Vehicle exterior panels

Abstract

To improve the functionality of vehicle exterior panels. [Solution] A vehicle exterior panel that constitutes the body of a vehicle, comprising: an inner panel having an inner panel body and a plurality of inner side ribs protruding from the inner panel body toward the outside of the vehicle and extending along the direction of vehicle travel; an outer panel body made of resin that is superimposed on the outside of the vehicle relative to the inner panel; and an outer panel having outer side ribs protruding toward the inner panel from a position facing the inner side ribs and extending in the direction of vehicle travel, wherein the inner side ribs and outer side ribs facing each other are fixed together to form a composite rib, and an air passage is formed partitioned by adjacent composite ribs, the inner panel body and the outer panel body, and the air inlet from the outside to the air passage is provided on the vehicle exterior panel toward the front in the direction of vehicle travel, and the air outlet from the air passage to the outside is provided on the vehicle exterior panel toward the boundary with the mating body member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an outer panel for a vehicle, typified by a bonnet and a fender.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, improvement in fuel consumption in engine vehicles having an internal combustion engine and improvement in electricity cost in electric vehicles have been required, and thereby, weight reduction of the entire vehicle has been demanded. Various outer panels for vehicles, typifiedified by a bonnet and a fender, are relatively large members among vehicle constituent members, and weight reduction of these outer panels for vehicles can greatly contribute to weight reduction of the entire vehicle.

[0003] A general conventional outer panel for a vehicle is a member made of metal and having a large mass. On the other hand, attempts have been made to reduce the weight of a vehicle by using a resin material as at least part of the material of an outer panel for a vehicle.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), which is a kind of resin material, is used as the material of a bonnet, that is, an engine hood 20.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] An outer panel for a vehicle made of a resin material is lighter than an outer panel for a vehicle made of metal such as iron, and also has a high degree of freedom in shape. Patent Document 1 proposes providing an opening in the hood of a vehicle and placing fins in the opening to straighten the airflow through the opening. Patent Document 1 explains that providing such fins can improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle.

[0007] Incidentally, the fins described in Patent Document 1 protrude significantly from the outside of the vehicle and greatly affect the vehicle's appearance. There was a risk that providing this type of fin would significantly reduce the vehicle's aesthetic appeal.

[0008] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 explains that by devising the structure of the fins, it is possible to achieve both the rigidity of the fins themselves and the shock absorption performance.

[0009] However, fins that protrude significantly from the outside of the vehicle require relatively high rigidity as well as relatively high shock absorption performance. Therefore, bonnets with this type of fin presented a problem in that it was difficult to achieve both rigidity and shock absorption at the same time. Thus, even though conventional vehicle body panels were made of resin materials, they still couldn't be said to possess superior functionality.

[0010] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to solve the problem of providing a technology that can improve the functionality of vehicle exterior panels made of resin material. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The vehicle exterior panel of the present invention, which solves the above problems, A vehicle exterior panel that is adjacent to the forward side in the direction of vehicle travel of a mating body member that constitutes a part of the body of the vehicle, and which constitutes another part of the body of the vehicle, An inner panel having an inner panel body and a plurality of inner side ribs that protrude outward from the inner panel body toward the outside of the vehicle and extend along the direction of vehicle travel, The vehicle comprises an outer panel having a resin outer panel body that is superimposed on the outer side of the vehicle relative to the inner panel, and a plurality of outer ribs that protrude toward the inner panel from positions on the outer panel body facing each of the inner ribs and extend along the direction of vehicle travel, The inner rib and the outer rib, which face each other, are fixed together to form a composite rib. Between the inner panel and the outer panel, an air passage is formed, partitioned by the adjacent composite ribs, the inner panel body, and the outer panel body. The air inlet from the outside to the air passage is provided in the vehicle's outer panel on the front side in the direction of vehicle travel. The air outlet from the air passage to the outside is a vehicle body panel located at the end of the vehicle body panel on the mating body member side and facing the outside of the vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The vehicle body panels of the present invention offer improved functionality. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating a vehicle equipped with the vehicle body panels of the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the vehicle body of the embodiment, partially cut out and viewed from above. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a side view of the vehicle body panel of the embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram illustrating how the vehicle body panel of the embodiment is cut at position AA in Figure 2. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram illustrating how the vehicle body panel of the embodiment is cut at position BB in Figure 2. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram illustrating how air flows through the air passage of the vehicle body of the embodiment while the vehicle is in motion. [Figure 7] It is an explanatory diagram schematically explaining a buffer region in the outer panel for a vehicle of an embodiment. [Figure 8] It is an explanatory diagram schematically explaining a reinforcing region in the outer panel for a vehicle of an embodiment. [Figure 9] It is an explanatory diagram schematically explaining a general conventional outer panel for a vehicle.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] The outer panel for a vehicle of the present invention is an outer panel for a vehicle that is adjacent to the front side in the vehicle traveling direction of a mating body member that constitutes a part of the body in the vehicle, and constitutes another part of the body in the vehicle, and includes an inner panel and an outer panel.

