Rear structure of the vehicle

Abstract

To provide a vehicle rear part structure capable of contributing to the driving stability of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle rear part structure includes: a rear gate opening arranged at the rear part of a vehicle; a first member arranged on the top of the rear gate opening and extending in a vehicle width direction; a second member arranged at the side part of the rear gate opening and extending in the vertical direction; and a third member connecting the first member with the second member. The third member has a first surface extending in the cross direction of the vehicle along the opening and a second surface extending from the first surface in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The second surface includes: a first ridge line forming an outer edge of the second surface; a second ridge line forming a borderline of the first surface and the second surface; and a third ridge line branching from the second ridge line and extending toward the first ridge line.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a rear structure of a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a rear structure of a vehicle having a tailgate is known. Patent Document 1 discloses a rear structure of a vehicle in which two ridge lines extending from a vertical wall of a side body toward a vertical wall of a roof member are formed (see FIG. 6 of Patent Document 1). In the rear structure of the vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1, the distance between the two ridge lines increases toward the upper portion of the vehicle.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Patent Document 1 does not disclose a vehicle rear structure that contributes to the steering stability of the vehicle.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a rear structure of a vehicle that contributes to the steering stability of the vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] The rear structure of a vehicle according to this disclosure comprises a rear gate opening located at the rear of the vehicle, a first member located at the top of the rear gate opening and extending in the vehicle width direction, a second member located on the side of the rear gate opening and extending in the vertical direction, and a third member connecting the first member and the second member. The third member has a first surface extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle along the opening, and a second surface extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle from the first surface, the second surface including a first ridge line forming the outer edge of the second surface, a second ridge line forming the boundary between the first surface and the second surface, and a third ridge line branching from the second ridge line and extending toward the first ridge line.

[0007] In this vehicle's rear structure, the stress applied from the first to the third member is distributed by the third ridge. This improves the rigidity around the rear gate opening and the overall body rigidity. As a result, handling stability is improved. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a rear vehicle structure that contributes to the vehicle's handling stability. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the rear structure of the vehicle. [Figure 2] Enlarged view of the rear structure of the vehicle. [Figure 3] Cross-sectional view AA in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Cross-sectional view of BB in Figure 2. [Figure 5] Cross-sectional view of CC in Figure 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the specification and drawings, the direction of travel of vehicle 1 will be indicated as front, the opposite direction as rear, the right side in the direction of travel of vehicle 1 as right, and the opposite side as left. The vertical direction will be indicated as up and down in the specification and drawings. The left and right direction may also be indicated as the vehicle width direction.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle 1 comprises a rear gate opening 2 located at the rear of the vehicle 1, a rear roof rail (an example of a first member) 4, a gate pillar (an example of a second member) 6, a corner member (an example of a third member) 8, and a roof side pillar (an example of a fourth member) 10 connected to the corner member 8. The rear roof rail 4 is located at the top of the rear gate opening 2 and extends in the vehicle width direction. The gate pillars 6 are located on the left and right sides of the rear gate opening 2 and extend in the vertical direction. The corner members 8 extend in the vertical and vehicle width directions and are members that connect the rear roof rail 4 and the gate pillars 6. The vehicle 1 in this embodiment is a hatchback type automobile. In such a hatchback type automobile, a rear gate (not shown) is attached to the rear gate opening 2. That is, the rear gate opening 2 is a space that is opened and closed by the rear gate.

[0012] The gate pillar 6, corner member 8, and roof side pillar 10 are joined to the side panel 12 and chassis (not shown), and function as the framework of the body members of vehicle 1. The corner member 8 and roof side pillar 10 are joined to a roof panel (not shown). The roof side pillar 10 supports the left and right sides of this roof panel.

