Vehicular side structure

Abstract

A vehicular side structure comprises a dash panel 10 for a vehicle V, and a front pillar 20 that is connected to an outer side in a vehicle-width direction of the dash panel 10. The front pillar 20 includes an outer member 30 that is formed on the outer side in the vehicle-width direction of the front pillar 20. At least a portion of a first flange 34 formed on a front side in a vehicle front-rear direction of the outer member 30 is bent inward in the vehicle-width direction, and forms a first joining part 34c joined to the dash panel 10.

Description

Vehicle side structure

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

[0002] In the front pillar lower structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, a hinge reinforcement disposed on the inner side of the front pillar outer part in the vehicle width direction is integrally formed with a connecting portion that connects the joint between the overlapping portion of the front pillar inner panel and the upper flange of the front end of the rocker inner, and the outer wall of the front pillar outer part in the approximately vehicle width direction.

[0003] JP 2011-136593 A

[0004] In front pillars constructed by joining an inner member and an outer member with a flange, the longitudinal dimension of the cross section of the front pillar is set so as to ensure the rigidity of the front pillar. Therefore, for example, when attempting to position the front door and the front wheel closer, the positions of the front door and the front wheel may be restricted by the longitudinal width of the front pillar. Furthermore, if the longitudinal width of the front pillar is reduced to allow for more flexible positioning of the front door or the front wheel, the longitudinal dimension of the cross section of the front pillar becomes smaller, which may make it difficult to ensure sufficient rigidity of the front pillar.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle side structure that can ensure sufficient rigidity of the front pillar without excessively increasing the width of the front pillar in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0006] A vehicle side structure according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a dash panel of a vehicle and a front pillar joined to the dash panel, the front pillar including an outer member, and at least a portion of a first flange of the outer member being bent inward in the vehicle width direction to form a first joint that is joined to the dash panel.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle side structure that can ensure sufficient rigidity of the front pillar without excessively increasing the width of the front pillar in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0008] Fig. 1 is a side view showing the positional relationship between a front pillar and a front wheel in the vehicle side structure according to the embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view for explaining the arrangement relationship between a dash panel and a front pillar in the vehicle side structure according to the embodiment. Fig. 3 is a perspective view for explaining the arrangement relationship between a dash panel, an outer member, and an inner member in the vehicle side structure according to the embodiment. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 1, showing the arrangement relationship between a front wheel, a dash panel, an outer member, and an inner member in the vehicle side structure according to the embodiment.

[0009] Hereinafter, a vehicle side structure according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, FR and RR indicate the front and rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction, respectively. LH and RH indicate the left and right in the vehicle width direction, respectively. UP and DN indicate the upper and lower in the vehicle vertical direction, respectively. The center of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction is referred to as the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and the side opposite the inner side in the vehicle width direction is referred to as the outer side in the vehicle width direction. In each drawing, IS indicates the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and OS indicates the outer side in the vehicle width direction. In the following description, the front and rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the left and right sides in the vehicle width direction, and the upper and lower sides in the vehicle vertical direction will be simply referred to as the "front of the vehicle," "rear of the vehicle," "left side of the vehicle," "right side of the vehicle," "upper," and "lower," respectively. In the examples shown in each drawing, the left side of the vehicle corresponds to the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and the right side of the vehicle corresponds to the inner side in the vehicle width direction. Elements having the same function are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0010] The vehicle side structure according to the embodiment can be applied to the side structure of a vehicle V illustrated in Fig. 1. The vehicle V may be an automobile driven by an internal combustion engine (not shown), an electric motor (not shown), or the like. As shown in Fig. 2, the side structure of the vehicle V includes a dash panel 10 and a front pillar 20.

