KR20140080314A - Virtual Engine Sound System for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a virtual engine sound system includes: an air acceleration part arranged in a moving direction of a vehicle and accelerates air supplied from the front part of the vehicle; an injection guide part connected to the air acceleration part and guides the injection of the gas accelerated in the air acceleration part to the outside; and a sound generation part installed in the injection guide part and generates the sound of a specific wavelength by the air which passes through the injection guide part. Thereby, a virtual engine sound can be generated by a simply structure.

Description

Technical Field [0001] The present invention relates to a virtual engine sound system,

The present invention relates to a virtual engine sound generator, and more particularly, to a virtual engine sound generator that has a simple structure and reduces the burden on the ECU.

A car is a means of transporting passengers and cargo on the road by producing power from its own engine and delivering it to the wheels. A car can be divided into a body, which forms a large appearance, and a chassis, in which various devices are connected to each other. The chassis includes the main devices such as power transmission devices, steering devices, suspension devices, and braking devices, as well as automobile engines that are the driving force of driving.

The engine is the driving force that drives the car. Most automotive engines are four-stroke internal combustion engines. A four-stroke internal combustion engine is the most common example of a reciprocating engine with an internal combustion engine ending one cycle by four strokes of suction, compression, explosion, and exhaust. The internal combustion engine, which mainly uses volatile fuel, obtains the kinetic energy by directly using the heat energy generated when the fuel is mixed with the oxygen in the air to be completely burned and then burned.

Such an internal combustion engine using volatile fuels has caused an environmental pollution caused by exhaust gas and a depletion of petroleum resources, and an electric vehicle, in which electricity is moved by power, has emerged as an alternative.

An electric vehicle (EV) is an automobile which obtains power by driving an AC or DC motor using mainly a battery, and is mainly classified into a battery-dedicated electric vehicle and a hybrid electric vehicle. A battery- And the hybrid electric vehicle operates the engine to charge the battery by generating electric power, and by using the electric power, the electric motor can be driven to move the car.

In addition, the hybrid electric vehicle can be classified into a series system and a parallel system. In the serial system, the mechanical energy output from the engine is converted into electrical energy through the generator, and the electrical energy is supplied to the battery and the motor. The concept of the parallel type is that the car can be moved by the battery power and the engine (gasoline or diesel) alone can drive the vehicle. In parallel mode, engine and motor can drive the car at the same time depending on the driving conditions.

However, in the EV driving mode of the environmentally friendly vehicle, that is, in the mode in which the vehicle travels by the power of the motor, the driving noise is very low and the vehicle is in a low noise state. Therefore, pedestrians (especially visually impaired persons) May occur.

To this end, a virtual engine sound system (VESS: Virtual Engine Sound System) is mounted on an environmentally friendly vehicle, which enables pedestrians to easily recognize the vehicle access state by outputting virtual noise to the outside of the vehicle through a speaker have.

These virtual engine sound system speakers are installed in the front bumper of the vehicle or in the engine room to generate virtual engine-like sounds or motor sounds.

However, recently, an electric vehicle, which is mainly manufactured in a small size, has a very narrow engine room, which makes it difficult to install a large capacity speaker that generates sound in a low frequency band.

That is, the existing virtual engine sound system generates a virtual engine sound or other perceived sound through the outdoor speaker in the engine room so that the pedestrian can easily recognize the approaching state of the vehicle. However, since the engine room is narrow, There is a limitation in physically reproducing low frequency sounds.

In addition, there is a limitation in raising the volume of the playback so that the pedestrian can easily recognize the approach state of the vehicle, and the multi-speaker is used in consideration of the fact that the perceptibility is different according to the speaker mounting position. Because it is played back sound, it is different from the sound from the actual engine or motor, and the feeling of heterogeneity can be felt.

Further, there is a problem that the ECU is burdened to adjust the sound of the speaker and to calculate the control factor.

A problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a virtual engine sound generator that has a simple structure and does not burden the ECU.

In order to achieve the above object, a virtual engine sound generator according to the present invention includes: an air accelerator disposed in a traveling direction of an automobile to accelerate air flowing in front of the automobile; And a sound generating unit installed in the discharge guide unit and generating sound of a specific wavelength by air passing through the discharge guide unit.

Also, the air acceleration portion may have a shape in which the cross-sectional area decreases as the vehicle moves from the front to the rear.

Meanwhile, the ejection guide unit may include a vibration unit that vibrates sound generated by the sound generating unit, and an amplification unit that amplifies sound generated from the vibration unit.

