Vehicle body structure

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle body structure. The vehicle body structure includes a vehicle body front portion, and a vehicle body member including a dash panel portion configured to separate an inner space of a cabin from a front cabin as an outer space of the cabin, and a dash upper cover panel portion provided integrally with the dash panel portion on an upper side of the dash panel portion in a vehicle up-down direction, wherein the vehicle body part is produced by die casting.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a vehicle body structure. Background Technology

[0002] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-113568 (JP 2009-113568 A) discloses a front structure for a vehicle. The front structure includes a front bulkhead cover plate disposed along the lower end of the vehicle's windshield and extending in the vehicle's width direction, and a front bulkhead panel connected to the lower part of the front bulkhead cover plate and separating the passenger compartment side from the engine compartment side. In this structure, the plate-shaped front bulkhead panel is spot-welded to the exterior of the lower front sidewall of the front bulkhead cover plate at several appropriate locations. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In the structure disclosed in JP 2009-113568 A, the front bulkhead and the front top cover are separate components. In such a structure, a watertight sealing material is required to seal between the front bulkhead and the front top cover to prevent water from entering the passenger compartment through the gap between them. However, providing a watertight sealing material may increase the number of components and complicate the structure.

[0004] The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and the object of the present invention is to obtain a vehicle body structure that can reduce the number of parts and simplify the structure.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the invention, a vehicle body structure includes a front body portion and body components, the body components including a front bulkhead portion and a front upper cover portion. The front bulkhead portion is configured to separate the passenger compartment from the front cabin. The front upper cover portion is integrally disposed on the upper side of the front bulkhead portion in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The body components are attached to the front body portion.

[0006] In the vehicle body structure according to the first aspect of the invention, the front bulkhead portion and the front upper cover portion are integrally formed. Therefore, the watertight sealing material used for sealing between the front bulkhead portion and the front upper cover portion can be omitted. Thus, the number of parts can be reduced. Furthermore, the structure can be simplified.

[0007] Furthermore, since the front bulkhead and the upper front hood are integrally formed, they can be attached to the front of the vehicle body in a single step. Therefore, compared to attaching each of the front bulkhead and the upper front hood as separate units to the front of the vehicle body, the number of attachment steps can be reduced. This facilitates the attachment operation.

[0008] In the vehicle body structure according to the first aspect of the invention, the vehicle body components may be made of resin.

[0009] In the vehicle body structure, body parts can be made of resin. By forming body parts with a resin having the advantageous processability described above, the freedom of shape and thickness of the front fascia cover portion can be increased. Therefore, the front fascia cover portion can be easily constructed with a structure designed to effectively absorb collision energy. Thus, for example, even in the event of a pedestrian's head colliding with the front fascia cover portion, the impact on the pedestrian's head can be reduced.

[0010] In the vehicle body structure according to the first aspect of the invention, the vehicle body components may be made of resin.

[0011] In the vehicle body structure, body components can be manufactured through die casting. Therefore, the roll stiffness of body components can be increased, and the roll stiffness of the entire vehicle body structure can be improved.

[0012] In the vehicle body structure according to the first aspect of the invention, the front of the vehicle body can be manufactured by die casting.

[0013] In the vehicle body structure, the front part of the body can be manufactured using die casting. Therefore, the roll stiffness of the front part of the body can be improved, and the roll stiffness of the entire body structure can also be improved.

[0014] As described above, the vehicle body structure according to the present invention has the excellent effect of reducing the number of parts and simplifying the structure. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like symbols denote like elements, and wherein:

[0016] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing the front of the vehicle body according to an embodiment of the vehicle body structure;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a perspective view showing the body components of the body structure according to an embodiment;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a front view showing a body component of a body structure according to an embodiment; and

[0019] Figure 4 This is a side view showing a body component of a body structure according to an embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0020] In the following text, reference will be made to Figures 1 to 4An embodiment of the vehicle body structure 100 according to the present invention is described. Furthermore, in the various figures, arrow FR appropriately indicates the vehicle's forward direction, i.e., the front side in the vehicle's longitudinal direction; arrow RH indicates the vehicle's rightward direction, i.e., the right side in the vehicle's width direction; and arrow UP indicates the vehicle's upward direction, i.e., the upper side in the vehicle's vertical direction. In the following description, the longitudinal direction, width direction, and vertical direction refer to the vehicle's longitudinal direction, width direction, and vertical direction, respectively. Additionally, the left-right direction refers to the left-right direction when the vehicle is facing forward.

[0021] vehicle

[0022] The vehicle to which the body structure 100 according to this embodiment is applied is, for example, a battery-powered electric vehicle (BEV). The vehicles to which the body structure 100 according to this embodiment is applicable are not limited to BEVs. For example, the body structure 100 according to this embodiment can be applied to fuel cell electric vehicles, etc.

[0023] Body structure

[0024] According to this embodiment, the vehicle body structure 100 is disposed at the front of the vehicle. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle body structure 100 includes a front part of the vehicle body 10 and a body component 20 attached to the front part of the vehicle body 10.