[0015] The outer panel for a vehicle of the present invention has a double panel structure of an inner panel and an outer panel. And inside it, there is an air flow path partitioned by a composite rib in which an inner side rib of the inner panel and an outer side rib of the outer panel are fixed, a panel main body part of the inner panel, and a panel main body part of the outer panel.

[0016] According to such an outer panel for a vehicle of the present invention, it is possible to rectify the air that blows out from the air flow path to the outside through the air outlet along the air flow path. That is, in the outer panel for a vehicle of the present invention, fins that protrude greatly to the outside of the vehicle are not required. Therefore, according to the outer panel for a vehicle of the present invention, the design property of the vehicle is not impaired.

[0017] Also, according to the outer panel for a vehicle of the present invention, since fins that protrude greatly to the outside of the vehicle are not required, there is no need to consider the rigidity of the fins themselves and their shock absorption performance.

[0018] The outer panel for a vehicle of the present invention is excellent in functionality due to the above cooperation.

[0019] Hereinafter, the outer panel for a vehicle of the present invention will be described for each of its components.

[0020] Unless otherwise specified, the numerical range "x~y" described herein includes a lower limit x and an upper limit y. Furthermore, a numerical range can be constructed by arbitrarily combining these upper and lower limits, as well as the numerical values ​​listed in the embodiments. Additionally, any numerical values ​​arbitrarily selected from within the numerical range can be used as the upper and lower limits.

[0021] The vehicle body panel of the present invention is adjacent to the forward side in the direction of vehicle travel of a mating body member that constitutes a part of the vehicle body, and is a vehicle body panel that constitutes another part of the vehicle body.

[0022] As an example of a vehicle exterior panel of the present invention, a bonnet can be cited that moves toward and away from the windshield, which is a mating body member, in the direction of vehicle travel. Another example of a vehicle exterior panel of the present invention is a fender that moves toward and away from the door panel, which is a mating body member, in the direction of vehicle travel. Furthermore, the vehicle body panel of the present invention may be directly adjacent to the mating body member, or it may be adjacent via other members. For example, if the vehicle body panel is a hood and the mating body member is a windshield, other members such as sealing materials, cowl louvers, or wipers may be interposed between the vehicle body panel and the mating body member.

[0023] The vehicle body of the present invention comprises an inner panel and an outer panel.

[0024] The inner panel comprises an inner panel body and inner side ribs. The material of the inner panel is not particularly limited; for example, it may be made of resin or metal.

[0025] In this specification, "made of resin material" means that the material contains resin. In other words, resin material may contain various additives, such as various fillers and pigments. Specifically, it is preferable that the resin material contains 50% or more by volume, 60% or more by volume, 70% or more by volume, or 80% or more by volume of resin.

[0026] By the way, in the vehicle exterior panels of the present invention, the inner panel is the part that is located on the vehicle side, and the outer panel is the part that is located on the outside of the vehicle.

