Vehicle side structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle side section structure capable of suppressing the storage capacity reduction for baggage originating from the placement of a seat belt device.SOLUTION: A vehicle side section 1 includes: a side inner panel 2 that extends in the vehicle vertical direction; a quarter pilar 3 which is connected to the side inner panel 2, extends in the vehicle vertical direction, and expands and projects toward the internal side of a vehicle interior beyond the side inner panel 2; and a seat belt device 5 that includes a belt anchor 53. The belt anchor 53 is provided at a position adjacent to the quarter pillar 3 of the side inner panel 2 in the vehicle back-and-forth direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] In a vehicle such as an automobile, a seat belt device corresponding to each seat is provided on the side of the vehicle. The seat belt device has a seat belt, a retractor that adjusts the amount of withdrawal of the seat belt, and a belt anchor that relays the seat belt between the retractor and a buckle (belt lock part). In general, the retractor is disposed inside a pillar on the side of the vehicle, and the belt anchor is disposed on the interior side of the pillar and behind the seat part of the seat where the buckle is disposed.

[0003] The above-mentioned seat belt device is also provided in the rear seat of the vehicle. Conventionally, when no passenger is seated in the rear seat, the seat back of the rear seat is folded forward to prevent the rear space of the vehicle from being partitioned by the rear seat, thereby increasing the luggage storage capacity of the rear space of the vehicle (for example, see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-161199 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when luggage is placed close to the pillar on which the belt anchor of the seat belt device is located and the luggage is piled up to the height of the belt anchor, the belt anchor protrudes further into the passenger compartment from the pillar which bulges into the passenger compartment, making it difficult to carry the luggage into the storage space and difficult to efficiently arrange the luggage, creating issues with luggage storage capacity.

[0006] Specifically, when loading luggage into the storage space from the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the luggage may interfere with the belt anchor, hindering the loading operation. Also, depending on the shape of the luggage to be loaded, a space (dead space) in which the luggage cannot be loaded may be formed in the vertical direction of the vehicle between the side surface of the pillar inside the vehicle interior and the luggage abutting the belt anchor. In other words, there are cases where the luggage cannot be loaded adjacent to the side surface of the pillar inside the vehicle interior, which may reduce the occupancy rate of the luggage in the storage space. Furthermore, the occurrence of the dead space may reduce the stability of the load while the vehicle is moving.

[0007] In addition, the seat belt retractor has a tendency to be larger in the vehicle width direction than the belt anchor because the seat belt is wound around the support shaft multiple times. If such a retractor is disposed inside the pillar, the pillar protrudes more toward the inside of the vehicle cabin, narrowing the luggage storage space inside the vehicle cabin, leaving room for improvement.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a vehicle side structure that can reduce the reduction in luggage storage capacity caused by the placement of a seat belt device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above objectives, Akira One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle body having an inner panel disposed on a side of the vehicle and extending in a vertical direction of the vehicle, a pillar connected to the inner panel, extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and bulging out toward the passenger compartment more than the inner panel, A retractor that adjusts the amount of seat belt taken out and A vehicle side structure including a seat belt device having a belt anchor, a retractor accommodating member that forms a space for accommodating the retractor between the inner panel and the retractor accommodating member, the inner panel having an outer wall portion that is located on the outer side of the vehicle cabin relative to the retractor accommodating member and that defines the accommodating space for the retractor, and an insertion portion through which at least a portion of the retractor can be inserted is formed in the outer wall portion, The belt anchor is provided at a position of the inner panel adjacent to the pillar in the vehicle front-rear direction. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the vehicle side structure of the present invention, the belt anchor is disposed outside the vehicle interior rather than the interior side surface of the pillar that bulges into the vehicle interior, so that when luggage is brought into the luggage storage space in the vehicle interior from the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the luggage and the belt anchor are less likely to interfere with each other, making it easier to bring in the luggage. Also, since the luggage can be loaded adjacent to the interior side surface of the pillar, the luggage can be efficiently placed in the luggage storage space in the vehicle interior. Furthermore, since the luggage can be easily brought into surface contact with the interior side surface of the pillar, the stability of the load can be improved while the vehicle is traveling. In addition, by inserting at least a part of the retractor into the insertion portion formed in the outer wall portion of the inner panel, it is possible to prevent the storage space of the retractor from narrowing the luggage storage space inside the vehicle cabin, thereby making it possible to store more luggage. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a rear side of a vehicle to which a vehicle side structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, viewed from inside the vehicle compartment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view showing the periphery of a quarter pillar in FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a perspective view of the side inner panel and the quarter pillar of FIG. 1, as viewed from below on the inside of the vehicle compartment. [Figure 4] 2 is a perspective view of the periphery of the retractor in FIG. 1, as viewed from below and outside the vehicle compartment. [Diagram 5] 5 is a bottom view of the structure in FIG. 4 as viewed from below the vehicle. [Figure 6] 10 is a side view illustrating the function of the recess in the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a function of a first inclined portion in the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a side view showing a modified example related to the above embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a side view of the rear side of a vehicle to which a vehicle side structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, as viewed from the inside of the vehicle compartment. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the periphery of a quarter pillar 3 in Fig. 1. However, Fig. 2 shows a state in which a retractor housing member 6 and a seat belt 51 have been removed. In the figure, the arrow Fr direction indicates the front of the vehicle in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the arrow O direction indicates the outside of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction, and the arrow U direction indicates the upper side of the vehicle in the vehicle vertical direction.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a side inner panel 2 is provided on a vehicle side portion 1. The side inner panel 2 is disposed between a plurality of pillars disposed at intervals in the vehicle front-rear direction and extends in the vehicle up-down direction. The plurality of pillars include a quarter pillar (C pillar) 3, and a front pillar (A pillar), a center pillar (B pillar), and a rear pillar (D pillar) not shown. The side inner panel 2 in this embodiment is disposed between the quarter pillar 3 and the rear pillar. The quarter pillar 3 is provided on the rear side of a rear door opening 4 of the vehicle side portion 1, extends in the vehicle up-down direction, and bulges out toward the inside of the vehicle cabin (inside in the vehicle width direction) from the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2. The rear pillar is located at the rear end of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the side inner panel 2 corresponds to the "inner panel" of the present invention, and the quarter pillar 3 corresponds to the "pillar" of the present invention. The "pillar" of the present invention includes not only a pillar serving as a vehicle body frame member formed of steel or the like, but also a pillar garnish provided on the interior side of the pillar. Also, the "pillar" of the present invention can be applied to pillars other than the quarter pillar 3.

