Shock absorber for vehicle

Abstract

To provide a shock absorber for a vehicle capable of suitably protecting a collision body from shock when the collision body collides with an exterior member, and capable of restraining reduction in cooling efficiency of a power device, even when arranged above a flow passage for making outside air flow to a power room from an outside air intake port.SOLUTION: The impact absorbing body 1 is positioned between the exterior member 103 and the power chamber PR in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 101, and is arranged above a flow passage 120 for circulating outside air from an outside air intake port 106a of the exterior member 103 to the power chamber PR. The shock absorber 1 includes a first portion 10, a second portion 20, and a shock absorbing portion 30 connecting the first portion 10 and the second portion 20. A plurality of through-holes 31a or the like penetrating in the vertical direction are formed in the shock absorbing part 30, and an inflow restraining body 40 extending in the longitudinal direction and extending in the vehicle cross direction, and restraining the hot air from the power chamber PR from flowing in between the first part 10 and the second part 20, is arranged above the shock absorbing part 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a shock absorber for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional shock absorber is disclosed in Patent Document 1. This shock absorber is used in a vehicle.

[0003] A vehicle generally has an exterior member such as a bumper having an outside air intake, a power compartment located at a distance from the exterior member to the rear of the vehicle and housing a power unit such as an engine, and a circulation passage extending along the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and allowing the outside air taken in through the outside air intake to circulate to the power compartment.

[0004] The shock absorber is disposed between the exterior member and the power compartment in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The shock absorber has a shock absorbing section that deforms so as to crush in the longitudinal direction upon impact. When an object outside the vehicle or an installation on the road (hereinafter collectively referred to as a collision object) collides with the exterior member of this shock absorber, the shock causes the shock absorbing section to deform so as to crush in the longitudinal direction. In this way, the shock absorber absorbs the impact when the collision object collides with the exterior member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-88240 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] This type of vehicle impact absorber is required to be able to effectively protect the impact body from the impact when the impact body collides with the exterior member. To address this issue, it is conceivable to make the impact absorbing portion more easily crushable in the front-to-rear direction by providing multiple through holes that penetrate the impact absorbing portion in the vertical direction. However, it has been found that this can pose the following problems depending on the installation position of the impact absorber in the front structure of the vehicle.

[0007] In other words, depending on the front structure of the vehicle, an impact absorber may be located above the exhaust passage while facing the exhaust passage. In this case, hot air from the power compartment may flow around from above into the exhaust passage and pass downward through the through-hole. If the hot air passes downward through the through-hole and into the exhaust passage, the temperature of the outside air sent into the power compartment may increase, which may reduce the cooling efficiency of the engine, etc.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional situation, and aims to solve the problem of providing an impact absorber for a vehicle that can effectively protect a colliding object from the impact when the colliding object strikes an exterior member, and that can suppress a decrease in the cooling efficiency of the power unit even when the shock absorber is placed above a flow passage that circulates outside air from the outside air intake to the power chamber. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The vehicle impact absorber of the present invention is used in a vehicle having a vehicle body, an exterior member provided on the vehicle body and having an outside air intake, a power chamber arranged spaced apart in a first direction from the exterior member and accommodating a power unit, and a flow passage extending along the first direction and allowing outside air taken in through the outside air intake to flow to the power chamber, the vehicle impact absorber being positioned between the exterior member and the power chamber in the first direction and above the flow passage, and absorbing impact when an impacting object collides with the exterior member, a first portion fixed to the vehicle body; a second portion disposed closer to the exterior member than the first portion in the first direction; a shock absorbing section that is located between the first section and the second section, connects the first section and the second section, and absorbs the shock while deforming in response to the shock so as to bring the first section and the second section closer to each other in the first direction, The shock absorbing portion is formed with a plurality of through holes extending in the up-down direction, The present invention is characterized in that an inflow suppressor is provided above the impact absorbing portion, extending in the first direction and in a second direction that intersects both the vertical direction and the first direction, to suppress hot air from the power chamber from flowing between the first portion and the second portion.

[0010] The vehicle impact absorber of the present invention is located between an exterior member and a power chamber in a first direction, and is disposed above a flow passage that circulates outside air from an outside air intake of the exterior member to the power chamber. In this vehicle impact absorber, the first and second portions are connected by an impact absorbing portion. The impact absorbing portion has a plurality of through holes that penetrate in the vertical direction. Therefore, the impact absorbing portion is easily deformed so as to be crushed in the first direction due to the impact when a collision object collides with the exterior member. As a result, the impact absorbing portion effectively absorbs the impact when a collision object collides with the exterior member.

