Side structure of the vehicle

Abstract

To suppress deformation of a quarter panel by suppressing a rotational mode of a rear part at a vehicle side part.SOLUTION: Inside a quarter inner panel 3 of a vehicle side part structure, there is arranged a rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 which extends to straddle an absorber fitting part 14 and extends in a vertical direction. A front part and a rear part of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 incline to separate from each other more as it advances more upward. An upper part of the front part of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 is joined to an upper corner part of a back door opening part, and an upper part of the rear part of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 is joined to an intermediate part of a rear pillar part 6.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a vehicle having a back door opening is known. A rear pillar is provided on the outer side of the vehicle door opening in the vehicle width direction, and in this example, the rear pillar extends at an inclination downward toward the rear of the vehicle. In addition, a side body outer panel is disposed on the vehicle front side of the rear pillar, and a quarter inner panel is disposed inside the side body outer panel.

[0003] Meanwhile, side members extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle are arranged at the lower portions of the vehicle sides. Wheelhouse panels that cover the rear wheels from above are joined to the side members. Furthermore, quarter inner panels are joined to the upper portions of the wheelhouse panels. Furthermore, rear shock absorbers are attached to the wheelhouse panels.

[0004] In such a structure, the vertical load from the rear suspension is transmitted to the wheelhouse panel, and then to the side members, etc. Here, the rear pillar section typically experiences greater torsional deformation than the area around the rear wheelhouse. For example, the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 attempts to suppress torsional deformation around the rear pillar section by constructing a portion of the rear pillar section using a rigid member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-147225 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the structure described above, the rear ends of the left and right side members are connected by a panel extending in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the member connecting the rear ends of the left and right side members has lower rigidity than the side members. Therefore, it may be difficult to prevent the rear ends of the side members from rotating around the axis of rotation in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction. This may induce a mode in which the entire quarter panel located above the side members moves in the vehicle width direction.

[0007] In this case, the central portion of the quarter inner panel in the vertical direction of the vehicle deforms so as to bulge inward in the vehicle width direction. If this deformation compresses the air inside the vehicle cabin, road noise that may be uncomfortable for occupants may be generated. Therefore, the structure in the above example leaves room for improvement in suppressing rotational movement and deformation of the rear portion of the vehicle side.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle side structure that can suppress rear rotation modes at the side of the vehicle and suppress deformation of the rear pillar portion and quarter panel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the vehicle side structure of the present invention comprises a side body outer panel arranged on the side of the vehicle, a quarter inner panel arranged on the vehicle widthwise inward of the side body outer panel, a wheelhouse inner panel that bulges outward from the lower part of the quarter inner panel toward the vehicle interior and covers the rear wheels from above the vehicle, an absorber mounting portion provided on the wheelhouse inner panel to which a rear shock absorber is attached, and a pillar portion that is arranged on the vehicle rear side of the side body outer panel on the vehicle widthwise outer side of the tailgate opening and extends at an angle downward toward the vehicle rear. In the vehicle side structure, an inner reinforcement is joined to the inside of the quarter inner panel in the vehicle width direction, extending in the vehicle front-rear direction so as to straddle the absorber mounting portion and also extending in the vehicle up-down direction, the front and rear portions of the inner reinforcement extend at an angle so as to move away from each other in the vehicle front-rear direction as they extend toward the top of the vehicle, the upper portion of the front portion of the inner reinforcement is joined to an upper corner portion of the back door opening, and the upper portion of the rear portion of the inner reinforcement is joined to a middle portion of the pillar portion in the vehicle front-rear direction. An upper opening that opens upward is provided between the upper portion at the front portion and the upper portion at the rear portion of the inner reinforcement where the joint is provided, so that the upper portion at the front portion and the upper portion at the rear portion are spaced apart from each other. are. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the rotation mode at the rear portion of the vehicle side, and to suppress deformation of the rear pillar portion and the quarter panel. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a vehicle side structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from the inside of a vehicle compartment. [Figure 2] 2 is a side view of the vehicle side structure of FIG. 1 as seen from outside the vehicle cabin. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view including a cross section taken along the line AA in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. [Figure 6]2 is a perspective view showing the rear pillar inner reinforcement and its surroundings in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along the CC arrow in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, one embodiment of a vehicle side structure for a vehicle according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings (FIGS. 1 to 7). In the drawings, the direction of arrow Fr indicates the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and arrow Rr indicates the rear. In the description of the embodiment, the "front (front end) and rear (rear end)" correspond to the front and rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, arrow L indicates the left side when an occupant looks forward of the vehicle. Furthermore, arrow U indicates the upper side of the vehicle.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle side structure of this embodiment is a structure for a vehicle having a back door opening 5 at the rear of the vehicle, and is a structure at the rear of the side of the vehicle. The vehicle side structure has a side member 8, a side body outer panel 1, a quarter inner panel 3, and a rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 (inner reinforcement). The vehicle side structure also has a wheelhouse portion 10 for the rear wheels (not shown). Furthermore, in the vehicle side structure of this embodiment, a rear pillar portion 6 (pillar portion) is provided on the outer side of the back door opening 5 in the vehicle width direction. Each member will be described below.

