JP2012153184A - Engine air-intake structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an engine air-intake structure capable of suppressing or preventing infiltration of water or pebbles mixed with outside air into an engine.SOLUTION: An outside air circulation hole 46 is configured to include an in-flow hole 52 formed along the longitudinal direction of a vehicle, and an out-flow hole 60 formed along the height direction of the vehicle. Outside air (indicated by an arrow) introduced through an outside air introduction hole 24A of a front grille 24 is introduced in from the in-flow hole 52, introduced out through the out-flow hole 60, and introduced into an opening 36A of an air suction duct 36. A top wall 54 is provided above the in-flow hole 52. Thereby, if water or pebbles are mixed with the outside air introduced in through the outside air introduction hole 24A, the water or pebbles introduced in through the in-flow hole 52 bump against the top wall 54 and fall down through the in-flow hole 52. In other words, the water or pebbles cannot pass through the out-flow hole 60, and their infiltration into the engine is suppressed or prevented.

Description

  The present invention relates to an engine intake structure for taking outside air into an engine room.

  In the engine intake structure, for example, in Patent Document 1, outside air introduced from a grill during traveling is guided to the heat exchanger side by a guide duct. Further, a part of the outside air is introduced into the intake duct via a notch formed in the guide duct, and a part of the outside air is supplied to the engine side by the intake duct.

JP-A-2005-263120

  However, in this prior art, when water (snow) and pebbles are mixed in the outside air introduced from the grill, there is a possibility that water and pebbles are also supplied to the engine side.

  In view of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain an engine intake structure that can suppress or prevent water or pebbles mixed in outside air from entering the engine.

  In order to achieve the above object, an engine intake structure according to the present invention according to claim 1 is a radiator that supports an upper portion of a radiator that cools cooling water using outside air introduced from an outside air introduction port provided at a front end of the vehicle. A radiator support upper cover that covers the support upper; and an outside air circulation hole that is provided on the radiator support upper cover and that introduces the outside air to an intake duct that supplies outside air to the engine. An inflow hole provided along the vehicle height direction, and an outflow hole formed in the vehicle height direction so as to communicate with the inflow hole. The outflow hole is formed between the upper wall and the lower wall by forming the upper wall and the lower wall at different positions in the radiator support upper cover.

  In the engine intake structure according to claim 1, the upper portion of the radiator that cools the cooling water by the outside air introduced from the outside air introduction port provided at the front end of the vehicle is supported by the radiator support upper, and the radiator support upper is Covered by a radiator support upper cover. The radiator support upper cover is provided with an outside air circulation hole, and outside air introduced from the outside air introduction port at the front end of the vehicle is introduced into the intake duct and supplied to the engine through the outside air circulation hole.

  The outside air circulation hole includes an inflow hole formed along the vehicle longitudinal direction and an outflow hole formed along the vehicle height direction, and the inflow hole and the outflow hole communicate with each other. ing. Outside air introduced from the outside air inlet is introduced from the inflow hole, out of the outflow hole, and introduced into the intake duct. Here, an upper wall and a lower wall that are arranged adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction and have different positions in the vehicle height direction are formed in the radiator support upper cover, so that an outflow hole is formed between the upper wall and the lower wall. Is formed.

  That is, an inflow hole is provided below the upper wall. As a result, the outside air that has flowed in from the inflow hole of the outside air circulation hole hits the upper wall positioned above the inflow hole, is branched through the upper wall, and is guided to the outflow hole. For this reason, when water and pebbles are mixed in the outside air that is going to pass through the outside air circulation hole, the water and pebbles that have passed through the inflow hole hit the upper wall and fall through the inflow hole.

  Therefore, water and pebbles mixed in the outside air introduced from the outside air inlet cannot pass through the outflow hole, and intrusion to the engine side is suppressed or prevented. For this reason, for example, compared with the case where a mesh for preventing intrusion of pebbles is attached to the outside air circulation hole, labor is not required, and a separate part other than the radiator support upper cover is not required. You can go down.

