Vehicle cargo compartment structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle luggage compartment structure which can prevent scratches caused by contact between a deck board and a finish plate and prevents a gap from occurring between the deck board and the finish plate in a state that the deck board is placed.SOLUTION: A deck board 16 includes: a plate-like board body 60; and a flexible member 62 which is formed of a flexible material and is fixed so as to protrude from at least a part of a rear end of the board body 60. In a state that the deck board 16 is placed, the flexible member 62 contacts with a finish plate 14 while elastically deforming.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle cargo compartment structure.

Background Art

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 and the following Patent Document 2 describe a vehicle cargo compartment structure including a deck board forming the floor surface of the cargo compartment of a vehicle. The deck board closes the storage space provided under the floor and can be removed or held in a standing state. In order to widen not only the cargo compartment but also the storage space under the floor, the rear end of the storage space is often secured to the vicinity of the finish plate arranged at the rear end of the cargo compartment. And, in order to close the storage space, the deck board is sized such that its rear end extends to the vicinity of the finish plate. Incidentally, when accessing the storage space, the rear end is lifted so as to rotate the front end of the deck board about the front end by using a gripping portion provided on the surface on the rear end side.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] If the finish plate extends above the top surface of the deck board (the floor of the cargo area), in other words, if the front wall of the finish plate demarcates the rear end of the cargo area, there is a risk that the rear end of the deck board may come into contact with the finish plate when opening and closing the deck board, potentially damaging both the deck board and the finish plate. On the other hand, if the front-to-back dimensions of the deck board are reduced, a gap will be created between the rear end of the deck board and the finish plate when the deck board is in place (when the underfloor storage space is closed).

[0005] This invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and aims to provide a vehicle cargo compartment structure that prevents damage to the deck board and finish plate when the deck board is opened and closed, and prevents gaps from forming between the deck board and the finish plate when the deck board is in place. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the vehicle cargo compartment structure of the present invention is: A vehicle cargo compartment structure comprising a deck board that is placed to cover the storage space under the floor of the cargo compartment and forms the floor surface of the cargo compartment, and a finish plate that is erected at the rear of the cargo compartment and forms the wall surface at the rear end of the cargo compartment, The deck board comprises a plate-shaped board body and a flexible member made of a flexible material and fixed so as to extend from at least a portion of the rear end of the board body. In the state in which the deck board is placed, the flexible member is in contact with the finish plate in an elastically deformed state.

[0007] In this vehicle cargo compartment structure, at least a portion of the rear end of the deck board is formed of a flexible member, the dimensions of which are greater than the distance between the board body and the finish plate, and when the deck board is placed on it, it elastically deforms and leans against the finish plate, or more specifically, against the rear end wall of the cargo compartment formed by the finish plate. With this vehicle cargo compartment structure, even if the flexible member comes into contact with the finish plate, they will not be damaged by each other, and it is possible to reliably seal the gap between the board body and the finish plate.

[0008] In this vehicle cargo compartment structure, the "flexible member" is not particularly limited as long as it is made of a material softer than the board itself, but from the standpoint of preventing scratches, a nonwoven fabric or similar material softer than resin is preferable. In addition, nonwoven fabric may be attached to the surface of the board member, and if the flexible member is formed from the same material as the nonwoven fabric, the reduction in aesthetic appeal can be minimized.

[0009] In the above configuration, the board body has a notch formed at its rear end that is cut out in a shape that follows the finish plate, and the flexible member can be fixed so as to cover the notch.

[0010] In this configuration, the cargo compartment structure of the vehicle has a flexible member at a portion of the rear end of the deck board. For example, by providing a flexible member only in the areas where the deck board and the finish plate are likely to come into contact, the rest of the floor can be formed by the board itself up to the rear end, thus minimizing the portion of the floor surface where sufficient rigidity cannot be ensured.

[0011] In the above configuration, the finish plate may have a bulge in its upper portion that protrudes toward the cargo compartment from its lower portion, and the notch may be formed at a position corresponding to the bulge.

[0012] In this configuration of the vehicle's cargo compartment structure, the lower wall surface of the finish plate is located further rearward than the upper wall surface. In other words, this configuration allows for a wide storage space under the floor in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. However, when opening and closing the deck board, it is necessary to form a notch in the board body to avoid the bulging portion of the finish plate. For this reason, a deck board having the flexible member described above is suitable for this configuration of the vehicle's cargo compartment structure. Incidentally, in this configuration of the vehicle's cargo compartment structure, if the shape of the notch is set so that the deck board can be opened and closed by pivoting it around the front end of the deck board, the size of the notch can be made smaller than a notch set so that it does not overlap in the vertical direction, and the portion that becomes the flexible member can be made smaller.

