Vehicle structure

Abstract

This vehicle structure comprises an on-vehicle component that is provided at a vehicle front part and has a projecting part, a dash panel that is positioned vehicle-rearward of an engine, a dash cross member that is provided on the front surface of the dash panel and extends in the vehicle width direction, and a protector that is provided at a position facing the projecting part in the dash cross member and extends so as to protrude vertically downward with respect to the dash cross member. The protector has a first surface part that faces the dash panel and a second surface part that intersects the first surface part and extends vehicle-forward.

Description

Vehicle Structure

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle structure in which a plate-shaped dash reinforcement serving as a vertical reinforcing member is coupled to a vehicle rear side surface of a dash panel and an upper surface of a cowl, a plate-shaped dash cross serving as a reinforcing member extending in a vehicle width direction is coupled to a vertically intermediate portion of a vehicle front side surface of the dash panel, and a lower end of the dash reinforcement and the dash cross are arranged overlappingly in a vehicle front-rear direction.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-193086

[0004] Meanwhile, when a vehicle has a frontal collision, peripheral components provided on an engine retreat together with the engine disposed in an engine compartment on a front side of a dash panel. Therefore, in a vehicle, it is required to suppress damage to the dash panel caused by contact with peripheral components that retreat together with the engine due to a frontal collision. Some of these peripheral components have a protruding portion such as a stud bolt for mounting a component such as a cover, and when the peripheral component having this protruding portion retreats together with the engine due to a frontal collision, the protruding portion of the peripheral component may contact and damage the dash panel.

[0005] In the vehicle structure described in Patent Document 1, a dash cross extending in the vehicle width direction is provided on the vehicle front side surface of the dash panel. However, with only this dash cross, it is difficult to suppress contact of the protruding portion of the peripheral component, which retreats together with the engine, with the dash panel, particularly above and below the dash cross. Moreover, since the dash reinforcement is provided on the vehicle rear side surface of the dash panel, which is the opposite side to the engine compartment with respect to the dash panel, it cannot directly receive the protruding portion of the peripheral component that retreats together with the engine and suppress contact with the dash panel.

[0006] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle structure that can accurately receive the protruding portion of the peripheral component retreating together with the engine and avoid damage to the dash panel.

[0007] The present invention comprises the following configuration: an on-board component provided at the front of the vehicle and having a protruding portion; a dash panel positioned at the rear of the vehicle relative to the on-board component; a dash cross member provided on the front surface of the dash panel and extending in the vehicle width direction; and a protector provided at a position on the dash cross member opposite to the protruding portion and extending so as to protrude in at least one direction in the vertical direction relative to the dash cross member, wherein the protector has a first surface portion facing the dash panel and a second surface portion intersecting the first surface portion and extending in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle structure that can accurately receive protruding parts of surrounding components that move backward with the engine, thereby avoiding damage to the dashboard panel.

[0009] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of the front of a vehicle illustrating the vehicle structure according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the engine's surrounding components and their surroundings. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the engine's surrounding components and the dash panel from the outside in the vehicle width direction. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the engine's surrounding components and the dash panel from the center in the vehicle width direction. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the reinforcement and protector provided on the dash cross member. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the dash panel, dash cross member, and reinforcement in a cross-sectional view in the vertical direction. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the reinforcement provided on the dash cross member. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the protector.

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the symbol FR indicates the front of the vehicle, the symbol UP indicates the top of the vehicle, and the symbol LH indicates the left side in the vehicle width direction (left side in the direction of travel). The opposite direction of symbol FR is the rear of the vehicle, the opposite direction of symbol UP is the bottom of the vehicle, and the opposite direction of symbol LH is the right side in the vehicle width direction (right side in the direction of travel). Hereinafter, these directions may simply be referred to as front, rear, top, bottom, left side, and right side.

