Vehicle beam and vehicle front structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle beam which can inhibit water droplets from spilling on a component which may cause failure due to adhesion of the water droplets, and to provide a vehicle front structure.SOLUTION: A beam 20 includes a beam body 30 extending in a vehicle width direction within an instrument panel and attached at both ends in the vehicle width direction to a vehicle body. The beam body 30 has a duct part 31 extending in the vehicle width direction and forming a flow path through which air for air conditioning from an air conditioner flows. The beam body 30 further has a first guide rib 43 protruding downward in a vertical direction from an outer surface of a lower peripheral wall part 31b and extending in the vehicle width direction. A protruding end 44a of an inclined part 44 of the first guide rib is inclined relative to the vehicle width direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a beam for a vehicle and a front structure of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a steering support beam (hereinafter referred to as a beam). This beam has a beam body that extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle inside the instrument panel.

[0003] The beam body is formed into a substantially rectangular cylindrical shape by assembling two divided members each having a substantially L-shaped cross section. The beam body is formed with an air inlet that allows conditioned air, which has been adjusted to a predetermined temperature by an air conditioning device, to flow into the interior of the beam body, and multiple air outlets that expel the conditioned air into the vehicle interior.

[0004] In such beams, the beam body functions as an air conditioning duct. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-345396 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] When the beam body is cooled by the air conditioning, condensation occurs, causing water droplets to adhere to the outer surface of the beam body. The water droplets then flow downward along the outer surface of the beam body and fall off the outer surface due to the weight of the beam body or the vibration of the vehicle. This can cause problems for components located below the beam body, such as wire harnesses and electronic components, which may be affected by the adhesion of water droplets. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] Various aspects of a vehicle beam and a vehicle front structure for solving the above problems will be described. [Mode 1] A vehicle beam comprising a beam body that extends in the vehicle width direction within an instrument panel and has both ends in the vehicle width direction attached to the vehicle body, the beam body having a duct portion that extends in the vehicle width direction and forms a flow path through which air-conditioning air from an air conditioning unit flows, and when the up-down direction of the vehicle is simply defined as the up-down direction, the beam body protrudes downward in the up-down direction from the outer surface of the lower part of the duct portion and has a guide rib that extends in the vehicle width direction, and the tip of the guide rib is inclined with respect to the vehicle width direction.

[0008] According to the above configuration, water droplets that have adhered to the outer surface of the duct portion due to condensation flow along the outer surface of the duct portion to the guide rib. Here, the tip of the guide rib is inclined with respect to the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the water droplets flow along the tip of the guide rib and fall downward from the portion of the tip that is located at the lowest position in the vertical direction due to its own weight, vehicle vibration, etc. Therefore, by appropriately setting the position of the above portion of the guide rib, the water droplets can be guided to a predetermined position in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, by arranging the guide rib above a component that would be inconvenienced by the adhesion of water droplets and setting the predetermined position so that it does not overlap with the component in the vertical direction, the component can be prevented from getting wet by water droplets.

[0009] [Aspect 2] The vehicle beam described in [Aspect 1] is composed of multiple divided bodies including a lower divided body having the lower part of the duct portion and the guide rib, and each of the multiple divided bodies is integrally molded from a resin material.

[0010] According to the above-described configuration, the lower section of the duct portion and the lower section having the guide rib are integrally molded from a resin material, so that the vehicle beam having the guide rib can be easily realized by simply assembling multiple sections including the lower section.

[0011] Furthermore, according to the above configuration, the lower segment is configured to have a guide rib, so that when changing the shape of the guide rib, it is only necessary to change the lower segment, which makes it easy to change the shape of the guide rib.

[0012] [Aspect 3] The guide rib has an inclined portion whose tip is inclined relative to the vehicle width direction, and a protruding portion that is adjacent in the vehicle width direction to the part of the inclined portion that is located lowest in the up-down direction and protrudes downward in the up-down direction further than the inclined portion, a vehicle beam described in [Aspect 1] or [Aspect 2].

[0013] When the guide rib is composed only of an inclined portion, water droplets falling from the lowest portion of the inclined portion in the vertical direction tend to fall in a position shifted in the longitudinal or transverse direction of the vehicle rather than falling vertically, for example, if the water droplets fall due to vibration of the vehicle. In this case, even if the position of the above portion of the guide rib is set so as not to overlap in the vertical direction with a component that would be inconvenienced by the adhesion of water droplets, there is a risk that the water droplets will splash on the component.

