Vehicle front structure

Abstract

A vehicle front structure (1) according to the present disclosure comprises: a front bumper (10) that has an air vent (11) which is opened in the front-rear direction of a vehicle; a duct member (20) that is disposed at the rear of the front bumper (10) and that has an air guiding port (21) which guides air flowing in from the air vent (11) to the rear; and a bracket (30) that is fixed at least to the front side of the duct member (20). The duct member (20) has a frame-like part (22) that forms the air guiding port (21) and a connection part (23) that connects the upper part and the lower part of the frame-like part (22) and traverses vertically across the air guiding port (21) in the vertical direction. The connection part (23) has an accommodation space (24) that opens at least to the front. The bracket (30) is disposed in such a manner as to overlap the accommodation space (24) in the front view of the vehicle.

Description

Vehicle front structure

[0001] The present case relates to a vehicle front structure including a front bumper of a vehicle.

[0002] A vehicle's front bumper is provided with vents that allow air to flow into the space under the hood (the so-called engine compartment). The air (wind) entering through the vents cools, for example, heat-generating devices (such as an engine or an electric motor) and heat exchangers (such as a radiator or an oil cooler) located in the engine compartment. Various wind-guiding technologies have been developed to improve cooling performance by utilizing the wind flowing in through the vents. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a design for a straightening vane that forms the upper surface of a vehicle cooling duct located behind the front bumper of the vehicle and that guides the main cooling wind to the heat exchanger. This design is said to prevent or suppress the cooling wind from separating from the straightening vane.

[0003] JP 2012-86726 A

[0004] Incidentally, when guiding airflow from the front bumper vents rearward, it is possible to guide more air in the desired direction by widening the inlet opening of the duct member (main duct) guiding the air rearward in the vehicle width direction, as in Patent Document 1, although this depends on the arrangement and number of the vents. However, the larger the inlet opening, the lower the rigidity of the duct member. To address this issue, it may be possible to add a member to reinforce the opening in order to ensure the rigidity of the duct member.

[0005] However, since the inlet opening of the duct member may be located close to the rear surface of the front bumper, if a reinforcing member is attached to this opening, the reinforcing member may interfere with load absorption in the event of a frontal collision. In particular, in the case of a vehicle in which some parts or devices are located between the front bumper and the duct member, these parts or devices may move back in the event of a frontal collision, and in combination with the reinforcing member, may further interfere with the load absorption function.

[0006] The present vehicle front structure was devised in light of these problems, and one of its objectives is to ensure the rigidity of the duct member while not impeding its load absorbing function during a vehicle collision. However, in addition to this objective, another objective of the present invention is to achieve operational effects derived from the various configurations shown in the "Mode for Carrying Out the Invention" described below, which are not obtainable with conventional technology.

[0007] The disclosed vehicle front structure can be realized as the following disclosed embodiments (application examples), which solve at least part of the above-mentioned problems. Each of the embodiments from embodiment 2 onwards is an embodiment that can be selected as an additional option, and each of the embodiments from embodiment 2 onwards is an embodiment that can be omitted. None of the embodiments from embodiment 2 onwards discloses an embodiment or configuration that is essential to the present invention.

[0008] Aspect 1. The disclosed vehicle front structure includes a front bumper having an air vent extending through the vehicle in the fore-and-aft direction, a duct member disposed rearward of the front bumper and having an air guide port for directing airflow from the air vent rearward, and a bracket fixed to at least the front side of the duct member. The duct member has a frame-shaped portion that forms the air guide port and a connecting portion that connects the top and bottom of the frame-shaped portion and vertically crosses the air guide port. The connecting portion has at least a storage space that opens forward. The bracket is disposed so as to overlap the storage space when viewed from the front of the vehicle.

[0009] Aspect 2. In the above aspect 1, it is preferable that the connection portion has a pair of side wall portions that are connected to one of the upper and lower portions of the frame-shaped portion and that form left and right side walls of the storage space, and one connecting portion that connects the lower ends or upper ends of the pair of side wall portions and is connected to the other of the upper and lower portions of the frame-shaped portion with a vehicle width dimension that is larger than the vehicle width dimension of the side wall portions.

[0010] Aspect 3. In the above-mentioned Aspect 2, it is preferable that the left side surface of the connecting portion is located to the right of the left side surface of the left side wall portion, and the right side surface of the connecting portion is located to the left of the right side surface of the right side wall portion. Aspect 4. In the above-mentioned Aspect 2 or 3, it is preferable that the front edge of each of the side wall portions is inclined so that the lower side is positioned further rearward in a side view of the vehicle.

[0011] Aspect 5. In any of Aspects 2 to 4 above, it is preferable that a side surface of at least one of the pair of side wall portions facing the storage space in the vehicle width direction is inclined so that the rearward position is closer to the storage space in the vehicle width direction. Aspect 6. In any of Aspects 1 to 5 above, it is preferable that the connection portion is provided in a center portion of the frame-shaped portion in the vehicle width direction.

[0012] Aspect 7. In any of Aspects 1 to 6 above, it is preferable that the frame-shaped portion has a vehicle width dimension longer than a vertical dimension, and that the bracket has one end fixed to the connection portion and extends in the vertical direction. Aspect 8. In Aspect 7 above, it is preferable that the bracket has an equipment mounting portion including a top plate spaced forward from a fixing surface for the connection portion and to which on-vehicle equipment is fixed, and upper and lower vertical walls extending rearward from the upper and lower edges of the top plate, respectively.