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of the front of a vehicle illustrating the vehicle structure according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the exhaust gas purification device 31 of the engine 15 and its surroundings. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the exhaust gas purification device 31 of the engine 15 and the dash panel 21 viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the exhaust gas purification device 31 of the engine 15 and the dash panel 21 viewed from the center side in the vehicle width direction.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the vehicle structure according to this embodiment is applied to the front structural portion of a vehicle 100 such as an automobile. The automobile to which the vehicle structure is applied is, for example, an internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

[0013] Vehicle 100 has an engine room 13 in front of the passenger compartment 11, and an engine 15 is located inside this engine room 13. Vehicle 100 has a frame 17 that constitutes the chassis of the vehicle body. The frame 17 has a pair of side members 19. These side members 19 are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction and extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction, with their front ends extending into the engine room 13. The engine 15 is located in the engine room 13 between the pair of side members 19. Vehicle 100 has a dash panel 21 on the rear side of the engine room 13, and this dash panel 21 separates the passenger compartment 11 from the engine room 13.

[0014] The vehicle 100 has a floor panel 23 that forms the floor of the passenger compartment 11. On the passenger compartment 11 side, there is a backbone 25, which is a highly rigid skeletal member that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, in the center of the vehicle. The dash panel 21 is joined to the front side of the backbone 25. The front side of the passenger compartment 11 is divided into left and right seat spaces 27L and 27R by the backbone 25. In this embodiment, the seat space 27R on the right side in the vehicle width direction is the driver's seat space, and a shaft cover portion 29 that bulges out toward the engine room 13 is formed at the lower part of the dash panel 21 on the seat space 27R side.

[0015] Vehicle 100 has an exhaust gas purification device as a peripheral component 31 attached to the engine 15, which is installed in the middle of the exhaust pipe 33 connected to the engine 15 and purifies the exhaust gas discharged from the engine 15. In this embodiment, the exhaust gas purification device 31 is made of a rigid material by an FCC (Fluid Catalytic Cracking) catalyst. The exhaust gas purification device 31 is located on the rear side of the vehicle relative to the engine 15 and is positioned approximately in the center in the vehicle width direction on the front side of the driver's seat space 27R. Because the exhaust gas purification device 31 becomes hot due to the exhaust gas from the engine 15, its periphery is covered with a plate-shaped heat protector 35. The exhaust gas purification device 31 has protruding parts 37, such as stud bolts, on its outer circumference for attaching the heat protector 35. On the rear side of the exhaust gas purification device 31, the protruding parts 37 project diagonally rearward toward the center of the vehicle. Furthermore, the peripheral component 31 can be any rigid material positioned on the rear side of the engine 15, and is not limited to an exhaust gas purification device.

[0016] The dash panel 21 includes a dash cross member 41. The dash cross member 41 is located near the bottom of the front surface 21a, which is the front surface of the dash panel 21, and extends along the vehicle width direction. Both ends of the dash cross member 41 are joined to the side members 19. The dash cross member 41 has a front plate 43, a pair of side plates 45, and a pair of flanges 47. The side plates 45 extend from the upper and lower edges of the front plate 43 toward the rear of the vehicle, and the flanges 47 extend vertically from the edges of the side plates 45. As a result, the dash cross member 41 is formed in a hat shape in cross section, which increases its rigidity.

[0017] As a result, the engine 15, which recoils during a frontal collision of the vehicle 100, is absorbed by the dash cross member 41, thus protecting the footrest space of occupants sitting in the seat spaces 27L and 27R of the passenger compartment 11.

[0018] Incidentally, when vehicle 100 is in motion, there is a risk of an offset frontal collision occurring when an oncoming vehicle Vo (see Figure 1) collides with the right side of the vehicle. In this case, a large impact is applied to the driver's side of vehicle 100. As a result, on the driver's side of the right side of vehicle 100, the dash cross member 41 alone may not be sufficient to catch the exhaust gas purification device 31 as it retracts with the engine 15 and adequately prevent damage to the dash panel 21. Furthermore, even if the retracting exhaust gas purification device 31 is caught, there is a risk that protruding parts 37 such as stud bolts of the exhaust gas purification device 31 may come into contact with the dash panel 21 and damage the dash panel 21.

