JP5193343B2 - Car radiator support - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a radiator support for an automobile which is disposed at a front portion of a vehicle body and supports a radiator.

  The above-described radiator support is well known (see Patent Document 1). FIG. 8 is a simplified perspective view of a conventional radiator support of this type. In this figure, the arrow UP indicates the upward direction, the arrow Fr indicates the forward direction of the automobile, and the arrow W indicates the vehicle width direction. Further, the alternate long and short dash line with the symbol CL indicates the center in the vehicle width direction W. These are the same in FIGS. 1 to 3, 7, and 9, and the terms “front” or “rear” in this specification and the claims are based on the forward direction Fr of the automobile. Means.

The radiator support 1A of the automobile shown in FIG. 8 is disposed at the front portion of the vehicle body, and is disposed at an upper member 2A extending in the vehicle width direction W, below the upper member 2A, and extending in the vehicle width direction W. The lower member 3A has a pair of side members 4A and 5A. Each side member 4A, 5A extends in the vertical direction, and each upper end portion thereof is fixed to each end portion in the vehicle width direction of the upper member 2A. The lower end portion of each side member 4A, 5A is in the vehicle width direction of the lower member 3A. It is fixed to each end. Thus, the side members 4A and 5A are members that integrally connect the upper member 2A and the lower member 3A.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9 (a), which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IX-IX of FIG. 8, the upper end portion of the sendable race 6A is fixed to the middle portion of the upper member 2A in the vehicle width direction. Is fixed to the middle part of the lower member 3A in the vehicle width direction. In the example shown here, the upper member 2A, the lower member 3A, the side members 4A and 5A, and the center tab race 6A all have a U-shaped cross-sectional shape. As shown in FIG. 9 (a), one side wall 8A of the pair of side walls 8A, 9A rising from each end in the width direction of the bottom wall 7A constituting the U-shaped cross section of the center tab race 6A is The upper member 2A and the lower member 3A are fixed to each other by a bolt 11A having a washer 10A and a nut 12A that is screwed and tightened to the bolt 11A.

The upper member 2A, the lower member 3A, the side members 4A, 5A, and the center tab race 6A of the illustrated radiator support 1A are made of a highly rigid material such as a steel plate, for example, and a radiator (not shown) is supported on the radiator support 1A.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9A, a hood lock 16A is fixed to the center race 6A. As clearly shown in FIG. 9A, the hood lock 16A includes a bolt 14A provided with a washer 13A and a nut 15A that is screwed and tightened to the bolt 14A. Is fixed to the side wall 9A. As can be seen from FIG. 8, the hood lock 16A and the center tab race 6A are arranged in a central region including the center CL in the vehicle width direction of the radiator support 1A.

  An engine room is located behind the radiator support 1A, and an upper opening of the engine room is opened and closed by a hood (not shown) that is supported by the vehicle body so as to be able to open and close. When the hood is rotated from the open position to the closed position, a striker (not shown) attached to the hood engages with a lock member (not shown) of the hood lock 16A, and the hood is moved to the closed position. Locked. Conversely, by releasing the locked state of the hood lock 16A, the hood can be rotated to the open position.

  When the hood is rotated from the open position to the closed position as described above, as shown by an arrow F in FIG. 9A, an impact external force is applied to the hood lock 16A from the hood side. At that time, the upper member 2A and the lower member 3A are respectively fixed to the upper end and the lower end of the center tab race 6A extending in the vertical direction, so that the external force F applied to the hood lock 16A is not limited to the upper member 2A. The force is distributed to the lower member 3A via the center race 6A. Therefore, the upper member 2A is not greatly bent and deformed as indicated by the phantom line in FIG. 8, and the elastic bending deformation amount is kept small. Accordingly, a large external force is not transmitted to the hood, a radiator grill (not shown), or a component such as a lamp, and the component can be prevented from being damaged or damaged.

