JPH0712220Y2 - Automotive suspension tower structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a suspension tower structure of an automobile.

(Prior Art) Regarding the structure of the suspension tower part of an automobile,
For example, an opening is provided in the upper part of a vehicle body panel that hangs while curving inward in the vehicle width direction sequentially from a fender, and a covered cylindrical body that supports the upper end of the suspension strut is covered in this opening (actually opened). Various things are known, such as Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-139464.

By the way, the strut type and the double wishbone type are known as the types of suspension, but the former tends to have larger tread changes and camber changes than the latter because it does not have the degree of freedom in designing the upper arm.
The need arises to raise the overall suspension. Therefore,
In the case of designing an automobile, when it is desired to lower the bonnet from the requirements of aerodynamic characteristics and design, the latter double wishbone type is more advantageous as a front suspension.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) By the way, in the case of the above-mentioned double wishbone type, since the lower arm is in a low position, it has a rigidity like a cross member in which the front side frame and the lower engine room are arranged in the vehicle width direction. Although it can be directly supported on a high part of the suspension arm, it is desirable to form a support part on the suspension tower because it is at a high position in the case of the upper arm. However, since the suspension tower itself is basically a panel member, it is difficult to provide high support rigidity against vertical and horizontal loads from the upper arm, and deformation due to the load from the struts is also considered. The supporting point of the upper arm is easy to move, and it is difficult to maintain the initially set wheel alignment.

(Means for Solving Problems) As a means for solving the above problems, the present invention provides a suspension tower structure of an automobile in which a suspension tower is provided on a vehicle body panel. The arm support part for supporting the arm of the suspension is formed at the bent part formed by bending the outside of the vehicle body, and the reinforcement is provided on the arm support part. The upper extension is joined to the upper portion of the suspension tower, and the lower extension forms a closed cross section of the frame member with respect to a frame member having a closed cross section extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. Suspension tower part of an automobile characterized by being overlapped and joined to the wall surface It is intended to provide an elephant.

(Operation) In the above-mentioned suspension tower structure, since the arm support portion of the suspension tower is formed at a bent portion formed by bending a part of a vertical wall of the suspension tower toward the outside of the vehicle body, Utilizing this, the suspension arm can be supported in the vertical direction with respect to the arm support portion. Then, a reinforcement is provided on the arm support part, an upper extension part of the arm support part is joined to an upper part of the suspension tower, and a lower extension part of the frame member has a closed cross section extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. Since it was overlapped and joined to the wall surface forming the closed cross section of
The load that enters the arm support from the suspension arm is distributed to the upper part of the suspension tower and the frame member by the upper extension and the lower extension of the reinforcement, so the strength of the bent arm support can be improved. Also, the arm support portion of the suspension tower is prevented from being deformed by the load from the strut.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the reinforcement of the arm supporting portion formed by bending the vertical wall of the suspension tower is extended upward and downward, and the upward extension is provided above the suspension tower. Since the lower extension is joined to the wall member forming the closed cross section of the frame member with the downward extension extending in the vehicle body front-rear direction, the reinforcement of the arm support portion by the reinforcement is performed. The effect is enhanced, and it becomes easy to maintain the wheel alignment by increasing the support rigidity of the suspension arm.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Example 1 This example is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a vehicle body panel that constitutes a wheel apron of an automobile, and a wheel apron reinforcement 2 and a frame member (front side frame) 3 are provided at upper and lower portions thereof so as to extend in a vehicle front-rear direction. ing. In FIG. 1, 4 is a dash panel that separates the engine compartment from the vehicle compartment, 5 is a cowl panel, 6 is a shroud panel, 7 is a shroud upper plate, and 8 is a front cross member.

The vehicle body panel 1 includes a front panel material 10 and a rear panel material 11.
And a suspension tower material 12 provided between the panel materials 10 and 11. That is, the suspension tower material 12 is provided with the strut mounting portion 12a protruding upward and the strut mounting portion 12a.
As shown in FIG. 2, a part of the vertical wall (tower wall) extending downward is bent outward at the upper position of the frame member 3 so that the suspension arm support portion 12b is formed. The support surface is formed in a state in which the support surface is located more horizontally than the vertical wall.

In the case of the present embodiment, the suspension tower material 12 has its front edge on the front panel material 10 and its rear edge on the rear panel material 11,
The upper edge is joined to the wheel apron reinforcement 2 and the lower edge is joined to the frame member 3 from the outside of the vehicle body. Further, the frame member 3 has a closed cross-section structure by joining a plate-shaped frame outer 14 to a frame inner 13 having a U-shaped cross section.

