Front-end structure of a vehicle

Details Front-end structure of a vehicle Front-end structure of a vehicle

2002-04-25

2004-03-23

Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)

Motor vehicles

Power

Radiators and condensers, mounting

C180S291000, C180S299000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06708790

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a front-end structure to which a center member, which is fixed to the body of a vehicle at the front end of the vehicle and supports a driving engine, is joined.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a typical (medium-size class) FF (front end engine, front-wheel drive) type vehicle, an engine is supported, as shown in
FIGS. 4A and B
, by a center member
500
, bridging a panel body
400
and a body (dash panel)
600
of a vehicle, and a body (fender panel, side member)
610
. For this reason, on a joining section of the panel body to which the center member is joined, a relatively large stress is produced by the weight of the engine. In
FIG. 4A
, shrouds are omitted for easy understanding.
On the contrary, the invention described in the specification of Japanese Patent No.2931605 achieves a weight reduction and productivity improvement of the panel body by forming it with resin and embedding reinforcing members formed by stamping steel into sections of the panel body, such as the joining section, to which a large load is applied, while keeping the necessary mechanical strength of the panel body.
However, as the above invention requires a mold for forming the panel body out of resin and a mold for forming the reinforcing members by stamping steel and also requires a mold adjuster for placing the reinforcing members in the cavity of the mold for forming the panel body out of resin, the capital investment increases and it is difficult to decrease the number of man-hours (manufacturing time) needed to manufacture the panel body.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, a radiator
100
and fans
200
for supplying cooling air to the radiator
100
are usually attached to the panel body fixed to a body of a vehicle at a front end of the vehicle. However, as the fans
200
are attached directly to the shafts of the electric motors
300
, and the fans
200
and the electric motors
300
are disposed in series in the cooling air flow, it is difficult to reduce the dimension A (this dimension A is called fan-shaft dimension A hereinafter), between the radiator and the electric motors, measured along the cooling air flow.
For this reason, it is difficult to downsize the vehicle while mounting the electric motors
300
, an engine E/G, and other auxiliaries in an engine compartment so that the electric motors
300
do not interfere with the engine E/G and other auxiliaries disposed in a downstream part of a cooling air flow.
In addition, since it is not possible to avoid disposing the electric motors
300
near heat producing elements such as the engine E/G, the amount of heat given to the electric motors
300
by the engine E/G increases, and thereby heat damage to the electric motors
300
may occur.
In order to solve such problem, solutions such that the electric motors themselves are downsized to reduce the fan-shaft dimension A, or heat insulating materials are disposed between the electric motors
300
and the engine E/G may be proposed. However, when the electric motors themselves are downsized, the capacities of the electric motors
300
decrease, and thereby the durability of the electric motors
300
decreases and, when heat insulating materials are disposed between the electric motors
300
and the engine E/G, the numbers of parts and manufacturing man-hours increase.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to reduce the weight and the manufacturing cost of the panel body while keeping the necessary mechanical strength of the panel body.
It is another object of the present invention to reduce the fan-shaft dimension A.
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention, in a first aspect, provides a front-end structure comprising a panel body (
400
) to which a center member (
500
), being fixed to a body of a vehicle at a front end of the vehicle and supporting, at least, a driving engine (E/G), is joined, wherein the panel body (
400
) is molded out of aluminum by die-casting and a joining section (
421
) of the panel body (
400
) to which the center member (
500
) is joined has a mechanical strength higher than that of any other section of the panel body (
400
) near the joining section (
421
) except the joining section (
421
).
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a front-end structure comprising a panel body (
400
) to which a center member (
500
), being fixed to a body of a vehicle at a front end of the vehicle and supporting, at least, a driving engine (E/G), is joined; wherein the panel body (
400
) comprises an upper beam (
410
) which is disposed at the top of the panel body (
400
) and extends in a horizontal direction, a lower beam (
420
) which is disposed at the bottom of the panel body (
400
), extends in a horizontal direction, and is provided with a joining section (
421
) to which the center member (
500
) is joined, and pillars (
430
) which extend upward and downward to join the upper and lower beams (
410
,
420
); wherein the upper and lower beams (
410
,
420
) and the pillars (
430
) are integrally molded out of aluminum by die-casting; and wherein the joining section (
421
) has a mechanical strength higher than that of any other section of the lower beam (
420
) except the joining section (
421
).
In a third aspect, the present invention provides a front-end structure wherein the mechanical strength of the joining section (
421
) may be enhanced by increasing the thickness of the joining section (
421
).
In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a front-end structure wherein the mechanical strength of the joining section (
421
) may be enhanced by providing reinforcing ribs (
423
).
In a fifth aspect, the present invention provides a front-end structure wherein the panel body (
400
) has integrally-molded shrouds (
450
) for preventing, by covering the clearance between a radiator (
100
) of the vehicle and a fan (
200
) for supplying cooling air to the radiator (
100
), that the air flow induced by the fan (
200
) detours around the radiator (
100
).
In a sixth aspect, the present invention provides a front-end structure of a vehicle which is fixed to the body of the vehicle at the front end of the vehicle and has a panel body (
400
) to which at least a radiator (
100
) is attached; wherein the front-end structure comprises a fan (
200
), which is attached to the front-end panel (
400
) and supplies cooling air to the radiator (
100
), and a driving means (
300
) which is disposed in a position, in the panel body (
400
), deviated from the rotation center of the fan (
200
) and rotates the fan (
200
) via a belt (
310
); and wherein the panel body (
400
) is made of metal.
In a seventh aspect, the present invention provides a front-end structure of a vehicle wherein the panel body (
400
) may have integrally-molded shrouds (
450
) for preventing, by covering the clearance between the fan (
200
) and the radiator (
100
), that the air flow induced by the fan (
200
) detours around the radiator (
100
).
In an eighth aspect, the present invention provides a front-end structure of a vehicle wherein the panel body (
400
) may have integrally-molded belt covers (
460
) for covering the belt (
310
).
In a ninth aspect, the present invention provides a front-end structure of a vehicle, wherein a plurality of the fans (
200
) may be attached to the panel body (
400
) and may be rotated by the driving means (
300
) via the belt (
310
).
In a tenth aspect, the present invention provides a front-end structure of a vehicle wherein the panel body (
400
) may be provided with a cooling air inlet (
411
) for conducting the cooling air to the driving means (
300
).
In an eleventh aspect, the present invention provides a front-end structure of a vehicle wherein the fan (
200
) is disposed at a more downstream side of the cooling air flow than the radiator (
100
).
In a twelfth aspect, the present invention provides a front-end structure of a vehicle wherein the panel body (
400
) is preferably molded out of aluminum by die-casti

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