Vehicle side part structure

Abstract

To improve the operability of a manual operation performed on a power supply unit.SOLUTION: A vehicle side part structure 100 includes: a side panel 10; a cable holding structure portion 30 provided on an inner side in a vehicle width direction with respect to an upper part of the side panel 10; and a cable member 40 for a manual operation which has a grip portion 42 and a cable 41 extending to the cable holding structure portion 30 from a manual release portion 23 of a power supply unit 20 provided on the side panel 10. The cable holding structure portion 30 includes: an upper wall 31 extending in a vehicle fore-aft direction along the side panel 10 and facing a vehicle upper side; a guide unit 32 that prevents the cable member 40 from coming off from the upper wall 31 and guides the cable 41 so as to be movable in the vehicle fore-aft direction; and an arrangement portion 33 in which the grip portion 42 is arranged. The guide portion 32 and the arrangement portion 33 are provided on the upper wall 31, and the arrangement portion 33 is provided on the upper wall 31 at a position separated from the guide portion 32 on one side in the vehicle fore-aft direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Vehicles such as electric vehicles often have a power supply unit mounted on the front fender of the vehicle. These vehicles may be equipped with an electronic locking device that locks the lid of the power supply unit or the connection between the power supply unit's inlet and an external charging connector. These electronic locking devices use the driving force of a motor to lock and unlock the power supply unit.

[0003] The structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known as an example of a structure including an electronic locking device that locks the lid or inlet of a power supply unit. The structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 is provided with a manual release unit for releasing the lock set by the electronic locking device. If the lock set by the electronic locking device cannot be electrically released due to some abnormality while the vehicle is in use, the lock set by the electronic locking device is manually released by manually operating a cable module connected to the manual release unit. The cable module has a holding member fixed on a front inside panel provided inside the front fender of the vehicle and a cable member disposed on a base portion of the holding member. The cable member has a grip portion that is held by an operator and a cable connected to the tip of the grip portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-151011 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the cable module disclosed in Patent Document 1, the cable member is held by the holding member with the cable longitudinal direction facing the vehicle width direction. Therefore, in the cable module disclosed in Patent Document 1, the operator must release the lock by pulling the grip portion toward the inside of the vehicle width direction, where obstacles such as wiring and hinges may be present, so there is room for improvement in terms of operability.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle side structure having a structure that can improve the ease of manual operation of a power supply unit provided on a side panel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle side structure including a side panel that forms part of a design surface on an outer side in a vehicle width direction at a front side of a vehicle side, a cable holding structure that is provided on an inner side in the vehicle width direction with respect to an upper part of the side panel, and a manually operated cable member that has a cable extending from a manual release portion of a power supply unit provided on the side panel to the cable holding structure and a grip portion provided at a tip of the cable. In this vehicle side structure, the cable holding structure has an upper wall that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle along the side panel and faces above the vehicle, a guide portion that prevents the cable member from coming off the upper wall and guides the cable so that it can move in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and a positioning portion in which the grip portion is disposed, the guide portion and the positioning portion are provided on the upper wall, and the positioning portion is provided on the upper wall at a position spaced apart from the guide portion on one side of the upper wall in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle side structure having a structure that can improve the operability of manual operation of a power supply unit provided on a side panel. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a partial side view of a vehicle including a vehicle side structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a top view of a main part of the vehicle side structure. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part of the vehicle side structure as viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB shown in FIG. [Figure 6] 10 is a perspective view for explaining a method of assembling a cable member for manual operation of the vehicle side structure. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the vehicle side structure. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an operation direction of the cable member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a partial side view of a vehicle including a vehicle side structure according to one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a top view of a main portion of the vehicle side structure, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a main portion of the vehicle side structure as viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction. In the drawings, the arrow Fr direction indicates the front of the vehicle in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the arrow O direction indicates the outward direction in the vehicle width direction, and the arrow U direction indicates the upward direction in the vehicle vertical direction. In the following description, "front" and "rear" correspond to the front and rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and "up" and "down" correspond to the up and down in the vehicle vertical direction. In addition, in this embodiment, "left" and "right" are defined in the vehicle width direction as viewed from inside the vehicle cabin toward the front of the vehicle.

[0011] [Vehicle side structure overview] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the vehicle side structure 100 is a structure for the front portion of the side of a vehicle. The vehicle side structure 100 is applied to vehicles such as electric vehicles. Note that in Figures 2 and 3, a front hood 11, which will be described later, has been removed.

[0012] The vehicle side structure 100 includes a side panel 10, a power supply unit 20, a cable holding structure unit 30, and a cable member 40. In the following, an example will be described in which the vehicle side structure 100 is applied to the left side of a vehicle. However, the vehicle side structure may also be applied to the right side of a vehicle. In this case, for example, a structure that is symmetrical in the left-right direction to the vehicle side structure 100 applied to the left side of a vehicle described below may be applied to the right side of the vehicle.

