Body structure

Abstract

A vehicle body structure 1 comprises: a side member 12 extending in a front-rear direction (vehicle front-rear direction); a suspension tower which has a pair of legs 32 formed apart from each other in the front-rear direction and welded to a side face 12b of the side member 12 and supports a top portion of a shock absorber and; and a reinforcement 15 which is located inside the side member 12 at a position corresponding to the pair of legs 32 and which reinforces the side member 12, wherein the reinforcement 15 crosses the side face 12b of the side member 12 in the planar direction and the pair of legs 32 and the reinforcement 15 are arranged at overlapping positions as viewed from the vehicle width direction.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle body structure, and more particularly to a vehicle body structure having a suspension tower joined to the side of a side member and supporting the top of a shock absorber. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a technology relating to a vehicle body structure equipped with a suspension tower that is joined to the side of a side member and supports the top of a shock absorber. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a suspension tower structure in which a front leg and a rear leg are provided at the bottom of the suspension tower and branch out in the vehicle length direction (vehicle front-rear direction), and the front leg and the rear leg are joined to the main frame (side member) by welding. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2011 / 101905 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The suspension towers are connected to the shock absorbers and upper arms of the suspension system, and transmit forces from the road surface to the tires in the longitudinal, transverse, and vertical directions. As a result, the forces transmitted to the suspension towers can cause deformation in the structures around the pair of legs, i.e., the side members and the pair of legs themselves, which can cause joint separation or reduced durability.

[0005] The present invention was made in consideration of such problems, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle body structure that can ensure good durability around the joint between the suspension tower and the side member and good rigidity of the suspension tower. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the vehicle body structure of the present invention comprises a side member extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, a pair of legs formed at a distance from each other in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and joined to the side of the side member, a suspension tower supporting the top of a shock absorber, and a reinforcement arranged inside the side member at a position corresponding to at least one of the pair of legs and reinforcing the side member, the reinforcement intersecting the side of the side member in the face direction, and at least one of the pair of legs and the reinforcement being arranged in a position where they overlap when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0007] With this configuration, the reinforcement that reinforces the side member and at least one of the pair of legs of the suspension tower are positioned so that they overlap when viewed from the vehicle width direction, thereby improving the rigidity of the structure around the pair of legs, i.e., the side member and the pair of legs themselves. As a result, even if force input from the road surface to the tire is transmitted to the suspension tower via a shock absorber or the like, deformation of the structure around the pair of legs can be suppressed. Therefore, with the vehicle body structure of the present invention, it is possible to ensure good durability around the joint between the suspension tower and the side member and good rigidity of the suspension tower.

[0008] In addition, it is preferable that the reinforcement is disposed at a position overlapping with a lower end portion of at least one of the corresponding pair of legs when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0009] This configuration improves the rigidity of the structure around the lower ends of the pair of legs, which are located away from the positions that support the shock absorbers and upper arms and are therefore prone to relatively large stresses, and suppresses deformation. As a result, it is possible to ensure better durability around the joints between the suspension tower and side members and the rigidity of the suspension tower.

[0012] Furthermore, at least one of the pair of legs extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and a flange portion is formed at the lower end thereof which is joined to the side of the side member at at least a part of its peripheral edge, and it is preferable that the reinforcement is positioned in a position which overlaps with the flange portion of at least one of the corresponding pair of legs when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0013] With this configuration, the flanges ensure the length of the joints between the pair of legs and the side members, and by overlapping the flanges and the reinforcement when viewed from the vehicle width direction, the rigidity of the structure around the flanges can be improved and deformation can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to better ensure the durability around the joints between the suspension tower and the side members and the rigidity of the suspension tower.

[0014] Furthermore, it is preferable that the reinforcement is arranged in a position that overlaps with the midpoint in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction of the joint between the flange portion of at least one of the corresponding pair of legs and the side surface of the side member when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0015] With this configuration, by providing a portion in the middle of the joint that overlaps with the reinforcement when viewed from the vehicle width direction, the rigidity of the middle portion can be improved and the middle portion can bear the force. As a result, the force applied to the end of the joint, where stress tends to concentrate, can be reduced, and separation of the end of the joint can be effectively prevented.

[0016] Furthermore, it is preferable that the reinforcement be disposed at positions corresponding to the pair of legs, respectively. With this configuration, since the reinforcement is disposed in correspondence with each pair of legs, it is possible to better ensure durability around the joint between the suspension tower and the side member and rigidity of the suspension tower.

