Outdoor temperature detection device

Abstract

To provide an outside air temperature detection device that is less susceptible to heat influence from other equipment and can more accurately detect the outside air temperature used in air conditioning control. [Solution] The outside air temperature detection device is a vehicle outside air temperature detection device comprising a detection unit for detecting temperature and a fixing member having a holding unit that is attached to the back surface of the front bumper of the vehicle and holds the detection unit at a position spaced apart from the front bumper.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an outside air temperature detection device.

Background Art

[0002] In a vehicle, information on the outside air temperature used for air conditioning control and the like is detected by an outside air temperature sensor. In order for the outside air temperature sensor to accurately detect the outside air temperature, it needs to be installed at a position where it can be exposed to the outside air. On the other hand, a position where it is not directly exposed to solar radiation, wind, rain, snow, etc. is desirable. However, since various devices are installed in the vehicle, the installation position is limited. Furthermore, devices installed in the vehicle include devices that generate heat, such as engines, motors, and batteries, ducts of air conditioning devices, and devices with large temperature changes, such as condensers and radiators. In particular, in commercial vehicles such as trucks, each device is larger than in passenger cars, and the amount of heat generation and temperature change are more prominent.

[0003] As an installation position of the outside air temperature sensor, for example, there is one installed in a movable mirror (so-called side mirror) (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, when an outside air temperature sensor is provided in a movable part such as a movable mirror, wiring that allows movement is required. In addition, since the position of the movable mirror is far from the duct for air conditioning that takes in the air entering the vehicle interior, there is a possibility that the error in the outside air temperature used for air conditioning control will increase.

[0006] Therefore, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide an outside air temperature detection device that is less susceptible to thermal influence from other equipment and can more accurately detect the outside air temperature used in air conditioning control. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This disclosure is made to solve at least some of the aforementioned problems and can be implemented in the following forms or applications.

[0008] The ambient temperature detection device according to this application example is an ambient temperature detection device for a vehicle, characterized by comprising: a detection unit for detecting temperature; and a fixing member having a holding unit that is attached to the back surface of the front bumper of the vehicle and holds the detection unit at a position spaced apart from the front bumper.

[0009] In other words, according to this application example, the detection unit is attached to the underside of the driver's side in the vehicle width direction of the front bumper by a fixing member. Air conditioning units are often installed on the passenger side to suppress temperature changes on the driver's side of the vehicle, and by installing the detection unit on the driver's side of the front bumper, the heat influence from the vehicle's air conditioning unit can be suppressed. Furthermore, by holding the detection unit at a position away from the front bumper by the fixing member, the detection unit can be exposed to the outside air while suppressing the heat influence from external environmental factors such as wind, rain, and snow. As a result, the outside air temperature detection device of this embodiment is less susceptible to heat influence from other equipment and can more accurately detect the outside air temperature used for air conditioning control. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing the configuration of the cab section of the vehicle according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A' in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration of the fixing member according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B' in Figure 1, showing the outside air temperature detection device according to this embodiment mounted on the front bumper. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing a modified installation of an outside air temperature detection device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to what is described below, and can be modified and implemented as such without altering its essence. Furthermore, the drawings used in describing the embodiments are schematic representations of the components, and may have been partially emphasized, enlarged, reduced, or omitted to enhance understanding, and may not accurately represent the scale or shape of the components. Hereinafter, "height direction" refers to the vertical direction of the vehicle, "width direction" refers to the left-right direction of the vehicle, and "length direction" refers to the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0012] Figure 1 is a front view showing the cab section 2 of a vehicle 1 equipped with an outside air temperature detection device according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A' in Figure 1. Vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle powered by a motor and is also a cargo vehicle (commercial vehicle) such as a truck. The cab section 2 is located at the front of the vehicle, and the front of vehicle 1 is equipped with a front windshield 10, a front panel 11, and a front bumper 12. In this embodiment, the driver's seat is on the right side of vehicle 1, and the passenger seat is on the left side of vehicle 1.

[0013] The front windshield 10 is made of laminated glass or the like and is attached to the steel plate via molding components. A front panel 11 is provided below the front windshield 10.

[0014] The front panel 11 constitutes the very front of the vehicle 1 and has a gently curved shape. The front panel 11 has front turn signals 13 on both sides in the vehicle width direction and on the lower side in the vehicle height direction. The front turn signals 13 are turn indicator lights, and the corresponding turn indicator flashes when turning left or right. A front bumper 12 is provided below the front panel 11.

[0015] The front bumper 12 extends in the vehicle width direction and is attached to the chassis frame 15 of the vehicle 1 (see Figure 2). Light fixtures 14 are provided on both sides of the front bumper 12 in the vehicle width direction. The light fixtures 14 are LED bulbs, for example, made of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes). Note that the light source is not limited to LEDs, and may also be a halogen bulb, for example.

