Vehicle roof structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle roof structure capable of ensuring designability of vehicle appearance while suppressing influence of a load input to a vehicle body on communication equipment mounted on the vehicle body at the time of roll over or the like.SOLUTION: In a vehicle 10, a rear header reinforcement 20 supports an antenna unit 22 in a state in which a vehicle upper side of the antenna unit 22 is opened. Then, a roof panel 64 that constitutes a main part on an upper surface of a roof part 16 is constituted of a material that can transmit a radio wave, and covers the antenna unit 22 from the vehicle upper side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses an invention relating to a mounting structure for a vehicle-mounted antenna. In this mounting structure for a vehicle-mounted antenna, a recess is formed in the roof or other part of the vehicle body, an antenna (communication device) is stored in this recess, and the upper side of this recess is covered with a cover made of a non-metallic material. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-309409 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, simply forming a recess in the roof portion of the vehicle body as in the above-mentioned prior art may result in insufficient rigidity of the vehicle body against a rollover or the like. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned prior art, a boundary may be formed between the metal roof panel and the cover located above the antenna, which may impair the vehicle's appearance. In other words, the above-mentioned prior art leaves room for improvement in terms of ensuring the design of the vehicle's exterior while suppressing the influence of loads input to the vehicle body during a rollover or the like on the communication equipment mounted on the vehicle body.

[0005] Taking the above facts into consideration, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle roof structure that can ensure the design of the vehicle's exterior while suppressing the influence of loads input to the vehicle body during a rollover, etc. on communication equipment mounted on the vehicle body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle roof structure of the first aspect comprises a reinforcing portion that forms part of the roof portion of the vehicle body, that extends in the vehicle width direction, and that has a closed cross-sectional structure portion that has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and that can support communication equipment capable of at least one of transmitting and receiving radio waves, either directly or via a member, with the upper side of the communication equipment open on the vehicle, and a roof panel that forms the main part of the upper surface of the roof portion, that covers the communication equipment from the upper side of the vehicle, and that is made of a material that is transparent to radio waves.

[0007] According to the vehicle roof structure of the first aspect, a portion of the roof of the vehicle body is formed by a reinforcing portion, and this reinforcing portion has a closed cross-sectional structure portion that extends in the vehicle width direction and has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction. Therefore, in this aspect, the reinforcing portion can reinforce the roof of the vehicle body against loads caused by rollovers, etc. The reinforcing portion supports, directly or via a member, a communication device that can at least one of transmit and receive radio waves.

[0008] From the viewpoint of reinforcing the roof portion, it is preferable to construct the components of the roof portion, such as the reinforcing portion, from metal or the like. However, metal does not allow radio waves transmitted and received by communication equipment to pass through. In this regard, it is conceivable to construct only the portion of the roof panel above the vehicle where the communication equipment is located from a material that is capable of transmitting radio waves, such as resin, and to construct the remaining portions of the roof panel from steel or the like. However, with such a configuration, a boundary is created between the portion of the roof panel above the vehicle where the communication equipment is located and the remaining portions, which is likely to detract from the appearance of the vehicle.

[0009] In this aspect, the reinforcing portion supports the communication device with the upper side of the vehicle open, and the roof panel that constitutes the main part of the upper surface of the roof portion is made of a material that is permeable to radio waves and covers the communication device from the upper side of the vehicle.

[0010] Therefore, in this aspect, even if the reinforcing portion is made of metal, etc., radio waves can be transmitted through the roof panel, allowing the communication device to send and receive radio waves. Furthermore, on the upper surface of the roof portion, the portion of the communication device on the upper side of the vehicle and the other portions can be made continuous without creating a boundary between them.

[0011] The vehicle roof structure of the second aspect is the vehicle roof structure of the first aspect, wherein the reinforcing portion includes a first reinforcing portion extending in the vehicle width direction and having a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and a second reinforcing portion extending in the vehicle width direction and having a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and being arranged on the front side of the first reinforcing portion at a predetermined distance from the first reinforcing portion, and the communication equipment is supported from the underside of the vehicle by a communication equipment support portion whose rear side of the vehicle is supported by the first reinforcing portion and whose front side of the vehicle is supported by the second reinforcing portion.

[0012] In the vehicle roof structure according to the second aspect, a first reinforcing portion and a second reinforcing portion are provided on a roof portion of a vehicle body, each of which extends in a vehicle width direction and has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction. The second reinforcing portion is disposed on the vehicle front side of the first reinforcing portion at a predetermined distance from the first reinforcing portion.

