JPH11180264A - Cowl panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cowl panel that can ensure high windshield glass washing ability of a washer nozzle even with the generation of contraction at the time of forming the cowl panel, thermal deformation after forming the cowl panel and an assembly error at the time of assembling the cowl panel. SOLUTION: A cowl panel 4 made of synthetic resin is disposed between a hood 2 of an automobile body and windshield glass 3. The cowl panel 4 is provided with a flat spray type washer nozzle 5. The washer nozzle 5 comprises a nozzle body 7 made of synthetic resin, and a flat spray type jet 8 fitted into the nozzle body 7. The nozzle body 7 is formed integrally with the cowl panel 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cowl panel provided with a washer nozzle for spraying a cleaning liquid onto a windshield of an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a washer device for a vehicle provided with a washer nozzle in a cowl panel disposed between a hood and a windshield of the vehicle has been disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 57-39.
No. 860 proposes this. In this washer device, since the nozzle is provided on the cowl panel,
The distance to the windshield is short, and the influence is reduced by the wind pressure of the cleaning liquid jetted from the nozzle, so that the landing point is not disturbed and the cleaning property is excellent. Also, since the hood has no nozzle, the design of the car is excellent.

Further, in the washer nozzle, a nozzle body for accommodating a jet is integrally formed with a cowl panel made of a synthetic resin using a mold, and the jet is attached to the nozzle body formed on the cowl panel. The jet attached to the nozzle body is a jet that is point-sprayed onto the surface of the windshield. In other words, the washer nozzle is a jet type washer nozzle that attempts to obtain a cleaning effect by spraying the cleaning liquid onto the surface of the windshield. Therefore, the direction in which the cleaning liquid is ejected from the jet outlet is determined by the position of the nozzle body formed on the cowl panel and the state of attachment of the jet to the nozzle body.

[0004]

However, since the cowl panel made of the synthetic resin has a large shape, the size of the cowl panel itself largely varies due to shrinkage during molding or thermal deformation after molding, and therefore, the And the cowl panel (nozzle body) vary in position.
Also, due to an assembly error when assembling the cowl panel to the vehicle, the variation in the positional dimensions is further increased.

[0005] This variation in the positional dimension has been a great limitation in improving the positional accuracy of the landing point of the cleaning liquid landing on the glass by the jet type washer nozzle and improving the cleaning performance. In other words, since the jet-type washer nozzle provided on the cowl panel has a short distance to the windshield, the amount of adjustment of the direction of the jet attached to the nozzle body is large even if the positional variation is small, so the accuracy is high. In many cases, it was impossible to make a high adjustment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to shrink the cowl panel at the time of molding or thermal deformation after the molding, and to assemble the cowl panel at the time of assembling error. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cowl panel which can ensure high washing performance of a windshield by a washer nozzle even if the occurrence of the problem.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The gist of the invention described in claim 1 is a cowl panel made of a synthetic resin provided with a diffusion type washer nozzle for spraying a cleaning liquid onto a windshield.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the cowl panel according to the first aspect, the diffusion washer nozzle is a flat spray type. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the cowl panel according to the first or second aspect, the nozzle guides the cleaning liquid to the long-hole-shaped injection port through which the cleaning liquid is injected, and the cleaning liquid. An inner peripheral surface of the portion where the injection port is formed is provided with a flow path formed in a dome shape, and a throttle portion for narrowing the longitudinal center of the injection port so that the opening state is symmetrical on both sides thereof. This is the gist.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the cowl panel according to the third aspect, the injection port of the nozzle has a gourd-shaped symmetrical shape in the center in the longitudinal direction on both sides thereof. I do.

[0010] The invention described in claim 5 provides the invention according to claims 1 to 4.
In the cowl panel according to any one of the above, the nozzle includes a jet provided with an ejection port for ejecting a cleaning liquid, and a nozzle body that supports the jet,
At least, the gist is that the nozzle body is integrally formed with a cowl panel made of the synthetic resin.

(Operation) According to the first aspect of the present invention,
If the size of the cowl panel itself fluctuates due to shrinkage during molding or thermal deformation after molding, or an assembly error occurs when assembling the cowl panel to the vehicle, the relative position between the windshield and the washer nozzle provided on the cowl panel may change. Shift. This shift results in a shift in the landing point of the cleaning liquid ejected from the washer nozzle. Even if the landing point of the cleaning liquid shifts, the diffusion type washer nozzle sprays the cleaning liquid onto the windshield so that it spreads and spreads. can do. As a result, the cowl panel provided with the washer nozzle can ensure high cleaning properties for the windshield.

