JPH05125936A - Exhaust port cover device of automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To avoid discharging exhaust gas toward an obstruction when there is any obstruction against exhaust gas in a prescribed gas exhaust range behind the rear bumper of a vehicle. CONSTITUTION:A proximity sensor 9 for detecting an obstruction existing in the exhaust range behind a bumper, a flat shaped cover sheet 12 supported, in such a way as being capable of making reciprocating motion between the normal position of a bumper cover 2 and a face-to-face position which is faced to an exhaust port at a clearance, and a motor 15 for moving forward the cover seat 12 to the face-to-face position in response to the detected signal of the proximity sensor 9 are provided in the bumper cover 12 which is positioned in the vicinity of the exhaust port for discharging exhaust gas from a muffler to the outside air.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle exhaust port cover device for avoiding exhaust of a person or an object located behind an exhaust port from a muffler to the outside air.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Exhaust air from a muffler is directed rearward by arranging a trailing tail pipe at the rear part of the vehicle because of legal regulations and appearance.

[0003]

Therefore, there is a problem that the legs or pants are polluted by exhaust gas when the luggage is taken in and out of the luggage door, and a specific garage wall surface is polluted when the garage is put in the back. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an exhaust port cover device for a vehicle that avoids exhaust gas to the rear when a certain gas exhaust region behind the rear bumper has an obstacle to the exhaust gas.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a bumper portion located near an exhaust port from a muffler to the outside air for detecting an obstacle in an exhaust region behind the bumper. The sensor, a planar exhaust port cover that is reciprocally supported between the normal position in the bumper part and the facing position with a gap in the exhaust port, and the exhaust port in response to the detection signal of the proximity sensor. An actuator for moving the cover to the facing position is additionally provided.

[0005]

When the proximity sensor detects an obstacle in the exhaust area behind the bumper, the actuator moves the exhaust port cover forward from the normal position in the bumper area and makes a gap to face the exhaust port. As a result, gas exhaust right behind the exhaust port is avoided, and the gas is exhausted from the gap to the periphery of the exhaust port cover.

[0006]

1 to 4 show an exhaust port cover device for an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, an obstacle existing in a proximity area of about 100 cm at a directivity angle of about 14 degrees is irradiated with ultrasonic waves on both upper sides of the bumper cover 2 located above the exhaust port 1a of the tail pipe 1 following the muffler. Two ultrasonic irradiation type proximity sensors 9 and 9a for detecting from the reflection echo are juxtaposed. Both of these proximity sensors are used to widen the width in the vehicle width direction to search for a person or a structure in the exhaust area that may be contaminated.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, ribs 2a and 2b are integrally formed on the inner bottom surface of the bumper cover 2 so as to project, and one of the ribs 2a is made of vinyl as an exhaust port cover. A bracket 10 that rotatably supports one end of a reel 13 that winds a cover sheet 12 made of steel is screwed. On the other rib 2b, a motor 15 that rotationally drives the reel 13 via a reduction gear 17 is provided.
The bracket 10a of the storage case 14 is screwed. The leading end of the cover sheet 12 is led out to a facing position which faces the exhaust port 1a through the slit 2c of the bumper cover 2 while being spaced apart from the exhaust port 1a, and a stopper round bar 16 which is in contact with the peripheral surface of the slit 2c is attached.

A control drive circuit shown in FIG. 4 is attached to the motor 15 so as to form an actuator for the cover sheet 12 by receiving the detection signals of the proximity sensors 9 and 9a. That is, when the detection signal is input through the OR gate 20, the timer 21 turns on the normally open relay 22, and the forward rotation terminal 15a of the motor 15 is also turned on.
By supplying the battery voltage to the reel 13 and rotating the reel 13 for a predetermined time, the cover sheet 12 is lowered from the normal position shown by the solid line in FIG. 3 to face the exhaust port 1a as shown by the chain double-dashed line. When the detection signal disappears, the timer 23 turns on the normally open relay 24, supplies the battery voltage to the reverse rotation terminal 15b of the motor 15, and drives the reel 13 to rotate in the reverse direction for a predetermined time. The cover sheet 12 is returned to the normal position.

As a result, when at least one of the proximity sensors 9 and 9a detects an obstacle such as a person or a building approaching the exhaust area behind the exhaust port 1a, the cover sheet 12 is moved to the facing position by the normal rotation of the motor 15. To descend. Therefore, since the front surface of the exhaust port 1a is shielded by the cover sheet 12, exhaust to the rear is avoided, and the exhaust port 1a is prevented.
Also, the air is exhausted to the surroundings from the gap between the cover sheets 12.
When the detection signals from both the proximity sensors 9 and 9a disappear, the cover sheet 12 returns to the normal position due to the reverse rotation of the motor 15.

In the above circuit, the cover sheet 12 is always stored when the engine switch is turned off. Therefore, when the engine switch is turned off, the detection signal of the proximity sensor 9a disappears and the battery voltage is supplied while the cover sheet 12 is returning. It is also conceivable to add another timer that does. The reel 13 may be configured to be spring-biased in the backward direction, moved forward by the motor, and automatically returned when the power source or the detection signal disappears. Such an exhaust port cover device may be provided not only on the bumper cover but also on another bumper portion such as a bumper arm depending on the structure of the bumper.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment in the case where the exhaust port 1a is biting into the bumper cover 2 in the above-mentioned embodiment. The exhaust port cover is replaced by the above-mentioned flexible cover sheet and bumper. Cover plate 3 made of the same material as cover 2
0 is used. This cover plate is rotationally driven by a rotary solenoid as an actuator attached to a bracket 31 provided on the bumper cover 2 or a rotary shaft of a motor 32, so that while the proximity sensor 33 detects an obstacle, Slit 2e from the normal position shown by the solid line
It is designed to move forward to the facing position shown by the two-dot chain line position.

FIG. 6 shows still another embodiment, in which the bumper cover 2 is formed with bumper cover extensions 2g and 2f on both sides which extend downward toward the exhaust port 1a. As an exhaust port cover, slide from the normal position of the bumper cover extension 2g shown by the dotted line to the rear of the exhaust port 1a with a gap, and move forward to the facing position shown by the two-dot chain line of the bumper cover extension 2f on the opposite side. The sliding cover plate 40
It is made of the same material as the bumper cover 2. Then, similarly, in response to the detection signal of the proximity sensor 42, the solenoid 4
It is designed to be driven by 1.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the exhaust gas from the muffler from contaminating the feet or clothes when loading or unloading luggage at the back door, or the garage wall surface from becoming dirty when entering the garage. The problem of pollution due to exhaustive exhaust to the rear is eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main structure of an exhaust port cover device for an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vehicle to which the embodiment is applied.

FIG. 3 is a schematic vertical sectional view of a reel portion of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram attached to the actuator of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows an exhaust port cover device for an automobile according to another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5A is a front view of a bumper cover portion seen from the front of the vehicle, and FIG. It is a figure.

FIG. 6 is a schematic front view of a cover device according to still another embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the rear of the vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a Exhaust port 2 Bumper cover 9, 9a, 33, 42 Proximity sensor 12 Cover sheet 15, 32 Motor 30, 40 Cover plate 41 Solenoid

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A proximity sensor for detecting an obstacle in an exhaust region behind the bumper, a proximity sensor in a bumper portion located near the exhaust port from the muffler to the outside air, and a normal position and the exhaust port in the bumper portion. A planar exhaust port cover that is supported so as to reciprocate between facing positions facing each other with a gap therebetween, and an actuator that moves the exhaust port cover forward to the facing position in response to a detection signal of the proximity sensor. An exhaust port cover device for an automobile, characterized by being provided with.