B-pillar structure for a vehicle body and vehicle

Abstract

The present application belongs to the field of vehicle structure, and particularly relates to a B column structure for a vehicle body and a vehicle. The present application aims to solve the problem that the lower end of the B column collapses and the upper segment of the B column inner plate is torn from the welding point when the B column structure of a traditional vehicle encounters a side impact, thus failing to meet the demand of the safety performance of the vehicle body. For this purpose, the B column structure for the vehicle body of the present application, wherein the vehicle body comprises a roof side rail inner plate, the B column structure comprises a B column inner plate, and the B column structure further comprises a reinforcing member, the reinforcing member is fixedly connected with the roof side rail inner plate and the B column inner plate. The B column structure of the present application is provided with the reinforcing member at the connection between the roof side rail inner plate and the B column inner plate, and when the vehicle encounters a side impact, the force acting on the reinforcing member can be dispersed and transmitted to the roof side rail inner plate and the B column inner plate, thereby effectively reducing the force acting on the connection point of the roof side rail inner plate and the B column inner plate, and effectively relieving the problem that the B column inner plate is torn from the welding point when the vehicle encounters a side impact.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of vehicle structure technology, specifically relating to a B-pillar structure for a vehicle body and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of the times and the progress of technology, the number of new energy vehicles is increasing. New energy vehicles have the characteristics of saving fuel energy, reducing exhaust emissions, and protecting the environment, and have good development prospects.

[0003] Compared to traditional cars, a major difference between new energy vehicles and traditional cars is that new energy vehicles need to carry heavier battery packs, some of which can weigh up to 500-600KG. This results in a significant increase in the weight of new energy vehicles, and consequently, higher requirements are placed on the safety performance of the vehicle body.

[0004] The B-pillar of a car is the pillar between the front and rear doors, used to cushion impacts to the side and roof of the vehicle, protecting the driver and passengers. New energy vehicles, because their door sills need to protect the battery frame, are designed to deform very little in side impacts, with the B-pillar absorbing almost all the energy. If the traditional B-pillar structure design were directly applied to new energy vehicles, the lower part of the B-pillar would collapse more in a side impact compared to a traditional car, and the upper part of the inner B-pillar panel would tear at the weld points. Therefore, the traditional B-pillar structure design is no longer sufficient to meet the safety performance requirements of new energy vehicles.

[0005] Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a new B-pillar structure for vehicle bodies and a new vehicle to address the aforementioned problems in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the problem that in existing technologies, the lower end of the B-pillar of a traditional automobile will collapse and the upper part of the B-pillar inner panel will tear at the weld point when it encounters a side impact, thus failing to meet the requirements of vehicle body safety performance, this invention provides a B-pillar structure for a vehicle body. The vehicle body includes a roof side beam inner panel, the B-pillar structure includes a B-pillar inner panel, and the B-pillar structure also includes a reinforcing member. The reinforcing member is fixedly connected to the roof side beam inner panel and the B-pillar inner panel to form a side panel assembly.

[0007] In the preferred embodiment of the B-pillar structure for the vehicle body described above, the B-pillar structure further includes a reinforcing plate assembly connected to the inner side panel assembly. The reinforcing plate assembly covers the outer side of the inner B-pillar panel and the inner roof side beam panel and is fixedly connected to the inner B-pillar panel and the inner roof side beam panel, forming a B-pillar cavity, and the reinforcing member is disposed within the B-pillar cavity.

[0008] In the preferred technical solution of the B-pillar structure for the vehicle body described above, the reinforcing member includes a connecting part and a connecting block, and the connecting part is fixedly connected to the inner plate of the roof side beam and the inner plate of the B-pillar through the connecting block.

[0009] In the preferred technical solution of the B-pillar structure for the vehicle body described above, the connecting part and the connecting block are integrally formed, or the connecting block is a flange structure formed along the side of the connecting part.

[0010] In the preferred embodiment of the B-pillar structure for the vehicle body described above, four connecting blocks are evenly distributed on the side of the connecting part, three of the connecting blocks are fixedly connected to the inner panel of the B-pillar, and the other connecting block is fixedly connected to the inner panel of the roof side beam.

