Vehicle front structure

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle front structure that can improve the strength and rigidity of the damper housing against input loads while suppressing an increase in the thickness of the components. [Solution] The front of the vehicle is equipped with a suspension support structure 15. The suspension support structure 15 comprises a damper housing 10 and a reinforcing member 30. The damper housing 10 is a cast part with an open cross-section that is open outward in the vehicle width direction. The damper housing 10 has an upper wall 10a having a damper connecting portion 16 and a covering wall 10b extending downward from the periphery of the upper wall 10a. The reinforcing member 30 covers at least a portion of the open portion of the damper housing 10 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the open cross-section.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] As a vehicle front structure, there is known one in which a pair of damper housings arranged apart from each other on the left and right of the vehicle are integrally formed by casting an aluminum alloy (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In the vehicle front structure described in Patent Document 1, rearward extension portions extending toward the rear side of the vehicle are continuously provided on the left and right damper housings, and the rear portions of the left and right rearward extension portions are continuously provided on a floor connection block extending along the vehicle width direction. The left and right damper housings are integrally formed by casting an aluminum alloy together with the left and right rearward extension portions and the floor connection block.

[0004] The left and right damper housings constitute a suspension support structure, and inside an upper wall and a covering wall continuous with the upper wall, damper, spring, wheel support member, etc., which are suspension members, are arranged. On the upper wall of the damper housing, a damper connection portion to which the upper end portion of the damper is connected is provided. Further, since the damper housing is die-cut from the outside in the vehicle width direction during casting, the main portion (covering wall continuous with the upper wall) has an open cross section that is open toward the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0005] During the running of the vehicle, the damper housing receives a large vertical load from the suspension, and also functions as a member that disperses and transmits the input load to a wide range on the rear side of the vehicle body when an impact load is input from the front side of the vehicle. Therefore, in the open cross section portion of the damper housing, the wall portion is reinforced by a plurality of reinforcing ribs in order to increase the strength and rigidity of the open cross section. The plurality of reinforcing ribs are integrally formed during the casting of the damper housing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] China Utility Model No. 217649533 Specification [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, in the vehicle front structure described in Patent Document 1, although the open cross-section of the damper housing is reinforced by multiple reinforcing ribs, the reinforcing ribs themselves must also be designed so that the entire wall portion is open outward in the vehicle width direction, taking into consideration the ease of mold removal during casting. For this reason, in order to adequately withstand the vertical loads input to the suspension and the impact loads from the front of the vehicle, the thickness of the wall portion of the damper housing and the reinforcing ribs must be increased.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle front structure that can improve the strength and rigidity of the damper housing against input loads while suppressing an increase in the thickness of the components. Furthermore, the present invention aims to improve collision safety performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The vehicle front structure according to the present invention employs the following configuration to solve the above problems. That is, a vehicle front structure according to one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle front structure comprising a suspension support structure (for example, a suspension support structure 15 in the embodiment), wherein the suspension support structure is a cast part with an open cross-section that is open outward in the vehicle width direction, and comprises a damper housing (for example, a damper housing 10 in the embodiment) having an upper wall (for example, an upper wall 10a in the embodiment) having a damper connecting portion (for example, a damper connecting portion 16 in the embodiment), and a covering wall (for example, a covering wall 10b in the embodiment) extending downward from the periphery of the upper wall, and a reinforcing member (for example, a reinforcing member 30 in the embodiment) that covers at least a part of the open portion (for example, an open portion 52 in the embodiment) on the outer side of the open cross-section of the damper housing in the vehicle width direction.

[0010] With the above configuration, when vertical loads or external impact loads are applied to the suspension and then to the damper housing, these loads are absorbed by the damper housing and the reinforcing member that covers at least a portion of the open portion of the damper housing. At this time, since at least a portion of the open portion of the damper housing is covered by the reinforcing member, deformation of the open portion of the damper housing is suppressed by the reinforcing member. Therefore, in the vehicle front structure with this configuration, it is possible to increase the strength and rigidity of the damper housing while suppressing an increase in the thickness of the damper housing.

[0011] The reinforcing member may also include an inclined wall (for example, the inclined wall 30d in the embodiment) that slopes outward in the vehicle width direction from a position forward of the vehicle towards the rear of the vehicle, relative to the damper connection portion.

[0012] In this case, when an impact load is applied to the front of the damper housing from the front of the vehicle, the deformation of the opening of the damper housing is suppressed by the reinforcing member, and the impact load applied to the front of the reinforcing member is smoothly transmitted through the inclined wall of the reinforcing member to the outside in the vehicle width direction and to the rear. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, it becomes possible to efficiently transmit the impact load applied to the front of the damper housing to the vehicle's structural members, etc., on the outside in the vehicle width direction and to the rear.

[0013] The reinforcing member preferably has an upper wall portion (for example, the upper wall portion 30a in the embodiment) that extends along the upper wall of the damper housing and is connected to the upper wall, and an inclined wall that bends or curves downward from the end of the upper wall portion.

[0014] In this case, since the reinforcing member consists of an upper wall and an inclined wall that are bent or curved and connected, a highly rigid ridge is formed between the upper wall and the inclined wall along the extension direction of the inclined wall. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the highly rigid ridge formed between the upper wall and the inclined wall makes it possible to more smoothly transmit the impact load input to the front of the damper housing to the outside and rear of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction.

[0015] The inclined wall may be positioned in a location that overlaps with the connection portion (e.g., the connection portion 31 in the embodiment) between the load-receiving member (e.g., load-receiving member 20 in the embodiment) connected to the front of the damper housing and the bumper beam (e.g., bumper beam 14 in the embodiment) at the front of the vehicle in a plan view in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0016] In this case, when an impact load is applied from the front at a position offset to one side of the vehicle in the left-right direction, the load is transmitted to one of the load-bearing members through the connection point with the bumper beam. Since the inclined wall of the reinforcing member is positioned to overlap with the connection point between one of the load-bearing members and the bumper beam in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in a plan view, the impact load is transmitted from the front to the inclined wall through one of the load-bearing members. At this time, the direction of action of the impact load applied to the bumper beam is deflected inward in the vehicle width direction through the inclined wall. As a result, the front of the vehicle moves inward (away from) the point of impact load application in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, by adopting this configuration, it becomes possible to reduce the input of impact load to the front of the vehicle.