[0014] In this regard, according to the above-described configuration, the guide rib has a protruding portion that protrudes downward in the vertical direction beyond the inclined portion. Therefore, water droplets generated by condensation flow down the inclined portion to the protruding portion and are guided downward in the vertical direction along the protruding portion. This makes it less likely that falling water droplets will deviate in the longitudinal direction or the width direction of the vehicle compared to when the guide rib is composed only of an inclined portion. Therefore, it is possible to further prevent the above-described components from getting wet by water droplets.

[0015] [Aspect 4] A vehicle beam described in any one of [Aspect 1] to [Aspect 3], wherein the beam main body has a reinforcing rib that protrudes from the outer surface of the duct portion, extends along the outer surface, and intersects with the guide rib, and the protruding height of the guide rib at the intersection where the guide rib and the reinforcing rib intersect is greater than the protruding height of the reinforcing rib.

[0016] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the reinforcing rib increases the section modulus of the duct portion and, in turn, the beam body, thereby increasing the rigidity and strength of the beam body. Furthermore, according to the above configuration, the reinforcing rib intersects with the guide rib. Therefore, some of the water droplets that adhere to the outer surface of the duct due to condensation flow along the reinforcing rib toward the guide rib. Here, for example, if the protruding height of the reinforcing rib at the intersection between the guide rib and the reinforcing rib is greater than the protruding height of the guide rib at the intersection, the water droplets that flow along the reinforcing rib tend to remain on the reinforcing rib rather than flow toward the guide rib at the intersection. As a result, the water droplets may fall downward from positions other than the predetermined position and land on components that may be affected by the water droplets.

[0017] In this regard, with the above-described configuration, the protruding height of the guide rib at the intersection is greater than the protruding height of the reinforcing rib, which allows some of the water droplets that have formed on the outer surface of the duct to easily flow down the reinforcing rib to the guide rib, thereby guiding the water droplets toward a predetermined position in the vehicle width direction.

[0018] Therefore, the rigidity and strength of the beam body can be increased while preventing the above-mentioned parts from getting wet with water droplets. [Aspect 5] When the guide rib is a first guide rib, the beam main body has a cylindrical inlet that protrudes from the duct portion and is connected to the air conditioning unit, and a second guide rib that protrudes from the outer surface of the lower part of the inlet and extends in the direction of the inlet protruding and is connected to the first guide rib, and the protruding height of the second guide rib is less than the protruding height of the connecting portion of the first guide rib to which the second guide rib is connected.A vehicle beam described in any one of [Aspect 1] to [Aspect 4].

[0019] According to the above configuration, conditioned air from an air conditioner is guided to the flow path through the inlet. Here, when the conditioned air cooled to a predetermined temperature by the air conditioner is guided to the flow path, the coldest conditioned air among the conditioned air flowing through the beam body flows through the inlet. For this reason, condensation is more likely to occur on the outer surface of the inlet than in the duct section. As a result, if components that would be affected by water droplets are located below the inlet, the components are more likely to become wet with water droplets.

[0020] In this regard, with the above configuration, water droplets that have formed on the outer surface of the inlet due to condensation flow along the outer surface to the second guide rib, and then flow along the second guide rib to the first guide rib. This makes it possible to guide the water droplets that have adhered to the outer surface of the inlet toward a predetermined position in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, even if components that would be inconvenienced by water droplets are located below the inlet, it is possible to prevent the components from getting wet with water droplets.

[0021] [Embodiment 6] A front structure of a vehicle comprising a vehicle beam described in any one of [Embodiment 1] to [Embodiment 5] and an electronic component arranged below the guide rib in the vertical direction, wherein the portion of the tip of the guide rib that is located lowest in the vertical direction is in a position that does not overlap with the electronic component in the vertical direction.

[0022] According to the above configuration, water droplets that have adhered to the outer surface of the duct portion due to condensation flow down the outer surface of the duct portion to the guide rib. Because the tip of the guide rib is inclined relative to the vehicle width direction, the water droplets flow along the tip of the guide rib and fall downward from the portion of the tip that is located at the lowest point in the vertical direction due to its own weight, vehicle vibration, etc. Here, the electronic components are positioned below the guide rib in the vertical direction, but this portion is located in a position that does not overlap with the electronic components in the vertical direction. Therefore, the water droplets are guided to a predetermined position where they are unlikely to fall on the electronic components. This prevents the electronic components from getting wet by the water droplets. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] According to the present invention, water droplets that have formed on the outer surface of the duct portion due to condensation can be guided to a predetermined position. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing an embodiment of a front structure of a vehicle. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the vehicle beam of FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a perspective view of the vehicle beam of FIG. 2 as seen from the opposite side. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is a rear view schematically showing the left portion of the beam body of the vehicle beam of FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 6] 6 is a bottom view of the lower segment body of the vehicle beam of FIG. 2, focusing on the inlet. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a rear view schematically showing a first modified example of the guide rib. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a rear view schematically showing a second modified example of the guide rib. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing a third modified example of the guide rib, and is a rear view corresponding to FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a vehicle beam and a vehicle front structure will be described with reference to FIGS. Hereinafter, the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle 10 will be referred to as the fore-and-aft direction, and the front and rear in the fore-and-aft direction will be simply referred to as the front and rear. The width direction of the vehicle 10 will be referred to as the vehicle width direction, and the right and left sides in the vehicle width direction when viewed from the rear of the vehicle to the front will be simply referred to as the right and left sides. The up-and-down direction of the vehicle 10 when the vehicle 10 is positioned on a horizontal plane will be referred to as the up-and-down direction, and the upper and lower sides in the up-and-down direction will be simply referred to as the up and lower.

