Front vehicle body structure

A front vehicle body structure includes: lower side members extended in a length direction of a vehicle, and disposed at left and right sides in a width direction of the vehicle; a dash lower cross reinforcement member extended in the width direction of the vehicle, and to which a rear end of each of the front lower side members in the length direction of the vehicle is coupled; and joints to which the rear ends of the left and right front lower side members and the dash lower cross reinforcement member are coupled, which can result in enhanced structural rigidity of the vehicle front body.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0178659 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Dec. 14, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a front vehicle body structure, more particularly, to a front vehicle body structure formed by coupling space frames.

(b) Description of the Related Art

In general, a front vehicle body of a vehicle is a frame structure which is positioned at a front side in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle while forming an engine compartment, and includes a front end module which forms a front side of the engine compartment and accommodates a cooling module, a head lamp, etc., a front fender apron member which forms the left and right sides of the engine compartment and accommodates a suspension system and has a space in which wheels are installed, and a dash panel which is positioned at the rear of the engine compartment and partitions a passenger compartment and the engine compartment.

Also, below the engine compartment, front side members extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle are disposed at left and right sides, respectively, to reinforce the structural strength of the front vehicle body, and a sub-frame is disposed below the front side member and coupled with the front side member so as to install and support the engine and a transmission at the engine compartment as well as a suspension system, etc.

A high performance vehicle tends to lighten the weight of the vehicle to improve running performance of the vehicle, and space frames, each made of an aluminum material which is relatively lighter than steel are coupled to lighten the weight of the vehicle.

In such an aluminum space frame vehicle body, rigidity of a dash portion is increased to improve front collision response performance of the vehicle, thereby safely protecting passengers and improve riding and handling (R&H) performance to thereby improve marketability of the vehicle.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a front vehicle body structure that can improve riding and handling (R&H) performance by enhancing rigidity of a vehicle by rigidly connecting left and right front side members and safely protect passengers by properly distributing an impact load transferred through the front side members to other portions of the vehicle when a collision occurs.

A front vehicle body structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: lower side members extended in a length direction of a vehicle, and disposed at left and right sides in a width direction of the vehicle; a dash lower cross reinforcement member extended in the width direction of the vehicle, and to which a rear end of each of the front lower side members in the length direction of the vehicle is coupled; and joints to which the rear ends of the left and right front lower side members and the dash lower cross reinforcement member are coupled.

Reinforcement brackets may be attached to corners where the front lower side members and the dash lower cross reinforcement member intersect. The reinforcement bracket may be attached while filling a portion of the corner.

The reinforcement bracket may be formed in the shape of a triangular block. Ends of the dash lower side members may be coupled to lateral ends of the dash lower cross reinforcement member in the width direction of the vehicle, and other ends of the dash lower side members may be coupled to a side seal extended in the length direction of the vehicle.

The dash lower cross reinforcement members may have multiple cross-sections.

The multiple cross-sections may include: a triangular-shaped first cross-section; a pentagonal-shaped second cross-section sharing an oblique side of the first cross-section; and a quadrangular-shaped third cross-section sharing the oblique side of the first cross-section and the bottom side of the second cross-section.

The dash lower cross reinforcement member may be extrusion-molded using a single extruded material.

One end of a rear side lower reinforcement member obliquely disposed in a length directional front side of the vehicle and a height directional upper side of the vehicle may be coupled by being inserted to lateral ends of the dash lower cross reinforcement member in the width direction of the vehicle, and the other end of the rear side lower reinforcement member may be connected to a dash center cross reinforcement member extended in the width direction of the vehicle.

The joint may include: a joint body formed in the shape of a quadrangular plate; an upper flange bent inward in the width direction of the vehicle from an upper end edge of the joint body and thus coupled to an upper surface of the front lower side member in the height direction of the vehicle; and a lower flange bent inward in the width direction of the vehicle from a lower end edge of the joint body and thus coupled to a bottom surface of the front lower side member in the height direction of the vehicle.