Then, the plate-shaped reinforcement 15 is provided on the arm support portion 12b of the suspension tower material 12 so as to be overlapped from the outside of the vehicle body. This reinforcement
15 is the suspension tower material 12 from the arm support portion 12b.
The upper extension 15a extends upward along the vertical wall of the frame, and the lower extension 15b extends downward from the arm support 12b along the frame outer 14 of the frame member 3.
Then, as shown in FIG. 1 by the crosses, the joints of the respective members are
The upper extension portion 15a is connected to the vertical wall of the suspension tower material 12 at a plurality of joint points in two rows arranged in a staggered manner,
The downward extension 15b is joined to the upper flange 13a of the frame inner 13 of the frame member 3 together with the frame outer 14 and the lower edge of the suspension tower material 12, and also to the lower flange 13b of the frame inner 13 to the frame outer 13. It is joined together with 14.

On the other hand, the suspension is a double wishbone type as shown in FIG. 2, and is an A type upper arm 17, A connected to a knuckle arm 16 for supporting a tire, respectively.
A lower arm 18 of a mold, a strut mounting portion 12a of the suspension tower material 12, and a strut 19 having an upper end and a lower end connected to the lower arm 18. The upper arm 17 is provided with a rubber bush for the suspension cross member 20 joined to the frame member 3 and extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, and the support member 21 having the upper end and the lower end coupled to the arm support portion 12b of the suspension tower member 12. The lower arm 18 is connected to the suspension cross member 20 via a rubber bush 23.

In the above structure, the arm support portion 12b of the suspension tower material 12 is subjected to a load from the upper arm 17 in the vertical, left-right, or front-rear direction due to tire bumps, rebounds, acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle, or the like. A vertical load from the strut 19 acts on the portion 12a. On the other hand, the load acting on the arm support portion 12b is distributed to the upper portion of the suspension tower material 12 and the frame member 3 by the upper extension portion 15a and the lower extension portion 15b of the reinforcement 15, respectively. The load acting on the strut mounting portion 12a extends to the arm supporting portion 12b, but is also distributed to the frame member 3 by the reinforcement 15.

Therefore, the arm support portion 12b is the suspension tower material 1
Since the 2 is bent and laid sideways, it becomes easy to support the upper arm 17, and the reinforcement 15 efficiently reinforces by utilizing the above load distribution.
Damage to the bent portion due to stress concentration is prevented, and displacement of the arm supporting portion 12b due to deformation is prevented.

Further, in the case of the above-described embodiment, the suspension tower material 12 is applied to the front panel material 10 and the rear panel material 11 of the vehicle body panel 1 from the outside of the vehicle body, that is, from the lower side. It becomes strong against the lifting load.

-Example 2-This example is shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. The vehicle body panel 25 is composed of a panel body 26 and a suspension tower material 27, and an opening 26a is formed at a position corresponding to the strut mounting portion 27a of the suspension tower material 27 in the panel body 26 and a position corresponding to the arm support portion 27b. , 26b are provided. Then, the suspension tower material 27 is applied to the panel body 26 from the outside (lower side) of the vehicle body to be joined to the strut mounting portion.
27a project from the corresponding opening 26a of the panel body 26 to the inside of the vehicle body. Further, as shown by the mark X in FIG. 3, the panel body 26 and the suspension tower material 27 are also joined together at the entire periphery of the opening 26a for the strut mounting portion 27a. Regarding the reinforcement 15, Example 1
It has the same connection structure as.

Therefore, in the case of this example, the bonding strength between the panel body 26 and the suspension tower material 27 is increased, and the dispersion load of the suspension load acting on the suspension tower material 27 to the panel body 26 is improved.

Example 3 This example is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and is a vehicle body panel.
It is a modification example regarding 30 and the frame member 31.

That is, the vehicle body panel 30 includes the panel body 32 and the suspension tower material 33. In the panel body 32, a portion corresponding to the strut mounting portion 33a of the suspension tower material 33 is a notch 32a that is opened upward, and similarly to the second embodiment, a portion corresponding to the arm support portion 33b is opened. 32b
There is. On the other hand, the suspension tower material 33 includes an extension portion 33c extending to the lower end of the frame member 31. Further, the frame member 31 has a frame outer with the extension 33c and a front outer 34 with a rear edge joined to the extension 33c.
It is composed of a and a rear outer part 34b whose front edge is joined to the extension part 33c. Further, the reinforcement 15 has its lower extension 15b connected to the extension 33c of the suspension tower member 33.

