Body structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle body structure suppressing vehicle cabin deformation upon a small overlap offset collision, and suppressing an increase in weight.SOLUTION: A vehicle body structure 1 includes a front pillar lower 10 that is provided at a side end portion in a front part of a vehicle cabin 2 storing an occupant and extends in a vertical direction, and a front pillar upper 20 that inclines and extends upward and rearward from an upper end portion of the front pillar lower, and an upper frame 70 that projects out to the vehicle front side from a vicinity of a joint portion of the front pillar lower and the front pilar upper. The vehicle body structure is equipped with a coupling member 110 that is fixed to the upper frame at a front end portion 111 and is fixed to the front pillar lower on a lower side than a uniting place of the upper frame and the front pillar lower at a rear end portion 112, and a front wheel abutting portion 120 that projects downward from the coupling member and abuts on a front wheel FW retracting with respect to the vehicle cabin at a collision.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle body structure for a vehicle such as an automobile. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1, which is a technology relating to the body structure of a vehicle such as an automobile, describes a vehicle body side structure that prevents components from intruding into the interior of the vehicle cabin when an impact load is applied, without requiring significant reinforcement. It describes that the weakened portion is a recessed portion formed in part of a front pillar on the exterior side of the vehicle cabin, which constitutes an exterior deformation-inducing portion that induces bending deformation of the inclined region toward the exterior of the vehicle cabin when a load is applied longitudinally from the front end of the front pillar. Patent document 2 describes a front body structure that prevents the front pillar from receding even when an impact load acts on the hood ridge member without strengthening the entire front pillar.The structure includes a weak part between the strut housing of the hood ridge member and the front pillar, and is configured so that the weak part deforms when a large impact load is input from the front side of the hood ridge member. Patent Document 3 describes a vehicle body structure for improving impact absorption performance without increasing the vehicle weight, in which the front pillars are equipped with outer reinforcements (hereinafter referred to as "R / F") and a front pillar patch R / F is disposed inside the belt line portion of the front pillar outer R / F. It also describes that a high strength portion and a weak portion are formed in the front pillar outer R / F. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-104836 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-88949 [Patent Document 3] International Publication WO2011 / 030463A1 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a small overlap offset collision, in which an object strikes the front of the vehicle only in a small area near the side edge in the vehicle width direction, there is a concern that a relatively large load will be transmitted to the passenger compartment, causing deformation of the passenger compartment, without being able to fully absorb the collision energy, as opposed to an offset collision or full overlap collision, in which the overlap is relatively large. One solution to this problem is to improve the strength of the cabin structure itself, but in this case, the weight of the vehicle body would increase due to, for example, increasing the thickness or cross section of the members or adding reinforcing structures. In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle body structure that suppresses deformation of the vehicle interior during a small overlap offset collision and also suppresses an increase in weight. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a vehicle body structure according to one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle body structure including a front pillar lower provided at a side end in the front part of a vehicle compartment in which an occupant is accommodated and extending in a vertical direction, a front pillar upper extending obliquely upward and rearward from an upper end of the front pillar lower, and an upper frame protruding toward the front side of the vehicle from the vicinity of a joint between the front pillar lower and the front pillar upper, wherein the front end is connected to the upper frame and the rear end is connected to the front pillar lower below a joint between the upper frame and the front pillar lower; connected to the lower surface of the connecting member, The vehicle is characterized by having a front wheel abutment portion that protrudes downward from the connecting member and abuts against a front wheel that moves backward relative to the vehicle interior during a collision. According to this, when the front wheel moves backward during a collision and abuts against the front wheel abutment portion, the connecting member is bent and deformed in a direction that makes the upper side convex when viewed in the vehicle width direction due to the input from the front wheel. The bending deformation of the connecting member applies a moment to the upper frame that rotates it in a downward front direction, with the front end lowering below the rear end. As a result of the vehicle body deformation causing the upper frame to rotate in a downward forward direction, the relative inclination between the upper frame and the front pillar upper becomes smaller, and it becomes possible to transmit load from the upper frame to the front pillar upper and to the rear of the vehicle body in a state close to axial force. This promotes the transmission of energy input due to a collision to the rear side of the vehicle body, thereby reducing the amount of energy that needs to be absorbed by the collapse of the front passenger compartment front structure, such as the front pillar lowers. This makes it possible to suppress deformation of the vehicle interior during a small overlap offset collision without excessively reinforcing the front pillar lowers, front pillar uppers, etc., which would increase the weight of the parts.

