JP2019188998A - Vehicle fuel pipe protection structure - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a vehicle fuel pipe protection structure which inhibits interference of a fuel pipe with peripheral components while securing a necessary capacity of a fuel tank even if a rear floor panel located below a rear seat is deformed downward during a frontal collision, etc. of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle fuel pipe protection structure includes: a floor member 3 disposed below a rear seat S of a vehicle; a fuel tank 9 disposed below the floor member 3; a fuel pipe 110 disposed in a gap between the floor member 3 and the fuel tank 9; and a fuel pipe support member 200 for supporting the fuel pipe 110 on a predetermined vehicle body member 5. The fuel pipe support member 200 is supported by the vehicle body member 5 so that an upper end of the fuel pipe support member 200 is located above an upper end of the fuel pipe 110.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel pipe protection structure for a vehicle having a fuel tank.

  A vehicle such as an automobile includes an engine as a drive source and a fuel tank that stores fuel to be supplied to the engine, and the fuel tank is used to avoid leakage of fuel due to an impact such as a vehicle collision. For example, there are known ones that are disposed under a rear seat that is not easily affected by a collision or the like via a rear floor panel.

  The fuel tank has a built-in fuel pump. On the upper surface of the fuel tank, a feed pipe is connected as a fuel pipe connected to the fuel pump to supply fuel to the engine, and extra fuel from the engine is introduced. A return pipe is connected.

  In addition, these fuel pipes are protected by external protective members, etc., in order to more reliably avoid fuel leakage due to damage caused by contact with other parts due to impacts such as vehicle collisions. May be.

  As disclosed in Patent Document 1, the fuel pipe protective member includes a fuel pipe disposed behind the engine as the engine moves rearward of the vehicle body at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle. In order to avoid damage to the fuel piping due to collision with the air cleaner behind the fuel piping and fuel leakage due to this, a bracket is provided that covers the air cleaner side of the fuel piping.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2018-3611

  By the way, as described above, for example, when the fuel tank is disposed below the rear seat, the rear floor panel is provided with a step portion at a position corresponding to the front end portion of the rear seat in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. Therefore, the fuel tank is disposed in a region extending rearward from the vertical wall portion of the step portion.

  In addition, depending on the type of rear suspension, there is a suspension that extends in the vehicle body width direction like the torsion beam type that connects the left and right rear wheels, which limits the fuel tank area on the rear side of the vehicle body, and the required capacity of the fuel tank May not be secured. In this case, the fuel tank must be expanded upward, and as a result, the fuel tank is close to the lower surface of the rear floor panel below the rear seat.

  However, for example, when a frontal collision of the vehicle occurs in a state where the rear seat occupant is restrained to the rear seat by the three-point seat belt, the lower body of the occupant moves forward due to the occupant being pushed forward by inertial force. A so-called submarine phenomenon that slips through the space between the seat cushion and the seat belt may occur.

  When the submarine phenomenon occurs, the hip point of the occupant is displaced forward and downward as compared to the normal posture state as the occupant's lower body moves forward. As the rear seat occupant moves downward during a frontal collision of the vehicle, the rear floor panel below the rear seat is deformed downward, so that the fuel pipe disposed on the upper surface of the fuel tank is connected to the rear floor panel and the fuel. There is a risk of being pinched by the tank.

  Therefore, in the fuel pipe protection structure for a vehicle according to the present invention, even when the rear floor panel below the rear seat is deformed downward in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle, the peripheral parts of the fuel pipe are secured while ensuring the required capacity of the fuel tank. It is an object to suppress interference with the device.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is configured as follows.

First, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application is
A floor member disposed below the rear seat of the vehicle;
A fuel tank disposed below the floor member;
A fuel pipe disposed in a gap between the floor member and the fuel tank;
A fuel pipe protection structure for a vehicle having a fuel pipe support member for supporting the fuel pipe on a predetermined vehicle body member,
The fuel pipe support member is supported by the vehicle body member such that the upper end of the fuel pipe support member is above the upper end of the fuel pipe.

The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1,
The fuel pipe support member is formed to have a larger vertical dimension than the fuel pipe.

The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2,
The fuel pipe is configured by connecting a plurality of pipe members,
The portion to which the plurality of pipe members are connected is arranged between the floor member and the fuel tank and on the side of the fuel pipe support member.

