A front wall assembly suitable for use on a left-hand or right-hand drive vehicle

Abstract

A front bulkhead assembly suitable for left-hand drive or right-hand drive vehicles includes a front bulkhead, a front bulkhead reinforcing beam, a vacuum booster pump mounting plate, an air conditioning mounting bracket assembly, a steering mounting box, a lower connecting plate for the front bulkhead, and an accelerator pedal mounting assembly. When used in a left-hand drive vehicle, the front bulkhead is specifically a left-hand drive front bulkhead, and the accelerator pedal mounting assembly is specifically a left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly. The front bulkhead reinforcing beam, vacuum booster pump mounting plate, air conditioning mounting bracket assembly, steering mounting box, lower connecting plate for the front bulkhead, and left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly are assembled together to form a left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcing assembly. The left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcing assembly is mounted on the left-hand drive front bulkhead to form a left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly. The front bulkhead assembly suitable for left-hand drive or right-hand drive vehicles provided by this invention solves the technical problems of large investment in molds and fixtures and low degree of parts sharing in the prior art for left-hand and right-hand drive front bulkhead assemblies.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive body structure technology, and more particularly to a front bulkhead assembly suitable for left-hand drive or right-hand drive vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] In automotive body structure, the front bulkhead is a core component separating the engine compartment and passenger compartment, housing key functional components such as the vacuum booster pump, air conditioning system, steering column, and accelerator pedal. Due to varying road traffic regulations worldwide regarding steering wheel position, the same vehicle model must be compatible with both left-hand drive and right-hand drive configurations. The main difference between left-hand and right-hand drive models lies in the installation layout of these functional components in the front bulkhead area. Specifically, the accelerator pedal's installation position is significantly offset between left-hand and right-hand drive models due to the constraints of the front wheel arch envelope, resulting in substantial differences in the development of the left-hand and right-hand drive front bulkheads and their associated mounting structures.

[0003] In existing technologies, to address the differentiated requirements of left and right-hand drive front bulkheads, two independent sets of parts and tooling are typically developed for the same vehicle model. One approach is to design front bulkheads and associated mounting brackets with different structures for left-hand and right-hand drive vehicles, developing separate stamping dies and welding fixtures for each. This results in high part development costs, large space requirements for die storage, and the need to replace the entire set of tooling during production changeovers, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Another approach is to set symmetrical universal mounting openings on the main body of the front bulkhead and use sliding modular fixing trusses to adjust the installation position of functional components to accommodate the differences between left and right-hand drive vehicles. However, in this solution, each functional component is still directly assembled on the final front bulkhead body in a single layer, limiting the degree of tooling sharing. How to achieve co-line production of left and right-hand drive front bulkhead assemblies with lower tooling investment and higher changeover efficiency while ensuring structural performance, especially by advancing the management of steering direction differences from the final assembly level to the subsystem level, has become a pressing technical problem to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a front bulkhead assembly suitable for left-hand drive or right-hand drive, aiming to solve the technical problems of large investment in molds and fixtures and low degree of parts sharing in the prior art for left-hand drive and right-hand drive front bulkhead assemblies.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution: A front bulkhead assembly suitable for left-hand drive or right-hand drive vehicles includes a front bulkhead, a front bulkhead reinforcing crossbeam, a vacuum booster pump mounting plate, an air conditioning mounting bracket assembly, a steering mounting box, a lower connecting plate for the front bulkhead, and an accelerator pedal mounting assembly. When used in a left-hand drive vehicle, the front bulkhead is a left-hand drive front bulkhead, and the accelerator pedal mounting assembly is specifically a left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly. The front bulkhead reinforcing crossbeam, the vacuum booster pump mounting plate, the air conditioning mounting bracket assembly, the steering mounting box, the lower connecting plate for the front bulkhead, and the left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly are assembled together to form a left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement. The assembly consists of a left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly mounted on the left-hand drive front bulkhead to form a left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly. When used in a right-hand drive vehicle, the front bulkhead is a right-hand drive front bulkhead, and the accelerator pedal mounting assembly is specifically a right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly. The front bulkhead reinforcement beam, the vacuum booster pump mounting plate, the air conditioning mounting bracket assembly, the steering mounting box, the lower connecting plate of the front bulkhead, and the right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly are assembled together to form a right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly. The right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly is mounted on the right-hand drive front bulkhead to form a right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly.