[0014] The side members 8 are highly rigid components that constitute the body frame, and are arranged on the outer sides in the vehicle width direction and extend in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The side members 8 are joined to the outer sides in the vehicle width direction of the floor panel by spot welding. The side members 8 are also joined to wheelhouse inner panels 12, which will be described later.

[0015] The side body outer panels 1 are highly rigid panels that are arranged on both sides of the vehicle and form the outermost parts of the vehicle body. As shown in FIG. 1, the side body outer panels 1 have a rear side door opening 2. The rear side door opening 2 is an opening that is opened and closed by a rear side door (not shown), and a seatback striker reinforcement 38 is attached to the rear of the rear side door opening 2. The seatback striker reinforcement 38 will be described later.

[0016] Next, the quarter inner panel 3 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the quarter inner panel 3 is a panel disposed on the vehicle widthwise inner side of the side body outer panel 1 with a gap therebetween, and extends rearward from the rear of the rear door opening. The quarter inner panel 3 also has an upper vertical wall portion 3a that extends upward from a joint provided at the upper portion of a wheelhouse inner panel 12 (described later) and faces the vehicle widthwise inner side. The upper vertical wall portion 3a in this example has a wall surface that extends substantially vertically. The upper portion of the upper vertical wall portion 3a is joined to the side body outer panel 1.

[0017] Next, the wheelhouse portion 10 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the wheelhouse portion 10 has a wheelhouse outer panel 11 and a wheelhouse inner panel 12. The wheelhouse outer panel 11 is a panel that covers the rear wheels from above the vehicle, is located on the outer side of the wheelhouse inner pan in the vehicle width direction (outside the vehicle), and is curved to follow the shape of the upper part of the rear wheels. The outer side of the wheelhouse outer panel 11 in the vehicle width direction is joined to the side body outer panel 1. The upper part of the wheelhouse outer panel 11 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction is joined to the quarter inner panel 3 as shown in FIG. 2, and the front part of the wheelhouse outer panel 11 is joined to the side body outer panel 1. The front part of the wheelhouse outer panel is located behind the rear side door opening 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the wheelhouse outer panel 11 is located between the side body outer panel 1 and the quarter inner panel 3 in the vehicle width direction.

[0018] The wheelhouse inner panel 12 is a panel located inside the wheelhouse outer panel 11 in the vehicle width direction, and like the wheelhouse outer panel 11, it is curved along the shape of the upper part of the rear wheel so as to cover the rear wheel from above the vehicle. The wheelhouse inner panel 12 also bulges out toward the inside of the vehicle from the lower part of the quarter inner panel 3. The wheelhouse inner panel 12 extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the contour of its upper part is formed in an arc shape when viewed from the side.

