Vehicle front structure

Abstract

The rigidity of the area surrounding the fog lamps among the exterior components is increased to protect the fog lamps from minor collisions. [Solution] The front vehicle structure 1 comprises a front bumper 2 and a fog lamp 3. The fog lamp 3 is inserted through an insertion hole 24 opened in the front bumper 2 and fixed to the front bumper 2. The front vehicle structure 1 further comprises a frame-shaped lamp bezel 4 that bulges forward of the vehicle and covers the area around the insertion hole 24 of the front bumper 2 from the front of the vehicle. The lamp bezel 4 has an exposure opening 41 that exposes the front surface 3a of the fog lamp 3, and the opening edge 41a of the exposure opening 41 is positioned at a distance from the front surface 3a of the vehicle. A regulating rib 28 is provided around the insertion hole 24 that protrudes toward the lamp bezel 4 and restricts the movement of the lamp bezel 4 toward the rear of the vehicle relative to the front bumper 2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle front structure provided with a fog lamp.

Background Art

[0002] Fog lamps may be provided on the front bumper of vehicles such as automobiles. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an attachment structure for attaching a fog lamp to a front bumper via a bracket. The bracket of this attachment structure is provided with a lamp protection portion for protecting the fog lamp from a minor collision of the vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In order to protect the fog lamp from a minor collision of the vehicle, it is desirable that the rigidity of the peripheral portion of the fog lamp among the exterior members of the vehicle be high. In Patent Document 1, the exterior member of the peripheral portion of the fog lamp is formed only from a front bumper configured to easily deform and absorb impact during a minor collision. Therefore, there is room for improvement from the viewpoint of the rigidity of the peripheral portion of the fog lamp.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle front structure capable of enhancing the rigidity of the peripheral portion of the fog lamp among the exterior members and protecting the fog lamp from a minor collision.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle front structure comprising a front bumper and a fog lamp, which are positioned at the front of the vehicle. In this vehicle front structure, the fog lamp is inserted in the vehicle front-rear direction through an insertion hole opened in the front bumper and fixed to the front bumper. The vehicle front structure further comprises a frame-shaped lamp bezel that bulges forward of the vehicle and covers the peripheral portion of the front bumper around the insertion hole from the front of the vehicle. The lamp bezel has an opening that exposes the front surface of the fog lamp, and the opening edge of the exposure hole in the lamp bezel is positioned at a distance from the front of the vehicle. The peripheral portion of the insertion hole is provided with a regulating rib that protrudes toward the lamp bezel and restricts the movement of the lamp bezel toward the rear of the vehicle relative to the front bumper. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a front vehicle structure that can protect the fog lamp from minor collisions by increasing the rigidity of the area surrounding the fog lamp among the exterior members. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a partial front view of the front structure of a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the front of the vehicle. [Figure 2] This is a front view of the right side of the front bumper, as seen from the front of the vehicle. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the right side of the bumper, as seen from the front of the vehicle. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle's front structure along line AA in Figure 1. [Figure 5] This is a front view of the right side of the front bumper of a modified front bumper, as seen from the front of the vehicle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the vehicle front structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the direction of arrow Fr indicates the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the direction of arrow U indicates the upper in the vertical direction of the vehicle. Arrow L indicates the left side in the vehicle width direction when the vehicle is viewed from the rear towards the front. In the following description, "front" and "rear" correspond to the front and rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, respectively, and "up" and "down" correspond to the up and down in the vertical direction of the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the vertical direction). "Left" and "right" correspond to the left and right in the vehicle width direction when the vehicle is viewed from the rear towards the front of the vehicle.

[0010] Figure 1 is a partial front view of the vehicle front structure 1 according to this embodiment, as seen from the front of the vehicle. As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle front structure 1 comprises a front bumper 2 positioned at the front of a vehicle such as an automobile, and fog lamps 3, lamp bezels 4, and decorative members 5 attached to the front bumper 2. The front bumper 2, lamp bezels 4, and decorative members 5 are resin parts that constitute the exterior members of the front of the vehicle, and each forms a part of the design surface of the front of the vehicle. Behind the front bumper 2 of the vehicle, a high-rigidity vehicle body structural member that constitutes the vehicle's skeleton is positioned. The front bumper 2 is fixed to the vehicle body structural member indirectly or directly via other members positioned on the rear side of the front bumper 2 of the vehicle.

