JP7469130B2 - Vehicle sound generation device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sound generating device for a vehicle, and in particular to a sound generating device for a vehicle that can prevent water from entering the inside.

Conventional vehicles are mostly engine-powered, and pedestrians can recognize approaching vehicles from behind or in blind spots by the engine noise they make. However, vehicles that are powered by electric motors, such as electric cars and hybrid cars, do not emit engine noise, making it difficult for pedestrians to recognize approaching vehicles by the engine noise.

To make it easier for pedestrians to recognize approaching vehicles, electric and hybrid vehicles are designed to emit warning sounds.

Patent Document 1 describes a vehicle approach warning sound device that has a downward opening. Specifically, a cylindrical duct is provided in the engine undercover, and a speaker is attached to the upper end of this duct. The diameter of the lower part of the duct gradually increases toward the lower end. With this configuration, the warning sound emitted from the speaker is radiated from the opening through the duct toward the road surface.

JP 2011-235774 A

However, in the invention described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the duct in which the speaker is located opens downward from the undercover, so if water approaches the vicinity of the vehicle's undercover during bad weather, the water may reach the speaker through the duct, causing the speaker to break down.

The present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a sound generation device for vehicles that can effectively prevent water from entering the inside of the device.

The vehicle sound generation device of the present invention comprises a sound generation unit that generates a predetermined sound, a duct that guides the sound generated from the sound generation unit to the outside of the vehicle body, and an opening/closing mechanism arranged near the duct opening of the duct, wherein the opening/closing mechanism is in an open state in a normal state in which the duct opening is not in contact with water, and is in a closed state in a flooded state in which the duct opening is in contact with water, and the opening/closing mechanism is a waterproof board arranged in the vicinity of the duct opening in an openable/closable state, and in the normal state, the waterproof board hangs downward due to gravity acting on the waterproof board, thereby connecting the duct to the outside, and in the flooded state, the waterproof board rotates due to buoyancy acting on the waterproof board to close the duct opening.

The vehicle sound generation device of the present invention comprises a sound generation unit that generates a predetermined sound, a duct that guides the sound generated from the sound generation unit to the outside of the vehicle body, and an opening/closing mechanism arranged near a duct opening of the duct, wherein the opening/closing mechanism is in an open state in a normal state in which the duct opening is not in contact with water, and is in a closed state in a flooded state in which the duct opening is in contact with water, the opening/closing mechanism having a waterproof board, a link mechanism, and a biasing unit, the waterproof board is arranged near the duct opening in an openable/closable state, the link mechanism links and connects the waterproof boards to each other, and the biasing unit biases the link mechanism, and in the normal state, the biasing unit biases the link mechanism in a direction in which the waterproof board is in an open state, thereby connecting the duct to the outside, and in the flooded state, the buoyancy acting on the waterproof board causes the waterproof board to rotate and close the duct opening.

The vehicle sound generation device of the present invention comprises a sound generation unit that generates a predetermined sound, a duct that guides the sound generated from the sound generation unit to the outside of the vehicle body, and an opening/closing mechanism arranged near a duct opening of the duct, the opening/closing mechanism being in an open state in a normal state in which the duct opening is not in contact with water, and being in a closed state in a flooded state in which the duct opening is in contact with water, the opening/closing mechanism having a waterproof board, a water detection sensor, an actuator, and a control unit, the waterproof board being arranged in the vicinity of the duct opening in a state in which it can be opened and closed, the water detection sensor detecting the presence of water in the vicinity of the duct opening, the actuator driving the opening and closing operation of the waterproof board, the control unit controlling the operation of the actuator based on the output of the water detection sensor, and in the normal state, the control unit opening the waterproof board with the actuator based on the output of the water detection sensor that does not detect water, and in the flooded state, the control unit closing the waterproof board with the actuator based on the output of the water detection sensor that detects water.

