JPH0665553B2 - Car body structure - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle body structure of an automobile, and more particularly to an open top type in which an upper portion of a vehicle compartment is opened.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as an open-top type automobile, for example, as disclosed in JP-A-59-209915,
It is generally well known that the upper part of the passenger compartment is formed by covering with a cover member such as a hood, and the cover member is removed as necessary to open the upper part of the passenger compartment to a fully open state.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, in such an open-top type automobile, since the upper part of the passenger compartment is open, the rigidity of the vehicle body, especially the front windshield and the rear cabside, is reduced. There was a problem of low rigidity. For this reason, conventionally, it has been dealt with by arranging the side sills, cross members, etc. located on the left and right sides of the floor portion above the case of a vehicle other than an open top type vehicle, but sufficient rigidity is secured. The reality is that it has not yet reached.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to appropriately provide a strength member on the upper side of the interior of the open structure as described above so as to sufficiently enhance the rigidity of the vehicle body. It is something to do.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the solution of the present invention is to provide an open top type automobile in which the upper part of the passenger compartment is open, and the left and right front pillars are arranged at the upper ends of the front windows. A front header that connects the front and rear parts, a horizontal part whose front end extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body and is connected to the center of the front header, and a vertical part whose lower end extends downward from the rear end of the horizontal part and is connected to the floor panel. A center frame, a center pillar extending upward from both left and right sides of the floor panel, a lower end of a vertical portion of the center frame and a lower end of the center pillar are connected to each other, and are joined to the floor panel to form a closed cross section. And a cross member formed in.

(Operation) With the above configuration, in the present invention, the left and right front pillars are connected by the front header located at the upper end portion of the front window, and the central portion of the front header has a center portion including a horizontal portion and a vertical portion. Since the frame is connected to the floor panel, the rigidity around the front window and the rigidity of the floor panel can be sufficiently increased by the connection structure of the front header and the center frame.

Further, since the center frame is connected to the center pillars extending upward from the left and right side portions of the floor panel by the cross member having the closed cross section, the rigidity of the vehicle body in the vehicle width direction, especially the rigidity around the rear cab side is improved. It can be increased. In this case, if the cross member is composed of an upper cross member and a lower cross member and the closed cross section is divided into upper and lower parts, the rigidity of the cross member is further enhanced, and as a result, the rigidity of the floor panel and the rigidity around the rear cab side are increased. Can be significantly increased.

(Example) Hereinafter, the Example of this invention is described based on drawing.

FIG. 1 shows an overall structure of a vehicle body structure of an automobile according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In this automobile, the entire upper part of a vehicle compartment is covered with a cover member (not shown) such as a hood, which is required. According to the above, the cover member is removed to open the upper part of the vehicle compartment in a fully open state.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a vehicle body, 2 is a front window, 3
Is a pair of left and right front pillars for supporting the left and right side end portions of the front window 2, and 4 is a front header arranged at the upper end portion of the front window 2. Connected to the upper ends of the front pillars 3, 3 of
3 are connected to each other, and the upper end of the front window 2 is supported. Reference numeral 5 denotes a center frame. The center frame 5 has a horizontal portion 5a extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body and having a front end portion connected to the central portion of the front header 4, and a lower portion from a rear end of the horizontal portion 5a. Floor panel 11 whose extended lower end constitutes the floor of the vehicle body 1
It is formed in a substantially inverted L shape by the vertical portion 5b connected to.

Further, reference numeral 18 denotes a rear cab side which constitutes a side wall at a rear portion of the vehicle body, and the rear cab side 18 has a closed cross-sectional shape by a rear fender 19 arranged outside the vehicle body and a cab side panel 20 arranged inside the vehicle interior. The rear cab side 18 has a floor panel 11 at the front end thereof.
Center pillars 21 extending upward are formed on both left and right sides of the.

The connection structure between the front header 4 and the front end of the horizontal portion 5a of the center frame 5 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5, the front header 4 is formed by the upper panel 41 and the lower panel 42 in a closed cross-sectional shape, while the horizontal portion 5a of the center frame 5 is rectangular by the frame upper 51 and the frame lower 52. It has a closed cross section. The front end portion of the horizontal portion 5a of the center frame 5 is set such that the height dimension of its rectangular closed cross section becomes smaller as it goes forward, and the reinforcement formed by projecting downward on the left and right sides of the frame upper 51. It has bead parts 53, 53 for use. Then, the frame upper 51 of the center frame 5 is attached to the lower panel 42 of the front header 4 by a contact plate 54.
The front end of the horizontal portion 5a of the center frame 5 is connected to the front header 4 by being joined via the. still,
Reference numeral 43 is a rain rail formed at the rear end portion of the front header 4, and a position above the rain rail 43 is covered with a cover member. Reference numeral 55 is a trim provided inside the vehicle compartment to cover the center frame 5.

