JPH04306122A - Air box side part structure for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve drainage by making a tunnel wall connected with the bottom surface part of a side air part extended to a drainage port and whereby communicating the wall with the drainage port on a side panel, by making the opening port area of a communicating port larger than that of the drainage port, and by forming a water flow entrance on the upper surface of a side air part. CONSTITUTION:A tunnel wall 20, the cross sectional shape of which extended to the side of a hood ridge reinforce 19 is hat-shaped and thinner in the point, is formed on the lower part of a vertical wall 18a of a side panel 18 in an integrated manner, and the tunnel is connected to a drainage port 19b of the hood ridge reinforce 19. A flange 20c of the tunnel 20 is connected to the bottom surface of a side air part 18b, so as to form a drainage pass 22 for connecting a communicating port 21 and the drainage port 19b together. The opening port area of the communicating port 21 is larger than that of the drainage port. A water flow entrance 18c is formed in the center of the side air part 18b of the side panel 18, and the water flown into the upper surface is channeled to the drainage port 19c of the hood ridge reinforce 19.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Field of Application] This invention prevents water and engine room odors from entering the vehicle interior through the side structure of a vehicle air box, particularly an outside air inlet, and drains water from the top surface of the air box. This invention relates to a vehicle air box side structure with improved performance.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional vehicle air box side structures include those shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, for example. That is, in this vehicle air box side structure, as shown in FIG. 4, an air box 2 is disposed below the lower end edge 1 of the front window panel along the vehicle width direction. In this air box 2, a closed section is formed by joining the cowl top panel 3 and the dash upper panel 4, and a cowl cover 6 is disposed above the cowl top panel 3.

[0003] Side panels 8 are provided at both ends of the air box 2, and a central space 5a is formed between the side panels 8. And this side panel 8
A communication opening 8b is formed in the lower part of the vertical wall part 8a, and a flange part 8d projecting upward is formed at the end of the upper surface part 8c.
is formed. A flange portion 9c of a hood ridge reinforcement 9 is joined to this flange portion 8d, and a side space portion 5b is formed between the side panel 8 and the hood ridge reinforcement 9. Further, a drain port 9b is formed at the lower end of the vertical wall portion 9a of the hood ridge reinforcement 9, and an end portion 4c of the dash upper panel 4 is inserted into the drain port 9b.

[0004]Furthermore, the side space 5b is connected to a hood ridge space 11b which is disposed on both sides of the engine compartment 10 along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. This hood ridge space 11b is formed by joining the hood ridge upper 11a and the hood ridge reinforcement 9. This hood ridge space 11b communicates with the side space 5b, and also communicates with the engine compartment 10 through an opening 11c provided in the upper hood ridge 11a.

Outside air A1 introduced from the intake port 6a formed in the cowl cover 6 and the opening 3a formed in the upper surface of the cowl top panel 3 passes through the central space 5a, and flows through the bottom surface of the dash upper panel 4. The outside air is introduced into the vehicle interior through an outside air introduction port 4a formed in the portion 4b. This outside air inlet 4a is spaced laterally from the bottom of the opening 3a so that the water (liquid) W that entered together with the outside air A1 from the opening 3a does not enter the vehicle interior.
A flange wall 7 of a predetermined height is provided around the outside air inlet 4a to protrude upward.

[0006] Water W that has now flown into the central space 5a from the cowl top panel 3 flows through the bottom surface 4b of the dash upper panel 4, and flows through the communication opening 8b and the side space 5b.
and is discharged to the outside of the vehicle via the drain port 9b.

[0007] As an example of this type of device, there is one described in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-3773.

[0008]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in such a conventional vehicle air box side structure,
Rainwater W1 accumulates on the upper surface portion 8c of the side panel 8 and the end portion 3b of the cowl top panel 3. For this reason, there is a risk that rust may occur in this portion or that it may run down into the engine room 10.

