JP2012096693A - Vehicle with cowl panel and cowl louver - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To absorb large energy when impact is applied to a cowl louver in a vehicle including a cowl panel extending in a vehicle width direction and the resin cowl louver coupled with the cowl panel, wherein grooves are formed in the cowl louver, and a facing part of the cowl panel facing a bottom wall of the grooves gets lower toward each end part in the vehicle width direction.SOLUTION: A cross section shape of the grooves 11 of the cowl louver 5 is constantly formed all over the length. A pendent part 19 where a vertical width gets wider toward each end part 15 in the vehicle direction of the bottom wall 8 is formed on a lower surface of the bottom wall 8 of the grooves 11. A lower part 26 of the pendent part 19 is coupled with the facing part 12 of the cowl panel 4. When impact is applied to the cowl louver 5, the grooves 11 of the cowl louver 5 largely deforms and breaks down all over the length. Accordingly, large energy can be absorbed.

Description

  The present invention relates to an automobile having a cowl panel constituting a skeleton structure of a vehicle body and a resin cowl louver connected to the cowl panel.

  An automobile having a cowl panel and a cowl louver has been conventionally known (see Patent Document 1). FIG. 1 shows an example of this type of automobile, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1 and 2 are diagrams for explaining a configuration according to the related art and the present invention. Moreover, the arrow Fr in each figure shows the advancing direction of a motor vehicle, and the code | symbol W has shown the vehicle width direction. The terms “front” or “rear” in the present specification and claims mean before and after the forward direction Fr of the automobile. A dashed line CL in each figure shows the center in the vehicle width direction W of the automobile. Below, the prior art of the automobile which is the subject of the present invention will be clarified.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper opening of the engine room EN is covered with a hood 1, and the hood 1 is supported by a vehicle body 2, that is, its main body so as to be capable of rotating and opening. Reference numeral 3 denotes a front windshield that partitions the front portion of the passenger compartment.

  Reference numeral 4 in FIG. 2 denotes a cowl panel extending in the vehicle width direction W along the lower portion of the front windshield 3. The cowl panel 4 is a member that forms a skeleton of the vehicle body 2, and is made of a steel plate. Yes. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower part of the front windshield 3 is fixed to the rear part of the cowl panel 4 with an adhesive 17. The cowl panel 4 is covered with a resin cowl louver 5 located on the upper side thereof, and the cowl louver 5 extends in the vehicle width direction W along the cowl panel 4 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the cowl louver 5 is formed with a plurality of claws 6 arranged at intervals in the vehicle width direction W, and each of the claws 6 is inserted into a locking hole 7 formed in the cowl panel 4. The cowl louver 5 is connected to the cowl panel 4 by being fitted and locked.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a rubber weather strip 18 is attached to the front portion of the cowl louver 5 with a clip 20, and when the hood 1 is closed, the hood 1 is pressed against the weather strip 18, and the engine room EN is sealed. Further, the lower portion of the front windshield 3 is fitted to a forked portion 119 formed at the rear end portion of the cowl louver 5.

  The cowl panel 4 and the cowl louver 5 shown in FIG. 2 are formed symmetrically with respect to the center CL in the vehicle width direction, and FIG. 6 shows an example of a conventional cowl panel portion on the right side when viewed in the vehicle forward direction Fr. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a conventional example of the right cowl louver portion. In FIG. 6, the illustration of the attachment hole into which the claw 6, the locking hole 7, and the clip 20 shown in FIG. 2 are fitted is omitted, and the opening for taking in outside air formed in the cowl louver 5 is also omitted. It is. This also applies to FIG. 3 described later.

  As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 6, the cowl louver 5 has a bottom wall 8, a front side wall 9 rising from the front end of the bottom wall 8, and a rear wall 8 rising from the rear end of the bottom wall 8. An open upper groove portion 11 composed of the rear side wall 10 is formed. The above-mentioned claw 6 projects from the bottom wall 8. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the cowl panel 4 has a facing portion 12 that faces the bottom wall 8 of the cowl louver 5, and the aforementioned locking hole 7 is formed in the facing portion 12. ing.

