Roof panel structure

Abstract

To provide a roof panel that can prevent a bent section from being visible from a user when the bent section is provided in a bead.SOLUTION: (i) Since a start point 33a of a bent section 33 is positioned at an apex 21 of a roof panel 20 in height direction or on the vehicle rear side of the apex 21 in a vehicle longitudinal direction, the whole or substantially the whole of the bent section 33 is positioned on a rear side of the roof panel 20 from a user who is outside of the vehicle and on the vehicle front side. Thus, the bent section 33 is in a dead spot and is less likely to be visible. (ii) Since the bent section 33 is such a bent section that has a bent portion 33b which is on a vehicle rear side with respect to a start point 33a, which is a part of a bead 30 in an extension direction, and bends to the inner side in a vehicle width direction, the whole or substantially the whole of the bent section 33 is positioned on a rear side of a bead portion 34 positioned on a vehicle rear side of the bent section 33 from a user who is outside of the vehicle and on the vehicle rear side. Thus, the bent section 33 is in a dead spot and is less likely to be visible.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a roof panel structure for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-316022 discloses a roof panel structure having a sunroof opening and beads extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle on both left and right roof side portions so as to sandwich the sunroof opening.

[0003] However, if the distance between the sunroof opening and the bead is short, the fatigue strength of the sunroof opening may cause stress concentration at the area between the sunroof opening (especially the rear end corner) and the bead. In order to avoid such a concern, it is conceivable to provide a bent portion in the bead and increase the distance between the rear end corner of the sunroof opening and the bead to alleviate the stress concentration. However, if the bead is provided with a bent portion, the bent portion may be visible to a vehicle user outside the vehicle, which may reduce the design. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-316022 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a roof panel structure that, when a bend is provided in a bead, can prevent the bent portion from being visible to a user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention which achieves the above object is as follows. (1) A bead extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is provided on the roof panel of the vehicle, the bead has a bent portion such that a portion of the bead on a vehicle rear side from a part of the extension direction of the bead as a starting point is bent inward in a vehicle width direction, A roof panel structure, wherein the starting point of the bent portion is located at a vertex in a height direction of the roof panel in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction or on the vehicle rear side of the vertex. (2) A roof panel structure as described in (1), wherein at least a portion of the roof panel in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction is curved upwardly in a convex manner. (3) The roof panel is formed with an opening for a sunroof, The roof panel structure according to (1), wherein the beads extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle at roof side portions on both sides in the vehicle width direction, sandwiching the sunroof opening. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the roof panel structure described above in (1)-(3), the following effects can be obtained. Since the bead has a bend that starts from a part of the extension direction of the bead and the bent portion toward the rear of the vehicle from the starting point bends inward in the vehicle width direction, there is a risk that the bend will be visible to a user of the vehicle outside the vehicle. However, (i) since the starting point of the bent portion is located at the apex of the height direction of the roof panel in the vehicle front-rear direction or further rearward than the apex, the entire or nearly entire bent portion is located behind the roof panel from a user outside the vehicle and in front of the vehicle, creating a blind spot and making it difficult to see the bent portion. Also, (ii) since the bent portion is bent such that a part of the extension direction of the bead is used as a starting point and the part of the bent portion on the rear side of the starting point bends inward in the vehicle width direction, the entire or nearly entire bent portion is located behind the bead portion located further rearward than the bent portion from a user outside the vehicle and in the rear of the vehicle, creating a blind spot and making it difficult to see the bent portion. Therefore, due to the above (i) and (ii), even if a bend is provided in the bead, the bend can be prevented from being visible to the user.

[0008] According to the roof panel structure of (2) above, the following effects can be obtained. Since at least a portion of the roof panel in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is convexly curved upward, a vertex in the height direction can be provided on the roof panel, and the starting point of the bent portion can be positioned at the vertex in the height direction of the roof panel or further rearward of the vertex on the vehicle.

[0009] According to the roof panel structure of (3) above, the following effects can be obtained. Since the beads extend in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle on both sides of the sunroof opening in the vehicle width direction, there is a risk that stress concentration will occur in the area between the sunroof opening (especially the rear end corners) and the bead due to the fatigue strength of the sunroof opening. However, since the bead has a bend, the distance between the sunroof opening (especially the rear end corners) and the bead can be increased to alleviate the stress concentration. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are a partial plan view and a partial side view, respectively, of a roof panel structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a partial front view of a roof panel structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, as seen from outside the vehicle and from the front side of the vehicle. [Diagram 3] 1A is a partial plan view of a roof panel structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a partial rear view of the roof panel structure as seen from outside the vehicle rear side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, a roof panel structure 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle, FR indicates the front side of the vehicle, and OUT indicates the outer side in the vehicle width direction.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1(a), a roof panel structure 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a vehicle roof panel 20 and a bead 30 provided on the roof panel 20 and extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0013] The roof panel 20 is made of sheet metal and has a longitudinal direction in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle in a plan view and a shorter direction in the width direction of the vehicle, with the length (width) in the width direction of the vehicle narrowing toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0014] A sunroof opening 22 is formed in the roof panel 20 at a central portion in the vehicle front-rear direction and vehicle width direction. The sunroof opening 22 is rectangular with rounded corners in a plan view. The length (width) of the sunroof opening 22 in the vehicle width direction is constant over the entire area of ​​the sunroof opening 22 in the vehicle front-rear direction, except for the rounded corners.

