Used for the front engine compartment structure of vehicles and vehicles

Abstract

This application relates to the field of vehicle technology and discloses a front engine compartment structure and a vehicle. The front engine compartment structure includes a front bulkhead, an air conditioning unit, an air intake duct, and two side panels. The left and right sides of the front bulkhead are respectively connected to the two side panels. The air conditioning unit is disposed on the front bulkhead, and one side of the air intake duct is connected to the air intake of the air conditioning unit. Air intakes are provided on the side panels, extending through the side panels along the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the other side of the air intake duct is connected to the air intakes. The front engine compartment structure according to this application improves integration and reduces the space occupied by the front engine compartment structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle technology, and more particularly to a front engine compartment structure for a vehicle and the vehicle itself. Background Technology

[0002] In traditional vehicle front engine compartment designs, air conditioning systems often employ an intake layout that integrates with the front ventilation hood. The air conditioning intake ducts are directly connected to the ventilation hood, drawing in outside air to supply the air conditioning unit. This traditional arrangement concentrates the air intakes on the ventilation hood below the windshield. This not only occupies core mounting space in the upper part of the front bulkhead, resulting in an overly dense arrangement of components in the central area of ​​the front engine compartment, making it prone to interference with the intake ducts for components such as the braking assembly, wiring harness, and electrical modules, but also leads to an excessively large footprint in the front engine compartment structure.

[0003] Therefore, improving the integration of the forward engine compartment structure and reducing its space requirements are urgent technical problems that need to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a front engine compartment structure for a vehicle and a vehicle. The front engine compartment structure according to this application improves integration and reduces the space occupied by the front engine compartment structure.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the main technical solutions adopted in this application include: In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a front engine compartment structure for a vehicle, including a front bulkhead, an air conditioning unit, an air intake pipe, and two side panels; the left and right sides of the front bulkhead are respectively connected to the two side panels; the air conditioning unit is disposed on the front bulkhead, and one side of the air intake pipe is connected to the air intake of the air conditioning unit; wherein, an air intake is provided on the side panel, the air intake penetrates the side panel along the left and right direction of the vehicle, and the other side of the air intake pipe is connected to the air intake.

[0006] According to the front engine compartment structure proposed in the first aspect of this application, there is no need to install a ventilation cover on the upper part of the front bulkhead or the lower edge of the windshield. Air is drawn in from outside the vehicle by utilizing the area between the left and right side bulkheads of the front engine compartment and the front longitudinal beam and the inner side of the wheel arch, which improves space utilization and integration. It also significantly reduces the space occupied by the air conditioning system in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Based on the reduction of the vehicle's front-rear dimensions, the overall length of the front engine compartment in the front-rear direction can be effectively shortened without changing the overall wheelbase, so that more space can be given to the passenger compartment, improving the interior passenger space. It is also possible to shorten the overall front-rear dimensions of the vehicle while keeping the passenger compartment space unchanged.

[0007] Optionally, the side panel includes an inner side panel and an outer side panel. Along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a portion of the inner side panel protrudes beyond the front edge of the outer side panel, and an air inlet is disposed on the portion of the inner side panel that protrudes beyond the front edge.

[0008] In the above solution, a portion of the inner side panel protrudes forward beyond the front edge of the outer side panel along the vehicle's front-rear direction, which can extend an additional installation space specifically for arranging the air intake. This eliminates the need for additional structural components to accommodate the air intake, optimizes the space utilization of the front engine compartment along the vehicle's front-rear and left-right directions, shortens the connection distance between the air intake and the air conditioning unit, and facilitates reliable docking between the air intake pipe and the air intake, reducing assembly difficulty and the risk of air leakage.

[0009] Optionally, the inner side panel includes a first panel and a second panel. The first panel is directly opposite the outer side panel in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the second panel protrudes from the front edge of the outer side panel. An air inlet is provided in the second panel.

[0010] In the above scheme, the second plate protrudes forward from the front edge of the side panel, forming an independent, forward-extending area that provides an installation position for the air inlet. Setting the air inlet in the second plate helps to reduce the length of the air intake pipe along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, thereby reducing the space occupied by the air intake pipe in the front engine compartment, and further compressing the space occupied by the front engine compartment in the front-rear direction. It also does not interfere with the arrangement of other components in the engine compartment. At the same time, it can keep the air inlet away from the front edge of the side panel and the wheel splash area, effectively reducing the risk of mud, sand, and impurities entering the air conditioning system and improving the cleanliness of the intake air.

[0011] Optionally, the front nacelle structure also includes an A-pillar, which includes an inner A-pillar panel and an outer A-pillar panel. The inner A-pillar panel and the inner side panel are integrally formed, and / or the outer A-pillar panel and the outer side panel are integrally formed.

