Side structure of a vehicle body

Abstract

A side structure of a vehicle body is provided with a pillar structure capable of efficiently absorbing collision energy at the time of a side collision with a simple structure, whereby the rigidity of the vehicle body at the time of a side collision can be effectively improved. The side structure of the vehicle body includes a reinforcing member (75) joined to an upper surface of a beam outer member (19b) of a side sill (19) on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of a pillar outer member (72) in a center pillar (70), and a bracket (85) for mounting a seat belt retractor (81) to the side sill (19), the bracket (85) being fixed to a surface on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the reinforcing member (75) and interposed between the surface and an upper surface of a beam inner member (19a).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a side structure of a vehicle body. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the past, a door is installed at a side portion of a vehicle body, and a pillar extending upward as a part of the vehicle body is provided at a rear side of the door. Also, in Patent Document 1, a structure is disclosed in which, at a lower end portion of the pillar (center pillar), a partition wall (reinforcing member) is interposed in a cross section of the pillar, and a lower end of the partition wall is joined to a side sill. In the structure of Patent Document 1, when a load from a side collision (side impact) is input to the pillar, the load is transmitted to the side sill and a floor member via the partition wall.

[0003] [Related Art Documents]

[0004] [Patent Documents]

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP A) No. 2009-262615 SUMMARY

[0006] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

[0007] However, in recent years, there is a tendency for the weight of a vehicle to increase due to the mounting of a large battery or the like in the vehicle. When the weight of the vehicle increases, the load input to the vehicle body from a side collision also becomes large accordingly. Therefore, in this kind of structure, if a load input to the pillar from a side collision is not sufficiently transmitted to the floor member or the like, and a large load is applied to the pillar, the pillar or the periphery thereof can be deformed, and the intrusion amount of the pillar or the like into the passenger compartment can increase.

[0008] Also, at a root portion of the center pillar, an emergency locking retractor (ELR) for a seat belt is sometimes provided. At this time, an opening portion for mounting the retractor is formed in an inner frame of the center pillar. In this kind of structure, when a load from a side collision is applied to the door beam, a rear end portion of the door beam is displaced in a manner of being pushed into the inside (passenger compartment side) in the vehicle width direction, and the rear end portion of the door beam is supported at the opening portion of the center pillar or in the vicinity thereof. Therefore, in order to further improve the support rigidity of the vehicle body, there is room for further improvement in the structure of the vehicle body with respect to the opening portion of the center pillar and the members in the periphery thereof.

[0009] The present application has been achieved in view of the above-described problems, and aims to provide a side portion structure of a vehicle body which realizes a pillar structure capable of efficiently absorbing collision energy at the time of a side collision with a simple structure, thereby being able to effectively improve the vehicle body support rigidity at the time of a side collision of a vehicle, and thereby both improve the safety of traffic by the vehicle and suppress a decrease in the smoothness of traffic.

[0010] [Technical means for solving the problems]

[0011] To solve the above-described problems, the side portion structure of a vehicle body according to the present application includes a side beam 19 extending in the front-rear direction on the outside in the vehicle width direction in a floor portion of a vehicle body 10, and a pillar portion 70 extending upward from the side beam 19, characterized in that the side beam 19 includes a beam inner member 19a forming the inside in the vehicle width direction and a beam outer member 19b forming the outside in the vehicle width direction, the pillar portion 70 includes a pillar inner member 71 and a pillar outer member 72 disposed on the inside and the outside in the vehicle width direction, respectively, and the side portion structure of a vehicle body includes a reinforcing member 75 joined to the upper surface of the beam outer member 19b on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the pillar outer member 72, and a bracket 85 for mounting a seat belt retractor 81 to the side beam 19, the bracket 85 being fixed to the inside in the vehicle width direction of the reinforcing member 75 and the upper surface of the beam inner member 19a so as to be interposed therebetween.

[0012] According to the side portion structure of a vehicle body of the present application, the bracket is interposed between the inside in the vehicle width direction of the reinforcing member and the upper surface of the beam inner member, and thus, in the case where a load from a side collision (side collision) of a vehicle is input to the reinforcing member, the reinforcing member is displaced in a manner of inclining toward the inside in the vehicle width direction with the joint point with the beam outer member as a base point, thereby deforming the bracket. Thus, the bracket functions as a so-called energy absorbing member, and thus, it is possible to efficiently absorb the collision energy at the time of a side collision of a vehicle by the bracket. That is, according to the structure, the reinforcing member deforms the bracket (energy absorbing member) while being displaced toward the inside in the vehicle width direction with the joint point with the beam outer member as a center and rotating downward, and thus, not only the deformation in the vehicle width direction, but also the deformation toward the up-down direction is applied to the bracket, and thus, it is possible to efficiently increase the amount of absorption of the impact by the bracket.

[0013] Further, according to the structure, the bracket is deformed not only toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, but also toward the lower side by the displacement of the reinforcing member as described above, and thus, correspondingly, it is possible to suppress the amount of deformation of the bracket toward the inside in the vehicle width direction (inside of a passenger compartment) to be small. Thus, it is possible to effectively prevent the influence of a side collision from reaching the inside of the passenger compartment.

[0014] Furthermore, in the present invention, the reinforcing member 75 may also have a cross-sectional shape with an opening on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and the reinforcing member 75 and the constituent member 73 of the pillar portion 70 may form a closed cross-section.

[0015] According to the structure, the reinforcing member and the column components form a closed section, thereby increasing the rigidity of the reinforcing member. Therefore, when a load caused by a side impact is input to the reinforcing member, the bracket is more likely to deform. Thus, the bracket can be used to absorb the load of a side impact more effectively.

[0016] Furthermore, in the present invention, the bracket 85 may also include: a front side portion 85a and a rear side portion 85b, extending from the reinforcing member 75 toward the inside in the vehicle width direction; and an inner side portion 85c, extending along the front-rear direction to connect the front side portion 85a and the rear side portion 85b to the inside of the reinforcing member 75 in the vehicle width direction.

