Multi-cylinder engine side structure

Abstract

To provide a side part structure of a multi-cylinder engine capable of suppressing breakage of a fuel pump arranged behind an intake manifold even when the intake manifold moves to a rear side of an engine room upon vehicle front collision.SOLUTION: To a side surface of a multi-cylinder engine, an intake manifold having a surge tank 111 is attached. Under a rear portion 111c of the surge tank 111, a high-pressure fuel pump 20 and a cover 21 covering the front side and upper side of the high-pressure fuel pump are arranged. A center portion 111a of the surge tank 111 bulges downward, and is configured by an inclined surface where an outer surface behind a bulging lower end portion raises backward. A part of the high-pressure fuel pump 20, in back view, overlaps with the center portion 111a. On an outer surface of the surge tank 111, a plurality of vertical ribs Rv extending in a fore-and-aft direction in an area from a place near the high-pressure fuel pump 20 in the rear portion 111c to the center portion 111a is formed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a side structure of a multi-cylinder engine, and more particularly to a side structure of a multi-cylinder engine that is mounted in an engine room in a longitudinal position. [Background technology]

[0002] In the engine room of a vehicle, in addition to the multi-cylinder engine, an intake manifold attached to the intake side of the multi-cylinder engine, a fuel pump, etc. For example, in an engine room where the multi-cylinder engine is mounted in a longitudinal orientation with the cylinders aligned along the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, the fuel pump may be disposed on the side of the multi-cylinder engine where the intake manifold is attached.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which fuel system components such as fuel injection valves and fuel supply pipes are arranged in the area near the flange portion, which is the joint portion between each independent intake pipe in an intake manifold and a multi-cylinder engine, and the rigidity of the area from the flange to where the fuel system components are arranged is made higher than other areas of the independent intake pipe by forming ribs, etc. Patent Document 1 discloses that by increasing the rigidity of the above-mentioned area of ​​the independent intake pipe of the intake manifold, in the event of a frontal collision, the part of the intake manifold to which the fuel system components are attached remains on the multi-cylinder engine side, and the other parts of the intake manifold are separated from the multi-cylinder engine or deformed, thereby suppressing movement of the fuel system components and thereby suppressing malfunctions in the fuel system components. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-102679 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In some vehicles, a layout is adopted in which an intake manifold is attached to one side of a multi-cylinder engine mounted in a longitudinal position in an engine compartment, and a fuel pump is disposed behind the intake manifold. In a vehicle with such a layout, in a frontal collision of the vehicle, it is possible that the attachment portion of the intake manifold to the multi-cylinder engine may break or deform and move toward the rear of the engine compartment. If the intake manifold moves toward the rear of the engine compartment during a frontal collision, it is possible that the intake manifold may collide with the fuel pump disposed behind the intake manifold and damage the fuel pump.

[0006] However, in conventional technologies, including the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a layout is adopted in which the fuel pump is disposed behind the intake manifold, it cannot be said that there are sufficient measures to prevent damage to the fuel pump even if the intake manifold moves to the rear of the engine compartment during a frontal collision of the vehicle.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a side structure for a multi-cylinder engine that can suppress damage to a fuel pump arranged behind an intake manifold even if the intake manifold moves toward the rear of the engine compartment during a frontal collision of the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to one aspect of the present invention is a side structure for a multi-cylinder engine that is mounted in an engine room of a vehicle in a longitudinal orientation so that the direction of cylinder alignment is along the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, and includes: an intake manifold that is attached to one side of the multi-cylinder engine that is one of the left and right sides of the vehicle, and that has a surge tank; and a fuel pump that is disposed on the one side of the multi-cylinder engine and below the surge tank, wherein a central portion of the surge tank in the front-to-rear direction bulges downward, Furthermore, the surface rearward of the bulging lower end portion is formed with a rearward-rising slope that gradually rises upward as it goes from the front to the rear, and the fuel pump is positioned rearward of the central portion so that at least a portion of the fuel pump overlaps with the central portion when the fuel pump and the surge tank are viewed from behind from the rear of the vehicle, and the surge tank has at least one vertical rib formed on the outer surface of the surge tank so as to extend along the fore-and-aft direction in a region from the point adjacent to the fuel pump to the central portion.

[0009] In the side structure of the multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, the central portion of the surge tank is formed to bulge downward, and the rear surface of the central portion is formed with a rearward-sloping slope. Therefore, in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle, when the intake manifold moves toward the rear of the engine compartment and the fuel pump abuts against the rear surface of the central portion of the surge tank, the fuel pump moves relative to the surge tank along the rear surface.

