Vehicle front part structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle front part structure that can more effectively protect the legs of a pedestrian when a vehicle comes into contact with the pedestrian.SOLUTION: A vehicle front part structure 100 includes: a front side member extending forward from a dash panel of a vehicle; and a front bumper 101 arranged in front of the front side member. The front bumper 101 includes: protruded portions 112 arranged at the same position in a vehicle width direction as a front end of the front side member and protruding toward a vehicle front side in a vertical direction; and connecting portions 110 arranged below the front side member and connecting back surfaces of the protruded portions 112 in a vehicle width direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which crash boxes are provided at the front ends of the front side members of a vehicle to absorb impacts in the event of a frontal collision. Patent Document 2 also discloses a configuration in which a front bumper is provided in front of the front side frames of a vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6787284 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-68773 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] If the front bumper of Patent Document 2 is placed in front of the crash box of Patent Document 1, and the part of the front bumper just in front of the crash box comes into contact with a pedestrian, the pedestrian's legs are likely to be pushed forward by the crash box (absorber) that functions in a lap collision and the front side members that ensure the rigidity of the vehicle body through the front bumper. If such behavior occurs, it is likely that the pedestrian's legs are protected to a certain extent, but there is room for further improvement.

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle front structure that can more effectively protect the legs of a pedestrian when the vehicle comes into contact with the pedestrian. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, a typical configuration of the present invention is a vehicle front structure comprising a front side member extending forward from a dash panel of the vehicle and a front bumper arranged in front of the front side member, wherein the front bumper is arranged at the same position in the vehicle width direction as the front end of the front side member and has a convex portion that protrudes toward the front of the vehicle in the vertical direction, and the vehicle front structure further comprises a connecting portion that is arranged below the front side member and connects the back surfaces of the convex portion in the vehicle width direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, when a vehicle comes into contact with a pedestrian, the legs of the pedestrian can be protected more effectively. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a vehicle to which a vehicle front structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, as viewed from the front side; [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle front structure of FIG. 1 with a front bumper removed. [Figure 3] 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle front structure of FIG. 1 as seen from the rear side. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the periphery of a connecting portion in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the vehicle front structure of FIG. 1 and the legs of a pedestrian. FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a partially enlarged front view of the vehicle front structure of FIG. 1 with a bumper lower removed. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged front view of the vehicle front structure of FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the function of the vehicle front structure of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] One embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle front structure comprising a front side member extending forward from a dash panel of the vehicle and a front bumper arranged in front of the front side member, wherein the front bumper is arranged at the same position in the vehicle width direction as the front end of the front side member and has a convex portion that protrudes toward the front of the vehicle in the vertical direction, and the vehicle front structure further comprises a connecting portion that is arranged below the front side member and connects the back surfaces of the convex portion in the vehicle width direction.

[0010] According to the present invention, the convex portion of the front bumper is reinforced by a connecting portion at its lower portion, i.e., below the front side member. Therefore, when the front bumper comes into contact with a pedestrian's legs, the lower portion of the convex portion, which has increased rigidity, does not open, but the upper portion of the convex portion opens and collapses toward the rear of the vehicle. The pedestrian's legs are then swept by the lower portion of the convex portion, causing the pedestrian's upper body to land on the vehicle hood. This more effectively protects the pedestrian's legs.

[0011] The vehicle front structure may further include an absorber attached to the front end of the front side member and a front bumper force attached to the front end of the absorber, and the connecting portion may be positioned forward of the front bumper force.

[0012] According to the above configuration, since the connecting portion is positioned forward of the front bumper reinforcement, when the vehicle comes into contact with a pedestrian's leg, the convex portion on which the connecting portion is provided comes into contact with the pedestrian before the front bumper reinforcement. As a result, the function of the connecting portion is prioritized before the absorber comes into contact with the pedestrian's leg via the front bumper reinforcement and the front bumper.

