Vehicle cowl grill structure

Abstract

To provide a cowl grille structure for a vehicle that is able to secure a sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy by, even if the rigidity of a material is reduced, transmitting a load to a corner portion and causing folded deformation with the corner portion as a fulcrum.SOLUTION: A cowl grille 30 includes: an upper wall portion 31a extending in a vehicle width direction and a vehicle longitudinal direction; and front and rear vertical wall portions 31d, 31e extending downward from a front end and a rear end of the upper wall portion 31a via corner portions 31b, 31c. The upper wall portion 31a includes: a load input portion 31F to which a downward load is inputted from a bonnet 18 in the event of a collision; a front side portion 31g on a vehicle front side from the load input portion 31F; and a rear side portion 31h on a vehicle rear side from the load input portion 31F. Each of the front side portion 31g and the rear side portion 31h is formed in a straight line in a vehicle side-view, and the load input portion 31F is formed so as to project upward toward the bonnet 18 side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cowl grill structure for a vehicle comprising a dash panel located at the lower end of a front windshield, extending in the vehicle width direction and separating an engine compartment from a passenger compartment in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and a cowl grill fixed to the vehicle body below the front windshield and in front of the dash panel. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, an example of the above-mentioned vehicle cowl grill structure is disclosed in Patent Document 1. That is, a cowl grill is provided below the front windshield (also known as the windshield glass) and fixed to the vehicle body in front of the dash lower panel, and the cowl grill has an upper surface portion extending in the vehicle width direction below the front windshield and a front surface portion connecting this upper surface portion and the cowl cross train in the vertical direction.

[0003] In addition, the front portion is formed in a zigzag shape when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and has notches at the corners that are the trigger for deformation, for the purpose of folding the front portion like an accordion to absorb impact energy when a load is input.

[0004] In order to ensure heat resistance, the above-mentioned cowl grill has an upper surface and a front surface made of fiber-reinforced resin, which has high rigidity, so that in the event of a pedestrian collision, the load is transmitted to the corners of the above-mentioned front surface, and the front surface is folded and deformed like bellows with the corners as fulcrums, thereby ensuring a stroke for absorbing impact energy.

[0005] Meanwhile, in recent years, an engine room encapsulation structure has been developed in which the engine room is covered with a heat-shielding material such as an insulator. In this case, costs can be reduced by replacing the above-mentioned cowl grill with a resin material that does not contain reinforcing agents, such as low-rigidity PP (polypropylene).

[0006] However, if the above-mentioned upper surface and front surface of the cowl grill are made of a material with low rigidity such as PPS, the front surface in particular will deform out of plane when a load is applied, and the desired folding deformation cannot be achieved, resulting in a problem that a sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy cannot be secured. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-199847 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle cowl grill structure that can transmit load to the corners even if the rigidity of the material is reduced, and can ensure sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy by folding deformation with the corners as fulcrums. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A cowl grill structure for a vehicle according to the present invention comprises: a dash panel located at a lower end of a front windshield, extending in a vehicle width direction and dividing an engine room and a passenger compartment in a front-rear direction of the vehicle; and a cowl grill fixed to a vehicle body below the front windshield and in front of the dash panel, wherein the cowl grill comprises an upper wall portion extending in the vehicle width direction and in the vehicle front-rear direction, and front and rear vertical wall portions extending downward from front and rear ends of the upper wall portion via corner portions, and the upper wall portion comprises a load input portion to which a downward load is input from a bonnet in the event of a collision, a front edge portion located forward of the load input portion, and a rear edge portion located rearward of the load input portion, the front edge portion and the rear edge portion being each formed in a straight line in a side view of the vehicle, and the load input portion being formed to protrude upward toward the bonnet. The cowl grill comprises a member portion extending in the vehicle width direction below the front windshield, a cover portion located in front of the member portion and covering the upper part of the auxiliary equipment, and a partition portion extending downward from the cover portion to separate the engine room from the space on the auxiliary equipment side, and the member portion has the upper wall portion and the vertical wall portion, and the front vertical wall portion is supported from below by the cover portion. The vehicle body to which the above-mentioned cowl grill is fixed may be an apron reinforcement.

[0010] According to the above configuration, when a downward load is input from the bonnet to the load input portion during a collision, a force (moment) is generated which rotates the load input portion downward. However, since the load input portion is arranged to protrude upward toward the bonnet, a component which transmits the load to the corners on the front edge side and the corners on the rear edge side (i.e., a load component in the in-plane direction) and a reaction force acting in the in-plane direction from the corners on the front edge side and the corners on the rear edge side are generated, thereby suppressing out-of-plane deformation of the upper wall portion.

[0011] Therefore, sinking of the upper wall portion can be suppressed, and in particular, the load can be transmitted from the load input portion to the front corner portion, promoting bending deformation with the corner portion as a fulcrum. Therefore, even if the rigidity of the material is reduced, the load can be transmitted to the corners, and a sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy can be ensured by folding deformation with the corners as fulcrums.

[0012] Also, as mentioned above The cowl grill includes a member portion extending in the vehicle width direction below the front windshield, a cover portion located in front of the member portion and covering the upper side of the auxiliary machinery, and a partition portion extending downward from the cover portion and separating the engine room from a space on the auxiliary machinery side, the member portion having the upper wall portion and the vertical wall portion, and the front vertical wall portion being supported from below by the cover portion. Therefore, Since the front vertical wall portion is supported from below by the cover portion, sinking of the vertical wall portion can be prevented. As a result, when a load is input, the load can be transmitted from the load input portion via the front edge portion to the corner portion, and pedestrian protection performance can be ensured by folding deformation with the corner portion as a fulcrum. The above-mentioned auxiliary devices may be configured as a battery.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, a flange portion is formed at the lower end of the forward vertical wall portion of the member portion, and the rear portion of the cover portion clamps and supports the flange portion of the member portion. According to the above configuration, the flange portion of the member portion can be prevented from being deformed by the structure in which the flange portion is sandwiched by the rear portion of the cover portion. This allows the desired folding deformation to be stably achieved when a load is applied.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cover portion is formed to have high rigidity relative to the member portion. The above-mentioned member portion may be formed from PP (polypropylene), and the above-mentioned cover portion may be formed from talc-reinforced resin or GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastics), which have higher rigidity than PPS.