[0006] In the present invention, a weakened portion may be provided in an area of ​​the front pillar lower above the point where the front pillar lower is joined to the connecting member, whereby the strength of the front portion of the front pillar lower is partially reduced compared to the rear portion. This induces bending or curving deformation of the upper part of the front pillar lower in a direction that makes the rear of the vehicle convex during a collision, thereby reliably causing the upper frame to deform downward toward the front of the vehicle, thereby promoting the above-mentioned effects.

[0007] In the present invention, the vehicle may be configured to include a front side frame that is located inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper frame and protrudes downward from the front of the passenger compartment toward the front of the vehicle, and a connecting structure that connects the upper frame and the front side frame at a location spaced forward from the passenger compartment. With this, the behavior of the connecting structure moving backward relative to the vehicle cabin during a collision allows a load to be input to the front end of the connecting member toward the rear end, promoting buckling deformation of the connecting member and more reliably achieving the above-mentioned effects. The connecting structure can typically be a strut housing that houses the upper part of the strut of a strut-type suspension device, but may also be another structure. In the present invention, the weakened portion may have a recess formed by recessing the front portion of the lower front pillar toward the rear of the vehicle in the shape of a groove along the vehicle width direction. In the present invention, the front wheel contact portion may have a triangular planar shape when viewed in the vehicle width direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle body structure that suppresses deformation of the vehicle interior during a small overlap offset collision and also suppresses an increase in weight. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic plan view showing a first embodiment of a vehicle body structure to which the present invention is applied, as viewed from above the vehicle. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic side view showing a state in which the vehicle body structure of the first embodiment is viewed from the vehicle width direction. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing the vehicle body structure of the first embodiment after a small overlap offset collision, as viewed from the vehicle width direction. [Figure 4] 10 is a schematic side view of the structure around an upper frame in a second embodiment of a vehicle body structure to which the present invention is applied. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] First Embodiment A first embodiment of a vehicle body structure to which the present invention is applied will be described below. The vehicle body structure 1 of the first embodiment is installed in an automobile such as a passenger car in which a power unit compartment 3 is installed on the front side of a vehicle interior 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a vehicle body structure according to a first embodiment as viewed from above the vehicle. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view showing the vehicle body structure of the first embodiment as viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0011] The vehicle body structure 1 is characterized by the configuration of the periphery of the joint between the vehicle interior 2 and the power unit compartment 3. The passenger compartment 2 is a space for accommodating passengers and the like (not shown). The power unit compartment 3 is a space that accommodates a power unit such as an engine, a transmission, a motor generator, and their accessories (not shown). The power unit compartment 3 is formed to protrude from the front end of the passenger compartment 2 toward the front side of the vehicle.

[0012] The vehicle body structure 1 is formed by having a front pillar lower 10, a front pillar upper 20, a toe board 30, a toe board cross member 40, a floor panel 50, a front side frame 60, an upper frame 70, a strut housing 80, and the like.

[0013] The front pillar lowers 10 are columnar members provided at the front end of the vehicle compartment and at the left and right end portions thereof. The lower front pillar 10 extends in the vertical direction. The front pillar lower 10 is formed so that the cross section thereof, when cut along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, has a closed cross section. The front pillar lower 10 is provided in an area below the lower ends of the front window glass and front door glass (not shown) (below the so-called greenhouse).

[0014] The upper front pillar 20 is a columnar member that protrudes upward from the upper end of the lower front pillar 10. The front pillar lower 10 and the front pillar upper 20 together form a front pillar (A pillar) of the vehicle. The upper front pillar 20 is tilted backward so that the upper end is located toward the rear of the vehicle relative to the lower end. The upper front pillar 20 is disposed so as to be inclined inward so that its upper end is located on the inner side in the vehicle width direction relative to its lower end. The front pillar upper 20 is formed so that the cross section thereof when cut along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction thereof has a closed cross section. The front pillar upper 20 is disposed along the side edges of the front window glass and the front edges of the front door glass. The rear end of the front pillar upper 20 is continuously connected to a roof side frame (not shown) that extends along the side of the roof (not shown). The roof side frames are connected to the upper ends of center pillars (A pillars) and rear pillars (C pillars, D pillars, etc.) not shown.

