FRONT TRUNK

A vehicle front trunk includes a storing portion having a box shape that opens upward. The storing portion is disposed in front of a vehicular compartment and has a storing space therein. The storing portion includes a bottom wall and side walls extending upward from the bottom wall, and a through hole that is included in one of the bottom wall and the side walls and through which the storing space is communicated with an outer space outside the storing portion.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-92095 filed on Jun. 5, 2023. The entire contents of the priority application are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present technology described herein relates to a front trunk of a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

In a mid-engine car including a driving system such as an engine in a middle section of a vehicular body and a rear-engine car including an engine in a rear section of a vehicular body, a storing space (a front trunk, which is a so-called frunk) can be included in front of a vehicular compartment. Electric vehicles including a motor as a driving power source have been developed and such electric vehicles include front trunks. A frunk module that is configured as a main body to form a storing space of the front trunk is fixed to a vehicular body with a certain mounting structure.

SUMMARY

However, with the above mounting structure, rainwater or water used for washing the vehicle may enter the storing space and may be stored therein. Rainwater may enter the storing space that is disposed in front of the vehicular compartment when a cover (a hood) covering the storing space is lifted up to be opened. Particularly, if the cover is configured not to be able to cover an opening of the storing space effectively with the cover being lifted up or the front section of a vehicle having particular shape, rainwater may be likely to enter the storing space. On the other hand, various noise such as wind noise caused under a vehicle floor or noise from tires or driving source are caused outside the frunk module. To provide a comfortable vehicular interior space, such noise needs to be reduced.

An object of the present technology described herein is to provide a front trunk with which water can be drained from a storing portion. Another object of the present technology described herein is to provide a front trunk with which noise caused outside the storing portion can be reduced.

A vehicle front trunk according to the technology described herein includes a storing portion having a box shape that opens upward. The storing portion is disposed in front of a vehicular compartment and has a storing space therein. The storing portion includes a bottom wall and side walls extending upward from the bottom wall, and a through hole that is included in one of the bottom wall and the side walls and through which the storing space is communicated with an outer space outside the storing portion. The bottom wall and the side walls define the storing space.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

First Embodiment

A front trunk100of a vehicle1according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIGS.1to3. In each of the drawings, arrows FR and RR represent a front side and a rear side, respectively, arrows U and D represent a lower side and a left side, respectively, and arrows L and R represent a left side and a right side, respectively. A right-left direction corresponds to a vehicular width direction.

As illustrated inFIG.1, the vehicle1includes a vehicular compartment S1and a front section1A that is in front of the vehicular compartment S1. The vehicular compartment S1is an interior space in which passengers get in. The front section1A projects frontward from the vehicular compartment S1. Tires T, a motor M that is a driving source for rotating the tires T to move the vehicle1, and the front trunk100are included in the front section1A. The tires T are included in both side sections of the front section1A with respect to the vehicular width direction. The tires T and the motor M create noise when the vehicle1is running. The vehicle1is an electric automobile and an engine that is a driving source for moving the vehicle1is not installed in the vehicle1.

The front trunk100is above the tires T and the motor M. The front trunk100includes abase member15, a cover10(a hood), and a storing portion20. The base member15is a wall extending in a vehicular front-rear direction and the vehicular width direction. The storing portion20is a recess in a middle of the base member15and opens upward. The cover10is disposed above the base member15and covers an opening of the storing portion20. The cover10is configured to be lifted up to uncover the opening.

When the cover10is lifted up from the base member15and opens the opening of the storing portion20, the cover10is in an open state as illustrated inFIG.1. When the cover is disposed opposite the base member15and closes the opening of the storing portion20, the cover10is in a closed state as illustrated inFIG.3. The cover10is configured to be movable between the closed state and the open state. In the open state, support members13extend from the base member15to the cover10to support the cover10that is in the open state. In the closed state, the opening of the storing portion20is covered with the cover10and a storing space S2in the storing portion20is defined by the cover10. Luggage is stored in the storing space S2. An opening edge20A of the storing portion20is an elastic portion having elasticity and is formed from material softer than that of the base member15. The storing portion20can be closely contact with the cover10via the elastic portion when the cover10is in the closed state.

