JP7631902B2 - Vehicle cowl grill structure - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a cowl grill structure for a vehicle that includes a dash panel located at the lower end of the front windshield, extending in the vehicle width direction and separating the engine compartment from the passenger compartment in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a cowl grill that is fixed to the vehicle body below the front windshield and in front of the dash panel.

A conventional cowl grill structure for a vehicle as described above is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-233696.
That is, a cowl grill is provided which is fixed to the vehicle body below the front windshield (also known as the windshield glass) and in front of the dash lower panel, and the cowl grill has an upper surface portion which extends in the vehicle width direction below the front windshield, and a front surface portion which connects this upper surface portion and the cowl cross train in the vertical direction.

In addition, the front portion is formed in a zigzag shape when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and has notches at the corners that are the trigger points for deformation, in order to absorb impact energy by folding the front portion like an accordion when a load is input.

The top and front surfaces of the cowl grille are made of fiber-reinforced resin to ensure heat resistance, and because of its high rigidity, in the event of a pedestrian collision, the load is transferred to the corners of the front surface, causing the front surface to fold and deform like bellows, with the corners as fulcrums, ensuring a stroke for absorbing impact energy.

On the other hand, in recent years, an engine room encapsulation structure has been developed in which the engine room is covered with a heat-shielding material such as an insulator. In this case, costs can be reduced by replacing the cowl grill with a resin material that does not contain reinforcing agents, such as low-rigidity PP (polypropylene).

However, if the top and front parts of the cowl grille are made of a material with low rigidity such as PPS, the front part in particular will deform out of plane when a load is applied, making it impossible to achieve the desired folding deformation and ensuring a sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy.

JP 2020-199847 A

Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide a cowl grill structure for a vehicle that can transmit load to the corners even if the rigidity of the material is reduced, and ensure sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy by folding deformation with the corners as fulcrums.

A cowl grill structure for a vehicle according to the present invention comprises: a dash panel located at the lower end of a front windshield, extending in a vehicle width direction and dividing an engine compartment and a passenger compartment in a front-rear direction of the vehicle; and a cowl grill fixed to a vehicle body below the front windshield and in front of the dash panel, wherein the cowl grill comprises an upper wall portion extending in the vehicle width direction and in the vehicle front-rear direction, and front and rear vertical wall portions extending downward from front and rear ends of the upper wall portion via corner portions, and the upper wall portion has a load input portion to which a downward load is input from a bonnet in the event of a collision, and a front edge portion forward of the load input portion. , and a rear edge portion rearward of the vehicle than the load input portion, the front edge portion and the rear edge portion are each formed in a straight line when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and the load input portion is formed so as to protrude upward toward the bonnet side , and the cowl grill comprises a member portion extending in the vehicle width direction below the front windshield, a cover portion located in front of the member portion and covering the above of the auxiliary equipment, and a partition portion extending downward from the cover portion and separating the engine room from the space on the auxiliary equipment side, and the member portion has the upper wall portion and the vertical wall portion, and the front vertical wall portion is supported from below by the cover portion.
The vehicle body to which the above-mentioned cowl grill is fixed may be an apron reinforcement.

According to the above configuration, when a downward load is input from the bonnet to the load input section during a collision, a force (moment) is generated that rotates the load input section downward. However, because the load input section is provided to protrude upward toward the bonnet, a component that transmits the load to the corners on the front edge side and the corners on the rear edge side (i.e., a load component in the in-plane direction) and a reaction force that acts in the in-plane direction from the corners on the front edge side and the corners on the rear edge side are generated, suppressing out-of-plane deformation of the upper wall section.

Therefore, sinking of the upper wall portion can be suppressed, and in particular, the load can be transmitted from the load input portion to the front corner portion, promoting bending deformation with the corner portion as a fulcrum.
Therefore, even if the rigidity of the material is reduced, the load can be transmitted to the corners, and a sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy can be ensured by folding deformation with the corners as fulcrums.

As described above, the cowl grill comprises a member portion extending in the vehicle width direction below the front windshield, a cover portion located in front of the member portion and covering the upper part of the auxiliary equipment, and a partition portion extending downward from the cover portion to separate the engine room from the space on the auxiliary equipment side, and the member portion has the upper wall portion and the vertical wall portion, and since the front vertical wall portion is supported from below by the cover portion , the front vertical wall portion is supported from below by the cover portion, so that sinking of the vertical wall portion can be suppressed. As a result, when a load is input, the load can be transmitted from the load input portion via the front edge portion to the corner portion, and pedestrian protection performance can be ensured by folding deformation with the corner portion as a fulcrum.
The above-mentioned auxiliary devices may be configured as a battery.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a flange portion is formed at the lower end of the forward vertical wall portion of the member portion, and the rear portion of the cover portion clamps and supports the flange portion of the member portion.
According to the above configuration, the flange portion of the member portion can be prevented from being deformed by the structure in which the flange portion is sandwiched by the rear portion of the cover portion.
This allows the desired folding deformation to be stably achieved when a load is applied.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the cover portion is formed to have high rigidity relative to the member portion.
The above-mentioned member portion may be formed from PP (polypropylene), and the above-mentioned cover portion may be formed from talc-reinforced resin or GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastics), which has higher rigidity than PPS.

According to the above configuration, the cover portion has high rigidity relative to the member portion, so the portion where the cover portion supports the member portion does not deform locally. As a result, the deformation behavior of the vertical wall portion can be stabilized.

