JP6417919B2 - Vehicle front structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle front structure that includes a pair of cylindrical strut towers that are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction within an engine room of a vehicle.

  A front part of a vehicle such as an automobile is provided with a pair of cylindrical strut towers that support suspension struts of left and right front wheels. The strut tower is disposed in the engine room so as to be separated in the vehicle width direction, and supports the suspension strut of the front wheel of the vehicle on the top surface. For this reason, it is necessary to increase the support rigidity because the load tends to concentrate on the top surface of the strut tower.

  Patent Document 1 describes a vehicle front structure provided with a strut tower bar. In Patent Document 1, the pair of strut towers are coupled by a strut tower bar, thereby improving the rigidity of the vehicle body and improving the steering stability.

JP 2008-284925 A

  In the vehicle front structure described in Patent Document 1, annular fastening portions are provided at both ends of the strut tower bar, and the top surface of the strut tower is coupled to the fastening portions. Further, since an excessive load is applied to the fastening portion, high rigidity is required.

  In this vehicle front structure, for the connection between the top surface of the strut tower and the annular fastening portion of the strut tower bar, a joining method adapted to the shape of the annular fastening portion must be adopted, and the strut in the engine room must be adopted. There was a problem that the layout of parts such as towers was restricted.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of such problems, the present invention has an object to provide a vehicle front structure that can connect a pair of strut towers and increase rigidity without affecting the layout of components in an engine room. Yes.

  In order to solve the above problems, a typical configuration of a vehicle front structure according to the present invention includes a pair of cylindrical strut towers arranged in the engine room of a vehicle so as to be spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction. In the partial structure, the vehicle front structure further includes a pair of support members that are respectively provided on the top surfaces of the pair of strut towers and support suspension struts of the front wheels of the vehicle, and a bar that extends between the pair of strut towers in the vehicle width direction. A pair of brackets supported on the top surfaces of the pair of strut towers, and a pair of coupling portions provided at both ends of the bar and fixed to the pair of brackets, respectively. It is characterized by being connected to the bracket without surrounding.

  In the above configuration, the coupling portion of the bar is coupled to the bracket without surrounding the support member around the support member provided on the top surface of the strut tower. If the coupling portion has, for example, an annular shape surrounding the support member, the support member needs to be accommodated inside the coupling portion. As a result, the support member is restricted in its shape and layout, which in turn restricts the layout of the suspension struts and strut towers. However, according to the present invention, since the coupling portion does not surround the support member, there is no layout restriction on the support member and by extension, components in the engine room such as the suspension strut and the strut tower. Therefore, according to the above configuration, the suspension strut can be coupled to the top surface by the support member in various ways, and the pair of strut towers can be coupled by the bar without depending on the coupling method. Therefore, it is possible to increase the rigidity of the strut tower by connecting the pair of strut towers without affecting the layout in the engine room.

  The bracket may have a shape corresponding to the shape of the coupling portion. Thereby, a bracket becomes a base overlaid on the joint part of a bar, and can improve the rigidity of a joint part.

  The support member may have a circular shape when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction, and the coupling portion may have a shape along a half of the circumference of the support member. Thereby, the coupling | bond part of a bar becomes a simple structure along the half of a periphery among support members, and can suppress the increase in a weight.

  The top edge of the strut tower is lowered, and the vehicle front structure further includes a cylindrical member that forms the front surface of the strut tower and the side surface inside the vehicle, and a vertical member that extends downward from the lower side of the bracket. It is preferable that the edge of the top surface of the descending strut tower, the vertical wall, and the cylindrical member are overlapped and joined in order from the inside of the strut tower. Thus, since the vertical wall is overlaid on the edge of the top surface of the strut tower and the cylindrical member, it is curved along these. For this reason, regardless of the load direction applied to the coupling portion of the bar, any surface of the vertical wall supports the load in the shear direction, and the coupling strength can be improved.

  The vehicle front structure further includes a plurality of fixing means for fixing the coupling portion to the bracket, and the bracket includes a plurality of fixing portions where the coupling portion is fixed by the fixing means, and a fixing portion where there is no fixing means. And a plurality of non-fixed portions having different heights, and the fixed portions and the non-fixed portions are preferably provided alternately along the periphery of the support member. Thereby, the rigidity of a bracket can be improved and the joint strength of the joint part of a bar can be improved. In addition, the fixing point of the bar connecting portion can be set by the fixing portion.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the vehicle front part structure which can connect between a pair of strut towers and can improve rigidity, without affecting the layout of the components in an engine room can be provided.