[0025] Front of the vehicle

[0026] The front part 10 of the vehicle body is a component that serves as the frame for the front of the vehicle. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the front part 10 of the vehicle body includes a partition section 12, a front pillar section 14, a front longitudinal beam section 16, and a suspension tower section 18. In addition, the front part 10 of the vehicle body is manufactured by aluminum die casting, and the partition section 12, the front pillar section 14, the front longitudinal beam section 16, and the suspension tower section 18 are integrally formed.

[0027] A partition 12 is provided at the front and lower part of the vehicle. The partition 12 separates the interior space S1, which is the interior of the vehicle compartment, from the front compartment S2, which is the exterior of the vehicle compartment. Specifically, the partition 12 separates the lower part of the interior space S1 from the lower part of the front compartment S2.

[0028] The lower surface of the partition portion 12 on the rear side of the vehicle is an inclined surface 12A, and the upper side of the inclined surface 12A is positioned closer to the front side of the vehicle than the lower side. The inclined surface 12A is positioned below the instrument panel (not shown). The upper surface of the partition portion 12 on the rear side of the vehicle is a vertical surface 12B that extends substantially vertically in the vertical direction of the vehicle and in the width direction of the vehicle.

[0029] The front pillar portion 14 is connected to each of the two ends of the partition portion 12 in the vehicle width direction, and a pair of left and right front pillar portions 14 extend in the vehicle vertical direction. Specifically, the lower part of the front pillar portion 14 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and a lower side beam (not shown) as a frame member is connected to the rear end of the front pillar portion 14.

[0030] The front pillar 14 extends obliquely from its rear end toward the upper and front sides of the vehicle and is configured to transmit the load acting on the front part of the vehicle body 10 in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0031] A pair of left and right front longitudinal beams 16 extend from both ends of the partition portion 12 toward the front of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction. The front longitudinal beams 16 extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction and are configured to transfer loads input from the front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle.

[0032] The suspension tower portion 18 is disposed on the outer side of each of the left and right front longitudinal beam portions 16 in the vehicle width direction. The suspension tower portion 18 is positioned on the upper side of the vehicle relative to the front longitudinal beam portion 16 and is configured to have a shape capable of supporting the suspension (not shown).

[0033] Body parts

[0034] Body component 20 is attached to the front of the body 10. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle body component 20 includes a front bulkhead portion 22, a front bulkhead upper cover portion 23 disposed on the upper side of the front bulkhead portion 22, and an air conditioning unit (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC)) 30 penetrating the front bulkhead portion 22 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. Figure 2 In the illustration, the air conditioning unit 30 is shown by imaginary lines and is also shown schematically.

[0035] The body component 20 is modular. That is, the body component 20 can be transported with the parts constituting the body component 20 integrated together. In addition, the body component 20 can be attached to the front of the vehicle body 10 in an integrated state.

[0036] A front bulkhead section 22 is provided in the front of the vehicle. The front bulkhead section 22 is provided on the upper side of the partition section 12. The front bulkhead section 22 is a plate-shaped member and is configured such that the plate surface is a surface including the vertical direction of the vehicle and the width direction of the vehicle. The front bulkhead section 22 separates the interior space S1 of the passenger compartment from the front compartment S2.

[0037] Multiple through holes 22A are formed in the front bulkhead portion 22, extending in the thickness direction (in this embodiment, the vehicle front-to-rear direction). In addition, an air conditioning unit through hole 22B for the air conditioning unit 30 to pass through is formed at the center of the front bulkhead portion 22 in the vehicle width direction.

[0038] Multiple bolt through holes 22C are formed in the lower part of the front bulkhead portion 22. The bolt through holes 22C are arranged at predetermined intervals along the lower edge of the front bulkhead portion 22. The front bulkhead portion 22 is fixed to the partition portion 12 of the front part of the vehicle body 10 by bolts (not shown) passing through the bolt through holes 22C.

[0039] The upper front cover portion 23 is located on the upper side of the front cover portion 22. The upper front cover portion 23 extends along the width direction of the vehicle.

[0040] The front bulkhead 22 and the front upper cover 23 are integrally formed. The component obtained by integrating the front bulkhead 22 and the front upper cover 23 can be made of resin or metal. Alternatively, the front bulkhead 22 and the front upper cover 23 can be integrally formed by injection molding or die casting of aluminum. Alternatively, the front bulkhead 22 and the front upper cover 23 can be manufactured separately and then fixed together by welding or the like.

[0041] like Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the air conditioning unit 30 is attached to the front bulkhead 22. The air conditioning unit 30 includes a duct section 32 disposed on the front cabin S2 side and a temperature regulating section 34 disposed on the interior space S1 side.

[0042] The duct section 32 is a cylindrical member extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and has an internal airflow path through which air flows. An opening (not shown) for introducing external air is provided at the end of the duct section 32 on the front side of the vehicle. Furthermore, the end of the duct section 32 on the rear side of the vehicle connects to the end of the temperature regulating unit 34 on the front side. The duct section 32 guides the air introduced from the opening at the end on the front side to the temperature regulating unit 34.

