JPH04135950A - Automobile front part car body structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an automobile front part car body structure with a defroster built in, by equipping a hot air passage that discharges hot air from a heater unit provided on the car room side of the windshield, toward the surface of the windshield from the car outside. CONSTITUTION:A panel member 10 is formed by being fitted to the lower surface side of the inner panel 3b of a bonnet 3. A hot air chamber 11 communicates with the closed space 9 of the rear of the bonnet 3 trough an opening 12 formed at the panel 3b. A plurality of openings 15 are provided on the rear end side of the panel 3b, and the chamber 11 is connected with the car outside. The butting of the front end of a hot air passage 20 is made so as to cover the opening 19 of the rear of the member 10. Hot air from a heater unit 31 is blown against the outer surface of the windshield 2 through a cowl member 30 closed space 29, a duct 28, a defroster box 25, the passage 20, the hot air chamber 11 of the member 10, the closed space 9 of the bonnet 10 and openings 15.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to the front body structure of an automobile, and more particularly to an improved structure of a defroster that is provided near the bottom of a windshield and blows warm air onto the windshield. .

(Prior Art) In the structure of a windshield defroster, a device is conventionally known that defogs the windshield by blowing warm air from a heater unit onto the inner surface of the windshield. For example, Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 2-29818 discloses a known example of the structure of such a windshield defroster.

It is also known to supply warm water to the outer surface of a windshield in cold regions to remove water droplets and the like adhering to the glass surface.

(Problem to be Solved) However, the method that blows hot air onto the inner surface of the windshield has little effect on removing fog, and moreover cannot effectively remove water droplets adhering to the outer surface.

Furthermore, a device that supplies hot water to the outer surface of the windshield requires a large-scale device, which is disadvantageous in terms of cost.

The present invention was designed with these circumstances in mind, and incorporates a defroster that can effectively remove fogging from the windshield or thaw the surface of the windshield that has become frozen due to snow etc. The purpose is to provide a front body structure for an automobile.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the apparatus of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, the front body structure of an automobile according to the present invention includes a heater unit disposed on the passenger compartment side of the windshield, and a heater unit connected to the hot air discharge side of the heater unit and extending below the windshield toward the front of the vehicle body. The present invention is characterized in that it includes a hot air passageway that guides hot air from the heater unit so as to be discharged from the outside of the vehicle toward the surface of the windshield.

The hot air passage described above is provided as a branch duct of a normal duct that sends hot air from the heater unit into the vehicle interior.

In a preferred embodiment, the front body structure further includes a dash panel that partitions a passenger compartment side and an engine compartment side,
The heater unit is arranged on the vehicle interior side of the dash panel, and the hot air passage passes through the dash panel and extends toward the engine room side.

Furthermore, preferably, the vehicle includes a cowl box provided below the windshield and having a substantially closed cross-sectional structure, and the hot air passage is provided within the cowl box.

In this case, preferably, an outside air introduction passage for introducing outside air to a blower unit disposed on the vehicle interior side of the dash panel is provided in the cowl box, and a hot air passage is preferably provided in the cowl box.

In another aspect, the warm air passage and the outside air introduction passage communicate with the outside of the vehicle through a cowl box and a closed space formed at the rear end of the hood.

The closed space of the bonnet is preferably formed for a hot air passage and an outside air introduction passage.

Further, the above hot air passage can be separated from the cowl box in the lateral direction of the vehicle body and arranged separately.

In this way, when the bonnet forms part of an outside air introduction system to a blower or the like of an air conditioner, the outer panel of the bonnet is provided with a plurality of slit-like openings that communicate with the outside air.

(Function) According to the present invention, a portion of the hot air from the heater unit that constitutes a part of the air conditioner disposed in the passenger compartment is guided forward under the windshield via the hot air passage. It is then swung upwards and sprayed from below upwards onto the outer surface of the windshield.

The hot air outlet is a closed space formed in the bonnet,
Alternatively, it can be configured using a cowl box or the like.

As a result, warm air can be blown directly onto ice chips and snow that have frozen and adhered to the outer surface of the windshield, thereby increasing the thawing effect and effectively removing fog. As a result, it is possible to solve the problem of damage to wiper blades during cold operation.

