JP2002012040A - Power plant support structure - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: The present invention provides a power plant support structure capable of improving the impact energy absorption performance at the time of a collision. A support structure for a power plant according to the present invention forms fragile portions X and Y that break when a predetermined tensile load is applied to a transmission mount member 8b, and a predetermined load is applied to a roll mount member 8c. And a deformable part Z that causes deformation, and at the time of an offset frontal collision,
The transmission mount member 8b is broken, and the roll mount member 8c is compressed and deformed.
In addition, a rotational movement toward the rear of the vehicle body is induced while retreating with the roll mount member 8c as a fulcrum, and deformation is caused even from the transmission mount member 8b to the rear vehicle body portion, thereby absorbing impact energy.
The impact energy is absorbed by the behavior of the power plant 5 being rotated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a support structure for a power plant housed in a front portion of a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an automobile (vehicle), a power plant necessary for traveling is housed in an engine room formed in a front portion of a vehicle body.

A power plant is a rotary structure composed of only an engine and a transmission, or a combination of this and a clutch and a torque converter. A support structure that suppresses the pressure is required.

Therefore, in a horizontal power plant (a layout in which the power plant is entirely arranged in the vehicle width direction), an engine facing two points at the front and rear portions of the power plant, specifically, one side of the engine room in the vehicle width direction. The front of the transmission and the rear of the transmission facing the other side, using the engine mount member and the transmission mount member,
Using a roll structure to support the weight of the power plant by supporting the weight of the power plant by supporting the side frame members that form the framework on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the engine room, and using a roll mount member And a mount member that suppresses a roll (movement around an axis) of a power plant by being supported by a cross member or a center member passing under the vehicle body. The same applies to a vertically placed power plant.

[0005] By the way, in an automobile, a buckling deformable member is generally employed for a side frame member which forms a skeleton of an engine room located forward of a passenger compartment, so that an area where the engine room is located is made a crushable zone, and from the front, When an impact force equal to or more than a predetermined value is applied in the collision, the side frame member buckles and absorbs impact energy.

[0006]

By the way, in an automobile, in order to secure safety, it is desired to enhance the absorption performance of impact energy as much as possible.

However, since the power plant is installed in the middle of the side frame member in front of the cabin, the frame portion in front of the installation point buckles and absorbs impact energy. From this point, the rear frame portion is less likely to buckle and the impact energy absorption performance is limited.

[0008] Nevertheless, if the engine room has a considerably larger space than the power plant, it is possible to obtain a high energy absorbing property for alleviating the offset frontal collision. Therefore, in a narrow engine room slightly larger than the outer shape of the power plant, it is difficult to absorb high impact energy such as in an offset frontal collision.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a power plant support structure capable of improving the impact energy absorbing performance at the time of a collision.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power plant supporting structure, comprising: a mounting member disposed on both sides in a vehicle width direction of an engine room for supporting the power plant on a vehicle body. At least one of them has a fragile portion that breaks when a predetermined load is applied, and when a collision from the front of the vehicle body occurs, the mount member is broken from the fragile portion and the power plant rotates toward the rear of the vehicle body. Was configured to induce movement.

That is, when a predetermined load is applied to the mount member supporting the side portion of the power plant in the vehicle width direction due to a collision from the front side of the vehicle, the mount member breaks from the fragile portion. Subsequently, the power plant separated from the vehicle body due to the break is pushed rearward, and starts rotating in a direction toward the vehicle rear side.

Then, deformation occurs from the point at which the mount member is supported to the rear vehicle body portion to absorb the impact energy, and the impact energy is absorbed by the behavior of the power plant being rotated.

In particular, when the power plant rotates, compared to the case where the entire power plant moves linearly backward,
The impact energy is absorbed by a large travel distance, and the amount of deformation of the body can be increased until the power plant stops, so that even if the power plant is housed in a narrow engine room, both effects are achieved. Thereby, high impact energy absorption performance can be obtained.