For example, if the intake port 6a and opening 3a formed in the cowl cover 6 are blocked by snow or the like, a blower motor (not shown) is driven to drain outside air A from the drain port 9b side.
2 may be introduced into the outside air inlet 4a through the communication opening 8b. In this case, since the communication opening 8b is not set to be very large in order to ensure the rigidity of the side panel 8, air flows at a high speed toward the outside air introduction port 4a in the communication opening 8b. Therefore, the water W2 accumulated on the bottom part 4b is scattered by this air flow and flows back.
There is a possibility that the air may cross the flange wall 7 and enter the vehicle interior through the outside air inlet 4a.

Furthermore, the hood ridge space 11b communicates with the side space 5b and also communicates with the engine room 10 through an opening 11c provided in the upper hood ridge 11a. There is a possibility that noise may pass from the side space 5b through the communication opening 8b, flow into the central space 5a, and enter the vehicle interior through the outside air inlet 4a.

[0011] Therefore, the present invention makes it possible to effectively drain the water on the top surface of the air box to the outside of the vehicle, and also prevents the water accumulated on the bottom surface of the air box from flowing back, thereby preventing water from entering from the outside air inlet. A further object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle air box side structure that prevents odor and the like from entering from the engine room.

0012

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention has been made in view of the above problem, and an air box is formed along the vehicle width direction under the lower edge of the front window panel. An opening for introducing outside air is formed, and an outside air introduction port is formed on the bottom of the box to guide the outside air that entered from the opening into the passenger compartment.Side panels are provided at both ends of the air box to A central space is formed between the panels, a hood ridge reinforcement is disposed outside the side panel, a side space is formed between the side panel and the hood ridge reinforcement, and the side space is A hood ridge space formed along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is connected to both sides of the engine room, and furthermore, a hood ridge space formed along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is connected to the bottom of the vertical wall of the side panel.
A side air box for a vehicle in which a communication opening is formed to guide water flowing through the bottom of the air box to the hood ridge reinforcement side, and a drain port is formed in the hood ridge reinforcement to drain water from the communication opening to the outside of the vehicle. In the side panel structure, a tunnel wall is formed on the side panel and extends to the hood ridge reinforcement drain port, and the tunnel wall and the bottom surface of the side space are connected to each other. forming a drainage passage extending from the communication opening to the drain port, and setting the opening area of the communication opening to be larger than the opening area of the drain port;
A vehicle air box side part structure is provided, in which a water inlet is formed in the upper surface of the side space, and a water drain opening is formed to drain water that has flowed into the side space through the water inlet to the outside of the vehicle. It is a feature.

[0013]

[Operation] According to this means, water on the upper surface of the side space first flows into the side space from the water inlet, and this water is drained out of the vehicle from the drain opening. Therefore, rust on the upper surface of the side space and the like and run-off into the engine room are suppressed.

Furthermore, even if the opening on the top surface of the air box is blocked by snow or the like and outside air is introduced from the drain port side, the communication opening on the vertical wall side of the side panel has a larger opening area than the drain port. Because of its large size, even if the flow velocity is high on the drain side, it is slow on the communication opening side, so there is no backflow as in the conventional case, and water does not enter from the outside air inlet.

Furthermore, it invades the hood ridge space,
Odors that reach the side space are blocked by the tunnel wall, so they do not flow into the center space through the communication opening as in the conventional case, and cannot enter the passenger compartment through the outside air inlet. do not have.

Furthermore, even if the communication opening is enlarged, rigidity can be ensured because the tunnel wall is integrally formed in the side panel.

[0017]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be explained below based on examples.

FIGS. 1 to 3 are diagrams showing embodiments of the present invention. The same parts as those of the conventional vehicle air box side structure will be described with the same reference numerals.

First, to explain the configuration, in this embodiment,
An air box 12 is formed below the lower edge 1 of the front window panel along the vehicle width direction. In this air box 12, a cowl top panel 3 and a dash upper panel 4 are joined together, and a cowl cover 6 is disposed above the cowl top panel 3. The cowl cover 6 is provided with an intake port 6a, and an opening 3a for introducing outside air A1 is formed on the cowl top panel 3 side at a position corresponding to the intake port 6a.

