Vehicle body structure

Abstract

To reduce the number of part items by integrally molding right and left suspension towers, and to secure sufficient vehicle body rigidity to an impact load from the longitudinal direction.SOLUTION: The vehicle body structure includes a front frame 50 in which a right side front suspension tower part 51 and a left side front suspension tower part 52 are integrally molded by casting, a rear frame 100 in which a right side rear suspension tower part 110 and a left side rear suspension tower part 120 are integrally molded by casting, and a tunnel frame 170 connecting the front frame 50 and the rear frame 100.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a body structure of, for example, an automobile. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle body structure in which a dash panel and gussets made of light alloy casting such as aluminum die-cast material are provided in the front of the vehicle body. In this vehicle body structure, a rear seat cross member made of light alloy casting is provided in the floor panel, and this rear seat cross member and the gusset in the front of the vehicle body are connected by a backbone. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-247346 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Meanwhile, an automobile body is provided with suspension towers on the front and rear, as well as on the left and right sides, to which the upper parts of the dampers of the suspension system are attached, and in the case of a typical four-wheeled automobile, there are a total of four suspension towers: a right front suspension tower, a right rear suspension tower, a left front suspension tower, and a left rear suspension tower. If these four suspension towers were molded separately and then integrated into a single structure, the number of parts would increase.

[0005] Additionally, ensuring vehicle body rigidity in frontal and rearal collisions is a major issue, but in the design of Patent Document 1, the rear seat cross member to which the rear portion of the backbone is connected is a member disposed inside the vehicle cabin, and is therefore not a member that can adequately withstand an impact load input from behind in a rearal collision. Also, when an impact load is input from the front in a frontal collision, it is transmitted to the rear seat cross member via the gusset and backbone, but since the rear seat cross member is a member to which the rear seat is attached and is one of the smallest members that make up the vehicle body, there is a risk that it will not be able to adequately withstand an impact load from the front that is transmitted to the rear seat cross member.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of these points, and its purpose is to mold the left and right suspension towers as a single unit, thereby reducing the number of parts and ensuring sufficient vehicle body rigidity against impact loads from the front and rear directions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above object, one aspect of the present disclosure can be based on a vehicle body structure including a front frame and a rear frame. The vehicle body structure includes a front frame in which a right-side front suspension tower section and a left-side front suspension tower section are integrally molded by casting, a rear frame in which a right-side rear suspension tower section and a left-side rear suspension tower section are integrally molded by casting, and a tunnel frame that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle in a tunnel section that bulges upward from a floor panel and connects the front frame and the rear frame.

[0008] With this configuration, the left and right front suspension towers are molded as a single unit, and the left and right rear suspension towers are molded as a single unit, thereby reducing the number of parts. The front frame, including the left and right front suspension towers, and the rear frame, including the left and right rear suspension towers, are connected by the tunnel frame, so that a frontal impact load is transmitted from the front frame to the rear frame via the tunnel frame. Since the front frame is a large member that includes the left and right front suspension towers, the front frame can withstand the frontal impact load. Furthermore, since the rear frame is also a large member that includes the left and right rear suspension towers, the rear frame can withstand the frontal impact load transmitted from the tunnel frame.

[0009] On the other hand, a rear impact load is transmitted from the rear frame through the tunnel frame to the front frame, but because the rear frame is a large member, it can withstand the rear impact load. And because the front frame is also a large member, it can withstand the rear impact load transmitted from the tunnel frame.

[0010] The front frame may have a front connecting portion extending from the right front suspension tower to the left front suspension tower and connecting the right front suspension tower and the left front suspension tower. In this case, the front portion of the tunnel frame can be connected to the front connecting portion. That is, if various components, for example, can be arranged inside the tunnel portion, the height of the tunnel portion increases, and as a result, the position of the tunnel frame is raised. However, if the front connecting portion connects the upper portions of the front suspension towers as in this configuration, the position of the front connecting portion can be raised to correspond to the position of the tunnel frame. This improves the transmission of impact loads in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0011] The rear frame may have a rear connecting portion that extends from the right rear suspension tower portion to the left rear suspension tower portion and connects the right rear suspension tower portion and the left rear suspension tower portion. By positioning the front connecting portion, the tunnel frame, and the rear connecting portion so that they are substantially in the same plane in a side view, vehicle body rigidity can be improved.

[0012] The right and left front side frames, which extend forward on the right and left sides of the front of the vehicle body, are integrally molded with the front frame, thereby reducing the number of parts required when including the front side frames. Also, the right and left front side frames are positioned so that they are substantially flush with the tunnel frame in a side view, ensuring that impact loads from the front are transmitted reliably to the tunnel frame via the front side frames and the front connecting portions.

[0013] The tunnel frame may extend in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle along an upper portion of the tunnel section, and may be formed so that its width in the left-right direction increases toward the front, thereby ensuring a wide connection between the tunnel frame and the front frame and reliably transmitting impact loads in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0014] The tunnel frame can be fixed to the upper part of the tunnel section. In this case, by forming a closed cross section between the tunnel frame and the upper part of the tunnel section, the rigidity of the vehicle body can be further improved. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] As explained above, the front frame, in which the left and right front suspension tower sections are molded as a single unit, and the rear frame, in which the left and right rear suspension tower sections are molded as a single unit, are connected by a tunnel frame, thereby reducing the number of parts while ensuring sufficient rigidity against impact loads, whether the impact load is input from the front or rear. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of an automobile equipped with a vehicle body structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the vehicle body structure. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the vehicle body structure. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the front frame. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the right side portion of the front frame. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a rear view of the front frame. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the rear frame member. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view of the rear frame member. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a front view of the rear frame member. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0018] 1 is a side view of an automobile 1 equipped with a vehicle body structure A according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the description of this embodiment, the front side of the vehicle will be simply referred to as the "front," the rear side of the vehicle will be simply referred to as the "rear," the right side of the vehicle will be simply referred to as the "right," and the left side of the vehicle will be simply referred to as the "left." The left-right direction of the vehicle is the vehicle width direction.