[0010] In addition, in the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, since the surge tank is provided with vertical ribs in the above-mentioned region, when the surge tank and the fuel pump come into contact with each other in a frontal collision of the vehicle and the intake manifold and the fuel pump move relative to each other in the fore-and-aft direction, the fuel pump moves while sliding on the top surfaces of the vertical ribs. This allows the intake manifold and the fuel pump to move relative to each other in the fore-and-aft direction while maintaining a high contact pressure between the surge tank and the fuel pump on the top surfaces of the vertical ribs. Furthermore, in the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, a stronger load can be applied locally to the surge tank via the vertical ribs than in a case where the surge tank is not provided with vertical ribs, making it possible to deform the surge tank so as to be depressed upward or to damage it as the surge tank slides relative to the fuel pump.

[0011] Therefore, in the side structure of the multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, even if the intake manifold moves backward during a frontal collision of the vehicle, energy can be absorbed by the sliding between the surge tank and the fuel pump, and energy can also be absorbed by deformation or damage to the surge tank, thereby suppressing damage to the fuel pump.

[0012] The side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect may further include a cover attached to the fuel pump and covering an area from the front to the upper side of the fuel pump.

[0013] In the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, a cover is provided that covers the area from the front to the upper side of the fuel pump, so that in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle, the cover comes into contact with the surge tank, thereby preventing the fuel pump from directly coming into contact with the surge tank. Thus, the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect is advantageous in preventing damage to the fuel pump due to the rearward movement of the intake manifold in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle.

[0014] In the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, the cover may have higher rigidity than the central portion of the surge tank.

[0015] In the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, the cover has higher rigidity than the center portion of the surge tank, so the surge tank is likely to be damaged if the intake manifold moves backward and abuts against the cover during a frontal collision, applying a load between the two. Therefore, in the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, the energy associated with the collision with the cover is consumed by deformation and damage to the surge tank, and the fuel pump covered by the cover can be more reliably protected.

[0016] In the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, the surge tank may be made of a resin material, and the cover may be made of a metal material, so that the cover has higher rigidity than the surge tank.

[0017] In the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, the surge tank is made of a resin material, while the cover is made of a metal material, making the cover more rigid than the surge tank. Therefore, in the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, when the intake manifold retracts during a vehicle collision and the surge tank and cover come into contact with each other, the surge tank can be deformed and damaged, thereby more reliably dissipating the energy associated with the collision with the cover.

[0018] In the side structure of a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, the surge tank may further have a plurality of horizontal ribs formed on the outer surface of the surge tank so as to extend intersecting the vertical ribs, and the surge tank may have a plurality of vertical ribs formed thereon, and at least some of the plurality of vertical ribs may be formed at a narrower pitch than the horizontal ribs.

[0019] In the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, at least some of the multiple vertical ribs are formed at a narrower pitch than the horizontal ribs. In other words, at least some of the vertical ribs are formed more densely than the horizontal ribs, so the rigidity of the surge tank in the direction in which the horizontal ribs extend is lower than the rigidity in the direction in which the vertical ribs extend. Therefore, in the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, after the intake manifold retracts and the surge tank and the fuel pump come into contact with each other in a vehicle frontal collision, the fuel pump moves relatively along the vertical ribs of the surge tank, causing the surge tank to deform and break in the direction in which the horizontal ribs extend. Therefore, in the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, after the surge tank and the fuel pump come into contact with each other, the surge tank is deformed and broken in the direction in which the horizontal ribs extend, thereby effectively dissipating the energy of the collision.

[0020] In the side structure of a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, at least some of the vertical ribs may be formed in an area that overlaps with the fuel pump when the fuel pump and the surge tank are viewed from behind from the rear of the vehicle.

[0021] In the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, when the fuel pump and the surge tank are viewed from behind, at least some of the vertical ribs are formed in the overlapping area, so that when the intake manifold retracts during a vehicle frontal collision, the fuel pump can slide on the top surfaces of at least some of the vertical ribs on the surge tank, thereby dissipating energy associated with a collision between the surge tank and the fuel pump during a vehicle frontal collision through the sliding of the fuel pump relative to the surge tank and deformation and damage to the surge tank.

[0022] In the side structure of a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, the multiple lateral ribs may include a first lateral rib formed in the central portion and a second lateral rib formed in a rear portion of the surge tank rearward of the central portion, and the first lateral rib may be formed with a rib width narrower than that of the second lateral rib.

