JP5504875B2 - Vehicle wheelhouse structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a wheel house internal structure that can efficiently cool a heat generating portion in a wheel house of a vehicle that rotatably accommodates a wheel with a tire.

  The wheel with a tire has a heat generating part such as a brake unit, and it is important that the wheel house that accommodates the wheel with the tire can effectively cool the heat generating part in the inside.

  In particular, in the wheel house of an electric vehicle that can be driven by a wheel with a tire driven by an individual electric motor, the amount of heat generated by the in-wheel motor unit for each wheel with a tire is large. It is necessary to be able to cool the in-wheel motor unit, which is a heat generating part, more effectively.

  In view of these requirements, in order to improve the cooling performance of the heat generating part in the wheel house so as to reliably cool the heat generating part as exemplified above, the air in the wheel house is efficiently replaced. Thus, it is necessary to smoothly discharge the vehicle traveling wind flowing into the wheel house out of the wheel house.

By the way, if the airflow that flows into the wheelhouse is agitated in the wheelhouse, the same airflow tends to stay in the wheelhouse for a long time. Cooling cannot be performed effectively and the above requirements cannot be satisfied.
In order to satisfy the above requirements, in order to efficiently cool the heat generating part in the wheel house, the air flow flowing into the wheel house is smoothly discharged out of the wheel house. It is necessary to rectify the air flow in the wheel house.

As a technique for rectifying the air flow in the wheel house, a technique as described in Patent Document 1 has been proposed.
This proposed technology is used to detect the collision between the airflow generated by the rotation of the tired wheel and the airflow generated when the wind under the vehicle body enters between the front outer peripheral surface of the tired wheel and the wheelhouse. A duct is provided that sucks airflow from the underbody floor wind and excludes it from the wheelhouse toward the underbody floor.

  This proposed technique can reduce the agitation of air due to the collision of the two air flows described above, and contributes to the rectification of the air flow in the wheel with a tire.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-227436

However, in the conventional proposed technology described above,
Since the air flow generated with the rotation of the tired wheel is sucked into the duct in front of the tired wheel,
Since the duct is provided in the direction in which the flow reverses against the traveling wind that has entered the wheel house,
Depending on the vehicle speed, the air flow generated as the tired wheel rotates and the air flow entering the wheel house may be in opposite directions.

For this reason, these airflows may collide with each other, thereby disturbing the airflow in the wheel house, and the airflow in the wheel house may not be rectified as intended.
In this case, the vehicle traveling wind that has flowed into the wheel house cannot be smoothly discharged out of the wheel house, the air residence time in the wheel house becomes longer, and the cooling performance of the heat generating part in the wheel house is as intended. It cannot be improved, and there arises a problem that cooling of the heat generating portion becomes insufficient.

The present invention provides an internal structure of a wheel house that can separate an air flow that has entered the wheel house and an air flow that has been generated as a tire-equipped wheel rotates and eliminate the air flow outside the wheel house under rectification. And
Thereby, it aims at solving the above-mentioned problem that the cooling performance of the heat generating part in the wheel house is lowered due to the collision of the two air flows.

For this purpose, the structure in the wheel house of the vehicle according to the present invention constitutes the following.
First, the wheel house internal structure, which is the basic premise of the gist of the present invention, is located inwardly in the vehicle width direction of the tire-equipped wheel so as to accommodate the tire-equipped wheel having a heat generating portion, and the tire-equipped wheel and the axial direction. 1 is a wheel house internal structure defined by a wheel house side wall surface facing the wheel and a wheel house circumferential wall surface facing the upper outer peripheral portion of the wheel with tire .