[0011] The front bumper 2 has a pair of bumper side sections 21 positioned on both outer sides in the width direction of the front of the vehicle. The pair of bumper side sections 21 are spaced apart from each other in the width direction of the vehicle, and a fog lamp 3, a lamp bezel 4, and a decorative member 5 are attached to each bumper side section 21.

[0012] The vehicle front structure 1 is formed in a generally symmetrical manner. The drawing shows the right side of the vehicle front structure 1, including the bumper side 21, fog lamp 3, lamp bezel 4, and decorative member 5, while the left side of the bumper side 21, fog lamp 3, lamp bezel 4, and decorative member 5 is not shown. The following description will mainly focus on the structure of the right side of the bumper side 21, fog lamp 3, lamp bezel 4, and decorative member 5. The left side of the bumper side 21, fog lamp 3, lamp bezel 4, and decorative member 5 has the same structure as the right side of the bumper side 21, fog lamp 3, lamp bezel 4, and decorative member 5, except that it is symmetrical with respect to the right side of the bumper side 21, fog lamp 3, lamp bezel 4, and decorative member 5.

[0013] The bumper side sections 21 extend in the vehicle width direction and vertical direction, and as a whole, they are inclined towards the rear of the vehicle as they are directed to the right (outward in the vehicle width direction) (see Figure 4). Between the left and right bumper side sections 21, there is a grille 22 with multiple ventilation holes, and below the left and right bumper side sections 21, there is a lower section 23 that extends in the vehicle width direction across the entire width of the vehicle. The grille 22 extends in the vehicle width direction and vertical direction and is located in the center of the vehicle width direction at the front of the vehicle. A plate support section 22a for supporting a license plate (not shown) is provided in the center of the grille 22 in the vehicle width direction. The inner edge of each bumper side section 21 in the vehicle width direction is connected to the grille 22, and the lower edges of a pair of bumper side sections 21 are connected to the lower section 23.

[0014] Figure 2 is a front view of the right side of the bumper 21 as seen from the front of the vehicle, showing the lamp bezel 4 and decorative member 5 removed. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the bumper 21 of Figure 2 as seen from the front of the vehicle. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the front structure 1 of the vehicle along line AA in Figure 1, where the left side of the page corresponds to the right side of the front structure 1 of the vehicle, and the top side of the page corresponds to the front of the front structure 1 of the vehicle.

[0015] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the front bumper 2 has an insertion hole 24 for a fog lamp 3. The fog lamp 3 is inserted through the insertion hole 24 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and fixed to the front bumper 2. Specifically, the insertion hole 24 is formed in the bumper side portion 21 and penetrates the bumper side portion 21 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In the illustrated example, the bumper side portion 21 is provided with a recess 25 that is recessed toward the rear of the vehicle, and the insertion hole 24 is formed in the middle of the vehicle width direction and the middle of the vertical direction of the bottom portion (rear end portion) 25a of the recess 25. The fog lamp 3 is inserted through the insertion hole 24 from the rear of the vehicle and fixed to a lamp fixing portion (not shown) provided around the insertion hole 24 in the front bumper 2 using fixing means such as screws. An opening 26 for a sensor device such as a sonar is provided in the bottom portion 25a.

[0016] The fog lamp 3 is an auxiliary light positioned below the headlamp (not shown) that illuminates the area in front of the vehicle. The fog lamp 3 includes a light source and a lens, etc. Light from the light source is emitted forward from the front surface 3a of the fog lamp 3. The front surface 3a is the outer surface of the fog lamp 3 that faces the front of the vehicle. In the illustrated example, the fog lamp 3 has an outer lens 31 (see Figure 4) at its foremost end, and the front surface 3a is the front surface of the outer lens 31. The outer lens 31 is formed from, for example, resin.