The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The predetermined vehicle body member is a cross member provided in front of the fuel tank;
The fuel pipe support member is provided with an attachment part to the cross member, and a tip part extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the attachment part along the fuel pipe,
The tip contact portion is characterized in that the rigidity in the vertical direction is higher than that of the attachment portion.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the fuel pipe disposed in the gap between the floor member below the rear seat of the vehicle and the fuel tank disposed below the floor member is the fuel pipe. The fuel pipe support member is fixed to a predetermined vehicle body member by a support member, and the upper end of the fuel pipe support member is disposed above the upper end of the fuel pipe.

  Thereby, for example, when the floor member is deformed downward as the rear seat occupant moves downward during a frontal collision or the like, the floor member comes into contact with the upper end of the fuel pipe support member. Contact is suppressed. As a result, the fuel pipe is prevented from being caught between the floor member and the fuel tank.

  For example, when the fuel tank is expanded upward to ensure the capacity of the fuel tank, the fuel tank and the floor member are close to each other in the vertical direction, but the fuel pipe can be protected by the fuel pipe support member.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the fuel pipe support member is formed to have a larger vertical dimension than the fuel pipe. Therefore, for example, even when the floor member is deformed downward along with the downward movement of the rear seat occupant during a frontal collision or the like, the fuel is provided in the space between the floor member and the fuel tank provided by the fuel pipe support member. Piping can be arrange | positioned, without being pinched | interposed into both. In other words, the fuel pipe is prevented from coming into direct contact with the floor member and the fuel tank.

  According to the invention described in claim 3, the fuel pipe is configured by connecting a plurality of pipe members, and the portion to which the plurality of pipe members are connected is between the floor member and the fuel tank, and Since the fuel pipe support member is disposed on the side, for example, even when the floor member is deformed downward, the portion where the plurality of pipe members are connected is the floor member and the fuel tank provided by the fuel pipe support member. And being sandwiched between the two is suppressed. Similarly to the effect of the second aspect, the portion where the pipe member of the fuel pipe is connected is prevented from coming into direct contact with the floor member and the fuel tank.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the fuel pipe support member is attached to the cross member provided in front of the fuel tank via the attachment portion, and extends from the attachment portion along the fuel pipe. A front contact portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is provided, and the front contact portion has higher rigidity in the vertical direction than the mounting portion. As a result, the fuel pipe arranged between the floor member and the fuel tank can reliably receive the floor member by the abutting portion with increased vertical rigidity when the floor member moves downward. The fuel piping can be protected more effectively.

1 is a side view schematically showing a vehicle body rear structure having a fuel pipe protection structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view showing typically a vehicle body rear part structure which has a fuel piping protection structure of vehicles concerning an embodiment of the present invention. It is a principal part enlarged view in FIG. It is a principal part enlarged view in FIG. It is a single figure of the fuel piping support member in the embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship between the fuel piping support member and feed pipe in embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, the details of the fuel pipe protection structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  First, FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are views showing a cross section and a plane below the rear seat of the vehicle, and the floor panel 1 forming the vehicle compartment in the present embodiment is a front where a front seat (not shown) is arranged. A floor panel 2 and a rear floor panel 3 that extends rearward from the front floor panel 2 and on which a rear seat (hereinafter also referred to as “rear seat”) S is disposed.

  The front floor panel 2 and the rear floor panel 3 are bridged across the vehicle body width direction between a pair of left and right side frames 4 and 4 that are skeleton members extending in the vehicle body longitudinal direction on both sides of the vehicle body width direction.

  In the floor panel 1, a front horizontal portion 11, a kick-up portion 12, a front inclined portion 13, a rear inclined portion 14, and a rear horizontal portion 15 are formed in this order from the vehicle body front side.

  The front horizontal portion 11 of the floor panel 1 is formed by the basic surface portion 21 of the front floor panel 2, and the front inclined portion 13, the rear inclined portion 14, and the rear horizontal portion 15 are formed by the rear floor panel 3.

  The kick-up portion 12 is formed in a stepped shape by a vertical wall portion 22 rising from the rear end portion of the basic surface portion 21 of the front floor panel 2 and a horizontal plane portion 23 extending from the upper end of the vertical wall portion 22 to the rear of the vehicle body. The front inclined portion 13 is continuous.

  The kick-up portion 12 is reinforced by a front cross member 5 that extends in the vehicle body width direction. The front cross member 5 has a closed cross section formed by the rear end portion of the front floor panel 2 and the front end portion of the rear floor panel 3, and both end portions in the vehicle body width direction are joined to the side frames 4 and 4.

  Specifically, the front portion of the rear floor panel 3 includes a basic surface portion 31 that forms the front inclined portion 13 of the floor panel 1, a front wall portion 32 that extends downward from the front end of the basic surface portion 31, and the front wall portion 32. And an extension part 33 extending forward from the front part and a joint part 34 extending downward from the front end of the extension part.

