Vehicle engine compartment structure

Abstract

It protects the brake unit, located in the engine compartment, from heat damage. [Solution] In the engine compartment 3 located at the front of the vehicle, where a hydraulic unit 11 and a brake booster 12 are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction at the rear, a heat protector 20 is provided to cover the hydraulic unit 11 and the brake booster 12. The heat protector 20 has a lower member 21 that covers the front surfaces of the hydraulic unit 11 and the brake booster 12, and an upper member 22 that covers the upper surface of the hydraulic unit 11.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a protection structure for a brake unit in an engine room of a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] An engine room of a vehicle is equipped with a power unit such as an engine and various auxiliary machines. Further, in the engine room, a brake unit that supplies hydraulic pressure to a brake device of each wheel based on an operation of a brake pedal or the like is arranged. For example, in Patent Document 1, a brake unit having a master cylinder and a brake reservoir is mounted at the rear of the engine room. Further, in order to suppress an increase in the temperature of the brake oil stored in the brake reservoir due to heat from the engine in the engine room, a heat insulating plate is provided between the brake unit and the engine.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the engine room, in addition to the engine body, a high - temperature device (for example, a storage tank for engine cooling water) may be arranged near the brake unit, and it is necessary to take measures so that the heat from this device does not affect the brake unit. Further, immediately after the vehicle stops running, a heat source such as an engine is still at a high temperature, and since the flow of running wind in the engine room stops, the air heated by the engine or the like convects in the engine room, and there is a risk of heating the brake unit.

[0005] In particular, vehicles that can run with the engine off, such as hybrid vehicles, are equipped with an electric brake unit in the engine compartment to ensure brake pressure is maintained even when the engine is off. Furthermore, in such vehicles, the engine may not immediately start up after the vehicle has come to a stop after running with the engine on, so the arrangement and configuration of various components in the engine compartment had to be considered to protect the brake unit from heat damage in response to various vehicle conditions, including immediately after coming to a stop.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of these problems, and its objective is to provide a vehicle engine compartment structure that protects the brake unit located in the engine compartment from heat damage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the engine compartment structure of a vehicle according to the present invention is characterized in that a brake unit is located at the rear of the engine compartment of the vehicle, and the engine compartment is provided with a shielding member having a first shielding portion that covers the front surface of the brake unit and a second shielding portion that covers the upper surface of the brake unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the engine compartment structure of a vehicle according to the present invention, when the temperature of an on-board device located in front of the brake unit in the engine compartment rises, the first shielding portion covering the front of the brake unit can shield the heat emitted from the on-board device, thereby protecting the brake unit from heat damage.

[0009] Furthermore, even if air heated by on-board equipment in the engine compartment circulates within the engine compartment immediately after the vehicle stops, the second shielding section covering the top surface of the brake unit can block the heated air arriving from above, thereby protecting the brake unit from heat damage. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a layout diagram of the engine compartment of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the shape of the heat protector and how it is attached to the vehicle body. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the shape of the lower component of the heat protector. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing the shape of the upper component of the heat protector. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Vehicle 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is equipped with an engine 2 as a driving source. Vehicle 1 may be an engine-powered vehicle equipped only with an engine 2 as a driving source, a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) equipped with an engine and an electric motor as driving sources, or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) capable of external charging or external power supply.

[0012] In the following explanation, we will use the front-to-back, left-to-right (vehicle width), and up-and-down directions of vehicle 1, and the heat protector 20 component will also be described using the direction as it is installed on vehicle 1. Figure 1 is a layout diagram of the engine compartment 3 of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the shape of the heat protector 20 and how it is attached to the vehicle body.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the engine 2 is located in the engine compartment 3 at the front of the vehicle 1. The engine compartment 3 also contains auxiliary components for the engine 2, including an exhaust catalytic converter 5, a radiator 6, a cooling fan 7, an air cleaner 8, and an engine coolant tank 9 (coolant tank).

[0014] Engine 2 is located in the center of engine compartment 3. The radiator 6 and the cooling fan 7 are arranged in front of the engine 2 and at the front part of the engine room 3. The exhaust gas purification catalyst 5 is arranged adjacent to the right side of the engine 2.

[0015] The air cleaner 8 is installed in the intake passage of the engine 2 and is arranged at the right front part of the engine room 3. The engine cooling water tank 9 is a tank that stores a part of the cooling water circulating through the radiator 6 and the engine 2, and is arranged at the right part of the engine room 3 and behind the air cleaner 8.

[0016] The engine room 3 is further equipped with a hydraulic unit 11 (brake unit) and a brake booster 12 (brake unit) in the brake system of the vehicle 1. The hydraulic unit 11 and the brake booster 12 are arranged at the right rear part of the engine room 3 and in the vicinity behind the engine cooling water tank 9.

[0017] The hydraulic unit 11 and the brake booster 12 are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction (left - right direction), with the hydraulic unit 11 on the right side and the brake booster 12 on the left side. The rear part of the exhaust gas purification catalyst 5 is located to the left of the brake booster.

