Vehicle front structure

Abstract

Provided is a vehicle front structure for introducing airflow to a heat exchanger installed at the front of the body of a vehicle. The vehicle front structure comprises a front bumper in which an opening part is formed, and a cooling duct extended in the front-rear direction from the opening part toward the heat exchanger. The opening part is formed in a vehicle-widthwise end side of the front bumper. The cooling duct has a first portion extending horizontally rearward from the opening part, and a second portion extending at an upward incline rearward from the first portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle front structure for introducing an air flow into a heat exchanger provided in an engine room at the front of a vehicle body.

Background Art

[0002] In vehicles such as automobiles, a heat exchanger including a radiator, an oil cooler, etc. is provided as a cooling system for cooling a power source such as an engine mounted in an engine room and a transmission such as a CVT. Each heat exchanger is disposed on the front side of the engine room and is air-cooled by an air flow introduced into the engine room from the front surface of the vehicle body as the vehicle travels.

[0003] However, it is difficult to effectively send the air flow introduced from the front of the engine room to the heat exchanger provided in the engine room, and there are cases where the heat exchanger cannot be sufficiently cooled.

[0004] In response to such a problem, for example, as in Patent Document 1, a cooling duct for introducing an air flow from a radiator opening at the front of the vehicle body to the radiator and a cooling duct for introducing an air flow from a center opening at the front of the vehicle body to the oil cooler are separately formed, and a cooling structure has been proposed in which the air flow is separately guided to a plurality of heat exchangers to improve the cooling effect.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In conventional vehicles, the radiator is positioned at the front of the engine compartment, and auxiliary radiators and heat exchangers such as oil coolers are sometimes positioned to one side of the front of the vehicle. In this case, as described in Patent Document 1, since the cooling ducts are arranged vertically at the front of the vehicle, it is not possible to smoothly deliver airflow to the heat exchangers positioned on one side of the engine compartment in the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, in Patent Document 1, a cooling duct including a center opening is formed by penetrating the rear end of a recessed portion created in a part of the nose panel, which makes the formation of the front structure of the vehicle, including the cooling duct, time-consuming and costly.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a vehicle front structure that can effectively deliver airflow to a heat exchanger located on one side in the vehicle width direction, and that exhibits a high cooling effect with a low-cost configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The above objective of the present invention is achieved by the following configuration. [1] A vehicle front structure for introducing airflow to a heat exchanger located at the front of the vehicle body, The front bumper has an opening formed in it, A cooling duct extending in the front-rear direction from the opening toward the heat exchanger, Equipped with, The aforementioned opening is formed on the vehicle width end side of the front bumper, The cooling duct has a first portion extending horizontally backward from the opening, and a second portion extending upward inclined backward from the first portion. Vehicle front structure. [2] The rear of the second section is wider in the vertical direction toward the rear, The front structure of the vehicle as described in [1]. [3] The front part of the second part has approximately the same vertical width as the first part. The front structure of the vehicle as described in [1]. [4] The second section is narrowed in the width direction toward the rear, The front structure of the vehicle as described in [1]. [5] The second portion has an outer side in the vehicle width direction that extends flush with the longitudinal direction, and an inner side in the vehicle width direction that is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the longitudinal direction. The front structure of the vehicle as described in [4]. [6] The first portion is provided with a cylindrical section that extends vertically and connects the upper surface and the lower surface, The front structure of the vehicle as described in [1]. [7] The cooling duct has a third portion that extends horizontally rearward from the second portion, The front structure of the vehicle as described in [1]. [8] The front end of the first portion is formed such that the upper surface protrudes forward relative to the lower surface. The front structure of the vehicle as described in [1]. [9] A vehicle front structure for introducing airflow to a heat exchanger located at the front of the vehicle body, The front bumper is located on the lower front side of the vehicle body, A cooling duct extending in the front-rear direction from an opening formed in the front bumper toward the heat exchanger, Equipped with, The aforementioned opening is formed on the vehicle width end side of the front bumper, The duct opening at the front end of the cooling duct is inclined so that the outer side in the vehicle width direction is inclined toward the rear of the vehicle body relative to the inner side in the vehicle width direction. Vehicle front structure.

[10] The duct opening is provided with a cylindrical portion that extends vertically and connects the upper surface and the lower surface, The cylindrical portion is provided at the boundary between the outer side in the vehicle width direction and the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The front structure of the vehicle as described in [9].