  Here, the height position of the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4 shown in FIG. 6 gradually decreases toward each end 13 in the vehicle width direction. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the height position of only the end portion EA in the vehicle width direction of the facing portion 12 gradually decreases toward each end portion 13 in the vehicle width direction. In the entire region from the direction center CL to each end portion 13 in the vehicle width direction, the height position of the facing portion 12 may be gradually decreased toward each end portion 13 in the vehicle width direction. Or only the vehicle width direction center part of the opposing part 12 of the cowl panel 4 or only another part may be formed lower than the other part of the opposing part 12. FIG. For reasons such as the arrangement of automobile parts and the workability of assembling parts, a part of the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4 is formed lower than the other parts. Thus, the height position of a part of the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4 is lower than the other portions of the facing portion 12, and in the example shown in FIG. Only the height of the end area EA gradually decreases toward each end 13 in the vehicle width direction, and the height of the facing portion 12 of the end area EA in the vehicle width is opposite to the center CL in the vehicle width direction. It is lower than the height of the portion 12.

  By the way, as described above with reference to FIG. 2, the plurality of claws 6 projecting from the bottom wall 8 of the cowl louver 5 are locked in the locking holes 7 formed in the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4. Thus, the cowl louver 5 is connected to the cowl panel 4. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the bottom wall 8 of the cowl louver 5 is formed in a form along the facing portion 12 while contacting the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4. The height position of the bottom wall 8 in the width direction end region EA gradually decreases toward each end portion 15 in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the heights A and B at the vehicle width direction end portions 15 of the front side wall 9 and the rear side wall 10 forming the groove 11 of the cowl louver 5 are higher at the vehicle width direction center CL. (A> a, B> b).

  Here, in the example shown in FIG. 6, the reason why the height position of the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4 is gradually lowered toward each end 13 in the vehicle width direction will be clarified.

  When manufacturing an automobile, first a white body is manufactured by assembling sheet metal parts, and then the white body is painted, and then various parts are assembled to the vehicle body. FIG. 7A shows a state in which the parts are attached to the suspension disposed in each end region in the vehicle width direction by the impact gun 16 before the cowl louver 5 shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 is attached to the cowl panel 4. The state when tightening and fixing is shown. At this time, as described above, since the height position of the vehicle width direction end portion 13 of the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4 is low, the impact gun 16 is inserted in the direction of the arrow C, and a predetermined tightening operation is performed. It can be carried out.

  As shown in FIG. 7B, if the height of the vehicle width direction end portion 13 of the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4 is high, the facing portion 12 becomes an obstacle and the impact gun 16 is inserted. Cannot be tightened. This gradually lowers the height position of the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4 toward each end 13 in the vehicle width direction, and accordingly, the height of the side walls 9 and 10 of the cowl louver 5 is changed to each end in the vehicle width direction. This is the reason why it was gradually increased toward 15. As described above, for other reasons, the other portion of the opposing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4 is formed low, and accordingly, the portion of the bottom wall 8 of the cowl louver 5 corresponding to that portion may be formed low. is there.

  By the way, for the purpose of protecting pedestrians, when a pedestrian collides with the hood 1 and an impact force is applied to the cowl louver 5 through the hood 1, the cowl louver 5 is greatly deformed and preferably broken to save energy. It is desirable to absorb effectively.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, a case where an impact force F is applied to a portion of the hood 1 at the center CL in the vehicle width direction is considered. 8 (a) and 8 (b) are explanatory diagrams showing the state before and after the deformation of the front side wall 9 of the cowl louver 5 at this time by a solid line and a two-dot chain line. FIG. 8A shows the state at the vehicle width direction center CL, and FIG. 8B shows the state at the vehicle width direction end. As indicated by the two-dot chain line in these drawings, the amount of the side wall 9 indicated by the symbol D at the center CL in the vehicle width direction and at the end in the vehicle width direction due to the impact force F applied to the hood 1. Is bent downward. At this time, in the illustrated example, the height A of the side wall 9 at the end portion in the vehicle width direction is higher than the height a of the side wall 9 at the center CL in the vehicle width direction. The angle formed with respect to the bottom wall 8 has a size indicated by α at the vehicle width direction center CL and β at the vehicle width direction end, and the angle α at the vehicle width direction center CL is the end of the vehicle width direction. It becomes larger than the angle β in the part. Therefore, the side wall 9 is greatly bent with respect to the bottom wall 8 at the portion of the center CL in the vehicle width direction and can absorb a large amount of energy, but the amount of bending with respect to the bottom wall 8 is small at the end in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the amount of energy absorption is reduced. As described above, the side wall 9 absorbs a large amount of energy at the center CL in the vehicle width direction, but the amount of energy absorption is reduced at the end in the vehicle width direction and cannot absorb the entire energy as desired. . The same can be said when the other part of the bottom wall 8 of the cowl louver 5 is formed low, and the amount of energy absorption in the part of the cowl louver 5 where the bottom wall 8 is low and therefore the height of the side wall 9 is high. The amount of energy absorbed by other cowl louver parts is smaller, and the entire energy cannot be absorbed efficiently.