According to the invention described in claim 2, according to claim 1,
In addition to the operation of the cowl panel described in (1), the cleaning liquid can be sprayed so as to land on the windshield with more spread.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the first aspect is provided.
Or, in addition to the operation of the cowl panel described in 2, the cleaning liquid flowing through the flow passage is collected at the center of the dome at the tip end of the flow passage, and is then jetted from the jet port at a time to thereby extend in the longitudinal direction. The mist is sprayed at a predetermined spread angle (spray angle). At the time of this injection, since the center of the injection port in the longitudinal direction is the constricted portion, the flow rate distribution becomes small at the center in the longitudinal direction of the injection port and increases at both sides in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the flow rate distribution in the longitudinal direction of the injection port is smaller at the center and larger on both sides than in the case where there is no restriction section because the center in the longitudinal direction of the injection port is narrowed by the throttle section. Further, since the flow rate ratio becomes relatively large on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the injection port, the injection pressure increases, and the injection speed increases, the cleaning liquid is jetted from both sides in the longitudinal direction of the injection port. Therefore, when the washing liquid lands on the windshield of the automobile, the concentration at the central portion, which becomes the field of view, becomes thin and the degree of obstruction of the field of view is reduced, while the water landing area is expanded on both sides in the longitudinal direction. In addition, since the cleaning liquid is vigorously injected from both sides in the longitudinal direction of the injection port, the height of the landing point of the cleaning liquid that lands on the windshield during high-speed running is further increased.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the injection port of the nozzle has a symmetrical gourd shape on both sides in the longitudinal direction, the cleaning liquid is squeezed at the center of the injection port during injection. According to the invention described in claim 5, in addition to the operation of the cowl panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4, at least the nozzle body is integrally formed with the cowl panel made of a synthetic resin. The mold can be formed by one mold, and the number of parts of the washer nozzle can be reduced.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, a hood 2 and a windshield 3 of an automobile body 1 are provided.
The cowl panel 4 made of a synthetic resin is disposed between the two. A pair of left and right flat spray washer nozzles 5 are provided on the cowl panel 4 so as to direct the left and right half surfaces of the windshield 3 respectively. The cleaning liquid that has landed on the windshield 3 is wiped by the wiper blade 6 a of the wiper device 6.

The washer nozzle 5 is a component of the washer device 100 mounted on the front of the vehicle body. As shown in FIG. 2, the washer device 100 includes a washer tank 101 for storing a cleaning liquid and a washer tank 1.
And a washer pump 103 for sending the cleaning liquid S in the nozzle 01 to the washer nozzle 5 at a predetermined pressure through a hose 102. And the washer nozzle 5,
The hose 102, the washer tank 101, and the washer pump 103 constitute a washer device 100.

The washer nozzle 5 comprises a synthetic resin nozzle body 7 and a synthetic resin flat spray jet 8 fitted into the nozzle body 7. The nozzle body 7 is integrally formed with the cowl panel 4, a hose connection portion 7 a is formed to extend downward from the back surface of the cowl panel 4, and a nozzle attachment portion 7 b is formed to project from the surface of the cowl panel 4. In the present embodiment, the nozzle body 7 and the cowl panel 4 which are integrally formed have excellent dimensional stability,
Thermoplastic resin (for example, P
BT: polybutylene terephthalate). As shown in FIG. 3, the flow path 7c, which is the passage of the cleaning liquid S, penetrates the hose connection part 7a and the nozzle attachment part 7b, and forms a recess 7d at the outlet of the flow path 7c.
The recess 7d has a spherical inner peripheral surface. Recess 7d
The jet 8 is press-fitted in the inside. Jet 8
Has a spherical outer peripheral surface so as to fit into the recess 7d. For this reason, the jet 8 is mounted rotatably around its axis in a fitted state pressed into the recess 7d.

The jet 8 has the shape shown in FIGS. The jet 8 has a flow passage 9 which is open at the rear end thereof and extends in a cylindrical shape. The flow passage 9 communicates with the flow passage 7c when the jet 8 is pressed into the recess 7d. The distal end portion (outlet portion) of the flow passage 9 is formed in a hemispherical dome.

