Side structure of the vehicle

Abstract

To highly balance a lowered seat position with safe performance of side collision.SOLUTION: A vehicle side part structure comprises: a floor panel 11; two support structures 12 which are arranged on the floor panel 11 and have a gap therebetween in a front and back direction of a vehicle in order to support a seat; and a rocker inner 14 which is arranged outside of two support structures 12 in a vehicle width direction. Each of the two support structures 12 includes: a seat cross 40 extending in the vehicle width direction; and a seat bracket 20 which is arranged at an upper side end part of the seat cross 40 in an outer side of the vehicle width direction to support the seat. The seat bracket 20 of each of the two support structures 12 includes: a seat fitting part 21; and a lifting part 22 which is arranged higher than the seat fitting part to face the rocker inner 14. A patch 17 extends in the front and back direction of the vehicle at positions facing the lifting part 22 of the two support structures 12 and is arranged on a face of the rocker inner 14 opposite to the lifting part 22.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle side structure, and particularly to a seat bracket and a patch disposed on a vehicle side portion.

Background Art

[0002] Vehicles such as automobiles include a floor panel and two seat support structures disposed on the floor panel with an interval in the vehicle longitudinal direction. A seat is disposed on the two seat support structures. Generally, a seat rail is disposed so as to be spanned between the two seat support structures. Two seat rails are arranged at intervals in the vehicle width direction. The seat body is disposed above the two seat rails and is configured to be movable in the longitudinal direction with respect to the two seat rails.

[0003] Each of the two seat support structures includes a seat cross member (cross member) extending in the vehicle width direction and two seat brackets disposed at upper portions of both ends in the vehicle width direction of the seat cross member. The two seat brackets support the seat, in the above example, the two seat rails. A rocker inner is provided outside the two seat support structures in the vehicle width direction. Patent Document 1 discloses a structure including a seat mounting bracket and a rocker portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By lowering the position of the seat mounting portion of the seat bracket, the position of the seat can be lowered, thereby providing a sporty driving experience and sufficient interior space for the occupant.

[0006] However, lowering the position of the seat mounting portion of the seat bracket, i.e., lowering the height of the seat bracket, reduces the moment applied from the rocker to the seat cloth via the seat bracket during a side impact. This may prevent the expected bending mode of the seat cloth from occurring during a side impact. Therefore, even when the seat position is lowered, it is desirable to ensure that the expected bending mode of the seat cloth is achieved, thereby maintaining or improving side impact safety performance.

[0007] The objective of this invention is to achieve both a lower seat position and improved side-impact safety performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The vehicle side structure according to the present invention comprises a floor panel, two support structures arranged on the floor panel and spaced apart in the vehicle's longitudinal direction for supporting a seat, and a structure provided outward in the vehicle's width direction from the two support structures. and extends in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle The support structure comprises a rocker inner and, each of the two support structures includes a seat cloth extending in the vehicle width direction and a seat bracket positioned at the upper end of the seat cloth on the outer side in the vehicle width direction to support the seat, and each of the two support structures includes a seat mounting portion and Extending diagonally outward in the vehicle width direction and upward from the seat mounting portion, It has a raised portion facing the aforementioned rocker inner, The raised portions of the two support structures are the parts that are not in contact with the rocker inner, and the vehicle side structure is At a position opposite the raised portion of the two support structures 、 The aforementioned rockinner The two support structures The patch is further located on the side opposite to the raised portion. The patch extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle between the raised portion of one support structure and the raised portion of the other support structure. It is characterized by the following: In the vehicle side structure according to the present invention, the seat brackets of the two support structures may each be provided with a joint portion in which the seat bracket, the rocker inner, and the patch are joined together. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the seat position can be lowered by lowering the position of the seat mounting portion of the seat bracket, and the raised portion of the seat bracket, which is positioned higher than the seat mounting portion and faces the rocker inner, can increase the moment applied from the rocker inner to the seat cloth via the seat bracket during a side collision. Therefore, the expected bending mode of the seat cloth can be realized, and the side collision safety performance can be improved.

