Vehicle front structure

Abstract

This vehicle front structure comprises a pair of left and right suspension support structures disposed so as to be separated from each other in the vehicle width direction, and a vehicle cabin front member connected to rear parts of the suspension support structures. The suspension support structure comprises a damper housing having a damper connection part, an upper-side load transmission part, and a lower-side load transmission part. The upper-side load transmission part connects the damper housing to an upper region of the vehicle cabin front member. The lower-side load transmission part connects the damper housing to a lower region of the vehicle cabin front member. The upper-side load transmission part is provided with a fracture induction part. The fracture induction part induces fracture when an impact load is provided to the suspension support structure having the upper-side load transmission part from the front of a vehicle with a bias to one side in the vehicle width direction. The fracture induction part does not fracture when an impact load is provided to the right and left suspension support structures from the front of the vehicle without being biased in the vehicle width direction.

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 connecting 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 connecting block.

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

[0005] The damper housing functions as a member that disperses and transmits the input load to the rear side of the vehicle body when a large suspension load from the wheel is input during the running of the vehicle and when an impact load from the front side of the vehicle is input. For this reason, a plurality of reinforcing ribs are provided at appropriate positions of the suspension support structure including the open cross section portion of the damper housing in order to increase the strength and rigidity of the wall portion. The plurality of reinforcing ribs are integrally formed during the casting of the damper housing.

[0006] Specification of Chinese Utility Model No. 217649533

[0007] In the vehicle front structure described in Patent Document 1, floor connecting blocks, which are connected to the rear of the left and right damper housings, are connected to the front passenger compartment member. When an impact load is applied, the load applied to the damper housing is absorbed by the front passenger compartment member at the rear of the damper housing. In this case, in order to reliably absorb the impact load applied to the damper housing, it is advantageous to absorb it over a wide area of ​​the front passenger compartment member.

[0008] Front pillars are located on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle, extending vertically and connected at their upper ends to the roof frame. The front pillars form the door surround on the front side of the front door and, when an impact load is input from the front of the vehicle, they act as a load transmission path, transferring the load input to the damper housing to the roof panel. For this reason, the front pillars, being front-end components of the vehicle, need to be reinforced, such as by increasing their thickness, to effectively transmit the load to the rear of the vehicle. However, reinforcing them to withstand excessive impact loads would make the front pillars large and heavy. As a countermeasure, it is desirable to basically receive the input impact load over a wide area of ​​the front-end components of the vehicle body and to block the load transmission path to the upper area of ​​the front-end components of the passenger compartment depending on the type of impact load input.

[0009] The problem to be solved is to receive the incoming impact load basically over a wide area of ​​the front body member, and to be able to block the load transmission path to the upper area of ​​the front passenger compartment member depending on the type of impact load input. By solving this problem, the present invention aims to reduce the weight and cost of the vehicle by reducing unnecessary reinforcement while maintaining collision safety performance.

[0010] A vehicle front structure according to one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle front structure comprising a suspension support structure and a passenger compartment front member connected to the rear of the suspension support structure, wherein the suspension support structure comprises a pair of left and right damper housings, each having a damper connecting portion and arranged spaced apart in the vehicle width direction, an upper load transmission portion connecting each of the damper housings to the upper region of the passenger compartment front member, and a lower load transmission portion connecting each of the damper housings to the lower region of the passenger compartment front member, wherein the upper load transmission portion is provided with a fracture-inducing portion that induces fracture when an impact load is applied to the damper housing to which the upper load transmission portion is connected from the front of the vehicle with a bias towards one side in the vehicle width direction, and does not fracture when an impact load is applied to the left and right damper housings from the front of the vehicle without bias in the vehicle width direction.

