JP2010155559A - Vehicle front structure - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle front structure securing sufficient vehicle body stiffness while suppressing increase in weight by addition of a reinforcement and the like, by effectively transmitting an input load. <P>SOLUTION: A hood ridge reinforce member 11 is led to an inside position of a wheel 12 arranged inside a tire wheel house 8 mainly by a joint linear section 11e having a box-shape cross-section from a rear end part 11b connected to front pillar members 7, 7 toward a front part of a vehicle and of a linear shape in a plan view, and a curved section 11f arranged continuously to and integrally with the joint linear section 11e and tilting an extension angle inward in the vehicle width direction by bending an inner hollow section inward in the vehicle width direction, by a front linear section 11g in a linear shape, and a front end section 11a is connected to a load inputting face 10a of suspension towers 10, 10. An imaginal extension section V extending forward from the front end section 11a of the hood ridge reinforce member 11 is set to pass through an inputting center M of the load inputting faces 10a, 10a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle front structure that improves the rigidity in the vicinity of a suspension tower of an automobile.

  Conventionally, as a vehicle front part structure of an automobile, a pair of side member members is provided along both side edges in the vehicle width direction of an engine room provided at the front part of the vehicle.

  Above this side member member, a strut tower as a suspension tower is fixed to the upper surface side in a state offset to the outside of the vehicle.

  This strut tower is connected to the hood ridge reinforcement member that extends from the front pillar member located at both corners in the front of the passenger compartment at the rear of the engine room, and the outer side in the vehicle width direction is connected via a strut housing reinforcing gusset member. Has been.

Further, it is also known that a connecting member member extending from the front portion of the front pillar member is separately provided and connected to the rear side surface portion of the strut tower (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2007-230489 A

  However, in such a conventional vehicle front structure, when a load input in the suspension push-up direction is applied to the strut tower, a rotational moment is exerted via the gusset strut housing reinforcing member provided on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. To the hood ridge reinforcement member.

  For this reason, there has been a problem that it is difficult to effectively transmit the hood ridge reinforcement member to the front pillar member or the side sill member because a force in a direction that causes deformation in the twisting direction is applied to the hood ridge reinforcement member.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle front structure that can obtain sufficient vehicle body rigidity while suppressing an increase in weight due to the addition of a reinforcing material or the like by effectively transmitting a load input.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a side member member provided in an engine room and a load input in which an upper edge portion of the suspension device is fixed above the side member member and a load from the suspension device is input. A suspension tower having a surface, a front pillar member provided at a corner portion at the rear of the engine room, and a hood ridge reinforcement member extending forward from the front pillar member, the hood ridge rain A front end portion of the force member is connected to the load input surface, and a virtual extending portion extending forward from the front end portion of the hood ridge reinforcement member is set to pass through the input center of the load input surface. It features a vehicle front structure.

  According to the present invention, the front end portion of the hood ridge reinforcement member is connected to the load input surface of the suspension tower, and the virtual extension portion extending forward from the front end portion of the hood ridge reinforcement member includes It passes through the input center of the load input surface.

  The load input to the load input surface is transmitted to the front pillar member provided in the corner portion at the rear of the engine room via the hood ridge reinforcement member and is dispersed.

  At this time, since the load input applied to the hood ridge reinforcement member is applied as a shearing force in the vehicle vertical direction, the hood ridge reinforcement member has strength with respect to the bending direction.

  For this reason, the reinforcement member used for reinforcement can be omitted or reduced separately, and desired vehicle body rigidity can be easily obtained while suppressing an increase in weight.

  Hereinafter, the vehicle front structure of the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 5 show a vehicle front structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  First, in terms of the overall configuration, in the vehicle front structure according to this embodiment, the left and right pair of sides are provided on both side edges 2a and 2a in the vehicle width direction of the engine room 2 located at the front of the vehicle 1. The member members 3 and 3 are provided with the longitudinal direction along the vehicle front-rear direction.

  The rear end portions 3a and 3a of the side member members 3 and 3 are substantially flat on side sill members 5 and 5 provided below the side edge portions 4a and 4a of the passenger compartment 4 positioned behind the engine room 2, respectively. It is connected via a dash panel member 6 extending in the vehicle width direction.

  Front pillar members 7 and 7 to which front end portions of the side sill members 5 and 5 are coupled are erected on the left and right edge portions of the dash panel member 6.

  Suspension towers 10 and 10 constituting part of the tire wheel houses 8 and 8 are provided above the side member members 3 and 3.

  The suspension towers 10 and 10 accommodate suspension devices 9 and 9 provided with a shock absorber device and a spring member for supporting a suspension arm member (not shown).

  Load input surfaces 10a and 10a are provided at the upper end portions of the suspension devices 9 and 9 so that the upper edges of the suspension devices 9 and 9 are brought into contact with the lower surface side and received.

