Vehicle side body structure

Abstract

To suppress the forward and backward movement of the fender cover attached to the rear of the front fender. [Solution] The vehicle comprises a hinge pillar 2 extending in the vertical direction, a front fender 3 whose rear end is disposed along the hinge pillar 2 and which extends forward from the hinge pillar 2, and a fender cover 10 extending vertically along the rear end of the front fender 3. The fender cover 10 includes a first mounting portion 71 attached to the front fender 3 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and a second mounting portion 72 whose lower end is attached to the front fender 3 in the vertical direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a side body structure of a vehicle including a hinge pillar extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle and a front fender having a rear portion attached to the hinge pillar and extending forward from the hinge pillar.

Background Art

[0002] As exemplified in Patent Document 1, in the side body structure of a vehicle, a hinge pillar (front pillar (11)) extending in the vertical direction is provided at the front edge of a door opening for a passenger to get on and off the passenger compartment, and the rear portion of the front fender is attached along the vertical direction to the hinge pillar so that the front fender extends forward.

[0003] Generally, since the shapes of the front fender and the hinge pillar are intricate, there is a possibility of uneven painting during vehicle body manufacturing. Therefore, as a measure to hide or make the uneven painting less noticeable, it is conceivable to enhance the design between the front fender and the hinge pillar by disposing a fender cover on the rear surface of the front fender.

[0004] However, if the attachment of the fender cover to the rear surface of the front fender is insufficient, the fender cover may have a swing (misalignment) in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and in that case, there is a possibility of interference with the front door, especially when the door is opened. Although Patent Document 1 discloses the attachment structure of the rear portion of the front fender to the front pillar, it does not focus on the above-mentioned problem of uneven painting occurring between the front fender and the hinge pillar, and thus does not disclose disposing a fender cover in the first place.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] This invention has been made in view of these problems, and aims to provide a vehicle side body structure that can suppress the forward and backward sway of a fender cover attached to the rear of the front fender. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This invention is a vehicle side body structure comprising a hinge pillar extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle, a front fender whose rear portion is disposed along the hinge pillar and which extends forward from the hinge pillar, and a fender cover extending vertically along the rear portion of the front fender, wherein the fender cover comprises a first mounting portion attached to the front fender in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and a second mounting portion whose lower end portion below the first mounting portion is attached to the front fender in the vertical direction.

[0008] According to the above configuration, the lower end of the fender cover is attached vertically to the rear of the front fender by the second mounting portion, and the portion above the second mounting portion is attached in the front-rear direction by the first mounting portion. In this way, each vertical part of the fender cover, which extends vertically, can be attached to the rear of the front fender from different directions.

[0009] Furthermore, because the fender cover extends in the vertical direction, its lower end is prone to swinging back and forth. However, by attaching this lower end, which is prone to swinging back and forth, to the second mounting part in a vertical direction different from the direction of swing (back and forth direction), it is possible to fix it in a state that is less susceptible to variations in the mounting condition of the second mounting part due to swinging in the back and forth direction. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the forward and backward movement of the fender cover mounted along the rear of the front fender, and prevent the fender cover from interfering with surrounding vehicle body components such as the side door.

[0010] Here, the attachment of the fender cover to the rear of the front fender by the first and second mounting parts may include, for example, attaching it by inserting a mounting device, bonding with adhesive, welding, attaching with tape, etc., and the first and second mounting parts may be attached in different ways from each other.

[0011] In an embodiment of this invention, a mounting hole is provided at the mounting location of the second mounting portion on the rear of the front fender, the second mounting portion is a fastener that is inserted vertically into the mounting hole and fastened, and the mounting hole may be formed with a hole shape that allows the fastener to be restricted in the front-rear direction by its front-rear edge.

[0012] According to the above configuration, the fastener inserted into the mounting hole abuts against the front-rear edge of the mounting hole, thereby physically restricting the front-rear movement (i.e., misalignment) of the lower end of the fender cover by the front-rear edge of the mounting hole at the rear of the front fender.

[0013] Here, the fastener as the second mounting portion may be any of the following, as long as it can be inserted into the mounting hole and fastened, a bolt that can be fastened to the rear of the front fender in cooperation with a nut, a clip that is inserted into the mounting hole and fastened by engaging with the front-rear edge of the mounting hole, a fastener, a rivet, a grommet, or other fastening member.

[0014] Furthermore, as described above, the mounting holes are formed with a hole shape that can restrict the fastener in the front-rear direction. However, it is preferable that the holes are formed with a hole shape having a tolerance that allows the inserted fastener to be restricted in the front-rear direction by the front-rear edge, so that the front-rear movement of the lower end of the fender cover is suppressed to the extent that the fender cover does not interfere with surrounding vehicle body members such as the side door.

