JP2009274543A - Automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve flushness of the outer surface of a front bumper and the outer surface of a front fender panel in an automobile having a bumper retainer which fixes and connects the front bumper to the front fender panel. <P>SOLUTION: A thin-sheet bumper rib 21 is integrated with a central side end in a vehicle width direction of the flange part 13B of the front bumper 5 corresponding to the tip end lower part 18 of the front fender panel 2. The bumper rib 21 is made to abut the central side end in the vehicle width direction of the tip end lower part 18 of the front fender panel 2 through the thin-sheet retainer rib 22 formed in the bumper retainer 7. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an automobile having a bumper retainer for fixedly connecting a front bumper to a front fender panel.

  A general automobile has a front fender panel that constitutes a part of the vehicle body, and a front bumper mounted on the front part of the vehicle body (see FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1). FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of such an automobile, in which the arrow Fr indicates the forward direction of the automobile, and the arrow W indicates the vehicle width direction. Moreover, the code | symbol CL in FIG. 5 has shown the vehicle width direction center of the motor vehicle. In this specification, the words “front” or “rear” mean front and rear with reference to the forward direction Fr.

  In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a vehicle body, that is, a main body thereof, and reference numeral 2 denotes a front fender panel constituting a part of the vehicle body 1. A lamp 20 is disposed in front of the front fender panel 2, and a hood 3 is supported on the vehicle body 1 so as to be opened and closed. Further, a front grill 4 is attached to the front portion of the vehicle body 1, and a front bumper 5 fixed to the vehicle body 1 is disposed below the front grill 4. As is known per se, the front bumper 5 is composed of a resin bumper panel 6 shown in FIG. 5 and a steel plate reinforcement (not shown) integrally assembled with the bumper panel 6. The front fender panel 2 is made of a steel plate.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which a front bumper 5 of a conventional automobile is attached to the front fender panel 2. An end portion in the vehicle width direction of the front bumper 5 is fixedly connected to the front fender panel 2 via a resin bumper retainer 7 shown in FIG. The bumper retainer 7 shown here has two clips 8, 9 provided on the surface facing the front fender panel 2, and each of the clips 8, 9 is indicated by a dashed line arrow A in FIG. 6. As shown, the clips 8 and 9 are pushed into the mounting holes 10 and 11 formed in the lower part of the front fender panel 2 and the clips 8 and 9 are fitted into the mounting holes 10 and 11 as shown in FIG. Thereby, the bumper retainer 7 can be fixed to the front fender panel 2. In FIG. 5, the clips 8 and 9 are shown in a simplified manner in order to avoid complicating the drawing.

  Further, the bumper retainer 7 is formed with a fitting groove 12, the front bumper 5 is formed with a flange 13, and a flat portion 13A of the flange 13 is formed with a plurality of locking holes 14. Yes.

  The flange 13 of the front bumper 5 is pushed into the fitting groove 12 of the bumper retainer 7 as shown by a dashed line arrow B in FIG. 6, and the flange 13 is inserted into the fitting groove 12 as shown in FIG. Mating. At this time, each locking claw 15 protruding from the bumper retainer 7 engages with each locking hole 14. When the flange 13 is pushed into the fitting groove 12, each locking claw 15 is pressurized and elastically deformed by the flange 13, and when the flange 13 is fitted into the fitting groove 12, each locking claw 12 is elastic. After returning, the locking claw 15 engages with each locking hole 14. Thus, with the flange 13 of the front bumper 5 fitted in the fitting groove 12 of the bumper retainer 7, the locking claw 15 of the bumper retainer 7 is engaged with the locking hole 14 of the front bumper 5, The front bumper 5 can be fixed to the bumper retainer 7. The front bumper 5 can be fixedly connected to the front fender panel 2 via the bumper retainer 7.

  As described above, when the front bumper 5 is attached to the front fender panel 2, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the outer surface 16 of the front fender panel portion and the outer surface 17 of the front bumper portion that are located adjacent to each other. Are almost flush with each other. Thereby, the external appearance of a motor vehicle can be improved.

  By the way, since the lamp 20 having the form shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is located in front of the front fender panel 2, the front bumper corresponding to the lower end 18 of the front fender panel 2 as shown in FIG. The fifth flange portion 13B is curved so as to protrude upward from the flat flange portion 13A in which the locking hole 14 is formed. For this reason, it is difficult to form a locking hole in the curved flange portion 13B and project a locking claw in the bumper retainer 7 corresponding to the locking hole. If the locking claw is protruded from this portion of the bumper retainer 7, the structure of the bumper retainer becomes complicated, and it is difficult to protrude the locking claw here.

