U.S. patent application number 10/172087 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-23 for hydrogen ventilation duct for fuel-cell-powered vehicle.
This patent application is currently assigned to Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha. Invention is credited to Hanaya, Ryukou, Hattori, Hiroyuki, Ono, Tohru.
Application Number | 20030017798 10/172087 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 19055519 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030017798 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hanaya, Ryukou ; et
al. |
January 23, 2003 |
HYDROGEN VENTILATION DUCT FOR FUEL-CELL-POWERED VEHICLE
Abstract
A hydrogen ventilation duct includes tubes for communication
between a motor room as a space beneath a hood and a space inside a
gutter. The gutter includes a vent communicating with the outside.
Hydrogen staying in the motor room is released naturally through
the tubes into the atmosphere.
Inventors: |
Hanaya, Ryukou; (Wako-shi,
JP) ; Ono, Tohru; (Wako-shi, JP) ; Hattori,
Hiroyuki; (Wako-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MERCHANT & GOULD PC
P.O. BOX 2903
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402-0903
US
|
Assignee: |
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki
Kaisha
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
19055519 |
Appl. No.: |
10/172087 |
Filed: |
June 13, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
454/147 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62D 25/105 20130101;
B62D 25/24 20130101; B60K 15/035 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
454/147 |
International
Class: |
B60H 001/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 23, 2001 |
JP |
2001-221936 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A hydrogen ventilation duct mountable to a hood of a
fuel-cell-powered vehicle, comprising: a gutter with a depression
configured to be disposed between an outer panel and an inner frame
which constitute said hood; at least one tube provided in a base of
said gutter so as to establish communication between a space below
said hood and a space inside said gutter; a cover integrally formed
with the upper end of said gutter so as to be positioned above said
tube, said cover having a vent for communication between said space
inside said gutter and ambient air; and at least one guide plate
integrally provided to the rear surface of said cover in a position
between said vent of said cover and said tube, said guide plate
extending at the lower end thereof to a level lower than the upper
end of said tube; wherein, hydrogen in said space below said hood
is guided through said tube into said space inside said gutter, and
the hydrogen in said space inside said gutter is guided from
opposite sides of said guide plate to said vent.
2. A ventilation duct as set forth in claim 1, wherein said guide
plate is curved to protrude toward said tube.
3. A ventilation duct as set forth in claim 1, wherein a drain pipe
is connectable to said gutter so as to discharge water collected in
said gutter through said drain pipe.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a fuel-cell-powered vehicle and,
more particularly, to a hydrogen ventilation duct for emitting
hydrogen in a space underneath the hood of the vehicle in natural
ventilation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Automobiles include fuel-cell-powered vehicles which are
propelled with motors driven by electricity generated in fuel cells
supplied with hydrogen and oxygen (air). Some fuel-cell vehicles
have drive motors disposed in spaces beneath hoods at the front
bodies (hereinafter referred to as "motor rooms"), fuel cells
disposed beneath floor plates, and intake ducts extended from the
fuel cells to the motor rooms.
[0003] The intake ducts take in air from the motor rooms, guiding
the air to the fuel cells, and thereby providing ventilation of the
fuel cells.
[0004] In a fuel-cell vehicle with such an intake duct, if the fuel
cells leak hydrogen for some reason when stopping the generation of
electricity, the leaked hydrogen can pass through the intake duct
and flow into the motor room. Most of the hydrogen entering the
motor room will flow out through the gaps between the front fenders
and the hood, for example, into the atmosphere. Part of the
hydrogen, however, can stay below the hood.
[0005] In order to emit hydrogen staying under the hood into the
atmosphere, a ventilation duct may be provided in the hood of the
fuel-cell vehicle. The ventilation duct provided in the hood allows
natural ventilation to remove hydrogen staying underneath the
hood.
[0006] However, the provision of the ventilation duct in the hood
can cause entering of rainwater or wash water, for example, into
the motor room through the ventilation duct. The entering rainwater
or wash water may reach various kinds of equipment such as a motor
controller provided in the motor room.
[0007] It is thus desirable to provide natural ventilation for
emitting hydrogen staying under the hood while preventing the
entering of rainwater or wash water into the motor room.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] According to the present invention, there is provided a
hydrogen ventilation duct mountable to a hood of a
fuel-cell-powered vehicle, which comprises: a gutter with a
substantially rectangular depression configured to be disposed
between an outer panel and an inner frame which constitutes the
hood; at least one tube provided in a base of the gutter so as to
establish communication between a space below the hood and a space
inside the gutter; a cover integrally formed with the upper end of
the gutter so as to be positioned above the tube, the cover having
a vent for communication between the space inside the gutter and
ambient air; and at least one guide plate integrally provided to
the rear surface of the cover in a position between the vent of the
cover and the tube, the guide plate extending at the lower end
thereof to a level lower than the upper end of the tube; wherein,
hydrogen in the space below the hood is guided through the tube
into the space inside the gutter, and the hydrogen in the space
inside the gutter is guided from opposite sides of the guide plate
to the vent.