  However, since the center race 6A extends vertically below the hood lock 16A, as shown in FIG. 9A, the hood disposed in the central region in the vehicle width direction W from the hood side. When a shocking external force F is applied to the lock 16A, the center race 6A rotates together with the upper member 2A and the lower member 3A to the front side indicated by the arrow A as shown in FIG. 9 (b). Large elastic deformation in the state. As a result, the parts 17A, 18A, 19A of the center tab race 6A corresponding to the ends of the washers 10A, 13A are elastically deformed into a bent state. Since both the hood lock 16A and the center tab race 6A are disposed in the center region in the vehicle width direction of the upper member 2A and the lower member 3A, the impact force F applied to the hood lock 16A is directly transmitted to the center tab race 6A, and the center The portions 17A, 18A, 19A of the brace 6A are elastically deformed into a bent state. By repeatedly performing such deformation, cracks may occur in the portions 17A, 18A, 19A of the centablace 6A, and the function of the centablace 6A may be lost.

  In order to eliminate the above-described drawbacks, it is conceivable to increase the rigidity and strength of all members of the upper member 2A, the lower member 3A, and the center tab race 6A by increasing the plate thickness. However, if the plate thickness of these members is increased, the weight of the vehicle body increases and the cost increases.

JP 2003-237626 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a radiator support for an automobile that can prevent cracks in the center race while suppressing an increase in vehicle weight and cost.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an upper member extending in the vehicle width direction, a lower member disposed below the upper member and extending in the vehicle width direction, each end portion of the upper member in the vehicle width direction, A pair of side members that are fixed to each end in the vehicle width direction of the lower member and integrally connect the upper member and the lower member, and an upper end portion and a lower end portion are intermediate portions in the vehicle width direction of the upper member and the vehicle width direction of the lower member. In a radiator support of an automobile having a centablace fixed to each part, a hood lock for locking a hood that occupies a closed position is fixed to a central region including the vehicle width direction center of the upper member, The center race has an upper member whose upper end is closer to one vehicle width direction end than the center of the upper member in the vehicle width direction. The brace upper part which is fixed to the minute and extends in the vertical direction, and the lower end part are fixed to the lower member part closer to the other vehicle width direction end than the center in the vehicle width direction of the lower member, and extend in the vertical direction A brace lower portion, and a brace intermediate portion that is integrally fixed to a lower end portion of the lower portion of the brace and a lower end portion of the upper portion of the brace and extends horizontally, and between the upper end portion of the upper portion of the brace and the hood lock. Is spaced apart in the vehicle width direction, and spaced between the lower end portion of the lower portion of the brace and the hood lock in the vehicle width direction, and includes each end portion in the vehicle width direction of the upper member. A reinforcing plate is fixed to each end region of the upper member and each upper end region of the side member including the upper end portion of each side member fixed to each end in the vehicle width direction of the upper member. Suggest radiator support of a motor vehicle, characterized in that there (claim 1).

  Further, in the radiator support according to claim 1, an interval in a vehicle width direction between an upper end portion of the upper portion of the brace and the hood lock, and a vehicle width between a lower end portion of the lower portion of the brace and the hood lock. It is advantageous if the distances in the direction are set equal (claim 2).

  Further, in the radiator support for an automobile according to claim 1 or 2, the centab race has a U-shaped cross section including a bottom wall and a pair of side walls rising from respective widthwise ends of the bottom wall. In the state where the opening of the U-shaped cross section faces in the vehicle width direction, one side wall constituting the cross section of the centablace is formed between the front surface of the upper member and the front surface of the lower member. It is advantageous if each is fixed (Claim 3).

  According to the present invention, the hood lock for locking the hood that occupies the closed position is disposed in the center region including the center in the vehicle width direction of the upper member, whereas the upper end portion of the upper portion of the brace is the vehicle width of the upper member. It is fixed to the upper member part closer to the vehicle width direction end than the center in the direction, and there is a space in the vehicle width direction between the upper end of the upper part of the brace and the hood lock. When a shocking external force is applied to the hood lock from the side of the hood, no external force is applied directly to the center race from the hood lock. For this reason, the external force applied to the centab race is smaller than the conventional one, and it is possible to prevent the conventional centab race from being cracked. In addition, since the lower end of the lower part of the brace is arranged at a distance from the upper end of the upper part of the brace in the vehicle width direction with respect to the hood lock, a shocking external force is applied from the hood to the radiator support. When added, the overall deformation state of the radiator support is balanced, and the radiator support is not deformed in a state of being biased toward one end in the vehicle width direction.