[0011] With the above configuration, when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, biased to one side in the vehicle width direction, and this load is transmitted to one of the left or right damper housings, the load is initially transmitted from one damper housing to the front passenger compartment member through the upper and lower load transmission sections. At this time, if the impact load transmitted to one damper housing exceeds a specified load, the fracture induction section provided in the upper load transmission section fractures. As a result, the load transmission path from the impact load applied to one damper housing to the upper region of the front passenger compartment member via the upper load transmission section is blocked, making it difficult for the impact load to be transmitted. Consequently, the applied impact load is mainly transmitted to the lower region of the front passenger compartment member via the lower load transmission section, suppressing the application of excessive impact loads to the upper region of the front passenger compartment member. On the other hand, when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, without bias in the vehicle width direction, the load is transmitted to both the left and right damper housings. The load transmitted to the left and right damper housings is then transmitted to the front passenger compartment member through the upper and lower load transmission sections, respectively. At this time, the impact load is distributed and transmitted to the left and right damper housings, preventing a large load from concentrating on one of the upper load transmission sections. Therefore, the upper load transmission sections on both the left and right sides will not fracture at the fracture-inducing section. As a result, the impact load is transmitted to the front passenger compartment member on both sides of the vehicle through the upper and lower load transmission sections.

[0012] The rear of the upper load transmission unit may be connected to the front pillar, which is a front component of the passenger compartment, and the rear of the lower load transmission unit may be connected to the dashboard panel, which is a front component of the passenger compartment.

[0013] In this case, an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, biased to one side in the vehicle width direction. When this load is transmitted to one of the damper housings, it is then transmitted from that damper housing through the upper and lower load transmission sections to the front pillar and dashboard panel. At this point, if the impact load transmitted to one of the damper housings exceeds a specified load, the fracture-inducing section provided in the upper load transmission section fractures, and the impact load is less likely to be transmitted to the front pillar through the upper load transmission section thereafter. As a result, the input of excessive impact loads to the front pillar is suppressed.

[0014] When the resistance of the damper housing to the input load is defined as the housing fracture strength, the resistance of the upper load transmission section to the input load is defined as the upper transmission section fracture strength, and the resistance of the lower load transmission section to the input load is defined as the lower transmission section fracture strength, it is desirable that the upper transmission section fracture strength be set to be smaller than the housing fracture strength and the lower transmission section fracture strength.

[0015] In this case, the upper load transmission section's fracture strength is set to be smaller than the damper housing's fracture strength and the lower load transmission section's fracture strength. Therefore, when an impact load is applied unevenly to one side in the vehicle width direction, fracture begins at the upper load transmission section. Consequently, by adopting this configuration, it is possible to more reliably prevent a load exceeding the specified load from being transmitted from the upper load transmission section to the front pillar when an impact load is applied unevenly to one side in the vehicle width direction.

[0016] It is desirable that the fracture strength of the front pillar against the input load be set to be greater than that of the upper transmission section.

[0017] In this case, since the fracture strength of the front pillar is set to be greater than that of the upper load transmission section, when an impact load is applied unevenly to one side in the vehicle width direction, the upper load transmission section will more reliably fracture before the front pillar deforms or fractures. Therefore, there is no need to reinforce the front pillar with a separate component. Consequently, adopting this configuration makes it possible to suppress increases in vehicle weight and rising manufacturing costs.

[0018] The upper wall of the damper housing may be provided with a damper connecting portion that slopes downward toward the rear of the vehicle, and a forward-sloping portion that slopes downward toward the front of the vehicle from the front end of the damper connecting portion.

[0019] In this case, when an impact load is applied to the front of the damper housing from the front of the vehicle, the rear of the forward-sloping portion of the damper housing lifts upward, and consequently, the front of the damper connection portion also lifts upward. As a result, the load is more easily transmitted to the upper load transmission portion through the boundary between the damper housing and the upper load transmission portion. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, it becomes possible to more reliably cause the fracture-inducing portion of the upper load transmission portion to fracture when an impact load is applied unevenly to one side in the vehicle width direction.

[0020] The upper load transmission section may be formed in a shape where, when viewed from the side, its vertical width gradually increases from the front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle.

[0021] In this case, the vertical width of the upper load transmission section gradually increases towards the part connected to the front member of the vehicle, making it possible to distribute and transmit the input load over a wide area in the vertical direction of the front member of the vehicle through the upper load transmission section. Furthermore, in this configuration, sufficient vertical width can be secured for the part of the upper load transmission section that is connected to the front member of the vehicle, so a large support reaction force can be secured for the upper load transmission section from the front member of the vehicle. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, it becomes possible to more reliably cause the fracture-inducing part to fracture when an impact load is applied biasedly to one side in the vehicle width direction.