[0009] Thus, establishing the communication between the space below
the hood and the space inside the gutter using the tube and the
communication between the space inside the gutter and the vent, and
disposing the vent above the outer panel allow hydrogen staying
under the hood to be guided through the tube into the space inside
the gutter and then emitted through the vent into the atmosphere.
Further, the disposition of the guide plate in the space inside the
gutter between the vent and the tube results in rainwater or wash
water entering the space inside the gutter from the vent guided by
the guide plate to flow around the tube. The rainwater or wash
water is thus guided to the gutter without entering the tube and is
thus prevented from entering the motor room in which various kinds
of equipment are disposed.
[0010] The guide plate is curved to protrude toward the tube, so
that hydrogen entering the space inside the gutter from the tube is
smoothly guided by the guide plate to the vent.
[0011] A drain pipe is connectable to the gutter, so that water
collected in the gutter is discharged through the drain pipe.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Certain preferred embodiments of the present invention will
be described in detail below, by way of example only, with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a fuel-cell-powered
vehicle with a hydrogen ventilation duct according to the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective cutaway view of the hydrogen
ventilation duct of the fuel-cell-powered vehicle according to the
present invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line
3-3 in FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line
4-4 in FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line
5-5 in FIG. 1;
[0018] FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating the flows of
hydrogen exiting through the hydrogen ventilation duct of the
present invention;
[0019] FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating the flows of water
entering the hydrogen ventilation duct of the present invention;
and
[0020] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the drain of water entering
the hydrogen ventilation duct of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and
is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application or
uses.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, a fuel-cell-powered vehicle 10 has left
and right front pillars 13, 14 extended respectively from the rear
upper ends of left and right front fenders 11, 12, a windshield 15
extended between the left and right front pillars 13, 14, a front
bumper 16 provided at the front ends of the left and right front
fenders 11, 12, a hood 17 extended across the space formed by the
left and right front fenders 11, 12, windshield 15 and front bumper
16, and a hydrogen ventilation duct 20 provided in the vicinity of
a rear end 17a of the hood 17.
[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates the hydrogen ventilation duct 20. The
hydrogen ventilation duct 20 has a duct body 21 in a substantially
rectangular shape mounted in the vicinity of the rear end 17a of
the hood 17 and a drain tube (drain pipe) 60 extending along the
hood 17 from the duct body 21 to the front end of the hood 17. The
hydrogen ventilation duct 20 is mounted to the hood 17 with left
and right brackets 30, 31 provided at the left and right ends of
the duct body 21 bolted to an inner frame.
[0024] The duct body 21 has a gutter 22 formed with front, rear,
left and right walls 23, 24, 25 and 26 and a base 27 to have a
rectangular depression, to be mounted to the hood 17, and four
tubes 35 in this embodiment provided in the base 28 of the gutter
22 at fixed intervals. Guide plates 38 are disposed between the
four tubes 35 and the rear wall 24 of the gutter 22, being opposed
to the tubes 35, respectively. The guide plates 38 are integrally
formed with the rear surface of a cover 40. The cover 40 is
integrally formed with an upper end 28 of the gutter 22. A recess
45 is formed in the middle of the base 27 of the gutter 22. The
number of the tubes 35 can be determined as desired.
[0025] The cover 40 has a vent 41 at its rear end portion. The vent
41 communicates with the gutter 22. FIG. 2 shows the cover 40
divided into upper and lower covers 40a, 40b for facilitating the
understanding. The upper and lower covers 40a, 40b are integrally
formed.
[0026] The guide plates 38 are curved so as to project toward the
tubes 35 and recessed with respect to the vent 41. Thus surfaces
38c of the guide plates 38 opposite to the tubes 35 are convex
surfaces and surfaces 38d opposite to the vent 41 are concave
surfaces. The reason why the guide plates 38 are formed to protrude
toward the tubes 35 will be described with reference to FIG. 6. The
reason why the guide plates 38 are formed to be recessed with
respect to the vent 41 will be described with reference to FIG.
7.
[0027] The drain tube 60 is connected to the front wall 23 of the
gutter 22 so as to communicate with the recess 45. The drain tube
60 guides rainwater or wash water collected in the recess 45 to the
vicinity of the front end 17b of the hood 17 (See FIG. 1) and
discharges the water from the vicinity of the front end 17b of the
hood 17.
