Vehicle front structure

Abstract

To stabilize a folding mode of a skeleton member at a frontal collision.SOLUTION: A vehicle front part structure 10 includes: a closed cross-section type front side member body 14 which extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction at the front part of a vehicle V; a reinforcement 28 which extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction in the closed cross section of the front side member body 14, both end parts in the vehicle longitudinal direction of which are fitted to a vertical wall part 22A of an inner panel 22 of the front side member body 14, and which is bent to be protruded to the outside in a vehicle width direction at a bent part 30 provided at a portion between both end parts; and a connection part 40 which limits relative movement in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the reinforcement 28 facing a vertical wall part 26A of an outer panel 26 of the front side member body 14.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In the vehicle front structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 listed below, the front side member has a front side member inner and a front side member outer that form a closed cross section. The front side member outer has a weak portion that bends inward in the vehicle width direction when a collision load is input from the front of the vehicle. A hat-shaped reinforcing member that opens toward the front side member outer in a plan view is disposed at a location within the closed cross section of the front side member facing the weak portion. This reinforcing member has front and rear flange portions joined to the inner surface of the front side member outer in the vehicle width direction. During a frontal collision of the vehicle, the front side member bends inward in the vehicle width direction starting from the weak portion, and the reinforcing member deforms within the closed cross section of the front side member. This deformation of the reinforcing member increases the energy absorption capacity of the front side member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-107872 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above-mentioned prior art does not have a means for restricting deformation of the front side member inner, so in the event of a frontal collision, relative displacement occurs between the front side member inner and the front side member outer in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. As a result, the bending manner of the front side member, which is a frame member, (hereinafter referred to as the "bending mode") may become unstable, leaving room for improvement.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle front structure that can stabilize the folding mode of a frame member during a frontal collision. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first embodiment of the vehicle front structure comprises a skeletal member having a closed cross section extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle at the front of the vehicle, a reinforcing member extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle within the closed cross section of the skeletal member, with both ends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle attached to a wall portion on one side of the skeletal member in a direction perpendicular to the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and bent in a convex shape toward the other side in the perpendicular direction at a bending portion provided between the both ends, and a limiting portion that limits the relative movement of the reinforcing member in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle with respect to the wall portion on the other side of the skeletal member.

[0007] According to a first aspect, a reinforcing member extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction is provided within a closed cross section of a skeletal member extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction at the front of the vehicle. Both ends of the reinforcing member in the vehicle longitudinal direction are attached to a wall portion of the skeletal member on one side in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction. The reinforcing member is bent in a convex shape toward the other side in the perpendicular direction at a bent portion provided between the both ends. Therefore, during a frontal collision of the vehicle, the reinforcing member and the skeletal member bend toward the other side starting from the bent portion. At this time, the relative movement of the reinforcing member in the vehicle longitudinal direction with respect to the wall portion on the other side of the skeletal member is limited by a limiting portion. This stabilizes the folding mode of the skeletal member.

[0008] The vehicle front structure of a second aspect is the first aspect, wherein the limiting portion is provided in the wall portion on the other side at a location facing the bent portion and has a recess recessed toward the other side.

[0009] According to the second aspect, the frame member has a recess recessed toward the other side at a location on the wall portion on the other side facing the bent portion of the reinforcing member. Therefore, when the reinforcing member bends toward the other side starting from the bent portion, the peripheral portion of the bent portion of the reinforcing member engages with the recess, thereby limiting the relative movement of the reinforcing member with respect to the wall portion on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0010] The vehicle front structure of a third aspect is the second aspect, wherein the reinforcing member is provided with a convex portion that convex toward the other side at a location facing the concave portion in the direction perpendicular to the reinforcing member.

[0011] According to the third aspect, the reinforcing member is provided with a protrusion that protrudes toward the other side at a location facing the recess provided in the wall portion on the other side of the framework member in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction. Therefore, when the reinforcing member is bent, the protrusion and the recess engage with each other, thereby effectively restricting relative movement of the reinforcing member in the vehicle longitudinal direction with respect to the wall portion on the other side.

[0012] The vehicle front structure of a fourth aspect is the third aspect, wherein the dimension of the recess in the vehicle front-rear direction is set to be larger than the dimension of the protrusion in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0013] In the fourth aspect, since it is configured as described above, for example, when the convex portion of the reinforcing member is normally inserted into the concave portion of the framework member, dimensional errors of each member in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle can be easily absorbed.