[0027] If, for example, a pedestrian collides with such a vehicle exterior panel of the present invention, the pedestrian will first come into contact with the outer panel. Considering such a case, the outer panel is required to have an impact-absorbing function that cushions the impact that occurs at that time.

[0028] On the other hand, if an external force is applied to a vehicle from the outside towards the vehicle, such as when the vehicle is pressed by a person's hand, a bending force is applied to the vehicle's outer panel from the outer panel side towards the inner panel side. Considering such cases, it is preferable for the inner panel to have a reinforcing function that can withstand bending deformation.

[0029] In other words, the inner panel of the vehicle body of the present invention preferably has a reinforcing function, and the outer panel preferably has an impact-absorbing function. Furthermore, the outer panel of the vehicle body of the present invention is made of resin material and has outer-side ribs between it and the inner panel. Therefore, the outer panel of the vehicle body of the present invention is provided with excellent impact absorption performance.

[0030] As mentioned above, the material of the inner panel is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the inner panel has higher rigidity than the outer panel made of resin material. Specifically, it is preferable to select a material for the outer panel that has a higher flexural modulus than the material for the inner panel.

[0031] For example, the flexural modulus of the inner panel material is preferably within the range of 2 to 25 times, 5 to 20 times, 7 to 18 times, or 10 to 15 times the flexural modulus of the outer panel material.

[0032] The flexural modulus of the inner panel material is preferably in the range of 10 GPa to 30 GPa, 12 GPa to 25 GPa, or 15 GPa to 20 GPa. Suitable materials for such inner panels include metals such as iron and stainless steel, and fiber-reinforced resins such as glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP) and CFRP.

[0033] The inner panel comprises an inner panel body and a plurality of inner ribs. Each inner rib protrudes from the inner panel body toward the outside of the vehicle and extends in the direction of vehicle travel.

[0034] The inner ribs, together with the outer ribs (described later), define the air passage between the outer panel and the inner panel.

[0035] The direction in which the inner ribs for partitioning such air passages extend is limited to the direction of vehicle travel. Here, in this specification, extending along the direction of vehicle travel means a direction in which the angle of intersection with the direction of vehicle travel is within 45°, 30°, or 15°, and it is preferable that the angle of intersection is as close to 0° as possible.

[0036] The outer panel comprises an outer panel body and outer side ribs. The outer panel in the vehicle body of the present invention is made of resin material.

[0037] For the outer panel material, you may choose the fiber-reinforced resin mentioned above, or you may choose a resin material that does not contain fibers.

[0038] The flexural modulus of the outer panel material is preferably in the range of 0.5 GPa to 10 GPa, 1 GPa to 5 GPa, or 2 GPa to 3 GPa. Examples of materials for such outer panels include polypropylene, foamed polypropylene, foamed polyethylene, foamed polyurethane, and polycarbonate (PC).

[0039] The outer panel comprises an outer panel body and a plurality of outer ribs. Each outer rib protrudes from the outer panel body toward the vehicle side, i.e., toward the inner panel side, and extends along the direction of vehicle travel. Such outer ribs are fixed to the opposing inner ribs to form a composite rib. Therefore, it is preferable that the opposing inner and outer ribs extend parallel to each other.

[0040] The air inlet from the outside into the air passage is located at the front end of the vehicle body panel of the present invention in the direction of vehicle travel. On the other hand, the air outlet from the air passage to the outside is located at the end of the vehicle body panel of the present invention that faces the mating body member, in other words, at the rear end of the vehicle body panel of the present invention in the direction of vehicle travel. Therefore, it can be said that the air flowing into the air passage flows from the front to the rear in the direction of vehicle travel.

[0041] There are no specific limitations on the number of inlets and outlets; they may be one or multiple. Furthermore, the number of inlets and outlets may be the same or different.

[0042] The shapes of the inlet and outlet are not particularly limited, but in order to sufficiently reduce pressure loss in the airflow path, it is preferable that the sum of the opening cross-sectional areas of the inlet and the outlet be large.