  Also, here, an outside air circulation hole is formed by changing the position in the vehicle height direction between the upper wall and the lower wall to provide a height difference, but by increasing the height difference, the intake duct The amount of outside air introduced into can be increased. That is, in the present invention, since a smooth and sufficient air flow can be ensured, the pressure loss of the outside air introduced into the intake duct is reduced, and the vehicle power performance can be improved.

  Furthermore, although the inflow hole of the outside air circulation hole is provided along the vehicle width direction, since the upper wall is provided above the inflow hole, it is difficult to see the inflow port in a plan view. is there. Moreover, since the outflow hole of the outside air circulation hole is formed along the vehicle height direction, it is difficult to view the outflow port in a plan view. In other words, the interior of the engine room is difficult to see from the upper surface of the radiator support upper cover, so the design is improved.

  The engine intake structure according to a second aspect of the present invention is the engine intake structure according to the first aspect, wherein the radiator support upper cover is provided with a recess, and the upper wall extends from the upper surface of the radiator support upper cover. The lower wall is formed by projecting upward from the recessed portion and bent toward the bottom wall of the recessed portion, and the lower wall is composed of the side wall and the bottom wall of the recessed portion.

  In the engine intake structure according to the second aspect of the present invention, the radiator support upper cover is provided with a recess. The upper wall projects from the upper surface of the radiator support upper cover to the upper side of the recess and is bent toward the bottom wall of the recess, and the lower wall is composed of the side wall and the bottom wall of the recess. Thereby, a height difference arises along the vehicle height direction between the upper wall and the lower wall. This height difference forms an outflow hole. By increasing the outflow hole, the amount of outside air introduced into the intake duct can be increased.

  In addition, in the state which does not provide a dent part in a radiator support upper cover, only an upper wall or a lower wall may be made to project with respect to the radiator support upper cover, but in this case, an upper wall or The amount of protrusion of the lower wall becomes larger than the amount of protrusion when the upper wall and the lower wall are protruded in opposite directions. For this reason, the strength of the upper wall or the lower wall becomes a problem, and it is necessary to reinforce the upper wall or the lower wall. However, according to the configuration of the present invention, since such a problem does not occur, the outflow hole is effectively formed from the viewpoint of securing the amount of outside air introduced into the intake duct and the strength of the upper and lower walls. be able to.

  The engine intake structure according to a third aspect of the present invention is the engine intake structure according to the first or second aspect, wherein an opening of the intake duct is disposed above the outflow hole of the vehicle, An inclined portion is provided on the rear side of the vehicle so that the outside air flowing out of the outflow hole is guided upward as the vehicle moves rearward.

  In the engine intake structure according to the third aspect of the present invention, the opening of the intake duct is disposed above the outflow hole. An inclined portion is provided at the vehicle rear side of the outflow hole, and the outside air flowing out from the outflow hole is guided upward in the vehicle along the inclined portion toward the vehicle rear.

  In this way, by providing the inclined portion that guides from the outflow hole to the opening of the intake duct, it is possible to ensure a smooth and sufficient air flow, thereby suppressing or preventing the turbulent flow of the outside air discharged from the outflow hole. Is done. For this reason, the pressure loss of the outside air introduced into the intake duct is reduced, and the vehicle power performance can be improved.

  The engine intake structure according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the engine intake structure according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the longitudinal direction of the upper wall is in the center in the width direction on the inner surface side of the upper wall. Ribs are formed along

  In the engine intake structure according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a rib is formed at the center in the width direction on the inner surface side of the upper wall, so that the outside air flowing in from the inflow hole is branched to the left and right in the vehicle width direction by the rib. Can be rectified. For this reason, the pressure loss of the outside air introduced into the intake duct is reduced, and the amount of outside air introduced into the intake duct can be ensured. Moreover, the rigidity and intensity | strength of an upper wall can be improved because a rib is formed along the longitudinal direction of an upper wall.