[11] The cooling duct is supported on the outside of the crash can in the vehicle width direction via a duct support, The vehicle front structure as described in any of [1] to

[10] .

[12] The heat exchanger and the continuously variable transmission connected to the heat exchanger are positioned towards one end in the vehicle width direction, The vehicle front structure according to any one of [1] to

[10] .

[13] The heat exchanger is a vertical oil cooler and is disposed above the opening. The vehicle front structure according to

[12] . [Advantages of the Invention]

[0009] According to the cooling duct of the present invention, it is possible to effectively send an air flow to a heat exchanger disposed on one side in the left - right direction in the vehicle width direction, and it is possible to exhibit a high cooling effect with a configuration that suppresses costs low. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] It is a view showing the lower front part of the vehicle body. [Figure 2] It is a perspective front view of the main part showing a cooling duct and an attachment mechanism of the cooling duct. [Figure 3] It is a perspective rear view of the main part showing a cooling duct and an attachment mechanism of the cooling duct. [Figure 4] (A) is a right - side view showing a cooling duct and an attachment mechanism, and (B) is an enlarged view of the main part showing a second attachment part. [Figure 5] It is a left - side view showing a cooling duct and an attachment mechanism. [Figure 6] It is a front view showing a cooling duct and an attachment mechanism. [Figure 7] It is a bottom view showing a cooling duct and an attachment mechanism. [Figure 8] (A) and (B) are a perspective front view of the main part showing a first attachment part and a perspective rear view of the main part. [Figure 9] It is a cross - sectional view of the main part showing an attachment part on the side - member side. [Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, a vehicle front structure according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Furthermore, this embodiment is merely an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. In addition, various modifications or improvements can be made to this embodiment, and such modified or improved forms may also be included in the present invention.

[0012] In this embodiment, the direction of travel of the vehicle is referred to as "forward," and the direction of reverse travel (behind the vehicle) is referred to as "rear." The left side of the vehicle's direction of travel is simply referred to as "left," and the right side of the vehicle's direction of travel is simply referred to as "right." Furthermore, the left-right direction and the vehicle width direction are synonymous, and the front-rear direction and the vehicle direction are synonymous.

[0013] Figure 1 shows the lower front of the vehicle body. A vehicle such as a passenger car has an engine room 20 at the front of the vehicle body frame 10. The engine room 20 contains an engine 1 mounted in the center and a continuously variable transmission 2, such as a CVT, located on one side of the engine 1. In the illustrated example, the continuously variable transmission 2 is installed on the left side of the engine 1.

[0014] As shown in Figure 2, the vehicle frame 10 has a pair of left and right side members 11 extending in the front-rear direction, a crash can 12 provided at the front end of each side member 11 so as to extend forward, and a left-right bumper beam 13 that spans the front ends of the pair of crash cans 12. The engine 1 and continuously variable transmission 2 mounted in the engine compartment 20 are arranged to fit between the pair of left and right side members 11, 11.

[0015] The front of the engine compartment 20 is covered by the front grille 21 and the front bumper 22 located below the front grille 21. The front bumper 22 has a long main opening 23 in the center in the left-right direction, and together with a ventilation hole (not shown) formed in the center of the front grille 21 in the left-right direction, the airflow introduced from the front of the engine compartment 20 cools the engine 1 and a radiator (not shown) located in front of the engine 1, which are mounted in the engine compartment 20. In other words, the airflow introduced from the front of the engine compartment functions as cooling air to cool the heat sources such as the engine in the engine compartment. Furthermore, the front bumper 22 has a rectangular sub-opening 25 that is elongated in the left-right direction, located below one of the fog lamps 24, 24 that are provided on the left-right outer sides of the main opening 23. In the illustrated example, the sub-opening 25 is located even further below the side member 11 that constitutes the vehicle body frame 10 and is provided only on the left side of the front bumper 22.

[0016] Furthermore, behind the sub-opening 25, on the left-right outer side of one side member 11, there is an oil cooler 30 connected to the continuously variable transmission 2, a cooling duct 40 for introducing airflow to cool the oil cooler 30, and a mounting mechanism 50 for attaching the oil cooler 30 and the cooling duct 40 to the vehicle body frame 10.

