JP4006615B2 - Front body structure of the vehicle - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a front vehicle body structure of a vehicle, and in particular, a protruding member is provided at a position protruding from the lower side of a vehicle width direction member of a bumper to the front side of the vehicle, and an external load acting on the protruding member is buffered to save energy. The present invention relates to a front body structure that is to be absorbed.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a bumper in a front body structure of a vehicle, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-1149 includes a bumper reinforcement connected to a front frame and a foam material attached to a front portion of the bumper reinforcement. A general bumper having an impact absorbing member, a bumper reinforcement and a bumper face covering the front side of the impact absorbing member is disclosed.
[0003]
On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-72284, an airbag is stored in a front bumper, an obstacle in front of the vehicle is detected by an ultrasonic sensor, and a vehicle running state (vehicle speed, etc.) is detected by various other sensors. An airbag device is disclosed in which a control device predicts a collision between a vehicle and an obstacle based on the detected information and deploys the airbag between the obstacle and the bumper before the collision.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In a general bumper such as Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-1149, there is a limit to buffering an external load that acts when the vehicle collides with an obstacle to increase energy absorption. On the other hand, since it works properly from the horizontal direction, it is quite difficult to improve safety (reduce the obstacle value). Therefore, in order that the Ru enhanced energy absorbing against external loads, it is considered that the size of the bumper. However, if the bumper becomes larger and heavier, the bumper becomes difficult to mount on the front frame, and the mounting structure becomes complicated, which is disadvantageous in terms of production cost.
[0005]
In the airbag apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-72284, an impact buffering function at the time of a vehicle collision can be enhanced, but on the basis of various sensors including an ultrasonic sensor and information detected by the sensors. Therefore, there is a concern that the structure becomes complicated and expensive as well as malfunctioning.
[0006]
The object of the present invention is to improve the energy absorption effect when an obstacle collides from the front of the vehicle in the front body structure of the vehicle, to guide the obstacle to the bonnet side and to reduce the impact on the obstacle, thereby improving safety. And so on.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The front body structure of a vehicle according to claim 1 is a front body structure including a bumper including a vehicle width direction member supported on a front end portion side of a front frame on a front lower side of a hood of the vehicle. a protruding member extending in a vehicle width direction provided from the lower side in the width direction member at a position projecting toward the front of the vehicle, a support stay for supporting and connecting the projecting member rearwardly movably, the support stay and the car An energy absorbing member that couples the width direction member and absorbs energy when the protruding member is displaced rearward by an external load, and the rear end portion of the support stay is disposed between the vehicle width direction member and the front frame. The protruding member is configured to be displaced rearward by deformation of the support stay by the external load.
[0008]
When an obstacle collides from the front of the vehicle, the external load acting from the obstacle can be buffered not only by the bumper but also by the energy absorbing member to absorb the energy, so that the energy absorbing effect can be greatly enhanced. In addition, while absorbing energy, it can be guided to the bonnet side by scooping up the obstacle with the protruding member, so it can effectively miss and reduce the impact on the obstacle, increasing safety (impediment value) Can be reduced).
[0009]
Even if the obstacle collides with any position in the vehicle width direction of the protruding member, the external load can be reliably applied to the energy absorbing member via the protruding member and the support stay. In other words, the energy absorbing function can be reliably achieved by providing only a few energy absorbing members in the vehicle width direction without providing the energy absorbing members over substantially the entire width in the vehicle width direction like the impact absorbing member of the bumper. Therefore, the overall structure of the projecting member, the support stay, and the energy absorbing member can be simplified and the weight can be reduced, so that the structure for mounting them can be simplified, and the projecting member, the support stay, and the energy absorbing member can be mounted together with the bumper. It can be configured as a unit and has a good appearance, which is advantageous in terms of production cost.
[0010]
When applied to a vehicle that absorbs energy by deforming a pair of front frames by an external load, the projecting member, the support stay, and the energy absorbing member are input directions of the external load to the pair of front frames. That is, it hardly affects the deformation mode of the pair of front frames. That is, the energy absorption effect by the pair of front frames can be exhibited sufficiently.
[0011]
A vehicle body structure according to a second aspect of the present invention is the vehicle body structure according to the first aspect, wherein the vehicle width direction member is a bumper reinforcement. That is, the bumper reinforcement which is an existing member can be effectively used.
[0012]
According to a third aspect of the vehicle body structure of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, a pair of support stays corresponding to a pair of front frames are provided as the support stays. With the pair of support stays, the projecting member can be reliably connected to and supported by the vehicle width direction member or the front frame so as to be rearwardly displaceable. A connection structure for connecting a pair of support stays to a pair of front frames can be simplified, and when connecting a pair of support stays to a vehicle width direction member, a pair of front frames is used. Therefore, the connection structure can be simplified.