[0015] According to the above-mentioned configuration, since the cover portion has a high rigidity relative to the member portion, the portion where the cover portion supports the member portion does not deform locally, and as a result, the deformation behavior of the vertical wall portion can be stabilized.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, an insulator is provided which is fixed to the vehicle body and covers the rear upper surface of the engine unit, and both vehicle width direction end portions of the member portion are supported by the vehicle body, and the vehicle width direction middle portion of the member portion is supported by the insulator. The above-mentioned vehicle body may be an apron reinforcement.

[0017] According to the above configuration, since the vehicle width direction intermediate portion of the member portion is supported by the above-mentioned insulator, the load from the load input portion can be supported by the insulator, and the deformation behavior of the above-mentioned vertical wall portion can be stabilized.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the front edge portion and the rear edge portion are integrally formed, and an outside air introduction hole is provided in the rear edge portion. According to the above-mentioned configuration, even if an outside air intake hole is provided at the rear edge portion, the load input portion protrudes upward toward the bonnet side, so that the load can be transmitted to the corner portion as described above. In other words, it is possible to secure the opening area of ​​the outside air intake hole while protecting pedestrians.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the load input portion is formed with a cowl seal mounting portion extending upward from the load input portion for mounting a cowl seal, and the vertical dimension between the load input portion and the cowl seal mounting portion is formed to be approximately constant within a region in the vehicle width direction in which the outside air introduction hole is provided when viewed from above the vehicle. The cowl seal (sealing member) may be formed of a weather strip.

[0020] The above configuration has the following advantages. In other words, when a pedestrian climbs onto the bonnet and absorbs its load, if there is variation in the vertical dimension between the load input part and the cowl seal mounting part in the vehicle width direction, the obstacle value will be high due to variations in the amount of energy absorbed. However, by making the vertical dimension within the above-mentioned area approximately constant, the rigidity of the load input part within that area becomes constant, thereby stabilizing the deformation behavior of the member part. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to this invention, even if the rigidity of the material is reduced, the load can be transmitted to the corners, and a sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy can be secured by folding deformation with the corners as fulcrums. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view of a main portion of a vehicle equipped with a cowl grill structure of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is a plan view of the main parts of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 with the front windshield and cowl grill removed. [Diagram 3]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along line BB in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a member portion of the cowl grill shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part taken along line CC in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the cover portion as viewed from above and inward in the vehicle width direction. [Figure 8] 4 is a perspective view showing the cover portion as viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction and from the upper rear direction. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a main portion of the cowl grill structure as viewed from further above than in FIG. 9 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The objective of transmitting loads to corners even when the rigidity of the material is reduced, and ensuring a sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy by folding deformation with the corners as fulcrums, is realized by a configuration comprising: a dash panel located at the lower end of the front windshield, extending in the vehicle width direction and separating the engine compartment from the passenger compartment in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and a cowl grille fixed to the vehicle body below the front windshield and in front of the dash panel, wherein the cowl grille comprises an upper wall portion extending in the vehicle width direction and the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and front and rear vertical wall portions extending downward from the front and rear ends of the upper wall portion via corners, and the upper wall portion comprises a load input portion into which a downward load is input from the bonnet in the event of a collision, a front edge portion located forward of the load input portion, and a rear edge portion located rearward of the load input portion, the front edge portion and the rear edge portion being each formed in a straight line when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and the load input portion being formed so as to protrude upward toward the bonnet. EXAMPLES

[0024] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings show a cowl grill structure of a vehicle, with Fig. 1 being a plan view of the essential parts of a vehicle equipped with the cowl grill structure, Fig. 2 being a plan view of the essential parts of the vehicle shown in a state in which the front windshield and cowl grill have been removed from Fig. 1, Fig. 3 being a cross-sectional view of the essential parts taken along line AA in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 being a cross-sectional view of the essential parts taken along line BB in Fig. 1.

[0025] 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a member portion of the cowl grill shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is an arrow cross-sectional view of a main portion along line CC in FIG. 1, FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the cover portion as seen from the inside in the vehicle width direction and from above, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the cover portion as seen from the inside in the vehicle width direction and from the rear-upper direction.

[0026] Furthermore, Fig. 9 is a perspective view of Fig. 6, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the main part of the cowl grill structure as viewed from further above than Fig. 9. In the drawings, arrow F indicates the front of the vehicle, arrow R indicates the rear of the vehicle, arrow IN indicates the inside in the vehicle width direction, arrow OUT indicates the outside in the vehicle width direction, and arrow UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle. <Front body structure> Prior to describing the cowl grill structure of the vehicle, the front vehicle body structure will first be described. 3, 4 and 9, a dash lower panel 3 is provided as a dash panel that separates an engine room 1 from a passenger compartment 2 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The dash lower panel 3 extends in the vehicle width direction, and both left and right ends of the dash lower panel 3 in the vehicle width direction are connected to hinge pillars (not shown).

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2, a tunnel portion 3a that is continuous with a floor tunnel 5 of the front floor panel 4 is formed in the lower center of the dash lower panel 3 in the vehicle width direction. As shown in Figure 2, a floor frame 6 is joined and fixed to the upper surface of the front floor panel 4 in the middle in the vehicle width direction between the floor tunnel 5 and a side sill 8 described later, and a closed cross section of the floor frame extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is formed between the floor frame 6 and the front floor panel 4, thereby improving the rigidity of the lower body.