The vehicle sound generation device of the present invention comprises a sound generation unit that generates a predetermined sound, a duct that guides the sound generated from the sound generation unit to the outside of the vehicle body, and an opening/closing mechanism arranged in the vicinity of a duct opening of the duct, wherein the opening/closing mechanism is in an open state in a normal state in which the duct opening is not in contact with water, and is in a closed state in a flooded state in which the duct opening is in contact with water, the opening/closing mechanism having a waterproof board and a biasing unit, the waterproof board having a shape that conforms to the shape of the duct opening, and the biasing unit being arranged between the duct opening and the waterproof board, wherein in the normal state, the sound generated from the duct propagates to the outside through a gap formed between the waterproof board and the duct opening, and in the flooded state, the waterproof board displaced by buoyancy blocks the duct opening.

The sound generating device for a vehicle of the present invention comprises a sound generating unit that generates a predetermined sound, a duct that guides the sound generated from the sound generating unit to the outside of the vehicle body, and an opening/closing mechanism arranged near a duct opening of the duct, the opening/closing mechanism being in an open state in a normal state in which the duct opening is not in contact with water, and being in a closed state in a flooded state in which the duct opening is in contact with water, the opening/closing mechanism being a waterproof board arranged in an openable/closable state near the duct opening, the waterproof board hanging down due to gravity acting on the waterproof board in the normal state, the duct communicating with the outside, and the waterproof board rotating to close the duct opening due to buoyancy acting on the waterproof board in the flooded state. Thus, the waterproof board can be opened and closed appropriately by opening and closing the waterproof board using gravity and buoyancy acting on the waterproof board, without the need for a special drive mechanism.

The vehicle sound generation device of the present invention comprises a sound generation unit that generates a predetermined sound, a duct that guides the sound generated from the sound generation unit to the outside of the vehicle body, and an opening/closing mechanism arranged near a duct opening of the duct, wherein the opening/closing mechanism is in an open state in a normal state in which the duct opening is not in contact with water, and is in a closed state in a flooded state in which the duct opening is in contact with water, the opening/closing mechanism having a waterproof board, a link mechanism, and a biasing unit, the waterproof board is arranged near the duct opening in an openable/closable state, the link mechanism links and connects the waterproof boards to each other, and the biasing unit biases the link mechanism, and in the normal state, the biasing unit biases the link mechanism in a direction in which the waterproof board is in an open state, thereby connecting the duct to the outside, and in the flooded state, the buoyancy acting on the waterproof board causes the waterproof board to rotate and close the duct opening. Therefore, by opening and closing the water blocking board using the link mechanism and the biasing portion, the water blocking board can be reliably kept in the open state under normal circumstances, thereby improving sound transmission.

The vehicle sound generation device of the present invention comprises a sound generation unit that generates a predetermined sound, a duct that guides the sound generated from the sound generation unit to the outside of the vehicle body, and an opening/closing mechanism arranged near a duct opening of the duct, the opening/closing mechanism being in an open state in a normal state in which the duct opening is not in contact with water, and being in a closed state in a flooded state in which the duct opening is in contact with water, the opening/closing mechanism having a waterproof board, a water detection sensor, an actuator, and a control unit, the waterproof board being arranged in the vicinity of the duct opening in a state in which it can be opened and closed, the water detection sensor detecting the presence of water in the vicinity of the duct opening, the actuator driving the opening and closing operation of the waterproof board, the control unit controlling the operation of the actuator based on the output of the water detection sensor, and in the normal state, the control unit opening the waterproof board with the actuator based on the output of the water detection sensor that does not detect water, and in the flooded state, the control unit closing the waterproof board with the actuator based on the output of the water detection sensor that detects water. Therefore, by opening and closing the water blocking board using the water detection sensor and the actuator, the open/closed state of the water blocking board can be adapted to the water conditions in the vicinity of the duct opening.

The sound generating device for a vehicle of the present invention comprises a sound generating unit that generates a predetermined sound, a duct that guides the sound generated from the sound generating unit to the outside of the vehicle body, and an opening/closing mechanism arranged near a duct opening of the duct, the opening/closing mechanism being in an open state in a normal state in which the duct opening is not in contact with water, and being in a closed state in a flooded state in which the duct opening is in contact with water, the opening/closing mechanism having a waterproof board and a biasing unit, the waterproof board having a shape corresponding to the shape of the duct opening, the biasing unit being arranged between the duct opening and the waterproof board, the sound generated from the duct propagates to the outside through a gap formed between the waterproof board and the duct opening in the normal state, and the waterproof board displaced by buoyancy blocks the duct opening in the flooded state. Therefore, the waterproof board having a shape corresponding to the duct opening rises and falls depending on the presence or absence of buoyancy, so that the duct opening can be opened and closed, and the opening/closing mechanism can be configured with a simpler configuration. Furthermore, the sound emitted from the sound generating section can be spread to the surroundings through the gap between the vehicle body side and the waterproof board, thereby allowing the sound to propagate to the surroundings.

