Side panel structure of vehicle

Abstract

To provide a side panel structure of a vehicle which widely secures an in-cabin space with respect to a vehicle width.SOLUTION: A side panel structure of a vehicle includes a skeleton member 5A which forms a frame of a body 1A of vehicle, a panel member 2 which forms an outer surface of the body 1A, a claw part 11 which has a planar region extended out toward the upper side and the vehicle width direction outer side from a lateral surface part directed to the vehicle width direction outer side of the skeleton member 5A, and a pin member 12 which is attached to an upper edge part 2U at a space to which the claw part 11 can be inserted with respect to an upper edge part 2U of a panel member 2, and is suspended by the planar region in such a state that the claw part 11 is inserted to the gap.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle side panel structure provided on a side portion of a vehicle body. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the body of a bus is configured such that plate-like panels made of steel plates or aluminum alloys are attached as outer surfaces to framework members that form the framework of the bus body. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle body side structure in which the side wall of the vehicle body is composed of a side panel forming an upper part and a lower cover forming a lower part extending downward from the side panel. In this vehicle body side structure, a fitting part at the upper end of the lower cover is fitted onto a protrusion formed at the lower end of the side panel, so that the lower cover is rotatably connected to the side panel (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-291144 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the technology of Patent Document 1 mentioned above, the structure for rotatably connecting the side panel and lower cover was such that the protrusions of the side panel were supported by the fitting portion of the lower cover, and so the panel was thicker toward the inside (the side facing the body frame) (see, for example, Figure 5 of Patent Document 1). Conventionally, a hinge structure has sometimes been used to attach panels such as side panels and lower covers that form the side walls of a bus body to the body frame so that they can be opened and closed.

[0005] In the above conventional technology, in order to mount thick structures such as hinge structures and fittings on the inside of the panel (the side facing the frame member), it is necessary to make the panel bulge toward the outside of the vehicle. This tends to result in a large gap between the frame member and the panel. This thickness between the frame member and the panel limits the amount of interior space provided on the inside of the body that can be made large relative to the width of the bus. Therefore, in the conventional technology, there is room for improvement in terms of ensuring a wide interior space relative to the width of the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve at least part of the above problems, and can be realized in the following aspects or application examples.

[0007] (1) The vehicle side panel structure according to this application example includes a skeletal member forming the framework of the vehicle body, a panel member forming the outer surface of the body, a claw portion having a planar area extending upward and outward in the vehicle width direction from a side portion of the skeletal member facing outward in the vehicle width direction, and a pin member attached to an upper edge portion of the panel member with a gap through which the claw portion can be inserted, and which is hooked onto the planar area with the claw portion inserted into the gap.

[0008] According to this vehicle side panel structure, the panel member can be attached to the skeletal member by hooking the pin member of the panel member to the planar area of ​​the claw portion of the skeletal member. Since this is a simple structure in which the pin member is hooked to the claw portion, the thickness between the panel member and the skeletal member is thinner than in a conventional structure in which the panel member is attached to the skeletal member via, for example, a hinge structure. This makes it possible to ensure a wide interior space relative to the width of the vehicle. This allows the interior space to be used more widely.

[0009] (2) In the vehicle side panel structure according to this application example, the pin members and the claw portions may each be provided in a plurality of pieces at intervals in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. In this case, rattling when the panel member is attached to the framework member can be suppressed, and the attachment stability of the panel member to the framework member is improved. (3) Furthermore, in the vehicle side panel structure related to this application example, the claw portion may be formed protruding from a base plate that is a separate member from the skeletal member and is fixed to the side portion of the skeletal member, the base plate may extend in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and multiple claw portions may be integrally formed on one of the base plates. In this case, since the multiple claw portions are integrally formed on one base plate, it is easier to ensure the dimensional accuracy of the spacing between the multiple claw portions compared to the case where the multiple claw portions are provided separately.

[0010] (4) In the vehicle side panel structure according to this application example, the pin member may be formed in a cylindrical shape, and the planar area of ​​the claw portion may be formed in a flat plate shape or a curved shape that convex toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. It is easy to ensure a rotation range when the pin member rotates around its axis in the planar area of ​​the claw portion. Therefore, with the panel member attached to the framework member, the panel member can be opened widely upward relative to the framework member around the axis of the pin member. This makes it easier to perform work behind the panel member, such as fixing lamps and wiring. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the vehicle side panel structure of the present invention, a wide interior space can be ensured relative to the width of the vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a left side view of a bus to which the vehicle side panel structure according to the application example can be applied. [Diagram 2] 1 is an explanatory diagram of a vehicle side panel structure according to an application example. [Diagram 3] 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of a part of the vehicle side panel structure shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4]FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the side panel and the side rail are attached. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a pin member of the side panel. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a claw portion of the body frame. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a claw portion of the body frame. [Figure 8] 1A is a left side view of a portion of the body frame, and FIG. 1B is a left side view of a portion of the side panel. [Figure 9] 10 is an explanatory diagram of a claw portion of a body frame according to a modified example. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are merely examples, and are not intended to exclude the application of various modifications and techniques not specified in the embodiments. The configurations of the following embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. In addition, they can be selected or combined as necessary.