[0017] According to the structure, the bracket is formed in a roughly U-shaped cross-section with an opening on the outer side in the vehicle width direction when viewed from above. By forming the bracket, which functions as an energy-absorbing member, in such a way that its cross-section is roughly U-shaped when viewed from above, the load input to the reinforcing member due to a side impact can be transferred more efficiently from the reinforcing member to the bracket, thus making the bracket more prone to deformation.

[0018] Furthermore, in the present invention, the reinforcing member 75 includes a first reinforcing member 75A disposed at the front and a second reinforcing member 75B disposed at the rear. The front side 85a of the bracket 85 is connected to the first reinforcing member 75A, and the rear side 85b is connected to the second reinforcing member 75B.

[0019] According to the structure, the front and rear sides of the bracket are connected to the first and second reinforcing members, respectively. As a result, the load input to the reinforcing members due to side impact can be more effectively transferred to the bracket, and the bracket is more likely to deform.

[0020] Furthermore, the present invention may also include: a cover member 90 disposed between the first reinforcing member 75A and the second reinforcing member 75B in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 10, and the cover member 90 and the upper surface of the outer beam member 19b forming a closed section L.

[0021] According to the structure, a closed sectional surface is formed by the cover member provided between the first and second reinforcing members and the upper surface of the beam outer, whereby the filler for suppressing vibration / noise, etc. at the lower end portion of the pillar portion can be housed in the closed sectional surface. Thus, the filler can be suppressed from spreading to the outside. Therefore, energy absorption at the time of a side collision of the vehicle can be performed by the reinforcing members and the bracket, and further, abnormal noise such as road noise or vibration from the road toward the vehicle cabin side can be effectively suppressed using the function of the filler.

[0022] Further, in the present application, the pillar outer 72 can include a front wall 72a extending toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction at the front side, and a rear wall 72b extending toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction at the rear side, and the reinforcing member 75 can include a front engaging portion 83a engaged with the front wall 72a of the pillar outer 72, and a rear engaging portion 83b engaged with the rear wall 72b.

[0023] According to the structure, the reinforcing member is engaged with the front wall and the rear wall of the pillar outer, whereby the load input to the pillar outer at the time of a side collision can be efficiently transmitted to the reinforcing member via the front wall and the rear wall of the pillar outer. Therefore, the reinforcing member is more surely tilted toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and thus deformation of the bracket can be more effectively promoted.

[0024] Further, in the present application, the reinforcing member 75 can include a bent portion 79 bent toward the vehicle width direction at a position halfway in the up-down direction thereof, and a notch portion 80 formed at a height position coinciding with the bent portion 79, and the front side portion 85a and the rear side portion 85b of the bracket 85 can be joined to the reinforcing member 75 across the bent portion 79 in the up-down direction.

[0025] According to the structure, in the case where the reinforcing member includes the bent portion and the notch portion and the bracket is joined across the bent portion in the up-down direction, the portion on the upper side will be tilted toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction prior to the bent portion in the case where a load due to a side collision is input to the reinforcing member. In the portion on the upper side, deformation of the bracket toward the lower direction is promoted more than in the bent portion tilted toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and thus the deformation amount of the bracket can be made larger.

[0026] Further, in the present application, the front side portion 85a and the rear side portion 85b of the bracket 85 can include a hemmed portion 87 including a plurality of long strip-shaped protrusions protruding toward the front or the rear and extending in the vehicle width direction.

[0027] According to the structure, the rigidity of the bracket can be increased by the hemmed portion included in the front side portion and the rear side portion of the bracket, and thus the energy absorption amount at the time of deformation of the bracket can be further increased.

[0028] Moreover, in the invention described above, the inner side portion 85c of the bracket 85 can include: a mounting portion 89 on which the retractor 81 is mounted; and another edge portion 88 including a plurality of long strip-shaped protrusions that protrude in the vehicle width direction and extend in the front-rear direction, the mounting portion 89 being provided on the upper side of the inner side portion 85c, and the other edge portion 88 being provided on the lower side of the mounting portion 89 of the inner side portion 85c.

[0029] According to the structure described above, the mounting portion on which the retractor is mounted is provided on the upper side of the inner side portion in the bracket, and the other edge portion is provided on the lower side of the mounting portion, whereby the retractor can be guided to the inner side and the lower side in the vehicle width direction at the time of a side collision, and the amount of energy absorption accompanying deformation of the bracket can be further increased.

[0030] Moreover, in the invention described above, the side portion of the vehicle body can include: a door 14A that is openably and closably mounted to the side portion of the vehicle body 10; and a door impact beam 40 that is provided inside the door 14A, at least a portion 61c of the door impact beam 40 being disposed at a position that coincides with the reinforcing member 75 and the bracket 85 as viewed in the vehicle width direction in a state in which the door 14A is closed.

[0031] According to the structure described above, the reinforcing member and the bracket are disposed at a position that coincides with at least a portion of the door impact beam as viewed in the vehicle width direction, whereby the reinforcing member and the bracket can efficiently absorb the energy of a load input to the door impact beam, and thus the amount of deformation of the door and the pillar portion toward the inner side (the passenger compartment side) in the vehicle width direction can be suppressed.

[0032] Moreover, in the invention described above, the inner member 71 of the pillar can include an opening portion 71A on which the retractor 81 is disposed, and the reinforcing member 75 can be disposed at a position that is lower than the upper end of the opening portion 71A as viewed in the vehicle width direction.

[0033] According to the structure described above, the reinforcing member is disposed at a position that is lower than the upper end of the opening portion of the pillar inner member as viewed in the vehicle width direction, whereby the reinforcing member is not worried about being hindered from falling toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction by the pillar inner member. Thus, the load input to the reinforcing member at the time of a side collision can be more reliably transmitted to the bracket, and thus deformation of the bracket can be promoted.

[0034] In addition, the symbols in the brackets are reference numerals of the corresponding constituent components in the embodiments described later, and are provided for reference.

