Body side structure

Abstract

To suppress looseness of a cover that covers a rail for supporting a slide door.SOLUTION: A vehicle body side part structure for a vehicle 100 comprises: a slide door 2; a rail 3 for supporting the slide door 2; a cover 4 that covers the rail 3; and a plurality of fitting parts 5 (6, 7) that fits the cover 4 to a rail upper region S positioned above the rail 3 in a recess 1e of a vehicle body side part 1. Each of the fitting parts 5 has a base 5a fixed to the rail upper region S of the recess 1e and a fixing part 5b that fixes the cover 4. The fitting parts 5 are divided into upper and lower fitting parts 6 and 7. The fixing part 5b of the upper fitting part 6 is positioned in a region overlapping the rail upper region S in a plan view toward the vehicle body side part, and the fixing part 5b of the lower fitting part 7 is positioned in a region overlapping a rail 3 in the plan view toward the vehicle body side part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle body side structure including a sliding side door (hereinafter referred to as "sliding door") that can open and close an entrance / exit port on the side of a vehicle body. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, a sliding door opens and closes a vehicle side entrance by sliding along a rail extending along the vehicle side. One example of a vehicle side structure including such a sliding door is the vehicle side structure disclosed in Patent Document 1. The vehicle side structure of Patent Document 1 includes a slide rail (hereinafter referred to as the "rail") that supports the sliding door and a cover (hereinafter referred to as the "cover") that covers the rail from the outside in the vehicle width direction. In this vehicle side structure, the rail extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along a recess formed in a side panel (vehicle side), and the cover is attached to an upper rail area in the recess, located above the rail, via multiple support parts spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In other words, the cover is attached to the upper rail area of ​​the recess in the side panel by multiple support parts, and each of the multiple support parts serves as a fixing point (fixing location) for the cover. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-154182 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the vehicle body side structure of Patent Document 1, the multiple support members are arranged in a horizontal row in a plan view facing the side panel (vehicle body side), so the height positions of the multiple fixing points (fixing locations) of the cover in the vertical direction of the vehicle are generally aligned. As a result, the cover rotates around a virtual axis extending in the fore-aft direction of the vehicle connecting the multiple fixing points, causing the cover to rattle. This problem requires a solution. Furthermore, the vertical length of the cover is often subject to design and cost constraints. Therefore, there are cases where the vertical length of the area above the rail in the recess of the side panel cannot be sufficiently secured, meaning that the space for attaching the cover to the vehicle side must be narrowed in the vertical direction of the vehicle. This requires a solution to address these issues.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle body side structure that has a structure that can suppress rattling of the cover even when the space for attaching the cover to the vehicle body side is narrow in the vertical direction of the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle body side structure including: a sliding door provided on a vehicle body side; a rail extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along a recess formed in the vehicle body side and recessed toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, and supporting the sliding door; a cover covering the rail; and a plurality of mounting parts for attaching the cover to an upper-rail region of the recess that is located above the rail, the mounting parts being spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In this vehicle body side structure, the number of mounting parts is three or more, each of the plurality of mounting parts has a base portion fixed to the upper-rail region of the recess and a fixing portion for fixing the cover, the plurality of mounting parts being divided into upper and lower mounting parts, the fixing portion of the upper mounting part being located in a region overlapping with the upper-rail region in a plan view viewed toward the vehicle body side, and the fixing portion of the lower mounting part being located in a region overlapping with the rail in a plan view viewed toward the vehicle body side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle body side structure can be provided that has a structure that can suppress rattling of the cover even when the space for attaching the cover to the vehicle body side is narrow in the vertical direction of the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a vehicle to which a vehicle body side structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part A shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line BB shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line CC shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view conceptually showing the part shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view including a portion D shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view including a bracket portion of the vehicle body side structure. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a partial rear view of the cover of the vehicle body side structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a side view of a vehicle 100 to which a vehicle body side structure according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of part A shown in Fig. 1. In the drawings, the arrow Fr direction indicates the front of the vehicle in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the arrow O direction indicates the outward direction in the vehicle transverse direction (vehicle width direction), and the arrow U direction indicates the upward direction in the vehicle vertical direction. In the following description, "front" and "rear" correspond to the front and rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and "up" and "down" correspond to the up and down in the vehicle vertical direction.

