JPH08318877A - Car body front structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a car body front structure which can increase the strength of the fastening part of a fender panel and a fender apron, so as to improve the installing strength of the fender panel. CONSTITUTION: A radiator side support 3 is fixed to the front end of a fender apron 1, and a large width of flange 2a extending near the rear end of the radiator side support 3 is formed at the front end of the upper end of a fender panel 2 to cover the outer side surface of the fender apron 1. A flange 6a to support the lower side of the flange 2a is formed at the upper end of the fender apron 1, and the part near the front end of the flange 2a of the fender panel 2 is fastened to the flange 6a by two bolts 10 and 11 arranged in the car width direction.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle body front structure, and more particularly to a structure for fixing a fender panel to a vehicle body frame.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, when fixing a fender panel to a vehicle body skeleton, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. Sho 63-109273, a fender panel that covers the outer surface of a fender apron (or hood ridge panel) is used. It is customary to fasten it to the upper end of the apron with a bolt. The front end portion of the fender panel is fixed to a radiator side support by spot welding or the like, and the radiator side support is connected to an auxiliary machine such as a radiator via a radiator center support located at the center of the vehicle body.

[0003]

When traveling on a rough road, an inertial force in the front-rear direction acts on the radiator center support due to the weight of the auxiliary equipment. This load is transmitted to the fender apron via the radiator side support, and a part of the load is also transmitted to the fender panel via the fastening portion with the fender apron. At this time, the force acting on the fastening portion becomes a force in the rotation direction around the fastening portion. However, in the conventional case, the width of the overlapping portion between the upper end portion of the fender panel and the upper end portion of the fender apron is narrow, so
It is just fastened with a bolt of books. Therefore, the rotational force acting on the fastening portion is concentrated on the fastening portion, and the fastening portion is distorted. Therefore, in the worst case, there is a possibility that the fastening portion may crack or the fender panel mounting strength may decrease.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle body front structure capable of increasing the strength of the fastening portion between the fender panel and the fender apron and improving the mounting strength of the fender panel.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a radiator side support fixed to a front end portion of a fender apron, and a fender panel that covers an outer surface of the fender apron is bolted to an upper end portion of the fender apron. In the vehicle body front structure fastened with, a wide flange extending near the rear end of the radiator side support is formed at the front end of the upper end of the fender panel, and a flange supporting the lower surface of the flange at the upper end of the fender apron. And a front end portion of the flange of the fender panel is fastened to the flange of the fender apron with two bolts arranged in the vehicle width direction.

[0006]

[Operation] When driving on a rough road, an inertial force in the front-rear direction acts on the radiator center support due to the weight of the auxiliary equipment, and this load acts in the rotational direction on the joint between the fender apron and the fender panel via the radiator side support. Acts as a force. However, in the present invention, since the front end portion of the flange of the fender panel is fastened to the flange of the fender apron by two bolts arranged in the vehicle width direction, the rigidity of the fastening portion of the fender panel becomes high, and the above-mentioned rotation direction is increased. Can bear the power of.

[0007]

1 to 4 show a left front portion of a vehicle body which is an example of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a fender apron, 2 is a fender panel, 3 is a radiator side support, and 4 is a radiator center support on the upper side. The radiator side support 3 and the radiator center support 4 are fastened together by bolts 5. The lower end of the radiator side support 3 is connected to a lower radiator center support (not shown).

The fender apron 1 has an engine room 20.
A front flange 1a formed at the front end as shown in FIG. 3 is fixed to the rear surface of the radiator side support 3 by spot welding, MIG plug welding, or the like. A narrow upper surface flange 1b is formed at the upper end of the fender apron 1, and an extension member 6 is fixed on the upper surface flange 1b by spot welding or the like. This extension member 6
A wide flange 6a is formed on the upper surface of the, and three bolt insertion holes are formed in the flange 6a, and nuts 7 to 9 are fixed to the lower surfaces of these insertion holes, respectively.

The fender panel 2 is an outer plate that covers the outer surface of the fender apron 1, and has a wide flange 2a formed at its upper end portion that is bent substantially horizontally toward the inside of the vehicle body. The flange 2a is in contact with the upper surface of the flange 6a of the extension member 6, and the two bolts 10 arranged in the vehicle width direction at the front end of the flange 2a,
By screwing 11 onto the nuts 7 and 8, the flange 2
a is fastened to the flange 6a of the extension member 6.

