Vehicle structure

Abstract

To inhibit displacement of a sensor peripheral part.SOLUTION: A vehicle structure 2 includes: an outer panel 4 forming a design surface on a vehicle outer side and supported by a vehicle body structure 3 of a vehicle 1; a reinforcement member 5 reinforcing the outer panel 4 from a back surface side of the outer panel 4; a sensor device 9 mounted on the reinforcement member 5 and configured to detect an external environment of the vehicle; and a low rigidity member 6 having rigidity lower than rigidity of the vehicle body structure 3 and disposed adjacent to the reinforcement member 5. A sensor peripheral part 20 which is a peripheral portion of the sensor device 9 in the reinforcement member 5 is coupled to the low rigidity member 6.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle structure such as an automobile, and more particularly to a vehicle structure for the front or rear of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] At the front and rear of a vehicle such as an automobile, outer panels (also called exterior members) such as bumpers and grilles that form the exterior design surfaces of the vehicle are provided. A sensor device that detects the external environment of the vehicle using a camera, radar, ultrasonic waves, etc. may be disposed on the rear side of the outer panel.

[0003] One example of a vehicle structure having a structure for disposing a sensor device in the front of the vehicle is the vehicle structure described in Patent Document 1. In the vehicle structure described in Patent Document 1, the radar antenna is attached to a frame material that reinforces the panel material of the front grille from the back side. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-59268 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, when a panel material is reinforced from the rear side with a reinforcing member such as a frame material, as in the vehicle structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, the reinforcing member is formed from a member such as a thin metal plate material or a resin molded product in order to absorb impact during a collision, which results in limitations on the rigidity that can be imparted to the reinforcing member.

[0006] If the radar antenna is attached to a frame material that is subject to the above-mentioned constraints, the area around the radar antenna in the frame material may elastically deform due to vibrations during driving or shocks from light collisions, which may displace the radar antenna, potentially reducing the detection accuracy of the radar antenna.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle structure that can suppress displacement of the area around the sensor in a reinforcing member that reinforces the outer panel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle structure comprising an outer panel that forms a design surface on the outside of the vehicle and is supported by the vehicle body structure, a reinforcing member that reinforces the outer panel from the back side of the outer panel, and a sensor device that is attached to the reinforcing member and detects the external environment of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle structure comprises a low-rigidity member that has a rigidity lower than the rigidity of the body structure and is arranged adjacent to the reinforcing member, and the sensor peripheral portion of the reinforcing member that is the peripheral portion of the sensor device is connected to the low-rigidity member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle structure that can suppress displacement of a portion of a reinforcing member that reinforces an outer panel around a sensor. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front side; [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle structure from which the outer panel and the bumper face are removed, as viewed from the front side. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is a side view of the vehicle structure with the outer panel and bumper face removed. [Figure 3]FIG. 2 is a front view showing the vehicle structure with the outer panel and bumper face removed. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a reinforcing member of a vehicle structure as viewed from the rear side. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a low-rigidity member of a vehicle structure as viewed from the front side. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the vehicle structure at the center in the vehicle width direction as viewed from the rear side. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 5. [Figure 10] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 5. [Figure 11] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in FIG. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle structure 2 of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the front side; FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the vehicle structure 2, with an outer panel 4 and a bumper face 8 removed, viewed from the front side; and FIG. 2B is a side view of the vehicle structure 2, with the outer panel 4 and the bumper face 8 removed. In this embodiment, the vehicle structure 2 is applied as a structure for the front of the vehicle 1. In addition, in the drawings, the arrow Fr direction indicates the front in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as the fore-and-aft direction); the arrow L direction indicates the left in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle width direction) when viewed from the rear toward the front of the vehicle 1; and the arrow U direction indicates the upward in the up-down direction of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as the up-and-down direction). In the following description, in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle structure 2 for the front of the vehicle 1, the "outside" indicates the front side, the "rear side" indicates the rear side, the "outer surface" indicates the front surface, and the "rear surface" indicates the rear surface. The "outside" may be expressed as the "front side," the "outer surface" as the "front side," the "rear side" as the "inside," and the "rear surface" as the "inside." When showing a cross section, a cross section cut along a horizontal plane is referred to as a "transverse cross section," and a cross section cut along a plane perpendicular to the horizontal direction is referred to as a "longitudinal cross section."

[0012] 1, 2A, and 2B, the vehicle structure 2 will be described. The vehicle structure 2 includes a body structural member 3 that constitutes a part of the body structure at the front of the vehicle 1, an outer panel 4 that constitutes the design surface on the outside of the vehicle at the front of the vehicle 1 and is supported by the body structural member 3, a reinforcing member 5 that reinforces the outer panel 4 from the back side of the outer panel 4, a sensor device 9 attached to the reinforcing member 5, and a low-rigidity member 6 that is arranged adjacent to the reinforcing member 5.

[0013] The body structure 3 supports the outer panel 4 from the rear side of the outer panel 4. The body structure 3 is made of steel and is a highly rigid member. The body structure 3 has a first body frame member 3a that extends in the vehicle width direction and is arranged on the upper side, and a second body frame member 3b that is arranged below the first body frame member 3a and extends in the vehicle width direction. The second body frame member 3b is arranged alongside the first body frame member 3a so as to be located forward of the first body frame member 3a in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0014] The vehicle body structure 3 supports the upper and lower parts of the outer panel 4. In the illustrated example, the upper part of the outer panel 4 is supported by a first vehicle body frame member 3a, and the lower part of the outer panel 4 is supported by a second vehicle body frame member 3b.

[0015] Specifically, the first body frame member 3a has a generally hat-shaped cross section and extends in the vehicle width direction. A side reinforcing portion upper wall 21a (described later) of the reinforcing member 5 is connected to the upper surface of a front flange 3a1 of the first body frame member 3a. The upper portion of the outer panel 4 is connected to the front portion of the side reinforcing portion upper wall 21a, so that the upper portion of the outer panel 4 is supported by the first body frame member 3a via the reinforcing member 5.

[0016] A support bracket 12 (see FIG. 5 described later) is attached to the upper center of the second body frame member 3b in the vehicle width direction, and the lower center of the reinforcing member 5 (in the illustrated example, a lower support portion 22 described later) is connected to the support bracket 12 and supported from below by the support bracket 12. The lower portion of the outer panel 4 is connected to the front portion of the lower portion of the reinforcing member 5 (in the illustrated example, a protruding end wall 232 described later), and the lower portion of the outer panel 4 is supported by the second body frame member 3b via the reinforcing member 5 and the support bracket 12.