[0019] The wheelhouse inner panel 12 in this embodiment has an inner bulging portion 13, an absorber mounting portion 14, and an inner vertical wall portion 15. As shown in Figures 3 to 6, the inner bulging portion 13 bulges inward in the vehicle width direction from the lower portion of the quarter inner panel 3 and curves downward toward the vehicle as it moves inward in the vehicle width direction. The upper end of the inner bulging portion 13 in the vehicle up-down direction corresponds to the above-mentioned arc-shaped portion, and curves toward the rear of the vehicle from the front end of the inner bulging portion 13 as it moves upward toward the vehicle, and curves downward from the apex toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0020] The upper portion of the wheelhouse outer panel 11 and the upper portion of the wheelhouse inner panel 12 are joined together. Here, the joint provided at the upper portion of the wheelhouse inner panel 12 is the upper end of the inner bulge portion 13 in the vehicle vertical direction, and is arc-shaped in a side view.

[0021] The absorber mounting portion 14 is a portion to which a rear shock absorber (not shown) is attached, and is provided in the vehicle longitudinal middle portion of the inner bulging portion 13. As shown in Figures 1, 6 and 7, the absorber mounting portion 14 has a recess 14a formed by the upper portion of the inner bulging portion 13 being recessed downward, and a flat mounting surface 14b facing upward toward the vehicle is provided at the bottom of the recess 14a, as shown in Figures 1 and 4. A through hole is provided in the mounting surface 14b, and the upper portion of the rear shock absorber, which extends in the vehicle vertical direction, is attached to the mounting surface 14b.

[0022] The inner vertical wall portion 15 is located on the vehicle lower side of the inner bulging portion 13, has a wall surface facing the inside in the vehicle width direction, and extends in the vehicle up-down direction. In this example, the inner vertical wall portion 15 is provided on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the absorber mounting portion 14, and has a wall surface that extends in a substantially vertical direction. Furthermore, the inside end in the vehicle width direction of the mounting surface 14b of the absorber mounting portion 14 is connected to the upper part of the inner vertical wall portion 15. As shown in FIG. 5, the lower part of the inner vertical wall portion 15 is joined to the side member 8 by spot welding.

[0023] The back door opening 5 is disposed on the vehicle rear side of the side body outer panel 1 and is configured to be openable and closable by a back door (not shown). A door hinge supporting the back door is provided, for example, at the upper portion of the back door opening 5. As shown in FIG. 1 , the rear pillar portion 6 of this embodiment is disposed on the vehicle widthwise outer side of the back door opening 5 and has an upper inclined portion 6a, a vertical portion 6b, and a bent portion 6c. The upper inclined portion 6a extends from the upper portion of the vehicle widthwise outer side of the back door opening 5, sloping downward toward the vehicle rear. The vertical portion 6b extends downward from the rear end of the upper inclined portion 6a. The bent portion 6c is formed by the upper inclined portion 6a and the vertical portion 6b and forms an obtuse angle in a side view.

[0024] Next, the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 is disposed on the inner side of the quarter inner panel 3 in the vehicle width direction, and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction so as to straddle the absorber mounting portion 14 and also in the vehicle up-down direction. The front and rear portions of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 extend at an angle so as to move away from each other in the vehicle front-rear direction as they extend toward the top of the vehicle. In addition, the upper portion of the front portion of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 is joined to an upper corner portion of the back door opening 5, and the upper portion of the rear portion of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 is joined to the middle portion of the rear pillar portion 6 in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0025] The configuration of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 will be described in detail below. The rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 is a member that extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle as a whole, and as shown in Figures 1 and 6, has an upper opening 21, a lower opening 22, and a connecting portion 23 that is provided between them and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In addition, the front portion of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 has an upper front inclined portion 25 and a lower front vertical portion 26, and the rear portion of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 has an upper rear inclined portion 27 and a lower rear vertical portion 28.

[0026] Furthermore, the rear pillar inner reinforcement member has a plurality of flanges that are joined to the vehicle body. For example, in this embodiment, flange portions that protrude forward and backward of the vehicle are provided at the front and rear of the rear pillar inner reinforcement member 20. The joining of each flange portion will be described later.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 , the upper front inclined portion 25 is a portion disposed in front of the upper opening 21, and extends at an incline toward the front of the vehicle as it extends upward toward the vehicle. The length of the upper front inclined portion 25 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is set to increase as it extends upward toward the vehicle. An upper front flange portion 25a is provided at the upper end of the upper front inclined portion 25. The upper front flange portion 25a is joined to the upper inclined portion 6a of the rear pillar portion 6 by spot welding. The upper front flange portion 25a extends along the inclination direction of the upper inclined portion 6a of the rear pillar portion 6. The upper end of the front end of the upper front flange is joined to an upper corner of the back door opening 5 by spot welding.

[0028] The upper front inclined portion 25 has an inner surface 25b facing the inside of the vehicle and a front surface 25c located at the front end of the inner surface 25b and facing the front of the vehicle. An upper front flange 25d is provided at the outer end of the front surface 25c in the vehicle width direction. The upper front flange 25d is a part of the flange portion at the front of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 described above. A lower portion of the upper front flange 25d is joined to the upper vertical wall portion 3a of the quarter inner panel 3 by spot welding, and an upper portion of the upper front flange 25d is joined to the upper portion of the rear pillar portion 6 that constitutes the upper corner of the tailgate opening 5 by spot welding. The upper front flange 25d located between the upper and lower portions may be spaced apart from the inner surface of the side body outer panel 1. As shown in FIG. 6 , an upper portion of the front surface 25c is provided with a front end flange 25e that is joined to the upper portion of the tailgate opening 5.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 , the lower front vertical portion 26 is a portion located in front of the connecting portion 23 and the lower opening 22, and extends in the vehicle up-down direction. The lower front vertical portion 26 has an inner surface 26b facing the inside of the vehicle and a front surface 26c located at the front end of the inner surface 26b and facing the front of the vehicle. A lower front flange portion 26d is provided at the outer end of the front surface in the vehicle width direction. The lower front flange portion 26d is part of the front flange portion of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20. An upper portion of the lower front flange portion 26d is joined to the upper vertical wall portion 3a of the quarter inner panel 3 by spot welding, and a lower portion of the upper front flange portion 26d is joined to the absorber mounting portion 14 of the wheelhouse inner panel 12 by spot welding. The lower portion may also be joined to the inner bulge 13 located forward of the absorber mounting portion 14.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 , the upper rear inclined portion 27 is a portion located behind the connecting portion 23 and the upper opening 21, and extends at an incline toward the rear of the vehicle as it moves upward toward the vehicle. The length of the upper rear inclined portion 27 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is substantially constant in the inclination direction. An upper rear flange portion 27a is provided at the upper end of the upper rear inclined portion 27. The upper rear flange portion 27a is joined by spot welding to a middle portion of the upper inclined portion 6a of the rear pillar portion 6 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The upper rear flange portion 27a extends in accordance with the inclination direction of the upper inclined portion 6a.

[0031] The upper rear inclined portion 27 has an inner surface 27b facing the inside of the vehicle and a rear surface 27c that is provided at the rear end of the inner surface 27b and faces the rear of the vehicle, and an upper rear flange portion 27d is provided at the outer end of the rear surface 27c in the vehicle width direction. The upper rear flange portion 27d is part of the flange portion at the rear of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 described above. An upper portion of the upper rear flange portion 27d is joined by spot welding to a middle portion of the upper inclined portion 6a of the rear pillar portion 6 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction. Note that the middle portions of the upper inclined portion 6a and the upper rear flange portion 27d in the vehicle up-down direction are disposed with a gap between them and, for example, the quarter inner panel 3.

[0032] 1 and 6, the lower rear vertical portion 28 is a portion disposed rearward of the lower opening 22 and extends in the vehicle up-down direction. The lower rear vertical portion 28 has an inner surface 28b facing the inside of the vehicle and a rear surface 28c provided at the rear end of the inner surface 28b and facing the rear of the vehicle. A lower rear flange portion 28d is provided at the outer end of the rear surface 28c in the vehicle width direction. The lower rear flange portion 28d is part of the flange portion at the rear of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 described above. A lower portion of the lower rear flange portion 28d is joined to the absorber mounting portion 14 of the wheelhouse inner panel 12 by spot welding. Note that the lower portion may also be joined to the inner bulge 13 located rearward of the absorber mounting portion 14.

