JP6332292B2 - Front apron and cowl connection structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connecting structure of a front apron and a cowl.

  Patent Document 1 listed below discloses an invention relating to a fastening structure of an apron upper member. In this prior art, the apron upper member and the cowl, which constitute a part of the front part of the vehicle body, are fastened by the connecting member, so that the load is applied between the apron upper member and the cowl via the connecting member. Is effectively transmitted.

JP 2008-013068 A

  However, in this prior art, since the suspension tower is coupled to the inside of the apron upper member in the vehicle width direction, the upper wall of the suspension tower moves up and down due to the thrust load from the suspension when the vehicle is running. The cowl may be elastically deformed through the apron upper member and the connecting member.

  In view of the above fact, the present invention has an object to obtain a front apron and cowl connection structure that can suppress the vertical movement of the upper wall portion of the front suspension tower against a thrust load from the front suspension. is there.

  The connecting structure of the front apron and the cowl according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a front apron in which a front suspension tower for supporting a front suspension of a vehicle is formed, and a rear side of the front apron in the vehicle front-rear direction. And a front end in the vehicle front-rear direction is fixed to the front apron and a cowl extending along the vehicle width direction and having a front portion in the vehicle front-rear direction joined to the upper wall portion of the front suspension tower. In addition, the rear end portion in the vehicle front-rear direction has a connecting member that is positioned above the front end portion in the vehicle vertical direction and is fixed to the rear portion in the vehicle front-rear direction of the cowl.

  In the connecting structure of the front apron and the cowl according to the first aspect of the present invention, a front suspension tower that supports the front suspension of the vehicle is formed in the front apron. A cowl extends along the vehicle width direction on the rear side of the front apron in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a front portion of the cowl in the vehicle front-rear direction is joined to an upper wall portion of the front suspension tower.

  Note that the “joining” here includes not only the case where the cowl is directly joined to the front apron, but also the case where the cowl is joined indirectly to the front apron via another member. It is. The “junction” used in other description parts in this specification is the same interpretation unless otherwise specified.

  Here, the front apron and the cowl are connected by a connecting member. Specifically, the front end portion of the connecting member in the vehicle front-rear direction is fixed to the front apron, and the rear end portion of the connecting member in the vehicle front-rear direction is closer to the vehicle vertical direction than the front end portion of the connecting member in the vehicle front-rear direction. It is located on the upper side and is fixed to the rear part of the cowl in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

  When the vehicle is running, if the upper wall of the front suspension tower is pushed upward in the vertical direction of the vehicle due to the pushing load from the front suspension, the front apron on which the front suspension tower is formed is elastic as follows. Deform.

  Generally, the rear part of the front apron in the vehicle longitudinal direction and the rear part of the cowl in the vehicle longitudinal direction are joined (fixed) to a so-called dash panel. For this reason, when the upper wall of the front suspension tower is pushed upward in the up-down direction of the vehicle, the front side of the front apron in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is directed upward in the up-down direction of the vehicle from the rear side of the front-rear direction of the vehicle. And pushed up. Accordingly, the front apron is elastically deformed so as to tilt toward the rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the rear part of the front apron in the vehicle front-rear direction is elastically deformed toward the rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction.

  In the present invention, the front end portion of the connecting member in the vehicle front-rear direction is connected to the front apron, and the rear end portion of the connecting member in the vehicle front-rear direction is located above the front end portion of the connecting member in the vehicle front-rear direction. Located and connected to the rear part of the cowl in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. That is, the main body portion of the connecting member excluding the front end portion of the connecting member in the vehicle front-rear direction and the rear end portion of the connecting member in the vehicle front-rear direction is inclined upward in the vehicle up-down direction as it goes rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction. It will be arranged in the state.

  For this reason, when the front part of the front apron is elastically deformed so that the rear part in the vehicle front-rear direction is directed toward the rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the position of the front end part of the connection member in the vehicle front-rear direction is moved to the rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction. A push-up force (F1) that acts obliquely upward of the vehicle acts on the rear end portion side of the vehicle in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

  As described above, when the front apron is pushed up upward in the vehicle vertical direction, the front part of the cowl in the vehicle longitudinal direction is pushed up in the vehicle vertical direction, and the rear side of the cowl in the vehicle longitudinal direction , A clockwise moment (+ M) acts in a side view of the vehicle as viewed from the left side of the vehicle.

  On the other hand, a push-up force (F1) acts on the rear end portion side of the connecting member in the vehicle front-rear direction due to elastic deformation of the front apron. A counterclockwise moment (-M) acts in a side view. That is, a so-called clockwise moment (+ M) and counterclockwise moment (−M) act on the rear side of the cowl in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and as a result, the rotation of the cowl is suppressed. Become.

