JP2010115933A - Suspension tower and suspension structure - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a suspension structure capable of ensuring a clearance between a bonnet hood and an upper surface part of a suspension tower in order to protect a pedestrian (head part) and enhancing freedom of design of a vehicle body. <P>SOLUTION: The suspension structure is provided with a knuckle 3 for rotatably supporting a wheel W; an upper part 7 having one end part connected to an upper end of the knuckle 3 and the other end part connected to the vehicle body; an absorber assembly 4 having a lower end part connected to a lower arm (not shown) mounted to a lower end of the knuckle 3; and the suspension tower 10 having an approximately plate-like upper surface part 10a for supporting an upper end part of the absorber assembly 4. The knuckle 3 is pivoted in a vertical direction accompanying with vertical motion of the wheel W, and on an upper surface part 10a of the suspension tower 10, an escape hole 13 for penetrating an upper end part side of the knuckle 3 moved in a vertical direction is penetrated to a portion opposed to an upper end part of the knuckle 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a suspension tower and a suspension structure including the suspension tower.

A suspension structure for a front wheel of a vehicle according to the prior art will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a front wheel suspension structure including a suspension tower according to the prior art. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional suspension tower. FIG. 7 is a DD cross-sectional view of the suspension tower shown in FIG.
In the figure, “UP” indicates the upward direction of the vehicle, “OUT” indicates the vehicle width direction outside of the vehicle, “FR” indicates the front direction of the vehicle, and “Rh” indicates the vehicle direction. The left side in the vehicle width direction is shown.

As shown in FIG. 5, the vehicle suspension structure according to the prior art includes a knuckle (wheel support member) 3 that rotatably supports a front wheel (wheel) W of the vehicle, an absorber assembly 4, and an upper arm joint at the upper end of the knuckle 3. 6, a pair of upper arms 7 (shown by broken lines), a pair of lower arms (not shown) attached to the lower end of the knuckle 3, and a suspension tower (sustower) 100 that supports the upper end of the absorber assembly 4. I have.
The suspension tower 100 includes a substantially plate-like upper surface portion 100a facing the hood 2 (hood) 2 of the vehicle, and a side surface portion 100b that is bent downward from one end of the upper surface portion 100a and has a substantially L-shaped cross section. It is made into a shape.
Further, a substantially circular suspension mounting hole 100 a 1 is formed in the upper surface portion 100 a of the suspension tower 100. Further, the side surface portion 100b of the suspension tower 100 is joined to the front side member 20 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

The knuckle 3 is integrally provided with a support body 3a, an upper arm 3b, and a lower arm (not shown). The support main body 3 a supports the front wheel W through the hub 5 so as to be rotatable.
A pair of lower arms (not shown) are attached to the lower end (not shown) of the knuckle 3, and the lower arms (not shown) are connected to the vehicle body body around the central axis of the bush joint via the bush joint. Are connected to be swingable in the vertical direction.
An upper arm joint 6 is attached to the upper end of the upper arm 3 b of the knuckle 3, and the upper arm 7 is connected to the upper end of the upper arm 3 b by the upper arm joint 6.

The absorber assembly 4 includes a shock absorber 4a, a suspension spring 4b, and an upper support 4c, and is interposed between a lower arm (not shown) attached to the knuckle 3 and the vehicle body.
Specifically, the shock absorber 4 is connected at its lower end to the outer end portion of the lower arm (not shown) so as to be swingable in the vehicle width direction, and the upper support 4c is connected to the upper surface of the suspension tower 100 at its upper end. It is attached to the suspension attachment hole 100a1 of the portion 10a.

The suspension spring 4b is supported at its lower end by a lower seat (not shown) fixed to the outer cylinder of the shock absorber 4, and the suspension tower 4 is elastically supported at its upper end via an upper support 4c.
Further, the upper arm 7 is formed in a curved shape so as to bypass the absorber assembly 4. The upper arm 7 has one end (front end) connected to the upper arm 3b by the upper arm joint 6 and a bush joint 8 provided at the other end (base end). (Or a suspension member joined to the suspension tower 100).

