Vehicle structure comprising engine and drive force transmission device

Abstract

This vehicle structure comprises, in the front of an engine (1) mounted on a vehicle: intake pipes (2) for introducing air into the engine (1); a throttle valve (4) provided to the intake pipes (2); and a fuel introduction part (10) for introducing fuel into the engine (1). A drive force transmission device (3), which transmits the rotation of a crankshaft (5c) of the engine (1) to a drive wheel side, is fastened to one side of the engine (1) in the vehicle body width direction. A frontal collision protector (20) is attached to the front side of the engine (1), and the frontal collision protector (10) is provided with a protrusion (22) that faces the front side of the drive force transmission device (3).

Description

Vehicle structure equipped with engine and driving force transmission device

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle structure equipped with an engine and a driving force transmission device, and more particularly to a mounting structure for an engine and a driving force transmission device in a vehicle.

[0002] An engine room is provided at the front of the vehicle, and houses the engine, a drivetrain, and various accessories. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a vehicle with a so-called transversely mounted engine, in which an in-line four-cylinder engine is arranged with the cylinders aligned in the width direction of the vehicle body.

[0003] An engine has a cylinder block with a crankcase at the bottom and a cylinder head fixed above the cylinder block (hereinafter, the cylinder block and cylinder head will be collectively referred to as the engine body). In a vehicle with a transversely mounted engine, either the front or rear side of the engine body is set as the intake side, and the other is set as the exhaust side. An intake manifold is attached to the intake side, and an exhaust manifold is attached to the exhaust side.

[0004] Furthermore, a fuel injection valve that injects fuel is provided in the intake port or combustion chamber of the engine body. The fuel pipe that supplies fuel to the fuel injection valve is often located adjacent to the upper part of the side of the engine's intake side, extending along the parallel alignment of the cylinders. This fuel pipe is called a fuel delivery pipe. The fuel delivery pipe is often located between the side of the intake side at the top of the engine body and a throttle valve located slightly above it.

[0005] The role of a fuel delivery pipe is to maintain a constant pressure on the fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel injection valve. Fuel delivery pipes are generally made of aluminum alloy or steel. In Patent Document 1, the intake manifold is attached to the side of the front side of the engine body. Therefore, the fuel delivery pipe is also located in front of the engine body.

[0006] The engine is also connected to a power transmission device such as a CVT or transmission. The power transmission device transmits the rotation of the engine crankshaft to the drive wheels at an appropriate gear ratio. In a vehicle with a transversely mounted engine, the power transmission device is located on either side of the engine in the vehicle width direction.

[0007] International Publication No. 2023 / 062773

[0008] In a vehicle with a transversely mounted engine as described above, when the vehicle collides with another vehicle or structure in front, the front of the vehicle is pushed rearward, applying an impact to the engine body. In Patent Document 1, a protector is disposed in the front of the engine body to absorb the impact, and the protector can reduce damage to the engine body. However, there is a demand for even greater strength against collisions to further improve safety.

[0009] Furthermore, if the front of the vehicle is pushed backward, pushing the throttle valve and other parts backward, there is a risk that the fuel delivery pipe will be pinched between the throttle valve and the engine body. Because fuel flows through the fuel delivery pipe, there is a demand for even greater safety in the event of a collision.

[0010] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to further improve the safety of the engine and its peripheral devices in the event of a vehicle collision.

[0011] In order to solve the above problems, this invention employs a vehicle structure that includes an intake pipe for introducing air into the engine, a throttle valve provided in the intake pipe, and a fuel inlet for introducing fuel into the engine, at the front side of the engine mounted on a vehicle, a driving force transmission device for transmitting the rotation of the engine's crankshaft to the drive wheels, fastened to either side of the engine in the vehicle body width direction, and a front collision protector attached to the front side of the engine, the front collision protector having a protrusion facing the front side of the driving force transmission device (Configuration 1).

[0012] In the configuration 1, a configuration can be adopted in which a rib extending in a direction connecting the axis of the crankshaft and the forward collision protector is provided at a fastening portion of the engine with the driving force transmission device (configuration 2).

[0013] In the configuration 1 or 2, the engine may include a flange portion at least on the front side of the fastening portion, and the rib portion may be connected to the flange portion (configuration 3).

[0014] In addition, in any of configurations 1 to 3, the front collision protector can be configured to be arranged across the fastening portion with the driving force transmission device in the engine and the front side of the driving force transmission device adjacent to the fastening portion (configuration 4).

