JPH04328076A - Cowl part structure for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to the structure of a cowl portion of an automobile, and more specifically, the cowl structure is disposed at the lower portion of a front windshield that is shaped to wrap around the vehicle from the left and right center portions toward both left and right sides of the vehicle. This invention relates to improvements to the cowl portion.

0002

[Prior art] Front windshield of a four-wheeled vehicle (
A cowl 1 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is usually disposed at the bottom of the windshield or windshield. That is,
As shown in FIG. 6, the cowl 1 is made by combining a cowl top outer panel 2 and a cowl top inner panel 3 made of sheet metal into a closed cross-sectional shape, and includes a dash panel 4 that partitions the engine room and the passenger compartment. and the front windshield.

[0003] A wiper pivot, a wire link, etc. are attached to this cowl 1. Further, the cowl 1 is provided with an air intake port (not shown) for introducing air into the room.

[0004] An automobile cowl has a shape in which the lower part of the front windshield is largely curved as it goes from the left and right center to both left and right sides.
Depending on the shape, the rear portion 5a is largely curved as shown in FIG. In this type of cowl 5, Fig. 8
As shown in FIG. 1, there are some models that do not have anything equivalent to a cowl top outer panel, and the cowl portion is composed of a cowl top inner panel 6, a bracket 7 for attaching wipers, and a dash panel 8.

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As mentioned above, in a four-wheel vehicle in which the lower part of the front windshield wraps around a lot, the cowl 1 has a structure in which the cowl top outer panel 2 and the cowl top inner panel 3 have a closed cross section. In this case, the closed cross-sectional shape of the cowl 1 is such that the closed cross-sections at both left and right ends are extremely long in the front-rear direction (for example, 2
(more than double), resulting in a flat cross-section, and the change in the closed cross-sectional shape of the cowl 1 becomes noticeable. Therefore, the cowl 1 is not suitable for functioning as a member (reinforcing member) that maintains the strength of the vehicle body.

[0006] In addition, when a structure is created in which the cowl top outer panel is eliminated, in order to compensate for the decrease in body strength due to the omission of this panel and obtain sufficient body strength, the structure shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is shown in FIGS. Like cowl top inner panel 6
It is necessary to attach a separate member such as the pipe 9 to the plate for reinforcement. Therefore, the number of parts increases, making assembly work troublesome.

[0007] Furthermore, in the past, wiper motors and the like were mounted on the engine compartment side that was an extension of the dash panel surface, so the wiper link used a large cross section and was long in the front and rear on both the left and right sides. The reality is that space is wasted.

The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to ensure sufficient strength of the vehicle body without using separate parts, and to provide storage space for accessories such as the wiper motor and washer tank. An object of the present invention is to provide an automobile cowl structure suitable for placement and installation.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a cowl formed by combining a cowl top outer panel and a cowl top inner panel in a closed cross-sectional shape. In an automobile cowl structure, which is arranged corresponding to the lower part of the front windshield, which has a shape that curves significantly backward toward both sides, the joint part of the front end side of the cowl top outer panel and the cowl top inner panel is located at the left and right center part. The cowl is moved rearward toward the left and right sides, so that the size of the closed cross section of the cowl extending from the left and right center portions to the left and right sides is approximately the same.

0010

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

FIG. 1 shows a four-wheeled vehicle 10 having a front windshield 9 having a shape (bow shape with a small curvature) that wraps around greatly toward the rear from the left and right center portions toward both left and right sides. In the figure, 11 is a front window, 12 is a cowl portion constituting the lower part of the front windshield 9, 13 is a front hood, and 14
is the engine room.

The above-mentioned cowl portion 12 is attached to a dash panel 1 that partitions an engine room 14 and a vehicle interior, as shown in FIG.
5, a cowl 16 coupled to the upper edge 15a of the dash panel 15, and a partition panel 17 coupled to the cowl 16. The cowl 16 described above has both flanges 18a, 1 of a cowl top outer panel 18 and a cowl top inner panel 19 made of sheet metal.
8b, 19a, and 19b are respectively joined to each other and connected by spot welding or the like, and the whole is formed into a closed cross-sectional shape. The cowl 16 has a front edge F consisting of flange portions 18a and 19a connected to the upper edge 15a of the dash panel 15 by spot welding or the like, and both sides of the cowl 16 are connected to the left and right front pillars 20 (see FIG. 1).
The cowl 16 is thereby fixedly disposed at the lower part of the front windshield 9.

As shown in FIG. 2, the dash panel 15 is a flat surface that is approximately parallel to the left and right direction of the vehicle body due to the position of the occupant's feet and the arrangement of the pedals. The front end edge F of is arranged in a straight line in the left-right direction. On the other hand, the flange portions 18b of both panels 18 and 19
, 19b of the cowl 16 is largely curved so as to face the lower edge 9a of the front windshield 9. Therefore, the length in the front and back direction at both left and right ends of the cowl 16 is set to be more than twice as long as the length in the front and back direction at the center portion of the cowl 16.

A lower edge 9a of the front windshield 9 is disposed above the rear edge R described above, and a gap therebetween is shielded by a windshield 8.

