Vehicle front structure

Abstract

A vehicle front structure includes a cross member installed across right and left front side frames. The left front side frame has a frame bending section provided above a left suspension arm. The frame bending section is formed so as to be bendable when subjected to a frontal impact load. A left reinforcing member is disposed below the frame bending section and is mounted across the cross member and the dash cross member. The left reinforcing member is fastened to a rear fastening portion. The left reinforcing member has a bending section that is bendable downward when subjected to an impact load.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-174197, filed Aug. 28, 2014, entitled “VEHICLE FRONT STRUCTURE”. The contents of this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]1. Field[0003]The present disclosure relates to a vehicle front structure that has front side frames provided on right and left sides thereof and suspension arms supported below the front side frames.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]Some vehicle front structures have subframes provided below right and left front side frames and have engines or other power sources supported by the subframes. A subframe is a highly rigid member that supports an engine or other power source. When subjected to a frontal impact load, such a highly rigid subframe bends, thereby absorbing the impact load (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-27...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]According to a second aspect of the embodiment, the rear side support portion may have an elastic portion (elastic member) provided in a main arm of the suspension arm and a collar extending vertically in the elastic portion, in which a fastening component inserted through the collar from below may be fastened to the mount. In other words, the collar is supported so as to be tilt-adjustable through elastic deformation of the elastic portion and is supported at one side by the mount. When a frontal impact load causes the frame bending section of the front side frame to be bent, the front side support portion is moved rearward together with the cross member. In conjunction with the movement of the front side support portion, the main arm is moved rearward, pressing the collar rearward via the elastic portion. When the elastic portion is subjected to the elastic deformation, the collar is slanted to form a downward gradient toward the rear of the vehicle. This facilitates the fracture or deformation of the mount fastened to the rear side support portion, thereby allowing the rear side support portion to be detached from the mount in a preferred manner. This process accelerates rearward bending of the front side frame, thereby allowing the impact load coming from a vehicle front to be absorbed in a more preferred manner.

[0015]According to an eighth aspect of the embodiment, the cross member and the front side frames, or the cross member and the dash cross member may be connected to each other with right and left braces, in which the right and left braces may diverge toward a rear of the vehicle substantially in a V-shape. With this arrangement, the cross member and the front side frames can be reinforced by the right and left braces, or the cross member and the dash cross member can be reinforced by the right and left braces. The steering unit and the front side support portion of the suspension arm are supported by the cross member. In addition, the rear side support portion of the suspension arm is supported by the front side frames. Furthermore, the dash cross member is mounted across the right and left front side frames. This arrangement can improve the rigidity (so called “support rigidity”) of the members that support the power steering unit and other steering system components and the suspension arm, thereby allowing various members to be tightly supported by the vehicle body.

Problems solved by technology

Such vehicle front structures are not capable of absorbing a frontal impact load through subframes.

This arrangement may impede the absorption of a frontal impact load through the deformation of front side frames.

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