Vehicle side-part structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle side-part structure that is able to restrict deformation of a center pillar toward a vehicle rear-side in a roof crash test.SOLUTION: A rear leg portion 42 of a brace 40 is positioned above a U-shaped portion 21 of a rocker outer 20 and has an inclined portion 42e extending at an angle so as to be positioned on a vehicle front-side as it extends downward. Therefore, when a moment M toward a vehicle rear-side acts on a center pillar outer 30, with the result that the center pillar outer 30 is deformed, the rear leg portion 42 comes into contact with an upper surface of the U-shaped portion 21 of the rocker outer 20. Accordingly, a load F that cancels the moment M of the center pillar outer 30 toward the vehicle rear-side can be generated, and deformation of the center pillar toward the vehicle rear-side (a mode in which a rear-side wall of the center pillar deforms and the center pillar consequently falls down) can be restricted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle side structure. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a center pillar inner lower that connects a lower part of a center pillar and a rocker (side sill).

[0003] Incidentally, in a vehicle roof crash test (FMVSS 216: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 216), the device that applies a load to the vehicle pushes the vehicle at an angle of 25° when viewed from the front and 5° when viewed from the side, so that pushing the vehicle at an angle of 5° when viewed from the side applies a moment to the rear of the vehicle to the center pillar. However, the technology disclosed in the above publication does not disclose a structure that reacts to this moment. Therefore, there is room for improvement in terms of suppressing deformation of the center pillar toward the rear of the vehicle during a roof crash test. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-071619 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle side structure that can suppress deformation of a center pillar toward the rear of the vehicle during a roof crash test. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention which achieves the above object is as follows. (1) a center pillar outer member extending in a vertical direction and connected at its lower portion to a rocker outer member extending in a vehicle front-rear direction; a brace provided at a lower end of the center pillar outer; having The rocker outer has a hat shape in a cross section perpendicular to the vehicle front-rear direction, which is an extension direction, and includes a U-shaped portion that opens toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, an upper flange portion that extends upward from an inner end portion in the vehicle width direction of an upper wall portion of the U-shaped portion, and a lower flange portion that extends downward from an inner end portion in the vehicle width direction of a lower wall portion of the U-shaped portion, When viewed from the vehicle width direction, the brace has an inverted U-shape having front legs extending in the vertical direction, rear legs extending in the vertical direction from the front legs at a position rearward of the vehicle, and a connection portion connecting the front legs and the rear legs and extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, The rear leg portion is located above the U-shaped portion of the rocker outer, and has an inclined portion that extends downwardly and is positioned toward the front of the vehicle. (2) A vehicle side structure as described in (1), wherein the lower ends of the front leg portion and the rear leg portion of the brace are each positioned outward in the vehicle width direction from the upper flange portion of the rocker outer. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the vehicle side structure described above in (1), the following effects can be obtained. The rear leg of the brace is located above the U-shaped portion of the rocker outer, and has an inclined portion that extends at an angle so that it is positioned further forward of the vehicle as it extends downward, so that when a moment toward the rear of the vehicle acts on the center pillar outer and the center pillar outer is deformed during a vehicle roof crash test, it comes into contact with the upper surface of the U-shaped portion of the rocker outer and generates a load that cancels the moment of the center pillar outer toward the rear of the vehicle. This makes it possible to suppress deformation of the center pillar toward the rear of the vehicle (a mode in which the rear wall of the center pillar deforms and the center pillar collapses).

[0008] According to the vehicle side structure described above in (2), the following effects can be obtained. Because the lower ends of the front and rear legs of the brace are each located outward in the vehicle width direction of the upper flange portion of the rocker outer, when the center pillar outer is deformed inward in the vehicle width direction during a vehicle side collision test, they come into contact with the upper flange portion of the rocker outer and the load of the center pillar outer toward the inside in the vehicle width direction can be transmitted to the rocker, thereby suppressing deformation of the center pillar toward the inside in the vehicle width direction. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle side structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction and from the upper front side. [Diagram 2] 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle side structure according to the embodiment of the present invention, taken from the same direction as FIG. 1, showing the relationship between the moment acting on the center pillar during a roof crash test and the load that cancels the moment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] A vehicle side structure 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle, and FR indicates the front side of the vehicle.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle side structure 10 has a center pillar outer (B-pillar outer) 30 that extends in the vertical direction and is connected at its lower part to the rocker outer 20, and a brace 40 provided at the lower end of the center pillar outer 30.

