JP2008126739A - Vehicle body front structure - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle body front structure certainly releasing a coolangt leaked from an air-conditioning part to the outside of a cabin at low cost at a collision of a vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: The vehicle body front structure is characterized in that a connection part provided on a front part of the vehicle at the outside of the cabin of a refrigerant pipe circulated with a refrigerant for air-conditioning is separated by the deformation of the vehicle body front part at a collision of the vehicle and the refrigerant therein is discharged. The vehicle body front part is a bumper reinforcement of the front part of the vehicle, and the connection part of the refrigerant pipe is provided at the neighborhood of the rear side of the vehicle of the bumper reinforcement. When the bumper reinforcement 19 is bent and deformed toward the rear side at the collision of the vehicle, the bumper reinforcement 19 is brought into contact with the connection part 31 of the refrigerant pipe 5 connected to a condenser 9 and deformed, and the refrigerant is discharged into an engine room 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle body front structure provided with a refrigerant pipe used for a vehicle air conditioner.

In a vehicle air conditioner, for example, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses that an electromagnetic opening and closing of a refrigerant pipe in an engine room is performed in order to prevent a refrigerant leaking from an air conditioning component including a refrigerant pipe from flowing into a vehicle compartment due to an impact at the time of a vehicle collision. It is described that a valve is provided to detect a vehicle collision, open the electromagnetic on-off valve, and discharge the refrigerant into the engine rule.
JP 2004-351985 A

  However, in the above-described conventional vehicle air conditioner, when the refrigerant is discharged into the engine compartment, a vehicle collision is detected by a sensor (here, an acceleration sensor that activates an airbag), and electromagnetic waves are generated by operating a relay. Since it is necessary to open and close the on / off valve, if an abnormality occurs in an electrical component such as a power supply, the electromagnetic on / off valve may not operate and the refrigerant may not be discharged, and various electrical components will not malfunction. Since it is necessary to install with high reliability, there is a problem that the cost is increased.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to reliably release the refrigerant leaking from the air-conditioning component at the time of a vehicle collision to the outside of the passenger compartment at low cost.

  According to the present invention, the connection portion provided in the front part of the vehicle outside the passenger compartment of the refrigerant pipe through which the refrigerant for air conditioning circulates is separated by deformation of the front part of the vehicle body at the time of the vehicle collision, and the internal refrigerant is released. The most important feature.

  According to the present invention, since the front part of the vehicle body is deformed by an impact received during a vehicle collision, the connection part of the refrigerant pipe provided outside the passenger compartment is deformed and the internal refrigerant is released, so that the refrigerant leaking from the air conditioning part Can be reliably discharged out of the passenger compartment. At this time, an electric component such as a sensor for collision detection is not required separately, and an increase in cost can be suppressed.

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view inside an engine room 1 at the front of an automobile showing a refrigerant pipe connection structure of a vehicle air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention. This vehicle air conditioner uses CO ₂ gas having a small global warming potential as a refrigerant, and has a refrigeration cycle as shown in FIG.

  This vehicle air conditioner includes a refrigerant pipe 5 installed over the engine room 1 and the vehicle compartment 3 outside the passenger compartment, and adjusts the temperature in the passenger compartment 3 by circulating the refrigerant through the refrigerant pipe 5.

  A refrigerant pipe 5 in the engine room 1 includes a compressor 7 that is operated by the engine, a condenser 9 that condenses the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor 7, a refrigerant that is discharged from the condenser 9, and evaporation that will be described later. An internal heat exchanger 11, a pressure reducing valve 13, and an accumulator 15 for exchanging heat with the refrigerant discharged from the vessel 17 are arranged. Further, an evaporator 17 for evaporating and evaporating the refrigerant depressurized by the pressure reducing valve 13 is disposed on the vehicle compartment 3 side.

  In FIG. 1, the above-described condenser 9 as a heat exchanger is disposed on the vehicle front side indicated by an arrow F in the engine room 1, and extends in the vehicle width direction near the vehicle front side of the condenser 9. A bumper reinforcement 19 is provided as a vehicle body front part. The front force 19 has a front end portion of a side member 21 extending in the vehicle front-rear direction fixed in the vicinity of both ends in the vehicle width direction. Reference numeral 23 denotes a suspension member.

  The condenser 9 is supported by a radiator core support 25 fixed to the side member 21, and the refrigerant pipe 5 connected to the condenser 9 extends toward the rear of the vehicle, and the engine room 1 and the vehicle compartment 3. It is pulled out to the vehicle compartment 3 side through a through-hole 29 provided in the dash panel 27 that separates from the vehicle.