However, when the upper end and lower end of the center brace are fixed to the upper member and the lower member as described above, when the hood is closed and a shocking external force is applied from the hood to the hood lock, the upper member There is a risk of relatively large bending deformation. However, in the present invention, the reinforcing plate is fixed to each end region in the vehicle width direction of the upper member and each upper end region of the side member, and the upper member is strongly reinforced. When a shocking external force is applied to the hood lock, the upper member can be prevented from being greatly bent and deformed.

Furthermore, since the brace middle part fixed integrally to the upper end part of the lower part of the brace and the lower end part of the upper part of the brace extends horizontally, when a shocking external force is applied to the hood lock from the hood side, The stress generated in the middle part of the brace of the centablace can be kept small, thereby preventing a crack from occurring in the middle part of the brace.

  As described above, it is possible to prevent cracks in the centablace without setting the plate thickness of the upper member, the lower member, the side member, and the centablace too large.

It is the perspective view which simplified and showed the radiator support which concerns on this invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1, in which illustration of side members, hood locks, and the like is omitted. (A) is the expanded sectional view which cut | disconnected the upper member along IIIA-IIIA of FIG. 1, (b) is the expanded sectional view which cut | disconnected the lower member along the IIIB-IIIB line | wire of FIG. 1, (c) FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of one side member cut along line IIIC-IIIC in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3D is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the other side member cut along line IIID-IIID in FIG. is there. It is a figure explaining the advantage by having provided the reinforcement board. It is a disassembled perspective view of the connection part of an upper member and a side member. It is a figure explaining the advantage by the brace middle part of a centablace extending horizontally. It is a top view explaining the advantage by the center tab race being fixed to the upper member in the state where the opening of the U-shaped cross section of the center tab race faces the vehicle width direction. It is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 which shows an example of the conventional radiator support. (A) is the expanded sectional view which followed the IX-IX line of FIG. 8, Comprising: It is the figure which abbreviate | omitted illustration of the side member, (b) shows a mode when a centab race deform | transformed, (a) and It is similar sectional drawing.

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

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a radiator support for an automobile according to the present invention. The basic structure of the radiator support 1 shown here is the same as that of the conventional radiator support 1A shown in FIG. That is, the radiator support 1 shown in FIG. 1 is also arranged at the front part of the vehicle body to form a structure at the front part of the vehicle body. The upper member 2 extends in the vehicle width direction W, and is lower than the upper member 2. The upper member 2 is fixed to the lower member 3 disposed in the vehicle width direction and extending in the vehicle width direction W, the vehicle width direction end portions 20 and 21 of the upper member 2, and the vehicle width direction end portions 22 and 23 of the lower member 3, respectively. A pair of side members 4 and 5 for connecting the lower member 3 and the center race 6 together, and the side members 4 and 5 extend in the vertical direction.

  The upper member 2, the lower member 3, the side members 4, 5 and the center brace 6 of the radiator support 1 shown as an example in FIG. 1 have a U-shaped cross-sectional shape as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. And having a high rigidity, preferably a steel plate. In the illustrated example, the end portions 20 and 21 in the vehicle width direction of the upper member 2 and the upper end portions 24 and 25 of the side members 4 and 5 are screwed and tightened to the bolts 28 and 29. It is fixed with a nut (not shown). Similarly, the end portions 22 and 23 in the vehicle width direction of the lower member 3 and the lower end portions 26 and 27 of the side members 4 and 5 are bolts 30 and 31 and nuts (not shown) that are screwed and tightened thereto. It is fixed by. Alternatively, the upper member 2 and the side members 4 and 5 can be fixed together by welding, and the lower member 3 and the side members 4 and 5 can also be fixed together by welding.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the upper end portion 32 of the center race 6 is fixed to an intermediate portion in the vehicle width direction of the upper member 2, that is, a portion between both end portions 20 and 21 in the vehicle width direction of the upper member 2. Similarly, the lower end portion 33 of the center race 6 is fixed to an intermediate portion of the lower member 3 in the vehicle width direction, that is, a portion between the vehicle width direction end portions 22 and 23 of the lower member 3.