  The horizontal plane portion 23 of the front floor panel 2 is joined to the front end portion of the basic surface portion 31 of the rear floor panel 3, and the joint portion 34 of the rear floor panel 3 is joined to the vehicle body rear side surface of the vertical wall portion 22 of the front floor panel 2. Thus, a closed cross section extending in the vehicle body width direction is formed, and the front cross member 5 is configured.

  A rear cross member 6 is provided across the rear inclined portion 14 and the rear horizontal portion 15 of the floor panel 1. Specifically, the rear cross member 6 cooperates with the rear floor panel by joining an upper cross 61 and a lower cross 62 having a hat-shaped cross section extending in the vehicle body width direction to the upper and lower surfaces of the rear floor panel 3, respectively. Thus, a closed cross section is formed, and both end portions in the vehicle body width direction are joined to the side frames 4 and 4.

  By the way, the suspension 7 in the present embodiment is a so-called torsion beam type that includes a pair of left and right trailing arms 71 extending in the vehicle body longitudinal direction and a torsion beam 72 extending in the vehicle body width direction and connecting the left and right trailing arms 71. Suspension.

  A shaft portion 73 at the end portion of each trailing arm 71 on the vehicle body front side is attached to the side frame 4 so as to be swingable. The torsion beam 72 is made of, for example, a steel material having an inverted U-shaped cross section that opens toward the vehicle body lower side. Both ends of the torsion beam 72 are connected to a portion between the center in the length direction of the trailing arm 71 and the front end.

  The suspension 7 includes a knuckle 74 that supports a wheel (not shown), coil springs 75 and 75 that are interposed between the wheel and the vehicle body and absorb shock, and are provided so as to be extendable and contractable between the wheel and the vehicle body. , 75 are provided for each of the wheels.

  The torsion beam 72 described above is disposed below the rear cross member 6 and at a position corresponding to the rear cross member 6 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.

  A fuel tank 9 is disposed below the rear seat S via the rear floor panel 3.

  The fuel tank 9 is disposed below the rear floor panel 3 and in a space surrounded by the front and rear cross members 5 and 6 and the pair of left and right side frames 4 and 4 in plan view. .

  The fuel tank 9 is formed, for example, by a synthetic resin in two parts, and is formed in a substantially flat shape in a side view by overlapping and joining the joining flanges 93 of the upper surface portion 91 and the lower surface portion 92.

  The space in which the fuel tank 9 is disposed is a limited area, and in order to ensure the capacity of the fuel tank 9, the upper surface portion 91 of the fuel tank 9 is in the vicinity of the rear floor panel 3 and the rear floor panel 4 in the vertical direction. Arranged along the shape of the lower surface. Further, the front portion 91a of the upper surface portion 91 is located at a height position so as to overlap the front cross member 5 in the vertical direction.

Similar to the front inclined portion 13 of the rear floor panel 3, the upper surface portion 91 has an inclined portion 91 b that is placed at a position corresponding to the lower side of the front inclined portion 13 and decreases from the front side of the vehicle body toward the rear side of the vehicle body.
In this way, the fuel tank 9 is provided so as to expand in the vertical direction in the limited region where the fuel tank 9 is disposed, so that the necessary capacity of the fuel tank 9 is ensured.

The lower surface portion 92 has a front end portion that bulges below the front cross member 5 and is provided so as to overlap the front cross member 5 in plan view.
The rear end portion of the fuel tank 9 extends to a position close to the rear cross member 6 and the torsion beam 72 of the suspension 7.

  The fuel tank 9 is suspended and supported on the lower surface of the rear floor panel 3 by two tank fixing bands 94, 94 made of metal, for example. The two tank fixing bands 94, 94 are fastened and fixed at the front end to the bottom surface of the front cross member 5 by bolts 95, 95, and the rear end is bolt 96 to the bottom surface of the rear cross member 6. 96 is fixed.

  A base end portion of a fuel supply pipe 97 is connected to the rear end portion of the fuel tank 9, and a base end portion of an air vent pipe 98 is connected to the upper surface of the fuel tank 9. The tip of the air vent tube 98 is connected to the vicinity of the tip of the oil supply tube 97, and the tip of the oil supply tube 97 is connected to the oil supply port 99.

  In the present embodiment, the fuel pump unit 100 is accommodated on the left side of the vehicle body in the fuel tank 9 and on the front. The fuel pump unit 100 includes an electric pump main body (not shown) and has a lid portion 101 that is fixed to an inclined portion 91 b on the upper surface of the fuel tank 9.

