JP6693339B2 - Sensor mounting structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a sensor mounting structure.

  Generally, a vehicle transmission is provided with various sensors (for example, a rotation speed sensor and a shift position sensor) that detect the state of the transmission (see Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, the sensor is attached to the case of the transmission, and the connector of the sensor is exposed to the outside of the case. A wire harness is connected to the connector, and the wire harness is further connected to an ECU (Electric Control Unit). As a result, the outputs of various sensors can be input to the ECU.

Japanese Patent No. 4122850

  However, in Patent Document 1, since the connector of the sensor is exposed to the outside, the sensor may be exposed to water due to rain, collision of flying stones, or the like. This can be a factor that affects the life of the sensor and is therefore less preferred.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sensor mounting structure capable of achieving a long life.

  The sensor mounting structure according to the present invention is a sensor mounting structure mounted on a transmission case of a vehicle, and includes a pair of side frames forming a vehicle body frame and a mount bracket for mounting the transmission case on the side frame. And a recess for accommodating the sensor is formed in the transmission case, and the transmission case is such that the recess faces one side frame between the pair of side frames. And the mount bracket is arranged so as to cover the recess and the sensor.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to extend the life of the sensor attached to the transmission case.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a vehicle including a transmission according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a left side view of a transmission to which the sensor mounting structure according to the present embodiment is applied. FIG. 3 is a left side view of the transmission in which a part of the configuration is omitted from FIG. 2. It is a top view of the transmission case which concerns on this Embodiment. FIG. 3 is a front view of the transmission case according to the present embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following, an example in which the sensor mounting structure according to the present invention is applied to a transmission of a four-wheeled vehicle will be described, but the application target is not limited to this and can be changed. Regarding the direction, the front of the vehicle is indicated by arrow FR, the rear of the vehicle is indicated by arrow RE, the right of the vehicle is indicated by arrow R, the left of the vehicle is indicated by arrow L, and the upper side of the vehicle is indicated by UP. In addition, in each of the following drawings, a part of the configuration is omitted for convenience of description.

  With reference to FIG. 1, a schematic configuration around the transmission according to the present embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a four-wheeled motor vehicle 1 is configured by supporting a power train 5 including an engine 3 and a transmission 4 on a pair of left and right side frames 2L and 2R that form a vehicle body frame. The pair of side frames 2L, 2R extend in the vehicle front-rear direction so as to sandwich the left and right sides of the power train 5. Further, the engine 3 and the transmission 4 are arranged side by side between the pair of side frames 2L, 2R. In the present embodiment, the transmission 4 is attached to the left side of the engine 3.

  The engine 3 and the transmission 4 are mounted on the side frames 2L, 2R via mount members such as mount brackets 6L, 6R. The mounting brackets 6L and 6R are provided at the right end of the engine 3 and the left end of the transmission 4, respectively. The detailed configuration of mounting the transmission 4 on the side frame 2L will be described later.

  The engine 3 is, for example, a gasoline engine, and various components such as a crankshaft (both not shown) are housed in an engine case. The axial direction of the crankshaft is oriented in the vehicle width direction (left-right direction). The engine 3 is not limited to the gasoline engine, but may be another type of engine such as a diesel engine.

  The transmission 4 is, for example, a multi-stage automatic transmission, and various components are housed in a transmission case 40. Specifically, the transmission case 40 includes a right case 41 and a left case 42 that are divided into right and left parts, and a side cover 43 that covers the left side of the left case 42.

  The transmission case 40 is provided with an input shaft 44 to which power from the engine 3 is input, a counter shaft 45 that rotates by receiving the rotation of the input shaft 44 (both see FIG. 2), and the like. The axial direction of these various shafts is oriented in the vehicle width direction like the crankshaft. In a side view, the input shaft 44 is arranged substantially in the center of the side cover 43, and the counter shaft 45 is arranged behind the input shaft 44 (see FIG. 2 or 3). The transmission 4 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may be another type of transmission such as a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) or a manual transmission.