[0013] In the above configuration, the bulging portion may be configured to include a striker that constitutes a locking mechanism for locking the vehicle's back door to the vehicle body.

[0014] For example, in a vehicle, the position where the striker is installed is fixed, and in order to increase the storage space under the floor, it is necessary to provide a bulge in the finish plate. In other words, a deck board having the flexible member described above is suitable for a vehicle cargo compartment structure with this configuration.

[0015] In the above configuration, the vehicle cargo compartment structure is provided with a tire storage box for housing the vehicle's tires below the deck board, and the tire storage box is closed by the deck board. The bulging portion can be configured to bulge out to a position that overlaps the tires housed in the tire storage box when viewed from above.

[0016] In order to secure space for storing tires under the floor, it may be necessary to extend that storage space to the rear of the upper portion of the finish plate. In other words, a deck board having the flexible member described above is suitable for this type of vehicle cargo compartment structure. Incidentally, in this type of vehicle cargo compartment structure, the wall shape at the rear end of the cargo compartment on the finish plate can be formed so that the tires can be moved in and out of the storage box by pivoting around the front end of the tire.

[0017] In the above configuration, the vehicle cargo compartment structure is provided with an outer floor surface portion that forms the floor surface together with the deck board on the outside in the width direction of the deck board, and the deck board can be configured to have a horizontal surface portion that is substantially horizontal when placed and has a different height from the outer floor surface portion, and an inclined surface portion that is formed continuously from the horizontal surface portion and slopes toward the outer floor surface portion from the horizontal surface portion.

[0018] For example, if the board itself is flat, providing an integral hinge extending in the width direction to the board allows the deck board to be removed in a mountain shape with the integral hinge as the apex, or to be inserted and placed in the cargo compartment in this mountain shape, thereby reducing contact between the deck board and the finish plate. On the other hand, in a vehicle cargo compartment structure with this configuration, the board itself has a bent shape in the width direction, so it is not possible to provide an integral hinge extending in the width direction. In other words, the deck board in this configuration is more likely to come into contact with the finish plate. Therefore, in a vehicle cargo compartment structure with this configuration, a deck board having the flexible member described above is preferable.

[0019] In the above configuration, the flexible member may be made of nonwoven fabric and fixed to the board body by sewing.

[0020] In the vehicle cargo compartment structure of this configuration, when the deck board is opened and closed, since the flexible member contacts the finish plate and elastically deform, it is desirable that the flexible member be firmly fixed to the board body. According to the vehicle cargo compartment structure of this configuration, compared with the case of being adhered by an adhesive, etc., the flexible member is firmly fixed to the board body.

Advantages of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle cargo compartment structure that prevents damage due to contact between the deck board and the finish plate when the deck board is opened and closed, and also prevents a gap from occurring between the finish plate and the deck board in the deck board mounted state.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] Perspective view showing the vehicle cargo compartment structure according to an embodiment of the present invention from a perspective obliquely from the rear [Figure 2] Perspective view showing the vehicle cargo compartment structure from a perspective obliquely from the front [Figure 3] Plan view of the vehicle cargo compartment structure [Figure 4] Plan view of the vehicle cargo compartment structure showing the state where the deck board is removed [Figure 5] Side cross-sectional view of the vehicle cargo compartment structure [Figure 6] Cross-sectional view of the vehicle cargo compartment structure shown from a perspective from the rear side [Figure 7] View showing an enlarged main part of FIG. 5 [Figure 8] Side cross-sectional view for explaining the opening and closing of the deck board and the taking in and out of the tire [Figure 9] Side cross-sectional view showing the deck board of the conventional example [Figure 10] Perspective view of the deck board shown from a perspective from the front side [Figure 11] Perspective view of the deck board shown from a perspective from the back side

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] The vehicle luggage compartment structure of the present invention is a vehicle luggage compartment structure 10 adopted in the luggage compartment RR located behind the rear seats of a vehicle, as shown in Figures 1 to 4. The vehicle luggage compartment structure 10 of this embodiment is composed of deck side trims 12R, 12L, a finish plate 14, a deck board 16, a floor board 18, and a tire storage box 20 (see Figure 4). The ceiling of the luggage compartment RR and the back door, which is openable and closable and located on the rear side of the luggage compartment RR, are not shown in the vehicle luggage compartment structure 10, and the luggage compartment RR can be accessed by opening and closing the back door.