In order to achieve the above object, a support structure for a power plant according to a second aspect of the present invention provides a power plant support structure, wherein at least one of mount members arranged on both sides in a vehicle width direction of an engine room for supporting the power plant on a vehicle body. Forming a fragile portion that breaks when a predetermined tensile load is applied, and forming a deformable portion that deforms when a predetermined load is applied to a second mount member disposed at the rear of the engine room, In the event of a collision from the vehicle, the first mount member is broken from the fragile portion and the second mount member is deformed to induce the power plant to rotate toward the rear of the vehicle body with the second mount member as a fulcrum. .

That is, when a predetermined load is applied to the second mount member on the rear side of the power plant and a predetermined tensile load is applied to the mount member supporting the power plant in response to a collision from the front of the vehicle, The first mount member breaks from the fragile portion while the second mount member is pressed and deformed. Subsequently, the power plant separated from the vehicle body due to the break starts rearward and starts rotating in the rearward direction.

[0016] Then, deformation occurs from the point where the mount member is supported to the rear vehicle body portion to absorb the impact energy, and the impact energy is absorbed by the behavior of the power plant being rotated.

In addition, as compared with the case where the entire power plant moves linearly rearward, the rotation of the power plant increases the moving distance, absorbs the impact energy, and increases the time until the power plant stops. Because the amount of deformation of many vehicle bodies is important, and the deformation of the second mount member is important for the movement amount of the power plant and the amount of deformation of the vehicle body,
Even in a situation where the power plant is housed in a narrow engine room, a high impact energy absorbing performance can be obtained by both effects.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on a first embodiment shown in FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a front portion of a vehicle body of an automobile (vehicle), for example, and a pair of side frames 1a and 1b extend along the front-rear direction of the vehicle body S constituting the vehicle body S. The members 2a, 2b are side frame members 1a,
Various cross member members 3 extending in the vehicle width direction are provided so as to intersect with each other between 1b, and are dashboards extending in the vehicle width direction and constituting the vehicle body S.

An engine room is provided in a region (corresponding to a portion surrounded by oblique lines) surrounded by a side frame portion from the front portion of the vehicle body S, that is, the frontmost cross member member 2a to the dashboard 3 that partitions the passenger compartment. 4 are formed.

In the engine room 4, a power plant 5 necessary for running a car is accommodated. The power plant 5 has, for example, a structure in which a transmission 7 (manual type, AT type, or the like) is connected to an output portion of an engine 6 to form a unit, and the entire unit is housed in a posture facing the vehicle width direction, that is, in a lateral direction. .

The power plant 5 includes a plurality of mounting members disposed on the left and right rear of the engine room 4, that is, an engine mounting member 8a (corresponding to a first mounting member) and a transmission mounting member 8b.
(Corresponding to the first mount member), the roll mount member 8c
(Equivalent to a second mount member) to be mounted on the vehicle body S.

The transmission mount member 8b, which bears the weight of the power plant 5, is, for example, as shown in FIG.
An arched member as shown in FIG.
More specifically, the transmission mount member 8b has a flat mounting seat 10 having an arch shape that draws an arc in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 1 as shown in FIG. 4, and projects laterally from the upper surface of the mounting seat 10. A transmission hole 12 for fixing the transmission is formed in the seating surface 10a of the mounting seat 10, and a cylindrical anti-vibration rubber 13 (anti-vibration member) is provided at the end of the arm 11 as a mounting portion on the vehicle body side. Is incorporated. Seat surfaces 10a, 10a serving as one end portions of the transmission mount member 8b are overlapped on the upper portion of the transmission 7 and fixed by bolts 17 screwed through the through holes 10, and a cylindrical vibration isolating rubber forming an attachment portion at the other end portion. 13 is a side frame member 1b adjacent to the transmission end.
In the fork end type bracket 14 (structure having a U-shaped portion at the tip). The cylindrical anti-vibration rubber 13 and the fork end portion 14a at the tip of the bracket 14 are connected by a bolt 15 whose axis is oriented in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body S.
Are elastically suspended. A plurality of grooves 16 extending continuously in the direction in which the arc of the arch is formed are formed on the upper surface of the mounting seat 10, for example, as shown in FIGS.
Has changed the characteristics. Specifically, by forming the groove portion 16, the rigidity characteristic of the mounting seat 10 is such that a predetermined tensile load is applied to the mounting seat 10 from the vehicle longitudinal direction while securing sufficient rigidity to suspend the transmission 7. And the periphery X of the seat 10a supporting the transmission 7
The characteristic is changed to a characteristic in which breakage (due to concentrated stress) occurs at the periphery Y (both corresponding to the fragile portion) where the rear end of the arm portion 11 is attached.

