Vehicle rear structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle rear part structure that can be reduced in weight while securing strength.SOLUTION: A vehicle rear part structure comprises: a rear part constituting member 12 connected to a rear end of a locker 16 and a rear pillar 18 and extended rearward; and a connection member 14 connected to the rear pillar 18 and the rear part constituting member 12. The rear part constituting member 12 is an integrally casted hollow member, which is constituted of a main body part 20, a tower part 22 and a suspension member 24. The main body part 20 has a closed cross section and is connected to the rear pillar 18 and a rear member. The tower part 22 is connected to an upper end of the main body part 20 and comprises a space for storing a portion of a suspension. The suspension member part 24 has a closed cross section and is arranged below the main body part 20, whose front end is connected to the locker 16 and the rear pillar 18. The connection member 14 is extended from above a position where the rear pillar 18 is connected to the main body part 20 to a rear side and an oblique upward and connected to an upper end of the tower part 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, various structures have been proposed for improving the strength of vehicle rear structures.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an automobile body structure in which the area around the rear suspension tower is integrally formed using cast members. It is said that this configuration can distribute the input load in the event of an external input, and can efficiently reinforce areas where the input is large. Furthermore, it is said that the integration using cast members can prevent the structure from becoming too complicated.

[0004] In addition, for example, the strength of the rear structure of the vehicle may be improved by increasing the thickness of the members used in the rear suspension tower, rear pillar, and the like. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 06-286652 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the case of a vehicle rear structure, structural improvements to increase strength can sometimes result in other problems. For example, increasing the thickness of components can increase the vehicle weight. Furthermore, the increased complexity of the structure can lead to increased man-hours and costs.

[0007] Therefore, this specification provides a vehicle rear structure that can ensure strength while achieving weight reduction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The vehicle rear structure disclosed in this specification comprises a rear component member that is connected to a rear end of a rocker and a rear pillar attached to the rear end of the rocker and extends rearward of the vehicle, and a connecting member that is connected to the rear pillar and the rear component member, wherein the rear component member is a hollow member that is integrally cast and is composed of a main body portion, a tower portion, and a suspension member portion, wherein the main body portion is a member that has a closed cross section and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and is connected to the rear pillar and a rear member that is disposed at the rear of the vehicle, the tower portion is connected to the upper end of the main body portion and has a space that accommodates a part of the suspension, the suspension member portion is a member that has a closed cross section and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle below the main body portion and has a front end that is connected to the rocker and the rear pillar, and the connecting member is a longitudinal member that has a closed cross section and extends diagonally upward and rearward of the vehicle from above a position where the rear pillar and the main body portion are connected and is connected to the upper end of the tower portion.

[0009] According to the above configuration, the rear component is integrally formed by casting, and further, the main body and suspension member have a closed cross section, which makes it possible to increase strength and reduce weight by making the wall thinner compared to when assembled by spot welding, etc. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the number of steps required for joining by welding, etc., and to reduce costs by eliminating the need for separate parts.

[0010] The vehicle rear structure is characterized in that the connecting member, the main body, and the tower constitute a first truss structure.

[0011] According to the above configuration, the first truss structure makes it possible to realize a vehicle rear structure with higher strength and rigidity.

[0012] The vehicle rear structure further includes a roof rail, which is a longitudinal member with a closed cross section, connected to the upper end of the rear pillar, extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and is connected to the upper end of the tower portion, and the connecting member, the rear pillar, and the roof rail form a second truss structure.

[0013] According to the above configuration, by providing two truss structures, the first truss structure and the second truss structure, it is possible to realize a vehicle rear structure with even higher strength and rigidity. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The vehicle rear structure disclosed in this specification can achieve a configuration that ensures strength and rigidity while reducing weight. Furthermore, by forming the structure integrally by casting, it is possible to reduce the number of steps required for joining and reduce costs by eliminating the need for separate parts. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing the vehicle rear structure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the vehicle rear structure of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The vehicle rear structure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description will focus on the rear structure on the right side of the vehicle. The rear structure on the left side of the vehicle is generally symmetrical to the rear structure on the right side, so a description of it will be omitted. In addition, in each drawing, "Fr," "Up," and "Rh" indicate the front, upper, and right sides of the vehicle, respectively.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a side view that schematically illustrates a vehicle rear structure. More specifically, FIG. 1 illustrates a rear structural member 12, which is a structural member of the rear structure of a vehicle 10, and the main members surrounding it. Therefore, illustration and description of other members are omitted as appropriate. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle rear structure includes the rear structural member 12, a connecting member 14, a rocker 16, and a rear pillar 18.

