JP2008174018A - Front grille for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a vehicle front grille capable of securing impact absorption and enabling installation in a small installation space. <P>SOLUTION: In the front grille 10, an impact absorbing member 22 is mounted on the back face of a transparent grille 14. The impact absorbing member 22 is formed of a material (e.g. metal)having higher toughness than that of a hard resin material forming the transparent grille 14, and is continuously displaced by an impact load to absorb the impact load after the transparent grille 14 is broken by the impact load. Therefore, impact absorption can be secured. The thickness dimension in the vehicle body longitudinal direction of the impact absorbing member 22 is set smaller than the thickness dimension in the vehicle body longitudinal direction of the transparent grille 14. Thus, the front grille 10 can be installed in a small installation space. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle front grill.

In some conventional front grilles (see, for example, Patent Document 1), the grill main body is formed of a soft resin material. In such a front grill, the impact at the time of a vehicle collision can be absorbed by the grill body made of soft resin.
JP 2004-309617 A

  However, in the front grill as described above, it is conceivable that the thickness dimension of the grill body in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is increased in order to ensure the shock absorbing stroke of the grill body. For this reason, there is a possibility that the vehicle cannot be mounted on a vehicle type in which sufficient installation space for the front grille cannot be secured.

  In view of the above facts, the present invention has an object to obtain a vehicle front grille that can ensure shock absorption and can be installed in a small installation space.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, a vehicle front grill is formed of a resin material, and is configured of a grill main body provided at a front portion of a vehicle body, a material different from the resin material, and a longitudinal thickness of the grill main body. The thickness is set equal to or less than or equal to the longitudinal thickness of the grill body, and is deformed by the impact load even after the grill body is broken by the impact load when the impact load is applied to the grill body. And an impact absorbing member that absorbs the impact load.

  In addition, as a material of the “impact absorbing member” according to the first aspect, a softer resin material, a metal material, rubber, or the like than the resin material forming the grill body can be applied.

  In the vehicle front grill according to the first aspect, the grill main body is provided with an impact absorbing member formed of a material different from the resin material forming the grill main body. The impact absorbing member absorbs the impact load by being deformed by the impact load even after the grill body is broken by the impact load when an impact load is applied to the grill body. Therefore, shock absorption can be ensured. Moreover, the thickness in the front-rear direction of the shock absorbing member is set to be equal to or less than the thickness in the front-rear direction of the grill body. Therefore, it can be installed in a small installation space.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, a vehicle front grill is formed of a resin material, and is configured of a grill main body provided at a front portion of a vehicle body, a material having higher toughness than the resin material, and front and rear of the grill main body. It is set in the front and rear thicknesses equal to or less than the directional thickness, and is provided in the grill body, and even after the grill body is broken by the impact load when the impact load is applied to the grill body, And an impact absorbing member that absorbs the impact load by being deformed.

  Note that the “toughness” described in claim 2 can be evaluated by a numerical value of an impact test (for example, Charpy impact test or Izod impact test).

  In the vehicle front grill according to claim 2, the grill main body is provided with an impact absorbing member made of a material having higher toughness than the resin material forming the grill main body. The impact absorbing member absorbs the impact load by being deformed by the impact load even after the grill body is broken by the impact load when an impact load is applied to the grill body. Therefore, shock absorption can be ensured. Moreover, the thickness in the front-rear direction of the shock absorbing member is set to be equal to or less than the thickness in the front-rear direction of the grill body. Therefore, it can be installed in a small installation space.

  A vehicle front grill according to a third aspect of the present invention is the vehicle front grill according to the first or second aspect, wherein the shock absorbing member is attached to the rear side of the grill main body. It is said.

  In the vehicle front grill according to claim 3, since the impact absorbing member is attached to the rear side of the grill body, the tensile force acting on the rear side portion of the grill body when an impact is applied to the grill body from the front side of the vehicle body. The stress can be absorbed by the impact absorbing member. Therefore, damage to the grill body due to the tensile stress can be suppressed.

  A vehicle front grill according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the vehicle front grill according to the third aspect, wherein the shock absorbing member is formed of an elastic body.

  In the vehicle front grill according to the fourth aspect, since the shock absorbing member attached to the rear side of the vehicle body of the grill main body is formed of an elastic body, the grill main body is disposed on the rear side of the vehicle body by an impact from the front side of the vehicle body. It can suppress that it collides with the vehicle structural member and breaks.