[0013] Aspect 9. In Aspect 8 above, it is preferable that the upper vertical wall and the lower vertical wall of the equipment mounting portion extend obliquely with respect to the top plate so as to become more distant from each other toward the rear, and that the equipment mounting portion has a hat shape in a side view. Aspect 10. In any of Aspects 1 to 9 above, it is preferable that the bracket is formed from a single piece of sheet metal. Aspect 11. In any of Aspects 1 to 10 above, it is preferable that the storage space penetrates in the front-to-rear direction.

[0014] According to the disclosed vehicle front structure, the rigidity of the duct member can be ensured by the connection portion, and the accommodation space provided in the connection portion and the arrangement of the bracket can prevent interference with the load absorbing function in the event of a vehicle collision.

[0015] 10(a) and 10(b) are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of a connection portion according to a modified example; FIG. 10(a) is a cross-sectional view of a main portion of the vehicle front structure of FIG. 1; FIG. 10(b) is a perspective view showing a bracket and on-board equipment of the vehicle front structure of FIG. 1; FIG. 10(c) is a perspective view showing the bracket of FIG. 9; FIG. 10(a) is a front view showing a main portion of the vehicle front structure of FIG. 1; FIG. 10(b) is a right side view showing a bracket and on-board equipment of the vehicle front structure of FIG. 1;

[0016] A vehicle front structure according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiment is merely an example, and is not intended to exclude various modifications or applications of techniques not explicitly described in the following embodiment. The configurations of the embodiment can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the embodiment. Furthermore, the configurations can be selected or combined as needed.

[0017] Regarding the definition of directions in this embodiment, the longitudinal direction (vehicle length direction) is defined based on the forward and backward direction of the vehicle, and the left-right direction (vehicle width direction) is defined based on the longitudinal direction. The up-down direction is defined based on the state in which the vehicle is stopped on a flat road surface. Vehicle structures are often formed with approximate left-right symmetry (mirror symmetry with respect to a plane including the yaw axis and roll axis passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle), but a perfectly symmetrical shape is not required.

[0018] Furthermore, the type of vehicle to which the vehicle front structure according to the embodiment is applicable is not particularly limited, and the vehicle may be, for example, a gasoline-powered vehicle, an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid vehicle (HEV, Hybrid Electric Vehicle), or a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle). A plug-in hybrid vehicle is a hybrid vehicle that allows external charging of the battery or external power supply from the battery. A plug-in hybrid vehicle is provided with a charging port (inlet) for inserting a charging cable that supplies power from an external charging facility, and a power outlet for external power supply.

[0019] [1. Configuration] [1-1. Overall Configuration] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a vehicle front structure 1 according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken in the front-rear direction at the center of the vehicle width direction of the vehicle front structure 1. The vehicle front structure 1 is configured to allow air to flow into a space 3 (so-called engine compartment 3) below a hood 2 (see FIG. 2) and to absorb loads in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle. The vehicle front structure 1 includes a front bumper 10, a first duct member 20 (duct member), and a bracket 30. The vehicle front structure 1 of this embodiment further includes a bumper beam 40, a second duct member 50, a third duct member 60, and a heat exchanger 4. Note that the second duct member 50, the third duct member 60, and the heat exchanger 4 are not shown in FIG. 1.

[0020] The front bumper 10 is a bumper component disposed at the very front of the vehicle, and has a vent 11 extending therethrough in the longitudinal direction. The vent 11 is an opening for introducing wind (air) from the front of the vehicle into the engine compartment 3, and is preferably provided over a wide area of ​​the front bumper 10 (for example, extending to positions near the left and right headlights, not shown). As shown in FIG. 1 , multiple vents 11 (for example, four) may be arranged with gaps between them at the top and bottom, or only one vent 11 may be provided.

[0021] The first duct member 20 is a member disposed rearward (more specifically, immediately behind) the front bumper 10, and has a first air guide port 21 (air guide port) that guides air flowing in from the air vent 11 rearward. The first air guide port 21 is an opening that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction, and communicates with at least a portion of the air vent 11 of the front bumper 10. In this embodiment, the first air guide port 21 is configured to overlap almost entirely with the uppermost air vent 11 of the front bumper 10 in a front view of the vehicle (as seen from the front). In other words, the first duct member 20 is disposed rearward of the upper portion of the front bumper 10.

[0022] In this embodiment, the first duct member 20 not only functions as a duct that guides air from the front to the rear, but also functions to hold the front bumper 10. Specifically, the first duct member 20 has a holding portion 28 that holds the front bumper 10. The holding portion 28 is provided above the first air guide port 21 in the first duct member 20 and has a shape that allows the front bumper 10 to be attached using fasteners such as bolts or screws. The left and right ends of the first duct member 20 are fixed to frame members of the vehicle body (for example, left and right side members not shown). A detailed configuration of the first duct member 20 will be described later.

[0023] The bracket 30 is a plate-shaped component fixed to at least the front side of the first duct member 20. The bracket 30 of this embodiment has the function of fixing the in-vehicle device 5 to the vehicle body. In this embodiment, a case is illustrated in which the bracket 30 connects and fixes the first duct member 20 and a bumper beam 40 (described later), which are arranged spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. That is, one end of the bracket 30 is fixed to the first duct member 20, and the other end of the bracket 30 is fixed to the bumper beam 40.

