Vehicle sealing structure

Abstract

To suppress, as much as possible, an air flow that occurs at the external side of a sealing member in the vehicle widthwise direction in an engine room in which the sealing member and a hood hinge are arranged side by side at the internal side and the external side in the vehicle widthwise direction.SOLUTION: A hood hinge 10 fastened to an engine hood 4 is placed between a sealing member 30 that extends in a vehicle widthwise direction in an engine room ER and a side wall portion (an apron panel 5) located at an end portion in the vehicle widthwise direction in the engine room ER. With the engine room ER being closed with the engine hood 4, a blocking member 40 that blocks off an air flow in the engine room ER is provided extending in a direction bridging between the sealing member 30 and the side wall portion (the apron panel 5), across the hood hinge 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seal structure for a vehicle that seals a gap between an engine hood covering an engine room and a vehicle body part in the engine room. [Background Art]

[0002] In this type of vehicle, the engine room is configured to be openable and closable by an engine hood. The rear part of the engine hood is supported so as to be pivotable up and down via a hood hinge, and the hood hinge is arranged on the rear side of the engine room. In the engine room, a cowl louver (corresponding to the vehicle body part) connected to the lower end of the windshield of the vehicle is arranged so as to extend in the vehicle width direction. The cowl louver supports a seal member that seals a gap between the cowl louver and the engine hood in a closed state. In the above-described configuration, the seal member supported by the cowl louver is arranged to cross the engine room in the vehicle width direction, whereby the gap between the engine hood and the cowl louver can be sealed.

[0003] For example, in the vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1, a cowl box (corresponding to a cowl louver) extending in the vehicle width direction is arranged in the engine room. A hood hinge extending in the vehicle front-rear direction is inserted through an outer portion of the cowl box in the vehicle width direction. The hood hinge extends in the vehicle front-rear direction in a state where a front portion thereof is fixed to the engine hood. A rear portion of the hood hinge is formed in a substantially lateral L-shape, and a rear end portion thereof is bent toward an upper side of the vehicle at a substantially right angle. In the above-described configuration, the rear portion of the hood hinge is inserted through a portion from the front surface to the upper surface of the cowl box, and a rear end portion of the hood hinge is pivotally supported on the upper surface side of the cowl box so as to be pivotable up and down. [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 06-255539 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] In the field of vehicles, however, due to space constraints such as the front-to-rear space of the engine compartment, it is sometimes impossible to pass the aforementioned sealing member all the way to the edge of the engine compartment. For example, if the distance between the windshield and the engine hood is short due to space constraints, the hood hinge fixed to the engine hood may be positioned so as to intersect (cross from front to back) the cowl louvers on the outside in the vehicle width direction. In this case, the sealing member and the hood hinge are aligned on the inside and outside in the vehicle width direction, and this hood hinge obstructs the passage of the sealing member to the edge of the engine compartment. Furthermore, in the above configuration, the space where the hood hinge is positioned is formed on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the sealing member, extending in the vehicle's front-to-rear direction. This space may then generate airflow in the vehicle's front-to-rear direction, potentially causing excessive airflow from the engine compartment to escape. The present invention was conceived in view of the above points, and the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to minimize the airflow generated on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the sealing member in an engine compartment where the sealing member and the hood hinge are aligned on the inside and outside in the vehicle width direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a means to solve the above problems, the vehicle sealing structure of the first invention is a structure for sealing the gap between the engine hood covering the engine compartment of a vehicle and the vehicle body inside the engine compartment. In the vehicle sealing structure, a hood hinge fixed to the engine hood is positioned between a sealing member extending in the vehicle width direction within the engine compartment and a side wall located at the vehicle width end of the engine compartment. In this type of configuration, that is, a configuration in which the sealing member and the hood hinge are aligned in the vehicle width direction inside and outside the engine compartment, it is desirable to suppress as much as possible the airflow generated on the outside of the sealing member in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, in the present invention, when the engine compartment is closed with the engine hood, a blocking member that blocks the airflow inside the engine compartment is extended in a direction that spans the hood hinge and is connected to the sealing member and the side wall. The blocking member is located on the engine hood side. In this invention, an airflow blocking member is provided on the outer side of the sealing member in the vehicle width direction, extending toward the side wall while straddling the hood hinge. This makes it possible to suppress as much as possible the airflow generated on the outer side of the sealing member in the vehicle width direction, even when the sealing member and the hood hinge are aligned on the inner and outer sides in the vehicle width direction, through the action of the blocking member.