[0033] Furthermore, a lower flange portion 24 is provided at the lower portion of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20, extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction so as to connect the lower portion of the lower front vertical portion 26 and the lower portion of the lower rear vertical wall portion. The lower flange portion 24 is disposed at the lower portion of the lower opening 22, and is joined by spot welding to the inner vertical wall portion 15 located below the absorber mounting portion 14. In this example, it is joined to the inner vertical wall portion 15 located slightly below the mounting surface 14b of the absorber mounting portion 14.

[0034] The absorber mounting portion 14 is a portion that receives an input load from, for example, the rear suspension, and is a portion with high rigidity. As described above, by connecting the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 to the upper corner of the back door opening 5 that is connected to the body frame structure, it is possible to further increase the body rigidity of the rear portion of the side of the vehicle body.

[0035] In addition, as in the vehicle of this embodiment, the design is such that the rear end of the roof extends to the rear of the vehicle. Heading In the case of a back door opening 5 having a pillar portion that is inclined downward in accordance with the above, when a load is input in the vertical direction of the vehicle, it is difficult for the rear portion of the side of the vehicle body to effectively receive the load, compared to a structure having a pillar portion that extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle (almost vertical direction).

[0036] In contrast, in this embodiment, the rear portion of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 is joined to the vehicle longitudinal direction intermediate portion of the inclined rear pillar portion 6 of the back door opening 5, so that the input load from the rear suspension can be effectively transmitted to the vehicle body frame, and the input load can be efficiently received at the rear portion of the side of the vehicle body. Furthermore, because the front portion of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 is joined to the quarter inner panel 3, movement of the quarter panel that deforms in the vehicle width direction (deformation in the vehicle width direction) can be effectively suppressed. As a result, this vehicle side structure can reduce road noise.

[0037] Furthermore, many vehicles with tailgates have so-called "flip-up" tailgates. A hinge is attached to the top of the tailgate opening 5, and the tailgate rotates on the hinge. Therefore, when the tailgate is opened or closed, a strong load acts in the vertical direction of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the rear portion of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 is joined to the upper corner of the tailgate opening 5, so that the rear portion can effectively support the load.

[0038] Also, in this embodiment, an acute angle is formed between the front portion of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 and the rear pillar portion 6, and the rear portion of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 and the center portion of the rear pillar portion 6 are connected vertically. Furthermore, because the upper front end flange portion 25a extends along the inclination direction of the upper inclined portion 6a of the rear pillar portion 6, it is possible to provide a joint portion that extends in the inclination direction. This makes it possible to prevent the front portion of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 from falling forward of the vehicle and the rear portion from falling backward of the vehicle, resulting in a stronger structure.

[0039] In this embodiment, as described above, the lower portion of the inner vertical wall portion 15 of the wheelhouse inner panel 12 is joined to the side member 8 (FIGS. 4 and 5). The upper vertical wall portion 3a of the quarter inner panel 3 extends upward from a joint provided at the upper end of the wheelhouse inner panel 12 and is joined to the side body outer panel 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 has an outer bulging portion 29 (bulging portion) whose middle portion in the vehicle up-down direction is curved so as to bulge outward in the vehicle width direction, and the vehicle width direction outer portion of the outer bulging portion 29 is disposed with a gap in the vehicle width direction relative to the quarter inner panel 3.

[0040] In this embodiment, the outer bulge portion 29 includes a portion formed by the inner surface 25b of the upper front inclined portion 25, the front portion of the connecting portion 23, and the inner surface 26b of the lower front vertical portion 26, and a portion formed by the inner surface 27b of the upper rear inclined portion 27, the rear portion of the connecting portion 23, and the inner surface 28b of the lower rear vertical portion 28.

[0041] With the above configuration, the inner vertical wall portion 15 extends linearly from the wall surface facing the vehicle width direction that constitutes the closed cross-sectional structure of the side member 8 to the mounting surface 14b of the rear shock absorber, thereby suppressing deformation (rotational movement) of the side member 8. This makes it possible to suppress rotation of the side member 8 about an axis in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and also makes it possible to suppress the quarter inner panel 3 from being linked to that rotation. As a result, the above-mentioned road noise can be further reduced.

