JP2001018837A - Body front structure for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a front fender apron from vibrating or generating noise during traveling of an automobile. SOLUTION: A front part of a body frame 2 is provided with side members 12 and 12, a cross member 13, upper side members 22 and 22, an upper cross member 23, and radiator supports 6 and 6 making front parts of each side member 12 and 12 support the upper cross member 23. Front fender aprons 9 are provided installed between the side members 12 and 12 and the upper side members 22 and 22. Each upper side member 22 and 22 are provided with front members 25 extending outward from end parts of the upper cross member, and rear members 26 extending to the rear from extended end parts of these front members 25 and fixed to the front fender aprons 9 at their extended end part side. Support members 8 of a skeletal structure is provided making the front parts of the side members 12 and 12 support a midway part in a longitudinal direction of the upper side members 22.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a vehicle body comprising:
The present invention relates to a vehicle body front structure including upper and lower side members and a front fender apron provided on both side members.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the above-mentioned front structure of a vehicle body has
There is one disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-108667.

According to the above publication, a front portion of a vehicle body frame of a vehicle body includes a pair of left and right side members that constitute lower portions thereof and extend in the front-rear direction, and each end portion extends in the width direction of the vehicle body. A cross member supported by the front end of each of the side members; a pair of left and right upper side members which form the upper portions of the front portion of the body frame and extend in the front-rear direction; An upper cross member in which each end is supported by the front end of each of the upper side members;
A pair of left and right radiator supports for supporting the upper cross member is provided at a front portion of each of the side members.

[0004] A front fender apron is provided on each side of the front portion of the vehicle body, the front fender apron being provided between the side members and the upper side member. A bumper supported by the cross member is provided.

[0005] Then, while the vehicle is running, the vehicle collides (front collision) with some object existing in front of the vehicle,
When a large impact force is applied to the bumper, the impact force is also applied to each side member via the cross member, and each of the side members is usually plastically deformed in the longitudinal direction by the impact force, and The impact force is reduced.

[0006]

By the way, in the above-mentioned prior art, the front fender apron is made of a thin sheet metal, and furthermore, the front fender apron in the front-rear direction of the space sandwiched between the side members and the upper side members from above and below. It is provided over the whole area, has a large area, and has a structure in which it is difficult to secure sufficient strength and rigidity as a whole.

Therefore, there is a possibility that a part of the front fender apron may vibrate due to an impact force applied to the vehicle body from the traveling road surface when the vehicle is running, and the front fender apron emits noise based on the vibration. There is also a risk.

The interior space of the front part of the vehicle body is usually
An engine room is provided, and an internal combustion engine for driving the vehicle is housed in the engine room. For this reason, it is desired that the front portion of the vehicle body is not largely deformed as a whole in order to more reliably protect the internal combustion engine even at the time of a front collision of the vehicle.

Further, when the vehicle is in a frontal collision, the upper part of the front end of the vehicle body is easily deformed by the impact force. Usually, a headlamp is supported on the upper part of the front end of the vehicle body.
With the deformation, the headlamp may be easily damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to prevent the front fender apron from vibrating or generating noise when the vehicle is running.

It is another object of the present invention to prevent the front portion of the vehicle body from being largely deformed as a whole at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle and to prevent the headlamp supported above the front end portion of the vehicle body from being easily damaged. And

[0012]

A vehicle body front structure according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is as follows.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the front portion of the vehicle body frame 2 has a pair of left and right side members 12 constituting the lower portions thereof and extending in the front-rear direction. A cross member 13 whose end portions 13a are supported by the front end portions of the side members 12; and a pair of left and right upper side members 22 that extend in the front-rear direction and constitute upper portions of the front portion of the body frame 2. An upper cross member 23 extending in the width direction and each end of the upper cross member 23 being supported by a front end of each of the upper side members 22; A front fender apron 9 which comprises a pair of radiator supports 6 and 6 and constitutes each side of the front part of the vehicle body 1 and is bridged between the side member 12 and the upper side member 22 is provided. In a vehicle body front structure provided with a bumper 35 positioned on the front side of the cross member 13 and supported by the cross member 13,

Each of the upper side members 22 extends outward from an end of the upper cross member 23, and extends rearward from an extending end of the front member 25 to extend therefrom. A rear member 26 is fixed to the front fender apron 9 at the protruding end side, and a support member 8 having a skeletal structure for supporting a middle part in the longitudinal direction of the upper side member 22 at a front part of the side member 12 is provided. It is a thing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect of the present invention, the lower end of the support member 8 is fixed to the middle of the upper side member 22 more than the fixed portion A of the lower end of the support member 8 with respect to the front part of the side member 12. The fixing portion B at the upper end of the support member 8 is located on the rear side.