[0012] The rocker outer 20 is provided at the lower part of both sides in the vehicle width direction, extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. The rocker outer 20 has a hat shape in a cross section perpendicular to the vehicle front-rear direction, which is the extension direction, and has a U-shaped portion 21 that opens toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, an upper flange portion 22 that extends upward from the vehicle width inner end of the upper wall portion 21a of the U-shaped portion 21, and a lower flange portion 23 that extends downward from the vehicle width inner end of the lower wall portion 21b of the U-shaped portion 21. The rocker outer 20 is joined to a rocker inner (not shown) arranged on the vehicle width inner side of the rocker outer 20 at the upper flange portion 22 and the lower flange portion 23. The rocker outer 20 cooperates with the rocker inner to form a rocker having a closed cross section extending in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0013] The center pillar outer 30 has a hat shape in a cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction in which it extends, the hat shape having a U-shaped portion 31 that opens toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, a front flange portion 32 that extends toward the front of the vehicle from the inside end of the front wall portion 31a of the U-shaped portion 31 in the vehicle width direction, and a rear flange portion 33 that extends toward the rear of the vehicle from the inside end of the rear wall portion 31b of the U-shaped portion 31 in the vehicle width direction. The center pillar outer 30 is joined to a center pillar inner (not shown) disposed on the inside of the center pillar outer 30 in the vehicle width direction at the front flange portion 32 and the rear flange portion 33. The center pillar outer 30 cooperates with the center pillar inner to form a center pillar having a closed cross section that extends in the vertical direction. The lower portion of the center pillar outer 30 is joined to a middle portion of the rocker outer 20 in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0014] The brace 40 is a brace that is compatible with NV (Noise Vibration), and is disposed on the vehicle widthwise inner side of the center pillar outer panel 30. As shown in Fig. 2, when viewed from the vehicle width direction, the brace 40 has an inverted U-shape having front legs 41 extending in the vertical direction, rear legs 42 extending in the vertical direction at a position rearward of the vehicle from the front legs 41, and a connection part 43 that connects the front legs 41 and the rear legs 42 and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0015] The lower end portions 41-1, 42-1 of the front leg portion 41 and the rear leg portion 42 may or may not be in contact with the rocker outer 20 when no moment toward the rear of the vehicle is acting on the center pillar outer 30 and further when no impact load toward the inside in the vehicle width direction is acting on the center pillar outer 30 (normal time). Also, when they are in contact with the rocker outer 20, they may be joined to the rocker outer 20. Note that in the following embodiment of the present invention, a case will be described in which the lower end portions 41-1, 42-1 of the front leg portion 41 and the rear leg portion 42 are in contact with and joined to the upper flange portion 22 of the rocker outer 20 under normal conditions.

[0016] 1, the front leg portion 41 has a front leg side inner surface portion 41a whose lower end is joined to the upper flange portion 22 of the rocker outer 20 from the outer side in the vehicle width direction and joined to the front flange portion 32 of the center pillar outer 30 at a position above the joint with the upper flange portion 22, a front leg side outward extending surface portion 41b which bends and extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle rear end of the front leg side inner surface portion 41a, and a front leg side outer surface portion 41c which bends and extends to the rear of the vehicle from the outer end of the front leg side outward extending surface portion 41b and is joined to the vehicle width direction extending portion 31c of the U-shaped portion 31 of the center pillar outer 30. The lower end of the front leg side inner surface portion 41a is located at the lower end portion 41-1 of the front leg portion 41. In the drawings, reference numeral 41d denotes a joint (a welded portion by spot welding or the like) between the front leg portion 41 and the rocker outer member 20 or the center pillar outer member 30. As shown in FIG.

[0017] The front leg portion 41 is located above the U-shaped portion 21 of the rocker outer 20. A lower end portion 41-1 of the front leg portion 41 is located outside the upper flange portion 22 of the rocker outer 20 in the vehicle width direction.

[0018] The rear leg portion 42 has a rear leg side inner surface portion 42a whose lower end is joined to the upper flange portion 22 of the rocker outer 20 from the outer side in the vehicle width direction and joined to the rear flange portion 33 of the center pillar outer 30 at a position above the joint with the upper flange portion 22, a rear leg side outward extending surface portion 42b which bends and extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle front end portion of the rear leg side inner surface portion 42a, and a rear leg side outer surface portion 42c which bends and extends from the vehicle width outer end portion of the rear leg side outward extending surface portion 42b toward the front of the vehicle and is joined to the vehicle width direction extending portion 31c of the U-shaped portion 31 of the center pillar outer 30. The lower end portion of the rear leg side inner surface portion 42a is located at the lower end portion 42-1 of the rear leg portion 42. In the drawings, reference numeral 42d denotes a joint (a welded portion by spot welding or the like) between the rear leg portion 42 and the rocker outer member 20 or the center pillar outer member 30. As shown in FIG.

[0019] The rear leg portion 42 is located above the U-shaped portion 21 of the rocker outer 20. A lower end portion 42-1 of the rear leg portion 42 is located outside the upper flange portion 22 of the rocker outer 20 in the vehicle width direction.