[0042] Furthermore, because the upper vertical wall portion 3a of the quarter inner panel 3 extends substantially vertically, a structure stronger than ever against loads in the vertical direction of the vehicle can be obtained. Also, because the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 curves outward from the vehicle, the opening width of the back door opening 5 can be set wider, making it easier to load wide luggage and the like. Also, because the outer bulge 29 is disposed with a gap between it and the side body outer panel 1, a cross-sectional structure with a space extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle can be obtained. This makes it possible to obtain a structure stronger than ever against loads in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0043] As described above, the lower front flange portion 26d (flange portion) and the lower rear flange portion 28d (flange portion) are provided at the front and rear portions of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 of this embodiment. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 7, a rear pillar outer reinforcement 30 having a hat-shaped cross section is provided on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the quarter inner panel 3. The rear pillar outer reinforcement 30, the quarter inner panel 3, and the flange portion of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 are joined in an overlapping state.

[0044] 7, the rear pillar outer reinforcement 30 has a front wall 31 and a rear wall 33 spaced apart in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and further has an outer wall 35 connecting the vehicle widthwise outer ends of the front wall 31 and the rear wall 33. A front flange 32 protruding toward the front of the vehicle is provided at the vehicle widthwise inner end of the front wall 31, and a rear flange 34 protruding toward the rear of the vehicle is provided at the vehicle widthwise inner end of the rear wall 33. The front flange 32, the quarter inner panel 3, and the lower front flange portion 26d are joined together in three layers by spot welding. The rear flange 34, the quarter inner panel 3, and the lower rear flange portion 28d are also joined together in three layers by spot welding.

[0045] By providing the rear pillar outer reinforcement 30 as described above, it is possible to suppress the mode in which the quarter inner panel 3 deforms (moves) outward in the vehicle width direction. As a result, road noise can be further reduced. Furthermore, the rear shock absorber is configured to be surrounded by the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 and the rear pillar outer reinforcement 30 in a plan view. As a result, it is possible to obtain a structure that is stronger against loads in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0046] In this embodiment, the upper front inclined portion 25 and the lower front vertical portion 26 are formed so as to be continuous from top to bottom. The upper front inclined portion 25 has a ridgeline formed by the inner side surface 25b and the front surface 25c, and the lower front vertical portion 26 has a ridgeline formed by the inner side surface 26b and the front surface 26c, and these ridgelines are formed so as to be continuous. Similarly, the upper rear inclined portion 27 and the lower rear vertical portion 28 are formed so as to be continuous from top to bottom. The upper rear inclined portion 27 has a ridgeline formed by the inner side surface 27b and the front surface 27c, and the lower rear vertical portion 28 has a ridgeline formed by the inner side surface 28b and the front surface 28c, and these ridgelines are formed so as to be continuous. By providing continuous ridgelines at the front and rear portions of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 in this way, it is possible to effectively transmit loads in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0047] In this embodiment, as described above, the seatback striker reinforcement 38 is provided on the inner surface of the quarter inner panel 3 in the vehicle width direction. The seatback striker reinforcement 38 extends in the vehicle front-rear direction and, in this example, is inclined slightly downward as it extends toward the bottom of the vehicle. The seatback striker reinforcement 38 is also located closer to the front of the vehicle than the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20, and is joined to the quarter inner panel 3 by spot welding.

[0048] The seatback striker reinforcement 38 also connects the lower front flange portion 26d (flange portion) of the front portion of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20, the upper portion of the wheel house portion 10, and the side body outer panel 1.

[0049] More specifically, the front portion of the seatback striker reinforcement 38 is joined to the quarter inner panel 3 located at the rear of the rear side door opening 2. The front portion of the seatback striker reinforcement 38 is disposed so as to overlap the side body outer panel 1 via the quarter inner panel 3. The front portion of the seatback striker reinforcement 38, the quarter inner panel 3, and the side body outer panel 1 may be joined together in a triple layer configuration by spot welding.