[0015] In addition, in any of configurations 1 to 4, a configuration can be adopted in which the intake piping is provided with an intake manifold that protrudes forward of the fuel introduction portion, and the front end of the front collision protector is located forward of the leading edge of the intake manifold (configuration 5).

[0016] Furthermore, in any of configurations 1 to 5, a configuration can be adopted in which an oil filter is provided protruding from the front side of the engine, and the front end of the front impact protector is located forward of the leading edge of the oil filter (configuration 6).

[0017] Furthermore, in any of configurations 1 to 6, a configuration can be adopted in which a delivery pipe protector covering the fuel introduction portion is provided, and the delivery pipe protector is supported by an underride protector provided on one end side of the engine in the vehicle width direction and a slinger provided on the other end side in the vehicle width direction, and the front end of the front collision protector is located forward of the leading edge of the underride protector and the leading edge of the slinger (configuration 7).

[0018] The present invention can further improve the safety of the engine and its peripheral devices in the event of a vehicle collision.

[0019] 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a right side view of FIG. 1. 2 is a plan view of a main portion of FIG. 1. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 1. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 1. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D of FIG. 1. 3 is a plan view showing a front collision protector. 3 is a left side view showing a front collision protector. 3 is a front view showing a front collision protector. 3 is a right side view showing a front collision protector. 3 is a rear view showing a front collision protector. 3 is a bottom view showing a front collision protector. 3 is a perspective view showing a front collision protector. 3 is a perspective view showing the same embodiment. 3 is a rear view showing a delivery pipe protector. 3 is a plan view showing a delivery pipe protector. 3 is a front view showing a delivery pipe protector. 3 is a bottom view showing a delivery pipe protector. 3 is a left side view showing a delivery pipe protector. 3 is a right side view showing a delivery pipe protector. 3 is a perspective view showing a delivery pipe protector. 3 is a plan view showing an underride protector. 3 is a left side view showing an underride protector. 3 is a front view showing an underride protector. It is a right side view showing the underride protector. It is a rear view showing the underride protector. It is a bottom view showing the underride protector. It is a perspective view showing the underride protector. It is a schematic configuration diagram of the front part of the vehicle equipped with the engine etc. of the same embodiment.

[0020] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 3 are structural diagrams of an engine 1 according to this embodiment, a driving force transmission device 3 connected to the engine 1, and various other devices and accessories. FIGS. 4A to 4D are cross-sectional views of the area around a front collision protector 20 (described below), and FIGS. 5A to 5G are detailed views of the front collision protector. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the area around the engine 1. FIGS. 7A to 7G and 8A to 8G are detailed views of a delivery pipe protector 30 and an underride protector 50 (described below). FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of the front of a vehicle 60 equipped with the engine 1 according to this embodiment.

[0021] The vehicle 60 is equipped with a power unit 70 including an engine 1 in an engine compartment 61 at the front of the vehicle body (see FIG. 9 ). The vehicle 1 is a plug-in hybrid vehicle that can be set to EV mode, series mode, or parallel mode. The power unit 70 includes the engine 1 and a drive motor and a power generating motor generator (not shown). The drive motor and power generating motor generator are located on the left side of the engine 1 in the width direction of the vehicle body (right side in FIG. 1 ). The power generating motor generator is also used as a starter motor for the engine 1. Hereinafter, the width direction of the vehicle body will be referred to as the vehicle body width direction, and the fore-aft direction of the vehicle body will be referred to as the vehicle body fore-aft direction or simply as the fore-aft direction.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, a driving force transmission device 3 is fastened to the left side of the engine 1 in the vehicle width direction (the right side in Figure 1), which transmits rotation of a crankshaft 8 of the engine 1 to driving wheels (not shown) of a vehicle 60. The driving force transmission device 3 in this embodiment employs a continuously variable transmission (CVT), but may be another device having a predetermined speed change mechanism, such as an automatic transmission.

[0023] The engine 1 of this embodiment is a so-called transversely mounted engine with four cylinders arranged in a row with the cylinders aligned in the vehicle width direction. An intake pipe 2 (hereinafter referred to as the intake manifold 2) is provided at the front side of the engine 1, and an intake passage 62 including the intake manifold 2 is formed. An exhaust manifold 72 is provided at the rear side of the engine 1, and an exhaust passage 73 including the exhaust manifold 72 is formed (see FIG. 9 ). As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the intake manifold 2 is provided so as to protrude forward from the front side surface (front surface 1a) of the engine 1.

