JP7597252B2 - Fuel piping protection structure - Google Patents

Description

This case relates to a protective structure for fuel piping connecting an engine inside the engine compartment to a fuel tank outside the engine compartment.

Conventionally, vehicles are known in which an engine is placed inside the engine compartment and a fuel tank is placed outside the engine compartment, with the two connected by fuel piping. In this type of vehicle, the engine is located at the front of the vehicle and the fuel tank is located at the rear of the vehicle. The fuel piping is also routed in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle below the floor panel (see JP 2009-68349 A).

JP 2009-68349 A

Various devices (engine, motor, accessories, etc.) located in the engine compartment may be subjected to external forces and move toward the rear of the vehicle, for example, during a frontal collision. On the other hand, if the various devices that move toward the rear of the vehicle interfere with the fuel piping, there is a risk of fuel leakage due to damage or deformation of the fuel piping. Therefore, it is preferable to route the fuel piping in a layout that is less likely to cause interference, even if the various devices move toward the rear of the vehicle. In conventional vehicles, this point has not been fully taken into consideration, and there is room for improvement.

One of the objectives of this case was devised in light of the above-mentioned problems, and is to provide a fuel pipe protection structure that can improve the protection performance of the fuel pipe. In addition to this objective, another objective of this case is to achieve effects that cannot be obtained with conventional technology, which are derived from the configurations shown in the "Mode for carrying out the invention" described below.

The disclosed fuel pipe protective structure can be realized as the aspects or application examples disclosed below, and solves at least some of the above problems.
The disclosed fuel piping protective structure is a protective structure for fuel piping that connects an engine in an engine compartment to a fuel tank outside the engine compartment in a vehicle that includes a backbone that protrudes upward at the center of the floor panel in the vehicle width direction and extends in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, an exhaust purification catalyst that is arranged inside the backbone, a pair of side members that extend in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction on either side of the backbone in the vehicle width direction, and a suspension cross that is bridged between the pair of side members in the vehicle width direction and supports a suspension device.
The fuel piping has a front portion extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and reaching the engine, a rear portion extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle outside the backbone and outside the front portion in the vehicle width direction and reaching the fuel tank, and an intermediate portion spaced apart from each of the suspension cross and the exhaust purification catalyst, extending in the vehicle width direction forward of the exhaust purification catalyst and rearward of the suspension cross, connecting the rear end of the front portion and the front end of the rear portion.

According to the disclosed fuel piping protection structure, by locating the middle part of the fuel piping forward of the exhaust purification catalyst and rearward of the suspension cross, it is possible to prevent deformation or damage of the fuel piping due to interference with the receding suspension cross while preventing thermal damage from the exhaust purification catalyst to the fuel piping. Therefore, it is possible to improve the protection performance of the fuel piping.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view for explaining a main part of a protective structure for a fuel pipe. 1 is a bottom view for explaining a structure of a vehicle to which a fuel pipe protective structure is applied. FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view (side view) for explaining a protective structure for a fuel pipe. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view (front view) for explaining a protective structure for a fuel pipe. 4 is a cross-sectional view (rear view) illustrating a fuel pipe protection structure. FIG.

The disclosed fuel piping protection structure can be implemented according to the following embodiments.

[1. Configuration]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a main structure of a protective structure for fuel pipes 8, 9 as an embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a bottom view (view looking up from the bottom side) for explaining the structure of a vehicle 1 to which the protective structure is applied. The vehicle 1 shown in Fig. 2 is a hybrid vehicle (or plug-in hybrid vehicle) equipped with an engine 16 (internal combustion engine) and a motor 18 (electric motor) as drive sources, and a battery 19 for running. A plug-in hybrid vehicle means a hybrid vehicle in which the battery 19 can be charged externally. A plug-in hybrid vehicle is provided with a charging port (inlet) for inserting a charging cable through which power is supplied from an external charging facility.