An extension piece 3a extending rearward is integrally formed at the rear end of the upper end of the radiator side support 3, and the extension piece 3a is located on the flange 6a of the extension member 6 and the fender panel. It is close to the front end of the second flange 2a. Extension piece 3 above
A is fastened to the flange 6a of the extension member 6 by screwing the bolt 12 to the nut 9 as shown in FIG. The method of fixing the extension piece 3a and the extension member 6 is not limited to bolting, and spot welding may be used. As mentioned above, the three bolts 10, 11, 1
Fender apron 1 by 2 point 3 point support structure
The (extension member 6), the fender panel 2, and the radiator side support 3 are firmly fixed.

The side portion of the hood 21 that closes the upper side of the engine room 20 has a fender panel 2 as shown in FIG.
Covers the upper surface of the flange 2a and extends to the outer side portion of the fender panel 2. Therefore, the flange 2
The a is covered with the hood 21, and it is possible to prevent rainwater or the like from directly splashing on the fastening portion.

In the automobile having the above structure, when the vehicle is traveling on a rough road, an inertial force (indicated by an arrow B in FIG. 1) in the front-rear direction acts on the radiator center support 4 due to the weight of the radiator or the like. This power is radiator side support 3
Is transmitted to the fender apron 1 via the, and a part thereof is also transmitted to the fender panel 2 via the fastening portion. At this time, the force acting on the fastening portion becomes a force (indicated by an arrow C in FIG. 1) in the rotation direction about the fastening portion, and the stress concentrates on the fastening portion of the fender panel 2. However, in the present invention, since the fastening portion is fastened with the two bolts 10 and 11, the stress per fastening portion is halved, and the bolt 1
Since 0 and 11 are arranged in the vicinity of the radiator side support 3 and in the vehicle width direction, distortion of the fastening portion can be suppressed against the force C in the rotation direction. Therefore, cracking of the fastening portion can be prevented, and the attachment strength of the fender panel 2 is improved.

In addition, a bolt 12 is arranged in front of the bolts 10 and 11, and these bolts 10 to 12 are arranged.
Are arranged in a triangular shape in plan view, so that the rotational force applied to the fastening portion can be firmly regulated. As a result, the fender apron 1, the fender panel 2, and the radiator side support 3 are more firmly connected.

In the above embodiment, the side portion of the hood 21 is extended so as to wrap around to the outer side portion of the fender panel 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the hood is similar to existing vehicles. It is also possible that the side portion of the terminating end is on the upper surface of the fender panel, and the upper surface of the hood and the upper surface of the fender panel are substantially flush with each other.

Further, an example in which the extension member 6 is fixed to the upper end of the fender apron 1 is shown, but this is because the fender apron 1 of the existing vehicle is shared. When manufacturing the fender apron 1 exclusively for the present invention, the extension member 6 may be integrally formed with the fender apron 1. In the case of an existing vehicle, the upper surface flange 1b formed on the upper end of the fender apron 1
The upper end flange of the fender panel 2 is fastened to (see FIG. 2).

[0016]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a wide flange extending to the vicinity of the rear end of the radiator side support is formed at the upper front end of the fender panel, and the above-mentioned upper end of the fender apron is formed. A flange that supports the lower surface of the flange is formed, and the front end of the flange of the fender panel is fastened to the flange of the fender apron with two bolts arranged in the vehicle width direction. The distortion of the fastening portion can be regulated. Therefore, the mounting strength of the fender panel is improved, and the rigidity of the front portion of the vehicle body can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a left front portion of a vehicle body of an example of a vehicle body front portion structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a fender apron and an extension member shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a fastening portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Fender apron 2 Fender panel 2a Flange 3 Radiator side support 4 Radiator center support 6 Extension member 6a Flange 10,11 Bolt

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle body front structure in which a radiator side support is fixed to a front end portion of a fender apron, and a fender panel that covers an outer surface of the fender apron is fastened to an upper end portion of the fender apron with a bolt, wherein a front end portion of the upper end portion of the fender panel. In, forming a wide flange extending near the rear end of the radiator side support, at the upper end of the fender apron, to form a flange that supports the lower surface of the flange, the front end near the flange of the fender panel, A front structure of a vehicle body, characterized by being fastened to the flange of the fender apron with two bolts arranged in the vehicle width direction.