Vehicle cabin structure

Abstract

Vehicle cabin structure, comprising: a frame member extending in a vertical direction of the vehicle or in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and forming a frame of a vehicle cabin; and a frame covering, which is an interior element arranged with a gap to a surface of the frame element facing the interior of the vehicle cabin and covering the surface of the frame element facing the interior of the vehicle cabin, wherein a surface of the frame panel facing the interior of the vehicle cabin has a slot extending along the frame element, characterized by: a positioning element arranged in the gap between the frame panel and the frame member and having a width greater than the slot; an attachment disposed opposite the positioning element across the slot and having a width greater than the slot, the attachment being capable of securing an interior trim article to the interior of the vehicle cabin; and a fastener that attaches the positioning element and the attachment to each other via the slot and secures the attachment to the frame panel.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle cabin structure, and more particularly to a vehicle cabin structure in which an interior trim article can be attached to an arbitrary position. BACKGROUND

[0002] For mobile homes and the like, a structure is proposed in which a plurality of horizontal grooves are arranged in a wall surface within a vehicle cabin. By fitting a base portion of a hook into the horizontal grooves, an interior fitting can be attached at any desired location (see, for example, JP 2016 - 128 295 A). A vehicle cabin structure according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from DE 10 2016 201 510 A1. Regarding the prior art, reference is also made to DE 10 2012 109 239 A1, DE 10 2011 115 107 A1, and US Pat. No. 5,938,273 A. SUMMARY

[0003] Since the prior art technology disclosed in JP 2016-128295 A is a structure in which grooves or grooves are formed in a wall surface, there are cases where this technology cannot be easily applied to vehicles with a small wall area. Furthermore, depending on the structure in which a hook base is fitted into the groove, the fastening strength of the hook relative to the wall surface may sometimes be too low, preventing an interior trim article from being sufficiently secured.

[0004] The present invention has for its object to provide a vehicle cabin structure in which an interior item can be attached to any location in a vehicle with a small wall area.

[0005] A vehicle cabin structure according to the present invention includes a frame member extending in a vertical direction of the vehicle or in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and constituting a frame of a vehicle cabin, and further includes a frame trim that is an interior member disposed with a gap to a surface of the frame member facing the interior of the vehicle cabin and covering the surface of the frame member facing the interior of the vehicle cabin, wherein a surface of the frame trim facing the interior of the vehicle cabin has a slit extending along the frame member.

[0006] Since a slot for attaching an interior trim article is formed in the frame trim covering the frame member, an interior trim article can be attached to any position even in a vehicle with a small wall area.

[0007] The vehicle cabin structure according to the present invention further comprises: a positioning member disposed in the gap between the frame panel and the frame member and having a width greater than the slot; a fixture disposed opposite the positioning member across the slot and having a width greater than the slot, the fixture capable of fixing an interior trim article to the interior of the vehicle cabin; and a fixing member that fixes the positioning member and the fixture to each other across the slot and secures the fixture to the frame panel.

[0008] Since the attachment is attached to the frame panel by tightly sandwiching the frame panel between the attachment and the positioning element, the attachment can be rigidly attached to the frame panel.

[0009] Accordingly, it becomes possible to fix an interior item to which a large load is applied, such as a handrail.

[0010] A vehicle cabin structure according to the present invention includes a frame member extending in a vertical direction of the vehicle or in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and constituting a frame of a vehicle cabin, and further includes a frame trim that is an interior member covering an inner surface of the frame member facing the vehicle cabin, the frame trim having, at its portion facing the interior of the vehicle cabin, a groove extending along the frame member, and the groove having an opening width narrower than its inner groove width.

[0011] Since a groove capable of fixing an interior trim article is formed in the frame trim covering the frame member, an interior trim article can be fixed to any position even in a vehicle having a small wall area.

[0012] The vehicle cabin structure according to the present invention may include: a positioning member disposed in the groove in the frame panel and having a width greater than the opening width of the groove; a fixture or attachment disposed opposite to the positioning member across an opening of the groove and having a width greater than the opening width of the groove, the attachment being capable of fixing an interior trim article to the interior of the vehicle cabin; and a fixing member that fixes the positioning member and the attachment to each other across the opening of the groove and secures the attachment to the frame panel.

[0013] Because the attachment is secured to the frame panel by tightly sandwiching the frame panel between the attachment and the positioning element, the attachment can be rigidly attached to the frame panel. Accordingly, it becomes possible to secure an interior item that bears a heavy load, such as a handrail.

[0014] In the vehicle cabin structure of the present invention, the frame member may be a pillar extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle, or may be an upper side member connected to the pillar and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a plurality of extensions may be secured to the frame panel. Furthermore, a handrail may be attached to the extensions.