[0017] The lamp bezel 4 is a frame-shaped member that surrounds the front surface 3a in a front view of the vehicle, covering the area around the insertion hole 24 of the front bumper 2 from the front of the vehicle. The lamp bezel 4 has an opening 41 that exposes the front surface 3a to the front of the vehicle. As shown in Figure 4, the opening edge 41a of the opening 41 of the lamp bezel 4 is positioned in front of the front surface 3a, with a gap between it and the front surface 3a.

[0018] Specifically, the lamp bezel 4 extends in the vehicle width direction and the vertical direction, and is attached to the recess 25 from the front of the vehicle so as to cover the entire bottom portion 25a. A plurality of engagement holes 27 are formed in the peripheral edge portion of the bottom portion 25a, and a plurality of engagement claws (not shown) protruding rearward of the vehicle are provided on the peripheral edge portion of the lamp bezel 4. By engaging the engagement claws with the engagement holes 27, the lamp bezel 4 is fixed to the bumper side portion 21. The exposure opening 41 is formed in a region of the lamp bezel 4 that overlaps the front surface 3a in a front view of the vehicle, and penetrates the lamp bezel 4 in the vehicle front-rear direction. In the illustrated example, the opening edge 41a is disposed at a position facing the peripheral edge portion of the front surface 3a in the vehicle front-rear direction. An opening 42 for the sensor device is opened in a region of the lamp bezel 4 corresponding to the opening 26.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 4, the lamp bezel 4 bulges forward of the vehicle, and particularly, the rigidity of the lamp bezel 4 in the vehicle front-rear direction is enhanced. Specifically, among the lamp bezel 4, the right side portion 43 and the left side portion 44 respectively located on the right side (outward in the vehicle width direction) and the left side (inward in the vehicle width direction) with respect to the exposure opening 41 have a curved cross section that bulges forward of the vehicle and extends in the vertical direction. Also, among the lamp bezel 4, the upper portion and the lower portion respectively located above and below the exposure opening 41 have a curved cross section that bulges forward of the vehicle and extends in the vehicle width direction. The lamp bezel 4 is disposed at a position separated forward of the vehicle from the bumper side portion 21 except for the peripheral edge portion connected to the bumper side portion 21 by the engagement claws.

[0020] In the illustrated example, a groove portion 43a that is recessed rearward of the vehicle and extends in the vertical direction is provided in the middle of the right side portion 43 in the vehicle width direction, and the outer portion 431 and the inner portion 432 of the right side portion 43 are respectively curved so as to bulge forward of the vehicle. The outer portion 431 is a portion located on the right side (outward in the vehicle width direction) of the groove portion 43a, and the inner portion 432 is a portion located on the left side (inward in the vehicle width direction) of the groove portion 43a. Therefore, the cross section of the right side portion 43 is generally formed in an M shape. The left edge portion (inner edge portion in the vehicle width direction) of the vertical portion 51 (described later) of the decorative member 5 is inserted into the groove portion 43a from the front of the vehicle.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the front bumper 2 further has a regulating rib 28 that regulates the movement of the lamp bezel 4 rearward of the vehicle with respect to the front bumper 2. The regulating rib 28 is provided at the peripheral portion of the insertion hole 24 covered by the lamp bezel 4 in the front bumper 2 (specifically, the bumper side portion 21), and protrudes toward the lamp bezel 4 side (that is, the front of the vehicle). In the present embodiment, the regulating rib 28 includes an outer rib 281 located outward in the vehicle width direction of the insertion hole 24 and an inner rib 282 located inward in the vehicle width direction of the insertion hole 24, and the outer rib 281 and the inner rib 282 are arranged with the insertion hole 24隔开 in the vehicle width direction. The outer rib 281 and the inner rib 282 are each a thin columnar or protrusion shape that protrudes forward of the vehicle from the front surface facing the front of the vehicle among the bottom portions 25a of the recesses 25.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 4, the regulating rib 28 (281, 282) extends forward of the vehicle to the vicinity of the rear surface of the lamp bezel 4. When an external force rearward of the vehicle acts on the lamp bezel 4 due to a light collision with an object (B1, B2) or the like, the movement of the lamp bezel 4 rearward of the vehicle is regulated (prevented) by the lamp bezel 4 abutting against the front end of the regulating rib 28.