[0017] Furthermore, it is preferable that the suspension tower has a spring house that supports the top of the shock absorber and an outer force that is joined to the inside of the spring house and reinforces the spring house, the spring house having a pair of first leg portions formed at a distance from each other in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, the outer force having a pair of second leg portions formed at a distance from each other in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and constituting the pair of legs together with the pair of first leg portions, and the reinforcement is positioned in a position that overlaps at least one of the first leg portions and the second leg portions of the corresponding pair of legs when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0018] With this configuration, the spring house is reinforced by the outer reinforcement, and by overlapping at least one of the first leg portion and the second leg portion with the reinforcement when viewed from the vehicle width direction, the rigidity of the structure around the pair of legs can be improved.

[0019] Furthermore, it is preferable that the reinforcement be disposed in a position that overlaps with the first leg when viewed from the vehicle width direction. With this configuration, the placement of the reinforcement improves the rigidity of the structure around the first leg, and the first leg side can sufficiently bear the force applied to the suspension tower.

[0020] Furthermore, it is preferable that the lower end of the second leg is located lower than the lower end of the first leg. With this configuration, by forming the second leg relatively long, the length of the joint between the second leg and the side surface of the side member can be ensured, making it possible to maintain a more stable joint between the suspension tower and the side member. As described above, since the first leg can sufficiently bear the force, even if the second leg is formed long, the generation of large stress in the second leg is suppressed, and deformation of the second leg can be suppressed.

[0021] It is also preferable that the lower end of the second leg portion extends to the lower end of the side surface of the side member. This configuration ensures a sufficient length for the joint between the second leg portion and the side surface of the side member. Furthermore, because the second leg portion extends to the lower end of the side surface of the side member, which is a relatively hard and difficult-to-deform portion, it is possible to effectively prevent the periphery of the lower end of the second leg from peeling off from the side member due to deformation of the side surface of the side member.

[0022] Furthermore, it is preferable that the reinforcement be joined to at least the opposing inner walls of the side members. With this configuration, the reinforcement can be firmly fixed to the side members.

[0023] Furthermore, it is preferable that the reinforcement be joined to the inner wall of the side surface, the inner wall of the upper surface, and the inner wall of the lower surface of the side member on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. With this configuration, the reinforcement can be joined to the side member more firmly.

[0024] Furthermore, it is preferable that the reinforcement has a first reinforcement having a flat plate shape and arranged at the front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and a second reinforcement having an L-shaped vertical cross section and arranged at the rear side in the vehicle longitudinal direction. This configuration can ensure sufficient rigidity and strength of the reinforcement. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] In the vehicle body structure of the present invention, the rigidity of the structure around the pair of legs can be improved, thereby suppressing deformation of the structure around the pair of legs. Therefore, the vehicle body structure of the present invention can ensure good durability around the joint between the suspension tower and the side member and good rigidity of the suspension tower. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle body structure according to an embodiment, viewed from above and from the outside in the vehicle width direction. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the inside of the side member as viewed from the front side. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing the inside of the side member as viewed from the front side and inside in the vehicle width direction. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the suspension tower as viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction and from the front side. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the suspension tower as viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. [Figure 6] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the front legs of a pair of legs and a first reinforcement. FIG. [Figure 7] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the rear legs of a pair of legs and a second reinforcement. FIG. [Figure 8] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a joint portion of a front leg portion in a modified example of the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the reinforcement. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing yet another example of the reinforcement. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the vehicle longitudinal direction, vehicle width direction (left-right direction), and up-down direction will be expressed based on a vehicle to which a vehicle body structure according to the embodiment is applied. In the following description, the vehicle longitudinal direction will be simply referred to as the "front-rear direction."

[0028] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle body structure according to an embodiment, viewed from above and from the outside in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle body structure 1 according to the embodiment is applied to the front wheel side (not shown) of a vehicle. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle body structure 1 includes a vehicle body frame 10 and a suspension device 20.

[0029] (body frame) The vehicle body frame 10 has a pair of side members 12, multiple cross members 14, and a bumper beam 16. The pair of side members 12 are vehicle body frames extending in the front-to-rear direction, and are provided in a pair on the left and right with a gap in the vehicle width direction. The side members 12 are frames with a rectangular tubular cross section that connect an inner frame 121 (see FIG. 2) and an outer frame 122 (see FIG. 2). The multiple cross members 14 are frames that extend in the vehicle width direction and are connected to both of the pair of side members 12, and are arranged with a gap in the front-to-rear direction. The cross members 14 include two suspension cross members 14a that are arranged below the suspension device 20. The bumper beam 16 is a frame that extends in the vehicle width direction and is connected to the front ends of the side members 12.

