Vehicle front part structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle front part structure that can ensure rigidity of a fitting part between an instrument panel reinforcement and a vehicle body.SOLUTION: A vehicle front part structure includes: a die-cast skeleton body 10 formed integrally with a dash part 12 disposed at a vehicle front part to partition the inside of a cabin and the outside of the cabin, and a pair of right and left front pillar parts 14 connected to both ends of the dash part 12 in a vehicle width direction and extending in a vehicle vertical direction; an outer panel 40 disposed on an outer side of the skeleton body 10 in the vehicle width direction to form a design surface and coupled to the skeleton body 10; an instrument panel reinforcement 20 extending in the vehicle width direction between the pair of right and left front pillar parts 14 inside the cabin; and a connecting bracket 30 connecting the skeleton body 10 and the instrument panel reinforcement 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which a cross car beam (instrument panel reinforcement) extending in the vehicle width direction is provided inside the instrument panel. In the structure described in Patent Document 1, side brackets are attached to both ends of the cross car beam, and the cross car beam is connected to the vehicle body panel via these side brackets. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-94172 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the structure described in Patent Document 1, both ends of the instrument panel reinforcement are attached to a vehicle body panel formed of a rigid plate or the like, so there is a possibility that sufficient rigidity cannot be ensured at the attachment portion.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle front structure that can ensure the rigidity of the attachment portion between an instrument panel reinforcement and a vehicle body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle front structure of claim 1 comprises a die-cast skeleton body formed integrally with the vehicle, including a dash section disposed at the front of the vehicle and separating the interior and exterior of the vehicle, and a pair of left and right front pillar sections connected to both ends of the dash section in the vehicle width direction and extending in the vehicle up-down direction, an outer panel disposed on the outside of the skeleton body in the vehicle width direction to form a design surface and fastened to the skeleton body, an instrument panel reinforcement extending in the vehicle width direction between the pair of left and right front pillar sections inside the vehicle cabin, and a connecting bracket connecting the skeleton body and the instrument panel reinforcement.

[0007] In the vehicle front structure according to claim 1, a die-cast frame body is integrally formed with the dash section and a pair of left and right front pillars. An outer panel, which forms a design surface, is provided on the vehicle width direction outer side of the frame body, and the outer panel is fastened to the frame body. An instrument panel reinforcement is provided in the vehicle interior, extending in the vehicle width direction between the pair of left and right front pillars, and the frame body and the instrument panel reinforcement are connected by a connecting bracket. By connecting the instrument panel reinforcement to the die-cast frame body in this way, the rigidity of the mounting portion can be ensured compared to a structure in which the instrument panel reinforcement is connected to a steel plate or the like.

[0008] The vehicle front structure according to claim 2 is the same as claim 1, in which the instrument panel reinforcement and the connecting bracket are fastened in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, and the framework main body and the connecting bracket are fastened in the vehicle width direction.

[0009] In the vehicle front structure according to claim 2, the fastening direction between the instrument panel reinforcement and the connecting bracket is different from the fastening direction between the frame body and the connecting bracket, which makes it possible to maintain good mounting strength against both vibrations in the vehicle longitudinal direction and vibrations in the vehicle width direction.

[0010] A vehicle front structure according to claim 3 is the vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein the frame body, the outer panel, and the connecting bracket are fastened together by a fastener.

[0011] In the vehicle front structure according to claim 3, by fastening the three components together, the number of fasteners is reduced compared to when each component is fastened to another, thereby reducing the number of components. Furthermore, by fastening the components together, the frame body can be sandwiched between the outer panel and the connecting bracket.

[0012] A vehicle front structure according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the vehicle front structure according to the third aspect, wherein a collar member is provided between the outer panel and the connecting bracket.

[0013] In the vehicle front structure according to claim 4, the distance between the outer panel and the connecting bracket can be maintained constant by the collar member.

[0014] A vehicle front structure according to claim 5 is the vehicle front structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the framework main body includes a front side member portion extending from the dash portion toward the front side of the vehicle.

