Vehicle roof module

Abstract

To reduce manufacturing costs and reduce the weight of a vehicle roof.SOLUTION: A resin-made vehicle roof module 10 includes a roof panel 12 integrally including: a center portion 22 that serves as a roof 16 of a vehicle 14; and side portions 24 that cover a vehicle body upper side of pillars 20 extending in a vehicle front-back direction on both sides in a vehicle width direction above the vehicle body 18 and that are located adjacent to upper edges 28 of doors 26 disposed on side portions of the vehicle body 18, and being capable of forming a closed cross-section by the side portions 24 and the pillars 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle roof module that is mainly made of resin. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of a roof module and its manufacturing method has been disclosed (see Patent Document 1). Also, a technology has been disclosed that integrates a resin roof panel, a skin on its inner surface, and a foaming agent between the roof panel and the skin into a sandwich structure (see Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-225645 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-105882 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Vehicle roofs are mainly made by welding sheet metal parts, which requires many assembly steps and results in high manufacturing costs. In addition, the roof is heavy due to the use of many sheet metal parts.

[0005] The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 describes how the roof module can be manufactured inexpensively, but does not specifically mention the material of the outer panel placed on the outside of the vehicle, and the mass of the roof is not an issue.

[0006] As in the conventional example described in Patent Document 2 above, it is possible to make the roof panel out of resin in order to reduce the roof weight, but this would be costly, so currently the vehicles that use resin roof panels are limited to high-end grades such as some sports cars.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to reduce the weight of the roof while reducing the manufacturing cost of the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The first aspect has a resin roof panel that integrally comprises a central portion that forms the roof of the vehicle, and side portions that cover the upper part of the vehicle body above the pillars that extend in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle on both sides of the upper part of the vehicle body in the vehicle width direction and are adjacent to the upper edge of the door that is provided on the side of the vehicle body, and that can form a closed cross section with the side portions and the pillars.

[0009] In this vehicle roof module, the roof panel is made of resin, which allows for a reduction in the weight of the vehicle roof. Furthermore, because the roof panel has a central section and side sections as an integral unit, the assembly process can be reduced compared to assembling these sections separately to the vehicle body. Furthermore, the boundary (partition) between the central section and side sections, which occurs when the central section and side sections are made of separate parts, is eliminated, improving the appearance. The side sections cover the upper part of the vehicle body above the pillars and are adjacent to the upper edges of the doors, forming a closed cross section together with the pillars. Therefore, the appearance of the side sections is similar to that of conventional sheet metal pillars, and does not cause any discomfort to the viewer.

[0010] In a second aspect, in the vehicle roof module according to the first aspect, the roof panel has an adhesive portion that is adhered to the vehicle body and a fastening portion that is fastened to the vehicle body.

[0011] In this vehicle roof module, the roof panel can be bonded to the vehicle body at the adhesive portions and fastened to the vehicle body at the fastening portions. Even in a structure in which the side portions and pillars form a closed cross section, the roof panel can be firmly fixed to the vehicle body by using both adhesive and fastening.

[0012] In a third aspect, in the vehicle roof module relating to the second aspect, the adhesive portion is provided at the bottom of the side portion and is a portion that is adhered to the pillar, and the fastening portion has a first fastening portion that is provided more inward in the vehicle width direction than the adhesive portion at the bottom portion and fastened to the pillar, and a second fastening portion that is provided at the boundary between the central portion and the side portion of the roof panel.

[0013] In this vehicle roof module, adhesive portions are provided at the bottom of the side portions and are adhered to the pillars. Also, first fastening portions are provided as fastening portions on the bottom of the side portions, more inward in the vehicle width direction than the adhesive portions, and the first fastening portions are fastened to the pillars. Fastening the first fastening portions increases the adhesive strength of the adhesive portions, allowing the side portions to be firmly fixed to the pillars.

[0014] Furthermore, second fastening portions are provided at the boundaries between the center and side portions of the roof panel, and the second fastening portions are fastened to the vehicle body. Fastening the second fastening portions allows the roof panel to be firmly fixed to the vehicle body.

[0015] In a fourth aspect, in the vehicle roof module according to any one of the first to third aspects, a tubular reinforcing member is provided inside the side portion.

[0016] In this vehicle roof module, the side portions of the roof panel are reinforced by tubular reinforcing members, which improves the strength of the roof against vehicle rollovers and the like.

[0017] In a fifth aspect, in the vehicle roof module according to the fourth aspect, the hollow portion of the reinforcing member is filled with urethane foam.

