Body structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle body structure which secures a sufficient backward stroke amount of a power train during a front collision while securing rigidity of a front vehicle body during a normal operation and improving operation stability and maneuverability of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A dash panel 3 is provided with an expansion part 30 expanding to the vehicle rear. A reinforcement member 40 is fixed to an inner surface of the expansion part 30. A rear end wall part 32 of the expansion part 30 is positioned at the vehicle rear relative to a center part as seen in a vehicle width direction in a rear end part of a cowl panel 8.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle body structure, and more particularly to a technical field of a structure equipped with a dash panel. [Background technology]

[0002] An engine room in which an engine is stored is provided in the front of an automobile, and this engine room is separated from the passenger compartment by a dash panel that extends in the vertical and width directions of the vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In Patent Document 1, a bulging portion that bulges out toward the inside of the passenger compartment (rear of the vehicle) is formed in the center of the dash panel in the vehicle width direction. An air conditioning unit is disposed on the vehicle rear side of this bulging portion, and a crash space is provided between the bulging portion and the air conditioning unit. A load absorbing member that absorbs a load in the front-rear direction during a frontal collision is disposed in the crash space. The load absorbing member has a deformation member and a base plate that extends in the vertical direction, and the upper end of this base plate is joined to the cowl panel, while the lower end is joined near the rearmost end of the bulging portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2004-74909 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] During a frontal collision, a rearward load is applied to the powertrain housed in the engine compartment. In order to effectively absorb the impact load, there is a demand for the powertrain to have a sufficient rearward stroke.

[0006] However, there are cases where it is desired to shorten the overall length of the vehicle bonnet due to requirements for vehicle layout, design, and driving performance. A shorter overall length of the bonnet means a shorter dimension of the engine room in the front-rear direction, which is a negative factor in ensuring the amount of rearward stroke of the powertrain during a frontal collision.

[0007] In this regard, in Patent Document 1, a crash space is provided between the bulge and the air conditioning unit. However, the rear end wall of the bulge is located near the front end of the cowl panel, and the base plate constituting the rear end of the load absorbing member is located forward of the rear end of the cowl panel. In other words, the amount of rearward bulging of the bulge is small, and the position of the rear end of the load absorbing member is generally closer to the front, so it is possible that the rearward stroke of the powertrain may not be sufficient, especially when it is desired to shorten the overall length of the bonnet.

[0008] Also, for example, in the case of a front-engine, rear-drive vehicle, the dimension from the bottom edge of the windshield to the front edge of the bonnet becomes long, which is disadvantageous in terms of ensuring the rigidity of the front body. In particular, if the rearward bulge of the bulging portion is increased in an attempt to ensure the backward stroke of the powertrain in the event of a frontal collision, the rigidity of the dash panel decreases, and the dash panel becomes more susceptible to deformation caused by external forces during driving, such that the right and left sides of the bulging portion open up, which may ultimately cause a decrease in the vehicle's handling stability and maneuverability.

[0009] The above-mentioned problem is not limited to vehicles in which the engine is mounted at the front of the vehicle compartment, but is also present in vehicles in which, for example, a traction motor or the like is mounted at the front of the vehicle compartment.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and its object is to improve the vehicle's handling stability and driving performance by ensuring the rigidity of the front body during normal driving, while improving the safety of occupants by ensuring a sufficient backward stroke amount of the powertrain in the event of a frontal collision. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, one On the side, it can be assumed that the body structure of a vehicle includes a passenger compartment, a dash panel that separates the passenger compartment from a power compartment that is located at the front of the passenger compartment and stores the powertrain in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and a cowl panel that is located above the dash panel and extends in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle body structure includes a pair of left and right hinge pillars arranged to extend vertically at both ends of the dash panel in the vehicle width direction, and an instrument panel member fixed to at least one of the hinge pillars and extending at least to the center of the vehicle width direction. The dash panel is provided with a bulging portion in which a central portion in a vehicle width direction bulges toward the rear of the vehicle, and the dash panel is provided with a reinforcing member that is provided toward the front of the vehicle from a rear end wall portion located at the vehicle rear end of the bulging portion and fixed to an inner surface of the bulging portion, and the rear end wall portion of the bulging portion is positioned rearward of the rear end of the cowl panel in the vehicle width direction central portion. The upper wall portion of the bulging portion is positioned below the lower end portion of the instrument panel member. is.

[0012] With this configuration, the rear end wall portion of the bulge portion of the dash panel is positioned further rearward than the rear end portion of the cowl panel at the center of the vehicle width direction, so that the amount of bulge of the bulge portion toward the rear of the vehicle is increased, making it possible to ensure a large amount of retreat of the powertrain in the event of a frontal collision.

[0013] As the bulge amount of the bulging portion increases, there is a concern that the rigidity of the dash panel will decrease, but in this configuration, the reinforcing member for reinforcing the dash panel is fixed to the inner surface of the bulging portion and is located away from the rear end wall of the bulging portion toward the front of the vehicle, so the reinforcing effect of the dash panel is increased. Therefore, even if the bulge amount of the bulging portion increases to ensure a large amount of rearward movement of the powertrain, the rigidity of the dash panel increases, improving the handling stability and driving performance of the vehicle.

[0014] AlsoIf the instrument panel member and the upper wall of the bulge were in a positional relationship where they overlap when viewed in the vehicle front-rear direction, the bulge cannot bulge farther toward the rear of the vehicle, which may result in a reduced amount of rearward movement of the powertrain. In contrast, in this configuration, the upper wall of the bulge is positioned lower than the lower end of the instrument panel member, so the bulge can bulge farther toward the rear regardless of the position of the instrument panel member. This allows a large amount of rearward movement of the powertrain to be secured.