[0017] Impact absorbing members 7 (see FIG. 2A) having a longitudinal cross section formed in a generally groove shape that opens rearward are attached to the front side of both ends of the second body frame member 3b in the vehicle width direction, which faces the outer panel 4. The impact absorbing members 7 are formed from thin steel plates. The rigidity of the impact absorbing members 7 is lower than the rigidity of the body structure 3 (more specifically, the second body frame member 3b). The impact absorbing members 7 are members that absorb the impact of a collision when an object collides with the front of the vehicle 1. In addition, in the vehicle structure 2 at the front of the vehicle 1, the low-rigidity members 6 are air guides that guide wind generated during driving to a predetermined location.

[0018] The sensor device 9 has a sensor 10 and a thin-plate-shaped sensor bracket 11 that supports the sensor 10 (see FIG. 10 ). The sensor 10 is a sensor body that detects the external environment of the vehicle, and emits (transmits) or receives detection waves that detect the external environment of the vehicle. Examples of the sensor 10 that can be used include millimeter-wave radar that uses electromagnetic waves in the millimeter wave band as detection waves, sonic sensors (ultrasonic sensors / sonar) that use sound waves as detection waves, and cameras (imaging devices) that use electromagnetic waves in the visible light band or infrared band as detection waves. Note that the detection waves are not limited to being transmitted from the sensor 10. Sunlight may be used as the detection wave, or the detection wave may be transmitted from a detection wave transmitting device that is provided separately from the sensor 10.

[0019] The outer panel 4 is a component that forms the exterior design surface at the front of the vehicle 1 and extends in the vehicle width direction. The outer panel 4 is a resin injection-molded component that is thin and large, extending over a wide area in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the rigidity of the outer panel 4 is lower than the rigidity of the vehicle body structure 3. A front grille 4a is provided in the center of the outer panel 4 in the vehicle width direction, and multiple air vents are provided in the front grille 4a. The upper side of the outer panel 4 is supported by the first vehicle body frame member 3a via a reinforcing member 5, and the lower side of the outer panel 4 is supported by the second vehicle body frame member 3b via an impact absorbing member 7. A bumper face 8 is provided on each end side of the outer panel 4 in the vehicle width direction. The bumper face 8 is provided with a front lamp (not shown) that illuminates the area ahead of the vehicle 1. The bumper face 8 may be formed integrally with the outer panel 4 or may be formed separately from the outer panel 4. The bumper face 8 also constitutes an outer design surface at the front of the vehicle, and may be included as an element of the outer panel 4. In other words, the bumper face 8 may be a part of the outer panel 4.

[0020] Next, the reinforcing member 5 will be described with reference to Figures 2A, 2B, and 3. Figure 3 is a front view showing the arrangement of the reinforcing member 5 and the low-rigidity member 6 in a state where the outer panel 4 and the bumper face 8 are removed from the vehicle structure 2.

[0021] A reinforcing member 5 extending in the vehicle width direction is provided on the back side of the outer panel 4. The reinforcing member 5 reinforces the outer panel 4 from the back side of the outer panel 4. The reinforcing member 5 is an injection-molded resin product, and the rigidity of the reinforcing member 5 is lower than the rigidity of the body structure 3. A sensor peripheral portion 20 to which the sensor device 9 is attached is provided in the center of the reinforcing member 5. In other words, the sensor peripheral portion 20 is the portion of the reinforcing member 5 surrounding the sensor device 9. Side reinforcing portions 21 extending in the vehicle width direction are provided on both the left and right sides of the sensor peripheral portion 20 in the vehicle width direction.

[0022] The reinforcing member 5 supports the outer panel 4 from below at the side reinforcing portions 21, and also supports the outer panel 4 from behind at the front side (front face side) of the reinforcing member 5, thereby reinforcing the outer panel 4 from the back face side.

[0023] Furthermore, the reinforcing member 5 has a lower support portion 22 and a protruding portion 23. The lower support portion 22 is provided below the sensor peripheral portion 20 and supports the sensor peripheral portion 20 from below. The lower support portion 22 is continuous with the lower portion of the sensor peripheral portion 20. The protruding portion 23 protrudes forward from the lower end of the lower support portion 22. The protruding portion 23 has front and rear walls 231 extending forward from the lower end of the lower support portion 22 and protruding end walls 232 extending downward from the front ends of the front and rear walls 231 and constituting the front end of the protruding portion 23. The front surface of the protruding end wall 232 constitutes the protruding front end surface 23a of the protruding portion 23. The reinforcing member 5 is formed in a T-shape when viewed from the front, as shown in FIG. 3 , and the sensor peripheral portion 20, the lower support portion 22, and the protruding portion 23 are disposed in the center of the reinforcing member 5 in the vehicle width direction.

[0024] 2B , the front side surface 22a (front surface) of the lower support portion 22, which is the surface facing the outer panel 4, is disposed inward (rearward) in the front-rear direction from the front side surface 20a (front surface) of the sensor peripheral portion 20, which is the surface facing the outer panel 4. The front side surface (front surface) of the protrusion 23, which is the surface facing the outer panel 4, and the protruding front end surface 23a of the protrusion 23, protrudes outward (frontward) from the front side surface 20a of the sensor peripheral portion 20 in the front-rear direction, which is the side facing the outer panel 4, and the protruding end wall 232 of the protrusion 23 is the portion of the reinforcing member 5 that protrudes furthest forward in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the distance Δa in the front-rear direction between the protruding front end surface 23a of the protrusion 23 and the front side surface 22a of the lower support portion 22 is longer than the distance Δb in the front-rear direction between the protruding front end surface 23a of the protrusion 23 and the front side surface 20a of the sensor peripheral portion 20. That is, the protrusion 23 protrudes from a position that is more inward (rearward) than the front side surface 20a of the sensor peripheral portion 20. A panel fixing hole 233 is provided in the protruding end wall 232 of the protrusion 23 to connect and fix the protrusion 23 to the outer panel 4.

[0025] Therefore, when an object strikes the vehicle 1 from the front, which is on the exterior side, the protrusion 23 is likely to receive the impact of the collision before other portions of the reinforcing member 5 other than the protrusion 23. As a result, the protrusion 23 deforms before an impact load is applied to the sensor peripheral portion 20. Therefore, the impact of the collision is absorbed, and displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20 can be suppressed.