[0013] The communication device is supported from the vehicle underside by the communication device support portion, and the vehicle rear side of the communication device support portion is supported by the first reinforcing portion and the vehicle front side of the communication device support portion is supported by the second reinforcing portion. Therefore, in this aspect, high rigidity portions can be arranged on the vehicle front and rear sides of the communication device when viewed from the vehicle up-down direction.

[0014] A vehicle roof structure according to a third aspect is the vehicle roof structure according to the second aspect, wherein the communication device support portion is attachable to the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion from the underside of the vehicle.

[0015] According to the vehicle roof structure of the third aspect, the communication device support portion can be removed from the inside of the vehicle compartment, so that when performing maintenance work on the communication device, the communication device can be removed from the vehicle body side only from the inside of the vehicle compartment without removing the roof panel.

[0016] The vehicle roof structure of the fourth aspect is the vehicle roof structure of the first aspect, wherein the reinforcing portion has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction, the communication equipment is arranged inside the reinforcing portion, and a through-hole is formed in the portion of the reinforcing portion above the vehicle.

[0017] According to the vehicle roof structure of the fourth aspect, the reinforcing portion that constitutes part of the roof portion of the vehicle body has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and the communication device is disposed inside this reinforcing portion. Therefore, in this aspect, the communication device can be built into the roof portion of the vehicle body. Also, in this aspect, a through-hole is formed in the portion of the reinforcing portion on the upper side of the vehicle, and at least one of radio waves from the communication device and radio waves to the communication device passes through the through-hole.

[0018] The vehicle roof structure of the fifth aspect is a vehicle roof structure of any one of the first to fourth aspects, in which the roof panel is made of a transparent material, and a decorative portion that hides the communication equipment is provided in the portion of the roof panel that overlaps with the communication equipment when viewed from above the vehicle.

[0019] According to the vehicle roof structure of the fifth aspect, the roof panel is made of a transparent material, and light can be let into the vehicle interior from the roof panel side.

[0020] However, if the roof panel is made transparent, the communication equipment and its surroundings can be seen from outside the vehicle, which is undesirable from the viewpoint of the design of the area around the communication equipment on the roof of the vehicle.

[0021] In this aspect, a decorative portion is provided on the roof panel in a portion that overlaps with the communication device and the communication device support portion when viewed from above the vehicle, and the communication device and the communication device support portion are hidden by this decorative portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] As described above, the vehicle roof structure according to the first aspect has the excellent effect of preventing communication equipment mounted on the vehicle body from being affected by loads input to the vehicle body during a rollover, etc., while ensuring the aesthetic design of the vehicle's exterior.

[0023] The vehicle roof structure according to the second aspect has the excellent effect of increasing the reliability with which the communication equipment is protected from loads due to rollovers and the like.

[0024] The vehicle roof structure according to the third aspect has the excellent effect of simplifying maintenance work for communication devices.

[0025] The vehicle roof structure according to the fourth aspect has the excellent effect of ensuring a space in the roof portion of the vehicle body where communication equipment can be installed.

[0026] The vehicle roof structure according to the fifth aspect has the excellent effect of being able to create a sense of openness in the vehicle interior while preventing the design of the vehicle's exterior from being impaired. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view showing a state cut along line 1-1 in FIG. 3) that schematically shows the configuration of a main part of a vehicle body to which the vehicle roof structure according to the first embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] 3 is a plan view (viewed in the direction of arrows 2 in FIG. 3) that schematically shows the configuration of a main part of a vehicle body to which the vehicle roof structure according to the first embodiment is applied. [Figure 3]1 is a perspective view seen from the rear left side of a vehicle, schematically showing the configuration of a vehicle body to which a vehicle roof structure according to a first embodiment is applied. [Figure 4] 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of a main part of a vehicle body to which a vehicle roof structure relating to a second embodiment is applied. FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is a plan view (view taken in the direction of arrow 5 in FIG. 4) that schematically shows the configuration of a main part of a vehicle body to which a vehicle roof structure relating to a second embodiment is applied. [Figure 6] 1 is a cross-sectional view that schematically shows the configuration of a main part of a vehicle body to which a vehicle roof structure according to a variation of the first embodiment is applied. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] First Embodiment A first embodiment of a vehicle roof structure according to the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Note that the arrow FR shown as appropriate in each figure indicates the front side of a "vehicle 10" to which the vehicle roof structure according to this embodiment is applied, the arrow UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle 10, and the arrow LH indicates the left side of the vehicle 10 in the vehicle width direction.

