JPS6230839Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to the front body structure of an automobile, and in particular to an improvement in which the steering shaft is supported by a steering support frame bridged between the left and right front pillars of the vehicle body.

Conventionally, the steering shaft of a car has been supported by a bracket attached to the car body (dash panel top, etc.), but due to the weight reduction of the car body itself, the rigidity and strength of the car body to which the bracket is attached is low, so it has been supported only by the bracket. In terms of support, the support strength of the steering shaft is weak, and as a result, when driving at high speeds, especially near the maximum speed, chattering vibrations occur in the steering shaft, leading to deterioration in maneuverability and causing problems in terms of safety.

Therefore, in order to solve this problem, a steering support frame was installed between the left and right front pillars, which are the strongest in the car body, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 105482/1982. A structure has been proposed in which the support strength of the steering shaft is increased by bridging the steering shaft and supporting the steering shaft with the support frame.

However, in this proposal, although the length of the steering support frame is relatively long, the steering support frame is fixed simply by connecting both ends to the front pillar, so the rigidity and strength of the steering support frame This has the disadvantage that the support strength of the steering pillar cannot be sufficiently increased.

In addition, in front of the steering support frame, a glass support part that fixedly supports the lower end of the front windshield is formed at the upper part of the bent part formed by bending the rear end of the dash panel top upward. However, when the dash panel is displaced rearward during a head-on collision, the glass support deforms accordingly, which may cause the front windshield to break and the occupants to track the damage.

The present invention has been devised in view of this point, and by effectively connecting the above-mentioned steering support frame and the bent portion of the dash panel top to each other through a specially shaped connecting member, the steering support frame is By increasing the rigidity and supporting strength of the steering shaft, it is possible to prevent the steering from chattering at high speeds, and it also prevents the glass support part of the dash panel top from deforming in the event of a frontal collision, and improves the windshield. The purpose of this is to prevent injury to occupants due to glass breakage.

Therefore, in the configuration of the present invention, the rear end of the dash panel top is bent upward and extended.
A glass support part that fixedly supports the lower end of the front windshield is formed at the top of the bent part, and supports the steering shaft between the left and right front pillars of the vehicle body, facing the bent part of the dash panel top. A steering support frame having a closed cross-sectional shape is bridged, and there is a gap between the steering support frame and the bent part of the dash panel top, and the cross-sectional shape in the longitudinal direction is approximately inverted U-shaped in the gap. A shaped connecting member is interposed with its open side facing downward, and the upper part of the connecting member is in contact with the steering support frame and the bent portion of the dash panel top. As a result, the stronger upper part of the connecting member tensions and supports the steering support frame to increase its rigidity, and in the event of a frontal collision, the weaker lower part of the connecting member deforms and Accordingly, the dash panel upper deforms to absorb and alleviate the impact force, thereby preventing the glass support portion from deforming.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

In FIGS. 1 to 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a darts panel lower which separates the passenger compartment from the engine room and constitutes the front wall of the passenger compartment. The front end portion of the dash panel upper 2 extending from the front end to the front end of the dash panel upper 2 is joined. At the rear end of the dash panel upper 2, a bent part 3 formed by bending the rear end almost vertically upward is integrally extended, and at the top of the bent part 3 there is a front end. A glass support part 5 that fixedly supports the lower end of the window glass 4 is formed in a rearwardly inclined state.

Further, reference numeral 6 denotes a front pillar arranged to extend substantially vertically on both sides of the front part of the vehicle interior, and a steering support frame 7 extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle body is bridged between the left and right front pillars 6, 6. The steering support frame 7 faces the rear of the bent portion 3 of the dash panel upper 2 at a predetermined distance. The steering support frame 7 is formed into a closed cross-sectional shape by joining together a main member 8 that opens rearward and has a generally U-shaped cross section, and a closing member 9 that closes off the entire open end of the main member 8. For example, a bracket 10 is provided on the right side portion of the steering support frame 7.
A steering shaft 11 is rotatably supported via the shaft. Incidentally, the front end of the bracket 10 is extended forward to form the dash panel top 2.
The steering shaft 11 is supported by the dash panel upper 2 as well as the steering support frame 7.