[0015] The toe board 30 is a panel-like member provided between the left and right front pillar lowers 10. The toe board 30 is a part that constitutes the front part of the lower half of the passenger compartment 2. The upper portion 31 of the toe board 30 extends in the up-down direction when viewed in the vehicle width direction. The lower portion 32 of the toe board 30 is formed to extend downward from the lower end of the upper portion 31. The lower portion 32 is disposed tilted forward so that its lower end is located on the rear side of the vehicle relative to its upper end (the portion connected to the upper portion 31).

[0016] The toe board cross member 40 is disposed between the upper portions of the left and right front lower pillars 10. The toe board cross member 40 is formed to protrude toward the front side of the vehicle relative to the upper portion 31 of the toe board 30. The toeboard cross member 40 extends along the lower edge of the front windshield.

[0017] The floor panel 50 is a panel-shaped member that constitutes the floor surface of the vehicle interior 2. The floor panel 50 is formed to protrude from the lower end of the lower portion 32 of the toe board 30 toward the rear of the vehicle. A side sill 51 is provided at the side end of the floor panel 50. The side sill 51 is a structural member that has a closed cross section and extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The front end of the side sill 51 is connected to the lower end of the front pillar lower 10 .

[0018] The front side frame 60 is a structural member of the vehicle body that supports a power unit (not shown) and part of the front suspension. The front side frame 60 extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle from the front of the passenger compartment 2 to the power unit compartment 3. The front side frame 60 is configured so that its cross section when viewed from the vehicle longitudinal direction is a closed cross section.

[0019] A front portion 61 of the front side frame 60 is formed to protrude toward the front side of the vehicle from near the joint between the upper portion 31 and the lower portion 32 of the toe board 30. The middle portion 62 of the front side frame 60 is disposed along the front surface (lower surface) of the lower portion 32 of the toe board 30. A rear portion 63 of the front side frame 60 extends along the lower surface of the floor panel 50 in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle. The middle portion 62 and the rear portion 63 are fixed to the toe board 30 and the floor panel 50, respectively, by welding or the like.

[0020] The front side frame 60 is disposed on the inner side of the front lower pillar 10 in the vehicle width direction. A pair of front side frames 60 are provided spaced apart in the vehicle width direction. The main engine of the power unit and other components are disposed between the left and right front side frames 60. On the outer side of the front side frame 60 in the vehicle width direction, a front wheel FW and part of a suspension device (not shown) that supports the front wheel FW are arranged.

[0021] The upper frame 70 is a structural member that protrudes from the front of the lower front pillar 10 toward the front side of the vehicle. When viewed from the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, the upper frame 70 has a rectangular closed cross-sectional shape having an upper surface portion 71, a lower surface portion 72, an inner side surface portion 73, and an outer side surface portion 74, each of which is formed in a flat plate shape. An upper surface portion 71 of the upper frame 70 is disposed at the same height as the upper end portion of the front pillar lower 10 . The lower surface portion 72 of the upper frame 70 is disposed opposite to the upper surface portion 71 with a gap therebetween in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower surface portion 72 of the upper frame 70 is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction so that the rear end is lower than the front end when viewed in the vehicle width direction.

[0022] The inner side surface portion 73 of the upper frame 70 is disposed along the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The outer side surface portion 74 of the upper frame 70 is disposed opposite the inner side surface portion 73 at an interval in the vehicle width direction (left-right direction). As shown in FIG. 1, the outer side surface portion 74 of the upper frame 70 is disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle so that the rear end is located outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the front end in a plan view seen from above. With the above-described configuration, the upper frame 70 is formed so that the cross section perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction becomes continuously larger from the front side to the rear side of the vehicle.