[0029] First, a schematic configuration of a "vehicle body 12" that constitutes a main portion of a passenger compartment 10A of a vehicle 10 will be described with reference to Figure 3. The vehicle body 12 is provided with a pair of left and right front pillars (not shown), a pair of left and right center pillars (not shown), and a pair of left and right rear pillars 14 on its outer sides in the vehicle width direction. The front pillars, center pillars, and rear pillars 14 are connected at their upper ends by roof side rails 18 that constitute part of a "roof portion 16" of the vehicle body 12. The vehicle body 12 is basically configured symmetrically with respect to a center line CL (see Figure 2) that extends in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction.

[0030] The roof side rail 18 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction and includes an outer panel that forms the outer portion of the roof side rail 18 in the vehicle width direction, and an inner panel that forms the inner portion of the roof side rail 18 in the vehicle width direction. The outer panel and the inner panel are joined at joints (not shown) by spot welding or the like, so that the roof side rail 18 has a closed cross-section structure when viewed from the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0031] 1 and 2, this embodiment is characterized in that an "antenna unit 22" serving as communication equipment is supported by a "rear header reinforcement 20" serving as a reinforcing part that connects the vehicle rearward portions of a pair of roof side rails 18 in the vehicle width direction. The rear header reinforcement 20 and its surrounding configuration will be described in detail below.

[0032] The rear header reinforcement 20 extends in the vehicle width direction along an upper edge 26A (see FIG. 3) of the back door opening 26. The rear header reinforcement 20 is configured to include an upper panel 28 that forms an upper portion of the rear header reinforcement 20, a front lower panel 29 that forms a lower portion of the rear header reinforcement 20, and a rear lower panel 30 that forms a lower portion of the rear header reinforcement 20. The upper panel 28 and the rear lower panel 30 are formed by pressing steel plates.

[0033] The upper panel 28 is configured to include a first upper wall portion 28A, a first upper vertical wall portion 28B, a second upper wall portion 28C, a second upper vertical wall portion 28D, and an upper extending wall portion 28E.

[0034] The first upper wall portion 28A constitutes a main part of the upper panel 28, and extends in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle front-rear direction with its plate thickness direction being the vehicle up-down direction. The first upper wall portion 28A is provided with one or more through-holes 32, and the antenna unit 22 is housed inside the through-holes 32 when viewed from the vehicle up-down direction.

[0035] The first upper vertical wall portion 28B extends from the peripheral edge of the first upper wall portion 28A on the rear side of the vehicle toward the lower side of the vehicle, with its thickness direction aligned in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the second upper wall portion 28C extends from the peripheral edge of the first upper vertical wall portion 28B on the lower side of the vehicle toward the rear side of the vehicle, with its thickness direction aligned in the up-and-down direction of the vehicle.

[0036] A second upper vertical wall portion 28D extends downward from the peripheral edge of the second upper wall portion 28C on the vehicle rear side, with its plate thickness direction aligned with the vehicle front-to-rear direction, and an upper extending wall portion 28E extends downward and rearward from the peripheral edge of the second upper vertical wall portion 28D on the vehicle lower side. The portion of the upper extending wall portion 28E on the vehicle rear side extends upward, and a weatherstrip (not shown) is attached to this portion.

[0037] Meanwhile, the front lower panel 29 is disposed on the vehicle lower side of the portion of the first upper wall portion 28A that is on the vehicle front side of the through-hole 32, and includes a bulging portion 29A and a pair of joining pieces 29B. Specifically, the bulging portion 29A has an isosceles trapezoidal shape that is open toward the vehicle upper side when viewed in the vehicle width direction and that narrows toward the vehicle lower side. Joining pieces 29B extend from the vehicle front-side peripheral edge of the bulging portion 29A toward the vehicle front side, and from the vehicle rear-side peripheral edge of the bulging portion 29A toward the vehicle rear side. The joining pieces 29B are joined to the vehicle front-side portion of the first upper wall portion 28A of the through-hole 32 at a joint (not shown) formed by spot welding or the like.

[0038] That is, in this embodiment, a "closed cross-sectional structure portion 36" serving as a second reinforcing portion that extends in the vehicle width direction and has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction is configured in a vehicle front side portion of the rear header reinforcement 20. Note that a rear seat 38 is disposed below the closed cross-sectional structure portion 36 in the vehicle.

