Vehicle structure

Abstract

This vehicle structure comprising: an equipment space S which is demarcated by way of a dash panel (5) in front of a cabin space T where an occupant rides, the equipment space S being mounted with at least a battery (10), and; a cowl top (4) which projects forward from an upper end of the dash panel (5) and extends in a vehicle width direction behind the battery (10), wherein the cowl top (4) has a flange portion (3a) which extends forward from an upper end of a front wall portion (3b) that extends in a vertical direction, and a protector (30) made of a material having insulating and flexible properties is attached to a part of the cowl top (4) that faces the battery (10) in a front-rear direction so as to cover the flange portion (3a) from the front.

Description

Vehicle structure

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle structure equipped with a battery.

[0002] A vehicle is equipped with electrical equipment and various other auxiliary devices that require electric power, and a battery is installed in the vehicle to supply power to these auxiliary devices.

[0003] A typical vehicle has a passenger compartment where passengers sit and a space for installing equipment (hereinafter referred to as the equipment space) located in front of the passenger compartment. The passenger compartment and the equipment space are separated by a dash panel, and the battery is located in the equipment space. The equipment space is also covered by a hood that can be opened and closed.

[0004] During a vehicle collision, the battery may be pushed toward the rear of the vehicle, potentially causing contact between the battery's positive terminal and a metal component of the vehicle body. Since the battery's negative terminal is connected (grounded) to the vehicle body, contact with the battery's positive terminal and a metal component of the vehicle body can result in a short circuit. A short circuit in the battery should be avoided because it can disable various vehicle functions and potentially cause a fire.

[0005] Additionally, some modern cars are equipped with a collision detection door unlock function (automatic door unlock after a collision). This system uses power from the battery to activate the door lock actuator. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the loss of power due to a short circuit in the battery during a collision is avoided.

[0006] Therefore, in Patent Document 1, a buffer member made of an insulating material is placed on the front wall of the cowl top panel located behind the battery, facing the front of the vehicle, to prevent short-circuiting of the battery in the event of a collision.In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses an example of a structure for holding the battery on a battery pan on the vehicle body side.

[0007] Japanese Patent No. 6888453 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-182894

[0008] Generally, a cowl top panel protruding forward is provided near the upper end of the dash panel. The cowl top panel is a longitudinal member made of steel plate, and both longitudinal ends of the cowl top panel are connected to the left and right front pillars to support the lower part of the front windshield glass. A flange portion extending forward from the upper end of the front wall portion facing the front of the vehicle is formed at the front edge of the cowl top panel, and a member covering the cowl top panel from above is fastened to and overlaps this flange portion. In this regard, although Patent Document 1 provides an insulating material on the front wall portion of the cowl top panel (cowl top stay), the lower surface of the forward-protruding flange portion of the cowl top panel exposes metal material. Therefore, there is room for improvement in order to more reliably prevent battery short circuits.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to more reliably prevent a short circuit of the battery in the event of a vehicle collision.

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a vehicle structure having an equipment space in which at least a battery is mounted, partitioned by a dash panel in front of a passenger compartment space in which occupants ride, the vehicle structure including a cowl top that protrudes forward from an upper end of the dash panel and extends in the vehicle width direction behind the battery, the cowl top having a flange portion that extends forward from an upper end of a front wall portion that extends in the vertical direction, and a protector made of an insulating and flexible material that is attached to a portion of the cowl top facing the battery in the fore-and-aft direction so as to cover the flange portion from the front (Configuration 1).

[0011] In configuration 1, the protector has a flat, hanging portion located in front of the flange portion and hanging downward from above the flange portion, and can be configured to cover the underside of the flange portion by elastic deformation during a collision (configuration 2).

[0012] In configuration 2, the protector can have a base that is fixed to the cowl top from above the flange portion and extends forward from the flange portion, and the hanging portion can extend downward from the front end of the base and face the battery in the fore-and-aft direction (configuration 3).

[0013] In any one of configurations 1 to 3, the cowl top can have a lower panel connected to the dash panel and including the front wall portion and the flange portion, and an upper panel overlapping the lower panel so as to cover the lower panel from above and having a front end portion fastened to the flange portion, the front end portion of the upper panel extending forward of the flange portion, and the protector attached to the front end portion of the upper panel (configuration 4).

[0014] In configuration 4, a configuration can be adopted in which the protector is disposed in front of a fastening member that passes vertically through the flange portion of the lower panel and the front end portion of the upper panel to fasten them together (configuration 5).

[0015] In any one of configurations 1 to 5, a configuration can be adopted in which a box-shaped on-board component containing electrical components is provided, the on-board component is arranged to the side and rear of the battery, the case of the on-board component is rectangular parallelepiped, and the side extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle functions as a guide surface to guide the rearward movement of the battery in the event of a collision (configuration 6).

