JP5263511B2 - Body front structure - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress retraction of a power plant using the collision energy absorbing function of a front side frame in which the collision load is transmitted to the front side frame when the center of the vehicle front body structure in the vehicle width direction is violently collided with an obstacle such as a pole having no broadened part in the vehicle width direction. <P>SOLUTION: A second mount member 54 fastened with a bolt to an end face 36a of a transmission case 36 includes a horizontal part 74 extending outwardly in the vehicle width direction from an upper end of its vertical part 72. The horizontal part 74 is accommodated in an outer cylinder 80 via a bush 78. The outer cylinder 80 is passed through openings 22a in both sidewalls of the front side frame 22, and a perimeter frame 82 at an inner end in the vehicle width direction of the outer cylinder 80 is fastened with the bolt to the sidewall of the front side frame 22. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle body front portion structure, and more particularly to a vehicle body front structure that can improve safety when a vehicle central portion in the vehicle width direction collides with a pole-shaped obstacle.

  The front part of the vehicle body generally connects the left and right end parts of the bumper reinforcement extending in the vehicle width direction at the front end of the vehicle body to the front ends of the pair of left and right front side frames, more specifically via a crash can. Structure is adopted. That is, as the vehicle body front structure, a structure in which the left and right front side frames function as a main shock absorbing member at the time of a frontal collision is adopted.

  The impact safety performance test for frontal collisions is conducted in two ways. The first aspect is a full wrap frontal collision and the second aspect is an offset frontal collision. In the full-wrap frontal collision test, the vehicle is made to collide with a concrete barrier at a predetermined speed. In the offset frontal collision test, one side of the vehicle (overlap ratio 40%) is subjected to frontal collision with a honeycomb-shaped barrier.

  Patent Document 1 proposes an invention that absorbs the collision energy by buckling of the front end portion of the front side frame at the initial stage of the collision in the full-wrap frontal collision and the offset frontal collision and relaxes the occupant's deceleration in the late stage of the collision. . Specifically, in Patent Document 2, pipes extending in the vehicle width direction are provided between the rear end portions of the left and right front side frames having a rectangular cross section, and the left and right ends of the pipes are provided on the inner side surface of the front side frame. A structure to connect is proposed. According to this invention, when the power plant retreats due to a collision, the retreating power plant causes the connecting pipe extending in the vehicle width direction to bend backward, and the rear end portions of the left and right front side frames are bent by the bending of the connecting pipe. By bending the vehicle inward in the vehicle width direction, the deceleration of the occupant in the latter half of the collision can be mitigated.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a so-called horizontal engine in which an engine output shaft is mounted in an engine room with a vehicle width direction, and a transaxle connected to the so-called horizontal engine, in which a transaxle side is mounted on a front side frame adjacent thereto. Regarding the type mounting member, he points out the problems and proposes an improvement plan. Here, the suspension mount member employs a configuration in which a bush is disposed in a space between the end face of the transaxle and the front side frame.

JP 2002-120752 A JP 2000-168624 A

  Incidentally, as described above, typical examples of the frontal collision include a full lap collision and an offset collision, but there are, of course, various aspects in an actual frontal collision accident. One of these is the case of crashing into power poles or road signs on the roadside. If the center of the vehicle in the width direction of the vehicle collides with a pole-shaped obstacle against this pole-shaped obstacle, the bumper reinforcement generally does not have the strength to catch it. As a result, the pole may collide with the power plant including the engine and the mount member may be destroyed.

  The object of the present invention is to transmit a collision load to the front side frame when the central part of the vehicle width direction collides with an obstacle that does not have a spread in the vehicle width direction such as a pole, and the collision by the front side frame An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle body front part structure that can suppress a power plant from retreating by using a load absorbing function.

According to the present invention, the above technical problem is
An engine room located at the front of the vehicle body,
Left and right front side frames extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and having a rectangular closed cross-sectional structure;
A power plant housed in the engine room, in which a horizontally placed engine with an output shaft directed in the vehicle width direction and a transaxle connected to the output shaft of the engine are integrated side by side in the vehicle width direction;
In a vehicle body front structure having first and second mounting members for mounting the power plant on the left and right front side frames, respectively.
The second mount member for mounting the power plant transaxle on a front side frame adjacent thereto is provided.
The front side frame of the rectangular closed cross-sectional structure has a rectangular outer shape complementary to the shape of the rectangular opening formed on the inner side wall and the outer side wall in the vehicle width direction, and through the opening, the front An outer cylinder that is inserted into the side frame and disposed through the front side frame ;
An elastic body accommodated in the outer cylinder and extending from one end of the outer cylinder to the other end ;
A support shaft having an inverted L-shape having a vertical portion extending in the vertical direction and a horizontal portion extending outward from the upper end of the vertical portion in the vehicle width direction ;
The lower end of the vertical portion of the support shaft is fastened to the end face of the transaxle case with a plurality of horizontal bolts,
A horizontal portion of the support shaft is accommodated in the outer cylinder in a state surrounded by the elastic body,
This is achieved by providing a vehicle body front structure characterized in that the outer end of the horizontal portion is positioned to protrude outward from the outer side wall of the front side frame .