[0043] Therefore, for example, when making the vehicle body of the present invention thinner, in other words, when the distance between the outer panel body and the inner panel body is narrow, it is preferable that the inlet and outlet have a flattened shape in which the length in the width direction is longer than the length in the thickness direction.

[0044] Preferred ranges for the ratio W / H of the thickness direction length H to the width direction length W of the inlet and outlet can be within the range of 1.5 to 20, within the range of 2 to 15, or within the range of 3 to 10.

[0045] Incidentally, in vehicles equipped with conventional body panels, the vehicle's drivability was sometimes impaired due to high air resistance during driving.

[0046] Based on Figure 9, we will explain using the example of a conventional vehicle body panel where the hood is the outer panel and the opposing body component is the windshield. In a conventional vehicle equipped with a vehicle body panel 901, the airflow directed toward the vehicle 90 during driving (so-called driving airflow) collides with the area of ​​the windshield 91 near the leading edge in the direction of vehicle travel. A positive pressure point is formed in this area of ​​the windshield 91, and the air is pushed upward near this positive pressure point. As this airflow separates near the boundary between the windshield 91 and the roof 92, a negative pressure point is formed near the upper surface of the roof 92, and vortices are generated near this negative pressure point, increasing air resistance.

[0047] A similar phenomenon occurs near the front grille 93 of the vehicle 90. Specifically, a positive pressure point is formed in the area near the front grille 93, and the air is pushed upward near this positive pressure point. This airflow then separates near the boundary between the front grille 93 and the hood, i.e., the vehicle body panel 901. As a result, a negative pressure point is also formed near the upper surface of the vehicle body panel 901, and vortices are generated near this negative pressure point, increasing air resistance.

[0048] As will be described in detail in the section on embodiments below, in a vehicle equipped with the vehicle body panel of the present invention as a bonnet, air flows through an air passage formed inside the vehicle body panel. Therefore, the airflow toward the vehicle during driving is guided and rectified by the air passage, and flows out to the outside through an air outlet provided at the windshield-side end of the bonnet, that is, the end of the vehicle body panel on the mating body member side, and is supplied toward a positive pressure point formed near the windshield. As a result, this positive pressure point is reduced, airflow separation near the boundary between the windshield and the roof is suppressed, and the negative pressure point formed near the top surface of the roof is also reduced, suppressing the vortex flow that occurs near this negative pressure point, and as a result, the increase in air resistance is suppressed.

[0049] As mentioned above, positive pressure points are formed in the area near the front grille, and negative pressure points are formed near the top surface of the hood. However, these are reduced because the airflow towards the vehicle during driving is straightened by the air passages provided in the hood. As a result, the vortices that form near the top surface of the hood are also suppressed, further reducing the increase in air resistance.

[0050] Thus, the vehicle body panels of the present invention can improve the aerodynamic characteristics of a vehicle, and this also means that the vehicle body panels of the present invention are highly functional.

[0051] In the vehicle body panel of the present invention, the air outlet for the airflow channel to the outside world is provided at the end of the vehicle body panel on the mating body member side, in other words, at the boundary portion with the mating body member, and the direction of the air outlet is not particularly limited.

[0052] For example, if the vehicle body panel of the present invention is a hood and the opposing body member is a windshield, the air outlet may face upwards or towards the rear in the direction of vehicle travel. However, in order to effectively reduce the vortices described above, it is more preferable that the air blown out from the air passage to the outside follows the surface of the windshield, i.e., the surface of the opposing body member.

[0053] When considering how the air blown out from the air passage to the outside is directed along the surface of the opposing body member, there is a preferred range for the angle between the surface of the opposing body member and the opening surface of the air outlet.