Further, in this example, the joining position of the flange portion 18a of the cowl top outer panel 18 to the flange portion 19a of the cowl top inner panel 19 is shifted rearward from the left and right center toward both left and right sides, and The closed cross section is arranged at a retreated position on both the left and right sides. Specifically, in the left and right center portions, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the flange portions 18a and 19a are joined with their end surfaces aligned to form a closed section with the same cross-sectional area as in the conventional case. is configured. At both left and right ends, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the flange portion 19a of the cowl top inner panel 19 is formed long (formed in a shape that extends long toward the front), and the flange portion 19a The flange portion 18a of the cowl top outer panel 18 is coupled to the rear side portion, and accordingly, the cross-sectional area of the cowl 16 at both left and right sides is configured to be approximately the same as the cross-sectional area at the left and right center portions. Therefore, the cowl 1 extends from the left and right center to both left and right sides.
The sizes of the closed cross sections of No. 6 are approximately the same.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a partition panel 17 corresponding to the cowl 16 is attached above the upper edge 15a of the dash panel 15. That is, at the left and right center portions of the cowl 16, a partition panel 17 is coupled and erected on the flange portion 18a of the cowl top outer panel 18, as shown in FIG. On the other hand, at both left and right ends of the cowl 16, as shown in FIG. The partition panel 17 is connected and erected on the tip end edge of the partition panel 19a. However, due to the existence of this partition panel 17,
Cowl 16 having an air intake port that takes air into the vehicle interior
This prevents engine heat and odor from entering the interior.

[0017] Then, the above-mentioned partition panel 17
At the upper end of the cushion rubber 21 as shown in FIGS.
is attached so that the front hood 13 comes into contact with this cushion rubber 21 when the front hood 13 is closed.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, cowl top inner panels 1 are provided on both left and right sides of the cowl portion 12.
9 flange portion 19a and cowl top outer panel 1
8 and partition panel 17 to create space 2.
2 and 23 are formed, and a washer tank 24 and a wiper motor 2 are installed in these spaces 22 and 23.
5 are stored and arranged. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4,
A wiper pivot 26 and a wiper arm 27 are disposed on a continuously extending flat surface of the cowl top outer panel 18.

According to the structure of the cowl portion 12 having such a configuration, by moving the connecting flange portions 18a of the cowl top outer panel 18 rearward at both left and right ends of the cowl 16, the left and right center portions and both left and right ends can be moved backward. Since the size of the closed cross section of the cowl 16 can be made almost the same in both parts, the cowl 16 can be made without much change in the closed cross section.
Thereby, the cowl 16 can be provided as a reinforcing member that can maintain sufficient vehicle body strength (rigidity).

Furthermore, when the wiper arm 27 is operated,
Although a fairly large repeated load will be applied to the cowl 16, the cowl 16 has sufficient strength and can sufficiently withstand the load. Therefore, there is no need to separately provide a strong bracket, which is advantageous compared to the conventional example shown in FIG. 7 (which requires a fairly strong bracket in the case of an open cross section).

Furthermore, since the washer tank 24, wiper motor 25, etc., which were conventionally arranged on the engine room side, can be stored in the spaces 22 and 23 that are formed on the left and right sides of the cowl 16 and in the front part thereof, other There is more leeway in equipment layout, etc. In this type of four-wheel vehicle, where the front windshield 11 sometimes wraps around a lot, the use of the spaces 22 and 23 is very effective in terms of space factor.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above,
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention. For example, the rearward transition path of the flange portion 18a of the cowl top outer panel 18 can be changed as necessary. Further, in the spaces 22 and 23, equipment other than the wiper motor 25 of the washer tank 24, such as various tanks, jacks, etc., may be stored.

[0023]

As described above, the present invention has the advantage that the connecting portion (for example, the flange portion 18a shown in the embodiment) on the front end side of the cowl top outer panel constituting the cowl is moved rearwardly from the left and right center toward both left and right sides. The cowl is shaped so that the left and right sides wrap around significantly to the rear in accordance with the shape of the lower part of the front windshield. However, the cowl can have a function as a reinforcing member to maintain sufficient strength of the vehicle body. In addition, since the cowl described above is strong and has sufficient strength, it is possible to attach operating parts such as wiper arms to the cowl, and the space created in front of the left and right sides of the cowl is also reduced. Equipment such as washer tanks and wiper motors can be stored inside. Therefore, it is possible to make effective use of space, and it is possible to improve the degree of freedom in the layout of various equipment.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a four-wheeled vehicle equipped with a cowl structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cowl portion.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a cowl showing a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a cowl showing another conventional example.

8 is a sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 7. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

9 Front windshield 9a Lower edge 10 Four-wheel vehicle 11 Front window 12 Cowl portion 15 Dash panel 16 Cowl 17 Partition panel 18 Cowl top outer panels 18a, 18b Flange portion (joint portion) 19 Cowl top inner panel 19a, 19b Flange portion (joint portion) Part) 24 Washer tank 25 Wire motor

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim 1: A cowl formed by combining a cowl top outer panel and a cowl top inner panel in a closed cross-sectional shape, and a lower part of a front windshield having a shape that wraps significantly backward as it goes from the left and right center portions to both left and right sides of the automobile. In the structure of the cowl portion of an automobile, which is arranged in a corresponding manner, the joint portion on the front end side of the cowl top outer panel and the cowl top inner panel is moved rearward from the left and right center portion toward both left and right sides, thereby,
1. A cowl structure for an automobile, characterized in that the cowl is constructed so that the size of the closed section of the cowl extending from the left and right center portions to both left and right sides is approximately the same size. 2. A partition panel is disposed at the front end of the cowl, and accessories such as a wiper motor and a washer tank are installed in a space formed between the partition panel and the cowl on both left and right sides of the automobile. 2. The automobile cowl structure according to claim 1, wherein: