Vehicle bumper mounting structure

Abstract

To provide a bumper mounting structure of a vehicle, which can reduce reaction force to a person whom the vehicle collides with and an object which the vehicle collides with as much as possible, while preventing a front bumper from hanging down by own weight.SOLUTION: The bumper mounting structure of a vehicle, which mounts a bumper / fender 2 on a building frame 4 including a radiator support 40 provided at a front part of the vehicle and a front side member 44, comprises: an upper retainer 3 connected to an upper frame part 41 of the radiator support 40 to support an upper part of a backside of the bumper / fender 2; and a bumper support bracket 8 supported and fixed onto a front side of a bumper reinforce 6 erected at the front side member 44 to support the bumper / fender 2 from the back side, where the bumper support bracket 8 is formed in a fork shape which gradually widens in a vertical direction from a connected portion to the bumper reinforce 6 to a fastened part to the back side of the bumper / fender 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a bumper mounting structure provided at the front of a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, at the front of a vehicle, there is a front bumper as a shock-absorbing member for mitigating the impact when the vehicle collides, protecting the engine and the vehicle body mounted on the vehicle while protecting the driver and passengers, and mitigating the impact received by a person or an object that collides with the vehicle.

[0003] Various sensors for detecting the distance between the vehicle and an object are mounted on this front bumper to improve the safety performance of the vehicle. Since these sensors are supported and fixed to the front bumper, when the number of sensors mounted on the front bumper increases, the weight of the front bumper increases.

[0004] The front bumper is mounted on the upper frame of the radiator support, which is a skeletal member of the vehicle, via an upper retainer. Therefore, when the weight of the front bumper increases, the front bumper sags due to its own weight, and there is a risk that the gap between the upper edge of the front bumper and the front edge of the bonnet will widen, deteriorating the appearance of the vehicle.

[0005] There is a technique described in Patent Document 1 for improving the self-weight sag of the front bumper caused by attaching various sensors to the front bumper.

[0006] Patent Document 1 describes a configuration in which the front bumper is supported by a bracket protruding forward from the dash panel, which is a vehicle body frame, and the engagement portion between the bracket and the front bumper is supported from below by a brace (support member) whose lower end is connected to the bumper reinforcement, thereby preventing the front bumper from sagging due to its own weight.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-107929 [Disclosure of the Invention] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] In the conventional front bumper support structure described above, a brace, which is a reinforcing member, is provided near the engagement point between the front bumper and the vehicle frame. In particular, a configuration that supports the engagement point between the front bumper and the vehicle frame from below has the following problems.

[0009] Conventional front bumpers are supported by brackets that protrude forward from the dash panel, which is part of the vehicle's frame, and the engagement point between these brackets and the front bumper is supported from below by a brace, thereby preventing the front bumper from sagging due to its own weight. In this configuration, the load on the front bumper is distributed and generated between the brackets and the brace.

[0010] Thus, conventional front bumpers are configured such that the upper rear of the front bumper is supported by a bracket, and the engagement point between the front bumper and the bracket is supported from below by a brace. Therefore, even if the weight of the front bumper increases due to sensors, downward displacement of the front bumper can be suppressed. However, the front bumper also plays a role in suppressing the transmission of impact to the vehicle body during a collision, as well as reducing the reaction force on the person or object involved in the collision. Therefore, improving the rigidity of the upper retainer that supports the front bumper makes the upper retainer less susceptible to deformation or displacement, thus increasing the reaction force on the person or object involved in the collision.

[0011] Thus, if the rigidity of the components supporting the front bumper is increased to prevent the front bumper from sagging due to the weight of the various sensors attached to it, a problem arises: the reaction force on people or objects that collide with the vehicle increases.

[0012] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a vehicle bumper mounting structure that prevents the front bumper from sagging due to its own weight, while reducing the reaction force on people or objects that collide with the vehicle as much as possible. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The vehicle bumper mounting structure according to the present invention is a vehicle bumper mounting structure that mounts and supports a bumper-integrated fender, which is provided so as to cover the radiator support and the front side members, to a body frame including a radiator support that supports a radiator provided at the front of the vehicle and left and right front side members connected to the radiator support. The radiator support has an upper frame portion, a lower frame portion provided below the upper frame portion, and left and right side frame portions connecting the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion. It also has an upper retainer connected to the upper frame portion that supports the upper part of the back surface of the bumper-integrated fender, and a bumper support bracket that is supported and fixed to the front side of the bumper reinforcement installed on the front side member and supports the bumper-integrated fender from the back surface. The bumper support bracket is formed in a bifurcated shape that gradually widens in the vertical direction from the connection portion with the bumper reinforcement to the fastening portion with the back surface of the front bumper.