  The lid portion 101 is provided so as to be inclined rearward and downward in the vehicle longitudinal direction along the shape of the rear floor panel 3, similarly to the upper surface portion 91 of the fuel tank 9.

  As shown in FIG. 3, on the upper surface side of the fuel tank 9, a lid 101 at the upper end of the fuel pump unit 100 has a connection port member 102 to which a feed pipe 110 for supplying fuel is connected, a return pipe for returning the fuel. A connection port member 103 to which 120 is connected and a connector 105 to which the harness 106 is connected are provided.

  The connection port member 102 is connected to the fuel pump unit 100, and the fuel in the fuel tank 9 is supplied to the engine by the fuel pump unit 100, the connection port member 102, and the feed pipe 110.

  The connection port member 103 is connected to the inside of the fuel tank 9, and fuel from the engine can be returned to the fuel tank 9 by the return pipe 120 and the connection port member 103.

  A harness 106 extending from the control unit is connected to the connector 105, and a drive signal is sent to the fuel pump unit 100 through the connector 105 and the harness 106.

  The connection port members 102 and 103 are provided so as to protrude upward from the lid portion 101, and the base end portions of the connection port members 102 and 103 rise from the upper surface of the lid portion 101 and are parallel to the front side of the vehicle body and parallel to the upper surface of the lid portion 101. It extends (see FIG. 2).

  The feed pipe 110 extends from the central portion of the lid portion 101 to the vicinity of the rear surface of the front cross member 5, and is then guided along the front cross member 5 to the outside in the vehicle body width direction. The fuel tank 9 extends to the engine side on the front side of the vehicle body via a canister C disposed outside the vehicle body. The feed pipe 110 is formed by connecting a metal hollow tube member and a rubber hollow tube member.

  Specifically, a metal first pipe member 111 is connected to the connection port member 102 of the feed pipe 110 of the fuel tank 9 via a joint 102 a, and the first pipe member 111 is a slope of the lid portion 101. Inclined so as to be higher toward the front of the vehicle body in parallel with

  The first pipe member 111 is changed to the inner side in the vehicle body width direction at the end portion on the front side of the vehicle body, and the second pipe member 112 made of rubber is connected thereto. The second pipe member 112 has a metal third pipe member 113 connected to the end on the side opposite to the first pipe member 111.

  The third pipe member 113 is disposed at a position higher than the end of the first pipe member 111 on the vehicle body front side. The connecting portion X between the second pipe member 112 and the third pipe member 113 forms the highest part of the feed pipe 110.

  The third tube member 113 has an L shape in plan view, and the L shape includes a longitudinally extending portion 113a extending in the vehicle body longitudinal direction of the third tube member 113 and a width extending in the vehicle body width direction. It is formed by the direction extension part 113b. The feed pipe 110 that has been piped in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is piped along the front cross member 5 to the outside in the vehicle width direction by the third pipe member 113.

  A rubber-made fourth pipe member 114 is connected to an end of the third pipe member 113 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the extending portion 113b in the width direction, and an end of the fourth pipe member 114 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction is connected to the end. A metal fifth pipe member 115 whose end is connected to the canister is connected.

  A fuel pipe support member 200 for holding the feed pipe 110 and the harness 106 on the vehicle body is provided above the fuel tank 9 and below the rear floor 3.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the fuel pipe support member 200 includes a base portion 201 that extends in the vehicle body width direction, two attachment portions 202 and 203 that protrude from the base portion 201 toward the vehicle body front side, and a vehicle body rear side from the base portion 201. And a extending portion 205 extending from the rear end portion of the abutting portion 204 toward the fuel pump unit 100.

  The two attachment portions 202 and 203 are arranged side by side in the vehicle body width direction, and are formed with different shapes on the inside and outside of the vehicle body. Specifically, the mounting portion 202 on the inner side of the vehicle body is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and the mounting portion 203 on the outer side of the vehicle body is formed in a cross-shaped cross section when viewed from the front of the vehicle body.

  The abutting portion 204 is provided with high-rigidity portions 204a... 204a, which increases the vertical rigidity of the abutting portion 204. In addition, rib portions 211 and 212 are provided between the tip contact portion 204 and the base portion 201 to connect the intermediate portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the tip contact portion 204 and the surface of the base portion 201 on the vehicle body rear side. Thus, the rigidity at the proximal end portion of the abutting portion 204 is enhanced.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the fuel pipe support member 200 is fixed by press-fitting these attachment portions 202 and 203 into holes 51 and 51 provided on the vehicle body rear surface of the front cross member 5. . Note that, by varying the shapes of the mounting portions 202 and 203 on the inner side and the outer side of the vehicle body, variations in the positions of the holes 51 and 51 of the front cross member 5 can be absorbed.

