Vehicle frame structure

Abstract

In a vehicle frame structure in which the front frame of the vehicle is formed by casting, the objective is to obtain a vehicle frame structure that can suppress the detachment of the front pillar during a vehicle collision. [Solution] The vehicle frame structure includes a front frame body 10 integrally formed by casting, which includes a dash portion 12 located at the front of the vehicle and extending in the vehicle width direction, and a front side member portion 14 extending forward from the dash portion 12; a front pillar 20 formed separately from the front frame body 10 and attached to the rear end of the front frame body 10 and extending in the vehicle vertical direction; and a connecting member 24 located on the outside of the front frame body 10 in the vehicle width direction and connecting the front frame body 10 and the front pillar 14.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle skeletal structure.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a structure constituted by a die-cast part in which the skeleton of the front part of a vehicle is integrally formed by casting.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a structure in which the skeleton of the front part of a vehicle is integrally formed by casting as in the structure described in Patent Document 1, when the tire retreats during a vehicle collision, the front pillar may detach from the cast skeleton, and there is room for improvement.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to obtain a vehicle skeletal structure capable of suppressing detachment of a front pillar during a vehicle collision in a structure in which the skeleton of the front part of a vehicle is formed by casting.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The vehicle skeletal structure according to claim 1 includes a dash part disposed at the front part of the vehicle and extending in the vehicle width direction, a front side member part extending from the dash part toward the front side of the vehicle, and a front skeletal main body integrally formed by casting including these, a front pillar formed separately from the front skeletal main body and attached to the rear end part of the front skeletal main body and extending in the vehicle vertical direction, and a connecting member disposed outside the front skeletal main body in the vehicle width direction and connecting the front skeletal main body and the front pillar.

[0007] In the vehicle frame structure according to claim 1, the front frame body is integrally formed by casting, including the dash portion and the front side member portion. The front pillar is formed separately from the front frame body and is attached to the rear end of the front frame body, extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, a connecting member is arranged on the outer side of the front frame body in the vehicle width direction, and the front frame body and the front pillar are connected by the connecting member. This prevents the front pillar from detaching even if the tire moves backward during a vehicle collision.

[0008] The vehicle frame structure according to claim 2 is configured in claim 1, wherein the front pillar includes a pillar inner panel located on the inside in the vehicle width direction and a pillar outer panel located on the outside in the vehicle width direction, and the connecting member extends to the outer surface of the pillar outer panel in the vehicle width direction.

[0009] In the vehicle frame structure according to claim 2, the connecting member extends to the outer surface of the pillar outer panel in the vehicle width direction, thereby effectively suppressing the detachment of the front pillar.

[0010] The vehicle frame structure according to claim 3 is as described in claim 1, wherein the front end of a rocker extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is connected to the lower end of the front pillar, the rocker is positioned below the front frame body of the vehicle, and the battery is provided inward in the vehicle width direction from the rocker.

[0011] In the vehicle frame structure according to claim 3, collision loads can be transmitted from the front frame body to the rocker via the front pillar. Furthermore, since the rocker is positioned lower than the front frame body and the battery is located inside the rocker in the vehicle width direction, a wider interior space can be secured even with the battery installed, compared to when the rocker is at the same height as the front frame body. Note that the phrase "the rocker is positioned lower than the front frame body" is not limited to a configuration where the entire rocker is positioned lower than the front frame body, but broadly includes a configuration where the lower end of the rocker is positioned lower than the front frame body. In other words, it includes a configuration where the upper part of the rocker and the front frame body overlap when viewed from the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0012] The vehicle frame structure according to claim 4 is characterized in that, in claim 3, the connecting member extends to the rocker.

[0013] In the vehicle frame structure according to claim 4, the front frame body, front pillar, and rocker are connected by a connecting member, thus improving the effect of suppressing the detachment of the front pillar compared to a structure in which the connecting member does not extend to the rocker.

[0014] The vehicle frame structure according to claim 5 is as described in claim 3, wherein the front frame body includes an extension portion extending downward from the dash portion, and the extension portion extends in the vehicle width direction and is connected to the front end of the rocker.