[0014] A vehicle front structure of a fifth aspect is any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the restricting portion has a connecting portion that connects the wall portion on the other side and the bent portion.

[0015] According to the fifth aspect, the wall portion on the other side of the framework member and the bent portion of the reinforcing member are joined at the joint portion, so that when the reinforcing member is bent, relative movement of the reinforcing member with respect to the wall portion on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle can be effectively restricted.

[0016] In the sixth aspect of the vehicle front structure, in the first aspect, the limiting portion has a first limiting portion provided on the wall portion on the other side of the vehicle forward of the bent portion and convex toward the one side, and a second limiting portion provided on the wall portion on the other side of the vehicle rearward of the bent portion and convex toward the one side.

[0017] According to a sixth aspect, the other wall portion of the framework member is provided with a first limiting portion and a second limiting portion. The first limiting portion is convex toward one side of the bent portion of the reinforcing member on the vehicle front side, and the second limiting portion is convex toward one side of the bent portion of the reinforcing member on the vehicle rear side. Therefore, when the reinforcing member bends, the peripheral portion of the bent portion of the reinforcing member engages with the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion, thereby limiting the relative movement of the reinforcing member in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction with respect to the other wall portion.

[0018] The seventh aspect of the vehicle front structure is the sixth aspect, wherein the first limiting portion has a first inclined surface that is inclined toward the other side as it approaches the rear of the vehicle, and the second limiting portion has a second inclined surface that is inclined toward the other side as it approaches the front of the vehicle.

[0019] According to the seventh aspect, the first inclined surface of the first limiting portion of the framework member is inclined so as to be inclined toward the other side as it approaches the rear side of the vehicle, and the second inclined surface of the second limiting portion of the framework member is inclined so as to be inclined toward the other side as it approaches the front side of the vehicle. Therefore, when the reinforcing member is bent, the peripheral portion of the bent portion of the reinforcing member slides against the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface, and the peripheral portion of the bent portion slides between the first limiting portion and the second limiting portion. Susumu It can guide the entry.

[0020] The eighth aspect of the vehicle front structure is the seventh aspect, wherein the first limiting portion is in contact with or close to a portion of the reinforcing member that is further forward of the bend from the front side of the vehicle, and the second limiting portion is in contact with or close to a portion of the reinforcing member that is further rearward of the bend from the rear side of the vehicle.

[0021] According to the eighth aspect, the first limiting portion of the skeletal member contacts or faces closely to a portion of the reinforcing member that is further forward than the bent portion from the front side of the vehicle. The second limiting portion of the skeletal member contacts or faces closely to a portion of the reinforcing member that is further rearward than the bent portion from the rear side of the vehicle. Therefore, when the reinforcing member bends, the relative movement of the reinforcing member in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle with respect to the wall portion on the other side of the skeletal member is restricted early. As a result, the folding mode of the skeletal member can be stabilized early.

[0022] The vehicle front structure of the ninth aspect is any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the skeletal member comprises an inner panel having a wall portion on one side, and an outer panel having a wall portion on the other side and connected to the inner panel.

