U.S. patent application number 09/725445 was filed with the patent office on 2001-05-31 for radiator mounting structure.
This patent application is currently assigned to HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Enomoto, Koji, Yoshida, Suguru.
Application Number | 20010001994 09/725445 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18326132 |
Filed Date | 2001-05-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010001994 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Enomoto, Koji ; et
al. |
May 31, 2001 |
Radiator mounting structure
Abstract
A radiator mounting structure is disclosed which has a front
grill located in front of a radiator and provided with a projection
extending toward the radiator. When a hood collides with an
obstacle M and is deformed, the deformation causes the front grill
to move rearward whereby the radiator is urged rearward of a
vehicle body to tilt in the same direction. Thus, the hood is
sufficiently deformable to thereby sufficiently alleviate an impact
shock to be applied to the obstacle within a limited space.
Inventors: |
Enomoto, Koji; (Wako-shi,
JP) ; Yoshida, Suguru; (Wako-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARENT FOX KINTNER PLOTKIN & KAHN, PLLC
Suite 600
1050 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
Washington
DC
20036-5339
US
|
Assignee: |
HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
|
Family ID: |
18326132 |
Appl. No.: |
09/725445 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
180/68.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K 11/08 20130101;
F28F 2275/143 20130101; B60K 11/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
180/68.4 |
International
Class: |
B60K 011/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 30, 1999 |
JP |
11-339297 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A radiator mounting structure designed to be connected to a
front part of a vehicle body, the front part having an upper and
lower cross members, said structure comprising: a radiator having
an upper end with an upright pin; a front grill located in front of
said radiator and having a projection projecting toward said
radiator; a lower supporting structure mounted to the lower cross
member for sustaining a lower end of said radiator such that said
radiator can make a tilting movement in a rearward direction of
said vehicle; and an upper supporting structure mounted to the
upper cross member and having resilient supporting means for
resiliently sustaining said upright pin so as to enable said pin to
disengage from said resilient means when said radiator is applied
via said projection with an impact force larger than a given
magnitude.
2. A radiator mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein said
resilient supporting means comprises a bracket fixedly secured to
the upper cross member and having a mounting bore, and a supporting
rubber fitted to said mounting bore and having an engagement
aperture for sustaining said pin therein.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to radiator mounting structures and,
more particularly, to a radiator mounting structure in which a
radiator can be moved rearwardly when an external force exceeding a
given value is applied to the radiator.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Various radiator mounting structures have heretofore been
proposed in the art as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility
Model Laid-Open Publication (Kokai) No. SHO-60-46335 entitled
"Radiator Support Structure For Vehicle" and Japanese Utility Model
Laid-Open Publication (Kokai) No. SHO-60-47826 entitled "Radiator
Support With Gap Adjustment Function".
[0005] In the radiator support structure disclosed in Kokai No.
SHO-60-46335, the radiator has its bottom portion mounted on a
lower cross member by means of brackets and resilient members,
while the radiator has, at its upper portion, formed with boss
portions fitted into respective, resilient cylindrical shaped
members which are mounted to an upper cross member by means of
brackets and resilient members.
[0006] In the radiator support disclosed in Kokai No. SHO-60-47826,
the radiator has its lower portion mounted on a vehicle body by
means of lower radiator supports and its upper portion mounted to
the vehicle body by means of support metal fittings and an upper
radiator support.
[0007] Recently, it has been proposed in the prior art to have the
vehicle equipped with a damping device such as a hood having its
front end formed with plastic, or a hood with its weakened frame
stiffness for thereby protecting an obstacle from being applied
with an excessive impact due to hood's distortion during collision
of the hood against the obstacle to be protected.
[0008] However, notwithstanding the provision of such a damping
device on the hood, protective distortion of the hood is restricted
by the radiator when the latter is mounted under the hood.
[0009] Where the hood having the above-noted damping device is
combined with the radiator mounting structure of Kokai No.
SHO-60-46335, a sufficient gap or distance cannot be provided
between the hood and the radiator for thereby fully alleviating the
impact force acting on the obstacle. To this end, the vehicle is
required to have a large engine room or compartment. This results
in drawbacks in that a structural design of the vehicle is
restricted and, for example, the vehicle length inevitably
increases with a resultant increase in the weight of the
vehicle.
[0010] Even in a case where the above hood is combined with the
radiator support structure of Kokai No. SHO-60-47826, similar
drawbacks are encountered, as those in the structure of Kokai No.
SHO-60-46335, because of the arrangement in that the radiator is
not readily moved rearward due to the hood's distortion or the
radiator is not collapsible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention has been attained in view of the
above-described inadequacies of the related art. It is accordingly
an object of the present invention to provide a radiator mounting
structure which enables sufficient alleviation of an impact force
to be applied to an obstacle without restricting structural
designing.
