Apparatus, system, and method for tire catchers for frame based vehicle
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for accommodating relative movement between a vehicle body and a vehicle frame. An apparatus includes a flexible member attaching a tire catcher cover to a fender liner. The flexible member surrounds a perimeter of the tire catcher cover. The flexible member can seal a gap between the tire catcher cover and the fender liner. The flexible member can temporarily deform in response to relative movement between the vehicle frame and the vehicle body. The tire catcher cover can be mounted to a tire catcher and may move together with the tire catcher and the vehicle frame with respect to the fender liner. The fender liner can be mounted to a vehicle fender and may move together with the fender and the vehicle body with respect to the vehicle frame.
1 . An apparatus for a frame-based vehicle including a vehicle frame and a vehicle body mounted to the vehicle frame, and the vehicle frame is part of a chassis of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
a fender liner configured to be coupled to a fender of the vehicle, the fender liner comprising a curved sheet of material so as to contour a wheel well;
a tire catcher cover configured to be mounted to, and at least partially cover, a tire catcher of the vehicle, the tire catcher configured to prevent or hinder a movement of at least one of a wheel and/or a tire toward a passenger compartment when an external, frontal offset force is applied to the vehicle; and
a flexible member extending between and to the tire catcher cover and the fender liner, the flexible member extending along a seam between the tire catcher cover and the fender liner, the flexible member is configured to deform to accommodate relative movement between the vehicle body and the vehicle frame.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible member is configured to accommodate relative movement between the tire catcher cover and the fender liner; and
the flexible member is configured to at least one of stretch, compress, or bend in response to the tire catcher cover moving with respect to the fender liner.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the flexible member is configured to seal a gap between the tire catcher cover and the fender liner so as to stop at least one of a moisture, a debris, or an acoustic wave from passing therebetween, the gap extends along the seam between the tire catcher cover and the fender liner.
4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the flexible member is made of a material that is different from that of the tire catcher cover and that of the fender liner, and the flexible member is made of at least one of an elastomer material or a first plastic material.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the flexible member has a bend disposed between a first end and a second end thereof.
6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the tire catcher is configured to be mounted to the vehicle frame.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the tire catcher is made of a first metal material and the tire catcher cover is made of at least one of a second plastic material, a composite material, or a second metal material.
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the tire catcher cover is configured to be secured to the tire catcher with a first plurality of fasteners.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the tire catcher is configured to be secured to the vehicle frame with at least one of a second plurality of fasteners or a weld.
10 . A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle frame forming part of a chassis of the vehicle;
a vehicle body positioned on the vehicle frame and including a fender;
a fender liner extending from the fender and at least partially defining a wheel well;
a tire catcher mounted to the vehicle frame at the wheel well, the tire catcher configured to prevent or hinder a movement of at least one of a wheel and/or a tire toward a passenger compartment when an external, frontal offset force is applied to the vehicle;
a tire catcher cover mounted to, and at least partially covering, the tire catcher; and
a flexible member coupled to the fender liner and the tire catcher cover and extending along a seam between the fender liner and the tire catcher cover, and the flexible member is configured to deform to accommodate relative movement between the vehicle frame and the vehicle body.
11 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the flexible member is configured to accommodate relative movement between the tire catcher cover and the fender liner while the vehicle is driving;
the flexible member extends between and to the tire catcher cover and the fender liner; and
the flexible member is configured to at least one of stretch, compress, or bend in response to the tire catcher cover moving with respect to the fender liner.
12 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle body sits on a cab mount located on the vehicle frame, and the cab mount allows for the relative movement between the vehicle body and the vehicle frame.
13 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the flexible member comprises a first material, the tire catcher cover comprises a second material different from the first material, and the fender liner comprises a third material different from the first material.
14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the flexible member is configured to seal a gap between the tire catcher cover and the fender liner so as to stop at least one of a moisture, a debris, or an acoustic wave from passing therebetween.
15 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the flexible member is made of at least one of an elastomer material or a plastic material.
16 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the tire catcher is made of a first metal material and the tire catcher cover is made of at least one of a plastic material, a composite material, or a second metal material.
17 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the tire catcher cover is disposed adjacent to the fender liner such that the tire catcher cover and the fender liner both contour the wheel well and have major surfaces that face the at least one of the wheel and/or the tire when installed, and wherein a gap is present between the tire catcher cover and the fender liner and the flexible member is disposed along the seam and at least partially within the gap.
18 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the tire catcher cover substantially covers a side of the tire catcher that is exposed to the wheel well and is disposed between the tire catcher and the at least one of the wheel and/or the tire so as to protect the tire catcher from foreign objects being kicked up by the at least one of the wheel and/or the tire while the vehicle is driving.
19 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein a shape and a size of the tire catcher cover is complementary to that of the tire catcher so as to cover a side of the tire catcher that is exposed to the wheel well.
20 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the tire catcher extends in a cross-vehicle direction a distance of between 25% and 125% of a width of the tire.