JP3678259B2 - Vehicle powertrain support device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle powertrain support device.
[0002]
Generally, in a vehicle, the vehicle body is configured to absorb the impact force at the time of collision by deformation of the vehicle body, and the fuel tank is disposed between the front and rear axles of the safest vehicle body in consideration of deformation of the vehicle body at the time of collision. However, depending on the degree of collision of the vehicle, the collision force may act on the engine, and the transmission, propeller shaft, that is, the power train connected to this may be moved to the fuel tank side. There is. In this case, the direction in which the deformation proceeds can be regulated by the position and form of the stress concentration portion formed in the vehicle body or frame, but it is not possible to deal with all the collision directions because the strength of each portion needs to be maintained. . For this reason, depending on the form of the collision, the power train may be pushed out toward the fuel tank and the fuel tank may be damaged.
[0003]
Therefore, studies have been made to keep the fuel tank as far as possible from the power train to secure a space corresponding to the push-out movement of the power train, or to cover the outer surface of the fuel tank with a strong protector to protect it from damage.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the space on the underside of the vehicle body is finite, and considering the situation where other components must be added, it is impossible to form a protective space around the fuel tank corresponding to a vehicle collision. In addition, even if a protector with a strength corresponding to a collision is formed, if the strength of the vehicle body does not correspond to this, a large-scale reinforcement must be applied, and the reduction in space accompanying this reinforcement There is a problem that it is difficult to secure the volume of the fuel tank.
[0005]
The present invention has been devised in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a novel vehicle power train support device that protects a fuel tank by restricting its movement when a collision force is applied to the power train. It is to provide.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a power train mounted so as to extend in the front-rear direction at a substantially central portion in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body, and a fuel tank mounted on the side of the power train, When a collision force acting in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is applied to the vehicle and the collision force is applied to the power train, the restraining means uses the vehicle body as a support system and the fuel of the power train is connected to the vehicle body and the power train. Restrict movement to the tank side. Accordingly, the movement of the power train to the fuel tank side is prevented, and the damage is prevented.
[0007]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the first strength member 11 and the second strength member 12 increase the support strength for the restraining means. As a result, the reliability of the restraining means is greatly increased, and the reliability for protecting the fuel tank is increased.
[0008]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the restraining means is composed of a rope, that is, a wire, a chain, a link, and a stranded wire, and is usually slackened by its flexibility. it can. For this reason, transmission of vibrations from the engine side to the vehicle body side is prevented, and vibrations from the vehicle body side as well as vibrations input from the engine side are consumed dynamically.
[0009]
In this case, preferably, the surface of the cord is covered with a soft, highly weather-resistant and wear-resistant resin buffer layer, and the occurrence of scratches, hammering sounds, and the like can be regulated by this buffer layer. In addition, a tension spring is stretched between the cable and the vehicle body to control the large vibration and vibration of the entire cable to prevent contact with the vehicle body and power train, and the generation of hitting sounds caused by this. It is also possible to prevent this.
[0010]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the restraining means is pivotable so that a collision force in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is applied to the vehicle connected to the vehicle body and a power train. When a collision force acts on the power train, the power train is guided in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle using the vehicle body as a support system. For this reason, the movement of the power train to the fuel tank side is prevented, and damage to the fuel tank side is prevented.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention unless otherwise specified, but are merely illustrative examples. Only.
[0012]
FIG. 1 is a view of a vehicle lower surface portion 1A viewed from the lower side of the vehicle according to the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the front and rear sides of the vehicle lower surface portion 1A of the vehicle 1 are substantially in the width direction. The engine 2 and the final reduction gear 3 are mounted at the center, and the rotational driving force is transmitted between the engine 2 and the final reduction gear 3 from the transmission 4 provided at the rear of the engine 1 to the final reduction gear 3. The propeller shaft 5 is mounted, and a fuel tank 9 is mounted on the side of the transmission 4 and the propeller shaft 5 and between the front axle 7 and the rear axle 8 at an appropriate interval from the transmission 4 in the vehicle width direction. Is done.
[0013]
Now, the power train 10 composed of the final reduction gear 3, the transmission 4, the propeller shaft 5 and the like and mounted so as to extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction with respect to the substantially central portion of the vehicle body lower surface portion 1A at the time of a vehicle collision. In order to prevent the damage to the fuel tank 9 side by restricting the movement thereof, the present embodiment is configured as follows.
[0014]
When it is necessary to increase the strength of the lower surface portion 1A of the vehicle body relative to the support of the power train 10, the first strength member is provided along the vehicle longitudinal direction on both outer sides in the vehicle width direction of the lower surface portion 1A of the vehicle body. 11 is laid, and a second strength member 12 extending along the vehicle width direction is laid so as to straddle between the first strength members 11 and 11. The second strength member 12 is disposed on the vehicle interior side of the lower surface portion 1A of the vehicle body, but may be configured to be disposed on the vehicle exterior side.
[0015]
In this case, it is desirable that the first strength member 11 and the second strength member 12 are welded to the entire bottom surface portion 1A of the vehicle body, but spot welding is performed as long as necessary support strength is obtained. It may also be fixed by rivets or bolts.