[0024] A throttle valve 4 is provided in the intake passage 62. A surge tank 64 is provided in the intake passage 62 between the throttle valve 4 and the intake manifold 2. The throttle valve 4 is located at the upper front portion of the engine 1, between a branch pipe 67 connected to a second cylinder located at the center of the engine 1 in the vehicle width direction and a branch pipe 67 connected to a third cylinder (see FIG. 1). The throttle valve 4 is also located behind an upper bar 65 provided at the front of the vehicle 60. The upper bar 65 is disposed in the front of an engine compartment 61 of the vehicle 60 so as to extend in the vehicle width direction, and is a strength member approximately several centimeters high in height. The upper bar 65 is located above a radiator 66 located at the front of the engine compartment 61 (see FIG. 9).

[0025] The surge tank 64 is provided along the front surface 1a of the engine 1 and is located below the throttle valve 4. Four branch pipes 67 constituting the intake manifold 2 are connected from the surge tank 64 to each of the cylinders. Each branch pipe 67 bends from the underside of the surge tank 64 toward the front of the vehicle, extends upward adjacent to the front side of the surge tank 64, and is connected to an intake port 68 of each cylinder provided at the top of the front surface 1a of the engine 1. The surge tank 64 and throttle valve 4 are also connected via an adapter 69 or the like that extends in the vertical direction. The adapter 69 forms an intake passage that leads from the surge tank 64 to the throttle valve 4 (see FIG. 9).

[0026] A front catalyst 71 is provided in the exhaust passage 73 downstream of the exhaust manifold 72. A rear catalyst 74 is also provided in the exhaust passage 73 downstream of the front catalyst 71. The front catalyst 71 and the rear catalyst 74 are exhaust purification catalysts such as three-way catalysts. The engine 1 is also equipped with an exhaust gas recirculation system 80. The exhaust gas recirculation system 80 includes an exhaust gas recirculation passage 81 connecting the intake passage 62 and the exhaust passage 73, an exhaust gas recirculation valve 82 disposed midway along the exhaust gas recirculation passage 81 and adjusting the opening degree of the exhaust gas recirculation passage 81, and an exhaust gas recirculation cooler 83 disposed in the exhaust gas recirculation passage 81. The exhaust gas recirculation system 80 recirculates a portion of the exhaust gas back into the intake passage 62, thereby reducing the oxygen concentration of the intake air and suppressing a rise in temperature within the combustion chamber 9 of the engine 1. This reduces harmful substances (such as NOx) in the exhaust gas from the engine 1 (see FIG. 9 ).

[0027] A fuel delivery pipe (fuel introduction portion) 10 is provided on the front side of the cylinder head 16 of the engine 1, supplying fuel to fuel injection valves provided at the top of each combustion chamber 9 (see FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 6, the fuel delivery pipe 10 (hereinafter referred to as the delivery pipe 10) includes a main body 12 fixed to the engine 1 so as to extend in the vehicle width direction, and a fuel pipe 11 connected to the main body 12. The main body 12 is disposed between the front face 1a of the engine 1 and the throttle valve 4. One end of the main body 12 in the vehicle width direction is closed, and the fuel pipe 11 is connected to the other end in the vehicle width direction. Fuel delivered from a fuel tank by a fuel pump is supplied to the main body 12 through the fuel pipe 11. The delivery pipe 10 is fixed to the engine 1 with bolts or the like (not shown).

[0028] A delivery pipe protector 30 that covers the delivery pipe 10 is provided on top of the engine 1. The dimension of the delivery pipe protector 30 in the vehicle width direction is slightly longer than the delivery pipe 10. As shown in Figure 6, the rear end of the delivery pipe protector 30 is fixed to the front surface 1a of the engine 1 with bolts 15 at multiple locations (four locations in this embodiment). The delivery pipe protector 30 is supported by an underride protector 50 provided at one end of the engine 1 in the vehicle width direction and a slinger 40 provided at the other end of the engine 1 in the vehicle width direction.

[0029] 7A to 7G show the details of the delivery pipe protector 30. The delivery pipe protector 30 has a longitudinal main body 31 extending in the vehicle width direction. The rear end of the main body 31 is provided with a plurality of (four in this embodiment) rib portions 32 extending downward. The lower ends of the rib portions 32 are inserted into and supported by holes formed in the cylinder block of the engine 1. The front end of the delivery pipe protector 30 is also provided with a plurality of (four in this embodiment) rib portions 39 extending downward. The lower ends of the rib portions 39 are inserted into and supported by holes formed in members surrounding the intake manifold 2 (for example, an adapter 69 positioned below the throttle valve 4) or other members surrounding the rib portions.

