JP4692782B2 - Body front structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle body front portion structure, and more particularly to a vehicle body front structure that can improve safety when a vehicle central portion in the vehicle width direction collides with a pole-shaped obstacle.

  The front part of the vehicle body generally connects the left and right end parts of the bumper reinforcement extending in the vehicle width direction at the front end of the vehicle body to the front ends of the pair of left and right front side frames, more specifically via a crash can. Structure is adopted. That is, as the vehicle body front structure, a structure is employed in which the left and right front side frames function as main shock absorbing members in the case of a frontal collision.

  The impact safety performance test for frontal collisions is conducted in two ways. The first aspect is a full wrap frontal collision and the second aspect is an offset frontal collision. In the full-wrap frontal collision test, the vehicle is made to collide with a concrete barrier at a predetermined speed. In the offset frontal collision test, one side of the vehicle (overlap ratio 40%) is subjected to frontal collision with a honeycomb-shaped barrier.

  In fact, automobile manufacturers have established in-house standards for frontal collisions with the above-mentioned tests on full-lap collisions and offset collisions in mind, and are developing vehicles that meet the in-house standards.

  There are various aspects in an actual frontal collision. One of them is a case where the vehicle collides with a power pole or a road sign post installed on the side of the road. When a frontal collision occurs on the side of the vehicle against this pole-shaped obstacle, the impact can be absorbed by one of the front side frames as in the offset frontal collision test described above. However, if the center of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction collides with a pole-shaped obstacle, the bumper reinforcement is generally not designed to have the strength to catch it. As a result, the left and right front side frames do not function, and there is a risk that large damage will occur.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an impact load distribution device using a tension maintaining mechanism incorporating a compression spring and a wire. In this impact load distribution device, a wire is stretched left and right along a bumper reinforcement, and the wire is guided rearward through the brackets of the left and right front side frames, and between the left and right ends of the wire. A configuration is adopted in which a tension maintaining mechanism is interposed and a central portion in the vehicle width direction of the bumper reinforcement is connected to the wire. According to this configuration, the load at the time of the frontal collision is input to the wire from the central portion of the pamper reinforcement together with the left and right front side frames.

JP 2005-262951 A

  As described in Patent Document 1, the invention of the above Patent Document 1 is intended to efficiently distribute load and absorb energy against a frontal collision of a vehicle, but maintains tension using a compression spring. Considering the structure in which the mechanism is arranged, it is considered effective at the time of a so-called light collision at a vehicle speed of 10 Km / h or less.

  The object of the present invention is to disperse the collision load to the left and right front side frames and to reverse the power plant when the central portion in the vehicle width direction collides with an obstacle such as a pole that is not widened in the vehicle width direction. It is in providing the vehicle body front part structure which can suppress this.

In order to achieve the above technical problem , in the vehicle body front structure of the present invention , first,
A flexible and linear upper tension material and a linear lower tension material which are engaged with a power plant mounted in an engine room and are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. Have
The left and right front ends of the upper tension member are fastened to front end portions of left and right front side frames having a closed cross-sectional structure extending in the front-rear direction through the engine room,
The left and right front ends of the lower tension member are fastened to the front end portions of the left and right front side frames,
The lower tension member is engaged with a rear end portion of the power plant, and has a configuration extending in a substantially V shape toward the front when the power plant is viewed from below.

With this configuration, when the pole enters the engine room due to a frontal collision and interferes with the power plant, the upper and lower tension members spaced apart from each other cause undesired behavior of the power plant, particularly a power plant including a horizontal engine. Rotation that falls backward can be suppressed. Of course, the central part of the vehicle width direction is a pole by adding an upper tension material and a lower tension material without requiring a major change in the basic structure that absorbs the collision energy for full-wrap frontal collision and offset frontal collision. Even when the vehicle collides with an obstacle such as this, the collision load is distributed to the left and right front side frames, so that the collision energy absorbing function inherently provided in the front side frame can be exhibited.