[0015] Also The rear end wall portion of the bulging portion is positioned rearward of the vehicle front end portion of the instrument panel member.

[0016] In other words, since the instrument panel member is a highly rigid member, depending on its height, there is a risk that it may hinder the powertrain from moving backward. In this configuration, since the rear end wall portion of the bulging portion is located further rearward than the vehicle front end portion of the instrument panel member, the amount of rearward bulging of the bulging portion can be increased, thereby ensuring a large amount of rearward movement of the powertrain.

[0017] Also The reinforcing member extends in the vehicle width direction, with its left end portion in the vehicle width direction being fixed to the inner surface of the left side wall portion of the bulge portion in the vehicle width direction, and its right end portion in the vehicle width direction being fixed to the inner surface of the right side wall portion of the bulge portion in the vehicle width direction.

[0018] According to this configuration, the left side wall and the right side wall of the bulging portion are connected by the reinforcing member, so that the rigidity of the dash panel can be further increased.

[0019] Also The reinforcing member has a fixing portion attached to the inner surface of the bulge, and the fixing portion has a notch formed therein that opens toward the front of the vehicle, and the fixing portion is fastened to the bulge by a fastening member inserted into the notch.

[0020] According to this configuration, the reinforcing member is firmly fixed to the bulging portion by fastening members such as bolts, rivets, and screws inserted into the notches, so that the rigidity of the dash panel during normal driving can be sufficiently ensured. On the other hand, when the powertrain moves backward during a frontal collision, the powertrain abuts against the reinforcing member, and the reinforcing member is pushed toward the rear of the vehicle. Since the backward force of the powertrain is extremely large, the reinforcing member tries to displace toward the rear of the vehicle relative to the bulging portion. At this time, since the fastening member is located within the notch that opens toward the front, it can move relatively through this open portion, so that the reinforcing member can move backward relative to the bulging portion without releasing the fastening force of the fastening member. Therefore, a large backward stroke of the powertrain can be ensured.

[0021] Also The reinforcing member is provided with a deformation inducing portion that induces bending deformation when a load is applied to the rear of the vehicle.

[0022] According to this configuration, when the powertrain retracts and comes into contact with the reinforcing member during a forward collision and the reinforcing member is subjected to a load toward the rear of the vehicle, the deformation-inducing portion induces bending deformation of the reinforcing member, making it less likely that the reinforcing member will hinder the backward movement of the powertrain, thereby ensuring a large backward stroke amount for the powertrain.

[0023] Also The deformation inducing portion is composed of at least one of a through hole penetrating the reinforcing member and a deformation portion formed by deforming the reinforcing member into a bead shape.

[0024] According to this configuration, the reinforcing member can be deformed reliably.

[0025] Also The reinforcing member is provided with a breakage inducement portion that induces breakage when a load is applied to the rear of the vehicle.

[0026] According to this configuration, when the powertrain retracts and abuts against the reinforcing member during a forward collision and the reinforcing member is subjected to a load toward the rear of the vehicle, the breakage inducing portion induces breakage of the reinforcing member, making it less likely that the reinforcing member will hinder the backward movement of the powertrain, thereby ensuring a large backward stroke length for the powertrain.

[0027] Also Since the breakage inducing portion is formed of a through hole penetrating the reinforcing member, breakage can be reliably induced. Effect of the Invention

[0028] As described above, the reinforcing member, which is located away from the rear end wall portion of the bulge portion of the dash panel toward the front of the vehicle, is fixed to the inner surface of the bulge portion, so that the front body rigidity during normal driving can be ensured and the vehicle handling stability and driving performance can be improved, and since the rear end wall portion of the bulge portion is positioned further rearward than the rear end portion of the cowl panel in the vehicle width central portion, a sufficient backward stroke amount of the powertrain can be ensured in the event of a frontal collision, improving the safety of occupants. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle body structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from above; [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a dash panel and a floor panel of the vehicle body structure. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a view equivalent to FIG. 1, illustrating an example in which an instrument panel member is provided only on the driver's seat side. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] 8 is a view equivalent to FIG. 7 and showing another example of the fixing structure of the reinforcing member. [Figure 9]3A and 3B are views showing another example of the fixing structure of the reinforcing member. [Figure 10] 8 is a view equivalent to FIG. 7 and shows an example in which a deformation inducing portion is provided in a reinforcing member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0031] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle body structure 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the vehicle body structure 1. The vehicle body structure 1 is a vehicle body structure that can be applied to an automobile such as a passenger car. The automobile may be a front engine rear drive automobile (hereinafter referred to as an FR automobile) in which the rear wheels are driven by an engine or a driving motor mounted on the front part of the vehicle body, or a front engine front drive automobile (hereinafter referred to as an FF automobile) in which the front wheels are driven by an engine or a driving motor mounted on the front part of the vehicle body. In addition to the FR automobile and the FF automobile, the automobile may be a four-wheel drive automobile in which four wheels are driven by an engine mounted on the front part of the vehicle body. In the description of this embodiment, the front side of the vehicle is simply referred to as the "front", the rear side of the vehicle is simply referred to as the "rear", the right side of the vehicle is simply referred to as the "right", and the left side of the vehicle is simply referred to as the "left". The left-right direction of the vehicle is the vehicle width direction.