[0019] The automobile 1 may be, for example, a passenger automobile, such as a coupe, hatchback, or sedan. The automobile 1 may also be an automobile equipped with an internal combustion engine that generates driving force transmitted to the drive wheels, an electric automobile equipped with a traction motor that generates driving force transmitted to the drive wheels, or a hybrid automobile in which driving force transmitted to the drive wheels is generated by an internal combustion engine and a driving force generating motor. The internal combustion engine and the motor constitute a powertrain PT.

[0020] A bonnet hood 2 is provided at the front of the automobile 1. A front space R1 is provided below the bonnet hood 2, in which a powertrain PT is mounted as needed. A rear hood 3 is provided at the rear of the automobile 1. A rear space R2 capable of accommodating luggage is provided below the rear hood 3. A powertrain (not shown) may be mounted in the rear space R2 without mounting the powertrain PT in the front space R1. In this case, the front space R1 can be used as a space for accommodating luggage. Powertrains may also be mounted in both the front space R1 and the rear space R2.

[0021] A left door 4 and a right door (not shown) are provided on the left and right sides of the automobile 1 so as to be able to be opened and closed. The body structure A of the automobile 1 also has front wheels 7 and rear wheels 8 on the left and right sides, respectively. At least one of the front wheels 7 and the rear wheels 8 can be a drive wheel.

[0022] Between the front space R1 and the rear space R2, a passenger compartment R3 is provided as a living space for occupants. As shown in Fig. 2, a vehicle body structure A of an automobile 1 includes a floor panel 10 that forms the floor surface of the passenger compartment R3, and a dash panel 20 that forms the front wall of the passenger compartment R3. The vehicle body structure A also includes an inclined panel 16 that extends upward from the rear end of the floor panel 10 and is inclined so that it is positioned further rearward as it goes upward, and a rear panel 17 that extends rearward from the upper end of the inclined panel 16.

[0023] A tunnel portion 11 that bulges upward and extends in the front-rear direction is formed in the center of the floor panel 10 in the left-right direction. The vehicle body structure A also includes a right side sill 12 that extends in the front-rear direction along the right edge of the floor panel 10, and a left side sill 13 that extends in the front-rear direction along the left edge of the floor panel 10. A right hinge pillar 12a that extends upward is provided in front of the right side sill 12. The right hinge pillar 12a is a member that supports the right door. A left hinge pillar 13a that extends upward is provided in front of the left side sill 13. The left hinge pillar 13a is a member that supports the left door 4.

[0024] The front end of the tunnel portion 11 is located at the front end of the floor panel 10, and the rear end of the tunnel portion 11 is located at the rear end of the floor panel 10. Therefore, the tunnel portion 11 has a shape that extends continuously from the front end to the rear end of the floor panel 10. If the automobile 1 is an electric automobile or a hybrid automobile, a power battery (not shown) for supplying power to a motor that generates driving force may be housed inside the tunnel portion 11. The power batteries may be housed so as to be lined up in the front-to-rear direction inside the tunnel portion 11, or may be housed so as to be lined up in the up-down direction or the left-to-right direction inside the tunnel portion 11. In this case, the tunnel portion 11 can also be called a battery housing portion that houses the power batteries.

[0025] The vehicle body structure A includes a right cross member 14 that extends on the upper surface of the floor panel 10 from the right side of the floor panel 10 to the right side of the tunnel section 11, and a left cross member 15 that extends on the upper surface of the floor panel 10 from the left side of the floor panel 10 to the left side of the tunnel section 11. In this embodiment, the two right cross members 14 are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction, and the two left cross members 15 are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-rear direction. The front right cross member 14 and the front left cross member 15 are arranged to be aligned on the same straight line extending in the left-to-right direction. The rear right cross member 14 and the rear left cross member 15 are also arranged to be aligned on the same straight line extending in the left-to-right direction.

[0026] Each right cross member 14 is formed to fit along the upper surface of the floor panel 10 on the right side of the tunnel section 11 and is fixed to that upper surface. The right end of the right cross member 14 is fixed to the side surface of the right side sill 12 on the interior side of the vehicle, while the left end of the right cross member 14 is fixed to the right side surface of the tunnel section 11.

[0027] Each left cross member 15 is formed to fit along the upper surface of the floor panel 10 on the left side of the tunnel section 11 and is fixed to that upper surface. The left end of the left cross member 15 is fixed to the side surface of the left side sill 13 on the interior side of the vehicle, while the right end of the left cross member 15 is fixed to the left side surface of the tunnel section 11.

