Vehicle front structure

Abstract

This vehicle front structure comprises damper housings and a connection beam. The damper housings are disposed apart from each other on the left and right sides of the vehicle, and each include a damper connection portion. The connection beam extends substantially in the vehicle width direction and connects the pair of damper housings to each other. The pair of damper housings and the connection beam are formed integrally from a single cast component, thereby constituting the vehicle front structure. The connection beam is disposed so as to at least partially overlap, in the vehicle front-rear direction, a band-shaped region connecting the extending portions of the respective damper connection portions of the pair of damper housings.

Description

Vehicle front structure

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

[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 extending 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 extending portions are continuously provided to 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 extending portions and the floor connection block. The floor connection block is connected to the floor portion below the passenger compartment at the front of the passenger compartment.

[0004] In the vehicle front structure described in Patent Document 1, since the left and right damper housings are configured as integral parts together with the rearward extending portions and the floor connection block, the number of parts of the parts mounted on the vehicle can be reduced, and the manufacture of the vehicle can be facilitated. Further, in this vehicle front structure, since the left and right damper housings are connected to the floor portion at the front of the passenger compartment via the rearward extending portions and the floor connection block, the impact load input from the front of the vehicle can be dispersed and transmitted to a wide range of portions around the passenger compartment.

[0005] Specification of Chinese Utility Model No. 217649533

[0006] The vehicle front structure described in Patent Document 1 has a structure in which the left and right damper housings are integrated with a floor connecting block via rearward extensions that extend toward the rear of the vehicle. The floor connecting block is positioned at a distance from the left and right damper housings that is equal to the extension length of the rearward extensions toward the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, if the loads input to the suspension or impact loads from the front of the vehicle are input unevenly to the damper connecting parts of the left and right damper housings, these loads act as a large moment on the floor connecting parts via the rearward extensions. As a result, twisting occurs between the left and right damper housings with the floor connecting part as the axis of rotation. Furthermore, if a large twisting occurs between the left and right damper housings due to the input load from the damper connecting part which is located at a distance from the floor connecting part, it is a concern that the behavior of the suspension during vehicle operation will be affected, and that the deformation behavior of the damper housings will become unstable when impact loads are applied.

[0007] The problem to be solved is to suppress the generation of torsion between the left and right damper housings due to input load from the damper connection, thereby improving driving stability during vehicle operation and suppressing unexpected deformation behavior of the damper housing during impact input. The invention aims to improve collision safety performance by solving this problem.

[0008] A vehicle front structure according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a pair of damper housings arranged spaced apart on the left and right sides of the vehicle, each having a damper connecting portion, and a connecting beam extending substantially along the vehicle width direction and connecting the pair of damper housings to each other, wherein the pair of damper housings and the connecting beam are formed from a single cast part, and the connecting beam is arranged to overlap at least a portion in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle with a strip-shaped region connecting the extended portions of the damper connecting portions of the pair of damper housings.

[0009] With the above configuration, when vertical loads or external impact loads are applied to the suspension, they are transmitted to the damper connection portion of the damper housing. These loads are then transmitted to a connecting beam that extends substantially along the vehicle width direction. At this time, the connecting beam is positioned so as to overlap at least partially with the strip-shaped region connecting the extended portions of the left and right damper connection portions in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. As a result, the load applied to the damper connection portion is less likely to act on the connecting beam as a rotational moment. Consequently, the connecting beam is less likely to twist due to the load applied from the damper connection portion. This makes it possible to improve driving stability during vehicle operation and suppress unexpected deformation behavior of the damper housing during impact input.

[0010] The upper surface of the connecting beam may be an auxiliary equipment mounting section on which auxiliary equipment is mounted.

[0011] In this case, the connecting beam is formed to have high strength and rigidity, capable of withstanding the vertical and impact loads applied to the suspension. Therefore, the connecting beam can suitably support the auxiliary equipment mounted on the auxiliary equipment mounting section. Furthermore, because the connecting beam is formed to have high strength and rigidity, the load applied to the damper connection section, as described above, is less likely to act on the connecting beam as a rotational moment, and twisting caused by the vertical load applied to the suspension is less likely to occur.

