Vehicle front structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle front structure which reduces damage of a crash box in file lap collision, and can serve as a reaction force surface for generating lateral force to an anti-collision side.SOLUTION: A vehicle front structure 10 has: a front side member 16 extending along a vehicle longitudinal direction; a crash box 70 extending to a vehicle front side from an end on the vehicle front side of the front side member 16; a bumper reinforcement 80 extending along a vehicle width direction so that an end outside in the vehicle width direction overhangs outward in the vehicle width direction beyond an end outside in the vehicle width direction of the crash box 70, and connected to the crash box 70; and a projection part 82 projecting to a vehicle rear side from the end outside in the vehicle width direction of the bumper reinforcement 80, and provided with a first inclination part 82E inclined toward the vehicle rear side and the outside in the vehicle width direction from an end inside in the vehicle width direction, in plan view, at an end on the vehicle rear side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle front structure. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle front structure in which an extension portion is provided on the outer portion of a bumper reinforcement in the vehicle width direction. In this vehicle front structure, during a so-called small overlap collision, a load input to the outer portion of the bumper reinforcement in the vehicle width direction is transmitted to the front side member via the extension portion. At this time, a rear protrusion provided on the extension portion abuts against a side surface of a crash box (weak portion) provided on the front side of the front side member. As a result, a middle portion in the extending direction of the crash box is bent and deformed inward in the vehicle width direction, and is configured to absorb the collision load. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-078492 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, a known countermeasure for a small overlap collision is to transmit the collision load input from the barrier to a rigid area of ​​the vehicle, causing the rigid area to generate a lateral force toward the anti-collision side (inner side in the vehicle width direction), thereby allowing the vehicle to pass through the barrier. In this case, it is conceivable to use a crash box as a reaction surface for generating the lateral force toward the anti-collision side, but in the vehicle front structure described in Patent Document 1, the crash box is bent and deformed by the collision load input from the barrier, so the crash box cannot be used as a reaction surface.

[0005] Taking the above facts into consideration, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle front structure that reduces damage to the crash box during a small overlap collision and can serve as a reaction surface for generating lateral force to the side opposite the collision. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle front structure according to a first aspect includes a skeleton extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle on the outer side of the front of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction, crash boxes extending from the front end of the skeleton towards the front of the vehicle, a bumper reinforcement extending along the vehicle width direction in front of the crash boxes so that the outer end of the crash boxes in the vehicle width direction protrudes outwards in the vehicle width direction beyond the outer end of the crash boxes in the vehicle width direction, and connected to the crash boxes, and a protruding portion protruding towards the rear of the vehicle from the outer end of the bumper reinforcement, and having at its rear end a first inclined portion that inclines from the inner end in the vehicle width direction towards the rear of the vehicle and outwards in the vehicle width direction in a plan view.

[0007] The vehicle front structure according to the first aspect includes crash boxes that extend forward from the vehicle front end of a frame extending along the vehicle longitudinal direction, and bumper reinforcements that extend in the vehicle width direction are connected to the crash boxes. Furthermore, the bumper reinforcements are provided with protrusions that protrude rearward of the vehicle at their outer ends in the vehicle width direction.

[0008] According to the above configuration, in the event of a slight overlap collision, the bumper reinforcement receives the collision load input from the barrier, and the further input collision load causes bending deformation of the outer end of the bumper reinforcement in the vehicle width direction, and the collision load is transmitted to the crash box via the protruding portion.

[0009] Here, the protruding portion has a first inclined portion that, in a plan view, inclines from its end on the inner side in the vehicle width direction toward the rear and outer side of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, when the bumper reinforcement undergoes bending deformation, the first inclined portion of the protruding portion abuts against the outer side surface of the crash box in the vehicle width direction. That is, the collision load transmitted from the bumper reinforcement is input via the first inclined portion. In this state, the first inclined portion extends along the extension direction of the crash box and is positioned to face the outer side surface of the crash box in the vehicle width direction. This suppresses the input of local loads to the crash box and reduces damage to the crash box. This suppresses the input of local loads to the crash box and reduces damage to the crash box. As a result, the collision load can be transmitted from the crash box to the frame, and the crash box can be used as a reaction surface for generating lateral force on the anti-collision side.

[0010] A vehicle front structure according to a second aspect is the same as the first aspect, in which the first inclined portion is formed by a flat surface.

[0011] In the vehicle front structure according to the second aspect, the first inclined portions are configured as flat surfaces, so that they come into flat contact with the sides of the crash boxes, thereby increasing the contact area between the first inclined portions and the crash boxes and effectively reducing damage to the crash boxes.

[0012] The vehicle front structure of the third aspect is configured as described in the first or second aspect, and further includes a load-receiving portion provided on the vehicle rear side of the crash box, at a position rearward of the vehicle than the protrusion, the load-receiving portion having at least a portion extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle width outer side of the crash box.

[0013] A vehicle front structure according to a third aspect includes a load receiving portion provided on the vehicle rear side of the crash box. At least a portion of this load receiving portion extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle width direction outer side surface of the crash box at a position rearward of the protruding portion. As a result, when the bumper reinforcement is bent and deformed, the vehicle rear end of the protruding portion abuts on the load receiving portion, and is guided by the load receiving portion and moves inward in the vehicle width direction, allowing the first inclined portion to abut on the side surface of the crash box. This enables stable load transmission even in the event of a small overlap collision, when the protruding portion contacts the load receiving portion before the crash box due to variations in the amount of overlap between the vehicle and the barrier.

[0014] The vehicle front structure according to the fourth aspect is configured as described in any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the protrusion has a second inclined portion connected to the rear end of the first inclined portion and inclined toward the front of the vehicle and outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0015] In a vehicle front structure according to a fourth aspect, the protruding portion has a second inclined portion connected to the rear end of the first inclined portion and inclined toward the front of the vehicle and toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. As a result, when the bumper reinforcement is bent and deformed, the first inclined portion of the protruding portion abuts against the side surface of the crash box on the outside in the vehicle width direction, and the second inclined portion abuts against the load receiving portion. This increases the contact area between the protruding portion and the load receiving portion, enabling stable load transmission via the load receiving portion.

[0016] A vehicle front structure according to a fifth aspect is the configuration according to the third aspect, wherein the load receiving portion is formed integrally with the framework portion.

[0017] In the vehicle front structure according to the fifth aspect, the load receiving portion is formed integrally with the skeleton portion, thereby improving the efficiency of transmission of the collision load from the load receiving portion to the skeleton portion.

[0018] A vehicle front structure according to a sixth aspect is the configuration according to the third aspect, wherein the load receiving portion and the framework portion have an open cross section that is open outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0019] In the vehicle front structure according to the sixth aspect, the load receiving portion and the skeleton have an open cross section that is open outward in the vehicle width direction. This allows the load receiving portion and the skeleton to be molded using a mold with the opening direction of the cross section being the mold release direction. This makes it easier to manufacture the load receiving portion and the skeleton and reduces production costs.

