JP2017114149A - Front part vehicle body structure of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress deformation of a suspension housing in a vehicle width direction even when a large load is applied to a suspension top part, and further to suppress entry of water into the suspension housing.SOLUTION: A front part vehicle body 1 comprises: a front frame 3 forming a closed cross section part C1; an apron reinforcement 4 arranged outside in a vehicle direction of and above the front frame 3; a suspension housing 5, to which components of a suspension are attached, and which connects the front frame 3 and the apron reinforcement 4; and a mat guard 8. The suspension housing 5 comprises: first and second open cross section parts 53, 54 extending in the vehicle width direction so as to bridge the front frame 3 and the apron reinforcement 4. The first and second open cross section parts 53, 54 have opening portions on a wheel house WH side. The mat guard 8 comprises first and second cover parts 84, 85 for covering an open cross section space CA near a lower end 502 of the first and second open cross section parts 53, 54.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

  The present invention relates to a front body structure of a vehicle including a suspension housing at a front portion to which a suspension component is attached.

  A front housing of a vehicle such as an automobile is provided with a suspension housing that supports a load input from a damper of the front suspension. In general, the suspension housing is arranged so as to be bridged between a front frame extending in the vehicle front-rear direction and an apron rain extending outside and above the vehicle width direction of the front frame and extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. End portions in the direction are coupled (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  The suspension housing includes a housing body that accommodates a front suspension, a suspension portion that supports an upper end of a damper of the suspension, a coupling portion for the front frame and the apron rain, and the like. Such a suspension housing is generally manufactured by a method of press-molding a steel plate. On the other hand, a method of casting a suspension housing with aluminum (aluminum die-casting) has been studied from the viewpoint that the degree of freedom of shape is relatively low in press molding and the weight of the vehicle body is further reduced.

JP 2011-005882 A

  In the suspension housing, resistance to a load input from the suspension portion is required. In particular, when a large load that varies in the vertical direction is applied to the suspension section, it is required that the suspension housing has a strength that can prevent the suspension housing from falling inward when the suspension housing falls inward in the vehicle width direction. . Even when the inward deformation of the suspension housing is in the order of 0.1 mm, the steering stability performance, NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) performance, strength durability performance, etc. are affected.

  Furthermore, since the suspension housing is generally disposed at a position facing the wheel house, it is desirable to take measures against water entering from the wheel house side.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a front vehicle body structure for a vehicle that can suppress deformation of the suspension housing in the vehicle width direction and further prevent water from entering the suspension housing even when a large load is applied to the suspension portion. There is to do.

  A front vehicle body structure of a vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention extends in the vehicle front-rear direction and is disposed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and above the front frame and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction. An apron rain, a suspension housing to which the components of the suspension are attached, and connecting the front frame and the apron rain, and a cover member that covers a part of the suspension housing, the suspension housing includes the front frame An open cross section extending in the vehicle width direction so as to bridge the upper surface and the apron rain, the open cross section has an opening on the wheel house side, and the cover member includes at least the open cross section It is desirable to cover the opening of the open cross section near the end on the front frame side.

  According to the front vehicle body structure, the suspension housing includes the open cross-sectional portion extending in the vehicle width direction, whereby the deformation resistance of the suspension housing in the vehicle width direction can be increased. Moreover, although the said open cross-section part has an opening in the wheel house side, the opening is covered with the cover member at the edge part near the said front frame side of the said open cross-section part. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent water droplets or the like scattered from the wheel house side from entering the end region of the open section. Furthermore, since the open cross section is closed by the cover, the rigidity of the open cross section can be further increased.

  In the vehicle front body structure described above, the suspension housing further includes a rib that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction and partitions the open cross section, and the cover member is disposed so as to partially overlap the rib. Is desirable.

  According to this front vehicle body structure, the rigidity of the open cross section is enhanced by the ribs that partition the open cross section. Further, by disposing the cover member so as to partially overlap the ribs, the open cross section can be waterproofed using the ribs.

  In the vehicle front body structure described above, it is preferable that the suspension housing is a member made of aluminum die cast, and the front frame is made of a metal different from the suspension housing.

  According to this front vehicle body structure, since the suspension housing is formed by aluminum die casting, the degree of freedom of the shape of the suspension housing can be increased and the weight can be reduced. On the other hand, the suspension housing and the front frame are made of dissimilar metals, but it is possible to prevent water from entering the portion where the two come into contact by arranging the cover member. Therefore, promotion of electrolytic corrosion due to contact with different metals can be suppressed.

  In the vehicle front body structure described above, the front frame includes an outer surface facing outward in the vehicle width direction, an inner surface facing inward in the vehicle width direction, and an upper surface positioned at an upper portion between the outer surface and the inner surface. And at least the front frame side end of the open cross section is a pair of side plates having a width corresponding to a width in the vehicle width direction of the upper surface of the front frame, and an end in the vehicle width direction of the pair of side plates. And the opening is formed between edges of the pair of side plates on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and covers the region between the edges and the outer surface of the front frame. It is desirable to cover.

  According to the front vehicle body structure, by covering the opening between the pair of side plates with the cover member, it is possible to prevent water from entering the open cross section and strengthen the rigidity of the open cross section.

  In the above-described front vehicle body structure of the vehicle, it is preferable that a mat guard that covers the wheel house is further provided, and the mat guard includes an extension serving as the cover member.

  According to this front body structure, the extension portion serving as the cover member is formed integrally with the mat guard generally assembled to the wheel house. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of assembly steps without increasing the number of parts.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, even when a big load is added to a suspension part, the front part vehicle body structure of the vehicle which can suppress the deformation | transformation of the suspension housing in the vehicle width direction can be provided. Furthermore, various problems caused by water entering the suspension housing can be avoided.