[0035] [Effects of the Invention]

[0036] According to the side portion structure of the vehicle body of the invention, the body support rigidity of the door impact beam at the time of a side collision of the vehicle can be effectively improved with a simple structure, and thus both the safety of the vehicle at the time of a side collision and the smoothness of traffic can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0037] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing a portion of the side of a vehicle body, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a rough 3D view of the car door's anti-collision beam from above.

[0039] Figure 3 It means Figure 1 The diagram shows the cross-section of the XX arrow.

[0040] Figure 4 This diagram shows the rear end of the door impact beam and the lower end of the center pillar. Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the position corresponding to the YY arrow.

[0041] Figure 5 This diagram only shows the lower end of the central column; it represents the... Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the position corresponding to the YY arrow.

[0042] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 The A-arrow diagram.

[0043] Figure 7 yes Figure 4 Arrow B in the diagram.

[0044] Figure 8 It means Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the cross-section of the CC arrow.

[0045] Figure 9 It means Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the cross-section of the DD arrow.

[0046] Figure 10 It is a rough plan view of the reinforcing components and brackets.

[0047] Figure 11 This is a three-dimensional view of the base of the center pillar from the inside in the width direction of the vehicle, showing the installation status of the bracket.

[0048] Figure 12 This is a three-dimensional view of the base of the center pillar from the inside in the width direction of the vehicle, showing the state after the bracket has been removed.

[0049] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0050] 10: Body

[0051] 14: Side door

[0052] 14A: Front door

[0053] 14B: Backdoor

[0054] 14a: door body

[0055] 16: door opening portion

[0056] 16A: front door opening portion

[0057] 16B: rear door opening portion

[0058] 17: front pillar

[0059] 19: side beam

[0060] 19a: beam inner member

[0061] 19b: beam stiffener (beam outer member)

[0062] 20: door inner panel

[0063] 21: inner side wall

[0064] 22: connecting wall

[0065] 23: outer side wall

[0066] 30: door outer panel

[0067] 40: door intrusion beam

[0068] 41: transverse intrusion beam

[0069] 42: longitudinal intrusion beam

[0070] 51: intrusion beam body

[0071] 51a: front end portion

[0072] 51b: rear end portion

[0073] 51c: central portion

[0074] 52a: front curved portion

[0075] 52b: rear curved portion

[0076] 61: brace

[0077] 61a: front end portion

[0078] 61b: rear end portion (mounting portion)

[0079] 61c: body portion (main portion)

[0080] 70: center pillar (pillar portion)

[0081] 70A: front flange portion (front joint portion)

[0082] 70B: rear flange portion (rear joint portion)

[0083] 70C: first intermediate flange portion (first intermediate joint portion)

[0084] 70D: second intermediate flange portion (second intermediate joint portion)

[0085] 70a: lower end portion

[0086] 71: in-column plate (in-column member)

[0087] 71A: opening portion

[0088] 71a: lower end portion

[0089] 72: out-of-column plate (out-of-column member)

[0090] 73: stiffener (intermediate panel)

[0091] 73a: first face

[0092] 73b: second face

[0093] 73c: third face

[0094] 75: reinforcing member

[0095] 75A: front side member (first reinforcing member)

[0096] 75B: rear side member (second reinforcing member)

[0097] 75a: root portion

[0098] 76: joint portion

[0099] 76a: front joint portion

[0100] 76b: rear joint portion

[0101] 77a: fourth face

[0102] 77b: fifth face

[0103] 77c: sixth face

[0104] 78A, 78B: closed section

[0105] 79a: bend portion

[0106] 79b: bend portion

[0107] 80a: notch portion

[0108] 80b: notch portion

[0109] 81: retractor (of a safety belt)

[0110] 85: bracket (energy-absorbing member)

[0111] 85a: front side panel (front side portion)

[0112] 85b: rear side panel (rear side portion)

[0113] 85c: inner side panel (inner side portion)

[0114] 86a: bolt (fastener)

[0115] 86b: nut (fastener)

[0116] 87: hem portion (hem portion of the present application)

[0117] 88: hem portion (another hem portion of the present application)

[0118] 90: cover member

[0119] L: gap (closed sectional view) DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0120] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, in the following description, when referred to as front or rear, it means the advancing direction of the vehicle body (vehicle) or the retreating direction of the vehicle body (vehicle) as described later. Also, when referred to as left or right, it means the left or right in the vehicle width direction in the state facing the advancing direction (front side) of the vehicle body (vehicle). Also, when referred to as up or down, it means the up and down direction (vertical up and down direction) of the vehicle body (vehicle).

[0121] Figure 1 is a view of a portion of the side surface of the vehicle body showing the side portion structure of the vehicle body to which an embodiment of the present application is applied, Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the door beam viewed from above. Also, Figure 3 is a view showing the X-X arrow sectional view of Figure 1 As shown in these views, the vehicle including the side portion structure of the vehicle body to which an embodiment of the present application is applied includes the side door 14 installed to the side portion of the vehicle body 10. The side door 14 includes the front door 14A and the rear door 14B. Also, in the vehicle body 10, the door opening portion 16 to which the side door 14 is openably and closably installed is provided. The door opening portion 16 has the front door opening portion 16A and the rear door opening portion 16B. Also, in the front side of the front door opening portion 16A in the vehicle body 10, the front pillar 17 extending in the up and down direction is provided, and in the rear side of the front door opening portion 16A, the center pillar (pillar portion) 70 also extending in the up and down direction is provided. In addition, in the following description, only the front door 14A and the front door opening portion 16A in the side door 14 and the door opening portion 16 are described, and the rear door 14B and the rear door opening portion 16B are omitted.

[0122] The front door 14A includes the door body 14a that opens and closes the front door opening portion 16A. As Figure 3As shown, the door body 14a of the front door 14A includes an inner door panel 20 located on the inner side in the vehicle width direction, an outer door panel 30 located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction relative to the inner door panel 20, and a door anti-collision beam 40 located between the inner door panel 20 and the outer door panel 30 in the vehicle width direction. The inner door panel 20 and the outer door panel 30 are metal plate-shaped members, and the door anti-collision beam 40 is a metal strip-shaped member.

