JP4973045B2 - Vehicle front structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle front structure including a vehicle dash panel.

As a vehicle front structure, there is a structure in which a cowl is coupled to an upper end portion of a dash panel, and a windshield is coupled to the upper end portion of the cowl (for example, see Non-Patent Document 1). In this vehicle front structure, the cowl is weakened as a pedestrian protection measure, and when an impact load is input from the windshield to the cowl, the cowl is deformed to absorb the load. Further, a structural member is provided at a coupling portion between the cowl and the dash panel, and the cowl is used as a collision countermeasure member at the time of a vehicle collision.
Japan Society for Invention and Innovation Technical Report, Technical Number: 2005-501930, Issue Date: April 1, 2005

  However, in the vehicle front structure having the above-described configuration, a bent portion is provided in the middle portion in the vertical direction of the dash panel, the cowl is disposed on the vehicle front side of the dash panel, and the structural member has a dash above the bent portion. Combined with the panel. Therefore, when the cowl is deformed by a load from the windshield, the bent portion of the dash panel may be deformed. For this reason, when setting the deformation load of the cowl, it is necessary to consider the deformation of the dash panel, which makes it difficult to set the load for shock absorption.

  In consideration of the above facts, the present invention has an object to obtain a vehicle front structure that can easily set a deformation load of a cowl even when a bent portion is provided at an intermediate portion in the vertical direction of a dash panel. .

In the vehicle front portion structure according to the first aspect of the present invention, a dash panel having a bent portion formed in an intermediate portion in the vertical direction, a lower end side is coupled to the upper end side of the dash panel, and a windshield is coupled to the upper end side. And a cowl that is deformed when a load is input from the windshield, and a lower end side is coupled to the dash panel below the bent portion, and an upper end side is connected to the upper end portion of the dash panel above the bent portion. And a cross member that reinforces the bent portion.

In the vehicle front structure according to claim 1, the bent portion of the dash panel is formed by a cross member whose lower end side is coupled to the dash panel below the bent portion and whose upper end side is coupled to the upper end portion of the dash panel above the bent portion. Since it is reinforced, it can suppress that the bending part of a dash panel deform | transforms when a load is input into the cowl from the windshield. Therefore, it is not necessary to consider the deformation of the bent portion when setting the deformation load of the cowl, and this facilitates the setting of the deformation load of the cowl. In addition, since the cross member can be joined to the dash panel and subassembled in advance, the assembly work to the main body is facilitated.

  As described above, in the vehicle front structure according to the present invention, the deformation load of the cowl can be easily set even when the bent portion is provided in the middle portion in the vertical direction of the dash panel.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an automobile 12 configured by applying the vehicle front structure 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the vehicle front structure 10. In the figure, the arrow UP indicates the upward direction of the vehicle, and the arrow FR indicates the forward direction of the vehicle.

  The vehicle front part structure 10 according to the first embodiment has a dash panel 14 disposed between an engine room and a vehicle compartment of the automobile 12. The dash panel 14 has a plate-like dash panel main body 16. The dash panel main body 16 is disposed along the vehicle width direction and the vehicle vertical direction, but a bent portion 18 is formed on the upper end side of the middle portion in the vertical direction, and a portion on the upper end side than the bent portion 18 is formed. Protrudes obliquely toward the vehicle front side and toward the vehicle upper side (in other words, the dash panel main body 16 is bent in a cross-sectional shape at the upper end side of the middle portion in the vertical direction). Further, a plate-like flange portion 20 that protrudes obliquely toward the vehicle front side and the vehicle lower side is provided at the upper end portion of the dash panel body 16.

  A cowl 24 is provided between the dash panel 14 and the windshield 22 of the automobile 12, and the cowl 24 has a cowl outer 26 and a cowl inner 28. The cowl outer 26 includes a cowl outer main body 30 formed in a U-shaped cross section, and a plate-like flange portion 32 protruding from the end of the cowl outer main body 30 on the vehicle rear side toward the vehicle rear side. The main body 30 is coupled to the lower end portion of the windshield 22 by an adhesive 33 or the like.

  The cowl inner 28 includes a plate-like flange portion 34 coupled to the flange portion 32 of the cowl outer 26 by spot welding or the like, and a plate-like flange portion 36 coupled to the flange portion 20 of the dash panel 14 by spot welding or the like. And a plate-like cowl inner body 38 that is spanned between the flange portions 34 and 36 and connects the two. The cowl inner body 38 is disposed substantially along the vertical direction of the vehicle, but a bent portion 40 as a fragile portion is formed at the intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the cowl inner body 38, and a portion above the bent portion 40. Is inclined obliquely toward the vehicle rear side (in other words, the cowl inner body 38 is bent in a cross-sectional shape).

  The cowl 24 is a so-called open cowl corresponding to pedestrian protection, and when a predetermined impact load F (see FIG. 2) is inputted from the windshield 22, as shown in FIG. The 28 bent portions 40 are deformed (bent) so that the load F is absorbed.

  Further, in the vehicle front structure 10, a cross member 42 is provided on the dash panel 14 on the vehicle rear side. The cross member 42 is disposed along the vehicle up-down direction with the plate-like upper wall 44 and lower wall 46 disposed along the vehicle front-rear direction. It has a plate-like vertical wall 48 to be connected, and has a substantially U-shaped cross section. A plate-like flange portion 50 that protrudes obliquely toward the vehicle front side and the vehicle upper side is provided at the vehicle front side end portion of the upper wall 44, and this flange portion 50 (the upper end portion of the cross member 42). Is coupled to the upper end of the dash panel 14 above the bent portion 18 by spot welding or the like. Further, a plate-like flange portion 52 protruding toward the vehicle lower side is provided at the vehicle front side end portion of the lower wall 46, and this flange portion 52 (the lower end portion of the cross member 42) is spot welded or the like. Thus, it is coupled to the dash panel 14 below the bent portion 18. Thereby, the cross member 42 is attached to the dash panel 14 and reinforces the bent portion 18 (suppresses deformation of the bent portion 18 due to an external force).

