JP2003118641A - Car body structure - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a vehicle body structure of an automobile capable of preventing hot air of an engine from entering a passage for taking in outside air from a drain port and improving cooling efficiency of cooling in a vehicle cabin. SOLUTION: A drain valve 18 is provided in a water drain port 35 provided in a partition wall 32 of a cowl top 15, so that the drain valve 18 normally closes the water drain port 35, and the drain port 35 is drained when draining. , The drain port 35 is opened only at the minimum necessary.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle body structure. 2. Description of the Related Art As a prior art relating to a vehicle body structure, for example, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-270843. In the body structure of the automobile, an outside air intake is formed on the upper surface of the cowl top for taking in outside air into the vehicle interior, and the air enters the outside air intake passage inside the cowl top via this outside air intake. In order to discharge rainwater, a drain port as shown in the above publication is formed in the partition wall of the cowl top. [0003] However, if a water drain port is formed in the partition wall of the cowl top, the engine may be inserted from the water drain port into the outside air intake passage inside the cowl top depending on the position of the drain port. Hot air enters. When hot air enters the outside air intake passage from the drain port in this way, there is a problem that the cooling efficiency of the cooling in the vehicle interior is reduced. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle body structure of an automobile capable of preventing hot air of an engine from entering a passage for taking in outside air from a drain port and improving cooling efficiency of cooling in a vehicle compartment. And [0005] In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle body structure of an automobile according to the present invention includes a cowl top (for example, cowl top 15 in the embodiment) and an outside air intake passage (for example, an embodiment). Outside air intake passage 37 in the form of
(For example, the partition 32 in the embodiment)
A drain valve (e.g., the drain valve 18 in the embodiment) is provided in a drain port (e.g., the opening 35 in the embodiment) provided in the vehicle, and a dashboard upper member (e.g., the dashboard in the embodiment) is provided through the drain port. A baffle (for example, the baffle 17 in the embodiment) that forms a drain passage (for example, the drain passage 41 in the embodiment) together with the dashboard upper (for example, the dashboard upper 12 in the embodiment) over the upper member 13 is provided. It is characterized by becoming. As described above, a drain valve is provided at a drain port provided in a partition of a cowl top. This drain valve usually closes a drain port, and is used to open the drain port during drainage. The drain opening is opened only to the minimum necessary, so that the hot air of the engine can be prevented from entering the outside air intake passage from the drain opening. In addition, since the baffle which forms a drain passage along with the dashboard upper is provided from the drain opening to the dashboard upper member, the hot air of the engine flows through the gap between the partition of the cowl top and the dashboard upper member. It can be prevented from reaching the drain port. Therefore, even if the drain valve opens the drain port at the time of drainage, it is possible to prevent the hot air of the engine from entering the outside air intake passage from the drain port through the gap between the partition of the cowl top and the dashboard upper member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vehicle body structure according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a partial front sectional view showing a vehicle body structure of an automobile according to this embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a bonnet, reference numeral 12 denotes a dashboard upper member, reference numeral 13 denotes a dashboard upper member, Reference numeral 14 denotes a front fender, reference numeral 15 denotes a cowl top, and reference numeral 16 denotes a cowl top.
Denotes a hinge mechanism, reference numeral 17 denotes a baffle, and reference numeral 18 denotes a drain valve. The dashboard upper member 13 includes a vertical wall 21 extending upward from the bottom 12a of the dashboard upper 12 along the front-rear direction, and an upper panel portion extending laterally from an upper portion of the vertical wall 21. 22. An opening 23 is formed at the lower end of the vertical wall 21 of the dashboard upper member 13 so as to penetrate in the left-right direction and pass through to the bottom 12a side of the dashboard upper 12. The fender 14 has an outer panel portion 26 having a curved shape, and an inner panel portion 27 extending vertically downward from the upper end of the outer panel portion 26. Is attached to the upper panel portion 22 of the dashboard upper member 13. The cowl top 15 has a panel portion 30 extending to the fender 14, a vertical wall 31 extending downward in the front-rear direction from a predetermined intermediate position of the panel portion 30, and is connected to the vertical wall 31. A partition 32 extends downward to the dashboard upper 12. here,
The vertical wall 31 and the partition wall 32 are arranged inside the dashboard upper member 13 so as to face the vertical wall 21 of the dashboard upper member 13.
