WO2015114918A1

WO2015114918A1 - Vehicle suspension tower structure

Info

Publication number: WO2015114918A1
Application number: PCT/JP2014/080704
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shigeo Mori; Yuki Doi; Shunichi KOGE
Original assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
Priority date: 2014-02-03
Filing date: 2014-11-13
Publication date: 2015-08-06
Also published as: JP2015145175A

Abstract

A vehicle suspension tower structure (50) has: a spring support (60) that structures a side wall portion of a vehicle suspension tower and protrudes-out toward a vehicle inner side; a spring plate (70) that structures a top wall portion of the vehicle suspension tower and is joined to the spring support; and a flange portion (74) that is formed at an outer edge portion of the spring plate, and extends toward a vehicle lower side along a wall surface at the vehicle inner side of the spring support, and is joined to the spring support and forms a plate-joined portion.

Description

DESCRIPTION

VEHICLE SUSPENSION TOWER STRUCTURE

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle suspension tower structure.

Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2013-173485 discloses a vehicle body front portion structure having a pair of damper housings that structure the left and right side wall portions of a power compartment of a vehicle and that accommodate dampers of suspension devices, and damper bases that are provided at the upper portions of the damper housings and to which the dampers are fixed. In this background art, the damper base has a damper base upper wall to which the damper is mounted, plural damper fixing portions for fixing the damper to the damper base upper wall, and a ridgeline portion that extends along the outer periphery of the damper base upper wall. Moreover, the plural damper fixing portions are disposed on a single virtual circle, and the ridgeline portion is positioned further outward than the virtual circle at the outer side of the damper fixing portions, and intersects the virtual circle between the damper fixing portions. Due thereto, the ridgeline portion is formed in a substantial wave shape as seen in plan view.

[0003] Here, it is easy for water to collect at a plate-joined portion of a spring support, that structures a side wall portion of a vehicle suspension tower, and a flange portion of the spring support plate, that structures a top wall portion, and there is room for improvement.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

[0004] In consideration of the above-described circumstances, an object of the present invention is to suppress the collecting of water at a plate-joined portion of a spring support, that structures a side wall portion of a vehicle suspension tower, and a flange portion of a spring plate, that structures a top wall portion.

Solution to Problem

[0005] In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a vehicle suspension tower structure includes: a spring support that structures a side wall portion of a vehicle suspension tower and protrudes-out toward a vehicle inner side; a spring plate that structures a top wall portion of the vehicle suspension tower and is joined to the spring support; and a flange portion that is formed at an outer edge portion of the spring plate, and extends toward a vehicle lower side along a wall surface at the vehicle inner side of the spring support, and is joined to the spring support and forms a plate-joined portion.

[0006] In the vehicle suspension tower structure of the first aspect of the present invention, the flange portion, that is formed at the outer edge portion of the spring plate, extends toward the vehicle lower, side along the wall surface at the vehicle inner side of the spring support, and forms the plate-joined portion. Accordingly, water from above entering into the plate-joined portion of the spring support and the flange portion of the spring plate is prevented. Further, even if water enters into the plate-joined portion from below, the water drops down and flows-out from the plate-joined portion. Accordingly, the collecting of water at the plate-joined portion is suppressed.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

[0007] In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, water collecting at a plate-joined portion of a spring support, that structures a side wall portion of a vehicle suspension tower, and a flange portion of a spring plate, that structures a top wall portion, can be suppressed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0008] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a front suspension tower to which a vehicle suspension tower structure of the present invention is applied.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the cross-section along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a front suspension tower of a comparative example, and schematically showing a cross-section that corresponds to Fig. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0009] A vehicle suspension tower structure relating to an embodiment of the present invention is described by using Fig. 1 through Fig. 3. Note that arrow FR in the drawings indicates the vehicle longitudinal direction front side, arrow UP indicates the vehicle vertical direction upper side, and arrow OUT indicates a vehicle transverse direction outer side. Further, the outer portion side of the vehicle is the vehicle outer side, and the inner portion side of the vehicle is the vehicle inner side. Note that, although only one side in the vehicle transverse direction is illustrated in the respective drawings, the other side as well has a similar structure except for the left-right symmetry. Further, in the schematic drawings of Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, plate-joined portions 24, 64, 164 that are described later are illustrated with gaps between the plates. However, this is in order to illustrate entry paths of water and the like in an easy-to-understand manner, and, in actuality, the plates contact one another.