[0032] The vehicle body structure 1 includes a floor panel 2, a dash panel 3, a right side sill 4, and a left side sill 5 (shown only in FIG. 2). The floor panel 2 is a member that constitutes the bottom plate of the vehicle compartment, and is made of, for example, a steel plate, and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The space above the floor panel 2 is the vehicle compartment R. A roof (not shown) is provided at the upper part of the vehicle compartment R. In addition, doors (not shown) for getting in and out are provided on the right and left sides of the vehicle compartment R. The right side sill 4 and the left side sill 5 do not have to be members that constitute the vehicle body structure 1 of the present invention, and may be provided as necessary.

[0033] As shown by the imaginary line in Fig. 2, a driver's seat Dr is provided on the right side of the passenger compartment R (one side in the vehicle width direction), and a passenger seat Ps is provided on the left side of the passenger compartment R (the other side in the vehicle width direction). Conversely, the driver's seat Dr may be provided on the left side and the passenger seat Ps on the right side, in which case the present embodiment can be applied by being reversed left and right. Also, a rear seat may be provided behind the driver's seat Dr and the passenger seat Ps, or there may be no rear seat. The passenger compartment R may include a luggage compartment for carrying luggage, etc.

[0034] The right side sill 4 extends in the front-rear direction along the right edge of the floor panel 2. The left side sill 5 extends in the front-rear direction along the left edge of the floor panel 2. The passenger compartment R is located between the right side sill 4 and the left side sill 5. A floor tunnel portion 2a is formed in the left-right center of the floor panel 2 so as to bulge upward. The floor tunnel portion 2a extends in the front-rear direction continuously from the front edge to the rear edge of the floor panel 2.

[0035] A power room S that houses a power train PT (the outline of which is shown by imaginary lines in Figs. 2 to 4) is provided in front of the passenger compartment R. The power room S can also be called, for example, a power train storage room, an engine room, a motor room, etc. A member that separates the passenger compartment R from the power room S in the front-rear direction is the dash panel 3. The dash panel 3 extends in the left-right direction as well as in the up-down direction. As shown in Fig. 3, the lower portion of the dash panel 3 is inclined or curved so that it is positioned further rearward as it approaches the lower end, and the lower end of the dash panel 3 is connected to the front end of the floor panel 2. Therefore, the floor panel 2 is provided so as to extend rearward from the lower end of the dash panel 3.

[0036] The powertrain PT may be an internal combustion engine, a so-called rotary engine or a reciprocating engine, a traveling motor, or both the engine and the traveling motor. When the powertrain PT is equipped with a traveling motor, a power generating engine (part of the powertrain PT) may be housed in the power chamber S. When the powertrain PT is an engine, the crankshaft may be housed in the power chamber S with the crankshaft extending in the front-rear direction, or the crankshaft may be housed in the power chamber S with the crankshaft extending in the left-right direction. The engine may be an in-line multi-cylinder engine in which multiple cylinders are arranged in line in the axial direction of the crankshaft, or a V-type multi-cylinder engine in which multiple cylinders are arranged to form a V when viewed along the axial direction of the crankshaft. The engine may also be a horizontally opposed engine in which multiple cylinders are arranged to face each other in the horizontal direction across the crankshaft.

[0037] The powertrain PT may include a transmission (not shown). The transmission may be an automatic transmission or a CVT transmission in which the gear ratio is automatically changed by a control device mounted on the vehicle, or a manual transmission in which the gear ratio is changed by a passenger using an operating lever (not shown) provided in the passenger compartment R.

[0038] A bonnet hood (not shown) is provided above the power chamber S. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a right front side frame 6 is provided on the right side of the power chamber S, and a left front side frame 7 is provided on the left side of the power chamber S. The right front side frame 6 and the left front side frame 7 both extend in the front-rear direction, and a bumper reinforcement B extending in the left-right direction is attached to the front ends of the right front side frame 6 and the left front side frame 7. The right front side frame 6, the left front side frame 7, and the bumper reinforcement B can be members that constitute the vehicle body structure 1, but may also be members that are not included in the vehicle body structure 1.

[0039] The rear end of the right front side frame 6 is connected to a portion of the dash panel 3 that is more to the right than the center in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the rear end of the right front side frame 6 is branched into three portions: a horizontal portion 6a extending to the right along the dash panel 3, a lower portion 6b extending downward along the dash panel 3, and a rear portion 6c extending rearward along the inner surface of a bulging portion described later. The rear end of the left front side frame 7 is connected to a portion of the dash panel 3 that is more to the left than the center in the left-right direction. The rear end of the left front side frame 7 is branched into three portions: a horizontal portion 7a extending to the right along the dash panel 3, a lower portion 7b extending downward along the dash panel 3, and a rear portion 7c extending rearward along the inner surface of a bulging portion described later.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 3, a cowl panel 8 constituting a part of the body structure 1 is provided above the dash panel 3. The cowl panel 8 is made of a plate material and extends in the left-right direction. The cowl panel 8 includes a bottom plate portion 8a extending in the left-right direction as well as in the front-rear direction, a front plate portion 8b extending upward from a front end portion of the bottom plate portion 8a, and a rear plate portion 8c extending upward from a rear end portion of the bottom plate portion 8a. The upper end portion of the dash panel 3 is connected to the front portion of the bottom plate portion 8a.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 2, the rear end of the bottom plate portion 8a of the cowl panel 8 is curved greatly in plan view so that the center in the left-right direction is located at the front end and the right and left ends are located further back. Since the rear plate portion 8c extends upward from the rear end of the bottom plate portion 8a, the rear plate portion 8c is also curved greatly in plan view so that the center in the left-right direction is located at the front end and the right and left ends are located further back. Although not shown, the lower end of the front windshield is located directly above the rear plate portion 8c of the cowl panel 8. Therefore, most of the cowl panel 8 is located outside the vehicle compartment.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 4, the vehicle body structure 1 further includes a right hinge pillar 9 disposed so as to extend in the vertical direction at the right end of the dash panel 3, and a left hinge pillar 10 disposed so as to extend in the vertical direction at the left end of the dash panel 3. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the lower end of the right hinge pillar 9 is connected to the vicinity of the front end of the right side sill 4, and the right hinge pillar 9 extends from the vicinity of the front end of the right side sill 4 along the right end of the dash panel 3 to approximately the same height as the cowl panel 8. The right hinge pillar 9 is adapted to have a hinge fixed thereto that supports a right door disposed on the right side of the vehicle so as to be openable and closable. The lower end of a right front pillar 11 is connected to the upper end of the right hinge pillar 9. The lower end of the left hinge pillar 10 is connected to the vicinity of the front end of the left side sill 5, and the left hinge pillar 10 extends from the vicinity of the front end of the left side sill 5 along the left end of the dash panel 3 to approximately the same height as the cowl panel 8. A hinge that supports a left door arranged on the left side of the automobile so that it can be opened and closed is fixed to the left hinge pillar 10. As shown in Fig. 4, the lower end of the left front pillar 12 is connected to the upper end of the left hinge pillar 10.