[0015] By attaching the handrail with the help of the plurality of attachments, the handrail can be fixed more firmly.

[0016] A vehicle cabin structure of the present invention includes a frame member extending in a vertical direction of the vehicle or in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and constituting a frame of a vehicle cabin, and further includes a frame trim that is an interior member disposed with a gap to a surface of the frame member facing the interior of the vehicle cabin and covering the surface of the frame member facing the interior of the vehicle cabin, wherein a surface of the frame trim facing the interior of the vehicle cabin has a slit extending along the frame member.The vehicle cabin structure further includes a positioning member, one end of which is fixed to the frame member and the other end of which extends into the slot in the frame panel, and an attachment having a base portion fixed to the other end of the positioning member and a tip portion to which an interior trim article is attached. The attachment has a triangular ring shape with a substantially rectangular cross-section, with one side forming the base portion and an apex portion opposite the one side forming the tip portion. The frame member is a pillar extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle or an upper side member connected to the pillar and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.A plurality of positioning elements are attached to the frame element, and attachments to which a handrail is attached are attached to two or more of the plurality of positioning elements.

[0017] By attaching the positioning element to the frame member, the mounting strength of the positioning element can be increased, and it becomes possible to sufficiently support an interior component where a large load is applied to the attachment. Shape consistency of interior accessories can be achieved by forming a triangular ring-shaped element for a handle on a belt or other items formed in the vehicle cabin. By securing the handrail with the aid of the plurality of attachments, the handrail can be more firmly fixed.

[0018] In the vehicle cabin structure of the present invention, one end of the positioning member may be fixed to the frame member so that a fixing position on the frame member is changeable.

[0019] By a configuration in which the fastening position of the positioning element can be changed as described above, an interior item can be fastened at any position.

[0020] The vehicle cabin structure of the present invention may include a plurality of positioning members, and the positioning members may be fixed to the respective portions of the frame member.

[0021] By attaching several positioning elements as described above, an interior item can be attached in different positions.

[0022] In the vehicle cabin structure of the present invention, the base portion of the attachment may include a base attachment portion that is attached to the other end of the positioning member, and the tip portion of the attachment may include a tip attachment portion to which an interior trim article is attached. The base attachment portion and the tip attachment portion may each have a solid, substantially rectangular cross-section. A portion between the base attachment portion and the tip attachment portion may have a substantially rectangular, hollow cross-section and may have a thickness that increases toward the base attachment portion or the tip attachment portion.

[0023] By forming a portion with a hollow cross-sectional shape, weight reduction can be achieved. Furthermore, by increasing the thickness of this portion toward the solid base attachment portion or tip attachment portion, the thickness difference with respect to the base attachment portion or tip attachment portion can be reduced, and it becomes possible to suppress the formation of dents in a design surface near the base attachment portion or tip attachment portion at the time of molding.

[0024] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle cabin structure in which an interior trim article can be mounted at any location in a vehicle having a small wall area. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the following figures, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a frame structure of a vehicle cab having a vehicle cab structure of an embodiment; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle cabin structure of the embodiment as seen from the inside of the vehicle; Fig. 3 a cross-sectional view along the Fig. 2 is line AA; Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the attachments are attached to a pillar trim and a side member trim of the Fig. 2 shown vehicle cabin structure and a handrail is attached to the attached attachments; Fig. 5 a cross-sectional view along the Fig. 4 shown line BB; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a pillar and a pillar trim of a vehicle cabin structure of another embodiment; Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the pillar, the pillar trim and an attachment in the vehicle cabin structure of the further embodiment, taken along the line shown in Fig. 4 shown line BB; Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a pillar and a pillar trim of a vehicle cabin structure of another embodiment; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a vehicle cabin structure of another embodiment as viewed from the interior of the vehicle; Fig. 10 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a triangular attachment of the Fig. 9 shown vehicle cabin structure; Fig. 11A is a cross-sectional view of a base attachment portion of the Fig. 9 is the triangular attachment shown; Fig. 11B is a cross-sectional view of bilateral longitudinally adjacent portions disposed adjacent to the base attachment portion and diagonal portions in the Fig. 9 shown triangular attachment; Fig. 11C is a cross-sectional view of a tip attachment portion of the Fig. 9 is the triangular attachment shown; Fig. 12 a horizontal cross-sectional view of the Fig. 9 shown vehicle cabin structure; Fig. 13 a vertical cross-sectional view of the Fig. 9 shown vehicle cabin structure; Fig. 14 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of another vehicle cabin structure in which the positioning element of the Fig. 9 is slidably mounted on the column; and Fig. 15 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of another vehicle cabin structure in which the positioning element of the Fig. 9 is attached to the pillar by welding. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0026] A vehicle cabin structure 30 of an embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, with reference to Fig. 1, an electric bus 100 having the vehicle cabin body 30 is described. The arrow FR, arrow UP, and arrow LH shown in the drawings indicate the forward direction (i.e., forward travel direction), the upward direction, and the left direction of the vehicle, respectively. Furthermore, the opposite directions of the arrows FR, UP, and LH indicate the backward direction, the downward direction, and the right direction of the vehicle, respectively. When simply referring to longitudinal, transverse, and vertical directions in the following description, these directions, unless otherwise stated, respectively indicate the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the transverse direction of the vehicle, or vehicle transverse direction (i.e., vehicle width direction), and the vertical direction of the vehicle, or vehicle vertical direction.