[0013] The front bumper is molded in two parts: an upper bumper upper and a lower bumper lower which is more rigid than the bumper upper; the convex portion includes a first convex portion on the bumper upper and a second convex portion on the bumper lower; the connecting portion is positioned so that it is hidden by the portion where the second convex portion of the bumper lower and the first convex portion of the bumper upper overlap and connect when viewed from the front; the bumper upper has a first hole and a second hole formed below the parting portion formed between the bumper upper and the bumper lower and above the connecting portion, the first hole being formed at a position on the outer side of the first convex portion in the vehicle width direction and the second hole being formed at a position on the inner side of the first convex portion in the vehicle width direction; and the bumper lower has first and second engagement claws which engage with the first hole and the second hole, respectively.

[0014] According to the above configuration, the connecting portion is hidden by both the first convex portion of the bumper upper and the second convex portion of the bumper lower in a front view, so the connecting portion is protected from the front by two members and is more resistant to deformation. In addition, the bumper upper is below the parting line and above the connecting portion, and the distance between the outer position of the first convex portion in the vehicle width direction and the inner position of the first convex portion in the vehicle width direction is fixed, further preventing deformation of the connecting portion.

[0015] The front bumper may further have a bulge formed on the surface of the bumper lower, bulging out toward the front of the vehicle and partially overlapping the convex portion when viewed from the front, and the connecting portion may be positioned so as to intersect with a valley portion formed at the end of the bulge in the vehicle width direction.

[0016] According to the above configuration, the bulge portion partially overlapping the convex portion increases the rigidity of the convex portion. In addition, the valley portion formed at the end of the bulge portion in the vehicle width direction intersects with the connecting portion, so the rigidity of the convex portion is improved particularly at the connecting portion. [Example]

[0017] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dimensions, materials, and other specific values ​​shown in these embodiments are merely examples for facilitating understanding of the invention and, unless otherwise specified, do not limit the present invention. In this specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same functions and configurations are designated by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant explanation, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not shown.

[0018] Fig. 1 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a vehicle 200 to which a vehicle front structure 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, as seen from the front side. In Fig. 1 and all other drawings, the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is indicated by arrows F (Forward) and B (Backward), the left and right in the vehicle width direction are indicated by arrows L (Leftward) and R (Rightward), and the up and down directions are indicated by arrows U (Upward) and D (Downward).

[0019] As shown in Fig. 1, vehicle 200 includes a vehicle front structure 100. Vehicle front structure 100 includes a front bumper 101. Front bumper 101 is formed separately into an upper bumper upper part 102 and a lower bumper lower part 103 that is more rigid than bumper upper part 102. Bumper upper part 102 and bumper lower part 103 are connected to each other.

[0020] 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle front structure 100 of FIG. 1 with the front bumper 101 removed. The vehicle front structure 100 includes a front side member 105 that extends further forward from the dash panel 104 in front of a floor side member 107 that is aligned with the floor panel of the vehicle 200. Note that an electric vehicle may also be configured without the floor side member 107. Therefore, the front side member 105 may also refer to a side member that is in front of the dash panel 104.

[0021] The vehicle front structure 100 also includes an absorber 106 attached to the front end of the front side member 105. The vehicle front structure 100 also includes a front bumper reinforcement 108 attached to the front end of the absorber 106. The front bumper 101 described above is disposed in front of the front bumper reinforcement 108. The absorber 106 absorbs energy when the front of the vehicle collides. The absorber 106 has a fairly strong structure.

[0022] Returning to FIG. 1, the explanation will be made below. As shown in FIG. 1, the bumper upper 102 has a convex portion 112 as a first convex portion. As shown in FIG. 1, the bumper lower 103 has a convex portion 113 as a second convex portion. The convex portions 112, 113 are disposed at the same position in the vehicle width direction as the front end of the front side member 105. The convex portions 112, 113 protrude toward the front of the vehicle in both the up and down directions. The convex portions 112, 113 will be explained in more detail below.

