JPH07291146A - End panel fixing structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To suppress the chattering of an end panel and improve the assembly workability. CONSTITUTION:Between a front bumper and a headlamp 14, an end panel 16 is installed, and on a front fender 18, a hook part 20 is formed. At the hook part 20, an end protector 22 is installed, and in the fitting hole 26 on the end protector 22, the hook part 20 curved in an uneven form in the plate thickness direction is fitted. At the basic part 22A of the end protector 22, a rib 28 is formed, and the basic part 22A is fitted into the fitting hole 30 on the end panel 16. Accordingly, the end panel 16 is installed on the front fender 18 through the end protector 22.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an end panel fixing structure for fixing an end panel to the front part of an automobile body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a front bumper is provided at the front of a vehicle body, and a pair of left and right headlamps are provided near the front bumper. Further, an end panel (also called a balance panel) is provided in order to fill a gap between the front bumper and the headlamp, and an example of a fixing structure of this end panel is shown in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 61-93372. ing.

As shown in FIG. 7, in this end panel fixing structure, a part 70A of the outer end portion of the end panel 70 in the vehicle width direction is arranged from the front of the vehicle body to the front fender panel 72.
Is fixed to the front end portion 72A of the vehicle with bolts 74 and nuts 76, and the other part 70B of the outer end portion of the end panel 70 in the vehicle width direction is attached to the front end portion 72A of the front fender panel 72 from the outside in the vehicle width direction. It is fixed with a bolt 78 and a nut 80.

[0004]

However, in this end panel fixing structure, when the end panel 70 is attached to the front end portion 72A of the front fender panel 72, in order to prevent the end panel 70 from rattling, the bolt 7 is used.
It is necessary to securely fasten the nuts 4, 78 to the nuts 76, 80 with predetermined fastening forces. Therefore, there is a problem that the assembling work is complicated and the assembling workability is not good.

In view of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to provide an end panel fixing structure capable of suppressing rattling of the end panel and improving assembling workability.

[0006]

The present invention according to claim 1 is an end panel fixing structure for fixing an end panel to a fender panel, wherein the front end portion of the fender panel is bent in an uneven shape in the plate thickness direction. And a fitting hole smaller than the height and width of the claw portion is formed in the fitting portion between the claw portion and the claw portion, and the outer dimension of the fitting portion with the end panel is larger than that of the fitting hole of the end panel. And an end protector made of an elastic body on which a large convex portion is formed.

[0007]

In the end panel connecting structure according to the present invention, when the end protector is attached to the claw portion of the fender panel, the claw portion of the fender panel is inserted into the fitting hole of the end protector. At this time, the claw portion is bent in an uneven shape in the plate thickness direction, the end protector is made of an elastic body such as resin or rubber, and the fitting hole is formed smaller than the height and width of the claw portion. For this reason, by fitting the claw portion and the fitting hole, it is possible to easily attach the end protector to the fender panel, and it is possible to reliably prevent rattling between the fender panel and the end protector.

When mounting the end protector in the fitting hole of the end panel, the fitting portion of the end protector is inserted into the fitting hole of the end panel. At this time, the end protector is made of an elastic body such as resin or rubber, and the fitting portion is provided with a convex portion having an outer dimension larger than the fitting hole of the end panel. For this reason, by fitting the fitting part of the end protector and the fitting hole of the end panel, it is easy to attach the end panel to the end protector and secure the backlash between the end protector and the end panel. Can be prevented.

Therefore, the rattling of the end panel is suppressed, and the assembling is easier and the assembling workability can be improved as compared with the conventional end panel fixing structure in which the end panel is fixed by the bolts and nuts.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the end panel fixing structure of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the figure, an arrow FR indicates the front side of the vehicle body, an arrow UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle body, and an arrow IN indicates the inner side in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in FIG. 6, a front bumper 12 is provided in the lower front portion of the vehicle body 10 along the vehicle width direction. Near the upper ends of the front bumper 12 in the vehicle width direction, A pair of left and right headlamps 14 are provided. Also, front bumper 12 and headlamp 1
An end panel 16 is provided in order to fill the gap between the end panels 16 and 4. A lower front end of a front fender 18 is extended outside the end panel 16 in the vehicle width direction, and a hood 20 is provided inside the end panel 16 in the vehicle width direction.
There is a grill 22 formed in the front part of the.