In the suspension structure configured as described above, when the front wheel W moves up and down, the distal end portion of the upper arm 7 and the upper arm joint attached to the distal end portion are centered on the bush joint 8 provided at the proximal end portion of the upper arm 7. 6 swings in the vertical direction (with this, the knuckle 3 also moves in the vertical direction).
When the upper arm joint 6 swings upward, the upper arm joint 6 approaches the upper surface portion 100 a of the suspension tower 100.

The suspension tower 100 according to the prior art is shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 in order to prevent the upper arm joint 6 from coming into contact with the upper surface portion 100a of the suspension tower 100 even when the upper arm joint 6 swings upward. In addition, a protrusion (flank shape) 100a2 having a substantially dome-shaped cross section is formed on the upper surface portion 100a.
Specifically, a substantially dome-shaped protrusion (escape shape) 100a2 that protrudes toward the hood hood 2 is formed in a portion of the upper surface 100a of the suspension tower 100 that faces the upper arm joint 6.
The structure of the vehicle suspension apparatus shown in FIG. 5 described above is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.

JP 2007-125005 A

  By the way, in the body of an automobile, in consideration of a collision accident with a pedestrian, a predetermined amount or more is provided between a bonnet hood that is highly likely to collide with the head of the pedestrian and the upper surface of the suspension tower facing the bonnet hood. The interval is provided. By this interval, the deformation stroke of the hood when the pedestrian's head collides with the hood is secured, and the impact received by the pedestrian is absorbed.

  However, since the suspension structure of the prior art shown in FIG. 5 described above is formed with the protrusion (escape shape) 100a2 on the upper surface portion 100a of the suspension tower 100, the hood hood 2 of the vehicle and the upper surface portion of the suspension tower 100 are formed. The interval h between 100a becomes small. That is, the suspension structure of the prior art described above has a technical problem that the deformation stroke of the bonnet hood 2 is small due to the structure, and the pedestrian protection performance (impact absorbing function of the front part of the vehicle body) is reduced. Yes.

Moreover, when it is going to ensure the space | interval h between the hood 2 of a vehicle and the upper surface part 100a of the suspension tower 100 with the suspension structure of a prior art, a vehicle body body will receive the restrictions on a design. That is, when the conventional suspension structure is adopted, the degree of freedom in designing the vehicle body is reduced.
Furthermore, the suspension structure of the prior art has a technical problem that the space of the engine compartment is reduced by providing the protrusion (relief shape) 100a2.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above technical problem, and an object of the present invention is to secure a gap between the hood and the upper surface of the suspension tower for pedestrian protection. An object of the present invention is to provide a suspension tower that can improve the degree of freedom in designing a vehicle body. Another object of the present invention is to provide a suspension structure including the suspension tower.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention includes a wheel support member for supporting a vehicle wheel, one end connected to the upper end of the wheel support member, and the other end rotatably connected to the vehicle body. In a suspension structure having an upper arm and an absorber assembly whose lower end is swingably connected to the lower arm attached to the lower end of the wheel support member in the vehicle width direction, a substantially plate-like shape that supports the upper end of the absorber assembly It is applied to a suspension tower having an upper surface portion. Here, one end portion of the wheel support member and the upper arm swings in the vertical direction around the other end portion of the upper arm as the wheel moves up and down.
In the suspension tower, a clearance hole through which the wheel support member moving in the vertical direction and one end of the upper arm are inserted is penetrated in a portion of the upper surface portion facing the upper end portion of the wheel support member. It is characterized by having.

Thus, according to the present invention, by providing the escape hole in the upper surface portion, even if the wheel support member and one end of the upper arm swing upward, the wheel support member and the upper arm can be connected to the escape hole. Can be inserted.
That is, according to the present invention, the upper end portion of the wheel support member abuts on the upper surface portion of the suspension tower without providing the protrusion portion on the upper surface portion as in the suspension device of the prior art shown in FIG. 5 described above. Can be prevented.
Therefore, according to the present invention, the distance between the hood hood disposed on the upper side of the upper surface portion of the suspension tower and the upper surface portion of the suspension tower can be increased, and the deformation stroke of the hood hood can be ensured. .
Therefore, by using the suspension tower of the present invention, the pedestrian protection performance at the front of the vehicle body can be improved.