The front vehicle body structure may further include: an upper extension flange disposed in an upper portion in the height direction of the vehicle by being further extended to a rear side from a rear side upper end edge of the joint body in the length direction of the vehicle; and a lower extension flange disposed in a lower portion in the height direction of the vehicle by being further extended to a rear side from a rear side lower end edge of the joint body in the length direction of the vehicle, wherein the dash lower cross reinforcement member may be coupled by being inserted between the upper extension flange and the lower extension flange.

Two fastening bosses, each provided with a fastening hole, may be formed by protruding in the joint body and the two fastening bosses are disposed at a distance from each other in the length direction of the vehicle, and one end of a lower arm may be coupled by being fastened to the fastening holes.

A plurality of radial ribs may be formed by integrally protruding in the joint body, and the plurality of radial ribs connect the two fastening bosses to each other and connect the respective fastening bosses to the joint body to enhance structural rigidity.

An inclined surface inclined in the length direction of the vehicle and a lower side in the height direction of the vehicle may be formed adjacent to the upper extension flange such that a rear side lower reinforcement member inclined in a front side of the length direction of the vehicle and an upper side of the height direction of the vehicle may be coupled by being mounted to the inclined surface.

The second cross-section of the dash lower cross reinforcement member may be cut such that a coupling groove is formed, and a rear side lower reinforcement member inclined in a front side of the length direction of the vehicle and an upper side of the height direction of the vehicle may be coupled by being inserted to the coupling groove.

The joint body may be provided with an expansion horizontal surface expanded in the shape of a triangle to the outer side in the width direction of the vehicle and a quadrangular-shaped expansion vertical surface extended upward in the height direction of the vehicle from one edge of the expansion horizontal surface.

The dash center cross reinforcement member and the dash lower cross reinforcement member may be connected to each other by two front tunnel side members.

The two front tunnel side members may extend with an inclination in the height direction of the vehicle and a front side in the length direction of the vehicle, and may be disposed at a distance from each other along the width direction of the vehicle such that an entrance of a tunnel extended in a rear side along the length direction of the vehicle is formed.

The dash lower cross reinforcement member may cross the tunnel and may be made of a single extruded material.

The dash lower cross reinforcement member, a rear upper cross reinforcement member disposed higher than the dash center cross reinforcement member in the height direction of the vehicle and extended in the width direction of the vehicle, a cowl cross upper member disposed higher than the rear upper cross reinforcement member and extended in the width direction of the vehicle, and front pillar members extended in the height direction of the vehicle and disposed in the left and right sides of the vehicle may form a “” shaped truss structure.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the left and right front lower side members are rigidly connected with each other by the dash lower cross reinforcement member, and the vehicle members are connected with each other while substantially forming “” shaped truss structure such that stiffness of the vehicle, specifically structural rigidity is enhanced, thereby improving R&H performance and marketability of the vehicle.

Since vehicle stiffness and connection rigidity are improved, impact load from a collision of the vehicle can be appropriately distributed and transferred to provide enhanced vehicle safety.

The front lower side members and the dash lower cross reinforcement member form multiple cross-sections such that structural rigidity and interconnection can be improved.

The front side members manufactured through an extrusion method and the joints manufactured through a die-casting method are properly coupled such that coupling rigidity between the front side member and the joint can be enhanced, and when a suspension arm is mounted to the joint, mounting rigidity of the suspension arm is enhanced, thereby improving driving performance of the vehicle.

The shape of the joint manufactured through the expensive die-casting method is optimized to thereby save manufacturing cost of the front vehicle body and lightening the weight of the front vehicle body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 3, a front vehicle body structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include front lower side members1, front upper side members2, and fender apron upper members3that extend in a length direction of a vehicle.

Along the height direction of the vehicle, the front lower side members1may be disposed in a lower portion, the front upper side members2may be disposed in a center, and the fender apron upper members3may be disposed in an upper portion.

Front portions of the left and right front lower side members1in the length direction of the vehicle may be connected to each other by a front lower cross reinforcement member11, center portions thereof may be connected to each other by a center lower cross reinforcement member12extending in a width direction of the vehicle, and rear portions thereof may be connected to each other by a dash lower cross reinforcement member50extending in the width direction of the vehicle.

