Vehicle understructure

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle understructure that can absorb the energy of the input load during a roof crash by transmitting the input load to the lower part of the side sill. [Solution] The vehicle's understructure comprises a side sill 13, a center pillar 15, a reinforcing member 18, a support member 19, and a load transmission member 20. The reinforcing member 18 is disposed in the inner space 13a of the side sill 13, extends in the front-rear direction, and has a closed cross-sectional structure. The support member 19 connects the lower part of the reinforcing member 19 to the side sill 13 in the inner space 13a of the side sill 13. The load transmission member 20 is joined to the upper part of the reinforcing member 18 and is configured to transmit the load input from the center pillar 15 to the upper part of the side sill 13 during a roof crash to the lower part of the side sill 13 via the reinforcing member 18 and the support member 19.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the lower structure of a vehicle, and particularly to the structure of the joint region between a center pillar and a side sill.

Background Art

[0002] In a vehicle, a structure for absorbing an impact load during a side collision is adopted. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which a reinforcing member having a closed cross-section structure is housed in the inner space of a side sill. In the structure of Patent Document 1, the reinforcing member is joined to the inner wall surface of the upper wall portion or the lower wall portion of the side sill via a support member.

[0003] Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a structure in which a reinforcing member having an open cross-section structure is housed in the inner space of a side sill. In the structure of Patent Document 2, the reinforcing member is formed of a resin material with a substantially M-shaped cross-section in the lateral direction and is joined to the inner wall surface of the side sill via an adhesive layer.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, during a roof crush, a load is input from the roof (roof side rail) to the side sill via the center pillar. In this case, it is desirable to transmit the load input to the side sill to the lower part of the side sill and absorb energy with the side sill and a cross member joined to the side sill.

[0006] However, the configurations disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 above are considered to have room for improvement in terms of transmitting the input load during a roof crash to the lower part of the side sill for energy absorption. Specifically, in the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 above, the reinforcing member is supported on one of the inner walls of the side sill in the vertical direction via a support member, but on the other side in the vertical direction (opposite the side supported by the support member), there is no connection between the reinforcing member and the side sill. Therefore, in the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 above, the load input from the center pillar during a roof crash is not easily transmitted to the lower part of the side sill.

[0007] Furthermore, in the structure disclosed in Patent Document 2, a reinforcing member having an open cross-section structure is provided within the side sill, so the load input from the center pillar during a roof crash is less likely to be transmitted to the lower part of the side sill. In other words, in the structure disclosed in Patent Document 2, during a roof crash, the load is less likely to be transmitted to the lower part due to deformation of the reinforcing member, etc.

[0008] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems and provides a vehicle understructure that can absorb the energy of the input load by transmitting the input load during a roof crash to the lower part of the side sill. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A vehicle understructure according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a side sill, a center pillar, a reinforcing member, one or more support members, and one or more load-transmitting members. The side sill is disposed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction at the lower part of the vehicle, extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and has a closed cross-sectional structure with an inner space. The center pillar is provided to extend in the vertical direction of the vehicle, is joined to the roof side rail at its upper end, and is joined to the side sill at its lower end. The reinforcing member is disposed in the inner space of the side sill, extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and has a closed cross-sectional structure. The one or more support members are disposed in the inner space of the side sill, have vertical wall portions provided to extend in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and join the upper or lower part of the reinforcing member to the side sill. The one or more load-transmitting members are arranged in the inner space of the side sill and are interposed between the upper or lower part of the reinforcing member and the inner wall surface of the side sill.

[0010] In the vehicle understructure according to this embodiment, the load transmission member is configured to transmit the load input from the center pillar to the upper part of the side sill to the lower part of the side sill via the reinforcing member and the support member when the roof of the vehicle crashes.

[0011] In the above-described vehicle substructure, the reinforcing member disposed in the inner space of the side sill has a closed cross-sectional structure. Therefore, even when a load is applied from the center pillar to the upper part of the side sill during a roof crash, the vehicle substructure in the above-described vehicle substructure is less likely to deform, unlike the reinforcing member having an open cross-sectional structure disclosed in Patent Document 2.