[0026] Furthermore, the separation dimension Δa is longer than the separation dimension Δb. As a result, when an object collides with the front side, which is the exterior side of the vehicle 1, the deformation range (deformation stroke) of the protruding portion 23 is increased, and the protruding portion 23 deforms before an impact load is applied to the sensor peripheral portion 20. As a result, the impact of the collision is absorbed, and the displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20 is effectively suppressed.

[0027] In the illustrated example, the front and rear walls 231 are inclined downward from the lower support portion 22 toward the protruding end wall 232. However, the inclination direction of the front and rear walls 231 is not limited to this. The front and rear walls 231 may be inclined upward from the lower support portion 22 toward the protruding end wall 232.

[0028] Since the front and rear walls 231 are inclined downward or upward from the lower support portion 22 toward the protruding portion 23, when an object strikes the front side, which is the exterior side of the vehicle 1, the deformation of the protruding portion 23 is easily promoted before an impact load is applied to the sensor peripheral portion 20. As a result, the impact of the collision is absorbed, and the displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20 is further suppressed.

[0029] The side reinforcement 21 has a side reinforcement upper wall 21a supported by the first body frame member 3a, and a side reinforcement front wall 21b extending downward from the outer side edge (front edge) of the side reinforcement upper wall 21a, which is the edge facing the outer panel 4. The side reinforcement 21 has an L-shaped vertical cross section. In the illustrated example, the side reinforcement front wall 21b has multiple (three in the illustrated example) through holes 21b1 that are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction. The multiple through holes 21b1 promote deformation of the side reinforcement 21 during a collision.

[0030] Next, the sensor periphery 20 will be described with reference to Figures 2A, 2B, 3 and 4. Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the center of the reinforcing member 5 in the vehicle width direction as viewed from the rear side.

[0031] The sensor peripheral portion 20 has a pair of opposing portions (in the illustrated example, an upper wall 30 and a lower wall 31, and a first side portion 32A and a second side portion 32B) that face each other, and a sensor mounting wall 33. In the illustrated example, the sensor peripheral portion 20 has, as the pair of opposing portions, the upper wall 30 and the lower wall 31 that are arranged opposite each other in the up-down direction, and the first side portion 32A and the second side portion 32B that are arranged opposite each other in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the sensor peripheral portion 20 has two sets of pairs of opposing portions that face each other. Furthermore, the sensor peripheral portion 20 has the upper wall 30, the lower wall 31, the first side portion 32A, the second side portion 32B, and the sensor mounting wall 33.

[0032] A sensor accommodating space 24 in which the sensor device 9 is accommodated is formed inside the sensor peripheral portion 20 of the reinforcing member 5. The upper wall 30 is disposed above the sensor accommodating space 24, the lower wall 31 is disposed below the sensor accommodating space 24, the first side portion 32A is disposed to the left of the sensor accommodating space 24, the second side portion 32B is disposed to the right of the sensor accommodating space 24, and the sensor mounting wall 33 is disposed on the outer side (front side) of the sensor accommodating space 24 that faces the outer panel 4. The sensor peripheral portion 20 is open to the rear.

[0033] A sensor device 9 (more specifically, a sensor bracket 11) is attached to the rear surface of the sensor mounting wall 33, which is the surface opposite to the surface facing the outer panel 4 (see FIG. 10 described later). The sensor device 9 is disposed between the upper wall 30 and the lower wall 31 in the vertical direction, and between the first side portion 32A and the second side portion 32B in the vehicle width direction.

[0034] A pair of upper connection portions 30a spaced apart in the vehicle width direction and a positioning guide 30b located between the pair of upper connection portions 30a spaced apart in the vehicle width direction are provided on the rear end surface of the upper wall 30 opposite the end surface facing the outer panel 4. A pair of lower connection portions 31a spaced apart in the vehicle width direction are provided on the rear end surface of the lower wall 31 opposite the end surface facing the outer panel 4. Each of the pair of upper connection portions 30a and the pair of lower connection portions 31a has a hole formed therein for screw fastening. The pair of upper connection portions 30a and the pair of lower connection portions 31a are portions for connection to connecting portions 53 (described later) provided on the low-rigidity member 6, and the positioning guide 30b is a guide for determining the position of the connecting portions 53 relative to the sensor peripheral portion 20.

[0035] The sensor mounting wall 33 has openings 34 formed on the left, right, and upper sides in the vehicle width direction so that parts of the sensor mounting wall 33 remain. On each of the left and right sides of the opening 34 on the rear surface of the sensor mounting wall 33, sensor fixing portions 35 to which a sensor device 9 (sensor bracket 11) is fixed are provided. The sensor bracket 11 is attached to the rear surface of the sensor mounting wall 33 via the sensor fixing portions 35, and all or part of the opening 34 is covered by the sensor bracket 11. The sensor 10 of the sensor device 9 emits or receives a detection wave through the opening 34 to detect the external environment of the vehicle.

[0036] The sensor peripheral portion 20 has an adjacent portion 32 that is adjacent to the sensor fixing portion 35 and extends in the front-to-rear direction from the rear surface of the sensor mounting wall 33. In the illustrated example, the sensor peripheral portion 20 has a left adjacent portion 32 that is adjacent to the sensor fixing portion 35 provided on the left side and extends rearward, and a right adjacent portion 32 that is adjacent to the sensor fixing portion 35 provided on the right side and extends rearward. In the illustrated example, the first side portion 32A on the left side constitutes the left adjacent portion 32, and the second side portion 32B on the right side constitutes the right adjacent portion 32. In the illustrated example, the adjacent portions 32 are arranged on the left and right sides of the sensor device.

[0037] The adjacent portions 32 (32A, 32B) bulge in the front-to-rear direction. The adjacent portion 32 has a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 32a and an end wall portion 32b located at the rear end of the peripheral wall portion 32a, which is the end opposite the end facing the outer panel 4. The outer surface of the adjacent portion 32, which is the surface of the sensor mounting wall 33 facing the outer panel 4, is formed in a concave shape. A plate-shaped connecting piece 32c extending horizontally is provided on the end wall portion 32b. The peripheral wall portion 32a has an upper peripheral wall portion 32d at its upper end, a lower peripheral wall portion 32e at its lower end, and left and right vertical peripheral wall portions 32f located between the upper peripheral wall portion 32d and the lower peripheral wall portion 32e. The upper peripheral wall portion 32d slopes downward from the back surface of the sensor mounting wall 33 toward the end wall portion 32b, and the lower peripheral wall portion 32e slopes upward from the back surface of the sensor mounting wall 33 toward the end wall portion 32b. Since the adjacent portion 32 has a bulging structure that bulges in the front-rear direction, the rigidity of the adjacent portion 32 is improved, and displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20 is more effectively suppressed.