[0028] The automobile 1 is a right-hand drive vehicle. Therefore, the automobile 1 is provided with a passenger seat 30 as a left seat (seat) and a driver's seat 40 as a right seat (seat) on the left and right sides of the tunnel section 11 in the floor panel 10, respectively. Specifically, the passenger seat 30 is provided on the left side of the tunnel section 11 in the floor panel 10, and is disposed between the tunnel section 11 and the left side side sill 13. The driver's seat 40 is provided on the right side of the tunnel section 11 in the floor panel 10, and is disposed between the tunnel section 11 and the right side side sill 12. Therefore, the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 are disposed side by side in the left-right direction, sandwiching the tunnel section 11 therebetween.

[0029] The lower part of the driver's seat 40 is attached to the two right-side cross members 14. The lower part of the passenger seat 30 is attached to the two left-side cross members 15. The automobile 1 may be a left-hand drive vehicle, in which case the driver's seat 40 may be located on the left side and the passenger seat 30 on the right side. A rear seat may also be located behind the driver's seat 40 and the passenger seat 30.

[0030] The vehicle body structure A includes a tunnel member 10a (shown in FIG. 9) that extends across the tunnel portion 11 in the left-right direction on the underside of the floor panel 10. The tunnel member 10a is positioned below the rear right cross member 14 and left cross member 15, and is a reinforcing member that suppresses deformation of the tunnel portion 11, which is open downward, such that it opens in the left-right direction.

[0031] The right side of the tunnel member 10a extends further to the right than the right side surface of the tunnel section 11, and is positioned so as to overlap the left side of the right cross member 14 in a plan view. The right side of the tunnel member 10a and the left side of the right cross member 14 are fixed to the floor panel 10 by, for example, fastening members 14a, etc., and are integrated together.

[0032] The left side of tunnel member 10a extends further to the left than the left side surface of tunnel section 11, and is positioned so as to overlap the right side of left cross member 15 in a plan view. The left side of tunnel member 10a and the right side of left cross member 15 are fixed to floor panel 10 by, for example, fastening member 15a, etc., and are integrated together. In other words, right cross member 14 and left cross member 15 are connected via tunnel member 10a to form a single reinforcing member.

[0033] The dash panel 20 extends upward and laterally from the front end of the floor panel 10 and separates the vehicle interior R3 from a front space R1 located forward of the vehicle interior R3. The front end of the tunnel section 11 is connected to the center of the lower portion of the dash panel 20 in the lateral direction.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the vehicle body structure A includes a front frame 50. The front frame 50 is provided at the front of the vehicle 1 and constitutes a front body framework member. The front frame 50 includes a right front suspension tower 51, a left front suspension tower 52, a right front side frame 60, a left front side frame 70, and a front connecting portion 80. As shown in FIG. 4 and other figures, the right front suspension tower 51, the left front suspension tower 52, the right front side frame 60, the left front side frame 70, and the front connecting portion 80 are integrally molded by casting, thereby obtaining the front frame 50 as a single component. A specific manufacturing method for the front frame 50 can be, for example, a die-casting method using an aluminum alloy. The right front side frame 60 and the left front side frame 70 may be cast separately.

[0035] The right front suspension tower 51 and the left front suspension tower 52 are portions to which the upper portions of the right front damper and the left front damper of a front suspension device (not shown) are attached, respectively. The right front suspension tower 51 is connected to the upper portion of the front portion 62 of the right front side frame 60. The right front suspension tower 51 is provided with a right front damper attachment portion 51a to which the upper portion of the right front damper is attached. The rear portion of the right front suspension tower 51 is connected to the rear portion of the right front side frame 60 by the left connection portion 53.

[0036] The left front suspension tower 52 is connected to the upper part of the front portion 72 of the left front side frame 70. A left front damper mounting part 52a is provided on the left front suspension tower 52 to which the upper part of the left front damper is attached. The rear part of the left front suspension tower 52 is connected to the rear part of the left front side frame 70 by a right connecting part 54.

[0037] The front connecting portion 80 extends from the top of the right front suspension tower portion 51 to the top of the left front suspension tower portion 52, and connects the right front suspension tower portion 51 and the left front suspension tower portion 52. The rear portion of the front connecting portion 80 is fixed to the front portions of the dash panel 20 and the tunnel portion 11. When fixing the right front side frame 60, the left front side frame 70, and the front connecting portion 80 to the dash panel 20 and the tunnel portion 11, various fixing methods can be applied, such as fixing by welding or fastening using fastening members (including, for example, self-piercing rivets), and among these fixing methods, any one fixing method may be used alone, or any two or more fixing methods may be used in combination.

[0038] The right front side frame 60 extends in the front-to-rear direction to the right of the center in the left-to-right direction at the front of the vehicle 1 and below the front coupling part 80. The left front side frame 70 extends in the front-to-rear direction to the left of the center in the left-to-right direction at the front of the vehicle 1 and below the front coupling part 80. The front coupling part 80 may be connected to the right front suspension tower part 51 with the rear part of the right front side frame 60 interposed therebetween, or may be connected to the left front suspension tower part 52 with the rear part of the left front side frame 70 interposed therebetween.

[0039] The right front side frame 60 and the left front side frame 70 are disposed at the same height. The front space R1 is provided in front of the front connecting portion 80 between the right front side frame 60 and the left front side frame 70.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a front cross member 90 extending in the left-right direction is provided in the front portion of the front frame 50 of the automobile 1. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, a right recessed portion 60a into which the front cross member 90 fits is formed in the front portion of the right front side frame 60 so as to be recessed rearward. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, a left recessed portion 70a into which the front cross member 90 fits is formed in the front portion of the left front side frame 70 so as to be recessed rearward. The right portion of the front cross member 90 is fixed to the front portion of the right front side frame 60 while being fitted into the right recessed portion 60a of the right front side frame 60, and the left portion of the front cross member 90 is fixed to the front portion of the left front side frame 70 while being fitted into the left recessed portion 70a of the left front side frame 70. Thus, the front portions of the right front side frame 60 and the left front side frame 70 are connected by the front cross member 90. In a front view, the front cross member 90 is positioned so as to overlap the front portion of the right front side frame 60 and the front portion of the left front side frame 70 .

