JP4200766B2 - Vehicle collision safety structure - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a collision safety structure for a vehicle, and more particularly to a technique for preventing a drive device from protruding into a vehicle compartment by a simple means.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A vehicle in which a driving device such as an engine or a transmission is disposed in front of a passenger compartment with a dashboard in between is widely known. In such a vehicle, the driving device is pushed toward the passenger compartment during a frontal collision. If this occurs, corners such as the end of the drive device may bite into the dashboard or other body members, causing the dashboard to deform and protrude into the vehicle interior. FIG. 5 is an example of such a vehicle, and is a schematic plan view of the engine room 10 as viewed from above, and the lower side of the dashboard 12 is a passenger compartment having a driver's seat and the like. The power unit 14 as a driving device is for a hybrid vehicle, and integrally includes an engine 16 and a motor generator 18 and the like, and side members 26 and 28 via left and right mounts 20 and 22 and a torque rod 24. It is supported by a body member such as the cross member 30. For example, as shown in FIG. 6 (a), in the case of a frontal collision, particularly an offset collision with the oncoming vehicle 32, one side member 28 is buckled and bent, and the power unit 14 is mounted on the vehicle compartment side (the lower side of the figure). ), And the power unit 14 has a rectangular protrusion 34 protruding toward the passenger compartment as shown in FIG. 7, for example, the corner 36 of the protrusion 34 bites into the bent side member 28, and As shown in FIG. 6 (b), when the power unit 14 is further pushed toward the passenger compartment, the dashboard 12 may be deformed as it is and protrude into the passenger compartment. 7 is a power supply connecting portion that protrudes to the outer peripheral side in order to connect the power cable 38 to the motor generator 18, and the vehicle is rotated while the entire power unit 14 is rotated as indicated by an arrow A at the time of a frontal collision. When displaced toward the room side, the corner portion 36 of the projecting portion 34 bites into the side member 28 and the like, and the rotation of the power unit 14 is regulated by this biting and projects into the vehicle compartment as it is.
[0003]
On the other hand, in order to prevent the drive device from protruding toward the passenger compartment side in this manner, for example, in Patent Document 1, the vehicle body is lifted and raised by a vehicle height adjuster at the time of a collision, and the drive device is moved below the vehicle body via the link body. It has been proposed to move to
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-245668 [Patent Document 2]
JP-A-8-332858 [Patent Document 3]
JP 2002-200904 A [Patent Document 4]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-2111249
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when the vehicle body is lifted by the vehicle height adjuster and the drive device is moved below the vehicle body, a large-scale device such as a hydraulic device is required and the cost is increased, and the vehicle height adjuster is disposed. In order to do so, a significant design change of the body was necessary.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in the background of the above circumstances, and the purpose of the present invention is to make it possible for the drive device to protrude into the vehicle compartment by simple means without requiring a large-scale device or a significant design change. It is to prevent.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve such an object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a corner portion of a driving device arranged with a dashboard in front of a passenger compartment bites into the dashboard and other body members at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle. A collision safety structure for a vehicle that suppresses deformation of a dashboard and protruding into a vehicle interior, and a guard member that integrally includes a cylindrical portion of a partial cylindrical shape that curves with a radius of curvature larger than the corner portion. The outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion is provided integrally with the corner portion so as to be brought into contact with the body member.
[0008]
A second aspect of the invention is the vehicle collision safety structure according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the guard member is rotationally displaced in plan view when the cylindrical portion is brought into contact with the body member at the time of an offset collision. As described above, the cylindrical portion is provided so as to slide on the body member.
[0009]
A third aspect of the present invention is the vehicle collision safety structure according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein the guard member has an attachment portion that is attached to the corner portion so as to be rotatable in the vicinity of the center line of the cylindrical portion, When the cylindrical portion is brought into contact with the body member, the cylindrical portion is rotated around the attachment portion with respect to the corner portion, so that the cylindrical portion rolls on the surface of the body member while The corner portion is moved along the body member.