1 is a perspective view schematically showing a front body structure of a vehicle according to the present invention. It is a perspective view of the assembly part of a suspension housing in the front body structure. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. It is a perspective view of the state which removed the front frame inner from the state of FIG. It is a top view of the top view of a suspension housing. It is a top view of the bottom view of a suspension housing. It is a perspective view near the lower end of a suspension housing. It is a perspective view of a 1st bulkhead. It is a perspective view of a 2nd bulkhead. It is a perspective view of a mat guard. It is the perspective view which looked at the assembly connection part of a mat guard and a suspension housing from the lower part. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the XII-XII line | wire of FIG.

[Schematic description of front body structure of vehicle]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a structure of a front vehicle body 1 of a vehicle V according to the present invention. FIG. 1 shows “front” and “rear” arrows in the front-rear direction of the vehicle V, “left” and “right” arrows in the vehicle width direction, and “up” and “down” arrows in the vehicle height direction. Is appended. The arrows “front”, “rear”, “upper”, “lower”, “left”, and “right” in the following figures follow the direction indications of FIG.

  The front vehicle body 1 of the vehicle V includes a dash panel 2, a front frame 3, an apron rain 4, a suspension housing 5, and a subframe 7. The front frame 3, the apron rain 4 and the suspension housing 5 are each a pair of left and right vehicle body members. However, in order to avoid complication of the drawing, FIG. The illustration of the portion is omitted.

  The dash panel 2 is a panel that is long in the left-right direction, and partitions the front portion of the vehicle compartment S and the engine room E back and forth. The front frame 3 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and forms a closed cross section. The rear end of the front frame 3 is coupled to the front side of the dash panel 2. In the closed cross section of the front frame 3, reinforcing bodies (first bulk head 6A and second bulk head 6B described later) for reinforcing the cross section are disposed. Between the pair of front frames 3 is an engine room E, and an unillustrated engine unit composed of an engine, a transmission, and the like is installed.

  The apron rain 4 is disposed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and above the front frame 3 and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction. The right apron rain 4 is arranged at an angle of about 45 degrees diagonally upward to the right with respect to the right front frame 3 shown in the figure. Between the apron rain 4 and the front frame 3, a space capable of forming a wheel house WH covering a front wheel (not shown) is provided.

  The suspension housing 5 is a member to which a constituent member of the suspension is attached, specifically, a member to which an upper end of a damper (not shown) composed of a coil spring and a shock absorber is attached. The suspension housing 5 has a housing shape with a lower end opening that accommodates the damper, and connects the front frame 3 and the apron rain 4 so as to cover the upper side of the wheel house WH. The suspension housing 5 is a member formed by aluminum die casting. Of course, the suspension housing 5 may be formed by pressing a sheet metal member.

  The sub frame 7 is a vehicle body member disposed below the front frame 3. The sub-frame 7 includes a suspension cross member 71 located below the engine room E and disposed between the pair of front frames 3. In addition, the sub-frame 7 includes a pair of suspension arms 72 extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the left and right sides of the suspension cross member 71, a pair of left and right engine support members 73 extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a pair of engine support members 73. A front cross member 74 and a cross member arm 75 are provided between the front ends. The cross member arm 75 is a member that is provided upright on the upper surface of the suspension cross member 71 and connects the front frame 3 and the suspension cross member 71. At the upper end of the cross member arm 75, a cylindrical portion 76 for receiving a fastening bolt (not shown) for connecting the both is provided.

[The main part of the front car body]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an assembly portion of the right suspension housing 5 in the front vehicle body 1. In this case, the left side is the inside in the vehicle width direction (displayed as “inside” in the direction display), and the right side is the outside in the vehicle width direction (displayed as “outside”). 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a state in which a front frame inner 31 described later is removed from the state of FIG.

<Front frame>
The front frame 3 is a vehicle body rigid member that forms a closed cross-section C1 extending in the front-rear direction, and is made of a bent product of a plate material having excellent rigidity such as steel. The front frame 3 includes a front frame inner 31 having a substantially U shape with a relatively wide cross-sectional shape and a front frame outer 32 having a substantially U shape with a relatively wide cross-sectional shape. . As shown in FIG. 3, the front frame 3 (closed cross section C1) has a rectangular shape whose cross section is long in the vertical direction. The front frame 3 has, on its outer periphery, an outer surface 3A facing outward (right) in the vehicle width direction, an inner surface 3B facing inward (left) in the vehicle width direction, and an upper surface 3C positioned at an upper portion between the outer surface 3A and the inner surface 3B. And a lower surface 3D located in the lower part.

  The front frame inner 31 includes a side plate 310 extending in the vertical direction in a cross-sectional view, an upper plate 311 extending rightward from the upper end of the side plate 310, and a lower plate 312 extending rightward from the lower end of the side plate 310. The cylindrical portion 76 of the cross member arm 75 is in contact with a predetermined position of the lower plate 312. In the contact portion, the lower plate 312 has a through hole 312A having substantially the same diameter as the hollow hole provided in the cylindrical portion 76. An upper flange 313 extends upward from the right end of the upper plate 311. Further, a lower flange 314 extends downward from the right end of the lower plate 312.

  The front frame outer 32 includes a side plate 320 that extends in the vertical direction in a cross-sectional view. The upper and lower ends of the side plate 320 are slightly curved to the left. An upper flange 321 extends upward from the upper end of the side plate 320, and a lower flange 322 extends downward from the lower end. The upper flange 321 includes a wide portion 321 </ b> A in which the vertical width is partially expanded in order to attach the suspension housing 5. The upper flanges 313 and 321 and the lower flanges 314 and 322 are abutted and fixed by spot welding or the like. A closed cross section C1 is formed by the front frame inner 31 and the front frame outer 32 fixed in this manner.