[0015] Furthermore, the mounting hole may be a through-hole that penetrates vertically or a recess that opens upward, as long as the fastener can be inserted vertically. The fastener may be, for example, formed integrally with the fender cover or formed from a separate component.

[0016] In another aspect of this invention, the fastener may be a clip fastener having elastic claws that fit into and engage with the mounting hole. According to the above configuration, the clip fastener can be attached to the mounting hole without displacement in the front-rear direction by fitting and engaging (i.e., inserting) it into the mounting hole, utilizing the elastic force of the elastically deformed elastic claw.

[0017] Therefore, it is possible to suppress the forward and backward movement of the fender cover mounted along the rear of the front fender, and prevent the fender cover from interfering with surrounding vehicle body components such as the side door.

[0018] In another aspect of this invention, the fender cover may be a resin member in which the clip fastener is integrally provided protruding downward from the lower end. According to the above configuration, the clip fastener that protrudes integrally downward from the lower end of the fender cover can be fitted into the mounting hole for installation. Therefore, by simply positioning the lower end of the fender cover so that it is placed above the front fender, the clip fastener can be easily fitted into the mounting hole in the vertical direction using the weight of the fender cover itself.

[0019] Furthermore, the fender cover is configured to be attached to the rear part of the front fender in different directions with respect to the rear part of the front fender by the second attachment part for attaching the lower end part in the vertical direction and the first attachment part for attaching the upper part than the lower end part in the front-rear direction. However, since it is the resin member extending in the vertical direction, it can be flexibly deformed, so that it can be easily and firmly attached along the rear part of the front fender. That is, the attachment property of the fender cover to the rear part of the front fender can also be enhanced.

[0020] As an aspect of the present invention, the attachment hole may be formed in an oblong hole shape that is longer in the vehicle width direction than in the front-rear direction. Here, the oblong hole shape is not limited to, for example, a shape in which a square hole having the same diameter width as a perfect circle is formed between each of the two semi-circles obtained by dividing a perfect circle in a plan view, and may be an elliptical shape having a long axis in the vehicle width direction.

[0021] According to the above configuration, in the front-rear direction, the edge part in the front-rear direction of the attachment hole can regulate the fastener inserted into the attachment hole in the front-rear direction, and in the vehicle width direction, play can be provided when the fastener is inserted into the attachment hole.

[0022] Therefore, the attachment property of the fender cover to the rear part of the front fender can be enhanced while suppressing the sway in the front-rear direction of the fender cover attached along the rear part of the front fender.

[0023] As an aspect of the present invention, ribs extending in the vertical direction may be provided at the lower part of the fender cover. According to the above configuration, it is possible to ensure the rigidity of the lower part of the fender cover when the lower end part of the fender cover is attached to the rear part of the front fender in the vertical direction by the second attachment part.

[0024] Also, as an aspect of the present invention, the front fender includes a plate-like lower end attachment portion to which the lower end portion of the fender cover is attached. The lower end attachment portion is provided with the attachment hole, and a stepped portion that is stepped in the plate thickness direction of the lower end attachment portion may be formed in front of the attachment hole in the lower end attachment portion.

[0025] According to the above configuration, when forming the metal plate material for forming the front fender into the shape of the front fender, the stepped portion can suppress the attachment hole from being deformed contrary to intention due to bending stresses such as tension and compression acting on the periphery of the attachment hole of the metal plate material.

[0026] And thus, by improving the accuracy of the hole shape of the attachment hole during the forming of the front fender, the displacement in the front-rear direction of the fastener attached to the attachment hole can be regulated by the edge portions in the front-rear direction of the attachment hole as described above. As a result, the sway in the front-rear direction of the fender cover attached along the rear portion of the front fender can be suppressed.

