Stiffening bracket, a-pillar assembly and vehicle

Abstract

This invention discloses a reinforcing bracket, an A-pillar assembly, and a vehicle. The reinforcing bracket includes a bracket frame and an expanding sound insulation component. The bracket frame is disposed in the cavity of the upper section of the A-pillar and connected to the inner panel of the A-pillar. The bracket frame includes a frame body and an expanding reinforcing component, which is embedded in the frame body. The frame body defines an annular groove near the lower section of the A-pillar. The expanding sound insulation component surrounds the outer periphery of the bracket frame and partially passes through the annular groove. The expanding sound insulation component is adapted to expand after heating to seal the cavity. The strength of the expanding reinforcing component is greater than the strength of the expanding sound insulation component. According to the reinforcing bracket of this invention, the expanding sound insulation component can be reliably fixed relative to the frame body, allowing it to reliably expand and seal the cavity of the A-pillar body, effectively absorbing noise from the lower section of the A-pillar towards the upper section, improving the vehicle's NVH performance, increasing the structural strength of the A-pillar body, and enhancing the vehicle's safety performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle engineering technology, and more particularly to a reinforcing bracket, an A-pillar assembly, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the advancement of automobile manufacturing technology, people are paying more and more attention to the crash safety performance of passenger vehicles and the control of noise and vibration inside the vehicle. The level of noise control inside the vehicle and the strength of the body-in-white have become important indicators for measuring the quality of passenger vehicles.

[0003] When a car travels at high speed, the A-pillar at the front acts as an air intake, generating high-speed airflow. The friction between this high-speed airflow and the sheet metal parts produces a loud roaring sound, severely impacting the comfort of the driver and passengers. The structural strength of the A-pillar is also a critical factor affecting the overall vehicle's collision performance. Therefore, effectively sealing the A-pillar to block airflow while simultaneously increasing its strength has become a challenging problem for automotive designers and developers.

[0004] In conventional designs, a high-expansion foam and a high-rigidity, low-expansion foam are typically installed at the front of the A-pillar. The expansion block inside the A-pillar cavity is a separate design from the A-pillar body reinforcement plastic component. The expansion block is generally designed as a skeleton + EVA foam structure, with the skeleton typically having one or two mounting clips. The sheet metal needs to have an equal number of mounting holes, resulting in low sheet metal strength and poor vehicle safety performance. Furthermore, the conventional A-pillar expansion block generally has the same cross-sectional shape as the sheet metal cavity, resulting in a large area and a wide stress range. This makes it prone to deformation under the impact of electrophoretic coating, leading to poor sealing after expansion. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. Therefore, one object of this invention is to provide a reinforcing bracket that allows the expansion sound insulation component to be reliably fixed relative to the frame body, enabling the expansion sound insulation component to reliably expand and seal the cavity of the A-pillar body, effectively absorbing noise from the lower section of the A-pillar towards the upper section, improving the vehicle's NVH performance, increasing the structural strength of the A-pillar inner panel, increasing the structural strength of the A-pillar body, and improving the vehicle's safety performance.

[0006] The present invention also proposes an A-pillar assembly having the above-mentioned reinforcing bracket.

[0007] The present invention also proposes a vehicle having the above-described A-pillar assembly.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a reinforcing bracket is applied to an A-pillar body, the A-pillar body including an inner A-pillar panel and an A-pillar reinforcing plate, the inner A-pillar panel and the A-pillar reinforcing plate jointly defining a cavity, the portion of the A-pillar body corresponding to the vehicle's engine compartment being the lower section of the A-pillar, and the portion of the A-pillar body corresponding to the vehicle's windshield being the upper section of the A-pillar, the reinforcing bracket including: a bracket frame disposed in the cavity of the upper section of the A-pillar and connected to the inner A-pillar panel, the bracket frame including a frame body and an expansion reinforcing member, the expansion reinforcing member being embedded in the frame body, the frame body defining an annular groove near the lower section of the A-pillar; and an expansion sound insulation member surrounding the outer periphery of the bracket frame and partially passing through the annular groove, the expansion sound insulation member being adapted to expand after heating to seal the cavity; wherein, the strength of the expansion reinforcing member is greater than the strength of the expansion sound insulation member.