[0026] <Front structure 10A of vehicle 10> As shown in FIG. 1, a front structure 10A is provided in front of a driver's seat (not shown) and a passenger seat 11 in the cabin of a vehicle 10.

[0027] The front structure 10A has an instrument panel 13 arranged below the windshield 12, an airbag device 14 provided inside the instrument panel 13, multiple electronic control units (hereinafter referred to as ECUs 15, 16), and a vehicle beam (hereinafter referred to as beam 20).

[0028] The airbag device 14 is a device for protecting an occupant seated in the passenger seat 11 from an impact such as a frontal collision, and includes a case 14a, an airbag 14b, and an inflator 14c. The case 14a is fastened to the beam 20 via a bracket or the like (not shown). The airbag 14b is housed inside the case 14a in a folded state. The inflator 14c is fixed to the case 14a and built into the front end of the airbag 14b.

[0029] The ECU 15 is a so-called airbag control ECU that activates the inflator 14c by detecting a frontal collision of the vehicle 10 based on information from a collision sensor (not shown). The ECU 15 is electrically connected to the inflator 14c.

[0030] The ECU 16 is a so-called air conditioner control ECU that controls the temperature, air volume, etc. of the air for conditioning A from the air conditioner 17 based on information from various sensors such as a temperature sensor (not shown). The ECU 16 is electrically connected to the air conditioner 17 (see FIG. 3).

[0031] In this embodiment, both ECUs 15 and 16 are disposed below the beam 20. Specifically, the ECUs 15 and 16 are disposed at positions spaced apart from the beam 20 and overlapping with the beam 20 in the up-down direction. In this embodiment, both ECUs 15 and 16 correspond to electronic components according to the present invention.

[0032] The beam 20 supports a steering column (both not shown) that holds a steering shaft extending from a steering wheel, and extends in the vehicle width direction as a whole, with both ends in the vehicle width direction attached to the vehicle body.

[0033] Each component of the beam 20 will be described in detail below. <Beam 20> As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the beam 20 has a beam body 30 and a peripheral portion as other components.

[0034] The beam body 30 has a duct portion 31 , an inlet 33 , an outlet 34 and an attachment portion 35 . The duct portion 31 extends in the vehicle width direction and mainly constitutes the beam body 30. The duct portion 31 has a hollow shape. Specifically, the duct portion 31 is cylindrical with both ends in the vehicle width direction closed. Inside the duct portion 31, a flow path 32 is formed through which the air for conditioning A from the air conditioner 17 flows (see FIG. 4).

[0035] The inlet 33 is cylindrical and protrudes forward from the center of the duct portion 31 in the vehicle width direction. The cross-sectional shape of the inlet 33 along an imaginary plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction is a rectangle that is long in the vehicle width direction. The front end of the inlet 33 is connected to the air conditioning unit 17 (see FIG. 3). Thus, the inlet 33 functions to guide the air-conditioning air A from the air conditioning unit 17 to the flow path 32.

[0036] The outlet 34 is cylindrical and protrudes rearward from the duct portion 31. The cross section of the outlet 34 along an imaginary plane perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction is square. The rear end of the outlet 34 is connected to the air outlet 18 for air conditioning air A attached to the instrument panel 13 (see FIG. 2). As a result, the outlet 34 functions to guide the air conditioning air A flowing through the flow path 32 toward the air outlet 18. In this embodiment, two outlets 34 are provided in the center of the duct portion 31 in the vehicle width direction, and one each at both ends of the duct portion 31 in the vehicle width direction, corresponding to the air outlets 18.

[0037] The mounting portions 35 are provided one on each end of the duct portion 31 in the vehicle width direction. Each mounting portion 35 has an upper mounting portion 35a that protrudes upward from the outer surface of the duct portion 31 and a lower mounting portion 35b that protrudes downward from the outer surface. When each mounting portion 35 is fastened to a front pillar (not shown) of the vehicle body, the beam main body 30, and therefore the beam 20, is fixed to the vehicle body.