The sound generating unit may include a first lead plate formed with a hole through which air passes and disposed in the discharge guide portion, and a second lead plate having one side coupled to the first lead plate, And a second lead plate that is vibrated against the second lead plate.

According to the virtual engine sound generator of the present invention, one or more of the following effects can be obtained.

Conventional virtual engine sound implementation technology requires various parts such as a microphone, a speaker, an amplifier, and a controller, requires a separate program development period and generates a virtual sound, while the embodiment has a simple structure, It has an effect that can be generated.

Further, the embodiment has a cost reduction and an excellent effect in terms of reliability over the conventional virtual engine sound implementing apparatus.

In addition, when the vehicle travels at a high speed, a loud noise is generated. When the vehicle travels at a low speed, a small sound is generated. Therefore, since it does not require a separate control operation, it can reduce the burden on the ECU (electronic control unit) have.

In addition, since it can be implemented with a relatively simple structure, the production cost burden can be reduced.

1 is a schematic view showing a vehicle body of an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 and 3 are a partially exploded perspective view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a virtual engine noise generator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is an explanatory view showing an operating state of a virtual engine sound generator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a sound generator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a sound generator according to another embodiment of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The advantages and features of the present invention and the manner of achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. To fully disclose the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the specification.

The terms spatially relative, "below", "beneath", "lower", "above", "upper" Can be used to easily describe the correlation of components with other components. Spatially relative terms should be understood as terms that include different orientations of components during use or operation in addition to those shown in the drawings. For example, when inverting an element shown in the figures, an element described as "below" or "beneath" of another element may be placed "above" another element . Thus, the exemplary term "below" can include both downward and upward directions. The components can also be oriented in different directions, so that spatially relative terms can be interpreted according to orientation.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of illustrating embodiments and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention. In the present specification, the singular form includes plural forms unless otherwise specified in the specification. &Quot; comprises "and / or" comprising ", as used herein, unless the recited component, step, and / or step does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other elements, steps and / I never do that.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein may be used in a sense commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Also, commonly used predefined terms are not ideally or excessively interpreted unless explicitly defined otherwise.

In the drawings, the thickness and the size of each component are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically shown for convenience and clarity of explanation. Also, the size and area of each component do not entirely reflect actual size or area.

Further, the angles and directions mentioned in the description of the structure of the embodiment are based on those shown in the drawings. In the description of the structures constituting the embodiments in the specification, reference points and positional relationships with respect to angles are not explicitly referred to, reference is made to the relevant drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings for explaining an automobile according to embodiments of the present invention.

1 is a schematic view showing a vehicle body of an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are a partially exploded perspective view showing an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The automobile according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a front body 100 on which components of a motor and a power transmission system are mounted, a central body 200 on which a rider can sit and sit, spare tires and other objects The rear vehicle body 300, In addition, the automobile according to the embodiment may include any one of an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and a hydrogen battery automobile.

The following description will be made on the basis of an electric vehicle, but it is obvious that it can be applied to other vehicles.

The body creates a closed space and places various devices inside it to accommodate passengers and cargo. It is also necessary to have a structure that can open and close a part of the vehicle to facilitate the entry and exit of passengers and cargo and maintenance of various devices. It is also important to protect passengers, cargo, and various devices from outside rain, wind, and dust. In addition, the shape of the body of the vehicle body is the shape of an automobile as an appearance.

The front vehicle body 100 forms wells and is provided with a motor and a transmission. The front vehicle body 100 is provided with a steering device 110 for adjusting the direction of the rotation axis of the front wheel to change the traveling direction of the vehicle and a front wheel suspension device 120 for preventing the vibration of the road surface from directly contacting the vehicle body.

The front vehicle body 100 needs to support the front wheel of the front wheel suspension device 120, including heavy loads such as a motor, a transmission, and various ancillary equipment. Further, in the front wheel drive vehicle, the driving force is also taken by the front vehicle body 100. [

The front vehicle body 100 is damaged when it receives a strong impact due to an accident or the like, absorbs the impact and prevents a strong force from being transmitted to the vehicle. Each component of the front vehicle body 100 is fixed or welded to the front body by bolts or nuts, and only the outer panel components such as the front fender and the hood can be separated.

The steering device 110 is a device for adjusting the direction of the rotation axis of the front wheel so as to drive the vehicle in a direction intended by the driver.

The front suspension unit 120 supports the front wheel with respect to the vehicle body in a direction other than the up and down direction by appropriate rigidity and the up and down direction is supported by a spring and a damping mechanism.