[0019] Therefore, in the vehicle 100 according to this embodiment, the dash cross member 41 is equipped with a reinforcement 51 and a protector 61. The reinforcement 51 reinforces a portion of the dash cross member 41 along the vehicle width direction, and the protector 61 prevents the protruding portion 37 of the exhaust gas purification device 31 from contacting the dash panel 21. As a result, the dash cross member 41 is equipped with the reinforcement 51 and the protector 61, which prevents damage to the dash panel 21 in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle 100.

[0020] The reinforcement 51 and protector 61 will be described in detail below. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the reinforcement 51 and protector 61 provided on the dash cross member 41. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the dash panel 21, dash cross member 41 and reinforcement 51 in a cross-sectional view in the vertical direction. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the reinforcement 51 provided on the dash cross member 41. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the protector 61.

[0021] (Reinforcement) As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the reinforcement 51 is provided on the front of the dash cross member 41 and is positioned opposite the exhaust gas purification device 31 in the engine compartment 13. This reinforcement 51 is formed by press-forming a metal plate such as a steel plate. The reinforcement 51 extends in the vehicle width direction on the dash cross member 41. The dash cross member 41 is reinforced by the reinforcement 51 in the vehicle width direction in the area opposite the exhaust gas purification device 31, which retracts together with the engine 15 when the vehicle 100 is hit headfirst.

[0022] The reinforcement 51 comprises a front plate 53, a pair of side plates 55, and a pair of flanges 57. The side plates 55 extend from the upper and lower edges of the front plate 53 toward the rear of the vehicle, and the flanges 57 extend vertically from the edges of the side plates 55. As a result, the reinforcement 51, like the dash cross member 41, is formed in a hat-shaped cross section, thereby increasing its rigidity.

[0023] Furthermore, the reinforcement 51 has a mounting piece 59 that protrudes downward from the lower flange 57. The reinforcement 51 is attached to the dash cross member 41 such that the front plates 43, 53, side plates 45, 55 and flanges 47, 57 are aligned with each other. The reinforcement 51 is attached to the front plate 43 of the dash cross member 41. The reinforcement 51 has mounting holes 53a in its front plate 53. The reinforcement 51 is fastened and fixed to the front plate 43 of the dash cross member 41 by fastening members such as bolts and nuts at the mounting holes 53a in the front plate 53. In this way, the reinforcement 51 can be easily attached to the dash cross member 41 by fastening members.

[0024] Furthermore, the reinforcement 51 has its side plates 45, 55 and flanges 47, 57 spaced apart from the dash cross member 41. In other words, only the front plate 53 of the reinforcement 51 is fixed to the front plate 43 of the dash cross member 41, while the side plates 55 and flanges 57 are positioned with a gap between them and the side plates 45 and flanges 47 of the dash cross member 41. This prevents the side plates 45, 55 from interfering with each other or the flanges 47, 57 from interfering with each other and generating abnormal noise due to vibrations during vehicle 100 operation.

[0025] Furthermore, by providing the reinforcement 51 on the dash cross member 41, the area of ​​the dash cross member 41 facing the exhaust gas purification device 31 in the vehicle width direction is reinforced. Therefore, when the engine 15 retracts due to a frontal collision of the vehicle 100, the reinforcement 51 and the dash cross member 41 catch the exhaust gas purification device 31 which retracts along with the engine 15, thus preventing damage to the rear dash panel 21 of the vehicle.

[0026] Furthermore, the reinforcement 51 is positioned in the center of one side of the vehicle 100 in the vehicle width direction, and is positioned in a location that overlaps with the occupant's footrest space in the vehicle width direction. Specifically, the reinforcement 51 is positioned in the center of the driver's side, which is the right side, in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 100, and is positioned in a location that overlaps with the footrest space of the driver sitting in this driver's seat. Therefore, the exhaust gas purification device 31, which moves backward together with the engine 15 in the event of an offset frontal collision with an oncoming vehicle Vo, can be stopped by the reinforcement 51. In particular, the footrest space of the driver's seat space 27R on the rear side of the dash panel 21 can be protected.