Effect of the Invention

[0027] According to this invention, a side vehicle body structure of a vehicle capable of suppressing the sway in the front-rear direction of the fender cover attached to the rear portion of the front fender can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028] [Figure 1] Perspective view of the side vehicle body structure at the front of the vehicle in the present embodiment viewed from the outside and rear in the vehicle width direction [Figure 2] Enlarged cross-sectional view showing the main part along the line A-A in FIG. 1 [Figure 3] Cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing the state with the fender cover removed [Figure 4] Enlarged view of the main part as viewed in the direction of arrow Da in FIG. 1 [Figure 5] Enlarged view of the main part as viewed in the direction of arrow Db in FIG. 4 [Figure 6] Enlarged view of the main part as viewed in the direction of arrow Dc in FIG. 4 [Figure 7] Rear view of the fender cover [Figure 8] A perspective view of the lower part of the fender cover, seen from the front of the vehicle and on the outside in the vehicle width direction. [Figure 9] Enlarged cross-sectional view showing the main part along line BB in Figure 4. [Figure 10] Enlarged cross-sectional view showing the main part along the CC line in Figure 4. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0029] One embodiment of this invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the diagram, arrow W indicates the vehicle width direction, arrow F indicates the front of the vehicle, arrow Rh indicates the vehicle's right side, arrow Lh indicates the vehicle's left side, and arrow Z indicates the vehicle's top. Furthermore, arrow OUT indicates the vehicle's outer side in the vehicle width direction (also referred to as "vehicle width outer"), and arrow IN indicates the vehicle's inner side in the vehicle width direction (also referred to as "vehicle width inner"). In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the directions front, rear, left, right, up, and down refer to the front, rear, left, right, up, and down directions on the vehicle body, respectively, and these directions on the vehicle body are based on the occupant seated in the driver's seat. Furthermore, since the front part of the vehicle body of this embodiment, to which the vehicle side body structure of the present invention is applied, is symmetrical, the description will be based on the configuration of the right side of the vehicle body.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, the front side of the vehicle body of the automobile 1 of this embodiment, to which the vehicle side body structure of the present invention is applied, mainly comprises a hinge pillar 2 extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle, a front fender 3 whose rear end is attached to the hinge pillar 2 and which extends forward from the hinge pillar 2, and a fender cover 10 extending in the vertical direction along the rear end of the front fender 3.

[0031] More specifically, the side of the vehicle body is provided with a door opening 4 for passengers to enter and exit the passenger compartment, and a side door (not shown) is provided to cover the door opening 4 in an openable and closable manner. The front of the side door is supported by a hinge pillar 2 via a hinge member (not shown) which is spaced apart vertically, so as to be openable and closable.

[0032] The front edge of the door opening 4 is provided with a front pillar 6. The front pillar 6 is a body structural member comprising a front pillar inner, a front pillar rain, and a front pillar outer 6a, forming a closed section 6s that slopes downward towards the front. The lower edge of the door opening 4 is provided with a side sill 5 that extends in the longitudinal direction. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the side sill 5 is a body structural member comprising a side sill inner, a side sill rain 5b, and a side sill outer 5c, forming a closed section 5s that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.

[0033] The hinge pillar 2 connects the lower end of the front pillar 6 and the front end of the side sill 5 in the vertical direction of the vehicle at the lower front edge of the door opening 4. The hinge pillar 2 is a vehicle body strength member comprising a hinge pillar inner, a hinge pillar rain, and a hinge pillar outer 2a, and forming a closed cross-section 2s that extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0034] As shown in Figure 1, the upper and lower parts of the outer surface of the hinge pillar outer 2a have seating surfaces 21 formed therein, with mounting holes 21a for attaching body-side hinge brackets (not shown) to the hinges on the upper and lower sides, corresponding to the hinges on each side.

[0035] Furthermore, the front pillar outer 6a, hinge pillar outer 2a, and side sill outer 5c are provided as the front and lower edges of the body side panel that integrally forms the door frame of the door opening 4 on the exterior surface of the vehicle body.

[0036] The front fender 3 is a fender panel formed by press molding using a die from a flat metal sheet material such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and comprises a rear fender end portion 31 attached to the hinge pillar 2 and a fender body portion 32 extending forward from the rear fender end portion 31. The exterior surfaces of the fender body portion 32 and the rear fender end portion 31 are smoothly continuous with each other, forming a design surface on the front side of the vehicle body.

[0037] The fender body 32 extends forward from the rear end 31 to just before the headlight, covering the front wheel (not shown). The fender body 32 has an arch portion 132 formed at its lower edge, which is in the shape of a wheel arch and recesses upward to correspond to the front wheel. Multiple mounting holes 132a are arranged along the arch portion 132 for attaching a resin overfender (not shown) to protect the vehicle body from splashes of stones and mud while the vehicle is in motion, using mounting members such as grommets.

[0038] The rear end of the fender 31 extends vertically along the hinge pillar 2 and is located at the front end 2f of the hinge pillar 2. As a result, the rear end of the fender 31 is positioned so as not to interfere with the side door, regardless of whether the side door is open or closed.

[0039] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the rear end portion 31 of the fender includes a rear end side portion 33 that extends vertically along the hinge pillar 2, a rear end lower wall portion 34 (see Figure 4) that extends inward from the lower end of the rear end side portion 33 in the vehicle width direction, a rear end lower wall flange portion 35 (see Figure 4) that extends downward from the inner end of the rear end lower wall portion in the vehicle width direction, and a cover support piece 36 (see Figure 3) that supports the fender cover 10 from the front.

[0040] As shown in Figure 3, the portion of the rear end of the fender 31 that is lower than the upper portion in the vertical direction extends vertically along the hinge pillar 2 with a gap 31s on the outside of the vehicle width relative to the hinge pillar 2. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the gap 31s is formed to penetrate in the front-to-back direction along the vertical direction, allowing the fender cover 10 (see Figure 2) to be positioned in the portion between the rear end 31 of the fender and the front end 2f of the hinge pillar 2 in the vehicle width direction, excluding the upper part.