[0038] The peripheral portion includes a plurality of support portions for attaching various components to the beam body 30 and a plurality of stay portions for connecting the beam body 30 to the vehicle body. The plurality of support portions include a steering support portion to which a steering column is fastened via a bracket or the like, and an airbag support portion to which the case 14a of the airbag device 14 is fastened via a bracket or the like. For example, if the vehicle 10 is a right-hand drive vehicle, the steering support portion is integrally formed with the right side portion of the beam body 30. In this case, the airbag support portion is integrally formed with the left side portion of the beam body 30. The plurality of stay portions are, for example, integrally formed with the right side portion of the beam body 30 and fastened to a cowl panel or dash panel of the vehicle body. Note that for convenience, the peripheral portion and the portion of the beam body 30 where the peripheral portion is provided are not shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0039] <Upper divided body 21, lower divided body 23> 2 to 4, the beam 20 is made up of a plurality of divided bodies. In this embodiment, the beam 20 is made up of two divided bodies: an upper divided body 21 that forms the upper part of the beam 20, and a lower divided body 23 that forms the lower part of the beam 20. The divided bodies 21 and 23 divide the beam main body 30 into two in the circumferential direction of the duct portion 31.

[0040] Each of the divided bodies 21, 23 is integrally molded from a resin material. From the viewpoint of improving rigidity and strength, it is preferable to use a fiber-reinforced resin as the resin material. In this embodiment, a polyamide resin containing glass fiber is used.

[0041] The upper split body 21 has an upper beam half body 30 a that constitutes the upper half of the beam main body 30 . The upper beam half body 30a has a semi-cylindrical upper peripheral wall portion 31a, an upper inlet half body 33a connected to the upper peripheral wall portion 31a and protruding forward, and multiple upper outlet half bodies 34a connected to the upper peripheral wall portion 31a and protruding rearward.

[0042] The upper peripheral wall portion 31a constitutes the upper half of the duct portion 31. The upper inlet half body 33a constitutes the upper half of the inlet 33. The upper outlet half body a constitutes the upper half of the outlet .

[0043] A flange-shaped upper connecting portion 22 is integrally provided on the peripheral edge of the upper peripheral wall portion 31a and on the lower end portions of the upper inlet half body 33a and the upper outlet half body 34a which are continuous with the peripheral edge.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 4, the upper connection portion 22 has an upper opposing surface 22a extending along the dividing surface of the beam body 30, and an upper welding rib 22b protruding downward from the upper opposing surface 22a.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the lower split body 23 has a lower beam half body 30b that constitutes the lower half of the beam main body 30. The lower beam half body 30b has a semi-cylindrical lower peripheral wall portion 31b, a lower inlet half body 33b connected to the lower peripheral wall portion 31b and protruding forward, and multiple lower outlet half bodies 34b connected to the lower peripheral wall portion 31b and protruding rearward.

[0046] The lower peripheral wall portion 31b forms the lower half of the duct portion 31. The lower inlet half body 33b forms the lower half of the inlet 33. The lower outlet half body b forms the lower half of the outlet .

[0047] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, a flange-shaped lower connecting portion 24 is integrally formed on the peripheral edge of the lower peripheral wall portion 31b and on the upper end portions of the lower inlet half body 33b and the lower outlet half body 34b that are connected to the peripheral edge.

[0048] 4, the lower connection portion 24 has a lower opposing surface 24a extending along the dividing surface of the beam body 30, and a lower welding rib 24b protruding upward from the lower opposing surface 24a. The lower opposing surface 24a faces the upper opposing surface 22a in the vertical direction.

[0049] The upper welding rib 22b and the lower welding rib 24b are welded together using a known welding method such as vibration welding, thereby joining the upper connecting portion 22 and the lower connecting portion 24, and ultimately the upper division body 21 and the lower division body 23 together.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 7, the beam body 30 has an upper reinforcing rib 41, a lower reinforcing rib 42, a first guide rib 43 and a second guide rib 47. As shown in FIGS. An upper reinforcing rib 41 is integrally formed on the upper beam half 30a.

[0051] The lower beam half 30b is integrally provided with a lower reinforcing rib 42, a first guide rib 43, and a second guide rib 47. For convenience, inclined portions 44 of the first guide rib 43 and the second guide rib 47, which will be described later, are not shown in Figures 2 to 4.

[0052] <Upper reinforcing rib 41, lower reinforcing rib 42> 2 to 4, the upper reinforcing ribs 41 protrude upward from the outer surface of the upper peripheral wall portion 31a and extend in a mesh-like pattern along the outer surface. The protruding height of the upper reinforcing ribs 41 is uniform throughout the entire extension direction.