In addition, according to the present invention, since the position of the upper surface portion of the suspension tower in the vertical direction of the vehicle can be lowered, the degree of freedom in designing the hood hood disposed on the upper side of the suspension tower can be improved.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, the position of the upper surface portion of the suspension tower can be lowered in the vertical direction of the vehicle, so that the space of the engine compartment can be increased as compared with the conventional technology shown in FIG. Can do.

In addition, it is desirable that a reinforcing portion having a substantially square cross section is formed on each of the front and rear sides of the escape hole in the upper surface portion.
By configuring in this way, it is possible to eliminate the lack of rigidity of the suspension tower caused by providing the escape hole in the upper surface portion of the suspension tower.

The escape hole in the upper surface part is preferably covered with a substantially dome-shaped cross section formed of a soft material that can be elastically deformed.
Thus, by covering the escape hole formed in the upper surface portion of the suspension tower with the lid, it is possible to prevent water and dust from entering below the upper surface portion of the suspension tower.
In addition, even if it covers with the cover body of the escape hole of the upper surface part of a suspension tower, since the cover body can be elastically deformed, it does not affect the deformation | transformation stroke of a bonnet hood.

  Further, the present invention made to solve the above-described problems includes the suspension tower, a wheel support member that supports a vehicle wheel, one end portion connected to the upper end of the wheel support member, and the other end portion of the vehicle body. The suspension structure includes an upper arm rotatably connected to the lower arm and an absorber assembly having a lower arm attached to a lower arm attached to a lower end of the wheel support member so that the lower end of the lower arm is swingable in the vehicle width direction.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to secure a space between the hood hood and the upper surface of the suspension tower for pedestrian protection, and to improve the degree of freedom in designing the vehicle body. A suspension tower can be provided. Moreover, according to the present invention, a suspension structure including the suspension tower can be provided.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a suspension structure at a front portion of a vehicle including a suspension tower according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the suspension tower according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the suspension tower shown in FIG. The suspension tower 10 shown in FIG. 1 shows an AA cross section of the suspension tower 10 shown in FIG.
The suspension structure of the present embodiment has substantially the same configuration as that of the prior art suspension structure shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 except that the structure of the suspension tower is different. Therefore, in FIGS. 1-3, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same structure as said prior art, and the description is simplified.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle suspension structure of the present embodiment is connected to a knuckle 3 that rotatably supports a front wheel W, an absorber assembly 4, and an upper arm joint 6 at the upper end of the knuckle 3. A pair of upper arms 7 (for convenience of explanation, one upper arm 7 is indicated by a broken line), a pair of lower arms (not shown) attached to the lower end of the knuckle 3, and an upper end portion of the absorber assembly 4 are supported. A suspension tower (sustower) 10 is provided.
Although FIG. 1 schematically shows the suspension structure on the right front wheel side of the vehicle, the left front wheel side is configured in the same manner as the right front wheel side, and therefore, here, the right front wheel side is representative. Description of the left front wheel side will be omitted.

The knuckle 3 is integrally provided with a support body 3 a, an upper arm 3 b, and a lower arm (not shown), as in the prior art described above, and the support body 3 a can rotate the front wheel W via the hub 5. I support it. Further, an upper arm joint 6 is attached to the upper arm 3 b, and a pair of upper arms 7 are connected to the upper arm 3 by the upper arm joint 6.
One end (front end) of the upper arm 7 is connected to the upper end of the upper arm 3b by an upper arm joint 6, and a bush joint 8 is provided at the other end (base end). A body (or a suspension member joined to the suspension tower 10) is rotatably connected.

As a result, when the front wheel W moves up and down, the distal end portion of the upper arm 7 and the upper arm joint 6 attached to the distal end portion swing in the vertical direction around the bush joint 8 provided at the base end portion of the upper arm 7. .
The knuckle 3, the absorber assembly 4, the upper arm joint 6, the upper arm 7 and the lower arm (not shown) are the same as those in FIG. 5 described above, so the description thereof will be omitted. The suspension tower 10 that is a characteristic configuration of the embodiment will be described in detail.