[0011] The inflow suppressor provided above the shock absorbing section extends in the first and second directions to suppress hot air from the power chamber from flowing between the first and second sections. This prevents hot air from the power chamber from passing downward through the through-holes of the shock absorbing section. This prevents hot air from the power chamber from flowing into the circulation section. As a result, the temperature of the outside air sent into the power chamber can be prevented from rising.

[0012] Therefore, the vehicle impact absorber of the present invention can effectively protect the impact body from the impact when the impact body strikes the exterior member, and can suppress a decrease in the cooling efficiency of the power unit even when it is placed above the circulation passage that circulates outside air from the outside air intake to the power chamber.

[0013] The inflow suppressor is preferably formed across the first portion from the first portion to the second portion in the first direction.

[0014] In this case, it is possible to highly reliably prevent hot air from the power chamber from flowing between the first portion and the second portion.

[0015] The exterior member may have an upper covering portion that covers the vehicle impact absorber from above. The inflow suppressor preferably has a support portion that is disposed below the back surface of the upper covering portion and along the back surface of the upper covering portion. The support portion can come into surface contact with the back surface when the upper covering portion is deformed downward.

[0016] In this case, when the upper covering portion of the exterior member is deformed downward, the support portion comes into surface contact with the back surface of the upper covering portion, thereby suppressing deformation of the upper covering portion, and thus ensuring favorable hand-pressing rigidity of the upper covering portion of the exterior member.

[0017] The inflow suppressor preferably has a vertical wall portion that extends in the second direction and downward from the lower surface of the support portion and is integrally connected to the support portion, The vertical wall portion can support the upper covering portion from below when the upper covering portion deforms downward.

[0018] In this case, when the upper covering portion of the exterior member deforms downward, the vertical wall portion supports the upper covering portion from below, thereby further suppressing deformation of the upper covering portion, thereby more appropriately ensuring the hand-pushing rigidity of the upper covering portion of the exterior member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] The vehicle impact absorber of the present invention can effectively protect a collision object from the impact when the collision object strikes the exterior member, and can suppress a decrease in the cooling efficiency of the power unit even when it is placed above the circulation passage that circulates outside air from the outside air intake to the power chamber. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle in which a shock absorber for a vehicle according to the first embodiment is used. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of the vehicle impact absorber of the first embodiment before the inflow suppressor is joined thereto. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the impact absorber for a vehicle according to the first embodiment before an inflow suppressor is joined thereto. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the main part of the shock absorber for a vehicle according to the first embodiment, showing the X2 portion of FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of a vehicle using the impact absorber for a vehicle of the first embodiment, showing the X1 portion of FIG. 1 in the AA cross section of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the shock absorber for a vehicle according to the first embodiment, taken along line AA in FIG. 4 when the shock absorbing portion is deformed. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part similar to FIG. 5, relating to a vehicle using an impact absorber for a vehicle according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part similar to FIG. 5, relating to a vehicle in which a shock absorber for a vehicle according to a third embodiment is used. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, first to third embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0022] Example 1 As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle impact absorber (hereinafter referred to as "impact absorber") 1 of Example 1 is used in a vehicle 100. Specifically, the vehicle 100 is a passenger automobile, and has a vehicle body 101, a front hood 102, a front bumper 103, a first front grille 106, a second front grille 107, a power chamber PR, and a circulation passage 120. The front bumper 103, the first front grille 106, and the second front grille 107 correspond to "exterior members" in the present invention. Note that, for ease of explanation, the shapes of the impact absorber 1, the front bumper 103, etc. are shown in a simplified form in FIG. 1.

[0023] In this embodiment, the up-down direction and the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 101 are defined by the arrows shown in Fig. 1. Furthermore, in Fig. 2, in addition to these up-down direction and front-rear direction, the left-right direction of the vehicle body 101, i.e., the width direction of the vehicle body 101, is defined. Then, in Fig. 3 and subsequent figures, the up-down direction, front-rear direction, and left-right direction of the vehicle body 101 are defined in accordance with Figs. 1 and 2. These up-down direction, front-rear direction, and left-right directions are perpendicular to one another. The up-down direction corresponds to the height direction of the vehicle body 101, and the front-rear direction corresponds to the "first direction" in the present invention. The left-right direction corresponds to the "second direction" in the present invention.