[0011] The dash panel 10 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is a wall member that separates the engine room, motor room, etc., of the vehicle V from the passenger compartment. Wheelhouses 1 may be provided in front of the side portions 11 of the dash panel 10. The side portions 11 form the outer sides of the dash panel 10 in the vehicle width direction and extend within a predetermined range from the outer ends of the dash panel 10 in the vehicle width direction toward the center of the vehicle width direction. As shown in the example in FIG. 3 , the surface of the side portion 11 on the front side of the vehicle may have a curved shape that convexly extends from its lower side to its upper side toward the rear of the vehicle. Furthermore, the wheelhouse 1 is a space in which the front wheels W of the vehicle V are disposed, and the rear side of the wheelhouse 1 may be defined by the side portions 11. In other words, the dash panel 10 may define the rear side of the wheelhouse 1 of the vehicle V in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

[0012] The front pillar 20 is a member that supports the front side of the roof (not shown) of the vehicle V and extends vertically outward in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle V. The front pillar 20 may be joined to the outer side of the dash panel 10 in the vehicle width direction by means of, for example, welding. The front pillar 20 also defines at least a portion of the front side of the vehicle and at least a portion of the lower side of the front door opening 2. The front door opening 2 is an opening that is closed by the front door 3 (see FIG. 4 ) of the vehicle V. A pillar lower portion 21, which is the lower part of the front pillar 20, is located outward in the vehicle width direction of the side portion 11 of the dash panel 10 and, together with the side portion 11, defines the rear side of the vehicle of the wheel house 1.

[0013] As shown in the example in Figures 1 to 4, a hinge mounting portion 22 may be provided on the front pillar 20. A door hinge 4 (see Figure 4) that supports the front door 3 so that it can rotate within a predetermined angular range can be attached to the hinge mounting portion 22. As a result, the front pillar 20 supports the front door 3 via the door hinge 4. In the example shown in the figures, the hinge mounting portion 22 is a part of the front pillar 20 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and is provided between the wheel house 1 and the front door opening 2. Note that the front door 3 and door hinge 4 are not shown in Figure 1.

[0014] When a vehicle V is traveling, the front wheels W are displaced within the wheelhouse 1 due to, for example, acceleration, deceleration, steering, road surface conditions, etc. The chain lines L1 and L2 shown in Figures 1 and 4 schematically show the boundaries of the range within which the front wheels W can be displaced. For example, the chain line L1 in Figure 1 indicates the range in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction or up-and-down direction within which the front wheels W can be displaced. Furthermore, the chain line L2 in Figure 4 indicates the range in the vehicle's width direction or up-and-down direction within which the front wheels W can be displaced.

[0015] Next, an example of the structure of the front pillar 20 will be described.

[0016] As shown in the example in FIGS. 2 to 4 , the front pillar 20 may be configured by joining an outer member 30 and an inner member 40 together in the vehicle width direction. The front pillar 20 may also include a space formed between the outer member 30 and the inner member 40 inside. The structure of the front pillar 20 is not limited to the example shown. For example, the front pillar 20 may be configured by forming a side wall portion extending toward the rear of the vehicle at the outer end of the dash panel 10 in the vehicle width direction, and joining a front flange 34 and a rear flange 35 (described later) of the outer member 30 to the side wall portion. In this case, the front pillar 20 does not need to include the inner member 40.

[0017] The outer member 30 is a panel material that forms the outer side of the front pillar 20 in the vehicle width direction. In the pillar lower portion 21 illustrated in the figures, the outer member 30 has a generally hat-shaped cross section that opens inward in the vehicle width direction. The outer member 30 may also include a front wall portion 31, a side wall portion 32, and a rear wall portion 33. The front wall portion 31 is a wall portion that forms the portion of the outer member 30 on the front side of the vehicle. The side wall portion 32 is a wall portion that forms the portion of the outer member 30 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The rear wall portion 33 is a wall portion that forms the portion of the outer member 30 on the rear side of the vehicle.

[0018] A front flange 34 serving as a first flange is formed on the inner side of the front wall portion 31 in the vehicle width direction so as to extend in the vertical direction. That is, the first flange is formed on the vehicle front side of the outer member 30. The front flange 34 is a joint for directly or indirectly fixing the outer member 30 to the dash panel 10. The front flange 34 is formed so as to extend in a predetermined direction from the end of the front wall portion 31 of the outer member 30 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction, and may include flanges 34a, 34b, and 34c, as in the illustrated example.

