JP6244867B2 - Vehicle front structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle front structure that includes a front bumper and a lower absorber that is installed across the vehicle width direction at a lower back side of the front bumper.

  A front bumper is provided at the front of the vehicle in order to mitigate the impact at the time of collision. The front bumper (also referred to as bumper fascia) is made of a flexible material. However, if the front bumper is excessively flexible, the pedestrian's leg may enter under the vehicle. Therefore, a lower absorber may be provided on the back side of the front bumper in order to protect the lower limbs of the pedestrian during contact with the vehicle. As a result, the rigidity of the front part of the vehicle is increased, so that the body of the pedestrian can be lifted on the hood or the like at the time of contact with the vehicle, and the change in the angle of the leg is suppressed and the load on the leg is reduced. It becomes possible.

  In recent years, considering the weight reduction of the vehicle, a structure has been adopted in which the lower absorber also serves as an under cover (a member that covers the vehicle lower surface near the front bumper). For this reason, the lower absorber is a relatively large member that extends substantially across the entire vehicle width direction on the back side of the front bumper.

  As described above, since the lower absorber needs to lift the lower limbs of the pedestrian, sufficient rigidity must be ensured. Therefore, as described in Patent Document 1, for example, a plurality of ribs are provided on the upper surface of the lower absorber to ensure rigidity.

JP 2011-235850 A

  The rib which the lower absorber of patent document 1 has is provided in a lattice shape over almost the entire upper surface of the lower absorber. The lower absorber may come into contact with rainwater that has entered from a gap around the front bumper while the vehicle is running. As a countermeasure in that case, in Patent Document 1, a drain hole is provided in each of the surfaces surrounded by the grid-like ribs. In Patent Document 1, it is said that the drain hole has a role of reducing the weight of the lower absorber. However, the lower absorber is also a part that comes into contact with the outside air as an undercover, and a structure in which many drain holes are provided is not preferable in terms of aerodynamic performance.

  In view of such a problem, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle front structure including a lower absorber capable of contributing to an improvement in aerodynamic performance while efficiently securing rigidity by a rib.

  In order to solve the above problems, a typical structure of a vehicle body front structure according to the present invention is a vehicle front structure that includes a front bumper and a lower absorber that is installed across the vehicle width direction at a lower back side of the front bumper. The lower absorber includes an absorber front portion disposed at the lower back side of the front bumper, an absorber intermediate portion that is continuous from the absorber front portion to the rear of the vehicle and is longer in the vehicle front-rear direction than the absorber front portion, and an absorber intermediate portion. A plurality of vertical ribs provided on the upper surface in the vehicle width direction and extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, and horizontal ribs provided in the vehicle front-rear direction in the vehicle longitudinal direction and extending from the vertical ribs to both sides in the vehicle width direction. It has a length that does not reach the adjacent vertical rib in the vehicle width direction.

  In the absorber middle part of the lower absorber, the horizontal rib is not connected to the adjacent vertical rib. Therefore, even if rainwater or the like flows between the vertical ribs during traveling, the rainwater is discharged to the rear of the vehicle by wind pressure or the like without staying between the vertical ribs. Therefore, there is no need to provide a drainage hole in the middle part of the absorber, and there is no worry of aerodynamic performance degradation due to the provision of the drainage hole. As described above, in the vehicle front structure, the rigidity can be ensured without lowering the aerodynamic performance by the simple structure of the lower absorber.

  Said horizontal rib may be provided in the position different from the horizontal rib provided in the adjacent vertical rib in the vehicle front-back direction. By making the positions where the horizontal ribs are provided different between the adjacent vertical ribs, the rigidity of the absorber intermediate portion can be increased without biasing.

  The lower absorber may further include an absorber rear portion that continues from the absorber intermediate portion to the vehicle rear, and the upper surface of the absorber rear portion may be lower than the upper surface of the absorber intermediate portion. If it is this absorber rear part, it will become easy to flow in rain water from the absorber middle part of the front. Therefore, it becomes easier to discharge rainwater to the rear of the vehicle.

  The front bumper has a vertical wall portion that extends vertically and a lower end portion that extends from the lower portion of the vertical wall portion toward the rear of the vehicle, and the lower surface of the front portion of the lower absorber overlaps the upper surface of the lower end portion of the front bumper. The lower surface of the absorber middle portion of the lower absorber is preferably lowered one step downward from the lower surface of the front portion of the absorber, and is continuous with the lower surface of the lower end portion of the front bumper.