[0024] 1, a vehicle body 101 forms the basic structure of a vehicle 100, such as a power compartment PR. The vehicle body 101 also has a bumper frame 101a, a bumper absorber 101b, and a radiator support 101c, as well as a body frame (not shown).

[0025] The bumper frame 101a extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle body 101. The bumper absorber 101b is fixed to the bumper frame 101a and is located in front of the bumper frame 101a. The radiator support 101c is formed in a rectangular frame shape and is fixed to the vehicle body frame. The radiator support 101c is located in the front part of the power chamber PR. A radiator 104 is located inside the radiator support 101c. In addition, a bracket 105 is fixed to the radiator support 101c. The bracket 105 has a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) formed therein.

[0026] The front hood 102 is swingably mounted on the vehicle body 101 and is located at the top of the vehicle body 101. The front hood 102 opens and closes the power chamber PR. The front hood 102 has an outer panel 102a and an inner panel 102b. The outer panel 102a and the inner panel 102b are formed by pressing a metal plate. A front seal rubber 102c is attached to the front ends of the outer panel 102a and the inner panel 102b. As shown in FIG. 1, the front seal rubber 102c extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle body 101 and forms the front edge of the front hood 102. The shape of the front hood 102 can be designed as appropriate.

[0027] The front bumper 103 is made of resin and is attached to the vehicle body 101 in front of the front hood 102. As a result, the front bumper 103 is located at the front end of the vehicle body 101 and covers the bumper absorber 101b, the radiator 104, etc. from the front of the vehicle body 101.

[0028] The front bumper 103 is formed with an upper covering portion 103a, a front upper covering portion 103b, a front middle covering portion 103c, and a front lower covering portion 103d. When the front bumper 103 is attached to the vehicle body 101, the upper covering portion 103a is located further forward of the front hood 102 on the vehicle body 101, and is adjacent to the front seal rubber 102c. In other words, in the front bumper 103, the upper covering portion 103a is exposed in front of the front hood 102. The upper covering portion 103a is disposed above the impact absorber 1 and covers the upper side of the impact absorber 1. The front upper covering portion 103b is located below the upper covering portion 103a and extends further forward of the vehicle body 101 than the upper covering portion 103a. The upper end of the front upper covering portion 103b is integrally connected to the lower end of the upper covering portion 103a, which is also the front end of the upper covering portion 103a. The front upper covering portion 103b is disposed in front of the impact absorber 1 and covers the front of the impact absorber 1. The front middle covering portion 103c is located below the front upper covering portion 103b and spaced apart in the height direction from the lower end of the front upper covering portion 103b, and covers the front of the bumper absorber 101b. The front lower covering portion 103d is located below the front middle covering portion 103c and spaced apart in the height direction from the lower end of the front middle covering portion 103c.

[0029] The first front grille 106 and the second front grille 107 are attached to the front bumper 103. The upper end of the first front grille 106 is fixed to the lower end of the front upper covering part 103b, and the lower end of the first front grille 106 is fixed to the upper end of the front middle covering part 103c. The upper end of the second front grille 107 is fixed to the lower end of the front middle covering part 103c, and the lower end of the second front grille 107 is fixed to the upper end of the front lower covering part 103d.

[0030] A first outside air intake 106a is formed in the first front grille 106, and a second outside air intake 107a is formed in the second front grille 107. The first outside air intake 106a is an example of an "outside air intake" in the present invention. Both the first front grille 106 and the second front grille 107 extend in the left-right direction and have a width in the left-right direction greater than that of the radiator 104. Both the first outside air intake 106a and the second outside air intake 107a extend in the left-right direction with approximately the same width as the first front grille 106 and the second front grille 107, respectively. The first outside air intake 106a is disposed in front of the radiator 104.

[0031] An undercover 108 is also attached to the front bumper 103. The upper end of the undercover 108, which is also the front end of the undercover 108, is fixed to the lower end of the front lower covering portion 103d, which is also the rear end of the front lower covering portion 103d. The undercover 108 is located below the vehicle body 101. The shape of the front bumper 103 can be designed as appropriate, and the front bumper 103 may be configured to be covered from above by the front hood 102.

[0032] The power chamber PR is disposed rearward and spaced apart from the front bumper 103. A power unit 110 such as an engine is provided within the power chamber PR. Although not shown in detail, the vehicle 100 is provided with components necessary for running the vehicle 100, including side doors, in the same manner as a typical passenger car. Note that the vehicle 100 may be configured as an electric vehicle by providing an electric motor or the like instead of the engine.