  The meaning of “front end of the front side frame” in the present invention means that the front side of the power plant and the front side frame can be sufficiently crushed in the axial direction when a frontal collision (full overlap collision, offset collision) occurs. Needless to say, this means the front position, and is not necessarily limited to the vicinity of the front end of the front side frame.

The vehicle body front structure of the present invention further has the following configuration. That is,
A subframe extending in the vehicle width direction between rear end portions of the left and right front side frames;
A first mount member for mounting the rear end of the power plant on the subframe;
The lower tension material comprises first and second divided lower tension materials,
The front ends of the first and second divided lower tension members are fastened to the front end portions of the left and right front side frames, respectively, and the rear ends of the first and second divided lower tension members are attached to the first mount member. It is concluded.

  By using the first mount member that mounts the rear end portion of the power plant on the subframe in this manner, it becomes easy to arrange the downward tension member in a V shape.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
Long bolts penetrating up and down at the front end portions of the left and right front side frames of the closed cross-sectional structure,
The upper end of the upper tension member is fastened to the upper end of the long bolt,
A front end of the downward tension member is fastened to a lower end portion of the long bolt.

  According to this embodiment, the upper and lower tension members are fastened to the upper and lower portions of the long bolt that penetrates the front side frame having the closed section structure, so that the collision load input from the upper and lower tension members to the front side frame can be reduced. It is possible to disperse the front side frames on mutually opposing surfaces, thereby suppressing local destruction and unexpected deformation of the front side frames.

  Other objects and operational effects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Example (FIGS. 1 to 9) :
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a dash panel, and a vehicle compartment 2 and an engine room 3 are partitioned by the dash panel 1. The vehicle compartment 2 is provided with an instrument panel 4, a brake pedal 5, an accelerator pedal, and the like. Reference numeral 6 denotes a front window.

  FIG. 1 is a view of the engine room 3 obliquely from the front, and FIG. 2 is a view of the engine room 3 viewed from the side. In the lower region of the engine room 3, left and right front side frames 10 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body over the entire region of the engine room 3 are disposed. The front side frame 10 has a rectangular closed cross-sectional structure. is doing. As is known, bumper reinforcements 12 extending in the vehicle width direction are connected to the front ends of the left and right front side frames 10 via a crash can 14. In FIG. 1, the engine room 3 is drawn without the bumper reinforcement 12 and the crash can 14. A sub-frame 16 positioned below the front side frame 10 is further disposed in the lower region of the engine room 3. Reference numeral 18 denotes a front wheel.

  The engine 20 is a water-cooled in-line four-cylinder engine and is mounted in the engine room 3 with the engine output shaft directed in the vehicle width direction (FIG. 1). That is, the engine 20 is a horizontal reciprocating engine. A transaxle 22 is connected to the rear end of the engine 20, the engine 20 and the transaxle 22 are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction, and the engine output is It is distributed to the left and right front wheels 18 via a differential gear 24 built in the transaxle 22. This automobile is a front-wheel drive type vehicle, but the present invention can also be applied to a four-wheel drive type or a vertical engine type vehicle in which the engine is mounted with the engine output shaft directed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. .

  The engine 20 is a water-cooled four-cylinder engine, and the cooling water of the engine 20 is cooled by a radiator (not shown) fixed to the shroud panel 26 between the front end portions of the front side frame 10.

  The horizontally placed engine 20 is sucked from the front surface 20a and exhausted from the rear surface 20b. That is, the engine 20 employs the front intake and rear exhaust types (FIG. 2), and the cylinder head 28 of the engine 20 has an intake pipe 30 connected to the front surface and an exhaust pipe 32 connected to the rear surface. Yes.

  The sub-frame 16 includes front and rear portions 16a and 16b extending in the vehicle width direction between front and rear ends of the left and right front side frames 10, and left and right side portions 16c extending along the front side frames 10. And a perimeter frame having a substantially square shape in plan view (FIG. 3).

  Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a perimeter frame bracket 34 extending downward is provided at the front ends of the left and right front side frames 10, and the subframe 16 is long at the lower end of the perimeter frame bracket 34. It is fixed using a bolt 36 (FIGS. 1 and 4).

  The power plant 40 including the engine 20 and the transaxle 22 includes a first mount member 44 between the rear portion 16b of the subframe 16 and the lower surface of the case 42 of the differential gear 24, an upper surface of one front side frame 10, and a cylinder. Mounted in the engine room 3 with a second mount member 48 between the block 46 and a third mount member 52 between the upper surface of the other front side frame 10 and the upper surface of the transmission case 50 of the transaxle 22. Yes.

  The power plant 40 is locked to the front end portions of the left and right front side frames 10 by two sets of wires 60 and 62 spaced apart from each other. Of the two sets of wires 60 and 62, the upper wire 60 passes between the cylinder block 46 of the engine 20, that is, the crankcase 64 and the cylinder head 28, and extends forward, and the left and right front ends of the upper wire 60 are the left and right fronts. Fastened to the upper end of a long bolt 36 extending vertically through the side frame 10.

  As best seen in FIG. 3, the lower wire 62 is composed of a first divided lower wire 94 and a second divided lower wire 96. The first and second divided lower wires 94, 96 are It is routed along the lower surface of the power plant 40. The front ends of the first and second divided lower wires 94 and 96 are fastened to the lower ends of the left and right long bolts 36, respectively. That is, the front ends of the upper wire 60 and the first and second divided lower wires 94 and 96 are connected to the front side frame 10 by using the long bolts 36 for fastening the subframe 16 to the left and right front side frames 10. Fastened to the front end. Here, preferably, the front end portion of the front side frame 10 is reinforced by reinforcement.

  FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a specific example in which the front end of the lower wire 62 including the upper wire 60 and the first and second divided lower wires 94 and 96 is fastened to the front side frame 10. The front side frame 10 includes an outer 10a and an inner 10b having a vertically long closed cross-sectional structure, and a U-shaped reinforcement 10c is attached to the inside of the closed cross-sectional structure. Bolt insertion holes 70 are formed in the upper and lower walls 10 and the reinforcement 10 c attached thereto, and the long bolts 36 are inserted into the bolt insertion holes 70. Further, as described above, the bracket 34 extending downward is welded to the front end portion of the front side frame 10, and the sub-frame 16 is disposed on the lower end surface of the bracket 34. A long bolt 36 for fastening to the side frame 10 extends vertically.

  The long bolt 36 has a bolt head 36a and two first and second male screw portions 36b and 36c at the lower end. On the other hand, a bolt insertion hole penetrating vertically is formed in the front side frame 10, and a female screw portion 34 a into which the first screw portion 36 b of the long bolt 36 is screwed is formed in the bracket 34. On the other hand, a mounting member 74 having a rubber bush 72 is fixed to the subframe 16, and the mounting member 74 has a central sleeve 76 that extends vertically.

  As can be seen from FIG. 4, the front ends of the upper wire 60 and the lower wire 62 both have a single lock 80 end, and a long bolt 36 is inserted into the eye 80a of the single lock 80 so that a large-diameter washer 77 is interposed. In this state, the upper wire 60 and the lower wire 62 are fastened to the left and right front side frames 10 by screwing the nut 78 to the long bolt 36. Here, the front end of the upper wire 60 is disposed on the upper surface of the front side frame 10, and the front end of the lower wire 62 is disposed between the bracket 34 and the subframe 16.