[0017] The oil cooler 30 is attached and fixed to the outer side of the front of the left side member 11, which is close to the continuously variable transmission 2, via a mounting mechanism 50. The oil cooler 30 is rectangular in shape and is positioned vertically with its longitudinal direction oriented vertically, and its cooling surface 30a for air cooling is oriented forward. A cooling duct 40 is connected to the front side of the oil cooler 30 to guide the airflow taken in through the sub-opening 25 to the cooling surface 30a located on the rear upper side.

[0018] This makes the piping connecting the heat exchanger, the oil cooler 30, and the continuously variable transmission 2, such as a CVT, simpler and shorter. Furthermore, by arranging the vertical oil cooler 30, the width can be made more compact, and the airflow guided by the cooling duct 40 to blow upward towards the rear can be efficiently directed onto the cooling surface 30a.

[0019] Next, the configuration of the cooling duct 40 will be described based on Figures 2 to 7. Figures 2 and 3 are front and rear perspective views of the main parts showing the cooling duct and the mounting mechanism for the cooling duct, Figure 4(A) is a right side view showing the cooling duct and the mounting mechanism, Figure 4(B) is an enlarged view of the main parts, and Figures 5 to 7 are left side, front, and bottom views showing the cooling duct and the mounting mechanism.

[0020] The cooling duct 40 comprises a front duct portion (first portion) 40A having a duct opening 41 at its front end, a middle duct portion (second portion) 40B extending in the front-rear direction and inclined upward toward the rear, and a rear duct portion (third portion) 40C having a connection opening 43 at its rear end. The cooling duct 40 is also provided with a duct support portion 44 for attachment and fixing to the vehicle body frame 10.

[0021] The cooling duct 40 first introduces airflow from the duct opening 41 connected to the sub-opening 25 when the vehicle is in motion. Next, the front duct 40A, middle duct 40B, and rear duct 40C smoothly guide all of the airflow introduced from the duct opening 41 toward the connection opening 43 located above and behind the duct opening 41. The airflow guided toward the connection opening 43 is efficiently supplied to the entire cooling surface 30a where the fins of the oil cooler 30 are located, thus enabling efficient air cooling of the oil cooler 30.

[0022] The duct opening 41 is shaped like a long rectangle in the left-right direction, in line with the sub-opening 25, and is positioned on the left-right end side of the front bumper 22. Specifically, as shown in Figures 2 and 7, the duct opening 41 has, in a plan view or bottom view, a first duct opening 41a extending in the left-right direction and on the inside, a second duct opening 41b sloping backward toward the left and right sides and on the outside, and a vertical cylindrical portion 45 positioned at the boundary between the first duct opening 41a and the second duct opening 41b.

[0023] The cylindrical portion 45 is positioned below the fog lamp 24 when viewed from the front. Inside the cylindrical portion 45 is an optical axis adjustment mechanism (not shown) that supports the fog lamp 24 so that it can swing from side to side. Furthermore, the lower surface of the cylindrical portion 45 is open so that a tool for adjusting the optical axis of the fog lamp 24 can be inserted.

[0024] As shown in Figure 7, the front of the duct 40A has its upper surface protruding further forward than its lower surface. Also, as shown in Figures 2 and 7, the left and right inner sides of the cylindrical portion 45 of the front of the duct 40A are formed into a long rectangle in the left-right direction when viewed from above, so that its front-to-back width is approximately the same. On the other hand, the left and right outer sides of the cylindrical portion 45 of the front of the duct 40A are formed into a triangular shape when viewed from above, so that its front-to-back width gradually narrows towards the left and right outer sides.

[0025] The middle section 40B of the duct is formed so that it slopes upward as it approaches the rear. The front end of the middle section 40B of the duct is formed in a rectangular shape that is narrow vertically and wide horizontally, in accordance with the shape of the sub-opening 25. On the other hand, the rear end of the middle section 40B of the duct is formed in a rectangular shape that is wide vertically and narrow horizontally, in accordance with the front shape of the vertical oil cooler 30.

[0026] Regarding the width of the duct section 40B, at the front of the duct section 40B, the left and right inner surfaces gently slope outward toward the rear, so that the width of the duct section 40B gradually narrows. The width of the duct section 40B is formed so that it fits within the width of the oil cooler 30 at the midpoint in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, at the rear of the duct section 40B, the width remains approximately unchanged as it extends backward.