[0033] The circulation passage 120 extends in the front-rear direction and is provided between the first front grille 106 and the radiator 104 in the front-rear direction. The circulation passage 120 is formed with a width in the left-right direction that is greater than the width of the radiator 104. The circulation passage 120 allows outside air taken in from the first outside air intake 106a to flow through the radiator 104 to the power chamber PR.

[0034] The impact absorber 1 is disposed between the front bumper 103 and the radiator support 101c in the longitudinal direction, more specifically, behind the upper covering portion 103a and the front upper covering portion 103b, in front of the bracket 105, and below the upper covering portion 103a. The impact absorber 1 is made of resin. The impact absorber 1 extends in the left-right direction with a width approximately equal to that of the first front grille 106 and the first outside air intake 106a, and is wider in the left-right direction than the radiator 104.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the shock absorber 1 includes a first portion 10, a second portion 20, a shock absorbing section 30, and an inflow suppressor 40.

[0036] The first portion 10 is located at the rear of the impact absorber 1 and constitutes the rear portion of the impact absorber 1. The first portion 10 is composed of a main body portion 11, a first side wall portion 12, a second side wall portion 13, and a plurality of tubular portions 14.

[0037] The main body 11 is formed in a generally rectangular cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction along the shape of the bracket 105. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the main body 11 has a first standing wall 11a, a second standing wall 11b, and an upper wall 11c. The upper end of the first standing wall 11a is connected to the upper end of the second standing wall 11b, which is disposed rearward and spaced apart from the first standing wall 11a in the front-to-rear direction, by the upper wall 11c. This forms a space 11d within the main body 11. Note that the main body 11 does not have side walls that close the space 11d from the left-to-right direction. Therefore, the space 11d is open in the left-to-right direction.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 3, the main body 11 is provided with six first fixing portions 111. Each first fixing portion 111 is disposed at a predetermined position in the left-right direction. A first fixing hole 111a is formed in each first fixing portion 111. The first fixing hole 111a penetrates the first fixing portion 111 in the up-down direction. As shown in FIG. 5, a bolt 109 can be inserted into each first fixing hole 111a. The shape and number of each first fixing portion 111 can be designed as appropriate.

[0039] 3, the first side wall 12 is disposed at the right end of the main body 11. Meanwhile, the second side wall 13 is disposed at the left end of the main body 11. The first side wall 12 and the second side wall 13 are connected at their lower ends to the lower end of the first standing wall 11a, and are integral with the first standing wall 11a, i.e., the main body 11. The first side wall 12 and the second side wall 13 each extend forward from the main body 11 and also extend in the up-down direction.

[0040] Each cylindrical portion 14 is connected to the main body portion 11 and is located behind the main body portion 11. The cylindrical portions 14 are also arranged at equal intervals in the left-right direction. Each cylindrical portion 14 has a fixing hole 14a that penetrates the cylindrical portion 14 in the up-down direction. This gives each cylindrical portion 14 a cylindrical shape that extends in the up-down direction. Like each first fixing hole 111a, each fixing hole 14a can also receive a bolt 109 (see FIG. 5). The number and shape of each cylindrical portion 14 can be designed as appropriate.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 3, the second portion 20 is disposed at a distance forward from the first portion 10. More specifically, it is located at the front end of the impact absorber 1 and constitutes the front portion of the impact absorber 1. The second portion 20 extends in the left-right direction of the impact absorber 1. The second portion 20 also has a shape that protrudes forward in an arc shape so as to fit the shape of the front bumper 103. The shape of the second portion 20, including the shapes and number of a front wall portion 21 and second fixing portions 22 (described later), can be designed as appropriate.

[0042] The second portion 20 is made up of five front wall portions 21 and four second fixing portions 22. The front wall portions 21 and the second fixing portions 22 are integrally formed so as to be alternately arranged in the left-right direction.

[0043] Each front wall 21 has a generally rectangular upright wall shape extending in the up-down, front-rear, and left-right directions. As shown in Fig. 5, the front wall 21 is open at the bottom, and a space 23 is formed inside. In other words, the front wall 21 is hollow. The vertical length of the front wall 21 is shorter than the vertical length of the main body 11 of the first section 10.

[0044] Each second fixing portion 22 is disposed at a predetermined position in the left-right direction. A second fixing hole 22a is formed in each second fixing portion 22, penetrating the second fixing portion 22 in the front-rear direction. A screw (not shown) can be inserted into each second fixing hole 22a.

