Vehicle roof side structure

Abstract

To provide a roof side structure for a vehicle designed such that the appearance and rigidity of the vehicle can be improved with a simple configuration.SOLUTION: A roof side portion 108 of a roof side structure 100 for a vehicle includes: a vertical wall portion 132 extending in a vertical direction; a curved portion 134 curving and extending inward in a vehicle width direction from an upper part of the vertical wall portion 132 toward a roof panel 106 of the vehicle; and a groove-shaped portion 130 formed by recessing a predetermined part of the curved portion 134 and extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The groove-shaped portion 130 is formed from an upper part of a rear pillar 116 to an upper part of a front pillar 110. In the groove-shaped portion 130, one of a front-end region 130a of an upper part of the front pillar 110 and a rear-end region 130b of an upper part of the rear pillar 116 is wider than the other. One or both of the front-end region 130a and the rear-end region 130b extend such that a distal-end side thereof is tapered.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] At the upper part of the side body of a vehicle, a roof side portion along the roof panel is formed. For example, in the roof structure of Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 2, a roof side rail 3 is provided above an intermediate pillar 8. The roof side rail 3 of Patent Document 1 has a structure in which a closed cross-section is formed by an outer panel 3a on the vehicle outer side and an inner panel 3a on the vehicle inner side.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In recent years, many vehicles have been proposed with a design in which the roof side portion projects while greatly curving outward in the vehicle width direction and is also formed long along the roof panel in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In addition, in many cases, the roof side portion is measures for weight reduction and fuel efficiency improvement by reducing the plate thickness in terms of design.

[0005] The roof sides are areas where users often place their hands when washing their cars or performing other tasks, and therefore may bear loads from the user. In such cases, as mentioned above, if the thickness of the roof side panels is set thinly, plastic deformation may occur, so measures to ensure rigidity in the roof side panels are desirable. For example, in the roof structure of Patent Document 1, rigidity near the roof side rails 3 is ensured by providing multiple roof reinforcements 2 on the underside of the roof panel 1. However, from the viewpoint of weight reduction and fuel efficiency improvement, it is desirable to avoid such methods of providing reinforcing members as much as possible.

[0006] In view of these problems, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle roof side structure that can improve the aesthetic appearance and rigidity of a vehicle with a simple structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, a typical configuration of the vehicle roof side structure according to the present invention is a vehicle roof side structure comprising a roof side portion formed along the vehicle longitudinal direction above the opening for the vehicle's side window, wherein the roof side portion has a vertical wall portion extending in the vertical direction, a curved portion extending inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper part of the vertical wall portion toward the vehicle's roof panel, and a groove-shaped portion formed by recessing a predetermined part of the curved portion and extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction, wherein the groove-shaped portion is formed from above the vehicle's rear pillar to above the front pillar, and the front end region above the front pillar and the rear end region above the rear pillar of the groove-shaped portion are wider on one side than the other, and one or both of the front end region and the rear end region taper towards the tip. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle roof side structure that can improve the aesthetic appearance and rigidity of a vehicle with a simple structure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1]This figure shows an overview of a vehicle roof side structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows the roof side section of Figure 1 viewed from a different direction. [Figure 3] Figure 2(a) shows enlarged views of the front and rear end regions of the groove-shaped section. [Figure 4] Figure 2(a) shows cross-sectional views of the roof side sections. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] A vehicle roof side structure according to one embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle roof side structure comprising a roof side portion formed along the vehicle longitudinal direction above the opening for the vehicle's side window, wherein the roof side portion comprises a vertical wall portion extending in the vertical direction, a curved portion extending inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper part of the vertical wall portion toward the vehicle's roof panel, and a groove-shaped portion formed by recessing a predetermined part of the curved portion and extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction, wherein the groove-shaped portion is formed from above the rear pillar of the vehicle to above the front pillar, and the front end region above the front pillar and the rear end region above the rear pillar of the groove-shaped portion are wider on one side than the other, and one or both of the front end region and the rear end region taper towards the tip.

[0011] According to the above configuration, by providing a groove-shaped section in the curved portion and increasing its second moment of area, the curved portion becomes more difficult to bend, improving its rigidity and preventing deformation of the curved portion. Furthermore, the front and rear ends of the groove-shaped section are wider on one side than the other, and one or both ends are tapered. In other words, the groove-shaped section has a change in shape in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and this change in shape makes it easier to absorb loads and suppress deformation of the curved portion. Therefore, according to the above configuration, it is possible to improve the aesthetics of the roof side of the vehicle and further suppress deformation.

[0012] The aforementioned front end region is formed on the vertical wall side of the groove-shaped section, compared to the portion behind the front pillar, and gradually extends downward toward the front.

[0013] According to the above configuration, the rigidity of the curved section can be improved by changing the position of the groove-shaped section on the curved section in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0014] Both the front and rear end regions described above taper towards the tip, and one of the front or rear end regions has a smaller taper ratio than the other.

[0015] In the above configuration, in addition to improving the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle, it is possible to improve the rigidity of the curved section and further suppress its deformation by changing the shape of the groove-shaped section in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. [Examples]

[0016] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. The dimensions, materials, and other specific numerical values ​​shown in these embodiments are merely illustrative to facilitate understanding of the invention and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In this specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same function and configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant explanations, and elements not directly related to the present invention are omitted from the illustrations.

[0017] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a vehicle roof side structure 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 shows the right side of a vehicle 102 viewed from slightly above and in front. Hereafter, in Figure 1 and all other drawings of this application, the front-rear direction of the vehicle is illustrated by arrows F (Forward) and B (Backward), the left and right directions in the vehicle width direction are illustrated by arrows L (Leftward) and R (Rightward), and the up-down direction of the vehicle is illustrated by arrows U (Upward) and D (Downward).

[0018] The roof side portion 108 included in the vehicle roof side structure 100 is a portion above the opening for the side window in the side body panel 104 of the vehicle 102, and is formed along the vehicle front-rear direction at the side edge of the roof panel 106 that forms the roof. The roof side portion 108 has a shape that is curved and protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction as a whole, thereby improving the aesthetics of the vehicle and ensuring rigidity.

[0019] The side body panel 104 is provided with a plurality of pillars and openings for the side window bordered by these pillars. As the plurality of pillars, a front pillar 110, a center pillar 112, a quarter pillar 114, and a rear pillar 116 at the rearmost part are provided from the vehicle front.

[0020] As the openings for the side window, an opening 118 for the front side window, an opening 120 for the rear side window, and an opening 122 for the fixed quarter window are provided from the vehicle front. The front pillar 110 is further divided into a front front pillar 124 at the front side and a rear front pillar 126 at the rear side, and a fixed opening 128 for the front water window is formed therebetween.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a view showing the roof side portion 108 of FIG. 1 as seen from another direction. FIG. 2(a) shows the roof side portion 108 of FIG. 1 as seen from the outside in the vehicle width direction. The roof side portion 108 is provided with a groove-shaped portion 130 as an elongated groove-shaped part. The roof panel 106 (see FIG. 1) and the roof side portion 108 are curved such that the front-rear center is slightly convex upward when viewed from the side of the vehicle, and the groove-shaped portion 130 is also provided so as to draw a curve with the front-rear center slightly convex upward when viewed from the side of the vehicle.

[0022] The groove-shaped section 130 is formed on the roof side section 108 of the side body panel 104, extending from above the rear pillar 116 to above the front pillar 110, primarily to ensure rigidity. By providing the groove-shaped section 130, the second moment of area of ​​the roof side section 108 increases, thus ensuring rigidity of the roof side section 108.

[0023] Figure 2(b) is a view of the roof side portion 108 of Figure 1 from above. The groove-shaped portion 130 is formed in a straight line when viewed from above, extending from the rear pillar 116 to the front pillar 110 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The groove-shaped portion 130 is formed so that the front end is pointed toward the front of the vehicle, which also contributes to improving the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle.

