Vehicle front structure

Abstract

A vehicle front structure includes: a pair of left and right side frames; a pair of left and right strut towers connected to the outer side portions of the side frames in the vehicle width direction; the vehicle front structure includes a pair of side frames, and a cover that opens and closes an accommodation space in which at least a drive motor is disposed, and further includes: a moving mechanism that is attached to at least the pair of side frames; and a front spare box attached to the moving mechanism and positioned above the driving motor, the front spare box being configured so as to be movable at least in the front-rear direction by the operation of the moving mechanism and so as to be movable forward in a state in which the hood is opened.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of a vehicle front structure capable of accommodating a front trunk in an accommodating space located at the front side of a vehicle compartment. Background Art

[0002] Among vehicles such as automobiles, there are electric vehicles (electric vehicles), which accommodate a drive motor instead of an engine as a drive source in a storage space located at the front side of the vehicle compartment, and run by the power output by the drive motor. The drive motor is preferably located near the wheel (front wheel), so it is accommodated at the lower side of the inner side of the storage space.

[0003] Among such electric vehicles, there is one in which a front trunk capable of storing storage items is accommodated in a storage space for accommodating a drive motor (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 5992974

[0007] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-146741 Summary of the invention

[0008] Technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0009] However, in a vehicle such as the above-mentioned one in which a front trunk is accommodated in a storage space located on the front side of the vehicle, when the front trunk is accommodated on the front side of the vehicle for the convenience of taking out and putting in stored items, if the drive motor and accessories, which are high-voltage components, are subjected to impact from the front trunk in the event of a vehicle collision (head-on collision), there is a risk of secondary disasters such as electric shock that may endanger the safety of passengers and rescuers.

[0010] On the other hand, when the front trunk is accommodated on the upper side of the drive motor for safety reasons, since the front trunk is located on the inner side of the accommodation space, the position of the front trunk becomes far away from the user, and the convenience of taking out and putting the stored items into the front trunk may be impaired.

[0011] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the convenience of taking out and putting in storage items in a front trunk while ensuring the safety of the vehicle.

[0012] Technical solutions for solving technical problems

[0013] The vehicle front structure of the present invention includes: a pair of left and right side frames; a pair of left and right support towers, which are respectively connected to the outer side portions of the side frames in the vehicle width direction; and a hood, which opens and closes a storage space in which at least a drive motor is configured. The vehicle front structure also includes: a moving mechanism, which is installed at least on the pair of side frames; and a front trunk, which is installed on the moving mechanism and is located above the drive motor, wherein the front trunk is configured to be movable at least in the front-to-back direction through the action of the moving mechanism, and is configured to be movable forward when the hood is opened.

[0014] Thus, when the hood is opened, the front trunk located above the drive motor is configured to be movable forward.

[0015] Effects of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, when the hood is open, the front trunk located above the drive motor is constructed to be able to move forward. Therefore, in the event of a collision of the vehicle, the drive motor will not be impacted from the front trunk, and the front trunk can be moved to the front side to take out and put in stored items. On the basis of ensuring the safety of the vehicle, the convenience related to taking out and putting in the stored items in the front trunk can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 and Figure 2-Figure 8 An embodiment of the vehicle front structure of the present invention is shown together. Figure 1 It is a diagram showing a schematic structure of a vehicle.

[0018] Figure 2 It is a perspective view showing a part of the vehicle front structure.

[0019] Figure 3 It is a top view showing a part of the vehicle front structure.

[0020] Figure 4 It is a front view conceptually showing a part of the vehicle front structure.

[0021] Figure 5 is a side view showing a part of the front structure of the vehicle.

[0022] Figure 6 It is a side view showing a part of the vehicle front structure in a state where the front trunk is moved to the operating position.

[0023] Figure 7 is a side view showing a portion of the vehicle front structure in an example in which another moving mechanism is used.

[0024] Figure 81 is a side view showing a portion of the vehicle front structure when the front trunk is moved to the operating position in an example using another moving mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Embodiments of the vehicle front structure for implementing the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] <Schematic Structure of Vehicle>

[0027] First, the schematic structure of the vehicle is described (see Figure 1 ).

[0028] The vehicle 100 is an electric vehicle that runs only with power from electricity, and includes a drive motor 110 , an accelerator opening sensor 120 , a speed sensor 130 , and a control unit 140 .

[0029] The drive motor 110 is accommodated in a space on the front side of the vehicle cabin and is used as a power source of the vehicle 100 .