In one embodiment of the present invention, an insulator is provided which is fixed to the vehicle body and covers the rear upper surface of the engine unit, and both vehicle width direction end portions of the member portion are supported by the vehicle body, and the vehicle width direction middle portion of the member portion is supported by the insulator.
The above-mentioned vehicle body may be an apron reinforcement.

According to the above configuration, the middle part of the member part in the vehicle width direction is supported by the above-mentioned insulator, so that the load from the load input part can be supported by the insulator, and the deformation behavior of the above-mentioned vertical wall part can be stabilized.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the front edge portion and the rear edge portion are integrally formed, and an outside air introduction hole is provided in the rear edge portion.
According to the above-mentioned configuration, even if an outside air intake hole is provided at the rear edge portion, the load input portion protrudes upward toward the bonnet side, so that the load can be transmitted to the corner portion as described above. In other words, it is possible to secure the opening area of the outside air intake hole while protecting pedestrians.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the load input portion is formed with a cowl seal mounting portion extending upward from the load input portion for mounting a cowl seal, and the vertical dimension between the load input portion and the cowl seal mounting portion is formed to be approximately constant within a region in the vehicle width direction in which the outside air introduction hole is provided when viewed from above the vehicle.
The cowl seal (sealing member) may be formed of a weather strip.

The above configuration has the following advantages.
In other words, when a pedestrian climbs onto the bonnet and absorbs its load, if there is variation in the vertical dimension between the load input part and the cowl seal mounting part in the vehicle width direction, the obstacle value will be high due to variations in the amount of energy absorbed. However, by making the vertical dimension within the above-mentioned area approximately constant, the rigidity of the load input part within that area becomes constant, thereby stabilizing the deformation behavior of the member part.

This invention has the advantage that even if the rigidity of the material is reduced, the load can be transmitted to the corners, and the folding deformation with the corners as the fulcrum ensures a sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy.

1 is a plan view of a main portion of a vehicle equipped with a cowl grill structure of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main parts of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 with a front windshield and a cowl grill removed. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along line AA in FIG. 1 . 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along line BB in FIG. 1 . FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a member portion of the cowl grill shown in FIG. 4 . 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along line CC in FIG. 1 . FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the cover portion as viewed from above and inward in the vehicle width direction. 4 is a perspective view showing the cover portion as viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction and from the upper rear direction. FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a main portion of the cowl grill structure as viewed from above compared to FIG. 9 .

The objective of transmitting loads to corners even with reduced material rigidity and ensuring sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy by folding deformation with the corners as fulcrums is achieved by a structure that includes a dash panel located at the lower end of the front windshield, extending in the vehicle width direction and dividing the engine room and the passenger compartment in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a cowl grille that is fixed to the vehicle body below the front windshield and in front of the dash panel, the cowl grille having an upper wall portion that extends in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle front-rear direction, and front and rear vertical wall portions that extend downward from the front and rear ends of the upper wall portion via the corners, the upper wall portion having a load input portion to which a downward load is input from the bonnet in the event of a collision, a front edge portion that is forward of the load input portion, and a rear edge portion that is rearward of the load input portion, the front edge portion and the rear edge portion each being formed in a straight line when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and the load input portion being formed to protrude upward toward the bonnet.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The drawings show a cowl grill structure of a vehicle, with Fig. 1 being a plan view of the essential parts of a vehicle equipped with the cowl grill structure, Fig. 2 being a plan view of the essential parts of the vehicle shown in a state in which the front windshield and cowl grill have been removed from Fig. 1, Fig. 3 being a cross-sectional view of the essential parts taken along line A-A in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 being a cross-sectional view of the essential parts taken along line B-B in Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the member portion of the cowl grill shown in Figure 4, Figure 6 is an arrow cross-sectional view of the main portion along line C-C in Figure 1, Figure 7 is a perspective view of the cover portion as seen from above and inside in the vehicle width direction, and Figure 8 is a perspective view of the cover portion as seen from above and inside in the vehicle width direction.

Furthermore, Fig. 9 is a perspective view of Fig. 6, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the main part of the cowl grill structure as viewed from further above than Fig. 9. In the drawings, arrow F indicates the front of the vehicle, arrow R indicates the rear of the vehicle, arrow IN indicates the inside in the vehicle width direction, arrow OUT indicates the outside in the vehicle width direction, and arrow UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle.
<Front body structure>
Prior to describing the cowl grill structure of the vehicle, the front vehicle body structure will first be described.
3, 4 and 9, a dash lower panel 3 is provided as a dash panel that separates the engine room 1 from the passenger compartment 2 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The dash lower panel 3 extends in the vehicle width direction, and both left and right ends of the dash lower panel 3 in the vehicle width direction are connected to hinge pillars (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 2, a tunnel portion 3a that is continuous with a floor tunnel 5 of the front floor panel 4 is formed at a lower center portion in the vehicle width direction of the dash lower panel 3.
As shown in Figure 2, a floor frame 6 is joined and fixed to the upper surface of the front floor panel 4 in the middle in the vehicle width direction between the floor tunnel 5 and a side sill 8 (described later). A closed cross section of the floor frame extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is formed between the floor frame 6 and the front floor panel 4, thereby improving the rigidity of the lower body.

As shown in FIG. 2, a tunnel reinforcement 7 is fixed to the upper surface of the floor tunnel 5, and a closed cross section extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is formed between the tunnel reinforcement 7 and the floor tunnel 5, thereby improving the rigidity of the floor tunnel 5.