[0027] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the electric bus comprises a vehicle cabin 10, a door 20 formed in a side surface of the vehicle cabin 10 for entry and exit from the vehicle, and wheels 25 driven by a motor (not shown). The vehicle cabin 10 has a frame structure and is mounted on a ladder frame (not shown).

[0028] The frame of the vehicle cabin 10 consists of pillars 11, upper side members 12, floor side members 14, lower side members 15, cross members 16, 17, and roof beams 18. The floor side members 14 are beams that extend longitudinally at both ends in the width direction of the lower part of the vehicle cabin 10. The lower side members 15 are beams that extend upward from the front ends or rear ends of the floor side members 14 and extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle above the wheels 25. The cross members 16 are beams that connect the front ends or rear ends of the lower side members 15 to each other in the width direction. The cross members 17 are beams that connect the front ends or rear ends of the floor side members 14 to each other in the width direction.

[0029] The pillars 11 are beams attached to the left and right floor side members 14 and extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The pillars 11 are formed toward the front and rear of the vehicle, respectively, and the door 20 is disposed between the front and rear pillars 11. The upper ends of the left and right pillars 11 are connected to each other in an inverted U shape to form roof sections 11r. The upper side members 12 are beams connected to the pillars 11 that extend toward the front or rear of the vehicle, and whose tips are connected to the lower side members 15. The roof beams 18 are beams that connect the roof sections 11r of the pillars 11 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0030] Here, the pillars 11 are frame elements that extend in the vertical direction of the vehicle and form the frame of the vehicle cabin 10. The upper longitudinal members 12 are frame elements that extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and form the frame of the vehicle cabin 10.

[0031] The vehicle cabin structure 30 is described below with reference to the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 described. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an area around the pillar 11, which is located towards the rear of the vehicle on the left side as viewed from the inside of the vehicle cabin. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 2. As in Fig. 2, the vehicle cabin structure 30 consists of the pillar 11 and the upper longitudinal member 12, which are frame elements, as well as a pillar cover 31 and a longitudinal member cover 33. The pillar cover 31 and the longitudinal member cover 33 are frame covers.

[0032] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the pillar 11 is a closed-section member formed by combining an outer pillar portion 11a and an inner pillar portion 11b, each of which is a hat-shaped cross-section member. An outer panel 21, which forms a design surface, is attached to the vehicle outer side of the pillar 11. A window glass 24 is attached to the vehicle rear side of the outer panel 21 via a rubber member 23. Furthermore, the door 20, which opens and closes by sliding in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, is arranged on the front side of the pillar 11. An inner panel 22 is connected to the vehicle cabin interior portion of the outer panel 21.

[0033] The pillar trim 31 is a resin interior member that covers a surface 11c of the pillar 11 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin. The pillar trim 31 is a member with a trapezoidal, groove-shaped cross-section and is arranged with a gap or spacing 36 from the surface 11c of the pillar 11 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin. The pillar trim 31 can be attached to the interior trim 22 or to the pillar 11.

[0034] As in Fig. 2, the pillar garnish 31 extends between a headliner 19a and a floor 19b of the vehicle cabin 10 and covers the surface 11c of the pillar 11 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin. In the center of the surface of the pillar garnish 31 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin, a slit 32 is formed which extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle along the pillar 11.

[0035] Although not shown, the upper longitudinal member 12, like the pillar 11, is a closed-section element. The longitudinal member cover 33, similar to the pillar cover 31, is arranged at a distance or gap from the surface of the upper longitudinal member 12 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin. The longitudinal member cover 33 can be attached to the interior panel 22 or to the upper longitudinal member 12.

[0036] As in Fig. 2, the side member cover 33 is an interior member connected to a side surface of the pillar cover 31 facing the vehicle rear, extending toward the vehicle rear, and covering a surface of the upper side member 12 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin. The lower side portion of the side member cover 33 and the portion of the lower part of the pillar cover 31 facing the vehicle rear are connected to an interior cover 35. A slot 34 is formed in the surface of the side member cover 33 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin, extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along the upper side member 12.