[0043] (Instrument panel member) 1 and 2, the vehicle body structure 1 includes an instrument panel member 20. The instrument panel member 20 extends in the left-right direction from the upper end of the right hinge pillar 9 to the upper end of the left hinge pillar 10, and is configured as a hollow tubular member. The instrument panel member 20 is housed inside an instrument panel (not shown) provided at the front end of the vehicle interior R.

[0044] A right side bracket 21 is fixed to the right end of the instrument panel member 20, and this right side bracket 21 is fixed to the interior side of the vehicle compartment of the upper end of the right side hinge pillar 9. In addition, a left side bracket 22 is fixed to the left end of the instrument panel member 20, and this left side bracket 22 is fixed to the interior side of the vehicle compartment of the upper end of the left side hinge pillar 10. It should be noted that the right side bracket 21 and the left side bracket 22 may be omitted.

[0045] 2, a steering column ST is supported on the driver's seat Dr side of the instrument panel member 20. The steering column ST is a member for rotatably supporting a steering shaft (not shown).

[0046] As another example shown in FIG. 6, the instrument panel member 20 may be a member extending to the center in the vehicle width direction. In this example, the right end (one end) of the instrument panel member 20 is fixed to the upper end of the right hinge pillar 9 on the vehicle interior side, but the left end (the other end) of the instrument panel member 20 does not reach the left hinge pillar 10 and is located in the vehicle width direction center of the vehicle interior R. In addition, although not shown, when the driver's seat Dr is provided on the left side, the left end (one end) of the instrument panel member 20 may be fixed to the upper end of the left hinge pillar 10 on the vehicle interior side, and the right end (the other end) of the instrument panel member 20 may be located in the vehicle width direction center of the vehicle interior R. In other words, the instrument panel member 20 may be a member that is fixed to at least one of the left and right hinge pillars 9 and 10 and extends at least to the vehicle width direction center. The length of the instrument panel member 20 can be set arbitrarily, and may be longer or shorter than the length shown in FIG. 6.

[0047] (Bulging part of dash panel) As shown in FIG. 5, the dash panel 3 has a bulging portion 30 that bulges rearward from the center of the dash panel 3 in the left-right direction. The bulging portion 30 is composed of an upper wall portion 31, a rear end wall portion 32, a right side wall portion 33, and a left side wall portion 34. The bulging portion 30 is composed of a combination of multiple plate materials. Specifically, the rear end wall portion 32, the right side wall portion 33, and the left side wall portion 34 are integrally molded from a single plate material, but the upper wall portion 31 is composed of a plate material separate from the rear end wall portion 32, the right side wall portion 33, and the left side wall portion 34. The upper wall portion 31 can be integrated by joining it to the upper portions of the rear end wall portion 32, the right side wall portion 33, and the left side wall portion 34 after molding. The bulging portion 30 may be entirely composed of a single plate material, but since the amount of bulging rearward is increased as described later, it may be desirable to configure the bulging portion 30 by combining multiple plate materials in terms of molding.

[0048] The upper wall portion 31 of the bulging portion 30 extends in the front-rear and left-right directions, and is generally horizontal in this embodiment, but may be inclined or curved so as to be positioned lower as it approaches the rear end. The rear end wall portion 32 extends downward from the rear end of the upper wall portion 31 and also extends in the left-right direction. The rear end wall portion 32 is generally vertical in this embodiment, but may be inclined or curved so as to be positioned further rearward as it approaches the bottom. The right side wall portion 33 extends downward from the right end of the upper wall portion 31 and also extends in the front-rear direction. The left side wall portion 34 extends downward from the left end of the upper wall portion 31 and also extends in the front-rear direction. The left side wall portion 34 can be set so that the left-right distance between the right side wall portion 33 and the left side wall portion 34 becomes narrower as it approaches the rear.

[0049] The space between the lower parts of the right side wall portion 33 and the left side wall portion 34 of the bulging portion 30 is open downward. Also, the space between the front parts of the right side wall portion 33 and the left side wall portion 34 of the bulging portion 30 is open forward. The powertrain PT, which retreats during a frontal collision, enters the bulging portion 30 from the forward opening. Also, because the bulging portion 30 is open downward, even if the vertical dimension of the powertrain PT is longer than the vertical dimension of the bulging portion 30, the upper part of the powertrain PT enters the bulging portion 30 and the lower part of the powertrain PT protrudes downward from the bulging portion 30. As a result, the bulging portion 30 does not hinder the retreat of the powertrain PT.