[0010] [Overview of the vehicle side structure] 1 and 2, vehicle 100 includes vehicle body side 1 having a boarding / alighting opening 1a formed therein, sliding door 2 which is a sliding side door provided on vehicle body side 1, a sliding rail 3 which supports a middle portion of sliding door 2 in the vertical direction of the vehicle, a cover 4, and a plurality of mounting portions (upper mounting portion 6, lower mounting portion 7) for mounting cover 4 to vehicle body side 1. In this embodiment, vehicle 100 also has a lower rail 3' which supports a lower portion of sliding door 2. Rail 3 may also be called a center rail. The vehicle body side structure according to this embodiment is mainly applied to the structure of a portion of vehicle body side 1 of vehicle 100 which includes rail 3.

[0011] The vehicle body side portion 1 is the outer portion of the vehicle body of the vehicle 100 in the vehicle width direction. FIG. 1 shows the right side of the vehicle body as viewed by a passenger or other user in the vehicle cabin facing forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The access door 1a is an opening formed in the vehicle body side portion 1 to allow access to the rear seats. In addition to the rear seat access door 1a, the vehicle body side portion 1 also has a driver's seat access door 1b formed therein. A center pillar 1c is formed in the vehicle body side portion 1 to separate the rear seat access door 1a from the driver's seat access door 1b. A side body panel 1d is provided as part of the vehicle body side portion 1 behind the rear seat access door 1a in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The side body panel 1d behind the access door 1a may also be called a quarter panel.

[0012] A rear seat entrance 1a in the vehicle body side portion 1 is opened and closed by a sliding door 2. A peripheral edge 8 forming the rear seat entrance 1a in the vehicle body side portion 1 is formed in a ring shape with a certain width in a plan view seen from the outside in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle 100 also has a front side door 9, which is a hinged side door for opening and closing the driver's seat entrance 1b. The front side door 9 rotates in the vehicle width direction around a hinge (not shown) as a fulcrum.

[0013] The sliding door 2 is configured to be positioned at a closed position where it fully closes the boarding / alighting opening 1a by sliding forward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and to be positioned at an open position where it opens the boarding / alighting opening 1a and faces a side body panel 1d rearward of the boarding / alighting opening 1a on the vehicle body side 1 by sliding backward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In the open position, most of the sliding door 2 faces the side body panel 1d rearward of the boarding / alighting opening 1a. In the closed position, the outer door surface of the sliding door 2 and the outer surface of the side body panel 1d are aligned with each other in the vehicle width direction, and these surfaces form part of the design surface of the side of the vehicle 100.

[0014] The rail (center rail) 3 and the lower rail 3' each extend along the vehicle body side 1 and support the sliding door 2 so that it can slide between a closed position and an open position. The rail 3 and the lower rail 3' are provided on the vehicle body side 1 so that the sliding door 2 follows a movement locus along which it slides from the closed position rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction and retreats outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0015] The rail 3 is a rail member that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle along a recess 1e formed in the side body panel 1d of the vehicle body side portion 1 and recessed inward in the vehicle width direction. Specifically, at a middle position in the vertical direction of the vehicle on the vehicle body side portion 1, the rail 3 extends from an outer surface of the vehicle body side portion 1 (i.e., the outer surface of the side body panel 1d) rearward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the boarding / alighting opening 1a of the vehicle body side portion 1 to a rear edge portion of a peripheral edge 8 of the boarding / alighting opening 1a. The portion of the rail 3 that follows the peripheral edge 8 and the front portion of the lower rail 3' are each biased inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0016] The rail 3 and the sliding door 2 are connected via a connecting unit 10 provided at the rear end of the sliding door 2. The connecting unit 10 will be described in detail later.

[0017] The cover 4 is a member made of a thin metal plate that covers the rail 3 from the outside in the vehicle width direction. The cover 4 is attached to the side body panel 1d via multiple mounting portions 5 (6, 7) and forms part of the design surface. A gap G is provided between the lower end of the cover 4 and the lower edge of the recess 1e of the side body panel 1d, so that an arm 11 (described later) of the connecting unit 10 can move through this gap G during sliding movement. The multiple mounting portions 5 (6, 7) will be described in detail later.

[0018] [Details of the body side structure] Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Fig. 2. Referring to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the side body panel 1d of the vehicle body side portion 1 includes a side body outer panel 1d1 that forms a design surface on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and a side body inner panel 1d2 that is on the inner side in the vehicle width direction relative to the side body outer panel 1d1.

[0019] The rail 3 has a generally groove-shaped cross section that opens outward in the vehicle width direction and extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction. An upper roller guide protrusion 31 that bulges upward is formed on the upper wall of the rail 3 and guides an upper roller 12 (described later) of the connection unit 10. In other words, the upper roller guide protrusion 31 forms the upper part of the rail 3, and the area inside the upper roller guide protrusion 31 forms the movable area of ​​the upper roller 12. The rail 3 is fixed to the side body outer panel 1d1 by fastening members such as bolts (not shown).