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to more reliably avoid a short circuit of the battery in the event of a vehicle collision.

[0017] 5A; 5A left side view; 5A plan view; 5A perspective view of the protector;

[0018] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. This embodiment relates to a vehicle structure equipped with a battery 10. FIG. 1 shows an equipment space S (so-called engine compartment) for installing various equipment such as an engine E and auxiliary devices. A vehicle interior space T for passengers is provided on the rear side of the equipment space S. The vehicle interior space T and the equipment space S are separated by a dash panel 5. That is, the vehicle structure of this embodiment includes an equipment space S, which is partitioned by the dash panel 5 in front of the vehicle interior space T for passengers, and in which at least a battery 10 is installed. Hereinafter, the front side of the vehicle body will be simply referred to as the front side, the rear side of the vehicle body will be simply referred to as the rear side, the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body will be simply referred to as the fore-and-aft direction, and the width direction of the vehicle body will be simply referred to as the vehicle width direction.

[0019] In the embodiment, the vehicle 1 is described as a vehicle that uses only the engine E as a driving source for running, or a hybrid vehicle that uses the engine E and an electric motor as a driving source for running, but the present invention is also applicable to electric vehicles that use only an electric motor as a driving source for running.

[0020] The dash panel 5, also known as a bulkhead, is fitted with devices related to braking and accelerating operations (such as a booster and various pedals) and steering operations, at the front and rear of the dash panel 5. The vehicle 1 is equipped with a pair of side members 9, 9 extending in the longitudinal direction, and a cross member 7 extending in the width direction of the vehicle and connecting the side members 9, 9. The front ends of the pair of side members 9, 9 protrude forward from the dash panel 5, and this protruding portion forms a crushable zone that protects the passenger compartment space T in the event of a collision. Upper bars 17 are also disposed above the side members 9, 9. As the upper bars 17 move forward, they approach the widthwise center and are connected to each other, closing off the front of the equipment space S.

[0021] In addition to the engine E and battery 10, the equipment space S also contains a relay box 15, a resonator 16, an air cleaner (not shown), left and right strut towers (not shown), etc. The left and right strut towers are provided between the side members 9 and an upper bar 17. A suspension system is disposed within the strut towers, and the front wheels, which are steered, are supported via the suspension system.

[0022] A cowl top 4 is provided near the upper end of the dash panel 5, protruding forward from the upper end of the dash panel 5. The cowl top 4 extends in the vehicle width direction behind the battery 10. The cowl top 4 is formed of a longitudinal member, and both ends of the longitudinal direction are connected to the left and right front pillars to support the lower part of the front windshield glass 8.

[0023] The cowl top 4 has a lower panel 3 that is connected to the dash panel 5 and includes a front wall portion 3b that extends vertically and a flange portion 3a that extends forward from the upper end of the front wall portion 3b, and an upper panel 2 that is overlapped so as to cover the lower panel 3 from above and has its front end portion 2a fastened to the flange portion 3a. Hereinafter, the upper panel 2 will be referred to as the cowl top extension 2, and the lower panel 3 will be referred to as the cowl top panel 3.

[0024] The cowl top extension 2 is also made of a metal plate (steel plate), and a front end portion 2 a thereof protrudes further forward than the other portions of the cowl top 4 .

[0025] The cowl top panel 3 has a flange portion 3a that fits along the underside of the front end portion 2a of the horizontally disposed cowl top extension 2, with a front wall portion 3b that bulges downward from the rear end of the flange portion 3a. The cowl top panel 3 is also a longitudinal member made of metal plate (steel plate), and is provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction, with its longitudinal direction extending along the vehicle width direction. The cowl top panel 3 is fixed to the strut towers, the cowl top panel 3, and the upper bar 17, thereby increasing the rigidity of the vehicle body and suppressing torsion of the vehicle body.

[0026] The battery 10 is disposed in an area of ​​the equipment space S on the left side of the vehicle body (the left half area in the vehicle width direction). The battery 10 supplies power to the engine and auxiliary equipment mounted on the vehicle 1, and is disposed between a case (relay box) 15 at the left end in the width direction and the engine and resonator 16 in the center in the width direction. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, the cowl top panel 3 on the left side of the vehicle body is located rearward of the battery 10. Reference numeral 2c shown in Figs. 4A and 4B denotes an insulator that covers a front wall portion 3b of the cowl top panel 3.