  According to the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the air resistance during traveling by making the lower surface of the lower end portion of the front bumper and the lower surface of the absorber intermediate portion continuous. Therefore, it is possible to contribute to the improvement of aerodynamic performance.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to provide the vehicle front part structure containing the lower absorber which can contribute to the improvement of aerodynamic performance, ensuring rigidity efficiently with a rib.

It is the figure which showed the vehicle front part structure concerning this embodiment. It is the figure which looked at the vehicle front part structure of Drawing 1 (a) from the lower part. It is a figure which shows the lower absorber of FIG.1 (b) independently. It is the figure which showed CC section of the lower absorber of FIG.1 (b) from a different direction, respectively.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values shown in the embodiments are merely examples for facilitating understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In the present specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not illustrated. To do.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a vehicle front structure 100 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 1A is a diagram showing the vehicle front structure 100 from the front. As shown in FIG. 1A, the vehicle front structure 100 includes a front bumper 102. The front bumper 102 is a structural member outside the vehicle, also called a bumper fascia, and constitutes the design of the vehicle at the front of the vehicle.

  The front bumper 102 is formed of a material that is lightweight and has high shock absorption performance, such as fiber reinforced plastic. In addition to the illumination mounting portion 104, the front bumper 102 is provided with an upper grill mounting portion 106 at the upper portion and a lower grill mounting portion 108 at the lower portion.

  FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the vehicle front structure 100 of FIG. 1A taken along line AA and viewed from above the vehicle rear. Referring to FIG. 1B, it can be confirmed that the lower absorber 112 is installed between the front bumper 102 and the lower cross member 110 extending in the vehicle width direction. The lower absorber 112 is a member that secures the rigidity of the front part of the vehicle (particularly the lower part of the front bumper 102), and is installed in the lower part of the back side of the front bumper 102 in the vehicle width direction.

  In the vehicle front structure 100, by providing the lower absorber 112 to ensure rigidity, when the pedestrian contacts the front bumper 102, it is possible to lift the pedestrian's legs on the hood together with the body. It has become. Thus, by paying out the pedestrian, the load is prevented from concentrating on the leg portion of the pedestrian, and the pedestrian is protected mainly on the lower limbs.

  FIG. 2 is a view of the vehicle front structure 100 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower absorber 112 also serves as an undercover that covers a member provided on the rear side of the front bumper 102. For this reason, the lower absorber 112 is a relatively large member that is installed almost all over the back side of the front bumper 102.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the lower absorber 112 of FIG. FIG. 3 shows the lower absorber 112 as viewed from above. The lower absorber 112 is provided with various ribs in order to ensure rigidity that can achieve the above-described object.

  The lower absorber 112 can be roughly divided from the front of the vehicle into three parts: an absorber front part 114, an absorber intermediate part 116, and an absorber rear part 118. First, the absorber front portion 114 in front of the vehicle is a portion narrower in the vehicle front-rear direction than the absorber intermediate portion 116 and the like disposed at the lower back side of the front bumper 102. The absorber front portion 114 is provided with a plurality of X-shaped cross ribs 120 in the vehicle width direction on the upper surface thereof, and maintains high rigidity.

  The absorber intermediate part 116 is a part that supports the absorber front part 114 from the vehicle rear side. The absorber intermediate portion 116 is longer in the vehicle front-rear direction than the absorber front portion 114, and a plurality of vertical ribs 122 and horizontal ribs 124 for securing rigidity are provided on the upper surface thereof.

  FIG.3 (b) is BB sectional drawing of Fig.3 (a). As shown in FIG. 3B, the vertical rib 122 is a rib extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. The vertical rib 122 is provided continuously from the cross rib 120 via a vehicle width rib 126 extending in the vehicle width direction between the absorber front portion 114 and the absorber intermediate portion 116. By means of the vertical ribs 122, the absorber intermediate portion 116 suitably supports the absorber front portion 114 having the cross rib 120 from the rear of the vehicle.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the vertical rib 122 is provided with a horizontal rib 124 in the middle of the vehicle longitudinal direction. The horizontal rib 124 is a rib extending in a vehicle width direction from a predetermined portion of the vertical rib 122 and has a function of further improving the rigidity of the vertical rib 122.