[0014] Hereinafter, the front-rear direction of a vehicle to which the vehicle side panel structure according to this embodiment is applied is also referred to as the vehicle length direction, and the left-right direction of the vehicle is also referred to as the vehicle width direction. The up-down direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is also referred to as the vehicle height direction. The left-right direction is determined based on the forward facing posture of the vehicle. In the drawings, the front is indicated by "FR", the rear is indicated by "RR", the left is indicated by "LH", the right is indicated by "RH", the upper side is indicated by "UP", and the lower side is indicated by "DW".

[0015] [1. Configuration] Fig. 1 is a left side view of the exterior of a bus 1 to which a vehicle side panel structure 10 according to this embodiment is applied. Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the vehicle side panel structure 10 according to this embodiment together with a part of the left side surface of the bus 1 to which this side panel structure 10 is applied, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 1. 1 is an example of a vehicle (bus-type vehicle) to which a side panel structure 10 is applied. In the following, the side panel structure 10 applied to the left side portion of the bus 1 will be described.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 1, the side portions of a body 1A of a bus 1 are provided with side panels (panel members) 2, window glass 3, doors 4, and the like, which are members that form the outer surface of the body 1A. The members that form the outer surface of the body 1A, such as the side panels 2, the window glass 3, and the doors 4, are attached to framework members (not shown in Fig. 1) that form the framework of the body 1A.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 2, the side of the body 1A of the bus 1 is provided with two (plural) side rails 5A, 5B as framework members, and one skirt rail 5C disposed at the lower end of the side of the body 1A. The side rails 5A, 5B and the skirt rail 5C extend in the front-rear direction on the side of the body 1A. The two side rails 5A, 5B are disposed spaced apart from each other in the up-down direction. The skirt rail 5C is disposed below the lower side rail 5B. A body frame 5D extending in the vehicle width direction is disposed on the inner side of the skirt rail 5C in the vehicle width direction. Although not shown, the framework members provided on the side surfaces of the body 1A of the bus 1 include side rails 5A, 5B and a skirt rail 5C, as well as a plurality of pillars extending in the vertical direction.

[0018] 2, a side panel 2 is disposed on the outer side of each of the side rails 5A, 5B and the skirt rail 5C in the vehicle width direction. The side panel 2 is part of the outer surface that defines the appearance of the bus 1 on the left side surface of the body 1A, is a plate-like surface that extends in the up-down and front-rear directions of the vehicle, and is formed of a panel member made of, for example, a steel plate or an aluminum alloy. A window glass 3 is disposed above the side panel 2 along the extending surface of the side panel 2 via a sealing 6, and the lower end of the side panel 2 extends to the lower end of the side portion of the body 1A (below the skirt rail 5C).

[0019] An upper edge 2U of the side panel 2 is attached to an upper side rail 5A, the details of which will be described later. A lower edge 2D of the side panel 2 is fixed to a bracket 7 fixed to a skirt rail 5C, for example, by a bolt (not shown). The upper edge 2U of the side panel 2 is bent inward in the vehicle width direction with respect to a surface below the upper edge 2U. In addition, the lower edge portion 2D of the side panel 2 is formed into a flange shape bent approximately 90 degrees toward the inside in the vehicle width direction with respect to a surface above the lower edge portion 2D. This allows a bolt for fixing to the bracket 7 to be attached from the underside of the lower edge portion 2D. Furthermore, a damping member 8 made of, for example, a sponge is interposed between the side panel 2 and the side rail 5B to suppress vibration.

[0020] A side trim 9A is provided on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the side panel 2 via the side rails 5A, 5B. The side trim 9A is a member forming a side wall surface of the vehicle interior space of the bus 1. In addition, a floor panel 9B forming a floor surface of the vehicle interior space is disposed on the upper surface of the body frame 5D, on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the side rails 5A, 5B. That is, a side panel 2 forming the outer surface of a body 1A (see FIG. 1) of the bus 1 and a side trim 9A forming a side wall surface of the vehicle interior space of the bus 1 are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction with side rails 5A, 5B sandwiched therebetween.

