Spacer, cooling structure for cylinder block, mold, and method for manufacturing composite molded product

Abstract

To provide a spacer which can absorb dimensional variations of a coolant passage and the spacer to improve assemblability to the coolant passage and improve water flow control performance and reduce the cubic capacity during transportation and storage.SOLUTION: A spacer 10 is disposed within a coolant passage 3, which is provided surrounding a cylinder bore 2 in a cylinder block 1 of an internal combustion engine A, to restrict flow of a coolant. The spacer 10 includes: a spacer body 11 which is formed so as to be arranged along a shape of the coolant passage; and a flexible sheet body 13 integrally molded with the spacer body. The sheet body has: a fastened portion 14 fastened to the spacer body; and a non-fastened portion 15 which is not fastened to the spacer body. The fastened portion is fastened to the spacer body on one surface. In the non-fastened portion, both surfaces 15a, 15b are not fastened to the spacer body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a spacer disposed in a cooling water flow path provided in a state of surrounding a cylinder bore in a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine, for regulating the flow of cooling water, a cooling structure of the cylinder block, a molding die, and a method for manufacturing a composite molded product.

Background Art

[0002] In a cooling water flow path provided in a state of surrounding a cylinder bore in a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine, a spacer for regulating the flow rate, flow velocity, etc. of the flowing cooling water is inserted and disposed from an opening at the upper part of the cooling water flow path.

[0003] When molding a spacer (100) that surrounds almost the entire circumference of a cylinder bore located at the end of a cylinder block, a mold (200) with a complex shape is used, as shown in Figure 15(a). The mold (200) in Figure 15(a) has a first mold (201) and a second mold (202) formed along the shape of the outer circumferential surface (100a) of the spacer (100), and a third mold (203) and a fourth mold (204) formed along the shape of the inner circumferential surface (100b) of the spacer (100). When opening the mold after molding the spacer (100) by filling the mold (200) with resin material, the fourth mold (204) adjacent to the inner circumferential surface (100b) of the spacer (100) is first moved away from the spacer (100), as shown in Figure 15(b). As the fourth mold (204) moves, the third mold (203) becomes movable as shown in Figure 16. At this time, as shown in Figure 16, the second mold (202), which is adjacent to the outer circumferential surface (100a) of the spacer (100), may be moved away from the spacer (100). This makes it possible to separate the spacer (100) from the molding die (200). Thus, in order to demold a spacer (100) that surrounds almost the entire circumference of a cylinder bore provided at the end of a cylinder block after molding, a large number of mold opening processes and a complex molding die are required. Also, as shown in Figure 15(b), a large space is required because the range of movement of the fourth mold (204), etc. is wide. In the following Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is possible to surround almost the entire circumference of a cylinder bore without using a complex-shaped spacer by using multiple spacers of simple shapes.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a heat storage device (1) in which a first container (4) and a second container (5) are arranged within a water jacket (10) formed along the shape of a plurality of cylinder bore walls (7), and the first container (4) and the second container (5) are connected by a spring (6) and are shaped to be approximately half the size of the water jacket (10) in the flow direction. In Patent Document 1, the spring (6) makes it possible to adjust the distance between the first container (4) and the second container (5) and the cylinder bore wall (7), and it is possible to surround approximately the entire circumference of the cylinder bore wall (7).

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a spacer that can be attached at any position within the cooling water flow path. In Patent Document 2, a sponge is folded inside a notch formed at the lower end of the plate portion, and the sponge is fixed by claws formed on the plate portion. As shown in Figure 4 of Patent Document 2, by using multiple spacers, it is possible to surround almost the entire circumference of the cylinder bore. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4345754 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-247590 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, since the spacer body is made of a highly rigid material such as resin, it cannot be folded during storage or transportation, making it bulky. In addition, variations in product dimensions may occur during the manufacturing of the cooling water passages in the cylinder block and the spacers themselves. In such cases, if a highly rigid spacer body is arranged in the cooling water passage along the shape of multiple cylinder bores, as in Patent Document 1, it may not be possible to place the spacer in the appropriate position because it cannot absorb the dimensional variations of the cooling water passages and spacers. As a result, the spacer may not be able to regulate the flow rate and velocity of the cooling water, and the designed cooling performance may not be fully realized.

[0008] If multiple spacers like those in Patent Document 2 are used, it may be possible to absorb dimensional variations in the cooling water flow path and spacers by arranging the spacers at intervals. However, when multiple spacers are arranged continuously without gaps along the flow direction, spacers of various shapes that conform to the shape of the cooling water flow path in each cylinder bore are required.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a spacer, a cooling structure for a cylinder block, a mold, and a method for manufacturing a composite molded product that can absorb dimensional variations in cooling water passages and spacers, improve ease of assembly into the cooling water passage, improve water flow control performance, and reduce the volume during transportation and storage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a spacer that is placed in a cooling water passage provided in the cylinder block of an internal combustion engine so as to surround the cylinder bore, and which restricts the flow of cooling water. The spacer comprises a spacer body formed to conform to the shape of the cooling water passage and a flexible sheet body integrally molded with the spacer body. The sheet body has a fixed portion fixed to the spacer body and a non-fixed portion not fixed to the spacer body, wherein one side of the fixed portion is fixed to the spacer body, and both sides of the non-fixed portion are not fixed to the spacer body.

[0011] In the above-described spacer, the non-fixed portion may extend outwards from one end of the spacer body.

[0012] Furthermore, in the above-described spacer, the spacer body is composed of a plurality of divided parts, the plurality of divided parts are connected by the sheet body, and the non-fixed portion may be provided between opposing ends of the plurality of divided parts.

[0013] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned spacer, the plurality of divided bodies constitute a convex-shaped portion that is positioned between the plurality of cylinder bores, close to one end of any one of the adjacent divided bodies, and the non-fixed portion may be bent so as to overlap with the convex-shaped portion.

[0014] Furthermore, in the above-described spacer, the spacer body is provided with a window portion formed through it in the thickness direction, and the edge portion of the sheet body is fixed to the spacer body while the sheet body covers the window portion, and the fixed portion is the edge portion of the sheet body, and the unfixed portion may be the portion covering the window portion.

[0015] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned spacer, the sheet body is a porous sheet having the characteristic of expanding in the thickness direction from a compressed state due to predetermined external factors, and the sheet body may be the compressed state before restoration.

[0016] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above objective, the cooling structure for a cylinder block of the present invention is a cooling structure for a cylinder block in which a plurality of spacers are arranged in the cooling water flow path along the flow direction of the cooling water flow path, wherein the plurality of spacers are arranged in the cooling water flow path such that the non-fixed portion of the sheet body overlaps the spacer body of the other spacer or the non-fixed portion of the sheet body.

[0017] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a mold for insert molding a composite molded product comprising a molded body made of resin and a sheet body integrally molded with the molded body and having a non-fixed portion extending from the end of the molded body and not fixed to the molded body, the mold comprising a first mold and a second mold having a resin supply port for injecting molten resin and forming a cavity into which the molten resin injected from the resin supply port is filled, wherein the first mold and the second mold have clamping portions that sandwich both sides of the portion of the sheet body that becomes the non-fixed portion when forming the cavity.