[0023] The strut housing 80 is a part that houses part of the suspension device. The strut housing 80 can be formed, for example, as a box-like structure that is open on the lower side. For example, if the suspension device is a McPherson strut type, the strut housing 80 houses the upper part of the strut (not shown). The strut has a shock absorber and a coil spring wound around the outer diameter side of the shock absorber. The lower end of the shock absorber is fastened to a hub bearing housing (hub knuckle) (not shown) to which a front wheel FW is rotatably attached. The strut housing 80 is formed with a strut top mount portion (not shown) to which the upper end of the strut is fastened.

[0024] The lower portion of the strut housing 80 is joined by welding or the like to the outer portion of the front portion 61 of the front side frame 60 in the vehicle width direction. The joint between the strut housing 80 and the front side frame 60 is located on the vehicle front side of the joint between the front side frame 60 and the toe board 30 with a gap between them. The upper portion of the strut housing 80 is joined to the inner side surface portion 73 of the upper frame 70 by welding or the like. The strut housing 80 functions as the connecting structure of the present invention.

[0025] In the vehicle body structure of the first embodiment, a reinforcement 110 and a protrusion 120, which will be described below, are provided. The reinforcement (reinforcement) 110 is an axial connecting member that is mainly arranged below the upper frame 70 and connects the vicinity of the front end of the upper frame 70 to the front portion of the front pillar lower 10 below the upper frame 70. The reinforcement 110 can be made of a metal pipe material such as steel or aluminum alloy, for example. The reinforcement 110 is formed so that its central axis (cylinder axis) is linear.

[0026] A front end portion 111 of the reinforcement 110 is joined to the lower surface portion 72 at the front portion of the upper frame 70 by, for example, welding. The position of the front end portion 111 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is located at or near the joint between the upper frame 70 and the strut housing 80 . The reinforcement 110 is restrained so as not to rotate relative to the upper frame 70. As shown in FIG. 2, a rear end portion 112 of the reinforcement 110 is joined to the front portion of the lower front pillar 10 by, for example, welding, below the joining portion between the lower front pillar 10 and the upper frame 70. As shown in FIG. 1, a rear end portion 112 of the reinforcement 110 is joined to the center portion in the vehicle width direction in a state where it is partially inserted inside the front pillar lower 10. The reinforcement 110 is restrained so as not to rotate relative to the front pillar lower 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the reinforcement 110 is disposed at an angle such that a rear end 112 is lower than a front end 111 when viewed in the vehicle width direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the reinforcement 110 is disposed along the front-rear direction of the vehicle when viewed from above the vehicle. Before the collision of the vehicle 1 (before the bending deformation of the reinforcement 110), the upper frame 70, the upper portion of the lower front pillar 10, and the reinforcement 110 form a truss-like structure.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2, a protrusion 120 is formed in the middle of the reinforcement 110 in the longitudinal direction. The protrusion 120 is the front wheel contact portion of the present invention. The protrusion 120 is formed to protrude downward from the lower surface of the reinforcement 110 . The protruding portion 120 is formed, for example, from a steel plate or the like into a plate shape that has a triangular planar shape when viewed in the vehicle width direction. The protrusion 120 has one side of a triangle joined to the lower surface of the reinforcement 110 by, for example, welding.

[0028] The protrusion 120 is disposed at a location spaced apart from the lower surface 72 of the upper frame 70 and the front surface of the lower front pillar 10 . The protrusion 120 is positioned so as not to come into contact with (interfere with) the front wheels FW during normal vehicle driving (non-collision), even when there is a stroke of the front suspension, displacement of the front wheels FW due to elastic deformation of rubber bushings, etc., or steering of the front wheels FW due to the steering device.

[0029] Hereinafter, a state in which a small overlap offset collision occurs in a vehicle having the vehicle body structure 1 of the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing the vehicle body structure of the first embodiment as viewed from the vehicle width direction after a small overlap offset collision. The front end of the front side frame 60 receives a load toward the rear of the vehicle via a bumper beam (not shown) or the like, and is crushed and retreats toward the passenger compartment 2. At this time, the load directed toward the rear of the vehicle is also transmitted to the upper frame 70 via the strut housing 80.

