JP7341612B2 - Vehicle front structure - Google Patents

Description

Application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act 1. The applicant posted the following information on December 23, 2020 at http://www. daihatsu. com https://www. daihatsu. com/jp/news/2019/20191223-1. The vehicle front structure, which is the invention of the present application, was disclosed on the website of pdf.

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a vehicle front structure such as an automobile, and more particularly to a vehicle front structure that is equipped with measures against water spray generated when driving through a flooded waterway.

It is customary for a front bumper to be installed on the front of a vehicle such as a car, but in recent years, this front bumper has become thinner and smaller in width in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in order to reduce weight and improve design. It is often done. Further, such a front bumper may be provided on the vehicle front side of the front wheels so that a region near the end in the vehicle width direction approaches the front wheels. Here, the height of the lower end of the area near the end of the front bumper is set higher than the height of the ground contact surface of the front wheels so as not to contact the ground, so when viewed from the front of the vehicle, the area near the end of the front bumper The lower region of the front wheel is exposed (visible) on the lower side of the vehicle.

In the vehicle front structure as described above, there are problems to be solved as described below.

In other words, if the height of the lower end of the area near the end of the front bumper is increased and the front side of the front wheel is wide open, when the vehicle runs in a flooded waterway, the front part of the tread of the front wheel will cause Water is more likely to be splashed up to a high position on the front side of the vehicle. In particular, when a vehicle enters a flooded waterway with great force, water splashes up more significantly and may be thrown up high onto the windshield or the area in front of the windshield. If such a situation were to occur, the driver's view would be obstructed by the water (splash), which would be inappropriate.

A conceivable way to solve this problem is to reduce the height of the lower end of the end-side region of the front bumper so that the front side of the front wheel of the vehicle is not wide open. However, if such a configuration is simply adopted, when the vehicle drives through a flooded waterway, the water that is forcefully splashed up by the front wheels into the narrow gap between the front wheels and the front bumper will flow upward through the gap. There is a risk that it may blow up and enter the engine room, for example. Additionally, there is a risk that the front bumper may be damaged by the water pressure of the splashed water and come off. Furthermore, snow and mud may enter the gap between the front wheel and the front bumper, but the lower the height of the lower end of the area near the end of the front bumper, the more snow and mud can enter the gap between the front wheel and the front bumper. There is also the problem that it sticks to the back surface of the front bumper and tends to get stuck in the gap.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, as a vehicle front structure provided with flood water countermeasure means, there is, for example, a structure described in Patent Document 1. However, this structure is designed to increase the strength of the front bumper against the pressure of water on a flooded road when the vehicle is driving through a flooded waterway. It is difficult to appropriately resolve such problems.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-124044

The present invention was devised under the above-mentioned circumstances, and when a vehicle runs on a flooded waterway, the driver's view is obstructed by water that splashes up, or the water that splashes up The object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle front structure that can appropriately prevent or suppress problems such as the engine room entering the engine room with force.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention takes the following technical measures.

The vehicle front structure provided by the present invention includes a front bumper provided on the front surface of the vehicle, and a region near the end of the front bumper in the vehicle width direction is located toward the front side of the front wheels of the vehicle. and is set such that a lower region of the front wheel is exposed below the end region when viewed from the front of the vehicle, wherein the front bumper is located near the end of the front bumper. a notch-like recess provided halfway in the vertical height direction of the region and having an opening on the outward side in the vehicle width direction; a lower bumper portion located adjacent to the vehicle front side of the front wheel so as to overlap with the front wheel when viewed from the front of the vehicle; a side surface portion spaced inwardly from the vehicle width direction and extending in the vertical height direction, and an upper surface portion and a lower surface portion spaced apart from each other in the vertical height direction; The lower surface portion extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper edge corner portion and the lower edge side corner portion of the opening and is connected to the upper and lower portions of the side surface portion, respectively, and the notch-like recessed portion is When viewed from the front of the vehicle, a part of the area above the lower area of the front wheel is exposed, and water is splashed up toward the front side of the vehicle by the front wheel when the vehicle runs in a flooded waterway. The present invention is characterized in that when the front bumper is moved, a portion of this water is allowed to pass toward the front side of the front bumper of the vehicle, thereby weakening the water pressure that the front bumper receives.