[0007] The vehicle seal structure of the second invention is provided in the vehicle seal structure of the first invention as a vehicle body portion, wherein a cowl louver is provided connected to the lower end of the vehicle's windshield, and the cowl louver is provided with a support portion for supporting the seal member that extends in the vehicle width direction. In the present invention, by supporting the seal member with the support portion that extends in the vehicle width direction, the supportability of the seal member is ensured, and the positional relationship with the blocking member can be maintained more appropriately.

[0008] The vehicle sealing structure of the third invention is the vehicle sealing structure of the first or second invention, wherein the blocking member has a straddling portion that straddles the hood hinge, and a portion formed on the inside of the straddling portion in the vehicle width direction and extending toward the sealing member. inside outer edge and , formed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the straddle portion and extending toward the side wall of the engine compartment A feature is provided. In this invention, interference between the hood hinge and the blocking member can be more reliably avoided by the straddling portion. eachThe outer edge separates the blocking member and the sealing member. , and the blocking member and side wall portion This allows the components to be brought as close together as possible, making it possible to more reliably suppress the airflow generated on the outside of the sealing component in the vehicle width direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the first invention of the present invention, in an engine compartment where the sealing member and the hood hinge are arranged inward and outward in the vehicle width direction, the airflow generated on the outside of the sealing member in the vehicle width direction can be suppressed as much as possible. Furthermore, according to the second invention, the airflow generated on the outside of the sealing member in the vehicle width direction can be suppressed more reliably. And according to the third invention, the airflow generated on the outside of the sealing member in the vehicle width direction can be suppressed even more reliably. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a partial cutaway perspective view of the front right side of a vehicle with the engine hood closed. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the front right side of the vehicle with the engine hood open. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 1, with the blocking member omitted. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view along the VV line. [Figure 6] This is a front view of the shielding member. [Figure 7] This is a top view of the blocking member. [Figure 8] This is a right side view of the blocking member. [Figure 9] This is a front view showing the relationship between the blocking member and its surrounding members. [Figure 10] This is an enlarged perspective view of the front right side of the vehicle with the engine hood closed. [Figure 11] Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line XI-XI. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 11. Each figure appropriately illustrates arrows indicating the longitudinal direction, lateral direction (vehicle width direction), and vertical direction (vehicle height direction) of the vehicle. In Figures 1 and 2, for convenience, only the right side of the vehicle is shown, and the inner (left side) and outer (right side) in the vehicle width direction are defined based on the components of the right side. In each figure, for convenience, the main components of the vehicle's sealing structure are shown with solid lines, and other components are shown with dashed lines or omitted.

[0012] [Overview of the front of the vehicle] First, let's describe the general layout of the front of the vehicle 2 shown in Figure 1. At the front of the vehicle 2, an engine room ER is provided on the front side of the passenger compartment R. Both sides of this engine room ER in the vehicle width direction (left and right) are covered with fender panels 3, which are exterior materials. Between the left and right fender panels 3, there is an engine hood 4 that is configured to open and close the engine room ER. The rear end of the engine hood 4 is supported by a hood hinge 10 so as to be able to rotate up and down. This hood hinge 10 is positioned at the rear of the engine room ER and on the outer side (right side) in the vehicle width direction, and is positioned to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0013] Furthermore, within the engine compartment ER shown in Figure 2, apron panels 5 are provided, forming the side walls at both ends in the vehicle width direction. The outer side (right side) of these apron panels 5 in the vehicle width direction is covered by the fender panel 3 described above. Between the left and right apron panels 5, a cowl louver 20 is provided, connected to the lower end of the windshield 6, extending in the vehicle width direction. On this cowl louver 20, a sealing member 30, also extending in the vehicle width direction, is supported by a main body portion 20B that extends in the vehicle width direction. With the above configuration, the distance between the windshield 6 and the engine hood 4 is shortened due to the space in the engine compartment ER. As a result, when the engine hood 4 is closed, the hood hinge 10 described above is positioned between the sealing member 30 and the apron panel 5 (in Figure 2, the position of the hood hinge (10) when the engine hood is closed is shown by a dashed line).