[0023] In the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, the first horizontal rib in the center of the surge tank is formed with a narrower rib width than the second horizontal rib in the rear portion, so that when the fuel pump slides along the vertical ribs of the surge tank in the event of a frontal collision, the rigidity of the first horizontal rib in the center, which is formed with a narrow rib width, can be made lower than that of the second horizontal rib in the rear, which is formed with a relatively wider rib width. Thus, in the side structure for a multi-cylinder engine according to the above aspect, it is possible to reliably deform and damage the surge tank in the center as the contact stress between the surge tank and the fuel pump increases with an increase in the amount of recession of the intake manifold in the event of a frontal collision. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] In the side structure of a multi-cylinder engine according to each of the above aspects, even if the intake manifold moves toward the rear of the engine compartment during a frontal collision of the vehicle, damage to the fuel pump arranged behind the intake manifold can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of the left side portion of the multi-cylinder engine according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing an intake manifold and a high-pressure fuel pump disposed on the left side of the multi-cylinder engine. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a portion B in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the surge tank of the intake manifold and the high-pressure fuel pump as viewed from below. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing the outer surface configuration of the surge tank. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a bottom view showing the relative positional relationship between the surge tank, the cover, and the high-pressure fuel pump when the intake manifold is moved backward during a frontal vehicle collision. [Figure 7] 10 is a side view showing a state in which a part of the surge tank is deformed when a cover collides with the surge tank during a vehicle frontal collision. FIG. [Figure 8] (a) is a schematic side view showing the configuration of an intake manifold arranged on the side of a multi-cylinder engine according to variant 1, and (b) is a schematic side view showing the configuration of an intake manifold arranged on the side of a multi-cylinder engine according to variant 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described below is an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment except for its essential configuration.

[0027] 1. Overview of the side structure of the multi-cylinder engine The side structure of a multi-cylinder engine 10 according to this embodiment will be outlined with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a multi-cylinder engine 10 is mounted in the engine room of a vehicle 1. The multi-cylinder engine 10 is mounted in the engine room in a longitudinal position with its cylinder axis direction aligned with the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle 1. The multi-cylinder engine 10 has a mount bracket 19 at its bottom. The multi-cylinder engine 10 is mounted in the engine room by being fixed between the mount bracket 19 and the body of the vehicle 1 via an engine mount (arrow A).

[0029] Arranged to the left of the multi-cylinder engine 10 (one side in the left-right direction of the vehicle 1) are an intake manifold 11, an EGR cooler 12, a B-ISG (Belt-Driven Integrated Starter-Generator) 13, an A / C compressor 14, a starter motor 18, and a fuel pump 20. The intake manifold 11 is attached to a cylinder head 10a of the multi-cylinder engine 10, and mixes fresh air taken in via an air cleaner with recirculated exhaust gas, and introduces the mixed air into the intake port.

[0030] 2, the intake manifold 11 has a surge tank 111 at its bottom. The surge tank 111 is a container with an internal space, and distributes a mixture of fresh air and exhaust gas (EGR gas) to a runner (independent intake passage) connected to an intake port of a cylinder head 10a in the multi-cylinder engine 10. The surge tank 111 is formed so that, from the front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1, a front portion 111b, a central portion 111a, and a rear portion 111c are continuous with each other. The surge tank 111 is formed of a resin material.

[0031] The central portion 111a of the surge tank 111 bulges downward more than the front portion 111b and the rear portion 111c. The outer surfaces of the central portion 111a and the rear portion 111c are smoothly connected without any steps. Similarly, the outer surfaces of the central portion 111a and the front portion 111b are smoothly connected without any steps.

[0032] The rear surface of the central portion 111a of the surge tank 111, which is located behind the bulging lower end, is formed with a slope that slopes upward toward the rear. The rear portion 111c of the surge tank 111 is also formed with a slope that slopes upward toward the rear and is continuous with the central portion 111a.

[0033] The above-mentioned upwardly sloping rearward slope refers to a surface whose outer surface gradually rises from the bulging lower end of the central portion 111a of the surge tank 111 toward the rear. In this embodiment, the upwardly sloping rearward slope is configured as a smoothly curved surface, but the upwardly sloping rearward slope may also be configured as a flat surface.

[0034] The EGR cooler 12 is attached to the cylinder head 10a of the multi-cylinder engine 10 and is disposed in a portion of the vehicle 1 toward the front of the intake manifold 11. The EGR cooler 12 is provided in a passage (EGR passage) that recirculates a portion of the exhaust gas discharged from the multi-cylinder engine 10 back to the intake manifold 11, and cools the exhaust gas. An EGR pipe 16, which is part of the EGR passage, is attached to the EGR cooler 12. The other end of the EGR pipe 16 is connected to an EGR valve 15 attached to the top of the intake manifold 11.

[0035] The EGR valve 15 is a valve that adjusts the flow rate of exhaust gas recirculated to the intake manifold 11. The exhaust gas that passes through the EGR valve 15 passes through a passage formed in the intake manifold 11 and is introduced into the interior of the intake manifold 11.