For the above purpose, the present invention is characterized in that the following configuration is added to the above-mentioned wheel house internal structure.
In the first aspect of the invention, an airflow passage that generates an airflow backward in the vehicle front-rear direction as the vehicle travels extends from a front position in the vehicle front-rear direction to a rear position from the wheel center of the tire-equipped wheel. So, arranged in the wheel house,
Airflow inlet in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle front of the air flow passage is a top azimuth location than the upper SL wheel center, and air flow that is occurring in the air flow passage, flows into the wheel in a house with the running of the vehicle Placed in a position where the airflow can be sucked into the airflow passage and directed backward in the vehicle longitudinal direction,
The airflow outlet at the vehicle longitudinal direction rearward position of the airflow passage is in a region above a line extending substantially 45 degrees obliquely below the wheel center when viewed in the rotation axis direction of the wheel with tire, and It arrange | positions in the position where the exit airflow from the said airflow exit is excluded outside the said wheel house, drawing in the airflow which generate | occur | produced with rotation of the said wheel with a tire.
In the second aspect of the invention, the duct passage type airflow passage having a closed cross-sectional shape for directing the airflow flowing into the wheel house rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction is rearward from the front position in the vehicle front-rear direction than the wheel center of the wheel with tire. Arranged in the wheel house to extend over the position,
An airflow inlet at a front position in the vehicle front-rear direction of the airflow passage is positioned above the wheel center.

Each In the wheel house structure according the first and second invention is obtained exerts the following effects.
As the vehicle travels, the airflow passage generates an airflow from an airflow inlet located at a front position in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the wheel center of the wheel with tire to a rear position in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the wheel center.

This airflow directs the airflow that has flowed into the wheel house from the front of the vehicle from the airflow inlet along the airflow passage to the rear in the vehicle front-rear direction.
By the way, since the airflow inlet of the airflow passage is positioned at a position in front of the wheel center in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and above the wheel center, air that tends to stay in this position after flowing into the wheelhouse The vehicle can be reliably directed to the rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the inlet through the airflow passage, and the air that has flowed into the wheel house can be quickly removed toward the rear of the vehicle in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

Further, the airflow passage extends from the front position in the vehicle front-rear direction to the rear position from the wheel center, so that the rear end in the vehicle front-rear direction of the airflow passage is rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction from the wheel center. To be located,
After flowing into the wheel house, the air flow directed backward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle through the air flow passage is accompanied by the air flow generated with the rotation of the wheel with the tire at a stage where the flow velocity after the generation is still relatively low. The vehicle can go rearward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and is removed out of the wheel house with the airflow generated with the rotation of the wheel with the tire.

Thus, the air flow enters the wheel house, the air flow with generated with the rotation of the tyred wheel, separated into collision to Rukoto without another as both mutually disturb the airflow, rectification under Will be excluded from the wheel house.

As described above, according to the present invention, the air that has flowed into the wheel house can be quickly removed from the wheel house by moving it toward the rear in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the air flow that has entered the wheel house, And, because the air flow generated with the rotation of the wheel with tires can be separated from each other and excluded from the wheel house under rectification,
The residence time of the air in the wheel house is short and the replacement of the air is smooth, the cooling performance of the heat generating part in the wheel house can be improved, and the above problem can be solved.

1 is a side view showing a structure inside a wheel house of a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention when viewed in a wheel axis direction. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the structure inside the wheel house shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from above the vehicle. FIG. 3 is a front view showing the structure inside the wheel house shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 when viewed from the front of the vehicle. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the structure inside the wheel house shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 when viewed in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 3. It is explanatory drawing which shows the generation | occurrence | production condition of the airflow after approaching in a wheel house, and the airflow accompanying rotation of a wheel with a tire. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an arrangement region related to an air flow inlet and an air flow outlet of an air flow passage constituting the wheel house internal structure shown in FIGS. FIG. 5 is a plan view similar to FIG. 2, showing an air flow generation state when there is no airflow passage forming a cooling structure in the wheel house shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 5 is a side view similar to FIG. 1, showing the structure inside the wheel house of the vehicle according to the second embodiment of the present invention as seen in the wheel axis direction. FIG. 9 is a plan view similar to FIG. 2, showing the structure inside the wheel house shown in FIG. 8 as viewed from above the vehicle. FIG. 9 is a side view similar to FIGS. 1 and 8 showing an internal structure of a wheel house of a vehicle according to a third embodiment of the present invention when viewed in the wheel axis direction. FIG. 11 is a plan view similar to FIGS. 2 and 9, showing the wheel house internal structure shown in FIG. 10 as viewed from above the vehicle. FIG. 13 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 4, showing the structure inside the wheel house shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 when viewed in the same direction as indicated by arrow A in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on examples shown in the drawings.
<Configuration of the first embodiment>
1 to 4 show a vehicle wheel house internal structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a side view thereof, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a front view thereof as seen from the front of the vehicle. 4 and 4 are perspective views as seen in the direction of arrow A in FIG.