[0022] The device further comprises a lower load-receiving portion that extends substantially along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, with a bumper beam connected to its front end and the rear end connected to the suspension support structure, and an upper load-receiving portion that extends substantially along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle above the lower load-receiving portion and the rear end connected to the suspension support structure, wherein the lower load-transmission portion is positioned behind the lower load-receiving portion and overlapping it in the vertical direction, and the upper load-transmission portion is positioned behind the upper load-receiving portion and overlapping it in the vertical direction.

[0023] In this configuration, the lower load transmission unit is positioned behind the lower load receiving unit and overlapping vertically, while the upper load transmission unit is positioned behind the upper load receiving unit and overlapping vertically. Therefore, impact loads input from the front of the vehicle can be efficiently transmitted to the lower load transmission unit and the upper load transmission unit through the lower load receiving unit and the upper load receiving unit. Consequently, when this configuration is adopted, impact loads can be transmitted to a wide area of ​​the front passenger compartment member, and when impact loads are applied unevenly to one side in the vehicle width direction, the fracture induction unit can be fractured more reliably.

[0024] The lower load-bearing portion and the upper load-bearing portion are both shaped so that their open cross-sections, which consist of at least two surfaces, extend substantially along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the lower load-bearing portion and the upper load-bearing portion may be continuously connected in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle by a connecting wall.

[0025] In this configuration, a portion of the load applied to the front of the lower load-bearing section is transmitted directly through the lower load-bearing section to the rear suspension support structure. Another portion of the load applied to the front of the lower load-bearing section is transmitted through the connecting wall to the upper load-bearing section. At this time, since the connecting wall continuously connects the lower load-bearing section and the upper load-bearing section in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the load is transmitted in a wide area in the longitudinal direction of the upper load-bearing section. The load applied to the upper load-bearing section is transmitted through the upper load-bearing section to the rear suspension support structure. In this configuration, since the lower load-bearing section and the upper load-bearing section that transmit impact loads from the front of the vehicle to the rear damper housing have open cross-sections (not closed cross-sections), localized differences in rigidity are less likely to occur over almost the entire vertical direction of the vehicle. As a result, the load is transmitted almost evenly across the entire area of ​​the lower load-bearing section, the connecting wall, and the upper load-bearing section. Therefore, when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, the entire area of ​​the lower load-bearing section, connecting wall section, and upper load-bearing section deforms almost uniformly, thereby efficiently absorbing the energy of the impact load.

[0026] In one aspect of the present invention, the front vehicle structure is provided with a fracture induction part in the upper load transmission section of the suspension support structure. The fracture induction part is designed to induce fracture when an impact load is applied to the damper housing from the front of the vehicle, biased to one side in the vehicle width direction, but not to fracture when an impact load is applied to the left and right damper housings from the front of the vehicle, without bias in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, without bias in the vehicle width direction, the load is transmitted from the upper load transmission section and the lower load transmission section to the front passenger compartment member. When an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, biased to one side in the vehicle width direction, the fracture induction part fractures, and the load is transmitted to the front passenger compartment member almost entirely from the lower load transmission section. Thus, when the front vehicle structure according to one aspect of the present invention is adopted, the input impact load is basically received over a wide area of ​​the front passenger compartment member, and the load transmission path to the upper region of the front passenger compartment member can be blocked according to the input pattern of the impact load. Therefore, it becomes possible to reduce vehicle weight and cost by eliminating unnecessary reinforcements while maintaining collision safety performance.

[0027] 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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 front suspension damper 50, coil spring 51, etc. (see Figure 3). The upper end of the damper 50 is connected to the damper connecting portion 16 of the upper wall 10a.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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 corresponding left and right damper housings 10 to the front pillars 54 on the same side on both sides, and a lower load transmission section 57 (see Figure 3) that connects the damper housings 10 to the dashboard panel 55. The lower load transmission section 57 is connected to the lower region of the upper load transmission section 56. The front pillars 54 are located at the left and right ends of the front of the passenger compartment and are provided to run along the leading edge of the front door (not shown). The dashboard panel 55 is a panel member that separates the passenger compartment from the front compartment 11, and its left and right ends are connected to the corresponding left and right front pillars 54.