The engine mount member 8a that bears the weight of the remaining power plant 5 also has a structure in which a fragile portion (by forming a groove or the like) is formed in a member that elastically suspends the engine end via an elastic member. Used. The fragile portion secures rigidity for suspending the engine 6 to the engine mount member 8a, similarly to the transmission mount member 8b, and when a predetermined tensile load is applied from the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, the seat surface in contact with the transmission 7 Breakage occurs around the periphery and around the rear end of the arm (not shown).

The roll mount member 8c having the function of suppressing the roll of the power plant 5 has, for example, a hole 18 whose axis is oriented in the horizontal direction at one end as shown in FIGS. A rod-shaped member having a vertically oriented hole 19 whose axis intersects it is used. The end having the hole 18 is combined with, for example, a bracket 22 having a cylindrical vibration isolating rubber 21 (a structure having a cylindrical vibration isolating rubber at the distal end) provided on the side of the engine 6. And the hole 1
One end of the roll mount member 8c and the bracket 22 are rotatably connected to each other by a bolt 23 passing through the bolt 8, and the two are elastically supported therebetween. The end having the hole 19 is a cylindrical vibration isolating rubber provided on a vehicle body portion, for example, a cross member member 2b (or a center member member passing under the vehicle body S) disposed near the power plant 5. It is combined with a bracket 26 with 25 (a structure in which a cylindrical anti-vibration rubber is built in at the tip). The other end of the roll mount member 8c and the bracket 26 are rotatably connected by the bolt 27 passing through the hole 19, and the posture of the engine 6 is regulated so that the power plant 5 is not displaced around the axis. I have.

The roll mount member 8c is provided with a property of causing a compressive deformation when a predetermined compressive load is applied from both ends. For this reason, the roll mount member 8c includes
A structure suitable for this, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, a U-shape in which the height of both side walls 30a in the width direction gradually decreases from one end to the other end, and an end wall 30b between the side walls 30a
A pair of channel members 30 each having openings 31 of various sizes formed so as to be sandwiched inside and outside each other, and through holes are formed in portions where the side walls 30a overlap each other so that the axis is oriented in the horizontal direction. A through hole is formed in each of the end wall portions facing each other to form a hole portion 19 whose axis is oriented in the vertical direction. A deformable portion Z that is easily deformed is formed between the two hole portions 18 and 19 from the change in cross-sectional shape caused by the structure, and when a predetermined compressive load is applied from both ends of the roll mount member 8c, the portion is compressed and deformed. (Crush deformation).

When the transmission mount member 8b is broken at the time of a collision in the front direction of the vehicle, the power plant 5 is caused to rotate around the center of gravity.
It is designed to exhibit impact energy absorption performance.

The energy absorption performance will be described with reference to an example of a front offset collision in which a particularly large impact energy is generated. Assume that one side (left side) of the front of the automobile collides with the barrier B, for example.

Then, as shown in FIG. 6 (a), the impact applied from the front part of the vehicle body 1 causes the foremost cross member member 2a to bend and the front end part of the side frame member 1b to undergo buckling deformation. Subsequently, the buckling deformation proceeds to a point where the transmission mount member 8b is located.

