Mounting structure and object to be mounted

Abstract

To provide an attachment structure which enables improvement of durability against deformation and damage of an attachment object attached to an object, to which the attachment object is attached, by a fixing member, and to provide the attachment object.SOLUTION: An attachment structure 60 is used to attach an attachment object (a rear spoiler 20) to an object (a vehicle 30) to which the attachment object is attached. The attachment structure 60 includes an attachment member 10 for attaching the rear spoiler 20 to the vehicle body 30 by a fixing member (a fastening member 40). The rear spoiler 20 includes a deformable part 71 which is integrally provided with a side which contacts with the attachment member 10 and may deform when the rear spoiler 20 is pressed toward the attachment member 10 by external force.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2C

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a mounting structure and an object to be mounted.

Background Art

[0002] As a mounting structure, Patent Document 1 discloses a resin member mounting structure in which a resin member 30 (a long resin member) is mounted to a trunk lid 21 (a vehicle body) by a fixing member 50. In this resin member mounting structure, the trunk lid 21 is provided with a first mounting portion 26 for fixing one end 51 of the fixing member 50. One end 51 of the fixing member 50 is formed into a flat plate shape and fastened to the trunk lid 21 with a bolt 63. The resin member 30 is provided with a second mounting portion 41 at a position offset in the longitudinal direction of the resin member 30 relative to the first mounting portion 26, for locking the other end 52 of the fixing member 50 so as to be relatively movable in the longitudinal direction of the resin member 30. The second mounting portion 41 includes a quadrangular opening 42, two opposing edges 43, 43 along the longitudinal direction of the resin member 30 in the opening 42, a passage opening 44 formed adjacent to these edges 43, 43 and the opening 42, and protrusions 45, 45 protruding near the opening 42 of the edges 43, 43.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the mounting structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 mentioned above, although the resin member 30 (object to be mounted) can be attached to the trunk hood 21 (mounting destination) by the fixing member 50, if a relatively large force is applied to the resin member 30, the force (load) is transmitted throughout the entire structure starting from the point of application (load point). However, stress tends to concentrate in the parts where the load is directly transmitted, and there is a risk that the resin member may deform or break. In particular, there is a risk that the parts of the resin member where stress tends to concentrate, for example, around the opening 42 of the second mounting portion 41 of the resin member 30, may deform or break.

[0005] The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a mounting structure and a mounting object that have higher durability against deformation and damage to the mounting object attached to the mounting site by a fixing member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the mounting structure according to the present invention is a mounting structure for attaching an object to be attached to a mounting site, wherein the mounting structure comprises a mounting member for attaching the object to be attached to the mounting site by a fixing member, and comprises a deformable portion integrally provided on the side of the object to be attached that contacts the mounting member, and which is deformable when the object to be attached is pushed toward the mounting member by an external force.

[0007] According to the mounting structure of this invention, when a relatively large force (external force) is applied to the object to be mounted, a deformable part integrally provided on the object is deformed when the object is pushed toward the mounting member by the external force. As a result, it is possible to delay the timing at which the load is applied to the mounting member, and for the same external force (load), it is possible to reduce the stress on the mounting structure (the mounting part of the object to be mounted). In other words, if the mounting part of the object to be mounted undergoes the same amount of deformation, the parts other than the mounting part will undergo even greater deformation, and will be able to withstand a higher load and return a higher stress. Therefore, it is possible to further increase the durability of the object to be mounted against deformation and damage.

[0008] Furthermore, in the mounting structure according to the present invention, it is preferable that the deformable portion is formed of a grid-like rib. This makes it possible to form the deformable portion with a relatively simple structure and, consequently, at a relatively low cost.

[0009] Furthermore, the object to be mounted according to the present invention is characterized by having the mounting structure described above. The object to be mounted according to this invention can also be used to obtain the same functions and effects as the mounting structure described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to this invention, it is possible to provide a mounting structure and a mounting object that have higher durability against deformation and damage to the mounting object attached to the mounting site by a fixing member. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a rear perspective view showing one embodiment of a vehicle body 30 to which the mounting structure 60 according to the present invention is applied. [Figure 2A] Figure 1 is a partially enlarged bottom view showing a portion of the rear spoiler 20, enclosed by a thin solid line. [Figure 2B] This is a partially enlarged plan view including the mounting member fixing portion 23 of the lower member 22 shown in Figure 2A. [Figure 2C] This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the case where no external force is acting on the mounting structure 60 according to the embodiment. [Figure 2D] This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the case where an external force is acting on the mounting structure 60 according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 2A is a partially enlarged perspective view of a portion of the area shown (including the mounting member fixing portion 23). [Figure 4A] This is a cross-sectional view along line 4-4 shown in Figure 2A. [Figure 4B] This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a portion of the cross-sectional view shown in Figure 4A (including the mounting member 10, nut member 41, and mounting member fixing part 23). [Figure 5]This is an external perspective view showing the mounting member 10 according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] This is an external perspective view showing a modified mounting member 110. [Figure 7] This is an external perspective view showing a modified mounting member 210. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the mounting structure and mounting object according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and can be implemented in various forms with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0013] As shown in Figure 4A, the mounting structure 60 is a mounting structure for attaching the rear spoiler 20, which is the object to be mounted, to the vehicle body 30, which is the mounting destination, using fastening members 40 and mounting members 10, which are fixing members. The mounting structure 60 comprises the rear spoiler 20 (object to be mounted), the vehicle body 30 (mounting destination), fastening members 40 (fixing members), and mounting members 10.