[0032] 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, while the dashboard panel 55, the underfloor frame member (not shown), and the side sill (not shown) constitute the front passenger compartment member of the lower area of ​​the passenger compartment.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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".

[0042] The accessory mounting portion 61 of the connecting beam 12 is disposed below each damper connecting portion 16 of the left and right damper housings 10. The vertical wall portion 62 of the damper housing 10 extends downward from the vicinity of the inner edge in the vehicle width direction of each damper connecting portion 16 of the left and right damper housings 10 (the inner edge in the vehicle width direction of the upper wall 10a). And the vertical wall portion 62 connects the vicinity of the inner edge in the vehicle width direction of the damper connecting portion 16 and the accessory mounting portion 61. The left and right vertical wall portions 62 are inclined downward inward in the vehicle width direction from the vicinity of the inner edge in the vehicle width direction of the damper connecting portion 16 toward the accessory mounting portion 61.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 5, the connecting beam 12 is arranged so that at least a part thereof overlaps in the vehicle longitudinal direction with the belt-like region b connecting the extending portions of the damper connecting portions 16 of the left and right damper housings 10. In the present embodiment, the belt-like region b connecting the extending portions of the left and right damper connecting portions 16 is set to be positioned inside the front-rear width A of the connecting beam 12 in a plan view.

[0044] Also, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, axle insertion blocks 13 extending downward are integrally provided in the vicinity of the connecting portions of the left and right damper housings 10 and the connecting beam 12. The above-described second load receiving wall 25 is provided on the front surface near the lower part of each of the left and right axle insertion blocks 13. Further, a boss portion 63 extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction is provided above 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 the support hole 64. The shaft portion 66a for supporting the stabilizer is provided on a locking block 66 of the stabilizer 65. The locking block 66 is attached to a rod portion extending along the vehicle width direction of the stabilizer 65. In the present embodiment, the support hole 64 constitutes a stabilizer support portion that supports a part of the stabilizer 65. The support hole 64, which is the stabilizer support portion, is provided in the vicinity of the connecting portion of the damper housing 10 and the connecting beam 12.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the reinforcing member 30 as viewed 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 longitudinal 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 longitudinal direction, and an inclined edge 30ai that connects the side edge 30as and the front edge 30af. The inclined edge 30ai is inclined from the outer end 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 between the side edge 30as and the inclined edge 30ai is inclined downward toward the front side of the vehicle.

[0048] 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 side 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. Further, the reinforcing member 30 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.

[0052] Figure 12 is a plan view of the front of vehicle 1. In Figure 12, the object to which the load is applied 100 when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle is shown as a schematic cross-section. The object to which the load is applied 100 is located at a position offset to one side in the vehicle width direction relative to the front of the vehicle (a position offset to one side from the center in the vehicle width direction). As shown in Figure 12, the reinforcing member 30 is positioned such that at least a part of the inclined wall 30d overlaps with the front and rear of the vehicle in a plan view with respect to the connection portion 31 between the load receiving member 20 (lower load receiving portion 21) connected to the front of the damper housing 10 and the bumper beam 14 at the front of the vehicle. Also, as shown in Figures 7 and 12, the upper load transmission wall 26 (load transmission wall) provided at the rear end of the upper load receiving portion 22 is positioned so that at least a part of it overlaps with the front wall portion 30c of the reinforcing member 30 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The upper load-transmitting wall 26 (load-transmitting wall) is superimposed on the front surface of the covering wall 10b of the damper housing 10, and is connected to the damper housing 10 and the front wall portion 30c of the reinforcing member 30.

[0053] As shown in Figures 5 and 8, connecting beams 12 extending along the vehicle width direction are connected to the inner ends of the left and right damper housings 10 in the vehicle width direction. The reinforcing members 30 fixed to each of the left and right damper housings 10 are positioned so that their respective inclined walls 30d overlap with the vehicle longitudinal extension region of the connecting beam 12 (the region indicated by the arrow representing the longitudinal width A in Figure 5) in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, the entire inclined wall 30d of each reinforcing member 30 is positioned to overlap with the vehicle longitudinal extension region of the connecting beam 12, but the inclined wall 30d of each reinforcing member 30 may be positioned so that only a portion of it overlaps with the vehicle longitudinal extension region of the connecting beam 12.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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".