[0018] In this vehicle roof module, the hollow portion of the reinforcing member is filled with urethane foam, which further improves the strength of the roof. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, the vehicle manufacturing cost can be reduced while the roof weight can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle roof module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a plan view showing a right side portion of a vehicle of a vehicle roof module according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a side view of a vehicle roof module according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the left side of the vehicle. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 3. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 3. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 3. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 9-9 in FIG. 2. [Figure 10] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 10-10 in FIG. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Components indicated by the same reference numerals in each drawing are the same or similar components. Note that duplicated descriptions and reference numerals may be omitted in the embodiments described below. Furthermore, all drawings used in the following description are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of elements shown in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to the actual ones. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships and ratios of elements between multiple drawings do not necessarily correspond to the actual ones.

[0022] 1 to 3, a vehicle roof module 10 according to this embodiment has a roof panel 12 made of resin.

[0023] The roof panel 12 integrally has a central portion 22 and side portions 24, which are integrally molded by, for example, injection molding. The central portion 22 is the portion that will become the roof 16 of the vehicle 14. The vehicle 14 is formed by assembling the roof 16 to a vehicle body 18. The side portions 24 are portions of the vehicle body 18 that cover the upper portions of the pillars 20 of the vehicle body 18 and are adjacent to upper edges 28 of doors 26 provided on the sides of the vehicle body 18 (see Figure 4). The roof panel 12 can have a closed cross section formed by the side portions 24 and the pillars 20.

[0024] 4 to 8, the pillar 20 is part of the vehicle frame extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the upper part of the vehicle body 18. This pillar 20 is formed by joining, for example, an inner panel 32 and a side outer panel 34 arranged above the inner panel 32 at an inner joint portion 36 and an outer joint portion 38, respectively, and has a closed cross-sectional structure.

[0025] A glass run 42 and a weatherstrip 44 are fitted and attached to the door frame 40 of the door 26. The glass run 42 is provided to ensure airtightness and watertightness between the door frame 40 and the door glass 46. The weatherstrip 44 is provided to ensure airtightness and watertightness between the door frame 40 and the vehicle body 18. In this case, the vehicle body 18 is, for example, the side outer panel 34 of the pillar 20. A lip 44A of the weatherstrip 44 is configured to abut against the vicinity of the outer end 24E in the vehicle width direction of the side portion 24 of the roof panel 12 when the door 26 is closed.

[0026] In addition, a weatherstrip 48 is provided on the outer surface of the outer joint 38 of the pillar 20 in the vehicle width direction. This weatherstrip 48 is configured to abut against the inner surface of the door frame 40 in the vehicle width direction when the door 26 is closed.

[0027] Next, the roof panel 12 has an adhesive portion 50 that is adhered to the vehicle body 18, and a first fastening portion 51 (FIG. 5) and a second fastening portion 52 (FIG. 7) that are examples of fastening portions that are fastened to the vehicle body 18. The adhesive portion 50 is provided at the bottom of the side portion 24, and is a portion that is adhered to, for example, the side outer panel 34 of the pillar 20. In a vehicle width direction cross section, the side portion 24 has a rising portion 24A that extends upward from the vehicle width direction outer end of the central portion 22, an arc-shaped portion 24B, a folded portion 24C, and a bottom portion 24D.

[0028] The arc-shaped portion 24B is curved convexly toward the upper side of the vehicle. The boundary between the arc-shaped portion 24B and the folded portion 24C is the outer end 24E in the vehicle width direction. The folded portion 24C is inclined obliquely inward in the vehicle width direction as it extends toward the bottom of the vehicle. The bottom portion 24D extends further inward in the vehicle width direction from the inner end of the folded portion 24C in the vehicle width direction and terminates there. A protruding portion 24F is provided at the boundary between the bottom portion 24D and the folded portion 24C to hide the gap between the bottom portion 24D and the pillar 20. An adhesive 54 is placed in this gap. The protruding portion 24F is provided so that the adhesive 54 is not visible through the gap when the door 26 is opened.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 5, the first fastening portion 51 is provided on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the adhesive portion 50 at the bottom portion 24D, and is fastened to the pillar 20. As a fastening means, a rivet 57 or a screw (not shown) is used. In order to enhance the adhesive effect of the adhesive portion 50, it is desirable that the first fastening portion 51 is provided in the vicinity of the adhesive portion 50. 1 The fastening portion 51 and the adhesive portion 50 may be positioned either inside or outside. 1 When the fastening portion 51 is located on the inner side of the adhesive portion 50 in the vehicle width direction, 1 By making the fastening hole for the fastening portion 51 smaller, the rigidity of the pillar 20 is increased, which is more preferable.