  More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the senta race 6 includes a bottom wall 34 and a pair of side walls 35, 36 rising from each end portion in the width direction of the bottom wall 34. The side wall 35 constituting the transverse section of the centablace 6 is formed in the upper member 2 in a state where the opening of the U-shaped transverse section faces the vehicle width direction W. Are fixed to the front surface of the lower member 3 and the front surface of the lower member 3 by bolts 37 and 38 and nuts 60 and 61 which are screwed and tightened thereto. The center tab race 6 and the upper member 2 can be fixed by welding, and the center tab race 6 and the lower member 3 can also be fixed by welding. The positional relationship of the upper end portion 32 of the center tab race 6 with respect to the upper member 2 and the positional relationship of the lower end portion 33 of the center tab race 6 with respect to the lower member 3 will be described in detail later.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a hood lock 16 for locking a hood (not shown) that occupies a closed position is fixed to a central region including the center CL of the upper member 2 in the vehicle width direction. In the illustrated example, the hood lock 16 is fixed to the central region of the upper member 2 by a bolt 14 shown in FIG. 1 and a nut (not shown) screwed to the bolt 14 and tightened. Also in this case, the hood lock 16 and the upper member 2 can be fixed by welding.

  A radiator (not shown) is supported on the radiator support 1 described above, and the upper opening of the engine room located behind the radiator support 1 is opened and closed by the above-described hood that is supported on the vehicle body so as to be capable of rotating and opening. . When the hood occupies the closed position, the striker attached to the hood engages with a lock member (not shown) of the hood lock 16, thereby locking the hood in the closed position. Conversely, by releasing the locked state of the hood lock 16, the hood can be rotated to the open position.

  Here, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the centablace 6 includes a brace upper portion 39 extending in the vertical direction, a brace lower portion 40 extending in the vertical direction, an upper end portion of the brace lower portion 40, and a brace upper portion 39. The center tab race 6 is formed in a crank shape, which is composed of a brace intermediate portion 41 that is integrally fixed to the lower end portion and extends horizontally. At that time, the upper end portion of the brace upper portion 39 is the above-described upper end portion 32 of the centablace itself, and the lower end portion of the brace lower portion 40 is the aforementioned lower end portion 33 of the centablace itself.

As is clear from FIG. 1, the upper end portion 32 of the brace upper portion 39 is fixed to the upper member portion closer to one vehicle width direction end than the vehicle width direction center CL of the upper member 2 by the bolt 37 and the nut 60 described above. Has been. The lower end portion 33 of the brace lower portion 40 is fixed to the lower member portion closer to the other vehicle width direction end than the vehicle width direction center CL of the lower member 3 by the bolt 38 and the nut 61 described above. Thus, between the upper portion 33 and the hood lock 16 of the brace upper 39, interval in the vehicle width direction W is opened as indicated at D ₁ in FIG. 1, likewise lower end 33 of the brace bottom 40 and also between the hood lock 16, the interval in the vehicle width direction W, as indicated by symbol D ₂ is opened in FIG. In the illustrated example, the distance D ₁ in the vehicle width direction W between the upper portion 32 and the hood lock 16 of the brace upper 39, in the vehicle width direction W between the lower end portion 33 and the hood lock 16 of the brace bottom 40 spacing _{D 2} are set equal _(D 1 ₌ D 2).

  The upper end portion 32 of the brace upper portion 39 and the lower end portion 33 of the brace lower portion 40 may be arranged so as to be shifted to the opposite side to the side shown in FIG.

When a hood (not shown) is rotated from the open position to the closed position, a shocking external force indicated by an arrow F in FIG. 1 is applied to the hood lock 16, and the external force F is centered via the upper member 2. Reported to brace 6. At this time, the upper end 32 of the brace upper 39, since the spaced D ₁ between the hood lock 16, the center brace 6, never directly external force from the hood lock 16, The external force acting on the senta race 6 is small, and the stress generated in the senda race 6 is reduced. As described above, since the impact force applied to the senta race 16 is reduced, no cracks are generated in the senta race 16 as in the prior art.

Further, since an external force from the hood is applied to the upper member 2 via the hood lock 16, the upper member 2 is slightly elastically deformed. Moreover, since the external force is transmitted to the lower member 3 via the center tab race 6, the lower member 3 is also slightly elastically bent and deformed. At this time, the upper end portion 32 of the brace upper portion 39 is separated from the hood lock 16 by D ₁ toward one end portion of the upper member 2, and the lower end portion 33 of the brace lower portion 40 is separated from the hood lock 16 by the brace. since apart intervals D ₂ on the opposite side of the upper end 32 of the upper 39, the upper member 2 is bent and deformed around the side closer to the one end portion in the vehicle width direction W, the lower member 3, the vehicle width direction W It bends and deforms around the side close to the other end. For this reason, the entire bending deformation state of the radiator support 1 including the upper member 2 and the lower member 3 is balanced, and the radiator support 1 is bent and deformed so as to be largely offset toward one of the end portions in the vehicle width direction. Absent. This effect is particularly remarkable when the distances D ₁ and D ₂ are set to be equal to each other as in the radiator support 1 of the present example.

