Vehicle exhaust pipe support structure

Abstract

To solve a problem that a fuel tank and a cut end surface of a hanger body may contact with each other in a conventional exhaust pipe support structure during a vehicle collision.SOLUTION: A vehicle exhaust pipe support structure supports an exhaust pipe 1 at the vehicle rear relative to a fuel tank T below a floor F of a vehicle and includes: a bracket 3 to be fixed to the exhaust pipe 1; a rubber part 4 which is provided hanging at a fixed portion below the floor F; and a support rod 5 connecting the bracket 3 with the rubber part 4. The support rod 5 has, at one end, an insertion part 5A to be inserted into the rubber part 4 and has, at the other end, a cut end surface C. The support rod 5 is fixed to the bracket 3 in a state that the cut end surface C is located close to the exhaust pipe 1. The structure supports the exhaust pipe 1 while securing vibration resistance and inhibits contact between the fuel tank T and the cut end surface C of the support rod 5 when the vehicle collides.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an exhaust pipe support structure for a vehicle that is used to support an exhaust pipe below the floor of the vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional vehicle exhaust pipe support structure is described, for example, in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes a support mechanism for supporting an exhaust pipe on a cross member under the vehicle floor. The support mechanism includes a first hanger fixed to the cross member, a second hanger fixed to the catalyst, and a mount member having hanger rubbers through which the first hanger and second hanger are inserted.

[0003] The first hanger has a bracket fixed to the cross member and a rod-shaped hanger body with one end inserted into the mount member and the other end of the hanger body fixed to the bracket. The second hanger has a bracket fixed to the catalyst and a rod-shaped hanger body with one end inserted into the mount member and the other end of the hanger body fixed to the bracket. In this way, the support mechanism supports the exhaust pipe on the cross member while ensuring vibration isolation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6149774 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The above-described exhaust pipe support structure is typically located under the vehicle floor, rearward of the fuel tank, and the other end of the rod-shaped hanger body has an exposed, cut edge (edge of wood), i.e., a cut end surface. Therefore, in the conventional exhaust pipe support structure, there is a risk that the fuel tank and the cut end surface of the hanger body may come into contact with each other in the event of a vehicle collision. While it is possible to smooth the cut end surface of the hanger body, multiple hangers are used on a single vehicle, and considering manufacturing costs and other factors, it is not practical to smooth all of the hangers.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional situation, and aims to provide an exhaust pipe support structure for a vehicle that can support an exhaust pipe while ensuring vibration damping on the underside of the vehicle floor, and that can prevent contact between the fuel tank and the cut end surface of the support rod in the event of a vehicle collision. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The vehicle exhaust pipe support structure of the present invention is a structure that supports an exhaust pipe on the vehicle rear side of a fuel tank under the vehicle floor, and includes a bracket fixed to the exhaust pipe, a rubber part suspended from a fixing portion under the floor, and a support rod connected to the bracket and the rubber part. The exhaust pipe support structure is characterized in that the support rod has an insertion portion for inserting into the rubber part at one end and a cut end surface at the other end, with the cut end surface being positioned adjacent to the exhaust pipe and fixed to the bracket. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] By adopting the above-described configuration, the vehicle exhaust pipe support structure of the present invention can support the exhaust pipe on the underside of the vehicle floor while ensuring vibration resistance, and can reduce contact between the fuel tank and the cut end surface of the support rod in the event of a vehicle collision. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1]1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of an exhaust pipe support structure for a vehicle. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the exhaust pipe support structure in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the entire exhaust pipe support structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] First Embodiment The exhaust pipe support structure for a vehicle shown in Fig. 1 includes a support mechanism A1 that supports an exhaust pipe 1 on the vehicle rear side of a fuel tank T, below a vehicle floor F shown in imaginary lines. The arrow in Fig. 1 indicates the front of the vehicle. As is well known, the exhaust pipe 1 runs from the engine (not shown), passes below the fuel tank T, reaches a silencer 2, and opens at a muffler at the rear of the vehicle.

[0011] As shown in Figure 2, the support mechanism A1 comprises a bracket 3 fixed to the exhaust pipe 1, a rubber part 4 suspended from a fixed position on the underside of the floor F, and a support rod 5 connected to the bracket 3 and the rubber part 4.

[0012] The bracket 3 is made by molding a metal plate into an appropriate shape, and in the illustrated example, it has a central piece 3B having a groove portion 3A for positioning the support rod 5, and a pair of fixing pieces 3C, 3C extending from both sides of the central piece 3B, and is fixed to the exhaust pipe 1 by sandwiching the exhaust pipe 1 between the two fixing pieces 3C, 3C.

[0013] The rubber part 4 in the illustrated example has a flat cylindrical shape and has two through holes 4A, 4A that are parallel to the axial direction and are 180 degrees apart. This rubber part 4 may have a structure in which a metal ring is attached to the outer periphery. In addition, the fixing part for suspending the rubber part 4 below the floor F may be the floor F itself or a member that is a component of the vehicle. The specific structure for suspending the rubber part 4 will be described later.