[0041] A right-side crash can 91 and a left-side crash can 92 are provided in front of a front cross member 90 of the automobile 1. The right-side crash can 91 is fixed to the right side portion of the front cross member 90 and has a cylindrical shape extending forward from the right side portion of the front cross member 90. The left-side crash can 92 is fixed to the left side portion of the front cross member 90 and has a cylindrical shape extending forward from the left side portion of the front cross member 90. In a front view, the right-side crash can 91 and the left-side crash can 92 are positioned so as to overlap the front portion of the right front side frame 60 and the front portion of the left front side frame 70, respectively.

[0042] A bumper reinforcement member 93 extending in the left-right direction is provided at the front portions of the right crash can 91 and the left crash can 92 of the automobile 1. The right portion of the bumper reinforcement member 93 is fixed to the front portion of the right crash can 91, and the left portion of the bumper reinforcement member 93 is fixed to the front portion of the left crash can 92. Therefore, the front portion of the right crash can 91 and the front portion of the left crash can 92 are connected by the bumper reinforcement member 93. In a front view, the bumper reinforcement member 93 is positioned so as to overlap the front portion of the right front side frame 60 and the front portion of the left front side frame 70. Note that the front cross member 90, right crash can 91, left crash can 92, and bumper reinforcement member 93 may be provided as needed and are not essential components for the present invention.

[0043] The right front side frame 60 and the left front side frame 70 have a bilaterally symmetrical structure. Specifically, when an imaginary line passing through the center of the vehicle 1 in the bilateral direction and extending in the vertical direction is taken as the center of symmetry, the left front side frame 70 is line-symmetrical with the right front side frame 60, and the right front side frame 60 is line-symmetrical with the left front side frame 70. Because the right front side frame 60 and the left front side frame 70 have such a bilaterally symmetrical structure, the following will describe in detail the structure of the right front side frame 60, and will only provide a brief description of the left front side frame 70.

[0044] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the right front side frame 60 taken along a plane extending vertically through a straight line extending in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction). As shown in FIG. 6, the right front side frame 60 can be divided into a rear portion 61 and a front portion 62. The rear portion 61 is a cone-shaped portion having a hollow portion S1 formed therein. On the other hand, the front portion 62, as also shown in FIG. 7, is a portion having a cross-sectional shape similar to an H-shape. As shown in FIG. 4, the left front side frame 70 also has a rear portion (cone-shaped portion) 71 having a hollow portion S2 (shown in FIG. 8) formed therein, and a front portion 72 having a cross-sectional shape similar to an H-shape.

[0045] As a mold (not shown) for molding the front frame 50, for example, a mold that opens and closes in the vertical direction can be used. In this case, the hollow sections S1 and S2 are difficult to mold using the mold because they are open to the rear. Therefore, when molding the hollow sections S1 and S2, a slide mold (not shown) that can move in the front-rear direction of the front frame 50 is set.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 6, the rear portion 61 of the right front side frame 60 is open to the rear. Fig. 8 is a rear view of the front frame 50, looking at the rear portion 61 from the rear, i.e., the open side. As shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the rear portion 61 has an upper wall portion 61a, a lower wall portion 61b, an outer wall portion 61c, and an inner wall portion 61d. The upper wall portion 61a, the lower wall portion 61b, the outer wall portion 61c, and the inner wall portion 61d form a hollow portion S1 that is open to the rear.

[0047] The upper wall 61a constitutes the upper part of the rear section 61 and extends in the front-rear and left-right directions. The lower wall 61b constitutes the lower part of the rear section 61 and extends in the front-rear and left-right directions, sloping or curved so that it is positioned lower toward the rear. As a result, the vertical dimension of the hollow section S1 of the rear section 61 increases toward the rear. Corresponding to the sloping or curved shape of the lower wall 61b, the vertical dimensions of the outer wall 61c and the inner wall 61d increase toward the rear.

[0048] The outer wall portion 61c and the inner wall portion 61d extend in the front-rear and up-down directions. The outer wall portion 61c is formed so as to be positioned more outward (right side) in the vehicle width direction as it moves toward the rear. The inner wall portion 61d is formed so as to be positioned more inward (left side) in the vehicle width direction as it moves toward the rear. As a result, the rear portion 61 of the right front side frame 60 is formed so that its left-right dimension increases as it moves toward the rear.

[0049] As described above, the shape of the vertical cross section of rear portion 61 perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction is largest at the rear of rear portion 61, and as a result, rear portion 61 has a cone-shaped cross section perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction that gradually widens toward the rear. Since the part with the largest vertical cross section is fixed to dash panel 20, the fixing strength of right front side frame 60 to dash panel 20 can be increased.

[0050] 8, like the rear portion 61 of the right front side frame 60, the rear portion 71 of the left front side frame 70 has an upper wall portion 71a, a lower wall portion 71b, an outer wall portion 71c, and an inner wall portion 71d. This allows the portion of the left front side frame 70 with the largest vertical cross section to be fixed to the dash panel 20, thereby increasing the fixing strength of the left front side frame 70 to the dash panel 20.

