JP2001287667A - Front end panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sealingly close a space between a panel body and a heat exchanger while a repairing burden of a vehicle owner is reduced and an increase of the number of parts of a front end structure and the member of assembling step is inhibited. SOLUTION: A flexible part 452 made of rubber or elastomer is integrally molded to a panel body 450 at a tip end side of a guide duct part 451 and a seal portion 461 for sealingly close a space 3 between the panel body 450 and a heat exchanger 21 is integrally molded to an introduction opening 460 side of a panel body part 450. Thereby, it is prevented that the panel body part 450 and the guide duct part 451 are damaged at the time of light collision. The space 3 between the panel body 450 and the heat exchanger 21 is sealingly closed while a repairing burden of a vehicle owner is reduced and an increase of the number of parts of a front end structure and the number of assembling step is inhibited. Thereby, it can be prevented that a heat release ability (heat exchange ability) of the heat exchanger 21 is lowered.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a front end panel which is disposed on a front end side of a vehicle and has at least a heat exchanger such as a radiator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, as a front end panel,
In JP-A-11-129935, a panel body to which a radiator is attached and a guide duct provided on the front side of the vehicle in the panel body are integrally formed. The guide duct is a duct that guides cooling air such as traveling wind to the radiator.

[0003]

However, in the invention described in the above publication, the panel main body and the guide duct are simply integrated, so that, for example, when the vehicle has a light collision, the guide duct and the guide duct are combined. There is a high possibility that the panel body is also damaged.

If the panel body is damaged, the entire front end panel must be replaced.
There is a problem that the repair burden on the vehicle user is increased.

If there is a gap between the heat exchanger and the panel body, a portion of the air guided to the heat exchanger such as a radiator by the guide duct bypasses the heat exchanger from the gap. As described above, the air flows through the heat exchanger, so that the amount of air passing through the heat exchanger decreases, and the heat radiation capability (heat exchange capability) decreases.

On the other hand, it is conceivable to fill the gap between the heat exchanger and the panel body with a foamed resin such as urethane foam to seal the gap. There is a problem that the number of assembling steps is increased.

An object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the above two problems.

[0008]

According to the present invention, in order to attain the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a vehicle rear side from a bumper portion (520) for absorbing an impact force acting on a front side of the vehicle. A front end panel to which at least the heat exchanger (21) is assembled, wherein the panel body (450) is made of a resin to which the heat exchangers (100, 200) are assembled; The guide duct (45) is integrally formed on the front side of the vehicle, protrudes toward the front side of the vehicle, and guides air to the heat exchangers (100, 200).
The guide duct (45) is made of a material having lower mechanical strength and flexibility than the panel body (450) at least on the tip side of the guide duct (451).
A flexible portion (452) integrally formed with 1) is provided.

Thus, even if an impact force (collision force) acts on the bumper portion (520), the flexible portion (452) can be deformed to absorb the collision force.
The collision energy acting on the panel body (450) can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the panel main body (450) and the guide duct (451) from being damaged at the time of a light collision, thereby reducing the repair burden on the vehicle user.

Since the front end of the vehicle is composed of a plurality of components such as a front end panel and a bumper (520), the guide duct (451) and the bumper (520) depend on the dimensional variation of each component. ) May interfere with assembling the front end panel and the bumper section (520).

To cope with this, there is a method of controlling the manufacturing tolerance of each part to be strict. However, this method may increase the manufacturing cost of the front end panel and the bumper (520).

However, in this embodiment, since the flexible portion (452) is provided at the distal end of the guide duct (451), the guide duct (451) and the bumper (520) may interfere with each other. Even so, the dimensional variation can be absorbed by bending the flexible portion (452), and the front end panel and the bumper portion (520) can be easily assembled.

Therefore, the assemblability of the front end panel and the bumper section (520) can be improved without increasing the manufacturing cost of the front end panel and the bumper section (520).

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the flexible portion (45)
2), the thickness (t1) on the tip side is the thickness (t1) on the root side.
It is characterized by being thinner than 2).

As a result, the rigidity at the distal end of the flexible portion (452) is reduced, and the distal end of the flexible portion (452) is more easily bent. The front end panel and the bumper part (520) can be more easily absorbed and can be easily assembled.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the flexible portion (45)
The tip side of 2) is characterized in that it is curved so that the angle formed with the longitudinal direction of the bumper part (520) is less than 90 °.

Accordingly, when assembling the front panel and the bumper section (520), the front end side of the flexible section (452) is attached to the bumper section (520) in a state inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the bumper section (520). Since the contact (interference) occurs, a bending moment acts on the flexible portion (452) with the contact (interference) with the bumper portion (520).