[0014] In another aspect of the present invention, a bumper mounting structure is provided in which an engaging projection protruding from the rear side of the bumper support bracket is inserted into and fixed into a hole provided in the bumper reinforcement. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a vehicle bumper mounting structure that attaches and supports a bumper-integrated fender, which is provided to cover the radiator support and the front side members, to a body frame including a radiator support that supports a radiator provided at the front of the vehicle and left and right front side members connected to the radiator support, the radiator support has an upper frame portion, a lower frame portion provided below the upper frame portion, and left and right side frame portions connecting the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion, and the bumper-integrated fender is provided to cover the radiator support and the front side members and a lower frame portion provided below the upper frame portion The front bumper has an upper retainer that supports the upper part of the back surface of the front bumper, and a bumper support bracket that is supported and fixed to the front side of the bumper reinforcement mounted on the front side member and supports the bumper-integrated fender from the back surface. The bumper support bracket is formed in a bifurcated shape that gradually widens vertically from the connection part with the bumper reinforcement to the fastening part with the back surface of the front bumper, so that the weight of the front bumper can be supported by the upper retainer and the bumper support bracket, the load can be distributed by increasing the number of points that support the front bumper, and the front bumper can be prevented from sagging from a predetermined fixed position due to its own weight. Furthermore, the bumper support bracket is formed in a bifurcated shape that gradually expands vertically from the connection point with the bumper reinforcement to the fastening point with the back surface of the front bumper. This configuration makes it easier for the bumper support bracket to expand vertically during a frontal collision, allowing it to absorb the load on the bumper-integrated fender during a collision and reduce the reaction force on people or objects involved in the collision as much as possible.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the engaging projection protruding from the rear side of the bumper support bracket is inserted and fixed into a hole provided in the bumper reinforcement, thereby maintaining a constant distance between the bumper reinforcement and the bumper-integrated fender, and securing an impact absorption space for absorbing the impact energy generated during a vehicle collision. As a result, the impact energy generated during a collision is absorbed by the deformation of the bumper-integrated fender, and the reaction force on the person or object involved in the collision can be reduced as much as possible.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing a vehicle equipped with a bumper-integrated fender according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing a bumper-integrated fender and an upper retainer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the support state of the bumper-integrated fender according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a front view showing the mounting position of the bumper support bracket according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a plan view showing the mounting position of the bumper support bracket according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a view showing the bumper support bracket according to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a perspective view from the front side, and (b) is a perspective view from the back side. [Figure 7] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the mounting state of the bumper support bracket according to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a view showing the engagement state with the bumper reinforcement, and (b) is a view showing the thin part. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram showing the deformation of the bumper support bracket when a load is generated from the front of the vehicle on the bumper-integrated fender according to an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a view showing the state immediately after the collision, and (b) is a view showing the state where the bumper-integrated fender is pushed backward after the collision.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] The present invention aims to prevent the upper edge of a bumper-integrated fender from being displaced downward from a predetermined fixed position and reduce the reaction force on a collided person or object during a frontal collision of a vehicle, in a configuration where, for example, in fastening a bumper-integrated fender disposed at the front of the vehicle, the upper part of the back surface of the front bumper is supported by an upper retainer, and the vicinity of the substantially central part in the vertical direction on the back surface side of the bumper-integrated fender is supported by a bumper support bracket. In a bumper-integrated fender to which sensors are added and the self-weight is increased. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. Note that self-weight sag means that a bumper-integrated fender supported and fixed to the body frame of a vehicle is displaced downward from a predetermined mounting position due to its self-weight.

[0019] In the present embodiment, a case where the mounting structure of a vehicle bumper (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "mounting structure") is applied to a resin panel member forming the exterior of a vehicle 1 as a vehicle will be described as an example.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 8, the mounting structure of the vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment includes a bumper-integrated fender 2 provided at the front of the vehicle 1, an upper retainer 3 that supports the upper back surface of the bumper-integrated fender 2, a radiator support 40 as a body frame 4 of the vehicle that fixes the upper retainer 3, a front side member 44 connected to the outside in the vehicle width direction of the radiator support 40, and a bumper support bracket 8 that is fixed to a bumper inforce 6 installed on the front side member 44 and supports the bumper-integrated fender 2 from the back surface.