[0050] Additionally, the upper portion of the rear portion of the seatback striker reinforcement 38 is joined to the lower front flange portion 26d. In this example, the upper portion of the rear portion of the seatback striker reinforcement 38 is joined to the lower front flange portion 26d in three layers via the quarter inner panel 3 by spot welding. Additionally, the lower portion of the rear portion of the striker reinforcement is joined to a joint located at the upper portion of the wheelhouse portion 10. For example, the lower portion of the rear portion of the seatback striker reinforcement 38 is joined to the inner surface of the upper portion of the wheelhouse inner panel 12 by spot welding.

[0051] By providing the seatback striker reinforcement 38 as described above, it is possible to further suppress deformation of the quarter inner panel 3 on the vehicle front side of the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20. As a result, the movement mode of the quarter inner panel 3 is further suppressed, and road noise is also reduced. Furthermore, because the seatback striker reinforcement 38 is connected to the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 and the wheel house portion 10, which are highly rigid structures, the seatback can be supported more firmly.

[0052] The description of the present embodiment is merely an example for explaining the present invention, and does not limit the invention described in the claims. Furthermore, the configuration of each part of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the technical scope described in the claims.

[0053] In this embodiment, the rear pillar inner reinforcement 20 is provided with the upper opening 21 and the lower opening 22, but this is not limiting. The upper opening 21 and the lower opening 22 may not be provided, and the vertical length of the connecting portion 23 may be set to be longer than the structure shown in Fig. 1. Furthermore, the upper front end flange portion 25a and the upper rear end flange portion 27a may be extended along the inclination direction of the upper inclined portion 6a to form a single upper end flange. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1 Side body outer panel 2 Rear side door opening 3 quarter inner panels 3a Upper vertical wall 5 Back door opening 6 Rear pillar part (pillar part) 6a Upper slope 6b Vertical section 6c Bend part 8 Side members 10 Wheelhouse section 11 Wheelhouse outer panel 12 Wheelhouse inner panel 13 Inner bulge 14 Absorber mounting part 14a Recess 14b Mounting surface 15 Inner vertical wall 20 Rear pillar inner reinforcement (inner reinforcement) 21 Upper opening 22 Lower opening 23 Connecting part 24 Lower flange 25 Upper front slope 25a Upper front flange 25b Inside surface 25c front 25d Upper front flange 25e Front flange 26 Lower front vertical section 26b Inside surface 26c front 26d Lower front flange 27 Upper rear slope 27a Upper rear flange 27b Inside surface 27c rear 27d Upper rear flange 28 Lower rear vertical section 28b Inside surface 28c rear 28d Lower rear flange 29 Outer bulge (bulge) 30 Rear pillar outer reinforcement 31 Front wall 32 Front flange 33 Back wall 34 Rear flange 35 Exterior Wall 38 Seat back striker reinforcement

Claims

1. A vehicle side structure comprising: a side body outer panel disposed on a side of a vehicle; a quarter inner panel disposed on the inside of the side body outer panel in the vehicle width direction; a wheelhouse inner panel bulging outward from a lower portion of the quarter inner panel toward the inside of the vehicle and covering a rear wheel from above the vehicle; an absorber mounting portion provided on the wheelhouse inner panel and to which a rear shock absorber is attached; and a pillar portion disposed on the vehicle rear side of the side body outer panel and outside of a back door opening in the vehicle width direction, and extending at an angle downward toward the rear of the vehicle, an inner reinforcement is disposed on the inner side of the quarter inner panel in the vehicle width direction, the inner reinforcement extending in the vehicle front-rear direction and in the vehicle up-down direction so as to straddle the absorber mounting portion; The front and rear portions of the inner reinforcement extend at an incline so as to move away from each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction as they extend upward on the vehicle, an upper portion of the front portion of the inner reinforcement is joined to an upper corner portion of the back door opening, and an upper portion of the rear portion of the inner reinforcement is joined to a middle portion of the pillar portion in the vehicle front-rear direction, A vehicle side structure, characterized in that an upper opening that opens upward is provided between the upper part at the front and the upper part at the rear of the inner reinforcement where the joint is provided, so that the upper part at the front and the upper part at the rear are separated from each other.