[0014] A rear seat (not shown) is provided near the quarter pillar 3 and the rear door opening 4 on the passenger compartment side, and a seat belt device 5 corresponding to the rear seat is disposed near the front part of the side inner panel 2. The seat belt device 5 has a seat belt 51, a retractor 52, and a belt anchor 53. In FIG. 1, the retractor 52 is covered and hidden by a retractor housing member 6 described later.

[0015] One longitudinal end of the seat belt 51 is attached to the retractor 52 and wound up, and the other end is fixed to the lower part of the quarter pillar 3 or the lower part of the rear seat. The retractor 52 has a function of adjusting the amount of the wound seat belt 51 to be taken out. The belt anchor 53 relays the seat belt 51 between the retractor 52 and a buckle (belt lock part) (not shown) provided on the rear seat. A tongue plate (not shown) is attached to the seat belt 51, and the tongue plate is detachably attached to the buckle.

[0016] The belt anchor 53 has an adjustment portion 53A that can adjust the extending direction of the seat belt 51 when the seat belt 51 is fastened. The adjustment portion 53A is configured to be able to be disposed outside the vehicle cabin from the vehicle interior side surface 31 of the quarter pillar 3. Specifically, the adjustment portion 53A in this embodiment is made of an elliptical plate-like member that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction and has an insertion hole for the seat belt 51 formed in the central portion, and an upper portion is connected to the base portion 53B of the belt anchor 53. The adjustment portion 53A has a lower portion that can rotate about an axis in the vehicle front-rear direction, and when the seat belt 51 is not fastened, the entire adjustment portion 53A is disposed outside the vehicle cabin from the vehicle interior side surface 31 of the quarter pillar 3. In addition, by configuring the base 53B of the belt anchor 53 to be rotatable around an axis in the vehicle width direction, when the seat belt 51 is fastened, the lower portion of the adjustment portion 53A may be rotated toward the interior of the vehicle cabin, and a part of the adjustment portion 53A may be positioned inside the vehicle cabin relative to the interior side surface 31 of the quarter pillar 3.

[0017] The belt anchor 53 is provided at a position adjacent to the quarter pillar 3 on the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2 in the vehicle front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the belt anchor 53 is provided at an upper portion of the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2 at a position adjacent to the vehicle rear side of the quarter pillar 3. In other words, the belt anchor 53 according to this embodiment is not attached to the passenger compartment side surface of the pillar as in the conventional structure described above, but is attached to a portion of the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2 that is continuous with the quarter pillar 3 on the vehicle rear side and that is located near the quarter pillar 3.

[0018] When the belt anchor 53 is provided on the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2, it is preferable that the quarter pillar 3 is formed with a recess 33A recessed in a direction away from the belt anchor 53. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the side inner panel 2 and the quarter pillar 3 of Fig. 1 as viewed from below on the inside of the vehicle compartment. The side inner panel 2 and the quarter pillar 3 will be described below in detail with reference to Figs. 1 to 3.