[0024] The deck side trims 12R and 12L form the left and right side walls of the luggage room RR. Between these left and right deck side trims 12R and 12L, a floorboard 18 is positioned to connect the lower front ends of the left and right deck side trims 12R and 12L, and a finish plate 14 is erected to connect the lower rear ends. The floorboard 18 forms part of the front side of the floor surface, and the finish plate 14 has a wall surface 14a facing forward that forms the rear end wall of the luggage room RR. Furthermore, flange portions 12a are formed on the left and right deck side trims 12R and 12L, extending toward the interior of the vehicle (see Figures 4 and 6), flange portions 18a are formed on the floorboard 18, extending toward the rear of the vehicle (see Figures 4 and 5), and flange portions 14b are formed on the finish plate 14, extending toward the front of the vehicle (see Figure 4). These flange portions 12a, 14a, and 18a are used to mount the deckboard 16 so as to close off the storage space under the floor. The mounted deckboard 16 then forms the main component of the floor surface of the luggage compartment RR, as shown in Figures 1 to 3.

[0025] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the left deck side trim 12L has a recess 30 that is recessed toward the outside of the passenger compartment on the rear side of the vehicle, and an outer floor surface portion 32 that forms the floor surface together with the deck board 16 on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the deck board 16. With this structure, the luggage compartment structure 10 of this vehicle has a widened luggage room RR in the vehicle width direction, making it possible to accommodate relatively long items (for example, golf bags, etc.).

[0026] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the height of the floor surface of the outer floor portion 32 is lower than the height of the floor surface of the general portion 16a of the deck board 16 and the floor surface of the floor board 18. On the other hand, the deck board 16 has a general portion 16a as a horizontal surface that is approximately horizontal when placed, and an inclined surface portion 16b that is formed continuously from the general portion 16a and slopes toward the outer floor portion 32 of the left deck side trim 12L. Incidentally, this deck board 16 is constructed by attaching a surface material made of nonwoven fabric to a resin base material so as to cover the base material. In other words, this deck board 16 has sufficient rigidity to prevent bending. With the above configuration, the vehicle cargo compartment structure 10 secures space for the luggage compartment RR in the vertical direction within the limited space on the outer floor portion 32. As a result, the vehicle cargo compartment structure 10 can accommodate longitudinally shaped items stacked vertically.

[0027] The tire storage box 20 is located under the floor of the luggage compartment RR, that is, below the deck board 16. More specifically, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, it is mounted above the floor panel 22 that makes up the vehicle body, and is located below the opening formed by the deck side trims 12R and 12L, the finish plate 14, and the floor board 18.

[0028] The vehicle is equipped with a locking mechanism for locking the back door to the vehicle body, and the striker 40 of this locking mechanism is positioned in the center of the finish plate 14 in the vehicle width direction. The striker placement area 42 of the finish plate 14, where the striker 40 is located, is fixed due to the structure of the vehicle body, and the position in which the vehicle's spare tire T is housed is difficult to shift forward of the vehicle from the position shown in Figure 4 due to its dimensions. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4, in the vehicle's cargo compartment structure 10, when viewed from above, the striker placement area 42 is in a positional relationship with the spare tire T housed in the tire storage box 20.

[0029] Furthermore, the finish plate 14 has a shape in which only the striker placement area 42 bulges outwards toward the luggage compartment RR side (front of the vehicle) relative to the rest of the plate. More specifically, in a plan view, the finish plate 14 has a curved shape in which the center in the vehicle width direction bulges outwards toward the rear, and the striker placement area 42 in the center in the vehicle width direction bulges outwards toward the front relative to this curved shape. Also, as shown in Figure 7, in a side view, the upper part of the striker placement area 42 of the finish plate 14 bulges outwards toward the lower part. Due to the shape of the finish plate 14, as shown in Figure 8, the spare tire T can be rotated around its front end to avoid the striker placement area 42 and be inserted into and removed from the tire storage box 20. Incidentally, the flange portion 14b of the finish plate 14 for mounting the deck board 16 is formed on the right and left sides, respectively, excluding the center in the vehicle width direction where the striker placement area 42 is located, as shown in Figure 4.

