JP7615882B2 - Vehicle front structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle front structure.

A member called a cowl side member is provided near the top of the vehicle's front wheels. A typical cowl side member is shaped to taper forward from near the end of the dash panel in the vehicle width direction along the top of the wheel apron.

For example, in Patent Document 1, a wheel apron reinforcement panel 8 is provided on the upper part of the wheel apron 1 as a member similar to the cowl side member. The wheel apron reinforcement panel 8 is provided with a number of beads 17a extending vertically so that it can buckle and absorb the load in the event of a frontal collision or the like, while protecting the suspension tower 10 on the inside of the vehicle.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-293680

Some vehicles, such as small vehicles, have a shorter front-to-rear dimension for the front part of the vehicle ahead of the dash panel. In such cases, the cowl side member also has a shorter front-to-rear dimension, making it difficult to ensure an area that allows buckling during a frontal collision. If the cowl side member has a short front-to-rear dimension, it cannot fully consume and absorb the load during a frontal collision as impact energy caused by buckling of the cowl side member, and the load is more likely to be transmitted to members arranged behind the cowl side member. For example, the load may concentrate on the joint between the top end of the front pillar and the roof side member behind the cowl side member, causing these parts to break.

In view of these problems, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle front structure that can shorten the front-to-rear dimension of the cowl side member and suppress the transmission of load to the rear of the cowl side member.

In order to solve the above problems, a representative vehicle front structure according to the present invention is a vehicle front structure including a front side member that is provided at the vehicle width end of the power unit mounting room of the vehicle and extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and a cowl side member that is disposed above the outer side or the inner side of the front side member, with a rear portion extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction and a front portion extending and curving from the rear portion toward the front side member, the cowl side member having a bottom portion facing downwards of the vehicle and a side wall portion that bends upwards from the edge of the bottom portion in the vehicle width direction, the side wall portion having a rear side wall portion formed at the rear of the cowl side member, a front side wall portion formed at the front of the cowl side member, and a first bead formed in a state in which a predetermined vertical range of the front side wall portion bulges toward the front side member or the opposite side.

The present invention makes it possible to provide a vehicle front structure that can shorten the front-to-rear dimension of the cowl side member and suppress the transmission of load to the rear of the cowl side member.

1 is a diagram showing an outline of a vehicle front structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a view of the vehicle front structure of FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the cowl side member of FIG. 2(b). 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cowl side member taken along line AA of FIG. 2(b). 3 is a view showing the cowl side member in FIG. 2(b) as viewed from the front of the vehicle. FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the cowl side outer of FIG. FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the cowl side outer shown in FIG. 6 . FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of each bead in FIG. 7 . 8 is a diagram showing each narrowed portion of the cowl side outer of FIG. 7. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a modified example of the cowl side outer of FIG. 7. FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a modified example of the first bead in FIG. 8( a ).

The vehicle front structure according to one embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle front structure including a front side member that is provided at the vehicle width end of the power unit mounting room of the vehicle and extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and a cowl side member that is disposed above the outer side or the inner side of the front side member, with a rear portion extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction and a front portion extending from the rear portion toward the front side member, the cowl side member having a bottom portion facing downwards of the vehicle and a side wall portion extending upwards from the edge of the bottom portion in the vehicle width direction, the side wall portion having a side wall rear portion formed at the rear of the cowl side member, a side wall front portion formed at the front of the cowl side member, and a first bead formed in a state in which a predetermined vertical range of the side wall front portion bulges toward the front side member or the opposite side.

When the cowl side member receives a load from the front, it can absorb the load by inducing deformation in the front part of the side wall. For example, the front part of the side wall extends at a bend relative to the rear part of the side wall, and the periphery of the first bead in the front part of the side wall is likely to curve or bend in the direction of the bulging of the first bead, so that the load tends to gather in this bent area and the cowl side member can deform efficiently. In addition, because the cowl side member is bent toward the front side member, it is easy to induce deformation in the cowl side member along the buckling of the front side member. As a result, a part of the load transmitted to the front part of the side wall can be released to the front side member, and even if the load cannot be absorbed as deformation energy due to the buckling of the cowl side member, it is possible to reduce the load transmitted to the rear of the cowl side member.

In addition, because the cowl side members extend from the rear to the front and toward the front side members, it is possible to reduce the dimensions in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle while still securing a deformable area by extending the overall length, compared to when the cowl side members simply extend in the fore-and-aft direction.

The cowl side member may further have a first narrowing portion in which the dimension of the area including the first bead at the front and bottom of the side wall is narrowed in the vehicle width direction.

With the above configuration, the front side wall of the cowl side member induces deformation in the first bead and the first narrowing portion, and the portion including the first bead and the first narrowing portion buckles together with the front side member, making it possible to absorb the load during a frontal collision, etc., as deformation energy.

The bottom portion is curved toward the lower front side member as it moves forward, and the cowl side member may further have a second bead formed in such a way that a range of the bottom portion rearward of the first bead over a specified width of the vehicle is bulged upward or downward.