[0014] The mounting member 10 is a component for attaching the rear spoiler 20, which is the object to be attached, to the vehicle body 30, which is the mounting destination, by fastening member 40, which is a fixing member. As shown in Figure 1, the rear spoiler 20 is attached to the upper part of the back door 32 which is connected to the roof portion 31 of the vehicle body 30, and is positioned behind the roof portion 31 and extends rearward from the back door 32. The rear spoiler 20 is formed in a horizontally elongated shape that is approximately the same size as the left-right width of the upper part of the back door 32, and is formed in a narrow shape in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, with a width shorter than the left-right width.

[0015] Furthermore, the object to be mounted is not limited to the rear spoiler 20, and is preferably an automotive member such as an automotive exterior member including a front spoiler, or an automotive interior member. The object to be mounted is not limited to a synthetic resin material, and a composite material such as carbon fiber reinforced plastic may be employed. Further, when the object to be mounted is an automotive member, the mounting destination is a vehicle body, but is not limited thereto, and a main body of an electrical appliance such as a printer, a personal computer, or a television may be employed. Further, the mounting member 10 is preferably an automotive mounting member for mounting an automotive member to the vehicle body 30. Further, the fixing member is not limited to the fastening member 40, and a rivet or an engaging member having concave and convex portions that engage with each other may be employed.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the rear spoiler 20 includes an upper member 21 made of synthetic resin and a lower member 22 made of synthetic resin. The upper member 21 and the lower member 22 are fixed, for example, by vibration welding. The lower member 22 is integrally formed with a mounting member fixing portion 23 to which the mounting member 10 is fixed. The mounting member fixing portion 23 is provided to protrude toward the outside of the lower member 22 (is formed in a convex shape). Both the mounting member 10 placed inside the mounting member fixing portion 23 and the mounting member fixing portion 23 are clamped (held) by a nut member 41, and a bolt member 42 (see FIG. 4A) is fastened to the nut member 41 from the back door 32 side (the vehicle body 30 side), whereby the rear spoiler 20 is mounted to the back door 32. Furthermore, the upper member 21 and the lower member 22 may be fixed by a fixing method other than vibration welding, for example, an adhesive or screwing.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 5, the mounting member 10 includes a base portion 11, an opening portion 12, a holding portion 13, a connecting portion 14, and a wall portion 15. The mounting member 10 is formed of a metal material (such as iron or aluminum) into a dome shape having a flat top (hereinafter may be referred to as a pedestal shape). The base portion 11 forms the flat top of the mounting member 10, and the wall portion 15 forms a side surface portion.

[0018] The base portion 11 is formed in a U-shape and plate-like manner in plan view, and has an opening 12 on its inside. The base portion 11 comprises a right base portion 11a, an upper base portion 11b whose base end is connected to one end (upper end) of the right base portion 11a, and a lower base portion 11c whose base end is connected to the other end (lower end) of the right base portion 11a. The inside of the base portion 11 forms an opening 12 that opens toward the left (to the left in the horizontal direction of the base portion 11). The opening 12 penetrates along the front-to-back direction (the thickness direction of the base portion 11).

[0019] The inner peripheral edge of the base portion 11 is formed in a U-shape and can also be called the opening peripheral edge 12a of the opening 12. A holding portion 13 is formed on this opening peripheral edge 12a of the opening 12 to hold the retained portion 41d (see Figure 4B) of the nut member 41 (fixing member). The nut member 41 is held on the base portion 11 by fitting its outer wall portion into the inner peripheral edge of the base portion 11 (the opening peripheral edge 12a of the opening 12). In this way, the holding portion 13 is formed on the opening peripheral edge 12a of the opening 12 and holds the retained portion 41d of the nut member 41 (fixing member). It is preferable to provide a protruding convex portion on the inner wall surface of the U-shaped opening 12. The convex portion functions to prevent the nut member 41, which has been inserted to a predetermined position, from coming loose.

