This application is based on and incorporates herein by reference Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-260702 filed on Aug. 30, 2000.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drain pipe for draining water or the like accumulated in a casing of, for example, a starting motor (starter) of a vehicle engine.
2. Description of Related Art
Water will be applied to a drain pipe connected, for example, to a bottom side of a casing of a starting motor of a vehicle engine when water is thrown off to the drain pipe by a tire of the vehicle that passes through a puddle of rain water (hereinafter referred to as a first case) or when water of relatively high pressure is applied to the drain pipe during car washing (hereinafter referred to as a second case).
In the first case, the water is generally applied to a lateral side of the drain pipe since the vehicle generally runs in one direction when it passes through the puddle of rain water. On the other hand, in the second case, the water can be mainly applied to an upper side and a lower side of the drain pipe. However, the water applied toward the upper side of the drain pipe is substantially shielded by the casing and thereby loses its pressure. Thus, in the second case, it is only required to deal with the water applied to the lower side of the drain pipe. As a result, in order to restrain intrusion of the water into an internal space of the casing upon application of the water to the drain pipe, it is only required to restrain the water applied to the lateral side of the drain pipe and the water applied to the lower side of the drain pipe.
In Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 3-127465, a drain pipe having a couple of water outlet openings is disclosed. The outlet openings are provided at a lower end part of the drain pipe and extend laterally away from each other. In this drain pipe, when water is applied to a lower side of the drain pipe, intrusion of the water into the water outlet openings can be advantageously restrained due to the fact that the outlet openings extend laterally. Furthermore, in this drain pipe, the interior space forms a labyrinth that communicates a water inlet opening located at its upper end portion with the water outlet openings located at its lower end portion. Thus, even if the water of relatively high pressure is laterally applied to the drain pipe, intrusion of the water from the water outlet openings of the drain pipe through the interior space of the drain pipe can be advantageously restrained.
However, in the drain pipe disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 3-127465, only one interior space or compartment is provided to communicate the water inlet opening with the water outlet openings. Thus, when the water is laterally applied to the water outlet openings of the drain pipe, the water outlet openings can be covered with the water. In such a case, the water cannot be effectively drained through the drain pipe. Furthermore, when the water is applied to the starting motor, the starting motor is rapidly cooled, causing development of a negative pressure in the internal spade of the starting motor. In this state, if the outlet openings of the drain pipe are covered with the water, the water is disadvantageously sucked into the internal space of the casing by the negative pressure.
Thus, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a drain pipe that can restrain intrusion of water through the drain pipe when the water is applied to a lower side of the drain pipe and also when the water is applied to a lateral side of the drain pipe.
To achieve the objective of the present invention, there is provided a drain pipe connected to a drain hole of a casing. The drain pipe includes a water inlet opening, a plurality of water outlet openings, a cylindrical outer wall and a partition wall. The water inlet opening is arranged at an upper end part of the drain pipe and is communicated to an internal space of the casing. The water outlet openings are arranged at a lower end part of the drain pipe and extend laterally of the drain pipe in different directions. The cylindrical outer wall is arranged at an intermediate part of the drain pipe. The cylindrical outer wall defines an interior space therein. The interior space communicates the water inlet opening with the water outlet openings. The partition wall is provided within the interior space of the cylindrical outer wall to divide at least a portion of the interior space of the cylindrical outer wall into a plurality of compartments. Each one of the plurality of water outlet openings is provided to each corresponding one of the plurality of compartments.