[0030] Furthermore, the vehicle cargo compartment structure 10 has the above-described configuration, which gives the structure of the deck board 16 a distinctive feature. Before describing the deck board 16 of the vehicle cargo compartment structure 10, we will first describe the conventional deck board 100 shown in Figure 9. Unlike the deck board 16 in this embodiment, this deck board 100 does not have an inclined surface portion 16b, but is a single flat plate. This deck board 100 has a gripping portion 102 near the center of its upper surface for gripping itself, and an integral hinge 104 formed in a groove shape on the back surface is formed immediately behind the gripping portion 102. With this configuration, when the deck board 100 is gripped by the gripping portion 102 and lifted, the portion 100a behind the integral hinge 104 hangs down under its own weight, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 9, forming a mountain shape. In other words, this deck board 100 can be attached and detached even if the finish plate 14 bulges out towards the luggage compartment RR side, as in the vehicle's luggage compartment structure 10.

[0031] In contrast, the deck board 16 in the vehicle cargo compartment structure 10, as described above, has a general section 16a as a horizontal surface and an inclined section 16b that are integrally molded side by side in the vehicle width direction, resulting in a bent shape in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, it is not possible to provide an integral hinge 104 that extends in the vehicle width direction as described above, and the deck board 16 must be attached and detached as a single plate. For example, there is a method of inserting the rear end of the deck board under the striker placement section 42 and rotating the front side of the deck board around the rear end, but it is difficult to support the deck board in that state, and there is a risk of the deck board coming into contact with the interior material.

[0032] Therefore, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, the deck board 16 in the vehicle cargo compartment structure 10 has a notch 50 formed in the center of the rear end in the vehicle width direction. This notch 50 is cut out in a shape that follows the rear end wall surface 14a of the finish plate 14 when the deck board 16 is placed on it. As shown in Figure 8, the size of the notch 50 is such that when the front end of the deck board 16 is in contact with the floor board 18 and rotated around its front end, it does not come into contact with the striker placement portion 42 of the finish plate 14.

[0033] Furthermore, the deck board 16 consists of a board body 60 comprising the general portion 16a and the inclined surface portion 16b described above, and a cover member 62 fixed to the back surface of the board body 60 so as to cover the notched portion described above. This cover member 62 is a flexible member formed from a flexible material. In this embodiment, this cover member 62 is formed from the same material as the nonwoven fabric used for the surface material covering the board body 60. However, the cover member 62 has a greater thickness and weight than the surface material, and is designed to have a certain degree of rigidity against tension and compression, as well as to return to its original shape even when bent, that is, to undergo elastic deformation. In addition, the size of this cover member 62 is slightly larger than the shape that follows the rear end wall surface 14a of the finish plate 14 when the deck board 16 is placed on it.

[0034] With this configuration, when placing the deck board 16, as shown in Figure 8, by grasping the gripping portion 64 of the deck board 16 and rotating it around the front end to lower the rear end, the cover member 62 will come into contact with the upper end of the striker placement portion 42 of the finish plate 14. If the rear end of the deck board 16 is then lowered further, the cover member 62 will elastically deform and be able to fit below the striker placement portion 42. In other words, the deck board 16 can be placed. When the deck board 16 is placed, the cover member 62 is in a state of elastic deformation, leaning against the wall surface 14a of the finish plate 14, or in other words, in a state of being curved upwards.

[0035] Furthermore, the cover member 62 is fixed to the board body 60 by sewing. Specifically, the sewing thread penetrates from the surface of the board body 60 to the cover member 62, so that the cover member 62 is sewn to the board body 60. For example, compared to the case where the cover member 62 is attached to the board body with adhesive, it is fixed more firmly and has high durability against repeated elastic deformation of the cover member 62 due to the attachment and detachment of the deck board 16.

[0036] With the vehicle cargo compartment structure 10 of this embodiment configured as described above, even if the rear end of the deck board 16 overlaps the finish plate 14, it is possible to prevent the board body 60 of the deck board 16 from coming into contact with the finish plate 14. In particular, when the deck board 16 is placed, the cover member 62 bends upward and is positioned between the rear end of the board body 60 and the wall surface 14a of the finish plate 14, thus reliably preventing direct contact. Furthermore, since the cover member 62 leans against the wall surface 14a of the finish plate 14, there is no gap between the deck board 16 and the finish plate 14, reliably preventing the underside of the deck board 16 from being visible and preventing objects from falling.

[0037] For example, if there is no cover member 62 and there is a gap between the board body 60 and the finish plate 14, there is a risk that the user may insert their fingers into the gap and open the deck board without using the gripping part 64. In that case, there is a risk that fingers may get caught between the deck board and the striker placement part 42. With this vehicle cargo compartment structure 10, since the cover member 62 is bent upward, it is possible to prevent a person from inserting their fingers into the gap between the cover body 60 and the finish plate 14, thereby reliably preventing a situation in which fingers get caught.