[0006] Furthermore, the front bulkhead reinforcing beam is provided with a first mounting groove and a second mounting groove adapted to the vacuum booster pump mounting plate, a first air conditioner bracket mounting groove and a second air conditioner bracket mounting groove adapted to the air conditioner mounting bracket assembly, a first steering mounting box mounting groove and a second steering mounting box mounting groove adapted to the steering mounting box, a front bulkhead lower connecting plate mounting groove adapted to the front bulkhead lower connecting plate, a first accelerator pedal mounting groove adapted to the left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly, and a second accelerator pedal mounting groove adapted to the right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly.

[0007] Furthermore, the air conditioning mounting bracket assembly includes a first air conditioning mounting bracket and a second air conditioning mounting bracket. The first air conditioning mounting bracket is installed in the first air conditioning bracket mounting slot, and the second air conditioning mounting bracket is installed in the second air conditioning bracket mounting slot. When used in a left-hand drive vehicle, the vacuum booster pump mounting plate is installed in the first mounting slot, the steering mounting box is installed in the first steering mounting box mounting slot, the left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly is installed in the first accelerator pedal mounting slot, and the lower connecting plate of the front bulkhead is installed in the lower connecting plate mounting slot of the front bulkhead, thus forming the left-hand drive front... The front bulkhead reinforcement assembly is mounted on the left-hand drive front bulkhead to form the left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly. When used in a right-hand drive vehicle, the vacuum booster pump mounting plate is mounted in the second mounting slot, the steering mounting box is mounted in the second steering mounting box mounting slot, the right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly is mounted in the second accelerator pedal mounting slot, and the lower connecting plate of the front bulkhead is mounted in the lower connecting plate mounting slot of the front bulkhead to form the right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly. The right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly is mounted on the right-hand drive front bulkhead to form the right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly.

[0008] Furthermore, the front bulkhead reinforcing beam is integrally stamped.

[0009] Furthermore, the main body profile of the left rudder front bulkhead is consistent with that of the right rudder front bulkhead.

[0010] Furthermore, both the left rudder front bulkhead and the right rudder front bulkhead are integrally stamped. The left rudder front bulkhead is provided with a number of left rudder mounting holes that are adapted to the left rudder front bulkhead reinforcement assembly, and the right rudder front bulkhead is provided with a number of right rudder mounting holes that are adapted to the right rudder front bulkhead reinforcement assembly.

[0011] Furthermore, the left rudder front bulkhead is provided with a plurality of left main positioning holes, and the right rudder front bulkhead is provided with a plurality of right main positioning holes, the left main positioning holes and the right main positioning holes being in the same relative position.