[0009] According to the reinforcing bracket of the present invention, by embedding a high-strength expansion reinforcing member on the frame body, the structural strength of the reinforcing bracket can be effectively improved while reducing the overall weight of the reinforcing bracket. By providing an annular groove on the portion of the frame body near the lower section of the A-pillar and inserting a portion of the expansion sound insulation member through the annular groove, the frame body can limit the expansion sound insulation member through the annular groove, reducing the risk of deformation or displacement of the expansion sound insulation member during vehicle electrophoresis. This ensures that the expansion sound insulation member is reliably fixed relative to the frame body, allowing it to reliably expand and seal the cavity of the A-pillar body, effectively absorbing noise from the lower section of the A-pillar towards the upper section, reducing noise transmitted from the upper section of the A-pillar to the passenger compartment, and improving the vehicle's NVH performance. Furthermore, by placing the expansion sound insulation member on the bracket frame, it is unnecessary to provide snap-fit ​​holes for engaging the expansion sound insulation member on the inner panel of the A-pillar, reducing the number of openings in the inner panel of the A-pillar, improving the structural strength of the inner panel of the A-pillar, improving the structural strength of the A-pillar body, and enhancing the vehicle's safety performance.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the expansion sound insulation component is a strip structure and the ends are snapped together.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the two ends of the expansion sound insulation member are a first end and a second end, respectively. The portion of the expansion sound insulation member facing the inner panel of the A-pillar and including the first end is a first segment, and the portion of the expansion sound insulation member facing the inner panel of the A-pillar and including the second end is a second segment. The first segment and the second segment are stacked and snap-fitted together in the width direction of the vehicle.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the first segment includes a first body and a first tab, the first tab being connected to one end of the first body facing the second segment, and the first tab being located on the portion of the first body away from the inner A-pillar panel; the second segment includes a second body and a second tab, the second tab being connected to one end of the second body facing the first segment, and the second tab being located on the portion of the second body near the inner A-pillar panel, the second tab being stacked on the first tab and engaging with the first tab, the second tab abutting against the first body in the extending direction of the first body, and the first tab abutting against the second body in the extending direction of the first body.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the second body is snapped into the support frame.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the second main body is provided with a through hole extending along the width direction of the vehicle, and a stop plate is provided in the through hole. The frame body is provided with a locking protrusion in the annular groove. The locking protrusion includes a connecting part and a stop part. The connecting part passes through the through hole, and the stop part is connected to one end of the connecting part near the inner panel of the A-pillar. The stop part abuts against the stop plate in the width direction of the vehicle.

[0015] According to some optional embodiments of the present invention, the skeleton body includes a first plate, a second plate, and a baffle. The first plate and the second plate are spaced apart along the extension direction of the skeleton body. The baffle is annularly arranged and encloses a bone cavity. The two axially oriented sides of the baffle are respectively connected to the first plate and the second plate. The first plate, the second plate, and the baffle together define the annular groove, which surrounds the outer periphery of the bone cavity. An avoidance notch is provided on the baffle, and a portion of the expansion sound insulation member passes through the avoidance notch into the bone cavity.

[0016] In some alternative embodiments of the present invention, the skeleton body further includes a reinforcing rib connected between the first plate and the second plate and located within the bone cavity.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an A-pillar assembly includes: an A-pillar body, the A-pillar body including an A-pillar reinforcing plate and an A-pillar inner plate, the A-pillar inner plate and the A-pillar reinforcing plate jointly defining a cavity, the portion of the A-pillar body corresponding to the engine compartment of the vehicle being the lower section of the A-pillar, and the portion of the A-pillar body corresponding to the windshield of the vehicle being the upper section of the A-pillar; and a reinforcing bracket according to the first aspect of the present invention being disposed in the cavity of the upper section of the A-pillar.

