Front vehicle-body structure of vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10179610-B2
Application number	US-201615386329-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2016
Priority date	Jan 20, 2016
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

A front vehicle-body structure of a vehicle comprises a hinge pillar, an apron reinforcement, a suspension housing, a side sill, and a connecting member which connects the apron reinforcement to the hinge pillar in a brace shape and connecting the apron reinforcement to a front portion of the side sill. The connecting member includes first and second bending portions which are positioned between a rear face portion and a side face portion and between a forward flange and the side face portion, respectively, and the apron reinforcement and the side sill are continuous to each other via at least one of the first and second bending portions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A front vehicle-body structure of a vehicle, comprising:
a hinge pillar extending in a vehicle vertical direction;
an apron reinforcement connected to an upper portion of the hinge pillar and extending forward;
a suspension housing joined to the apron reinforcement in front of the hinge pillar;
a side sill, positioned on a forward side of the hinge pillar, connected to a lower portion of the hinge pillar and extending rearward;
a connecting member directly connecting the apron reinforcement to the hinge pillar in a brace shape and connecting the apron reinforcement to a front portion of the side sill,
said connecting member includes a front face portion, a rear face portion, a side face portion which connects the front face portion and the rear face portion,
the side face portion is an outer surface in a vehicle width direction,
a gap exists between the side face portion and another outer surface of the hinge pillar, and
a front bend is positioned between the front face portion and the side face portion, said front bend extends in a direction away from said connecting member, and the apron reinforcement and the side sill are connected to each other via said front bend.

2. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 1 , wherein
the apron reinforcement has a closed cross section and a first reinforcing member is provided to longitudinally partition an inside of said closed cross section of the apron reinforcement,
the hinge pillar has a closed cross section and a second reinforcing member is provided to extend obliquely forward and upward and obliquely partition an inside of said closed cross section of the hinge pillar at the lower portion of the hinge pillar,
the side sill has a closed cross section and a third reinforcing member is provided to longitudinally partition an inside of said closed cross section of the side sill,
a lower end portion of said first reinforcing member and an upper end portion of a rear bend that is positioned between the side face portion and the rear face portion are positioned so as to be continuous to each other inside and outside the apron reinforcement,
a lower end portion of said rear bend and an upper end portion of said second reinforcing member are positioned so as to be continuous to each other inside and outside the hinge pillar, and
a lower end portion of said second reinforcing member and an upper end portion of said third reinforcing member are positioned so as to be continuous to each other inside and outside the side sill.

3. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 2 , wherein said rear bend and said second reinforcing member are configured to have substantially the same angle relative to a horizontal direction in a vehicle side view.

4. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 3 , wherein a front face portion of the hinge pillar includes a joint face portion to which the lower end portion of said rear bend and the upper end portion of said second reinforcing member are joined, and said joint face portion is configured to be substantially perpendicular to said angle of said rear bend and said second reinforcing member.

5. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 2 , wherein said first reinforcing member, said second reinforcing member, and said third reinforcing member are a partitioning member, respectively.

6. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 3 , wherein said first reinforcing member, said second reinforcing member, and said third reinforcing member are a partitioning member, respectively.

7. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 4 , wherein said first reinforcing member, said second reinforcing member, and said third reinforcing member are a partitioning member, respectively.

8. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a fourth reinforcing member which longitudinally partitions an inside of the hinge pillar is further provided at the hinge pillar, and said fourth reinforcing member is located substantially at the same level as a lower end portion of said rear bend.

9. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 2 , wherein a fourth reinforcing member which longitudinally partitions an inside of the hinge pillar is further provided at the hinge pillar, and said fourth reinforcing member is located substantially at the same level as a lower end portion of said rear bend.

10. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 7 , wherein a fourth reinforcing member which longitudinally partitions an inside of the hinge pillar is further provided at the hinge pillar, and said fourth reinforcing member is located substantially at the same level as a lower end portion of said rear bend.

11. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 8 , wherein said fourth reinforcing member is a partitioning member.

12. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 9 , wherein said fourth reinforcing member is a partitioning member.

13. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 10 , wherein said fourth reinforcing member is a partitioning member.

14. A front vehicle-body structure of a vehicle, comprising:
a hinge pillar extending in a vehicle vertical direction;
an apron reinforcement connected to an upper portion of the hinge pillar and extending forward;
a suspension housing joined to the apron reinforcement in front of the hinge pillar;
a side sill connected to a lower portion of the hinge pillar and extending rearward;
a connecting member connecting the apron reinforcement to the hinge pillar in a brace shape and connecting the apron reinforcement to a front portion of the side sill,
a wheel house that exists in front of said connecting member and below the apron reinforcement,
said connecting member includes a front face portion, a rear face portion and a side face portion which connects the front face portion and the rear face portion,
the front face portion constitutes a part of said wheel house,
a front bend which is positioned directly between the front face portion and the side face portion, said front bend extends in a direction away from said connecting member.

15. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 14 , wherein said front bend is in an arc shape along said wheel house.

16. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 14 , wherein said front bend is formed by bending the side face portion in a vehicle width direction.

17. The front vehicle-body structure of the vehicle of claim 14 , wherein said rear bend is bent inward in a vehicle width direction.

Assignees

• Mazda Motor

Inventors

• Nakamura Takeshi
• Kawasaki Keizo

Classifications

• B62D25/081

  Cowls (ventilating openings situated directly in front of the vehicle front window B60H1/28) · CPC title

• B60Y2306/09

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• B62D25/04

  Door pillars {; windshield pillars} · CPC title

• B62D25/088 Primary

  Details of structures as upper supports for springs or dampers · CPC title

• B62D25/082

  Engine compartments · CPC title