[0051] Next, the structure of the front portion 62 of the right front side frame 60 will be described. As shown in Figure 7, when viewed in the front-to-rear direction, the front portion 62 has a horizontal plate portion 63, a right vertical plate portion 64, and a left vertical plate portion 65. The horizontal plate portion 63 extends forward from the front of the rear portion 61 in the front-to-rear direction and also extends in the left-to-right direction. The width direction of the horizontal plate portion 63 is the left-to-right direction, the length direction of the horizontal plate portion 63 is the front-to-rear direction, and the thickness direction of the horizontal plate portion 63 is the up-to-down direction.

[0052] The right vertical plate portion 64 is continuous with the right end portion (one end in the width direction) of the horizontal plate portion 63 and extends to both sides in the thickness direction of the horizontal plate portion 63. The left vertical plate portion 65 is continuous with the left end portion (the other end in the width direction) of the horizontal plate portion 63 and extends to both sides in the thickness direction of the horizontal plate portion 63. Therefore, the right vertical plate portion 64 and the left vertical plate portion 65 extend above the upper surface of the horizontal plate portion 63 and below the lower surface of the horizontal plate portion 63, thereby giving the front portion 62 a cross-sectional shape similar to an H-shape. The right vertical plate portion 64 and the left vertical plate portion 65 may or may not be parallel to each other. In addition, the right vertical plate portion 64 and the left vertical plate portion 65 generally have a draft angle set in the mold, so that they become thinner toward the top and bottom. However, the draft angle may be omitted and they may have a uniform thickness from top to bottom. The rear portions of the right vertical plate portion 64 and the left vertical plate portion 65 are continuous with the front portion of the rear portion 61 .

[0053] The horizontal plate portion 63 has a bulging portion 63a that bulges in the thickness direction of the horizontal plate portion 63 and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The bulging portion 63a is located in the center of the horizontal plate portion 63 in the left-to-right direction and bulges upward in one direction in the thickness direction of the horizontal plate portion 63. Note that the bulging portion 63a may also bulge downward in the other direction in the thickness direction of the horizontal plate portion 63.

[0054] 4, when viewed in the front-to-rear direction, the front portion 72 of the left front side frame 70 also has a horizontal plate portion 73, a right vertical plate portion 74, and a left vertical plate portion 75. A bulge 73a is formed in the horizontal plate portion 73.

[0055] For example, in the event of a frontal collision, a rearward impact load is input to the right front side frame 60. The right front side frame 60 that receives the impact load has a cross-sectional shape that is close to an H-shape and has a hollow rib-like bulge 63a, so it can buckle and deform without bending. This allows the right front side frame 60 to absorb the impact load. The same applies to the left front side frame 70.

[0056] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the vehicle body structure A includes a rear frame 100. The rear frame 100 is provided at the rear of the automobile 1 and constitutes a rear vehicle body framework member. That is, as shown in Figure 9, the rear frame 100 is provided above the inclined panel 16 and includes a right rear suspension tower section 110, a left rear suspension tower section 120, and a rear connecting section 130. The rear frame 100 is formed by integrally molding the right rear suspension tower section 110 and the left rear suspension tower section 120 through casting, and the rear connecting section 130 is also integrally molded through casting. As with the front frame 50, a specific manufacturing method for the rear frame 100 can be, for example, a die-casting method using an aluminum alloy.

[0057] As shown in Figures 10 to 12, the rear connecting portion 130 is located in the left-right middle of the rear frame 100, extends from the right rear suspension tower portion 110 to the left rear suspension tower portion 120, and connects the right rear suspension tower portion 110 and the left rear suspension tower portion 120.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 2, the front end of a right rear frame 19a extending rearward is connected to the rear of the right rear suspension tower 110. The right rear frame 19a is positioned more inboard than the right side sill 12 and higher than the right side sill 12. The front end of a left rear frame 19b extending rearward is connected to the rear of the left rear suspension tower 120. The left rear frame 19b is positioned more inboard than the left side sill 13 and higher than the left side sill 13. A rear panel 17 is provided to connect the right rear frame 19a and the left rear frame 19b.

[0059] As shown in Figures 10 to 12, the right rear suspension tower section 110 has a right wheel house section 111 that forms a wheel house for a right rear wheel (not shown). The right wheel house section 111 extends in the up-down and front-rear directions and has a concave shape that is recessed toward the interior and front of the vehicle. Both the rear and bottom sides of the right wheel house section 111 are open, giving the right wheel house section 111 a dome shape.

[0060] The right wheel house section 111 has a right bulging section 111a that bulges out toward the vehicle interior, and a right plate section 111b that extends in the up-down and front-rear directions from the top of the right bulging section 111a to the front. A right damper mounting section 112 is provided near the top of the right bulging section 111a. The right damper mounting section 112 is a plate-shaped section to which the top of a right rear damper of a rear suspension device (not shown) is attached, and extends in the front-rear and left-right directions. An opening 112a is formed in the right damper mounting section 112.

[0061] A right flange portion 111c is formed on the periphery of the right side plate portion 111b. The right flange portion 111c extends continuously from the upper portion of the right wheel house portion 111, passing through the front portion and down to the lower portion. A right front connection portion 113 is formed on the lower front side of the right wheel house portion 111, and is connected to the rear end portion of the right side sill 12. Furthermore, a right rear connection portion 114 is formed on the lower rear side of the right wheel house portion 111, and is connected to the rear end portion of the right rear frame 19a. The right rear connection portion 114 is located on the vehicle interior side and above the right front connection portion 113.