[0020] The rail 3 and the sliding door 2 are connected to each other by a connecting unit 10. Although not shown, a connecting unit that connects the sliding door 2 to the lower rail 3′ is provided at the lower front side of the sliding door 2. The connecting unit at the lower part of the sliding door 2 has a structure similar to that of the connecting unit 10 at the rear end of the sliding door 2, for example. The connecting unit 10 includes, for example, an arm 11 attached to the rear end of the sliding door 2, and an upper roller 12 and a lower roller 13 that engage with the rail 3 and can roll (slide) along the inner wall of the rail 3. The tip of the arm 11 is inserted into the space between the cover 4 and the side body outer panel 1d1 through the aforementioned gap G and is positioned inside the rail 3. The upper roller 12 is rotatably supported by a first shaft 14 provided on the arm 11 and extending in the vehicle up-down direction, and rolls along the inner wall of the upper roller guide protrusion 31 of the rail 3. The lower roller 13 is rotatably supported by a second shaft portion 15 provided on the arm 11 and rolls along the lower wall 32 of the rail 3.

[0021] Fig. 5 is a partial perspective view conceptually showing the portion shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view including part D shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In Fig. 5, the rail 3 and cover 4 are shown by dotted lines, and the fixing devices (60, 80) described below have been removed. The connecting unit 10 is located outside the illustrated range in Fig. 5. The right-hand portion in Fig. 5 is shown as a cutaway model.

[0022] Referring to Figures 3 to 6, the recess 1e of the side body panel 1d has an upper bent portion 1e1 bent into a stepped cross-sectional shape, a seating surface portion 1e2 extending generally in the vehicle vertical direction, and a rail accommodating portion 1e3 bent into a generally trapezoidal cross-sectional shape bulging inward in the vehicle width direction. The upper edge of the upper bent portion 1e1 forms the upper edge of the recess 1e, and this portion is the beginning of the upper side of the recess 1e. The seating surface portion 1e2 connects the lower end of the upper bent portion 1e1 to the upper end of the rail accommodating portion 1e3. Most of the seating surface portion 1e2 is formed flat. The seating surface portion 1e2 is formed with multiple bulging portions 1e4 spaced apart from each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Each bulging portion 1e4 bulges outward in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, two bulging portions 1e4 are located at the same height on the seating surface portion 1e2 in the vehicle vertical direction. The rail 3 is accommodated in the space between the cover 4 and the rail accommodating portion 1e3. The lower edge of the rail accommodating portion 1e3 forms the lower edge of the recessed portion 1e, and this portion is the beginning of the lower side of the recessed portion 1e. A gap G for passing an arm is provided between the lower end of the cover 4 and the lower edge of the rail accommodating portion 1e3.

[0023] 6, in this embodiment, the ridge line portion 1f, which is the upper edge of the recessed portion 1e, is located outward in the vehicle width direction and above the upper end of the cover 4 in the vehicle up-down direction. Therefore, as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 6, rainwater falling along the side body panel 1d falls downward from the ridge line portion 1f, is received by the cover 4, and then falls along the cover 4. As a result, rainwater is prevented from entering the space within the recessed portion 1e. This prevents corrosion (e.g., rust) of elements (e.g., a bracket portion 70, described below) provided in the space between the cover 4 and the recessed portion 1e due to rainwater.

[0024] In this embodiment, the portion of the vehicle body side portion 1 (side body panel 1d) connected to the ridge line 1f above the ridge line 1f is inclined downward and inward in the vehicle width direction. This allows rainwater to be more reliably drained at the ridge line 1f and fall onto the cover 4. As a result, rainwater is more reliably prevented from entering the recess 1e.

[0025] 3 to 6 , in this embodiment, the cover 4 includes a cover outer panel 41 that forms a design surface on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and a cover inner panel 42 that is located inward of the cover outer panel 41 in the vehicle width direction and cooperates with the cover outer panel 41 to form a closed cross-sectional structure. Therefore, the cover 4 has a structure that is relatively strong against loads in the vehicle width direction. This prevents the cover 4, which forms part of the design surface, from being dented. Furthermore, the upper and lower edges of the cover outer panel 41 are folded back toward the rear surface of the panel. The upper and lower edges of the cover inner panel 42 are formed with flange portions 42a. The flange portions 42a are sandwiched between the folded back portions of the cover outer panel 41 and are connected to the cover outer panel 41. This prevents the cover outer panel 41, which forms part of the design surface, from being distorted by joining, such as by spot welding. Furthermore, the portion of the cover inner panel 42 other than the flange portions 42a is separated from the cover outer panel 41.