[0019] The flange 34a constitutes an upper portion of the front flange 34. The flange 34a may be formed so as to extend from the vehicle width direction inner end of the front wall portion 31 toward the front of the vehicle. The flange 34b constitutes a lower portion of the front flange 34. The flange 34b may be formed so as to extend from the vehicle width direction inner end of the front wall portion 31 toward the front of the vehicle. The flange 34c constitutes a portion of the front flange 34 between the flanges 34a and 34b. The flange 34c is a flange that extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the vehicle width direction inner end of the front wall portion 31, and is formed by bending a portion of the front flange 34 inward in the vehicle width direction. The flange 34c also forms a first joint that is joined to the dash panel 10 by means of welding or the like.

[0020] 1 , the flange 34c may include a portion 34c1 in a side view. The portion 34c1 is a portion of the flange 34c that has the same vertical height as the region where the hinge attachment portion 22 is provided. In other words, the first joint portion may include the portion 34c1 of the outer member 30 that has the same vertical height as the hinge attachment portion 22.

[0021] A rear flange 35, which is a joint for directly or indirectly fixing the outer member 30 to the dash panel 10, may be formed to extend in the vertical direction on the inner side of the rear wall portion 33 in the vehicle width direction. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the rear flange 35 is formed to extend toward the rear of the vehicle from the inner end of the rear wall portion 33 in the vehicle width direction. In addition, the rear flange 35 may be provided to extend along a portion of the front pillar 20 that defines the front side of the front door opening 2.

[0022] The inner member 40 is a panel material that forms the inner side of the front pillar 20 in the vehicle width direction. In the pillar lower portion 21 illustrated in Figures 2 to 4, the inner member 40 includes a side wall portion 42 and a rear wall portion 43. The side wall portion 42 forms the portion of the inner member 40 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The rear wall portion 43 forms the portion of the inner member 40 on the rear side of the vehicle.

[0023] A front flange 44 serving as a second flange is formed on the front side of the vehicle of the inner member 40 so as to extend in the vertical direction. The front flange 44 is a joint that is joined directly or indirectly to the front flange 34 of the outer member 30 or the dash panel 10. The front flange 44 may include a flange 44a, a flange 44b, and a flange 44c (see FIG. 3). The flange 44c may also form a second joint, which will be described later.

[0024] The flange 44a constitutes an upper portion of the front flange 44. As in the inner member 40 illustrated in FIG. 3 , the flange 44a may be formed by extending a region of the upper portion 42a, which constitutes the upper portion of the side wall portion 42, on the vehicle front side toward the vehicle front. The flange 44b constitutes a lower portion of the front flange 44. The flange 44b is formed so as to be positioned outward in the vehicle width direction than the lower portion 42b, which constitutes the lower portion of the side wall portion 42. The flange 44c constitutes a portion of the front flange 44 between the flanges 44a and 44b. The flange 44c may be formed by extending a region of the middle portion 42c, which extends between the upper portion 42a and the lower portion 42b, on the vehicle front side toward the vehicle front.

[0025] A rear flange 45 may be formed on the outer side of the rear wall portion 43 in the vehicle width direction, and the rear flange 45 is joined directly or indirectly to the rear flange 35 of the outer member 30. The rear flange 45 illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 is formed to extend toward the rear of the vehicle from the outer end of the rear wall portion 43 in the vehicle width direction. The rear flange 45 may also be provided to extend along a portion of the front pillar 20 that defines the front side of the front door opening 2.

