JP2767581B2 - Exhaust port cover device for automobile - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exhaust port cover device for an automobile for preventing exhaust from a person or an object located behind an exhaust port from a muffler to the outside air.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The exhaust from a muffler is directed rearward by arranging a subsequent tail pipe at the rear of a vehicle for reasons such as legal regulations and appearance.

[0003]

Therefore, there are problems such as fouling feet or pants with exhaust gas when loading / unloading luggage at the luggage door, and soiling of a specific garage wall surface when garage is put in the back. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an exhaust port cover device for a vehicle that avoids exhausting right behind when an obstacle to exhaust exists in a predetermined gas exhaust area behind a rear bumper.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a bumper located near an exhaust port from a muffler to the outside air, which detects an obstacle in an exhaust area behind the bumper. A sensor, a planar exhaust port cover supported so as to be able to reciprocate between a normal position in the bumper portion and a facing position with a gap between the exhaust port, and an exhaust port in response to a detection signal of the proximity sensor. An actuator for moving the cover to the facing position is additionally provided.

[0005]

When the proximity sensor detects an obstacle present in the exhaust area behind the bumper, the actuator moves the exhaust port cover forward from the normal position in the bumper area, and faces the exhaust port with a gap. This avoids gas exhaust to just behind the exhaust port, and exhausts the gas from the gap to the periphery of the exhaust port cover.

[0006]

1 to 4 show an automobile exhaust port cover device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, obstacles in the proximity area of about 100 cm at a directional angle of about 14 degrees are irradiated with ultrasonic waves on both upper sides of the bumper cover 2 located above the exhaust port 1 a of the tail pipe 1 following the muffler. Two ultrasonic irradiation type proximity sensors 9 and 9a for detecting from reflected echo are juxtaposed. By using both of these proximity sensors, the width in the vehicle width direction is widened to search for a person or a structure or the like in an exhaust area that may be dirty.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, ribs 2a and 2b are integrally formed on the inner bottom surface of the bumper cover 2, and one of the ribs 2a has a vinyl cover as an exhaust port cover. A bracket 10 for rotatably supporting one end of a reel 13 for winding a cover sheet 12 made of stainless steel is screwed. On the other rib 2b, a motor 15 for rotatingly driving the reel 13 via a reduction gear 17 is provided.
The bracket 10a of the storage case 14 is screwed. The distal end of the cover sheet 12 is led out through the slit 2c of the bumper cover 2 to a position facing the exhaust port 1a, and has a stopper round bar 16 attached to the peripheral surface of the slit 2c.

The motor 15 is provided with a control drive circuit shown in FIG. 4 so that the detection signals of the proximity sensors 9 and 9a are input to constitute an actuator for the cover sheet 12. That is, when the detection signal is input through the OR gate 20, the timer 21 turns on the normally open relay 22 and the normal rotation terminal 15a of the motor 15
By supplying a battery voltage to the reel 13 and rotating the reel 13 for a predetermined time, the cover sheet 12 is lowered from the normal position shown by the solid line in FIG. 3 to face the exhaust port 1a as shown by the two-dot chain line. When the detection signal disappears, the timer 23 turns on the normally open relay 24, supplies the battery voltage to the reverse rotation terminal 15b of the motor 15, and drives the reel 13 to rotate in the reverse direction for a predetermined time. The cover sheet 12 is returned to the normal position.

When at least one of the proximity sensors 9 and 9a detects an obstacle such as a person or a building approaching the exhaust area behind the exhaust port 1a, the cover sheet 12 is moved to the facing position by the forward rotation of the motor 15. Descend. Therefore, since the front of the exhaust port 1a is shielded by the cover sheet 12, exhaust to the rear is avoided, and the exhaust port 1a is prevented.
Then, the air is exhausted from the gap between the cover sheets 12 to the surroundings.
When both of the detection signals from the proximity sensors 9 and 9a disappear, the cover sheet 12 returns to the normal position due to the reverse rotation of the motor 15.

In the above-described circuit, when the engine switch is turned off, the cover sheet 12 is always stored. Therefore, when the engine switch is turned off, the detection signal of the proximity sensor 9a disappears and the battery voltage is supplied while the cover sheet 12 returns. It is also conceivable to add another timer that performs the operation. A spring may be applied to the reel 13 in the backward movement direction, and the reel 13 may be moved forward by a motor, and may be automatically moved back when the power supply or the detection signal disappears. Depending on the structure of the bumper, such an exhaust port cover device may be provided not only on the bumper cover but also on another bumper portion such as a bumper arm.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment in which the exhaust port 1a is cut into the bumper cover 2 in the above-described embodiment. The exhaust port cover is replaced with a bumper cover instead of the above-mentioned flexible cover sheet. Cover plate 3 of the same material as cover 2
0 is used. The cover plate is driven to rotate by a rotary solenoid as an actuator or a rotating shaft of a motor 32 attached to a bracket 31 provided on the bumper cover 2 so that the proximity sensor 33 detects an obstacle. Slit 2e from normal position shown by solid line
Through to the facing position shown by the two-dot chain line position.

FIG. 6 shows still another embodiment, in which the bumper cover 2 is formed with both side bumper cover extensions 2g and 2f extending downward toward the exhaust port 1a. As the exhaust port cover, the rear side of the exhaust port 1a slides from the normal position indicated by the dotted line of the bumper cover extension 2g with a gap therebetween, and moves to the facing position indicated by the two-dot chain line of the opposite bumper cover extension 2f. Slide type cover plate 40
It is made of the same material as the bumper cover 2. Similarly, the solenoid 4 responds to the detection signal of the proximity sensor 42.
1 is driven.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, the foot or the clothes are not stained by the exhaust gas from the muffler at the time of loading / unloading of the baggage at the back door, or the garage wall surface is not stained at the time of putting into the garage. Contamination problems due to intensive exhaust downstream are eliminated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main structure of an exhaust port cover device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vehicle to which the embodiment is applied.

FIG. 3 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a reel part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram attached to the actuator of the embodiment.

5A and 5B show a vehicle exhaust port cover device according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 5A is a front view of a bumper cover portion viewed from the front of the vehicle, and FIG. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a schematic front view of a cover device according to still another embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the rear of a vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a Exhaust port 2 Bumper cover 9, 9a, 33, 42 Proximity sensor 12 Cover sheet 15, 32 Motor 30, 40 Cover plate 41 Solenoid

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A proximity sensor for detecting an obstacle present in an exhaust area behind the bumper at a bumper portion near an exhaust port from the muffler to the outside air, a normal position at the bumper portion and the exhaust port. A planar exhaust port cover supported so as to be able to reciprocate between facing positions facing each other with a gap therebetween, and an actuator for moving the exhaust port cover to the facing position in response to a detection signal of the proximity sensor. An exhaust port cover device for a motor vehicle, characterized by having an attached.