[0054] More specifically, when viewing the vehicle from the side, the angle between the tangent to the front portion of the surface of the opposing body member in the direction of vehicle travel and the straight line parallel to the opening surface of the air outlet is particularly preferably within the range of 45° to 180°, 60° to 180°, or 90° to 180°. In other words, the opening surface of the air outlet is preferably parallel to the tangent to the leading portion of the surface of the mating body member in the direction of vehicle travel, or facing the rear in the direction of vehicle travel. When the air outlet faces the rear in the direction of vehicle travel, the angle of intersection between the opening surface of the air outlet and the tangent to the leading portion of the surface of the mating body member in the direction of vehicle travel is preferably 45° or more, 60° or more, or 90° or more.

[0055] Since the air outlet faces the outside of the vehicle, it is preferable that it be installed on the outer panel or at the boundary between the outer panel and the inner panel.

[0056] The air outlet may face directly or indirectly to the outside of the vehicle. For example, the air outlet may be part of the vehicle's body, interposed between the vehicle's outer panel and the opposing body member, and connected to a member having an opening facing the outside of the vehicle, through which air may be blown to the outside. A cowl louver can be given as a specific example of such a component.

[0057] In the vehicle body of the present invention, the air inlet from the outside to the air passage only needs to be provided in the front portion of the vehicle body in the direction of vehicle travel, and the position and orientation of the inlet are not particularly limited.

[0058] For example, the inlet may face directly to the outside of the vehicle, or it may face indirectly to the outside of the vehicle. For example, the inlet may face the rear side in the direction of vehicle travel on the front grille and face the outside of the vehicle through the front grille. Furthermore, the inlet may be located at the leading end of the vehicle body of the present invention in the direction of vehicle travel, or it may be located further to the rear in the direction of vehicle travel than the leading end.

[0059] As described above, unlike the air outlet, the inlet does not have to face the outside of the vehicle. Therefore, the inlet may be provided on either the outer panel or the inner panel, at the boundary between the outer panel and the inner panel, or spanning across both the outer panel and the inner panel.

[0060] The inner panel of the vehicle body of the present invention has an inner panel body and an inner side rib. The outer panel of the vehicle body of the present invention has an outer panel body and an outer side rib.

[0061] The material of the inner panel body and the material of the inner rib in the inner panel may be the same or different. Furthermore, the inner panel body and the inner rib may be integrally molded or molded separately and then integrated. If the inner panel body and the inner rib are molded separately and then integrated, the method of integration is not particularly limited; for example, general methods such as bonding or welding may be selected.

[0062] As previously mentioned, since the inner panel is a part of the vehicle exterior panel of the present invention that contributes to the reinforcing function, it is preferable that the inner ribs of the inner panel be solid, and that the inner panel body itself also be solid.

[0063] The material of the outer panel body and the material of the outer rib in the outer panel may be the same or different. Furthermore, the outer panel body and the outer rib may be integrally molded or molded separately and then integrated. The method of integration when the outer panel body and the outer rib are molded separately is also not particularly limited; for example, general methods such as bonding or welding may be selected.

[0064] Since the outer panel is the part of the vehicle body of the present invention that contributes to the impact absorption function, the outer side ribs of the outer panel are preferably hollow or made of foam. The outer panel body may be hollow or solid, but in order to suitably maintain the outer shape of the outer panel, the outer panel body is preferably solid or made of foam.

[0065] The inner panel has multiple inner ribs, and the outer panel has multiple outer ribs. The inner ribs and outer ribs facing each other are fixed together to form a composite rib.

[0066] The method for fixing the opposing inner and outer ribs is also not particularly limited; for example, any common method such as bonding or welding can be selected. The number of inner and outer ribs may be the same or different, but it is preferable that the number of inner and outer ribs be the same in order to efficiently form an air passage.

[0067] Incidentally, the exterior panels of a vehicle may have different areas that require superior reinforcement and areas that require superior shock absorption. For example, if the exterior panel is a hood, it is preferable to enhance the shock absorption function in the area from approximately the center in the vehicle width direction and approximately the center in the direction of vehicle travel to the rear in the direction of vehicle travel, from the perspective of pedestrian protection.