[0012] Furthermore, in the vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment, a load transmission member is arranged in the inner space of the side sill, on the opposite side of the support member, with a reinforcing member in the vertical direction in between. The load transmission member is a member that transmits the load input from the center pillar to the upper part of the side sill during a roof crash to the lower part of the side sill via the reinforcing member and the support member. Therefore, in the vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment, the load input from the center pillar to the upper part of the side sill during a roof crash can be transmitted to the lower part of the side sill by the reinforcing member, the support member and the load transmission member, and energy can be absorbed by a cross member or the like.

[0013] In the vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment, the load transmission member may be formed using a foamed filler.

[0014] The vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment employs load-transmitting members formed using a foamed filler. Therefore, the vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment can be made lighter compared to the case in which solid members (non-foamed members) are used as load-transmitting members. In addition, since the load-transmitting members are formed using a foamed filler, manufacturing is easier compared to the case in which load-transmitting members are formed by cutting or other methods using solid materials.

[0015] In the vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment, the load transmission member may be arranged in an area that overlaps with the support member in both the vehicle width direction and the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

[0016] In the vehicle understructure according to the above embodiment, load transmission members are arranged in areas that overlap with support members in both the vehicle width direction and the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the load input from the center pillar during a roof crash is transmitted with high efficiency between the load transmission member and the support member, with the reinforcing member in between. Thus, the vehicle understructure according to the above embodiment is even better at absorbing the energy of the input load by transmitting it to the lower part of the side sill during a roof crash.

[0017] In the vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment, the load transmission member may be joined to one of the reinforcing member and the inner wall surface of the side sill, and arranged with a gap between it and the other of the reinforcing member and the inner wall surface of the side sill.

[0018] In the vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment, a load-transmitting member is joined to either the reinforcing member or the inner wall surface of the side sill. Therefore, compared to the case where the load-transmitting member is supported in the inner space of the side sill using a member separate from the side sill and reinforcing member, the number of members can be reduced, making it possible to lower manufacturing costs.

[0019] Furthermore, in the vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment, since the load transmission member is positioned with a gap between it and the other side of the reinforcing member and the inner wall surface of the side sill, the dimensional accuracy of the load transmission member can be kept lower compared to the case where the load transmission member is in contact with the other side of the reinforcing member and the inner wall surface of the side sill. Therefore, the vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment is even better at reducing manufacturing costs.

[0020] In the vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment, at least two support members may be arranged in the joint area between the center pillar and the side sill in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Also, at least two load transmission members may be arranged in the joint area between the center pillar and the side sill in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In this case, at least two of the load transmission members may be spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0021] In the vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment, at least two load-transmitting members are arranged spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, compared to the case where a single load-transmitting member is arranged to cover the entire joint area between the center pillar and the side sill in the longitudinal direction, the density of load-transmitting members can be reduced. Accordingly, the vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment can reduce manufacturing costs and weight compared to the case where a single load-transmitting member is arranged to cover the entire joint area.

[0022] In the lower structure of the vehicle according to the above aspect, the side sill may include a side sill outer disposed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and a side sill inner disposed on the inner side in the vehicle width direction and fixed to the side sill outer. In this case, one end of the vertical wall portion of the support member may be fixed to the side sill by being sandwiched between the side sill outer and the side sill inner.

[0023] In the lower structure of the vehicle according to the above aspect, since one end of the vertical wall portion of the support member is fixed to the side sill by being sandwiched between the side sill outer and the side sill inner, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the case of using a separate member for fixing the support member to the side sill. Therefore, the lower structure of the vehicle according to the above aspect is excellent from the viewpoints of manufacturing cost and weight.

[0024] In the lower structure of the vehicle according to the above aspect, the vertical wall portion may be formed so as to protrude in the vehicle width direction and may have a bead formed so as to extend in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0025] Since the lower structure of the vehicle according to the above aspect includes a support member having a bead on the vertical wall portion, even when the load input during roof crush is transmitted, deformation and breakage of the vertical wall portion of the support member can be reduced. Therefore, the lower structure of the vehicle according to the above aspect is further excellent in transmitting the input load during roof crush to the lower part of the side sill and absorbing the energy of the input load.