The suspension tower 10 includes a plate-like upper surface portion 10a facing the hood hood (hood) 2 of the vehicle, and a side surface portion 10b that is bent downward from one end of the upper surface portion 10a and has a substantially L-shaped cross section. ing.
Further, the side surface portion 10b of the suspension tower 10 is joined to the front side member 20 constituting the skeleton of the vehicle body.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a substantially circular suspension mounting hole 11 penetrating the upper surface portion 10 a is formed in the upper surface portion 10 a of the suspension tower 10, and a portion facing the upper arm joint 6. Further, a relief hole 12 of a predetermined region (area) penetrating the upper surface portion 10a is formed.
An upper support 4c formed at the upper end of the absorber assembly 4 is fitted into the suspension mounting hole 11 formed in the upper surface portion 10a, and the upper surface portion 10a and the upper support 4c are welded in the fitted state. Etc. (or fastening means such as bolts).

Further, the escape hole 12 of the upper surface portion 10a is located at a position opposite to the upper arm joint 6 when the tip portions of the upper arm joint 6 and the upper arm 7 swing upward (the knuckle 3 also moves upward accordingly. ), The size (area) of the upper arm joint 6 and the upper arm 7 (and the upper end of the knuckle 3) can be passed.
As described above, the escape hole 12 only needs to be formed to have a size (area) that allows the tip of the upper arm joint 6 and the upper arm 7 that have swung upward to pass therethrough. The specific shape is not particularly limited.

Then, by providing the escape hole 12 in the upper surface portion 10a, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 1, when the front end portion of the upper arm 7 and the upper arm joint 6 move upward as the front wheel W moves up and down, the upper arm 7 The upper arm joint 6 and the upper arm joint 6 are inserted (passed) through the escape hole 12 and enter the space portion 40 formed between the bonnet hood 2 and the upper surface portion 10a.
Further, when the tip of the upper arm 7 and the upper arm joint 6 are moved downward in accordance with the vertical movement of the front wheel W in a state where the tip of the upper arm 7 and the upper arm joint 6 are disposed in the space portion 40, The distal end portion and the upper arm joint 6 are inserted (passed) through the escape hole 12 and moved to the lower side of the upper surface portion 10 a of the suspension tower 10.

Thus, according to the present embodiment, by providing the escape hole 12 in the upper surface portion 10 a of the suspension tower 10, the upper arm joint 6 is suspended from the suspension tower 10 when the tip portion of the upper arm 7 and the upper arm joint 6 swing upward. It is prevented from coming into contact with the upper surface portion 10a.
That is, in this embodiment, by providing the escape hole 12 in the upper surface portion 10a, it is not necessary to provide a protrusion on the upper surface portion 10a as shown in FIG. 5 described above, so that the hood hood 2 and the upper surface portion 10a of the suspension tower 10 are eliminated. The interval h can be increased.
Thereby, according to this embodiment, since the deformation | transformation stroke of the bonnet hood 2 can be ensured largely, the pedestrian protection performance of a vehicle body front part can be improved.

Moreover, according to this embodiment, since the position in the up-down direction of the vehicle of the upper surface part 10a of the suspension tower 10 can be made low, the freedom degree of the shape design of the bonnet hood 2 can be improved.
Further, according to the present embodiment, since the position of the upper surface portion 10a of the suspension tower 10 in the vertical direction of the vehicle can be lowered, the space of the engine compartment is reduced as compared with the conventional technology shown in FIG. Can be big.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the suspension tower 10 of the present embodiment includes plate-like members on the front and rear sides (both sides in the front-rear direction of the vehicle) of the suspension mounting hole 11 and the escape hole 12 of the upper surface portion 10 a. A reinforcing portion 13 having a substantially B-shaped cross section (closed cross-sectional structure) is provided.
The reason for this is to eliminate the lack of rigidity of the suspension tower 10 due to the opening of a plurality of holes (suspension mounting holes 11 and escape holes 12) in the upper surface portion 10a of the suspension tower 10.