[0041] As shown in Figure 4, the lower rear wall portion 34 of the fender extends substantially horizontally inward from the lower end of the rear side portion 33 so that its inner end in the vehicle width direction reaches the outer surface of the hinge pillar 2, and defines the lower end of the gap 31s.

[0042] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the lower rear wall portion 34 of the fender is provided with mounting holes 37 for attaching the lower end of the fender cover 10. These mounting holes 37 will be described later. In the lower rear wall portion 34 of the fender, a stepped portion 35a is formed at approximately the midpoint in the front-to-rear direction, located in front of the mounting holes 37, and is stepped in the thickness direction. The stepped portion 35a is formed along the entire length of the lower rear wall portion 34 of the fender in the vehicle width direction.

[0043] As shown in Figure 3, the cover support piece 36 is positioned to abut against the fender cover 10, which is positioned to close the gap 31s, from the front, and is able to support the fender cover 10. It extends in a plate-like shape from the inner end of the rear side portion 33 toward the gap 31s, and is formed continuously along the vertical direction, excluding both ends in the vertical direction of the gap 31s.

[0044] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the rear end portion 31 of the fender is attached to the front end portion 2f of the hinge pillar 2 at multiple locations in the vertical direction. In this example, this is done at three locations: an upper mounting portion 41 located at the top of the rear end portion 31 of the fender (see Figure 3), an intermediate mounting portion 42 located in the middle of the vertical direction (see Figure 3), and a lower end mounting portion 43 located at the bottom (see Figure 4).

[0045] More specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the upper part located above the gap 31s at the rear end 31 of the fender is fastened to the upper part of the hinge pillar 2 using bolts and nuts (not shown) as upper mounting parts 41.

[0046] The cover support piece 36 has a flange portion 36f formed at its upper end that protrudes toward the hinge pillar 2 more than other parts in the vertical direction, and overlaps in the front-rear direction with the flange portion 2e that protrudes from the hinge pillar 2 side. The flange portion 36f on the cover support piece 36 side and the flange portion 2e on the hinge pillar 2 side are fastened to each other using bolts and nuts (not shown) as intermediate mounting parts 42.

[0047] The lower wall flange portion 35 at the rear end of the fender abuts against the lower end portion 2fd of the front end portion 2f of the hinge pillar 2 from the outside of the vehicle width and is fastened using a bolt and nut (not shown) as a lower end mounting portion 43.

[0048] Next, I will explain the fender cover 10. As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the fender cover 10 is integrally formed by resin molding and is elongated in the vertical direction along the rear end 31 of the fender (see Figure 1) so as to close the gap 31s along its entire vertical length, and is formed in a substantially plate shape with plate thickness in the front-rear direction when attached to the rear end 31 of the fender.

[0049] The fender cover 10 is positioned along the rear end of the fender 31 so as to coincide approximately with the rear end of the fender 31 and the front end 2f of the hinge pillar 2 in the longitudinal direction, and so that its rear surface faces the front end of the side door in the longitudinal direction. As a result, the fender cover 10 is positioned so as not to interfere with the side door, regardless of whether the side door is open or closed, just like the rear end of the fender 31.

[0050] In Figure 7, reference numeral 80 denotes a relief portion formed in a concave shape outward in the vehicle width direction along the vertical direction of the main surface portion 11 in order to avoid interference with a hinge (not shown) attached to the seat surface portion 21 of the hinge pillar 2. The relief portion 80 is provided on the upper and lower parts of the vehicle width inner edge of the main surface portion 11, corresponding to the seat surface portions 21 on the upper and lower sides of the hinge pillar 2.

[0051] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8 to 10, the fender cover 10 is positioned to cover the intricate area between the front fender 3 and the hinge pillar 2 from the rear. As a result, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, even if uneven paint is produced between the front fender 3 and the hinge pillar 2 during the painting process when the vehicle body is manufactured, the fender cover 10 positioned between the two members 2 and 3 can hide the uneven paint, so that it is not visible when the side door is opened.

[0052] As shown in Figures 7 to 10, the fender cover 10 comprises a main surface portion 11 having plate thickness in the front-rear direction, a lower wall portion 12 projecting in a rib-like manner toward the front of the vehicle from the lower edge of the main surface portion 11, a vehicle width outer wall portion 13 (see Figures 8 and 10) projecting in a rib-like manner toward the front of the vehicle from the outer end of the vehicle width of the main surface portion 11 at the lower part, a vehicle width inner wall portion 14 (see Figures 8 and 10) projecting in a rib-like manner toward the front of the vehicle from the inner end of the vehicle width of the main surface portion 11 at the lower part, reinforcing ribs 15, and a plurality of mounting portions 71, 72 (see Figures 7 and 8) for attaching to the front fender 3.