[0020] The base portion 11 contacts and is fixed to the fixing base portion 51 (see Figure 2) of the mounting member fixing portion 23 of the lower member 22. At this time, the base portion 11 is held together with the fixing base portion 51 by the held portion 41d of the nut member 41, and the mounting member 10 and the nut member 41 are assembled to the mounting member fixing portion 23 of the rear spoiler 20. The base portion 11, i.e., the mounting member 10, is fixed to the rear spoiler 20 (the object to be attached) by the nut member 41 (fixing member).

[0021] As shown in Figure 5, the wall portion 15 is provided connected to the base portion 11 and is capable of contacting the inside of the mounting member fixing portion 23 of the rear spoiler 20, and at the contact portion, it receives the force applied to the mounting member 10. The wall portion 15 comprises an upper wall 15a, a lower wall 15b, a right wall 15c, and a left wall 15d. The upper wall 15a is connected to the upper edge of the upper base portion 11b of the base portion 11. The lower wall 15b is connected to the lower edge of the lower base portion 11c of the base portion 11. The right wall 15c is connected to the right edge of the right base portion 11a of the base portion 11, and its upper edge is connected to the right edge of the upper wall 15a, and its lower edge is connected to the right edge of the lower wall 15b.

[0022] The left wall 15d is connected to a portion of the tip of the upper base 11b and a portion of the tip of the lower base 11c, and its upper edge is connected to the left edge of the upper wall 15a and its lower edge is connected to the left edge of the lower wall 15b. In some cases, the left wall 15d may be connected only to the left edge of the lower wall 15b and its lower edge is connected only to the left edge of the upper base 11b and the tip of the lower base 11c.

[0023] The lower wall 15b, the right wall 15c, and the left wall 15d are provided so as to form a first predetermined angle (for example, 90 degrees) with respect to the base 11. The first predetermined angle is set to be 90 degrees or more and less than 180 degrees, such that the contour of the mounting member 10 in plan view is as close as possible to the outer casing of the base 11. This makes it possible to miniaturize the mounting member 10. It also makes it possible to increase the rigidity of the mounting member 10.

[0024] The upper wall 15a is provided so as to form a second predetermined angle (for example, an angle greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees) with respect to the base 11. Preferably, the second predetermined angle is set so that the shape of the mounting member fixing portion 23 is the optimal shape according to the shape of the back door 32. For example, the upper wall 55a of the fixing portion wall portion 55 of the mounting member fixing portion 23 is substantially flat along the shape of the back door 32, and is formed to extend along the horizontal direction of the base 11 (the second predetermined angle is 180 degrees). This makes it possible to provide a mounting member 10 that has the optimal shape according to the installation location of the mounting member fixing portion 23 and the shape of the lower member 22. The upper wall 15a is formed in a stepped plate shape, and the outer end (corner) of the second flange portion 41c contacts the inner wall surface of the stepped portion 15a1, thereby restricting the rotation of the nut member 41.

[0025] Furthermore, the shapes of the upper wall 15a, lower wall 15b, right wall 15c, and left wall 15d are not limited to those of this embodiment, and can be freely set to an optimal shape according to the installation location of the mounting member fixing part 23 and the shape of the lower member 22.

[0026] As shown in Figure 5, the connecting portion 14 connects both ends of the opening side of the base portion 11, namely the tip (left end) of the upper base portion 11b and the tip (left end) of the lower base portion 11c. The tip (left end) of the upper base portion 11b is connected to the tip (left end) of the lower base portion 11c via the left wall 15d, and the connecting portion 14 is formed by the left wall 15d. The connecting portion 14 is provided perpendicular to the base portion 11 and has a fixing member opening 14a through which the second flange portion 41c (described later), which is part of the nut member 41, can be inserted. The fixing member opening 14a opens continuously with the opening 12. The fixing member opening 14a is set to be slightly larger than the contour of the side surface projected from the nut member 41 (particularly the second flange portion 41c and the cylindrical body 41a).

[0027] Furthermore, the connecting portion 14 is not limited to being provided perpendicular to the base portion 11, but may be provided at a predetermined angle to the base portion 11. For example, the predetermined angle may be set to 5 to 85 degrees, and the connecting portion 14 may be provided at a 5 to 85-degree angle to the base portion 11. The predetermined angle is preferably 5 to 85 degrees, and more preferably 20 to 60 degrees.

[0028] Furthermore, if the upper edge of the left wall 15d is connected to the left edge of the upper wall 15a, and the lower edge of the left wall 15d is connected only to the left edge of the lower wall 15b, then the tip (left end) of the upper base 11b is connected to the tip (left end) of the lower base 11c via the upper wall 15a, the left wall 15d, and the lower wall 15b. In this case, the connecting portion 14 is formed by the upper wall 15a, the left wall 15d, and the lower wall 15b, and the connecting portion 14 has a left wall 15d that is provided perpendicular to the base 11.

