A D-pillar reinforcement structure for a hatchback rear door

Abstract

This invention provides a D-pillar reinforcement structure for a hatchback rear door, including a D-pillar inner panel assembly, a rear roof beam connecting plate, and a lower D-pillar reinforcement connecting plate. The lower part of the rear roof beam connecting plate has a beveled section that gradually approaches the D-pillar inner panel assembly. The lower end of the beveled section is abutted and fixedly connected to the rear side of the D-pillar inner panel assembly. A weight-reduction gap is provided between the lower end of the rear roof beam connecting plate and the upper end of the lower D-pillar reinforcement connecting plate. This invention can reduce sheet metal weight and improve weight utilization without compromising the overall structural performance of the original D-pillar area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive body technology, and more particularly to a D-pillar reinforcement structure for a hatchback tailgate. Background Technology

[0002] Because a car's weight is highly correlated with its safety, range, and cost, the automotive industry, facing fierce competition, has imposed stricter requirements on the effective weight of sheet metal. Currently, the D-pillar inner panel assembly of hatchback tailgates typically connects to a rear roof beam connecting plate and a lower D-pillar reinforcing connecting plate. The lower end of the rear roof beam connecting plate is fixedly connected to the upper end of the lower D-pillar reinforcing connecting plate, forming a reinforcing cavity with the D-pillar inner panel assembly. However, the existing rear roof beam connecting plate and lower D-pillar reinforcing connecting plate have a large overall length, resulting in a heavy overall assembly structure, which is detrimental to lightweight vehicle design. Therefore, a new hatchback tailgate D-pillar reinforcement structure needs to be invented. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a reinforced D-pillar structure for a hatchback rear door, which reduces sheet metal weight and improves weight utilization without compromising the overall performance of the original D-pillar structure.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve its technical problem is:

[0005] A hatchback-style rear tailgate D-pillar reinforcement structure includes a D-pillar inner panel assembly, a rear roof beam connecting plate, and a lower D-pillar reinforcement connecting plate. The lower part of the rear roof beam connecting plate is provided with a beveled section, which gradually approaches the D-pillar inner panel assembly. The lower end of the beveled section is attached to and fixedly connected to the rear side of the D-pillar inner panel assembly. A weight-reducing gap is provided between the lower end of the rear roof beam connecting plate and the upper end of the lower D-pillar reinforcement connecting plate.

[0006] Preferably, in combination with the above scheme, the rear top beam connecting plate is fixedly connected to the D-pillar inner plate assembly to form a first reinforcing cavity inside.

[0007] Preferably, in combination with the above scheme, the lower reinforcing connecting plate of the D-pillar is fixedly connected to the inner plate assembly of the D-pillar to form a second reinforcing cavity inside.

[0008] Preferably, in conjunction with the above scheme, a reinforcing support plate is fixedly connected to the upper opening of the second reinforcing cavity.

[0009] Preferably, in conjunction with the above scheme, the reinforcing support plate is provided with a first weight-reducing hole.

[0010] Preferably, in conjunction with the above scheme, one end of the reinforcing support plate is fixedly connected to the rear side of the D-pillar inner panel assembly, and the other end of the reinforcing support plate is fixedly connected to the front side of the lower reinforcing connecting plate of the D-pillar.

[0011] Preferably, in conjunction with the above scheme, the front end of the reinforcing support plate is bent upward to form a front fixed edge, the rear end of the reinforcing support plate is bent downward to form a rear fixed edge, the front fixed edge is fixedly connected to the rear side of the D-pillar inner panel assembly, and the rear fixed edge is fixedly connected to the front side of the lower reinforcing connecting plate of the D-pillar.

[0012] Preferably, in conjunction with the above scheme, the upper part of the rear top beam connecting plate is provided with a rear door hinge mounting point.

[0013] Preferably, in conjunction with the above scheme, an electric strut mounting point is provided on the rear side of the rear top beam connecting plate.

[0014] Preferably, in conjunction with the above scheme, the rear top beam connecting plate is provided with several sets of second weight-reducing holes, and the lower reinforcing connecting plate of the D column is provided with several sets of third weight-reducing holes.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: By redesigning the rear top beam connecting plate and the lower reinforcing connecting plate of the D-pillar, the present invention shortens the overall sheet metal length of the rear top beam connecting plate and the lower reinforcing connecting plate of the D-pillar. Through a reasonable connection structure, it can not only ensure the overall structural strength, but also effectively reduce the redundant weight of the sheet metal, thereby reducing material costs and production costs, without affecting other structures of the vehicle body.