[0014] [Seal Structure for Vehicle] Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the seal structure for a vehicle 2 is a structure that seals the gap between an engine hood 4 in a closed state and a vehicle body part in an engine compartment ER. In this seal structure, a seal member 30 extending in the vehicle width direction is supported on a main body portion 20B of a cowl louver 20 that corresponds to the vehicle body part. Thereby, the gap between the engine hood 4 in the closed state and the cowl louver 20 is sealed by the seal member 30 (see Fig. 3).

[0015] Meanwhile, in the vehicle 2 when the engine hood 4 is closed, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a hood hinge 10 is arranged so as to cross between the seal member 30 and an apron panel 5, that is, on the outer side (right side) of the seal member 30 in the vehicle width direction. In this arrangement of the vehicle 2, since the seal member 30 and the hood hinge 10 are arranged side by side inside and outside in the vehicle width direction, the seal member 30 cannot be extended to the apron panel 5 side. In the vehicle 2, a space portion 7 where the hood hinge 10 is arranged is formed on the outer side of the seal member 30 in the vehicle width direction. As shown in Fig. 4, the space portion 7 where the hood hinge 10 is arranged is formed to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and communicates with the outside of the vehicle (for convenience, the illustration of the blocking member is omitted in Fig. 4).

[0016] In the above-described vehicle 2, when the vehicle is traveling or the like, an airflow flowing in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is likely to be generated in the space portion 7 shown in Figs. 2 and 4. In this type of configuration, it is desirable to take measures such as suppressing the airflow in the space portion 7 to prevent excessive outflow of air in the engine compartment ER to the outside. Therefore, in the seal structure for the vehicle 2 of the present embodiment, a blocking member 40 described below is used to suppress the airflow generated on the outer side (right side) of the seal member 30 in the vehicle width direction as much as possible. Hereinafter, the seal structure of the vehicle 2 will be described in detail in the order of the cowl louver 20, the seal member 30, the apron panel 5, the hood hinge 10, and the blocking member 40, taking the members on the right side thereof as an example.

[0017] [Cowl Louver] The cowl louver 20, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, is an exterior body part that guides water flowing down from the windshield 6 to both ends of the vehicle 2 in the vehicle width direction, and also has an outside air intake function. The main body portion 20B of the cowl louver 20 is formed to extend in the vehicle width direction as described above, and a hole H through which the rotation axis of the wiper 100 passes is formed at a position slightly to the right. The main body portion 20B shown in Figure 3 is connected to the lower end of the windshield 6 by its rear end portion 21 which slopes gently to follow the windshield 6. The main body portion 20B is also provided with a valley portion 22 extending in the vehicle width direction on the front side of the rear end portion 21, which guides rainwater and the like to both sides in the vehicle width direction. This valley portion 22 is formed in a roughly U-shape in cross-section from a bottom plate portion 221, a front plate portion 222, and a rear plate portion 223. The bottom plate portion 221 of the valley portion 22 of the main body portion 20B is supported by the cowl panel 23. The cowl panel 23, along with the dash panel, is a panel that separates the engine compartment ER from the passenger compartment R.