The leading end of the jet 8 has four extending portions 8a extending so as to be divided into four by cross-shaped grooves 10, 11 cut from the end face side. A gourd-shaped injection port 12 is formed at the bottom of the grooves 10, 11 so that the longitudinal direction thereof coincides with the extending direction of the groove 10 in a state of communicating with the flow passage 9 at the dome portion. As shown in FIG.
The central portion in the longitudinal direction of the injection port 12 is narrowed by a pair of throttle portions 13 that are symmetrically protruded from both sides in the short direction direction.

As shown in FIG. 8, the injection port 12 has a gourd shape symmetrical with respect to a center line K passing through the center of its longitudinal width, and the throttle section 13 bisects the opening of the injection port 12. So that it protrudes. The throttle portion 13 is formed with a curvature that continuously changes from the curvature of the other portion of the injection port 12. The protrusion amount d of the narrowed portion 13 is 0.1 mm or more with respect to the maximum width end of the injection port 12 in the lateral direction.
2 is squeezed by 0.2 mm or more at the center in the longitudinal direction. In the present embodiment, the protrusion amount d is set to 0.13 mm. The cross-shaped grooves 10 and 11 are for rotating the jet 8 with respect to the recess 7 d using a tool such as a screwdriver, and are provided for adjusting the direction of the injection port 12. It does not have any effect at the time.

In the flat spray type washer nozzle 5, the cleaning liquid S is sprayed from the injection port 12 in a mist at a predetermined spread angle (spray angle) θ (see FIG. 11) which spreads in the longitudinal direction. The injection angle θ is determined depending on factors such as the diameter of the flow passage 9, the curvature of the dome, and the length of the injection port 12 in the longitudinal direction. In the case of flat spray type, the injection port
It is necessary that the flow rate distribution in the spreading direction of the cleaning liquid S jetted from the nozzle has a distribution pattern having two peaks at which the flow rate increases at both ends as shown in a distribution curve A in FIG. That is, it is a preferable usable condition of the flat spray type that the peak ratio a / b of the maximum peak value a and the minimum peak value b of the distribution curve A shown in FIG. 9 exceeds “3”.

FIG. 10 is a graph showing the relationship between the injection port θ and the peak ratio a / b. The pattern of this flow distribution depends on the injection angle θ. The distribution pattern is as follows: injection angle θ = 1
At 2 degrees or more, the peak ratio a / b becomes larger than “3” and becomes 2
Split into two peaks. Since the injection angle θ normally used in the washer nozzle 5 for automobiles is 45 degrees or less, the range of the injection angle θ = 12 to 45 degrees is a suitable usable range of the flat spray type washer nozzle 5. The setting value of the injection angle θ is particularly preferably in the range of 20 to 40 degrees. In the present embodiment, the injection angle θ is set to about 30 degrees. When the injection angle θ exceeds 45 degrees and further increases, the peak ratio a / b continues to decrease, and in a region where the injection angle θ exceeds a predetermined value, the peak ratio a / b substantially approaches “1”.

Next, the operation of the washer nozzle 5 having the jet 8 will be described. The cleaning liquid S flowing through the flow path 7c is collected at the center along the dome at the tip end of the flow passage 9 and is then jetted from the jet port 12 at a time. At the time of this injection, the cleaning liquid S is throttled at the center in the longitudinal direction of the injection port 12 by the throttle unit 13 to reduce the flow rate ratio, and the amount throttled by the throttle unit 13 flows out of the openings on both sides thereof. The flow rates on both sides in the longitudinal direction will increase. As a result, the gourd-shaped injection port 12 has a smaller flow rate at the center in the longitudinal direction and a larger flow rate at both sides in the longitudinal direction due to the throttle effect at the center in the longitudinal direction. In addition, the flow rate on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the injection port 12 is relatively increased, and the jetting speed is increased by the increase of the water pressure on both sides. Therefore, the cleaning liquid S is jetted more vigorously from both sides in the longitudinal direction of the injection port 12. Is done.

Accordingly, the jet 8 is directed toward the driver's seat-side central portion of the windshield 3 using a tool such as a driver, and as shown in FIG. Is adjusted sideways so as to match the vehicle width direction. Then, when the cleaning liquid S is jetted from the washer nozzle 5 in this adjusted state, the cleaning liquid S lands on the windshield 3. As shown in FIG. 11, the landing area W is flat in the vehicle width direction, has a low density at the center, and has a high density on both sides.