[0012] The auxiliary equipment mounting section is positioned below each of the damper connecting sections of the pair of damper housings, and each damper housing may have a vertical wall section that extends downward from the vicinity of the edge of the damper connecting section and connects the vicinity of the edge of the damper connecting section to the auxiliary equipment mounting section.

[0013] In this configuration, the upper surface of the connecting beam, which is the auxiliary equipment mounting section, is positioned lower than the left and right damper connecting sections, and the sides of the auxiliary equipment mounting section are covered by the vertical walls of the damper housing. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the auxiliary equipment can be positioned lower on the vehicle while shielding the left and right sides of the auxiliary equipment with the vertical walls. As a result, the mounting position of the heavy auxiliary equipment can be lowered, thereby lowering the vehicle's center of gravity and further improving driving stability.

[0014] The vertical wall portion may be sloped downward inward in the vehicle width direction from the vicinity of the edge of the damper connecting portion toward the auxiliary equipment mounting portion.

[0015] In this case, the vertical wall portion of the damper housing is inclined downward inward in the vehicle width direction from near the edge of the damper connection portion. As a result, the connecting beam and the left and right vertical wall portions form an outward-opening shape in which the separation width in the vehicle width direction gradually increases upward. Therefore, the movement of the left and right damper housings tilting inward due to input loads from the outside in the vehicle width direction can be suppressed. Consequently, by adopting this configuration, the resistance to lateral forces at the tire contact point can be efficiently increased, improving the ride comfort of the vehicle and stabilizing steering behavior.

[0016] The damper housing has a housing front portion at the front end of the vertical wall portion that extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vehicle's longitudinal direction, and the connecting beam has a beam front portion at the front end of the auxiliary equipment mounting portion that extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vehicle's longitudinal direction, and it is desirable that the housing front portion and the beam front portion are formed flush with each other.

[0017] In this configuration, the front portion of the housing and the front portion of the beam, which extend in a direction approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, are formed flush with each other. As a result, the front portions of the damper housing and the connecting beam share a continuous surface, creating a seamless structure. Therefore, if either the front portion of the housing or the front portion of the beam is subjected to an impact load, the load can be efficiently transmitted to the other through the seamlessly continuous front portion, distributing the load across the surface. Consequently, this configuration makes it possible to suppress local deformation of the damper housing and the connecting beam. Furthermore, because local deformation of the front portions of the housing and beam is suppressed in this configuration, auxiliary equipment mounted on the beam member can be stably protected against impact loads from the front.

[0018] A stabilizer support portion may be provided in the lower region of the connection between each damper housing and the connecting beam to support a part of the stabilizer.

[0019] The stabilizer generates torsional stress during vehicle turns, correcting the suspension stroke on both sides to equalize through restoring force. In this configuration, the stabilizer is supported near the intersection of the damper housing and the connecting beam. The damper housing has sufficient load-bearing capacity to support the suspension load, and the connecting beam has sufficient load-bearing capacity to stably support the auxiliary equipment. In this configuration, since the stabilizer is supported near these high-load intersection areas, the torsional stress generated by the stabilizer can be effectively absorbed by the damper housing and the connecting beam. Therefore, adopting this configuration makes it possible to stabilize the vehicle's behavior during driving.

[0020] The vicinity of the damper connecting portions of the left and right damper housings are connected by a second connecting beam that extends above the auxiliary equipment mounting portion and substantially along the vehicle width direction. The second connecting beam, together with the left and right damper housings and the connecting beam, may form a closed cross-section that is substantially rectangular in front view.

[0021] In this configuration, the auxiliary equipment is positioned inside a highly strong and rigid closed section formed by the left and right damper housings, the connecting beam, and the second connecting beam. Therefore, adopting this configuration makes it possible to support the auxiliary equipment mounted on the connecting beam more stably. Furthermore, in this configuration, the left and right damper housings are connected to the connecting beam and the second connecting beam, which together form a closed section. As a result, unbalanced vertical and counter-vertical displacements and longitudinal twists of the left and right dampers can be efficiently suppressed by the closed section including the connecting beam and the second connecting beam.