  In the closed cross section C1 of the front frame 3, a first bulk head 6A and a second bulk head 6B are disposed as reinforcing bodies that reinforce the rigidity of the closed cross section C1. The first bulkhead 6 </ b> A and the second bulkhead 6 </ b> B have a joint surface with the inner surface of the front frame 3. These bulkheads 6A and 6B will be described in detail later.

  A mounting plate 33 for fixing the suspension cross member 71 is disposed in the closed cross section C1 of the front frame 3. The attachment plate 33 is made of a bent plate material and has a horizontal plate portion that contacts the lower plate 312 of the front frame inner 31. The horizontal plate portion is provided with a through hole corresponding to the drilling position of the through hole 312A of the lower plate 312. The fastening bolts (not shown) are inserted through the through holes 312A and the through holes and the hollow holes of the cylindrical portion 76 of the cross member arm 75. The front end portion of the fastening bolt is screwed into a weld nut 331 disposed on the upper surface side of the mounting plate 33, whereby the front frame 3 and the suspension cross member 71 are fixed.

<Apron Rain>
The apron rain 4 is a reinforcement member obtained by bending a plate material having excellent rigidity such as a steel material into an L-shape, and includes a horizontal plate 41 and a vertical plate 42 that hangs downward from the right end of the horizontal plate 4. Including. The rear end side of the apron rain 4 is fixed to a not-shown pronto pillar.

<Suspension housing>
In addition to FIGS. 2 to 4, reference is made to FIGS. 5 to 7. 5 is a plan view of the suspension housing 5 in a top view, FIG. 6 is a plan view of the suspension housing 5 in a bottom view, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the lower end of the suspension housing 5. The suspension housing 5 includes a housing body 51, a suspension portion 52, a first open section 53, and a second open section 54. The right end side of the suspension housing 5 is an upper end 501 fixed to the apron rain 4, and the left end side is a lower end 502 fixed to the front frame 3. There is a height difference between the height position of the upper end 501 and the height position of the lower end 502 according to the height difference between the apron rain 4 and the upper surface 3C of the front frame 3.

  The housing body 51 is a housing having a generally truncated cone tower shape that houses a suspension damper. The suspension 52 is located at the top of the housing body 51. The suspension part 52 has a suspension attachment hole 521 to which the upper end of the damper is attached. The housing main body 51 is generally circular in horizontal cross section, but has a flat surface portion 511 on the left side. The flat surface portion 511 is a vertical wall that hangs downward from the suspension portion 52 and extends to the lower end 502.

  A flat upper surface 503 is provided on the right side of the suspension 52. The upper surface portion 503 is at a height position lower than the suspension portion 52 and extends in a belt shape in the front-rear direction. An upper end flange 504 is extended to the right of the upper surface portion 503. The upper end flange 504 is in a height position that is one step lower than the upper surface portion 503, and extends in a belt shape in the front-rear direction. The upper surface portion 503 and the upper end flange 504 are connected by a vertical plate 505.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the suspension unit 52 serves as a load input unit P <b> 1 to which a vertical load is input from the suspension. The suspension housing 5 is fixed to the apron rain 4 at a position where the upper end 501 is higher than the lower end 502. For this reason, when a load that pushes up from below is applied to the load input portion P1, as shown by the arrow F, the suspension housing 5 is likely to be deformed inward so that the suspension housing 5 falls inward in the vehicle width direction. As described above, even if a slight inward deformation occurs in the suspension housing, the steering stability performance, NVH performance, strength durability performance, etc. are affected.

  In order to counter the above-mentioned inwardly deforming force, it is required to improve the sectional moment of inertia of the suspension housing 5 with respect to the deforming force in the direction of the arrow F. The first open cross-section portion 53 and the second open cross-section portion 54 are provided in the suspension housing 5 in order to increase the cross-sectional secondary moment. The open cross-section referred to in this specification is not a cross section that is completely or like a closed cross section C1 described above but is closed by a plate material except for a few openings. It is a cross section provided with an opening formed by a plurality of bent portions so as to have a bulge such as a prismatic shape or a V shape. The first open cross-section portion 53 and the second open cross-section portion 54 are arranged so as to be separated from each other in the vehicle front-rear direction in the suspension housing 5, specifically, to be lined up front and rear with the housing body 51 (plane portion 511) interposed therebetween. Has been.

  The first open section 53 extends in the vehicle width direction so as to bridge the front frame 3 and the apron rain 4 on the front side of the housing body 51. The first open section 53 is a prismatic (so-called hat-shaped) open section formed by a pair of front and rear side plates 531 and a connecting plate 532. FIG. 6 shows an open section space CA. The open section space CA opens toward the wheel house WH. As shown in FIG. 7, the pair of side plates 531 has a width d corresponding to the width in the vehicle width direction of the upper surface 3 </ b> C of the front frame 3 in the vicinity of the lower end 502 that is the end portion on the front frame 3 side (left side). ing. The connecting plate 532 connects the upper edges of the pair of side plates 531 (in the vicinity of the lower end 502, the edges of the pair of side plates 531 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction).

  The front side plate 531 generally extends from the front frame 3 to the apron rain 4. On the other hand, the rear side plate 531 is exposed to the outside in the vicinity of the left end of the first open section 53, that is, generally between the front frame 3 and the flat portion 511 of the housing body 51. As shown in FIG. 6, the vicinity of the right end of the rear side plate 531 is hidden behind the upper surface 503, and the vicinity of the center is connected to the right side of the housing body 51.