[0018] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a composite molded article, comprising the above-mentioned molded die and the sheet body having the non-adherent portion, characterized in that it comprises: a sheet body arrangement step of arranging the sheet body so that a portion of it overlaps the clamping portion; a cavity formation step of forming the cavity by clamping both sides of a portion of the sheet body with the clamping portion; and a molding step of injecting the molten resin into the cavity from the resin supply port to form the molded article. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] Since the cooling structure for the spacer, cylinder block, mold, and manufacturing method for the composite molded product of the present invention have the above-described configuration, it is possible to absorb dimensional variations in the cooling water passage and spacer, improve ease of assembly into the cooling water passage, improve water flow control performance, and reduce the volume during transportation and storage. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0020] [Figure 1] This is a schematic cross-sectional plan view illustrating the arrangement of a spacer according to the first embodiment within a cooling water passage provided in the cylinder block of an internal combustion engine. [Figure 2] Figures (a) and (b) illustrate the positional adjustment between spacer bodies. Figure (a) shows the spacer bodies before positional adjustment, and Figure (b) shows the state after the sheet body has been restored and the spacer bodies have been adjusted. Figures (c) and (d) schematically show the longitudinal section view in the cross-sectional view taken along the line X-X' in Figure 1. Figure (c) shows the sheet body in a compressed state, and Figure (d) shows the sheet body in a restored state. [Figure 3] (a) is an explanatory diagram illustrating the mold used when insert molding the spacer (composite molded product), and (b) is a diagram showing the sheet body placement step in the manufacturing process of the spacer using the mold shown in (a). [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram showing the molding process of the spacer using a mold in chronological order, with (a) showing the cavity formation process and (b) showing the molding process. [Figure 5] It is an explanatory diagram showing the forming process of the spacer by a forming die in chronological order. (a) shows the die-opening process, and (b) shows the mold-release process. [Figure 6] (a) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the state in which the spacer of the first embodiment is stored, and (b) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the state in which the conventional spacer is stored. [Figure 7] (a) is a schematic cross-sectional plan view schematically showing the state in which the spacer according to the first modification of the first embodiment is arranged in the cooling water flow path provided in the cylinder block of the internal combustion engine, and (b) is an enlarged view of the main part schematically showing the state in which the sheet body in (a) is restored. [Figure 8] (a) to (c) are diagrams showing the spacer according to the second modification of the first embodiment. (a) is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the spacer, and (b) and (c) are diagrams showing the state in which the spacer is arranged in the cooling water flow path. (b) shows the state in which the sheet body is compressed, and (c) shows the state in which the sheet body is restored. Further, (d) to (f) are diagrams showing the third modification of the first embodiment. (d) is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the spacer, and (e) and (f) are diagrams showing the state in which the spacer is arranged in the cooling water flow path. (e) shows the state in which the sheet body is compressed, and (f) shows the state in which the sheet body is restored. [Figure 9] (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of a part of the spacer according to the modification of the first embodiment, and (b) is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state in which the spacer is arranged in the cooling water flow path. [Figure 10] (a) is a schematic cross-sectional view schematically showing the spacer according to the second embodiment, and (b) is a schematic cross-sectional plan view schematically showing an embodiment of the cooling structure of the cylinder block in which a plurality of the spacers are arranged in the cooling water flow path provided in the cylinder block of the internal combustion engine. [Figure 11] It is a schematic cross-sectional view schematically showing a modification of the cooling structure of the cylinder block. [Figure 12] It is an enlarged view of the main part schematically showing the state in which the sheet body in FIG. 11 is restored. [Figure 13](a) is a schematic explanatory diagram of the spacer according to the third embodiment, (b) is a schematic perspective view showing a cross-section of (a), and (c) is a schematic perspective view showing the sheet body of (b) in an expanded state. [Figure 14] (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams showing examples of composite molded products other than spacers. [Figure 15] (a) and (b) are schematic diagrams illustrating a conventional method for manufacturing spacers. [Figure 16] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a conventional method for manufacturing spacers. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] The spacer according to this embodiment will be described below. Note that some of the detailed reference numerals used in other figures have been omitted in some of the figures. In this specification, the orientation of each component is defined based on the state in which the spacer 10 is positioned in the cooling water passage 3. In the depth direction of the cooling water passage 3, the side with the opening 3e is described as the upper side, and the opposite side as the lower side. In the flow direction of the cooling water passage 3, the spacer 10 will be described with the first cylinder side as one side and the opposite side as the other side. The fixed portion 14 of the seat body 13 will be described with the side facing the cylinder bore 2 as one surface 14a, and the opposite side as the other surface 14b. The non-fixed portion 15 of the seat body 13 will have the surface connected to the one surface 14a of the fixed portion 14 as one surface 15a, and the surface connected to the other surface 14b of the fixed portion 14 as the other surface 15b. The combined surface of one side 14a of the fixed portion 14 and one side 15a of the non-fixed portion 15 constitutes one side 13a of the entire sheet body 13. Furthermore, the combined surface of the other side 14b of the fixed portion 14 and the other side 15b of the non-fixed portion 15 constitutes the other side 13b of the entire sheet body 13.

[0022] <First Embodiment> The spacer 10 according to this embodiment is positioned in a cooling water passage 3 provided in the cylinder block 1 of an internal combustion engine A, surrounding the cylinder bore 2, and regulating the flow of cooling water. The spacer 10 comprises a spacer body 11 formed to conform to the shape of the cooling water passage 3, and a flexible sheet body 13 integrally molded with the spacer body 11. The sheet body 13 has a fixed portion 14 fixed to the spacer body 11 and a non-fixed portion 15 not fixed to the spacer body 11. One side of the fixed portion 14 is fixed to the spacer body 11, and both sides 15a and 15b of the non-fixed portion 15 are not fixed to the spacer body 11. A detailed explanation follows below.

[0023] <Internal Combustion Engine> The spacer 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. As shown in Figure 1, the internal combustion engine A is composed of a cylinder block 1. The spacer 10 assembled to the internal combustion engine A is placed in the cooling water passage (water jacket) 3 of the cylinder block 1. A cylinder head 30 is placed on the upper surface of the cylinder block 1, and an oil pan (not shown) is placed on the lower surface of the cylinder block 1. The cylinder head 30 is fastened integrally to the cylinder block 1 such that the opening 3e of the cooling water passage 3 is closed. The cylinder block 1 constitutes an internal combustion engine A having multiple cylinders, and multiple cylinder bores (cylinders) 2 are arranged in series adjacent to each other. Hereinafter, among the multiple cylinder bores (cylinders) 2..., they will be described in order from the bottom in Figure 1 as the first cylinder, second cylinder, third cylinder of the cylinder bore 2. Multiple bolt insertion holes 1a are provided at appropriate locations in the cylinder block 1 for fastening to the cylinder head 30 via a head gasket. A series of open-deck type groove-shaped cooling water passages 3 are formed around multiple cylinder bores 2. Cooling water inlets 3g and outlets 3h are provided at appropriate locations on the cylinder block 1, leading to these cooling water passages 3. The cooling water outlets 3h are connected by piping to a radiator (not shown), and the outlet side of the radiator is connected by piping to the cooling water inlets 3g via a water pump (not shown). This configuration ensures that cooling water (including antifreeze) circulates between the cooling water passages 3 and the radiator.

[0024] A cylinder bore wall 20 is formed between the cylinder bore 2 and the cooling water passage 3. The two wall surfaces facing each other across the cooling water passage 3 are composed of an inner wall 3c on the cylinder bore 2 side and an outer wall 3d on the opposite side of the cylinder bore 2. The cooling water passage 3 is formed to efficiently cool the cylinder bore wall 20. The cooling water passage 3 has a plurality of arc-shaped portions 3a formed to surround the cylinder bore 2 via the cylinder bore wall 20, and a plurality of constricted portions 3b formed in pairs and close to each other in the portions between adjacent cylinder bores 2,2. The groove width of the constricted portions 3b is formed to be larger than the groove width of the other arc-shaped portions 3a of the cooling water passage 3.

[0025] <Spacer> As shown in Figure 1, the spacer 10 is placed within the cooling water channel 3. The spacer 10 comprises a spacer body 11 made of resin material and a sheet body 13 made of a porous material fixed to the spacer body 11. The spacer 10 is inserted through the opening 3e of the cooling water channel 3 and assembled within the cooling water channel 3 to restrict the flow of cooling water.

[0026] The spacer body 11 is made of a resin material, and is made of various synthetic resins such as thermoplastic resins and thermosetting resins. Examples of thermoplastic resins include polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyacetal, polyphenylene sulfide, and polyether ether ketone. Examples of thermosetting resins include phenolic resin, epoxy resin, and polyurethane resin. The resin material may also have various additives added to it, or it may be a resin composite material containing reinforcing fibers such as carbon fiber or glass fiber.

