JPH04197880A - Front vehicle-body structure for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance the assembling efficiency by making connection between a front portion of a wheel apron reinforcement and an extended portion of a side end portion of a front cross member, and mounting a shroud unit to this connection portion through a bolt-fastening operation performed by a robot. CONSTITUTION:The front vehicle-body structure of a vehicle is arranged such that a wheel apron reinforcement 4 extending in the back-and-forth direction thereof is bonded to an upper edge portion of each wheel apron 3, and a laterally extending front cross member 40 of a closed cross-section configuration is provided at the front end of the vehicle. An extended portion 44 is provided to each side end of the front cross member 40 in such a manner as to extend in an obliquely upward/outward direction, and the lower surface of a front-side 4a end portion of the reinforcement is connected by bolts 4 to the upper surface of an outer end of the extended portion 44 to form a connection portion 46. A lower end of a side end portion of a shroud panel 12 is bolt-fastened to an extended portion of a bracket 42, and an upper end of the side end portion thereof is bolt-fastened to a first blocking member 37, through automatic assembling operation of a robot, thereby mounting the shroud unit 21 to the connection portion 46.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to the front body structure of a vehicle, and in particular to the support rigidity of the shroud part forming the front end of the vehicle body, the eel apron reinforcement, and the front cross member. Concerning measures to increase strength.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as a front body structure of this type of vehicle, a wheel apron reinforcement extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and a front end portion of the vehicle body are used, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application No. 62-181477. The shroud part that forms the front end of the vehicle body (e.g., the front end panel, radiator, and condenser) is supported by the wheel apron reinforcement and front crossbar (front crossbar) that extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle body. What made it so is known.

In this case, after the shroud part is attached to the vehicle body, the engine is mounted on the front part of the vehicle from the upper or lower blade. In order to avoid interference with the front end of the engine fan, it is placed closer to the front with a clearance in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle between it and the front end of the engine fan.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) In recent years, in order to improve the efficiency of assembling the front body of a vehicle, the shroud part is integrally formed in advance with a single unit, and this shroud unit or robot is used to assemble the shroud part. It is now possible to assemble the vehicle body parts, such as wheel apron reinforcements and front cross members, by automatic assembly using the automatic assembly method.

In that case, automatic assembly involves fastening work using bolts, so it is possible to reduce the number of joints to the car body parts and make the assembly more efficient. The present invention has been made in view of these points, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a member with high rigidity and strength sufficient to support the wheel. By constructing a highly rigid vehicle body member using apron reinforcements and front cross members, the aim is to improve the support rigidity of the unit that is automatically assembled to the vehicle body member. .

Furthermore, by specifying the placement position of the wheel apron reinforcement, the present invention aims to reduce the collision load in the event of a head-on collision while making the vehicle's seat nose and nose lower.

(Means for solving the problem) In order to achieve the above object, the solving means of the present invention includes a wheel apron reinforcement extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and a front cross member extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle body at the front end of the vehicle body. The present invention is based on a vehicle front body structure in which a shroud unit that integrally forms the front end of the vehicle body is supported by the wheel apron reinforcement and front cross member. And, in the middle of the wheel apron reinforcement mentioned above,
A bent portion is provided so that the front side thereof is located at a lower position than the rear side, and an extending portion extending outward is provided at the side end portion of the front cross member. Furthermore, the front side of the wheel apron reinforcement and the extending portion of the front cross member are connected to each other, and the shroud unit is attached to the connected portion.

(Function) With the above configuration, in the present invention, the bent portion is provided in the middle and placed at a position lower than the rear side. The front side of the wheel apron reinforcement extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is coupled to an extension portion extending outward from the side end portion of the front cross member extending in the lateral direction of the vehicle body. , a joint part with high rigidity and strength is constructed to support the heavy and bulky front end of the vehicle body, which is integrally formed in advance, with individual left and right vehicle body members. The Nyuroud unit can be installed efficiently by bolt tightening work by a robot during automatic assembly.

In addition, as mentioned above, since the unitized shroud unit can be efficiently attached to the joint between the front side of the wheel apron reinforcement and the extension part of the front cross member by automatic assembly, it is possible to assemble the shroud unit. It is now possible to mount the engine from the front of the vehicle before attaching it, and the shroud unit (which was required when mounting the engine from above or below to the front of the vehicle)
It is no longer necessary to provide a clearance between the engine and the engine room, and the length of the engine room in the longitudinal direction is shortened.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, since the front side of the wheel apron reinforcement is placed at a lower position than the rear side due to the bent part provided in the middle,
Engine traps, etc., which have flexibility in layout, are placed above the front side of the wheel apron reinforcement in the engine room, effectively securing storage space for engine accessories. The bonnet is effectively lowered.