[0027] Furthermore, the reinforcement 51 is positioned at the front of the dash panel 21, at the boundary with the backbone 25 located in the center of the vehicle. Here, since the backbone 25 is a skeletal member with higher rigidity than the dash panel 21, the boundary between the dash panel 21 and the backbone 25, which has a difference in rigidity, is susceptible to damage from impact. However, by positioning the reinforcement 51 at the boundary between the dash panel 21 and the backbone 25 at the front of the dash panel 21, the boundary between the dash panel 21 and the backbone 25, which is susceptible to damage from impact, can be effectively protected.

[0028] (Protector) As shown in Figures 5, 6, and 8, the protector 61 is provided at the lower part of the reinforcement 51 attached to the dash cross member 41. The protector 61, like the reinforcement 51, is formed by press-forming a metal plate such as a steel plate. The upper end of the protector 61 is welded and fixed to a mounting piece 59 formed on the lower flange 57 of the reinforcement 51. Alternatively, the protector 61 may be fixed to the mounting piece 59 of the reinforcement 51 by fastening its upper end with fasteners such as bolts and nuts. Furthermore, the protector 61 may be integrally molded with the reinforcement 51 so as to be connected to the lower flange 57 of the reinforcement 51.

[0029] The protector 61 is located below the reinforcement 51 and extends downward from the dash cross member 41, and is positioned opposite the protruding portion 37 of the exhaust gas purification device 31.

[0030] The protector 61 has a first surface portion 63 and a second surface portion 65 that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The first surface portion 63 intersects with the second surface portion 65 at its end in the vehicle width direction, and its upper end portion is fixed to the mounting piece 59 of the reinforcement 51.

[0031] The first surface portion 63 is positioned opposite the dash panel 21 when the protector 61 is attached to the reinforcement 51 of the dash cross member 41. The second surface portion 65 is formed on the vehicle center side in the vehicle width direction of the first surface portion 63 and extends toward the front of the vehicle. In this way, the protector 61 is bent at the side edge of the first surface portion 63 on the vehicle center side in the vehicle width direction, so that the second surface portion 65 extends toward the front of the vehicle from the side edge of the first surface portion 63, forming an L-shape.

[0032] Furthermore, when the protector 61 is attached to the reinforcement 51 of the dash cross member 41, the first surface portion 63 is positioned further rearward than the front surface of the front panel 43, which is the front surface of the dash cross member 41. This allows the protector 61 to be installed while effectively utilizing the space on the front side of the dash panel 21.

[0033] The protector 61 has a first bead portion 71. The first bead portion 71 is formed approximately in the center of the protector 61 in the vertical direction and is provided so as to span the first surface portion 63 and the second surface portion 65. As a result, the first bead portion 71 extends in the vehicle width direction on the first surface portion 63 and in the vehicle longitudinal direction on the second surface portion 65. By providing the first bead portion 71, the rigidity of the protector 61 can be increased across the first surface portion 63 and the second surface portion 65.

[0034] The protector 61 has second bead portions 73a and 73b on its first surface portion 63. The second bead portions 73a and 73b are formed approximately in the center of the first surface portion 63 in the vehicle width direction. One second bead portion 73a is formed on the upper side of the first bead portion 71, and the other second bead portion 73b is formed on the lower side of the first bead portion 71. The upper end of the second bead portion 73a reaches the mounting position of the dash cross member 41 of the first surface portion 63 to the reinforcement 51. By providing the second bead portions 73a and 73b, the rigidity of the first surface portion 63 of the protector 61 can be further increased.

[0035] Here, the first bead portion 71 has a wider width than the second bead portions 73a and 73b, which are provided to extend vertically on the first surface portion 63. In other words, the protector 61 has increased rigidity in the region spanning the first surface portion 63 and the second surface portion 65 due to the wider first bead portion 71.