  For this reason, in the conventional automobile, a locking hole formed in the flat flange portion 13A behind the flange portion 13B without providing a locking claw in the bumper retainer 7 portion corresponding to the curved flange portion 13B. 14 is engaged with the locking claw 15 of the bumper retainer 7. However, in this way, if the curved flange portion 13B is not fixed to the bumper retainer 7, the flange portion 13B and the front bumper portion in the vicinity thereof are in relation to the portion of the front fender panel 2 adjacent thereto. As a result, it becomes floating or sinking, and the uniformity of the outer surface of these portions is deteriorated, and the appearance quality may be deteriorated.

FIG. 1 of JP-A-2006-27485

  The present invention has been made on the basis of the above-described novel recognition, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automobile capable of eliminating the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks while suppressing the complexity of the structure of the bumper retainer. Is to provide.

  The present invention has a bumper retainer for fixedly connecting a front bumper to a front fender panel, and the bumper retainer is formed on the front bumper and a clip fitted in a mounting hole formed in the front fender panel. And the front bumper has a flange that fits into a fitting groove formed in the bumper retainer, and the locking hole is formed in a flat portion of the flange. The front bumper corresponding to the lower end of the front fender panel is formed by engaging the engaging claw of the bumper retainer with the engaging hole of the front bumper. The front fenders are bent adjacent to each other and are bent so as to protrude upward from the flat flange portion in which the locking holes are formed. In the vehicle configured such that the outer surface of the flannel portion and the outer surface of the front bumper portion are substantially flush with each other, the vehicle width direction center end of the flange portion of the front bumper corresponding to the lower end of the front fender panel A thin plate-like bumper rib is formed integrally with the bumper rib, and the bumper rib is in contact with the center end in the vehicle width direction at the lower end of the front fender panel via the thin plate-like retainer rib formed on the bumper retainer. It is characterized by.

  At that time, a cushioning material is fixed to the retainer rib surface on the side facing the vehicle width direction center side edge of the front fender panel, and the vehicle width direction center side edge of the front fender panel is in direct contact with the cushioning material. It is advantageous to have.

  Further, in the automobile having the above configuration, the bumper retainer has one clip having a polygonal cross-sectional shape, and a locking hole of a front fender panel into which the clip is fitted is also formed in a polygonal shape similar to the clip. The vertical thickness of the bumper retainer portion on which the clip protrudes is T1, and the vertical thickness of the bumper retainer portion on the front side of the bumper retainer portion on which the retainer rib is formed is T1. It is advantageous if the thicknesses T1 and T2 are set so that T2 <T1 when T2 is T2.

  According to the present invention, the uniformity of the outer surface of the front fender panel and the outer surface of the front bumper can be improved compared to the conventional one while suppressing the complexity of the structure of the bumper retainer, and the appearance of the automobile can be further improved. Can do.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

  The appearance of the automobile in this example is substantially the same as that of the conventional automobile shown in FIG. Therefore, in the following description, FIG. 5 will be referred to as necessary.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the front bumper 5 of the automobile of this example is attached to the front fender panel 2, and FIG. 2 is a view of the state in which the front bumper 5 is attached to the front fender panel 2. It is an II-II line expanded sectional view in. As can be seen from these drawings, the basic configuration of the automobile of this example is the same as the conventional automobile shown in FIGS. That is, the automobile of this example also has a resin bumper retainer 7 that fixes and connects the front bumper 5 to the front fender panel 2, and the bumper retainer 7 is fitted into the mounting hole 10 formed in the front fender panel 2. Clip 8 and a locking claw 15 (FIG. 2) that engages with a locking hole 14 formed in the front bumper 5. By inserting the clip 8 into the mounting hole 10 of the front fender panel 2 as shown by the dashed line arrow A in FIG. 1, and fitting the clip 8 into the mounting hole 10 as shown in FIG. The bumper retainer 7 can be fixed to the front fender panel 2. The front bumper 5 has a flange 13 that fits into a fitting groove 12 formed in the bumper retainer 7, and the above-described locking hole 14 is formed in a flat portion 13 </ b> A of the flange 13. The flange 13 is pushed into the fitting groove 12 as shown by a dashed line arrow B in FIG. 1, and the flange 13 is fitted into the fitting groove 12. In this manner, the engaging claw 15 of the bumper retainer 7 is engaged with the engaging hole 14 of the front bumper 5 with the flange 13 fitted in the fitting groove 12 of the bumper retainer 7 as shown in FIG. Let As a result, the front bumper 5 is fixed to the bumper retainer 7. The front bumper 5 is fixedly connected to the front fender panel 2 via the bumper retainer 7. Also in the automobile of this example, as shown in FIG. 1, the flange portion 13B of the front bumper 5 corresponding to the lower end 18 of the front fender panel 2 is more than the flat flange portion 13A in which the locking hole 14 is formed. Also, the outer surface 16 of the front fender panel portion and the outer surface 17 of the front bumper portion located adjacent to each other are substantially flush with each other as shown in FIG. It is configured. Also in FIG. 1, the clip 8 is shown in a simplified manner.