[0018] According to the A-pillar assembly of the present invention, the aforementioned reinforcing bracket enables the expansion sound insulation component to effectively absorb noise from the lower section of the A-pillar toward the upper section of the A-pillar, thereby improving the vehicle's NVH performance, increasing the structural strength of the A-pillar inner panel, enhancing the structural strength of the A-pillar assembly, and improving the vehicle's safety performance.

[0019] A vehicle according to a third aspect of the present invention includes: an A-pillar assembly according to the second aspect of the present invention described above.

[0020] According to the present invention, the A-pillar assembly described above enables the expansion sound insulation component to effectively absorb noise from the lower section of the A-pillar toward the upper section of the A-pillar, thereby improving the vehicle's NVH performance, increasing the structural strength of the A-pillar inner panel, improving the structural strength of the A-pillar assembly, and enhancing the vehicle's safety performance.

[0021] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an A-pillar assembly according to some embodiments of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of part of the A-pillar assembly in the diagram;

[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Sectional view along line AA;

[0026] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A three-dimensional view of the reinforcing bracket in the image;

[0027] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Front view of the reinforcing bracket in the middle;

[0028] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Sectional view along line BB;

[0029] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A three-dimensional view of the expansion sound insulation component in the middle;

[0030] Figure 8 yes Figure 4 A three-dimensional diagram of part of the support skeleton structure.

[0031] Figure label:

[0032] 100. A-pillar assembly;

[0033] 10. A-pillar body; 101. Cavity;

[0034] 11. Inner A-pillar panel; 12. A-pillar reinforcement panel; 13. Outer A-pillar panel; 21. Lower section of A-pillar; 22. Upper section of A-pillar;

[0035] 30. Reinforce the support structure;

[0036] 3. Support frame; 31. Frame body; 311. First plate; 312. Second plate; 313. Enclosure; 3131. Bone cavity; 315. Reinforcing rib; 316. Bracket; 3161. Connecting part; 3162. Stopping part; 32. Expansion reinforcement;

[0037] 4. Expansion sound insulation component; 41. First section; 411. First main body; 412. First protrusion; 42. Second section; 421. Second main body; 422. Second protrusion; 423. Through hole; 43. Stop plate. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0039] Please refer to the attached diagram below. Figures 1-8 The reinforcing bracket 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0040] Reference Figures 1-3 According to the first aspect of the present invention, the reinforcing bracket 30 is applied to the A-pillar body 10. The A-pillar body 10 includes an inner A-pillar plate 11 and an A-pillar reinforcing plate 12. The inner A-pillar plate 11 and the A-pillar reinforcing plate 12 together define a cavity 101. The portion of the A-pillar body 10 corresponding to the vehicle's engine compartment is the lower A-pillar section 21, and the portion of the A-pillar body 10 corresponding to the vehicle's windshield is the upper A-pillar section 22. For example, the A-pillar reinforcing plate 12 can be part of the vehicle's side door ring. For example, the A-pillar body 10 also includes an outer A-pillar plate 13 disposed outside the A-pillar reinforcing plate 12. Specifically, the outer A-pillar plate 13 can be part of the side door ring.

[0041] Reference Figures 3-6The reinforcing bracket 30 includes a bracket frame 3 and an expansion sound insulation component 4. The bracket frame 3 is disposed in the cavity 101 of the upper section 22 of the A-pillar and is connected to the inner panel 11 of the A-pillar. Specifically, the bracket frame 3 extends along the extension direction of the upper section 22 of the A-pillar to enhance the structural strength of the upper section 22 of the A-pillar. For example, the bracket frame 3 and the inner panel 11 of the A-pillar can be connected by a snap-fit ​​connection, by fasteners, by welding, or by adhesive bonding.

[0042] Reference Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 8 The support frame 3 includes a frame body 31 and an expansion reinforcement 32. The expansion reinforcement 32 is embedded in the frame body 31. The frame body 31 defines an annular groove in the portion near the lower section 21 of the A-pillar; for example, refer to Figure 8 The skeleton body 31 may include a first plate 311, a second plate 312 and a enclosure 313. The first plate 311 and the second plate 312 are spaced apart along the extension direction of the skeleton body 31. The enclosure 313 is arranged in a ring and encloses the bone cavity 3131. The two axial sides of the enclosure 313 are respectively connected to the first plate 311 and the second plate 312. The first plate 311, the second plate 312 and the enclosure 313 together define an annular groove, which surrounds the outer periphery of the bone cavity 3131.