Left and right hinge pillars (not shown) extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle are fixed upright on both the left and right sides in the vehicle width direction of the dash lower panel 3 described above. This hinge pillar is a vehicle body strength member that has a closed cross section extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle by joining and fixing a hinge pillar inner and a hinge pillar outer.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a side sill 8 is provided at the lower end of the hinge pillar, extending rearward from the lower end. This side sill 8 is a vehicle body strength member that is formed by joining and fixing a side sill inner and a side sill outer together, and has a closed cross section that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a front pillar 9 is provided at the upper end of the hinge pillar, which extends diagonally rearward and upward from the upper end. This front pillar 9 is a vehicle body strength member that is formed by joining and fixing a front pillar inner and a front pillar outer together, and has a front pillar closed cross section that extends diagonally rearward and upward in the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 1, a front windshield 11 (also known as a front windshield glass) is provided in an opening 10 for arranging the front windshield, which is surrounded by a pair of left and right front pillars 9, 9, a front header located at the upper front side of the vehicle, and a cowl panel 23 (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 4) described later.

Here, the dash lower panel 3 is a panel member located at the lower end of the front windshield 11, extending in the vehicle width direction and separating the engine room 1 from the passenger compartment 2 in the vehicle front-rear direction.

On the other hand, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 9, an apron reinforcement 12 is provided at the front upper end of the hinge pillar so as to extend forward of the vehicle from the front upper end.
1, 2 and 9, a pair of left and right front side frames 13 are provided extending forward of the vehicle from both ends in the vehicle width direction of the dash lower panel 3. The front side frames 13 are located on the inner side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the above-mentioned apron reinforcement 12 and below in the vehicle up-down direction.

The front side frame 13 described above is a vehicle body strength member that has a front side frame closed cross section that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle by joining and fixing the front side frame inner and the front side frame outer together.

As shown in FIG. 9, a suspension tower section 14 is provided that is fixed to the front side frame 13, protrudes upward, and supports the upper part of the damper of a front suspension device (not shown). As shown in the figure, this suspension tower section 14 is attached across the side panel 15 that constitutes the inner surface of the apron reinforcement 12 and the front side frame 13. Here, a strut tower section may be used as the suspension tower section 14.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a connecting member 16 is provided at the front end of the front side frame 13, which connects the front end to the front part of the apron reinforcement 12 in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the left and right sides of the engine room 1 in the vehicle width direction are covered by a front fender panel 17. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the upper part of the engine room 1 is covered by a bonnet 18 that can be opened and closed.

The bonnet 18 described above comprises a bonnet outer panel 19 and a bonnet inner panel 20, and the bonnet outer panel 19 and the bonnet inner panel 20 are integrated together by hemming the peripheral portion of the bonnet outer panel 19.

When the bonnet 18 is closed, the center of the front end in the vehicle width direction is supported on the vehicle body by a striker and a latch, and both left and right sides of the rear end of the bonnet in the vehicle width direction are supported by bonnet hinges provided on bonnet hinge brackets 21 shown in Figure 1.
<Cowl section configuration>
3, 4 and 9, a cowl panel 23 having a generally hat-shaped cross section is provided on the upper end bent portion 3b of the dash lower panel 3 via a dash upper panel 22. A cowl closed cross section 24 extending in the vehicle width direction is formed between the cowl panel 23 and the dash upper panel 22 to improve the rigidity of the cowl portion.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the front windshield 11 is attached via an adhesive 25 to the upper wall portion 23a of the cowl panel 23, which is inclined so as to be low at the front and high at the rear.
As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the front wall portion 23b of the cowl panel 23 is provided with a cowl center 26 serving as a rain gutter member extending from the front wall portion 23b toward the front of the vehicle.
<Auxiliary equipment layout>
2, 3 and 4, in the vehicle longitudinal direction, a battery 27 serving as an auxiliary device is provided between the suspension tower portion 14 and the dash lower panel 3. In other words, the positional relationship of these elements 14, 3, 27 is as follows, from the front of the vehicle: suspension tower portion 14, battery 27 serving as an auxiliary device, and dash lower panel 3.
In addition, in Figs. 3 and 4, reference numeral 28 denotes a battery tray for receiving the battery 27, and reference numeral 29 denotes a battery stay bracket.
<Cowl grill structure>
Next, the cowl grill structure will be described in detail.
As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, below the front windshield 11 (in this embodiment, below the inclined front windshield 11), a cowl grill 30 is provided, which is located above the dash lower panel 3 and in the front of the vehicle.

The cowl grill 30 is equipped with a member portion 31 that extends in the vehicle width direction below the front windshield 11 and receives water dripping down the front windshield 11, and left and right cover portions 32, 33 that are located in front of the member portion 31 and cover the upper part of the auxiliary equipment.

Here, the cover part 32 on the left side of the vehicle covers the top of the reservoir tank (not shown) which is an auxiliary device located below it, and the cover part 33 on the right side of the vehicle covers the top of the battery 27 which is an auxiliary device located below it.

The cowl grill structure of the vehicle in this embodiment is formed approximately symmetrically on the left and right, but the following explanation will mainly focus on the structure related to the cover part 33 on the right side of the vehicle, i.e., the cowl grill structure on the right side of the vehicle.

As shown in Figures 4 and 9, the cowl grille 30 includes the member portion 31, the cover portion 33, a front partition portion 35 and a side partition portion 36 that extend downward from the cover portion 33 and separate the engine room 1, which is the space on the engine side, from the battery arrangement space 34, which is the space on the auxiliary equipment side, and a cowl seal 37 that extends in the vehicle width direction and contacts the bonnet 18 (more specifically, the bonnet inner panel 20) to seal between the space outside the vehicle and the engine room 1.