[0020] On the air box bottom part 4b is an outside air inlet 4 that guides the outside air A1 entering from the opening 3a into the vehicle interior.
a is formed. This outside air inlet 4a is connected to the opening 3
In order to prevent the water (liquid) W2 that entered the outside air A1 from the outside air A1 from entering the vehicle interior, the opening 3a is spaced laterally from the bottom of the opening 3a, and a flange of a predetermined height is installed around the outside air inlet 4a. A wall 7 is provided to protrude upward.

Further, side panels 18 are attached to both ends of the air box 12, and the cowl top panel 3,
A central space 15a is formed between the dash upper panel 4 and the pair of side panels 18.

Furthermore, a hood ridge reinforcement 19 is provided on the outside of the side panel 18 in the vehicle width direction, and a side space 15b is formed between the side panel 18 and the hood ridge reinforcement 19. There is.

Furthermore, a hood ridge space 11b is formed by joining this hood ridge reinforcement 19 to the hood ridge upper 11a. This hood ridge space 11b is located in the engine room 10.
The hood ridge space 11b is formed on both sides of the vehicle along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the hood ridge space 11b communicates with the side space 15b. The hood ridge space 11b also communicates with the engine compartment 10 through an opening 11c provided in the upper hood ridge 11a.

[0024]The side panel 18 has a vertical wall portion 1.
A tunnel wall 20 having a substantially hat-shaped cross section and a tapered shape extending toward the hood ridge reinforcement 19 is integrally formed in the lower part of the hood 8a, and a flange 20b provided around the tip 20a side of the tunnel wall 20 is connected to the hood. It is joined around the drainage port 19b formed in the ridge reinforcement 19. Furthermore, flanges 20c at both ends of the tunnel wall 20, which have a hat-shaped cross section, are joined to the bottom surface of the side space 15b. As a result, this tunnel wall 2
0 and the bottom surface of the side space 15b, a drainage passage 22 is formed that extends from a communication opening 21 formed on the side panel vertical wall 18a to a drainage port 19b on the hood reinforcement 19 side. Moreover, this drainage passage 22 is
The opening area of the communication opening 21 is set to be larger than the opening area of the drain port 19b.

Furthermore, the upper surface 1 of this side panel 18
A water inlet 18c is formed approximately at the center of 8b (upper surface of the side space).

Furthermore, drain openings 23 are formed on both sides of the drain port 19b of the hood ridge reinforcement 19 for draining water that has flowed into the side space 15b from the water inlet 18c to the outside of the vehicle.

Next, the operation of the air box side structure constructed as described above will be explained. Now cowl cover 6
Outside air A1 introduced from the intake port 6a and the opening 3a of the cowl top panel 3 passes through the central space 15a and is introduced into the vehicle interior via the outside air introduction port 4a of the dash upper panel 4. The water W entering the central space 5a together with the outside air A1 comes into contact with the flange wall 7 and falls onto the bottom surface 4b of the air box 12. Therefore, the water W does not directly enter the vehicle interior through the outside air inlet 4a together with the outside air A1.

The water W2 accumulated on the bottom portion 4b flows into the drainage passage 22 through the communication opening 21 and is drained out of the vehicle through the drainage port 19b.

Furthermore, if the opening 3a is blocked with snow or the like, outside air A3 will be forcibly introduced from the drain port 19b side by the drive of a blower motor (not shown). In this case, even if the flow velocity of the outside air A3 is high on the drain port 19b side, the flow velocity on the communication opening 21 side is slow because the communication opening 21 is formed larger than the drain port 19b. Therefore, on the side of the communication opening 21, no backflow occurs as in the conventional case, and the water W2 due to the backflow does not enter the vehicle interior through the outside air introduction port 4a.

