Device for preventing water-logged condition of vehicular engine

Abstract

To provide a device for preventing water-logged condition of a vehicular engine, which can detect water level at an early stage when traveling a road covered by water to thereby enable the vehicular engine to be prevented from coming into water-logged condition.SOLUTION: An air guide member 9 surrounds space 12 at a rear side of a bumper 3 and at front side of a heat exchanger 5 from a rightward and leftward direction and a vertical direction. A control portion 20 limits vehicle speed when a water level detection member 30 contacts with water and detects water level. An air intake duct 40 feeding air to an engine 6 is arranged in an engine room 4. The water level detection member 30 is arranged below the air intake duct 40. The bumper 3 includes: an upper outside air introduction opening 3A; and a lower outside air introduction opening 3B which is arranged below the upper outside air introduction opening 3A. The water level detection member 30 is arranged over the lower outside air introduction opening 3B.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water damage prevention device for an engine of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] A bumper having an air inlet opening formed therein is provided at the front of a vehicle such as an automobile, and air taken into an engine room from the air inlet opening is introduced into a combustion chamber of the engine through an intake passage. When a vehicle travels on a flooded road, water that has entered the engine room from the air inlet opening may enter the combustion chamber through the intake passage, adversely affecting combustion. A conventional technology for preventing water from entering an engine is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a first detection sensor and a second detection sensor for detecting water on a road, and the first detection sensor is disposed at a bottom position of the engine and the second detection sensor is disposed at an upper position of the engine. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 limits the vehicle to a first vehicle speed when water is detected by the first detection sensor, and limits the vehicle to a second vehicle speed that is slower than the first vehicle speed when water is detected by the second detection sensor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6551643 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in such conventional technology, the vehicle speed is limited in stages by multiple water level detection means, but changes in water level due to the influence of vehicle travel, etc. are not taken into consideration. Therefore, in the conventional technology, when the water level in the entire engine compartment rises to the point where it reaches the second detection sensor located at the top of the engine, there is a risk of water entering through the engine intake due to a delay in limiting the vehicle speed, etc.

[0005] The present invention has been made in response to the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a vehicle engine water damage prevention device that can detect the water level at an early stage when traveling on a flooded road and prevent the engine from becoming waterlogged. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is a vehicle engine water damage prevention device comprising: an engine room that accommodates an engine at the front of the vehicle; a bumper that is provided in front of the engine room and has an outside air inlet opening that takes in outside air from the front of the vehicle into the engine room; a heat exchanger that is provided behind the bumper in the engine room and performs heat exchange with the outside air in the engine room; an air guide member that is provided behind the bumper in the engine room and in front of the heat exchanger and straightens the outside air taken into the engine room from the outside air inlet opening and guides it to the heat exchanger; and a water level detection member that is provided in the engine room and detects the water level in the engine room by coming into contact with water.The device further comprises a control unit that controls vehicle speed, the air guide member surrounds the space behind the bumper and in front of the heat exchanger from the left-right and up-down directions, and the control unit limits the vehicle speed when the water level detection member comes into contact with water and detects the water level. Effect of the Invention

[0007] Thus, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an engine flooding prevention device for a vehicle that can detect the water level at an early stage when the vehicle is traveling on a flooded road and prevent the engine from becoming flooded. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a bumper of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of the vehicle shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a front view of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the front part of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an engine flood prevention device for a vehicle, the engine flood prevention device for a vehicle including an engine room at the front of the vehicle, a bumper provided in front of the engine room and having an outside air introduction opening for taking in outside air from the front of the vehicle into the engine room, a heat exchanger provided behind the bumper in the engine room and exchanging heat with the outside air in the engine room, an air guide member provided behind the bumper in the engine room and in front of the heat exchanger for rectifying the outside air taken into the engine room from the outside air introduction opening and guiding it to the heat exchanger, and a water level detection member provided in the engine room for detecting the water level in the engine room by contacting with water, the device further includes a control unit for controlling a vehicle speed, the air guide member surrounds a space behind the bumper and in front of the heat exchanger from the left and right directions and the top and bottom directions, and the control unit limits the vehicle speed when the water level detection member comes into contact with water and detects the water level. Thus, the engine flood prevention device for a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention can detect the water level at an early stage when the vehicle is traveling on a flooded road, and can prevent the engine from being flooded. EXAMPLES

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A water damage prevention device for an engine of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] 1 to 4 are diagrams showing a vehicle engine water damage prevention device according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which the directions indicated as up, down, right and left are directions seen from the driver's seat.

[0012] First, the configuration will be described. In Fig. 1, a vehicle 1 has a vehicle body 2, and a bumper 3 is provided at the front of the vehicle 1. The bumper 3 has an upper outside air introduction opening 3A and a lower outside air introduction opening 3B as outside air introduction openings that take in outside air from the front of the vehicle into an engine room 4. The lower outside air introduction opening 3B is disposed below the upper outside air introduction opening 3A.