[0013]
In the case of absorbing energy by deforming a pair of front frames by an external load, an external load acting on the pair of front frames via the protruding member, the pair of support stays and the energy absorbing member is applied to the front of the vehicle. Since the input can be made straight from the side, the energy absorption effect by the pair of front frames can be sufficiently exhibited.
[0014]
[0015]
[0016]
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. This embodiment is an example of the case where the present invention is applied to a front body structure having a bumper on the lower front side of a hood of an automobile.
[0018]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a bonnet 1 that covers the upper side of the engine room is provided at the front of the vehicle body of the automobile C, and a radiator grill 2 is provided below the front end of the bonnet 1. A bumper 5, a protruding member 10 unique to the present application, a pair of support stays 20, and a pair of energy absorbing members 30 are provided on the lower side (the front lower side of the bonnet 1). The bonnet 1 has a bonnet panel 1a and a bonnet reinforcement 1b for reinforcing the bonnet panel 1a.
[0019]
A pair of left and right front frames 4 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle inside the front wheels 3 are provided at the front of the vehicle body of the automobile C. Bumpers 5, projecting members 10, support stays 20, and energy absorbing members 30 are attached to the front end portions of these front frames 4, and their surfaces are covered with a synthetic resin (for example, hard urethane) bumper face 9. Constitutes a bumper unit.
[0020]
The bumper 5 includes a bumper reinforcement 6 (vehicle width direction member) that is coupled to the front end portions of the pair of front frames 4 and that is long in the vehicle width direction, and a vehicle width that is attached to the front surface of the bumper reinforcement 6. And a bumper body 7 made of a foam material long in the direction.
[0021]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the projecting member 10 is used to input an external load from a colliding obstacle. For example, the projecting member 10 is formed of a hollow or solid rod made of metal, and is formed of a bumper reinforcement 6. in position protruding from the lower side to the front side of the vehicle, and extends in the vehicle width direction for example provided in the front-rear direction position corresponding to the front end position of the bumper body 7. The bumper face 9 is formed with an outside air inlet 9a for introducing outside air to the engine room side between the bumper body 7 and the protruding member 10.
[0022]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pair of support stays 20 are for supporting the protruding member 10 by connecting it to the bumper reinforcement 6 and the front frame 4 so as to be rearwardly displaceable. It is provided at the same position in the vehicle width direction as the front frame 4 so as to correspond to the frame 4, and the support stay 20 is deformed by the external load, and the projecting member 10 is displaced rearward through the deformation. is there.
[0023]
Each support stay 20 is connected to the vertical portion 21 located on the upper rear side, the inclined portion 22 that is connected to the lower end of the vertical portion 21 and extends to the front lower side, and the front end portion of the inclined portion 22 that extends forward. The horizontal portion 23 is integrally formed, and the front end portion of the horizontal portion 23 is connected to the protruding member 10.
[0024]
A vertical portion 21 at the rear end portion of the support stay 20 is sandwiched between the front frame 4 and the flanges 4a and 6a of the bumper reinforcement 6 and fixed and connected by a plurality of bolts (not shown). Here, the vicinity of the boundary between the vertical portion 21 and the inclined portion 22 of the support stay 20 is configured as the deformation promoting portion 24, and the deformation promoting portion 24 is mainly deformed so that the protruding member 10 is displaced rearward. ing.
[0025]
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the pair of energy absorbing members 30 connect the pair of support stays 20 and the bumper reinforcement 6, and the projecting member 10 is displaced rearward by an external load. Each energy absorbing member 30 includes an energy absorbing portion 31 obtained by bending a belt-like metal plate into a bellows shape, and brackets 32 and 33 on both upper and lower ends of the energy absorbing portion 31. Are integrally formed.
[0026]
The upper bracket 32 is fixed to the lower portion of the front end of the front frame 4 by a bolt (not shown) inserted through the bolt hole 32a, and the lower bracket 33 is supported by a bolt (not shown) inserted through the bolt hole 33a. The energy absorbing member 30 is connected to the central portion in the length direction of the inclined portion 22 of the stay 20 and is inclined to the lower rear side in a normal state.
[0027]
The operation and effect of the front body structure will be described. Assume that an obstacle sufficiently higher than the bumper 5 collides with the protruding member 10 via the bumper 5 and the bumper face 9. First, an external load due to the collision of an obstacle is input to the bumper body 7 through the bumper face 9 of the bumper 5, and the external load can be buffered by a cushioning action caused by the bumper body 7 being compressed and deformed. When the external load is large, the external load is input to the pair of front frames 4 via the bumpers 5 and these front frames 4 are compressed (buckled) to buffer the external load and absorb energy. Can be absorbed.