[0010] (Structure)

As shown in Fig. 1, apron upper members 14 are disposed along the vehicle longitudinal direction at the upper portions of the vehicle transverse direction both ends of an engine room 12 of the front portion of a vehicle 10. An apron front 16 is disposed at the vehicle lower side of the apron upper member 14, and is joined to the apron upper member 14. Further, a front suspension tower 50 is provided at the vehicle rear side of the apron front 16.

[0011] A cowl 20 is disposed along the vehicle transverse direction at the vehicle rear side of the front suspension tower 50. A dash panel 18, that partitions (divides) the engine room 12 and an unillustrated cabin, is provided at the vehicle lower side of the cowl 20. Further, an extending portion 22 that extends toward the vehicle front side is formed at the lower portion of the cowl 20. This extending portion 22 is joined to a top surface 70 A of a spring plate 70 that structures the front suspension tower 50 that is described later (refer to Fig. 2 as well).

[0012] An unillustrated front tire is disposed at the vehicle outer side of the front suspension tower 50. Further, the front suspension tower 50 has a spring support 60 that structures the side wall portion, and the spring plate 70 that structure the top wall portion.

[0013] The spring support 60 is formed in a substantially half-cylindrical shape that protrudes-out toward the vehicle inner side (the engine room 12 side), so as to surround the periphery of an unillustrated coil spring. Further, the vehicle front side of the spring support 60 is joined to a vehicle rear side end portion 16 A of the apron front 16. Moreover, an upper end portion 60A of the spring support 60 is joined the spring plate 70.

[0014] The spring plate 70 is formed in the shape of a plate overall, and a supporting hole 72 that is round is formed in the central portion thereof. The spring plate 70 is disposed above the unillustrated coil spring, and supports the coil spring via an unillustrated mounting member that is provided at the supporting hole 72. Further, the vehicle transverse direction outer side end portion of the spring plate 70 is joined to the apron upper member 14. Further, the extending portion 22 of the above-described cowl 20 is joined to the vehicle rear side of the top surface 70A of the spring plate 70.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 2, a sealing agent 30 is coated at and seals the vehicle front side of the plate-joined portion 24 of the top surface 70 A of the spring plate 70 and the extending portion 22 of the cowl 20. [0016] Note that, as described above, in the schematic drawing of Fig. 2, a gap is formed at the plate-joined portion 24, but, in actuality, the spring plate 70 and the extended portion 22 of the cowl 20 contact one another. Further, although a gap is formed also at the plate-joined portion 64 that is described later, in actuality, a flange portion 74 and the upper end portion 60A of the spring support 60 contact one another. This is the same also for the schematic drawing of Fig. 3 of the comparative example that is described later.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the flange portion 74 that extends toward the vehicle lower side is formed at the outer edge portion of the spring plate 70. The flange portion 74 is provided along a wall surface 60B at the vehicle inner side (radial direction outer side) of the spring support 60, and is joined to the spring support 60 and forms the plate-joined portion 64. To describe this from another standpoint, the spring support 60 is disposed so as to be set-in at the inner side of the flange portion 74 of the spring plate 70, and the spring support 60 is disposed so as to be covered from above by the spring plate 70.

[0018] Further, as shown in Fig. 2, a sealing agent 32 is coated on and seals, from the vehicle outer side, an upper end 64 A of the plate-joined portion 64 of the flange portion 74 of the spring plate 70 and the upper end portion 60A of the spring support 60.

[0019] (Operation/Effects)

The operation and effects of the present embodiment are described next.

[0020] The unillustrated front tire is disposed at the vehicle outer side of the front suspension tower 50, and water is drawn-up by the front tire. There are cases in which the water, that is drawn-up by the front tire, enters into the vehicle inner side (into the engine room 12) from gaps (holes) that are formed in light of the structure at the vehicle front portion or the vehicle rear portion of the front suspension tower 50 or the like.

[0021] However, the spring support 60 is covered from above by the spring plate 70, and the flange portion 74, that is formed at the outer edge portion of the spring plate 70, extends toward the. vehicle lower side along the wall surface 60B at the vehicle inner side of the spring support 60. Accordingly, entry of water, from the upper side shown by arrow K3, into the plate-joined portion (the interior of the plate juncture) 64 of the flange portion 74 of the spring plate 70 and the upper end portion 60A of the spring support 60, is prevented.