[0015] In the vehicle front structure according to claim 5, the skeleton main body is configured to include the front side member portion, so the number of parts can be reduced compared to a structure that includes a front side member that is separate from the skeleton main body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] As described above, according to the vehicle front structure of the present invention, the rigidity of the attachment portion between the instrument panel reinforcement and the vehicle body can be ensured. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a part of a vehicle front structure according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a fastened state of a framework body, an instrument panel reinforcement, and a connecting bracket in the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a fastening state of a framework body, an instrument panel reinforcement, and a connecting bracket in a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] A vehicle front structure according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0019] 1 is a perspective view showing a part of a vehicle front structure according to an embodiment. Note that the arrows FR, UP, and RH in the figure indicate the vehicle front direction, vehicle upper direction, and vehicle right direction, respectively. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, when the front-rear, up-down, and left-right directions are used, they respectively refer to the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the up-down direction of the vehicle, and the left-right direction (width direction) of the vehicle.

[0020] 1, a frame body 10 constituting the vehicle front structure is configured to include a dash section 12, front pillar sections 14, front side member sections 16, and suspension tower sections 18. The frame body 10 is made of die-cast material, and the dash section 12, front pillar sections 14, front side member sections 16, and suspension tower sections 18 are integrally formed by casting.

[0021] Dash section 12 is located at the front of the vehicle and separates the interior and exterior of the vehicle, and the rear surface of the lower part of dash section 12 is inclined surface 12A, with the upper side positioned closer to the front of the vehicle than the lower side. Inclined surface 12A is located below an instrument panel (not shown).

[0022] The surface of the upper portion of dash portion 12 facing the rear of the vehicle extends substantially vertically in the vehicle up-down direction and the vehicle width direction.

[0023] Front pillars 14 are connected to both ends of the dash 12 in the vehicle width direction, and the pair of left and right front pillars 14 extend in the vertical direction of the vehicle. Specifically, the lower portions of the front pillars 14 extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a rocker (not shown), which is a frame member, is connected to the rear end of the front pillars 14.

[0024] The front pillar portion 14 extends obliquely from the rear end toward the upper and front side of the vehicle, and is configured to be able to transmit the load acting on the frame body 10 in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0025] A pair of left and right front side member portions 16 extend toward the front of the vehicle from both ends of the dash portion 12 in the vehicle width direction. The front side member portions 16 extend in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle and are configured to be able to transmit a load input from the front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle.

[0026] A suspension tower portion 18 is provided on each of the pair of left and right front side member portions 16 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The suspension tower portions 18 are located higher on the vehicle than the front side member portions 16, and are configured in a shape that can support a suspension (not shown).

[0027] An instrument panel reinforcement 20 extending in the vehicle width direction is provided on the passenger compartment side of the dash portion 12. The instrument panel reinforcement 20 is a substantially cylindrical member installed between the left and right front pillar portions 14, and is configured to be able to support a steering shaft, an air conditioning unit, and the like (not shown).

[0028] 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a fastening state of the frame body 10, the instrument panel reinforcement 20, and the connecting bracket 30 in the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, an outer panel 40 is disposed on the outer side of the frame body 10 in the vehicle width direction.

[0029] The outer panel 40 forms part of the vehicle's design surface and has a closed cross section including an inner wall portion 40A located on the inside in the vehicle width direction in a plan view and an outer wall portion 40B located on the outside in the vehicle width direction. The outer panel 40 may be formed as a single unit by extrusion molding or the like, or may be formed by overlapping two rigid plates.

[0030] A flange extending toward the rear of the vehicle is formed at the rear end of the outer panel 40, and a side door 46 is disposed on the outer side of the flange in the vehicle width direction via a seal material 48.

[0031] The frame body 10 is fixed to the inner wall portion 40A of the outer panel 40. Specifically, a plurality of ribs extending outward in the vehicle width direction are formed on the outer surface of the front pillar portion 14 of the frame body 10 in the vehicle width direction, and the ribs are fixed to the outer panel 40 in a state where they abut against the outer panel 40.

[0032] The method of fixing the outer panel 40 to the frame body 10 is not particularly limited. For example, they may be fixed mechanically using bolts, rivets, or the like. Alternatively, they may be fixed using an adhesive or by a joining method such as welding. In this embodiment, as an example, the front pillar portion 14 of the frame body 10 and the inner wall portion 40A of the outer panel 40 are temporarily fixed together using an adhesive (not shown).

[0033] Here, the instrument panel reinforcement 20 and the frame body 10 are connected by a connecting bracket 30.

[0034] The connecting bracket 30 is made of metal and has a closed cross section, and in the present embodiment, as an example, the connecting bracket 30 includes a bracket inner wall portion 30A located on the inner side in the vehicle width direction and a bracket outer wall portion 30B located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The connecting bracket 30 also includes a bracket rear wall portion 30C connecting the rear end of the bracket inner wall portion 30A to the rear end of the bracket outer wall portion 30B, and a bracket front wall portion 30D connecting the front end of the bracket inner wall portion 30A to the front end of the bracket outer wall portion 30B.