[0023] According to the ninth aspect, both ends of the reinforcing member in the vehicle longitudinal direction are joined to one wall portion of the inner panel, and the relative movement of the reinforcing member in the vehicle longitudinal direction with respect to the other wall portion of the outer panel is limited by the limiting portion. In the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle, the reinforcing member and the framework member bend outward in the vehicle width direction starting from the bent portion of the reinforcing member, making it easy to ensure space for the reinforcing member and the framework member to bend. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] As described above, in the vehicle front structure according to the present invention, the folding mode of the frame members during a frontal collision can be stabilized. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1]1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a main part of a front part of a vehicle configured to which a vehicle front structure relating to a first embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a front side member of the vehicle. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the front part of the vehicle, and is the first diagram for explaining a deformation mode of a front side member. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a second diagram for explaining the deformation mode. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a third diagram for explaining the deformation mode. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a fourth diagram for explaining the deformation mode. [Figure 7] 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the deformation stroke of the front side member and the deceleration acceleration of the vehicle. FIG. [Figure 8] 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between deformation stroke and deformation load of the front side member. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a main part of the front of a vehicle configured to which a vehicle front structure relating to a second embodiment is applied. [Figure 10] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a main part of the front part of a vehicle configured to which a vehicle front structure relating to a third embodiment is applied. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] First Embodiment A vehicle front structure 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 8. Note that in each figure, reference numerals may be omitted to make the drawings easier to understand. Furthermore, the arrows FR, UP, and OUT shown as appropriate in Figures 1 to 6 indicate the forward direction (direction of travel), the upward direction, and the outward side in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle V to which the vehicle front structure 10 is applied, respectively. Hereinafter, when the terms front-rear, left-right, and up-down are used in the description, they will refer to front-rear in the vehicle front-rear direction, left-right in the vehicle left-right direction (vehicle width direction), and up-down in the vehicle up-down direction, unless otherwise specified.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1 , a pair of left and right front side members 12 (the left front side member 12 is not shown) are disposed in the front portion of a vehicle V to which a vehicle front structure 10 is applied. The left and right front side members 12 each have a front side member main body 14 with a closed cross section extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle on both the left and right sides of the front portion of the vehicle V, and a reinforcement 28 extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle within the closed cross section of the front side member main body 14. The front side member main body 14 corresponds to the "framework member" in the present invention, and the reinforcement 28 corresponds to the "reinforcing member" in the present invention.

[0028] A crash box 16 is connected to the front end of each of the left and right front side members 12, and a front bumper reinforcement 18 is connected to the front end of each of the left and right crash boxes 16. A dash panel 20 is connected to the rear end of each of the left and right front side members 12.

[0029] 2, the front side member body 14 is made up of an inner panel 22 that forms the vehicle width direction inner portion of the front side member body 14, and an outer panel 26 that forms the vehicle width direction outer portion of the front side member body 14. The inner panel 22 and the outer panel 26 are made up of, for example, press-formed steel plate, and are formed in an elongated shape with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0030] The inner panel 22 has a generally hat-shaped cross section that opens outward in the vehicle width direction when viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction. The inner panel 22 includes a vertical wall portion 22A having a thickness direction that is the vehicle width direction, an upper wall portion 22B extending outward in the vehicle width direction from an upper end of the vertical wall portion 22A, a lower wall portion 22C extending outward in the vehicle width direction from a lower end of the vertical wall portion 22A, an upper flange portion 22D extending upward from an outer end of the upper wall portion 22B in the vehicle width direction, and a lower flange portion 22C extending upward from an outer end of the lower wall portion 22C in the vehicle width direction. underThe vertical wall portion 22A is configured with a lower flange portion 22E extending outward in the vehicle width direction. A vertical bead 24 extending in the vehicle up-down direction is formed in the middle portion in the vehicle front-rear direction of the vertical wall portion 22A (here, near the center portion in the vehicle front-rear direction). This vertical bead 24 is recessed outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0031] The outer panel 26 has a generally hat-shaped cross section that opens inward in the vehicle width direction when viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction. The outer panel 26 includes a vertical wall portion 26A having a thickness in the vehicle width direction, an upper wall portion 26B extending inward in the vehicle width direction from an upper end of the vertical wall portion 26A, a lower wall portion 26C extending inward in the vehicle width direction from a lower end of the vertical wall portion 26A, an upper flange portion 26D extending upward from an end of the upper wall portion 26B on the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and a lower flange portion 26C extending upward from an end of the lower wall portion 26C on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. under and a lower flange portion 26E extending to the other side.

[0032] The "inner side in the vehicle width direction" in this embodiment corresponds to the "one side in the direction perpendicular to the vehicle front-rear direction" in the present invention, and the "outer side in the vehicle width direction" in this embodiment corresponds to the "other side in the direction perpendicular to the vehicle front-rear direction" in the present invention. Furthermore, the vertical wall portion 22A of the inner panel 22 (i.e., the wall portion on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the front side member main body 14) corresponds to the "wall portion on one side" in the present invention, and the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26 (i.e., the wall portion on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the front side member main body 14) corresponds to the "wall portion on the other side" in the present invention.

