JP2020044960A - Air guide structure - Google Patents

Abstract

To suppress deposition of foreign matter to an upper side of an air guide.SOLUTION: A duct lower plate section 10d of a duct 10 includes: a body section 11 which is formed into a plate-shape crossing a vertical direction; a lid body 12 which is supported by the body section 11; and a hinge 15 with a spring. In a rear section region 11c of the body section 11, a foreign matter discharge opening 13 penetrating in the vertical direction is formed. A front end edge section of the lid body 12 is rotatably supported through the hinge 15 with the spring on an opening front edge section of the body section 11. The lid body 12 is inclined downward from a closing position for closing the foreign matter discharge opening 13 of the body section 11, thereby enabling opening of the foreign matter discharge opening 13 of the body section 11. The hinge 15 with the spring switches the lid body 12 to a closing state in which the foreign matter discharge opening is held to the closing position and an open state in which the foreign matter discharge opening 13 of the body section 11 is opened when the lid body is inclined downward from the closing position according to the size of a load input into the lid body 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present disclosure relates to an air guide structure.

  Patent Literature 1 describes a cooling air introduction structure for a vehicle. The air-cooled heat exchanger of this vehicle includes a radiator and a condenser, the outer peripheral side of the condenser is covered with a shroud, and the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the air-cooled heat exchanger passes through the air-cooled heat exchanger. A fan for generating an air flow is arranged. The cooling air introduction structure includes an under cover that covers a space in the power unit room from below the vehicle. The power unit chamber is provided with a first cooling air passage having an under cover as a lower wall. The first cooling air passage is a passage for guiding air from the first inlet of the bumper cover, which is the front end of the power unit chamber, to the air-cooled heat exchanger via the space between the power unit and the under cover. The upper wall portion of the first cooling air passage includes an upper wall portion extending from the upper end edge of the first inlet of the bumper cover to the vehicle rear side, a lower surface portion of the power unit, and an upper wall portion of the shroud. It is composed of

JP 2013-107469 A

  The cooling air introduction structure described in Patent Literature 1 includes an under cover (air guide) that covers the space in the power unit room from below the vehicle, and an air-cooled type is provided above the air guide from a first introduction port of a bumper cover. A cooling air passage for guiding air to the heat exchanger is provided. For this reason, if foreign matter enters the cooling air passage from the first inlet of the bumper cover, the foreign matter is deposited above the air guide, which may cause a decrease in cooling efficiency or damage to the air guide. is there. For example, when the vehicle is driven in a relatively deep river, foreign matters such as pebbles and plants enter the cooling air passage together with water from the first inlet of the bumper cover, and the foreign matters enter above the air guide. May be deposited, which may cause a decrease in cooling efficiency and damage to the air guide.

  Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an air guide structure capable of suppressing accumulation of foreign matter above an air guide.

  In order to solve the above problems, a first aspect of the present invention is arranged such that an air inlet on one side in a predetermined direction that communicates between the outside and the inside of a vehicle and another side in the predetermined direction with respect to the air inlet. An air guide structure for partitioning at least a lower part of a cooling air flow path between the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger, and includes a plate-shaped air guide main body, a lid, and a lid opening / closing means. The plate-shaped air guide main body has a discharge opening vertically penetrating on one side from the heat exchanger, and is disposed below the cooling air flow path and intersects the vertical direction. The lid is tiltably supported on the peripheral edge of the discharge opening of the air guide main body, and is tiltable downward from a closed position for closing the discharge opening to open the discharge opening. The lid opening / closing means can switch the lid between a closed state in which the discharge opening is closed in the closed position and an open state in which the lid is tilted from the closed position to open the discharge opening.

  In the above configuration, the air guide body has a discharge opening that penetrates in the vertical direction on one side (for example, the front side) of the heat exchanger in a predetermined direction (for example, the front-rear direction). A lid that can open and close the discharge opening is supported on the peripheral edge of the discharge opening of the air guide main body in a tiltable manner. Then, a lid opening / closing means capable of switching the lid between a closed state and an open state is provided. For this reason, for example, the lid opening / closing means switches between the closed state and the open state every predetermined time, or the closed state according to the weight of the sediment that has entered the cooling air flow path using a predetermined threshold value. By switching between the open state and the like, foreign matter that has entered the cooling air flow path can be discharged from the discharge opening of the air guide main body to below the air guide main body. Therefore, accumulation of foreign matter on the upper surface of the air guide main body can be suppressed. The lid opening / closing means may be an electric means for tilting the lid by an actuator or the like, or a mechanical means for tilting the lid downward by the weight of the deposits deposited on the upper surface of the lid. Means may be used.