[0013] The side panel 10 is a panel that forms part of the design surface on the outer side in the vehicle width direction at the front side of the vehicle side (the left side of the vehicle in the illustrated example). In the illustrated example, the side panel 10 is composed of a fender panel 10a located above the front tire and the outer edge portion in the vehicle width direction of a front bumper 10b that is continuous with the fender panel 10a.

[0014] A power compartment P is provided at the front of the vehicle as an area partitioned by left and right fender panels 10a, a front bumper 10b, a dash panel (not shown), and the like. An upper opening of the power compartment P is opened and closed by a front hood 11. A hood opening lever is provided inside the vehicle cabin, and an operator can unlock the front hood 11 by operating the hood opening lever in the opening direction, and then rotate the front hood 11 in the opening direction by the operator.

[0015] A hood hinge 12 that rotatably supports the front hood 11 is provided in the power compartment P at an upper part on the rear side (i.e., on the passenger compartment side or dash panel side). The hood hinge 12 is provided at the rear of the power compartment P, on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The hood hinge 12 is attached to a member on the vehicle body side so as to be rotatable in the up-down direction (the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 2 ) with the end (rear end) of the hood hinge 12 on the passenger compartment side as a fulcrum. The hood hinge 12 is located near the fender panel 10a, and a hood fixing portion 12a of the hood hinge 12 is fastened to the rear of the outer edge of the front hood 11 in the vehicle width direction by a fastening member B such as a bolt. The hood fixing portion 12a extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle in the closed state, and extends diagonally forward or upward in the open state.

[0016] Power supply unit 20 is a device for supplying power from an external source to the battery of a vehicle (electric vehicle). Power supply unit 20 is disposed on side panel 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the illustrated example, power supply unit 20 is disposed in the rear portion of the upper part of left fender panel 10a. A power feed port 10a1 is opened in a portion of fender panel 10a corresponding to power supply unit 20. Power supply unit 20 is located within power compartment P, and hood hinge 12 is located on the inside in the vehicle width direction relative to power supply unit 20.

[0017] The power supply unit 20 has a lid 21 that can open and close the power supply port 10a1, an inlet 22, and a manual release unit 23. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 20 has a plurality of manual release units 23. Specifically, the power supply unit 20 has two manual release units 23. Hereinafter, one manual release unit 23 will be referred to as a first manual release unit 23a, and the other manual release unit 23 will be referred to as a second manual release unit 23b. For example, the first manual release unit 23a is a mechanism for manually releasing the lock set by a first electronic locking device (not shown) that locks the lid 21 in a closed state in an emergency, etc. The second manual release unit 23b is a mechanism for manually releasing the lock set by a second electronic locking device (not shown) that locks the connection between the inlet 22 and an external connector (not shown) in an emergency, etc.

[0018] That is, in this embodiment, the power supply unit 20 has a lid 21, an inlet 22, a first electronic locking device (not shown) that locks the lid 21 in a closed state, a second electronic locking device (not shown) that locks the connection state between the inlet 22 and an external connector (not shown), a first manual release unit 23a for releasing the lock by the first electronic locking device, and a second manual release unit 23b for releasing the lock by the second electronic locking device. An operator manually operates the manual release units 23 (23a, 23b) via a cable member 40.

[0019] The cable holding structure 30 is a structure for holding the end of the cable member 40 operated by an operator within the power compartment P. The cable holding structure 30 is provided on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the upper part of the side panel 10. Within the power compartment P, the cable holding structure 30 extends generally in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle along the fender panel 10a as a whole. The cable holding structure 30 is disposed in the narrow space between the hood hinge 12 and the upper part of the side portion of the fender panel 10a that extends in the vehicle up-and-down direction and vehicle width direction.

[0020] The cable member 40 is a manually operated member having a cable 41 extending from the manual release portion 23 of the power supply portion 20 provided on the side panel 10 to the cable holding structure portion 30 and a grip portion 42 provided at the tip of the cable 41.

[0021] The cable 41 is, for example, a twisted wire made by twisting together a plurality of flexible single wires. One end of the cable 41 is connected to the manual release unit 23. The cable 41 is laid from the manual release unit 23 to the upper surface (cable holding surface) of the rear part of an upper wall 31 (described later) of the cable holding structure 30.

[0022] The grip portion 42 is a portion formed in an appropriate shape that can be gripped by an operator. In the illustrated example, the grip portion 42 is formed in a loop (annular) shape and is formed in a size that allows an operator's finger to be inserted therein. For example, the twisted wire extending from the tip of the cable 41 is bent back into a loop shape, and the tip of this bent back part is clamped to the tip of the cable 41 by a clamp piece 43, thereby forming the grip portion 42. The twisted wire of the grip portion 42 is covered with, for example, a heat-shrinkable tube.

