JPH10264858A - Vehicle front end module structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve further the strength of the front corner part of a vehicle. SOLUTION: The first holding part 12 where the radiator 2 of a vehicle is held; the second holding part 20 where the head lamp 6 of the vehicle is held; and a rigid body part 19 which is continued from the first holding part 12 and the second holding part 20 in order to be provided at the lower side of the head lamp, and connected to the front fender reinforcement 9 of the vehicle; are provided integrally, and a front end panel 1 made of a resin which is installed to the front side member 7 of the vehicle is also provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle front end module structure having a resin front end panel for holding at least a radiator of a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this kind of vehicle front end module structure, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-184482 is known.

[0003] This is a first type which is attached to a front side member of a vehicle and holds at least a radiator of the vehicle.
This is a structure including a resin front end panel having a holding portion and a second holding portion for holding a headlamp.

In the front end panel having the conventional structure, a second holding portion is continuously formed so as to protrude outward from the first holding portion, and a flange portion above the second holding portion forms a front portion of the vehicle. The second holding portion was connected to the fender reinforce, and had a plate shape.

[0005]

However, in the conventional structure described above, since the second holding portion of the front end panel has only a plate shape, the second holding portion is fixed to the front fender reinforce by a flange portion at the upper portion thereof. However, it is disadvantageous in terms of strength. For this reason,
This portion did not function as a strength member for the front corner portion of the vehicle, and could be damaged when a heavy load was applied, such as during a vehicle collision.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to further improve the strength of a front corner portion of a vehicle.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical means taken in the present invention comprises a first holding portion for holding a radiator of a vehicle and a first holding portion for holding a headlamp of the vehicle. 2 holding portion, the first holding portion and the second holding portion so as to be arranged below the headlamp.
A rigid body portion that is continuous from the holding portion and that is connected to the front fender reinforcement of the vehicle is integrally provided with a resin front end panel that is attached to the front side member of the vehicle.

According to this technical means, the rigidity of the periphery of the second holding portion is improved by the rigid portion, and the rigid portion allows the front end panel to function as a strength member of the front corner portion of the vehicle. Therefore, the strength of the front corner portion of the vehicle can be further improved.

[0009] More preferably, the rigid body portion is in contact with an inner surface of a bumper shell of a vehicle disposed in front of the front end panel to hold the bumper shell in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a front end panel 1 made of a resin material cools a radiator 2, a radiator fan 3, and a refrigerant of an air conditioner for cooling a cooling water of an engine of a vehicle. 5 and a pair of left and right head lamps 6 (shown in FIG. 5), which are disposed between a pair of left and right front side members 7 of the vehicle, and via a bracket 8 described later. It is attached to the front side member 7 and is fixed to a pair of left and right front fender reinforcements 9 of the vehicle at both ends in the vehicle width direction. The front side member 7 to which the front end panel 1 is fixed and the fender reinforcement 9
Has a closed cross-sectional shape.

The front end panel 1 mainly includes a plate-shaped main body 10 having a rectangular shape. Contiguous flanges 11, 1 extending in the vehicle front-rear direction are provided on both side edges of the plate-shaped main body 10 in the vehicle width direction and a lower edge of the vehicle.
2 are integrally formed. At the upper edge of the vehicle of the main body 10, an upper reinforcement section 13 having a U-shaped cross section that is open to the rear of the vehicle is integrally formed. Also, the main body 10
Each has a flange 14 protruding rearward from the vehicle at its periphery.
A pair of circular openings 14 and 15 having a and 15a are formed adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction. Further, the main body 10
Between the adjacent openings 14 and 15 on the back side (vehicle rear side) of
A rib 16 extending rearward of the vehicle is formed in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the rigidity of the main body 10 is secured by the flanges 11 and 12, the reinforcement portion 13 and the rib 16. The radiator 2 and the condenser 4 are arranged in parallel in the vehicle width direction in such a manner that the openings 14 and 15 are closed in the spaces surrounded by the inner surfaces of the front surfaces of the main body 10 (vehicle front surface) flanges 11 and 12. The radiator 2 is engaged with and fixed to a flange 17 extending from an upper edge of the body 10 of the main body 10 so as to face the flange 12 and the front portion of the flange 12 in the vehicle. Fixed. The radiator fan 3 is an opening 1 on the right side in FIG.
4 and is rotatably supported by a support portion 14b extending integrally from the flange 14a. The condenser fan 5 is accommodated in an opening 15 on the left side of FIG. And is rotatably supported by a support portion 15b integrally extending from the flange 15a.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, ribs 18 protruding outward are integrally formed on the outer surfaces of both flanges 11 on both side edges of the main body 10. As shown in FIG. This rib 1
Reference numeral 8 denotes a section that is thick in the vertical direction of the vehicle and has a width extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. It has a shape. This rib 18
The upper wall is continuous with the upper reinforcement section 13 so as to be flush with the upper wall of the reinforcement section 13, and is fixed to the front fender reinforce 9 of the vehicle by a bolt or the like at the tip.