[0022] In one aspect of the present invention, the vehicle front structure is arranged such that the connecting beam connecting the left and right damper housings overlaps, at least in part, with the strip-shaped region connecting the extended portions of the left and right damper connecting parts in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Therefore, vertical loads from the suspension and external impact loads applied to the damper connecting parts are less likely to act on the connecting beam as rotational moments. Consequently, when the vehicle front structure according to this aspect is adopted, the occurrence of twisting between the left and right damper housings due to input loads from the damper connecting parts can be suppressed, thereby improving driving stability during vehicle operation and suppressing unexpected deformation behavior of the damper housings when impact is applied.

[0023] A perspective view of the front of the vehicle according to the embodiment. A perspective view of the front of the vehicle showing some of the components of Figure 1 with dashed lines. A side view of the front of the vehicle according to the embodiment, viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. A front view of the load-bearing member according to the embodiment, viewed from the front of the vehicle. A plan view of the front of the vehicle according to the embodiment. A front view of the suspension support structure according to the embodiment. A perspective view of a part of the suspension support structure according to the embodiment. A plan view of a part of the suspension support structure according to the embodiment. A cross-sectional view along the line IX-IX in Figure 7. A cross-sectional view along the line X-X in Figure 7. A perspective view of the reinforcing member according to the embodiment. A plan view of the front of the vehicle according to the embodiment. A perspective view of the suspension support structure according to the embodiment, viewed from the passenger compartment side. A perspective view of the suspension support structure according to the embodiment with the dashboard panel attached, viewed from the passenger compartment side.

[0024] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, front and rear, up and down, and left and right refer to the front and rear, up and down, and left and right of vehicle 1 unless otherwise specified. Also, in the drawings, 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.

[0025] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front of the vehicle 1 of this embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1, with dashed lines indicating some of the components (load-receiving members 20, which will be described later) from Figure 1. Figure 3 is a side view of the front of the vehicle 1 as seen from the outside in the vehicle width direction (the left side of the vehicle 1). Reference numeral 10 in Figures 1 and 2 indicates 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 having a damper connecting portion 16, and a covering wall 10b extending downward from the periphery of the upper wall 10a (the front and rear edges and the inner edge in the vehicle width direction). The damper housing 10 is open to the downward side. The horizontal cross-section of the damper housing 10 is open to the outside in the vehicle width direction. Hereinafter, the portion 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.

[0026] The left and right damper housings 10 are connected to each other by a connecting beam 12 that extends along the vehicle width direction. The connecting beam 12 is located on the lower front side of the passenger compartment. The 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 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.

[0027] 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 front edge of the front door (not shown). The dashboard panel 55 is a panel member that separates 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.

[0028] The left and right damper housings 10, along with the load transmission section 53 and the connecting beam 12, are made of cast aluminum alloy parts. In this embodiment, the cast parts consisting of the damper housings 10, the load transmission section 53, and the connecting beam 12 constitute the suspension support structure 15. 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] Figure 4 is a front view of the load-receiving 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 is 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 is similarly 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 outside in the vehicle width direction. The bending shape of the lower load-receiving portion 21 and the upper load-receiving portion 22 may be substantially L-shaped, channel-shaped, or include a curved portion in part.

[0032] The front end of the lower load-receiving section 21 is provided with a plate-shaped load input wall 23 extending 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 extending 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 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 section 21 that overlaps vertically with the joint portion of the bumper beam 14.

[0033] 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 lower and on the inside in the vehicle width direction, and the upper load-bearing portion 22, which is located upper and on the outside 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.

[0034] The front end of the connecting wall 28 and the upper load-receiving portion 22 is provided with a plate-shaped front end wall 19 that extends in a direction intersecting the vehicle's longitudinal direction (a direction approximately perpendicular to it). The rear end of the upper load-receiving portion 22 is provided with a plate-shaped upper load-transmitting wall 26 (load-transmitting wall) that extends in a direction intersecting the vehicle's longitudinal direction (a direction approximately perpendicular to it). 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 28, constitute a part of the front wheel house that covers the inside of the front wheel W in the vehicle width direction.