[0024] The on-board device 5 fixed to the bracket 30 is, for example, a detection device such as a millimeter-wave radar or a laser radar. The on-board device 5, for example, emits radar waves (radio waves, laser beams, etc.) toward the front of the vehicle and detects the presence or absence of an object within the irradiation range and the distance to the object. When such on-board device 5 is fixed to the bracket 30, it is preferable that the bracket 30 be disposed as far forward as possible (close to the front bumper 10), and further preferably in the center in the vehicle width direction. The detailed configuration of the bracket 30 will be described later.

[0025] The bumper beam 40 is a framework member that connects the left and right side members together, and extends in the vehicle width direction between the first duct member 20 and a second duct member 50 (described later). In other words, the first duct member 20 is disposed above the bumper beam 40, and the second duct member 50 is disposed below the bumper beam 40.

[0026] 2 , the second duct member 50 is a member disposed rearward of the lower portion of the front bumper 10 and below the first duct member 20 and the bumper beam 40, and has a second air guide port 51 that guides air flowing in from the air vent 11 rearward. The second air guide port 51 is an opening that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction and is configured so as to overlap almost entirely with the lower-positioned air vent 11 of the front bumper 10. The second duct member 50 is attached to the front bumper 10 (so-called assembled), and is not fixed to the first duct member 20 and the bumper beam 40.

[0027] The third duct member 60 is a member disposed behind the first duct member 20, the bumper beam 40, and the second duct member 50, and has a vertical dimension (dimension in the up-down direction) ranging from the upper end of the first duct member 20 to the lower end of the second duct member 50. In other words, the third duct member 60 is configured so that its upper portion is located behind the first duct member 20 and its lower portion is located behind the second duct member 50.

[0028] The third duct member 60 is provided with two third air intake ports 61, 62 that penetrate in the front-to-rear direction. The two third air intake ports 61, 62 are arranged side by side, one above the other. One third air intake port 61 communicates with the first air intake port 21 of the first duct member 20, and the other third air intake port 62 communicates with the second air intake port 51 of the second duct member 50. The third duct member 60 guides the air flowing from the first air intake port 21 and the second air intake port 51 further rearward via the third air intake ports 61, 62. The heat exchanger 4 is disposed behind the third duct member 60, and the air guided by the three duct members 20, 50, 60 is guided to the heat exchanger 4. As described above, the vehicle front structure 1 of this embodiment has a full duct structure composed of the three duct members 20, 50, 60.

[0029] The heat exchanger 4 is an on-board cooling system device that exchanges thermal energy with air (cooling air) introduced from the front and is fixed to the vehicle body. Examples of the heat exchanger 4 include an oil cooler, a condenser, and a radiator. The heat exchanger 4 is preferably attached to the rear end of the third duct member 60 so that it can receive the air introduced by the three duct members 20, 50, and 60 without leakage.

[0030] Next, the first duct member 20 and the bracket 30, which are essential parts of the vehicle front structure 1 of this embodiment, will be described in detail.

[0031] [1-2. Duct Member] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 , the first duct member 20 has a frame-shaped portion 22 that forms the first air intake port 21. The frame-shaped portion 22 has a width dimension (dimension in the vehicle width direction) that is larger than the vertical dimension, and is formed to a size that can cover the air vent 11 that communicates with the first air intake port 21. As shown in FIG. 5 , the frame-shaped portion 22 of this embodiment has a horizontally elongated, approximately rectangular outer shape when viewed from the front of the vehicle, and has four walls (an upper wall portion 22T, a lower wall portion 22B, a left wall portion 22L, and a right wall portion 22R) that extend in the front-rear direction in the vertical and left-right directions. The upper wall portion 22T and the lower wall portion 22B extend in the vehicle width direction and face each other, while the left wall portion 22L and the right wall portion 22R extend in the vertical direction and face each other. Note that FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the main parts of the first duct member 20, omitting the left and right ends (portions fixed to the vehicle body) and the retaining portion 28.

[0032] 3 to 5, the first duct member 20 further has a connection portion 23 that connects the top and bottom of the frame-shaped portion 22 and vertically crosses the first air intake port 21. The connection portion 23 has the function of increasing the rigidity of the periphery of the first air intake port 21 of the first duct member 20 (i.e., the frame-shaped portion 22). In this embodiment, the connection portion 23 vertically connects the upper wall portion 22T and the lower wall portion 22B of the frame-shaped portion 22. The connection portion 23 is also provided in the center of the frame-shaped portion 22 in the vehicle width direction.

[0033] The connection portion 23 has a storage space 24 that is open at least forward. The storage space 24 is a space into which the bracket 30 enters when the bracket 30 is displaced rearward. For example, in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle, the bracket 30 may deform and be displaced rearward as the front bumper 10 displaces rearward. The storage space 24 functions as an escape space that does not hinder the deformation or displacement of the bracket 30, and therefore does not hinder the load absorption performance of the front bumper 10 or the bracket 30. Note that the storage space 24 in this embodiment penetrates in the front-to-rear direction and is configured to not hinder the flow of air from the air vent 11.

[0034] 4 and 5 , the connection portion 23 of this embodiment has a pair of side wall portions 25, 26 that form left and right side walls of the storage space 24, and a single connecting portion 27 that connects the ends of the pair of side wall portions 25, 26. The pair of side wall portions 25, 26 are arranged spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction and are connected to either the top or bottom of the frame-shaped portion 22. The side wall portions 25, 26 of this embodiment are substantially bilaterally symmetrical (mirror symmetrical), and each lower end is connected to the bottom side of the frame-shaped portion 22 (i.e., the lower wall portion 22B). The side wall portions 25, 26 partition the first air guide port 21 and the storage space 24 in the vehicle width direction inside the frame-shaped portion 22 (inside the first air guide port 21).