[0012] In the above scheme, on the one hand, the one-piece molding structure eliminates the splicing welds and overlapping structures between the A-pillar and the side panels, making the A-pillar and the side panels form a continuous and complete load-bearing structure, optimizing the collision force transmission path. On the other hand, it greatly improves the structural integration, eliminates the need for additional ventilation covers and other air intake structures, reduces the number of parts in the front engine compartment, improves integration, and reduces the space occupied by the front engine compartment in the front-rear direction.

[0013] Optionally, the front edge of the A-pillar outer panel is connected to the front edge of the side panel. From the rear to the front of the vehicle, the height of the front edge of the A-pillar outer panel gradually decreases, and the front edge of the side panel extends vertically.

[0014] In the above solution, the space occupied by the crossbeam and windshield on the front bulkhead is reduced, making the front engine compartment space more compact. The front edge of the outer side panel adopts a vertical extension design, which can provide a regular and straight installation boundary for the protruding part of the inner side panel and the air intake. This facilitates the welding positioning and assembly docking between the inner and outer side panels, ensuring the assembly accuracy of the front of the vehicle body. It also forms a stable structural support and boundary limit for the air intake, avoiding the reduction of the air intake cross section caused by the external styling curved surface, and ensuring smooth air intake for the air conditioning.

[0015] Optionally, the front engine compartment structure also includes a front end assembly. Along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the front end assembly is located on the front side of the front bulkhead and spaced apart from the front bulkhead. One side panel is connected to the right side of the front bulkhead and the right side of the front end assembly, and the other side panel is connected to the left side of the front bulkhead and the left side of the front end assembly. The front bulkhead, the front end assembly, and the two side panels enclose the front compartment space, and the air intake duct is located in the front compartment space.

[0016] In the above solution, the air intake duct is located inside the front cabin space, and the air inlet is connected to the outside of the front cabin space. With this configuration, the air intake duct can obtain outside air through the air inlet and isolate it from the air inside the front cabin space. This effectively prevents the air conditioning system from drawing in high-temperature air generated by power components, electronic control modules, etc., in the front cabin space, as well as polluted gases such as oil fumes, dust, and exhaust fumes in the engine compartment. This ensures that the air entering the air conditioning unit is always clean, fresh air at room temperature from outside the vehicle, significantly improving the air conditioning heat exchange efficiency and the air quality inside the vehicle.

[0017] Optionally, the front engine compartment structure also includes two fenders, each fender being located on the outside of the corresponding side panel. Along the left-right direction of the vehicle, the projection of the air intake falls within the projection of the fender. The fenders and side panels are at least partially spaced apart to form an air intake channel, which is connected to the air intake.

[0018] In the above solution, the left and right projections of the air intake are limited to the projection range of the fender, and the air intake channel is formed by the gap between the fender and the side panel. The air conditioning intake structure can be completely hidden inside the fender, avoiding the air intake from being exposed and affecting the appearance of the front of the vehicle. This ensures that the side profile of the vehicle is simple and neat, and at the same time, it does not occupy additional space in the front compartment. There is no need to add a complex air guiding structure in the front compartment, which simplifies the layout of the air conditioning system and further optimizes the utilization rate of the front engine compartment space.

[0019] Optionally, the air inlet of the air conditioning unit is located on the front side of the air conditioning unit. The air inlet pipe includes a first pipe section and a second pipe section. The first pipe section extends along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the second pipe section extends along the left-right direction of the vehicle. One side of the first pipe section is connected to the air inlet of the air conditioning unit, the other side of the first pipe section is connected to one side of the second pipe section, and the other side of the second pipe section is connected to the air inlet.

[0020] In the above scheme, the air intake of the air conditioning unit is arranged on the front side of the air conditioning unit, and a bent air intake channel is formed with the first pipe extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and the second pipe extending in the left-right direction. This can flexibly adapt to the spatial position relationship between the side panel air intake and the air conditioning unit. In the front compartment space enclosed by the front panel, front end components and side panels, the air intake path can be rationally planned, making full use of the idle space in the front-rear and left-right directions of the front compartment, further improving the utilization rate of the front engine compartment space, and helping to reduce the space occupation of the front engine compartment in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0021] Optionally, the cross-sectional dimensions of the second tube gradually increase from one side of the second tube to the other side.

[0022] The above solution can make full use of the space between the side panel and the air conditioning unit, avoid interference with surrounding components due to excessively large pipe cross-section, improve space utilization, and at the same time, the larger cross-section of the air inlet helps to increase the air intake volume, ensuring that the air conditioning system has enough outside air and improving the user experience.

[0023] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle including the front engine compartment structure described in any of the embodiments.

[0024] The vehicle proposed according to the second aspect of this application has improved integration and reduced the size of the front engine compartment in the longitudinal direction due to having the front engine compartment structure described in any embodiment. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of the forward engine compartment structure in some embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of the forward nacelle structure with fenders in some embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a side view of the forward cabin structure in some embodiments of this application; Figure 4 for Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the AA direction.