According to such a configuration, the following effects can be obtained.
First, when a vehicle drives through a flooded waterway, especially when the vehicle enters a flooded waterway, even if the front wheels splash up a lot of water, much of the water is thrown up toward the upper front side of the front wheels. can be blocked by the lower bumper portion of the front bumper. As a result, it is possible to prevent a large amount of water from splashing up to a position where it obstructs the driver's view, and to ensure good visibility for the driver.
On the other hand, of the water splashed up by the front wheels, a portion of the water flowing from the front wheels toward the back surface of the area near the end of the front bumper is allowed to pass through the notch-shaped recess to avoid hitting the front bumper strongly. I can do it. Therefore, water splashed up by the front wheels travels upward through the gap between the front wheels and the front bumper and enters the engine compartment in large quantities, and the water pressure of the splashed water causes the front bumper to move upward. It becomes possible to appropriately resolve problems such as receiving damage.
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately ensure both the driver's visibility when traveling in a flooded waterway and the elimination of the adverse effects caused by the water pressure of splashed water.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the notch-shaped recess is shaped such that the outer side in the vehicle width direction is open, snow and mud that have entered the gap between the front wheels and the front bumper can be easily discharged from the notch-shaped recess to the outside. You can also do it. Therefore, the effect of making the gap less likely to be clogged with snow or mud can also be obtained.

In the present invention, preferably, the height of the lower end of the lower bumper portion is lower than the center height of the front wheels when the vehicle is empty or in a predetermined loaded state.

According to such a configuration, the following effects can be obtained.
That is, a slight collision of the vehicle may occur, and the lower bumper portion of the front bumper near the end may lightly abut against an obstacle (barrier). On the other hand, a notch-like recess is formed on the upper side of the lower bumper part, and the rigidity of this part is relatively low compared to other parts. The side bumper portion may be displaced toward the rear of the vehicle and come into contact with the front wheels. Here, the lower end of the lower bumper portion and the front wheel are brought into contact at a height lower than the center of the front wheel, and the direction of rotation of the front wheel when the vehicle is moving forward is such that the lower bumper portion contacts the front wheel ( It will not be in a direction that pushes out significantly toward the barrier side). Therefore, the area near the end of the front bumper can be made less likely to be damaged.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of main parts showing an example of a vehicle front structure according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the main part of FIG. 1; 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the operation of the structure shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.

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

A vehicle front structure A shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a front bumper 2 provided at the front of a vehicle 1. As shown in FIG. Although FIGS. 1 and 2 only show the configuration of one side of the vehicle 1 in the vehicle width direction, the vehicle front structure A in this embodiment is symmetrical when viewed from the front of the vehicle.

The front bumper 2 is made of resin, for example, and in this embodiment is constructed by combining a main bumper panel 20 and first and second auxiliary bumper members 21 and 22 formed separately from the main bumper panel 20. There is.
The main bumper panel 20 is relatively large and is provided at a position near the center in the vehicle width direction on the front surface of the vehicle 1, and is appropriately provided with an opening 20a for a grille and the like. The first auxiliary bumper member 21 is attached to the end portion of the main bumper panel 20 in the vehicle width direction, and is appropriately provided with a lamp mounting portion 21a such as a fog lamp or a turn lamp. The first auxiliary bumper member 21 is located diagonally above the front side of the vehicle above the front wheel 3, and also serves as a part of the front fender. The second auxiliary bumper member 22 is attached to the lower part of the main bumper panel 20 and extends in the vehicle width direction.
However, in the present invention, the front bumper 2 may be constructed from a single member instead of using a plurality of members.

