Vehicle body

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle body having a rear opening and a rear top beam. The rear top beam comprises a first rear top beam panel and a second rear top beam panel. A closed cross-sectional space is defined by the first rear top beam panel and the second rear top beam panel. The vehicle body comprises a reinforcing member arranged in the closed cross-sectional space. The first rear top beam panel and the second rear top beam panel comprise a first portion extending downward in the vehicle up-down direction, and a second portion bent from the lower end of the first portion and extending rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction. The reinforcing member is arranged in an area opposite to the first portion of the first rear top beam panel and the first portion of the second rear top beam panel. There is a space between the lower surface of the reinforcing member and the second portion of the first rear top beam panel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a vehicle body. Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-90069 discloses a structure of a rear top beam disposed at the rear end of a vehicle roof. A rear door hinge is installed on the rear top beam. The rear top beam forms a closed cross-sectional space by integrating a top beam upper panel and a top beam lower panel. By arranging a foam material in the closed cross-sectional space, the rigidity of the rear top beam is increased. The installation strength of the rear door can be increased. Summary of the invention

[0003] In the structure of the rear roof beam of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-90069, the foam material is arranged in the entire closed cross-sectional space. From the perspective of protecting the occupants, there is room for improvement.

[0004] A vehicle body of one embodiment of the present specification includes a rear opening. The vehicle body includes a rear top beam extending in the vehicle width direction along the upper edge of the rear opening. The rear top beam includes a first rear top beam panel made of metal and a second rear top beam panel made of metal arranged on the outer side of the vehicle than the first rear top beam panel, and a closed cross-sectional space is defined by the first rear top beam panel and the second rear top beam panel. The vehicle body includes a rear door hinge arranged on the rear top beam. The vehicle body includes a reinforcing member arranged in the closed cross-sectional space and having a porous portion. The first rear top beam panel and the second rear top beam panel include: a first portion extending downward in the vehicle vertical direction; and a second portion bent from the lower end of the first portion and extending rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction. The rear door hinge is arranged on the second portion of the second rear top beam panel. The reinforcing member is arranged in a region where the first portion of the first rear top beam panel and the first portion of the second rear top beam panel are opposite. A space is provided between the lower surface of the reinforcing member and the second portion of the first rear top beam panel, or a filling material having a lower strength than the reinforcing member is arranged.

[0005] In the vehicle body disclosed in this specification, a space is provided between the lower surface of the foam material and the second portion of the first rear roof beam panel, or a filling material having a lower strength than the foam material is arranged. Thus, in the event of an interior collision, the first rear roof beam panel is easily deformed and absorbs energy in the region where the space or the filling material is arranged, thereby improving the function of protecting the occupants. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like elements, and in which:

[0007] Figure 1is a side view of the vehicle 10 .

[0008] Figure 2 is along Figure 1 A sectional view of the vehicle body obtained by cutting along plane II.

[0009] Figure 3 It is a perspective view of the reinforcing member 50 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] In the above-mentioned vehicle body, the reinforcing member may include a first region, and the first region is disposed in a region where the first portion of the first rear top beam panel and the first portion of the second rear top beam panel are opposite. The reinforcing member may include a second region extending from the lower end of the first region toward the rear of the vehicle. The second region may be disposed in a region where the second portion of the first rear top beam panel and the second portion of the second rear top beam panel are opposite. The second region may be configured so that the reinforcing member contacts the second portion of the second rear top beam panel. According to such a structure, the displacement of the second portion of the second rear top beam panel to the downward side can be limited by the second region of the reinforcing member. The strength of the mounting portion of the rear door hinge can be improved.

[0011] In the vehicle body, the reinforcing member may further include a frame member, which is disposed near the boundary surface between the reinforcing member and the first portion of the first rear top beam panel and disposed on the lower surface of the second region of the reinforcing member. The frame member may also be formed of a non-porous material. According to such a structure, the frame member can prevent the porous portion from intruding into the lower surface side of the reinforcing member.

[0012] In the vehicle body, the frame member may include a clip in a region facing the first portion of the first rear top beam panel. The first portion of the first rear top beam panel may include a hole. The clip may be configured to engage with the hole. According to such a structure, the positioning of the reinforcing member can be accurately determined by the engagement of the clip with the hole.

[0013] In the above-mentioned vehicle body, the lower surface of the reinforcing member may be restricted by a frame member.

