (203a) and the second side leg (203b) to connect with the fender panel (101) by means of spot welding. Also, the mounting faces (203aa, 203bb) are extended away from each other in opposite directions to be connected.
[0041] Furthermore, the connecting member (204) may have a cross-sectional shape selected from the group comprising of cylindrical, rectangular, square, triangular, hexagonal, elliptical, I-beam, H-beam, and T-shaped.
[0042] In an embodiment, a cylindrical connecting member (204) is provided. The cylindrical connecting member (204) has a smaller diameter (x) at its distal ends (301a, 301b) compared to the diameter (X) at its center to optimize energy distribution and to provide torsional rigidity to the fender panel supporting bracket (100). Moreover, along the length of the cylindrical connecting member (204), a series of steps (302a, 302b) or bulges (302a, 302b) may be defined to further enhance its strength.
[0043] The steps (302a, 302b) are positioned to enhance the structural integrity of the fender panel supporting bracket (100) and promote efficient energy dissipation.
[0044] One of these steps from the plurality of steps (302a, 302b) is located near the distal ends (301a, 301b) of the connecting member (204), providing additional support at the ends.
[0045] The fender panel supporting bracket (100) offers a robust structure for securely mounting the fender panel (101) while effectively absorbing energy during a pedestrian head impact. Moreover, with its design incorporating the dividing connecting member (204), the fender panel supporting bracket (100) achieves optimal rigidity and strength, ensuring consistent and reliable performance in maintaining the fender panel (101) securely mounted to the vehicle's front hood area.
TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES
[0046] The present invention effectively overcomes these disadvantages of the existing art by using an improved fender panel supporting bracket that optimizes energy absorption while maintaining structural rigidity, thus significantly enhancing pedestrian safety and overall vehicle performance.
[0047] The present invention's incorporation of a weaker upper region of the fender panel supporting bracket is dedicated to energy absorption to ensure enhanced pedestrian safety during impacts without sacrificing overall structural integrity.
[0048] In the present invention, the lower region is strengthened through the welded connecting member design, the fender panel supporting bracket rigidity is significantly improved, ensuring aesthetically good appearance of the vehicle.
[0049] The present invention further reinforces the structural integrity of the fender panel supporting bracket, making it more robust in handling external forces and load distribution.
[0050] It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation, no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to disclosures containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. Also, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general, such construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances, where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general, such construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
[0051] It will be further appreciated that functions or structures of a plurality of components or steps may be combined into a single component or step, or the functions or structures of one-step or component may be split among plural steps or components. The present disclosure contemplates all of these combinations. Unless stated otherwise, dimensions and geometries of the various structures depicted herein are not intended to be restrictive of the disclosure, and other dimensions or geometries are possible. Also, while a feature of the present disclosure may have been described in the context of only one of the illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments, for any given application. It will also be appreciated from the above that the fabrication of the unique structures herein and the operation thereof also constitute methods in accordance with the present disclosure. The present disclosure also encompasses intermediate and end products resulting from the practice of the methods herein. The use of “comprising” or “including” also contemplates embodiments that “consist essentially of” or “consist of” the recited feature. , Claims:We claim:
1. A fender panel supporting bracket (100) in front of a vehicle, the fender panel supporting bracket (100) comprising:
a vertical base portion (201) defining an upper mounting face (202a) and a lower mounting face (202b), wherein the upper mounting face (202a) connected to the fender support arm (102), the lower mounting face (202b) perpendicularly extends from the vertical base portion (201) and mounted on an apron extension (104);
a first side leg (203a) extended from one vertical lateral side of the vertical base portion (201) and a second side leg (203b) extended from another vertical lateral side of the vertical base portion (201), respectively, where each of the first side leg (203a) and the second side leg (203b) define a mounting face (203aa, 203bb), where the mounting faces (203aa, 203bb) extend in a perpendicularly outward direction from the first side leg (203a) and the second side leg (203b) to attach with the fender panel (101); and
a connecting member (204) provided in between the first side leg (203a) and the second side leg (203b) to divide the fender panel supporting bracket (100) into two regions.
2. The fender panel supporting bracket (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein distal ends (301a, 301b) of the connecting member (204) are welded on the first side leg (203a) and the second side leg (203b).
3. The fender panel supporting bracket (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting member (204) is positioned parallel to the lower mounting face (202b) of the fender panel supporting bracket (100).
4. The fender panel supporting bracket (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting member (204) is provided between the first side leg (203a) and the second side leg (203b) by means of arc welding.
5. The fender panel supporting bracket (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting member (204) can have a cross-sectional shape selected from the group comprising of cylindrical, rectangular, square, triangular, hexagonal, elliptical, I-beam, H-beam, and T-shaped.
6. The fender panel supporting bracket (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the distal ends (301a, 301b) of the connecting member (204) define smaller diameter (x) as compared to diameter (X) at the center of the cylindrical connecting member (204).
7. The fender panel supporting bracket (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connecting member (204) defines a plurality of steps (302a, 302b) or bulges (302a, 302b) along a length of the connecting member (204).
8. The fender panel supporting bracket (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each step from the plurality of steps (302a, 302b) is located at or near the distal ends (301a, 301b) of the connecting member (204).
9. The fender panel supporting bracket (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower mounting face (202b) extends in the same direction as the first side leg (203a) and the second side leg (203b).