JP7390419B2 - Vehicle upper structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an upper body structure of a vehicle such as an automobile, for example.

Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle body upper structure that includes a connecting member (roof gusset) that connects an upper part of a center pillar and an end in the vehicle width direction of a roof arch (roof reinforcement) that reinforces a roof panel.

Further, in order to cope with side collision loads, for example, a center pillar stiffener may be arranged at the middle portion of the center pillar.

Patent No. 4483588

Incidentally, in the recent automobile industry, there is a demand for center pillar stiffeners to be smaller and lighter in order to reduce the weight of the vehicle while maintaining the center pillar's rigidity and strength against side collision loads.

However, when the center pillar stiffener is made smaller and lighter, there is a risk that stress will be concentrated at the connection site (welding site) between the roof arch and the connecting member when a side collision load is input, and this weld site will break.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and even when the center pillar stiffener is made smaller than before, it is possible to avoid the welding part from breaking when a side impact load is applied. The purpose is to provide a possible vehicle superstructure.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a vehicle body upper structure having a roof arch extending along the vehicle width direction and reinforcing a roof panel by being disposed at a center pillar installation position in the vehicle longitudinal direction, wherein the center pillar is , comprising at least an outer panel member and an inner panel member, and the center pillar and the roof arch are connected to a first joint portion where the outer panel member, the inner panel member, and the roof arch are joined together, and the inner panel member and the roof arch are connected to each other. The panel member and the roof arch are connected to each other at a second joint portion, and the second joint portion is disposed inside the first joint portion in the vehicle width direction , and further includes an inner panel The member extends past the first joint part to the second joint part on the inside in the vehicle width direction, and is joined at both the first joint part and the second joint part. Features.

According to the present invention, even when the center pillar stiffener is downsized, it is possible to prevent the welded portion from breaking when a side impact load is input.

1 is a schematic structural perspective view of a vehicle body to which a vehicle body vertical structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied; FIG. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view of section A shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the state shown in FIG. 2 with the upper wall portion of the door bag removed. 3 is an enlarged end view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is an enlarged end view taken along line VV in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view showing a narrow portion provided at the end of the roof arch. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the roof arch is bent and deformed due to input of a side collision load in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged end view of a comparative example devised by the applicant. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which the roof arch is deformed due to input of a side collision load in the comparative example shown in FIG. 8;

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. In each figure, "front and rear" indicates the vehicle longitudinal direction, "left and right" indicates the vehicle width direction (left and right direction), and "up and down" indicates the vehicle vertical direction (vertical up and down direction).

As shown in FIG. 1, a door opening 12 is provided on the side surface of a vehicle body 10 to which the vehicle body vertical structure according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied. The door opening 12 has a front door opening 14 and a rear door opening 16. A front door (not shown) is attached to the front door opening 14 via a door hinge so that it can be opened and closed. A rear sliding door (not shown) is attached to the rear door opening 16 so as to be slidable along a rail 49 (see FIG. 3), which will be described later.

A center pillar 24 is provided between the front door opening 14 and the rear door opening 16, and extends from the lower side sill 20 toward the upper roof portion 22. The center pillar 24 includes an outer panel 26, an inner panel 28, and a center pillar stiffener 30. The center pillar stiffener 30 is provided on the rear side of the vehicle that forms the front door opening 14, and is located slightly below the center of the outer panel 26 in the vertical direction.

Roof side rails 18 are provided on both sides of the roof portion 22 in the vehicle width direction, and extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction along the roof side portions.

At the installation position of the center pillar 24 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a roof arch 36 is arranged which extends along the vehicle width direction and reinforces the roof panel 34 (see FIG. 1).

As shown in FIG. 6, the roof arch 36 includes a main body 38 made of an elongated plate (see FIG. 1) extending along the vehicle width direction, and an outer end of the main body 38 in the vehicle width direction. It is composed of a narrow width portion 40. A bead 42 having a substantially hat-shaped cross section and a convex shape toward the top is provided on the front edge and rear edge of the main body 38 (see FIG. 2). At the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the main body part 38, in a region including a first joint part 46 and a second joint part 44, which will be described later, the width dimension of the roof arch 36 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is the same as the main part 38 (other region). A narrow portion 40 that is smaller than that is provided (see FIG. 6).

