JP2016047699A - Rear structure of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To dispose a storage tank having a large capacity, without reducing the size of in-cabin space, nor allowing the storage tank to interfere with a fuel tank or a spare tire.SOLUTION: A lower gate 18 opens and closes a lower part of a rear opening 14. Inside the lower gate 18, there is formed interior space S extending the full length in a longitudinal direction of the lower gate 18, thus the lower gate 18 is hollow. There is provided a storage tank 22 in the interior space S of the lower gate 18, for storing a reducing agent to reduce constituents such as nitrogen oxide contained in exhaust gas. A gap is formed between an outer surface of a tank body 34 and an inner surface of the lower gate 18, with the storage tank 22 disposed inside the lower gate 18.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a rear structure of a vehicle including a storage tank that stores a reducing agent that reduces components contained in exhaust gas.

Components such as nitrogen oxides contained in exhaust gas have been conventionally purified by reduction using a selective reduction catalyst.
In recent years, in order to improve the purification efficiency of nitrogen oxides in such a selective reduction catalyst, urea water is used as a reducing agent, ammonia is generated by hydrolysis by injecting urea water into exhaust gas, It has been proposed to reduce with ammonia.
Accordingly, a vehicle is provided in which a storage tank for storing the reducing agent is provided, and an aqueous urea solution is injected from the storage tank to a location in the exhaust passage on the upstream side of the selective reduction catalyst via a pipe. It is disposed below the floor panel at the rear of the vehicle (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

JP 2009-108850 A JP 2010-58702 A

By the way, it is preferable that the storage tank has a capacity as large as possible from the viewpoint of suppressing the number of times the reducing agent is supplied.
However, if a large-capacity storage tank is arranged below the floor panel at the rear of the vehicle, the storage tank may interfere with a fuel tank or a spare tire disposed at the rear of the vehicle.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a vehicle that is advantageous in arranging a large-capacity storage tank without narrowing the interior space of the vehicle and without interfering with fuel tanks and spare tires. The purpose is to do.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a vehicle rear structure comprising: an open / close body that opens and closes a rear opening of the vehicle; and a storage tank that stores a reducing agent that reduces components contained in the exhaust. And the said storage tank is provided in the inside of the said opening-closing body, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the opening / closing body includes an upper gate that opens and closes an upper portion of the rear opening, and a lower gate that opens and closes a lower portion of the rear opening, and the storage tank is disposed inside the lower gate. It is provided.
The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the opening / closing body is disposed above the rear bumper.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the lower gate is provided with a vent hole communicating with the outside of the passenger compartment.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the storage tank includes an upper tank portion, a lower tank portion, and an attachment flange formed by overlapping the upper peripheral edge portion of the upper tank portion and the lower tank portion. The mounting flange is connected to the opening / closing body, and the outer surface of the tank body is disposed in a state of being separated from the inner surface of the opening / closing body.
The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that one of the mounting flanges is directed upward and the other is directed downward.
The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that the storage tank has an elongated shape, and is provided inside the opening / closing body with its longitudinal direction along the vehicle width direction.

According to invention of Claim 1, the storage tank was provided using the dead space inside an opening-closing body effectively. Therefore, it is advantageous in arranging a large capacity storage tank without narrowing the interior space of the vehicle and without interfering with the fuel tank or spare tire provided at the rear of the vehicle.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the length of the pipe connecting the storage tank and the exhaust pipe can be shortened, which is advantageous in increasing the efficiency of the piping work.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, when there is a light collision from the rear of the vehicle, there is no impact directly applied to the opening and closing body, so damage to the storage tank can be avoided, and the vehicle continues to run even after a light collision. This is advantageous.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, even when the reducing agent stored in the storage tank is vaporized, the vaporized reducing agent is discharged from the vent hole to the outside of the passenger compartment and is prevented from entering the passenger compartment.
According to the invention described in claim 5, since a gap is secured between the outer surface of the tank body and the inner surface of the opening / closing body, when an impact is applied to the opening / closing body, the impact applied to the storage tank is reduced, This is advantageous in increasing the durability of the storage tank.
Further, the gap prevents the storage tank and the inner surface of the opening / closing body from interfering with each other, which is advantageous in preventing the generation of abnormal noise.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, when an impact is applied to the opening / closing body from the rear, the impact applied to the storage tank is reduced compared to the case where the mounting flange is directed forward and backward, and the durability of the storage tank is improved. It becomes advantageous in raising.
According to the seventh aspect of the invention, it is more advantageous to increase the capacity of the storage tank.