[0037] Below, the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, an attachment 40 is described which is to be attached to the pillar trim 31 and the longitudinal member trim 33 of the vehicle cabin structure 30, which with reference to the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, as well as a handrail 50 which is to be attached to the attachment 40.

[0038] As in Fig. 4, the attachments 40 are each fastened to the surface of the pillar covering 31 and the longitudinal member covering 33 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin.

[0039] As in Fig. 5, an attachment 40 is attached to the column cover 31 by a positioning element 38 and a screw 43.

[0040] The positioning element 38 is arranged in the gap 36 between the pillar trim 31 and the surface 11c of the pillar 11 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin. The positioning element 38 has a width greater than the width of the slot 32 and includes a base portion 38a arranged in the gap 36 and a projection 38b fitted into the slot 32. The positioning element 38 has a threaded hole formed in the center.

[0041] The attachment 40 consists of a base 41 and a main body 42 mounted on the base 41. The main body 42 consists of a mounting portion 42a mounted on the base 41 and a handrail mounting portion 42b projecting from the mounting portion 42a toward the vehicle interior. A through hole 44 is formed in the center of the base 41, through which the screw 43 serving as a mounting element passes.

[0042] The attachments 40 are installed according to the following procedure. First, the positioning element 38 is placed in the gap 36 between the pillar trim 31 and the surface 11c of the pillar 11 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin. Then, the projection 38b of the positioning element 38 is placed at a desired location in the slot 32 to select the position. The screw 43 is inserted through the through hole 44 in the base 41 of the attachment 40, and the base 41 of the attachment 40 is positioned opposite the positioning element 38. Then, the screw 43 is screwed into the threaded hole of the positioning element 38. When the screw is tightened, the screw 43 fastens the positioning element 38 and the base 41 together through the slot 32. In this state, the peripheral part of the slot 32 in the column cover 31 is firmly clamped between the positioning element 38 and the base 41.In this way, the base 41 is attached to the pillar trim 31. In a similar manner, the base 41 is also attached to the side member trim 33.

[0043] The handrail attachment portions 42b of the main body 42 are attached at predetermined locations around the handrail 50. After securing the base 41 to the column cover 31 and the longitudinal beam cover 33, the attachment portions 42a of the main body 42, to which the handrail 50 is attached, are slipped onto the base 41. In this way, the handrail 50 can be attached to the column cover 31 and the longitudinal beam cover 33, as shown in Fig. 4 shown.

[0044] In the vehicle cabin structure 30 according to the above-described embodiment, since the slots 32, 34 for fixing the boss 40 are formed in the pillar garnish 31 and the side member garnish 33, which cover the pillar 11 and the upper side member 12, an interior trim article can be fixed to any location even in a vehicle with a small wall area. By clamping and fixing the peripheral part of the slot 32 in the pillar garnish 31 between the positioning member 38 and the base 41, the boss 40 can be fixed to the pillar garnish 31. With this arrangement, in the vehicle cabin structure 30, the boss 40 can be rigidly fixed to the pillar garnish 31, and it becomes possible to fix an interior trim article to which a large load is applied, such as a handrail 50, to the boss 40.Furthermore, in the vehicle cabin structure 30, the handrail 50 can be fixed more rigidly since a plurality of bosses 40 can be fixed to the pillar garnish 31 and the side member garnish 33. Furthermore, in the vehicle cabin structure 30, since one boss 40 can be fixed to the side member garnish 33 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, an interior item to which a large load is applied in the vertical direction can be fixed.

[0045] Although it has been explained that in the vehicle cabin structure 30 according to the embodiment described above, the slots 32, 34 for fixing the attachment 40 are formed in the pillar garnish 31 and the side member garnish 33 covering the pillar 11 and the upper side member 12, such a slot may be formed in a garnish covering other longitudinal frame members such as the roof rack 18.

[0046] Next, a vehicle cabin structure 60 according to another embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In the following, elements similar to those of the vehicle cabin structure 30 of the vehicle described above with reference to the Fig. 1 to 5 are designated by similar reference numerals, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0047] As in Fig. 6, a pillar trim 61 of the vehicle cabin structure 60 includes a vehicle cabin interior facing portion 62 having a large panel thickness and a skirt portion 63 having a small panel thickness, which extends from the vehicle cabin interior facing portion 62 toward the vehicle exterior. The vehicle cabin interior facing portion 62 covers the vehicle cabin interior facing surface 11c of the pillar 11, while the skirt portion 63 covers the side surfaces of the pillar 11. In the vehicle cabin interior facing portion 62, a groove 64 is formed, which extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle along the pillar 11. An opening width of an opening 65 of the groove 64 is narrower than an inner groove width of the groove 64.Accordingly, lip portions 66 are formed on both sides of the opening 65 in the width direction, which lip portions 66 protrude from the two side surfaces of the groove 64 toward the opening 65.