  By the way, when a clockwise moment (+ M) acts on the rear side of the cowl in the vehicle front-rear direction, a stress (F2) that acts obliquely downward on the vehicle acts via the connecting member. Thereby, the rear part of the front apron in the vehicle front-rear direction is pressed toward the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the amount of elastic deformation toward the rear side in the vehicle front-rear direction is reduced. That is, according to the present invention, the rigidity in the connection structure between the front apron and the cowl can be improved, and thereby the vertical movement of the upper wall portion of the front suspension tower is suppressed.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the front apron and cowl connection structure according to the present invention. The front apron and cowl connection structure according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the cowl extends along the vehicle longitudinal direction. The cross-sectional shape when cut is a hat shape in which the upper side in the vehicle vertical direction is opened, and the rear end portion of the connecting member in the vehicle front-rear direction is connected to the lower wall portion and the lower wall portion of the cowl, and the cowl It is connected with the site | part containing the ridgeline comprised by the rear wall part which comprises the rear part of the vehicle front-back direction.

  In the connecting structure of the front apron and the cowl according to the present invention described in claim 2, the cross-sectional shape when the cowl is cut along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle has a hat shape in which the upper side in the vertical direction of the vehicle is opened. Yes.

  From the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the vehicle, the thickness of the cowl may be set to be thinner than the thickness of the front apron. In this case, the cowl is less rigid than the front apron. Here, in the cowl, the cross-sectional shape when cut along the vehicle front-rear direction is a hat shape in which the upper side in the vehicle vertical direction is opened. That is, the cowl includes a front wall portion located at the front portion in the vehicle front-rear direction, a rear wall portion located at the rear portion in the vehicle front-rear direction facing the front wall portion, and lower ends of the front wall portion and the rear wall portion. And a lower wall part connecting the parts. For this reason, in the rear part of the cowl in the vehicle front-rear direction, the ridge line part constituted by the lower wall part and the rear wall part of the cowl top has higher rigidity than other parts.

  Therefore, in the present invention, the rear end portion of the connecting member in the vehicle front-rear direction is coupled so as to include the ridge line formed by the lower wall portion and the rear wall portion of the cowl, so that the cowl is lower than the front apron. Even if it is rigidity, the difference in rigidity can be complemented.

  As described above, the front apron and cowl connection structure according to the present invention described in claim 1 can move the upper wall portion of the front suspension tower in the vertical direction of the vehicle against the thrust load from the front suspension. It has an excellent effect that it can be suppressed.

  The connecting structure of the front apron and the cowl according to the second aspect of the present invention has an excellent effect that the rigidity between the front apron and the cowl can be increased and the steering stability can be improved.

It is the perspective view seen from the vehicle width direction inner side and the vehicle upper diagonal front side which shows the connection structure of the front apron and cowl which concern on this Embodiment. It is the perspective view seen from the inner side of the vehicle width direction which shows the connection structure of the front apron and cowl which concerns on this Embodiment, and the vehicle downward diagonally back side. It is a top view which shows the connection structure of the front apron and cowl which concern on this Embodiment. It is a principal part expanded partial sectional view which shows the state by which the principal part of the connection structure of the front apron and cowl which concerns on this Embodiment was expanded partially. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 3 for explaining the operation of the front apron and cowl connection structure according to the present embodiment, where the solid line is the state before elastic deformation; The dotted line shows the state after elastic deformation. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1 for explaining the operation of the front apron and cowl connection structure according to the present embodiment, where the solid line is the state before elastic deformation; The dotted line shows the state after elastic deformation.

  Hereinafter, the front apron and cowl connection structure according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that an arrow FR appropriately shown in each drawing indicates a front side in the vehicle front-rear direction (hereinafter referred to as “vehicle front side”), and an arrow UP indicates an upper side in the vehicle vertical direction (hereinafter referred to as “vehicle upper side”). The arrow IN indicates the inner side in the vehicle width direction. Hereinafter, when simply using the front-rear, up-down, left-right directions, the front-rear direction in the vehicle front-rear direction, the up-down direction in the vehicle up-down direction, and the left-right direction when facing forward are indicated unless otherwise specified.

(Composition of front apron and cowl connection structure)
First, the overall configuration of the vehicle body front portion 14 of the vehicle body 12 to which the front apron and cowl connection structure 10 according to the present embodiment is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3. The vehicle body front portion 14 is provided with a power unit chamber 16 in which a power unit (not shown) is accommodated. On both outer sides of the power unit chamber 16 in the vehicle width direction, a pair of left and right front side members 18 constituting the skeleton of the vehicle body 12 are disposed along the vehicle front-rear direction.