It is a perspective view of the vehicle of this Embodiment, and shows the state by which the upper gate and the lower gate were obstruct | occluded. It is a perspective view of the vehicle of this Embodiment, and shows the state by which the upper gate and the lower gate were open | released. It is AA sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of a lower gate and a storage tank. It is a perspective view of a storage tank.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle 10 has a vehicle body 12, a rear opening 14 communicating with the passenger compartment side at the rear of the vehicle body 12, and an upper gate that is an opening / closing body that opens and closes the rear opening 14. 16 (tail gate) and lower gate 18 (flap gate), and a rear bumper 20 are provided.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower gate 18 is disposed above the rear bumper 20, and the upper gate 16 is disposed above the lower gate 18.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the upper gate 16 opens and closes a portion other than the lower portion of the rear opening 14 corresponding to the lower gate 18, and includes an inner panel 1602 positioned on the vehicle interior side, and a vehicle exterior side. The outer panel 1604 located in the position is joined to form a hollow shape.
A rectangular opening is formed in the upper half of the upper gate 16, and a tailgate glass 1606 is attached to the opening.
The upper gate 16 is supported so that it can swing around an axis extending in the vehicle width direction by hinges (not shown) provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction at the upper portion of the rear opening 14 at the upper gate 16. Has been.

Therefore, the upper gate 16 has a closed position where the upper gate 16 shown in FIG. 1 closes the upper portion of the rear opening 14 and an open position where the upper gate 16 shown in FIG. 2 opens the upper portion of the rear opening 14 in a fully opened state. In the meantime, the lower end swings with the upper end as a fulcrum.
The upper gate 16 is provided with an upper gate latch mechanism (not shown).
The closed position of the upper gate 16 is locked by the upper gate latch mechanism, and swinging to the open position is allowed by releasing the lock.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 24 denotes a gas spring. The gas spring 24 is positioned at both sides in the vehicle width direction at the intermediate portion in the height direction of the upper gate 16 and at the upper portion of the rear opening 14 in the vehicle width direction. It is provided between the locations on both sides and urges the upper gate 16 toward the open position.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the lower gate 18 opens and closes the lower portion of the rear opening 14.
The lower gate 18 includes an inner panel 1802, an outer panel 1804, and an interior material 1806, and extends in the vehicle width direction at the lower part of the rear opening 14.
The outer panel 1804 constitutes a location located outside the passenger compartment of the lower gate 18.
The interior material 1806 constitutes a location located on the vehicle interior side of the lower gate 18.
The outer panel 1804 and the interior material 1806 are connected by an inner panel 1802 via a reinforcing panel 1808, a clip 1810, and the like.
An inner space S extending over the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the lower gate 18 is formed inside the interior material 1806, the inner panel 1802, and the outer panel 1804. Therefore, the lower gate 18 is formed in a hollow shape.