The central body 200 includes a front floor 210 forming a front floor, a tunnel 230 installed in the front floor and mounted with the battery module 410, And a side seal panel 229 for forming the side seal panel.

Since the central body 200 is a place where most of the passengers, such as passengers, are boarded, the central space becomes larger as the internal space becomes larger.

The front floor 210 is a floor having a high strength and a large area as a floor in a vehicle room. On the right and left of the front floor 210, a side seal panel 229 serving as a base of each pillar is connected from the front to the rear. A tunnel 230 is provided in the center of the front floor 210.

The tunnel 230 is formed by being drawn upward to mount the battery module 410. Both sides of the tunnel 230 are coupled with the front floor 210. The tunnel 230 and the front floor 210 are preferably welded together. A battery carrier 420 supporting the battery module 410 is coupled to both sides of the tunnel 230. The battery carrier 420 is coupled to the tunnel 230 with bolts or nuts.

The side seal panel 229 may have a rectangular cross-sectional structure and may be coupled with a front pillar (not shown), a center pillar (not shown), or a rear wheel house (not shown). The side seal panel 229 is coupled to both side edges of the front floor 210.

The rear body 300 includes a rear floor 310 forming a rear side floor. The rear vehicle body 300 is provided with a rear suspension unit 330 for preventing the vibration of the road surface from directly contacting the vehicle body.

The rear body 300 needs to support the rear wheel of the rear wheel suspension 330. [ Further, in the rear wheel drive vehicle, the rear vehicle body 300 also takes the driving force.

The rear suspension unit 330 supports the rear wheel with respect to the vehicle body in a direction other than the up and down direction by an appropriate rigidity, and the up and down direction is supported by a spring and a damping mechanism.

The battery module 410 supplies current. The battery module 410 is connected to a plurality of lithium / ion cells. The battery module 410 is formed in a T shape and is preferably mounted on the tunnel 230 of the central body 200 and the rear floor 310 of the rear body 300.

The battery carrier 420 supports the battery. The battery carrier 420 is preferably coupled to the central body 200 and the rear body 300.

The virtual engine sound generator may be coupled to the vehicle body 100, 200, 300, and preferably the vehicle body 100, 200, 300 is coupled to the lower portion. And, the virtual engine noise generator can be arranged horizontally in the traveling direction of the vehicle to effectively utilize the air flow according to the progress of the vehicle. Here, the term "horizontal" means not a mathematically perfectly horizontal level but a horizontal level of engineering meaning including a certain error.

 The virtual engine sound generator is coupled to the vehicle body of the vehicle by a fastening member (50).

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a virtual engine noise generator according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view illustrating an operating state of a virtual engine noise generator according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a sound generating unit according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4, the virtual engine sound generator 10 according to the embodiment includes an air accelerator 20, an air accelerator 20, and an air accelerator 20, which are disposed in the traveling direction of the automobile and accelerate the air flowing in front of the automobile. A discharge guide portion 30 communicating with the discharge guide portion 30 and guided to discharge the air accelerated by the air acceleration portion 20 to the outside, And a sound generating unit 40 for generating sound of a specific wavelength.

The air accelerating portion 20 is disposed in the traveling direction of the automobile to accelerate air flowing in front of the automobile. That is, the air acceleration portion 20 is disposed horizontally in the traveling direction of the automobile, thereby accelerating the flow of air generated by the progress of the automobile. However, the air accelerating unit 20 may be disposed horizontally within the traveling direction and the error range of the vehicle.

The air accelerating part 20 has a space in which air flows.

The air acceleration portion 20 may have any shape that can accelerate air flowing in front of the automobile. For example, the air acceleration portion 20 may have a shape in which the cross-sectional area becomes smaller as the vehicle moves from the front to the rear of the vehicle. Due to the Bernoulli's law, the pressure energy of the air is converted into the velocity energy due to the change of the cross-sectional area, so that the velocity of the air increases from the rear of the air acceleration portion 20 to the front. Here, "cross-sectional area" means an area cut along an arbitrary line perpendicular to the traveling direction of the automobile. Preferably, the air acceleration portion 20 may have a conical shape.

The air accelerating unit 20 accelerates the air flowing into the discharge guide unit 30 so that the virtual engine sound generator 10 can be operated even if the vehicle runs at a low speed.

The discharge guide portion 30 guides the air accelerated by the air accelerating portion 20 to communicate with the air accelerating portion 20 to be discharged to the outside. In addition, the discharge guide section 30 vibrates and amplifies the wavelength of the air generated in the sound generating section 40.