[0038] The sensor peripheral portion 20 has a connecting wall 36 that connects the lower wall 31, the adjacent portion 32, and the sensor mounting wall 33. Specifically, the connecting wall 36 is located at a corner where the lower wall 31, the adjacent portion 32 (first side portion 32A, second side portion 32B), and the sensor mounting wall 33 intersect, and connects the elements (31, 32, 33) at the corner. As a result, the rigidity around both lower corners of the sensor peripheral portion 20 is improved.

[0039] 2A and 3, the lower support portion 22 is provided with a recess 25 formed in a concave shape that is open toward the outer panel 4. The upper side wall of the recess 25 is formed by the lower wall 31 of the sensor peripheral portion 20. In other words, referring to FIG. 4, the recess 25 is formed in a bulging shape that bulges rearward, and can also be said to be a bulging portion.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 3 , the recess 25 is formed by a lower wall 31 of the sensor peripheral portion 20, a rear wall 25a that is the rear wall of the recess 25, side walls 25b that are the left and right walls of the recess 25, and a recess-shaped lower wall 25c that is the lower wall of the recess 25. The recess 25 is provided with a plurality of vertical ribs 26 (two in the illustrated example) that are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction and extend in the up-down direction. The vertical ribs 26 extend downward from the lower wall 31 along the rear wall 25a. The two vertical ribs 26 support the lower wall 31 from below. The rear wall 25a of the recess 25 extends downward from the rear end of the lower wall 31, and a pair of lower connection portions 31a are continuous with the rear wall 25a. At least one of the two vertical ribs 26 is arranged to overlap the lower connection portion 31a in the vehicle width direction and the up-down direction. That is, at least one of the two vertical ribs 26 supports the lower connecting portion 31a from behind. Furthermore, since the two vertical ribs 26 support the lower wall 31 from below, deformation of the sensor peripheral portion 20 that would cause the sensor 10 to tilt forward or backward can be suppressed.

[0041] 4, the portion of the lower support portion 22 that is positioned below the recess 25 also bulges rearward, forming a lower bulging portion 27. In other words, the lower support portion 22 bulges rearward in two stages. The left and right side walls 25b of the recess 25 are connected by the lower bulging portion 27, which improves the rigidity of the recess 25. Furthermore, the lower portion of the vertical rib 26 extends to the upper portion of the lower bulging portion 27, which improves the rigidity of the connection between the recess 25 and the lower bulging portion 27.

[0042] Next, the low-rigidity member 6 will be described with reference to Figures 2A, 2B, 3, 5, and 6. Figure 5 is a rear view of the vehicle structure 2. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the low-rigidity member 6 as viewed from the front side. As shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, the low-rigidity member 6 extends in the vehicle width direction and reinforces the reinforcing member 5 from the back side of the reinforcing member 5. The low-rigidity member 6 is an injection-molded resin product. The low-rigidity member 6 has a rigidity lower than that of the vehicle body structure 3. The low-rigidity member 6 is connected to a sensor peripheral portion 20 of the reinforcing member 5. In other words, the sensor peripheral portion 20 is connected to the low-rigidity member 6.

[0043] 6, the low-rigidity member 6 includes an upper lateral extension portion 50 extending in the vehicle width direction and located at the top, a lower lateral extension portion 51 located below the upper lateral extension portion 50 and extending in the vehicle width direction, and left and right vertical extension portions 52 connecting both ends in the vehicle width direction of the upper lateral extension portion 50 and the lower lateral extension portion 51. The low-rigidity member 6 is formed in a shape that is open in the center when viewed from the front.

[0044] A connecting portion 53 is provided in the center of the upper lateral extension 50 in the vehicle width direction, and is connected (coupled) to the sensor peripheral portion 20 provided on the reinforcing member 5. The upper lateral extension 50 also has vertical wall portions 55 that stand upright in the vertical direction from the edge of the upper lateral extension 50 on the side opposite to the side facing the outer panel 4 in the front-to-rear direction, and extend from each end of the connecting portion 53 in the vehicle width direction to each end of the upper lateral extension 50 in the vehicle width direction. The upper lateral extension 50 has a notch 57 cut out at the front end side, which is the outer side facing the outer panel 4 at the center in the vehicle width direction, and upper portions 58 arranged on both end sides of the notch 57 in the vehicle width direction. The connecting portion 53 and the lower lateral extension 51 are vertically separated and are not connected to each other. As shown in FIG. 2B , the vertical wall portion 55 is disposed below the upper wall 21 a of the side reinforcement portion of the reinforcement member 5 and on the rear side of the front wall 21 b of the side reinforcement portion of the reinforcement member 5. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 3 , the upper portion 58 of the upper lateral extension portion 50 is disposed below the side reinforcement portion 21 of the reinforcement member 5. This allows the upper load of the impact load during an offset collision to be received by the side reinforcement portion 21 and the lower load of the impact load during an offset collision to be received by the upper portion 58, thereby distributing the load and absorbing the impact. Furthermore, the upper portion 58, which is part of the low-rigidity member 6, is disposed so as not to overlap in the vertical direction with the sensor peripheral portion 20 provided at the center of the reinforcement member 5 in the vehicle width direction. This allows the upper load of the impact load during a collision to be received by the sensor peripheral portion 20 and the lower load of the impact load during a collision to be received by the upper portion 58, thereby distributing the load and absorbing the impact. Additionally, the upper portion 58 is disposed between the sensor peripheral portion 20 of the reinforcing member 5 and the impact absorbing member 7 in the vehicle width direction. This allows the impact load during a collision to be received and distributed in the vehicle width direction by the sensor peripheral portion 20, the upper portion 58, and the impact absorbing member 7.

[0045] A slot hole 54 is provided on the vehicle width direction outer side of the connecting portion 53 in the upper lateral extension portion 50. That is, the connecting portion 53 is disposed between two slot holes 54. The slot hole 54 is a slot-shaped through-hole extending in the horizontal direction. A connecting piece 32c formed on the end wall portion 32b of the adjacent portion 32 (first side portion 32A, second side portion 32B) of the sensor peripheral portion 20 is connected to the slot hole 54 of the low-rigidity member 6. In other words, the low-rigidity member 6 is connected to the adjacent portion 32 of the sensor peripheral portion 20 of the reinforcing member 5.