  Further, a sensor 7 (shift position sensor) (see FIG. 2 or FIG. 3) that detects the current gear stage is attached to the transmission case 40. The sensor 7 is composed of, for example, a magnetic sensor such as a Hall element, and can detect a shift position from a change in voltage. The sensor 7 is attached such that a detection body (not shown) is oriented inside the transmission case 40, while the female connector portion 7 a is exposed to the outer surface of the transmission case 40.

  The male connector portion 8a of the wire harness 8 is connected to the female connector portion 7a, and the wire harness 8 is connected to an ECU (Electric Control Unit) not shown. As a result, the output of the sensor 7 can be input to the ECU. The sensor 7 is not limited to the shift position sensor and may be another sensor such as a rotation speed sensor that detects various states in the transmission 4.

  By the way, when the sensor is attached to the transmission case, the connector is exposed to the outside of the transmission case, so that water such as rain adheres to the sensor, or flying objects such as flying stones collide with the sensor. May occur. For this reason, it is preferable that the sensor is protected as much as possible. For example, it is conceivable to cover the sensor with a separate cover. However, providing a dedicated cover not only increases the number of parts, but also increases the number of assembling steps and causes a cost increase.

  Further, since the transmission is arranged adjacent to the engine, it receives a predetermined vibration from the engine. Vibrations that can be received from the engine include, for example, vibrations associated with the reciprocating motion of the piston and vibrations associated with the rotation of the crankshaft. In addition, a predetermined vibration may be generated by the shift fork and the sleeve provided on each shaft in the transmission sliding in the axial direction according to the shift.

  As described above, various vibration components are transmitted to the transmission in an overlapping manner, so that the sensor cannot receive accurate vibration due to these vibrations, and further, the life of the sensor may be affected.

  Therefore, the present inventors have conceived the present invention by paying attention to the positional relationship between the location of the sensor attached to the transmission and the body frame and its peripheral configuration. Specifically, a recess 46 (see FIG. 2) for housing the sensor 7 is formed in the transmission case 40 at a position where the one side frame 2L and the transmission case 40 face each other. A mount bracket 6L is provided so as to cover the recess 46 and the sensor 7 housed in the recess 46, and the transmission 4 is supported by the side frame 2L.

  According to this configuration, the sensor 7 is housed in the recess 46, so that the transmission case 40 surrounds the sensor 7. Further, since the recess 46 faces the side frame 2L, the sensor 7 can be covered with the side frame 2L. Furthermore, the recess 46 and the sensor 7 can be covered by the mount bracket 6L. Therefore, the sensor 7 can be covered with the existing configuration without separately providing a dedicated cover, and the sensor 7 can be protected from rainwater and flying objects.

  Further, since the recess 46 is formed in the transmission case 40, the rigidity around the sensor 7 can be increased and the vibration transmitted to the sensor 7 can be suppressed. Further, since the mount bracket 6L can be arranged near the sensor 7, the transmission case 40 around the sensor 7 can be firmly fixed. This also makes it difficult to transmit vibration to the sensor 7. As a result, the output of the sensor 7 can be stabilized and the life of the sensor 7 can be extended.

  Next, the sensor mounting structure according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG. 2 is a left side view of a transmission to which the sensor mounting structure according to the present embodiment is applied. FIG. 3 is a left side view of the transmission in which a part of the configuration is omitted from FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a top view of the transmission case according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a front view of the transmission case according to the present embodiment. Note that, in FIG. 2, the side frame is indicated by a chain double-dashed line for convenience of description. Further, in FIG. 3, for convenience of description, the side frame, the engine mount, and the vibration isolating member are omitted from FIG. 2.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the side frame 2L is arranged so as to overlap the upper half portion of the side cover 43 in a side view. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a recess 46 for housing the sensor 7 is formed on the side surface of the side cover 43. The recess 46 is formed above the input shaft 44, and has a step shape that is U-shaped in a side view. The recess 46 is formed so as to be recessed inward in the vehicle width direction from the outer surface of the side cover 43, that is, in the direction away from the side frame 2L in the vehicle width direction.