  FIG. 3A is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion A that is the periphery of the connection portion 31 between the condenser 9 and the refrigerant pipe 5 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. It is B sectional drawing. A heat exchanger side pipe connecting member 33 is fixed to the upper end side portion of the condenser 9, and a refrigerant passage 35 is provided in the heat exchanger side pipe connecting member 33. The right end 35 a of the refrigerant passage 35 in FIG. 3B communicates with the refrigerant flow path in the condenser 9.

  On the other hand, the pipe connection member 37 is fixed to the end surface of the heat exchanger side pipe connection member 33 opposite to the end portion 35a by a bolt 39 as a fastener. Is fixed in a state in which the end of each is penetrated through the through hole 37a and protruded toward the heat exchanger side pipe connecting member 33 side.

  A connector 40 is fixed to the outer periphery of the end of the refrigerant pipe 5 protruding from the through hole 37a to the heat exchanger side pipe connecting member 33 side. This connector 40 is inserted into a recess 41 formed in the heat exchanger side pipe connecting member 33, an O-ring 43 is provided in an annular groove 40 a provided in the outer peripheral portion of the connector 40, and the refrigerant pipe 5 The space between the heat exchanger side pipe connecting member 33 is sealed.

  Next, the operation will be described. FIG. 4A is a plan view schematically showing the host vehicle 45 provided with the above-described bumper reinforcement 19 at the front portion of the vehicle and the collision partner vehicle 47 before the collision. Here, as clearly shown in FIG. 4A, the heat exchanger side pipe connecting member 33 is attached obliquely toward the front of the vehicle body and outward in the vehicle width direction at the end of the condenser 9 in the vehicle width direction. Yes. Correspondingly, the refrigerant pipe 5 extends obliquely in the same direction, and the refrigerant pipe 5 is positioned in front of the vehicle with respect to the bolt 39.

  When the host vehicle 45 and the collision partner vehicle 47 come close to each other from the state shown in FIG. 4A and collide as shown in FIG. 4B, the bumper reinforcement 19 absorbs the collision energy and the engine. In this case, the bumper reinforcement 19 pushes the refrigerant pipe 5 extending obliquely forward of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 4C, which is an enlarged view of the C portion in FIG. 4B, the pipe connection member 37 is fixed by the bolt 39 by the refrigerant pipe 5 being pressed toward the rear of the vehicle. With the portion as a fulcrum, it is bent and deformed at a portion between the bolt 39 and the refrigerant pipe 5 and is separated from the heat exchanger side pipe connecting member 33, and the end of the refrigerant pipe 5 where the coupler 40 is provided is the heat exchanger. The side pipe connecting member 33 is detached so as to come out of the recess 41.

  As a result, the sealed state between the refrigerant pipe 5 and the heat exchanger side pipe connecting member 33 is opened, and the refrigerant in the refrigerant pipe 5 and the refrigerant passage 35 is released to the outside of the vehicle compartment 3, that is, into the engine room 1. It will be. At the time of the above-mentioned vehicle collision, the impact is applied to the interior of the passenger compartment 3 and also to the air conditioning components on the passenger compartment 3 side. However, the impact is received in the engine compartment 1 before this impact. Thus, the refrigerant is discharged first in the engine room 1.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment, the connection portion 31 of the refrigerant pipe 5 through which the air-conditioning refrigerant circulates is outside the passenger compartment, and the bumper reinforcement 19 that is the front part of the vehicle body at the time of a vehicle collision. Since it is provided at a position where the internal refrigerant is released by being deformed by the movement, the refrigerant leaking from the air-conditioning component including the refrigerant pipe 5 can be reliably discharged to the outside of the vehicle compartment 3.

  At this time, in this embodiment, there is no need for a separate electric component such as a sensor for collision detection. For this reason, when an abnormality occurs in an electric component such as a power source as in the prior art, the electromagnetic on-off valve does not operate and the refrigerant Can be prevented from occurring, and an increase in cost can be suppressed by eliminating the need for electrical components.

  In the present embodiment, the vehicle body front part is the bumper reinforcement 19 at the front of the vehicle, and the connection part 31 of the refrigerant pipe 5 is provided in the vicinity of the rear side of the bumper reinforcement 19 in the vehicle. At the time of a frontal collision, the pipe connecting member 37 can be easily deformed by the rearward movement caused by the deformation of the bumper reinforcement 19, and the refrigerant can be reliably discharged in the engine room 1.

  Further, the connection portion 31 of the refrigerant pipe 5 is provided on the vehicle forward side of the heat exchanger side pipe connection member 33 and the heat exchanger side pipe connection member 33 fixed to the condenser 9 which is a heat exchanger through which the refrigerant flows. Since the pipe connection member 37 to which the end of the refrigerant pipe 5 connected to the condenser 9 is fixed is fastened and fixed to each other by the bolt 39, the pipe connection member 37 receives the impact due to the vehicle collision and the bolt connection member 37 As a result, the refrigerant pipe 5 is detached from the heat exchanger side pipe connecting member 33, and the refrigerant can be easily discharged.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3B, showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, a notch recess 37 b serving as a fragile portion is provided between the bolt 39 and the refrigerant pipe 5 on the end face of the pipe connection member 37 on the heat exchanger side pipe connection member 33 side. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  By providing the notch recess 37b, the pipe connecting member 37 can be easily bent and deformed as shown in FIG. 4C, and the refrigerant can be discharged into the engine room 1 more reliably.

  FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3B, showing a third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, a lever portion 49 that protrudes toward the front of the vehicle is provided at the end of the pipe connecting member 37 opposite to the bolt 39. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

  The lever portion 49 described above causes the pipe connecting member 37 to bend and deform as shown in FIG. 4C when the bumper reinforcement 19 is deformed as shown in FIG. It protrudes in such a direction as to increase the direction input. Specifically, the protruding direction of the lever portion 49 is oblique to the front side of the vehicle and toward the protruding direction side of the refrigerant pipe 5 shown in FIG.

  For this reason, in the third embodiment, when the bumper reinforcement 19 is deformed as shown in FIG. 4B and moves rearward in the front collision of the vehicle, the bumper reinforcement 19 interferes with the lever portion 49. Then, the pipe connecting member 37 is easily bent and deformed as shown in FIG. As a result, refrigerant discharge into the engine room 1 can be made more reliable.

  In addition, it is good also as a structure which combined the notch recessed part 37b of 2nd Embodiment shown in FIG. 5, and the lever part 49 of 3rd Embodiment shown in FIG. It can be easily bent and deformed.

  Fig.7 (a) is a top view which shows the vehicle width direction right side of the vehicle front part concerning the 4th Embodiment of this invention. In the fourth embodiment, the refrigerant pipe 5 is provided as a vehicle body front part along a side portion of the side member 21 that is a vehicle body skeleton member on the outer side in the vehicle width direction.

  And this refrigerant | coolant piping 5 is each fixed to the side member 21 by the fixing members 51 and 53 as a fixing part of two places, The connection part 55 of the refrigerant | coolant piping 5 is provided in the approximate center position between each fixing member 51 and 53. ing.

  The connecting portion 55 is fastened and fixed to a pipe connecting member 57 having one connecting end 5a of the refrigerant pipe 5 and a pipe connecting member 59 having the other connecting end 5b by a bolt 61 as a fastener. Configured. At this time, the fixing portion by the bolt 61 is located closer to the side member 21 than the refrigerant pipe 5.

  Further, on the side portion of the side member 21 opposite to the refrigerant pipe 5, a notch recess 21 a as a fragile portion is provided at a substantially central position between the fixing members 51 and 53.

  According to the fourth embodiment, when an impact is received from the vehicle front side on the left side in the drawing from the state shown in FIG. 7A, the side member 21 is based on the notch recess 21a as shown in FIG. 7B. It bends and deforms to protrude outward in the vehicle width direction.

  At this time, the connection portion 55 is located on the opposite side of the notch recess 21a, and the refrigerant pipes 5 on both sides of the connection portion 55 are fixed to the side member 21 by the fixing members 51 and 53. The pipe connecting members 57 and 59 that are fastened and fixed to each other easily deform the connecting portion 55 such that the refrigerant pipe 5 side that is located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction from the bolt 61 is separated from each other. As a result, the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant pipe 5 is discharged from the connection end portions 5a and 5b into the engine room 1 that is outside the vehicle compartment 3.

  As described above, also in the fourth embodiment, the connection part 55 of the refrigerant pipe 5 through which the air-conditioning refrigerant circulates is deformed by the movement of the side member 21 that is the front part of the vehicle body at the time of the vehicle collision, and the inside of the engine room 1 Therefore, the refrigerant leaking from the air-conditioning component including the refrigerant pipe 5 can be reliably discharged to the outside of the passenger compartment 3.

  At this time, also in this embodiment, an electrical component such as a sensor for collision detection is not required separately.For this reason, when an abnormality occurs in an electrical component such as a power source as in the prior art, the electromagnetic on-off valve does not operate, It is possible to prevent the occurrence of a problem that the refrigerant cannot be discharged, and to suppress an increase in cost because electric components are unnecessary.

  In addition, the connecting portion 55 of the refrigerant pipe 5 is connected to a pipe connecting member 57 having one connecting end portion 5a of the refrigerant pipe 5 and a pipe connecting member 59 having the other connecting end portion 5b by bolts 61. Since it is fastened and fixed, the pipe connection member 37 and the pipe connection member 39 are deformed so as to be separated from each other in response to an impact caused by a vehicle collision, and the refrigerant is easily discharged from the connection ends 5a and 5b of the refrigerant pipe 5. be able to.