The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2
In addition to the above invention, the radiator support 6, the front member 25 of the upper side member 22,
An internal space 40 surrounded by the support member 8 is used as a space for installing the headlamp 41.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a vehicle body, and an arrow Fr indicates the front of the vehicle body 1. The left and right described below are the width direction of the vehicle body 1 toward the front (hereinafter simply referred to as "width direction").
).

The vehicle body 1 includes a vehicle body frame 2 made of sheet metal supported on a traveling road surface via wheels and the like, and an unillustrated body arranged above the vehicle body frame 2 and supported by the vehicle body frame 2. The vehicle body frame 2 is substantially symmetric with respect to a virtual vertical plane passing through the vehicle body center 3 in the width direction of the vehicle body 1.

A front portion of the vehicle body frame 2 has a lower frame 4 which constitutes a lower portion thereof, an upper frame 5 which is located at a distance above the lower frame 4 and constitutes an upper portion of the vehicle body frame 2, A pair of left and right radiator supports 6 and 6 which are located on the left and right sides of the front end and support the upper frame 5 on the lower frame 4, and which are located substantially at the center 3 of the front end of the vehicle body 1 in the width direction. A center member 7 for supporting the upper frame 5 on the lower frame 4,
A pair of left and right support members 8, 8 are provided on the outer side of the radiator supports 6 and support the upper frame 5 on the lower frame 4.

A front fender apron 9 made of a thin sheet metal is provided at the front portion of the vehicle body 1 to constitute left and right sides of the front portion and to be mounted on each rear side portion of the lower frame 4 and the upper frame 5. It has. The interior space at the front of the body frame 2 is an engine room 10 for accommodating driving means such as an internal combustion engine for driving the vehicle mounted on the vehicle.

The lower frame 4 constitutes the left and right lower portions of the front portion of the body frame 2 and extends substantially linearly in the front-rear direction, and the front fender apron 9 extends to the rear end side.
A pair of left and right front side members 12 and 12 to which the lower ends of the side members are fixed, and a front cross member 13 extending in the “width direction” and extending at the front end of each of the side members 12 and 12.

Each of the side members 12 has a rectangular box shape in front view, and has sufficient strength and rigidity. In addition, the cross member 13 is formed by press working so that the cross section in a side view of each part has a substantially U-shape that opens rearward over the entire longitudinal direction. More specifically, the cross member 13 faces the upper and lower sides and extends in the “width direction”, and the lower plates 14, 1.
5, a connecting plate 16 for integrally connecting the front edges of the upper and lower plates 14, 15 to each other;
Flanges 17, 1 formed integrally with each rear edge of the
7 is provided.

Each end 13a in the longitudinal direction of the cross member 13 is provided on the front surface of the front end of each of the side members 12, 12.
Are opposed to each other in the front-rear direction, and the upper and lower flanges 17 at the end portions 13a are fixed to the front surface of the front end portions of the side members 12, 12 by fixing means 19 as fasteners. Side members 12, 12
Each end portion 13a of the cross member 13 is fixedly supported on the front surface of the front end portion.

An intermediate portion 13b in the longitudinal direction of the cross member 13 is formed so as to have a smaller width in the vertical direction than each of the end portions 13a. The cross member 13 is bent so that the middle portion 13b is positioned lower than each end portion 13a. More specifically, the upper surface of the intermediate portion 13b is lower than the upper surface of each end portion 13a, and the lower surface of the intermediate portion 13b is
b is formed lower than the lower surface.