A door pocket 48 is provided between the outer end 37 of the roof arch 36 in the vehicle width direction and the upper end of the center pillar 24, from which the vehicle front portion of the rail 49 faces (see FIGS. 3 and 4). An outer end 37 of the roof arch 36 in the vehicle width direction is joined to a door pocket 48 (see FIG. 4).

As shown in FIG. 2, the door pocket 48 is constructed by integrally joining an upper wall portion 50 located on the upper side and a lower wall portion 52 located on the lower side. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower wall portion 52 is provided with a concave portion 54 that has a substantially triangular shape in plan view and is recessed downward. The bent portion 32 of the rail 49, which bends toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, is attached to this recessed portion 54 via an attachment member 56.

Further, on the inner side of the upper wall portion 50 in the vehicle width direction, a first protrusion that protrudes by a predetermined length toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction (roof arch side) compared to the inner end surface 53 of the lower wall portion 52 in the vehicle width direction. A portion 58 is provided (see FIG. 2). In other words, on the inside in the vehicle width direction, the inner end surface 53 in the vehicle width direction of the lower wall portion 52 of the door pocket 48 (see FIG. 3) is retracted outward in the vehicle width direction compared to the first protruding portion 58 of the upper wall portion 50. (See comparison of FIGS. 2 and 3).

As shown in FIG. 4, a connecting member 60 is provided below the lower wall portion 52 to connect the outer end 37 of the roof arch 36 in the vehicle width direction and the upper end of the inner panel 28 of the center pillar 24. There is. This connecting member 60 is provided with a second protruding portion 62 that protrudes by a predetermined length toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction (roof arch 36 side) than the first protruding portion 58 of the upper wall portion 50 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. ing. Furthermore, the connecting member 60 has a recess 64 that is recessed downward, and the lower end of the recess 64 is joined to the upper end of the inner panel 28 of the center pillar 24 (see FIG. 4).

Note that the door pocket 48 functions as an "outer panel member of the center pillar." This door pocket 48 is connected to the upper end of the outer panel 26 of the center pillar 24 via the lower wall portion 52 of the door pocket 48 (see FIG. 4). Further, an outer end 37 of the roof arch 36 in the vehicle width direction is connected to a door pocket 48 via a first joint portion 46 (see FIG. 4). Furthermore, the connecting member 60 functions as an "inner panel member of the center pillar." The lower end side of this connecting member 60 is connected to the upper end of the inner panel 28 of the center pillar 24 (see FIG. 4).

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the center pillar 24 and the roof arch 36 are made up of an outer panel member (including the door pocket 48), an inner panel member (including the connecting member 60), and the roof arch 36. A first joint part (first joint part) 46 is joined together, and a second joint part (first joint part) is a second joint part where two parts, consisting of the inner panel member (including the connecting member 60 ) and the roof arch 36, are integrally joined. 2 binding sites) 44. The second joint portion 44 where the two parts are joined is arranged on the inner side in the vehicle width direction than the first joint part 46 where the three parts are joined.

In other words, between the center pillar 24 and the roof arch 36, as shown in FIG. The first protruding portion 58 of the wall portion 50, the second protruding portion 62 of the connecting member 60, and the outer end portion 37 in the vehicle width direction of the roof arch 36 are integrally assembled in the vertical direction by, for example, spot welding or the like. are joined together. Further, the second joint part 44, which is disposed inside the first joint part 46 in the vehicle width direction, connects, from top to bottom, the second protruding part 62 of the connecting member 60 and the outside of the roof arch 36 in the vehicle width direction. The two parts consisting of the end portion 37 are integrally joined in the vertical direction by, for example, spot welding or the like.

Next, a comparative example devised by the applicant will be explained.
As shown in FIG. 8, in this comparative example, a third joint part 70 is provided where three parts are integrally joined on the inside in the vehicle width direction, and two parts are joined on the outside of the third joint part 70 in the vehicle width direction. A fourth joint portion 72 is provided where the two are integrally joined.

Specifically, the third joint portion 70 connects the outer end 37 of the roof arch 36 in the vehicle width direction, the first protrusion 74 of the upper wall portion 50 forming the door pocket 48, and the second protrusion of the connecting member 60. 76 are integrally joined by spot welding or the like. Further, the fourth joint portion 72 located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction than the third joint portion 70 is a two-piece joint consisting of the outer end portion 37 of the roof arch 36 in the vehicle width direction and the second protrusion portion 76 of the connecting member 60. are integrally joined by spot welding or the like. In addition, in the comparative example, the fourth joint part 72 is configured by joining two sheets, but since it is provided below the upper wall part 50 and the lower wall part 52 that constitute the door pocket 48, the third joint part 72 It has higher rigidity than 70 (three pieces joined).