[0023] In the illustrated example, the cable 41 is covered by a flexible outer casing 44. The outer casing 44 is formed in a tubular shape and covers almost the entire cable 41 except for both longitudinal ends of the cable 41 (stranded wire). The outer casing 44 is thicker than the heat-shrinkable tube that covers the gripping portion 42.

[0024] One end (base end) of cable member 40 (cable 41) is connected to manual release unit 23, and the other end (tip end) of cable member 40 is held by cable holding structure 30. When an operator operates cable member 40, first, the operator operates the hood opening lever in the opening direction. Then, the operator rotates front hood 11 in the opening direction, and then grips grip portion 42 of cable member 40 and pulls grip portion 42, thereby manually operating manual release unit 23 of power feeding unit 20. In other words, by pulling out (pulling) grip portion 42, manual release unit 23 of power feeding unit 20 is manually operated.

[0025] In this embodiment, a cable member 40 is provided for each of the first manual release portion 23a and the second manual release portion 23b. Specifically, the vehicle side structure 100 has two cable members 40. Hereinafter, one cable member 40 will be appropriately referred to as the first cable member 40a, and the other cable member 40 will be appropriately referred to as the second cable member 40b. Although not particularly limited, in the illustrated example, the first cable member 40a has the same structure as the second cable member 40b, and the first cable member 40a and the second cable member 40b each have a cable 41, a gripping portion 42, a clamp piece 43, and an outer casing 44.

[0026] For example, the first cable member 40a is the cable member 40 for unlocking the lid 21 and is connected to the first manual release portion 23a, and the second cable member 40b is the cable member 40 for disconnecting the inlet 22 and is connected to the second manual release portion 23b. When the operator pulls the grip portion 42 of the first cable member 40a, the lock on the lid 21 by the first electronic locking device is released by the first manual release portion 23a. When the operator pulls the grip portion 42 of the second cable member 40b, the lock on the connection state between the inlet 22 and the external connector by the second electronic locking device is released and then released by the second manual release portion 23b.

[0027] [Details of vehicle side structure] Next, the structure of the vehicle side structure 100 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0028] Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 6 is a perspective view for explaining a method of assembling the cable member 40 (first cable member 40a) of the vehicle side section structure 100, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the vehicle side section structure 100. Note that the second cable member 40b has been removed in Fig. 7.

[0029] 2 and 3, the cable holding structure 30 includes an upper wall 31, a guide portion 32, and a placement portion 33.

[0030] The upper wall 31 is a member that extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction along the side panel 10 and faces upward of the vehicle, and constitutes a base portion (main body portion) of the cable holding structure 30. In the illustrated example, the upper wall 31 extends generally in the vehicle longitudinal direction along the upper portion of the fender panel 10a. The upper wall 31 is formed as a part of a long resin member that has a predetermined width in the vehicle transverse direction and is long in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The upper wall 31 is disposed in the narrow space between the upper portion of the side portion of the fender panel 10a and the hood hinge 12. The rear portion of the upper wall 31 is fixed by a first clip C1 or the like to the front portion (dash side front) of the dash side panel 13 (see FIG. 1), which extends in the vehicle vertical direction along the outer edge of the dash panel (not shown) in the vehicle transverse direction. As a result, even if the grip portion 42 is pulled forward of the vehicle, as described below, the rear portion of the upper wall 31 is reliably prevented from deforming upward and becoming detached.

[0031] The guide portion 32 is a portion of the cable holding structure 30 that prevents the cable member 40 from coming off the upper wall 31 and guides the cable 41 so that it can move in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0032] The arrangement portion 33 is a portion of the cable holding structure 30 where the grip portion 42 of the cable member 40 is arranged. The arrangement portion 33 is formed on the upper surface of the upper wall 31 as an upper surface portion that occupies at least an area (projected area) corresponding to the outer shape of the grip portion 42.

[0033] The guide portion 32 and the arrangement portion 33 are provided on the upper wall 31, and the arrangement portion 33 is provided on the upper wall 31 at a position spaced apart from the guide portion 32 on "one side" in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, the "one side" in the vehicle longitudinal direction means "forward" in the vehicle longitudinal direction. That is, in the illustrated example, the arrangement portion 33 is located in front of the guide portion 32, and the guide portion 32 is located behind the arrangement portion 33. The guide portion 32 and the arrangement portion 33 are provided adjacent to each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction and are aligned in a line in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0034] In this way, the arrangement portion 33 of the grip portion 42 provided at the tip of the cable 41 is located forward of the guide portion 32 on the upper wall 31. Therefore, the cable holding structure 30 can direct the grip portion 42 forward in the fore-and-aft direction (longitudinal direction) of the cable 41 in the arrangement portion 33 while guiding the cable 41 (cable member 40) by the guide portion 32 so that the cable 41 is movable in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle while preventing it from coming off the upper wall 31. As a result, the cable holding structure 30 reminds the operator of a forward cable trajectory (in other words, an operation direction) such as pulling the cable member 40 from the guide portion 32 toward the arrangement portion 33. The cable holding structure 30 can then prompt (guide) the operator to pull the grip portion 42 forward of the vehicle.