  A vehicle front grill according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the vehicle front grill according to the first or second aspect, wherein the impact absorbing member is embedded in a resin of the grill main body. Yes.

  In the vehicle front grill according to claim 5, since the shock absorbing member is embedded in the resin of the grill main body, it is not necessary to provide a space for arranging the shock absorbing member outside the grill main body, and the size can be reduced. .

  As described above, the vehicle front grill according to claim 1 of the present invention can ensure shock absorption and can be installed in a small installation space.

  In the vehicle front grill according to claim 2 of the present invention, it is possible to ensure shock absorption and install in a small installation space.

  In the vehicle front grill according to claim 3 of the present invention, it is possible to suppress breakage of the grill body due to tensile stress acting on the rear body portion of the grill body.

  In the vehicle front grill according to claim 4 of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the grill main body from colliding with and being damaged by the vehicle structural member disposed on the rear side of the vehicle body.

  In the vehicle front grill according to claim 5 of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the size.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 shows a front view of an automobile 12 in which a vehicle front grill 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is attached to a front portion of a vehicle body. 2 shows a front view of the front grille 10, and FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. In the figure, an arrow FR indicates the vehicle body front direction, an arrow UP indicates the vehicle body upward direction, and an arrow W indicates the vehicle width direction.

  The front grill 10 has a transparent grill 14 as a grill main body formed of a transparent hard resin material (polycarbonate in the first embodiment). The transparent grille 14 includes an outer peripheral frame portion 16 formed in a frame shape, an emblem mounting portion 18 provided at a center portion in the vehicle width direction inside the outer peripheral frame portion 16, and both end portions in the vehicle width direction of the outer peripheral frame portion 16. A plurality of lattice portions 20 are provided between the emblem mounting portion 18 and the vehicle body in the vehicle width direction. The transparent grille 14 is a design surface in which a surface other than the back surface (surface on the rear side of the vehicle body) is exposed to the outside of the vehicle body, and this design surface constitutes a part of the exterior design of the automobile 12.

  A shock absorbing member 22 formed in a flat plate shape is provided on the vehicle rear side of the transparent grill 14. The shock absorbing member 22 is formed by a metal plate (so-called punching metal) in which a plurality of through holes 22A are formed in the entire region, and is integrally attached to the back surface of the transparent grill 14 by means such as adhesion. . For convenience of explanation, only a part of the through hole 22A is shown in FIG. Moreover, illustration of 22 A of through-holes is abbreviate | omitted in FIG. 1, FIG.

  The impact absorbing member 22 is formed so that the shape of the outer peripheral portion viewed from the front side (vehicle body front side) is substantially the same as the outer peripheral portion of the outer peripheral frame portion 16 and slightly smaller than the outer peripheral portion of the outer peripheral frame portion 16. ing. The thickness dimension of the shock absorbing member 22 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is set to be sufficiently smaller than the thickness dimension of the transparent grille 14 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and the volume of the shock absorbing member 22 is the volume of the transparent grille 14. It is set sufficiently smaller than that.

  However, the impact absorbing member 22 is formed of a metal material (for example, iron) having higher toughness than the hard resin material (polycarbonate) forming the transparent grill 14. Therefore, the impact absorbing member 22 is deformed together with the transparent grille 14 when an impact load is applied to the transparent grille 14, and is also deformed by the impact load after the transparent grille 14 is broken by the impact load. In this way, the impact load is absorbed.

  Note that the toughness of each material of the transparent grill 14 and the impact absorbing member 22 can be compared by numerical values of an impact test (for example, Charpy impact test or Izod impact test).

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of bolts 24 are attached to the outer peripheral frame portion 16 of the transparent grill 14. The heads of these bolts 24 are integrally embedded in the outer peripheral frame portion 16 by insert molding, and the screw portions protrude from the outer peripheral frame portion 16 toward the rear side of the vehicle body. The screw portion of each bolt 24 penetrates the outer peripheral portion of the shock absorbing member 22 and penetrates the front end portion 26 </ b> A of the engine hood 26. A nut 28 is screwed onto the front end side of the threaded portion of each bolt 24, whereby the transparent grill 14 and the impact absorbing member 22 are fastened and fixed to the front of the vehicle body of the automobile 12.