[0018] [Sealing material] Furthermore, in the valley portion 22 shown in Figure 3, a shelf-like support portion 24 is provided at the upper end of the front plate portion 222, extending in the vehicle width direction and projecting towards the front of the vehicle. A sealing member 30, which extends in the vehicle width direction, is supported on the upper surface of this support portion 24. The sealing member 30 is positioned so as to be in contact with the rear side of the engine hood 4 by being supported by the support portion 24 of the cowl louver 20. In the above configuration, by supporting the sealing member 30 on the support portion 24 that extends in the vehicle width direction, the supportability of the sealing member 30 is ensured, which allows for a more appropriate positional relationship with the blocking member 40, which will be described later (see Figure 10).

[0019] Furthermore, the cowl louver 20 shown in Figure 2 has an extension portion 25 formed on the outer side (right side) of its support portion 24 in the vehicle width direction, which is bent outward and downward in the vehicle width direction. Referring to Figures 2 and 5, this extension portion 25 is bent downward to avoid the hood hinge 10, and then extends outward in the vehicle width direction toward the apron panel 5. In addition, a flange portion 26 is formed at the outer end of the extension portion 25 in the vehicle width direction, which is bent downward to the vehicle and protrudes toward the front of the vehicle. The flange portion 26 is fixed to another part of the vehicle body, so that the extension portion 25 with this flange portion 26 is positioned close to or adjacent to the apron panel 5, which will be described later. If there is a gap between the extension portion 25 and the apron panel 5, a gap-filling member 27 can be provided on the rear side of the extension portion 25 or elsewhere to fill this gap.

[0020] [Apron Panel] Next, the apron panel 5 shown in Figure 2 is provided as a vertical wall that forms part of the side wall of the engine room ER. As shown in Figure 5, the upper part of the apron panel 5 is gently curved outward (to the right) in the vehicle width direction, so as to be continuous with the fender panel 3, which is an exterior material. A sealing material 520 that seals the gap with the engine hood 4 is provided at the upper end 510 of the apron panel 5 so as to extend in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. On the outer side of the apron panel 5 in the vehicle width direction, the upper member 8 that forms part of the upper frame inside the engine room ER is provided so as to extend in the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

[0021] [Space between cowl louvers and apron panel] Referring to Figures 2 and 5, a space 7 is formed in the engine compartment ER between the apron panel 5 and the sealing member 30, that is, on the outer side (right side) of the sealing member 30 in the vehicle width direction. This space 7 is formed in a roughly triangular shape in a front view, surrounded by the closed hood hinge 10, the extension 25 of the cowl louver 20, and the apron panel 5 at the position of the sealing member 30 shown in Figure 5. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the space 7 is formed to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle by the placement of the hood hinge 10, which will be described later. The space 7 is continuous with the gap 70 provided on the rear end side of the engine hood 4, and communicates with the outside of the vehicle at a position in front of the windshield 6.

[0022] [Food hinge] Next, the hood hinge 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a member that supports the engine hood 4 so that it can rotate up and down (open and close). As shown in Figure 4, the hood hinge 10 has a first hinge portion 11 that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle within the engine compartment ER when closed. This first hinge portion 11 is formed in a roughly horizontal L shape in a cross-sectional view as shown in Figure 5, and consists of a horizontal wall portion 12 that follows the lower surface of the engine hood 4 and a vertical wall portion 13 that is bent downward from this horizontal wall portion 12 toward the lower side of the vehicle. The first hinge portion 11 is fixed so that its horizontal wall portion 12 follows the lower surface of the engine hood 4 by fastening or the like to the engine hood 4 (see Figure 10). Also, as shown in Figure 4, the rear portion 14 of the first hinge portion 11 is bent downward from the vehicle so that it forms a roughly U shape in a side view. The rear portion 14 of the first hinge portion 11 is pivotally supported so that it can rotate up and down relative to the second hinge portion of the hood hinge 10 (not shown). The second hinge portion can be fixed to the vehicle body inside the engine hood 4, for example, to the upper member. In this way, the hood hinge 10 is positioned so as to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle on the upper side of the aforementioned space 7, with its first hinge portion 11 fixed to the engine hood 4.