The vehicle in the present embodiment is an electric vehicle that can run by driving the wheel with tire 1 by individual electric motors.
In-wheel motor unit 2 for each wheel with tire 1 including this electric motor, and wheel 1 with tire are configured as a single body,
The tire-equipped wheel 1 and the in-wheel motor unit 2 thus integrated are housed in a wheel house 5 defined by the wheel house inner panel 3 and the wheel house outer panel 4.

  By the way, the in-wheel motor unit 2 for each wheel 1 with a tire is a heat generating part with a large calorific value, and the inside of the wheel house 5 containing the wheel 1 with a tire having the in-wheel motor unit 2 is It is necessary that the in-wheel motor unit 2 that is a heat generating portion can be reliably and effectively cooled so that it does not become high temperature even if it exists.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the side wall surface 3a of the wheel house inner panel 3 that faces the wheel 1 with the tire in the axial direction, that is, the wheel width of the inner wall surface of the wheel house that defines the wheel house 5, is wider than the wheel 1 with the tire. The wheel house side wall surface in the direction inward (vehicle compartment side) is processed, and the airflow passage 6 is formed integrally with the side wall surface 3a of the wheel house inner panel 3.

Thus, the airflow passage 6 provided in the wheel house 5 is formed in a groove shape that opens toward the inner surface in the vehicle width direction of the wheel 1 with a tire, from the front position in the vehicle front-rear direction than the wheel center C of the wheel 1 with a tire. The wheel center C extends beyond the vehicle longitudinal direction rearward position.
Then, the airflow inlet 6a at the front position in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the airflow passage 6 is positioned above the wheel center C, and the airflow outlet 6b at the rearward position in the vehicle front-rear direction of the airflow passage 6 is set in the rotational axis direction of the tired wheel 1 In view of this, it is positioned in a region above a line extending approximately 45 degrees obliquely below the wheel center C.

On the other hand, an air guide 7 for guiding the traveling wind (air flow) into the wheel house 5 while the vehicle is traveling is provided in the wheel house outer panel 4 in front of the tired wheel 1.
In addition, an air guide 9 is provided that guides the outlet airflow from the airflow outlet 6b of the airflow passage 6 to the lower side of the rear bumper 8 (outside the vehicle body outer shaping surface).

  Here, the reason why the airflow inlet 6a of the airflow passage 6 is positioned in front of the wheel center C in the vehicle front-rear direction and above the wheel center C as described above will be described.

FIG. 5 shows an air flow after entering the wheel house during traveling at a vehicle speed of 60 km / h, and an air flow generated as the tire-equipped wheel 1 rotates.
As shown by arrow B in FIG. 5, the air flow that entered the former wheel house rises along the tire outer peripheral surface in front of the wheel 1 with the tire while maintaining the rectified state to the level L,
The air flow generated along with the rotation of the latter wheel 1 with the tire rises along the tire outer peripheral surface from the rear of the ground contact surface of the wheel 1 with the tire as indicated by an arrow G in FIG.

  However, the air flow B that entered the wheel house then tends to stay in the vicinity of the position directly above the wheel center C as indicated by an arrow D in FIG. 5, and then again with tires as indicated by an arrow E in the same figure. Along the outer peripheral surface of the wheel 1, the vehicle heads downward from near the position directly above the wheel center C.

  The stagnation of the air flow indicated by the arrow D in FIG. 5 makes it impossible to smoothly exchange the air in the wheel house, and consequently reduces the cooling efficiency of the heat source (in-wheel motor unit 2) in the wheel house.

In order to improve the cooling efficiency of the heat source (in-wheel motor unit 2), it is better to quickly draw out the staying air flow as shown by arrow D in FIG. .
From this point of view, in this embodiment, the airflow inlet 6a of the airflow passage 6 is the above-described airflow retention region indicated by F in FIG. 6, that is, in front of the wheel center C in the vehicle front-rear direction and above the wheel center C. To be located.

  Next, as described above, the airflow outlet 6b of the airflow passage 6 is rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the wheel center C and approximately 45 degrees below the wheel center C when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis of the wheel 1 with a tire. The reason why it is located in the region above the extending line will be described.

