JP2008195116A - Roof structure of automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a roof structure of an automobile in which a roof reinforcement is prevented from being loosened off by preventing the rail flange of a roof side rail from being curled up by the press-contact of the roof reinforcement. <P>SOLUTION: In this roof structure 10 of an automobile, the end of the roof reinforcement 12 is connected to a bracket 13 under the rail flange 11a projecting to the cabin side of the roof side rail 11. The bracket 13 has a vertical wall 13c extending in the vehicle width direction. The edge 13d of the vertical wall is disposed on the extension in the longitudinal direction of the roof reinforcement. The edge of the vertical wall is so formed diagonally to the outer lower side of the vehicle that the lower end of the edge is displaced from the upper end of the edge to the outside of the vehicle. When the end of the roof reinforcement abuts on the vertical wall of the bracket when the side surface of the vehicle is collided, the end of the roof reinforcement is guided to the edge of the vertical wall, and moved to the lower side of the rail flange. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a roof structure of an automobile provided with a roof side rail and a roof reinforcement.

  In general, as shown in FIG. 7, an automobile roof structure 1 includes a roof side rail 2 extending along both side edges of the roof, and the roof side rails 2 connected to each other in the lateral direction near the longitudinal center. The roof reinforcement 3 attached as described above and the bracket 4 (FIGS. 9 to 11) for connecting both ends of the roof reinforcement 3 to the roof side rail 2 are configured. In the figure, an arrow Fr indicates the front of the vehicle, Up indicates the vehicle upper side, and W indicates the vehicle width direction.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the roof reinforcement 3 is formed by joining two steel plates, that is, an upper roof reinforcement upper 3a and a lower roof reinforcement lower 3b.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the tip of the roof reinforcement upper 3a is opposed to the rail flange 2a protruding from the upper end of the roof side rail 2 toward the passenger compartment, and as shown in FIG. The tip of the roof reinforcement lower 3 b is joined to the flange portion 4 a of the bracket 4.

  The bracket 4 is made of steel in the same manner as the roof reinforcement 3, and an end region 4b opposite to the flange portion 4a is fixed to the surface of the roof side rail 2 on the passenger compartment side as shown in FIG. Yes. In addition, the bracket 4 is arrange | positioned in the position close | similar to the junction point of the upper end part of the center pillar 5 (refer FIG. 7) and the roof reinforcement 3 of a motor vehicle.

  In the automobile roof structure 1 configured as described above, a load applied to the center pillar 5 on the collision side at the time of a vehicle side collision is transmitted to the roof reinforcement 3 via the roof side rail 2 and the bracket 4. It is transmitted to the roof side rail 2 on the opposite side via the bracket 4 on the opposite side. Thus, the load applied to the roof side rail 2 on the collision side is reduced, so that the deformation of the roof side rail 2 toward the vehicle interior side is suppressed.

  On the other hand, Patent Document 1 discloses a coupling structure of the upper part of the center pillar that prevents stress concentration due to a load from the side surface. In this connection structure, one end of the bracket is joined to the roof side rail, and a stepped portion formed on the bracket is joined to the flange of the roof side rail, so that a closed sectional structure consisting of the roof side rail and the center pillar reinforcement is formed. Form. And the flange formed in the joint part with the bracket of a center pillar reinforcement is clamped by the flange of a roof reinforcement and the flange of a bracket, and it is set as the cross-sectional structure continuous by the roof reinforcement from the center pillar.

With such a configuration, when a load is applied to the center pillar from the side, the stress generated by the deflection of the center pillar is distributed from the center pillar to the roof reinforcement, so in the vicinity of the joint between the center pillar and the roof reinforcement. Stress concentration is avoided.
JP 09-175429 A

  In the automobile roof structure 1 described above, when a load is applied to the center pillar 5 from the right side, for example, as shown by an arrow A in FIG. As shown in FIG. 12A, this load is transmitted from the center pillar 5 to the roof reinforcement 3 via the side rails 2.

  Then, when 20 ms elapses after this load is transmitted to the roof reinforcement 3, for example, as shown in FIG. 11B, the edge 2b of the flange portion 2a of the roof side rail 2 is moved to the roof reinforcement lower 3b. After a further 30 ms, the flange portion 2a of the roof side rail 2 rises as shown in FIG. 12 (B).

In this state, when the roof side rail 2 is further deformed to the left by a load, the edge 2b of the flange portion 2a of the roof side rail 2 is in contact with the roof reinforcement 3 after 40 ms. ) And the rail flange 2a of the roof side rail 2 is rolled up as shown in FIG.
Thus, if the rail flange 2a of the roof side rail 2 is rolled up, the roof reinforcement 3 may come off from the roof side rail 2 and the so-called roof reinforcement 3 may be detached.