  Further, since the upper end portion 32 of the brace upper portion 39 is fixed to the upper member 2 at a position deviated from the hood lock 16 in the vehicle width direction, a distance between the parts fastened to the centab race 6 such as a horn and a preceding vehicle is provided. The degree of freedom of the mounting position when mounting a clearance sensor or the like for detecting the height of the sensor is increased.

  As described above, the upper end portion 32 of the brace upper portion 39 is displaced from the hood lock 16 in the vehicle width direction so that the stress generated in the centablace 6 when the hood is closed is kept small, and the centablace 6 is cracked. However, the amount of elastic bending deformation of the upper member that occurs when the hood is closed as compared with the case where the upper end portion 32 of the centablace 6 is positioned directly below the hood lock 16 can be prevented. May become slightly larger.

  Therefore, in the radiator support of this example, as shown in FIG. 1, each end region 42, 43 of the upper member 2 including the end portions 20, 21 of the upper member 2 in the vehicle width direction, and each of the upper members 2 in the vehicle width direction Reinforcing plates 46, 47 are fixed to the upper end regions 44, 45 of the side members 4, 5 including the upper ends 24, 25 of the side members 4, 5 fixed to the end portions 20, 21, respectively. The upper member 2 is reinforced by the reinforcing plates 46 and 47. Therefore, when the hood is rotated and closed, a shocking external force F is applied to the hood lock 16 from the hood side, and when the external force acts on the upper member 2, the upper member 2 is greatly bent and deformed. Can be prevented.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram clarifying the advantages of providing the above-described reinforcing plates 46 and 47. FIG. 4A shows a conventional radiator support 1A. When a shocking external force F is applied from above the center race 6A of the radiator support 1A, the upper member 2A is as shown in FIG. Bends and deforms. FIG. 4B shows the radiator support 1 having the crank-shaped center tab race 6, but the reinforcing plates 46 and 47 are not provided. When a shocking external force F is applied to the center CL of the upper member 2 of the radiator support 1, the upper member 2 is deformed as shown in this figure. In this case, as described above, the stress generated in the senta race 6 can be reduced to prevent the occurrence of the crack, but the bending deformation amount of the upper member 2 is larger than that in the case of the conventional radiator support 1A. On the other hand, when the reinforcing plates 46 and 47 are provided as shown in FIG. 4C, when an external force F is applied to the center CL of the upper member 2, the center-shaped lace lace 6 causes the centtab lace 6 to 6 can be prevented from being cracked, and the amount of bending deformation of the upper member 2 is smaller than that in the case of FIG. 4B due to the action of the reinforcing plates 46 and 47.

As described above, the radiator support 1 of the present embodiment, an upper end portion 32 and the hood lock 16 of the brace upper 39, by spaced D _1, to reduce the external force acting on the center brace 6, It is configured to prevent cracks from occurring and to prevent the upper member 2 from being greatly bent and deformed by reinforcing the vehicle width direction end regions 42 and 43 of the upper member 2 with the reinforcing plates 46 and 47. It has been done.

  The above-described reinforcing plates 46 and 47 can be configured in various forms, and FIG. 5 shows specific examples thereof. FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing the upper member 2 and one side member 4 separately. As shown in FIG. 5, the end region 42 of the upper member 2 has a reinforcing plate integrally therewith. 46 is formed. A side member 4 having a U-shaped cross-sectional shape is attached so as to sandwich the reinforcing plate 46 from the outside of these reinforcing plates 46, and the vehicle width direction end portion 20 of the upper member 2 and the upper end portion 24 of the side member 4 are connected to each other. As shown in FIG. 1, the side member 4 is fixed to the upper member by a bolt 28 and a nut, and a bolt 62 below the bolt 28 and a nut (not shown) screwed thereto. Fix to 2.