[0027] The battery 10 is a secondary battery with an output voltage of 12 V or 24 V. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the battery 10 includes a concave case containing electrode plates, a separator, and an electrolyte, a top plate 10e that closes the top opening of the case, and a positive terminal 10a and a negative terminal 10b that protrude from the top plate 10e. A harness 13 is connected to each of the positive terminal 10a and the negative terminal 10b. The positive terminal 10a is covered with a protective cover 13a made of a flexible insulating material. The harness 13 includes a fusible link 14 that melts when an excessive current flows.

[0028] A known secondary battery can be used as the battery 10, and in this embodiment, it is a 12V lead-acid battery. The case of the battery 10 is rectangular parallelepiped, and six cells are arranged in parallel in the front-to-rear direction in a vertically placed state. A rear side surface 10c (rear side surface 10c) and a front side surface 10f (front side surface 10f) of the case each extend in the vehicle width direction. The other two side surfaces (inner side surface 10g and outer side surface 10h) also extend in the front-to-rear direction. Note that the battery 10 may also be arranged in a horizontal state with multiple cells arranged in parallel in the vehicle width direction.

[0029] The relay box 15 is a box-shaped in-vehicle component that houses electrical components such as relays, fuses, etc. In this embodiment, the relay box 15 is located outward of the battery 10 in the vehicle width direction and slightly rearward of the battery 10.

[0030] The battery 10 is placed on the battery pan member 20. The battery pan member 20 is made of a processed metal plate and is fixed to the side member 9 via mounting brackets (not shown) joined to the underside of the battery pan member 20 by welding or the like.

[0031] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the battery 10 is fixed to the battery pan member 20 by a fixing member 12 called a battery holder (hereinafter referred to as the battery holder 12). The battery holder 12 is composed of a holder 12c that is attached to the top of the battery 10, two bolt shafts 12a, and two nuts 12b. The holder 12c is disposed across the center of the top of the battery 10, and guides are provided at both ends to restrain the corners of the top plate 10e of the case. A pair of through-holes through which the bolt shafts 12a pass are formed at both ends of the holder 12c, and the bolt shafts 12a are inserted into these through-holes. The lower end of the bolt shafts 12a is bent into a hook shape, and the upper end of the bolt shafts 12a is formed with a male thread. The lower end of the bolt shaft 12a inserted into the through hole of the holder 12c is engaged with the engagement hole 21 provided on the battery pan member 20, and the nut 12b is screwed onto the upper end of the bolt shaft 12a and tightened, thereby fixing the battery 10 between the battery pan member 20 and the holder 12c.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 2, the battery 10 is fixed to the battery pan member 20 via a concave battery tray 11. The battery tray 11 is usually made of resin. The outer edge of the battery tray 11 protrudes outward beyond the rear side surface 11c, the front side surface 10f, the inner side surface 10g, and the outer side surface 10h of the battery 10 case.

[0033] A protector 30 made of an insulating and flexible material is attached to the cowl top 4. In the embodiment, the protector 30 is made of rubber, but it may be made of resin or other material as long as it is an electrically insulating and flexible material (a material that can be elastically deformed).

[0034] The protector 30 is sized to reliably protect the battery terminal from coming into contact with the underside of the flange portion 3a of the cowl top panel 3 during a collision. The protector 30 has a thickness that allows for elastic deformation, taking into account the amount of movement of the battery 10 during a collision and the impact that occurs during that movement. Specifically, the protector 30 is normally fixed to the front of the cowl top 4, and when the battery 10 moves backward in a collision, the protector 30 is pushed by the battery 10 and deforms appropriately to cover the underside of the flange portion 3a of the cowl top panel 3. This prevents the positive terminal 10a of the battery 10 from shorting out to metal components of the vehicle body.

[0035] The protector 30 of the embodiment is attached so as to hang down from the front end of the cowl top 4. Therefore, it is expected to have the effect of easily deforming elastically so as to cover the underside of the flange portion 3a in the event of a collision.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 , the protector 30 is fixed to the cowl top 4 from above the flange portion 3a and includes a base 31 extending forward from the flange portion 3a, a hanging portion 32 extending downward from the front end of the base 31, and a rib portion 33 extending upward from the front end of the base 31. That is, the hanging portion 32 is a flat plate-like member located forward of the flange portion 3a and hanging downward from above the flange portion 3a. The hanging portion 32 is disposed to face the battery 10 in the front-rear direction. The protector 30 is attached to the cowl top 4 by fastening members 35 that penetrate the base 31 and the cowl top 4. In this embodiment, the fastening members 35 vertically penetrate the flange portion 3a of the cowl top panel 3 and the front end portion 2a of the cowl top extension 2. This allows the protector 30 to be attached from the upper side of the vehicle body, minimizing the amount of work required to get around to the underside of the cowl top panel 3.