[0043] By embedding a high-strength expansion reinforcement 32 into the frame body 31, the structural strength of the reinforcement bracket 30 can be effectively improved, while reducing the overall weight of the reinforcement bracket 30, thereby increasing the structural strength of the A-pillar body 10, improving vehicle safety performance, and achieving lightweight vehicle design. For example, the frame body 31 can be made of plastic, further reducing the weight of the reinforcement bracket 30.

[0044] The expanding sound insulation component 4 is disposed around the outer periphery of the support frame 3, and a portion of the expanding sound insulation component 4 passes through the annular groove. The expanding sound insulation component 4 is adapted to expand after heating to seal the cavity 101. The strength of the expanding reinforcing component 32 is greater than the strength of the expanding sound insulation component 4. For example, the expanding reinforcing component 32 can be made of high-strength low-expansion foam, and the expanding sound insulation component 4 can be made of low-strength high-expansion foam.

[0045] During the vehicle production process, the expansion reinforcement 32 can be connected to the frame body 31 first, and the expansion sound insulation 4 can be connected to the annular groove of the frame body 31. Then, the reinforcement bracket 30 can be connected to the inner A-pillar panel 11, and the inner A-pillar panel 11 can be connected to the A-pillar reinforcement plate 12. After that, the vehicle is produced by electrophoresis, so that the electrophoretic liquid can flow in the inner cavity of the A-pillar body 10. Then, the expansion sound insulation 4 is heated to cause the expansion sound insulation 4 to expand to connect to the inner wall of the inner cavity and seal the inner cavity of the A-pillar body 10.

[0046] By setting an annular groove on the part of the frame body 31 near the lower section 21 of the A-pillar and passing a portion of the expansion sound insulation component 4 through the annular groove, the frame body 31 can limit the expansion sound insulation component 4 through the annular groove, reducing the risk of deformation or displacement of the expansion sound insulation component 4 during vehicle electrophoresis, making the expansion sound insulation component 4 reliably fixed relative to the frame body 31, and allowing the expansion sound insulation component 4 to reliably expand and seal the inner cavity of the A-pillar body 10, effectively absorbing noise from the lower section 21 of the A-pillar toward the upper section 22 of the A-pillar, reducing the noise transmitted from the upper section 22 of the A-pillar to the cab, and improving the NVH performance of the vehicle.

[0047] Moreover, compared to the scheme of setting the bracket frame 3 and the expansion sound insulation component 4 independently, setting the expansion sound insulation component 4 on the bracket frame 3 eliminates the need to set the snap-fit ​​hole on the A-pillar inner panel 11 to snap the expansion sound insulation component 4, reduces the number of openings in the A-pillar inner panel 11, improves the structural strength of the A-pillar inner panel 11, improves the structural strength of the A-pillar body 10, and improves the safety performance of the vehicle.

[0048] According to the reinforcing bracket 30 of the present invention, by embedding an expansion reinforcing member 32 with high structural strength on the frame body 31, the structural strength of the reinforcing bracket 30 can be effectively improved, while reducing the overall weight of the reinforcing bracket 30. By providing an annular groove on the portion of the frame body 31 near the lower section 21 of the A-pillar, and by passing a portion of the expansion sound insulation member 4 through the annular groove, the frame body 31 can limit the expansion sound insulation member 4 through the annular groove, reducing the risk of deformation or displacement of the expansion sound insulation member 4 during vehicle electrophoresis, thus making the expansion sound insulation member 4 relatively fixed relative to the frame body 31. The expansion sound insulation component 4 reliably expands and seals the cavity 101 of the A-pillar body 10, effectively absorbing noise from the lower section 21 of the A-pillar towards the upper section 22 of the A-pillar, reducing noise transmitted from the upper section 22 of the A-pillar to the passenger compartment, and improving the vehicle's NVH performance. Moreover, by placing the expansion sound insulation component 4 on the bracket frame 3, it is not necessary to provide snap-fit ​​holes for the expansion sound insulation component 4 on the inner panel 11 of the A-pillar, reducing the number of openings in the inner panel 11 of the A-pillar, improving the structural strength of the inner panel 11 of the A-pillar, improving the structural strength of the A-pillar body 10, and improving the vehicle's safety performance.