[0053] 4 and 6, the lower reinforcing ribs 42 protrude downward from the outer surface of the lower peripheral wall portion 31b and extend in a mesh-like pattern along the outer surface. The protruding height of the lower reinforcing ribs 42 is constant throughout the entire extension direction.

[0054] <First guide rib 43, second guide rib 47> As shown in FIG. 5, an inclined portion 44 that protrudes downward and extends in the vehicle width direction is provided on the outer surface of the lower peripheral wall portion 31b. In this embodiment, one inclined portion 44 is provided on each of the left and right sides of the lower peripheral wall portion 31b. The inclined portions 44 have shapes that are symmetrical with respect to an imaginary plane that passes through the center of the beam main body 30 in the vehicle width direction and is perpendicular to the vehicle width direction. Therefore, hereinafter, the configuration of the inclined portion 44 provided on the left side of the lower peripheral wall portion 31b will be described, and a description of the configuration of the inclined portion 44 provided on the right side will be omitted. Note that FIG. 5 shows only the outline of the left side portion of the beam main body 30.

[0055] The tip 44a of the inclined portion 44 is inclined with respect to the vehicle width direction. More specifically, the tip 44a is inclined so that it is positioned lower as it moves toward the left. The left end 44b of the inclined portion 44 is connected to the lower mounting portion 35b. In other words, the lower mounting portion 35b is located adjacent to the lowermost end 44b of the inclined portion 44 in the vehicle width direction. The lower mounting portion 35b protrudes downward further than the end 44b. That is, in this embodiment, the lower mounting portion 35b corresponds to the protrusion according to the present invention, and the inclined portion 44 and the lower mounting portion 35b form the first guide rib 43.

[0056] The first guide rib 43 is disposed above the ECUs 15, 16 indicated by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 5. On the other hand, the lower mounting portion 35b, which is the lowest portion of the first guide rib 43, is positioned so as not to overlap the ECUs 15, 16 in the up-down direction. In this embodiment, the ECU 16 is disposed in the center of the beam 20 in the vehicle width direction, more specifically, below the inlet 33. The ECU 15 is disposed to the left of the ECU 16 in the vehicle width direction, in other words, closer to the lower mounting portion 35b.

[0057] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the first guide rib 43 is located in the center of the duct portion 31 in the front-rear direction. The inclined portion 44 intersects with the lower reinforcing rib 42. In this embodiment, a plurality of intersections 45 where the inclined portions 44 intersect with the lower reinforcing rib 42 are arranged at equal intervals in the vehicle width direction (see Figure 6). In other words, the lower reinforcing rib 42 corresponds to the reinforcing rib according to the present invention. The protruding height of the inclined portion 44 is greater than the protruding height of the lower reinforcing rib 42 at any of the intersections 45.

[0058] The second guide ribs 47 are provided as a pair spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction. The second guide rib 47 protrudes downward from the outer surface of the lower inlet half body 33b, i.e., the lower end surface of the inlet 33, and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The protruding end 47a of the second guide rib 47 is inclined with respect to the front-to-rear direction. More specifically, the protruding end 47a is inclined so as to be positioned lower as it extends rearward (see FIG. 7). The rear end of the second guide rib 47 is connected to the inclined portion 44. The protruding height of the second guide rib 47 is equal to or less than the protruding height of the connecting portion 46 of the inclined portion 44 to which the second guide rib 47 is connected.

[0059] <Effects of this embodiment> Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described. (1) The beam body 30 has a first guide rib 43 that protrudes downward from the outer surface of the lower peripheral wall portion 31b and extends in the vehicle width direction. The tip 44a of the first guide rib 43 is inclined so that it is positioned downward as it moves toward the left.

[0060] With this configuration, water droplets that have formed on the outer surface of the duct portion 31 due to condensation flow down the outer surface of the duct portion 31 to the first guide rib 43. Here, the tip 44a of the first guide rib 43 is inclined downward as it approaches the left side. Therefore, the water droplets flow leftward along the tip 44a and then fall downward from the lowest portion of the first guide rib 43 due to its own weight, vibration of the vehicle 10, or the like. Therefore, by appropriately positioning the portion of the first guide rib 43, the water droplets can be guided to a predetermined position in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, by arranging the first guide rib 43 above components, such as wire harnesses and electronic components, that may be affected by the adhesion of water droplets, and by setting the predetermined position so as not to overlap the components in the vertical direction, the components can be prevented from getting wet by water droplets.

[0061] In this embodiment, the first guide ribs 43 are disposed above the ECUs 15, 16 in the vertical direction, while the lowermost portions of the first guide ribs 43 are positioned so as not to overlap the ECUs 15, 16 in the vertical direction. Therefore, the water droplets are guided to a predetermined position where they are unlikely to fall on the ECUs 15, 16. This prevents the ECUs 15, 16 from getting wet with water droplets.

