Radiator fan motor protective structure

Abstract

To provide a protection structure of a radiator fan motor which can protect the radiator fan motor more securely during a front-end collision.SOLUTION: In a protection structure of a radiator fan motor, a radiator 1 is arranged in front of a power plant unit 7 (8) mounted within an engine room of a vehicle body front part. A frame 2 is attached to a back surface of the radiator 1. A fan motor 3 is fixed to the frame 2. A radiator fan 4 is rotatably attached to the fan motor 3. The radiator fan 4 is disposed between the fan motor 3 and the radiator 1. A protector 5 which covers a back surface of the fan motor 3 is disposed between the fan motor 3 and the power plant unit 7 (8).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a protective structure for a radiator fan motor. [Background technology]

[0002] As disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, a vehicle is equipped with heat sources such as an internal combustion engine and a high-voltage battery. A radiator, which is a heat exchanger, is also equipped in the vehicle to cool these heat sources. A circulation flow path is formed between the radiator and the heat source, and the coolant that absorbs heat from the heat source is cooled in the radiator by heat exchange with wind as the vehicle travels. The cooled coolant is then circulated back to the heat source.

[0003] Cooling by the radiator is premised on the use of the wind generated by the vehicle as cooling air. However, there are cases where the wind cannot be used (for example, when the vehicle is parked or stopped or in a traffic jam), or when the heat source generates a large amount of heat even while the vehicle is moving (for example, when the internal combustion engine is operating at a high load). Taking these situations into consideration, the radiator is also provided with a radiator fan, which forcibly generates cooling air. The radiator fan is rotated electrically by a fan motor. The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 also discloses the radiator fan and the fan motor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6052226 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The radiator fan is located behind the radiator core. Other heat exchangers, such as the air conditioning condenser, are located in front of the radiator, and the cooling air forcibly generated by the radiator fan exchanges heat with these heat exchangers. The fan motor is built into the central hub of the radiator fan and is fixed to a frame attached to the rear of the radiator. The frame usually also functions as a shroud for the radiator fan.

[0006] The radiator is located at the front of the vehicle where it can easily utilize the wind while the vehicle is running, and behind it is the powerplant unit. In the case of an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, the powerplant unit is the ICE unit, and in the case of a battery electric vehicle (BEV), it is the EV unit, such as the traction motor and inverter. In the case of a hybrid electric vehicle, both the ICE unit and the EV unit are installed as the powerplant unit.

[0007] During a frontal collision, the vehicle body collapses from the front, causing the radiator to move relatively toward the power plant unit. If the vehicle body collapses significantly, the radiator fan motor comes into contact with the power plant unit. As mentioned above, in recent years, the number of heat exchangers cooled by the radiator fan has increased, and the amount of heat required to be cooled by each heat exchanger has also tended to increase. As a result, the fan motor has become more powerful, and the current flowing through it has also increased. If the fan motor were to break during a frontal collision, there would be concerns about malfunctions caused by the current flowing, and repair costs would be high. Therefore, a structure that can more reliably protect the radiator fan motor is desired. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In the protective structure for a radiator fan motor according to the present invention, a radiator is disposed in front of a power plant unit mounted in an engine compartment at the front of a vehicle body. A frame is attached to the back of the radiator, and a fan motor is fixed to the frame. A radiator fan is rotatably attached to the fan motor, and the radiator fan is disposed between the fan motor and the radiator. A protector is disposed between the fan motor and the power plant unit to cover the back of the fan motor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the protective structure for a radiator fan motor of the present invention, the radiator fan motor can be more reliably protected by the protector in the event of a frontal collision. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a rear view of a radiator having a protective structure for a radiator fan motor according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the protective structure. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the protective structure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a partially sectional perspective view of the protective structure. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the protective structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A protective structure for a radiator fan motor according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a rear view of a radiator 1 according to this embodiment. A frame 2 is attached to the rear of the radiator core of the radiator 1, where heat exchange with cooling air takes place. Two fan holes 2a are formed side by side in the frame 2. A radiator fan 4 is rotatably attached to the frame 2 via a fan motor 3 so as to be positioned between the fan holes 2a and the core of the radiator 1. The fan motor 3 on the right side of the vehicle will now be described.