[0027] The spacer body 11 is composed of a plurality of divided parts 12. In this embodiment, each divided part 12 is formed in an arc shape in a plan view, surrounding approximately half the circumference of each cylinder bore 2. In this embodiment, to correspond to the three cylinder bores 2, the first divided part 12A, the second divided part 12B, and the third divided part 12C are arranged in the cooling water passage 3 on the left side of the first, second, and third cylinders in the plane of Figure 1, respectively. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fourth divided part 12D is arranged in the cooling water passage 3 on the right side of the third cylinder in the plane of Figure 1. The spacer 10 is arranged by the first divided part 12A and the second divided part 12B to surround approximately half the circumference of the cylinder bores 2 of the first and second cylinders via the cylinder bore wall 20. Furthermore, the spacer 10 is arranged by the third divided body 12C and the fourth divided body 12D to surround substantially the entire circumference of the cylinder bore 2 of the third cylinder via the cylinder bore wall 20.

[0028] The divided body 12 has a surface 12b on the side opposite the cylinder bore 2 in the cooling water passage 3 that is opposite the outer wall 3d, and this surface 12b contacts the outer wall 3d of the cooling water passage 3 when the sheet body 13 is restored. Therefore, the surface 12b of the divided body 12 that is opposite the cylinder bore is formed to conform to the shape of the outer wall 3d of the cooling water passage 3. A flexible sheet body 13 is fixed to the cylinder bore side surface 12a of the multiple divided bodies 12 that is opposite the inner wall 3c of the cooling water passage 3.

[0029] The sheet body 13 consists of a single rectangular porous sheet and is flexible. Furthermore, the vertical dimension of the sheet body 13 is smaller than the vertical dimension of the divided body 12 (see Figure 2(c)). The sheet body 13 is fixed from the first divided body 12A located on the first cylinder side to the second divided body 12B located on the second cylinder side, and the third divided body 12C and fourth divided body 12D located on the third cylinder side. In other words, the first divided body 12A, the second divided body 12B, the third divided body 12C, and the fourth divided body 12D are connected by a single sheet body 13. Each divided body 12 is connected by the sheet body 13 while remaining separated from other adjacent divided bodies 12. Furthermore, one end 13e in the longitudinal direction of the sheet body 13 is fixed to the first divided body 12A, and the other end 13f in the longitudinal direction of the sheet body 13 is fixed to the fourth divided body 12D.

[0030] The sheet body 13 has a fixed portion 14 that is fixed to the spacer body 11 and a non-fixed portion 15 that is not fixed to the spacer body 11. The fixed portion 14 has its other surface 14b, upper end 14c, and lower end 14d fixed in a recess 12aa provided on the cylinder bore side surface 12a of each segment 12, and one surface 14a is substantially flush with the cylinder bore side surface 12a (see Figure 2(c)). The non-fixed portion 15 has flexibility because both surfaces 15a and 15b are not fixed to each segment 12, and can be bent flexibly. The non-fixed portion 15 protrudes from the flow-direction end of each segment 12 and is provided between the opposing flow-direction ends of adjacent segments 12, 12. In this embodiment, between the first segment 12A, the second segment 12B, and the third segment 12C, a non-fixed portion 15 is provided between the end 12f on the other side in the flow direction and the end 12e on the one side in the flow direction that faces the adjacent segment 12. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a non-fixed portion 15 is provided between the end 12f on the other side in the flow direction of the third segment 12C and the end 12f on the other side in the flow direction of the fourth segment 12D.

[0031] The sheet body 13 is made of a porous material that expands in the thickness direction from a compressed state when certain external factors are applied, and in this embodiment, a cellulose sponge is used. The cellulose sponge is made of natural materials consisting of cellulose derived from pulp and natural fibers (e.g., cotton) added as reinforcing fibers, and has an open-cell structure and excellent water absorption. Here, cellulose has hydrophilic groups (OH) and is known to be chemically compatible with moisture. Therefore, when the cellulose sponge is dried under pressure, hydrogen bonds form between cellulose molecules and it is maintained in a compressed state, while when exposed to moisture from this state, water molecules break the hydrogen bonds between cellulose molecules and it recovers from the compressed state. For this reason, the cellulose sponge is suitable as the sheet body 13 used in the spacer 10. The sheet body 13 is in a compressed state before being placed in the cooling water channel 3. The sheet body 13 in Figures 2(a) and 2(c) shows the compressed state before contact with the cooling water after being placed in the cooling water channel 3, while the sheet body 13 in Figures 1 and 2(b) and 2(d) shows the expanded state after contact with the cooling water.

[0032] The sheet body 13 has a fixed portion 14 that is fixed to the spacer body 11 and a non-fixed portion 15 that is not fixed to the spacer body 11. The non-fixed portion 15 is not fixed to the spacer body 11, and the non-fixed portion 15 extends outwards from the end of the divided body 12. Therefore, when inserting the spacer 10 into the cooling water passage 3, the flexible non-fixed portion 15 can be bent to make it easier to insert the spacer 10, thus improving insertability. Also, by bending the non-fixed portion 15, the positional relationship between the divided bodies 12 can be adjusted to conform to the shape of the cooling water passage 3, making it easier to adjust the position and position of the spacer body 11. Furthermore, even if there are dimensional variations in the cooling water passage 3 or the spacer body 11, the position of multiple divided bodies 12 can be adjusted by bending the non-fixed portion 15, absorbing the dimensional variations and allowing the spacer body 11 to be positioned in the cooling water passage 3, thus improving assembly. In addition, the sheet body 13 has the characteristic of expanding when it comes into contact with the cooling water. Therefore, for example, as shown in Figure 2(a), the second segment 12B is positioned towards the constricted portion 3b and is not aligned with the outer wall 3d of the cooling water channel 3. However, as shown in Figure 2(b), the sheet body 13 expands, and the reaction force causes the second segment 12B to move towards the outer wall 3d of the cooling water channel 3. This makes it easier for the second segment 12B to move to the appropriate position along the wall surface of the cooling water channel 3. In this way, even if the positions of each segment 12 are misaligned during insertion, the expansion of the sheet body 13 allows the segments 12 to settle into the appropriate positions.

[0033] When the spacer 10, configured as described above, is placed in the cooling water channel 3, the sheet body 13 is in a thin, compressed state before expansion. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly place the spacer 10 in the cooling water channel 3 by suppressing contact with the inner wall 3c and outer wall 3d of the cooling water channel 3 (see Figures 2(a) and 2(c)). The sheet body 13 has the characteristic of expanding when it comes into contact with cooling water, increasing in thickness in the thickness direction. Therefore, when cooling water is supplied to the cooling water channel 3, the sheet body 13 expands and comes into contact with the inner wall 3c of the cooling water channel 3, and the reaction force presses the spacer body 11 against the outer wall 3d of the cooling water channel 3, thereby restricting the flow of cooling water (see Figures 1 and 2(b) and 2(d)). Furthermore, since the non-fixed portion 15 is not fixed to the spacer body 11, the non-fixed portion 15 is restored without interference from the spacer body 11, increasing the restrictive effect on the cooling water flowing through the cooling water channel 3 and improving water flow control performance. In this embodiment, when the sheet body 13 is enlarged, one side 13a of the sheet body 13 facing the inner wall 3c of the cooling water channel 3 comes into contact with the inner wall 3c of the cooling water channel 3. On the other hand, the other side 15b of the non-fixed portion 15 facing the outer wall 3d of the cooling water channel 3 does not come into contact with the outer wall 3d of the cooling water channel 3.

[0034] Furthermore, since the spacer body 11 is composed of multiple divided parts 12, and the multiple divided parts 12 are connected by a sheet body 13, the bulk of the spacer 10 can be reduced when storing and transporting it.

[0035] <Mold> Next, with reference to Figure 3(a), we will describe the molds used to manufacture composite molded products. The mold 4 of this embodiment is used when insert molding a composite molded product. The composite molded product comprises a molded body made of resin and a sheet body 13 which is integrally molded with the molded body and has a non-fixed portion 15 that extends from the end of the molded body and is not fixed to the molded body. The mold 4 has a resin supply port 51 for injecting molten resin r and comprises a first mold 5 and a second mold 6 which form a cavity S into which the molten resin r injected from the resin supply port 51 is filled. The first mold 5 and the second mold 6 have clamping portions 52 and 62 which sandwich both sides 15a and 15b of the portion that becomes the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13 when forming the cavity S. The following provides a detailed explanation. Note that the mold 4 in this embodiment is used to manufacture the spacer 10 of the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, etc., and the composite molded product manufactured by the mold 4 in this embodiment is identical to the spacer 10 of the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, etc. Therefore, in the following explanation, the composite molded product described above will be referred to as the spacer 10, and the molded body as the spacer body 11.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3(a), the mold 4 comprises a first mold 5 and a second mold 6. The composite molded product manufactured by the mold 4 of this embodiment is identical to the spacer 10 of the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, etc., as described above, and the molded body is a spacer body 11 composed of four divided parts 12. In the spacer 10, the multiple divided parts 12 are fixed and connected to a single sheet body 13 with spaces between them.