  Further, in the passenger compartment 4 at the rear of the engine room 2, the front corner portions 4b and 4b are arranged in the vicinity of the left and right edge upper end surfaces 6a and 6a of the dash panel member 6 and the front pillar members 7 and 6a. 7, rear end portions 11b and 11b of the hood ridge reinforcement members 11 and 11 are connected so as to be integrated toward the vehicle front direction.

  The hood ridge reinforcement member 11 of this embodiment mainly has a cross-sectional box shape from the rear end portion 11b joined to the front pillar members 7 and 7 toward the front of the vehicle. A straight joint straight portion 11e and the joint straight portion 11e are integrally connected to each other and bent toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction so as to bend the hollow cross section inside, thereby extending the extending angle toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The curved curved section 11f and the curved curved section 11f guide the curved hollow section to the inner position of the wheel 12 provided in the tire wheel house 8 and connect it linearly to the suspension towers 10 and 10. The front side straight portion 11g is mainly configured.

  That is, among the hood ridge reinforcement members 11, 11, the front end portions 11 a, 11 a of the front straight portions 11 g, 11 g are connected to the load input surfaces 10 a, 10 a of the suspension towers 10, 10.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the extending direction G of the hollow sections 11c and 11c of the hood ridge reinforcement members 11 and 11 faces the input center M direction of the load input surfaces 10a and 10a. As shown, a virtual extending portion V extending forward from the front end portion 11a of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 is set so as to pass through the input center M of the load input surfaces 10a and 10a.

  Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the side member member 3 includes a side member inner member 3b and a side member outer member 3c that are joined in the vehicle width direction to form a substantially hollow closed section. It has a shape and is configured to extend in the longitudinal direction along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

  Further, the suspension tower 10 has a cylindrical inner side surface portion 10b extending from the upper end portion of the side member inner member 3b toward the upper side of the vehicle.

  Then, by providing the load input surface 10a above the cylindrical inner side surface portion 10b, the input center M of the load input surface 10a of the suspension tower 10 is positioned directly above the side member member 3. It is configured.

  Further, in this embodiment, the extending direction G of the hollow section of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 is within the tire wheel house 8 located outside the suspension tower 10 in the vehicle width direction as shown in FIG. And is directed to the inside of the wheel 12 supported by the suspension device 9.

  In addition, in this embodiment, the hollow section 11c of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 has a space in the tire wheel house 8 located outside the suspension tower 10 in the vehicle width direction, as shown in FIG. A position in the vehicle vertical direction of the upper surface portion 11d of the front end portion 11a of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 is communicated with a housing space 13 for accommodating the suspension device 9 in the suspension tower 10 continuous in the vehicle vertical direction. The load input surface 10a provided at the top of the tower 10 is integrally connected so as to be substantially flush with the vehicle in the vertical direction.

  Next, the effect of the vehicle front structure of this embodiment will be described.

  In the vehicle front structure according to the embodiment thus configured, as shown in FIG. 3, the front end portion 11 a of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 is connected to the load input surface 10 a of the suspension tower 10. The extending direction G of the hollow cross section of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 passes through the input center M of the load input surface 10a.

  Therefore, the load in the vehicle vertical direction inputted from the suspension device 9 on the lower surface side of the load input surface 10a is passed through the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 to the engine room 2 shown in FIG. Is transmitted to the front pillar member 7 provided in the front corner portions 4b, 4b of the passenger compartment 4 behind the vehicle and dispersed.

  At this time, at the position of the conventional hood ridge reinforcement member 21 described by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 5 shown as a comparative example, the cross-sectional center R of the hood ridge reinforcement member 21 is changed from the input center M of the suspension tower 10. Since it is arranged at a certain distance L apart in the vehicle width direction, it is transmitted to the cross section of the hood ridge reinforcement member 21 as a rotational moment m and twisted as shown by the white arrow in FIG. It becomes the force of direction.

  On the other hand, in the vehicle front part structure of the present embodiment, the load input F applied to the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 is applied as a shearing force in the vehicle vertical direction.

  Therefore, by configuring the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 to have a strength in the bending direction, for example, to have a hollow cross-sectional shape, the load input F is efficiently transmitted, and the front pillar member 7 can be received and dispersed and absorbed.

  For this reason, the reinforcement member used for reinforcement can be omitted or reduced separately, and desired vehicle body rigidity can be easily obtained while suppressing an increase in weight.

  In this embodiment, the load input F transmitted from the load input surface 10a of the suspension tower 10 via the cylindrical inner side surface portion 10b is applied to the side member member 3 as a shearing force in the vehicle vertical direction. Therefore, the load input F is efficiently dispersed and received by the side member member 3.