[0026] In the lower structure of the vehicle according to the above aspect, the support member may further include a transverse wall portion and a reinforcing wall portion. The transverse wall portion may be continuous with the vertical wall portion and may be bent along the reinforcing member. The reinforcing wall portion may be connected to the vertical wall portion and the transverse wall portion and may be formed so as to extend in a direction intersecting both the wall surface of the vertical wall portion and the wall surface of the transverse wall portion.

[0027] The vehicle understructure according to the above embodiment has a reinforcing wall portion for the support member, so even when the load applied during a roof crash is transmitted, deformation or damage to the support member can be reduced. Therefore, the vehicle understructure according to the above embodiment is even better at transmitting the input load during a roof crash to the lower part of the side sill and absorbing the energy of the input load.

[0028] In the vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment, the reinforcing member may be formed using a metal material and may also be integrally formed.

[0029] In the above embodiment of the vehicle's understructure, the reinforcing members are formed using metal materials, which reduces deformation and damage to the reinforcing members during a roof crash compared to cases where they are formed using resin materials, such as the reinforcing members disclosed in Patent Document 2.

[0030] Furthermore, since the reinforcing member is integrally formed in the vehicle substructure according to the above embodiment, the effort required for parts management during manufacturing is reduced compared to cases where the reinforcing member is composed of multiple parts. [Effects of the Invention]

[0031] The understructure of the vehicle in each of the above embodiments can absorb the energy of the input load during a roof crash by transmitting the input load to the underside of the side sill. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0032] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing some configurations of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing part A of Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of part B in Figure 2. [Figure 4] The diagram shows the structure of the support member, where (a) is a diagram showing the vertical wall viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction, and (b) is a diagram showing the reinforcing wall viewed from the diagonal rear. [Figure 5]This is a side view showing the arrangement relationship between load transmission members and support members in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view showing a load transmission member and a support member of a modified vehicle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0033] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are illustrative examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments except for its essential configuration.

[0034] In the diagrams used in the following explanation, "FR" indicates the front of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction, "RR" indicates the rear of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction, "LH" indicates the left side in the vehicle width direction, "RH" indicates the right side in the vehicle width direction, "UP" indicates the top of the vehicle in the vertical direction, and "LO" indicates the bottom of the vehicle in the vertical direction.

[0035] 1. Structure of Vehicle 1 The structure of vehicle 1 according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 1. Note that only a part of the configuration of vehicle 1 is shown in Figure 1.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle 1 comprises a floor 11 located below the passenger compartment 10 and a roof panel 12 defining the upper part of the passenger compartment 10. The vehicle 1 also comprises a pair of left and right side sills 13 positioned on both sides of the floor 11 in the vehicle width direction, each extending in the longitudinal direction, and a pair of left and right roof side rails 14 positioned on both sides of the roof panel 12 in the vehicle width direction, each extending in the longitudinal direction. Note that Figure 1 schematically illustrates the floor 11. The detailed structure of the floor 11 will be described later.

[0037] Furthermore, the vehicle 1 is provided with a pair of left and right center pillars 15 in the middle of the front-rear direction of the passenger compartment 10, which are joined to the roof side rails 14 at their upper ends and connected to the side sills 13 at their lower ends, and which each extends in the vertical direction.

[0038] 2. Detailed structure of Floor 11 The detailed structure of the floor 11 in vehicle 1 will be explained using Figure 2.

[0039] As shown in Figure 2, the vehicle 1 is equipped with multiple cross members 16 below the floor 11 (see Figure 1). The multiple cross members 16 are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction and each is joined to the left and right side sills 13. In addition, a portion of the cross members 16 is positioned in the region that overlaps with the joining area between the side sills 13 and the center pillar 15 in the longitudinal direction.

[0040] Furthermore, a floor panel 17 is positioned below the cross member 16. Although not shown in the diagram, a battery, which is a power storage device that supplies power to the motor (not shown) for driving the vehicle 1, is positioned below the floor panel 17. The battery case is attached to the left and right side sills 13.