[0035] The connecting portion 27 connecting the left and right side wall portions 25, 26 has a vehicle width dimension larger than the vehicle width dimension of each side wall portion 25, 26, and is connected to the other of the upper and lower portions of the frame-shaped portion 22 (the side to which the side wall portions 25, 26 are not connected). In the connecting portion 23 of this embodiment, the lower ends of each side wall portion 25, 26 are connected to the lower wall portion 22B of the frame-shaped portion 22, and therefore the connecting portion 27 is connected to the upper side of the frame-shaped portion 22 (i.e., the upper wall portion 22T) and also connects the upper ends of the side wall portions 25, 26 to each other. Therefore, the connecting portion 23 of this embodiment has a shape that is roughly an upside-down U-shape when viewed from the front of the vehicle, and a roughly rectangular storage space 24 is formed inside the U-shape.

[0036] The connecting portion 27 has the function of increasing the rigidity of the connection portion 23 and the function of reducing the vertical dimension of the accommodation space 24, and in this embodiment, it also doubles as a fixing target for a bracket 30, which will be described later. If the connecting portion 27 were not present, i.e., if the accommodation space 24 were formed only by a pair of side wall portions 25, 26, the vertical dimension of the side wall portions 25, 26 would be long depending on the vertical dimension of the first air intake port 21, which could make it difficult to increase the rigidity of the frame-shaped portion 22. In contrast, by providing the connecting portion 27, the vertical dimension of the side wall portions 25, 26 is kept to the minimum necessary to form the accommodation space 24, and the connecting portion 27 and the side wall portions 25, 26 can improve the rigidity of the frame-shaped portion 22.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 5, the connecting portion 27 of this embodiment does not have a constant width in the up-down direction, but the minimum width W3 of the connecting portion 27 is set to be larger than the width W2 of each side wall portion 25, 26. The connecting portion 27 shown in Fig. 5 has a lower end surface 27B that connects from the left side surface 25L of the left wall portion 25 to the right side surface 26R of the right wall portion 26, and the left and right side surfaces 27L, 27R are inclined in directions approaching each other as they rise and then extend vertically.

[0038] That is, in the vehicle front structure 1 of this embodiment, the left side surface 27L of the connecting portion 27 is located to the right of the left side surface 25L of the left side wall portion 25, and the right side surface 27R of the connecting portion 27 is located to the left of the right side surface 26R of the right side wall portion 26. In this way, the minimum width W3 of the connecting portion 27 is configured to be shorter than the width W1 of the connection portion 23 (the width from the left side surface 25L of the left side wall portion 25 to the right side surface 26R of the right side wall portion 26), so that the area of ​​the first air intake ports 21 present on both the left and right sides of the connection portion 23 is expanded by the area indicated by the dotted pattern in Figure 5.

[0039] The configuration of the connecting portion 27 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 5 . For example, as shown in FIG. 6( a), the connecting portion 27 may have a horizontally elongated rectangular shape in a front view of the vehicle. In this case, the vehicle width dimension of the connecting portion 27 is constant in the vertical direction. Therefore, to obtain the benefit of expanding the area of ​​the first air guide port 21 as in the configuration of FIG. 5, the left and right side surfaces 27L, 27R of the connecting portion 27 may be shifted inward in the vehicle width direction (to form a step) relative to the surfaces (left side surface 25L, right side surface 26R) of the left and right side wall portions 25, 26 facing outward in the vehicle width direction. This makes the vehicle width dimension W3 of the connecting portion 27 shorter than the vehicle width dimension W1 of the connection portion 23, thereby expanding the area of ​​the first air guide port 21, as in FIG. 5 . Furthermore, for example, as shown in FIG. 6( b), the connecting portion 27 may have a trapezoidal shape in a front view of the vehicle. Even in this case, the area of ​​the first air guide port 21 is expanded, as in FIG. 5 .

[0040] 7, in the vehicle front structure 1 of this embodiment, the leading edges 25F, 26F of each side wall portion 25, 26 are inclined so that they are positioned further rearward as they move downward in a side view (as viewed from the side) of the vehicle. This creates space in front of the lower portions of each side wall portion 25, 26, thereby avoiding interference with surrounding components. Note that in this embodiment, the rear edges of the side wall portions 25, 26 are not inclined relative to the vertical direction, so the front-to-rear dimensions (dimensions in the front-to-rear direction) of the side wall portions 25, 26 become smaller as they move downward, but the rear edges may also be inclined in the same way as the leading edges 25F, 26F.

[0041] 8 , in the vehicle front structure 1 of this embodiment, the opposing side surfaces of the pair of side walls 25, 26, i.e., the right side surface 25R of the left wall portion 25 and the left side surface 26L of the right wall portion 26, are inclined so as to approach each other toward the rear. That is, in this embodiment, the width (vehicle width dimension) of the storage space 24 is reduced toward the rear. Note that the side walls 25, 26 do not have to have a V-shaped cross section. For example, of the pair of side walls 25, 26, only the right side surface 25R of the left wall portion 25 (i.e., the side surface facing the storage space 24 in the vehicle width direction) may be inclined so as to be positioned closer to the storage space 24 in the vehicle width direction toward the rear.