[0030] (Reinforcement inside the side member) Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the interior of the side member 12 as viewed from the front, and Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the interior of the side member 12 as viewed from the inside in the vehicle width direction and from the front. In Fig. 3, the inner frame 121 of the side member 12 is omitted. As shown in the figure, in this embodiment, a pair of reinforcements 15 that reinforce the side member 12 is provided inside the side member 12. The pair of reinforcements 15 are partition-like members provided at a distance in the front-to-rear direction so as to partition a portion of the interior of the side member 12, and are provided near the suspension device 20. The pair of reinforcements 15 includes a first reinforcement 15A disposed on the front side and a second reinforcement 15B disposed on the rear side.

[0031] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the first reinforcement 15A has a flat plate shape when viewed in the front-rear direction. The surface direction of the first reinforcement 15A intersects with the side surface 12b of the side member 12 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The surface direction here refers to the extending direction of the plate-shaped portion. That is, in this embodiment, the surface direction of the side surface 12b is the front-rear direction, and the surface direction of the first reinforcement 15A is the vehicle width direction. The first reinforcement 15A is joined by welding to the inner wall 123a on the upper surface 12a side of the side member 12, the inner wall 123b on the side surface 12b side of the side member 12, and the inner wall 123c on the lower surface 12c side.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, the second reinforcement 15B is a member having an L-shaped vertical cross section. More specifically, the second reinforcement 15B has a flat plate portion 151B having a flat plate shape when viewed from the front-rear direction, and a bottom plate portion 152B extending forward from the lower end of the flat plate portion 151B. Note that, as shown in FIG. 2, the inner side edge of the flat plate portion 151B in the vehicle width direction is tapered so as to extend inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end to the lower end. Similar to the first reinforcement 15A, the surface direction of the second reinforcement 15B also intersects with the side surface 12b of the side member 12. That is, in this embodiment, the surface direction of the second reinforcement 15B is the vehicle width direction. Similar to the first reinforcement 15A, the second reinforcement 15B is joined by welding to the inner wall 123a on the upper surface 12a side, the inner wall 123b on the side surface 12b side, and the inner wall 123c on the lower surface 12c side of the side member 12. As shown in Fig. 3, the bottom plate portion 152B of the second reinforcement 15B is formed so as to bypass the outer frame 122, and is joined to the inner wall 123c on the lower surface 12c side of the inner frame 121 (see Fig. 2).

[0033] (Suspension device) Returning to the explanation of Figure 1, a pair of suspension devices 20 are provided on the left and right sides in the vehicle width direction corresponding to the front wheels (not shown). The suspension devices 20 each include a lower arm 22, a knuckle 24, an upper arm 26, a shock absorber 28, and a suspension tower 30.

[0034] The lower arm 22 is connected to the ends of the two suspension cross members 14a so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the front-rear direction. In other words, the lower arm 22 is attached to the two suspension cross members 14a so as to be swingable in the up-down direction.

[0035] The knuckle 24 is connected to the outer end of the lower arm 22 in the vehicle width direction so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the vertical direction. A hub 6 that supports a front wheel (not shown) and to which a drive shaft (not shown) is connected is rotatably attached to the knuckle 24. A steering rod 8 is connected between the left and right knuckles 24 via a steering gearbox 7 that operates in conjunction with a steering wheel (not shown) operated by the driver. A stabilizer 9 is also connected between the left and right knuckles 24 to suppress vehicle body rolling.

[0036] The upper arm 26 is connected to the knuckle 24 so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the vertical direction. The upper arm 26 branches into two from the connection with the knuckle 24 toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, and each end is rotatably connected to the suspension tower 30. In other words, the upper arm 26 is attached to the suspension tower 30 so as to be able to swing in the vertical direction.

[0037] Shock absorber 28 is a mechanism that absorbs vertical vibrations from the front wheels, and is connected to lower arm 22 so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the front-to-rear direction. A top portion 28a of shock absorber 28 is fixed to suspension tower 30 by engagement. A coil spring (not shown) is wound around shock absorber 28.