[0010]
【The invention's effect】
In such a collision safety structure, a guard member that is integrally provided with a cylindrical portion of a partial cylindrical shape that is curved with a larger radius of curvature than the corner portion of the drive device is integrally provided at the corner portion, and a frontal collision is performed. Since the cylindrical part is sometimes brought into contact with the body member, the engagement with the body member (such as bite) is reduced compared to the corner part, and it is driven by sliding on the surface of the body member. By moving the device, the protrusion into the vehicle compartment is suppressed. In this case, in the present invention, the guard member having the cylindrical portion only needs to be provided at the corner of the drive device, so that it is not necessary to change the design of the drive device or the body, and the number of parts to be added is small and simple and inexpensive. Can be configured.
[0011]
In the second invention, the cylindrical portion is slid on the body member so that the driving device is rotationally displaced in a plan view at the time of an offset collision, thereby preventing the driving device from protruding into the vehicle interior.
[0012]
The guard member of the third invention has an attachment portion that is attached to the corner portion so as to be rotatable in the vicinity of the center line of the cylindrical portion, and when the cylindrical portion is brought into contact with the body member, When the cylindrical part slides on the surface of the body member because the corner part moves along the body member while the cylindrical part rolls on the surface of the body member by being relatively rotated around the mounting part. Compared to the above, there is less catch and the protrusion to the passenger compartment side is more effectively prevented.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention can be applied to various vehicles in which a driving device is disposed in front of a passenger compartment. The driving device can have various modes such as a driving axle such as an engine and an electric motor, a transaxle that is integrally provided with a torque converter, an automatic transmission, and the like.
[0014]
The corner of the drive device where the guard member is disposed is a portion that has a high possibility of protruding toward the passenger compartment during a frontal collision (including offset collision). The shape and arrangement of the drive device, the mounting structure, and various collision modes For example, when a protrusion such as the power supply connecting portion that protrudes toward the passenger compartment is provided, a corner portion of the protrusion is appropriate. The corner portion is, for example, a vertex portion where three substantially flat surfaces intersect each other at substantially right angles, but may be an arc-shaped ridge line portion where a cylindrical bottom surface and an outer peripheral surface intersect.
[0015]
The cylindrical portion of the guard member is preferably configured to have a predetermined length so that it does not easily bite into the body member, and a predetermined gap is preferably provided between the drive member and the drive device to absorb the impact. . The guard member is configured to have a mounting portion that is integrally attached to a side surface of a corner portion or the like by a fixing means such as a bolt, and the cylindrical portion extends in a cantilever shape so as to be bent at a substantially right angle from the mounting portion, for example. By connecting the mounting part and the cylindrical part via a curved part whose cross section is curved so as to form an arc shape or a U shape, the arc of the curved part is provided. The biting into the body member is more effectively suppressed, and the impact at the time of collision is more effectively absorbed by the deformation of the curved portion.
[0016]
The partial cylindrical shape of the cylindrical portion has, for example, an angle range of 90 ° or more or 120 ° or more around the center line. The body member with which the guard member abuts constitutes the vehicle body, and may be a dashboard, a cross member, a side member, or the like.
[0017]
In the second invention, the guard member is arranged so as to prevent the drive device from protruding into the vehicle interior by rotating and displacing the drive device in a plan view at the time of an offset collision. The offset collision does not necessarily have to be a requirement.
[0018]
In the third invention, when the cylindrical portion is brought into contact with the body member, the cylindrical portion moves along the body member while rolling on the surface of the body member. The (moving direction of the corner) is appropriately determined according to the arrangement form of the guard member, and is configured to be directed downward by the weight of the drive apparatus depending on the shape and arrangement form of the drive apparatus, the mount structure, etc. It can also be configured to go in the width direction of the vehicle.
[0019]
In the guard member of the third invention, the cylindrical portion is caused to roll on the surface of the body member by being relatively rotated around the mounting portion. Various modes are possible, such as integrally fixing the guard member to the driving device or absorbing the impact by positively buckling and deforming the cylindrical portion.