According to the above-mentioned configuration, the cowl side member is easily deformed to follow the lower front side member from the second bead extending in the vehicle width direction at its bottom, and can efficiently absorb load. Also, because the cowl side member extends from the rear toward the front lower front side member , it is possible to reduce the dimension in the vehicle fore-aft direction while securing a deformable area by extending the entire length, compared to a case where the cowl side member simply extends in the fore-aft direction.

The second bead may be formed so as to extend continuously upward from the bottom to the side wall.

With the above configuration, the cowl side member becomes more easily deformed starting from the second bead that extends to the side wall portion, and can efficiently absorb loads during a frontal collision, etc. In particular, the cowl side member can deform smoothly to follow the front side member because the second bead is provided continuously from the bottom to the side wall portion.

The cowl side member may further have a third bead formed in such a way that the bottom part rearward of the second bead bulges upward or downward over a specified range in the vehicle width direction.

With the above configuration, the cowl side member becomes more easily deformed starting from the third bead, making it possible to absorb loads.

The third bead may be formed so as to extend continuously upward from the bottom to the side wall.

With the above configuration, the cowl side member becomes more easily deformed starting from the third bead that extends to the side wall portion, and can efficiently absorb loads during a frontal collision, etc. In particular, the cowl side member can deform smoothly to follow the front side member because the third bead is provided continuously from the bottom to the side wall portion.

The cowl side member may further have a second narrowed portion in which the dimensions of the bottom and side wall portions including the second and third beads are narrowed in the vehicle width direction.

The second narrowed portion makes it easier for the load to be concentrated during a frontal collision, etc., and can efficiently absorb the load as deformation energy by inducing deformation in the second and third beads during a frontal collision, etc., causing them to buckle together with the front side member.

The distance between the first bead and the second bead in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction may be greater than the distance between the second bead and the third bead.

With the above configuration, the cowl side member is able to absorb loads by deforming in two stages, at the front and rear of the second bead. In particular, the area between the first bead and the front side of the second bead is wider than the area between the second bead and the third bead. This increases the frontal projection area of the area between the first bead and the second bead when the cowl side member deforms toward the front side member, making it easier to receive loads from the front, while discharging the load to the front side member and concentrating it near the second and third beads to deform and absorb it.

The cowl side member may further have a top surface portion extending from the upper end of the side wall portion to above the bottom portion, and the first bead may be formed so as to extend from the side wall portion continuously to the top surface portion in the vehicle width direction.

The cowl side member includes a cowl side outer having a bottom and a side wall, and a cowl side inner connected to the rear of the first bead of the cowl side outer to form a closed cross section between the bottom and the side wall of the cowl side outer. The cowl side outer further has a flange that bends from the upper end of the side wall in the range of the first bead in the fore-and-aft direction to the opposite side from the cowl side inner, and the flange may have a notch that is cut out near the extension of the first bead.

According to the above configuration, by forming a closed cross section on the rear side of the cowl side member to increase rigidity, it is possible to protect structures such as suspension towers located on the vehicle interior side of the rear of the cowl side member. In addition, by forming a notch in the vicinity of the longitudinal extension of the first bead in the flange, it is possible to fully absorb deformation originating from the first bead and the associated load.

The following describes in detail preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific values shown in the embodiments are merely examples to facilitate understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In this specification and drawings, elements that have substantially the same functions and configurations are given the same reference numerals to avoid duplicated explanations, and elements that are not directly related to the present invention are not illustrated.

Figure 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a vehicle front structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1(a) is a diagram showing a vehicle incorporating the vehicle front structure 100, as viewed from the right side of the vehicle. In the following, in Figure 1 and all other drawings of the present application, the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle is indicated by arrows F (Forward) and B (Backward), the left and right directions of the vehicle width are indicated by arrows L (Leftward) and R (Rightward), and the top and bottom directions of the vehicle are indicated by arrows U (Upward) and D (Downward).

The vehicle front structure 100 is constructed around the front side member 110, which allows it to efficiently absorb loads from the front that may occur in a frontal collision. Specifically, when a load is applied to the vehicle from the front, the front side member 110 is caused to buckle, allowing the load to be absorbed as deformation energy of the front side member 110. In addition, the load is transmitted to the cowl side member 102 arranged around the front side member 110, causing it to buckle, making it possible to absorb part of the load as deformation energy.

The front pillar 106 is a panel member located behind the cowl side member 102. Conventionally, when the load transmitted to the cowl side member 102 cannot be fully absorbed, the load concentrates at, for example, the joint between the top end of the front pillar 106 and the roof side member 108, or the joint between the front pillar 106 and the side sill 104, and it is known that these parts are prone to damage. In this embodiment, the load from the front is prevented from being transmitted rearward from the cowl side member 102, and the load is efficiently absorbed by utilizing the buckling of the cowl side member 102, making it possible to suppress unexpected damage.