[0015] In the vehicle frame structure according to claim 5, since the extension is connected to the front end of the rocker, the extension can function as a cross member of the battery case. As a result, the number of parts in the battery case can be reduced. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] As described above, according to the vehicle frame structure of the present invention, in a structure in which the frame of the front of the vehicle is formed by casting, it is possible to suppress the detachment of the front pillar during a vehicle collision. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing the main part of the vehicle skeleton structure according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a side view showing the main part of the vehicle skeleton structure according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] It is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an enlarged state of the cut along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is a side view showing the main part of the vehicle skeleton structure according to the first modification example. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view showing the main part of the vehicle skeleton structure according to the second modification example.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] The vehicle skeleton structure according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the main part of the vehicle skeleton structure according to the embodiment. In the figure, the arrows FR, UP, RH, and LH indicate the vehicle front direction, vehicle upward direction, vehicle right direction, and vehicle left direction in the vehicle, respectively. In the following description, when the front-rear, up-down, and left-right directions are used without special mention, the front-rear in the vehicle front-rear direction, the up-down in the vehicle up-down direction, and the left-right in the vehicle left-right direction (width direction) are respectively indicated.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the front skeleton main body 10 constituting the vehicle skeleton structure is a component arranged at the front part of the vehicle and is formed by casting. The front skeleton main body 10 of the present embodiment is a die-cast component mainly composed of an aluminum alloy integrally formed by casting including a dash part 12, a front side member part 14, and a suspension tower part 16.

[0021] The dash part 12 extends in the vehicle width direction and constitutes a part of a member partitioning the passenger compartment space and the outside of the vehicle (power unit room).

[0022] Front side member sections 14 extend from both ends of the dash section 12 in the vehicle width direction toward the front of the vehicle. A suspension tower section 16 is provided above the front side member sections 14. Similar to the front side member sections 14, a pair of suspension tower sections 16 are provided on the left and right sides, each bulging upwards toward the vehicle to support the illustrated suspension.

[0023] A roughly rectangular cylindrical connecting portion 18 is provided at the front end of the front side member portion 14. The rear end of the connecting portion 18 is fixed to the front side member portion 14, and a frame (not shown) is connected to the front end of the connecting portion 18. A bumper reinforcement extending in the vehicle width direction is attached to the frame.

[0024] The front side member portion 14 is formed in an open cross-sectional shape with an opening on one side in the vehicle width direction, and multiple ribs are provided within the cross-section of the front side member portion 14.

[0025] A front pillar 20 is positioned on the rear side of the front frame body 10. The front pillar 20 is formed separately from the front frame body 10 and extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle. In this embodiment, as an example, it is composed of two steel plates. Details of the front pillar 20 will be described later.

[0026] Figure 2 is a side view showing the main parts of the vehicle frame structure according to the embodiment. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the front end of a rocker 22 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is connected to the lower end of the front pillar 20.

[0027] The rockers 22 are provided in pairs, one on each side, and each extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, the rockers 22 are positioned below the front frame body 10. Specifically, the upper part of the rocker 22 is at the same height as the lower part of the front frame body 10, and the lower end of the rocker 22 is positioned below the lower end of the front frame body 10.

[0028] Furthermore, a battery BT is positioned between the pair of left and right rockers 22. The battery BT stores power to be supplied to a motor (not shown), which is the drive source of the vehicle, and the vehicle is driven when power is supplied from the battery BT to the motor.

[0029] Above the battery BT, a space inside the vehicle is formed. The top surface of the battery case protecting the battery BT may function as a floor panel, or a separate floor panel may be provided.

[0030] Here, the front frame body 10 and the front pillar 20 are connected in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle by a connecting member 24. The connecting member 24 is positioned on the outside of the front frame body 10 in the vehicle width direction and is formed of a substantially plate-shaped member.

[0031] The connecting member 24 mainly consists of a front curved portion 24A attached to the front side member portion 14 and a rear flat portion 24B attached to the front pillar 20. The front curved portion 24A is curved to conform to the shape of the rear of the front side member portion 14.

[0032] Specifically, the front curved portion 24A is curved so as to bulge inward in the vehicle width direction and is fastened to the rear end of the front side member portion 14 by fasteners (not shown). As a result, the front curved portion 24A covers a portion of the opening at the rear of the front side member portion 14 from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0033] Furthermore, the rear flat portion 24B extends from the rear end of the front curved portion 24A toward the rear of the vehicle and is formed in a substantially flat shape. Here, as shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, as an example, the portion of the connecting member 24 between the front curved portion 24A and the rear flat portion 24B is inclined toward the downward side of the vehicle as it moves from the front side of the vehicle toward the downward side of the vehicle, but it is not limited to this. That is, the front curved portion 24A and the rear flat portion 24B may extend to the same height.