[0035] In this embodiment, as described above, the power supply unit 20 has a plurality of (here, two) manual release units 23, and the vehicle side section structure 100 has a plurality of (here, two) cable members 40 corresponding to the plurality of manual release units 23. The guide unit 32 and the arrangement unit 33 are also provided for each of the plurality of manual release units 23. Therefore, in this embodiment, in the vehicle side section structure 100, the guide unit 32, the arrangement unit 33, and the cable member 40 are provided for each of the plurality of manual release units 23. In other words, the guide unit 32, the arrangement unit 33, and the cable member 40 are provided for each of the first manual release unit 23a and the second manual release unit 23b.

[0036] The first cable member 40a is the cable member 40 corresponding to the first manual release portion 23a for the lid 21, and the second cable member 40b is the cable member 40 corresponding to the second manual release portion 23b for the inlet 22. Hereinafter, the guide portion 32 and the arrangement portion 33 corresponding to the first manual release portion 23a will be referred to as the first guide portion 32a and the first arrangement portion 33a, respectively, and the guide portion 32 and the arrangement portion 33 corresponding to the second manual release portion 23b will be referred to as the second guide portion 32b and the second arrangement portion 33b, respectively.

[0037] In the illustrated example, the first guide portion 32a, the first arrangement portion 33a, the second guide portion 32b, and the second arrangement portion 33b are collectively provided in a portion of the upper wall 31 on the rear end side (dash panel side / front hood rear end side / hood hinge side). The first guide portion 32a and the first arrangement portion 33a, and the second guide portion 32b and the second arrangement portion 33b are provided adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction. Although not particularly limited, the first guide portion 32a and the first arrangement portion 33a are provided on the upper wall 31 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction relative to the second guide portion 32b and the second arrangement portion 33b.

[0038] In the illustrated example, the first guide portion 32a has a structure different from that of the second guide portion 32b.

[0039] In this embodiment, a portion of the upper wall 31 on "one" side in the vehicle longitudinal direction relative to the arrangement portions 33 (33a, 33b) (here, the portion on the front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction) is offset upward relative to a portion of the upper wall 31 where the guide portions 32 (32a, 32b) and the arrangement portions 33 (33a, 33b) are provided. In other words, the front portion of the upper wall 31 is formed to be positioned higher than the rear portion of the upper wall 31, thereby providing a step S in the vertical direction. The step S is provided across the entire width of the rear portion of the upper wall 31 in the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, the rear portion of the upper wall 31, where the guide portions 32 and the arrangement portions 33 are provided, is lower than the front portion of the upper wall 31.

[0040] 2 to 4, in this embodiment, the cable holding structure 30 has a raised portion 34 that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction along the vehicle width direction outer edge of the upper wall 31 and that protrudes upward from the vehicle. The raised portion 34 is formed over at least the entire vehicle width direction outer edge of the rear portion of the upper wall 31 (i.e., the portion where the guide portion 32 and the arrangement portion 33 are provided). The raised portion 34 extends in the vehicle front-rear direction along the upper portion of the fender panel 10a. Referring to FIG. 4, a fender panel flange portion 10a2 that extends slightly inward in the vehicle width direction is formed in at least a portion of the upper portion of the fender panel 10a that corresponds to the raised portion 34, and the vehicle width direction outer edge of the raised portion 34 overlaps the fender panel flange portion 10a2 from below.

[0041] 2 and 5, in this embodiment, the side panel 10 has an extension portion 10a3. The extension portion 10a3 extends downward from a portion of the upper wall 31 on the one side in the vehicle longitudinal direction relative to the arrangement portion 33 (here, the portion on the front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction) and is fixed to the upper wall 31. The extension portion 10a3 is formed in an area of ​​the upper part of the fender panel 10a that corresponds to a front portion of the upper wall 31 (a portion where the guide portion 31 and the arrangement portion 33 are not provided), and is fixed to the front portion of the upper wall 31 from below by a second clip C2 or the like. In other words, most of the portion of the outer edge of the upper wall 31 on the one side in the vehicle longitudinal direction relative to the arrangement portion 33 (i.e., the front portion of the outer edge of the upper wall 31 in the vehicle longitudinal direction) covers the side panel 10 (the extension portion 10a3 of the fender panel 10a) from above, and the upper wall 31 is fixed to the fender panel 10a from above.

[0042] In the illustrated example, a front portion of the outer edge of the upper wall 31 in the vehicle width direction is continuous with the raised portion 34. An inner wall 35 extends downward from the inner edge of the front portion of the upper wall 31 in the vehicle width direction. The rear end of the inner wall 35, the rear end of the front portion of the upper wall 31, and the front end of the rear portion of the upper wall 31 (the portion where the guide portion 32 and the arrangement portion 33 are provided) are connected by a vertical wall 36 facing the rear of the vehicle. A grip portion insertion hole 36a, into which the tip end of the grip portion 42 of the first cable member 40a is inserted, is opened in the outer portion of the vertical wall 36 in the vehicle width direction. The upper wall 31, including the guide portion 32 and the arrangement portion 33, the raised portion 34, the inner wall 35, and the vertical wall 36 are integrally formed of resin and constitute a member that may be referred to as an upper fender or a fender cover.