[0021] Here, if the distance in the vehicle width direction between the outer surfaces on both the left and right sides of the body 1A (see FIG. 1) is defined as the width of the bus 1, then the width of the bus 1 is determined by the distance between the side panels 2 on both the left and right sides. On the other hand, the distance in the vehicle width direction (width width) of the interior space is determined by the distance between the side trims 9A that form the left and right side surfaces. In order to expand the width of the interior space in the vehicle width direction without changing the width of the bus 1 (in other words, to expand the width of the interior space in the vehicle width direction relative to the width of the bus 1), it is necessary to move the side trim 9A outward in the vehicle width direction without changing the position of the side panel 2. In the vehicle side panel structure 10 of this embodiment, as described in detail below, the thickness G (see Figure 3) between the side panel 2 and the side rails 5A, 5B (skeletal members) can be made small, thereby ensuring the width of the interior space in the vehicle width direction relative to the vehicle width of the bus 1.

[0022] Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged portion of the side panel structure 10 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the side panel 2 attached to the side rail 5A, and is a perspective view of the side panel 2 as viewed diagonally from above the front left of the vehicle. In Fig. 4, the side rail 5A is shown by a dashed line, and some of the components such as the window glass 3 are omitted. In the side panel structure 10 shown in Figs. 2 to 4, a claw portion 11 and a pin member 12 are provided as a structure for attaching the side panel 2 to the side rail 5A.

[0023] The claw portion 11 has a planar region 11A extending upward and to the left (outside in the vehicle width direction) from a side portion 13 facing outward in the vehicle width direction on the side rail 5A, and is a catch member that receives the pin member 12 with this planar region 11A. The pin member 12 is fixed to an upper edge portion 2U of the side panel 2, and is a columnar member extending in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0024] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the upper edge portion 2U of the side panel 2 as viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction. As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 5, the pin member 12 is fixed, for example, by welding, to the upper edge portion of a support plate 14 which is a separate member from the upper edge portion 2U of the side panel 2. The pin member 12 is attached to the upper edge portion 2U of the side panel 2 by fixing the support plate 14 to the inner surface of the upper edge portion 2U of the side panel 2 in the vehicle width direction, for example, by screwing or spot welding.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the pin member 12 is attached to the upper edge portion 2U of the side panel 2 (and the upper edge portion of the support plate 14) with a gap 15 therebetween. In order to provide a gap 15 between the pin member 12 and the upper edge 2U of the side panel 2 (and the upper edge of the support plate 14), an upwardly opening U-shaped notch is formed in the upper edge 2U of the side panel 2 (and the upper edge of the support plate 14), and the pin member 12 is positioned at this notch.

[0026] This gap 15 is formed to be larger than the dimension of the claw portion 11 in the vehicle front-rear direction and the plate thickness of the claw portion 11 so that the claw portion 11 can be inserted therethrough. In particular, it is preferable that the dimension of the gap 15 in the vehicle front-rear direction is set larger than the dimension of the claw portion 11 in the vehicle front-rear direction in order to adjust the position in the front-rear direction when attaching the side panel 2. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, when the claw portion 11 is inserted into the gap 15, the pin member 12 is located on the upper surface side of the planar region 11A of the claw portion 11, and is therefore hooked onto the planar region 11A.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the side rail 5A and the claw portion 11 as viewed diagonally from above and to the left on the front side of the vehicle. 3 and 6, the claw portion 11 is formed to protrude upward and leftward (outward in the vehicle width direction) from the upper edge of a base plate 16, which is a separate member from the side rail 5A. That is, the claw portion 11 is a part of the base plate 16, and is a plate-shaped portion protruding upward and leftward (outward in the vehicle width direction) from the upper edge. The base plate 16 is fixed to the side surface portion 13 of the side rail 5A by, for example, a screw, so that the claw portion 11 is attached to the side surface portion 13 of the side rail 5A. The attachment position (front-rear position and height position) of the base plate 16 to the side surface portion 13 is appropriately set in relation to the pin members 12 in the side panel 2.

[0028] Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the side rail 5A, the claw portion 11, and the base plate 16 taken out from Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 7, the claw portion 11 is a portion that extends upward from the base plate 16, and the upward surface of the claw portion 11 forms a planar region 11A. This planar region 11A is formed in a flat plate shape and forms an inclined surface that is inclined diagonally upward to the left with respect to the base plate 16. Since the planar region 11A is an inclined surface facing diagonally upward to the left, a pin member 12 (indicated by a dashed line in the drawing) can be hooked onto the upper surface of the planar region 11A.