[0037] The first type 5 has four first cavity surfaces 5a formed thereon. Each first cavity surface 5a is shaped to conform to the surface 12b of the corresponding divided body 12 on the side opposite the cylinder bore in Figure 1. Clamping portions 52 are formed between adjacent first cavity surfaces 5a, 5a. In this embodiment, the first type 5 has three clamping portions 52 formed thereon. Each first cavity surface 5a is provided with a resin supply port 51 opening.

[0038] The second mold 6 is configured to be movable toward and toward the first mold 5, and has a mounting surface 61 on which the sheet body 13 is placed. The mounting surface 61 has a second cavity surface 6a formed in the portion that faces the first cavity surface 5a during the manufacturing of the composite molded product. Each second cavity surface 6a is formed in a shape that follows the cylinder bore side surface 12a of the corresponding divided body 12. Also, the portion that faces the clamping portion 52 of the first mold 5 during the manufacturing of the composite molded product becomes the clamping portion 62 of the second mold 6. In this embodiment, the second mold 6, like the first mold 5, has clamping portions 62 formed between adjacent second cavity surfaces 6a, 6a, and has three clamping portions 62 corresponding to the three clamping portions 52 of the first mold 5.

[0039] The spacer 10, a composite molded product formed by the mold 4, consists of multiple segmented parts 12 that make up the molded spacer body 11, connected by a sheet body 13 with their respective ends in the flow direction separated. Since the non-fixed portion 15 of the spacer 10 is flexible, the spacer 10 does not need to be manufactured in a shape that is positioned within the cooling water passage 3. Therefore, the mold 4 is structured to mold the spacer 10, a composite molded product, in an unfolded state (as shown in Figure 5(b), with multiple segmented parts 12 aligned in one direction). The mold 4 has a structure in which multiple cavities S are formed aligned in one direction, and is composed of two molds: a first mold 5 with a first cavity surface 5a, which is one side of the cavity S, and a second mold 6 with a second cavity surface 6a, which is the other side of the cavity S. In the mold (200) shown in Figures 15 and 16, there is a complex structure with three or more molds in order to manufacture a spacer (100) that surrounds almost the entire circumference of the cylinder bore. On the other hand, the mold 4 of this embodiment can mold a portion that surrounds almost the entire circumference of the cylinder bore 2 (the third divided part 12C and the fourth divided part 12D in Figure 1) using two molds, the first mold 5 and the second mold 6. Furthermore, the mold 4 can be structured so that the mold opening process can be performed simply by moving the second mold 6 in a direction away from the first mold 5. Therefore, the mold 4 does not require multiple movements to open, as shown in the mold (200) in Figures 15 and 16, and because the range of movement is small, the size of the molding machine on which the mold 4 is mounted can also be reduced.

[0040] The first type 5 and the second type 6 have clamping portions 52 and 62 that sandwich both sides of the portion 15' of the sheet body 13 that will become the non-fixed portion 15. Therefore, when the mold 4 manufactures a spacer 10 having the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13, the molten resin r does not flow into the portion sandwiched by the clamping portions 52 and 62. Also, because the sheet body 13 is sandwiched by the clamping portions 52 and 62, the position of the sheet body 13 is less likely to shift due to the flow of the molten resin r. Thus, the mold 4 has good moldability. Furthermore, if the sheet body 13 is positioned by the clamping portions 52 and 62, it is not necessary to provide a positioning projection in the mold 4 that engages (fits) with the positioning recess in the sheet body 13, and a positioning recess in the sheet body 13 that engages with the positioning projection. Thus, the structure of the mold 4 can be simplified.

[0041] <Method for manufacturing composite molded products> Next, a method for manufacturing the composite molded spacer 10 using the mold 4 shown in Figure 3(a) will be explained with reference to Figures 3(b) to 5(b). The manufacturing method for a composite molded product of this embodiment is used when manufacturing a composite molded product comprising a molded body and a sheet body 13 having a non-adherent portion 15, using the mold 4 described above. The manufacturing method for a composite molded product of this embodiment comprises a sheet body arrangement step, a cavity formation step, and a molding step. In the sheet body arrangement step, the sheet body 13 is arranged so that a portion of it overlaps the clamping portions 52 and 62. In the cavity formation step, a cavity S is formed by clamping both sides 15a and 15b of a portion of the sheet body 13 with the clamping portions 52 and 62. In the molding step, molten resin r is injected into the cavity S from the resin supply port 51 to mold the molded body. The details will be explained below. In this embodiment, the mold 4 used for manufacturing the spacer 10 in the first embodiment is used in the manufacturing method of the composite molded product. Therefore, in the following description, the composite molded product described above will be referred to as the spacer 10, and the molded body as the spacer body 11 (multiple divided parts 12).

[0042] The mold 4 comprises the first mold 5 described above and a second mold 6 positioned opposite the first cavity surface 5a of the first mold 5 and movable in a direction approaching or moving away from the first mold 5. In this embodiment, when manufacturing a composite molded product using the mold 4, the following steps are performed in order: (1) sheet body placement step, (2) cavity formation step, (3) molding step (injection step and solidification step), (4) mold opening step, and (5) mold release step.

[0043] First, as shown in Figure 3(b), the sheet body 13 is positioned along the mounting surface 61 of the second type 6 (sheet body positioning step). In the sheet body positioning step, the sheet body 13 is positioned so that one side 13a of the sheet body 13 is in contact with the mounting surface 61, and the portion 15' that becomes the non-fixed portion 15 of the spacer 10 overlaps with the clamping portion 62.

[0044] After the sheet body placement process shown in Figure 3(b) is performed, the cavity formation process shown in Figure 4(a) is carried out. In the cavity formation process, the second mold 6 approaches the first mold 5 and is closed, thereby forming a cavity S, which is a space filled with molten resin r. In this embodiment, four cavities S are formed. Furthermore, when the sheet body 13 placed on the second mold 6 is clamped by the clamping parts 52, 62, the space S1 connecting adjacent cavities S, S is closed, thereby preventing the molten resin r from passing through the space S1 between cavities S, S during the molding process (injection process).

[0045] After the cavity formation process shown in Figure 4(a) is performed, the molding process shown in Figure 4(b) is carried out. In the molding process, an injection process is performed in which molten resin r is injected into the cavity S from the resin supply port 51, and a solidification process is performed to form a molded body (spacer body 11).

[0046] In the injection process, molten resin r is injected from the resin supply port 51 toward the sheet body 13. The molten resin r injected into the cavity S is the molten resin material that constitutes the spacer body 11. The sheet body 13 is held by clamping parts 52 and 62 at the portion 15' that will become the non-bonded portion 15. Therefore, the injection pressure of the molten resin r can suppress lifting of the edges of the sheet body 13, displacement of the sheet body 13, and leakage of the molten resin r to one side 13a of the sheet body 13. Furthermore, the clamping parts 52 and 62 prevent the molten resin r injected from the resin supply port 51 from leakage onto both sides and the end faces of the portion 15' that will become the non-bonded portion 15. In addition, the mold 4 is partitioned by the clamping parts 52 and 62, so that the molten resin r does not pass through the space S1 between cavities S, and does not reach adjacent cavities S.

[0047] After the molten resin r fills the cavity S through the injection process, a solidification process is performed in which the molten resin r is cooled under holding pressure to solidify. As the molten resin r solidifies in the solidification process, the spacer body 11, which is fixed to the other surface 13b of the sheet body 13, is formed. Furthermore, the sheet body 13 is composed of a fixed portion 14 fixed to the spacer body 11 and an unfixed portion 15 on both sides 15a and 15b that are not fixed to the spacer body 11. The molding process is completed when the injection process and the solidification process are completed.