[0038] (Suspension tower) Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the suspension tower 30 viewed from the front and outside in the vehicle width direction, and Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the suspension tower 30 viewed from the outside in the vehicle width direction. As shown in the figures, the suspension tower 30 has a spring house 40, an inner reinforcement 50, and an outer reinforcement 60, and supports the top portion 28a of the shock absorber 28.

[0039] The spring house 40 has a storage section 42 and a pair of first leg sections 44. The storage section 42 has a ceiling section 42A and side sections 42B extending downward from both longitudinal ends of the ceiling section 42A, and is open on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The spring house 40 stores a coil spring (not shown) wound around the shock absorber 28 within the space surrounded by the ceiling section 42A and the side sections 42B. The ceiling section 42A also has a mating hole 421 (see FIG. 1) for fixing the top section 28a of the shock absorber 28 by mating. The pair of first leg sections 44 are formed with a gap between them in the longitudinal direction and are joined to the side surfaces 12b of the side members 12 by welding.

[0040] The inner reinforcement 50 is disposed so as to cover the side surface portion 42B of the spring house 40 from both front-rear directions while closing the opening on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the spring house 40. The inner reinforcement 50 is joined by welding to the upper surface 12a and the inner side surface 12d in the vehicle width direction of the side member 12 (see FIG. 1), and is also joined by welding to the spring house 40. The inner reinforcement 50 is formed with upper arm support portions 52 that support the upper arms 26. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper arm support portions 52 sandwich each end of the upper arm 26 from both front-rear directions and support it rotatably around an axis extending in the front-rear direction.

[0041] The outer force 60 is a gate-shaped reinforcing member that reinforces the spring house 40 and is disposed inside the spring house 40 in the longitudinal direction. That is, the outer force 60 is disposed so as to cover a portion of the opening on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the spring house 40, and is joined by welding to each side surface portion 42B of the spring house 40 on both sides in the longitudinal direction. The outer force 60 has a pair of second leg portions 64 formed with a gap between them in the longitudinal direction. The pair of second leg portions 64 extend along the pair of first leg portions 44 of the spring house 40 and are joined by welding to the pair of first leg portions 44 and the side surfaces 12b of the side member 12. The pair of second leg portions 64, together with the pair of first leg portions 44, form the pair of legs 32 of the suspension tower 30.

[0042] In the suspension tower 30 configured as described above, forces in the longitudinal and transverse directions input from the road surface to the tire are transmitted via the upper arm 26, and forces in the vertical direction are transmitted via the shock absorber 28. Therefore, the forces transmitted to the suspension tower 30 may cause deformation in the structure around the pair of legs 32, i.e., the side members 12 and the pair of legs 32 themselves, which may cause the joint to peel off or reduce durability. Therefore, in the vehicle body structure 1 of this embodiment, the rigidity around the joint between the suspension tower 30 and the side member 12 is ensured by the following configuration.

[0043] (a pair of legs) The configuration of the pair of legs 32 of the suspension tower 30 will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the periphery of the front legs of the pair of legs 32, and Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the periphery of the rear legs of the pair of legs 32. Note that in Figures 6 and 7, the outer frame 122 of the side member 12 is not shown. As described above, the pair of legs 32 is formed by the pair of first legs 44 of the spring house 40 and the pair of second legs 64 of the outer reinforcement 60.

[0044] 6 and 7, the pair of first legs 44 of the spring house 40 has a first front leg 44A located on the front side in the front-to-rear direction and a first rear leg 44B located on the rear side in the front-to-rear direction. A flange 46 is formed on the lower end 441 of each first leg 44. The flange 46 has a front flange 46A that protrudes forward from the lower end 441 of the first front leg 44A, and a rear flange 46B that protrudes rearward from the lower end 441 of the first rear leg 44B.

[0045] Similarly, the pair of second leg portions 64 of the outer force 60 has a second front leg portion 64A located on the front side in the front-to-rear direction and a second rear leg portion 64B located on the rear side in the front-to-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 6, the second front leg portion 64A abuts against the rear portion in the front-to-rear direction of the first front leg portion 44A and is joined to this abutting portion by welding. Also, as shown in FIG. 7, the second rear leg portion 64B abuts against the front portion in the front-to-rear direction of the first rear leg portion 44B of the spring house 40 and is joined to this abutting portion by welding. As a result, the first front leg portion 44A and the second front leg portion 64A form the front leg portion 32A of the pair of legs 32, and the first rear leg portion 44B and the second rear leg portion 64B form the rear leg portion 32B of the pair of legs 32.