[0050] 3, the upper wall portion 31 of the bulging portion 30 is located near the upper end portion of the dash panel 3, and therefore the bulging portion 30 is formed by bulging rearward from the upper end portion to the vertical middle portion of the dash panel 3. By positioning the upper wall portion 31 of the bulging portion 30 upward in this way, when the powertrain PT moves backward during a frontal collision, the upper rear portion of the powertrain PT can be placed inside the bulging portion 30, and a large amount of backward stroke of the powertrain PT can be secured.

[0051] In this specification, a "forward collision" includes not only a collision with an obstacle while the vehicle is moving forward, but also a collision with an obstacle from the front of a stopped vehicle. In addition, a "forward collision" in this specification refers to a collision in which a large impact load is applied from the front so as to move the powertrain PT backward, and can be distinguished from a so-called minor collision.

[0052] 3, the upper wall portion 31 of the bulging portion 30 is positioned lower than the lower end portion of the instrument panel member 20, and the instrument panel member 20 is disposed directly above the upper wall portion 31 of the bulging portion 30. The upper wall portion 31 of the bulging portion 30 and the lower end portion of the instrument panel member 20 may be disposed to face each other with a predetermined gap therebetween in the vertical direction, or the lower end portion of the instrument panel member 20 may be fixed to the upper wall portion 31 of the bulging portion 30. In the latter case, the portions of the instrument panel member 20 away from the left and right hinge pillars 9, 10 are fixed to the bulging portion 30.

[0053] 6 , a portion of the instrument panel member 20 away from the right hinge pillar 9 is fixed to the bulging portion 30. In addition, when the driver's seat Dr is provided on the left side, a portion of the instrument panel member 20 away from the left hinge pillar 10 is fixed to the bulging portion 30.

[0054] The dash panel 3 is constructed of a high-strength material since it is used to separate the passenger compartment R from the power compartment S. Since the bulging portion 30 is formed on this high-strength dash panel 3, the strength of the bulging portion 30 is also increased, and the bulging portion 30 is less likely to deform than at least the vertically long instrument panel member stays that have been generally used in the past. Since the instrument panel member 20 is fixed to the bulging portion 30, the conventional instrument panel member stays are no longer necessary, making it possible to reduce the weight of the vehicle, and the mounting rigidity of the instrument panel member 20 to the vehicle body is improved compared to a fixing structure using a conventional instrument panel member stay, and the amount of deformation of the instrument panel member 20 when subjected to various external forces while driving is reduced.

[0055] The structure for fixing the instrument panel member 20 to the bulging portion 30 may be a fastening structure using fastening members such as bolts, nuts, screws, rivets, etc. In this case, the instrument panel member 20 may be directly fixed to the upper wall portion 31 of the bulging portion 30, or a bracket may be interposed between the instrument panel member 20 and the upper wall portion 31. When a bracket is interposed, the distance between the instrument panel member 20 and the upper wall portion 31 is short, so that a long member such as a conventional instrument panel member stay does not need to be used. Also, a bracket may be welded to one of the instrument panel member 20 and the bulging portion 30 in advance, and the bracket may be fastened and fixed to the other.

[0056] Moreover, the instrument panel member 20 may be fixed to the rear end wall portion 32 of the bulging portion 30, or may be fixed to the right side wall portion 33, or may be fixed to the left side wall portion 34. The instrument panel member 20 may be fixed to the bulging portion 30 at one location or at multiple locations.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 1, the rear end wall 32 located at the vehicle rear end of the bulging portion 30 is positioned rearward of the rear end at the left-right center of the cowl panel 8. That is, the rear end of the cowl panel 8 is formed by the rear plate 8c, which is greatly curved in a plan view so that the left-right center is located at the front end and the right end and the left end are located further rearward. In a plan view, the rear end wall 32 of the bulging portion 30 is located rearward of the left-right center of the rear plate 8c. The fact that the rear end wall 32 of the bulging portion 30 is located rearward of the left-right center of the rear plate 8c means that the rear end wall 32 of the bulging portion 30 is located far back in the vehicle body structure 1 as a whole. The larger the amount of expansion of the bulging portion 30, i.e., the longer the dimension of the bulging portion 30 in the front-rear direction, the further rearward the rear end wall portion 32 will be located, and by using the left-right central portion of the rear plate portion 8c of the cowl panel 8 as a comparison reference and positioning the rear end wall portion 32 rearward of the left-right central portion of the rear plate portion 8c as in this embodiment, the amount of expansion of the bulging portion 30 can be increased. By increasing the amount of expansion of the bulging portion 30, a large amount of backward stroke of the powertrain PT can be ensured during the above-mentioned front collision.

[0058] In this embodiment, when the right and left ends of the rear plate portion 8c of the cowl panel 8 are used as the comparison object, the rear end wall portion 32 is located forward of the right and left ends of the rear plate portion 8c, but this is not limited thereto, and the rear end wall portion 32 may be positioned rearward of the right and left ends of the rear plate portion 8c.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 3, the rear end wall portion 32 of the bulging portion 30 extends in the vertical direction and in the horizontal direction, and is positioned rearward of the front end portion of the instrument panel member 20. As a result, the bulging portion 30 is greatly bulged out until it reaches the bottom of the instrument panel member 20. Here, the front end portion of the instrument panel member 20 can be defined as the front portion of the instrument panel member 20, and in the case of a cylindrical instrument panel member 20, it is the portion located most forward on the outer circumferential surface of the instrument panel member 20, which faces forward. In this embodiment, the rear end wall portion 32 of the bulging portion 30 is positioned forward of the rear end portion of the instrument panel member 20, but this is not limited thereto, and the rear end wall portion 32 of the bulging portion 30 may be positioned rearward of the rear end portion of the instrument panel member 20. The rear end portion of the instrument panel member 20 can be defined as the rear surface portion of the instrument panel member 20, and in the case of a cylindrical instrument panel member 20, it is the portion located most rearward on the outer circumferential surface of the instrument panel member 20, which faces backward.