In addition, an outside air introduction passage can be provided separately from the above-mentioned hot air passage to introduce outside air to the blower, etc. that constitutes -8 of the air conditioner, and this outside air introduction passage can also be provided using a bonnet or cowl box. It will be done.

(Description of Examples) Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

An embodiment of the front body structure of an automobile according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

1 and 2, the automobile 1 of this example has a windshield 2 and a bonnet 3 extending in front of the windshield 2. Both ends of the windshield 2 are supported by front pillars 4. The front pillar 4 extends downward and forward and is continuous with the fender 5.

The bonnet 3 has an outer panel 3a forming its outer surface and an inner panel 3b connected to the outer panel 3a from the inner surface.

A plurality of slit-shaped openings 6 are formed at the rear end of the outer panel 3a.

Outer panel 3a and inner panel 3 of bonnet 3
b are combined to form a closed cross-sectional structure, and the closed space constituted by both is divided into two closed spaces 8 and 9 by a partition plate 7.

A panel member 10 having a U-shaped recess in cross section is attached to the lower surface of the inner panel 3b, and the inner panel 3b and the panel member 10 form a substantially closed space, that is, a hot air chamber 11. . The hot air chamber 11 communicates with the closed space 9 behind the bonnet 3 through an opening 12 formed in the inner panel 3b. Furthermore, the inner panel 3b has the panel member 10
Cowl box B with inner panel 3b to cover
A cowl inner panel 13 constituting the cowl is attached.

Further, a plurality of openings 15 are provided on the rear end side of the inner panel 3b, opening toward the lower part of the outer surface of the windshield 2, so that the hot air chamber 11 of the panel member 10 communicates with the outside of the vehicle.

A lower end portion of the windshield 2 is supported by a cowl cover panel 17 via a seal member 16. The cowl cover panel 17 has a groove 17d extending forward and downward from the support portion of the windshield 2 and extending laterally, and supports the lower surface of the rear portion of the bonnet 3 at its front end. A sealing member 18 is interposed in this support portion.

An opening 19 is formed at the rear of the panel member 10 that has a U-shaped cross section and extends in the lateral direction of the vehicle body, and the front end of the hot air passage 20 is attached to the rear surface of the panel member 10 with a sealing member so as to cover this opening. 21 and communicates with the hot air chamber 11. Note that a drain opening 10a is provided at the bottom of the panel member 10.

The rear end of the hot air passage 20 is attached to the front surface of a first inclined portion 17a extending rearward and downward of the cowl cover panel 17. First inclined portion 1 of cowl cover panel 17
A horizontal portion 17b extends rearward from the lower end of 7a, and a second inclined portion 17c continues from the rear end. The lower end of the second inclined portion 17c is connected to the upper end of a dash panel 24 that partitions the vehicle interior 22 and the engine room 23.

A defroster box 25 is attached to the rear surface of the first inclined portion 17a of the cowl lever panel 17, that is, on the side of the vehicle interior 22, via a sealing member 26. 1st of
It communicates with the hot air passage 20 through an opening 27 formed in the inclined portion 17a. A duct 28 is connected to the rear end of the defroster box 25, and this duct 28 is curved downward to connect to the second inclined portion 17c of the cowl cover panel 17.
A substantially closed space 29 is formed on the rear side in cooperation with the inclined portion 17c.
The cowl member 30 is connected to the upper surface of the cowl member 30, which is attached to form a cowl member 30.

The lower surface of the cowl member 30 is connected to the heater unit 3
It is connected to the discharge ratio side piping of No. 1.

The closed space 29 of the cowl member 30 is
0 is communicated with the duct 28 through an opening 32 formed on the upper surface thereof, and communicated with the heater unit 31 through an opening 33 provided on the lower surface thereof.

On the top surface of the defroster box 25, the windshield 2
A hot air nozzle 34 for discharging hot air from the heater unit 31 is provided upward from the inner surface of the heater unit 31 .

Furthermore, an on-off valve 3 is provided inside the defroster box 25.
5 is provided so that hot air from the heater unit 31 can be selectively introduced into the hot air nozzle 34 or the hot air passage 20.

Referring to FIG. 3, a sectional view parallel to FIG. 2 of a portion closer to the fender 5 than in FIG. 2 is shown.