[0023] Normally, when no external force rearward of the vehicle acts on the lamp bezel 4, the front end of the regulating rib 28 (281, 282) is arranged with a gap rearward of the vehicle from the rear surface of the lamp bezel 4 so that the lamp bezel 4 does not contact the regulating rib 28 (281, 282). The gap in the vehicle front-rear direction between the front end of the regulating rib 28 (281, 282) and the rear surface of the lamp bezel 4 is smaller than the interval in the vehicle front-rear direction between the front surface 3a and the opening edge 41a. Thereby, in a state where the lamp bezel 4 abuts against the front end of the regulating rib 28, the opening edge 41a is maintained at a position separated forward of the vehicle from the front surface 3a.

[0024] The decorative member 5 covers a portion of the lamp bezel 4 from the front of the vehicle. The periphery of the decorative member 5 is provided with a plurality of engaging claws (not shown) that protrude toward the rear of the vehicle. The decorative member 5 is fixed to the front bumper 2 and the lamp bezel 4 by engaging the plurality of engaging claws with a plurality of engaging holes 27 formed in the front bumper 2 and a plurality of engaging holes (not shown) formed in the lamp bezel 4.

[0025] As described above, the vehicle front structure 1 according to this embodiment includes a frame-shaped lamp bezel 4 that bulges forward of the vehicle and covers the area around the insertion hole 24 of the front bumper 2 from the front of the vehicle. That is, in addition to the front bumper 2, a lamp bezel 4, which has increased rigidity particularly in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, is arranged around the fog lamp 3 as an exterior member, thereby increasing the rigidity of the area around the fog lamp 3 among the exterior members. This suppresses deformation and displacement of the area around the fog lamp 3 among the exterior members in the event of a minor collision with an object or pedestrian, and protects the fog lamp 3 from minor collisions. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the addition of the lamp bezel 4 to the front bumper 2 improves the aesthetic design of the exterior members.

[0026] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, restricting ribs 28 (281, 282) are provided around the insertion hole 24, protruding toward the lamp bezel 4 and restricting the movement of the lamp bezel 4 toward the rear of the vehicle relative to the front bumper 2 (specifically, the bumper side portion 21). These restricting ribs 28 prevent the lamp bezel 4 from moving toward the rear of the vehicle relative to the front surface 3a of the fog lamp 3, which is fixed to the front bumper 2, during a minor collision, and maintain the distance in the front-rear direction of the vehicle between the opening edge 41a of the exposed opening 41 and the front surface 3a of the fog lamp 3. This prevents the opening edge 41a from contacting the front surface 3a and prevents the front surface 3a from being scratched by the opening edge 41a. If the opening edge 41a contacts the front surface 3a and scratches the front surface 3a, there is a risk that light will be refracted by the scratch, hindering the normal straight-line propagation of light. This prevents such damage to the fog lamp 3 and provides more reliable protection for the fog lamp 3 from minor collisions.

[0027] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the fog lamp 3 is fixed to the front bumper 2, rather than to a highly rigid vehicle body structural member. The resin front bumper 2 has lower rigidity compared to the rigidity of the vehicle body structural member. Therefore, in the event of a minor collision, the front bumper 2, which receives an external force from the lamp bezel 4 via the regulating rib 28, deforms and is displaced rearward, and the fog lamp 3, which is fixed to the front bumper 2, is also displaced rearward along with the front bumper 2. This reduces the injury value to pedestrians who come into contact with the area around the fog lamp 3, which is advantageous in terms of pedestrian protection.

[0028] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opening edge 41a of the exposed opening 41 is positioned at a distance from the front surface 3a of the fog lamp 3 towards the front of the vehicle, and the movement of the lamp bezel 4 toward the rear of the vehicle relative to the front bumper 2 and the fog lamp 3 fixed thereto is restricted by the regulating rib 28. As a result, regardless of manufacturing variations in the dimensions of the resin parts, the front bumper 2 and the lamp bezel 4, a distance in the front-rear direction of the vehicle can be secured between the opening edge 41a and the front surface 3a, and contact between the opening edge 41a and the front surface 3a can be suppressed.