[0018] The rear component 12 is a hollow member that is integrally cast and is composed of a main body portion 20, a tower portion 22, and a suspension member portion 24. The rear component 12 is a cast member made of a metal such as aluminum. As shown in FIG. 1, the rear component 12 is connected to the rear end of the rocker 16 and the rear pillar 18, and extends toward the rear of the vehicle. An assembly portion 20a is formed at the front upper corner of the main body portion 20. The assembly portion 20a is a portion to which the front end of the connecting member 14 is assembled. A receiving seat 22a is formed at the front end of the tower portion 22 near the upper end thereof. The receiving seat 22a is a portion to which the rear end of the connecting member 14 is assembled. Details of the rear component 12 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0019] The connecting member 14 is a longitudinal member with a closed cross section, and is connected to the rear pillar 18 and the rear component member 12. In this example, the connecting member 14 is a rectangular tubular extruded member. The connecting member 14 may be a cast member made of the same metal as the rear component member 12, such as aluminum, or may be a steel pipe. Furthermore, the connecting member 14 may be cylindrical. The connecting member 14 will also be described in detail later with reference to FIG. 2.

[0020] The rocker 16 has a rectangular closed cross section, is provided at the side end of the lower part of the vehicle 10 (specifically, directly below the left and right doors), and is a member extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0021] The rear pillar 18 has a closed cross-sectional shape and is a member that is provided on the rear side of the vehicle 10 and extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle. More specifically, the rear pillar 18 is attached to the rear end of the rocker 16 and is disposed so as to extend upward from the rocker 16.

[0022] Next, the members around the rear structural member 12 will be further described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the vehicle rear structure of Figure 1. More specifically, Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the vehicle 10 as seen from above the left rear of the vehicle.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle rear structure further includes a rear member 26 and a roof rail 28.

[0024] The rear member 26 is disposed at the rear of the vehicle, and a part of its tip is connected to the rear end of the rear structural member 12 .

[0025] The roof rail 28 is a member disposed at the boundary between the roof and side of the vehicle 10. The roof rail 28 is a longitudinal member with a closed cross section, and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle at the upper side edge of the vehicle 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the central portion of the roof rail 28 is connected to the upper end of the rear pillar 18. Furthermore, the rear portion of the roof rail 28 extends obliquely rearward from this connection toward the upper end of the tower section 22, and its rear end is connected to the upper end of the tower section 22.

[0026] Next, the rear component 12 will be described with reference to Figures 1-3. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the rear component. As previously described, the rear component 12 is a hollow member that is integrally cast and is composed of a main body section 20, a tower section 22, and a suspension member section 24. In Figures 1 and 2, in order to distinguish between the main body section 20, the tower section 22, and the suspension member section 24 for ease of viewing, the tower section 22, which is located at the top in the vehicle vertical direction, is shown as a light-colored portion, and the suspension member section 24, which is located at the bottom, is shown as a dark-colored portion. The main body section 20 in the middle is shown in an intermediate color.

[0027] The main body 20 is a portion that has at least a closed cross section and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. The front end of the main body 20 is connected to the rocker 16 and the rear pillar 18. Here, the main body 20 is connected to the rocker 16 and the rear pillar 18, but this is not limiting, and the main body 20 may be connected via, for example, a connecting member. The rear end of the main body 20 is connected to a portion of the tip of the rear member 26 (more specifically, the tip of the rear side member that constitutes the rear member 26).

[0028] 3, pedestals 30 and 32 are provided on the surface of the right side plate of the main body 20. The pedestals 30 and 32 are portions to which an arm bracket (not shown) to which an upper arm (not shown) of a suspension (not shown) is connected is fixed. The pedestals 30 and 32 are provided with bolt holes for fixing the arm bracket.

[0029] The tower section 22 is connected to the upper end of the main body section 20 and includes a recess 34 that accommodates part of the suspension. The tower section 22 is composed of a right side panel, a left side panel, a front panel, a rear panel, and a ceiling panel. The right side panel, the left side panel, the front panel, and the rear panel form a closed cross-sectional structure extending upward from the main body section 20. A roof rail 28 is connected to the right end of the ceiling panel (see FIG. 2). As described above, the tower section 22 includes a receiving seat 22a (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The receiving seat 22a is the portion to which the rear end of the connecting member 14 is attached (i.e., the connecting member 14 is fixed). The receiving seat 22a is preferably open at the top and closed at the bottom. This configuration allows the connecting member 14 to be inserted from above and fixed. As described above, the connecting member 14 may be made of the same material as the rear component 12, or may be made of a different material. Furthermore, the connecting member 14 may be integral with the rear component 12 .

[0030] The suspension member 24 has at least a partially closed cross section and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle below the main body 20. As shown in FIG. 3 , the suspension member 24 is made up of a right side panel 36, a left side panel (not shown), a rear panel 38, and a lower panel 40. The suspension member 24 is a hollow member with a closed cross section, surrounded on the right, left, rear, front, lower, and upper sides by the right side panel 36, the left side panel, the rear panel 38, the front panel (not shown), the lower panel 40, and the lower panel (not shown) of the main body 20. The front panel of the suspension member 24 includes a portion connected to the rocker 16 and the rear pillar 18.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 3 , a cylindrical opening 42 is provided in the center of the suspension member 24, through which the drive shaft (not shown) of the vehicle 10 passes. A cone-shaped recess 44 is provided in front of the right side plate 36. The bottom of the recess 44 is flat. A pedestal 46 is provided at the bottom. A recess 48 is provided at the lower rear side of the right side plate 36, recessed in a stepped shape from the surface of the right side plate 36. A pedestal 50 is provided at the bottom of the recess 48. An oval opening 52 is provided at the upper rear side of the right side plate 36. The periphery of the opening 52 and the surface of the right side plate 36 are connected by an inclined curved surface. Pedestals 54 are provided at the top and bottom of the opening 52. The pedestals 46 and 50 are portions to which arm brackets to which a lower arm (not shown) of the suspension is connected are fixed. The pedestal 54 is a portion to which an arm bracket to which a middle arm (not shown) of the suspension is connected is fixed. The bases 46, 50, and 54 are each provided with a bolt hole for fixing an arm bracket.

