JP2007245874A - Vehicular cowl structure - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance absorption property of collision energy by ensuring deformation stroke of a cowl to a larger degree when a head part impacter collides with a front windshield. <P>SOLUTION: The vehicular cowl structure has a cowl upper 14 and a cowl inner 16 joined at a joint part 18 as a cowl 12 for supporting a lower part of the front windshield 10 in a vehicle width direction. The cowl inner 16 has an upper part 16A intersecting with an intrusion line L of the head impacter 20 from the joint part 18 and extending to a first folding part P3 at a vehicle front side; and a lower side part 16B intersecting with the intrusion line from the first folding part to a second folding part P4 at a vehicle rear side n a vehicle longitudinal cross section. When collision load F is input in a direction of the intrusion line L relative to the cowl 12, since the cowl upper 14 and the cowl inner 16 can be foldably deformed, the deformation stroke of the cowl 12 can be ensured to the larger degree and the absorption property of the collision energy can be enhanced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular cowl structure that supports a front windshield.

A structure is disclosed in which the cowl upper supporting the front windshield and the cowl inner have an open cross-sectional structure, and when the collision object collides with the front windshield and a load is input to the cowl, the cowl upper and the cowl inner are folded plastically. (See Patent Document 1).
JP-A-2005-104438

  However, in the above-described conventional example, the distance from the joint between the cowl upper and the cowl inner to the support point of the front windshield and the distance from the joint to the starting point when the cowl inner falls and deforms are different. It is difficult for the cowl to be folded during input, and it is difficult to secure more deformation strokes of the cowl.

  In consideration of the above-described facts, an object of the present invention is to secure a larger cowl deformation stroke when a head impactor collides with a front windshield and to improve the absorption of collision energy.

  The invention according to claim 1 comprises an upper part of a cowl that supports the lower part of the front windshield in the vehicle width direction, a cowl upper having a support part for the front windshield, and a lower part of the cowl. The joint is located at the joint located on the rear side of the vehicle and is joined to the cowl upper, and the vehicle from the approach line from the joint line intersects the approach line of the head impactor driven toward the support part in the longitudinal section in the vehicle longitudinal direction. A cowl inner having an upper part extending to the first folding part on the front side, and a lower part extending from the first folding part to the second folding part on the vehicle rear side crossing the approach line. It is characterized by having prepared.

  In the cowl structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, the upper portion of the cowl inner extends from the joint portion with the cowl upper to the first folding portion that crosses the approach line of the head impactor and is further forward than the approach line. Since the lower portion extends from the first fold portion to the second fold portion on the vehicle rear side with respect to the approach line crossing the approach line, the head impactor injected toward the support portion of the cowl upper is provided. When colliding with the front windshield, the cowl upper and the cowl inner can be folded and deformed. For this reason, a larger deformation stroke of the cowl when the head impactor collides with the front windshield can be secured, and the absorption of collision energy can be enhanced.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the vehicular cowl structure according to the first aspect, a line length from the support portion to the joint portion is substantially the same as a line length of the upper portion in a longitudinal cross section in the vehicle front-rear direction. It is characterized by being formed.

  In the vehicle cowl structure according to claim 2, the line length from the support portion of the front windshield in the cowl upper to the joint portion with the cowl inner is formed to be substantially the same as the line length of the upper portion. When the part impactor collides and a collision load is input in the approach line direction, the first folding part is easily deformed with a lower load, thereby reducing the reaction force from the cowl inner to the head impactor.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the vehicular cowl structure according to the first or second aspect, in the longitudinal cross section in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the line length of the lower side portion is longer than the line length of the upper side portion. It is a feature.

  In the vehicle cowl structure according to claim 3, since the line length of the lower part of the cowl inner in the longitudinal section of the vehicle is longer than the line length of the upper part, the cowl upper and the cowl inner are folded and deformed by the collision of the head impactor. In this case, since the lower part of the cowl inner is in a cantilever state with a longer span supported by the second folding part, the absorption of the collision energy is further increased, and thereby, from the cowl inner to the head impactor. The reaction force can be further reduced.

  As described above, according to the vehicle cowl structure of the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to secure a larger deformation stroke of the cowl when the head impactor collides with the front windshield, thereby reducing the collision energy. An excellent effect that the absorbability can be increased is obtained.

  According to the cowl structure for a vehicle according to claim 2, an excellent effect is obtained that the reaction force from the cowl inner to the head impactor can be reduced.

  According to the cowl structure for a vehicle according to the third aspect, it is possible to obtain an excellent effect that the absorbability of the collision energy is further increased, and thereby the reaction force from the cowl inner to the head impactor can be further reduced.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, a cowl structure S for a vehicle according to the present embodiment relates to a structure of a cowl 12 that supports a lower portion of a front windshield 10 of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction, and includes a cowl upper 14 and a cowl inner 16.

  The cowl upper 14 constitutes the upper part of the cowl 12, has a support part 14A for the front windshield 10, and is joined to the upper side of the rear edge part 16F of the cowl inner 16 at least at the rear edge part 14F. The support portion 14 </ b> A is formed in a shelf shape from the joint portion 18 with the rear edge portions 14 </ b> F and 16 </ b> F, and supports the lower portion of the front windshield 10 through the sealing agent 22. The front portion of the support portion 14A is a front wall portion 14B that is bent downward and ends.

  The cowl inner 16 constitutes the lower part of the cowl 12, is joined to the cowl upper 14 at a joint 18 located on the vehicle rear side from the support 14A, and has an upper part 16A and a lower part 16B. For example, an instrument panel 26 is attached to the joint 18.

  The upper portion 16A is connected to the vehicle from the approach line L through the joining portion 18, that is, the rear edge portion 16F, so as to intersect the approach line L of the head impactor 20 driven toward the support portion 14A in the longitudinal section of the vehicle. For example, it is a portion extending obliquely downward to the front first folding portion P3. The impact angle of the head impactor is determined in a pedestrian head protection performance test conducted in Japan and Europe.

  The lower side portion 16B is a portion that crosses the approach line L from the first fold portion P3 and extends to the second fold portion P4 on the vehicle rear side from the approach line L in the vehicle longitudinal cross section. A wall 16C that extends to the front side of the vehicle intersecting with the entry line L is provided at the tip of the cowl inner 16 from the second fold part P4. For example, the dash panel 24 is joined. That is, in this embodiment, the dash panel 24 is arranged in the direction of the approach line L, and the cowl inner 16 is supported by the dash panel 24.

  The dash panel 24 is thicker and more rigid than the cowl inner 16, for example. Even when the collision load F is input to the cowl 12 due to the collision of the head impactor 20 with the front windshield 10, the dash panel 24 is deformed compared to the cowl 12. Less is. When the dash panel 24 is arranged in the direction of the approach line L as in the present embodiment, it is important to sufficiently secure the deformation stroke of the cowl 12 and increase the absorbability of the collision energy.

  In the vehicle cowl structure S, it is desirable that the line length from the support portion 14A of the cowl upper 14 to the joint portion 18 is substantially the same as the line length of the upper portion 16A of the cowl inner 16. That is, the line length from the load input point P1 where the support portion 14A and the approach line L in the cowl upper 14 intersect to the joint point P2 of the rear edge portions 14F and 16F in the joint portion 18, and the first bent portion from the joint point P2 It is desirable that the line lengths up to P3 are substantially the same.

  In order to fold and deform the cowl inner 16 with a low load, it is desirable that the first fold portion P3 and the second fold portion P4 be separated from the approach line L as much as possible in the longitudinal cross section in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In this connection, it is desirable that the angle θ formed by the approach line L and the lower side portion 16B is as large as possible within a range of 90 ° or less.

  Further, from the viewpoint of folding and deforming the cowl inner 16 with a low load, the line length of the lower side portion 16B is set to be longer than the line length of the upper side portion 16A in the longitudinal section in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Specifically, the line length from the first fold part P3 to the second fold part P4 is set longer than the line length from the junction point P2 to the first fold part P3. It is desirable that the line length from the first bent portion P3 to the second bent portion P4 be as long as possible within the range in which the cowl inner 16 can be formed.

  As described above, the cowl inner 16 is formed in a zigzag crossing the approach line L of the head impactor 20 in the longitudinal cross section of the vehicle, and the collision load F is input to the cowl upper 14 in the direction of the approach line L. In such a case, it can be easily folded and deformed.

  The front wall portion 14B of the cowl upper 14 and the wall portion 16C of the cowl inner 16 may be connected by a support member (not shown). In this case, the support member is preferably configured to be easily deformed so as not to prevent deformation of the cowl upper 14 and the cowl inner 16 when a collision load F is input to the front windshield 10. About lower side part 16B, in order to reduce the rigidity with respect to bending deformation, you may provide weak parts (not shown), such as a bead.

(Function)
This embodiment is configured as described above, and the operation thereof will be described below. In FIG. 2A, the head impactor 20 injected toward the support portion 14A of the cowl upper 14 collides with the front windshield 10 with respect to the front windshield 10 of the vehicle having the vehicle cowl structure S. When the collision load F is input to the support portion 14A, the cowl upper 14 is crushed and deformed in the direction of the approach line L around the vicinity of the joint portion 18.

  Since the cowl upper 14 is joined to the cowl inner 16 at the joining point P2 of the joining part 18, when the collision load F is inputted, the load is transmitted to the upper part 16A of the cowl inner 16 via the joining part 18. Is done. The upper portion 16A extends obliquely downward from the rear edge portion 16F constituting the joint portion 18 to the first folding portion P3 on the vehicle front side from the approach line L so as to intersect the approach line L. When a load is input downward with respect to the edge portion 16F, the upper portion 16A bends in the direction of the approach line L around the first bent portion P3.

  By deforming the cowl upper 14 and the upper portion 16A so as to be folded, the cowl upper 14 is in a state of sticking to the upper portion 16A of the cowl inner 16 as shown in FIG. At this time, if the line length from the load input point P1 to the joining point P2 and the line length from the joining point P2 to the first folding part P3 are set to be equal, the first folding part P3 is lower. The cowl upper 14 and the upper portion 16A can be smoothly folded and deformed by being easily deformed by a load. This also reduces the reaction force from the cowl inner 16 to the head impactor 20.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2 (B), when the cowl upper 14 and the upper portion 16A of the cowl inner 16 are folded and deformed, and the deformation progresses until the cowl upper 14 sticks to the upper portion 16A, this time, A load is mainly input downward with respect to the first bent portion P3. Since the lower side portion 16B of the cowl inner 16 extends from the first fold portion P3 to the second fold portion P4 so as to intersect the approach line L, the lower side portion 16B is caused by the load input to the first fold portion P3. Bends downward about the second fold P4.

  Here, in the vehicle cowl structure S, the angle θ formed by the approach line L and the lower side portion 16B in the longitudinal cross section in the vehicle longitudinal direction is configured to be as large as possible within a range of 90 ° or less. ), The upper portion 16A is likely to come into contact with the lower portion 16B in a planar manner at an early stage, and the collision load F is likely to act on the lower portion 16B. The cowl inner 16 is deformed and folded at the first and second folded portions P3 and P4 before and after the lower side portion 16B, whereby the reaction force from the cowl inner 16 to the head impactor 20 can be further reduced. .

  Further, in the vehicle cowl structure S, the line length of the lower side portion 16B of the cowl inner 16 in the longitudinal cross section in the vehicle longitudinal direction is longer than the line length of the upper side portion 16A, so that the cowl upper 14 and the cowl inner 16 are caused by the collision of the head impactor 20. Is folded and deformed, the lower side portion 16B of the cowl inner 16 is supported in the second fold portion P4 and is in a cantilever state having a longer span. The reaction force from the cowl inner to the head impactor can be further reduced.

  For example, the dash panel 24 is thicker and more rigid than the cowl inner 16, and even when the collision load F by the head impactor 20 is input to the cowl 12, the amount of deformation is small compared to the cowl 12, but the cowl 12 is low. By smoothly folding and deforming with a load, even if the dash panel 24 is arranged in the direction of the approach line L, it is possible to absorb the collision energy in the cowl 12 and reduce the reaction force to the head impactor 20. It is.

It is sectional drawing which shows the cowl structure for vehicles. (A) It is sectional drawing which shows the state of the moment when a head impactor is driven with respect to the front windshield of the vehicle which has a cowl structure for vehicles. (B) It is sectional drawing which shows the state which the cowl upper and the upper side part of the cowl inner were folded and deform | transformed by the collision load. (C) Furthermore, it is sectional drawing which shows the state which the lower side part of the cowl inner was folded and deformed.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Front windshield 12 Cowl 14 Cowl upper 14A Support part 16 Cowl inner 16A Upper part 16B Lower side 18 Joint part 20 Head impactor L Entry line P3 1st folding part P4 2nd folding part S Vehicle cowl structure θ angle

Claims (3)

A cowl upper that constitutes the upper part of the cowl that supports the lower part of the front windshield in the vehicle width direction, and has a support part for the front windshield;
The lower part of the cowl, which is joined to the cowl upper at a joint located on the vehicle rear side from the support part, intersects with an approach line of a head impactor driven toward the support part in a longitudinal section in the vehicle longitudinal direction An upper portion extending from the joint portion to the first fold portion on the vehicle front side from the approach line, and a second fold portion on the vehicle rear side from the approach line that intersects the approach line from the first fold portion. A cowl inner having a lower side extending to
A vehicular cowl structure characterized by comprising:   2. The vehicle cowl according to claim 1, wherein a line length from the support portion to the joint portion is formed to be substantially the same as a line length of the upper portion in a longitudinal cross section in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Construction.   3. The vehicular cowl structure according to claim 1, wherein a line length of the lower side portion is longer than a line length of the upper side portion in a longitudinal section in a vehicle longitudinal direction.

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