[0049] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 8 According to some optional embodiments of the present invention, the frame body 31 includes a first plate 311, a second plate 312, and a retaining wall 313. The first plate 311 and the second plate 312 are spaced apart along the extending direction of the frame body 31. The retaining wall 313 is annularly arranged and encloses a bone cavity 3131. The two axially oriented sides of the retaining wall 313 are respectively connected to the first plate 311 and the second plate 312. The first plate 311, the second plate 312, and the retaining wall 313 together define an annular groove, which surrounds the outer periphery of the bone cavity 3131. An avoidance notch is provided on the retaining wall 313, and part of the expansion sound insulation member 4 passes through the avoidance notch into the bone cavity 3131. This allows the expanded sound insulation member 4 to have a larger cross-sectional area after expansion, enabling the expansion sound insulation member 4 to more effectively absorb noise from the lower section 21 of the A-pillar to the upper section 22 of the A-pillar, thereby further reducing the noise transmitted from the upper section 22 of the A-pillar to the passenger compartment and improving the NVH performance of the vehicle.

[0050] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 8 In some optional embodiments of the present invention, the skeleton body 31 further includes reinforcing ribs 315, which are connected between the first plate 311 and the second plate 312 and are located within the bone cavity 3131. For example, there may be multiple reinforcing ribs 315. This can improve the connection strength between the first plate 311 and the second plate 312, improve the structural strength of the skeleton body 31, and improve the reliability of the skeleton body 31.

[0051] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 According to some embodiments of the present invention, the expansion sound insulation member 4 is a strip structure, and the ends of the expansion sound insulation member 4 are snapped together. When the expansion sound insulation member 4 is arranged in the annular groove, one end can be fixed in the annular groove, and the other end can be connected to one end by passing around the frame body 31. Compared with the annular arrangement of the expansion sound insulation member 4, this connection of the expansion sound insulation member 4 can be completed without expanding the expansion sound insulation member 4 outward, which can reduce the risk of damage to the expansion sound insulation member 4, improve the reliability of the expansion sound insulation member 4, and improve the reliability of the reinforcing bracket 30. Moreover, the snap-fit ​​connection is simple in structure, convenient to use, facilitates the assembly of the expansion sound insulation member 4, and improves the assembly efficiency of the reinforcing bracket 30.

[0052] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 7According to some embodiments of the present invention, the two ends of the expandable sound insulation component 4 are a first end and a second end, respectively. The portion of the expandable sound insulation component 4 facing the inner A-pillar panel 11 and including the first end is a first segment 41, and the portion of the expandable sound insulation component 4 facing the inner A-pillar panel 11 and including the second end is a second segment 42. The first segment 41 and the second segment 42 are stacked in the width direction of the vehicle and are snap-fitted together. After the expandable sound insulation component 4 expands, the second segment 42 can abut against the inner wall of the cavity and squeeze the first segment 41 in the width direction of the vehicle, so that the first segment 41 and the second segment 42 are reliably connected, reducing the risk of the first segment 41 and the second segment 42 detaching from each other, effectively ensuring the sealing effect of the expandable sound insulation component 4 on the cavity, and improving the reliability of the reinforcing bracket 30.

[0053] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 In some embodiments of the present invention, the first segment 41 includes a first body 411 and a first protrusion 412. The first protrusion 412 is connected to one end of the first body 411 facing the second segment 42, and the first protrusion 412 is located in the part of the first body 411 away from the inner plate 11 of the A-pillar; that is, the first body 411 and the first protrusion 412 form a stepped structure.

[0054] The second segment 42 includes a second body 421 and a second protrusion 422. The second protrusion 422 is connected to the end of the second body 421 facing the first segment 41, and the second protrusion 422 is located in the part of the second body 421 near the inner plate 11 of the A-pillar. That is, the first body 411 and the first protrusion 412 form a stepped structure.

