Cowl side reinforcement structure in vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9840284-B2
Application number	US-201615193197-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2016
Priority date	Dec 3, 2015
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A cowl side reinforcement structure of a vehicle includes a front pillar outer upper reinforcement member, a hood hinge mounting reinforcement member, and a cowl side reinforcement member. The front pillar outer upper reinforcement member forms a box-shaped cross-section with a cowl side, and forms a welding gun passing hole. The hood hinge mounting reinforcement member partially overlaps the front pillar outer upper reinforcement member. The cowl side reinforcement member is fixed to the hood hinge mounting reinforcement member, and includes a box-shaped body forming an internal space connected with the welding gun passing hole.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cowl side reinforcement structure of a vehicle, provided between a position where a side complete, a floor complete, and a cowl complete contact each other in a cowl side, comprising:
a front pillar outer upper reinforcement member fixed to the cowl side, a front side end of a side outer body, and a fender apron upper member, and forming a box-shaped cross-section with the cowl side and forming a welding gun passing hole;
a hood hinge mounting reinforcement member partially overlapping the front pillar outer upper reinforcement member and fixed to the front pillar outer upper reinforcement member, the fender apron upper member, and a cowl inner lower panel; and
a cowl side reinforcement member fixed to the hood hinge mounting reinforcement member, the cowl inner lower panel, and the fender apron upper member in the hood hinge mounting reinforcement member, and including a box-shaped body forming an internal space connected with the welding gun passing hole.

2. The cowl side reinforcement structure of claim 1 , wherein the front pillar outer upper reinforcement member comprises:
a first side surface portion facing the cowl side and forming the welding gun passing hole;
a first upper surface portion, a bottom surface portion, and a rear surface portion respectively bent from an upper side, a bottom side, and a rear side of the first side surface portion; and
an upper flange and a lower flange respectively bent from the first upper surface portion and the bottom surface portion and thus fixed to the cowl side.

3. The cowl side reinforcement structure of claim 2 , wherein the rear surface portion is fixed to a front side end of the side outer body, and the first upper surface portion, the first side surface portion, and a front side end of the bottom surface portion are fixed to the fender apron upper member.

4. The cowl side reinforcement structure of claim 2 , wherein the hood hinge mounting reinforcement member comprises:
a second side surface portion partially overlapping the first side surface portion so as not to cover the welding gun passing hole;
a second upper surface portion bent from an upper side of the second side surface portion and thus partially overlapping the first upper surface portion; and
a rear flange bent from a rear side of the second side surface portion.

5. The cowl side reinforcement structure of claim 4 , wherein one part of the second upper surface portion is fixed to the first upper surface portion, another part of the second upper surface portion is fixed to the fender apron upper member, and the rear flange is fixed to a vertical portion of the cowl inner lower panel.

6. The cowl side reinforcement structure of claim 4 , wherein an upper side end of the cowl side, the upper flange and the first upper surface portion of the front pillar outer upper reinforcement member, and the second upper surface portion of the hood hinge mounting reinforcement member are inclined with respect to the ground and thus connect the fender apron upper member and the front pillar.

7. The cowl side reinforcement structure of claim 4 , wherein the box-shaped body of the cowl side reinforcement member comprises:
a third side surface portion facing the welding gun passing hole and separated from the first side surface portion;
a third upper surface portion bent from an upper side of the third side surface portion; and
a front surface portion bent from a front side of the third side surface portion, and
edges of the box-shaped body are closely attached to the vehicle to close and seal the internal space.

8. The cowl side reinforcement structure of claim 7 , wherein the cowl side reinforcement member further comprises:
a first flange connected to an edge of the third side surface portion and a rear side edge of the third upper surface portion and fixed to the cowl inner lower panel;
a second flange connected to an outer edge of the third upper surface portion and fixed to the hood hinge mounting reinforcement member; and
a third flange connected to an edge of the front surface portion and a front side edge of the third side surface portion and fixed to the fender apron upper member and a part of a shock absorber housing.

9. The cowl side reinforcement structure of claim 7 , wherein during assembly of the vehicle before assembly of the cowl side, a welding gun is configured to enter into the box-shaped body through the welding gun passing hole such that the floor complete and the cowl complete are welded in the internal space of the box-shaped body.

Assignees

• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kang Changu

Classifications

• B62D25/04

  Door pillars {; windshield pillars} · CPC title

• B62D25/12

  Parts or details thereof (locks E05B, {E05B83/16; devices for holding open E05C17/00, e.g. while carrying oversize objects E05C17/042}; hinges E05D; counterbalancing means E05F; {checks, stops, buffers E05F5/00; } springs, {e.g. pneumatic springs} F16F) · CPC title

• B62D65/06

  the sub-units or components being doors, windows, openable roofs, lids, bonnets, or weather strips or seals therefor {(assembling sealing arrangements with vehicle parts, e.g. doors, windows B60J10/45)} · CPC title

• B62D25/081 Primary

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

• B62D24/04

  Vehicle body mounted on resilient suspension for movement relative to the vehicle frame · CPC title