[0014] The vehicle body may further include a resin garnish disposed below the second portion of the first rear roof panel. A space may be provided between the second portion of the first rear roof panel and the garnish.

[0015] Here, the direction FR in the drawings indicates the front in the front-rear direction of the vehicle 10, and the direction RR indicates the rear in the front-rear direction of the vehicle 10. In addition, the direction LH indicates the left in the left-right direction (or width direction) of the vehicle 10, and the direction RH indicates the right in the left-right direction of the vehicle 10. The direction UP indicates the upper side in the up-down direction of the vehicle 10, and the direction DW indicates the lower side in the up-down direction of the vehicle 10. In addition, in this specification, the front-rear direction of the vehicle 10, the left-right direction of the vehicle 10, and the up-down direction of the vehicle 10 are sometimes referred to as the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction, respectively.

[0016] Figure 1 1 is a side view of a vehicle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle 10 includes a vehicle body 12 and a rear door 14. A rear door opening 12c (rear opening) that opens toward the rear is provided at the rear portion of the vehicle body 12. A rear header 40 is disposed at the rear end of the roof panel 26. The rear door 14 is mounted to the rear header 40 via a pair of left and right hinges 16. Figure 1 , the state in which the rear door 14 is popped up is shown.

[0017] Figure 2 is along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view obtained by cutting the vehicle body 12 through plane II. Plane II is a plane passing through the hinge 16 on the right side of the vehicle body 12. Figure 2 , the rear door 14 is shown in a closed state. In addition, since the vehicle body 12 of the present embodiment is bilaterally symmetrical, only the right side of the vehicle body 12 will be described below. The vehicle body 12 includes a roof panel 26, a rear header 40, a hinge 16, a reinforcement member 50, and a roof trim 28.

[0018] The roof panel 26 is located outside the vehicle body 12 and extends forward from the upper edge 12d of the rear door opening 12c. The roof panel 26 covers the rear header 40. The roof panel 26 is joined to the first rear header panel 41 at the upper edge 12d of the rear door opening 12c.

[0019] The rear top beam 40 extends in the vehicle width direction along the upper edge of the rear door opening 12c. The rear top beam 40 includes a first rear top beam panel 41 to a third rear top beam panel 43. The first rear top beam panel 41 to the third rear top beam panel 43 are made of metal, such as a steel plate or an aluminum plate. The first rear top beam panel 41 to the third rear top beam panel 43 are arranged in this order to overlap toward the outer side of the vehicle. A closed cross-sectional space CS is formed by the first rear top beam panel 41 and the second rear top beam panel 42.

[0020] The first rear top beam panel 41 includes a first portion 41a and a second portion 41b. The first portion 41a is a portion extending toward the lower side of the vehicle. The second portion 41b is a portion that is bent from the lower end 41aE of the first portion 41a and extends toward the rear of the vehicle. Similarly, the second rear top beam panel 42 includes a first portion 42a and a second portion 42b. The first portion 42a is a portion that extends toward the lower side of the vehicle. The second portion 42b is a portion that is bent from the lower end 42aE of the first portion 41a and extends toward the rear of the vehicle. Since the first portions 41a and 42a are longitudinal walls, the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body 12 can be increased.

[0021] The reinforcing member 50 includes a frame member 51 and a porous portion 52. The porous portion 52 is a main component of the reinforcing member 50. The porous portion 52 is composed of a foamed body foamed by heating. In addition, as the foamed body, a known foamed body material capable of exerting high rigidity can be appropriately used. There is no particular limitation, for example, it is foamed rubber, foamed plastic, among which rigid polyurethane foam, polystyrene foam, polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam, EVA cross-linked foam, PET resin foam, phenolic foam, silicone foam, polyvinyl chloride foam, urea foam, acrylic foam, polyimide foam, EPDM foam, etc. can be cited.

[0022] The frame member 51 is arranged near the boundary surface between the reinforcing member 50 and the first portion 41a of the first rear top beam panel 41 and the lower surface of the second region 50b. The frame member is formed of a non-porous material. The non-porous material is not particularly limited, and for example, metal, ceramic, plastic, etc. can be used appropriately. As plastic, for example, epoxy resin, polyurethane resin, etc. can be used. The frame member 51 supports the porous portion 52 before and after foaming. In addition to serving as a support body, the frame member 51 can also contribute to improving the rigidity of the reinforcing member 50.