[0123] The door anti-collision beam 40 includes: a transverse anti-collision beam 41, which is disposed within the door body 14a of the front door 14A and extends along the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 10; and a longitudinal anti-collision beam 42, which is also disposed within the door body 14a and extends along the vertical direction of the vehicle body 10.

[0124] The inner panel 20 of the front door 14A has: an inner sidewall (first wall) 21 extending along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 10 in the vehicle width direction; a connecting wall (second wall) 22 extending from the inner sidewall 21 outward in the vehicle width direction; and an outer sidewall (third wall) 23 extending from the outer end of the connecting wall 22 in the vehicle width direction in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 10 and engaging with the outer panel 30. The inner sidewall 21 constitutes the inner side of the inner panel 20 excluding the outer edge (outer periphery), and the outer sidewall 23 constitutes the outer edge (outer periphery) of the inner panel 20. These inner sidewalls 21 and outer sidewalls 23 are respectively disposed on the inner side in the vehicle width direction (…). Figure 3 The inner side of the right side or the inner side of the carriage and the outer side ( Figure 3 The inner sidewall 21 and the outer sidewall 23 are located on the left side or the outer side of the carriage. Furthermore, the connecting wall 22 connects these inner sidewalls 21 and outer sidewalls 23 with a step difference between them in the width direction of the carriage.

[0125] The horizontal anti-collision beam 41 of the door anti-collision beam 40 includes an arch-shaped anti-collision beam body 51 and a strut 61 connected to the vicinity of the rear end 51b of the anti-collision beam body 51. The anti-collision beam body 51 is a long strip-shaped member with a cross-section that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction in a roughly U-shape. The front end 51a and the rear end 51b are fixed parts that are fixed to the inner panel 20 (inner sidewall 21). The vicinity of the front end 51a and the rear end 51b are respectively formed as a front curved part 52a and a rear curved part 52b that bend outward in the vehicle width direction. The central part 51c in the long side direction has a shape that bulges outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0126] The stay 61 is a long strip-shaped member in which the entire length from the front end portion 61a to the rear end portion 61b is formed in a substantially straight line shape, and the rear end portion 61b is a mounting portion to the outer side wall 23 of the inner door panel 20 and the door outer panel 30, and the portion on the front side other than the rear end portion 61b is a body portion (main portion) 61c having a larger (thicker) width dimension in the vehicle width direction than the rear end portion 61b. The rear end portion (mounting portion) 61b of the stay 61 is formed in a substantially flat plate shape, and the body portion (main portion) 61c is formed in a substantially C-shaped cross section which is convex toward the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0127] In addition, as shown in Figure 3 , the rear end portion 51b of the bumper beam body 51 is fixed to the inner side wall 21 of the inner door panel 20. The front end portion (one end portion) 61a of the stay 61 is fixed to a position in the bumper beam body 51 which is further on the front side than the rear end portion 51b and the rear curved portion 52b, and the rear end portion (the other end portion) 61b is fixed to the outer side wall 23 of the inner door panel 20 and the outer side wall 23 of the inner door panel 20.

[0128] Figure 4 and Figure 5 is a view showing a cross section at a position corresponding to the Y-Y arrow of Figure 1 , Figure 4 is a view showing the rear end portion of the door bumper beam and the lower end portion of the center pillar, Figure 5 is a view showing only the lower end portion of the center pillar. Also, Figure 6 is a view of the A-arrow of Figure 4 , Figure 7 is a view of the B-arrow of Figure 4 , Figure 8 is a view showing a C-C arrow cross section of Figure 7 , Figure 9 is a view showing a D-D arrow cross section of Figure 7 .

[0129] As shown in these drawings, the center pillar (pillar portion) 70, which is a part of the vehicle body 10, includes: a pillar inner panel 71 disposed on the inner side (cabin side) in the vehicle width direction; a pillar outer panel 72 located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the pillar inner panel 71; and a reinforcement bar (intermediate panel) 73 provided between the pillar inner panel 71 and the pillar outer panel 72. Also, at the end portion on the front side of the center pillar 70, a front flange portion (front joint portion) 70A is provided in which the pillar inner panel 71 and the pillar outer panel 72 are joined to the reinforcement bar 73 by fusion bonding, and at the end portion on the rear side of the center pillar 70, a rear flange portion (rear joint portion) 70B is provided in which the pillar inner panel 71 and the pillar outer panel 72 are joined to the reinforcement bar 73 by fusion bonding as well. The front flange portion 70A and the rear flange portion 70B are portions that extend upward and downward along the longitudinal direction of the center pillar 70. Thus, the center pillar 70 joins the pillar inner panel 71 and the pillar outer panel 72 with the front flange portion 70A and the rear flange portion 70B, and thus has a structure in which the cross section in plan view is a closed rectangular shape (closed cross section) by these pillar inner panel 71 and pillar outer panel 72. Also, the end edge on the front side of the reinforcement bar 73 provided between the pillar inner panel 71 and the pillar outer panel 72 is joined to the front flange portion 70A, and the end edge on the rear side is joined to the rear flange portion 70B.

[0130] Also, at the lower end portion 71a of the pillar inner panel 71 in the center pillar 70, an opening portion 71A in which a seat belt retractor 81 is disposed is formed. Inside the opening portion 71A, a reinforcing member 75 is provided. In the present embodiment, the reinforcing member 75 is divided into a front side member 75A on the front side inside the opening portion 71A and a rear side member 75B on the rear side, which are arranged in the front-rear direction inside the opening portion 71A. The reinforcing member 75 (front side member 75A and rear side member 75B) is a plate-shaped member made of metal, and as shown in Figure 6 the root portion 75a is fixed to the side sill 19 (beam reinforcement bar 19b) of the vehicle body 10 and extends upward therefrom, and the portion on the upper side other than the root portion 75a is disposed at a position that coincides (overlaps) with the opening portion 71A as viewed in the vehicle width direction. Also, the upper end portion of the reinforcing member 75 (front side member 75A and rear side member 75B) is disposed at a position lower than the upper end edge of the opening portion 71A. In addition, the side sill 19 is a member that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 10 on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the lower portion (floor portion) of the vehicle body 10, and as shown in Figure 8 the drawing, includes a beam inner member 19a that constitutes a wall portion on the inner side in the vehicle width direction and a beam reinforcement bar (beam outer member) 19b that constitutes a wall portion on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and a substantially rectangular closed cross section is formed by these beam inner member 19a and beam reinforcement bar 19b. Also, the root portion 75a of the reinforcing member 75 (front side member 75A and rear side member 75B) is fixed to the upper surface of the beam reinforcement bar 19b in the side sill 19.