The connection structure between the lower end of the vertical portion 5b of the center frame 5 and the floor panel 11 is shown in detail in FIG. In FIG. 6, the floor panel 11 includes a front floor panel 13 in which a floor tunnel portion 12 that bulges upward in the central portion and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction is formed, and is located behind the front floor panel 13 and at a higher position. The rear floor panel 14 is located at a front portion of the rear floor panel 14, and an inclined portion 15 is formed at a front portion of the rear floor panel 14 to incline downward.
The tip of the inclined portion 15 is joined to the rear end of the front floor panel 13. A cross member 16 extending in the vehicle width direction is joined to the inclined portion 15 of the rear floor panel 14, and the cross member 16 is formed in a closed cross section with the lower surface of the rear floor panel 14. An upper cross member 16 formed in a closed cross section between the cross member 16a and the upper surface of the rear floor panel 14.
b, the lower end of the vertical portion 5b of the center frame 5 and the lower end of the center pillar 21 are connected in the vehicle width direction.

On the other hand, the vertical portion 5b of the center frame 5 is formed into a rectangular closed cross section by the frame front 56 and the frame rear 57, and at the lower part of the vertical portion 5b, the length of the closed cross section in the vehicle body front-rear direction is downward. It is set so that it gradually increases as you go. The lower end of the vertical portion 5b of the center frame 5 straddles the floor tunnel portion 12 of the front floor panel 13 in the vehicle width direction on the front side thereof.
Further, the upper cross member 16b on the inclined portion 15 of the rear floor panel 14 on the rear side is connected and fixed to the floor panel 11 while straddling in the vehicle front-rear direction. Incidentally, 31 is a side member extending in the vehicle front-rear direction on both sides of the floor panel 11, and 32 is a side sill corresponding to the side member 59 extending in the vehicle front-rear direction.

Therefore, in the above embodiment, the left and right front pillars 3, 3 are connected by the front header 4 having a closed cross section located at the upper end of the front window 2, and the central portion of the front header 4 has a closed cross section. Since it is connected to the floor panel 11 by a substantially inverted L-shaped center frame 5 composed of a horizontal portion 5a and a vertical portion 5b, a strong connection structure of the front header 4 and the center frame 5 makes these members strong. With the rigidity, the rigidity of the vehicle body, especially the rigidity around the front window 2 and the rigidity of the floor panel 11 can be significantly increased, and it is very effective in terms of vehicle body vibration countermeasures or ensuring the safety of passengers in the event of a collision. is there.

Moreover, in the above embodiment, the lower end of the vertical portion 5b of the center frame 5 is connected and fixed to the floor tunnel portion 12 of the floor panel 11 which is strong in strength, and the center frame is provided on both side surfaces of the lower end of the vertical portion 5b. Since the cross members 16 arranged on both sides of the cross member 5 are joined, the connection strength can be sufficiently secured, and the rigidity of the vehicle body can be further improved by the connecting structure such as the center frame 5. .

Furthermore, the lower end of the center pillar 21 located at the front end of the rear cab side 18 and extending upward from the left and right sides of the floor panel 11 and the lower end of the center frame 5 form a closed cross section with the floor panel 11. Since the formed cross members 16 are connected in the vehicle width direction, and the left and right center pillars 21, 1 are connected in the vehicle width direction via the center frame 5, the rigidity of the vehicle body in the vehicle width direction is improved. However, the rigidity around the rear cab side 18 and the rigidity of the floor panel 11 can be significantly increased.

Moreover, since the cross member 16 is composed of the upper cross member 16b and the lower cross member 16a and divides the closed cross section formed by the rear floor panel 14 into two parts, the rigidity of the cross member 16 itself is high. The rigidity of the vehicle body floor portion, particularly the floor panel 11, is further improved, and the side end of the cross member 16 is joined to the center pillar 21 located at the front end portion of the rear cab side 18 at the rear of the vehicle body. The rigidity around the cab side 18 is also improved.