The front portions of the left and right front upper side members2in the length direction of the vehicle may be connected to each other by a bumper beam40extending in the width direction of the vehicle, and the rear portions of the front upper side members2may be connected to each other by a dash center cross reinforcement member51extending along the width direction of the vehicle.

The left and right front upper side members2and the dash center cross reinforcement member51may be connected to each other by two sloping reinforcement members21obliquely disposed along the width direction and the length direction of the vehicle.

The two sloping reinforcement members21are respectively disposed to be inclined outwardly in the width direction of the vehicle from a center portion of substantially the length direction (i.e., width direction of the vehicle) of the dash center cross reinforcement member51and then may be attached to the left and right front upper side members2.

Referring toFIG. 2, the front upper side members2become more distant outward in the width direction than the front lower side members1, and accordingly, the front upper side members2can reduce impact energy by properly absorbing impact energy when a front small overlap collision occurs such that small overlap front crash response performance of the vehicle can be improved.

Two front pillar members4extended in a height direction of the vehicle may be disposed at left and right sides in the width direction of the vehicle.

Front portions of the left and right fender apron upper members3in the length direction of the vehicle may be connected to each other by a front upper cross reinforcement member31extending along the width direction of the vehicle, and rear fore-ends of the left and right fender apron upper members3may be connected to the left and right front pillar members4by first joints60, respectively.

Lateral ends of a cowl upper cross reinforcement member52extended in the width direction of the vehicle may be respectively coupled to the left and right first joints60.

Referring toFIG. 4, rear portions of the left and right fender apron upper members3in the length direction of the vehicle may be connected to each other by a rear upper cross reinforcement member32extended in the width direction of the vehicle, and a cowl panel53extended in the width direction of the vehicle may be provided between the cowl upper cross reinforcement member52and the rear upper cross reinforcement member32and thus integrally coupled therewith.

The front lower side member1, the front upper side member2, and the fender apron upper member3may be connected to each other by a reinforcement panel70extended in the height direction of the vehicle.

The front lower side member1and the front upper side member2may be connected to each other by a front side reinforcement member80extended in the height direction of the vehicle at a substantially center portion in the length direction of the vehicle.

A second joint62may be coupled to a portion where the front lower side member1and the center lower cross reinforcement member12are connected, a third joint64may be coupled to a portion where the front lower side member1and the dash lower cross reinforcement member50are connected, a fourth joint66may be coupled to the front upper side member2, and a fifth joint58may be coupled to the fender apron upper member3.

The first joint60to the fifth joint68may be made of, for example, an aluminum material using a die-casting method, or these joints may be made of an aluminum material using an extrusion method.

Referring toFIG. 5, lateral ends of a lower arm90that forms a suspension arm are respectively engaged to and thus supported by the second joint62and the third joint64, and a stabilizer bar94that controls moment movement of the vehicle is provided in the fourth joint66by being extended in the width direction of the vehicle.

The fourth joint66and the fifth joint68may be connected to each other by a shock absorber mounting reinforcement member100, and an upper portion of a shock absorber96, forming a suspension device, may be fastened to and thus supported by the fifth joint68.

Reference numeral110denotes a brake disk for braking vehicle wheels, and reference numeral120denotes a knuckle for steering the vehicle wheels, and the lower arm90and the upper arm92may be fastened to and thus supported by the knuckle120.

Referring toFIGS. 6 and 7, the second joint62may be coupled to the front lower side member1and the center lower cross reinforcement member12, and the third joint64may be coupled to the front lower side member1and the dash lower cross reinforcement member50.

Referring toFIG. 8, the second joint62may include a second joint body622substantially formed in the shape of a quadrangular plate, an upper flange624bent inward in the width direction of the vehicle from an upper end edge of the second joint body622and thus coupled to an upper surface of the front lower side member1in the height direction of the vehicle, and a lower flange626(seeFIG. 7) bent inward in the width direction of the vehicle from a lower end edge of the second joint body622and thus coupled to a bottom surface of the front lower side member1in the height direction of the vehicle.

