Engine positioning structure for an automobile
First Claim
1. An engine positioning structure for a rear wheel drive automobile, the automobile having a longitudinal axis and having a passenger compartment with a floor panel and an engine compartment in front of the passenger compartment, the two compartments being separated by a dash panel, with an engine mounted in the engine compartment driving the rear wheels, the engine positioning structure comprising:
- means for positioning the engine so that a rotation axis of the engine is at a position higher than the height of the floor panel of the passenger compartment;
means for positioning a rear end part of the engine behind a general plane of the dash panel;
a cowl which is provided at the upper part of the dash panel, the cowl having a closed cross-section structure extending in a widthwise direction relative to the longitudinal axis;
a part of the cowl having a reduced closed cross-section at the center part of the widthwise direction where the size of the closed cross-section is rearwardly reduced in the longitudinal direction; and
the rear end of the engine being mounted within the part of the cowl having a reduced closed cross-section.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An engine positioning structure is used for a rear wheel drive automobile, with an engine mounted in an engine compartment driving the rear wheels. In the automobile having a passenger compartment and the engine compartment, where the two compartments are separated by a dash panel, the engine is positioned so that a rotation axis of the engine is at a position higher than the height of a floor panel of the passenger compartment, and a rear end part of the engine is positioned behind a general plane defined by a position corresponding to the position of a passenger relative to a dash panel. The engine positioning structure enables a retreated layout of the engine to be obtained. It also reduces Yaw moment of inertia, and improves the steering stability.
12 Citations
6 Claims
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1. An engine positioning structure for a rear wheel drive automobile, the automobile having a longitudinal axis and having a passenger compartment with a floor panel and an engine compartment in front of the passenger compartment, the two compartments being separated by a dash panel, with an engine mounted in the engine compartment driving the rear wheels, the engine positioning structure comprising:
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means for positioning the engine so that a rotation axis of the engine is at a position higher than the height of the floor panel of the passenger compartment; means for positioning a rear end part of the engine behind a general plane of the dash panel; a cowl which is provided at the upper part of the dash panel, the cowl having a closed cross-section structure extending in a widthwise direction relative to the longitudinal axis; a part of the cowl having a reduced closed cross-section at the center part of the widthwise direction where the size of the closed cross-section is rearwardly reduced in the longitudinal direction; and the rear end of the engine being mounted within the part of the cowl having a reduced closed cross-section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification