JP2008037112A - Member support structure - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a member support structure, capable of decrease damageability to a supported member, and reducing grounding G. <P>SOLUTION: A radiator support 16 to hold a radiator 18 is retracted by a load added from the front side of a vehicle to absorb energy. The radiator support sets retractable quantity L1. Between a radiator support lower 16B and a lower arm of a front suspension member 20, a front under member 26 is disposed to be slid by the load from the front side of the vehicle to absorb energy. Slidable quantity L2 of the front under member 26 is set to meet L1≤L2. After the retraction quantity of the radiator support 16 reaches L1, the front under member 26 is slid to absorb energy, thereby grounding G is reduced. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a member support structure, and more particularly to a member support structure for supporting a supported member with respect to a vehicle body.

  As a member support structure for supporting a supported member with respect to a vehicle body, Patent Document 1 discloses a pair of pressure receiving members that extend along the front side frames of the suspension member and extend toward the front of the vehicle. A front body structure of a vehicle with connected members is described.

Incidentally, some supported members that are supported by the end of the vehicle body are particularly required to reduce repair costs when damaged (so-called improvement in damage ability), such as a radiator. For such a supported member, while effectively absorbing the energy of the external force from the collision body to improve damageability, the entire member support structure also absorbs the load in the latter half of energy absorption (so-called It is desirable that the “bottom G”) be made small and energy can be absorbed reliably.
JP 2006-15859 A

  In view of the above-described facts, an object of the present invention is to obtain a member support structure capable of improving damage ability to a supported member and reducing bottom G.

  In the first aspect of the present invention, the support member is supported by the vehicle body, and is deformed by an external force applied from the collision body to the support member to absorb energy, and between the support member and the vehicle skeleton member. And an intermediate member that absorbs energy by being deformed by an external force acting on the supported member from the collision body, and the intermediate member is deformed and can absorb energy even after being deformed by the support member. It is characterized by that.

  Therefore, in this member support structure, when an external force is applied from the collision body to the supported member, the support member that supports the supported member is deformed and energy is absorbed. As a result, damage to the supported member can be reduced, repair costs can be reduced, and damage ability is improved.

  The external force also deforms the supported member or the intermediate member disposed between the support member and the vehicle skeleton member to absorb energy. Here, the intermediate member is deformed even after the support member is deformed to absorb the energy of the external force. Then, after the deformation of the intermediate member, each member including the vehicle skeleton member further absorbs energy, but the absorption load at that time (bottom G) is smaller than the configuration in which the intermediate member is not deformed before that. .

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the intermediate member is a plurality of relative movements in which the intermediate member relatively moves in the approaching direction of the support member and the vehicle skeleton member between the support member and the vehicle skeleton member. And a plurality of connecting members that connect the plurality of relative moving members and release the connection by the external force to enable the relative movement.

  Therefore, before the external force acts on the intermediate member, the plurality of relative movement members are connected by the connection member, and these do not inadvertently move relative to each other. Since a plurality of connection members are provided, inadvertent relative rotation between the plurality of relative movement members can be suppressed as compared with a configuration in which only one connection member is provided.

  When an external force is applied to the intermediate member, the connecting member is released from the connection, so that the relative moving member can move relative to each other. And while energy absorption is made by this relative movement, a support member and a vehicle frame member approach.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 2, further comprising a relative movement amount limiting member that limits a relative movement amount of the plurality of relative movement members.

  By limiting the relative movement amount of the plurality of relative movement members by the relative movement amount limiting member, it is possible to transmit the load to the vehicle skeleton member via the intermediate member and increase the absorption load in the initial stage. .

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the vehicle frame member includes a tire support member that supports a tire, and the relative movement of the plurality of relative movement members is performed. The sum of the total amount, the gap between the relative movement member and the tire support member is longer than the sum of the distance between the collision object and the tire and the tire burst allowance in the initial stage of the collision.

  Therefore, after the collision body interferes with the tire and the tire bursts and absorbs energy, the relative movement amount of the relative movement member reaches the entire amount and the gap between the relative movement member and the tire support member is eliminated, so It becomes a state. Since the collision load can be transmitted through the load transmission path from the intermediate member through the tire and the tire support member to the vehicle frame member, more efficient energy absorption is possible.

  Since the present invention has the above-described configuration, it is possible to improve the damage ability for the supported member and reduce the bottom G.

  FIG. 1 shows a member support structure 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, an example in which the member support structure 12 is applied as a vehicle body front structure of an automobile will be given. In each drawing, the front of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow FR, the upper side is indicated by an arrow UP, and the outer side in the vehicle width direction is indicated by an arrow OUT.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the member support structure 12 has a front side member 14 extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. The front side member 14 includes a substantially horizontal front portion 14A on the front side of the vehicle, an inclined portion 14B extending obliquely downward from the rear end of the front portion 14A, and a rear end (lower end) of the inclined portion 14B. And a substantially horizontal rear portion 14C.

  A radiator support 16 is disposed at the front end 14 </ b> F of the front side member 14. The radiator support 16 includes a radiator support main body 16A that holds the radiator 18 and is attached to the front side member 14, and a radiator support lower 16B that supports the radiator 18 from below.

  The radiator support main body 16 </ b> A holds the radiator 18 so that a gap L <b> 1 is generated between the radiator 18 and the front end 14 </ b> F of the front side member 14. Further, the radiator support main body 16A has an action of absorbing energy while retreating the radiator 18 while being deformed when the load received from the front side of the vehicle exceeds the threshold value f1.

  When a load (impact) F is actually applied from the front side of the vehicle, for example, by a collision body 100 or the like, it is divided into a load F1 to the radiator support 16 and a load F2 to the front under member 26 described later. The load F is absorbed. That is, the radiator support main body 16A is deformed when the component force F1 exceeding the above-described threshold value f1 is applied, and the radiator 18 is retracted by eliminating the interval L1. Below, the space | interval L1 is suitably represented as the radiator support reversible amount L1.

  A front suspension member 20 is disposed below the inclined portion 14B of the front side member 14, and is fixed to the front side member 14 by a connecting member 22, a bolt (not shown), or the like. Further, a front under member 26 is disposed between the radiator support lower 16 </ b> B and the lower arm 24 (see FIG. 4) of the front suspension member 20. The front end of the front under member 26 is fixed to the radiator support lower 16B via a stopper member 28. Further, the rear end of the front under member 26 is connected to the front side member 14 via a connecting member 22.

  2 and 3, the front under member 26 includes an under member slide member 26A on the front side of the vehicle and an under member main body 26B on the rear side of the vehicle. The under member main body 26B is formed in a substantially rectangular tube shape, and an under member slide member 26A is inserted from the front side of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 2, the under member slide member 26A and the under member main body 26B are connected by two connecting pins 30 (or connecting bolts) in the vehicle front-rear direction. Usually, the under member slide member 26A is connected to the under member slide member 26A. Although it does not slide in the vehicle longitudinal direction with respect to the under member main body 26B, when a load exceeding the breaking strength of the connecting pin 30 is applied, the connecting pin 30 is broken. When a load exceeding the preset threshold value f2 is applied from the front side of the vehicle in a state where the coupling pin 30 is broken in this manner, the under member slide member 26A slides with respect to the under member main body 26B. Of the load F applied from the collision body 100, the load F2 applied to the front under member 26 is absorbed by the slide.

Here, assuming that the breaking load (load required for breaking) of the connecting pin 30 is D, in the present embodiment, the threshold values f1 and f2 of the load and the breaking load D are as follows.
f1 ≧ f2 ≧ D (1)
The respective strengths are set so that the above relationship is satisfied. Therefore, first, the coupling pin 30 is broken, and then the under member slide member 26A slides with respect to the under member main body 26B.

  As shown in detail in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the stopper member 28 includes a fixing piece 28A for fixing to the radiator support lower 16B, and a downward extension from the fixing piece 28A to the under member slide member 26A. And a fixed stopper piece 28B. The fixed piece 28A is fixed to the radiator support lower 16B by, for example, a bolt 40 and a nut 42.

  The stopper piece 28B has a shape overlapping the under member main body 26B when viewed from the vehicle front side, and sliding of the under member slide member 26A with respect to the under member main body 26B is restricted by the stopper piece 28B coming into contact with the under member main body 26B. If the stopper piece 28B attempts to further retract in this state, the stopper piece 28B overlaps with the under member main body 26B when viewed from the front side of the vehicle. Effectively transmits the load.

Here, when the slidable amount of the front under member 26, that is, the slide amount of the under member slide member 26A with respect to the under member main body 26B is L2, in this embodiment,
L1 ≦ L2 (2)
The relationship is satisfied. Therefore, although the radiator support main body 16A is deformed by the collision of the collision body 100, the undermember slide member 26A slides relative to the undermember main body 26B even after the deformation is completed.

As shown in FIG. 4A, a gap D1 is formed between the under member main body 26B and the lower arm 24 of the front side member 14. Let the length of the gap D1 be b. The distance from the collision body 100 to the tip of the tire 32 at the moment when the collision body 100 collides is assumed to be c, and the burst margin of the tire 32 is assumed to be d. At this time, in this embodiment,
L2 + b ≧ c + d (3)
The slidable amount L2 of the front under member 26 is set in relation to the shape of each member and the distance between the members.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the rear end of the under member main body 26B is closed by a closing plate 34, and the upper and lower portions of the closing plate 34 are joined to the upper and lower portions of the under member main body 26B, respectively, to form a joined portion 36. ing. The joint portion 36 has a shape that spreads up and down as it goes from the vehicle front side to the rear side. The vertical length of the widened portion is such that the lower member main body 26 </ b> B that has been retracted hits the lower arm 24 even when the lower arm 24 is moved up and down in consideration of the maximum vertical movement of the lower arm 24 (bound state). It has become.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 7 shows the amount of movement of the front end of the vehicle (vehicle stroke S) when the collision object 100 collides and the load acting on the vehicle body (strictly, the load acting on the floor (not shown), hereinafter referred to as “floor G”). ) Is shown. In the graph of FIG. 7, the solid line L3 is the case of the present embodiment, and the broken line L4 is a structure without the radiator support 16 retracting and without the front under member 26 of the present embodiment (referred to as Comparative Example 1). ). The alternate long and short dash line L5 is a case where the radiator support 16 moves backward as will be described later, but does not have the front under member 26 of this embodiment (referred to as Comparative Example 2).

  When the automobile to which the member support structure 12 of this embodiment is applied and the collision body 100 collide, the load F2 applied to the front under member 26 out of the load F applied to the vehicle body from the collision body 100 is When it is larger than the breaking load D, the connecting pin 30 is broken (in the graph of FIG. 7, the origin of the vehicle stroke), and the radiator support 16 can be retracted. The radiator support 16 retreats the radiator 18 while being deformed by receiving the load F1, and absorbs the energy of impact from the collision body 100. The front under member 26 also absorbs this energy by sliding the under member slide member 26A relative to the under member main body 26B.

  Here, as can be seen from the solid line L3 and the broken line L4 in the graph of FIG. 7, in the present embodiment, the radiator support 16 is moved backward to absorb the collision energy. The load acting on the vehicle body is reduced (see a region E1 indicated by hatching). That is, in the present embodiment, in the case of a collision with a relatively small load applied from the collision body 100 (so-called light collision), the radiator 18 is moved backward to reduce damage (preferably not to be damaged). Is possible. The cost required for repairing the radiator 18 can be reduced, and the damage ability is improved.

  When the load from the collision body 100 further acts on the vehicle body, the retracting amount of the radiator support 16 reaches the radiator support retractable amount L1. In the present embodiment, the relationship (2) is established for the radiator support retractable amount L1 and the slidable amount L2 of the front under member 26. Therefore, thereafter, the load F1 acts on the front side member 14. Further, the load F2 continues to act on the front under member 26.

  Here, as can be seen from the solid line L3 and the alternate long and short dash line L5 in the graph of FIG. 7, in this embodiment, even after the amount of retraction of the radiator support 16 reaches the radiator support retractable amount L1, the load is applied by the front side member 14. In addition to F1 acting, the load F2 also acts on the front undermember 26. Then, the energy of the collision is absorbed by the slide of the front under member 26 (see a region E2 indicated by hatching). For this reason, compared with the comparative example 2 which does not have the front under member 26, in this embodiment, the floor G at this stage is large.

  When the sliding amount of the front under member 26 reaches L2, thereafter, the load F2 also acts on the front side member 14 from the radiator support lower 16B through the stopper member 28, the front under member 26, and the front suspension member 20. By absorbing energy through this load transmission path, the floor G at the initial stage of the collision can be increased. Then, the floor G increases stepwise (in some cases continuously) and then reaches the maximum value, that is, the bottomed G. It should be noted that the total amount of impact energy finally absorbed is equal in both the case of the present embodiment and the case of Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2.

  As can be seen from the above description, in the configuration of Comparative Example 2 in which the damage ability for the radiator 18 is improved simply by retreating the radiator support 16, the floor G until the vehicle stroke reaches L1 is reduced. The bottomed G is larger. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the floor G is reduced until the stroke reaches L1, but thereafter, the floor G is increased until the stroke reaches L2. As a result, the bottomed G can be reduced as compared with the configuration of Comparative Example 2.

  In the present embodiment, the above formula (3) is established particularly with respect to the slidable amount L2 of the front under member 26. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4B, before the front under member 26 interferes with the lower arm 24, the tire 32 interferes with the collision body 100 and absorbs energy by the tire burst. Thereafter, since the front under member 26 comes into contact with the lower arm 24 and is in a bottomed state, the collision load can be effectively transmitted from the front under member 26 through the lower arm 24 to the front side member 14.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, by satisfying the relationship (3), the tire 32 can be used effectively and the collision load can be stably transmitted to the vehicle body.

However, the present invention does not exclude a configuration that does not satisfy the relationship (3). That is, as shown in FIG.
L2 + b <c + d
In the configuration in which the relationship is established, before the tire 32 interferes with the collision body 100, the front under member 26 hits the lower arm 24 and pushes the lower arm 24 backward. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5B, the tire 32 is separated from the collision body 100. Therefore, compared with the configuration shown in FIG. 4, the efficiency in terms of energy absorption and load transmission to the front side member 14. Becomes lower. However, even in the configuration of FIG. 5, the floor G is reduced until the stroke reaches L <b> 1, but thereafter, the floor G is increased until the stroke reaches L <b> 2. It is possible to reduce more than the configuration.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the rear end of the under member main body 26B is shaped so as to expand up and down, and the retracted under member main body 26B is also protected against the maximum vertical movement of the lower arm 24. It hits the lower arm 24. As a result, the load can be transmitted while the front under member 26 is reliably applied to the lower arm 24.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the under member slide member 26 </ b> A of the front under member 26 and the under member main body 26 </ b> B are coupled by the two coupling pins 30. Therefore, as compared with the configuration of FIG. 8 that is coupled by only one coupling pin 30, these rotational slacks are suppressed against the relative rotational moment between the undermember slide member 26A and the undermember main body 26B. Can do. In particular, in the configuration of FIG. 8, there is a possibility that rotational loosening occurs around the coupling pin 30 due to vibration during traveling, but in this embodiment, rotational loosening is suppressed even when vibration during normal traveling acts. it can. Of course, even if there is only one connecting pin 30, if there is no risk of rotational loosening, the under member slide member 26 </ b> A and the under member main body 26 </ b> B may be connected using only one connecting pin 30. Further, from the viewpoint of suppressing the rotation loosening, the under member slide member 26A and the under member main body 26B may be coupled by three or more coupling pins 30. The connecting member of the present invention is not limited to such a connecting pin 30, and any connecting member may be used as long as the under member slide member 26 </ b> A and the under member main body 26 </ b> B are connected so as to be released with a predetermined load D.

  Further, as the relative movement amount limiting member of the present invention, the stopper member 28 fixed to the under member slide member 26A of the front under member 26 has been described above, but is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a substantially plate-like stopper plate 38 may be fixed inside the under member main body 26B. The fixing structure of the stopper plate 38 is not particularly limited, but the flange piece 38F may be extended from each piece of the stopper plate 38 and fixed to the under member main body 26B by spot welding or the like using the flange piece 38F. Thereby, the structure of the under member slide member 26A can be simplified. Further, compared to the structure shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the stopper plate 38 is disposed inside the under member main body 26B, so that space saving can be achieved.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the rear end of the under member main body 26B of the front under member 26 is opened (the closing plate 34 shown in FIG. 6 is not provided), and the under member slide member 26A penetrates the under member main body 26B. The relative movement amount limiting member of the present invention may be configured by directly hitting the lower arm 24 (see the under member slide member 26A indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 11). In this configuration, the stopper member 28 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and the stopper plate 38 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 are not required, so that the number of parts can be reduced.

It is a side view which shows roughly the member support structure of one Embodiment of this invention as a front part structure of a vehicle body. It is a partially broken side view showing the front part of the front under member constituting the member support structure of one embodiment of the present invention and its vicinity partially enlarged. It is a perspective view which expands partially and shows the front part of the front under member which constitutes the member support structure of one embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the slidable amount of a front under member in the member support structure of one Embodiment of this invention, (A) shows before a collision with a collision body, (B) shows after a collision. 5A and 5B are explanatory views for explaining the slidable amount of the front under member in a member support structure having a configuration different from that shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 5A shows before the collision with the collision body, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway side view showing the rear portion of the front under member and the vicinity thereof constituting the member support structure of the embodiment of the present invention partially enlarged. It is a graph which shows typically the relation between the vehicle stroke at the time of a collision with a collision object, and floor G in the case of the embodiment of the present invention, and comparative examples 1 and 2. FIG. 3 is a partially broken side view showing the front undermember and the vicinity thereof constituting a member support structure of the present invention different from that shown in FIG. 2 in a partially enlarged manner. It is a partially broken side view which expands and shows partially the front part of the front under member which comprises the member support structure of this invention different from what was shown in FIG.2 and FIG.8, and its vicinity. FIG. 10 is a sectional view partially showing the front under member shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a partially cutaway side view showing the rear portion of the front under member constituting the member support structure of the present invention different from that shown in FIG. 2 and FIGS.

Explanation of symbols

12 Member support structure 14 Front side member (vehicle frame member)
16 Radiator support (support member)
16A Radiator support body 16B Radiator support lower 18 Radiator (supported member)
20 Front suspension member 22 Connecting member 24 Lower arm (tire support member, vehicle frame member)
26 Front undermember (intermediate member)
26A Under member slide member (relative movement member)
26B Under member body (relative movement member)
28 Stopper member (relative movement amount limiting member)
30 connecting pin (connecting member)
32 Tire 34 Closure plate 36 Joint portion 38 Stopper plate (relative movement amount limiting member)
100 Impactor

Claims (4)

A supporting member that supports the supported member with respect to the vehicle body and that absorbs energy by being deformed by an external force applied from the collision body to the supported member;
An intermediate member that is disposed between the support member and the vehicle skeleton member and absorbs energy by being deformed by an external force applied from the collision body to the supported member;
With
The member support structure, wherein the intermediate member is deformed and can absorb energy even after being deformed by the support member. The intermediate member is
A plurality of relative movement members that move relative to each other in the approach direction of the support member and the vehicle skeleton member between the support member and the vehicle skeleton member;
A plurality of connection members that connect the plurality of relative movement members and release the connection by the external force to enable the relative movement;
The member support structure according to claim 1, comprising: A relative movement amount limiting member for limiting a relative movement amount between the plurality of relative movement members;
The member support structure according to claim 2, comprising: The vehicle skeleton member includes a tire support member that supports a tire,
The total amount of the relative movement of the plurality of relative movement members and the sum of the gaps between the relative movement member and the tire support member are longer than the sum of the distance between the collision object and the tire and the tire burst allowance at the initial stage of the collision. The member support structure according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein

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