JP 2006-347326 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide an automobile capable of absorbing a larger amount of energy than before when an impact force is applied to the cowl louver.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a cowl panel that extends in the vehicle width direction along the lower portion of the front windshield, and is made of a resin that is connected to the cowl panel and extends along the cowl panel. A cowl louver, and the cowl louver is located above the cowl panel. A groove portion formed from a rear side wall rising from the rear end of the bottom wall is formed, and the cowl panel has a height position of a part of the facing portion facing the bottom wall of the cowl louver. In the automobile formed lower than the height position of the other opposing portion of the panel, the cross-sectional shape of the groove portion of the cowl louver is formed constant over the entire length, and the height position On the lower surface of the bottom wall of the groove portion facing the facing portion of the cowl panel formed with a low height, a hanging portion projecting downward is formed integrally with the bottom wall, and the lower portion of the hanging portion is the facing portion of the cowl panel. A car characterized by being connected to a part is proposed.

  According to the present invention, since the cross-sectional shape of the groove portion of the cowl louver is formed uniformly over the entire length in the vehicle width direction, the front side wall that forms the groove portion of the cowl louver when an impact force is applied to the cowl louver. However, it is greatly deformed over its entire length. Thereby, energy can be absorbed efficiently and a pedestrian can be protected more reliably. In addition, since a hanging portion projecting downward is integrally formed on the lower surface of the bottom wall of the cowl louver facing the facing portion of the cowl panel formed at a low height, the lower portion of the hanging portion is formed on the cowl panel. It can be connected to the opposite part.

It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of a motor vehicle, Comprising: It is a figure with which it used for description of the prior art and embodiment of this invention. It is the II-II line expanded sectional view of FIG. 1, Comprising: It is a figure with which it used for description of the prior art and embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view showing a cowl louver and a cowl panel in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 1 to clarify the cowl louver and the cowl panel in the embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the deformation | transformation state of the cowl louver in embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the conventional cowl louver and the cowl panel. It is explanatory drawing which shows the reason which formed the height position of the opposing part of a cowl panel low toward each edge part in a vehicle width direction. It is sectional drawing explaining the deformation | transformation state of the conventional cowl louver.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  The appearance and basic configuration of the automobile of this example are the same as those of a conventional automobile. That is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the automobile of this example also includes a cowl panel 4 extending in the vehicle width direction W along the lower portion of the front windshield 3 that defines the front portion of the passenger compartment. A resin cowl louver 5 is connected to the cowl panel 4 and extends along the cowl panel 4. Moreover, the cowl louver 5 is positioned above the cowl panel 4, and the cowl louver 5 has a bottom wall 8, a front side wall 9 rising from the front end of the bottom wall 8, and a bottom wall 8 over the entire length thereof. A groove portion 11 is formed which includes a rear side wall 10 rising from the rear end. Further, the cowl panel 4 and the cowl louver 5 of this example are also formed symmetrically with respect to the center CL in the vehicle width direction, and FIG. 3 shows a portion of the cowl panel 4 on the right side as viewed in the forward direction Fr of the vehicle. The part of the cowl louver 5 is shown. As apparent from FIG. 3, the height position of a part of the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4 facing the bottom wall 8 of the cowl louver 5 is the height position of the other facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4. In the example shown in the figure, the height position of the end region EA in the vehicle width direction of the facing portion 12 is gradually lowered toward the respective end portions 13 in the vehicle width direction in the illustrated example. Is formed. As described above, the basic configuration of the automobile of this example is the same as that of the conventional automobile shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, so further explanation of the same parts as the conventional automobile is omitted, Only the differences are described below.

  As shown in FIG. 4, which is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIGS. 2, 3 and 2, the cross-sectional shape of the groove portion 11 of the cowl louver 5 of this example is formed uniformly over its entire length. . Therefore, the height position of the bottom wall 8 constituting the groove portion 11 is also constant over the entire length, and the height a of the side wall 9 at the center CL in the vehicle width direction and the side wall 9 at each end in the vehicle width direction. The height A is equal, and the height b of the side wall 10 at the center CL in the vehicle width direction is also equal to the height B of the side wall 10 at each end in the vehicle width direction (a = A, b = B). The entire cross-sectional shape of the groove 11 is formed in the same form as the cross-sectional shape at the center CL in the vehicle width direction of the conventional cowl louver shown in FIG. 4 that are the same as or correspond to those in the conventional automobile are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a drooping portion 19 projecting downward is formed on the lower surface of the bottom wall 8 of the groove portion 11 facing the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4 formed at a low height position. The bottom wall 8 is integrally formed. In the example shown in FIG. 3, since the height of the facing portion 12 in the vehicle width direction end area EA is formed low, the lower surface of the portion of the bottom wall 8 facing the facing portion 12 whose height is lowered. A drooping portion 19 is integrally formed. The drooping portion 19 is made of a resin molded integrally with other cowl louver 5 portions.