The engine 16 and the motor 18 are housed inside the engine room 10 located at the front of the vehicle 1. In addition to the engine 16 and the motor 18, various auxiliary devices, a low-voltage battery, a transaxle, etc. may be housed inside the engine room 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the engine room 10 is located forward of the dash panel 4 that forms the front of the passenger compartment. The dash panel 4 is formed in a curved shape that rises upward from the front end of the floor panel 2 that forms the front of the passenger compartment. In addition, a dash cross 5 (dash cross member) extending in the vehicle width direction is attached to the front surface of the dash panel 4. Both left and right ends of the dash cross 5 are connected to side members 6. This reinforces the dash panel 4 and improves its shape stability.

A backbone 3 (backbone frame) extending in the vehicle width direction is provided in the center of the floor panel 2 in the vehicle width direction. The backbone 3 is a portion formed by bending a plate surface so that the cross-sectional shape is upwardly convex (a portion with a shape that protrudes upward in the center of the vehicle width direction), and is formed in a shape that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction. The backbone 3 shown in FIG. 1 is an example that is arranged adjacent to the engine room 10, and is arranged so as to extend rearward from the engine room 10. The exhaust passage 14 (exhaust pipe) of the engine 16 and the exhaust purification catalyst 15 interposed therein are arranged inside the backbone 3. Note that, if the vehicle 1 is an FR vehicle or a 4WD vehicle, a propeller shaft (not shown) may be arranged inside the backbone 3 in line with the exhaust passage 14.

A heat shield 13 is interposed between the exhaust passage 14 and exhaust purification catalyst 15 and the backbone 3. The shape of the heat shield 13 is formed into a groove shape with a hat-shaped cross section to correspond to the shape of the backbone 3. In FIG. 1, a heat shield 13 large enough to cover the lower part of the backbone 3 is illustrated, but it may be made larger in size. For example, the shielding area provided by the heat shield 13 may be extended to the rear of the vehicle to correspond to the routing shape of the exhaust passage 14.

A side member 6 extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is attached to the lower surface of the surface of the floor panel 2. A pair of side members 6 are provided on the left and right sides of the backbone 3 in the vehicle width direction. The front end of the side member 6 extends forward of the dash panel 4 (to the front end of the vehicle 1) into the engine room 10, and the rear end of the side member 6 extends rearward of the backbone 3 (to the rear end of the vehicle 1). In the example shown in FIG. 1, the side member 6 is bent in a crank shape forward of the dash panel 4 to avoid the axle of the front wheels.

A suspension cross member 7 (front suspension cross member), which is a cross member that supports the front wheel suspension device, is placed between the pair of left and right side members 6. This suspension cross member 7 is disposed forward of the dash panel 4. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the suspension cross member 7 is disposed behind the crank-shaped bent portion of the side members 6 so as to connect the left and right side members 6 in the vehicle width direction.

The fuel tank 17, which stores fuel to be supplied to the engine 16, is located outside the engine room 10. Similarly, the battery 19, which stores the driving power of the motor 18, is also located outside the engine room 10. In the example shown in FIG. 1, a battery placement recess 20 is formed by recessing the floor panel 2 rearward of the backbone 3 downward, and the battery 19 is placed inside the recess. As shown in FIG. 2, the fuel tank 17 is attached to the lower side member 6 rearward of the battery 19 (battery placement recess 20). A canister (not shown) for collecting fuel vapor is located near the fuel tank 17. In this case, the canister is included in the fuel tank 17 (tank assembly).

Between the engine 16 and the fuel tank 17, fuel pipes 8, 9 are provided for supplying fuel to the engine 16. The fuel pipes 8, 9 include a main pipe 8 for supplying liquid fuel to the fuel injection device of the engine 16, and a vapor pipe 9 for supplying fuel vapor collected in the canister to the intake system of the engine 16. In the example shown in Figure 2, these fuel pipes 8, 9 are arranged approximately parallel to each other along approximately the same route.