[0012] Furthermore, the left rudder front bulkhead assembly is provided with a plurality of left rudder clamping parts, and the right rudder front bulkhead assembly is provided with a plurality of right rudder clamping parts, and the relative positions of the plurality of left rudder clamping parts and the plurality of right rudder clamping parts are matched one by one.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: by setting a shared front bulkhead reinforcing beam and a majority of shared mounting parts, and assembling them together with the corresponding accelerator pedal mounting assembly: when used in left-hand drive vehicles, the left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcing assembly is first constructed, and then installed as a whole on the left-hand drive front bulkhead, ultimately forming the left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly; when used in right-hand drive vehicles, the right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcing assembly is first constructed, and then installed as a whole on the right-hand drive front bulkhead, ultimately forming the right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly. Apart from needing to adapt to the corresponding left-hand drive or right-hand drive front bulkhead, since the left and right drive reinforcing assemblies share the same front bulkhead reinforcing beam and a majority of mounting parts, from the perspective of part composition, the only difference between the two is the accelerator pedal mounting assembly. This avoids the large investment required to develop independent parts and molds for the two different steering directions, and also helps to improve the technical problem of low part sharing in the prior art. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the front bulkhead reinforcing beam in a front bulkhead assembly applicable to left-hand or right-hand drive according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly in an embodiment of the present invention applicable to either left-hand drive or right-hand drive front bulkhead assemblies; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly in an embodiment of the present invention applicable to left-hand drive or right-hand drive front bulkhead assemblies; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the left-hand drive front bulkhead in a front bulkhead assembly applicable to left-hand or right-hand drive according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the right-hand drive front bulkhead in a front bulkhead assembly applicable to left-hand or right-hand drive according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly in an embodiment of the present invention applicable to either left-hand drive or right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly in an embodiment of the present invention, applicable to either left-hand or right-hand drive front bulkhead assemblies.

[0015] Explanation of key component symbols: 100. Left-hand drive front bulkhead; 101. Left-hand drive mounting hole; 102. Left main positioning hole; 200. Right-hand drive front bulkhead; 201. Right-hand drive mounting hole; 202. Right main positioning hole; 300. Front bulkhead reinforcing crossbeam; 301. First mounting slot; 302. Second mounting slot; 303. First air conditioner bracket mounting slot; 304. Second air conditioner bracket mounting slot; 305. First steering mounting box mounting slot; 306. Second steering mounting box mounting slot; 307. Front bulkhead lower connecting plate mounting slot; 308. First accelerator pedal mounting slot. 309. Second accelerator pedal mounting slot; 400. Vacuum booster pump mounting plate; 500. Air conditioner mounting bracket assembly; 501. First air conditioner mounting bracket; 502. Second air conditioner mounting bracket; 600. Steering mounting box; 700. Lower connecting plate of front bulkhead; 801. Accelerator pedal mounting assembly for left-hand drive; 802. Accelerator pedal mounting assembly for right-hand drive; 900. Left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly; 1000. Right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly; 1100. Left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly; 1200. Right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly.

[0016] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will further illustrate the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Several embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of the present invention will be thorough and complete.

[0018] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," "up," "down," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0019] In this invention, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0020] Please see Figures 1 to 7 A front bulkhead assembly suitable for left-hand drive or right-hand drive vehicles includes a front bulkhead, a front bulkhead reinforcing crossbeam 300, a vacuum booster pump mounting plate 400, an air conditioning mounting bracket assembly 500, a steering mounting box 600, a lower connecting plate 700 for the front bulkhead, and an accelerator pedal mounting assembly. When used in a left-hand drive vehicle, the front bulkhead is a left-hand drive front bulkhead 100, and the accelerator pedal mounting assembly is specifically a left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 801. The front bulkhead reinforcing crossbeam 300, the vacuum booster pump mounting plate 400, the air conditioning mounting bracket assembly 500, the steering mounting box 600, the lower connecting plate 700 for the front bulkhead, and the left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 801 are assembled together to form a left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcing assembly 900. The left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900 is mounted on the left-hand drive front bulkhead 100 to form a left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1100. When used in a right-hand drive vehicle, the front bulkhead is a right-hand drive front bulkhead 200, and the accelerator pedal mounting assembly is specifically a right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 802. The front bulkhead reinforcement crossbeam 300, the vacuum booster pump mounting plate 400, the air conditioning mounting bracket assembly 500, the steering mounting box 600, the lower connecting plate of the front bulkhead 700, and the right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 802 are assembled together to form a right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000. The right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000 is mounted on the right-hand drive front bulkhead 200 to form a right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1200.