  The present invention was created in view of the above points, and provides an automobile roof structure in which a rail flange of a roof side rail is prevented from rolling up by abutment of a roof reinforcement at the time of a vehicle side collision. It is an object.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a roof side rail provided on each side edge of a roof of a vehicle, a roof reinforcement attached so as to connect these roof side rails, and a roof side rail. And a bracket connected to the end of the roof reinforcement, and a roof structure of the automobile in which the end of the roof reinforcement is connected to the bracket below the rail flange protruding to the passenger compartment side of the roof side rail. The bracket has a vertical wall extending in the vehicle width direction, the edge of the vertical wall is disposed on the longitudinal extension of the roof reinforcement, and the lower end of the edge is the upper end of the edge. The edge of the vertical wall is formed so as to be inclined to the outside of the vehicle so as to be shifted from the position to the outside of the vehicle. During end collision, the end portion of the roof reinforcement abuts the vertical wall of the bracket, is characterized in that end portions of the roof reinforcement is moved being guided by the edges of the vertical wall below the rail flanges.
In the automobile roof structure of the present invention, preferably, the end portion of the roof reinforcement is formed in a wedge shape.

  According to the present invention, both ends of the roof reinforcement contact the vertical wall of the end face of the bracket without contacting the edge of the rail flange at the time of a vehicle side collision. When a load is applied inward to the reinforcement, this load is transmitted from one bracket to the opposite roof side rail via the roof reinforcement and the other bracket. The load applied to the roof side rail is reduced.

At that time, since both ends of the roof reinforcement do not contact the edge of the rail flange of the roof side rail, the rail flange of the roof side rail will not be swung up by abutment with the roof reinforcement. .
Accordingly, since the roof reinforcement does not fall off due to the rolling-up of the rail flange of the roof side rail, the impact due to the side collision of the vehicle is reliably absorbed, and the axial input load of the roof reinforcement is increased. Thereby, vehicle side collision performance improves.

  If both ends of the roof reinforcement are cut out in a wedge shape on the top surface, it is ensured that both ends of the roof reinforcement will contact the edge of the rail flange of the roof side rail in the event of a vehicle side collision. To be avoided.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. In the figure, an arrow Fr indicates the front of the vehicle, Up indicates the vehicle upper side, and W indicates the vehicle width direction.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an automobile roof structure 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The automobile roof structure 10 is configured in substantially the same manner as the automobile roof structure shown in FIG. 7, and includes a pair of roof side rails 11 extending along both side edges of the roof, and the roof side rails 11 are connected to the roof side rails 11. A roof reinforcement 12 connected to each other in the lateral direction near the center in the longitudinal direction, and a bracket 13 fixed to the roof side rail 11 and connected to the end of the roof reinforcement 12 are provided.

  Here, the roof reinforcement 12 has two steel plates, that is, an upper roof reinforcement upper 12a and a lower roof reinforcement lower 12b, similar to the conventional roof reinforcement 3 shown in FIG. It is configured together.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the tip of the roof reinforcement upper 12a is opposed to the rail flange 11a that protrudes from the upper end of the roof side rail 11 toward the passenger compartment, and is opposed to the roof reinforcement lower 12b. 2 is fixed to the flange portion 13a of the bracket 13 by spot welding, for example.

  The bracket 13 is made of steel like the roof reinforcement 12, and an end region 13b opposite to the flange portion 13a of the bracket 13 has a vehicle compartment side of the roof side rail 11 as shown in FIG. It is fixed to the surface. The bracket 13 is disposed at a position close to a joining point between the upper end portion of the center pillar of the automobile and the roof reinforcement 11.

The above configuration is the same as the conventional automobile roof structure 1 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, but the automobile roof structure 10 according to the present invention is characterized in that it is configured as follows. is there.
The bracket 13 according to the present embodiment has a vertical wall 13c extending in the vehicle width direction, and an edge 13d of the vertical wall 13c is arranged on an extension in the longitudinal direction of the roof reinforcement 12 and is located below the vehicle outer side. It is formed to extend to. That is, the edge 13d of the bracket 13 facing the end portion of the roof reinforcement 12 is arranged such that the lower end 131 of the edge 13d is shifted from the position of the upper end 132 of the edge 13d by a predetermined distance to the vehicle outer side. It is shaped to go down as you go. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 2, the end surface of the bracket 13 is formed so that the depth is recessed by d at its lower end.

  In the roof reinforcement 12 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the top surfaces of the ends of both ends of the roof reinforcement lower 12b are cut obliquely, and both ends of the roof reinforcement lower 12b are It is formed in a wedge shape. Thereby, the roof reinforcement 12 is formed such that both ends of the lower 12b are tapered in the vertical direction and the thickness is reduced by t.

  The roof structure 10 of the automobile according to the present embodiment is configured as described above. At the time of a vehicle side collision, for example, as shown by an arrow B in FIG. 3A, a load is applied to the center pillar 14 from the right side. First, at the initial stage of the collision, as shown in FIG. 4A, this load is transmitted from the center pillar 14 to the roof reinforcement 12 via the roof side rail 11.

When 20 ms elapses after the load is transmitted to the roof reinforcement 12, for example, as shown in FIG. 3B, the edge 11b of the flange portion 11a of the roof side rail 11 is moved to the roof reinforcement lower 12b. Approach the tip of the.
At this time, as described above, the tip of the roof reinforcement lower 12b is notched in a wedge shape, so that the tip of the lower 12b abuts on the edge 11b of the flange portion 11a of the roof side rail 11. Instead, it comes into contact with the vertical wall 13 c of the bracket 13.