In FIG. 3, an opening 14 is provided in the inner panel 3b so that the cowl box B and the closed space 8 of the bonnet 3 communicate with each other. Thereby, the cowl box B communicates with the outside air via the closed space 8 and the slit-shaped opening 6.

A drain opening 36 is provided at a suitable location in the lower part of the cowl inner panel 13, and a drain hose 3 is provided in the opening 36.
7 is connected. Further, an opening 38 is provided at the rear of the cowl inner panel 13, and an outside air introduction passage 39 is connected to this opening so as to communicate therewith.

The duct 39 is connected to the cowl cover panel 17 at the rear end.
It is attached on the cowl cover panel 8 so as to cover the opening 40 provided in the cowl cover panel 8. Duct 39 is a cowl bar.
It communicates with the closed space 41 of the cowl member 30 via the opening 40 of the panel 8 . The closed space 41 is a hot air passage 20
The closed space 29 that communicates with is laterally partitioned.

The space 41 of the cowl member 30 communicates with the cowl box B via a duct 39. At the lower part of the cowl member 30, an air intake pipe 44 of an air conditioning device, ie, a blower unit 43, for blowing outside air into the vehicle interior 22 is attached.

On the compartment 22 side of the intake pipe 44 of the blower unit 43,
An opening 45 is provided and communicates with the vehicle compartment 22. Intake piping 4
An on-off valve 46 for opening and closing the opening 45 is provided inside the blower unit 4, and the intake air of the blower unit 43 is switched between introducing outside air or circulating inside air.

The front end of the duct 39 is in contact with the rear rear surface of the cowl inner panel 13 via a sealing member 47 so as to close the opening 38, thereby ensuring airtightness of the internal space of the duct 39. In this case, the duct 19 is not connected to the cowl inner panel 13.

As shown in FIG. 4, the bonnet 3 is pivotally supported by the fender 5 at both ends via a hinge mechanism 48.

Therefore, as shown by the imaginary line in FIG.
When the cowl box B and the panel member 1o therein are opened, the cowl box B and the panel member 1o therein are separated from the hot air passage 20 and the outside air introduction passage 39 and rotate together with the bonnet 3.

According to the structure of this example as described above, the heater unit 31
The hot air flows through the closed space 29 of the cowl member 30, the duct 28, the defroster box 25, the hot air passage 20, the hot air chamber 11 of the panel member IO, the closed space 9 of the bonnet 3, and the opening 15, and then reaches the outer surface of the windshield 2. sprayed on.

On the other hand, outside air is supplied to the slit opening 6 of the bonnet 3, the cowl box B, the outside air introduction passage 39, and the cowl member 30.
blower unit 4 in the opposite direction to the hot air through the closed space 41 of
3 will be introduced. Note that the hot air is selectively guided toward the hot air nozzle 34 of the defroster box 25 or the hot air passage 2o by the on-off valve 35.

Referring to FIG. 5, a structure according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

In the structure of this example, the rear end of the hot air passage 20 is connected to the second inclined portion 17c of the cowl upper panel 17 and communicates with the closed space 29 of the cowl member 30. therefore,
An on-off valve 35 is also provided inside the closed space 29.

Referring to FIG. 6, another structure of the hot air passage is shown. According to the structure of this example, the inside of the defroster box 25 is divided into upper and lower parts by a partition plate 49, and the on-off valve 35 is divided into upper and lower parts. Provided at the upstream end of the partition plate 49,
The hot air is guided to the hot air nozzle 34 or the hot air passage 20.

Referring to FIG. 7, still another structure of the hot air passage of the present invention is shown.

In the structure of this example, the hot air passage 20 is in direct contact with the inner panel 3b of the bonnet 3 via the seal member 21. Further, a nozzle 50 is attached to the opening 15 of the inner panel 3b for controlling the direction in which hot air is ejected to the outer surface of the windshield 2.

In this case, a drain nozzle 51 is provided at the lowest part of the hot air passage 20.

Referring to FIG. 8, yet another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

In this example, the defroster box 25 is arranged almost directly above the heater unit 31. The cowl box B of this example includes a cowl cover panel 17 and a dash cover panel 52.
and a cowl front panel 53 to form a closed cross-sectional structure. The lower surface of the dash cover panel 52 is joined to the upper end of the dash panel 24 at the front end, and the lower end of the cowl front panel 53, whose upper end is joined to the front end of the cowl cover panel 17, is joined to the upper surface. There is.