1, a plurality of mesh-structured outside air introduction holes 38 are formed in a middle portion in the vehicle width direction of a rear edge portion 31h of the member portion 31. The area in the vehicle width direction where the outside air introduction holes 38 are formed is referred to as an outside air introduction hole forming area α.
<Structure of member part in area without outside air introduction hole>
FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional structure of the member portion 31 near the right end in the vehicle width direction other than the outside air introduction hole formation area α.
That is, in the area where the outside air inlet hole is not formed, as shown in Figure 5, the above-mentioned member portion 31 has an upper wall portion 31a extending in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, and a front vertical wall portion 31d and a rear vertical wall portion 31e extending downward from the front and rear ends of the upper wall portion 31a via a front corner portion 31b and a rear corner portion 31c.

Furthermore, the member portion 31 described above has a front edge portion 31g that is further forward of the intermediate step portion 31f of the upper wall portion 31a in the vehicle, and a rear edge portion 31h that is further rearward of the intermediate step portion 31f in the vehicle.
In addition, the above-mentioned member portion 31 includes a flange portion 31i extending from the lower end of the front vertical wall portion 31d toward the front of the vehicle, a mounting seat 31j extending from the intermediate step portion 31f toward the bonnet 18 for mounting the cowl seal 37, and an abutment edge portion 31k extending further rearward from the rear vertical wall portion 31e and abutting against the upper surface of the inclined lower end of the front windshield 11.

That is, the above-mentioned member portion 31 is formed by integrally forming the elements 31a to 31k from synthetic resin in the area where the outside air introduction hole is not formed.
As shown in Figure 5, the upper wall portion 31a, consisting of the front edge portion 31g and the rear edge portion 31h, and the abutment edge portion 31k are inclined in a front-low, rear-high shape, with the front of the vehicle being lower and the rear of the vehicle being higher, while the front vertical wall portion 31d and the rear vertical wall portion 31e are inclined in a front-high, rear-low shape, with the front of the vehicle being higher and the rear of the vehicle being lower.
<Structure of member part in outside air introduction hole forming area>
6, 9 and 10 show the cross-sectional structure of the member portion 31 in the outside air introduction hole forming area α.
That is, within the outside air introduction hole formation region α, the above-mentioned member portion 31 particularly includes an upper wall portion 31a extending in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, as shown in Figures 6 and 10, and a front vertical wall portion 31d and a rear vertical wall portion 31e extending downward from the front and rear ends of the upper wall portion 31a via a front corner portion 31b and a rear corner portion 31c.

The upper wall portion 31a includes a load input portion 31F to which a downward load is input from the bonnet 18 during a collision, a front edge portion 31g located in front of the load input portion 31F, and a rear edge portion 31h located behind the load input portion 31F.

In addition, the above-mentioned member portion 31 includes a flange portion 31i extending from the lower end of the front vertical wall portion 31d toward the front of the vehicle, a mounting seat 31j extending from the load input portion 31F toward the bonnet 18 for mounting the cowl seal 37, and an abutment edge portion 31k extending further rearward from the rear vertical wall portion 31e and abutting against the upper surface of the inclined lower end of the front windshield 11.
That is, the above-mentioned member portion 31 is formed by integrally forming the elements 31a to 31e, 31F, and 31g to 31k from synthetic resin in the outside air introduction hole forming area α.

Moreover, the front edge portion 31g and the rear edge portion 31h are each formed in a straight line when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and the load input portion 31F is formed to protrude upward toward the bonnet 18 (more specifically, the bonnet inner panel 20).

In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 6 and 10, the angle between the front edge 31g and the rear edge 31h is set to approximately 165 degrees, causing the load input portion 31F to protrude upward toward the bonnet 18, but this angle is not limited to this. In other words, the load input portion 31F protrudes upward from an imaginary line that linearly connects the front corner 31b and the rear corner 31c. The load input portion 31F is also formed at the location where the rear end of the front edge 31g and the front end of the rear edge 31h intersect.

6, when a downward load f1 is input from the bonnet 18 to the load input portion 31F during a collision, a force (moment) is generated that rotates the load input portion 31F downward. The load input portion 31F is provided to protrude upward toward the bonnet 18, so that components f2, f3 that transmit the load to the front corner portion 31b and the rear corner portion 31c (i.e., load components in the in-plane direction) and reaction forces f4, f5 that act in the in-plane direction from each of the corner portions 31b, 31c are generated, thereby suppressing out-of-plane deformation of the upper wall portion 31a.
Here, out-of-plane deformation is also called out-of-plane bending, and refers to deformation in which a member is bent in a direction perpendicular to its plane.

As a result, sinking of the upper wall portion 31a is suppressed, and in particular, the load is transferred from the load input portion 31F to the front corner portion 31b, promoting bending deformation with the front corner portion 31b as the fulcrum. Therefore, even if the rigidity of the material forming the member portion 31 is reduced, the load is transferred to the front corner portion 31b, and folding deformation with the front corner portion 31b as the fulcrum ensures a sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy.