[0027] [Explanation of Labels in the Attached Image] 100. Front bulkhead; 200. Side panel; 210. Air inlet; 201. Side inner panel; 201a. First panel section; 201b. Second panel section; 202. Side outer panels; 300. Air conditioning unit; 400. Air inlet duct; 410. First duct section; 420. Second duct section; 500, A-pillar; 510, Inner A-pillar panel; 520, Outer A-pillar panel; 600. Front-end components; 700. Fender; 710. Air intake duct; 800. Front cabin space; X represents the vehicle's forward / backward direction; Y represents the vehicle's left / right direction. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used in the description of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, in the description, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. The terms "first," "second," etc., in the description, claims, or accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order or hierarchy.

[0030] In this application, the reference to "embodiment" means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiment. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this application can be combined with other embodiments.

[0031] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "attachment" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0032] In this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, in this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0033] In this application, "multiple" refers to two or more (including two), similarly, "multiple sets" refers to two or more (including two sets), and "multiple pieces" refers to two or more (including two pieces).

[0034] In traditional vehicle front engine compartment designs, air conditioning systems often employ an intake layout that integrates with the front ventilation hood. The air conditioning intake ducts are directly connected to the ventilation hood, drawing in outside air to supply the air conditioning unit. This traditional arrangement concentrates the air intakes on the ventilation hood below the windshield. This not only occupies core mounting space in the upper part of the front bulkhead, resulting in an overly dense arrangement of components in the central area of ​​the front engine compartment, making it prone to interference with the intake ducts for components such as the braking assembly, wiring harness, and electrical modules, but also leads to an excessively large footprint in the front engine compartment structure.

[0035] In related technologies, the driver's cabin and the front engine compartment of a vehicle are separated by a front bulkhead. Since the thermal management module in the front engine compartment occupies a large space, the usable space of the driver's cabin is also affected when the vehicle body size remains unchanged.

[0036] Therefore, improving the integration of the forward engine compartment structure and reducing its space requirements are urgent technical problems that need to be solved.

[0037] In view of this, in order to improve the integration of the front engine compartment structure, this application proposes a front engine compartment structure for a vehicle. An air inlet 210 is provided on the side panel 200. Along the left-right direction Y of the vehicle, the air inlet 210 penetrates the side panel 200. The other side of the air intake pipe 400 is connected to the air inlet 210. There is no need to set a ventilation cover on the upper part of the front panel 100 or the area below the windshield. The air is drawn from the outside of the vehicle by utilizing the area between the left and right side panels 200 of the front engine compartment and the front longitudinal beam and the inner side of the wheel arch, which improves the space utilization rate and the integration. It also significantly reduces the space occupied by the air conditioning system in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Based on the reduction of the vehicle's front-rear dimensions, the overall length of the front engine compartment in the front-rear direction can be effectively shortened without changing the overall wheelbase of the vehicle, so that more space can be given to the passenger compartment, improving the interior passenger space performance. It can also shorten the overall front-rear dimensions of the vehicle while ensuring that the passenger compartment space remains unchanged.

[0038] The following is based on the appendix Figure 1 -Appendix Figure 4 This application describes the front engine compartment structure and vehicle proposed in its embodiments.

[0039] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 According to the first aspect of the present application, a front cabin structure includes a front bulkhead 100, an air conditioning unit 300, an air intake duct 400, and two side bulkheads 200.

[0040] The left and right sides of the front bulkhead 100 are connected to the two side bulkheads 200 respectively; specifically, the front bulkhead 100 divides the interior space of the vehicle into the front engine compartment and the passenger compartment along the front-rear direction X. The passenger compartment is the space used by the driver and passengers, and the front engine compartment is equipped with components such as the front module, braking system, and electrical module.

[0041] Meanwhile, the lower edge of each side panel 200 is provided with an arc-shaped profile to avoid the wheels, and the lower side of each side panel 200 is also connected to the longitudinal beam of the vehicle body through a shock absorber tower.

[0042] The air conditioning unit 300 is located on the front bulkhead 100, and one side of the air intake pipe 400 is connected to the air intake of the air conditioning unit 300. Specifically, the air conditioning unit 300 is located on the front side of the front bulkhead 100, and the front bulkhead 100 is provided with an air outlet that runs through the front and rear directions of the vehicle. The air outlet of the air conditioning unit 300 is connected to the air outlet to deliver air to the passenger compartment.

[0043] Understandably, the front bulkhead 100 can support and fix the air conditioning unit 300, and the air intake pipe 400 is also installed and fixed to the front bulkhead 100. The air intake pipe 400 can supply air to the air conditioning unit 300.

[0044] The side panel 200 is provided with an air inlet 210. Along the left-right direction Y of the vehicle, the air inlet 210 passes through the side panel 200, and the other side of the air inlet pipe 400 is connected to the air inlet 210.