[0016] Figure 2 shows a simplified configuration of the lower part of the cab section 2. The chassis frame 15 has a ladder frame structure in which a pair of left and right side frames 15a extending in the front-rear direction are connected by a plurality of cross members 15b (only one at the front end is shown in Figure 2) extending in the vehicle width direction. In addition to the cab section 2, the chassis frame 15 is equipped with various devices such as the drive system of the vehicle 1, but for the sake of simplicity, most of these are omitted in Figure 2.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2, below the cab section 2, the condenser 20 of the air conditioning system is located on the left side in the vehicle width direction (passenger side), and the outside air temperature detection device 30 is located on the right side in the vehicle width direction (driver's side). In addition to the condenser 20, the air conditioning system also includes a compressor, evaporator, outside air intake for air conditioning, and exhaust port for cabin air (not shown), and these components are also mainly located on the left side in the vehicle width direction.

[0018] The condenser 20 is mounted on the front side of the vehicle 1 in the vehicle length direction and is a heat exchanger capable of exchanging heat between the refrigerant and outside air. The condenser 20 is the part that cools the refrigerant, which has become hot due to the compressor of the air conditioning system, by blowing outside air through it using the airflow from the vehicle 1 while it is driving or by the fan 21, and is a part that experiences large temperature fluctuations. The fan 21 has the function of taking in outside air by rotating when the vehicle 1 is moving at low speed or idling, so the areas in front of and behind the fan 21 are also parts that experience large temperature fluctuations.

[0019] The outside air temperature detection device 30 includes an outside air temperature sensor 31 (detection unit) and a fixing member 32. The outside air temperature sensor 31 is electrically connected to an ECU (not shown) for air conditioning control, and information on the temperature (outside air temperature) detected by the outside air temperature sensor 31 is transmitted to the ECU (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

[0020] FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the fixing member 32. FIG. 3(a) is a perspective view of the fixing member 32, and FIG. 3(b) is a plan view of the fixing member 32. As shown in FIG. 3(a), the fixing member 32 is a bent plate material, and includes a holding portion 321 that extends in a substantially horizontal direction in the mounted state, a mounting portion 322 that extends in the height direction, and a central portion 32 that connects the base end of the holding portion 321 and the upper edge of the mounting portion 322. 3.

[0021] The holding portion 321 is formed with a U-shaped notch portion 3210 for holding the outside air temperature sensor 31. As shown in FIG. 3(b), an arc portion 3211 in which the outside air temperature sensor 31 is housed is formed at a substantially central position of the notch portion 3210 of the holding portion 321, and a guiding portion 3212 is formed from the tip of the holding portion 321 toward the arc portion 3211. The guiding portion 3212 is formed with an inclined portion 3212a having a gradient such that the interval gradually becomes narrower from the tip toward the arc portion 3211, and a protruding portion is formed at a boundary portion between the arc portion 3211 and the inclined portion 3212a. 3212b. The inclined portion 3212a has a function of guiding the insertion of the outside air temperature sensor 31 when the outside air temperature sensor 31 is attached. Further, the protruding portion 3212b has a function of preventing the attached outside air temperature sensor 31 from falling off.

[0022] The mounting portion 322 is a portion that abuts against a bumper bracket 121 described later and is fixed. A circular mounting hole 322a penetrating in the vehicle length direction is formed at a substantially central position of the mounting portion 322, and is fixed by inserting and fastening a connecting tool 40 such as a bolt and a nut into the mounting hole 32a.

[0023] The central portion 323 is inclined upward from the upper edge of the mounting portion 322 and is connected to the base end of the holding portion 321. The central portion 323 serves to separate the outside air temperature sensor 31 from the front bumper 12.

[0024] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B' in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 4, the outside air temperature sensor 31 is attached to the back surface of the front bumper 12 on the driver's side in the vehicle width direction by a fixing member 32. Specifically, a bumper bracket 121 for attaching the front bumper 12 to the chassis frame 15 is provided on the back surface of the front bumper 12, and the fixing member 32 is fixed to the bumper bracket 121 by a connector 40. In this embodiment, the bumper bracket 121 has a substantially L-shaped cross-section, its bottom surface is fixed in contact with the lower part of the front bumper 12, and it is erected substantially vertically toward the upper side in the height direction.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, the fixing member 32 of this embodiment has its mounting portion 322 fixed to the bumper bracket 121, its central portion 323 is inclined toward the rear in the vehicle length direction and toward the vehicle upward, and its holding portion 321 is mounted so as to extend toward the rear in the vehicle length direction. The outside air temperature sensor 31 is inserted into the arc portion 3211 of the holding portion 321 from the rear in the vehicle length direction and held in place. In other words, the outside air temperature sensor 31 is mounted at a position spaced apart from the front bumper 12. The outside air temperature sensor 31 of this embodiment has a rod shape with a circular cross-section, and is held so that the tip side where the temperature sensing element is located is facing downward in the height direction.