[0036] A throttle valve 17 is joined to the end of the intake air introduction passage in the intake manifold 11, and fresh air taken in via the air cleaner passes through the throttle valve 17 and is introduced into the intake manifold 11.

[0037] The B-ISG 13 is disposed so that its front portion is located below the EGR cooler 12 and its rear portion is located below the front portion of the intake manifold 11. The B-ISG 13 is a belt-driven ISG and is an alternator (i.e., a power generating device) that also functions as a motor.

[0038] The A / C compressor 14 is disposed below the B-ISG 13, extending rearward along the left side of the multi-cylinder engine 10. The A / C compressor 14 is disposed in the refrigerant circulation path of the air conditioner that cools the interior of the vehicle, and compresses and liquefies the refrigerant vaporized by the evaporator.

[0039] 2, the high-pressure fuel pump 20 is disposed so as to be located below the rear portion of the intake manifold 11. The high-pressure fuel pump 20 pressurizes fuel supplied from a fuel tank and supplies the fuel to injectors attached to each cylinder of the multi-cylinder engine 10. When the high-pressure fuel pump 20 and the surge tank 111 of the intake manifold 11 are viewed from the rear of the vehicle 1, the high-pressure fuel pump 20 is disposed in a position that partially overlaps with a central portion 111a of the surge tank 111.

[0040] 2, a cover 21 is attached to the high-pressure fuel pump 20, covering the area from the front to the upper side. The cover 21 is made of a metal material such as an aluminum alloy, and has a rigidity higher than at least the central portion 111a of the surge tank 111. The detailed structure of the cover 21 will be described later.

[0041] 2. Structure of Cover 21 The structure of the cover 21 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0042] 3, cover 21 is integrally formed with front portion 21a, upper portion 21b, connecting portion 21c, and side portion 21d. As described above, cover 21 is formed by pressing a metal plate made of a metal material.

[0043] The front portion 21a of the cover 21 is disposed so as to cover the front side of the high-pressure fuel pump 20. The upper portion 21b is disposed so as to cover the upper part of the front portion of the high-pressure fuel pump 20. The connecting portion 21c connects the front portion 21a and the upper portion 21b and is formed of a curved surface. The side portion 21d is disposed so as to cover the left side of the front portion of the high-pressure fuel pump 20.

[0044] The high-pressure fuel pump 20 and the cover 21 are attached to the multi-cylinder engine 10. The cover 21 is disposed with a gap between it and the high-pressure fuel pump 20. The cover 21 is also disposed with a gap between it and the rear portion 111c of the surge tank 111.

[0045] 3. Outer structure of surge tank 111 The outer surface structure of the surge tank 111 in the intake manifold 11 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the outer surface of the surge tank 111 is provided with a plurality of ribs Rv and a plurality of ribs Rh in the central portion 111a, the rear portion 111c, and part of the front portion 111b. Each of the plurality of ribs Rv is formed to extend along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as "longitudinal ribs Rv"). Meanwhile, each of the plurality of ribs Rh is formed to extend in a direction intersecting the longitudinal ribs Rv (hereinafter referred to as "transverse ribs Rh"). The longitudinal ribs Rv and the transverse ribs Rh are at approximately the same height from an area of ​​the outer surface of the surge tank 111 where the ribs Rv and Rh are not provided. The longitudinal ribs Rv and the transverse ribs Rh are connected to each other at their intersections.

[0047] In this embodiment, the front portion 111a of the surge tank 111 has an area where neither the vertical ribs Rv nor the horizontal ribs Rh are formed. The outer surface of this area is recessed upward (hereinafter, this area will be referred to as the "recessed portion 111d"). The rear portion of the B-ISG 13 is disposed below the recessed portion 111d.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 4, the cover 21 that covers the high-pressure fuel pump 20 is disposed below the top surfaces of the vertical ribs Rv and horizontal ribs Rh provided on the rear portion 111c of the surge tank 111 with a gap therebetween.

[0049] As shown in part D1 of Fig. 5, the lateral rib Rh provided in the central portion 111a of the surge tank 111 is referred to as a central lateral rib (first lateral rib) Rha, and as shown in part D2 of Fig. 5, the lateral rib Rh provided in the rear portion 111c is referred to as a rear lateral rib (second lateral rib) Rhc. In this case, in this embodiment, the rib width w1 of the central lateral rib Rha is set narrower than the rib width w2 of the rear lateral rib Rhc.