[0035] The connecting wall portion 28, like the lower load-receiving portion 21 and the upper load-receiving portion 22, 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 may not have a crank-like shape, but may be a flat plate-like shape, or a plate-like shape that is partially bent or curved.

[0036] Figure 5 is a plan view of the area behind the load-receiving 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 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 formed on the lower front surfaces of the left and right sides of the 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 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 of the vehicle.

[0037] Furthermore, the upper surface of the connecting beam 12 is formed flat. As shown in Figure 6, the upper surface of the 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 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".

[0038] The auxiliary equipment mounting section 61 of the 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.

[0039] As shown in Figure 5, the 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 vehicle's longitudinal direction. 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 connecting beam 12 in a plan view.

[0040] 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 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 holes 64, which serve as stabilizer support sections, are located in the lower region of the connecting section between the damper housing 10 and the connecting beam 12.

[0041] Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of the left side of the suspension support structure 15, and Figure 8 is an enlarged plan view showing a 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 a second connecting beam 67. The second connecting beam 67 is formed from an aluminum alloy plate material with a roughly hat-shaped cross-section. The second connecting beam 67 extends substantially along the vehicle width direction, above the auxiliary equipment mounting portion 61 (upper surface) of the connecting beam 12, so as to be substantially parallel to the auxiliary equipment mounting portion 61 (upper surface). As shown in Figure 5, the front-to-rear width of the second connecting beam 67 is narrower than the front-to-rear width A of the connecting beam 12. In a plan view, the second connecting beam 67 is positioned to overlap with the connecting beam 12. As shown in Figure 6, the second connecting beam 67, together with the left and right damper housings 10 and the connecting beam 12, forms a closed cross-section that is approximately rectangular in shape when viewed from the front.

[0042] 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 X-X 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 damper housings 10 on the left and right by bolting or welding. In this embodiment, the reinforcing member 30 is provided to cover only the upper region of the opening 52 on the vehicle width direction, but the reinforcing member 30 may also be provided to cover the intermediate or lower region in the vertical direction on the vehicle width direction of the opening 52. In other words, the reinforcing member 30 only needs to be provided so as to cover 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.

[0043] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the reinforcing member 30 as seen 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 coupled to the lower surface of the upper wall 10a. The upper wall portion 30a has a side edge 30as that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction at the outer end in the vehicle width direction, a front edge 30af that extends in the vehicle width direction at the front end in the vehicle front-rear 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 in the vehicle width direction of the front edge 30af toward the front end portion of the side edge 30as. The inclined edge 30ai is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction toward the rear side of the vehicle. Note that, in the upper wall portion 30a of the reinforcing member 30, the region on the front side of the connection portion of the side edge 30as and the inclined edge 30ai is inclined downward toward the front side of the vehicle.

[0044] Further, 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 in 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 portion of the inclined wall 30d is connected to the end portion on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the front wall portion 30c, and the rear end portion of the inclined wall 30d is connected to the front end of the side wall portion 30b. As shown in FIG. 8, the inclined wall 30d is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction from a position in front of the damper connection portion 16 toward the rear of the vehicle. The reinforcing member 30 also includes a lower wall portion 30e (see FIG. 9) that is connected to the lower ends of the side wall portion 30b, the inclined wall 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. The upper end portion of the inclined wall 30d is inclined downward toward the front side of the vehicle along the inclination of the front side region of the upper wall portion 30a as shown in FIG. 3.

[0045] Here, as shown in Figures 3 and 7, the upper walls 10a of the left and right damper housings 10 are provided with a damper connecting portion 16 to which the upper end of the damper 50 is 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-sloping portion 70 of the upper wall 10a of the damper housing 10.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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 outward-facing side in the vehicle width direction that is inclined in a plan view. The side 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 of the forward-sloping portion 70 will be hereinafter referred to as the "upper wall inclined portion 70i". As shown in Figure 8, the inclined wall 30d of the reinforcing member 30 is positioned to protrude outward and forward in the vehicle width direction compared to the upper wall inclined portion 70i in a plan view. In other words, the inclined wall 30d of the reinforcing member 30 protrudes outward and forward in the vehicle width direction relative to the upper wall inclined portion 70i of the damper housing 10.