The upper frame 5 constitutes the left and right upper parts of the front part of the body frame 2 and extends substantially linearly in the front-rear direction, and the rear fender apron 9
A pair of left and right upper side members 2 for fixing the upper end of
2 and 22, and a front upper cross member 23 extending in the "width direction" and extending at the front end of each of the upper side members 22, 22. The longitudinal ends of the upper cross member 23 are integrally fixed to and supported by the front ends of the upper side members 22.

The pair of left and right radiator supports 6, 6
The upper cross member 23 is supported at the front of each side member 12. More specifically, the lower end of each radiator support 6 is connected to each side member 1.
The front part 2 is fixed to a part slightly behind the front end. On the other hand, each of the upper side members 22
Are fixed to the upper end of each of the radiator supports 6 and are supported. Each of the front fender aprons 9 has a rear end of the upper side member 22 fixedly supported on a rear end of the side member 12 on each side of the vehicle body 1.

Each of the upper side members 22 is a front member 25 that extends obliquely so as to extend outward from the vehicle body 1 from each end of the upper cross member 23 toward the rear.
The side members 1 are located outside the side members 12 and the radiator support 6 of the lower frame 4 and extend from the extended ends (rear ends) of the front members 25.
A rear member 26 extends rearward so as to be substantially parallel to the rear member 2 and has an extended end (rear end) side fixed to and supported by the front fender apron 9. Each of the rear members 26 is projected outward as described above, and supports a front fender (not shown).

The extended end (rear end) of the front member 25
The front end of the rear member 26 and the front end of the rear member 26 are fixed to each other. The fixed portion between the front and rear members 25 and 26, which is an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the upper side member 22, is fixed to the upper end of the support member 8. The middle part of the upper side member 22 is supported by the front part of the side member 12 by the support member 8.

Each of the supporting members 8 has a skeletal structure having a U-shaped cross section.
A lower member 28 extending outward from the front of
An upper member 29 extends rearward and upward from the extending end of the lower member 28. The lower member 2
8 and the front lower end of the upper member 29 are integrally fixed to each other, and the extending end (rear upper end) of the upper member 29 is attached to the longitudinal direction of the upper side member 22 as described above. The middle part is fixed.

The fixed portion A of the lower end of the radiator support 6 to the front portion of the side member 12 and the fixed portion A of the lower end of the support member 8 to the front portion of the side member 12 are They are located at substantially the same position in the longitudinal direction. The fixed portion B of the upper end of the support member 8 with respect to the middle portion of the upper side member 22 is located rearward of the fixed portion A of the lower end of the support member 8 with respect to the front portion of the side member 12. Have been.

Left and right ends 13a of the cross member 13
Are formed as protruding portions 13c protruding outward of the vehicle body 1 from the front end portions of the side members 12, respectively, and a reinforcing member 31 for reinforcing each of the protruding portions 13c is provided.

The reinforcing members 31 are provided on the front surface of the front end of each side member 12 and each end 13a of the cross member 13.
Are fixed between the front end of the side member 12 and the end 13a of the cross member 13 by the fixing means 19. The outer portion 31a in the “width direction” of each of the reinforcing members 31 is extended to the protruding end of the protruding portion 13c, overlapped back and forth, and sufficiently with respect to an external force on the protruding portion 13c from the front. Reinforced.

A plurality of upper and lower beads 31b are formed on the reinforcing member 31 extending over the entire "width direction" to enhance the strength and rigidity.
c is more effectively reinforced. In this case, each bead 31b is housed in an internal space surrounded by upper and lower plates 14, 15 and a connecting plate 16 at the end 13a of the cross member 13, and each reinforcing member 31 is Each end 13 a of the cross member 13 is fastened by a fastener 32.

The cross member 13 extends in the "width direction".
, And a resin bumper 35 that covers the cross member 13 entirely from the front is provided. A plurality of ventilation holes 36 penetrating the bumper 35 in the longitudinal direction are formed in the middle part in the longitudinal direction. The bumper 35 is connected to the cross member 13 by a plurality of fasteners 37.
It is detachably fastened to and supported by the
Each projection 13c reinforced by 1 firmly supports each side of the bumper 35.