[0015] 1(b), at least a portion of the roof panel 20 in the vehicle front-rear direction is curved (bulges) gently upward in a convex shape so that the middle position in the vehicle front-rear direction is the highest. Therefore, the roof panel 20 has a height apex 21 at the middle position in the vehicle front-rear direction. The apex 21 is located on the vehicle rear side of the vehicle front end 22a of the sunroof opening 22 and on the vehicle front side of the vehicle rear end 22b of the sunroof opening 22.

[0016] The bead 30 is a bead for dealing with roof thermal strain, which is provided to achieve both production engineering requirements and strength requirements. As shown in Fig. 1(a), the bead 30 is provided on each of both roof side portions (both side portions in the vehicle width direction) of the roof panel 20, extending in the vehicle front-rear direction. Note that in the illustrated example, only one side portion in the vehicle width direction is shown. The bead 30 is provided along the roof side portion of the roof panel 20, and extends toward the rear of the vehicle and inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0017] The bead 30 extends in the vehicle front-rear direction on both roof side portions on either side of the sunroof opening 22. A vehicle front end 31 of the bead 30 is located at the same or approximately the same position in the vehicle front-rear direction as the vehicle front end 22a of the sunroof opening 22, and a vehicle rear end 32 of the bead 30 is located at a position rearward of the vehicle rear end 22b of the sunroof opening 22.

[0018] The bead 30 is a convex bead that is convex upward in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the extension direction, and is therefore visible to a user of the vehicle outside the vehicle.

[0019] As described above, the bead 30 extends toward the rear side of the vehicle and toward the inside in the vehicle width direction. The length (width) of the sunroof opening 22 in the vehicle width direction is constant throughout the entire area of ​​the sunroof opening 22 in the vehicle front-rear direction, except for the R-shaped corner. Therefore, the distance between the rear end corner 22c of the sunroof opening 22 and the bead 30 becomes short, and there is a risk that stress concentration will occur at the portion between the sunroof opening 22 (rear end corner 22c) and the bead 30 in the fatigue strength of the sunroof opening 22. Therefore, in order to increase the distance between the rear end corner 22c of the sunroof opening 22 and the bead 30 to alleviate the stress concentration, a bend 33 is provided in the bead 30 portion located at the vehicle width direction outer side position of the rear end corner 22c of the sunroof opening 22.

[0020] Only one bent portion 33 is provided in the middle of the bead 30 in the extending direction, and is provided so as to be convex outward in the vehicle width direction in a plan view. The bent portion 33 is provided such that a part of the bead 30 in the extending direction serves as a starting point 33a, and a bent portion 33b on the vehicle rear side from the starting point 33a is bent inward in the vehicle width direction. The starting point 33a of the bent portion 33 is located at the same position as the apex 21 in the height direction of the roof panel 20 in the vehicle front-rear direction, or further rearward than the apex 21. Note that the illustrated example shows a case where the starting point 33a of the bent portion 33 is located at the same position as the apex 21.

[0021] Next, the operation and effects of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. (A) Since the bead 30 has a bent portion 33 in which a part of the extension direction of the bead 30 is defined as a starting point 33a and a bent portion 33b on the rear side of the vehicle is bent inward in the vehicle width direction from the starting point 33a, there is a risk that the bent portion 33 may be visible to a user of the vehicle outside the vehicle. However, (i) as shown in Fig. 2, the starting point 33a of the bent portion 33 is located at the apex 21 in the height direction of the roof panel 20 in the vehicle front-rear direction or further rearward than the apex 21, so that the entire or nearly entire bent portion 33 is located behind the roof panel 20 from a user outside the vehicle and in the front of the vehicle, creating a blind spot and making it difficult to see the bent portion 33. Also, (ii) as shown in Fig. 3, the bent portion 33 is bent such that starting point 33a is a part of the extension direction of the bead 30 and a bent portion portion 33b on the vehicle rear side from starting point 33a bends inward in the vehicle width direction, so that the entire or nearly entire bent portion 33 is located behind the bead portion 34 located further rearward than the bent portion 33 from a user outside the vehicle and in the rear of the vehicle, creating a blind spot and making it difficult to see the bent portion 33. Therefore, due to the above (i) and (ii), even if the bead 30 has the bent portion 33, it is possible to prevent the bent portion 33 from being visible to the user.

[0022] (B) Since at least a portion of the roof panel 20 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is convexly curved upward, a vertex 21 in the height direction can be provided on the roof panel 20, and the starting point 33a of the bending portion 33 can be positioned at the vertex 21 in the height direction of the roof panel 20 or further rearward on the vehicle than the vertex 21.

[0023] (C) Since the bead 30 extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle on both sides of the roof side portion in the width direction of the vehicle, sandwiching the sunroof opening 22, the fatigue strength of the sunroof opening 22 may cause stress concentration to occur in the area between the sunroof opening 22 (particularly the rear end corner 22c) and the bead 30. However, since the bead 30 has a bend 33, the distance between the sunroof opening 22 (particularly the rear end corner 22c) and the bead 30 can be increased to alleviate the stress concentration. [Explanation of symbols]

[0024] 10 Roof panel structure 20 Roof Panel 21 Vertex 22 Sunroof opening 22c Rear corner of sunroof opening 30 Beads 31 Vehicle front end of bead 32 Vehicle rear end of bead 33 Bending section 33a Starting point of bend 33b Bend section from starting point to rear of vehicle 34 Bead portion located rearward of the bend

Claims

[Claim 1] A bead extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is provided on a roof panel of the vehicle, the bead has a bent portion such that a portion of the bead on a vehicle rear side from a part of the extension direction of the bead as a starting point is bent inward in a vehicle width direction, A roof panel structure, wherein the starting point of the bent portion is located at a vertex in a height direction of the roof panel in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction or on the vehicle rear side of the vertex.

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