[0017] The damper housing and the reinforcing member are provided at left and right positions spaced apart in the vehicle width direction, and the left and right damper housings are connected by a connecting beam (for example, the lower connecting beam 12 and the upper connecting beam 67 in the embodiment) that extends substantially along the vehicle width direction, and the left and right reinforcing members may be arranged such that the inclined walls overlap at least partially with the extending region of the connecting beam in the vehicle longitudinal direction in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0018] In this configuration, the left and right damper housings are connected by a connecting beam that extends substantially along the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the deformation of the left and right damper housings due to vertical loads and external impact loads input to the suspension can be suppressed by the connecting beam. Furthermore, since the inclined walls of the left and right reinforcing members overlap at least partially with the extending region of the connecting beam in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, when an impact load is input to the inclined wall of the reinforcing member from the front of the vehicle, that impact load can be efficiently deflected in the direction of the connecting beam's extension via the inclined wall. Thus, when this configuration is adopted, it becomes possible to deflect and transmit the input impact load to the connecting beam.

[0019] Preferably, the connecting beam includes an upper connecting beam (for example, the upper connecting beam 67 in the embodiment) that connects the damper connecting portions of the left and right damper housings, and a lower connecting beam (for example, the lower connecting beam 12 in the embodiment) that connects the left and right damper housings at a position below the reinforcing member.

[0020] In this configuration, the upper and lower connecting beams are positioned spaced apart vertically, forming a closed cross-section between them and the left and right damper housings. As a result, the upper and lower connecting beams, together with the left and right damper housings, constitute a highly rigid closed-section structure. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, it becomes possible to support the load applied to the damper housing with high rigidity. Furthermore, when an impact load is applied to the inclined wall of the reinforcing member, the closed-section structure suppresses the deformation of the connecting beams (upper and lower connecting beams), ensuring reliable load transmission from the connecting beams to a wide range of parts of the vehicle.

[0021] The upper wall of the damper housing has an upper wall inclined portion (for example, an upper wall inclined portion 70i in the embodiment) that slopes outward in the vehicle width direction from a position forward of the vehicle towards the rear of the vehicle, and the inclined wall of the reinforcing member may be arranged to protrude outward and forward in the vehicle width direction from the upper wall inclined portion in a plan view.

[0022] In this case, since the inclined wall of the reinforcing member protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction and forward from the upper wall inclined portion of the damper housing in plan view, when an object moves forward toward the upper wall inclined portion of the damper housing upon input of an impact load from the front of the vehicle, the inclined wall of the reinforcing member will contact the object first. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, it becomes possible to further suppress deformation of the damper housing upon input of an impact load by means of the reinforcing member.

[0023] The reinforcing member further has a front wall portion (for example, the front wall portion 30c of the embodiment) that extends downward from a position on the front side of the vehicle of the upper wall portion and is connected to the front end portion of the inclined wall, and a side wall portion (for example, the side wall portion 30b of the embodiment) that extends downward from a position on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the upper wall portion and is connected to the rear end portion of the inclined wall. The front wall portion and the side wall portion may be joined to the edge portion of the open cross section of the damper housing so that the open portion is blocked by the reinforcing member in a horizontal cross section including the inclined wall.

[0024] In this case, by joining the front wall portion and the side wall portion of the reinforcing member to the edge portion of the open portion of the damper housing, the open portion of the damper housing is blocked in a cross section including the inclined wall of the reinforcing member. As a result, the front and rear of the inclined wall of the reinforcing member are joined to the edge portion of the open cross section of the damper housing, and the reinforcing member becomes capable of efficiently restricting deformation of the open cross section of the damper housing. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, it becomes possible to increase the strength and rigidity of the damper housing while suppressing an increase in the wall thickness of the damper housing.

[0025] The damper housing may be constituted by a cast part made of an aluminum alloy, and the reinforcing member may be constituted by a metal material having a higher tensile strength than the damper housing.

[0026] In this case, since the reinforcing member that covers at least a part of the opening portion of the damper housing is made of a metal material (for example, steel, titanium alloy, etc.) having a higher tensile strength than the damper housing, even when a vertical load or an impact load of the suspension is input to the damper housing, the deformation of the damper housing can be restricted by the reinforcing member.

[0027] The vehicle front structure includes a lower side load receiving portion (for example, the lower side load receiving portion 21 in the embodiment) in which an open cross section formed by at least two surfaces extends substantially along the vehicle longitudinal direction, a bumper beam (for example, the bumper beam 14 in the embodiment) is coupled to the front portion, and the rear portion is coupled to the suspension support structure; an upper side load receiving portion (for example, the upper side load receiving portion 22 in the embodiment) in which an open cross section formed by at least two surfaces extends substantially along the vehicle longitudinal direction above the lower side load receiving portion, and the rear portion is coupled to the suspension support structure; and a connecting wall portion (for example, the connecting wall portion 28 in the embodiment) that continuously connects the lower side load receiving portion and the upper side load receiving portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction. A load transmission wall (for example, the upper side load transmission wall 26 in the embodiment) that extends in a direction intersecting the vehicle longitudinal direction and is coupled to the suspension support structure is provided at the rear portion of the upper side load receiving portion. The reinforcing member has an upper wall portion that extends along the upper wall of the damper housing and is coupled to the upper wall, an inclined wall that extends downward from an end portion of the upper wall portion, a front wall portion (for example, the front wall portion 30c in the embodiment) that extends downward from a position on the vehicle front side of the upper wall portion and is continuously provided at a front end portion of the inclined wall, and a side wall portion (for example, the side wall portion 30b in the embodiment) that extends downward from a position on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the upper wall portion and is continuously provided at a rear end portion of the inclined wall. The load transmission wall may be coupled to the damper housing and the front wall portion of the reinforcing member.

[0028] In this case, when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, the load is applied to the lower load-bearing section through the bumper beam. A portion of the load applied to the front of the lower load-bearing section is transmitted directly through the lower load-bearing section to the rear suspension support structure. Another portion of the load applied to the front of the lower load-bearing section is transmitted to the upper load-bearing section through the connecting wall. At this time, since the connecting wall continuously connects the lower load-bearing section and the upper load-bearing section in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the load is distributed and transmitted over a wide area in the longitudinal direction of the upper load-bearing section. The load applied to the upper load-bearing section is transmitted to the rear suspension support structure through the load transmission wall. Furthermore, if an impact load is applied to the front of the upper load-bearing section from the front of the vehicle, a portion of that load is transmitted to the rear suspension support structure through the upper load-bearing section, and the other portion of the load is transmitted to the rear suspension support structure through the connecting wall and the lower load-bearing section. In this configuration, the lower and upper load-bearing sections, which transmit impact loads from the front to the rear suspension support structure of the vehicle, have open cross-sections (not closed cross-sections). This makes it less likely for localized differences in rigidity to occur over almost the entire vertical direction of the vehicle. As a result, the load is transmitted almost evenly across the entire area of ​​the lower load-bearing section, connecting wall section, and upper load-bearing section. Therefore, when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, the entire area of ​​the lower load-bearing section, connecting wall section, and upper load-bearing section deforms almost evenly, thereby efficiently absorbing the energy of the impact load. Furthermore, in this configuration, the load transmission wall at the rear of the upper load-receiving section is connected to the damper housing and the front wall of the reinforcing member. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the impact load transmitted to the upper load-receiving section can be efficiently transmitted to the damper housing and the front wall of the reinforcing member through the load transmission wall. [Effects of the Invention]