[0131] As shown in Figure 5As shown, the stiffening rod 73 within the center pillar 70, in its top-view cross-sectional shape, includes: a first surface 73a, which engages with the front flange portion 70A and the rear flange portion 70B; a second surface 73b, which extends outward from the first surface 73a in the vehicle width direction; and a third surface 73c, which extends in the front-rear direction from the outer end of the second surface 73b in the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, the front member 75A of the reinforcing member 75 includes: a fourth surface 77a, which extends rearward at a position spaced inward from the third surface 73c of the stiffening rod 73 in the vehicle width direction; a fifth surface 77b, which extends outward from the fourth surface 77a in the vehicle width direction; and a sixth surface 77c, which extends rearward from the fifth surface 77b and engages with the third surface 73c of the stiffening rod 73. Similarly, the rear member 75B of the reinforcing member 75 includes: a fourth surface 77a, which extends forward at a position spaced inward relative to the third surface 73c of the stiffener 73 in the vehicle width direction; a fifth surface 77b, which extends outward from the fourth surface 77a in the vehicle width direction; and a sixth surface 77c, which extends forward from the fifth surface 77b and engages with the third surface 73c of the stiffener 73.

[0132] Furthermore, the sixth surface 77c of the front member 75A is the surface formed by the front joint 76a (the surface of the front joint 76a), and the sixth surface 77c of the rear member 75B is the surface formed by the rear joint 76b (the surface of the rear joint 76b). Therefore, as... Figure 5 As shown, in the first intermediate flange portion (first intermediate joint portion) 70C, the front joint portion 76a (sixth surface 77c) of the front member 75A is joined to the third surface 73c of the stiffening rod 73 by welding, and in the second intermediate flange portion (second intermediate joint portion) 70D, the rear joint portion 76b (sixth surface 77c) of the rear member 75B is joined to the third surface 73c of the stiffening rod 73 by welding.

[0133] Therefore, the front flange 70A is joined to four components: the inner column plate 71, the outer column plate 72, the stiffening rod 73, and the front side member 75A. The rear flange 70B is joined to the same four components. On the other hand, the first intermediate flange 70C is joined to the stiffening rod 73 and the front side member 75A, and the second intermediate flange 70D is joined to the stiffening rod 73 and the rear side member 75B.

[0134] Moreover, a closed section 78A, a closed section 78B, which are closed to a substantially rectangular section shape, are formed by the second face 73b and the third face 73c of the stiffener 73 and the fourth face 77a and the fifth face 77b of the reinforcement member 75. In detail, the closed section 78A of the front side is formed by the second face 73b and the third face 73c of the stiffener 73 and the fourth face 77a and the fifth face 77b of the front side member 75A, and the closed section 78B of the rear side is formed by the second face 73b and the third face 73c of the stiffener 73 and the fourth face 77a and the fifth face 77b of the rear side member 75B.

[0135] In addition, as shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5 the engagement portion 76 (the front engagement portion 76a and the rear engagement portion 76b) of the reinforcement member 75 (the front side member 75A and the rear side member 75B) is engaged with the inner face (the face of the inner side in the vehicle width direction) of the stiffener 73.

[0136] As shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5 the retractor 81 of the safety belt is disposed on the inner side of the reinforcement member 75 in the vehicle width direction. The retractor 81 is mounted to the reinforcement member 75 and the side beam 19 with a bracket (an energy absorbing member) 85.

[0137] Figure 10 is a schematic plan view of the reinforcement member and the bracket. Moreover, Figure 11 and Figure 12 are perspective views of the root portion of the center pillar viewed from the inner side in the vehicle width direction, Figure 11 is a view showing the mounting state of the bracket, Figure 12 is a view showing the state in which the bracket is detached.

[0138] The bracket 85 includes a front side piece (front side portion) 85a and a rear side piece (rear side portion) 85b that extend from the reinforcement member 75 toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and an inner side piece (inner side portion) 85c that links the front side piece 85a and the rear side piece 85b and extends in the front-rear direction on the inner side of the reinforcement member 75 in the vehicle width direction. That is, the bracket 85 is shaped so as to be disposed in the opening portion 71A so as to surround the roll-up device 81, the front side piece 85a and the rear side piece 85b of which are fixed to the inner surfaces (the surfaces on the side of the passenger compartment) of the front side member 75A and the rear side member 75B of the reinforcement member 75, and the lower end portion of the inner side piece 85c of which is fixed to the beam inner member 19a of the side sill 19. In detail, the front side piece 85a is fixed to the fourth surface 77a of the front side member 75A by fastening of the bolt 86a and the nut 86b, and the rear side piece 85b is fixed to the fourth surface 77a of the rear side member 75B by fastening of the bolt 86a and the nut 86b. The roll-up device 81 is supported in the opening portion 71A by the bracket 85. The bracket 85 is fixed to the surfaces on the inner side in the vehicle width direction in the reinforcement member 75 and the upper surface of the beam inner member 19a so as to be interposed therebetween. Note that, in the present embodiment, the case where the reinforcement member 75 and the bracket 85 are fixed by fastening of the bolt 86a and the nut 86b is shown, but the reinforcement member 75 and the bracket 85 can also be fixed by welding, in addition to this.