[0035] A first weld nut 32 is provided on the inside of connecting bracket 30. First weld nut 32 is provided on the inner surface of bracket rear wall portion 30C, and a first bolt 36 is screwed into first weld nut 32. Here, a bolt hole 20A is formed in the end portion of instrument panel reinforcement 20 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and bolt 36 is inserted through bolt hole 20A and screwed into first weld nut 32. In this way, by inserting bolt 36 from the rear side of the vehicle and screwing it into first weld nut 32, instrument panel reinforcement 20 and connecting bracket 30 are fastened together in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction.

[0036] Second weld nuts 34 are provided on the inside of connecting bracket 30. Two second weld nuts 34 are provided on the inner surface of bracket outer wall portion 30B, and are spaced apart in the vehicle front-to-rear direction. Bolts 44 serving as fastening portions are threaded into each of the two second weld nuts 34.

[0037] An operation hole 40C into which a bolt 44 can be inserted is formed in the outer wall portion 40B of the outer panel 40, and the bolt 44 is inserted through the operation hole 40C and passed through the inner wall portion 40A of the outer panel 40 and the front pillar portion 14, and then screwed into the second weld nut 34. In this way, the bolt 44 and the second weld nut 34 fasten the frame body 10 and the connecting bracket 30 together in the vehicle width direction.

[0038] In particular, in this embodiment, the frame body 10, the outer panel 40, and the connecting bracket 30 are fastened together by the bolts 44.

[0039] Here, a collar member 42 is provided between the outer panel 40 and the connecting bracket 30. The collar member 42 is disposed at the insertion position of the two bolts 44, and is disposed between the ribs aligned in the vehicle longitudinal direction in the front pillar portion 14 of the frame body 10. The collar member 42 also abuts against the outer panel 40 and the connecting bracket 30, respectively.

[0040] (action) Next, the operation of the vehicle front structure according to this embodiment will be described.

[0041] 1, in the vehicle front structure according to this embodiment, a die-cast skeleton body 10 is integrally formed including a dash section 12 and a pair of left and right front pillar sections 14. Furthermore, because the skeleton body 10 is configured to include front side member sections 16, the number of parts can be reduced compared to a structure that includes front side members that are separate from the skeleton body 10.

[0042] The vehicle front structure of this embodiment is also provided with an instrument panel reinforcement 20 that extends in the vehicle width direction between a pair of left and right front pillar portions 14 inside the vehicle cabin. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 2, an outer panel 40 is provided on the outer side of the frame body 10 in the vehicle width direction, and the outer panel 40 and the frame body 10 are fastened together.

[0043] Furthermore, the frame body 10 and the instrument panel reinforcement 20 are connected by a connecting bracket 30. By connecting the instrument panel reinforcement 20 to the die-cast frame body 10 in this way, the rigidity of the attachment portion between the instrument panel reinforcement 20 and the vehicle body can be ensured compared to a structure in which the instrument panel reinforcement is connected to a steel plate or the like.

[0044] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the fastening direction between the instrument panel reinforcement 20 and the connecting bracket 30 is different from the fastening direction between the frame body 10 and the connecting bracket 30. Specifically, the instrument panel reinforcement 20 and the connecting bracket 30 are fastened in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the frame body 10 and the connecting bracket 30 are fastened in the vehicle transverse direction. Therefore, the mounting strength can be maintained favorably against both vibrations in the vehicle longitudinal direction and vibrations in the vehicle transverse direction.

[0045] In particular, in this embodiment, the three components of the frame body 10, the outer panel 40, and the connecting bracket 30 are fastened together, which reduces the number of bolts used as fasteners compared to when fastening each component to another, thereby reducing the number of components. Furthermore, by fastening them together, the frame body 10 can be sandwiched between the outer panel 40 and the connecting bracket 30.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the collar member 42 is provided between the frame body 10 and the outer panel 40, and this collar member 42 can maintain a constant distance between the outer panel 40 and the connecting bracket 30.

[0047] In this embodiment, the collar member 42 is provided between the frame body 10 and the outer panel 40, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a structure without the collar member 42 may be employed, as in a modified example shown in FIG. 3.

[0048] (Variation) FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a fastened state of the framework main body 10, the instrument panel reinforcement 20, and the connecting bracket 30 in the modified example.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 3, in the vehicle front structure according to this modification, the instrument panel reinforcement 20 and the connecting bracket 30 are mechanically fastened together by a bolt 36 and a first weld nut 32, similar to the embodiment.