The lower gate 18 is supported such that the lower side of the lower gate 18 is swingable about an axis extending in the vehicle width direction by hinges (not shown) provided on both sides of the lower side of the rear opening 14 in the vehicle width direction. Has been.
Therefore, the lower gate 18 has a closed position where the lower gate 18 shown in FIG. 1 closes the lower portion of the rear opening 14 and an open position where the lower gate 18 shown in FIG. 2 opens the lower portion of the rear opening 14 in a fully opened state. In the meantime, the upper end swings with its lower end as a fulcrum.
The lower gate 18 is provided with a lower gate latch mechanism (not shown).
The closed position of the lower gate 18 is locked by the lower gate latch mechanism, and swinging to the open position is allowed by releasing the lock.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 26 denotes a cable. The cable 26 maintains the open position of the lower gate 18, and the cable is located at both sides in the vehicle width direction at the middle portion of the lower gate 18 in the height direction. And a portion on both sides in the vehicle width direction in the middle of the rear opening 14 in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lower gate 18 is provided with a vent hole 1812 that allows the internal space S to communicate with the outside of the passenger compartment.
In the present embodiment, the vent hole 1812 faces the rear bumper 20 and is provided at a rear portion where the outer panel 1804 faces downward to prevent rainwater from entering the internal space S from the vent hole 1812.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rear bumper 20 extends below the lower gate 18 over the entire length in the vehicle width direction.
As shown in FIG. 3, the rear bumper 20 includes a rear bumper reinforcement 2002 and a rear bumper cover 2004, and both ends of the bumper reinforcement 2002 are joined to a pair of left and right side members (not shown). 2004 is attached to the side member via a rear bumper reinforcement 2002.
On the other hand, a rear floor panel 28 is located in the lower front part of the rear opening 14, and a rear floor cross member 30 extending in the vehicle width direction is provided at the rear end of the rear floor panel 28. Both ends of the rear floor cross member 30 are a pair of left and right sides. It is attached to the member.
In the rear floor panel 28, a spare tire storage portion 32 for storing a spare tire is formed in a concave shape, and the spare tire storage portion 32 is covered with a floor board (not shown).
And the rear part of the rear floor cross member 30 and the front part of the rear bumper 20 are joined.

The storage tank 22 stores a reducing agent that reduces components such as nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust, and various conventionally known reducing agents such as urea water are used as the reducing agent.
The storage tank 22 is made of sheet metal or synthetic resin, and is provided in the internal space S of the lower gate 18 as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the storage tank 22 has a tank body 34 that stores the reducing agent, and a mounting flange 36 that is connected to the lower gate 18.
The storage tank 22 is formed by joining an upper tank portion 22A that is one tank portion that is two divided bodies and a lower tank portion 22B that is the other tank portion.

The upper tank portion 22A and the lower tank portion 22B, which are each divided body, include a bottom wall 2202 that has an elongated rectangular shape, a pair of long side walls 2204 that rise from both ends of the long side of the bottom wall 2202, and a short side of the bottom wall 2202 A pair of short side walls 2206 erected from both ends, and a pair of long sides bent outward from the peripheral edge portions of the upper tank portion 22A and the lower tank portion 22B which are the full length of the long side wall 2204, the short side wall 2206, respectively. A flange 2208 and a pair of short side flanges 2210 are provided.
The upper tank portion 22A and the lower tank portion 22B are welded and joined by overlapping a long side flange 2208 and a pair of short side flanges 2210, which are flange portions projecting outward at substantially right angles over the entire circumference of each opening peripheral edge portion. The elongated tank body 34 is formed by the bottom wall 2202, the long side wall 2204, and the short side wall 2206 of the upper tank portion 22A and the lower tank portion 22B, and a pair of long side flanges 2208 of the upper tank portion 22A and the lower tank portion 22B form a pair. A mounting flange 36 is formed.
A plurality of attachment holes 3602 are formed through the pair of attachment flanges 36 at positions symmetrical with respect to the tank main body 34 with an interval in the longitudinal direction therebetween.
Of the plurality of mounting holes 3602 of each mounting flange 36, one mounting hole 3602 is formed as a circular hole as a reference hole 3602A, and the remaining mounting holes 3602 excluding the reference hole 3602A are in the longitudinal direction of the tank body 34. The mounting hole 3602 is designed to absorb a dimensional error. In the present embodiment, the upper left portion in FIG. 5 is the reference hole 3602A, but the present invention is not limited to this.

As shown in FIG. 4, one end of the lower gate 18 is joined to the reinforcing panel 1808 so as to overlap with the upper portion of the inner panel 1802, and the other end extends downward and rearward toward the internal space S. An upper bracket 38 is provided, and a plurality of male screw members (stud bolts) (not shown) corresponding to the mounting holes 3602 of the mounting flange 36 protrude from the upper bracket 38 upward and rearward.
One end of the lower gate 18 is joined to the lower portion of the inner panel 1802 so that the inner panel 1802 is sandwiched between the outer panel 1804 and the other end is a substantially L-shaped lower bracket 40 extending upward and forward toward the internal space S. A plurality of male screw members (stud bolts) (not shown) corresponding to the mounting holes 3602 of the mounting flange 36 project from the lower bracket 40 upward and rearward.
Note that the end portions of the upper bracket 38 and the lower bracket 40 that extend toward the internal space S are positioned on the same straight line extending upward, forward, downward, and rearward of the vehicle.