[0029] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the regulating rib 28 includes two ribs (281, 282) positioned at a distance from each other, and the lamp bezel 4 is configured to contact the regulating rib 28 at two separate locations with a relatively small contact area. This ensures that even if there are manufacturing variations in the dimensions of the lamp bezel 4, the lamp bezel 4 can be reliably brought into contact with the regulating rib 28 (281, 282) at the intended position during a light collision.

[0030] Next, the vehicle front structure 1 of this embodiment will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 1, in this embodiment, the decorative member 5 is generally L-shaped when viewed from the front of the vehicle, and has a vertical portion 51 that extends in the vertical direction and covers the outer ends (431, 43a) of the lamp bezel 4 in the vehicle width direction, and a horizontal portion 52 that extends in the vehicle width direction and covers the upper end of the lamp bezel 4.

[0031] The vertical portion 51 is positioned to the right (outward in the vehicle width direction) of the exposure opening 41, with a gap between them, and extends vertically along the right edge (outer edge in the vehicle width direction) of the lamp bezel 4. Of the lamp bezel 4, the outer end in the vehicle width direction that extends vertically along the right edge is covered by the vertical portion 51, and the portion located between the outer end in the vehicle width direction and the exposure opening 41 is exposed to the outside. In the illustrated example, the vertical portion 51 covers the outer portion 431 and the groove portion 43a of the right side portion 43 of the lamp bezel 4, while the inner portion 432 is exposed and not covered by the vertical portion 51. That is, in this embodiment, the outer portion 431 and the groove portion 43a correspond to the "outer end in the vehicle width direction of the lamp bezel" according to the present invention. The vertical portion 51 has a larger dimension than the exposure opening 41 in the vertical direction. In the vertical direction, the upper end of the vertical portion 51 is positioned above the exposure opening 41. Furthermore, in the vertical direction, the lower end of the vertical portion 51 is positioned below the exposure opening 41. In the illustrated example, the vertical portion 51 extends along the entire vertical length of the lamp bezel 4.

[0032] The horizontal section 52 is positioned above the exposed opening 41 and extends along the upper edge of the lamp bezel 4 from the upper end of the vertical section 51 to a position beyond the left edge (inner edge in the vehicle width direction) of the lamp bezel 4.

[0033] The outer rib 281 is located at the rear of the vehicle on the longitudinal section 51. In the illustrated example, the outer rib 281 is positioned opposite the groove 43a and its surrounding portion in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle on the right side section 43, and the front end of the outer rib 281 is positioned with a gap between the rear surface of the groove 43a and the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, the outer rib 281 is located at the rear of the vehicle on the left side of the longitudinal section 51, including the left edge portion (inner edge portion in the vehicle width direction) that is inserted into the groove 43a. When an external force from the rear of the vehicle acts on the decorative member 5 due to a light collision, the groove 43a of the lamp bezel 4 comes into contact with the front end of the outer rib 281, restricting (preventing) the movement of the decorative member 5 and the lamp bezel 4 toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4, the decorative member 5 is convex, bulging forward of the vehicle, and its rigidity is particularly increased in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In the illustrated example, the vertical portion 51 extends vertically with a roughly V-shaped or U-shaped cross-section that is convex forward of the vehicle. The horizontal portion 52 extends in the vehicle width direction with a roughly V-shaped or U-shaped cross-section that is convex forward of the vehicle. The front end 51a of the vertical portion 51 is positioned in front of the vehicle relative to the inner portion 432 of the lamp bezel 4 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The inner portion 432 is the portion located between the outer ends (431, 43a) of the lamp bezel 4 in the vehicle width direction and the exposed opening 41 in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the front end 432a of the inner portion 432 is positioned behind the vehicle relative to the front end 51a of the vertical portion 51 in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0035] As mentioned above, the bumper side portion 21 to which the fog lamp 3 is mounted is inclined towards the rear of the vehicle as it extends outward in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4, an object B1 in front of the vehicle is likely to come into contact with the outer portion of the bumper side portion 21 in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, in the vertical direction, the upper and lower ends of the vertical portion 51 are positioned above and below the exposed opening 41, respectively, and the vertical portion 51 is positioned over a range that includes the entire front surface 3a in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the front end 51a of the vertical portion 51 is positioned in front of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction relative to the inner portion 432 between the outer end of the lamp bezel 4 in the vehicle width direction and the exposed opening 41. With this structure, the object B1 first comes into contact with the vertical portion 51, preventing the object B1 from coming into contact with the inner portion 432. In addition, the fog lamp 3 moves towards the rear of the vehicle due to the external force applied to the vertical portion 51 by the object B1. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the opening edge 41a from coming into contact with the front surface 3a of the fog lamp 3.