Further, the bent portion 3 of the steering support frame 7 (main member 8) and the dash panel upper 2
A connecting member 12 that connects the two to each other is interposed and fixed at the left-right center position of the vehicle body in the gap between the two. The connecting member 12, as shown in detail in FIG.
A first connection portion 12a connected to the steering support frame 7 by bolting, spot welding, etc.
, support legs 12b, 12b extending slightly forward from both ends of the first connecting portion 12a, and extending outward from the front end of each support leg 12b to the bent portion 3 of the dash panel top 2. Second connection part 12c, 1 connected by bolting, spot welding, etc.
2c, and approximately semicircular notches 13, 13 are provided at the lower portions of the supporting legs 12b, 12b, respectively.
On the other hand, joint parts 14, 14 formed by bending each support leg part 12b inward are provided at the upper ends of the support legs 12b, 12b, respectively, and the joint parts 14, 14 are welded to each other by spot welding. It is connected and joined by. In other words, the connecting member 12
Overall, the cross-sectional shape in the longitudinal direction is approximately inverted U-shaped, and the open side is directed downward, so that the upper part is stronger and the lower part is weaker. It is configured.

In addition, 15 is a cowl panel, 16 is a reinforcing bead extending vertically and horizontally formed on the dash panel upper 2, and 17 is a ventilation hole. Reference numeral 18 is an extension of the upper end of the glass support portion 5 of the dash panel upper 2 rearwardly extended at several locations (three locations in the figure). 7 (the upper joint between the main member 8 and the closing member 9), and reinforces the connecting member 12 to further strengthen the connection between the dash panel upper 2 and the steering support frame 7. I try to do that.

Therefore, in the above embodiment, the steering support frame 7 that supports the steering shaft 11 is not only connected and fixed at both ends to the front pillar 6 but also connected to the connecting member 1 at the center.
2. Since it is connected and fixed to the dash panel upper 2 in a tensioned state through the particularly strong upper part, the fixation of the steering support frame 7 is strengthened, and together with the effect of the closed cross-section structure, the Rigidity can be increased. Therefore, the support strength of the steering shaft 11 can be sufficiently increased, so that the steering shaft 11 does not vibrate (chatter phenomenon) even when driving at high speed, thereby improving maneuverability. Vibration noise can be reduced.

In addition, in terms of strength, the connecting member 12 has a substantially inverted U-shaped cross section in the longitudinal direction with the open side facing downward, and has a strong upper part and weaker lower part, so that The lower side of the connecting member 12 deforms and collapses, and the dash panel upper 2 deforms accordingly, making it possible to absorb and alleviate the impact force at the time of a collision. As a result, the upper part of the connecting member 12 can reliably support the glass support part 5 of the dash panel upper 2 and prevent it from deforming. It is possible to prevent damage accidents and improve safety.

In the above embodiment, one connecting member 12 is interposed in the gap between the steering support frame 7 and the bent portion 3 of the dash panel upper 2, but it may be changed depending on the length of the steering support frame 7, etc. Two or more may be interposed. In addition, the connecting member is not limited to the shape as in the above embodiment, but is essentially an inverted U-shaped cross-sectional shape in the front-rear direction that opens downward, and has a shape in which the strength of the upper part is strong and the strength of the lower part is weak. That's fine.

As explained above, according to the present invention, a connecting member having a substantially inverted U-shaped cross section in the forward direction is provided in the gap between the steering support frame and the bent portion of the rear end of the dash panel top. By fixing the steering wheel with the open side facing downward, the rigidity of the steering support frame can be increased and the support strength of the steering shaft can be greatly increased.
It is possible to prevent the chatter of the steering shaft during high-speed driving, thereby improving maneuverability and reducing vibration and noise. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the glass support part at the rear end of the dash panel top from deforming in the event of a frontal collision, thereby improving safety by preventing injuries to occupants due to damage to the front windshield. It is something that can be done.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of the front part of the vehicle body, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same, and FIG. Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the - line in Figure 2;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the connecting member. 2...Dutch panel top, 3...Bending portion, 4...Front window glass, 5...Glass support portion, 6...Front pillar, 7...Steering support frame, 11...Steering shaft, 12 ...Connection member.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] The rear end of the dash panel top is bent and extended upwards, and a glass support part is formed at the top of the bent part to fixedly support the lower end of the windshield. A steering support frame having a closed cross-sectional shape that supports the steering shaft is bridged opposite the bent portion of the dash panel top,
There is a gap between the steering support frame and the bent part of the dash panel top, and a connecting member having an approximately inverted U-shaped cross section in the longitudinal direction is interposed in the gap with its open side facing downward. A front body structure for an automobile, characterized in that the upper part of the connecting member is in contact with a steering support frame and a bent part of a dash panel top.