[0019] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the quarter pillar 3 according to this embodiment has an interior side surface 31, a front side surface 32, and a rear side surface 33. The interior side surface 31 is disposed on the inside of the interior (inside in the vehicle width direction) with a gap relative to the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2, and extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The upper end of the interior side surface 31 extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and is joined to the roof side panel 7 extending in the front-rear direction at the upper part of the vehicle. The upper front end of the interior side surface 31 extends approximately linearly in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The upper rear end of the interior side surface 31 is recessed in the direction away from the belt anchor 53 (toward the front of the vehicle). The lower front end of the interior side surface 31 protrudes toward the front side of the vehicle (toward the rear door opening 4) as it moves downward of the vehicle. The lower rear end of the interior side surface 31 extends approximately linearly in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0020] The front side surface 32 of the quarter pillar 3 is provided along the front end portion of the interior side surface 31 of the vehicle and protrudes from the front end portion of the interior side surface 31 to the outside of the vehicle (outside in the vehicle width direction). The front side surface 32 is slightly inclined toward the front of the vehicle as it approaches the outside of the vehicle.

[0021] The rear side surface 33 of the quarter pillar 3 is provided along the rear end of the interior side surface 31, extends from the rear end of the interior side surface 31 toward the outside of the vehicle compartment (outside in the vehicle width direction) and is connected to the front end of the side inner panel 2. In other words, the rear side surface 33 protrudes from the front end of the side inner panel 2 toward the interior of the vehicle and extends in the vehicle vertical direction. The rear side surface 33 faces a belt anchor 53 provided on the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2 (see Figures 1 and 2). In this embodiment, the rear side surface 33 of the quarter pillar 3 corresponds to the "protruding surface" of the present invention.

[0022] The above-mentioned recess 33A (region recessed in a direction away from the belt anchor 53) is formed in the upper portion of the rear side surface 33 (raised surface) of the quarter pillar 3. That is, the quarter pillar 3 is formed so that the upper portion of the rear side surface 33 is recessed in a direction away from the belt anchor 53 (toward the front of the vehicle) in correspondence with the belt anchor 53 provided on the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2.

[0023] Further, a first inclined portion 33B extending toward the rear of the vehicle is formed on the rear side surface 33 (raised surface) of the quarter pillar 3, on the vehicle lower side of the adjustment portion 53A of the belt anchor 53 (see the hatched portion in FIG. 2). The first inclined portion 33B comes into contact with the seat belt 51 whose extension direction has been adjusted by the adjustment portion 53A of the belt anchor 53. In other words, the first inclined portion 33B is provided in correspondence with a portion of the rear side surface 33 of the quarter pillar 3 with which the seat belt 51 comes into contact when the seat belt 51 is fastened.

[0024] In this embodiment, the first inclined portion 33B overlaps with a lower portion of the recessed portion 33A, and the recessed portion 33A is structured to include the first inclined portion 33B. Specifically, the recessed portion 33A of the quarter pillar 3 is formed such that, when viewed in the vehicle width direction from inside the vehicle compartment, the upper portion is formed in a substantially arc shape recessed toward the front of the vehicle, and the lower portion is formed in a substantially straight shape (first inclined portion 33B) extending toward the rear of the vehicle as it approaches the bottom of the vehicle.

[0025] A protrusion 2B that protrudes toward the front of the vehicle is formed on the upper front side of the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2 in accordance with the shape of the recess 33A of the quarter pillar 3 as described above (see the hatched portion in FIG. 2). The belt anchor 53 provided on the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2 is disposed so that at least a portion of the belt anchor 53 overlaps with the protrusion 2B of the inner surface 2A when viewed in the vehicle width direction from inside the vehicle compartment. In other words, at least a portion of the belt anchor 53 is disposed inside the recess 33A of the quarter pillar 3 when viewed from the side of the vehicle.

[0026] A retractor housing member 6 is attached to the lower front side of the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2 (see FIG. 1). The retractor housing member 6 forms a space for housing a retractor 52 of a seat belt device 5 between the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2 and the retractor housing member 6. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the periphery of the retractor 52 in FIG. 1 as viewed from below outside the vehicle compartment. FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the structure in FIG. 4 as viewed from below the vehicle. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the housing space S for the retractor 52 extends in the vehicle up-down direction between the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2 and the retractor housing member 6.

[0027] Specifically, an outer wall portion 2C is formed on the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2, which is located on the outer side of the vehicle cabin than the retractor housing member 6 and defines the housing space S for the retractor 52 (see Figs. 3 and 4). The outer wall portion 2C extends in the vehicle front-rear direction with a vertical width longer than the overall length of the retractor housing member 6 in the vehicle vertical direction (see Figs. 1 and 3). The outer wall portion 2C is formed with an insertion portion 8 through which at least a part of the retractor 52 can be inserted (see Fig. 4). The insertion portion 8 in this embodiment is composed of a substantially rectangular hole that penetrates the outer wall portion 2C of the side inner panel 2 in the vehicle width direction and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction. Note that the insertion portion 8 is not limited to a substantially rectangular hole, and may be, for example, a substantially rectangular bottomed hole recessed outward in the vehicle width direction formed in the outer wall portion 2C of the side inner panel 2.