[0033] The upper flange portion 22D of the inner panel 22 and the upper flange portion 26D of the outer panel 26 are joined by means of spot welding or the like, and the lower flange portion 22E of the inner panel 22 and the lower flange portion 26E of the outer panel 26 are joined by means of spot welding or the like. As a result, the outer panel 26 and the inner panel 22 form a substantially rectangular closed cross section when viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0034] The reinforcement 28 is made of, for example, a press-formed steel plate, and is formed in an elongated shape with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the front-rear direction. The reinforcement 28 has a vertical wall portion 28A with the plate thickness direction approximately in the vehicle width direction, an upper wall portion 28B extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end of the vertical wall portion 28A, a lower wall portion (not shown) extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the lower end of the vertical wall portion 28A, an upper flange portion 28D extending upward from the outer end of the upper wall portion 28B in the vehicle width direction, and a flange portion 28C extending upward from the outer end of the lower wall portion in the vehicle width direction. under and a lower flange portion 28E extending to the other side.

[0035] The upper flange portion 28D of the reinforcement 28 is sandwiched between the upper flange portion 22D of the inner panel 22 and the upper flange portion 26D of the outer panel 26, and is joined to the upper flange portion 22D and the upper flange portion 26D by means of spot welding or the like. The lower flange portion 28E of the reinforcement 28 is sandwiched between the lower flange portion 22E of the inner panel 22 and the lower flange portion 26E of the outer panel 26, and is joined to the lower flange portion 22E and the lower flange portion 26E by means of spot welding or the like.

[0036] The vertical wall portion 28A of the reinforcement 28 has both ends in the vehicle front-rear direction attached to the inner panel 22, and is bent outward in the vehicle width direction at a bent portion 30 provided in an intermediate portion (here, near the center portion in the vehicle front-rear direction) that is a region between the both ends. The vertical wall portion 28A has a first inclined portion 32 that is inclined so that the portion forward of the bent portion 30 is inclined inward in the vehicle width direction as it approaches the front of the vehicle, and the portion rearward of the bent portion 30 is inclined so that the portion The further towards the rear of the vehicle The second inclined portion 34 is inclined inward in the vehicle width direction. The bent portion 30 and the vertical bead 24 formed on the vertical wall portion 22A of the inner panel 22 are arranged so that their positions in the vehicle front-rear direction are aligned. The arrangement of the bent portion 30 is not limited to the above and can be changed as appropriate. For example, the bent portion 30 may be arranged on the front end side of the vertical wall portion 28A, or the bent portion 30 may be arranged on the rear end side of the vertical wall portion 28A.

[0037] The front end of the first inclined portion 32 (i.e., the front end of the vertical wall portion 28A) is overlapped with the front end of the vertical wall portion 22A of the inner panel 22 from the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and is joined to the front end of the vertical wall portion 22A by means of spot welding or the like. The rear end of the second inclined portion 34 (i.e., the rear end of the vertical wall portion 28A) is overlapped with the rear end of the vertical wall portion 22A of the inner panel 22 from the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and is joined to the rear end of the vertical wall portion 22A by means of spot welding or the like. Note that both ends of the vertical wall portion 28A in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction may not be directly joined to the inner panel 22, but may be indirectly joined via another plate-like member or the like.

[0038] A front bulkhead 36 is fixed to the surface of the rear end of the first inclined portion 32 facing inward in the vehicle width direction, and a rear bulkhead 38 is fixed to the surface of the front end of the second inclined portion 34 facing inward in the vehicle width direction. The front bulkhead 36 and the rear bulkhead 38 are made of, for example, press-formed steel plate, and both their cross-sectional shapes when viewed from the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle and when viewed from the top-to-bottom direction of the vehicle are generally hat-shaped with an opening outward in the vehicle width direction. Note that the shapes of the front bulkhead 36 and the rear bulkhead 38 are not limited to those described above and can be modified as appropriate, and may be spherical or rectangular.

[0039] The front bulkhead 36 is disposed near the front side of the vehicle with respect to the bent portion 30 of the vertical wall portion 28A, and a flange portion 36A of the front bulkhead 36 is joined to the rear end of the first inclined portion 32 by means of spot welding or the like. The rear bulkhead 38 is disposed near the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the bent portion 30 of the vertical wall portion 28A, and a flange portion 38A of the rear bulkhead 38 is joined to the front end of the second inclined portion 34 by means of spot welding or the like. The front bulkhead 36 and rear bulkhead 38 face each other with a gap in between in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

[0040] The bent portion 30 of the vertical wall portion 28A is overlapped with the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26 from the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and is joined to the vertical wall portion 26A by means of welding or the like. At this joint 40, the bent portion 30 and the vertical wall portion 26A are joined by means of one-sided welding such as slit arc welding or laser screw welding (LSW), or by means of bolt fastening. This joint 40 corresponds to the "restriction portion" in the present invention. This joint 40 limits (here, restricts) the relative movement of the reinforcement 28 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction with respect to the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26 of the front side member main body 14 (corresponding to the "wall portion on the other side" in the present invention).