[0029] This connection part 14 allows for increased rigidity of both ends of the opening 12 (both ends of the upper base 11b and lower base 11c of the base 11) by connecting the ends of the opening 12 which has a U-shaped opening periphery 12a in plan view. For example, it is possible to suppress the opening of both ends of the opening when a large force is applied to the rear spoiler 20. Furthermore, since the periphery of the opening 12 of the base 11 is closed all around, it is possible to increase the rigidity of the mounting member 10. As a result, the load-bearing capacity of the mounting member 10 can be increased, and consequently, the load-bearing capacity of the mounting structure 60 which attaches the rear spoiler 20 to the vehicle body 30 by the mounting member 10 can be increased.

[0030] Furthermore, when attaching the nut member 41 to the mounting member 10 attached to the lower member 22, it is possible to easily attach it by inserting the nut member 41 through the fixing member opening 14a. Thus, it is possible to achieve both easy attachment of the nut member 41 and improved load-bearing capacity of the mounting member 10.

[0031] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the mounting member fixing portion 23 is formed at a predetermined location on the rear spoiler 20 to house and fix the mounting member 10 inside it. One or more predetermined locations are provided where necessary to fix the rear spoiler 20 to the vehicle body 30. The mounting member fixing portion 23 is preferably formed according to the shape of the mounting member 10, and in this embodiment, it is formed to be a base-shaped recess. The mounting member fixing portion 23 includes a fixing portion base portion 51 formed in correspondence with the base portion 11 and in contact with and holding the base portion 11, and a fixing portion wall portion 55 formed in correspondence with the wall portion 15 and in contact with and holding the wall portion 15. The mounting member fixing portion 23 further includes a fixing portion opening 52 (see Figure 4B) and a fixing portion holding portion 53 (see Figure 4B).

[0032] The fixing base 51, like the base 11, is formed in a U-shape and plate-like manner in plan view, and has a fixing opening 52 on its inside. The fixing opening 52 is formed in the same way as the opening 12, and a fixing holding portion 53 is formed on the peripheral edge of the opening of the fixing opening 52 to hold the held portion 41d of the nut member 41 (fixing member). As shown in Figure 4B, the base 11 is installed on top of the fixing base 51 with the opening 12 aligned with the fixing opening 52. The held portion 41d of the nut member 41 is fitted into the peripheral edge of the opening of the fixing opening 52 (the inner peripheral edge of the fixing base 51) and the peripheral edge 12a of the opening 12 in the overlapped state. In this way, the nut member 41 is attached to the mounting member fixing portion 23, and the mounting member 10 is attached by the nut member 41. In other words, the nut member 41 is held on the base of the fixing part 51 by fitting its outer wall portion into the opening periphery of the fixing part opening 52 (the inner periphery of the base of the fixing part 51).

[0033] The fixed part wall 55 mainly comprises an upper wall 55a, a lower wall 55b, a right wall 55c, and a left wall 55d, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The upper wall 55a is connected to the upper edge of the fixed part base 51. The lower wall 55b is connected to the lower edge of the fixed part base 51. The right wall 55c is connected to the right edge of the fixed part base 51, and its upper edge is connected to the right edge of the upper wall 55a, while its lower edge is connected to the right edge of the lower wall 55b. The left wall 55d is connected to the left edge of the fixed part base 51, and its upper edge is connected to the left edge of the upper wall 55a, while its lower edge is connected to the left edge of the lower wall 55b.

[0034] The upper wall 55a, lower wall 55b, right wall 55c, and left wall 55d of the fixed wall portion 55 are provided corresponding to the upper wall 15a, lower wall 15b, right wall 15c, and left wall 15d of the wall portion 15, respectively. The upper wall 15a is in contact with and fixed to the inner wall surface of the upper wall 55a, the lower wall 15b is in contact with and fixed to the inner wall surface of the lower wall 55b, the right wall 15c is in contact with and fixed to the inner wall surface of the right wall 55c, and the left wall 15d is in contact with and fixed to the inner wall surface of the left wall 55d.

[0035] Furthermore, the rear spoiler 20 is integrally provided with a deformable portion 71. Specifically, the deformable portion 71 is formed of a grid-like rib 71a, as shown in Figure 2A. The deformable portion 71 is made of the same material as the rear spoiler 20. The deformable portion 71 has ribs arranged in a grid pattern. In this specification, a rib means an elongated projection on the object to which it is attached, and has the function of being more easily deformed than other parts of the object to which it is attached (for example, the plate-shaped main body of the rear spoiler 20) when force is applied in the height direction of the rib. In addition, the rib also has the original function of increasing rigidity and strength without increasing the thickness of the resin product, and preventing deformation such as warping and twisting.

[0036] The deformable portion 71 is integrally provided on the side of the rear spoiler 20 (the object to be attached) that contacts the mounting member 10, and is deformable when the rear spoiler 20 is pushed toward the mounting member 10 by an external force. It is preferable that the deformable portion 71 is a structure that is more easily deformed than other parts of the rear spoiler 20. This is because it is preferable that the deformable portion 71 deforms before other parts (the main body) when the rear spoiler 20 is pushed toward the mounting member 10 by an external force.