Therefore, since the flexible portion (452) is easily bent, the front end panel and the bumper portion (52) are easily bent.
The size variation of 0) can be more reliably absorbed, and the front panel and the bumper section (520) can be easily assembled.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a front end panel having a resin panel body (450) to which at least the heat exchanger (21) is assembled, wherein the panel body (450) and the heat exchanger (21) are provided. ) And a deformable seal portion (461) for sealing the gap (δ) is integrally formed with the panel body (450).

Thus, the gap between the heat exchanger (21) and the panel body (450) can be easily sealed without increasing the number of parts and the number of assembling steps.

It is preferable that the seal portion (461) is made of a material having lower mechanical strength and flexibility than the panel main body portion (450).

In the invention according to claim 6, the seal portion (4
61) is a heat exchanger (2) of the panel body (450).
It is characterized in that it is formed on a surface (401) parallel to a direction orthogonal to the flow direction of the air flowing through 1).

As a result, the structure of the molding die for molding the panel body (450) can be simplified, so that the production of the front end panel (400) in which the seal portion (461) is integrally molded. Costs can be reduced.

In the invention according to claim 7, the sealing portion (4
61) is characterized in that it is formed at a portion corresponding to a parting surface (Lo) of a molding die for molding the panel body (450).

Thus, the structure of the molding die for molding the panel body (450) can be simplified, so that the production of the front end panel (400) in which the seal portion (461) is integrally molded. Costs can be reduced.

Incidentally, the reference numerals in parentheses of the respective means are examples showing the correspondence with specific means described in the embodiments described later.

[0027]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment)
A vehicle equipped with a radiator for cooling cooling water of an engine for driving the vehicle (internal combustion engine), a condenser for a vehicle refrigeration cycle (air conditioner), and a blower unit for blowing cooling air to the radiator and the condenser at a vehicle front end. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a front end structure using a front end panel according to this embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a radiator;
0 is a condenser and 300 is a blower unit.
The blower unit 300 holds the axial flow fan 310 and the axial flow fan 310, and closes a gap between the radiator 100 and the axial flow fan 310 to allow air to flow therethrough.
It is composed of a shroud 320 for preventing circulation (short circuit) before and after.

In this specification, the radiator 100,
Devices mounted on the vehicle front end, such as the condenser 200 and the blower unit 300, are collectively referred to as a vehicle front end part 123.

The radiator 100 includes a radiator core 110 composed of a plurality of radiator tubes 111 through which cooling water flows, and a radiator tank 120 disposed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the radiator tube and communicating with each radiator tube. It is a well-known multi-flow type heat exchanger configured.

The condenser 200 is also connected to the radiator 10.
As in the case of the condenser tube 211, a condenser core 210 composed of a plurality of condenser tubes 211 through which a refrigerant flows, and a condenser tank 22 disposed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the condenser tube 211 and communicating with the condenser tubes 211
It is a well-known multi-flow type heat exchanger composed of 0 or the like.

Reference numeral 400 denotes a resin front end panel (hereinafter, abbreviated as a panel) to which the vehicle front end part 123 is attached and fixed. The panel 400 is an upper beam member located on the upper side and extending in the horizontal direction. (Upper beam) 4
10, a lower beam member (lower beam) 420 which is located on the lower side and extends in the horizontal direction and also serves as a guide duct portion 451 to be described later, and both beam members 41 which extend in the vertical direction and
First and second pillars (pillars) 43 connecting 0 and 420
1, 432 and the like.

In this embodiment, both beam members 41 are used.
A rectangular frame body including the 0, 420 and the first and second support columns 431, 432, and the like, and a bracket body 440 and the like are referred to as a panel main body 450.

On the vehicle front side of the panel body 450, the condenser 200 and the radiator 100 projecting toward the vehicle front side and cooling air (hereinafter, these are generally referred to as the heat exchanger 21) are supplied to the condenser 200 and the radiator 100. A frame-shaped guide duct unit (integrated guide duct unit) 451 for guiding the vehicle running wind)
The guide duct 451 is integrally formed with the panel main body 450 with resin (in this embodiment, glass fiber reinforced polypropylene).

As shown in FIG. 2, a material having a lower mechanical strength than the panel body 450 and having flexibility (in this embodiment, rubber or elastomer) is provided on the distal end side of the guide duct 451. A flexible portion (flexible material portion) 452 integrally formed of a resin such as resin is provided. In addition,
In the present embodiment, the flexible portion 452 is integrally formed with the guide duct portion 451 by insert molding or two-color molding.

In FIG. 2B, reference numeral 460 denotes a heat exchanger 2
1 and an introduction opening 460 through which cooling air (vehicle running wind) guided by the guide duct 451 flows.
It is. A deformable seal portion 461 for sealing the gap δ between the panel body 450 and the heat exchanger 21 is integrally formed on the introduction opening 460 side of the panel body portion 450, and the seal portion 461 is Like the flexible part 452, the mechanical strength is lower than the panel body part 450, and
It is integrally molded with the panel body 450 by insert molding or two-color molding using a flexible material (resin such as rubber or elastomer in this embodiment).