[0050] 5, of the five vertical ribs Rv formed in the range from the central portion 111a to the rear portion 111c, two vertical ribs (at least some of the vertical ribs) Rv1 provided in positions close to and above the high-pressure fuel pump 20 and the cover 21 are formed with a pitch P1 narrower than the pitch of the horizontal ribs Rh. In addition, the pitch P1 is set narrower than the pitch P2 of the remaining three vertical ribs Rv2 similarly formed in the range from the central portion 111a to the rear portion 111c.

[0051] Of the five vertical ribs Rv, two vertical ribs Rv1 and two vertical ribs Rv2 located to the left of the vertical ribs Rv1 are formed in the area from the rear end of the rear portion 111c to the middle part of the central portion 111a (the lower end part of the bulge).

[0052] 4. Interference between surge tank 111 and cover 21 in the event of a vehicle frontal collision In the event of a frontal vehicle collision, the mounting portion of the intake manifold 11 to the multi-cylinder engine 10 may be deformed or damaged, causing the intake manifold 11 to move rearward. In this embodiment, when the intake manifold 11 moves backward, the cover 21 is intentionally brought into contact with the surge tank 111 to attenuate the energy associated with the backward movement of the intake manifold 11. This will be described with reference to Figures 3, 6, and 7.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 3, in the event of a frontal vehicle collision, an obstacle or the like from the front deforms or breaks the attachment portion of the intake manifold 11 to the multi-cylinder engine 10, causing the intake manifold 11 to move rearward in the engine compartment (arrow C). As shown in Fig. 6, when the intake manifold 11 moves rearward, the high-pressure fuel pump 20 and cover 21 come into contact with the top surface of the vertical rib Rv of the surge tank 111 and slide relative to the intake manifold as shown by arrow E. Note that while Fig. 6 shows arrow E pointing forward, this indicates the relative movement direction of the high-pressure fuel pump 20 and cover 21 with respect to the surge tank 111, and does not mean that the high-pressure fuel pump 20 and cover 21 actually move forward.

[0054] Here, in the initial stage of the sliding, the cover 21 abuts against the vertical rib Rv1 (see FIG. 5) formed at a pitch P1 among the five vertical ribs Rv formed in the region from the rear part 111c to the central part 111a of the surge tank 111, and the cover 21 slides on the top surface of the vertical rib Rv1. In contrast, in the middle stage of the sliding, as shown in FIG. 6, the cover 21 abuts against the vertical rib Rv2 (see FIG. 5) provided to the left of the vertical rib Rv1, and the cover 21 slides on the top surface of the vertical rib Rv2.

[0055] 7, if the cover 21 collides with the central portion (bulge portion) 111a of the surge tank 111 due to the retraction of the intake manifold 11 (arrow F), the surge tank 111 will be deformed or damaged by the load caused by the retraction of the intake manifold 11, and a part of the cover 21 will sink in. As described above, the cover 21 is made of a metal material and has higher rigidity than the surge tank 111 made of a resin material, so the surge tank 111 side will be more deformed or damaged than the cover 21 side.

[0056] 5.Effects In the side structure of the multi-cylinder engine 10 according to this embodiment, the central portion 111a of the surge tank 111 in the intake manifold 11 is formed to bulge downward, and the rear surface of the central portion 111a is formed with a slope that slopes upward toward the rear, so that in the event of a frontal vehicle collision, when the intake manifold 11 moves toward the rear of the engine compartment and the cover 21 covering the high-pressure fuel pump 20 abuts against the rear surface of the central portion 111a of the surge tank 111, the high-pressure fuel pump 20 and the cover 21 move along the rear surface relative to the surge tank 111. As a result, the contact load between the surge tank 111 and the cover 21 gradually increases, and the load does not suddenly increase midway through the sliding movement.

[0057] Furthermore, in the side structure of the multi-cylinder engine 10 according to this embodiment, the vertical ribs Rv are provided in an area including the central portion 111a and rear portion 111c of the surge tank 111, so that when the surge tank 111 and the cover 21 come into contact with each other in a frontal collision of the vehicle and the intake manifold 11, the high-pressure fuel pump 20, and the cover 21 move relatively in the fore-and-aft direction, the high-pressure fuel pump 20 and the cover 21 move relative to the surge tank 111 while sliding on the top surfaces of the vertical ribs Rv. Therefore, the intake manifold 11 and the high-pressure fuel pump 20 can move relatively in the fore-and-aft direction while maintaining a high contact pressure between the surge tank 111 and the cover 21 on the top surfaces of the vertical ribs Rv. Furthermore, in the side structure of the multi-cylinder engine 10, a strong load can be applied locally to the surge tank 111 via the vertical ribs Rv, compared to when the vertical ribs Rv are not provided in the central portion 111a and rear portion 111c of the surge tank 111, and as the cover 21 slides against the surge tank 111, it is possible to cause the surge tank 111 to be deformed or damaged.