  The vertical width of the recess 46 is formed so as to fit within the vertical width of the side frame 2L in a side view. Further, on the upper surface of the side cover 43, an upper portion of the recess 46 is opened. Although details will be described later, a pair of bosses (a front fastening portion 47 and a rear fastening portion 48) for fixing the mount bracket 6L are formed on the upper surface of the side cover 43.

  The sensor 7 is attached to a flat surface 46a (see FIG. 4) that is recessed inward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the side surface of the side cover 43. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the sensor 7 is arranged such that the female connector portion 7a faces upward, and the vertical width and front-back width of the sensor 7 are contained within the vertical width and front-back width of the recess 46. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the thickness (horizontal width) of the sensor 7 is accommodated within the depth of the recess 46 in the vehicle width direction. That is, the sensor 7 is arranged inside the outer surface of the side cover 43.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, engine mounts 9L and 9R as a part of mount members are attached to the upper surface of the side frame 2L. The engine mount 9L is formed of, for example, a metal plate-like body, and has a trapezoidal shape with an open center in a side view. The engine mount 9L is provided at a position that covers the upper side of the recess 46 in a side view. The engine mount 9L is fixed to the side frame 2L by bolting the front and rear ends from the upper surface.

  A vibration damping member 90 made of an elastic material such as rubber is attached to the central opening of the engine mount 9L. The anti-vibration member 90 has a through hole 91 formed in the center in a side view and penetrating in the vehicle width direction. Further, the vibration isolator 90 has a pair of legs 92 arranged in the front-rear direction. The vibration isolator 90 is fixed to the engine mount 9L by a pair of legs 92.

  Further, a mount bracket 6L that constitutes a part of the mount member is attached to the upper surface of the side cover 43. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, a pair of bosses (a front fastening portion 47 and a rear fastening portion 48) are formed on the upper surface of the side cover 43. The front fastening portion 47 and the rear fastening portion 48 are formed so as to sandwich the recess 46 in the front and back when seen from above. One screw hole 47a for bolt fastening is formed on the upper surface of the front fastening portion 47, and two screw holes 48a for bolt fastening are formed on the upper surface of the rear fastening portion 48. The mount bracket 6L is provided above the front-side fastening portion 47 and the rear-side fastening portion 48, and is arranged so as to cover the recess 46 in a top view. The mount bracket 6L is fixed to the side cover 43 by screwing a bolt 49 (see FIG. 3) from the upper surface toward the screw holes 47a and 48a.

  In particular, as shown in FIG. 1, the mount bracket 6L has a protrusion 60 that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction in a top view. The transmission 4 is elastically supported with respect to the side frame 2L by press-fitting the protrusion 60 into the through hole 91 of the vibration isolator 90. As a result, the vibration of the power train 5 (see FIG. 1) can be absorbed by the vibration isolator 90.

  By disposing the sensor 7 in the recess 46 in this manner, the periphery of the sensor 7 is covered with the transmission case 40 in a side view. Further, since the recess 46 overlaps the side frame 2L in a side view, the sensor 7 can be covered with the side frame 2L on the left side. Furthermore, the mount bracket 6L can cover the upper side of the sensor 7. As a result, the sensor 7 can be covered with the existing configuration without separately providing a dedicated cover. As a result, the sensor 7 can be protected from rainwater and flying objects without increasing the cost.

  Further, since the recess 46 is formed in the vertical width of the side frame 2L, the side frame 2L and the sensor 7 face each other. As a result, the open space around the sensor 7 can be narrowed, so that rainwater and flying objects can be prevented from entering the space. Therefore, the sensor 7 can be prevented from coming into contact with rainwater and flying objects, and the life of the sensor 7 can be extended.