[0041] 3. Structure of the side sill 13 and its surrounding area The structure of the side sill 13 and its surrounding area will be explained using Figures 3 to 5.

[0042] As shown in Figure 3, the side sill 13 is constructed by joining together a side sill inner 131 and a side sill outer 132, both of which have a hat-shaped cross section. The side sill 13 has a cross section structure with an inward hollow portion (inner space) 13a due to the joining of the side sill inner 131 and the side sill outer 132.

[0043] Each of the side sill inner 131 and side sill outer 132 has upper wall portions 131a, 132a, lower wall portions 131b, 132b, upper flange portions 131c, 132c, vertical wall portions 131d, 132d, and lower flange portions 131e, 132e. The side sill inner 131 is formed by integrally forming the upper wall portion 131a, lower wall portion 131b, upper flange portion 131c, vertical wall portion 131d, and lower flange portion 131e. Similarly, the side sill outer 132 is formed by integrally forming the upper wall portion 132a, lower wall portion 132b, upper flange portion 132c, vertical wall portion 132d, and lower flange portion 132e.

[0044] The side sill inner 131 and the side sill outer 132 are joined at their respective upper flange portions 131c and 132c, and their lower flange portions 131e and 132e (indicated by arrows C1 and C3).

[0045] The center pillar 15 has a pillar inner 151 positioned on the inside in the vehicle width direction and a pillar outer 152 positioned on the outside in the vehicle width direction. The lower end portion of the pillar inner 151 is sandwiched between the upper flange portion 131c of the side sill inner 131 and the upper flange portion 132c of the side sill outer 132, and is fixed to the side sill inner 131 and the side sill outer 132 (the portion indicated by arrow C1).

[0046] The pillar outer 152 is joined to the side sill outer 132 by its lower end portion abutting against the outer wall surface of the vertical wall portion 132d of the side sill outer 132 (the portion indicated by arrow C2).

[0047] The joining structure of the center pillar 15 to the side sill 13 in this embodiment is just one example and is not limited to the structure shown in Figure 3.

[0048] The inner space 13a of the side sill 13 houses a reinforcing member 18, a support member 19, and a load transmission member 20. In this embodiment, the reinforcing member 18 is a member integrally constructed using a metal material. Specifically, the reinforcing member 18 is made of an aluminum alloy and formed by extrusion molding or pultrusion molding. The reinforcing member 18 comprises an outer part 18a, an intermediate part 18b, and an inner part 18c, each having a rectangular annular cross-sectional shape (square cross-sectional shape).

[0049] The reinforcing member 18 is positioned in the inner space 13a of the side sill 13 with an upper gap 13b relative to the upper wall portions 131a and 132a, a lower gap 13c relative to the lower wall portions 131b and 132b, and a lateral gap 13d relative to the vertical wall portion 132d of the side sill outer 132. The inner portion 18c of the reinforcing member 18 is fastened to the vertical wall portion 131d of the side sill inner 131 with bolts (BLTs).

[0050] The support member 19 has a vertical wall portion 19b that extends vertically, and a horizontal wall portion 19a that extends outward in the vehicle width direction, continuous with the upper end of the vertical wall portion 19b. The support member 19 is formed, for example, by press working using a metal material. The horizontal wall portion 19a of the support member 19 abuts against the lower wall surface of the intermediate portion 18b of the reinforcing member 18 and is fastened to the intermediate portion 18b with bolts BLT.

[0051] The vertical wall portion 19b of the support member 19 is fixed to the side sill inner 131 and the side sill outer 132 by being sandwiched between the lower flange portion 131e of the side sill inner 131 and the lower flange portion 132e of the side sill outer 132 (the portion indicated by arrow C3).

[0052] Here, as shown in Figures 4(a) and (b), the support member 19 has a bead portion 19c that bulges outward from the other parts (in a direction intersecting the wall surface of the vertical wall portion 19b) and extends in the vertical direction. The support member 19 also has a reinforcing wall portion 19d that connects the vertical wall portion 19b and the horizontal wall portion 19a. Specifically, the reinforcing wall portion 19d of the support member 19 is provided to connect the front edges and rear edges of the vertical wall portion 19b and the horizontal wall portion 19a. By having the bead portion 19c and the reinforcing wall portion 19d, the support member 19 is reinforced against compressive deformation and torsional deformation.