[0043] In the illustrated example, a urethane member M having a predetermined width in the front-rear direction and extending in the vehicle width direction is fitted into the portion of the front part of the upper wall 31 on the vertical wall 36 side. The urethane member M seals the gap between the rear surface of the fender panel 10a and the upper wall 31. The urethane member M is also fitted into the inner wall 35.

[0044] In this embodiment, in the first guide portion 32a and first placement portion 33a for the lid 21 (for the first cable member 40a), the guide portion 32 (first guide portion 32a) has a cable guide piece 321 and a guide piece locking element 322.

[0045] The cable guide piece 321 is a member for guiding the cable 41 of the cable member 40 (first cable member 40a) so that the cable 41 can move in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The cable guide piece 321 is provided with a cable guide hole 321a (see FIGS. 4, 6, and 7) that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and into which the cable 41 can be inserted.

[0046] In the illustrated example, the cable guide piece 321 is a resin member and includes a guide body 3211, a front flange 3212 provided at the front end of the guide body 3211, and a rear flange 3213 provided at the rear end of the guide body 3211. The guide body 3211 includes a cylindrical portion 3211a extending in the front-rear direction, and a plurality of ribs 3211b (four in the illustrated example) protruding radially from the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 3211a and extending in the front-rear direction.

[0047] The cable guide hole 321a penetrates the front flange 3212, the cylindrical portion 3211a of the guide main body 3211, and the rear flange 3213. In the present embodiment, the cable guide hole 321a is opened as a hole that has an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the outer casing 44 of the first cable member 40a and extends in the front-rear direction, for example.

[0048] 6, the guide piece locking element 322 is an element that detachably locks the cable guide piece 321 to the upper wall 31. The cable guide piece 321 is locked (attached / mounted) to the upper wall 31 via the guide piece locking element 322 with the grip portion 42 facing the first arrangement portion 33a side (toward the front of the vehicle).

[0049] In the illustrated example, the guide piece locking element 322 is formed integrally with the cable guide piece 321 as a locking claw protruding from the lower part of the cable guide piece 321. The cable guide piece 321 consisting of the locking claw is inserted into a guide piece locking hole 31a (see FIG. 6) that opens in a rear part of the upper wall 31 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, whereby the cable guide piece 321 is locked to the upper wall 31 (see FIGS. 2 to 4 and 7), and the locking claw of the cable guide piece 321 is deformed in the unlocking direction from the back surface side of the upper wall 31 by a pressing force applied by an operator or the like, whereby the cable guide piece 321 is removed from the upper wall 31 (see FIG. 6).

[0050] The first arrangement portion 33a is a portion where the grip portion 42 of the first cable member 40a is arranged. The first arrangement portion 33a is an upper surface portion of the rear portion of the upper wall 31 that is forward of the portion where the cable guide piece 321 is engaged (guide piece engaging hole 31a). In the illustrated example, with the base end side (clamp piece 43 side) of the grip portion 42 of the first cable member 40a being arranged in the first arrangement portion 33a, the tip end portion of the grip portion 42 of the first cable member 40a is inserted into the grip portion insertion hole 36a.

[0051] In this embodiment, the first arrangement portion 33a has a recess 31b formed therein, which is a downwardly recessed portion or a through-hole. That is, the recess 31b is provided at a position overlapping the first arrangement portion 33a. The recess 31b is a depression or hole that makes it easier for an operator to pick up the grip portion 42. In the illustrated example, the recess 31b is formed as a recess.

[0052] Here, the tip end (the end on the grip portion 42 side) of the outer casing 44 of the first cable member 40a is slightly contracted radially and pushed into the cable guide hole 321a, whereby the tip end of the outer casing 44 of the first cable member 40a is fixed to the cable guide piece 321. Then, the cable guide piece 321 is locked to the upper wall 31 via the guide piece locking element 322 (see FIGS. 2 to 4). In this state, when the grip portion 42 of the first cable member 40a is gripped and pulled forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction, only the cable 41 is pulled forward together with the grip portion 42 without the outer outer casing 44 of the cable 41 moving relative to the cable guide piece 321. In this manner, the tip end (the portion on the grip portion 42 side) of the first cable member 40a is held on the upper surface (holding surface) of the rear part of the upper wall 31.

[0053] In this way, in the first guide portion 32a, when the cable 41 is inserted into the cable guide hole 321a, the guide portion 32 prevents the cable member 40 from detaching from the upper wall 31 by engaging the cable guide piece 321 with the guide piece engaging element 322, and guides the cable 41 by the hole wall of the cable guide hole 321a so that it can move in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 7, in this embodiment, the guide portion 32 (second guide portion 32b) has a cable guide slit portion 323 in the second guide portion 32b and the second arrangement portion 33b.