[0048] After the molding process shown in Figure 4(b) is completed, the mold is opened as shown in Figure 5(a) (mold opening process). Then, as shown in Figure 5(b), the spacer body 11 is released from the mold 4 (release process), and the solidified portion in the resin supply port 51 is cut (gate cutting) to obtain the composite molded product spacer 10.

[0049] As shown in Figures 3(b) to 5(b), in the manufacturing method of the composite molded product of this embodiment, the composite molded product can be manufactured using the mold 4. Therefore, when the spacer 10 is placed in the cooling water passage 3, the non-fixed portion 15, which is the other end of the third cylinder, is bent. This simplifies the structure of the mold 4 and the placement of the sheet body 13 on the mounting surface 61 of the second mold 6, thereby improving productivity. Furthermore, the spacer 10, which is a composite molded product manufactured using the mold 4 shown in Figure 3(a), has a flexible non-fixed portion 15, allowing it to be bent flexibly and adjust the positional relationship between each divided body 12. Therefore, during transportation and storage, the bulk of the spacer 10 can be reduced by bending the non-fixed portion 15, thereby reducing the volume during transportation and storage. When accommodating multiple spacers 10 in a storage space Y of a certain size as shown in Figure 6(a), the non-fixed portion 15 can be bent to reduce the bulk of each spacer 10 for storage.

[0050] On the other hand, conventional spacers (100) manufactured by the mold (200) shown in Figures 15 and 16 have rigidity throughout the entire spacer (100). Therefore, when accommodating them in a storage space Y of a certain size as shown in Figure 6(b), conventional spacers (100) cannot be bent to reduce their bulk, resulting in a decrease in the number of spacers that can be accommodated in the storage space Y compared to the spacer 10 of this embodiment.

[0051] <Variations of spacers> Next, various modifications of the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 9. Note that the explanation of the configuration and effects of parts common to the first embodiment described above will be omitted.

[0052] In the first modified spacer 10 of the first embodiment shown in Figure 7(a), the spacer body 11 is composed of three divided bodies 12, and is configured to surround approximately half the circumference of each cylinder bore 2 of the first to third cylinders. The sheet body 13 has the characteristic of expanding when it comes into contact with cooling water, similar to the first embodiment, and Figure 7(a) shows the compressed state of the sheet body 13 before it expands. In the spacer 10 of this modified example, the multiple divided bodies 12 each form a convex-shaped portion 121 that is positioned in the constricted portion 3b between the multiple cylinder bores 2, with one end 12e in the flow direction close to the other end 12f in the flow direction of any one of the adjacent divided bodies 12. The non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13 is bent so as to have an overlapping portion 151 with the convex-shaped portion 121. The overlapping portion 151 is bent in a roughly D-shape in plan view so as to overlap with the convex-shaped portion 121 in the thickness direction of the spacer body 11.

[0053] The overlapping portion 151, formed by bending the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13, has a portion that overlaps with the spacer body 11 in the thickness direction. The overlapping portion 151 is positioned in the constricted portion 3b within the cooling water passage 3, where the groove width is larger than that of the arc-shaped portion 3a, thereby making it easier to fill the gap between the cylinder bores 2, 2. Figure 7(b) is an enlarged view of the main part showing the state in which the overlapping portion 151 of Figure 7(a) has been restored and enlarged. As shown in Figure 7(b), in this modified example, as the sheet body 13 enlarges, the overlapping portion 151 is more likely to contact the inner wall 3c of the portion of the cooling water passage 3 adjacent to the constricted portion 3b, thereby restricting the flow of cooling water and suppressing overcooling of the cylinder bore 2.

[0054] In the second modified spacer 10 shown in Figures 8(a) to 8(c), the recess 12aa formed on the cylinder bore 2 side surface 12a of the divided body 12 is formed to be open downward. Furthermore, in this modified example, the lower end portion 13d of the sheet body 13 protrudes downward from the lower end portion 12d of the divided body 12. The portion that protrudes downward from the lower end portion 12d of the divided body 12 becomes the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13. This non-fixed portion 15 has a free end 15g and can be bent flexibly. As shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), when this spacer 10 is placed in the cooling water flow path 3, it can be bent so that the other surface 15b of the non-fixed portion 15 abuts against the lower end portion 12d of the divided body 12. As a result, when coolant flows through the coolant passage 3, the non-fixed portion expands and contacts the bottom surface 3f of the coolant passage 3, reducing the vertical gap between the spacer 10 and the coolant passage 3 and increasing the effect of restricting the coolant flow. Furthermore, since the non-fixed portion 15 expands vertically after contacting the coolant, the upper end of the spacer 10 does not come into contact with the cylinder head 30 during assembly of the cylinder head 30 before the coolant flows, resulting in a spacer 10 with good assembly ease. For this reason, the spacer 10 can also be configured so that when the sheet body 13 comes into contact with the coolant, the upper end 12c of the divided body 12 is close to the opening 3e of the coolant passage 3. In addition, the non-fixed portion 15 having a free end 15g can be bent so as to overlap the spacer body 11, improving the water flow control performance of the spacer 10.

[0055] The spacer 10 of the third modified example shown in Figures 8(d) to (f), which will be described next, is formed with a recess 12aa formed on the cylinder bore 2 side surface 12a of the divided body 12, which is open downwards, similar to the second modified example. Also, the lower end portion 13d of the sheet body 13 protrudes downward from the lower end portion 12d of the divided body 12, and the portion that protrudes downward from the lower end portion 12d of the divided body 12 becomes a non-fixed portion 15 having a free end 15g, similar to the second modified example. As shown in Figure 8(d), in this modified example, the non-fixed portion 15 has a larger vertical dimension than the non-fixed portion 15 of the spacer 10 of the second modified example. The non-fixed portion 15 has a vertical dimension that allows it to be bent so that the other surface 15b abuts against the lower end portion 12d of the divided body 12 and the surface 12b of the divided body 12 that is not on the cylinder bore side.

[0056] As shown in Figure 8(e), the spacer 10 is placed in the cooling water channel 3 after being bent so that the non-fixed portion 15 covers at least a portion of the surface 12b of the divided body 12 that is not on the cylinder bore side. In this modified example, the non-fixed portion 15 is bent so that the free end 15g covers the surface 12b that is not on the cylinder bore side up to a position where it overlaps with the upper end 13c (upper end 14c of the fixed portion 14) of the sheet body 13 in the thickness direction of the divided body 12. When the sheet body 13 comes into contact with the cooling water in this state, the sheet body 13 expands as shown in Figure 8(f), so that one surface 14a of the fixed portion 14 comes into contact with the inner wall 3c of the cooling water channel 3, and one surface 15a of the non-fixed portion 15 comes into contact with the bottom surface 3f and the outer wall 3d of the cooling water channel 3. Since the sheet body 13 is in contact with the inner wall 3c, outer wall 3d, and bottom surface 3f of the cooling water channel 3, even if there are dimensional variations in the cooling water channel 3, the enlarged sheet body 13 can absorb the dimensional variations in the cooling water channel 3, fill the gap with the cooling water channel 3, and regulate the flow of cooling water.

[0057] The spacer 10 of the fourth modified example shown in Figures 9(a) and 9(b), which will be described next, differs from the spacer 10 of the first embodiment in the configuration of the non-fixed portion 15 that protrudes and extends from the other end 12f in the flow direction of the third divided body 12C, which is arranged corresponding to the third cylinder. Furthermore, the spacer 10 of this modified example does not have the fourth divided body 12D found in the spacer 10 of the first embodiment. In the spacer 10 of this modified example, the non-fixed portion 15 that protrudes and extends from the other end 12f in the flow direction of the third divided body 12C includes the other end 13f in the longitudinal direction of the sheet body 13. The other end 13f in the longitudinal direction of the sheet body 13 becomes the free end 15g of the non-fixed portion 15. By bending the non-fixed portion 15 having the free end 15g, the other surface 15b can be brought into contact with the other end 12f in the flow direction of the third divided body 12C. Therefore, as shown in Figure 9(a), before placing the spacer 10 of this modified example in the cooling water channel 3, the non-fixed portion 15 can be bent so that the other end 13f in the longitudinal direction of the sheet body 13 overlaps the other end 12f in the longitudinal direction of the third divided body 12C, and the spacer 10 can be inserted into the cooling water channel 3. When this non-fixed portion 15 comes into contact with the cooling water, it expands to come into contact with the spacer 10', which will be described later.