  As indicated by arrow G in FIG. 5, the air flow rising along the tire outer peripheral surface from the rear of the tire contact surface along with the rotation of the wheel with tire 1 is equivalent to the vehicle speed corresponding to the vehicle speed corresponding to the speed of the air flow indicated by arrow E in FIG. Since it becomes faster, it can only rise to level H (a line extending approximately 45 degrees obliquely below the wheel center C as seen in the direction of the rotation axis of the wheel 1 with a tire).

  The air flow indicated by the arrow G in FIG. 5 generated along with the rotation of the wheel 1 with the tire is immediately after the generation and the flow velocity is still relatively low. At this stage, the air flow exits from the air flow outlet 6b of the air flow passage 6. The vehicle can be moved backward and forward in the vehicle front-rear direction while being drawn by the exit airflow, and can be removed out of the wheel house 5.

Thus, the outlet airflow from the airflow passage 6 (airflow outlet 6b) (the airflow that has entered the wheelhouse by traveling) draws the airflow G accompanying the rotation of the wheel 1 with the tire and moves outside the wheelhouse 5. If you want to be excluded
The air flow that has entered the wheel house 5 by traveling and the air flow generated by the rotation of the wheel 1 with the tire are separated without colliding with each other so as to disturb the air flow, and the wheel under rectification It is excluded outside the house 5, and the replacement of the air in the wheel house 5 can be promoted to increase the cooling efficiency in the wheel house 5.

From this point of view, in this embodiment, the airflow outlet 6b of the airflow passage 6 disposed behind the wheel center C in the vehicle front-rear direction is within the region indicated by J in FIG. 6, that is, as the tire-equipped wheel 1 rotates. In the region above the upper limit level of the generated air flow G (line H extending substantially 45 degrees obliquely below the wheel center C when viewed in the direction of the rotation axis of the wheel 1 with a tire), preferably from the wheel center C Is also located in the lower region.
That is, the line H extending the airflow outlet 6b of the airflow passage 6 rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the wheel center C and approximately 45 degrees below the wheel center C when viewed in the rotational axis direction of the wheel 1 with a tire. It is located in a region above (preferably below the wheel center C).

<Operational effects of the first embodiment>
Before describing the operational effects of the first embodiment described above, the problems that occur when the measures of the first embodiment are not taken (when the airflow passage 6 is not installed) as shown in FIG. 7 will be described first.
While the vehicle is traveling, traveling air (air flow) is guided into the wheel house 5 by the air guide 7 as indicated by an arrow Y.
On the other hand, while the vehicle is traveling, an air flow Z opposite to the air flow Y is generated as the tire-equipped wheel 1 rotates.

When no air flow control is performed, the air flow Y flowing into the wheel house 5 and the air flow Z generated by the rotation of the wheel 1 with the tire are mutually in front and above the wheel center. Collide with each other.
This collision disturbs the air flow in the wheel house 5 and makes it difficult to smoothly discharge the vehicle traveling wind that has flowed into the wheel house 5 out of the wheel house 5.
As a result, the air residence time in the wheel house 5 becomes longer, the cooling performance in the wheel house 5 decreases, and there arises a problem that the cooling of the in-wheel motor unit 2 that is a heat generating part becomes insufficient.

The first embodiment described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 can solve this problem by the following operation.
As the vehicle travels, the airflow path 6 is directed from the airflow inlet 6a at the front position in the vehicle front-rear direction relative to the wheel center C of the wheel 1 with tire to the airflow outlet 6b at the position rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction from the wheel center C. Create an air current.

The airflow from the airflow inlet 6a to the airflow outlet 6b through the airflow passage 6 is guided by the air guide 7 mainly from the front of the vehicle and flows into the wheel house 5 as shown by arrows α in FIGS. From the air flow inlet 6a along the air flow passage 6 to the air flow outlet 6b (rear in the vehicle front-rear direction),
The outlet airflow exiting from the airflow outlet 6b is guided under the rear bumper 8 (outside the vehicle body outer shaping surface) under the guidance of the air guide 9, and is excluded outside the vehicle.

By the way, because the airflow inlet 6a of the airflow passage 6 is positioned at the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction from the wheel center C and above the wheel center C,
As described above with reference to arrow D in FIG. 5, the air that tends to stay in this position after flowing into the wheel house 5 can be reliably directed from the air flow inlet 6a through the air flow passage 6 to the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The air that has flowed into the house 5 can be quickly removed from the wheel house 5 while being directed rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction.