The dash bar panel 52 extends rearward above the heater unit 31, extends upward substantially parallel to the delivery piping 31a of the heater unit 31, and has an upper end that extends rearwardly above the heater unit 31.
It is joined to the rear end of the panel 17. The cowl box B, which is formed into a closed cross-sectional structure by the cowl cover panel 17, the dash cover panel 52, and the cowl front panel 53 as described above, is divided into two parts by the partition plate 54, and hot air is supplied into the cowl box B. A chamber 11 is formed. The hot air chamber 11 has a hot air passage 20
This communicates with the delivery pipe 31a of the heater unit 31.

The partition plate 54 is provided with a drain hole 54a.

The upper surface of the cowl cover panel 17 is provided with a windshield 2 on which a wiper blade 55 is in sliding contact with the bonnet 3.
A nozzle 56 is attached to the lower outer surface of the tube.

Further, the on-off valve 35 is connected to the hot air passage 20 and the heater unit 3.
1 and the delivery pipe 31a.

As described above, in the structure of this example, the hot air is blown onto the outer surface of the windshield 2 without passing through the inside of the bonnet 3. Although not shown, the outside air introduction passage is provided so as to communicate with the cowl box B and the blower unit 43 at a position where it does not interfere with the hot air passage 20 in the lateral direction, as in the previous example.

Referring to FIG. 9, yet another embodiment of the invention is shown.

In the structure of this example, the front end of the cowl cover panel 17 is not connected to the front end of the cowl front panel 53, and therefore the cowl box B is not a closed cross-section structure but a groove-shaped structure, which is a so-called oven cowl structure. It has become.

The front end of the cowl cover panel 17 ends in front of the panel member 10, and the upper side of the cowl cover panel 17 has a
A cowl garnish 5 extends forward from the outer surface of the lower end of the windshield 2 substantially parallel to the cowl cover panel 17.
7 is provided, and the tip of the cowl garnish 57 is in contact with the vertical portion of the cowl front panel 53 via a seal member 58.

A panel member 10 is joined to the lower surface of the cowl garnish 57 to form a hot air chamber 11. The hot air chamber 11 is located in the opening 57 of the cowl garnish 57.
The opening 57a communicates with the outside air through the opening 57a, and warm air is guided to the outer surface of the windshield 2 through the space between the opening 57a and the bonnet 3.

Note that the upper end of the cowl front panel 53 is connected to the seal member 1.
8 to the lower surface of the bonnet 3 to prevent hot air from flowing backward.

FIG. 10 further shows another structure of this example.

In this example, the hot air chamber 11 is not particularly provided,
The hot air passage 20 is connected to the opening 17e of the cowl cover panel 17.
, are connected to the cowl garnish 57 via a seal member 59. The cowl garnish 57 has an opening 57a.
is provided, and a hood 57b is formed to direct warm air toward the outer surface of the windshield 2.

FIG. 11 shows yet another structure of the present invention.

In the structure of this example, the delivery pipe 31a of the heater unit 31 is located above the closed space 29 of the cowl member 30.
The closed space 29 communicates with a defroster box 25 located almost directly above the closed space 29. A hot air passage 20 also communicates with the closed space 29, and the front end of the hot air passage 20 , are connected to the lower surface of the cowl cover panel 17. A nozzle 56 is provided on the upper surface of the cowl cover panel 17 at a position opposite to the hot air passage 20, as in the embodiment shown in FIG.
Warm air is directed toward the lower part of the outer surface of the windshield 2. Even in the structure of this example, the hot air chamber 11 is not particularly provided,
The hot air from the heater unit 31 is blown directly onto the outer surface of the windshield 2 through the hot air passage 20 and the nozzle 56.

By adding the nozzle 56, in addition to increasing the directivity of the hot air, it is also possible to reduce the amount of moisture flowing into the hot air passage 20.

