JP7216467B2 - vehicle structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to vehicle construction.

As a vehicle structure, the brake pedal mounting structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. The brake pedal mounting structure of Patent Document 1 includes a pedal bracket, a guide bracket, and a pillar-to-pillar member (cross member). The pedal bracket swingably supports the brake pedal. The pedal bracket is attached to the dash panel. The guide bracket has a guide surface that guides the rear end portion of the pedal bracket, which is displaced rearward of the vehicle due to a frontal collision of the vehicle, toward the lower side of the vehicle. A guide bracket is fixed to the pillar-to-pillar member. The pillar-to-pillar member connects a pair of left and right front pillars.

JP 2003-112614 A

In the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle, the pedal bracket is guided toward the lower side of the vehicle by the guide surface, so that a load toward the upper side of the vehicle acts on the cross member. An upward load may displace the cross member upward. Generally, the cross member supports a steering wheel via a steering shaft. If the cross member is displaced, the deployment position of the airbag inside the steering wheel is shifted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle structure capable of suppressing upward displacement of a cross member in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle with a simple configuration.

A vehicle structure according to an aspect of the present invention includes:
a pedal bracket that is fixed to the dash panel of the vehicle and swingably suspends the brake pedal;
a guide bracket having a guide surface for guiding the pedal bracket, which is displaced toward the rear side of the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle, toward the lower side of the vehicle;
A cross member extending in the vehicle width direction and connected to the guide bracket,
The guide bracket has a stop portion provided on the rear side of the guide surface for stopping the pedal bracket guided by the guide surface in the event of a frontal collision.

The vehicle structure described above can suppress displacement of the cross member to the upper side of the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle with a simple configuration in which the guide bracket includes the stop portion. During a frontal collision, when the pedal bracket is guided downward by the guide surface, an upward load acts on the cross member via the guide bracket. On the other hand, when the pedal bracket guided by the guide surface is abutted against the abutment portion of the guide surface, a load downward of the vehicle can be applied to the cross member via the guide bracket. Therefore, even if the cross member is once displaced upward due to the upward load during a frontal collision, the cross member can be displaced downward due to the downward load. Specifically, the cross member can be returned to the position it had before the frontal impact. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the deployment position of the airbag on the steering wheel. In this way, since the displacement of the cross member to the upper side of the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision can be suppressed with a simple configuration, there is no need to increase the rigidity of the cross member itself or the rigidity of the cross member when installed. . Therefore, an increase in weight, an increase in cost, and a decrease in productivity are less likely to occur.

1 is a side view showing an outline of a vehicle structure according to Embodiment 1; FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing a state of the vehicle structure according to Embodiment 1 at the time of a frontal collision;

Embodiment 1 of the vehicle structure of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. The same reference numerals in the drawings indicate the same names. In the drawing, "FR" indicates the front of the vehicle, "RR" indicates the rear, "UP" indicates the upper side, and "LWR" indicates the lower side.

<<Embodiment 1>>
[Vehicle structure]
A vehicle structure 1 according to Embodiment 1 includes a pedal bracket 2 fixed to a dash panel 10 and a guide surface 31 that guides the pedal bracket 2, which is displaced toward the rear side of the vehicle, toward the lower side of the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle. and a cross member 4 extending in the width direction of the vehicle and to which the guide bracket 3 is connected. One of the features of this embodiment is that the guide bracket 3 has a stop portion 33 provided at a predetermined location on the guide surface 31 for stopping the pedal bracket 2 guided by the guide surface 31 in the event of a frontal collision. be. A detailed description will be given below.

[Dash panel]
The dash panel 10 is a plate-like member provided at the front end of the passenger compartment. The lower end of the dash panel 10 is connected to the floor panel, and the upper end of the dash panel 10 is connected to the cowl top (not shown). A booster, the main part of which is a brake booster, is attached to the front surface of the dash panel 10 (not shown). The brake booster has an operation rod (not shown) that penetrates the dash panel 10 and is connected to the middle of the pedal arm 121 of the brake pedal 12 . Below the dash panel 10, a pedal bracket 2 is attached to the vehicle interior side surface.