Further, the airflow passage 6 extends from the front position in the vehicle front-rear direction to the rear position from the wheel center C, so that the airflow outlet 6b in the vehicle front-rear direction rearward of the airflow path 6 from the wheel center C. Will be located at the rear of the vehicle,
Further, as described above with reference to FIG. 6, the air flow outlet 6b of the air flow path 6 is in the region above the line H extending substantially 45 degrees obliquely below the wheel center C when viewed in the rotation axis direction of the wheel 1 with a tire. (Preferably in the area below the wheel center C)
After flowing into the wheel house 5, the air flow α directed to the rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction by the air flow passage 6 is the air flow generated along with the rotation of the wheel with the tire as indicated by the arrow β, and the flow velocity after the generation is The vehicle can still move backward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle while being pulled in at a relatively low stage, and can be excluded from the wheel house 5 with the air flow β generated with the rotation of the wheel 1 with a tire.

  As a result, the air flow α entering the wheel house 5 and the air flow β generated by the rotation of the wheel 1 with the tire are separated from each other without colliding so as to disturb the air flow. Then, it will be excluded outside the wheel house 5 under rectification.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the air α that has flowed into the wheel house 5 can be quickly removed from the wheel house 5 to the rear in the vehicle front-rear direction,
Since the air flow α entering the wheel house 5 and the air flow β generated with the rotation of the wheel 1 with a tire can be separated from each other and excluded from the wheel house 5 under rectification,
The residence time of the air in the wheel house 5 is short and the replacement of the air is smooth, which can improve the cooling performance of the in-wheel motor unit 2 which is a heat generating part in the wheel house 5 and solve the above problems. can do.

In the first embodiment, furthermore, by providing an air guide 7 that guides the traveling wind (air flow) from the front of the vehicle into the wheel house 5 while the vehicle is traveling,
The amount of traveling wind (air flow) introduced into the wheel house 5 is increased, and the cooling performance in the wheel house 5 (in-wheel motor unit 2) can be further enhanced.

  In the present embodiment, even if the amount of traveling wind (air flow) introduced into the wheel house 5 increases in this way, the air flow α that has entered the wheel house 5 due to the above-described action of the air flow passage 6. And, the air flow β generated with the rotation of the wheel with tire 1 can be kept separated from each other while being in a rectified state, and the air flow is disturbed by the collision of these air flows, and the above-mentioned effect can not be obtained. Evil can be avoided.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the airflow passage 6 is installed, the side wall surface 3a of the wheel house inner panel 3 facing the wheel 1 with the tire in the axial direction, that is, the wheel house inner wall surface defining the wheel house 5 is the tire. Since the wheel house side wall surface in the vehicle width direction inner side (vehicle compartment side) than the attached wheel 1 is processed, and the airflow passage 6 is integrally formed on the side wall surface 3a of the wheel house inner panel 3,
In addition to being able to install the airflow passage 6 at a low cost, the following effects can also be achieved.

That is, when integrally forming the airflow passage 6 on the wheel house side wall surface (side wall surface 3a of the wheel house inner panel 3),
The airflow passage 6 is located near the in-wheel motor unit 2 (heat generation source) disposed in the vicinity of the wheel house side wall surface (side wall surface 3a of the wheel house inner panel 3),
The airflow α passing through the airflow passage 6 efficiently exchanges heat with the in-wheel motor unit 2 (heat generation source), and the cooling performance can be further improved.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, if the airflow passage 6 is inclined so as to decrease in level as it goes rearward, mud etc. can be prevented from accumulating in the groove-shaped airflow passage 6 and the rust prevention performance can be improved. Can do.
Of the side walls forming the groove shape of the airflow passage 6, a lower side wall is provided with a through-hole that does not interfere with the above-described action, thereby further enhancing the rust prevention performance of the airflow passage 6 and durability. Can be improved.

<Configuration of the second embodiment>
8 and 9 show the structure inside the wheel house of the vehicle according to the second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a side view similar to FIG. 1, and FIG. 9 is a plan view similar to FIG.
In the present embodiment, the outlet airflow outlet path 11 is provided in the vehicle body (bumper 9) so as to be aligned with the airflow outlet 6b at the vehicle longitudinal direction rearward position of the airflow path 6, and the rear end of the outlet airflow outlet path 11 far from the airflow outlet 6b. Is opened to the outside (rear) of the vehicle body outside shaping surface (bumper 9).

