AU734364B1

AU734364B1 - Front body structure of automobile

Info

Publication number: AU734364B1
Application number: AU66668/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Seong-Kae Wee
Original assignee: Hyundai Motor Co
Current assignee: Hyundai Motor Co
Priority date: 1999-12-31
Filing date: 2000-10-20
Publication date: 2001-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 2020-10-20
Also published as: KR20010066498A; JP2001191953A; KR100339217B1; DE10053174A1

Description

FRONT BODY STRUCTURE OF AUTOMOBILE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a front body structure of automobile, and more particularly to a front body structure of automobile adapted to change the construction of a seat formed to install a bar for mounting an intercooler condenser on a radiator upper member at a front body of the automobile, thereby improving durability and maintainability.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Generally, an engine as internal combustion engine receives suction air from outside to burn the fuel and to change power generated therefrom to a driving force. Recently, a turbocharger was developed where the suction air necessary for combustion of fuel in the engine and charged in a high pressure is supplied into a combustion room for improving suction efficiency of air and engine output.

The turbocharger is applied with an intercooler system in order to prevent a charging efficiency from dropping due to decreased air density when the air is compressed in high temperature to be expanded in the course of adiabatic compression.

In other words, the intercooler system serves to cool the air compressed in high temperature by the turbocharger by way of air.cooling or water-cooling method, thereby decreasing temperature of the compressed air but increasing the air density, such that charging efficiency of mixed gas supercharged into the combustion room of engine can be improved to promote an increased engine output.

Meanwhile, a condenser (not shown) for cooling the air of high temperature in the intercooler system (not shown) performing the function thus described, as illustrated in Figure 1, is mounted between a radiator upper member 10 of front boy and cowl cross member 20 via a bar (shown in Figure 3) extensively and lengthwise installed in the engine.

At this location, both tip end portions of the radiator upper member are releaseably attached to side members 30 in known manner.

Furthermore, a front attachment portion of the bar for mounting the condenser is formed on the radiator upper member 10 transversely extended at a front body of the automobile, as illustrated in Figure 2, and the radiator upper member 10 is attached therein with a reinforcing bracket 12 to which the front tip end portion of the bar is screwed in know manner.

In other words, as illustrated in Figure 3 for illustrating a section taken along line A-A of Figure 2, front and rear portions of the reinforcing bracket 12 bent in a predetermined shape are fixedly coupled to inner side of the radiator upper member 10, and the front portion of the bar 14 is screwed to the reinforcing bracket 12 via a bolt and a nut from under the reinforcing bracket 12.

The bolt is a welding bolt for integrally coupled to the front tip end portion of the bar 14 and the nut screwed to the bolt on the reinforcing bracket 12 is coupled by a hand tool inserted through a through hole lOa formed at the radiator upper member However, there is a problem in the intercooler condenser mounted under the radiator upper member 10 via the bar 14 fixed by nut and bolt in known manner in that the front tip end portion of the bar 14 attaching the condenser cannot be properly supported by way of the radiator upper member 10 resulting a poor attachment durability, and in worst case, a coupling point between the radiator upper member 10 and the reinforcing bracket 12 breaks down due to concentrated stress.

There is another problem in maintenance of the intercooler condenser in that the radiator upper member 10 should be first dismantled from the side member 30 and the bar 14 is then lifted out, because the front tip end portion of the bar 14 is assembled from under the radiator upper member 10 while the rear tip end portion is assembled on the cowl cross member SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is disclosed to solve the aforementioned problems and it is an object of the present invention to provide a front body structure of automobile adapted to enable a condenser attachment bar to be assembled on a radiator upper member to thereby improve attachment durability and to facilitate dismantlement of the bar in maintenance.

In accordance with one object of the present invention, there is provided a front body structure of automobile, wherein a 'front tip end portion of a bar lengthwise arranged for mounting an intercooler condenser is supportively fixed to a recess provided on a radiator upper member transversely extended on the front body of the automobile.

In accordance with another object of the present invention, there is provided a front body structure of automobile, wherein the recess comprises a through hole for screwing, a reinforcing bracket is coupled to a rear surface of the recess, and a nut is fixedly coupled to a rear surface of the reinforcing bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view for illustrating a front body portion of an automobile according to the prior art; Figure 2 is a perspective view for illustrating a portion of Figure 1 in an enlargement; Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view for illustrating principal parts of front body of an automobile according to the present invention; and Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of Figure 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 4 is a perspective view for illustrating principal parts of front body of an automobile according to the present invention and Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of Figure 4, in which the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar parts or portions as in those used in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, a radiator upper member 10 forming the front body of the automobile is assembled at a midsection thereof with a front tip end portion of a bar 14 for mounting an intercooler condenser.

The bar 14 is fixedly screwed at a front tip end portion thereof to an upper portion of a radiator upper member 10. The radiator upper member 10 is integrally formed with a recess lOb for mounting the condenser attachment bar 14, and the recess is centrally formed with a through hole 10a for screwing.

Furthermore, the radiator upper member 10 is coupled therein with front and rear portions of a reinforcing bracket 12 bent in a predetermined shaped as illustrated in Figure 5. The recess lOb formed at a portion joined by the radiator upper member 10 and the reinforcing bracket 12 is assembled thereon by the condenser attachment bar 14. A bolt is piercingly inserted into a front tip end portion of the bar 14, where the bolt is again threaded to a nut (B) secured at a rear surface of the reinforcing bracket 12 to thereby firmly attach the front tip end portion of the condenser attachment bar 14 onto the radiator upper member As described in the above, the radiator upper member 10 is so structured as to firmly secure the front tip end portion of the condenser attachment bar 14 from thereunder, guaranteeing an attachment durability of the bar because the front tip end portion of the bar 14 for mounting an intercooler condenser to the front body is screwed to the recess lOb provided on the radiator upper member Furthermore, because the front tip end portion of the bar 14 is supported to the upper side of the radiator upper member 10, no stress concentration is generated at a point joined by the radiator upper member and the reinforcing bracket 12.

Meanwhile, in maintaining the intercooler condenser, the radiator upper member 10 is simply lifted up by unscrewing the bar 14 from the radiator upper member 10 without recourse to dismantling the radiator upper member 10 from the side member 30, such that the bar 14 can be more easily detached during maintenance.

As apparent from the foregoing, there is an advantage in the front body structure of automobile thus described according to the present invention in that a front tip end portion of a bar 14 mounted on a radiator upper member 10 for attaching an intercooler condenser is enabled to be assembled on an upper surface of the radiator upper member 10, thereby eliminating damage of member caused by stress concentration on the radiator upper member 10 and further securing the front tip end portion of the bar 14.

There is another advantage in that the bar 14 can be easily dismantled from the radiator upper member 10 during maintenance, thereby improving workability.

The term "comprising" as used herein is used in the inclusive sense of "including" or "having" and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of".

Claims

1. A front body structure of automobile, wherein a front tip end portion of a bar lengthwise arranged for mounting an intercooler condenser is supportively fixed to a recess provided on a radiator upper member transversely extended on the front body of the automobile.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the recess comprises a through hole for screwing, a reinforcing bracket is coupled to a rear surface of the recess, and a nut is fixedly coupled to a rear surface of the reinforcing bracket.

3. A front body structure of an automobile as substantially hereinbefore described and with reference to Figs.

4 and Dated this 2 0 t h day of October 2000. HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY BY: HODGKINSON OLD MclNNES Patent Attorneys for the Applicant