  The drooping portion 19 shown as an example in the figure includes a vertical portion 25 that rises substantially up and down, and a horizontal lower portion 26 that is integrally formed at the lower end of the vertical portion 25. In the illustrated example, the hanging portion 19 is formed integrally with the portion of the bottom wall 8 facing the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4 whose height gradually decreases toward each end 13 in the vehicle width direction. Thus, the height direction width E (FIG. 4) of the drooping portion 19 is formed to gradually increase toward each end portion 15 of the bottom wall 8 in the vehicle width direction. The hanging portion 19 is formed with a plurality of ribs 21 in order to increase its rigidity.

  As can be seen from the above description, a gap is formed between the opposed portion 12 of the cowl panel 4 formed at a low height and the lower surface of the portion of the bottom wall 8 facing the bottom portion 8. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lower portion 26 of the drooping portion 19 formed integrally with the lower surface of this portion is in contact with the upper surface of the facing portion 12 having a reduced height. The lower surface of the portion of the bottom wall 8 where the hanging portion 19 is not formed is in contact with the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4 facing the lower surface, as in the conventional case. At that time, as shown in FIG. 4, the claws 6 </ b> A formed on the lower surface of the lower portion 26 of the hanging portion 19 are fitted into the locking holes 7 </ b> A formed in the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4. A lower portion 26 of 19 is connected to the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4. Accordingly, in the illustrated example, the claws 6A and 6 arranged at intervals on the lower portion 26 of the hanging portion 19 and the lower surface of the bottom wall 8 portion where the hanging portion 19 is not provided are the cowl panel 4. The cowl louver 5 is coupled to the cowl panel 4 by being fitted into the locking holes 7A and 7 formed in the facing portion 12 of the first and second facing portions 12, respectively. In this way, the cowl louver 5 is connected to the cowl panel 4 in a reliable and stable state.

  As indicated by an arrow F in FIG. 2, when an impact force is applied to the portion of the center CL of the louver 1 and the impact force F acts on the cowl louver 5 shown in FIGS. Since the cross-sectional shape of the groove portion 11 of 5 is formed in the same form over the entire length, the size indicated by the symbol D is given by the impact force F as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. The angle formed by the front side wall 9 of the bent groove 11 with respect to the bottom wall 8 is a large angle indicated by α over the entire length of the cowl louver 5 as in the case of FIG. Thus, since the side wall 9 of the cowl louver 5 is greatly deformed into a bent state over its entire length, the side wall 9 can effectively absorb a large amount of energy. Thereby, the side wall 9 is easily fractured, and thereby, a larger amount of energy can be absorbed. In this way, pedestrians can be protected more reliably.

  As described above, the case where the height of the facing portion 12 of the cowl panel 4 is gradually lowered toward the vehicle width direction end portion 13 in the vehicle width direction end region EA has been described as an example. Even when only the height position of the other part of the opposing part 12 is formed low, the present invention can be applied without any trouble.

3 Front windshield 4 Cowl panel 5 Cowl louver 8 Bottom wall 9 Front side wall 10 Rear side wall 11 Groove part 12 Opposing part 19 Hanging part 26 Lower part W Vehicle width direction

Claims (1)

  A cowl panel extending in the vehicle width direction along the lower portion of the front windshield, and a resin cowl louver connected to the cowl panel and extending along the cowl panel, the cowl louver being connected to the cowl The cowl louver is located on the upper side of the panel, and has a bottom wall, a front side wall that rises from the front end of the bottom wall, and a rear side that rises from the rear end of the bottom wall. A groove portion formed of a side wall is formed, and in the cowl panel, the height position of a part of the facing portion facing the bottom wall of the cowl louver is higher than the height position of the other facing portion of the cowl panel. In a car having a low height, a cross-sectional shape of the groove portion of the cowl louver is formed so as to be constant over its entire length, and a pair of cowl panels formed with a low height position. A hanging part protruding downward is integrally formed on the bottom wall of the bottom surface of the bottom wall of the groove facing the part, and the lower part of the hanging part is connected to the facing part of the cowl panel. Car.

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