[0013] In Fig. 2, a vehicle 1 has an engine room 4 that houses an engine 6 at the front of the vehicle. A bumper 3 is provided in front of the engine room 4. The vehicle 1 has a heat exchanger 5 that exchanges heat with outside air in the engine room 4. The heat exchanger 5 is disposed behind the bumper 3 in the engine room 4. The heat exchanger 5 faces an upper outside air introduction opening 3A and a lower outside air introduction opening 3B formed in the bumper 3 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0014] The heat exchanger 5 includes a condenser 7 and a radiator 8, and the condenser 7 and the radiator 8 are provided behind the bumper 3 so as to extend in the vehicle width direction (the width direction of the vehicle 1). An intake duct 40 that sends air to the engine 6 is provided in the engine room 4. The intake duct 40 is disposed above the heat exchanger 5, and introduces the intake air into a combustion chamber (not shown) of the engine 6. The position of the intake duct 40 in the height direction is not limited to the position above the heat exchanger 5, and may be any position above the upper end of the upper outside air introduction opening 3A.

[0015] A refrigerant for cooling an air conditioner (not shown) flows inside the condenser 7. The condenser 7 cools the refrigerant by exchanging heat between the refrigerant and outside air taken in through the upper outside air introduction opening 3A and the lower outside air introduction opening 3B. A cooling liquid for cooling the engine 6 flows inside the radiator 8. The radiator 8 cools the cooling liquid by exchanging heat between the cooling liquid and outside air taken in through the upper outside air introduction opening 3A and the lower outside air introduction opening 3B.

[0016] The vehicle 1 is provided with an air guide member 9, which is disposed behind the bumper 3 and in front of the heat exchanger 5 in the engine compartment 4. The air guide member 9 surrounds a space 12 behind the bumper 3 and in front of the heat exchanger 5 in the left-right and top-bottom directions. The air guide member 9 rectifies the outside air taken into the engine compartment 4 from the upper outside air introduction opening 3A and the lower outside air introduction opening 3B, and guides it to the heat exchanger 5.

[0017] 3, the air guide member 9 includes an upper wall 9A, a bottom wall 9B, a right side wall 9C, and a left side wall 9D. The side walls 9C and 9D are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction and connect the upper wall 9A to the bottom wall 9B. The upper wall 9A, the bottom wall 9B, and the side walls 9C and 9D that constitute the air guide member 9 are disposed so as to surround the four sides of the rectangular condenser 7.

[0018] The top wall 9A and the bottom wall 9B extend in the direction in which the heat exchanger 5 extends, i.e., perpendicular to the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle 1 relative to the vehicle width direction, and extend in the vehicle width direction, while the side walls 9C, 9D extend perpendicular to the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle 1 relative to the vehicle width direction, and extend in the up-and-down direction.

[0019] When the vehicle 1 is traveling on a non-flooded road, outside air (traveling wind) is introduced into the engine compartment 4 through the upper outside air introduction opening 3A and the lower outside air introduction opening 3B of the bumper 3. This outside air is introduced into a space 12 surrounded by the air guide member 9, and is guided by the air guide member 9 to flow into the heat exchanger 5. This allows the air guide member 9 to guide the outside air taken in from the upper outside air introduction opening 3A and the lower outside air introduction opening 3B to the heat exchanger 5, and allows the outside air to be efficiently supplied to the heat exchanger 5. This improves the cooling performance of the heat exchanger 5.

[0020] 2, 3, and 4, the vehicle 1 is provided with a water level detection member 30 in the engine compartment 4. The water level detection member 30 is composed of a water level sensor that detects the water level in the engine compartment 4 by coming into contact with water. The water level detection member 30 is formed in a plate shape and is attached to the surface of the right side wall 9C on the space 12 side (left side). In this way, the water level detection member 30 detects the water level in the space 12. The water level detection member 30 is disposed below the intake duct 40. The water level detection member 30 is disposed above the lower outside air introduction opening 3B.

[0021] In this embodiment, the water level detection member 30 is a curtain-type water level sensor, but may be another type of water level sensor. The water level detection member 30 may be attached to the surface of the left side wall 9D on the space 12 side (right side). In other words, the water level detection member 30 only needs to be located in the space 12 surrounded by the air guide member 9, below the intake duct 40 and above the lower outside air introduction opening 3B, and the fixing location or fixing method is not important.

[0022] 2, the vehicle 1 is equipped with a control unit 20 that controls the vehicle speed. When the water level detection member 30 comes into contact with water and detects the water level, the control unit 20 limits the vehicle speed. When the water level detection member 30 detects the water level, the control unit 20 limits the vehicle speed to a speed at which the engine 6 is not submerged in water and water does not enter the intake duct 40.

[0023] The control unit 20 is composed of a computer unit having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a flash memory for storing backup data, and an input port and an output port. The ROM of this computer unit stores a program for making the computer unit function as the control unit 20, together with various constants and various maps. That is, the CPU uses the RAM as a working area to execute the program stored in the ROM, whereby the computer unit functions as the control unit 20 in this embodiment.