[0034] The rear flat plate portion 24B is fastened to the front pillar 20 by fasteners (not shown) while overlapping with the outer surface in the vehicle width direction. The method of fastening the connecting member 24 to the front side member portion 14 and the front pillar 20 is not particularly limited. For example, it may be fastened using bolts, nuts, rivets, and clips. Alternatively, the connecting member 24 may be fixed to the front side member portion 14 and the front pillar 20 by other means, such as welding.

[0035] Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the state when cut along line 3-3 in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 3, the front pillar 20 is composed of a pillar inner panel 32 located on the inside in the vehicle width direction and a pillar outer panel 34 located on the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0036] The pillar inner panel 32 includes an inner body 32A formed in a substantially U-shape in cross-section, which is open to the outside in the vehicle width direction. In addition, an inner front flange 32B extends from the front end of the inner body 32A toward the front of the vehicle, and an inner rear flange 32C extends from the rear end of the inner body 32A toward the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, the pillar inner panel 32 is formed in a substantially hat shape in cross-section when viewed from above the vehicle.

[0037] The pillar outer panel 34 includes an outer body 34A formed in a substantially U-shape in cross-section that is open to the inside in the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, an outer side front flange 34B extends from the front end of the outer body 34A toward the front of the vehicle, and an outer side rear flange 34C extends from the rear end of the outer body 34A toward the rear of the vehicle. As a result, the pillar outer panel 34 is formed in a substantially hat shape in cross-section when viewed from above the vehicle.

[0038] The inner front flange 32B of the pillar inner panel 32 and the outer front flange 34B of the pillar outer panel 34 are joined by welding or other means while overlapping. Similarly, the inner rear flange 32C of the pillar inner panel 32 and the outer rear flange 34C of the pillar outer panel 34 are joined by welding or other means while overlapping. In this way, the front pillar 20 has a closed cross-section structure and is attached to the front frame body 10 by bolts, nuts, rivets, clips, etc.

[0039] Here, the connecting member 24 extends to the outer surface in the vehicle width direction of the pillar outer panel 34 on the front pillar 20, that is, to the outer body 34A, and is fastened to the outer body 34A.

[0040] (action) Next, the operation of the vehicle frame structure according to this embodiment will be explained.

[0041] As shown in Figure 1, in the vehicle frame structure according to this embodiment, the front frame body 10 is integrally formed by casting, including the dash portion 12 and the front side member portion 14. The front pillar 20 is formed separately from the front frame body 10 and is attached to the rear end of the front frame body 10, extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0042] Furthermore, a connecting member 24 is positioned on the outer side of the front frame body 10 in the vehicle width direction, and the front frame body 10 and the front pillar 20 are connected by the connecting member 24. This prevents the front pillar from detaching even if the tire moves backward during a vehicle collision.

[0043] In other words, as shown in Figure 3, when the front wheel FT is positioned on the front side of the front pillar 20, even if the front wheel FT moves backward during a vehicle collision, the front wheel FT does not directly contact the front pillar 20, but instead contacts the connecting member 24. This ensures that the fastening between the front pillar 20 and the front frame body 10 is maintained in good condition.

[0044] In particular, as in this embodiment, by curving the front curved portion 24A of the connecting member 24 along the front side member portion 14, the retracted front wheel FT comes into contact with the front curved portion 24A and its orientation is changed. This suppresses the input of load from the front wheel FT to the fixing portion between the front pillar 20 and the front frame body 10.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the connecting member 24 extends to the outer surface of the pillar outer panel 34 in the vehicle width direction, the detachment of the front pillar 20 can be effectively suppressed.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the rocker 22 is connected to the lower end of the front pillar 20, so that the collision load can be transmitted from the front frame body 10 to the rocker 22 via the front pillar 20. Also, since the rocker 22 is positioned lower than the front frame body 10 and the battery BT is provided on the inside of the rocker 22 in the vehicle width direction, a wider interior space can be secured even with the battery BT installed, compared to when the rocker 22 is at the same height as the front frame body 10.

[0047] In this embodiment, the connecting member 24 extends from the front side member portion 14 to the front pillar 20, but the structure is not limited to this. For example, the structure of the first modified example shown in Figure 4 may be adopted. Also, in this embodiment, the front end of the rocker 22 is directly connected to the lower end of the front pillar 20, but the structure is not limited to this. For example, the structure of the second modified example shown in Figure 5 may be adopted.

[0048] (First variation) Figure 4 is a side view showing the main parts of the vehicle frame structure according to the first modified example. As shown in Figure 4, this modified example has the same configuration as the embodiment except for the connecting member 42.