[0036] By providing a protector 61 on the dash cross member 41 of the vehicle 100, the protruding portion 37 of the exhaust gas purification device 31, which retracts along with the engine 15 when the vehicle 100 is struck forward, can be received by the protector 61. This prevents the protruding portion 37 of the exhaust gas purification device 31 from contacting the dash panel 21 on the rear side of the vehicle and damaging the dash panel 21. Furthermore, since the protector 61 consists of a first surface portion 63 facing the dash panel 21 and a second surface portion 65 that intersects with the first surface portion 63 and extends forward of the vehicle, it can be installed in a narrow space in the width direction of the vehicle, and when pushed by the exhaust gas purification device 31, the second surface portion 65 that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle relative to the first surface portion 63 deforms, absorbing the impact and receiving the protruding portion 37 over a wide area.

[0037] Furthermore, the protector 61 is positioned in the center of one side of the vehicle 100 in the vehicle width direction, and is positioned in a location that overlaps with the footrest space of the occupants in the vehicle width direction. Specifically, the protector 61, like the reinforcement 51, is positioned in the center of the driver's side, which is the right side, in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 100, and is positioned in a location that overlaps with the footrest space of the driver sitting in the driver's seat. Therefore, the protector 61 can receive the protruding portion 37 of the exhaust gas purification device 31 that retracts together with the engine 15 in the event of an offset frontal collision with an oncoming vehicle Vo, and in particular, the footrest space of the driver's seat space 27R on the rear side of the dash panel 21 can be protected.

[0038] Furthermore, since the protector 61 is positioned at the front of the dash panel 21, at the boundary with the backbone 25 located in the center of the vehicle, it can effectively protect the boundary portion of the dash panel 21 with the backbone 25, which is susceptible to damage from impact.

[0039] In particular, the protector 61 has an L-shape, with a second surface portion 65 extending forward from the side edge of the first surface portion 63 on the vehicle-center side in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, when pushed by the exhaust gas purification device 31, the second surface portion 65 extending forward from the side edge of the first surface portion 63 on the vehicle-center side in the vehicle width direction opens in the vehicle width direction to receive the protruding portion 37. Thus, the protruding portion 37 of the exhaust gas purification device 31 can be received over a wide area on the vehicle-center side while absorbing the impact.

[0040] Furthermore, the protector 61 has increased rigidity due to the first bead portion 71 provided spanning the first surface portion 63 and the second surface portion 65, and the second bead portions 73a and 73b provided on the first surface portion 63, so that it can better receive the protruding portion 37 of the exhaust gas purification device 31.

[0041] Furthermore, since the upper second bead portion 73a of the second bead portions 73a and 73b reaches the mounting position of the first surface portion 63 where the dash cross member 41 is attached to the reinforcement 51, the load and impact applied to the protector 61 can be transmitted to the dash cross member 41, and the protruding portion 37 of the exhaust gas purification device 31 can be more favorably received by the protector 61. Further, by forming the second bead portion 73a reaching the dash cross member 41 in the first surface portion 63, the rigidity of the first surface portion 63 can be further increased, and vibration of the protector 61 can be suppressed.

[0042] Further, in the protector 61, the rigidity of the region spanning the first surface portion 63 and the second surface portion 65 is further increased by the first bead portion 71 which is wider than the second bead portions 73a and 73b. That is, the rigidity of the region spanning the first surface portion 63 and the second surface portion 65, for which it is desirable to receive the protruding portion 37 of the exhaust gas purification device 31 over a wide range, can be further increased by the first bead portion 71.

[0043] In the vehicle structure according to the present embodiment, the case where an L-shaped protector 61 having a second surface portion 65 extending toward the vehicle front side from an edge on the vehicle center side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the first surface portion 63 facing the dash panel 21 is provided is exemplified, but the protector 61 may have another shape. That is, as the protector 61, the second surface portion 65 may be provided on either the outer edge in the vehicle width direction or the upper and lower edges with respect to the first surface portion 63 according to the moving direction and moving range of the protruding portion 37 of the exhaust gas purification device 31 that moves backward together with the engine 15 due to a frontal collision, and may also be provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the first surface portion 63 and all of the upper and lower edges.