[0029] When attaching the side panel 2 to the side rail 5A, first, the side panel 2 is attached to the side rail 5A from the upper left side, and the claw portion 11 is inserted into the gap 15. This causes the pin member 12 to be hooked onto the upper surface of the planar region 11A of the claw portion 11. In this state, the upper edge portion 2U of the side panel 2 can be hooked onto the side rail 5A. At this time, the worker can adjust the position of the side panel 2 relative to the side rail 5A (body 1A) in the vehicle front-rear direction within the range of the clearance between the gap 15 and the claw portion 11.

[0030] After the worker properly adjusts the position of the side panel 2 relative to the side rail 5A (body 1A) in the vehicle front-rear direction, the lower edge portion 2D of the side panel 2 is fixed to the bracket 7, for example, with a bolt. In this manner, the side panel 2 is attached to the side rail 5A at the upper edge portion 2U by engagement between the claw portion 11 and the pin member 12, and then the lower edge portion 2D is fixed to the skirt rail 5C via the bracket 7. Furthermore, because the pin member 12 is cylindrical, before the lower edge portion 2D of the side panel 2 is fixed, the side panel 2 can be rotated upward relative to the side rail 5A (body 1A) about the axis of the pin member 12 hooked onto the upper surface of the planar region 11A of the claw portion 11. For example, the side panel 2 can be rotated within a range between a state in which it hangs down substantially vertically when viewed from the front-rear direction and a position rotated upward by approximately 90°.

[0031] 8(A) is a side view of the side rail 5A and the claw portion 11, and FIG. 8(B) is a side view of the side panel 2 and the pin member 12. As shown in FIG. As shown in Fig. 8(A), a plurality of claw portions 11 are provided at intervals in the vehicle front-rear direction on the side rail 5A. Also, as shown in Fig. 8(B), a plurality of pin members 12 are provided at intervals in the vehicle front-rear direction on the side panel 2, one for each of the claw portions 11. The side panel 2 is attached to the side rail 5A at a plurality of locations spaced apart in the vehicle front-rear direction by the plurality of pin members 12 and the plurality of claw portions 11.

[0032] The distance (spacing) between each pin member 12 and each claw portion 11 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the number of pin members 12 and claw portions 11 can be set appropriately taking into consideration stability when attaching the side panel 2 to the side rail 5A. The pin members 12 and the claw portions 11 may or may not be spaced at equal intervals.

[0033] 8(A), the plurality of claw portions 11 are integrally formed on one base plate 16. In other words, the plurality of claw portions 11 are provided protruding at intervals in the vehicle longitudinal direction from an upper edge portion of one base plate 16. In this case, one base plate 16 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction along the region in which the plurality of claw portions 11 are provided. Regarding the multiple pin members 12 shown in FIG. 8(B), multiple pin members 12 may be provided on one support plate 14, or one pin member 12 may be provided on one support plate 14.

[0034] [2. Effects] The side panel structure 10 according to the present embodiment described above provides the following advantages. In the side panel structure 10 according to this application example, the pin member 12 of the side panel 2 is hooked onto the planar area 11A of the claw portion 11 of the side rail 5A, thereby attaching the upper edge portion 2U of the side panel 2 to the side rail 5A. Because of this simple structure in which the pin member 12 is hooked onto the claw portion 11, the thickness G (see FIG. 3) between the side rail 5A (framework member, body) and the side panel 2 is thinner than in a conventional structure in which the upper edge portion of the side panel is attached to the side rail (framework member) via, for example, a hinge structure.

[0035] Since the thickness G (see FIG. 3) between the side rail 5A and the side panel 2 can be reduced, the side trim 9A can be disposed outward in the vehicle width direction without changing the position of the side panel 2. This allows a wider interior space to be secured in the vehicle width direction relative to the width of the bus 1. This allows the interior space to be used more efficiently.

[0036] In addition, because the pin member 12 is hooked onto the claw portion 11, the side panel 2 can be rotated up and down about the axis of the pin member 12 with the upper edge portion 2U of the side panel 2 attached to the side rail 5A. Therefore, until the lower edge portion 2D of the side panel 2 is fixed, the side panel 2 can be opened and closed freely with respect to the body 1A with the upper edge portion 2U of the side panel 2 attached to the side rail 5A. This makes it easier to carry out work behind the side panel 2, such as fixing lamps and wiring.

