IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,380,829
Granted Patent B2
US 7,380,829 · App. 10/537,807 · Granted Jun 3, 2008

Front body structure of vehicle

Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,380,829
App. No.
10/537,807
Granted
Jun 3, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a front body structure of a vehicle according to the present invention, satisfactory impact absorption can be achieved both at the time of offset collision and at the time of full-lapped collision. When a load applied to an offset-collided front side member from a front side of the vehicle is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the collided front side member is deformed. Thus, a front suspension member rotates. As a result, a bolt passing through the front suspension member fits into a branch of a slit of a rear mounting bracket disposed on the collided front side member, and the state in which the collided front side member is fixed to the front suspension member is maintained.

Claims (26)

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

a pair of right and left front side members disposed at a front portion of a vehicle body along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body;

a connecting member including a pair of front end and a pair of rear ends in a transverse direction of the vehicle, the the front ends being respectively fixed to front fixing portions and the rear ends being respectively fixed to rear fixing portions of the pair of right and left front side members; and

fixing mechanisms disposed on the right and left rear fixing portions, the fixing mechanisms releasing, when a load applied to the front side members from a front side of the vehicle is equal to or more than a predetermined value at a time of full-lapped collision, a state in which the front side members are fixed to the connecting member, and maintaining, at a time of offset collision, a state in which the collided front side member is fixed to the connecting member,

wherein the fixing mechanisms include slits extending parallel to the front side members and first branches branching from vicinities of rear-end openings of the slits toward inner rear sides of the vehicle, and fixing members of the connecting member can move in the slits and the first branches, and

the first branches are structured such that, at the time of offset collision, the fixing members fixing the connecting member to the collided front side member move and fit into the first branch of the slit.

2. The front body structure of a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is a front suspension member.

3. The front body structure of a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the slits further include second branches branching toward outer rear sides of the vehicle.

4. The front body structure of a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the second branches are structured such that, at the time of offset collision, the fixing members fixing the connecting member to the other front side member opposite to the collided front side member move and fit into the second branch of the slit.

5. The front body structure of a vehicle of claim 1 , structured such that reaction force of the right and left front side members at the time of full-lapped collision becomes substantially equal to total reaction force at the time of offset collision.

6. The front body structure of a vehicle of claim 5 , structured such that, at the time of offset collision, the connecting member receives a part of the collision load the collided front side member receives so that a part of impact can be absorbed.

7. A front body structure of a vehicle, comprising:

a pair of right and left front side members disposed at a front portion of a vehicle body along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body;

a connecting member including a pair of front ends and a pair of rear ends in a transverse direction of the vehicle, the front ends being respectively fixed to front fixing portions and the rear ends being respectively fixed to rear fixing portions of the pair of right and left front side members; and

fixing mechanisms disposed on the right and left rear fixing portions, the fixing mechanisms releasing, when a load applied to the front side members from a front side of the vehicle is equal to or more than a predetermined value at a time of full-lapped collision, a state in which the front side members are fixed to the connecting member, and maintaining, at a time of offset collision, a state in which the collided front side member is fixed to the connecting member, wherein

the fixing mechanisms include slits which extend parallel to the front side members and in which fixing members of the connecting member can move, and movement restraint mechanisms for restraining movement of the connecting member are formed in inner peripheral surfaces of the slits.

8. A front body structure of a vehicle, comprising:

a pair of right and left front side members disposed at a front portion of a vehicle body alone a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body;

a connecting member including a pair of front ends and a pair of rear ends in a transverse direction of the vehicle, the front ends being respectively fixed to front fixing portions and the rear ends being respectively fixed to rear fixing portions of the pair of right and left front side members; and

fixing mechanisms disposed on the right and left rear fixing portions, the fixing mechanisms releasing, when a load applied to the front side members from a front side of the vehicle is equal to or more than a predetermined value at a time of full-lapped collision, a state in which the front side members are fixed to the connecting member, and maintaining, at a time of offset collision, a state in which the collided front side member is fixed to the connecting member, wherein

the fixing mechanisms include slits which extend parallel to the front side members and in which fixing members of the connecting member can move, and lock mechanisms for opening and closing opening ends are provided near the slits, and at the time of offset collision, the lock mechanism closes the opening end of the slit of the fixing mechanism provided on the collided front side member, based on detection signals from collision detection sensors disposed at a front portion of the vehicle body.

9. A front body structure of a vehicle, comprising:

a pair of right and left front side members disposed at a front portion of a vehicle body along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body;

a connecting member including a pair of front ends and a pair of rear ends in a transverse direction of the vehicle, the front ends being respectively fixed to front fixing portions and the rear ends being respectively fixed to rear fixing portions of the pair of right and left front side members; and

fixing mechanisms disposed on the right and left rear fixing portions, the fixing mechanisms releasing, when a load applied to the front side members from a front side of the vehicle is equal to or more than a predetermined value at a time of full-lapped collision, a state in which the front side members are fixed to the connecting member, and maintaining, at a time of offset collision, a state in which the collided front side member is fixed to the connecting member, wherein

the fixing mechanisms include slits extending parallel to the front side members and first branches branching from vicinities of rear-end openings of the slits toward inner rear sides of the vehicle, and fixing members of the connecting member can move in the slits and the first branches.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 7, 2005
From: KISHIMA, FUMIHIKO
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 017288/0340 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2002-376242 · Dec 26, 2002 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20060113784A1 · Jun 1, 2006