[0027] Regarding the vertical width of the middle section 40B of the duct, as shown in Figures 4(A) and 5, the front of the middle section 40B of the duct has a gentle upward slope toward the rear while maintaining a relatively constant vertical width. At the rear of the middle section 40B of the duct, the lower surface extends toward the rear in a nearly horizontal manner toward the bottom of the oil cooler 30, while the upper surface slopes steeply toward the rear and upward toward the top of the oil cooler 30. In other words, the rear of the middle section 40B of the duct is formed so that its vertical width gradually widens toward the rear.

[0028] The rear duct portion 40C is formed in a rectangular prism shape by extending it substantially horizontally from the rear end of the middle duct portion 40B toward the rear oil cooler 30. The rear end of the rear duct portion 40C has a connection opening 43 whose width from side to side and width from side to side are approximately the same as, or slightly smaller than, the cooling surface 30a of the oil cooler 30 when viewed from the front. The rear duct portion 43C is attached to the oil cooler 30 side with a small gap between the connection opening 43 and the oil cooler 30.

[0029] As described above, the duct opening 41, with the second duct opening 41b tilted backward toward the left and right outwards, allows for efficient guidance of airflow to the duct openings 41 located on the left and right outwards when the vehicle is in motion. Furthermore, by positioning the cylindrical portion 45 between the first duct opening 41a and the second duct opening 41b, the strength of the duct openings 41 of the cooling duct 40 can be maintained at a high level. In addition, the cylindrical portion 45 allows for the rectification of airflows introduced from different angles at the first duct opening 41a and the second duct opening 41b, enabling smooth intake into the cooling duct 40.

[0030] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the front part 40A of the duct described above allows the upper surface to protrude further forward than the lower surface, which in turn allows the airflow that blows from below to above during vehicle operation to be efficiently guided to the duct opening 41. In other words, the amount of air supplied to the oil cooler 30 via the cooling duct 40 can be increased. In addition, the duct opening 41 formed on the left and right ends of the lower front of the vehicle body becomes less conspicuous.

[0031] Furthermore, with the cooling duct 40 configured as described above, the front part 40A of the duct is positioned in the dead space below the bumper beam 13, the middle part 40B of the duct is tilted upward while only the left and right inner sides are narrowed to avoid interference with the side member 11, and the rear part 40C of the duct is connected to the oil cooler 30 supported on the outer surface of the side member 11. As a result, the left outer side of the cooling duct 40 extends straight toward the rear, as shown in Figure 6, so that it is almost parallel and flush with the surface from the front duct opening 41 to the rear connection opening 43 when viewed from the front.

[0032] In other words, it is possible to achieve both space-efficient and compact placement of the cooling duct 40 on the front side of the vehicle frame 10 without protruding to the left or right sides of the vehicle body, and to form a large duct opening 41 for introducing the airflow supplied to the oil cooler 30.

[0033] The duct support portion 44 includes a front support portion 44A that supports the front end of the cooling duct 40 toward the vehicle frame 10, and a rear support portion 44B that supports the rear end of the cooling duct 40 toward the oil cooler 30.

[0034] The front support portion 44A is a member that extends upward from the upper surface of the middle portion 40B of the duct. Fixing pins 46 made of resin or the like are provided on the upper end side of the front support portion 44A for pinning the crush can 12 to the left and right outer sides.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the rear support portion 44B is a pair of upper and lower plate-shaped members welded to the side surface of the oil cooler 30. The rear support portion 44B is formed to protrude at least forward, and the forward protruding portion of the rear support portion 44B and the rear portion 40C of the duct are configured to be fixed together using fixing pins 46 made of resin or the like. In other words, the rear portion of the cooling duct 40 is indirectly supported by the vehicle body frame 10 by being attached to the oil cooler 30, which is fixed to the side member 11 by the mounting mechanism 50.

[0036] Next, the configuration of the mounting mechanism will be described based on Figures 2 to 9. Figures 8(A) and 8(B) are a front perspective view and a rear perspective view of the main part showing the first mounting section, and Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the main part showing the mounting section on the side member side.

[0037] The mounting mechanism 50 includes a first bracket 51 that connects the left and right outer sides of the side member 11 to the left and right outer sides of the oil cooler 30, and a second bracket 52 that connects the left and right outer sides of the side member 11 to the left and right inner sides of the oil cooler 30.