[0062] (2) The beam 20 is composed of two divisions: a lower division 23 having the lower peripheral wall portion 31b and the first guide rib 43, and an upper division 21. The upper division 21 and the lower division 23 are each integrally molded from a resin material.

[0063] According to this configuration, the lower segment 23 having the lower peripheral wall portion 31b and the first guide rib 43 is integrally molded from a resin material. Therefore, the beam 20 having the first guide rib 43 can be easily realized by simply assembling the lower segment 23 and the upper segment 21 together.

[0064] Furthermore, according to the above configuration, the lower section 23 is configured to have the first guide rib 43. Therefore, when changing the shape of the first guide rib 43, it is sufficient to change only the lower section 23. Therefore, changing the shape of the first guide rib 43 becomes easy.

[0065] (3) The first guide rib 43 has an inclined portion 44 whose tip end 44a is inclined relative to the vehicle width direction, and a lower mounting portion 35b which is adjacent to the lowermost end 44b of the inclined portion 44 in the vehicle width direction and which protrudes downward beyond the inclined portion 44.

[0066] When the first guide rib 43 is configured only with the inclined portion 44, water droplets falling from the end portion 44b located at the lowest position of the inclined portion 44 tend to fall at a position shifted in the longitudinal direction or the vehicle width direction rather than falling vertically, for example, when the water droplets fall due to vibration of the vehicle 10. In this case, even if the end portion 44b of the first guide rib 43 is not positioned so as to overlap with the ECUs 15, 16 in the vertical direction, there is a risk that the water droplets may fall on the ECU 15, which is positioned closer to the lower mounting portion 35b than the ECU 16 in the vehicle width direction, for example.

[0067] In this regard, according to the above configuration, the first guide rib 43 has the lower mounting portion 35b that protrudes downward beyond the inclined portion 44. Therefore, water droplets generated by condensation flow down the inclined portion 44 to the lower mounting portion 35b and are guided downward along the lower mounting portion 35b. As a result, compared to when the first guide rib 43 is configured only with the inclined portion 44, falling water droplets are less likely to be displaced in the front-rear direction or the vehicle width direction. This further reduces the likelihood of the ECU 15 getting wet with water droplets.

[0068] (4) The beam body 30 has an upper reinforcing rib 41 and a lower reinforcing rib 42 that protrude from the outer surface of the duct portion 31 and extend along the outer surface. The lower reinforcing rib 42 intersects with the inclined portion 44 of the first guide rib 43 multiple times. The protruding height of the inclined portion 44 at the intersection 45 where the inclined portion 44 intersects with the lower reinforcing rib 42 is greater than the protruding height of the lower reinforcing rib 42 at each intersection 45.

[0069] According to this configuration, the upper reinforcing ribs 41 and the lower reinforcing ribs 42 increase the section modulus of the duct portion 31, and therefore the beam main body 30. Therefore, the rigidity and strength of the beam main body 30 can be increased.

[0070] Furthermore, according to the above configuration, the lower reinforcing rib 42 intersects with the inclined portion 44. Therefore, some of the water droplets that have formed on the outer surface of the duct portion 31 due to condensation flow along the lower reinforcing rib 42 toward the inclined portion 44. Here, for example, if the protruding height of the lower reinforcing rib 42 at the intersection 45 between the inclined portion 44 and the lower reinforcing rib 42 is greater than the protruding height of the inclined portion 44 at the intersection 45, the water droplets that flow down the lower reinforcing rib 42 tend to remain on the lower reinforcing rib 42 at the intersection 45 instead of flowing toward the inclined portion 44. As a result, there is a risk that the water droplets will fall downward from a position other than the lower mounting portion 35b and get on the ECUs 15, 16.

[0071] In this regard, with the above configuration, the protruding height of the inclined portion 44 is greater than the protruding height of the lower reinforcing rib 42 at any of the intersecting portions 45. Therefore, some of the water droplets that have formed on the outer surface of the duct portion 31 due to condensation tend to flow along the lower reinforcing rib 42 to the first guide rib 43. This makes it possible to guide the water droplets toward the lower mounting portion 35b.

[0072] Therefore, the rigidity and strength of the beam body 30 can be increased, and the ECUs 15, 16 can be prevented from getting wet with water droplets. (5) The beam body 30 has a cylindrical inlet 33 that protrudes forward from the duct portion 31 and is connected to the air conditioning unit 17, and a second guide rib 47 that protrudes downward from the outer surface of the lower inlet half body 33b, extends in the front-to-rear direction, and is connected to the inclined portion 44. The protruding height of the second guide rib 47 is equal to or less than the protruding height of the connecting portion 46 of the inclined portion 44 to which the second guide rib 47 is connected.