[0028] In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, a tunnel reinforcement 7 is joined and fixed to the upper surface of the floor tunnel 5, and a closed cross section extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is formed between the tunnel reinforcement 7 and the floor tunnel 5, thereby improving the rigidity of the floor tunnel 5.

[0029] Left and right hinge pillars (not shown) extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle are fixed upright on both left and right sides in the vehicle width direction of the dash lower panel 3. The hinge pillar is a vehicle body strength member having a closed cross section extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle by joining and fixing a hinge pillar inner and a hinge pillar outer.

[0030] A side sill 8 is provided at the lower end of the hinge pillar, extending rearward from the lower end, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The side sill 8 is a vehicle body strength member having a closed cross section extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, with a side sill inner and a side sill outer joined and fixed together.

[0031] 1 and 2, a front pillar 9 is provided at the upper end of the hinge pillar, which extends obliquely rearward and upward from the upper end. The front pillar 9 is a vehicle body strength member that is formed by joining and fixing a front pillar inner and a front pillar outer together and has a front pillar closed cross section that extends obliquely rearward and upward of the vehicle.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 1, a front windshield 11 (so-called front windshield glass) is provided in an opening 10 for arranging a front windshield, which is surrounded by a pair of left and right front pillars 9, 9, a front header located at the front upper part of the vehicle, and a cowl panel 23 (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 4) described later.

[0033] Here, the dash lower panel 3 is a panel member located at the lower end of the front windshield 11, extending in the vehicle width direction and separating the engine room 1 and the passenger compartment 2 in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0034] On the other hand, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 9, an apron reinforcement 12 is provided at the front upper end portion of the hinge pillar, extending from the front upper end portion toward the front of the vehicle. 1, 2 and 9, a pair of left and right front side frames 13 are provided extending forward of the vehicle from both ends in the vehicle width direction of the dash lower panel 3. The front side frames 13 are located on the inner side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the above-mentioned apron reinforcement 12 and below in the vehicle up-down direction.

[0035] The front side frame 13 described above is a vehicle body strength member having a front side frame inner and a front side frame outer joined and fixed together, and having a front side frame closed cross section extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 9, a suspension tower section 14 is provided which is fixed to the front side frame 13, protrudes upward, and supports an upper portion of a damper of a front suspension device (not shown). As shown in the figure, this suspension tower section 14 is attached so as to straddle between a side panel 15 which constitutes the inner surface of the apron reinforcement 12 and the front side frame 13. Here, a strut tower section may be used as the suspension tower section 14.

[0037] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a connecting member 16 is provided at the front end of the front side frame 13, which connects the front end and a front portion of the apron reinforcement 12 in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0038] 1 and 2, both left and right sides of the engine room 1 in the vehicle width direction are covered by a front fender panel 17. In addition, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the upper part of the engine room 1 is covered by a bonnet 18 which can be opened and closed.

[0039] The bonnet 18 described above includes a bonnet outer panel 19 and a bonnet inner panel 20, and the bonnet outer panel 19 and the bonnet inner panel 20 are integrated together by hemming the peripheral edge of the bonnet outer panel 19.

[0040] When the bonnet 18 is closed, the center of the front end in the vehicle width direction is supported on the vehicle body by a striker and a latch, and both left and right sides of the rear end of the bonnet in the vehicle width direction are supported by bonnet hinges provided on bonnet hinge brackets 21 shown in Figure 1. <Cowl section configuration> 3, 4 and 9, a cowl panel 23 having a generally hat-shaped cross section is provided on the upper end bent portion 3b of the dash lower panel 3, with a dash upper panel 22 interposed therebetween. A cowl closed cross section 24 extending in the vehicle width direction is formed between the cowl panel 23 and the dash upper panel 22, so as to improve the rigidity of the cowl portion.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the front windshield 11 is attached via an adhesive 25 to an upper wall portion 23a of the cowl panel 23, which is inclined in a front-low, rear-high shape. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the front wall portion 23b of the cowl panel 23 is provided with a cowl center 26 as a rain gutter member extending from the front wall portion 23b toward the front of the vehicle. <Auxiliary equipment layout> 2, 3, and 4, in the vehicle front-rear direction, a battery 27 serving as an auxiliary device is provided between the suspension tower portion 14 and the dash lower panel 3. In other words, the positional relationship of these elements 14, 3, and 27 is as follows, from the front of the vehicle: the suspension tower portion 14, the battery 27 serving as an auxiliary device, and the dash lower panel 3. In addition, in Figs. 3 and 4, reference numeral 28 denotes a battery tray that receives the battery 27, and reference numeral 29 denotes a battery stay bracket. <Cowl grill structure> Next, the cowl grill structure will be described in detail. As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, below the front windshield 11 (in this embodiment, below the inclined front windshield 11), a cowl grill 30 is provided, which is located above the dash lower panel 3 and in the front of the vehicle.

[0042] This cowl grill 30 comprises a member portion 31 which extends in the vehicle width direction below the front windshield 11 and receives water dripping down the front windshield 11, and left and right cover portions 32, 33 which are located in front of the member portion 31 and cover the upper part of the auxiliary equipment.

[0043] Here, the cover part 32 on the left side of the vehicle covers the top of a reservoir tank (not shown) as an auxiliary device arranged below it, and the cover part 33 on the right side of the vehicle covers the top of the battery 27 as an auxiliary device arranged below it.

[0044] The cowl grill structure of the vehicle in this embodiment is formed approximately symmetrically on the left and right sides, but the following explanation will mainly focus on the structure related to the cover portion 33 on the right side of the vehicle, i.e., the cowl grill structure on the right side of the vehicle.