[0058] As shown in Figure 9(b), when the spacer 10 of the fourth modified example is placed in the cooling water passage 3, a separate spacer 10' may be placed together with the spacer 10. The spacer 10' is positioned at a distance in the flow direction from the other end 12f of the third divided body 12C of the spacer 10, and opposite the third divided body 12C via the cylinder bore 2 of the third cylinder. Unlike the first embodiment, the spacer body 11 of the spacer 10' does not have a plurality of divided bodies 12. The third divided body 12C of the spacer 10 and the spacer 10' surround almost the entire circumference of the cylinder bore 2 of the third cylinder. Similar to the spacer 10 of the second modified example shown in Figures 8(a) to (c), the spacer 10' may have a non-fixed portion (not shown) that protrudes downward from the lower end of the spacer body 11, and this non-fixed portion may be bent so that it overlaps the lower end of the spacer body 11 in the vertical direction. In this way, multiple spacers 10, 10' may be provided in a single cooling water flow path 3. The non-fixed portion 15 provided at the other end 12f of the third divided body 12C of the spacer 10 expands and comes into contact with the adjacent spacer 10', making it easier to fill the gaps in the flow direction between multiple spacers 10, 10', thereby regulating the flow of cooling water.

[0059] <Spacer according to the second embodiment> Next, the spacer 10A according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 10(a). Note that the description of the configuration and effects of parts common to the spacer 10 of the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0060] As shown in Figure 10(a), the spacer 10A comprises a spacer body 11 and a sheet body 13 fixed to the spacer body 11. Unlike the spacer 10 of the first embodiment, this spacer body 11 does not have a configuration that includes multiple divided parts 12. In plan view, the spacer body 11 of this embodiment is formed in an arc shape and surrounds approximately half the circumference of the cylinder bore 2. In short, in this embodiment, the spacer body 11 is composed of only one divided part 12 as in the embodiments shown in Figure 1, etc.

[0061] The sheet body 13 has a fixed portion 14 in which the other surface 13b is fixed to the spacer body 11, and unfixed portions 15, 15 in which both ends 13e, 13f in the longitudinal direction protrude in the flow direction from both ends 11e, 11f in the flow direction of the spacer body 11, respectively. The unfixed portions 15, 15 have free ends 15g, 15g at both ends 13e, 13f in the longitudinal direction.

[0062] The spacer 10A of this embodiment has an arc-shaped spacer body 11 and a sheet body 13 having non-fixed portions 15, 15 that protrude from both ends 11e, 11f in the flow direction of the spacer body 11. Therefore, the spacer 10A can be placed in the cooling water passage 3 at a desired position where the flow of cooling water is to be restricted. At that time, the non-fixed portions 15 can be bent and inserted into the cooling water passage 3, improving insertability. When the sheet body 13 expands upon contact with the cooling water, one side 13a of the sheet body 13 contacts the inner wall 3c on the cylinder bore side of the cooling water passage 3, and the side 11b of the spacer body 11 opposite the cylinder bore contacts the outer wall 3d of the cooling water passage 3. Furthermore, multiple spacers 10A can be arranged in the cooling water passage 3, as in the cooling structure 16 of the cylinder block 1 described next.

[0063] <Cooling structure of the cylinder block> Next, with reference to Figure 10(b), the cooling structure 16 of the cylinder block 1 equipped with the spacer 10A of the second embodiment will be described. The cooling structure 16 of the cylinder block 1 shown in Figure 10(b) is arranged in the cooling water channel 3 along the flow direction of the cooling water channel 3, with multiple spacers 10A of the second embodiment being arranged within the cooling water channel 3. The multiple spacers 10A are arranged in the cooling water channel with the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13 of one spacer 10A overlapping the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13 of the other spacer 10A. The following provides a detailed explanation. Note that cylinder block 1 has essentially the same configuration as that shown in Figure 1, and therefore its explanation will be omitted.

[0064] The cylinder block 1 in this embodiment is equipped with three cylinder bores 2, similar to that in Figure 1. In approximately half of the area of ​​the cooling water passage 3 (the left side of the page in Figure 10(b)), multiple spacers 10A are arranged along the flow direction of the cooling water passage 3 to control the water flow. Each spacer 10A is arranged to surround approximately half the circumference of each cylinder bore 2. Since the cylinder block 1 in this embodiment has three cylinders, three spacers 10A are arranged adjacent to each other along the flow direction in the cooling water passage 3.

[0065] The non-fixed portions 15 of multiple spacers 10A are arranged to overlap with the non-fixed portions 15 of adjacent spacers 10A in the thickness direction of the seat body 13. In the spacer 10A on the first cylinder side, the non-fixed portion 15 comprising one end 13e in the longitudinal direction of the seat body 13 does not overlap with other non-fixed portions 15 because there are no adjacent spacers 10A, and is arranged along the flow direction of the coolant flow path 3. Similarly, in the spacer 10A on the third cylinder side, the non-fixed portion 15 comprising the other end 13f in the longitudinal direction of the seat body 13 does not overlap with other non-fixed portions 15 because there are no adjacent spacers 10A, and is arranged along the flow direction of the coolant flow path 3.

[0066] In this embodiment, the cooling structure 16 of the cylinder block 1 is composed of multiple spacers 10A. Therefore, even if the machining accuracy of each spacer 10A and the cooling water passage 3 is low and dimensional variations occur, each spacer 10A can be easily inserted into the cooling water passage 3, and positional misalignment between cylinders can be mitigated. Furthermore, the multiple spacers 10A are arranged so that the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13 of one spacer 10A overlaps the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13 of the other spacer 10A in the thickness direction. As a result, the portion where the non-fixed portions 15 overlap is highly effective in blocking the cooling water passage 3 as the sheet body 13 returns to its original position, resulting in a greater water flow control effect. Note that the non-fixed portions 15 may overlap with a gap in the thickness direction as shown in Figure 10(b), or they may overlap with one surface 15a and the other surface 15b of the non-fixed portions 15 in contact with each other.

[0067] <Modified example of cylinder block cooling structure> Figure 10(b) shows that the cylinder block 1 has one cooling structure 16 composed of multiple spacers 10A. Next, with reference to Figure 11, an example in which multiple cooling structures consisting of multiple spacers are arranged inside the cylinder block 1 will be described.

[0068] In the cooling water passage 3 of the cylinder block 1 shown in Figure 11, there is a cooling structure 16A comprising spacers 10B, 10C, and 10D, and a cooling structure 16B comprising spacers 10E and 10F. In one area of ​​approximately half of the cooling water passage 3 (the left side on the page of Figure 11), spacers 10B, 10C, and 10D are arranged from the first cylinder side. In the other area of ​​approximately half of the cooling water passage 3 (the right side on the page of Figure 11), spacers 10E, which has a first divided body 12A corresponding to the first cylinder and a second divided body 12B corresponding to the second cylinder, and spacer 10F corresponding to the third cylinder are arranged. The first divided body 12A of spacers 10B and 10E is arranged facing each other via the cylinder bore 2 of the first cylinder. The second divided body 12B of spacers 10C and 10E is arranged facing each other via the cylinder bore 2 of the second cylinder. Spacers 10D and 10F are positioned opposite each other via the cylinder bore 2 of the third cylinder. Next, each of the spacers 10B to 10F will be described.

[0069] The spacer 10B, positioned on one side of the first cylinder, comprises an arc-shaped spacer body 11 and a seat body 13 whose other end 13f in the longitudinal direction is a non-fixed portion 15. The non-fixed portion 15 is the free end 15g of the other end 13f in the longitudinal direction of the seat body 13. The seat body 13 also has a fixed portion 14 at one end 13e in the longitudinal direction, which is fixed to the spacer body 11.