As shown in Figure 6, the upper wall portion 31a, consisting of the front edge portion 31g and the rear edge portion 31h, and the abutment edge portion 31k are inclined in a front-low, rear-high shape, with the front of the vehicle being lower and the rear of the vehicle being higher, while the front vertical wall portion 31d and the rear vertical wall portion 31e are inclined in a front-high, rear-low shape, with the front of the vehicle being higher and the rear of the vehicle being lower.
As described above, the rear side portion 31h of the upper wall portion 31a is formed with a plurality of mesh-structured outside air introduction holes 38 (see Figs. 1, 9 and 10).
<Arrangement of cowl seal and cover part>
3 and 4, the cowl seal 37 is disposed at the vehicle front portion of the member portion 31, more specifically, at a mounting seat 31j located at the front portion of the member portion 31. The cover portion 33 is formed of a plate-like member and is provided to separate an upper space 39 of the cover portion 33 from a battery arrangement space 34 which is a space below the cover portion 33.

In this way, by arranging a cowl seal 37 that seals between the space outside the vehicle and the engine room 1 in front of the member part 31, the cover part 33 located in front of the member part 31 is configured to be protected from water, thereby preventing the cover part 33 from becoming too complicated.

The cowl seal 37 is formed from a weather strip, and as shown in FIG. 9, the cowl seal 37 has its end in the vehicle width direction attached to the apron reinforcement 12 via an end member 40. This end member 40 may be integral with the cowl seal 37 or may be separate.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle width direction end of the cowl seal 37 is located near the bonnet hinge (see bonnet hinge bracket 21) that supports the bonnet 18. This allows the cowl seal 37 to improve the support rigidity of the bonnet 18.

In more detail, if the cowl seal is positioned too far forward from the bonnet hinge, the support rigidity of the bonnet 18 provided by the cowl seal is reduced, causing the rear end of the bonnet 18 to float and wobble when the vehicle is moving. However, by locating the end of the cowl seal 37 in the vehicle width direction near the bonnet hinge as described above, the support rigidity of the bonnet 18 provided by the cowl seal 37 is improved.

As shown in FIG. 1, the center of the cowl seal 37 in the vehicle width direction is disposed to be located rearward of the vehicle relative to the center of the cover parts 32, 33 in the vehicle front-rear direction. This ensures that the bonnet support effect is also achieved in the center of the cowl seal 37 in the vehicle width direction.

More specifically, when the cover portion 33 is removed for maintenance, a large opening area for maintenance is required, and at the same time, a large area is also required for the outside air introduction hole 38 formed in the member portion 31. Thus, by specifying the front-rear position of the vehicle width direction central portion of the cowl seal 37 as described above, it is possible to ensure both the opening area for maintenance and the area of the outside air introduction hole 38, while improving the bonnet support effect at the vehicle width direction central portion of the cowl seal 37.
<Cover structure>
As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the above-mentioned cover portion 33 comprises an outer edge portion 33a located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, a front edge portion 33b located at the front of the vehicle, a front inclined edge portion 33c extending from the inner end of the front edge portion 33b in the vehicle width direction at an angle inward in the vehicle width direction and toward the rear of the vehicle, an inner edge portion 33d located on the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and a rear edge portion 33e located at the rear of the vehicle.

The cover portion 33 is provided with a cover body 33f that is formed continuously with the side portions 33a to 33e and covers the upper part of the battery arrangement space .
A flange portion 33h is integrally formed via a skirt portion 33g on the front portion of the cover body 33f corresponding to the above-mentioned front edge portion 33b, and a flange portion 33j is integrally formed via a skirt portion 33i on the front portion of the cover body 33f corresponding to the above-mentioned front inclined edge portion 33c.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8, 3, and 4, a number of support pieces 33k, 33m, and 33n are integrally formed at the rear edge 33e of the cover part 33, extending rearward from the rear lower surface of the cover body 33f, at intervals in the vehicle width direction.

As shown in Figures 3, 4, 7, and 8, the cover body 33f of the above-mentioned cover part 33 has a non-perforated structure with no holes, and the upper surface of the cover body 33f is configured to have a smooth, approximately flat shape. This ensures the rigidity of the cover part 33 compared to a perforated structure with holes.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a number of ribs 33p are integrally formed on the underside of the cover body 33f of the cover portion 33, thereby improving the rigidity of the cover portion 33.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3, 4, and 8, the rear edge 33e of the cover portion 33 is integrally formed with the support pieces 33k, 33m, and 33n that extend rearward from the rear underside of the cover body 33f, and as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the flange portion 31i of the member portion 31 is sandwiched and supported between the support pieces 33k and 33m and the rear end of the cover body 33f.

At the clamping position of the flange portion 31i, a heat insulating seal material 41 is interposed between the lower surface of the rear end portion of the cover body 33f of the cover portion 33 and the upper surface of the flange portion 31i.
The above-mentioned structure in which the flange portion 31i is sandwiched by the rear portion of the cover portion 33 is configured to prevent the flange portion 31i of the member portion 31 from being deformed.

Furthermore, the cover portion 33 is formed to have high rigidity relative to the member portion 31 .
That is, the above-mentioned member portion 31 is formed from a resin having a relatively low rigidity, such as PP (polypropylene), while the cover portion 33 is made of a talc-reinforced resin or fiber-reinforced resin having a higher rigidity than PP.

As the above-mentioned fiber reinforced resin, GFRP (glass fiber reinforced plastics) is preferable.
In this way, by setting the rigidity of the cover portion 33 higher than that of the member portion 31, local deformation of the portion where the cover portion 33 supports the member portion 31 (see support pieces 33k, 33m, 33n) is prevented, and the deformation behavior of the vertical wall portion of the member portion 31, particularly the front vertical wall portion 31d, is stabilized when a load is input.