[0039] On the other hand, the rear lower panel 30 is configured to include a first lower wall portion 30A, a first lower vertical wall portion 30B, and a second lower wall portion 30C.

[0040] The first lower wall portion 30A is disposed so as to overlap the vehicle lower side of the portion of the first upper wall portion 28A that is on the vehicle rear side of the through-hole 32, and extends in the vehicle width direction with the plate thickness direction being the vehicle up-down direction. That is, in this embodiment, the vehicle upper side of the antenna unit 22 in the rear header reinforcement 20 is in an open state.

[0041] The first lower vertical wall portion 30B extends downward from the peripheral edge of the first lower wall portion 30A on the vehicle rear side, with its plate thickness direction aligned in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, and is joined at its vehicle lower portion to the first upper vertical wall portion 28B at a joint (not shown) formed by spot welding or the like. Furthermore, the second lower wall portion 30C extends toward the vehicle rear from the peripheral edge of the first lower vertical wall portion 30B on the vehicle lower side, with its plate thickness direction aligned in the vehicle up-down direction. The second lower wall portion 30C is disposed at a predetermined distance from the second upper wall portion 28C in the vehicle up-down direction.

[0042] Further, a central portion of the second lower wall portion 30C in the vehicle longitudinal direction is provided with an isosceles trapezoidal bulging portion 30C1 that is convex downward when viewed in the vehicle width direction and that narrows in width from the upper side to the lower side of the vehicle. The second lower wall portion 30C extends downward and rearward of the vehicle on the vehicle rear side of the bulging portion 30C1 and is joined to the upper extending wall portion 28E at a joint (not shown) formed by spot welding or the like.

[0043] That is, in this embodiment, a "closed cross-sectional structure portion 40" is configured as a first reinforcing portion in the vehicle rear side portion of the rear header reinforcement 20, which extends in the vehicle width direction and has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

[0044] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 2, the antenna unit 22 comprises a case 42 that forms its outer shell and is made of a material such as resin that is permeable to radio waves, and a plurality of antennas 44 stored in the case 42 that are capable of at least one of transmitting and receiving radio waves.

[0045] Note that, examples of the types of antenna 44 include an antenna for a DCM (Data Communication Module), an antenna for a GPS (Global Positioning System), an antenna for a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), and an antenna for ETC (Electronic Toll Collection). As shown in Fig. 1, the antenna 44 is supported by the rear header reinforcement 20 via a "support plate 46" that serves as a communication device support portion.

[0046] The support plate 46 is formed by pressing a steel plate and has a rectangular shape with its longitudinal direction aligned with the vehicle width direction when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction. The support plate 46 includes a front support piece 46A, a front wall 46B, a main wall 46C, an inclined wall 46D, and a rear support piece 46E.

[0047] The front support piece 46A has its plate thickness direction aligned with the vehicle vertical direction, is located below the joining piece 29B on the vehicle rear side of the front lower panel 29, and has through-holes 48 formed at multiple locations in the vehicle width direction.

[0048] Meanwhile, the joint piece portion 29B on the vehicle rear side of the front lower panel 29 is recessed toward the vehicle lower side at multiple points that are continuous in the vehicle width direction, and these points are in contact with the portion of the front support piece portion 46A where the through portion 48 is formed. Then, a weld bolt 50 is attached to the above-mentioned point of the joint piece portion 29B on the vehicle rear side with its shaft portion 50A protruding toward the vehicle lower side.

[0049] Then, with the shaft portion 50A inserted into the through-hole portion 48, a nut 52 is fastened to the shaft portion 50A from the underside of the vehicle, thereby fixing the front portion of the support plate 46 to the closed cross-section structure portion 36.

[0050] On the other hand, the front wall portion 46B extends downward from the peripheral edge portion on the vehicle rear side of the front support piece portion 46A, with its plate thickness direction aligned in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, and is located on the vehicle front side of the antenna unit 22. Then, from the peripheral edge portion on the vehicle lower side of the front wall portion 46B, the main wall portion 46C extends toward the rear of the vehicle, with its plate thickness direction aligned in the vehicle up-and-down direction.

[0051] Weld bolts 54 are attached to the main wall portion 46C at multiple locations with their shafts 54A protruding above the vehicle. The antenna unit 22 is attached to the support plate 46 by fastening nuts 56 to the shafts 54A from above the vehicle with the shafts 54A inserted through through-holes (not shown) provided in the case 42 of the antenna unit 22.