[0018] The hydraulic unit 11 is a device that controls the hydraulic pressure (brake oil pressure) supplied to the hydraulic brake devices of each wheel in the ABS device etc. of the vehicle 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the brake booster 12 is an electric brake booster using an electric motor 12a. The electric motor 12a is provided at the left part of the brake booster 12.

[0019] In the present embodiment, a heat protector 20 (shielding member), which is a heat insulating plate, is provided around the hydraulic unit 11 and the brake booster 12. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the shape of the lower member 21 of the heat protector 20. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the shape of the upper member 22 of the heat protector 20.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the heat protector 20 has a lower member 21 (first shielding portion) that covers the front surfaces of the hydraulic unit 11 and the brake booster 12, and an upper member 22 (second shielding portion) that covers the upper surface of the hydraulic unit 11. The lower member 21 is formed of, for example, a steel material, and includes a lower main body member 23 that is a partition plate and a support member 24 that supports the lower main body member 23.

[0021] The lower main body member 23 is a plate-shaped member that extends in the front-rear, left-right directions, and its vertical and horizontal lengths and vertical and horizontal positions are set to be the same or slightly larger in accordance with the vertical and horizontal positions of the engine cooling water tank 9. Further, the right end of the lower main body member 23 is disposed close to the right inner wall 50 in the engine room 3 of the vehicle body.

[0022] The left end portion of the lower main body member 23 is bent 90 degrees backward to have a left shielding portion 25. Further, the lower main body member 23 has a harness passage portion 29 in which the lower end portion at the center in the left-right direction is bent forward in a convex shape. The harness passage portion 29 is formed so as to allow a harness 30 and piping or the like extending from below and in front of the lower main body member 23 to the hydraulic unit 11 behind the lower main body member 23 to pass therethrough.

[0023] The left shielding portion 25 is provided so as to cover the main body portion of the brake booster 12 excluding the electric motor 12a and the left front portion of the hydraulic unit 11 adjacent to the left side surface of the brake booster 12. The lower main body member 23 is fixed to the vehicle body, for example, the upper surface 31 of the wheelhouse cover of the right front wheel, by a support member 24. The support member 24 is a rod-shaped member several centimeters wide and has a vertical member 32 extending vertically along the front of the lower main body member 23, a horizontal member 33 extending horizontally along the front of the lower main body member 23, a fixing part 34 that is fixed to the vehicle body, and an upper member fixing part 28 that fixes the upper member 22. The vertical member 32 extends vertically along the left-right center of the lower main body member 23, and the horizontal member 33 extends horizontally from the top of the vertical member 32. The fixing part 34 extends about 10 cm to the right front from the lower end of the vertical member 32 and has multiple bolt holes 35 for inserting fixing bolts. The upper member fixing part 28 is bent several centimeters wide from the upper end of the horizontal member 33 and extends several centimeters to the rear and has bolt holes 26 and nuts 27.

[0024] To ensure strength, the support member 24 has flanges formed by bending the side ends of each of the vertical member 32, horizontal member 33, and fixing part 34 by a 90-degree angle of several millimeters. The support member 24 can be integrally formed by cutting and bending with a press or the like. The vertical members 32 and horizontal members 33 of the support member 24 and the lower main body member 23 are fixed to each other at several appropriate points by spot welding or the like.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, the upper member 22 is box-shaped with its right, bottom, and rear surfaces open, and has a front wall member 40, an upper wall member 41, and a left wall member 42. The upper member 22 is made of a material with lower strength than the lower member 21, such as aluminum or resin. The upper member 22 is fixed to the upper end of the lower member 21 so that the front wall member 40 and the lower main body member 23 are connected vertically. A control board is provided on the upper part of the hydraulic unit 11. The upper member 22 covers the upper part of the hydraulic unit 11 and protrudes upward in particular to cover the control board.

[0026] The rear end of the upper member 22 is provided with a bolt hole 43 for fixing it to the vehicle body. The lower end of the left wall member 42 is provided with a flange 44 that protrudes to the left. The flange 44 is provided with a bolt hole 45 for inserting a bolt to fasten to the nut 27 of the lower member 21.

[0027] In vehicle 1 with the above configuration, when the vehicle is running or when the cooling fan 7 is operating, air (cooling air) flows from the front to the rear in the engine compartment 3. A portion of this air passes around the exhaust catalytic converter 5, is heated, and then flows towards the hydraulic unit 11 and brake units such as the brake booster 12, which are located in the right rear of the engine compartment 3.

[0028] In this embodiment, the heat protector 20 is configured to cover the front surfaces of the hydraulic unit 11 and the brake booster 12, and the top surface of the hydraulic unit 11. Therefore, the heat protector 20 can shield the air in the engine compartment 3, which has been heated by the exhaust gas purification catalyst 5, thereby suppressing the heating of the hydraulic unit 11 and the brake booster 12. This suppresses the temperature rise of the brake fluid in the hydraulic unit 11 and the brake booster 12, protecting them from heat damage.

