JP3345999B2 - Air duct structure of air cleaner - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air duct structure for an air cleaner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An air cleaner, which is a device for sending air to an engine, is provided with an air duct for introducing outside air, and an outside air inlet at the tip of the air duct is located at an upper position in front of an engine room. Specifically, it is disposed in a gap between the radiator core support and the engine hood. The outside air inlet of the air duct is arranged at such an upper position in order to prevent water from entering the outside air inlet (as a similar technique, see Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 62-110).
No. 023).

[0003]

However, in such a conventional air duct structure, since the outside air inlet of the air duct is arranged in a narrow gap between the radiator core support and the engine hood, a large amount of air is required. It is not suitable for sports cars that try to bring out the high output of the engine by introducing a. Therefore, in the case of a sports car, a large-diameter air duct is formed at a different position from the above so that a large amount of air can be introduced. Thus, sports vehicles and other general vehicles require different air duct structures, but adopting different structures between sports vehicles and general vehicles leads to an increase in the number of parts, resulting in parts management and This is disadvantageous in terms of manufacturing man-hours.

On the other hand, a sound-reducing cavity called a resonator is formed in an air duct of an air cleaner. This resonator is for reducing the intake noise when the air duct introduces air, and the adoption of this resonator is
There is a tendency for ordinary cars that pursue habitability (quietness) to be more demanding than sports cars that pursue running.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to such prior art, and is an air duct of an air cleaner which can be shared by a sports car and other general cars, and in which a resonator effect can be expected in the case of a general car. Provides structure.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an air duct structure of an air cleaner according to the present invention has a structure in which a first outside air inlet at the tip is located at the front of an engine room. Forming an air duct and a second air duct with a second outside air inlet at the end facing an opening formed in a side wall of the engine room, and providing a detachable lid at the second outside air inlet of the second air duct; The second air duct can be used as a resonator when the lid is attached, and can be used for introducing outside air when the lid is removed.

[0007]

When the second air duct is closed by the lid, the outside air can be introduced by the first air duct in the conventional manner, and the closed second air duct becomes a resonator, so that the intake noise in the first air duct can be reduced. If the lid of the second air duct is removed, the first air duct and the second
Since a large amount of outside air can be introduced from both the air ducts, it is suitable for a sports car that requires a high engine output. As described above, since the same air duct structure can be used for both sports cars and other general cars, the number of parts can be reduced, which is very advantageous in terms of parts management and manufacturing man-hours.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes an engine room, in which an engine 2 is installed in the center, and a hood ridge panel 3 as a "side wall" is provided on both left and right sides. The hood ridge panel 3 has a horizontal shelf 3a on the way, and supports the air cleaner 4 on the left shelf 3a. The air cleaner 4 has a box shape formed by combining two cases 5 and 6, and a filter element 7 is built in a boundary portion between the cases 5 and 6. The inner case 5 and the engine 2 are connected by a duct 8 for supplying outside air, so that the outside air cleaned by the filter element 7 can be supplied to the engine 2.

A first inlet 9 is formed on the upper surface of the outer case 6, and a first air duct 10 is connected to the first inlet 9. The inlet 10 a extends to the upper front of the engine room 1, and is located in a gap between the radiator core support 11 and the engine hood 12. In addition, this first
A cushion member 13 for reducing interference with the engine hood 12 is attached to an upper portion of the outside air inlet 10a of the air duct 10.

On the other hand, the second inlet 1
4 is formed, and the second air duct 15 is extrapolated to the second inlet 14. The second air duct 15 has a cylindrical shape, and a second outside air inlet 15 a at the tip thereof slightly protrudes outward from an opening 16 formed in the hood ridge panel 3. An ept sealer 17 made of polyurethane foam is provided around the second air duct 15 to ensure a tight seal between the second air duct 15 and the opening 16. The second outside air inlet 15a is provided with a lid 18 having a shape that enters into the second outside air inlet 15a. Further, a cavity forming member 19 for narrowing the entrance of the internal space of the second air duct 15 and hollowing the internal space to enhance the resonator effect is fitted inside the second inlet 14. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 20 denotes a front fender panel.

Next, the usage of the air duct structure of this embodiment will be described. In the case of a general car, the second air duct 15
The second outside air inlet 15a is closed by the lid 18 and the outside air is introduced by the first air duct 10. At this time, the second outside air introduction port 15a is closed by the lid 18, and the cavity R by the second air duct 15 is formed in the outside air introduction path of the first air duct 10. The cavity R serves as a resonator, so that the intake noise in the first air duct 10 is reduced.

In the case of a sports car, the lid 18 and the cavity forming member 19 are removed from the second air duct 15. Then, since a large amount of outside air can be introduced by both the first air duct 10 and the second air duct 15, it is suitable for a sports car that requires a high output of the engine 2. As described above, according to the air duct structure of this embodiment, the same structure can be used for both sports cars and other general cars.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the second inlet 21 and the cavity forming member 22
Are formed with screw portions 21a and 22a on the corresponding surface, and the cavity forming member 22 is attached to the second inlet 21 with a screw. Therefore, at the time of attachment, the cavity forming member 22
Is stable in the second inlet 21 and can be easily removed by rotating the cavity forming member 22.

FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the small-diameter cylindrical cavity forming member 23
It is formed integrally with the inlet 24. Therefore, in the case of a sports car, the cylindrical hollow forming member 23 is cut out and used.

FIG. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the small-diameter cylindrical cavity forming member 25 is
It is integrally formed on the air duct 26 side. Therefore, also in the case of this embodiment, when used in a sports car,
The tubular cavity forming member 26 may be cut off.

FIG. 8 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the cavity forming member 28 attached to the second introduction port 27 has a shape with a flange 28a,
It does not enter the cavity R. The lid 29 has a hat-shaped cross section facing outward, and its flange portion is attached to the periphery of the opening 16 by bolts 30. The inner surface of the lid 29 and the eptsealer 17 are in close contact with each other, and the second air duct 1
The airtightness of the second outside air inlet 15a of No. 5 is ensured.
According to this embodiment, since the lid 29 is attached to the opening 16 by the bolt 30, the attachment state is reliable.
Further, by removing the bolt 16, the lid 29 can be easily removed. By changing the lid 29 to a lid 31 having a high shape as indicated by an imaginary line (two-dot chain line) in the figure, the cavity R may be enlarged to improve the resonator effect.

[0017]

The air duct structure of the air cleaner according to the present invention has the contents as described above.
Since the same structure can be used for both sports cars and other general cars, the number of parts can be reduced, which is extremely advantageous in terms of parts management and manufacturing man-hours. Can be expected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an engine room showing an air duct structure of an air cleaner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line SA-SA shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a part of an air duct.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line SB-SB shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4, showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4, showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4, showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4, showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 engine room 3 hood ridge panel (side wall) 4 air cleaner 10 first air duct 10a first outside air inlet 15 second second air duct 15a second outside air inlet 16 opening 18 lid

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F02M 35/024 F02M 35/12-35/14

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An air cleaner having a first air duct having a first external air inlet at a front end located in front of an engine room and a second external air inlet at a front end facing an opening formed in a side wall of the engine room. A second air duct is formed, and a detachable lid is provided at a second outside air introduction port of the second air duct. The second air duct can be used as a resonator when the lid is attached, and the outside air is introduced when the lid is removed. The air duct structure of an air cleaner characterized by being usable for use.