[0062] A right load transmission part 115 is provided at the bottom of the right wheel house part 111, extending from the right front connection part 113 to the right rear connection part 114. The right load transmission part 115 is inclined so that it is positioned further outboard and lower towards the front.

[0063] The left rear suspension tower section 120 and the right rear suspension tower section 110 have a bilaterally symmetrical structure. Specifically, when an imaginary line passing through the center of the left-right direction of the automobile 1 and extending in the longitudinal direction is taken as the center of symmetry, the left rear suspension tower section 120 is line-symmetrical with the right rear suspension tower section 110, and the right rear suspension tower section 110 is line-symmetrical with the left rear suspension tower section 120.

[0064] That is, the left rear suspension tower section 120 has a left wheel house section 121 that forms a wheel house for the left rear wheel 8 (shown in FIG. 1). The left wheel house section 121 extends in the up-down and front-to-rear directions and has a concave shape that is recessed toward the interior and front of the vehicle. Both the rear and bottom sides of this left wheel house section 121 are open, which gives the left wheel house section 121 a dome shape.

[0065] The left wheel house section 121 has a left bulging section 121a that bulges out toward the vehicle interior, and a left side plate section 121b that extends in the up-down and front-rear directions from the top of the left bulging section 121a to the front. A left damper mounting section 122 to which the upper part of the right damper of the rear suspension device is attached is provided near the top of the left bulging section 121a. The left damper mounting section 122 has an opening 122a.

[0066] A left flange portion 121c is formed on the periphery of the left side plate portion 121b. The left flange portion 121c extends continuously from the upper portion of the left wheel house portion 121 through the front portion to the lower portion. A left front connection portion 123 is formed on the lower front side of the left wheel house portion 121, and is connected to the rear end portion of the left side sill 13. Furthermore, a left rear connection portion 124 is formed on the lower rear side of the left wheel house portion 121, and is connected to the rear end portion of the left rear frame 19b. The left rear connection portion 124 is located on the vehicle interior side and above the left front connection portion 123.

[0067] A left load transmission part 125 is provided at the bottom of the left wheel house part 121, extending from the left front connection part 123 to the left rear connection part 124. The left load transmission part 125 is inclined so that it is positioned further outboard and lower as it goes forward.

[0068] Therefore, for example, an impact load during a rear-end collision is input to the right wheel housing portion 111 via the right rear frame 19a. The impact load input to the right wheel housing portion 111 is transmitted to the right side sill 12 via the right rear connection portion 114, the right load transmission portion 115, and the right front connection portion 113. The impact load during a rear-end collision is input to the left wheel housing portion 121 via the left rear frame 19b. The impact load input to the left wheel housing portion 121 is transmitted to the left side sill 13 via the left rear connection portion 124, the left load transmission portion 125, and the left front connection portion 123.

[0069] As described above, the rear frame 100 is a member that receives the impact load during a rear collision and transmits it to the right side sill 12 and the left side sill 13, so it is necessary to increase the rigidity of the rear frame 100 against the input of the impact load. For this reason, one or more ribs are integrally molded into the rear frame 100.

[0070] A first right inner rib 116a, a second right inner rib 116b, a third right inner rib 116c, a fourth right inner rib 116d, and a fifth right inner rib 116e are integrally molded on the vehicle interior side of the right wheel house section 111. Furthermore, although detailed description will be omitted, a plurality of ribs 126a to 126e are integrally molded on the vehicle interior side of the left wheel house section 121, similar to the right wheel house section 111.

[0071] The rear connecting part 130 extends in the left-right direction from a longitudinally central portion of the lower part of the right rear suspension tower part 110 to a longitudinally central portion of the lower part of the left rear suspension tower part 120. A plurality of first lower ribs 130a that protrude forward and extend in the up-down direction are provided at intervals in the left-right direction on the front surface of the rear connecting part 130. Furthermore, a curved plate part 131 that curves upward is provided at the left-right central portion of the rear connecting part 130. A plurality of second lower ribs 131a that protrude upward and extend forward are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction of the curved plate part 131 on the upper surface of the curved plate part 131.

[0072] The rear of the tunnel portion 11 of the floor panel 10 is connected to the curved plate portion 131 of the rear connecting portion 130. This allows the rear connecting portion 130 to be connected to the tunnel portion 11, which has high rigidity.

[0073] The rear frame 100 is provided with a long rib 140 that continues from the right rear suspension tower section 110 to the rear connecting section 130 and also continues to the left rear suspension tower section 120. The right portion of the long rib 140 is integrally molded with the right bulging section 111a and the front portion of the right side plate section 111b. The left portion of the long rib 140 is integrally molded with the left bulging section 121a and the front portion of the left side plate section 121b.

[0074] The vehicle body structure A includes an upper connecting member 150 that extends in the left-right direction at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the rear connecting portion 130 in the front-rear or up-down direction, and connects the right and left sides of the rear frame 100. The upper connecting member 150 in this embodiment is a member that connects the upper part of the right rear suspension tower portion 110 and the upper part of the left rear suspension tower portion 120, and can be called a deck member or the like. Therefore, the upper connecting member 150 is spaced upward from the rear connecting portion 130, and is also spaced rearward from the rear connecting portion 130.