1 is a side view showing a vehicle equipped with a sound generation device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a normal state of a sound generation device for a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sound generation device for a vehicle, and (B) is a bottom view. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a submerged state of a sound generation device for a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sound generation device for a vehicle, and (B) is a bottom view. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a normal state of a sound generation device for a vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sound generation device for a vehicle, and (B) is a bottom view. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating a submerged state of a sound generation device for a vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sound generation device for a vehicle, and (B) is a bottom view. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating a normal state of a sound generation device for a vehicle according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sound generation device for a vehicle, and (B) is a bottom view. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating a submerged state of a sound generation device for a vehicle according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sound generation device for a vehicle, and (B) is a bottom view. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating a normal state of a sound generation device for a vehicle according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sound generation device for a vehicle, and (B) is a bottom view. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating a submerged state of a sound generation device for a vehicle according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sound generation device for a vehicle, and (B) is a bottom view.

The sound generating device 20 (sound generating device for a vehicle) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the front, rear, up, down, left and right directions are used, but left and right refer to the left and right when the vehicle 10 is viewed from the front. Furthermore, in the following description, the same components are generally given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations will be omitted.

[Overall configuration of vehicle 10]
1 is a side view showing a vehicle 10 equipped with a sound generating device 20. The vehicle 10 is, for example, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle. When the vehicle 10 is an electric vehicle or the like, no engine sound is generated while the vehicle 10 is running, so that pedestrians, cyclists, and the like are unlikely to notice the approach of the vehicle 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, a warning sound is generated from the sound generating device 20 to notify pedestrians, and the like of the approach of the vehicle 10. The sound generating device 20 generates a sound downward from an undercover hole 22 that is an opening in an undercover 12 that covers the underside of a vehicle body 11.

The approaching sound emitted from the sound generating device 20 is transmitted between the ground and the undercover 12, spreading out in all directions of the front, rear, left and right of the vehicle 10, thereby informing pedestrians and others in the vicinity of the vehicle 10 that the vehicle 10 is approaching, thereby reducing the risk of collision accidents.

[First embodiment]
2A and 2B are diagrams showing the sound generation device 20 according to the first embodiment of the present invention in a normal state, where FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view showing the sound generation device 20 and FIG. 2B is a bottom view.

Referring to FIG. 2(A), the sound generating device 20 has a sound generating section 21, a duct 23, and an opening/closing mechanism 24.

The sound generating unit 21 is a speaker that generates a predetermined sound, for example, an approaching sound indicating that the vehicle body 11 is approaching, based on instructions from a control unit (not shown). The sound generating unit 21 is disposed near the upper end of the duct 23 and is set up so as to generate sound downward.

The duct 23 guides the sound generated from the sound generating unit 21 to the outside of the vehicle body 11 of the vehicle 10 and has a tubular shape with a central axis along the vertical direction. The specific shape of the duct 23 is, for example, a cylindrical shape. A duct opening 231 is formed at the lower end of the duct 23, and the duct opening 231 opens downward from the undercover hole 22 that opens the undercover 12.

The opening/closing mechanism 24 is disposed near the duct opening 231 of the duct 23, and is in an open state in a normal state where the duct opening 231 is not in contact with water, and is in a closed state in a flooded state where the duct opening 231 is in contact with water. Here, the normal state refers to, for example, a state where the vehicle 10 is traveling on a road surface that is not flooded. Also, the flooded state refers to, for example, a state where the vehicle 10 is traveling on a flooded road surface.