The storing portion20is on a front side with respect to the vehicular compartment S1and recessed downward. As illustrated inFIGS.2and3, the storing portion20includes a bottom wall21and side walls. The bottom wall21is a rectangular plate that extends in the front-rear direction and the right-left direction. The side walls include two side walls24, a rear wall27, and a front wall29. The side walls24extend upward from side edges of the bottom wall21with respect to the width direction, respectively, and are opposite each other. Each of the side walls24is a rectangular plate that extends in the front-rear direction and the upper-bottom direction. The side walls24are configured as walls of the storing portion20that are disposed opposite each other with respect to the vehicular width direction. The rear wall27extends upward from a rear edge of the bottom wall21and is a rectangular plate that extends in the vehicular width direction and the upper-bottom direction. The rear wall27is configured as a rear wall of the storing portion20. The front wall29extends upward from a front edge of the bottom wall21and is a rectangular plate that extends in the vehicular width direction and the upper-bottom direction. The front wall29is configured as a front wall if the storing portion20. The front wall29and the rear wall27are opposite each other with respect to the front-rear direction. The storing portion20includes a storing space S2that is defined by the bottom wall21, the side walls24, the rear wall27, and the front wall29. The motor M is disposed behind the rear wall27(on an outer side with respect to the rear wall27).

A skin having a sound absorbing property may be attached to surfaces of the walls21,24,27,29that face the storing space S2. Material of such a skin is not limited to a particular one but may be non-woven fabric and woven fabric.

Upper edges of the side walls24, the rear wall27, and the front wall29are defined as the opening edge20A. The bottom wall21includes a left edge portion21A. The two side walls24and the rear wall27include lower edge portions24A,27A, respectively. The left edge portion21A of the bottom wall21is connected to the lower edge portion24A of the left side wall24. The lower edge portion24A corresponds to a base portion. The bottom wall21includes a through hole30in a middle of the left edge portion21A with respect to the front-rear direction. The through hole30extends through the bottom wall21in the upper-bottom direction, which is a thickness direction of the bottom wall21or an inner-outer direction of the storing portion20. As illustrated inFIG.3, the bottom wall21is inclined downward as it extends toward the through hole30.

The through hole30is a circular hole. As illustrated inFIG.3, the through hole30has a tubular inner surface31extending in the upper-bottom direction, an inner opening32, and an outer opening33. The inner opening32is at an upper end of the through hole30and at an upper end of the tubular inner surface31and opens toward the storing space S2or an inner side of the storing portion20. The outer opening33is at a lower end of the through hole30and at a lower end of the tubular inner surface31and opens toward an outer space or an outer side of the storing portion20. The storing space S2of the storing portion20communicates with the outer space through the through hole30. The outer space may be a space that is an inner space of the front section1A of the vehicle1and in which the motor M is disposed or may be an outer space that is outside the vehicle such as a space in which the tires T are disposed and a space under a floor. When noise occurs in the outer space, air resonance is caused in the storing portion20by the noise via the through hole30(Helmholts resonance). Accordingly, the noise caused in the outer space can be absorbed and reduced.

Next, effects of this embodiment will be described. The front trunk100of the vehicle1according to this embodiment includes the storing portion20that is disposed on a front side with respect to the vehicular compartment S1and opens upward. The opening of the storing portion20is covered by the cover10and the storing portion20has the storing space S2therein. The storing portion20includes the bottom wall21, the side walls24, and the rear wall27. The side walls24extend upward from the bottom wall21and are opposite each other with respect to the vehicular width direction. The rear wall27extends upward from the bottom wall21and is configured as a rear side wall of the storing portion20. The bottom wall21includes the through hole30that extends through the bottom wall21in the inner-outer direction of the storing portion20.

According to such a front trunk100, with the storing portion20, which is disposed on the front side with respect to the vehicular compartment S1and in which luggage can be stored, and the through hole30, noise that is caused outside the storing portion20can be absorbed and reduced. Namely, the storing portion20and the through hole30are configured as a resonator. With the bottom wall21including the through hole30, wind noise that occurs under the floor of the vehicle1can be effectively absorbed with the air in the storing space S2of the storing portion20. Accordingly, a comfortable vehicular interior space can be provided. With the through hole30being included in the bottom wall21, if water enters the storing portion20, the water can be drained out of the storing portion20through the through hole30. Since the bottom wall21is inclined downward as it extends toward the through hole30, water is likely to flow toward the through hole30and can be drained through the through hole30effectively.