[0055] The second protrusion 422 is stacked on the first protrusion 412, and the second protrusion 422 is engaged with the first protrusion 412. The second protrusion 422 abuts against the first body 411 in the extending direction of the first body 411, and the first protrusion 412 abuts against the second body 421 in the extending direction of the first body 411. That is to say, the stepped structure of the first segment 41 and the stepped structure of the second segment 42 are mutually engaged and matched.

[0056] When the expansion sound insulation component 4 expands, this allows the first segment 41 and the second segment 42 to reliably abut together in both the width direction of the vehicle and the extension direction of the first main body 411, further reducing the risk of the first segment 41 and the second segment 42 separating from each other, reducing the risk of gaps forming between the first segment 41 and the second segment 42, effectively ensuring the sealing effect of the expansion sound insulation component 4 on the inner cavity, and improving the reliability of the reinforcing bracket 30.

[0057] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 7In some embodiments of the present invention, the second body 421 is engaged with the support frame 3. This allows the support frame 3 to limit the second protrusion 422 through the second body 421, so that the second protrusion 422 can be reliably stacked on the first protrusion 412, and the engagement between the second protrusion 422 and the first protrusion 412 is reliable. This effectively reduces the risk of the first segment 41 and the second segment 42 detaching from each other, reduces the risk of gaps forming between the first segment 41 and the second segment 42, effectively ensures the sealing effect of the expansion sound insulation component 4 on the inner cavity, and improves the reliability of the reinforced support 30.

[0058] Reference Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 In some embodiments of the present invention, the second main body 421 is provided with a through hole 423 extending along the width direction of the vehicle. A stop plate 43 is provided within the through hole 423. The frame body 31 has a locking protrusion 316 in an annular groove. The locking protrusion 316 includes a connecting portion 3161 and a stop portion 3162. The connecting portion 3161 passes through the through hole 423; for example, the connecting portion 3161 can be connected to the guardrail 313. The stop portion 3162 is connected to the end of the connecting portion 3161 near the inner A-pillar panel 11, and the stop portion 3162 abuts against the stop plate 43 in the width direction of the vehicle. This allows for the connection between the second main body 421 and the support frame 3. Simultaneously, the operator can observe through the through hole 423 whether the stop portion 3162 abuts against the stop plate 43, facilitating the operator to snap the second main body 421 onto the frame body 31.

[0059] Reference Figures 1-3 According to a second aspect embodiment of the present invention, the A-pillar assembly 100 includes: an A-pillar body 10 and a reinforcing bracket 30. The A-pillar body 10 includes an A-pillar reinforcing plate 12 and an A-pillar inner plate 11. The A-pillar inner plate 11 and the A-pillar reinforcing plate 12 together define a cavity 101. The portion of the A-pillar body 10 corresponding to the vehicle's engine compartment is the lower section 21 of the A-pillar, and the portion of the A-pillar body 10 corresponding to the vehicle's windshield is the upper section 22 of the A-pillar. The reinforcing bracket 30 is a reinforcing bracket 30 according to the first aspect embodiment of the present invention, and the reinforcing bracket 30 is disposed in the cavity 101 of the upper section 22 of the A-pillar.

[0060] According to the A-pillar assembly 100 of the present invention, the aforementioned reinforcing bracket 30 enables the expansion sound insulation component 4 to effectively absorb noise from the lower section 21 of the A-pillar toward the upper section 22 of the A-pillar, thereby improving the NVH performance of the vehicle, increasing the structural strength of the inner panel 11 of the A-pillar, increasing the structural strength of the A-pillar assembly 100, and improving the safety performance of the vehicle.

[0061] A vehicle according to a third aspect embodiment of the present invention includes: an A-pillar assembly 100 according to the second aspect embodiment described above. For example, the vehicle may be an automobile.