  A second aspect of the present invention is the air guide structure according to the first aspect, wherein the lid opening / closing means has an urging means for urging the lid upward toward the closed position. The urging force of the urging means against the lid toward the closing position is a predetermined force from above with respect to the lid such that the lid switches between the closed state and the open state according to the magnitude of the load input from above. The lid is held in the closed position until a load of a magnitude is input, and the strength is set so that the lid cannot be held in the closed position when a load greater than the predetermined size is input from above to the lid. I have.

  In the above configuration, the lid opening / closing means has an urging means for urging the lid toward the closing position, and the urging force of the urging means is changed depending on the magnitude of the load input from above. Is held in the closed position until a load of a predetermined size is input from above to the lid so that the lid switches between the closed state and the open state, and the predetermined size is applied to the lid from above. If a load greater than that is input, the strength is set so that the lid cannot be held in the closed position. Therefore, for example, the lid is held in the closed position until the weight of the deposit deposited above the lid reaches the predetermined weight, and the weight of the deposit becomes equal to or more than the predetermined weight. Sometimes, the discharge opening of the air guide main body is opened, and the deposit can be discharged from the discharge opening to below the air guide main body.

  Further, since the deposit can be discharged to the lower side of the air guide main body only by appropriately setting the urging force of the urging means (for example, a spring), it is possible to prevent foreign matter from accumulating on the upper surface of the air guide main body with a simple structure. Can be suppressed.

  A third aspect of the present invention is the air guide structure according to the first aspect or the second aspect, further comprising a regulating means. The restricting means restricts tilting of the lid upward from the closed position.

  In the above-described configuration, a regulating unit that regulates the tilting of the lid upward from the closed position is provided. For this reason, since the lid does not tilt upward from the closed position, it is possible to prevent the discharge opening from being opened due to the tilt of the lid upward from the closed position. Also, since the lid does not tilt upward from the closed position, unlike the case where the lid tilts upward from the closed position and projects into the cooling air flow path, the increase in the resistance of the cooling air flow path due to the lid is suppressed. can do.

  According to the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of foreign matter above the air guide.

1 is an external perspective view of a vehicle to which an air guide structure according to an embodiment of the present invention has been applied. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of FIG. 2 viewed from a direction III. It is an enlarged view of the principal part of FIG. It is the schematic which looked at FIG. 4 from the V direction. It is explanatory drawing of the air guide structure which concerns on other embodiment, (a) shows the thing using a leaf spring, (b) shows the thing using a rubber plate, respectively.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, FR indicates the front of the vehicle, UP indicates the upper side, IN indicates the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and the dashed line CL indicates the rotation axis of the lid. In the following description, the left-right direction refers to the left-right direction in a state in which the vehicle faces the front.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle 1 to which the air guide structure according to the present embodiment is applied includes an engine behind a bumper 2 at an end of a front side (one side in a predetermined direction (front-rear direction)) of the vehicle 1. Room 3 is provided. In the engine room 3, an engine (not shown), a heat exchanger 4 (in this embodiment, a radiator 4a and an intercooler 4b), a fan 5, and the like are arranged. The bumper 2 is provided with an air inlet 6 for introducing air passing through the heat exchanger 4 into the engine room 3. The air inlet 6 of the bumper 2 communicates between the outside and the inside of the vehicle 1 (engine room 3). The heat exchanger 4 is disposed at a position separated from the air inlet 6 of the bumper 2 rearward (on the other side in the predetermined direction). The fan 5 is disposed behind the heat exchanger 4 and generates a front-to-back air flow passing through the heat exchanger 4. A duct (air) defining an air flow path 7 (hereinafter, referred to as a cooling air flow path 7) from the air inlet 6 to the heat exchanger 4 is provided between the air inlet 6 of the bumper 2 and the heat exchanger 4. Guide) 10 is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the duct 10 is a resin duct, and penetrates in the front-rear direction by a duct upper plate portion 10a, left and right duct side plate portions 10b and 10c, and a duct lower plate portion 10d. It is formed in a substantially rectangular cylindrical shape, and defines a cooling air flow path 7 therein. The front ends of the plates 10a to 10d are connected to the peripheral edge of the air inlet 6 of the bumper 2, and the rear ends of the plates 10a to 10d are connected to the peripheral surface of the heat exchanger 4. The duct upper plate portion 10 a is a plate portion that crosses the vertical direction, and extends continuously from the upper edge of the air inlet 6 of the bumper 2 to the upper surface of the heat exchanger 4. The left and right duct side plates 10b and 10c are plate portions intersecting the vehicle width direction, and extend continuously from the left and right side edges of the air inlet 6 of the bumper 2 to the left and right side portions of the heat exchanger 4. . The duct lower plate portion 10d is a plate portion that crosses in the vertical direction, and extends continuously from the lower edge of the air inlet 6 of the bumper 2 to the lower surface of the heat exchanger 4. The duct 10 guides the air introduced from the air inlet 6 of the bumper 2 to the front of the heat exchanger 4.