[0030] The bolts 15 that secure the delivery pipe protector 30 to the front surface 1a of the engine 1 are inserted into bolt holes 32a in ribs 32 that protrude from the rear end portion 30. The delivery pipe protector 30 also has support portions 35, 36 on the front end side. The support portions 35, 36 protrude forward, and bolts are inserted into bolt holes 35a, 36a formed in the support portions 35, 36, thereby securing the delivery pipe protector 30 to components (such as an adapter 69) around the intake manifold 2 and other peripheral components.

[0031] Furthermore, the delivery pipe protector 30 has a support portion 37 that protrudes upward from the middle of the vehicle width direction. The support portion 37 and the throttle valve 4 are connected by a bracket 90 that is L-shaped in a plan view (see FIG. 3). A bolt 91 is inserted through a hole at the rear end of the bracket 90 and screwed into a bolt hole 37a in the support portion 37 to secure it. A bolt 92 is inserted through a hole at the front end of the bracket 90 and screwed into a bolt hole in the throttle valve 4 to secure it.

[0032] The delivery pipe protector 30 and the underride protector 50 are fixed together by bolts 56 that extend in the width direction of the vehicle body (see FIG. 6). The delivery pipe protector 30 and the slinger 40 are fixed together by bolts 47 that extend in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 6).

[0033] The delivery pipe 10 is disposed below this delivery pipe protector 30. The delivery pipe protector 30 is made of metal and is constructed of a member that is stronger than the adapter 69. In this embodiment, the height (vertical position) of the upper surface of the delivery pipe protector 30 is set to be approximately the same as or lower than the lower end of the throttle valve 4. In addition, the lower end of the throttle valve 4, i.e., the connection position between the throttle valve 4 and the adapter 69, is located below the upper bar 65 (see FIG. 9) at the front of the vehicle body.

[0034] The front end of the delivery pipe protector 30 protrudes further forward than the delivery pipe 10, and supports the adapter 69 at the front end. Furthermore, since the delivery pipe protector 30 is stronger than the adapter 69, even if the radiator 66 and other components located in front of the adapter 69 are pushed rearward and push the adapter 69 rearward in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle (a state in which the front end of the vehicle collides with a preceding vehicle or a fixed object), the delivery pipe 10 is protected by the delivery pipe protector 30.

[0035] 8A to 8G show details of the underride protector 50. The underride protector 50 has a predetermined thickness in the vehicle width direction and is equipped with a longitudinal main body portion 51 that extends in the up-down direction, and a downward protruding portion 52 that protrudes in the vehicle width direction from the rear of the lower end of the main body portion 51. In addition, a front surface 50a near the lower end of the main body portion 51 protrudes slightly further forward than the rest of the main body portion 51.

[0036] A support portion 54 having a hole 54a facing in the front-rear direction is provided at the lower end of the main body portion 51, and a hole 52a facing in the front-rear direction is provided at the protruding end of the downward protruding portion 52. A bolt 57 (see FIG. 1) inserted through the hole 54a is screwed into a bolt hole formed in the cylinder block. A bolt 58 (see FIG. 1) inserted through the hole 52a is screwed into a bolt hole formed in the cylinder block. The underride protector 50 is fixed to the engine 1 by these bolts 57, 58.

[0037] The underride protector 50 is provided with a support portion 53 having a hole 53a facing in the vehicle width direction at the upper end of the main body portion 51, and a support portion 55 having a hole 55a facing in the vehicle width direction at the middle of the main body portion 51 near the front end. A bolt 56 (see FIGS. 1 and 6) inserted through the hole 53a is screwed into a bolt hole 38a (see FIG. 7E) formed in the end support portion 38 of the delivery pipe protector 30. A bolt 59 (see FIG. 6) inserted through the hole 55a is screwed into a bolt hole formed in an adapter 69. The underride protector 50 is fixed to the engine 1 by these bolts 56, 59.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, 5A to 5G, and 6, a front collision protector 20 is attached to the front surface 1a of the engine 1.

[0039] 5A to 5G, the front collision protector 20 includes a plate- or block-shaped main body 21 having a predetermined thickness in the front-to-rear direction, and a protrusion 22 extending laterally in the vehicle width direction, i.e., facing the front side of the driving force transmission device 3. The main body 21 also includes a support portion 25 that protrudes rearward at one end of the main body 21 in the vehicle width direction. A hole 24a extending in the front-to-rear direction is formed in the middle of the main body 21, slightly closer to the driving force transmission device 3. A hole 23a extending in the front-to-rear direction and communicating with the support portion 25 is formed in the end of the upper part of the main body 21 opposite the driving force transmission device 3.