[0044] Further, in the present embodiment, the protector 61 is arranged below the dash cross member 41, but the protector 61 is arranged at an appropriate position according to the position of the protruding portion 37 of the exhaust gas purification device 31. For example, when the protruding portion 37 of the exhaust gas purification device 31 is arranged on the upper side of the dash cross member 41, the protector 61 is arranged above the dash cross member 41.

[0045] Thus, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. It is also intended and within the scope of protection to be provided for the combination of each configuration of the embodiments, as well as for modifications and applications by those skilled in the art based on the description in the specification and well-known technology.

[0046] As described above, the following matters are disclosed in this specification: (1) A vehicle structure comprising: an on-board component provided at the front of the vehicle and having a protruding portion; a dash panel positioned at the rear of the vehicle relative to the on-board component; a dash cross member provided on the front surface of the dash panel and extending in the vehicle width direction; and a protector provided at a position on the dash cross member opposite to the protruding portion and extending to project in at least one direction in the vertical direction relative to the dash cross member, wherein the protector has a first surface portion facing the dash panel and a second surface portion intersecting the first surface portion and extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction. With this vehicle structure, for example, when the engine recoils due to a frontal collision, the protruding portion of the surrounding component that recoils with the engine can be received by the protector, and damage caused by the protruding portion interfering with the dash panel on the rear side of the vehicle can be avoided. Furthermore, since the protector consists of a first surface facing the dash panel and a second surface that intersects with the first surface and extends in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, it can be installed in a narrow space in the vehicle's width direction. Moreover, when pressed by surrounding parts, the second surface extending in the vehicle's longitudinal direction deforms relative to the first surface, absorbing impact and allowing it to receive the protruding part over a wide area.

[0047] (2) The vehicle structure according to (1), wherein the protector is located in the center of one side in the vehicle width direction. With this vehicle structure, the protruding part of an onboard component that retracts due to a frontal collision can be intercepted by the protector located in the center of one side in the vehicle width direction, thereby protecting the seat space on the rear side of the dashboard panel.

[0048] (3) The vehicle structure according to (1) or (2), wherein the protector is disposed at a position overlapping a footrest space on the vehicle rear side of the dash panel when viewed from the front-rear direction. According to this vehicle structure, the protector can catch the protruding portion of peripheral components that retreat toward the footrest space on the vehicle rear side of the dash panel due to a frontal collision, thereby protecting the footrest space.

[0049] (4) The vehicle structure according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the protector is disposed at a boundary portion with a backbone arranged in the center of the vehicle when viewed from the front-rear direction. According to this vehicle structure, the protector is disposed at the boundary portion with the backbone arranged in the center of the vehicle in front of the dash panel. The dash panel has a difference in rigidity at the boundary portion with the high-rigidity backbone, so it is easily damaged by impact. Therefore, by disposing the protector at the boundary portion with the backbone in front of the dash panel, the boundary portion of the dash panel with the backbone, which is easily damaged by impact, can be effectively protected.

[0050] (5) The vehicle structure according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the protector is formed in an L-shape by the second surface portion extending forward of the vehicle from a side edge of the first surface portion. According to this vehicle structure, for example, when the engine retreats due to a frontal collision, the protruding portion of peripheral components that retreat together with the engine is caught by the L-shaped protector formed of the first surface portion and the second surface portion. In addition, when pushed by the peripheral components, the second surface portion extending forward of the vehicle from the side edge of the first surface portion opens in the vehicle width direction while catching the protruding portion. Therefore, the protruding portion of the peripheral components can be caught over a wide range while absorbing impact.

[0051] (6) The vehicle structure according to (5), wherein the second surface portion is formed on the vehicle center side in the vehicle width direction of the first surface portion. According to this vehicle structure, when pushed by the peripheral components, the second surface portion formed on the vehicle center side in the vehicle width direction of the first surface portion opens in the vehicle width direction while catching the protruding portion. Therefore, the protruding portion of the peripheral components can be caught over a wide range on the vehicle center side while absorbing impact.