[0021] The front bulkhead reinforcing beam 300 is provided with a first mounting groove 301 and a second mounting groove 302 adapted to the vacuum booster pump mounting plate 400, a first air conditioner bracket mounting groove 303 and a second air conditioner bracket mounting groove 304 adapted to the air conditioner mounting bracket assembly 500, a first steering mounting box mounting groove 305 and a second steering mounting box mounting groove 306 adapted to the steering mounting box 600, a front bulkhead lower connecting plate mounting groove 307 adapted to the front bulkhead lower connecting plate 700, a first accelerator pedal mounting groove 308 adapted to the left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 801, and a second accelerator pedal mounting groove 309 adapted to the right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 802.

[0022] The air conditioning mounting bracket assembly 500 includes a first air conditioning mounting bracket 501 and a second air conditioning mounting bracket 502. The first air conditioning mounting bracket 501 is mounted in the first air conditioning bracket mounting slot 303, and the second air conditioning mounting bracket 502 is mounted in the second air conditioning bracket mounting slot 304. When used in a left-hand drive vehicle, the vacuum booster pump mounting plate 400 is mounted in the first mounting slot 301, the steering mounting box 600 is mounted in the first steering mounting box mounting slot 305, the left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 801 is mounted in the first accelerator pedal mounting slot 308, and the lower front bulkhead connecting plate 700 is mounted in the lower front bulkhead connecting plate mounting slot 307, forming the left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly. 900, the left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900 is mounted on the left-hand drive front bulkhead 100, constituting the left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1100; when used in a right-hand drive vehicle, the vacuum booster pump mounting plate 400 is mounted in the second mounting slot 302, the steering mounting box 600 is mounted in the second steering mounting box mounting slot 306, the right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 802 is mounted in the second accelerator pedal mounting slot 309, and the lower connecting plate 700 of the front bulkhead is mounted in the lower connecting plate mounting slot 307, constituting the right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000, which is mounted on the right-hand drive front bulkhead 200, constituting the right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1200. The front bulkhead reinforcement beam 300 is integrally stamped.

[0023] The main body profile of the left rudder front bulkhead 100 is consistent with that of the right rudder front bulkhead 200.

[0024] The left rudder front bulkhead 100 and the right rudder front bulkhead 200 are both integrally stamped. The left rudder front bulkhead 100 is provided with a plurality of left rudder mounting holes 101 that are adapted to the left rudder front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900, and the right rudder front bulkhead 200 is provided with a plurality of right rudder mounting holes 201 that are adapted to the right rudder front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000.

[0025] The left rudder front bulkhead 100 is provided with a plurality of left main positioning holes 102, and the right rudder front bulkhead 200 is provided with a plurality of right main positioning holes 202, wherein the left main positioning holes 102 and the right main positioning holes 202 are in the same relative position.

[0026] The left rudder front bulkhead assembly 1100 is provided with a plurality of left rudder clamping parts, and the right rudder front bulkhead assembly 1200 is provided with a plurality of right rudder clamping parts, and the relative positions of the plurality of left rudder clamping parts and the plurality of right rudder clamping parts are matched one by one.

[0027] Specifically, the assembly methods for left-hand drive and right-hand drive models, and the switching methods between the two, are as follows: Assembly method of left-hand drive vehicles When used in left-hand drive vehicles, the accelerator pedal mounting assembly specifically uses the left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 801. During assembly, a first assembly is performed, connecting each part to the front bulkhead reinforcing beam 300 to form the left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900: the vacuum booster pump mounting plate 400 is installed in the first mounting slot 301, the steering mounting box 600 is installed in the first steering mounting box mounting slot 305, the left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 801 is installed in the first accelerator pedal mounting slot 308, the first air conditioning mounting bracket 501 is installed in the first air conditioning bracket mounting slot 303, the second air conditioning mounting bracket 502 is installed in the second air conditioning bracket mounting slot 304, and the lower front bulkhead connecting plate 700 is installed in the lower front bulkhead connecting plate mounting slot 307. All the above parts are connected to the front bulkhead reinforcing beam 300 via detachable fasteners. After assembly, the left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900 is formed. The mounting slots for the first air conditioning mounting bracket 501, the second air conditioning mounting bracket 502, and the lower connecting plate 700 of the front bulkhead are exactly the same as those for the right-hand drive model, and no adjustment is required.