[0026] Next, the multiple mounting portions 5 will be described in detail.

[0027] The multiple mounting portions 5 attach the cover 4 to an upper rail region S (see FIGS. 2 to 5), which is an area located above the rail 3 in the recess 1e of the side body outer panel 1d1, and are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Each mounting portion 5 is a member for attaching the cover 4 to the upper rail region S of the recess 1e, and is a member separate from the cover 4 and the side body panel 1d. The number of mounting portions 5 is three or more. Although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, the number of mounting portions 5 is four.

[0028] Each of the multiple mounting portions 5 has a base portion 5a that is fixed to the rail upper region S of the recessed portion 1e of the side body outer panel 1d1, and a fixing portion 5b that fixes the cover 4. The base portion 5a is the end portion of the mounting portion 5 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and is in contact with the rail upper region S of the recessed portion 1e. The fixing portion 5b is the end portion of the mounting portion 5 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and in relation to the cover 4, it contacts the cover 4 and supports the cover 4, so to speak, it is the portion that constitutes a fixing point (fixing location) for the cover 4.

[0029] The multiple mounting portions 5 are divided into upper mounting portions 6 and lower mounting portions 7. Referring to Fig. 2, in this embodiment, two upper mounting portions 6 and two lower mounting portions 7 are provided. Fig. 3 shows a cross section including the upper mounting portion 6. Fig. 4 shows a cross section including the lower mounting portion 7, with the upper mounting portion 6 shown at the back.

[0030] As described above, the base 5a of the upper mounting portion 6 and the base 5a of the lower mounting portion 7 (i.e., the base 5a of each mounting portion 5) are fixed to the rail upper region S of the recess 1e. Therefore, the base 5a of the upper mounting portion 6 and the base 5a of the lower mounting portion 7 are both located in a region overlapping with the rail upper region S in a plan view looking toward the vehicle body side portion 1 (see FIG. 2).

[0031] In this embodiment, the distance between the upper surface of the rail 3 and the ridgeline 1f in the vehicle vertical direction is, for example, less than 60 mm, the length of the rail above area S in the vehicle vertical direction is very short, and the rail above area S is a very narrow area in the vehicle vertical direction. In other words, the length of the cover 4 in this embodiment in the vehicle vertical direction is short due to constraints such as design and cost, and as a result, the length of the rail above area S in the vehicle vertical direction is short.

[0032] Under the above-mentioned constraints, the fixing portion 5b of the upper mounting portion 6 is located in a region overlapping with the rail upper region S in a plan view looking toward the car body side portion 1, and the fixing portion 5b of the lower mounting portion 7 is located in a region overlapping with the rail 3 in a plan view looking toward the car body side portion 1. Therefore, the fixing portions 5b that constitute direct fixing points to the cover 4 are largely distributed vertically between the upper mounting portion 6 and the lower mounting portion 7. Specifically, the fixing portion 5b of the lower mounting portion 7 is located below the rail upper region S in the vehicle up-down direction, and is located at the same height as the upper roller guide protrusion 31, which is the upper part of the rail 3.

[0033] In this embodiment, the upper mounting part 6 is made up of one fixture 60 having a base 5a and a fixing part 5b. The lower mounting part 7 is made up of a bracket part 70 having a base 5a, and one fixture 80 having a fixing part 5b and engaging with the bracket part 70. In this embodiment, the bracket part 70 of the lower mounting part 7 is made up of two members, an upper bracket 70A and a lower bracket 70B. In other words, the upper mounting part 6 is made up of one fixture 60, and the lower mounting part 7 is made up of bracket parts 70 (upper bracket 70A, lower bracket 70B) and one fixture 80.

[0034] Each of the fasteners (60, 80) is, for example, a clip made of elastic resin or rubber. In this embodiment, the fastener 60 of the upper mounting portion 6 and the fastener 80 of the lower mounting portion 7 are, for example, formed in a generally cylindrical shape. Each of the fasteners (60, 80) is made up of a head portion and a main body portion having a smaller diameter than the head portion.

[0035] The end of the fixing device 60 of the upper mounting part 6 opposite the head part forms the base part 5a that is fixed to the rail upper region S. The base part 5a of the upper mounting part 6 (fixing device 60) is fixed to the rail upper region S, for example, by being pressed into an engagement hole 1e5 formed in the bulge part 1e4.