[0020] The vehicle front structure of the seventh aspect is the configuration described in the third aspect, wherein the load-receiving portion comprises a first wall portion extending in the vehicle width direction on the vehicle rear side of the crash box, a second wall portion connected to the outer side of the first wall portion in the vehicle width direction and extending toward the front side of the vehicle, and a third wall portion connected to the front side of the second wall portion and extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the outer side surface of the crash box in the vehicle width direction.

[0021] In the vehicle front structure according to the seventh aspect, when the bumper reinforcement is bent and deformed, the load input from the protruding portion to the third wall portion is transmitted to the first wall portion via the second wall portion. In this way, since the second wall portion extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction is disposed between the third wall portion and the first wall portion, it is possible to stabilize the input of the distributed load toward the rear of the vehicle to the framework, and it is possible to improve the efficiency of transmission of the collision load.

[0022] The vehicle front structure according to an eighth aspect is the configuration according to the seventh aspect, wherein the load receiving portion has a reinforcing rib connecting the second wall portion and the third wall portion.

[0023] In the vehicle front structure according to the eighth aspect, the load receiving portion has a reinforcing rib connecting the second wall portion and the third wall portion, which increases the strength of the third wall portion that receives the collision load via the protrusion, thereby improving the efficiency of transmission of the collision load.

[0024] The vehicle front structure of the ninth aspect is a configuration described in the seventh or eighth aspect, in which the load-receiving portion has a mounting portion for a suspension member on the vehicle front side of the first wall portion and on the vehicle rear side of the third wall portion.

[0025] In a vehicle front structure according to a ninth aspect, the load receiving portion has a mounting portion for a suspension member on the vehicle front side of the first wall portion and on the vehicle rear side of the third wall portion. As a result, when the bumper reinforcement is bent and deformed, a portion of the collision load input from the protruding portion to the third wall portion is transmitted to the mounting portion in the process of being transmitted from the third wall portion to the first wall portion. The portion is then transmitted to the suspension member via the mounting portion. This allows the collision load during a small-overlap collision to be quickly transmitted to the suspension member, thereby quickly generating a lateral force on the anti-collision side.

[0026] The vehicle front structure according to the tenth aspect is a configuration described in any one of the seventh to ninth aspects, in which the load-receiving portion has a fourth wall portion connected to the inside of the first wall portion in the vehicle width direction and extending toward the front of the vehicle.

[0027] In a vehicle front structure according to a tenth aspect, the load-receiving portion has a fourth wall portion connected to the inside of the first wall portion in the vehicle width direction and extending toward the front of the vehicle. Therefore, the fourth wall portion is disposed on the inside of the crash box in the vehicle width direction. This prevents the crash box from moving inward in the vehicle width direction due to a collision load input from the outside in the vehicle width direction via the protrusion, thereby stabilizing the transmission path of the collision load. Furthermore, the fourth wall portion increases the reaction force obtained from the crash box, improving the efficiency of transmission of the collision load to the frame. [Effects of the Invention]

[0028] As described above, the vehicle front structure according to the present invention can reduce damage to the crash boxes in a small overlap collision and can serve as a reaction force surface for generating lateral force to the side opposite the collision. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram of a vehicle to which a vehicle front structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, viewed from the left front side, and is a perspective view that schematically shows an example of a main part of the vehicle front. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram of a vehicle to which a vehicle front structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, seen from above, and is a plan view schematically illustrating an example of a main part of the vehicle front. [Figure 3] 1 is a side view of the front part of a vehicle to which a vehicle front structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, viewed from the left side. [Figure 4] 1 is an enlarged plan view of a load receiving portion according to the present embodiment and a crash box connected to the load receiving portion, as viewed from above. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the protrusion according to the embodiment, as viewed from the diagonally rear right side. [Figure 6] This is a plan view of the front of a vehicle, showing a typical collision pattern when there is a large amount of overlap with the barrier in a small overlap collision. (A) shows the state immediately after the collision, and (B) shows the state after the collision when the position of the barrier has moved toward the rear of the vehicle. [Figure 7] This is a plan view of the front of a vehicle, showing a typical collision pattern when the overlap amount with the barrier is small in a small overlap collision. (A) shows the state immediately after the collision, and (B) shows the state after the collision when the position of the barrier has moved toward the rear of the vehicle. [Figure 8] FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view showing a first modified example of a protrusion according to the present embodiment, corresponding to FIG. 4. [Figure 9] 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing a second modified example of the protrusion according to the embodiment, corresponding to FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 10] 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing a third modified example of the protrusion according to the embodiment, corresponding to FIG. 5. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] The vehicle front structure according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the arrow FR shown as appropriate in each drawing indicates the front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the arrow UP indicates the upper side in the vehicle vertical direction. The arrow LH indicates the left side in the vehicle width direction, which in this embodiment indicates the outer side in the vehicle width direction. Hereinafter, when the directions of front / rear, up / down, and left / right are simply used in the description, they refer to front / rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction, up / down in the vehicle vertical direction, and left / right in the vehicle horizontal direction (vehicle width direction), unless otherwise specified.

[0031] Unless otherwise specified in the specification, each element is not limited to one and may be present in plural. Furthermore, in the drawings, substantially identical elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations in the specification will be omitted.

[0032] (General configuration of the front of the vehicle) First, a vehicle 12 to which the vehicle front structure 10 according to this embodiment is applied will be described. For example, the vehicle 12 has a power unit including a motor, an engine, etc. as a drive source, and runs on power generated by the power unit. The drive source of the vehicle 12 is not particularly limited. For example, the vehicle 12 may be an internal combustion engine vehicle (a vehicle using only an internal combustion engine as a drive source), or may be an HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle). Furthermore, the vehicle 12 may be a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), or an FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle).

[0033] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle 12 as seen from the diagonally front left side, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the vehicle 12 as seen from above. Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 schematically show the main parts of the front skeleton of the vehicle 12. As shown in these figures, the front part of the vehicle 12 is provided with front side members 16, suspension members 60, crash boxes 70, bumper reinforcement 80, etc. as the skeleton.

[0034] The front side members 16 are disposed on both the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle on the outer sides in the vehicle width direction, and extend along the vehicle longitudinal direction. A power unit (not shown) is disposed between the left and right front side members 16. The power unit is supported from below by suspension members 60. The suspension members 60 are disposed below the left and right front side members 16. The front and rear ends of the suspension member 60 are attached at both ends in the vehicle width direction to the left and right front side members 16 from below.

[0035] Crash boxes 70 capable of absorbing impact energy extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction on the front sides of the left and right front side members 16. Bumper reinforcements 80, which are the framework of the front bumper, extend in the vehicle transverse direction at the front ends of the left and right crash boxes 70.