As shown in FIG. 1, the end panel 16
Extend substantially in the vehicle width direction along the lower end edge 14A of the headlamp 14, and the vehicle width direction inner end has a mounting portion 16A that is bent in a stepwise manner rearward of the vehicle body. .
A mounting hole 18 is bored at a substantially central portion of the mounting portion 16A, and a screw 19 inserted into the mounting hole 18 causes the mounting portion 16A to be attached to a bumper up reinforcement (not shown) disposed on the vehicle body side. ) Is fixed.

A bent portion 18A is formed in the lower portion of the front end of the front fender 18 toward the rear of the vehicle body. A claw portion 20 is formed at the tip of the bent portion 18A toward the inside in the vehicle width direction. Has been formed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the claw portion 20 is bent in an uneven shape in the plate thickness direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 2), and its sectional shape is such that an upper portion 20A and a lower portion 20B extend in the vertical direction. The center portion 20C in the vertical direction is bent in a trapezoidal shape to the right in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the claw portion 20 includes
An end protector 22 is attached. The end protector 22 is made of an elastic material such as resin or rubber, and the base portion 22A as a fitting portion has a prismatic shape extending substantially in the vehicle width direction. A flange 24 is formed at the vehicle width direction outer end of the base portion 22A, and the flange 24 is in contact with the bent portion 18A of the front fender 18. A bulging portion 24A is formed on the flange 24 so as to extend substantially rearward of the vehicle body.

As shown in FIG. 5, the base 22A of the end protector 22 has a fitting hole 26 along the longitudinal direction.
Has been drilled.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cross section of the fitting hole 26 has a slit shape in which an upper part 26A and a lower part 26B extend in the vertical direction, and the upper part 20A and the lower part 20B of the claw part 20 are respectively formed. Can be inserted. Also,
The vertical center portion 26C of the fitting hole 26 is trapezoidally widened to the right in FIG.
Can be inserted.

The vertical length A2 of the fitting hole 26 is set slightly shorter than the vertical length A1 of the claw portion 20 (see FIG. 2), and the length of the fitting hole 26 in the width direction. B2 is
It is set to be slightly shorter than the width B1 (see FIG. 2) of the claw portion 20 in the width direction. Therefore, when the claw portion 20 is inserted into the fitting hole 26, the base portion 22A is elastically deformed and the fitting hole 26 and the claw portion 20 are fitted to each other.

Ribs 28 having a semicircular cross section are formed on the upper, lower and central portions of the side walls 22B and 22C of the base 22A of the end protector 22 as convex portions along the longitudinal direction of the base 22A. There is.

As shown in FIG. 1, the outer end portion of the end panel 16 in the vehicle width direction is bent substantially rearward to form a fitting portion 16B with the end protector 22.
A fitting hole 30 is formed in the center of the fitting portion 16B, the base portion 22A of the end protector 22 is fitted into the fitting hole 30, and the fitting portion 16B is attached to the flange 24 of the end protector 22. It comes to abut.

As shown in FIG. 4, the fitting hole 30 has a width C1.
Is slightly larger than the width D of the base 22A of the end protector 22 and smaller than or equal to the width C2 of the base 22A of the end protector 22 including the rib 28. Therefore, when the base portion 22A of the end protector 22 is inserted into the fitting hole 30, the insertion load is not so large, and the rib 28 is elastically deformed so that the fitting hole 30 and the base portion 22A are fitted together. ing.

Next, the operation of the end panel fixing structure according to this embodiment will be described. In the end panel coupling structure of the present embodiment, when attaching the end protector 22 to the claw portion 20 of the fender panel 18, the claw portion 20 of the fender panel 18 is inserted into the fitting hole 26 of the end protector 22. At this time, the claw portion 20 is bent in an uneven shape in the plate thickness direction, the end protector 22 is made of an elastic body,
The vertical length A2 of the fitting hole 26 is set slightly shorter than the vertical length A1 (see FIG. 2) of the claw portion 20, and the width B2 of the fitting hole 26 in the width direction. Is the claw 20
Is set to be slightly shorter than the width B1 (see FIG. 2) in the width direction.

