Vehicle front structure

Abstract

An upper end of a second contact section (2812) of a bracket (36) is in contact with a protruding wall (2412) provided to a housing (2402) of a head lamp (24); while a front surface of the second contact section (2812) is in contact with a mounting wall (2414), the head lamp (24) is attached to a vehicle frame member (10); an upper end of a first contact section (2810) of the bracket (26) is in contact with a protruding wall (2006) provided to a front bumper (20); and while a front surface of the first contact section (2810) is in contact with the mounting wall (2008), the front bumper (20) is attached to the vehicle frame member (10).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle front structure. [Background technology]

[0002] The front of the vehicle is provided with a front bumper extending in the vehicle width direction and headlamps arranged in openings on both sides of the front bumper in the vehicle width direction, and the front bumper and headlamps are attached to vehicle frame members at the front of the vehicle. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a fender holder is provided to attach a fender located close to the rear of the headlamp to a vehicle frame member, and a fixing portion is provided on this fender holder to fasten the headlamp and front bumper together. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-9773 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In such vehicles, if the headlamp is misaligned in the vertical direction relative to the opening in the front bumper, the gap between the outer periphery of the headlamp and the opening becomes noticeable, which can detract from the vehicle's appearance. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the vertical position of the headlamp relative to the opening while the front bumper and headlamp are temporarily assembled, and there is room for improvement in improving the work efficiency of the front bumper and headlamp assembly work. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a vehicle front structure that is advantageous in improving the efficiency of the assembly work of headlamps and a front bumper. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, one embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle front structure in which a headlamp is placed in an opening provided in the front bumper and the front bumper and the headlamp are attached to a frame member, and is characterized in that a bracket having a first mounting portion to which the front bumper is attached around the opening and a second mounting portion to which the headlamp is attached is joined to the frame member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the headlamp and the front bumper around the opening are attached to the frame member using a single bracket, which is advantageous in improving the efficiency of the assembling work of the headlamp and front bumper. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle frame member at the front of a vehicle to which an embodiment of a vehicle front structure is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a headlamp is arranged in an opening of a front bumper. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the headlamp is attached to a vehicle frame member. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the bracket is attached to a vehicle frame member, as viewed from below. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bracket attached to the vehicle frame member, as viewed from above. [Figure 6] 10 is a side view of the bracket attached to the vehicle frame member as viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the bracket attached to the vehicle frame member as viewed from above. [Figure 8] 10 is a perspective view of the state in which the bumper-side positioning portion and the headlight-side positioning portion are abutted against and positioned on the first and second abutment portions of the bracket, as viewed from the rear of the vehicle. FIG. [Figure 9] 8A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 8, and FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the symbol UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle, the symbol FR indicates the front side of the vehicle, the symbol IN indicates the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and the symbol OUT indicates the outer side in the vehicle width direction.

[0009] As shown in Figure 1, a vehicle frame member 10 is located at the front of the vehicle, and the front space of the vehicle, which is in front of the driver's seat and passenger seat and serves as an engine room and a motor room, is located behind the vehicle frame member 10. The vehicle frame member 10 is composed of an upper bar 12, a front end cross member 14, a fender shield 16, and a brace 18, and in this embodiment, since the vehicle is a pickup truck, the vehicle frame member 10 is supported on a chassis frame (not shown). The upper bar 12 extends in the vehicle width direction, and the front end cross member 14 extends in the vehicle width direction below the upper bar 12. The fender shield 16 is joined to the longitudinal ends of the upper bar 12 and the front end cross member 14 and extends rearward of the vehicle. The brace 18 is joined to the lower part of the fender shield 16 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and reinforces the fender shield 16. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the brace 18 is provided at its front end with an inclined portion 1802 that gradually shifts outward in the vehicle width direction as it approaches the rear of the vehicle.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 2, a front bumper 20 made of synthetic resin is attached to cover the upper bar 12 and the front end cross member 14 from the front and the outer sides in the vehicle width direction. An opening 22 is provided on each side of the front bumper 20 in the vehicle width direction, and a headlamp 24 is disposed inside each opening 22. In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to position the headlamp 24 relative to the opening 22 in the vertical direction. The front bumper 20 has a front bumper front portion 2002 that covers the upper bar 12 and the front end cross member 14 at the front of the vehicle, and front bumper side portions 2004 that protrude toward the rear of the vehicle from both ends of the front bumper front portion 2002 in the vehicle width direction, and as shown in Figure 2, the opening 22 is provided at the upper part of the intersection where the front bumper front portion 2002 and the front bumper side portions 2004 intersect. The opening 22 has a height in the vertical direction and a width in the vehicle width direction, and is generally rectangular in shape. The front bumper 20 is attached to the upper bar 12 and the front end cross member 14 via a plurality of bolts (not shown).