[0053] As shown in Figure 8, the lower wall portion 12 is provided continuously along the entire length of the lower end of the main surface portion 11 in the vehicle width direction, the vehicle width outer wall portion 13 is provided continuously upward from the vehicle width outer end of the lower wall portion 12, and the vehicle width inner wall portion 14 is provided continuously upward from the vehicle width inner end of the lower wall portion 12. These lower wall portion 12, vehicle width outer wall portion 13, and vehicle width inner wall portion 14 work together with the rib 15 to function as reinforcing ribs for the lower part of the fender cover 10.

[0054] As shown in Figures 8 and 10, the rib 15 is formed to protrude forward from the main surface portion 11 at the lower part of the fender cover 10. The rib 15 comprises a pair of ribs: an inner rib 151 located on the inside of the vehicle width relative to the second mounting portion 72 (described later), and an outer rib 152 located on the outside of the vehicle width, both of which extend continuously upward from the lower wall portion 12.

[0055] In Figure 8, reference numeral 81 denotes a cushioning member made of nonwoven fabric tape or the like. Because the cushioning member 81 has a sound-absorbing effect, even if the fender cover 10 rattles mainly in the vehicle width direction, it suppresses the generation of abnormal noise caused by that rattle.

[0056] As shown in Figure 2, the fender cover 10 is attached to the front fender 3 by a plurality of mounting parts 71, 72 along the vertical direction. The mounting structure of the fender cover 10 to the front fender 3 will be described below.

[0057] As shown in Figures 2, 7, and 8, the mounting parts 71 and 72 can be broadly divided into a plurality (four in this example) of first mounting parts 71 to which the fender cover 10 is attached to the front fender 3 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, and a single second mounting part 72 to which the fender cover 10 is attached to the front fender 3 in the vertical direction.

[0058] As shown in Figure 7, in this example, the first mounting portion 71 comprises four parts: a first upper mounting portion 71a, a first upper mounting portion 71b, a first intermediate mounting portion 71c, and a first lower mounting portion 71d, all of which are provided on the main surface portion 11 of the fender cover 10 in this order from the top end downwards.

[0059] As described above, the four first mounting portions 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d are all attached to the front fender 3 in the front-rear direction. Of these four mounting portions 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d, the first upper end mounting portion 71a, the first upper mounting portion 71b, and the first lower mounting portion 71d are known resin integrated claw clip fasteners (hereinafter referred to as "integrated claw clips").

[0060] The integrated claw clips, which serve as the first mounting portions 71a, 71b, and 71d, are integrally formed on the main surface portion 11 of the fender cover 10, which is made of resin. Taking the integrated claw clip (71d) shown in Figure 8 as an example, each integrated claw clip (71a, 71b, 71d) comprises a base portion 75 that is raised forward from the front surface of the main surface portion 11, a base portion 76 that protrudes forward from the base portion 75, and an elastic claw 77 that is tongue-shaped and widened in diameter so as to bend backward from the tip of the base portion 76 so as to be able to engage with the front fender 3 side.

[0061] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 7, of the four mounting parts 7, the first intermediate mounting part 71c is a known two-piece clip fastener made of synthetic resin consisting of a female part 78 and a male part 79 (hereinafter referred to as a "two-piece clip").

[0062] The two-piece clip, which serves as the first intermediate mounting portion 71c, comprises a resin female portion 78 and a male portion 79. When the male portion 79 is pressed into the female portion 78, the elastically deformable portion provided in the female portion 78 expands in diameter to engage with the front fender 3, and is also restricted to this engaged state.

[0063] As shown in Figure 7, the integrated claw clip (71a) as the first upper end mounting portion 71a protrudes forward from the main surface portion 11 at the upper end of the fender cover 10, while as shown in Figure 3, a mounting hole 8a opening towards the rear is provided near the lower part of the upper mounting portion 41 at the upper part of the rear end side portion 33 of the front fender 3. Then, as shown in Figure 2, the upper end of the fender cover 10 is fastened to the front fender 3 by inserting the integrated claw clip (71a) as the first upper end mounting portion 71a into the mounting hole 8a in the front-rear direction.

[0064] As shown in Figure 7, the integrated claw clip (71b) as the first upper mounting portion 71b protrudes forward from the main surface portion 11 at the upper part of the fender cover 10 located below the first upper end mounting portion 71a, while as shown in Figure 3, the upper part of the cover support piece 36 of the front fender 3, which corresponds to the first upper mounting portion 71b in a rear view, is provided with a mounting hole 8b that penetrates in the front-to-back direction. Then, as shown in Figure 2, the upper part of the fender cover 10 is fastened to the front fender 3 by inserting the integrated claw clip (71b) as the first upper mounting portion 71b into the mounting hole 8b in the front-to-back direction.