[0046] The lower end 641 of each second leg portion 64 is formed to have a shorter length in the front-rear direction than the other portions in the up-down direction, and the portion between the lower end 641 and the other portions is formed in a tapered shape. This allows the length of the joint between each second leg portion 64 and the side surface 12b of the side member 12 (see FIG. 5 ). As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , the lower end 642 of each second leg portion 64 extends downward beyond the lower end 442 of each first leg portion 44. More specifically, the lower end 642 of each second leg portion 64 extends to the lower end 124 of the side surface 12b of the side member 12 (see FIGS. 2 , 4 , and 5 ). As shown in FIG. 2 , the lower end 124 of the side surface 12b is formed in a curved shape, and is therefore harder than the flat portion extending above the lower end 124 of the side surface 12b.

[0047] The pair of legs 32 configured as described above are joined by welding to the side surface 12b of the side member 12. More specifically, as shown by thick solid lines in FIG. 6 , in the front leg portion 32A of the pair of legs 32, a front portion of the first front leg portion 44A and a rear portion of the second front leg portion 64A are welded to the side member 12. Similarly, as shown by thick solid lines in FIG. 7 , in the rear leg portion 32B of the pair of legs 32, a rear portion of the first rear leg portion 44B and a front portion of the second rear leg portion 64B are welded to the side member 12. At this time, a portion of the peripheral edge of each flange portion 46 is also welded to the side member 12. In this embodiment, ends 72, 82 of the welds are provided slightly forward of the ends of each flange portion 46 in the fore-and-aft direction.

[0048] (Arrangement of reinforcement) Next, the arrangement of the reinforcements 15 will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. A pair of reinforcements 15 are disposed one by one at positions corresponding to a pair of legs 32 of the suspension tower 30. As shown in Figure 6, the first reinforcement 15A is disposed in a position overlapping with the front leg 32A when viewed from the vehicle width direction. More specifically, the first reinforcement 15A is disposed so as to intersect with a middle portion in the fore-and-aft direction of the front flange portion 46A formed on the lower end portion 441 of the first front leg portion 44A when viewed from the vehicle width direction. As a result, the first reinforcement 15A intersects (overlaps with) a middle portion 71 located rearward of a terminal end 72 of a joint portion 70 between the front flange portion 46A and the side member 12 when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0049] Similarly, as shown in Fig. 7, the second reinforcement 15B is disposed at a position overlapping with the rear leg portion 32B when viewed in the vehicle width direction. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 7, the second reinforcement 15B is disposed so as to intersect with a middle portion in the fore-and-aft direction of the rear flange portion 46B formed at the lower end portion 441 of the first rear leg portion 44B when viewed in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the second reinforcement 15B intersects (overlaps with) a middle portion 81 located rearward of a terminal end 82 of a joint portion 80 between the rear flange portion 46B and the side member 12 when viewed in the vehicle width direction.

[0050] (Effects of the embodiment) As described above, the vehicle body structure 1 according to the embodiment comprises a side member 12 extending in the longitudinal direction (vehicle longitudinal direction), a pair of legs 32 formed at a distance from each other in the longitudinal direction and joined to the side surface 12b of the side member 12, and a suspension tower 30 supporting the top of the shock absorber 28, and a reinforcement 15 arranged inside the side member 12 at a position corresponding to the pair of legs 32 and reinforcing the side member 12, the reinforcement 15 having a surface direction that intersects with the side surface of the side member 12, and the pair of legs 32 and the reinforcement 15 being arranged in a position where they overlap when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0051] With this configuration, the reinforcement 15 that reinforces the side member 12 and the pair of legs 32 of the suspension tower 30 are positioned to overlap when viewed from the vehicle width direction, thereby improving the rigidity of the structure around the pair of legs 32, i.e., the side member 12 and the pair of legs 32 themselves. As a result, even if a force input from the road surface to the tire via the shock absorber 28 or the like is transmitted to the suspension tower 30, deformation of the structure around the pair of legs 32 can be suppressed. Therefore, with the vehicle body structure 1, it is possible to ensure good durability around the joints 70, 80 between the suspension tower 30 and the side member 12 and good rigidity of the suspension tower.

[0052] Furthermore, the reinforcement 15 is disposed at a position overlapping the lower end portions 441, 641 (in the embodiment, the flange portions 46) of the corresponding pair of leg portions 32 when viewed in the vehicle width direction.