  Since the present invention is configured as described above, the engine intake structure according to the first aspect of the present invention can suppress or prevent intrusion of water and pebbles mixed in the outside air introduced from the outside air inlet into the engine side. It has the excellent effect of being able to.

  In the engine intake structure according to the second aspect of the present invention, the difference in height between the upper wall and the lower wall can be increased, and the amount of outside air introduced from the outside air inlet into the intake duct can be increased. It has the excellent effect of being able to.

  The engine intake structure according to the third aspect of the present invention has an excellent effect that the pressure loss of the outside air introduced into the intake duct can be reduced.

  In the engine intake structure according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the pressure loss of the outside air introduced into the intake duct, and to improve the rigidity and strength of the upper wall. Have.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 1-1 of FIG. 5 showing an engine intake structure according to the present embodiment. It is an expansion perspective view which shows the principal part of the engine intake structure which concerns on this embodiment. It is an enlarged plan view showing a main part of the engine intake structure according to the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2 showing a main part of the engine intake structure according to the present embodiment. It is a perspective view showing the appearance shape of the vehicle to which the engine intake structure concerning this embodiment was applied. It is a top view which shows the vehicle front part of the vehicle to which the engine intake structure which concerns on this embodiment was applied.

  FIG. 5 shows a vehicle 10 to which an engine intake structure 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. The engine intake structure 12 is illustrated with a part of a hood 14 cut away. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a vehicle front portion of the vehicle 10 in a state where the hood 14 is opened. Hereinafter, in the drawings, the front of the vehicle 10 is indicated by an arrow FR, the outer side in the vehicle width direction is indicated by an arrow OUT, and the upper side is indicated by an arrow UP.

(Configuration of engine intake structure)
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a lower portion of the hood 14 of the vehicle 10 is an engine room 18 in which an engine (not shown), a radiator 16 and the like to be described later are mounted. An outside air introduction port 22 is formed in the front bumper 20 at the front portion of the vehicle 10 (below the hood 14), and a front grill 24 is attached to the outside air introduction port 22.

  The front grill 24 constitutes a design of the front portion of the vehicle 10 and is provided to suppress entry of foreign matter (water (snow), pebbles, etc.) from the outside air inlet 22. For this reason, the outside air inlet 24A (see FIG. 1) formed in the front grille 24 is set to a size that suppresses entry of foreign matter. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 1-1 of FIG.

  A front bumper 20 is provided at the vehicle front end portion of the vehicle 10 along the vehicle width direction, and front fender panels 28 are provided along the vehicle front-rear direction at both sides of the vehicle 10 on the vehicle front side. A dash panel (not shown) is provided at the vehicle rear end portion of the front fender panel 28 along the vehicle width direction, and the engine room 18 is defined by the dash panel, the front fender panel 28 and the front bumper 20. An apron upper member (not shown) located inside the front fender panel 28 is provided with a hood 14 (see FIG. 4) that can be opened and closed, and the hood 14 covers the engine room 18. It has become.

  On the other hand, in FIG. 6, the hood 14 is opened as described above, and components such as an engine, an air cleaner, and an ECU (electronic control unit), which will be described later, are covered by covers 30, 32, and 34, respectively. Yes. Here, parts other than the engine, the air cleaner, and the ECU are disposed below the covers 30, 32, and 34, respectively, but the covers 30, 32, and 34 are respectively indicated for convenience of the engine, the air cleaner, and the ECU. I will explain.

  An engine 30 is disposed in the center of the engine room 18 on the vehicle rear side, and an intake duct 36 is disposed in front of the engine 30 in the vehicle. The intake duct 36 is connected to an air cleaner 32 disposed on the right side in the vehicle width direction of the engine 30 toward the front of the vehicle, and air introduced from the intake duct 36 is supplied to the engine 30 via the air cleaner 32. Is done.