[0038] <Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. For example, the following embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0039] (1) In the vehicle cargo compartment structure 10 of the above embodiment, the area where the striker 40 is located (striker placement area 42) is a bulging portion of the finish plate 14, and the deck board 16 is configured to have a notch 50 and a cover member 62 corresponding to the striker placement area 42. However, the position of the bulging portion is not limited to this. This vehicle cargo compartment structure can be adopted when the finish plate 14 is configured to bulge toward the luggage compartment RR side (forward side).

[0040] (2) In the above embodiment, the deck board 16 was configured to have a notch 50 and a cover member 62 corresponding to the bulging portion (striker placement portion 42), but it is not limited to this. In other words, even if the finish plate does not have a bulging portion, if a flexible member is provided at the rear end of the board body and the flexible member elastically deforms to come into contact with the finish plate, a gap between the deck board and the finish plate can be reliably prevented. In other words, in the above embodiment, the flexible member was provided only at a part of the rear end of the deck board 16, but it can also be provided throughout.

[0041] (3) In the above embodiment, the flexible cover member 62 was molded from a nonwoven fabric, but is not limited to that. It can be made of a material that is softer than the board body 60. However, since it is configured to rub against the finish plate 14 when attaching and detaching the deck board 16, it is desirable that it be molded from a material that will not damage each other when they rub against each other.

[0042] (4) Although the vehicle cargo compartment structure 10 of the above embodiment was intended to be provided for a vehicle (automobile), it is not limited thereto, and the cargo compartment structure of the present invention can be applied to various vehicles. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0043] 10...Vehicle cargo compartment structure, RR...Luggage room, 12R, 12L...Deck side trim, 14...Finish plate, 14a...Wall surface (Wall surface at the rear end of the luggage room), 16...Deck board, 16a...General area (Horizontal surface), 16b...Inclined surface, 18...Floor board, 20...Tire storage box, T...Spare tire, 32...Outer floor surface, 40...Strike, 42...Strike placement area (Bulging area), 50...Notch, 60...Board body, 62...Cover member (Flexible member)

Claims

1. A vehicle cargo compartment structure comprising a deck board that is placed to cover the storage space under the floor of the cargo compartment and forms the floor surface of the cargo compartment, and a finish plate that is erected at the rear of the cargo compartment and forms the wall surface at the rear end of the cargo compartment, The deck board comprises a plate-shaped board body and a flexible member made of a flexible material and fixed so as to extend from at least a portion of the rear end of the board body. With the deck board in place, the flexible member is in contact with the finish plate in an elastically deformed state. The board body has a notch formed at its rear end that is cut out in a shape that conforms to the finish plate. The flexible member is a vehicle cargo compartment structure fixed so as to cover the notch.

2. The finish plate has a bulge in its upper portion that protrudes toward the cargo compartment side from its lower portion. The vehicle cargo compartment structure according to claim 1, wherein the notch is formed at a position corresponding to the bulging portion.

3. The vehicle cargo compartment structure according to claim 2, wherein a striker constituting a locking mechanism for locking the vehicle's back door to the vehicle body is provided in the bulging portion.

4. The vehicle's cargo compartment structure is configured such that a tire storage box for housing the vehicle's tires is provided beneath the deck board, and the tire storage box is closed off by the deck board. The vehicle cargo compartment structure according to claim 3, wherein the bulging portion bulges out to a position that overlaps the tire housed in the tire storage box when viewed from above.

5. A vehicle cargo compartment structure comprising a deck board that is placed to cover the storage space under the floor of the cargo compartment and forms the floor surface of the cargo compartment, and a finish plate that is erected at the rear of the cargo compartment and forms the wall surface at the rear end of the cargo compartment, The deck board comprises a plate-shaped board body and a flexible member made of a flexible material and fixed so as to extend from at least a portion of the rear end of the board body. With the deck board in place, the flexible member is in contact with the finish plate in an elastically deformed state. The aforementioned flexible member is made of nonwoven fabric and is fixed to the board body by sewing in a vehicle cargo compartment structure.

6. The vehicle cargo compartment structure includes an outer floor portion that forms the floor surface together with the deck board, located on the outside in the width direction of the deck board. The vehicle cargo compartment structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the deck board is substantially horizontal when placed and has a horizontal surface portion that is at a different height from the outer floor portion, and an inclined surface portion that is formed continuously from the horizontal surface portion and slopes toward the outer floor portion from the horizontal surface portion.

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