Vibration reduction structure for pipe

Abstract

To provide a vibration reduction structure for a pipe.SOLUTION: A vibration reduction structure for a pipe 18 has one end 18E1 to which a vibration source applies larger vibration compared to the other end 18E2. The vibration reduction structure comprises a cylindrical mass 20 provided around at least a part of the pipe 18. The cylindrical mass 20 is arranged so as to provide a gap between itself and an outer peripheral surface of the pipe 18. Only a predetermined range portion L of the cylindrical mass 20 on the one end 18E1 side of the pipe 18 is bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 18.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vibration reduction structure for pipes, and particularly to a vibration reduction structure for pipes provided in a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Vehicles such as automobiles are provided with various pipes. Conventionally, techniques for suppressing the vibration of pipes have been studied.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a vibration damping device to be attached to a pipe. The vibration damping device has a housing and a collision mass provided in a floating state within the housing, and when the pipe vibrates, the collision mass collides with the inner wall of the housing, thereby acting to cancel out the vibration of the housing, that is, the vibration of the pipe.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] For example, in order to reduce the vibration transmission of a pipe, it is conceivable to provide a margin in the length of the pipe (make the pipe extra-long) to reduce the tension of the pipe, or to provide a mass (weight) on the pipe. However, if the pipe is made extra-long or a mass is added to the pipe, there is a problem that the space for mounting the pipe or the pipe and the mass increases.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to be able to reduce the vibration of a pipe while suppressing the mounting space for the pipe and the mass.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The vibration reduction structure of a pipe according to the present invention is a vibration reduction structure of a pipe having one end to which vibration applied by a vibration source is larger than that at the other end, and includes a cylindrical mass provided around at least a part of the pipe. The cylindrical mass is arranged so as to provide a gap between the cylindrical mass and the outer peripheral surface of the pipe, and only a predetermined range portion on the one end side of the pipe of the cylindrical mass is adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the pipe.

[0008] Further, in the vibration reduction structure of a pipe according to the present invention, it is also possible that only an end portion on the one end side of the pipe of the cylindrical mass is adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the pipe.

[0009] Further, in the vibration reduction structure of a pipe according to the present invention, the cylindrical mass may be provided on the pipe while avoiding a bent portion of the pipe.

[0010] Further, in the vibration reduction structure of a pipe according to the present invention, it is also possible to include two or more of the cylindrical masses, and the two or more cylindrical masses are provided on the pipe while avoiding a bent portion of the pipe.

Advantages of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, since the mass is a cylindrical mass arranged around the pipe, the mounting space for the pipe and the mass can be suppressed. Further, in the cylindrical mass, only a predetermined range portion on the one end side of the pipe to which relatively large vibration is applied by the vibration source is adhered to the pipe, and the entire weight of the cylindrical mass is applied to the adhered portion of the pipe, that is, the portion of the pipe closer to the vibration source. Therefore, the vibration of the pipe can be effectively reduced. Further, since the cylindrical mass is arranged so as to provide a gap between the cylindrical mass and the outer peripheral surface of the pipe, the rigidity of the pipe does not increase, and the vibration damping effect by the pipe itself is not impaired or is hardly impaired. Further, although it is a selective configuration, if the cylindrical mass is provided on the pipe while avoiding the bent portion of the pipe, it is also possible to suppress the attenuation effect of the vibration by the bent portion itself of the pipe from being impaired.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The same reference numerals are given to the same elements in all the drawings, and redundant explanations are omitted. In FIG. 1, the direction of arrow FR represents the front of the vehicle, and the direction of arrow RH represents the right side of the vehicle.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the front part configuration of a vehicle 10, and shows only the parts related to the embodiment. The vehicle 10 is an automobile equipped with an engine 12. The vehicle 10 includes an engine 12, a pipe 18, an HVAC 30 (Heating Ventilation and Air-Conditioning), an instrument panel reinforcement 32, a steering column 34, and a steering wheel 38. The HVAC 30 is an air conditioning unit.