[0021] The bumper-integrated fender 2 according to the present embodiment is a bumper-integrated fender 2 as a bumper-integrated resin fender in which a bumper and a fender are integrally formed. That is, in an automobile, for example, as an exterior component of the vehicle body, there is a configuration having a synthetic resin bumper constituting the front lower end portion of the vehicle body and a metal fender (front fender panel) provided so as to be continuous with the rear side of the bumper, and a configuration in which the bumper and the fender are separate members from each other is widely used. However, the vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment includes a resin bumper-integrated fender 2 as a member forming the exterior at its front part.

[0022] Therefore, the bumper-integrated fender 2 has a fender portion 20, which corresponds to the fender in the configuration where the bumper and fender are separate components as described above, and a bumper portion 21, which corresponds to the bumper in the same configuration. The bumper-integrated fender 2 is provided on both the left and right sides of the vehicle 1 in a symmetrical configuration.

[0023] As described above, the bumper-integrated fender 2 is made of a single resin molded product having a fender portion 20 located around the front wheel of the vehicle 1 and a bumper portion 21 located in front of the front wheel of the vehicle 1. In this embodiment, the bumper-integrated fender 2 is made of a single integrated member that forms the left and right fender portions 20 and bumper portions 21 by having a bumper upper edge portion 22 that is installed between the front ends of the left and right bumper portions 21 and connects the upper edges of the left and right bumper portions 21, and a bumper lower edge portion 26 that connects the lower edges of the left and right bumper portions 21. However, the bumper-integrated fender 2 may also be made of members that form the fender portion 20 and bumper portion 21 on each of the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle 1.

[0024] For the sake of explanation, the directions shown in Figure 1 will be referred to as the vertical, longitudinal, and lateral directions of Vehicle 1, respectively. Furthermore, the descriptions of the longitudinal, longitudinal, longitudinal, and lateral (vehicle width) directions of Vehicle 1 include directions that deviate from the exact directions indicated by each description, i.e., approximate longitudinal, approximate longitudinal, approximate longitudinal, and approximate lateral directions.

[0025] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the front of the vehicle 1 is equipped with a radiator support 40 and front side members 44 provided on the left and right sides of the radiator support 40, which form the vehicle's frame 4. The bumper-integrated fender 2, which has a fender portion 20 and a bumper portion 21, is provided to cover the radiator support 40 and the front side members 44.

[0026] A bonnet 5 is provided between the fender sections 20 of the left and right bumper-integrated fenders 2, above the radiator support 40 and the front side member 44. Headlamps 23 are provided on the left and right sides of the vehicle 1, on the front side of the fender section 20 of the bumper-integrated fenders 2, above the bumper section 21. A bumper grille 24 is provided between the left and right bumper sections 21. A fastening cover 25 is provided near the left and right sides of the bumper grille 24, below the headlamps 23.

[0027] The bumper-integrated fender 2 is a one-piece molded resin component formed by injection molding or other methods using synthetic resin material. The material of the bumper-integrated fender 2 is, for example, a polypropylene-based resin.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the bumper-integrated fender 2 has a headlamp opening recess 23a formed in the front upper part that conforms to the outer shape of the headlamp 23. In other words, the headlamp 23 is surrounded by the bumper-integrated fender 2 for most of its periphery and is exposed to the outside through the headlamp opening recess 23a.

[0029] The headlamp opening recess 23a has a shape that follows a substantially parallelogram shape when viewed from the front, and has a front edge portion 23b that slopes downwards toward the front, a lower edge portion 23c that is substantially horizontal and forms an acute angle with the front edge portion 23b, and a rear edge portion 23d that slopes upwards toward the rear and forms an obtuse angle with the lower edge portion 23c. An opening is formed on the front upper side of the headlamp opening recess 23a, with a discontinuous space between the upper end (rear end) of the front edge portion 23b and the rear end of the rear edge portion 23d.

[0030] The bumper-integrated fender 2 has a bumper grille opening recess 24a formed between the left and right headlights 23, which conforms to the outer shape of the bumper grille 24. In other words, the bumper grille 24 is surrounded by the bumper-integrated fender 2 and is exposed to the outside through the bumper grille opening recess 24a.