[0042] [1-3. Bracket] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the bracket 30 and the on-board equipment 5 provided in the vehicle front structure 1 according to this embodiment. Figures 10(a) to 10(c) are a front view, a left side view, and a bottom view of the bracket 30, respectively. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the bracket 30 is arranged so as to overlap with the above-mentioned storage space 24 when viewed from the front of the vehicle. It is preferable that the entire bracket 30 overlaps with the storage space 24 when viewed from the front of the vehicle, but it is sufficient that at least a portion of the bracket 30 overlaps with the storage space 24 and enters the storage space 24 when the bracket 30 is displaced rearward.

[0043] As described above, the bracket 30 of this embodiment has one end (upper end) fixed to the first duct member 20 and the other end (lower end) fixed to the bumper beam 40, and is provided to extend in the vertical direction. Specifically, one end of the bracket 30 is fixed to the connection portion 23 (more specifically, the front surface 27F of the coupling portion 27), and the other end of the bracket 30 is fixed to the front surface 40F of the bumper beam 40. Therefore, the bracket 30 is disposed so as to protrude forward from the connection portion 23. Hereinafter, the location where the bracket 30 is fixed to the first duct member 20 is referred to as a fixing surface 32. The bracket 30 is mechanically fastened to this fixing surface 32 by, for example, bolts, screws, or the like.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 9 , the bracket 30 has an equipment mounting portion 31 including a top plate 33 to which the in-vehicle equipment 5 is fixed and an upper vertical wall 34 and a lower vertical wall 35 extending rearward from the upper and lower edges of the top plate 33. The top plate 33 is the largest main surface (flat portion) of the bracket 30 and, as shown in FIG. 3 , is disposed toward the lower side of the frame portion 22 (closer to the lower wall portion 22B than to the upper wall portion 22T). The top plate 33 extends vertically and laterally, spaced forward from the fixing surface 32 for the connection portion 23. In the bracket 30 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10( a), the top plate 33 has a generally rectangular top plate fixing surface 33A and extension portions 33B extending upward and downward from the centers of the upper and lower edges of the top plate fixing surface 33A. The top plate fixing surface 33A is formed in a generally rectangular shape that is the same as or slightly larger than the outer shape of the frame of the in-vehicle equipment 5. The top plate fixing surface 33A may be provided with a hole for fixing the in-vehicle device 5 or an opening through which the wiring of the in-vehicle device 5 is inserted. The extension 33B is not essential and may be omitted.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 10( b), the equipment mounting portion 31 of this embodiment has an upper vertical wall 34 and a lower vertical wall 35 that extend obliquely relative to the top plate 33 so that they become increasingly separated from each other toward the rear, forming a hat shape in side view. The top plate 33 forms the top surface of the hat shape. The upper vertical wall 34 is formed continuously from the upper edge of the upper extension portion 33B of the top plate 33, extending rearward and slightly upward. The lower vertical wall 35 is formed continuously from the lower edge of the lower extension portion 33B of the top plate 33, extending rearward and slightly downward. The bracket 30 has a flange 36 that is formed continuously upward from the upper edge of the upper vertical wall 34. The flange 36 is a surface that constitutes the fixing surface 32.

[0046] The bracket 30 of this embodiment includes an equipment mounting portion 31 that is hat-shaped when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and a lower hat portion 37 that is hat-shaped and opens rearward when viewed from above (or below) the vehicle. The lower hat portion 37 includes a second top plate 37A, a left vertical wall 37B, a right vertical wall 37C, a left flange 37D, and a right flange 37E. The second top plate 37A is a surface portion provided on the lower edge of the lower vertical wall 35 of the equipment mounting portion 31, and extends continuously downward from this lower edge and in the vertical and width directions. As shown in FIG. 10( c), the second top plate 37A forms the top surface of the hat shape and is positioned forward and spaced apart from the fixing surface (referred to as a second fixing surface 38) of the bracket 30 to the bumper beam 40. In other words, in the bracket 30 of this embodiment, the equipment mounting portion 31 forms an upper hat structure in the vertical direction (vertical direction), and the lower hat portion 37 forms a lower hat structure in the horizontal direction (vehicle width direction).

[0047] As shown in Figures 10(a) to 10(c), the left vertical wall 37B is formed continuously from the left edge of the second top plate 37A toward the rear and left (outside the vehicle). The right vertical wall 37C is formed continuously from the right end of the second top plate 37A toward the rear and right (outside the vehicle). That is, the left vertical wall 37B and the right vertical wall 37C both extend obliquely relative to the second top plate 37A so as to be spaced apart from each other when viewed from above (or below) the vehicle. The left flange 37D is a surface portion formed continuously from the left edge of the left vertical wall 37B toward the left (outside the vehicle) and constitutes the second fixing surface 38. The right flange 37E is a surface portion formed continuously from the right edge of the right vertical wall 37C toward the right (outside the vehicle) and constitutes the second fixing surface 38.

[0048] The bracket 30 of this embodiment is formed from a single sheet of metal. That is, the device mounting portion 31 and the lower hat portion 37 are integrally formed in the bracket 30. However, the device mounting portion 31 and the lower hat portion 37 may be formed separately and integrated (by joining, welding, etc.) into the bracket.

[0049] [2. Actions and Effects] (1) In the vehicle front structure 1 described above, the first duct member 20 disposed behind the front bumper 10 has a frame-shaped portion 22 that forms the first air guide port 21, and a connection portion 23 that connects the top and bottom of the frame-shaped portion 22 and vertically crosses the first air guide port 21. Therefore, the connection portion 23 can ensure the rigidity of the first duct member 20 around the first air guide port 21 (i.e., the frame-shaped portion 22).