[0026] Next, the joining of the dash panel 10, the outer member 30, and the inner member 40 to each other will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0027] In the illustrated example, the inner surface of the inner member 40 in the vehicle width direction is joined to the outer surface of the side portion 11 of the dash panel 10 in the vehicle width direction by welding or other techniques. Here, the flange 44c of the inner member 40 may form a second joint portion. The second joint portion is a joint portion where the front edge of the front flange 44 is located rearward of the first joint portion of the outer member 30. That is, the edge portion 44d of the flange 44c may be located rearward of the front surface of the side portion 11. The edge portion 44d is a portion that forms the front edge of the flange 44c. Furthermore, as in the example shown in FIG. 4 , the inner surface of the flange 44c in the vehicle width direction may be joined to the outer surface of the side portion 11 in the vehicle width direction. By configuring the flange 44c in this manner, it is possible to prevent the flange 44c from extending forward of the front surface of the side portion 11 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction.

[0028] The joining of the outer member 30 and the inner member 40 illustrated in the figures may be performed by joining at least the front flange 34 and the front flange 44 and the rear flange 35 and the rear flange 45. More specifically, the joining of the front flange 34 and the front flange 44 may be performed by joining the flange 34a and the flange 44a and the flange 34b and the flange 44b. Furthermore, as shown in the example of FIG. 4 , the flange 34c of the outer member 30 may be joined to the region 12 (the first region) of the dash panel 10 by means of welding or the like, without using the front flange 44 of the inner member 40. The region 12 is a region extending within a predetermined range in the vertical direction on the front surface of the side portion 11 of the vehicle. In this manner, the front flange 34 and the front flange 44 may be joined above and below the flange 34c.

[0029] As illustrated in FIG. 4 , the flange 44c of the inner member 40 may be joined to region 13, which serves as the second region. Region 13 is a surface on the vehicle widthwise outer side of the dash panel 10 that extends rearward relative to region 12. In the illustrated example, a side wall portion 14 extending toward the vehicle rear is formed at the end of the side portion 11 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and region 13 is set on the surface of the side wall portion 14 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. In this manner, the flange 44c, which serves as the second joint portion, may be joined to the dash panel 10 in region 13, which is rearward relative to region 12 of the dash panel 10 to which the flange 34c is joined. Furthermore, when the dash panel 10, the outer member 30, and the inner member 40 are joined together, the flange 44c may extend upward relative to the flange 34c. In this state, the flange 44c may also extend downward relative to the flange 34c. That is, at least a part of the region 12 may have the same height in the up-down direction as at least a part of the region 13 .

[0030] The shapes of the dash panel 10, outer member 30, and inner member 40 and the joining relationship between them are not limited to the illustrated example. For example, the shapes of the dash panel 10, outer member 30, and inner member 40 and the joining relationship between them may be appropriately set depending on the shapes, dimensions, positional relationships, etc. of the vehicle V, front wheels, front doors, etc.

[0031] For example, similar to flange 34c, flange 34a may be formed by bending front flange 34 inward in the vehicle width direction. In this case, similar to flange 44c, front flange 44 may be configured so that the edge portion on the vehicle front side of flange 44a of inner member 40 is located rearward of the vehicle front side surface of side portion 11. In other words, outer member 30 and inner member 40 may be configured so that at least a portion of the front flange 34 other than flange 34c is joined to front flange 44 of inner member 40.

[0032] Furthermore, for example, similar to flange 34c, flanges 34a and 34b may be formed by bending front flange 34 inward in the vehicle width direction, and flanges 34a, 34b, and 34c may be joined to dash panel 10. In this case, similar to flange 44c, front flange 44 may be configured such that the vehicle front edge of flange 44a of inner member 40 and the vehicle front edge of flange 44b are located rearward of the vehicle front surface of side portion 11. In other words, it is sufficient that at least a portion of front flange 34 is bent inward in the vehicle width direction to form a first joint portion that is joined to dash panel 10.