[0036] The end of the fixing device 80 of the lower mounting part 7 opposite the head part is not fixed to the rail upper region S and does not constitute the base 5a. The end of the fixing device 80 of the lower mounting part 7 opposite the head part is fixed to the bracket part 70, for example, by being pressed into a bracket-side engaging hole 72a formed in a lower flange piece 72 (described later) of the bracket part 70 and engaging with the bracket part 70.

[0037] The head of each of the fixing devices (60, 80) constitutes a fixing portion 5b for the cover 4. For example, a slit is formed in the head, and the head (fixing portion 5b) is deformed to reduce its diameter when pressed, and returns to its original shape when the pressure on the head is released. The head (fixing portion 5b) of each of the fixing devices (60, 80) uses this elastic force to fix (lock) the cover 4. The method for fixing the cover 4 using each of the fixing devices (60, 80) will be described in detail later.

[0038] 7 is an enlarged perspective view including the bracket portion 70. In this embodiment, the bracket portion 70 has an upper flange piece 71, a lower flange piece 72, connecting portions 73 (upper connecting piece 73a, lower connecting piece 73b), and a rib piece 74. The bracket portion 70 is made of a thin metal plate material.

[0039] The upper flange piece 71 has a flat surface that abuts against the rail upper region S. The upper flange piece 71 is fixed to the rail upper region S by being joined to the side body outer panel 1d1 by, for example, spot welding while abutting against the rail upper region S. Therefore, the upper flange piece 71 of the lower mounting portion 7 constitutes the base 5a that is fixed to the rail upper region S.

[0040] The lower flange piece 72 has a flat surface that contacts the cover 4 and is positioned below the upper flange piece 71. The lower flange piece 72 and the upper flange piece 71 extend generally in the vertical direction of the vehicle. For example, if an external force is applied to the cover 4 from the inside in the vehicle width direction when a person comes into contact with the cover 4, part of the external force is received by the surface of the lower flange piece 72 and then reliably distributed to the side body outer panel 1d1 via the surface of the upper flange piece 71. This makes it possible to prevent dents in the cover 4, which constitute part of the design surface.

[0041] A bracket-side engagement hole 72a is formed in the lower flange piece 72. The bracket-side engagement hole 72a is opened as a hole with a diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the main body of the fastener 80. The fastener 80 of the lower mounting portion 7 is pressed into the bracket-side engagement hole 72a to engage with the bracket portion 70. The lower flange piece 72 is positioned outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the upper flange piece 71. The lower flange piece 72 does not face the upper flange piece 71 in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the lower flange piece 72 and the upper flange piece 71 are not aligned in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, when a large impact such as a side collision is applied to the cover 4, the upper flange piece 71 and the lower flange piece 72 deform without interfering with each other, ensuring separate deformation margins for the upper flange piece 71 and the lower flange piece 72. As a result, the bracket portion 70 has a structure that can effectively absorb enormous energy, such as that generated by a side collision, through deformation.

[0042] In this embodiment, the lower flange piece 72 is located between the upper part of the rail 3 (in other words, the movable area of ​​the upper roller guide protrusion 31 or the upper roller 12) and the cover 4. The lower end of the lower flange piece 72 extends, for example, to a height position in the vehicle up-down direction corresponding to the lower end of the upper roller guide protrusion 31 of the rail 3. If the lower end of the lower flange piece 72 extends below the lower end of the upper roller guide protrusion 31, there is a possibility that the arm 11 will come into contact with the lower flange piece 72. In this embodiment, the lower flange piece 72 extends to the lowest limit position that allows movement of the arm 11. Here, a fixing device 80 having a fixing portion 5b of the lower mounting portion 7 is fixed to the lower flange piece 72, and therefore the fixing portion 5b of the lower mounting portion 7 is located in an area that overlaps with the lower flange piece 72 in a plan view viewed toward the vehicle body side portion 1. As a result, the fixed portion 5b of the lower mounting portion 7 is shifted to the lowest position that allows movement of the arm 11 (in other words, the height position of the upper roller guide convex portion 31 or the height position of the movable range of the upper roller 12), and the height position of the fixed portion 5b of the lower mounting portion 7 is shifted significantly downward relative to the fixed portion 5b of the upper mounting portion 6.

[0043] The connection portion 73 connects the lower end of the upper flange piece 71 and the upper end of the lower flange piece 72, and is located above the rail 3. Therefore, the connection portion 73 extends in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the rigidity against external forces (loads) in the vehicle width direction due to human contact, etc. is increased.