  According to the vehicle body front structure of the present invention, since the elastic body included in the mount member is housed inside the front side frame, a collision load is applied to the power plant due to an impact at the time of a frontal collision such as a pole collision. Even if this occurs, the impact load applied to the power plant is transmitted directly to the front side frame without causing the elastic body to break down, and the impact energy absorption function of the front side frame is used to reduce the impact. Can be relaxed. In addition, the conventional suspension mount member includes a member such as an elastic body in the upper region of the transaxle. However, according to the present invention, the elastic body is housed inside the front side frame. The upper area of the transaxle can be used as an installation space for auxiliary machines and batteries.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
The support shaft extends in the vehicle width direction so as to coincide with the arrangement direction of the engine and the transaxle. Specifically, the support shaft has a vertical portion extending in the vertical direction, and a horizontal portion extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end of the vertical portion; the lower end of the vertical portion of the support shaft is Fastened to an end surface of the transaxle case; a horizontal portion of the support shaft is surrounded by the elastic body and accommodated in the outer cylinder. As described above, since the mount member includes the support shaft that extends in the vehicle width direction so as to coincide with the alignment direction of the engine and the transaxle, the mass of the power plant can be supported without difficulty, and the power plant can be retracted. The collision load directed toward the rear of the vehicle body can be transmitted to the front side frame as it is, and a collision energy absorbing function by axial compression of the front side frame can be utilized.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
A flange is provided at the inner end in the vehicle width direction of the outer cylinder; the flange of the outer cylinder is fixed in a state of being in contact with the peripheral edge of the opening of the side wall in the vehicle width direction on the front side frame. According to this embodiment, the operation | work which fastens a 2nd mount member to a front side frame can be performed by accessing from an engine compartment side.

The present invention further includes a rectangular opening on the inner side wall in the vehicle width direction and a side wall on the inner side wall in the vehicle width direction on the side wall on the inner side in the vehicle width direction and the side wall on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. A rectangular opening formed on the outer side wall in the vehicle width direction; the rectangular opening on the outer side wall in the vehicle width direction has a shape complementary to the outer shape of the outer cylinder; The outer end portion of the cylinder in the vehicle width direction penetrates the opening of the side wall on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the front side frame. As a result , it is easy to position the outer cylinder included in the second mount member with respect to the front side frame, and the collision load toward the rear of the vehicle body to reverse the power plant is reduced . Both side walls can be used to transmit to the front side frame.

  Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle body front structure according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a vehicle body front structure according to the embodiment as viewed from the side. First, referring to FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 indicates a dash panel, and the vehicle compartment 12 and the engine room 14 are partitioned by the dash panel 10. The vehicle compartment 12 is provided with an instrument panel 16, a brake pedal 18, an accelerator pedal, and the like. Reference numeral 20 denotes a front window.

  Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, left and right front side frames 22 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body over the entire area of engine room 14 are disposed in the lower region of engine room 14. 22 has a rectangular closed cross-sectional structure. As is known, bumper reinforcements 24 extending in the vehicle width direction are connected to the front ends of the left and right front side frames 22 via a crash can 26. A sub-frame 28 positioned below the front side frame 22 is further disposed below the engine room 14. Reference numeral 30 is a front wheel.

  An internal combustion multi-cylinder engine 32 is mounted in the engine room 14 as a power plant. The engine 32 is a water-cooled in-line four-cylinder engine and is mounted in the engine room 14 with the engine output shaft directed in the vehicle width direction as best seen in FIG. That is, the engine 32 mounted in the engine room 14 is a horizontal reciprocating engine, and the engine 32 is integrated with a transaxle 34 connected to the rear end thereof. In other words, the engine 32 and the transaxle 34 constituting the power plant are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction and integrated.

  The transaxle 34 includes a transmission case 36 that houses a transmission connected to the engine output shaft, and a differential case 38 that is disposed behind the transmission case and incorporates a differential gear, and extends from the differential case 38 in the vehicle width direction. The left and right front wheels 30 are driven by the left and right drive shafts. This automobile is a front-wheel drive type vehicle, but the present invention can also be applied to a four-wheel drive type vehicle.

  The engine 32 is a water-cooled engine, and the cooling water of the engine 32 is cooled by a radiator 40 fixed to a shroud panel (not shown) between the front end portions of the left and right front side frames 22. The horizontally installed engine 32 employs front intake and rear exhaust types, and an intake pipe 42 is connected to the front surface of the cylinder head of the engine 32 and an exhaust pipe 44 is connected to the rear surface (FIG. 2). ).