[0028] Then, a second assembly is performed, where the left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900 is installed as a single module onto the left-hand drive front bulkhead 100. The left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900 is aligned and fixed with the left-hand drive mounting holes 101 on the left-hand drive front bulkhead 100 through its mounting holes, thus forming the left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1100. The left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1100 is provided with several left main positioning holes 102 for main positioning on the welding fixture.

[0029] Assembly method for right-hand drive vehicles When used in right-hand drive vehicles, the accelerator pedal mounting assembly specifically uses the right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 802. During assembly, a first assembly is performed, connecting all parts to the front bulkhead reinforcing beam 300 to form the right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000: the vacuum booster pump mounting plate 400 is installed in the second mounting slot 302; the steering mounting box 600 is installed in the second steering mounting box mounting slot 306; the right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 802 is installed in the second accelerator pedal mounting slot 309; the first air conditioning mounting bracket 501 is installed in the first air conditioning bracket mounting slot 303; the second air conditioning mounting bracket 502 is installed in the second air conditioning bracket mounting slot 304; and the lower front bulkhead connecting plate 700 is installed in the lower front bulkhead connecting plate mounting slot 307. After assembly, the right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000 is complete.

[0030] Then, a second assembly is performed, where the right rudder front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000 is installed as a single module onto the right rudder front bulkhead 200. The right rudder front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000 is aligned and fixed with the right rudder mounting holes 201 on the right rudder front bulkhead 200 through its mounting holes, thus forming the right rudder front bulkhead assembly 1200. The right rudder front bulkhead assembly 1200 is provided with several right main positioning holes 202, which are in the same relative position as the left main positioning holes 102.

[0031] Manufacturing method and common mold features of the left and right rudder front bulkhead The main body contours of the left-hand drive front bulkhead 100 and the right-hand drive front bulkhead 200 are identical, and both are stamped using the same set of forming dies. The left-hand drive front bulkhead 100 has several left-hand drive mounting holes 101, and the right-hand drive front bulkhead 200 has several right-hand drive mounting holes 201. The left-hand drive mounting holes 101 are adapted to corresponding mounting points on the left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900, and the right-hand drive mounting holes 201 are adapted to corresponding mounting points on the right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000. The dedicated mounting holes 101 and 201, which are located differently due to the different left and right rudder configurations, are punched out by one of the retractable punching pins provided on the same set of punching dies; the remaining general-purpose mounting holes are located in the same position on both the left-hand drive front bulkhead 100 and the right-hand drive front bulkhead 200, and are punched out by a general-purpose punch provided on the same set of punching dies. The left main positioning hole 102 and the right main positioning hole 202 are located in the same position and are punched out by a general-purpose punch.

[0032] Both the left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900 and the right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000 are constructed using the same front bulkhead reinforcement crossbeam 300, which supports all components. From the perspective of component composition, the only difference between the two is the accelerator pedal mounting assembly. The left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 801 and the right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 802 are manufactured by their respective independent stamping dies, and their external mounting interfaces are identical, allowing them to be installed in the corresponding accelerator pedal mounting slots on the front bulkhead reinforcement crossbeam 300. The remaining components—vacuum booster pump mounting plate 400, air conditioning mounting bracket assembly 500, steering mounting box 600, and lower front bulkhead connecting plate 700—use the same part number for the same components in both the left-hand drive and right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assemblies 900 and 1000, eliminating the need for separate development.