[0045] According to the forward cabin structure proposed in the first aspect of this application, outside air can enter the air intake duct 400 through the air intake 210, and then enter the air conditioning unit 300 through the air intake duct 400, thereby realizing the introduction of outside air into the passenger cabin.

[0046] In related technologies, ventilation covers are typically located between the lower front edge of the windshield and the engine hood. The wiper shaft usually passes through the ventilation cover. In other words, the main functions of the ventilation cover include covering the decoration, providing protection for the wiper shaft mechanism, and providing ventilation for the air conditioning system.

[0047] Through the above-mentioned configuration in this application, on the one hand, the ventilation cover of the vehicle is eliminated, and air is drawn in from the outside of the vehicle through the area between the left and right side panels 200 of the front engine compartment and the front longitudinal beam and the inner side of the wheel arch, which improves the space utilization rate and the integration. At the same time, it improves the integration and significantly reduces the space occupied by the air conditioning system in the front and rear directions of the vehicle. Based on the reduction of the front and rear dimensions of the vehicle, the overall length of the front engine compartment in the front and rear directions of the vehicle can be effectively shortened without changing the wheelbase of the vehicle, so that more space can be given to the passenger compartment and the performance of the interior passenger space can be improved. It is also possible to shorten the front and rear dimensions of the vehicle while ensuring that the passenger compartment space remains unchanged.

[0048] In addition, the size of the air conditioning system in the vertical direction of the vehicle has been significantly reduced. The traditional air intake is located at the lower edge of the windshield, and the upper part of the front bulkhead 100 needs to reserve space for the vertical bending of the air intake duct 400, which occupies a lot of vertical space in the upper part of the front engine compartment, limiting the optimization of the front engine compartment height and the flexibility of the vertical arrangement of components.

[0049] This solution eliminates the need to reserve space for vertical pipe bending on the upper part of the front bulkhead 100. Both the air inlet 210 and the air inlet pipe 400 can be arranged in the area between the side bulkhead 200 and the front bulkhead 100, which significantly reduces the height occupied by the air conditioning system in the vertical direction of the vehicle. This reduction in vertical dimension can, on the one hand, lower the overall height of the front engine compartment, providing greater freedom for the low-drag styling design of the whole vehicle, and on the other hand, improve the structural integration of the front engine compartment, which helps to reduce the space occupied by the front engine compartment.

[0050] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The side panel 200 includes an inner side panel 201 and an outer side panel 202. Along the front-rear direction X of the vehicle, a portion of the inner side panel 201 protrudes from the front edge of the outer side panel 202, and an air inlet 210 is provided on the portion of the inner side panel 201 that protrudes from the front edge.

[0051] In the above scheme, a portion of the inner side panel 201 protrudes forward beyond the front edge of the outer side panel 202 along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, which can extend forward to create an additional installation space specifically for arranging the air inlet 210. Specifically, the portion of the inner side panel 201 that protrudes forward beyond the outer side panel 202 extends into the front engine compartment, thereby facilitating connection with the air intake pipe 400 in the front engine compartment.

[0052] It is understandable that, along the front-rear direction X of the vehicle, the portion of the side inner panel 201 located in front of the front bulkhead 100 is located in the front engine compartment, and the portion of the side inner panel 201 located behind the front bulkhead 100 is located in the passenger compartment.

[0053] This design allows the air inlet 210 to be kept away from the front edge of the side panel 202 and the area splashed by the wheels. This not only prevents mud, water, and gravel from directly impacting the air inlet 210 during driving, reducing the risk of water ingress and blockage, but also shortens the connection distance between the air inlet and the air conditioning unit 300, making the air intake path shorter and straighter, and reducing air intake resistance.

[0054] At the same time, there is no need to set up additional structural components for the placement of the air inlet 210, which optimizes the space utilization of the front engine compartment along the front-rear and left-right directions of the vehicle, and also facilitates the reliable docking of the air inlet pipe 400 and the air inlet 210, reducing assembly difficulty and the risk of air leakage.

[0055] In addition, splitting the side panel 200 into a double-layer structure of inner side panel 201 and outer side panel 202 can improve the overall rigidity and modality of the side panel area and enhance the deformation resistance of the front of the vehicle body. At the same time, it forms a cavity structure between the double-layer sheet metal, which is conducive to blocking the transmission of driving wind noise and wheel arch noise to the engine compartment and the interior of the vehicle, thus improving the NVH performance of the whole vehicle.

[0056] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The inner side panel 201 includes a first panel portion 201a and a second panel portion 201b. The first panel portion 201a is directly opposite the outer side panel 202 in the left-right direction Y of the vehicle. The second panel portion 201b protrudes from the front edge of the outer side panel 202, and the air inlet 210 is disposed on the second panel portion 201b.

[0057] It is understandable that, along the vehicle's longitudinal direction X, the second plate 201b is located in front of the first plate 201a, the second plate 201b is located in the front engine compartment, the first plate 201a is located in the passenger compartment, and the second plate 201b can serve to be installed and fixed with the air intake pipe 400.