  The pair of side plates 531 and the connecting plate 532 are surfaces that intersect each other substantially orthogonally. A portion where the front side plate 531 and the connecting plate 532 intersect is a front ridge line portion 533, and a portion where the rear side plate 531 and the connecting plate 532 intersect is a rear ridge line portion 534. The front ridge line portion 533 generally extends from the front frame 3 to the apron rain 4 in the vehicle width direction. The rear ridge line portion 534 extends substantially from the front frame 3 to the flat surface portion 511. However, the right end of the rear ridge line portion 534 is connected to a ridge line where the connecting plate 532 and the standing wall on the front side of the housing main body 51 intersect, and the rear ridge line portion 534 as a substantially rigid portion extends substantially to the apron rain 4 vicinity. It extends. The front ridge line portion 533 and the rear ridge line portion 534 serve as a high-rigidity portion that increases the rigidity in the first open cross-section portion 53, and contributes to an improvement in the cross-sectional secondary moment of the suspension housing 5.

  The second open section 54 extends in the vehicle width direction so as to bridge the front frame 3 and the apron rain 4 on the rear side of the housing body 51. Similar to the first open cross section 53, the second open cross section 54 is a hat-shaped open cross section formed by a pair of front and rear side plates 541 and a connecting plate 542. The pair of side plates 541 also has a width d corresponding to the width in the vehicle width direction of the upper surface 3C of the front frame 3 in the vicinity of the end on the front frame 3 side. The connecting plate 542 connects the upper end edges of the pair of side plates 541 (end edges on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the pair of side plates 541).

  The side plate 541 and the connection plate 542 are the same as the side plate 531 and the connection plate 532 of the first open section 53 except that the width in the front-rear direction of the connection plate 542 is wider than the connection plate 532 of the first open section 53. It is the same. A portion where the front side plate 541 and the connecting plate 542 intersect is the front ridge line portion 543, and a portion where the rear side plate 541 and the connecting plate 542 intersect is the rear ridge line portion 544. The rear ridge line portion 544 is a ridge line corresponding to the front ridge line portion 533 of the first open section 53, and the front ridge line portion 543 is a ridge line corresponding to the rear ridge line portion 534. The front ridge line portion 543 and the rear ridge line portion 544 serve as a high-rigidity portion that increases the rigidity in the second open cross-section portion 54, and contributes to an improvement in the cross-sectional secondary moment of the suspension housing 5.

<Description of suspension housing connection structure>
Next, the connecting structure portion on the upper end 501 side and the lower end 502 side of the suspension housing 5 will be described. It is the upper surface portion 503 and the upper end flange 504 that constitute the connecting portion with the apron rain 4 at the upper end 501. Referring to FIG. 3, the upper surface portion 503 is overlapped with the left portion of the horizontal plate 41 of the apron rain 4 in the vertical direction. The vicinity of the right end of the upper end flange 504 is overlapped with the lower flange of the vertical plate 42. At these overlapping portions, the upper end 501 and the apron rain 4 are fixed.

  As a result of forming such a connecting portion between the upper end 501 and the apron rain 4, a closed cross-section C2 extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the connecting portion. That is, the right portion of the horizontal plate 41 and the left portion of the upper end flange 504, and the vertical plate 42 and the vertical plate 505 are opposed to each other with a space therebetween, and the space surrounded by these is the closed cross section C2. It is. By forming the closed section C2, the rigidity on the upper end 501 side of the suspension housing 5 is enhanced.

  Next, the connecting structure part on the lower end 502 side will be described. The suspension housing 5 has a dividing portion 55, a first connection portion 535, and a second connection portion 545 at a lower end 502 serving as a connection portion with respect to the front frame 3. The dividing portion 55 is configured so that the end portion on the lower end 502 side (the end portion on the front frame 3 side) of the first open cross-section portion 53 and the second open cross-section portion 54 does not contact the upper surface 5C of the front frame 3. Is formed. FIG. 7 shows a lower end edge 53E of the first open section 53 and a lower end edge 54E of the second open section 54. Due to the formation of the dividing portion 55, the lower end edges 53E and 54E are opposed to the upper surface 5C through the gap of the dividing portion 55. That is, the first and second open cross-section portions 53 and 54 are interrupted at the position of the dividing portion 55.

  The front frame 3 is adjacent to the wheel house WH. For this reason, it is assumed that water droplets splash up from the wheel house WH side to the upper surface 5C of the front frame 3 during rainy weather. If the lower end edges 53E and 54E of the first and second open cross sections 53 and 54 are extended downward so as to be in close contact with the upper surface 5C, the water droplets are liable to stay in the close portions. However, as in the present embodiment, by providing the dividing portion 55 and separating the lower end edges 53E and 54E from the upper surface 5C, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of water accumulation on the upper surface 5C.

  In the present embodiment, the suspension housing 5 is formed by aluminum die casting, and the front frame 3 is formed by a steel material. In other words, the suspension housing 5 and the front frame 3 are made of different metals, but the portion where the two abut can be reduced as much as possible by forming the dividing portion 55. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress problems such as corrosion due to contact with different metals, particularly electrolytic corrosion due to the presence of water. In addition, in this embodiment, the mat guard 8 described later has a configuration that prevents water or the like from entering the open cross-sectional space CA. This point will be described later with reference to FIGS.

