JP7638807B2 - Duct and vehicle equipped with the duct - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a duct formed by combining multiple duct walls and a vehicle equipped with this duct.

Some vehicles have an oil cooler duct placed between an opening in the front grille or bumper at the front edge of the vehicle and an oil cooler installed inside, and air taken in from the opening while driving is guided to the oil cooler via the oil cooler duct (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This allows heat exchange with the air in the oil cooler to cool equipment such as the transmission.

Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 2-34317

Oil cooler ducts are designed to be rigid so that they will not be damaged or produce abnormal noises due to vibrations caused during driving. However, in the case of a vehicle, measures are also required to reduce the impact on people as much as possible in the event that the oil cooler duct collides with them.

The present invention has been proposed in consideration of the above problems associated with the conventional technology, and aims to provide a duct with good pedestrian safety performance and a vehicle equipped with this duct.

In order to overcome the above problems and achieve the intended object, the duct according to the present invention comprises:
A first duct wall portion and a second duct wall portion that are assembled with their edges butted together,
a first covering portion formed on an edge of the first duct wall portion and overlapping an outer surface of the second duct wall portion;
a second covering portion formed on an edge of the second duct wall portion and overlapping an outer surface of the first duct wall portion,
The first covering portion and the second covering portion are arranged adjacent to each other.

The vehicle according to the present invention is characterized in that it is equipped with the duct according to the present invention described above.

The duct according to the present invention provides excellent pedestrian safety performance.
The vehicle according to the present invention has excellent pedestrian safety performance.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a duct according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the duct of the embodiment. FIG. 3 is an end view taken along line AA in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is an end view taken along line BB in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is an end view taken along line CC in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is an end view taken along line DD in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is an end view taken along line EE in FIG. 2. 2. FIG. 3A is an end view taken along line FF in FIG. 2, and FIG. 3B is an end view taken along line GG in FIG.

Next, a preferred embodiment of the duct according to the present invention and a vehicle equipped with this duct will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

The duct 10 according to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 is called an oil cooler duct, which guides cooling air to an oil cooler (not shown) in a vehicle. The duct 10 is installed between an opening provided at the front of the vehicle and an oil cooler arranged behind the opening. The duct 10 guides the air flowing in from the opening during driving from an air intake 10a aligned with the opening to an air outlet 10b via an air flow passage 12, and sends the air to the oil cooler arranged opposite the air outlet 10b. The duct 10 is made of thermoplastic resin such as polypropylene (PP), and is a molded product obtained by injection molding or the like. In the following explanation, the front, back, up, down, left and right of the duct 10 are referred to based on the posture of installation on the vehicle.

1 and 2, the duct 10 includes a first duct wall 14 and a second duct wall 16 that are assembled by butting edges 15, 17 against each other, and the two duct walls 14, 16 form an air flow passage 12. Specifically, the first duct wall 14 is formed in a groove shape that opens upward and has a lower wall 14a and a lower horizontal wall 14b that extends upward from each of the left and right edges of the lower wall 14a (see FIG. 6). The first duct wall 14 constitutes the lower part of the duct 10. The second duct wall 16 is formed in a groove shape that opens downward and has an upper wall 16a and an upper horizontal wall 16b that extends downward from each of the left and right edges of the upper wall 16a (see FIG. 5 and FIG. 6). The second duct wall 16 constitutes the upper part of the duct 10. The upper edge 15 of the lower horizontal wall 14b of the first duct wall 14 and the lower edge 17 of the upper horizontal wall 16b of the second duct wall 16 are butted together and connected by connecting means 18, 20, forming a cylindrical duct 10 in which the two duct walls 14, 16 are connected in the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIG. 8(b), the connecting means of the embodiment is composed of a claw portion 18 provided on the first duct wall portion 14 and a claw receiving portion 20 provided on the second duct wall portion 16. In the duct 10, the connecting means 18, 20 are provided at a plurality of locations (five locations on each side edge in the embodiment) spaced apart in the front-rear direction. The claw portion 18 is provided outwardly from the upper edge 15 of the lower horizontal wall 14b and has a tongue shape that protrudes upward from the upper edge 15 of the lower horizontal wall 14b. The claw receiving portion 20 is an opening that is provided to penetrate in the vertical direction in the insertion receiving portion 24, which is formed in a hook shape that protrudes outward from a position shifted upwardly from the lower edge 17 of the upper horizontal wall 16b and then bends downward. By inserting the claw portion 18 inserted between the insertion receiving portion 24 and the upper horizontal wall 16b into the claw receiving portion 20, the barb of the claw portion 18 hooks on the opening edge of the claw receiving portion 20 and is prevented from coming off. This allows the first duct wall 14 and the second duct wall 16 to be assembled with their edges 15, 17 butted against each other.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the duct 10 has a first sealing portion formed by the plug portion 22 and the plug receiving portion 24, and a second sealing portion formed by the covering portions 26, 28, as a means for preventing air leakage at the joint between the duct wall portions 14, 16. In the duct 10 of the embodiment, the first sealing portion is from the air intake 10a to the third connecting means 18, 20 from the front, the second sealing portion is between the third connecting means 18, 20 from the front and the fourth connecting means 18, 20, and the first sealing portion is from the fourth connecting means 18, 20 from the front to the air outlet 10b. In the duct 10, the second sealing portion is more easily deformed in shape and structure than the first sealing portion.