  The duct lower plate portion 10d includes a resin main body (air guide main body) 11 formed in a plate shape crossing in a vertical direction, a resin lid (lid) 12 supported by the main body 11, A plurality (two in this embodiment) of spring-loaded hinges (cover opening / closing means) 15 are provided.

  The main body portion 11 is a plate portion that crosses in the vertical direction, and includes a front region 11a extending substantially horizontally rearward from a lower edge portion of the air inlet 6 of the bumper 2 and a rear lower portion from a rear end of the front region 11a. A middle region 11b extending obliquely to the horizontal direction, and a rear region 11c extending substantially horizontally rearward from the rear end of the middle region 11b to the lower surface of the heat exchanger 4. A substantially rectangular foreign matter discharge opening (discharge opening) 13 penetrating in the vertical direction is formed in the rear region 11c of the main body 11 near the front of the front surface of the heat exchanger 4. Left and right opening side edges 17 and 18 of the main body 11 that divides the left and right of the foreign matter discharge opening 13 are arranged near the inner surfaces of the left and right duct side plates 10b and 10c.

  The lid 12 is a substantially rectangular plate slightly smaller than the foreign matter discharge opening 13. A front edge 16 of the lid 12 is rotatably supported via a hinge 15 with a spring on an opening front edge 14 of the main body 11 that defines the front of the foreign matter discharge opening 13. The lid 12 rotatably supported by the opening front edge portion 14 of the main body 11 is moved downward from a closed position (the position of the lid 12 indicated by a solid line in FIG. 2) for closing the foreign matter discharge opening 13 of the main body 11. By tilting, the foreign matter discharge opening 13 of the main body 11 can be opened. When the lid 12 tilts downward from the closed position, the rear edge of the lid 12 tilts forward and downward from near the opening rear edge 23 of the main body 11 (closed position).

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the hinge with spring 15 includes a first wing 19 fixed to the lower surface of the opening front edge 14 of the main body 11, and a lower surface of the front edge 16 of the lid 12. The second wing 20 is fixed to the first wing 19, a core rod 21 connecting the first wing 19 and the second wing 20, and a coil spring (biasing means) 22 through which the core rod 21 is inserted. The first wing 19 and the second wing 20 are rotatably connected to each other by a core rod 21 extending in the vehicle width direction. The axis CL of the core rod 21 (the dashed line CL in FIG. 5) is the rotation axis of the hinge 15 with spring. That is, the axis CL of the core rod 21 of the hinge 15 with the spring becomes the rotation axis of the lid 12. The rotation of the second wing 20 in one direction with respect to the first wing 19 is performed at a position where the first wing 19 and the second wing 20 are arranged on the same plane side by side in the front-rear direction (shown in FIG. 4). (State), the first wing 19 and the second wing 20 are regulated by contact with each other. Such a restriction functions as a restriction means for restricting the tilt of the lid 12 in the closing direction for closing the foreign matter discharge opening 13 of the main body 11 to the closed position.

  The coil spring 22 has one end 22a and the other end 22b extending linearly, and a coil spring main body 22c between the one end 22a and the end 22b. The core rod 21 is inserted through the coil spring main body 22c. One end 22 a of the coil spring 22 contacts the lower surface of the first wing 19, and the other end 22 b of the coil spring 22 contacts the lower surface of the second wing 20. The coil spring 22 urges the lid 12 upward toward the closed position. The urging force of the coil spring 22 holds the lid 12 in the closed position until a load of a predetermined magnitude is input from above (the cooling air flow path 7 side) to the lid 12 in the closed position. When a load equal to or larger than the above-mentioned predetermined value is input from above, the strength is set so that the lid 12 cannot be held at the closed position. That is, the hinge 15 with the spring moves the lid 12 in a closed state (a state shown by a solid line in FIG. 2) in which the lid 12 is held in a closed position in accordance with the magnitude of the load input to the lid 12, and moves downward from the closed position. It functions as a lid opening / closing means that can be switched to an open state in which the foreign matter discharge opening 13 of the main body 11 is opened by tilting (a state shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2). Note that the predetermined magnitude (threshold) of the load can be obtained by an experiment, a simulation, or the like.