[0053] In this embodiment, the reinforcing member 18 is fixed to the side sill 13 by the support member 19. Although Figure 3 shows only one cross-section of the side sill 13 and its surrounding structure, the reinforcing member 18 is provided to extend continuously in the front-rear direction, and multiple support members 19 are arranged spaced apart in the front-rear direction.

[0054] The load transmission member 20 is interposed between the intermediate portion 18b of the reinforcing member 18 and the upper wall portion 131a of the side sill inner 131 and the upper wall portion 132a of the side sill outer 132. Specifically, the load transmission member 20 abuts against the upper wall surface of the intermediate portion 18b of the reinforcing member 18 and is fastened to the intermediate portion 18b with rivets RVT. In this embodiment, the load transmission member 20 is arranged with a gap 13e between it and the inner wall surfaces of the upper wall portion 131a of the side sill inner 131 and the upper wall portion 132a of the side sill outer 132. However, the load transmission member 20 may abut against the inner wall surfaces of the upper wall portion 131a of the side sill inner 131 and the upper wall portion 132a of the side sill outer 132.

[0055] In this embodiment, the load transmission member 20 is formed using, for example, a foamed filler. However, the material used to form the load transmission member 20 is not limited to this.

[0056] As shown in Figure 5, in vehicle 1, two load transmission members 20 are arranged within the side sill 13. Assume a virtual line LN extending vertically through the center of the joint area between the pillar inner 151 of the center pillar 15 and the side sill 13 in the longitudinal direction. In this case, the two load transmission members 20 are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. That is, no load transmission members 20 are arranged in the longitudinal region D1 centered on the virtual line LN.

[0057] Furthermore, each of the two load-transmitting members 20 is positioned in a region that overlaps with the support member 19 in the front-rear direction. That is, each of the two load-transmitting members 20 is positioned directly above each of the two support members 19, which are located in the joint region between the center pillar 15 and the side sill 13, with a reinforcing member 18 in between.

[0058] As shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 3, each of the two load-transmitting members 20 is positioned directly above (in an overlapping region of) the two support members 19 with a reinforcing member 18 in between, even in the vehicle width direction.

[0059] 4. Effects In this embodiment, the vehicle 1 has a reinforcing member 18 disposed in the inner space 13a of the side sill 13, which is configured with a closed cross-sectional structure. Therefore, even when a load is applied from the center pillar 15 to the upper part of the side sill 13 during a roof crash, the reinforcing member 18 of the vehicle 1 is less likely to deform, unlike the reinforcing member disclosed in Patent Document 2.

[0060] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, a support member 19 is disposed below the reinforcing member 18 in the inner space 13a of the side sill 13, and a load transmission member 20 is disposed above it. As shown by arrow D2 in Figure 5, the load input from the center pillar 15 to the upper part of the side sill 13 during a roof crash is transmitted to the lower part of the side sill 13 via the load transmission member 20, the reinforcing member 18, and the support member 19. Therefore, the vehicle 1 is capable of transmitting the load input from the center pillar 15 to the upper part of the side sill 13 during a roof crash to the lower part of the side sill 13 via the load transmission member 20, the reinforcing member 18, and the support member 19, and energy can be absorbed by the cross member 16, etc.

[0061] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, the load transmission member 20 is formed using a foamed filler. Therefore, the vehicle 1 can be made lighter compared to when a solid member (non-foamed member) is used for the load transmission member. In addition, since the load transmission member 20 is formed using a foamed filler, it is easier to manufacture compared to when a load transmission member is made by cutting or other methods from a solid material.

[0062] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, the load transmission member 20 is arranged in an area that overlaps with the support member 19 in both the width direction and the front-rear direction. As shown by arrow D2 in Figure 5, the load input from the center pillar 15 during a roof crash is transmitted with high efficiency between the load transmission member 20 and the support member 19, with the reinforcing member 18 in between. Therefore, the vehicle 1 is even better at absorbing the energy of the input load by transmitting it to the lower part of the side sill 13 during a roof crash.