[0011] As shown in Figure 3, the headlamp 24 is composed of a light-emitting unit (not shown) that emits light ahead of the vehicle, a housing 2402 that houses the light-emitting unit from the rear of the vehicle, and an outer lens 2404 that is located ahead of the light-emitting unit and attached to the front of the housing 2402, and this outer lens 2404 is positioned in the opening 22. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 2402 is attached to the vehicle frame member 10 via a plurality of attachment pieces 2406 , 2408 , and 2410 . Of the multiple mounting pieces, one mounting piece 2406 is attached to the upper bar 12 via a bolt, one mounting piece 2408 is attached to the fender shield 16 via a bolt, and one mounting piece 2410 is attached to the brace 18 via a bolt.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 4, the bracket 26 that determines the vertical position of the headlamp 24 relative to the opening 22, more specifically, the bracket 26 that determines the vertical position of the outer lens 2404 relative to the opening 22, is positioned below the front of the vehicle of the housing 2402, outside the inclined portion 1802 of the brace 18 in the vehicle width direction, and is attached to the brace 18. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the bracket 26 is made of metal and includes a bracket body 28, and a first leg portion 30 and a second leg portion 32 that protrude downward from the bracket body 28. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, when the bracket 26 is attached to the brace 18, the bracket main body 28 extends on a horizontal plane, and has a hypotenuse 2802 extending along the inclined portion 1802 of the brace 18, a front edge 2804 extending from the front end of the hypotenuse 2802 outward in the vehicle width direction, and a side edge 2806 extending from the end of the front edge 2804 toward the rear of the vehicle and connected to the hypotenuse 2802, and is composed of a plate that is approximately triangular in plan view, and curved portions 2808 (see Figure 5) are formed on the hypotenuse 2802 and the side edge 2806 to increase the strength and rigidity of the bracket main body 28. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, a first abutment portion 2810 and a second abutment portion 2812 are protruded from the front edge 2804 at a distance in the vehicle width direction, and the second abutment portion 2812 is located more inward in the vehicle width direction than the first abutment portion 2810.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 9(A), the first contact portion 2810 is configured by a flange that protrudes upward from the outer end of the front side 2804 of the bracket main body 28 in the vehicle width direction. As shown in Figures 8 and 9(A), the upper end of the first abutment portion 2810 is arranged so as to be able to abut from below against the protruding wall 2006 that is provided on the front bumper 20 and constitutes the bumper side positioning portion 34, and the front surface of the first abutment portion 2810 is arranged so as to be able to abut from the rear of the vehicle against the mounting wall 2008 that extends downward from the protruding wall 2006 and constitutes the bumper side positioning portion 34, and the first abutment portion 2810 is provided with a bolt insertion hole 2814 (see Figure 5). A bolt B1 is inserted into this bolt insertion hole 2814 and the front bumper 20 around the opening 22 is attached to the first abutment portion 2810, and therefore the first abutment portion 2810 forms the first mounting portion 36 to which the front bumper 20 around the opening 22 is attached. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, another first abutment portion 2810A of a different height is provided on the front edge 2804 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the first abutment portion 2810, and this first abutment portion 2810 is applicable to vehicles of different models.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 9(B), the second contact portion 2812 is configured by a flange that protrudes upward from the inner end of the front side 2804 of the bracket main body 28 in the vehicle width direction. As shown in Figures 8 and 9(B), the upper end of the second abutment portion 2812 is provided on the housing 2402 of the headlamp 24 and is capable of abutting from below against a protruding wall 2412 that constitutes the headlamp side positioning portion 38, and the front surface of the second abutment portion 2812 is provided so as to abut from the rear of the vehicle against a mounting wall 2414 that extends downward from the protruding wall 2412 and constitutes the headlamp side positioning portion 38, and a bolt insertion hole 2816 (see Figure 5) is provided in the second abutment portion 2812. A bolt B2 is inserted into this bolt insertion hole 2816 to attach the headlamp 24 to the second abutment portion 2812, and therefore the second abutment portion 2812 constitutes the second attachment portion 40 to which the headlamp 24 is attached. Furthermore, when the headlamp 24 is positioned in the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction of the vehicle by the second contact portion 2812 and attached to the second attachment portion 40, the center of gravity of the headlamp 24 is located near the second contact portion 2812. 5, bracket main body 28 has first portion 28A extending substantially horizontally in the front-to-rear direction and second portion 28B extending substantially vertically at the front end of first portion 28A and extending on the same plane, and second portion 28B is provided with first mounting portion 36 and second mounting portion 40. Second portion 28B also has first contact portion 2810 and second contact portion 2812. As shown in FIG. 6, the first portion 28A is formed so that its width decreases toward the rear in the front-rear direction.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the first leg portion 30 is disposed at the front of the bracket body 28, and the second leg portion 32 is disposed at the rear of the bracket body 28. As shown in Figure 4, the first leg 30 has a first leg body 3002 that is approximately triangular in shape, a first mounting piece 3004 bent from one side of the first leg body 3002, and a second mounting piece 3006 bent from the other side of the first leg body 3002, and these mounting pieces 3004, 3006 are connected. 4 and 6, the first mounting piece 3004 is attached by welding to a first mounting surface 1804 facing outward in the vehicle width direction at the front end of the brace 18. In the drawings, the symbol * indicates the welding location. The second mounting piece 3006 is attached to the lower surface of the bracket body 28 by welding. The second leg 32 has an elongated, approximately triangular second leg body 3202, a third mounting piece 3204 bent from one side of the second leg body 3202, and a fourth mounting piece 3206 bent from the other side of the second leg body 3202, and these mounting pieces 3204, 3206 are connected. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the third mounting piece 3204 is attached by welding to a second mounting surface 1806 of the brace 18 at the front end of the vehicle, the second mounting surface 1806 facing outward in the vehicle width direction. The fourth mounting piece 3206 is attached to the lower surface of the bracket body 28 by welding.