  When a collision load is input to the front side frame 10 from the upper and lower wires 60, 62, the portion where the collision load is input to the front side frame 10 is reinforced by the reinforcement 10c. Thus, the collision load is input to the front side frame 10 while the collision load is dispersed on three of the four sides of the closed cross-sectional rectangle of the front side frame 10. Therefore, the front side frame 10 is effectively crushed by the input of the collision load through the long bolt 36, and thereby the impact absorbing function inherently possessed by the front side frame 10 can be exhibited. In addition, a collision load is input from the upper and lower wires 60 and 62 via the long bolt 36 penetrating vertically with respect to the front side frame 10 having a vertically long rectangular closed cross-sectional structure. In other words, the long bolt 36 Since the bolt insertion hole 70 and the corner of the front side frame 10 are close to each other as compared with the case where the front side frame 10 is penetrated in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction), the vicinity of the bolt insertion hole 70 is torn. The possibility of inducing such a problem can be reduced, and the collision load can be accurately transmitted from the long bolt 36 to the front side frame 10.

  The wiring of the upper wire 60 is positioned by the guide member 82 as can be seen from FIGS. The guide member 82 has two walls 82a, and the upper wires 60 and 62 are positioned between the two walls 82a. Referring to FIG. 6, guide member 82 is fastened to power plant 40 using bolts 84. The guide member 82 is preferably covered with a cap 86 after the upper wire 60 is installed. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the upper wire 60 from being detached from the guide member 82 as the power plant 40 operates.

  The upper wire 60 extends over the upper end portion of the cylinder block 46 of the engine 20, and one end portion extends forward along the front end surface of the engine 20, that is, the end surface opposite to the transaxle 22. The portion extends forward through the transaxle 22, and the left and right tip portions of the upper wire 60 are connected to the front end portions of the left and right front side frames 10. The upper wire 60 is preferably positioned substantially parallel to the axis of the front side frame 10, as can be seen from FIG. Here, the meaning of “parallel” has the technical meaning that the collision load from the upper wire 60 is input in the direction of collapse in the design of the front side frame, and therefore the design of the front side frame 10. Please understand the meaning of “parallel” within the range in which the collision load is input in the upper crushing direction. In other words, the meaning of “parallel” should not be interpreted as being limited to the geometrical meaning. Some of the front side frames also have a front side frame whose axis is a gentle curve when viewed from the side, but in this case, the collision of the front side frame in the efficient crushing direction of the front side frame increases the amount of energy absorption. A mode in which the extending direction of the upper wire 60 that is sometimes strained substantially coincides in a side view is included in the “parallel” of the present invention.

  The lower wire 62 composed of the first and second divided lower wires 94 and 96 extends through the lower surface of the power plant 40 as described above, and its rear end is connected to the first mount member 44. It is connected to the power plant 40 via the first mount member 44 (FIG. 7). Needless to say, the first mount member 44 is a strength member directly related to the power plant 40, and therefore the power plant related to the flexible tension material according to the present invention includes the first mount member 44. Should be understood as

  7 to 9 are detailed views of the first mount member 44. The first mount member 44 has a sleeve 100 at the tip of a swingable arm 98 extending forward from the rear portion 16 b of the subframe arm member 16, and this sleeve 100 is connected to the shaft portion 104 via a rubber 102. The shaft portion 104 is rotatably attached to a bracket 106 connected to the power plant 40 by a combination of a bolt 108 and a nut 110. The rear ends of the first and second divided lower wires 94 and 96 both have ends of a single lock 80, and the bolts 108 are inserted into the eyes 80a (FIG. 9) of the single lock 80, thereby The rear ends of the first and second divided lower wires 94 and 96 are connected to the power plant 40 via the first mount member 44. In a preferred embodiment, as best seen in FIG. 9, the rear end of one split lower wire 94 is disposed adjacent to the bolt head 108 a and the rear end of the other split lower wire 96 is adjacent to the nut 110. It is good to arrange.

