JP4839664B2 - Vehicle front structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle front structure.

As a conventional vehicle front part structure, a hinge bracket is attached to the rear part of the skeleton member that forms the side edge of the engine room, while a hinge arm is attached to the side edge part of the rear part of the hood panel. It is known that the hood panel closes the upper opening of the engine room so as to be openable and closable (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-337744 A

  In this type of vehicle front structure, it is desirable to have a shock absorbing performance with respect to the impact load applied on the hood panel. In Patent Document 1, an impact is improved by improving the mounting surface of the hinge bracket. The absorption performance is improved. Even with such a structure, a relatively high shock absorbing performance can be obtained. However, the higher the shock absorption performance, the better, and as a result of extensive research, the inventors have improved the structure of the hinge arm, hinge bracket, etc. to improve the shock absorption performance with a relatively simple configuration. I found a structure that can do.

  That is, an object of the present invention is to increase the shock absorption performance with respect to the impact load applied on the hood panel in the vehicle front structure.

In the present invention, the hinge bracket is attached to the rear part of the skeleton member that forms the side edge of the engine room at the front part of the vehicle, while the rear and side edges of the hood panel that closes the upper opening of the engine room so as to be openable and closable. In a vehicle front structure in which a hinge arm is attached and the hinge arm is rotatably attached to the hinge bracket, the hinge arm is rotatably supported by the hinge bracket in a posture in which the front and back surfaces are oriented substantially in the vehicle width direction. A main wall portion and a hood mounting wall portion projecting inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper edge of the main wall portion, and as a joint portion between the hood ridge reinforcement and the dash side panel on the side of the rear of the engine room the hood ledge flange, while protruding upwards extending substantially in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the cowl top cover provided above the rear engine room Side edges, proximate the upper upper edge of the hood ridge flanges are extended from the upper edge to the outside in the vehicle width direction, the main wall of the hinge arm, with respect to the hood ridge flange It is offset in the vehicle width direction Rutotomoni, the main wall of the hinge arm, the most important feature that is offset in the vehicle width direction outer side with respect to the vehicle width direction end portions of the cowl top cover.

According to the present invention, when an impact load is applied to the hood panel from above and the hood panel is deformed downward, it is possible to prevent the main wall portion of the hinge arm and the hood ridge flange from interfering with each other. As much as possible, the downward deformation stroke of the hood panel can be increased, and the shock absorbing performance can be further enhanced. Further, according to the present invention, the main wall portion of the hinge arm is offset outward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the vehicle width direction end portion of the cowl top cover, so that an impact load is applied to the hood panel from above. When the food panel is deformed downward, the main wall portion of the hinge arm and the cowl top cover can be prevented from interfering with each other. Therefore, the downward deformation stroke of the hood panel can be further increased, and the impact absorbing performance can be enhanced accordingly.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of a vehicle front structure according to the present embodiment (a perspective view showing a rear corner in an engine room with a hood panel, a cowl top cover, etc. removed), FIG. 2 is a side view showing a part of the vehicle front part structure, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a part of the vehicle front part structure, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the vehicle front part structure (cross section AA in FIG. 2). FIG. 5 is another cross-sectional view of the vehicle front structure (cross-sectional view along BB in FIG. 2), FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a hinge bracket included in the vehicle front structure, and FIG. 7 is a hood panel. It is a figure which shows a mode that a vehicle front part structure deform | transforms when an impact load is applied upwards. In the following embodiment, only the configuration on the left side of the vehicle will be described, but the configuration on the right side can also be embodied with the same configuration (symmetrical). In the drawing, FR indicates the front in the vehicle front-rear direction, and IN indicates the inner side in the vehicle width direction.

  The hood panel 9 (FIG. 2) is attached to the vehicle body via a hinge mechanism, and closes the upper opening of the engine room so that it can be opened and closed.

  In this embodiment, the hinge mechanism includes a hinge bracket 6, a hinge arm 1, and a hinge pin 8.

  Among these, the hinge bracket 6 can be configured by bending a steel plate, for example, and includes a bottom wall portion 6b fixed to the upper surface of the hood ridge reinforcement 3 by a bolt 13 and a vehicle width of the bottom wall portion 6b. And a vertical wall portion 6f extending upward from the side edge on the inner side in the direction.

  The vertical wall portion 6f has an upper portion 6e and a lower portion 6c that extend in the vertical direction, and an intermediate portion 6d that inclines inward in the vehicle width direction toward the upper side therebetween. That is, the vertical wall portion 6f is bent in a substantially S shape in a front view, and the upper portion 6e is offset from the lower portion 6c by a distance x1 (FIG. 3) inward in the vehicle width direction. The hinge pin 8 is attached to the upper portion 6e so as to extend in the vehicle width direction. The hinge arm 1 is rotatably supported by the hinge bracket 6 via the hinge pin 8.