[0040] 4A to 4D, bolts 23, 24 (see FIG. 1) inserted through holes 23a, 24a are screwed into bolt holes formed in the cylinder block. These bolts 23, 24 secure the front impact protector 20 to the engine 1. A counterbore is formed around hole 24a, so the head of bolt 24 does not protrude from the front surface 21a of the main body 21. In addition, a recess 26 is formed around hole 23a, so the head of bolt 23 does not protrude from the front surface 21a of the main body 21.

[0041] The front collision protector 20, together with the underride protector 50 and the slinger 40, is made of metal, and like the delivery pipe protector 30, is made of a member having a predetermined strength.

[0042] The front collision protector 20 protrudes from the front face 1a of the engine 1, i.e., from the engine body toward the front of the vehicle 60, with its front face 21a located further forward of the vehicle than the front end 2a of the intake manifold 2 (see dimension w2 in FIG. 2). This protects parts such as the radiator 66 (see FIG. 9), which move rearward toward the engine 1 during a collision of the vehicle 60 (particularly during a frontal collision), from coming into direct contact with the engine 1, the intake manifold 2, and various accessories located in front of the engine 1. Furthermore, because the delivery pipe 10 is located rearward of the intake manifold 2, the provision of the front collision protector 20 also protects the delivery pipe 10.

[0043] Furthermore, the front collision protector 20 has a protrusion 22 that protrudes toward the driving force transmission device 3 and faces the front surface 3a (see FIG. 3) of the driving force transmission device 3. Therefore, in the event of a collision of the vehicle 60 (particularly a frontal collision), the load and impact acting on the front collision protector 20 can be distributed to the engine 1 and the driving force transmission device 3. This effectively reduces damage to the engine 1, the driving force transmission device 3, and other peripheral devices that occurs when the vehicle 60 collides.

[0044] Here, the fastening portion 5 of the engine 1 with the driving force transmission device 3 is provided with a rib portion 5b extending in a direction connecting the axis 5c of the crankshaft 8 and the front collision protector 20 (see FIG. 2). The provision of the rib portion 5b increases the strength of the area around the crankcase 7 at the bottom of the engine 1, and can prepare for large loads and impacts acting on the front collision protector 20.

[0045] The engine 1 is provided with a flange 5a at least on the front side of the fastening portion 5 with the driving force transmission device 3. Generally, the flange 5a is provided around the entire periphery of the fastening portion 5 (around the axis 5c of the crankshaft 8). The rib 5b is connected to the flange 5a, which further increases the strength of the attachment portion of the front collision protector 20.

[0046] The front collision protector 20 may be disposed across the fastening portion 5 of the engine 1 with the driving force transmission device 3 and the front surface 3a of the driving force transmission device 3 adjacent to the fastening portion 5. The position where the protrusion 22 of the front collision protector 20 faces the front surface 3a of the driving force transmission device 3 may be away from the fastening portion 5, but to expect a higher load dispersion effect and impact dispersion effect, it is preferably on the front surface 3a of the driving force transmission device 3 adjacent to the fastening portion 5. In particular, if the driving force transmission device 3 has a flange portion at the end facing the fastening portion 5, it is preferable to face the main body 21 of the front collision protector 20 against the front surface 3a of the flange portion.

[0047] As shown in Figure 1, an oil filter (oil element) 6 is attached to the engine 1 so as to protrude from its front side. The oil filter 6 is a device that removes foreign matter from the engine oil that lubricates and cools the engine 1, and is detachable from the engine 1. The front surface of the main body 21, which is the foremost part of the front collision protector 20, is located forward of the leading edge 6a of the oil filter 6 (see symbol w1 in Figures 2 and 4D). This reduces damage to the oil filter 6 and the engine 1 to which the oil filter 6 is attached, which may occur in the event of a collision of the vehicle 60.

