JP2875994B2 - Cowl side structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cowl side structure for a vehicle such as an automobile, and more particularly to a structure for connecting a cowl portion and a front pillar.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a cowl side portion structure of a vehicle, for example, a structure shown in FIG. 6 is known.

[0003] As shown in FIG.
The rear side of the lower portion 70A of the cowl panel 70 having a substantially U-shaped cross section (the direction opposite to the arrow FR direction in FIG. 6) and the dash panel 72
Is joined along the vehicle width direction by welding or the like while sandwiching one end 74A of the cowl top inner reinforcement 74 having a substantially U-shaped cross section.

That is, one end 74A of the cowl top inner reinforcement 74 abuts on the upper surface 74A of the dash panel 72 which is bent in an L shape, and the other end 74B which is formed in an L shape is a cowl. The panel 70 is joined to the center of the rear side in the vertical direction along the vehicle width direction by welding or the like.

[0007] As shown in FIG. 7, the cowl side portion has a vehicle width direction end portion 70 B of the cowl panel 70 joined to one end 76 A of the outer member 76 by welding or the like. Also, the end 74C of the cowl top inner reinforcement 74 in the vehicle width direction is the front pillar inner 7.
8 by welding or the like.

[0006] One end of the front pillar inner 78 and one end 76A of the sheath outer 76 are joined by welding or the like, and inside the sheath outer 76, one end 80A of a sheath outer reinforcement 80 is joined by welding or the like. . In addition, the shimen outer 76 and the front pillar inner 78 are joined with the shimen outer reinforcement 80 interposed therebetween, and their ends 76A, 78A, and 80A side (the direction of arrow FR in FIG. 7) extends in the vertical direction. It has a closed section structure.

FIG. 8 shows another prior art. As shown in FIG. 8, the vehicle width direction end 74C of the cowl top inner reinforcement 74 is connected to the vehicle width direction end 70B of the cowl panel 70.
And one end 76A of the sheath outer 76 and are joined by welding or the like. Other configurations are the same as the configurations in FIGS. 6 and 7, and thus the detailed description is omitted.

In the example shown in FIG. 7, one end 74C of the cowl top inner reinforcement 74 is supported by a front pillar inner 78 having a closed sectional structure. In the example shown in FIG. 8, one end 74C of the cowl top inner reinforcement 74 is supported by one end 70B of the cowl panel 70.

That is, in both conventional examples, the impact force applied to the cowl top inner reinforcement 74 is supported via the front pillar inner 78 or one end 70B of the cowl panel 70.

[0010]

As described above, since the impact force applied to the cowl top inner reinforcement 74 is received only by the front pillar inner 78 or one end 70B of the cowl panel 70, it is easy to bend and has high rigidity. I couldn't get it.

An object of the present invention is to increase the rigidity of the cowl portion and the front pillar portion in the cowl side structure in consideration of the above fact.

[0012]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cowl top inner reinforcement having one end sandwiched between a lower surface of a cowl panel and an upper end of a dash panel. A cowl side structure for connecting a direction end to a front pillar inner and a front pillar outer, connecting the cowl top inner reinforcement and the front pillar outer , and penetrating the front pillar inner.
In this manner, a reinforcing member is provided to connect the front pillar inner reinforcement and the front pillar outer through the reinforcing member as a component force of the front pillar inner and the front pillar outer.

[0013] In the cowl side structure according to the first aspect, the impact force applied to the cowl top inner reinforcement (cowl panel) is divided by the front pillar inner and the front pillar outer through the cowl top inner toe pillar brace. Receive as.

According to the cowl side portion structure of the first aspect, the joint portion of the front pillar inner and the joint portion of the front pillar outer with respect to the cowl top inner toe pillar brace are separated from each other, and are added to the cowl top inner reinforcement. Since the applied impact force is not concentrated but dispersed, the rigidity is enhanced.

Therefore, according to the cowl side structure of the first aspect, the impact force applied to the cowl top inner reinforcement is reduced by the component force of the front pillar inner and the front pillar outer through the cowl top inner toe pillar brace. Because it is a configuration to receive as
High rigidity can be obtained.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the first aspect, a joining portion is provided corresponding to the cowl top inner reinforcement of the front pillar inner, and the joining portion is attached to the cowl top inner reinforcement. It is characterized by being fitted and joined.

According to the cowl side portion structure of the second aspect, the joint portion of the front pillar inner is simply fitted into and joined to the cowl top inner reinforcement.

The present invention according to claim 3 provides the invention according to claim 1 or 2
Is characterized in that a reinforcing means is further provided at a joint between the front pillar outer and the reinforcing member.

According to the cowl side structure of the third aspect, the impact force applied to the cowl top inner reinforcement (cowl panel) is also received by the reinforcing means connected to the reinforcing member, so that the rigidity is further increased. Enhanced.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a cowl side structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the drawings, the arrow FR indicates the front of the vehicle, the arrow UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle, and the arrow IN indicates the inside of the vehicle width.