[0036] As shown in Figure 4, the outer portion 431 of the lamp bezel 4 is more gently curved than the vertical portion 51. This creates a space in the vehicle's longitudinal direction between the outer portion 431 and the vertical portion 51, forming a closed structure when viewed from one side in the vertical direction. Similarly, a space in the vehicle's longitudinal direction is also created between the upper portion and the horizontal portion 52 of the lamp bezel 4, forming a closed structure when viewed from one side in the vehicle's width direction. This creates a three-dimensional structure that is stronger against external forces from the front of the vehicle.

[0037] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the inner rib 282 extends forward of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle beyond the front end 51a of the longitudinal portion 51, and the front end of the inner rib 282 is located in front of the front end 51a in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The front end of the left side portion 44 of the lamp bezel 4 is located in front of the front end of the inner rib 282.

[0038] With this structure, the object B2 in front of the bumper side portion 21 contacts the front end 51a of the longitudinal portion 51 and the front end of the left side portion 44, which are located in front of the vehicle relative to the front end 432a of the inner portion 432, thus preventing the object B2 from contacting the inner portion 432. Furthermore, the movement of the left side portion 44 toward the rear of the vehicle is restricted by the inner rib 282. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the opening edge 41a from contacting the front surface 3a of the fog lamp 3.

[0039] As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the outer rib 281 and the inner rib 282 are positioned opposite each other with respect to the center 3a1 of the front surface 3a of the fog lamp 3 when viewed from the front of the vehicle. The center 3a1 is, for example, the area center (geometric center or centroid) of the front surface 3a. In other words, when viewed from the front of the vehicle, the outer rib 281, the inner rib 282, and the center 3a1 are aligned in a line along a virtual straight line C passing through the center 3a1. In this embodiment, the outer rib 281 and the inner rib 282 correspond to the "pair of opposing ribs" according to the present invention.

[0040] Such arrangement of the outer rib 281 and inner rib 282 (a pair of opposing ribs) more effectively restricts the movement of the opening edge 41a toward the rear of the vehicle and more reliably prevents the opening edge 41a from contacting the front surface 3a of the fog lamp 3. In addition to the outer rib 281 and inner rib 282, which are a pair of opposing ribs, the restricting rib 28 may further include other ribs that are not positioned on a virtual straight line C.

[0041] Figure 5 is a front view of the right bumper side 21 of the front bumper 2 in a modified example, illustrating another preferred configuration of the regulating rib 28, with the lamp bezel 4 and decorative member 5 removed. As shown in Figure 5, the regulating rib 28 may include three or more peripheral ribs 283 arranged around the insertion hole 24 instead of a pair of opposing ribs (281, 282). The three or more peripheral ribs 283 are arranged to surround the center 3a1 of the front surface 3a. In other words, the three or more peripheral ribs 283 are arranged such that the center 3a1 is located inside a virtual polygon D with the three or more peripheral ribs 283 as its vertices in a front view of the vehicle. In the illustrated example, there are three protruding peripheral ribs 283, and the center 3a1 is located inside a virtual triangle (D) with the three peripheral ribs 283 as its vertices. The number of peripheral ribs 283 may be four or more. This arrangement of the peripheral ribs 283, as with a pair of opposing ribs (281, 282), more effectively restricts the movement of the opening edge 41a toward the rear of the vehicle and more reliably prevents contact between the opening edge 41a and the front surface 3a of the fog lamp 3.