[0045] As shown in Figures 4 and 9, the above-mentioned cowl grill 30 comprises the member portion 31, the cover portion 33, a front partition portion 35 and a side partition portion 36 extending downward from the cover portion 33 to separate the engine room 1, which is the space on the engine side, from the battery arrangement space 34, which is the space on the auxiliary equipment side, and a cowl seal 37 extending in the vehicle width direction and contacting the bonnet 18 (more specifically, the bonnet inner panel 20) to seal between the outside space and the engine room 1.

[0046] 1, a plurality of mesh-structured outside air introduction holes 38 are formed in the middle of the vehicle width direction in a rear edge portion 31h of the above-mentioned member portion 31. The area in the vehicle width direction where the outside air introduction holes 38 are formed is referred to as an outside air introduction hole formation area α. <Structure of member part in area without air inlet hole> FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional structure of the member portion 31 near the right end in the vehicle width direction other than the outside air introduction hole formation area α. That is, in the area where the outside air introduction hole is not formed, the above-mentioned member portion 31 has an upper wall portion 31a extending in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, as shown in Figure 5, and a front vertical wall portion 31d and a rear vertical wall portion 31e extending downward from the front and rear ends of the upper wall portion 31a via front corner portion 31b and rear corner portion 31c.

[0047] Furthermore, the member portion 31 described above has a front edge portion 31g that is further forward of the intermediate step portion 31f of the upper wall portion 31a in the vehicle, and a rear edge portion 31h that is further rearward of the intermediate step portion 31f in the vehicle. In addition, the above-mentioned member portion 31 includes a flange portion 31i extending from the lower end of the front vertical wall portion 31d toward the front of the vehicle, a mounting seat 31j extending from the intermediate step portion 31f toward the bonnet 18 for mounting the cowl seal 37, and an abutment edge portion 31k extending further rearward from the rear vertical wall portion 31e and abutting against the upper surface of the inclined lower end of the front windshield 11.

[0048] That is, the above-mentioned member portion 31 is formed by integrally forming the elements 31a to 31k from synthetic resin in the area where the outside air introduction hole is not formed. As shown in FIG. 5, the upper wall portion 31a consisting of the front edge portion 31g and the rear edge portion 31h, and the abutment edge portion 31k are inclined in a front-low-rear-high shape, with the front of the vehicle being lower and the rear of the vehicle being higher, while the front vertical wall portion 31d and the rear vertical wall portion 31e are inclined in a front-high-rear-low shape, with the front of the vehicle being higher and the rear of the vehicle being lower. <Structure of the member part in the area where the outside air introduction hole is formed> On the other hand, FIGS. 6, 9 and 10 show the cross-sectional structure of the member portion 31 in the outside air introduction hole forming area α. That is, within the outside air introduction hole formation region α, the above-mentioned member portion 31 particularly has an upper wall portion 31a extending in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, and a front vertical wall portion 31d and a rear vertical wall portion 31e extending downward from the front and rear ends of the upper wall portion 31a via front corner portion 31b and rear corner portion 31c, as shown in Figures 6 and 10.

[0049] The above-mentioned upper wall portion 31a includes a load input portion 31F to which a downward load is input from the bonnet 18 during a collision, a front edge portion 31g located in front of the load input portion 31F, and a rear edge portion 31h located behind the load input portion 31F.

[0050] In addition, the above-mentioned member portion 31 includes a flange portion 31i extending from the lower end of the front vertical wall portion 31d toward the front of the vehicle, a mounting seat 31j extending from the load input portion 31F toward the bonnet 18 for mounting the cowl seal 37, and a contact edge portion 31k extending further rearward from the rear vertical wall portion 31e and abutting against the upper surface of the inclined lower end of the front windshield 11. That is, the above-mentioned member portion 31 is formed by integrally forming the elements 31a to 31e, 31F, and 31g to 31k from synthetic resin in the outside air introduction hole forming area α.

[0051] Moreover, the above-mentioned front edge portion 31g and rear edge portion 31h are each formed in a straight line when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and the above-mentioned load input portion 31F is formed so as to protrude upward toward the bonnet 18 (more specifically, the bonnet inner panel 20) side.

[0052] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 6 and 10, the angle between the front edge 31g and the rear edge 31h is set to about 165 degrees, so that the load input portion 31F protrudes upward toward the bonnet 18, but is not limited to this angle. In other words, the load input portion 31F protrudes upward with respect to an imaginary straight line that linearly connects the front corner 31b and the rear corner 31c. The load input portion 31F is formed at the location where the rear end of the front edge 31g and the front end of the rear edge 31h intersect.

[0053] 6, when a downward load f1 is input from the bonnet 18 to the load input portion 31F during a collision, a force (moment) is generated that rotates the load input portion 31F downward. The load input portion 31F is provided to protrude upward toward the bonnet 18, so that components f2, f3 that transmit the load to the front corner portion 31b and the rear corner portion 31c (i.e., load components in the in-plane direction) and reaction forces f4, f5 that act in the in-plane direction from the corner portions 31b, 31c are generated, thereby suppressing out-of-plane deformation of the upper wall portion 31a. Here, out-of-plane deformation is also called out-of-plane bending, and refers to deformation in which a member is bent in a direction perpendicular to its plane.