[0037] The deformable portion 71 is pressed against the mounting member 10 and deformed (crushed) when the rear spoiler 20 is pushed toward the mounting member 10 by an external force. As a result, it is possible to delay the timing at which a load is applied to a predetermined part of the mounting member 10 (the boundary portion between the mounting member 10 (the rear end edge of the lower wall 15b) and the lower member 22), and for the same external force (load), it is possible to reduce the stress on the mounting structure 60 (the mounting member fixing portion 23 of the rear spoiler 20). In other words, if the mounting member fixing portion 23 of the rear spoiler 20 undergoes the same amount of deformation, the parts other than the mounting member fixing portion 23 will undergo even greater deformation, and will be able to receive a higher load and return a higher stress. Therefore, it is possible to make the durability of the rear spoiler 20 against deformation and damage higher. The boundary portion may also be defined as the interface portion between the reinforced portion and the unreinforced portion of the lower member 22 that is reinforced by the mounting member 10.

[0038] In other words, when the rear spoiler 20 is pushed toward the mounting member 10 by an external force, the timing at which the load is applied to the mounting member 10, which is the sheet metal reinforcement part of the rear spoiler 20, can be delayed by the amount of deformation of the deformable part 71. That is, while the deformable part 71 is deforming, the load is applied to both the deformable part 71 and the unreinforced part, and then, at the timing when the deformation of the deformable part 71 is completed, stress concentrates at the interface due to the resistance force from the mounting member 10. Therefore, when the rear spoiler 20 is pushed toward the mounting member 10 by an external force, it is possible to distribute (relieve) the stress at the interface in a timely manner. As a result, it is possible to suppress damage to the lower member 22 due to stress concentration at the interface between the reinforced part and the unreinforced part.

[0039] The deformable portion 71 is preferably provided at the location where the mounting member 10 and the rear spoiler 20 come into contact, that is, preferably on the inner surface (rear surface) of the mounting member fixing portion 23, and in this embodiment, preferably on the inner surface of the lower wall 55b. In particular, the deformable portion 71 is preferably provided at the location where the mounting member 10 and the rear spoiler 20 come into contact when the rear spoiler 20 is pushed toward the mounting member 10 by an external force.

[0040] The deformable portion 71 is formed in a grid-like rib shape, but as shown in Figure 2B, it may also be formed by a plurality of ribs 71b arranged parallel to each other. The ribs 71b are preferably provided (extended) along the front-rear direction of the rear spoiler 20. Although it is preferable that each rib 71b is parallel, it is not limited to this, and they may be arranged to form a predetermined small angle (for example, a few degrees (specifically, for example, 0.1 to 5 degrees)).

[0041] Furthermore, when an external force acts upward on the rear edge of the rear spoiler 20, the lever principle acts on the rear spoiler 20, but the lever that acts on the rear spoiler 20 is of the type in which the point of force application, the point of application, and the fulcrum are arranged from the rear to the front. The point of force application is the rear edge of the lower member 22 to which the external force is applied, the point of application is the mounting member fixing part 23, and the fulcrum is any contact point on the front edge of the lower member 22 from the mounting member fixing part 23. In this case, the extension direction of the rib 71b can be set in the direction in which the point of force application, the point of application, and the fulcrum are aligned.

[0042] Furthermore, although the deformable portion 71 is formed in a grid pattern or a plurality of parallel ribs, it is not limited to this and may be formed in a bead pattern. A bead pattern is formed in the shape of an elongated projection, and is formed in a substantially U-shape in cross-section in the short direction.

[0043] Furthermore, it is preferable that the longitudinal length of the rib 71b (or the grid-like rib 71a) is set to be shorter than the longitudinal length of the lower wall 15b of the mounting member 10. This ensures that the rib 71b is contained within the range of the lower wall 15b of the mounting member 10, so that when the rear spoiler 20 is pushed toward the mounting member 10 by an external force, all of the rib 71b of the rear spoiler 20 can be reliably brought into contact with the mounting member 10. As a result, it becomes possible to crush the entire range of the rib 71b, and to gradually crush it from the rear end to the front end.

[0044] Furthermore, the length of the rib 71b (or the grid-like rib 71a) in the front-rear direction may be set to be longer than the length of the lower wall 15b of the mounting member 10 in the front-rear direction. In this case, although the rib 71b protrudes from the lower wall 15b of the mounting member 10, the rear end of the lower wall 15b of the mounting member 10 will come into contact with the lower member 22 (lower wall 55b) via the rib 71b, so the rigidity of the boundary between the mounting member 10 and the lower member 22 can be increased by the inherent rigidity-enhancing function of the rib 71b.