[0023] [Blocking member] The blocking member 40 shown in Figure 2 is a member that blocks the airflow in the engine compartment ER. This blocking member 40 is formed in a plate shape that is roughly triangular in front view, following the front shape of the space portion 7 adjacent to the sealing member 30 described above. Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the upper edge portion 41 of the blocking member 40, which corresponds to its base, extends in the vehicle width direction along the lower surface of the engine hood 4. A pair of left and right fixing portions 42 and 43 for fixing the blocking member 40 to the engine hood 4 are provided on the upper edge portion 41 of the blocking member 40. On the upper edge portion 41 side of the blocking member 40, a straddle portion 44 is formed between the pair of fixing portions 42 and 43 for passing the first hinge portion 11 through. This straddle portion 44 is formed in a roughly horizontal L shape following the cross-sectional shape of the first hinge portion 11 described above, and penetrates the blocking member 40 in the thickness direction.

[0024] Referring also to Figures 5 and 6, the shielding member 40 is formed such that its outer peripheral edge portion, excluding its upper edge portion 41, follows the cowl louvers 20 and apron panel 5 surrounding the space portion 7. That is, the shielding member 40 is formed in a triangular shape with its lower end as the apex, and has an inner outer edge portion 45 that extends inclined toward the inside (left side) in the vehicle width direction, and an outer outer edge portion 46 that extends inclined toward the outside (right side) in the vehicle width direction. The inner outer edge portion 45 corresponds to the outer edge portion of the present invention, and is formed on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the straddle portion 44, extending toward the direction approaching the sealing member 30 (left side). Furthermore, the inner outer edge portion 45 gradually protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction as it moves toward the upper side of the vehicle, so that it can be positioned along the extension portion 25 of the cowl louvers 20. Furthermore, the outer edge portion 46 gradually protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction as it moves towards the upper side of the vehicle, allowing it to be positioned along the portion of the apron panel 5 from the lower end to the upper end portion 510.

[0025] Referring to Figures 6 to 8, the blocking member 40 has an inclined portion 47 formed on its lower outer edge, which gradually slopes towards the rear of the vehicle as it approaches the outer end. This inclined portion 47 is formed continuously on the inner outer edge 45 and the outer outer edge 46. Furthermore, on the inner outer edge 45, an inner inclined portion 47B is provided on its inward (left) side in the vehicle width direction, so as to slope towards the rear of the vehicle. Referring to Figure 9, the blocking member 40 in its free state has an outer dimension (dimensions in the vehicle vertical and vehicle width directions) that is slightly larger than the space 7. Therefore, as shown in Figure 9, when the blocking member 40 is fitted into the space 7, the inclined portion 47 on its outer edge protrudes from the apron panel 5 and extension 25 surrounding the space 7, towards the underside of the vehicle, etc. Furthermore, on the inner outer edge 45, the inner inclined portion 47B protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction beyond the right end 31E of the sealing member 30.

[0026] [Installation of barrier members] Referring to Figures 2 and 5, the blocking member 40 can be fixed to an appropriate position on the engine hood 4 with its thickness direction facing the vehicle's front-rear direction. That is, by fixing a pair of left and right fixing parts 42 and 43 to the engine hood 4 with clips or the like, the blocking member 40, which is provided with these fixing parts 42 and 43, can be fixed to the engine hood 4. The first hinge part 11 is inserted through the straddling part 44 of the blocking member 40 from the vehicle's front-rear direction. As a result, the blocking member 40 is fixed to the engine hood 4 with its straddling part 44 straddling the hood hinge 10 from the vehicle's vertical direction. By forming the straddling part 44 in a predetermined shape beforehand, interference with the hood hinge 10 can be more reliably avoided. Then, referring to Figures 5 and 10, the blocking member 40 can be fitted into the space 7 adjacent to the sealing member 30 when the engine hood 4 is closed, as will be described later.