[0052] An inclined wall portion 46D extends downward and rearward from the peripheral edge of the main wall portion 46C on the vehicle rear side, and a rear support piece 46E extends rearward from the peripheral edge of the inclined wall portion 46D on the vehicle lower side with its plate thickness direction aligned with the vehicle up-down direction. Furthermore, the rear support piece 46E has through-holes 58 formed at multiple locations aligned in the vehicle width direction.

[0053] Meanwhile, weld bolts 60 are attached to the front portion of the bulge portion 30C1 of the second lower wall portion 30C of the rear lower panel 30 at multiple locations in the vehicle width direction, with their shaft portions 60A protruding downward from the vehicle.

[0054] Then, with the shaft portion 60A inserted into the through-hole 58, a nut 62 is fastened to the shaft portion 60A from the underside of the vehicle, whereby the rear portion of the support plate 46 is fixed to the closed cross-section structure portion 40.

[0055] Meanwhile, a "roof panel 64" that constitutes a main part of the roof portion 16 is disposed above the rear header reinforcement 20. This roof panel 64 is made of a transparent material that is capable of transmitting radio waves, such as polycarbonate or glass, and is shaped like a plate that extends in the front-to-rear and width directions of the vehicle when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle, and covers the passenger compartment 10A, the rear header reinforcement 20, and the antenna unit 22 from above the vehicle. The roof panel 64 is joined to the upper panel 28 by a joining portion 66 made of an adhesive or the like that is provided so as to surround the through-hole 32 when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0056] Furthermore, when viewed from above the vehicle, the portion of the roof panel 64 that overlaps with the rear header reinforcement 20 and the antenna unit 22 is provided with a "painted film portion 68" as a decorative portion by painting with ceramic paint or the like. In other words, when the roof panel 64 is viewed from above the vehicle, the rear header reinforcement 20 and the antenna unit 22 are hidden by the painted film portion 68.

[0057] (Actions and Effects of This Embodiment) Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0058] 1, a portion of the roof portion 16 of the vehicle body 12 is formed by a rear header reinforcement 20, and this rear header reinforcement 20 includes a closed cross-sectional structural portion 36 and a closed cross-sectional structural portion 40 that extend in the vehicle width direction and have a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, the rear header reinforcement 20 can reinforce the roof portion 16 against loads caused by rollovers, etc. The rear header reinforcement 20 supports an antenna unit 22 that is capable of at least one of transmitting and receiving radio waves, either directly or via a member.

[0059] From the viewpoint of reinforcing the roof portion 16, it is preferable to construct the components of the roof portion 16, such as the rear header reinforcement 20, from metal or the like, but metal does not allow radio waves transmitted and received by the antenna unit 22 to pass through. In this regard, it is conceivable to construct only the portion of the roof panel 64 above the vehicle of the antenna unit 22 from a material that is permeable to radio waves, such as resin, and to construct the other portions of the roof panel 64 from steel or the like. However, with such a configuration, a boundary is created between the portion of the roof panel 64 above the vehicle of the antenna unit 22 and the other portions, which is likely to impair the appearance of the vehicle 10.

[0060] In this embodiment, the rear header reinforcement 20 supports the antenna unit 22 with the upper side of the vehicle open. In addition, the roof panel 64 that constitutes the main part of the upper surface of the roof portion 16 is made of a material that is permeable to radio waves, and covers the antenna unit 22 from the upper side of the vehicle.

[0061] For this reason, in this embodiment, even if the rear header reinforcement 20 is made of metal or the like, radio waves can be transmitted and received by the antenna unit 22 by allowing the radio waves to pass through the roof panel 64. Furthermore, on the upper surface of the roof portion 16, the portion of the antenna unit 22 on the upper side of the vehicle and other portions can be made continuous without creating a boundary between them.

[0062] Therefore, in this embodiment, the antenna unit 22 mounted on the vehicle body 12 can be prevented from being affected by the load input to the vehicle body 12 during a rollover, etc., while ensuring the aesthetic design of the vehicle 10's appearance.

[0063] In this embodiment, the roof portion 16 is provided with a closed cross-sectional structure portion 36 and a closed cross-sectional structure portion 40, each of which extends in the vehicle width direction and has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction. The closed cross-sectional structure portion 36 is disposed on the vehicle front side of the closed cross-sectional structure portion 40 with a predetermined distance therebetween.

