TECHNICAL FIELD

The present subject matter described herein, relates to rear wheel
house inner panel structure in vehicles. More particularly, the structure of front
panel of the rear wheel house inner panel structure to receive rear seat hinge
bracket of the vehicle for rear passenger seats.

BACKGROUND

Background description includes information that may be useful in
10 understanding the present invention. 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] Generally, rear wheel house inner panel structure has three different
sections or panels, such as front panel, middle panel, and rear panel. As shown in
15 fig. 1, the rear wheel house inner panel is an integral part of wheel house inner
assembly. Shape of rear wheel house inner panel is generally curved to
accommodate the wheel with appropriate clearance. The front panel is connected
with C-pillar of the vehicle. Generally, the front panel is a part of the C-pillar. The
middle panel receives rear shock absorber, therefore, it should be strongest panel
20 among three panels. The rear panel is connected with the middle panel at front
end and with the rear guard at rear end. All three panels join with each other to
form arch shape wheel house structure. In order to improve the strength of the
structure, a reinforcement panel is provided over the wheel house inner assembly
that joins front panel, the middle panel, and the rear panel. The reinforcement
25 panel can be provided over the wheel house inner assembly by means of spot
welding or welding or any other known means.
[0004] The front panel is toward front end of the vehicle and the rear panel is
toward rear end of the vehicle. Referring to fig. 1A, the front panel 101 of the rear
wheel house inner panel 100 is closer to rear passenger seats of the vehicle.
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Therefore, a first emboss 102 is provided on the front panel 101 to mount the rear
seat hinge bracket 104, as shown in figure 2. The first emboss 101 is provided to
give strength and to avoid cracking of the front panel 101 due to load transferred
from rear seats. The first emboss 102 extend toward vehicle inward direction in
vehicle width direction as shown in fig. 1B. To have proper flow of Electrod5 e
Deposition (ED) in and out of the box section in reinforcement area a second
emboss 103 is also provided on the front panel 101 of the wheel house inner panel
100. The second emboss 103 extend toward vehicle outward direction in vehicle
width direction. The second emboss 103 extend towards vehicle outside direction
10 so that it creates a depression and there is no difficulty in ED drain when the
reinforcement panel 200 is added. Referring to fig.2, the reinforcement panel 200
covers the second emboss 103 and spot welded on the area in between the first
emboss 102 and the second emboss 103. The reinforcement panel 200 is spot
welded at various location on the front inner panel 101 in between the first
15 emboss 102 and the second emboss 103; and on the joint of the front panel 101
and the middle panel.
[0005] Technical problem: referring to fig. 2, when the position of seat hinge
bracket 104 and the rear wheel house inner panel is close to each other and
direction of embosses 102, 103 on the rear wheel house inner panel is different,
20 spot weld failure at the lower region indicated by arrow 202 and high stress on
panel as indicated by arrow 201 is observed during suspension loading in upward
direction.
[0006] One solution for the above mentioned technical problem is to remove
the second emboss 103 from the front panel 101. However, removal of the second
25 emboss 103 creates ED flow problem at manufacturing stage and corrosion
problem during running stage. Therefore, this solution is not feasible at all.
[0007] Another solution is to avoid use of reinforcement panel in the rear
wheel house inner panel. Further, strength of the rear wheel house inner panel can
be increased by increasing thickness of the panel. Increasing thickness of the rear
4
wheel house inner panel increases cost and weight of the vehicle which is against
the main objective, i.e., less cost and weight.
[0008] Existing solutions or structures provide information on currently
available solutions for stiffness of rear wheel house inner panel, but each has its
own drawbacks and limitations. These known systems do not provide solution 5 ution to
reduce stress on the panel and spot welding location with unrestricted ED drain.
[0009] Therefore, a simple and in-expensive solution is required which can
effectively provide more strength and reduce stress on the panel and spot weld
locations on the rear wheel house inner panel without adding extra part.
10
OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0010] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one
embodiment herein satisfy, are listed herein below.
[0011] The principal object of the present invention is to provide a rear wheel
15 house inner panel structure with sufficient stiffness and rigidity to accommodate
the seat hinge bracket and reinforcement panel without increasing stresses on
panel and on weld spots.
[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a single emboss
structure that is combined structure of seat hinge bracket and ED flow for
20 reinforcement panel.
[0013] These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent
when reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY
[0014] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to a structure
25 of rear wheel house inner panel. The concepts are further described below in the
detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or
essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to
limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
5
[0015] In an embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a rear wheel house
inner panel structure of vehicle. The rear wheel house inner panel structure
includes a front panel that is joined with a middle panel and a reinforcement
panel. The front panel includes an emboss structure having seat hinge bracket
mounting portion and an electrode deposition (ED) flow portion. The seat hing5 e
bracket mounting portion and the electrode deposition (ED) flow portion is
connected by a connecting portion to allow flow of ED. The connecting portion is
provided with a flat portion to receive the reinforcement panel for spot welding.
With the flat portion, the reinforcement panel is spot welded on same level with
10 the surface of the front panel.
[0016] In an aspect, the emboss structure is extended toward vehicle outward
direction in vehicle width direction.
[0017] In an aspect, the flat portion is on same level as surface of the front
panel other than emboss structure.
15 [0018] In an aspect, the reinforcement panel covers the electrode deposition
(ED) flow portion.
[0019] The rear wheel house inner panel structure as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the reinforcement panel is spot welded on equal surface level of the front
panel.
20 [0020] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the inventive
subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description
of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which
like numerals represent like components.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
25 [0021] The illustrated embodiments of the subject matter will be best
understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like
numerals throughout. The following description is intended only by way of
example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems,
6
and methods that are consistent with the subject matter as claimed herein,
wherein:
[0022] Fig. 1A illustrates front panel structure with two embosses in different
direction of rear wheel house inner panel as known;
[0023] Fig. 1B illustrates cross section view of front panel structure along 5 AA
line of fig. 1A;
[0024] Fig. 2 illustrates front panel structure with reinforcement panel of the
rear wheel house assembly structure as known in the art;
[0025] Fig. 3A illustrates front panel structure with single emboss, in
10 accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0026] Fig. 3B illustrates cross section view of the front panel structure along
line BB of fig. 3A, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
and
[0027] Fig. 4 illustrates the front panel structure with reinforcement panel of
15 the rear wheel house assembly structure, in accordance with an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0028] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for the
purposes of illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from
the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and
20 methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles
of the disclosure described herein
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] The detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the
disclosure is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. It
25 should be noted that the embodiments are described herein in such details as to
clearly 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
7
