Vehicle front structure

Abstract

The invention provides a vehicle front structure. This vehicle front structure is provided with: a bumper reinforcement extending substantially in the vehicle width direction on the front side of a vehicle; a damper which is provided on the vehicle front side of the bumper reinforcement, has a cutout portion, and forms a through-hole penetrating in the vehicle vertical direction by the cutout portion and the front wall of the bumper reinforcement; a lower grille provided on a bumper cover at a vehicle lower side of the shock absorber in a front view; and a horn which is supported on the upper wall of the bumper reinforcement and is disposed so that a resonance part faces the through hole from the upper side surface of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle front structure. Background Art

[0002] In order to ensure the sound pressure performance of a horn (suppressing a decrease in sound pressure), conventionally, a structure in which a first horn and a second horn are arranged directly below a bumper reinforcement has been known (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-166803).

[0003] However, in such a structure, there is a possibility that the horn may malfunction due to road surface interference and entry of foreign matters such as mud and water. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a vehicle front structure that can suppress a decrease in sound pressure of the sound emitted from a horn and can also suppress the occurrence of a malfunction in the horn.

[0005] The vehicle front structure according to the first aspect of the present disclosure includes: a bumper reinforcement that extends in a substantially vehicle width direction on the front side of the vehicle; a shock absorber that is provided on the vehicle front side of the bumper reinforcement, has a cutout portion, and forms a through hole that penetrates in the vehicle vertical direction through the cutout portion and the front wall of the bumper reinforcement; a lower grille that is provided on a bumper cover below the shock absorber when viewed from the front; and a horn that is supported on an upper wall of the bumper reinforcement and is arranged such that a resonance portion faces the through hole from the vehicle upper side.

[0006] According to the first aspect, the shock absorber provided on the vehicle front side of the bumper reinforcement has a cutout portion, and forms a through hole that penetrates in the vehicle vertical direction through the cutout portion and the front wall of the bumper reinforcement. Further, when viewed from the front, a lower grille is provided on the bumper cover below the shock absorber, and the horn supported on the upper wall of the bumper reinforcement is arranged such that a resonance portion faces the through hole from the vehicle upper side.

[0007] That is, the sound emitted from the horn passes through the through hole and is transmitted to the vehicle front side from the lower grille. Therefore, a decrease in sound pressure of the sound emitted from the horn can be suppressed. In addition, since the horn is supported on the upper wall of the bumper reinforcement, there is no possibility of malfunction due to road surface interference and entry of foreign matters such as mud and water. Thus, the occurrence of a malfunction in the horn can also be suppressed.

[0008] In addition, the vehicle front structure of the second aspect of the present disclosure includes: a bumper reinforcement that extends in a substantially vehicle width direction on the front side of the vehicle; a shock absorber that is disposed on the vehicle front side of the bumper reinforcement, has a cutout portion, and forms a through hole that penetrates in the vehicle vertical direction through the cutout portion and a bumper cover; a lower grille that is disposed on the bumper cover at the vehicle lower side of the shock absorber when viewed from the front; and a horn that is supported on an upper wall of the bumper reinforcement and is arranged such that a resonance portion faces the through hole from the vehicle upper side.

[0009] According to the second aspect, the shock absorber disposed on the vehicle front side of the bumper reinforcement has a cutout portion, and forms a through hole that penetrates in the vehicle vertical direction through the cutout portion and the bumper cover. Further, when viewed from the front, a lower grille is disposed on the bumper cover at the vehicle lower side of the shock absorber, and the horn supported on the upper wall of the bumper reinforcement is arranged such that a resonance portion faces the above-mentioned through hole from the vehicle upper side.

[0010] That is to say, the sound emitted by the horn passes through the above-mentioned through hole and is transmitted to the vehicle front side from the lower grille. Therefore, suppression of a decrease in sound pressure of the sound emitted by the horn can be achieved. In addition, since the horn is supported on the upper wall of the bumper reinforcement, there is no possibility of failure due to road surface interference or entry of foreign matters such as mud and water. Thus, occurrence of failure in the horn can also be suppressed.