[0016] The bracket 26 is attached to the vehicle frame member 10 in a state where it is positioned in the vertical direction, the vehicle width direction, and the vehicle front-rear direction. In detail, the bracket body 28, the first leg portion 30, and the second leg portion 32 are attached while being positioned in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle fore-and-aft direction to form the bracket 26, and this bracket 26 is attached to the vehicle frame member 10 while being positioned in the up-and-down direction relative to the vehicle frame member 10. Therefore, a relatively large area is ensured for the bracket body 28 to which the second mounting piece 3006 of the first leg 30 and the fourth mounting piece 3206 of the second leg 32 are attached, and a relatively large area is ensured for the first mounting piece 3004 of the first leg 30 and the third mounting piece 3204 of the second leg 32 which are attached to the first mounting surface 1804 and second mounting surface 1806 of the brace 18. Also, as shown in Figure 7, when the bracket 26 is attached to the brace 18, in a plan view, the bracket body 28 is located outside the first leg 30 and the second leg 32 in the vehicle width direction and at a distance from the brace 18 in the vehicle width direction.

[0017] Next, a procedure for assembling the front bumper 20 and the headlamps 24 to the vehicle frame member 10 will be described. First, with the bracket 26 positioned relative to the vehicle frame member 10 in the vertical direction, vehicle width direction, and vehicle fore-and-aft direction as described above, the first leg 30 is attached to the first mounting surface 1804 of the brace 18, and the second leg 32 is attached to the second mounting surface 1806 of the brace 18 by welding. Next, as shown in FIG. 3, when attaching the headlamp 24 to the upper bar 12, the fender shield 16, and the brace 18, the bolts inserted into the three mounting pieces 2406, 2408, and 2410 are temporarily fastened to the upper bar 12, the fender shield 16, and the brace 18, respectively, and as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9(B), with the upper end of the second abutment portion 2812 abutting against the protruding wall 2412 provided on the housing 2402 of the headlamp 24, the front surface of the second abutment portion 2812 is abutted against the mounting wall 2414, and a nut N2 is screwed onto the bolt B2 inserted into the bolt insertion hole 2816 to fasten the second abutment portion 2812 and the mounting wall 2414. Then, the three bolts that temporarily fasten the headlamp 24 are fastened to the upper bar 12, the fender shield 16, and the brace 18.