[0036] Although the front side member 16 and the crash box 70 are described here as separate components, they may be integrated into one body.

[0037] On the other hand, wheel houses 14 in which wheels (not shown) are arranged are provided on the rear side of the left and right front side members 16, and the right wheel house 14 and the left wheel house 14 are connected by a cross member 15.

[0038] Furthermore, an apron upper member 17 is disposed outside the front side member 16 in the vehicle width direction and above in the vehicle up-down direction. The apron upper member 17 is a skeleton portion that forms the skeleton of the upper lateral portions in the front of the vehicle 12. The apron upper member 17 extends in the vehicle front-rear direction along the front side member 16, and the rear end of the apron upper member 17 is joined to a front pillar 19. A suspension tower 18 is formed integrally with the apron upper member 17. Then, a rocker 11 that extends along the vehicle front-rear direction and forms the skeleton of the vehicle body side portion is provided on the rear side of the wheel house 14 in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0039] In this embodiment, the left and right front side members 16, the left and right wheel houses 14 and cross members 15, the apron upper member 17 and the suspension tower 18 are integrally formed by casting using materials such as aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, etc.

[0040] Therefore, each of the front side members 16, the left and right wheel houses 14, the cross member 15, the apron upper member 17, and the suspension tower 18 has an open cross section that is open in the mold removal direction during casting. In this embodiment, the mold removal direction can be either one side or the other side of the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the cross section of each member is an open cross section that is open in at least one side of the vehicle width direction.

[0041] In addition, all or some of the front side members 16, the left and right wheel houses 14, the cross member 15, the apron upper member 17 and the suspension tower 18 may be formed as separate parts.

[0042] The following will describe in detail the configuration of each of the main parts of the present invention, namely, the front side member 16, the suspension member 60, the crash box 70, and the bumper reinforcement 80.

[0043] (front side member) FIG. 3 is a side view of the front portion of the vehicle 12 as viewed from the left side. As described above, the front side member 16 extends along the vehicle longitudinal direction. The front side member 16 includes an upper wall portion 16A, a lower wall portion 16B, an inner wall portion 16C, and a partition wall portion 16D, and has a generally E-shaped open cross section that opens outward in the vehicle width direction. The upper wall portion 16A constitutes the upper wall of the front side member 16. The lower wall portion 16B constitutes the lower wall of the front side member 16. The inner wall portion 16C constitutes an inner wall that connects the inner end of the upper wall portion 16A in the vehicle width direction to the inner end of the lower wall portion 16B in the vehicle width direction. The partition wall portion 16D stands outward in the vehicle width direction from a middle portion of the inner wall portion 16C in the vehicle up-down direction, and divides the interior space of the front side member 16 into two rows, upper and lower. In the following description, the upper portion of the front side member 16 including the partition wall portion 16D will be referred to as an upper stage portion 20U, and the lower portion of the front side member 16 including the partition wall portion 16D will be referred to as a lower stage portion 20D.

[0044] The upper and lower stage portions 20U and 20D of the front side member 16 have a cross section cut along the vehicle width direction that is generally U-shaped and open to the outside in the vehicle width direction. The interior space of the upper stage portion 20U is divided into a plurality of chambers R1 by a plurality of ribs 22 provided along the vehicle front-rear direction. Each rib 22 has a generally U-shaped cutout portion (reference numeral omitted) that is open to the outside in the vehicle width direction. Similarly to the upper stage portion 20U, the interior space of the lower stage portion 20D is divided into a plurality of chambers R2 by a plurality of ribs 24 provided along the vehicle front-rear direction. Each rib 24 has a generally U-shaped cutout portion (reference numeral omitted) that is open to the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0045] Here, the rib 22 of the upper stage 20U of the front side member 16 and the rib 24 of the lower stage 20D are misaligned along the extension direction of the front side member 16 (the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle), and the rib 22 and the rib 24 are misaligned, for example, by 1 / 2 wavelength.

[0046] In addition, in each of the chambers R1, R2 of the upper and lower sections 20U, 20D, beads 26 extending in a direction intersecting the extending direction are formed between the ribs 22, 24 arranged in the front and rear. In this embodiment, the beads 26 are provided to serve as starting points for deformation when the front side member 16 is axially compressed due to the input of a collision load in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction. Therefore, each bead 26 extends in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the front side member 16 (the load input direction). The beads 26 are, for example, concave grooves. The front side member 16 has a thinner plate thickness at the portion where the bead 26 is formed than at other portions, making the front side member 16 less rigid and more fragile than other portions.

[0047] As an example, the beads 26 provided in each chamber R1 of the upper stage portion 20U extend continuously to the upper wall portion 16A and the inner wall portion 16C of the front side member 16. Furthermore, the beads 26 provided in each chamber 20U of the upper stage portion 20U coincide with the ribs 24 of the lower stage portion 20D in the vehicle longitudinal direction. On the other hand, the beads 26 provided in each chamber 20D of the lower stage portion 20D extend continuously to the lower wall portion 16B and the inner wall portion 16C of the front side member 16. Furthermore, the beads 26 provided in each chamber R2 of the lower stage portion 20D coincide with the ribs 22 of the upper stage portion 20U in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0048] A high-rigidity portion 30 is formed at the end of the front side member 16 on the vehicle front side, and has higher rigidity than other portions of the front side member 16 against a collision load input along the vehicle front-rear direction. In this high-rigidity portion 30, the rib 22 of the upper stage portion 20U and the rib 24 of the lower stage portion 20D of the front side member 16 are positioned in the same position along the extension direction of the front side member 16 (the vehicle front-rear direction). In addition, the upper stage portion 20U and the lower stage portion 20D are formed with reinforcing ribs 32 connected to intermediate portions of the ribs 22, 24 in the vehicle up-down direction. The reinforcing rib 32 extends from the ribs 22, 24 toward the front of the vehicle along the vehicle front-rear direction and is connected to a first wall portion 41 of a load-receiving portion 40, which will be described later.

[0049] With the above-described configuration, the front side member 16 constitutes an impact absorbing portion that absorbs a collision load input along the vehicle longitudinal direction during a full-overlap collision or offset collision of the vehicle 12. That is, when a collision load along the vehicle longitudinal direction is input to the front end of the front side member 16, the load is quickly transmitted to the ribs 22, 24 arranged in the front row of the upper stage portion 20U and the lower stage portion 20D via the reinforcing rib 32 of the high-rigidity portion 30. Thereafter, the multiple chamber portions R1, R2 arranged in a row in the upper stage portion 20U and the lower stage portion 20D are destroyed in order from the front of the vehicle, generating a destruction load. During this process, the collision load is absorbed.