Here, the seal portion 461 is provided on the panel body 4.
50, a plane 401 parallel to the direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the air flowing through the heat exchanger 21 (the direction parallel to the core surface of the heat exchanger 21) is located on the rear side of the vehicle from the panel body 450 (the heat exchanger 21). ) Side.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 500 denotes a panel 400
510 is a metal bumper reinforcement (hereinafter abbreviated as bumper) that is disposed on the vehicle front side and extends in the vehicle width direction and absorbs an impact force (collision force) acting on the vehicle front side. It is a resin bumper cover extending in the vehicle width direction so as to cover the bumper (buffer member) 500, and the bumper section 520 is configured by the bumper 500 and the bumper cover 510.

The bumper 500 and the panel 400
Is an iron body (side member) 600 on the side of the vehicle
The vehicle front end part 123 is fixed to the condenser 200 and the blower unit 300 by bolts or the like.
Is assembled and fixed to the radiator 100 by fastening means such as bolts, and is assembled to the panel 400 in a state of being made into one component (unit).

Reference numeral 520 denotes a hood (a hood lock for opening and closing a hood) for closing an engine room (not shown), and 540 a horn for generating a warning sound.

Next, the features of this embodiment will be described.

A flexible portion 45 is provided at the distal end of the guide duct portion 451.
2, even if an impact force (collision force) acts on the bumper portion 520, the flexible portion 452 is elastically deformed as shown in FIG. It is possible to reduce the collision energy that is absorbed and acts on the panel body 450. Therefore, at the time of a light collision, it is possible to prevent the panel body 450 and the guide duct 451 from being damaged, so that the repair burden on the vehicle user can be reduced.

Further, since the panel body 450, the heat exchanger 21, and the sealing portion 461 for sealing the gap δ are integrally formed on the introduction opening 460 side of the panel body 450, the number of parts of the front end structure is reduced. The gap δ can be easily sealed without increasing the number of assembly steps.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the panel main body 450 and the guide duct 451 are prevented from being damaged at the time of a light collision, thereby reducing the repair burden on the vehicle user. While suppressing the increase in the number of parts and the number of assembling steps of the front end structure,
Sealing the gap δ between the heat exchanger 50 and the heat exchanger 21
Can be prevented from deteriorating the heat radiation capacity (heat exchange capacity).

Since the front end (front end) of the vehicle is composed of a plurality of components such as the panel 400 and the bumper 520, the guide duct 451 and the bumper 520 (depending on the dimensional variation of each component). In some cases, it may be difficult to assemble the panel 400 and the bumper section 520 due to interference with the bumper 500).

In order to cope with this, there is considered a means of controlling the manufacturing tolerance of each part to be strict. However, this means may increase the manufacturing cost of the panel 400 and the bumper section 520.

However, in the present embodiment, the guide duct 4
Since the flexible portion 452 is provided on the distal end side of the 51, even if the guide duct portion 451 and the bumper portion 520 (the bumper 500) interfere with each other, the flexible portion 452 bends to reduce the dimensional variation. Panel 400 that can be absorbed
And the bumper part 520 can be easily assembled. Therefore, the assemblability of the panel 400 and the bumper section 520 can be improved without increasing the manufacturing cost of the panel 400 and the bumper section 520.

The flexible part 452 is connected to the bumper part 520.
(Bumper 500) is positively brought into contact with the flexible portion 452.
Is bent, the gap between the panel 400 and the bumper section 520 can be sealed, so that the cooling air introduced from the guide duct section 451 causes the panel 400 and the bumper section 52
It can be prevented that the heat exchanger 21 is bypassed by flowing through the gap with zero. Therefore, it is possible to further prevent the heat radiation capability (heat exchange capability) of the heat exchanger 21 from being reduced.

The sealing portion 461 is provided on the panel body 45.
0, a plane 4 parallel to a direction (vehicle width direction) orthogonal to a flow direction of the air flowing through the heat exchanger 21 (vehicle longitudinal direction).
01, the mold split surface of the forming die for forming the panel 400 is in a direction perpendicular to the direction of air flow (a direction parallel to the core surface of the heat exchanger 21).

For this reason, since the direction in which the molding die (not shown) for molding the seal portion 461 is removed is the direction of air flow (vehicle longitudinal direction), the die structure can be simplified. , The panel 40 in which the seal portion 461 is integrally formed
0 manufacturing cost can be reduced.

(Second Embodiment) In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the thickness t1 on the distal end side of the flexible portion 452 is smaller than the thickness t2 on the root side. .