  An ECU 34 that comprehensively controls the vehicle 10 is disposed on the left side in the vehicle width direction of the engine 30 toward the front of the vehicle. The ECU 34 is constituted by a microprocessor, and although not shown, the ECU 34 is operated by various operating conditions such as an accelerator position sensor, a wheel speed sensor, a motor generator temperature sensor, a current sensor, and a rotational speed sensor. Is input. And various control regarding the vehicle 10 is integratedly performed based on the input signal.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 1, a radiator 16 for cooling the coolant of the engine 30 is disposed behind the front grill 24 in the vehicle. The radiator 16 is a thin structure and has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front of the vehicle. On the other hand, on the vehicle front end side of the front fender panel 28, a radiator support upper 38 is fixed to the body 26 (see FIG. 6) side in a state of being spanned across the vehicle width direction.

  An upper end portion of the radiator 16 is fixed to the radiator support upper 38, and the radiator 16 is arranged along the vehicle width direction in a state of being erected substantially perpendicular to the vehicle horizontal plane. The lower end portion of the radiator 16 is fixed to a radiator support lower (not shown) disposed in parallel with the radiator support upper 38. Although not shown, this radiator 16 is provided with a fan shroud for guiding the introduced air to the radiator 16, a condenser for cooling the refrigerant sent from the compressor and condensing and liquefying.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the radiator support upper 38 is provided with a plate-like radiator support upper cover 40 that covers the radiator support upper 38. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a bulging portion 42 that bulges upward in the vehicle is provided at the vehicle rear portion of the radiator support upper cover 40, and on the vehicle front side of the bulging portion 42. A mounting hole 44 is provided.

  The opening 36 </ b> A side of the intake duct 36 can be mounted in the mounting hole 44. With the opening 36A side of the intake duct 36 mounted in the mounting hole 44, the upper surface of the intake duct 36 is covered with the bulging portion 42. In this state, the intake duct 36 is covered with the radiator support upper cover 40. Fixed to.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the outside air flow for guiding outside air (indicated by arrows) introduced from the outside air introduction port 24 </ b> A of the front grill 24 to the intake duct 36 at the vehicle front portion of the radiator support upper cover 40. A hole 46 is formed.

  FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the radiator support upper cover 40 showing the configuration of the outside air circulation hole 46. As shown in FIG. 2, the radiator support upper cover 40 is provided with a recess 48 that is one step down from the upper surface 40 </ b> A of the radiator support upper cover 40.

  The recessed portion 48 is formed along the vehicle width direction, and an inclined portion 50 that is inclined upward toward the vehicle as it goes toward the vehicle rear side is provided at the vehicle rear portion of the recessed portion 48. A plurality of inflow holes 52 formed in a substantially rectangular shape along the vehicle front-rear direction are arranged in the bottom wall 48A of the recess 48 along the vehicle width direction at a predetermined pitch. This inflow hole 52 serves as an inlet of the outside air circulation hole 46.

  Above the inflow hole 52, there is provided an upper wall 54 that has substantially the same width as the inflow hole 52 and projects from the upper surface 40 </ b> A of the radiator support upper cover 40 toward the rear of the vehicle. The upper wall 54 protrudes from the upper surface 40A of the radiator support upper cover 40 to the upper side of the recessed portion 48, and bends toward the vehicle lower end of the recessed portion 48 at the position corresponding to the rear end of the vehicle. It is connected to the part and has a substantially L shape when viewed from the side of the vehicle. In addition, a rib 56 having a substantially semicircular cross-sectional shape is provided at a substantially central portion in the width direction on the inner surface side of the upper wall 54, and extends over the entire extending direction (longitudinal direction) of the upper wall 54. Is formed.

  On the other hand, a lower wall 58 is provided at a position adjacent to the upper wall 54 in the vehicle width direction, and the lower wall 58 is composed of the bottom wall 48A and the side wall 48B of the aforementioned recessed portion 48. That is, the lower wall 58 is formed in a state bent upward from the bottom wall 48A of the recess 48, and has a substantially L-shape when viewed from the side of the vehicle. The lower wall 58 and the upper wall 54 constitute an outflow hole 60 formed in a substantially rectangular shape along the vehicle height direction and the vehicle front-rear direction. The outflow hole 60 is an outlet of the outside air circulation hole 46.