[0058] In the above scheme, the second plate 201b protrudes forward from the front edge of the side outer plate 202, forming an independent, forward-extending area. The air inlet 210 is set here, which can keep the air inlet 210 away from the front edge of the side outer plate 202 and the wheel splash area, effectively reducing the risk of mud, sand and impurities entering the air conditioning system and improving the cleanliness of the air intake.

[0059] Meanwhile, the second panel 201b provides a dedicated installation position for the air inlet 210, eliminating the need to open holes in the area directly opposite the first panel 201a and the outer side panel 202. This avoids damaging the sealing structure and sound insulation cavity between the inner and outer side panels, which helps improve the vehicle body's sealing performance and NVH performance.

[0060] In addition, the independently protruding second plate 201b facilitates the forming and processing of the air inlet 210 and its docking and assembly with the air inlet pipe 400, which simplifies the assembly process and ensures reliable connection and tight sealing of the air intake channel.

[0061] Allowing the air intake duct 400 to extend along the left-right Y direction of the vehicle reduces the length of the air intake duct 400 extending along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, which helps to reduce the space occupied in the front engine compartment and compress the space occupied in the front-rear direction of the front engine compartment. It also does not interfere with the arrangement of other components in the engine compartment, further improving the space utilization and structural layout rationality of the front engine compartment.

[0062] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The front cabin structure also includes an A-pillar, which includes an inner A-pillar panel 510 and an outer A-pillar panel 520. The inner A-pillar panel 510 and the inner side panel 201 are integrally formed, and / or the outer A-pillar panel 520 and the outer side panel 202 are integrally formed.

[0063] Specifically, the A-pillar inner panel 510 can be integrally formed with the side inner panel 201. More specifically, the A-pillar inner panel 510 can be integrally formed with the first panel 201a. The A-pillar inner panel 510 is located on the upper side of the first panel 201a, and the second panel 201b is located on the front side of the first panel 201a. The first panel 201a, the second panel 201b, and the A-pillar inner panel 510 can be integrally formed. Furthermore, an air inlet 210 is provided in the second panel 201b, and the air inlet pipe 400 is connected and fixed to the second panel 201b, which greatly improves the structural integration. The air inlet pipe 400 is horizontally arranged on the front side of the A-pillar, which greatly reduces the space occupied in the front-rear direction.

[0064] In some other specific embodiments, the A-pillar outer panel 520 can be integrally formed with the side panel 202. The A-pillar outer panel 520 is welded to the A-pillar inner panel 510, and the side panel 202 is welded to the side panel 201. Thus, the A-pillar inner panel 510, A-pillar outer panel 520, side panel 201, and side panel 202 form an integrated structure. The air inlet 210 is set on the side panel 201, which greatly improves the structural integration. It eliminates the need for additional ventilation covers and other air inlet structures, reduces the number of parts in the front engine compartment, improves integration, and reduces the space occupied by the front engine compartment in the front-rear direction.

[0065] In the above scheme, on the one hand, the one-piece molding structure eliminates the splicing weld and overlapping structure between the A-pillar and the side panel 200, so that the A-pillar and the side panel 200 form a continuous and complete load-bearing structure, which effectively improves the overall rigidity and structural mode of the front of the vehicle body, optimizes the collision force transmission path, and can more evenly distribute the impact load under vehicle collision conditions, reduce the amount of local deformation, and improve the overall vehicle collision safety performance.

[0066] Meanwhile, the one-piece molded structure with no splicing gaps can significantly improve the vehicle body's sealing performance, reduce external wind noise, road noise, and mud and dust from seeping into the engine compartment and interior through the splicing gaps, improve the overall NVH performance of the vehicle, and prevent impurities from entering the air intake area.

[0067] On the other hand, the one-piece molded structure has a regular outline and no extra overlapping flanges, which will not occupy additional arrangement space near the side panel 200. It can provide more sufficient and regular installation space for the arrangement of the air inlet 210 and air inlet pipe 400 on the inner side panel 201, reduce the risk of component arrangement interference, and further optimize the utilization rate of the front cabin space.

[0068] In addition, the one-piece molding reduces the number of body parts and welding assembly processes, which helps to improve the manufacturing precision and production efficiency of the body, ensures the dimensional stability of the air inlet 210 installation position, and thus improves the reliability and sealing of the docking assembly between the air inlet pipe 400 and the air inlet 210.

[0069] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 The front edge of the A-pillar outer panel 520 is connected to the front edge of the side panel 202. From the rear to the front of the vehicle, the height of the front edge of the A-pillar outer panel 520 gradually decreases, and the front edge of the side panel 202 extends vertically.

[0070] Specifically, along the vertical direction of the vehicle, the side panel 202 is located below the front bulkhead 100. Along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the second panel 201b is located in front of the A-pillar, and the air inlet 210 is located in front of the A-pillar. The vehicle can take in air through the side of the vehicle body and the front part of the A-pillar, which reduces the space occupied by the upper crossbeam of the front bulkhead 100 and the windshield, making the front engine compartment space more compact.