[0050] Furthermore, the ribs 22 of the upper stage portion 20U and the ribs 24 of the lower stage portion 20D of the front side member 16 are offset in their positions along the extension direction of the front side member 16 (the vehicle longitudinal direction), so that during a collision, the destruction of the chamber portion R1 of the upper stage portion 20U and the destruction of the chamber portion R2 of the lower stage portion 20D occur alternately. This allows the timing at which the destructive load occurs to be shifted between the upper stage portion 20U and the lower stage portion 20D, and also increases the number of times that the collision load is absorbed by the generation of the destructive load. As a result, it becomes possible to reduce the load difference between the destructive loads that occur with a time lag.

[0051] Furthermore, the beads 26 provided in each of the chambers R1 and R2 of the upper and lower sections 20U and 20D become the starting points of deformation when a collision load is input. Therefore, the chambers R1 and R2 can be deformed starting from the beads 26, and the failure mode can be stabilized.

[0052] (load bearing part) As shown in Figure 3, a load receiving portion 40 is provided on the front side of the front side member 16. In this embodiment, the front side member 16 and the load receiving portion 40 are integrally formed by casting, and the load receiving portion 40 constitutes a part of the end portion of the front side member 16 on the vehicle front side. Therefore, like the front side member 16, the cross section of the load receiving portion 40 taken along the vehicle vertical direction has an open cross section that is open outward in the vehicle width direction. Note that it is not essential that the front side member 16 and the load receiving portion 40 are formed integrally, and they may be formed as separate parts.

[0053] The load receiving portion 40 includes a first wall portion 41, a second wall portion 42, a third wall portion 43, a fourth wall portion 44, and a fifth wall portion 45. The first wall portion 41 extends in the vehicle width direction, has a thickness direction in the vehicle front-rear direction, and has a main surface facing in the vehicle front-rear direction. The main surface forming the rear surface of the first wall portion 41 is connected to the vehicle front-side ends of the upper wall portion 16A, the lower wall portion 16B, the inner wall portion 16C, and the partition wall portion 16D of the front side member 16. In addition, a reinforcing rib 32 extending from the high-rigidity portion 30 of the front side member 16 is connected to the main surface forming the rear surface of the first wall portion 41. Meanwhile, the main surface forming the front surface of the first wall portion 41 is connected to the vehicle rear side portion of a crash box 70 (described later).

[0054] The second wall portion 42 is connected to the outer side of the first wall portion 41 in the vehicle width direction and extends from the outer portion of the first wall portion 41 in the vehicle width direction toward the front of the vehicle. The second wall portion 42 extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, has a plate thickness direction that coincides with the vehicle width direction, and has a main surface facing the vehicle width direction. The main surface on the inner side in the vehicle width direction is disposed so as to face the outer side surface (outer wall portion 70D) of the crash box 70 in the vehicle width direction. The second wall portion 42 is joined to the outer wall portion 70D of the crash box 70 via fastening members 92. The fastening members 92 are, for example, weld nuts welded to the inner side surface of the second wall portion 42 and bolts that pass through the second wall portion 42 and the outer wall portion 70D of the crash box 70 and screw into the weld nut.

[0055] The third wall portion 43 is connected to the vehicle front side of the second wall portion 42 and extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle front side portion of the second wall portion 42. That is, the third wall portion 43 extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle width direction outer side surface (outer wall portion 70D) of the crash box 70. This third wall portion 43 extends in the vehicle width direction, has a plate thickness direction in the vehicle front-rear direction, and has a main surface facing in the vehicle front-rear direction. The main surface on the vehicle front side is arranged to face the vehicle width direction outer end portion of a bumper reinforcement 80 described below.

[0056] The fourth wall portion 44 is connected to the inside of the first wall portion 41 in the vehicle width direction and extends from the inside portion of the first wall portion 41 in the vehicle width direction toward the front of the vehicle. The fourth wall portion 44 extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, has a plate thickness direction that is the vehicle width direction, and has a main surface that faces the vehicle width direction. The main surface on the outside in the vehicle width direction is arranged to face the side surface (inner wall portion 70C) on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the crash box 70. Like the second wall portion 42, the fourth wall portion 44 is joined to the inner wall portion 70C of the crash box 70 via fastening members 92 (see FIG. 4).

[0057] The crash box 70 is connected to the front end of the front side member 16 by the second wall portion 42 and the fourth wall portion 44. The rear portion of the crash box 70 is joined to the second wall portion 42 and the fourth wall portion 44, thereby increasing the rigidity against a collision load input in the vehicle width direction. The load receiving portion 40 and the crash box 70 may also be joined by welding.

[0058] Here, the load receiving portion 40 is provided with a reinforcing rib 46 for suppressing bending deformation of the third wall portion 43 when a collision load is input along the vehicle longitudinal direction. The reinforcing rib 46 stands upright from the outer main surface of the second wall portion 42 in the vehicle width direction, and connects the second wall portion 42 and the third wall portion 43. In this embodiment, a plurality of reinforcing ribs 46 are provided along the vehicle vertical direction.

[0059] 3, the multiple reinforcing ribs 46 include reinforcing ribs 46 formed along the upper wall portion 16A, the lower wall portion 16B, and the partition wall portion 16D of the front side member 16 in a side view. These reinforcing ribs 46 are formed along the input direction of the collision load in the vehicle longitudinal direction together with the upper wall portion 16A, the lower wall portion 16B, and the partition wall portion 16D of the front side member 16. Therefore, of the collision load input to the third wall portion 43, the distributed load that is componentized toward the rear of the vehicle is quickly transmitted via the reinforcing ribs 46 to the upper wall portion 16A, the lower wall portion 16B, and the partition wall portion 16D of the front side member 16.

[0060] Furthermore, the multiple reinforcing ribs 46 include at least one reinforcing rib 46 that is arranged at a height that overlaps with the bumper reinforcement 80 and the protrusion 82, which will be described later, in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and in this embodiment, two reinforcing ribs 46 are arranged at a height that overlaps with the bumper reinforcement 80 and the protrusion 82 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The distance T1 between these two reinforcing ribs 46 is set to be smaller than the distance T2 between adjacent reinforcing ribs 46 in a region that does not overlap with the bumper reinforcement 80 and the protrusion 82 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Therefore, the arrangement of the two reinforcing ribs 46 is effective from the perspective of increasing the rigidity of the third wall portion 43 against a collision load input from the bumper reinforcement 80 and the protrusion 82.

[0061] The load receiving portion 40 also has a vertical rib 48 that intersects with the multiple reinforcing ribs 46. The vertical rib 48 stands upright from the main surface of the second wall portion 42 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and extends in the vehicle up-down direction. The vertical rib 48 is formed on the end portion of the second wall portion 42 on the vehicle rear side, and on a middle portion of the second wall portion 42 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction. The vertical rib 48 provided on the end portion of the second wall portion 42 on the vehicle rear side is formed integrally with the end portion of the first wall portion 41 of the load receiving portion 40 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction.