An end region 23 of the front bumper 2 in the vehicle width direction is located on the vehicle front side of the front wheel 3. A notch-like recess 24 is provided at a midpoint in the vertical height direction of this end-side region 23, and a lower bumper portion 23a and an upper bumper portion adjacent to the lower and upper sides of this notch-like recess 24, respectively, are provided. A portion 23b is provided.

The lower bumper portion 23a is an overhanging bumper region that is located adjacent to the lower side of the notch-like recess 24 and that overhangs outward in the vehicle width direction. 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower bumper portion 23a is arranged on the front wheel 3 so as to overlap a portion of the front wheel 3 (more precisely, a portion of the front surface of the tread portion of the front wheel 3) when the vehicle is viewed from the front. It is located at the front of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower bumper portion 23a has, for example, a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional structure when viewed from the side, and the height of the lower end portion 23a' is set to an appropriate height Ha than the ground contact position of the front wheel 3. It is only expensive. Therefore, when viewed from the front of the vehicle, the lower region 3a of the front surface of the tread portion of the front wheel 3 is exposed below the lower bumper portion 23a.
Further, the lower end portion 23a' of the lower bumper portion 23a is set at a height lower than the center O of the front wheels 3 by an appropriate height Hb when the vehicle 1 is in an empty state or in a predetermined loaded state. The effect of this will be described later.

The notch-like recess 24 is open on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and is provided so as to expose a part of the region 3b above the lower region 3a of the front wheel 3 when viewed from the front of the vehicle. Preferably, the notch-like recess 24 has a shape in which the longitudinal width Lb on the outer side is larger than the longitudinal width La on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. Further, the upper surface 24a and the side surface 24b of the notch-like recess 24 are inclined so that the opening area of the notch-like recess 24 increases toward the front of the vehicle (the upper surface 24a is inclined upward toward the front). , the side surface portion 24b has an inclined shape that is located further inward in the vehicle width direction toward the front of the vehicle). As will be described later, such a configuration includes a front wheel 3 and a front bumper 2.
This has the effect that snow, mud, etc. that have entered the gap between the two can easily pass through the cutout-like recess 24 and be discharged to the outside. In this embodiment, the first auxiliary bumper member 21 is attached above the second auxiliary bumper member 22 at a distance, and the area between the first and second auxiliary bumper members 21 and 22 has a notch shape. This is a recessed portion 24 .

The upper bumper portion 23b is located on the vehicle front side of the upper region 3c so as to overlap with the upper region 3c of the front wheel 3 when viewed from the front of the vehicle. The rear part of this upper bumper part 23b is connected to the front fender part 4.

Next, the operation of the vehicle front structure A described above will be explained.

When the vehicle 1 travels in a flooded waterway R as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. increase. At this time, the front surface of the tread of the front wheel 3 vigorously splashes water W toward the upper side of the vehicle front side of the front wheel 3 or diagonally upward, as shown by the arrow Na in FIG. 3, for example. On the other hand, the lower bumper portion 23a of the end region 23 of the front bumper 2 has a relatively low height, and therefore blocks much of the water W mentioned above. As a result, a large amount of water W is prevented from jumping up to a high position that obstructs the driver's view of the vehicle 1, and a good view of the driver can be ensured.

On the other hand, of the water W splashed up by the front wheels 3, a portion of the water W directed toward the back surface of the end-side region 23 of the front bumper 2 is directed to the notch-shaped recess 24 toward the front of the vehicle, as shown by arrow Nb. It can be passed to the side. As a result, a large amount of water W is prevented from strongly hitting the front bumper 2. Therefore, damage to the front bumper 2 due to the water pressure described above can be appropriately avoided. Furthermore, water W splashed up by the front wheels 3 is prevented from moving upward through the gap between the front wheels 3 and the front bumper 2 and entering the engine room in large quantities.