[0054] As a result, sinking of the upper wall portion 31a is suppressed, and in particular, the load is transferred from the load input portion 31F to the front corner portion 31b, promoting bending deformation with the front corner portion 31b as a fulcrum. Therefore, even if the rigidity of the material forming the member portion 31 is reduced, the load is transferred to the front corner portion 31b, and folding deformation with the front corner portion 31b as a fulcrum is achieved, thereby ensuring a sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 6, the upper wall portion 31a consisting of the front edge portion 31g and the rear edge portion 31h, and the abutment edge portion 31k are inclined in a front-low-rear-high shape, with the front of the vehicle being lower and the rear of the vehicle being higher, while the front vertical wall portion 31d and the rear vertical wall portion 31e are inclined in a front-high-rear-low shape, with the front of the vehicle being higher and the rear of the vehicle being lower. As described above, a plurality of outside air introduction holes 38 having a mesh structure are formed in the rear side portion 31h of the upper wall portion 31a (see Figs. 1, 9 and 10). <Arrangement of cowl seal and cover> 3 and 4, the cowl seal 37 is disposed at the vehicle front portion of the member portion 31, more specifically, at a mounting seat 31j located at the front portion of the member portion 31. The cover portion 33 is formed of a plate-like member, and is provided so as to separate a space 39 above the cover portion 33 from a battery arrangement space 34, which is a space below the cover portion 33.

[0056] In this way, by arranging a cowl seal 37 that seals between the exterior space and the engine room 1 in front of the member portion 31, the cover portion 33 located in front of the member portion 31 is configured to not get wet, thereby preventing the cover portion 33 from becoming too complicated.

[0057] The cowl seal 37 described above is formed of a weather strip, and as shown in Fig. 9, the end portion in the vehicle width direction of the cowl seal 37 is attached to the apron reinforcement 12 via an end member 40. The end member 40 may be integral with the cowl seal 37 or may be a separate member.

[0058] 1, the end portion in the vehicle width direction of the cowl seal 37 is located near a bonnet hinge (see bonnet hinge bracket 21) that supports the bonnet 18. This allows the cowl seal 37 to improve the supporting rigidity of the bonnet 18.

[0059] In detail, if the cowl seal is positioned far forward of the bonnet hinge, the supporting rigidity of the bonnet 18 provided by the cowl seal decreases and the rear end of the bonnet 18 vibrates when the vehicle is moving. However, by locating the vehicle width direction end of the cowl seal 37 in the vicinity of the bonnet hinge as described above, the supporting rigidity of the bonnet 18 provided by the cowl seal 37 is improved.

[0060] 1, the center portion of cowl seal 37 in the vehicle width direction is disposed to be located rearward of the vehicle front-rear direction centers of cover portions 32, 33. This ensures that the bonnet support effect is also achieved in the center portion of cowl seal 37 in the vehicle width direction.

[0061] In detail, when the cover portion 33 is removed for maintenance, a large opening area for maintenance is required, and at the same time, a large area is also required for the outside air introduction hole 38 formed in the member portion 31. Therefore, by specifying the front-rear position of the vehicle width direction center of the cowl seal 37 as described above, it is possible to secure both the opening area for maintenance and the area of ​​the outside air introduction hole 38, while improving the bonnet support effect at the vehicle width direction center of the cowl seal 37. <Cover structure> As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the above-mentioned cover portion 33 includes an outer edge portion 33a located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, a front edge portion 33b located at the front of the vehicle, a front inclined edge portion 33c extending from the inner end of the front edge portion 33b in the vehicle width direction at an angle inward in the vehicle width direction and toward the rear of the vehicle, an inner edge portion 33d located on the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and a rear edge portion 33e located at the rear of the vehicle.

[0062] The cover portion 33 includes a cover body 33f that is formed continuously with the side portions 33a to 33e and covers the upper part of the battery arrangement space . A flange portion 33h is integrally formed with the front portion of the cover body 33f corresponding to the above-mentioned front edge portion 33b via a skirt portion 33g, and a flange portion 33j is integrally formed with the front portion of the cover body 33f corresponding to the above-mentioned front inclined edge portion 33c via a skirt portion 33i.

[0063] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8, 3 and 4, a plurality of support pieces 33k, 33m, 33n extending rearward from the rear underside of the cover main body 33f are integrally formed at the rear edge portion 33e of the cover portion 33, spaced apart in the vehicle width direction.

[0064] 3, 4, 7, and 8, the cover body 33f in the above-mentioned cover part 33 has a non-porous structure with no holes, and the upper surface of the cover body 33f is configured to have a smooth, substantially flat shape. This ensures the rigidity of the cover part 33 compared to a cover part having a perforated structure with holes.

[0065] As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a plurality of ribs 33p are integrally formed on the lower surface of the cover body 33f of the cover portion 33, so that the rigidity of the cover portion 33 is improved.

[0066] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 8, the rear edge portion 33e of the above-mentioned cover portion 33 is integrally formed with the above-mentioned support pieces 33k, 33m, 33n extending rearward from the rear underside of the cover main body 33f, and as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the flange portion 31i of the member portion 31 is sandwiched and supported between these support pieces 33k, 33m and the rear end portion of the cover main body 33f.

[0067] At the position where the flange portion 31i is sandwiched, a heat insulating seal material 41 is interposed between the lower surface of the rear end portion of the cover body 33f of the cover portion 33 and the upper surface of the flange portion 31i. The above-mentioned structure in which the flange portion 31i is sandwiched by the rear portion of the cover portion 33 is configured to prevent the flange portion 31i of the member portion 31 from being deformed.

[0068] Furthermore, the cover portion 33 is formed to have high rigidity relative to the member portion 31 . That is, the above-mentioned member portion 31 is formed from a resin having a relatively low rigidity, for example, PP (polypropylene), while the cover portion 33 is made of a talc-reinforced resin or a fiber-reinforced resin having a higher rigidity than PP.

[0069] As the above-mentioned fiber reinforced resin, GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastics) is preferable. In this way, by setting the rigidity of the cover portion 33 higher than that of the member portion 31, local deformation of the portion of the cover portion 33 that supports the member portion 31 (see support pieces 33k, 33m, 33n) is prevented, and the deformation behavior of the vertical wall portion of the member portion 31, particularly the front vertical wall portion 31d, is stabilized when a load is input.