[0045] The shock absorbing portion 30 is located between the first portion 10 and the second portion 20 in the front-rear direction. As a result, the shock absorbing portion 30 is located approximately in the center of the shock absorber 1 in the front-rear direction. The shock absorbing portion 30 is also located between the first side wall portion 12 and the second side wall portion 13 in the left-right direction. In this case, the shock absorbing portion 30 is separated from the first side wall portion 12 and the second side wall portion 13 in the left-right direction and is not connected to them.

[0046] As shown in Figure 4, the shock absorbing part 30 is composed of a plurality of central bodies 31, a plurality of first connecting bodies 32, a plurality of second connecting bodies 33, a plurality of reinforcing bodies 34, and a plurality of connecting bodies 35.

[0047] Each central body 31 has the same shape and is located approximately in the center of the shock absorbing section 30 in the front-to-rear direction. The central bodies 31 are arranged at equal intervals in the left-to-right direction. As shown in FIG. 4, each central body 31 has a circular through-hole 31a and a rectangular through-hole 31b formed therein. The circular through-hole 31a and the rectangular through-hole 31b are examples of the "through-hole" in the present invention.

[0048] The circular through-hole 31a passes through the central body 31 in a circular shape in the up-down direction. More specifically, the circular through-hole 31a has a perfect circular shape and passes through the central body 31 in the up-down direction. Note that the circular through-hole 31a is not limited to a perfect circular shape, and may be an elliptical or other circular shape, as long as it passes through the central body 31 in a circular shape in the up-down direction.

[0049] The rectangular through-hole 31b is located to the left of the circular through-hole 31a in the central body 31. The rectangular through-hole 31b penetrates the central body 31 in a generally rectangular shape in the up-down direction. More specifically, the rectangular through-hole 31b has a rectangular shape whose length in the front-to-back direction is longer than its length in the left-to-right direction. Furthermore, the rectangular through-hole 31b is separated from the circular through-hole 31a and does not communicate with the circular through-hole 31a. As a result, the circular through-hole 31a and the rectangular through-hole 31b are arranged side by side in the left-to-right direction in the central body 31. The number and shape of the rectangular through-holes 31b can be designed as appropriate.

[0050] Each first connector 32 is located between each central body 31 and the first portion 10. The first connectors 32 are spaced apart in the left-right direction. A first through hole 32a is formed in each first connector 32. The first through hole 32a is an example of the "through hole" of the present invention. The first through hole 32a penetrates the first connector 32 in the vertical direction in a substantially semicircular shape. As a result, each first connector 32 has a substantially U-shape with a bifurcated rear portion in a plan view. The first through hole 32a may be a perfect circle or a rectangle that penetrates the first connector 32 in the vertical direction.

[0051] Each first connecting body 32 is connected to the central body 31 at its front portion and to the first standing wall 11a of the main body 11 at its rear portion. The first connecting bodies 32 are not connected to each other. Furthermore, in this shock absorber 1, two first connecting bodies 32 are connected to one central body 31. Thus, each first connecting body 32 is integral with each central body 31 and first portion 10, and connects each central body 31 to the first portion 10.

[0052] Each second connection body 33 is located between each central body 31 and the second portion 20. Similarly to each first connection body 32, each second connection body 33 is also spaced apart in the left-right direction. Each second connection body 33 has a second through-hole 33a. The second through-hole 33a is an example of a "through-hole" in the present invention. The second through-hole 33a penetrates the second connection body 33 in the vertical direction in a substantially semicircular shape. As a result, each second connection body 33 has a substantially U-shape with a bifurcated front portion in a plan view. In other words, each second connection body 33 has a shape substantially symmetrical to each first connection body 32 in the front-rear direction. The second through-hole 33a may also be a perfect circle or a rectangle penetrating the second connection body 33 in the vertical direction.

[0053] Hereinafter, the circular through-hole 31a, the rectangular through-hole 31b, the first through-hole 32a, and the second through-hole 33a may be collectively referred to as through-holes 37.

[0054] Each second connecting body 33 is connected to the central body 31 at its rear portion and to the second portion 20 at its front portion. Like the first connecting bodies 32, the second connecting bodies 33 are not connected to each other. Also, like the first connecting bodies 32, in this shock absorber 1, two second connecting bodies 33 are connected to one central body 31. In this way, each second connecting body 33 is integral with each central body 31 and the second portion 20, and connects each central body 31 to the second portion 20.

[0055] Each reinforcing body 34 is integrally formed with each central body 31. Each reinforcing body 34 is provided for each central body 31, and is disposed above the circular through-hole 31a.