[0068] In such cases, in areas requiring high impact absorption, it is useful to make the protruding height of the outer rib of the composite rib higher than the protruding height of the inner rib facing it. Furthermore, in areas requiring high reinforcement, it is useful to make the protruding height of the inner rib of the composite rib higher than the protruding height of the outer rib facing it. In this specification, the region in which the protruding height of the outer rib of a composite rib is higher than the protruding height of the inner rib facing it may be referred to as the impact-absorbing region. The region in which the protruding height of the inner rib of the composite rib is higher than the protruding height of the outer rib facing it may be referred to as the reinforcement region.

[0069] The vehicle exterior panel of the present invention will be explained below with specific examples.

[0070] (Example 1) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle equipped with the vehicle body panel of the embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the vehicle body panel of the embodiment with a portion cut out and viewed from above. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a side view of the vehicle body panel of the embodiment. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the vehicle body panel of the embodiment cut at position AA in Figure 2. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the vehicle body panel of the embodiment cut at position BB in Figure 2. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating how air flows through the air passage of the vehicle body panel of the embodiment when the vehicle is in motion. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the buffer area in the vehicle body panel of the embodiment. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating the reinforcement area in the vehicle body panel of the embodiment.

[0071] Hereafter, "up," "down," "left," "right," "front," and "rear" refer to the top, down, left, right, front, and rear as shown in each diagram. Note that the "front-rear" direction refers to the direction of vehicle travel, with "front" being the front side in the direction of vehicle travel and "rear" being the rear side in the direction of vehicle travel. For reference, the "left-right" direction refers to the vehicle width direction.

[0072] The vehicle body panel 1 in this embodiment is a hood that forms part of the body of the vehicle 90. As shown in Figure 1, the opposing body member 91 that constitutes another part of the body of the vehicle 90 is the windshield, and the hood, which is the outer panel of the vehicle, is adjacent to the windshield, which is the opposing body member 91, on the forward side in the direction of vehicle travel.

[0073] As shown in Figures 2 to 8, the vehicle body panel 1 of the embodiment comprises an inner panel 2 and an outer panel 3.

[0074] Inner panel 2 is made of GFRP, which is mainly composed of glass fiber and nylon resin. The inner panel 2 comprises an inner panel body 20 which is roughly plate-shaped, and a plurality of inner side ribs 21 which protrude upward from the inner panel body 20.

[0075] As shown in Figure 2, each inner rib 21 extends along the direction of vehicle travel. The left portion of Figure 2 schematically represents the vehicle exterior panel 1 of the embodiment as viewed from above. The right portion of Figure 2 schematically represents the vehicle exterior panel 1 of the embodiment with the outer panel 3 removed, exposing only the inner panel 2.

[0076] The inner panel body 20 and the inner side rib 21 are solid in shape, and the inner panel body 20 and the inner side rib 21 are molded together as a single unit.

[0077] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the outer panel 3 is superimposed on the inner panel 2 on the outside of the vehicle, specifically on the top.

[0078] Outer panel 3 is made of polypropylene. Therefore, the material of outer panel 3 has a lower flexural modulus than the material of inner panel 2, and the material of inner panel 2 has a higher flexural modulus than the material of outer panel 3. In other words, the material of inner panel 2 is less prone to deformation and has higher rigidity than the material of outer panel 3.

[0079] The outer panel 3 comprises an outer panel body 30 that is roughly plate-shaped, and a plurality of outer-side ribs 31 that protrude downward from the outer panel body 30, i.e., toward the inner panel 2, and extend along the direction of vehicle travel.

[0080] The outer panel body 30 is solid, and the outer rib 31 is hollow. The outer panel body 30 and the outer rib 31 are molded as a single unit.

[0081] The inner ribs 21 and outer ribs 31 are numbered in equal proportions, and the inner ribs 21 and outer ribs 31 facing each other are fixed together to form a composite rib 10. The inner rib 21 and the outer rib 31 each have a tapered shape, and the inner rib 21 and the outer rib 31 are integrated by bonding their protruding ends together.

[0082] As shown in Figure 2, the vehicle body panel 1 of the embodiment appears to be plate-shaped or box-shaped when viewed from above. As shown in Figure 3, the vehicle body panel 1 of the embodiment appears to be thin box-shaped when viewed from the side.