[0048] FIG. 12 is a plan view of the front portion of the vehicle 1. In FIG. 12, a load input object 100 when an impact load is input from the front of the vehicle is shown as a schematic cross section. The load input object 100 is located at a position offset to one side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the vehicle front. As shown in FIG. 12, at least a part of the inclined wall 30d of the reinforcing member 30 is arranged so as to overlap in the vehicle front-rear direction in plan view with respect to the connecting portion 31 between the load receiving member 20 (lower side load receiving portion 21) connected to the front portion of the damper housing 10 and the bumper beam 14 at the front of the vehicle. Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 12, the upper side load transmitting wall 26 (load transmitting wall) provided at the rear end portion of the upper side load receiving portion 22 is arranged at a position where at least a part thereof overlaps with the front wall portion 30c of the reinforcing member 30 in the vehicle front-rear direction. The upper side load transmitting wall 26 (load transmitting wall) is coupled to the damper housing 10 and the front wall portion 30c of the reinforcing member 30 in a state of being overlapped with the front surface of the covering wall 10b of the damper housing 10.

[0049] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, a connecting beam 12 extending along the vehicle width direction is connected to the inner ends in the vehicle width direction of the left and right damper housings 10. The reinforcing members 30 fixed to the left and right damper housings 10 are arranged such that their respective inclined walls 30d overlap in the vehicle front-rear direction with the extending region of the connecting beam 12 in the vehicle front-rear direction (the region where the arrow of the front-rear width A is drawn in FIG. 5). In the present embodiment, the entire area of the inclined wall 30d of each reinforcing member 30 is arranged to overlap with the extending region of the connecting beam 12 in the vehicle front-rear direction. However, the inclined wall 30d of each reinforcing member 30 may be arranged such that only a part thereof overlaps with the extending region of the connecting beam 12 in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0050] 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 of the left and right damper housings 10, includes, as shown in Figures 3, 7, 13, and 14, 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.

[0051] As shown in Figure 3, the vertical wall portion 37 is formed in a substantially 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 of the vertices 38 of this wavy curve extends linearly in the vertical direction. In addition, each of the vertices 38 of the wavy curve is arranged at substantially constant intervals in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The vertices 38 of the wavy curve constitute fracture-inducing portions that induce 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 vertices 38 of the wavy curve will be referred to as "fracture-inducing portions 38".

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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 from the vertical wall portion 37 in the vehicle width direction. The protruding height of the inclined rib 39 is higher than the height of the wavy 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).

[0054] 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.

[0055] As shown in Figure 9, a plurality of inner reinforcing ribs 43a, 43b, and 43c are provided inside the cover 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 cover 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 cover 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 reference numeral b indicates the connection point between the inner reinforcing rib 43b and the outer reinforcing rib 42b on the cover wall 10b, and the reference numeral c indicates the connection point between the inner reinforcing rib 43c and the outer reinforcing rib 42c on the cover wall 10b.

[0056] The lower block 41 bulges out 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. As shown in Figure 14, the connecting surface 41c is connected to the front of the dashboard panel 55.

[0057] 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.

[0058] As described above, the vehicle front structure of this embodiment consists of a pair of damper housings 10 spaced apart on the left and right sides of the vehicle, and a connecting beam 12 connecting the pair of damper housings 10, all made from a single cast part. This reduces the number of parts that can be mounted on the vehicle and simplifies vehicle manufacturing. Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the connecting beam 12 connecting the left and right damper housings 10 is positioned so as to overlap at least partially with a strip-shaped region b connecting the extended portions of the left and right damper connecting portions 16 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. As a result, vertical loads from the suspension (vertical loads input to the suspension) and external impact loads input to the damper connecting portions 16 are less likely to act on the connecting beam 12 as rotational moments. Therefore, by adopting the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of twisting between the left and right damper housings 10 due to input loads from the damper connecting portions 16, thereby improving driving stability during vehicle operation and suppressing unexpected deformation behavior of the damper housings 10 during impact input.