[0029] The vehicle front structure according to the present invention includes a reinforcing member that covers at least a portion of the open portion on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the open cross-section of the damper housing. Therefore, deformation of the open portion of the damper housing can be suppressed by the reinforcing member. Accordingly, when the vehicle front structure according to the present invention is adopted, it is possible to improve the strength and rigidity of the damper housing against input loads while suppressing an increase in the thickness of the member. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0030] [Figure 1] A perspective view of the front of the vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] A perspective view of the front of the vehicle, with some of the components shown in Figure 1 indicated by dashed lines. [Figure 3] A side view of the front of the vehicle of the embodiment, seen from the outside in the vehicle width direction. [Figure 4] A front view of the load-bearing member of the embodiment, as seen from the front of the vehicle. [Figure 5] A plan view of the front of the vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] Front view of the suspension support structure of the embodiment. [Figure 7] A perspective view of a portion of the suspension support structure of the embodiment. [Figure 8] A plan view of a portion of the suspension support structure of the embodiment. [Figure 9] A cross-sectional view along the line IX-IX in Figure 7. [Figure 10] A cross-sectional view along line XX in Figure 7. [Figure 11] A perspective view of the reinforcing member of the embodiment. [Figure 12] A plan view of the front of the vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] A perspective view of the suspension support structure of the embodiment, as seen from the passenger compartment side. [Figure 14] A perspective view from the passenger compartment side of the suspension support structure in an embodiment in which the lower dash panel is attached. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0031] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, front, back, up, down, left, and right refer to the front, back, up, down, and left and right of Vehicle 1. Also, in the diagram, arrow FR points to the front of the vehicle, arrow UP points to the top of the vehicle, and arrow LH points to the left side of the vehicle.

[0032] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front of vehicle 1 in this embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1, with some of the components (load-receiving member 20, described later) shown by dashed lines. Figure 3 is a side view of the front of vehicle 1, viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction (left side of vehicle 1). In Figures 1 and 2, reference numeral 10 denotes a pair of damper housings spaced apart on both the left and right sides of the front compartment 11 in front of the driver's seat. The damper housing 10 has an upper wall 10a with a damper connecting portion 16, and a covering wall 10b extending downward from the periphery of the upper wall 10a (front and rear edges and the inner edge in the vehicle width direction). The damper housing 10 is open to the lower side. Also, the horizontal cross-section of the damper housing 10 is open to the outside in the vehicle width direction. Hereinafter, the part of the damper housing 10 that is open to the outside in the vehicle width direction will be referred to as the "open portion 52". The space enclosed by the upper wall 10a and the covering wall 10b contains the damper 50 and coil spring 51 of the front suspension (see Figure 3). The upper end of the damper 50 is connected to the damper connecting portion 16 of the upper wall 10a.

[0033] The left and right damper housings 10 are connected to each other by a lower connecting beam 12 (connecting beam) that extends along the vehicle width direction. The lower connecting beam 12 is located on the lower front side of the passenger compartment. The lower connecting beam 12 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape with a rectangular cross-section that extends along the vehicle width direction. On the lower side of the left and right sides of the lower connecting beam 12, substantially U-shaped axle insertion blocks 13 are provided, through which the axles of the corresponding left and right front wheels W are inserted.

[0034] Furthermore, a load transmission section 53 extending toward the rear of the vehicle is connected to the rear of each left and right damper housing 10. The load transmission section 53 has an upper load transmission section 56 that connects the left and right corresponding damper housings 10 to the front pillars 54 on the same side on both sides, and a lower load transmission section 57 that connects the damper housings 10 to the dashboard panel 55. The lower load transmission section 57 is connected to the lower region of the upper load transmission section 56. The front pillars 54 are located at the left and right ends of the front of the passenger compartment and are provided to run along the leading edge of the front door (not shown). The dashboard panel 55 is a panel member positioned to separate the passenger compartment from the front compartment 11, and its left and right ends are connected to the left and right corresponding front pillars 54.

[0035] The left and right damper housings 10, along with the load transmission section 53 and the lower connecting beam 12, are constructed from cast aluminum alloy parts. In this embodiment, the suspension support structure 15 is composed of cast parts consisting of a damper housing 10, a load transmission section 53, and a lower connecting beam 12. In this embodiment, the front pillar 54 constitutes the front passenger compartment member of the upper area of ​​the passenger compartment, and the dashboard panel 55 constitutes the front passenger compartment member of the lower area of ​​the passenger compartment.

[0036] Furthermore, load-bearing members 20 extending substantially along the vehicle's longitudinal direction are connected to the front sides of each of the left and right damper housings 10. The left and right load-bearing members 20 are formed in a generally symmetrical manner. The load-bearing members 20 are made of cast aluminum alloy parts.

[0037] The left and right side edges of the bumper beam 14, which is located at the front of the vehicle 1, are connected to the front of the lower part of each of the left and right load-bearing members 20. The bumper beam 14 extends horizontally along approximately the width of the vehicle, and the back (rear) sides of the left and right side edges are connected to the front ends of the corresponding load-bearing members 20.

[0038] Figure 4 is a front view of the load-bearing member 20 as seen from the front of the vehicle. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the load-receiving member 20 comprises a lower load-receiving portion 21, which consists of a plate-shaped wall portion extending substantially along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and bent in a crank shape in the vertical and horizontal directions, and an upper load-receiving portion 22, which similarly consists of a plate-shaped wall portion extending substantially along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and bent in a crank shape in the vertical and horizontal directions. The upper load-receiving portion 22 is positioned above the lower load-receiving portion 21 and on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, the bending shape of the lower load-receiving portion 21 and the upper load-receiving portion 22 may be approximately L-shaped, channel-shaped, or include a curved portion.

[0039] The front end of the lower load-receiving section 21 is provided with a plate-shaped load input wall 23 that extends in a direction intersecting the vehicle's longitudinal direction (a direction approximately perpendicular to it). The bumper beam 14 is fastened and fixed to the front surface of the load input wall 23. The rear end of the lower load-receiving section 21 is provided with a plate-shaped lower load transmission wall 24 that extends in a direction intersecting the vehicle's longitudinal direction (a direction approximately perpendicular to it). The rear surface of the lower load transmission wall 24 is fastened and fixed to the lower front surface of the side of the lower connecting beam 12 (the front surface of the second load-receiving wall 25, which will be described later). The load input wall 23 is positioned at least in the portion of the front end of the lower load receiving portion 21 that overlaps vertically with the connecting portion of the bumper beam 14.