[0044] The connection portion 73 and the lower flange piece 72 are spaced apart from the upper portion of the rail 3, and the upper portion of the rail 3 is covered by the connection portion 73 and the lower flange piece 72. Therefore, the energy of a large impact that may be applied to the cover 4 during a side collision is absorbed by the deformation of the bracket portion 70, and the effect of the side collision on the rail 3 (such as deformation of the rail 3) is reduced, ensuring that the sliding door 2 can be opened reliably after the side collision.

[0045] In this embodiment, the connection portion 73 is composed of an upper connection piece 73a and a lower connection piece 73b. The upper connection piece 73a extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the lower end of the upper flange piece 71. The lower connection piece 73b is joined to the lower surface of the upper connection piece 73a and extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end of the lower flange piece 72. The lower connection piece 73b is joined to the upper connection piece 73a by spot welding, for example, while overlapping the upper connection piece 73a.

[0046] The bracket portion 70 is composed of an upper bracket 70A and a lower bracket 70B, as described above. The upper bracket 70A is the portion of the bracket portion 70 that has the upper flange piece 71 and the upper connecting piece 73a, and has an L-shaped cross section. The lower bracket 70B is the portion of the bracket portion 70 that has the lower flange piece 72 and the lower connecting piece 73b, and similarly has an L-shaped cross section. The upper bracket 70A and the lower bracket 70B are joined to each other so that the overall cross section is roughly Z-shaped. In this way, each bracket (70A, 70B) is formed with an L-shaped cross section, which effectively increases the rigidity of the bracket portion 70 against loads in the vehicle width direction.

[0047] The rib pieces 74 are formed on both vehicle front-rear direction edges of the upper bracket 70A and both vehicle front-rear direction edges of the lower bracket 70B, and extend in the vehicle width direction. That is, in the vehicle front-rear direction, the rib pieces 74 are provided on the front edge of the upper bracket 70A, the rear edge of the upper bracket 70A, the front edge of the lower bracket 70B, and the rear edge of the lower bracket 70B. When viewed from one side in the vehicle front-rear direction, each rib piece 74 is formed in an L-shape. This more effectively increases the rigidity of the bracket portion 70 against loads in the vehicle width direction.

[0048] In this embodiment, the upper bracket 70A comprises an upper flange piece 71, an upper connecting piece 73a, and a pair of front and rear rib pieces 74, which (71, 73a, 74, 74) are integrally formed by press molding or the like. Similarly, the lower bracket 70B comprises a lower flange piece 72, a lower connecting piece 73b, and a pair of front and rear rib pieces 74, which (72, 73b, 74, 74) are integrally formed by press molding or the like. For example, if the bracket portion 70 were formed by press molding as a single component without being separated into upper and lower brackets, it would be difficult to form the rib pieces 74 on both edges of the bracket portion 70. In this regard, because the bracket portion 70 is separated into the upper bracket 70A and the lower bracket 70B, the rib pieces 74 can be easily formed.

[0049] 3 and 4, in this embodiment, the cover inner panel 42 of the cover 4 is fixed to the fixing portion 5b of the upper mounting portion 6 and the fixing portion 5b of the lower mounting portion 7. Specifically, the portion of the cover inner panel 42 other than the flange portion 42a is separated from the cover outer panel 41, and this portion is fixed to each fixing portion 5b. The portion of the cover inner panel 42 corresponding to the fixing portion 5b of the upper mounting portion 6 is bent trapezoidally inward in the vehicle width direction so as to approach the bulging portion 1e4 of the side body outer panel 1d1, and an upper fixing surface 42b, which is the apex surface of this trapezoidal bent portion, is fixed to the fixing portion 5b of the upper mounting portion 6. The portion of the cover inner panel 42 corresponding to the fixing portion 5b of the lower mounting portion 7 is close to the lower flange piece 72 of the lower bracket 70B of the bracket portion 70, and extends generally in the vehicle up-down direction as a flat lower fixing surface 42c, and this lower fixing surface 42c is fixed to the fixing portion 5b of the lower mounting portion 7. In this way, the portion of the cover inner panel 42 separated from the cover outer panel 41 is set as the fixing location, so that fixing does not affect the design surface of the cover 4 (the outer surface of the cover outer panel 41).