[0013] As shown in Figure 2, the corner member 8 has a flange surface (an example of a first surface) 14 extending in the front-rear direction, and a vertical wall (an example of a second surface) 16 extending vertically and in the vehicle width direction from the flange surface 14. As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the vertical wall 16 extends vertically from the front end of the flange surface 14 at the top of the corner member 8. The vertical wall 16 extends in the vehicle width direction from the front end of the flange surface 14 at the side of the corner member 8. The flange surface 14 is also provided on the rear roof rail 4 and the gate pillar 6, so that the flange surface 14 of the corner member 8 is continuously formed with the flange surface 14 of the rear roof rail 4 and the gate pillar 6.

[0014] The vertical wall 16 includes a first ridge line 18 that forms the outer edge of the vertical wall 16, a second ridge line 20 that forms the boundary between the flange surface 14 and the vertical wall 16, and a third ridge line 22 that branches off from the second ridge line 20 at the corner member 8 and extends toward the first ridge line 18.

[0015] More specifically, as shown by the dashed lines in Figures 3, 4, and 5, the gate pillar 6, corner member 8, and roof side pillar 10 actually have an outer panel 24. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the flange surface 14 has a flange joint surface 14a at its rear end that extends in the front-rear direction along the rear gate opening 2, and the flange joint surface 14a is joined to the outer panel 24.

[0016] As shown in Figure 3, the vertical wall 16 has an upper joining surface 16a extending in the front-rear direction at the front end of the upper part of the vehicle 1, and the upper joining surface 16a joins with the outer panel 24 at the upper part of the vehicle 1. Also, as shown in Figure 5, the vertical wall 16 has a side joining surface 16b extending in the front-rear direction at the side end (left-right end) of the vehicle 1, and the side joining surface 16b joins with the outer panel 24 at the side of the vehicle 1. In this way, the corner member 8 and the outer panel 24 are joined, creating a space between the corner member 8 and the outer panel 24. The outer panel 24 is joined to a roof panel (not shown) at the upper part of the vehicle 1, and to a side panel 12 at the side of the vehicle 1.

[0017] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the first ridge line 18 forms the boundary between the upper joint surface 16a and the vertical wall 16 on the upper part of the corner member 8 of the vehicle 1, thereby forming the outer edge of the vertical wall 16 that extends in the vertical direction. Also, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, the first ridge line 18 forms the boundary between the side joint surface 16b and the vertical wall 16 on the side of the corner member 8 of the vehicle 1, thereby forming the outer edge of the vertical wall 16 that extends in the left-right direction. As shown in Figure 2, the first ridge line 18 extends in the left-right and up-down directions, sandwiching the roof side pillar joint portion 26 to which the roof side pillar 10 is joined to the vertical wall 16.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the second ridge line 20 extends in the vertical direction and the left-right direction along the rear gate opening 2, thereby forming a boundary between the flange surface 14 and the standing wall 16. As shown in FIG. 2, similar to the flange surface 14, the rear roof rail 4 and the gate pillar 6 are also provided with standing walls 16, and the standing wall 16 of the corner member 8 is formed continuously with the standing walls 16 of the rear roof rail 4 and the gate pillar 6. Accordingly, the first ridge line 18 and the second ridge line 20 are also formed on the rear roof rail 4 and the gate pillar 6. Therefore, the first ridge line 18 of the corner member 8 is connected to the first ridge lines 18 of the rear roof rail 4 and the gate pillar 6. Further, the second ridge line 20 of the corner member 8 is connected to the second ridge lines 20 of the rear roof rail 4 and the gate pillar 6.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the third ridge line 22 branches off from the second ridge line 20 and joins the first ridge line 18 that forms the boundary between the upper joint surface 16a and the standing wall 16. More specifically, the third ridge line 22 branches above the vicinity of the start point (see S in FIG. 2) of the R portion 20a where the direction switches from the vertical direction to the vehicle width direction, among the second ridge lines 20 formed on the corner member 8. The third ridge line 22 joins the first ridge line 18 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction relative to the vicinity of the end point (see F in FIG. 2) of the R portion where the R portion 22a of the second ridge line 20 extends in the vehicle width direction. In this vicinity, the first ridge line 18 extends in the vehicle width direction (left-right direction).