[0013] The radiator 1 is disposed in front of a power plant unit 7 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) mounted in an engine compartment at the front of the vehicle body. The vehicle of this embodiment is an ICE vehicle, and the power plant unit 7 is an ICE. Hereinafter, the ICE, which is the power plant unit 7, will be simply referred to as the engine 7. The frame 2 is a resin molded product, and also functions as a shroud for the radiator fan 4. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an annular mounting portion 2b, which serves as a mounting portion for the fan motor 3, is provided in the center of the fan hole 2a of the frame 2. The annular mounting portion 2b is connected to the periphery of the fan hole 2a by a plurality of connecting portions 2c arranged in a radial linear pattern. The annular mounting portion 2b and the connecting portions 2c are integrally molded as part of the frame 2.

[0014] Three motor fixing portions 3a, which serve as mounting portions for the fan motor 3, are provided at approximately equal intervals around the circumference of the annular mounting portion 2b. Brackets extending radially outward from the fan motor 3 are fixed to these motor fixing portions 3a with bolts and nuts. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the annular mounting portion 2b is partially bent, and the female connector 3b of the fan motor 3 protrudes outward from the annular mounting portion 2b through this bent portion.

[0015] The central hub of the radiator fan 4 is fixed to the rotating part on the front of the fan motor 3. This allows the radiator fan 4 to be rotatably attached to the frame 2 via the fan motor 3. The radiator fan 4 has multiple fins that extend radially outward from the hub. The radiator fan 4 is positioned between the fan motor 3 and the radiator 1. When the radiator fan 4 is rotated by the fan motor 3, cooling air is forcibly generated that flows from the front to the rear through the fan hole 2a.

[0016] A metal protector 5 that covers the back surface of the fan motor 3 is also fixed to the annular mounting portion 2b. The protector 5 is disposed between the fan motor 3 and the engine 7 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). As shown in FIG. 3, the annular mounting portion 2b is also provided with three protector fixing portions 5a, which serve as mounting portions for the protector 5, spaced approximately equally apart in the circumferential direction. Brackets extending radially outward from the protector 5 are fixed to these protector fixing portions 5a with bolts 6. The protector fixing portions 5a are disposed adjacent to the motor fixing portions 3a described above.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 5, the protector 5 is attached to the frame 2 with a gap formed between it and the fan motor 3, and this gap forms an air flow path X between the protector 5 and the fan motor 3. The air flow path X penetrates, particularly from top to bottom, and the bracket of the protector 5 and the protector fixing portion 5a to which the bracket is fixed are positioned so as not to obstruct the vertical penetration of the air flow path X as much as possible. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the protector 5 formed of a metal plate has an insulating layer 5b formed of an insulating rubber sheet on its front surface facing the fan motor 3. The insulating layer 5b is formed by attaching an insulating rubber sheet to the front surface of the protector 5.

[0018] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, an idler pulley 8 around which the serpentine belt of the engine 7 is wound is disposed behind the fan motor 3. The serpentine belt is also wound around a clamp pulley attached to the front end of the crankshaft of the engine 7, and is a belt for driving an alternator, air conditioner compressor, etc., using the output of the engine 7. Although not shown, a pulley for an auto-tensioner for the serpentine belt is also disposed immediately to the left of the idler pulley 8. For this reason, the clearance between the right-side fan motor 3 and the engine 7 (idler pulley 8) is small.

[0019] The radiator 1 is a heat exchanger that cools the coolant for the engine 7, and another heat exchanger is arranged in front of the radiator 1. A condenser 9 of the air conditioning system is arranged immediately in front of the radiator 1. A sub-radiator 10 is arranged immediately in front of the condenser 9. The engine 7 of this embodiment is equipped with a turbocharger and also with a liquid-cooled CAC (Charge Air Cooler) that cools the intake air compressed by the turbocharger. The CAC is also called an intercooler. The sub-radiator 10 cools the coolant for the CAC. To ensure heat exchange in all of these heat exchangers, the fan motor 3 tends to have higher output, as described above. As the output of the fan motor 3 increases, the size and cost of the fan motor 3 also tend to increase.

[0020] During a frontal collision, the vehicle body is crushed from the front, causing the radiator 1 to move relatively toward the engine 7. This means that the fan motor 3, which is fixed to the frame 2 attached to the back of the radiator 1, also moves relatively toward the engine 7. If the relative movement of the fan motor 3 is large, the fan motor 3 will interfere with the idler pulley 8. However, according to the protective structure of this embodiment, a protector 5 is provided between the fan motor 3 and the engine 7, covering the back of the fan motor 3. This prevents damage to the fan motor 3 by the protector 5. As mentioned above, fan motors 3 tend to have higher output, and the current flowing through the fan motor 3 is also increasing. If the fan motor 3 were to break during a frontal collision, there would be concerns about malfunctions caused by the current flowing and the repair costs would be high. However, in this embodiment, the protector 5 more reliably protects the fan motor 3.

