Structure for vehicle body front portion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9446725-B2
Application number	US-201314428618-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2013
Priority date	Dec 4, 2012
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A structure for vehicle body front portion includes: a front side member; an apron member including an end positioned at a front side of a vehicle with respect to an end of the front side member; a bumper reinforcement including a vehicle width direction outside portion with a first and a second coupling portions; a coupling member that couples the front end of the front side member and the front end of the apron member; an inner energy absorbing portion disposed at the front end of the front side member at a front side of the vehicle; the inner energy absorbing portion coupling the coupling member and the first coupling portion; and an outer energy absorbing portion disposed at the front end of the apron member at a front side of the vehicle; and the outer energy absorbing portion coupling the coupling member and the second coupling portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A structure for vehicle body front portion comprising:
a front side member;
an apron member disposed outside in a vehicle width direction with respect to the front side member, the apron member including a front end positioned at a front side of a vehicle with respect to a front end of the front side member;
a bumper reinforcement disposed at the front side of the vehicle with respect to the front side member and the apron member, the bumper reinforcement extending in a vehicle width direction, the bumper reinforcement including a vehicle width direction outside portion with a first coupling portion and a second coupling portion, the second coupling portion being positioned outside in the vehicle width direction and a rear side of the vehicle with respect to the first coupling portion;
a coupling member that couples the front end of the front side member and the front end of the apron member;
an inner energy absorbing portion disposed at the front end of the front side member at the front side of the vehicle, the inner energy absorbing portion coupling the coupling member and the first coupling portion; and
an outer energy absorbing portion disposed at the front end of the apron member at the front side of the vehicle, the outer energy absorbing portion coupling the coupling member and the second coupling portion.

2. The structure for vehicle body front portion according to claim 1 , wherein
the apron member includes an extending portion between a vehicle front-rear direction middle portion and a front portion of the apron member, the extending portion heading for a bottom side of the vehicle as approaching the front side of the vehicle, and the front portion of the apron member forms a straight line portion extending in a vehicle front-rear direction.

3. The structure for vehicle body front portion according to claim 2 , wherein
the extending portion includes a boundary to divide the apron member into a front divided portion and a rear divided portion.

4. The structure for vehicle body front portion according to claim 3 , wherein
the front divided portion has a lower strength than the rear divided portion.

5. The structure for vehicle body front portion according to claim 2 , wherein
the coupling member includes an inner coupling portion and an outer coupling portion, the inner coupling portion being coupled to the front end of the front side member, the outer coupling portion being positioned at the front side of the vehicle with respect to the inner coupling portion, the outer coupling portion being coupled to the front end of the apron member, and
the straight line portion has a rear end positioned at a rear side of the vehicle with respect to the inner coupling portion.

6. The structure for vehicle body front portion according to claim 2 , wherein
the extending portion curves to form a convex toward a rear side of the vehicle and the bottom side of the vehicle.

7. The structure for vehicle body front portion according to claim 1 , wherein
the coupling member includes an inner coupling portion, an outer coupling portion, and a center coupling portion, the inner coupling portion being coupled to a rear end of the inner energy absorbing portion and the front end of the front side member, the outer coupling portion being positioned at the front side of the vehicle with respect to the inner coupling portion, the outer coupling portion being coupled to a rear end of the outer energy absorbing portion and the front end of the apron member, the center coupling portion coupling the inner coupling portion and the outer coupling portion.

8. The structure for vehicle body front portion according to claim 7 , wherein
the center coupling portion is inclined toward the rear side of the vehicle as approaching inside in the vehicle width direction.

9. The structure for vehicle body front portion according to claim 8 , wherein
the coupling member includes a front side plate and a rear side plate divided in a vehicle front-rear direction, and
the front side plate and the rear side plate overlap with one another at the inner coupling portion and the outer coupling portion while separated from one another at the center coupling portion.

10. The structure for vehicle body front portion according to claim 1 , wherein
the outer energy absorbing portion includes a pair of ridgelines that are formed at portion of outside in the vehicle width direction and being arranged in the vehicle width direction and each extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, and
the apron member includes a sidewall portion that is positioned outside in the vehicle width direction and being positioned between the pair of ridgelines in the vehicle width direction.

11. The structure for vehicle body front portion according to claim 1 , wherein
the inner energy absorbing portion includes a first ridgeline and a first bead, the first ridgeline extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, the first bead being across the first ridgeline and extending in the vehicle width direction, and
the outer energy absorbing portion includes a second ridgeline and a second bead, the second ridgeline extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, the second bead being across the second ridgeline and extending in the vehicle width direction, wherein
the second bead has a length longer than the first bead along the vehicle width direction.

Assignees

• Yamada Kenjiro
• Kitakata Shintaro
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yamada Kenjiro
• Kitakata Shintaro

Classifications

• B62D25/082

  Engine compartments · CPC title

• B60R19/34 Primary

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

• B62D21/152

  Front or rear frames · CPC title