Moreover, as mentioned above, the wheel apron reinforcement is located at a lower position than the rear side due to the bending part provided at the front side or halfway of the wheel nib reinforcement. When the front side deforms rearward due to the impact load applied during a head-on collision, the front side comes into contact with the rear tire, and further deformation is alleviated by the elastic force of the tire itself.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

1 and 2 show the front body structure of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a dash panel that constitutes the rear wall of the engine compartment 2, and 3 is connected to the side end of the dash panel 1. A wheel apron having a substantially hook-shaped cross section constitutes a side wall of the engine room 2, and a wheel apron reinforcement 4 having an abbreviated cross-section extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is joined to the upper edge of the wheel apron 3. The wheel apron reinforcement 4 and the upper edge of the wheel apron 3 form a closed cross section. Further, a front frame 5 having a closed cross-sectional shape extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is joined to the lower edge of the wheel apron 3. Furthermore, approximately in the middle of the wheel apron 3 in the longitudinal direction, a wheel house portion 6 is provided that bulges toward the engine compartment 2 to avoid interference with the front wheels (not shown).
At approximately the middle of the wheel house section 6, there is a suspension tower that stands up with its axis in the approximately vertical direction so as to support the front wheel relative to the vehicle body via a suspension member (not shown). A section 7 is provided.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, a shroud portion 11 forming the front wall of the engine compartment 2 is provided at the front end of the wheel apron 3. The shroud part 11 includes a plastic shroud panel 12 having an opening 12a at the center of the upper side, and an iron shroud panel 12 that extends vertically from the center of the rear side road of the shroud panel 12 and supplements the rigidity of the shroud panel 12. a stay 13; a bonnet locking device 15 for locking a bonnet 14 provided at the upper end of the stay 13 and covering the engine room 2 from above; and a bolt 16 fastened to the front surface of the bonnet locking device 15 at the upper end; A connecting member 17 is fastened to the lower end of the stay 13 through an opening 12a of the shroud panel 12 and a bolt 16 to a substantially middle portion of the stay 13.

In addition, a radiator 1 is provided in front of the unloud section 11.
8 and a capacitor 19 are respectively provided from the rear. Furthermore, a fan motor 20 that actively supplies air volume to the radiator 18 and condenser 19 is located in the recess 12b recessed toward the rear at the center of the shroud panel 12.
(only one is shown in the figure). Then, the shroud part 11 (shroud panel 12. stay 1
3゜Bonnet lock device 15. The connecting member 17), the radiator 18, the condenser 19, and the fan motor 20 are integrally formed in advance as one unit before being assembled to the vehicle body, and each of these members constitutes the shroud unit 21. ing. Furthermore, the fifth
In the figure, 22 is an undercover that protects the radiator] 8 and the condenser 19 from below, 23 is a large bumper integrated with the lower part that wraps around to the end or side of the vehicle body, and 24 is a radiator grill.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a wheel house portion 6 is provided in the middle of the wheel apron reinforcement 4 so that its front side 4a is located at a lower position than its rear side 4b. A bent portion 31 is provided which is bent in conformity with the shape of the outer end of. The wheel apron reinforcement 4 is installed behind the front fender 32 via the outer end of the suspension tower part 7 at the rear side 4b corresponding to the suspension tower part 7 (to be precise, the rear side of the wheel apron 3). Bolts 33 are fastened to the upper edge of the side, and this front fender 32 has
A mudguard 35 is provided which is secured to the outer end of the front fender 32 at the outer end and fixed to the wheel apron reinforcement 4 at the inner end with screws 34.

Further, the wheel apron reinforcement 4 is formed in a cross-sectional shape at its front side 4a, and is connected to the front side 4a by going around to the lower surface side of the wheel apron 3. ing. Further, on the wheel apron 3 corresponding to the front side 4a of the wheel apron reinforcement 4, a tower-shaped first closing member 36 for closing an upwardly opening opening is joined to the opening periphery. The bracket 37 is also joined.

Immediately in front of the lower end of the stay 13, there is provided a front cross member 40 with a closed cross section that extends in the left-right direction at the front end of the vehicle body. A tower-shaped second bracket 42 formed by joining a second closing member 41 that closes the opening to the periphery of the opening is joined to the second closing member 41, and a lower surface of the front side of the front frame 5 is connected to the second closing member 41. Bolt 43 is fastened. Furthermore, an extension portion 44 is provided at the side end portion of the front cross member 40 and extends diagonally upward and outward from the side end portion, and the front side 4a end of the wheel apron reinforcement 4 The lower surface and the upper surface of the outer end of the extension portion 44 are connected to the bolt 45.
are combined to form a joint portion 46. Further, the second bracket 42 is attached to the front surface of the front side 4a of the wheel apron reinforcement 4 in front of the joint portion 46.
An extension part 47 extending downward from the front side of the upper end is joined. The engine (not shown) mounted in the engine room 2 is mounted from the front of the vehicle body through an opening in the front wall of the vehicle body before the above-mentioned unloud unit 21 is attached. In the mounted state, a robot (not shown) automatically assembles the cover panel 12 to the lower end of the side end of the cover panel 12 or the extension portion 47 of the second bracket 42, or to the upper end of the side edge of the cover panel 12 or the first closing member 37, respectively. By fastening the bolts 48, the shroud unit 21 is attached to the joint portion 4. Further, the lower end portion of the stay 13 is fastened to the center portion of the front cross member 40 with a bolt 48. In this case, shroud unit 2
1 is arranged with a slight clearance between the rear end of the stay 13 located at the rearmost side and the front end of the engine so as not to come into contact with each other.