[0031] The bumper grille opening recess 24a has a shape that follows a roughly vase shape when viewed from the front. The bumper grille opening recess 24a has left and right inclined upper edges 24b formed in a downward sloping manner toward approximately the center in the vehicle width direction, an upper edge 24c formed in a roughly horizontal manner that forms an acute angle with the left and right inclined upper edges 24b and connects the upper ends of the left and right inclined upper edges 24b, an inclined lower edge 24d that forms an obtuse angle with the inclined upper edges 24b and slopes downward toward the outside in the vehicle width direction, and a lower edge 24e formed in a roughly horizontal manner that forms an acute angle with the inclined lower edge 24d and connects the lower ends of the inclined lower edge 24d. The peripheral edges of these bumper grille opening recesses 24a have flange portions that are bent and extended toward the rear of the vehicle. That is, each side constituting the bumper grille opening recess 24a is provided with a flange portion that extends toward the rear. Furthermore, a bumper upper edge portion 22 is provided on the upper edge of the bumper-integrated fender 2, above the opening recess 24a for the bumper grille.

[0032] The upper edge portion 22 of the bumper is formed in a substantially inverted trapezoidal shape when viewed from the front, and in a forward-convex curved shape when viewed from above, and the entire upper edge portion 22 of the bumper is formed in a forward-projecting, bow-like shape. An upper retainer 3 is disposed on the back side of the upper edge portion 22 of the bumper. The upper edge portion 22 of the bumper is supported and fixed to the upper retainer 3 as shown in Figure 2.

[0033] The upper retainer 3 is formed in a shape that follows the back surface of the bumper upper edge portion 22, and, like the bumper upper edge portion 22, is formed in a substantially inverted trapezoidal shape in a front view and a forward-convex curved shape in a plan view, and is formed in an overall bow shape. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the upper retainer 3 has a retainer body portion 30 formed in a shape that follows the upper edge of the bumper upper edge portion 22 provided on the bumper-integrated fender 2, a bumper support portion 31 projecting diagonally downward and forward from the retainer body portion 30, and a support fastening portion 32 projecting horizontally rearward from the retainer body portion 30.

[0034] The retainer body 30 is fastened to the bumper upper edge 22 with bolts and nuts. The retainer body 30 has multiple fastening holes drilled at regular intervals in the vehicle width direction. The retainer body 30 is fastened to the flange portion 22b, which extends horizontally rearward from the upper edge 22a of the bumper upper edge 22 of the bumper-integrated fender 2, with bolts and nuts inserted through the fastening holes. In this way, the retainer body 30 is fastened and fixed to the bumper upper edge 22.

[0035] The bumper support portion 31 is formed by extending in an inclined manner from the front edge of the retainer body portion 30 diagonally downward and forward. Its width is approximately the same as the left-right width of the bumper upper edge portion 22, and its front-rear width extends to approximately half the front-rear width of the bumper upper edge portion 22. By configuring the bumper support portion 31 in this way, the load generated from above on the bumper-integrated fender 2 is reliably transmitted to the bumper support portion 31 via the bumper upper edge portion 22.

[0036] The support fastening portion 32 is configured to fasten to a support fixing piece 41a that extends forward from the upper frame portion 41 of the radiator support 40, which is the main frame 4 of the vehicle body, thereby fixing the bumper-integrated fender 2 to the vehicle body's skeletal member. The support fastening portion 32 is formed in a tongue shape in plan view, and is configured so that the width gradually narrows from the base end portion 32a connected to the retainer body portion 30 to the tip portion 32b fastened to the radiator support 40. The support fastening portion 32 also has a side wall portion that protrudes upward along the upper peripheral edge. This side wall portion functions as a reinforcing portion (rib) that suppresses deformation of the support fastening portion 32. As a result, the support fastening portion 32 is suppressed from deformation due to vibrations during vehicle operation, and the support fastening portion 32 can be made thinner except for the peripheral edge portion, thereby reducing the weight of the vehicle 1.