[0010] Furthermore, since patches are provided opposite the raised portions of the two seat brackets, during a side collision, the collision load can be transmitted from the patches to the two seat cloths via the rocker inner and the two seat brackets. The collision load is absorbed by the structure including the two seat cloths. Therefore, side collision safety performance can be improved. According to the present invention, it is possible to achieve both a lower seat position and improved side collision safety performance. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view that schematically shows the structure under the vehicle's seat. [Figure 2] This is an enlarged view of section A in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view along line aa in Figure 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In all drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted. In each figure, the arrow FR indicates the front of the vehicle, the arrow UP indicates the top of the vehicle, and the arrow RH indicates the right side of the vehicle. Furthermore, the side closer to the vehicle center in the left-right direction (also called the vehicle width direction) is described as the inward direction in the vehicle width direction, and the side further away is described as the outward direction in the vehicle width direction.

[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure under the seat of vehicle 10, and only the components relevant to the embodiment are shown. Figure 1 shows the structure under the driver's seat. Vehicle 10 is an automobile. Vehicle 10 may be, for example, a gasoline engine vehicle, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a plug-in hybrid vehicle, etc. The driver's seat will be described below, but this embodiment may also be applied to the passenger seat or the rear seat.

[0014] Vehicle 10 comprises a floor panel 11 and a tunnel structure 13 located in the center in the width direction of the vehicle. Exhaust pipes and the like are arranged inside the tunnel structure 13.

[0015] Vehicle 10 is equipped with two seat support structures 12 (hereinafter also simply referred to as support structures 12) for the driver's seat. The two support structures 12 are arranged on the floor panel 11 and are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The driver's seat is positioned on top of the two support structures 12. Specifically, two seat rails 18 and 19 are arranged to span between the two support structures 12. The driver's seat body is then positioned above the two seat rails 18 and 19.

[0016] Each of the two support structures 12 includes a seat cloth 40 (cross member) extending in the vehicle width direction and two seat brackets 20, 30 positioned at the upper ends of both ends of the seat cloth 40 in the vehicle width direction. The seat cloth 40 has a hat-shaped cross section (see Figure 2) and is fixed to the floor panel 11. The seat cloth 40 is located between the tunnel structure 13 and the rocker inner 14, as shown in Figure 1. The two seat brackets 20, 30 each include seat mounting portions 21, 31.

[0017] In the vehicle width direction outward, a seat rail 18 is spanned between the seat bracket 20 on the front side of the vehicle and the seat bracket 20 on the rear side of the vehicle, and the seat rail 18 is fixed to the seat mounting portions 21 of the two seat brackets 20. Also, in the vehicle width direction inward, a seat rail 19 is spanned between the seat bracket 30 on the front side of the vehicle and the seat bracket 30 on the rear side of the vehicle, and the seat rail 19 is fixed to the seat mounting portions 31 of the two seat brackets 30.

[0018] Outward in the vehicle width direction, a rocker inner 14 is provided outside the two support structures 12. The rocker inner 14 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction. A patch 17 is disposed on the surface of the rocker inner 14 opposite to the seat bracket 20. The patch 17 extends in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0019] Outward in the vehicle width direction, each of the two seat brackets 20 has a lifting portion 22. The lifting portion 22 is provided at a position higher than the seat mounting portion 21 and faces the rocker inner 14. The patch 17 faces the lifting portions 22 of the two seat brackets 20 via the rocker inner 14.

[0020] Hereinafter, the seat bracket 20 on the rear side of the vehicle will be described. The seat bracket 20 on the front side of the vehicle also has the same structure as the seat bracket 20 on the rear side of the vehicle. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 1. The seat bracket 20 includes a bracket lower 50 and a bracket upper 60. The bracket lower 50 is disposed inside the bracket upper 60. The bracket lower 50 and the bracket upper 60 are partially joined to each other and integrated.