[0070] Furthermore, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the above-mentioned cover portion 33 is located below the up-down position (height position) of the mounting seat 31j serving as the cowl seal mounting portion. As a result, a vertical space (see upper space 39) is formed between the cowl seal 37 provided on the mounting seat 31j and the cover portion 33, in other words, between the underside of the bonnet inner panel 20 of the bonnet 18 and the upper surface of the cover portion 33, which is advantageous for pedestrian protection. <Partition configuration> As shown in Figures 4 and 9, the front partition 35 extends downward from the flanges 33h, 33j of the cover 33 to separate the engine room 1 from the battery arrangement space 34, and also supports the cover 33 from below.

[0071] 4, an upper flange 35a and a lower flange 35b are integrally formed above and below the front partition 35. A heat insulating seal material 42 is interposed between the upper flange 35a of the front partition 35 and the flange portions 33h, 33j of the cover portion 33. As shown in FIG. 4, a heat insulating seal material 43 is also interposed between the lower flange 35b of the front partition portion 35 and the suspension tower portion 14.

[0072] 9 extends downward from flange portion 33j of cover portion 33 to separate engine room 1 from battery arrangement space 34, and supports cover portion 33 from below. A hanging front portion 36a of side partition portion 36 abuts against suspension housing 44 via a heat insulating sealant (not shown). Further, the downwardly extending end portion 36b of the side partition portion 36 abuts against the upper portion of the front side frame 13 via a heat insulating seal material (not shown).

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9 , there is provided an upper end partition portion 45 that covers the entire underside of the member portion 31 of the cowl grill 30 and extends in the fore-and-aft direction and the vehicle width direction, a rear partition portion 46 that is spaced forward from the dash lower panel 3 and covers the front of the dash lower panel 3, and an upper partition portion 47 that extends in the vehicle width direction to cover the area between the front underside of the above-mentioned upper end partition portion 45 and the front upper surface of the upper end bent portion 46a of the rear partition portion 46.

[0074] The above-mentioned front partition 35, side partition 36 and upper end partition 45 are made of insulators made of polypropylene material containing 30% glass fiber as a reinforcing material, and the above-mentioned rear partition 46 and upper partition 47 are made of insulators made of glass wool. Here, the above-mentioned upper end partition portion 45 and upper partition portion 47 are insulators that cover the rear upper surface of the engine unit fixed to the vehicle body.

[0075] In addition to its excellent heat insulation properties, glass wool also has excellent sound absorption properties, so by using glass wool for the rear partition 46 and upper partition 47, it is possible to suppress the transmission of engine noise into the passenger compartment 2 and also ensure a sound absorption effect.

[0076] In short, as shown in Figures 4, 6, 9 and 10, the cowl grill 30 described above comprises a member portion 31 extending in the vehicle width direction below the front windshield 11, a cover portion 33 located in front of the member portion 31 and covering the upper side of the battery 27, and partition portions (front partition portion 35, side partition portion 36) extending downward from the cover portion 33 and separating the engine room 1 from the battery arrangement space 34, and the front vertical wall portion 31d of the member portion 31 is supported from below by the cover portion 33.

[0077] In this way, the front vertical wall portion 31d of the member portion 31 is supported from below by the cover portion 33, and sinking of the front vertical wall portion 31d is suppressed. As a result, when a load is input, the load is transmitted from the load input portion 31F to the front corner portion 31b via the front edge portion 31g, and the front corner portion 31b is folded and deformed as a fulcrum, thereby ensuring pedestrian protection performance.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 1, both left and right end portions of the above-mentioned member portion 31 in the vehicle width direction are fastened and supported to apron reinforcement 12 serving as the vehicle body using fastening members 48, and the middle portion of the member portion 31 in the vehicle width direction is supported from below by an upper end partition portion 45 and an upper partition portion 47 serving as insulators, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 10.

[0079] In this way, by supporting the vehicle width wise intermediate portion of the member portion 31 by the above-mentioned partition portions 45, 47, the load from the load input portion 31F is supported by these partition portions 45, 47, thereby stabilizing the deformation behavior of the vertical wall portions 31d, 31e in the member portion 31, particularly the front vertical wall portion 31d.

[0080] As shown in Figures 6 and 10, in the member portion 31, the front edge portion 31g and the rear edge portion 31h are integrally formed, and an outside air introduction hole 38 having a mesh structure is formed in the rear edge portion 31h of the front edge portion 31g and the rear edge portion 31h.

[0081] In this way, even if the outside air introduction hole 38 is provided in the rear edge portion 31h, the load input portion 31F is protruded upward toward the bonnet 18, so that the load is transmitted to the front corner portion 31b and the rear corner portion 31c as described above. That is, the structure is such that the opening area of ​​the outside air introduction hole 38 is secured while protecting pedestrians.

[0082] 6 and 10, the load input portion 31F is integrally formed with a mounting seat 31j that extends upward from the load input portion 31F and serves as a cowl seal mounting portion for mounting the cowl seal 37. The vertical dimension L (see FIG. 6) between the load input portion 31F and the mounting seat 31j is formed to be a substantially constant vertical dimension in a region in the vehicle width direction where the outside air introduction hole 38 is provided in a plan view of the vehicle, that is, in the outside air introduction hole formation region α (see FIG. 1). This makes it possible to keep the rigidity of the load input portion 31F constant within the outside air introduction hole formation region α, and to stabilize the deformation behavior of the member portion 31 when a load is input.

[0083] In other words, when a pedestrian climbs onto the bonnet 18 and its load is absorbed, if there is variation in the vertical dimension between the load input portion 31F and the mounting seat 31j of the cowl seal 37 in the vehicle width direction, the hazard value will increase due to variation in the amount of energy absorbed. However, by making the vertical dimension L approximately constant, this variation in the amount of energy absorbed is eliminated.