[0048] A method for attaching an attachment 40 to the Fig. 6 is described below with reference to Fig. 7. The structure of article 40 is similar to that described above with reference to Fig. 5. The present embodiment differs in that the width of the positioning member 38 and the width of the base 41 are each wider than the opening width of the opening 65, and that at the time of assembly, the positioning member 38 is arranged in the groove 64 and the positioning member 38 and the base 41 are fastened to each other through the opening 65 with the screw 43.

[0049] First, the positioning element 38 is placed in the groove 64 in the pillar trim 61. Subsequently, the projection 38b of the positioning element 38 is mounted at a desired location in the opening 65 to select the position. Then, as described above with reference to Fig. 5, the base 41 of the attachment 40 is positioned opposite the positioning member 38, and the screw 43 is screwed into the threaded hole of the positioning member 38. When the screw is tightened, the screw 43 secures the positioning member 38 and the base 41 to each other through the opening 65. In this state, the peripheral lip portions 66 of the groove 64 in the column cover 61 are tightly sandwiched between the positioning member 38 and the base 41. In this way, the base 41 is secured to the column cover 61.

[0050] While the pillar trim 61 of the vehicle cabin body 60 according to another embodiment was described above, a side member trim (not shown) of the vehicle cabin body 60, similar to the pillar trim 61, also has a groove extending along the upper side member 12 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in its surface facing the interior of the vehicle cabin, which has a large sheet thickness. Furthermore, the groove formed in the side member trim also has an opening width narrower than an inner groove width and has lip portions formed on both sides of the opening. When the attachment 40 is attached, the lip portions are clamped and fixed between the positioning member 38 and the base 41.

[0051] The vehicle cabin structure 60 achieves similar effects and advantages as the previously described vehicle cabin structure 30.

[0052] Next, a vehicle cabin structure 70 according to another embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. In Fig. 8 only a pillar trim 71 and the pillar 11 are shown. Other components of the vehicle cabin structure 70 are identical to those of the vehicle described above with reference to the Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 described vehicle cabin structure 60, and are therefore not shown again.

[0053] As in Fig. 8, in the vehicle cabin structure 70, the pillar trim 71 is not formed as a single body, but consists of two members, namely a main body 72 and a groove-shaped cross-sectional member 72a. The main body 72 is a member with a trapezoidal, trough-shaped cross-section, which has a slot 75 extending vertically along the pillar 11 in the center of its surface facing the interior of the vehicle cabin. The groove-shaped cross-sectional member 72a is a member attached to the central part of the main body 72 with the slot 75 on the pillar 11 side and has a groove width wider than the width of the slot 75. When the groove-shaped cross-sectional member 72a is attached to the main body 72, the portion around the groove-shaped cross-sectional member 72a and the slot 75 of the main body 72 forms a vehicle cabin-facing portion 73.In addition, the inner side of the groove-shaped cross-sectional member 72a forms a groove 74, while the slot 75 forms an opening of the groove 74. Moreover, the width of the slot 75 serving as an opening is narrower than the groove width of the groove 74, and lip portions 76 are formed on the respective sides of the slot 75 in the width direction.

[0054] While the pillar garnish 71 of the vehicle cabin structure 70 of another embodiment has been described above, a side member garnish (not shown) of the vehicle cabin structure 70, similar to the pillar garnish 71, also consists of a main body having a trapezoidal, trough-shaped cross section and a member having a groove-shaped cross section.

[0055] The vehicle cabin structure 70 achieves similar effects and advantages as the previously described vehicle cabin structure 30.

[0056] Now, a vehicle cabin structure 80 according to another embodiment will be described with reference to the Fig. 9 to 13. In the following, elements similar to those of the vehicle cabin structure 30 of the vehicle described above with reference to Fig. 1 to 5 are denoted by similar reference numerals and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0057] As in Fig. 9, the vehicle cabin structure 80 is formed by attaching a base portion 82 of a triangular boss 81 having a triangular ring shape to a positioning member 90 mounted on a pillar 110, and further attaching a handrail 50 to a tip portion 86 of the triangular boss 81. With respect to the vehicle cabin structure 80, the pillar 110 is described as a member having an H-shaped, open cross-section.

[0058] As in the Fig. 9 and Fig. As shown in Figure 10, the triangular cap 81 is a member having a triangular ring shape with a substantially rectangular cross-section, consisting of the base portion 82, which is a side facing the column, the tip portion 86, which is arranged toward the handrail and is an apex portion opposite the base portion 82, and two diagonal portions 84, 85 connecting the base portion 82 and the tip portion 86. The triangular cap 81 is made of metal and can be formed using a three-dimensional printer or by casting or the like.