[0055] The cable guide slit portion 323 of the second guide portion 32b is provided on the upper wall 31 on the opposite side in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the one end (here, on the rear side of the upper wall 31). The cable guide slit portion 323 is formed with a slit 323a that opens at the end of the upper wall 31 on the opposite side in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the one end (here, the rear end of the upper wall 31). That is, in the illustrated example, the slit 323a penetrates the rear part of the upper wall 31 in the thickness direction of the upper wall 31 and opens at the rear end of the upper wall 31 toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0056] 6 and 7, the slit 323a is formed with an opening shape large enough to allow the cable 41 (stranded wire) of the second cable member 40b to pass through while preventing the gripping portion 42 of the second cable member 40b from passing through. In the illustrated example, the slit 323a includes a rear slit portion 323a1 having an open end that opens toward the rear of the vehicle at the rear end of the upper wall 31, and a circular slit portion 323a2 that communicates with the rear slit portion 323a1. The rear slit portion 323a1 opens in an L-shape when viewed in the vertical direction of the vehicle, with one end of the L-shape opening at the rear end of the upper wall 31 and the other end of the L-shape communicating with the circular slit portion 323a2. The opening width of the rear slit portion 323a1 is set to, for example, a value slightly larger than the outer diameter (thickness) of the cable 41 (stranded wire) and smaller than the maximum width of the loop of the gripping portion 42. The inner diameter of the slit circular portion 323a2 is set to be approximately the same as the outer diameter (thickness) of the outer casing 44 that covers the cable 41, and smaller than the maximum width of the loop of the gripping portion .

[0057] The second arrangement portion 33b is a portion where the grip portion 42 of the second cable member 40b is arranged. The second arrangement portion 33b is an upper surface portion of the rear portion of the upper wall 31 that is forward of the slit 323a. In the illustrated example, the grip portion 42 of the second cable member 40b is in contact with the upper surface of the second arrangement portion 33b and is placed on the second arrangement portion 33b.

[0058] In the illustrated example, the second arrangement portion 33b is formed with a first locking portion 37 that locks the gripping portion 42 of the second cable member 40b. The first locking portion 37 is separated into three locking pieces 37a, and has a shape that matches the contour of the loop-shaped gripping portion 42.

[0059] In the illustrated example, a second locking portion 38 that locks the tip end of the outer casing 44 is formed in a portion of the upper wall 31 between the slit 323a and the second arrangement portion 33b. The second locking portion 38 is made up of a pair of ridges that are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction and extend in the vehicle front-rear direction. The tip end of the outer casing 44 is locked to the upper wall 31 by fitting between the pair of ridges that form the second locking portion 38.

[0060] Here, when the tip portion (the portion on the gripping portion 42 side) of the second cable member 40b is arranged on the upper wall 31, first, the tip portion of the cable 41 of the second cable member 40b that is not covered by the outer casing 44 (i.e., the portion between the outer casing 44 and the clamp piece 43) is inserted from the rear end of the upper wall 31 through the rear slit portion 323a1 and into the circular slit portion 323a2. Thereafter, the tip portion (the end portion on the gripping portion 42 side) of the outer casing 44 of the second cable member 40b is pushed into the circular slit portion 323a2 from below and pulled out to above the upper wall 31. This restricts movement of the tip portion of the outer casing 44 of the second cable member 40b, and the tip portion of the outer casing 44 is engaged with the upper wall 31 via the cable guide slit portion 323. In this state, when the grip portion 42 of the second cable member 40b is gripped and pulled forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction, only the cable 41 is pulled forward together with the grip portion 42 without the outer casing 44 on the outside of the cable 41 moving relative to the cable guide slit portion 323. In the illustrated example, the outer casing 44 is more securely fastened to the upper wall 31 by not only the cable guide slit portion 323 but also the first fastening portion 37. Even if the tip end of the outer casing 44 comes off the circular slit portion 323a2, the grip portion 42 comes into contact with and gets caught on the peripheral edge of the circular slit portion 323a2 or the peripheral edge of the rear slit portion 323a1 in the cable guide slit portion 323, thereby reliably preventing the second cable member 40b from coming off the upper wall 31. In this way, the tip end portion (the portion on the grip portion 42 side) of the second cable member 40b is held on the upper surface (holding surface) of the rear part of the upper wall 31.

[0061] In this way, in the second guide portion 32b, the guide portion 32 prevents the cable member 40 from coming off by preventing the gripping portion 42 from passing through the slit 323a, and guides the cable 41 so that it can move in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle by allowing the cable 41 to pass through the slit 323a.