[0015] The engine 12 is cooled by a coolant as engine cooling water, and the coolant heated by the engine 12 is guided to a heater core (not shown) in the HVAC 30 as necessary and used to heat the conditioned air. A circulation flow path through which the coolant circulates is provided between the engine 12 and the HVAC 30. This circulation flow path includes a pipe through which the coolant flows from the engine 12 toward the HVAC 30 and a pipe through which the coolant flows from the HVAC 30 back to the engine 12. Only one of these pipes, the pipe 18, is shown in FIG. 1.

[0016] The pipe 18 is made of rubber. One end 18E1 of the pipe 18 is connected to the connection part 14 on the engine 12 side using a clamp or the like (not shown). The engine 12 includes an outlet of the coolant, and a valve 16 is provided outside the outlet. The pipe part of the valve 16 on the side opposite to the engine 12 serves as the connection part 14 of the pipe 18. The other end 18E2 of the pipe 18 is connected to a connection part (not shown) of the HVAC 30 using a clamp or the like. A cylindrical mass 20 (details will be described later) is provided around the pipe 18.

[0017] The instrument panel reinforcement 32 is a member that extends in the vehicle width direction inside the dashboard. The instrument panel reinforcement 32 supports the HVAC 30, the steering column 34, and the like. A steering wheel 38 (steering wheel) is connected to the steering column 34 via a main shaft.

[0018] Here, when the pipe 18 vibrates due to the engine 12 as a vibration source, it is conceivable that the vibration is transmitted to the steering wheel 38 via the HVAC 30, the instrument panel reinforcement 32, and the steering column 34. When vibration is transmitted to the steering wheel 38, the driver may feel uncomfortable. Therefore, in this vehicle 10, a vibration reduction structure for the pipe 18 using the cylindrical mass 20 is adopted to suppress the transmission of engine vibration to the steering wheel 38.

[0019] Fig. 2(A) is an enlarged view of the part of the pipe 18 in Fig. 1. Fig. 2(Ba) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in Fig. 2(A), and Fig. 2(Bb) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in Fig. 2(A). As shown in Fig. 2(A), a cylindrical mass is provided around the pipe 18. The cylindrical mass 20 is a cylindrical (tubular) weight, for example, made of rubber. The cylindrical mass 20 may be formed of, for example, EPDM (ethylene propylene rubber). The cylindrical mass 20 has a constant or substantially constant thickness.

[0020] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2(A), the cylindrical mass 20 extends and is provided in a region including the center of the pipe 18, excluding one end 18E1 and the other end 18E2 of the pipe 18. Here, one end 18E1 of the pipe 18 is an end where the vibration applied by the engine 12 (see FIG. 1, vibration source) is larger than that applied to the other end 18E2 of the pipe 18. As shown in FIGS. 2(Ba) and (Bb), the cylindrical mass 20 is arranged so as to provide a gap between it and the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 18. That is, there is a gap between the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 18 and the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical mass 20.

[0021] Then, as shown in FIGS. 2(A), (Ba), and (Bb), only a predetermined range portion (portion indicated by reference sign L) on the one end 18E1 side (engine side) of the pipe 18 of the cylindrical mass 20 is adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 18 with an adhesive 42. In this embodiment, the cylindrical mass 20 and the pipe 18 are adhered in the region of the length L shown in FIG. 2(A), and in other regions, the cylindrical mass 20 and the pipe 18 are not adhered.

[0022] Note that the predetermined range portion (adhered portion) of the cylindrical mass 20 may be, for example, only the end portion on the one end 18E1 side (vibration source side) of the pipe 18 of the cylindrical mass 20. Further, the predetermined range portion (adhered portion) of the cylindrical mass 20 may be, for example, a portion less than half of the total length of the cylindrical mass 20 on the one end 18E1 side (vibration source side) of the pipe 18. Note that this portion may or may not include the end portion of the cylindrical mass 20.

[0023] Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described.

[0024] According to the embodiment described above, since the mass (weight) is the cylindrical mass 20 arranged around the pipe 18, the mounting space of the pipe 18 and the mass can be suppressed.