[0020] The rear leg 42 has an inclined portion 42e that extends at an angle so as to be positioned further forward of the vehicle as it extends downward. The inclined portion 42e is provided on at least the lower end 42-1 of the rear leg 42 that extends in the vertical direction, and may be provided on only a portion of the rear leg 42 in the vertical direction or over the entire rear leg 42. The inclined portion 42e desirably extends linearly when viewed in the vehicle width direction in order to efficiently generate a load F (both in FIG. 2) that cancels the moment M acting on the center pillar outer panel 30 toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0021] The connection portion 43, in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the up-down direction, has a U-shape that opens toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, and has a connection-portion-side U-shaped portion 43a that is joined to the vehicle width-direction extending portion 31c of the U-shaped portion 31 of the center pillar outer panel 30, a connection-portion-side front flange portion 43b that extends toward the front of the vehicle from the vehicle width-direction inner end portion of the front wall portion 43a1 of the connection-portion-side U-shaped portion 43a and is joined to the front flange portion 32 of the center pillar outer panel 30, and a connection-portion-side rear flange portion 43c that extends toward the rear of the vehicle from the vehicle width-direction inner end portion of the rear wall portion 43a2 of the connection-portion-side U-shaped portion 43a and is joined to the rear flange portion 33 of the center pillar outer panel 30. In the drawings, reference numeral 43d indicates a joint (welded portion by spot welding or the like) between the connection portion 43 and the center pillar outer panel 30.

[0022] Next, the operation and effects of the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0023] (A) The rear leg 42 of the brace 40 is located above the U-shaped portion 21 of the rocker outer 20, and has an inclined portion 42e that extends at an angle so that the downward position is closer to the front of the vehicle, so that when a moment M toward the rear of the vehicle acts on the center pillar outer 30 during a vehicle roof crash test and the center pillar outer 30 is deformed, it can generate a load F that comes into contact with the upper surface of the U-shaped portion 21 of the rocker outer 20 and cancels the moment M toward the rear of the vehicle of the center pillar outer 30 (FIG. 2). This makes it possible to suppress deformation of the center pillar toward the rear of the vehicle (a mode in which the rear wall of the center pillar deforms and the center pillar collapses).

[0024] (B) The lower ends 41-1, 42-1 of the front leg portion 41 and the rear leg portion 42 of the brace 40 are located outward in the vehicle width direction of the upper flange portion 22 of the rocker outer 20, respectively, so that when the center pillar outer 30 is deformed inward in the vehicle width direction during a vehicle side collision test, the upper flange portion 22 of the rocker outer 20 comes into contact with the upper flange portion 22 of the rocker outer 20, and the load of the center pillar outer 30 toward the inside in the vehicle width direction can be transmitted to the rocker. This makes it possible to suppress deformation of the center pillar toward the inside in the vehicle width direction.

[0025] In the above embodiment of the present invention, the respective lower ends 41-1, 42-1 of the front leg 41 and rear leg 42 of the brace 40 are normally joined to the rocker outer 20, but as mentioned above, the respective lower ends 41-1, 42-1 do not have to be joined to the rocker outer 20. In this case, since joining between the brace 40 and the rocker is unnecessary, it is possible to prevent the brace 40 and the rocker from becoming bulky during transportation, and it is possible to increase the amount of material that can be transported during transportation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0026] 10 Vehicle side structure 20 Rock Out 21 U-shaped portion of rocker outer 21a Upper wall of the U-shaped part of the rocker outer 21b Lower wall of U-shaped part of rocker outer 22 Upper flange 23 Lower flange 30 Center pillar outer 31 U-shaped part of center pillar outer 32 Front flange of center pillar outer 33 Rear flange of outer center pillar 40 Brace 41 Front leg of brace 41-1 Lower end of front leg of brace 42 Rear leg of brace 42e Slope 42-1 Lower end of rear leg of brace 43 Brace connection

Claims

[Claim 1] a center pillar outer member extending in a vertical direction and connected at a lower portion to a rocker outer member extending in a vehicle front-rear direction; a brace provided at a lower end of the center pillar outer; having The rocker outer has a hat shape in a cross section perpendicular to the vehicle front-rear direction, which is an extension direction, and includes a U-shaped portion that opens toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, an upper flange portion that extends upward from an inner end portion in the vehicle width direction of an upper wall portion of the U-shaped portion, and a lower flange portion that extends downward from an inner end portion in the vehicle width direction of a lower wall portion of the U-shaped portion, When viewed from the vehicle width direction, the brace has an inverted U-shape having front legs extending in the vertical direction, rear legs extending in the vertical direction from the front legs at a position rearward of the vehicle, and a connection portion connecting the front legs and the rear legs and extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, The rear leg portion is located above the U-shaped portion of the rocker outer, and has an inclined portion that extends downwardly and is positioned toward the front of the vehicle.

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