[0030] It is also possible to provide a rib between the arc-shaped portion 24B and the bottom portion 24D of the side portion 24 to efficiently apply pressure when bonding the side portion 24 to the pillar 20. However, providing a rib would cause thin portions to form on the outer surface of the side portion 24 due to the flow of resin during molding, damaging the appearance. Therefore, it is desirable to ensure the quality of the bonding at the bonding portion 50 by also using fastening at the first fastening portion 51.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 7 , the second fastening portion 52 is provided at the boundary between the central portion 22 and the side portion 24 of the roof panel 12. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 , a convex portion 56 is provided at the boundary, for example, continuously or intermittently, protruding downward from the vehicle and adjacent to the inner joint portion 36 of the pillar 20. By providing the second fastening portion 52 at the boundary between the central portion 22 and the side portion 24 of the roof panel 12, if the roof panel 12 thermally expands during heating, the side portion 24 on the outer side of the second fastening portion in the vehicle width direction is shorter, thereby minimizing the gap with the door and improving the appearance. In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 , a portion of the convex portion 56 is formed into a boss shape to form the second fastening portion 52. A screw 58 is inserted from below into the inner joint portion 36 of the pillar 20 and tightened to the second fastening portion 52. This fastens the second fastening portion 52 to the pillar 20.

[0032] Incidentally, because an end portion 30A of a ceiling panel 30 (described later) is previously joined to the bottom surface of the convex portion 56, the screw 58 is also inserted through the end portion 30A. Furthermore, an undercut portion is formed between the bottom portion 24D and the arc-shaped portion 24B of the side portion 24 during injection molding, but such an undercut portion can be molded by using a slide core or the like (not shown).

[0033] After the vehicle roof module 10 is assembled to the vehicle body 18, a garnish 62 can be provided on the vehicle inner side of the pillar 20. A wire harness, a curtain airbag, etc. (not shown) can be stored in the space between the pillar 20 and the garnish 62.

[0034] 2 and 4 to 10, a tubular reinforcing member 64 may be provided inside the side portion 24. The reinforcing member 64 is, for example, a resin pipe, and may be reinforced with carbon fiber. The reinforcing member 64 is fixed to the side outer panel 34 of the pillar 20, for example, at the front end and rear end, using a plurality of bolts 66 and anchors 68. The anchors 68 are attached to holes provided in the reinforcing member 64 before the bolts 66 are fastened. The hollow portion of the reinforcing member 64 may be filled with urethane foam 65.

[0035] Furthermore, a reinforcing member extending in the vehicle width direction may be provided in the space 60 between the central portion 22 of the roof panel 12 and the ceiling panel 30. For example, as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 6, a roof reinforcement 70 may be provided in the central portion of the roof panel 12 in the vehicle front-rear direction. Both ends of this roof reinforcement 70 are fixed to the reinforcing member 64 using brackets 72. The roof reinforcement 70 and the brackets 72 are fixed by clips 74. Furthermore, the brackets 72 and the reinforcing member 64 are fixed by clips 76. The brackets 72 extend from below the central portion 22 of the roof panel 12 to below the side portions 24.

[0036] (action) This embodiment is configured as described above, and its operation will be described below. In FIGS. 1 to 3, in the vehicle roof module 10 according to this embodiment, the roof panel 12 is made of resin, thereby reducing the weight of the roof 16 of the vehicle 14. Furthermore, because the roof panel 12 integrally includes the central portion 22 and the side portions 24, the assembly process can be reduced compared to assembling these portions separately to the vehicle body 18. Furthermore, the boundary between the central portion 22 and the side portions 24 (such as a border or a mohawk groove and a molding covering the same) that would occur if the central portion 22 and the side portions 24 were separate parts is eliminated, improving the appearance. Furthermore, by making the color of the roof panel 12 different from the color of the vehicle body 18, two-tone vehicles can be easily manufactured without the need for a conventional paint-differentiating process involving masking.

[0037] 4, the side portion 24 covers the upper part of the vehicle body of the pillar 20 and is adjacent to the upper edge 28 of the door 26, and the side portion 24 and the pillar 20 form a closed cross section. Therefore, the appearance of the side portion 24 is similar to that of a conventional pillar 20 made of sheet metal, and does not give an impression of incongruity to the viewer.