The ejection guide unit 30 may include a vibration unit 31 for vibrating sound generated by the sound generating unit 40 and an amplifying unit 32 for amplifying sound generated in the vibration unit 31. [

The vibration section (31) may have a cross sectional area smaller than the average cross sectional area of the air acceleration section (20). Preferably, the vibrating portion 31 may have a cross-sectional area corresponding to the cross-sectional area of the rear portion of the air accelerating portion 20. [

 The vibration portion 31 may have an approximate cylindrical shape, and preferably the vibration portion 31 may have a volume or a length at which a low frequency sound is generated. Here, the low frequency sound means a sound of about 20 to 100 Hz. That is, the discharge guide portion 30 may have a volume or length capable of generating sound of about 20 to 100 Hz. Therefore, it is possible to generate a sound similar to the engine sound of a car and to generate a heavy sound, so that a vivid virtual engine sound can be generated. However, it is needless to say that the shape of the discharge guide portion 30 is not limited to this and may have various shapes.

That is, if the length of the vibration portion 31 is long, a sound in the low frequency region is generated. If the length of the vibration portion 31 is short, a sound in the high frequency region is generated.

The material of the vibrating portion 31 is not limited and may include a metal material or a synthetic resin material.

A coupling member 50 coupling the virtual engine noise generator 10 to the vehicle may be coupled to the vibration unit 31. [ It is preferable that the fastening member 50 has a narrow contact area with the vibration portion 31 so as not to interfere with the vibration of the vibration portion 31. [

The amplifying unit 32 amplifies the sound vibrating in the vibrating unit 31. The amplifying unit 32 has a shape in which the cross-sectional area increases as the vehicle moves forward from the front of the vehicle.

The amplification section 32 may have a conical shape, but is not limited thereto and may have various shapes.

In addition, the rear end of the amplification unit 32 can be bent toward the side of the automobile, so that the engine sound can be heard to the pedestrian located on the side of the automobile.

Referring to FIG. 5, a flow of air generated in accordance with the progress of the automobile flows into the air accelerator 20. The air that has passed through the air accelerating portion 20 is accelerated and guided to the discharge guide portion 30. After the sound is generated in the sound generating portion 40, the discharge guide portion 30 rings and escapes to the outside, Thereby generating a virtual engine sound.

Therefore, while the conventional virtual engine sound implementing technology requires various components such as a microphone, a speaker, an amplifier, and a controller, a separate program development period is required, and a virtual sound is generated. It has an effect that can generate an engine sound. Further, the embodiment has a cost reduction and an excellent effect in terms of reliability over the conventional virtual engine sound implementing apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 6, the sound generating unit 40 is installed inside the discharge guide unit 30 and generates sound of a specific wavelength by the air passing through the discharge guide unit 30. FIG.

Although the wavelength of the sound generated by the sound generating unit 40 is not limited, it is preferable that the sound of the low frequency range is generated in order to generate a sound similar to the engine sound.

To this end, the sound generating unit 40 may be disposed in the vibration unit 31, and the sound generating unit 40 may be disposed adjacent to the air accelerator 20. [ When the sound generating part 40 is positioned adjacent to the air accelerating part 20, the space in which the wavelength of the air generated in the sound generating part 40 can vibrate in the vibrating part 31 is long So that a sound in a low frequency region is generated.

The sound generating unit 40 may have various configurations, but may include a first lead plate 41 and a second lead plate 42.

The first lead plate (41) is disposed in the discharge guide portion (30). And is preferably disposed inside the vibrating portion 31. [ That is, the first lead plate 41 is formed in a plate shape preventing the movement of air moving on the inside of the vibrating unit 31, and is vertically installed on the vibrating unit 31.

At least one hole (42) is formed in the first lead plate (41). The hole 42 becomes a passage through which the air in the vibration section 31 passes, and sound is generated as the air passes through the narrow space.

The second lead plate 42 is coupled to the first lead plate 41 at one side and is vibrated against the air passing through the hole 42 of the first lead plate 41. That is, the second lead plate 42 is vibrated by the air passing through the hole 42 of the first lead plate 41, thereby generating the wavelength of the air. This makes it possible to produce a louder sound than when the hole 42 is formed in the first lead plate 41. [

The second lead plate 42 is horizontally overlapped with the hole 42 formed in the first lead plate 41 by being spaced apart from the first lead plate 41. The second lead plate 42 is formed to cover the hole 42 formed in the first lead plate 41. The air flowing in the vibration section 31 passes through the hole 42 formed in the first lead plate 41 and vibrates the second lead plate 42 in front of the hole 42 while changing the wavelength of the air . The second lead plate 42 is separated from the first lead plate 41, and vibration is generated.