[0050] In the vehicle front structure 1 of this embodiment, the bracket 30 is disposed in front of the first duct member 20 (i.e., between the front bumper 10 and the first duct member 20). However, the connection portion 23 has an accommodation space 24 that is open at least forward, and the bracket 30 is fixed to at least the front side of the first duct member 20 and disposed so as to overlap the accommodation space 24 in a front view of the vehicle. This makes it difficult for the positional relationship between the bracket 30 and the first duct member 20 to shift when the bracket 30 is displaced rearward, and also enables the bracket 30 to enter the accommodation space 24 located behind it.

[0051] Therefore, in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle, even if the bracket 30 is deformed and displaced rearward (rearward) as the front bumper 10 is displaced rearward, the likelihood that this deformation or rearward displacement will be hindered by the connection portion 23 is significantly reduced. In other words, the load absorption function during a vehicle collision is not hindered, and the load input to the vehicle can be absorbed by the deformation and rearward displacement of the front bumper 10 and the bracket 30. As a result, for example, in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle with a pedestrian, the load on the pedestrian can be alleviated, ensuring pedestrian protection performance.

[0052] (2) When the first duct member 20 has the holding portion 28 that holds the front bumper 10, as in the vehicle front structure 1 described above, the first duct member 20 is required to have the rigidity to stably hold the front bumper 10. In contrast, the above-described connecting portion 23 has a pair of side wall portions 25, 26 and a connecting portion 27 that connects the ends of these portions, connecting the top and bottom of the frame-shaped portion 22. In other words, the connecting portion 23 is configured to branch into two parts midway in the vertical direction when viewed from the front of the vehicle, and to have the storage space 24 inside the branch.

[0053] 5 and 6(a) and (b), the vertical dimension H2 of the side wall portions 25, 26 is smaller than the vertical dimension H1 of the first air outlet 21 by the vertical dimension H3 of the connecting portion 27 (H2 = H1 - H3). In other words, compared to a configuration in which the connecting portion 23 extends uniformly in the vertical direction (i.e., compared to a configuration in which the connecting portion 27 does not exist), the rigidity of the connecting portion 23 can be increased, and therefore the rigidity around the first air outlet 21 can be further increased.

[0054] Therefore, regardless of the vertical dimension H1 of the first air intake port 21 (for example, even if the vertical dimension H1 of the first air intake port 21 is long), the rigidity required of the first duct member 20 can be ensured by the connecting portion 23. As a result, when the first duct member 20 holds the front bumper 10, there is no need to separately provide a reinforcing member or the like for the first duct member 20 to ensure the holding rigidity of the front bumper 10, and there is no risk of narrowing the space between the front bumper 10 and the first duct member 20. In other words, there is no need for additional work on the front bumper 10, which would occur if a separate reinforcing member were provided. In other words, there is no concern that the grille opening ratio or design of the front bumper 10 will be affected, and therefore freedom in design of the front bumper 10 can be ensured.

[0055] (3) In the vehicle front structure 1 described above, the left side surface 27L of the connecting portion 27 is located to the right of the left side surface 25L of the left wall portion 25, and the right side surface 27R of the connecting portion 27 is located to the left of the right side surface 26R of the right wall portion 26. With this configuration, the area of ​​the first air intake ports 21 present on both the left and right sides of the connecting portion 23 can be expanded by the area indicated by the dotted pattern in Fig. 5. This ensures a sufficient flow rate of the air flowing in from the air vent 11, and when a heat exchanger 4 is disposed behind the first duct member 20, the cooling performance of the heat exchanger 4 can be improved.

[0056] (4) In the vehicle front structure 1 described above, the leading edges 25F, 26F of the side wall portions 25, 26 are inclined so as to be positioned further rearward as viewed from the side of the vehicle, which makes it easier for the bracket 30 to be accommodated in the accommodation space 24 when it is moved backward. In particular, as in the above embodiment, if the side wall portions 25, 26 are connected to the lower side of the frame-shaped portion 22, the connecting portion 27 is connected to the upper side of the frame-shaped portion 22 and connects the upper ends of the pair of side wall portions 25, 26, and the main surface portion of the bracket 30 having the largest area (i.e., the top plate 33) is positioned closer to the lower side of the frame-shaped portion 22, the frame-shaped portion 22 has an inverted U-shape, and the main surface portion (top plate 33) of the bracket 30 is disposed close to the lower wall portion 22 of the frame-shaped portion 22.

[0057] For this reason, when a load from the front is transmitted to the bracket 30, the bracket 30 is likely to deform so as to tilt backward (the amount of retraction of the upper part of the bracket 30 is greater than the amount of retraction of the lower part). In contrast, the leading edges 25F, 26F of the side walls 25, 26 are inclined so that the lower parts are positioned further rearward (in other words, the upper parts of the side walls 25, 26 protrude more forward than the lower parts), so the upper parts of the side walls 25, 26 can quickly accommodate the bracket 30 that has retracted.

[0058] Furthermore, by slanting the front edges 25F, 26F of the side walls 25, 26 so that they are positioned further rearward as they are lower in a side view of the vehicle, a space is formed below the side walls 25, 26. This makes it possible to avoid interference with peripheral components and structures, including the bracket 30, and does not hinder the retraction of the bracket 30. This allows the bracket 30 to easily enter the accommodation space 24 when displaced rearward, ensuring load absorption performance.