[0033] On the same production line, when switching from left-hand drive to right-hand drive vehicle production, it is necessary to replace the front bulkhead body and adjust some parts on the front bulkhead reinforcing beam, but not to replace the front bulkhead reinforcing beam itself. The specific switching steps are as follows: Remove the left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1100 from the production line. Separate the left-hand drive front bulkhead 100 from the left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900, retaining the left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900. Disassemble the left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 801 and remove it from the first accelerator pedal mounting slot 308. Remove the vacuum booster pump mounting plate 400 from the first mounting slot 301, move it, and install it into the second mounting slot 302. Remove the steering mounting box 600 from the first steering mounting box mounting slot 305, move it, and install it into the second steering mounting box mounting slot 306. Remove the right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 802 and install it into the second accelerator pedal mounting slot 309. The first air conditioning mounting bracket 501 remains installed in the first air conditioning bracket mounting slot 303, the second air conditioning mounting bracket 502 remains installed in the second air conditioning bracket mounting slot 304, and the lower front bulkhead connecting plate 700 remains installed in the lower front bulkhead connecting plate mounting slot 307. These three parts do not need to be disassembled. At this point, the left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900 has been replaced with the right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000. Take the right-hand drive front bulkhead 200 and install the right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000 onto it. Align and secure it using the right-hand drive mounting holes 201 to form the right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1200. After completing the above steps, the right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1200 can be put into subsequent production.

[0034] During the aforementioned switching process, since both the left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900 and the right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000 are constructed using the same front bulkhead reinforcement beam 300 supporting all components, and their external contours and mounting interfaces are identical, they can be directly installed on the front bulkheads of the corresponding rudder directions. Simultaneously, the main body contours of the left-hand drive front bulkhead 100 and the right-hand drive front bulkhead 200 are identical, the left main positioning hole 102 and the right main positioning hole 202 are in the same relative position, and the relative positions of the left-hand drive clamping portion on the left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1100 and the right-hand drive clamping portion on the right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1200 are matched one-to-one. This ensures that the left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1100 and the right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1200 have the same external boundary and positioning clamping reference, allowing for alternating welding on the same welding fixture without the need to replace or significantly adjust the fixture.

[0035] Through the above structural design and assembly method, the present invention encapsulates the difference between the left and right rudders within a subsystem of either the left rudder front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900 or the right rudder front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000. Using the unchanging front bulkhead reinforcement beam 300 as the base, by selectively choosing either the left rudder accelerator pedal mounting assembly 801 or the right rudder accelerator pedal mounting assembly 802, and adjusting the positions of the vacuum booster pump mounting plate 400 and the steering mounting box 600 between the preset first mounting slot 301 and the second mounting slot 302, and the first steering mounting box mounting slot 305 and the second steering mounting box mounting slot 306, the left rudder front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 900 and the right rudder front bulkhead reinforcement assembly 1000 can be quickly switched, thereby completing the switching between the left rudder front bulkhead assembly 1100 and the right rudder front bulkhead assembly 1200. In terms of cost, only separate stamping dies need to be developed for the left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 801 and the right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly 802. The vacuum booster pump mounting plate 400, air conditioning mounting bracket assembly 500, steering mounting box 600, and front bulkhead lower connecting plate 700 are completely shared between left-hand and right-hand drive models, effectively reducing parts development costs. Regarding tooling, the same welding fixture can be adapted to both the left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1100 and the right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly 1200, reducing the number of fixtures and storage space. These improvements help solve the technical problems of high investment in molds and fixtures and low tooling sharing in existing left-hand and right-hand drive front bulkhead assemblies.

[0036] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0037] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A front bulkhead assembly suitable for left-hand drive or right-hand drive, characterized in that, The assembly includes a front bulkhead, a front bulkhead reinforcing crossbeam, a vacuum booster pump mounting plate, an air conditioning mounting bracket assembly, a steering mounting box, a lower connecting plate for the front bulkhead, and an accelerator pedal mounting assembly. When used in a left-hand drive vehicle, the front bulkhead is a left-hand drive front bulkhead, and the accelerator pedal mounting assembly is specifically a left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly. The front bulkhead reinforcing crossbeam, the vacuum booster pump mounting plate, the air conditioning mounting bracket assembly, the steering mounting box, the lower connecting plate for the front bulkhead, and the left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly are assembled together to form a left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly. The bulkhead reinforcement assembly is installed on the left-hand drive front bulkhead to form a left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly. When used in a right-hand drive vehicle, the front bulkhead is a right-hand drive front bulkhead, and the accelerator pedal mounting assembly is specifically a right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly. The front bulkhead reinforcement beam, the vacuum booster pump mounting plate, the air conditioning mounting bracket assembly, the steering mounting box, the lower connecting plate of the front bulkhead, and the right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly are assembled together to form a right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly. The right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly is installed on the right-hand drive front bulkhead to form a right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly.

