IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,600,225
Granted Patent B2
US 12,600,225 · App. 18/455,249 · Granted Apr 14, 2026

Vehicle front structure

Inventors: Yukari Sumie (Toyota, JP); Masayuki Okano (Toyota, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B60K11/08B60Q5/00B60R19/52
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,600,225
App. No.
18/455,249
Granted
Apr 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The vehicle front structure includes a radiator provided at a distance from the front bumper to the rear, an air guide duct provided between the front bumper and the radiator in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a vibration member mounted on a wall surface of the air guide duct. Vibration of the vibration member vibrates the wall surface, whereby a sound (horn sound) is emitted to the internal space of the air guide duct. The horn sound is amplified by resonance in the internal space, and is emitted in the forward direction of the vehicle through the front opening of the air guide duct.

Claims (17)

1 . A vehicle front structure, comprising:

a member to be cooled;

an air guide duct having a front opening that is open in a forward direction of a vehicle, the air guide duct being configured to send air entering through the front opening to the member to be cooled; and

a vibration member mounted on a surface of a wall of the air guide duct and configured to generate a horn sound in an internal space of the air guide duct by vibrating the surface of the wall, wherein

the front opening has a cross-sectional area that increases toward the forward direction of the vehicle, and

the wall of the air guide duct includes a plurality of internal walls, wherein the plurality of internal walls stand from an inner surface of the wall toward the internal space and are parallel to each other.

2 . The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 , wherein:

the wall of the air guide duct includes a flat plate portion in a form of a flat plate; and

the vibration member is mounted on a central part of the flat plate portion.

3 . The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 , wherein the vibration member vibrates at a same frequency as a natural frequency of the internal space of the air guide duct.

4 . The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the wall of the air guide duct is smooth.

5 . The vehicle front structure according to claim 4 , wherein the inner surface of the wall of the air guide duct includes a continuous plane or curved surface with no steps or protrusions.

6 . The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 , wherein each internal wall of the plurality of internal walls includes a first edge and a second edge opposite to the first edge, the first edge being connected to the inner surface of the wall of the air guide duct, and the second edge being a free edge.

7 . The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 , wherein the wall of the air guide duct includes two internal walls that face each other so as to generate a standing wave between the two internal walls.

8 . The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 , wherein the member to be cooled is a radiator.

9 . The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 , wherein the front opening of the air guide duct has a megaphone shape.

10 . The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 , wherein the vibration member is a motor configured to vibrate in response to receiving a control signal transmitted from an in-vehicle electronic control unit mounted on the vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 24, 2023
From: SUMIE, YUKARI; OKANO, MASAYUKI
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 064696/0448 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-184092 · Nov 17, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240166042A1 · May 23, 2024
References Cited (17)
US 10110981B2 · Kenaley · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 10538158B2 · Sedlak · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10576885B2 · Schmitt · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20070205043A1 · Krueger · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20140015654A1 · Nakayama · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20160368364A1 · Aoki · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170151907A1 · Sakamoto · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20190176694A1 · Schmitt et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200398643A1 · Miyazaki · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210237673A1 · Tokuyama et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
JP 2003335173A · 2003 [cited by applicant]
JP 2007137368A · 2007 [cited by applicant]
JP 2011189906A · 2011 [cited by applicant]
JP 2013173445A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017008748A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2021120241A · 2021 [cited by applicant]
JP 2022023369A · 2022 [cited by applicant]