[0038] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the first bracket 51 is a plate-shaped member extending in the left-right direction, and includes a first sub-bracket 51B, one end of which is attached and fixed to a first mounting portion 53 provided on the upper left and right outer sides of the oil cooler 30, and a first main bracket 51A, one end of which is attached and fixed to a third mounting portion 54 provided on the outer side of the side member 11.

[0039] The first sub-bracket 51B has a sub-side connecting portion 51B1 that is attached to the first main bracket 51A side and is fixed to the first mounting portion 53 on the left and right outer sides of the oil cooler 30 by welding or the like. The first main bracket 51A has a frame-side mounting portion 51A2 that attaches the left and right inner ends to the third mounting portion 54 side and a main-side connecting portion 51A1 that attaches the left and right outer ends to the first sub-bracket 51B side.

[0040] The first main bracket 51A extends from the side member 11, through the rear upper side of the oil cooler 30, to the upper left and right outer sides of the oil cooler 30. At this time, the first main bracket 51A has a bent portion 55 that protrudes upward in the middle of the left-right direction. In addition, on the left and right outer sides of the bent portion 55 of the first main bracket 51A, inclined portions 56 are formed that tilt forward so as to be closer to the oil cooler side in a plan view (see Figures 7 and 8(A)).

[0041] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the second bracket 52 includes a second sub-bracket 52B which is attached and fixed to a second mounting portion 57 provided on the left and right inner sides of the oil cooler 30, and a second main bracket 52A which is a plate-shaped member extending in the front-rear direction.

[0042] The second main bracket 52A is attached and fixed to the second sub bracket 52B at its midpoint in the front-rear direction, its front end is attached and fixed to the front fourth mounting portion 58 provided on the left and right outer sides of the side member 11, and its rear end is attached and fixed to the rear fourth mounting portion 59 provided on the left and right outer sides of the side member 11.

[0043] Specifically, the second main bracket 52A is bent in the front-rear direction so as to protrude laterally from the side member 11 towards the oil cooler 30, thereby forming a main-side connecting portion 52A1 that is attached to the second sub-bracket 52B. In addition, the front and rear ends of the second main bracket 52A are formed with mounting portions 52A2 and 52A3 that are attached and fixed to the fourth mounting portions 58 and 59 on the outer side surfaces of the side member 11.

[0044] As shown in Figure 4(B), the second sub-bracket 52B is a plate-shaped member fixed to the second mounting portion 57 on the left and right inner sides of the oil cooler by welding or the like, and extends to the rear side of the oil cooler 30, forming a sub-side connecting portion 52B1 that connects to the main side connecting portion 52A1 of the second main bracket 52A.

[0045] In this configuration, the first mounting portion 53 on the outer side of the oil cooler 30 and the second mounting portion 57 on the inner side of the oil cooler 30 are offset vertically. In other words, the first mounting portion 53 to which the first sub-bracket 51B is attached is located above the second mounting portion 57 to which the second sub-bracket 52B is attached, when viewed from the side.

[0046] Furthermore, the third mounting portion 54, the front fourth mounting portion 58, and the rear fourth mounting portion 59, which are provided on the outer side of the side member 11, are offset in the vertical and front-rear directions. Specifically, the vertical positions of the mounting portions 54, 58, and 59 are arranged from top to bottom in the order of the third mounting portion 54, the front fourth mounting portion 58, and the rear fourth mounting portion 59. Also, the front-rear positions of the mounting portions 54, 58, and 59 are arranged from front to back in the order of the front fourth mounting portion 58, the third mounting portion 54, and the rear fourth mounting portion 59.

[0047] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, the third mounting portion 54 provided on the side member 11, the front fourth mounting portion 58, and the rear fourth mounting portion 59 are detachably attached to each bracket 51, 52 using fixing bolts 47 and nuts 48. In particular, an elastic member 49 for vibration damping is interposed between the fixing bolt 47 inserted through the side member 11 and the side member 11.

[0048] Furthermore, the main connecting portion 51A1 and the sub-connecting portion 51B1 on the first bracket 51 side, and the main connecting portion 52A1 and the sub-connecting portion 52B1 on the second bracket 52 side, are connected in a detachable manner using fixing bolts 47 and nuts 48.