A rib 18 and a rib 19 arranged in parallel with a predetermined interval in the vertical direction of the vehicle are integrally formed on the outer surfaces of both flanges 11 on both side edges of the main body 10. The rib 19 has a closed cross-sectional shape having a thickness in the vehicle vertical direction and a width extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. The width of the rib 19 is larger than the width of the rib 18, and the rib 19 protrudes forward of the vehicle from the rib 18, and the width of the rib 19 gradually decreases toward the tip as a whole. In addition, the front surface of the rib 19 has the same arc-shaped abutting surface 19 as a portion of the bumper shell 24 which goes around the vehicle fender portion described later.
a. The vehicle rear edge of the lower wall of the rib 18 and the rear wall of the rib 19 are integrally connected by a wall 20 continuous from the flange 11. The headlamp 6 has a rib 18
Is housed in a space surrounded by the lower wall, the upper wall of the rib 19, the flange 11 and the wall 20, and is fixed to the wall 20 by bolts or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8, flanges 22 protruding outward are integrally formed on the outer surfaces of both flanges 11 on both side edges of the main body 10. As shown in FIG. The flange 22 is fastened and fixed to the front side member 7 via the bracket 8. The bracket 8 has an L-shape, and integrally includes a first portion 8a parallel to the inner side surface 7a of the front side member 7 and a second portion 8b parallel to the flange 22. Further, a break notch 8c is formed in a corner portion connecting the first portion 8a and the second portion 8b to reduce the thickness of the portion. The first portion 8a extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, and is fastened and fixed to a predetermined portion behind the front end surface 7b of the inner side surface 7a of the front side member 7 by a bolt for a predetermined distance. Second part 8b
Extends in the vehicle width direction and is fastened and fixed to the flange 22 by bolts or the like. These first portion 8a and second portion 8
The flange 22 is fastened and fixed to the front side member 7 by the fastening and fixing of “b”, and the front end panel 1 is attached to the front side member 7.

A bumper reinforcement 23 located between the front side members 7 is disposed in front of the front end panel 1 in the vehicle direction so as to extend in the vehicle width direction. This bumper reinforcement 23
It has a rectangular closed cross-sectional shape, extends in the vehicle width direction, is fastened and fixed to the front end face 7b of the front side member 7 at the rear walls at both ends thereof, and is fastened between the front end panel 1 and the front end member 1. The distance in the vehicle longitudinal direction is equal to the difference in the fixed position. Bumper reinforcement 2
3 is covered by a bumper shell 24. The bumper shell 24 has a shape extending from the front part of the vehicle to the fender part, and both ends thereof are fastened and fixed to a fender panel (not shown) of the vehicle by clips or the like. The bumper shell 24 has an opening 24a for accommodating the headlamp 6, and supports a radiator grill 24b therebetween. When the bumper shell 24 is attached to the vehicle, the contact surface 19a of the rib 19
Abuts on the inner surface of the bumper shell 24 along the opening 24 a of the bumper shell 24. Thereby, the periphery of the headlamp 6 is reinforced to improve the rigidity of the side corners of the vehicle. The bumper shell 24 may be fastened and fixed to the rib 19 on the contact surface 19a with a clip or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIG. 9, the flange 12 is formed with a wall portion 25 which extends continuously from the front end of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction. This wall portion 25 is formed by the lower end 24 c of the bumper shell 24.
Of the vehicle engine is inclined forward of the vehicle so as to be positioned at a predetermined distance from the lower end 24c in the vicinity of the lower end 24c. It extends to the rear of the vehicle so as to be located on the lower side. The front end portion 25a of the wall portion 25 and the lower end 24c of the bumper shell 24 form an air inlet 26 for supplying the traveling wind of the vehicle to the radiator 2, and continue from the front end portion 25a of the wall portion 25 to the flange 12. The inclined upper portion 25b forms an air flow passage 27 for guiding the traveling wind introduced into the air inlet 26 to the radiator 2. Also, a lower portion 25c that is folded back from the tip portion 25a of the wall portion 25 and extends rearward of the vehicle functions as an undercover that protects the lower portion of the vehicle. Note that ribs and the like may be formed between the lower portion 25c, the upper portion 15b, and the flange 12 to reinforce the lower portion 25c to improve the rigidity of the lower portion 25c. Further, the lower portion 25c of the wall portion 25 may be formed so as to extend continuously and integrally from the rear end (the back surface of the main body 11) of the flange 12 to the rear of the vehicle, not from the front end portion 25a. Good. In this case, in order to secure rigidity, the plate thickness may be slightly larger than that of the lower portion 25c.