  Further, the refrigerant pipes 5 positioned on both sides of the connection part 55 of the refrigerant pipe 5 are fixed to the side members 21 which are vehicle body skeleton members, respectively, and the side members 21 between the fixing members 51 and 53 become weak parts. Since the concave portion 21a is provided, the side member 21 can be easily bent and deformed as shown in FIG. 7B, and the refrigerant can be discharged into the engine room 1 more reliably.

  In the fourth embodiment, the refrigerant pipe 5 is provided along the side member 21. However, the same fixing structure as that in FIG. 7A is provided along the suspension member 23 shown in FIG. May be provided. In this case, the suspension member 23 is deformed at the time of a vehicle collision, and accordingly, the connecting portion 55 is deformed and the refrigerant is discharged.

  Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the connecting portions 31 and 55 are deformed to release the refrigerant into the engine room 1, but the connecting portions 31 and 55 are broken to release the refrigerant gas. You may make it do. In the case of deformation, the refrigerant can be discharged with a smaller impact input than in the case of breakage.

Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, an air conditioner using CO ₂ gas as a refrigerant is used. However, the present invention may be applied to an air conditioner using a non-fluorocarbon gas such as HC or a new alternative fluorocarbon gas such as R152a. Absent.

It is a perspective view in the engine room which shows the refrigerant | coolant piping connection structure of the vehicle air conditioner concerning the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a refrigerating cycle block diagram of the vehicle air conditioner shown in FIG. (A) is a perspective view which expands and shows the A section which is the periphery of the connection part of the condenser and refrigerant | coolant piping in FIG. 1, (b) is BB sectional drawing of (a). (A) is a plan view schematically showing the host vehicle provided with a bumper reinforcement at the front of the vehicle and a collision partner vehicle before the collision, (b) is a plan view after the collision, (c) is It is the expanded sectional view of the C section of (b) after a collision. It is sectional drawing corresponding to FIG.3 (b) which shows the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing corresponding to FIG.3 (b) which shows the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a top view which shows the vehicle width direction right side of the vehicle front part concerning the 4th Embodiment of this invention, (b) is a top view which shows the state which the connection part deform | transformed after the vehicle collision of (a). It is.

Explanation of symbols

1 Engine room (outside the passenger compartment)
3 Cabin 5 Refrigerant piping 5a, 5b Connection end of refrigerant piping 9 Condenser (heat exchanger)
19 Bumper Reinforce (front body parts)
21 Side members (body frame parts, body front parts)
21a Notch recess in the side member (fragile part)
23 Suspension member (body frame parts, car body front parts)
31, 55 Refrigerant pipe connection part 33 Heat exchanger side pipe connection member 37 Pipe connection member fixed to heat exchanger side pipe connection member 37b Notch recess (fragile part) of pipe connection member
39,61 bolt (fastener)
49 Lever portions provided on the pipe connecting member 57, 59 Pipe connecting members fixed to each other

Claims (8)

  A vehicle body characterized in that a connecting portion provided at a front part of a vehicle outside a passenger compartment of a refrigerant pipe through which a refrigerant for air conditioning circulates is separated by deformation of a front part of the vehicle body at the time of a vehicle collision, and an internal refrigerant is discharged. Front structure.   The vehicle body front part according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle body front part is a bumper reinforcement at a front part of the vehicle, and a connection part of the refrigerant pipe is provided in the vicinity of a rear side of the bumper reinforcement. Construction.   The connection portion of the refrigerant pipe is a heat exchanger side pipe connection member fixed to a heat exchanger through which the refrigerant flows, and is connected to the heat exchanger on the vehicle front side of the heat exchanger side pipe connection member. The vehicle body front part structure according to claim 2, wherein the pipe connection member to which the end of the refrigerant pipe is fixed is fastened and fixed to each other by a fastener.   The vehicle body front part structure according to claim 3, wherein the pipe connecting member is provided with a weak part.   The pipe connecting member is provided with a lever portion that deforms in a direction in which the front part of the vehicle body comes into contact with the movement at the time of the vehicle collision to separate the pipe connecting member from the pipe connecting member on the heat exchanger side. The vehicle body front part structure according to claim 3 or 4.   The vehicle body front part structure according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle body front part is a vehicle body skeleton member, and a connecting portion of the refrigerant pipe is provided along the vehicle body skeleton member.   The connecting portion of the refrigerant pipe is configured by fastening and fixing a pipe connecting member having one connecting end of the refrigerant pipe and a pipe connecting member having the other connecting end of the refrigerant pipe with a fastener. The vehicle body front part structure according to claim 6, wherein:   8. The refrigerant pipes located on both sides of the connection part of the refrigerant pipe are fixed to the vehicle body frame member, respectively, and a weak part is provided in the vehicle body frame member between the fixed parts. Vehicle body front structure described in 2.

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