[0049] As shown in Figures 8(A) and 8(B), a support piece 60 is formed on the main-side connecting portion 51A1a of the first main bracket 51A, which supports the first sub-bracket 51B fixed to the side surface of the oil cooler 30. The support piece 60 is formed by bending an extended portion that extends further downward from the lower end side of the main-side connecting portion 51A1 of the first main bracket 51A toward the front.

[0050] This allows the oil cooler 30 to be temporarily placed on the support piece 60 of the first main bracket 51A when attaching it to the first main bracket 51A. This makes the assembly work of bolting the sub-side connecting portion 51B1 of the first sub-bracket 51B and the main-side connecting portion 51A1 of the first main bracket 51A easier.

[0051] Furthermore, the first sub-bracket 51B also functions as a rear support part 44B for attaching the cooling duct 40 to the oil cooler 30, by protruding forward from the side of the oil cooler 30.

[0052] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified or improved as appropriate.

[0053] As described above, the following matters are disclosed in this specification: (1) A vehicle front structure for introducing airflow to a heat exchanger located at the front of the vehicle body, The front bumper has an opening formed in it, A cooling duct extending in the front-rear direction from the opening toward the heat exchanger, Equipped with, The aforementioned opening is formed on the vehicle width end side of the front bumper, The cooling duct has a first portion extending horizontally backward from the opening, and a second portion extending upward inclined backward from the first portion. Vehicle front structure. With this configuration, the first section efficiently captures airflow flowing horizontally and efficiently supplies the captured airflow to the heat exchanger located at the rear and upper side. Furthermore, the second section prevents foreign matter that enters the first section from reaching the heat exchanger.

[0054] (2) The rear of the second part is widened vertically toward the rear, (1) The front structure of the vehicle. This configuration allows for cooling of a wider area of ​​the vertically oriented heat exchanger.

[0055] (3) The front part of the second part has a vertical width that is approximately the same as that of the first part. The vehicle front structure as described in either (1) or (2). This configuration suppresses the generation of vortices within the duct body, allowing the airflow to be smoothly guided to the heat exchanger.

[0056] (4) The second section is narrowed in the width direction toward the rear, The vehicle front structure as described in any one of (1) to (3). This configuration allows for the intake of a large volume of airflow over a wide area, enabling concentrated cooling of the heat exchanger while also allowing for a more compact duct structure.

[0057] (5) The second portion has an outer side in the vehicle width direction that extends flush with the longitudinal direction, substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction, and an inner side in the vehicle width direction that is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the longitudinal direction. The vehicle front structure as described in any one of (1) to (4). This configuration allows the duct body to be compactly positioned without protruding to the left or right sides of the vehicle body.

[0058] (6) The first part is provided with a cylindrical portion that extends vertically and connects the upper surface and the lower surface, The vehicle front structure as described in any one of (1) to (5). This configuration allows for increased rigidity of the first part.

[0059] (7) The cooling duct has a third portion that extends horizontally from the second portion toward the rear, The vehicle front structure as described in any one of (1) to (6). This configuration makes it easier to direct the airflow across the entire heat exchanger, and also simplifies the installation of the cooling duct to the heat exchanger.

[0060] (8) The front end of the first portion is formed such that the upper surface protrudes forward relative to the lower surface. The vehicle front structure as described in any one of (1) to (7). This configuration allows for efficient intake of the cooling duct with the airflow that flows downwards from the vehicle body.

[0061] (9) A vehicle front structure for introducing airflow to a heat exchanger located at the front of the vehicle body, The front bumper is located on the lower front side of the vehicle body, A cooling duct extending in the front-rear direction from an opening formed in the front bumper toward the heat exchanger, Equipped with, The aforementioned opening is formed on the vehicle width end side of the front bumper, The duct opening at the front end of the cooling duct is inclined so that the outer side in the vehicle width direction is inclined toward the rear of the vehicle body relative to the inner side in the vehicle width direction. Vehicle front structure. This configuration allows for efficient intake of horizontally flowing airflow into the cooling duct from different angles.