[0065] As shown in Figure 7, the two-piece clip (71c) as the first intermediate mounting portion 71c is inserted into a mounting hole 10c formed in the front-to-back direction from the main surface portion 11 in the upper-to-lower intermediate portion of the fender cover 10, while the cover support piece 36 of the front fender 3 has a mounting hole 8c that penetrates in the front-to-back direction in the upper-to-lower intermediate portion corresponding to the mounting hole 10c of the fender cover 10 when viewed from the rear, as shown in Figure 3. Then, as shown in Figure 2, the upper-to-lower intermediate portion of the fender cover 10 is attached to the front fender 3 by fitting the two-piece clip (71c) as the first intermediate mounting portion 71c into the mutually communicating mounting holes 10c and 8c in the front-to-back direction.

[0066] As shown in Figures 4, 7, and 8, the integrated claw clip (71d) as the first lower mounting portion 71d protrudes forward from the main surface portion 11 at the lower part of the fender cover 10, while as shown in Figure 3, the lower part of the cover support piece 36 of the front fender 3, which corresponds to the first lower mounting portion 71d in a rear view, is provided with a mounting hole 8d that penetrates in the front-to-back direction. By inserting the integrated claw clip (71d) as the first lower mounting portion 71d into the mounting hole 8d in the front-to-back direction, the lower part of the fender cover 10 is fastened to the front fender 3, as shown in Figure 2.

[0067] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7 to 9, the second mounting portion 72 is integrally formed in the lower wall portion 12 of the fender cover 10, which is a resin material, below the first mounting portions 71a, 71b, and 71d, i.e., at the lower end.

[0068] As shown in Figures 5 to 9, the second mounting portion 72 is an integrated claw clip, similar to the first upper end mounting portion 71a, the first upper mounting portion 71b, and the first lower mounting portion 71d. More specifically, the integrated claw clip (72) as the second mounting portion 72 comprises a base portion 75 that is raised upward from the upper surface of the lower wall portion 12, a base portion 76 that protrudes downward from the base portion 75 below the lower wall portion 12, and an elastic claw 77 that is tongue-shaped and widened in diameter so as to bend upward from the tip of the base portion 76 so as to be able to engage with the front fender 3 side.

[0069] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 4 to 6 and 9, the lower rear wall portion 34 of the fender has a mounting hole 37 formed vertically through it, in a portion that faces the second mounting portion 72 of the fender cover 10 in the vertical direction, allowing an integrated claw clip (72), which serves as the second mounting portion 72, to be fitted and engaged from above when the fender cover 10 is attached.

[0070] As shown in Figure 5, this mounting hole 37 is formed in an elongated shape that is longer in the vehicle width direction than in the front-to-back direction. More specifically, the mounting hole 37 has a diameter that allows the integrated claw clip (72) to be inserted in the front-to-rear direction which forms the short axis, while in the vehicle width direction which forms the long axis, it is formed to be longer in the vehicle width direction than in the front-to-rear direction which forms the short axis.

[0071] Then, by fitting the integrated claw clip (72), which serves as the second mounting portion 72, into the mounting hole 37 in the vertical direction and engaging (i.e., inserting) it, the lower end of the fender cover 10 is fastened to the front fender 3, as shown in Figures 5, 6, and 9.

[0072] As shown in Figure 1, the side body structure of the vehicle in this embodiment comprises a hinge pillar 2 extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle, a front fender 3 with a rear end portion 31 of the fender disposed along the hinge pillar 2 and extending forward from the hinge pillar 2, and a fender cover 10 extending in the vertical direction along the rear end portion 31 of the fender. As shown in Figure 2, the fender cover 10 comprises a first mounting portion 71 attached to the front fender 3 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and a second mounting portion 72 whose lower end portion below the first mounting portion 71 is attached to the front fender 3 in the vertical direction.

[0073] According to the above configuration, the fender cover 10 is attached to the rear end 31 of the fender by a second mounting portion 72 in the vertical direction at its lower end, and the portion above the second mounting portion 72 is attached in the front-rear direction by a first mounting portion 71. In this way, each vertical part of the fender cover 10, which extends in the vertical direction, can be attached to the rear end 31 of the fender from different directions.

[0074] Furthermore, because the fender cover 10 is long in the vertical direction and has plate thickness in the front-to-back direction, its lower end is prone to swaying in the front-to-back direction (i.e., prone to bending deformation). However, by attaching this lower end, which is prone to swaying in the front-to-back direction, to the second mounting portion 72 in a vertical direction different from the direction of swaying (front-to-back direction), it is possible to reduce the impact of variations in the mounting condition of the second mounting portion 72 caused by swaying in the front-to-back direction.