Furthermore, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the cover portion 33 is located below the vertical position (height position) of the mounting seat 31j serving as the cowl seal mounting portion.
As a result, a vertical space (see upper space 39) is formed between the cowl seal 37 provided on the mounting seat 31j and the cover portion 33, in other words, between the underside of the bonnet inner panel 20 of the bonnet 18 and the upper surface of the cover portion 33, which is advantageous for pedestrian protection.
<Configuration of partition section>
As shown in Figures 4 and 9, the front partition 35 extends downward from the flanges 33h, 33j of the cover 33 to separate the engine room 1 from the battery arrangement space 34 and to support the cover 33 from below.

4, an upper flange 35a and a lower flange 35b are integrally formed above and below the front partition 35. A heat insulating seal material 42 is interposed between the upper flange 35a of the front partition 35 and the flanges 33h, 33j of the cover portion 33.
As shown in FIG. 4 , a heat insulating seal material 43 is also interposed between the lower flange 35 b of the front partition portion 35 and the suspension tower portion 14 .

9 extends downward from the flange portion 33j of the cover portion 33 to separate the engine room 1 from the battery arrangement space 34 and support the cover portion 33 from below. A hanging front portion 36a of the side partition portion 36 abuts against the suspension housing 44 via a heat insulating sealant (not shown).
Further, the downwardly extending end portion 36b of the side partition portion 36 abuts against the upper portion of the front side frame 13 via a heat insulating seal material (not shown).

In addition, as shown in FIG. 9, this embodiment includes an upper end partition 45 that covers the entire lower surface of the member portion 31 of the cowl grille 30 and extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction and widthwise direction, a rear partition 46 that is spaced forward from the dash lower panel 3 and covers the front of the dash lower panel 3, and an upper partition 47 that extends in the vehicle width direction and covers the area between the front lower surface of the upper end partition 45 and the front upper surface of the upper end bent portion 46a of the rear partition 46.

The above-mentioned front partition 35, side partition 36 and upper end partition 45 are made of insulators made of polypropylene material containing 30% glass fiber as a reinforcing material, and the above-mentioned rear partition 46 and upper partition 47 are made of insulators made of glass wool.
Here, the above-mentioned upper end partition portion 45 and upper partition portion 47 are insulators that cover the rear upper surface of the engine unit fixed to the vehicle body.

In addition to its excellent heat insulation properties, glass wool also has excellent sound absorption properties, so by using glass wool for the rear partition 46 and upper partition 47, it is possible to suppress the transmission of engine noise into the passenger compartment 2 and also ensure a sound absorption effect.

In short, as shown in Figures 4, 6, 9 and 10, the cowl grill 30 described above comprises a member portion 31 extending in the vehicle width direction below the front windshield 11, a cover portion 33 located in front of the member portion 31 and covering the upper side of the battery 27, and partition portions (front partition portion 35, side partition portion 36) extending downward from the cover portion 33 and separating the engine room 1 from the battery arrangement space 34, and the front vertical wall portion 31d of the member portion 31 is supported from below by the cover portion 33.

In this way, the front vertical wall portion 31d of the member portion 31 is supported from below by the cover portion 33, and the front vertical wall portion 31d is prevented from sinking. As a result, when a load is input, the load is transmitted from the load input portion 31F via the front edge portion 31g to the front corner portion 31b, and the front corner portion 31b acts as a fulcrum to cause the load to be folded, thereby ensuring pedestrian protection performance.

As shown in FIG. 1, both left and right ends of the member portion 31 in the vehicle width direction are fastened and supported to the apron reinforcement 12 as the vehicle body using fastening members 48, and the middle portion of the member portion 31 in the vehicle width direction is supported from below by the upper end partition portion 45 and the upper partition portion 47 as insulators as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 10.

In this way, by supporting the middle part of the member part 31 in the vehicle width direction by the above-mentioned partition parts 45, 47, the load from the load input part 31F is supported by these partition parts 45, 47, and the deformation behavior of the vertical wall parts 31d, 31e of the member part 31, especially the front vertical wall part 31d, is stabilized.

As shown in Figures 6 and 10, in the member portion 31, the front edge portion 31g and the rear edge portion 31h are integrally formed, and an air introduction hole 38 having a mesh structure is formed in the rear edge portion 31h.

Thus, even if the outside air introduction hole 38 is provided in the rear edge portion 31h, the load input portion 31F protrudes upward toward the bonnet 18, so that the load is transmitted to the front corner portion 31b and the rear corner portion 31c as described above. In other words, the structure is designed to ensure both the opening area of the outside air introduction hole 38 and pedestrian protection.

6 and 10, the load input portion 31F is integrally formed with a mounting seat 31j that extends upward from the load input portion 31F and serves as a cowl seal mounting portion for mounting the cowl seal 37. The vertical dimension L (see FIG. 6) between the load input portion 31F and the mounting seat 31j is formed to be a substantially constant vertical dimension in a region in the vehicle width direction where the outside air introduction hole 38 is provided in a plan view of the vehicle, i.e., in the outside air introduction hole forming region α (see FIG. 1).
This makes it possible to keep the rigidity of the load input portion 31F constant within the outside air introduction hole formation region α, and to stabilize the deformation behavior of the member portion 31 when a load is input.

In other words, when a pedestrian climbs onto the bonnet 18 and absorbs the load, if there is variation in the vertical dimension between the load input portion 31F and the mounting seat 31j of the cowl seal 37 in the vehicle width direction, the hazard value will increase due to the variation in the amount of energy absorbed. However, by making the vertical dimension L approximately constant, the variation in the amount of energy absorbed is eliminated.