[0053] This configuration improves the rigidity of the structure around the lower ends 441, 641 of the pair of legs 32, which are located away from the positions supporting the shock absorber 28 and upper arm 26 and are prone to relatively large stress, thereby suppressing deformation. As a result, it is possible to better ensure durability around the joints 70, 80 between the suspension tower 30 and the side member 12 and the rigidity of the suspension tower itself.

[0054] Further, the reinforcement 15 is disposed at a position overlapping with the joints 70, 80 between the corresponding pair of leg portions 32 and the side surface 12b of the side member 12 when viewed in the vehicle width direction.

[0055] This configuration improves the rigidity of the structure and suppresses deformation at the joints 70, 80 between the pair of legs 32 and the side surfaces 12b of the side members 12. As a result, it is possible to better ensure durability around the joints 70, 80 between the suspension tower 30 and the side members 12 and the rigidity of the suspension tower 30.

[0056] In addition, the pair of legs 32 extend in the fore-and-aft direction, and flange portions 46 are formed at the lower ends 441, 641, which are joined to the side surfaces 12b of the side members 12 at at least a portion of their peripheral edges, and the reinforcement 15 is positioned so as to overlap with the flange portions 46 of the corresponding pair of legs 32 when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0057] With this configuration, the flange portion 46 ensures the length of the joints 70, 80 between the pair of legs 32 and the side member 12, while overlapping the flange portion 46 with the reinforcement 15 when viewed from the vehicle width direction improves the rigidity of the structure around the flange portion 46 and suppresses deformation. As a result, it is possible to better ensure the durability around the joints 70, 80 between the suspension tower 30 and the side member 12 and the rigidity of the suspension tower 30.

[0058] The reinforcement 15 is also positioned so as to overlap the midpoints 71, 81 in the fore-and-aft direction of the joints 70, 80 between the flanges 46 of the corresponding pair of leg portions 32 and the side surfaces 12b of the side members 12 when viewed in the vehicle width direction.

[0059] With this configuration, by providing the midpoints 71, 81, which are closer to the joints 70, 80 than the terminal ends 72, 82, with overlapping portions with the reinforcement 15 when viewed from the vehicle width direction, the rigidity of the midpoints 71, 81 is improved and the midpoints 71, 81 can bear force. As a result, it is possible to reduce the force applied to the terminal ends 72, 82 of the joints 70, 80, where stress tends to concentrate, and to effectively prevent the terminal ends 72, 82 of 70, 80 from peeling off.

[0060] Furthermore, the reinforcements 15 are disposed at positions corresponding to the pair of legs 32. With this configuration, the reinforcements 15 are disposed in correspondence with each pair of legs 32, so that it is possible to better ensure durability around the joint between the suspension tower 30 and the side member 12 and rigidity of the suspension tower 30.

[0061] The suspension tower 30 also has a spring house 40 that supports the top 28a of the shock absorber 28, and an outer force 60 that is joined to the inside of the spring house 40 and reinforces the spring house 40, the spring house 40 has a pair of first leg portions 44 that are formed at intervals from each other in the fore-and-aft direction, the outer force 60 has a pair of second leg portions 64 that are formed at intervals from each other in the fore-and-aft direction and that together with the pair of first leg portions 44 form a pair of legs 32, and the reinforcement 15 is positioned in a position that overlaps with the first leg portions 44 of the corresponding pair of legs 32 when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0062] With this configuration, the spring house 40 is reinforced by the outer reinforcement 60, and the first leg 44 and the reinforcement 15 are overlapped when viewed from the vehicle width direction, thereby improving the rigidity of the structure around the pair of legs 32. In addition, the force acting on the suspension tower 30 can be sufficiently borne on the first leg 44 side.

[0063] Furthermore, the lower end 642 of the second leg portion 64 is located lower than the lower end 442 of the first leg portion 44. With this configuration, by forming the second leg portion 64 relatively long, it is possible to ensure the length of the joint between the second leg portion 64 and the side surface 12b of the side member 12, and it becomes possible to maintain a more stable joint between the suspension tower 30 and the side member 12. Furthermore, as described above, because the first leg portion 44 can sufficiently bear the force, even if the second leg portion 64 is formed long, the generation of large stress in the second leg portion 64 is suppressed, and deformation of the second leg portion 64 can be suppressed.