[0062] Next, the procedure for operating the cable member 40 by an operator will be described with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 8. Figure 8 is a perspective view for explaining the operating direction of the cable member 40. Note that the front hood 11 is removed in Figure 8. Also, in Figure 8, the hood fixing portion 12a of the hood hinge 12 extends in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle on the inner side in the vehicle width direction relative to the upper wall 31, but the cable is operated with the hood open, and the hood fixing portion 12a actually extends diagonally forward or upward. In other words, there is an obstacle such as the hood hinge 12 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction relative to the upper wall 31 on which the grip portion 42 is disposed (placed).

[0063] Prior to operating the cable, the operator rotates the front hood 11 in the opening direction. Then, the operator stands to the side of the fender panel 10a, facing inward in the vehicle width direction, and looks down at the upper wall 31. In this state, the operator picks up the grip portion 42 of the cable member 40 that requires emergency release, one of the first cable member 40a and the second cable member 40b, with his / her left hand, for example, with his / her elbow slightly bent. At this time, the operator recognizes that (1) the upper wall 31, on which the tip end of the cable member 40, including the grip portion 42, is located, extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle along the fender panel 10a, (2) the cable 41 is guided by the guide portion 32 so as to be movable in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, (3) the grip portion 42 is directed forward in the fore-and-aft direction (longitudinal direction) of the cable 41 at the positioning portion 33 in front of the guide portion 32, and (4) the raised portion 34 provided on the side of the grip portion 42 also extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. As a result, the operator is reminded of a forward trajectory (in other words, an operation direction) in which the grip portion 42 is pulled from the guide portion 32 toward the arrangement portion 33. In other words, the cable holding structure 30 can urge the operator to pull the grip portion 42 toward the front of the vehicle by virtue of the structural features (1) to (4) described above. Furthermore, in the illustrated example, a step S is provided in the pulling direction (forward) of the grip portion 42. As a result, the cable holding structure 30 can urge the operator to pull the grip portion 42 diagonally upward so as to overcome the step S. Then, the operator pulls the grip portion 42 diagonally upward and toward the front of the vehicle, as shown in FIG. 8.

[0064] The vehicle side section structure 100 according to this embodiment, due to the structural features (1) to (4) described above, can prompt the operator to pull the grip portion 42 toward the front of the vehicle. Furthermore, in a case where an obstacle such as the hood hinge 12 is present on the inside of the grip portion 42 in the vehicle width direction, making it difficult to pull the grip portion 42 toward the inside of the vehicle width direction, the vehicle side section structure 100 can prompt the operator to pull the grip portion 42 toward the front of the vehicle, where it is easier to pull. Furthermore, the guide portion 32 prevents the cable member 40 from detaching from the upper wall 31, thereby preventing the cable member 40 from falling from the upper wall 31. This improves the operability of manual operation of the power supply unit 20.

[0065] As described above, the vehicle side section structure 100 according to this embodiment has a structure that can improve the operability of manual operation of the power supply unit 20 provided on the side panel 10.

[0066] In this embodiment, the cable holding structure 30 can prompt the operator to pull the grip portion 42 diagonally upward so as to overcome the step S. The operator's arm (left arm in the illustration) follows a trajectory that abducts it outward from the body, with the shoulder as the fulcrum. Therefore, considering that an operator standing facing the side panel 10 pulls the grip portion 42 with their elbow slightly bent, the cable holding structure 30 can make the operator aware of the trajectory of pulling the grip portion 42 diagonally upward in a direction that is easy to exert force in terms of the human body structure. Then, by the operator pulling the grip portion 42 diagonally upward and forward of the vehicle, the pulling action (manual operation) by the operator can be performed easily and without strain.

[0067] In this embodiment, the raised portion 34 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction along the outer edge of the upper wall 31 in the vehicle width direction. As a result, an operator who visually recognizes the raised portion 34 can imagine pulling along the raised portion 34 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Furthermore, the operator can place their hand along the raised portion 34 during manual operation, thereby improving operability. Furthermore, because the operator's hand is more likely to come into contact with the raised portion 34, the operator's hand is less likely to come into contact with an obstacle (for example, the edge of the fender panel 10a), thereby improving safety.

[0068] In this embodiment, most of the front portion of the outer edge of the upper wall 31 in the vehicle width direction covers the side panel 10 (extension portion 10a3 of the fender panel 10a) from above, thereby more reliably preventing contact between the operator's hands and the end of the fender panel 10a, further improving safety.

[0069] In this embodiment, the relief portion 31b is formed in the arrangement portion 33 (first arrangement portion 33a), so that the operator can easily pick up the grip portion 42, further improving operability.

[0070] In this embodiment, in the first guide portion 32a, when the cable 41 is inserted into the cable guide hole 321a, the guide portion 32 locks the cable guide piece 321 with the guide piece locking element 322, thereby preventing the cable member 40 from coming off the upper wall 31, and the hole wall of the cable guide hole 321a guides the cable 41 so that it can move in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. This improves the ease of assembly and maintenance of the cable holding structure 30.