  The first and second connection portions 535 and 545 are provided to connect the first and second open cross-section portions 53 and 54 and the inner surface 3B of the front frame 3. The first connection portion 535 is a flat plate portion that is continuously provided downward from the lower end of the connection plate 532 of the first open section 53. Similarly, the second connection portion 545 is a flat plate portion continuously provided downward from the lower end of the connection plate 532 of the second open section 54. The first and second connecting portions 535 and 545 extend downward so as to straddle the dividing portion 55 and overlap with the upper portion of the inner surface 3B in the left-right direction. The first and second connection portions 535 and 545 are fixed to the inner surface 3B by spot welding or the like at the portion overlapping the inner surface 3B. In FIG. 3, the fixing portion is schematically shown as an inner fixing portion P2.

  The suspension housing 5 also has a connecting portion to the flange portion 3F (the outer surface 3A side) of the front frame 3 on the lower end 502 side. In order to form this connecting portion, the suspension housing 5 includes a first extension portion 512, a second extension portion 513, and a third extension portion 514. The first extension portion 512 is a flat plate portion connected to the lower end of the flat surface portion 511 and is located between the first open cross-section portion 53 and the second open cross-section portion 54. The second extension portion 513 is a flat plate portion provided adjacent to the front side of the first open section 53. The third extension 514 is a flat plate provided adjacent to the rear side of the second open section 54.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the lower end edges 53E and 54E of the first and second open cross sections 53 and 54 and the lower end edges of the first, second and third extension parts 512, 513 and 514 are surfaces. It is one. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 6, the 1st-3rd extension parts 512-514 are arrange | positioned in the substantially the same position of the left-right direction, and are located in a straight line in the front-back direction. The front frame 3 side ends of the first and second open cross-section portions 53 and 54 protrude leftward from the plane formed by the first to third extension portions 512 to 514.

  As described above, the flange portion 3F of the front frame 3 includes the wide portion 321A whose vertical width is longer than that of other portions. The wide part 321 </ b> A has a front-rear width that can face all of the first to third extension parts 512 to 514. The first to third extension parts 512 to 514 are overlapped with the wide part 321A in the left-right direction, and the overlapping part is fixed to the wide part 321A by spot welding or the like. In FIG. 3, the fixing portion is shown as an outer fixing portion P3. When viewed in the vehicle front-rear direction, the second extension portion 513, the first connection portion 535, the first extension portion 512, the second connection portion 545, and the third extension portion 514 are arranged in this order from the front side. Accordingly, the outer fixing portion P3 and the inner fixing portion P2 are alternately arranged in the vehicle front-rear direction.

<Reinforcement structure of suspension housing>
The suspension housing 5 includes the first and second open cross-section portions 53 and 54, so that the deformation resistance in the vehicle width direction is enhanced. In addition to these, the suspension housing 5 has a further reinforcing structure. As the reinforcing structure, the suspension housing 5 includes a first vertical rib 536, a second vertical rib 546, a first horizontal rib 537, a second horizontal rib 547, a thick portion 56, and inner ribs 571 to 579 (FIG. 6). ing.

  The first vertical rib 536 is connected to the first connecting portion 535 provided continuously with the first open cross-section portion 53, and the second vertical rib 546 is provided with the second connecting portion 545 provided continuous with the second open cross-sectional portion 54. Are provided respectively. The first and second vertical ribs 536 and 546 are reinforcing portions that suppress bending deformation of the first connection portion 535 and the second connection portion 545 in the vehicle width direction, respectively. Since the dividing portion 55 is provided, the lower end 502 of the suspension housing 5 and the inner surface 3B of the front frame 3 are connected by the first and second connection portions 535 and 545 having no open cross-sectional structure. It can be a weak point of the mechanical strength. However, by providing the first and second vertical ribs 536 and 546, the rigidity of the first and second connection portions 535 and 545 can be increased, and as a result, inward deformation of the suspension housing 5 can be suppressed.

  The first vertical rib 536 is an elongated rib that protrudes from the left surface of the first connection portion 535 and extends in the vertical direction. Here, an example is shown in which two first vertical ribs 536 are provided in parallel with a gap in the front-rear direction. Similarly, the second vertical rib 546 is an elongated rib protruding from the left surface of the second connection portion 545 and extending in the vertical direction. Since the second connection portion 545 is relatively wide, the three second vertical ribs 546 are provided in parallel at intervals in the front-rear direction.

  The first horizontal ribs 537 project from the lower ends of the pair of side plates 531 of the first open cross section 53, and the second horizontal ribs 547 are respectively near the lower ends of the pair of side plates 541 of the second open cross section 54. Projected. By the formation of the first and second lateral ribs 537 and 547, the lateral deformation of the pair of side plates 531 and 541 is suppressed. That is, the side plates 531 and 541 become brittle near the lower end edges 53E and 54E due to the formation of the dividing portion 55, but the rigidity is enhanced by the first and second lateral ribs 537 and 547.

  The first lateral rib 537 is an elongated rib that is inclined downward toward the left. The first lateral rib 537 on the front side is from the second extension portion 513, and the first lateral rib 537 on the rear side is from the first extension portion 512. , Each extending to the first connection portion 535. Similarly, the second lateral rib 547 is an elongated rib inclined downward toward the left, the second lateral rib 547 on the front side is from the first extension portion 512, and the second lateral rib 547 on the rear side is the third extension portion. 514 extends to the second connection portion 545, respectively. The first and second lateral ribs 537 and 547 may be arranged on either one of the pair of side plates 531 and 541.