[0050] Specifically, referring to Fig. 8, which is a partial rear view of the cover 4, cover-side engaging holes 43 are formed in the rear surface of the cover 4, i.e., the cover inner panel 42. The heads of the fasteners (60, 80) engage with the cover-side engaging holes 43, thereby fixing the cover 4 to the fasteners (60, 80). Specifically, the cover-side engaging holes 43 are formed in portions of the upper fixing surface 42b and the lower fixing surface 42c of the cover inner panel 42 that correspond to the heads (fixing portions 5b) of the fasteners (60, 80). Each cover-side engaging hole 43 includes a large-diameter hole portion 43a, a small-diameter hole portion 43b, and a connecting slit 43c. The large-diameter hole portion 43a is opened as a hole with a diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the heads of the fasteners (60, 80), for example. The small-diameter hole portion 43b is provided at a position eccentric to one side in the vehicle width direction relative to the large-diameter hole portion 43a. The small diameter hole portion 43b is opened as a hole having a diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the main body portion of each fixing device (60, 80). The connecting slit 43c is a slit that connects the large diameter hole portion 43a and the small diameter hole portion 43b, and has a minimum slit width that is smaller than the diameter of the small diameter hole portion 43b.

[0051] The head of each fastener (60, 80) is pressed into the large-diameter hole portion 43a of the corresponding cover-side engagement hole 43 of the cover 4 and inserted into the cover 4. In this state, when the cover 4 is slid, the body portion of each fastener (60, 80) is pressed into the small-diameter hole portion 43b through the connecting slit 43c. This fixes the cover 4 to the fastener (60, 80). In this way, the cover 4 is attached to the rail upper region S located above the rail 3 in the recess 1e of the side body panel 1d via the multiple attachment portions 5 (6, 7).

[0052] Next, the operation of the multiple mounting portions 5 (6, 7) in the vehicle body side structure applied to the vehicle 100 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0053] In the vehicle 100, the fixing portions 5b that constitute direct fixing points to the cover 4 are widely distributed vertically between the upper and lower fixing portions 6 and 7 that constitute the multiple mounting portions 5. In other words, the fixing portions 5b are widely distributed vertically beyond the height range of the rail upper region S. Therefore, in a plan view looking toward the side body outer panel 1d1 (vehicle body side 1), the multiple fixing portions 5b (fixing points, fixing locations) are not aligned horizontally but are arranged in a largely zigzag pattern. As a result, rotation of the cover around a virtual axis connecting the multiple fixing points, which was a problem in conventional structures, is effectively suppressed, and the cover 4 is stably fixed (supported) without rattle. Furthermore, even if it is difficult to widely distribute the fixing portions 5b vertically within the rail upper region S above the rail 3 due to design or cost constraints of the cover 4, the height positions of the multiple fixing portions 5b in the vehicle vertical direction can be widely distributed vertically beyond the height range of the rail upper region S.

[0054] In this way, the vehicle body side structure of the vehicle 100 has a structure that can suppress rattle of the cover 4 even when the space for attaching the cover 4 to the vehicle body side 1 is narrow in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

[0055] Furthermore, since the fixing portion 5b of the lower mounting portion 7 is located in an area overlapping with the rail 3 in a plan view looking toward the vehicle body side 1, the rail 3 is protected from impact during a side collision by the lower mounting portion 7, and the amount of distortion of the rail 3 due to the impact during a side collision is effectively reduced. As a result, the sliding door 2 can be reliably opened even after a side collision.

[0056] The fixing portion 5b of the lower mounting portion 7 is shifted downward to the height position of the upper roller guide protrusion 31 (in other words, the height position of the movable area of ​​the upper roller 12). This effectively increases the difference in height between the fixing portion 5b of the upper mounting portion 6 and the fixing portion 5b of the lower mounting portion 7, and the cover 4 is fixed more stably.

[0057] The number of attachment portions 5 is not limited to four, but may be three, or five or more. The fixing devices (60, 80) are not limited to clips, and appropriate members such as bolts and nuts may be used.

[0058] In this embodiment, the upper mounting part 6 is configured with one component (i.e., the fixture 60), but this is not limiting. For example, like the lower mounting part 7, the upper mounting part 6 may have a bracket part in addition to the fixture 60. In this case, the bracket part of the upper mounting part 6 has a base part 5a, and the fixture 60 has a fixing part 5b and engages with the bracket part of the upper mounting part 6. Specifically, it is sufficient that the bracket part of the upper mounting part 6 simply protrudes from the rail upper region S toward the cover 4. In this case, the recessed part 1e does not need to have a bulge part 1e4.