[0023] The convex portion 112 has a first plate portion 112a on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and a second plate portion 112b on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The first plate portion 112a is inclined so that it is positioned further forward of the vehicle as it moves inward in the vehicle width direction. The second plate portion 112b is inclined so that it is positioned further forward of the vehicle as it moves outward in the vehicle width direction. The first plate portion 112a and the second plate portion 112b intersect and connect at the front of the vehicle, are open toward the rear of the vehicle, and are arranged in a V-shape in a plan view. The convex portion 112 also includes a region from a parting portion 112k to a connecting portion 110, which will be described later (see FIG. 6).

[0024] The convex portion 113 has a third plate portion 113a on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and a fourth plate portion 113b on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The third plate portion 113a is inclined so that it is positioned further forward of the vehicle as it moves inward in the vehicle width direction. The fourth plate portion 113b is inclined so that it is positioned further forward of the vehicle as it moves outward in the vehicle width direction. The third plate portion 113a and the fourth plate portion 113b intersect and connect at the front of the vehicle, open toward the rear of the vehicle, and are arranged in a V-shape in a plan view.

[0025] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the vehicle front structure 100 of Fig. 1 as seen from the rear side. As shown in Fig. 3, the vehicle front structure 100 includes a connecting portion 110. The connecting portion 110 is provided in the lower part of the bumper upper 102, and connects the rear surfaces of the convex-shaped portions 112 in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 110 connects the rear surfaces of the convex-shaped portions 112 in the vehicle width direction, but it is also possible to configure the connecting portion to connect the rear surfaces of the convex-shaped portions 113 in the vehicle width direction instead of the rear surfaces of the convex-shaped portions 112.

[0026] 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the periphery of the connecting portion 110 in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 4, the connecting portion 110 is formed in a plate shape and is disposed so that the plate surface faces in the vertical direction. The connecting portion 110 extends rearward of the vehicle from an imaginary plane connecting the rearward end 112a1 of the first plate portion 112a and the rearward end 112b1 of the second plate portion 112b. The end 112a1 side of the connecting portion 110 extends further rearward of the vehicle than the end 112b1 side. Note that the connecting portion 110 is not limited to the configuration of this embodiment, and may have other shapes as long as it connects the first plate portion 112a and the second plate portion 112b.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the vehicle front structure 100 of FIG. 1 and the leg A of a pedestrian. As shown in FIG. 5, a front bumper reinforcement 108 is attached to the front end of the absorber 106. As shown in FIG. 5, the connecting portion 110 is disposed forward of the front bumper reinforcement 108. Furthermore, the connecting portion 110 is disposed lower than the front bumper reinforcement 108, the absorber 106, and the front side member 105. Note that the portion of the bumper upper 102 at the height of the front side member 105 is located furthest forward of the vehicle. Furthermore, the connecting portion 110 is ineffective even if it is disposed above the front side member 105.

[0028] FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged front view of the vehicle front structure 100 of FIG. 1 with the bumper lower 103 removed. As shown in FIG. 6, the bumper upper 102 has a parting portion 112k. The parting portion 112k is a boundary line between the bumper upper 102 and the bumper lower 103. The parting performance referred to here means that there is no step between the members (they are flush) and that the depth cannot be seen. The bumper upper 102 has holes 112m and 112n below the parting portion 112k that engage with engagement claws 113m and 113n (see FIG. 4) of the bumper lower 103. The holes 112m and 112n are arranged around the connecting portion 110 when the bumper upper 102 is viewed from the front.

[0029] Hole 112m as a first hole is formed below parting portion 112k and above connecting portion 110, at a position on the outer side of convex portion 112 in the vehicle width direction, i.e., in the lower part of first plate portion 112a. Hole 112n as a second hole is formed below parting portion 112k and above connecting portion 110, at a position on the inner side of convex portion 112 in the vehicle width direction, i.e., on the inner side of the lower part of second plate portion 112b in the vehicle width direction.