It is a figure which shows the vehicle front part structure in this embodiment. FIG. 2 is an A arrow view of the vehicle front portion structure of FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows the strut tower bar of the vehicle front part structure of FIG. It is a figure which shows a part of vehicle front part structure of FIG.

  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 view showing a vehicle front structure in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a view of the vehicle front structure in FIG. In the following, arrows X and Y shown in the drawings respectively indicate the vehicle front side and the vehicle width direction outer side (vehicle right side). Each figure illustrates the structure on the right side of the vehicle front structure, but the left side of the vehicle also has the same structure.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle front structure 100 includes, for example, a dash panel 104 that partitions an engine room 102 from a vehicle compartment, and a cylindrical strut tower 106 that is positioned on the vehicle front side of the dash panel 104. Prepare. The strut tower is a pair of members that are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction in the engine room 102, and only the strut tower 106 located on the right side of the vehicle is shown in the drawing.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the strut tower 106 includes a suspension upper bracket (hereinafter referred to as a top surface 108) that forms a top surface thereof, and a curved cylindrical fender apron panel that forms a front surface and a side surface on the inside of the vehicle. (Tubular member 110). A support member 112 is provided on the top surface 108 of the strut tower 106. The support member 112 has a circular shape when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction. In the strut tower 106, the suspension strut 114 of the front wheel of the vehicle is supported by the support member 112 on the top surface 108. The vehicle front structure 100 further includes a strut tower bar 116, a bracket 118, and a vertical wall 120.

  FIG. 3 is a view showing the strut tower bar 116 of the vehicle front structure 100 of FIG. FIG. 4 is a view showing a part of the vehicle front structure 100 of FIG. 4A is a view in which the strut tower bar 116 is omitted from the vehicle front structure 100 of FIG. FIG. 4B is a BB cross-sectional view of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the strut tower bar 116 includes a bar 122 and a pair of coupling portions 124 and 126. The bar 122 extends in the vehicle width direction between the pair of strut towers 106. The pair of coupling portions 124 and 126 are provided at both ends of the bar 122 and are respectively fixed to the pair of brackets 118 (see FIG. 2).

  As shown in FIG. 1, the connecting portion 124 of the strut tower bar 116 is connected to the bracket 118 without surrounding the support member 112 around the support member 112. As an example, the coupling portion 124 has a shape along the half of the circumference of the support member 112 having a circular shape, and is separated from the support member 112 toward the vehicle interior side.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the bracket 118 has a shape corresponding to the coupling portion 124 of the strut tower bar 116, and serves as a pedestal on which the coupling portion 124 is overlapped. Further, the bracket 118 includes a plurality of (here, two) fixing portions 130a, 130b, and 130c on which bolts 128a, 128b, and 128c as fixing means are arranged, and a plurality of (here, two) bolts 128a, 128b, and 128c are not present. ) Non-fixed portions 132a and 132b.

  The bolts 128a, 128b, and 128c penetrate the fixed portions 130a, 130b, and 130c from the lower side. Further, nuts 136a, 136b, and 136c are fastened to the front ends of the bolts 128a, 128b, and 128c through holes 134a, 134b, and 134c formed in the coupling portion 124 shown in FIG. 3 (see FIG. 1).

  In this manner, the coupling portion 124 is fixed to the fixing portions 130a, 130b, and 130c of the bracket 118. That is, the fixing portions 130a, 130b, and 130c of the bracket 118 set the fixing point of the coupling portion 124.

  In the bracket 118, the fixed portions 130 a, 130 b, 130 c and the non-fixed portions 132 a, 132 b have different heights, and are provided alternately along the periphery of the support member 112. Therefore, the bracket 118 has high rigidity, and the coupling strength of the coupling portion 124 can be improved.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, the vertical wall 120 is coupled to the lower side of the bracket 118 and extends downward. As shown, the edge 138 of the top surface 108 of the strut tower 106 is lowered. In the strut tower 106, as shown in FIG. 4 (b), the edge 138 of the top surface 108 of the strut tower 106 descending, the vertical wall 120, and the tubular member 110 are arranged in order from the inside of the strut tower 106. Overlaid and joined.