[0041] In this embodiment, as described above, both ends of the vertical wall portion 28A of the reinforcement 28 in the vehicle longitudinal direction are joined to the vertical wall portion 22A of the inner panel 22. For this reason, when assembling the front side member 12, the reinforcement 28 is first assembled to the inner panel 22, and then the outer panel 26 is assembled to the inner panel 22 and the reinforcement 28. In this assembly order, it is difficult to join the bent portion 30 of the reinforcement 28 to the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26 by spot welding, but by employing the above-mentioned one-side welding, bolt fastening, or other means, the above assembly can be easily completed. order The front side member 12 can be assembled in this manner.

[0042] When a vehicle V equipped with the vehicle front structure 10 configured as described above experiences a frontal collision, the crash boxes 16 first undergo axial compressive deformation in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, as shown over time in FIGS. 3 to 6 . Then, the front side members 12 bend outward in the vehicle width direction, starting from the bent portions 30 of the reinforcements 28 and the vertical beads 24 of the inner panel 22. During this bending, the front bulkhead 36 and the rear bulkhead 38 are pressed against each other in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, causing deformation, thereby increasing the deformation load of the front side members 12. Furthermore, during this bending, the joints 40 are configured to prevent or suppress relative movement of the reinforcements 28 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle with respect to the vertical wall portions 26A of the outer panel 26. In FIGS. 3 to 6 , reference numeral 42 denotes the front wheels of the vehicle V, and reference numeral 44 denotes a power unit of the vehicle V.

[0043] Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described. According to the vehicle front structure 10 configured as described above, a reinforcement 28 extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction is provided within the closed cross section of the front side member main body 14 extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction at the front of the vehicle V. Both ends of this reinforcement 28 in the vehicle longitudinal direction are joined to the vertical wall portion 22A of the inner panel 22 of the front side member main body 14. 8 A is bent so as to convex outward in the vehicle width direction at a bent portion 30 provided in a region between the both end portions, so that the centroid axis of the front side member 12 is bent so as to convex outward in the vehicle width direction in plan view.

[0044] In the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle V, the front side member 12 bends outward in the vehicle width direction, starting from the bent portion 30. At this time, the joint portion 40 that joins the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26 of the front side member main body 14 to the bent portion 30 of the reinforcement 28 restricts relative movement of the reinforcement 28 in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle with respect to the vertical wall portion 26A. This stabilizes the bending mode of the front side member 12 in a plan view. Moreover, the above restriction increases the toughness (i.e., tenacity; a property that makes it difficult to break) of the front side member 12 after bending, improving the sustainability of the deformation load from the start of deformation of the front side member 12 until fracture, and increasing the amount of energy absorption.

[0045] In Figure 7, the relationship between the deformation stroke of the front side member 12 according to this embodiment and the deceleration / acceleration of the vehicle V is shown by a two-dot chain line diagram. In Figure 7, the relationship between the deformation stroke of the front side member according to a comparative example and the deceleration / acceleration of the vehicle is shown by a solid line diagram. In this comparative example, the front side member does not have a joint portion 40, but the other configuration is the same as in this embodiment. As shown in Figure 7, in this embodiment, the drop in the deceleration / acceleration of the vehicle V after bending of the front side member 12 is smaller than in the comparative example (see the area surrounded by the dashed line in Figure 7).

[0046] Furthermore, Fig. 8 shows the relationship between the deformation stroke and deformation load of the front side member 12 according to this embodiment using a solid line. In Fig. 8, the relationship between the deformation stroke and deformation load of the front side member according to the above-mentioned comparative example using a two-dot chain line. In Fig. 8, S1 indicates the deformation stroke when the front side member 12 and the front side member according to the comparative example start to bend. Furthermore, in Fig. 8, arrow D indicates the elongation (i.e., ductility) from the start of bending (i.e., plastic deformation) of the front side member 12 and the front side member according to the comparative example until fracture.

