Roof of a vehicle and method for manufacturing the roof of a vehicle

Abstract

To provide a roof of a vehicle which prevents generation of metallic sound due to contact between a roof panel and a roof member.SOLUTION: A roof 10 of a vehicle includes: a roof panel 13 of a vehicle body; a roof member 11 which is fixed along a vehicle width direction in an intermediate section in a vehicle longitudinal direction of the roof panel 13 and reinforces the roof panel 13 from an inner side of the vehicle body; a projection strip section 14 which is provided to extend to a member surface 11a along a longitudinal direction of the roof member 11; a recess section 18 which is scattered along the longitudinal direction on a top face of the projection strip section 14; a projection contour section 19 which forms an outer peripheral edge of the recess section 18 and projects toward a rear face of the roof panel 13; a plurality of first mastic sealers 12a which is provided in the recess section 18 and covers an apex of the projection contour section 19; and a plurality of second mastic sealers 12b which is provided on the member surface 11a and joins the roof member 11 to the rear face of the roof panel 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a roof of a vehicle such as an automobile and a method for manufacturing the roof of the vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] The roof panel of a vehicle secures rigidity by joining the roof member using a thermosetting elastic adhesive called a mastic sealer. The mastic sealer is kneaded loosely in an uncured state and has a kneaded body shape or a gel shape, and exhibits an adhesive force like rubber by curing through baking and drying in the painting process. A part of the mastic sealer is pressed by the roof panel in an uncured state and adhered to the roof panel in a state where the applied area is expanded.

[0003] By the way, the roof panel vibrates up and down due to pure water washing in the electrodeposition painting process, the flow of the electrodeposition liquid in the electrodeposition painting tank, or vibration during conveyance to the painting process, which occurs at the uncured stage of the mastic sealer. Since the uncured mastic sealer has a certain degree of adhesiveness and follows tensile and compressive forces, it expands and contracts following the up-and-down vibration of the roof panel.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Due to the up-and-down vibration of the roof panel, the uncured mastic sealer that has been once crushed may repeatedly deform by stretching up and down and peel off from the roof panel or the roof member. When the mastic sealer peels off, when the roof panel vibrates during driving or when the door is opened and closed , GoldUnpleasant metallic noises are generated due to contact between members. If the coating amount or the number of coating points is increased to prevent the generation of metallic noises due to such peeling, the vehicle body weight, tact time, and the frequency of material replenishment to the coating machine increase.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle roof that prevents the generation of metallic noises due to contact between a roof panel and a roof member, and a method for manufacturing the vehicle roof.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The roof of the vehicle according to the present embodiment includes a roof panel of the vehicle body, a roof member that is fixed along the vehicle width direction at an intermediate portion in the vehicle front-rear direction of the roof panel and reinforces the roof panel from the inner side of the vehicle body, a ridge portion that extends along the longitudinal direction of the roof member and is provided on the member surface, recessed portions that are scattered along the longitudinal direction on the top surface of the ridge portion, a protruding contour portion that forms the outer peripheral edge of the recessed portion and protrudes toward the back surface of the roof panel, a plurality of first mastic sealers that are provided in the recessed portion and cover the top of the protruding contour portion, and a plurality of second mastic sealers that are provided on the member surface and join the roof member to the back surface of the roof panel.

[0008] Further, the method for manufacturing the roof of the vehicle according to the present embodiment includes a step of applying a first mastic sealer to a recessed portion of a ridge portion formed to protrude on a member surface of a roof member that reinforces a roof panel of a vehicle body, a step of applying a second mastic sealer to a groove portion provided on the member surface, a step of pressing the roof panel against the roof member to cover the top of a protruding contour portion provided in the recessed portion with the first mastic sealer, a step of adhering the second mastic sealer to the back surface of the roof panel by pressing the roof panel, and a step of drying and curing the first mastic sealer and the second mastic sealer while maintaining the adhesion between the second mastic sealer and the roof panel.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] The present invention provides a vehicle roof that prevents the generation of metallic sounds due to the contact between the roof panel and the roof member, and a method for manufacturing the vehicle roof.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. In the embodiments, the reference for the "vertical" direction of each member is the vertical direction of the vehicle when the member is installed in the vehicle.

[0012] FIG. 1(A) is a schematic configuration diagram of the vehicle roof 10 according to the embodiment, viewed from the inside of the vehicle with the interior removed. FIG. 1(B) is an enlarged top view of the Ω range shown in FIG. 1(A) of the roof member 11. Further, FIG. 2(A) is an enlarged perspective view of the Ω range shown in FIG. 1(A) of the roof member 11. FIG. 2(B) is an enlarged perspective view showing the mastic sealers 12a, 12b in FIG. 2(A). Further, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the roof member 11 cut along the line I-I in FIG. 1(B) or FIG. 2(B).