[0064] Furthermore, the lower end 642 of the second leg portion 64 extends to the lower end portion 124 of the side surface 12b of the side member 12. This configuration makes it possible to ensure a sufficient length for the joint between the second leg portion 64 and the side surface 12b of the side member 12. Furthermore, because the second leg portion 64 extends to the lower end portion 124 of the side surface 12b of the side member 12, which is a relatively hard portion that is difficult to deform, it is possible to effectively prevent the periphery of the lower end 642 of the second leg portion 64 from peeling off from the side member 12 due to deformation of the side surface 12b of the side member 12.

[0065] Furthermore, the reinforcement 15 is joined to the inner wall 123b of the side surface 12b, the inner wall 123a of the upper surface 12a, and the inner wall 123c of the lower surface 12c of the side member 12. With this configuration, the reinforcement 15 can be joined to the side member 12 more firmly.

[0066] The reinforcement 15 has a first reinforcement 15A having a flat plate shape and arranged on the front side in the front-rear direction, and a second reinforcement 15B having an L-shaped vertical cross section and arranged on the rear side in the front-rear direction. This configuration ensures sufficient rigidity and strength of the reinforcement 15.

[0067] (Variation) Although the description of the embodiment has been completed above, aspects of the present invention are not limited to this embodiment. For example, in this embodiment, the vehicle body structure 1 has been described using the suspension device 20 for supporting the front wheels of a vehicle as an example, but the vehicle body structure 1 may also be applied to the suspension device 20 for supporting the rear wheels.

[0068] In addition, in this embodiment, the reinforcement 15 is arranged to correspond to both of the pair of legs 32, but the reinforcement 15 may also be arranged inside the side member 12 to correspond to only at least one of the pair of legs 32.

[0069] In addition, in this embodiment, of the pair of legs 32, the joint 70 at the lower end 441 of the first front leg 44A and the joint 80 at the lower end 641 of the first rear leg 44B overlap with the reinforcement 15 when viewed from the vehicle width direction. However, the arrangement position of the reinforcement 15 is not limited to this as long as it can improve the rigidity of the structure around the pair of legs 32 and suppress deformation.

[0070] For example, the reinforcement 15 may overlap the second leg portion 64 formed on the outer reinforcement 60 when viewed in the vehicle width direction. In this case, a flange portion extending in the front-rear direction may be provided on the lower end portion 641 of the second leg portion 64.

[0071] Furthermore, as long as the reinforcement 15 can improve the rigidity of the structure around the pair of legs 32 and suppress deformation, it is not limited to the lower end portions 441, 641 or the joints 70, 80, and may be any portion that overlaps with any position of the pair of legs 32 when viewed from the vehicle width direction. In this case, the extending direction and shape of the reinforcement 15, or the extending direction and shape of the front and rear portions of the pair of legs 32, may be adjusted as appropriate.

[0072] Furthermore, the pair of leg portions 32 may not have the flange portion 46. In that case, as described above, the reinforcement 15 may be configured to overlap with any position of the pair of leg portions 32, including the lower end portions 441, 641 and the joint portions 70, 80, when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0073] In addition, in the present embodiment, the terminal ends 72, 82 of the joints 70, 80 between the flange portion 46 and the side surface 12b of the side member 12 are located slightly forward of the front-rear end of the flange portion 46, but the positions of the terminal ends 72, 82 are not limited thereto. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the joints of the front leg portion 32A in a modified embodiment. Similar to FIGS. 6 and 7, the inner frame 121 of the side member 12 is not shown in FIG. 8. As shown in the figure, for example, the joint 70 of the front flange portion 46A may be formed to extend to the lower end 442 of the first front leg portion 44A, including the front-rear end of the front flange portion 46A. In this case, the first reinforcement 15A and the joint 70 overlap at two points, an upper midpoint 71 and a lower midpoint 73 of the joint 70, when viewed from the vehicle width direction. This configuration also improves the rigidity of the structure at the joint 70 of the first front leg portion 44A. Although not shown, the rear flange portion 46B may also have the same configuration as that shown in FIG.

[0074] In addition, the lower end 642 of the second leg 64 may be positioned above the lower end 124 of the side surface 12b of the side member 12, or may be positioned in line with the lower end 442 of the first leg 44 in the vertical direction, or may be positioned above the lower end 442.