[0070] The spacer 10C, positioned on one side of the second cylinder, has a spacer body 11 formed in an arc shape, with a curved extension 111 formed at one end 11e in the flow direction, positioned between the cylinder bores 2, 2. The extension 111 has a recess 111a formed on a part of the surface facing the cylinder bore 2 side, which is concave. The recess 111a is recessed to approximately the same thickness as the sheet body 13 before restoration, and one side in the flow direction is open. The spacer 10C also includes a non-fixed portion 15 where the other end 13f in the longitudinal direction of the sheet body 13 is a free end 15g, and a fixed portion 14 where one end 13e in the longitudinal direction is fixed to the spacer body 11.

[0071] The spacer 10D, positioned on one side of the third cylinder, comprises an arc-shaped spacer body 11 and a seat body 13, the latter having a non-fixed portion 15 at one end 13e in the longitudinal direction. The non-fixed portion 15 is the free end 15g of the non-fixed portion 15 at one end 13e in the longitudinal direction of the seat body 13. The other end 13f in the longitudinal direction of the seat body 13 is a fixed portion 14 fixed to the spacer body 11.

[0072] The spacer 10E, positioned on the other side of the first and second cylinders, comprises a spacer body 11 composed of a first divided body 12A and a second divided body 12B, and a seat body 13 connecting the first divided body 12A and the second divided body 12B. The first divided body 12A is positioned opposite the cylinder bore 2 of the first cylinder via the cylinder bore wall 20, and the second divided body 12B is positioned opposite the cylinder bore 2 of the second cylinder via the cylinder bore wall 20. The other end 12f of the first divided body 12A in the flow direction and the one end 12e of the second divided body 12B in the flow direction are close together to form a convex-shaped portion 121 positioned in the constricted portion 3b between adjacent cylinder bores 2,2. In addition, the other end 12f of the second divided body 12B in the flow direction is provided with a curved extension 122 positioned between the cylinder bores 2,2.

[0073] The non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13 of the spacer 10E is bent so as to have an overlapping portion 151 with the convex portion 121. The overlapping portion 151 is constructed by bending it into a roughly D shape in plan view so as to overlap the convex portion 121 and the spacer body 11 in the thickness direction. One end 13e in the longitudinal direction of the sheet body 13 is fixed to the first divided body 12A, and the other end 13f in the longitudinal direction of the sheet body 13 is fixed to the second divided body 12B, forming a fixed portion 14.

[0074] The spacer 10F located on the other side of the third cylinder is similar to the spacer 10D located on one side of the third cylinder, and comprises an arc-shaped spacer body 11 and a seat body 13 whose one longitudinal end 13e is a non-fixed portion 15. The non-fixed portion 15 is such that the one longitudinal end 13e of the seat body 13 is the free end 15g of the non-fixed portion 15. The other longitudinal end 13f of the seat body 13 is a fixed portion 14 fixed to the spacer body 11.

[0075] In the cylinder block 1 shown in Figure 11, the non-fixed portion 15 of spacer 10B overlaps in the thickness direction with the recess 111a of the extension portion 111 of spacer 10C, and the non-fixed portion 15 of spacer 10C and the non-fixed portion 15 of spacer 10D overlap in the thickness direction. This constitutes the cooling structure 16A of the cylinder block 1. Furthermore, in the cylinder block 1 shown in Figure 11, the non-fixed portion 15 of spacer 10F overlaps in the thickness direction with the extension portion 122 provided at the other end 12f in the flow direction of the second divided body 12B of spacer 10E. This constitutes the cooling structure 16B of the cylinder block 1. The cooling structures 16A and 16B are arranged in the cooling water flow path 3 of the cylinder block 1 with gaps in the flow direction between them.

[0076] In the cooling structures 16A and 16B of the cylinder block 1 shown in Figure 11, the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13 is positioned overlapping the spacer body 11 of the other spacer 10 or the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13. At this time, the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13 may be positioned overlapping with the spacer body 11 of the other spacer 10 or the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13 with a gap in the thickness direction, as shown in Figure 11. Alternatively, the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13 may be positioned overlapping with the spacer body 11 of the other spacer 10 or the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13 in contact with it. Furthermore, the spacer 10B may be positioned with the free end 15g of the non-fixed portion 15 contained within the recess 111a of the spacer 10C. Even if the machining accuracy of each spacer 10 and the cooling water channel 3 is low and dimensional variations occur, they can be easily inserted into the cooling water channel 3, and the sheet body 13 can mitigate any positional displacement when placed in the cooling water channel 3. Furthermore, in the areas where the non-fixed portion 15 and the other member overlap, the sheet body 13 can restore itself as shown in Figure 12, filling the gap in the groove width direction of the cooling water channel 3, thus providing a high effect in blocking the cooling water channel 3 and a significant water flow control effect. In addition, as shown in Figure 11, spacers 10 with different configurations can be placed in a single cooling water channel 3 to form cooling structures 16A and 16B of the cylinder block 1.

[0077] <Spacer of the third embodiment> Next, the spacer 10G according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 13(a) to (c). Note that the description of the configuration and effects of parts common to the spacer 10 of the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0078] The spacer 10G shown in Figure 13(a) comprises a spacer body 11 and a sheet body 13 fixed to the spacer body 11. Similar to the spacer 10A in the second embodiment, the spacer body 11 does not have a configuration that includes multiple divided parts 12. The spacer body 11 in this embodiment is formed in an arc shape corresponding to the shape of the cylinder bore 2.

[0079] As shown in Figure 13(b), the spacer body 11 is provided with a window portion 112 formed through the thickness direction, and the edge of the sheet body 13 is fixed to the spacer body 11 with the sheet body 13 covering the window portion 112. The window portion 112 is a rectangular hole formed through the thickness direction, and a recess 11aa is provided on the surface 11a of the spacer body 11 on the cylinder bore 2 side around this window portion 112, recessed in the thickness direction. The edge of the sheet body 13 is fixed to this recess 11aa. The edge of the sheet body 13 fixed to the recess 11aa is the fixed portion 14 of the sheet body 13, and the non-fixed portion 15 is the part that covers the window portion 112. As shown in Figure 13(c), since the non-fixed portion 15 of the sheet body 13 is not fixed to the spacer body 11, the sheet body 13 returns to its original position without being constrained by the spacer body 11 when it comes into contact with the cooling water. At this point, the non-fixed portion 15 is restored by biting into the window portion 112 side.

[0080] In the spacer 10G of this embodiment, a window portion 112 is formed in the spacer body 11 which surrounds the four sides of the sheet body 13. This reduces the amount of resin material used to form the spacer body 11 by the volume of the window portion 112. Furthermore, the spacer 10G can block the cooling water with the fixed portions 14 provided around the four sides of the non-fixed portion 15, so the water flow control performance is less likely to deteriorate in the window portion 112. Thus, the spacer 10G of this embodiment can reduce the amount of resin material used during manufacturing while maintaining water flow control performance.

[0081] <Examples of composite molded products other than spacers> In the above-described explanation of the mold 4 and the method for manufacturing a composite molded product using this mold 4, a spacer assembled to the cylinder block 1 is described as a composite molded product. However, composite molded products are not limited to spacers. For example, they may be other than spacers, as shown in Figures 14(a) and 14(b). Figure 14(a) shows a smartphone case 10H, commonly referred to as a notebook-type case, into which a smartphone, a mobile device, is attached. Figure 14(b) shows a box-shaped storage box 10I for storing items.

[0082] In the smartphone case 10H shown in Figure 14(a), the mounting portion 11A, which houses and mounts the smartphone, and the cover portion 11B, which protects the smartphone screen when not in use, are molded bodies (divided bodies) made of resin material. The mounting portion 11A and the cover portion 11B are connected by a sheet body 13 while separated from each other. The sheet body 13 is fixed to one side 11Aa of the mounting portion 11A and one side 11Ba of the cover portion 11B, forming a fixed portion 14. In addition, a non-fixed portion 15 is provided between the mounting portion 11A and the cover portion 11B, where the sheet body 13 is not fixed to the mounting portion 11A and the cover portion 11B. Since the non-fixed portion 15 can be bent flexibly, the cover portion 11B can be removed from the smartphone screen when using the smartphone, and the cover portion 11B can cover the smartphone screen when the smartphone is not in use.