[0018] In addition, the front bumper 20 is temporarily fixed to the upper bar 12 and the front end cross member 14 via multiple bolts, and as shown in Figures 8 and 9(A), with the upper end of the first abutment portion 2810 abutting against the protruding wall 2006 provided on the front bumper 20, the front surface of the first abutment portion 2810 is abutted against the mounting wall 2008, and the first abutment portion 2810 and the mounting wall 2008 are fastened together by screwing a nut N1 onto the bolt B1 inserted into the bolt insertion hole 2814. The bolt B1 is inserted into the bolt insertion hole 2814 from the front of the vehicle, and a work hole (not shown) is provided through the front bumper 20 to allow this operation to be performed. Then, the plurality of bolts that temporarily fasten the front bumper 20 are fastened to the upper bar 12 and the front end cross member 14.

[0019] According to this embodiment, a bracket 26 having a first mounting portion 36 to which the front bumper 20 around the opening 22 is attached and a second mounting portion 40 to which the headlamp 24 is attached is joined to the vehicle frame member 10. Therefore, the headlamp 24 and the front bumper 20 around the opening 22 can be attached to the vehicle frame member 10 using a single bracket 26, which is advantageous in improving the efficiency of the assembling work of the headlamp 24 and the front bumper 20. Furthermore, by using the bracket 26 having the first mounting portion 36 and the second mounting portion 40, the front bumper 20 and the headlamp 24 can be attached to the bracket 26 with the headlamp 24 positioned vertically relative to the opening 22, which is advantageous in easily and reliably achieving the state in which the headlamp 24 is positioned vertically relative to the opening 22.

[0020] In addition, in this embodiment, the bracket main body 28 has a first portion 28A and a second portion 28B extending approximately vertically at the front end of the first portion 28A, and a first mounting portion 36 and a second mounting portion 40 are provided on the second portion 28B. Therefore, since the headlamp 24 and the front bumper 20 are attached to the second portion 28B (at the same location and on the same plane), this is advantageous in terms of improving the efficiency of the assembling and positioning operations of the headlamp 24 and the front bumper 20.

[0021] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the headlamp 24 is attached to the vehicle frame member 10 with the upper end of the second abutment portion 2812 abutting against the protruding wall 2412 provided on the housing 2402 of the headlamp 24 and the front surface of the second abutment portion 2812 abutting against the mounting wall 2414, and the front bumper 20 is attached to the vehicle frame member 10 with the upper end of the first abutment portion 2810 abutting against the protruding wall 2006 provided on the front bumper 20 and the front surface of the first abutment portion 2810 abutting against the mounting wall 2008. Therefore, the headlamp 24 and the front bumper 20 are attached to the vehicle frame member 10 with the bracket 26 positioning the headlamp 24 and the front bumper 20 in the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In other words, the headlamp 24 and the front bumper 20 are attached to the vehicle frame member 10 with the bracket 26 positioning the headlamp 24 in the vertical direction relative to the opening 22 . Therefore, when assembling the headlamp 24 and the front bumper 20, there is no need to separately adjust the position of the headlamp 24 relative to the opening 22, and the headlamp 24 can be easily positioned in the vertical direction relative to the opening 22, thereby making it possible to equalize the vertical gaps that occur between the opening 22 and the headlamp 24 as shown in Figure 10. This is advantageous not only in improving the appearance of the vehicle, but also in improving the efficiency of the assembly work of the headlamp 24 and the front bumper 20.

[0022] Furthermore, the headlamp 24 and the front bumper 20 are attached to the vehicle frame member 10 with the bracket 26 positioning the headlamp 24 relative to the opening 22 in the vertical direction as well as in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. This is advantageous in that it makes the vertical gap between the opening 22 and the headlamp 24 uniform, and also in further improving the appearance of the front bumper 20 around the headlamp 24.

[0023] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first abutment portion 2810 that positions the opening 22 of the front bumper 20 in the vertical direction and the second abutment portion 2812 that positions the headlamp 24 in the vertical direction are provided on the second part 28B, which is advantageous in reducing the number of parts in the structure that positions the headlamp 24 in the vertical direction relative to the opening 22 and making it more compact.

[0024] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the headlamp 24 is positioned in the vertical direction, the center of gravity of the headlamp 24 is located near the second abutment portion 2812, which is advantageous in terms of stably supporting the posture of the headlamp 24 with the bracket 26.