[0011] In the preferred embodiment of the B-pillar structure for the vehicle body described above, the thickness of the connecting block fixedly connected to the inner plate of the roof side beam and the thickness of the connecting block fixedly connected to the inner plate of the B-pillar away from the inner plate of the roof side beam are greater than the thickness of the other two connecting blocks, or the thickness of the connecting block fixedly connected to the inner plate of the roof side beam is greater than the thickness of the other three connecting blocks.

[0012] In the preferred embodiment of the B-pillar structure for the vehicle body described above, the reinforcing member is in the shape of a hat with an edge.

[0013] In the preferred embodiment of the B-pillar structure for the vehicle body described above, the reinforcing member is threadedly connected to the reinforcing plate assembly.

[0014] In the preferred technical solution of the B-pillar structure for the vehicle body described above, the reinforcing plate assembly includes a B-pillar reinforcing plate and a roof side beam reinforcing plate. The B-pillar reinforcing plate and the roof side beam reinforcing plate are fixedly connected. A nut is fixedly provided on the side of the reinforcing member near the inner plate of the B-pillar. A bolt passes through the B-pillar reinforcing plate and the reinforcing member in sequence and is threadedly connected to the nut.

[0015] The present invention also provides a vehicle, the vehicle including a body, the body being the body of the above-described technical solutions, and the vehicle further including a B-pillar structure for the body as described in any one of the above-described technical solutions.

[0016] Those skilled in the art will understand that, in the technical solution of the present invention, the B-pillar structure for the vehicle body includes a roof side beam inner panel, the B-pillar structure includes a B-pillar inner panel, and the B-pillar structure further includes a reinforcing member, which is fixedly connected to the roof side beam inner panel and the B-pillar inner panel.

[0017] With the above-described configuration, the B-pillar structure of the present invention has a reinforcing member at the connection between the inner plate of the roof side beam and the inner plate of the B-pillar. When the vehicle encounters a side collision, the force on the reinforcing member can be distributed to the inner plate of the roof side beam and the inner plate of the B-pillar, thereby effectively reducing the force on the connection point between the inner plate of the roof side beam and the inner plate of the B-pillar. This can effectively alleviate the problem of the inner plate of the B-pillar tearing at the weld point when the vehicle encounters a side collision. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The B-pillar structure for a vehicle body according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the B-pillar structure for a vehicle body according to the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the B-pillar structure for the vehicle body when the reinforcing plate assembly is not installed according to the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A structural diagram of the reinforcing component;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional installation of the B-pillar structure for vehicle body according to the present invention.

[0023] List of reference numerals:

[0024] 1-Inner plate of the roof side beam, 2-Inner plate of B-pillar, 3-Reinforcing member, 31-Connecting part, 32-Connecting block, 4-Reinforcing plate assembly, 41-B-pillar reinforcing plate, 42-Roof side beam reinforcing plate, 5-Bolt, 6-Nut, 7-B-pillar cavity, 8-Corner of door opening, 9-Flange of door opening. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical principles of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the invention. Those skilled in the art can make adjustments as needed to adapt to specific applications. For example, although the specification describes the connection between the B-pillar reinforcing plate and the reinforcing member using a bolt and nut, the present invention can obviously employ other similar means, such as using screws instead of bolts and nuts, as long as the B-pillar reinforcing plate and the reinforcing member can be fixedly connected.

