Vehicle Exhaust Additive Supply Pipe Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle body structures face challenges in protecting the additive supply pipe for exhaust purification systems, particularly in four-wheel drive vehicles, due to interference with propeller shafts and exposure to road debris, which compromises the pipe's protection and routing efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle body structure positions the drive system components centrally, with the exhaust pipe alongside, allowing the supply pipe to intersect below the rear floor panel and route along the rear suspension cross and side members, providing enhanced protection and resistance to chipping and impact by positioning the tank on the same side as the drive system components and the supply pipe on the opposite side.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the supply pipe is routed below the main floor panel, then the pipe is exposed to road surface, but routing the pipe above the main floor panel protects it from road debris while exposing it to vehicle interior
Solution Approach 1:
The supply pipe is routed through the side member in the vehicle width direction and then in the front-rear direction, utilizing the three-dimensional space of the vehicle body structure. This spatial routing allows the pipe to avoid both road surface exposure and vehicle interior exposure by passing through structural elements like side members and floor panels at strategic locations.
2Device complexity
If the supply pipe crosses the main floor panel from below, then routing is simplified, but interference with propeller shaft in four-wheel drive vehicles occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The supply pipe routing is divided into multiple segments: a first section routed in the vehicle width direction through the side member, and a second section routed in the front-rear direction. This segmentation allows the pipe to navigate around the propeller shaft and other drive system components without requiring a simple straight-through floor panel crossing.
Solution Approach 2:
The pipe routing is adapted to local conditions by routing through specific structural elements (side members, floor panels) at different locations. The routing configuration changes locally to avoid interference with drive system components while maintaining connection between the additive tank and injector.
3Volume of stationary object
If the tank is positioned centrally, then space utilization is improved, but heat exposure from exhaust pipe increases
Solution Approach 1:
The additive tank is positioned asymmetrically relative to the exhaust pipe, located on one side in the vehicle width direction while the exhaust pipe is positioned on the other side. This asymmetric arrangement ensures that the tank is not directly exposed to exhaust heat while still utilizing available space efficiently in the vehicle underfloor area.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
Drive system components 8 connected to an engine 23 mounted in a vehicle 10 is disposed at a central portion in a vehicle width direction. An exhaust pipe 1 through which exhaust of the engine 23 flows is disposed side by side with the drive system components 8 in the vehicle width direction and extends in a front-rear direction. An injector 5 for injecting an additive used for exhaust purification is attached to the exhaust pipe 1. A tank 6 for storing the additive is disposed on the same side as the drive system components 8 with respect to the exhaust pipe 1 in the vehicle width direction. On the contrary, a supply pipe 7 of the additive is connected to the injector 5 from an opposite side of the drive system components 8 with respect to the exhaust pipe 1 in the vehicle width direction.