[0020]
【Example】
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to the power unit 14 shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 will be described.
[0021]
In FIG. 1, the corners 36 of the protrusions 34, that is, the power connection portions of the power unit 14, that is, the apexes at which three substantially flat surfaces intersect each other at a substantially right angle, as shown in FIG. A guard member 40 is disposed at a portion that bites into the side member 28. A cover 44 is integrally fixed to the end of the power unit 14 on the motor generator 18 side by a large number of bolts 42, and the guard member 40 is attached to the cover 44 by one of the bolts 42. It is fastened and attached to the power unit 14.
[0022]
FIGS. 2A and 2B are enlarged views showing an arrangement portion of the guard member 40, where FIG. 2A is a front view and FIG. 2B is a view corresponding to the BB cross section in FIG. Is formed by drawing a single metal plate by pressing, a cylindrical portion 50 having a partially cylindrical shape, a flat mounting portion 52 fixed to the side surface of the protruding portion 34 by the bolt 42 as a fixing means, and A turning portion 54 for connecting the cylindrical portion 50 and the mounting portion 52 is integrally provided. The cylindrical portion 50 is cantilevered by being bent in a substantially right angle direction from the mounting portion 52 so as to be substantially parallel to the ridge line portion 56 substantially parallel to the vehicle width direction among the three ridge line portions intersecting at the corner portion 36. It extends into a shape. The ridgeline portion 56 has a radius of curvature larger than the ridgeline portion 56 and has an angle range of 120 ° or more around the center line so as to cover the ridgeline portion 56 with a predetermined gap from the ridgeline portion 56. It has a predetermined length (for example, about 30 to 50 mm) so that it does not easily bite into the side member 28.
[0023]
The curved portion 54 that connects the cylindrical portion 50 and the mounting portion 52 is curved so as to bulge outward (lower side in FIG. 2 (b)) so that the cross section forms a substantially semicircular arc shape. Further, the arc of the curved portion 54 suppresses the biting into the side member 28 more effectively, and the deformation at the curved portion 54 absorbs the impact at the time of collision.
[0024]
The mounting portion 52 is fixed to the side surface of the projecting portion 34 with a predetermined tightening torque by a bolt 42 on a substantially center line of the cylindrical portion 50, and the guard member 40 is usually as shown in FIG. 2 (a). The bolt 42 is positioned in the vicinity of the rotation end of the bolt 42 in the clockwise direction. When a predetermined turning force is applied to the guard member 40, the bolt 42 is allowed to rotate relative to the protrusion portion 34 counterclockwise. The That is, when the power unit 14 moves to the passenger compartment side while rotating as indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 1 at the time of an offset collision, the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 50 is brought into contact with the side member 28 as shown in FIG. The guard member 40 is rotated counterclockwise of the bolt 42 relative to the projecting portion 34, and the cylindrical portion 50 rolls downward on the surface of the side member 28 as shown in FIG. Then, the protrusion 34 is moved downward along the side member 28.
[0025]
Thus, when the protrusion part 34 is moved below, it is suppressed that the corner | angular part 36 bites into the side member 28 and protrudes into the vehicle compartment side as it is. Further, since the corner portion 36 of the protruding portion 34 is suppressed from biting into the side member 28, the protruding portion 34 is slid on the side member 28 and the cross member 30 and is moved by the oncoming vehicle 32 as shown in FIG. Even if the motor generator 18 side is further pushed, the power unit 14 is rotated so that the engine 16 side is displaced toward the vehicle front side as indicated by an arrow B as a whole, and the protrusion to the vehicle compartment side is suppressed.
[0026]
As described above, in this embodiment, the guard member 40 integrally including the cylindrical portion 50 having a partially cylindrical shape that is curved with a larger radius of curvature than the ridge line portion 56 of the corner portion 36 is provided integrally with the corner portion 36. Since the cylindrical portion 50 is brought into contact with the side member 28 at the time of an offset collision, the engagement with the side member 28 (e.g., bite) is reduced as compared with the corner portion 36, and the side member 28. As the corner portion 36 is moved along the, the power unit 14 is suppressed from protruding into the vehicle interior.