[0024] In this manner, this embodiment includes a control unit 20 that controls the vehicle speed. The air guide member 9 surrounds the space 12 behind the bumper 3 and in front of the heat exchanger 5 in the left-right and top-bottom directions. The control unit 20 limits the vehicle speed when the water level detection member 30 comes into contact with water and detects the water level.

[0025] 4, when the vehicle 1 is traveling on a flooded road, water W on the road in front of the vehicle 1 flows from the lower outside air introduction opening 3B into a space 12 surrounded by an air guide member 9 in the engine compartment 4. The water W that has flowed into the space 12 is blocked by the heat exchanger 5, which has a large resistance to passage, and rises inside the space 12, and is detected by the water level detection member 30.

[0026] Here, the water level in front of the vehicle 1 and in the space 12 fluctuate because the water is stirred up depending on the vehicle speed. Also, because the rear of the space 12 is blocked by the heat exchanger 5, the water level in the space 12 becomes higher than the water level in front of the vehicle 1 and the water level in other parts of the engine room 4 (for example, the part behind the heat exchanger 5).

[0027] The water level that rises inside the space 12 due to being blocked by the heat exchanger 5 becomes higher than the water level in other parts of the engine compartment 4. Therefore, the part of the engine compartment 4 where the water level rises the fastest when traveling on a flooded road is the space 12 inside the air guide member 9.

[0028] Therefore, the water level can be detected at an early stage when traveling on a flooded road by the water level detection member 30 in the air guide member 9. Furthermore, when the water level is detected by the water level detection member 30, the vehicle speed is limited to a speed at which the engine 6 does not become submerged and water does not enter the intake duct 40, so that the engine 6 can be prevented from becoming submerged. As a result, the water level can be detected at an early stage when traveling on a flooded road, and the engine 6 can be prevented from becoming submerged.

[0029] In this embodiment, the water level is raised in the space 12 surrounded by the air guide member 9, but since this space 12 is surrounded from above by the upper wall 9A of the air guide member 9, it is possible to prevent the water that has risen in the space 12 from entering the intake duct 40. According to this embodiment, the water level can be detected early and with sufficient margin at a stage when the water level in the parts of the engine room 4 other than the space 12 is low, while preventing the water that has risen in the space 12 from entering the intake duct 40. Therefore, even if there is a delay time from when the water level is detected by the water level detection member 30 until the vehicle speed is reduced to the target vehicle speed, it is possible to prevent the engine 6 from being wetted.

[0030] In this embodiment, an intake duct 40 for sending air to the engine 6 is provided in the engine compartment 4. The water level detection member 30 is disposed below the intake duct 40.

[0031] In this way, by arranging the water level detection member 30 below the intake duct 40, the water level can be detected by the water level detection member 30 and the vehicle speed can be limited before water enters the intake duct 40 when driving on a flooded road.

[0032] In this embodiment, the bumper 3 has, as the outside air introduction openings, an upper outside air introduction opening 3A and a lower outside air introduction opening 3B disposed below the upper outside air introduction opening 3A. The water level detection member 30 is disposed above the lower outside air introduction opening 3B.

[0033] In this manner, by disposing the water level detection member 30 above the lower outside air introduction opening 3B, it is possible to avoid water level detection except when the vehicle is traveling on a flooded road, and thus to prevent erroneous operation of the water level detection.

[0034] Although an embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended that all such modifications and equivalents be included in the following claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1...vehicle, 3...bumper, 3A...upper outside air introduction opening (outside air introduction opening), 3B...lower outside air introduction opening (outside air introduction opening), 4...engine room, 5...heat exchanger, 6...engine, 9...air guide member, 12...space, 20...control unit, 30...water level detection member, 40...intake duct

Claims

1. an engine room that accommodates an engine at a front part of the vehicle; a bumper provided in front of the engine compartment and having an outside air introduction opening for taking in outside air from a front of the vehicle into the engine compartment; a heat exchanger disposed behind the bumper in the engine compartment and configured to exchange heat with outside air in the engine compartment; an air guide member that is disposed in the engine compartment behind the bumper and in front of the heat exchanger, and that rectifies the outside air taken into the engine compartment through the outside air introduction opening and guides the outside air to the heat exchanger; a water level detection member that is provided in the engine compartment and detects a water level in the engine compartment by contacting with water, A control unit for controlling a vehicle speed is provided. The air guide member surrounds a space behind the bumper and in front of the heat exchanger in the left-right and top-bottom directions, The device for preventing engine water from getting into a vehicle, wherein the control unit limits the vehicle speed when the water level detection member comes into contact with water and detects a water level.

2. an intake duct for sending air to the engine is provided in the engine compartment; 2. The device for preventing water from getting into a vehicle engine according to claim 1, wherein the water level detection member is disposed below the intake duct.

3. The outside air introduction opening has an upper outside air introduction opening and a lower outside air introduction opening disposed below the upper outside air introduction opening, 3. The device for preventing a vehicle engine from being submerged in water according to claim 1, wherein the water level detection member is disposed above the lower outside air intake opening.

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