[0014] The support rod 5 has an insertion portion 5B at one end thereof for inserting into the rubber part 4 and a cut end surface C at the other end thereof, and is fixed to the bracket 3 with the cut end surface C positioned adjacent to the exhaust pipe 1.

[0015] More specifically, the support rod 5 has a fixed portion 5A that is fixed to the groove portion 3A of the center piece 3B of the bracket 3, and has an insertion portion 5B that continues from one end of the fixed portion 5A at a predetermined angle, and the insertion portion 5B is inserted into one of the through-holes 4A (the lower one in the drawing) of the rubber part 4. The support rod 5 also has a curved portion 5C that continues from the other end of the fixed portion 5A at a predetermined angle, and the end face of the curved portion 5C is a cut end face C, which is a so-called edge.

[0016] In this embodiment, the support rod 5 has the fixing portion 5A fixed to the bracket 3 with the cut end surface C disposed close to the exhaust pipe 1. In this case, as a more preferred embodiment, the support rod 5 can be disposed with the cut end surface C disposed close to the exhaust pipe 1 and facing towards the rear of the vehicle.

[0017] The exhaust pipe support structure for a vehicle in this embodiment also has a second support mechanism A2, as shown in Figure 3. The second support mechanism A2 includes a second bracket 13 that is fixed to a fixing portion on the underside of the floor F, and a second support rod 15 that is connected to the rubber part 4 and the second bracket 13. The rubber part 4 is a part that is common to both the first and second support mechanisms A1, A2.

[0018] The second bracket 13 in the illustrated example is fixed to the underside of the floor F, which is the fixing portion, and is made of a metal plate member and has a groove 13A for positioning the support rod 15. The second support rod 15 has an insertion portion 15A for inserting into the rubber part 4 at one end and has a cut end surface C at the other end, and is fixed to the second bracket 13 with the cut end surface C facing toward the exhaust pipe 1 or the rear of the vehicle.

[0019] More specifically, the second support rod 15 has an insertion portion 15B that continues at a predetermined angle from one end (lower side in the drawing) of a main body portion 15A that is disposed vertically relative to the vehicle, and the insertion portion 15B is inserted into the through-hole 4A on the other side (upper side in the drawing) of the rubber part 4. The second support rod 15 also has a fixing portion 15C that continues at a predetermined angle from the other end (upper side in the drawing) of the main body portion 15A, and the end face of this fixing portion 15C is a cut end face C. In this embodiment, the second support rod 5 has the fixing portion 15C fixed to the second bracket 13 with the cut end face C facing rearward of the vehicle.

[0020] The exhaust pipe support structure for a vehicle having the above configuration reliably supports the exhaust pipe 1 below the floor F while ensuring vibration resistance by means of the first and second support mechanisms A1, A2 which share the rubber part 4.

[0021] In the above-described vehicle exhaust pipe support structure, in the event of a vehicle collision, the first support mechanism A1 positions the cut end surface C of the support rod 5 close to the exhaust pipe 1, thereby preventing contact between the cut end surface C and the fuel tank, which is located further forward on the vehicle than the structure.

[0022] In addition, the exhaust pipe support structure for a vehicle can more reliably suppress and avoid contact between the fuel tank and the cut end surface C by positioning the cut end surface of the support rod 5 close to the exhaust pipe 1 and facing toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0023] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned vehicle exhaust pipe support structure, the second support mechanism A2 is arranged so that the cut end surface C of the second support rod 15 faces toward the rear of the vehicle, thereby suppressing or avoiding contact between the fuel tank and the cut end surface C.

[0024] The configuration of the vehicle exhaust pipe support structure according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, although the second support mechanism has been described as a more preferred embodiment for suspending the rubber parts, other suspension structures can also be adopted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0025] A1 Support mechanism A2 Second support mechanism C Cut end surface F Floor (fixed part) T Fuel Tank 1 exhaust pipe 3 Bracket 4 Rubber parts 5 Support Rod 5A Insertion part 13 Second Bracket 15 Second support rod 15A Insertion part

Claims

1. A structure for supporting an exhaust pipe on the vehicle rear side of a fuel tank under a vehicle floor, a bracket fixed to the exhaust pipe, a rubber part suspended from a fixing portion on the underside of the floor, and a support rod connected to the bracket and the rubber part, an exhaust pipe support structure for a vehicle, characterized in that the support rod has an insertion portion at one end that fits into the rubber part and a cut end surface at the other end, and is fixed to the bracket with the cut end surface positioned in close proximity to the exhaust pipe.

2. 2. The exhaust pipe support structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support rod is fixed to the bracket with the cut end surface disposed adjacent to the exhaust pipe and facing rearward of the vehicle.

3. a second bracket fixed to the fixing portion; and a second support rod connected to the rubber part and the second bracket, 3. The exhaust pipe support structure for a vehicle as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second support rod has an insertion portion at one end that fits into the rubber part and a cut end surface at the other end, and is fixed to the second bracket with the cut end surface facing toward the exhaust pipe or the rear of the vehicle.

Images