[0040] The upper load-bearing portion 22 is shorter in length than the lower load-bearing portion 21, and its front end is located further rearward than the lower load-bearing portion 21. The lower load-bearing portion 21 and the upper load-bearing portion 22 are connected by a plate-shaped connecting wall portion 28. The connecting wall portion 28 continuously connects the lower load-bearing portion 21, which is located on the lower side in the vehicle width direction, and the upper load-bearing portion 22, which is located on the upper side in the vehicle width direction, in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The connecting wall portion 28 is formed to be approximately the same length as the upper load-bearing portion 22 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and connects the approximately rear half region of the lower load-bearing portion 21 to the upper load-bearing portion 22 in a continuous manner.

[0041] The connecting wall 28 and the front end of the upper load-receiving portion 22 are provided with a plate-shaped front end wall 19 extending in a direction intersecting (approximately perpendicular to) the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The rear end of the upper load-receiving portion 22 is provided with a plate-shaped upper load-transmitting wall 26 (load-transmitting wall) extending in a direction intersecting (approximately perpendicular to) the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The rear surface of the upper load-transmitting wall 26 is fastened and fixed to the front surfaces of the corresponding left and right damper housings 10 (the front surfaces of the first load-receiving wall 27, which will be described later). The upper load-transmitting wall 26 (load-transmitting wall) is positioned at the rear end of the upper load-receiving portion 22 in a position that overlaps vertically with at least the connecting portion (first load-receiving wall 27) of the suspension support structure 15. The upper load-receiving portion 22 and the lower load-receiving portion 21, together with the connecting wall portion 28, constitute a part of the front wheel house that covers the inside of the front wheel W in the vehicle width direction.

[0042] Similar to the lower load-receiving portion 21 and the upper load-receiving portion 22, the connecting wall portion 28 consists of plate-shaped wall portions that extend substantially along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and are connected in a crank-like manner in the vertical and horizontal directions. In this embodiment, the connecting wall portion 28 also has an open cross-sectional shape that is open in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. However, the connecting wall portion 28 does not have to be bent in a crank shape; it may be a flat plate shape, or a plate shape that is partially bent or curved.

[0043] Figure 5 is a plan view of the area behind the load-bearing member 20 at the front of the vehicle 1, viewed from above, and Figure 6 is a front view of the suspension support structure 15. As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the front surface of the lower connecting beam 12 and the front surfaces of the covering walls 10b of the left and right damper housings 10 are continuous flat surfaces facing the front of the vehicle. Part of these flat surfaces constitute the front surface of the first load-receiving wall 27, to which the upper rear load-transmission wall 26 of the load-receiving member 20 is joined in surface contact. In addition, flat surfaces facing the front of the vehicle are also formed on the lower front surfaces of the left and right sides of the lower connecting beam 12. These flat surfaces constitute the front surface of the second load-receiving wall 25, to which the lower rear load-transmission wall 24 of the load-receiving member 20 is joined in surface contact. In this embodiment, the front surface of the lower connecting beam 12 constitutes the beam front portion 12f, and the front surface of the covering wall 10b of the damper housing 10 constitutes the housing front portion 10f. Both the beam front portion 12f and the housing front portion 10f extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The beam front portion 12f and the housing front portion 10f are formed to be flush with each other, facing the front side of the vehicle.

[0044] Furthermore, the upper surface of the lower connecting beam 12 is formed flat. As shown in Figure 6, the upper surface of the lower connecting beam 12 is an auxiliary equipment mounting section 61 for mounting auxiliary equipment 60 such as a heat exchanger, compressor, power control unit (ECU), and power unit (a unit integrating the ECU and battery). The lower connecting beam 12 is positioned between the left and right damper housings 10 and is connected to the inner walls in the vehicle width direction of the covering walls 10b of the left and right damper housings 10. Hereinafter, the inner walls in the vehicle width direction of the covering walls 10b will be referred to as the "vertical wall section 62".

[0045] The auxiliary equipment mounting section 61 of the lower connecting beam 12 is positioned below the respective damper connecting sections 16 of the left and right damper housings 10. The vertical wall section 62 of the damper housing 10 extends downward from the vicinity of the inner edges in the vehicle width direction of the respective damper connecting sections 16 of the left and right damper housings 10 (the inner edges in the vehicle width direction of the upper wall 10a). The vertical wall section 62 connects the vicinity of the inner edges in the vehicle width direction of the damper connecting sections 16 to the auxiliary equipment mounting section 61. The left and right vertical wall sections 62 incline downward in the vehicle width direction from the vicinity of the inner edges in the vehicle width direction of the damper connecting sections 16 toward the auxiliary equipment mounting section 61.

[0046] As shown in Figure 5, the lower connecting beam 12 is positioned such that at least a portion of it overlaps with the strip-shaped region b connecting the extended portions of the damper connecting parts 16 of the left and right damper housings 10 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the strip-shaped region b connecting the extended portions of the left and right damper connecting parts 16 is set to be located inside the longitudinal width A of the lower connecting beam 12 in a plan view.

[0047] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 6, axle insertion blocks 13 extending downward are integrally provided near the connection points between the left and right damper housings 10 and the lower connecting beam 12. The aforementioned second load receiving wall 25 is provided on the lower front surface of each left and right axle insertion block 13. In addition, a boss portion 63 extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction is provided on the upper part of the second load receiving wall 25 on the front surface of each axle insertion block 13. A support hole 64 is provided on the front surface of the boss portion 63. A shaft portion 66a for supporting the stabilizer is inserted into this support hole 64. The shaft portion 66a for supporting the stabilizer is provided on the locking block 66 of the stabilizer 65. The locking block 66 is attached to the rod portion of the stabilizer 65 that extends along the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the support hole 64 constitutes a stabilizer support portion that supports a part of the stabilizer 65. The support hole 64, which is the stabilizer support portion, is provided near the connecting portion between the damper housing 10 and the lower connecting beam 12.

