SHOCK ABSORBING STRUCTURE FOR VEHICLE

• US 20110088960A1
• Filed: 10/15/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Toba, Yoshiyuki, Hisazumi, Makoto, Soyama, Kenichiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,292,019 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/271
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4235 transversal
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/15 having impact absorbing means, e.g. a frame designed to permanently or temporarily change shape or dimension upon impact with another body bumpers B60R19/02; shock absorbers in general F16F

Abstract

A shock absorbing member is supported on a shock absorbing member support bracket fixed onto a floor tunnel sandwiched between left and right front seats. Therefore, it is possible to allow the front seats to interfere with the shock absorbing member so that the member can absorb collision energy at a time of a side collision of a vehicle. Because a lower portion of a front wall connected to an inverted-U-shaped inner face of the shock absorbing member is connected to an upper portion of a front wall of the shock absorbing member support bracket, the front wall of the shock absorbing member support bracket receives a load of the side collision in a shearing direction. Accordingly, it is possible to increase strength of the front wall of the shock absorbing member support bracket against the side collision, prevent the shock absorbing member from falling down sideways, and enhance the shock absorbing effect.

Claims

1. A shock absorbing structure for a vehicle, comprising a shock absorbing member supported on a shock absorbing member support bracket fixed onto a floor tunnel sandwiched between left and right front seats,

wherein the front seats are caused to interfere with the shock absorbing member to absorb collision energy at the time of a side collision of the vehicle, and

wherein the shock absorbing member has a front wall connected to an inverted-U-shaped inner face at least including an upper wall and left and right side walls, and a lower portion of the front wall is connected to an upper portion of a front wall of the shock absorbing member support bracket.

2. The shock absorbing structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein leg portions hanging from the left and right side walls of the shock absorbing member are placed over the left and right side walls of the shock absorbing member support bracket and fixed.

3. The shock absorbing structure for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the left and right side walls of the shock absorbing member support bracket are inclined to approach each other as they extend upward, grooves are formed between the lower portion of the front wail and the leg portions of the shock absorbing member, and the leg portions are supported on outer faces of the left and right side walls of the shock absorbing member support bracket with the grooves engaged with the front wall of the shock absorbing member support bracket.

4. The shock absorbing structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the front wall of the shock absorbing member support bracket and a parking brake support bracket are fastened together to the floor tunnel.

5. The shock absorbing structure for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein a rear wall of the shock absorbing member support bracket has an inspection window for maintenance of a brake cable of a parking brake device supported by the parking brake support bracket.

6. The shock absorbing structure for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein notches through which the brake cables pass are formed in portions where the left and right side walls and the rear wall of the shock absorbing member support bracket are connected.

7. The shock absorbing structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the front wall of the shock absorbing member support bracket has a U-shaped opening and a reinforcing bead portion bent at an obtuse angle is formed at an end edge of the opening at at least one of the left and right side portions of the front wall.