[0026] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," indicating directional or positional relationships, are based on the directional or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0027] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0028] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the B-pillar structure for a vehicle body without the reinforcing plate assembly installed, according to the present invention. Figure 3 for Figure 2 The schematic diagram of the reinforcing component in the diagram illustrates how, in the case of a side impact, the lower end of the B-pillar in a conventional automobile collapses, and the upper part of the B-pillar inner panel tears at the weld point, thus failing to meet the vehicle's safety performance requirements. This invention provides a B-pillar structure for a car body, wherein the car body includes a roof side beam inner panel 1, the B-pillar structure includes a B-pillar inner panel 2, and the B-pillar structure also includes a reinforcing component 3. The reinforcing component 3 includes a connecting part 31 and a connecting block 32. The connecting part 31 is fixedly connected to the roof side beam inner panel 1 and the B-pillar inner panel 2 via the connecting block 32, forming a side panel assembly. The connecting block 32 is a flanged structure formed along the side of the connecting part 31, and a reinforcing groove is designed on the flanged structure. Four connecting blocks 32 are evenly distributed on the side of the connecting part 31. Three connecting blocks 32 are welded to the B-pillar inner panel 2, and the other connecting block 32 is welded to the roof side beam inner panel 1.

[0029] like Figure 1-4 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the B-pillar structure for vehicle bodies according to the present invention. Figure 4This is a cross-sectional installation diagram of the B-pillar structure for a vehicle body according to the present invention. The B-pillar structure also includes a reinforcing plate assembly 4. The reinforcing plate assembly 4 is connected to the inner side panel assembly, that is, the reinforcing plate assembly 4 covers the outer side of the inner B-pillar panel 2 and the inner roof side beam panel 1 and is fixedly connected to the inner B-pillar panel 2 and the inner roof side beam panel 1, forming a B-pillar cavity 7. The reinforcing member 3 is disposed within the B-pillar cavity 7. The reinforcing plate assembly 4 includes a B-pillar reinforcing plate 41 and a roof side beam reinforcing plate 42. The B-pillar reinforcing plate 41 and the roof side beam reinforcing plate 42 are fixedly connected. A nut 6 is fixedly provided on the side of the reinforcing member 3 near the inner B-pillar panel 2. A bolt 5 passes through the B-pillar reinforcing plate 41 and the reinforcing member 3 in sequence and is threadedly connected to the nut 6.

[0030] The advantages of the above-mentioned arrangement are as follows: In this embodiment, a reinforcing member 3 is provided at the connection between the inner plate 1 of the roof side beam and the inner plate 2 of the B-pillar in the B-pillar cavity 7, so that the inner plate 1 of the roof side beam, the inner plate 2 of the B-pillar, the B-pillar reinforcing plate 41 and the roof side beam reinforcing plate 42 are connected as one unit, which increases the strength of the connection structure and also increases the connection points, making up for the defect that the B-pillar cavity 7 in the traditional automobile B-pillar structure design has no connection points.

[0031] When a vehicle experiences a side impact, this embodiment prevents the excessive stress on the B-pillar inner panel 2 caused by the concentration of stress in the area of ​​the vehicle's door opening flange 9 within the B-pillar cavity 7, which could lead to tearing between the B-pillar inner panel 2 and the roof side beam inner panel 1 at the weld point. In this embodiment, when the connection between the roof side beam inner panel 1 and the B-pillar inner panel 2 is subjected to shear tension, the reinforcing member 3 can distribute the force to both the roof side beam inner panel 1 and the B-pillar inner panel 2 through the four connecting blocks 32, ensuring that the B-pillar cavity 7 can also transmit force when subjected to stress. This effectively reduces the force at the connection point between the roof side beam inner panel 1 and the B-pillar inner panel 2, thus mitigating the problem of the B-pillar inner panel 2 tearing at the weld point during a side impact.

[0032] When a vehicle encounters overhead pressure, unlike traditional B-pillar designs where the connection is primarily maintained through welds at the corner of the vehicle's doorway (8), which can lead to weld tearing near the corner when subjected to forces exceeding their strength, this embodiment avoids the problem of the B-pillar inner panel 2 and B-pillar reinforcing plate 41 splitting apart. When the vehicle is subjected to overhead pressure, the reinforcing member 3 applies force from the B-pillar cavity 7 to both the inner panel 2 and the reinforcing plate 41, preventing them from splitting apart. This improves upon the existing technology where the connection between the inner panel 2 and the reinforcing plate 41 is maintained solely through welds at the corner of the vehicle's doorway (8), effectively reducing the force on these welds and minimizing force concentration, thus preventing weld tearing and the splitting apart of the B-pillar structure. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connecting part 31 and the B-pillar reinforcing plate 41 are connected by bolts 5, which can further enhance the effect of the B-pillar structure in resisting the top pressure force.