  As described above, the basic configuration of the automobile of this example is not different from the conventional automobile shown in FIGS. Therefore, in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 described later, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 5 to FIG. The further description about the same part as before is omitted.

  FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 1 with the front bumper 5 attached to the front fender panel 2 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 1, a thin bumpy rib 21 is integrally formed at the vehicle width direction center side end of the flange portion 13 </ b> B of the front bumper 5 corresponding to the lower end 18 of the front fender panel 2. Yes. Similarly, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the bumper retainer 7 is also integrally formed with a thin plate-like retainer rib 22, and as shown in FIG. 3, the above-described bumper rib 21 is interposed via the retainer rib 22. The front fender panel 2 is in contact with the center end 23 in the vehicle width direction of the lower end portion 18 of the front fender panel 2.

  As described above with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, the curved flange portion 13 </ b> B of the front bumper 5 is not fixedly locked to the bumper retainer 7. There is a risk that the outer surface of the front bumper in the vicinity of and the outer surface of the front fender panel 2 corresponding to the front bumper will not be properly flush with each other. However, in the automobile of this example, as described above, the bumper rib 21 is provided at the center side end 23 in the vehicle width direction of the lower end 18 of the front fender panel 2 via the thin plate-like retainer rib 22 formed on the bumper retainer 7. The flange portion 13B in which the locking hole 14 is not formed is in a state where it floats or sinks with respect to the lower end 18 of the front fender panel 2 corresponding thereto. Rather, the outer surface of the front bumper 5 and the outer surface of the front fender panel 2 in the vicinity of these can be properly flushed. Thereby, the external appearance of a motor vehicle can be improved further. In addition, the structure of the bumper retainer 7 is not significantly complicated.

  Although the vehicle width direction center side end 23 of the front fender panel 2 may be brought into direct contact with the retainer rib 22, in this case, the vehicle width direction center side end 23 and the retainer rib 22 are caused by vibration generated during the traveling of the automobile. May rub against each other and make noises.

  Therefore, in the automobile of this example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a sheet-like cushioning material 24 made of rubber, for example, is provided on the retainer rib surface of the front fender panel 2 facing the center end 23 in the vehicle width direction. However, it is fixed by, for example, an adhesive, and the vehicle width direction center side end 23 of the front fender panel 2 is in direct contact with the cushioning material 24. For this reason, the malfunction which an abnormal noise generate | occur | produces at the time of driving | running | working of a motor vehicle can be prevented.

  4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3. As shown in this figure, inclined surfaces 25 and 26 are formed at the tip of the bumper rib 21 and the tip of the retainer rib 22, respectively. Yes. Thus, when the front bumper 5 is assembled to the bumper retainer 7 as shown by the arrow B in FIGS. 1 and 4, the bumper rib 21 is easily brought into contact with the retainer rib 22 while sliding the bumper rib 21 against the retainer rib 22. be able to.

  By the way, in the conventional automobile shown in FIG. 6, the bumper retainer 7 has two clips 8 and 9, and these clips 8 and 9 are attached to the mounting holes 10 and 11 formed in the front fender panel 2. The bumper retainer 7 is fixed to the front fender panel 2 by fitting. As described above, the bumper retainer 7 is provided with the plurality of clips 8 and 9 by firmly fixing the bumper retainer 7 to the front fender panel 2 with the plurality of clips 8 and 9. This is to prevent the floating state with respect to 2 and to improve the flushness of the outer surface 16 of the front fender panel 2 and the outer surface 17 of the front bumper 5.