Figure 1(b) is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the vehicle front structure 100 in Figure 1(a). The front pillar outer 106a is a panel member that constitutes the outer side of the vehicle's front pillar 106. The front side member 110 is a member that constitutes the body frame at the front of the vehicle, and is a long member in the front-to-rear direction that is provided at both ends in the vehicle width direction below the power unit mounting room at the front of the vehicle, and extends forward from the inner side of the vehicle beyond the front pillar 106. The cowl side member 102 is disposed above the wheel apron 112 for the front wheels, and is connected to the front pillar 106 above the front side member 110, and extends from there while curving forward and downward.

Fig. 2 is a view of the vehicle front structure 100 of Fig. 1(b) seen from a different direction. Fig. 2(a) is a perspective view of the vehicle interior side of the vehicle front structure 100 of Fig. 1(b). The cowl side member 102 is disposed above the front side member 110 on the vehicle exterior side. A suspension tower 114 for the front wheels is provided on the vehicle interior side of the cowl side member 102.

Fig. 2(b) is a top view of the vehicle front structure 100 in Fig. 1(b). The cowl side member 102 extends forward and inward from the front pillar 106, and is connected to the front side member 110 via a front mount bracket 116a. The rear mount bracket 116b mainly connects the front suspension front panel 117 of the suspension tower 114 to the front side member 110.

Figure 3 shows the cowl side member 102 in Figure 2(b). Figure 3(a) shows the cowl side member 102 in Figure 2(b) alone. The cowl side member 102 is a long member that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction with the front side curved toward the vehicle interior, and is composed of a cowl side outer 102a on the vehicle exterior and a cowl side inner 102b on the vehicle interior.

Figure 3(b) is a view of the cowl side member 102 in Figure 3(a) separated. The cowl side inner 102b is connected to the part of the cowl side outer 102a that is rearward of the first bead 126 (see Figure 6) described below.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the cowl side member 102 taken along the line A-A in Figure 2(b). The cowl side member 102 has a closed cross section S1 formed between the cowl side outer 102a and the cowl side inner 102b on the vehicle outer side of the suspension tower 114 (see Figure 2(b)).

The cowl side outer 102a has a side wall portion 118 extending in the vertical direction, an upper flange 120 bending and extending from the upper end of the side wall portion 118 toward the outside of the vehicle, a bottom portion 122 bending and extending from the lower end of the side wall portion 118 toward the inside of the vehicle so as to face the bottom of the vehicle, and a lower flange 124 bending and extending downward from the inside end of the bottom portion 122. The cowl side inner 102b is connected to the upper flange 120 and lower flange 124 of the cowl side outer 102a, and forms a closed cross section S1 between the side wall portion 118 and the bottom portion 122.

The closed cross section S1 of the cowl side member 102 is formed on the vehicle exterior side of the suspension tower 114 (see FIG. 2(b)). In this way, by forming the closed cross section S1 on the rear side of the cowl side member 102 and increasing its rigidity, structures such as the suspension tower 114 present on the vehicle interior side at the rear of the cowl side member 102 can be protected, and the suspension tower 114 can be prevented from approaching the passenger compartment at the rear in the event of a frontal collision, for example.

As shown in FIG. 1(b), the side wall portion 118 of the cowl side outer 102a is provided with a fourth bead 136 and a fifth bead 138, which are formed rearward of the first bead 126 (described later). The fourth bead 136 and the fifth bead 138 are formed such that a long range of the side wall portion 118 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle bulges outward toward the vehicle exterior.

The fourth bead 136 and the fifth bead 138 also increase the rigidity of the cowl side outer 102a on the vehicle outer side of the suspension tower 114, thereby suppressing deformation of the cowl side member 102 in the vicinity of the suspension tower 114. For example, in Fig. 2(b), the fourth bead 136 (see Fig. 1(b)) is provided on the vehicle outer side of the suspension shaft 115 of the suspension tower 114, i.e., at a position overlapping with the suspension shaft 115 in the vehicle width direction.

5 is a view showing the cowl side member 102 of FIG. 2(b) as seen from the front of the vehicle. In FIG. 5, the suspension tower 114 (see FIG. 2(b)) is omitted. The front pillar 106 is configured to include a front pillar outer 106a on the vehicle exterior side and a front pillar inner 106b on the vehicle interior side. The cowl side member 102 extends forward from the front pillar 106 and further extends in a curved manner toward the front side member 110 in the vehicle width direction, i.e., toward the vehicle interior side. The cowl side member 102 is connected to the front side member 110 from above, and also plays a role in suppressing upward deformation of the front side member 110 in the event of a frontal collision, and in controlling the direction of deformation of the front side member 110.

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the cowl side outer 102a in Figure 3(b). The bottom 122 of the cowl side outer 102a extends from the front pillar 106 (see Figure 5) to the front side member 110. The rear part 103 of the cowl side outer 102a extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the front part 105 extends from the rear part 103 toward the front side member 110 (see Figure 2(b) etc.), i.e., toward the inside of the vehicle.