[0056] 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.

[0057] 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).

[0058] 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. All of these outer reinforcing ribs 42a, 42b, and 42c extend downward from their front ends toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0059] As shown in Figure 9, a plurality of inner reinforcing ribs 43a, 43b, and 43c are provided on the inside of 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. Two of these inner reinforcing ribs 43b and 43c are inclined downward from the front portion to the rear portion. As shown in Figure 13, the rear ends of the two inner reinforcing ribs 43b and 43c are connected to the front ends of two outer reinforcing ribs 42b and 42c, with the rear wall portion of the cover wall 10b of the damper housing 10 in between. In Figure 13, the reference numeral b indicates the connection between the inner reinforcing rib 43b and the outer reinforcing rib 42b on the rear wall portion of the cover wall 10b, and the reference numeral c indicates the connection between the inner reinforcing rib 43c and the outer reinforcing rib 42c on the rear wall portion of the cover wall 10b.

[0060] 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.

[0061] 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.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fracture strengths of the damper housing 10, the upper load transmission section 56, and the lower load transmission section 57 against input loads are set as follows. Hereinafter, the fracture strength of the damper housing 10 will be referred to as the housing fracture strength, the fracture strength of the upper load transmission section 56 will be referred to as the upper transmission section fracture strength, and the fracture strength of the lower load transmission section 57 against input loads will be referred to as the lower transmission section fracture strength. Upper transmission section fracture strength < housing fracture strength, lower transmission section fracture strength In other words, the fracture strength of the upper load transmission section 56, which is equipped with a fracture induction section 38, is set to be smaller than that of the damper housing 10 and the lower load transmission section 57. Also, the fracture strength of the front pillar 54 against input loads is set to be larger than that of the upper load transmission section 56 (upper transmission section fracture strength).

[0063] In this embodiment, when an impact load is applied, only the upper load transmission section 56 (fracture induction section 38) of the suspension support structure 15 is set to fracture. However, for example, the fracture strengths of each section may be set such that upper transmission section fracture strength < lower transmission section fracture strength < housing fracture strength, and then each fracture strength is set to a value less than or equal to the maximum impact load applied, thereby determining the order of fracture and causing almost the entire suspension support structure 15 to fracture.

[0064] As described above, the vehicle front structure of this embodiment is provided with an upper load transmission section 56 and a lower load transmission section 57 at the rear of the damper housing 10, and a fracture induction section 38 is provided on the upper load transmission section 56. The fracture induction section 38 is designed to induce fracture when an impact load is applied to the damper housing 10 from the front of the vehicle, biased to one side in the vehicle width direction, but not to fracture when an impact load is applied to the left and right damper housings 10 from the front of the vehicle, without bias in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, the load is transmitted to the front passenger compartment member through the upper load transmission section 56 and the lower load transmission section 57, and when an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, biased to one side in the vehicle width direction, the fracture induction section 38 fractures, and the load is transmitted to the front passenger compartment member almost entirely from the lower load transmission section 57. Therefore, when the vehicle front structure of this embodiment is adopted, the incoming impact load is basically received over a wide area of ​​the vehicle body front member, and the load transmission path to the upper area of ​​the passenger compartment front member can be blocked depending on the type of impact load input. Thus, when the vehicle front structure of this embodiment is adopted, it is possible to reduce the weight and cost of the vehicle by reducing unnecessary reinforcement while maintaining collision safety performance.

[0065] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the rear of the upper load transmission section 56 is connected to the front pillar 54, and the rear of the lower load transmission section 57 is connected to the dashboard panel 55. Therefore, when an impact load is applied from the front and is biased to one of the left or right damper housings 10, the load is transmitted from one damper housing 10 through the upper load transmission section 56 and the lower load transmission section 57 to the front pillar 54 and the dashboard panel 55. At this time, if the impact load transmitted to one damper housing 10 exceeds a specified load, the upper load transmission section 56 will break at the fracture induction section 38, and thereafter, it will become difficult to transmit load from the upper load transmission section 56 to the front pillar 54. Therefore, when this vehicle front structure is adopted, it is possible to suppress the input of excessive impact load to the front pillar 54 when an impact load is applied.