[0075] Therefore, it is possible to suppress the forward and backward movement of the fender cover 10 mounted along the rear end 31 of the fender, and prevent the fender cover 10 from interfering with the side door.

[0076] In addition, by suppressing the rattle (wobble) in the front-to-back direction of the lower end of the fender cover 10, the generation of abnormal noise can be suppressed, and since there is no need to provide cushioning materials such as nonwoven tape to counteract the front-to-back rattle of the lower end, costs can also be reduced.

[0077] In an embodiment of this invention, as shown in Figures 4 to 6 and 9, a mounting hole 37 is provided at the mounting location on the rear end portion 31 of the fender, opposite the second mounting portion 72, where the fender cover 10 is attached. The second mounting portion 72 is formed of an integrated claw clip (72) which is a fastener that is inserted into the mounting hole 37 and fastened.

[0078] According to the above configuration, as shown in Figure 9, the elastic claws 77 of the integrated claw clip (72) inserted vertically into the mounting hole 37 come into contact with the front and rear edges 37f and 37r of the mounting hole 37, thereby physically restricting the front-to-rear movement (i.e., misalignment) of the lower end of the fender cover 10 by the front-to-rear edges 37f and 37r of the mounting hole 37 at the rear end of the fender 31.

[0079] Therefore, for example, if the clip fastener is inserted into the mounting hole 37 in the front-to-back direction that coincides with the direction in which the lower end of the fender cover 10 is likely to wobble, it becomes less susceptible to the effects of variations in the mounting condition, such as the clip fastener itself loosening in the direction of coming out of the mounting hole 37 (i.e., in the front-to-back direction). Therefore, it is possible to suppress the forward and backward movement of the fender cover 10 mounted along the rear end 31 of the fender, and prevent the fender cover 10 from interfering with the side door.

[0080] In another aspect of this invention, as shown in the figure, the integrated claw clip (72) has an elastic claw 77 that is fitted downward into and engages (i.e., inserted into) the mounting hole 37.

[0081] According to the above configuration, the integrated claw clip (72) can be inserted into the mounting hole 37 without any gap (fitting tolerance) between it and the mounting hole 37, by having the elastically deformed elastic claw 77 press against the front-rear edges 37f, 37r of the mounting hole 37, that is, by fitting it into the mounting hole 37.

[0082] Therefore, the integrated claw clip (72) can be installed without any displacement in the front-to-back direction relative to the mounting hole 37. Consequently, the front-to-back movement of the fender cover 10 installed along the rear end 31 of the fender can be suppressed, and the fender cover 10 can be prevented from interfering with the side door.

[0083] In another aspect of this invention, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the fender cover 10 is a resin member on which an integral claw clip (72) is integrally provided protruding downward from the lower wall portion 12 located at the lower end of the fender cover 10.

[0084] Since the integrated claw clip (72) that protrudes downward from the lower wall portion 12 of the fender cover 10 can be fitted into the mounting hole 37 of the lower rear end wall portion 34 of the front fender 3, as shown in Figure 4, by simply positioning the lower wall portion 12 of the fender cover 10 so that it is placed above the lower rear end wall portion 34 of the fender, the integrated claw clip (72) can be fitted into the mounting hole 37 and engaged by utilizing the weight of the front fender 3, resisting the reaction force that the elastic claw 77 receives from the front-rear edges 37f, 37r (see Figure 9) of the mounting hole 37.

[0085] Therefore, the integrated claw clip (72) provided at the lower end of the fender cover 10 can be easily inserted vertically into the mounting hole 37 of the front fender 3 for attachment.

[0086] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, the fender cover 10 is attached to the rear end of the fender 31 at the second mounting portion 72 in the vertical direction at its lower end, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the portion above the second mounting portion 72 is attached to the front-rear portion at the first mounting portion 71. Even in this configuration where it is attached to the rear end of the fender 31 in different directions, the characteristic of being a long, plate-shaped resin member that is easily flexible in the vertical direction can be utilized to flexibly attach it along the rear end of the fender 31. Therefore, the elongated fender cover 10 can be easily attached along the rear end 31 of the fender, improving ease of installation.

[0087] In another aspect of this invention, as shown in Figure 5, the mounting hole 37 is formed as an elongated hole that is longer in the vehicle width direction than in the front-rear direction. According to the above configuration, in the front-rear direction, the position of the integrated claw clip (72) inserted into the mounting hole 37 can be restricted by the front-rear edges 37f, 37r of the mounting hole 37 (see Figure 9), and in the vehicle width direction, some play can be allowed when inserting the integrated claw clip (72) into the mounting hole 37 (see Figure 5).

[0088] Therefore, it is possible to improve the ease of attachment of the fender cover 10 to the rear end 31 of the fender while suppressing the forward and backward movement of the fender cover 10 that is attached along the rear end 31 of the fender.