[0056] Each reinforcing body 34 has the same shape and is composed of a first plate portion 34a, a second plate portion 34b, and a connecting plate portion 34c. The first plate portion 34a is integral with the rear portion of the central body 31 and extends upward in a plate-like manner beyond the central body 31. The second plate portion 34b is integral with the front portion of the central body 31 and extends upward in a plate-like manner beyond the central body 31. The first plate portion 34a and the second plate portion 34b are spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the first plate portion 34a extends upward further than the second plate portion 34b.

[0057] The connecting plate portion 34c is located between the first plate portion 34a and the second plate portion 34b and extends in a plate shape in the front-to-rear direction. The rear end of the connecting plate portion 34c is connected to the upper end of the first plate portion 34a and the front end is connected to the upper end of the second plate portion 34b. Thus, the first plate portion 34a forms the rear portion of the reinforcing body 34, and the second plate portion 34b forms the front portion of the reinforcing body 34. The connecting plate portion 34c forms the upper portion of the reinforcing body 34. A space 340 is formed between the first plate portion 34a, the second plate portion 34b, and the connecting plate portion 34c.

[0058] Here, the first plate portion 34a and the second plate portion 34b each close the space 340 from the front and rear directions, and the connecting plate portion 34c closes the space 340 from above, whereas the reinforcing body 34 does not have any plate portions that close the space 340 from the left and right directions or below. Thus, the reinforcing body 34 is open at the bottom and in the left and right directions, and is generally U-shaped in side view.

[0059] 4, each connecting body 35 is formed integrally with a corresponding central body 31 and is disposed between the central bodies 31. The central bodies 31 and the connecting bodies 35 are disposed alternately in the left-right direction. Each connecting body 35 is composed of a first connecting body 35a and a second connecting body 35b.

[0060] The first connector 35a and the second connector 35b are spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction, with the second connector 35b located in front of the first connector 35a. The first connector 35a and the second connector 35b are symmetrical in the front-to-rear direction, and each has a thin, flaky shape that extends in the left-to-right direction. More specifically, the first connector 35a and the second connector 35b extend in a generally arc-like shape, moving away from each other in the front-to-rear direction from the right end to the left end.

[0061] The right ends of the first connecting body 35a and the second connecting body 35b are integrated with the central body 31 located to the right of the first connecting body 35a and the second connecting body 35b, and the left ends of the first connecting body 35a and the second connecting body 35b, i.e., the connecting bodies 35, connect the central bodies 31 to each other in the left-right direction.

[0062] The shock absorbing part 30 has a generally mesh-like shape with a plurality of openings in a plan view due to the central bodies 31, the first connecting bodies 32, the second connecting bodies 33, the reinforcing bodies 34, and the connecting bodies 35. The shock absorbing part 30 is located between the first part 10 and the second part 20, and connects the first part 10 and the second part 20 in the front-rear direction.

[0063] The inflow suppressor 40 is provided above the impact absorbing section 30. The inflow suppressor 40 has a plate shape extending in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. The inflow suppressor 40 is formed across the first section 10 and the second section 20 in the front-rear direction. That is, the rear end of the inflow suppressor 40 is joined to the upper end of the first section 10 by adhesive or the like, and the front end of the inflow suppressor 40 is joined to the upper end of the second section 20 by adhesive or the like. The inflow suppressor 40 extends in the left-right direction with a width equal to that of the impact absorbing section 30, and is wider in the left-right direction than the radiator 104.

[0064] The inflow suppressor 40 has a support portion 41. The support portion 41 extends across the entire width of the inflow suppressor 40 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the width of the support portion 41 in the left-right direction is approximately equal to the width of the upper covering portion 103a. The support portion 41 is disposed below the back surface of the upper covering portion 103a while following the back surface. In the up-down direction, a predetermined gap is provided between the back surface (lower surface) of the upper covering portion 103a and the upper surface of the support portion 41.

[0065] When attaching this impact absorber 1 to the vehicle body 101, as shown in FIG. 1 , the first portion 10 is placed above the bracket 105 with the second portion 20 facing the front bumper 103. Then, in this state, the first fixing portions 111 and the tubular portions 14 of the first portion 10 are fixed to the bracket 105 with bolts 109. In this manner, the first portion 10 is fixed to the bracket 105 and, ultimately, to the radiator support 101c. As a result, the impact absorber 1 is disposed between the radiator support 101c and the front bumper 103 in the longitudinal direction. Although not shown, the second portion 20 has each second fixing portion 22 secured to the front bumper 103 with a screw. The impact absorber 1 is also disposed above the circulation path 120 and facing the circulation path 120.

