Front part structure of vehicle body

• US 20060006699A1
• Filed: 06/27/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Boettcher, Eric J., Matsuyama, Shohei
• Granted Patent: US 7,147,275 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/203.20
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/082 Engine compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/088 Details of structures as upper supports for springs or dampers

Abstract

A vehicle body includes a front part having a dashboard. The dashboard has an upper end portion bulged in a rearward direction of the vehicle body. The bulged upper end portion covers an upper portion of a rear reinforcing member with a constant interval provided therebetween. The bulged upper end portion is joined to an upper member and a damper housing. The bulged upper end portion and the rear reinforcing member are combined together to form a closed cross-sectional member directed towards a front pillar and extending from a side frame to the upper member. The rear reinforcing member extends from a lower joining portion located forwardly of a lower part of the dashboard through inside of the bulged upper end portion to the upper member. The rear reinforcing member takes the form of a generally straight line, as viewed in all of front elevation, top plan and side elevation.

Claims

1. A front part structure of a vehicle body, comprising:

right and left front side frames disposed on right and left sides of a front part of the vehicle body, respectively, and extending in a front-and-rear direction of the vehicle body;

right and left front upper members disposed transversely outwardly of and above the right and left front side frames, respectively, and extending in the front-and-rear direction of the vehicle body;

right and left front pillars joined to right and left rear end portions of the right and left front upper members, respectively;

right and left front damper housings extending between the right front side frame and the right front upper member and between the left front side frame and the left upper member, respectively;

a dashboard disposed rearwardly of the right and left front damper housings and partitioning the front part of the vehicle body into an engine compartment defined forwardly of the dashboard and a passenger compartment defined rearwardly of the dashboard;

right and left reinforcing members extending between the right front upper member and a right joining portion where the right front side frame and the right front damper housing are joined together and between the left front upper member and a left joining portion where the left front side frame and the left front damper housing are joined together, respectively;

the right and left reinforcing members being joined to rear parts of the right and left front damper housings therealong;

the dashboard being adjacent to the rear parts of the right and left front damper housings;

the dashboard having an upper end portion bulged in a rearward direction of the vehicle body, the bulged upper end portion of the dashboard covering each of upper portions of the right and left reinforcing members with a constant interval provided therebetween;

the bulged upper end portion of the dashboard being joined to the right and left front upper members and the right and left front damper housings;

the right and left reinforcing members being combined with the bulged upper end portion of the dashboard to form right and left closed cross-sectional members, the right closed cross-sectional member being directed towards the right front pillar and extending from the right joining portion to the right front upper member, the left closed cross-sectional member being directed towards the left front pillar and extending from the left joining portion to the left front upper member; and

the right and left closed cross-sectional members each taking the form of a substantially straight line as viewed in all of front elevation, top plan and side elevation.

2. A front part structure of a vehicle body according to claim 1, wherein the right and left reinforcing members include right and left first reinforcing parts provided inside the right and left front damper housings, respectively, and right and left second reinforcing parts provided outside the right and left front damper housings, respectively, the right second reinforcing part being located oppositely from the right first reinforcing part with a side plate of the right front damper housing interposed therebetween, the left second reinforcing part being located oppositely from the left first reinforcing part with a side plate of the left front damper housing interposed therebetween, the light and left second reinforcing parts being gussets located at the light and left joining portions, the gussets interconnecting an upper portion of the right front side frame and a side portion of the right front damper housing facing towards a transverse center of the vehicle body and interconnecting an upper portion of the left front side frame and a side portion of the left front damper housing facing towards the transverse center of the vehicle body.

3. A front part structure of a vehicle body according to claim 2, wherein the right and left first reinforcing parts include right and left reinforcing lower half portions made of plates and disposed on sides of right and left front side frames, respectively, and right and left reinforcing upper half portions made of plates and disposed on sides of right and left front upper members, respectively, the reinforcing upper half portions being smaller in thickness than the reinforcing lower half portions and the second reinforcing parts made of plates.