[0024] As shown in Figure 2(a), the groove-shaped portion 130 is broadly divided into a front end region 130a formed above the front pillar 110, a rear end region 130b formed above the rear pillar 116, and an intermediate region 130c formed between the front pillar 110 and the rear pillar 116.

[0025] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the front end region 130a and the rear end region 130b of the groove-shaped portion 130 in Figure 2(a). Figure 3(a) is an enlarged view of the front end region 130a in Figure 2(a). The front end region 130a is formed above the front pillar 110 (see Figure 2(a)) and tapers towards the front at its tip.

[0026] Figure 3(b) is an enlarged view of the rear end region 130b in Figure 2(a). The rear end region 130b is also formed above the rear pillar 116 (see Figure 2(a)) such that its leading edge tapers towards the rear.

[0027] Figure 4 shows cross-sectional views of the roof side portion 108 in Figure 2(a). Figure 4(a) is a cross-sectional view AA of the roof side portion 108 in Figure 2(a) near the upper part of the rear pillar 116.

[0028] The roof side portion 108 is formed including a vertical wall portion 132 extending in the vertical direction and a curved portion 134 extending in a curved direction from the vertical wall portion 132. The vertical wall portion 132 is formed to face outward in the vehicle width direction and forms the side of the vehicle 102 (see Figure 1). The curved portion 134 extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper part of the vertical wall portion 132 toward the roof panel 106 of the vehicle 102.

[0029] Furthermore, a joint portion 136 is provided on the inner side of the roof side portion 108 in the vehicle width direction, which is joined to the side edge of the roof panel 106 (see Figure 1).

[0030] The groove-shaped portion 130 (rear end region 130b) is formed by recessing a predetermined location in the curved portion 134. For example, the rear end region 130b of the groove-shaped portion 130 is the outer portion of the curved portion 134 when the curved portion 134 is divided in the vehicle width direction, and is formed at a position slightly closer to the center P1 of the curved portion 134 than the vertical wall portion 132.

[0031] Figure 4(b) is a cross-sectional view of the roof side portion 108 of Figure 2(a) near the rear of the center pillar 112. The intermediate region 130c of the groove-shaped portion 130 is the outer portion of the curved portion 134 when it is divided in the vehicle width direction, and is formed at a position slightly closer to the center P1 of the curved portion 134.

[0032] Figure 4(c) is a cross-sectional view of the CC area of ​​the roof side portion 108 in Figure 2(a) near the top of the front pillar 110. The front end region 130a of the groove-shaped portion 130 is also formed in the outer portion of the curved portion 134, which is divided in the vehicle width direction. However, compared to the rear end region 130b in Figure 4(a) and the intermediate region 130c in Figure 4(b), the rear end region 130b in Figure 4(c) is formed slightly closer to the vertical wall portion 132 than the central portion P1.

[0033] As described above, the front end region 130a is formed on the vertical wall portion 132 side of the groove-shaped portion 130, compared to the intermediate region 130c and the rear end region 130b, which are located behind the front pillar 110. Therefore, as shown in Figure 2(a), for example, the front end region 130a of the groove-shaped portion 130 extends downward and forward with a slight curve, gradually sloping downward towards the front, above the front pillar 110.

[0034] As described above, the front end region 130a is positioned slightly lower than the intermediate region 130c and the rear end region 130b. In this way, the position of the groove-shaped portion 130 on the curved portion 134 of the roof side portion 108 changes in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, which makes it possible to make the curved portion 134 more difficult to bend and improve its rigidity. In particular, by changing the position of the groove-shaped portion 130 near the front end region 130a, it is possible to ensure rigidity even in the narrow front end region 130a.

[0035] Refer to Figure 3 again. The maximum width W2 of the rear end region 130b in Figure 3(b) is set to be wider than the maximum width W1 of the front end region 130a in Figure 3(a) (W2 > W1). In this way, the groove-shaped portion 130 is set so that its width changes in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0036] As described above, the roof side structure 100 for the vehicle makes it possible to prevent deformation of the curved portion 134 by providing a groove-shaped portion 130 in the curved portion 134 and increasing its second moment of area. This makes it more difficult to bend the curved portion 134, improves its rigidity, and prevents deformation of the curved portion 134.