[0028] A second inclined portion 33C is formed in the lower portion of the rear side surface 33 (raised surface) of the quarter pillar 3 in correspondence with the outer wall portion 2C of the side inner panel 2. The second inclined portion 33C extends toward the interior of the vehicle as it moves away from the outer wall portion 2C of the side inner panel 2 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Specifically, the second inclined portion 33C in this embodiment extends inward in the vehicle width direction as it moves from the front end of the outer wall portion 2C of the side inner panel 2 toward the front of the vehicle. One end portion of the insertion portion 8 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is located in the second inclined portion 33C. Therefore, the insertion portion 8 is formed to extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction including the boundary portion between the outer wall portion 2C of the side inner panel 2 and the second inclined portion 33C of the quarter pillar 3 (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 4).

[0029] The retractor 52 inserted through the insertion portion 8 is located closer to the interior of the vehicle than the side outer panel 9 and the quarter pillar outer 10, which are provided on the exterior side of the side inner panel 2 and the quarter pillar 3 (see FIG. 5). That is, the retractor 52 is disposed between the retractor housing member 6 and the side outer panel 9 and the quarter pillar outer 10 in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, a gap C is provided between the end of the retractor 52 on the exterior side of the vehicle and the side outer panel 9 and the quarter pillar outer 10. This gap C makes it possible to prevent interference between the seat belt 51 and the side outer panel 9 and the quarter pillar outer 10 when the seat belt 51 is wound up by the retractor 52.

[0030] A recess 33D recessed toward the outside of the vehicle compartment is provided at a corner where the second inclined portion 33C of the rear side surface 33 of the quarter pillar 3 intersects with the vehicle interior side surface 31. The recess 33D extends in the vertical direction with a length approximately equal to the vertical width of the outer wall portion 2C of the side inner panel 2, and has a fixing surface that is approximately parallel to the outer wall portion 2C. An end portion of the retractor accommodating member 6 on the vehicle front side is fixed to the fixing surface of the recess 33D.

[0031] The retractor housing member 6 has an inner wall portion 6A and a side wall portion 6B integrally molded from a resin material. The inner wall portion 6A extends in the vehicle front-rear direction and divides the housing space S of the retractor 52 from the vehicle interior space in the vehicle width direction. A pillar fixing portion 6C is provided at the end portion on the vehicle front side of the inner wall portion 6A, and the pillar fixing portion 6C is fixed to the fixing surface of the recessed portion 33D of the quarter pillar 3 by a clip 11 or the like (see Figs. 4 and 5). A space for taking out the seat belt 51 is secured between the end portion on the upper side of the vehicle of the inner wall portion 6A and the side inner panel 2. Here, the upper portion of the inner wall portion 6A is formed so as to be inclined toward the side inner panel 2 as it goes toward the upper side of the vehicle, and the inclination narrows the space for taking out the seat belt 51, so that the vehicle interior space is less likely to be compressed by the retractor housing member 6.

[0032] The side wall portion 6B of the retractor housing member 6 extends in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle rear end of the inner wall portion 6A, and divides the housing space S of the retractor 52 from the vehicle interior space in the vehicle front-rear direction. The side wall portion 6B is inclined toward the outside of the vehicle interior as it moves away from the inner wall portion 6A in the vehicle front-rear direction (toward the rear of the vehicle in this embodiment). An inner panel fixing portion 6D is provided at the end portion on the vehicle rear side of the side wall portion 6B. The inner panel fixing portion 6D extends from the side wall portion 6B toward the outer wall portion 2C of the side inner panel 2, and is fixed to the outer wall portion 2C with a clip 11 or the like (see Figures 4 and 5). Note that, in the case where a slide rail of a side door (not shown) that allows the rear door opening portion 4 to be opened and closed is disposed at the lower portion of the side inner panel 2, the rear end of the side wall portion 6B of the retractor housing member 6 may be extended toward the rear of the vehicle, and the slide rail may be covered and hidden by the retractor housing member 6 so as not to be exposed inside the vehicle interior.

[0033] Next, the operation of the vehicle side structure according to this embodiment will be described. In the vehicle side portion 1 having the above-described structure, the belt anchor 53 of the seat belt device 5 is provided at a position adjacent to the quarter pillar 3 on the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2 at the rear side of the vehicle. As a result, the belt anchor 53 is disposed on the outer side of the vehicle compartment than the inner side surface 31 of the quarter pillar 3 that bulges into the vehicle compartment, so that when luggage is brought into the luggage storage space in the vehicle compartment from the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, the luggage is less likely to interfere with the belt anchor 53, making it easier to bring in the luggage.