Specifically, the opening/closing mechanism 24 has a plurality of waterproof boards 25 arranged in a state in which they can be opened and closed near the duct opening 231. Here, as shown in FIG. 2(B), a plurality of waterproof boards 25 extending in the left-right direction are arranged in the front-rear direction. Both ends of each waterproof board 25 are rotatably attached to the vehicle body 11 so as to straddle the duct 23. The waterproof boards 25 are rotatable by being attached to the vehicle body 11 via a rotating support shaft 26. Also, as shown in FIG. 2(A), the lower portions of all the waterproof boards 25 are inclined and hanging down toward the rear. With this configuration, when buoyancy acts on the waterproof boards 25, all the waterproof boards 25 are rotated counterclockwise, and the rotated waterproof boards 25 can close the duct 23 without any gaps, as described later. In the normal state shown in FIG. 2(A), the waterproof boards 25 hang down downward due to gravity acting on the waterproof boards 25, and the duct 23 is connected to the outside.

Figure 3 shows the sound-producing device 20 according to the first embodiment of the present invention in a submerged state, where Figure 3(A) is a cross-sectional view of the sound-producing device 20 and Figure 3(B) is a bottom view.

As shown in Figures 3(A) and 3(B), in a flooded state, the water surface is near or above the duct opening 231. If no measures are taken, water that has entered the inside of the duct 23 may come into contact with the sound generating unit 21, which is an electronic component, and may cause the sound generating unit 21 to malfunction.

In this embodiment, the opening/closing mechanism 24 is closed in a flooded state. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3(A), buoyancy acting on the waterproof boards 25 causes all of the waterproof boards 25 to rotate counterclockwise, blocking the duct opening 231. Also, as shown in FIG. 3(B), the duct 23 is entirely covered by the rotated waterproof boards 25. Covering the duct opening 231 with the waterproof boards 25 prevents a large amount of water from entering the inside of the duct 23 from the duct opening 231, and prevents water from reaching the sound generating unit 21, preventing malfunction of the sound generating unit 21.

In addition, if the water near the duct opening 231 disappears due to the vehicle 10 moving, etc., the buoyancy force will no longer be acting and the waterproof board 25 will hang down and enter an open state.

[Second embodiment]
4A and 4B are diagrams showing the normal state of the sound generation device 20 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, with Fig. 4(A) being a cross-sectional view showing the sound generation device 20 and Fig. 4(B) being a bottom view. The schematic configuration of the sound generation device 20 shown in Fig. 4 is similar to that shown in Fig. 2, with the difference being that it has a link mechanism 27 and a biasing portion 28.

Referring to FIG. 4(A), the opening/closing mechanism 24 has a waterproof plate 25, a link mechanism 27, and a biasing portion 28.

The waterproof board 25 is arranged in an openable and closable manner near the duct opening 231, as in the case shown in FIG. 2.

The link mechanism 27 links and connects the waterproof boards 25 together. Specifically, the link mechanism 27 has a link portion 271 and a link wall portion 272.

The link portion 271 is a rod- or plate-shaped member that is linked and connected to multiple waterproof boards 25 via a pivot support shaft 26, and is movable in the forward and backward directions. As a result, when the link portion 271 moves backward, all of the waterproof boards 25 are in the open state (Fig. 4(A)), and when the link portion 271 moves forward, all of the waterproof boards 25 are in the closed state (Fig. 5(A)).

The link wall portion 272 is a plate-shaped member that is attached to the front end of the link portion 271 and extends upward.

The biasing portion 28 is, for example, a coil spring, and is disposed in a compressed state between the front side surface of the duct 23 and the link wall portion 272. The biasing portion 28 biases the link wall portion 272 rearward, thereby biasing the link portion 271 rearward, so that the waterproof board 25 is in a hanging open state and the duct 23 is in communication with the outside, as shown in Figures 4(A) and 4(B).

Figure 5 shows the submerged state of the sound-producing device 20 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 5(A) is a cross-sectional view of the sound-producing device 20 and Figure 5(B) is a bottom view.

Referring to FIG. 5(A), when the duct opening 231 is flooded with water, the buoyancy acting on the waterproof board 25 causes the waterproof board 25 to rotate counterclockwise. In this embodiment, all the waterproof boards 25 are linked and connected by the link mechanism 27, so that all the waterproof boards 25 rotate counterclockwise at the same time and close the duct opening 231, as shown in FIG. 5(B). Here, the buoyancy acting on the waterproof board 25 is greater than the biasing force generated by the biasing portion 28, so that the biasing force of the biasing portion 28 does not hinder the closing action caused by the rotation of the waterproof board 25. This prevents water from entering the inside of the duct 23, and prevents the duct 23 from breaking down.