[0060] As shown in Fig. 5, the lower part of the bulging part 30 is connected to the upper part of the floor tunnel part 2a. That is, the lower part of the rear end wall part 32 of the bulging part 30 is connected to and integrated with the upper wall part of the floor tunnel part 2a. In addition, the lower parts of the right side wall part 33 and the left side wall part 34 of the bulging part 30 are connected to and integrated with the upper parts of the right side wall part and the left side wall part of the floor tunnel part 2a.

[0061] As described above, the bulging portion 30 is formed in a wide range from the upper end to the middle portion in the vertical direction of the dash panel 3, and the amount of bulging toward the rear is increased. Furthermore, the width of the bulging portion 30 is widened so that the upper portion of the power train PT enters the bulging portion 30 during a front collision. If such a large bulging portion 30 is provided on the dash panel 3, the rigidity of the dash panel 3 decreases, and the dash panel 3 becomes easily deformed so that the right and left portions of the bulging portion 30 in the dash panel 3 open due to an external force during driving, which may cause a decrease in the steering stability and driving performance of the vehicle. In particular, in the case of an FR vehicle, the dimension from the lower end of the front window to the front end of the bonnet is long, which is disadvantageous in terms of ensuring the rigidity of the front body. In order to compensate for this decrease in rigidity of the dash panel 3, a reinforcing member 40 is provided in this embodiment as shown in FIG. 3 and the like.

[0062] (Structure of reinforcing member) The dash panel 3 of this embodiment includes the reinforcing member 40, which is also a component constituting a part of the vehicle body structure 1. The reinforcing member 40 is provided away forward from the rear end wall portion 32 of the bulging portion 30, and is fixed to the inner surface of the bulging portion 30. The reinforcing member 40 is positioned directly behind the upper rear portion of the powertrain PT. In other words, the height and lateral position of the reinforcing member 40 are set so that when the powertrain PT moves backward during a frontal collision, the upper rear portion of the powertrain PT reliably abuts against the reinforcing member 40.

[0063] 7, when the reinforcing member 40 is viewed from the front (front), it has a plate shape extending in the left-right and up-down directions as a whole. The reinforcing member 40 includes a plate-shaped main body portion 41 extending in the left-right and up-down directions, an upper fixing portion 42, a right fixing portion 43, a left fixing portion 44, and a lower fixing portion 45.

[0064] The upper fixing part 42 is provided at the upper end of the main body 41, and has a plate shape that protrudes forward and extends in the left-right direction. The upper fixing part 42 can be fixed to, for example, the bottom plate part 8a of the cowl panel 8 or the upper wall part 31 of the bulging part 30. The right fixing part 43 is provided at the right end of the main body 41, and has a plate shape that protrudes forward and extends in the up-down direction. The right fixing part 43 can be fixed to the inner surface of the right wall part 33 of the bulging part 30. The left fixing part 44 is provided at the left end of the main body 41, and has a plate shape that protrudes forward and extends in the up-down direction. The left fixing part 44 can be fixed to the inner surface of the left wall part 34 of the bulging part 30. The lower fixing part 45 is provided at the lower end of the main body 41, and has a plate shape that protrudes rearward and extends in the left-right direction. This lower fixing portion 45 can be fixed to the upper wall portion of the floor tunnel portion 2a.

[0065] By fixing the right side fixing portion 43 and the left side fixing portion 44 to the right side wall portion 33 and the left side wall portion 34 of the bulging portion 30, the right side wall portion 33 and the left side wall portion 34 are connected by the reinforcing member 40. This improves the rigidity of the dash panel 3. Furthermore, by fixing the upper side fixing portion 42 to the bottom plate portion 8a of the cowl panel 8 or the upper wall portion 31 of the bulging portion 30, the rigidity of the bulging portion 30 is increased, and as a result, the rigidity of the dash panel 3 is further improved. In addition, by fixing the lower side fixing portion 45 to the upper wall portion of the floor tunnel portion 2a, the reinforcing member 40 and the floor tunnel portion 2a can be connected, and the rigidity of the dash panel 3 is further improved. Note that either one or both of the upper side fixing portion 42 and the lower side fixing portion 45 of the reinforcing member 40 may be omitted.

[0066] The upper fixing portion 42, the right fixing portion 43, the left fixing portion 44, and the lower fixing portion 45 can be fixed by a fixing method using welding such as spot welding. In the case of a fixing method using welding, the fixing portions 42 to 45 are set so that they will not come off due to an external force applied during normal driving, and when the powertrain PT moves backward and abuts against the main body portion 41 of the reinforcing member 40 during a front collision, the fixing force of each of the fixing portions 42 to 45 is set in advance based on the results of a driving test, a crash test, a simulation, etc., for example. The welding conditions, the welding area, and the number of welding points can be adjusted to achieve the set fixing force.

