Front subframe structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10654525-B2
Application number	US-201815906634-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2018
Priority date	Mar 27, 2017
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A front subframe structure includes front and rear cross members, a pair of left and right side members, and a vehicle body mounting portion disposed on front ends of the side members. The side member has a lateral widening portion at a front end thereof, wherein the lateral widening portion bulges outward in a vehicle width direction. The front cross member has a front widening portion at an end portion thereof in the vehicle width direction, wherein the front widening portion bulges forward of the vehicle. A portion of the front cross member excluding the front widening portion is disposed on the rear side with respect to the vehicle body mounting portion, and on the front side with respect to a rear end of the lateral widening portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A front subframe structure for supporting a suspension arm, comprising:
a rear cross member extending in a vehicle width direction;
a pair of left and right side members extending from the rear cross member in a forward vehicle direction;
a front cross member configured to connect front ends of the paired left and right side members in the vehicle width direction; and
a vehicle body mounting portion disposed on a front end of each side member and configured to mount the respective side member to a vehicle body, wherein
each side member has a lateral widening portion at a front end thereof, each lateral widening portion bulging outward in the vehicle width direction,
the front cross member has a body portion extending in the vehicle width direction between the pair of side members, and a front widening portion formed on a front side of an end portion in the vehicle width direction of the body portion, the front widening portion projecting forward in the forward vehicle direction from a front surface of the body portion, and
all of the body portion of the front cross member is disposed on a rear side with respect to the vehicle body mounting portion, and on a front side with respect to a rear end of each lateral widening portion.

2. The front subframe structure according to claim 1 , wherein
an auxiliary component is disposed on a front side of the front cross member, and
the front widening portion is disposed on an outer side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the auxiliary component.

3. The front subframe structure according to claim 2 , wherein
the auxiliary component is disposed at such a position that it overlaps with the front widening portion and the vehicle body mounting portion in a vehicle front-rear direction.

4. The front subframe structure according to claim 1 , wherein
a bumper reinforcement extending in the vehicle width direction is mounted on a front end of each of the paired left and right side members via a crash can, and
a front surface of each lateral widening portion and a rear surface of the respective bumper reinforcement are disposed away from each other in a vehicle front-rear direction so that a space portion exists between the respective front surface and the respective rear surface.

5. The front subframe structure according to claim 1 , wherein
a bending promotion portion is disposed on a portion of each side member that is rearward of and spaced away from the respective lateral widening portion, and
a powertrain is provided on an inner side of each bending promotion portion in the vehicle width direction.

6. The front subframe structure according to claim 5 , wherein
each bending promotion portion is a recessed groove in an outer lateral surface on the portion of the respective side member that is rearward of and spaced away from the respective lateral widening portion, and
each recessed groove is recessed inward in the vehicle width direction, and extends in an up-down direction.

7. The front subframe structure according to claim 5 , wherein
each bending promotion portion is a curved portion in the portion of the respective side member that is rearward of and spaced away from the respective lateral widening portion, and
each curved portion is curved inward in the vehicle width direction.

8. A front subframe structure for supporting a suspension arm, comprising:
a rear cross member extending in a vehicle width direction;
a pair of left and right side members extending from the rear cross member in a forward vehicle direction;
a front cross member configured to connect front ends of the paired left and right side members in the vehicle width direction; and
a vehicle body mounting portion disposed on a front end of each side member and configured to mount the respective side member to a vehicle body, wherein
each side member has a lateral widening portion at a front end thereof, each lateral widening portion bulging outward in the vehicle width direction,
both ends of the front cross member in the vehicle width direction have a shape different from a shape of an intermediate portion of the front cross member excluding the both ends so that a neutral axis of the front cross member is offset in the forward vehicle direction, as compared with a configuration, in which both ends of a front cross member in a vehicle width direction have a shape identical to the shape of the intermediate portion, and
the intermediate portion of the front cross member is disposed on a rear side with respect to the vehicle body mounting portion, and on a front side with respect to a rear end of each lateral widening portion.

9. The front subframe structure according to claim 8 , wherein
each of the both ends of the front cross member in the vehicle width direction has a shape such that each of the both ends extends more forward in the forward vehicle direction than the intermediate portion.

10. A front subframe structure for supporting a suspension arm, comprising:
a rear cross member extending in a vehicle width direction;
a pair of left and right side members extending from the rear cross member in a forward vehicle direction;
a front cross member configured to connect front ends of the paired left and right side members in the vehicle width direction; and
a vehicle body mounting portion disposed on a front end of each side member and configured to mount the respective side member to a vehicle body, wherein
each side member has a lateral widening portion at a front end thereof, each lateral widening portion bulging outward in the vehicle width direction,
a portion of the front cross member at least excluding both ends thereof in the vehicle width direction is disposed on a rear side with respect to the vehicle body mounting portion, and on a front side with respect to a rear end of the lateral widening portion, and
a bending promotion portion configured to bend the side member inward in the vehicle width direction when a collision load is input on a portion of each side member that is rearward of and spaced away from the respective lateral widening portion, wherein
each bending promotion portion is a recessed groove in an outer lateral surface on the portion of the respective side member that is rearward of and spaced away from the respective lateral widening portion, and
each recessed groove is recessed inward in the vehicle width direction, and extends in an up-down direction.

11. The front subframe structure according to claim 10 , wherein
each bending promotion portion is a curved portion in the portion of the respective side member that is rearward of and spaced away from the respective lateral widening portion, and
each curved portion is curved inward in the vehicle width direction.

Assignees

• Mazda Motor

Inventors

• Komiya Katsuyuki
• Ishikawa Yasushi

Classifications

• B60G2206/60

  Subframe construction · CPC title

• B62D21/11

  with resilient means for suspension {, e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions} · CPC title

• B60G7/02

  Attaching arms to sprung part of vehicle {(B60G7/006 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60G2204/1431

  of an L-shaped arm · CPC title

• B60R19/34

  destroyed upon impact, e.g. one-shot type · CPC title