[0038] Furthermore, the roof panel 12 can be adhered to the vehicle body 18 at adhesive portions 50 and fastened to the vehicle body 18 at fastening portions. Specifically, the adhesive portions 50 are provided on the bottom portions 24D of the side portions 24 and are adhered to the pillars 20. Furthermore, first fastening portions 51 serving as fastening portions are provided on the bottom portions 24D of the side portions 24 more inward in the vehicle width direction than the adhesive portions 50, and the first fastening portions 51 are fastened to the pillars 20. The adhesive strength of the adhesive portions 50 is increased by fastening the first fastening portions 51, so that the side portions 24 can be firmly fixed to the pillars 20.

[0039] Furthermore, second fastening portions 52 are provided at the boundaries between the central portion 22 and the side portions 24 of the roof panel 12, and the second fastening portions 52 are fastened to the vehicle body 18. By fastening the second fastening portions 52, the roof panel 12 can be fixed to the vehicle body 18 even more firmly.

[0040] In this way, even in a structure in which a closed cross section is formed by the side portion 24 and the pillar 20, the roof panel 12 can be firmly fixed to the vehicle body 18 by using both adhesive and fastening.

[0041] In addition, a resin ceiling panel 30 may be attached to the interior side of the roof panel 12, and by assembling such a pre-assembled vehicle roof module 10 to the vehicle body 18, the assembly man-hours can be further reduced.

[0042] 2 and 4 to 10, when the side portions 24 of the roof panel 12 are reinforced with tubular reinforcing members 64, the strength of the roof 16 against rollovers and other events of the vehicle 14 can be improved while still reducing the weight. If the hollow portions of the reinforcing members 64 are filled with urethane foam, the strength of the roof 16 can be further improved.

[0043] The reinforcing member 64 is fixed using bolts 66, so that it can be easily replaced if damaged.

[0044] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the weight of the roof 16 while reducing the manufacturing cost of the vehicle 14. By reducing the weight of the roof 16, it is expected that fuel economy will improve, and in the case of an electric vehicle, the amount of electricity consumed (electricity cost) will improve, and driving stability will improve due to a lower center of gravity of the vehicle.

[0045] [Other embodiments] The above describes one example of an embodiment of the present invention, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0046] Although the roof panel 12 has an adhesive portion 50 and a fastening portion (first fastening portion 51 and second fastening portion 52), the means for fixing the roof panel 12 to the vehicle body 18 is not limited to this, and only adhesive or only fastening may be used.

[0047] Although the above description has been given of a case in which the roof reinforcement 70 is provided as a reinforcing member extending in the vehicle width direction in the central portion of the roof panel 12 in the vehicle front-rear direction, the roof reinforcement may be provided in another portion of the roof panel 12. A plurality of roof reinforcements may also be provided. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 10. Vehicle roof module 12 roof panel 14 vehicles 16 Roof 18 Body 20 Pillar 22 Central part 24 Side part 24D bottom 26 doors 28 Upper edge 30 Ceiling Panel 50 Adhesive part 51 1st fastening part (fastening part) 52 Second fastening part (fastening part) 64 Reinforcement member 65 Urethane foam

Claims

1. a resin roof panel integrally including a central portion that forms the roof of the vehicle, and side portions that cover the upper portion of the vehicle body above pillars that extend in the vehicle front-rear direction on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the upper part of the vehicle body and are adjacent to the upper end edges of doors that are provided on the sides of the vehicle body, and that can form a closed cross section with the side portions and the pillars; a tubular reinforcing member is provided between the pillar and the side portion, The hollow portion of the reinforcing member is filled with urethane foam, A vehicle roof module in which a roof reinforcement is provided in the center of the roof panel in the vehicle front-rear direction, and both ends of the roof reinforcement are fixed to the reinforcing member using brackets.

2. 2. The vehicle roof module according to claim 1, wherein the roof panel has an adhesive portion that is adhered to the vehicle body and a fastening portion that is fastened to the vehicle body.

3. the adhesive portion is provided at a bottom of the side portion and is adhered to the pillar, A vehicle roof module as described in claim 2, wherein the fastening portion includes a first fastening portion that is located more inward in the vehicle width direction than the adhesive portion at the bottom and is fastened to the pillar, and a second fastening portion that is located at the boundary between the central portion and the side portion of the roof panel.

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