A coupling flange625to which one end of the front side reinforcing member80is coupled by being inserted may be formed protruding upward along the height direction of the vehicle in the upper flange624, and may include two extension bosses627further extended inward from the upper flange624along the width direction of the vehicle so as to be fastened to the center lower cross reinforcement member12at two positions.

Two fastening bosses629respectively provided with fastening holes628which are distanced from each other along the length direction of the vehicle may be formed protruding from the second joint body622, and one end of the lower arm90may be coupled to the two fastening holes628by being engaged to the fastening holes628.

A plurality of radial ribs623may be integrally protruded in the second joint body622, and the plurality of radial ribs623enhance structural rigidity by connecting the two fastening bosses629each other and connecting the respective fastening bosses629to the second joint body622.

Referring toFIG. 9, the third joint64may include a third joint body642substantially formed in the shape of a quadrangular plate, an upper flange644bent inward from an upper end edge of the third joint body642in the width direction of the vehicle and thus coupled to an upper surface of the front lower side member1in the height direction of the vehicle, and a lower flange646(seeFIG. 7) bent inward in the width direction of the vehicle from a lower end edge of the third joint body642and thus coupled to a bottom surface of the front lower side member1in the height direction of the vehicle.

The third joint64may further include an upper extension flange645further extended from a rear upper end edge of the third joint body642in the length direction of the vehicle and thus disposed in an upper portion in the height direction of the vehicle and a lower extension flange647further extended from a rear end edge of the third joint body642in the length direction of the vehicle and thus disposed in a lower portion in the height direction of the vehicle.

A coupling groove649to which the dash lower cross reinforcement member50is coupled by being inserted may be formed between the upper extension flange645and the lower extension flange647.

Two fastening bosses643respectively provided with two fastening holes648disposed at a distance from each other along the length direction of the vehicle are protruded in the third joint body642, and the other end of the lower arm90may be coupled to the fastening holes648by being engaged to the fastening holes648.

A plurality of radial ribs641may be integrally protruded in the third joint body642to enhance structural rigidity by connecting the two fastening bosses643and connecting the respective fastening bosses643to the third joint body642.

An inclined surface640is formed adjacent to the upper extension flange645by being inclined toward a lower direction in the length direction and the height direction of the vehicle such that a rear side lower reinforcement member140may be coupled to the inclined surface140by being mounted to the inclined surface140.

Referring toFIG. 10, one end of the dash lower side member150is coupled to lateral ends of the dash lower cross reinforcement member50in the width direction of the vehicle, and the other end of the dash lower side member150may be coupled to a side seal160extended in the length direction of the vehicle.

Referring toFIG. 11, a reinforcement bracket170may be provided in each corner where the front lower side member1and the dash lower cross reinforcement member50intersect each other, the reinforcement bracket170configured to substantially fill or cover the corner.

The reinforcement bracket170may be substantially formed in the shape of a triangular block.

The connection rigidity of the front lower side member10and the dash lower cross reinforcement member50can be enhanced by the reinforcement bracket170such that distortion rigidity of the front lower body of the vehicle can be improved.

The dash lower cross reinforcement member50may include a triangular-shaped cross-section501, a pentagonal-shaped second cross-section502that shares an oblique side of the first cross-section501, and a quadrangular-shaped third cross-section503that shares the oblique side of the first cross-section501and the bottom side of the second cross-section502, and may be extrusion-molded using a single extruded material.

Accordingly, when an impact load is transferred through the front lower side member1as shown by arrows, multiple cross-sections of the dash lower cross reinforcement member50counteract the impact and the impact load can be effectively transmitted to other portions of the vehicle, connected with the dash lower cross reinforcement member50through the multiple cross-sections.

Referring toFIG. 13, when the rear side lower reinforcement member140is coupled with the dash lower cross reinforcement member50, a coupling groove is formed by cutting the second cross-section502of the dash lower cross reinforcement member140and the rear side lower reinforcement member140is coupled to the dash lower cross reinforcement member140by being inserted to the coupling groove such that coupling rigidity can be enhanced.

