Abstract: The intake duct (intake air path) (700) is composed by utilizing the upper beam member (410), the cross section of which is substantially a C-shape. Due to the foregoing, when the front end panel (400) is incorporated into a vehicle under the condition that the duct member (700) is attached to the front end panel (400), assembling the intake duct is completed.

Abstract: A tapered section (128a) and a flange section (129a) constituting reinforcements are respectively provided in mounting members (128, 129) to which a blower (fan shroud) is to be attached, on the sides to be in contact with a longer side wall surface (120c) of a rectangular tank. According to this structure, it is possible to prevent the longer side wall surface (120c) from being largely deformed, while mitigating the concentration of stress, which is generated due to a car oscillation, to the joint portions between the mounting members (128, 129) and the longer side wall surface (120c). Therefore, the mechanical strength of the header tank (120) (especially, the longer side wall surface (120c)) can be improved without increasing mass (weight) and production cost of the radiator (100) caused by the excessive reinforcement, whereby the reliability and durability of the radiator (100) can be improved.

Abstract: The flexible section 452 made of rubber or elastomer is molded integrally with the panel body 450 on the forward end side of the guide duct section 451 of the panel body made of resin, and the seal section 461 for tightly closing gap &dgr; between the panel body 450 and the heat exchanger 21 is molded integrally with the panel body 450 on the introduction opening section 460 side in the panel body 450. Due to the foregoing, it is possible to prevent the panel body 450 and the guide duct section 451 from being damaged in the case of a light collision. Therefore, a repair cost, which must be paid by a vehicle owner, is reduced and an increase in the number of parts of the front end structure and an increase in the cost of assembling are suppressed even though gap &dgr; between the panel body 450 and the heat exchanger 21 is tightly closed so that a decrease in the heat radiating capacity (heat exchange capacity) of the heat exchanger 21 can be prevented.

Abstract: A front end structure of a vehicle for preventing heat from going around to before a heat exchanger (or vehicle) while reducing the damage of a shock which may be imparted on the front end portion of the vehicle is disclosed. Gaps are formed between a panel wall portion and a bumper cover, between the panel wall portion and a grille, between a bumper wall portion and the panel, and between a grille wall portion and the panel. At the same time, labyrinth structures are configured of the panel wall portion and the bumper wall portion on the one hand and the panel wall portion and the grille wall portion on the other hand. As a result, heat is prevented from going (flowing) around to before the heat exchanger (or vehicle) while at the same time reducing the damage under a shock which may be imparted on the front end portion of the vehicle.

Abstract: When the suction opening portion 121 is covered with the decoration grill 300 from the front side of a vehicle, the suction chamber 140 filled with air is formed on the front side of the suction opening portion 121, and the communication passage 141 to connect the suction chamber 140 with the outside of the suction chamber 140 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is formed into a labyrinth structure by the decoration grill 300, bumper cover 410 and front end panel 100. Due to the above structure, it is possible to supply air, which has been sucked from the outside of the engine compartment, to the engine while foreign material, such as rain water and snow, is prevented from being sucked into the engine.

Abstract: A heat exchanger has plural tubes and a header tank communicating with each tube. The tank has an opening through which coolant is introduced, and an elevated portion formed in the vicinity of the opening by elevating a wall of the tank outwardly, so that a dimension of the tank including the elevated portion becomes larger than a dimension of the tank excluding the elevated portion in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the tank. As a result, a volume and a sectional area of the tank in the vicinity of the opening are increased, thereby decreasing pressure loss of coolant flowing into the tank. Therefore, even when a size of the tank is reduced to reduce a size of the heat exchanger, pressure loss of coolant flowing into the tank is restricted from increasing.

Abstract: A heat exchanger has a condenser having a condenser tank and a radiator having a radiator tank. An end of the condenser tank in a longitudinal direction thereof is closed by a condenser tank cap, and an end of the radiator tank in a longitudinal direction thereof is closed by a radiator tank cap. A bracket through which the heat exchanger is mounted to a vehicle is secured to the end of the radiator tank in the longitudinal direction thereof so that a cavity is formed between the radiator tank cap and the bracket. As a result, heat is restricted from being transmitted from the radiator tank to the bracket. Therefore, heat is restricted from being transmitted from the radiator to the condenser through the bracket to maintain heat exchange performance of the condenser.

Abstract: In a vehicle front end panel to which a front end member including at least a radiator is assembled, a water filling port for introducing water into the radiator is integrally formed with an upper beam of a panel body portion on a vehicle rear side of the upper beam. The water filling port is coupled with the radiator through a panel joint portion having an opening opened toward a vehicle front side, and the panel joint portion is formed integrally with the panel body portion. Accordingly, the radiator can be readily assembled to the panel body portion of the front end panel, and vehicle assembling performance can be improved.

Abstract: In a vehicle front end panel to which a front end member including at least a radiator is assembled, an air guiding portion for guiding air into the radiator is provided integrally with a panel body portion, and a low strength portion having a mechanical strength lower than that of the panel body portion is provided in the air guiding portion. Accordingly, at a vehicle slight collision, the low strength portion of the air guiding portion is preferentially broken to absorb a collision energy. Thus, collision force applied to the panel body portion can be reduced, and it can prevent the panel body portion from being broken at the vehicle slight collision.

Abstract: A double heat exchanger has a condenser having a condenser tank and a condenser tank cap for closing an open end of the condenser tank, and a radiator having a radiator tank and a radiator tank cap for closing an open end of the radiator tank. The condenser tank cap has a protrusion which protrudes toward the radiator tank and contacts the radiator tank to form a gap between the condenser tank and the radiator tank. The protrusion is also used to clamp the condenser tank cap to the condenser tank. As a result, the gap is securely formed between the condenser tank and the radiator tank, while heat is transferred from the radiator tank to the condenser tank only through the protrusion. Therefore, heat transfer from the radiator tank to the condenser tank is sufficiently restricted without increasing a manufacturing cost.

Abstract: A double heat exchanger includes a radiator having a radiator tank and a radiator core portion, and a condenser having a condenser tank and a condenser core portion. The radiator tank and the condenser tank are integrally connected by a connection portion protruding from the radiator and the condenser tanks toward the radiator and condenser core portions. Therefore, the connection portion is cooled by air passing through the radiator and condenser core portions. Thus, the connection portion restricts heat from the radiator tank from being transmitted to the condenser tank through the connection portion, thereby preventing heat-exchanging capacity of the condenser from being decreased in the double heat exchanger.

Abstract: A blow formed, one-piece, hollow bumper includes a bumper body member, and a reinforcing frame member for connection with the vehicle frame. The frame member projects into the hollow inside of the body member from the backside of the body member. The frame member is formed in one piece with the body member attached to a vehicle frame attachment portion of the body member. In one embodiment, the frame member is closed off with a metallic plate member so as to form a box cross section. A method of making the bumper is also disclosed and includes the steps of setting the frame member in a mold and blow forming a bumper member integral with the frame.