[0047] 8, the area of ​​the region surrounded by the solid line diagram and the horizontal axis indicates the energy absorption amount of the front side member 12, and the area of ​​the region surrounded by the two-dot chain line diagram and the horizontal axis indicates the energy absorption amount of the front side member according to the comparative example. In this Fig. 8, the area of ​​the hatched region indicates the energy absorption amount due to the toughness of the front side member according to the comparative example (i.e., the energy absorption amount in the ductile region), and the area of ​​the hatched and dotted region indicates the energy absorption amount due to the toughness of the front side member 12. In this embodiment, the reduction in deformation load after the start of plastic deformation of the front side member 12 is small, so the energy absorption amount is greater by the amount of the dotted region in Fig. 8 than in the comparative example.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26 of the front side member main body 14 and the bent portion 30 of the reinforcement 28 are joined at the joint portion 40. Therefore, when the reinforcement 28 bends, it is possible to effectively limit the relative movement of the reinforcement 28 with respect to the vertical wall portion 26A in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle. As a result, it is possible to effectively stabilize the folding mode of the front side member 12, and also contribute to increasing the rigidity of the vehicle body under normal conditions.

[0049] In addition, in this embodiment, both ends of the reinforcement 28 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction are joined to the vertical wall portion 22A of the inner panel 22, and the relative movement of the reinforcement 28 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction with respect to the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26 is restricted. In the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle, the front side members 12 bend outward in the vehicle width direction, making it easy to ensure space for the reinforcement 28 to bend.

[0050] Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment are used for the configurations and operations that are basically the same as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0051] <Second embodiment> 9 shows in cross section the configuration of the main parts of the front of a vehicle V configured to which a vehicle front structure 50 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is applied. In this vehicle front structure 50, the front side member 12 has, instead of the connecting portion 40 in the first embodiment, a first engaging portion 52 provided on the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26 of the front side member main body 14, and a second engaging portion 56 provided on the vertical wall portion 28A of the reinforcement 28.

[0052] The first engagement portion 52 is formed by a portion of the vertical wall portion 26A, and the second engagement portion 56 is formed, for example, from a press-formed steel plate. The first engagement portion 52 is disposed opposite the bent portion 30 of the vertical wall portion 28A in the vehicle width direction. The first engagement portion 52 has, for example, a substantially U-shaped cross section when viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction and when viewed from the vehicle up-down direction, both of which are open inward in the vehicle width direction. Note that the first engagement portion 52 may be manufactured separately from the outer panel 26 and joined to the vertical wall portion 26A by means of welding or the like. In this case, an opening is formed in the vertical wall portion 26A at a location opposite the first engagement portion 52. The first engagement portion 52 has a recess 54 disposed opposite the bent portion 30. The recess 54 is recessed outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0053] The second engagement portion 56 is disposed outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the vertical wall portion 28A and opposed to the bent portion 30 of the vertical wall portion 28A in the vehicle width direction. The second engagement portion 56 has, for example, a generally hat-shaped cross section when viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction and a cross section when viewed from the vehicle up-down direction, both of which are open inward in the vehicle width direction. A flange portion (reference numeral omitted) of the second engagement portion 56 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction is joined to the vertical wall portion 28A by means of spot welding or the like. The second engagement portion 56 forms a protrusion 58 disposed at a location facing the recess 54. The protrusion 58 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction. The dimension of the recess 54 in the vehicle front-rear direction is set larger than the dimension of the protrusion 58 in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a portion of the protrusion 58 is inserted into the recess 54. The recessed portion 54 and the protruding portion 58 constitute the "limiting portion" of the present invention and have the function of limiting the relative movement of the reinforcement 28 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction with respect to the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26 within a predetermined range. The recessed portion 54 and the protruding portion 58 may be joined by one-side welding, bolt fastening, or other means. In this embodiment, the configuration other than that described above is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0054] In this embodiment, the front side member main body 14 has a recess 54 recessed outward in the vehicle width direction at a location on the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26 that faces the bent portion 30 of the reinforcement 28. Therefore, when the reinforcement 28 is bent outward in the vehicle width direction starting from the bent portion 30, The recess 54 The vertical wall portion 26A engages with the peripheral portion (here, the protrusion 58) of the bent portion 30 of the reinforcement 28. This makes it possible to limit the relative movement of the reinforcement 28 in the vehicle longitudinal direction with respect to the vertical wall portion 26A. Therefore, in this embodiment as well, basically similar to the first embodiment, the bending mode of the front side member 12 can be stabilized and the amount of energy absorption can be increased.