[0033] Meanwhile, this invention does not adopt a solid structure design by directly welding a plate or a steel block, but instead uses a hollow design. This is because a solid structure design would still concentrate force on the edges, making the B-pillar structure more prone to breakage elsewhere. Furthermore, the B-pillar structure of this invention needs to withstand both side impacts and top crushing. Simple plate welding can only enhance force in one direction, not both. For example, directly welding a steel plate to the weld between the inner plate 1 of the roof side beam and the inner plate 2 of the B-pillar can effectively prevent deformation during top crushing, but it still cannot guarantee safety in the event of a side impact. Therefore, this invention specifically designs a bowl-shaped structure with four protruding legs. Whether subjected to top crushing or side impacts, it can effectively protect the weld joint and, in the event of a side collision, can act as an energy-absorbing box similar to a crash beam, preventing the reinforcement 3 from being directly pushed into the vehicle and causing injury or death to occupants.

[0034] It should be noted that the above embodiments are merely used to illustrate the principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can adjust the above structure so that the present invention can be applied to more specific application scenarios.

[0035] For example, in an alternative embodiment, the connection between the connecting block 32 and the inner plate 1 of the top cover side beam and the inner plate 2 of the B-pillar can also be a fixed connection such as threaded connection or riveting (not shown in the figure).

[0036] In another alternative embodiment, besides the connecting block 32 being a flange of the connecting portion 31, the connecting portion 31 and the connecting block 32 can also be other integrally formed structures, such as those formed by casting. Furthermore, the connecting portion 31 and the connecting block 32 can also be a separate connection structure fixedly connected by welding or threaded connection, which is easier to process.

[0037] In another alternative embodiment, the thickness of the connecting block 32 fixedly connected to the inner plate 1 of the roof side beam and the thickness of the connecting block 32 fixedly connected to the inner plate 2 of the B-pillar away from the inner plate 1 are greater than the thicknesses of the other two connecting blocks 32. See details for further information. Figure 2 As shown, the thickness of the two connecting blocks 32 at the top and bottom is greater than the thickness of the two connecting blocks 32 on the left and right. Since the connecting block 32 fixedly connected to the inner plate 1 of the roof side beam and the connecting block 32 fixedly connected to the inner plate 2 of the B-pillar away from the inner plate 1 of the roof side beam have to bear both the crushing force from the top and the force of the side impact, they are designed to be thicker. The fixed connecting blocks 32 in other directions are designed to be relatively thinner, because they usually only bear the force of the side impact. This design can also further improve the connection effect of the connecting part 31 to the inner plate 1 of the roof side beam and the inner plate 2 of the B-pillar through the connecting blocks 32, and also enable it to absorb energy normally when subjected to side impact.

[0038] In another alternative embodiment, the thickness of the connecting block 32, which is fixedly connected to the inner plate 1 of the top cover side beam, can be greater than the thickness of the other three connecting blocks 32. This is because the connecting block 32, which is fixedly connected to the inner plate 1 of the top cover side beam, bears the greatest force of top crushing and also bears the force of lateral impact, so it is designed to be thicker.

[0039] In another alternative implementation, the number of connecting blocks 32 can be set to three (not shown in the figure), five (not shown in the figure), or more, depending on the actual situation of the inner plate 1 of the top cover side beam and the inner plate 2 of the B-pillar.

[0040] In another alternative embodiment, the connecting block 32 can be a single unit, and the reinforcing member 3 can be a cap-shaped part with an edge. When the connecting block 32 and the connecting part 31 are integrally formed, the connecting block 32 can be a flange of the connecting part 31. When the connecting block 32 and the connecting part 31 are not integrally formed, the connecting block 32 can be welded to the connecting part 31, etc.