A cowl portion S shown in FIG. 1 is provided along a vehicle width direction at a connection portion between a front body and a main body of a vehicle (not shown). As shown in FIG. 1, a cowl panel 10 that constitutes a part of the cowl portion S, that is, a lower portion of the cowl inner in the vehicle vertical direction, has a long shape and is disposed along the vehicle width direction in the longitudinal direction. The cross-sectional shape of the cowl panel 10 as viewed in the vehicle width direction is substantially U-shaped with the opening directed upward in the vehicle vertical direction.

The cowl portion S is provided with a cowl panel 10 and a cowl top grill which constitutes an upper portion of the cowl outer (not shown) which covers the upper portion of the cowl panel 10 and which constitutes an upper portion in the vehicle vertical direction. It has a structure. In addition, both ends of the cowl panel 10 (only one end in the vehicle right direction is shown in FIG. 1) are joined to an apron upper member (not shown), and both ends of the cowl panel 10 are closed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cowl panel 10
A horizontal piece 10 extending to the lower vehicle width direction end.
A is formed. On the rear side of the cowl panel 10, a side wall 10B extending to the vehicle width direction end is formed. The end portion of the side wall 10B in the vehicle width direction is bent rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction and serves as a flange 10C.

On the rear side of the horizontal piece 10A of the cowl panel 10, the lower piece 14D end of the cowl top inner reinforcement 14, which extends in the vehicle width direction and has a substantially U-shaped cross section, is bent into the L shape of the dash panel 12. The upper part 12A and the horizontal piece 10A are joined by welding or the like along the vehicle width direction while being sandwiched between the upper part 12A and the horizontal piece 10A.

At the outer end of the side wall 14A of the cowl top inner reinforcement 14, a U-shaped notch 14B is formed toward the inside of the vehicle width, and the cowl top is connected to the notch 14B. A U-shaped notch 14C is formed at the upper corner of the inner reinforcement 14. Further, the cowl top inner reinforcement 14 is formed with a flange 14E at an upper front-rear front end thereof, which is bent upward in the vehicle vertical direction.

A cowl top inner toe brace 2 having a substantially U-shaped cross section as a reinforcing member is provided at the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the cowl top inner reinforcement 14.
2 are arranged. A U-shaped notch 22B is formed in the lower piece 22A on the cowl top inner reinforcement 14 side (in FIG. 2, the direction of the arrow IN) of the cowl top inner toe race 22, and the cowl top inner reinforcement is formed. A U-shaped notch 22C is formed to correspond to the notch 14C of the ment 14.

As shown in FIG. 1, the notches 22B and 22C are dimensioned in the vehicle width direction in a state where the cowl top inner reinforcement 14 and the cowl top inner toe pillar brace 22 are partially overlapped. When joining, the lower piece 14D edge of the cowl top inner reinforcement 14 and the notch 22B edge in the vehicle width direction of the cowl top inner toe pillar brace 22 are set to face each other.

The upper piece 22D of the cowl top inner toe pillar brace 22 has a flange 22 on the cowl top inner reinforcement 14 side at the front end in the front-rear direction.
E is formed to be bent upward in the vehicle vertical direction.
As shown in FIG. 1, the cowl top inner reinforcement 14 and the cowl top inner toe pillar brace 22 are formed by a vehicle width direction edge of the flange 22 </ b> E and a vehicle width direction edge of the flange 14 </ b> E of the cowl top inner reinforcement 14. Are mounted so as to face each other.

A substantially rectangular window portion 24 is formed on the side wall 22F of the cowl top inner toe brace 22 on the side of the cowl top inner reinforcement 14.

The outer end in the vehicle width direction of the side wall 22F of the cowl top inner toe pillar brace 22 is bent rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction and forms a flange 26. Also,
Upper piece 2 of cowl top inner top pillar braces 22
The outer end of the 2D in the vehicle width direction is bent upward in the vehicle vertical direction, and is a flange 28. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the lower piece 22 </ b> A of the cowl top inner toe pillar brace 22 is bent downward in the vehicle vertical direction to form a flange 29.

As shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, these flanges 26, 28 and 29 are joined to a later-described sheath outer reinforcement 20 by welding or the like. The cross-sectional structure shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is the cowl side structure of the present embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the cowl top inner reinforcement 14 and the cowl top inner toe pillar brace 22 have a closed sectional structure extending in the vehicle width direction together with the side wall 10B.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the flange 14E of the cowl top inner reinforcement 14 is joined to the side wall 10B of the cowl panel 10 by welding or the like. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the flange 22E of the cowl top inner toe pillar brace 22 is joined to the side wall 10B of the cowl panel 10 by welding or the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lower piece 22A of the cowl top inner toe pillar brace 22 has the lower surface of the horizontal piece 10A of the cowl panel 10 and the dash panel 12 like the lower piece 14D of the cowl top inner reinforcement 14. Between the upper part 12A.

As shown in FIG. 2, a flange 16B corresponding to the flange 10C of the cowl panel 10 is provided on one end 16A of the front outer member 16 which is bent in a substantially U-shape. It is bent toward the front side in the vehicle width direction. As shown in FIG. 4, one end 2 of the
0A is bent in a substantially U-shaped cross section.
The outer end in the vehicle width direction of 0A is one end 16 of the outer body 16
It is joined by welding or the like to the substantially central inner surface.