[0048] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing an enlarged portion of the left side of the suspension support structure 15, and Figure 8 is a plan view showing an enlarged portion of the left side of the suspension support structure 15. As shown in Figures 1, 2, 5 to 8, the upper walls 10a of the left and right damper housings 10 (near the damper connecting portion 16) are connected by an upper connecting beam 67. The upper connecting beam 67 is formed from an aluminum alloy plate material with a roughly hat-shaped cross-section. The upper connecting beam 67 extends approximately along the vehicle width direction, above the auxiliary equipment mounting portion 61 (upper surface) of the lower connecting beam 12, and is approximately parallel to the auxiliary equipment mounting portion 61 (upper surface). As shown in Figure 5, the front-to-rear width of the upper connecting beam 67 is narrower than the front-to-rear width A of the lower connecting beam 12. In a plan view, the upper connecting beam 67 is positioned to overlap with the lower connecting beam 12. As shown in Figure 6, the upper connecting beam 67, together with the left and right damper housings 10 and the lower connecting beam 12, forms a closed cross-section that is approximately rectangular in shape when viewed from the front.

[0049] Furthermore, Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view along the line IX-IX in Figure 7, and Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view along the line XX in Figure 7. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the upper wall 10a and the covering wall 10b of the damper housing 10 form an opening 52 that opens outward and downward in the vehicle width direction. The upper region of this opening 52 on the vehicle width direction is covered by a reinforcing member 30. The reinforcing member 30 is made of a metal material such as steel or titanium alloy, which has a higher tensile strength than the aluminum alloy that forms the damper housing 10. The reinforcing member 30 is fixed to the corresponding left and right damper housings 10 by bolting or welding. In this embodiment, the reinforcing member 30 is provided to cover only the upper region on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the opening 52. However, the reinforcing member 30 may also be provided to cover the intermediate or lower region in the vertical direction on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the opening 52. In other words, the reinforcing member 30 only needs to be provided to cover at least a part of the opening 52 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the open cross-section of the damper housing 10.

[0050] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the reinforcing member 30 from above. The reinforcing member 30 extends along the side edge of the upper wall 10a of the damper housing 10 and includes an upper wall portion 30a that is connected to the lower surface of the upper wall 10a. The upper wall portion 30a has a side edge 30as that extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction at its outer end in the vehicle width direction, a front edge 30af that extends in the vehicle width direction at its front end in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and an inclined edge 30ai that connects the side edge 30as and the front edge 30af. The inclined edge 30ai is inclined from the outer end of the front edge 30af in the vehicle width direction toward the front end of the side edge 30as. The inclined edge 30ai is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction toward the rear of the vehicle. Furthermore, the upper wall portion 30a of the reinforcing member 30 is inclined downward toward the front of the vehicle in the region forward of the connection point between the side edge 30as and the inclined edge 30ai.

[0051] Furthermore, the reinforcing member 30 includes a side wall portion 30b that bends or curves downward from the side edge 30as (outer position in the vehicle width direction) of the upper wall portion 30a, a front wall portion 30c that bends or curves downward from the front edge 30af (front position of the vehicle) of the upper wall portion 30a, and an inclined wall 30d that bends or curves downward from the inclined edge 30ai of the upper wall portion 30a. The front end of the inclined wall 30d is connected to the outer end of the front wall portion 30c in the vehicle width direction, and the rear end of the inclined wall 30d is connected to the front end of the side wall portion 30b. As shown in Figure 8, the inclined wall 30d is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction from a position in front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle, relative to the damper connection portion 16. Furthermore, the reinforcing member 30 includes a lower wall portion 30e (see Figure 9) connected to the lower ends of the side wall portion 30b, the inclined wall portion 30d, and the front wall portion 30c. The lower wall portion 30e extends below the upper wall portion 30a so as to be substantially parallel to the upper wall portion 30a. As shown in Figure 3, the upper end of the inclined wall 30d is inclined downward toward the front of the vehicle, following the inclination of the front side region of the upper wall portion 30a.

[0052] Here, as shown in Figures 3 and 7, the upper walls 10a of the left and right damper housings 10 include a damper connecting portion 16 to which the upper ends of the dampers 50 are connected, and a forward-sloping portion 70 that slopes downward toward the front of the vehicle from the front end of the damper connecting portion 16. The damper connecting portion 16 connected to the rear end of the forward-sloping portion 70 slopes downward toward the rear of the vehicle. The upper wall portion 30a of the reinforcing member 30 is connected to the lower surface of the outer edge in the vehicle width direction of the damper connecting portion 16 and the forward inclined portion 70 of the upper wall 10a of the damper housing 10.

[0053] As shown in Figure 10, the reinforcing member 30 has a front wall portion 30c and a side wall portion 30b that are connected to the front and rear edges of the opening 52 of the damper housing 10. As a result, the opening 52 of the damper housing 10 is closed by the reinforcing member 30 in a horizontal cross-section that includes the inclined wall 30d.

[0054] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the forward-sloping portion 70 connected to the front of the damper connecting portion 16 of the damper housing 10 has an inclined side edge on the outer side in the vehicle width direction when viewed from above. The side edge of the forward-sloping portion 70 is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction from the front end toward the rear of the vehicle. This inclined side edge of the forward-sloping portion 70 will be referred to below as the "upper wall inclined portion 70i". As shown in Figure 8, the inclined wall 30d of the reinforcing member 30 is positioned in a plan view to protrude outward in the vehicle width direction and forward from the upper wall inclined portion 70i. In other words, the inclined wall 30d of the reinforcing member 30 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction and forward from the upper wall inclined portion 70i of the damper housing 10.

[0055] Figure 12 is a plan view of the front of vehicle 1. In Figure 12, the object to which the load is applied 100 when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle is shown as a schematic cross-section. The object to which the load is applied 100 is positioned offset to one side in the vehicle width direction relative to the front of the vehicle. As shown in Figure 12, the reinforcing member 30 is positioned such that at least a portion of the inclined wall 30d overlaps with the connection portion 31 between the load receiving member 20 (lower load receiving portion 21) connected to the front of the damper housing 10 and the bumper beam 14 at the front of the vehicle in a plan view. Also, as shown in Figures 7 and 12, the upper load transmission wall 26 (load transmission wall) provided at the rear end of the upper load receiving portion 22 is positioned such that at least a portion of it overlaps with the front wall portion 30c of the reinforcing member 30 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The upper load transmission wall 26 (load transmission wall) is connected to the damper housing 10 and the front wall portion 30c of the reinforcing member 30 when it is superimposed on the front surface of the cover wall 10b of the damper housing 10.

[0056] As shown in Figures 5 and 8, lower connecting beams 12 extending along the vehicle width direction are connected to the inner ends of the left and right damper housings 10 in the vehicle width direction. The reinforcing members 30 fixed to each of the left and right damper housings 10 are positioned so that their respective inclined walls 30d overlap with the vehicle longitudinal extension region of the lower connecting beam 12 (the region indicated by the arrow with longitudinal width A in Figure 5) in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, the entire inclined wall 30d of each reinforcing member 30 is arranged to overlap with the vehicle-rear-to-rear extension region of the lower connecting beam 12. However, the inclined wall 30d of each reinforcing member 30 may be arranged so that only a portion of it overlaps with the vehicle-rear-to-rear extension region of the lower connecting beam 12.