[0027] [Material of the shielding member] Here, the material of the blocking member 40 is not particularly limited as long as it can ensure the blocking of airflow, and various materials such as resin, elastomer, rubber, and metal can be appropriately selected. For example, the blocking member 40 shown in Figure 6 has a pair of left and right rigid parts 50, 51 and a flexible part 52 formed around these rigid parts 50, 51 (in Figure 6, for convenience, each rigid part is shown with a hatch to distinguish it from the flexible part which does not have a hatch). The pair of left and right rigid parts 50, 51 are made of a material with excellent rigidity such as resin and are provided separately on the left and right sides of the upper part of the blocking member 40. The left and right fixing parts 42, 43 are formed by each rigid part 50, 51, which makes it possible to more reliably ensure the attachment of the blocking member 40 to the engine hood 4. The flexible part 52 is made of a material with rubber elasticity such as rubber or elastomer and has appropriate flexibility. This flexible portion 52 is formed around each rigid portion 50, 51, and constitutes the outer edge side of the blocking member 40, i.e., the inclined portion 47 (47B). Then, as will be described later, when the blocking member 40 is fitted into the space 7, the inclined portion 47 (47B) flexes appropriately and comes into contact with the cowl louver 20 and the apron panel 5, thus contributing to ensuring airtightness (see Figures 5 and 11).

[0028] [Sealing methods based on the vehicle's sealing structure] In the sealing structure of vehicle 2 shown in Figures 2 and 3, when the engine hood 4 is closed, the sealing member 30 seals the gap between the engine hood 4 and the cowl louver 20 (vehicle body). However, in vehicle 2, the hood hinge 10 shown in Figure 2 gets in the way, preventing the sealing member 30 from reaching the end of the engine compartment ER. As a result, in the above configuration, a space 7 is formed on the outer side (right side) of the sealing member 30 in the vehicle width direction, and airflow in the vehicle's longitudinal direction is likely to occur in this space 7 (see Figure 4). If air from inside the engine compartment ER flows excessively outside the vehicle through the space 7, this leaked air may cause turbulence near the windshield 6, potentially resulting in abnormal noises such as wind noise. Furthermore, if there is a temperature difference between the air inside the engine compartment ER and the outside air, this temperature-different air from inside the engine compartment ER may unintentionally leak out.

[0029] Therefore, in the sealing structure of vehicle 2, as shown in Figures 5 and 10, when the engine compartment ER is closed, a blocking member 40 that obstructs the airflow inside the engine compartment ER extends across the hood hinge 10 and across the sealing member 30 and the apron panel 5 (side wall). With the above configuration, the airflow generated on the outer side (right side) of the sealing member 30 in the vehicle width direction can be suppressed as much as possible by the action of the blocking member 40. The function of the blocking member 40 will be explained in more detail below.

[0030] [Function of the barrier member] First, in the sealing structure of vehicle 2 shown in Figures 5 and 10, when the engine hood 4 is closed, the blocking member 40 fixed to the engine hood 4 is fitted into the space 7 at a position slightly forward of the vehicle than the sealing member 30. Referring to Figure 9, the blocking member 40 is formed with relatively large external dimensions, so that its lower inclined portion 47 protrudes from the apron panel 5 and extension 25 to the underside of the vehicle. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 11, the blocking member 40 can be kept in close contact with the extension 25, etc., by tilting the inclined portion 47 on the outer edge side toward the upper side of the vehicle. As a result, in the blocking member 40 shown in Figure 5, the inner outer edge 45 can be brought into close contact with the extension 25 of the cowl louver 20, and the outer outer edge 46 can be brought into close contact with the apron panel 5.