[0037] The upper retainer 3 is formed in this manner, and the bumper-integrated fender 2 is supported by a tongue-shaped support fastening portion 32 extending rearward from the retainer body portion 30. Therefore, the load generated from above the bumper-integrated fender 2 is transmitted to the support fixing piece portion 41a via the bumper support portion 31, the retainer body portion 30, and the support fastening portion 32 of the upper retainer 3. At this time, since the support fixing piece portion 41a is formed by extending forward from the upper frame portion 41 and is arranged at a certain distance from the bumper-integrated fender 2, stress can be concentrated at the connection between the upper frame portion 41 and the support fixing piece portion 41a, and the collision energy during a vehicle collision is consumed by the deformation of this connection portion. In other words, the collision energy generated by a person or object that collides with the bumper-integrated fender 2 is used to elastically deform the retainer body 30 and the support fastening portion 32 via the upper retainer 3, thereby minimizing the risk of a reaction force being generated on the person or object that collides with the vehicle 1.

[0038] As shown in Figure 4, the radiator support 40 has a substantially horizontal upper frame portion 41, side frame portions 43, 43 that are vertically attached to the left and right ends of the upper frame portion 41, respectively, and a lower frame portion 42 that horizontally connects the lower ends of the left and right side frame portions 43, 43. The radiator support 40 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front by the upper frame portion 41, the side frame portions 43, and the lower frame portion 42.

[0039] The upper frame portion 41 has a roughly rectangular vertical cross-section and is hollow, and has a plurality of support fixing pieces 41a on its upper surface. The support fixing pieces 41a are arranged on the upper surface of the upper frame portion 41 at regular intervals in the vehicle width direction. The support fixing pieces 41a are provided so as to overlap with the support fastening portion 32 of the upper retainer 3 in the vertical direction. Near the base end of the support fixing piece 41a, there is a hole 41b for fastening with the support fastening portion 32. The upper retainer 3 is fixed to the upper frame portion 41 by inserting fastening bolts through holes 32c provided near the tip portion 32b of the support fastening portion 32 and tightening them to the support fixing pieces 41a of the upper frame portion 41.

[0040] Below the upper frame section 41, the lower frame section 42 is positioned approximately parallel to the upper frame section 41. A side frame section 43 is provided to connect the upper frame section 41 and the lower frame section 42. The side frame section 43 vertically connects the left and right ends of the upper frame section 41 and the lower frame section 42.

[0041] The side frame section 43 is a hollow member with a roughly rectangular horizontal cross-section, and the front side members 44 are connected and fixed to its left and right outer surfaces in the vehicle width direction. The front side members 44 are skeletal members of the vehicle 1 that extend forward from the dash panel, and their front end is connected and fixed to the side frame section 43. As a result, the front side members 44 can together with the side frame section 43 to receive loads generated from the front of the vehicle.

[0042] Furthermore, a bumper support 6 is supported and fixed to the front end surface of the front side member 44. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the bumper support 6 is a curved member that is convex forward in a plan view and is installed between the front end surfaces of the left and right front side members 44. In other words, the bumper support 6 connects the left and right front side members 44, which are part of the main frame 4, and distributes the load generated from the front of the vehicle 1 to the left and right front side members 44. This improves the rigidity of the main frame 4 against loads generated from the front of the vehicle 1 and suppresses deformation of the main frame 4. Also, because the bumper support 6 is a curved shape that is convex forward, it is formed in a backward sloping manner from the center to the left and right ends. That is, the left and right ends of the bumper support 6 are arranged in an inclined state at a certain angle with respect to the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1. In addition, the bumper support 6 has a plurality of circular holes 60 that penetrate from front to back near the left and right ends. The bumper reinforcement 6 is fixed by inserting fasteners such as bolts into the holes 60 and screwing them into fastening portions provided on the front end surface of the front side member 44. On the front surface of the bumper reinforcement 6 configured in this way, there is an impact-absorbing member 7 and a bumper support bracket 8 that is inserted and fixed into the circular holes 60 of the bumper reinforcement 6.

[0043] The impact-absorbing member 7 is a cushioning member made of foamed resin containing a large amount of air inside, and is provided in the bumper reinforcement 6 between the left and right side frame portions 43 when viewed from the front. The left and right ends of the impact-absorbing member 7 extend to the vicinity of the holes 60 in the bumper reinforcement 6. The impact-absorbing member 7 functions as a cushioning member to absorb the load generated from the front of the vehicle 1 and reduce as much as possible the impact transmitted to the radiator support 40 and front side member 44, which are structural components of the vehicle body. In other words, when the vehicle 1 collides with an object in front of it, the collision energy generated in the bumper-integrated fender 2 is used to deform the impact-absorbing member 7, thereby reducing the load generated in the structural components of the vehicle body and reducing as much as possible the reaction force on the person or object that collides with the bumper-integrated fender 2. Bumper support brackets 8 are provided near the left and right ends of the impact-absorbing member 7 configured in this way.