[0030] The accelerator opening sensor 120 detects the accelerator opening corresponding to the driving force of the vehicle 100 requested by the driver, that is, the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal by the driver. The accelerator opening detected by the accelerator opening sensor 120 is output to the control unit 140 as a detection signal.

[0031] The speed sensor 130 detects the speed of the vehicle 100. The speed of the vehicle 100 detected by the speed sensor 130 is output to the control unit 140 as a detection signal.

[0032] The control unit 140 has a function of centrally controlling the operation of each unit in the vehicle 100 or performing various calculations. The control unit 140 includes a microprocessor 141 for performing calculations, a ROM (read only memory) 142 for storing programs for the microprocessor 141 to perform various processes, a RAM (random access memory) 143 for storing various data such as calculation results, and an interface for inputting or outputting data.

[0033] The control unit 140 includes a motor control unit 144 for controlling the drive motor 110. The motor control unit 144 has a function of controlling, for example, the driving operation of the wheels of the vehicle 100 by the drive motor 110, the regenerative operation in the drive motor 110, and the like.

[0034] In the vehicle 100, a battery 150 is housed in a luggage room or the like. The battery 150 has a battery module that stores power used in the vehicle 100, such as power used in the drive motor 110, as well as power used in the control unit 140, various parts of the vehicle 100 that are operated by power, various lighting devices provided on the vehicle 100, and the like. As the battery of the battery module, for example, a secondary battery such as a nickel-hydrogen battery or a lithium-ion battery is used. In addition to power (charged power) obtained by charging from outside the vehicle 100, the battery 150 also stores, for example, regenerative power supplied by the drive motor 110.

[0035] <Front structure of vehicle, etc.>

[0036] Next, the front structure of the vehicle, etc. will be described (refer to Figures 2 to 6 ).

[0037] The vehicle front structure 1 includes a side frame 2, a bumper beam 3, a pillar tower 4, etc. (see Figure 2 and Figure 3 ).

[0038] A pair of side frames 2 are provided separately on the left and right sides and are formed in a shape extending forward and backward. The bumper beam 3 is fastened to the front end of the side frame 2 and is formed in a shape extending left and right. The pillar tower 4 is fastened to the outer side of the rear end of the side frame 2 and is formed in a shape protruding upward from the side frame 2. The pillar tower 4 is a high-strength portion and has a function of protecting the vehicle cabin together with the side frame 2 in the event of a collision.

[0039] A plurality of support members 5 extending upward and downward are provided separately on the left and right sides of the rear side of the bumper beam 3. A lower beam 6 extending left and right is fastened to the lower ends of the plurality of support members 5, and an upper support 7 extending left and right is fastened to the upper ends of the plurality of support members 5. In addition, the left and right ends of the lower beam 6 may be fastened to the front part of the side frame 2, respectively, or may be fastened to the front part of the side frame 2 via other members.

[0040] Upper side frames 8 are fastened to both left and right ends of the upper support 7, and the upper side frames 8 are tilted so as to be displaced rearward as they go outward in the left and right directions. An upper frame 9 extending forward and backward is fastened to the rear end of the upper side frame 8. A connecting frame 10 extending forward and backward is fastened to the rear end of the upper frame 9, and the upper end of the support tower 4 is fastened to the inner side of the connecting frame 10.

[0041] The vehicle front structure 1 includes a storage space 11 surrounded by the side frames 2 and other components. The storage space 11 is a space below a hood 12, and a drive motor 110 is stored in the storage space 11 below the side frames 2. The drive motor 110 is stored in the storage space 11 near the rear.

[0042] A radiator (not shown) functioning as a heat exchanger is disposed at the front end of the storage space 11. The radiator is disposed between the lower beam 6 and the upper support 7, and is held by a plurality of support members 5.

[0043] A hood locker 13 is mounted on the upper support 7. The hood locker 13 has a function of locking the hood 12 in a closed state by engaging with a locking engagement portion (not shown) provided on the hood 12.

[0044] The hood lock catch 13 has a double locking mechanism and is connected to a release lever (not shown) provided in the vehicle compartment via a wire 13a. Therefore, when the release lever is operated, the hood lock catch 13 is actuated via the wire 13a to release the first locking state of the hood 12 by the hood lock catch 13. In addition, when the first locking state is released, the hood lock catch 13 can be operated by inserting a finger into the gap existing at the lower side of the hood 12 to release the second locking state of the hood 12 by the hood lock catch 13, so that the hood 12 can be lifted to be opened.

[0045] The storage space 11 can store a front trunk 15 mounted on the moving mechanism 14. The front trunk 15 may be composed of, for example, only a storage box opened upward, or may be composed of a cover for opening and closing the opening of the storage box in addition to the storage box.