[0083] As shown in Figures 5 to 8, an air passage 11 is formed between the inner panel 2 and the outer panel 3, partitioned by adjacent composite ribs 10, the inner panel body 20, and the outer panel body 30. This air passage 11 extends in the direction of vehicle travel, along the direction in which the inner ribs 21 and outer ribs 31 extend.

[0084] The vehicle body 1 of the embodiment has multiple air inlets 15 from the outside to the air passage 11. As shown in Figures 2, 5, and 6, each inlet 15 is provided at the leading end of the vehicle's outer panel 1 in the direction of vehicle travel and faces outwards. More specifically, the inlet 15 is provided in the inner panel body 20, faces the rear side of the front grille 93 in the direction of vehicle travel, and faces outwards through the front grille 93.

[0085] Each inlet 15 has a flattened shape, with its width being longer than its thickness. Furthermore, each inlet 15 is arranged in the vehicle width direction.

[0086] The vehicle body 1 of this embodiment has multiple air outlets 16 for blowing air from the air passage 11 to the outside. As shown in Figures 2, 5, and 6, each air outlet 16 is provided at the rear end of the vehicle's outer panel 1 in the direction of vehicle travel and faces outwards. The air outlet 16 is oriented upwards and slightly towards the rear in the direction of vehicle travel. The air outlet 16 is provided in the outer panel body 30.

[0087] Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, when the vehicle 90 is viewed from the side, the angle θ between the tangent to the front portion of the surface of the mating body member 91 in the direction of vehicle travel and the straight line parallel to the opening surface of the air outlet 16 is approximately 160°.

[0088] Each air outlet 16 has a flattened shape, with its width being longer than its thickness. The inlets 15 are arranged in the vehicle width direction.

[0089] The vehicle body panel 1 of the embodiment has an internal air passage 11, and the air blown out from the air passage 11 through the outlet 16 to the outside can be straightened along the air passage 11. Therefore, the vehicle body panel 1 of the embodiment does not require fins that protrude significantly from the outside of the vehicle 90, as described in Patent Document 1. Thus, the vehicle body panel 1 of the embodiment does not impair the design of the vehicle 90.

[0090] Furthermore, since the vehicle body panel 1 of the embodiment does not require fins that protrude significantly from the outside of the vehicle 90, there is no need to consider the rigidity of the fins themselves or their impact absorption performance. Therefore, the vehicle body panel 1 of the embodiment can be said to have excellent functionality.

[0091] The composite rib 10 in the vehicle body panel 1 of this embodiment has an impact absorption region 18 and a reinforcement region 19. In the impact absorption region 18, as shown in Figure 7, the protruding height of the outer rib 31 is higher than the protruding height of the inner rib 21 facing it. In the reinforcement region 19, as shown in Figure 8, the protruding height of the inner rib 21 is higher than the protruding height of the outer rib 31 facing it.

[0092] As previously described, since the material of the inner panel 2 has a higher bending modulus than the material of the outer panel 3, in the reinforced region 19 where the protruding height of the inner rib 21 is higher than the protruding height of the outer rib 31 facing it, the composite rib 10 is reinforced by the inner rib 21, resulting in high rigidity of the composite rib 10 and, consequently, the vehicle outer panel 1 of the embodiment.

[0093] Furthermore, in the impact-absorbing region 18 where the protruding height of the outer rib 31 is higher than the protruding height of the inner rib 21 facing it, the rigidity of the composite rib 10, and consequently the rigidity of the vehicle body panel 1 in this embodiment, is low, and the impact acting on the vehicle body panel 1 is absorbed by the bending deformation of the composite rib 10, especially the outer rib 31.

[0094] In the vehicle body panel 1 of the embodiment, the impact-absorbing region 18 of the composite rib 10 is mainly located on the rear side in the direction of vehicle travel and on the central side in the vehicle width direction, and the reinforcing region 19 of the composite rib 10 is mainly located on the front side in the direction of vehicle travel and on the end side in the vehicle width direction.