As shown in FIG. 2, the front pillar inner 18 has a cutout 18A at a position corresponding to the cowl top inner toe pillar brace 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the notch portion 18A is formed by bending the flange portions 18B, 18C, and 18D, which are joint portions, in a substantially right angle so that the tips thereof are directed toward the inside of the vehicle width. It is in the shape.

These flange portions 18B, 18C, 18
D is fitted to the lower piece 22A, the upper piece 22D, and the side wall 22F of the cowl top inner toe pillar brace 22 and joined by welding or the like (see FIG. 1). In the present embodiment, the outer sheath 16 and the inner front pillar 1 are used.
The front pillar portion is formed by the outer reinforcement 8 and the body outer reinforcement 20.

As shown by the broken line in FIG. 1, a reinforce 30 having a U-shaped cross section as a reinforcing means is disposed at a portion corresponding to the side wall 22F of the cowl top inner toe brace 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the reinforce 30 includes a base 30A and a base 3A.
A front piece 30B at the front end and a rear piece 30C at the rear end of 0A are bent at right angles so as to face inward in the vehicle width and are integrally formed.

As shown in the dashed line in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the front pillar inner member 18, the shimen outer reinforcement 20, and the cowl top inner toe pillar brace 22 form a closed cross-sectional structure extending in the vehicle vertical direction. The reinforce 30 is arranged in this closed cross-section structure.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the front piece 30B of the reinforce 30 is joined to the end in the vehicle width direction of the cowl top inner toe brace 22 by welding or the like, and the base 30A is connected to the cowl top. The flange 26 of the inner toe brace 22 and a portion of the one end 20A of the sheath outer reinforcement 20 which are overlapped with the sheath outer 16 are respectively joined by welding or the like.

In this embodiment, Reinforce 3
0 after the 30C to the outer outer reinforcement 2
Although it is not superimposed on zero, the rigidity may be increased by superimposing the rear piece 30C on the sheath outer reinforcement 20.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, at the time of a side collision of the vehicle, the impact force applied to the side wall 10B of the cowl panel 10 is received by the flange 16B of the outer sheath 16 via the flange 10C. The impact force applied to the cowl top inner reinforcement 14 is received as a component force of the front pillar inner 18 and the shim outer 16 (including the shim outer reinforcement 20) via the cowl top inner toe reinforcement 22.

That is, according to the present embodiment, the joining portion (flange portion 18C) of the front pillar inner 18 to the cowl top inner toe pillar brace 22 and the joining portion (one end 2) of the male outer reinforcement 20
0A) are separated from each other, and the impact force applied to the cowl top inner reinforcement 14 is not concentrated but dispersed, thereby increasing the rigidity.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the cowl top inner toe reinforcement 14 is joined to the cowl top inner reinforcement 14, and the cowl portion S and the front pillar portion (the outer outer member 16, the inner front inner member 18, and the outer outer member 14). This is a simple configuration that is combined with the force 20).

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the cowl top inner reinforcement 14 (the cowl panel 1) is provided.
0) is applied to the front pillar inner 1 via the cowl top inner toe pillar braces 22.
Since it is configured to receive the component force of the outer member 8 and the outer member 16, high rigidity can be obtained with a simple configuration.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the impact force applied to the cowl top inner reinforcement 14 is also received by the reinforce 30 connected to the cowl top inner toe reinforcement brace 22. Further, the rigidity is increased.

[0047]

According to the present invention, the cowl and the front pillar in the cowl side structure have high rigidity.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cowl side structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cowl side structure shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an end view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an end view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a cowl side structure according to a conventional example.

FIG. 7 is an end view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an end view showing a cowl side portion structure according to another conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 10 cowl panel 12 dash panel 14 cowl top inner reinforcement 16 shimen outer (front pillar outer) 18 front pillar inner 18B flange (joint) 18C flange (joint) 18D flange (joint) 20 shimen outer reinforcement 22 Cowl top inner toe pillar brace (reinforcing member) 30 Reinforcement (reinforcing means) S Cowl section

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-228382 (JP, A) JP-A-8-142912 (JP, A) JP-A-6-144294 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int) .Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B62D 25/00-25/08 B62D 25/14-25/22

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A cowl top inner reinforcement having one end sandwiched between a lower surface of a cowl panel and an upper end of a dash panel, and a vehicle width direction end of the cowl panel is connected to a front pillar inner and a front pillar outer. a cowl side portion structure, and connecting the front pillar outer and the cowl top inner reinforcement, and the Furontopi
A reinforcement member that connects through the inner
A cowl side structure , wherein the cowl top inner reinforcement receives an impact force applied to the cowl top inner reinforcement as a component force of the front pillar inner and the front pillar outer via the reinforcing member. 2. The cowl top inner reinforcement according to claim 1, wherein a joint is provided corresponding to the cowl top inner reinforcement of the front pillar inner, and the joint is fitted to the cowl top inner reinforcement. Cowl side structure. 3. The cowl side structure according to claim 1, wherein a reinforcing means is further provided at a joint between the front pillar outer and the reinforcing member.