[0071] In the above scheme, the front edge of the A-pillar outer panel 520 gradually decreases in height from back to front, and smoothly connects with the front edge of the side panel 202 extending in the vertical direction. This can make the contour transition from the A-pillar to the side panel 202 smoother and more fluid, optimize the airflow direction at the front of the vehicle, reduce driving wind resistance and wind noise, and improve the aerodynamic performance and NVH performance of the whole vehicle.

[0072] Meanwhile, the 520 A-pillar outer panel can effectively avoid the upper space of the front engine compartment, avoid interfering with the air intake path of the components and air conditioning system in the front engine compartment, and ensure sufficient air intake space.

[0073] The front edge of the outer side panel 202 adopts a vertical extension design, which can provide a regular and straight installation boundary for the protruding part of the inner side panel 201 and the air inlet 210. This facilitates the welding positioning and assembly docking between the inner and outer side panels, ensuring the assembly accuracy of the front of the vehicle body. It also forms a stable structural support and boundary limit for the air inlet 210, preventing the air intake section from being reduced due to the compression of the external styling curved surface, thus ensuring smooth air intake for the air conditioning.

[0074] In addition, the front edge structure of the vertically extending side panel 202 is subjected to uniform stress, which can reduce stress concentration at the connection between the A-pillar and the side panel 202, improve the structural rigidity and collision force transmission performance of this area, and at the same time avoid the accumulation of mud and impurities near the air inlet 210 due to the undulating edge, further improving the waterproof and dustproof effect of the air inlet.

[0075] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The front engine compartment structure also includes a front end assembly 600. Along the front-rear direction X of the vehicle, the front end assembly 600 is located on the front side of the front bulkhead 100 and is spaced apart from the front bulkhead 100. One side panel 200 is connected to the right side of the front bulkhead 100 and the right side of the front end assembly 600, and the other side panel 200 is connected to the left side of the front bulkhead 100 and the left side of the front end assembly 600. The front bulkhead 100, the front end assembly 600 and the two side panels 200 enclose the front compartment space 800, and the air intake duct 400 is disposed in the front compartment space 800.

[0076] Specifically, the front-end component 600 includes thermal management components such as a fan and a cooler. The front-end component 600 can be at least part of the front-end module of the vehicle. The lower side of the front-end component 600 is disposed on the front bumper beam, which is connected to the longitudinal beam of the vehicle body. The upper side of the front-end component 600 is disposed on the mounting beam, and the left and right ends of the mounting beam are respectively connected to the corresponding side panels 200.

[0077] In other words, the air intake duct 400 is located inside the front cabin space 800, and the air inlet 210 is connected to the outside of the front cabin space 800. With this configuration, the air intake duct 400 can obtain outside air through the air inlet 210 and is isolated from the air inside the front cabin space 800. Hot air and polluted gas inside the front cabin space 800 will not enter the air intake duct 400.

[0078] This design effectively prevents the air conditioning system from drawing in high-temperature air generated by power components, electronic control modules, etc., from the front cabin space 800, as well as polluted gases such as oil fumes, dust, and exhaust fumes from the engine compartment. This ensures that the air entering the air conditioning unit 300 is always clean, fresh air at room temperature from outside the vehicle, significantly improving the air conditioning heat exchange efficiency and the air quality inside the vehicle.

[0079] Meanwhile, the air intake duct 400 is arranged within the enclosed front compartment space 800 formed by the front bulkhead 100, the front end component 600 and the side bulkheads 200. This frame structure can provide reliable protection for the air intake duct 400, preventing sand and debris from damaging the duct during driving. It can also block noise and heat from entering the vehicle along the air intake path, thus improving the overall NVH performance of the vehicle.

[0080] In the above scheme, the front bulkhead 100, the front end component 600 and the two side bulkheads 200 are used to form a closed and regular front compartment space 800, and the air intake duct 400 is arranged in the front compartment space 800. The frame structure formed by the enclosure enables the front bulkhead 100, the front end component 600 and the two side bulkheads 200 to form an overall load-bearing frame, which significantly improves the overall stiffness and structural mode of the front engine compartment area. Under vehicle collision and driving conditions, it can form a continuous and stable force transmission path, effectively disperse the impact load, reduce the deformation of the front compartment area, and improve the structural strength and collision safety of the front of the vehicle body.

[0081] The air intake duct 400 is located inside the enclosed front compartment space 800, which avoids direct exposure of the air intake duct 400 and effectively prevents sand, mud, and debris from hitting or scratching the air intake duct 400 during driving. At the same time, it reduces the risk of external impurities and rainwater entering the air intake channel and ensures the stable and reliable operation of the air conditioning system.

