Vehicle body front structure for automobile

• US 9,233,719 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2013
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Shibata, Yasuyuki, Yamada, Hirotomo
• Primary Examiner(s): ROMAIN, PINEL E
• Application Number:
  US14/653,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20150314811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 296/193.09, 296/203.03
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/082 Engine compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/088 Details of structures as upper supports for springs or dampers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 27/02 rigid
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/005 preformed metal and synthetic material elements being joined together, e.g. by adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/008 predominantly of light alloys, e.g. extruded

Abstract

In a vehicle front structure, without increasing the thickness of the material of a damper housing structure and reinforcement portions, an adequate mechanical strength in supporting the damper can be ensured, and the cost of the manufacturing facilities can be minimized. The damper housing structure is formed by a damper base, a damper housing main body, a front reinforcement portion and a rear reinforcement portion, and the damper base. Each of the damper housing main body, the front reinforcement portion and the rear reinforcement portion includes a closed cross section portion extending linearly with a same cross section.

Claims

1. A vehicle body front structure, comprising:

a pair of front side frames extending in the fore and aft direction on either side;

a pair of front upper members extending in the fore and aft direction on either side above the corresponding front side frames, respectively; and

a pair of damper housing structures provided on either side to connect the front side frame and the front upper member to each other on either side;

each damper housing structure comprising

a damper base joined to the front upper member,

a damper housing main body extending linearly with a same closed cross section over an entire length thereof, and having a lower end joined to the front side frame and an upper end joined to the damper base, and

a reinforcement portion provided on each of a front part and a rear part of the damper housing main body, extending linearly with a same closed cross section over an entire length thereof, and having a lower end joined to the front side frame, an upper end joined to the front upper member and a vertically extending side edge joined to the damper housing main body.

2. The vehicle body front structure according to claim 1, wherein the damper housing main body is provided with a closed cross section having an arcuate outboard wall with a concave surface.

3. The vehicle body front structure according to claim 1, wherein:

the front upper member is located outboard of the front side frame;

the damper base has an end that is bonded to the front upper member and extends inboard beyond the front upper member;

the damper housing main body extends vertically from the front side frame, and has an upper end bonded to the end of the damper base extending in the inboard direction; and

each reinforcement portion includes a closed cross section portion extending at an angle and having a lower end joined to the front side frame and an upper end joined to the front upper member, and a plate portion extending from the closed cross section portion and closing a triangular opening defined by the closed cross section portion, the damper housing main body and the damper base, the plate portion being bonded to the damper housing main body and the damper base.

4. The vehicle body front structure according to claim 1, wherein the damper housing main body is formed by trimming a metallic extruded member into a prescribed shape.

5. The vehicle body front structure according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement portion is formed by trimming a metallic extruded member into a prescribed shape.

6. The vehicle body front structure according to claim 1, wherein the damper base is bonded to the damper housing main body with a certain overlap.

7. The vehicle body front structure according to claim 1, wherein the damper base overlaps with the reinforcement portion and is bonded thereto, and is provided with a bonding extension that overlaps with an upper surface of the front upper member and is bonded thereto.

8. The vehicle body front structure according to claim 1, wherein the damper housing main body is bonded to the reinforcement portion with a certain overlap.

9. The vehicle body front structure according to claim 1, wherein the front side frame is provided with a projection for mounting a bracket for supporting an arm of a front suspension system in an upper part thereof, the projection having a slanted surface facing the inboard direction, and the damper housing main body is provided with a lower end bonded to the slanted surface in the outboard direction.