[0062] A plurality of cylindrical ejector pin seats 50 are erected from the main surface of the second wall portion 42 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. These ejector pin seats 50 come into contact with ejector pins provided on the fixed die side of the mold when the load receiving portion 40 is formed by casting. That is, when the mold is opened during casting, the ejector pins on the fixed die side come into contact with the ejector pin seats 50 and press the load receiving portion 40 to release it from the mold. The ejector pin seats 50 are designed to be thicker than the plate thicknesses of the third wall portion 43, the reinforcing ribs 46, and the vertical ribs 48.

[0063] In this embodiment, the multiple extrusion pin seats 50 include extrusion pin seats 50 that are arranged at the intersection of the third wall portion 43 of the load receiving portion 40 and the reinforcing rib 46, and the intersection of the reinforcing rib 46 and the vertical rib 48, at a height that overlaps with the bumper reinforcement 80 and the protrusion 82 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Therefore, the arrangement of these extrusion pin seats 50 is effective from the viewpoint of increasing the rigidity of the third wall portion 43 against the collision load input from the bumper reinforcement 80 and the protrusion 82.

[0064] On the other hand, the fifth wall portion 45 is connected to the vehicle lower side of the first wall portion 41 and extends from the vehicle lower side portion of the first wall portion 41 toward the vehicle front side. This fifth wall portion 45 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction, has a plate thickness direction in the vehicle vertical direction, and has a main surface facing the vehicle lower side. The vehicle rear side portion of the crash box 70 is placed on the main surface that forms the upper surface of the fifth wall portion 45. In addition, the fifth wall portion 45 is provided with an attachment portion 52 that is fixed to the suspension member 60.

[0065] The mounting portion 52 has a mounting mount 54 formed on the main surface that constitutes the lower surface of the fifth wall portion 45. The mounting mount 54 protrudes from the lower surface of the fifth wall portion 45 toward the vehicle lower side and is disposed so as to face the end of the suspension member 60 on the vehicle front side and on the vehicle width direction outer side. The end of the suspension member 60 on the vehicle front side and on the vehicle width direction outer side is joined to the fifth wall portion 45 via the mounting mount 54 and a fastening member 94. The fastening member 94 is, for example, a bolt that passes through the suspension member 60 and screws into the female thread of the mounting mount 54. The mounting mount 54 may be configured to be provided on the suspension member 60 side, or may be configured as a separate part.

[0066] 4 is an enlarged plan view of the load receiving portion 40 as viewed from above. As shown in FIG. 4, the mounting portion 52 is disposed on the vehicle front side of the first wall portion 41 and on the vehicle rear side of the third wall portion 43 in a plan view. As a result, a portion of the collision load input from a protrusion 82 (described later) to the third wall portion 43 is transmitted to the mounting portion 52 in the process of being transmitted from the third wall portion 43 to the first wall portion 41. The portion of the collision load is then rapidly transmitted to the suspension member 60 via the mounting portion 52. Note that, although the mounting portion 52 is disposed on the inner side in the vehicle width direction relative to the second wall portion 42 in the example shown in FIG. 4, it may be configured to be disposed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction relative to the second wall portion 42.

[0067] (Suspension member) As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the suspension member 60 is disposed below the left and right front side members 16. The suspension member 60 includes a pair of side members 62 extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and a pair of cross members 64 connecting the front and rear ends of the pair of side members 62. That is, the suspension member 60 is formed in a rectangular frame shape in a plan view. The suspension member 60 is a framework that supports a suspension (not shown) of the vehicle 12, and also supports a power unit (not shown) from below. The front end of the suspension member 60 and the outer end in the vehicle width direction are attached to the load receiving portion 40 via the attachment portion 52.

[0068] Furthermore, a spacer member 66 extending toward the front of the vehicle is provided at an end of the suspension member 60 that is on the front side of the vehicle and on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The front end of the spacer member 66 is connected to a lower absorber (not shown) that extends in the vehicle width direction. The lower absorber has the function of absorbing and reducing impact energy in the event of a frontal collision with a pedestrian, and is made of a foamed resin material, a plastic resin material, or the like. Note that, as shown in FIG. 4 , the position where the spacer member 66 is connected to the lower absorber is located further outward in the vehicle width direction than the position where the crash box 70 is connected to the bumper reinforcement 80 in a plan view.

[0069] (Crash Box) 3 and 4, the crash boxes 70 have an upper wall portion 70A, a lower wall portion 70B, an inner wall portion 70C, and an outer wall portion 70D, and extend toward the front of the vehicle from the front end of the front side member 16. The crash boxes 70 are tubular members whose axial direction is the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and whose cross sections perpendicular to the direction of extension have rectangular closed cross sections. The crash boxes 70 are configured to undergo compressive plastic deformation when an axial compressive load of a predetermined value or greater acts along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, thereby absorbing the collision load.

[0070] The crash boxes according to the present invention are members that have a function of absorbing impact against front loads, and may be formed integrally with the front side members (framework) or may be separate bodies.

[0071] The upper wall portion 70A forms the upper surface of the crash box 70, and an end portion of the upper wall portion 70A facing the front of the vehicle protrudes further forward than the inner wall portion 70C and the outer wall portion 70D and is joined to the upper surface of the bumper reinforcement 80 via a fastening member 96. The lower wall portion 70B forms the lower surface of the crash box 70, and like the upper wall portion 70A, an end portion facing the front of the vehicle protrudes and is joined to the lower surface of the bumper reinforcement 80 via a fastening member 96. The fastening member 96 is, for example, a bolt that passes through the upper wall portion 70A, the bumper reinforcement 80, and the lower wall portion 70B, and a nut that screws onto the bolt. Note that the front end portion of the crash box 70 may be joined to the bumper reinforcement 80 by welding.

[0072] The inner wall portion 70C forms the side surface of the crash box 70 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and its end portion on the vehicle rear side is joined to the fourth wall portion 44 of the load receiving portion 40. The outer wall portion 70D forms the side surface of the crash box 70 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and its end portion on the vehicle rear side is joined to the third wall portion 43 of the load receiving portion 40. In addition, the outer wall portion 70D is disposed so as to face a protruding portion 82 of a bumper reinforcement 80, which will be described later, in the vehicle width direction.

[0073] (bumper reinforcement) The bumper reinforcement 80 is a hollow beam-shaped skeleton that extends along the vehicle width direction. The bumper reinforcement 80 extends along the vehicle width direction so that its outer end in the vehicle width direction extends beyond the outer end of the crash box 70 and protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction, and is connected to the crash box 70. In addition, the bumper reinforcement 80 has a gently curved middle portion in the vehicle width direction that protrudes toward the front of the vehicle in a plan view.

[0074] Here, a protruding portion 82 that protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle is provided at the outer end portion in the vehicle width direction of the bumper reinforcement 80. Note that, although the bumper reinforcement 80 and the protruding portion 82 are described here as separate components, they may also be configured to be integrally formed.

