JPH051669U - Automobile shock absorption structure - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a shock absorbing structure for an automobile, which has a simple structure and can suppress the rearward movement amount of a steering wheel at the time of a frontal collision. [Structure] Dash panel 7 for engine compartment and vehicle compartment
An opening 7a is formed in the rear portion of the engine of the dash panel 7 when absorbing a shock at the time of a vehicle head-on collision in an automobile classified by. A substantially L-shaped dash cover 8 which is a member separate from the dash panel 7 and curves toward the engine room is attached to the opening 7a.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a shock absorbing structure for an automobile having an engine mounted on a front part of a vehicle body, and more particularly to an improvement around a dash panel which can suppress a rearward movement amount of a steering wheel with a simple structure.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Generally, a so-called crushable structure is adopted in the engine room of a car in order to absorb the impact when the car crashes into the vehicle. However, especially when the engine room is short in the front-rear direction, if the amount of rearward movement of the engine increases, the dash panel that separates the engine room from the vehicle compartment may be pushed by the engine to move rearward. When the dash panel moves largely rearward, there arises a problem that the amount of rearward movement of the steering arranged on the side portion of the dash panel also increases. Therefore, in order to suppress the amount of rearward movement of the steering wheel at the time of a head-on collision, an expansion / contraction mechanism has been conventionally adopted for the steering shaft (see, for example, JP-A-57-182568).

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, the conventional steering shaft expansion / contraction mechanism has a complicated structure, is costly, and has a problem that it is difficult to adopt in a low-priced vehicle. The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a shock absorbing structure for an automobile capable of suppressing the rearward movement amount of the steering wheel at the time of a head-on collision with a simple structure.

[0004]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The present invention is a structure for absorbing a shock at the time of a vehicle front collision in an automobile in which an engine room and a vehicle compartment are separated by a dash panel, and an opening is formed in a rear portion of the engine of the dash panel, It is characterized in that a substantially L-shaped dash cover, which is a member separate from the dash panel and is curved toward the engine room, is attached to the opening.

[0005]

[Action]

 According to the vehicle impact absorbing structure of the present invention, the dash panel is provided with an opening at the rear of the engine, and a substantially L-shaped dash cover, which is a separate member from the dash panel, is attached to the opening. By setting the cover thinner than the dash panel, when the vehicle collides head-on and the engine moves backward and collides with the dash cover, the dash cover bends toward the passenger compartment and the collision energy is reduced. Can be absorbed. Therefore, the engine rarely moves the dash panel rearward, and as a result the steering wheel is rarely pushed rearward by the dash panel.

[0006]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 are views for explaining a shock absorbing structure of an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a mounted state of a dash cover, and FIG. 2 shows a moving state of an engine. Fig. 3 is a plan view, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a front side view of the automobile.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an automobile having the structure of this embodiment, and a front portion of the automobile 1 is divided into an engine room 5 and a vehicle compartment 6 by a dash panel 7. The engine 2 is mounted vertically in the engine room 5. A steering device 3 for steering the front wheels is arranged on the right side of the vehicle compartment 6. The steering device 3 has a structure in which a steering wheel 3b is attached to the upper end of a steering shaft 3a and the lower end is connected to a gear box in an engine room 5 via a steer yoke 3c. Although not shown, the steering column 3d that pivotally supports the steering shaft 3a is supported on the upper portion of the dash panel 7 via the bracket 4.

An opening 7 a is formed behind the engine 2 on the dash panel 7. The opening portion 7a is formed from the side wall portion 7b of the dash panel 7 to the floor portion 7c, and has a size that allows the engine 2 to pass rearward.

A dash cover 8 is attached to the opening 7a so as to close the opening 7a. The dash cover 8 is a member separate from the dash panel 7, is made of a relatively thin plate material, and is formed in a generally L-shape that curves toward the engine room 5. Further, the central portion 8b of the dash cover is formed to bulge like a bellows. Further, a flange portion 8a is formed on the peripheral edge thereof, and the flange portion 8a is spot-welded to the edge portion of the opening portion 7a of the dash panel 7.

Next, the function and effect of this embodiment will be described. In the structure of the present embodiment, when the vehicle 1 has a head-on collision, the engine 2 is pushed backward and moves rearward, and when the vehicle 1 collides with the dash cover 8, as shown in FIGS. Deforms so as to curve toward the passenger compartment 6 side and absorbs the above-mentioned head-on collision energy. Therefore, the dash panel 7 is hardly pushed backward by the engine 2, and as a result, the backward movement amount of the steering wheel 3b can be significantly suppressed.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the dash cover 8 which is thinner than the dash panel 7 and which curves toward the engine room 6 is welded and fixed to the dash panel 7, the dash cover 8 has a lower rigidity than the dash panel 7. When the vehicle is in a frontal collision, the rearward movement amount of the steering wheel 3b can be significantly suppressed.

[0012]

As described above, according to the shock absorbing structure for an automobile of the present invention, the dash panel is provided with the opening, and the dash cover, which is a separate member from the dash panel, is provided in the opening. Since the dash cover is attached, the collision energy can be absorbed by the dash cover, and there is an effect that the rearward movement amount of the steering wheel at the time of a collision with a simple structure and low cost can be suppressed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a mounted state of a dash cover in a shock absorbing structure for an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a moving state of the engine of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the structure of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 engine 5 engine room 6 vehicle interior 7 dash panel 7a opening 8 dash cover

Claims (1)

[Claims for utility model registration] [Claim 1] In a structure for absorbing a shock at the time of a vehicle frontal collision in an automobile in which an engine room and a vehicle compartment are separated by a dash panel, an opening is formed in a rear portion of the engine of the dash panel. A shock absorbing structure for an automobile, characterized in that a substantially L-shaped dash cover, which is formed of a member different from the dash panel and is curved toward the engine room when viewed from the side, is attached to the opening.