  Further, the rigidity of the transmission case 40 and its peripheral configuration is increased by the area where the sensor 7 is attached, the step of the side cover 43 formed by the recess 46, the mount bracket 6L, the front fastening portion 47, and the rear fastening portion 48. You can Therefore, the surface vibration of the recess 46 is suppressed, and the sensor 7 can be stably arranged on the side surface of the side cover 43. Thereby, the vibration of the sensor 7 can be suppressed and the life of the sensor 7 can be extended.

  Further, the front fastening portion 47 and the rear fastening portion 48 are formed with ribs 47b and 48b protruding from the side surface of the side cover 43 toward the side frame. The ribs 47b and 48b are formed so as to surround at least a part of the recess 46. Specifically, the ribs 47b and 48b extend in the vertical direction along the step shape of the recess 46. At this time, the sensor 7 is arranged inside the ribs 47b and 48b in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle vertical direction.

  That is, the ribs 47b and 48b project outward from the sensor 7 in the vehicle width direction (see FIG. 4) and have a width larger than the vertical width of the sensor 7 (see FIG. 2 or 3). .. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the sensor 7 is shielded by the ribs 47b and 48b when the vehicle is viewed from the front. Therefore, the protective effect of the sensor 7 can be further enhanced.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, an inclined surface 46b is formed at the lower end of the flat surface 46a that defines the mounting surface of the sensor 7, and is inclined downward toward the vehicle width direction outer side. In this case, even if rainwater or the like enters the concave portion 46, the rainwater flows downward along the inclined surface 46b due to its own weight. Therefore, the drainage property can also be improved.

  Further, on the upper surface of the side cover 43, a portion between the front fastening portion 47 and the rear fastening portion 48 is recessed downward as shown in FIG. On the other hand, the mount bracket 6L is formed in an arch shape between the front fastening portion 47 and the rear fastening portion 48 so as to curve upward in a side view. In this manner, the recess of the side cover 43 and the arch-shaped mount bracket 6L form a predetermined space S on the mating surface of the front bracket 47, the rear fastener 48, and the mount bracket 6L.

  This space S functions as a hole for passing the wire harness 8 connected to the sensor 7. Specifically, the male connector portion 8a of the wire harness 8 is inserted into the female connector portion 7a of the sensor 7 from above. The male connector portion 8a is configured to be attachable / detachable in the same fastening direction as the front fastening portion 47 and the rear fastening portion 48. That is, the attachment / detachment direction of the male connector portion 8a and the fastening direction of the mount bracket 6L (the axial direction of the bolt 49 (see FIG. 3) for fixing the mount bracket 6L to the side cover 43) match.

  In this case, the sensor 7 is sandwiched by the front and rear bolts 49, and the bolt 49 and the sensor 7 are arranged so as to overlap each other in the vertical direction. The male connector portion 8a can be pulled out toward the opening side of the concave portion 46 (direction of arrow W in FIG. 3), and it is not necessary to provide a moving space when the male connector portion 8a is removed. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the width of the recess 46 for disposing the sensor 7 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the space in the recess 46 can be narrowed, and rainwater or the like can be made difficult to enter the recess 46.

  Moreover, since the space S is formed between the side cover 43 and the mount bracket 6L, the wire harness 8 can be passed under the mount bracket 6L. In particular, by passing the wire harness 8 through the space S, it is possible to facilitate the handling of the wire harness 8 while ensuring the bending R of the wire harness 8. Moreover, the total length of the wire harness can be shortened.

  Furthermore, since the wire harness 8 can be disposed apart from the side cover 43 and the mount bracket 6L, even if the wire harness 8 vibrates due to the vibration of the vehicle, the wire harness 8 interferes with the peripheral configuration. There is no. Therefore, the output of the sensor 7 is not affected and the life of the sensor 7 can be extended.

  Moreover, since the side cover 43 is recessed downward to form the space S, the rigidity of the side cover 43 around the space S can be increased. Therefore, it is possible to make it difficult for the vibration to be transmitted to the sensor 7. Particularly, as shown in FIG. 3, a bolt 43 a for fixing the side cover 43 to the left case 42 is fastened between the sensor 7 and the side cover 43 below the space S. As a result, the side cover 43 near the sensor 7 can be firmly fixed, and the vibration prevention effect on the sensor 7 can be further enhanced.