Next, the operation will be described.

During traveling of the vehicle, traveling wind is generated by the wall portion 25 of the front end panel 1 in addition to the radiator grill 24b.
Is also introduced from the air inlet 26 between the tip portion 25a of the bumper shell 24 and the lower end 24c of the bumper shell 24.
The traveling wind introduced from 6 is guided to the air circulation passage 27 and sent to the radiator 2. Thereby, the radiator 2
To cool down. At this time, the air circulation passage 27 is
5, the radiator 2 is continuously connected up to the flange 12 where the radiator 2 is engaged and fixed. Therefore, there is no leakage of the traveling wind passing through the air flow passage 27, and the traveling wind is efficiently sent to the radiator 2. To cool the radiator 2.

In the case where a rock or the like splashes while the vehicle is running,
The stone or the like hits the lower portion 25c of the wall portion 25, thereby protecting the lower portion and the like of the engine.

During the running of the vehicle, if a load is applied to the bumper reinforcement 23 from the front of the vehicle due to a collision or the like,
This load is absorbed by the deformation of the bumper reinforcement 23 and the front side member 7. At this time,
The front end panel 1 is separated from the front end face 7b of the front side member 7 to which the bumper reinforcement 7 is fastened and fixed by a predetermined distance and has a predetermined distance between the front end panel 7 and the bumper reinforcement 23. The contact between the front end panel 1 and the bumper reinforcement 23 due to the deformation of the element 23 is avoided. In addition, bumper reinforcement 2
When the bumper reinforcement 23 is in contact with the front end panel 1 when the bumper reinforcement 23 contacts the front end panel 1, the bracket 8 is bent at the corner between the first portion 8a and the second portion 8b by the break notch 8c. 8b, and the front end panel 1 is moved rearward of the vehicle. As a result, the load caused by the contact with the bumper reinforcement 23 is absorbed to prevent damage to holding components such as the front end panel 1 and the radiator 2.

[0021]

According to the present invention, the rigid portion is continuously formed integrally with the front end panel from the first holding portion and the second holding portion so as to be disposed below the headlamp. Thereby, the rigidity around the second holding portion can be improved. This allows the front end panel to function as a strength member for the front corner portion of the vehicle by means of the rigid portion, which can be more advantageous in terms of strength than in the past.

Further, since the rigid portion is formed integrally with the front end panel, other components are not required and the cost can be reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, since the rigid portion is brought into contact with the inner surface of the bumper shell, the rigidity of the bumper shell can be improved, and the bumper shell can be mounted using this rigid portion. Can be improved in holding strength.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vehicle front end module structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of a front end panel of a vehicle front end module structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a holding portion for holding a radiator of a front end panel of a vehicle front end module structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a central cross-sectional view of a front end panel of the vehicle front end module structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a head lamp holding portion of a front end panel of a vehicle front end module structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a head lamp holding portion of a front end panel of a vehicle front end module structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a mounting structure of a front end panel of a vehicle front end module structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a top view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a front view showing a vehicle mounting state of the vehicle front end module structure according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Front end panel 2 Radiator 6 Head lamp 7 Front side member 9 Front fender reinforce 12 Flange (first holding part) 19 Rib (rigid part) 20 Wall (second holding part)

Claims (2)

[Claims] A first holding portion for holding a radiator of the vehicle, a second holding portion for holding a headlamp of the vehicle, and the first holding portion and the second holding portion arranged below the headlamp. A vehicle front-end module structure including a rigid body portion that is continuous from the second holding portion and that is connected to a front fender reinforcement of the vehicle, and that includes a resin front-end panel that is attached to a front side member of the vehicle. 2. The vehicle front-end module structure according to claim 1, wherein the rigid portion abuts on an inner surface of a bumper shell of the vehicle disposed forward of the front end panel to hold the bumper shell in the vehicle front-rear direction. .