[0045] Furthermore, although the deformable portion 71 is formed within the mounting member fixing portion 23, which is a recess formed in the plate-shaped main body of the lower member 22, it is not limited to this and may be formed in a flat portion formed in the plate-shaped main body of the lower member 22. In this case, instead of the mounting member 10, a mounting member 210 (shown in Figure 7, described later), which is flat overall, can be used as the mounting member.

[0046] The left wall 55d is provided with a fixing member opening 55d1 through which a second flange portion 41c (described later), which is part of the nut member 41, can be inserted. The fixing member opening 55d1 is continuous with the fixing part opening 52. The fixing member opening 55d1 is provided in correspondence with the fixing member opening 14a.

[0047] As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the fastening member 40 comprises a nut member 41 and a bolt member 42. The nut member 41 comprises a cylindrical body 41a, an annular first flange portion 41b coaxially provided at one end (front end) of the cylindrical body 41a, a rectangular second flange portion 41c coaxially provided at the other end (rear end) of the cylindrical body 41a, and a retained portion 41d which is an annular recess formed by the outer wall surface of the cylindrical body 41a, the first flange portion 41b, and the second flange portion 41c. The inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical body 41a has a female thread formed thereon, into which the male thread of the bolt member 42 is screwed.

[0048] The width of the held portion 41d (the distance between the first flange portion 41b and the second flange portion 41c) is preferably set to be slightly larger than the sum of the thickness of the holding portion 13 of the mounting member 10 and the thickness of the fixing portion holding portion 53 of the mounting member fixing portion 23. The first flange portion 41b and the second flange portion 41c sandwich the holding portion 13 of the mounting member 10 and the fixing portion holding portion 53 of the mounting member fixing portion 23. In other words, the held portion 41d is held by the holding portion 13 of the mounting member 10 and the fixing portion holding portion 53 of the mounting member fixing portion 23.

[0049] Furthermore, an annular elastic member 41e is provided coaxially on the front end surface of the first flange portion 41b. The second flange portion 41c is formed in a rectangular shape so as to be able to contact either the inner wall surface of the wall portion 15 of the mounting member 10 (preferably the stepped portion 15a1 of the upper wall 15a or the lower wall 15b) in order to restrict the rotation of the nut member 41. Specifically, the length of the short side (one side in the case of a square) of the rectangular second flange portion 41c is set to be smaller than the distance between the upper wall 15a and the lower wall 15b of the wall portion 15, and larger than the vertical width of the opening 12. The length of the long side (diagonal in the case of a square) of the rectangular second flange portion 41c is set to be larger than the distance between the upper wall 15a and the lower wall 15b of the wall portion 15.

[0050] Although the nut member 41 is held by the mounting member 10, the bolt member may also be held by the mounting member 10. In this case, instead of providing a female thread on the cylindrical body 41a of the bolt member, a male thread can be provided coaxially on the cylindrical body 41a. Furthermore, a general hexagonal nut can be used as the nut member fastened to the bolt member.

[0051] (Installation method for attaching the object to be installed to the installation site) First, the rear spoiler 20 is assembled. First, the mounting member 10 is installed inside the mounting member fixing part 23 of the lower member 22 (rear spoiler 20). At this time, the base 11 of the mounting member 10 is placed in contact with the fixing part base 51 of the mounting member fixing part 23 of the lower member 22, with the opening 12 of the fixing part opening 52 aligned.

[0052] Next, the nut member 41 is attached. At this time, the second flange portion 41c of the nut member 41 is inserted through the fixing member opening 14a, and then the nut member 41 is inserted into the opening 12 and the fixing member opening 52 along their respective opening edges. At this time, the retained portion 41d of the nut member 41 is fitted and guided by the opening edge 12a (retaining portion 13) of the opening 12 and the opening edge (fixing portion retaining portion 53) of the fixing member opening 52. The retained portion 41d of the nut member 41 sandwiches the overlapping retaining portion 13 and the fixing portion retaining portion 53, thereby allowing the mounting member 10 to be assembled to the lower member 22 by the nut member 41.

[0053] Next, the rear spoiler 20 is assembled by bonding the lower member 22, to which the mounting member 10 is attached using the nut member 41, to the upper member 21 by vibration welding. Although vibration welding is performed after the installation of the nut member 41, it is also possible to perform it before the installation of the nut member 41, provided that the mounting member 10 is temporarily fixed to the lower member 22.

[0054] Next, the rear spoiler 20 is attached to the back door 32. The rear spoiler 20 is positioned in the mounting location, and the bolt member 42 is tightened onto the nut member 41 to attach the rear spoiler 20 to the back door 32.

[0055] Furthermore, the effects of the mounting structure 60 and the rear spoiler 20 (the object to which it is mounted) described above will be explained with reference to Figures 2C and 2D. Figure 2C shows the mounting structure 60 when no external force (upward) is acting on the rear spoiler 20, and Figure 2D shows the mounting structure 60 when an external force is acting on the rear spoiler 20.