  Therefore, the vertical wall 120 is sandwiched between the edge 138 of the top surface 108 of the strut tower 106 and the tubular member 110, and as shown in FIG. 4A, the edge of the top surface 108 of the strut tower 106 is obtained. Curved along 138 and tubular member 110. Therefore, according to the vertical wall 120, any surface of the vertical wall 120 supports the load in the shearing direction regardless of the load direction applied to the coupling portion 124 of the strut tower bar 116, so that the coupling strength is improved. it can.

  In the vehicle front structure 100, the coupling portion 124 of the strut tower bar 116 is coupled to the bracket 118 without surrounding the support member 112 around the support member 112 provided on the top surface 108 of the strut tower 106.

  Here, if the coupling portion 124 has, for example, an annular shape surrounding the support member 112, it is necessary to accommodate the support member 112 inside the coupling portion 124. As a result, the support member 112 is restricted in its shape and layout, which in turn restricts the layout of the suspension strut 114 and the strut tower 106.

  However, according to the vehicle front structure 100, since the coupling portion 124 does not surround the support member 112, layout constraints are imposed on the support member 112, and in turn, components in the engine room 102 such as the suspension strut 114 and the strut tower 106. There is no effect.

  Therefore, according to the vehicle front structure 100, the suspension strut 114 can be coupled to the top surface 108 by the support member 112 in various ways, and the pair of strut towers 106 is not dependent on the coupling method. Can be coupled by a strut tower bar 116. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to increase the rigidity of the strut tower 106 by connecting the pair of strut towers 106 without affecting the layout in the engine room 102.

  In addition, since the bracket 118 has a shape corresponding to the shape of the coupling portion 124 of the strut tower bar 116, it becomes a pedestal that is superimposed on the coupling portion 124, and the rigidity of the coupling portion 124 can be increased.

  Furthermore, since the connecting portion 124 of the strut tower bar 116 has a simple configuration along the half of the circumference of the support member 112 having a circular shape, an increase in weight can be suppressed. However, the connecting portion 124 of the strut tower bar 116 may have an appropriate shape as long as it is separated from the support member 112 and does not surround the support member 112 in the vicinity thereof. The shape of the bracket 118 may be formed in accordance with the shape of the coupling portion 124 so as to form a pedestal for the coupling portion 124.

  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 for a vehicle front structure that includes a pair of cylindrical strut towers that are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction in an engine room of a vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Vehicle front part structure, 102 ... Engine room, 104 ... Dash panel, 106 ... Strut tower, 108 ... Top surface, 110 ... Cylindrical member, 112 ... Support member, 114 ... Suspension strut, 116 ... Strut tower bar, 118 ... Bracket, 120 ... Vertical wall, 122 ... Bar, 124, 126 ... Joint part, 128a, 128b, 128c ... Bolt, 130a, 130b, 130c ... Fixed part, 132a, 132b ... Non-fixed part, 134a, 134b, 134c ... Hole, 136a, 136b, 136c ... nut, 138 ... edge of top surface

Claims (3)

In the vehicle front structure provided with a pair of cylindrical strut towers that are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction in the engine room of the vehicle,
The vehicle front structure further includes
A pair of support members that are respectively provided on the top surfaces of the pair of strut towers and support suspension struts of the front wheels of the vehicle;
A bar extending in the vehicle width direction between the pair of strut towers;
A pair of brackets supported on top surfaces of the pair of strut towers;
A pair of coupling portions provided at both ends of the bar and respectively fixed to the pair of brackets;
The coupling portion is coupled to the bracket without surrounding the support member around the support member ,
The bracket has a shape corresponding to the shape of the coupling portion,
The vehicle front structure further includes a plurality of fixing means for fixing the coupling portion to the bracket, and a vertical wall extending downward from the lower side of the bracket,
The bracket is
A plurality of fixing portions in which the coupling portion is fixed by the fixing means;
The fixing means does not exist, and has a plurality of non-fixed parts having different heights from the fixed part,
The fixed portion and the non-fixed portion are alternately provided along the periphery of the support member,
The vertical wall of the vehicle front structure, characterized in Rukoto which having a different non-fixed portions of height corresponding to the bracket. The support member has a circular shape when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction,
The vehicle front part structure according to claim 1, wherein the coupling portion has a shape along a half of a circumference of the support member. The top edge of the strut tower is descending,
The vehicle front structure further includes
Comprising a tubular member which forms the side surface of the front and inner side of the strut tower,
Sequentially from the inside of the strut tower, the edges of the top surface of the strut tower that the lowered, the longitudinal walls and, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said tubular member is coupled superimposed Vehicle front structure as described in 4.

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