[0057] Figure 13 is a perspective view of the suspension support structure 15 as seen from the passenger compartment side. Figure 14 is a perspective view of the suspension support structure 15 with the dashboard panel 55 attached, as seen from the passenger compartment side. The upper load transmission section 56, which is connected to the rear of each left and right damper housing 10, includes, as shown in Figures 3, 7, 13, 14, etc., a strip-shaped upper frame section 35 extending toward the rear of the vehicle from the outer edge in the vehicle width direction of the upper wall 10a of the damper housing 10, a rear frame section 36 that bends downward from the rear end of the upper frame section 35, and a vertical wall section 37 connected to the inner edges in the vehicle width direction of the upper frame section 35 and the rear frame section 36. The rear frame section 36 is connected to the corresponding left and right front pillars 54.

[0058] As shown in Figure 3, the vertical wall portion 37 is formed in a roughly trapezoidal shape in a side view, with its vertical width gradually increasing from the front to the rear of the vehicle. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, the horizontal cross-section of the vertical wall portion 37 is formed with a wavy curve. Each apex 38 of this wavy curve extends linearly in the vertical direction. In addition, each apex 38 of the wavy curve is arranged at approximately constant intervals in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The apex 38 of the wavy curve constitutes a fracture-inducing portion that induces fracture (or deformation) of the upper load transmission portion 56 when an impact load exceeding a specified value is input to the upper load transmission portion 56. Hereinafter, the apex 38 of the wavy curve will be referred to as the "fracture-inducing portion 38".

[0059] The fracture-inducing portion 38 of the vertical wall portion 37 is configured to induce fracture of the vertical wall portion 37 on the side where the load is applied when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle and biased to one side in the vehicle width direction, but to prevent fracture of the vertical wall portion 37 when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle and not biased to the vehicle width direction. In other words, the upper load transmission portion 56 (vertical wall portion 37) on the side where the large load is applied is configured to fracture at the fracture-inducing portion 38 only when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle with an offset in the vehicle width direction.

[0060] As shown in Figures 3 and 7, the lower edge of the vertical wall portion 37 slopes downward from the front end toward the rear of the vehicle. Slightly above this lower edge of the vertical wall portion 37, an inclined rib 39 is provided that slopes downward from the front end toward the rear of the vehicle, following the lower edge. The inclined rib 39 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from the vertical wall portion 37. The protruding height of the inclined rib 39 is greater than the height of the wave-shaped bend of the vertical wall portion 37 in the vehicle width direction (the height from the top protruding inward in the vehicle width direction to the top protruding outward in the vehicle width direction).

[0061] Furthermore, the lower load transmission section 57, which is connected to the rear of each of the left and right damper housings 10, includes, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, a curved wall 40 connected to the lower edge of the vertical wall 37 of the upper load transmission section 56 and the rear surface of the covering wall 10b of the damper housing 10, and a lower block 41 connected to the lower end of the curved wall 40. The curved wall 40 is formed by curving three-dimensionally so that its upper surface forms a spherical shape that is convex upward. Multiple outer reinforcing ribs 42a, 42b, and 42c are provided on the upper surface of the curved wall 40, extending to connect the rear surface of the covering wall 10b of the damper housing 10 and the upper surface of the lower block 41.

[0062] As shown in Figure 9, a plurality of inner reinforcing ribs 43a, 43b, and 43c are provided inside the covering wall 10b of the damper housing 10, extending from the front wall portion to the side wall portion and across the rear wall portion of the covering wall 10b. The rear ends of two of these inner reinforcing ribs 43b and 43c are connected to two outer reinforcing ribs 42b and 42c, with the covering wall 10b of the damper housing 10 in between, as shown in Figure 13. The inner reinforcing ribs 43b and 43c and the outer reinforcing ribs 42b and 42c are inclined downward from the front side to the rear side of the vehicle. In Figure 13, the symbol b represents the connection between the inner reinforcing rib 43b and the outer reinforcing rib 42b on the covering wall 10b, and the symbol c represents the connection between the inner reinforcing rib 43c and the outer reinforcing rib 42c on the covering wall 10b.

[0063] The lower block 41 bulges outwards from the rear of the axle insertion block 13 toward the rear of the vehicle. The lower block 41 is positioned behind the second load-receiving wall 25 on the front side of the axle insertion block 13. The lower block 41 has a flat upper surface 41u that connects to the lower end of the curved wall 40 and the covering wall 10b of the damper housing 10, and a connecting surface 41c that faces toward the rear of the vehicle. The connecting surface 41c is connected to the front of the dashboard panel 55, as shown in Figure 14.

[0064] The lower load transmission section 57 of the load transmission section 53 is positioned behind the lower load receiving section 21 of the corresponding left and right load receiving members 20, and in a position where they overlap in the vertical direction. The upper load transmission section 56 of the load transmission section 53 is positioned behind the upper load receiving section 22 of the corresponding left and right load receiving members 20, and in a position where they overlap in the vertical direction.

[0065] As described above, the vehicle front structure of this embodiment includes a reinforcing member 30 that covers at least a portion of the open portion 52 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the open cross-section of the damper housing 10. Therefore, deformation of the open portion 52 of the damper housing 10 can be suppressed by the reinforcing member 30. Therefore, by adopting the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, it is possible to improve the strength and rigidity of the damper housing 10 against input loads while suppressing an increase in the thickness of the members.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vehicle front structure includes a reinforcing member 30 that has an inclined wall 30d that slopes outward in the vehicle width direction from a position forward of the vehicle towards the rear of the vehicle, relative to the damper connection portion 16. Therefore, when an impact load is applied to the front of the damper housing 10 from the front of the vehicle, the deformation of the opening portion 52 of the damper housing 10 is suppressed by the reinforcing member 30, and the impact load applied to the front of the reinforcing member 30 is smoothly transmitted outward and rearward in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 1 through the inclined wall 30d of the reinforcing member 30. Therefore, when the vehicle front structure of this embodiment is adopted, it becomes possible to efficiently transmit the impact load input to the front of the damper housing 10 to structural members such as the front pillar 54, which are located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and at the rear.

[0067] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the reinforcing member 30 comprises an upper wall portion 30a and an inclined wall 30d. The reinforcing member 30 extends along the upper wall 10a of the damper housing 10 and is connected to the upper wall 10a. The inclined wall 30d extends downward from the end of the upper wall portion 30a in a bent or curved manner. As a result, a highly rigid ridge portion is formed between the upper wall portion 30a and the inclined wall 30d along the direction of extension of the inclined wall 30d. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the highly rigid ridge formed between the upper wall 30a and the inclined wall 30d makes it possible to more smoothly transmit the impact load input to the front of the damper housing 10 to the outside in the vehicle width direction and to the rear of the vehicle 1.