[0082] A dedicated and orderly layout area is provided for the air inlet duct 400, which can avoid interference between the air inlet duct 400 and surrounding components, facilitate the positioning, installation and path layout of the air inlet duct 400, and improve assembly accuracy and assembly efficiency.

[0083] In addition, the enclosed front cabin space of 800 can, to a certain extent, block the transmission of noise and heat from the engine compartment to the air conditioning system and the interior of the vehicle, which is conducive to improving the overall NVH performance of the vehicle and ensuring cleaner air intake for the air conditioning system.

[0084] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 The front engine compartment structure also includes two fenders 700, each fender 700 being located on the outside of the corresponding side panel 200. Along the left-right direction Y of the vehicle, the projection of the air intake 210 falls within the projection of the fender 700. The fender 700 and the side panel 200 are at least partially spaced apart to form an air intake channel 710, which is connected to the air intake 210.

[0085] In the above solution, the left and right projections of the air intake 210 are limited to the projection range of the fender 700, and the air intake channel 710 is formed by the space between the fender 700 and the side panel 200. The air conditioning intake structure can be completely hidden inside the fender 700, avoiding the air intake 210 from being exposed and affecting the appearance of the front of the vehicle body, ensuring that the side profile of the vehicle body is simple and neat, and at the same time, it does not occupy additional interior space of the front compartment, further optimizing the utilization rate of the front engine compartment space.

[0086] The fender 700 can effectively shield and protect the air intake 210. During vehicle operation, it can prevent mud, sand, gravel and road debris kicked up by the wheels from directly washing over the air intake 210, greatly reducing the risk of water ingress, blockage and damage from impacts to the air conditioning system, and improving the reliability of air intake operation.

[0087] The air intake channel 710, formed by the fender 700 and the side panel 200, can guide and regulate the external airflow, allowing the air to flow smoothly and orderly into the air intake 210, reducing the generation of intake turbulence and eddies. This not only reduces intake resistance to ensure the air intake volume of the air conditioner, but also effectively suppresses intake wind noise at high speeds, improving the overall NVH performance of the vehicle.

[0088] In addition, the external air intake duct 710 does not occupy the side panel 200 and the interior space of the vehicle body, and there is no need to add a complex air guiding structure in the front compartment, which simplifies the layout of the air conditioning system and facilitates assembly and later maintenance.

[0089] In a specific embodiment, the fender 700 can be mounted on the outer side panel 202 and the inner side panel 201 by means of a bracket, and spaced apart from the outer side panel 202 and the inner side panel 201 to form an air intake channel 710. With this configuration, outside air can flow through the air intake channel 710 into the air intake 210, and then into the air intake pipe 400, thereby improving space utilization.

[0090] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4The air inlet 210 of the air conditioning unit 300 is located on the front side of the air conditioning unit 300. The air inlet pipe 400 includes a first pipe section 410 and a second pipe section 420. The first pipe section 410 extends along the front-rear direction X of the vehicle, and the second pipe section 420 extends along the left-right direction Y of the vehicle. One side of the first pipe section 410 is connected to the air inlet of the air conditioning unit 300, and the other side of the first pipe section 410 is connected to one side of the second pipe section 420. The other side of the second pipe section 420 is connected to the air inlet 210.

[0091] In the above scheme, the air intake of the air conditioning unit 300 is arranged at the front of the air conditioning unit 300, and together with the first pipe 410 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and the second pipe 420 extending in the left-right direction, a bent air intake channel is formed. This can make full use of the unused space in the front-rear and left-right directions in the front compartment, further improve the space utilization rate of the front engine compartment, and help reduce the space occupied by the front engine compartment in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0092] Compared to complex, multi-bend pipes, the two-section straight pipe structure allows for smoother airflow, reduces intake resistance, ensures sufficient and stable air intake for the air conditioner, and facilitates pipe forming and processing, reducing manufacturing difficulty.

[0093] The perpendicular arrangement of the first pipe section 410 and the second pipe section 420 creates a natural noise reduction structure along the air intake path, effectively blocking mechanical noise and wind noise from the engine compartment from entering the vehicle through the air intake pipe 400, thus improving the overall vehicle quietness. Simultaneously, this bent structure can, to some extent, prevent heat, moisture, and impurities from the engine compartment from directly entering the air conditioning unit 300, improving air intake cleanliness. Furthermore, the segmented extension of the air intake pipe 400 has a clear structure and well-defined connection relationships, facilitating its assembly and positioning with the air intake 210 of the air conditioning unit 300 and the side panel 200, thereby improving assembly accuracy and sealing reliability, and ensuring stable operation of the air conditioning system.

[0094] In other embodiments, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 From one side of the second tube section 420 to the other side of the second tube section 420, the cross-sectional dimensions of the second tube section 420 gradually increase.