[0084] Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the left end of the above-mentioned outside air introduction hole formation area α in the vehicle width direction is located slightly to the right in the vehicle width direction of the inner end in the vehicle width direction of the cover part 32 on the left side of the vehicle, and the right end of the outside air introduction hole formation area α in the vehicle width direction is located at a position corresponding to an extension of the inner end surface in the vehicle width direction of the front side frame 13, but is not limited to this.

[0085] 6, 9 and 10, reference numeral 49 denotes a cowl rain extending forward of the vehicle from the dash upper panel 22. In addition, in FIG. 1, the cover portion 32 on the left side of the vehicle is given the same reference numerals as the cover portion 33 on the right side of the vehicle for the same parts.

[0086] As described above, the cowl grill structure of the vehicle of the embodiment includes a dash panel (dash lower panel 3) located at the lower end of the front windshield 11, extending in the vehicle width direction and dividing the engine room 1 and the passenger compartment 2 in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a cowl grill 30 fixed to the vehicle body (apron reinforcement 12) below the front windshield 11 and in front of the dash panel (dash lower panel 3). The cowl grill 30 includes an upper wall portion 31a extending in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle front-rear direction, and a front end portion 31b extending from the front end and the rear end of the upper wall portion 31a. The upper wall portion 31a comprises front and rear vertical wall portions 31d, 31e extending downward via respective corner portions (front corner portion 31b, rear corner portion 31c), and the upper wall portion 31a comprises a load input portion 31F to which a downward load is input from the bonnet 18 in the event of a collision, a front edge portion 31g located forward of the load input portion 31F, and a rear edge portion 31h located rearward of the load input portion 31F, and the front edge portion 31g and the rear edge portion 31h are each formed in a straight line when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and the load input portion 31F is formed so as to protrude upward toward the bonnet 18 side (see Figures 1, 6 and 10).

[0087] According to this configuration, when a downward load f1 is input from the bonnet 18 to the load input portion 31F during a collision, a force (moment) is generated that rotates the load input portion 31F downward. However, since the load input portion 31F is provided so as to protrude upward toward the bonnet 18, components f2 and f3 (i.e., in-plane load components) that transmit the load to the front corner 31b on the front edge 31g side and the rear corner 31c on the rear edge 31h side, and reaction forces f4 and f5 that act in the in-plane direction from the front corner 31b on the front edge 31g side and the rear corner 31c on the rear edge 31h side are generated, thereby suppressing out-of-plane deformation of the upper wall portion 31a.

[0088] Therefore, sinking of the upper wall portion 31a can be suppressed, and in particular, the load can be transmitted from the load input portion 31F to the front corner portion (front corner portion 31b), promoting bending deformation with the corner portion 31b as a fulcrum. Therefore, even if the rigidity of the material is reduced, the load can be transmitted to the front corner portion 31b, and a sufficient stroke for absorbing impact energy can be secured by folding deformation with the front corner portion 31b as a fulcrum.

[0089] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, the cowl grill 30 comprises a member portion 31 extending in the vehicle width direction below the front windshield 11, a cover portion 33 located in front of the member portion 31 and covering the upper side of the auxiliary equipment (battery 27), and partition portions (front partition portion 35, side partition portion 36) extending downward from the cover portion 33 and separating the engine room 1 from the space on the auxiliary equipment side (battery arrangement space 34), and the member portion 31 has the upper wall portion 31a and the vertical wall portions 31d, 31e, and the front vertical wall portion (front vertical wall portion 31d) is supported from below by the cover portion 33 (see Figures 3, 4 and 9).

[0090] According to this configuration, the front vertical wall portion (front vertical wall portion 31d) is supported from below by the cover portion 33, thereby preventing sinking of the vertical wall portion 31d. As a result, when a load is input, the load can be transmitted from the load input portion 31F via the front edge portion 31g to the front corner portion 31b, and pedestrian protection performance can be ensured by the folding deformation with the front corner portion 31b as a fulcrum.

[0091] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, a flange portion 31i is formed on the front vertical wall portion 31d of the member portion 31, and the rear portion of the cover portion 33 clamps and supports the flange portion 31i of the member portion 31 (see Figures 3 and 4). According to this configuration, the flange portion 31i of the member portion 31 can be prevented from being deformed by the structure in which the flange portion 31i is sandwiched by the rear portion of the cover portion 33.

[0092] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the cover portion 33 is formed to have high rigidity relative to the member portion 31 (see Figs. 3 and 4). According to this configuration, the cover portion 33 has high rigidity relative to the member portion 31, so that the portion where the cover portion 33 supports the member portion 31 does not deform locally. As a result, the deformation behavior of the vertical wall portion (front vertical wall portion 31d) can be stabilized.

[0093] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, an insulator (upper end partition portion 45, upper partition portion 47) is provided that is fixed to the vehicle body and covers the rear upper surface of the engine unit, and both ends of the member portion 31 in the vehicle width direction are supported by the vehicle body (apron reinforcement 12), and the intermediate portion of the member portion 31 in the vehicle width direction is supported by the insulator (upper end partition portion 45, upper partition portion 47) (see Figures 6 and 10).

[0094] According to this configuration, the vehicle width wise intermediate portion of the member portion 31 is supported by the above-mentioned insulator (upper end partition portion 45, upper partition portion 47), so that the load from the load input portion 31F can be supported by the insulator (upper end partition portion 45, upper partition portion 47), and the deformation behavior of the vertical wall portion (front vertical wall portion 31d) in the above-mentioned member portion 31 can be stabilized.

[0095] In one embodiment of the present invention, the front side portion 31g and the rear side portion 31h are integrally formed, and an outside air introduction hole 38 is provided in the rear side portion 31h (see FIG. 10).

