Single piece side-sill-garnish and mudguard

1. An apparatus comprising:

a one-piece-construction vehicle part comprising a mudguard and a side-sill-garnish;

wherein the mudguard is a shield which protects an associated vehicle, including at least a portion of the side-sill-garnish, against road debris thrown by a wheel of the associated vehicle; and wherein the side-sill-garnish covers a portion of a side sill of the associated vehicle;

wherein the mudguard is pivotally connected to the side-sill-garnish by a living hinge, which allows the mudguard to be non-coplanar with the side-sill-garnish.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one-piece construction vehicle part is a single injection molded part.

3. A vehicle comprising:

(a) a vehicle body comprising a first side-sill and a first wheel well juxtaposed to the first side-sill;

(b) a first ground engaging wheel operatively connected to the vehicle and positioned at least partially within the first wheel well;

(c) a propulsion system supported to the vehicle body and for use in providing locomotion for the vehicle; and,

(d) a first one-piece-construction vehicle part having a first mudguard and a side-sill-garnish, the first mudguard being positioned at least partially within the first wheel well and the side-sill-garnish covering at least a portion of the first side-sill;

wherein at least a portion of the first mudguard extends below the side-sill-garnish;

wherein the mudguard is pivotally connected to the side-sill-garnish by a living hinge, which allows the mudguard to be non-coplanar with the side-sill-garnish.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 wherein the first one-piece-construction vehicle part comprises a single injection molded part.

5. The vehicle of claim 3 wherein the first wheel well is positioned toward the front of the vehicle body.

6. The vehicle of claim 3 further comprising:

wherein the vehicle body comprises a second side-sill and a second wheel well juxtaposed to the second side-sill;

a second ground engaging wheel operatively connected to the vehicle body and positioned at least partially within the second wheel well; and,

a second one-piece-construction vehicle part having a first mudguard and a side-sill-garnish, the first mudguard being positioned at least partially within the second wheel well and the side-sill-garnish covering at least a portion of the second side-sill;

wherein at least a portion of the first mudguard extends below the side-sill-garnish.

7. A method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a vehicle body comprising a first side-sill and a first wheel well juxtaposed to the first side-sill;

(b) providing a first one-piece-construction vehicle part having a first mudguard and a side-sill-garnish, wherein the mudguard is pivotally connected to the side-sill-garnish by a living hinge, which allows the mudguard to be non-coplanar with the side-sill-garnish; and,

(c) attaching the first one-piece-construction vehicle part to the vehicle body such that the first mudguard is positioned at least partially within the first wheel well and the side-sill-garnish covers at least a portion of the first side-sill, wherein at least a portion of the first mudguard extends below the side-sill-garnish.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

providing the vehicle body with a second side-sill and a second wheel well juxtaposed to the second side-sill;

providing a second one-piece-construction vehicle part having a first mudguard and a side-sill-garnish; and,

attaching the second one-piece-construction vehicle part to the vehicle body such that the first mudguard is positioned at least partially within the second wheel well and the side-sill-garnish covers at least a of the second side-sill, wherein at least a portion of the first mudguard extends below the side-sill-garnish.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein step (b) comprises the step of:

molding the first mudguard and the side-sill-garnish in the same tool.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the mudguard extends below the side-sill-garnish.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a first portion of the mudguard extends below the side-sill-garnish and at least a second portion of the mudguard extends above the side-sill-garnish.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the mudguard extends along a width of the wheel.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mudguard is located near a first end of the side-sill-garnish and a second mudguard is located near a second end of the side-sill-garnish.

14. The vehicle of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of the first mudguard extends along a width of the first ground engaging wheel.

15. The vehicle of claim 3 wherein the first mudguard is located near a first end of the side-sill-garnish and a second mudguard is located near a second end of the side-sill-garnish.

16. The method of claim 7 wherein at least a portion of the first mudguard extends along a width of a wheel, which is at least partially located within the first wheel well.