[0048] Here, it is desirable that the frontmost portion of the front impact protector 20 be located forward of the leading edge (front surface 50a; see Figures 8A to 8G) of the underride protector 50 and the leading edge of the slinger 40. This is because the load and impact acting on the front impact protector 20 during a collision of the vehicle 60 are absorbed and largely mitigated by both the engine 1 and the driving force transmission device 3. If a further forward component (such as the radiator 66) then approaches the engine 1, the underride protector 50 and the slinger 40 protect the engine 1 on both sides in the vehicle width direction. At this time, the underride protector 50 and the slinger 40 also protect the delivery pipe 10. In other words, the load and impact during a collision are absorbed by both the engine 1 and the driving force transmission device 3 via the front impact protector 20, thereby enhancing the protective function of the underride protector 50 and the slinger 40 for the delivery pipe 10.

[0049] As described above, when viewed from the front of the engine 1, the underride protector 50 is provided on the upper left of the front surface 1a, the slinger 40 on the upper right, and the front collision protector 20 on the lower right, with the intake manifold 2 sandwiched between the underride protector 50 and the front collision protector 20. This prevents the intake manifold 2, which is located in front of the fuel system including the delivery pipe 10, from moving backward. Furthermore, if the intake manifold 2 is made of resin, even if the intake manifold 2 moves backward, the delivery pipe 10 is made of metal, so the intake manifold 2 will be destroyed, thereby absorbing the impact. In other words, the configuration in which the engine 1 and the fuel system including the delivery pipe 10 are protected at three points - the underride protector 50, the slinger 40, and the front collision protector 20 - effectively protects the engine 1 and the fuel system.

[0050] It is desirable that the leading edge of the underride protector 50 (front surface 50a / see Figures 8A to 8G), or the leading edge of the slinger 40, or both, be located further forward than the leading edge of the delivery pipe 10, and furthermore, they may be configured to be located further forward than the front end 2a of the intake manifold 2.

[0051] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified as appropriate. For example, the number of cylinders of the engine 1 and other specifications of the engine 1 can be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, the detailed shapes of various components, such as intake system components such as the throttle valve 4 and adapter 69, fuel system components such as the delivery pipe 10, front collision protector 20, delivery pipe protector 30, slinger 40, and underride protector 50, can be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, the engine 1 may be a gasoline engine or a diesel engine.

[0052] Furthermore, vehicle 60 may be any vehicle having engine 1 mounted transversely, and may be, for example, a vehicle 60 that uses only engine 1 as a drive source, or a hybrid vehicle that has a motor in addition to engine 1 as a drive source. In particular, the present invention can be applied to a plug-in hybrid vehicle that has three drive modes, namely, electric drive mode, series drive mode, and parallel drive mode, and that can be charged from an external source and fed with power from an external source.

[0053] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims rather than the above description, and it is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0054] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Engine 2 Intake piping (intake manifold) 3 Drive force transmission device (CVT) 4 Throttle valve 5 Fastening part 6 Oil filter (oil element) 8 Crankshaft 10 Fuel introduction part (fuel delivery pipe) 20 Front collision protector 22 Protrusion 30 Delivery pipe protector 40 Slinger 50 Underride protector

Claims

1. The vehicle is equipped with an intake pipe for introducing air into the engine, a throttle valve provided in the intake pipe, and a fuel introduction section for introducing fuel into the engine, and a drive force transmission device is connected to either side of the engine in the vehicle width direction to transmit the rotation of the engine's crankshaft to the drive wheels. A vehicle structure in which a forward impact protector is attached to the front side of the engine, and the forward impact protector has a protrusion facing the front side of the drive force transmission device.

2. The vehicle structure according to claim 1, wherein the fastening portion of the engine to the power transmission device is provided with a rib portion extending in the direction connecting the axis of the crankshaft and the forward impact protector.

3. The vehicle structure according to claim 2, wherein the engine is provided with a flange portion at least on the front side of the fastening portion, and the rib portion is connected to the flange portion.

4. The vehicle structure according to claim 1, wherein the forward impact protector is arranged to span across the fastening portion with the power transmission device in the engine and the front side surface of the power transmission device adjacent to the fastening portion.

5. The vehicle structure according to claim 1, wherein the intake piping includes an intake manifold that protrudes forward of the fuel introduction section, and the foremost part of the forward impact protector is located forward of the leading edge of the intake manifold.

6. The vehicle structure according to claim 1, wherein an oil filter is provided protruding from the front side of the engine, and the foremost part of the forward impact protector is located in front of the leading edge of the oil filter.

7. The engine is equipped with a delivery pipe protector that covers the fuel inlet, and the delivery pipe protector is supported by an underride protector provided on one end of the engine in the vehicle width direction and a slinger provided on the other end in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the foremost part of the forward impact protector is located forward of the leading edge of the underride protector and the leading edge of the slinger.