Next, the features of the cowl panel provided with the flat spray type washer nozzle 5 configured as described above will be described. (1) In the present embodiment, the cleaning liquid S is sprayed into the concave portion 7b of the nozzle body 7 integrally formed with the cowl panel 4 made of synthetic resin with an injection angle θ that spreads from the injection port 12 in the longitudinal direction. A flat spray type jet for jetting was attached. Therefore, as in the case of a conventional jet type washer nozzle using a point jet jet, a dimensional error occurs due to shrinkage of the cowl panel 4 during molding or the like, and the landing point of the cleaning liquid S that cannot be covered is shifted. However, since the flat spray type jet 8 of the present embodiment jets the cleaning liquid S in a mist state with the jetting angle θ spreading in the longitudinal direction, the jet 8 can be covered.

(2) In this embodiment, the injection port 12 of the jet 8 is formed in a gourd shape, and the flow rate from the injection port 12 is smaller at the center in the spreading direction and larger on both sides in the spreading direction. . Accordingly, the concentration of the cleaning liquid in the central portion of the landing area W where the cleaning liquid S has landed on the windshield 3 can be further reduced, and the visibility at the time of spraying the cleaning liquid can be secured. In addition, since the flow rate on both sides in the spreading direction of the injection port 12 is increased, the injection speed is increased, and the cleaning liquid S is jetted vigorously from both ends of the injection port 12. The washing liquid S can be brought to a position where the height is higher.

(3) In the present embodiment, four extended portions 8a divided into four are provided at the tip of the jet 8. Therefore, the direction of the injection port 12 with respect to the windshield 3 can be adjusted using a tool such as a screwdriver. This adjustment also makes it possible to adjust the displacement of the landing point of the cleaning liquid S due to a dimensional error of the cowl panel 4 or the like.

The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiments, but may be embodied as follows, for example, without departing from the spirit of the invention. In the above embodiment, the flat spray type jet 8 is used.
The injection port 12 was formed in a gourd shape, but the shape of the injection port is not limited to a gourd shape. As shown in FIG. 12, a configuration may be adopted in which the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the injection port 20 is narrowed by the throttle section 21 until the injection port 20 becomes two holes 20a. According to this configuration, since the jet 8 has the injection port 20 composed of the two holes 20a, the flow rate in the spreading direction of the injection port 20 is smaller at the center and larger at both ends than that having the gourd-type injection port 12. can do. Therefore,
The displacement of the landing point of the cleaning liquid S caused by the dimensional error of the cowl panel 4 can be further covered, the visibility at the time of the cleaning liquid injection can be secured, and the traveling speed is higher than that of the gourd-shaped injection port 12. The cleaning liquid S can be sprayed to a higher position on the windshield 3.

The shape of the injection port may be a gourd shape other than the above embodiment. For example, the injection port can be formed in the shape shown in FIG. FIG. 13A is an example in which the throttle unit 13 protrudes from only one side in the short direction of the injection port 12.
The opening shape is symmetrical on both sides of the diaphragm 13. FIG. 13B shows an example in which the projecting positions of a pair of throttle portions 13 projecting from both sides in the short direction of the injection port 12 are shifted in the longitudinal direction. Is symmetric (rotationally symmetric). FIG. 13C shows an example in which a gourd-shaped injection port 12 is formed by partially overlapping and contacting two circular holes. Not
When the jet 8 is processed to form the injection port 12, the processing method can be simplified.

In the above embodiment, the washer nozzle 5
Is composed of a synthetic resin nozzle body 7 and a resin jet 8 fitted into the nozzle body 7. The nozzle body 7 is integrally formed with the cowl panel 4. 7 and the cowl panel 4 may be integrally formed. In this case, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be obtained, and the number of manufacturing steps and the number of parts can be further reduced.