In the third joint body642, an expansion horizontal surface742aextended outward in the width direction of the vehicle while being substantially shaped in a triangle and an expansion vertical surface642bextended upward in the height direction of the vehicle from one edge of the expansion horizontal surface742aare provide to rigidly support the width directional load and the height directional load of the vehicle.

Referring toFIG. 14, the front vehicle body structure according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is formed with a “” shaped truss structure by the left and right side front pillars4and the dash lower cross reinforcement member50, the dash center cross reinforcement member51, the rear upper cross reinforcement member32, and the cowl cross upper member52sequentially from the bottom to the top in the length direction of the vehicle when viewed from a front of the vehicle such that the connection rigidity between the up, down, left, and right members of the vehicle can be enhanced, thereby improving stiffness of the front vehicle body.

Referring toFIG. 15, the dash center cross reinforcement member51may be connected with the front pillar member4through the rear side reinforcement member130, and the front upper side member2may be connected with the dash lower cross reinforcement member50through the rear side lower reinforcement member140.

Further, the dash lower cross reinforcement member50and the dash center cross reinforcement member51may be integrally connected with each other by two front tunnel side members54, each extended with a slope to a front side in the height direction of the vehicle and a front side in the length direction of the vehicle.

The two front tunnel side members54may be disposed at a distance from each other along the width direction of the vehicle, or may form an entrance of a tunnel extended to a rear side along the length direction of the vehicle.

The dash lower cross reinforcement member50may cross the tunnel and may be made of a single extruded material.

The fourth joint66is mounted to the front upper side member2, a front portion of the fourth joint66in the length direction of the vehicle is coupled with the front side reinforcement member80, a rear portion of the fourth joint66in the length direction of the vehicle may be coupled with the rear side reinforcement member130and the rear side lower reinforcement member140, and the shock absorber mounting reinforcement member100may be coupled to the fourth joint66by being inserted thereinto.

Referring toFIGS. 16 and 17, vertically disposed double closed cross-sections22of the front upper side member2may extend in the length direction of the front upper side member2, and an upper wall23, a middle wall24, and a lower wall25forming the double closed cross-sections22may be partially cut, and the fourth joint4may be coupled with the front upper side member2in a manner of covering the cut portion.

Referring toFIGS. 18 and 19, the fourth joint66may include a fourth joint body552substantially formed in the shape of a quadrangular plate, an upper flange664bent inward in the width direction of the vehicle from an upper end edge of the fourth joint body661and thus coupled to an upper surface of the front upper side member2in the height direction of the vehicle, and a lower flange666bent inward in the width direction of the vehicle from a lower end edge of the fourth joint body662and thus coupled to the bottom surface of the front upper side member2in the height direction of the vehicle.

A coupling groove661may be provided substantially in a center portion in the length direction of the fourth joint body662such that the shock absorber mounting reinforcement member100is coupled to the fourth joint body662by being inserted into the coupling groove661, and two fastening bosses665protrude in a front side with reference to the coupling groove661and respectively have fastening grooves663in which one end of the upper arm92is fastened, and two fastening bosses663protrude in a rear side with reference to the coupling groove661and respectively have fastening grooves663in which the other end of the upper arm92is fastened, and the respective two fastening bosses662are connected with each other by a plurality of radial reinforcement ribs667such that structural rigidity can be enhanced.

The lower flange666is provided with a first coupling flange668in which the other end of the front side reinforcement member80is coupled by being inserted and a second coupling flange669in which the rear side lower reinforcement member140is coupled by being inserted, and a third coupling flange670in which the rear side reinforcement member130is coupled by being inserted may be provided in a rear end portion in the length direction of the fourth joint body662.

A support groove671in which a stabilizer bar94is supported by being inserted and fastening holes672fastening the stabilizer bar94to the lower flange666with a mounting bracket (not shown) may be formed in the lower flange666.

The first coupling flange668, the second coupling flange669, and the third coupling flange67, each may be respectively formed to have a “” shaped cross-section.