As shown in FIG. 1, the main pipe 8 has a front portion 8A, an intermediate portion 8B, and a rear portion 8C, and the vapor pipe 9 also has a front portion 9A, an intermediate portion 9B, and a rear portion 9C. The front portions 8A, 9A are the portions corresponding to the front of the fuel pipes 8, 9 as a whole, extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and leading to the engine 16. The front portions 8A, 9A are arranged, for example, inside the backbone 3 (or outside the backbone 3, adjacent to the lower side of the backbone 3), above the heat shield 13. The portions protruding from the inside of the backbone 3 may also be considered to be included in the front portions 8A, 9A. The rear portions 8C, 9C are the portions corresponding to the rear of the fuel pipes 8, 9 as a whole, extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle outside the backbone 3, leading to the fuel tank 17.

The intermediate portions 8B, 9B are portions of the fuel pipes 8, 9 that are sandwiched between the front portions 8A, 9A and the rear portions 8C, 9C, extend in the vehicle width direction, and connect the rear ends of the front portions 8A, 9A and the front ends of the rear portions 8C, 9C. As shown in FIG. 1, the intermediate portions 8B, 9B are positioned away from the suspension cross 7 and the exhaust purification catalyst 15, and are positioned forward of the exhaust purification catalyst 15 and rearward of the suspension cross 7. The intermediate portions 8B, 9B are connected to the front portions 8A, 9A on the inside of the backbone 3, passing above the heat shield 13.

The suspension cross 7 shown by the dashed line in FIG. 1 is drawn to make it easier to understand the relative position of the suspension cross 7 with respect to the fuel pipes 8, 9. When the engine 16 or the motor 18 receives an external force, for example, due to a frontal collision of the vehicle 1, the suspension cross 7 may be pushed by them and move toward the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, if the position of the intermediate parts 8B, 9B is set further forward than the state shown in FIG. 1, the intermediate parts 8B, 9B will be closer to the suspension cross 7, and will be more likely to be pinched between the suspension cross 7 and the floor panel 2, which will cause damage or deformation and lead to fuel leakage. In contrast, by separating the intermediate parts 8B, 9B from the suspension cross 7, interference with the suspension cross 7 is less likely to occur, and deformation or damage to the fuel pipes 8, 9 is prevented. This improves the protection performance of the fuel pipes 8, 9.

If the intermediate portions 8B, 9B were positioned further rearward than in the state shown in FIG. 1, the intermediate portions 8B, 9B would be closer to the exhaust purification catalyst 15, and would be more susceptible to the effects of exhaust heat. In contrast, by isolating the intermediate portions 8B, 9B from the exhaust purification catalyst 15, the fuel pipes 8, 9 would be less susceptible to the effects of exhaust heat, and the occurrence of heat damage (deformation or damage of the fuel pipes 8, 9 due to heat) would be prevented. In addition, while the exhaust purification catalyst 15 is positioned below the heat shield 13, the intermediate portions 8B, 9B are connected to the front portions 8A, 9A above the heat shield 13. Therefore, the effects of exhaust heat on the intermediate portions 8B, 9B are more reliably prevented.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the middle parts 8B, 9B are positioned in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction at a position equivalent to the front end (cone part) of the exhaust purification catalyst 15. In other words, the layout (routing path) is such that the bend between the front parts 8A, 9A and the middle parts 8B, 9B is located exactly at the front end of the exhaust purification catalyst 15. With this layout, the separation distance between the suspension cross 7 and the middle parts 8B, 9B is maximized within the range where heat damage is prevented. This improves the effect of preventing interference with the suspension cross 7, and further improves the protection performance of the fuel pipes 8, 9.

Between the motor 18 and the battery 19, a hollow conduit 11 is provided, into which a high-voltage line (PN line) for transmitting power is inserted. The conduit 11 is, for example, a bellows pipe (flexible pipe for wiring), and the high-voltage line passes inside it. The conduit 11 is routed along the fuel pipes 8, 9, passing inside the backbone 3 (above the heat shield 13). The front end of the conduit 11 is connected to the motor 18 (for example, an inverter). The rear end of the conduit 11 is connected to the battery 19 through an opening drilled in the floor panel 2.

Figures 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views showing the relationship between the front portions 8A, 9A of the fuel pipes 8, 9 and the electric conduit 11. Figure 3 shows the vehicle 1 cut along a vertical plane along the center plane in the vehicle width direction, viewed from the left side to the right side (side view). Figure 4 shows the vehicle 1 cut along a vertical plane perpendicular to the cut surface of Figure 3, which passes forward of the dash panel 4, viewed from the front to the rear of the vehicle 1 (front view).