Note that a damper 23 is attached to the front end of the front frame 5.

Therefore, in the embodiment described above, the bent part 31 which is bent in accordance with the shape of the outer end of the wheel house part 6 is provided in the middle part and is arranged at a position lower than the rear side 4b. Provided on the lower surface of the front end 4a of the wheel apron reinforcement 4 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and on the side end portion of the front cross member 40 extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, diagonally upward and outward from the side end portion thereof. The upper surface of the outer end of the extending portion 44 is connected to the upper surface of the outer end portion by fastening the bolt 45, and the shroud portion 11,
Radiator 18, capacitor 19 and fan motor 2
The joint part 46 with high rigidity for supporting the heavy and bulky shroud unit 21 integrally formed in advance with left and right vehicle body members, or the upper and lower side ends of the shroud panel 12 or the second bracket 42. The extension portion 47 and the first closure member 37 are configured. As a result, the shroud unit 21 can be efficiently attached to the left and right joint portions 46 by tightening the bolts 48 by a robot during automatic assembly.

As a result, the support rigidity of the shroud unit 21 can be improved while assembling the front body of the vehicle during automatic assembly by the robot can be done efficiently.

In addition, as described above, the lower surface of the front end 4a of the wheel apron reinforcement 4 and the front cross member 4
The unitized shroud unit 21 is efficiently attached to the connecting part 46 with the upper surface of the outer end of the extension part 44 of 0 by automatic assembly. Since the engine is mounted from the front of the vehicle body, and the shroud unit 21 is arranged with a slight clearance that prevents contact between the rear end of the stay 13 and the front end of the engine, the shroud unit 21 is installed from the front of the vehicle. It is no longer necessary to provide a clearance between the engine and the engine room, which is required when installing the engine from above or below, and the length of the engine room in the longitudinal direction is shortened, making it possible to create a wide nose. .

Further, as described above, the front side 4a of the wheel apron reinforcement 4 or the rear side 4b of the wheel apron reinforcement 4 is
Since it is arranged at a lower position than the engine compartment, the engine supplementary parts, which have a degree of freedom in layout, are arranged above the front side 4a of the wheel apron reinforcement 4 in the engine room 2. The hood 14 can be effectively lowered by effectively securing storage space for engine traps, etc., thereby achieving a lower bonnet height.

Moreover, as described above, the front side 4a of the wheel apron reinforcement 4 is arranged at a lower position than the rear side 4b by the bent part 33, and the front side 4a of the wheel apron reinforcement 4 is located at a lower position than the rear side 4b. Since the wheel apron reinforcement 4 is connected to the front side of the wheel apron 3 and the front cross member 40 through the extension portion 44 of the front cross member 40, the front side 4a of the wheel apron reinforcement 4 is When the front side 4a is deformed to Further deformation of the front wheels can be alleviated by the elastic force of the front wheels themselves, and the effect of buffering the collision load can be effectively achieved.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the front body structure of a vehicle according to the present invention, the front side of the wheel apron reinforcement, which is arranged at a lower position than the rear side due to the bent part in the middle, and the front cross The extended portions of the member side ends are connected, and the heavy shroud unit is efficiently attached to the left and right joints with high rigidity and strength using the bolt tightening process performed by Rohot during automatic assembly. Assembling the front body of a vehicle during automatic assembly can improve the efficiency and support rigidity of the shroud unit. Furthermore, the engine room can be mounted from the front of the vehicle before the shroud unit is assembled, eliminating the need for clearance between the shroud unit and the engine, resulting in a short nose that shortens the length of the engine room in the longitudinal direction. This is due to the wheel apron reinforcement, which has the front side placed at a lower position than the rear side due to the bent part. It is possible to achieve both a low bonnet design that effectively secures storage space for engine traps, etc. in the engine room, and a cushioning effect on the collision load due to the elastic force of the tires themselves in the event of a frontal collision.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a side view of FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a frame forming the front body of a vehicle, and FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 2. - Cross-sectional view near the ■ line, 4th
The figure is a cross-sectional view near the IV-IV line in Figure 2, and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the area around line IV-IV in Figure 2.
6 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the front body of the vehicle, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a stay and a connecting member, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a shroud panel. 4...Wheel apron reinforcement 4a.
・・Front side 4b ・・Rear side 21 ・・Nurorou unit 33 ・・Bending part 40 ・・Front cross member 44 ・・Extension part 46 ・・Connection part 1 other person Fig. 4 5WJ

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A shroud unit that integrally forms the front end of the vehicle body, which includes a wheel apron reinforcement extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and a front cross member extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle body at the front end of the vehicle body, is attached to the wheel apron reinforcement. In the front body structure of the vehicle, which is supported on the front cross member, the wheel apron reinforcement has a bent part in the middle thereof so as to place the front side at a lower position than the rear side. Further, an extending portion extending outward is provided at a side end portion of the front cross member, and the front side of the wheel apron reinforcement and the extending portion of the front cross member are connected to each other. A front body structure for a vehicle, wherein the shroud unit is attached to the joint portion.