  The hinge bracket 6 is formed with an arm 6a that extends backward and inward from the intermediate portion 6d. The arm 6a extends downward and inward from the inner edge of the front fender 7 in the vehicle width direction. 7a is attached. That is, in this embodiment, the hinge bracket 6 is also used as a bracket for fixing the front fender 7. In addition, 6g is a through-hole for attachment, and 6h is a nut for attachment.

  On the other hand, the hinge arm 1 can be configured by, for example, bending a steel plate, and the main wall is supported by the hinge bracket 6 so as to be elongated and elongated in a posture in which the front and back surfaces are oriented substantially in the vehicle width direction. Part 1a and a hood mounting wall part 1b projecting inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end edge of the main wall part 1a.

  The main wall portion 1a has a portion that is curved in a substantially U shape in a side view so as to protrude downward so as to avoid interference with other parts when the hood panel 9 is opened, and a linear portion is provided in front of the main wall portion 1a. The rear end portion of the substantially U-shaped portion is rotatably supported by the hinge bracket 6 while the upper end edge of the linear portion is bent inward in the vehicle width direction. A mounting wall portion 1b is formed.

  Two hood attachment holes 1c are formed in the hood attachment wall portion 1b with a space in the front-rear direction. Of these, the rear portion (the side near the hinge pin 8) of the hood attachment hole 1c is convex upward. The embossed portion 1d is formed so as to be raised.

  The hood panel 9 has a double structure at least in the mounting portion, and bolts 11 and nuts (not shown) are used for the hood inner 9a on the inner side (lower side; engine room side) of the double structure. The hood mounting wall 1b is fixed. Furthermore, the hood hinge reinforcement 10 is provided in this part, and the rigidity of an attaching part is improved.

  As described above, since the embossed portion 1d is formed, the hood mounting wall portion 1b has a shape having a step in the front and rear, and the hood inner 9a that contacts this also has a shape having a step. Here, the rear edge of the hood inner 9a is inclined as shown in FIG. 2, and the step is formed in the middle of the inclined portion. That is, with this configuration, the attachment point of the hinge arm 1 is positioned in the middle of the inclined portion, but this position is located on the front side of the inclination portion of the hood inner 9a without forming a step. Compared with the case where the flat surface is formed, the position is more rearward (the rear edge side of the hood panel 9; that is, the side closer to the axis of the hinge pin 8).

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5, the hood ridge flange 4 as a joint portion between the hood ridge reinforcement 3 and the dash side panel 2 is located on the side of the rear portion of the engine room. It extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction while projecting upward. That is, the dash side panel 2 extends from the side of the instrument panel (dash side) to the rear of the engine room, and in the hood ridge flange 4 as a skeleton member that extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction at the side edge of the engine room. Joined to the food ridge reinforcement 3 by spot welding or the like. In addition, 5 is a suspension tower, 5a is the upper surface (mounting surface).

  Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the side edge portion of the cowl top cover 12 provided above the rear portion of the engine room is close to the upper side of the upper end edge of the hood ridge flange 4, and from the upper end edge thereof. It extends to the outside in the vehicle width direction.

  Here, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the main wall portion 1a of the hinge arm 1 is offset from the hood ridge flange 4 by a distance x2 outside in the vehicle width direction, and as shown in FIG. Further, the end of the cowl top cover 12 in the vehicle width direction is also offset by a distance x3 outside in the vehicle width direction.

  According to the above-described embodiment, the impact absorption performance with respect to the impact load applied on the hood panel 9 can be further increased.

  That is, first, as described above, in this embodiment, the main wall portion 1a of the hinge arm 1 is offset from the hood ridge flange 4 by the distance x2 in the vehicle width direction (outside). For this reason, when the impact load is applied to the hood panel 9 from above and the hood panel 9 is deformed downward, the main wall portion 1a of the hinge arm 1 and the hood ridge flange 4 are prevented from interfering with each other. can do. Therefore, the downward deformation stroke of the hood panel 9 can be further increased, and the impact absorbing performance can be enhanced accordingly.

  In the present embodiment, the cowl top cover 12 is offset from the end in the vehicle width direction by a distance x3 outside in the vehicle width direction. For this reason, when the impact load is applied to the hood panel 9 from above and the hood panel 9 is deformed downward, the main wall portion 1a of the hinge arm 1 and the cowl top cover 12 are prevented from interfering with each other. can do. Therefore, the downward deformation stroke of the hood panel 9 can be further increased, and the impact absorbing performance can be enhanced accordingly.

  Furthermore, the parting line between the side edge of the hood panel 9 supported by the main wall part 1a, that is, the side edge and the inner edge of the front fender 7 is equivalent to the arrangement of the main wall part 1a further outside in the vehicle width direction 30 can be easily arranged on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and there is an advantage that the degree of freedom in modeling increases.