In addition, when the water near the duct opening 231 disappears due to the vehicle 10 moving, etc., the waterproof board 25 hangs down and enters an open state due to the biasing force of the biasing portion 28.

[Third embodiment]
6A and 6B are diagrams showing the normal state of the sound generation device 20 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, with Fig. 6(A) being a cross-sectional view of the sound generation device 20 and Fig. 6(B) being a bottom view. The schematic configuration of the sound generation device 20 shown in Fig. 6 is similar to that shown in Fig. 2, with the difference being that it has a water detection sensor 29, an actuator 30 and a control unit 31.

Referring to FIG. 6(A), the opening/closing mechanism 24 has a water barrier plate 25, a water detection sensor 29, an actuator 30, and a control unit 31. Here, the water detection sensor 29, the actuator 30, and the control unit 31 are electrically connected.

The waterproof board 25 is arranged in an openable and closable manner near the duct opening 231, as described with reference to FIG. 2(A) etc.

The water detection sensor 29 is a sensor that detects the presence of water near the duct opening 231. The water detection sensor 29 transmits an electrical signal indicating the presence or absence of water to the control unit 31. The water detection sensor 29 is attached, for example, inside the duct 23, immediately adjacent to the duct opening 231.

The actuator 30 has a motor and the like that drives the opening and closing operation of the waterproof board 25, and rotates the waterproof board 25 based on a control signal input from the control unit 31.

The control unit 31 is a semiconductor device such as a CPU, and receives an electrical signal from the water detection sensor 29 indicating whether or not water is present near the duct opening 231. The control unit 31 executes a predetermined calculation process based on the input signal. Furthermore, the control unit 31 controls the behavior of the actuator 30 according to the input signal.

In the normal state shown in Figures 6(A) and 6(B), the control unit 31 opens the waterproof boards 25 using the actuators 30 based on the output of the water detection sensor 29, which does not detect water. In other words, each waterproof board 25 is in a hanging state. Therefore, the duct opening 231 is not blocked by the waterproof board 25 and is in communication with the outside.

Figure 7 shows the submerged state of the sound-producing device 20 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 7(A) is a cross-sectional view of the sound-producing device 20 and Figure 7(B) is a bottom view.

Referring to Figures 7(A) and 7(B), in a flooded state, the control unit 31 closes the waterproof board 25 using the actuator 30 based on the output of the water detection sensor 29 that detects water. That is, the control unit 31 controls the actuator 30 to rotate the waterproof board 25 counterclockwise around the pivot support shaft 26 as the center of rotation, and the waterproof board 25 closes the duct opening 231. This prevents water from entering the inside of the duct 23, preventing breakdowns in the duct 23.

When the water near the duct opening 231 disappears due to the vehicle 10 moving or the like, the water detection sensor 29 transmits an electrical signal to the control unit 31 indicating that there is no water near the duct opening 231. Next, based on the signal input from the control unit 31, the actuator 30 rotates the water blocking plate 25 clockwise to the open state shown in FIG. 6(A).

[Fourth embodiment]
8A and 8B are diagrams showing the normal state of the sound generation device 20 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, with Fig. 8A being a cross-sectional view of the sound generation device 20 and Fig. 8B being a bottom view. The schematic configuration of the sound generation device 20 shown in Fig. 8 is similar to that shown in Fig. 2, and the main difference is that it has a waterproof board 33 and the like.

Referring to FIG. 8 (A), the opening and closing mechanism 24 mainly includes a waterproof plate 33 and a biasing portion 32.

The waterproof plate 33 has a shape that conforms to the shape of the duct opening 231. Specifically, the waterproof plate 33 has a cone-like shape with the top cut off. The biasing portion 32 is disposed below the duct opening 231. The waterproof plate 33 has, for example, a hollow structure so that its specific gravity is smaller than that of water. In addition, an abutment portion 35 that slopes downward toward the outside in the radial direction is formed at the lower end of the duct 23. The shape of the side of the waterproof plate 33 conforms to the shape of the abutment portion 35.