  On the other hand, in the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the retainer rib 22 of the bumper retainer 7 is fixed by being sandwiched and fixed between the vehicle fender panel 2 center end 23 and the bumper rib 21. The portion of the retainer rib 22 of 7 is not lifted with respect to the front fender panel 2, and the portion of the retainer rib 22 is correctly positioned with respect to the front fender panel 2. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 1, only one clip 8 is provided on the bumper retainer 7, and this is fitted into a mounting hole 10 formed on the front fender panel 2, so that the entire bumper retainer 7 is front-mounted. Positioning correctly with respect to the fender panel 2 is possible.

  At that time, in order to prevent the bumper retainer 7 from shifting in a rotating direction around the central axis of the clip 8, the clip 8 having a polygonal cross-sectional shape is used, and the mounting hole 10 into which the fitting hole 10 is fitted, Preferably, the clip 8 is formed in a polygonal shape similar to the cross-sectional shape. In the illustrated example, the cross-sectional shape of the clip 8 is formed in a quadrangle, and the attachment hole 10 is also formed in a quadrangle. As described above, the bumper retainer 7 has one clip 8 having a polygonal cross-sectional shape, and the locking hole 10 of the front fender panel 2 into which the clip 8 is fitted also has the same polygonal shape as the clip 8. It is formed.

  As described above, the bumper retainer 7 is not provided with the clip 9 which is essential in the conventional automobile. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the vertical thickness of the portion of the bumper retainer 7 provided with the clip 9 can be reduced. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the vertical thickness of the bumper retainer portion from which the clip 8 is projected is T1, and the front side of the bumper retainer portion is on the side where the aforementioned retainer rib 22 is formed. When the thickness in the vertical direction of the bumper retainer portion is T2, each thickness T1, T2 can be set so that T2 <T1. Thus, since the thickness T2 of the front part of the bumper retainer 7 in the vertical direction can be reduced, the bumper retainer 7 can be reduced in size, and its weight and cost can be reduced.

It is a perspective view which shows a mode when attaching a front bumper to a front fender panel. It is the II-II line expanded sectional view in Drawing 1 in the state where the front bumper was attached to the front fender panel. FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 1 in a state where a front bumper is attached to a front fender panel. It is the IV-IV sectional view taken on the line in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the conventional motor vehicle. It is a perspective view which shows a mode when attaching the front bumper of the motor vehicle shown in FIG. 5 to a front fender panel. It is sectional drawing which shows the state in which the front bumper shown in FIG. 6 was attached to the front fender panel.

Explanation of symbols

2 Front fender panel 5 Front bumper 7 Bumper retainer 8 Clip 10 Mounting hole 12 Fitting groove 13 Flange 13A, 13B Flange part 14 Locking hole 15 Locking claw 16, 17 Outer surface 18 Tip lower part 21 Bumper rib 22 Retainer rib 23 Center in the vehicle width direction Side edge 24 cushioning material T1, T2 thickness

Claims (3)

There is a bumper retainer for fixedly connecting the front bumper to the front fender panel, and the bumper retainer is provided in a clip fitted in a mounting hole formed in the front fender panel, and a locking hole formed in the front bumper. The front bumper has a flange that fits into a fitting groove formed in the bumper retainer, and the locking hole is formed in a flat portion of the flange, With the flange fitted in the fitting groove, the locking claw of the bumper retainer engages with the locking hole of the front bumper, and the flange portion of the front bumper corresponding to the lower end of the front fender panel is The front fender panel portions that are curved so as to protrude upward from the flat flange portion in which the locking holes are formed and are positioned adjacent to each other And an outer surface, the vehicle and the outer surface of the front bumper portion is configured so as to be substantially flush with,
A thin plate-like bumper rib is integrally formed at the vehicle width direction center side end of the flange portion of the front bumper corresponding to the lower end of the front fender panel, and the bumper rib is formed via a thin plate-like retainer rib formed on the bumper retainer. An automobile, wherein the front fender panel is in contact with the center side end in the vehicle width direction at the lower end of the front fender panel. A cushioning material is fixed to a retainer rib surface on a side facing the vehicle width direction center side end of the front fender panel, and a vehicle width direction center side end of the front fender panel is in direct contact with the cushioning material. 1. The automobile according to 1. The bumper retainer has one clip having a polygonal cross-sectional shape, and the engaging hole of the front fender panel into which the clip is fitted is also formed in the same polygon shape as the clip, and the clip protrudes. When the thickness in the vertical direction of the bumper retainer portion is T1, and the thickness in the vertical direction of the bumper retainer portion on the front side of the bumper retainer portion on which the retainer rib is formed is T2, T2 < The automobile according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each thickness T1, T2 is set so as to be T1.

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