[0063] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, the load transmission member 20 is directly joined to the intermediate portion 18b of the reinforcing member 18. Therefore, compared to the case where the load transmission member 20 is fixed to the reinforcing member 10 using a member other than the reinforcing member 18 in the inner space 13a of the side sill 13, the number of members can be reduced, making it possible to reduce manufacturing costs.

[0064] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, the load transmission member 20 is positioned with a gap 13e between it and the inner wall surfaces of the upper wall portion 131a of the side sill inner 131 and the upper wall portion 132a of the side sill outer 132. Therefore, compared to the case where the load transmission member 20 is in contact with the inner wall surfaces of the upper wall portion 131a of the side sill inner 131 and the upper wall portion 132a of the side sill outer 132, it is not necessary to increase the dimensional accuracy of the load transmission member 20. Thus, the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment is even better at reducing manufacturing costs.

[0065] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, since the two load transmission members 20 are arranged spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction, the density of load transmission members 20 can be reduced compared to the case where a single load transmission member is arranged to cover the entire joint area between the center pillar 15 and the side sill 13 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment can reduce manufacturing costs and weight compared to the case where a single load transmission member is arranged to cover the entire joint area between the center pillar 15 and the side sill 13.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lower end portion of the vertical wall portion 19b of the support member 19 is sandwiched between the lower flange portion 131e of the side sill inner 131 and the lower flange portion 132e of the side sill outer 132, and fixed to the side sill 13. Therefore, in this embodiment, the vehicle 1 can reduce the number of parts compared to the case where a separate member (for example, a bolt or rivet) is used to fix the support member 19 to the side sill 13. Thus, in this embodiment, the vehicle 1 is superior in terms of manufacturing cost and weight.

[0067] Furthermore, since the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a support member 19 having a bead portion 19c on the vertical wall portion 19b, deformation and damage to the vertical wall portion 19b of the support member 19 can be reduced even when a load is transmitted during a roof crash. Therefore, the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment is even better at absorbing the energy of the input load by transmitting the input load during a roof crash to the lower part of the side sill 13.

[0068] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, since the support member 19 has a reinforcing wall portion 19d, deformation or damage to the support member 19 can be suppressed even when a load is transmitted during a roof crash. Therefore, the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment is even better at absorbing the energy of the input load by transmitting the input load during a roof crash to the lower part of the side sill 13.

[0069] Furthermore, in the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, the reinforcing member 18 is formed using a metal material (for example, an aluminum alloy), so deformation and damage to the reinforcing member 18 during a roof crash can be suppressed compared to the case where it is formed using a resin material, as disclosed in Patent Document 2.

[0070] Furthermore, since the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a reinforcing member 18 in which three parts 18a to 18c are integrally formed, the effort required for parts management during manufacturing is reduced compared to the case in which a reinforcing member formed by joining multiple parts is used.

[0071] As described above, the lower structure of the vehicle 1 according to this embodiment can absorb (dissipate) the energy of the input load during a roof crash by transmitting the input load to the lower part of the side sill 13.

[0072] [Differentiation] The lower structure of the modified vehicle will be explained using Figure 6. Note that the vehicle in this modified form differs from vehicle 1 according to the above embodiment in the structure and arrangement of the support member 29 and the load transmission member 30, but the other components are the same. Therefore, the following explanation will mainly focus on the differences from vehicle 1 according to the above embodiment.

[0073] As shown in Figure 6, in the vehicle according to this modified example, the support member 29 is integrally formed with a vertical wall portion 29b extending in the vertical direction, a horizontal wall portion 29a extending in the vehicle width direction from the upper end of the vertical wall portion 29b, and a second vertical wall portion 29c extending downward from the inner end of the horizontal wall portion 29a in the vehicle width direction. The support member 29 also has a bead portion on the vertical wall portion 29b (not shown) and a reinforcing wall portion 29d connecting the vertical wall portion 29b, the horizontal wall portion 29a, and the second vertical wall portion 29c. The bead portion formed on the vertical wall portion 20b has the same form as shown in Figure 4.