[0012] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a radiator mounting structure designed to be connected to
a front part of a vehicle body, the front part having an upper and
lower cross members, which structure comprises: a radiator having
an upper end with an upright pin; a front grill located in front of
the radiator and having a projection projecting toward the
radiator; a lower supporting structure mounted to the lower cross
member for sustaining a lower end of the radiator such that the
radiator can make a tilting movement in a rearward direction of the
vehicle body; and an upper supporting structure mounted to the
upper cross member and having resilient supporting means for
resiliently sustaining the upright pin so as to enable the pin to
disengage from the resilient means when the radiator is applied via
the projection with an impact force larger than a given
magnitude.
[0013] In this arrangement, when the hood is deformed for some
reasons such as, for example, when the hood collides against the
obstacle, the front grill is moved rearward to cause the
projections thereof to press the radiator. As a result, the
radiator is applied with a force greater than the given value in a
rearward direction, the upper support pin of the radiator is
removed from the resilient support means and, accordingly, the
radiator is tilted rearward around a center of the lower support
pin. Thus, the impact force applied by the obstacle is effectively
absorbed within a limited space and, at the same time, the hood can
be deformed to a sufficient extent.
[0014] In a preferred form, the resilient support means comprises a
bracket fixedly secured to the upper cross member and having a
mounting bore, and a resilient support rubber member fitted to the
mounting bore and having an engagement bore to fit therein the
upper support pin.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] These and other features and advantages of the present
invention may be more readily understood from the following
detailed description when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a front part of a vehicle
body employing a radiator mounting structure according to the
present invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line
2-2 of FIG. 1, illustrating the radiator mounting structure;
[0018] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an upper support
structure forming part of the radiator mounting structure of FIG.
2;
[0019] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a lower
support structure forming part of the radiator mounting structure
of FIG. 2;
[0020] FIGS. 5A to 5C are partial schematic views illustrating an
operation of the radiator mounting structure upon collision of an
obstacle with the vehicle body;
[0021] FIGS. 6A to 6C are schematic plan views showing an
operational relationship between a support rubber and an upper
support pin of the radiator mounting structure upon collision of
the obstacle with the vehicle body; and
[0022] FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic views illustrating an
operation of a known radiator mounting structure as compared with
the inventive arrangement.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and
is in no way intended to limit the invention, it application or
uses.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 1, a front body 10 of a vehicle body has
front fenders 11, 11 each forming a front portion of both sides of
the vehicle body, a hood 12 covering an upper front portion of the
vehicle body, a front grill 22 covering a front face of the vehicle
body, a pair of head lights 14, 14 fitted to the front face of the
vehicle body, and a bumper 15 fitted to lower portions of the head
lights 14, 14 and the front grill 22. An engine compartment 16 is
formed by the front fenders 11, 11, the hood 12, the front grill 22
and the bumper 15. The front body 10 incorporates therein the
radiator mounting structure 20. Reference numerals 17, 18 and 19
are assigned to front wheels (one of the front wheels is not seen),
a front glass and front doors (one of the front doors is not
seen).
[0025] FIGS. 2 and 3 show the radiator mounting structure 20 and an
upper support structure associated therewith.
[0026] In FIGS. 2 and 3, the radiator mounting structure 20 is
comprised of the front grill 22 located in front of the radiator
21, an upper supporting structure 23 which supports an upper
portion of the radiator 21 by means of a resilient supporting means
31, and a lower supporting structure 24 which supports a lower
portion of the radiator 21.
[0027] The radiator 21 has a body 25 having its upper end provided
with an upper supporting pin 26. The radiator body 25 has its lower
end formed with a lower support pin 27. An electric fan 28 is
mounted at a rear side of the radiator 25. The front grill 22 has a
protrusion 29 extending toward the radiator 21.
[0028] The radiator 21 has its upper portion fixedly supported by
the upper supporting structure 23 by means of the upper supporting
pin 26. The radiator 21 has its lower portion fixedly supported by
the lower supporting structure 24 by means of the lower supporting
pin 27.
[0029] The resilient supporting means 31 is comprised of a bracket
34 having its one end fixedly secured to an upper cross member 32.
The bracket 34 has its other end formed with a mounting bore 35. As
shown in FIG. 3, the mounting bore 35 is fitted with an upper
supporting rubber 36. The supporting rubber 36 is formed with an
engagement aperture 37, with which the upper supporting pin 26
engages.
[0030] Reference numerals 38, 38 are assigned to bolts for fixedly
securing the bracket 34 to the upper cross member 32, and the
reference numerals 32a, 32a are assigned to threaded portions
formed in the upper cross member 32.