[0059] The base section 82 includes in its longitudinal central part a base fastening section 83 which is fastened to the positioning element 90 described below. As shown in Fig. 11A, the base mounting portion 83 has a solid cross-section of substantially rectangular shape with corners of R (radius of curvature) and includes in the center a stepped opening 83a which is secured by a screw 95 (see Fig. 12) for fastening the base fastening section 83 to the positioning element 90. Bilateral, longitudinally adjacent sections 82S, which are located on both sides next to the base fastening section 83 of the base section 82, have a rectangular, hollow cross-section with a thickness t and a substantially rectangular ring shape with corners with R, as shown in Fig. 11B. The bilateral longitudinally adjacent portions 82S adjacent to the base fixing portion 83 are connected to the diagonal portions 84, 85. The bilateral longitudinally adjacent portions 82S adjacent to the base fixing portion 83 may be configured to have a thickness t that increases toward the base fixing portion 83. With this arrangement, the thickness difference between the solid base fixing portion 83 and the bilateral longitudinally adjacent portions 82S having a hollow cross section can be reduced, thereby suppressing the generation of dents in a design surface of the bilateral longitudinally adjacent portions 82S at the time of molding.

[0060] The tip portion 86 includes a tip attachment portion 87 to which the handrail 50 is attached. As shown in Fig. 11C, the tip attachment portion 87 has a solid cross-section of substantially rectangular shape with corners of R and includes in the center a stepped opening 87a which is secured by a screw 52 (see Fig. 12) for attaching the handrail 50 to the tip attachment portion 87. Furthermore, a recess 87c having a cylindrical surface shape is formed on the tip side of the tip attachment portion 87, into which a side surface of the handrail 50 is fitted.

[0061] The diagonal sections 84, 85 having a substantially rectangular, hollow cross-section with a thickness t, as in Fig. 11B, the two-side longitudinally adjacent portions 82S adjacent to the base attachment portion 83 connect to the tip attachment portion 87. Parts of the diagonal portions 84, 85 located toward the tip attachment portion 87 have a thickness t that increases toward the tip attachment portion 87. With this arrangement, the thickness difference between the solid tip attachment portion 87 and the diagonal portions 84, 85 having a hollow cross section can be reduced, thereby suppressing the generation of dents in a design surface of the parts of the diagonal portions 84, 85 near the tip attachment portion 87 at the time of molding.

[0062] As in the Fig. 12 and Fig. 13, the positioning element 90 is a metallic element with a substantially rectangular, annular cross-section, comprising a vehicle cabin-facing plate 91, a frame-facing plate 92, and a side plate 93 that connects the vehicle cabin-facing plate 91 to the frame-facing plate 92. The frame-facing plate 92 forms one end of the positioning element 90, while the vehicle cabin-facing plate 91 forms the other end of the positioning element 90.

[0063] A nut 94 is welded to a surface 111a of a flange 111 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin. The frame-facing plate 92 is secured to the interior of the vehicle cabin of the nut 94 by fastening with a bolt 97. A plurality of nuts 94 are mounted on the pillar 110 in the longitudinal direction, and the frame-facing plate 92 is secured with the bolt 97 to the nut 94 located at a position suitable for an interior item to be attached to the triangular attachment 81. Thus, the vehicle cabin structure 80 is configured such that the attachment position of the frame-facing plate 92 to the pillar 110 is changeable.

[0064] The side plate 93 extends from the frame-facing plate 92 toward the vehicle cabin interior, and the vehicle cabin-facing plate 91 is located within the slot 32 in the pillar trim 31. A surface of the vehicle cabin-facing plate 91 facing the vehicle cabin interior is substantially coplanar with the plane of the surface of the pillar trim 31 facing the vehicle cabin interior. In the center of the vehicle cabin-facing plate 91, there is an opening into which the bolt 95 is inserted, and a nut 96 into which the bolt 95 is screwed is fixed by welding to a surface of the pillar-side periphery of the opening.

[0065] As in the Fig. 12 and Fig. As shown in Figure 13, the handrail 50 is an elongated member with a circular cross-section. A blind or drive-in nut 51 is driven into the handrail 50 at a portion where the triangular attachment 81 is to be attached. The drive-in nut 51 is a member with an outer peripheral surface that fits into a hole created in a side surface of the handrail 50 and also with an inner peripheral surface on which a thread is formed. Instead of the drive-in nut 51, a conventional nut can be embedded in the cylindrical surface.

