VEHICLE CONNECTING MEMBER AND VEHICLE FRONT SECTION STRUCTURE

• US 20160121829A1
• Filed: 10/26/2015
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: KOIKE, Hiroyuki, MATSUO, Yasuhide, MURATA, Soshiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,764,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/34 destroyed upon impact, e.g. one-shot type
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2019/247 Fastening of bumpers' side ends
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/08 Front or rear portions sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11

Abstract

There is provided a vehicle connecting member including: a front face portion that is connected to a crash box; a first connecting section inserted with and connected to a front end portion of a side member provided running along a vehicle front-rear direction at the vehicle front-rear direction rear side of the crash box; a second connecting section that is formed at a vehicle width direction outside of the first connecting section in a vehicle plan view, and that is connected to a lower end portion of an outrigger provided running along the vehicle front-rear direction at the vehicle width direction outside of the side member so as to extend toward a vehicle vertical direction lower side; and one or more lateral ribs that couple together the first connecting section and the second connecting section.

Claims

1. A vehicle connecting member comprising:

a front face portion that is connected to a crash box;

a first connecting section inserted with and connected to a front end portion of a side member provided running along a vehicle front-rear direction at the vehicle front-rear direction rear side of the crash box;

a second connecting section that is formed at a vehicle width direction outside of the first connecting section in a vehicle plan view, and that is connected to a lower end portion of an outrigger provided running along the vehicle front-rear direction at the vehicle width direction outside of the side member so as to extend toward a vehicle vertical direction lower side; and

one or more lateral ribs that couple together the first connecting section and the second connecting section.

2. The vehicle connecting member of claim 1, wherein

the second connecting section configures a gripping structure that grips onto the lower end portion of the outrigger from the vehicle width direction inside.

3. The vehicle connecting member of claim 1, further comprising

a third connecting section that is formed at the vehicle vertical direction lower side of the first connecting section in a vehicle rear view and that has a lower portion bolt-fastened to a suspension member, wherein

one or more upright ribs are formed at the third connecting section so as to couple the lower portion and the first connecting section.

4. The vehicle connecting member of claim 3, wherein

one or more lateral ribs are formed at the third connecting section.

5. The vehicle connecting member of claim 3, wherein

at least one of the upright ribs of the third connecting section configures a boss into which a bolt is screwed.

6. A vehicle front section structure comprising:

the vehicle connecting member described in claim 1;

the crash box that is provided at a vehicle front section and that is connected to the front face portion of the vehicle connecting member;

the side member that is provided running along the vehicle front-rear direction at the vehicle front-rear direction rear side of the crash box, and that has a front end portion inserted into and connected to the first connecting section of the vehicle connecting member; and

the outrigger that is provided running along the vehicle front-rear direction at the vehicle width direction outside of the side member, and that has a lower end portion extending toward the vehicle vertical direction lower side connected to the second connecting section of the vehicle connecting member.

7. A vehicle front section structure comprising:

the vehicle connecting member of claim 3;

the crash box that is provided at a vehicle front section and that is connected to the front face portion of the vehicle connecting member;

the side member that is provided running along the vehicle front-rear direction at the vehicle front-rear direction rear side of the crash box, and that has a front end portion inserted into and connected to the first connecting section of the vehicle connecting member;

the outrigger that is provided running along the vehicle front-rear direction at the vehicle width direction outside of the side member, and that has a lower end portion extending toward the vehicle vertical direction lower side connected to the second connecting section of the vehicle connecting member; and

the suspension member that is bolt-fastened to the lower portion of the third connecting section of the vehicle connecting member.