[0058] Therefore, in the side structure of the multi-cylinder engine 10 according to this embodiment, even if the intake manifold 11 is pushed back toward the rear of the engine compartment during a frontal vehicle collision, the sliding of the cover 21 against the surge tank 111 can absorb the energy associated with the push-back of the intake manifold 11, and can also absorb energy due to deformation or damage to the surge tank 111, thereby suppressing damage to the high-pressure fuel pump 20.

[0059] Furthermore, in the side structure for multi-cylinder engine 10 according to this embodiment, the cover 21 is provided to cover the area from the front to the upper side of the high-pressure fuel pump 20, so that in the event of a vehicle frontal collision, the cover 21 comes into contact with the surge tank 111, thereby preventing the high-pressure fuel pump 20 from directly coming into contact with the surge tank 111. Therefore, the side structure for multi-cylinder engine 10 is advantageous in preventing damage to the high-pressure fuel pump 20 due to the rearward movement of the intake manifold 11 in the event of a vehicle frontal collision.

[0060] Furthermore, in the side structure for multi-cylinder engine 10 according to this embodiment, a gap is provided between the high-pressure fuel pump 20 and the cover 21, so that in the event of a vehicle frontal collision, the load applied from the surge tank 111 to the cover 21 can be prevented from being directly applied to the high-pressure fuel pump 20. Therefore, the side structure for multi-cylinder engine 10 is even more advantageous in preventing damage to the high-pressure fuel pump 20 due to the rearward movement of the intake manifold 11 in the event of a vehicle frontal collision.

[0061] Furthermore, in the side structure for multi-cylinder engine 10 according to this embodiment, cover 21 has higher rigidity than surge tank 111, so when intake manifold 11 moves backward and abuts against cover 21 during a frontal vehicle collision, and a load is applied between them, surge tank 111 is more likely to break than cover 21. Therefore, in the side structure for multi-cylinder engine 10, the energy associated with the collision with cover 21 is consumed by deformation and breakage of surge tank 111, and the high-pressure fuel pump 20 covered by cover 21 can be more reliably protected.

[0062] Furthermore, in the side structure of the multi-cylinder engine 10 according to this embodiment, the surge tank 111 is made of a resin material, while the cover 21 is made of a metal material, making the cover 21 more rigid than the surge tank 111. Therefore, when the intake manifold 11 moves backward during a vehicle collision and the surge tank 111 and the cover 21 come into contact with each other, the energy associated with the collision with the cover 21 can be more reliably consumed due to deformation and breakage of the surge tank 111.

[0063] Furthermore, in the side structure for the multi-cylinder engine 10 according to this embodiment, some of the longitudinal ribs Rv1 of the multiple longitudinal ribs Rv are formed at a narrower pitch than the horizontal ribs Rh, in other words, some of the longitudinal ribs Rv1 are formed more densely than the horizontal ribs Rh, so the rigidity of the surge tank 111 in the direction in which the horizontal ribs Rh extend is lower than the rigidity in the direction in which the vertical ribs Rv1 extend. Therefore, in the side structure for the multi-cylinder engine 10, in the event of a frontal vehicle collision, the intake manifold 11 moves rearward in the engine compartment and the surge tank 111 and the cover 21 come into contact with each other, and then the high-pressure fuel pump 20 and the cover 21 move relatively along the vertical ribs Rv of the surge tank 111, causing the surge tank 111 to deform and break along the direction in which the horizontal ribs Rh extend. Therefore, in the side structure of the multi-cylinder engine 10, after the surge tank 111 and the cover 21 come into contact, the surge tank 111 is deformed and damaged in the direction along the horizontal rib Rh, thereby effectively dissipating the energy associated with the collision.

[0064] Furthermore, in the side structure of the multi-cylinder engine 10 according to this embodiment, when the high-pressure fuel pump 20 and the surge tank 111 are viewed from behind, some of the vertical ribs Rv1 are formed to include an area where the high-pressure fuel pump 20 overlaps in the rear view, so that when the intake manifold 11 moves toward the rear of the engine compartment during a vehicle frontal collision, the high-pressure fuel pump 20 and the cover 21 can slide on the top surfaces of the vertical ribs Rv1 of the surge tank 111. Therefore, energy associated with the collision between the surge tank 111 and the cover 21 during a vehicle frontal collision can be consumed by the sliding of the high-pressure fuel pump 20 and the cover 21 relative to the surge tank 111 and deformation and damage to the surge tank 111.