8(a), the first sealing portion is composed of an insertion portion 22 provided on the first duct wall portion 14 and an insertion receiving portion 24 provided on the second duct wall portion 16. The insertion portion 22 is a protruding piece shaped protruding upward from the upper edge 15 of the lower horizontal wall 14b. The insertion portion 22 is provided on a plate piece protruding outward from the upper edge of the lower horizontal wall 14b, shifted outward from the upper edge 15 of the lower horizontal wall 14b. The insertion receiving portion 24 is formed in a hook shape that protrudes outward from a position shifted upward from the lower edge 17 of the upper horizontal wall 16b and then bends downward. By inserting the insertion portion 22 between the insertion receiving portion 24 and the upper horizontal wall 16b, the insertion portion 22 and the insertion receiving portion 24 are arranged so as to overlap the outside of the joint between the upper edge 15 of the first duct wall portion 14 and the lower edge 17 of the second duct wall portion 16. This prevents air from leaking from the seam between the upper edge 15 of the first duct wall 14 and the lower edge 17 of the second duct wall 16.

1 and 2, the second sealing portion includes a first covering portion 26 formed on the upper edge 15 of the first duct wall portion 14 and overlapping the outside of the second duct wall portion 16, and a second covering portion 28 formed on the lower edge 17 of the second duct wall portion 16 and overlapping the outside of the first duct wall portion 14. In the duct 10, the first covering portion 26 and the second covering portion 28 are arranged adjacent to each other. The first covering portion 26 and the second covering portion 28 are arranged alternately between adjacent connecting means 18, 20 (in the embodiment, between the third connecting means 18, 20 from the front and the fourth connecting means 18, 20 from the front). Of the first covering portion 26 and the second covering portion 28, it is preferable to arrange the other covering portion 26 (28) between the two covering portions 28, 28 (26, 26), and in this embodiment, the first covering portion 26 is arranged between the two second covering portions 28, 28.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first covering portion 26 is formed so as to protrude outward from the upper edge 15 of the lower horizontal wall 14b of the first duct wall portion 14 and then bend upward. The first covering portion 26 protrudes in a stepped shape offset outward by approximately the amount of the upper horizontal wall 16b, and is disposed along the outer surface of the upper horizontal wall 16b when the upper edge 15 of the lower horizontal wall 14b and the lower edge 17 of the upper horizontal wall 16b are butted together. The first covering portion 26 is provided away from the insertion portion 22 and is formed so as to protrude outward by a smaller amount than the insertion portion 22.

As shown in FIG. 3, the second covering portion 28 is formed so as to protrude outward from the lower edge 17 of the upper horizontal wall 16b of the second duct wall portion 16 and then bend downward. The second covering portion 28 protrudes in a stepped shape offset outward by approximately the length of the lower horizontal wall 14b, and is disposed along the outer surface of the lower horizontal wall 14b when the upper edge 15 of the lower horizontal wall 14b and the lower edge 17 of the upper horizontal wall 16b are butted together. The second covering portion 28 is provided contiguous with the plug receiving portion 24, and is formed so as to protrude outward by a smaller amount than the plug receiving portion 24.