  Also, the lower end portion 26 of one side member 4 and the vehicle width direction end portion 22 of the lower member 3 shown in FIG. 1 are fixed by welding, and the lower end portion 27 of the other side member 5 and the vehicle width direction end of the lower member 3 are fixed. The portion 23 is also fixed by welding to form an assembly composed of a pair of side members 4, 5 and the lower member 3, and then formed integrally with the end region 42 as shown in FIG. 5 (b). The upper member 2 and the side member 4 can be assembled so that the reinforcing plate 46 sandwiches the side member 4 from the outside, and the upper member 2 and the side member 4 can be fixed by the bolts 28 and 62 and nuts shown in FIG. The other side member 5 is assembled and fixed to the upper member 2 in exactly the same manner.

  Incidentally, as described above, the brace intermediate portion 41 formed integrally with the lower end portion of the brace upper portion 39 extending in the vertical direction and the upper end portion of the brace lower portion 40 extending in the vertical direction extends horizontally, and the brace The intermediate part 41 forms an angle of 90 ° with respect to the brace upper part 39 and the brace lower part 40. As a result, when a shocking external force F is applied to the hood lock 16 from the hood side, the stress generated in the brace intermediate portion 41 of the centablace 6 is kept to a smaller level, thereby the brace intermediate portion 41. It is possible to prevent cracks from occurring. The reason will be clarified below with reference to FIG.

  6A shows a structure 48 formed in the same shape as the outer cover of the match box, and FIG. 6B is a front view of the structure 48. As shown in these drawings, it is assumed that an external force P is applied to the upper corner portion of the structure 48, whereby the structure 48 is deformed as indicated by a broken line in FIG.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6C, the reinforcing member 49 inclined on the diagonal line inside the structure 48 is arranged, fixed to the structure 48, and external force is applied to the structure 48. When P is added, the structure 48 is deformed as indicated by the broken line. At this time, due to the function of the reinforcing member 49, the amount of deformation of the structure 48 is significantly smaller than in the case of FIG. The reinforcing member 49 can greatly increase the rigidity of the structure 48 and reduce the amount of deformation. However, as shown in FIG. 6C, when an external force P is applied to the structure 48, a large tensile stress is generated in the reinforcing member 49, and thus the external force P is repeatedly applied to the structure 48. As a result, the reinforcing member 49 may be cracked.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6D, a reinforcing member 50 extending horizontally is fixed inside the structure 48, and an external force P is applied to the structure 48. As a result, the structure 48 is deformed into the state indicated by the broken line in FIG. At this time, the rigidity improving effect of the reinforcing member 50 is smaller than the rigidity improving effect of the reinforcing member 49 shown in FIG. Therefore, the deformation amount of the structure 48 shown in FIG. 6D is larger than the deformation amount in the case shown in FIG. 6C, but the tensile stress generated in the reinforcing member 50 is reduced. Even if the external force P is repeatedly applied to the structure 48, the reinforcing member 50 does not crack early.

  What has been described above can be applied to the centablace 6 as well. When the brace intermediate portion 41 of the centablace 6 is disposed obliquely as shown in FIG. When a shocking external force is applied to 6, a large stress is generated in the brace intermediate portion 41, and there is a possibility that a crack will be generated here. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6 (f), if the brace intermediate portion 41 of the centablace 6 is configured to be perpendicular to the brace upper portion 39 and the brace lower portion 40, the center portion of the centablace 6 from the hood through the upper member is provided. When a shocking external force is applied to the brace 6, the stress generated in the brace intermediate portion 41 can be kept small, and the occurrence of cracks in the brace intermediate portion 41 can be prevented.

  By the way, the conventional radiator support 1A is elastic in a state where the center race 6A is greatly rotated to the front side as shown in FIG. 9B when a shocking external force is applied from the hood to the hood lock 16A. It was deformed. On the other hand, in the radiator support 1 of this example, the center tab race 6 is formed in a crank shape and fixed to the upper member 2 and the lower member 3 as described above, so that the center tab race 6 rotates forward. Therefore, the amount of deformation to the state can be extremely reduced. Moreover, in the radiator support 1 of this example, as described above with reference to FIG. 2, the center lace 6 has a bottom wall 34 and a pair of side walls rising from each end in the width direction of the bottom wall 34. 35, 36, and one side wall 35 constituting the cross section of the center race 6 in a state where the opening of the U-shaped cross section faces the vehicle width direction W. Are fixed to the front surface of the upper member 2 and the front surface of the lower member 3, respectively, and by adopting such a configuration, the amount of deformation of the centablace 6 into a state of rotating to the front side can be further reduced. . The reason will be clarified below with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 7A is a schematic plan view of the upper member 2 shown in FIG. 1 and the centablace 6 fixed to the upper member 2 when viewed from above, and one side wall 35 of the centablace 6 is an upper member. The opening of the cross section of the center race 6 is directed in the vehicle width direction W. Thus, (a) of Drawing 7 shows the form of radiator support 1 of this example.