[0029] Furthermore, the engine coolant tank 9 is located in front of the hydraulic unit 11 and the brake booster 12, and the engine coolant is heated by the operation of the engine 2, which may cause high heat to be generated from the engine coolant tank 9. In contrast, the heat protector 20 has a lower main body member 23 that covers the front of the hydraulic unit 11 and the brake booster 12, so it can shield the heat generated from the engine coolant tank 9 and effectively suppress the temperature rise of the hydraulic unit 11 and the brake booster 12.

[0030] Furthermore, when the vehicle is stopped or the engine is stopped, heated air may circulate within the engine compartment 3. For example, when the vehicle is stopped or the engine is stopped, the air heated by the engine 2 and the exhaust catalytic converter 5 rises within the engine compartment 3, reaches the underside of the hood (not shown) of the vehicle 1 located above the engine compartment 3, and moves outward in the vehicle width direction along the underside of the hood. Then, it moves downward near the left and right ends of the engine compartment 3.

[0031] In contrast, the heat protector 20 has an upper member 22 that covers the upper surface of the hydraulic unit 11, so it can suppress the high-temperature air circulating in the engine compartment 3 from reaching the hydraulic unit 11 from above, thereby suppressing the temperature rise of the hydraulic unit 11. In particular, the upper member 22 can effectively suppress the temperature rise of the control base on the upper part of the hydraulic unit 11.

[0032] Thus, in this embodiment, heat damage to the hydraulic unit 11 and brake units such as the brake booster 12 in the engine compartment 3 can be suppressed in various states of the vehicle 1. In particular, heat damage immediately after the vehicle has stopped running can be suppressed, and the temperature rise of the brake fluid can be suppressed even in vehicles where the engine 2 stops relatively frequently, such as hybrid vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles, thereby protecting the brake system.

[0033] In this embodiment, the heat protector 20 does not cover the top surface of the brake booster 12. This is because the brake booster 12 has a brake oil tank 12b at its top, and the tank 12b is made of a material with low heat conductivity such as resin, and there is space above the tank 12b. Therefore, even if the top of the tank 12b is heated by the air circulating in the engine compartment 3, the brake oil inside the tank 12b is unlikely to rise in temperature. Also, the heat protector 20 does not cover the electric motor 12a of the brake booster 12 because the electric motor 12a is relatively heat resistant, and brake oil does not pass through the electric motor 12a.

[0034] The heat protector 20 consists of an upper member 22 and a lower member 21, which are separate parts connected to each other by bolts. This allows the heat protector 20 to be used even if the vehicle model differs and the shape of the mounting part of the heat protector 20 to the vehicle (such as the upper surface 31 of the wheelhouse cover) is different, by only changing the lower member 21, thus enabling the standardization of the upper member 22.

[0035] Furthermore, by making the upper member 22 a relatively low-strength material, it is possible to suppress the heat protector 20 from hindering the deformation of the hood during a collision with a pedestrian, thereby improving pedestrian safety. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, the heat protector 20 may be used to cover all front and top surfaces, as well as the sides, of the hydraulic unit 11 and the brake booster 12.

[0036] The position, shape, and size of the heat protector 20 should be appropriately set to correspond to the location of the brake unit (hydraulic unit 11, brake booster 12) and heat source within the engine compartment 3. Furthermore, the present invention can be widely applied to vehicles in which the brake unit is located in the engine compartment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1 vehicle 3. Engine Room 11. Hydraulic unit (brake unit) 12. Brake booster (brake unit) 20 Heat protector (shielding material) 21 Lower member (first shielding part) 22 Upper member (second shielding section) 9. Engine coolant tank (coolant tank)

Claims

1. The brake unit is located at the rear of the vehicle's engine compartment. The engine compartment is provided with a shielding member having a first shielding portion that covers the front surface of the brake unit and a second shielding portion that covers the upper surface of the brake unit. A vehicle engine compartment structure characterized by the following features.

2. The brake unit comprises a hydraulic unit that controls the operating hydraulic pressure supplied to the vehicle's hydraulic brake system, and a brake booster that assists the operating force of the brake pedal. The hydraulic unit and the brake booster are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction. The first shielding portion covers the front surfaces of the hydraulic unit and the brake booster. The second shielding portion covers at least the upper surface of the hydraulic unit. The engine compartment structure of the vehicle according to feature 1.

3. A coolant tank for storing engine coolant is provided in front of the brake unit in the engine compartment. The first shielding section is positioned between the cooling water tank and the cooling water tank. The engine compartment structure of the vehicle according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The shielding member is configured by connecting a lower member including the first shielding portion and an upper member including the second shielding portion and positioned above the lower member. The engine compartment structure of the vehicle according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The upper member is made of a material with lower strength than the lower member. The engine compartment structure of the vehicle according to feature 4.

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