  As described above, the metal plate constituting the shock absorbing member 22 has a plurality of through holes 22A formed in the entire area. For this reason, the traveling wind of the automobile 12 entering the opening 30 of the transparent grille 14 is introduced into the engine compartment (not shown) of the automobile 12 through the plurality of through holes 22A of the impact absorbing member 22. ing.

  Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.

  In the front grill 10 configured as described above, the transparent grill 14 is formed of a hard resin material (here, polycarbonate). For this reason, compared with the case where the transparent grille 14 is formed of a soft resin material, the transparency of the transparent grille 14 is improved and the appearance of the transparent grille 14 is improved.

  Further, when an impact load is applied to the transparent grille 14 from the front side of the vehicle body at the time of a frontal collision of the automobile 12, the transparent grille 14 is deformed together with the impact absorbing member 22. The impact absorbing member 22 absorbs the impact load by being continuously deformed by the impact load even after the transparent grill 14 is broken by the impact load.

  Therefore, in the front grill 10, even if the transparent grill 14 is formed of a hard resin material that is easily broken, a predetermined shock absorption (energy absorption performance) can be ensured.

  In FIG. 4, the load characteristic of the front grill 10 is shown by an FS diagram. In FIG. 4, the area of the area to which dots are applied is energy absorbed by deformation of the transparent grill 14 and the impact absorbing member 22, and the area of the area to which hatching is applied is the impact after the transparent grill 14 is broken. This energy is absorbed by the deformation of the absorbing member 22. FIG. 4 shows that energy absorption (shock absorption) is continued by deformation of the shock absorbing member 22 even after the transparent grill 14 is broken.

  As described above, the front grill 10 is configured to share the energy absorption between the transparent grill 14 and the shock absorbing member 22, so that both the appearance improvement and the energy absorption performance can be achieved.

  Moreover, in the front grill 10, the shock absorbing member 22 is formed of a material having higher toughness than the transparent grill 14, and the thickness dimension of the shock absorbing member 22 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is the same as that of the transparent grill 14 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. It is set sufficiently smaller than the thickness dimension. Therefore, the thickness dimension in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body as a whole of the front grill 10 can be set small, so that it can be installed in a small installation space.

  Further, in the front grill 10, the shock absorbing member 22 is attached to the back surface (rear side of the vehicle body) of the transparent grill 14, so that when the impact load is applied to the transparent grill 14 from the front side of the vehicle body, The acting tensile stress can be effectively absorbed by the shock absorbing member 22. Therefore, damage to the transparent grille 14 due to the tensile stress can be suppressed.

  Further, in the front grill 10, the impact absorbing member 22 is formed of so-called punching metal. For this reason, even if the opening 30 of the transparent grille 14 is blocked by the impact absorbing member 22, it is possible to ensure the introduction of traveling wind into the engine compartment and to create a novel appearance coupled with the design of the transparent grille 14. Presents.

  In the first embodiment, the transparent grill 14 as the grill body is formed of a transparent resin material. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the grill body is formed of a translucent or opaque resin material. You may make it the structure formed. This also applies to other embodiments of the present invention described below.

  In the first embodiment, the transparent grille 14 as the grill body is formed of a hard resin material (polycarbonate). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the resin material forming the grill body is as follows. It can be changed as appropriate. This also applies to other embodiments of the present invention described below.

  Further, in the first embodiment, the entire shock absorbing member 22 is provided on the back side (rear side of the vehicle body) of the transparent grill 14 (grill body). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the shock absorbing member 22 is provided. You may make it the structure by which a part of member is arrange | positioned at the vehicle body front side (design surface side) of a grill main body. This also applies to other embodiments of the present invention described below.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, about the structure and operation | movement fundamentally similar to the said 1st Embodiment, about the structure and operation | movement fundamentally similar to the said 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol as the said 1st Embodiment is provided. The description is omitted.
<Second Embodiment>
FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a vehicle front grill 40 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The front grill 40 has basically the same configuration as the front grill 10 according to the first embodiment, and the impact has basically the same configuration as the shock absorbing member 22 according to the first embodiment. An absorbing member 42 is provided (in FIG. 5, illustration of the through hole 22A bolt 24, the nut 28, and the front end portion 26A of the engine hood 26 of the shock absorbing member 42 is omitted).

