JPH0832521B2 - Vehicle air box structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an air box structure for a vehicle.

[Problems to be Solved by Prior Art and Invention]

In general, there are two types of vehicle air box structures, a closed cross-section type (see Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-131910) and an open cross-section type (see Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-23758).

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the former closed cross-section type air box structure includes an air box B composed of a dash upper panel 1 and a cowl top panel 2 each having a substantially inverted L-shaped cross section.
Are formed. The cowl top panel 2 is composed of a cowl top front panel 3 and a cowl top upper panel 4 and is formed as a single piece.

The cowl top upper panel 4 closes most of the upper part of the air box B, holes for punching machine insertion, wiper link mounting and outside air intake 6 are opened at required positions, and a cowl top cover 7 is attached to the front end. A stage 9 that contacts the front end of the hood 8 is set.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the cowl top panel 2
And the strut towers 10 and 10 are connected to each other by reinforcing gussets 11 and 11 which are formed separately. In addition, 12 is a dash lower panel.

However, in such a closed-section type air box structure, the stage 9 having a predetermined width is set behind the cowl top front panel 3, and the front end of the window shield panel 13 is moved forward to improve the styling recently. However, the outside air intake hole 6 cannot be large, and the amount of air intake is limited.

The outside air intake hole 6 is also used for inserting into the embossing machine. In this case, the outside air intake hole 6 must be larger than the size of the embossing machine 4 determined by the engraving area. However, considering the problem of workability, the size cannot be reduced so much, and therefore there is a limit in dealing with the advance of the window shield panel 13.

Therefore, the latter open-section type has emerged as a solution to each of the above problems.

That is, this open-section type air box structure is
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the air box B has a dash upper panel 1 and a cowl top panel 2 as described above.
The cowl top panel 2 includes a cowl top front panel 3 and a cowl top upper panel 4 which are separately formed.

The upper portion of the air box B is almost open except for the rear end portion of the cowl top upper panel 4, and the stage 9 is set by bending the upper end of the cowl top front panel 3 forward.

Further, the water intake from the gap between the window shield panel 13 and the cowl top cover 7 is prevented by the air intake portion 16.
In order to prevent water from invading the vehicle interior through the blower unit 17 connected to this, a separate cover 18 is set above the air intake portion 16.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, also in this type, the cowl top panel 2 and the strut tower 10 are connected by a reinforcing gusset 11 which is formed as a separate item.

However, even with this open section type,
Since the punching machine insertion, the wiper link mounting work, and the air intake hole 6 which are the openings of the cowl top upper panel 4 can be made large, the problem of the closed cross-section type can be solved, but a separate cover 18 is set. As a result, the cost is increased, and there is a new difficulty that the ventilation resistance in the air box is increased.

Further, as a common difficulty of both types, since the gusset 11 which is a separate member is provided due to the plate assembly, this also contributes to the cost increase.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to the problems of the conventional both types of vehicle air box structures, and increases the air intake amount and the advance amount of the window shield panel while improving the workability, At the same time, it is an object of the present invention to provide an air box structure for a vehicle in which the cost is reduced and the amount of crushing at the time of a frontal collision is increased.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention is an air box structure in which an air box is formed with a dash upper panel and a cowl top panel, wherein the cowl top panel is divided and formed by a cowl top front panel and a cowl top upper panel, While bending the upper end of the cowl top front panel forward to form a mounting stage for the cowl top cover,
On the driver side, the cowl top upper panel is cut out leaving a side end portion and a rear end portion slightly to form a hole for punching machine insertion, wiper link mounting work and outside air intake, and the dash upper panel has an air intake portion. On the assist side where is formed, the front end portion extends to the upper end of the cowl top front panel so as to cover the air intake portion, and both end portions are integrally extended forward, and the extension portion as a reinforcing gusset is formed. The tip is connected to the strut tower.

[Work]

Since the mounting stage is set forward on the upper end of the cowl top panel, the front edge of the outside air intake hole is located in the front, and the opening area is enlarged. Further, since the air intake portion is completely covered by the front end portion of the cowl top panel on the assist side, the cover can be eliminated. Furthermore, as a result of the increase in the area of the outside air intake hole, the amount of collapse during a frontal collision also increases.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings by attaching the same reference numerals to the same or equivalent members as in the related art.

1 to 4, an air box B is formed by the dash upper panel 1 and the cowl top panel 2. The cowl top panel 2 is divided into a cowl top front panel 3 and a cowl top upper panel 4.

The upper end of the cowl top front panel 3 is bent forward to form a mounting stage 9 for mounting the cowl top cover 7.