[0022] Further, even if water from below enters as shown by arrow Kl into the plate-joined portion (the interior of the plate juncture) 64 of the flange portion 74 of the spring plate 70 and the upper end portion 60 A of the spring support 60, the water drops down and flows-out from the plate-joined portion (the interior of the plate juncture) 64 as shown by arrow K2.

[0023] Further, the upper end 64 A of the plate-joined portion 64 of the flange portion 74 of the spring plate 70 and the upper end portion 60 A of the spring support 60 is sealed by the sealing agent 32. Therefore, entry of water into the plate-joined portion 64 from the vehicle inner side of the spring support 60 is prevented.

[0024] Accordingly, the collecting of water at the plate -joined portion 64 of the flange portion 74 of the spring plate 70 and the upper end portion 60A of the spring support 60 is suppressed. Accordingly, corrosion (the generation of rust) that is due to water collecting at the plate-joined portion 64 of the flange portion 74 of the spring plate 70 and the upper end portion 60A of the spring support 60 is prevented or suppressed. Namely, the rust prevention performance of the plate-joined portion 64 improves, and corrosion is prevented or suppressed over a long time.

[0025] A front suspension tower 150, that serves as a comparative example and to which the present invention is not applied, is described here.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 3, a flange portion 174, that is formed at the outer edge portion of a spring plate 170 that structures the top wall portion of the front suspension tower 150 of the comparative example, is provided along a wall surface 60C at the vehicle outer side (radial direction inner side) of the spring support 60 that structures the side wall portion.

[0027] Further, the sealing material 32 is coated on and seals, from the vehicle outer side, a lower end 164B of the plate-joined portion 164 of the flange portion 174 of the spring plate 170 and the upper end portion 60A of the spring support 60.

[0028] In the case of the comparative example of this structure, water enters from above, as shown by arrow K3, into the plate-joined portion (the interior of the plate juncture) 164 of the flange portion 174 of the spring plate 170 and the upper end portion 60 A of the spring support 60, and the water that has entered-in collects as is at the plate-joined portion (the interior of the plate juncture) 164.

[0029] Note that, in order to prevent entry of water from the vehicle inner side into the plate-joined portion (the interior of the plate juncture) 164, it is thought to coat the sealing agent 32 on and seal, from the vehicle inner side, an upper end 164 A of the plate-joined portion 164 as shown by the imaginary line (the two-dot chain line).

[0030] However, the region above the plate-joined portion 164 is covered by the extending portion 22 of the cowl 20. Therefore, the sealing agent 32 cannot be coated from the vehicle inner side on the upper end 164A of the plate-joined portion 164, or, it is difficult to coat the sealing agent 32.

[0031] In contrast, at the front suspension tower 50 of the present embodiment that is shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 and to which the present invention is applied, the spring plate 70 covers the spring support 60 from above, and the flange portion 74 at the outer edge portion is provided along the wall surface 60B at the vehicle inner side (the radial direction outer side) of the spring support 60. Further, the sealing agent 32 is, from the vehicle outer side, coated on and seals the upper end 64 A of the plate-joined portion 64 of the flange portion 74 of the spring plate 70 and the upper end portion 60A of the spring support 60.

[0032] Accordingly, even at a region that is covered by the extending portion 22 of the cowl 20 and at which the sealing agent 32 cannot be coated from the vehicle inner side or such coating is difficult, the sealing agent 32 can be coated on and can seal the upper end 64 A of the plate-joined portion 64, and there can be made a structure in which it is difficult for water to collect at the plate-joined portion (the interior of the plate juncture) 64.

[0033] (Other Points)

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

[0034] In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to the front suspension towers that are provided at the vehicle transverse direction both side portions of the front portion of the vehicle. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can also be applied to rear suspension towers that are provided at the vehicle transverse direction both side portions of the rear portion of the vehicle.

[0035] Moreover, it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented in various forms within a scope that does not deviate from the gist thereof.

[0036] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-018746, filed February 3, 2014, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. All publications, patent applications, and technical standards mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent application, or technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Claims

Claim 1. A vehicle suspension tower structure comprising:

a spring support that structures a side wall portion of a vehicle suspension tower and protrudes-out toward a vehicle inner side;

a spring plate that structures a top wall portion of the vehicle suspension tower and is joined to the spring support; and

a flange portion that is formed at an outer edge portion of the spring plate, and extends toward a vehicle lower side along a wall surface at the vehicle inner side of the spring support, and is joined to the spring support and forms a plate-joined portion.