Thus, the outlet airflow deriving path 11 serves to guide the outlet airflow emitted from the airflow outlet 6b of the airflow passage 6 to the outside (rear) of the vehicle body outer shaping surface,
Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the air guide 9 provided in the first embodiment is omitted.

<Operational effects of the second embodiment>
Since the second embodiment has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 except for the above, it can achieve all the operational effects of the first embodiment described above and can also achieve the following operational effects. is there.

In other words, the outlet airflow outlet path 11 provided to communicate with the airflow outlet 6b of the airflow passage 6 and open to the outside (rear) of the vehicle body outside shaping surface (bumper 9) flows into the wheel house 5 and then flows into the airflow passage. In order to eliminate the air flow α guided by 6 to the outside of the wheel house 5 due to the differential pressure between the dynamic pressure and the negative pressure generated outside (rear) of the vehicle body outside shaping surface (bumper 9),
The efficiency of eliminating the air in the wheel house 5 is increased, and the air in the wheel house 5 can be replaced at a higher speed, and the cooling performance in the wheel house 5 (in-wheel motor unit 2) is further improved. be able to.

<Configuration of the third embodiment>
10 to 12 show a structure inside a wheel house of a vehicle according to a third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 10 is a side view similar to FIGS. 1 and 8, and FIG. 11 is a plane similar to FIGS. FIG. 12 and FIG. 12 are perspective views similar to FIG.
In this embodiment, the groove opening portion of the airflow passage 6 formed into a groove shape is closed with a cover 12 made of, for example, a resin, so that the airflow passage 6 becomes a duct passage having a closed cross-sectional shape.

Thus, the cover 12 has a size and a shape that do not block the airflow inlet 6a at the front position in the vehicle front-rear direction and the airflow outlet 6b at the rear position in the vehicle front-rear direction of the airflow passage 6,
As a result, the air flow α that has entered the wheel house 5 enters the airflow passage 6 from the airflow inlet 6a and exits from the airflow outlet 6b through the airflow passage 6 in the same manner as each of the embodiments described above.

  Then, an opening 13 is provided at the end of the cover 12 near the airflow outlet 6b of the airflow passage 6, and the airflow β generated with the rotation of the wheel 1 with tire is converted into the airflow α in the airflow passage 6 (duct passage). Thus, the air can be sucked into the airflow passage 6 (duct passage) through the opening 13.

<Operational effects of the third embodiment>
Since the third embodiment has the same configuration as the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 except for the above, it can achieve all the operational effects of the second embodiment described above, and can also achieve the following operational effects. is there.

That is, by closing the groove opening portion of the airflow passage 6 formed into a groove shape with the cover 12, the airflow passage 6 is configured as a duct passage having a closed cross-sectional shape.
The airflow α passing through the airflow passage 6 can be prevented from being slightly buffered with the airflow in the wheel house 5, and the air exchange efficiency in the wheelhouse 5 is reduced to the limit due to the disturbance of the airflow. The cooling efficiency in the wheel house 5 (in-wheel motor unit 2) can be maximized.

In this embodiment, the groove opening of the airflow passage 6 is closed with the cover 12, and the airflow passage 6 is configured as a duct passage.
An opening 13 is provided at the end of the cover 12 close to the airflow outlet 6b, and the airflow α in the airflow passage 6 (duct passage) passes through the opening 13, and the airflow β accompanying the rotation of the wheel 1 with the tire is passed through the airflow passage 6. Since it can be sucked into the (duct passage),
The air flow β that accompanies the rotation of the wheel 1 with the tire does not collide with the air flow in the wheel house 5 and stays there, and this staying air reduces the cooling performance in the wheel house 5 (in-wheel motor unit 2). It does not cause any negative effects.

<Other examples>
In each of the illustrated examples, the case where the wheel house internal structure of the present invention is used for the electric vehicle in which the in-wheel motor unit 2 exists as a heat source in the wheel house 5 is described. Even if not, the vehicle generally houses a brake unit such as a disc brake unit or a drum brake unit for each wheel in the wheel house 5, and this brake unit is a heat source that generates frictional heat. Needless to say, the internal structure of the wheel house of the present invention is useful for increasing the cooling efficiency.