  The front side member 18 includes a front portion 18A extending in the vehicle front-rear direction and a kick portion 18B inclined from the vehicle rear side of the front portion 18A toward the vehicle rear lower side. Further, a pair of left and right front pillars 20 are respectively disposed along the vehicle vertical direction on both sides of the front side member 18 in the vehicle width direction and on the vehicle upper side.

  A pair of left and right apron upper members 22 are disposed along the vehicle front-rear direction on both outer sides of the front side member 18 in the vehicle width direction and on the vehicle upper side from the middle portion of the front pillar 20 to the vehicle front side. ing. The front side member 18, the front pillar 20, and the apron upper member 22 all have a closed cross-sectional structure.

  A dash panel 24 that separates the power unit chamber 16 and the vehicle interior 23 is disposed between the front side member 18 and the pair of left and right front pillars 20. A front apron 26 is provided on the vehicle front side of the dash panel 24 and between the apron upper member 22 and the front side member 18.

  And the outer edge part along the vehicle width direction of the front apron 26 is joined to the apron upper member 22 by joining means, such as spot welding, and the inner edge part along the vehicle width direction of the front apron 26 is spot welding etc. It is joined to the front side member 18 by the joining means. Further, the front end portion of the front apron 26 is joined to a reinforcing member spanned between the apron upper member 22 and the front side member 18 by a joining means such as spot welding, for example, although not shown. The rear end portion of the front apron 26 is joined to the dash panel 24 by joining means such as spot welding.

  Here, the front apron 26 is formed by press working, and has a shape protruding toward the vehicle upper side. A front suspension tower (hereinafter referred to as “sus tower portion”) 28 is formed at the rear portion of the front apron 26. As described above, since the apron upper member 22 is disposed on the vehicle upper side of the front side member 18, the outer edge portion of the front apron 26 along the vehicle width direction is the inner edge of the front apron 26 along the vehicle width direction. It is higher than the part. For this reason, a vertical wall portion 26 </ b> A is formed in an inner portion of the front apron 26 in the vehicle width direction, and fills a gap between the apron upper member 22 and the front side member 18. That is, in the rear part of the front apron 26, the cross-sectional shape when viewed from the front side of the vehicle in a state cut along the vehicle width direction has a substantially inverted L shape.

  The front apron 26 accommodates a shock absorber and a spring constituting a suspension (not shown) that supports a front wheel housed in the wheel house (not shown). A front suspension tower plate (hereinafter referred to as “sus tower plate”) 30 as an upper wall portion is provided on the upper surface (not shown) of the suspension tower 28 at the rear portion of the front apron 26.

  The suspension tower plate 30 is formed in a disk shape or a covered cylindrical shape with a steel material or the like, and is joined to the suspension tower portion 28 by joining means such as welding. Further, the suspension tower plate 30 is provided with an extending portion 30A that extends outward in the vehicle width direction. The extension part 30 </ b> A is joined to the apron upper member 22, so that the suspension tower plate 30 is also fixed to the apron upper member 22.

  Further, a through hole 30B is formed in a central portion of the suspension tower plate 30, more specifically, a portion facing a shock absorber and a spring (not shown). And the fixing | fixed part which is not shown in figure is provided in the peripheral part of the through-hole 30B, The upper support (illustration omitted) provided in the upper side of the said spring is supported by the suspension tower plate 30 by the said fixing | fixed part. . In addition, when using a coil over for a suspension, it can respond by changing the fixing | fixed part of the suspension tower plate 30 suitably.

  On the other hand, a cowl 32 is spanned between the left and right front pillars 20 on the vehicle rear side of the front apron 26 and the vehicle front side of the dash panel 24. The cowl 32 has a hat shape in which a cross-sectional shape when cut along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is open on the vehicle upper side.

  More specifically, the cowl 32 is disposed at the front portion and extends along the vehicle width direction, and the front wall portion 32A is disposed on the rear side of the front wall portion 32A so as to face the front wall portion 32A. The main part is composed of a rear wall part 32B extending along the vehicle width direction and a lower wall part 32C connecting the front wall part 32A and the lower end part of the rear wall part 32B. A ridge line P is formed at a boundary portion between the front wall portion 32A and the lower wall portion 32C of the cowl 32, and a ridge line Q is formed at a boundary portion between the lower wall portion 32C and the rear wall portion 32B.