[0021] In this embodiment, the protector 5 is formed of a metal plate and has an insulating layer 5b on its front surface facing the fan motor 3. Because the protector 5 is formed of a metal plate, it is not easily broken, unlike a resin plate, even if it comes into contact with the engine 7 (idler pulley 8) during a frontal collision, and can more reliably protect the fan motor 3. Even if the protector 5 deforms due to contact with the engine 7 (idler pulley 8) and comes into contact with the fan motor 3, the insulating layer 5b prevents the protector 5 from shorting the electrical circuit of the fan motor 3. Furthermore, the protector 5, which is formed of a metal plate, can absorb a portion of the collision energy by its deformation. Although the amount of absorption is small compared to the overall collision energy, the collision energy is absorbed by deforming various parts of the vehicle, and the metal protector 5 can effectively function as one of the deformed parts, i.e., as one of the energy absorbing parts.

[0022] In this embodiment, the protector 5 is attached to the frame 2 with a gap formed between it and the fan motor 3. This gap forms an air flow path X between the protector 5 and the fan motor 3. The formation of the gap ensures a deformation stroke for the protector 5 in the event of a frontal collision, further preventing damage to the fan motor 3 due to interference with the protector 5. Ensuring a deformation stroke also increases the amount of collision energy absorption described above. Furthermore, the fan motor 3 itself generates heat, but because the fan motor 3 is located downstream of the cooling air relative to the radiator 1 (the multiple heat exchangers described above), heat dissipation is difficult. However, the air flow path X can facilitate cooling of the fan motor 3.

[0023] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the protector fixing portions 5a are disposed adjacent to the motor fixing portions 3a. Although the protective structure can be achieved by fastening the protector fixing portions 5a and the motor fixing portions 3a together, this embodiment deliberately does not do so. By not fastening them together, the load input from the fan motor 3 to the motor fixing portions 3a due to the collapse of the vehicle body during a frontal collision and the load input from the protector 5 to the protector fixing portions 5a due to contact with the engine 7 (idler pulley 8) can be distributed. As a result, damage to the frame 2, more specifically, damage to the annular mounting portion 2b in this embodiment, can be prevented, and the fan motor 3 and the protector 5 can be prevented from falling off the frame 2. Here, by disposing the protector fixing portions 5a adjacent to the motor fixing portions 3a, the areas that obstruct the flow of cooling air are reduced, thereby reducing the efficiency of heat exchange in the radiator 1 and cooling of the fan motor 3.

[0024] The protective structure for a radiator fan motor of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the vehicle on which the protective structure is installed may be an FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle), in which case the fuel cell (FC) unit is the power plant unit. In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the fan motor 3 on the left side of the vehicle was able to ensure a wider clearance with the engine 7 behind it than the clearance of the fan motor 3 on the right side. For this reason, the right fan motor 3 is not provided with a protector 5, but it may of course be provided with one. [Explanation of symbols]

[0025] 1 radiator 2 frames 3 Fan motor 3a Motor fixing part 4 radiator fan 5 Protector 5a Protector fixing part 5b Insulating layer 7 Engine (power plant unit) X Air passage

Claims

1. A protective structure for a radiator fan motor, a radiator disposed in front of a power plant unit mounted in an engine compartment at the front of the vehicle body; a frame attached to a rear surface of the radiator; a fan motor fixed to the frame; a radiator fan rotatably attached to the fan motor and disposed between the fan motor and the radiator; a protector disposed between the fan motor and the power plant unit and covering a rear surface of the fan motor, A protective structure for a radiator fan motor, wherein the protector is formed of a metal plate and has an insulating layer on a front surface facing the fan motor.

2. 2. The protective structure for a radiator fan motor according to claim 1, wherein the protector is attached to the frame with a gap formed between it and the fan motor, and an air flow path is formed between the protector and the fan motor by the gap.

3. the fan motor is fixed to a plurality of motor fixing portions on the frame, the protector is fixed to a plurality of protector fixing portions on the frame, 3. The protective structure for a radiator fan motor according to claim 2, wherein the protector fixing portions are disposed adjacent to the motor fixing portions.

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