  In each illustrated example, the air guide 7 is provided in order to efficiently guide the traveling wind into the wheel house 5. However, the air guide 7 is not essential and the traveling wind is guided into the wheel house 5 without the air guide 7. Since the air flow is the same as that described above with reference to FIG. 5, it is a matter of course that the various functions and effects described above can be achieved without the air guide 7.

1 Wheel with tire
C Wheel center
2 In-wheel motor unit (heat source)
3 Wheelhouse inner panel
3a Wheelhouse inner panel side wall (wheelhouse side wall)
4 Wheelhouse outer panel
5 Wheelhouse
6 Airflow passage
6a Air inlet
6b Air outlet
7 Air guide
8 Rear bumper (car body exterior molding surface)
9 Air guide
11 Outlet air outlet
12 Airflow passage cover
13 opening

Claims (8)

A wheel house side wall surface that is inward in the vehicle width direction of the tire-equipped wheel and faces the tire-equipped wheel in an axial direction so as to accommodate a tire-equipped wheel having a heat generating portion; and an upper outer peripheral portion of the tire-equipped wheel; In the wheel house structure of the vehicle defined by the peripheral wall surface of the wheel house,
The wheel house is configured such that an airflow passage that generates an airflow in the vehicle longitudinal direction rearward as the vehicle travels extends from a front position in the vehicle longitudinal direction to a rear position from the wheel center of the wheel with tire. Arranged in the inside,
Airflow inlet in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle front of the air flow passage, said a top bearing location than the wheel center, and air flow that is occurring in the air flow passage is flowed into the wheel house due to the traveling of the vehicle Arranged at a position where the airflow can be sucked into the airflow passage and directed backward in the vehicle longitudinal direction,
The airflow outlet at the vehicle longitudinal direction rearward position of the airflow passage is in a region above a line extending substantially 45 degrees obliquely below the wheel center when viewed in the rotation axis direction of the wheel with tire, and A structure inside a wheel house of a vehicle, characterized in that the outlet air flow from the air flow outlet is disposed at a position where the air flow generated by the rotation of the wheel with the tire is taken out of the wheel house while being drawn out. . In the structure of the vehicle wheel house according to claim 1,
Wheel house structure for a vehicle, characterized in that the air flow generated along with the vehicle running is provided an air guide guiding Kutame within the wheel house. In the structure of the vehicle wheel house according to claim 1 or 2,
The air flow passage, prior to processing the Kiho eel house side wall, wheel house structure for a vehicle, characterized in that are integrally molded into the wheel house side wall. In the structure of the vehicle wheel house according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Wheel house structure for a vehicle, characterized in that a outlet airflow outlet passage leading to the outside of the vehicle body outer shaping surfaces an exit stream from the air outlet of the air flow passage. In the structure of the vehicle wheel house according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A structure in a wheel house of a vehicle, wherein the air flow passage is a duct passage having a closed cross-sectional shape. In the structure of the vehicle wheel house according to claim 5,
A structure inside a wheel house of a vehicle, characterized in that an opening is provided in the middle of the duct passage forming the air flow passage for sucking an air flow generated by the rotation of the wheel with a tire by the air flow in the duct passage. . A wheel house side wall surface that is inward in the vehicle width direction of the tire-equipped wheel and faces the tire-equipped wheel in an axial direction so as to accommodate a tire-equipped wheel having a heat generating portion; and an upper outer peripheral portion of the tire-equipped wheel; In the wheel house structure of the vehicle defined by the peripheral wall surface of the wheel house,
A duct passage type airflow passage having a closed cross-sectional shape for directing the airflow flowing into the wheel house rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction extends from the front position in the vehicle front-rear direction to the rear position from the wheel center of the wheel with tire. To be present in the wheel house,
A structure inside a wheel house of a vehicle , wherein an airflow inlet at a front position in the vehicle front-rear direction of the airflow passage is positioned above the wheel center . In the vehicle wheel house internal structure according to claim 7,
  A structure inside a wheel house of a vehicle, characterized in that an opening is provided in the middle of the duct passage forming the air flow passage for sucking an air flow generated by the rotation of the wheel with a tire by the air flow in the duct passage. .

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