  Moreover, even when a load input is applied from the front end portion of the side member member 3 toward the rear of the vehicle, the load input transmitted to the suspension tower 10 via the side member inner member 3b is the load input surface 10a. In the same way as the vehicle load input F applied to the vehicle, the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 is transmitted as a vehicle vertical shear force.

  For this reason, by further increasing the bending rigidity of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11, the load input applied to the front portion of the vehicle is efficiently transmitted to the main body of the vehicle body such as the front pillar member 7 or the side sill member 5. It can be received by the skeleton member.

  Further, the extending direction G of the hollow cross section of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 is directed to the inside of the wheel 12 provided in the tire wheel house 8 located outside the suspension tower 10 in the vehicle width direction. .

  For this reason, as shown in FIG. 3, the front end portion 11a of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 can be easily connected to the periphery of the load input surface 10a of the suspension tower 10 so as to be covered from above. By omitting or downsizing the strut housing reinforcing gusset member 20 that connects the suspension tower 10 and the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 and the like, an increase in weight can be suppressed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 has a hollow cross section that is an inner space extending toward the inside of the wheel 12.

  For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5, the position of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 of this embodiment is set from the upper side of the wheel 12 to the vehicle width rather than the position of the hood ridge reinforcement member 21 shown by a conventional two-dot chain line. A space can be provided on the periphery of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 by shifting inward in the direction.

  For this reason, the engine hood member 22 or the fender panel member 23 positioned around the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 which has been restricted by the position of the hood ridge reinforcement member 21 indicated by the two-dot chain line is formed. The degree of freedom can be improved.

  Specifically, the hollow section 11c of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 is brought inward in the vehicle width direction, and the hollow section 21a indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. By moving to the inner side in the vehicle width direction to the position of the hollow cross section 11c shown and disappearing, the thickness h1 of the hollow cross section 11c of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 and the space are increased, A gap h3 (in this embodiment, h3 = about 65 mm) can be enlarged and secured between the wheel 12 and the wheel 12.

  In addition, by omitting or downsizing the strut housing reinforcing gusset member 20 indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4, a space can be easily secured on the back side of the engine hood member 22, and the engine hood member 22. The degree of freedom of modeling can be improved.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the extending direction G of the hollow section 11c of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 is located outside the suspension tower 10 in the vehicle width direction. Directly connected to the peripheral edge of the load input surface 10a of the suspension tower 10 so that the front end portion 11a of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 is directly covered from above. ing.

  For this reason, sufficient vehicle body rigidity can be obtained, so that the strut housing reinforcing gusset member 20 shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4 is not necessary, and the structure can be rationalized and the weight can be reduced.

  In addition, a space can be easily secured right above the wheel 12, and the vehicle vertical direction of the space portion provided between the back surface side 22 a of the engine hood member 22 and the upper surface portion 11 d of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 is also provided. The dimension of can be set larger.

  Specifically, when the hollow cross section 11c does not exist above the wheel 12 as shown by the solid line in FIG. 5 and the strut housing reinforcing gusset member 20 shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. Thickness h2 of the hood ridge reinforcement member 1 having a hollow cross section 21a to which the reinforcing gusset member 20 is added, a gap h3 between the lower edge of the back side 22a of the engine hood member 22 and the wheel 12 (this embodiment) In the embodiment, h3 = about 80 mm) can be enlarged and secured.

  Therefore, regardless of the presence or absence of the strut housing reinforcing gusset member 20, a sufficient stroke for pedestrian protection can be secured. For example, a separately provided pedestrian protection device can be omitted or simplified. Increase is suppressed.

  In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3, the vehicle vertical position of the upper surface portion 11 d of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 is the load input provided on the upper portion of the suspension tower 10. Close to the formation position of the surface 10a in the vehicle vertical direction, the surface 10a is provided so as to be continuous with few steps.

  For this reason, the upper surface portion 11d of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 and the position of the load input surface 10a in the vehicle vertical direction are substantially flush with each other with respect to the rear surface side 22a of the engine hood member 22 at any location. Thus, the same vertical dimension in the vehicle can be secured.

  Therefore, the degree of freedom in forming the engine hood member 22 can be further increased.

  FIG. 4 shows a vehicle front portion structure of Example 1 of the embodiment of the present invention.

  Note that portions that are the same as or equivalent to those in the above-described embodiment are described with the same reference numerals.

  First, the structure of the vehicle front portion of the first embodiment will be described focusing on the difference in configuration. In the first embodiment, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. The inner edge 20a of the strut housing reinforcing gusset member 20 is overlapped and joined to the edge 10c from above.

  Next, the effect of the vehicle front structure of the first embodiment will be described.

  In Example 1, in addition to the operational effects of the vehicle front structure of the above embodiment, the strut housing reinforcement further overlapped and joined to the vehicle width direction outer edge 10c of the suspension tower 10 from above. The load input applied to the load input surface 10a upward from the vehicle lower side is received by the inner edge portion 20a of the gusset member 20.