[0062] According to the vehicle of the present invention, the A-pillar assembly 100 described above enables the expansion sound insulation component 4 to effectively absorb noise from the lower section 21 of the A-pillar toward the upper section 22 of the A-pillar, thereby improving the NVH performance of the vehicle, improving the structural strength of the inner panel 11 of the A-pillar, improving the structural strength of the A-pillar assembly 100, and improving the safety performance of the vehicle.

[0063] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0064] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used 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.

[0065] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0066] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A reinforcing bracket for an A-pillar body, the A-pillar body comprising an inner A-pillar panel and an A-pillar reinforcing plate, the inner A-pillar panel and the A-pillar reinforcing plate jointly defining a cavity, the portion of the A-pillar body corresponding to the vehicle's engine compartment being the lower section of the A-pillar, and the portion of the A-pillar body corresponding to the vehicle's windshield being the upper section of the A-pillar, characterized in that, The reinforcing bracket includes: A support frame is disposed in the cavity of the upper section of the A-pillar and connected to the inner plate of the A-pillar. The support frame includes a frame body and an expansion reinforcement member. The expansion reinforcement member is embedded in the frame body. The frame body defines an annular groove in the part near the lower section of the A-pillar. An inflatable sound insulation component is provided around the outer periphery of the support frame and partially passes through the annular groove. The inflatable sound insulation component is adapted to expand after heating to seal the cavity. The strength of the expansion reinforcement is greater than the strength of the expansion sound insulation component.

2. The reinforcing bracket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The expansion sound insulation component is a strip structure with its ends snapped together.

3. The reinforcing bracket according to claim 2, characterized in that, The two ends of the expansion sound insulation component are a first end and a second end, respectively. The portion of the expansion sound insulation component facing the inner panel of the A-pillar and including the first end is a first segment, and the portion of the expansion sound insulation component facing the inner panel of the A-pillar and including the second end is a second segment. The first segment and the second segment are stacked and snapped together in the width direction of the vehicle.

4. The reinforcing bracket according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first segment includes a first body and a first protrusion, the first protrusion being connected to one end of the first body facing the second segment, and the first protrusion being located on the portion of the first body away from the inner panel of the A-pillar; The second segment includes a second body and a second protrusion. The second protrusion is connected to one end of the second body facing the first segment, and the second protrusion is located on the part of the second body near the inner plate of the A-pillar. The second protrusion is stacked on the first protrusion and engaged with the first protrusion. The second protrusion abuts against the first body in the extension direction of the first body, and the first protrusion abuts against the second body in the extension direction of the first body.

5. The reinforcing bracket according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second main body is snapped into the support frame.

6. The reinforcing bracket according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second main body has a through hole that extends along the width direction of the vehicle. A stop plate is provided in the through hole. The frame body has a locking protrusion in the annular groove. The locking protrusion includes a connecting part and a stop part. The connecting part passes through the through hole. The stop part is connected to one end of the connecting part near the inner panel of the A-pillar, and the stop part abuts against the stop plate in the width direction of the vehicle.

7. The reinforcing bracket according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The skeleton body includes a first plate, a second plate, and a barrier. The first plate and the second plate are spaced apart along the extension direction of the skeleton body. The barrier is annular and encloses a bone cavity. The two axial sides of the barrier are respectively connected to the first plate and the second plate. The first plate, the second plate, and the barrier together define the annular groove, which is located on the outer periphery of the bone cavity. The enclosure has a clearance opening, and part of the expansion sound insulation component passes through the clearance opening into the bone cavity.

8. The reinforcing bracket according to claim 7, characterized in that, The skeleton body also includes reinforcing ribs, which are connected between the first plate and the second plate and located within the bone cavity.

9. An A-pillar assembly, characterized in that, include: The A-pillar body includes an A-pillar reinforcing plate and an A-pillar inner plate. The A-pillar inner plate and the A-pillar reinforcing plate together define a cavity. The part of the A-pillar body that corresponds to the vehicle's engine compartment is the lower section of the A-pillar, and the part of the A-pillar body that corresponds to the vehicle's windshield is the upper section of the A-pillar. The reinforcing bracket according to any one of claims 1-8 is disposed in the cavity of the upper section of the A-pillar.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, include: The A-pillar assembly according to claim 9.

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