[0050] A bolt 50 different from that of the embodiment is threaded into a second weld nut 34 provided on the connecting bracket 30. The bolt 50 is formed to have a shorter axial length than the bolt 44 of the embodiment, and the head of the bolt 50 abuts against the outer surface of the front pillar portion 14 of the frame body 10 in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, in this modification, the two members, the frame body 10 and the connecting bracket 30, are fastened together by the bolt 50 and the second weld nut 34.

[0051] The frame body 10 and the outer panel 40 are fixed by other means. For example, they may be mechanically fastened by bolts or rivets other than the bolts 50, or they may be fixed by adhesive or the like. They may also be joined by welding or the like.

[0052] While the vehicle front structure according to the embodiment and the modified example has been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment and modified example, the connecting bracket 30 has a closed cross-sectional structure that is substantially rectangular in shape in closed cross section as shown in Figures 2 and 3, but the present invention is not limited to this and may have other shapes.

[0053] In addition, in the above embodiment and modified example, the fastening direction between the framework main body 10 and the connecting bracket 30 is different from the fastening direction between the instrument panel reinforcement 20 and the connecting bracket 30, but this is not limiting. For example, the instrument panel reinforcement 20 and the connecting bracket 30 may be fastened in the vehicle width direction.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the instrument panel reinforcement 20 and the connecting bracket 30 are fastened together by one bolt 36, but this is not limiting, and the position and number of bolts are not particularly limited. For example, the instrument panel reinforcement 20 and the connecting bracket 30 may be fastened together by two or more bolts and weld nuts.

[0055] In the above embodiment, the frame body 10 and the connecting bracket 30 are fastened together with two bolts 44, but this is not limiting, and there are no particular limitations on the positions or number of bolts. For example, the frame body 10 and the connecting bracket 30 may be fastened together with three or more bolts and weld nuts, or may be fastened together with a combination of bolts and rivets.

[0056] The following notes are provided regarding the above embodiment.

[0057] (Appendix 1) a die-cast frame body integrally formed including a dash section disposed at the front of the vehicle and separating the interior and exterior of the vehicle, and a pair of left and right front pillar sections connected to both ends of the dash section in the vehicle width direction and extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle; an outer panel disposed on the outer side of the frame body in the vehicle width direction, constituting a design surface, and fastened to the frame body; an instrument panel reinforcement extending in a vehicle width direction between the pair of left and right front pillar portions in the vehicle interior; a connecting bracket that connects the framework body and the instrument panel reinforcement; A vehicle front structure having: (Appendix 2) The instrument panel reinforcement and the connecting bracket are fastened together in the vehicle front-rear direction, 2. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein the frame body and the connecting bracket are fastened in the vehicle width direction. (Appendix 3) 3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein the frame body, the outer panel, and the connecting bracket are fastened together by fasteners. (Appendix 4) 4. The vehicle front structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a collar member is provided between the outer panel and the connecting bracket. (Appendix 5) 5. The vehicle front structure according to any one of appendixes 1 to 4, wherein the frame body includes a front side member portion extending from the dash portion toward the front side of the vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 10 Skeleton body 12 Dash Section 14 Front pillar section 16 Front side member 20 Instrument panel reinforcement 30 Connecting bracket 40 Outer panel 42 Colored parts 44 Bolts (fasteners)

Claims

1. a die-cast frame body integrally formed including a dash section disposed at the front of the vehicle and separating the interior and exterior of the vehicle, and a pair of left and right front pillar sections connected to both ends of the dash section in the vehicle width direction and extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle; an outer panel disposed on the outer side of the frame body in the vehicle width direction, constituting a design surface, and fastened to the frame body; an instrument panel reinforcement extending in a vehicle width direction between the pair of left and right front pillar portions in the vehicle interior; a connecting bracket that connects the framework body and the instrument panel reinforcement; A vehicle front structure having:

2. The instrument panel reinforcement and the connecting bracket are fastened together in the vehicle front-rear direction, The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 , wherein the frame body and the connecting bracket are fastened together in the vehicle width direction.

3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 , wherein the frame body, the outer panel, and the connecting bracket are fastened together by fasteners.

4. 4. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3, further comprising a collar member provided between the outer panel and the connecting bracket.

5. 5. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein the frame body includes a front side member portion extending from the dash portion toward the front of the vehicle.

Images