[0089] Another aspect of this invention, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, is that a rib 15 extending in the vertical direction is provided on the lower part of the fender cover 10. According to the above configuration, when the lower end of the fender cover 10 is attached vertically to the rear end 31 of the fender by the second mounting portion 72, the rigidity of the lower part of the fender cover 10 can be ensured.

[0090] In more detail, according to the above configuration, when inserting the integrated claw clip (72) provided on the lower wall portion 12 of the fender cover 10 into the mounting hole 37, the elastic claw 77 comes into contact with the front-rear edges 37f, 37r of the mounting hole 37 (see Figure 9), and receives a reaction force from these edges 37f, 37r. Therefore, it is necessary to use the weight of the fender cover 10 to resist this reaction force and firmly fit it into the mounting hole 37.

[0091] Therefore, when the fender cover 10 is attached vertically to the lower wall portion 34 of the rear end portion 31 of the fender, a load is applied to the lower part of the fender cover 10. However, the rib 15 provided on the lower part of the fender cover 10 in this embodiment extends continuously upward from the lower wall portion 12 on which the integral claw clip (72) is provided. As a result, the load can be efficiently relieved upward through the rib 15 to the vertically long fender cover 10, thereby ensuring rigidity against the load.

[0092] In another aspect of this invention, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, 9 and 10, a stepped portion 35a is formed in the lower rear wall portion 34 of the fender 3, in front of the mounting hole 37, in the direction of the plate thickness of the lower rear wall portion 34 of the fender 3.

[0093] According to the above configuration, when forming a flat metal plate material for forming the front fender 3 into the shape of the front fender 3, the stepped portion 35a can suppress the deformation of the mounting holes 37 caused by tensile force or bending stress acting around the mounting holes 37 of the metal plate material.

[0094] In other words, by improving the precision of the hole shape of the mounting hole 37 of the front fender 3, it is possible to suppress the front-to-back positional displacement of the integrated claw clip (72) that is attached to the mounting hole 37, and as a result, it is possible to suppress the front-to-back vibration of the fender cover 10 that is attached along the rear of the front fender 3.

[0095] In the correspondence between the configuration of this invention and the embodiments described above, the rear part of the front fender corresponds to the rear end portion 31 of the fender, and similarly, the lower end mounting portion corresponds to the lower wall portion 34 of the rear end portion of the fender. However, this invention is not limited to the configuration of the embodiments described above, and many embodiments can be obtained.

[0096] For example, in this embodiment, the clip fastener as the second mounting portion 72 is an integrated claw clip (72), but the present invention is not limited to this, and the second mounting portion may be a two-piece clip, similar to the first intermediate mounting portion 71c. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 2…Hinged pillar 3…Front fender 10…Fender cover 15… Ribs 31... Rear end of fender (rear of front fender) 34... Lower wall portion of the rear end of the fender (lower end mounting portion) 35a... Stepped section 37…Mounting holes 71...First mounting section 72...Second mounting section, clip fastener, fastener 77…Elastic nails 37f, 37r... Front and rear edges of the mounting holes 37f... Front edge of the mounting hole 37r...Rear edge of the mounting hole

Claims

1. A hinge pillar extending vertically through the vehicle, A front fender whose rear portion is positioned along the hinge pillar and which extends forward from the hinge pillar, The front fender is further equipped with a fender cover that extends vertically along the rear of the front fender, The fender cover has a first mounting portion that is attached to the front fender in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, It comprises a second mounting portion, the lower end of which is attached vertically to the front fender, below the first mounting portion. The side body structure of the vehicle.

2. Mounting holes are provided at the mounting locations of the second mounting portion at the rear of the front fender. The second mounting portion is a fastener that is inserted vertically into the mounting hole and fastened therein. The mounting hole is formed with a hole shape that allows the fastener to be restricted in the front-to-back direction by its front-to-back edge. The side body structure of the vehicle according to claim 1.

3. The fastener is a clip fastener having elastic claws that fit into and engage with the mounting hole. The side body structure of the vehicle according to claim 2.

4. The fender cover is a resin member on which the clip fastener is integrally provided protruding downward from the lower end. The side body structure of the vehicle according to claim 3.

5. The aforementioned mounting holes are formed in an elongated shape, longer in the vehicle width direction than in the front-to-back direction. The side body structure of the vehicle according to claim 2.

6. A rib extending in the vertical direction is provided at the lower part of the fender cover. The side body structure of the vehicle according to claim 1.

7. The front fender is provided with a plate-shaped lower end mounting portion to which the lower end of the fender cover is attached. The lower end mounting portion is provided with the mounting hole. In front of the mounting hole in the lower end mounting portion, a stepped portion is formed that is stepped in the direction of the plate thickness of the lower end mounting portion. The side body structure of the vehicle according to claim 2.

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