[0028]
The external load is also input to the protruding member 10 through the bumper face 9 substantially in parallel with the input to the bumper body 7. The external load input from the projecting member 10 acts on the pair of support stays 20 to mainly deform the deformation promoting portions 24 and displace the projecting member 10 together with the support stays 20. Since most of the external load input from the projecting member 10 acts on the pair of energy absorbing members 30 via the pair of support stays 20, when the projecting member 10 is displaced rearward, a pair of energy absorptions. When the member 30 is pulled, the bellows-shaped energy absorbing portion 31 is extended, so that an external load can be buffered and energy can be absorbed.
[0029]
Thus, by providing the projecting member 10, the pair of support stays 20, and the pair of energy absorbing members 30, when an obstacle collides from the front of the vehicle, an external load acting from the obstacle is bumpered. 5 and the front frame 4 as well as the energy absorbing member 30 can be used for buffering and energy absorption, so that the energy absorption effect can be greatly enhanced. Moreover, since the obstacle can be scooped up by the projecting member 10 while absorbing energy and guided to the bonnet 1 side, the impact on the obstacle can be effectively missed and reduced, and safety can be improved (impediment) Value can be reduced).
[0030]
Even if the obstacle collides with any position in the vehicle width direction of the projecting member 10, the external load is reliably applied to the pair of energy absorbing members 30 via the projecting member 10 and the pair of support stays 20. Can do. That is, even if the energy absorbing member 30 is not provided over substantially the entire width in the vehicle width direction like the bumper body 7, the energy absorbing function can be reliably achieved by providing only one pair in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the overall structure of the protruding member 10, the support stay 20, and the energy absorbing member 30 can be simplified and the weight can be reduced, so that the structure for mounting them can be simplified. The absorbing member 30 can be configured as a bumper unit, and the appearance can be improved, which is advantageous in terms of manufacturing cost.
[0031]
Since the bumper reinforcement 6 which is an existing member can be effectively used as the vehicle width direction member for attaching the support stay 20 and the energy absorbing member 30, the protruding member 10, the support stay 20, and the energy absorbing member 30 are attached. The structure can be reliably simplified and the overall weight can be reliably reduced.
[0032]
Since the pair of support stays 20 corresponding to the pair of front frames 4 are provided as the support stays 20, the protruding members 10 can be displaced rearward by the front frame 4 and the bumper reinforcement 6 by the pair of support stays 20. Can be securely connected and supported. In addition, since the vertical portion 21 of the rear end portion of the support stay 20 is sandwiched and fixed between the front frame 4 and the bumper reinforcement 6, the connection structure between the front frame 4 and the bumper reinforcement 6 is used, The support stay 20 can be easily connected. And the protrusion member 10 can be reliably displaced through the deformation | transformation of the support stay 20 by the said external load.
[0033]
The pair of front frames 4 is deformed by an external load to absorb energy, but the projecting member 10, the support stay 20, and the energy absorbing member 30 are used for the external load applied to the pair of front frames 4. Since the external load acting on the pair of front frames 4 can be input straight from the front side of the vehicle with almost no adverse effect on the input direction, that is, the deformation mode of the pair of front frames 4, the support stay is further improved. Since 20 is connected to the front end side of the front frame 4, the deformation region of the front frame 4 can be sufficiently maintained without being reduced, and the energy absorption effect by the pair of front frames 4 can be exhibited sufficiently and reliably.
[0034]
Next, various energy absorbing members applicable instead of the energy absorbing member 30 will be described with reference to FIG.
The energy absorbing member 35 in (a) is a synthetic resin belt, and when pulled, it stretches as a whole and absorbs energy.
[0035]
The energy absorbing member 36 in (b) includes two plastic belts 36a that are bent in a U-turn shape at two midpoints in the length direction and two upper and lower portions that are bent in a U-turn shape of the metal belt 36a. A band 36c for bundling the metal belt 36a is provided between the U-turn portions 36b. When the energy absorbing member 35 is pulled, the metal belt 36a constrained by the band 36c moves the U-turn portion 36b and expands while performing plastic deformation to absorb energy.
[0036]
The energy absorbing member 37 in (c) is a perforated iron plate in which a plurality of holes 37a are formed. When pulled, the energy absorbing member 37 is deformed so that a portion other than the holes 37a extends to absorb energy. The energy absorbing member 38 of (d) is made of a bellows tube, and when pulled, it is deformed so that a part of the bellows tube extends to absorb energy. In addition, like the brackets 32 and 33 of the energy absorbing member 30 in FIG. 4, connecting brackets are integrally provided on the upper and lower portions of the energy absorbing members 35 to 38 of (a) to (d). Yes. However, the reference numerals are omitted.