[0025] In the present embodiment, the bracket 26 includes a bracket main body 28, and a first leg 30 and a second leg 32 joined to the bracket main body 28, and the first leg 30 and the second leg 32 are joined to the brace 18 (vehicle frame member 10). In other words, the bracket 26 includes the first leg 30 and the second leg 32 that protrude downward from the bracket main body 28. Therefore, even if the relative positions of the headlamp 24 and front bumper 20 to the brace 18 in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the vehicle are changed slightly due to design, this can be accommodated by adjusting and joining the relative positions of the bracket main body 28 and the first and second leg portions 30 and 32 in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the vehicle, eliminating the need to change the design of the bracket 26, which is advantageous in preventing costs from increasing. Furthermore, even if the relative positions of the headlamp 24 and front bumper 20 to the brace 18 in the vertical direction are changed slightly due to design, this can be accommodated by adjusting and joining the relative positions of the first leg 30 and the second leg 32 to the brace 18 in the vertical direction, eliminating the need to change the design of the bracket 26, which is advantageous in preventing costs from increasing.

[0026] In addition, in this embodiment, in plan view, bracket body 28 is located outside first leg portion 30 and second leg portion 32 in the vehicle width direction and at a location away from brace 18 in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, in the pedestrian leg protection performance test, when an impactor simulating a pedestrian's leg collides with the headlamp 24 or a portion of the front bumper 20 near the headlamp 24, the load applied to the bracket body 28 via the headlamp 24 or the front bumper 20 causes the bracket 26 to swing inward in the vehicle width direction and retreat toward the rear of the vehicle. Such swinging and retraction of the bracket 26 efficiently absorbs the load from the impactor, thereby reducing the injury value to the legs, which is advantageous in improving the performance of protecting the pedestrian's legs.

[0027] In this embodiment, the first portion 28A of the bracket body 28 is formed so that its width decreases toward the rear in the front-rear direction. Therefore, in the pedestrian leg protection performance test, the load applied to the bracket main body 28 from the impactor via the headlamp 24 or the front bumper 20 makes the first portion 28A of the bracket main body 28 more likely to be crushed, which is more advantageous in reducing the injury value of the legs and is even more advantageous in improving pedestrian leg protection performance.

[0028] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0029] This application is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2022-52200) filed on March 28, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 10 Vehicle frame members 12 Upper Bar 14 Front end cross member 16 Fender Shield 18 braces 1802 Slope 1804 First mounting surface 1806 Second mounting surface 20 Front bumper 2002 Front bumper front part 2004 Front bumper side 2006 protruding wall 2008 Mounting wall 22 Opening 24 Headlamp 2402 Housing 2404 outer lens 2406, 2408, 2410 Mounting pieces 2412 Projecting wall 2414 Mounting wall 26 Bracket 28 Bracket body 28A Part 1 28B 2nd part 2802 Hypotenuse 2804 Front side 2806 side 2808 Curved section 2810 1st contact part 2810A 1st contact part 2812 Second contact part 2814 Bolt insertion hole 2816 Bolt insertion hole 30 1st leg 3002 1st leg body 3004 First mounting piece 3006 Second mounting piece 32 Second leg 3202 Second leg body 3204 Third mounting piece 3206 4th mounting piece 34 Bumper side positioning part 36 First mounting part 38 Headlamp side positioning part 40 Second mounting part S Front space of vehicle B1, B2 bolts N1, N2 nuts

Claims

1. A vehicle front structure in which a front bumper and a headlamp are attached to a frame member with the headlamp disposed in an opening formed in the front bumper, a bracket including a first mounting portion to which the front bumper is attached around the opening and a second mounting portion to which the headlamp is attached at a position different from the first mounting portion, the bracket being joined to the framework member; The bracket includes a bracket body having a first portion extending substantially horizontally in the front-rear direction and a second portion extending substantially vertically at a front end of the first portion, the second portion is provided with the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion, The second portion is a first contact portion that contacts a bumper-side positioning portion provided on the front bumper around the opening to position the front bumper relative to the frame member in the up-down direction; a second abutment portion that abuts against a headlamp-side positioning portion provided on the headlamp to position the headlamp relative to the frame member in the up-down direction, A vehicle front structure characterized by:

2. When the headlamp is positioned in the up-down direction, the center of gravity of the headlamp is located near the second abutment portion.

2. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1.

3. The bracket includes a leg portion that protrudes downward from the bracket body and is joined to the framework member.

3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 2.

4. When the leg portion is joined to the frame member, the bracket body is located at a position spaced outward from the frame member in the vehicle width direction.

4. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3.

5. The width of the first portion decreases toward the rear in the front-to-rear direction.

2. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1.

6. The bracket determines the position of the headlamp relative to the opening in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1.

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