[0044] The bumper support bracket 8 prevents the bumper-integrated fender 2 from sagging under its own weight and functions as a buffer to absorb loads when a load is applied from the front to the rear of the vehicle 1. The bumper support bracket 8 is located on the front of the bumper reinforcement 6, near the left and right ends of the bumper reinforcement 6, and is installed between the bumper-integrated fender 2 and the bumper reinforcement 6. The bumper support bracket 8 is a one-piece molded resin member formed by injection molding of synthetic resin material or the like. The material of the bumper support bracket 8 is, for example, a polypropylene-based resin.

[0045] As shown in Figure 6, the bumper support bracket 8 has a support body portion 80 and an engaging projection 81 that protrudes rearward from the rear end of the support body portion 80.

[0046] The support body 80 has a curved portion 82 that curves forward in a way that follows the shape of the front surface of the bumper reinforcement 6, and upper and lower inclined portions 83 and 84 that extend forward from the upper and lower ends of the curved portion 82. The support body 80 is formed in a roughly "U" shape in a side view by the curved portion 82 and the upper and lower inclined portions 83 and 84.

[0047] The inclined sections 83 and 84 are connected to the upper and lower ends of the curved section 82 and are formed to expand vertically toward the front of the vehicle. Specifically, the upper inclined section 83 is formed to slope upward as it extends forward from the upper end of the curved section 82, and the lower inclined section 84 is formed to slope downward as it extends forward from the lower end of the curved section 82. Furthermore, the upper and lower inclined portions 83 and 84 have a plurality of support pieces 83a and 84a extending forward from the curved portion 82, and deformation holes 83b and 84b provided between each support piece 83a and 84a in the left-right direction of the inclined portions 83 and 84. Thus, in a front view, the upper and lower inclined portions 83 and 84 are configured such that the support pieces 83a and 84a and the deformation holes 83b and 84b appear alternately in the left-right direction. In a plan view, the deformation holes 83b and 84b are formed in a substantially elliptical shape with the front-rear direction as the major axis, and are drilled from near the front end to near the rear end of the inclined portions 83 and 84.

[0048] Thus, the support body portion 80 is formed in a bifurcated shape with inclined portions 83 and 84 that gradually widen vertically from the rear end to the front end, and the support pieces 83a and 84a and deformation holes 83b and 84b appear alternately in the left and right directions of the inclined portions 83 and 84. Furthermore, it is positioned near the left and right ends of the bumper reinforcement 6 and is positioned in a rearward-sloping state in a plan view from the center of the vehicle 1 to the left and right sides relative to the front of the vehicle 1, so that it is easily deformed when a load is applied to the bumper-integrated fender 2 from the front of the vehicle 1. In other words, when a load is applied to the bumper-integrated fender 2 from the front of the vehicle 1, a load is applied to the inclined portions 83 and 84 in an oblique direction because they are arranged in a rearward-sloping state in a plan view (see the white arrow A in Figure 5). The inclined portions 83 and 84 are configured such that, in a front view, support pieces 83a and 84a and deformation holes 83b and 84b appear alternately in the left-right direction, thereby reducing their rigidity against loads applied in the left-right direction. Therefore, when a load is applied to the bumper-integrated fender 2 from the front of the vehicle 1, a load is applied to the support body 80 in an oblique direction, and the load is applied in a direction that makes the support body 80 more susceptible to deformation. Therefore, when a load is generated from the front of the vehicle 1, the collision energy generated in the bumper-integrated fender 2 is used to transform the bumper support bracket 8, as shown in Figure 8(b), thereby minimizing the risk of it becoming a reaction force on a person or object that collides with the bumper-integrated fender 2.

[0049] Furthermore, the bumper support bracket 8 is formed in a bifurcated shape with inclined portions 83 and 84 that gradually expand vertically. This allows the bracket to deform from the fastened state shown in Figure 7(b) to the vertically expanded state shown in Figure 8(a) when the bumper portion 21 of the bumper-integrated fender 2 collides with a person in front of it and is displaced backward. In other words, the collision energy to the bumper-integrated fender 2 is used to deform the bumper support bracket 8 vertically, minimizing the risk of it becoming a reaction force on the person or object that collides with the bumper-integrated fender 2.