  The thick portion 56 is provided to reinforce the first and second connecting portions 535 and 545 having no open cross-sectional structure in addition to the first and second vertical ribs 536 and 546. The thick portion 56 is formed at a portion facing the dividing portion 55, and the plate thickness of the first and second connection portions 535 and 545 is larger than the other portions of the suspension housing 5 at the portion where the thick portion 56 is formed. Has been. As shown in FIG. 6, the thick portion 56 is a portion protruding so as to increase in thickness from the lower side to the upper side on the back surface side of the first and second connection portions 535 and 545. Such a thick portion 56 can be easily formed by aluminum die casting. In the first connection portion 535, the thick portion 56 is disposed between the pair of front and rear first vertical ribs 536. In the second connection portion 545, the thick portion 56 is disposed between the second longitudinal ribs 546 at the front and rear ends. Among the three, the central second vertical rib 546 is provided so as to protrude on the thick portion 56. By such an arrangement of the thick portion 56, the rigidity of the first and second connection portions 535 and 545 is further increased.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the inner ribs 571 to 579 are ribs extending in the front-rear direction that partition the open cross-section space CA of the first open cross-section portion 53 and the second open cross-section portion 54. In the open cross-section space CA of the first open cross-section portion 53, four inner ribs 571, 572, 573, and 574 are arranged at appropriate intervals. The inner ribs 571 to 574 extend between the pair of side plates 531 and partition the open section space CA of the first open section 53 into a plurality of spaces. In the open cross-section space CA of the second open cross-section portion 54, five inner ribs 575, 576, 577, 578, and 579 are arranged at appropriate intervals. The inner ribs 575 to 579 extend between the pair of side plates 541 and partition the open section space CA of the second open section 54 into a plurality of spaces.

<Bulkhead>
As shown in FIG. 4, a first bulkhead 6 </ b> A and a second bulkhead 6 </ b> B for reinforcing the cross section are disposed in the closed cross section C <b> 1 of the front frame 3. The first bulkhead 6A and the second bulkhead 6B are members formed by punching and bending a plate material having excellent rigidity such as a steel material, and are disposed so as to partition the closed section C1. This serves to increase the rigidity of the closed cross section C1. The first bulkhead 6A is generally disposed in an extension region extending the first open section 53 downward, and the second bulkhead 6B is generally disposed in an extension region extending the second open section 54 downward. .

  FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the first bulkhead 6A. 6 A of 1st bulkheads contain the partition surface part 61 which consists of a flat plate extended in the up-down and left-right direction orthogonal to the front-back direction where the closed cross-section part C1 extends. The partition surface 61 has a rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction, and its size is substantially the same as the cross-sectional size of the closed cross-section C1. By this partition surface part 61, the space of the closed cross-section part C1 is partitioned back and forth.

  An upper flange 621, a lower flange 622, a right flange 623, and a left flange 624 protrude from the four sides of the partition surface portion 61. These flanges 621, 622, 623, and 624 have a tongue-like shape and are formed by being bent substantially at right angles to the partition surface portion 61. The bending direction is all forward except that the left flange 624 is rearward.

  The flanges 621, 622, 623, and 624 serve as joints to the front frame 3. 3 and 4, the upper flange 621 is on the upper plate 311 of the front frame inner 31, the lower flange 622 is on the lower plate 312, the right flange 623 is on the side plate 320 of the front frame outer 32, and the left flange 624 is Each is fixed to the side plate 310 of the front frame inner 31 by spot welding.

  Two concave portions 631 that increase the rigidity of the bulkhead 6 </ b> A are provided in the ridgeline portion 63 at the boundary between the partition surface portion 61 and the left flange 624. In addition, the partition surface portion 61 is provided with a large through hole 611 that penetrates in the front-rear direction and two small through holes 612. The large through-hole 611 is a hole for allowing the electrodeposition liquid to flow in the front-rear direction in the step of electrodeposition-coating a rust preventive agent on the vehicle body. The small through hole 612 is a hole through which the electrodeposition liquid can be circulated, but is a hole provided exclusively for spot welding. Further, the formation of the large through-hole 611 and the small through-hole 612 can reduce the weight of the first bulkhead 6A. A flange portion 613 formed by burring is provided at the edge of the large through hole 611. By forming the flange portion 613, the rigidity of the partition surface portion 61, particularly the rigidity of the partition surface portion 61 with respect to the load applied to the first bulkhead 6A in the vertical direction is enhanced.

  FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the second bulkhead 6B. The second bulkhead 6 </ b> B also includes a partition surface portion 64 that partitions the space of the closed section C <b> 1 back and forth, similar to the partition surface portion 61. The partition surface portion 64 is a flat plate that is gently curved in the front-rear direction, and has a rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction. The size is substantially the same as the cross-sectional size of the closed cross-section C1. From the four sides of the partition surface portion 64, an upper flange 651, a lower flange (not shown in FIG. 9), a right flange 652 and a left flange 653 protrude from the four sides. These flanges 651, 652, and 653 have a tongue-like shape and are formed by being bent substantially at right angles to the partition surface portion 64. The bending direction is all forward except that the right flange 652 is rearward.

  The flanges 651, 652, and 653 serve as joints to the front frame 3. 3 and 4, the upper flange 651 is on the upper plate 311 of the front frame inner 31, the lower flange (not shown) is on the lower plate 312, the right flange 652 is on the side plate 320 of the front frame outer 32, and the left flange is 653 is fixed to the side plate 310 of the front frame inner 31 by spot welding.

  The partition surface portion 64 is provided with a small through hole 641 and two rigid reinforcing portions 642 extending in the vertical direction. The small through hole 641 is a hole provided for the flow of the electrodeposition liquid and for spot welding. The rigidity reinforcing portion 642 is formed by drawing so that a part of the partition surface portion 64 protrudes backward in a semicircular cross section. By forming the rigidity reinforcing portion 642, the rigidity of the partition surface portion 64 is enhanced. Since the rigid reinforcing portion 642 has a shape that is long in the vertical direction, the resistance of the partition surface portion 64 against the load applied in the vertical direction with respect to the second bulkhead 6B can be increased. That is, the partition surface portion 64 has a strong resistance against the load applied from the suspension portion 52 via the second open section 54.