Further, FIGS. 7 to 9 show a second embodiment of the present invention (note that the same parts as those in FIGS. 1 to 6 are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted). The cross member 16b is crowned above the lower cross member 16a so that the closed cross section is vertically divided into two.

That is, in FIGS. 7 and 9, a cross member 16 formed in a closed cross-section with the inclined portion 15 and the rear floor panel 14 extends in the vehicle width direction on the inclined portion 15 of the rear floor panel 14. The both side ends are connected to center pillars 21 and 21 located at the front ends of the rear cab sides 18, 18 arranged on both the left and right sides. The lower end of the vertical portion 5b of the center frame 5 straddles the floor tunnel portion 12 of the front floor panel 13 in the vehicle width direction at the front side thereof, and the cross member 16 on the inclined portion 15 of the rear floor panel 14 at the rear side of the vehicle body. It is connected and fixed to the floor panel 11 while straddling in the front-rear direction, and the cross member 16 connects the lower end of the vertical portion 5b of the center frame 5 and the lower end of the center pillar 21.

The cross member 16 includes a lower cross member 16a having a substantially hat-shaped cross section that forms a closed cross section with the upper surface of the rear floor panel 14, as shown in enlarged detail in FIG.
An upper cross member 16b having a substantially U-shaped cross section whose lower ends are joined to both side surfaces of the lower cross member 16a.
The closed cross section formed by the cross member 16 and the rear floor panel 14 is vertically divided into two. Therefore, also in this embodiment, the same operation and effect as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

In each of the above embodiments, the connection structure between the front header 4 and the front end of the horizontal portion 5a of the center frame 5 and the connection structure between the lower end of the vertical portion 5b of the center frame 5 and the floor panel 11 are connected by welding. However, it goes without saying that the connection may be made by bolts instead of welding. Further, in this case, a plurality of bolt insertion holes may be arranged side by side in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body so that the arrangement position of the center frame can be moved and adjusted in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the vehicle body structure of an open-top type automobile of the present invention, the left and right front pillars are connected by the front header located at the upper end of the front window, and the center of the front header is connected. Since the parts are connected to the floor panel by a center frame composed of a horizontal part and a vertical part, the rigidity around the front window and the rigidity of the floor panel can be greatly increased by the connecting structure of the front header and the center frame.

Further, since the lower end of the vertical portion of the center frame and the center pillar located at the front end of the rear cab side are connected to each other in the vehicle width direction by the cross member having the closed cross section, the rigidity of the floor portion of the vehicle body is further improved. In addition to further improvement, the rigidity around the rear cab side is also greatly improved.
In this case, if the cross member is composed of an upper cross member and a lower cross member and the closed cross section is divided into two parts, the rigidity of the cross member itself is significantly increased, and the rigidity of the floor portion of the vehicle body and around the rear cab side is further increased. Can be increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 6 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall structure of a vehicle body structure of an automobile, and FIG. 2 is a front portion of a horizontal portion of a front header and a center frame. And FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the front end of the horizontal portion of the center frame, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken along line IV-IV and line VV of FIG. 2, respectively. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a connecting structure between the center frame and the cross member. 7 to 9 show a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment corresponding to FIG. 6, FIG. 8 and FIG.
It is sectional drawing in the VIII-VIII line and the IX-IX line. 2 ... Front window, 3 ... Front pillar, 4 ...
... front header, 5 ... center frame, 5a ... horizontal part, 5b ... vertical part, 11 ... floor panel, 16 ...
… Cross member, 16a …… Lower cross member, 16b
…… Upper cross member, 21 …… Center pillar.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In an open-top type automobile in which an upper part of a passenger compartment is open, a front header arranged at an upper end portion of a front window and connecting left and right front pillars,
A center frame including a horizontal portion extending in the vehicle body front-rear direction and having a front end connected to the central portion of the front header, and a vertical portion having a lower end extending downward from the rear end of the horizontal portion and connected to a floor panel, and the floor. A center pillar extending upward from both left and right sides of the panel, a cross member formed by connecting the lower end of the vertical portion of the center frame and the lower end of the center pillar to the floor panel and forming a closed cross section. A vehicle body structure comprising: 2. A vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein the cross member is composed of an upper cross member and a lower cross member, and the closed cross section is vertically divided into two parts.