In the storage tank 22, the longitudinal direction of the tank body 34 extends along the vehicle width direction, and one mounting flange 36 of the pair of mounting flanges 36 is located above the tank body 34 and obliquely forward. The other mounting flange 36 is positioned rearward of the one mounting flange 36 and positioned at the lower part of the tank body 34 and directed downward and obliquely rearward so that the mounting flange 36 is the upper bracket 38, It is arranged inside the lower gate 18 by being connected to the lower bracket 40.
Thus, with the storage tank 22 disposed inside the lower gate 18, a gap is secured between the outer surface of the tank body 34 and the inner surface of the lower gate 18.

To connect the mounting flange 36 to the upper bracket 38 and the lower bracket 40, each male screw member (stud bolt) is inserted into each mounting hole 3602 of the storage tank 22 of the mounting flange 36, and a nut is screwed into each male screw member. Then, it is done by fastening.
After the storage tank 22 is thus attached to the inner panel 1802 via the upper bracket 38 and the lower bracket 40, the outer panel 1804 is attached to the inner panel 1802.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the reductant is placed in the storage tank 22 at a position along the outer panel 1804, which is located at the upper portion of the tank body 34 (long side wall 2204 in the upper tank portion 22 A) at the closed position of the lower gate 18. An injection port 42 for injecting is provided.
Further, an opening 44 communicating with the injection port 42 is provided in the outer panel 1804 at a position facing the injection port 42 above the injection port 42.
The inlet 42 is opened and closed by an inlet cap 46, and the opening 44 is opened and closed by an opening cap 48. Therefore, it is desirable that the inlet cap 46 and the opening cap 48 be parallel. Further, in performing the reducing agent injection operation, it is desirable that the opening cap 48 has a hinge structure or the like that opens only when the lower gate 18 is in the closed position.
As shown in FIG. 5, one reference hole 3602 </ b> A among the plurality of mounting holes 3602 of the mounting flange 36 is provided near the injection port 42, and the injection port 42 and the opening 44 match. It is designed as follows.
The opening 44 and the opening cap 48 provided on the upper surface of the outer panel 1804 are opposed to the lower surface of the inner panel 1602 of the upper gate 16 when the upper gate 16 is in the closed position as shown in FIG. However, the upper gate 16 is covered.

Further, the vehicle 10 is provided with a reduction catalyst (not shown) in an exhaust pipe that discharges exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine.
The reduction catalyst is disposed below the rear floor panel 28.
As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom of the storage tank 22 and the upstream side of the reduction catalyst in the exhaust pipe are connected by a pipe 50. In the present embodiment, the lower tank is located at the lower position of the upper portion of the tank body 34 at the closed position of the lower gate 18 and faces the upper portion of the tank body 34 provided with the inlet 42 (the long side wall 2204 in the upper tank portion 22A). The end of the pipe 50 is connected to the long side wall 2204 of the portion 22B. That is, the inlet 42 and the pipe 50 are separately formed in the upper tank portion 22A and the lower tank portion 22B, which are divided bodies.
By injecting (adding) urea water as a reducing agent from the storage tank 22 through the pipe 50 to the exhaust pipe, ammonia is generated by hydrolysis, and the nitrogen oxide in the exhaust gas is ammonia. It is reduced and nitrogen oxides are purified.

According to the present embodiment, the storage tank 22 is provided by effectively using the dead space inside the lower gate 18. Therefore, it is advantageous to dispose the storage tank 22 having a large capacity without narrowing the vehicle interior space and without interfering with the fuel tank or spare tire provided at the rear of the vehicle.
In addition, when the storage tank 22 is arranged below the floor panel, there is a concern about damage due to stepping stones during traveling, but in the present embodiment, the storage tank 22 is provided inside the lower gate 18, Such damage can be prevented, which is advantageous in improving the durability of the storage tank 22.
In addition, when the storage tank 22 is disposed below the floor panel, there is a concern that the temperature of the reducing agent in the storage tank 22 rises due to heating from exhaust system components such as an exhaust pipe. This form is advantageous in suppressing the temperature increase of such a reducing agent.

