# US 9,751,565 B2 · Vehicle front body structure

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- Number: US 9,751,565 B2
- Document ID: US9751565B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/045,417
- Filed: 2016-02-17
- Published: 2016-08-18
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-18
- Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Masaaki Tatsuwaki; Toshiya Takahashi; Patrick Ellison
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751565B2

## CPC

- B62D 21/155: {Sub-frames or underguards}
- B60R 19/34: destroyed upon impact, e.g. one-shot type
- B62D 21/11: with resilient means for suspension {, e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions}
- B62D 25/082: {Engine compartments}
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

In a vehicle front body structure, a subframe is provided below a left front side frame and a right front side frame. The left front side frame has a first fragile portion. The subframe has a second fragile portion and an extension portion. When a bumper beam's left end portion and a left bumper beam extension are crushed by an impact load, a front surface of the bumper beam's left end portion comes to substantially the same position as a front edge portion of the extension portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle front body structure comprising:
a front side frame extending in a vehicle body front-rear direction;
a bumper beam extension provided to a front end portion of the front side frame;
a bumper beam provided to the bumper beam extension and extending in a vehicle width direction; and
a subframe provided below the front side frame,
wherein the front side frame has a first fragile portion that is disposed in an intermediate portion of the front side frame in the vehicle body front-rear direction,
wherein the subframe has a second fragile portion that is disposed in an intermediate portion of the subframe in the vehicle body front-rear direction, and has an extension portion that extends further forward substantially in the vehicle body front-rear direction than the front end portion of the front side frame, and
a front edge portion of the extension portion is disposed so as to substantially coincide with a front surface of the bumper beam in the vehicle body front-rear direction when the bumper beam and the bumper beam extension are crushed by an impact load,
wherein the vehicle front body structure further comprises a subframe support portion that connects a front end portion of the subframe to the front end portion of the front side frame from below and that has a supporting oblique surface that extends toward the first fragile portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle front body structure according to claim 1, wherein the first fragile portion has a depression portion that is recessed inward in the vehicle width direction so as to avoid interference with a road wheel provided on an outward side of the front side frame in the vehicle width direction when the road wheel is turned inward in the vehicle width direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vehicle front body structure according to claim 1, wherein the subframe support portion includes:
a bulkhead that is provided inside the subframe support portion and provided below the supporting oblique surface; and
a collar nut which is provided inside the subframe support portion and whose seat portion is joined to a bottom surface of the subframe support portion and whose upper portion is joined to the bulkhead, and
wherein a fastening member that extends through the subframe from below is coupled to the collar nut.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vehicle front body structure according to claim 1, wherein:
the subframe includes a bent portion bent downward, the second fragile portion being provided in the bent portion; and
the second fragile portion has a depression portion that is recessed from an outside of the second fragile portion in the vehicle width direction toward an inside of the second fragile portion in the vehicle width direction.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vehicle front body structure according to claim 1, wherein a rear end portion of the subframe is fastened to a vehicle body frame such that the rear end portion of the subframe is separable from the vehicle body frame when the subframe is bent by the impact load.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vehicle front body structure according to claim 1, further comprising:
a front pillar that is disposed and stands on an outward side of the front side frame in the vehicle width direction;
an upper member that extends forward from a portion of the front pillar which is above the front side frame;
a lower member that extends from a front end portion of the upper member to a location on the outward side of the front side frame in the vehicle width direction; and
a reinforcement portion disposed between a front end portion of the lower member and the front end portion of the front side frame and connecting the front end portion of the lower member and the front end portion of the front side frame, wherein
the reinforcement portion has in a plan view a triangular shape that is partially defined by a reinforcement oblique surface that extends obliquely from the front end portion of the lower member toward the first fragile portion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The vehicle front body structure according to claim 6, wherein the bumper beam is connected, via the bumper beam extension, to a front portion of the front side frame, a front portion of the reinforcement portion, and a front portion of the lower member.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The vehicle front body structure according to claim 1, wherein the front edge portion of the extension portion is located between the front surface of the bumper beam and the front end portion of the front side frame before the bumper beam and the bumper beam extension are crushed by the impact load.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The vehicle front body structure according to claim 1, wherein the supporting oblique surface extends obliquely rearward and upward toward the first fragile portion.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The vehicle front body structure according to claim 6, wherein the reinforcement oblique surface extends obliquely rearward toward the first fragile portion.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The vehicle front body structure according to claim 1, wherein the first fragile portion of the front side frame is disposed on an outer side of a vehicle power plant in the vehicle width direction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The vehicle front body structure according to claim 9 wherein the supporting oblique surface is connected to a front end of the first fragile portion.