[0031] The bracket 32 is configured to have a substantially flat
shaped member. The bracket 32 has its one end formed with small
bores 34a, 34a to admit the bolts 38, 38 therethrough to be fixedly
secured to the upper cross member 32 and also has its another end
formed with a mounting bore 35 into which the upper supporting
rubber 36 is fitted. The bracket 34 has its both sides formed with
upright ribs 34b, 34c for reinforcing the bracket 34. The mounting
bore 35 is shaped to have an elongated circle configuration formed
with mounting portions 35a, 35a which have indent portions 35b,
35b, respectively, to provide ease of deformation of the upper
supporting rubber 36 during insertion of the upper supporting pin
26 into the engagement aperture of the upper supporting rubber
36.
[0032] The upper supporting rubber 36 has its peripheral wall
formed with a recess 35a which is fitted to the mounting portions
35a, 35a of the mounting bore 35. The engagement aperture 37 of the
upper supporting rubber 36 is formed by a fitting portion 37a into
which the upper supporting pin 26 of the radiator 21, and an
opening portion 37b directed toward a rear portion of the vehicle
for providing ease of disengagement of the upper supporting pin 26
of the radiator 21 from the fitting portion 37a. Reference numerals
36b, 36b are assigned to middle portions of the upper supporting
rubber 36.
[0033] FIG. 4 shows a detailed structure of the lower supporting
structure 24.
[0034] The lower supporting structure 24 has a supporting stay 43
fixedly secured to the lower cross member 42, and a lower
supporting rubber 44 fixed to the supporting stay 43 for
resiliently sustaining the lower supporting pin 27 of the radiator
21. The lower supporting rubber 44 is resiliently deformable. For
this reason, the radiator 21 is thus supported in a manner to tilt
rearward around a center of the lower supporting pin 27 as shown by
a phantom line in FIG. 4.
[0035] The lower supporting member 42 is located in front of the
radiator 21 and comprised of an upper frame 46 and a lower frame
47, to which a reinforcement member 48 is attached.
[0036] The lower supporting stay 43 has a mounting portion 43a by
which the lower supporting stay 43 is mounted to the lower cross
member 42, and a support portion 43b for sustaining the lower
supporting rubber 44.
[0037] As already noted, the lower supporting rubber 44 is made of
a resiliently deformable rubber, which has a pair of foot portions
44a sustained by the lower supporting stay 43, and a recessed
portion 44b with which the lower supporting pin 27 of the radiator
21 engages, and a supporting surface 44c for sustaining the lower
end of the radiator 21.
[0038] Now, the operation of the radiator mounting structure 20
discussed above will be described below with reference to FIGS. 5A
to 6C.
[0039] In FIG. 5A, the obstacle M comes from an upper and front
area of the vehicle body, thereby colliding against the vehicle
body in a direction as indicated by an arrow {circle over (1)}.
[0040] In FIG. 5B, the obstacle M collapses the hood 12 while
pressing the front grill 22 toward the rear portion of the vehicle
body whereby the projection 29 of the front grill 22 pushes the
upper portion of the radiator 21 rearward in a direction as shown
by an arrow {circle over (2)}. In this instance, the radiator 21
begins to tilt toward the rear portion of the vehicle body around
the center of the lower supporting pin 27 of the radiator 21 in a
direction as shown by an arrow {circle over (3)}.
[0041] In FIG. 5C, the projection 29 of the front grill 22 further
presses the upper portion of the radiator 21 and, so, the upper
supporting pin 26 is disengaged from the resilient supporting means
31 so that the radiator 21 is further tilted rearward in a
direction as shown by an arrow {circle over (4)}.
[0042] During the above tilting step, since the upper cross member
32 is located at the rear portion of the radiator 21 so as to keep
the stroke of the radiator 21 during its tilting movement, the
radiator 21 is enabled to tilt rearward without colliding against
the upper cross member 32.
[0043] Namely, the radiator mounting structure 20 functions in such
a manner that, for example, when the obstacle M collides against
the hood 12, the hood 22 is deformed while, at the same time, the
front grill 22 is pressed rearward to cause the projection 29 to
push the radiator 21 in the same direction whereby, when the
radiator 21 is applied with an external force greater than the
given value in the rearward portion of the vehicle body, the upper
supporting pin 26 of the radiator 21 is disengaged from the
resilient supporting means 31, thereby enabling the rearward
tilting motion of the radiator 21 around the center of the lower
supporting pin 27. As a result, when the obstacle M collides
against the hood 12, the hood 12 is enabled to deform in a given
space while absorbing the impact applied by the obstacle M for
thereby alleviating the shock to be applied to the obstacle M. For
this reason, no restriction is required in the structural design of
the vehicle body and, also the vehicle body is not required to have
an increased length or weight. Accordingly, it is possible to
realize the radiator mounting structure 20 which enables to
sufficiently alleviate the mechanical impact, within the given
space, to be applied to the obstacle M.
