IP Library Granted Patent US 12,466,240
Granted Patent B2
US 12,466,240 · App. 18/125,423 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Vehicle

Inventor: Junichi Nakano (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
B60H1/3229B60H1/00407B60K5/00B60K11/04B60K2005/003
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,466,240
App. No.
18/125,423
Granted
Nov 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle includes a prime mover provided behind a front room and below a floor panel, a propeller shaft extending in front of the prime mover and below the floor panel in a front-rear direction and configured to transmit rotational power output from the prime mover, an air conditioner unit that is provided in the front room and through which a first refrigerant flows, a compressor driven by power of the prime mover and configured to compress the first refrigerant, and a first pipe that connects the air conditioner unit and the compressor and through which the first refrigerant flows. The floor panel is formed with a center tunnel portion formed by bending the floor panel upward in a convex shape. A space in which the propeller shaft is provided is formed below the center tunnel portion. The first pipe extends through the space in the front-rear direction.

Claims (67)

1 . A vehicle comprising:

a front wheel and a rear wheel;

a vehicle cabin;

a floor panel constituting a floor surface of the vehicle cabin;

a front room provided in front of the vehicle cabin;

a prime mover provided behind the front room and below the floor panel;

a propeller shaft extending in front of the prime mover and below the floor panel in a front-rear direction and configured to transmit rotational power output from the prime mover;

an air conditioner unit that is provided in the front room and through which a first refrigerant flows;

a compressor driven by power of the prime mover and configured to compress the first refrigerant; and

a first pipe that connects the air conditioner unit and the compressor and through which the first refrigerant flows,

wherein the floor panel is formed with a center tunnel portion formed by bending the floor panel upward in a convex shape,

wherein a space in which the propeller shaft is provided is formed below the center tunnel portion,

wherein the first pipe extends through the space in the front-rear direction, and

wherein, in a predetermined cross section that traverses at least a part of the propeller shaft in a vehicle width direction, the propeller shaft and the first pipe are arranged side by side in the space in the vehicle width direction.

2 . The vehicle according to claim 1 ,

wherein the vehicle further includes a second pipe extending below the floor panel in the front-rear direction, and

wherein, in another predetermined cross section that traverses at least a part of the propeller shaft in the vehicle width direction,

the first pipe is located on one side of the propeller shaft in the space in the vehicle width direction, and

the second pipe is located on the other side of the propeller shaft in the space in the vehicle width direction.

3 . The vehicle according to claim 2 ,

wherein the vehicle further includes a radiator provided in the front room, and

wherein the second pipe connects the prime mover to the radiator.

4 . The vehicle according to claim 2 ,

wherein the vehicle further includes a third pipe extending below the floor panel in the front-rear direction, and

wherein, in the another predetermined cross section, the third pipe is located on the other side of the propeller shaft in the space in the vehicle width direction.

5 . The vehicle according to claim 4 ,

wherein the air conditioner unit includes an evaporator and a heater core,

wherein the first pipe connects the evaporator and the compressor, and

wherein the third pipe connects the heater core to the prime mover.

6 . The vehicle according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first pipe includes a rigid portion formed of metal and an elastic portion formed of an elastic member.

7 . The vehicle according to claim 1 ,

wherein the vehicle further includes a lower cover member formed of a rigid member that covers the space from below.

8 . A vehicle comprising:

a front wheel and a rear wheel;

a vehicle cabin;

a floor panel constituting a floor surface of the vehicle cabin;

a front room provided in front of the vehicle cabin;

a prime mover provided behind the front room and below the floor panel;

an output shaft configured to output a driving force from the prime mover;

a propeller shaft extending in front of the prime mover and below the floor panel in a front-rear direction and configured to transmit rotational power output from the prime mover;

an air conditioner unit that is provided in the front room and through which a first refrigerant flows;

a compressor driven by power of the prime mover and configured to compress the first refrigerant; and

a first pipe that connects the air conditioner unit and the compressor and through which the first refrigerant flows,

wherein the floor panel is formed with a center tunnel portion formed by bending the floor panel upward in a convex shape,

wherein the output shaft is provided at a position offset by a predetermined distance from a center of the vehicle in a vehicle width direction,

wherein a space in which the propeller shaft is provided to be inclined in the vehicle width direction is formed below the center tunnel portion, and

wherein the first pipe extends through the space in the front-rear direction.

9 . The vehicle according to claim 8 ,

wherein the vehicle further includes a second pipe extending below the floor panel in the front-rear direction, and

wherein, in another predetermined cross section that traverses at least a part of the propeller shaft in the vehicle width direction,

the first pipe is located on one side of the propeller shaft in the space in the vehicle width direction, and

the second pipe is located on the other side of the propeller shaft in the space in the vehicle width direction.

10 . The vehicle according to claim 9 ,

wherein the vehicle further includes a radiator provided in the front room, and

wherein the second pipe connects the prime mover to the radiator.

11 . The vehicle according to claim 9 ,

wherein the vehicle further includes a third pipe extending below the floor panel in the front-rear direction, and

wherein, in the another predetermined cross section, the third pipe is located on the other side of the propeller shaft in the space in the vehicle width direction.

12 . The vehicle according to claim 11 ,

wherein the air conditioner unit includes an evaporator and a heater core,

wherein the first pipe connects the evaporator and the compressor, and

wherein the third pipe connects the heater core to the prime mover.

13 . The vehicle according to claim 8 ,

wherein the first pipe includes a rigid portion formed of metal and an elastic portion formed of an elastic member.

14 . The vehicle according to claim 8 ,

wherein the vehicle further includes a lower cover member formed of a rigid member that covers the space from below.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2023
From: NAKANO, JUNICHI
To: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 063078/0742 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-060290 · Mar 31, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230311619A1 · Oct 5, 2023
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