[0034] Furthermore, when luggage is loaded up to the same height as the belt anchor 53 (or higher), no dead space is formed in the vehicle vertical direction between the interior side surface of the pillar and the belt anchor as in the conventional structure described above, so the luggage can be loaded adjacent to the interior side surface 31 of the quarter pillar 3. In this embodiment, only a small dead space is formed in the vehicle longitudinal direction between the rear side surface 33 of the quarter pillar 3 and the belt anchor 53, making it possible to reduce the dead space compared to the conventional structure. Therefore, luggage can be efficiently arranged in the luggage storage space in the vehicle cabin.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the luggage can be easily brought into surface contact with the interior side surface 31 of the quarter pillar 3, it is possible to prevent the luggage placed close to the quarter pillar 3 from shifting position, thereby improving the stability of the cargo while the vehicle is traveling, etc. As described above, the structure of this embodiment makes it possible to reduce the decrease in luggage storage capacity (ease of carrying in luggage, occupancy rate of luggage in the storage space, and stability of the cargo) caused by the arrangement of the belt anchors in the conventional structure.

[0036] Furthermore, in the structure of the vehicle side part 1 according to this embodiment, the quarter pillar 3 has a recess 33A, and at least a portion of the belt anchor 53 is disposed inside the recess 33A when viewed from the side of the vehicle. Since the quarter pillar 3 and at least a portion of the belt anchor 53 are disposed so as to overlap in the front-rear direction of the vehicle in this manner, when luggage is loaded at the same height as the belt anchor 53 (or at a higher height), it becomes easier to arrange the luggage adjacent to the belt anchor 53 on the rear side of the side inner panel 2, so that the luggage can be arranged more efficiently in the luggage storage space in the vehicle cabin.

[0037] Furthermore, since the recess 33A is formed in the quarter pillar 3, it becomes easier to position the belt anchor 53 closer to the front side of the side inner panel 2, so that the space located rearward of the belt anchor 53 of the side inner panel 2 can be effectively utilized. For example, even if a window opening 12 is formed in the upper part of the side inner panel 2 as shown in FIG. 6, the belt anchor 53 can be easily positioned between the window opening 12 and the quarter pillar 3.

[0038] Furthermore, in the structure of the vehicle side portion 1 according to this embodiment, the belt anchor 53 has an adjustment portion 53A, and the adjustment portion 53A is configured so that it can be positioned outside the passenger compartment further than the passenger compartment side surface 31 of the quarter pillar 3. Therefore, when placing luggage close to the passenger compartment side surface 31 of the quarter pillar 3, the adjustment portion 53A of the belt anchor 53 does not get in the way, and the luggage can be loaded adjacent to the passenger compartment side surface 31 of the quarter pillar 3.

[0039] Furthermore, a first inclined portion 33B is formed on the rear side 33 (raised surface) of the quarter pillar 3, further downward in the vehicle than the adjustment portion 53A of the belt anchor 53, thereby preventing the seat belt 51 from interfering with the rear side 33 of the quarter pillar 3 when fastening the seat belt 51, making it difficult to extend or retract the seat belt 51.

[0040] This will be explained with reference to the conceptual diagram of FIG. 7. As shown in the left side of FIG. 7, the contact portion (shaded portion) between the seat belt 51 and the quarter pillar 3 when it is assumed that the rear side surface 33 of the quarter pillar 3 extends straight in the vehicle up-down direction is designated as X. Also, as shown in the right side of FIG. 7, the contact portion (shaded portion) between the seat belt 51 and the quarter pillar 3 when the first inclined portion 33B (a portion extending rearward of the vehicle as it moves downward of the vehicle) is formed on the rear side surface 33 of the quarter pillar 3 is designated as Y. Comparing these contact portions X and Y, it can be seen that the contact area between the seat belt 51 and the quarter pillar 3 can be reduced by forming the first inclined portion 33B on the rear side surface 33 of the quarter pillar 3 (X>Y). If the contact area between the seat belt 51 and the quarter pillar 3 is reduced, the resistance force generated when the seat belt 51 is extended or contracted is reduced, making it easier to extend or contract the seat belt 51.

[0041] The above-mentioned interference between the seat belt 51 and the quarter pillar 3 occurs when the belt anchor 53 is provided at a position adjacent to the quarter pillar 3 on the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2 at the rear side of the vehicle, and does not occur when the belt anchor is provided on the passenger compartment side of the pillar as in the conventional structure. In other words, when arranging the belt anchor 53 on the side inner panel 2 as in this embodiment, forming the first inclined portion 33B on the quarter pillar 3 is particularly effective.