[0023] The frame member 51 has a clip 51p in a region facing the first portion 41a of the first rear roof panel 41. The first portion 41a of the first rear roof panel 41 has a hole 41h. The clip 51p engages with the hole 41h.

[0024] The reinforcing member 50 is arranged in the closed cross-sectional space CS. The reinforcing member 50 includes a first region 50a and a second region 50b. The first region 50a is an area arranged in an area where the first portion 41a of the first rear roof panel 41 and the first portion 42a of the second rear roof panel 42 are opposite. The second region 50b is an area extending from the lower end of the first region 50a toward the rear of the vehicle. The second region 50b is an area arranged in an area where the second portion 41b of the first rear roof panel 41 and the second portion 42b of the second rear roof panel 42 are opposite.

[0025] In the second region 50b, the upper surface of the reinforcing member 50 contacts the second portion 42b of the second rear roof panel 42. In addition, a first space SP1 is provided between the lower surface of the reinforcing member 50 and the second portion 42b of the first rear roof panel 41.

[0026] The roof decoration 28 is a member made of resin. The roof decoration 28 is a member that defines the height dimension of the vehicle cabin. The roof decoration 28 is arranged below the second portion 41b of the first rear header panel 41. The rear end of the roof decoration 28 is attached to the upper edge 12d of the rear door opening 12c via a sealing strip 46. A second space SP2 is provided between the second portion 41b of the first rear header panel 41 and the roof decoration 28.

[0027] The hinge 16 is fixed to the region where the second portion 42b of the second rear roof panel 42 is arranged via a bolt 17. The rear door 14 is fixed to the hinge 16. The structure of the rear door 14 will be omitted from description.

[0028] (Structure and Installation Process of Reinforcement Member 50)

[0029] Figure 3 FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a reinforcing member 50. The reinforcing member 50 includes a frame member 51 and a porous portion 52. Figure 3 In the figure, the porous part 52 is in a state before foaming. The frame member 51 has outer frame parts 51a to 51d. The outer frame parts 51a to 51d install and hold the porous part 52 before foaming at a predetermined position, and contribute to improving the rigidity of the reinforcing member 50. The outer frame part 51a has a slit. As a result, the porous part 52 can bulge in the direction of the first part 41a of the first rear top beam panel 41 (arrow A1). On the other hand, the outer frame parts 51b to 51d do not have a slit, and therefore function as a wall part that restricts bulging.

[0030] The installation process of the reinforcing member 50 is described. First, the clip 51p is engaged with the hole 41h of the first rear top beam panel 41. In this way, the reinforcing member 50 can be accurately fixed at a predetermined position. After the second rear top beam panel 42 is installed, during or after the assembly of the rear top beam 40, the portion where the reinforcing member 50 is arranged is heated. The porous portion 52 can be foamed in the rear top beam 40.

[0031] The porous portion 52 bulges in the direction of arrow A1 by foaming, and is joined to the first portion 41a of the first rear roof panel 41. In addition, the porous portion 52 bulges in the directions of arrows A2 and A3, and is joined to the first portion 42a and the second portion 42b of the second rear roof panel 42, respectively. On the other hand, since the lower surface of the reinforcing member 50 is restricted by the outer frame portion 51c, the porous portion 52 does not bulge downward. Figure 2As shown, the first space SP1 can be maintained even after foaming. In addition, the expansion of the reinforcing member 50 in the vehicle width direction can be restricted by the outer frame portion 51b.

[0032] (Effect)

[0033] The load of the rear door 14 is applied to the second portion 42b of the second rear top panel 42 to which the hinge 16 is attached. Therefore, the first portion 42a may vibrate in the front-rear direction with the upper end 42aU of the first portion 42a of the second rear top panel 42 as a fulcrum. In addition, the second portion 42b of the second rear top panel 42 may vibrate in the up-down direction with the lower end 42aE as a fulcrum. In the technology of this embodiment, the region where the first portions 41a and 42a face each other in the closed cross-sectional space CS is filled with a reinforcing member 50. Since the rigidity of the closed cross section of the first region 50a can be increased, the vibration of the first portion 42a in the front-rear direction can be suppressed. In addition, the lower surface of the second portion 42b of the second rear top panel 42 can be supported by the reinforcing member 50 over the region extending from the lower end 42aE to the rear of the vehicle. Since the rigidity of the closed cross section of the second region 50b can be increased, the vibration of the second portion 42b in the up-down direction can be suppressed.