  FIG. 4 is a view showing the CC cross section of the lower absorber 112 of FIG. 1B from different directions. FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the lower absorber 112 in a CC cross section. As shown in FIG. 4A, the lateral rib 124 may be provided at a position different from the lateral rib provided on the adjacent longitudinal rib in the vehicle longitudinal direction. By making the positions where the horizontal ribs 124 are provided different between the adjacent vertical ribs 122, the rigidity of the absorber intermediate portion 116 can be improved without biasing.

  Reference is again made to FIG. The lateral rib 124 is set to a length that does not reach the adjacent longitudinal rib in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, even if rainwater or the like flows between the vertical ribs 122 during traveling, the rainwater does not stay between the vertical ribs 122 and is discharged to the absorber rear portion 118 behind the vehicle by wind pressure or the like.

  The absorber rear part 118 is provided continuously to the absorber intermediate part 116. The absorber rear portion 118 is provided with a rib 128 extending on the upper surface in the vehicle front-rear direction, and most of the absorber rear portion 118 is disposed below the lower cross member 110 (see FIG. 1B).

  FIG. 4B is a view of the C-C cross section of the lower absorber 112 in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4B, the upper surface of the absorber rear portion 118 is set to be lower than the upper surface of the absorber intermediate portion 116. This is to secure an arrangement space for the lower cross member 110 and to easily allow rainwater to flow from the front absorber intermediate portion 116. As shown in FIG. 3 (a), a plurality of drain holes 130 are provided in the absorber rear part 118, and rainwater flowing from the absorber intermediate part 116 is discharged from the drain hole 130.

  In this embodiment, the absorber intermediate part 116 is not provided with a drain hole. For example, also in the figure which looked at the vehicle front part structure 100 of FIG. 2 from the lower side, it can be confirmed that the drainage hole 130 is provided only in the absorber rear part 118 and is not provided in the absorber intermediate part 116.

  The drain hole 130 may structurally become air resistance during traveling. However, as shown in FIG. 4A, an air dam 132 is provided between the absorber intermediate portion 116 and the absorber rear portion 118. The air dam 132 is a member that suppresses the inflow of air below the vehicle during traveling, and has an effect of reducing lift. The air dam 132 prevents air from flowing into the drain hole 130 of the absorber rear portion 118.

  As described above, the absorber intermediate portion 116 (see FIG. 2) is positioned in front of the air dam 132, but the absorber intermediate portion 116 has no drain hole. Therefore, there is no worry of aerodynamic performance degradation. If a drain hole is provided in the absorber intermediate part 116, a part covering the drain hole is also required. For example, the lower end portion 134 of the front bumper 102 may be extended rearward to cover the absorber intermediate portion 116 of the lower absorber 112. However, in this embodiment, it is not necessary to take the countermeasure. In the present embodiment, a drain hole 136 is also provided in a region surrounded by the cross rib 120 of the absorber front portion 114 (see FIG. 3A), and the lower end portion 134 of the front bumper 102 in FIG. The absorber front portion 114 is covered so as to hide 136. However, the lower end portion 134 does not need to cover the absorber intermediate portion 116 and is set to a short shape in the front and rear of the vehicle. This also serves to prevent the front bumper 102 from increasing in weight.

  Other ideas to improve aerodynamic performance have been made. As shown in FIG. 4B, the front bumper 102 has a vertical wall portion 138 that extends vertically and a lower end portion 134 that extends from the lower portion of the vertical wall portion 138 toward the rear of the vehicle. The lower surface of the absorber front portion 114 of the lower absorber 112 is installed so as to overlap the upper surface of the lower end portion 134 of the front bumper 102 from above. At this time, the lower surface 140 of the absorber intermediate portion 116 of the lower absorber 112 is lowered one step downward from the lower surface of the absorber front portion 114, and becomes a height continuous with the lower surface 142 of the lower end portion 134 of the front bumper 102.

  According to the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the air resistance during traveling by making the lower surface 142 of the lower end portion 134 of the front bumper 102 and the lower surface 140 of the absorber intermediate portion 116 continuous. Therefore, it is possible to contribute to the improvement of aerodynamic performance.