  Further, for example, after 30 ms, as shown in FIG. 4 (B), the tip of the roof reinforcement lower 12b moves downward along the inclined edge 13d of the vertical wall 13c of the bracket 13, whereby the roof side rail 11 It will sink under the flange part 11a.

  For example, after 40 ms, as shown in FIGS. 3C and 5, the edge 13 d of the bracket 13 is pressed against the end of the roof reinforcement 12 by a load, the bracket 13 is deformed, and the roof side rail 11 is further moved. Even if it is deformed to the left, since the tip of the roof reinforcement lower 12b has already entered the lower side of the flange 11a of the roof side rail 11, the rail flange 11a of the roof side rail 11 is covered by the end of the roof reinforcement 12. There is no such thing as drowning.

  Thus, in the automobile roof structure 10 of the present invention, the end portion of the roof reinforcement 12 sinks under the flange portion 11a of the roof side rail 11 at the time of a vehicle side collision. Occurrence can be avoided. Thereby, the vehicle side collision performance can be further improved.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the time course of the axial input load of roof reinforcement in the simulation of the vehicle side collision of the automobile roof structure 10 described above.
In the roof structure 10 of the automobile shown in FIG. 1, the axial input load of the roof reinforcement 12 when t = 4 mm and d = 3.5 mm changes as indicated by the symbol C in the graph of FIG. The maximum axial load Fy is about 20 kN. On the other hand, the shaft input load in the case of the conventional automobile roof structure 1 (t = 0 mm, d = 0 mm) changes as indicated by the symbol D in the graph of FIG. 6, and the maximum shaft load Fy is: It will be about 17kN. Therefore, in the automobile roof structure 10 according to the present invention, the axial input load of the roof reinforcement 12 is increased by about 13% compared to the conventional case, and the vehicle side collision performance is improved.

  As described above, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is obvious that the present invention can also be applied to, for example, a bracket disposed in the vicinity of a junction point between the front pillar or rear pillar and the front end or rear end of the side rail 11 and a roof reinforcement supported by the bracket. is there.

It is a partial expanded sectional view which shows the connection part of the roof side rail and roof reinforcement in one Embodiment of the roof structure of the motor vehicle by this invention. It is a partial expanded sectional view which shows the connection part in the roof structure of the motor vehicle of FIG. 1 in detail. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view sequentially showing deformation states at the time of a vehicle side collision in the roof structure of the automobile of FIG. 1. (A) is the initial stage at the time of the vehicle side collision of FIG. 3, (B) is a partial expansion perspective view which respectively shows the deformation | transformation state 30 seconds after. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a deformed state after 40 seconds at the time of a vehicle side collision in FIG. 3. It is a graph which shows the time passage of the axial input load of roof reinforcement in the roof structure of the car of Drawing 1, and the roof structure of the conventional car. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the structure of an example of the roof structure of the conventional motor vehicle. It is the alpha-alpha sectional view taken on the line of FIG. FIG. 8 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view showing a connecting portion between a roof side rail and a roof reinforcement in the roof structure of the automobile in FIG. 7. FIG. 10 is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view showing the connecting portion of FIG. 9 in more detail. FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view sequentially showing deformation states at the time of a vehicle side collision in the automobile roof structure of FIG. 7. (A) is the initial stage at the time of the vehicle side collision of FIG. 11, (B) is a partial expansion perspective view which respectively shows the deformation | transformation state 30 seconds after. FIG. 12 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a state in which the rail flange of the roof side rail is rolled up at the time of a vehicle side collision in FIG. 11.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Automobile roof structure 11 Roof side rail 11a Rail flange 11b Edge 12 Roof reinforcement 12a Roof reinforcement upper 12b Roof reinforcement lower 13 Bracket 13a Flange 13b Opposite end region 13c Vertical wall of bracket 13d Vertical wall of bracket Edge 14 Center pillar

Claims (2)

Roof side rails provided on both sides of the roof of the automobile, roof reinforcements attached so as to connect these roof side rails, and fixed to the roof side rails and connected to the ends of the roof reinforcements. A roof structure of an automobile, wherein the end of the roof reinforcement is connected to the bracket below the rail flange protruding to the cabin side of the roof side rail,
The bracket has a vertical wall extending in the vehicle width direction,
The edge of the vertical wall is disposed on the longitudinal extension of the roof reinforcement, and the lower end of the edge is shifted from the position of the upper end of the edge to the outside of the vehicle. Is formed to be inclined downward on the outside of the vehicle,
When the end of the roof reinforcement contacts the vertical wall of the bracket at the time of a vehicle side collision, the end of the roof reinforcement is guided by the edge of the vertical wall and moves to the lower side of the rail flange. An automobile roof structure characterized by   The roof structure of an automobile according to claim 1, wherein an end portion of the roof reinforcement is formed in a wedge shape.

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