[0065] Furthermore, in the side structure for the multi-cylinder engine 10 according to this embodiment, the central horizontal rib Rha in the central portion 111a of the surge tank 111 is formed with a narrower rib width than the rear horizontal rib Rhc in the rear portion 111c, so that when the high-pressure fuel pump 20 and the cover 21 slide along the vertical ribs Rv of the surge tank 111 in the event of a frontal vehicle collision, the rigidity of the central horizontal rib Rha in the central portion 111a, which is formed with a narrow rib width w1, can be made lower than that of the rear horizontal rib Rhc in the rear portion 111c, which is formed with a relatively wider rib width w2. Therefore, in the side structure for the multi-cylinder engine 10, the surge tank 111 can be reliably deformed and damaged at the central portion 111a as the contact stress between the surge tank 111 and the cover 21 increases with an increase in the amount of setback of the intake manifold 11 in the event of a frontal vehicle collision.

[0066] As described above, in the side structure of the multi-cylinder engine 10 according to this embodiment, even if the intake manifold 11 moves toward the rear of the engine compartment during a frontal vehicle collision, damage to the high-pressure fuel pump 20, which is disposed below the intake manifold 11 and rearward of the central portion 111a of the surge tank 111, can be suppressed.

[0067] [Variation 1] The side structure of a multi-cylinder engine according to Modification 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 8(a). Fig. 8(a) shows only the structure of the intake manifold 31 in a side view, which is a difference from the above embodiment, and does not show other components. Fig. 8(a) also omits the vertical ribs and horizontal ribs on the outer surface of the surge tank 311, but in this modification as well, vertical ribs and horizontal ribs are formed on the outer surface of the surge tank 311, as in the above embodiment.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 8(a), the surge tank 311 of the intake manifold 31 has a front portion 311b located in front of the central portion 311a and a rear portion 311c located behind the central portion 311a, both of which are formed with approximately flat, inclined slopes. That is, the surface from the portion forward of the bulging lower end of the central portion 311a to the front portion 311b is formed with a slope (flat slope) that rises upward from the rear to the front, and the surface from the portion rearward of the bulging lower end of the central portion 311a to the rear portion 311c is formed with a slope (flat slope) that rises upward from the front to the rear. This modified example, which employs an intake manifold 31 having such a configuration, can also achieve the same effects as the above embodiment by providing the same vertical ribs as the above embodiment.

[0069] [Variation 2] The side structure of the multi-cylinder engine according to Modification 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 8(b). Fig. 8(b) shows only the structure of the intake manifold 41 in a side view, which is a difference from the above embodiment, and does not show other components. Fig. 8(b) also omits the vertical ribs and horizontal ribs on the outer surface of the surge tank 411, but in this modification as well, vertical ribs and horizontal ribs are formed on the outer surface of the surge tank 411, as in the above embodiment.

[0070] 8(b), the surge tank 411 of the intake manifold 41 has a surface extending from the lower end of the bulging central portion 411a to the rear portion 411c, which is formed with a slope (flat slope) that rises toward the rear, similar to the first modification. On the other hand, the front portion 411b located in front of the central portion 411a is formed with a substantially horizontal plane. There is a step between the central portion 411a and the front portion 411b.

[0071] In this modified example employing the intake manifold 41 having the above-described configuration, the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment and modified example 1 can be obtained by providing the same vertical ribs as those of the above-described embodiment.

[0072] [Other variations] In the above embodiment and modified examples 1 and 2, the intake manifolds 11, 31, 41 and the high-pressure fuel pump 20 are disposed on the left side of the multi-cylinder engine 10. However, in the present invention, it is also possible to dispose the intake manifold and the high-pressure fuel pump on the right side of the multi-cylinder engine.

[0073] Furthermore, although the number of cylinders in the multi-cylinder engine 10 was not specifically mentioned above, the same effects as those described above can be obtained for engines with two or more cylinders by adopting a configuration similar to that of the above embodiment or the above-mentioned variants 1 and 2.

[0074] In the above embodiment and the above-mentioned modified examples 1 and 2, a direct injection engine is assumed as the multi-cylinder engine 10, and a configuration including a high-pressure fuel pump 20 as the fuel pump is taken as an example. However, in the present invention, it is also possible to adopt a multi-cylinder engine that is not a direct injection engine, and to adopt a fuel pump that is not a high-pressure fuel pump.

[0075] In the above embodiment and the above variants 1 and 2, a vehicle 1 equipped with a so-called mild hybrid system is used as an example, but in the present invention, a vehicle may not be equipped with a mild hybrid system and a simple alternator may be placed in place of the B-ISG13 of the above embodiment, etc.

[0076] Furthermore, in the present invention, when a hybrid system is provided, it is also possible to adopt a configuration that does not include a power generation device such as an alternator or B-ISG.