  Further, a step portion 32A1 (see FIG. 5) is provided at the center portion of the front wall portion 32A of the cowl 32 in the vertical direction. Further, a front flange portion 32D is formed from the upper end portion of the front wall portion 32A so as to protrude toward the front side of the vehicle. The front flange portion 32D is connected to the front via the suspension tower plate 30 by a joining means such as spot welding. It is joined to the upper surface of the apron 26 (the upper surface of the suspension tower 28 (not shown)).

  Further, a rear flange portion 32E that protrudes toward the vehicle rear side is formed from the upper end portion of the rear wall portion 32B of the cowl 32, and the rear flange portion 32E is formed on the upper end side of the dash panel 24 by joining means such as spot welding. It is joined to. And this cowl 32 is set as the structure which supports the windshield glass which is not shown in figure by the right and left front pillar 20 and the roof head part which is not shown in figure.

  The “joining” here is not limited to the case where the cowl 32 is directly joined to the front apron 26 or the dash panel 24, but the cowl 32 is attached to the front apron 26 or the dash panel 24 via another member. Indirect bonding is also included.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, one end portion (front end portion) in the longitudinal direction of a strip-shaped connecting member 36 formed of a steel plate is joined to the rear side of the vertical wall portion 26 </ b> A of the front apron 26. . A fixing piece 36A that bends toward the vehicle lower side is provided at the front end of the connecting member 36. The fixed piece 36A is joined to the front apron 26 by joining means such as a bolt 37. A fixing piece 36B that bends toward the vehicle upper side is provided at the other end portion (rear end portion) of the connecting member 36 in the longitudinal direction. The fixed piece 36B is joined to the rear portion of the cowl 32 by an adhesive or the like.

  Here, the fixed piece 36B is joined to the rear portion of the cowl 32 so as to include a ridge line Q formed at the boundary portion between the lower wall portion 32C and the rear wall portion 32B of the cowl 32. For this reason, the fixed piece 36B is provided with a bent portion 36B1, and the fixed piece 36B is divided into a joint portion 36B2 and a joint portion 36B3. The joint portion 36B2 is joined to the lower wall portion 32C of the cowl 32, and the joint portion 36B3 is joined to the rear wall portion 32B.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the main body portion 36C of the connecting member 36 excluding the fixing pieces 36A and 36B of the connecting member 36 is arranged in an inclined state toward the vehicle upper side as it goes toward the vehicle rear side. become. Of course, the fixed piece 36B may be joined to the cowl 32 by joining means such as spot welding.

(Operation and effect of front apron and cowl connection structure)
Next, the operation and effect of the vehicle body front portion 14 of the vehicle body 12 to which the front apron and cowl connection structure 10 according to the present embodiment is applied will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown by the solid line in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, the front flange portion 32 </ b> D of the cowl 32 is joined to the suspension tower plate 30. Further, the rear flange portion 32 </ b> E of the cowl 32 is joined to the dash panel 24. Further, a fixed piece 36 </ b> A of the connecting member 36 is joined to the front apron 26, and a fixed piece 36 </ b> B of the connecting member 36 is joined to the rear portion 38 of the cowl 32.

  When the vehicle is traveling, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 5 due to a thrust load from a front suspension (not shown), when the suspension tower plate 30 is thrust toward the vehicle upper side, the suspension tower portion to which the suspension tower plate 30 is attached. 28 (front apron 26) is pushed up toward the vehicle upper side.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the suspension tower 28 is provided at the corner of the power unit chamber 16, and as shown by the solid lines in FIGS. 5 and 6, the front apron 26 provided with the suspension tower 28. The rear end portion 26 </ b> B is joined (fixed) to the dash panel 24.

  For this reason, when the suspension tower 28 of the front apron 26 is pushed up toward the vehicle upper side, the front side of the front apron 26 is pushed up toward the vehicle upper side rather than the rear side. As a result, the front apron 26 is elastically deformed so as to tilt toward the vehicle rear side, and the rear portion of the front apron 26 is elastically deformed toward the vehicle rear side as indicated by an arrow A.

  In the present embodiment, the fixed piece 36A on the front end side of the connecting member 36 is connected to the front apron 26, and the fixed piece 36B on the rear end side of the connecting member 36 is located above the fixed piece 36A. Connected to the rear portion 38 of the cowl. That is, the main body portion 36C of the connecting member 36 is arranged in an inclined state toward the vehicle upper side as it goes toward the vehicle rear side. Therefore, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 5, when the rear part of the front apron 26 is elastically deformed so as to go to the vehicle rear side, and the position of the fixing piece 36A of the connection member 36 moves to the vehicle rear side, the connection member On the fixed piece 36B side of 36, a thrust force (F1) that pushes up obliquely upward of the vehicle via the connecting member 36 acts.