[0066] In a vehicle 100 using this impact absorber 1, if an impacting object (not shown) collides with the front bumper 103 from the front, the impact causes the front bumper 103 to collapse rearward and collide with the second portion 20 of the impact absorber 1. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6 , the impact absorber 1 absorbs the impact when the impacting object collides with the front bumper 103 by deforming the impact absorbing portion 30 so as to collapse in the front-to-rear direction. At this time, a through-hole 37 extending in the vertical direction is formed in the impact absorbing portion 30. As a result, the impact absorbing portion 30 is easily deformed so as to collapse in the front-to-rear direction due to the impact. Therefore, in the vehicle 100, it is possible to suitably protect the impacting object from the impact when it collides with the front bumper 103.

[0067] Furthermore, this impact absorber 1 is disposed in front of the power chamber PR, above the flow path 120, facing the flow path 120. Therefore, hot air from the power chamber PR may travel around from above and reach the impact absorber 1. In this regard, this impact absorber 1 is provided with an inflow suppressor 40 above the impact absorbing section. This inflow suppressor 40 extends in a plate shape in the front-rear and left-right directions, and is formed from the first portion 10 to the second portion 20 in the front-rear direction. This makes it possible to highly reliably suppress the hot air from the power chamber PR from flowing between the first portion 10 and the second portion 20. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the hot air from the power chamber PR from flowing into the flow path 120. As a result, it is possible to suppress an increase in the temperature of the outside air sent into the power chamber PR.

[0068] Therefore, this impact absorber 1 can effectively protect a colliding object from the impact when the colliding object hits the front bumper 103, and can suppress a decrease in the cooling efficiency of the power unit 110 even when it is placed above the circulation passage 120 that circulates outside air from the first outside air intake 106a to the power chamber PR.

[0069] Furthermore, in this shock absorber 1, the inflow suppressor 40 has a support portion 41. Therefore, when the upper covering portion 103a deforms downward, the support portion 41 comes into surface contact with the back surface of the upper covering portion 103a, thereby suppressing deformation of the upper covering portion 103a. As a result, the hand-pressing rigidity of the upper covering portion 103a can be suitably ensured.

[0070] Example 2 7, the shock absorber 2 of Example 2 includes an inflow suppressor 50 instead of the inflow suppressor 40 in the shock absorber 1 of Example 1. Like the inflow suppressor 40, the inflow suppressor 50 is disposed above the shock absorbing section 30.

[0071] The shock absorbing portion 30 in this shock absorber 2 does not have a reinforcing body 34. Further, an inflow suppressor 50 is provided on the upper surface of each central body 31, each first connecting body 32, and each second connecting body 33 in the shock absorbing portion 30.

[0072] A plurality of mounting portions 51 protrude from the bottom wall 50a of the inflow suppressor 50. The mounting portions 51 are engaged with a plurality of mounting holes 30a provided in the shock absorbing portion 30, thereby fixing the inflow suppressor 50 to the upper surfaces of the central body 31, the first connecting bodies 32, and the second connecting bodies 33.

[0073] The inflow suppressor 50 has a support portion 52 that is disposed below and along the rear surface of the upper covering portion 103a. The rear end of the support portion 52 is spaced forward from the upper end of the first portion 10, and the front end of the support portion 52 is spaced rearward from the upper end of the second portion 20.

[0074] The inflow suppressor 50 also extends in the left-right direction and has a vertical wall portion 53 that extends downward from the front end of the support portion 52 and is integrally connected to the support portion 52. The vertical wall portion 53 extends in the up-down direction from the front end of the support portion 52 to the bottom wall 50a of the inflow suppressor 50.

[0075] Furthermore, the inflow suppressor 50 has a plurality of reinforcing rib bodies 54. Each reinforcing rib body 54 is fixed in contact with the lower surface of the support portion 52, the rear surface of the vertical wall portion 53, and the upper surface of the bottom wall 50a, respectively. The reinforcing rib bodies 54 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction.

[0076] In this shock absorber 2, when the upper covering portion 103a is deformed downward, the deformation of the upper covering portion 103a can be further suppressed by supporting the upper covering portion 103a from below by the vertical wall portion 53 and the reinforcing rib body 54. This makes it possible to more appropriately ensure the hand-pushing rigidity of the upper covering portion 103a.