[0077] In the above embodiment and the first and second modifications, the surge tanks 111, 311, and 411 of the intake manifolds 11, 31, and 41 are made of a resin material, and the cover 21 is made of a metal material. However, the present invention is not limited to these materials as long as the cover has high rigidity relative to the surge tank. For example, even if both are made of a resin material, the rigidity may be varied by changing the thickness of the cover.

[0078] Furthermore, the cover that covers the fuel pump is not an essential component of the present invention. Even in this case, the same effect as described above can be obtained by making at least a portion of the fuel pump (the portion that is predicted to collide with the surge tank in a frontal collision) more rigid than the surge tank.

[0079] In the above embodiment and the above first and second modifications, horizontal ribs Rh are also provided on the outer surfaces of the surge tanks 111, 311, 411, but in the present invention, it is also possible to provide at least vertical ribs and not provide horizontal ribs.

[0080] In addition, in the present invention, it is not essential that the pitch of some of the vertical ribs be narrower than that of the horizontal ribs or other vertical ribs, and it is also possible to provide all ribs (multiple vertical ribs and multiple horizontal ribs) with the same pitch. Similarly, it is also possible to provide all ribs with the same rib width.

[0081] In addition, in the present invention, it is not essential to provide multiple vertical ribs, and the same effect as above can be obtained by providing at least one vertical rib. In this case, it is desirable to provide the vertical rib in an area on the outer surface of the surge tank close to the cover and fuel pump, from the viewpoint of allowing the cover and fuel pump to slide on the top surfaces of the vertical ribs of the surge tank in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle.

[0082] In the above embodiment and the above modifications 1 and 2, the recessed portion 111d is provided in the front portion 111b, 311b, 411b of the surge tank 111, 311, 411, but the present invention does not necessarily require the provision of a recessed portion. Even if a recessed portion is provided, a vertical rib or the like may be provided on the outer surface thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1 vehicle 10 Multi-cylinder engine 11 Intake manifold 20 High-pressure fuel pump 21 Cover 21a Front part 21b Upper part 21c Connection 111 Surge Tank 111a central part 111c rear part Rh horizontal rib Rha Central horizontal rib (first horizontal rib) Rhc rear horizontal rib (second horizontal rib) Rv vertical rib Rv1 Some vertical ribs Rv2 remaining vertical ribs

Claims

1. A side structure of a multi-cylinder engine mounted in an engine room of a vehicle in a longitudinal orientation with the cylinder rows aligned along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, an intake manifold attached to one side surface of the multi-cylinder engine that is one of the left and right sides of the vehicle, the intake manifold having a surge tank; a fuel pump disposed on the one side of the multi-cylinder engine and below the surge tank; Equipped with The surge tank has a central portion in the front-rear direction that bulges downward, and a surface rearward of the bulging lower end portion is formed with a rearward-rising slope that gradually rises upward from the front to the rear, the fuel pump is disposed at a position rearward of the central portion so as to overlap at least a portion of the fuel pump with the central portion when the fuel pump and the surge tank are viewed from behind the vehicle, the surge tank has at least one longitudinal rib formed on an outer surface of the surge tank in a region extending from a position adjacent to the fuel pump to the central portion so as to extend along the front-rear direction; Side structure of a multi-cylinder engine.

2. 2. The side structure of a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 1, a cover attached to the fuel pump and covering an area from the front to the top of the fuel pump; Side structure of a multi-cylinder engine.

3. 3. The side structure of a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 2, The cover has higher rigidity than the central portion of the surge tank. Side structure of a multi-cylinder engine.

4. 4. The side structure of a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 3, The surge tank is made of a resin material, The cover is made of a metal material, and has higher rigidity than the surge tank. Side structure of a multi-cylinder engine.

5. The side structure of a multi-cylinder engine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The surge tank further includes a plurality of horizontal ribs formed on an outer surface of the surge tank so as to extend intersecting with the vertical ribs, The surge tank is formed with a plurality of vertical ribs, At least some of the plurality of vertical ribs are formed at a narrower pitch than the horizontal ribs. Side structure of a multi-cylinder engine.

6. 6. The side structure of a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 5, At least some of the vertical ribs are formed in an area overlapping with the fuel pump when the fuel pump and the surge tank are viewed from behind the vehicle. Side structure of a multi-cylinder engine.

7. 7. The side structure of a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 5 or 6, The plurality of lateral ribs include a first lateral rib formed in the central portion and a second lateral rib formed in a rear portion of the surge tank rearward of the central portion, The first transverse rib is formed to have a rib width narrower than that of the second transverse rib. Side structure of a multi-cylinder engine.

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