The biasing portion 32 is, for example, a coil spring, and is disposed between the duct opening 231 and the waterproof plate 33. Specifically, the upper end of the biasing portion 32 is fixed to a support portion 36 formed inside the duct 23. The lower end of the biasing portion 32 is fixed to the upper surface of the waterproof plate 33. With this configuration, the lower surface of the waterproof plate 33 biased by the biasing portion 32 abuts against the sound diffusion plate 34 described below.

A sound diffusion plate 34 is connected to the abutment portion 35. As shown in FIG. 8(A), the upper end of the sound diffusion plate 34 is connected to the lower end of the abutment portion 35, and the sound diffusion plate 34 is shaped to envelop the waterproof plate 33 from all sides. As shown in FIG. 8(B), the sound diffusion plate 34 supports the waterproof plate 33 from the front, back, left and right directions.

Under normal conditions, sound emitted from the duct 23 is effectively propagated in all directions, front to back, left to right, through the gap formed between the waterproof board 33 and the duct opening 231.

Figure 9 shows the submerged state of the sound-producing device 20 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, where Figure 9(A) is a cross-sectional view of the sound-producing device 20 and Figure 9(B) is a bottom view.

In a flooded state, the waterproof plate 33 displaced by buoyancy blocks the duct opening 231. That is, the waterproof plate 33 acting on the buoyancy rises against the biasing force of the biasing portion 32, and the inclined side of the waterproof plate 33 comes into close contact with the abutment portion 35. With this configuration, the duct opening 231 is blocked by the waterproof plate 33, preventing water from entering the inside of the duct 23 and preventing failure of the sound generating portion 21.

In addition, when the water near the duct opening 231 disappears due to the vehicle 10 moving, etc., the buoyancy acting on the waterproof board 33 disappears and the opening/closing mechanism 24 returns to the normal state shown in FIG. 8.

[Effects achieved by the above embodiment]
According to each of the above-described embodiments, the following main effects can be obtained.

Referring to Figures 2(A) and 3(B), according to the embodiment, the duct opening 231 is in an open state in the normal state when it is not in contact with water, and is in a closed state in the flooded state when the duct opening 231 is in contact with water, so that in the normal state, sound generated from the duct 23 can be effectively transmitted to the outside of the vehicle, and further, in the flooded state, water can be prevented from reaching the duct 23.

Referring to FIG. 2(B), according to this embodiment, the water-resistant board 25 is opened and closed using gravity and buoyancy acting on the water-resistant board 25, so that the water-resistant board 25 can be opened and closed appropriately without the need for a special drive mechanism.

Referring to FIG. 4(A), according to this embodiment, the link mechanism 27 and the biasing portion 28 are used to open and close the waterproof board 25, so that the waterproof board 25 is reliably kept in the open state under normal circumstances, improving sound propagation.

Referring to FIG. 6(A), according to this embodiment, the water blocking board 25 is opened and closed using the water detection sensor 29 and the actuator 30, so that the open/closed state of the water blocking board 25 can be adapted to the water conditions near the duct opening 231.

Referring to FIG. 8(A), according to this embodiment, the waterproof board 33, which has a shape conforming to the duct opening 231, rises and falls depending on the presence or absence of buoyancy, thereby opening and closing the duct opening 231, and therefore the opening and closing mechanism 24 can be configured with a simpler structure. Furthermore, the sound emitted from the sound generating unit 21 can be propagated to the surroundings by spreading the sound from the gap between the vehicle body 11 side and the waterproof board 33 to the surroundings.

Referring to FIG. 2(A), in this embodiment, the duct 23 that houses the sound generating unit 21 opens downward, so that the sound generated by the sound generating unit 21 is efficiently propagated downwards in the vehicle 10.

[Invention that can be understood from the above embodiment]
The invention that can be understood from the above-described embodiment will be described below together with its effects.

The invention described in claim 1 at the time of filing is characterized in that the duct opening faces downward from an undercover hole that opens the undercover that covers the underside of the vehicle body. This allows sound to be transmitted efficiently downwards in the vehicle.