[0046] Three panel fixing portions 6a are provided on each of both sides of the low-rigidity member 6 in the vehicle width direction. In the illustrated example, the panel fixing portions 6a are provided near the cutout portion 57 of the upper portion 58, at the vehicle width direction end of the lower horizontal extending portion 51, and at the lower end of the vertical extending portion 52. The panel fixing portions 6a have through holes formed therein for fixing the low-rigidity member 6 to the outer panel 4 with fastening members such as screws, and each of both sides of the low-rigidity member 6 in the vehicle width direction is connected to the outer panel 4. As shown in FIG. 2B , the panel fixing portion 6a provided near the cutout portion 57 of the upper portion 58 is provided with a base portion 4b provided between the low-rigidity member 6 and the outer panel 4 for connecting the low-rigidity member 6 to the outer panel 4. The front surface 20a of the sensor peripheral portion 20 and the edge of the base portion 4b on the outer panel 4 side when the base portion 4b is connected to the low-rigidity member 6 are close to each other in the front-rear direction. Here, "close to each other in the front-rear direction" means that at least the distance in the front-rear direction between the front side surface 20a of the sensor peripheral portion 20 and the edge of the base portion 4b on the outer panel 4 side is equal to or less than the distance Δa in the front-rear direction between the front side surface 20a of the sensor peripheral portion 20 and the protruding front end surface 23a of the protruding portion 23. This allows both the reinforcing member 5 and the low-rigidity member 6 to bear the impact load of the object of collision when the object of collision collides from the front side, which is the exterior side of the vehicle 1. In another embodiment, the front side surface 20a of the sensor peripheral portion 20 and the surface of the low-rigidity member 6 facing the outer panel 4 are close to each other in the front-rear direction. Here, "close to each other in the front-rear direction" means that at least the distance in the front-rear direction between the front side surface 20a of the sensor peripheral portion 20 and the surface of the low-rigidity member 6 facing the outer panel 4 is equal to or less than the distance Δa in the front-rear direction between the front side surface 20a of the sensor peripheral portion 20 and the protruding front end surface 23a of the protruding portion 23. This allows both the reinforcing member 5 and the low-rigidity member 6 to withstand the impact load of the colliding object when it collides with the vehicle 1 from the front side, which is the exterior side of the vehicle 1.

[0047] Next, the connecting portion 53 provided at the center of the upper lateral extension portion 50 in the vehicle width direction will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view, viewed from the rear side, showing the positional relationship between the sensor peripheral portion 20 of the reinforcing member 5 and the connecting portion 53. The connecting portion 53 is arranged on the rear side, opposite the side of the sensor peripheral portion 20 facing the outer panel 4, and connects the upper wall 30 and the lower wall 31, which form a pair of opposing portions of the sensor peripheral portion 20, facing each other.

[0048] The connecting portion 53 has a connecting surface portion 60 extending in the vertical direction and side wall surface portions 61 bending from both ends of the connecting surface portion 60 in the vehicle width direction toward the back surface side. The connecting surface portion 60 has a hat-shaped cross section that is convex toward the outside (front side), which is the side of the outer panel 4, and extends in the vertical direction. The connecting surface portion 60 has a first surface portion 60a located in the center in the vehicle width direction, first connection surface portions 60b bending from both ends of the first surface portion 60a in the vehicle width direction toward the back surface side, a second surface portion 60c bending from an upper side of the rear end of the first connection surface portion 60b toward the outside in the vehicle width direction, and a third surface portion 60d bending from a lower side of the rear end of the first connection surface portion 60b toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. The second surface portion 60c is located closer to the outer panel 4 (front side) than the third surface portion 60d, and the second surface portion 60c and the third surface portion 60d are connected by the second connecting surface portion 60e. That is, the connecting surface portion 60 has a first step portion 62, which is a step portion formed in a stepped shape in the front-rear direction by the first surface portion 60a, the first connecting surface portion 60b, the second surface portion 60c, and the third surface portion 60d and extending in the up-down direction. The width of the first surface portion 60a in the vehicle width direction is not uniform in the up-down direction, and the width of the lower portion of the first surface portion 60a in the vehicle width direction is narrower than the width of the upper portion of the first surface portion 60a in the vehicle width direction. The connecting surface portion 60 also has a second step portion 63, which is a step portion formed in a stepped shape in the front-rear direction by the second surface portion 60c, the second connecting surface portion 60e, and the third surface portion 60d and extending in the vehicle width direction. The lower part of the connecting surface portion 60 also extends in the up-down direction and has a hat-shaped cross section that is convex outward (frontward) toward the outer panel 4. The dimension in the vehicle width direction of a convex portion 64, which is a rearward protrusion of the hat-shaped cross section of the lower part of the connecting surface portion 60, is narrower than other portions (see FIGS. 6 and 7).

[0049] An upper connection hole 53a is provided in the upper part of the second surface 60c for connecting the connecting portion 53 to the upper wall 30 of the sensor peripheral portion 20. An upper positioning hole 53c is provided in the upper part of the first surface 60a for determining the position of the connecting portion 53 relative to the sensor peripheral portion 20. The positioning hole 53c is disposed between the two upper connection holes 53a. A lower part of the third surface 60d is provided with a lower connection hole 53b for connecting the connecting portion 53 to the lower wall 31 of the sensor peripheral portion 20.

[0050] The upper connection hole 53a provided in the upper part of the second surface 60c corresponds to the upper connection portion 30a provided on the rear end surface of the upper wall 30 of the sensor peripheral portion 20. The positioning hole 53c provided in the upper part of the first surface 60a corresponds to the positioning guide 30b provided on the rear end surface of the upper wall 30 of the sensor peripheral portion 20. The lower connection hole 53b provided in the lower part of the third surface 60d corresponds to the lower connection portion 31a provided on the rear end surface of the lower wall 31 of the sensor peripheral portion 20.

[0051] The connecting portion 53 is connected to the upper connecting portion 30a of the sensor peripheral portion 20 by a screw through the upper connecting hole 53a, and is connected to the lower connecting portion 31a of the sensor peripheral portion 20 by a screw through the lower connecting hole 53b. As a result, the rear end surface of the upper wall 30 of the sensor peripheral portion 20 and the rear end surface of the lower wall 31 of the sensor peripheral portion 20 are connected by the connecting portion 53. In other words, the connecting portion 53 connects the upper wall 30 and the lower wall 31, which are arranged opposite each other in the up-down direction of the sensor peripheral portion 20.