The motor M, which is a driving power source for the vehicle1, is disposed outside the storing portion20and is behind the rear wall27.

According to such a front trunk100, noise caused by the motor M can be effectively absorbed with the storing portion20.

Second Embodiment

A front trunk200according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIGS.4and5. The same symbols are used for the components of the second embodiment that are same as those of the first embodiment. Configurations, operations, and effects that are same as those of the first embodiment will not be described.

The front trunk200includes a storing portion220. The storing portion220includes a bottom wall221and a protrusion223that projects upward from a surface221A1of the bottom wall221. The protrusion223projects from a left edge portion221A of the bottom wall221. The protrusion223is adjacent to one of the side walls24and adjacent to the through hole30. The protrusion223is adjacent to an inner-side opening edge222of the inner opening32of the through hole30. As illustrated inFIG.5, the protrusion223has an elongated shape and extends along and between the front wall29and the rear wall27. Specifically, the protrusion223extends from the front wall29to the rear wall27.

According to such a front trunk200, luggage stored in the storing portion220is stopped by the protrusion223so as not to fall into the through hole30.

The storing portion220includes a hollow member40. The hollow member40includes a hollow body portion41extending in the upper-bottom direction. The hollow body portion41has a box shape opening upward. The hollow body portion41includes a first hole42at an upper end of the hollow body portion41and a second hole43at a low end of the hollow body portion41. The first hole42opens toward the storing space S2and the second hole43opens downward. The first hole42corresponds to an opening of the hollow member40that opens upward. The second hole43is continuous to the through hole30of the bottom wall221. The second hole43is connected to the inner opening32of the through hole30. The second hole43is in a bottom of the hollow body portion41. The hollow body portion41includes side walls44extending along one of the side walls24and opposite each other. The hollow body portion41extends between the front wall29and the rear wall27. Specifically, the hollow body portion41extends from the front wall29to the rear wall27. Namely, the side walls44extends from the front wall29to the rear wall27. The hollow member40is contacted with the protrusion223and positioned securely. Specifically, one of the side walls44is contacted with the protrusion223.

According to such a front trunk200, a tool can be put inside the hollow member40. For example, a jack can be arranged inside the hollow member40such that the hollow member40can be used as a tool box. By appropriately changing the length of the hollow member40extending in the upper-bottom direction or the size of the hollow member40, the frequency of noise that can be absorbed with air in the storing space S2of the storing portion220can be changed. A drain path for draining water through the through hole30may be formed on the surface of the bottom wall221. The drain path may extend along or through the protrusion223or the hollow member40.

As illustrated inFIG.6, a storing portion220A according to a modification of the second embodiment includes a protrusion223A. The protrusion223A has a length extending along the side wall24that is smaller than the length of the protrusion223. The protrusion223A extends corresponding to the through hole30. The storing portion220A includes a hollow member40A. The hollow member40A includes side walls44A that extend along one of the side walls24of the storing portion220A. The hollow member40A extends between the front wall29and the rear wall27. The length of the hollow member40A extending along the side wall24is smaller the length of the hollow member40. Namely, the length of the side walls44A is smaller than the length of the side walls44. The side walls44A extend opposite each other and sandwich the through hole30. The side walls44A, a front wall, and a rear wall of the hollow member40A surround the through hole30. The operations and effects similar to those of the second embodiment can be obtained in this modification. As illustrated inFIG.4, the bottom wall221is inclined downward as it extends toward the through hole30. With such a configuration, water that may enter the storing space S2is likely to flow toward the through hole30and can be drained through the through hole30effectively.

Third Embodiment

Next, a front trunk300according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIG.7. The same symbols are used for the components of the third embodiment that are same as those of the above embodiments. Configurations, operations, and effects that are same as those of the above embodiments will not be described.

The front trunk300includes a storing portion320. The storing portion320includes a hollow member340. The hollow member340includes a hollow body portion341extending in the vehicular width direction. The hollow body portion341is expandable and contractable in the vehicular width direction. The hollow member340includes a first hole342at a right end thereof and a second hole343at a left lower end thereof. The first hole342opens toward the storing space S2of the storing portion320and the second hole343opens downward. The second hole343is continuous to the through hole30of the bottom wall21. The second hole343is connected to the inner opening32of the through hole30. The hollow body portion341is between the first hole342and the second hole343. The hollow body portion341has a tubular shape with bellows. A radial cross-sectional shape of the hollow body portion341is not particularly limited and may be a square, a circle, or an indeterminate shape.

According to such a front trunk300, by expanding and contracting the hollow body portion341, the frequency of noise that can be absorbed with air in the storing space S2can be changed easily.

Fourth Embodiment

Next, a front trunk400according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIG.8. The same symbols are used for the components of the fourth embodiment that are same as those of the above embodiments. Configurations, operations, and effects that are same as those of the above embodiments will not be described.

The front trunk400includes a storing portion420. The storing portion420includes a bottom wall421and walls extending from the bottom wall421. The walls include two side walls424R,424L, which extend from two side edges of the bottom wall421with respect to the vehicular width direction, a rear wall427, and a front wall. The side walls424R,424L are opposite each other with respect to the vehicular width direction. The rear wall427extends upward from a rear edge of the bottom wall421and the front wall extends upward from a front edge of the bottom wall421. The rear wall427and the front wall are opposite each other with respect to the front-rear direction. A length of the left side wall424L extending in the upper-bottom direction is greater than a length of the right side wall424R. The rear wall427includes a left side corner portion427A1and a right side corner portion427A2in a lower edge portion427A. The corner portion427A1is connected to a lower edge portion424L1of the left side wall424L and a left edge portion421A of the bottom wall421. The corner portion427A2is connected to a lower edge portion of the right side wall424R and a right edge portion of the bottom wall421. The rear wall427includes a through hole430in the corner portion427A1. The through hole430is through the rear wall427in the front-rear direction (the inner-outer direction of the storing portion420). The through hole430is a semicircular hole. The bottom wall421is inclined downward as it extends leftward (toward the through hole430). Therefore, the corner portion427A1is lower than the corner portion427A2.

According to such a front trunk400, with the rear wall427including the through hole430, noise caused by the component that is disposed outside the rear wall427can be absorbed effectively with air inside the storing space S2. With the through hole430being formed in the corner portion427A1of the lower edge portion427A of the rear wall427, water that enters the storing portion420can be drained to the outside of the storing portion429through the through hole430. Furthermore, the bottom wall421is inclined downward as it extends toward the through hole430and therefore, the water is effectively drained through the through hole430.

Other Embodiments

The technology described herein is not limited to the embodiments described above with reference to the drawings. The technology described herein may be modified within the technical scope. The following embodiments may be included in the technical scope.

The position or the shape of the through hole in the bottom wall or the rear wall may be altered as appropriate. For example, the through hole may be in a lower edge portion of the side wall. In such a configuration, noise caused by rotating tires can be effectively absorbed with air in the storing space S2The through hole may be in a connection portion (a border portion) of the bottom wall and the side wall or a connection portion (a border portion) of the bottom wall and the rear wall. The shape of the through hole may be a square, a rectangle, a triangle, or an indeterminate shape.

The skin bonded to the surface of the walls of the storing portion may cover the through hole. In such a configuration, the portion of the skin covering the through hole may be made of material having breathability and water permeability (for example, mesh material). Accordingly, the storing portion is configured to exert a function of a resonator with preventing luggage falling in the through hole.

A noise generator other than the motor may be disposed in the space outside the storing portion. Examples of such noise generators may include various devices that generate noise such as an engine and a compressor of an air conditioner.

The configuration of the vehicle is not particularly specified. The vehicle may include an engine as a driving power source or may not include a motor. Such a driving power source may be arranged in a middle section or a rear section of a vehicle.

The front trunk described in the above embodiments may not be necessarily included in an automobile but may be included in various kinds of vehicles. Examples of the vehicles may be vehicles running on the ground such as a train and an amusement vehicle, flying vehicles such as an airplane and a helicopter, and vehicles on and in the sea such as a ship, and a submarine.