[0013] As shown in Fig. 1(A), the roof 10 of the vehicle is configured such that a roof panel 13 fixed to the vehicle body frame is reinforced from the inside of the vehicle by a roof member 11. The roof member 11 is fixed along the vehicle width direction at a position where the vertical vibration of the roof panel 13 becomes large, that is, at the middle part in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Here, the "middle part" refers to the middle region among the regions obtained by dividing the roof panel 13 into three equal parts in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Usually, a plurality of roof members 11 are provided on the roof panel 13. As shown in Figs. 1(B) to 3, a rib portion 14 extending along the longitudinal direction of the roof member 11 is provided on the member surface 11a of the roof member 11. The rib portion 14 is formed with a top surface 14a having a predetermined width at substantially the same height as the member surface 11a.

[0014] On both side skirt portions of the rib portion 14, recessed portions 17 that dig into the member surface 11a along the longitudinal direction are provided. That is, as shown in Fig. 3, the cross-section of the roof member 11 in the short direction has, in order, a member surface 11a, a concave shape formed by the recessed portion 17, the top surface 14a of the rib portion 14, a concave shape formed by the recessed portion 17, and a cross-sectional shape in which the member surface 11a is smoothly connected.

[0015] And a plurality of depressions 18 are scattered along the longitudinal direction on the top surface 14a of the rib portion 14. In this depression 18, a protruding contour portion 19 that forms an outer peripheral edge and protrudes toward the back surface of the roof panel 13 is provided. The contour shape of the protruding contour portion 19 is, for example, a circular shape including a non-circular shape that matches the contour of the depression 18.

[0016] In this depression 18, a first mastic sealer (hereinafter referred to as "first sealer") 12a is provided to cover the top of the protruding contour portion 19. The first sealer 12a is adhered to the depression 18 and the protruding contour portion 19 by its own adhesive force. This first seal 12a may or may not be adhered to the roof panel 13. The first seal 12a adhered to the roof panel 13 functions as an adhesive material for adhering the roof panel 13 and the roof member 11.

[0017] On the other hand, the first seal 12a not adhered to the roof panel 13 functions as a buffer material when the roof panel 13 contacts the roof member 11 due to the vibration of the roof panel 13. The first seal 12a is arranged at the closest distance to the back surface of the roof panel 13, for example, at a predetermined interval, due to the convex strip portion 14 being formed higher than the member surface 11a and the protrusion by the protruding contour portion 19. For example, the distance between the member surface 11a and the roof panel 13 is set to about 3 mm, and the distance to the top of the protruding contour portion 19 is set to about 1 mm. Therefore, when the roof panel 13 vibrates up and down, the first seal 12a hits the roof panel 13 first, preventing the generation of unpleasant metallic sounds generated between the roof panel 13 and the roof member 11.

[0018] Also, on the member surface 11a of the roof member 11, a plurality of groove portions 15 are provided along their longitudinal directions in the vehicle width direction (that is, the longitudinal direction of the roof member 11). A second mastic seal (hereinafter referred to as "second seal") 12b is provided in this groove portion 15. The second seal 12b and the first seal 12a may be of the same component or different components. The second seal 12b joins the roof member 11 to the back surface of the roof panel 13.

[0019] It is desirable that the arrangement relationship between the first seal 12a and the second seal 12b is designed such that the first seal 12a is sandwiched by the second seal 12b from the vehicle front-rear direction. That is, two groove portions 15 are provided on a straight line passing through the recessed portion 18 and along the short side direction of the roof member 11 so as to sandwich the two recessed portions 18, and it is desirable that mastic sealers 12a and 12b are provided in these recessed portions 18 and groove portions 15. Since the first sealer 12a abuts on the roof panel 13 to suppress the vibration of the roof panel 13, if the second sealer 12b is arranged in the vicinity of the first sealer 12a, the amplitude of the roof panel 13 above the second sealer 12b also becomes small. Therefore, the peeling of the second sealer 12b in the vicinity of the first sealer 12a is also suppressed by such a vibration buffering function of the first sealer 12a.

[0020] Next, with reference to FIGS. 4(A) to 4(D), a method for manufacturing the roof 10 of a vehicle centered on the forming process of the mastic sealers 12a and 12b will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 4(A), mastic sealers 12a and 12b are applied to the recessed portion 18 of the rib portion 14 of the roof member 11 and the groove portion 15 of the member surface 11a. The mastic sealers 12a and 12b, which are in a kneaded body shape or a gel shape and are soft because they are uncured, are applied by an automatic applicator. It is desirable that the recessed portion 18 is provided with an inner inclined surface 18a that inclines from the recessed portion 18 to the top of the protruding contour portion 19. This is because the first sealer 12a applied to the recessed portion 18 flows efficiently along this inner inclined surface 18a to the top of the protruding contour portion 19.