[0059] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the upper surface of the connecting beam 12 that connects a pair of damper housings 10 is an auxiliary equipment mounting section 61 on which auxiliary equipment 60 such as a heat exchanger and a compressor are mounted. In this case, the connecting beam 12 is formed to have high strength and high rigidity that can withstand suspension loads and impact loads, so that it can suitably support the auxiliary equipment 60 mounted on the auxiliary equipment mounting section 61. However, as mentioned above, the vertical loads of the suspension and external impact loads input to the damper connecting section 16 do not act on the connecting beam 12 as rotational moments, so it is not necessary to set the strength and rigidity of the connecting beam 12 to be extremely high. The connecting beam 12 can be made to withstand input loads if it has sufficient strength and rigidity to stably support the auxiliary equipment 60.

[0060] In the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the suspension load input to the damper connecting portion 16 does not act on the connecting beam 12 as a rotational moment, so large twisting of the connecting beam 12 is unlikely to occur. Therefore, when this vehicle front structure is adopted, the auxiliary equipment 60 mounted on the auxiliary equipment mounting portion 61 of the connecting beam 12 can be supported in a stable state.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the vehicle front structure, the auxiliary equipment mounting portion 61 of the connecting beam 12 is positioned below the damper connecting portion 16 of the damper housing 10. The damper housing 10 has a vertical wall portion 62 that extends downward from near the edge of the damper connecting portion 16 and connects the vicinity of the edge of the damper connecting portion 16 to the auxiliary equipment mounting portion 61. As a result, the auxiliary equipment 60 can be positioned lower on the vehicle while its left and right sides are shielded by the vertical wall portion 62 of the damper housing 10. Therefore, by adopting this vehicle front structure configuration, the mounting position of the heavy auxiliary equipment 60 can be lowered, thereby lowering the center of gravity of the vehicle 1 and further improving the driving stability of the vehicle 1.

[0062] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the vertical wall portion 62 of the damper housing 10 is inclined downward inward in the vehicle width direction from near the edge of the damper connecting portion 16 toward the auxiliary equipment mounting portion 61. As a result, the connecting beam 12 and the vertical wall portions 62 of the left and right damper housings 10 have an outward-opening shape in which the separation width in the vehicle width direction gradually increases toward the upward side. Therefore, the vertical wall portions 62 can suppress the movement of the left and right damper housings 10 to tilt inward due to input load from the vehicle width direction. Consequently, when this vehicle front structure is adopted, the resistance to lateral force at the tire contact point can be efficiently increased, and as a result, it becomes possible to improve the ride comfort of the vehicle 1 and stabilize the steering behavior.

[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vehicle front structure is provided with a housing front portion 10f extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vehicle's longitudinal direction at the front end of the vertical wall portion 62 of the damper housing 10, and a beam front portion 12f extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vehicle's longitudinal direction at the front end of the auxiliary equipment mounting portion 61 of the connecting beam 12. The housing front portion 10f of the damper housing 10 and the beam front portion 12f of the connecting beam 12 are formed flush with each other. As a result, the front portions of the damper housing 10 and the connecting beam 12 have a seamless structure that shares a continuous surface. Therefore, if either the housing front portion 10f or the beam front portion 12f is subjected to an impact load, the load can be efficiently transmitted to the other through the seamlessly continuous front portion and distributed across the surface. Consequently, when this vehicle front structure is adopted, it becomes possible to suppress local deformation of the damper housing 10 and the connecting beam 12 when an impact load is applied.

[0064] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the housing front portion 10f and the beam front portion 12f are formed flush with each other, thereby suppressing local deformation of the housing front portion 10f and the beam front portion 12f, and thus the auxiliary equipment 60 mounted on the connecting beam 12 can be stably protected against impact loads from the front.

[0065] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, a support hole 64 (stabilizer support portion) is provided in the lower region of the connecting portion between the damper housing 10 and the connecting beam 12 to support a part of the stabilizer 65. The damper housing 10 has sufficient load-bearing capacity to support the suspension load, and the connecting beam 12 has sufficient load-bearing capacity to stably support the auxiliary equipment 60. In this configuration, the stabilizer 65 is supported near these intersection regions with high load-bearing capacity, so the torsional stress generated by the stabilizer 65 can be suitably absorbed by the damper housing 10 and the connecting beam 12. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the behavior of the vehicle 1 during driving can be made more stable.