[0020] As shown in FIG. 4, by providing such a third ridge line 22, an outer side surface 16d located outside the standing wall 16 and an inner side surface 16e located downward in the vertical direction and inward in the vehicle width direction relative to the outer side surface 16d are formed at the position where the standing wall 16 bends from the left-right direction to the vertical direction. Further, the inner side surface 16e is a surface inclined more in the front-rear direction than the outer side surface 16d.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the roof side pillar 10 is joined to the standing wall 16 by a roof side pillar joining portion 26. As shown in FIG. 2, the roof side pillar joining portion 26 is joined above the vehicle 1 relative to the third ridge line 22. More specifically, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, both the upper end 10a of the roof side pillar 10 and the lower end 10b of the roof side pillar 10 are joined to the standing wall 16 above the third ridge line 22, that is, the roof side pillar 10 is joined to the outer side surface 16d of the standing wall 16. However, the roof side pillar 10 may be joined to the standing wall 16 across the third ridge line 22.

[0022] In the rear structure of the vehicle 1 configured as described above, when the vehicle 1 turns, a load is applied in a direction that twists the vehicle body in the left-right direction. Since the roof side pillar 10 is joined to a roof panel (not shown) and a side panel 12 of the vehicle 1, it receives loads applied in the up-down direction, the left-right direction, and the front-rear direction when the vehicle 1 is in such a state. At this time, when the roof side pillar 10 pulls or pushes the corner member 8, a load is applied to the corner member 8.

[0023] However, according to the rear structure of the vehicle 1 of the present disclosure, the stress applied to the outer side surface 16d is dispersed to the first ridge line 18 and the second ridge line 20 via the third ridge line 22. Therefore, as a result of improving the rigidity of the corner member 8, the rigidity around the rear gate opening 2 including the rear roof rail 4 and the gate pillar 6 is improved. This suppresses the movement of the roof side pillar 10 and improves the torsional rigidity of the entire vehicle body. As a result, the steering stability of the vehicle 1 is improved.

[0024] As described above, according to the present disclosure, a rear structure of a vehicle 1 that contributes to improving the steering stability of the vehicle 1 can be provided.

[0025] <Other Embodiments> Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. In particular, the various modifications described herein can be combined as needed.

[0026] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the third ridge line 22 merges with the first ridge line 18 at the upper part of the corner member 8, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. The third ridge line 22 may also merge with the first ridge line 18 of the rear roof rail 4. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0027] 1: Vehicle, 2: Rear gate opening 4: Rear roof rail (example of first component), 6: Gate pillar (example of second component) 8: Corner member (an example of a third member), 10: Roof side pillar (an example of a fourth member) 10a: Upper end, 10b: Lower end 14: Flange surface (an example of the first surface), 16: Vertical wall (an example of the second surface) 18: First ridge, 20: Second ridge, 22: Third ridge

Claims

1. The rear gate opening located at the rear of the vehicle, A first member is positioned at the top of the rear gate opening and extends in the vehicle width direction, A second member is positioned on the side of the rear gate opening and extends in the vertical direction, The first member and the third member connecting the second member, Equipped with, The third member has a first surface extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle along the rear gate opening, and a second surface extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle from the first surface. The second surface has a first ridge line that forms the outer edge of the second surface, A second ridge line forming the boundary between the first surface and the second surface, A third ridge branches off from the second ridge and extends toward the first ridge, Includes, The third ridge line branches off from the second ridge line in the portion of the third member that extends vertically, and merges with the first ridge line in the portion of the third member that extends in the vehicle width direction or in the portion of the first member that extends in the vehicle width direction. The rear structure of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle further comprises a fourth member that supports the side of the roof, The fourth member is connected to the third member, The rear structure of the vehicle according to claim 1.

3. The upper end of the fourth member is joined above the third ridge of the second surface. The rear structure of the vehicle according to claim 2.

4. The lower end of the fourth member is joined above the third ridge of the second surface. The rear structure of a vehicle according to claim 2 or 3.

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