[0064] Furthermore, the antenna unit 22 is supported from the underside of the vehicle by a support plate 46, and the rear side of this support plate 46 is supported by the closed cross-sectional structure portion 40, and the front side of the support plate 46 is supported by the closed cross-sectional structure portion 36. Therefore, in this embodiment, high rigidity portions can be arranged on both the front and rear sides of the antenna unit 22 when viewed from the top-bottom direction of the vehicle.

[0065] Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to increase the reliability with which the antenna unit 22 is protected from loads caused by rollovers and the like.

[0066] In addition, in this embodiment, the support plate 46 can be removed from inside the vehicle interior 10A. Therefore, when performing maintenance work on the antenna unit 22, the antenna unit 22 can be removed from the vehicle body 12 side only by working from inside the vehicle interior 10A, without having to remove the roof panel 64, for example.

[0067] Therefore, in this embodiment, maintenance work for the antenna unit 22 can be simplified.

[0068] In this embodiment, the roof panel 64 is made of a transparent material, and light can be let in from the roof panel 64 side to the inside of the vehicle interior 10A.

[0069] However, if the roof panel 64 is made transparent, the antenna unit 22 and its surroundings will be visible from the outside of the vehicle 10, which is not preferable from the standpoint of the design of the area around the antenna unit 22 on the roof portion 16 of the vehicle 10.

[0070] Here, in this embodiment, a coating portion 68 is provided on the roof panel 64 in a portion that overlaps with the antenna unit 22 and the support plate 46 when viewed from above the vehicle, and the antenna unit 22 and the support plate 46 are hidden by this coating portion 68.

[0071] Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to create a sense of openness in the vehicle interior 10A while preventing the design of the exterior of the vehicle 10 from being impaired.

[0072] Second Embodiment Next, a first embodiment of a vehicle roof structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0073] Although this embodiment is basically configured in the same manner as the first embodiment described above, it differs from the first embodiment described above in that the antenna unit 22 is arranged inside the "rear header reinforcement 80" serving as a reinforcing part.

[0074] In more detail, the rear header reinforcement 80 is composed of an upper panel 82 that forms the upper portion of the vehicle, and a lower panel 84 that forms the lower portion of the vehicle, which are formed by pressing steel plates.

[0075] The upper panel 82 is composed of a first upper wall portion 82A, a first upper extending wall portion 82B, a first upper vertical wall portion 82C, a second upper wall portion 82D, a second upper vertical wall portion 82E, and a second upper extending wall portion 82F.

[0076] The first upper wall portion 82A constitutes a main portion of the upper panel 28, and extends in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle front-rear direction with its plate thickness direction being the vehicle up-down direction. One or more through-holes 86 are provided in the first upper wall portion 82A.

[0077] When viewed from the top-bottom direction of the vehicle, the antenna unit 22 is accommodated inside the through-hole 86. In other words, the size of the through-hole 86 is set to a size that allows the antenna unit 22 to pass through.

[0078] Burring is performed on the peripheral edge of the through-hole 86, so that a cylindrical portion 82A1 extending from the through-hole 86 toward the vehicle lower side is provided integrally with the first upper wall portion 82A.

[0079] The first upper extending wall portion 82B extends from the peripheral edge of the first upper wall portion 82A on the vehicle front side toward the vehicle front side, with its plate thickness direction aligned with the vehicle up-down direction.

[0080] On the other hand, the first upper vertical wall portion 82C extends from the peripheral edge of the first upper wall portion 82A on the rear side of the vehicle toward the lower side of the vehicle, with its thickness direction aligned in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the second upper wall portion 82D extends from the peripheral edge of the first upper vertical wall portion 82C on the lower side of the vehicle toward the rear side of the vehicle, with its thickness direction aligned in the up-and-down direction of the vehicle.

[0081] A second upper vertical wall portion 82E extends downward from the peripheral edge of the second upper wall portion 82D on the vehicle rear side with its plate thickness direction oriented in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, and a second upper extending wall portion 82F extends downward and rearward from the peripheral edge of the second upper vertical wall portion 82E on the vehicle lower side. The portion of the second upper extending wall portion 82F on the vehicle rear side extends upward from the vehicle, and a weatherstrip (not shown) is attached to this portion.

[0082] On the other hand, the lower panel 84 is configured to include a first lower wall portion 84A, a first lower vertical wall portion 84B, a first lower extending wall portion 84C, a second lower vertical wall portion 84D, a second lower wall portion 84E, and a second lower extending wall portion 84F.