[0037] Furthermore, since multiple pin members 12 and claw portions 11 are provided at intervals in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, rattling when the upper edge portion 2U of the side panel 2 is attached to the side rail 5A can be suppressed, improving the attachment stability of the side panel 2 to the side rail 5A. Since the plurality of claws 11 are integrally formed on one base plate 16, it is easier to ensure the dimensional accuracy of the spacing between the plurality of claws 11 compared to the case where the plurality of claws are provided separately.

[0038] In addition, because the pin member 12 is formed in a cylindrical shape and the planar region 11A of the claw portion 11 is formed in a flat plate shape, it is easy to ensure a rotation range when the pin member 12 rotates about its axis on the planar region 11A of the claw portion 11. Therefore, when the side panel 2 is rotated in the up-down direction about the axis of the pin member 12 with the upper edge portion 2U of the side panel 2 attached to the side rail 5A, the side panel 2 can slide without frictional resistance, and can be rotated upward by approximately 90° from a state in which the side panel 2 hangs down approximately vertically. Therefore, the side panel 2 can be opened wide with the upper edge 2U of the side panel 2 attached to the side rail 5A. This makes it much easier to perform work behind the side panel 2, such as fixing lamps and wiring.

[0039] [3.Other] The side panel structure 10 is not limited to the structure described above. 9, the planar region 11A' of the claw portion 11 may be formed in a curved shape that is convex toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. In this case, the curved shape of the planar region 11A' is a curved surface that follows the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical pin member 12, so that when the pin member 12 is hooked onto the planar region 11A' of the claw portion 11, the pin member 12 is unlikely to come off the planar region 11A' of the claw portion 11. In addition, when the side panel 2 is opened or closed by hooking the pin member 12 onto the planar region 11A' of the claw portion 11, the axis of the pin member 12 is unlikely to wobble, and the opening and closing operation is smooth without frictional resistance.

[0040] Side panel structure 10 may be applied not only to the left side surface of bus 1, but also to the right side surface of bus 1. In this case, side panel structure 10 has the same configuration as when applied to the left side surface of bus 1, except that it is symmetrical.

[0041] Below, supplementary notes regarding this embodiment will be disclosed. [Appendix 1] A framework member that forms a framework of a vehicle body; A panel member forming an outer surface of the body; a claw portion having a planar region extending upward and outward in the vehicle width direction from a side portion of the frame member facing outward in the vehicle width direction; a pin member that is attached to the upper edge portion of the panel member with a gap through which the claw portion can be inserted, and that is hooked onto the planar region with the claw portion inserted into the gap. A vehicle side panel structure comprising: [Appendix 2] 2. The vehicle side panel structure according to claim 1, wherein the pin members and the claw portions are each provided in a plurality at intervals in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. [Appendix 3] the claw portion is a separate member from the framework member, and is formed to protrude from a base plate fixed to the side surface portion of the framework member, The base plate extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, The claws are integrally formed on one of the base plates. 3. A side panel structure for a vehicle according to claim 2. [Appendix 4] The pin member is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the planar region of the claw portion is formed in a flat plate shape or a curved shape that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction. 4. A vehicle side panel structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1 Bus (vehicle) 1A Body 2 Side panels (panel components) 2D bottom edge 2U top edge 3. Window Glass 4 Door 5A Side rail (framework) 5B Side rail 5C Skirt rail 5D Body Frame 6. Sealing 7 Bracket 8 Damping material 9A Side trim 9B Floor panel 10 Side panel structure 11 Claw part 11A Planar area 11A′ Planar area 12 Pin member 13 Side part 14 Support plate 15. Gap 16 Base Plate G Thickness

Claims

1. A framework member that forms a framework of a vehicle body; A panel member forming an outer surface of the body; a claw portion having a planar region extending upward and outward in the vehicle width direction from a side portion of the frame member facing outward in the vehicle width direction; a pin member that is attached to the upper edge portion of the panel member with a gap through which the claw portion can be inserted, and that is hooked onto the planar region with the claw portion inserted into the gap. A vehicle side panel structure comprising:

2. 2. The vehicle side panel structure according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said pin members and a plurality of said claw portions are provided at intervals in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

3. the claw portion is a separate member from the framework member, and is formed to protrude from a base plate fixed to the side surface portion of the framework member, The base plate extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, The claws are integrally formed on one of the base plates.

3. The vehicle side panel structure according to claim 2 .

4. The pin member is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the planar region of the claw portion is formed in a flat plate shape or a curved shape that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction.

2. The vehicle side panel structure according to claim 1.

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