As described above, according to this embodiment, in order to protect a pedestrian (head), the space between the hood hood 2 and the upper surface portion 10a of the suspension tower 10 can be secured, and the vehicle body It is possible to provide a suspension tower capable of improving the degree of design freedom.
In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, A various deformation | transformation is possible within the range of the summary.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, a cover 30 having a substantially dome-shaped cross section covered with the escape hole 12 is provided on the upper surface portion 10 a of the suspension tower 10 to prevent water from entering from the outside of the vehicle. May be.
The lid 10 is made of a soft material (rubber, soft resin, or the like) that can be elastically deformed in accordance with the deformation of the suspension tower 10 when the hood 2 is deformed by being depressed toward the suspension tower 10 due to a collision. .
In addition, although it does not specifically limit about the shape of the cover body 30, in the example to illustrate, the cover body 30 is provided with the hollow cap part 30a and the flange part 30b formed in the outer periphery of the cap part 30a, and a flange part It is bonded to the upper surface portion 10a of the suspension tower 10 by 30b.

With this configuration, water and dust can be prevented from entering from the upper surface portion 10a of the suspension tower 10 to the lower surface of the upper surface portion 10a, so that water and dust can be prevented from adhering to the absorber assembly 4 and the like. .
In addition, even if it covers with the cover body 30 of the escape hole of the upper surface part 10 of the suspension tower 10, since the cover body 30 can be elastically deformed, the deformation stroke of the bonnet hood 2 is not affected.

It is sectional drawing of the suspension structure of the vehicle front part provided with the suspension tower of embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the suspension tower of the embodiment of the present invention. It is BB sectional drawing of the suspension tower shown in FIG. It is the schematic diagram which showed the cross section of the cover body attached to the upper surface part of the suspension tower of the modification of embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the suspension structure of the vehicle front part provided with the suspension tower by a prior art. It is a perspective view of the suspension tower by a prior art. It is DD sectional drawing of the suspension tower shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

W Front wheel
2 Bonnet food (food)
3 Knuckle 3a Support body 3a (Knuckle)
3b Upper arm 3b (knuckle)
4 Absorber assembly 4a Shock absorber (absorber assembly)
4b Suspension spring (absorber assembly)
4c Upper support (absorber assembly)
5 Hub 6 Upper arm joint 7 Upper arm 8 Bush joint 10 Suspension tower (sus tower)
10a Top surface (suspension tower)
10b Side (suspension tower)
11 Suspension mounting hole (suspension tower)
12 Relief hole (suspension tower)
13 Reinforcement (suspension tower)
20 Front side member 30 Lid

Claims (4)

A wheel support member for supporting a vehicle wheel, an upper arm having one end connected to the upper end of the wheel support member and the other end rotatably connected to the vehicle body, and attached to the lower end of the wheel support member In the suspension structure having a lower arm and an absorber assembly whose lower end portion is swingably connected in the vehicle width direction, the suspension tower includes a substantially plate-like upper surface portion that supports the upper end portion of the absorber assembly,
The one end of the wheel support member and the upper arm swings in the vertical direction around the other end of the upper arm as the wheel moves up and down.
In the suspension tower, a clearance hole through which the wheel support member moving in the vertical direction and one end portion of the upper arm are inserted is passed through a portion of the upper surface portion facing the upper end portion of the wheel support member. Suspension tower characterized by that.   2. The suspension tower according to claim 1, wherein a reinforcing portion having a substantially square-shaped cross section is formed on each of front and rear sides of the escape hole of the upper surface portion.   3. The suspension tower according to claim 1, wherein a cross section formed of a soft material that can be elastically deformed is covered with a substantially dome-shaped lid body.   The suspension tower according to any one of claims 1 to 3, a wheel support member that supports a wheel of a vehicle, one end portion is connected to an upper end of the wheel support member, and the other end portion is freely rotatable on the vehicle body. A suspension structure comprising: an upper arm connected to the lower arm; and an absorber assembly having a lower arm attached to a lower arm attached to a lower end of the wheel support member so as to be swingable in a vehicle width direction.

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