[0055] Moreover, in this embodiment, a protrusion 58 that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction is provided on the reinforcement 28 at a location facing the recess 54. Therefore, when the reinforcement 28 is bent, the protrusion 58 and the recess 54 engage with each other (i.e., the protrusion 58 is caught in the recess 54), thereby effectively limiting (suppressing) relative movement of the reinforcement 28 in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle with respect to the vertical wall portion 26A.

[0056] In this embodiment, the dimension of the recess 54 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is set to be larger than the dimension of the protrusion 58 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Therefore, when the protrusion 58 is normally inserted into the recess 54, it becomes easier to absorb dimensional errors of the respective components in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0057] In the second embodiment, the reinforcement 28 is provided with the protrusion 58, but the configuration is not limited to this, and the protrusion 58 may be omitted. In this case, when the reinforcement 28 is bent, the peripheral portion of the bent portion 30 in the vertical wall portion 28A of the reinforcement 28 enters the recess 54. Susumu The bent portion 30 is inserted into the recess 54 and engages with the recess 54. In this case, the bent portion 30 and the recess 54 may be joined by one-side welding, bolt fastening, or other means.

[0058] <Third embodiment> 10 shows in cross section the configuration of a main part of the front of a vehicle V configured to which a vehicle front structure 60 according to a third embodiment of the present invention is applied. In this vehicle front structure 60, the front side member 12 has a first limiting portion 62 and a second limiting portion 64 fixed to the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26 of the front side member main body 14, instead of the joining portion 40 in the first embodiment. The first limiting portion 62 and the second limiting portion 64 constitute the "limiting portion" of the present invention and have the function of limiting the relative movement of the reinforcement 28 with respect to the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction within a predetermined range.

[0059] The first limiting portion 62 and the second limiting portion 64 are made of, for example, press-formed steel plate, and are arranged on the inward side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26. Note that the first limiting portion 62 and the second limiting portion 64 may be configured to be integrated with the outer panel 26 (i.e., a portion of the vertical wall portion 26A may be configured as the first limiting portion 62 and the second limiting portion 64). The first limiting portion 62 is arranged on the vehicle front side with respect to the bent portion 30 of the reinforcement 28, and convex inward in the vehicle width direction. The second limiting portion 64 is arranged on the vehicle rear side with respect to the bent portion 30, and convex inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0060] The first limiting portion 62 has a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction, and a flange portion (reference numeral omitted) on the outer side in the vehicle width direction is joined to the vertical wall portion 26A by means of spot welding or the like. The first limiting portion 62 has a first inclined surface 62A that is inclined so that it slopes outward in the vehicle width direction as it extends toward the rear of the vehicle. The second limiting portion 64 has a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction, and a flange portion (reference numeral omitted) on the outer side in the vehicle width direction is joined to the vertical wall portion 26A by means of spot welding or the like. The second limiting portion 64 has a second inclined surface 64A that is inclined so that it slopes outward in the vehicle width direction as it extends toward the front of the vehicle.

[0061] The first inclined surface 62A is disposed so as to face, in contact with or in close proximity to, the first inclined portion 32 (i.e., the portion further forward of the bent portion 30) of the vertical wall portion 28A of the reinforcement 28 from the front side of the vehicle. The second inclined surface 64A faces, in contact with or in close proximity to the second inclined portion 34 (i.e., the portion further rearward of the bent portion 30) of the vertical wall portion 28A from the rear side of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the configuration other than that described above is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0062] In this embodiment, a first limiting portion 62 and a second limiting portion 64 are provided on the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26 of the front side member main body 14. The first limiting portion 62 convex inward in the vehicle width direction on the vehicle front side with respect to the bent portion 30 of the reinforcement 28, and the second limiting portion 64 convex inward in the vehicle width direction on the vehicle rear side with respect to the bent portion 30. Therefore, when the reinforcement 28 bends outward in the vehicle width direction starting from the bent portion 30, the peripheral portion of the bent portion 30 of the reinforcement 28 engages (abuts) with the first limiting portion 62 and the second limiting portion 64, thereby limiting the relative movement of the reinforcement 28 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction with respect to the vertical wall portion 26A. Therefore, in this embodiment as well, the folding mode of the front side member 12 can be stabilized and the amount of energy absorption can be increased, basically similar to the first embodiment.