[0056] As shown in Figure 2C, when no external force is acting on the rear spoiler 20, the lower wall 55b of the mounting member fixing portion 23 (fixing portion wall portion 55) faces the lower wall 15b of the mounting member 10 at a predetermined distance. That is, the rib 71a formed on the lower wall 55b faces the lower wall 15b of the mounting member 10 at a predetermined distance.

[0057] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 2D, when an upward external force is applied to the rear end edge (point of force application) of the rear spoiler 20, the rear end edge of the lower member 22 is lifted upward, and consequently the rear side of the lower wall 55b is lifted upward. At this time, since the mounting member 10 and the lower member 22 are fixed to the vehicle body 30 by the fastening member 40, the front side of the lower wall 15b and the front side of the lower wall 55b are not lifted upward and are maintained in their fixed positions. Therefore, the rear side of the lower wall 55b moves upward with the front side as the pivot point.

[0058] As the rear end of the lower wall 55b moves upward, the rear part of the rib 71a begins to contact the lower wall 15b, and the rear part of the rib 71a is crushed. Subsequently, as the lower wall 55b moves upward, the rib 71a is successively crushed toward the front. Furthermore, as the rear end of the lower wall 55b moves upward, the rib 71a reaches its limit of crushing, and stress concentrates on the rear end of the lower wall 15b. In this way, when the rear spoiler 20 (lower member 22) is pushed toward the mounting member 10 by an external force, the deformable portion 71 integrally provided on the lower member 22 can gradually deform before the main body of the lower member 22. During the deformation of the rib 71a, the external force is divided into a force contributing to the deformation of the rib 71a and a resistive force against the mounting member 10 (via the rib 71a).

[0059] In this way, when the rear spoiler 20 is pushed toward the mounting member 10 by an external force, the timing at which the load is applied to the mounting member 10, which is the sheet metal reinforcement part of the rear spoiler 20, can be delayed by the amount of deformation of the deformable part 71. That is, while the deformable part 71 is deforming, the load is applied to both the deformable part 71 and the unreinforced part, and then, at the timing when the deformation of the deformable part 71 is completed, stress concentrates at the interface due to the resistance force from the mounting member 10. In other words, when the rear spoiler 20 is pushed toward the mounting member 10 by an external force, the timing at which the load is applied at the interface can be shifted.

[0060] (modified version) Furthermore, although the mounting member fixing portion 23 described above is structured to accommodate the mounting member 10 on the inside, it may also be structured to accommodate the mounting member 110 as shown in Figure 6. As shown in Figure 6, the mounting member 110 may be provided with the upper wall 115a extending from the base portion 11 along the horizontal direction of the base portion (where the first predetermined angle is 180 degrees). In this case, as shown in Figure 6, the mounting member 110 includes a base portion 111 formed in the same way as the base portion 11, an upper wall 115a formed in the same way as the upper wall 15a, a lower wall 115b formed in the same way as the lower wall 15b, a right wall 115c formed in the same way as the right wall 15c, a left wall 115d (connecting portion 114) formed in the same way as the left wall 15d, an opening 112 formed in the same way as the opening 12, and a holding portion 113 formed in the same way as the holding portion 13.

[0061] In this modified example, the upper wall 115a can withstand a relatively larger load compared to the upper wall 115a without the connection part 114 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 6), thus allowing its area to be reduced. Similarly, the lower wall 115b can withstand a relatively larger load compared to the lower wall 115b without the connection part 114 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 6), thus allowing its area to be reduced when withstanding the same amount of load. Therefore, it becomes possible to form a compact mounting member 110 with excellent load-bearing capacity.

[0062] Furthermore, although the mounting member fixing portion 23 described above is structured to accommodate the mounting member 10 on the inside, it may also be structured to accommodate the mounting member 210 as shown in Figure 7. As shown in Figure 7, the mounting member 210 may be provided with the lower wall 215b extending from the base portion 111 along the horizontal direction of the base portion. This mounting member 210 is effective when the back surface of the lower member 22 is flat. The mounting member 210 includes a base portion 211 formed in the same way as the base portion 11, an upper wall 215a formed in the same way as the upper wall 15a, a right wall 215c formed in the same way as the right wall 15c, a left wall 215d (connecting portion 214) formed in the same way as the left wall 15d, an opening 212 formed in the same way as the opening 12, and a holding portion 213 formed in the same way as the holding portion 13.

[0063] In this modified example, the upper wall 215a can withstand a relatively larger load compared to the upper wall 215a without the connection portion 214 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 7), thus allowing its area to be reduced. Similarly, the lower wall 215b can withstand a relatively larger load compared to the lower wall 215b without the connection portion 214 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 7), thus allowing its area to be reduced when withstanding the same magnitude of load. Therefore, it becomes possible to form a compact mounting member 210 with excellent load-bearing capacity.