[0066] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the fracture strength of the upper load transmission section 56 of the suspension support structure 15 is set to be smaller than that of the damper housing 10 and the lower load transmission section 57. Therefore, when an impact load is applied unevenly to one side in the vehicle width direction, fracture can be more reliably initiated from the upper load transmission section 56. Consequently, when this vehicle front structure is adopted, it is possible to more reliably prevent a load exceeding the specified load from being transmitted to the front pillar 54 when an impact load is applied unevenly to one side in the vehicle width direction.

[0067] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the fracture strength of the front pillar 54 is set to be greater than that of the upper load transmission section 56 of the suspension support structure 15. Therefore, when an impact load is applied unevenly to one side in the vehicle width direction, the upper load transmission section 56 will more reliably fracture before the front pillar 54 deforms or fractures. As a result, there is no need to reinforce the front pillar 54 with a separate component. Consequently, adopting this vehicle front structure configuration makes it possible to suppress increases in vehicle weight and rising manufacturing costs.

[0068] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, the upper wall 10a of the damper housing 10 is provided with a damper connecting portion 16 that slopes downward toward the rear of the vehicle, 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. Therefore, when an impact load is applied to the front of the damper housing 10 from the front of the vehicle, the rear part of the forward-sloping portion 70 of the damper housing 10 lifts upward, and consequently the front part of the damper connecting portion 16 also lifts upward. This makes it easier for the load to be transmitted to the upper load transmission portion 56, which has a fracture-inducing portion 38, through the boundary between the damper housing 10 and the upper load transmission portion 56. Therefore, when the vehicle front structure with this configuration is adopted, it becomes possible to more reliably fracture the fracture-inducing portion 38 of the upper load transmission portion 56 when an impact load is applied biasedly to one side in the vehicle width direction.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vehicle front structure is formed such that the upper load transmission section 56 has a shape in which the vertical width gradually increases from the front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle when viewed from the side. As a result, the impact load input to the damper housing 10 from the front of the vehicle can be distributed and transmitted over a wide area in the vertical direction of the front pillar 54 through the upper load transmission section 56. In addition, since the vertical width of the portion of the upper load transmission section 56 that is connected to the front pillar 54 can be sufficiently wide, a large support reaction force can be secured for the upper load transmission section 56 from the front pillar 54. Therefore, when this vehicle front structure is adopted, it becomes possible to more reliably cause the fracture induction section 38 to fracture when the impact load is applied unevenly to one side in the vehicle width direction.

[0070] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, a lower load receiving portion 21 and an upper load receiving portion 22 are provided in front of the suspension support structure 15. The lower load transmission portion 57 of the suspension support structure 15 is positioned behind the lower load receiving portion 21 and overlapping in the vertical direction, and the upper load transmission portion 56 is positioned behind the upper load receiving portion 22 and overlapping in the vertical direction. As a result, impact loads input from the front of the vehicle can be efficiently transmitted to the lower load transmission portion 57 and the upper load transmission portion 56 of the suspension support structure 15 through the lower load receiving portion 21 and the upper load receiving portion 22. Therefore, when this vehicle front structure is adopted, impact loads can be transmitted to a wide area of ​​the front passenger compartment members (front pillar 54 and dashboard panel 55), and when an impact load is applied biased to one side in the vehicle width direction, the fracture induction portion 38 of the upper load transmission portion 56 can be fractured more reliably.

[0071] Furthermore, in the vehicle front structure of this embodiment, both the lower load-bearing portion 21 and the upper load-bearing portion 22 have an open cross-section consisting of at least two surfaces that extends substantially along the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The lower load-bearing portion 21 and the upper load-bearing portion 22 are continuously connected in the vehicle's longitudinal direction by a connecting wall portion 28. In this configuration, since the lower load-bearing portion and the upper load-bearing portion have open cross-sections (not closed cross-sections), partial differences in rigidity are less likely to occur over almost the entire vertical direction of the vehicle. Therefore, the load can be transmitted substantially evenly across the entire area of ​​the lower load-bearing portion 21, the connecting wall portion 28, and the upper load-bearing portion 22. Consequently, when this vehicle front structure is adopted, the entire area of ​​the lower load-bearing portion 21, the connecting wall portion 28, and the upper load-bearing portion 22 can be deformed substantially evenly, thereby efficiently absorbing the energy of impact loads.