[0063] In this embodiment, the first inclined surface 62A of the first limiting portion 62 is inclined so as to bend outward in the vehicle width direction toward the rear of the vehicle, and the second inclined surface 64A of the second limiting portion 64 is inclined so as to bend outward in the vehicle width direction toward the front of the vehicle. Therefore, when the reinforcement 28 is bent starting from the bent portion 30, the peripheral portion of the bent portion 30 of the reinforcement 28 slides against the first inclined surface 62A and the second inclined surface 64A, and the peripheral portion of the bent portion 30 slides between the first limiting portion 62 and the second limiting portion 64. Susumu It can guide the entry.

[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first limiting portion 62 faces the first inclined portion 32 of the reinforcement 28 in contact with or in close proximity to the front side of the vehicle, and the second limiting portion 64 faces the second inclined portion 34 of the reinforcement 28 in contact with or in close proximity to the rear side of the vehicle. Therefore, when the reinforcement 28 bends starting from the bending portion 30, the relative movement of the reinforcement 28 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle with respect to the vertical wall portion 26A of the outer panel 26 of the front side member main body 14 is restricted (suppressed) early. As a result, the folding mode of the front side member 12 can be stabilized early.

[0065] In the above-described embodiments, the "inner side in the vehicle width direction" is defined as "one side in the direction perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction" in the present invention, and the "outer side in the vehicle width direction" is defined as "the other side in the direction perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction" in the present invention, but this is not limiting. For example, the "upper side of the vehicle" may be defined as "one side in the direction perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction" in the present invention, and the "lower side of the vehicle" may be defined as "the other side in the direction perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction" in the present invention.

[0066] In addition, the present invention can be implemented in various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 10 Vehicle front structure 14 Front side member body 22A Vertical wall (one side wall) 26A Vertical wall (wall on the other side) 28 Reinforcement 30 Bend 40 Joint (restriction) 50 Vehicle front structure 54 Recess (restriction) 58 Convex part (restriction part) 60 Vehicle front structure 62 First Restriction Section (Restriction Section) 62A 1st slope 64 Second Restriction Section (Restriction Section) 64A 2nd slope

Claims

1. a front side member main body having a closed cross section and extending in the vehicle front-rear direction at a front portion of the vehicle; a reinforcing member extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction within a closed cross section of the front side member main body, having both end portions in the vehicle longitudinal direction attached to one wall portion of the front side member main body in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction, and bent in a convex manner toward the other side in the direction perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction at a bend portion provided in a portion between the both end portions; a limiting portion that limits relative movement of the reinforcing member with respect to the wall portion on the other side of the front side member main body in the vehicle longitudinal direction; A vehicle front structure comprising:

2. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 , wherein the limiting portion is provided at a location on the wall portion on the other side facing the bent portion, and has a recess recessed toward the other side.

3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcing member has a protrusion that protrudes toward the other side at a location that faces the recess in the direction perpendicular to the reinforcing member.

4. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3 , wherein the recess has a dimension in the vehicle front-rear direction that is set larger than the dimension in the vehicle front-rear direction of the protrusion.

5. 5. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein the limiting portion has a connecting portion that connects the wall portion on the other side and the bent portion.

6. The limiting portion is a first limiting portion provided on the wall portion on the other side of the vehicle forward side with respect to the bent portion and convex toward the one side; a second limiting portion provided on the wall portion on the other side rearward of the bent portion and protruding toward the one side; The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 ,

7. the first limiting portion has a first inclined surface that is inclined toward the other side as it extends toward the rear of the vehicle, The vehicle front structure according to claim 6 , wherein the second limiting portion has a second inclined surface that is inclined toward the other side as it extends toward the front of the vehicle.

8. the first limiting portion is in contact with or adjacent to and faces a portion of the reinforcing member that is further forward than the bent portion from the front side of the vehicle, The vehicle front structure according to claim 7 , wherein the second limiting portion is in contact with or adjacent to and faces a portion of the reinforcing member that is on the vehicle rear side of the bent portion.

9. 2. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, wherein the front side member main body comprises an inner panel having the wall portion on one side, and an outer panel having the wall portion on the other side and connected to the inner panel.

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