In this example, the first defroster mechanism is located at a position that does not interfere with the defroster mechanism on the outer surface of the windshield in the lateral direction of the vehicle body.
An outside air introduction mechanism as shown in FIG. 2 is provided. In this structure, a panel member 60 is provided that connects the lower surface of the cowl cover panel 17 and the upper end of the dash panel 24,
The cowl cover panel 17 has a closed cross-sectional structure, that is,
An outside air introduction passage 39 is configured. Note that the panel member 60 is provided with a drain nozzle 61.

Referring to FIG. 13, yet another embodiment of the invention is shown.

In the structure of this example, a box member 62 with a nozzle, which has a structure in which the hot air chamber 11 and the nozzle 56 are integrated, is connected to the front end of the hot air passage 20.

The upper end of the box member 62 is connected to the cowl cover panel 17.
and is fixed to the tip of the cowl garnish 57 via a bolt nut 63. In this case, the nozzle opening of the box member 62 is isolated from the upper surface of the cowl garnish 57, and moisture that has entered the cowl box along the upper surface of the cowl garnish 57 is discharged through the drain mechanism in the cowl box B. be done. A projection 62a is provided on the upper surface of the box member 62.
A seal member 64 that contacts the lower surface of the bonnet 3
will be provided. Thereby, it is possible to prevent outside air from leaking to the engine room side when the boost is turned high.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, since the warm air from the heater unit is configured to be blown directly onto the outer surface of the windshield, it is possible to enhance the defogging effect, and also to remove the frozen ice on the outer surface. Debris, snow, etc. can be removed effectively.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the front of an automobile to which the present invention can be applied, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is closer to the fender than the cross section of FIG. 2. 4 is a sectional view showing the hinge mechanism of the bonnet; FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 according to another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing still another modification of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing still another structure, and FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing the structure of still another embodiment of the invention. , FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing still another embodiment, FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing still another embodiment, FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing still another embodiment, and 12th is a sectional view showing still another embodiment. In the embodiment shown in the figure, a sectional view showing an example of an outside air introduction structure provided in a position that does not interfere with the defroster structure of this embodiment in parallel, and FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing the structure of still another embodiment of the present invention. be. 1...Car, 2...Windshield, 3...Bonnet, 4...Front pillar 5...Fender, 6...Slit-shaped opening, 7... Partition plate, 8 and 9...closed space, 10...panel member, 11...hot air chamber, 12...opening, 13...cowl inner panel, 17... Cowl cover panel, 20...hot air passage, 24...dash panel, 25...defroster box, 30...cowl member 31...heater unit. Figure 6 Figure 9 Figure 12 Figure 1 Procedural amendment (method) 1 Display of case 1990 Patent Application No. 259210 2 Title of invention Automobile front body structure 3 Person making the amendment Name of relevant applicant (31, 3) Date of amendment order for Soda Stock 5 January 22, 1991 6 Column 7 for brief explanation of drawings of the specification subject to amendment, Contents of amendment

Claims (6)

[Claims] (1) A heater unit disposed on the passenger compartment side of the windshield, connected to the hot air discharge side of the heater unit and extending below the windshield to the front of the vehicle body to direct warm air from the heater unit from the outside of the vehicle. A front body structure of an automobile, characterized by having a hot air passage that guides hot air to be discharged toward the surface of a windshield. (2) It further includes a dash panel that partitions the passenger compartment side and the engine room side, the heater unit is placed on the passenger compartment side of the dash panel, and the hot air passage passes through the dash panel and extends to the engine compartment side. The front vehicle body structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: (3) Claim 1, further comprising a cowl box provided below the windshield and having a substantially closed cross-sectional structure, and the hot air passage is provided within the cowl box.
Front body structure as described. (4) It further includes an outside air introduction passage for introducing outside air to a blower unit provided in the cowl box and arranged on the passenger compartment side of the dash panel, and the hot air passage is provided in the cowl box. 4. The front vehicle body structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: (5) The front vehicle body structure according to claim 4, wherein the warm air passage and the outside air introduction passage communicate with the outside of the vehicle through a cowl box and a closed space formed at the rear end of the bonnet. . (6) Claim 1, further comprising a cowl box provided below the windshield and having a substantially closed cross-sectional structure, and the hot air passage is arranged to be separated from the cowl box in the lateral direction of the vehicle body. Front body structure as described.