[0072] 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 rear of the lower load transmission unit 57 is connected to the dashboard panel 55, but the member to which the rear of the lower load transmission unit 57 is connected is not limited to the dashboard panel 55. The rear of the lower load transmission unit 57 may be any member located on the front side of the passenger compartment, such as a frame member under the floor or a side sill.

[0073] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the fracture induction portion 38 provided in the upper load transmission portion 56 is composed of the peaks of the bent portions of the wave shape, but the configuration of the fracture induction portion 38 is not limited to this. The fracture induction portion 38 may be, for example, a slit or notch extending in the vertical direction, a thin-walled shape, etc., as long as it can induce fracture of a part of the upper load transmission portion 56 when an impact load is applied.

[0074] 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.

[0075] 10... Damper housing 14... Bumper beam 15... Suspension support structure 16... Damper connection part 21... Lower load receiving part 22... Upper load receiving part 28... Connecting wall part 38... Fracture inducing part 54... Front pillar (front part of the passenger compartment) 55... Dashboard panel (front part of the passenger compartment) 56... Upper load transmission part 57... Lower load transmission part 70... Forward inclined part

Claims

1. A vehicle front structure comprising a suspension support structure and a front passenger compartment member connected to the rear of the suspension support structure, wherein the suspension support structure comprises a pair of left and right damper housings, each having a damper connecting portion and spaced apart in the vehicle width direction; an upper load transmission portion connecting each of the damper housings to the upper region of the front passenger compartment member; and a lower load transmission portion connecting each of the damper housings to the lower region of the front passenger compartment member, wherein the upper load transmission portion is provided with a fracture-inducing portion that induces fracture when an impact load is applied to the damper housing to which the upper load transmission portion is connected from the front of the vehicle, biased to one side in the vehicle width direction, and does not fracture when an impact load is applied to the left and right damper housings from the front of the vehicle, without bias in the vehicle width direction.

2. The front vehicle structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear of the upper load transmission unit is connected to the front pillar, which is a front member of the passenger compartment, and the rear of the lower load transmission unit is connected to the dashboard panel, which is a front member of the passenger compartment.

3. The vehicle front structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, when the fracture strength of the damper housing against input load is defined as the housing fracture strength, the fracture strength of the upper load transmission section against input load is defined as the upper transmission section fracture strength, and the fracture strength of the lower load transmission section against input load is defined as the lower transmission section fracture strength, the upper transmission section fracture strength is set to be smaller than the housing fracture strength and the lower transmission section fracture strength.

4. The front vehicle structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the load-bearing capacity of the front pillar against input load is set to be greater than that of the upper transmission section.

5. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper wall of the damper housing is provided with a damper connecting portion that slopes downward toward the rear of the vehicle, and a forward-sloping portion that slopes downward toward the front of the vehicle from the front end of the damper connecting portion.

6. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper load transmission section is formed in a shape in which the vertical width gradually increases from the front of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle when viewed from the side.

7. The vehicle front structure according to claim 1, further comprising: a lower load-receiving portion extending substantially along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, to which a bumper beam is connected at the front and to which the rear portion is connected to the suspension support structure; and an upper load-receiving portion extending substantially along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle above the lower load-receiving portion, to which the rear portion is connected to the suspension support structure, wherein the lower load-transmission portion is positioned behind the lower load-receiving portion and overlapping in the vertical direction, and the upper load-transmission portion is positioned behind the upper load-receiving portion and overlapping in the vertical direction.

8. The front vehicle structure according to claim 7, characterized in that the lower load-bearing portion and the upper load-bearing portion each have an open cross-section consisting of at least two surfaces that extends substantially along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the lower load-bearing portion and the upper load-bearing portion are continuously connected in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle by a connecting wall.

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