[0021] After the mastic sealers 12a and 12b are applied, as shown in FIG. 4(B), the roof panel 13 is pressed against the roof member 11. The roof panel 13 first contacts the recessed portion 18 provided on the top surface 14a of the rib portion 14. The first sealer 12a applied to the recessed portion 18 spreads thinly and adheres closely to the recessed portion 18 without any gaps, and covers the top of the protruding contour portion 19. Then, the first sealer 12a adheres weakly to the roof panel 13 in a thinly spread state. Also, the second sealer 12b also adheres weakly with the top of the second sealer 12b contacting the roof panel 13.

[0022] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4(C), during the electrodeposition coating process, during conveyance to subsequent processes, cleaning in the coating process, or the influence of water flow in the coating tank, etc., vertical vibration of the roof panel 13 occurs. The thinly spread first sealant 12a extends vertically and attempts to follow the roof panel 13. However, since the thinly spread first sealant 12a has a reduced tolerance for displacement, some of the first sealant 12a peels off from the roof panel 13. On the other hand, due to the shapes of the recessed portion 18 and the protruding contour portion 19, these first sealant 12a that have peeled off from the roof panel 13 remain at the top of the recessed portion 18 and the protruding contour portion 19 without peeling off.

[0023] Also, as described above, the second sealant 12b is slightly longer in distance from the roof panel 13 than the first sealant 12a. Further, it is disposed at a position where the amplitude of the upper limit vibration of the roof panel 13 is also suppressed to be small by the first sealant 12a. Therefore, the second sealant 12b maintains an adhesive state without peeling off from the roof panel 13.

[0024] Then, as shown in FIG. 4(D), the mastic sealants 12a, 12b are dried and cured by baking in the electrodeposition drying process. The cured second sealant 12b adheres firmly to the roof panel 13 and functions as an adhesive between the roof panel 13 and the roof member 11. Also, the first sealant 12a that has cured while maintaining the adhesive state with the roof panel 13 also functions as an adhesive that adheres these in the same manner. On the other hand, the first sealant 12a that has peeled off from the roof panel 13 and remains in the recessed portion 18 functions as a buffer material that hits the protruding contour portion 19 when the roof panel 13 comes into contact with the roof member 11.

[0025] As described above, according to the embodiment, by devising the shape of the roof member 11 or the application mode of the mastic sealants 12a, 12b, it is possible to prevent the generation of metallic sounds due to the contact between the roof panel 13 and the roof member 11. Also, the protruding contour portion 19 can suppress the application amount of the mastic sealants 12a, 12b at this time.

[0026] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, changes, and combinations can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and its equivalent scope.

[0027] For example, each structure of the present invention that enables the mastic sealer to function as a cushioning material can also be applied to the hood and doors of automobiles.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0028] 10…roof, 11(11a)…roof member (member surface), 12(12a, 12b)…mastic sealer (first sealer, second sealer), 13…roof panel, 14(14a)…rib portion (top surface), 15…groove portion, 17…digging portion, 18(18a)…depression portion (inner inclined surface), 19…projecting contour portion.

Claims

1. A roof panel of a vehicle body, A roof member fixed along the vehicle width direction at an intermediate portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the roof panel to reinforce the roof panel from the inner side of the vehicle body, A rib portion extending along the longitudinal direction of the roof member and provided on the member surface, Depressions dotting along the longitudinal direction on the top surface of the rib portion, A protruding contour portion forming an outer peripheral edge of the depression and protruding toward the back surface of the roof panel, A plurality of first mastic sealers provided in the depression to cover the top of the protruding contour portion, A plurality of second mastic sealers provided on the member surface to join the roof member to the back surface of the roof panel. The roof of a vehicle is characterized by comprising these.

2. The roof of the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first mastic sealer is provided at a predetermined interval from the back surface of the roof panel at the top of the protruding contour portion.

3. The roof of the vehicle according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the distance between the top of the protruding contour portion and the roof is smaller than the distance between the member surface and the roof panel.

4. The protruding contour portion is circular, The roof of the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an inner inclined surface is provided that inclines from the depression to the top of the protruding contour portion.

5. The second mastic sealer is provided along the longitudinal direction in the vehicle width direction, The roof of the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the depression is sandwiched by the second mastic sealer from the vehicle longitudinal direction.

6. A step of applying a first mastic sealer to a depression of a rib portion formed to protrude on a member surface of a roof member that reinforces a roof panel of a vehicle body, A step of applying a second mastic sealant to the groove portion provided on the surface of the member; A step of pressing the roof panel against the roof member to cover the top of the protruding contour portion provided in the recess with the first mastic sealant; A step of adhering the second mastic sealant to the back surface of the roof panel by pressing the roof panel; A method for manufacturing a roof of a vehicle, comprising a step of drying and curing the first mastic sealant and the second mastic sealant while maintaining the adhesion between the second mastic sealant and the roof panel.

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