[0074] The support member 29 has a horizontal wall portion 29a that abuts against the lower wall portion of the inner portion 18c of the reinforcing member 18, and is fastened to the inner portion 18c with a bolt BLT. In addition, the support member 29 has a second vertical wall portion 29c that abuts against the inner wall surface of the vertical wall portion 131d of the side sill inner 131, and is fastened to the vertical wall portion 131d with a bolt BLT and a nut BT (indicated by arrow E).

[0075] In the vehicle according to this modified example, the load transmission member 30 is interposed between the inner portion 18c of the reinforcing member 18 and the upper wall portion 131a of the side sill inner 131. Specifically, the load transmission member 30 abuts against the upper wall surface of the inner portion 18c of the reinforcing member 18 and is fastened to the inner portion 18c with a rivet RVT. In this embodiment, the load transmission member 20 is arranged with a gap 13e between it and the inner wall surface of the upper wall portion 131a of the side sill inner 131. However, the load transmission member 30 may abut against the inner wall surface of the upper wall portion 131a of the side sill inner 131.

[0076] In this modified example, the load transmission member 30 is formed using, for example, a foamed filler. However, the material used to form the load transmission member 30 is not limited to this, as is the case with the load transmission member 20 in the above embodiment.

[0077] Although not shown in the illustration, in this modified vehicle, two load transmission members 30 are also provided within the side sill 13. The two load transmission members 30 are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction in the joint region between the center pillar 15 and the side sill 13 in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, each of the two load transmission members 30 is provided in a region that overlaps with the support member 29 in the longitudinal direction. That is, each of the two load transmission members 30 is also provided directly above each of the two support members 29 provided in the joint region between the center pillar 15 and the side sill 13, with a reinforcing member 18 in between.

[0078] Furthermore, as shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 6, each of the two load-transmitting members 30 is positioned directly above (in an overlapping region of) the two support members 29 with the reinforcing member 18 in between, even in the vehicle width direction.

[0079] The vehicle's understructure, having the configuration described above, differs in the arrangement of the support member 29 and the load transmission member 30 in the inner space 13a of the side sill 13, but the other configurations are the same as in the above embodiment, and therefore the same effects as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

[0080] [Other variations] In the above embodiments and modifications, load transmission members 20 and 30 formed using a foamed filler are employed, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, load transmission members formed using other resin materials, rubber, or metal materials can also be employed.

[0081] In the above embodiments and modifications, the load transmission members 20 and 30 are positioned in areas that overlap with the support members 19 and 29 located in the joint area between the center pillar 15 and the side sill 13 in the vehicle width direction and the longitudinal direction. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the load transmission members may be positioned in areas that do not overlap with the support members in at least one of the vehicle width direction and the longitudinal direction. In this case as well, it is sufficient that a load transmission path from the top to the bottom of the side sill is ensured.

[0082] In the above embodiments and modifications, load transmission members 20 and 30 are positioned above the reinforcing member 18, and support members 19 and 29 are positioned below the reinforcing member 18. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, load transmission members may be positioned below the reinforcing member, and support members may be positioned above the reinforcing member. In this case as well, the same effects as in the above embodiments and modifications can be obtained.

[0083] In the above embodiments and modifications, a configuration is adopted in which a gap 13e is left between the load transmission members 20, 30 and the side sill 13, but the present invention is not limited thereto. A configuration can also be adopted in which the load transmission member is press-fitted between the reinforcing member and the inner wall surface of the side sill.

[0084] In the above embodiments and modifications, two load transmission members 20 and 30 are provided below the joint area between the center pillar 15 and the side sill 13, spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, one load transmission member can be provided across the entire joint area between the center pillar and the side sill, or three or more load transmission members can be provided spaced apart in the front-rear direction or the vehicle width direction.

[0085] In the above embodiments and modifications, the lower end portions of the vertical wall portions 19b and 29b of the support members 19 and 29 are sandwiched between the lower flange portion 131e of the side sill inner 131 and the lower flange portion 132e of the side sill outer 132, thereby fixing the support members 19 and 29 to the side sill 13. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The support members may be fixed to the inner wall surfaces of the lower wall portions or vertical wall portions of the side sill inner and side sill outer. Furthermore, the method of joining the support members to the side sill may be welding, or fixing with bolts or rivets.