3, the front portions 8A, 9A and the electric conduit 11 of the fuel pipes 8, 9 have portions that are arranged in a substantially L-shape along the upper surface of the backbone 3 and the dash panel 4. The front portions 8A, 9A and the electric conduit 11 are fixed to the dash cross 5 via a bracket 12, for example, and are fixed to the upper surface of the backbone 3 (floor panel 2) via a second bracket 22. The bracket 12 is disposed at the upper end of the L-shaped portion, and the second bracket 22 is disposed at the lower end of the L-shaped portion. The front portions 8A, 9A and the electric conduit 11 are formed in a bent shape that extends forward above the bracket 12.

Preferably, the front portions 8A, 9A of the fuel pipes 8, 9 are arranged to pass closer to the dash panel 4 (toward the rear of the vehicle) than the conduit 11 in a side view as shown in Figure 3. In other words, it is preferable to set a wiring layout in which the fuel pipes 8, 9 are located closer to the body than the conduit 11. With this layout, even if various devices in the engine compartment 10 are moved toward the rear of the vehicle, the conduit 11 acts to guard the front of the front portions 8A, 9A, improving the protection performance of the fuel pipes 8, 9.

More preferably, the front portions 8A, 9A of the fuel pipes 8, 9 are arranged to pass through a position (upper side of the vehicle) closer to the floor panel 2 than the electric conduit 11. In other words, it is preferable to set the vertical separation distance from the upper surface of the backbone 3 to the fuel pipes 8, 9 short, and set the vertical separation distance from the upper surface of the backbone 3 to the electric conduit 11 long. With this layout, even if the heat shield 13 is pressed by various devices and deforms, moving toward the upper side of the vehicle, the electric conduit 11 acts to protect the fuel pipes 8, 9, further improving the protection performance of the fuel pipes 8, 9.

Of the front parts 8A, 9A and the electric conduit 11 of the fuel pipes 8, 9, the parts that are routed in the vertical direction along the dash panel 4 are preferably routed apart in the vehicle width direction so that the front parts 8A, 9A and the electric conduit 11 do not overlap in a front view. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, it is preferable to set each routing path so that the front parts 8A, 9A and the electric conduit 11 pass through positions that are offset in the vehicle width direction in a front view. With this layout, even if various devices in the engine room 10 are moved toward the rear of the vehicle, the electric conduit 11 and the front parts 8A, 9A are less likely to come into contact, further improving the protection performance of the fuel pipes 8, 9.

As shown in Figure 3, the engine 16 is preferably positioned below the dash cross 5. The same goes for the motor 18, which is also preferably positioned below the dash cross 5. With this layout, even if the engine 16 and motor 18 are subjected to an external force and move toward the rear of the vehicle, contact between the engine 16 and motor 18 and the bracket 12 is more easily avoided. This further improves the protection performance of the fuel pipes 8, 9 and the electrical conduit 11.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the positioning of the rear portions 8C, 9C of the fuel pipes 8, 9. Here, the vehicle 1 is cut along a vertical plane perpendicular to the cut surface of Figure 3, which passes through the battery 19, and the view is shown from the rear to the front of the vehicle 1 (rear view). The rear portions 8C, 9C of the fuel pipes 8, 9 are arranged near the floor panel 2 inside the pipe groove 21 sandwiched between the side member 6 and the recessed portion 20 for battery placement.

The lower end position (the vertical position of the part closest to the road surface) of the battery placement recess 20 is set at approximately the same height as the lower end position of the side member 6. The piping groove 21 is recessed upward from the lower end position. By locating the rear portions 8C, 9C inside such piping groove 21, the protection performance of the fuel pipes 8, 9 against chipping when driving on rough roads, for example, is improved. In addition, by locating the rear portions 8C, 9C near the floor panel 2, which is the upper end of the piping groove 21, the protection performance is further improved.