[0021] The bracket lower 50 has a substantially symmetrical shape in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The bracket lower 50 comprises an overhang 50E, a front portion 50F, two side portions 50S (only a portion of one side portion 50S is shown in Figure 2), and an upper portion 50U. The overhang 50E is the portion that extends from the lower end of the front portion 50F along the seat cloth 40 and is joined to the seat cloth 40. The two side portions 50S are portions that extend outward in the vehicle width direction from both ends of the front portion 50F in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The two side portions 50S extend to the vicinity of the receiving member 46. The upper portion 50U is the portion that extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end of the front portion 50F. The upper portion 50U extends to the vicinity of the rocker inner 14 (see Figure 3). As shown in Figure 3, the upper portion 50U includes a seat mounting portion 51 and a lifting portion 52.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2, the bracket upper 60 has a substantially symmetrical shape in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The bracket upper 60 comprises a front portion 60F, two side portions 60S (only one side portion 60S is shown in Figure 2), and an upper portion 60U. The front portion 60F is the portion that extends downward from the inward end in the vehicle width direction of the upper portion 60U. The two side portions 60S are the portions that extend downward from both ends of the front portion 60F in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The two side portions 60S extend to the seat cloth 40 and are joined to the outer surface of the seat cloth 40. The upper portion 60U extends to just before the rocker inner 14. The upper portion 60U includes a seat mounting portion 61 and a lifting portion 62.

[0023] The seat mounting portion 21 of the seat bracket 20 is composed of seat mounting portions 51 and 61. The lifting portion 22 of the seat bracket 20 is composed of lifting portions 52 and 62.

[0024] The bracket upper 60 has a portion (not shown) that extends forward from the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the front side portion 60S (not shown), and joint portions 60JU and 60JL (only joint portion 60JU is shown in Figure 2) are provided at the upper and lower parts of this portion, respectively. The bracket upper 60 also has a portion that extends rearward from the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the rear side portion 60S, and joint portions 60JU and 60JL are provided at the upper and lower parts of this portion, respectively. The two joint portions 60JU are the parts where the bracket upper 60, the rocker inner 14, and the patch 17 (see Figure 3) are joined together by spot welding. The two joint portions 60JL (only one is shown in Figure 2) are the parts where the bracket upper 60, the seat cloth 40, and the rocker inner 14 are joined together by spot welding, respectively.

[0025] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along line aa in Figure 2. Figure 3 further shows the seat body 81, scuff plate 90, and rocker outer 15 of the seat 80 (driver's seat). In addition, a floor silencer and carpet (neither shown) are laid in the interior of the vehicle, and at least one of them covers the seat cloth 40, seat bracket 20, and rocker inner 14 from above.

[0026] The seat 80 includes a seat body 81 and two seat rails 18 and 19 (only seat rail 18 is shown in Figure 3). The seat body 81 is positioned on the two seat rails 18 and 19.

[0027] A hole is provided in the seat mounting portion 51 of the bracket lower 50, and a receiving member 46 is positioned therein. The receiving member 46 is a member into which a screw 82 (which may be a bolt, etc.) is screwed, and is located between the bracket lower 50 and the bracket upper 60, and is fixed to them. The seat mounting portion 61 of the seat rail 18 and the bracket upper 60 is provided with a hole through which the screw 82 passes, at a position corresponding to the receiving member 46. The seat rail 18 is fixed to the seat bracket 20 by inserting and screwing the screw 82 into the receiving member 46 from the inside of the seat rail 18.

[0028] The rocker outer 15 is positioned outward in the vehicle width direction of the rocker inner 14. The rocker is formed by the rocker inner 14 and the rocker outer 15. The rocker has a closed cross-section.

[0029] Patch 17 is located on the side of the rocker inner 14 opposite to the seat bracket 20. Patch 17 is positioned opposite the raised portion 22 (raised portions 52, 62) of the seat bracket 20. Patch 17 has a roughly L-shaped cross-section and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (see Figure 1).

