Vehicle body lateral structure

#The present invention relates to a vehicle body lateral structure provided with a strake.

#When a travel wind directly hits on a rotating wheel while a vehicle is traveling, pressure is exerted on the front of the wheel and turbulent flow is caused to allow the air to be disturbed at a lower part of the vehicle in a position posterior to the wheel. Consequently, air resistance and lift force against the wheel are increased to cause problems such as an increase in fuel consumption, uncomfortable ride, and noises. To cope with this, an approach has been adopted in which a strake (flow-rectifying plate) is provided in a position anterior to the wheel to allow a travel wind hitting on the wheel to be rectified to escape to right and left of the wheel to thereby decrease air resistance and lift force against the wheel (see Patent Literature 1).

#Patent Literature 1 discloses a vehicle body lower structure, in which a rear strake intended for flow-rectifying effect around a rear wheel house is provided at a lower end in a front part of a rear inner fender of the rear wheel house. The rear strake is fastened and fixed to the rear wheel house and the rear fender, using a bolt and/or a clip.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle body lateral structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, when viewing from behind on the left side.

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a mounting structure of a strake on the left side in the vehicle body lateral structure according to the present embodiment, when viewing from behind on the left side.

#FIG. 3 is a view showing the vehicle body lateral structure in FIG. 2, when viewing from the left side.

#Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

#An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. In the description below, the same component is given the same reference numeral and duplicate description is omitted. Also, when a direction is described, the description will be given based on “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “up” or “down” when viewed from a driver in a vehicle. Note that a vehicle width direction is synonymous with the right-left direction.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle body lateral structure according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a mounting structure of a strake on the left side in the vehicle body lateral structure according to the present embodiment, when viewing from behind on the left side. FIG. 3 is a view showing the vehicle body lateral structure in FIG. 2, when viewing from the left side. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view when viewing from the arrow direction of the line A-A in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the mounting structure of the strake on the left side in the vehicle body lateral structure in FIG. 2. Note that the vehicle body lateral structure according to the present embodiment has a symmetric structure, and accordingly, in the description below, a structure on the left side of the vehicle will be described and description on a structure on the right side will be omitted.