2. The front bulkhead assembly suitable for left-hand or right-hand drive as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The front bulkhead reinforcing beam is provided with a first mounting groove and a second mounting groove adapted to the vacuum booster pump mounting plate, a first air conditioner bracket mounting groove and a second air conditioner bracket mounting groove adapted to the air conditioner mounting bracket assembly, a first steering mounting box mounting groove and a second steering mounting box mounting groove adapted to the steering mounting box, a front bulkhead lower connecting plate mounting groove adapted to the front bulkhead lower connecting plate, a first accelerator pedal mounting groove adapted to the left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly, and a second accelerator pedal mounting groove adapted to the right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly.

3. The front bulkhead assembly suitable for left-hand or right-hand drive according to claim 2, characterized in that, The air conditioning mounting bracket assembly includes a first air conditioning mounting bracket and a second air conditioning mounting bracket. The first air conditioning mounting bracket is installed in the first air conditioning bracket mounting slot, and the second air conditioning mounting bracket is installed in the second air conditioning bracket mounting slot. When used in a left-hand drive vehicle, the vacuum booster pump mounting plate is installed in the first mounting slot, the steering mounting box is installed in the first steering mounting box mounting slot, the left-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly is installed in the first accelerator pedal mounting slot, and the lower connecting plate of the front bulkhead is installed in the lower connecting plate mounting slot of the front bulkhead, thus forming the left-hand drive front bulkhead. The left-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly is mounted on the left-hand drive front bulkhead to form the left-hand drive front bulkhead assembly. When used in a right-hand drive vehicle, the vacuum booster pump mounting plate is mounted in the second mounting slot, the steering mounting box is mounted in the second steering mounting box mounting slot, the right-hand drive accelerator pedal mounting assembly is mounted in the second accelerator pedal mounting slot, and the lower connecting plate of the front bulkhead is mounted in the lower connecting plate mounting slot to form the right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly. The right-hand drive front bulkhead reinforcement assembly is mounted on the right-hand drive front bulkhead to form the right-hand drive front bulkhead assembly.

4. The front bulkhead assembly suitable for left-hand or right-hand drive as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The front bulkhead reinforcing beam is integrally stamped.

5. The front bulkhead assembly suitable for left-hand or right-hand drive as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The main surface contours of the left rudder front bulkhead and the right rudder front bulkhead are consistent.

6. The front bulkhead assembly suitable for left-hand or right-hand drive as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Both the left rudder front bulkhead and the right rudder front bulkhead are integrally stamped. The left rudder front bulkhead is provided with a number of left rudder mounting holes that are adapted to the left rudder front bulkhead reinforcement assembly, and the right rudder front bulkhead is provided with a number of right rudder mounting holes that are adapted to the right rudder front bulkhead reinforcement assembly.

7. The front bulkhead assembly suitable for left-hand or right-hand drive according to claim 1, characterized in that, The left rudder front bulkhead is provided with a number of left main positioning holes, and the right rudder front bulkhead is provided with a number of right main positioning holes, with the left main positioning holes and the right main positioning holes being in the same relative position.

8. The front bulkhead assembly suitable for left-hand or right-hand drive according to claim 1, characterized in that, The left rudder front bulkhead assembly is provided with a plurality of left rudder clamping parts, and the right rudder front bulkhead assembly is provided with a plurality of right rudder clamping parts, and the relative positions of the plurality of left rudder clamping parts and the plurality of right rudder clamping parts are matched one by one.

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