When the compression load applied to the roll mount member 8c exceeds a predetermined value, the roll mount member 8c undergoes compressive deformation as shown in FIG. 6C, and the power plant 5 retreats.

Here, when the compressive deformation of the roll mount member 8c ends and the retreat of the power plant 5 is gradually suppressed, the tensile load applied to the transmission mount member 8b gradually increases.

When the tensile load exceeds a predetermined value in the fragile portion of the transmission mount member 8b, as shown in FIGS. 6C and 6D, the portion where the stress of the mounting seat 10 is concentrated, that is, Breakage occurs around the seat surface 10a and near the base of the arm portion 11. At this time, if the tensile load applied to the engine cloak member 8a exceeds a predetermined value, a break occurs similarly.

Then, the power plant 5 separated from the side frame member 1b as shown in FIG.
Transmission end goes backwards. At this time,
Since the roll mount member 8c is connected to the middle of the power plant 5, the power plant 5 is induced to rotate backward with respect to the roll mount member 8c as a fulcrum, and rotates around the center of gravity in the same direction. start. At this time, with the same behavior, the roll mount member 8c that has been compressed starts deforming in the direction in which it expands, as shown in FIG.

As a result, the portion from the point where the transmission mount member 8b is supported to the rear side frame member 1b is deformed to absorb the impact energy. Power plant 5 rotated with
, The impact energy is absorbed.

The rotation of the power plant 5 not only allows the power plant 5 to move a large distance but absorbs the impact energy as compared with the case where the entire power plant moves linearly backward. In the crushable zone including the side frame member 1b, a large amount of deformation can be obtained.

Therefore, while having a simple structure in which a fragile portion is formed in a mount member disposed on the side of the engine room 4 in the vehicle width direction, a synergistic effect of each of the above effects is obtained.
The impact energy absorption performance at the time of a collision can be significantly improved. Moreover, since a large amount of deformation of the vehicle body 1 can be saved, high impact energy absorption performance can be ensured even in a situation where the power plant 5 can be accommodated in the narrow engine room 4. This is particularly effective for an offset frontal collision in which a large impact energy is generated.

In addition, by adopting a structure that not only breaks the transmission mount member 8b but also compresses and deforms the roll mount member 8c, the power plant 5 rotates and moves backward, causing a narrow engine room. In 4, the amount of movement of the power plant 5 and the amount of deformation of the vehicle body S are made more important, so that a much greater impact energy absorption can be obtained. This also includes the behavior when the roll mount member 8c that has been compressed and deformed expands. Moreover, the power plant 5 is easily rotated around the center of gravity by the roll mount member 8c extending from the compression deformation, and an efficient impact energy effect can be expected.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the roll mount member 8c
Is not a combination of a pair of channel members 30 but one part.

More specifically, the roll mount member 8c of the present embodiment is formed of, for example, a rectangular cylindrical member having four peripheral walls 35a to 35c (only three sides are shown) and openings 36 of various sizes formed therein. A main body 37 is formed, and at one end of the main body 37,
A pair of vertical wall portions 38 each having a through hole are formed, the hole portion 18 whose axis is oriented in the horizontal direction is formed, a horizontal wall portion 39 is formed at the other end of the main body 37, and the horizontal wall portion 39 is formed. Cylindrical anti-vibration rubber 40
Are vertically assembled to form a hole 19 whose axis is oriented vertically.

An opening 3 is formed in the peripheral wall 35a of such an integrally molded product.
The same effect as in the first embodiment can also be obtained with the roll mount member 8c having the structure in which the deformable portion Z that is easily deformed is formed in the region between the holes 18 and 19 by providing the hole 6.