[0046] The moving mechanism 14 is installed across the pair of side frames 2 and the pair of pillar towers 4. Therefore, the front trunk 15 is configured to be able to be accommodated on the upper side of the drive motor 110 at the inner side of the accommodation space 11.

[0047] The moving mechanism 14 is, for example, a link mechanism, and includes a pair of left and right front trunk mounting portions 16, a pair of left and right mounted portions 17, and a plurality of arm portions 18 (see Figure 4 and Figure 5 ).

[0048] The front trunk mounting portion 16 is formed in a shape extending forward and backward, and is composed of a receiving surface portion 16a facing the up-down direction and a pressing surface portion 16b protruding upward from the outer end portions in the left-right direction of the receiving surface portion 16a. On the front trunk mounting portion 16, the left and right end portions of the bottom portion of the front trunk 15 are mounted on the receiving surface portion 16a, and the lower end portions of the left and right side portions of the front trunk 15 are mounted on the pressing surface portion 16b.

[0049] The mounted portion 17 is formed in a shape extending forward and backward, and is composed of a first connecting portion 17a extending in the up-down direction and a second connecting portion 17b protruding upward from the outer end portion in the left-right direction of the first connecting portion 17a. The first connecting portion 17a of the mounted portion 17 is connected to the upper surface portion of the side frame 2, and the second connecting portion 17b is connected to the lower end portion of the strut tower 4.

[0050] Two arms 18 are connected to the front trunk mounting portion 16 and the mounted portion 17 in the front and rear. Therefore, the moving mechanism 14 is configured as a pair of parallel links located on the left and right by setting a front trunk mounting portion 16, a mounted portion 17, and two arms 18 as parallel links. The upper end of the arm 18 is rotatably connected to the front trunk mounting portion 16, and the lower end is rotatably connected to the mounted portion 17.

[0051] The front trunk 15 has a handle 15a at the front end, and is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction in a horizontal state by the operation of the moving mechanism 14. The front trunk 15 is configured to be movable in the rearmost storage position (see Figure 5 ) and the front working position (refer to Figure 6 The working position is a position above the storage position, and no matter which position the front trunk mounting portion 16 is, it is located above the mounted portion 17.

[0052] When the front trunk 15 is moved to the operation position, which is the front end of the movement range, the front trunk 15 is located on the front side of the pillar tower 4 as a whole.

[0053] In addition, a rotation limiting portion (not shown) is provided on the moving mechanism 14, and when the arm 18 rotates relative to the front trunk mounting portion 16 and the mounted portion 17, the rotation limiting portion limits excessive rotation of the arm 18, so that within the rotation range, the front trunk mounting portion 16 is always located above the mounted portion 17. Therefore, by limiting the rotation of the arm 18 by the rotation limiting portion, the front trunk 15 is maintained in the working position or the storage position.

[0054] In the vehicle 100, when the operator (passenger) holds the handle 15a of the front trunk 15 located at the storage position and pulls it forward, the moving mechanism 14 is activated, and the front trunk 15 is moved forward and upward in a horizontal state to the working position. In the working position, since the front trunk 15 is located close to the upper body of the operator, the operator can easily take out and put the stored items into the front trunk 15 without bending down.

[0055] On the contrary, when the front trunk 15 in the working position is pushed backward with the hood 12 opened, the moving mechanism 14 is actuated, and the front trunk 15 is moved backward and downward in a horizontal state to the storage position. When the front trunk 15 is moved to the storage position, the front trunk 15 is stored in the storage space 11 by closing the hood 12.

[0056] In addition, the above example shows that the working position is above and in front of the storage position, but in the vehicle front structure 1, the working position only needs to be at least in front of the storage position. For example, the working position and the storage position can also be at the same height.

[0057] As described above, a link mechanism is used as the moving mechanism 14, and the moving mechanism 14 is provided with a front trunk mounting portion 16 mounted on the front trunk 15, a mounted portion 17 mounted on at least the side frame 2, and a plurality of arms 18 that can rotate relative to the front trunk mounting portion 16 and the mounted portion 17.

[0058] Therefore, the arm 18 rotates relative to the front trunk mounting portion 16 and the mounted portion 17, so that the front trunk 15 moves up and down and forward and backward. The front trunk 15 can be moved by a simple structure, and the moving mechanism 14 has high strength, thereby ensuring that the stored items are in a stable storage state in the front trunk 15.