  The sub-frame 28 is configured by a perimeter frame having a substantially rectangular frame shape with a member 28a extending in the vehicle width direction at the rear and in the vicinity of the crash can 26, and each of the left and right front ends thereof is supported by a long bolt 46. The front side frame 22 is fixed to the front end portion. The front wheel suspension mechanism 48 has lower arm pivot points constituting the front wheel suspension mechanism 48 at both left and right ends of the rear portion of the subframe 28. In the figure, reference numeral 50 indicates a front wheel steering link mechanism.

  A power plant such as the engine 32 disposed in the engine room 14 is mounted on the left and right front side frames 22 via first and second mounting members 52 and 54, and the rear end of the engine 32 is Via a third mount member 56, the rear end portion of the subframe 28 is connected to a main body portion 28 a extending in the vehicle width direction.

  The first mount member 52 is disposed between the end portion of the engine 32 and the front side frame 22 adjacent thereto (the right front side frame in the illustrated example). On the other hand, the second mounting member 54 is disposed between the end portion of the transaxle 34 and the front side frame 22 (the left front side frame in the illustrated example) adjacent to the end portion of the transaxle 34. Both of the mounting members 52 and 54 are disposed adjacent to and in the vicinity of the left and right suspension towers 58.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view of the vicinity of the first mount member 52 on the engine 32 side. With reference to FIG. 3, the first mount member 52 on the engine 32 side has a bracket 60 fixed to the engine 32, and the bracket 60 is fastened to the upper surface of the front side frame 22 via a bush 62. The bracket 60 has a bracket extension 64 that extends outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the front side frame 22, and the bracket extension 64 faces the front wall 58 a of the suspension tower 58 adjacent thereto. Preferably, a bracket receiving member 66 is provided on the front wall 58a of the suspension tower 58, and the bracket receiving member 66 has a laterally extending groove 66a that opens forward, and the horizontal groove 66a has a bracket. The rear edge of the extension 64 may be accommodated.

  4 is a perspective view of the second mount member 54, the transaxle 34 (transmission case 36) and the front side frame 22 associated therewith, as viewed obliquely from the front, and FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the second mount member 54. It is. Reference numeral 68 in FIG. 5 indicates an apron panel.

  4 and 5, the second mount member 54 has an inverted L-shaped member 70 that constitutes a support shaft. The inverted L-shaped member 70 has a vertical portion 72 extending vertically and a horizontal portion 74 extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end of the vertical portion 72, and a plurality of bolts are inserted into the lower end portion of the vertical portion 72. A hole 72a is formed. The inverted L-shaped member 70 is fastened to the end surface 36 a of the transmission case 36 using a bolt 76 inserted into the bolt insertion hole 72 a of the vertical portion 72. As a result, the horizontal portion 74 of the inverted L-shaped member 70 extends outward in the vehicle width direction so as to coincide with the vehicle width direction, which is the direction in which the power plant composed of the engine 32 and the transaxle 34 is arranged. The mass of the plant can be supported by the front side frame 22 without difficulty.

  The horizontal portion 74 of the inverted L-shaped member 70 is surrounded by a bush 78 that is an elastic body, and the bush 78 is accommodated in an outer cylinder 80 having a rectangular cross section. That is, the outer cylinder 80 is disposed with its axis line directed in the vehicle width direction, and a bush 78 that is an elastic body is accommodated in the outer cylinder 80. The outer cylinder 80 opened toward the inside and outside in the vehicle width direction has an entire circumferential flange 82 at the inner end in the vehicle width direction, and a plurality of bolt insertion holes 82 a are formed in the entire circumferential flange 82. (FIG. 4).

  The front side frame 22 has rectangular openings 22a on both side walls thereof, and an outer cylinder 80 having a rectangular cross section is inserted into the openings 22a on both the inner and outer side walls. That is, the outer end portion of the outer cylinder 80 having a rectangular cross section passes through the rectangular opening 22a on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, so that when a collision load is applied to the power plant, the rectangular outer cylinder 80 The collision load can be transmitted to the front side frame 22 in the axial direction while the rotation is restricted by the rectangular opening 22a. Here, the outer cylinder 80 having a rectangular cross section has an outer shape complementary to the shape of the rectangular opening 22a of the front side frame 22, and the circumferential flange 82 is in contact with the peripheral edge of the opening 22a. . A portion of the front side frame 22 that receives the outer cylinder 80 is preferably reinforced by a stiffener 84 (FIG. 6) disposed inside the front side frame 22, and a nut 86 is welded to the stiffener 84 in advance. It is good to leave.