[0030] 4, engagement claw 113m serving as a first engagement claw of bumper lower 103 engages with hole 112m, and engagement claw 113n serving as a second engagement claw of bumper lower 103 engages with hole 112n. Through this engagement, bumper lower 103 fixes the distance between hole 112m and hole 112n. In this embodiment, hole 112m is located in first plate portion 112a, but it may be formed further outward in the vehicle width direction than first plate portion 112a. In this embodiment, hole 112n is not located in second plate portion 112b, but it may be formed in second plate portion 112b.

[0031] In this embodiment, a ridge line that serves as a boundary between the first plate portion 112a and the second plate portion 112b is disposed between the holes 112m and 112n.

[0032] The connecting portion 110 is disposed below the parting portion 112k and the hole 112m. The bumper lower 103 is attached below the parting portion 112k of the bumper upper 102. The connecting portion 110 is disposed in a position where it is hidden by the portion where the convex portion 113 of the bumper lower 103 and the convex portion 112 of the bumper upper 102 overlap and connect in a front view.

[0033] 7 is a partially enlarged front view of the vehicle front structure 100 of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 7, the bumper lower 103 has a bulge 123. The bulge 123 is formed on the surface of the bumper lower 103. The bulge 123 bulges toward the front of the vehicle. A portion of the bulge 123 overlaps with the fourth plate portion 113b of the convex portion 113 in a front view. The connecting portion 110 is arranged so as to intersect with a valley portion 125 formed at the end of the bulge 123 in the vehicle width direction.

[0034] Next, we will explain how the action differs when the convex portion 512 of the example receives a force from the front of the vehicle and when the convex portion 612 of the comparative example receives a force from the front of the vehicle. FIG. 8(a) is a diagram for explaining the action that occurs when the convex portion 512 receives a force from the front of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 8(a), the convex portion 512 has a first plate portion 512a and a second plate portion 512b that protrude toward the front of the vehicle. The lower part of the back surface of the convex portion 512 is connected by a connecting portion 510 so as to connect the first plate portion 512a and the second plate portion 512b.

[0035] Therefore, the angle of the lower parts of first plate part 512a and second plate part 512b is fixed by connecting part 510 and is difficult to change. The angle of the upper parts of first plate part 512a and second plate part 512b is not fixed by connecting part and is therefore easy to change. Therefore, when a force is applied from the front (from the front to the back of the page) in the state shown in Figure 8(a), the lower part of convex part 512 does not collapse, but the upper part of convex part 512 collapses.

[0036] FIG. 8(b) is a diagram illustrating the effect that occurs when the convex portion 612 of the comparative example receives a force from the front of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 8(b), the convex portion 612 has a first plate portion 612a and a second plate portion 612b, but the lower and upper portions of the back surface are not connected by a connecting portion. As a result, the angles of the lower and upper portions of the first plate portion 612a and the second plate portion 612b are easily changed. Therefore, when a force is received from the front (from the front to the back of the page) in the state shown in FIG. 8(b), the lower and upper portions of the convex portion 612 are crushed.

[0037] Next, the operation of the vehicle front structure 100 will be described. In the situation shown in Fig. 5, when the front bumper 101 of the vehicle 200 comes into contact with the leg A of a pedestrian, the lower part of the convex portion 112 (the part connected by the connecting portion 110 in Fig. 3) does not open, but the upper part of the convex portion 112 opens and collapses toward the rear of the vehicle. Then, the leg A of the pedestrian is swept by the lower part of the convex portion 112, and the upper body of the pedestrian ends up on the hood of the vehicle.

[0038] As described above, according to the configuration of this embodiment, when the vehicle 200 comes into contact with the leg A of a pedestrian, the leg A of the pedestrian can be protected more effectively.

[0039] Since the connecting portion 110 is positioned forward of the front bumper reinforcement 108, when the vehicle 200 comes into contact with a pedestrian's leg A, the convex portion 112 on which the connecting portion 110 is provided comes into contact with the pedestrian before the front bumper reinforcement 108. As a result, the function of the connecting portion 110 is exerted preferentially before the absorber 106 comes into contact with the pedestrian's leg A via the front bumper reinforcement 108 and the front bumper 101.