  The storage tank 22 may be arranged inside the upper gate 16, but if the storage tank 22 is arranged inside the lower gate 18 as in the present embodiment, the storage tank 22 and the exhaust pipe are connected. Therefore, the length of the pipe 50 to be shortened can be shortened, which is advantageous in improving the efficiency of the routing work of the pipe 50.

In addition, since the lower gate 18 is disposed above the rear bumper 20, there is no impact directly applied to the lower gate 18 when a light collision is caused from the rear of the vehicle 10, so that damage to the storage tank 22 can be avoided. Even after the collision, it is advantageous in continuing the traveling of the vehicle 10.
In addition, since a gap is secured between the outer surface of the tank main body 34 and the inner surface of the gate, when an impact is applied to the lower gate 18, the impact applied to the storage tank 22 is reduced, and the storage tank 22. It is advantageous in increasing the durability of the.
Further, the gap prevents the storage tank 22 from interfering with the inner panel 1802 and the outer panel 1804, which is advantageous in preventing the generation of abnormal noise.
In addition, it is more advantageous to arrange an elastic cushioning material in the gap to prevent interference and to prevent abnormal noise.
Further, since the pair of mounting flanges 36 that connect the storage tank 22 and the lower gate 18 are directed upward and downward, when an impact is applied to the lower gate 18 from the rear, the pair of mounting flanges 36 are directed forward and backward. As compared with the case where the storage tank 22 is used, the impact applied to the storage tank 22 is reduced, which is advantageous in increasing the durability of the storage tank 22.

Further, since the lower gate 18 is provided with a vent hole 1812 communicating with the outside of the passenger compartment, even if the reducing agent stored in the storage tank 22 is vaporized and ammonia is generated, the ammonia flows from the vent hole 1812 to the outside of the passenger compartment. And is prevented from entering the passenger compartment.
In addition, when the drainage hole for drainage is formed in the lower gate 18, ammonia can be discharged from the drainage hole to the outside of the passenger compartment. It is advantageous to promote
Further, since the storage tank 22 is disposed inside the lower gate 18 with the longitudinal direction of the tank body 34 being along the vehicle width direction, it is advantageous in securing a larger capacity of the storage tank 22.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the upper gate 16 and the lower gate 18 swing around the axis extending in the vehicle width direction has been described. However, the gate swings around the axis extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle 10. The present invention can of course be applied even to a so-called laterally-open gate that moves.

10 Vehicle 14 Rear opening 16 Upper gate (opening / closing body)
18 Lower gate (opening / closing body)
1812 Vent hole 20 Rear bumper 22 Storage tank 22A Upper tank portion 22B Lower tank portion 34 Tank body 36 Mounting flange S Internal space

Claims (7)

An opening and closing body for opening and closing a rear opening of the vehicle;
A storage tank that stores a reducing agent that reduces components contained in the exhaust;
A vehicle rear structure comprising:
The storage tank is provided inside the opening / closing body,
A vehicle rear structure characterized by the above. The opening / closing body includes an upper gate that opens and closes an upper part of the rear opening, and a lower gate that opens and closes a lower part of the rear opening,
The storage tank is provided inside the lower gate,
The rear structure of the vehicle according to claim 1. The opening / closing body is disposed above the rear bumper,
The rear structure of the vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The lower gate is provided with a vent hole communicating with the outside of the passenger compartment.
The rear structure of a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rear structure is a vehicle. The storage tank has an upper tank part, a lower tank part, and an attachment flange formed by overlapping the upper peripheral edge part of the upper tank part and the lower tank part,
The storage tank is disposed in a state where the mounting flange is connected to the opening / closing body, and an outer surface of the tank body is separated from an inner surface of the opening / closing body,
The rear structure of the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the rear structure is a vehicle. One of the mounting flanges is directed upward and the other is directed downward;
The rear structure of the vehicle according to claim 5. The storage tank has an elongated shape, and is provided inside the opening / closing body with its longitudinal direction along the vehicle width direction,
The rear structure of a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the rear structure is a vehicle.

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