[0030] In particular, in a small overlap offset collision, the front wheels FW move backward while rising relative to the passenger compartment 2, causing destruction of the suspension device. At this time, the rear upper surface of the front wheel FW comes into contact with the protruding portion 120, and a load f is input to the protruding portion 120. The direction of action of the load f is inclined relative to the horizontal and vertical directions so as to be rearward and upward when viewed from the vehicle width direction. As a result, a load is input locally to the middle portion of the reinforcement 110, and the reinforcement 110 bends and deforms in a direction that makes the upper side convex when viewed from the vehicle width direction, starting from the point where the protrusion 120 is provided.

[0031] Due to the bending deformation of the reinforcement 110 described above, a moment M1 is applied to the front portion of the upper frame 70, causing the upper frame 70 to rotate in a direction in which the front portion descends relative to the rear portion. On the other hand, a moment M2 is applied to the front surface of the lower front pillar 10, tilting the area near the rear end 112 of the reinforcement 110 rearward. In the first embodiment, the area above the joint with the reinforcement 110 in the front part of the lower front pillar 10 is configured as a weak part 10a (see FIG. 1) having a thickness smaller than other parts. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the area of ​​the front pillar lower 10 above the joint with the reinforcement 110 is deformed and curved so that the rear side of the vehicle is convex when viewed in the vehicle width direction.

[0032] Such bending deformation of the front lower pillar 10 itself exerts an energy absorbing effect, and further has the function of not impeding the input of the moment M1 to the upper frame 70 due to the bending deformation of the reinforcement 110. Furthermore, as the upper portion of the curved portion of the lower front pillar 10 (typically the upper end portion of the lower front pillar 10) tilts forward, the upper frame 70 rotates in a direction in which the front portion lowers relative to the rear portion (front downward). At this time, the front pillar upper 20 does not incline significantly as in the upper frame 70 because its rear end is restrained by the roof side frame, center pillar, etc.

[0033] As the upper frame 70 rotates downward toward the front, the angle formed by the central axis of the upper frame 70 and the central axis of the upper front pillar 20 becomes smaller (approaching a straight line). This allows the load F to be effectively transmitted from the upper frame 70 to the front pillar upper 20 in a manner similar to an axial force. The axial load input to the front pillar upper 20 is transmitted to the roof side rails (not shown) and each pillar after the center pillar, and is dispersed and absorbed by each member at the rear of the vehicle.

[0034] According to the first embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained. (1) When the front wheels FW move backward during a collision and come into contact with the protrusions 120, the reinforcement 110 is bent and deformed in a direction that makes the upper part convex due to the input from the front wheels FW. Due to the bending deformation of the reinforcement 110, a moment M1 is applied to the upper frame 70, which rotates the upper frame 70 in a downward front direction, so that the front end portion is lower than the rear end portion. As a result of the vehicle body deformation that causes the upper frame 70 to rotate in a downward forward direction, the relative inclination between the upper frame 70 and the front pillar upper 20 becomes smaller, and it becomes possible to transmit the load F from the upper frame 70 to the front pillar upper 20 toward the rear of the vehicle body in a state close to axial force. This promotes the transmission of energy input due to a collision to the rear side of the vehicle body, thereby reducing the amount of energy that needs to be absorbed by the collapse of the front passenger compartment front structure such as the front pillar lowers 10. This makes it possible to suppress deformation of the passenger compartment 2 during a small overlap offset collision without providing excessive reinforcement to the front pillar lower 10, the front pillar upper 20, etc., which would increase the weight. (2) By making the thickness of the front portion of the front pillar lower 10 near the joint with the rear end 62 of the upper frame 70 thinner than other portions and forming a weak portion 10a, bending or curving deformation is induced in the upper portion of the front pillar lower 10 in a direction that makes the rear of the vehicle convex during a collision, and vehicle body deformation in which the upper frame 70 slopes downward toward the front is reliably generated, thereby promoting the above-mentioned effects. (3) Because the front portion of the upper frame 70 is connected to the front side frame 60 by the strut housing 80, the strut housing 80 moves backward relative to the vehicle interior 2 during a collision, which allows a load toward the rear end 112 of the reinforcement 110 to be input as an axial force to the front end 111 of the reinforcement 110, promoting buckling deformation of the reinforcement 110 and more reliably achieving the above-mentioned effects.