[0095] In the above scheme, the gradually expanding structure can better match the layout characteristics of the side panel 200 air inlet 210, which has a wide space and a large cross-sectional size, while the space near the air conditioning unit 300 and the first pipe section 410 is compact and the cross-section is limited. It can make full use of the space between the side panel 200 and the air conditioning unit 300, avoid interference with surrounding components due to the excessively large pipe cross-section, and improve space utilization.

[0096] Meanwhile, the larger cross-section at the air inlet 210 helps increase the air intake, ensuring that the air conditioning system has enough outside air and improving the user experience.

[0097] In addition, the gradually expanding flow channel allows external air to flow smoothly towards the air conditioning unit 300 after entering the air intake 210 along the direction of the gradually narrowing cross section. This effectively reduces airflow turbulence and flow resistance during the air intake process, ensuring smooth air intake and sufficient air volume for the air conditioning system, thereby improving the working efficiency of the air conditioning system. At the same time, the structure with a gradually changing cross section can avoid the whistling and airflow noise caused by sudden changes in airflow, further optimizing the intake noise performance and improving the overall NVH performance of the vehicle.

[0098] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle including the front engine compartment structure described in any of the embodiments.

[0099] The vehicle proposed according to the second aspect of this application has improved integration and reduced the size of the front engine compartment in the longitudinal direction due to having the front engine compartment structure described in any embodiment.

[0100] It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0101] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the system embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the method embodiments.

[0102] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of the claims of this application.

[0103] Although embodiments of this application have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of this application, and such modifications and variations all fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A front engine compartment structure for a vehicle, characterized in that, include: A front bulkhead (100) and two side bulkheads (200), wherein the left and right sides of the front bulkhead (100) are respectively connected to the two side bulkheads (200); An air conditioning unit (300) and an air inlet pipe (400) are provided, wherein the air conditioning unit (300) is disposed on the front panel (100), and one side of the air inlet pipe (400) is connected to the air inlet of the air conditioning unit (300); The side panel (200) is provided with an air inlet (210) that extends through the side panel (200) along the left-right direction (Y) of the vehicle. The other side of the air inlet pipe (400) is connected to the air inlet (210). The side panel (200) includes an inner side panel (201) and an outer side panel (202). Along the front-rear direction (X) of the vehicle, a portion of the inner side panel (201) protrudes from the front edge of the outer side panel (202). The air inlet (210) is disposed on the portion of the inner side panel (201) that protrudes from the front edge; the inner side panel (201) includes a first panel (201a) and a second panel (201b), the first panel (201a) is directly opposite the outer side panel (202) in the left-right direction (Y) of the vehicle, the second panel (201b) protrudes from the front edge of the outer side panel (202), and the air inlet (210) is disposed on the second panel (201b).

2. The forward cabin structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front cabin structure also includes an A-pillar (500), which includes an inner A-pillar panel (510) and an outer A-pillar panel (520). The inner A-pillar panel (510) and the inner side panel (201) are integrally formed, and / or the outer A-pillar panel (520) and the outer side panel (202) are integrally formed.

3. The forward nacelle structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The front edge of the A-pillar outer panel (520) is connected to the front edge of the side panel (202). From the rear to the front of the vehicle, the height of the front edge of the A-pillar outer panel (520) gradually decreases, and the front edge of the side panel (202) extends in the vertical direction.

4. The forward cabin structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front engine compartment structure also includes a front end assembly (600) along the front-rear direction (X) of the vehicle. The front end assembly (600) is located on the front side of the front bulkhead (100) and spaced apart from the front bulkhead (100). One of the side panels (200) is connected to the right side of the front bulkhead (100) and the right side of the front end assembly (600), and the other side panel (200) is connected to the left side of the front bulkhead (100) and the left side of the front end assembly (600). The front bulkhead (100), the front end assembly (600), and the two side panels (200) enclose a front cabin space (800). The air intake duct (400) is disposed in the front cabin space (800).

5. The forward nacelle structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The front nacelle structure also includes two fenders (700), each fender (700) being disposed on the outer side of the corresponding side panel (200). Along the left-right direction (Y) of the vehicle, the projection of the air inlet (210) falls within the projection of the fender (700). The fender (700) and the side panel (200) are at least partially spaced apart to form an air intake channel (710), which is connected to the air inlet (210).

6. The forward cabin structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air inlet (210) of the air conditioning unit (300) is located on the front side of the air conditioning unit (300). The air inlet pipe (400) includes a first pipe section (410) and a second pipe section (420). The first pipe section (410) extends along the front-rear direction (X) of the vehicle, and the second pipe section (420) extends along the left-right direction (Y) of the vehicle. One side of the first pipe section (410) is connected to the air inlet of the air conditioning unit (300), and the other side of the first pipe section (410) is connected to one side of the second pipe section (420). The other side of the second pipe section (420) is connected to the air inlet (210).

7. The forward nacelle structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, From one side of the second tube (420) to the other side of the second tube (420), the cross-sectional dimensions of the second tube (420) gradually increase.

8. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the forward nacelle structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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