[0050] Furthermore, the bumper support bracket 8 is configured such that, in a front view, the support pieces 83a, 84a and deformation holes 83b, 84b appear alternately in the left-right direction. This maintains high rigidity in the vertical direction, supporting and fixing the bumper-integrated fender 2 at a predetermined height position, thereby preventing the bumper-integrated fender 2 from sagging under its own weight.

[0051] Furthermore, flange portions 85 extending vertically are provided at the left and right front ends of the upper and lower inclined portions 83 and 84, respectively. The flange portions 85 are projections formed to conform to the shape of the back surface of the bumper-integrated fender 2. The flange portion 85 formed at the front end of the upper inclined portion 83 extends upward, and the flange portion 85 formed at the front end of the lower inclined portion 84 extends downward. The flange portion 85 has a fastening portion 85a that penetrates from front to back in approximately its central part. The bumper support bracket 8 is supported and fixed to the back surface of the bumper-integrated fender 2 by inserting fasteners such as bolts through the fastening portion 85a and tightening them to the back surface of the bumper-integrated fender 2.

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6 and 7(a), an engaging projection 81 is provided projecting backward from the rear surface of the curved portion 82 of the support body 80. The engaging projection 81 is formed as a semi-ellipsoid with its major axis in the vertical direction, and the diameter of the circular hole 60 of the bumper reinforcement 6 and the length of the major axis of the ellipsoid are formed to be approximately the same length. In addition, the upper and lower circumferential surfaces of the engaging projection 81 have an engaging projection 81a and a recess 81b capable of housing the engaging projection 81a.

[0053] The engaging projection 81 functions like a snap-fit, with an engaging projection 81a and a recess 81b, allowing the support body 80 to be fixed to the bumper reinforcement 6 without the use of adhesive or the like. The engaging projection 81a protrudes radially from the upper and lower circumferential surfaces of the engaging projection 81. The engaging projection 81a is configured such that its vertical width gradually increases from the rear end to the front end of the engaging projection 81. Furthermore, a recess 81b is formed on the circumferential surface of the engaging projection 81, below (or above) the engaging projection 81a. The recess 81b is formed in substantially the same shape as the engaging projection 81a, and is configured so that when the engaging projection 81a is displaced radially inward from the engaging projection 81, the engaging projection 81a is housed in the recess 81b.

[0054] The bumper support bracket 8 is supported and fixed to the bumper support 6 by inserting the engagement projection 81 configured in this way into the circular hole 60 of the bumper support 6. In detail, when the engagement projection 81 is inserted into the circular hole 60 of the bumper support 6, initially the engagement protrusions 81a protruding from the top and bottom of the circumferential surface of the engagement projection 81 contact the inner circumferential surface of the hole 60 and are housed in the recesses 81b, so that the engagement projection 81 has approximately the same diameter as the inner diameter of the hole 60. Subsequently, when the engagement projection 81 is further pushed into the hole 60, the engagement between the inner circumferential surface of the hole 60 and the engagement projection 81 is released, and the rear end of the engagement projection 81a spreads outward from the inner circumferential surface of the hole 60 due to the elastic force of the engagement projection 81a. As a result, the tip of the engaging projection 81a engages with the inner surface of the bumper reinforcement 6 and functions as a "barb," preventing the engagement between the engaging projection 81 and the bumper reinforcement 6 from being easily released. Therefore, the bumper support bracket 8 can be prevented from easily detaching from the bumper reinforcement 6 due to vibrations during vehicle operation, etc., by the engaging projection 81a of the engaging projection 81.

[0055] As described above, the bumper support bracket 8 is configured such that the inclined portions 83 and 84 are formed in a bifurcated shape, gradually expanding vertically from the engagement portion with the bumper reinforcement 6 to the engagement portion with the bumper-integrated fender 2. This configuration makes it easy for the bracket to transform vertically when a load is generated from the front of the vehicle 1, thereby minimizing the transmission of the load generated on the vehicle 1 to the vehicle's frame 4, which includes the radiator support 40 and front side member 44. Furthermore, since the load generated on the vehicle 1 is used to transform the bumper support bracket 8, the reaction force on a person or object that collides with the front of the vehicle 1 can be minimized.