[0016] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a diagram of a D-pillar reinforcement structure for a hatchback-style rear door according to the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the D-pillar reinforcement structure of the hatchback rear door of the present invention from another perspective.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a partially exploded view of the D-pillar reinforcement structure of a hatchback rear door according to the present invention.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a front view of a hatchback-style rear tailgate D-pillar reinforcement structure according to the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 for Figure 4 AA section diagram.

[0022] Figure 6 for Figure 4BB cross-sectional view.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a structural diagram of the rear top beam connecting plate in this invention.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of the reinforcing connecting plate under column D in this invention.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a structural diagram of the reinforcing support plate in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0026] like Figures 1 to 4 The hatchback tailgate D-pillar reinforcement structure shown includes D-pillar inner panel assemblies 1 located on the left and right sides of the vehicle body, two sets of rear roof beam connecting plates 2 connected to the D-pillar inner panel assemblies 1, and two sets of lower D-pillar reinforcement connecting plates 3. The upper part of the rear roof beam connecting plate 2 is fixed to the rear roof beam assembly 5 by welding, and the lower part of the lower D-pillar reinforcement connecting plate 3 is fixed to the rear bulkhead assembly 6 by welding. The D-pillar inner panel assembly 1 is still a traditional structure, and there is no structural modification in this embodiment.

[0027] The lower part of the rear top beam connecting plate 2 is provided with a sloped section 21, which gradually slopes towards the D-pillar inner panel assembly 1, so that the cavity width between the D-pillar inner panel assembly 1 and the rear top beam connecting plate 2 gradually decreases from top to bottom, until the lower fixed edge of the sloped section 21 is attached to the rear side of the D-pillar inner panel assembly 1 and fixedly connected by welding; the lower reinforcing connecting plate 3 of the D-pillar has a weight-reducing gap between the lower end of the rear top beam connecting plate 2 and the upper end of the lower reinforcing connecting plate 3 of the D-pillar. There is a weight-reducing gap of about one-third of the height between the rear top beam connecting plate 2 and the lower reinforcing connecting plate 3 of the D-pillar, which only contains the sheet metal part of the D-pillar inner panel assembly 1, thus reducing the weight of the D-pillar structure.

[0028] To increase the structural stiffness of the upper section of the D-pillar, such as Figure 5 As shown, the rear top beam connecting plate 2 and the D-pillar inner plate assembly 1 are fixedly connected by welding to form a first reinforcing cavity 10 inside.

[0029] To increase the structural stiffness of the lower section of column D, such as Figure 6 As shown, the lower reinforcing connecting plate 3 of the D-pillar and the inner plate assembly 1 of the D-pillar are fixedly connected by welding to form a second reinforcing cavity 20 inside.

[0030] In order to increase the structural rigidity of the upper cavity opening of the D-pillar under-reinforcement connecting plate 3 and the D-pillar inner plate assembly 1, a reinforcing support plate 4 is fixedly connected to the upper opening of the second reinforcing cavity 20.

[0031] To achieve lightweight design, such as Figure 9As shown, the reinforcing support plate 4 is provided with a first weight-reducing hole 43. To facilitate positioning during welding, the reinforcing support plate 4 is also provided with two sets of welding positioning holes 44.

[0032] In order to better fix the reinforcing support plate 4 to the surrounding parts, one end of the reinforcing support plate 4 is fixedly connected to the rear side of the inner panel assembly 1 of the D-pillar by welding, and the other end of the reinforcing support plate 4 is fixedly connected to the front side of the lower reinforcing connecting plate 3 of the D-pillar by welding.

[0033] To ensure a more secure connection between the support plate 4 and surrounding components, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the front end of the reinforcing support plate 4 is bent upward to provide a front fixed edge 41, and the rear end of the reinforcing support plate 4 is bent downward to provide a rear fixed edge 42. The front fixed edge 41 is fixedly connected to the rear side of the inner panel assembly 1 of the D-pillar, and the rear fixed edge 42 is fixedly connected to the front side of the lower reinforcing connecting plate 3 of the D-pillar.

[0034] To facilitate the assembly of the tailgate hinges, such as Figure 7 As shown, a tailgate hinge mounting point 22 is provided on the upper part of the rear top beam connecting plate 2. The tailgate hinge mounting point 22 is provided with a boss structure and mounting holes to increase structural rigidity and facilitate the assembly of the tailgate hinge.