[0075] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a protrusion 82 provided at the end of the bumper reinforcement 80 on the left side in the vehicle width direction, as viewed from the diagonally rear right side. As shown in FIG. 5, the protrusion 82 is a solid block body formed from a material such as an aluminum alloy or a magnesium alloy, and has an upper surface portion 82A, a lower surface portion 82B, an inner surface portion 82C, an outer surface portion 82D, and a first inclined portion 82E. The upper surface portion 82A forms the upper surface of the protrusion 82. The lower surface portion 82B forms the lower surface of the protrusion 82. The inner surface portion 82C forms the side surface of the protrusion 82 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The outer surface portion 82D forms the side surface of the protrusion 82 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The first inclined portion 82E is a flat surface and forms the rear surface of the protrusion 82.

[0076] Furthermore, the protruding portion 82 has a connecting end 84 that extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the end of the inner surface portion 82C on the vehicle front side. The connecting end 84 is inserted through an opening formed in the end of the bumper reinforcement 80 in the vehicle width direction, and is joined to the bumper reinforcement 80 via a fastening member 98. The fastening member 98 is, for example, a bolt that passes through the bumper reinforcement 80 and the connecting end 84, and a nut that screws onto the bolt. Note that the protruding portion 82 may be configured to be joined to the bumper reinforcement 80 by welding, without including the connecting end 84.

[0077] The above-described protrusion 82 quickly transmits the collision load input to the outer end of the bumper reinforcement 80 in the vehicle width direction to the crash boxes 70 during a small overlap collision of the vehicle 12. That is, during a small overlap collision, the barrier B collides with the bumper reinforcement 80 at a position on the outside of the crash boxes 70 in the vehicle width direction. At this time, the outer end of the bumper reinforcement 80 in the vehicle width direction is bent and deformed toward the rear of the vehicle and inward in the vehicle width direction, starting from the point of collision with the barrier B. As a result, the end of the protrusion 82 on the vehicle rear side comes into contact with the outer wall portion 70D of the crash box 70, quickly transmitting the collision load.

[0078] Here, in a plan view, the protruding portion 82 extends obliquely toward the vehicle rear and toward the vehicle width direction inner side. In contrast, in a plan view, the first inclined portion 82E is inclined from its end on the vehicle width direction inner side toward the vehicle rear and toward the vehicle width direction outer side. Therefore, when the end on the vehicle width direction outer side of the bumper reinforcement 80 is bent and deformed during a short-overlap collision, the first inclined portion 82E of the protruding portion 82 abuts against the outer wall portion 70D of the crash box 70. In this state, in a plan view, the first inclined portion 82E extends along the outer wall portion 70D of the crash box 70 and is disposed opposite the outer wall portion 70. Furthermore, the end on the vehicle rear side of the first inclined portion 82E (the rear end of the protruding portion 82) abuts against the third wall portion 43 of the load receiving portion 40 (see the solid line positions in FIGS. 6(B) and 7(B)).

[0079] Because the first inclined portion 82E is configured as a flat surface, it has a large contact area with the outer wall portion 70D of the crash box 70, which prevents localized stress from occurring in the outer wall portion 70D. As a result, at least immediately after a collision, the crash box 70 is configured not to be deformed by the collision load input from the protrusion 82, and the outer wall portion 70D of the crash box 70 can be used as a reaction surface.

[0080] (Action and effect) The operation and effects of the vehicle front structure 10 according to this embodiment will be described below, and the transmission path of the collision load during a slight overlap collision will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6(A) to 7(B).

[0081] The vehicle front structure 10 according to this embodiment includes crash boxes 70 that extend toward the front of the vehicle from the front ends of front side members 16 that extend along the vehicle longitudinal direction as a framework of the vehicle 12, and bumper reinforcements 80 that extend in the vehicle width direction are provided on the vehicle front sides of the crash boxes 70. In addition, protrusions 82 that protrude toward the rear of the vehicle are provided on the outer ends of the bumper reinforcements 80 in the vehicle width direction.

[0082] According to the above configuration, in the event of a slight overlap collision, the collision load input from the barrier B is received by the bumper reinforcement 80, and the further input collision load causes bending deformation of the outer end portion of the bumper reinforcement 80 in the vehicle width direction, and the collision load is transmitted to the outer wall portion 70D of the crash box 70 via the protrusion 82.

[0083] Here, in a plan view, the protruding portion 82 has a first inclined portion 82E that inclines from the end portion on the inner side in the vehicle width direction toward the rear side and the outer side in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, when the bumper reinforcement 80 is bent and deformed, the first inclined portion 82E of the protruding portion 82 abuts against the outer wall portion 70D of the crash box 70. In other words, the collision load transmitted from the bumper reinforcement is input via the first inclined portion 82E. In this state, the first inclined portion 82E extends in the extension direction of the crash box 70 and is positioned so as to face the side surface of the crash box 70. This suppresses the input of local loads to the crash box 70, thereby reducing damage to the crash box 70.

[0084] In addition, in this embodiment, the first inclined portion 82E is configured with a flat surface, and therefore comes into flat contact with the outer wall portion 70D of the crash box 70. This increases the contact area between the first inclined portion 82E and the crash box 70, and effectively reduces damage to the crash box 70.

[0085] Here, when the outer end of bumper reinforcement 80 in the vehicle width direction is bent and deformed during a slight overlap collision, first inclined portion 82E of protruding portion 82 abuts against outer wall portion 70D of crash box 70, and the end of first inclined portion 82E on the vehicle rear side abuts against third wall portion 43 of load receiving portion 40. For this reason, the collision load input from bumper reinforcement 80 is split into a distributed load that is transmitted to the inside in the vehicle width direction via outer wall portion 70D of crash box 70, and a distributed load that is transmitted to the vehicle rear side via third wall portion 43 of load receiving portion 40.

[0086] The distributed load transmitted to the inside in the vehicle width direction through the outer wall portion 70D of the crash box 70 is transmitted to the front end of the front side member 16 via the load receiving portion 40, and then transmitted to the end of the suspension member 60 that is on the front side of the vehicle and on the outside in the vehicle width direction. As a result, a lateral force toward the anti-collision side (inner in the vehicle width direction) is transmitted to the vehicle 12, allowing the vehicle 12 to move past the barrier B. In this way, in the vehicle front structure 10, the collision load is transmitted from the crash box 70 to the front side member 16 (framework). In other words, the crash box can be used as a reaction force surface for generating a lateral force toward the anti-collision side.

[0087] Furthermore, because the crash box 70 does not bend or deform due to the collision load input from the protrusion 82, if a secondary collision such as an offset collision or a full-lap collision occurs after a small-lap collision, the crash box 70 can absorb the collision load input in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

[0088] Furthermore, the distributed load transmitted to the rear side of the vehicle via the third wall portion 43 of the load receiving portion 40 is transmitted to the front end portion of the front side member 16 via the second wall portion 42 and the first wall portion 41. This makes it possible for the impact absorbing structure of the front side member 16 to absorb part of the collision load input due to a slight overlap collision.