When the vehicle body 1 is viewed from the front, a combination 39 of the radiator support 6, the front member 25 of the upper side member 22, and the support member 8 at each upper part of the front end of the vehicle body 1 is viewed from the front of the vehicle body 1. It has a frame shape. A headlamp 41 is attached to each upper part of the front end of the vehicle body 1. The interior space 40 surrounded by the combination 39 is housed as a space for installing the headlamp 41, and the headlamp 41 is supported by the combination 39. Further, above the bumper 35, the left and right headlamps 4 are provided.
A grill 42 is provided between the first and the first 41, and is supported by the vehicle body 1.

At the front end of the vehicle body frame 2, a radiator 44 constituting a cooling device for the internal combustion engine is supported by support means 45.

The radiator 44 is disposed so as to be deviated to one side of the vehicle body 1, and each side of the cross member 13 and the upper cross member 23 and the radiator support 6 are viewed from the front of the vehicle body 1. , And near the rear of a space 50 surrounded by the center member 7 so as to face the space 50 in the front-rear direction.

On the other hand, the support means 45 is attached to a pair of left and right lower brackets 46, 46 attached to one side of the cross member 13 by welding, and is attached to one side of the upper cross member 23 with a fastener. Left and right upper brackets 47, 47,
Fasteners 48 such as fasteners are attached to the upper brackets 46 and 47.
The upper end of the radiator 44 is detachably supported under the radiator 44.

According to the above configuration, each upper side member 22 has a front member 25 extending outward from the end of the upper cross member 23 and a rearward member extending from the extending end of the front member 25. A rear member 26 that extends and has an extended end portion fixed to the front fender apron 9, and has a skeletal structure in which a longitudinal middle portion of the upper side member 22 is supported by a front portion of the side member 12. A support member 8 is provided.

For this reason, since the upper side member 22 is firmly supported at the front part of the side member 12 by the support member 8, the front fender apron 9 bridged between the side member 12 and the upper side member 22 is not required. The side member 12 and the upper side member 22
Even if the upper side member 22 is not provided over the entire space in the front-rear direction of the space sandwiched from above and below, the upper side member 22 is firmly supported by the side member 12 with a predetermined supporting strength.

Therefore, the front fender apron 9
Only needs to be installed on the rear portions of the side member 12 and the upper side member 22, and the area of the front fender apron 9 can be reduced accordingly. Therefore, the front fender apron 9
Is prevented from vibrating, and generating noise based on the vibration is prevented. In this embodiment, a through space is provided between the front portions of the side member 12 and the upper side member 22, and the front fender apron 9 is not provided.

As described above, the side members 12
The fixing portion B of the upper end of the support member 8 with respect to the middle portion of the upper side member 22 is located rearward of the fixing portion A of the lower end of the support member 8 with respect to the front portion.

Therefore, at the time of a front collision of the vehicle, the impact force is first applied to the left and right side members 12 and 12 via the bumper 35 and the cross member 13 and also to the support member 8 so that these side Member 12,1
2 and the support member 8 are plastically deformed, so that the impact force is reduced. That is, at the time of the front collision, the impact force is applied to the upper cross member 23 and the upper side member 2.
2 is prevented from being given immediately.

Therefore, at the time of a front collision of the vehicle, the impact force is reduced mainly by the deformation of the side members 12, 12, while the impact force is immediately applied to the upper cross member 23 and the upper side member 22. Therefore, the front part of the vehicle body 1 is prevented from being largely deformed as a whole, and the engine room 10 which is the internal space of the front part of the vehicle body 1 is prevented from being deformed. The drive means is more reliably protected.

As described above, when the vehicle body 1 is viewed from the front, the radiator support 6 and the upper side member 2
The internal space 40 surrounded by the front member 25 and the support member 8 is a space for installing the headlamp 41.

For this reason, the headlamp 41 is surrounded and protected by the combination 39 having high strength and rigidity by the radiator support 6 and the like.

Therefore, even if the front end of the vehicle body 1 is deformed by the impact force at the time of a frontal collision, the headlamp 41 is firmly protected by the combination 39 and the headlamp 41 is prevented from being easily damaged. Is done.