  In the duct 10 configured as described above, for example, when a large amount of river water enters the duct 10 from the air inlet 6 of the bumper 2 when the vehicle 1 enters the river, the vehicle enters the duct 10. The weight of the water acts on the lid 12 in the closed position. When a load equal to or more than the above-mentioned predetermined value is input from above into the lid 12 from the water that has entered the duct 10, the weight of the water causes the lid 12 to tilt in the opening direction and open the foreign matter discharge opening 13. Then, water is discharged from the foreign matter discharge opening 13 to below the duct lower plate portion 10d.

  In addition, when foreign matter such as stones and dead leaves enter the duct 10 together with the water of the river, the foreign matter accumulates on the upper surface of the duct lower plate portion 10d in the duct 10. The weight of foreign matter (deposits) deposited on the upper surface of the duct lower plate portion 10d acts on the lid 12 at the closed position, and a load equal to or larger than the predetermined size is input from above to the lid 12 from the deposits. Then, the lid 12 tilts in the opening direction by the weight of the deposit to open the foreign matter discharge opening 13, and the deposit is discharged from the foreign matter discharge opening 13 to below the duct lower plate portion 10 d.

  Therefore, according to the present embodiment, accumulation of foreign matter on the upper surface of the duct lower plate portion 10d can be suppressed.

  Further, the sediment can be discharged to the lower side of the duct lower plate portion 10d only by appropriately setting the urging force of the coil spring 22 of the spring-loaded hinge 15, so that the sediment can be moved to the upper surface of the duct lower plate portion 10d with a simple structure. Of foreign matter can be suppressed.

  The hinge with spring 15 regulates the tilt of the lid 12 in the closing direction for closing the foreign substance discharge opening 13 of the main body 11 to the closed position. For this reason, since the lid 12 does not tilt upward from the closed position, it is possible to prevent the foreign matter discharge opening 13 from being opened due to the tilt of the lid 12 above the closed position. In addition, since the lid 12 does not tilt upward from the closed position, unlike the case where the lid 12 tilts upward from the closed position and projects into the cooling air flow path 7, the cooling air flow path 7 An increase in resistance can be suppressed.

  In this embodiment, the resin duct 10 is provided, but the duct 10 is not limited to the resin, and may be, for example, a metal duct.

  In this embodiment, the duct (air guide) 10 having a substantially rectangular cylindrical shape penetrating in the front-rear direction is provided. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an air guide that partitions at least the lower part of the cooling air flow path 7 is provided. For example, an air guide having only the duct lower plate portion 10d in the present embodiment may be used.

  In the present embodiment, the front edge 16 of the lid 12 is rotatably connected to the opening front edge 14 of the main body 11. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The lid 12 may be rotatably connected to one of the left and right opening side edges 17, 18 or the opening rear edge 23 of the main body 11. That is, in the present embodiment, when the lid 12 is tilted in the opening direction from the closed position, the rear end edge of the lid 12 is tilted forward and downward from near the opening rear edge 23 of the main body 11 (closed position). Although the side edge of the lid 12 on one side in the vehicle width direction may be tilted downward on the other side in the vehicle width direction, or the front edge of the lid 12 tilts rearward and downward. It may be configured.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the foreign matter discharge opening 13 of the main body 11 is formed near the front of the front surface of the heat exchanger 4, but the position of the foreign matter discharge opening 13 is not limited to this.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the shape of the lid 12 is slightly smaller than the foreign matter discharge opening 13, but the shape of the lid 12 is not limited to this. For example, the shape of the lid 12 may be made larger than the foreign matter discharge opening 13, and the lid 12 in the closed position may be brought into contact with the peripheral edge of the foreign matter discharge opening 13 of the main body 11 from below.