[0059] In addition, since the mounted portion 17 is installed across a pair of side frames 2 and a pair of strut towers 4, a portion of the moving mechanism 14 is installed on the pair of strut towers 4, thereby producing the same effect as a state in which strut tower rods are installed between the strut towers 4. The deformation of the vehicle body is suppressed by the front trunk 15 and the moving mechanism 14, which can achieve an improvement in the strength of the vehicle body and an improvement in the safety of operation.

[0060] In addition, since the mounted portion 17 is installed across a pair of side frames 2 and a pair of pillar towers 4, the mounted portion 17 is installed on both the side frames 2 and the pillar towers 4, so that the installation strength of the moving mechanism 14 is increased, and a stable storage state of the storage items stored in the front trunk 15 installed on the moving mechanism 14 can be ensured.

[0061] <Another example of a moving mechanism>

[0062] In the vehicle front structure 1, a moving mechanism 14A shown below may be used instead of the moving mechanism 14 (see Figure 7 and Figure 8 ).

[0063] The moving mechanism 14A is configured to be retractable and is configured by providing a pair of structures composed of a mounting shaft 19, an intermediate tube 20, and a mounted tube 21. The mounting shaft 19, the intermediate tube 20, and the mounted tube 21 are configured to be inclined relative to the horizontal direction in a manner such that the front end is located above the rear end.

[0064] The front end portion of the mounting shaft 19 is mounted on, for example, a side surface portion or a bottom surface portion of the front trunk 15 .

[0065] The intermediate tube 20 is formed in a cylindrical shape with one side opened in the longitudinal direction. The outer diameter of the intermediate tube 20 is configured to be larger than the outer diameter of the mounting shaft 19, so that the mounting shaft 19 can be inserted into the intermediate tube 20. Therefore, the mounting shaft 19 is configured to be movable relative to the intermediate tube 20 in the axial direction.

[0066] The rear end of the mounted tube 21 is mounted on, for example, the side frame 2. However, the mounted tube 21 may be mounted so as to straddle the side frame 2 and the support tower 4.

[0067] In this way, since the mounted tube 21 is mounted on a pair of side frames 2 and a pair of strut towers 4, a part of the moving mechanism 14A is mounted on the pair of strut towers 4, thereby producing the same effect as a state in which strut tower rods are installed between the strut towers 4. The deformation of the vehicle body is suppressed by the front trunk 15 and the moving mechanism 14A, and the strength of the vehicle body can be improved.

[0068] In addition, since the mounted tube 21 is installed across a pair of side frames 2 and a pair of pillar towers 4, the mounted tube 21 is installed on both the side frames 2 and the pillar towers 4, so that the installation strength of the moving mechanism 14A is increased, and a stable storage state of the storage items stored in the front trunk 15 installed on the moving mechanism 14A can be ensured.

[0069] In addition, in the above, an example is shown in which the mounting shaft 19 is mounted on the side surface or bottom surface of the front trunk 15 and the mounted tube 21 is mounted on the side frame 2, but for example, it can also be configured that the front trunk mounting portion 16 and the mounted portion 17 are provided on the moving mechanism 14A in the same way as the moving mechanism 14, the front end portion of the mounting shaft 19 is mounted on the front trunk mounting portion 16, and the rear end portion of the mounted tube 21 is mounted on the mounted portion 17.

[0070] The mounted tube 21 is formed into a cylindrical shape with one side opened in the longitudinal direction. The outer diameter of the mounted tube 21 is configured to be larger than the outer diameter of the intermediate tube 20, so that the intermediate tube 20 can be inserted into the mounted tube 21. Therefore, the intermediate tube 20 can move in the axial direction relative to the mounted tube 21.

[0071] As described above, the mounting shaft 19 of the moving mechanism 14A can move axially relative to the intermediate cylinder 20, and the intermediate cylinder 20 can move axially relative to the mounted cylinder 21. Therefore, the overall length changes and expands and contracts according to the position of the mounting shaft 19 relative to the intermediate cylinder 20 and the position of the intermediate cylinder 20 relative to the mounted cylinder 21.

[0072] In addition, the above description shows an example in which the moving mechanism 14A is composed of three parts: the mounting shaft 19, the intermediate cylinder 20, and the mounted cylinder 21. However, the moving mechanism 14A may be configured to be retractable by two parts or four or more parts. For example, the moving mechanism 14A may be configured to be composed of two parts, so that the mounting shaft 19 is movable relative to the mounted cylinder 21 without the intermediate cylinder 20, or may be configured to be composed of four or more parts, so that a plurality of intermediate cylinders 20 are provided between the mounting shaft 19 and the mounted cylinder 21, and the intermediate cylinders 20 are movable relative to other intermediate cylinders 20.