[0067] 8 and 9, the right fixing part 43 and the left fixing part 44 may be fastened to the right side wall part 33 and the left side wall part 34 of the bulging part 30 by a fastening member 50. In this example, as shown in FIG. 8, the right fixing part 43 and the left fixing part 44 are formed with a right notch part 43a and a left notch part 44a that open forward, respectively. As shown in FIG. 9, a fastening member 50 is inserted into the right notch part 43a, and the right fixing part 43 can be fixed to the right side wall part 33 by screwing the fastening member 50 into a nut (not shown) or the like that is fixed to the right side wall part 33. Also, a stud bolt (fastening member) not shown is provided on the right side wall part 33, and the stud bolt is inserted into the right notch part 43a, and then the nut is screwed onto the stud bolt, thereby fixing the right fixing part 43 to the right side wall part 33. The same is true for the left fixing part 44. Incidentally, similarly, notches may be formed in the upper fixing portion 42 and the lower fixing portion 45, and the notches may be fastened by fastening members. Either the right notch 43a or the left notch 44a may be omitted.

[0068] 8 and 9, the fastening force of the fastening member 50 is set so that the right fixing part 43 and the left fixing part 44 will not come off due to an external force applied during normal driving, and one or both of the right fixing part 43 and the left fixing part 44 will come off due to a rearward load when the powertrain PT moves backward and abuts against the main body part 41 of the reinforcing member 40 in a front collision. This fastening force can also be set in advance by the above-mentioned tests and simulations. The tightening torque, the number of fastening points, the shaft diameter of the fastening member 50, etc. may be adjusted to achieve the set fastening force.

[0069] In this other example, when the powertrain PT moves backward during a frontal collision and the reinforcing member 40 is pushed backward by the powertrain PT, the backward force of the powertrain PT is extremely large, so that the reinforcing member 40 tries to displace backward relative to the bulging portion 30. At this time, the fastening member 50 is located within the notches 43a, 44a that open toward the front, so that the fastening member 50 can move relatively through this open portion, and thus the reinforcing member 40 can be moved backward relative to the bulging portion 30 without releasing the fastening force of the fastening member 50. Therefore, a large backward stroke amount of the powertrain PT can be secured.

[0070] In the above example, the reinforcing member 40 is released by the retraction of the powertrain PT, so that the amount of the retraction stroke of the powertrain PT can be increased. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 10, the reinforcing member 40 may be provided with a deformation inducing portion 46. The deformation inducing portion 46 is a portion that induces bending deformation of the reinforcing member 40 when the reinforcing member 40 is subjected to a rearward load. The load at which the bending deformation starts can be set by the structure of the deformation inducing portion 46 and the range at which the deformation inducing portion 46 is provided. In this embodiment, the reinforcing member 40 is set so that it is hardly deformed by an external force applied during normal driving, and when the powertrain PT is retracted and abuts against the main body portion 41 of the reinforcing member 40 in the event of a front collision, it is set so that it is bent and deformed by a load toward the rear. The bending deformation of the reinforcing member 40 can ensure a sufficient amount of the retraction stroke of the powertrain PT.

[0071] The deformation inducing portion 46 is composed of a deformation portion obtained by deforming the main body portion 41 of the reinforcing member 40 into a bead shape. The bead shape refers to a shape in which a part of the main body portion 41 is bulged in the thickness direction and the deformation portion extends long in a predetermined direction. By providing such a deformation portion, it can become a portion that induces deformation of the main body portion 41. For example, the deformation inducing portion 46 can be a bead-shaped deformation portion that extends in the up-down direction, or a bead-shaped deformation portion that extends in the left-right direction or diagonal direction. A plurality of deformation inducing portions 46 may be provided.

[0072] Also, a through hole 47 penetrating the main body 41 of the reinforcing member 40 may be provided, and this through hole 47 may be used as a deformation inducing portion. The portion in which the through hole 47 is formed becomes relatively weak, and may become a portion that induces deformation of the main body 41. The through hole 47 may be long in the vertical direction, or may be circular. A plurality of through holes 47 may be provided. The through hole 47 and a bead-shaped deformation portion may be formed in the main body 41. The deformation inducing portion may be composed of a thin-walled portion.

[0073] The reinforcing member 40 may be provided with a breakage inducement portion that induces breakage when a rearward load is applied. The breakage inducement portion can be configured with a through hole 47 shown in Fig. 10 or a thin-walled portion (not shown), etc. When the main body portion 41 is to be deformed or broken, it is not necessary to detach the right fixing portion 43 and the left fixing portion 44 from the right wall portion 33 and the left wall portion 34 of the bulging portion 30, and the reinforcing member 40 can be firmly fixed.

[0074] (Another form of reinforcing member) In the embodiment described above, the reinforcing member 40 is plate-shaped extending in the vertical and horizontal directions, but this is not limited to this, and although not shown, the reinforcing member may be in the shape of a plate, rod, shaft, etc. extending in the horizontal direction, as long as it is a member that can connect the right side wall portion 33 and the left side wall portion 34 of the bulge portion 30.

[0075] It is also possible to provide a plurality of reinforcing members 40. When providing a plurality of reinforcing members 40, they may be provided so as to be aligned in the up-down direction or the front-rear direction.

[0076] (Effects of the embodiment) As described above, according to this embodiment, the reinforcing member 40, which is provided away from the rear end wall portion 32 of the bulge portion 30 of the dash panel 3 and forwardly away from the rear end wall portion 32, is fixed to the inner surface of the bulge portion 40, thereby ensuring the front body rigidity during normal driving and improving the vehicle's handling stability and driving performance. Moreover, since the rear end wall portion 32 of the bulge portion 40 is positioned rearward of the left-right center at the rear end of the cowl panel 8, a sufficient backward stroke amount of the powertrain PT can be ensured in the event of a frontal collision, thereby improving the safety of the occupants.

[0077] Furthermore, since the instrument panel member 20 is fixed to the bulging portion 30 of the dash panel 3, the supporting rigidity of the steering column ST can be increased while reducing the weight of the vehicle.