The bottom 122 of the cowl side outer 102a curves downward toward the front side member 110 (see FIG. 1(b)) as it moves forward. The side wall 118 is formed by bending upward from the edge of the bottom 122 opposite the front side member 110, i.e., the edge on the outer side of the vehicle.

Figure 7 is a view showing the cowl side outer 102a of Figure 6 from below. The cowl side outer 102a has a shape in which the front side is bent toward the vehicle interior toward the front side member 110 (see Figure 5). Due to this shape, the side wall portion 118 can be divided into a side wall rear portion 118a formed at the rear portion 103 of the cowl side outer 102a and a side wall front portion 118b formed at the front portion 105. The side wall rear portion 118a is a portion that extends forward from the front pillar 106 (see Figure 5). The side wall front portion 118b is a portion that extends from the front end of the side wall rear portion 118a toward the front side member 110, bending.

In this embodiment, in order to induce deformation in the cowl side outer 102a and absorb the load when an impact such as a frontal collision occurs, multiple beads such as the first bead 126 are provided as deformation inducing portions. The first bead 126 is formed in such a way that the rear end portion of the side wall front portion 118b bulges toward the vehicle interior, i.e., toward the front side member 110 (see FIG. 2(b), etc.).

The second bead 128 is formed in a state in which the range of the bottom 122 in the vehicle width direction rearward from the first bead 126 bulges upward. The third bead 130 is formed in a state in which the range of the bottom 122 in the vehicle width direction rearward from the second bead 128 bulges upward. These second bead 128 and third bead 130 are provided forward of the suspension shaft 115 shown in FIG. 2(b).

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of each bead in Figure 7. Figure 8(a) is an enlarged perspective view of the first bead 126 in Figure 7. The first bead 126 extends in the up-down direction in the side wall front portion 118b.

The first bead 126 is formed by bulging the sidewall front portion 118b toward the vehicle interior, and the lower end of the first bead 126 is recessed toward the vehicle interior at the outer angle 132 formed by the sidewall front portion 118b and the bottom portion 122. With this configuration, the sidewall front portion 118b and the bottom portion 122 of the cowl side outer 102a are easily deformed starting from the first bead 126 when a load is applied from the front of the vehicle, and the load can be absorbed favorably.

As described above, when the cowl side outer 102a receives a load from the front, it induces deformation in the sidewall front portion 118b to absorb the load. In particular, the sidewall front portion 118b extends toward the vehicle interior, i.e., toward the front side member 110 (see FIG. 5, etc.), relative to the sidewall rear portion 118a. In addition, the periphery of the first bead 126 of the sidewall front portion 118b is prone to curve or bend in the direction in which the first bead 126 bulges, so that the load tends to concentrate in this bent region, enabling efficient deformation.

In addition, because the cowl side outer 102a is bent toward the front side member 110, it becomes easier to induce deformation in the cowl side member 102 along with the buckling of the front side member 110. As a result, a portion of the load transmitted to the side wall front portion 118b can be released toward the front side member 110, and even if the load cannot be completely absorbed as deformation energy due to the buckling of the cowl side member 102, it becomes possible to reduce the load transmitted to the rear of the cowl side member 102.

In this way, the cowl side outer 102a can transmit the load transmitted to the side wall front portion 118b to the front side member 110. Therefore, the cowl side outer 102a can promote the buckling of the front side member 110, for example, and suppress the transmission of the load to rear members such as the front pillar 106 (see FIG. 1B). Furthermore, since the cowl side outer 102a can deform in accordance with the buckling of the front side member 110, it is also possible to stabilize the buckling behavior of the front side member 110.

1B again, the front side member 110 has a front horizontal portion 110a disposed in the front of the vehicle, an inclined portion 110b inclined downward to the rear from the rear end of the front horizontal portion 110a, and a rear horizontal portion 110c extending from the inclined portion 110b to the rear of the vehicle. In addition, a front bent portion 111a is formed between the front horizontal portion 110a and the inclined portion 110b, and a rear bent portion 111b is formed between the inclined portion 110b and the rear horizontal portion 110c .

The front side member 110 is capable of absorbing the impact of a frontal collision as deformation energy of the front bent portion 111a and the rear bent portion 111b. At this time, the first bead 126 of the cowl side member 102 is disposed around the front bent portion 111a of the front side member 110.

When the front side member 110 configured as described above receives a load from the front, the front bent portion 111a and the rear bent portion 111b are deformed so as to bend further, and the front horizontal portion 110a moves rearward. The cowl side member 102, which is located above the front side member 110 on the outer side of the vehicle, is able to deform toward the front side member 110 on the inner side of the vehicle, centering around the first bead 126.

Furthermore, the front portion 105 of the cowl side member 102 has a gradually smaller vertical dimension toward the front, making it easier to bend. The periphery of the first bead 126 also has a narrower vertical dimension. Furthermore, the upper surface (upper surface of the cowl side inner 102b in FIG. 2(a)) and lower surface (bottom surface 122 of the cowl side outer in FIG. 7) of the cowl side member 102 are formed in a roughly arc shape (including an ellipse), which prevents the impact of a frontal collision from concentrating locally on parts of the upper and lower surfaces and causing buckling.