Of course, instead of providing an opening or a groove to change the cross-sectional shape to form a deformable portion, the deformable portion is formed by using an aluminum member as a material for forming the roll cap member. It does not matter.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be implemented with various modifications without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the mount member having the fragile portion is used for both the engine mount member and the transmission mount member. The mount member having the fragile portion may be applied only to the mount member (the transmission mount member in the embodiment) disposed on the (left side). In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the fragile portion is formed in the arch-shaped mount member has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a notch or an opening may be formed in a mount member having another shape.

[0044]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the collision energy is absorbed by the rearward rotation of the power plant caused by the collision, and the energy until the power plant is stopped is absorbed. By utilizing the space, the collision energy can be absorbed by utilizing the deformation amount of the vehicle body.

Therefore, by the synergistic effect of the two, the performance of absorbing impact energy at the time of collision can be remarkably improved. Moreover, the rotation of the power plant is more complicated than the case where the entire power plant is moved rearward in a straight line.
Since a large moving distance can be saved, high shock absorbing performance can be provided.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above-described effects, by adopting a structure in which the second mount member is compressed and deformed, a behavior that the power plant rotates while retreating occurs. The amount of movement of the power plant and the amount of deformation of the vehicle body, which cannot be obtained by simply breaking the fragile portion of the first mount member, can be crucial, and significantly greater impact energy absorption can be obtained. In addition, the behavior of the second mount member extending from the compression deformation makes the power plant easily rotate around the center of gravity, and an efficient impact energy effect can be expected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a front part of a vehicle body showing a support structure of a power plant according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing details of a mount member in a portion A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing details of a mount member in a portion B in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a transmission mount member.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a roll mount member.

FIG. 6 is a plan view for explaining the behavior of the power plant at the time of an offset frontal collision.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a roll mount member that is a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a, 1b: Side frame member 4: Engine room 5: Power plant 6: Engine 7: Transmission 8b: Transmission mount member (mount member: first mount member) 8c: Roll mount member (second mount member) S: Vehicle body X , Y: fragile part Z: deformable part

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) B62D 21/15 B62D 21/15 C 25/08 25/08 C F16F 7/12 F16F 7/12 15/02 15/02 Z 15/08 15/08 W (72) Inventor Ikumasa Moriyasu 3-33-8 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo Inside Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (72) Inventor Katsuhiko Takashina 5-chome, Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo 33-8 Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Takemura 5-33-8 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (72) Makoto Hasegawa 5-33 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo No. 8 Inside Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (72) Inventor Masahiro Tanno F-term (reference) inside Mitsubishi Motors Corporation 5-33-8 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo 3D003 AA05 BB02 CA09 DA03 DA08 3D035 CA01 CA09 CA19 CA26 3J048 AA01 BA 19 BG10 EA01 3J066 AA30 BA03 BB01 BC10 BD10 BF01 BF11 BG01

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A power plant support structure for supporting a power plant including an engine and a transmission housed in an engine room at a front portion of a vehicle body to a vehicle body via a mount member arranged in the engine room. At least one of the mount members arranged on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the engine room is formed with a fragile portion that breaks when a predetermined load is applied. A support structure for a power plant, wherein the mount member is broken from the fragile portion to induce a rotational movement of the power plant toward the rear of the vehicle body. 2. A power plant for supporting a power plant, including an engine and a transmission, housed in an engine room at a front part of a vehicle body to a vehicle body via mount members disposed at front, rear, left and right parts of the engine room. The support structure according to claim 1, wherein the first and second engine compartments are disposed on both sides in a vehicle width direction.
At least one of the mount members is formed with a fragile portion that breaks when a predetermined tensile load is applied, and the second mount member disposed at the rear of the engine room is deformed when a predetermined load is applied. The first mount member is broken from the fragile portion and the second mount member is deformed at the time of a collision of the vehicle body from the front direction, and the second mount member is deformed. A support structure for a power plant, wherein the support structure is configured to induce rotational movement toward the rear of the vehicle body with the fulcrum as a fulcrum.