[0031] Furthermore, in the blocking member 40 shown in Figure 5, the inner inclined portion 47B protrudes inward (to the left) in the vehicle width direction beyond the right end 31E of the sealing member 30. The inner inclined portion 47B then extends toward the rear of the vehicle, as shown in Figure 10, so as to approach the sealing member 30. This allows the blocking member 40 to be positioned in the space 7 with the gap 61 between it and the sealing member 30 minimized. Moreover, the support portion 24 ensures the support of the sealing member 30, which allows the opening size of the gap 61 between the sealing member 30 and the blocking member 40 to be appropriately maintained. Referring to Figure 5, the blocking member 40 can have a gap 60 between its outer edge 46 and the sealing material 520 on the apron panel 5 side. This allows the gap 60 to absorb any dimensional variations between the left and right sides of the blocking member 40.

[0032] Referring to Figures 5 and 10, in the space 7 within the engine compartment ER, the blocking member 40 extends across the hood hinge 10 and across the sealing member 30 and the apron panel 5 (side wall). In the space 7, the blocking member 40 seals the area from the sealing member 30 to the extension 25 and the apron panel 5 in a continuous sealed state (in Figure 5, the sealed area 80 is shown with a thick line). Therefore, with the above configuration, when the vehicle is in motion, the airflow generated on the outside (right side) of the sealing member 30 in the vehicle width direction can be suppressed as much as possible by the action of the blocking member 40. By suppressing the airflow flowing in the front-rear direction of the vehicle within the space 7, it becomes more difficult for air in the engine compartment ER to flow out of the vehicle excessively, and the generation of abnormal noises such as wind noise can be suppressed as much as possible. In addition, even when there is a temperature difference between the air in the engine compartment ER and the outside air, the unintended outflow of the air in the engine compartment ER with this temperature difference can be suppressed as much as possible.

[0033] Furthermore, in the above configuration, as shown in Figure 2, opening the engine hood 4 allows the shielding member 40 fixed to the engine hood 4 to detach from the space 7 and be raised towards the upper side of the vehicle. This allows the shielding member 40 to be positioned on the engine hood side, where it is least visible, when the engine compartment ER is open. With the above configuration, even if the appearance of the shielding member 40 changes over time, the design of the engine compartment ER can be maintained as much as possible by keeping the shielding member 40 as inconspicuous as possible. Also, the shielding member 40 will not get in the way as much as possible when inspecting the engine compartment ER.

[0034] As described above, in this embodiment, the blocking member 40 that obstructs the airflow is provided on the outer side (right side) of the sealing member 30 in the vehicle width direction, and extends toward the apron panel 5 (side wall portion) while straddling the hood hinge 10. As a result, even when the sealing member 30 and the hood hinge 10 are aligned on the inner and outer sides in the vehicle width direction, the blocking member 40 can suppress as much as possible the airflow generated on the outer side of the sealing member 30 in the vehicle width direction.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the seal member 30 is supported by the support portion 24 extending in the vehicle width direction, thereby ensuring the supportability of the seal member 30 and enabling a more appropriate positional relationship with the blocking member 40. In this embodiment, the straddle portion 44 makes it possible to more reliably avoid interference between the hood hinge 10 and the blocking member 40. In addition, the inner outer edge portion 45 allows the blocking member 40 and the seal member 30 to be brought as close together as possible, making it possible to more reliably suppress the airflow generated on the outer side (right side) of the seal member 30 in the vehicle width direction.

[0036] The vehicle sealing structure of this embodiment is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various other embodiments are possible. In this embodiment, the configuration of the blocking member is illustrated, but this is not intended to limit the configuration of the blocking member. For example, the blocking member can be placed at an appropriate position in the space, may be placed at a position offset in the front and rear relative to the sealing member, or it may be placed at the same position as the sealing member in the front and rear. The blocking member may have a shape (such as a recessed shape in cross-section) where the inner outer edge faces the front and rear direction of the vehicle relative to the straddle portion. The entire blocking member or only the inner outer edge may be bent (bent or curved) in the front and rear direction of the vehicle so as to approach the sealing member. When the positions of the blocking member and the sealing member are aligned, the inner outer edge may be extended linearly in the vehicle width direction so as to approach the sealing member. The dimensions and shape of the blocking member may also be set so as to be adjacent to the sealing member or the sealing material on the apron panel side (to eliminate gaps). The lower edge of the blocking member can be placed against various parts of the vehicle body that form the space, and the inclined portion may be omitted if airtightness can be ensured. Furthermore, the blocking member may be configured to intermittently seal the space (for example, partially covering the engine hood, apron panel, and extension) if it can suppress airflow in the space. The blocking member can also be fixed in the engine compartment, in which case it can be made detachable. The blocking member may be a separate component from the engine hood, or it may be formed as part of the engine hood.