As a result, the rigidity on the distal end side of the flexible portion 452 is reduced, and the distal end side of the flexible portion 452 is more easily flexed. Thus, the panel 400 and the bumper 520 can be easily assembled.

Since the flexible portion 452 can be brought into contact with the bumper portion 520 while being bent, the flexible portion 4
The contact pressure between the bumper 52 and the bumper 520 can be increased, and the gap between the panel 400 and the bumper 520 can be reliably closed.

(Third Embodiment) In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the angle formed by the front end side of the flexible portion 452 and the longitudinal direction (vehicle width direction) of the bumper portion 520 is less than 90 °. In FIG.

Thus, when assembling the panel 400 and the bumper section 520, the distal end side of the flexible section 452 comes into contact (interference) with the bumper section 520 while being inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the bumper section 520. A bending moment acts on the bending portion 452 in contact with (interference with) the bumper portion 520.

Therefore, since the flexible portion 452 is easily bent, the dimensional variation of the panel 400 and the bumper portion 520 can be more reliably absorbed, and the panel 400 and the bumper portion 520 can be easily assembled.

Since the flexible portion 452 can be brought into contact with the bumper portion 520 in a bent state, the gap between the panel 400 and the bumper portion 520 can be securely closed as in the second embodiment. it can.

(Fourth Embodiment) In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a portion corresponding to a parting surface Lo of a molding die (not shown) for molding the panel body 450 is formed as shown in FIG. It is molded into.

This makes it possible to form the panel 400 in which the seal portion 461 is integrally formed by the mold moving upward in FIG. 5 from the cutting surface Lo and the mold moving downward in FIG. Therefore, since a movable mold such as a slide core is not required, and the molding can be performed with a simple mold structure, the manufacturing cost of the panel 400 in which the seal portion 461 is integrally molded can be reduced.

(Other Embodiments) In the above-described embodiment, the seal portion 461 is formed integrally with the panel main body 450.
It may be assembled by an adhesive means such as an adhesive. However, in this case, at least the flexible portion 452 needs to be formed integrally with the panel body 450.

In the above-described embodiment, the flexible portion 452
Is formed integrally with the panel body 450, but the flexible part 452 of another part is connected to the panel body 450 (the guide duct part 45).
1) may be assembled by an adhesive means such as an adhesive. However, in this case, at least the seal portion 461 needs to be integrally formed with the panel body 450.

In the above embodiment, the seal 46
1 is in contact with the heat exchanger 21, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a gap between the seal portion 461 and the heat exchanger 21 is provided so as not to significantly impair the sealing performance. You may.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a front end portion of a vehicle using a front end panel according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a front end panel unit and a guide duct unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention,
(B) is a sectional view of the guide duct portion according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a guide duct unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a guide duct unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a guide duct unit according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

451: guide duct, 452: flexible, 461: seal, 520: bumper

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Tomoaki Maeda 1-1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya-shi, Aichi Pref. F term (reference) 3D003 AA10 AA11 BB01 CA02 CA04 CA09 DA04 DA11 DA14 3D038 AA00 AB01 AC00 AC01 AC07 AC11 AC14 AC16

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A front end panel disposed at a rear side of a vehicle from a bumper section (520) for absorbing an impact force acting on a front side of the vehicle, wherein at least a heat exchanger (21) is assembled. A panel body (450) made of resin into which the heat exchanger (100, 200) is assembled; and the panel body (450) is integrally formed on the front side of the vehicle, and protrudes toward the front side of the vehicle.
200), and a guide duct (451) for guiding air to at least a tip side of the guide duct (451).
The guide duct (45) is made of a material having lower mechanical strength and flexibility than the panel body (450).
A front end panel comprising a flexible portion (452) integrally formed with 1). 2. The flexible part (452) according to claim 1, wherein the thickness (t1) on the tip side is smaller than the thickness (t2) on the root side. Front end panel. 3. A front end of the flexible portion (452) is curved so that an angle between the front end and the longitudinal direction of the bumper portion (520) is less than 90 °.
Or the front end panel according to 2. 4. A front end panel having at least a resin panel body (450) to which at least a heat exchanger (21) is assembled, wherein the panel body (450) and the heat exchanger (21) have a gap (δ). A front end panel, wherein a deformable seal portion (461) for sealing the panel body is integrally formed with the panel body (450). 5. The front end according to claim 4, wherein the seal part (461) is made of a material having lower mechanical strength and flexibility than the panel main body part (450). panel. 6. The sealing portion (461) is formed on a surface (401) of the panel body (450) that is parallel to a direction orthogonal to a flow direction of air flowing through the heat exchanger (21). The front end panel according to claim 4 or 5, wherein 7. The sealing part (461) is provided on a parting surface (Lo) of a molding die for molding the panel body (450).
The front end panel according to claim 4, wherein the front end panel is formed at a portion corresponding to (a).