  For this reason, the vehicle body rigidity can be further improved.

  Moreover, in Example 1, as in the above-described embodiment, the extending direction G of the hollow cross section 11c of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 is located outside the suspension tower 10 in the vehicle width direction. 8 is directed to the inside of the wheel 12 provided in the interior 8.

  For this reason, the strut housing reinforcing gusset member 20 can be reduced in size and can be partially or entirely connected between the suspension tower 10 and the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 with a short dimension in the vehicle width direction. .

  Accordingly, the rigidity of the vehicle body can be improved while suppressing an increase in weight due to the addition of a reinforcing material or the like.

  Further, in the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the outer edge portion 10c in the vehicle width direction of the suspension tower 10 has a flange portion 10d integrally formed at a position one step lower than the load input surface 10a. The inner edge portion 20a of the strut housing reinforcing gusset member 20 is overlapped and joined to the upper surface side of the flange portion 10d from above.

  For this reason, the vehicle vertical direction positions of the load input surface 10a of the suspension tower 10 and the upper surface portion 20b of the strut housing reinforcing gusset member 20 can be made substantially flush with each other, and are shown at any location. A predetermined distance can be provided between the back side 22a of the omitted engine hood member 22 or the back side of the fender panel member 23, and the degree of freedom in forming the engine hood member 22 or the fender panel member 23 is further increased. It can be made.

  Other configurations and operational effects are the same as or equivalent to those of the above-described embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  As mentioned above, although Embodiment and Example 1 of this invention were explained in full detail with reference to drawings, the concrete structure is not restricted to this Embodiment and Example 1, and does not deviate from the summary of this invention. A degree of design change is included in the present invention.

  That is, in the above-described embodiment, the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 has a cross-sectional box shape mainly from the rear end portion 11b joined to the front pillar members 7 and 7 toward the front of the vehicle. The joint straight portion 11e that is linear in a top view and the joint straight portion 11e are integrally connected to each other, and the inner hollow section is bent toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction, so that the extending angle is set to the vehicle width. A curved portion 11f directed inward in the direction, and the curved hollow section 11f guides the curved hollow cross section to an inner position of the wheel 12 provided in the tire wheel house 8, and linearly extends to the suspension towers 10 and 10. The front straight member 11g is connected to the front pillar members 7 and 7, but is not limited to this. From the rear end portion 11b, the front straight portion 11g provided obliquely toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction is extended toward the suspension tower 10, or the curved portion 11f is combined with a plurality of curves. The extending direction of the hollow cross section 11c of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 is set so as to face the load input surface 10a direction of the suspension tower 10 and the virtual extending portion V passes through the input center M. The shape, quantity, and material of the hood ridge reinforcement member 11 are not particularly limited.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a periphery of an engine room, illustrating an overall configuration in a vehicle front structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the vehicle front part structure of embodiment, The structure of the principal part is demonstrated and it is the top view which looked at the periphery of the left front side wheel from the vehicle upper direction. It is a vehicle front part structure of an embodiment, and is a vehicle cross section direction partial section perspective view of the periphery of the left front side wheel explaining the composition of the principal part. It is sectional drawing in the position along the AA line in FIG. 3 of the periphery of the left front side wheel which demonstrates the structure of the principal part by the vehicle front part structure of embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view in the vehicle width direction of the main part for explaining the movement of the wheel and the positional relationship between the main parts of the vehicle body in the vehicle front structure according to the embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

2 Engine rooms 2a, 2a Side edges 3, 3 Side member members 7, 7 Front pillar members 8, 8 Tire wheel house 10, 10 Suspension towers 10a, 10a Load input surface 10c Outer edge 11 in the vehicle width direction Hood Ridge reinforcement member 11a Front end portion 11b Rear end portion 11c Hollow cross section 11d Upper surface portion 12, 12 Wheel 20 Strut housing reinforcing gusset member 20a Inner edge portion 22 Engine hood member 23 Fender panel member F Load input G Extension direction M Input center R Center of section

Claims (3)

A side member member provided in the engine room, and a suspension tower having a load input surface on which an upper edge of the suspension device is fixed and a load from the suspension device is input above the side member member, A front pillar member provided at a corner of the hood, and a hood ridge reinforcement member extending forward from the front pillar member, and a front end portion of the hood ridge reinforcement member is disposed on the load input surface. A vehicle front structure, characterized in that an imaginary extending portion that is connected and extends forward from a front end portion of the hood ridge reinforcement member is set so as to pass through an input center of the load input surface. 2. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein an input center of the load input surface is positioned right above the side member member. The hood ridge reinforcement member has a hat cross section having an open portion, and the open portion is directed to the inside of a wheel provided in a tire wheel house located outward of the suspension tower in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle front part structure according to any one of claims 1 and 2.

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