A storage space 33 is formed between the storage space 33 and the storage space 33. That is, by providing the vertical wall 31 and the partition wall 32 on the cowl top 15 and providing the vertical wall 21 of the dashboard upper member 13 opposite to the vertical wall 31 and the partition wall 32, The storage space 33 is formed between the storage space 33 and the wall 21. The lower end of the partition wall 32 of the cowl top 15 penetrates in the left-right direction and the dashboard upper 1
An opening 35 is provided on the second bottom 12a side. Here, the vertical wall 3 of the cowl top 15 is located between the cowl top 15 and the dashboard upper 12.
The inside of the cowl top 15 in the left-right direction with respect to the inner wall 1 and the partition wall 32 is an outside air intake passage 37 for taking in outside air into the vehicle interior via an outside air intake 36 formed in the cowl top 15. As a result, the opening 3 of the partition 32 of the cowl top 15
Reference numeral 5 denotes a bottom portion of the dashboard upper 12 where rainwater that has entered the outside air intake passage 37 through the outside air intake 36 is removed.
The drain port is configured to flow to the fender 14 side and to be discharged along the line a. As shown in FIG. 3, the above-described baffle 17 made of synthetic resin having a concave cross section perpendicular to the length direction is provided on the dashboard outside the partition wall 32 of the cowl top 15 in the left-right direction. The bottom 12a of the upper 12
It is provided in a state in which it is laid down. The baffle 17 has a flange portion 40 formed at one end in the length direction. The flange portion 40 is attached to the outer side of the partition 32 of the cowl top 15 in the left-right direction. The baffle 17 has an intermediate position in the length direction fitted into the opening 23 of the vertical wall 21 of the dashboard upper member 13. The inside of the baffle 17 is continuous with the opening 35 of the partition wall 32 of the cowl top 15, and as a result, the dashboard upper member 1
3 and even dashboard upper member 1
A tubular (i.e., closed cross-sectional shape) drainage passage 41 extending to the outside position in the left-right direction beyond 3 and communicating with the opening 35 of the partition wall 32 is formed on the inner peripheral side together with the dashboard upper 12. Thus, the baffle 17 prevents the hot air of the engine from reaching the opening 35 of the partition 32 through the storage space 33 between the partition 32 of the cowl top 15 and the dashboard upper member 13. That is, the hot air of the engine is prevented from reaching the opening 35 through the storage space 33 from the gap between the cowl top 15 and the hood 11. Note that the tubular (i.e., closed cross-sectional shape) water drain passage 41 is for preventing hot air of the engine from entering through the storage space 33, and therefore at least the partition wall 32 of the cowl top 15 and the dashboard upper It is sufficient that only the area between the member 13 and the vertical wall 21 is provided. In addition, inside the partition wall 32 of the cowl top 15 in the left-right direction, the opening 35 serving as a drain port of the partition wall 32 of the cowl top 15 is provided.
The above-mentioned drain valve 18 which opens and closes is provided. The drain valve 18 is a plate-shaped member made of a material that is easily elastically deformable, such as rubber, and has an upper end supported above the opening 35 of the partition 32 and a lower end movable left and right with respect to the opening 35. It has become. The lower end of the drain valve 18 is connected to the bottom 1 of the dashboard upper 12.
It is arranged above the bottom portion 12a so that a slight gap is formed between itself and the bottom portion 2a. Here, when rainwater enters the outside air intake passage 37 through the outside air intake 36 at the cowl top 15, the rainwater flows into the bottom 1 of the dashboard upper 12.
4, the drain valve 18 is deformed outward in the left-right direction to open the opening 35 and flow through the drain passage 41, as shown in FIG. become. Here, the drain valve 18 and the bottom 12a of the dashboard upper 12
The gap formed between them is for preventing pebbles and the like contained in rainwater from biting between them. The above-mentioned hinge mechanism 16 is used for the bonnet 1
1 that is openably and closably supported, a support member 43 fixed to the upper panel portion 22 of the dashboard upper member 13, a rotation support shaft 44 supported by the support member 43 along the left-right direction, A hinge arm 45 that rotates about a support shaft 44, and the opposite side of the hinge arm 45 to the rotation support shaft 44 is the bonnet 11.