[0043] The temperature regulating unit 34 includes a housing 34A serving as an outer casing, a heater (not shown) housed within the housing 34A, and an evaporator (not shown) housed within the housing 34A. The temperature regulating unit 34 receives air introduced into the housing 34A from the duct section 32. The temperature regulating unit 34 uses the heater and evaporator, which constitute part of the refrigeration cycle, to regulate the temperature of the air introduced into the housing 34A and discharges the air from the housing 34A into the interior space S1 of the vehicle compartment. The method by which the temperature regulating unit 34 regulates the air temperature is not limited to a specific method and may include, for example, regulating the amount of air supplied to the heater and the amount of air supplied to the evaporator to regulate the air temperature.

[0044] Manufacturing method

[0045] The method for manufacturing the vehicle body structure 100 will be described. When manufacturing the vehicle body structure 100, the front part 10 of the vehicle body and the body parts 20 are manufactured separately. Then, the body parts 20 are attached to the front part 10 of the vehicle body.

[0046] The factory that manufactures the body component 20 and the factory that attaches the body component 20 to the front of the vehicle body 10 can be different factories. That is, the body component 20 can be assembled and modularized in the first factory, the modular body component 20 can be transported to the second factory, and the body component 20 can be attached to the front of the vehicle body 10 in the second factory.

[0047] Functions and effects

[0048] According to this embodiment, the following functions and effects can be obtained.

[0049] In the vehicle body structure 100 according to this embodiment, the front bulkhead portion 22 and the front upper cover portion 23 are integrally formed. Therefore, the watertight sealing material used for sealing between the front bulkhead portion 22 and the front upper cover portion 23 can be omitted. Thus, the number of parts can be reduced. In addition, the structure can be simplified.

[0050] Furthermore, the body component 20, including the front bulkhead 22, the front upper cover 23, and the air conditioning unit 30, is modularized. Therefore, in one step of attaching the body component 20 to the front of the vehicle body 10, components included in the body component 20 (such as the front bulkhead 22, the front upper cover 23, and the air conditioning unit 30) can be attached to the front of the vehicle body 10. Therefore, compared to the case where the parts included in the body component 20 are separate entities, the number of steps can be reduced. Thus, the operation of attaching each part to the front of the vehicle body 10 can be facilitated.

[0051] Alternatively, for example, if the front bulkhead cover portion 23 and the front bulkhead panel portion 22 are provided separately, the front bulkhead cover portion 23 can be attached to the front of the vehicle body 10 before the front bulkhead panel portion 22 is attached. In this case, when the front bulkhead panel portion 22 is attached to the front of the vehicle body 10, the front bulkhead cover portion 23 and the front bulkhead panel portion 22 may interfere with each other, so the attachment operation may be complicated.

[0052] On the other hand, in this embodiment, since the front bulkhead portion 22 and the front upper cover portion 23 are modularized, the front bulkhead portion 22 and the front upper cover portion 23 can be simultaneously attached to the front of the vehicle body 10. Therefore, the attachment work can be simplified.

[0053] Furthermore, when the front cover plate 23 is made of resin, the freedom of shape and thickness of the front cover plate 23 can be increased. Therefore, the front cover plate 23 can be easily constructed with a structure designed to effectively absorb collision energy. Thus, for example, even in the event of a pedestrian's head colliding with the front cover plate 23, the impact on the pedestrian's head can be reduced.

[0054] Furthermore, when the front bulkhead 22 and the front upper cover 23 are manufactured by die casting, the roll stiffness of the body parts can be improved, and the roll stiffness of the entire body structure 100 can also be improved.

[0055] Furthermore, when the front part 10 of the vehicle body is manufactured by die casting, the roll stiffness of the front part 10 of the vehicle body can be improved, and the roll stiffness of the entire vehicle body structure 100 can also be improved.

[0056] Although the vehicle body structure according to the embodiments has been described above, the invention may be appropriately modified without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0057] For example, in the above embodiments, although a body component 20 in which the front bulkhead 22, the front upper cover 23, and the air conditioning unit 30 are modularized has been described, the body component may include other parts. For example, in addition to the parts described above, the body component may be modularized to include a brake pedal, an electronic control unit (ECU), a muffler, etc.

[0058] In the above embodiments, although an example has been described in which the corresponding parts of the vehicle body front 10 are integrated and manufactured by die casting, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the vehicle body front 10 can be manufactured by manufacturing the corresponding parts as separate bodies via sheet metal processing and then connecting these parts by welding or the like.

Claims

1. A vehicle body structure, comprising: Front of the vehicle; as well as A body component, the body component including a front bulkhead portion and a front upper cover portion, wherein the front bulkhead portion is configured to separate the passenger compartment from the front compartment, and the front upper cover portion is integrally disposed on the upper side of the front bulkhead portion in the vertical direction of the vehicle, the body component being attached to the front of the vehicle body.

2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein, The body components are made of resin.

3. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein, The body components are manufactured by die casting.

4. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein, The front of the vehicle body is manufactured by die casting.

Images