[0011] In addition, the vehicle front structure of the third aspect of the present disclosure is such that, in the vehicle front structure of the first aspect or the second aspect, the horn is supported on the upper wall of the bumper reinforcement in such a manner that it can move toward the vehicle rear side when a load is input from the vehicle front side.

[0012] According to the third aspect, the horn is supported on the upper wall of the bumper reinforcement in such a manner that it can move toward the vehicle rear side when a load is input from the vehicle front side. Therefore, during a frontal collision of the vehicle, there is no possibility that the energy absorption achieved by the shock absorber is hindered by the horn.

[0013] In addition, the vehicle front structure of the fourth aspect of the present disclosure is such that, in the vehicle front structure of the third aspect, a shielding plate that obstructs movement of the horn toward the vehicle rear side in a normal state is provided on the upper wall of the bumper reinforcement, and the horn is configured to break through the shielding plate and move toward the vehicle rear side when a load is input from the vehicle front side.

[0014] According to the fourth mode, on the upper wall of the bumper reinforcement, a shielding plate is provided that obstructs the movement of the horn toward the rear side of the vehicle during normal times. Moreover, when a load is input from the front side of the vehicle to the horn, the horn breaks through the shielding plate and moves toward the rear side of the vehicle. Therefore, a structure that causes the horn to move toward the rear side of the vehicle when a load is input from the front side of the vehicle can be realized with a simple structure.

[0015] In addition, the vehicle front structure according to the fifth mode of the present disclosure is such that, in the vehicle front structure of any one of the first mode to the fourth mode, a plurality of the cutout portions that form the through holes are formed so as to be separated in the vehicle width direction, and the horn is provided for each of the through holes.

[0016] According to the fifth mode, a plurality of the cutout portions that form the through holes are formed so as to be separated in the vehicle width direction, and the horn is provided for each of the through holes. Therefore, compared with the case where the horn is provided singly, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the sound pressure of the sound transmitted from the lower grille toward the front side of the vehicle.

[0017] As described above, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the sound pressure of the sound emitted from the horn, and it is also possible to suppress the occurrence of failures in the horn. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a schematic side view showing an outline of the vehicle front structure according to the first embodiment.

[0019] Figure 2 It is a schematic top view showing an outline of the vehicle front structure according to the first embodiment.

[0020] Figure 3A It is a schematic side view showing the state of the horn during a frontal collision of the vehicle front structure according to the first embodiment.

[0021] Figure 3B It is a schematic top view showing the state of the horn during a frontal collision of the vehicle front structure according to the first embodiment.

[0022] Figure 4 It is a schematic side view showing an outline of the vehicle front structure according to the second embodiment.

[0023] Figure 5 It is a schematic top view showing an outline of the vehicle front structure according to the second embodiment.

[0024] Figure 6A It is a schematic side view showing the state of the horn during a frontal collision of the vehicle front structure according to the second embodiment.

[0025] Figure 6BIt is a schematic top view showing the state of the horn during a frontal collision of the vehicle front structure according to the second embodiment. Detailed Embodiment

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Additionally, for ease of explanation, the arrow mark UP appropriately shown in each drawing is set as the vehicle upward direction, the arrow mark FR is set as the vehicle forward direction, and the arrow mark RH is set as the vehicle right direction. Therefore, in the following description, when the directions of up and down, front and back, left and right are described without special mention, it means up and down in the vehicle up and down direction, front and back in the vehicle front and back direction, and left and right in the vehicle left and right direction (vehicle width direction).

[0027] <First Embodiment>

[0028] First, the first embodiment will be described. As Figure 1 shown, at the front end of the vehicle 12 to which the vehicle front structure 10 according to the first embodiment is applied, a bumper cover 14 that constitutes the exterior design at the front end is provided. A lower grille 16 is provided at the lower part of the bumper cover 14 (the lower side of the shock absorber 30 to be described later when viewed from the front). On the lower grille 16, a plurality of opening portions 16A having the vehicle width direction as the length direction are formed in a vertically arranged manner.