[0066] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the vicinity of the damper connecting portions 16 of the left and right damper housings 10 are connected by a second connecting beam 67, and the second connecting beam 67 extends above the auxiliary equipment mounting portion 61 of the connecting beam 12 and substantially along the vehicle width direction. The second connecting beam 67, together with the left and right damper housings 10 and the connecting beam 12, forms a closed cross section with a substantially rectangular shape in front view, which has high strength and rigidity. As a result, the auxiliary equipment 60 mounted on the auxiliary equipment mounting portion 61 of the connecting beam 12 is located inside the above-mentioned closed cross section, which has high strength and rigidity. Therefore, when this vehicle front structure is adopted, it becomes possible to support the auxiliary equipment 60 mounted on the connecting beam 12 more stably.

[0067] Furthermore, in this configuration, the left and right damper housings 10 are connected to the connecting beam 12 and the second connecting beam 67 that form the closed cross-section described above. Therefore, the unbalanced upward and downward displacement and forward and backward twisting of the left and right dampers 50 can be efficiently suppressed by the closed cross-section including the connecting beam 12 and the second connecting beam 67.

[0068] 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 second 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 second connecting beam 67 is not limited to an aluminum alloy. The second connecting beam 67 may be formed of a metal material other than an aluminum alloy, such as steel.

[0069] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the second 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 an aluminum alloy. However, the second connecting beam 67 may also be formed as a single cast part together with the suspension support structure 15. If the second 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. If the second connecting beam 67 is formed as a separate part from the suspension support structure 15 as described above, the auxiliary equipment 60 can be easily mounted on the auxiliary equipment mounting section 61 of the connecting beam 12 with the second connecting beam 67 removed. In this case, the material of the second connecting beam 67 can be selected from steel, aluminum alloy, etc., according to the required strength and rigidity.

[0070] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the upper walls 10a of the left and right damper housings 10 are connected by a second connecting beam 67. However, it is not essential to connect the upper walls 10a of the left and right damper housings 10 with a second connecting beam 67, and the second connecting beam 67 does not necessarily have to be provided.

[0071] 10... Damper housing 10f... Front of housing 12... Connecting beam 12f... Front of beam 16... Damper connecting section 60... Auxiliary equipment 61... Auxiliary equipment mounting section 62... Vertical wall section 64... Support hole (stabilizer support section) 65... Stabilizer 67... Second connecting beam b... Strip-shaped area

Claims

1. A front vehicle structure comprising: a pair of damper housings arranged spaced apart on the left and right sides of the vehicle, each having a damper connecting portion; and a connecting beam extending substantially along the vehicle width direction and connecting the pair of damper housings to each other, wherein the pair of damper housings and the connecting beam are formed from a single cast part, and the connecting beam is arranged to overlap at least a portion in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle with a strip-shaped region connecting the extended portions of the damper connecting portions of the pair of damper housings.

2. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper surface of the connecting beam is an auxiliary equipment mounting section on which auxiliary equipment is mounted.

3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the auxiliary equipment mounting section is positioned below each of the damper connecting sections of the pair of damper housings, and each damper housing extends downward from the vicinity of the edge of the damper connecting section and has a vertical wall section that connects the vicinity of the edge of the damper connecting section to the auxiliary equipment mounting section.

4. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the vertical wall portion is inclined downward in the vehicle width direction from the vicinity of the edge of the damper connecting portion toward the auxiliary equipment mounting portion.

5. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3, wherein the damper housing has a housing front portion extending at the front end of the vertical wall portion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction, the connecting beam has a beam front portion extending at the front end of the auxiliary equipment mounting portion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the housing front portion and the beam front portion are formed flush with each other.

6. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, characterized in that a stabilizer support portion is provided in the lower region of the connecting portion between each damper housing and the connecting beam to support a part of the stabilizer.

7. The vehicle front structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the vicinity of the damper connecting portions of the left and right damper housings are connected by a second connecting beam that extends substantially along the vehicle width direction above the auxiliary equipment mounting portion, and the second connecting beam, together with the left and right damper housings and the connecting beam, forms a closed cross section that is substantially rectangular in front view.

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