  As described above, in the vehicle front part structure 100, the cross rib 120 is provided in the absorber front part 114 disposed at the lower back side of the front bumper 102 in the lower absorber 112, and the absorber front part 114 is set to have high rigidity. Has been. The absorber front portion 114 is supported from the rear of the vehicle by an absorber intermediate portion 116 having vertical ribs 122 and horizontal ribs 124. The absorber intermediate portion 116 is wider than the absorber front portion 114, and the vertical rib 122 and the lateral rib 124 of the absorber intermediate portion 116 have a simpler structure than the cross rib 120 of the absorber front portion 114. That is, the lower absorber 112 secures locally high rigidity at the absorber front portion 114 disposed at the lower back side of the front bumper 102, and the absorber front portion 114 is formed by the absorber intermediate portion 116 having a wide and simple configuration. I support. Thus, with the above-described configuration, high rigidity can be efficiently exhibited toward the front of the vehicle.

  Further, in the absorber intermediate portion 116 of the lower absorber 112, the horizontal rib 124 is not connected to the adjacent vertical rib. Therefore, even if rainwater or the like flows between the vertical ribs 122 during traveling, the rainwater is discharged to the absorber rear portion 118 at the rear of the vehicle due to wind pressure or the like. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the drain hole 130 or the like in the absorber intermediate part 116, and there is no concern about the decrease in aerodynamic performance due to the provision of the drain hole. Further, in this way, in the vehicle front structure 100, the lower absorber 112 having a simple configuration can ensure rigidity without lowering the aerodynamic performance.

  As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment of this invention was described referring an accompanying drawing, it cannot be overemphasized that this invention is not limited to the example which concerns. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the claims, and these are naturally within the technical scope of the present invention. Understood.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used in a vehicle front structure that includes a front bumper and a lower absorber that is installed in the lower part of the back side of the front bumper over the vehicle width direction.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Vehicle front part structure, 102 ... Front bumper, 104 ... Illumination attaching part, 106 ... Upper grill attaching part, 108 ... Lower grill attaching part, 110 ... Lower cross member, 112 ... Lower absorber, 114 ... Absorber front part, 116 ... Absorber Intermediate part, 118: Absorber rear part, 120 ... Cross rib, 122 ... Vertical rib, 124 ... Horizontal rib, 126 ... Vehicle width rib, 128 ... Absorber rear part rib, 130 ... Drain hole, 132 ... Air dam, 134 ... Front bumper ,... Drainage hole at the front part of the absorber, 138... Vertical wall part of the front bumper, 140 .. lower surface of the intermediate part of the absorber, 142.

Claims (3)

A vehicle front structure comprising a front bumper and a lower absorber installed across the vehicle width direction at the lower back side of the front bumper,
The lower absorber is
An absorber front portion disposed at the lower back side of the front bumper;
An intermediate part of the absorber which is continuous from the front part of the absorber to the rear of the vehicle and which is longer in the vehicle longitudinal direction than the front part of the absorber;
A plurality of longitudinal ribs provided in the vehicle width direction on the upper surface of the absorber intermediate portion and extending in the vehicle front and rear directions;
A horizontal rib provided in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the vertical rib and extending from the vertical rib to both sides in the vehicle width direction,
The transverse ribs have a length that does not reach the longitudinal ribs adjacent in the vehicle width direction,
The lower absorber further includes an absorber rear portion continuous from the absorber intermediate portion to the vehicle rear,
The upper surface of the rear part of the absorber is lower in height than the upper surface of the intermediate part of the absorber,
The longitudinal ribs, the vehicle front structure according to claim Rukoto include those provided over the upper surface of the absorber rear portion from the upper surface of the absorber intermediate portion.   2. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal rib is provided at a position different from a horizontal rib provided on an adjacent vertical rib in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The front bumper has a vertical wall portion extending up and down, and a lower end portion extending from the lower portion of the vertical wall portion to the rear of the vehicle,
The lower surface of the absorber front portion of the lower absorber is installed so as to overlap the upper surface of the lower end portion of the front bumper,
The lower surface of the absorber intermediate portion of the lower absorber, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the height from the lower surface of the absorber front part going down one step downward contiguous with the lower surface of the lower end portion of the front bumper Vehicle front structure as described in 4.

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