[0052] The connecting portion 53 of the low-rigidity member 6 connects the upper wall 30 and the lower wall 31 of the sensor peripheral portion 20 of the reinforcing member 5, thereby increasing the rigidity of the sensor peripheral portion 20. In the present embodiment, the connecting portion 53 connects the upper wall 30 and the lower wall 31 that are arranged opposite each other in the up-down direction, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the connecting portion 53 may connect the first side portion 32A and the second side portion 32B that are arranged opposite each other in the vehicle width direction of the sensor peripheral portion 20. Even in this case, the first side portion 32A and the second side portion 32B are connected to each other by the connecting portion 53, thereby increasing the rigidity of the sensor peripheral portion 20.

[0053] The connecting surface portion 60 also has a first step portion 62 extending in the vertical direction, connecting the upper wall 30 and the lower wall 31 of the sensor peripheral portion 20, which are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction. This increases the vertical rigidity of the connecting portion 53, suppressing vertical deformation of the connecting portion 53 and thereby suppressing displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20, such as vertical displacement of the sensor device 9 attached to the sensor peripheral portion 20. This is particularly effective because the vehicle 1 vibrates in the vertical direction while traveling. The lower lateral extension portion 51, which is arranged at the lower portion of the low-rigidity member 6, is not connected to the connecting portion 53 but is connected to the outer panel 4 via a panel fixing portion 6a provided at the vehicle width direction end of the lower lateral extension portion 51. As a result, the lower lateral extension portion 51 can be easily deformed during a collision, thereby absorbing the impact of the collision.

[0054] Next, the positional relationship between the reinforcing member 5, the low-rigidity member 6, and the support bracket 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 5, and 8. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view (longitudinal cross-sectional view) taken along the line AA in FIG. 3. As shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 8, the vehicle width center of the lower lateral extension 51 is disposed between the support bracket 12 attached to the vehicle width center of the second body frame member 3b and the lower support portion 22 provided below the sensor peripheral portion 20 provided at the vehicle width center of the reinforcing member 5. That is, the vehicle width center of the lower lateral extension 51, which is the lower part of the low-rigidity member 6, is disposed on the side facing the outer panel 4 relative to the support bracket 12 in the front-rear direction, and is disposed so as to overlap the support bracket 12 in the vehicle width direction and the up-down direction. Portions on both sides of the lower lateral extension 51 in the vehicle width direction are disposed so as not to overlap the support bracket 12. The lower lateral extension 51 is not connected to the connecting portion 53. This promotes deformation of the low-rigidity member 6 during an offset collision. In this embodiment, the center of the lower lateral extension 51 in the vehicle width direction is disposed between the support bracket 12 and the lower support portion 22 in the front-rear direction, but is not limited to this and may be disposed between the second body frame member 3b and the lower support portion 22.

[0055] Next, the sensor accommodating space 24 will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 11. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view (longitudinal cross-sectional view) at position BB in Figure 5, Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view (horizontal cross-sectional view) at position CC in Figure 5, and Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view (horizontal cross-sectional view) at position DD in Figure 5. The outer panel 4 and the second body frame member 3b are omitted from Figures 10 and 11.

[0056] The sensor accommodating space 24 is surrounded by the upper wall 30, the lower wall 31, the first side portion 32A, the second side portion 32B, and the sensor mounting wall 33, and the rear end surface of the upper wall 30 and the rear end surface of the lower wall 31 are connected by a connecting portion 53. That is, in a vertical cross section, the sensor accommodating space 24 is formed by the sensor mounting wall 33, the upper wall 30, the lower wall 31, and the connecting portion 53, and in a horizontal cross section, the sensor accommodating space 24 is formed by the sensor mounting wall 33, the first side portion 32A, the second side portion 32B, and the connecting portion 53. In addition, all or part of the opening 34 opened in the sensor mounting wall 33 is covered by the sensor bracket 11.

[0057] 8, at least a portion of the sensor accommodating space 24 is surrounded in side view by the sensor mounting wall 33 or the sensor bracket 11, the upper wall 30, the lower wall 31, and the connecting portion 53. This effectively improves the rigidity of the sensor peripheral portion 20 to which the sensor device 9 is attached, and effectively suppresses displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20.

[0058] 9, at least a portion of sensor accommodating space 24 is surrounded, in a side view, by upper peripheral wall portion 32d of second side portion 32B (or first side portion 32A), upper wall 30, and connecting portion 53. At least a portion of sensor accommodating space 24 is surrounded, in a side view, by lower peripheral wall portion 32e of second side portion 32B (or first side portion 32A), lower wall 31, and connecting portion 53. This more effectively improves the rigidity of sensor peripheral portion 20, and more effectively suppresses displacement of sensor peripheral portion 20.

[0059] 10 , at least a portion of the sensor accommodating space 24 is surrounded, in top view, by the sensor mounting wall 33 or the sensor bracket 11, the first side portion 32A, the second side portion 32B, and the connecting portion 53. This more effectively improves the rigidity of the sensor peripheral portion 20 to which the sensor device 9 is attached, and more effectively suppresses displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20.

[0060] 10, the connecting pieces 32c provided on both sides of the sensor peripheral portion 20 in the reinforcing member 5 in the vehicle width direction are simply inserted into a pair of slot holes 54 provided in the low-rigidity member 6. The side reinforcing portions 21 on both the left and right sides of the reinforcing member 5 are supported by the first vehicle body frame member 3a (see FIG. 2A). Upper portions 58 on both sides of the low-rigidity member 6 in the vehicle width direction are connected to the outer panel 4 via panel fixing portions 6a. Therefore, during an offset collision, the connecting pieces 32c provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction can easily come off the pair of slot holes 54 provided in the low-rigidity member 6. Therefore, during an offset collision, deformation of the low-rigidity member 6 on both sides in the vehicle width direction is easily promoted, and the deformation of the low-rigidity member 6 absorbs the impact during the collision. In addition, since the connecting portion 53 of the low-rigidity member 6 connects the upper wall 30 and the lower wall 31 which are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction of the sensor peripheral portion 20, the impact load received by the low-rigidity member 6 during a collision is received by the first body frame member 3a via the reinforcing member 5.

[0061] 5, the connecting surface portion 60 of the connecting portion 53 has a pair of first step portions 62 that are step portions extending in the vertical direction, and the pair of first step portions 62 are located outward in the vehicle width direction from the center in the vehicle width direction of the connecting surface portion 60. Therefore, during an offset collision, when the connecting pieces 32c provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction come out of the pair of slot holes 54 provided in the low-rigidity member 6, deformation of the connecting surface portion 60 in the vehicle width direction is promoted.