[0064] Furthermore, since the mounting members 10, 110, and 210 are firmly assembled to the lower member 22 by the nut member 41, and the connecting parts 14, 114, and 214 are also present, the mounting members 10, 110, and 210 have high rigidity, and can be sufficiently assembled using only the nut member 41. However, the mounting members 10, 110, and 210 may also be fixed using additional fixing methods other than the nut member 41. In this case, methods such as clip fixing, fixing with fixing claws, or adhesive using double-sided tape can be employed.

[0065] Furthermore, although the connecting portion 14 (left wall 15d) is provided perpendicular to the base portion 11, it may also be provided extending horizontally, similar to the upper wall 15a. In this case, it is preferable that the horizontally extending left wall is provided with a fixing member opening that is slightly larger than the outline obtained by projecting the plane (bottom surface) of the nut member 41 (especially the second flange portion 41c), instead of the fixing member opening 14a.

[0066] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the fixing member is used to simultaneously clamp the mounting member 10 and the lower member 22, thereby attaching the fixing member to both the mounting member 10 and the lower member 22 at the same time. However, it is also possible to hold only the mounting member 10 with the fixing member and attach the fixing member only to the mounting member 10. In this case, the mounting member 10 needs to be fixed to the lower member 22 by another method (such as screwing or adhesive).

[0067] (Effects and mechanisms of the embodiment) The mounting structure 60 according to the above-described embodiment is a mounting structure for attaching an object to be attached (rear spoiler 20) to a mounting destination (vehicle body 30), and the mounting structure 60 includes a mounting member 10 for attaching the rear spoiler 20 to the vehicle body 30 by a fixing member (fastening member 40), and includes a deformable portion 71 integrally provided on the side of the rear spoiler 20 that contacts the mounting member 10, and which can be deformed when the rear spoiler 20 is pushed toward the mounting member 10 by an external force.

[0068] According to the mounting structure 60 of this embodiment, when a relatively large force (external force) is applied to the rear spoiler 20, the deformable portion 71 integrally provided on the rear spoiler 20 is deformed when the rear spoiler 20 is pushed toward the mounting member 10 by the external force. As a result, it is possible to delay the timing at which the load is applied to the mounting member 10, and for the same external force (load), it is possible to reduce the stress on the mounting structure 60 (the mounting member fixing portion 23 of the rear spoiler 20). In other words, if the mounting member fixing portion 23 of the rear spoiler 20 undergoes the same amount of deformation, the parts other than the mounting member fixing portion 23 will undergo even greater deformation, and will be able to withstand a higher load and return higher stress. Therefore, it is possible to further increase the durability of the rear spoiler 20 against deformation and damage.

[0069] Furthermore, according to the mounting structure 60 of this embodiment, when a relatively large force (external force) acts on the rear spoiler 20, as the rear spoiler 20 is pushed toward the mounting member 10 by the external force, the deformable portion 71 integrally provided on the rear spoiler 20 is deformed first and gradually. At this time, the external force becomes the resultant force of the force contributing to the deformation and the resistance force against the mounting member 10. In other words, the resistance force from the mounting member 10 toward the rear spoiler 20 can be reduced by the amount that contributes to the deformation. As a result, the durability of the rear spoiler 20 against deformation and damage can be increased. From a different perspective, the rigidity of the mounting structure 60 can be increased.

[0070] Furthermore, in the mounting structure 60 according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the deformable portion 71 is formed of a grid-like rib 71a. This makes it possible to form the deformable portion 71 with a relatively simple structure and, consequently, at a relatively low cost.

[0071] Furthermore, the rear spoiler 20 according to this embodiment is equipped with the mounting structure 60 described above. The rear spoiler 20 according to this embodiment also provides the same functions and effects as the mounting structure 60 described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] 10, 110, 210... Mounting members, 20... Rear spoiler (object to be mounted), 30... Vehicle body (mounting destination), 40... Fastening members (fixing members), 60... Mounting structure, 71... Deformable part, 71a, 71b... Ribs.

Claims

1. A mounting structure for attaching an object to be mounted to a mounting site, The mounting structure includes a mounting member for attaching the object to be mounted to the mounting site by a fixing member, The object to be attached is a rear spoiler comprising an upper member and a lower member. The aforementioned rear spoiler is, A mounting structure characterized by a projection disposed between the lower member and the mounting member and integrally projecting from the lower member toward the mounting member, the projection having a deformable portion that is crushed in the height direction of the projection by being sandwiched between the lower member and the mounting member when the lower member is pushed toward the mounting member by an external force.

2. The mounting structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the deformable portion is composed of a plurality of elongated ribs.

3. An object to be mounted, characterized by being mounted to the mounting site by the mounting structure described in claim 1 or claim 2.

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