[0086] In the above embodiments and modifications, a bead portion 19c is provided on the vertical wall portions 19b, 29b of the support members 19, 29, and a configuration is adopted in which reinforcing wall portions 19d, 29d are provided to connect the vertical wall portions 19b, 29b and the horizontal wall portions 19a, 29a. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. At least one of the bead portion and the reinforcing wall portion may be omitted.

[0087] In the above embodiments and modifications, a reinforcing member 18 having three parts (outer part 18a, intermediate part 18b, and inner part 18c) is used, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Any reinforcing member having a closed cross-sectional structure can be used. For example, a reinforcing member with a closed cross-sectional structure having one or two hollow parts can be used, or a reinforcing member with a closed cross-sectional shape having four or more hollow parts can be used.

[0088] Furthermore, while the above embodiments and modifications employ a reinforcing member 18 integrally formed from a metal material, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a reinforcing member formed by joining multiple parts, or multiple reinforcing members spaced apart from each other, can also be employed. In addition, the constituent material of the reinforcing member can be a resin material (including fiber-reinforced resin) or rubber, etc. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0089] 1 vehicle 12 Roof Panels 13 Side sill 15 Center pillar 18 Reinforcement members 19,29 Support members 19a,29a Side wall part 19b,29b Vertical wall part 19c bead section 19d, 29d Reinforced wall section 20,30 Load transmission members 131 Side Sill Inner 131e, 132e Lower flange section 132 Side sill outer 151 Pillar Inner 152 Pillar Outer

Claims

1. A side sill is provided at the lower part of the vehicle, positioned on the outer side in the width direction of the vehicle, extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and having a closed cross-sectional structure with an inner space. A center pillar is provided so as to extend vertically in the vehicle, joined to the roof side rail at its upper end and to the side sill at its lower end, A reinforcing member is disposed in the inner space of the side sill, extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and has a closed cross-sectional structure. Displaced in the inner space of the side sill, and having a vertical wall portion that extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and having one or more support members that connect the upper or lower part of the reinforcing member to the side sill, One or more load-transmitting members are disposed in the inner space of the side sill and interposed between the upper or lower part of the reinforcing member and the inner wall surface of the side sill, Equipped with, The load transmission member is configured to transmit the load applied from the center pillar to the upper part of the side sill during a roof crash of the vehicle to the lower part of the side sill via the reinforcing member and the support member. The undercarriage of the vehicle.

2. The load transmission member is formed using a foam filler. The undercarriage structure of the vehicle according to claim 1.

3. In both the vehicle width direction and the vehicle's longitudinal direction, the load transmission member is positioned in an area that overlaps with the support member. The undercarriage structure of the vehicle according to claim 1.

4. The load-transmitting member is joined to one of the reinforcing member and the inner wall surface of the side sill, and is positioned with a gap between it and the other of the reinforcing member and the inner wall surface of the side sill. The undercarriage structure of the vehicle according to claim 1.

5. At least two of the support members are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle within the joint area between the center pillar and the side sill. At least two of the load transmission members are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in the joint area between the center pillar and the side sill. At least two of the load transmission members are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The undercarriage structure of a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The side sill comprises a side sill outer positioned on the outside in the vehicle width direction and a side sill inner positioned on the inside in the vehicle width direction and fixed to the side sill outer. One end of the vertical wall portion of the support member is fixed to the side sill by being sandwiched between the side sill outer and the side sill inner. The undercarriage structure of a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. The aforementioned vertical wall portion is formed to protrude in the vehicle width direction and has a bead formed to extend in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The undercarriage structure of a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. The aforementioned support member is A horizontal wall portion that is continuous with the vertical wall portion and is bent along the reinforcing member, A reinforcing wall portion is connected to the vertical wall portion and the horizontal wall portion, and is formed to extend in a direction that intersects both the wall surface of the vertical wall portion and the wall surface of the horizontal wall portion, It further possesses, The undercarriage structure of a vehicle according to claim 7.

9. The reinforcing member is formed using a metal material and is integrally formed. The undercarriage structure of a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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