  That is, the radiator support upper cover 40 is formed with an outside air circulation hole 46, and the outside air circulation hole 46 has an inflow hole 52 formed along the vehicle front-rear direction, the vehicle height direction, and the vehicle front-rear direction. The inflow hole 52 and the outflow hole 60 communicate with each other.

(Operation and effect of engine intake structure)
Next, operations and effects of the engine intake structure according to the present embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the outside air circulation hole 46 includes an inflow hole 52 formed along the vehicle longitudinal direction, and an outflow hole 60 formed along the vehicle height direction. , Including. For this reason, outside air (indicated by an arrow) introduced from the outside air introduction port 24A of the front grille 24 flows in from the vehicle lower side through the inflow hole 52 and flows out in the vehicle width direction through the outflow hole 60 to the opening 36A of the intake duct 36. be introduced.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the outflow hole 60 is formed between the upper wall 54 and the lower wall 58 that are arranged adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction and have different positions in the vehicle height direction. An upper wall 54 is provided above the hole 52. Therefore, the outside air introduced from the outside air introduction port 24A of the front grill 24 and introduced from the inflow hole 52 of the outside air circulation hole 46 is as shown in FIG. 4 (note that FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2). It hits the upper wall 54 located above the inflow hole 52 and is branched through the upper wall 54 and guided to the outflow hole 60.

  Therefore, when water and pebbles are mixed in the outside air introduced from the outside air introduction port 24 </ b> A, the water and pebbles that have passed through the inflow hole 52 hit the upper wall 54 and fall through the inflow hole 52. That is, water and pebbles mixed in the outside air introduced from the outside air inlet 24A cannot pass through the outflow hole 60, and intrusion to the engine 30 (see FIG. 6) side is suppressed or prevented. For this reason, for example, although not shown in the figure, compared with the case where a mesh for preventing intrusion of pebbles or the like is attached to the outside air circulation hole 46, it does not take time and labor for the work, and other parts besides the radiator support upper cover 40 The cost can be reduced.

  In addition, here, by changing the position in the vehicle height direction between the upper wall 54 and the lower wall 58 to provide a height difference, the outside air circulation hole 46 is formed, but the height difference is increased. Thus, the amount of outside air introduced into the intake duct 36 can be increased. That is, in this embodiment, since a smooth and sufficient air flow can be ensured, the pressure loss of the outside air introduced into the intake duct 36 is reduced, and the vehicle power performance can be improved.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the inflow hole 52 of the outside air circulation hole 46 is provided along the vehicle width direction, but since the upper wall 54 is provided above the inflow hole 52, As shown in FIG. 3 (FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view showing the main part of the engine intake structure 12), it is difficult to see the inflow hole 52 in a plan view. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the outflow hole 60 of the outside air circulation hole 46 is formed along the vehicle height direction, so that the outflow hole 60 is viewed in plan view as shown in FIG. It is difficult. That is, since the inside of the engine room is difficult to see from the upper surface of the radiator support upper cover 40, the design is improved.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the opening 36 </ b> A of the intake duct 36 is arranged above the outflow hole 60 of the outside air circulation hole 46. As shown in FIG. 2, an inclined portion 50 is provided on the rear side of the outflow hole 60 so that the outside air (indicated by an arrow) that has passed through the outflow hole 60 is guided upward as the vehicle moves rearward. ing.