[0071] In the present embodiment, in the second guide portion 32b, the guide portion 32 prevents the cable member 40 from being detached by preventing the gripping portion 42 from passing through the slit 323a, and guides the cable 41 so as to be movable in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle by allowing the cable 41 to pass through the slit 323a. Therefore, the structure for preventing the cable member 40 from being detached from the upper wall 31 and for guiding the cable 41 can be constructed with a simple structure.

[0072] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and further modifications and changes are possible based on the technical concept of the present invention.

[0073] For example, in the present embodiment, the "one side" in the vehicle longitudinal direction is the "front" in the vehicle longitudinal direction, but is not limited thereto. In cases where the cable holding structure 30 is positioned generally toward the front of the power chamber P and there is sufficient space behind the cable holding structure 30 for pulling the grip portion 42, the "one side" in the vehicle longitudinal direction may be the "rear" in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In this case, the arrangement portion 33 is provided on the upper wall 31 at a position spaced rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the guide portion 32, thereby forming a cable holding structure symmetrical to the cable holding structure 30 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In this structure, the vehicle side structure 100 can prompt the operator to pull the grip portion 42 toward the rear of the vehicle, improving operability of manual operation, similar to the case of pulling toward the front of the vehicle.

[0074] Furthermore, the step S or the raised portion 34 may not be provided on the upper wall 31, and the recess 31b may be a through hole. Furthermore, the cable member 40 may not have an outer casing 44. The first cable member 40a may be provided on the inner side in the vehicle width direction relative to the second cable member 40b. The first cable member 40a may have a structure different from that of the second cable member 40b.

[0075] The number of manual release units 23 is not limited to two, but may be three or more, or may be just one. The guide units 32, arrangement units 33, and cable members 40 may be provided in the number corresponding to the number of manual release units 23. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 10...Side panel 10a3...Extension part 20...Power supply unit 23...Manual release section 23a...1st manual release section (manual release section) 23b...Second manual release section (manual release section) 30...Cable holding structure 31...Upper wall 31b...Relief area 32...Guide section 32a...First guide portion (guide portion) 321...Cable guide piece 322... Guide piece locking element 32b...Second guide section (guide section) 323...Cable guide slit 323a...Slit 33…Arrangement section 33a...First arrangement part (arrangement part) 33b...Second arrangement part (arrangement part) 34...Protuberance 40...Cable member 40a...first cable member (cable member) 40b...Second cable member (cable member) 41...Cable 42...Gripping part 100…Vehicle side structure

Claims

1. A vehicle side structure including a side panel that forms part of a design surface on the outer side in the vehicle width direction at the front side of the vehicle side, a cable holding structure that is provided on the inner side in the vehicle width direction with respect to an upper part of the side panel, and a manually operated cable member that has a cable extending from a manual release portion of a power supply unit provided on the side panel to the cable holding structure and a grip portion provided at a tip of the cable, The cable holding structure includes: an upper wall extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle along the side panel and facing upward of the vehicle; a guide portion that prevents the cable member from coming off the upper wall and guides the cable so that the cable can move in the front-rear direction of the vehicle; a placement portion on which the gripping portion is placed; and the guide portion and the arrangement portion are provided on the upper wall, The arrangement portion is provided on the upper wall at a position spaced apart from the guide portion on one side in the vehicle front-rear direction.

2. 2. The vehicle side structure according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the upper wall on one side of the arrangement portion in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction is offset upward relative to the portion of the upper wall where the guide portion and the arrangement portion are provided.

3. The vehicle side structure according to claim 1 , wherein the cable holding structure has a raised portion that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle along an outer edge of the upper wall in the vehicle width direction and that is raised above the vehicle.

4. The vehicle side structure according to claim 3 , wherein the side panel has an extension portion that extends downward from a portion of the upper wall on the one side in the vehicle longitudinal direction relative to the arrangement portion and is fixed to the upper wall.

5. The vehicle side structure according to claim 1 , wherein the arrangement portion has a recess formed therein, the recess being a recess that is recessed downward or a through-hole.

6. The guide portion is a cable guide piece extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction and having a cable guide hole into which the cable can be inserted; a guide piece locking element that detachably locks the cable guide piece to the upper wall; and 2. The vehicle side structure according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion prevents the cable member from coming off by engaging the cable guide piece with the guide piece engaging element when the cable is inserted into the cable guide hole, and guides the cable so that it can move in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle with the hole wall of the cable guide hole.

7. the guide portion has a cable guide slit portion in which a slit that is open at an end portion of the upper wall opposite to the one end in the vehicle front-rear direction is formed, the slit is formed in an opening shape having a size that allows the cable to pass through and prevents the gripping portion from passing through, 2. The vehicle side structure according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion prevents the cable member from coming off by preventing the gripping portion from passing through the slit, and guides the cable so that it can move in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle by allowing the cable to pass through the slit.

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