  However, the shock absorbing member 42 is provided with a plurality of projecting portions 44 projecting toward the front side of the vehicle body at positions facing the recesses formed on the opening 30 of the transparent grill 14 and the back side of the emblem mounting portion 18. ing. These protrusions 44 are formed by partially bending the shock absorbing member 42, and the rigidity of the shock absorbing member 42 is improved by these protrusions 44.

  Although the thickness dimension of the shock absorbing member 42 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is increased by the plurality of protrusions 44, the thickness dimension of the shock absorbing member 42 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is the thickness of the transparent grill 14 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. It is set smaller than the size. Further, the plurality of projecting portions 44 are disposed in the opening 30 of the transparent grill 14 or in the recess on the back side of the emblem mounting portion 18. For this reason, the thickness dimension of the front grille 40 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is set to the same dimension as the thickness dimension of the front grille 10 according to the first embodiment in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.

This embodiment also has basically the same operational effects as the first embodiment. In addition, in this embodiment, the rigidity of the shock absorbing member 42 is improved by the plurality of projecting portions 44, so that the plate thickness dimension of the shock absorbing member 42 can be reduced.
<Third Embodiment>
FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a vehicle front grill 50 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The front grill 50 has basically the same configuration as that of the front grill 10 according to the first embodiment, but the front grill 50 is a substitute for the shock absorbing member 22 according to the first embodiment. In addition, another shock absorbing member 52 is provided (in FIG. 6, illustration of the bolt 24, the nut 28, and the front end portion 26A of the engine hood 26 is omitted).

  The impact absorbing member 52 is formed in a plate shape (sheet shape), and is attached to the back surface of the transparent grille 14 by means such as adhesion, similarly to the impact absorbing member 22 according to the first embodiment. The shock absorbing member 52 is formed in the same manner as the shape of the outer peripheral portion of the outer peripheral frame portion 16 as viewed from the front side (the front side of the vehicle body). The thickness dimension of the shock absorbing member 52 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is set smaller than the thickness dimension of the transparent grill 14 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.

  However, the shock absorbing member 52 is formed of a material (in this third embodiment, an elastic body such as rubber) having higher toughness than the hard resin material (polycarbonate) that forms the transparent grille 14. Therefore, the impact absorbing member 52 is deformed together with the transparent grille 14 when an impact load is applied to the transparent grille 14, and is also deformed by the impact load after the transparent grille 14 is broken by the impact load. As a result, the shock load is absorbed.

This embodiment also has basically the same operational effects as the first embodiment. In addition, in this embodiment, since the shock absorbing member 52 attached to the back surface (rear side of the vehicle body) of the transparent grill 14 is formed of an elastic body such as rubber, the transparent grill 14 is subjected to its own vehicle body by an impact from the front side of the vehicle body. It can suppress that it collides with the vehicle structural member 56 (for example, radiator etc.) arrange | positioned at the rear side (engine compartment 54 side), and is damaged.
<Fourth Embodiment>
FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a vehicle front grill 60 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The front grill 60 includes a transparent grill 14 having basically the same configuration as the transparent grill 14 according to the first embodiment. The front grill 60 includes an impact absorbing member 62 embedded in the resin of the outer peripheral frame portion 16 of the transparent grill 14 instead of the impact absorbing member 22 according to the first embodiment (note that In FIG. 7, illustration of the bolt 24, the nut 28, and the front end portion 26A of the engine hood 26 is omitted).

  The shock absorbing member 62 is formed in a frame shape (annular shape) similar to that of the outer peripheral frame portion 16 and is embedded over the entire area of the outer peripheral frame portion 16. The shock absorbing member 62 is embedded in the outer peripheral frame portion 16 by, for example, insert molding. In the fourth embodiment, the cross-sectional shape is formed in an arc shape with the convex curved surface facing the front side of the vehicle body. Note that the heads of the bolts 24 (not shown in FIG. 7) embedded in the outer peripheral frame portion 16 are disposed on the rear side of the vehicle body of the shock absorbing member 62 and from the outside of the vehicle body (the front side of the front grill 60 on the vehicle body). The head of the bolt 24 is not visible.

  In addition, the thickness of the shock absorbing member 62 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is set smaller than the thickness dimension of the transparent grill 14 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. However, the shock absorbing member 62 is formed of a material having higher toughness than the hard resin material (polycarbonate) forming the transparent grille 14 (in the fourth embodiment, a softer resin material than polycarbonate). . Therefore, the impact absorbing member 62 is deformed together with the transparent grille 14 when an impact load is applied to the transparent grille 14, and is also deformed by the impact load after the transparent grille 14 is broken by the impact load. In this way, the impact load is absorbed.