[0029] A power unit chamber 18 is provided on the rear side of the bumper cover 14, and drive devices such as an engine and an electric motor (not shown) are provided inside the power unit chamber 18. A radiator 20 is provided on the front side of the drive device. A radiator upper support member 22 is provided above the radiator 20, and a radiator lower support member 24 is provided below the radiator 20. The radiator 20 is fixed by the radiator upper support member 22 and the radiator lower support member 24.

[0030] On the outer side in the vehicle width direction in the power unit chamber 18, a pair of left and right front side members (not shown) extend along the front and back direction. And, at the front end portions of the pair of left and right front side members disposed on the front side of the vehicle 12, a bumper reinforcement 26 extending along the substantially vehicle width direction is installed.

[0031] The radiator 20 is disposed on the rear side of the bumper reinforcement 26, and a duct 28 is provided between the radiator 20 and the bumper reinforcement 26. The outside air introduced from the lower grille 16 flows into the power unit chamber 18 through the duct 28, thereby cooling the drive device.

[0032] A shock absorber 30 is provided between the bumper cover 14 and the bumper reinforcement 26 (on the rear side of the bumper cover 14 and the front side of the bumper reinforcement 26). The shock absorber 30 is configured to absorb the energy of the collision load input from the front side during a frontal collision of the vehicle 12 or the like. Specifically, the shock absorber 30 is made of a foam such as polypropylene, for example. In addition, the shock absorber 30 may be made of a material with high shock absorption, and the material is not particularly limited.

[0033] As Figure 1 , Figure 2 shown, the shock absorber 30 is formed in a substantially prism shape with the vehicle width direction as the length direction. The dimension of the shock absorber 30 in the vertical direction is set to match the dimension of the bumper reinforcement 26, and is set to be the same as or slightly shorter than the bumper reinforcement 26 in consideration of the dimensional tolerance in manufacturing. In addition, the dimension of the shock absorber 30 in the vehicle width direction is set within the range of the length in the vehicle width direction of the front end portion of the bumper cover 14 arranged in a substantially parallel manner to the bumper reinforcement 26, and the dimension shown in the figure is set to be substantially the same as the length of the front end portion.

[0034] In addition, the shock absorber 30 has a cutout portion 32, and a through hole H penetrating in the vertical direction is formed through the cutout portion 32 and the front wall 26F of the bumper reinforcement 26. That is, the cutout portion 32 is formed in a substantially "U" shape in a top view with the open side facing the rear side, and a plurality of them (two in the illustrated structure) are formed at a predetermined distance apart in the vehicle width direction. In addition, the depth (length along the front-rear direction) of the cutout portion 32 is set to such an extent that the function of the shock absorber 30 is not impaired, for example, about 1 / 3 of the thickness of the shock absorber 30 along the front-rear direction.

[0035] In addition, a speaker 40 is supported on the upper wall 26U of the bumper reinforcement 26 via a support mechanism 36 that can move rearward. The support mechanism 36 and the speaker 40 are provided for each through hole H, and are arranged such that the resonance portion 42 at the top faces the through hole H from above. That is, each speaker 40 is arranged with the resonance portion 42 facing downward, and thus emits sound toward the inside of each through hole H.

[0036] Moreover, the sound emitted toward the inside of each through hole H passes through the opening 16A of the lower grille 16 and is transmitted forward. In addition, in Figure 1 , Figure 2 , the transmission path of the sound emitted by each speaker 40 is indicated by an arrow P. In addition, although the illustrated speakers 40 are arranged in a left-right symmetric manner, it is not limited thereto.

[0037] The support mechanism 36 is configured to include a sliding member 38 that is substantially "L"-shaped in a side view and is configured to be slidable rearward, and a shielding plate 37 that obstructs the rearward movement of the sliding member 38 in a normal state. The horn 40 is mounted on the front wall 38F of the sliding member 38. On the upper surface of the lower wall 38D of the sliding member 38, a needle-shaped member 39 with a tapered rear end is provided, and the shielding plate 37 is arranged to face the tapered rear end of the needle-shaped member 39.