The sound generated in the virtual engine sound generator 10 according to the embodiment is controlled by the speed of the vehicle. That is, when the automobile travels fast, the speed of the air flowing into the air accelerating unit 20 is fast, so that the speed of the air entering the discharging guide unit 30 becomes faster and a loud sound is generated. On the other hand, A small sound is generated.

Therefore, a loud sound is generated when the vehicle travels at a high speed, and a small sound occurs when traveling at a slow speed. Also, when running below a certain speed, a sound that can not be detected by human beings is generated. Therefore, it is possible to implement a different virtual engine sound according to the speed of the vehicle without using a complicated control method, and it is possible to reduce the burden on the ECU (electronic control unit) of the vehicle.

7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a sound generator according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Compared to the embodiment of FIG. 6, the virtual engine noise generator 10 according to the embodiment has a difference in the coupling type of the first lead plate 41. [ In the following, description of the same components as those described above will be omitted.

The first lead plate 41 can be coupled to the groove formed inside the discharge guide portion 30 to be able to flow. The grooves formed on the inner side of the discharge guide portion 30 have a width larger than the thickness of the first lead plate 41 so that the first lead plate 41 generates sound while moving back and forth. Therefore, other wavelengths are generated by the vibration of the first lead plate 41 in addition to the wavelengths generated by the vibration of the second lead plate 42. [

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, It should be understood that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

<Description of Symbols>

20: air acceleration part 30: discharge guide part

40:

Claims (19)

An air accelerator arranged in the traveling direction of the automobile to accelerate the air flowing in front of the automobile;
A discharge guide portion communicating with the air acceleration portion and guiding the air accelerated by the air acceleration portion to be discharged to the outside; And
And a sound generating unit installed in the discharge guide unit and generating sound of a specific wavelength by air passing through the discharge guide unit. The method according to claim 1,
The air-
Wherein a cross sectional area of the virtual engine sound generator is smaller as the vehicle moves from the front to the rear of the vehicle. The method according to claim 1,
The discharge guide portion
A vibration unit that vibrates sound generated by the sound generating unit,
And an amplifier for amplifying sound generated in the vibration unit. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the sound generating unit is disposed in the vibrating unit. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the sound generating unit is disposed adjacent to the air acceleration unit. The method of claim 3,
The vibrating unit may include:
Sectional area smaller than an average cross-sectional area of the air acceleration portion. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the vibrating portion has a cylindrical shape. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the vibrating part has a volume or a length at which a low frequency sound is generated. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the amplifying unit has a shape in which the cross-sectional area increases as the vehicle moves from the front of the automobile toward the rear of the automobile. The method according to claim 1,
The sound generating unit
A first lead plate having a hole through which air passes and disposed in the discharge guide portion;
And a second lead plate coupled to one side of the first lead plate and vibrated against air passing through the hole of the first lead plate. 11. The method of claim 10,
And the first lead plate is movably coupled to a groove formed on the inner side of the discharge guide portion. 11. The method of claim 10,
Wherein the second lead plate is spaced apart from the first lead plate and horizontally overlapped with the holes formed in the first lead plate, The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the automobile includes any one of an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a fuel cell, and a hydrogen battery automobile. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the sound is controlled by the speed of the automobile. In a vehicle including a virtual engine sound generator,
Wherein the virtual engine sound generator includes:
An air accelerator arranged in the traveling direction of the automobile to accelerate the air flowing in front of the automobile;
A discharge guide portion communicating with the air acceleration portion and guiding the air accelerated by the air acceleration portion to be discharged to the outside; And
And a sound generating unit installed inside the discharge guide unit and generating sound of a specific wavelength by air passing through the discharge guide unit. 16. The method of claim 15,
The discharge guide portion
A vibration unit that vibrates sound generated by the sound generating unit,
And an amplifier for amplifying a sound generated in the vibration unit. 17. The method of claim 16,
Wherein the air accelerating portion is disposed in front of the automobile more than the vibrating portion,
Wherein the vibrating portion is disposed in front of the automobile more than the amplifying portion. 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the virtual engine noise generator is coupled to a lower portion of the vehicle body. 19. The method of claim 18,
Wherein the virtual engine noise generator is coupled to a vehicle body of the automobile by a coupling member.

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