[0035] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of a vehicle body structure to which the present invention is applied will be described. Hereinafter, the same reference numerals will be used to designate parts common to the first embodiment described above, and explanations will be omitted, with differences being mainly described. FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the structure around the upper frame in the vehicle body structure of the second embodiment. In the vehicle body structure of the second embodiment, a weakened portion 11 is formed at the joint between the front lower pillar 10 and the upper frame 70. The weakened portion 11 has, for example, a recess formed by recessing the front portion of the front pillar lower 10 toward the rear of the vehicle in the shape of a groove along the vehicle width direction. According to the second embodiment described above, when the reinforcement 110 is bent and deformed after a collision and a moment M2 is input to the front pillar lower 10, the front pillar lower 10 is induced to bend and deform in a direction that makes the rear side of the vehicle convex when viewed from the vehicle width direction, with the weak portion 11 as the deformation starting point. This prevents the front pillar lower 10 from restricting and inhibiting the deformation of the vehicle body in which the upper frame 70 drops forward, thereby promoting the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above.

[0036] (Variation) The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible, and these are also within the technical scope of the present invention. (1) The shape, structure, material, manufacturing method, arrangement, number, etc. of each component that makes up the vehicle body structure are not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be changed as appropriate. (2) The configurations of the connecting member (reinforcement) and the front wheel contact portion (protrusion) are not limited to those in the respective embodiments and may be modified as appropriate. For example, in each embodiment, the reinforcement is formed from a straight pipe material, but this is not limited to this. For example, the reinforcement may be configured to be bent or curved in advance so that the upper side is convex when viewed from the vehicle width direction, so that it serves as the starting point for bending or curving deformation. Furthermore, the connecting members are not limited to those formed from pipe material, but the materials and manufacturing methods can be changed as appropriate, for example, from extruded aluminum alloys, assembled and joined press-formed sheet metal members, or carbon resin composite materials. Furthermore, in each embodiment, the protruding portion that is the front wheel contact portion is configured as a separate part from the connecting member, but the protruding portion may be formed integrally with the connecting member as part of the connecting member. (3) In the embodiment, the upper frame and the front side frame are connected by the strut housing, but this is not limiting and they may be connected by other structures. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1 Body structure 2 Vehicle compartment 3 Power unit compartment 10 Lower front pillar 10a Weakened part 11 Weakened part 20 Front pillar upper 30 Toe board 31 Upper part 32 Lower 40 Toeboard cross member 50 Floor panel 51 Side sill 60 Front side frame 61 Front 62 Middle section 63 Rear section 70 Upper frame 71 Top surface 72 Bottom part 73 Inner side part 74 outer side portion 80 strut housing 110 Reinforcement 111 Front end 112 Rear end 120 Protrusion FW Front wheel M1,M2 moment f Load input from front wheels F Load transmitted as axial force by the upper frame

Claims

1. a front pillar lower provided at a side end in a front portion of a vehicle interior in which an occupant is accommodated and extending in a vertical direction; a front pillar upper extending from an upper end of the front pillar lower at an incline upward and rearward; an upper frame protruding toward the front of the vehicle from the vicinity of a joint between the front pillar lower and the front pillar upper; A vehicle body structure comprising: a connecting member having a front end portion connected to the upper frame and a rear end portion connected to the front pillar lower portion below a joining portion between the upper frame and the front pillar lower portion; a front wheel abutment portion that is coupled to a lower surface portion of the connecting member, protrudes downward from the connecting member, and abuts against a front wheel that moves backward relative to the vehicle interior during a collision; A vehicle body structure comprising:

2. A weakened portion is provided in an area of ​​the front pillar lower above the joint portion with the connecting member, whereby the strength of the front portion of the front pillar lower is partially reduced compared to the rear portion. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 .

3. a front side frame that is located inward in the vehicle width direction and lower than the upper frame and protrudes from a front portion of the vehicle compartment toward the front side of the vehicle; a connecting structure that connects the upper frame and the front side frame at a location spaced apart from each other toward the front of the vehicle relative to the vehicle interior; 3. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, further comprising:

4. The fragile portion has a recess formed by recessing the front portion of the front pillar lower toward the rear of the vehicle in a groove shape along the vehicle width direction. The vehicle body structure according to claim 2,

5. The front wheel contact portion has a triangular shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 .

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