[0037] Furthermore, the blocking member can have a straddling portion that spans the hood hinge in the vertical or longitudinal direction of the vehicle. For example, by providing a straddling portion on the lower outer edge of the blocking member, the rear side of the hood hinge can be positioned. Alternatively, by forming a straddling portion on the blocking member that is bent in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (for example, bent into a roughly U-shape when viewed from above), this straddling portion will span the hood hinge from the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. It is also possible to form a straddling portion with a slit provided in a flexible part, in which case the hood hinge will be inserted while pushing open the slit.

[0038] Furthermore, while this embodiment illustrates the configuration of the sealing member, it is not intended to limit the configuration of the sealing member. For example, the sealing member may be supported not only by the cowl louvers but also by various other parts of the vehicle body, and may be arranged to be mounted on multiple parts of the vehicle body. The configuration of the hood hinge can also be changed as appropriate, and does not necessarily have to extend linearly in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; it may be positioned slightly inclined in the width direction of the vehicle. The side wall portion in the engine compartment can be formed from an apron panel or other appropriate member such as an upper member, and the member selected can be used as the side wall portion considering the placement position of the sealing member, etc. The configuration of the cowl louvers can also be changed as appropriate depending on the vehicle type. The configuration of this embodiment can be adopted when the sealing member and the hood hinge are aligned in the width direction of the vehicle, and various configurations in which these two members are aligned can be envisioned, in addition to space constraints in the engine compartment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0039] 2 vehicles R cabin ER Engine Room 3 Fender Panel 4. Engine Hood 5. Apron panel (side wall portion of the present invention) 510 Upper edge (of the apron panel) 520 sealant 6. Windshield 7 Space section 8 Upper Member 10. Hood hinge 11 First hinge section 12 Side wall section 13 Vertical wall section 14 (Rear of hood hinge) 20 Cowl Louvers 20B (Cowl Louver) Main Body 21 Rear end (of cowl louvers) 22 Tanibe 221 Bottom plate part 222 Front plate part 223 Rear plate part 23 Cowl Panel 24 Support part 25 Extension 26 Flange section 27 Gap-filling member 30 sealing member 31E Right end (of the sealing member) 40 Barrier member 41 Upper edge (of the blocking member) 42,43 Fixed part 44. Straddle section 45 Inner outer edge portion (outer edge portion of the present invention) 46 Outer edge 47 Slope area 47B Inner sloped section 50,51 Rigid part 52 Soft area 100 wipers

Claims

1. In a vehicle sealing structure that seals the gap between the engine hood covering the engine compartment of a vehicle and the vehicle body inside the engine compartment, A hood hinge fixed to the engine hood is positioned between a sealing member extending in the vehicle width direction within the engine compartment and a side wall portion located at the end of the engine compartment in the vehicle width direction, When the engine compartment is closed with the engine hood, a blocking member that blocks the airflow within the engine compartment extends across the hood hinge and across the sealing member and the side wall portion. The blocking member is a vehicle sealing structure provided on the engine hood side.

2. The vehicle sealing structure according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle body portion is provided with a cowl louver connected to the lower end of the windshield of the vehicle, and the cowl louver is provided with a support portion for supporting the sealing member extending in the vehicle width direction.

3. The sealing structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the blocking member is provided with a straddling portion that straddles the hood hinge, an inner outer edge portion formed on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the straddling portion and extending toward the sealing member, and an outer edge portion formed on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the straddling portion and extending toward the side wall portion of the engine room.

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