falling within the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended
claims.
[0030] 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, aspects5 ,
and embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as specific examples, are
intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
[0031] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular
embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As
10 used herein, the singular forms “a",” “an” and “the” are intended to include the
plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be
further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or
“including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers,
steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence
15 or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,
components and/or groups thereof.
[0032] 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, in fact, be executed concurrently or may
20 sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts
involved.
[0033] In addition, the descriptions of "first", "second", and the like in the
present invention are used for the purpose of description only, and are not to be
construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly
25 indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, features defining
"first" and "second" may include at least one of the features, either explicitly or
implicitly.
[0034] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific
terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of
8
ordinary skill 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 herei5 n.
[0035] These and other advantages of the present subject matter would be
described in greater detail with reference to the following figures. It should be
noted that the description merely illustrates the principles of the present subject
matter. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise
10 various arrangements that, although not explicitly described herein, embody the
principles of the present subject matter and are included within its scope.
[0036] Main objective of the present invention is providing strength, avoid
stress on spot welding and panel locations and allow Electrode Deposition drain in
the rear wheel house inner panel structure.
15 [0037] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to structure of front panel
of the rear wheel house inner panel structure for mounting of rear seat hinge
mounting bracket. In the vehicles, where position of seat hinge bracket and rear
wheel house inner panel is close to each other and direction of embosses on rear
wheel house inner panel is different, there are high chances of spot weld failure at
20 the lower region and high stress on rear wheel house inner panel during
suspension loading. The present structure of front panel of the rear wheel house
inner panel with a combined single emboss structure is beneficial in reducing the
stresses in the panel as well as on the spot welds in the lower region of the
reinforcement where the stress is generally high.
25 [0038] But it should be appreciated here that the present invention resolves
the above-mentioned problem of high stress on spot weld location and panel crack
of the rear wheel house inner panel structure.
[0039] In the figures, arrow forward indicate forward direction of the vehicle,
the arrow rearward indicates rear direction of the vehicle, arrow upward indicates
9
upward direction, arrow downward indicates downward direction, arrow outward
indicates outward direction in vehicle width direction and arrow inward indicates
inward direction in vehicle width direction.
[0040] To this as shown in figure3A, the rear wheel house panel structure 300
of rear wheel house assembly is explained. The rear wheel house inner pane5 l
structure 300 has three different sections or panels, such as front panel 301,
middle panel (not shown in figure), and rear panel (not shown in figure). Shape of
rear wheel house inner panel is generally curved to accommodate the wheel with
appropriate clearance. The front panel 301 is joined with the middle panel and the
10 middle panel is joined with the rear panel to form the rear wheel house inner panel
structure. In order to improve the strength of the rear wheel house inner panel
structure, a reinforcement panel 400 (as shown in figure 4) is provided over the
front panel 301, the middle panel, and the rear panel. The reinforcement panel 400
can be provided over the wheel house inner assembly by means of spot welding or
15 welding or any other known means.
[0041] The front panel 301 has an emboss structure 302 that is a combined
single emboss structure of the first emboss and second emboss (as shown in figure
1 and 2). Referring to fig. 3A and 3B, the present shape of the front panel 301
with a combined single emboss structure 302 is beneficial in reducing the stresses
20 in the panel as well as on the spot welds in the lower region of the reinforcement
where the stress is generally high. The emboss structure 302 is combination of
seat hinge bracket mounting portion 302a and an electrode deposition (ED) flow
portion 302b. Both the seat hinge bracket mounting portion 302a and the electrode
deposition (ED) flow portion 302b are part of the emboss structure 302. The seat
25 hinge bracket mounting portion 302a and the electrode deposition (ED) flow
portion 302b are connected by a connecting portion 302d that is also part of the
emboss structure 302. The seat hinge bracket mounting portion 302a, the
electrode deposition (ED) flow portion 302b, and the connecting portion 302d are
embosses structure that extend toward vehicle outside direction to define L-shape
10
cross section or dent profile that extend in outward direction from surface of the
front panel 301.
[0042] As shown in fig. 3A and 3B, the emboss structure 302 extend toward
vehicle outward direction in vehicle width direction. Further, the emboss structure
302 has a flat portion 302c that is on the same level as surface of the front pan5 el
301. In reference with the emboss structure 302, the flat portion 302c is extended
toward vehicle inward direction in vehicle width direction. The flat portion 302c
is on same surface level as portion of the front panel 301 other than emboss
structure 302.
10 [0043] Further, the flat portion 302c is provided in the connecting portion
302d to receive the reinforcement panel 400 to join the reinforcement panel 400
on same level with the front panel 301. The flat portion 302c receives the
reinforcement panel 400 on the same surface level as of the front panel 301 that
reduces stress on the spot welding points indicated by 305. Further, the present
15 emboss structure 302 reduces stress on the front panel 301.
[0044] As shown in figure 4, the reinforcement panel 400 covers the electrode
deposition (ED) flow portion 302b and spot welded on the flat portion 302c and
the front panel 301 around the electrode deposition (ED) flow portion 302b.
[0045] With the present emboss structure on the front panel of the rear wheel
20 house inner panel structure, the following technical advantages are achieved:
[0046] Relatively more distance from passenger seating position to seat hinge
bracket can be maintained and it would result in better seating comfort to the
passenger.
[0047] Less amount of stress on the rear wheel house inner panel, as result
25 there would be no panel crack.
[0048] Less amount of stress on the lower spot welds of the reinforcement
panel and the front panel.
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[0049] Since there is no spot weld failure, hence the reinforcement panel
would not make any rubbing noise with rear wheel house inner panel this results
in improvement in NVH.
[0050] The present structure of the emboss helps in ED drain.
[0051] It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, term5 s
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
10 “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
15 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 inventions containing only one such recitation, even
when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least
20 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. In addition,
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
25 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 a
construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand
30 the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include
12
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 a construction is intended in the sense one having
skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at 5 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
10 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.”
[0052] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention,
15 other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing
from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the
claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments,
versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill
in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and
20 knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.