[0089] Incidentally, in the event of a small overlap collision, the starting point of bending deformation of the bumper reinforcement 80 varies depending on the amount of overlap between the vehicle 12 and the barrier B. In this case, the behavior of the protrusion 82 also varies. Even in such cases, the vehicle front structure 10 according to this embodiment is able to transmit the collision load stably. This will be explained below with reference to Figs. 6(A) to 7(B). Note that in Figs. 6(A) to 7(B), the configuration of the load receiving portion 40 is shown only in schematic cross section.

[0090] For example, if the overlap between the vehicle 12 and the barrier B is large, bending deformation of the bumper reinforcement 80 immediately after a collision may cause the first inclined portion 82E of the protruding portion 82 to come into contact with the middle portion of the crash box 70 in the extension direction (see FIG. 6(A)). Even in such a case, the first inclined portion 82E of the protruding portion 82 can move toward the rear of the vehicle along the side of the crash box 70 due to the input of further collision load, and come into contact with the load receiving portion 40 (FIG. 6(B)). This allows the collision load to be transmitted to the load receiving portion 40 via the protruding portion 82.

[0091] Furthermore, for example, if the overlap amount between the vehicle 12 and the barrier B is small, the bending deformation of the bumper reinforcement 80 immediately after a collision becomes gentle, and the first inclined portion 82E of the protruding portion 82 may come into contact with the load receiving portion 40 before the crash box 70 (see FIG. 7(A)). Even in such a case, the end portion on the vehicle rear side of the protruding portion 82 comes into contact with the third wall portion 43 of the load receiving portion 40, and is guided by the third wall portion 43 to move inward in the vehicle width direction, causing the first inclined portion 82E to come into contact with the side surface of the crash box 70. This allows the collision load to be transmitted to the crash box 70 via the protruding portion 82. In this way, the third wall portion 43 of the load-receiving portion 40 extends from the outer side of the crash box 70 in the vehicle width direction to the outside in the vehicle width direction at a position further rearward of the vehicle than the protrusion 82, thereby enabling stable load transmission.

[0092] In this embodiment, the load receiving portion 40 is formed integrally with the front side member 16. This makes it possible to improve the efficiency of transmission of the collision load from the load receiving portion 40 to the front side member 16.

[0093] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the load receiving portion 40 and the front side member 16 have an open cross section that is open outward in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the load receiving portion 40 and the front side member 16 can be molded using a mold with the opening direction of the cross section being the mold release direction. This makes it easier to manufacture the load receiving portion 40 and the front side member 16 and reduces production costs.

[0094] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the load input from the protrusion 82 to the third wall portion 43 of the load receiving portion 40 is transmitted to the first wall portion 41 via the second wall portion 42. In other words, since the second wall portion 42 extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction is disposed between the third wall portion 43 and the first wall portion 41, the input of the distributed load toward the vehicle rear side to the front side member 16 can be stabilized, and the efficiency of transmission of the collision load can be improved.

[0095] Furthermore, the load-receiving portion 40 has a reinforcing rib 46 that connects the second wall portion 42 and the third wall portion 43. Therefore, when the bumper reinforcement 80 is bent and deformed, the strength of the third wall portion 43 that receives the collision load via the protrusion 82 increases, and the efficiency of transmitting the collision load can be improved.

[0096] Furthermore, in the load receiving portion 40, a mounting portion 52 of the suspension member 60 is disposed on the vehicle front side of the first wall portion 41 and on the vehicle rear side of the third wall portion 43. As a result, when the bumper reinforcement 80 is bent and deformed, part of the collision load input from the protruding portion 82 to the third wall portion 43 is transmitted to the mounting portion 52 in the process of being transmitted from the third wall portion 43 to the first wall portion 41. The collision load is then transmitted to the suspension member 60 via the mounting portion 52. As a result, the collision load in the event of a slight overlap collision can be quickly transmitted to the suspension member 60, and a lateral force can be quickly generated on the anti-collision side.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the load receiving portion 40 has a fourth wall portion 44 that is connected to the inside of the first wall portion 41 in the vehicle width direction and extends toward the front of the vehicle. Therefore, the fourth wall portion 44 is disposed on the inside of the crash box 70 in the vehicle width direction. This prevents the crash box 70 from moving inward in the vehicle width direction due to a collision load input from the outside in the vehicle width direction via the protrusion 82, thereby stabilizing the transmission path of the collision load. Furthermore, the fourth wall portion 44 increases the reaction force obtained from the crash box 70, thereby improving the efficiency of transmission of the collision load to the front side member 16.

[0098] Although the vehicle front structure according to the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this. Modifications of the above embodiment are listed below. Each modification basically follows the configuration of the vehicle front structure according to the embodiment, and therefore can achieve the same functions and effects.

[0099] (First Modification) As shown in FIG. 8, the vehicle front structure according to the present invention may employ a protrusion 100 according to a first modification instead of the protrusion 82 of the above embodiment. The protrusion 100 has a configuration similar to that of the protrusion 82, but differs in that a first inclined portion 100A and a second inclined portion 100B are provided on the rear surface of the protrusion 100. Similar to the first inclined portion 82E according to the above embodiment, the first inclined portion 100A is inclined from its end on the inner side in the vehicle width direction toward the rear side and the outer side in the vehicle width direction in a plan view. Meanwhile, the second inclined portion 100B is connected to the end on the rear side of the first inclined portion 100A and is inclined toward the front side and the outer side in the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, the first inclined portion 100A and the second inclined portion 100B are, for example, flat surfaces.

[0100] According to the above-described protrusion 100, when the bumper reinforcement 80 is bent and deformed, the first inclined portion 100A of the protrusion 100 comes into contact with the outer side surface (outer wall portion 700D) of the crash box 70 in the vehicle width direction, and the second inclined portion 100B comes into contact with the third wall portion 43 of the load receiving portion 40. This increases the contact area between the protrusion 82 and the third wall portion 43, enabling stable load transmission via the third wall portion 43.

[0101] (Second Modification) 9, the vehicle front structure according to the present invention may employ a protrusion 200 according to a second modified example instead of the protrusion 82 of the above embodiment. The protrusion 200 basically has the same configuration as the protrusion 82, but differs in that the cross section perpendicular to the extension direction is an open cross section that is open to at least one side in the vehicle width direction.

[0102] As an example, the protrusion 200 includes an upper wall portion 200A, a lower wall portion 200B, an outer wall portion 200C, and a partition wall portion 200D, and has a generally E-shaped open cross section that is open toward the inside in the vehicle width direction. The upper wall portion 200A constitutes the upper wall of the protrusion 200. The lower wall portion 200B constitutes the lower wall of the protrusion 200. The outer wall portion 200C connects the outer end of the upper wall portion 200A in the vehicle width direction to the outer end of the lower wall portion 200B in the vehicle width direction. The partition wall portion 200D stands from the middle portion of the outer wall portion 200C in the vehicle up-down direction, and divides the internal space of the protrusion 200 into upper and lower portions.