[0066] The triangular attachment 81 is installed as follows. The position of the stepped opening 83a in the base attachment portion 83 of the triangular attachment 81 is aligned with the position of the opening in the positioning member 90 located within the slot 32 in the pillar trim 31. Then, the bolt 95 is inserted through the stepped opening 83a in the base attachment portion 83 and through the opening in the positioning member 90, and the bolt 95 is screwed into the nut 96 attached to the vehicle-cabin-facing plate 91 of the positioning member 90. When the head of the bolt 95 abuts the stepped portion 83b of the stepped opening 83a, the base attachment portion 83 is attached to the positioning member 90.When the triangular attachment 81 is attached to the positioning element 90, an outer surface 82a of the base portion 82 contacts the surface of the pillar trim 31 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin.

[0067] Furthermore, the attachment of the handrail 50 to the triangular attachment 81 is performed as follows. The side surface of the handrail 50 is placed against the recess 87c of the tip attachment portion 87, and the position of the drive-in nut 51 is aligned with the stepped opening 87a in the tip attachment portion 87 of the triangular attachment 81. Then, the bolt 52 is inserted through the stepped opening 87a and screwed into the drive-in nut 51. When the head of the bolt 52 abuts the stepped portion 87b of the stepped opening 87a, the handrail 50 is attached to the tip attachment portion 87.

[0068] In the vehicle cabin structure 80 according to the above-described embodiment, the positioning member 90 is fixed to the pillar 110, the triangular boss 81 is fixed to the pillar 110, and the handrail 50 is fixed to the triangular boss 81. With this arrangement, the fixing strength of the positioning member 90 is increased, thereby enabling sufficient support of an interior article, such as the handrail 50, which involves applying a large load to the triangular boss 81.

[0069] Furthermore, in the vehicle cabin structure 80 of the above-described embodiment, since a plurality of nuts 94 are mounted on the pillar 110 in the longitudinal direction, the mounting position of the triangular boss 81 can be changed according to the positions of the interior trim article. Thus, the interior trim article can be attached to various positions.

[0070] In the triangular attachment 81, weight reduction can be achieved by configuring the longitudinally adjacent portions 82S on both sides adjacent to the base attachment portion 83 and the diagonal portions 84, 85 to have a hollow cross section. Furthermore, the longitudinally adjacent portions 82S on both sides are configured such that the thickness t of the hollow cross section increases toward the base attachment portion 83, while the diagonal portions 84, 85 are configured such that the thickness t of the hollow cross section increases toward the tip attachment portion 87. With this arrangement, it is possible to suppress the formation of dents in a design surface near the base attachment portion 83 or the tip attachment portion 87 when the triangular attachment 81 is molded with a three-dimensional printer or the like.

[0071] Furthermore, the handrail 50 is configured to be attached to the tip attachment portion 87 of the triangular attachment 81 by screwing the bolt 52 into the drive-in nut 51 hammered into the handrail 50. With this arrangement, the surface of the handrail 50 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin can be formed as a continuous design surface. For example, if the color of the handrail 50 is to be distinguished from other colors inside the vehicle cabin, a line of that color can be formed continuously along the handrail 50 to create a striking design.

[0072] While a configuration in which the triangular attachment 81 is mounted on the pillar 110 has been described above, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which, similar to the vehicle cabin structure 30 described above, the triangular attachment 81 is mounted on the upper side member 12 and the vehicle cabin-facing plate 91 of the positioning element 90 is positioned within the slot 34 in the side member cover 33.

[0073] Next, a vehicle cabin structure 180 in which a positioning member 90a is slidably mounted on the pillar 110 will be described with reference to Fig. 14. Since elements other than the structures of the positioning element 90a and a screw 98 are the same as those of the above-mentioned with reference to the Fig. 9 to 13 are identical, these elements will not be described again.

[0074] The positioning element 90a consists of a side plate 93, which is provided at its end facing the frame with a hook 92a, which sandwiches the flange 111 of the column 110 facing the vehicle cabin from its sides in the direction of the plate thickness. The positioning element 90a is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the column 110. Furthermore, the length of the screw 98 is dimensioned such that the tip of the screw 98 rests against the surface 111a of the flange 111 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin when the screw 98 is screwed into the nut 96 on the positioning element 90a.

[0075] When the screw 98 is screwed into the nut 96, the head of the screw 98 abuts the stepped portion 83b of the stepped opening 83a and secures the triangular attachment 81 to the plate 91 of the positioning member 90a facing the vehicle cabin. At the same time, the tip of the screw 98 abuts against the surface 111a of the flange 111 of the pillar 110 facing the inside of the vehicle cabin. When the screw 98 is tightened, an engagement surface 92b of the hook 92a is pressed against the surface 111b of the flange 111 facing the outside of the vehicle cabin, and the positioning member 90a is secured to the pillar 110.

[0076] In the vehicle cabin structure 180 described above, the positioning member 90a can be attached to the pillar 110 at any desired location in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, the installation position can be changed so that an interior trim item can be attached to any desired location.

[0077] Next, with reference to Fig. 15, a vehicle cabin structure 280 is described in which a positioning element 90b is fixed to the pillar 110 by welding. Since elements other than the positioning element 90b are identical to those of the previously described with reference to the Fig. 9 to 13, these elements will not be described again.

[0078] As in Fig. 15, the positioning element 90b consists of the side plate 93 with the end facing the pillar 110, which is fastened by welding 99 to the surface 111a of the side flange 111 of the pillar 110 facing the interior of the vehicle cabin. In the vehicle cabin structure 280, the positioning element 90b is formed in multiple numbers in the longitudinal direction of the pillar 110, so that the mounting position of the triangular attachment 81 can be selected according to the interior item to be attached. Since the positioning element 90b is fastened to the pillar 110 by welding 99, the mounting strength of the positioning element 90b with respect to the pillar 110 is increased compared to the above-mentioned embodiment with reference to Fig. 14, and an interior item that applies a large load to the triangular attachment 81 can be supported more reliably.

Claims

[1] Vehicle cabin structure, comprising: a frame member extending in a vertical direction of the vehicle or in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and forming a frame of a vehicle cabin; and a frame covering, which is an interior element arranged with a gap to a surface of the frame element facing the interior of the vehicle cabin and covering the surface of the frame element facing the interior of the vehicle cabin, wherein a surface of the frame panel facing the interior of the vehicle cabin has a slot extending along the frame element, characterized by : a positioning element arranged in the gap between the frame panel and the frame member and having a width greater than the slot; an attachment disposed opposite the positioning element across the slot and having a width greater than the slot, the attachment being capable of securing an interior trim article to the interior of the vehicle cabin; and a fastener that attaches the positioning element and the attachment to each other via the slot and secures the attachment to the frame panel. [2] Vehicle cabin structure, comprising: a frame member extending in a vertical direction of the vehicle or in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and forming a frame of a vehicle cabin; and a frame covering, which is an interior element covering an interior surface of the frame element facing the vehicle cabin, wherein the frame panel has a groove extending along the frame element at its section facing the interior of the vehicle cabin; and the groove has an opening width that is narrower than its inner groove width. [3] Vehicle cabin structure according to claim 2, further comprising: a positioning element arranged in the groove in the frame panel and having a width greater than the opening width of the groove; an attachment disposed opposite the positioning element across an opening of the groove and having a width greater than the opening width of the groove, the attachment being capable of securing an interior trim article to the inside of the vehicle cabin; and a fastener that attaches the positioning element and the attachment to each other via the opening of the groove and secures the attachment to the frame panel. [4] A vehicle cabin structure according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the frame member is a pillar extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle or an upper side member connected to the pillar and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; several attachments are secured to the frame panel; and a handrail is attached to the attachments. [5] Vehicle cabin structure, comprising: a frame member extending in a vertical direction of the vehicle or in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and forming a frame of a vehicle cabin; and a frame covering, which is an interior element arranged with a gap to a surface of the frame element facing the interior of the vehicle cabin and covering the surface of the frame element facing the interior of the vehicle cabin, wherein a surface of the frame panel facing the interior of the vehicle cabin has a slot extending along the frame element, The vehicle cabin structure also features a positioning element, one end of which is fixed to the frame element and the other end of which extends into the slot in the frame covering; and an attachment having a base portion attached to the other end of the positioning element and a tip portion to which an interior fitting is attached, characterized by that the attachment has a triangular ring shape with a substantially rectangular cross-section, wherein one side forms the base section; a vertex section opposite one side forms the tip section; the frame member is a pillar extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle or an upper longitudinal member connected to the pillar and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; several positioning elements are attached to the frame element; two or more of the plurality of positioning elements have attachments, each of which is respectively attached thereto; and a handrail is attached to the attachments. [6] A vehicle cabin structure according to claim 5, wherein one end of the positioning member is fixed to the frame member so that a fixing position on the frame member is changeable. [7] A vehicle cabin structure according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of positioning members are arranged, and the positioning members are fixed to the respective portions of the frame member. [8] Vehicle cabin structure according to one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the base portion of the attachment includes a base attachment portion attached to the other end of the positioning member; the tip portion of the attachment includes a tip attachment portion to which an interior fitting article is attached; the base attachment portion and the tip attachment portion each have a solid, substantially rectangular cross-section; and a portion between the base attachment portion and the tip attachment portion has a substantially rectangular hollow cross-section and has a thickness that increases toward the base attachment portion or the tip attachment portion.

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