  In the first embodiment, the cross member 42 is formed such that the length dimension along the vehicle width direction is the same as the length dimension along the vehicle width direction of the dash panel 14. The panel 14 is attached over the entire region in the vehicle width direction. For this reason, the bent portion 18 is reinforced throughout the vehicle width direction by the cross member 42.

  Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.

  In the vehicle front structure 10 configured as described above, the dash panel 14 is bent by the cross member 42 whose lower end side is coupled to the dash panel 14 below the bent portion 18 and whose upper end side is coupled to the dash panel 14 above the bent portion 18. Part 18 is reinforced. For this reason, when the load F is input into the cowl 24 from the windshield 22, it can suppress that the bending part 18 of the dash panel 14 deform | transforms, and only the bending part 40 of the cowl 24 can be deformed. Therefore, it is not necessary to consider the deformation of the bent portion 18 of the dash panel 14 when setting the deformation load of the bent portion 40 of the cowl 24, thereby making it easy to set the deformation load of the bent portion 40 of the cowl 24. .

  In addition, since the bent portion 40 of the cowl 24 can be deformed while suppressing the bent portion 18 of the dash panel 14 from being deformed as described above, so-called NV performance (noise / vibration performance) and body rigidity are impaired. Without pedestrian protection.

  Moreover, in the vehicle front structure 10, the cross member 42 can be joined to the dash panel 14 and subassembled in advance, so that spot welding when assembling the dash panel 14 and the cross member 42 to the main body (not shown) is performed. The number of hits can be reduced, which facilitates the assembly work to the main body. The cowl 24 is attached to the dash panel 14 by connecting the flange portion 36 to the flange portion 20 of the dash panel 14 after the dash panel 14 and the cross member 42 are assembled to the main body.

Further, in the vehicle front structure 10, the cross member 42 does not straddle the connecting portion between the dash panel 14 and the cowl 24 (the connecting portion between the flange portion 20 and the flange portion 36). Since the joint portion with the portion 36 is exposed to the vehicle interior side, after the cowl 24 is attached to the dash panel 14, the sealant can be applied to the joint portion from the vehicle interior side.
<Second Embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that configurations and operations that are basically the same as those of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment, and descriptions thereof are omitted. The second embodiment is a reference example.

  FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a vehicle front structure 60 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle front part structure 60 has basically the same configuration as the vehicle front part structure 10 according to the first embodiment, but the configuration of the cross member 62 is the cross member according to the first embodiment. 42 is different. The cross member 62 has basically the same configuration as that of the cross member 42 according to the first embodiment. However, the cross member 62 has a plate shape protruding toward the vehicle upper side at the vehicle front side end portion of the upper wall 44. The flange portion 64 is coupled to the cowl inner 28 below the bent portion 40 by spot welding or the like.

  In the vehicle front structure 60, the other components are the same as those in the vehicle front structure 10 according to the first embodiment.

  In this vehicle front structure 60, the dash panel 14 is bent by a cross member 62 whose lower end side is coupled to the dash panel 14 below the bent portion 18 and whose upper end side is coupled to the cowl 24 (cowl inner 28) below the bent portion 40. Part 18 is reinforced. Therefore, it becomes easy to set the deformation load of the bent portion 40 (the cowl 24) as in the vehicle front structure 10 according to the first embodiment.

  In addition, in the vehicle front structure 60, the cross member 62 reinforces the coupling portion between the cowl 24 and the dash panel 14 (the coupling portion between the flange portion 20 and the flange portion 36). The coupling strength of the vehicle can be improved, whereby the rigidity of the vehicle can be improved.

  In the vehicle front structure 10 according to the first embodiment and the vehicle front structure 60 according to the second embodiment, the bent portion 18 of the dash panel 14 is reinforced by the cross members 42 and 62 (reinforcing means). However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the bending portion 18 may be reinforced by forming reinforcing means such as ribs inside the bending portion 18.

  Further, in the vehicle front structure 10 according to the first embodiment and the vehicle front structure 60 according to the second embodiment, the bent portion 40 provided on the cowl inner 28 of the cowl 24 functions as a fragile portion. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration may be adopted in which a hole or the like is formed in the cowl inner 28 to form a fragile portion.

1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle configured by applying a vehicle front structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the vehicle front part structure which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing corresponding to FIG. 2 which shows the state which the cowl which comprises the vehicle front part structure which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention deform | transformed. It is sectional drawing which shows the vehicle front part structure which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle front part structure 14 Dash panel 18 Bending part 22 Windshield 24 Cowl 40 Bending part (fragile part)
42 Cross member (Rigidity improvement means)
60 vehicle front structure 62 cross member (stiffness improvement means)

Claims (1)

A dash panel with a bent portion formed in the middle in the vertical direction;
A lower end is coupled to the upper end side of the dash panel, a windshield is coupled to the upper end side, and a cowl that is deformed when a load is input from the windshield,
A cross member that has a lower end side coupled to the dash panel below the bent portion, an upper end side coupled to the upper end portion of the dash panel above the bent portion, and reinforcing the bent portion;
A vehicle front structure characterized by comprising:

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