[0096] According to this configuration, even if the outside air introduction hole 38 is provided in the rear side portion 31h, the load input portion 31F protrudes upward toward the bonnet 18, so that the load can be transmitted to the corners (particularly the front corners 31b) as described above. That is, it is possible to ensure both the opening area of ​​the outside air introduction hole 38 and pedestrian protection.

[0097] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the load input portion 31F is formed with a cowl seal mounting portion (mounting seat 31j) that extends upward from the load input portion 31F and mounts the cowl seal 37, and the vertical dimension L (see Figure 6) between the load input portion 31F and the cowl seal mounting portion (mounting seat 31j) is formed to be a substantially constant vertical dimension within the vehicle width direction region (external air introduction hole formation region α) in which the outside air introduction hole 38 is provided when viewed from above the vehicle (see Figures 1, 6, and 10).

[0098] This configuration has the following advantages. In other words, when a pedestrian climbs onto the bonnet 18 and absorbs the load, if there is variation in the vertical dimension L between the load input portion 31F and the cowl seal mounting portion (mounting seat 31j) in the vehicle width direction, the obstacle value will be high due to variations in the amount of energy absorbed. However, by making the vertical dimension L within the above-mentioned area (external air introduction hole formation area α) approximately constant, the rigidity of the load input portion 31F within that area (external air introduction hole formation area α) becomes constant, thereby stabilizing the deformation behavior of the member portion 31.

[0099] In the configuration of the present invention and the above-mentioned embodiment, The dash panel of the present invention corresponds to the dash lower panel 3 of the embodiment. Similarly, The body is compatible with apron reinforcement 12. The auxiliary equipment corresponds to battery 27, The corners correspond to the front corner 31b and the rear corner 31c. The vertical wall portion corresponds to a front vertical wall portion 31d and a rear vertical wall portion 31e. The cowl seal mounting part corresponds to the mounting seat 31j. The space on the auxiliary equipment side corresponds to the battery arrangement space 34, The partitions correspond to a front partition 35 and a side partition 36. The insulator corresponds to the upper end partition portion 45 and the upper partition portion 47, The area in the vehicle width direction where the outside air introduction hole is provided corresponds to the outside air introduction hole formation area α, The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-mentioned embodiments, but may be practiced in many different ways. [Industrial Applicability]

[0100] As described above, the present invention is useful for a cowl grill structure of a vehicle that includes a dash panel that is located at the lower end of the front windshield, extends in the vehicle width direction and separates the engine compartment and the passenger compartment in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and a cowl grill that is fixed to the vehicle body below the front windshield and in front of the dash panel. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 1. Engine room 2…Vehicle compartment 3...Dash lower panel (dash panel) 11…Front windshield 12...Apron reinforcement (body) 18…Bonnet 27…Battery (auxiliary equipment) 30…Cowl grill 31…Members section 31a...Top wall part 31b...Front corner (corner) 31c...Rear corner (corner) 31d…Front vertical wall (vertical wall) 31e…Rear vertical wall portion (vertical wall portion) 31F…Load input section 31g...front part 31h…Rear part 31i…Flange section 31j...Mounting seat (cowl seal mounting part) 33…Cover part 34…Battery arrangement space (space on the auxiliary equipment side) 35…Front partition (partition) 36...Side partition (partition) 37…Cowl seal 38…Outside air intake 45...Upper end partition (insulator) 47...Upper partition (insulator) α...External air introduction hole formation area (area in the vehicle width direction where the external air introduction hole is provided)

Claims

1. a dash panel that is located at the lower end of the front windshield and extends in the vehicle width direction to separate an engine room and a passenger compartment in the vehicle front-rear direction; a cowl grill fixed to a vehicle body below the front windshield and in front of the dash panel, The cowl grille shown above is An upper wall portion extending in a vehicle width direction and a vehicle front-rear direction; and front and rear vertical wall portions extending downward from the front and rear ends of the upper wall portion via corner portions, the upper wall portion having a load input portion to which a downward load is input from the bonnet during a collision; a front edge portion on a vehicle forward side relative to the load input portion; a rear side portion located rearward of the load input portion, The front edge portion and the rear edge portion are each formed in a straight line when seen from the side of the vehicle, the load input portion is formed so as to protrude upward toward the bonnet, The cowl grille shown above is a member portion extending in a vehicle width direction below the front windshield; a cover portion located in front of the member portion and covering an upper portion of the auxiliary machinery; a partition portion extending downward from the cover portion to separate the engine room from a space on an auxiliary machinery side, The member portion has the upper wall portion and the vertical wall portion, The front vertical wall portion is supported from below by the cover portion. Vehicle cowl grill structure.

2. A flange portion is formed at a lower end portion of the vertical wall portion in front of the member portion, The rear part of the cover part sandwiches and supports the flange part of the member part. The vehicle cowl grill structure according to claim 1.

3. The cover portion is formed to have high rigidity relative to the member portion.

3. A cowl grill structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2.

4. An insulator is provided which is fixed to the vehicle body and covers the rear upper surface of the engine unit, Both ends of the member in the vehicle width direction are supported by the vehicle body, and an intermediate portion of the member in the vehicle width direction is supported by the insulator. The vehicle cowl grill structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The front edge portion and the rear edge portion are integrally formed, An air intake hole is provided at the rear portion.

5. A vehicle cowl grill structure according to claim 1.

6. a cowl seal attachment portion extending upward from the load input portion and for attaching a cowl seal thereto is formed on the load input portion, The vertical dimension between the load input portion and the cowl seal attachment portion is formed to be substantially constant within a region in the vehicle width direction in which the outside air introduction hole is provided in a plan view of the vehicle. The cowl grill structure for a vehicle according to claim 5.

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