Therefore, in the case of this example, the load dispersibility from the suspension tower material 33 to the frame member 31 is improved.

Example 4-This example is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the body panel
It is characterized by the joint portion of the front panel material 41, the rear panel material 42, and the suspension tower material 43 in 40.

That is, the rear edge portion of the front panel member 41 and the front edge portion of the rear panel member 42 are bent toward the inside of the vehicle body in a hat shape in cross section, and the flat plate shape of the suspension tower member 43 is bent with respect to this bent portion. The front edge portion and the rear edge portion are abutted and joined from the outside of the vehicle body. As a result, closed cross-section structures 44, 45 extending in the vertical direction from the wheel apron reinforcement 2 to the frame member 3 are formed at the joints between the front and rear panel members 41, 42 and the suspension tower member 43. The rigidity of the vehicle body panel 40 is improved by the closed cross-section structures 44 and 45. The reinforcement structure of the reinforcement 15 with respect to the arm support portion 43b of the suspension tower material 43 is the same as that of the first embodiment.

-Embodiment 5 This embodiment is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 and is characterized by the frame member 50, and is otherwise the same as the second embodiment.

That is, the frame member 50 is provided with an overhanging portion 51a extending upward along the suspension tower material 27 on the frame outer 51, the overhanging portion 51a being joined to the panel body 26, and the overhanging portion 51a. An opening 51b is formed in the portion 51a at a position corresponding to the arm support portion 27b. The reinforcement 15 has the same structure as that of the first embodiment.

Therefore, in the case of this example, the periphery of the arm support portion 27b of the suspension tower material 27 is reinforced by the panel body 26 and the projecting portion 51a of the frame member 50, and the load from the upper arm acting on the arm support portion 27b is applied. It is easily dispersed in the panel body 26 and the frame member 50.

-Example 6-This example is shown in FIG. 11 and FIG.
It is a modification of 60.

That is, the body panel 60 is composed of the panel body 61 and the suspension tower material 62, but the suspension tower material 62
Is joined to the panel body 61 from the inside of the vehicle body, and the lower extension portion 62c is joined to the frame inner 13 of the frame member 3. In addition, reinforcement 15
The same structure as in Example 1 is used.

Therefore, in the case of this example, the dispersiveness of the suspension load to the frame inner 13 of the frame member 3 is improved by the extension portion 62b of the suspension tower material 62.

-Embodiment 7-This embodiment is shown in Figs. 13 and 14, and is a combination of the structure of Embodiment 1 and the frame structure of Embodiment 5.

That is, with respect to the front and rear panel materials 10 and 11 and the suspension tower material 12 that form the vehicle body panel 1 similar to that of the first embodiment, the overhanging portion of the frame outer 51 of the frame member 50 similar to that of the fifth embodiment is provided. 51a straddles and is joined. The reinforcement 15 has the same structure as that of the first embodiment.

Therefore, in the case of this example, the connection strength between the front and rear panel materials 10 and 11 and the suspension tower material 12 can be improved by the projecting portion 51a of the frame outer 51.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the suspension tower structure of Embodiment 1, FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the structure partially in section, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the same structure of FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the same structure of the third embodiment, and FIG. 6 is B of FIG.
-B sectional view, FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the same structure of Embodiment 4, FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the same structure of Embodiment 5. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG. 9, FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the same structure of the sixth embodiment, FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line EE of FIG. 11, and FIG. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the same structure of Example 7, and FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along line FF in FIG. 1,25,30,40,60 …… Body panel, 3,31,50 …… Frame member, 10,41 …… Front panel material, 11,42 …… Rear panel material,
12,27,33,43,62 …… Suspension tower materials, 12a, 27a,
33a, 43a, 62a …… Strut mounting part, 12b, 27b, 33b, 43b, 6
2b …… Arm support, 15 …… Reinforcement, 15
a …… upper extension, 15b …… downward extension, 26,32,61 …… panel body.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A structure of a suspension tower portion of an automobile in which a suspension tower is provided on a vehicle body panel, wherein a suspension arm is supported on a bent portion of a part of a vertical wall of the suspension tower which is bent outward. An arm support portion is formed and a reinforcement is provided on the arm support portion. The reinforcement includes extension portions extending upward and downward from the arm support portion, and the upper extension portion is the suspension tower. The suspension of the vehicle is joined to the upper part of the vehicle body, and the downward extension is joined to a wall member forming a closed cross section of the frame member having a closed cross section extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body so as to be superposed on the wall surface of the frame member. Tower structure.