In this way, the cowl side member 102 of this embodiment is easily deformed in response to the buckling of the front side member 110, making it possible to release the load transmitted to the cowl side member 102 to the front side member 110 side and to stabilize the buckling behavior of the front side member 110.

As explained with reference to FIG. 5, the cowl side outer 102a extends forward and inward from the rear front pillar outer 106a. Therefore, compared to when the cowl side member 102 extends only in the fore-and-aft direction, it is possible to shorten the dimensions in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle while extending the overall length to ensure a deformable area.

8A is formed by bending from a range of the upper end of the side wall portion 118 across the first bead 126 in the fore-and-aft direction toward the opposite side from the cowl side inner 102b (see FIG. 4), i.e., toward the vehicle exterior. A first notch 134 and a second notch 140 are formed in the upper flange 120 near the front and rear of the first bead 126 on an extension of the vehicle fore-and-aft direction.

The first cutout 134 is formed by cutting out a rear area of the upper flange 120 that is an extension of the first bead 126. The second cutout 140 is formed by cutting out a front area of the upper flange 120 that is an extension of the first bead 126. By providing the first cutout 134 and the second cutout 140, the cowl side outer 102a reduces the rigidity of the upper flange 120 around the first bead 126, making it possible to fully absorb deformation originating from the first bead 126 and the associated load.

The first bead 126, the first cutout 134, and the second cutout 140 are provided to be located in a range E1 between the rear end of the upper surface of the front mount bracket 116a and the front end of the upper surface of the rear mount bracket 116b in the vehicle longitudinal direction in FIG. 2(b). By providing them within this range E1, the cowl side outer 102a is connected to the front side member 110 by the mount brackets 116a and 116b, and is able to deform appropriately in accordance with the front side member 110.

Fig. 8(b) is an enlarged perspective view of the second bead 128 and the third bead 130 in Fig. 7. The second bead 128 is formed so as to extend upward from the bottom portion 122 to the side wall portion 118. In particular, the second bead 128 is in a state in which the bottom portion 122 bulges upward and the side wall portion 118 bulges toward the vehicle interior side, i.e., toward the front side member 110 (see Fig. 5, etc.). The second bead 128 causes an outer angle 132 between the side wall portion 118 and the bottom portion 122 of the cowl side outer 102a to be recessed.

The third bead 130 is also formed so as to extend upward from the bottom 122 to the side wall 118. In particular, the third bead 130 causes the bottom 122 to bulge upward while causing the side wall 118 to bulge toward the vehicle interior, i.e., toward the front side member 110 (see FIG. 5, etc.). The third bead 130 also causes the outer angle 132 between the side wall 118 and the bottom 122 of the cowl side outer 102a to be recessed.

With the above configuration, the cowl side outer 102a can deform the bottom 122 and side wall 118 more starting from the second bead 128 and third bead 130 of the above configuration, making it possible to absorb loads efficiently. In particular, the cowl side member 102 is formed so that the second bead 128 and third bead 130 extend in the vehicle width direction at the bottom 122, and are provided so as to extend upward from there in a continuous manner along the side wall 118, allowing it to deform efficiently in accordance with the front side member 110 (see FIG. 5, etc.).

In addition, the second bead 128 and the third bead 130 are formed from the bottom portion 122 to the side wall portion 118, and therefore have a slightly higher rigidity than the first bead 126 (see FIG. 8(a)), which is formed only on the side wall portion 118. This configuration makes it possible for the cowl side outer 102a to deform preferentially from the front first bead 126, thereby suppressing unexpected behavior during deformation.

As shown in FIG. 7, the distance L1 between the first bead 126 and the second bead 128 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is set to be greater than the distance L2 between the second bead 128 and the third bead 130 (L1>L2). With this configuration, the cowl side outer 102a can absorb load by deforming in two stages on the front and rear sides of the second bead 128.

The area from the second bead 128 to the first bead 126 includes a front portion 105 of the cowl side outer 102a, including the side wall front portion 118b. Since the front portion 105 is curved toward the vehicle interior as shown in Fig. 5, the front portion 105 has a larger frontal projection area, which is the area when viewed from the front of the vehicle, than the rear portion 103 extending in the fore-and-aft direction.

As described above, the range (distance L1) between the first bead 126 in front of the second bead 128 of the cowl side outer 102a is not only wider in the front-rear direction than the range (distance L2) between the second bead 128 and the third bead, but also has a larger frontal projection area. Therefore, the range between the first bead 126 and the second bead 128 has an increased frontal projection area, making it easier for the cowl side member 102 to receive a load from the front when the cowl side member 102 deforms toward the front side member 110 (see FIG. 5). This configuration allows the cowl side outer 102a to release the received load to the front side member 110 while also collecting it near the second bead 128 and the third bead 130 and deforming to absorb it.

Figure 9 shows each narrowing portion (first narrowing portion 142, second narrowing portion 144) of the cowl side outer 102a in Figure 7. The cowl side outer 102a has a first narrowing portion 142 formed in front of the first bead as a deformation-inducing portion. The first narrowing portion 142 is a portion in which a dimension of a predetermined range including the first bead 126 of the side wall front portion 118b and the bottom portion 122 is narrowed in the vehicle width direction. The first bead 126 is formed on the vehicle rear side of the first narrowing portion 142.

With the above configuration, the side wall front portion 118b of the cowl side outer 102a induces deformation near the first bead 126 and the first narrowing portion 142, while the portion including the first bead 126 and the first narrowing portion 142 buckles together with the front side member 110 (see FIG. 1(b), etc.), allowing the load during a frontal collision to be absorbed as deformation energy.

The cowl side outer 102a further includes a second narrowing 144 as a deformation-inducing portion, which narrows the dimensions of the bottom 122 and the side wall 118 in the range including the second bead 128 and the third bead 130 in the vehicle width direction.

The portion where the second narrowed portion 144 is provided is more likely to collect load during a frontal collision, etc., and this induces deformation in the second bead 128 and the third bead 130 during a frontal collision, causing them to buckle together with the front side member 110 (see FIG. 1(b), etc.), making it possible to efficiently absorb the load as deformation energy.

As described above, the vehicle front structure 100 is able to effectively absorb loads from the front during a frontal collision, etc., by utilizing the cowl side members 102 (see FIG. 3), particularly the cowl side outers 102a. In particular, the cowl side outers 102a are curved toward the front side members 110, thereby reducing the vehicle's longitudinal dimension, making it possible to apply the structure to vehicles with short longitudinal dimensions at the front of the vehicle.

In the vehicle front structure 100, as another example of the first bead 126 in FIG. 8(a), the first bead 126 can be formed in such a way that the side wall portion 118 bulges outward from the vehicle, i.e., on the opposite side from the front side member 110 (see FIG. 5, etc.).

As another example of the second bead 128 and the third bead 130 in FIG. 8(b), the second bead 128 and the third bead 130 can be formed with the bottom 122 bulging downward and the side wall 118 bulging toward the outside of the vehicle, i.e., the opposite side to the front side member 110 (see FIG. 5, etc.). For example, one of the second bead 128 and the third bead 130 can be formed with the bottom 122 bulging upward and the other bulging downward. In addition, the second bead 128 and the third bead 130 can be formed not only continuously from the bottom 122 to the side wall 118, but also as an intermittent bead that is interrupted, for example, near the outer corner 132. Furthermore, it is also possible to provide a further bead with the bottom surface 122 bulging upward or downward behind the third bead 130.

As another example of the cowl side member 102 (see FIG. 5) of the vehicle front structure 100, for example, the cowl side member can be realized as a configuration that is located above the front side member 110 on the vehicle interior side and curves from the rear to the front and exterior side of the vehicle. In that case, the cowl side member can be realized as a configuration that is symmetrical to the configuration shown in FIG. 6, for example, and the side wall portion 118 can be configured to be bent upward from the edge of the bottom portion 122 on the vehicle interior side.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the first bead 126 and the first narrowed portion 142 are arranged to overlap as the deformation inducing portion, but the first bead 126 and the first narrowed portion 142 can be arranged without overlapping each other, and it is also possible to provide only the first bead 126 or the first narrowed portion 142. In either case where the first bead 126 and the first narrowed portion 142 are provided apart from each other, or where only the first bead 126 or the first narrowed portion 142 is provided, it is possible to absorb the load received by the cowl side member 102 and reduce the transmission of the load to the member behind the cowl side member 102 by inducing deformation in the first bead 126 or the first narrowed portion 142.

The second bead 128, the third bead 130, and the second narrowed portion 144 provided as deformation-inducing portions can also be arranged without overlapping each other, and it is also possible to provide only the second bead 128 and the third bead 130, or only the second narrowed portion 144. In either case where the second bead 128, the third bead 130, and the second narrowed portion 144 are provided at a distance from each other, or where only one of the second bead 128, the third bead 130, and the second narrowed portion 144 is provided, by inducing deformation in the second bead 128, the third bead 130, and the second narrowed portion 144, it is possible to absorb the load received by the cowl side member 102 and reduce the transmission of the load to the member behind the cowl side member 102.

(Modification)
Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a modified cowl side outer 200 of the cowl side outer 102a of Fig. 7. In Fig. 9 and subsequent figures, the same components as those already explained in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and explanations of the already mentioned components are omitted. In the following explanation, components with the same names as those already explained have the same functions, even if they are given different reference numerals, unless otherwise specified.

The cowl side outer 200 is formed by joining multiple members. For example, the cowl side outer 200 includes a front part 206 that constitutes the front portion 202 of the cowl side outer 200, and a rear part 208 that constitutes the rear portion 204.

Figure 10(b) shows the cowl side outer 200 of Figure 10(a) divided into a front part 206 and a rear part 208. By dividing the cowl side outer 200 into the front part 206 and the rear part 208 at the periphery of the area with the greatest degree of curvature, it becomes easier to mold the cowl side outer 200 as a whole.