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the deformed state of the roof arch when a side collision load is input to the center pillar of the vehicle body to which the vehicle upper structure of the present embodiment is applied, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a deformed state of the roof arch when a side collision load is input to the center pillar of the vehicle body.

In this embodiment, as can be understood from FIG. 7, the side impact load is applied to the second joint part 44, which is located inward in the vehicle width direction than the first joint part 46 where the three parts are joined, and the second joint part 44 where the two parts are joined. The stress is concentrated at the bending point (starting point of bending deformation, weak part) of the roof arch 36. Therefore, in this embodiment, when a side collision load is input, the roof arch 36 bends and deforms starting from the second joint part 44, thereby absorbing the side collision load, and reducing the load on the first joint part 46, which is the spot welding part. is reduced. As a result, in this embodiment, even if the shape of the center pillar stiffener 30 is made smaller than before, the welded part (second joint part 44) is prevented from breaking when a side impact load is input. It is possible to obtain a vehicle body superstructure that is possible.

On the other hand, in the comparative example devised by the present applicant, as can be seen from FIG. 36 is deformed into an arched shape as a whole. As a result, in the comparative example, a large load is applied to the fourth joint part 72 located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction than the third joint part 70, and the spot welding part (fourth joint part 72) where the two are joined There is a risk of it breaking.

In other words, as shown in FIG. 9, in the comparative example, when bending deformation occurs at a part other than the joint parts (third joint part 70, fourth joint part 72) when a side collision load is input, the joint part will be damaged. Strong stress is applied, making it easy for the joint to break. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, in this embodiment, from the three-way joint site (first joint site 46) to the two-way joint site (second joint site 44) toward the origin of the bending deformation, By making the bond gradually weaken and bending at the starting point of the bending deformation, it is possible to suitably avoid the joint portion from breaking due to the stress generated by the bending.

Further, in the present embodiment, in the region including the first joint portion 46 and the second joint portion 44, there is a narrow portion where the width dimension of the roof arch 36 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is smaller than that of the main body portion 38 (other region). 40 (see FIG. 6). Thereby, in this embodiment, it becomes possible to concentrate (concentrate) the stress of the side collision load on the narrow portion 40, and the roof arch 36 can be bent and deformed starting from the second joint portion 44.

In this embodiment, the door pocket 48 is provided between the center pillar 24 and the roof arch 36, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a configuration in which the roof arch 36 is directly joined to the center pillar 24 without using the door pocket 48 is also included.

10 Vehicle body 24 Center pillar 34 Roof panel 36 Roof arch 38 Main body (other areas)
40 Narrow part 44 Second joint site (second joint site)
46 First joining site (first binding site)
48 Door pocket (outer panel member)
60 Connection member (inner panel member)

Claims (3)

In a vehicle body upper structure having a roof arch that extends along the vehicle width direction, is placed at a center pillar installation position in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and reinforces the roof panel,
The center pillar includes at least an outer panel member and an inner panel member,
The center pillar and the roof arch include a first joint portion in which three members consisting of the outer panel member, the inner panel member, and the roof arch are joined, and a two member consisting of the inner panel member and the roof arch. a second binding site,
The second bonding site is located inside the first bonding site in the vehicle width direction ,
Furthermore, the inner panel member extends beyond the first joint part to the second joint part on the inside in the vehicle width direction, and is joined at both the first joint part and the second joint part. The upper structure of the vehicle body is characterized by: The vehicle body upper structure according to claim 1,
A vehicle body characterized in that a region including the first joint portion and the second joint portion is provided with a narrow portion in which the width dimension of the roof arch in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is smaller than other regions. superstructure. The vehicle body upper structure according to claim 1 or 2,
A sliding door that can slide along the roof side rail is installed on the side of the vehicle.
A door pocket is provided between the outer end of the roof arch in the vehicle width direction and the upper end of the center pillar, from which the front part of the roof side rail faces the vehicle;
The outer panel member includes the door pocket,
A vehicle body upper structure characterized in that an outer end portion of the roof arch in the vehicle width direction is connected to the door pocket.

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