[0073] According to this configuration, the conditioned air A from the air conditioner 17 is introduced into the flow path 32 by the inlet 33. Here, when the conditioned air A adjusted to a predetermined temperature by being cooled by the air conditioner 17 is introduced into the flow path 32, the coldest conditioned air A among the conditioned air A flowing through the beam body 30 flows through the inlet 33. For this reason, condensation is more likely to occur on the outer surface of the inlet 33 than in the duct portion 31. As a result, the ECU 16 disposed below the inlet 33 is more likely to become wet with the water droplets.

[0074] In this regard, with the above-described configuration, water droplets adhering to the outer surface of the inlet 33 due to condensation flow along the outer surface to the second guide rib 47, and then flow along the second guide rib 47 to the inclined portion 44. This makes it possible to guide the water droplets adhering to the outer surface of the inlet 33 toward the lower mounting portion 35b. This further prevents the ECU 16 from getting wet with water droplets.

[0075] <Example of change> This embodiment can be modified as follows: This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined and implemented within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0076] The number of second guide ribs 47 is not limited to two as exemplified in this embodiment, but may be three or more, or only one, for the lower inlet half body 33b.

[0077] The inlet 33 is not limited to one that protrudes forward from the duct portion 31. For example, the inlet 33 may extend at an angle from the duct portion 31 so that it is positioned higher toward the front. In this case, the second guide rib 47 does not have to be inclined so that the tip 47a is positioned lower toward the rear. For example, the second guide rib 47 may have a constant protruding height throughout the entire extension direction.

[0078] The inlet 33 may extend at an angle from the duct portion 31 so that the inlet 33 is positioned lower toward the front. In this case, the second guide rib 47 may be omitted. Each of the outlets 34 may be provided with a guide rib that protrudes downward from the outer surface of the lower outlet half body 34b, extends in the front-rear direction, and is connected to the inclined portion 44. In this case, the guide rib is preferably inclined so that its tip is positioned lower as it moves forward.

[0079] The cross-sectional shapes of the inlet 33 and the outlet 34 are not limited to the shapes exemplified in this embodiment, and may be, for example, oval shapes that are long in the vehicle width direction. The lower reinforcing rib 42 does not have to intersect with the inclined portion 44 multiple times, as long as it intersects with the inclined portion 44 at least once. Furthermore, the lower reinforcing rib 42 does not have to intersect with the inclined portion 44 of the first guide rib 43. In this case, the protruding height of the lower reinforcing rib 42 may be changed as appropriate regardless of the protruding height of the inclined portion 44. Accordingly, the protruding height of the upper reinforcing rib 41 may also be changed as appropriate.

[0080] The protrusion according to the present invention is not limited to the lower mounting portion 35b exemplified in this embodiment. For example, the protrusion may be realized by simply extending downward only the protruding end 44a of the end portion 44b.

[0081] The first guide rib 43 may be configured with only the inclined portion 44 . In the present embodiment, the upper division body 21 and the lower division body 23 are joined by welding the upper welding rib 22b and the lower welding rib 24b, but the method for joining the upper division body 21 and the lower division body 23 is not limited to this. Any joining method can be used as long as it defines the flow path 32. For example, the upper division body 21 and the lower division body 23 may be joined by fastening the upper connection portion 22 and the lower connection portion 24 together using a plurality of bolts.

[0082] The beam 20 is not limited to being divided into an upper divisional body 21 and a lower divisional body 23 as exemplified in this embodiment. For example, the beam 20 may be divided into a front divisional body and a rear divisional body. Furthermore, the beam 20 is not limited to being divided into two divisional bodies in the circumferential direction of the duct portion 31, but may be divided into three or more divisional bodies in the circumferential direction.

[0083] The shape of the duct portion 31 is not limited to the cylindrical shape exemplified in this embodiment, but may be, for example, a rectangular cylindrical shape. The beam body 30 is not limited to having one first guide rib 43 on each side, as illustrated in this embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the beam body 30 may have only one first guide rib 143 formed by extending the left inclined portion 44 in the vehicle width direction. Here, the right end 144c of the inclined portion 144 of the first guide rib 143 is located to the right of the center of the beam body 30. Even with this configuration, it is possible to prevent the ECUs 15, 16 from getting wet with water droplets.

[0084] The electronic components according to the present invention are not limited to the ECUs 15 and 16 exemplified in this embodiment, but may be any in-vehicle ECU as long as it can be disposed below the beam body 30. In addition to the vehicle-mounted ECU, components that may be affected by water droplets, such as a wire harness or a glove box, may be arranged below the beam 20.