  This embodiment also has basically the same operational effects as the first embodiment. In addition, in this embodiment, since the shock absorbing member 62 is embedded in the resin of the outer peripheral frame portion 16 of the transparent grill 14, it is not necessary to provide an arrangement space for the shock absorbing member 62 outside the transparent grill 14. Therefore, the overall configuration of the front grill 60 can be reduced in size, and the installation space for the front grill 60 can be further reduced. Further, in this embodiment, the shock absorbing member 62 is disposed on the vehicle body front side of the head of the bolt 24 embedded in the outer peripheral frame portion 16, so that the head of the bolt 24 cannot be seen from the outside of the vehicle body. ing. Therefore, the designability (appearance) of the front grill 60 can be improved.

  In the fourth embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the shock absorbing member 62 is formed in an arc shape with the convex curved surface facing the front of the vehicle body. However, the cross-sectional shape of the shock absorbing member 62 is not limited to this. For example, the shape shown in FIGS. 8A to 8H may be used. That is, the example shown in FIG. 8A is an arc shape with the convex curved surface facing the rear side of the vehicle body, and the example shown in FIG. 8B is a U-shape with the opening portion facing the rear side of the vehicle body. The examples shown in FIGS. 8C and 8D are a plurality of U-shapes that are continuous in the vehicle width direction (a so-called honeycomb shape may be used), and an example shown in FIG. Is a linear shape along the vehicle width direction, the example shown in FIG. 8 (F) is a cylindrical shape, and the example shown in FIG. 8 (G) is a wave shape extending in the vehicle width direction. The example shown in FIG. 8H is a bellows shape extending in the vehicle width direction. As in these examples, the cross-sectional shape of the shock absorbing member 62 can be set and changed as appropriate, but it is particularly preferable that the cross-section coefficient is high.

  Further, in the first to fourth embodiments, the thickness dimension of the shock absorbing members 22, 42, 52, 62 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is the thickness of the transparent grill 14 (grill body) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. Although the present invention is not limited to this, the thickness dimension of the shock absorbing member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is equivalent to the thickness dimension of the grill body in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body (slightly larger). It is also possible to adopt a configuration that is set to “includes those”.

1 is a front view of an automobile to which a vehicle front grill according to a first embodiment of the present invention is attached. It is a front view of the front grille for vehicles concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2. It is a FS diagram which shows the load characteristic of the front grille for vehicles concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a cross-sectional view showing a partial configuration of a vehicle front grill according to a second embodiment of the present invention. It is a cross-sectional view showing a partial configuration of a vehicle front grille according to a third embodiment of the present invention. It is a cross-sectional view which shows the partial structure of the vehicle front grille which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the modification of the impact-absorbing member which is a structural member of the front grille for vehicles concerning the 4th Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 Vehicle front grill 14 Transparent grill (grill body)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 22 Shock absorbing member 40 Vehicle front grille 42 Shock absorbing member 50 Vehicle front grille 52 Shock absorbing member 60 Vehicle front grille 62 Shock absorbing member

Claims (5)

A grill body formed of a resin material and provided at the front of the vehicle body,
It is formed of a material different from the resin material and is set in the front-rear direction thickness equal to or less than the front-rear thickness of the grill body, and is provided in the grill body, and when the impact load is applied to the grill body An impact absorbing member that absorbs the impact load by being deformed by the impact load even after the grill body is broken by the impact load;
A vehicle front grille. A grill body formed of a resin material and provided at the front of the vehicle body,
It is made of a material having higher toughness than the resin material, and is set in the front-rear direction thickness equal to or less than the front-rear thickness of the grill body, and is provided on the grill body, and the impact load on the grill body is reduced. An impact absorbing member that absorbs the impact load by being deformed by the impact load even after the grill body is broken by the impact load during operation;
A vehicle front grille.   The vehicle front grill according to claim 1, wherein the shock absorbing member is attached to a rear side of a vehicle body of the grill main body.   The vehicle front grill according to claim 3, wherein the shock absorbing member is formed of an elastic body.   The vehicle front grill according to claim 1, wherein the shock absorbing member is embedded in a resin of the grill main body.

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