On the other hand, water W1 flowing on the upper surface of the cowl top panel 3 toward the side of the vehicle flows into the side space 15b from the water inlet 18c formed in the upper surface 18b of the side space 15b. The water W1 reaching the bottom surface of the side space 15b is drained out of the vehicle through the pair of drain openings 23, 23. As a result, the upper part of the cowl top panel end 3b and the upper surface part 18 of the side panel
Since water does not accumulate in c, it prevents the occurrence of rust and
It is possible to suppress the water from flowing down to the engine room 10 side.

Furthermore, the odor S, etc. that enters the hood ridge space 11b and reaches the side space 5b is blocked by the tunnel wall 20, so that it passes through the communication opening 21 to the central space 15a as in the conventional case. The outside air does not flow into the vehicle interior through the outside air introduction port 4a.

Furthermore, even if the communication opening 21 is set large,
Since the tunnel wall 20 is integrally formed with the side panel 18, overall rigidity can be ensured.

FIG. 3 shows another modification of the tip 20a of the tunnel wall 20 of the above embodiment. In the above embodiment, the water W1 that flows in from the water inlet 18c and reaches the bottom of the side space 15b is transferred to a pair of drain openings 23.
, 23, but in another modified example shown in FIG.
The water that has flowed into the side space 15b from the side space 15b is drained out of the vehicle from the drain port 19b through the notch 33. Therefore, the drain opening 2 is separate from the drain opening 19b.
3 and 23 on the hood ridge reinforcement 19.

[0034]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, water on the upper surface of the side space flows into the side space from the water inlet, and this water is drained out of the vehicle from the drain opening. Ru. Therefore, rust is prevented from forming on the upper surface of the side space and from flowing into the engine room.

Furthermore, even if the opening on the top surface of the air box is blocked by snow or the like and outside air is introduced from the drain port side, the communication opening on the vertical wall side of the side panel has a larger opening area than the drain port. Since it is large, even if the flow velocity is high on the drain side, it is slow on the communication opening side, so there is no backflow as in the conventional case, and water can be prevented from entering from the outside air inlet.

Furthermore, it invades the hood ridge space,
Odors and the like reaching the side space are blocked by the tunnel wall, and therefore do not enter the vehicle interior from the outside air inlet through the communication opening, which is a practical advantage.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing essential parts of a vehicle air box side structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 1, showing a vehicle air box side structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the vehicle air box side structure according to the embodiment of the present invention, and showing a modified example of the tip end of the tunnel wall.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing main parts of a conventional vehicle air box side structure.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2, showing a conventional vehicle air box side structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Lower edge of front window panel 3 Cowl top panel (top of box) 4a Outside air inlet 4b Bottom part 12 Air box 15b Side space 18 Side panel 18a Vertical wall part 18b Top part 18c Water inlet 19 Hood ridge reinforcement 19b Drainage Port 20 Tunnel wall 21 Communication opening 22 Drainage passage 23 Drainage opening

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: An air box is formed below the lower edge of the front window panel along the vehicle width direction, an opening for introducing outside air into the air box is formed, and an opening is formed on the bottom of the box. An outside air inlet is formed to guide outside air into the passenger compartment from the opening, and side panels are provided at both ends of the air box to form a central space between the two side panels, and the hood ridge reinforcement is attached to the side panel. and forming a side space between the side panel and the hood ridge reinforcement,
A hood ridge space formed along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle on both sides of the engine compartment is connected to the side space,
Furthermore, a communication opening is formed on the lower side of the vertical wall of the side panel to guide the water flowing through the bottom of the air box to the hood ridge reinforcement side, and the water from the communication opening is directed to the hood ridge reinforcement to the outside of the vehicle. In the vehicle air box side structure, which has a drainage port for draining water,
A tunnel wall is formed in the side panel and is joined to the bottom surface of the side space and extends to the hood ridge reinforcement drain port, and the tunnel wall and the bottom surface of the side space are connected to each other. A drainage passage extending from the opening to the drainage port is formed, the opening area of the communication opening is set to be larger than the opening area of the drainage port, and a water inflow port is formed in the upper surface of the side space, and the water inflow port An air box side structure for a vehicle, characterized in that a drain opening is formed to drain water that has flowed into the side space through the side space to the outside of the vehicle.