[0139] Further, as shown in Figure 4 , Figure 5 , the bracket 85 is disposed so as to surround the right side (the inner side of the passenger compartment) and a part of the front-rear direction of the roll-up device 81, the front side member 75A of the reinforcement member 75 is disposed so as to surround the left side (the outer side of the passenger compartment) and a part of the front side of the roll-up device 81, and the rear side member 75B of the reinforcement member 75 is disposed so as to surround the left side (the outer side of the passenger compartment) and a part of the rear side of the roll-up device 81. Therefore, in the planar cross-sectional shape, a closed cross-section (a closed cross-section different from the closed cross-section 78A and the closed cross-section 78B) is formed by the front side member 75A and the rear side member 75B of the reinforcement member 75 and the bracket 85 at the positions of surrounding the roll-up device 81.

[0140] Further, as shown in Figure 9 , Figure 10 , Figure 12 , between the front side member (first reinforcement member) 75A and the rear side member (second reinforcement member) 75B of the reinforcement member 75 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 10, a cover member 90 is provided. The cover member 90 is shaped so as to slightly bend a flat plate-shaped member, and connects the lower end portion of the rear end of the front side member 75A and the lower end portion of the front end of the rear side member 75B in the front-rear direction (in a planar manner). Further, as shown in Figure 9As shown, the cover member 90 is spaced apart from the upper surface of the beam stiffener 19b, thereby creating a gap (space) L between the cover member 90 and the upper surface of the beam stiffener 19b. This gap L forms a closed section formed by the cover member 90 and the beam stiffener 19b. This closed section between the upper surfaces of the cover member 90 and the beam stiffener 19b becomes a space (gap) for accommodating vibration / noise suppression filler (sprayed foam filler) (not shown) filled at the lower end of the central column 70.

[0141] Moreover, such as Figure 12 As shown, the outer pillar panel 72 includes: a front wall 72a, extending inward in the vehicle width direction from the front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 10; and a rear wall 72b, also extending inward in the vehicle width direction from the rear side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 10. The surface of the front wall 72a faces the rear side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 10, and the surface of the rear wall 72b faces the front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 10. Furthermore, the front member 75A of the reinforcing member 75 includes a front joining portion 83a that engages with the front wall 72a of the outer pillar panel 72, and the rear member 75B includes a rear joining portion 83b that engages with the rear wall 72b of the outer pillar panel 72. Both the front joining portion 83a and the rear joining portion 83b are flange-shaped protrusions, which are joined to the front wall 72a and the rear wall 72b by welding. In addition, the front joint 83a and the rear joint 83b can be fixed toward the front wall 72a and the rear wall 72b by means of bolts (not shown), in addition to welding.

[0142] Moreover, such as Figure 8 as well as Figure 12As shown, the reinforcement member 75 includes a bent portion 79 (79a, 79b) bent toward the vehicle width direction at a position halfway in the up-down direction thereof, and notch portions 80 (80a, 80b) formed at a position (at substantially the same height position) coinciding with the bent portion 79 on the front side and on the rear side of the bent portion 79. In detail, the front side member 75A of the reinforcement member 75 includes the bent portion 79a provided on the face on the inner side in the vehicle width direction thereof and the notch portion 80a provided on the end edge on the front side. The bent portion 79a extends linearly along the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 10, and at the bent portion 79a, the upper face and the lower face in the front side member 75A are slightly bent into a substantially V-letter shape. The notch portion 80a is a transversely substantially U-letter shaped recess (cutout) formed at a position of the front end of the bent portion 79a. Also, the rear side member 75B of the reinforcement member 75 includes the bent portion 79b provided on the face on the inner side in the vehicle width direction thereof and the notch portion 80b provided on the end edge on the front side. The bent portion 79b extends linearly along the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 10, and at the bent portion 79b, the upper face and the lower face in the rear side member 75B are slightly bent into a substantially V-letter shape. The notch portion 80b is a transversely substantially U-letter shaped recess (cutout) formed at a position of the rear end of the bent portion 79b.

[0143] Also, the front side piece 85a and the rear side piece 85b of the bracket 85 are joined to the reinforcement member 75 across the bent portion 79 (79a, 79b) in the up-down direction. That is, the front side piece 85a and the rear side piece 85b are joined (fixed) to the upper side and the lower side of the bent portion 79 in the face on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the reinforcement member 75.

[0144] Also, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the bracket 85 is formed by joining a front side piece 85a and a rear side piece 85b to an inner side piece 85c in the vehicle width direction. Figure 10 Also, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the bracket 85 is formed by joining a front side piece 85a and a rear side piece 85b to an inner side piece 85c in the vehicle width direction. Figure 11 As shown, in the front side piece 85a and the rear side piece 85b of the bracket 85, a hem portion 87 is formed, which includes a plurality of long strip-shaped protrusions protruding toward the front or the rear and extending in the vehicle width direction. That is, the hem portion 87 of the front side piece 85a and the rear side piece 85b has a surface (cross section) formed in a wave shape (concave-convex shape) including a plurality of concaves and convexes, as viewed in the vehicle width direction. Also, the inner side piece 85c of the bracket 85 includes a mounting portion 89 for mounting the retractor 81 of the seat belt at an upper portion thereof, and on the lower side of the mounting portion 89, another hem portion 88 is formed, which includes a plurality of long strip-shaped protrusions protruding toward the vehicle width direction and extending in the front-rear direction. The other hem portion 88 of the inner side piece 85c has a surface (cross section) formed in a wave shape (concave-convex shape) including a plurality of concaves and convexes, as viewed in the front-rear direction.

[0145] As described above, the side structure of the vehicle body 10 of this embodiment includes: a side beam 19 extending in the longitudinal direction on the outer side of the floor portion of the vehicle body 10 in the vehicle width direction; and a center pillar (pillar portion) 70 extending upward from the side beam 19. The side beam 19 includes an inner beam member 19a forming the inner side in the vehicle width direction and a beam stiffener (outer beam member) 19b forming the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The pillar portion 70 includes an inner pillar plate 71 and an outer pillar plate 72 respectively disposed on the inner and outer sides in the vehicle width direction. The side structure of the vehicle body 10 includes: a reinforcing member 75 joined to the upper surface of the outer beam member 19b on the inner side of the outer pillar plate 72 in the vehicle width direction; and a bracket 85 for mounting a seat belt retractor 81 on the side beam 19. The bracket 85 is fixed between the inner side of the reinforcing member 75 in the vehicle width direction and the upper surface of the inner beam member 19a.