We claim:

1. A rear wheel house inner panel structure (300) for a vehicle, the rear wheel
house inner panel structure (300) comprising:
a front panel (301) joined with a middle panel and a reinforcement
panel (400), the front panel (301) comprising5 :
characterized in that
an emboss structure (302) having seat hinge bracket mounting
portion (302a) and an electrode deposition (ED) flow portion (302b),
the seat hinge bracket mounting portion (302a) and the electrode
10 deposition (ED) flow portion (302b) connected by a connecting
portion (302d),
a flat portion (302c) provided in the connecting portion (302d)
to receive the reinforcement panel (400) to join the reinforcement
panel (400) on same level with the front panel (300).
15 2. The rear wheel house inner panel structure (300) as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the emboss structure (302) extend toward vehicle outward
direction in vehicle width direction.
3. The rear wheel house inner panel structure (300) as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the flat portion (302c) is on same level as surface of the front
20 panel (301).
4. The rear wheel house inner panel structure (300) as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the reinforcement panel (400) covers the electrode deposition
(ED) flow portion (302b).
5. The rear wheel house inner panel structure (300) as claimed in claim 1,
25 wherein the reinforcement panel (400) is spot welded on equal surface
level of the front panel (301).
14
6. The rear wheel house inner panel structure (300) as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the seat hinge bracket mounting portion (302a) receives seat hinge
bracket (303).