  In this way, by providing the inclined portion 50 that guides from the outflow hole 60 to the opening 36A of the intake duct 30, a smooth and sufficient air flow can be ensured, so that disturbance of the outside air discharged from the outflow hole 60 can be ensured. The flow is suppressed or prevented, the pressure loss of the outside air introduced into the intake duct 36 is reduced, and the vehicle power performance can be improved.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a rib 56 is formed along the longitudinal direction of the upper wall 54 at the center in the width direction on the inner surface side of the upper wall 54. As a result, the outside air (indicated by arrows) that flows in from the inflow hole 52 of the outside air circulation hole 46 can be branched and rectified by the ribs 56 in the left and right directions in the vehicle width direction. For this reason, the pressure loss of the outside air introduced into the intake duct 36 is reduced, and the amount of outside air introduced into the intake duct 36 can be secured. Further, since the ribs 56 are formed along the longitudinal direction of the upper wall 54, the rigidity and strength of the upper wall 54 can be improved.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the upper wall 54 extends from the upper surface 40 </ b> A of the radiator support upper cover 40 and is bent downward, and the lower wall 58 is a recess provided in the radiator support upper cover 40. The bottom wall 48A of the portion 48 is bent upward from the vehicle. That is, by reversing the bending direction between the upper wall 54 and the lower wall 58, a difference in height occurs between the upper wall 54 and the lower wall 58, whereby the outflow hole 60 can be formed. By increasing the size of the outflow hole 60, the amount of outside air introduced into the intake duct 36 can be increased.

  For example, the outlet hole 60 may be formed by projecting only the upper wall 54 or the lower wall 58 with respect to the radiator support upper cover 40 without providing the recess 48 in the radiator support upper cover 40. In this case, the protruding amount of the upper wall 54 or the lower wall 58 becomes larger than the protruding amount when the upper wall 54 and the lower wall 58 are bent in the opposite directions with respect to the radiator support upper cover 40. For this reason, the strength of the upper wall 54 or the lower wall 58 becomes a problem, and the upper wall 54 or the lower wall 58 needs to be reinforced. However, according to the present embodiment, since such a problem does not occur, the outflow hole 60 is effectively formed from the viewpoint of securing the amount of outside air introduced into the intake duct 36 and the strength of the upper wall 54 and the lower wall 58. Can be formed.

  Here, the upper wall 54 and the lower wall 58 are substantially L-shaped in a side view of the vehicle, but it is sufficient that the outflow hole 60 can be formed by the upper wall 54 and the lower wall 58. It is not limited to the shape. For example, the upper wall 54 or the lower wall 58 may be a mountain shape or a valley shape, and the upper wall 54 or the lower wall 58 may be a curved wall whose bent portion has an R shape.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle 12 Engine intake structure 16 Radiator 24A Outside air introduction port 36 Intake duct 36A Opening 38 Radiator support upper 40 Radiator support upper cover 46 Outside air circulation hole 50 Inclined part 52 Inflow hole (outside air circulation hole)
54 Upper wall 56 Rib 58 Lower wall 60 Outflow hole (outside air circulation hole)

Claims (4)

A radiator support upper cover that covers a radiator support upper that supports an upper portion of a radiator that cools cooling water by outside air introduced from an outside air introduction port provided at a front end of the vehicle;
An outside air circulation hole that is provided in the radiator support upper cover and introduces the outside air into an intake duct that supplies outside air to the engine;
With
The outside air circulation hole includes an inflow hole formed along the vehicle front-rear direction, and an outflow hole formed along the vehicle height direction in communication with the inflow hole,
An upper wall and a lower wall arranged adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction and having different positions in the vehicle height direction are formed on the radiator support upper cover, so that the outflow hole is formed between the upper wall and the lower wall. The engine intake structure that is formed.   The radiator support upper cover is provided with a recess, and the upper wall extends from the upper surface of the radiator support upper cover to the upper side of the recess and is bent toward the bottom wall of the recess. The engine intake structure according to claim 1, wherein the wall includes a side wall and a bottom wall of the recess. The opening of the intake duct is arranged above the outflow hole of the vehicle,
3. The engine intake structure according to claim 1, wherein an inclined portion is provided at a vehicle rear side of the outflow hole so that outside air that has flowed out of the outflow hole is guided upward of the vehicle as it goes rearward of the vehicle.   The engine intake structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a rib is formed along a longitudinal direction of the upper wall at a center in a width direction on an inner surface side of the upper wall.