[0037] Protector 30 is provided with rib portion 33, which increases the rigidity of the front end of base portion 31. Furthermore, when hanging portion 32 elastically deforms rearward, rib portion 33 tilts forward instead, which is expected to result in protector 30 being easily deformed flexibly.

[0038] In the embodiment, rivets are used as fastening members 35, but other means may be used, such as a combination of bolts and nuts. Although hanging portion 32 and rib portion 33 are each set to have the same width as base portion 31 (length of member in the vehicle width direction), the widths of hanging portion 32 and rib portion 33 can be set appropriately and do not necessarily have to be the same width as base portion 31. For example, hanging portion 32 and rib portion 33 may each have a narrower width than base portion 31.

[0039] In this embodiment, a bolt shaft 6 is provided that vertically penetrates the cowl top extension 2 and the cowl top panel 3. This bolt shaft 6 is used to secure the cowl top panel 3 to the cowl top extension 2. The protector 30 is disposed in front of this bolt shaft 6, which reliably prevents the positive terminal 10a of the battery 10 from coming into contact with the bolt shaft 6. A recess 36 (see FIGS. 5D and 6) provided in the base 31 of the protector 30 is a relief portion that prevents the base 31 from coming into contact with the bolt shaft 6 under normal conditions.

[0040] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a relay box 15 containing electrical components is provided to the side and rear of the battery 10. The case of the relay box 15 is rectangular parallelepiped and has an inner side surface 15a extending in the front-to-rear direction on the inner side in the width direction of the vehicle body. This inner side surface 15a comes into contact with the outer side surface portion 10h of the case of the battery 10 when the vehicle 1 is hit from the front, and functions as a guide surface that guides the rearward movement of the battery 10. Therefore, when the battery 10 moves rearward due to a collision, the battery 10 can reliably abut against the protector 30.

[0041] This invention is not limited to the vehicle 1 shown in the above embodiment, but can be applied to all types of vehicles that have an equipment space S partitioned by a dash panel 5 in front of the passenger compartment space T where the occupants ride, and that have a battery 10 installed in that equipment space S.

[0042] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0043] This application is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2023-183442) filed on October 25, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0044] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle 2 Cowl top extension (upper panel) 2a Front end 3 Cowl top panel (lower panel) 3a Flange portion 3b Front wall portion 4 Cowl top 5 Dash panel 6 Bolt shaft 7 Cross member 9 Side member 10 Battery 10a Positive terminal 10b Negative terminal 10c Rear side surface portion 10d Bottom portion 10e Top plate portion 10f Front side surface portion 10g Inner side surface portion 10h Outer side surface portion 11 Battery tray 12 Fixing member (battery holder) 12a Bolt shaft 12b Nut 12c Holder 13 Harness 13a Protective cover 14 Fusible link 15 Relay box (case) 20 Battery pan member S Equipment space T Vehicle interior space

Claims

1. A vehicle structure having an equipment space in which at least a battery is mounted, partitioned by a dash panel in front of a passenger compartment space in which occupants ride, the vehicle structure further comprising a cowl top that protrudes forward from an upper end of the dash panel and extends in the vehicle width direction behind the battery, the cowl top having a flange portion that extends forward from an upper end of a front wall portion that extends in the vertical direction, and a protector made of an insulating and flexible material is attached to a portion of the cowl top facing the battery in the fore-and-aft direction so as to cover the flange portion from the front.

2. A vehicle structure as described in claim 1, wherein the protector has a flat hanging portion located in front of the flange portion and hanging downward from above the flange portion, and is capable of covering the underside of the flange portion by elastic deformation in the event of a collision.

3. A vehicle structure as described in claim 2, wherein the protector has a base portion that is fixed to the cowl top from above the flange portion and extends forward from the flange portion, and the hanging portion extends downward from the front end of the base and is arranged to face the battery in the fore-and-aft direction.

4. The vehicle structure described in claim 1, wherein the cowl top has a lower panel connected to the dash panel and including the front wall portion and the flange portion, and an upper panel overlapping the lower panel so as to cover it from above and having a front end portion fastened to the flange portion, the front end portion of the upper panel extending forward of the flange portion, and the protector is attached to the front end portion of the upper panel.

5. A vehicle structure as set forth in claim 4, wherein the protector is disposed in front of a fastening member which vertically penetrates and fastens the flange portion of the lower panel and the front end portion of the upper panel.

6. A vehicle structure as described in claim 1, comprising a box-shaped on-board component housing electrical components within a case, the on-board component being disposed to the side and rear of the battery, the case of the on-board component being rectangular parallelepiped, and the side extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle functioning as a guide surface for guiding the rearward movement of the battery in the event of a collision.

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