[0085] The shape of the first guide rib according to the present invention may be modified as follows, depending on the arrangement of components that may be inconvenienced by the adhesion of water droplets. For example, when the components 19a and 19b are arranged in the positions shown in Fig. 9, the beam body 30 may have a first guide rib 243 extending in the vehicle width direction from the left lower mounting portion 35b to the right lower mounting portion 35b. Here, the first guide rib 243 has a first inclined portion 244A that inclines so that the protruding end 244a is positioned lower as it moves from the left side toward the center in the vehicle width direction, and a second inclined portion 244B that inclines so that the protruding end 244a is positioned lower as it moves from the right side toward the center in the vehicle width direction.

[0086] Furthermore, when multiple components that would be inconvenienced by the adhesion of water droplets are arranged below the beam 20, the beam main body 30 may have one first guide rib above each of the components. For example, when components 19c, 19d, and 19e that would be inconvenienced by the adhesion of water droplets are arranged in the positions shown in Fig. 10, the beam main body 30 will have one first guide rib 343 arranged above each of the components 19c, 19d, and 19e. Even in this case, it is sufficient that the end 344b, which is the lowest point 344a of each of the first guide ribs 343, is positioned so as not to overlap the corresponding component 19c, 19d, or 19e in the vertical direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] A: Air conditioning air 10...Vehicle 10A...Front structure 11...Passenger seat 12...Windshield 13...Instrument panel 14...Airbag device 14a…Case 14b...Airbag 14c...Inflator 15,16…ECU 17...Air conditioner 18…Air outlet 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d, 19e...Parts 20...Beam 21...Upper division body 22...Upper connection part 22a...Upper opposing surface 22b...Upper welding rib 23…Lower division body 24...Lower connection part 24a...Lower opposing surface 24b...Lower welding rib 30...Beam body 30a...Upper beam half 30b...Lower beam half 31...Duct section 31a...Upper peripheral wall part 31b…Lower peripheral wall part 32...Flow path 33...Inlet 33a...Upper inlet half 33b...Lower inlet half 34...Outlet 34a...Upper outlet half 34b...Lower outlet half 35...Mounting part 35a...Upper mounting part 35b...Lower mounting part 41...Upper reinforcing rib 42...Lower reinforcing rib 43, 143, 243, 343...First guide rib 44,144…Slope part 44a, 244a, 344a... Tip end 44b, 344b...end 45...Intersection 46...Connection part 47...Second guide rib 47a...Pointed end 144c...end 244A…First slope part 244B…Second slope part

Claims

1. A vehicle beam includes a beam body extending in a vehicle width direction within an instrument panel and having both ends in the vehicle width direction attached to a vehicle body, the beam body having a duct portion extending in the vehicle width direction and forming a flow path through which conditioned air from an air conditioning device flows, When the vertical direction of the vehicle is simply defined as the vertical direction, the beam body has a guide rib that protrudes downward in the up-down direction from an outer surface of a lower portion of the duct portion and extends in the vehicle width direction, The tip end of the guide rib is inclined with respect to the vehicle width direction. Vehicle beam.

2. the vehicle beam is composed of a plurality of divided bodies including a lower divided body having a lower portion of the duct portion and the guide rib, Each of the plurality of divided bodies is integrally molded from a resin material.

2. The vehicle beam according to claim 1.

3. The guide rib has an inclined portion whose tip end is inclined with respect to the vehicle width direction, and a protruding portion that is adjacent in the vehicle width direction to a portion of the inclined portion that is located lowest in the up-down direction and protrudes downward in the up-down direction further than the inclined portion.

3. A vehicle beam according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the beam body has a reinforcing rib that protrudes from an outer surface of the duct portion, extends along the outer surface, and intersects with the guide rib, a protruding height of the guide rib at an intersection where the guide rib and the reinforcing rib intersect is greater than a protruding height of the reinforcing rib; 3. A vehicle beam according to claim 1 or 2.

5. When the guide rib is a first guide rib, the beam main body has a cylindrical inlet that protrudes from the duct portion and is connected to the air conditioning device, and a second guide rib that protrudes from an outer surface of a lower portion of the inlet, extends in a direction in which the inlet protrudes, and is connected to the first guide rib, a protruding height of the second guide rib is equal to or less than a protruding height of a connecting portion of the first guide rib to which the second guide rib is connected; 3. A vehicle beam according to claim 1 or 2.

6. A vehicle beam according to claim 1; an electronic component disposed below the guide rib in the up-down direction, a portion of the tip of the guide rib that is located at the lowest position in the vertical direction is located at a position that does not overlap with the electronic component in the vertical direction; Front structure of the vehicle.

Images