[0032] As described above, the rear component 12 is a hollow component, making it lighter than a solid component. Furthermore, the above-described configuration improves its strength. In general, the connection portions between the three components that make up the rear component 12 tend to be weak areas where stress concentrates. However, by integrally casting the three components, these connection portions can be eliminated, improving the strength of the vehicle body around the suspension. As a result, the vehicle rear structure disclosed in this specification can ensure both strength and weight reduction. Furthermore, by integrally casting the rear component 12, it is possible to reduce the number of steps required for joining and to reduce costs by eliminating separate components. Furthermore, eliminating separate components can further reduce the weight of the vehicle.

[0033] Next, returning to Figure 2, the connecting member 14 will be described. The connecting member 14 is connected at its front end to the rear pillar 18 and the rear component 12, and at its rear end to the tower section 22. In other words, the connecting member 14 is a member that connects the main body section 20 of the rear component 12 to the tower section 22. More specifically, the connecting member 14 is connected above the position where the rear pillar 18 and the main body section 20 of the rear component 12 are connected (the assembly section 20a portion shown in Figure 2). The connecting member 14 then extends obliquely upward and rearward from above the connection position between the rear pillar 18 and the main body section 20, and is connected to the upper end of the tower section 22 (the receiving seat 22a portion shown in Figures 1 and 2).

[0034] 1, the connecting member 14, the main body 20, and the tower 22 form a truss structure (hereinafter referred to as a "first truss structure") in which a cross section perpendicular to the vehicle width direction forms a substantially triangular shape. In a truss structure, even when a load is applied to each member constituting the substantially triangular shape, only compressive or tensile force is generated in the axial direction, and the structure is less susceptible to bending moments. In other words, the vehicle rear structure disclosed in this specification has a higher strength due to the configuration in which the first truss structure is provided.

[0035] 1, the connecting member 14, the rear pillar 18, and the roof rail 28 form a truss structure (hereinafter referred to as the "second truss structure") whose cross section perpendicular to the vehicle width direction forms a substantially triangular shape. In other words, two truss structures, the first truss structure and the second truss structure, are formed. This configuration makes the vehicle rear structure disclosed in this specification a structure with even greater strength and rigidity.

[0036] As described above, the vehicle rear structure disclosed in this specification comprises a rear component 12 which is an integrally cast hollow member and comprises a main body portion 20, a tower portion 22, and a suspension member portion 24, and a connecting member 14 which connects the rear pillar 18 and the rear component 12. A first truss structure and a second truss structure are provided with the connecting member 14 at the center and the peripheral members of the rear component 12, thereby realizing a configuration which can ensure strength while achieving weight reduction.

[0037] The above description is merely an example, and the vehicle rear structure disclosed in this specification may include a rear component that is an integrally cast hollow member and includes a main body, a tower, and a suspension member, and a connecting member that is connected to the rear pillar and the rear component, and the connecting member extends obliquely upward and rearward from above the position where the rear pillar and the main body are connected to the upper end of the tower. Therefore, other configurations of the vehicle rear structure may be changed as appropriate. The connecting member may not be separate from the rear component, but may be integral with the rear component. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 10 vehicle, 12 rear structural member, 14 connecting member, 16 rocker, 18 rear pillar, 20 main body portion, 22 tower portion, 24 suspension member portion, 26 rear member, 28 roof rail.

Claims

1. A vehicle rear structure, a rear component member connected to a rear end of the rocker and a rear pillar attached to the rear end of the rocker and extending rearward of the vehicle; a connecting member connected to the rear pillar and the rear component member, The rear structural member is an integrally cast hollow member, and is composed of a main body, a tower, and a suspension member. The main body is a member having a closed cross section, extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, and is connected to the rear pillar and a rear member disposed at the rear of the vehicle. the tower portion is connected to an upper end of the main body portion and has a space for accommodating a part of the suspension; The suspension member is a member having a closed cross section, extends in the vehicle front-rear direction below the main body, and has a front end connected to the rocker and the rear pillar. The connecting member is a longitudinal member having a closed cross section, and extends obliquely upward and rearward from above a position where the rear pillar and the main body are connected, and is connected to an upper end of the tower portion. A vehicle rear structure characterized by:

2. The connecting member, the main body, and the tower constitute a first truss structure.

2. The vehicle rear structure according to claim 1.

3. a roof rail that is a longitudinal member having a closed cross section, connected to an upper end of the rear pillar, extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and connected to an upper end of the tower portion; Furthermore, The connecting member, the rear pillar, and the roof rail constitute a second truss structure.

3. The vehicle rear structure according to claim 2.

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