[0049] In this modified example, the connecting member 42 is positioned on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the front frame body 10 and is formed of a substantially plate-shaped member.

[0050] The connecting member 42 mainly consists of a front curved portion 42A attached to the front side member portion 14, a rear flat plate portion 42B attached to the rocker 22, and a connecting portion 42C that connects the front curved portion 42A and the rear flat plate portion 42B.

[0051] The front curved portion 42A is curved to conform to the shape of the rear of the front side member portion 14. That is, the front curved portion 42A is curved to bulge inward in the vehicle width direction and is fastened to the rear end of the front side member portion 14 by fasteners (not shown). As a result, the front curved portion 42A covers a portion of the opening at the rear of the front side member portion 14 from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0052] Furthermore, the rear flat portion 42B is positioned lower on the vehicle than the front curved portion 42A, and is fastened to the outer surface of the rocker 22 in the vehicle width direction by fasteners (not shown).

[0053] The connecting portion 42C is located between the front curved portion 42A and the rear flat portion 42B, and is formed in a roughly trapezoidal shape such that, when viewed from the vehicle width direction, the length in the vertical direction is shorter on the rear side of the vehicle than on the front side. The front end of the connecting portion 42C is connected to the front curved portion 42A, and the rear end of the connecting portion 42C is connected to the rear flat portion 42B.

[0054] Thus, in this modified example, the connecting member 42 extends to the rocker 22, and the front frame body 10, the front pillar 20, and the rocker 22 are connected by the connecting member 42. Compared to a structure in which the connecting member does not extend to the rocker, the effect of preventing the front pillar 20 from detaching can be improved.

[0055] (Second variation) Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the vehicle frame structure according to the second modified example. As shown in Figure 5, in this modified example, the front frame body 10 is provided with an extension 52 that extends downward from the dash portion 12.

[0056] The extension 52 extends in the vehicle width direction, spanning from one rocker 22 to the other rocker 22. The extension 52 is also connected to the front end of the rocker 22.

[0057] Here, the extension 52 also serves as the cross member at the front end of the battery case (not shown). Therefore, in this modified example, the number of parts in the battery case can be reduced. The extension 52 may be formed integrally with the dash portion 12 by casting, or it may be formed as a separate closed-section structure from steel plate or the like.

[0058] The vehicle frame structure according to the present invention has been described above, but it goes without saying that it can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a connecting member 24 is attached to the rear of the front side member portion 14, but it is not limited to this. For example, the connecting member may be extended toward the front of the vehicle, and the entire curved area of ​​the front side member portion 14 may be covered with the connecting member. In this case, the rear of the front side member portion 14 is covered with the connecting member, forming a closed cross-sectional structure, which improves load-bearing capacity.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a substantially rectangular cylindrical connecting portion 18 is provided at the front end of the front side member portion 14, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the area up to the connecting portion 18 may be integrally formed by casting. In this case, the portion corresponding to the connecting portion will have an open cross-sectional shape, similar to the front side member portion 14. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0060] 10 Anterior skeletal body 12 Dash section 14 Front side member section 20 Front Pillar 22 Rocka 24 Connecting member 32 Pillar Inner Panel 34 Pillar Outer Panel 42 Connecting member 52 Extension BT Battery

Claims

1. A front frame body integrally formed by casting, including a dash portion located at the front of the vehicle and extending in the vehicle width direction, and a front side member portion extending from the dash portion toward the front of the vehicle, A front pillar is formed separately from the aforementioned front frame body and is attached to the rear end of the aforementioned front frame body, extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle. A connecting member is positioned on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the front frame body and connects the front frame body and the front pillar, A vehicle frame structure having the following characteristics.

2. The aforementioned front pillar is composed of a pillar inner panel located on the inside in the vehicle width direction and a pillar outer panel located on the outside in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle frame structure according to claim 1, wherein the connecting member extends to the outer surface of the pillar outer panel in the vehicle width direction.

3. The front end of a rocker extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is connected to the lower end of the aforementioned front pillar. The rocker is positioned below the front frame body of the vehicle. The vehicle frame structure according to claim 1, wherein the battery is provided inward in the vehicle width direction from the rocker.

4. The vehicle frame structure according to claim 3, wherein the connecting member extends to the rocker.

5. The aforementioned front frame body includes an extension that extends downward from the dash section, The vehicle frame structure according to claim 3, wherein the extension extends in the vehicle width direction and is connected to the front end of the rocker.

Images