[0075] That is, a right connecting part 118 is provided on the top of the right rear suspension tower part 110, to which the right side of the upper connecting member 150 can be connected. The right connecting part 118 is spaced above the right damper mounting part 112 and has a plate shape that extends in the left-right direction. The right side of the upper connecting member 150 is fixed to the right connecting part 118 by welding or a fastening member.

[0076] Additionally, a left-side connecting part 128 is provided at the top of the left rear suspension tower part 120, to which the left side of the upper connecting member 150 can be connected. The left-side connecting part 128 is spaced above the left damper mounting part 122 and has a plate shape that extends in the left-right direction. The left side of the upper connecting member 150 is fixed to the left-side connecting part 128 by welding or a fastening member.

[0077] Although not shown, the upper connecting member 150 may be a header that is disposed at a position above and spaced apart from the tops of the right rear suspension tower section 110 and the left rear suspension tower section 120 .

[0078] The right cross member 14, left cross member 15, and tunnel member 10a shown in Figure 9 form a lower connecting member 160 that connects the lower part of the right rear suspension tower section 110 and the lower part of the left rear suspension tower section 120. That is, the right side of the right cross member 14 is fixed to the right side sill 12, and a right front connection part 113 formed on the lower part of the right rear suspension tower section 110 is connected to the right side sill 12, so the right side of the right cross member 14 is connected to the right front connection part 113 of the right rear suspension tower section 110 via the right side sill 12. In addition, the left side of the left cross member 15 is fixed to the left side sill 13, and a left front connection part 123 formed on the lower part of the left rear suspension tower section 120 is connected to the left side sill 13, so the left side of the left cross member 15 is connected to the left front connection part 123 of the left rear suspension tower section 120 via the left side sill 13. The right side of the right cross member 14 may be directly connected to the lower part of the right rear suspension tower section 110, and the left side of the left cross member 15 may be directly connected to the lower part of the left rear suspension tower section 120.

[0079] The lower connecting member 160 is spaced downward from the rear connecting part 130 and also spaced forward from the rear connecting part 130. Therefore, in a front view, the rear connecting part 130 is disposed between the upper connecting member 150 and the lower connecting member 160. In a plan view, the rear connecting part 130 is also disposed between the upper connecting member 150 and the lower connecting member 160.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle body structure A includes a tunnel frame 170 that extends in the front-rear direction in the tunnel section 11 and connects the front frame 50 and the rear frame 100. As also shown in FIG. 13, the tunnel frame 170 extends in the front-rear direction along the upper part of the tunnel section 11 and is fixed to the upper part of the tunnel section 11. The tunnel frame 170 has a structure divided at a middle part in the front-rear direction, and includes a front frame 171 that constitutes the front part of the tunnel frame 170 and a rear frame 172 that constitutes the rear part of the tunnel frame 170. The front frame 171 and the rear frame 172 are made of, for example, press-molded plate material. The front part of the rear frame 172 is connected to the rear part of the front frame 171.

[0081] The tunnel frame 170 may be divided into three or more components in the front-to-rear direction, or may be composed of a single continuous component from the front to the rear. The tunnel frame 170 may be a press-molded component, or may be an extrusion-molded component or a cast component. A portion of the tunnel section 11 may be the tunnel frame 170. In this case, the tunnel section 11 may be composed of, for example, a tunnel main body that bulges upward from the floor panel 10 and a tunnel frame that is integrated with the upper part of the tunnel main body.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 2, the front frame 171 is formed so that its width in the left-right direction increases toward the front. As shown in FIG. 13, the front portion of the front frame 171 extends to the rear of the front connecting portion 80 of the front frame 50 and is fixedly connected to the rear of the front connecting portion 80. This ensures a wide connection between the tunnel frame 170 and the front frame 50, thereby increasing the connection strength and reliably transmitting impact loads in the front-to-rear direction. The front frame 171 and the front connecting portion 80 may be connected directly or via a separate member. Furthermore, the front portion of the front frame 171 is also fixedly connected to the dash panel 20. When fixing the tunnel frame 170, various fixing methods such as the above-mentioned fastening and welding can be used.

[0083] The rear portion of the rear frame 172 extends until it reaches the front portion of the rear connecting portion 130 of the rear frame 100, and is fixed in a connected state to the front portion of the rear connecting portion 130. The rear frame 172 and the rear connecting portion 130 may be connected directly, or may be connected with a separate member interposed therebetween.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 9 , a closed cross section 173 is defined between the rear frame 172 of the tunnel frame 170 and the upper part of the tunnel section 11. Specifically, both left and right sides and the central part in the left and right direction of the rear frame 172 are fixed to the outer surface of the tunnel section 11, and the space between the left side and the central part of the rear frame 172 and the space between the right side and the central part of the rear frame 172 bulge upward. As a result, two closed cross sections 173 are defined between the rear frame 172 and the upper part of the tunnel section 11, spaced apart in the left and right direction. Note that there may be only one closed cross section 173. A closed cross section (not shown) similar to the one on the rear side is also defined between the front frame 171 and the upper part of the tunnel section 11.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 13 , in this embodiment, the front frame 171 is slightly tilted so that it is positioned higher as it moves forward. However, when viewed as a whole, the tunnel frame 170 extends in a substantially linear manner in the front-to-rear direction. The front connecting portion 80 of the front frame 50, the tunnel frame 170, and the rear connecting portion 130 of the rear frame 100 are positioned so as to be substantially flush with each other in a side view. "Substantially flush with each other" means that the vertically intermediate rear portion of the front connecting portion 80 and the vertically intermediate front portion of the rear connecting portion 130 are included in the vertical height range from the upper end to the lower end of the rear frame 100. As a result, when a rearward impact load acting on the front frame 50 is transmitted from the tunnel frame 170 to the rear frame 100, for example, the impact load can be applied to the tunnel frame 170 in a buckling direction, thereby ensuring that the rearward impact load acting on the front frame 50 is transmitted to the rear frame 100. Similarly, when a forward impact load acting on the rear frame 100 is transmitted from the tunnel frame 170 to the front frame 50, the impact load can be made to act on the tunnel frame 170 in the buckling direction, so that the forward impact load acting on the rear frame 100 can be reliably transmitted to the front frame 50. In other words, the vertical positional relationship between the front connecting portion 80, the tunnel frame 170, and the rear connecting portion 130 is set so that an impact load acting from the front-to-rear direction acts on the tunnel frame 170 in the buckling direction. The front frame 171 may extend approximately horizontally in the front-to-rear direction.

