Connection structure of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9545950-B2
Application number	US-201514698475-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2015
Priority date	Oct 17, 2014
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

A connection structure of a vehicle includes a fender apron upper extending in a length direction of the vehicle, a front side member extending in a length direction of the vehicle, a front reinforcement, a bumper, and a back beam mounted in an inner side of the bumper. A front end portion of the fender apron upper is connected to one end of the front reinforcement and a rear end portion of the fender apron upper is connected to at least one of a cowl and a front pillar. A front end portion of the front side member is connected to the back beam and a rear end portion of the front side member is connected to a lower portion of the vehicle body. The other end of the front reinforcement is coupled to a front side portion of the front side member in the length direction thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connection structure of a vehicle having a body, the connection structure comprising:
a fender apron upper extending in a length direction of the vehicle, the fender apron upper having a front end portion and a rear end portion;
a front side member extending in the length direction of the vehicle, the front side member having a front end portion and a rear end portion;
a front reinforcement;
a bumper; and
a back beam mounted in an inner side of the bumper,
wherein the front end portion of the fender apron upper is connected to the front reinforcement and the rear end portion of the fender apron upper is connected to at least one of a cowl and a front pillar such that the fender apron upper strengthens a front portion and a side portion of the body of the vehicle,
wherein the front end portion of the front side member is connected to the back beam in order to absorb an external impact and the rear end portion of the front side member is connected to a lower portion of the body of the vehicle such that the front side member forms a part of a frame of the front portion of the body of the vehicle,
wherein one end of the front reinforcement is coupled to the front end portion of the fender apron upper and the other end of the front reinforcement is coupled to a front side portion of the front side member,
wherein an exterior surface of an inner end portion of the front reinforcement in a width direction of the vehicle makes contact with an interior surface of the front side member,
wherein the front side member comprises: an inner portion disposed at an inner side in the width direction of the vehicle; and an outer portion disposed at an outer side in the width direction of the vehicle,
wherein the front reinforcement is mounted such that the exterior surface of the inner end portion of the front reinforcement in the width direction of the vehicle makes contact with an interior surface of the inner portion of the front side member, and
wherein a cross section of the front reinforcement, substantially perpendicular to the length direction thereof, is an open shape including a straight line and at least two side lines, each of two of the at least two side lines is connected to an end of the straight line, and an opening of the open shape is opposite the straight line.

2. The connection structure of claim 1 ,
wherein the front reinforcement is mounted such that the length direction of the front reinforcement is parallel or substantially parallel to the width direction of the vehicle.

3. The connection structure of claim 1 ,
wherein an interior surface or an exterior surface of a front end portion of the outer portion of the front side member in a length direction thereof makes contact with a rear surface of the front reinforcement in the length direction of the vehicle.

4. The connection structure of claim 1 ,
wherein a portion of the exterior surface of the inner end portion of the front reinforcement in the width direction of the vehicle has a same or a substantially same shape as the interior surface of the inner portion of the front side member.

5. The connection structure of claim 1 ,
wherein the fender apron upper comprises:
an inner portion disposed at an inner side in the width direction of the vehicle; and
an outer portion disposed at an outer side in the width direction of the vehicle, and
wherein an exterior surface of an outer end portion of the front reinforcement in the width direction of the vehicle makes contact with an interior surface or an exterior surface of a front end portion of the inner portion of the fender apron upper in a length direction thereof.

6. The connection structure of claim 5 ,
wherein the outer end portion of the front reinforcement in the width direction of the vehicle makes contact with an interior surface of a front end portion of the outer portion of the fender apron upper.

7. The connection structure of claim 5 , further comprising:
a front sub-frame forming a ring-shaped or quadrangle frame of the front portion of the vehicle body and supporting an engine and a suspension module;
a mounting bracket coupling the front reinforcement to the front sub-frame; and
an extension gusset coupling the front side member to the front sub-frame,
wherein the mounting bracket is mounted such that an interior surface of an upper end portion of the mounting bracket in a height direction of the vehicle makes contact with at least one of a lower surface of the front reinforcement in the height direction of the vehicle and a rear surface of the front reinforcement in the length direction of the vehicle, and
wherein the extension gusset is mounted such that an interior surface of an upper end portion of the extension gusset in the height direction of the vehicle makes contact with an exterior surface of the inner portion of the front side member.

8. The connection structure of claim 7 , further comprising
an outer front extension making contact with at least one of a front end of the inner portion of the front side member in a length direction thereof, a front end of the front reinforcement in the length direction of the vehicle, a front end of the mounting bracket in the length direction of the vehicle, and a front end of the extension gusset in the length direction of the vehicle, in order to close a face including at least one of the front ends.

9. The connection structure of claim 8 ,
wherein a bolt is mounted on a lower portion of the mounting bracket, and
wherein a lower portion of the bolt in the height direction of the vehicle is coupled to a bolt coupling portion of the front sub-frame and an upper portion of the bolt in the height direction of the vehicle is coupled to the front reinforcement.

10. The connection structure of claim 9 ,
wherein the upper portion of the bolt in the height direction of the vehicle and the front reinforcement are coupled through CO 2 welding.

11. A connection structure of a vehicle having a body, the connection structure comprising:
a fender apron upper extending in a length direction of the vehicle, the fender apron upper having a front end portion and a rear end portion;
a front side member extending in the length direction of the vehicle, the front side member having a front end portion and a rear end portion;
a front reinforcement;
a bumper;
a back beam mounted in an inner side of the bumper,
a front sub-frame forming a ring-shaped or quadrangle frame of the front portion of the vehicle body and supporting an engine and a suspension module,
a mounting bracket coupling the front reinforcement to the front sub-frame, and
an extension gusset coupling the front side member to the front sub-frame,
wherein the front end portion of the fender apron upper is connected to the front reinforcement and the rear end portion of the fender apron upper is connected to at least one of a cowl and a front pillar such that the fender apron upper strengthens a front portion and a side portion of the body of the vehicle,
wherein the front end portion of the front side member is connected to the back beam in order to absorb an external impact and the rear end portion of the front side member is connected to a lower portion of the body of the vehicle such that the front side member forms a part of a frame of the front portion of the body of the vehicle,
wherein one end of the front reinforcement is coupled to the front end portion of the fender apron upper and the other end of the front reinforcement is coupled to a front side portion of the front side member,
wherein an exterior surface of an inner end portion of the front reinforcement in a width direction of the vehicle makes con

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Sun Ju
• An Kwang Hee

Classifications

• B62D25/082

  Engine compartments · CPC title

• B62D21/152 Primary

  Front or rear frames · CPC title

• B62D25/20 Primary

  Floors or bottom sub-units {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006)} · CPC title

• B62D25/08

  Front or rear portions {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11)} · CPC title