[0037] Furthermore, the groove-shaped portion 130 is formed so that both the front end region 130a and the rear end region 130b taper towards the front, and the rear end region 130b is wider than the front end region 130a, resulting in a change in shape in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. As a result, the groove-shaped portion 130 absorbs loads through this change in shape, making it easier to suppress deformation of the curved portion 134. Thus, with this vehicle roof side structure 100, it is possible to improve both the aesthetics and rigidity of the roof side portion 108 of the vehicle 102 with a simple structure that includes the groove-shaped portion 130.

[0038] Refer to Figure 3 again. The tapered front end portion 138 formed from the point of maximum width W1 in the front end region 130a to the tip in Figure 3(a) is set to be longer than the tapered rear end portion 140 formed from the point of maximum width W2 in the rear end region 130b to the tip in Figure 3(b). In other words, the taper ratio ((Dd) / L), which is the ratio of the widest part (large diameter D) to the narrower part (small diameter d) located at a predetermined distance L, is set to be smaller in the front end tapered portion 138 than in the rear end tapered portion 140.

[0039] In the above configuration, the aesthetic appearance of the roof side portion 108 is improved, and by changing the shape of the groove-shaped portion 130 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the rigidity of the curved portion 134 is improved, making it possible to further suppress its deformation.

[0040] In this embodiment, the taper ratio of the front tapered portion 138 is set to be smaller than that of the rear tapered portion 140. However, the opposite configuration is also possible, where the taper ratio of the rear tapered portion 140 is set to be smaller than that of the front tapered portion 138. In addition, it is also possible to make only one of the front region 130a and the rear region 130b tapered. These configurations also make it possible to change the shape of the groove-shaped portion 130 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the maximum width W2 of the rear end region 130b is set to be wider than the maximum width W1 of the front end region 130a. However, the opposite configuration is also possible, where the maximum width W1 of the front end region 130a is set to be wider than the maximum width W2 of the rear end region 130b (W1 > W2). This configuration also makes it possible to change the shape of the groove-shaped portion 130 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0042] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and these will naturally also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0043] This invention can be used in vehicle roof side structures. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 100...Roof side structure for vehicle, 102...Vehicle, 104...Side body panel, 106...Roof panel, 108...Roof side section, 110...Front pillar, 112...Center pillar, 114...Quarter pillar, 116...Rear pillar, 118...Opening, 120...Opening, 122...Opening, 124...Front pillar, 126...Rear pillar, 128...Opening, 130...Groove-shaped section, 130a...Front end area, 130b...Rear end area, 130c...Intermediate area, 132...Vertical wall section, 134...Curved section, 136...Joint section, 138...Front tapered section, 140...Rear tapered section, P1...Center section, W1...Maximum width, W2...Maximum width

Claims

1. In a vehicle roof side structure, which includes a roof side portion formed along the vehicle's longitudinal direction above the opening for the vehicle's side window, The aforementioned roof side section is A vertical wall section extending in the vertical direction, A curved portion extending inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper part of the vertical wall toward the roof panel of the vehicle, A groove-shaped portion is formed by recessing a predetermined location in the curved portion and extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, It has, The groove-shaped portion is formed extending from above the rear pillar of the vehicle to above the front pillar. Of the groove-shaped portions, the front end region above the front pillar and the rear end region above the rear pillar are wider on one side than on the other. A vehicle roof side structure characterized in that one or both of the front end region and the rear end region taper towards the tip.

2. The front end region is formed on the vertical wall side of the groove-shaped portion compared to the portion of the groove-shaped portion that is rearward of the front pillar, and is characterized in that it gradually extends downward toward the front, as described in claim 1.

3. Both the front and rear end regions taper towards the tip. The roof side structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that one of the front end region and the rear end region has a smaller taper ratio than the other.

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