As shown in FIG. 10(a), in this modified example, the front side of the first bead 126 is divided into a front part 206 and a rear part 208, and these parts are joined at a joint part 210 where they overlap. In order to increase the connection rigidity between the front part 206 and the rear part 208, the joint part 210 is joined by welding or the like across the flange 120, the side wall front part 118b, and the bottom part 122.

Within the range of the joint portion 210, bolt holes 212 into which a bolt can be fastened are provided. As shown in FIG. 10(b), the rear component 208 is provided with a bolt hole 212a, and the front component 206 is provided with a bolt hole 212b. The joint portion 210 can fix the front component 206 and the rear component 208 together by overlapping the bolt holes 212a and 212b and fastening them with a bolt, thereby increasing the connection rigidity.

The joint area 210 has increased rigidity, which makes it difficult for the surrounding area to deform during a frontal collision, and this may hinder the cowl side outer 200 from buckling in accordance with the front side member 110 (see FIG. 1(b), etc.). For this reason, in this modified example, a first bead 126 is formed adjacent to the rear side of the connection area 210, and is adjusted so that buckling in accordance with the front side member 110 occurs fully.

Figure 11 shows a modified example (first bead 228) of the first bead 126 in Figure 8 (a). The first bead 228 differs in configuration from the first bead 126 in Figure 8 (a) in that it is provided on the cowl side inner 222 of the cowl side member 220.

The cowl side inner 222 has a side wall portion 224 that extends in the vertical direction, and a top surface portion 226 that bends and extends from the upper end of the side wall portion 224 to the upper side of the bottom portion 122. The side wall portion 224 can be imagined as the side wall front portion of the cowl side inner 222 that is bent toward the vehicle interior, similar to the side wall front portion 118b of the cowl side outer 102a.

The first bead 228 is formed by bulging the side wall portion 224 and the top surface portion 226 of the cowl side inner 222 inwardly of the closed cross section S1 of the cowl side member 220. In detail, the first bead 228 is composed of a side bead portion 228a provided on the side wall portion 224 so as to extend in the vertical direction, and an upper bead 228b provided on the top surface portion 226 so as to continue from the side bead 228a and extend in the vehicle width direction.

The first bead 228 configured as described above also makes it possible to deform the cowl side member 220 to follow the front side member 110 (Figure 1(b), etc.), dissipating the load toward the front side member 110, and protecting the components located behind the cowl side member 220.

The first bead 228 of the cowl side inner 222 can also be provided together with the first bead 126 of the cowl side outer 102a (see FIG. 7). By providing the first beads 126, 228 at the front portions of the side walls of the cowl side outer 102a and the cowl side inner 222, respectively, the cowl side member 220 can be made more easily deformed.

As a further modification of the first bead 126, the first bead can be provided on the bottom 122 of the cowl side outer 102a (see Figures 4 and 11) so as to extend in the vehicle width direction. In this case, the first bead on the bottom 122 can be provided continuous with either or both of the first beads on the side walls 118, 224. The first bead can also be provided on the bottom 122 of the cowl side outer 102a and the top surface 226 of the cowl side inner 222 so as to extend in the vehicle width direction.

As described above, the first bead may be provided on one of the four surfaces of the sidewalls, bottom and top surface on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the cowl side member 102, 220 (see Figures 4, 11, etc.), or it can be provided continuously or discontinuously on multiple surfaces or all surfaces. In either configuration, the first bead makes it easier for the cowl side member 102, 220 to deform when a load is applied from the front, absorbs the load, and reduces the transmission of the load to members behind the cowl side member 102, 220.

The second bead 128 (see FIG. 8(b)) may also be provided on one of the four surfaces of the side walls, bottom and top of the cowl side member 102, 220 (see FIG. 4, 11, etc.), and may be provided continuously or discontinuously on multiple surfaces or all surfaces. Similarly, the third bead 130 (see FIG. 8(b)) may also be provided on one of the four surfaces of the side walls, bottom and top of the cowl side member 102, 220 (see FIG. 4, 11, etc.), and may be provided continuously or discontinuously on multiple surfaces or all surfaces. In either example, the cowl side member 102, 220 can be deformed more from the second and third beads, and the load can be absorbed more efficiently.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the attached drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the examples described. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modified or revised examples within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

For example, in each of the above embodiments, multiple beads such as the first bead 126, the second bead 128, and the third bead 130 are provided as deformation-inducing portions that induce deformation of the cowl side member 102, but instead of each bead, it is also possible to provide a weak portion such as a notch or a thin-walled portion with a thin plate thickness in a predetermined range above and below the side wall portion 118 as a similar deformation-inducing portion. Even with these configurations, when an impact is transmitted to the cowl side member 102 during a frontal collision, it is possible to induce deformation of the cowl side member 102 toward the front side member 110, and to release the load toward the front side member 110.

The present invention can be used in vehicle front structures.