[0075] 2 and 3, the reinforcement 15 is joined to the inner walls 123a, 123b, and 123c in this embodiment, but the joining position of the reinforcement 15 is not limited to this. Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the reinforcement 15, and Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing yet another example of the reinforcement 15. In the example shown in Fig. 9, the first reinforcement 15A and the second reinforcement 15B are arranged apart from the inner wall 123b on the side surface 12b side of the side member 12, and are joined to the inner wall 123a on the upper surface 12a side and the inner wall 123c on the lower surface 12c side.

[0076] 10, the first reinforcement 15A and the second reinforcement 15B (not shown) are disposed apart from the inner wall 123a on the upper surface 12a side and the inner wall 123c on the lower surface 12c side of the side member 12, and are joined to the inner wall 123b on the side surface 12b side and the inner wall 123d on the side surface 12d side. In this case, although not shown, the second reinforcement 15B has the same flat plate shape as the first reinforcement 15A.

[0077] In this way, the reinforcement 15 may be joined to at least those of the inner walls 123a to 123d of the side member 12 that face each other. Even with this configuration, the reinforcement 15 can be firmly fixed to the side member 12.

[0078] Furthermore, the shape of each reinforcement 15 is not limited to that shown in the embodiment. For example, the first reinforcement 15A may have an L-shaped vertical cross section, similar to the second reinforcement 15B shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, as described above, the second reinforcement 15B may have a flat plate shape, similar to the first reinforcement 15A shown in the embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1. Body structure 10 Body frame 12 Side member 12a Top side 12b, 12d side 12c Bottom 15 Reinforce 28 Shock absorber 28a Top 30 Suspension Tower 32 Pair of legs

Claims

1. a side member extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle; a suspension tower having a pair of legs formed at an interval in the vehicle longitudinal direction and joined to side surfaces of the side member, the suspension tower supporting a top of the shock absorber; a reinforcement member that is disposed inside the side member at a position corresponding to at least one of the pair of legs and reinforces the side member; Equipped with The reinforcement has a surface direction intersecting with a side surface of the side member, At least one of the pair of legs and the reinforcement are arranged in an overlapping position when viewed from the vehicle width direction, The reinforcement is arranged in a position overlapping with the joint between at least one of the corresponding pair of legs and the side surface of the side member when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement is arranged at a position overlapping a lower end portion of at least one of the corresponding pair of legs when viewed in the vehicle width direction.

3. (delete)

4. At least one of the pair of legs extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and a flange portion is formed at a lower end portion thereof. The flange portion is joined to the side surface of the side member at at least a part of a peripheral edge portion thereof. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reinforcement is arranged at a position overlapping the flange portion of at least one of the corresponding pair of legs when viewed in the vehicle width direction.

5. The reinforcement is arranged in a position overlapping with the midpoint in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction of the joint between the flange portion of at least one of the corresponding pair of legs and the side surface of the side member when viewed from the vehicle width direction. The vehicle body structure described in claim 4.

6. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcements are disposed at positions corresponding to the pair of legs.

7. The suspension tower includes a spring house that supports a top portion of the shock absorber, and an outer force that is joined to the inside of the spring house and reinforces the spring house, The spring house has a pair of first legs formed at an interval in the vehicle front-rear direction, the outer reinforcement has a pair of second leg portions that are formed at an interval from each other in the vehicle front-rear direction and that constitute the pair of legs together with the pair of first leg portions, The reinforcement is disposed at a position overlapping at least one of the first leg portion and the second leg portion of the corresponding pair of legs when viewed from the vehicle width direction. The vehicle body structure according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 4 to 6.

8. The vehicle body structure according to claim 7 , wherein the reinforcement is disposed at a position overlapping the first leg portion when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

9. The vehicle body structure according to claim 8 , wherein a lower end of the second leg portion is located lower than a lower end of the first leg portion.

10. The vehicle body structure according to claim 9, wherein a lower end of the second leg portion extends to a lower end of the side surface of the side member.

11. The vehicle body structure according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the reinforcement is joined to at least inner walls of the side members that face each other.

12. The vehicle body structure according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the reinforcement is joined to an inner wall of the side surface, an inner wall of the upper surface, and an inner wall of the lower surface of the side member on an outer side in the vehicle width direction.

13. The reinforcement has a first reinforcement having a flat plate shape arranged at the front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and a second reinforcement having an L-shaped vertical cross section arranged at the rear side in the vehicle longitudinal direction. A vehicle structure described in any one of claims 1, 2, 4 to 12.

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