[0038] Therefore, as Figure 3A , Figure 3B shown, it becomes the following structure. When a load (indicated by an arrow G in Figure 3B ) is input to the horn 40 from the front side during a frontal collision of the vehicle 12 or the like, the tapered rear end of the needle-shaped member 39 breaks through the shielding plate 37 so that the horn 40 can move rearward together with the sliding member 38.

[0039] Next, the operation of the vehicle front structure 10 according to the first embodiment configured as described above will be described.

[0040] As described above, the shock absorber 30 provided on the front side of the bumper reinforcement 26 has a cutout portion 32, and a through hole H penetrating in the vertical direction is formed by the cutout portion 32 and the front wall 26F of the bumper reinforcement 26. Moreover, when viewed from the front, a lower grille 16 is provided on the bumper cover 14 on the lower side of the shock absorber 30, and the horn 40 supported on the upper wall 26U of the bumper reinforcement 26 is arranged such that the resonance portion 42 faces the through hole H from the upper side.

[0041] That is, the sound emitted from the horn 40 passes through the through hole H and is transmitted forward from the lower grille 16. Therefore, even in a vehicle 12 without a specifically provided upper grille, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the sound pressure of the sound emitted from the horn 40. Moreover, since the cutout portion 32 forming the through hole H is formed in a plurality (two) separated in the vehicle width direction, and the horn 40 is provided for each through hole H, it is possible to more effectively suppress a decrease in the sound pressure of the sound transmitted forward from the lower grille 16 compared to the case where the horn 40 is provided singly.

[0042] In addition, the horn 40 is supported on the upper wall 26U of the bumper reinforcement 26 and is disposed on the upper side compared to the lower grille 16. That is, a relatively large distance between the horn 40 and the road surface can be obtained. Therefore, there is no concern that the horn 40 malfunctions due to road surface interference or entry of foreign matters such as mud and water. That is, according to the first embodiment, the occurrence of malfunctions in the horn 40 can be suppressed, and thus the reliability of the horn 40 can be improved.

[0043] In addition, the horn 40 is supported on the upper wall 26U of the bumper reinforcement 26 in such a manner that it can move rearward when a load is input from the front side. Specifically, a shielding plate 37 that obstructs the rearward movement of the horn 40 during normal times is provided on the upper wall 26U of the bumper reinforcement 26, and a needle-like member 39 opposed to the shielding plate 37 is provided on the sliding member 38 on which the horn 40 is mounted.

[0044] Therefore, when a load is input to the horn 40 from the front side during a frontal collision of the vehicle 12, as Figure 3A 、 Figure 3B shown, the needle-like member 39 provided on the sliding member 38 breaks through the shielding plate 37 and moves rearward together with the sliding member 38. Therefore, during a frontal collision of the vehicle 12, there is no concern that the energy absorption (deformation of the shock absorber 30) achieved by the shock absorber 30 is obstructed by the horn 40. In addition, since a structure for moving the horn 40 rearward can be achieved with such a simple structure, an increase in manufacturing cost can also be suppressed.

[0045] <Second Embodiment>

[0046] Next, the second embodiment will be described. In addition, the same reference numerals are given to the parts equivalent to those in the first embodiment described above, and detailed descriptions (including common functions) are appropriately omitted.

[0047] As Figure 4 、 Figure 5 shown, in this second embodiment, the difference from the first embodiment described above is only that the shock absorber 30 has a cutout portion 34, and a through hole H penetrating in the vertical direction is formed by the cutout portion 34 and the bumper cover 14, and the sliding member 38 is provided so as to protrude a predetermined length toward the upper surface side (front side) of the shock absorber 30.

[0048] That is, the cutout portion 34 is formed in a substantially "U" shape in a plan view with the open side facing the front side, and a plurality of them (two in the illustrated structure) are formed at a predetermined distance apart in the vehicle width direction. In addition, the depth of the cutout portion 34 is set to be equal to the depth of the cutout portion 32 in the first embodiment. Further, each horn 40 provided for each through hole H is arranged such that the resonance portion 42 at the tip faces the through hole H from the upper side, and is configured by extending the sliding member 38 a predetermined length toward the upper surface side of the shock absorber 30.