[0028] A plurality of tubular elastic materials 63 (See FIG. 1) are
fitted onto the drain tube 60. The tubular elastic materials 63 are
disposed in the hood 17 to be held between an outer panel 18 and an
inner frame 19 (See FIG. 5). The drain tube 60 is thus stably
supported in the hood 17.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, the outer panel 18 of the hood 17 is
formed with an opening 18a in a substantially rectangular shape for
fitting the gutter 22 therein. The inner frame 19 is formed with
four circular openings 19a in a direction perpendicular to the
Figure sheet for inserting lower ends 35a of the tubes 35 therein.
A hood insulator 51 is disposed below the inner frame 19. A hood
rubber seal 52 is attached to the hood insulator 51. The hood
rubber seal 52 is press-contacted with the rear surface of the
inner frame 19.
[0030] The gutter 22 with a rectangular depression is disposed
between the outer panel 18 and the inner frame 19 of the hood 17.
An opening in the upper end 28 of the gutter 22 is positioned at
the opening 18a of the outer panel 18. The base 27 of the gutter 22
is positioned on the upper surface of the inner frame 19. The tubes
35 are provided in the base 27 in a direction crossing the sheet
surface at predetermined intervals. The lower ends 35a of the tubes
35 are respectively inserted into the openings 19a of the inner
frame 19 so that the tubes 35 communicates with a space beneath the
hood 17 (motor room) 54 and a space 55 inside the gutter 22. Hood
duct seals 56 are provided around the tubes 35. The hood duct seals
56 abut against the inner frame 19 so that the duct body 21 blocks
the openings 19a of the inner frame 19.
[0031] The cover 40 positioned above the tubes 35 is integrally
formed with the upper end 28 of the gutter 22. A circular groove 42
is formed in a rear peripheral surface of the cover 40. A hood duct
trim 57 is held in the circular groove 42. The hood duct trim 57
abuts against the surface of the outer panel 18 so that the cover
40 blocks the opening 18a of the outer panel 18.
[0032] The cover 40 has the vent 41 communicating with the space 55
inside the gutter 22. The vent 41 is positioned above the outer
panel 18. The guide plates 38 are disposed in the space 55 inside
the gutter 22 between the vent 41 of the cover 40 and the tubes 35.
Upper ends 38a of the guide plate 38 are integrally formed with the
rear surface 40a of the cover 40. Lower ends 38b of the guide
plates 38 extend downward to a level lower than the upper ends 35b
of tubes 35.
[0033] The cover 40 positioned above the tubes 35 inclines upward
from the front to the rear. Thus hydrogen is guided along the rear
surface 40a of the cover 40 toward the vent 41 rearward.
[0034] The upper ends 35b of the tubes 35 incline upward to the
rear in agreement with the rear surface 40a of the cover 40. This
allows the space between the upper ends 35b of the tubes 35 and the
rear surface 40a of the cover 40 to be set small. Thus rainwater or
wash water is securely prevented from entering from the upper ends
35b of the tubes 35.
[0035] The front wall 23 and the rear wall 24 of the gutter 22 have
overhangs 29, 29 protruding forward and backward, respectively. The
opening 18a of the outer panel 18 is formed in a space between the
overhangs 29, 29 and the cover 40, and a bend 18b bent downward is
interposed therebetween.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 4, the duct body 21 has the left bracket
30 extending to the left (to the right in the figure) provided at
the lower end of the left wall 25 of the gutter 22. The left
bracket 30 has a female thread member 32. The duct body 21 also
has, as shown in FIG. 2, the right bracket 31 extending to the
right provided at the lower end of the right wall 26 of the gutter
22. The right bracket 31 has a female thread member 32. Bolts 33
are screwed in the left and right female thread members 32, 32,
respectively, so that the left and right brackets 30, 31 are
mounted to the inner frame 19.
[0037] The tubes 35 are integrally formed with the base 27 of the
gutter 22 at fixed intervals. The lower ends 35a of the tubes 35
are respectively inserted into the openings 19a of the inner frame
19 so that the base 27 of the gutter 22 blocks the openings 19a of
the inner frame 19.
[0038] The width W between opposite sides 39a, 39a of the guide
plates 38 is set greater than the outside diameter D of the tubes
35 so that the guide plates 38 cover the tubes 35.
[0039] FIG. 5 illustrates a drain nozzle 23a formed at the front
wall 23 of the gutter 22 and the drain tube 60 connected to the
drain nozzle 23a. Specifically, the rear end of a tube body 61 of
the drain tube 60 is fitted onto the drain nozzle 23a and a front
nozzle 62 is fitted onto the tube body 61. The tubular elastic
materials 63 are fitted onto the tube body 61 as shown in FIG. 1 to
be held between the outer panel 18 and the inner frame 19. A flange
62a of the front nozzle 62 is fitted to an opening 19b of the inner
frame 19. Thus the tube body 61 is stably disposed in a space 17c
between the outer panel 18 and the inner frame 19. The front nozzle
62 communicates with the recess 45 of the gutter 22 via the tube
body 61 and the drain nozzle 23. Rainwater or wash water collected
in the recess 45 of the gutter 22 is thus discharged from the front
nozzle 62 through the tube body 61.