  Since the rear portion 38 of the cowl 32 is joined to the dash panel 24, when the front apron 26 is pushed up toward the vehicle upper side, the front portion 40 of the cowl 32 is pushed up toward the vehicle upper side. At this time, a clockwise moment (+ M) acts on the rear portion 38 side of the cowl 32 as viewed from the side of the vehicle as viewed from the left side of the vehicle.

  On the other hand, due to the elastic deformation of the front apron 26, a push-up force (F1) that pushes up toward the vehicle upper side acts on the rear end portion side of the connecting member 36, so that the rear portion 38 side of the cowl 32 is applied from the left side of the vehicle. A counterclockwise moment (-M) acts on the seen vehicle side view. That is, the clockwise moment (+ M) and the counterclockwise moment (−M) act on the rear portion 38 side of the cowl 32, so-called canceling moment acts, and as a result, the rotation of the cowl 32. Will be suppressed.

  By the way, when a clockwise moment (+ M) acts on the rear portion 38 side of the cowl 32, a stress (F2) that pushes the vehicle diagonally downward acts via the connecting member 36. As a result, the rear portion of the front apron 26 is pressed toward the vehicle front side as indicated by an arrow B, and the amount of elastic deformation toward the vehicle rear side is reduced.

  That is, according to this embodiment, the rigidity in the connection structure between the front apron 26 and the cowl 32 can be improved. As a result, the vertical movement of the suspension tower plate 30 is suppressed. In this way, by suppressing the vertical displacement of the suspension tower plate 30, the steering stability can be improved.

  Further, from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the vehicle, the thickness of the cowl 32 may be set to be thinner than the thickness of the front apron 26. In this case, the cowl 32 is less rigid than the front apron 26. Here, since the cross-sectional shape of the cowl 32 when cut along the vehicle longitudinal direction is a hat shape, the rear portion 38 of the cowl 32 is formed by the lower wall portion 32C and the rear wall portion 32B of the cowl top 32. The portion of the ridgeline Q to be made has higher rigidity than other portions.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the fixing piece 36 </ b> B of the connecting member 36 may be joined to the rear portion 38 of the cowl 32 so as to include the ridge line Q of the cowl 32. Thereby, even if the cowl 32 has lower rigidity than the front apron 26, the rigidity difference generated between the cowl 32 and the front apron 26 can be compensated. Note that the fixed piece 36 </ b> B of the connecting member 36 only needs to be joined to the rear portion 38 of the cowl 32, and thus does not necessarily include the ridge line Q.

  In the present embodiment, the front apron 26 has been described as an example in which one plate material is formed by press working, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the front apron 26 may be formed as a single plate material by bonding a plurality of plate materials to each other by a joining means such as spot welding.

  Further, the front apron 26 is not limited to pressing, and may be formed by casting. Here, in the present embodiment, an example in which the suspension tower plate 30 is formed separately from the front apron 26 and the suspension tower plate 30 is attached to the front apron 26 has been described. A suspension tower plate may be integrally formed with the front apron. That is, the upper surface (not shown) of the suspension tower 28 itself becomes the upper wall portion of the suspension tower 28.

10 Front Apron / Cowl Connection Structure 12 Vehicle Body 14 Vehicle Body Front 26 Front Apron 28 Suspension Tower (Front Suspension Tower)
30 Suspension tower plate (upper wall of front suspension tower)
32 Cowl 32B Rear wall (Cowl rear wall)
32C Lower wall (lower wall of cowl)
36 connecting member 36A fixed piece (front end of connecting member)
36B fixed piece (rear end of connecting member)
38 Rear (Cowl rear)
Q ridgeline

Claims (2)

A front apron formed with a front suspension tower that supports the front suspension of the vehicle;
A cowl located on the rear side of the front apron in the vehicle front-rear direction and extending along the vehicle width direction, the front portion of the vehicle front-rear direction being joined to the upper wall portion of the front suspension tower;
A front end portion in the vehicle front-rear direction is fixed to the front apron, and a rear end portion in the vehicle front-rear direction is located above the front end portion in the vehicle vertical direction, and in the vehicle front-rear direction in the cowl. A connecting member fixed to the rear,
Front apron and cowl connection structure with. The cowl has a hat shape in which a cross-sectional shape when cut along the vehicle front-rear direction is opened on the upper side in the vehicle vertical direction,
The rear end portion of the connecting member is connected to a portion including a ridge line formed by a lower wall portion of the cowl and a rear wall portion that is connected to the lower wall portion and forms a rear portion of the cowl in the vehicle front-rear direction. The front apron and cowl connection structure according to claim 1.