  In a frontal collision, a bump or the like collides with the central portion of the bumper reinforcement 12 in the vehicle width direction, the bumper reinforcement 12 bends in the central portion of the vehicle width direction, and enters the engine room 3 to enter the power plant 40. When the interference occurs, the collision load can be distributed to the front end portion of the front side frame 10 by the upper and lower wires 60 and 62. The front side frame 10 has the function of mitigating the impact of a frontal collision, which is the same as the conventional one. Therefore, the front side frame 10 can also be used for a frontal collision where the central part in the vehicle width direction collides with a pole or the like. The collision energy can be absorbed by the frame 10.

  Further, since the upper wire 60 and the lower wire 62 fastened to the front end portion of the front side frame 10 are engaged with the power plant 40, the upper and lower wires 60 and 62 can suppress the backward movement of the power plant 40. it can.

  Of course, the central part of the vehicle width direction is a pole only by adding the upper wire 60 and the lower wire 62 without requiring a large change in the basic structure for absorbing the collision energy for the full-wrap frontal collision and the offset frontal collision. Even when the vehicle collides with an obstacle such as the above, collision energy can be absorbed by the basic structure.

  The upper wire 60 and the lower wire 62 that are separated from each other in the vertical direction receive the power plant 40 that moves backward, and the lower wire 62 composed of the lower split wires 94 and 96 has a substantially V shape along the lower surface of the power plant 40 and toward the front. Since it is deployed, it is possible to suppress the rotation of the retreating power plant 40 from falling backward in a side view, whereby the upper and lower wires 60 and 62 can quickly apply a collision load to the left and right front side frames 10. Can be entered.

  Further, the front end of the upper wire 60 and the lower wire 62 (lower divided wires 94 and 96) is connected to the front side frame 10 by using a long bolt 36 that penetrates the front side frame 10 up and down to fasten the subframe 16. Since it is fastened, it is not necessary to separately prepare a member for fixing the front ends of the upper wire 60 and the lower wire 62 to the front side frame 10, and the collision load is not limited to the front side frame 10 but the subframe 16. Can also be dispersed.

  Further, by adopting a structure in which the wires 60 and 62 are fixed to the front side frame 10 by a member (long bolt 36) penetrating the front side frame 10 having a closed section structure, a collision load input from the wires 60 and 62 is reduced. It is possible to disperse the front side frames 10 on the mutually opposing surfaces, and to suppress local deformation of the front side frames 10 and unexpected deformation of the front end portions of the front side frames 10 due to inputs from the wires 60 and 62. Thus, the collision energy absorbing function accompanied by the original deformation of the front side frame 10 can be exhibited.

  Since the input direction to the front side frame 10 is parallel to the direction of deformation of the front side frame frame 10 due to a collision, that is, the axis of the front side frame 10 by passing the upper wire 60 over the upper end portion of the cylinder block 46, The collision energy absorption function accompanied by the original deformation of the front side frame 10 can be exhibited.

  In addition, since the front ends of the upper and lower wires 60 and 62 have a single lock 80 terminal that does not have a side projecting member, the ends of the wires 60 and 62 interfere with the front side frame 10. There is no fear.

Second Example (FIGS. 10 to 12) :
In the description of the second embodiment, the same elements as those included in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, the description thereof will be omitted, and the characteristic portions of the second embodiment will be described below. .

  The upper wire 60 is composed of first and second divided upper wires 90 and 92, and the rear ends thereof are fastened to the second and third mount members 48 and 52, and the second and third mounts. Fastened to the power plant 40 via members 48 and 52. Needless to say, the second and third mounting members 48 and 52 are strength members that are directly related to the power plant 40. Therefore, the power plant related to the flexible tension material according to the present invention is the second, It should be understood as including third mount members 48, 52.

  FIG. 12 shows that the rear end of the second split upper wire 92 is fixed using the bolt 124 for fixing the bracket 120 to the seat 122 on the upper surface of the transmission case 50 of the transaxle 22 with respect to the third mount member 52. An example is disclosed. The rear end of the second split upper wire 92 has a single lock 80 end, and after inserting the bolt 124 through the eye 80a of the single lock 80, the bracket 120 is fastened to the seat 122 of the transaxle 22, thereby The rear end of the split upper wire 92 is locked to the transaxle 22. The rear end of the first split upper wire 90 is also fastened to the second mount member 48 using substantially the same method as the second split upper wire 92, and the first split upper wire 90 is passed through the second mount member 48. The wire 90 is locked to the engine 20.

  Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the lower wire 62 may be constituted by a single wire in place of the first and second divided lower wires 94 and 96 with respect to the lower wire 62. . Further, in order to lock the lower wire 62 to the rear end portion of the power plant 40, a fixing tool such as an eye bolt may be bolted to the power plant 40, or the case of the power plant 40 (in the above example). For example, a fixing element may be integrally formed on the differential gear case, and the lower wire 62 may be fastened to the fixing element.

It is the figure which looked at the engine room from the front regarding 1st Example. It is the figure which looked at the engine room from the side regarding 1st Example. It is the figure which looked at the engine room from the lower part regarding 1st Example. It is a figure which shows the specific example which fastens an upper wire and a lower wire to a front side frame using the long volt | bolt for fastening a sub-frame regarding the front-end part of a front side frame. It is the figure which looked at the power plant from back regarding 1st Example. It is a figure which shows an example of the guide member which positions an upper wire regarding 1st Example. It is a figure for demonstrating the 1st mounting member with which the rear end of the 1st, 2nd division | segmentation lower wire is fastened regarding 1st Example. FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing the first mount member in relation to FIG. 7. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a 1st mount member. It is the figure which looked at the engine room from upper direction regarding 2nd Example. It is the figure which looked at the engine room from the side regarding 2nd Example. It is a disassembled perspective view for demonstrating the example which fastens the rear end of an upper division | segmentation wire to the 3rd mount member which mounts the transaxle (transmission case) of a horizontal installation engine in a front side frame regarding 2nd Example.

Explanation of symbols

3 Engine room 10 Front side frame 16 Subframe 20 Engine 22 Transaxle 24 Differential gear 28 Cylinder head 30 Intake pipe 32 Exhaust pipe 36 Long bolt 40 Power plant 44 First mount member 48 Second mount member 52 Third mount member 60 Upper part Wire 62 Lower wire 80 Single lock 80a Single lock eye 90 Split upper wire 92 Split upper wire 94 Split lower wire 96 Split lower wire

Claims (4)

A flexible and linear upper tension material and a linear lower tension material which are engaged with a power plant mounted in an engine room and are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. Have
The left and right front ends of the upper tension member are fastened to front end portions of left and right front side frames having a closed cross-sectional structure extending in the front-rear direction through the engine room,
The left and right front ends of the lower tension member are fastened to the front end portions of the left and right front side frames,
The lower tension member engages with the rear end of the power plant, and when viewed from below, the power plant extends in a substantially V shape toward the front,
A subframe extending in the vehicle width direction between rear end portions of the left and right front side frames;
A first mount member for mounting the rear end of the power plant on the subframe;
The lower tension material comprises first and second divided lower tension materials,
The front ends of the first and second divided lower tension members are fastened to the front end portions of the left and right front side frames, respectively, and the rear ends of the first and second divided lower tension members are attached to the first mount member. A vehicle body front structure characterized by being fastened. Long bolts penetrating up and down at the front end portions of the left and right front side frames of the closed cross-sectional structure,
The upper end of the upper tension member is fastened to the upper end of the long bolt,
The front end of said lower tension member to the lower end of the long bolt is fastened, the vehicle body front structure according to claim 1. The vehicle body front part structure according to claim 2 , wherein the upper tension member is stretched over the power runt and continuously extends from one front end to the other front end. Further comprising second and third mounting members for mounting the power plant on the left and right front side frames;
The upper tension member is composed of first and second divided upper tension members, and rear ends of the first and second divided upper tension members are fastened to the second and third mount members, respectively. The vehicle body front part structure according to claim 2 .

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