[Pedal bracket]
The pedal bracket 2 swingably suspends the brake pedal 12 . In this example, the pedal bracket 2 is cantilevered on the dash panel 10 and protrudes rearward of the vehicle from the surface of the dash panel 10 on the passenger compartment side. The rear end side of the pedal bracket 2 is positioned forwardly and downwardly with respect to the cross member 4 and is in contact with the front end side of the guide surface 31 of the guide bracket 3 in this example.

Note that the rear end side of the pedal bracket 2 may be connected to the guide bracket 3 . The connection structure between the pedal bracket 2 and the guide bracket 3 is not particularly limited as long as the connection between the pedal bracket 2 and the guide bracket 3 is not released during normal times when the vehicle is not subjected to an external force from the front, and the connection between them is released during a frontal collision. Therefore, a known technique can be adopted. For example, this connecting structure can be configured by forming through holes communicating with each other at the location where the pedal bracket 2 and the guide bracket 3 are in contact with each other, and inserting one bolt through both of the through holes (both are not shown). The bolt is preferably constructed so as to be broken by the impact at the time of frontal collision.

The shape of the pedal bracket 2 is not particularly limited as long as it can support the brake pedal 12 . The pedal bracket 2 of this example is composed of a member whose cross-sectional shape in a plane perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. and a side piece 22 of . The upper end of the pedal arm 121 of the brake pedal 12 is bridged over the left and right side pieces 22 . A rear end portion 23 of the upper piece 21 is formed in a projecting piece shape that protrudes rearward from the side piece 22 . The shape of the rear end portion 23 is a bent shape that is bent backward and downward in this example. In addition, the shape of the rear end portion 23 may be a linear shape that protrudes linearly toward the rear, or a curved shape that curves toward the rear and downward. The rear end portion 23 of the upper piece 21 serves as a guide when the pedal bracket 2 is guided downward by the guide surface 31 of the guide bracket 3 as the dash panel 10 intrudes rearward in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle. It is stopped by the stop portion 33 of the bracket 3 .

[Guide bracket]
The guide bracket 3 has a guide surface 31 that guides the pedal bracket 2, which is displaced toward the rear side of the vehicle, toward the lower side of the vehicle during a frontal collision. The guide bracket 3 is connected to the cross member 4 . The guide bracket 3 of this example is directly fixed to the cross member 4 by, for example, welding. The guide bracket 3 protrudes from the cross member 4 toward the pedal bracket 2 (forward and downward). A guide surface 31 is formed at the front end of the guide bracket 3 . The guide surface 31 is composed of a curved surface that curves downward from the front side to the rear side. The tip side of the guide surface 31 is connected to the rear end side of the upper piece 21 of the pedal bracket 2 as described above. A stop portion 33 , which will be described later, is provided at a predetermined location on the guide surface 31 .

(Stopping part)
The stop portion 33 stops the rear end portion 23 of the pedal bracket 2 guided by the guide surface 31 during a frontal collision. The position where the stop portion 33 is formed is on the rear side of the guide surface 31 . The rear side refers to a region behind the point where the pedal bracket 2 guided by the guide surface 31 begins to be displaced downward. That is, it refers to a region where a downward load is applied to the cross member 4 via the guide bracket 3 due to contact with the rear end portion 23 of the pedal bracket 2 . In this example, the stop portion 33 is formed at the rear end of the guide surface 31 . The shape of the stop portion 33 is not particularly limited as long as the rear end portion 23 of the pedal bracket 2 can be stopped. The abutment portion 33 of this example is formed of an L-shaped piece, and is formed integrally with the guide surface 31 so that the upper front side is open. This stop portion 33 engages with the rear end portion 23 of the pedal bracket 2 . In addition, the stop portion 33 may be configured by a linear piece that linearly protrudes from the guide surface 31 toward the lower front side or the front side.

[Cross member]
The cross member 4 ensures the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body. A steering shaft and the like are supported by the cross member 4 via a steering column (not shown). A steering wheel is provided on the upper end side of the steering shaft. The cross member 4 is a structural member that connects the lower ends of the left and right front pillars (A pillars) across the width of the vehicle, and is also called a pillar-to-pillar member. The cross member 4 is normally composed of a metal pipe. In this example, the guide bracket 3 is directly fixed to the lower front portion of the cross member 4 .