[0059] (5) In the vehicle front structure 1 described above, each side wall 25, 26 has a V-shaped cross section that opens rearward, and the opposing side surfaces 25R, 26L are inclined toward each other toward the rear and widen toward the front. Focusing on the storage space 24, if the storage space 24 has a tapered shape that is wide at the front and narrows toward the rear, the bracket 30 can easily enter the storage space 24 when displaced rearward. This further ensures load absorption performance. Note that this effect does not necessarily require each side wall 25, 26 to have a V-shaped cross section; rather, it is an effect that can be achieved by inclining the side surface of at least one of the pair of side walls 25, 26 that faces the storage space 24 in the vehicle width direction so that it is positioned closer to the storage space 24 in the vehicle width direction toward the rear.

[0060] (6) Furthermore, since the above-mentioned connection portion 23 is provided in the center of the frame-shaped portion 22 in the vehicle width direction, the center of the frame-shaped portion 22 in the vehicle width direction can be reinforced by the connection portion 23 while minimizing the reduction in the area of ​​the first air intake port 21, thereby contributing to improved rigidity.

[0061] (7) The frame-shaped portion 22 is configured so that its width is longer than its vertical dimension, and one end of the bracket 30 is fixed to the connection portion 23 and extends in the vertical direction. That is, the first air guide port 21 of the first duct member 20 is formed wide in the vehicle width direction, which facilitates the flow of air rearward. Although the connection portion 23 reduces the area of ​​the first air guide port 21, fixing the bracket 30 to the connection portion 23 prevents the area of ​​the first air guide port 21 from being further narrowed by the bracket 30. This ensures a larger area for the first air guide port 21 than in a configuration in which the bracket 30 extends in the vehicle width direction. This ensures a sufficient flow rate of cooling air, and when a heat exchanger 4 is disposed behind the first duct member 20, the cooling performance of the heat exchanger 4 can be improved.

[0062] (8) The bracket 30 described above has a top plate 33 (main surface) to which the in-vehicle device 5 is fixed, and an equipment mounting portion 31 including an upper vertical wall 34 and a lower vertical wall 35 extending rearward from the upper and lower edges of the top plate 33, respectively. This equipment mounting portion 31 allows the in-vehicle device 5 to be positioned further forward (closer to the front bumper 10). However, if the in-vehicle device 5 is positioned further forward, the pedestrian may receive too much load in the event of a frontal collision between the vehicle and the pedestrian. In response to this, the equipment mounting portion 31 of the bracket 30 is configured to easily deform rearward in response to load input, and the storage space 24 is provided behind the bracket 30. This allows the in-vehicle device 5 to escape rearward, thereby reducing the load on the pedestrian (e.g., impact to the legs). This improves pedestrian protection performance in the event of a vehicle collision.

[0063] (9) In the above-described equipment mounting portion 31, the upper vertical wall 34 and the lower vertical wall 35 extend obliquely relative to the top plate 33 so that they become increasingly separated from each other as they extend rearward, forming a hat shape in a side view. In this way, the vertical walls 34, 35 are hat-shaped rather than perpendicular to the top plate 33, so that the upper and lower vertical walls 34, 35 can easily deform without being stiffened when a load (impact) acts from the front. This further improves pedestrian protection performance.

[0064] (10) The bracket 30 described above is formed from a single piece of metal sheet, which makes it possible to inexpensively and simply manufacture the bracket 30. (11) Furthermore, the accommodation space 24 described above is perforated in the front-to-rear direction, which allows air to pass through the accommodation space 24, thereby preventing the original function of the first duct member 20 (the function of guiding air) from being impaired.

[0065] [3. Other] The vehicle front structure 1 described above is one example and is not limited to the above. For example, while the first duct member 20 described above has a holding portion 28 that holds the front bumper 10, the first duct member 20 only needs to have at least a duct function, and the holding portion 28 may be omitted and the front bumper 10 may be held in another location. Furthermore, the shape of the frame-shaped portion 22 of the first duct member 20 is not limited to the rectangular shape described above. The frame-shaped portion 22 only needs to form at least an air guide port (first air guide port 21) that guides the air flowing in from the air vent 11 rearward.

[0066] The specific shape of the connection portion 23 is also one example. For example, the pair of side wall portions may be connected to the upper side of the frame-shaped portion 22, and the connecting portion may be connected to the lower side of the frame-shaped portion 22 and connect the lower ends of the pair of side wall portions together. Furthermore, if it is not necessary to expand the area of ​​the first air guide port 21, the left and right side surfaces of the connecting portion may be flush with the outer side surfaces of the left and right side wall portions in the vehicle width direction.

[0067] Furthermore, in the first duct member 20 described above, the leading edges 25F, 26F of the pair of side wall portions 25, 26 that form the storage space 24 are inclined so that the lower portions are positioned more rearward. However, for example, they may be inclined so that the upper portions are positioned more rearward, or they may not be inclined (they may extend vertically). Furthermore, for example, depending on the vehicle model, when a load from the front is transmitted to the bracket 30, the bracket 30 may be prone to deformation behavior such that it tilts forward (the lower portion of the bracket 30 is set back more than the upper portion). In this case, if the leading edges 25F, 26F are inclined so that the upper portions are positioned more rearward in a side view of the vehicle, the lower portions of the side wall portions 25, 26 can quickly accommodate the bracket 30 that has moved back. Therefore, the bracket 30 can more easily enter the storage space 24 when displaced rearward, ensuring load absorption performance.