[0083] The first lower wall portion 84A constitutes a major portion of the lower panel 84, and extends in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle front-rear direction with its plate thickness direction being the vehicle up-down direction. This first lower wall portion 84A is disposed so that a large portion thereof overlaps with the first upper wall portion 82A when viewed from the vehicle up-down direction. A portion of the first lower wall portion 84A on the vehicle rear side is joined to a portion of the second upper wall portion 82D on the vehicle front side at a joint (not shown) formed by spot welding or the like. An antenna unit 22 is disposed on the vehicle upper side of the first lower wall portion 84A, and the antenna unit 22 is attached to the first lower wall portion 84A by an attachment member (not shown).

[0084] The first lower vertical wall portion 84B extends from the vehicle front-side peripheral edge of the first lower wall portion 84A toward the vehicle front and upper side, and the first lower extending wall portion 84C extends from the vehicle upper-side peripheral edge of the first lower vertical wall portion 84B toward the vehicle front side with its plate thickness direction oriented in the vehicle up-down direction. The first lower extending wall portion 84C is joined to the first upper extending wall portion 82B at a joint (not shown) formed by spot welding or the like.

[0085] On the other hand, the second lower vertical wall portion 84D extends from the peripheral edge of the first lower wall portion 84A on the rear side of the vehicle toward the lower side of the vehicle, with its thickness direction aligned in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the second lower wall portion 84E extends from the peripheral edge of the second lower vertical wall portion 84D on the lower side of the vehicle toward the rear side of the vehicle, with its thickness direction aligned in the up-and-down direction of the vehicle.

[0086] A second lower extending wall portion 84F extends downward toward the rear of the vehicle from the peripheral edge of the second lower wall portion 84E on the rear side of the vehicle, and the second lower extending wall portion 84F is joined to the front side of the vehicle of the second upper extending wall portion 82F at a joint not shown, such as by spot welding.

[0087] The rear header reinforcement 80 configured as described above has a first upper wall portion 82A, a first upper vertical wall portion 82B, and a 82The rear header reinforcement 80 is provided with a "front closed cross-sectional structure portion 88" as a closed cross-sectional structure portion constituted by a second upper wall portion 82D, a second upper vertical wall portion 82E, a second lower vertical wall portion 84D, and a second lower wall portion 84E, on the vehicle rear side thereof.

[0088] The front closed cross-sectional structure portion 88 extends in the vehicle width direction and has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and reinforces the vehicle rear side portion of the roof portion 16 by the front closed cross-sectional structure portion 88. As described above, the antenna unit 22 is disposed inside the front closed cross-sectional structure portion 88. The rear seat 38 is disposed below and in front of the front closed cross-sectional structure portion 88.

[0089] On the other hand, the rear closed cross-sectional structure portion 90 extends in the vehicle width direction and has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction that is smaller than the cross-section of the front closed cross-sectional structure portion 88, and the upper edge portion 26A of the tailgate opening 26 is reinforced by the rear closed cross-sectional structure portion 90.

[0090] Meanwhile, the roof panel 64 is disposed on the vehicle upper side of the front closed cross-sectional structure portion 88, and the roof panel 64 is joined to the upper panel 82 by a joint portion 92 made of an adhesive or the like that is provided so as to surround the through-hole 86 when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction. Also in this embodiment, when the roof panel 64 is viewed from above the vehicle, the rear header reinforcement 80 and the antenna unit 22 are hidden by the paint film portion 68.

[0091] According to this configuration, the shape of the rear header reinforcement 80, which forms part of the roof portion 16 of the vehicle body 12, when viewed from the vehicle width direction is a closed cross-sectional shape, and the antenna unit 22 is arranged inside this rear header reinforcement 80.

[0092] For this reason, in this embodiment, the antenna unit 22 can be built into the roof portion 16. Also, in this embodiment, a through-hole 86 is formed in the portion of the rear header reinforcement 80 on the upper side of the vehicle, and at least one of the radio waves from the antenna unit 22 and the radio waves to the antenna unit 22 passes through the through-hole 86. Therefore, in this embodiment, a space in which the antenna unit 22 can be installed can be secured in the roof portion 16.

[0093] <Derivative example of the first embodiment> A vehicle roof structure according to a variant example derived from the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Fig. 6. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0094] This embodiment has a configuration basically similar to that of the first embodiment described above. That is, this derivative example includes a closed cross-sectional structure portion 40 that extends in the vehicle width direction and has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and a "closed cross-sectional structure portion 108" that extends in the vehicle width direction and has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction and is arranged on the vehicle front side of the closed cross-sectional structure portion 40 at a predetermined distance from the closed cross-sectional structure portion 40, and the antenna unit 22 is supported from below the vehicle by a support plate 46 that is supported on the vehicle rear side by the closed cross-sectional structure portion 40 and on the vehicle front side by the closed cross-sectional structure portion 108.