[0146] According to the side structure of the vehicle body 10 of this embodiment, a bracket 85 is included, which is fixed to the inner surface of the reinforcing member 75 in the vehicle width direction and spaced between the inner surface of the beam member 19a. Thus, as Figure 8 As shown, when a load F from a side impact (side collision) from the vehicle body 10 is input to the reinforcing member 75, the reinforcing member 75 is displaced inward in the vehicle width direction with the joint point (lower end) with the stiffening member 19b as the base point, thereby deforming the bracket 85. Thus, the bracket 85 functions as a so-called energy-absorbing member, and therefore can efficiently absorb the impact energy during a side collision. That is, according to this structure, the reinforcing member 75 deforms the bracket 85 while displacing inward and downward in the vehicle width direction with the joint point with the stiffening member 19b as the center. Therefore, not only deformation in the vehicle width direction but also deformation in the vertical direction is applied to the bracket 85, thereby efficiently increasing the amount of impact absorbed by the bracket 85.

[0147] Furthermore, according to the structure described above, the bracket 85 deforms not only towards the inside in the vehicle width direction but also towards the bottom due to the displacement of the reinforcing member 75 as described above. Therefore, the amount of deformation of the bracket 85 towards the inside (inside the passenger compartment) in the vehicle width direction can be minimized. Thus, the impact of a side collision can be effectively prevented from affecting the inside of the passenger compartment.

[0148] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the reinforcing member 75 has a cross-sectional shape with an opening on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and the reinforcing member 75 and the stiffening rod 73, which is a component of the center column 70, form a closed cross-section.

[0149] According to the structure, the stiffening member 73, which is a component of the reinforcing member 75 and the central column 70, forms a closed section. As a result, the rigidity of the reinforcing member 75 is increased. Therefore, when a load caused by a side collision is input to the reinforcing member 75, the bracket 85 is more likely to deform. Thus, the bracket 85 can be used to absorb the load of a side collision more effectively.

[0150] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the bracket 85 includes: a front side piece (front side portion) 85a and a rear side piece (rear side portion) 85b, which extend from the reinforcing member 75 toward the inside in the vehicle width direction; and an inner side piece (inner side portion) 85c, which extends along the front-rear direction to connect the front side piece 85a and the rear side piece 85b to the inside of the reinforcing member 75 in the vehicle width direction.

[0151] According to the structure, the bracket 85 is formed in a roughly U-shaped cross-section with an opening on the outer side in the vehicle width direction when viewed from above. By forming the bracket 85, which functions as an energy-absorbing member, in such a way that the load input to the reinforcing member 75 due to a side impact can be transferred more efficiently from the reinforcing member 75 to the bracket 85, and therefore the bracket 85 is more prone to deformation.

[0152] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the reinforcing member 75 includes a front member (first reinforcing member) 75A disposed in front and a rear member (second reinforcing member) 75B disposed in the rear. The front side piece 85a of the bracket 85 is connected to the front member 75A, and the rear side piece 85b is connected to the rear member 75B.

[0153] According to the structure, the front side piece 85a and the rear side piece 85b of the bracket 85 are respectively connected to the front side member 75A and the rear side member 75B of the reinforcing member 75. As a result, the load input to the reinforcing member 75 due to side impact can be more effectively transferred to the bracket 85, and therefore the bracket 85 is more likely to deform.

[0154] Furthermore, this embodiment includes a cover member 90, which is disposed between the front side member 75A and the rear side member 75B in the front-rear direction, and the cover member 90 and the upper surface of the beam stiffener 19b form a closed section L.

[0155] According to the structure described, the vibration / noise suppression filler, which is filled in the lower end 70a of the central pillar 70, can be contained within the closed section L. This prevents the filler from diffusing to the outside. Therefore, it is possible to absorb energy during a side collision of the vehicle through the reinforcing member 75 and the bracket 85, and further utilize the function of the filler to effectively suppress abnormal noises such as road surface noise or the propagation of vibrations from the road surface towards the vehicle body side.

[0156] Moreover, in the present embodiment, the pillar outer member 72 of the center pillar 70 includes a front wall 72a extending toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction at the front side, and a rear wall 72b extending toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction at the rear side, and the reinforcement member 75 includes a front engagement portion 83a engaged with the front wall 72a of the pillar outer member 72, and a rear engagement portion 83b engaged with the rear wall 72b.

[0157] According to the above structure, the reinforcement member 75 is engaged with the front wall 72a and the rear wall 72b of the pillar outer panel 72, whereby the load input to the pillar outer panel 72 at the side collision can be efficiently transmitted to the reinforcement member 75 via the front wall 72a and the rear wall 72b of the pillar outer panel 72. Thus, the reinforcement member 75 is more surely tilted toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and thus the deformation of the bracket 85 can be more effectively promoted.

[0158] Moreover, in the present embodiment, the reinforcement member 75 includes a bent portion 79 bent toward the vehicle width direction at a position halfway in the up-down direction thereof, and a notch portion 80 formed at a height position coinciding with the bent portion 79, and the front side piece 85a and the rear side piece 85b of the bracket 85 are connected to the reinforcement member 75 across the bent portion 79 in the up-down direction.

[0159] According to the above structure, in the case where the reinforcement member 75 includes the bent portion 79 and the notch portion 80, and the bracket 85 is connected across the bent portion 79 in the up-down direction, in the case where the load due to the side collision is input to the reinforcement member 75, the portion on the upper side will be tilted toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction prior to the bent portion 79. In the portion on the upper side, the deformation of the bracket 85 toward the lower direction is promoted more than in the bent portion 79 tilted toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and thus the deformation amount of the bracket 85 can be made larger.

[0160] Moreover, in the present embodiment, the front side piece 85a and the rear side piece 85b of the bracket 85 include a hemmed portion 87 including a plurality of long strip-shaped protruding portions protruding toward the front or the rear and extending in the vehicle width direction.