[2. Actions and Effects]
(1) The fuel pipes 8, 9 in this embodiment have front portions 8A, 9A, intermediate portions 8B, 9B, and rear portions 8C, 9C. The front portions 8A, 9A extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and reach the engine 16. The rear portions 8C, 9C extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle outside the backbone 3 and reach the fuel tank 17. The intermediate portions 8B, 9B are spaced apart from the suspension cross 7 and the exhaust purification catalyst 15, extend in the vehicle width direction forward of the exhaust purification catalyst 15 and rearward of the suspension cross 7, and connect the rear ends of the front portions 8A, 9A to the front ends of the rear portions 8C, 9C.

In this way, by arranging the middle parts 8B, 9B of the fuel pipes 8, 9 forward of the exhaust purification catalyst 15 and rearward of the suscross 7, a separation distance from each of the suscross 7 and the exhaust purification catalyst 15 can be secured, and deformation or damage to the fuel pipes 8, 9 due to interference with the receding suscross 7 can be prevented, while heat damage to the fuel pipes 8, 9 from the exhaust purification catalyst 15 (deformation or damage to the fuel pipes 8, 9 due to heat) can be prevented. Therefore, the protection performance of the fuel pipes 8, 9 can be improved.

(2) In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, the middle parts 8B, 9B of the fuel pipes 8, 9 are positioned in the vehicle longitudinal direction at a position equivalent to the front end of the exhaust purification catalyst 15. This allows the separation distance between the suspension cross 7 and the middle parts 8B, 9B to be maximized within the range in which heat damage from the exhaust purification catalyst 15 is prevented. This increases the effect of preventing interference with the suspension cross 7, and further improves the protection performance of the fuel pipes 8, 9.

(3) In the above embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, for example, the middle parts 8B, 9B of the fuel pipes 8, 9 are connected to the front parts 8A, 9A inside the backbone 3, passing above the heat shield 13. This reliably prevents heat damage to the fuel pipes 8, 9 caused by the exhaust purification catalyst 15, and improves the protection performance of the fuel pipes 8, 9. In addition, by passing the electric conduit 11 above the heat shield 13, it is possible to reliably prevent heat damage to the electric conduit 11, and improve the protection performance of the electric conduit 11.

(4) In the above embodiment, the front portions 8A, 9A are positioned inside the backbone 3. This makes it less likely that the front portions 8A, 9A will be pinched between the dash panel 4 and the suspension cross 7. This further improves the protection performance of the fuel pipes 8, 9.

(5) In the above embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the front portions 8A, 9A and the electric conduit 11 of the fuel pipes 8, 9 can be routed along the upper surface of the backbone 3 and the dash panel 4. In addition, the front portions 8A, 9A of the fuel pipes 8, 9 can be positioned closer to the dash panel 4 than the electric conduit 11. With this layout, the front of the front portions 8A, 9A (left side in FIG. 3) can be protected by the electric conduit 11. Therefore, even if various devices in the engine room 10 move toward the rear of the vehicle, the various devices can be prevented from interfering with the fuel pipes 8, 9, and the protection performance of the fuel pipes 8, 9 can be improved.

(6) In the above embodiment, for example, as shown in Figure 4, the front portions 8A, 9A and the electric conduit 11 can be arranged apart in the vehicle width direction so that they do not overlap when viewed from the front. In this way, by arranging the front portions 8A, 9A and the electric conduit 11 offset in the vehicle width direction, even if the electric conduit 11 is pressed by various devices and moves toward the rear of the vehicle, direct contact between the electric conduit 11 and the front portions 8A, 9A can be prevented. Therefore, the protection performance of the fuel pipes 8, 9 can be improved.

(7) In the above embodiment, for example as shown in FIG. 3, the front portions 8A, 9A of the fuel pipes 8, 9 and the electrical conduit 11 can be fixed to the dash cross 5 via the bracket 12. In this way, by attaching the fuel pipes 8, 9 and the electrical conduit 11 to the dash cross 5, the fixed state of these can be stabilized. Furthermore, by locating the engine 16 and the motor 18 below the dash cross 5, it is possible to avoid direct impact of these devices on the bracket 12 even if they move rearward in a frontal collision. Therefore, the protection performance of the fuel pipes 8, 9 and the electrical conduit 11 can be improved.