[0037]
[0038]
[0039]
[0040]
Other modifications will be described.
[0041]
1] Three or more support stays may be provided as support stays, and the projecting member 10 may be connected to the bumper reinforcement 6 or the front frame 4 so as to be rearwardly displaceable by the three or more support stays. It is also possible to connect the protruding member 10 to the bumper reinforcement with one support stay. However, in this case, it is necessary to lengthen the lateral width of the support stay to some extent.
[0042]
2] An impact absorbing member made of a foam material may be provided on the front side of the protruding member 10 inside the bumper face 9.
3] In addition, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0043]
【The invention's effect】
According to a front body structure of a vehicle of claim 1, and a protruding member extending in a vehicle width Direction provided at a position projecting toward the vehicle front side from the lower side in the vehicle width direction members, the vehicle width direction member protruding member Alternatively, a support stay that is connected to and supported by the front frame so as to be rearwardly displaceable, and an energy absorbing member that connects the support stay and the vehicle width direction member and absorbs energy when the projecting member is displaced rearward by an external load. And provided. Therefore, when an obstacle collides from the front of the vehicle, the external load acting from the obstacle can be buffered not only by the bumper but also by the energy absorbing member to absorb the energy, so that the energy absorption effect is greatly enhanced. In addition, it can be guided to the bonnet side by scooping up the obstacle with the protruding member while absorbing energy, so that the impact on the obstacle can be effectively missed and reduced, and safety is improved ( Can reduce the obstacle value).
[0044]
The overall structure of the projecting member, support stay, and energy absorbing member is simplified and the weight can be reduced, so the structure for mounting them can be simplified, and the projecting member, support stay, and energy absorbing member can be configured as a bumper unit together with the bumper. The appearance of the shape is good, which is advantageous in terms of production cost.
When applied to a vehicle that absorbs energy by deforming a pair of front frames by an external load, the projecting member, the support stay, and the energy absorbing member are input directions of the external load to the pair of front frames. That is, the deformation mode of the pair of front frames is hardly adversely affected, and an external load acting on the pair of front frames can be input straight from the front side of the vehicle. Since it is connected to the front end side, the deformation region of the front frame can be sufficiently maintained without being reduced, and the energy absorption effect by the pair of front frames can be sufficiently and reliably exhibited.
[0045]
According to the front vehicle body structure of the vehicle of the second aspect, the vehicle width direction member is a bumper reinforcement, so that the existing bumper reinforcement can be effectively used. .
[0046]
According to the vehicle front body structure of the third aspect of the present invention, since the pair of support stays corresponding to the pair of front frames is provided as the support stays, the pair of support stays causes the projecting member to be a vehicle width direction member or It can be connected to and supported by the front frame so that it can be displaced rearward. The connection structure that connects a pair of support stays to a pair of front frames can be simplified. Also, a pair of support stays can be connected to a vehicle width direction member. In this case, the connection structure can be simplified by using a pair of front frames. In the case of absorbing energy by deforming a pair of front frames due to an external load, the external load acting on the pair of front frames via the projecting member, the pair of support stays and the energy absorbing member is applied to the front side of the vehicle. Therefore, the energy absorption effect of the pair of front frames can be sufficiently exhibited.
[0047]
[0048]
[0049]
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of a front body structure of an automobile.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a front body structure of an automobile.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an energy absorbing member.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of various applicable energy absorbing members.
[Explanation of symbols]
C Car 1 Bonnet 4 Front frame 5 Bumper 6 Bumper reinforcement 10 Protruding member 20 Support stay 30, 35-38 Energy absorbing member

Claims (3)

A front vehicle body structure including a bumper including a vehicle width direction member supported on a front end side of a front frame on a front lower side of a vehicle bonnet,
A protruding member extending in a vehicle width Direction provided at a position projecting toward the vehicle front side from the lower side of the vehicle width direction member,
A support stay for connecting and supporting the protruding member so as to be rearwardly displaceable;
An energy absorbing member that couples the support stay and the vehicle width direction member and absorbs energy when the projecting member is displaced rearward by an external load;
The rear end portion of the support stay is sandwiched and fixed between a vehicle width direction member and a front frame, and the protruding member is displaced rearward by deformation of the support stay by the external load. The vehicle body structure.   The vehicle front body structure according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle width direction member is a bumper reinforcement.   The vehicle front body structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a pair of support stays corresponding to a pair of front frames are provided as the support stays.

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