[0042] In addition, in the structure of the vehicle side portion 1 according to this embodiment, a space for accommodating the retractor 52 is formed between the side inner panel 2 and the retractor accommodating member 6, so there is no need to provide an accommodating space for the retractor inside the pillar as in the conventional structure described above. This reduces the amount of bulging of the quarter pillar 3 toward the inside of the vehicle compartment, making it possible to expand the luggage accommodating space in the vehicle width direction and also making it easy to replace or attach / detach the retractor 52. By arranging the retractor 52 and the belt anchor 53 in the side inner panel 2 as in this embodiment, it becomes easier to adjust the installation position of the seat belt device 5, and the degree of freedom in design can be increased.

[0043] In addition, in the structure of the vehicle side part 1 according to this embodiment, the insertion part 8 is formed in the outer wall part 2C of the side inner panel 2 that defines the storage space S of the retractor 52, so that the storage space S of the retractor 52 is prevented from protruding toward the inside of the vehicle cabin. That is, the retractor 52 is likely to have a larger dimension in the vehicle width direction than the belt anchor 53 because the seat belt 51 is wound around the support shaft multiple times. For this reason, if the retractor 52 and the belt anchor 53 are fixed to the same plane (the inner surface 2A) of the side inner panel 2, the retractor 52 will protrude toward the inside of the vehicle width direction beyond the belt anchor 53. Therefore, in this embodiment, by disposing a part of the retractor 52 on the outside of the belt anchor 53 in the vehicle width direction via the insertion part 8, the storage space S of the retractor 52 is prevented from protruding toward the inside of the vehicle cabin by the amount of the retractor 52 protruding toward the outside of the vehicle width direction (α in FIG. 5). As a result, the storage space S of the retractor 52 is prevented from being caught by the luggage in the vehicle cabin. thing Since the storage space is prevented from becoming narrower, more luggage can be stored.

[0044] Furthermore, in the structure of the vehicle side portion 1 according to this embodiment, a second inclined portion 33C is formed on the rear side surface 33 (raised surface) of the quarter pillar 3, and one end portion in the fore-and-aft direction of the insertion portion 8 provided in the outer wall portion 2C of the side inner panel 2 is positioned on the second inclined portion 33C of the quarter pillar 3, which has the effect of making it easier to secure space for placing luggage on the vehicle rear side of the storage space S of the retractor 52.

[0045] To briefly explain this effect, when a metal sheet is bent by a press or the like to form a substantially hat-shaped quarter pillar 3, stress is concentrated at the bending point of the metal sheet, which makes the metal sheet more likely to crack. In order to prevent this, it is preferable to incline the rear side surface 33 (raised surface) with respect to the cabin interior side surface 31 of the quarter pillar 3. However, if the rear side surface 33 is inclined, the retractor 52 must be shifted toward the rear of the vehicle in accordance with the inclination direction, making it difficult to secure a space for placing luggage on the rear side of the retractor accommodating member 6.

[0046] Therefore, in this embodiment, one end portion in the vehicle front-rear direction of the insertion portion 8 provided on the outer wall portion 2C of the side inner panel 2 is structured to be located at the second inclined portion 33C of the quarter pillar 3, so that the second inclined portion 33C of the quarter pillar 3 and a part of the retractor 52 are arranged to overlap in the vehicle front-rear direction. This allows the retractor 52 to be arranged closer to the quarter pillar 3 by the amount of overlap (β in FIG. 5) between the second inclined portion 33C of the quarter pillar 3 and the retractor 52, making it easier to secure a space for arranging luggage on the vehicle rear side of the retractor accommodating member 6, making it possible to accommodate even more luggage.

[0047] In this embodiment, a space (γ in FIG. 5) is secured in one end portion of the insertion portion 8 located at the second inclined portion 33C of the quarter pillar 3, where the retractor 52 is not disposed. In other words, a gap is provided between the open end of the insertion portion 8 at the second inclined portion 33C of the quarter pillar 3 and the retractor 52. This gap is set as a space that can prevent interference between the open end of the insertion portion 8 and the retractor 52, taking into consideration the dimensional tolerances and errors of each of these members, when a part of the retractor 52 is inserted into the insertion portion 8. The above gap can also be used as a space for adjusting the position when the retractor 52 is inserted into the insertion portion 8.