[0095] On the other hand, in this derivative example, the main portion of the upper surface of the roof portion 100 of the vehicle body 12 is made up of a steel roof panel 102, and the rear header reinforcement 101 is made up of a part of the roof panel 102. In addition, the portion of the upper surface of the roof portion 100 on the vehicle upper side of the antenna unit 22 is made up of a resin panel 104.

[0096] More specifically, the resin panel 104 is made of a resin such as polycarbonate that is permeable to radio waves, and is shaped like a plate that covers the rear header reinforcement 20 when viewed from the top-bottom direction of the vehicle. The resin panel 104 is joined to the upper panel 28 at a joint 66. The top surface of the resin panel 104 is decorated with a decorative portion 106 made of urethane paint, a sticker, or the like, and constitutes part of the design surface of the roof portion 100 on the upper side of the vehicle.

[0097] On the other hand, the roof panel 102 is formed by pressing a steel plate, and is disposed on the vehicle front side of the plastic panel 104. A front lower panel 29 is disposed on the vehicle lower side of the end portion 102 on the vehicle rear side of the roof panel 102, and the end portion 102 and the front lower panel 29 are joined at a joint (not shown) by spot welding or the like to form a closed cross-sectional structure portion 108 that extends in the vehicle width direction and has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction. A sealing member (not shown) is attached to the boundary between the roof panel 102 and the plastic panel 104.

[0098] This embodiment, configured in this manner, is basically configured in the same manner as the first embodiment described above, and therefore has the same functions and effects as the first embodiment, except for the functions and effects resulting from the entire roof panel being made of a transparent material.

[0099] In this embodiment, the main portion of the upper surface of the roof portion 100 is made of a steel roof panel 102, and the rigidity of the roof portion 100 can be ensured.

[0100] <Supplementary explanation of the above embodiment> (1) In the above-described embodiment, the rear header reinforcements are made of steel. However, depending on the specifications of the vehicle 10, they may be made of carbon fiber reinforced resin.

[0101] (2) In addition, in the first and second embodiments described above, the roof panel 64 is made of a transparent material, but the roof panel 64 may be made of an opaque material depending on the specifications of the vehicle 10. In addition, when such a configuration is adopted, a coating portion made of urethane paint or the like may be provided on the entire upper surface of the roof panel 64. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 10 vehicles 12 Body 16 Roof section 20 Rear header reinforcement (reinforcement) 22 Antenna unit (communication equipment) 36 Closed section structure section (second reinforcement section) 40 Closed section structure section (first reinforcement section) 46 Support plate (communication equipment support part) 64 roof panel 68 Paint film section (decorative section) 80 Rear header reinforcement (reinforcement) 88 Front closed section structure (closed section structure) 90 Rear closed section structure (closed section structure)

Claims

1. a reinforcing part that constitutes a part of the roof part of the vehicle body, extends in the vehicle width direction, has at least a part that has a closed cross-sectional structure with a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and is capable of supporting a communication device that is capable of at least one of transmitting and receiving radio waves directly or via a member in a state where the upper side of the communication device is open; a roof panel that forms a part of an upper surface of the roof portion, covers the communication device from above the vehicle, and is made of a material that is permeable to radio waves; and The reinforcing portion is a first reinforcing portion extending in a vehicle width direction and having a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction; a second reinforcing portion extending in a vehicle width direction, having a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and disposed on a vehicle front side of the first reinforcing portion at a predetermined interval from the first reinforcing portion; The invention comprises: the communication device is supported from a vehicle underside by a communication device support portion, the communication device support portion having a vehicle rear side supported by the first reinforcement portion and a vehicle front side supported by the second reinforcement portion, the communication device support portion is attachable from the vehicle lower side to a first shaft portion that is provided to the first reinforcing portion and protrudes toward the vehicle lower side and a second shaft portion that is provided to the second reinforcing portion and protrudes toward the vehicle lower side. Vehicle roof structure.

2. The roof panel is made of a transparent material, a decorative portion for hiding the communication device is provided in a portion of the roof panel that overlaps with the communication device when viewed from above the vehicle; The vehicle roof structure according to claim 1 .

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