[0040] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate hydrogen let out through the
hydrogen ventilation duct 20.
[0041] In FIG. 6A, hydrogen, if leaked from fuel cells for some
reason when the fuel cells stop generating electricity, can enter
the motor room 54 through an intake duct. The hydrogen entering the
motor room 54 flows into the space 55 inside the gutter 22 through
the tubes 35 of the hydrogen ventilation duct 20. The hydrogen then
circumvents the guide plates 38 and flows from the opposite sides
39a, 39a of the guide plates 38 as shown by arrows. As described
with FIG. 2, the guide plates 38 are curved to protrude toward the
tubes 35, having the convex surfaces 38c. The hydrogen entering the
space 55 inside the gutter 22 from the tubes 35 is thus guided
smoothly along the convex surfaces 38c of the guide plates 38 to
the opposite sides 39a, 39a as shown by arrows.
[0042] In FIG. 6B, the hydrogen circumventing the guide plates 38
(See FIG. 6A) flows along the rear surface 40a of the cover 40
toward the vent 41 and is let out through the vent 41 into the
atmosphere. Specifically, the upward inclination of the cover 40 to
the rear smoothly guides the hydrogen along the rear surface 40a of
the cover 40 to the vent 41. The smooth guidance of the hydrogen in
the space 55 inside the gutter 22 to the vent 41 and the efficient
emission of the hydrogen to the atmosphere as shown by arrows
provide natural ventilation of the motor room 54 to eliminate the
hydrogen.
[0043] Next, a case of entering of rainwater or wash water from the
vent 41 of the hydrogen ventilation duct 20 will be described with
reference to FIGS. 7A to 8.
[0044] In FIG. 7A, rainwater or wash water, when entering from the
vent 41 of the hydrogen ventilation duct 20 as shown by arrows
{circumflex over (1)}, flows into the space 55 inside the gutter
22. Rainwater or wash water entering as shown by arrows {circumflex
over (2)} is intercepted by the guide plates 38.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 7B, the rainwater or wash water intercepted
by the guide plates 38 is guided along the guide plates 38, flowing
toward the base 27 of the gutter 22, and then flows through the
gaps between the lower ends 28b of the guide plates 38 and the base
27 of the gutter 22 toward the recess 45 as shown in FIG. 7A. The
guide plates 38 are curved to protrude toward the tubes 35 as shown
in FIG. 7A with the surfaces 38d opposite to the vent 41 recessed.
The rainwater or wash water coming in through the vent 41 toward
the guide plates 38 as shown by arrows {circumflex over (2)} is
thus collected in the middle of the guide plates 38. This securely
prevents rainwater or wash water from going around the opposite
ends 39a, 39b of the guide plates 38 and entering the tubes 35 from
the upper ends 35b of the tubes 35.
[0046] The rainwater or wash water entering as shown by arrows
{circumflex over (2)} flows along the guide plates 38 toward the
base 27 of the gutter 22 as described above, being prevented from
entering the tubes 35 from the upper ends 35b thereof. This
prevents rainwater or wash water from entering the motor room 54
from the upper ends 35b of the tubes 35 through the tubes 35 and
reaching various kinds of equipment inside the motor room 54.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 8, rainwater or wash water flowing into the
recess 45 of the gutter 22 flows through the drain nozzle 23a into
the tube body 61. The rainwater or wash water flowing into the tube
body 61 flows through the tube body 61 to the front nozzle 62 and
is discharged from the front nozzle 62. This prevents water
collected in the recess 45 of the gutter 22 from reaching various
kinds of equipment inside the motor room 54.
[0048] The above embodiment has been described with the guide
plates 38 curved to protrude toward the tubes 35. The shape of the
guide plates 38 is not limited to the curved one. The guide plates
38 may be formed in a substantially V shape, for example, to
provide similar effects.
[0049] The above embodiment has been described with the hydrogen
ventilation duct 20 mounted in the vicinity of the rear end 17a of
the hood 17. The present invention is not limited thereto. The
mounting position of the hydrogen ventilation duct 20 to the hood
17 is selectable in accordance with the shape of the fuel-cell
vehicle 10.
[0050] The above embodiment has been described with the lower ends
35a of the tubes 35 inserted in the openings 19a of the inner frame
19. The present invention is not limited thereto. The lower ends
35a of the tubes 35 may be opposed to the openings 19a of the inner
frame 19 without being inserted therein.
[0051] The present disclosure relates to the subject matter of
Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-221936, filed Jul. 23, 2001,
the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
* * * * *