<Mat guard>
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the front vehicle body 1 is further provided with a mat guard 8. The mat guard 8 is a member that covers the upper portion of the wheel house WH, and is a member that prevents sludge, pebbles, water droplets, and the like that the tire jumps up from colliding with and entering the vehicle body. The mat guard 8 is disposed below the suspension housing 5. A wheel apron 9 is provided behind and below the suspension housing 5 for sound insulation of tire running noise.

  FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the mat guard 8 alone. The mat guard 8 includes a mat guard body 81, an opening 82, a flange portion 83, a first cover portion 84 (cover member / extension portion), and a second cover portion 85 (cover member / extension portion). The mat guard body 81 has a shape that follows the shape of the wheel house WH, and its cross-sectional shape in the front-rear direction is substantially semicircular. The opening 82 is an opening formed to extend leftward from the vicinity of the top of the mat guard body 81. The opening 82 is provided to penetrate the suspension damper in the vertical direction. Further, the opening 82 communicates the space of the wheel house WH with the internal space of the housing body 51 of the suspension housing 5.

  The flange portion 83 is a semicircular horizontal plane portion provided near the top of the mat guard body 81 and adjacent to the front side of the opening 82 in a top view. An attachment hole 831 serving as a connecting portion with the suspension housing 5 is formed in the flange portion 83. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the suspension housing 5 includes a fixing plate 581 having a screw hole at the lower edge of the front side surface (the front side of the first open section 53). The fixing plate 581 is overlaid on the mounting hole 831 of the flange portion 83, and the fixing plate 581 and the flange portion 83 are connected by screwing.

  The first cover portion 84 and the second cover portion 85 are flat plate portions extending from the mat guard body 81 so as to face each other at the left end of the opening 82. Specifically, the first cover portion 84 is a rectangular flat plate extending rearward from the left end of the front edge of the cutout portion of the mat guard body 81 that defines the opening 82. The second cover portion 85 is a rectangular flat plate extending forward from the left end of the rear edge of the cutout portion. These rectangular flat plates are flat plates having a plane perpendicular to the vehicle width direction and long in the vertical direction. A side extension 841 extends rearward from the rear end edge of the first cover part 84, and a lower extension 842 extends downward from the lower end edge. Similarly, a lateral extension 851 extends forward from the front edge of the second cover 85, and a downward extension 852 extends downward from the lower edge. These extension portions 841, 852, 851, and 852 are each provided with fixing screw holes.

  The first cover portion 84 and the second cover portion 85 function as a cover member that covers a part of the rear surface side of the suspension housing 5. This point will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 is a perspective view of the assembly portion of the mat guard 8 and the suspension housing 5 as viewed from below, and FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG.

  The first open cross-section portion 53 and the second open cross-section portion 54 extend substantially vertically in the vicinity of the end on the front frame 3 side, that is, in the vicinity of the lower end 502. Therefore, the opening of the open cross-section space CA of the first and second open cross-section portions 53 and 54 also extends substantially vertically and opens toward the wheel house WH. The first cover portion 84 and the second cover portion 85 cover the opening of the open section space CA in the vicinity of such a lower end 502. That is, in the vicinity of the lower end 502, the opening of the open section space CA is formed between the right end edges (ends in the vehicle width direction) of the pair of side plates 531 in the first open section 53, and the second open section. The portion 54 is formed between the right end edges of the pair of side plates 541. The first and second cover portions 84 and 85 each cover the right edge.

  The second open cross section 54 whose cross section is shown in FIG. 12 will be described in further detail. The second cover portion 85 covers the entire area reaching the flat surface portion 511 of the housing body 51 in the front-rear direction among the openings of the open cross-section space CA of the second open cross-section portion 54, and the inner rib 576 in the vertical direction. To the outer surface 3A of the front frame 3. That is, the side extension 851 overlaps with the vicinity of the rear end of the flat portion 511 in the left-right direction, and the lower extension 852 overlaps with the outer surface 3A in the left-right direction. The side extension portion 851 and the lower extension portion 852 are fixed to the plane portion 511 and the outer surface 3A by screws. Further, the upper end portion 853 (a part of the cover member) of the second cover portion 85 overlaps the lower end portion of the inner rib 576 in the left-right direction. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 12, the open sectional space CA directly above the upper surface 3 </ b> C of the front frame 3 is a space isolated from the wheel house WH by the second cover portion 85. In other words, the open section space CA is closed by the second cover portion 85 in the vicinity of the lower end 502.

  Although the illustration of the cross section of the first open section 53 is omitted, the opening is covered by the first cover section 84 in the same manner as the second open section 54 described above. The first cover portion 84 covers the entire area reaching the flat surface portion 511 of the housing body 51 in the front-rear direction of the opening of the open cross-section space CA of the first open cross-section portion 53, and the inner rib 571 in the vertical direction. To the outer surface 3A of the front frame 3. That is, the side extension portion 841 overlaps the vicinity of the front end of the flat portion 511 in the left-right direction, and the lower extension portion 842 overlaps the outer surface 3A in the left-right direction. Further, the upper end portion 843 of the first cover portion 84 overlaps the lower end portion of the inner rib 571 in the left-right direction.

[Function and effect]
According to the front body structure of the vehicle according to the present embodiment described above, the following operational effects can be obtained. The suspension housing 5 includes a first open section 53 and a second open section 54 that extend in the vehicle width direction so as to bridge the front frame 3 and the apron rain 4. The first open section 53 includes a front ridge line portion 533 and a rear ridge line portion 534 that extend in the vehicle width direction as high-rigidity portions. Further, the second open cross-section portion 54 includes a front ridge line portion 543 and a rear ridge line portion 544 that extend in the vehicle width direction as high-rigidity portions. Accordingly, the deformation resistance of the suspension housing 5 in the vehicle width direction is enhanced.