1 and 2, the duct 10 has a fragile portion 30 that starts between the adjacent first covered portion 26 and second covered portion 28 in at least one of the first duct wall portion 14 and the second duct wall portion 16. The first duct wall portion 14 has a first fragile portion 30A that extends from the boundary between the first covered portion 26 and the rear second covered portion 28 that is arranged behind it in a direction that intersects with the upper edge 15 of the first duct wall portion 14. The first fragile portion 30A of the embodiment is provided over the entire circumferential direction of the first duct wall portion 14, from the upper edge 15 of one lower horizontal wall 14b to the upper edge 15 of the other lower horizontal wall 14b. The second duct wall portion 16 has a second fragile portion 30B that extends from the boundary between the front second covered portion 28 and the rear first covered portion 26 that is arranged behind it in a direction that intersects with the lower edge 17 of the second duct wall portion 16. The second weakened portion 30B of the embodiment is provided over the entire circumferential direction of the second duct wall portion 16, from the lower edge 17 of one upper horizontal wall 16b to the lower edge 17 of the other upper horizontal wall 16b. The weakened portion 30 of the embodiment is groove-shaped. The weakened portion 30 is a V-shaped groove that opens outward, as shown in FIG. 7, for example, and is weakened by thinning the plate thickness of the duct walls 14, 16.

When the duct 10 is subjected to an impact from the front due to a collision with a pedestrian or the like, the base of the first covering portion 26 and the base of the second covering portion 28 arranged next to each other interfere with each other, and stress is concentrated between the first covering portion 26 and the second covering portion 28. As a result, the duct 10 can absorb the impact by causing deformation such as buckling of the duct walls 14, 16 between the first covering portion 26 and the second covering portion 28. In this way, by providing the second sealing portion which is the starting point of deformation, it is possible to prevent the duct 10 from being stretched without deforming and thus not absorbing the impact properly. Therefore, the duct 10 has excellent pedestrian protection performance in the event of an accident. And, even in a vehicle equipped with a duct 10 which can be appropriately deformed when an impact is applied, it has excellent pedestrian protection performance in the event of an accident.

In the second sealing portion, the first covering portion 26 that protrudes in a stepped manner from the upper edge 15 of the first duct wall portion 14 overlaps the outside of the second duct wall portion 16. In addition, in the second sealing portion, the second covering portion 28 that protrudes in a stepped manner from the lower edge 17 of the second duct wall portion 16 overlaps the outside of the first duct wall portion 14. In contrast, in the first sealing portion, the insertion portion 22 of the first duct wall portion 14 is fitted between the insertion receiving portion 24 and the upper horizontal wall 16b of the second duct wall portion 16. In other words, the rigidity of the second sealing portion where the covering portions 26, 28 and the horizontal walls 16b, 14b overlap can be made lower than the rigidity of the first sealing portion where the insertion receiving portion 24, the insertion portion 22, and the upper horizontal wall 16b overlap. In addition, the covering portions 26, 28 protrude less outward from the duct walls 14, 16 than the plug portion 22 and plug receiving portion 24, and the rigidity of the second sealing portion can be made lower than the rigidity of the first sealing portion. Moreover, since the second sealing portion is divided into the first covering portion 26 of the first duct wall portion 14 and the second covering portion 28 of the second duct wall portion 16, the rigidity of the boundary between the first covering portion 26 and the second covering portion 28 can be made lower. Therefore, the duct walls 14, 16 can be deformed, such as buckled, between the first covering portion 26 and the second covering portion 28 in the second sealing portion, and shock can be absorbed favorably.

In the duct 10, the lower horizontal wall 14b of the first duct wall 14 abuts against the second covering portion 28, restricting the outward displacement of the lower horizontal wall 14b, and the first covering portion 26 abuts against the upper horizontal wall 16b of the second duct wall 16, restricting the inward displacement of the lower horizontal wall 14b. Similarly, in the duct 10, the upper horizontal wall 16b of the second duct wall 16 abuts against the first covering portion 26, restricting the outward displacement of the upper horizontal wall 16b, and the second covering portion 28 abuts against the lower horizontal wall 14b of the first duct wall 14, restricting the inward displacement of the upper horizontal wall 16b. Furthermore, by arranging the first covering portion 26 between the two second covering portions 28, 28, both sides of the first covering portion 26 on the lower horizontal wall 14b of the first duct wall portion 14 are supported by the second covering portions 28, 28, respectively, so that rattling of the lower horizontal wall 14b due to vibrations while the vehicle is traveling can be suppressed.