[0103] Furthermore, a first inclined portion 200E is formed at the vehicle rear end of the protruding portion 200, in plan view, which is inclined from the vehicle width direction inner end toward the vehicle rear and vehicle width direction outer side. The first inclined portion 200E is the rear surface of the protruding portion 200, and is made up of the vehicle rear side end surfaces of the upper wall portion 200A, the lower wall portion 200B, the outer wall portion 200C, and the partition wall portion 200D.

[0104] According to the above-described protrusion 200, when the bumper reinforcement 80 is bent and deformed due to a small-lap collision, the first inclined portion 200E comes into contact with the outer side surface (outer wall portion 70D) of the crash box 70 in the vehicle width direction and inputs the collision load. In this state, the end faces of the upper wall portion 200A, the lower wall portion 200B, the outer wall portion 200C, and the partition wall portion 200D that constitute the first inclined portion 200E extend along the extension direction of the crash box 70. As a result, similar to the first inclined portion 82E of the above-described embodiment, input of local loads to the crash box 70 is suppressed, thereby reducing damage to the crash box 70. Furthermore, because the cross section of the protrusion 200 is an open cross section that opens toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, it is possible to reduce the weight compared to when the protrusion is made of a solid block. Furthermore, it can be easily molded as a casting using a mold, which reduces production costs.

[0105] In the above configuration, the partition wall portion 200D may be omitted, or two or more partition walls 200D may be provided. Alternatively, the outer wall portion 200C may connect intermediate portions of the upper wall portion 200A and the lower wall portion 200B in the vehicle width direction, and the cross section of the protruding portion 200 may have an open cross section that opens to both sides in the vehicle width direction. Alternatively, the outer wall portion 200C may be omitted, and an inner wall portion may be provided that connects inner ends of the upper wall portion 200A and the lower wall portion 200B in the vehicle width direction, and the cross section of the protruding portion 200 may have an open cross section that opens to the outer side in the vehicle width direction. Alternatively, an inner wall portion may be added to the protruding portion 200, and the cross section of the protruding portion 200 may have a rectangular closed cross section. In this case, the vehicle front end of the protruding portion 200 may be joined to the bumper reinforcement 80 by welding, or may be joined via a fastening member, as with the crash boxes 70.

[0106] (Third Modification) As shown in FIG. 10 , the vehicle front structure according to the present invention may employ a protrusion 300 according to a third modified example instead of the protrusion 82 of the above embodiment. The protrusion 300 includes an upper wall 300A, an inner wall 300B, an outer wall 300C, and a first inclined portion 300D, and has a generally U-shaped open cross section that is open toward the vehicle lower side. The upper wall 300A constitutes the upper wall of the protrusion 300 and connects the upper end of the inner wall 300B with the upper end of the outer wall 300C. The inner wall 300B constitutes the inner wall of the protrusion 300 in the vehicle width direction. The outer wall 300C constitutes the outer wall of the protrusion 300 in the vehicle width direction. The first inclined portion 300D is formed of a flat surface, and like the first inclined portion 82E of the above embodiment, is inclined from the end on the inner side in the vehicle width direction toward the rear side of the vehicle and toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction in a plan view.

[0107] The above-described protrusion 300 can reduce damage to the crash box 70, similar to the protrusion 82 of the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, because the cross section of the protrusion 200 is an open cross section that opens toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, the weight can be reduced compared to when the protrusion is made of a solid block. Furthermore, the protrusion can be easily molded as a casting using a mold, thereby reducing production costs.

[0108] In addition, the upper wall portion 300A may be omitted, and a lower wall portion may be provided that connects the vehicle lower side ends of the inner wall portion 300B and the outer wall portion 300C, and the cross section of the protrusion portion 300 may be an open cross section that is open to the vehicle lower side.

[0109] (Fourth Modification) Although not shown, in the vehicle front configuration according to the above embodiment, the load receiving portion 40 may be omitted. Furthermore, when the load receiving portion 40 is provided, one or both of the second wall portion 42 and the fourth wall portion 44 may be omitted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0110] 10 Vehicle front structure 12 vehicles 16 Front side member (framework) 40 Load receiving part 41 1st wall 42 2nd wall section 43 Third wall 44 4th wall 46 Reinforcing rib 52 Mounting part 60 Suspension member 70 Crash Box 80 Bumper Reinforcement 82 Protrusion 82E 1st slope 100 Protrusion 100A First Inclined Section 100B 2nd slope part 200 Protrusion 200E 1st slope 300 Protrusion 300D 1st slope

Claims

1. a skeleton portion extending along a vehicle front-rear direction on an outer side of a front portion of the vehicle in a vehicle width direction; crash boxes extending from the vehicle front end of the framework toward the vehicle front side; In front of the crash box, a bumper reinforcement extending along the vehicle width direction such that an outer end portion of the bumper reinforcement connected to the crash box extends beyond the outer end portion of the crash box and projects outward in the vehicle width direction; a protruding portion that protrudes from an outer end of the bumper reinforcement in the vehicle width direction toward the vehicle rear side, and at the vehicle rear side end, a first inclined portion that inclines from an inner end of the bumper reinforcement in the vehicle width direction toward the vehicle rear side and the vehicle width direction outer side in a plan view; Vehicle front structure.

2. The first inclined portion is configured with a flat surface. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 .

3. a load receiving portion is provided on the vehicle rear side of the crash box, at a position rearward of the vehicle from the protruding portion, and at least a portion of the load receiving portion extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle width direction outer side surface of the crash box; The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the protruding portion has a second inclined portion connected to an end portion of the first inclined portion on the vehicle rear side and inclined toward the vehicle front side and toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction, The vehicle front structure according to claim 3.

5. The load receiving portion is integrally formed with the skeleton portion. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3.

6. The load receiving portion and the skeleton portion have an open cross section that is open to the outside in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3.

7. The load receiving portion includes, on the vehicle rear side of the crash box, a first wall portion extending in the vehicle width direction, a second wall portion connected to the outer side of the first wall portion in the vehicle width direction and extending toward the front side of the vehicle, and a third wall portion connected to the front side of the second wall portion and extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the outer side surface of the crash box in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3.

8. The load receiving portion has a reinforcing rib connecting the second wall portion and the third wall portion. The vehicle front structure according to claim 7.

9. the load receiving portion has a mounting portion for a suspension member on a vehicle front side of the first wall portion and on a vehicle rear side of the third wall portion.

9. The vehicle front structure according to claim 7 or 8.

10. the load receiving portion has a fourth wall portion connected to an inner side of the first wall portion in the vehicle width direction and extending toward the front side of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle front structure according to claim 7 or 8.

Images