[0068] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the inclined wall 30d of the reinforcing member 30 is positioned to overlap with the connection portion 31 between the load-receiving member 20 and the bumper beam 14 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle when viewed from above. When an impact load is applied from the front to a position offset to one side in the left-right direction of the vehicle 1 (see the position of the load-input object 100 in Figure 12), the load is transmitted to one of the load-receiving members 20 through the connection portion 31 with the bumper beam 14. At this time, since the inclined wall 30d of the reinforcing member 30 is positioned to overlap with the connection portion 31 between one of the load-receiving members 20 and the bumper beam 14 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle when viewed from above, the direction of action of the impact load applied to the bumper beam 14 is deflected inward in the vehicle width direction through the inclined wall 30d. As a result, the front of the vehicle 1 moves in a direction that recedes inward in the vehicle width direction from the impact load input position (a direction of separation). Therefore, by adopting this vehicle front structure configuration, it becomes possible to reduce the impact load applied to the front of the vehicle.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the front structure of the vehicle is connected to the left and right damper housings 10 by connecting beams (lower connecting beam 12 and upper connecting beam 67) that extend substantially along the vehicle width direction. The left and right reinforcing members 30 are positioned such that the inclined walls 30d overlap at least partially with the extending regions of the connecting beams (lower connecting beam 12 and upper connecting beam 67) in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Therefore, when vertical loads input to the suspension or impact loads from the front of the vehicle act on the damper housings 10, the deformation of the left and right damper housings 10 due to the load input can be suppressed by the connecting beams. Also, when an impact load is input to the inclined wall 30d of the reinforcing member 30 from the front of the vehicle, that impact load can be efficiently deflected in the extending direction of the connecting beams via the inclined wall 30d. Therefore, when this vehicle front structure is adopted, it becomes possible to deflect and transmit the input impact load to the connecting beam.

[0070] Furthermore, the vehicle front structure of this embodiment is configured such that the connecting beam comprises an upper connecting beam 67 that connects the damper connecting portions 16 of the left and right damper housings 10, and a lower connecting beam 12 that connects the left and right damper housings 10 at a position below the reinforcing member 30. As a result, the upper connecting beam 67 and the lower connecting beam 12 together with the left and right damper housings 10 form a highly rigid closed cross-sectional structure. Therefore, when this vehicle front structure is adopted, it becomes possible to support the load applied to the damper housing 10 with high rigidity. Furthermore, in this configuration, when an impact load is applied to the inclined wall 30d of the reinforcing member 30, the deformation of the upper connecting beam 67 and the lower connecting beam 12 can be suppressed by the closed cross-section structure. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, load transmission from the connecting beams to a wide range of parts of the vehicle can be reliably achieved.

[0071] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the inclined wall 30d of the reinforcing member 30 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction and forward from the inclined portion 70i of the upper wall 10a of the damper housing 10 in a plan view. Therefore, when an impact load is input from the front of the vehicle and an object in front moves toward the inclined portion 70i of the upper wall of the damper housing 10, the inclined wall 30d of the reinforcing member 30 will come into contact with the object first. Therefore, when this vehicle front structure is adopted, the deformation of the damper housing 10 when an impact load is applied can be further suppressed by the reinforcing member 30.

[0072] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the front wall portion 30c and side wall portion 30b of the reinforcing member 30 are connected to the edge of the open cross-section of the damper housing 10, so that the open portion 52 of the damper housing 10 is closed by the reinforcing member 30 in the horizontal cross-section including the inclined wall 30d. As a result, the front and rear of the inclined wall 30d of the reinforcing member 30 are connected to the edge of the open cross-section of the damper housing 10, and the reinforcing member 30 efficiently restricts the deformation of the open cross-section (open portion 52) of the damper housing 10. In other words, when an impact load is applied to the front of the damper housing 10, the applied impact load is released from the front wall portion 30c of the reinforcing member 30 through the inclined wall 30d and then through the side wall portion 30b to the rear of the vehicle, thereby suppressing the deformation of the damper housing 10. Therefore, by adopting this vehicle front structure configuration, it becomes possible to further increase the strength and rigidity of the damper housing 10 while suppressing an increase in the thickness of the damper housing 10.

[0073] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the reinforcing member 30 is made of a metal material such as steel or titanium alloy, which has a higher tensile strength than the aluminum alloy damper housing 10. Therefore, when a large vertical load from the suspension or an impact load from the front of the vehicle is input to the damper housing 10, the deformation of the damper housing 10 can be more reliably restricted by the reinforcing member 30.

[0074] Furthermore, the vehicle front structure of this embodiment includes a load-receiving member 20 connected to the front of the left and right damper housings 10, comprising a lower load-receiving portion 21, an upper load-receiving portion 22, and a connecting wall portion 28. The lower load-receiving portion 21 has an open cross-section composed of at least two surfaces that extends substantially along the vehicle's longitudinal direction, with the bumper beam 14 connected to its front and the suspension support structure 15 connected to its rear. The upper load-receiving portion 22 has an open cross-section composed of at least two surfaces that extends substantially along the vehicle's longitudinal direction above the lower load-receiving portion 21, with the rear connected to the suspension support structure 15. The connecting wall portion 28 continuously connects the lower load-receiving portion 21 and the upper load-receiving portion 22 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. In the vehicle front structure of this configuration, when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, the load is applied to the lower load-receiving section 21 through the bumper beam 14. A portion of the load applied to the front of the lower load-receiving section 21 is transmitted directly to the rear suspension support structure 15 through the lower load-receiving section 21, while another portion is transmitted to the rear suspension support structure 15 through the connecting wall section 28 and the upper load-receiving section 22. At this time, since the connecting wall section 28 continuously connects the lower load-receiving section 21 and the upper load-receiving section 22 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the load is distributed and transmitted over a wide area in the longitudinal direction of the upper load-receiving section 22. Furthermore, if an impact load is applied to the front of the upper load-receiving portion 22 from the front of the vehicle, a portion of that load is transmitted to the rear suspension support structure 15 through the upper load-receiving portion 22, and the other portion of the load is transmitted to the rear suspension support structure 15 through the connecting wall portion 28 and the lower load-receiving portion 21.