As shown in FIG. 1, the left end of the outside air introduction hole formation area α in the vehicle width direction is located slightly to the right of the vehicle width direction inner end of the cover part 32 on the left side of the vehicle, and the right end of the outside air introduction hole formation area α in the vehicle width direction is located at a position equivalent to an extension of the vehicle width direction inner end surface of the front side frame 13, but is not limited to this.

In addition, in Figures 6, 9, and 10, 49 denotes a cowl rain that extends from the dash upper panel 22 to the front of the vehicle. Also, in Figure 1, the cover part 32 on the left side of the vehicle is given the same reference numerals as the cover part 33 on the right side of the vehicle for the same locations.

In this way, the cowl grill structure of the vehicle of the above embodiment includes a dash panel (dash lower panel 3) located at the lower end of the front windshield 11, extending in the vehicle width direction and dividing the engine room 1 and the passenger compartment 2 in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a cowl grill 30 fixed to the vehicle body (apron reinforcement 12) below the front windshield 11 and in front of the dash panel (dash lower panel 3). The cowl grill 30 includes an upper wall portion 31a extending in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle front-rear direction, and a front end portion 31b extending from the front end and the rear end of the upper wall portion 31a. The upper wall 31a has a load input portion 31F to which a downward load is input from the bonnet 18 during a collision, a front edge portion 31g located forward of the load input portion 31F, and a rear edge portion 31h located rearward of the load input portion 31F, the front edge portion 31g and the rear edge portion 31h each being formed in a straight line in a side view of the vehicle, and the load input portion 31F is formed to protrude upward toward the bonnet 18 (see Figures 1, 6, and 10).

According to this configuration, when a downward load f1 is input from the bonnet 18 to the load input portion 31F during a collision, a force (moment) is generated that rotates the load input portion 31F downward. However, since the load input portion 31F is provided to protrude upward toward the bonnet 18, components f2 and f3 (i.e., load components in the in-plane direction) that transmit the load to the front corner 31b on the front edge portion 31g side and the rear corner 31c on the rear edge portion 31h side, and reaction forces f4 and f5 that act in the in-plane direction from the front corner 31b on the front edge portion 31g side and the rear corner 31c on the rear edge portion 31h side are generated, suppressing out-of-plane deformation of the upper wall portion 31a.

Therefore, sinking of the upper wall portion 31a can be suppressed, and in particular, the load can be transmitted from the load input portion 31F to the front corner portion (front corner portion 31b), promoting bending deformation with the corner portion 31b as a fulcrum.
Therefore, even if the rigidity of the material is reduced, the load can be transmitted to the front corner portion 31b, and a sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy can be ensured by folding deformation with the front corner portion 31b as a fulcrum.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the cowl grille 30 includes a member portion 31 extending in the vehicle width direction below the front windshield 11, a cover portion 33 located in front of the member portion 31 and covering the upper side of the auxiliary machinery (battery 27), and partition portions (front partition portion 35, side partition portion 36) extending downward from the cover portion 33 and separating the engine room 1 from the auxiliary machinery side space (battery arrangement space 34). The member portion 31 has the upper wall portion 31a and the vertical wall portions 31d, 31e, and the front vertical wall portion (front vertical wall portion 31d) is supported from below by the cover portion 33 (see Figures 3, 4, and 9).

With this configuration, the front vertical wall portion (front vertical wall portion 31d) is supported from below by the cover portion 33, which prevents the vertical wall portion 31d from sinking. As a result, when a load is input, the load can be transmitted from the load input portion 31F via the front edge portion 31g to the front corner portion 31b, and pedestrian protection performance can be ensured by the folding deformation with the front corner portion 31b as the fulcrum.

Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, a flange portion 31i is formed on the front vertical wall portion 31d of the member portion 31, and the rear portion of the cover portion 33 clamps and supports the flange portion 31i of the member portion 31 (see Figures 3 and 4).
According to this configuration, the flange portion 31i is sandwiched by the rear portion of the cover portion 33, so that deformation of the flange portion 31i of the member portion 31 can be prevented.

Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the cover portion 33 is formed to have high rigidity relative to the member portion 31 (see Figs. 3 and 4).
According to this configuration, the cover portion 33 has a high rigidity relative to the member portion 31, so that the portion where the cover portion 33 supports the member portion 31 does not deform locally. As a result, it is possible to stabilize the deformation behavior of the vertical wall portion (front vertical wall portion 31d).

In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, an insulator (upper end partition portion 45, upper partition portion 47) is provided that is fixed to the vehicle body and covers the rear upper surface of the engine unit, and both ends of the member portion 31 in the vehicle width direction are supported by the vehicle body (apron reinforcement 12), and the middle portion of the member portion 31 in the vehicle width direction is supported by the insulator (upper end partition portion 45, upper partition portion 47) (see Figures 6 and 10).

With this configuration, the middle part of the member part 31 in the vehicle width direction is supported by the insulator (upper end partition part 45, upper partition part 47) described above, so that the load from the load input part 31F can be supported by the insulator (upper end partition part 45, upper partition part 47), and the deformation behavior of the vertical wall part (front vertical wall part 31d) of the member part 31 described above can be stabilized.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the front edge portion 31g and the rear edge portion 31h are integrally formed, and an outside air introduction hole 38 is provided in the rear edge portion 31h (see FIG. 10).

With this configuration, even if the outside air intake hole 38 is provided on the rear edge 31h, the load input portion 31F protrudes upward toward the bonnet 18, so the load can be transmitted to the corners (particularly the front corners 31b) as described above. In other words, it is possible to ensure both the opening area of the outside air intake hole 38 and pedestrian protection.

Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the load input portion 31F is formed with a cowl seal mounting portion (mounting seat 31j) that extends upward from the load input portion 31F and mounts the cowl seal 37, and the vertical dimension L (see FIG. 6) between the load input portion 31F and the cowl seal mounting portion (mounting seat 31j) is formed to be a substantially constant vertical dimension within the region in the vehicle width direction where the outside air introduction hole 38 is provided (external air introduction hole formation region α) in a plan view of the vehicle (see FIGS. 1, 6, and 10).

This configuration has the following advantages.
In other words, when a pedestrian climbs onto the bonnet 18 and absorbs its load, if there is variation in the vertical dimension L between the load input portion 31F and the cowl seal mounting portion (mounting seat 31j) in the vehicle width direction, the obstacle value will be high due to variations in the amount of energy absorbed. However, by making the vertical dimension L within the above-mentioned area (external air introduction hole formation area α) approximately constant, the rigidity of the load input portion 31F within that area (external air introduction hole formation area α) becomes constant, and thereby the deformation behavior of the member portion 31 can be stabilized.

In the configuration of the present invention and the above-mentioned embodiment,
The dash panel of the present invention corresponds to the dash lower panel 3 of the embodiment.
Similarly,
The vehicle body is fitted with an apron reinforcement 12.
The auxiliary equipment corresponds to the battery 27.
The corners correspond to a front corner 31b and a rear corner 31c.
The vertical wall portions correspond to a front vertical wall portion 31d and a rear vertical wall portion 31e.
The cowl seal mounting portion corresponds to the mounting seat 31j.
The space on the auxiliary equipment side corresponds to the battery arrangement space 34,
The partitions correspond to a front partition 35 and a side partition 36.
The insulator corresponds to the upper end partition portion 45 and the upper partition portion 47,
The area in the vehicle width direction where the outside air introduction hole is provided corresponds to the outside air introduction hole formation area α,
The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-mentioned embodiments, but may be practiced in many different ways.

As explained above, the present invention is useful for a cowl grill structure of a vehicle that includes a dash panel that is located at the lower end of the front windshield, extends in the vehicle width direction, and separates the engine compartment and the passenger compartment in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a cowl grill that is fixed to the vehicle body below the front windshield and in front of the dash panel.

1...Engine room 2...Passenger compartment 3...Dash lower panel (dash panel)
11...Front windshield 12...Apron reinforcement (vehicle body)
18... Bonnet 27... Battery (auxiliary equipment)
30: Cowl grill 31: Member portion 31a: Upper wall portion 31b: Front corner portion (corner portion)
31c...Rear corner (corner)
31d...Front vertical wall portion (vertical wall portion)
31e: rear vertical wall portion (vertical wall portion)
31F: Load input portion 31g: Front side portion 31h: Rear side portion 31i: Flange portion 31j: Mounting seat (cowl seal mounting portion)
33: Cover portion 34: Battery arrangement space (space on the auxiliary machinery side)
35...Front partition (partition)
36...Side partition (partition)
37: cowl seal 38: outside air introduction hole 45: upper end partition portion (insulator)
47...Upper partition (insulator)
α: Air intake hole forming area (area in the vehicle width direction where the air intake hole is provided)

Claims (6)

a dash panel that is located at the lower end of the front windshield and extends in the vehicle width direction to separate an engine room and a passenger compartment in the vehicle front-rear direction;
a cowl grill fixed to a vehicle body below the front windshield and in front of the dash panel,
The cowl grille shown above is
An upper wall portion extending in a vehicle width direction and a vehicle front-rear direction;
and front and rear vertical wall portions extending downward from the front and rear ends of the upper wall portion via corner portions,
the upper wall portion having a load input portion to which a downward load is input from the bonnet during a collision;
a front edge portion on a vehicle forward side relative to the load input portion;
a rear side portion located rearward of the load input portion,
The front edge portion and the rear edge portion are each formed in a straight line when seen from the side of the vehicle,
the load input portion is formed so as to protrude upward toward the bonnet ,
The cowl grille shown above is
a member portion extending in a vehicle width direction below the front windshield;
a cover portion located in front of the member portion and covering an upper portion of the auxiliary machinery;
a partition portion extending downward from the cover portion to separate the engine room from a space on an auxiliary machinery side,
The member portion has the upper wall portion and the vertical wall portion,
A vehicle cowl grill structure, wherein the front vertical wall portion is supported from below by the cover portion . A flange portion is formed at a lower end portion of the vertical wall portion in front of the member portion,
2. The cowl grill structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the rear portion of the cover portion supports the flange portion of the member portion by sandwiching it therebetween. 3. The cowl grill structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cover portion is formed to have high rigidity relative to the member portion. An insulator is provided which is fixed to the vehicle body and covers the rear upper surface of the engine unit,
4. A cowl grill structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein both ends of said member portion in the vehicle width direction are supported by the vehicle body, and a middle portion of said member portion in the vehicle width direction is supported by said insulator. The front edge portion and the rear edge portion are integrally formed,
The vehicle cowl grill structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein an outside air inlet is provided in the rear portion. a cowl seal attachment portion extending upward from the load input portion and for attaching a cowl seal thereto is formed on the load input portion,
6. The vehicle cowl grill structure according to claim 5 , wherein the vertical dimension between the load input portion and the cowl seal mounting portion is formed to be approximately constant within a region in the vehicle width direction in which the outside air introduction hole is provided when viewed from above the vehicle.

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