[0077] Since there is a gap between the rear end of the support portion 52 of this inflow suppressor 50 and the upper end of the first portion 10, if hot air flows around from the power chamber PR, it may reach the shock absorbing portion 30 through the gap. For this reason, in this shock absorber 2, the suppression effect of the hot air from the power chamber PR flowing into the flow passage 120 is smaller than in the shock absorber 1 of the first embodiment.

[0078] The other configurations and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0079] Example 3 8, the shock absorber 3 of Example 3 includes an inflow suppressor 60 instead of the inflow suppressor 50 in the shock absorber 2 of Example 2. Like the inflow suppressor 50, the inflow suppressor 60 is disposed above the shock absorbing section 30.

[0080] The inflow suppression body 60 has a support portion 62 that is disposed below the back surface of the upper covering portion 103a while following the back surface. The rear end of this support portion 62 extends to the upper end of the first portion 10. Therefore, even if hot air flows in from the power chamber PR, the hot air can be reliably prevented from reaching the shock absorbing portion 30. As a result, this shock absorber 3 has a greater effect of suppressing the hot air from the power chamber PR from flowing into the flow passage 120 than the shock absorber 2 of the second embodiment.

[0081] The other configurations and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0082] The present invention has been described above in accordance with Examples 1 to 3, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above Examples 1 to 3 and can be modified and applied as appropriate within the scope of the invention.

[0083] For example, in the first embodiment, the inflow suppressor 40 is attached later and joined to the first portion 10 and the second portion 20. However, this is not limiting, and the inflow suppressor may be formed integrally with other portions of the impact absorber 1 by using two-color molding or the like.

[0084] In addition, in Examples 1 to 3, the front bumper 103 disposed at the front end of the vehicle body 101 is defined as the "exterior member" in the present invention. However, this is not limiting, and side panels, side doors, and the like disposed on the sides of the vehicle body 101 may also be defined as the "exterior member" in the present invention. In this case, the left-right direction of the vehicle body 101 corresponds to the "first direction" in the present invention, and the front-rear direction corresponds to the "second direction" in the present invention.

[0085] Furthermore, in the impact absorber 1 of the first embodiment, the impact absorbing portion 30 does not have to have each reinforcing member 34 . [Industrial Applicability]

[0086] The present invention can be used in vehicles such as transportation vehicles and industrial vehicles in addition to passenger cars. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1, 2, 3... Vehicle shock absorber 10…First part 20…Second part 30...Shock absorbing part 31a...Circular through hole (through hole) 31b…Rectangular through hole (through hole) 32a...1st through hole (through hole) 33a...Second through hole (through hole) 37...Through hole 40, 50, 60...Inflow suppressor 41, 52, 62...Support part 53...Vertical wall part 100...Vehicle 101...Car body 103...Front bumper (exterior part) 103a...upper covering part 106a...First outside air intake (outside air intake) 110...Power plant 120…Distribution path PR…power room

Claims

1. a power chamber that is disposed apart from the exterior member in a first direction and that houses a power unit; and a flow passage that extends along the first direction and that allows outside air taken in through the outside air intake to flow to the power chamber, the vehicle shock absorber being positioned between the exterior member and the power chamber in the first direction and above the flow passage, and absorbing shock when an impacting object collides with the exterior member, a first portion fixed to the vehicle body; a second portion disposed closer to the exterior member than the first portion in the first direction; a shock absorbing section that is located between the first section and the second section, connects the first section and the second section, and absorbs the shock while deforming in response to the shock so as to bring the first section and the second section closer to each other in the first direction, The shock absorbing portion is formed with a plurality of through holes extending in the up-down direction, A vehicle impact absorber characterized in that an inflow suppression body is provided above the impact absorbing portion, extending in the first direction and in a second direction that intersects both the vertical direction and the first direction, and suppressing hot air from the power chamber from flowing between the first part and the second part.

2. The impact absorber for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the inflow suppressor is formed across the first portion from the first portion to the second portion in the first direction.

3. the exterior member has an upper covering portion that covers the vehicle impact absorber from above, the inflow suppressor has a support portion that is disposed below the back surface of the upper cover portion and along the back surface, 3. The impact absorber for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support portion comes into surface contact with the rear surface when the upper and lower covering portions are deformed downward.

4. the inflow suppressor has a vertical wall portion that extends in the second direction and downward from a lower surface of the support portion and is integrally connected to the support portion, 4. The vehicle impact absorber according to claim 3, wherein the vertical wall supports the upper covering portion from below when the upper covering portion is deformed downward.

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