Even if the second covering portion 28 only overlaps the lower horizontal wall 14b in the second sealing portion, the lower horizontal wall 14b of the first duct wall portion 14 and the second duct wall portion 16 are restricted from being displaced in the inward and outward directions by the adjacent connecting means 18, 20. In the duct 10, the first covering portion 26 and the second covering portion 28 are alternately arranged between adjacent connecting means 18, 20. As a result, the connection between the first duct wall portion 14 and the second duct wall portion 16 by the connecting means 18, 20 and the overlapping relationship between the covering portions 26, 28 and the horizontal walls 16b, 14b described above restricts the displacement of the horizontal walls 14b, 16b in the inward and outward directions, thereby suppressing rattling of the horizontal walls 14b, 16b due to vibrations while the vehicle is traveling.

The first duct wall 14 has a first weak portion 30A starting from between the adjacent first covered portion 26 and second covered portion 28. As a result, when an impact is applied from the front side due to a collision with a pedestrian, etc., the stress concentrated between the adjacent first covered portion 26 and second covered portion 28 can be applied to the first weak portion 30A to deform the first duct wall 14. In addition, the second duct wall 16 has a second weak portion 30B starting from between the adjacent first covered portion 26 and second covered portion 28. As a result, when an impact is applied from the front side due to a collision with a pedestrian, etc., the stress concentrated between the adjacent first covered portion 26 and second covered portion 28 can be applied to the second weak portion 30B to deform the second duct wall 16. In this way, the weak portion 30 assists the deformation of the duct walls 14, 16, and the impact at the time of the occurrence of an accident can be suitably absorbed.

By making the first fragile portion 30A a groove extending from the boundary between the adjacent first and second covered portions 26 and 28 in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the upper edge 15 of the first duct wall portion 14, there is an advantage that measures such as sealing to prevent air leakage from the air flow passage 12 are not required, unlike when an opening is provided. Similarly, by making the second fragile portion 30B a groove extending from the boundary between the adjacent first and second covered portions 26 and 28 in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the lower edge 17 of the second duct wall portion 16, there is an advantage that measures such as sealing to prevent air leakage from the air flow passage 12 are not required, unlike when an opening is provided.

(Example of change)
The present invention is not limited to the above, and may be, for example, as follows: It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the specific descriptions of the examples and the following modified examples.
(1) In the above embodiment, an oil cooler duct is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can be applied to a duct installed in a location related to a pedestrian collision in a vehicle, such as a brake cooling duct or a sub-radiator duct installed in front of a sub-radiator.
(2) In the embodiment, the first duct wall portion constitutes the lower side of the duct and the second duct wall portion constitutes the upper side of the duct, but the relationship between the first duct wall portion and the second duct wall portion may be reversed. Also, the arrangement of the first duct wall portion and the second duct wall portion in the duct can be changed as appropriate, for example, so that the first duct wall portion constitutes the right side of the duct and the second duct wall portion constitutes the left side of the duct.
(3) The duct is not limited to the embodiment in which the duct is formed by two duct wall portions, but may be formed by three or more duct wall portions.
(4) In the duct, for example, the second sealing portion may be provided over the entire length of the duct, or may be provided in a location in the duct where shock absorption is desired, such as a part on the air intake side or a part on the air outlet side of the duct.
(5) The fragile portion may be any portion that makes the duct wall more easily deformable than other portions, and may be, for example, a slit penetrating the duct wall.
(6) The fragile portion does not have to be continuous from one edge to the other edge of the duct wall portion. For example, the fragile portion may be formed in a perforated shape or may be provided in a part of the duct wall portion.

10 Duct, 14 First duct wall, 15 Upper edge (edge), 16 Second duct wall,
17 Lower edge (edge), 18 Claw portion (connecting means), 20 Claw receiving portion (connecting means),
26 first covering portion (covering portion), 28 second covering portion (covering portion),
30A 1st weak part (weak part), 30B 2nd weak part

Claims (7)

