Front structure of vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10596994-B2
Application number	US-201815876232-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2018
Priority date	Feb 17, 2017
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

A grill bracket, a rear end portion of which is fixed to a shroud, is provided below a fascia upper member which is provided in front of a bonnet (engine hood). A front-side portion of the grill bracket is configured as an impact absorbing structure (a rib structure with ribs, for example) which extends forward along a back face of the fascia upper member. A front end portion of the impact absorbing structure is configured to be bent downward. Impact absorption for a relatively-small load which is applied from an upward side is attained by downward-bending deformation of the grill bracket (the front-side portion). Impact absorption for a relatively-large load which is applied from a forward side is attained by a bracing operation as well as downward-bending deformation of the front-side portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A front structure of a vehicle, comprising:
a fascia upper member provided in front of a bonnet; and
a grill bracket provided below the fascia upper member, a rear end portion of which is fixed to a shroud;
wherein a front-side portion of said grill bracket is configured to extend along a back face of said fascia upper member, and a front end portion of said front-side portion of said grill bracket is configured to be bent downward,
a fixation portion of said rear end portion of said grill bracket to said shroud is positioned at a higher level than said front end portion of said front-side portion of said grill bracket,
a rear portion of said front-side portion of said grill bracket is configured as an upward-protrusion portion which protrudes upward, and a rear end portion of said fascia upper member is fixed to said upward-protrusion portion, and
a lower end of said rear end portion of said grill bracket is located at a lower level than a fixation part where said rear end portion of said grill bracket is fixed onto an upper face of said shroud, the lower end of said rear end portion of said grill bracket being in front of the fixation part.

2. The front structure of the vehicle of claim 1 , an upper end of the front end portion of said front-side portion of said grill bracket is positioned at a lower level than a lower end of a rear end portion of said front-side portion of said grill bracket.

3. The front structure of the vehicle of claim 1 , said front-side portion of said grill bracket comprises a lateral rib which extends in a vehicle width direction and a longitudinal rib which extends in a longitudinal direction and connects to the lateral rib.

4. The front structure of the vehicle of claim 2 , said front-side portion of said grill bracket comprises a lateral rib which extends in a vehicle width direction and a longitudinal rib which extends in a longitudinal direction and connects to the lateral rib.

5. The front structure of the vehicle of claim 1 , a grill opening portion where a grill member is provided is provided below said fascia upper member, and a lower end of said grill bracket is positioned at a higher level than an upper edge portion of said grill opening portion.

6. The front structure of the vehicle of claim 2 , a grill opening portion where a grill member is provided is provided below said fascia upper member, and a lower end of said grill bracket is positioned at a higher level than an upper edge portion of said grill opening portion.

7. The front structure of the vehicle of claim 3 , a grill opening portion where a grill member is provided is provided below said fascia upper member, and a lower end of said grill bracket is positioned at a higher level than an upper edge portion of said grill opening portion.

8. A front structure of a vehicle, comprising:
a fascia upper member provided in front of a bonnet; and
a grill bracket provided below the fascia upper member, a rear end portion of which is fixed to a shroud;
wherein a front-side portion of said grill bracket is configured to extend along a back face of said fascia upper member, and a front end portion of said front-side portion of said grill bracket is configured to be bent downward,
a fixation portion of said rear end portion of said grill bracket to said shroud is positioned at a higher level than said front end portion of said front-side portion of said grill bracket,
a rear portion of said front-side portion of said grill bracket is configured as an upward-protrusion portion which protrudes upward, and a rear end portion of said fascia upper member is fixed to said upward-protrusion portion, and
said shroud is positioned such that said shroud faces a rear end face of said rear end portion of said front-side portion of said grill bracket in a vehicle longitudinal direction.

9. A front structure of a vehicle, comprising:
a fascia upper member provided in front of a bonnet; and
a grill bracket provided below the fascia upper member, a rear end portion of which is fixed to a shroud;
wherein a front-side portion of said grill bracket is configured to extend along a back face of said fascia upper member, and a front end portion of said front-side portion of said grill bracket is configured to be bent downward,
a fixation portion of said rear end portion of said grill bracket to said shroud is positioned at a higher level than said front end portion of said front-side portion of said grill bracket,
a rear portion of said front-side portion of said grill bracket is configured as an upward-protrusion portion which protrudes upward, and a rear end portion of said fascia upper member is fixed to said upward-protrusion portion, and
a forward-extending member is provided right below a rear-side portion of said grill bracket, said forward-extending member comprising a rear portion which extends in a longitudinal direction and is of a roughly flat-plate shape, a vertical wall portion which extends downward from a front end of the rear portion which extends in the longitudinal direction, said vertical wall portion of said forward-extending member is positioned such that said vertical wall portion of said forward-extending member faces a rear end face of said front-side portion of said grill bracket.

Assignees

• Mazda Motor

Inventors

• Yoshimoto Hiroyuki
• Yamada Takeshi

Classifications

• B60R2019/527

  integral with bumpers · CPC title

• B60R2021/343

  using deformable body panel, bodywork or components · CPC title

• B62D21/152

  Front or rear frames · CPC title

• B60R19/52

  Radiator or grille guards {; Radiator grilles (cooling aspects B60K11/08)} · CPC title

• B60R21/34 Primary

  Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians {(B60R19/02 takes precedence)} · CPC title