  In the present embodiment, the vertical wall portion 6f is bent at a position where the upper portion 6e of the vertical wall portion 6f is offset in the vehicle width direction (inside) by the distance x3 with respect to the lower portion 6c. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 7, the vertical wall portion 6f is likely to fall down in the vehicle width direction (inside) when the object 20 collides with the hood panel 9 from above and an impact load is applied. Therefore, as the hood panel 9 moves obliquely downward, a larger deformation stroke can be secured, and the impact absorption performance can be improved by bending the hood panel 9 inward in the vehicle width direction. .

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the embossed portion 1d is formed on the hood mounting wall portion 1b of the hinge arm 1 and the embossed portion 1d is mounted on the embossed portion 1d. The attachment position of the 1d hood panel 9 can be closer to the hinge pin 8 side. Thus, the length of the moment arm from the rotation center of the hood panel 9 (center of the hinge pin 8) to the mounting position of the hood panel 9 can be shortened, and the hood mounting wall portion 1b of the hinge arm 1 can be shortened. Bending rigidity can be improved, and therefore, the resonance frequency (natural frequency) of the hood panel 9 and the hinge arm 1 can be increased to reduce vibration and sound.

  In the present embodiment, an elongated and bent arm 6a is extended from the vertical wall portion 6f, and the front fender 7 is attached to the arm 6a. In this way, when a collision load is applied to the hood panel 9 from above, the arm 6a having a lower rigidity than the vertical wall portion 6f is deformed more greatly (extends), and the front fender 7 causes the vertical wall portion to deform. It is possible to prevent the bending of 6f from being restricted.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, when the object 20 collides with the hood panel 9 from above and an impact load is applied, the hinge bracket 6 falls inward in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the main wall 1a of the hinge arm 1 also moves inward in the vehicle width direction while moving downward, but the main wall 1a and the hood ridge flange 4 It is preferable to set the specifications of each part including the distances x1 to x3 so that they do not interfere with each other. That is, when each part is deformed by an impact load from above, the hood mounting flange 1 and not the main wall 1a of the hinge arm 1 but the hood mounting wall 1b are brought into contact with the hood ridge flange 4 and the cowl top cover 12. Is preferred.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made. For example, the direction in which the members are offset may be outside or inside in the vehicle width direction.

The perspective view of the state which removed the hood panel of the vehicle front part structure concerning embodiment of this invention (The perspective view which shows the rear corner in an engine room in the state which removed the hood panel, the cowl top cover, etc.). The side view which shows a part of vehicle front part structure concerning embodiment of this invention. The top view which shows a part of vehicle front part structure concerning embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing (AA sectional drawing of FIG. 2) of the vehicle front part structure concerning embodiment of this invention. Another sectional view of the vehicle front part structure concerning the embodiment of the present invention (BB sectional view of Drawing 2). The perspective view of the hinge bracket contained in the vehicle front part structure concerning embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows a mode that the vehicle front part structure concerning embodiment of this invention deform | transforms when an impact load is applied on a hood panel.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hinge arm 1a Main wall part 1b Hood mounting wall part 1d Embossed part 2 Dash side panel 3 Hood ridge reinforcement 4 Hood ridge flange 6 Hinge bracket 6b Bottom wall part 6f Vertical wall part 6c Lower part (lower part of vertical wall part)
6e Upper part (upper part of vertical wall)

Claims (3)

A hinge bracket is attached to the rear part of the skeleton member forming the side edge of the engine room at the front of the vehicle, while a hinge arm is attached to the rear part and side edge part of the hood panel that closes the upper opening of the engine room so as to be openable and closable. In the vehicle front structure in which the hinge arm is pivotally attached to the bracket,
The hinge arm includes a main wall portion that is rotatably supported by the hinge bracket in a posture in which front and rear surfaces are oriented substantially in the vehicle width direction, and a hood mounting wall portion that protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end edge of the main wall portion. And comprising
On the side of the rear of the engine room, a hood ridge flange as a joint between the hood ridge reinforcement and the dash side panel extends substantially in the vehicle front-rear direction while projecting upward,
The side edge portion of the cowl top cover provided above the rear portion of the engine room is close to the upper side of the upper end edge of the hood ridge flange and extends from the upper end edge to the outside in the vehicle width direction.
The main wall portion of the hinge arm, Rutotomoni is offset in the vehicle width direction with respect to the hood ridge flange, the main wall of the hinge arm, the vehicle width direction with respect to the vehicle width direction end portions of the cowl top cover A vehicle front structure characterized by being offset outward . The hinge bracket includes a bottom wall portion fixed to the skeleton member and a vertical wall that extends upward from a side edge of the bottom wall portion on the inner side in the vehicle width direction and rotatably supports the main wall portion of the hinge arm at the upper portion. A wall, and
Vehicle front structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper portion of the vertical wall portion at a position offset in the vehicle width direction relative to the lower part of the vertical wall portion, by bending the vertical wall portion. The vehicle front part structure according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein a convex embossed portion is formed on the hood mounting wall portion of the hinge arm, and a hood panel is mounted on the embossed portion.

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