Is fixed to the lower surface of. The hinge arm 45 is provided between the vertical wall 31 of the cowl top 15 and the vertical wall 21 of the dashboard upper member 13 provided to face the vertical wall 31 of the cowl top 15. It is arranged in the storage space 33. Here, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the rotation support shaft 44 that supports the hinge arm 45
5 is provided below. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, when the hood 11 is closed (shown by a solid line in FIG. 5), the hinge arm 45 is largely inclined downward from the rotation support shaft 44 while being inclined rearward. After extending, it is curved so as to fold forward, and further extends upward while tilting forward, and then extends linearly almost horizontally forward,
This linear portion serves as a support portion 46 to which the bonnet 11 is fixed. With such a shape, the hinge arm 45 is prevented from interfering with the cowl top 15 when the hood 11 is opened and closed. As a result, the front end of the cowl top 15 has a notch for allowing the hinge arm 45 to escape. It is not provided and has a continuous shape. According to the above-described vehicle body structure of the present embodiment, the hinge arm 45 that supports the hood 11 so that it can be opened and closed faces the vertical wall 31 of the cowl top 15 and the vertical wall 31 of the cowl top 15. The arrangement is made in the storage space 33 between the dashboard upper member 13 and the vertical wall 21, so that the restriction on the shape setting of the hinge arm 45, particularly in the height direction, can be reduced. Can avoid interference with the cowl top 15 when opening and closing the hood 11 only by its shape. Therefore, it is not necessary to form a cutout in the cowl top 15 to escape from the hinge arm 45. Therefore, the appearance of the cowl top 15 can be made excellent. Further, since the rotation support shaft 44 for supporting the hinge arm 45 is provided below the cowl top 15, the cowl top 15 must be provided with a clearance for the rotation support shaft 44 for supporting the hinge arm 45. Is also gone. Therefore, the appearance of the cowl top 15 can be further improved. Furthermore, since the hinge arm 45 has a shape that is greatly extended downward while tilting rearward while the hood 11 is closed, the hinge arm 45 is bent forward, so that the impact at the time of collision is effectively absorbed. can do. On the other hand, according to the vehicle body structure of the present embodiment, the drain valve 18 for opening and closing the opening 35 is provided in the opening 35 as a drain port provided in the partition 32 of the cowl top 15. The drain valve 18 normally closes the opening 35 and opens the opening 35 at the time of drainage, so that the opening 35 is opened only to the minimum necessary. The hot air of the engine can be prevented from entering through the storage space 33. Therefore, the cooling efficiency of the cooling in the vehicle cabin can be improved. The dashboard upper member 12 extends from the opening 35 to the dashboard upper member 13.
Since the baffle 17 forming the drain passage 41 is also provided, the vertical wall 31 and the partition wall 3 of the cowl top 15 are provided.
The hot air of the engine is supplied to the opening 35 through the storage space 33 between the upper panel 2 and the vertical wall 21 of the dashboard upper member 13.
Can be further prevented. Therefore, even if the drain valve 18 opens the opening 35 during drainage, the storage space 3
The hot air of the engine can be prevented from entering the outside air intake passage 37 from the opening 35 through the opening 3. Therefore, the cooling efficiency of the cooling in the vehicle compartment can be further improved. As described in detail above, according to the vehicle body structure of the present invention, a drain valve is provided in a water drain port provided in the partition of the cowl top, and this drain valve is Normally, the drain port is closed, and the drain port is opened at the time of drainage, so that the drain port is opened only to the minimum necessary, and the hot air of the engine enters the outside air intake passage from the drain port. It can be prevented from entering. Therefore, the cooling efficiency of the cooling in the vehicle cabin can be improved. Further, since the baffle which forms a drain passage along with the dashboard upper is provided from the drain opening to the dashboard upper member, the hot air of the engine is discharged through the gap between the partition wall of the cowl top and the dashboard upper member. It can be prevented from reaching the drain port. Therefore, even if the drain valve opens the drain port at the time of drainage, it is possible to prevent the hot air of the engine from entering the outside air intake passage from the drain port through the gap between the partition of the cowl top and the dashboard upper member. Therefore, the cooling efficiency of the cooling in the vehicle compartment can be further improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial front sectional view showing a vehicle body structure of an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a cowl top and a hinge mechanism of the vehicle body structure of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view showing a dashboard upper, a baffle, and a drain valve of the vehicle body structure of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partial front sectional view showing a dashboard upper, a baffle, and a drain valve of a vehicle body structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a partial side view showing a cowl top and a hinge mechanism of the vehicle body structure of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Description of Signs] 12 Dashboard upper 13 Dashboard upper member 15 Cowl top 17 Baffle 18 Drain valve 32 Partition wall 35 Opening (drainage opening) 37 Outside air intake passage 41 Drainage passage

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A drain valve is provided at a water drain port provided in a partition that divides an outside air intake passage of a cowl top, and a dashboard upper member extends from the water drain port to a dashboard upper member. A vehicle body structure comprising a baffle forming a drain passage.