[0048] Additionally, in the structure of the vehicle side portion 1 according to this embodiment, the inner wall portion 6A and the side wall portion 6B of the retractor accommodating member 6 are integrally molded from a resin material, which makes it easier to ensure a space for accommodating luggage on the vehicle rear side of the retractor accommodating member 6. That is, assuming that the metal plate constituting the lower portion of the quarter pillar 3 is extended toward the vehicle rear to form the accommodating space S for the retractor 52 in order to accommodate the retractor 52 inside the quarter pillar 3 in the same manner as in the conventional structure described above, the accommodating space S for the retractor 52 may be formed by welding a plurality of metal plates to avoid cracks due to stress concentration at the bending points of the metal plate described above, but this requires a welding process and is troublesome. On the other hand, when the retractor accommodating member 6 is provided separately from the quarter pillar 3 as in this embodiment, and the inner wall portion 6A and the side wall portion 6B of the retractor accommodating member 6 are integrally molded with resin, it is sufficient to pour molten resin into a mold and allow it to solidify, which makes it easy to mold the retractor accommodating member 6 and makes it easier to adjust the angle between the inner wall portion 6A and the side wall portion 6B.

[0049] In this case, if the angle between the inner wall portion 6A and the side wall portion 6B is set to be steep, a larger space for storing luggage can be secured on the vehicle rear side of the retractor accommodating member 6, so that the luggage storage capacity can be improved. Alternatively, if the retractor 52 and the side wall portion 6B are arranged to overlap in the vehicle width direction by utilizing the inclination of the side wall portion 6B (see the portion L surrounded by the dashed line in FIG. 5), the dimension of the retractor accommodating space S in the vehicle front-rear direction can be shortened, and the luggage storage space on the vehicle rear side of the retractor accommodating member 6 can be expanded.

[0050] In addition, in the structure of the vehicle side portion 1 according to this embodiment, the retractor accommodating member 6 has an inner panel fixing portion 6D extending from the inclined side wall portion 6B toward the outer wall portion 2C of the side inner panel 2. In this way, since the inner panel fixing portion 6D is provided on the side wall portion 6B of the retractor accommodating member 6, it is easier to reduce the accommodating space S of the retractor 52 while shortening the dimension of the inner panel fixing portion 6D in the vehicle width direction and increasing the rigidity, compared to the case where the inner panel fixing portion 6D is provided on the inner wall portion 6A of the retractor accommodating member 6. In other words, if the inner panel fixing portion 6D is provided on the inner wall portion 6A side, it is necessary to arrange the inner panel fixing portion 6D at a position that does not interfere with the retractor 52 and the seat belt 51, and there is a possibility that the accommodating space S of the retractor 52 will be large, but this can be avoided by providing the inner panel fixing portion 6D on the side wall portion 6B side.

[0051] In addition, in the structure of the vehicle side portion 1 according to this embodiment, the pillar fixing portion 6C formed on the inner wall portion 6A of the retractor accommodating member 6 is fixed to the recessed portion 33D formed on the quarter pillar 3, so that the inner wall portion 6A of the retractor accommodating member 6 is less likely to protrude into the passenger compartment than the passenger compartment side surface 31 of the quarter pillar 3. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, there is no step between the passenger compartment side surface 31 of the quarter pillar 3 and the passenger compartment side surface of the inner wall portion 6A of the retractor accommodating member 6. Therefore, luggage can be placed adjacent to the passenger compartment side surface 31 of the quarter pillar 3 and the inner wall portion 6A of the retractor accommodating member 6, and luggage can be placed more efficiently in the luggage storage space. Luggage placed in this manner is more likely to come into surface contact with the passenger compartment side surface 31 of the quarter pillar 3 and the inner wall portion 6A of the retractor accommodating member 6, so that the stability of the luggage can be further improved. In addition, if the recess 33D of the quarter pillar 3 has a fixing surface that is approximately parallel to the outer wall portion 2C of the side inner panel 2, the pillar fixing portion 6C of the retractor accommodating member 6 can be easily fixed to the recess 33D of the quarter pillar 3.

[0052] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and changes are possible based on the technical concept of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the belt anchor 53 is disposed on the vehicle rear side of the quarter pillar 3 is shown, but the belt anchor 53 may be disposed on the vehicle front side of the pillar 3' as shown in FIG. 8.

[0053] In the modification of FIG. 8, a belt anchor 53 similar to that of the embodiment described above is provided on the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2 at a position adjacent to the pillar 3' at the vehicle front. In addition, a retractor housing member 6 is also arranged on the vehicle front side of the pillar 3' corresponding to the belt anchor 53. When the belt anchor 53 (and the retractor 52) is arranged on the vehicle front side of the pillar 3', the seat belt 51 does not abut against the pillar 3', so there is no need to form a structure corresponding to the first inclined portion 33B in the embodiment described above on the front side 32' of the pillar 3'. In the modification of FIG. 8, the front side 32' of the pillar 3' extends linearly in the vehicle up-down direction.

[0054] In the embodiment described above, the belt anchor 53 is arranged on the inner surface 2A of the side inner panel 2. However, as long as a space for accommodating the retractor 52 is formed between the side inner panel 2 and the retractor accommodating member 6, the belt anchor 53 may be provided on the passenger compartment side surface of the quarter pillar 3, the roof side panel 7, a roof panel not shown, or the like.