Therefore, when inserting the claw portion 20 into the fitting hole 26, the insertion insertion load does not become too large, and the base portion 22A is elastically deformed so that the fitting hole 26 and the claw portion 20 are fitted together. . Therefore, the end protector 22 can be easily attached to the fender panel 18, and rattling between the fender panel 18 and the end protector 22 can be reliably prevented. In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the fitting hole 26 is changed to
If the shape is the same as the cross-sectional shape of, the insertion load may be too large.

When mounting the end protector 22 in the fitting hole 30 of the end panel 16, the base 22 of the end protector 22 is fitted in the fitting hole 30 of the end panel 16.
Insert A. At this time, the end protector 22 is made of an elastic body, and the rib 28 is formed on the base portion 22A thereof, and the width C1 of the fitting hole 30 of the end panel 16 is slightly larger than the width D of the base portion 22A of the end protector 22. Base 2 of the end protector 22 including ribs 28
It is smaller than or equal to the width C2 of 2A.

Therefore, when the base portion 22A of the end protector 22 is inserted into the fitting hole 30, the insertion insertion load does not become too large, and the rib 28 is elastically deformed so that the fitting hole 30 and the base portion 22A fit together. To meet. Therefore, it is easy to attach the end panel 16 to the end protector 22, and the end protector 22 and the end panel 1 are attached.
Rattling with 6 can be reliably prevented.

Therefore, rattling of the end panel 16 is suppressed, and assembling is easier and the assembling workability can be improved as compared with the conventional end panel fixing structure in which the end panel is fixed with bolts and nuts. Further, it is easier to remove as compared with the conventional end panel fixing structure, and the space for inserting the fastening tool, which is required in the conventional end panel fixing structure, is not required, so that there are less design restrictions.

Further, in this embodiment, since the end protector 22 is made of an elastic material such as resin or rubber, it is possible to prevent the joint portions of the fender panel 18 and the end panel 16 from being scratched and to prevent rust. It can be prevented.

In the present embodiment, the side walls 22B and 22C of the base 22A of the end protector 22 have semi-circular cross sections as convex portions on the upper, lower and central portions of the side walls 22B and 22C, respectively, along the longitudinal direction of the base 22A. The rib 28 is formed,
The position, sectional shape, height, width, number, etc. of the ribs 28 are not limited to this. For example, ribs may be provided on the upper and lower wall portions of the base portion 22A. Further, ribs having a semicircular cross section and ribs having a rectangular cross section may be mixed. Further, instead of the rib, the base 2
A convex portion having an inclined surface whose wall thickness gradually increases toward the longitudinal flange 24 side of 2A may be provided on the outer peripheral portion of the base portion 22A.

[0030]

The present invention according to claim 1 is an end panel fixing structure for fixing an end panel to a fender panel, wherein a claw portion bent in a plate thickness direction at a front end portion of the fender panel. And a fitting hole smaller than the height and width of the claw portion is formed in the fitting portion with the claw portion, and a convex portion having an outer dimension larger than the fitting hole of the end panel is formed in the fitting portion with the end panel. Since the end protector is formed of an elastic body, the end panel can be prevented from rattling and the assembling workability can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an end panel fixing structure according to an embodiment of the present invention as seen obliquely from the front of a vehicle body.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG.

3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG.

4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the end protector of the end panel fixing structure according to the embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the diagonally front outside of the vehicle body.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the front portion of the vehicle body to which the end panel fixing structure according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied, as seen obliquely from the front of the vehicle body.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing a front portion of a vehicle body to which an end panel fixing structure according to a conventional example is applied, as seen obliquely from the front of the vehicle body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 Front bumper 14 Headlamp 16 End panel 16B Fitting part 18 Front fender 20 Claw part 22 End protector 22A Base part (fitting part) 26 Fitting hole 28 Rib (convex part) 30 Fitting hole

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An end panel fixing structure for fixing an end panel to a fender panel, wherein a claw part bent in a plate thickness direction at a front end part of the fender panel and a claw part are fitted to each other. An end made of an elastic body in which a fitting hole smaller than the height and width of the claw portion is formed in the portion, and a convex portion whose outer size is larger than the fitting hole of the end panel is formed in the fitting portion with the end panel. An end panel fixing structure comprising: a protector.