[0040] Because the connecting portion 110 is hidden by both the convex portion 112 of the bumper upper 102 and the convex portion 113 of the bumper lower 103 in a front view, the connecting portion 110 is protected from the front by two members and is less likely to deform. Also, because the connecting portion 110 is hidden by the bumper lower 103, which has higher rigidity than the bumper upper 102, the connecting portion 110 is less likely to deform. The bumper lower 103 is configured to curve from the front of the vehicle to the underside of the vehicle, and is slightly more rigid than the bumper upper 102, so deformation of the connecting portion 110 is further suppressed.

[0041] Furthermore, the engagement claws 113m, 113n of the bumper lower 103 engage with the holes 112m, 112n of the bumper upper 102 below the parting edge 112k and above the connecting portion 110. Then, the distance between the outer position of the convex portion 113 in the vehicle width direction and the inner position of the convex portion 113 in the vehicle width direction (the distance between the holes 112m and 112n) is fixed, which further suppresses deformation of the connecting portion 110.

[0042] The bulging portion 123, which partially overlaps the convex portion 113, increases the rigidity of the convex portion 113. In addition, the valley portion 125 formed at the end of the bulging portion 123 in the vehicle width direction intersects with the connecting portion 110, so the rigidity of the convex portion 113 is improved particularly at the connecting portion 110.

[0043] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear that those skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these modifications and alterations also fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0044] Furthermore, the present invention can be practiced by freely combining inventions described in claims and examples, regardless of the dependent relationships of the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0045] The present invention can be used in a vehicle front structure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 100...vehicle front structure, 101...front bumper, 102...bumper upper, 103...bumper lower, 104...dash panel, 105...front side member, 106...absorber, 107...floor side member, 108...front bumper reinforcement, 110...connecting portion, 112...convex portion, 112a...first plate portion, 112a1...end portion, 112b...second plate portion, 112b1...end portion , 112k...opening, 112m...hole, 112n...hole, 113...convex portion, 113a...third plate portion, 113b...fourth plate portion, 113m...engaging claw, 113n...engaging claw, 123...bulge portion, 125...valley portion, 200...vehicle, 510...connecting portion, 512...convex portion, 512a...first plate portion, 512b...second plate portion, 612...convex portion, 612a...first plate portion, 612b...second plate portion, A...pedestrian's leg

Claims

1. A vehicle front structure including a front side member extending forward from a dash panel of a vehicle, and a front bumper disposed in front of the front side member, The front bumper is a convex portion that is disposed at the same position in the vehicle width direction as the front end of the front side member and that protrudes toward the front of the vehicle in the vertical direction, The vehicle front structure further comprises: A vehicle front structure comprising a connecting portion disposed below the front side member and connecting the rear surfaces of the convex portions in the vehicle width direction.

2. The vehicle front structure further includes an absorber attached to a front end of the front side member; a front bumper reinforcement attached to a front end of the absorber; Equipped with The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion is disposed forward of the front bumper reinforcement.

3. The front bumper is molded separately into an upper bumper upper and a lower bumper lower having higher rigidity than the upper bumper, the convex portion includes a first convex portion of the bumper upper and a second convex portion of the bumper lower, the connecting portion is disposed at a position where it is hidden by a portion where the second convex portion of the bumper lower and the first convex portion of the bumper upper are overlapped and connected in a front view, the bumper upper has a first hole and a second hole formed below a parting portion formed between the bumper upper and the bumper lower and above the connecting portion, the first hole being formed at a position on the outer side of the first convex portion in the vehicle width direction, and the second hole being formed at a position on the inner side of the first convex portion in the vehicle width direction, 3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein the bumper lower has a first engaging claw and a second engaging claw that engage with the first hole and the second hole, respectively.

4. the front bumper further has a bulging portion formed on a surface of the bumper lower portion, bulging toward the front of the vehicle, a portion of which overlaps with the convex portion in a front view, 4. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3, wherein the connecting portion is disposed so as to intersect with a valley portion formed at an end of the bulging portion in the vehicle width direction.

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