  Further, in order to form the space S, the mount bracket 6L is curved upward between the front fastening portion 47 and the rear fastening portion 48, so that the sensor 7 and the wire harness 8 are mounted on the mount bracket 6L side (upper side). Can be sent to In particular, since the sensor 7 is located above the input shaft 44 and the counter shaft 45, the sensor 7 can be arranged apart from the input shaft 44 and the counter shaft 45. In this way, since it is possible to increase the distance between the various axes that can be a factor of vibration generation and the sensor 7, it is possible to make it difficult to transmit the vibration to the sensor 7.

  In the above embodiment, the size and shape of each configuration illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not limited to this, and can be appropriately changed within the range where the effects of the present invention are exhibited. In addition, the present invention can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the scope of the object.

  For example, although the sensor 7 is attached to the transmission case 40 in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the mounting structure of the sensor 7 according to the present embodiment is also applicable to the mounting structure of the sensor mounted on the engine 3.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the transmission 4 and the engine 3 are arranged side by side in the left and right, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the transmission 4 and the engine 3 may be arranged side by side in the front-rear direction. Further, the transmission 4 may be arranged at any of the front, rear, left and right positions.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the recess 46 is formed on the side surface of the transmission case 40, but the structure is not limited to this. The recess 46 may be formed, for example, on the upper surface or the lower surface of the transmission case 40.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the size of the predetermined space S can be appropriately changed so that the wire harness 8 can pass therethrough. For example, the size of the space S is preferably a size that does not interfere with the peripheral configuration (the mount bracket 6L and the side cover 43) even when the wire harness 8 vibrates.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention has an effect that the life of the sensor can be extended, and is particularly useful for a sensor mounting structure mounted on a transmission case.

1 Automobile (vehicle)
2L side frame 4 transmission 40 transmission case 43 side cover (transmission case)
46 recessed part 47 front side fastening part (a pair of fastening parts)
48 Rear fastening part (a pair of fastening parts)
47b, 48b Rib 6L Mount bracket 7 Sensor 7a Female connector (sensor connector)
8 wire harness 8a male connector (wire harness connector)

Claims (9)

A mounting structure for a sensor mounted on a transmission case of a vehicle,
A pair of side frames that make up the vehicle body frame,
A mount bracket for mounting the transmission case on the side frame;
The transmission case has a recess for accommodating the sensor,
The transmission case is arranged between the pair of side frames so that the recess faces one side frame,
The mounting structure for a sensor, wherein the mount bracket is arranged so as to cover the recess and the sensor.   The sensor mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein the recess is formed within a vertical width of the side frame on a side surface of the transmission case. The recess has an upper opening,
The pair of fastening parts for fixing the mount bracket are formed on the upper surface of the transmission case so as to sandwich the recessed part in front and back when viewed from above. The sensor mounting structure described.   The sensor mounting structure according to claim 3, wherein ribs projecting from a side surface of the transmission case toward the side frame are formed in the pair of fastening portions. The rib is formed so as to surround at least a part of the recess,
The sensor mounting structure according to claim 4, wherein the sensor is arranged inside the rib in a vehicle width direction and a vehicle vertical direction. A wire harness is connected to the sensor,
The sensor mounting structure according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the wire harness has a connector portion configured to be detachable in the same direction as the fastening direction of the fastening portion. The mount bracket is provided on the upper portion of the pair of fastening portions,
The transmission case is recessed downward between the pair of fastening portions,
The sensor mounting structure according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein a predetermined space is formed between the mount bracket and the transmission case.   The sensor mounting structure according to claim 7, wherein the mount bracket is formed so as to be curved upward between the pair of fastening portions.   The sensor mounting structure according to claim 8, wherein the sensor is disposed above the input shaft.

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