[Behavior during frontal collision]
Mainly referring to FIG. 2, the behavior of the vehicle structure 1 of this example at the time of a frontal collision will be described. FIG. 2 shows an outline of the vehicle structure 1 during a frontal collision.

At the time of a frontal collision, the dash panel 10 intrudes behind the vehicle due to the load acting on the vehicle from the front to the rear of the vehicle. When the pedal bracket 2 and the guide bracket 3 are connected, the dash panel 10 enters the rear of the vehicle after the connection is released. As the dash panel 10 moves rearward of the vehicle, the pedal bracket 2 is displaced rearward and the rear end portion 23 of the pedal bracket 2 slides on the guide surface 31 of the guide bracket 3 . Due to this sliding, the rear end portion 23 of the pedal bracket 2 is guided downward and tilts downward. When the rear end portion 23 of the pedal bracket 2 slides to the rear end of the guide surface 31 , the rear end portion 23 of the pedal bracket 2 is brought into contact with the stop portion 33 of the guide surface 31 of the guide bracket 3 .

[Use]
The vehicle structure 1 can be suitably used as a vehicle structure of a full cab over type vehicle or a semi cab over type vehicle. An engine room is not provided in front of the dash panel 10 in a full-cab-over type vehicle or a semi-cab-over type vehicle. Therefore, the time lag between the frontal collision and the rearward displacement of the pedal bracket 2 is very small compared to a vehicle (bonnet type vehicle) in which the engine room is provided in front of the dash panel 10 .

[Effect]
The vehicle structure 1 according to the embodiment can produce the following effects.

(1) With a simple configuration in which the guide bracket 3 is provided with the stop portion 33, it is possible to suppress upward displacement of the cross member 4 in the event of a frontal collision. When the rear end portion 23 of the pedal bracket 2 is guided downward by the guide surface 31 , an upward load acts on the cross member 4 via the guide bracket 3 due to reaction. After that, when the rear end portion 23 of the pedal bracket 2 is brought into contact with the stop portion 33 of the guide bracket 3, as indicated by the black arrow in FIG. is applied with a load of Therefore, even if the cross member 4 is displaced upward by an upward load, the cross member 4 can be displaced downward by a subsequent downward load. Therefore, the cross member 4 can be returned to the original position before the frontal collision. Since the cross member 4 can be returned to its original position, displacement of the steering shaft supported by the cross member 4 can be suppressed, and displacement of the deployment position of the airbag in the steering wheel can be suppressed.

(2) An increase in weight, an increase in cost, and a decrease in productivity are unlikely to occur. Since the simple structure of providing the stop portion 33 can suppress the displacement of the cross member 4 toward the upper side of the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision, the rigidity of the cross member 4 itself can be increased, and the mounting rigidity of the cross member 4 can be increased. Because you don't have to.

(3) In the event of a frontal collision, the brake pedal 12 can be prevented from interfering with the occupant's legs. 2, the rear end portion 23 of the pedal bracket 2 can be guided downward by the guide surface 31 of the guide bracket 3 to tilt the rear end portion 23 of the pedal bracket 2 downward. This is because the stepping portion 122 at the lower end of the pedal arm 121 of the brake pedal 12 can be rotated forward.

The present invention is not limited to these examples, but is indicated by the scope of the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the scope of the claims.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 vehicle structure 2 pedal bracket 21 upper piece 22 side piece 23 rear end portion 3 guide bracket 31 guide surface 33 stop portion 4 cross member 10 dash panel 12 brake pedal 121 pedal arm 122 foot portion

Claims (1)

a pedal bracket that is fixed to the dash panel of the vehicle and swingably suspends the brake pedal ;
a cross member extending in the vehicle width direction ;
a guide bracket coupled to the cross member ;
The guide bracket is
a guide surface that guides the pedal bracket, which is displaced toward the rear side of the vehicle, toward the lower side of the vehicle in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle ;
a stop portion provided on the rear side of the guide surface for stopping the pedal bracket guided by the guide surface at the time of the frontal collision ;
a concave portion formed by the guide surface and the stop portion ;
The pedal bracket is
top piece and
a projecting piece-shaped rear end portion projecting rearward from the rear end of the upper piece,
When the pedal bracket is guided by the guide surface at the time of the frontal collision, the cross member is displaced downward due to the engagement between the rear end portion and the recess.
vehicle structure.

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