The cowl top upper panel 4 is a driver side DR
Then, the side end portion 4a and the rear end portion 4b are slightly left and cut out to insert the stamping machine, the wiper link mounting work, and the outside air intake hole 6
Are formed. On the other hand, the dash upper panel 1
On the assist side AS in which the air intake portion 16 is formed, the front end portion 4c extends to the upper end of the cowl top front panel 3 so as to completely cover the upper side of the air intake portion 16,
Further, the side end portions 4a, 4a 'are integrally extended forward, and the tips of the extension portions 4d, 4d' as reinforcing gussets are joined to the upper surfaces of the strut towers 10, 10 'by welding or the like.

In the figure, 21 and 21 'are front pillars, 22 and 22' are cowl top side panels, 23 and 23 'are hood ridge panels, 24 and 24' are hood ridge panel reinforcements, FR
Indicates the front of the vehicle.

 Next, the operation will be described.

Since the mounting stage 9 is set forward on the upper end of the cowl top front panel 3, the front edge of the outside air intake hole 6 is located forward by the dimension h as compared with the closed cross section type air box. Not only does the opening area increase and the amount of air taken in increases, but the workability when inserting the stamping machine and installing the wiper link is also improved.

On the other hand, by advancing the rear edge of the cowl top upper panel 4 by slightly reducing the increased amount of the air intake amount and the improved amount of the workability, the forward advancing amount of the window shield panel 13 can be increased.

Further, since the air intake portion 16 is completely covered by the assist-side front end portion 4c of the cowl top upper panel 4,
The cover 18 of the conventional example can be eliminated, so that the cost can be reduced and the ventilation resistance in the air box B can be reduced. Furthermore, since the extension portions 4d and 4d 'as reinforcing gussets are formed integrally with the cowl top front panel 3, this also leads to cost reduction.

Furthermore, as a result of the outside air intake hole 6 being enlarged, the amount of crushing on the driver side in the event of a frontal collision increases, and the driver can be protected from steering.

It should be noted that although the above-described embodiment shows an example applied to a right-hand drive vehicle, the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to a left-hand drive vehicle.

[Effect]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the air box structure in which the air box is formed by the dash upper panel and the cowl top panel, the cowl top panel is divided into the cowl top front panel and the cowl top upper panel. Then, the upper end of the cowl top front panel is bent forward to form a mounting stage for the cowl top cover,
On the driver side, the cowl top upper panel is cut out leaving a side end and a rear end slightly to form a hole for punching machine insertion, wiper link mounting work and outside air intake, and the dash upper panel has an air intake. On the assist side where the portion is formed, the front end portion extends to the upper end of the cowl top front panel so as to cover the air intake portion, and both end portions are integrally extended forward, and an extension portion as a reinforcing gusset is formed. Since the tip of the is connected to the strut tower, the workability is improved, the air intake amount and the forward amount of the window shield panel are increased, and at the same time, the cost is reduced, the air resistance in the air box is reduced, and the front surface is reduced. The effect that the amount of crushing at the time of collision can be increased can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional schematic plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention,
2 and 3 are sectional views taken along the lines II-II and III-III of FIG. 1, respectively, and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view thereof, as well as FIGS. 5, 6, and 7.
Each of the figures is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a conventional closed cross-section type vehicle air box structure, a vertical cross-sectional view at different positions and a perspective explanatory view, FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG. FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a vehicle air box structure, a vertical cross-sectional view at different positions, and a perspective explanatory view. 1 ... Dash upper panel, 2 ... Cowl top panel, B ... Air box, 3 ... Cowl top front panel, 4 ... Cowl top upper panel, 4a, 4a '...
… Side edge, 4b …… rear edge, 4c …… front edge, 4d, 4d ′ ……
Extension part as a reinforcing gusset, 6 ... Inserting a stamping machine, wiper link installation work and outside air intake hole, 9 ... Mounting stage, 10 ... Strut tower, 16 ... Air intake part, DR ... Driver side, AS …… Assist side.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An air box structure in which an air box is formed by a dash upper panel and a cowl top panel, wherein the cowl top panel is divided into a cowl top front panel and a cowl top upper panel, and the cowl top front panel is formed. The upper end of the cowl is bent forward to form a mounting stage for the cowl top cover, while the upper side panel of the cowl is notched on the driver side, leaving a side end and a rear end, and the notch is inserted into the engraving machine and wiper. Forming a hole for link installation work and outside air intake, on the assist side where the air intake portion is formed in the dash upper panel, the front end extends to the upper end of the cowl top front panel so as to cover the air intake portion, In addition, the both ends are integrally extended to the front, and the extension part as this reinforcing gusset An air box structure for vehicles, characterized in that the front end of the is connected to a strut tower.