[0056] Furthermore, the bumper support bracket 8 is configured such that, in a front view, the support pieces 83a, 84a and deformation holes 83b, 84b appear alternately in the vehicle width direction, thereby maintaining high rigidity against vertical loads while reducing rigidity against loads in the vehicle width direction and the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1. As a result, when the vehicle 1 collides with a person or object in front of it, the reaction force on the person or object is reduced, and the structure is less likely to deform in the vertical direction that supports the bumper-integrated fender 2. In other words, the bumper support bracket 8 has high rigidity against the sagging of the bumper-integrated fender 2 under its own weight, but is vulnerable to impacts from the front of the vehicle, thereby reducing the reaction force on a person or object that collides with the vehicle as much as possible.

[0057] Furthermore, the configuration in which the bumper support bracket 8 is installed between the bumper reinforcement 6 and the bumper-integrated fender 2 allows a certain distance to be maintained between the bumper-integrated fender 2 and the bumper reinforcement 6, thus maintaining space for the bumper-integrated fender 2 to deform in the event of a collision. As a result, when vehicle 1 is struck head-on, the impact energy is used not only for the impact-absorbing member 7 and the bumper support bracket 8, but also for the transformation of the bumper-integrated fender 2, further reducing the reaction force on people or objects that collide with vehicle 1.

[0058] As described above, the bumper mounting structure of the vehicle in this embodiment is configured such that the back surface of the upper edge portion 22 of the bumper-integrated fender 2 is supported by an upper retainer 3 which is supported and fixed to the upper frame portion 41 of the radiator support 40, which is the main frame 4, and the back surface near the inclined lower edge portion 24d of the bumper grille opening recess 24a of the bumper-integrated fender 2 is supported by a bumper support bracket 8 which is supported and fixed to the bumper reinforcement 6. This configuration prevents the bumper-integrated fender 2 from being displaced downward from a predetermined fixed position due to its own weight, which would increase the gap between the upper edge portion 22a of the bumper-integrated fender 2 and the front end of the bonnet 5, while reducing the reaction force on people or objects that collide with the vehicle 1 from the front, thereby improving the collision safety performance of the vehicle.

[0059] Furthermore, by supporting the area near the upper edge and approximately the center of the bumper-integrated fender 2 from the back surface of the bumper-integrated fender 2, the support portion of the upper edge 22 of the bumper-integrated fender 2 can be made weaker. When a load is generated from above the bumper-integrated fender 2, stress is concentrated at the base end of the support fixing piece 41a that supports the upper retainer 3. This allows the collision energy during a vehicle collision to be used to deform the base end of the support fixing piece 41a, thereby reducing the reaction force on people or objects that collide with the vehicle 1 as much as possible and improving the collision safety performance of the vehicle 1.

[0060] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and also includes configurations obtained by rearranging the components disclosed in the embodiments described above by substituting them with each other, known inventions, and configurations obtained by substituting the components disclosed in the embodiments described above with each other. In addition, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but extends to the matters described in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1 vehicle 2. Bumper-integrated fender 3 Upper retainer 4. Structural frame 5. Hood 6. Bumper Force 7. Impact-absorbing material 8 Bumper support brackets 20 Fender section 21 Bumper section 22 Upper edge of bumper 23 Headlights 24 Bumper Grille 25 Securing cover 30 Retainer body 31 Bumper support section 32 Support fastening section 40 Radiator Support 41 Upper frame section 43 Side frame section 44 Front side member 60 Hole 80 Support body 81 Engagement protrusion 81a Engagement protrusion 83,84 Inclined section 83a,84a Thin wall part 85 Flange section

Claims

1. In a vehicle bumper mounting structure that includes a radiator support for supporting a radiator located at the front of the vehicle, and a body frame including left and right front side members connected to the radiator support, a bumper-integrated fender that covers the radiator support and the front side members is attached and supported to the radiator support and the front side members, The radiator support is located in the upper frame section, A lower frame section is provided below the upper frame section, The left and right side frame sections connect the upper frame section and the lower frame section, It has, It includes an upper retainer connected to the upper frame portion and supporting the upper back portion of the bumper-integrated fender, and a bumper support bracket supported and fixed to the front side of the bumper reinforcement mounted on the front side member and supporting the bumper-integrated fender from the back, A vehicle bumper mounting structure characterized in that the bumper support bracket is formed in a bifurcated shape that gradually expands vertically from the connection portion with the bumper reinforcement to the fastening portion with the back surface of the front bumper.

2. The bumper mounting structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that an engaging projection protruding from the rear side of the bumper support bracket is inserted into and fixed into a hole provided in the bumper reinforcement.

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