[0042] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and further modifications and changes are possible based on the technical concept of the present invention.

[0043] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the decorative member 5 is generally L-shaped with a vertical portion 51 and a horizontal portion 52, but the shape of the decorative member 5 is not limited to this, and may be other shapes having a vertical portion 51. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the vehicle front structure 1 is equipped with the decorative member 5, but it is not necessarily required to be equipped with the decorative member 5.

[0044] In the embodiment described above, the regulating rib 28 includes an outer rib 281 and an inner rib 282 that constitute a pair of opposing ribs, but the configuration of the regulating rib 28 is not limited thereto. For example, the outer rib 281 and the inner rib 282 may be positioned at locations other than those that face each other across the center 3a1 of the front surface 3a. That is, the outer rib 281 may be positioned at any location on the rear of the vehicle on the vertical section 51, and the inner rib 282 may be positioned at any location inward in the vehicle width direction of the insertion hole 24. In addition, the regulating rib 28 may include, instead of or in addition to, the outer rib 281 and the inner rib 282, a pair of opposing ribs positioned across the exposed opening 41, in which case the pair of opposing ribs may be positioned in any direction that faces each other across the center 3a1 (for example, above and below the exposed opening 41). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0045] 1. Front structure of the vehicle 2 Front bumper 21 Bumper side 22 Grill 22a Plate support section 23 Lower Section 24 Through hole 25 recesses 25a bottom 26 Opening 27 Engagement holes 28 Regulatory Ribs 281 Outer rib (opposing rib) 282 Inner rib (opposing rib) 283 Peripheral Ribs 3 Fog lights 3a front 3a1 Front center 31 Outer Lenses 4 Lamp bezel 41 Exposed mouth 41a Opening edge 42 Aperture 43 Right side 43a Groove (outer end of the lamp bezel in the vehicle width direction) 431 Outer portion (outer end of the lamp bezel in the vehicle width direction) 432 Inner part 44 Left side 5. Decorative components 51 Vertical section 51a front end 52 Side view B1,B2 Object C Virtual Line D Virtual Polygon

Claims

1. A front vehicle structure comprising a front bumper and fog lamps located at the front of the vehicle, The fog lamp is inserted in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle through an insertion hole opened in the front bumper and is fixed to the front bumper. The aforementioned front vehicle structure further comprises a frame-shaped lamp bezel that bulges forward of the vehicle and covers the area around the insertion hole of the front bumper from the front of the vehicle. The lamp bezel has an opening that exposes the front of the fog lamp, and the opening edge of the lamp bezel is positioned at a distance from the front of the vehicle. The front vehicle structure is characterized in that a restricting rib is provided in the peripheral portion of the insertion hole, protruding toward the lamp bezel and restricting the movement of the lamp bezel toward the rear of the vehicle relative to the front bumper.

2. The aforementioned vehicle front structure further includes a decorative member that covers a portion of the lamp bezel from the front of the vehicle, The decorative member extends vertically and has a vertical portion that covers the outer end of the lamp bezel in the vehicle width direction, the upper end of the vertical portion being positioned above the exposure opening, and the lower end of the vertical portion being positioned below the exposure opening. The aforementioned restricting rib includes an outer rib located at the rear of the vehicle in the longitudinal section. The front end of the vertical portion is positioned in front of the vehicle with respect to the portion of the lamp bezel located between the outer end in the vehicle width direction and the exposed opening, as described in claim 1.

3. The regulating rib further includes an inner rib positioned inward in the vehicle width direction of the insertion hole, The front vehicle structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the inner rib extends forward of the vehicle beyond the front end of the decorative member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

4. The regulating rib includes a pair of opposing ribs arranged across the through hole, The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the pair of opposing ribs are positioned opposite each other with respect to the center of the front surface of the fog lamp when viewed from the front of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the regulating rib includes three or more peripheral ribs arranged around the insertion hole so as to surround the center of the front surface of the fog lamp.

Images