2. A vehicle side structure having a side body outer panel arranged on the side of the vehicle, a quarter inner panel arranged on the inside of the side body outer panel in the vehicle width direction, a wheelhouse inner panel that bulges outward from the bottom of the quarter inner panel toward the inside of the vehicle and covers the rear wheels from above the vehicle, an absorber mounting portion provided on the wheelhouse inner panel to which a rear shock absorber is attached, and a pillar portion that is arranged on the rear side of the side body outer panel on the outside of the back door opening in the vehicle width direction and extends at an angle downward as it approaches the rear of the vehicle, an inner reinforcement is disposed on the inner side of the quarter inner panel in the vehicle width direction, the inner reinforcement extending in the vehicle front-rear direction and in the vehicle up-down direction so as to straddle the absorber mounting portion; The front and rear portions of the inner reinforcement extend at an incline so as to move away from each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction as they extend upward on the vehicle, an upper portion of the front portion of the inner reinforcement is joined to an upper corner portion of the back door opening, and an upper portion of the rear portion of the inner reinforcement is joined to a middle portion of the pillar portion in the vehicle front-rear direction, A vehicle side structure, characterized in that the inner reinforcement is provided with a bulging portion that is curved so as to bulge outward in the vehicle width direction.

3. A vehicle side structure having a side body outer panel arranged on the side of the vehicle, a quarter inner panel arranged on the inside of the side body outer panel in the vehicle width direction, a wheelhouse inner panel that bulges out from the bottom of the quarter inner panel toward the inside of the vehicle and covers the rear wheels from above the vehicle, an absorber mounting portion provided on the wheelhouse inner panel to which a rear shock absorber is attached, and a pillar portion that is arranged on the rear side of the side body outer panel on the outside of the back door opening in the vehicle width direction and extends at an angle downward as it approaches the rear of the vehicle, an inner reinforcement is disposed on the inner side of the quarter inner panel in the vehicle width direction, the inner reinforcement extending in the vehicle front-rear direction and in the vehicle up-down direction so as to straddle the absorber mounting portion; The front and rear portions of the inner reinforcement extend at an incline so as to move away from each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction as they extend upward on the vehicle, an upper portion of the front portion of the inner reinforcement is joined to an upper corner portion of the back door opening, and an upper portion of the rear portion of the inner reinforcement is joined to a middle portion of the pillar portion in the vehicle front-rear direction, a wheelhouse outer panel joined to the side body outer panel is disposed on the outer side of the wheelhouse inner panel in the vehicle width direction, and an upper portion of the wheelhouse outer panel and an upper portion of the wheelhouse inner panel are joined to each other; an inner vertical wall portion facing the inner side in the vehicle width direction is provided on the wheelhouse inner panel at an inner side of the absorber mounting portion, and a lower portion of the inner vertical wall portion is joined to a side member that is disposed on a side portion of the vehicle body and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction; the quarter inner panel has an upper vertical wall portion that extends upward from a joint portion provided at an upper portion of the wheelhouse inner panel and faces the inside in the vehicle width direction, and an upper portion of the upper vertical wall portion is joined to the side body outer panel, A vehicle side structure, characterized in that the inner reinforcement has a bulging portion whose middle portion in the vehicle's up-down direction is curved so as to bulge outward in the vehicle width direction, and the vehicle width outer portion of the bulging portion is positioned at a distance in the vehicle width direction from the quarter inner panel.

4. The front and rear portions of the inner reinforcement are provided with flange portions that protrude forward and rearward of the vehicle, respectively, a rear pillar outer reinforcement having a hat-shaped cross section is provided on the outer side of the quarter inner panel in the vehicle width direction, and the rear pillar outer reinforcement, the quarter inner panel, and the flange portion are joined in an overlapping state; 4. The vehicle side structure according to claim 3, wherein a lower portion of the rear pillar outer reinforcement is joined to the wheelhouse outer panel.

5. a striker reinforcement for fixing a seat back of a rear seat is provided on an inner surface of the quarter inner panel in the vehicle width direction, the striker reinforcement being disposed further forward than the inner reinforcement, 5. The vehicle side structure according to claim 4, wherein the flange portion at the front of the inner reinforcement is connected to an upper portion of the wheelhouse inner panel and the side body outer panel.

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