[0075] In this embodiment, the front vehicle structure has an open cross-section (not a closed cross-section) for the lower load-receiving portion 21 and the upper load-receiving portion 22 that transmit impact loads from the front of the vehicle to the rear suspension support structure 15. As a result, localized differences in rigidity are less likely to occur over almost the entire vertical direction of the vehicle. Therefore, the load can be transmitted almost evenly across the entire surface of the lower load-receiving portion 21, the connecting wall portion 28, and the upper load-receiving portion 22. Therefore, when this vehicle front structure is adopted, when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, the entire area of ​​the lower load-receiving section 21, the connecting wall section 28, and the upper load-receiving section 22 is deformed substantially uniformly, thereby efficiently absorbing the energy of the impact load.

[0076] In this embodiment, the vehicle front structure is further provided with an upper load transmission wall 26 (load transmission wall) at the rear of the upper load receiving portion 22, and the upper load transmission wall 26 is connected to the damper housing 10 and the front wall portion 30c of the reinforcing member 30. Therefore, when this vehicle front structure is adopted, the impact load transmitted to the upper load receiving portion 22 can be efficiently transmitted to the damper housing 10 and the front wall portion 30c of the reinforcing member 30 through the upper load transmission wall 26.

[0077] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various design modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the upper connecting beam 67 that connects the upper walls 10a of the left and right damper housings 10 is formed of an aluminum alloy or the like, but the metal forming the upper connecting beam 67 is not limited to an aluminum alloy. The upper connecting beam 67 may be formed of a metal material other than an aluminum alloy, such as steel.

[0078] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the upper connecting beam 67 that connects the upper walls 10a of the left and right damper housings 10 is made of a separate part from the suspension support structure 15, which is a cast part of aluminum alloy. However, the upper connecting beam 67 may be formed as a single cast part together with the suspension support structure 15. If the upper connecting beam 67 is formed integrally with the suspension support structure 15, the number of parts can be reduced, and complicated assembly work such as bolting and welding can be eliminated. As described above, when the upper connecting beam 67 is formed as a separate component from the suspension support structure 15, the auxiliary equipment 60 can be easily mounted on the auxiliary equipment mounting section 61 of the lower connecting beam 12 with the upper connecting beam 67 removed. In this case, the material of the upper connecting beam 67 can be selected from steel, aluminum alloy, or the most suitable material depending on the required strength and rigidity.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the upper walls 10a of the left and right damper housings 10 are connected by an upper connecting beam 67. However, it is not essential to connect the upper walls 10a of the left and right damper housings 10 with an upper connecting beam 67, and the upper connecting beam 67 does not necessarily have to be provided.

[0080] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the reinforcing member 30 is configured as a single component made of a metal material, but the reinforcing member 30 may be made of multiple components. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0081] 10... Damper Housing 10a…Top wall 10b... Covering wall 12…Lower connecting beam (connecting beam) 14…Bumper beam 15…Suspension support structure 16... Damper connection section 20... Load-bearing member 21...Lower load-bearing section 22…Upper load-bearing section 26… Upper load-transfer wall (load-transfer wall) 28...Connecting wall section 30…Reinforcement member 30a...Top wall part 30b...Side wall part 30c…Front wall part 30d... Sloping wall 31...Connection part 67…Upper connecting beam (connecting beam) 70i...Top wall slope

Claims

1. A vehicle front structure equipped with a suspension support structure, The aforementioned suspension support structure is A cast part with an open cross-section that is open outward in the vehicle width direction, and a damper housing having an upper wall having a damper connecting portion, and a covering wall extending downward from the periphery of the upper wall, The damper housing comprises a reinforcing member that covers at least a portion of the open portion on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the open cross section, The damper housing is made of cast aluminum alloy parts, The vehicle front structure is characterized in that the reinforcing member is made of a metal material with higher tensile strength than the damper housing.

2. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing member has an inclined wall that slopes outward in the vehicle width direction from a position in front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle, relative to the damper connection portion.

3. The reinforcing member is An upper wall portion that extends along the upper wall of the damper housing and is connected to the upper wall, The vehicle front structure according to claim 2, further comprising the inclined wall that bends or curves downward from the end of the upper wall portion.

4. The vehicle front structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the inclined wall is positioned to overlap in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle when viewed from the front of the vehicle with respect to the connection between the load-receiving member connected to the front of the damper housing and the bumper beam at the front of the vehicle.

5. The damper housing and the reinforcing member are respectively provided at left and right positions spaced apart in the vehicle width direction. The left and right damper housings are connected by a connecting beam that extends substantially along the width direction of the vehicle. The front vehicle structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the left and right reinforcing members are arranged such that the inclined walls overlap at least partially with the vehicle's longitudinal extension region of the connecting beam in the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

6. The aforementioned connecting beam is An upper connecting beam that connects the damper connecting portions of the left and right damper housings, The vehicle front structure according to claim 5, further comprising a lower connecting beam that connects the left and right damper housings at a position below the reinforcing member.

7. The upper wall of the damper housing has an upper wall inclined portion that slopes outward in the vehicle width direction from a position forward of the vehicle towards the rear of the vehicle, relative to the damper connecting portion. The vehicle front structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the inclined wall of the reinforcing member is arranged to protrude outward in the vehicle width direction and forward from the inclined portion of the upper wall in a plan view.

8. The reinforcing member is A front wall portion extending downward from the vehicle-front side position of the upper wall portion and connected to the front end of the inclined wall, It further comprises a side wall portion that extends downward from the outer position in the vehicle width direction of the upper wall portion and is connected to the rear end of the inclined wall portion, The front vehicle structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the front wall portion and the side wall portion are connected to the edge of the open cross section of the damper housing, so that the open portion is closed by the reinforcing member in a horizontal cross section including the inclined wall.

9. An open cross-section consisting of at least two surfaces extends substantially along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, with a bumper beam connected to the front and a lower load-receiving portion connected to the suspension support structure at the rear, An upper load-bearing portion having an open cross section consisting of at least two surfaces that extends substantially along the vehicle's longitudinal direction above the lower load-bearing portion, with its rear end connected to the suspension support structure, The device further comprises the lower load-receiving portion and the upper load-receiving portion, and a connecting wall portion that continuously connects them in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A load-transmitting wall is provided at the rear of the upper load-receiving portion, extending in a direction intersecting the vehicle's longitudinal direction and connected to the suspension support structure. The reinforcing member is An upper wall portion that extends along the upper wall of the damper housing and is connected to the upper wall, The inclined wall extending downward from the end of the upper wall portion, A front wall portion extending downward from the vehicle-front side position of the upper wall portion and connected to the front end of the inclined wall, It has a side wall portion that extends downward from the outer position in the vehicle width direction of the upper wall portion and is connected to the rear end of the inclined wall portion, The vehicle front structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the load transmission wall is coupled to the damper housing and the front wall portion of the reinforcing member.

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