[0034] As a comparative example, the case where the first space SP1 is also filled with the reinforcing member 50 is described. In this case, when an indoor collision occurs with the lower surface of the first rear roof beam panel 41, the first rear roof beam panel 41 is not easily deformed. Therefore, in order to ensure indoor collision safety, Figure 2 As shown in the double-dashed line of the roof decoration 128, the position of the roof decoration needs to be moved toward the interior of the vehicle. The interior space is sacrificed. In the technology of this embodiment, the first space SP1 is not equipped with a reinforcing member 50 and becomes a hollow. Therefore, in the event of an indoor collision with the lower surface of the first rear top beam panel 41, the first rear top beam panel 41 is easily deformed in the first space SP1 and can absorb energy. Therefore, Figure 2 As shown in the roof decoration 28, the position of the roof decoration can be located outside the vehicle compartment. It is possible to achieve both indoor collision safety and expansion of the indoor space. In particular, when the inclination of the rear door 14 is made gentle from the perspective of improving the appearance, the head clearance of the rear seat becomes smaller, so the technology of this embodiment is effective.

[0035] The specific examples of the technology disclosed in this specification are described in detail above, but these are only examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various deformations and changes to the specific examples illustrated above. The technical elements described in this specification or the drawings have technical practicality alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of application. The technology illustrated in this specification or the drawings can achieve multiple purposes at the same time, and achieving one of the purposes itself has technical practicality.

[0036] (Variation Example)

[0037] A filling material with lower strength than the porous portion 52 may be disposed in the first space SP1. Thus, even in the event of a collision in the room, the first rear roof panel 41 can be easily deformed in the first space SP1. The filling material may be, for example, sound absorbing wool.

[0038] The method of fixing the reinforcing member 50 to the first rear roof panel 41 is not limited to the clip 51p, and various methods may be used. For example, the reinforcing member 50 may be fixed by a double-sided tape.

Claims

1. A vehicle body, characterized in that: include: rear opening; a rear header extending in the vehicle width direction along the upper edge of the rear opening, comprising a first rear header panel made of metal and a second rear header panel made of metal arranged on the vehicle outer side than the first rear header panel, wherein a closed cross-sectional space is defined by the first rear header panel and the second rear header panel; a rear door hinge, disposed on the rear top beam; and The reinforcing member is arranged in the closed cross-sectional space and has a porous portion, wherein: The first rear roof beam panel comprises: The first portion extends downward in the up-down direction of the vehicle; and a second portion that is bent from a lower end of the first portion of the first rear roof panel and extends rearward in a vehicle front-rear direction, The second rear roof beam panel comprises: A first portion extending downward in the vertical direction of the vehicle; and a second portion bent from a lower end of the first portion of the second rear roof panel and extending rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction, The rear door hinge is arranged on the second portion of the second rear top beam panel, The reinforcing member is disposed in a region where the first portion of the first rear roof panel faces the first portion of the second rear roof panel. A space is provided between a lower surface of the reinforcing member and the second portion of the first rear roof panel, or a filling material having a strength lower than that of the reinforcing member is arranged.

2. The vehicle body according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reinforcing member comprises: a first region disposed in a region where the first portion of the first rear roof beam panel and the first portion of the second rear roof beam panel are opposite to each other; and The second region extends rearward in the vehicle front-rear direction from the lower end of the first region and is disposed in a region where the second portion of the first rear roof panel and the second portion of the second rear roof panel face each other. The reinforcing member is configured to be in contact with the second portion of the second rear roof panel in the second region.

3. The vehicle body according to claim 2, characterized in that: The reinforcing member further includes a frame member disposed near a boundary surface between the reinforcing member and the first portion of the first rear roof panel and disposed on a lower surface of the second region of the reinforcing member. The frame member is formed of a non-porous material.

4. The vehicle body according to claim 3, characterized in that: The frame member has a clip in a region facing the first portion of the first rear roof panel. The first portion of the first rear roof panel includes a hole. The clip is configured to engage with the hole.

5. The vehicle body according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: A lower surface of the reinforcing member is restricted by the frame member.

6. The vehicle body according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The vehicle body further includes a resin decorative member, the decorative member being arranged below the second portion of the first rear roof panel. A space is provided between the second portion of the first rear header panel and the garnish.

7. The vehicle body according to claim 5, characterized in that: The vehicle body further includes a resin decorative member, the decorative member being arranged below the second portion of the first rear roof panel. A space is provided between the second portion of the first rear header panel and the garnish.

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