In the above embodiment, the nozzle body 7 is formed integrally with the cowl panel 4 using a thermoplastic resin (for example, PBT: polybutylene terephthalate) having excellent dimensional stability and less deformation due to heat and water absorption. However, the nozzle body 7 may be implemented so as to be integrally formed with the cowl panel 4 using a thermoplastic resin (for example, PP: polypropylene) having relatively excellent heat resistance. In this case, the same effect as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the washer nozzle 5
A nozzle body 7 made of synthetic resin and a jet 8 made of resin fitted into the nozzle body 7. The nozzle body 7 was integrally formed with the cowl panel 4. The nozzle 5 may be mounted on the cowl panel 4 as a separate component. At this time, only the washer nozzle 5 is formed of a thermoplastic resin (e.g., PBT: polybutylene terephthalate) having excellent dimensional stability and less deformation due to heat and water absorption, and the cowl panel 4 has a relatively high heat resistance. It may be formed of an excellent thermoplastic resin (for example, PP: polypropylene). In this case, substantially the same effects as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the direction of the injection port 12 was adjusted to be lateral so as to coincide with the vehicle width direction. However, as shown in FIG. The direction of the injection port 12 may be rotated approximately 45 degrees in the clockwise direction when viewed from the viewpoint, that is, may be adjusted so that the longitudinal direction of the injection port 12 is inclined 45 degrees with respect to the vehicle width direction. At this time, as shown in FIG.
Has a flat shape and is inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the vehicle width direction. The flat water landing area W corresponds to the wiper device 6.
Is formed in the wiping range E1 of the wiper blade 6a at an intermediate position between the lower edge reversal position P1 as the one-side reversal position and the side edge reversal position P2 as the other-side reversal position. Moreover, the landing area W is formed such that the longitudinal direction of the area W is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade 6a when passing through the area W.

Accordingly, the wiper blade 6a can wipe the cleaning liquid S over the entire area in the longitudinal direction of the wiper blade 6a, so that the cleaning liquid S can be spread over the entire wiping range E1. As a result, the cleaning solution S
Is used without waste, and the windshield 3 can be efficiently cleaned. Further, the water landing area W is formed within the wiping range E1 of the wiper blade 6a and at an intermediate position between the lower edge inversion position P1 and the side edge inversion position P2, so that the windshield 3 can be more efficiently cleaned. Can be

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention is carried out with a flat spray type washer nozzle as a diffusion type, but it may be carried out with a diffusion type washer nozzle other than the flat spray type. In this case, the same effect as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

[0036]

According to the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, even if shrinkage at the time of molding of the cowl panel or thermal deformation after molding or an assembling error when assembling the cowl panel occurs, the washer is provided. High cleaning performance of the windshield by the nozzle can be ensured.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the nozzle body and the cowl panel can be formed by one mold.
The number of parts of the washer nozzle can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main part of an automobile including a cowl panel with a washer nozzle according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the cowl panel taken along line II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side sectional view of the washer nozzle.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a jet of the washer nozzle.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the jet taken along the line II-II in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the jet, taken along the line III-III in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the jet.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the injection port.

FIG. 9 is a flow distribution pattern diagram of a flat spray washer nozzle.

FIG. 10 is a graph showing a relationship between an injection angle and a peak ratio.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a concentration distribution in a landing area in a horizontal flat spray type.

FIG. 12 is a front view of a jet having another injection port.

FIG. 13 is a front view of another injection port.

FIG. 14 is a front view of the jet in a state where the direction of the injection port is adjusted to be rotated approximately 45 degrees clockwise.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory view showing the shape of a water landing area when the direction of the injection port is rotated approximately 45 degrees clockwise.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Car body, 2 ... Bonnet, 3 ... Windshield, 4 ... Cowl panel, 5 ... Washer nozzle, 6 ... Wiper device, 6a ... Wiper blade, 7 ... Nozzle body, 7
c: flow path, 8: jet, 9: flow path, 12: injection port,
13: throttle unit, 100: washer device, 101: washer tank, 103: washer pump, S: cleaning liquid, W: water landing area, E1: wiper blade wiping range, P1: lower edge reversal position, P2: side edge reversal position.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A cowl panel made of a synthetic resin provided with a diffusion type washer nozzle (5) for spraying a cleaning liquid (S) onto a windshield (3). 2. The cowl panel according to claim 1, wherein the diffusion type washer nozzle (5) is a flat spray type. 3. The cowl panel according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle (5) comprises: a slot-shaped ejection port (12) through which a cleaning liquid (S) is jetted; and the cleaning liquid (S). A flow path (9) having a dome-shaped inner peripheral surface of a portion where the injection port (12) is formed and a longitudinal center of the injection port (12) are guided to the injection port (12). A cowl panel comprising a diaphragm portion (13) for narrowing an opening state on both sides thereof. 4. The cowl panel according to claim 3, wherein the injection port (12) of the nozzle (5) has a gourd-shaped shape symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal center on both sides thereof. 5. The cowl panel according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle (5) is provided with a jet (8) provided with a jet (12) for jetting a cleaning liquid (S). And a nozzle body (7) supporting the jet (8), and at least the nozzle body (7) is integrally formed with the cowl panel (4) made of the synthetic resin.