[0049]

The effects of the present invention are as follows.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the front portion of the vehicle body frame includes a pair of left and right side members which form respective lower portions thereof and extend in the front-rear direction, and each end portion of which extends in the width direction of the vehicle body. A cross member supported at the front end of each side member; a pair of left and right upper side members which form upper portions of the front portion of the vehicle body frame and extend in the front-rear direction; An upper cross member supported at the front end of each upper side member, and a pair of left and right radiator supports for supporting the upper cross member at the front of each side member. And a front fender apron installed between the side member and the upper side member is provided, and a bumper is provided in front of the cross member and supported by the cross member. In the vehicle body front structure of an automobile,

Each of the upper side members extends outward from an end of the upper cross member, and extends rearward from the extending end of the front member. A rear member fixed to the front fender apron is provided, and a support member having a skeletal structure for supporting a middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the upper side member to a front portion of the side member is provided.

For this reason, since the upper side member is firmly supported at the front of the side member by the support member, the front fender apron bridged between the side member and the upper side member is connected to the side member and the upper side member. Even if the upper side member is not provided over the entire space in the front-rear direction of the space sandwiched between the members from above and below, the upper side member is firmly supported by the side member with a predetermined supporting strength.

Therefore, the front fender apron only needs to be erected on each rear portion of the side member and the upper side member, and the area of the front fender apron can be reduced accordingly. In addition, the vibration of the front fender apron is suppressed, and the generation of noise based on the vibration is prevented.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the fixed portion of the upper end of the support member to the middle of the upper side member is located rearward of the fixed portion of the lower end of the support member to the front portion of the side member. It is located.

For this reason, at the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle, the impact force is first applied to the left and right side members via the bumper and the cross member, and also to the support members. Plastically deformed,
Therefore, the impact force is reduced, that is, the impact force is prevented from being immediately applied to the upper cross member or the upper side member at the time of the front collision.

Therefore, at the time of a front collision of the vehicle, the impact force is mainly reduced by the deformation of the side members, while the impact force is not immediately applied to the upper cross member or the upper side member. This prevents the front portion of the vehicle body from being largely deformed as a whole.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, an internal space surrounded by the radiator support, the front member of the upper side member, and the support member as a front view of the vehicle body is used as a head lamp installation space.

For this reason, the headlamp is surrounded and protected by a combination having high strength and rigidity by the radiator support and the like.

Therefore, even if the front end of the vehicle body is deformed by the impact force at the time of a frontal collision, the headlamp is firmly protected by the combination and the headlamp is prevented from being easily damaged.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a front portion of a vehicle body.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a front portion of a vehicle body.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a front portion of a vehicle body.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a front portion of the vehicle body.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged development view of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Body 2 Body frame 6 Radiator support 8 Support member 9 Front fender apron 12 Side member 13 Cross member 13a End 22 Upper side member 23 Upper cross member 25 Front member 26 Rear member 28 Lower member 29 Upper member 35 Bumper 39 Combined body 40 internal space 41 headlamp A, B fixing part

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yasuo Kawamoto 2-1-1 Taoyuan, Ikeda-shi, Osaka Daihatsu Kogyo Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 3D003 AA01 AA05 AA06 AA07 BB01 CA02 CA03 CA04 CA09 DA15

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A pair of left and right side members, wherein a front portion of a body frame constitutes each lower side portion thereof and extends in the front-rear direction.
A cross member extending in the width direction of the vehicle body and each end of which is supported by the front end of each of the side members; and a pair of left and right upper sides forming front upper portions of the body frame and extending in the front-rear direction A member, an upper cross member extending in the width direction and having each end supported by a front end of the upper side member, and a pair of left and right radiators for supporting the upper cross member at the front of each side member A front fender apron, which constitutes each side of the front part of the vehicle body and extends between the side member and the upper side member, is provided at the front side of the cross member and supported by the cross member. In the vehicle body front structure provided with a bumper, each of the upper side members extends outward from an end of the upper cross member. A rear member extending rearward from the extending end of the front member and having an extended end side fixed to the front fender apron. A vehicle body front structure in which a support member having a skeleton structure to be supported at a front portion of a side member is provided. 2. A fixing portion of an upper end portion of the support member to a middle portion of the upper side member is located rearward than a fixing portion of a lower end portion of the support member to a front portion of the side member. 2. The vehicle body front structure according to claim 1. 3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an internal space surrounded by the radiator support, the front member of the upper side member, and the support member is a headlamp installation space when the vehicle body is viewed from the front. Body front structure.