  The operation of installing the second mount member 54 on the front side frame 22 can be positioned by inserting the outer cylinder 80 into the front side frame 22 through the opening 22a opened in the lateral direction. Since the bolt 88 inserted into the bolt insertion hole 82a of the peripheral flange 82 can be screwed to the nut 86, the second mount 54 can be fastened to the front side frame 22 by accessing from the power plant side. it can.

  By fastening the second mount member 54 to the front side frame 22, one end of the inverted L-shaped member 70 constituting the support shaft is fixed via a bush 78 in the front side frame 22, and the other end is the mission. The power plant is elastically supported on the front side frame 22 by being fixed to the end surface 36 a of the case 36.

  A bump or the like crashes into the center portion of the bumper reinforcement 24 in the vehicle width direction, the bumper reinforcement 24 bends in the center portion of the vehicle width direction, and enters the engine room 14 to include the engine 32 and the transaxle 34. When a collision load is applied to the power plant, a part of the collision load is transmitted to the front side frame 22 via the second mount member 54, and the collision load transmitted to the front side frame 22 is transmitted to the front side frame 22. Therefore, the collision energy can be reduced by using the collision energy absorption function of the front side frame 22.

It is the figure which planarly viewed the vehicle body front part structure of the Example. It is the figure which looked at the vehicle body front part structure of the Example from the side. It is the fragmentary top view which expands and shows the 1st mount member which mounts the engine side of the power plant containing a horizontal installation engine in the front side frame adjacent to this, and the element adjacent to this. It is a disassembled perspective view which expands and shows the 2nd mounting member which mounts the transaxle side of the power plant containing a horizontal installation engine in the front side frame adjacent to this, and the element adjacent to this. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the 2nd mount member fastened to the front side frame. It is a perspective view of the stiffener for reinforcing the part which receives the 2nd mounting member in a front side frame. It is a fragmentary top view which expands and shows the site | part which mounted the transaxle of the power plant containing a horizontal installation engine in the front side frame using the 2nd mounting member.

Explanation of symbols

14 Engine Room 22 Front Side Frame 22a Openings on Both Side Walls of Front Side Frame 32 Engine (Power Plant)
34 Transaxle (Power Plant)
36 Mission case 36a End face of mission case 52 First mount member on engine side 54 Second mount member on mission case 70 Inverted L-shaped member (support shaft) of second mount member
72 Vertical portion of inverted L-shaped member 74 Horizontal portion of inverted L-shaped member 78 Bush (elastic body) of second mount member
80 The outer cylinder of the second mounting member 82 The all-around flange at the inner end in the vehicle width direction of the outer cylinder 84 Stiffener (reinforcing member)

Claims (5)

An engine room located at the front of the vehicle body,
Left and right front side frames extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and having a rectangular closed cross-sectional structure;
A power plant housed in the engine room, in which a horizontally placed engine with an output shaft directed in the vehicle width direction and a transaxle connected to the output shaft of the engine are integrated side by side in the vehicle width direction;
In a vehicle body front structure having first and second mounting members for mounting the power plant on the left and right front side frames, respectively.
The second mount member for mounting the power plant transaxle on a front side frame adjacent thereto is provided.
The front side frame of the rectangular closed cross-sectional structure has a rectangular outer shape complementary to the shape of the rectangular opening formed on the inner side wall and the outer side wall in the vehicle width direction, and through the opening, the front An outer cylinder that is inserted into the side frame and disposed through the front side frame ;
An elastic body accommodated in the outer cylinder and extending from one end of the outer cylinder to the other end ;
A support shaft having an inverted L-shape having a vertical portion extending in the vertical direction and a horizontal portion extending outward from the upper end of the vertical portion in the vehicle width direction ;
The lower end of the vertical portion of the support shaft is fastened to the end face of the transaxle case with a plurality of horizontal bolts,
A horizontal portion of the support shaft is accommodated in the outer cylinder in a state surrounded by the elastic body,
A vehicle body front part structure characterized in that an outer end of the horizontal portion is positioned to protrude outward from an outer side wall of the front side frame . The first mounting member is disposed between an end of the engine of the power plant and a front side frame adjacent thereto;
The first mounting member has a bracket fixed to the engine;
The bracket is fastened to the front side frame via a bush, and has a bracket extension extending outward in the vehicle width direction,
The vehicle body front part structure according to claim 1, wherein the bracket extension part is located opposite to a front wall of a suspension tower located adjacent thereto. A bracket receiving member for receiving the bracket extension is provided on the front wall of the suspension tower,
The vehicle body front structure according to claim 2, wherein the bracket receiving member has a groove that opens toward the front and extends in the vehicle width direction to receive the bracket extension. The vehicle body front part structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rectangular outer cylinder has a tapered shape toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle body front part structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the support shaft extends in a vehicle width direction so as to coincide with an arrangement direction of the engine and the transaxle.

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