[0044] FIGS. 6A to 6C show a deforming condition of the resilient
supporting rubber 36.
[0045] In FIG. 6A, if an external force is applied to the upper
supporting pin 26 in the rearward direction of the vehicle body as
shown by an arrow {circle over (5)}, the engagement aperture 37 of
the resilient supporting rubber 36 is subjected to forces in
directions as shown by arrows {circle over (6)}so as to open the
opening 37b.
[0046] In FIG. 6B, when the upper supporting pin 26 moves in the
rearward direction of the vehicle body in a direction as shown by
an arrow {circle over (7)}, since the mounting bore 35 of the
bracket 34 has the indents 35b, 35b, the middle portions 36b of the
resilient supporting rubber 36 are deformed in directions as shown
by arrows {circle over (8)}, {circle over (8)}. If the middle
portions 36b, 36b are deformed in the above fashion, an opening
width A of the opening 37b increases and, therefore, the upper
supporting pin 26 readily disengages from the fitting portion
37a.
[0047] In FIG. 6C, the upper supporting pin 26 further moves in the
rearward direction of the vehicle body as shown by an arrow {circle
over (9)}and, consequently, the upper supporting pin 26 disengages
from the resilient supporting means 31 (see FIG. 2). Namely, since
the mounting bore 35 is formed by the mounting portions 35a, 35a
for sustaining the supporting rubber 36, and the indents 35b, 35b
to admit the supporting rubber 36 to widen sideward, the supporting
rubber 36 is enabled to be readily deformed. Further since the
engagement bore 37 is formed by the fitting portion 37b to which
the upper supporting pin 26 is fitted, and the opening portion 37b
contiguous with the fitting portion 37a and opening in the rearward
direction of the vehicle body, the supporting rubber 36 easily
enables to disengage the upper supporting pin 26 of the radiator 21
therefrom (see FIG. 2).
[0048] A known radiator mounting structure is exemplified in FIGS.
7A and 7B for comparison in terms of operation with the
above-described radiator mounting structure.
[0049] As shown in FIG. 7A, the known radiator mounting structure
100 has a structure in which a lower portion of a radiator 104 is
supported by a lower cross member 101 by means of a supporting stay
102 secured to the lower cross member 101 and a lower supporting
rubber 103 which sustains the lower end of the radiator 104 whereas
an upper end of the radiator 104 is fixedly supported by an 20
upper cross member 105 located in front of the radiator 104 by
means of a bracket 106 and an upper supporting rubber 107. The
obstacle M collides against a hood 108 from a front side of the
vehicle body as shown by an arrow a.
[0050] In FIG. 7B, the obstacle M collapses the hood 108 as shown
by arrow b. In this instance, the hood 108 is caused to collide
against the upper cross member 105 and brought into contact with
the radiator 104. Thus, the obstacle M is applied with a large
impact force. If, however, the upper cross member 105 is located at
a rear side of the radiator 104 and the obstacle M is directly
brought into contact with the radiator 104 without contacting the
upper cross member 105, since the upper portion of the radiator 104
can not tilt around the center of the lower end of the radiator
104, the impact force acting on the obstacle M becomes large in
magnitude.
[0051] Although, in the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the radiator 21 has been shown and described as having
its upper end formed with a single upright supporting pin 26 which
is supported by the single resilient supporting means 31, the
principle concept of the present invention is not limited to the
above discussed embodiment and it may be modified such that the
upper end of the radiator is formed with a plurality of pins which
are sustained by a plurality of resilient supporting means,
respectively.
[0052] It will now be appreciated from the foregoing description
that, in the above discussed embodiment, the front grill located in
front of the radiator is formed with the projections extending
toward the radiator and, if the hood is deformed due to some
reasons such as collision against the obstacle, the front grill is
forced rearward to thereby cause the projection to press the
radiator. As a result, the hood can be sufficiently deformed while
absorbing the impact force of the obstacle within the limited space
and, accordingly, the impact force to be applied to the obstacle
can be effectively alleviated without causing any restriction in
the structural design of the vehicle body and without increasing
the length and weight of the vehicle. Namely, it is possible to
provide a radiator mounting structure which enables to sufficiently
alleviate the impact force to be applied to the obstacle within the
limited space.
[0053] Obviously, various minor changes and modifications of the
present invention are possible in the light of the above teaching.
It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the
appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described.
* * * * *