[0161] According to the above structure, the rigidity of the bracket 85 can be increased by the hemmed portion 87 included in the front side piece 85a and the rear side piece 85b of the bracket 85, and thus the energy absorption amount at the time of the deformation of the bracket 85 can be further increased.

[0162] Moreover, in the present embodiment, the inner side piece 85c of the bracket 85 includes a mounting portion 89 mounting the roll-up device 81, and another hemmed portion 88 including a plurality of long strip-shaped protruding portions protruding toward the vehicle width direction and extending in the front-rear direction, the mounting portion 89 is provided on the upper side of the inner side piece 85c, and the other hemmed portion 88 is provided on the lower side of the mounting portion 89 of the inner side piece 85c.

[0163] According to the structure, the mounting portion 89 of the retractor 81 of the seat belt is arranged on the upper side of the inner side panel 85c in the bracket 85, and another edge portion 88 is provided on the lower side of the mounting portion 89. Thus, the retractor 81 of the seat belt can be guided to the inner side in the vehicle width direction and the lower side at the time of side collision, and the amount of energy absorption along with the deformation of the bracket 85 can be further increased.

[0164] Further, in the embodiment, the front door 14A is configured to be openably and closably attached to the side portion of the vehicle body 10, and the door beam 40 is arranged inside the front door 14A. The rear end portion of the door beam 40 is arranged at a position overlapping the reinforcing member 75 and the bracket 85 as viewed in the vehicle width direction in a state in which the front door 14A is closed.

[0165] According to the structure, the reinforcing member 75 and the bracket 85 can efficiently absorb the energy of the load input to the door beam 40 due to side collision, and thus the deformation of the door beam 40 and the pillar 70 toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction (the cabin side) can be suppressed.

[0166] Further, in the embodiment, the opening portion 71A in which the retractor 81 is arranged is formed in the pillar inner panel 71 of the pillar 70, and the reinforcing member 75 is arranged at a position lower than the upper end edge of the opening portion 71A as viewed in the vehicle width direction.

[0167] According to the structure, the reinforcing member 75 is arranged at a position lower than the upper end edge of the opening portion 71A of the pillar inner panel 71 as viewed in the vehicle width direction. Thus, the reinforcing member 75 is not worried about being hindered from being tilted toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction by the pillar inner panel 71. Therefore, the load input to the reinforcing member 75 at the time of side collision can be more surely transmitted to the bracket 85, and thus the deformation of the bracket 85 can be promoted.

[0168] The above describes the embodiment of the present application, but the present application is not limited to the embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical idea recited in the claims and the specification and the drawings.

Claims

1. A side structure of a vehicle body, comprising: Side beams extend along the front-rear direction on the outer side of the vehicle body floor in the width direction. as well as A pillar, extending upward from the side beam, is characterized in that the side structure of the vehicle body is... The side beam includes an inner beam component forming the inner side in the vehicle width direction and an outer beam component forming the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The pillar includes an inner pillar member and an outer pillar member respectively disposed on the inner and outer sides in the vehicle width direction. The side structure of the vehicle body includes a reinforcing member that is joined to the upper surface of the beam outer member on the inner side of the pillar outer member in the vehicle width direction. as well as Bracket for mounting the retractor of the seat belt on the side beam. The bracket is fixed in the reinforcing member, with its inner surface in the vehicle width direction separated from the upper surface of the beam internals. The reinforcing member is joined to a component of the column portion, the component being located between the inner column member and the outer column member.

2. The side structure of the vehicle body according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reinforcing member has a cross-sectional shape with an opening on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The reinforcing member and the constituent members of the column form a closed cross section.

3. The side structure of the vehicle body according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bracket includes: a front side portion and a rear side portion extending inward from the reinforcing member in the vehicle width direction; and an inner side portion extending in the front-rear direction in the vehicle width direction from the inner side of the reinforcing member to connect the front side portion and the rear side portion.

4. The side structure of the vehicle body according to claim 3, characterized in that, The reinforcing member includes a first reinforcing member disposed at the front and a second reinforcing member disposed at the rear. The front portion of the bracket is connected to the first reinforcing member, and the rear portion is connected to the second reinforcing member.

5. The side structure of the vehicle body according to claim 4, characterized in that... include: A cover component is disposed between the first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The cover member and the upper surface of the beam outer member form a closed section.

6. The side structure of the vehicle body according to claim 3, characterized in that, The pillar outer member includes a front wall extending inward in the vehicle width direction on the front side, and a rear wall extending inward in the vehicle width direction on the rear side. The reinforcing member includes a front joint portion that engages with the front wall of the column outer member and a rear joint portion that engages with the rear wall.

7. The side structure of the vehicle body according to claim 6, characterized in that, The reinforcing member includes a curved portion that bends toward the vehicle width direction at a midpoint in its vertical direction, and a notch formed at a height coinciding with the curved portion. The front and rear portions of the bracket extend vertically across the curved portion and are connected to the reinforcing member.

8. The side structure of the vehicle body according to claim 3, characterized in that, The front and rear portions of the bracket include rolled edges, which contain multiple elongated protrusions that project forward or backward and extend along the vehicle width direction.

9. The side structure of the vehicle body according to claim 3, characterized in that, The inner portion of the bracket includes: Mounting section, for mounting the winding device; and The other rolled edge includes multiple long, strip-shaped protrusions that project in the width direction and extend in the front-to-back direction. The mounting portion is located on the upper side of the inner portion, and the other rolled edge portion is located on the lower side of the mounting portion on the inner portion.

10. The side structure of the vehicle body according to claim 3, characterized in that... include: A door, capable of being opened and closed, is mounted on the side of the vehicle body; as well as The door anti-collision beam is installed inside the door. With the door closed, at least a portion of the door anti-collision beam is positioned to coincide with the reinforcing member and the bracket when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

11. The side structure of the vehicle body according to claim 1, characterized in that, An opening for arranging the winding device is formed in the inner part of the column. The reinforcing member is positioned lower than the upper edge of the opening when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

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