[0059] Although the embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and further modifications and changes are possible based on the technical concept of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1...vehicle body side portion, 1e...concave portion, 1f...ridge portion, 2...sliding door, 3...rail, 4...Cover, 41...Cover outer panel, 42...Cover inner panel, 5...Mounting part, 6...upper mounting portion, 60...fixing device, 7...lower mounting portion, 70...bracket portion, 80...fixing device, 70A...Upper bracket, 70B...Lower bracket, 71...upper flange piece, 72...lower flange piece, 73...connection portion, 73a...upper connection piece, 73b...lower connection piece, 74...rib piece, S: Area above the rail

Claims

1. A sliding door provided on the side of a vehicle body; a rail extending in a vehicle front-rear direction along a recess formed in the vehicle body side portion and recessed inward in the vehicle width direction, the rail supporting the sliding door; a cover that covers the rail; a plurality of mounting portions for mounting the cover to a rail upper region, which is a region of the recess that is positioned above the rail, and which are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle front-rear direction; A vehicle body side structure including: The number of the attachment portions is three or more, Each of the plurality of mounting portions has a base portion fixed to the rail upper region of the recess and a fixing portion for fixing the cover, The plurality of mounting portions are divided into upper mounting portions and lower mounting portions, the fixing portion of the upper mounting portion is located in a region overlapping with the rail upper region in a plan view seen toward the vehicle body side portion, the fixing portion of the lower mounting portion is located in a region overlapping with the rail in a plan view seen toward the vehicle body side portion, the lower mounting portion includes a bracket portion having the base portion, and a fixture having the fixing portion and engaging with the bracket portion, The bracket portion has an upper flange piece having a surface that abuts the rail upper area, and a lower flange piece having a surface that abuts the cover and is positioned below the upper flange piece, in this vehicle side structure.

2. the lower flange piece is located between the upper portion of the rail and the cover, the bracket portion has a connection portion that connects a lower end of the upper flange piece and an upper end of the lower flange piece and is located above the rail, The vehicle body side structure according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion and the lower flange piece are spaced apart from an upper portion of the rail.

3. the connection portion includes an upper connection piece extending outward in the vehicle width direction from a lower end of the upper flange piece, and a lower connection piece coupled to a lower surface of the upper connection piece and extending inward in the vehicle width direction from an upper end of the lower flange piece, the bracket portion includes an upper bracket having the upper flange piece and the upper connecting piece, and a lower bracket having the lower flange piece and the lower connecting piece, 3. The vehicle body side structure according to claim 2, wherein ribs extending in the vehicle width direction are formed on both vehicle longitudinal edge portions of the upper bracket and both vehicle longitudinal edge portions of the lower bracket.

4. the cover includes a cover outer panel that forms a design surface on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and a cover inner panel that is located on the inner side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the cover outer panel and cooperates with the cover outer panel to form a closed cross-sectional structure, The vehicle body side structure according to claim 1 , wherein the cover inner panel is fixed to the fixing portion of the upper mounting portion and the fixing portion of the lower mounting portion.

5. A vehicle body side structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the ridge portion, which is the upper edge of the recess, is located outward in the vehicle width direction and upward in the vehicle up-down direction relative to the upper end of the cover.

6. The vehicle body side structure according to claim 5 , wherein a portion of the vehicle body side connected to the ridge line portion above the ridge line portion is inclined downward and inward in the vehicle width direction.

7. A sliding door provided on the side of the vehicle body; a rail extending in a vehicle front-rear direction along a recess formed in the vehicle body side portion and recessed inward in the vehicle width direction, the rail supporting the sliding door; a cover that covers the rail; a plurality of mounting portions for mounting the cover to a rail upper region, which is a region of the recess that is positioned above the rail, and which are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle front-rear direction; A vehicle body side structure including: The number of the attachment portions is three or more, Each of the plurality of mounting portions has a base portion fixed to the rail upper region of the recess and a fixing portion for fixing the cover, The plurality of mounting portions are divided into upper mounting portions and lower mounting portions, the fixing portion of the upper mounting portion is located in a region overlapping with the rail upper region in a plan view seen toward the vehicle body side portion, the fixing portion of the lower mounting portion is located in a region overlapping with the rail in a plan view seen toward the vehicle body side portion, the lower mounting portion is a bracket portion having the base portion, the bracket portion being composed of an upper bracket and a lower bracket, Each of the upper bracket and the lower bracket has an L-shaped cross section and extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, A vehicle body side structure, wherein rib pieces extending in the vehicle width direction are formed on both vehicle front-rear direction edge portions of the upper bracket and both vehicle front-rear direction edge portions of the lower bracket.

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