[0073] The front trunk 15 is configured to be able to be moved to a storage position located at the rearmost side (see FIG. 1 ) by the telescopic operation of the moving mechanism 14A. Figure 7 ) and the forward working position (refer to Figure 8 The working position is a position above the storage position.

[0074] In the vehicle 100, when the operator (passenger) holds the handle 15a of the front trunk 15 located at the storage position and pulls it forward, the moving mechanism 14A extends, and the front trunk 15 moves forward and upward in a horizontal state to the working position. In the working position, since the front trunk 15 is located close to the upper body of the operator, the operator can easily take out and put the stored items into the front trunk 15 without bending down.

[0075] On the contrary, when the front trunk 15 in the working position is pushed backward with the hood 12 opened, the moving mechanism 14A shortens and the front trunk 15 moves backward and downward in a horizontal state to the storage position. When the front trunk 15 moves to the storage position, the front trunk 15 is stored in the storage space 11 by closing the hood 12.

[0076] In addition, in the above description, an example is shown in which the moving mechanism 14A is arranged in a state inclined relative to the horizontal direction, but the moving mechanism 14A may also be arranged in a state extending in the horizontal direction. In this case, the working position and the storage position are configured to be at the same height, and the front trunk 15 is pulled forward from the storage position and moved to the working position.

[0077] <Conclusion>

[0078] As described above, the vehicle front structure 1 includes: a moving mechanism 14, 14A, which is installed on at least a pair of side frames 2; and a front trunk 15, which is installed on the moving mechanism 14, 14A and is located above the drive motor 110, wherein the front trunk 15 is configured to be able to move at least in the front and rear directions through the action of the moving mechanism 14, 14A, and at the same time is configured to be able to move forward when the hood 12 is opened.

[0079] Therefore, when the hood 12 is open, the front trunk 15 located above the drive motor 110 is configured to be able to move forward. Therefore, in the event of a collision of the vehicle 100, the drive motor 110 will not be impacted from the front trunk 15, and the front trunk 15 can be moved to the front side to take out and put in stored items. On the basis of ensuring the safety of the vehicle 100, the convenience related to taking out and putting in the front trunk 15 can be improved.

[0080] In addition, when the hood 12 is opened, the front trunk 15 is configured to be movable upward.

[0081] Therefore, since the front trunk 15 is configured to be movable forward and upward when the hood 12 is opened, the stored items can be easily taken out and put into the front trunk 15 without bending down, and the usability can be improved.

[0082] Furthermore, when the front trunk 15 is moved to the operation position, which is the front end of the movement range, the front trunk 15 is located on the front side of the pillar tower 4 .

[0083] Therefore, when the front trunk 15 moves with the hood 12 opened, the front trunk 15 as a whole is located forward of the pillar tower 4 , so that the front trunk 15 is located sufficiently close to the operator, and the operator can easily take out and put in the storage items in the front trunk 15 without any difficulty.

[0084] Explanation of symbols

[0085] 110 drive motor

[0086] 1Vehicle front structure

[0087] 2 side frames

[0088] 4 Pillar Tower

[0089] 11Accommodation space

[0090] 12 Car hood

[0091] 14 Mobile mechanism

[0092] 15Front trunk

[0093] 16Front trunk installation

[0094] 17 installed part

[0095] 18 Arm

[0096] 14A mobile mechanism.

Claims

1. A vehicle front structure, comprising: A pair of left and right side frames; a pair of left and right support towers, which are respectively connected to the outer side portions of the side frames in the vehicle width direction; and a vehicle cover that opens and closes a storage space in which at least a driving motor is disposed, The vehicle front structure further includes: a moving mechanism mounted on at least the pair of side frames; and A front trunk is mounted on the moving mechanism and is located above the driving motor. The front trunk is configured to be movable at least in the front-rear direction by the operation of the moving mechanism, and is configured to be movable forward in a state where the hood is opened.

2. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein: The front trunk is configured to be movable upward when the hood is opened.

3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 2, wherein: A link mechanism is used as the moving mechanism. The moving mechanism is provided with a front trunk mounting portion for mounting the front trunk, a mounted portion mounted at least on the side frame, and a plurality of arms rotatable relative to the front trunk mounting portion and the mounted portion.

4. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3, wherein: The mounted portion is mounted across the pair of side frames and the pair of support towers.

5. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4, wherein: The front trunk is located on the front side of the pillar tower when the front trunk is moved to the front end of the movement range.

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