In the invention described in claim 1 at the time of the application, the duct is characterized by generating an approaching sound that notifies the driver of an approaching vehicle. This allows the sound to be effectively propagated around the vehicle.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. In addition, the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined with each other.

For example, the sound generating device 20 described above is configured as a sound generating device that emits a vehicle approach sound in a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle, but it can also be used as another sound generating device such as a horn provided on a vehicle.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 vehicle 11 vehicle body 12 undercover 20 sound generating device 21 sound generating portion 22 undercover hole 23 duct 231 duct opening 24 opening/closing mechanism 25 waterproof plate 26 pivoting support shaft 27 link mechanism 271 link portion 272 link wall portion 28 biasing portion 29 water detection sensor 30 actuator 31 control portion 32 biasing portion 33 waterproof plate 34 sound diffusion plate 35 contact portion 36 support portion

Claims (4)

a sound generating unit for generating a predetermined sound;
a duct that guides the sound generated from the sound generating unit to the outside of a vehicle body;
an opening/closing mechanism disposed in the vicinity of a duct opening of the duct,
the opening/closing mechanism is in an open state in a normal state in which the duct opening is not in contact with water, and is in a closed state in a flooded state in which the duct opening is in contact with water,
the opening/closing mechanism is a water blocking board arranged in an openable/closable state near the duct opening,
In the normal state, the water barrier plate hangs down due to gravity acting on the water barrier plate, and the duct communicates with the outside.
The sound generating device for a vehicle, wherein in the flooded state, the water blocking plate rotates due to buoyancy acting on the water blocking plate to close the duct opening. a sound generating unit for generating a predetermined sound;
a duct that guides the sound generated from the sound generating unit to the outside of a vehicle body;
an opening/closing mechanism disposed in the vicinity of a duct opening of the duct,
the opening/closing mechanism is in an open state in a normal state in which the duct opening is not in contact with water, and is in a closed state in a flooded state in which the duct opening is in contact with water,
The opening and closing mechanism includes a water blocking plate, a link mechanism, and a biasing portion.
The water blocking board is disposed in the vicinity of the duct opening in an openable and closable state,
The link mechanism links and connects the water blocking boards to each other,
The biasing portion biases the link mechanism,
In the normal state, the biasing portion biases the link mechanism in a direction in which the water blocking board is in an open state, so that the duct communicates with the outside,
The sound generating device for a vehicle, wherein in the flooded state, the water blocking plate rotates due to buoyancy acting on the water blocking plate to close the duct opening. a sound generating unit for generating a predetermined sound;
a duct that guides the sound generated from the sound generating unit to the outside of a vehicle body;
an opening/closing mechanism disposed in the vicinity of a duct opening of the duct,
the opening/closing mechanism is in an open state in a normal state in which the duct opening is not in contact with water, and is in a closed state in a flooded state in which the duct opening is in contact with water,
The opening and closing mechanism includes a water blocking plate, a water detection sensor, an actuator, and a control unit.
The water blocking board is disposed in the vicinity of the duct opening in an openable and closable state,
the water detection sensor detects the presence of water near the duct opening;
The actuator drives the opening and closing operation of the water blocking board,
The control unit controls the operation of the actuator based on an output of the water detection sensor.
In the normal state, the control unit causes the actuator to open the water blocking board based on an output of the water detection sensor that does not detect water,
The sound generating device for a vehicle, wherein in the flooded state, the control unit closes the water blocking plate using the actuator based on an output of the water detection sensor that detects water. a sound generating unit for generating a predetermined sound;
a duct that guides the sound generated from the sound generating unit to the outside of a vehicle body;
an opening/closing mechanism disposed in the vicinity of a duct opening of the duct,
the opening/closing mechanism is in an open state in a normal state in which the duct opening is not in contact with water, and is in a closed state in a flooded state in which the duct opening is in contact with water,
The opening and closing mechanism includes a water blocking plate and a biasing portion.
The waterproof board has a shape that conforms to the shape of the duct opening,
The biasing portion is disposed between the duct opening and the water blocking board,
In the normal state, sound generated from the duct propagates to the outside through a gap formed between the waterproof board and the duct opening,
The sound generating device for a vehicle, wherein in the flooded state, the waterproof plate is displaced due to buoyancy and blocks the duct opening.

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