A first duct wall portion and a second duct wall portion that are assembled with their edges butted together,
a first sealing portion including: an insertion portion provided on the first duct wall portion and protruding beyond an edge of the first duct wall portion; and a hook-shaped insertion receiving portion provided on the second duct wall portion into which the insertion portion is inserted between the edge of the second duct wall portion and the first sealing portion;
a second sealing portion including a first covering portion formed at a position different from the insertion portion on an edge of the first duct wall portion and overlapping an outer surface of the second duct wall portion, and a second covering portion formed at a position different from the insertion receiving portion on the edge of the second duct wall portion and overlapping the outer surface of the first duct wall portion,
A duct for a vehicle , characterized in that the first covered portion and the second covered portion are arranged adjacent to each other, the duct for a vehicle being an oil cooler duct, a brake cooling duct, a sub-radiator duct, or a duct arranged inside a vehicle with an air intake aligned with an opening provided at the leading edge of the vehicle . A first duct wall portion and a second duct wall portion that are assembled with their edges butted together,
a first covering portion formed on an edge of the first duct wall portion and overlapping an outer surface of the second duct wall portion;
a second covering portion formed on an edge of the second duct wall portion and overlapping an outer surface of the first duct wall portion,
The first covering portion and the second covering portion are disposed adjacent to each other,
A duct for a vehicle, characterized in that at least one of the first duct wall portion and the second duct wall portion has a weak portion originating between the adjacent first covered portion and the second covered portion , wherein the duct for a vehicle is an oil cooler duct, a brake cooling duct, a sub-radiator duct, or a duct that is placed inside the vehicle with an air intake aligned with an opening provided at the leading edge of the vehicle . A first duct wall portion and a second duct wall portion that are assembled with their edges butted together,
a first covering portion formed on an edge of the first duct wall portion and overlapping an outer surface of the second duct wall portion;
a second covering portion formed on an edge of the second duct wall portion and overlapping an outer surface of the first duct wall portion,
The first covering portion and the second covering portion are disposed adjacent to each other,
a connecting means provided on an edge of the first duct wall portion and an edge of the second duct wall portion, the connecting means connecting the first duct wall portion and the second duct wall portion,
A duct for a vehicle , characterized in that the first covering portion and the second covering portion are arranged alternately between adjacent connecting means, the duct for a vehicle being an oil cooler duct, a brake cooling duct, a sub-radiator duct, or a duct arranged inside the vehicle with its air intake aligned with an opening provided at the leading edge of the vehicle . A first duct wall portion and a second duct wall portion that are assembled with their edges butted together,
a first covering portion formed on an edge of the first duct wall portion and overlapping an outer surface of the second duct wall portion;
a second covering portion formed on an edge of the second duct wall portion and overlapping an outer surface of the first duct wall portion,
The first covering portion and the second covering portion are disposed adjacent to each other,
A groove-shaped weakened portion is formed in the first duct wall portion, the groove-shaped weakened portion extending in a direction intersecting an extension direction of the edge of the first duct wall portion from a boundary portion between the adjacent first covered portion and the second covered portion,
A duct for a vehicle, characterized in that a groove-shaped weak portion is formed in the second duct wall portion, extending from the boundary portion between the adjacent first covered portion and the second covered portion located next to the boundary portion in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the edge of the second duct wall portion, wherein the vehicle duct is an oil cooler duct, a brake cooling duct, a sub-radiator duct, or a duct that is placed inside the vehicle with its air intake aligned with an opening provided at the leading edge of the vehicle . A vehicle comprising the vehicle duct according to any one of claims 1 to 4. An oil cooler duct arrangement structure in which an oil cooler duct is arranged between an opening provided at a front edge of a vehicle and an oil cooler installed inside,
The oil cooler duct includes a first duct wall portion and a second duct wall portion that are assembled with their edges butted together,
a first covering portion formed on an edge of the first duct wall portion and overlapping an outer surface of the second duct wall portion;
a second covering portion formed on an edge of the second duct wall portion and overlapping an outer surface of the first duct wall portion,
An oil cooler duct arrangement structure, wherein the first covering portion and the second covering portion are arranged adjacent to each other. A vehicle having an oil cooler duct disposed between an opening provided at a front edge of the vehicle and an oil cooler installed inside the vehicle,
The oil cooler duct includes a first duct wall portion and a second duct wall portion that are assembled with their edges butted together,
a first covering portion formed on an edge of the first duct wall portion and overlapping an outer surface of the second duct wall portion;
a second covering portion formed on an edge of the second duct wall portion and overlapping an outer surface of the first duct wall portion,
A vehicle, wherein the first covering portion and the second covering portion are arranged adjacent to each other.

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