  Although the first and second open cross-section portions 53 and 54 have openings on the wheel house WH side, the openings are located in the vicinity of the lower ends 502 of the first and second open cross-section portions 53 and 54 and the mat guard 8 1 and the second cover portions 84 and 85 are covered. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent water droplets and sludge water flying from the wheel house WH side from entering the regions of the lower ends 502 of the first and second open cross-section portions 53 and 54 that are the connecting portions to the front frame 3. That is, the upper surface 5C of the front frame 3 is a portion where it is desired to prevent water droplets or the like from staying as much as possible, but the space itself for accessing the upper surface 5C from the wheel house WH side is the first and second cover portions 84, 85. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the entry of water droplets or the like.

  Further, the open cross-sectional space CA of the first and second open cross-section parts 53 and 54 is closed by the first and second cover parts 84 and 85 in the vicinity of the lower end 502. For this reason, not only the above-mentioned waterproof effect but also the rigidity of the first and second open cross-section portions 53 and 54 can be further increased, which contributes to the improvement of the secondary moment of the suspension housing 5.

  Further, upper end portions 853 and 843 of the first and second cover portions 84 and 85 are arranged so as to partially overlap the inner ribs 571 and 576. By disposing the inner ribs 571 to 579 in the open section space CA, the rigidity of the first and second open section sections 53 and 54 is increased. In the present embodiment, the first and second cover portions 84 and 85 are used to waterproof the open section space CA by using a part of the inner rib. Accordingly, the first and second cover portions 84 and 85 can be prevented from becoming unnecessarily large, and the size and weight of the mat guard 8 due to the attachment of the first and second cover portions 84 and 85 can be suppressed. .

  Further, the suspension housing 5 is formed by aluminum die casting, and the front frame 3 is formed by a steel material. Since the suspension housing 5 is formed by aluminum die casting, the degree of freedom of the shape of the suspension housing 5 can be increased and the weight can be reduced. On the other hand, although the suspension housing 5 and the front frame 3 are made of different metals, the arrangement of the first and second cover portions 84 and 85 can prevent water from entering the portion where both are in contact. Therefore, promotion of electrolytic corrosion due to contact with different metals can be suppressed.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mat guard 8 is provided with first and second cover portions 84 and 85 (extension portions) that perform a waterproof function. That is, the first and second cover portions 84 and 85 extending to serve as a waterproof are formed integrally with the mat guard 8 that is generally assembled to the wheel house WH. Therefore, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of assembly steps without increasing the number of parts.

[Description of Modified Embodiment]
As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to this, A various deformation | transformation embodiment can be taken. For example, in the above embodiment, the example in which the mat guard 8 is provided with the first and second cover portions 84 and 85 as the cover members has been described. Instead of this, a separate cover member may be attached to the openings of the first and second open cross sections 53 and 54.

  According to the vehicle front body structure of the vehicle according to the present invention described above, even when a large load is applied to the suspension portion 52, the cross-sectional secondary moment with respect to the deformation force in the vehicle width direction of the suspension housing 5 can be improved. . Furthermore, it is possible to prevent water from entering from the wheel house WH into the open sectional space CA of the suspension housing 5 and prevent water from staying at the connection portion between the suspension housing 5 and the front frame 3.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Front vehicle body 3 Front frame 3A Outer surface 3B Inner surface 3C Upper surface 4 Apron rain 5 Suspension housing 52 Suspension portion 53 First open section 531 A pair of side plates 532 A connection plate 54 A second open section 541 A pair of side plates 542 A connection plate 571 ~ 579 Inner rib (rib)
8 Mat guard 84 1st cover part (cover member)
843 Upper end (part of cover member)
85 Second cover part (cover member)
853 Upper end (part of cover member)
CA open section space

Claims (5)

A front frame extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and forming a closed cross section;
An apron rain disposed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the front frame and extending in the vehicle front-rear direction;
A suspension housing to which a component member of the suspension is attached and connects the front frame and the apron rain,
A cover member covering a part of the suspension housing,
The suspension housing includes an open cross section extending in the vehicle width direction so as to bridge the upper surface of the front frame and the apron rain,
The open section has an opening on the wheel house side,
The front body structure of the vehicle, wherein the cover member covers an opening of the open cross section at least near an end of the open cross section on the front frame side. In the vehicle front body structure according to claim 1,
The suspension housing further includes a rib extending in the vehicle front-rear direction and partitioning the open cross-section portion,
The front body structure of the vehicle, wherein the cover member is disposed so as to partially overlap the rib. In the front body structure of the vehicle according to claim 1 or 2,
The suspension housing is a member made of aluminum die cast,
A front vehicle body structure of a vehicle, wherein the front frame is made of a metal different from the suspension housing. In the vehicle front body structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The front frame includes an outer surface facing outward in the vehicle width direction, an inner surface facing inward in the vehicle width direction, and an upper surface located at an upper portion between the outer surface and the inner surface,
At least the front frame side end of the open cross section is a pair of side plates having a width corresponding to the width in the vehicle width direction of the upper surface of the front frame, and the edge of the pair of side plates in the vehicle width direction inside Formed by connecting plate and connecting
The opening is formed between the outer edges of the pair of side plates in the vehicle width direction, and the cover member covers a region extending between the edges and the outer surface of the front frame. . In the front body structure of the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
Further equipped with a mat guard covering the wheel house,
The mat guard is a front vehicle body structure of a vehicle provided with an extension portion serving as the cover member.

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