[0068] Furthermore, the pair of side wall portions 25, 26 of the first duct member 20 described above have a V-shaped cross section that opens rearward. However, for example, the outer side surfaces 25L, 26R in the vehicle width direction that do not face each other are not essential and do not need to be inclined as described above. Even in this case, the effect of expanding the area of ​​the first air intake port 21 can be obtained. The storage space 24 does not need to be formed by a pair of side wall portions and a connecting portion. For example, the connecting portion may be omitted, and the storage space may be formed by only a pair of side wall portions. The shape of the storage space is also not limited to the rectangular shape described above. Furthermore, the storage space may not be completely penetrated in the fore-and-aft direction (i.e., a recess with a bottom surface at the rear). The arrangement and number of the connecting portions 23 are also not limited to those described above. For example, multiple connecting portions may be arranged at intervals in the vehicle width direction.

[0069] Although the above-described bracket 30 is used to mount the in-vehicle device 5, the bracket 30 may have another function. Furthermore, the specific shape of the bracket 30 is not limited to that described above. For example, in the above-described bracket 30, the lower hat portion 37 is provided only at the lower end of the device mounting portion 31. However, the lower hat portion 37 may be provided only at the upper end of the device mounting portion 31, or may be provided at both the upper and lower ends of the device mounting portion. Providing the lower hat portion 37 at least at the top or bottom has the advantage of making the bracket 30 more easily deformable when a load (impact) is applied from a direction other than the front, thereby further improving pedestrian protection performance. The lower hat portion 31 is not essential and can be omitted.

[0070] Furthermore, for example, the equipment mounting portion 31 does not have to be hat-shaped in side view, and each of the vertical walls 34, 35 may be provided perpendicular to the top plate 33. Although one end of the bracket 30 described above is fixed to the connection portion 23 (more specifically, the front surface 27F of the coupling portion 27) and the other end is fixed to the front surface 40F of the bumper beam 40, the fixing destination of the bracket is not limited thereto. The bracket only needs to be fixed to at least the front side of the duct member (first duct member 20).

[0071] The bumper beam 40, the second duct member 50 and the third duct member 60 are not essential components and may be omitted.

[0072] The present invention is applicable to the vehicle manufacturing industry where a vehicle front structure is applied.

[0073] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle front structure 10 Front bumper 11 Air vent 20 First duct member (duct member) 21 First air intake (air intake) 22 Frame-shaped portion 23 Connection portion 24 Storage space 25 Left side wall portion (side wall portion) 25F Front edge 25L Left side surface 25R Right side surface (side surface on the storage space side) 26 Right side wall portion (side wall portion) 26F Front edge 26L Left side surface (side surface on the storage space side) 26R Right side surface 27 Connection portion 27L Left side surface of connection portion 27R Right side surface of connection portion 28 Holding portion 30 Bracket 31 Equipment mounting portion 32 Fixing surface 33 Top plate 34 Upper vertical wall 35 Lower vertical wall H1 Vertical dimension of first air intake H2 Vertical dimension of side wall portion H3 Vertical dimension of connection portion W1 Vehicle width dimension of connection portion W2: Vehicle width at side wall W3: Minimum vehicle width at connecting part

Claims

1. a front bumper having a vent hole extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle; a duct member disposed behind the front bumper and having an air guide port for guiding the air flowing in from the air vent rearward; a bracket fixed to at least the front side of the duct member, the duct member has a frame-shaped portion that forms the air guide port, and a connection portion that connects the top and bottom of the frame-shaped portion and vertically crosses the air guide port, the connecting portion has an accommodation space that is open at least forward, a pair of side wall portions that are connected to one of the upper and lower portions of the frame-shaped portion and that form left and right side walls of the accommodation space, and one connecting portion that is integrally formed with the pair of side wall portions and that connects the lower ends or upper ends of the side wall portions and that is connected to the other of the upper and lower portions of the frame-shaped portion with a vehicle width dimension that is larger than the vehicle width dimension of the side wall portions, The bracket is disposed so as to overlap the accommodation space in a front view of the vehicle. A vehicle front structure characterized by:

2. a left side surface of the connecting portion is located to the right of a left side surface of the left side wall portion, The right side surface of the connecting portion is located to the left of the right side surface of the right side wall portion. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 .

3. The front edge of each of the side wall portions is inclined so that the lower edge is positioned further rearward in a side view of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A side surface of at least one of the pair of side wall portions facing the storage space in the vehicle width direction is inclined so that the rear side is positioned closer to the storage space in the vehicle width direction.

3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The connection portion is provided at the center of the frame portion in the vehicle width direction.

3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The frame-shaped portion has a width dimension longer than a vertical dimension, The bracket has one end fixed to the connecting portion and extends in the vertical direction.

3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The bracket has an equipment mounting portion including a top plate spaced forward from a fixing surface for the connection portion and to which an in-vehicle device is fixed, and an upper vertical wall and a lower vertical wall extending rearward from an upper edge and a lower edge of the top plate, respectively.

7. The vehicle front structure according to claim 6, wherein:

8. The device mounting portion has the upper vertical wall and the lower vertical wall extending obliquely relative to the top plate so as to be spaced apart toward the rear, and has a hat shape in a side view.

8. The vehicle front structure according to claim 7, wherein:

9. The bracket is formed from a single sheet metal.

3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 or 2.

10. The accommodation space is penetrated in the front-rear direction.

3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1 or 2.