[0041] In another alternative embodiment, the connecting part 31 and the connecting block 32 can be regular shapes, such as circles or squares, or they can be irregular shapes, as long as they can be effectively fixedly connected to the inner plate 1 of the roof side beam and the inner plate 2 of the B-pillar.

[0042] In another alternative embodiment, as long as the B-pillar reinforcement plate and the reinforcement can be fixedly connected, the B-pillar reinforcement plate and the reinforcement described in the current specification can be replaced by connecting the B-pillar reinforcement plate and the reinforcement with screws, etc., without deviating from the principle of the present invention, and therefore all will fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0043] In summary, this invention solves the problems of traditional vehicle B-pillar structures, such as the lower end of the B-pillar easily collapsing during side impacts, the inner B-pillar panel easily tearing at the weld points, and the inner B-pillar panel easily splitting apart with the B-pillar reinforcement plate during roof impacts, thus failing to meet the vehicle's safety performance requirements. This invention, by incorporating a reinforcement member 3, which is fixedly connected to the inner B-pillar panel 2, the inner roof side beam panel 1, and the reinforcement plate assembly 4, significantly improves the safety performance of the vehicle's B-pillar structure during side impacts and roof impacts, while adding minimal weight and reducing cost.

[0044] In addition, the present invention also provides a vehicle, the vehicle including a body, the body being the body of the above embodiments, the vehicle having a B-pillar structure for the body as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0045] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after such changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A B-pillar structure for a vehicle body including a roof side rail inner panel, the B-pillar structure including a B-pillar inner panel, characterized by, The B-pillar structure further comprises a reinforcing member fixedly connected with the roof side rail inner panel and the B-pillar inner panel, The reinforcing member is in the shape of a hat with a rim, and comprises a connecting portion and a plurality of connecting blocks, the connecting portion being fixedly connected with the roof side rail inner panel and the B-pillar inner panel through the connecting blocks, The B-pillar structure further comprises a reinforcing plate assembly, which comprises a B-pillar reinforcing plate, the connecting portion being connected with the B-pillar reinforcing plate.

2. The B-pillar structure for a vehicle body according to claim 1, characterized by The reinforcing plate assembly is arranged outside the B-pillar inner panel and the roof side rail inner panel and is fixedly connected with the B-pillar inner panel and the roof side rail inner panel, forming a B-pillar cavity, and the reinforcing member is arranged in the B-pillar cavity.

3. The B-pillar structure for a vehicle body according to claim 1, characterized by The connecting portion and the connecting blocks are integrally formed, or The connecting blocks are in the form of flanges formed along the side surface of the connecting portion.

4. The B-pillar structure for a vehicle body according to claim 3, characterized by The connecting blocks are four in number and are uniformly distributed along the side surface of the connecting portion, three of the connecting blocks being fixedly connected with the B-pillar inner panel and the other one being fixedly connected with the roof side rail inner panel.

5. The B-pillar structure for a vehicle body according to claim 4, characterized by The thickness of the connecting block fixedly connected with the roof side rail inner panel and the thickness of the connecting block fixedly connected with the B-pillar inner panel away from the roof side rail inner panel are greater than the thickness of the other two connecting blocks, or The thickness of the connecting block fixedly connected with the roof side rail inner panel is greater than the thickness of the other three connecting blocks.

6. The B-pillar structure for a vehicle body according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by The reinforcing member is threadedly connected with the reinforcing plate assembly.

7. The B-pillar structure for a vehicle body according to claim 6, characterized by The reinforcing plate assembly comprises a roof side rail reinforcing plate, the B-pillar reinforcing plate and the roof side rail reinforcing plate being fixedly connected, a nut being fixedly arranged on the side surface of the reinforcing member close to the B-pillar inner panel, and a bolt being threadedly connected with the nut in sequence after passing through the B-pillar reinforcing plate and the reinforcing member.

8. A vehicle characterized by comprising: The vehicle comprises a vehicle body, the vehicle body being the vehicle body in claim 1, and the vehicle further comprises the B-pillar structure for the vehicle body according to any one of claims 1-7.

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