[0035] To facilitate the assembly of the rear door electric support rod, such as Figure 7 As shown, an electric strut mounting point 23 is provided on the rear side of the rear top beam connecting plate 2. The electric strut mounting point 23 is also provided with a boss structure and mounting holes to increase structural rigidity and facilitate the assembly of the rear door electric strut.

[0036] To achieve lightweight design, such as Figure 8 As shown, the rear top beam connecting plate 2 is provided with several sets of second weight reduction holes 24, and the D-column lower reinforcing connecting plate 3 is provided with several sets of third weight reduction holes 31.

[0037] Traditionally, the rear roof beam connecting plate 2 and the lower D-pillar reinforcing connecting plate 3 on a hatchback tailgate are welded together to form a single structure. Due to the large overall length of the sheet metal, the weight is also significant. This invention, without changing the thickness of the original materials, cuts off the rear roof beam connecting plate 2 at the upper third of the D-pillar, retaining only the upper half. Simultaneously, a sloping overlap structure is added between the rear roof beam connecting plate 2 and the inner panel body, changing the opening to a closed structure. Alternatively, a partition can be used to seal the opening, and the connection can be made via resistance welding. Furthermore, the lower D-pillar reinforcing connecting plate 3 is cut off at the lower third of the D-pillar, retaining only the lower half. The lower D-pillar reinforcing connecting plate 3 and the D-pillar inner panel assembly 1 are added to form an overlap structure, changing the opening to a reinforcing support plate 4 to seal the opening. Alternatively, a closed structure can be used, and the connection can be made via resistance welding. Based on preliminary CAE software calculations and subsequent real-vehicle testing, this solution achieves the original design performance requirements, does not affect the overall rigidity of the D-pillar, and significantly reduces the weight of the D-pillar structure.

[0038] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that terms such as "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "one end," "one side," "both ends," and "both sides" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to 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.

[0039] The present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-described manner. Any improvements made using the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention, or direct applications in other situations, fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A hatchback-style rear tailgate D-pillar reinforcement structure, comprising a D-pillar inner panel assembly (1), a rear roof beam connecting plate (2), and a lower D-pillar reinforcement connecting plate (3), characterized in that, The lower part of the rear top beam connecting plate (2) is provided with a sloping part (21), which gradually approaches the D-pillar inner panel assembly (1). The lower end of the sloping part (21) is attached to and fixedly connected to the rear side of the D-pillar inner panel assembly (1). The lower D-pillar reinforcing connecting plate (3) has a weight reduction gap between the lower end of the rear top beam connecting plate (2) and the upper end of the lower D-pillar reinforcing connecting plate (3). After the rear top beam connecting plate (2) is fixedly connected to the D-pillar inner panel assembly (1), a first reinforcing cavity (10) is formed inside. After the lower D-pillar reinforcing connecting plate (3) is fixedly connected to the D-pillar inner panel assembly (1), a second reinforcing cavity (20) is formed inside. A reinforcing support plate (4) is fixedly connected to the upper opening of the second reinforcing cavity (20) to seal it.

2. The hatchback-style rear tailgate D-pillar reinforcement structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reinforcing support plate (4) is provided with a first weight reduction hole (43).

3. The hatchback-style rear tailgate D-pillar reinforcement structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the reinforcing support plate (4) is fixedly connected to the rear side of the inner panel assembly (1) of the D-pillar, and the other end of the reinforcing support plate (4) is fixedly connected to the front side of the lower reinforcing connecting plate (3) of the D-pillar.

4. The hatchback-style rear tailgate D-pillar reinforcement structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The front end of the reinforcing support plate (4) is bent upward to provide a front fixed edge (41), and the rear end of the reinforcing support plate (4) is bent downward to provide a rear fixed edge (42). The front fixed edge (41) is fixedly connected to the rear side of the inner panel assembly (1) of the D-pillar, and the rear fixed edge (42) is fixedly connected to the front side of the lower reinforcing connecting plate (3) of the D-pillar.

5. The hatchback-style rear tailgate D-pillar reinforcement structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper part of the rear top beam connecting plate (2) is provided with a rear door hinge mounting point (22).

6. The hatchback-style rear tailgate D-pillar reinforcement structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, An electric strut mounting point (23) is provided on the rear side of the rear top beam connecting plate (2).

7. The hatchback-style rear tailgate D-pillar reinforcement structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rear top beam connecting plate (2) is provided with several sets of second weight reduction holes (24), and the D column under strengthening connecting plate (3) is provided with several sets of third weight reduction holes (31).

Images