[0052] (7) The vehicle structure according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the protector has a first bead portion that extends in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle longitudinal direction so as to span the first surface portion and the second surface portion. With this vehicle structure, the rigidity of the protector can be increased across the first surface portion and the second surface portion, and the protruding portions of surrounding parts can be received more effectively.

[0053] (8) The vehicle structure according to (7), wherein the protector has a second bead portion extending in the vertical direction on the first surface portion. With this vehicle structure, the rigidity of the first surface portion of the protector can be further increased, and the protruding portions of surrounding parts can be received more effectively.

[0054] (9) The vehicle structure according to (8), wherein the second bead portion reaches the mounting position of the first surface portion to the dash cross member. With this vehicle structure, loads and impacts applied to the protector are transmitted to the dash cross member, and the protruding portions of surrounding parts can be better received by the protector. Furthermore, by forming the second bead portion that reaches the dash cross member on the first surface portion, the rigidity of the first surface portion can be further increased, thereby suppressing vibration of the protector.

[0055] (10) The vehicle structure according to (8) or (9), wherein the first bead portion has a wider width than the second bead portion. With this vehicle structure, the rigidity of the region spanning the first surface portion and the second surface portion, where it is desirable to receive protruding portions of surrounding parts over a wide area, can be further increased by the first bead portion.

[0056] (11) The vehicle structure according to any one of (1) to (10), wherein the mounting position of the first surface portion of the protector to the dash cross member is located on the rear side of the vehicle than the front surface of the dash cross member. With this vehicle structure, the protector can be installed while making effective use of the space on the front side of the dash panel.

[0057] 11 Passenger compartment 13 Engine room 15 Engine (onboard components) 17 Frame 19 Side member 21 Dash panel 21a Front 23 Floor panel 25 Backbone 27L Seat space 27R Seat space 29 Shaft cover section 31 Exhaust gas purification device (peripheral components) 33 Exhaust pipe 35 Heat protector 37 Protruding section 41 Dash cross member 43 Front panel 45 Side panel 47 Flange 51 Reinforcement 53 Front panel 53a Mounting hole 55 Side panel 57 Flange 59 Mounting piece 61 Protector 63 First surface section 65 Second surface section 71 First bead section 73a Second bead section 73b Second bead section 100 Vehicle

Claims

1. A vehicle structure comprising: an on-board component provided at the front of the vehicle and having a protruding portion; a dash panel positioned at the rear of the vehicle relative to the on-board component; a dash cross member provided on the front surface of the dash panel and extending in the vehicle width direction; and a protector provided at a position on the dash cross member opposite to the protruding portion and extending so as to protrude in at least one direction in the vertical direction relative to the dash cross member, wherein the protector has a first surface portion facing the dash panel and a second surface portion intersecting the first surface portion and extending in the vehicle front-rear direction.

2. The vehicle structure according to claim 1, wherein the protector is located in the center of one of the left or right sides in the vehicle width direction.

3. The vehicle structure according to claim 1, wherein the protector is positioned in a location that overlaps with the footrest space on the rear side of the dash panel when viewed from the front-rear direction.

4. The vehicle structure according to claim 1, wherein the protector is positioned at the boundary with the backbone located in the center of the vehicle when viewed from the front-rear direction.

5. The vehicle structure according to claim 1, wherein the protector is L-shaped, with the second surface extending forward from the side edge of the first surface.

6. The vehicle structure according to claim 5, wherein the second surface is formed on the vehicle center side in the vehicle width direction of the first surface.

7. The vehicle structure according to claim 1, wherein the protector has a first bead portion that extends in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle longitudinal direction so as to span the first surface portion and the second surface portion.

8. The vehicle structure according to claim 7, wherein the protector has a second bead portion extending in the vertical direction on the first surface portion.

9. The vehicle structure according to claim 8, wherein the second bead portion reaches the mounting position of the first surface portion to the dash cross member.

10. The vehicle structure according to claim 8, wherein the first bead portion has a wider width than the second bead portion.

11. The vehicle structure according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the mounting position of the first surface portion of the protector with respect to the dash cross member is located on the rearward side of the vehicle than the front surface of the dash cross member.

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