[0086] Furthermore, the right front side frame 60 and left front side frame 70 of the front frame 50 and the tunnel frame 170 are positioned so as to be on approximately the same plane in a side view. That is, the vertical positions of the right front side frame 60 and left front side frame 70 and the vertical position of the rear of the front connecting portion 80 are approximately the same. As a result, the right front side frame 60 and left front side frame 70, the rear of the front connecting portion 80, and the tunnel frame 170 are positioned at approximately the same positions in the vertical direction, so that a rearward impact load can be applied to the tunnel frame 170 in a buckling direction from the right front side frame 60 and left front side frame 70 via the front connecting portion 80.

[0087] (Effects of the embodiment) As described above, in this embodiment, the right front suspension tower section 51 and the left front suspension tower section 52 are integrally molded while being connected by the front connecting section 80, thereby reducing the number of parts of the front frame 50. Furthermore, the right rear suspension tower section 110 and the left rear suspension tower section 120 are integrally molded while being connected by the rear connecting section 130, thereby reducing the number of parts of the rear frame 100.

[0088] The front frame 50, which includes the right front suspension tower section 51 and the left front suspension tower section 52, and the rear frame 100, which includes the right rear suspension tower section 110 and the left rear suspension tower section 120, are connected by the tunnel frame 170, so that an impact load from the front is transmitted from the front frame 50 to the rear frame 100 via the tunnel frame 170. At this time, since the front frame 50 is a large member including the left and right front suspension tower sections 51, 52, the front frame 50 can withstand the impact load from the front. And, since the rear frame 100 is also a large member including the left and right rear suspension tower sections 110, 120, the rear frame 100 can withstand the impact load transmitted from the tunnel frame 170.

[0089] On the other hand, an impact load from the rear is transmitted from the rear frame 100 to the front frame 50 via the tunnel frame 170, but at this time, because the rear frame 100 is a large member, the rear impact load can be received by the rear frame 100. And because the front frame 50 is also a large member, the front frame 50 can receive the impact load transmitted from the tunnel frame 170. Therefore, the vehicle body structure A can ensure sufficient rigidity against impact loads.

[0090] The above-described embodiments are merely examples in all respects and should not be construed as limiting. Furthermore, all modifications and variations within the scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0091] As described above, the vehicle body structure according to the present disclosure can be applied to, for example, automobiles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1. Automobiles 10 Floor Panel 11 Tunnel section 50 front frame 51 Right front suspension tower 52 Left front suspension tower 80 Front connection part 100 rear frame 110 Right rear suspension tower 120 Left rear suspension tower 130 Rear connection part 170 Tunnel Frame 173 Closed section A. Body structure

Claims

1. a front frame in which the right and left front suspension towers are integrally molded by casting; a rear frame in which the right and left rear suspension towers are integrally molded by casting; A vehicle body structure comprising a tunnel frame extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle in a tunnel portion that bulges upward from a floor panel and connects the front frame and the rear frame.

2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, a front connecting portion is integrally molded with the front frame, the front connecting portion extending from an upper portion of the right front suspension tower portion to an upper portion of the left front suspension tower portion and connecting the right front suspension tower portion and the left front suspension tower portion; A vehicle body structure, wherein the front portion of the tunnel frame is connected to the front connecting portion.

3. The vehicle body structure according to claim 2, a rear connecting portion that extends from the right rear suspension tower portion to the left rear suspension tower portion and connects the right rear suspension tower portion and the left rear suspension tower portion is integrally molded with the rear frame; A vehicle body structure, wherein the front connecting portion, the tunnel frame, and the rear connecting portion are positioned so as to pass through approximately the same plane in a side view.

4. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, The front frame is integrally molded with a right front side frame and a left front side frame, which extend forward on the right and left sides of the front of the vehicle body, respectively; A vehicle body structure in which the right front side frame, the left front side frame and the tunnel frame are positioned so as to be on substantially the same plane in a side view.

5. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, The tunnel frame extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle along the upper portion of the tunnel section, and is formed so that its width in the left-and-right direction increases as it goes forward.

6. The vehicle body structure according to claim 5, A vehicle body structure, wherein the tunnel frame is fixed to an upper portion of the tunnel section, and a closed cross section is formed between the tunnel frame and the upper portion of the tunnel section.

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