[0026] As described above, in the outside air temperature detection device 30 of this embodiment, the outside air temperature sensor 31 is attached to the back surface of the front bumper 12 on the driver's side in the vehicle width direction by a fixing member 32. In the cab section 2, equipment that experiences large temperature changes, such as the condenser 20 of the air conditioning system, is often placed on the passenger side in order to suppress temperature changes on the driver's side. By placing the outside air temperature sensor 31 on the driver's side of the front bumper 12, the heat influence from equipment in the vehicle 1 can be suppressed. Furthermore, by holding the outside air temperature sensor 31 at a position separated from the front bumper 12 by the fixing member 32, the heat influence from external environmental factors such as sunlight, wind, rain, and snow can be suppressed while exposing the outside air temperature sensor 31 to the outside air. As a result, the outside air temperature detection device of this embodiment is less susceptible to heat influence from other equipment and can more accurately detect the outside air temperature used for air conditioning control.

[0027] This concludes the description of embodiments of the present invention, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to these embodiments. For example, in this embodiment, the condenser of the air conditioning system is provided on the passenger side, but if the condenser is provided on the driver's side, the outside air temperature sensor is attached to the back surface of the front bumper on the passenger side in the vehicle width direction by a fixing member.

[0028] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the mounting of the fixing member 32. The modified example in Figure 5 shows the case where the outside air temperature detection device 30 is applied to the front bumper 12 of a large truck, and the back surface of the front bumper 12 is configured with two overlapping bumper brackets 121. The two overlapping bumper brackets 121 are designated as the first bumper bracket 121f on the front side in the vehicle length direction and the second bumper bracket 121b on the rear side in the vehicle length direction.

[0029] The first bumper bracket 121f has a roughly C-shaped cross-section and is fixed in contact with the upper and lower parts of the front bumper 12, with a space between the front bumper 12 and the first bumper bracket 121f. The second bumper bracket 121b has a roughly C-shaped cross-section that is smaller than that of the first bumper bracket 121f and is fixed in contact with the approximate center of the first bumper bracket 121f in the height direction. The first bumper bracket 121f and the second bumper bracket 121b are fixed together by a connector 40, and the bolts of the connector 40 are inserted and fastened from the front side in the vehicle length direction (the first bumper bracket 121f side).

[0030] In the modified example shown in Figure 5, the fixing member 32 is mounted in an inverted state compared to the above embodiment. Specifically, the mounting portion 322 of the fixing member 32 is fixed by contacting the second bumper bracket 121b from the rear side in the vehicle length direction. In this case, the central portion 323 of the fixing member 32 is inclined downward toward the rear in the vehicle length direction, and the holding portion 321 is installed to extend toward the rear in the vehicle length direction. The outside air temperature sensor 31 is then inserted into the arc portion 3211 of the holding portion 321 from the rear in the vehicle length direction and held in place. In the modified example as well, it is preferable that the outside air temperature sensor 31 is held so as to be facing downward in the height direction.

[0031] Thus, the modified example of the outside air temperature detection device 30 shown in Figure 5 also achieves the same effects as the embodiment described above, with only differences in the mounting position and the orientation of the fixing members.

[0032] Furthermore, the vehicle 1 in each of the above embodiments is an electric vehicle, and is a commercial vehicle such as a truck, but it may also be a passenger car, for example. It may also be a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine, or the present invention can be applied to a hybrid electric vehicle, etc. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0033] 1 vehicle 2. Cab section 10 Front windshield 11 Front Panel 12 Front Bumper 121 Bumper Bracket 121f First Bumper Bracket 121b Second bumper bracket 13 Front turn signals 14 Lighting section 15 Chassis Frame 15a Side Frame 15b Crossmember 20 Capacitors 21 Fans 30. Outdoor temperature detection device 31. Outdoor temperature sensor 32 Fixing member 321 Holding part 3211 Arc section 3212 Guidance part 3212a Slope 3212b Protrusion 322 Mounting part 322a Mounting holes 323 Central part 40 Connectors

Claims

[Claim 1] A vehicle outside air temperature detection device, A detection unit that detects temperature, A fixing member is attached to the back surface of the front bumper of the vehicle and has a holding portion that holds the detection unit at a position spaced apart from the front bumper, A vehicle outside air temperature detection device equipped with the following features.

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