[0027]
In particular, the guard member 40 of the present embodiment is attached to the side surface of the protruding portion 34 with a predetermined tightening torque by a bolt 42 on a substantially center line of the cylindrical portion 50, and the cylindrical portion 50 is brought into contact with the side member 28. When the guard member 40 is rotated relative to the protruding portion 34, the cylindrical portion 50 moves along the side member 28 while the cylindrical portion 50 rolls downward on the surface of the side member 28. Since the cylindrical portion 50 is moved downward, the cylindrical portion 50 is less caught as compared with the case where the cylindrical portion 50 slides on the surface of the side member 28, and the protrusion to the passenger compartment side is more effectively prevented.
[0028]
On the other hand, in this embodiment, it is only necessary to provide the guard member 40 having the cylindrical portion 50 at the corner portion 36 of the projecting portion 34. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the design of the power unit 14 or the vehicle body, and the number of parts to be added is small. It can be configured easily and inexpensively. In the present embodiment, the guard member 40 is attached to the protruding portion 34 by using the bolt 42 for fixing the cover 44, so that the configuration is further simplified and inexpensive.
[0029]
In the embodiment described above, the tightening torque of the bolt 42 is determined so that when the predetermined turning force acts on the guard member 40, the bolt 42 is rotated relative to the left of the projecting portion 34 counterclockwise. It is also possible to fix the guard member 40 to the projecting portion 34 so as to be unrotatable by the bolt 42, and in this case, the rotational displacement B of the power unit 14 due to the skidding of the guard member 40 as shown in FIG. Protrusion into the passenger compartment is suppressed.
[0030]
As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was described in detail based on drawing, this is an embodiment to the last, and this invention is implemented in the aspect which added various change and improvement based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Can do.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of a power unit to which the present invention is applied.
2A and 2B are diagrams showing a guard member disposed in the power unit of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 2A is a front view, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG.
FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams for explaining the behavior of the guard member of FIG. 2 at the time of a vehicle collision. FIG. 3A shows a state in which the guard member is in contact with the side member, and FIG. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the behavior of the power unit of FIG. 1 at the time of a vehicle collision.
FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view illustrating an arrangement state of a conventional power unit with respect to a vehicle.
6 is a diagram for explaining the behavior of the power unit at the time of the offset collision of the vehicle in FIG. 5, in which (a) is a state in the initial stage of the collision, and (b) is a collision, and a part of the power unit protrudes into the vehicle interior. It is in the state.
7 is a specific example of the power unit of FIG. 5, corresponding to FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
12: Dashboard 14: Power unit (drive device) 26, 28: Side member (body member) 30: Cross member (body member) 36: Corner portion 40: Guard member 50: Cylindrical portion 52: Mounting portion B: Rotational displacement

Claims (3)

The corners of the drive unit, which is arranged in front of the passenger compartment with the dashboard in between, bite into the dashboard and other body members at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle and prevent the dashboard from deforming and protruding into the passenger compartment. Vehicle collision safety structure,
A guard member that is integrally provided with a partially cylindrical cylindrical portion that is curved with a larger radius of curvature than the corner portion is integrated with the corner portion so that the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion is brought into contact with the body member. A collision safety structure for a vehicle characterized by being provided. The guard member is provided so that the cylindrical portion slides on the body member so that the driving device is rotationally displaced in a plan view when the cylindrical portion is brought into contact with the body member in an offset collision. The vehicle collision safety structure according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle collision safety structure is provided. The guard member has an attachment portion that is attached to the corner portion so as to be rotatable in the vicinity of the center line of the cylindrical portion, and when the cylindrical portion is brought into contact with the body member, The corner portion is moved along the body member while the cylindrical portion rolls on the surface of the body member by being relatively rotated around the attachment portion. 2. A vehicle collision safety structure according to 2.

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