[0030] Next, the effects and advantages of the vehicle 10 of this embodiment will be described.

[0031] According to the embodiment described above, the position of the seat mounting portion 21 (seat mounting portion 51, 61) of the seat bracket 20 can be lowered, thereby lowering the position of the seat 80. This makes it possible to provide occupants with a sporty driving experience and sufficient interior space.

[0032] Furthermore, the seat bracket 20 has a raised portion 22 (raised portions 52, 62) that is positioned higher than the seat mounting portion 21. The raised portion 22 faces the rocker inner 14, and the ends of the raised portion 22 are set to be very close to the rocker inner 14. This makes it possible to increase the moment applied from the rockers 14, 15 to the seat cloth 40 via the seat bracket 20 when the vehicle 10 is side-impacted (or is side-impacted) and a collision load F is input, thereby accelerating the timing of this action. Thus, the intended bending mode of the seat cloth 40 can be realized.

[0033] When the vehicle 10 is involved in a side collision, a moment is applied by the protruding portion 50E (see Figure 3) of the seat bracket 20 to push down the seat cloth 40. For example, as shown in Figure 3, when focusing on the bracket lower 50, if the height of the end of the bracket lower 50 facing the rocker inner 14 is lower (the same height L1 as the seat mounting portion 51), compared to when it is higher (height L2) as in this embodiment, a larger moment can be applied to the seat cloth 40 from the protruding portion 50E. Therefore, the expected bending mode of the seat cloth 40 can be realized, and the side collision safety performance can be improved.

[0034] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 1, a patch 17 is provided opposite the raised portion 22 of the two seat brackets 20. Therefore, when the vehicle 10 makes a side collision and a collision load F is input, the collision load F can be transmitted from the patch 17 to the two seat cloths 40 via the rocker (rocker inner 14) and the two seat brackets 20. The collision load F is absorbed by the structure including the two seat cloths 40. Therefore, side collision safety performance can be improved.

[0035] According to the embodiments described above, it is possible to lower the position of the seat 80 and achieve both low positioning and side impact safety performance. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0036] 10 Vehicle, 11 Floor panel, 12 Seat support structure (support structure), 13 Tunnel structure, 14 Rocker inner, 15 Rocker outer, 17 Patch, 18,19 Seat rail, 20 Seat bracket, 21 Seat mounting part, 22 Lifting part, 30 Seat bracket, 31 Seat mounting part, 40 Seat cross (cross member), 46 Receiving member, 50 Bracket lower, 50E Protruding part, 50F Front, 50S Side, 50U Upper, 51 Seat mounting part, 52 Lifting part, 60 Bracket upper, 60F Front, 60JU,60JL Joint, 60S Side, 60U Upper, 61 Seat mounting part, 62 Lifting part, 80 Seat, 81 Seat body, 82 Screw, 90 Scuff plate.

Claims

1. A vehicle side structure, Floor panel and To support the seat, two support structures are arranged on the floor panel and spaced apart in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, It comprises a rocker inner provided on the outer side of the two support structures in the vehicle width direction and extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction, Each of the two support structures includes a seat cloth extending in the vehicle width direction and a seat bracket positioned at the upper end of the seat cloth on the outer side in the vehicle width direction to support the seat. Each of the two support structures has a seat mounting portion and a raised portion that extends diagonally from the seat mounting portion outward in the vehicle width direction and upward toward the vehicle and faces the rocker inner. The raised portions of the two support structures are the parts that are not in contact with the rocker inner. The vehicle side structure further comprises a patch positioned opposite to the raised portions of the two support structures, on the side of the rocker inner opposite to the raised portions of the two support structures, The patch extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle between the raised portion of one support structure and the raised portion of the other support structure. Vehicle side structure.

2. The vehicle side structure according to Claim 1, Each of the two support structures is provided with a joint in which the seat bracket, the rocker inner, and the patch are joined together. Vehicle side structure.

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