[0016]
In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the first strength member 11 and the second strength member 12 can be formed and fixed in a U-shaped cross section. It is also possible to use H-shaped steel or square pipe material. In FIG. 2, 16 is a side mill.
[0017]
Now, in order to restrict the movement of the power train 10 toward the fuel tank 9, the power train 10 and the second strength member 12 are provided with a rope 13 as a restraining means.
As shown in FIG. 1, the rope 13 has one end that is a base end on the side opposite to the fuel tank 9 side pivoted with respect to the vehicle body, and the other end is attached to the transmission 4. In this case, the length of the rope 13 is set so that tension can be generated for the first time when the power train 10 is pushed and moved in the collision direction side by transmission of the collision force in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.
With this configuration, even when a collision force in the vehicle longitudinal direction acts on the power train 10 via the vehicle body at the time of a vehicle collision, the power train 10 is moved to the fuel tank 9 side by the tension generated in the rope 13 and its turning. It moves only in the axial direction of the propeller shaft 5, that is, in the vehicle center line direction.
Therefore, damage to the fuel tank 9 is prevented.
[0018]
For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the support shafts 14 are attached to the case 4 </ b> A of the transmission 4 and the second strength member 12, and the support shafts 14 are respectively connected to both ends of the rope 13. It is preferable to rotatably support the annular body 15 having the concave surface portion 15A into which the portion is fitted, but it is also possible to pivotally fix it by means of fastening means of bolts and nuts.
[0019]
Note that the rope 13 is used as the restraining means as described above, because transmission of vibration from the power train 10 side to the vehicle 1 side is blocked by the flexibility of the rope 13, and the engine 2 side and the vehicle 1 side are used. This is because the surface of the cord 13 is preferably covered with a soft buffer layer having high weather resistance and wear resistance, and the buffer layer It is also possible to regulate the occurrence of scratches, hammering sounds, etc., and also to stretch the tension spring between the rope 13 and the vehicle 1 to regulate the large fluctuation and vibration of the rope 13 as a whole. It is also possible to prevent contact with the power train 10 and to prevent the occurrence of hitting sound due to this.
[0020]
By the way, in order to lengthen the distance that the power train 10 moves and prevent the power train 10 from moving toward the fuel tank 9 due to the rotation of the power train 10, the length of the cord 13 is increased or the second strength is increased. The arrangement position of the member 12 is preferably set closer to the rear axle 8.
[0021]
Moreover, in the said embodiment, the rope 13 which is a restraining means was provided in the 2nd strength member 12 and the power train 10 by making the 1st strength member 11 support the 2nd strength member 12. This is to increase the strength of the support system and increase the responsiveness of the cable 13. However, the vehicle body lower surface portion 1A is increased in rigidity by the first strength member 11 and the second strength member 12 as a whole. The vehicle body lower surface portion 1A can be directly used as a support system, and the first strength member 11 can be used as a support system.
[0022]
Of course, when the vehicle body lower surface portion 1A has sufficient support strength for the restraining means such as the rope 13, the first and second strength members 12 are eliminated and the vehicle body lower surface portion 1A and the power train are removed. It is also possible to connect the cable 13 to 10.
[0023]
When the length of the rope 13 cannot be increased, for example, the rope 13 is wound around a pulley that rotates when a certain torque is applied, and the support frame of the pulley is attached to the vehicle 1 and the first strength. The member 11 or the second strength member 12 is pivotally supported on one end, and the other end is pivotally supported on the other end. When the tension of the cord 13 exceeds a certain level, the rope 13 is extended. It is also possible to set to.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the following excellent effects are exhibited.
[0025]
(1) Since the vehicle body and the transmission are provided with restraining means for blocking the movement of the transmission toward the fuel tank side using the vehicle body as a support system so as to straddle the vehicle in the vehicle width direction, the power at the time of vehicle collision The movement of the train to the fuel tank side can be suppressed, and there is an effect that the protection function of the fuel tank can be sufficiently satisfied.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a powertrain support device for a vehicle according to the present invention.
2 shows an embodiment of a power train support device for a vehicle according to the present invention, and is a view taken along the line II-II in FIG.
3 shows an embodiment of a vehicle powertrain support device according to the present invention, and is a view taken along the line III-III in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Vehicle 9 Fuel Tank 10 Power Train 11 First Strength Member 12 Second Strength Member 13 Rope (restraint means)

Claims (4)

A power train mounted on the vehicle body so as to extend in the front-rear direction at a substantially central portion in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle;
In a vehicle having a fuel tank mounted on the side of the power train,
When a collision force in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is applied to the vehicle connected to the vehicle body and the power train and a collision force is applied to the power train, the power train is moved to the fuel tank side using the vehicle body as a support system. power train support apparatus for a vehicle characterized by comprising a restraining means for restricting. A first strength member extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is fixed to the vehicle width direction outside of the power train of the vehicle body, and
A second strength member extending along the vehicle width direction and having a base end connected to and supported by the first strength member is fixed,
Power train support apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that linked by the restraining means and this with the power train to said second strength member as a supporting system. 3. The power train support device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the restraining means is composed of a flexible cable . It said restraining means, power train support apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is configured to be pivotably supported relative to the second strength member.

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