Vehicle front end panel

Details Vehicle front end panel Vehicle front end panel

2001-02-01

2003-02-11

Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)

Motor vehicles

Power

Radiators and condensers, mounting

C296S203020, C165S149000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06516906

ABSTRACT:

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is related to and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-32615 filed on Feb. 3, 2000, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a front end panel fixed to a vehicle body at a vehicle front end side, to which front end components including at least a radiator are readily assembled.
2. Description of Related Art
In a front end panel structure of a vehicle, after front end components such as a radiator, a condenser and a blower are assembled to a front end panel, the front end panel is further assembled to the vehicle, for reducing assembling steps of the vehicle. However, the radiator is provided with a water filling port for introducing water, and it is necessary for the water filling port to be positioned at a vehicle rear side of the front end panel for a maintenance of the radiator. In this case, it is difficult to assemble the radiator to the front end panel, and vehicle assembling performance may be deteriorated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing problems, it is an object of the present invention to improve assembling performance for assembling a vehicle front end member including at least a radiator to a front end panel.
According to the present invention, in a front end panel being assembled to a vehicle body at a vehicle front side, a front end member including at least a radiator is assembled to a panel body portion made of resin, and a water filling port for introducing water into the radiator is provided integrally with the panel body portion at a vehicle rear side of the panel body portion. Because the water filling port for the radiator is provided integrally with the panel body portion, the radiator can be readily assembled to the panel body portion without inserting the water filling port into a rear side part of the panel body portion.
Preferably, the water filling port is coupled with the radiator through a panel joint portion, and the panel joint portion is provided integrally with the panel body portion at a vehicle rear side of the panel body portion. Further, the panel joint portion has an opening opened toward a vehicle front side. Accordingly, the radiator can be readily accurately assembled to the front end panel through the opening of the panel joint portion.
More preferably, the radiator has a radiator joint portion being connected to the panel joint portion, and the radiator joint portion has an opening opened toward a vehicle rear side to face the opening of the panel joint portion. Therefore, the radiator can be readily accurately assembled to the front end panel through the radiator joint portion and the panel joint portion.
On the other hand, the front end panel further includes a reserve tank which absorbs a change of a water amount within the radiator, and a communication passage through which the reserve tank and the water filling port communicate with each other. In addition, the receiver and the communication passage are formed integrally with the panel body portion. Accordingly, an assembling step for assembling the reserve tank to the front end panel is not necessary.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4367793 (1983-01-01), MacIntosh
patent: 4742881 (1988-05-01), Kawaguchi et al.
patent: 4809773 (1989-03-01), Susa et al.
patent: 5123695 (1992-06-01), Kanemitsu et al.
patent: 5271473 (1993-12-01), Ikeda et al.
patent: 5658041 (1997-08-01), Girardot et al.
patent: 6155335 (2000-12-01), Acre et al.
patent: 6196624 (2001-03-01), Bierjon et al.
patent: 6216810 (2001-04-01), Nakai et al.
patent: 6324759 (2001-12-01), Sasano et al.

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