[0025] Also, only a predetermined range portion (portion indicated by reference sign L) on the one-end 18E1 side of the pipe 18 to which relatively large vibrations are applied by the engine 12 is adhered to the pipe 18. As a result, the entire weight of the cylindrical mass 20 is applied to the portion of the pipe 18 to which the cylindrical mass 20 is adhered, that is, the portion of the pipe 18 closer to the engine 12 (vibration source), so that the vibration of the pipe 18 can be effectively reduced.

[0026] Also, since the cylindrical mass 20 is arranged so as to provide a gap between it and the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 18, the rigidity of the pipe 18 does not increase, and the vibration damping effect by the rubber pipe 18 itself can be maintained. For example, in the bent portion of the pipe 18 (the portion indicated by arrow D in Fig. 2(A)), when the cylindrical mass 20 is brought into contact with the pipe 18 and integrated, the rigidity of the bent portion increases, and when vibrations are applied in the direction in which the pipe 18 extends in front of the bent portion (direction of reference sign VB in Fig. 2), the vibration damping effect at the bent portion may be impaired. However, according to the embodiment described above, in the bent portion of the pipe 18, since there is a gap between the cylindrical mass 20 and the pipe 18, the rigidity of the bent portion does not increase, and the vibration damping effect at the bent portion can be maintained.

[0027] Fig. 3(A) is a diagram showing a vibration reduction structure of the pipe 18 according to another embodiment. In the embodiment of Fig. 3(A), the cylindrical mass 20 in the embodiment of Fig. 2(A) is separated into two, and two cylindrical masses 20-1 and 20-2 are provided. The two cylindrical masses 20-1 and 20-2 are provided on the pipe 18 while avoiding the bent portion of the pipe 18 (the portion indicated by arrow D in Fig. 3(A)). Other configurations are the same as those in the embodiment of Fig. 2(A).

[0028] Figure 3(Ba) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A1-A1 or A2-A2 of Figure 3(A). Figure 3(Bb) is a cross-sectional view taken along line B1-B1 or B2-B2 of Figure 3(A). In the cylindrical mass 20-1, only a predetermined range portion (portion denoted by reference sign L1) on the one end 18E1 side (engine side) of the pipe 18 is adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 18 with an adhesive 42, and in other portions, the cylindrical mass 20-1 and the pipe 18 are not adhered. Similarly, in the cylindrical mass 20-2, only a predetermined range portion (portion denoted by reference sign L2) on the one end 18E1 side (engine side) of the pipe 18 is adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 18 with the adhesive 42, and in other portions, the cylindrical mass 20-2 and the pipe 18 are not adhered.

[0029] Also in this embodiment, the same operational effects as those of the embodiment of Figure 2(A) can be obtained. Further, in this embodiment, since the cylindrical masses 20-1 and 20-2 are provided on the pipe 18 while avoiding the bent portion (portion indicated by arrow D in Figure 3(A)) of the pipe 18, for example, when vibration is applied in the direction in which the pipe 18 extends in front of the bent portion (direction denoted by reference sign VB in Figure 3), a vibration damping effect can be obtained at the bent portion.

[0030] Note that in the embodiments described above, one or two cylindrical masses are provided on the pipe 18, but three or more cylindrical masses may be provided on the pipe 18.

Explanation of Reference Signs

[0031] 10 Vehicle, 12 Engine (vibration source), 14 Connection portion, 16 Valve, 18 Pipe, 18E1 One end, 18E2 The other end, 20, 20-1, 20-2 Cylindrical mass (cylindrical weight), 30 HVAC (air conditioning unit), 32 Instrument panel reinforcement, 34 Steering column, 38 Steering wheel, 42 Adhesive.

Claims

[Claim 1] A vibration reduction structure for a pipe having one end to which vibration applied from a vibration source is larger than that applied to the other end, A cylindrical mass is provided around at least a portion of the piping, The cylindrical mass is disposed so as to provide a gap between the cylindrical mass and an outer peripheral surface of the pipe, Only a predetermined range portion of the pipe of the cylindrical mass on the one end side is bonded to an outer peripheral surface of the pipe. Piping vibration reduction structure.

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