[0062] (10) The duct opening is provided with a cylindrical portion that extends vertically and connects the upper surface and the lower surface, The cylindrical portion is provided at the boundary between the outer side in the vehicle width direction and the inner side in the vehicle width direction. (9) The front structure of the vehicle. This configuration allows for the rectification of the airflow taken in from the inside in the vehicle width direction and the airflow taken in from the outside in the vehicle width direction, enabling smooth supply to the heat exchanger.

[0063] (11) The cooling duct is supported on the outside of the crash can in the vehicle width direction via a duct support, The vehicle front structure as described in any one of (1) to (10). In this configuration, the cooling duct also functions as a shock-absorbing component when the vehicle body comes into contact with a foreign object.

[0064] (12) The heat exchanger and the continuously variable transmission connected to the heat exchanger are positioned towards one end in the vehicle width direction, The vehicle front structure as described in any one of (1) to (11). This configuration allows for a simple and short piping arrangement between the heat exchanger and the continuously variable speed control.

[0065] (13) The heat exchanger is a vertical oil cooler, and is positioned above the opening, The vehicle front structure as described in any one of (1) to (12). This configuration allows for a compact width between the cooling duct and the oil cooler, and also allows the airflow guided by the cooling duct to blow upwards towards the rear to be directed over the entire oil cooler. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 2. Continuously Variable Transmission 12 Crush Cans 22 Front Bumper 25 Sub-openings (openings) 30. Oil cooler (heat exchanger) 40 Cooling duct 40A Duct Front Section (Part 1) 40B Duct Middle Section (Part 2) 40C Rear duct (third section) 45. Cylindrical section

Claims

1. A vehicle front structure for introducing airflow to a heat exchanger located at the front of the vehicle body, The front bumper has an opening formed in it, A cooling duct extending in the front-rear direction from the opening toward the heat exchanger, Equipped with, The aforementioned opening is formed on the vehicle width end side of the front bumper, The cooling duct has a first portion extending horizontally backward from the opening, and a second portion extending upward inclined backward from the first portion. The aforementioned second section is narrowed in the vehicle width direction towards the rear. Vehicle front structure.

2. The rear of the second section is wider in the vertical direction towards the rear. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1.

3. The front part of the second portion has approximately the same vertical width as the first portion. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1.

4. The second part has an outer side in the vehicle width direction that extends flush with the longitudinal direction, substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction, and an inner side in the vehicle width direction that slopes outward in the vehicle width direction from front to rear. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1.

5. The first part is provided with a cylindrical portion that extends vertically and connects the upper surface and the lower surface. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1.

6. The cooling duct has a third portion that extends horizontally rearward from the second portion. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1.

7. The front end of the first portion is formed such that the upper surface protrudes forward relative to the lower surface. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1.

8. A vehicle front structure for introducing airflow to a heat exchanger located at the front of the vehicle body, The front bumper is located on the lower front side of the vehicle body, A cooling duct extending in the front-rear direction from an opening formed in the front bumper toward the heat exchanger, Equipped with, The aforementioned opening is formed on the vehicle width end side of the front bumper, The duct opening at the front end of the cooling duct extends in the vehicle width direction from the inner end to the central part of the duct opening, and is formed such that the outer side in the vehicle width direction is located rearward relative to the inner side in the vehicle width direction from the central part to the outer end of the duct opening. Vehicle front structure.

9. The duct opening is provided with a cylindrical portion that extends vertically and connects the upper and lower surfaces. The cylindrical portion is provided at the boundary between the outer side in the vehicle width direction and the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle front structure according to claim 8.

10. A vehicle front structure for introducing airflow to a heat exchanger located at the front of the vehicle body, The front bumper is located on the lower front side of the vehicle body, A cooling duct extending in the front-rear direction from an opening formed in the front bumper toward the heat exchanger, Equipped with, The aforementioned opening is formed on the vehicle width end side of the front bumper, The duct opening at the front end of the cooling duct is formed such that its width in the vehicle width direction is wider than the width of the heat exchanger in the vehicle width direction, and its outer side in the vehicle width direction is positioned rearward relative to the inner side in the vehicle width direction. Vehicle front structure.

11. The cooling duct is supported on the outside of the crash can in the vehicle width direction via a duct support. The vehicle front structure according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The heat exchanger and the continuously variable transmission connected to the heat exchanger are positioned towards one end in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle front structure according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

13. The heat exchanger is a vertical oil cooler, and is positioned above the opening. The vehicle front structure according to claim 12.

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