[0095] The vehicle body panel 1 of this embodiment, which has such impact-absorbing regions 18 and reinforcing regions 19 in the composite rib 10, has excellent impact-absorbing function and can maintain its external shape well. Therefore, the vehicle body panel 1 of this embodiment can be said to have excellent functionality.

[0096] As shown in Figure 6, in the vehicle 90 equipped with the vehicle body panel 1 of the embodiment, air flows through the air passage 11 formed inside the vehicle body panel 1 when the vehicle is in motion. Therefore, the airflow toward the vehicle 90 when it is in motion is guided and straightened by the air passage 11, flows out to the outside through the outlet 16 provided at the end of the vehicle body panel 1 on the mating body member 91 side, and is supplied toward the positive pressure point formed near the mating body member 91.

[0097] As a result, the positive pressure point is reduced, suppressing the separation of airflow near the boundary between the opposing body member 91, i.e., the windshield and the roof 92. The negative pressure point formed near the upper surface of the roof 92 is also reduced, suppressing the vortex flow generated near the negative pressure point, and consequently suppressing the increase in air resistance. The positive pressure point formed in the region near the front grille 93 and the negative pressure point formed near the upper surface of the vehicle body panel 1 are also reduced, thereby suppressing the vortex flow generated near the upper surface of the vehicle body panel 1, and consequently suppressing the increase in air resistance even further.

[0098] Thus, the vehicle body panel 1 of the embodiment makes it possible to improve the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle 90, and this also means that the vehicle body panel 1 of the embodiment is highly functional.

[0099] The vehicle body panel 1 of the embodiment can be said to be particularly functional due to the above-mentioned collaboration.

[0100] Although the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and it is possible to implement the invention by appropriately extracting and combining the elements described in the embodiments, and to make various modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the specification of this invention discloses not only the reference relationships of each claim as initially filed, but also a technical concept that appropriately combines the matters described in each claim. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 1: Vehicle exterior panel (hood) 10: Composite Ribs 11: Airflow channel 15:Inlet 16:Air outlet 18: Impact absorption area 19: Reinforcement area 2: Inner panel 20: Inner panel body 21: Inner Rib 3: Outer panel 30: Outer panel body 31: Outer rib 90: Vehicles 91: Opposing body component (windshield)

Claims

1. A vehicle exterior panel that is adjacent to the forward side in the direction of vehicle travel of a mating body member that constitutes a part of the body of the vehicle, and which constitutes another part of the body of the vehicle, An inner panel having an inner panel body and a plurality of inner side ribs that protrude outward from the inner panel body toward the outside of the vehicle and extend along the direction of vehicle travel, The outer panel comprises an outer panel body made of resin that is superimposed on the outer side of the vehicle relative to the inner panel, and a plurality of outer ribs that protrude toward the inner panel from positions on the outer panel body facing each of the inner ribs and extend along the direction of vehicle travel, The inner rib and the outer rib, which face each other, are fixed together to form a composite rib. Between the inner panel and the outer panel, an air passage is formed, partitioned by the adjacent composite ribs, the inner panel body, and the outer panel body. The air inlet from the outside to the air passage is provided in the vehicle's outer panel on the front side in the direction of vehicle travel. The air outlet from the air passage to the outside is a vehicle body panel provided at the end of the vehicle body panel on the mating body member side and facing the outside of the vehicle.

2. The aforementioned vehicle body is a hood, The aforementioned mating body member is the windshield. The vehicle body according to claim 1, wherein the aforementioned air outlet opens upward.

3. The material of the inner panel has a higher bending modulus than the material of the outer panel. The vehicle outer panel according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the composite rib has an impact-absorbing region in which the protruding height of the outer rib is higher than the protruding height of the inner rib facing it, and a reinforcing region in which the protruding height of the inner rib is higher than the protruding height of the outer rib facing it.

4. The vehicle exterior panel according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the inner panel is made of resin.

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