[0078] The above-described embodiment is merely illustrative in all respects and should not be construed as limiting. Furthermore, all modifications and variations within the scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0079] As described above, the vehicle body structure according to the present invention can be applied to a vehicle having a dash panel that separates the passenger compartment from the power compartment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1. Body structure 2 Floor Panel 3 Dash Panel 8 Cowl Panel 9, 10 Hinge pillar 20 Instrument panel member 30 Bulge 31 Upper wall 32 Rear end wall 40 Reinforcement member 43 Right side fixed part 43a Right side cutout 44 Left side fixed part 44a Left side cutout 46 Deformation Inducing Section 47 Breakage inducement part (through hole) 50 Fastening members PT Powertrain R cabin S power room

Claims

1. A vehicle body structure including: a dash panel that separates a vehicle interior from a power compartment that is provided in a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle and that stores a power train; and a cowl panel that is provided above the dash panel and extends in a vehicle width direction, a pair of left and right hinge pillars disposed so as to extend in a vertical direction at both ends of the dash panel in a vehicle width direction; and an instrument panel member fixed to at least one of the hinge pillars and extending at least to a central portion in the vehicle width direction, The dash panel is provided with a bulging portion in a central portion in a vehicle width direction that bulges toward the rear of the vehicle, the dash panel includes a reinforcing member that is provided at a distance toward the vehicle front from a rear end wall portion that is located at the vehicle rear end of the bulging portion and is fixed to an inner surface of the bulging portion, a rear end wall portion of the bulging portion is positioned rearward of a rear end portion of the cowl panel in a vehicle width direction central portion, A vehicle body structure, wherein an upper wall portion of the bulge portion is positioned lower than a lower end portion of the instrument panel member.

2. A vehicle body structure comprising: a dash panel separating a passenger compartment from a power compartment that is provided in front of the passenger compartment and that stores a power train in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle; and a cowl panel that is provided above the dash panel and extends in the vehicle width direction, The dash panel is provided with a bulging portion in a central portion in a vehicle width direction that bulges toward the rear of the vehicle, the dash panel includes a reinforcing member that is provided at a distance toward the vehicle front from a rear end wall portion that is located at the vehicle rear end of the bulging portion and is fixed to an inner surface of the bulging portion, The reinforcing member extends in a vehicle width direction, a left end portion of the reinforcing member in the vehicle width direction is fixed to an inner surface of a left wall portion of the bulging portion in the vehicle width direction, a right end portion of the reinforcing member in the vehicle width direction is fixed to an inner surface of a right wall portion in the vehicle width direction of the bulging portion, A vehicle body structure in which a rear end wall portion of the bulge portion is positioned rearward of a rear end portion of the cowl panel in a vehicle width direction central portion.

3. A vehicle body structure comprising: a dash panel separating a passenger compartment from a power compartment that is provided in front of the passenger compartment and that stores a power train in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle; and a cowl panel that is provided above the dash panel and extends in the vehicle width direction, The dash panel is provided with a bulging portion in a central portion in a vehicle width direction that bulges toward the rear of the vehicle, the dash panel includes a reinforcing member that is provided at a distance toward the vehicle front from a rear end wall portion that is located at the vehicle rear end of the bulging portion and is fixed to an inner surface of the bulging portion, a rear end wall portion of the bulging portion is positioned rearward of a rear end portion of the cowl panel in a vehicle width direction central portion, The reinforcing member is provided with a fixing portion for fixing to an inner surface of the bulging portion, The fixing portion is formed with a notch that opens toward the front of the vehicle, A vehicle body structure in which the fixing portion is fastened to the bulge portion by a fastening member inserted into the cutout portion.

4. A vehicle body structure comprising: a dash panel separating a passenger compartment from a power compartment that is provided in front of the passenger compartment and that stores a power train in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle; and a cowl panel that is provided above the dash panel and extends in the vehicle width direction, The dash panel is provided with a bulging portion in a central portion in a vehicle width direction that bulges toward the rear of the vehicle, the dash panel includes a reinforcing member that is provided at a distance toward the vehicle front from a rear end wall portion that is located at the vehicle rear end of the bulging portion and is fixed to an inner surface of the bulging portion, a rear end wall portion of the bulging portion is positioned rearward of a rear end portion of the cowl panel in a vehicle width direction central portion, The reinforcing member is provided with a deformation inducing portion that induces bending deformation when a load is applied to the rear of the vehicle, The deformation inducing portion is composed of at least one of a through hole penetrating the reinforcing member and a deformation portion formed by deforming the reinforcing member into a bead shape.

5. A vehicle body structure comprising: a dash panel separating a passenger compartment from a power compartment that is provided in front of the passenger compartment and that stores a power train in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle; and a cowl panel that is provided above the dash panel and extends in the vehicle width direction, The dash panel is provided with a bulging portion in a central portion in a vehicle width direction that bulges toward the rear of the vehicle, the dash panel includes a reinforcing member that is provided at a distance toward the vehicle front from a rear end wall portion that is located at the vehicle rear end of the bulging portion and is fixed to an inner surface of the bulging portion, a rear end wall portion of the bulging portion is positioned rearward of a rear end portion of the cowl panel in a vehicle width direction central portion, The reinforcing member is provided with a breakage inducement portion that induces breakage when a load is applied to the rear of the vehicle, A vehicle body structure, wherein the breakage inducement portion is constituted by a through hole penetrating the reinforcing member.

6. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, A vehicle body structure, wherein a rear end wall portion of the bulge portion is positioned rearward of a vehicle front end portion of the instrument panel member.

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