  The fuel pipe support member 200 is provided with a plurality of clip portions 206, 207, and 208 that hold the above-described fuel pipe and the like at predetermined positions. Specifically, the upper clip portion 206 and the lower clip portion 207 provided in the vehicle width direction outer side portion of the surface of the base portion 201 on the rear side of the vehicle body, and the intermediate portion of the front end portion 204 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The rear clip portion 208 is provided.

  The rear clip portion 208 holds the longitudinally extending portion 113a of the third tube member 113, and the upper clip portion 206 holds the widthwise extending portion 113b of the third tube member 113. The lower clip 207 supports a harness 106 connected to a sensor for controlling fuel supply / discharge.

  Here, the relationship between the feed pipe 110 and the fuel pipe support member 200 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The second pipe member 112 and the third pipe member 113 of the feed pipe 110 disposed on the side of the tip end portion 204 of the fuel pipe support member 200 are shown in FIG. 6H in the region where the tip end portion 204 is provided. As shown, the upper end is disposed below the upper end 204 b of the abutting portion 204.

  Further, the lower end position of the second pipe member 112 and the third pipe member 113 of the feed pipe 110 in the region where the tip contact portion 204 is provided is positioned above the lower end 204c of the tip contact portion 204. Has been placed.

  In the region where the tip portion 204 of the fuel pipe support member 200 is provided, the vertical dimension d occupied by the feed pipe 110 is set larger than the vertical dimension D of the tip portion 204.

  The effect | action and effect by the fuel piping protection structure of the vehicle which concern on this embodiment are demonstrated using FIG.

  When a collision occurs while the upper body of the occupant is restrained by the seat belt, the lower body of the occupant moves forward and slips between the seat cushion and the seat belt as the occupant is pushed forward by inertial force. A so-called submarine phenomenon may occur. In the submarine phenomenon, as the lower body of the occupant moves forward, the hip point is displaced forward and downward compared to the normal state.

  When the submarine phenomenon occurs, a large load F is input from the seat cushion of the rear seat S to the rear floor panel 3 as the hip point is displaced forward and downward. And the rear floor panel 3 is pressed by said load, and as shown by a virtual line, the rear floor panel 3 is displaced below.

  At this time, with respect to the vertical dimension D between the upper end 204b and the lower end 204c of the tip end portion 204 of the fuel pipe support member 200, the feed pipe 110 in the vertical direction in the region where the tip end portion 204 is disposed. Therefore, before the rear floor panel 3 comes into contact with the feed pipe 110, the dimension d is abutted against the upper end 204 b of the tip contact portion 204.

  The rear floor panel 3 is brought into contact with the upper end 204b of the abutting portion 204, so that the feed pipe 110 is prevented from being sandwiched between the fuel tank 9 and the rear floor panel 3.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the fuel pipe protection structure for a vehicle ensures the required capacity of the fuel tank even when the rear floor panel below the rear seat is deformed downward in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle. However, since interference with peripheral parts of the fuel pipe can be suppressed, it may be suitably used in the field of manufacturing the vehicle body of a vehicle.

3 Rear floor panel (floor member)
9 Fuel tank 110 Feed pipe (fuel piping)
111, 112, 113, 114, 115 Pipe member 200 Fuel pipe support member 204 Tip part 201 Base part (attachment part)
S rear seat

Claims (4)

A floor member disposed below the rear seat of the vehicle;
A fuel tank disposed below the floor member;
A fuel pipe disposed in a gap between the floor member and the fuel tank;
A fuel pipe protection structure for a vehicle having a fuel pipe support member for supporting the fuel pipe on a predetermined vehicle body member,
A fuel pipe protection structure for a vehicle, wherein the fuel pipe support member is supported by the vehicle body member such that an upper end of the fuel pipe support member is higher than an upper end of the fuel pipe.   2. The fuel pipe protection structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the fuel pipe support member has a dimension in a vertical direction larger than that of the fuel pipe. The fuel pipe is configured by connecting a plurality of pipe members,
The part to which the plurality of pipe members are connected is disposed between the floor member and the fuel tank and on the side of the fuel pipe support member. 2. A fuel pipe protection structure for a vehicle according to 1. The predetermined vehicle body member is a cross member provided in front of the fuel tank;
The fuel pipe support member is provided with an attachment part to the cross member, and a tip part extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the attachment part along the fuel pipe,
The fuel pipe protection structure for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tip contact portion has higher vertical rigidity than the attachment portion.

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