  On the other hand, in FIG. 7B, the radiator support with the bottom wall 34 of the centablace 6 fixed to the front surface of the upper member 2 and the opening of the cross section of the centablace 6 facing forward is viewed from above. It is a schematic plan view at the time, and shows a radiator support in a form different from the radiator support 1 of the present example.

  7A and 7B, when the hood is closed, an external force is applied from the hood to the centab race 6 and the centab race 6 is deformed to rotate forward. The rotation center axis is shown. Here, in the case of FIG. 7A, the other side wall 36 of the centablace 6 exists at a position where the centablace 6 is farthest from the rotation center axis L. On the other hand, in the case of FIG. 7B, the position where the centablace 6 is farthest from the rotation center axis L is an opening, and the portion of the centablace 6 is almost at this position. not exist. For this reason, the radiator support 1 shown in FIG. 7A has a larger second moment of section around the rotation center axis L than the radiator support shown in FIG. 7B. For this reason, when an external force is applied to the centablace 6 from the hood side, the amount of deformation of the radiator support 1 shown in FIG. 7A in the direction of rotating forward can be reduced.

  As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to this structure, It can comprise by various modifications.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Radiator support 2 Upper member 3 Lower member 4,5 Side member 6 Centab race 16 Hood lock 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 32, 33 End part 34 Bottom wall 35, 36 Side wall 39 Brace upper part 40 Brace lower part 41 Brace intermediate portions 42 and 43 the end regions 44 and 45 the upper end region 46 and 47 the reinforcing plates CL center D _{1, D 2} interval W in the vehicle width direction

Claims (3)

An upper member extending in the vehicle width direction, a lower member disposed below the upper member and extending in the vehicle width direction, each end in the vehicle width direction of the upper member, and each end in the vehicle width direction of the lower member, respectively A pair of side members fixedly connecting the upper member and the lower member integrally, and a center tab race in which an upper end portion and a lower end portion are respectively fixed to a vehicle width direction intermediate portion of the upper member and a vehicle width direction intermediate portion of the lower member. In radiator support for automobiles
A hood lock for locking the hood that occupies the closed position is fixed to a central region including the center of the upper member in the vehicle width direction, and the upper end of the centab race is one of the upper members than the center of the upper member in the vehicle width direction. The upper portion of the brace that is fixed to the upper member portion near the vehicle width direction end and extends in the vertical direction, and the lower end portion is fixed to the lower member portion that is closer to the other end portion in the vehicle width direction than the center in the vehicle width direction of the lower member. And a brace lower part extending in the vertical direction, an upper end of the brace lower part and a lower part of the upper part of the brace, and a brace middle part extending horizontally and extending horizontally. An interval in the vehicle width direction is provided between the hood lock and the hood lock, and a vehicle width direction is also provided between the lower end portion of the lower portion of the brace and the hood lock. The upper member includes end regions of the upper member including end portions in the vehicle width direction of the upper member, and upper end portions of side members fixed to the end portions in the vehicle width direction of the upper member. A radiator support for an automobile, wherein a reinforcing plate is fixed to each upper end region of the side member. The distance in the vehicle width direction between the upper end part of the upper part of the brace and the hood lock and the distance in the vehicle width direction between the lower end part of the lower part of the brace and the hood lock are set equal to each other. Car radiator support as described. The center race has a U-shaped cross section formed of a bottom wall and a pair of side walls rising from each end in the width direction of the bottom wall, and the opening of the U-shaped cross section is a vehicle width. The radiator support for an automobile according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one side wall constituting a cross section of the centtab race is fixed to a front surface of the upper member and a front surface of the lower member in a state of being directed. .

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