[0049] That is to say, each horn 40 is arranged with the resonance portion 42 facing the lower side, so as to emit sound toward the inside of each through hole H. Moreover, the sound emitted toward the inside of each through hole H passes through the opening 16A of the lower grille 16 and is transmitted to the front side. Therefore, even for a vehicle 12 without a specifically provided upper grille, it is possible to suppress a reduction in the sound pressure of the sound emitted by the horn 40.

[0050] In addition, the horn 40 is supported on the upper wall 26U of the bumper reinforcement 26 and is arranged on the upper side compared to the lower grille 16. Therefore, there is no concern that the horn 40 will malfunction due to road surface interference or entry of foreign matters such as mud and water. That is to say, according to this second embodiment, it is also possible to suppress the occurrence of malfunctions in the horn 40 and improve the reliability of the horn 40.

[0051] In addition, the horn 40 is supported on the upper wall 26U of the bumper reinforcement 26 so as to be able to move rearward when a load is input from the front side. Specifically, on the upper wall 26U of the bumper reinforcement 26, a shielding plate 37 that obstructs the rearward movement of the horn 40 in normal times is provided, and on the sliding member 38 on which the horn 40 is mounted, a needle-like member 39 that faces the shielding plate 37 is provided.

[0052] Therefore, when a load is input to the horn 40 from the front side during a frontal collision of the vehicle 12, as Figure 6A 、 Figure 6B shown, the needle-like member 39 provided on the sliding member 38 breaks through the shielding plate 37 and moves rearward together with the sliding member 38. Therefore, during a frontal collision of the vehicle 12, there is no concern that the energy absorption (deformation of the shock absorber 30) achieved by the shock absorber 30 will be obstructed by the horn 40.

[0053] Although the vehicle front structure 10 according to the present embodiment has been described above with reference to the drawings, the vehicle front structure 10 according to the present embodiment is not limited to the illustrated structure, and design changes can be appropriately made without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0054] For example, the support mechanism 36 that supports the speaker 40 in a manner that enables it to move rearward is not limited to the structure shown in the figure. Although not shown in the figure, the support mechanism 36 may also be configured such that by providing a weak portion or a hinge portion on the component to which the speaker 40 is mounted, the speaker 40 can move (recede) rearward when a load is input from the front side.

Claims

1. A vehicle front structure, comprising: a bumper reinforcement extending in a substantially vehicle width direction on a front side of the vehicle; a shock absorber provided on the vehicle front side of the bumper reinforcement and having a cutout portion, wherein a through hole penetrating in the vehicle up-down direction is formed by the cutout portion and the front wall of the bumper reinforcement; a lower grille disposed on the bumper cover at a vehicle lower side of the shock absorber when viewed from the front; The speaker is supported on the upper wall of the bumper reinforcement and is arranged so that a resonance portion faces the through hole from an upper side of the vehicle.

2. A vehicle front structure comprising: a bumper reinforcement extending in a substantially vehicle width direction on a front side of the vehicle; a shock absorber provided on the vehicle front side of the bumper reinforcement and having a cutout portion, wherein a through hole penetrating in the vehicle up-down direction is formed by the cutout portion and the bumper cover; a lower grille disposed on the bumper cover at a vehicle lower side of the shock absorber when viewed from the front; The speaker is supported on the upper wall of the bumper reinforcement and is arranged so that a resonance portion faces the through hole from an upper side of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: The horn is supported by the upper wall of the bumper reinforcement so as to be movable toward the vehicle rear side when a load is input from the vehicle front side.

4. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3, wherein: A shielding plate is provided on the upper wall of the bumper reinforcement to prevent the horn from moving toward the rear side of the vehicle in normal circumstances. The horn is configured to break through the shield plate and move toward the rear side of the vehicle when a load is input from the front side of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein: The cutout portions forming the through hole are formed in plurality so as to be spaced apart in the vehicle width direction. The horn is provided for each of the through holes.

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