[0055] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a space for accommodating the retractor 52 is formed between the retractor accommodating member 6 and the side inner panel 2. However, if the belt anchor 53 is provided at a position adjacent to the quarter pillar 3 of the side inner panel 2 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, the retractor 52 may be disposed inside the quarter pillar 3. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1...Vehicle side 2…Side inner panel 2A…Inner surface 2B…Convex part 2C…Outer wall part 3…Quarter pillar 31…Inside side of vehicle 32…Front side 33…Rear side 33A…Concave 33B…First slope part 33C…Second slope part 33D…Recess 4. Rear door opening 5…Seat belt device 51...Seat belt 52...Retractor 53...Belt anchor 53A…adjustment section 53B…Base 6...Retractor housing member 6A…Inner wall part 6B…Side wall part 6C…Pillar fixing part 6D…Inner panel fixing part 7…Roof side panel 8…Passage part 9…Side outer panel 10…Quarter pillar outer 11…Clip 12…Window opening S: Retractor storage space

Claims

1. An inner panel disposed on a side of the vehicle and extending in a vertical direction of the vehicle; a pillar connected to the inner panel, extending in a vehicle vertical direction and bulging out further toward the interior of the vehicle than the inner panel; A vehicle side structure including a seat belt device having a retractor for adjusting an amount of withdrawal of a seat belt and a belt anchor, a retractor accommodating member that forms a space for accommodating the retractor between itself and the inner panel, the inner panel has an outer wall portion located on a vehicle outer side relative to the retractor accommodating member and defining an accommodating space for the retractor, The outer wall portion is formed with an insertion portion through which at least a part of the retractor can be inserted, The vehicle side structure, wherein the belt anchor is provided at a position adjacent to the pillar of the inner panel in the vehicle front-rear direction.

2. The pillar has a recess recessed in a direction away from the belt anchor, The vehicle side structure according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the belt anchor is disposed inside the recess when viewed from the side of the vehicle.

3. the belt anchor is disposed on the vehicle rear side of the pillar and has an adjustment portion that allows the extension direction of the seat belt to be adjusted when the seat belt is fastened, The adjustment portion is configured to be disposed on an outer side of the vehicle cabin than a side surface of the pillar that faces the vehicle cabin, the pillar has a raised surface that rises from the inner panel toward the interior of the vehicle and extends in a vehicle up-down direction and faces the belt anchor; 3. The vehicle side structure according to claim 1, wherein the raised surface is formed with a first inclined portion that is located below the adjustment portion and extends rearwardly of the vehicle as it moves downwardly of the vehicle.

4. the pillar has a raised surface that rises from the inner panel toward the interior of the vehicle and extends in a vehicle up-down direction and faces the belt anchor; a second inclined portion is formed on the raised surface, the second inclined portion extending toward the interior of the vehicle as the second inclined portion moves away from the outer wall portion of the inner panel in the vehicle front-rear direction, A vehicle side structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the insertion portion extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and is formed so that one end portion in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is positioned at the second inclined portion.

5. the retractor accommodating member has an inner wall portion extending in a vehicle front-rear direction and dividing a retractor accommodating space and a vehicle interior space in a vehicle width direction, and a side wall portion extending in the vehicle width direction and dividing the retractor accommodating space and the vehicle interior space in the vehicle front-rear direction, 5. The vehicle side structure according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall portion and the side wall portion are integrally formed from a resin material.

6. the retractor accommodating member has an inner wall portion extending in a vehicle front-rear direction and dividing a retractor accommodating space and a vehicle interior space in a vehicle width direction, a side wall portion extending in the vehicle width direction and dividing the retractor accommodating space and a vehicle interior space in the vehicle front-rear direction, and an inner panel fixing portion fixed to the inner panel, The side wall portion is inclined toward an outer side of the vehicle compartment as it moves away from the inner wall portion in the vehicle front-rear direction, 5. The vehicle side structure according to claim 1, wherein the inner panel fixing portion extends from the side wall portion toward the outer wall portion of the inner panel.

7. the pillar has a recessed portion recessed toward an outer side of the vehicle cabin at a portion adjacent to the storage space for the retractor, the retractor accommodating member has a pillar fixing portion at an end portion of the inner wall portion that is located on the pillar side, 7. The vehicle side structure according to claim 5, wherein the pillar fixing portion is fixed to the recessed portion.

8. An inner panel disposed on a side of the vehicle and extending in a vertical direction of the vehicle; a pillar connected to the inner panel, extending in a vehicle vertical direction and bulging out further toward the interior of the vehicle than the inner panel; A vehicle side structure including a seat belt device having a retractor that adjusts the amount of withdrawal of a seat belt, A vehicle side structure comprising: a retractor accommodating member that forms a space for accommodating the retractor between itself and the inner panel.

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