[0083] Furthermore, in the storage box 10I shown in Figure 14(b), the storage section 11C for storing articles and the lid section 11D for closing the opening of the storage section during storage are molded bodies (divided bodies) made of resin material. The storage section 11C and the lid section 11D are connected by a sheet body 13 while separated. The sheet body 13 is fixed to the outer surface 11Ca of the storage section 11C and the outer surface 11Da of the lid section 11D, forming a fixed portion 14. In addition, a non-fixed portion 15 is provided between the storage section 11C and the lid section 11D that is not fixed to the storage section 11C and the lid section 11D. Since the non-fixed portion 15 can be flexibly bent, the lid section 11D can be removed from the storage section 11C when storing or removing articles, and the lid section 11D can close the opening of the storage section 11C when the storage box 10I is stored.

[0084] Since the composite molded product in Figures 14(a) and 14(b) is not the spacer 10, the sheet body 13 is made of a different material than the porous body used in the spacer 10, which expands due to predetermined external factors. Various sheets can be used as the sheet body 13, such as sheets with good tactile feel and design, such as cork sheets, wood grain sheets, and leather sheets, and sheets with functionality, such as antibacterial sheets and electromagnetic interference prevention sheets that suppress electromagnetic interference.

[0085] As described above, the spacers 10, 10A to 10G of each embodiment are not limited to the configurations and shapes shown, and may have configurations and components provided by other embodiments. The spacer body 11 and the multiple divided bodies 12 may be arranged vertically with the non-fixed portion 15 in between. Furthermore, the non-fixed portion 15 may be provided between the ends of the multiple divided bodies 12 as shown in Figure 1, etc., allowing for positional adjustment of the divided bodies 12, or it may have a free end 15g as shown in Figure 8, etc., allowing it to be superimposed on the spacer body 11. For example, the spacer may have both a non-fixed portion 15 that protrudes in the flow direction as shown in Figures 1, 7, 9, and 10, and a non-fixed portion 15 that protrudes downward as shown in Figure 8. Also, the spacer body 11 may be on the inner wall 3c side of the cooling water flow path 3, and the sheet body 13 may be on the outer wall 3d side. In addition, the free end 15g of the non-fixed portion 15 in Figure 8 may be on the upper side of the cooling water flow path 3. Furthermore, the spacer body 11 (divided body 12) of each embodiment may have a window portion 112, such as that of the spacer 10G in Figure 13. The configuration of the window portion 112 is not limited to that shown in Figure 13, and there may be multiple window portions 112, and the sheet body 13 of the window portion 112 may have through holes, etc. Also, the sheet body 13 used in the spacer has the characteristic of expanding due to contact with water, which is a predetermined external factor, but is not limited to this, and for example, the predetermined external factor may be a temperature (heat) above a certain level. In addition, the overlapping portion 151 of the non-fixed portion 15 shown in Figure 7, etc., is not limited to being constructed by folding into the illustrated shape, but may be constructed by folding into various shapes. Furthermore, the non-fixed portion 15 on one side in the flow direction of the spacer 10A on the first cylinder side and the non-fixed portion 15 on the other side in the flow direction of the spacer 10A on the third cylinder side in Figure 10(b) may be folded back so as to abut against the surface of the spacer body 11 on the side opposite the cylinder bore.

[0086] Furthermore, the cooling structures 16, 16A, and 16B of the cylinder block 1 are not limited to the configurations described above or the shapes shown in the figures, and various types of spacers may be used. Also, a configuration in which only one of the cooling structures 16A and 16B of the cylinder block 1 shown in Figure 11 is assembled to the cylinder block 1 is also possible.

[0087] Furthermore, the mold 4 is not limited to the above-described configuration or the illustrated shape, and can be configured according to the shape of the composite molded product to be manufactured. Also, the method for manufacturing the composite molded product using the mold 4 is not limited to the method described above. In addition, composite molded products other than spacers are not limited to those described above or illustrated, and can be anything that includes a molded body or sheet body 13, such as a notebook, book cover, card case, or business card holder. In particular, composite molded products are suitable for those in which multiple molded bodies (divided bodies) are connected by a sheet body 13, and the positional relationship between the molded bodies can be adjusted by flexibly bending the non-fixed portion 15. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] A Internal Combustion Engine 1 Cylinder Block 2 Cylinder bore 3 Cooling water flow path 3c inner wall 3d outer wall 4 Molding mold 5 Type 1 5a First cavity surface 51 Resin supply port 52 Clamping part 6 Type 2 6a Second cavity surface 61 Mounting surface 62 Clamping part S Cavity 10, 10A~10G Spacer (Composite Molded Product) 10H,10I composite molded product 11 Spacer body (molded body) 12,12A~12D split body 13 Sheet Body 13a One side 13b Other side 13c Upper end 13d Lower end 13e One end in the longitudinal direction 13f The other end in the longitudinal direction 14 Fixed part 14a One side 14b Other side 15 Non-fixed part 15a One side 15b Other side 16,16A,16B Cooling structure

Claims

1. A spacer that is placed in a cooling water passage surrounding the cylinder bore of the cylinder block of an internal combustion engine, and which restricts the flow of cooling water, A spacer body formed to conform to the shape of the cooling water channel, The spacer body comprises a flexible sheet body integrally molded with the spacer body, The sheet body has a fixed portion that is fixed to the spacer body and a non-fixed portion that is not fixed to the spacer body. The aforementioned fixing portion has one side fixed to the spacer body, The spacer is characterized in that the non-fixed portion is not fixed to the spacer body on both sides.

2. In claim 1, The non-fixed portion is characterized in that it protrudes and extends from one end of the spacer body.

3. In claim 2, The spacer body is composed of multiple divided parts, The spacer is characterized in that the plurality of divided bodies are connected by the sheet body, and the non-fixed portion is provided between the opposing ends of the plurality of divided bodies.

4. In claim 3, The plurality of divided bodies each constitute a convex-shaped portion positioned between the plurality of cylinder bores, adjacent to one end of any one of the adjacent divided bodies. The non-fixed portion of the spacer is characterized by being bent with an overlapping portion to the convex-shaped portion.

5. In claim 1, The spacer body is provided with a window portion formed through it in the thickness direction, With the sheet covering the window portion, the edge of the sheet is fixed to the spacer body. The aforementioned fixed portion is the edge of the sheet body, The spacer is characterized in that the non-fixed portion is the portion covering the window portion.

6. In any one of claims 1 to 5, The spacer is characterized in that the sheet body is a porous sheet having the property of expanding in the thickness direction from a compressed state due to predetermined external factors, and the sheet body is in its compressed state before restoration.

7. A cooling structure for a cylinder block in which a plurality of spacers according to any one of claims 1 to 5 are arranged in the cooling water flow path along the flow direction of the cooling water flow path, A cooling structure for a cylinder block, characterized in that a plurality of spacers are arranged in the cooling water flow path such that the non-fixed portion of the sheet body overlaps the spacer body of the other spacer or the non-fixed portion of the sheet body.

8. The spacer described in claim 6 is a cooling structure for a cylinder block in which a plurality of spacers are arranged in the cooling water flow path along the flow direction of the cooling water flow path, A cooling structure for a cylinder block, characterized in that a plurality of spacers are arranged in the cooling water flow path such that the non-fixed portion of the sheet body overlaps the spacer body of the other spacer or the non-fixed portion of the sheet body.

9. A mold used for insert molding a composite molded product comprising a molded body made of resin and a sheet body integrally molded with the molded body and having a non-fixed portion extending from the end of the molded body and not fixed to the molded body, The apparatus comprises a first mold and a second mold, each having a resin supply port for injecting molten resin, and a cavity formed in which the molten resin injected from the resin supply port is filled. The first and second types of molds are characterized by having clamping portions that sandwich both sides of the portion of the sheet body that becomes the non-fixed portion when forming the cavity.

10. A method for manufacturing a composite molded product comprising the molded body and the sheet body having the non-adherent portion, using the mold described in claim 9, A sheet body arrangement step involves arranging the sheet body so that a portion of it overlaps the clamping portion, A cavity forming step in which a cavity is formed by sandwiching both sides of a part of the sheet body with the clamping portion, A method for manufacturing a composite molded product, comprising a molding step of injecting the molten resin from the resin supply port into the cavity to form the molded body.

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