E1: Range between mount brackets; S1: Closed cross section; L1, L2: Distance; 100: Vehicle front structure; 102: Cowl side member; 102a: Cowl side outer; 102b: Cowl side inner; 103: Rear; 104: Side sill ; 105: Front; 106: Front pillar; 106a: Front pillar outer; 106b: Front pillar inner; 108: Roof side member; 110: Front side member; 110a: Horizontal portion; 110b: Inclined portion; 110c: Rear horizontal portion; 111a: Front bent portion; 111b: Rear bent portion; 112: Wheel apron; 114: Suspension tower; 115: Suspension shaft; 116a, 116b: Mount bracket; 11 8...side wall portion, 118a...side wall rear portion, 118b...side wall front portion, 120...upper flange, 122...bottom portion, 124...lower flange, 126...first bead, 128...second bead, 130...third bead, 132...outer corner, 134...first notch portion, 136...fourth bead, 138...fifth bead, 140...second notch portion, 142...first narrowed portion, 144... second narrowed portion part, 200... cowl side outer, 204... rear part, 202... front part, 206... front part, 208... rear part, 210... joint part, 212, 212a, 212b... bolt holes, 220... cowl side member, 222... cowl side inner, 224... side wall part, 226... top surface part, 228... first bead, 228a... side bead, 228b... upper bead

Claims (7)

A front side member provided at an end side in a vehicle width direction of a power unit mounting room of the vehicle and extending in a front-rear direction of the vehicle;
a cowl side member disposed above the front side member on an outer side of the vehicle or above the front side member on an inner side of the vehicle, the rear portion extending in a vehicle front-rear direction and the front portion extending and curving from the rear toward the front side member,
The cowl side member is
A bottom portion facing downward of the vehicle;
a side wall portion extending upward from an edge of the bottom portion in a vehicle width direction,
The side wall portion is
a side wall front portion formed at a front portion of the cowl side member;
a bead formed in a state in which a predetermined range in the up-down direction of the front portion of the side wall is bulged toward the front side member or the opposite side ;
a narrowed portion in which a dimension of a range including the bead in the side wall front portion and the bottom portion is narrowed in the vehicle width direction . A front side member provided at an end side in a vehicle width direction of a power unit mounting room of the vehicle and extending in a front-rear direction of the vehicle;
a cowl side member disposed above the front side member on an outer side of the vehicle or above the front side member on an inner side of the vehicle, the rear portion extending in a vehicle front-rear direction and the front portion extending and curving from the rear toward the front side member,
The cowl side member is
A bottom portion facing downward of the vehicle;
a side wall portion extending upward from an edge of the bottom portion in a vehicle width direction,
The side wall portion is
a side wall front portion formed at a front portion of the cowl side member;
a bead formed in a state in which a predetermined range in the up-down direction of the front portion of the side wall is bulged toward the front side member or toward the opposite side,
The cowl side member is
a cowl side outer having the bottom and the side wall portion;
a cowl side inner connected to the cowl side outer rearward of the bead and forming a closed cross section between the bottom and a side wall portion of the cowl side outer,
the cowl side outer has a flange that is bent from a range of an upper end of the side wall portion across the front-rear direction of the bead toward an opposite side to the cowl side inner,
The vehicle front structure, wherein the flange has a notch formed in the vicinity of an extension of the bead. A front side member provided at an end side in a vehicle width direction of a power unit mounting room of the vehicle and extending in a front-rear direction of the vehicle;
a cowl side member disposed above the front side member on an outer side of the vehicle or above the front side member on an inner side of the vehicle, the rear portion extending in a vehicle front-rear direction and the front portion extending and curving from the rear toward the front side member,
The cowl side member is
A bottom portion facing downward of the vehicle;
a side wall portion extending upward from an edge of the bottom portion in a vehicle width direction,
The side wall portion is
a side wall front portion formed at a front portion of the cowl side member;
a first bead formed in a state in which a predetermined range in the up-down direction of the front portion of the side wall is bulged toward the front side member or toward the opposite side,
The bottom portion is curved toward the lower front side member as it goes forward,
The cowl side member further comprises:
a second bead formed in a state in which a range of the bottom part rearward of the first bead and extending in a predetermined vehicle width direction is bulged upward or downward ;
a third bead formed in a state in which a range of the bottom part rearward of the second bead over a predetermined width direction of the vehicle is bulged upward or downward;
a narrowed portion in which a dimension of a range of the bottom portion and the side wall portion including the second bead and the third bead is narrowed in a vehicle width direction . The vehicle front structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the second bead is formed so as to extend upward from the bottom portion to the side wall portion. 5. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3 , wherein the third bead is formed so as to extend upwardly from the bottom portion to the side wall portion. 6. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3, wherein a distance between the first bead and the second bead in the vehicle front-rear direction is greater than a distance between the second bead and the third bead. The cowl side member further has a top surface portion extending from an upper end of the side wall portion to an upper side of the bottom portion,
7. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3 , wherein the first bead is formed so as to extend continuously from the side wall portion to the top surface portion in a vehicle width direction.

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