IP Library Granted Patent US 6,953,080
Granted Patent B2
US 6,953,080 · App. 10/245,182 · Granted Oct 11, 2005

Front end structure of vehicle preventing short-circuit of cooling air

Assignee: Denso Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,953,080
App. No.
10/245,182
Granted
Oct 11, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

A first pipe 231 and a second pipe 232 are connected using connectors 233 and 234 so that at least one of the connectors 233 and 234 is located in a through-hole 133 . In this way, since the through-hole 133 is filled in by at least one of the connectors 233 and 234 , the gap between the connectors 233 and 234 and the edge of the through-hole 133 can be considerably reduced. It is, therefore, possible to prevent hot air from moving to the front of a panel 100 through the gap between connectors 233 and 234 and the edge of the through-hole 133.

Claims (23)

1. A front end structure of a vehicle comprising:

a front end panel that extends in the direction of the vehicle's width at the front end of the vehicle, at least a heat exchanger mounted on the front side of the vehicle in front of the front end panel, and at least an external pipe that connects the at least a heat exchanger and devices mounted on the vehicle behind the front end panel; wherein

the external pipe penetrate through the front end panel;

the external pipe includes a first pipe, one end of which is connected to the heat exchanger and the other end of which a is connector to a first connection, and a second pipe, one end of which is connected to a second connector which is connected to the first connector and the other end of which is connected to the devices;

a through-hole, through which one of the first and second connectors can be inserted, is provided in the front end panel; and

one of the connectors is disposed in the through-hole when the first and second connectors are connected;

a size of the connector disposed in the through-hole and a size of the through-hole are substantially the same; and

the front end panel is provided with means for engaging at least one of the first and second connectors.

2. A front end structure of a vehicle, comprising:

a front end panel that extends in the direction of the vehicle's width at the front end of the vehicle, at least a heat exchanger mounted on the front side of the vehicle in front of the front end panel, and at least an external pipe that connects the at least a heat exchanger and devices mounted on the vehicle behind the front end panel;

wherein each of the at least an external pipe is arranged in such a way as to penetrate through the front end panel;

wherein each of the at least an external pipe is composed of a first pipe, one end of which is connected to the heat exchanger and to the other end of which a first connector for connection is connected, and a second pipe, to one end of which a second connector connected to the first connector is connected and the other end of which is connected to the devices;

wherein at least one through-hole, through which at least one of the connectors can be inserted, is provided in the front end panel; and

wherein at least one of the connectors is located in the at least one through-hole in a state in which both the connectors are connected,

the front end panel is provided with a cover that covers the through-hole when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the cover is separated from the opening surface of the through-hole by a specified distance.

3. A front end structure of a vehicle comprising:

a front end panel that extends in the direction of the vehicle's width at the front end of the vehicle, a heat exchanger mounted on the front side of the vehicle in front of the front end panel, and an external pipe that connects the heat exchanger to a device mounted on the vehicle behind the front end pane; wherein

the external pipe penetrates through the front end panel;

the external pipe includes a first pipe, one end of which is connected to the heat exchanger and the other end of which is connected to a first connector, and a second pipe, one end of which is connected to a second connector which is connected to the first connector and the other end of which is connected to the device;

a through-hole, through which one of the first and second connectors can be inserted, is provided in the front end panel;

one of the connectors is disposed in the through-hole when the first and second connectors are connected;

the front end panel is provided with a cover that covers the through-hole when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the cover is separated from the opening surface of the through-hole by a specified distance; and

a space is formed between the cover and an opening of the through-hole in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, one of the first and second connectors is disposed in the through hole, and the other connector is disposed in the space between the cover and the opening of the through-hole.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2002
From: SASANO, NORIHISA; UCHIKAWA, AKIRA; MATSUURA, SATOSHI; MIZUKAMI, KOUICHI
To: DENSO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 013479/0077 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2001-281935 · Sep 17, 2001 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20030051858A1 · Mar 20, 2003