[0062] FIG. 11 shows a cross section of the lower part of the vehicle width center of the reinforcing member 5 and the low-rigidity member 6. In the recess 25, two vertically extending vertical ribs 26 are provided spaced apart in the vehicle width direction. At least one of the two vertical ribs 26 is arranged to overlap the lower connection portion 31a in the vehicle width direction and the up-down direction. This increases the rigidity of the sensor peripheral portion 20 and suppresses deformation of the sensor peripheral portion 20. Furthermore, the protrusion 64 at the bottom of the connecting surface portion 60 is arranged between the lower connection portions 31a of the lower wall 31 in the vehicle width direction and is arranged to overlap in the front-rear direction. This makes it easy to position the connecting portion 53 when connecting the connecting portion 53 to the upper wall 30 and the lower wall 31, and suppresses misalignment of the connecting portion 53.

[0063] As described above, in this embodiment, the vehicle structure 2 includes the outer panel 4 that forms the design surface on the outside of the vehicle and is supported by the body structural body 3 of the vehicle 1, the reinforcing member 5 that reinforces the outer panel 4 from the back side of the outer panel 4, the sensor device 9 that is attached to the reinforcing member 5 and detects the external environment of the vehicle, and the low-rigidity member 6 that has a rigidity lower than the rigidity of the body structural body 3 and is arranged adjacent to the reinforcing member 5. The sensor peripheral portion 20 of the reinforcing member 5, which is a peripheral portion of the sensor device 9, is connected to the low-rigidity member 6.

[0064] This configuration improves the support rigidity of the sensor peripheral portion 20, and suppresses displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20 due to vibrations during driving, etc. Therefore, the vehicle structure 2 of this embodiment can suppress displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20 in the reinforcing member 5 that reinforces the outer panel 4, and suppress a decrease in the detection accuracy of the sensor.

[0065] In addition, in this embodiment, the sensor peripheral portion 20 has a pair of opposing portions (upper wall 30 and lower wall 31, first side portion 32A and second side portion 32B) that face each other, and the low-rigidity member 6 has a connecting portion 53 that connects the pair of opposing portions to each other.

[0066] With this configuration, the pair of opposing portions of the sensor peripheral portion 20 are connected to each other by the connecting portion 53, thereby improving the rigidity of the sensor peripheral portion 20.

[0067] In addition, in this embodiment, the sensor peripheral portion 20 has an upper wall 30 and a lower wall 31 arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction as a pair of opposing portions, the sensor device 9 is arranged between the upper wall 30 and the lower wall 31, the connecting portion 53 has a connecting surface portion 60 extending in the vertical direction, and the connecting surface portion 60 has a first step portion 62 as a step portion extending in the vertical direction.

[0068] This configuration increases the rigidity of the connecting portion 53 in the vertical direction and suppresses deformation of the connecting portion 53 in the vertical direction, thereby suppressing displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20 that would cause vertical displacement of the sensor device 9 attached to the sensor peripheral portion 20. This is particularly effective because the vehicle 1 vibrates in the vertical direction while traveling.

[0069] In addition, in this embodiment, the sensor peripheral portion 20 has a sensor mounting wall 33 on the side facing the outer panel 4, to which the sensor device 9 (here, the sensor bracket 11) is attached, and has an upper wall 30 and a lower wall 31 arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction as the pair of opposing portions, and the connecting portion 53 is arranged on the opposite side of the sensor peripheral portion 20 from the side facing the outer panel 4, and in a vertical cross-sectional view, the sensor mounting wall 33, the upper wall 30, the lower wall 31 and the connecting portion 53 form a sensor accommodating space 24, and at least a portion of the sensor accommodating space 24 is surrounded by the sensor mounting wall 33, the upper wall 30, the lower wall 31 and the connecting portion 53 in a side view.

[0070] This configuration improves the rigidity of the sensor peripheral portion 20 in the vertical cross section, and effectively suppresses displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20.

[0071] In addition, in this embodiment, the sensor peripheral portion 20 has, as the pair of opposing portions, a first side portion 32A and a second side portion 32B arranged opposite each other in the vehicle width direction, and the sensor device 9 is arranged between the first side portion 32A and the second side portion 32B. In a cross-sectional view, the sensor accommodating space 24 is formed by the sensor mounting wall 33, the first side portion 32A, the second side portion 32B, and the connecting portion 53, and at least a portion of the sensor accommodating space 24 is surrounded by the sensor mounting wall 33 or the sensor bracket 11, the first side portion 32A, the second side portion 32B, and the connecting portion 53 in a top view.

[0072] This configuration improves the rigidity of the cross section of the sensor peripheral portion 20, and displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20 is more effectively suppressed.

[0073] In addition, in this embodiment, a sensor fixing portion 35 to which a sensor device 9 (here, a sensor bracket 11) is fixed is provided on the back surface of the sensor mounting wall 33, and the sensor peripheral portion 20 has adjacent portions 32 (first side portion 32A, second side portion 32B) adjacent to the sensor fixing portion 35 and extending in the front-to-rear direction from the back surface of the sensor mounting wall 33, and a low-rigidity member 6 is connected to the adjacent portions 32.

[0074] This configuration improves the rigidity of the sensor fixing portion 35 and the periphery of the sensor fixing portion 35 in the sensor peripheral portion 20, and displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20 is more effectively suppressed.

[0075] In this embodiment, the adjacent portion 32 has a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 32a and an end wall portion 32b located at the end opposite to the end of the peripheral wall portion 32a on the outer panel 4 side.

[0076] This configuration improves the rigidity of the adjacent portion 32, and further suppresses the displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20.

[0077] In this embodiment, the adjacent portions 32 are disposed on the left and right sides of the sensor device 9 (here, the sensor bracket 11), and the low-rigidity members 6 are connected to the adjacent portions 32 on the left and right, respectively.

[0078] This configuration further improves the rigidity of the sensor peripheral portion 20, and effectively suppresses displacement of the sensor peripheral portion 20.

[0079] The above describes the embodiments of the present invention and their modifications. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and their modifications, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the present invention.

[0080] For example, in the above embodiment, the vehicle structure 2 is applied as a structure for the front of the vehicle 1, but is not limited to this and may be applied as a structure for the rear of the vehicle 1. In this case, in the above description, "front side" is replaced with "rear side", "outside" in the front-to-rear direction indicates the rear side, "rear side" indicates the front side, "outer surface" indicates the rear surface, and "rear surface" indicates the front surface.