  In the present embodiment, the rotation of the hinge 15 with the spring in one direction is restricted to a predetermined position, thereby functioning as a restricting means for restricting the tilt of the lid 12 in the closing direction to the closed position. However, the regulation means is not limited to this. For example, the rear surface of the opening front edge portion 14 of the main body portion 11 and the front surface of the front end edge portion 16 of the lid body 12 may be configured to abut at the closed position, and the abutment may be used as a restricting means. A stopper 29 (see FIG. 4) protruding forward from the opening rear edge 23 may be provided on the upper surface of the opening rear edge 23 of the portion 11, and the stopper 29 may function as a regulating means.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the regulating means for regulating the inclination of the lid 12 in the closing direction to the closed position is provided, but the regulating means may not be provided. For example, the urging force of the coil spring 22 is set so that the lid 12 is held at the closed position in a state where no external force other than the weight of the lid 12 is acting on the coil spring 22 of the spring-loaded hinge 15. May be. That is, the lid 12 may be held at the closed position without providing a restricting means for restricting the movement of the lid 12 above the closed position.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the lid 12 is connected to the main body 11 via the hinge 15 with a spring, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, the lid 12 may be connected to the main body 11 via a metal leaf spring (lid opening / closing means, biasing means) 28. Also in this case, similarly to the above, the urging force of the leaf spring 28 applies the lid 12 to the closed position until a load of a predetermined magnitude is input from above (the cooling air flow path 7 side) to the lid 12 at the closed position. When a load equal to or larger than the above-mentioned predetermined value is input to the lid 12 from above, the strength is set so that the lid 12 cannot be held at the closed position. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6B, a cover (a cover, a cover opening / closing unit, a biasing unit) 30 made of a rubber sheet may be provided in place of the cover 12. In this case, the elasticity of the lid 30 is determined so that the lid 30 is not deformed until the load of a predetermined magnitude is input from above (the cooling air flow path 7 side) to the lid 30 in the closed position. When a load equal to or larger than the above-mentioned predetermined value is input to the lid 30 from above, the lid 30 is elastically deformed and is set to an elastic modulus at which the closed position cannot be held. The lid 30 elastically deformed in the opening direction from the closed position urges the lid 30 itself toward the closed position by a restoring force.

  In the present embodiment, the mechanical lid opening / closing means (spring hinge 15) is provided in which the lid 12 tilts downward due to the weight of the deposits or the like deposited on the upper surface of the lid 12. The opening / closing means is not limited to a mechanical means, and may be an electric means capable of switching the lid 12 between a closed state and an open state. For example, a tilting means (motor or the like) capable of tilting the lid 12 and a controller or the like capable of controlling the tilting means at predetermined time intervals to switch the lid 12 between a closed state and an open state may be provided. Alternatively, a sensor or the like capable of measuring the weight of the foreign matter deposited on the upper surface of the duct lower plate portion 10d is provided, and the weight of the foreign material (deposit) deposited on the upper surface of the duct lower plate portion 10d exceeds a predetermined weight. In such a case, a controller or the like that can control the tilting means to switch the lid 12 from the closed state to the open state may be provided.

  As described above, the present invention has been described based on the above-described embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the content of the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the present invention. That is, other embodiments, examples, operation techniques, and the like performed by those skilled in the art based on this embodiment are all included in the scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the air inlet 6 is provided on the front side (one side) of the vehicle 1 in the front-rear direction (predetermined direction), and the heat exchanger 4 is provided on the rear side (other side) of the air inlet 6. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an air inlet may be provided on one side in the vehicle width direction (predetermined direction), and a heat exchanger may be provided on the other side in the vehicle width direction of the air inlet.

1: vehicle 4: heat exchanger 6: air inlet 7: cooling air flow path 10: duct (air guide)
11: Body (air guide body)
12: Lid (lid)
13: Foreign matter discharge opening (discharge opening)
15: Hinge with spring (cover opening / closing means)
22: coil spring (biasing means)
28: leaf spring (cover opening / closing means, biasing means)
29: Stopper (control means)
30: Lid (lid, lid opening / closing means, urging means)

Claims (3)

At least the lower part of the cooling air flow path between the air inlet on one side in a predetermined direction communicating the outside and the inside of the vehicle and a heat exchanger disposed on the other side in the predetermined direction from the air inlet is defined. Air guide structure,
A plate-shaped air guide body having a discharge opening vertically penetrating on the one side of the heat exchanger, and disposed below the cooling air flow path and intersecting the vertical direction;
A lid portion that is tiltably supported by a peripheral portion of the discharge opening of the air guide main body and that can tilt downward from a closed position for closing the discharge opening to open the discharge opening;
A lid opening / closing means capable of switching the lid between a closed state in which the discharge opening is closed in the closed position and an open state in which the lid is tilted from the closed position to open the discharge opening. Characterized air guide structure. The air guide structure according to claim 1, wherein
The lid opening and closing means has an urging means for urging the lid upward toward the closed position side,
The urging force of the urging means on the lid portion toward the closed position is such that the lid is switched between the closed state and the open state in accordance with the magnitude of a load input from above. The lid is held in the closed position until a load of a predetermined magnitude is input from above, and when a load equal to or more than the predetermined magnitude is input from above to the lid, the lid is moved. The air guide structure is set to a strength that cannot be held at the closed position. The air guide structure according to claim 1 or 2,
An air guide structure, comprising: a restricting means for restricting the lid from tilting upward from the closed position.

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