[3. Other]
The above embodiment is merely illustrative, and is not intended to exclude various modifications or application of techniques not explicitly stated in the embodiment. Each configuration of the embodiment can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the embodiment. Furthermore, each configuration of the embodiment can be selected as necessary, or can be combined appropriately.

In the above embodiment, the fuel pipes 8, 9 in which the main pipe 8 and the vapor pipe 9 are provided separately are exemplified, but they may be integrated. For example, a similar piping structure may be formed using a double pipe in which a liquid fuel flow path and a fuel vapor flow path are provided independently within a single pipe. By setting the position of the intermediate portions 8B, 9B of the fuel pipes 8, 9 forward of the exhaust purification catalyst 15 and rearward of the sascross 7 so that at least the intermediate portions 8B, 9B are separated from each of the sascross 7 and the exhaust purification catalyst 15, the same effect as the above embodiment can be achieved.

This invention can be used in the manufacturing industry of vehicles with fuel pipes (engine vehicles and hybrid vehicles).

1 Vehicle 2 Floor panel 3 Backbone (backbone frame)
4 Dash panel 5 Dash cross (dash cross member)
6 Side member 7 Suspension cross member (front suspension cross member)
8 Main piping (fuel piping)
9 Vapor piping (fuel piping)
[0033] 8A, 9A front portion 8B, 9B middle portion 8C, 9C rear portion 10 engine room 11 electric conduit 12 bracket 13 heat shield plate 14 exhaust passage 15 exhaust purification catalyst 16 engine 17 fuel tank 18 motor 19 battery 20 battery arrangement recessed portion 21 piping groove 22 second bracket

Claims (7)

A protective structure for a fuel pipe connecting an engine in an engine room and a fuel tank outside the engine room in a vehicle including a backbone formed in a shape that protrudes upward from a center portion of a floor panel in a vehicle width direction and extends in a vehicle front-rear direction, an exhaust purification catalyst arranged inside the backbone, a pair of side members that sandwich the backbone in the vehicle width direction and extend in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a suspension cross that is bridged between the pair of side members in the vehicle width direction and supports a suspension device,
The fuel pipe,
A front portion extending in a vehicle front-rear direction and leading to the engine;
a rear portion extending in a vehicle front-rear direction outside the backbone and outside the front portion in the vehicle width direction, and leading to the fuel tank;
a middle portion spaced apart from each of the suscross and the exhaust purification catalyst, extending in the vehicle width direction forward of the exhaust purification catalyst and rearward of the suscross, and connecting a rear end of the front portion and a front end of the rear portion. 2. The fuel pipe protection structure according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion is disposed at a position equivalent to a front end of the exhaust purification catalyst in the vehicle longitudinal direction. a heat shield plate that covers an upper portion of the exhaust purification catalyst inside the backbone,
3. The fuel piping protective structure according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion is connected to the front portion by passing above the heat shield plate on the inside of the backbone. 4. The fuel pipe protective structure according to claim 1, wherein the front portion is disposed inside the backbone. a hollow conduit into which a high-voltage wire is inserted, the high-voltage wire passing through the inside of the backbone and connecting a motor in the engine room and a battery disposed behind the backbone;
a dash panel extending upward from a front end of the floor panel on which the backbone is formed,
5. The fuel piping protection structure according to claim 1, wherein the front portion of the fuel piping and the electric conduit are routed along an upper surface of the backbone and the dash panel, and the front portion is positioned closer to the dash panel than the electric conduit in a side view. 6. The fuel piping protection structure according to claim 5, wherein the front portion of the fuel piping and the electric conduit are arranged along the dash panel, and are arranged apart in the vehicle width direction so that the front portion and the electric conduit do not overlap in a front view. A dash cross is provided on a front side surface of the dash panel so as to extend in a vehicle width direction,
The front portion of the fuel pipe and the electric conduit are fixed to the dash cross via a bracket,
7. The fuel piping protective structure according to claim 5, wherein the engine and the motor are disposed below the dash cross.

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