[0081] Furthermore, although the sensor peripheral portion 20 has two sets of the pair of opposing portions facing each other, the present invention is not limited to this and may have only one set of the pair of opposing portions. That is, the sensor peripheral portion 20 may have only the upper wall 30 and the lower wall 31 as the pair of opposing portions, or may have only the first side portion 32A and the second side portion 32B as the pair of opposing portions. That is, it is sufficient for the sensor peripheral portion 20 to have at least one set of the pair of opposing portions facing each other. Furthermore, the pair of opposing portions is not limited to facing in the vertical direction or the vehicle width direction, but may also face in an oblique direction intersecting the vertical direction and the vehicle width direction. In this case, although not shown, each opposing portion may be, for example, L-shaped when viewed from either the front-rear direction of the vehicle, consisting of a horizontal portion extending horizontally and a vertical portion extending vertically. Furthermore, when the desired rigidity in the sensor peripheral portion 20 is ensured by connecting the horizontal portion and the vertical portion with the connecting portion 53, the sensor peripheral portion 20 may have, instead of the pair of opposing portions, for example, a portion consisting of a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, where the horizontal portion and the vertical portion are connected to the connecting portion 53. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1 vehicle 2 Vehicle structure 3 Body structure 3a First body frame member 3a1 Front flange 3b Second body frame member 4 Outer panel 4a Front Grille 4b Base 5 Reinforcing members 6 Low rigidity members 6a Panel fixing part 7. Shock absorbing material 8 Bumper Face 9 Sensor Device 10 sensors 11 Sensor bracket 12 Support bracket 20 Sensor periphery 20a Front side 21 Side reinforcement 21a Side reinforcement upper wall 21b Front wall of side reinforcement 21b1 Through hole 22 Lower support part 22a Front side 23 Protrusion 23a Protruding front end surface 231 Front and rear walls 232 Projecting end wall 233 Panel fixing hole 24 Sensor housing space 25 recess 25a Back wall 25b side wall 25c Concave shape bottom wall 26 Vertical ribs 27 Lower bulge 30, 31 Upper wall and lower wall (a pair of opposing parts) 30 Upper Wall 30a Upper connection part 30b Upper positioning guide 31 Lower Wall 31a Lower connection part 32A, 32B First side portion and second side portion (a pair of opposing portions) 32A First Side 32B Second side 32 Adjacent area 32a peripheral wall portion 32b end wall 32c connecting piece 32d Last week's wall 32e lower wall 32f Peripheral wall 33 センサtakeFubi 34 opening 35 センサ fixed part 36 pick up the wall 50 Upper horizontal extension 51 Lower horizontal extension 52 extension 53 Connection 53a upper side connection hole 53b Lower side connection hole 53c position decision hole 54 スロットhole 55 vertebral wall 57 owed to you 58 upper side 60 Connect Face 60a First face 60b 1st contact face 60c Second face 60d third face 60e 2nd face 61 Sidewall face 62 1st step difference part (step difference part) 63 Section 2 64 bulge Δa separation method Δb separation method

Claims

1. an outer panel that forms a design surface on the outside of the vehicle and is supported by a body structure of the vehicle; a reinforcing member that reinforces the outer panel from the back surface side of the outer panel; a sensor device attached to the reinforcing member for detecting an external environment of the vehicle; A vehicle structure comprising: a low-rigidity member having a rigidity lower than a rigidity of the vehicle body structure and disposed adjacent to the reinforcing member; A vehicle structure, wherein a sensor peripheral portion of the reinforcing member, which is a peripheral portion of the sensor device, is connected to the low-rigidity member.

2. the sensor peripheral portion has a pair of opposing portions that face each other, 2. The vehicle structure according to claim 1, wherein the low-rigidity member has a connecting portion that connects the pair of opposing portions together.

3. the sensor peripheral portion has an upper wall and a lower wall, which are arranged opposite to each other in the up-down direction, as the pair of opposing portions; the sensor device is disposed between the upper wall and the lower wall, The connecting portion has a connecting surface portion extending in the up-down direction, 3. The vehicle structure according to claim 2, wherein the connecting surface portion has a step portion extending in the vertical direction.

4. the sensor peripheral portion has a sensor mounting wall on the side facing the outer panel, to which the sensor device is attached; the sensor peripheral portion has an upper wall and a lower wall, which are arranged opposite to each other in the up-down direction, as the pair of opposing portions; the sensor device is disposed between the upper wall and the lower wall, the connecting portion is disposed on the opposite side of the sensor periphery from the side facing the outer panel, a sensor accommodating space for accommodating the sensor device is formed by the sensor mounting wall, the upper wall, the lower wall, and the connecting portion; 3. The vehicle structure according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the sensor accommodating space is enclosed by the sensor mounting wall, the upper wall, the lower wall, and the connecting portion in a side view.

5. the sensor peripheral portion has a sensor mounting wall on a side facing the outer panel to which a sensor bracket of the sensor device is attached, the sensor peripheral portion has, as the pair of opposing portions, a first side portion and a second side portion that are arranged opposite to each other in a vehicle width direction, the sensor device is disposed between the first side and the second side; the connecting portion is disposed on the opposite side of the sensor periphery from the side facing the outer panel, a sensor accommodating space for accommodating the sensor device is formed by the sensor mounting wall, the first side portion, the second side portion, and the connecting portion; 3. The vehicle structure according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the sensor accommodating space is surrounded by the sensor mounting wall or the sensor bracket, the first side portion, the second side portion, and the connecting portion when viewed from above.

6. the sensor peripheral portion has a sensor mounting wall on the side facing the outer panel, to which the sensor device is attached; a sensor fixing portion to which the sensor device is fixed is provided on a rear surface of the sensor mounting wall; the sensor peripheral portion has an adjacent portion adjacent to the sensor fixing portion and extending in the front-rear direction from the rear surface of the sensor mounting wall, 2. The vehicle structure according to claim 1, wherein the low-rigidity member is connected to the adjacent portion.

7. 7. The vehicle structure according to claim 6, wherein the adjacent portion has a cylindrical peripheral wall portion and an end wall portion located at an end of the peripheral wall portion opposite to the end on the outer panel side.

8. the adjacent portions are disposed on the left and right sides of the sensor device, 8. The vehicle structure according to claim 6, wherein the low-rigidity member is connected to each of the adjacent portions on the left and right sides.

Images