Further, the notch-like recess 24 of the front bumper 2 serves as a part for discharging foreign matter m such as snow or mud that has entered the gap between the front wheel 3 and the front bumper 2 to the outside of the gap, as shown by the arrow Nc. Helpful. In particular, since the notch-like recess 24 has a shape that is open on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, the foreign matter m can be easily discharged to the outside, and there is also an effect of eliminating the foreign matter m from remaining stuck in the gap. It will be done.

When the vehicle 1 is traveling, as shown in FIG. 4, it may lightly collide with an obstacle (barrier) 9 such as a step. In this case, the notch-like recess 24 is formed above the lower bumper part 23a, and the rigidity is partially lowered, so the lower bumper part 23a is easily deformed toward the rear of the vehicle, and the front wheel 3 It may hit the front of the tread. Here, the lower end portion 23a' of the lower bumper portion 23a and the front wheel 3 are brought into contact at a height lower than the center O of the front wheel 3, and the rotational direction Nd of the front wheel 3 when the vehicle moves forward is The direction does not push out the portion 23a largely toward the vehicle front side (barrier 9 side). Therefore, the end region 23 of the front bumper 2 can be made less likely to be damaged.
Note that the lower bumper part 23a is constructed using the second auxiliary bumper member 22, so if the lower bumper part 23a is damaged, the second auxiliary bumper member 22 can be replaced and repaired. It is possible to improve repairability.

The present invention is not limited to the content of the embodiments described above. The specific configuration of each part of the vehicle front structure according to the present invention can be modified in various ways within the intended scope of the present invention.

The specific shape, position, size, etc. of the notch-like concave portion and the lower bumper portion as referred to in the present invention can be determined at optimal or close to optimal values by, for example, test-driving the vehicle and actually driving through a flooded waterway. It is possible to set it as appropriate.
As mentioned above, the front bumper can be constructed entirely of a single member instead of being constructed by combining a plurality of members. The specific material of the front bumper does not matter.

A Vehicle front structure 1 Vehicle 2 Front bumper 23 Area near the end (of the front bumper)
23a Lower bumper portion 24 Notch-shaped recess 3 Front wheel 3a Lower region (of the front wheel)
3b Part of the area above the lower area (of the front wheel)

Claims (2)

Equipped with a front bumper installed at the front of the vehicle,
The end region of the front bumper in the vehicle width direction is located on the front side of the front wheels of the vehicle, and when viewed from the front of the vehicle, the lower region of the front wheel is exposed below the end region. A vehicle front structure configured to
a notch-shaped recess provided at a midpoint in the vertical height direction of the end-side region of the front bumper and having an opening on the outward side in the vehicle width direction;
a lower bumper portion adjacent to the lower side of the notch-like recess in the end-proximal region and located on the vehicle front side of the front wheel so as to overlap with the front wheel when viewed from the front of the vehicle;
It is equipped with
The notch-like recess is formed in a side surface that is spaced inward from the opening in the vehicle width direction and extends in the vertical height direction, and an upper surface that is spaced apart from each other in the vertical height direction. and a lower surface portion, and the upper surface portion and the lower surface portion extend inwardly in the vehicle width direction from the upper edge side corner portion and the lower edge side corner portion of the opening to the upper and lower portions of the side surface portion. are connected to each other,
The notch-like recess is provided to expose a part of the area above the lower area of the front wheel when the vehicle is viewed from the front, and when the vehicle runs in a flooded waterway, the front wheel allows the front wheel to move forward of the vehicle. A vehicle characterized in that, when water is splashed up to the side, a portion of this water is allowed to pass toward the front side of the front bumper of the vehicle to weaken the water pressure that the front bumper receives. Front structure. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1,
In the vehicle front structure, the height of the lower end of the lower bumper portion is lower than the center height of the front wheels when the vehicle is empty or in a predetermined loaded state.

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