[0033] By joining the outer member 30 and the inner member 40, a space is formed inside the front pillar 20. Therefore, in the cross section illustrated in Fig. 4, a closed cross section 5 is formed inside the front pillar 20. The closed cross section 5 is a cross section defined by at least the outer member 30 and the dash panel 10 or the inner member 40. Note that, as in the illustrated example, the closed cross section 5 may also be defined by the outer member 30, the inner member 40, and the end of the dash panel 10 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 4, a reinforcing member 50 may be disposed in the internal space of the front pillar 20. The reinforcing member 50 shown in the figure has a generally hat-shaped cross section that opens inward in the vehicle width direction at the pillar lower portion 21. The reinforcing member 50 also includes a front wall portion 51, a side wall portion 52, and a rear wall portion 53. The front wall portion 51 forms the portion of the reinforcing member 50 facing forward in the vehicle width direction. The side wall portion 52 forms the portion of the reinforcing member 50 facing outward in the vehicle width direction. The rear wall portion 53 forms the portion of the reinforcing member 50 facing rearward in the vehicle.

[0035] A front flange 54 may be formed on the front side of the vehicle of the front wall portion 51 so as to extend in the vertical direction. In the illustrated example, a flange 54c constituting a part of the front flange 54 extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the end of the front wall portion 51 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The flange 54c may also be disposed between the flange 34c of the outer member 30 and the side portion 11 of the dash panel 10. In the cross section illustrated in FIG. 4, the flange 34c, the flange 54c, and the dash panel 10 are joined by means of welding or the like. That is, the flange 34c and the dash panel 10 may be joined indirectly via the flange 54c.

[0036] Note that the portion of the front flange 54 that is above the flange 54c may be disposed between the flange 34a of the outer member 30 and the flange 44a of the inner member 40. Also, the portion of the front flange 54 that is below the flange 54c may be disposed between the flange 34b of the outer member 30 and the flange 44b of the inner member 40. The flanges 34a and 44a, and the flanges 34b and 44b, may each be indirectly joined via the front flange 54 by means of welding or the like.

[0037] A rear flange 55 may be formed on the vehicle rear side of the rear wall portion 53 so as to extend in the vertical direction. The rear flange 55 illustrated in the figures is formed so as to extend from an end portion of the rear wall portion 53 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction toward the vehicle rear. The rear flange 55 may be provided so as to extend along a portion of the front pillar 20 that defines the vehicle front side of the front door opening 2. The rear flange 55 may also be disposed between the rear flange 35 of the outer member 30 and the rear flange 45 of the inner member 40. The rear flange 35 and the rear flange 45 may be indirectly joined via the rear flange 55 by means of welding or the like.

[0038] It is noted that the reinforcing member 50 does not have to be disposed in the internal space of the front pillar 20. In that case, the flange 34c of the outer member 30 and the dash panel 10 may be directly joined to each other. Also, the flanges 34a and 44a, the flanges 34b and 44b, and the rear flanges 35 and 45 may be directly joined to each other.

[0039] In the above description, the vehicle side structure according to the embodiment has been described using the left side of the vehicle V as an example, but is not limited thereto. For example, the vehicle side structure may be applied to the right side of the vehicle V. In this case, the left and right sides of the vehicle V may have shapes that are plane-symmetrical with respect to a plane that is parallel to the vehicle vertical direction and includes the center line of the vehicle width direction in a plan view of the vehicle V.

[0040] The following describes the effects of the vehicle side structure according to the embodiment.

[0041] (1) The vehicle side structure according to the embodiment includes a dash panel 10 of a vehicle V and a front pillar 20 joined to the vehicle width direction outer side of the dash panel 10. The front pillar 20 includes an outer member 30 that forms the vehicle width direction outer side of the front pillar 20. At least a portion of a first flange 34 formed on the front side of the outer member 30 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction is bent inward in the vehicle width direction to form a first joint portion 34c that is joined to the dash panel 10.

[0042] According to the vehicle side structure of the embodiment, at least a portion of the front flange 34 of the outer member 30 is bent inward in the vehicle width direction and joined to the dash panel 10. Therefore, compared to, for example, a case in which the flange 34c extends forward from the inner end of the front wall portion 31 in the vehicle width direction and is joined to the flange 44c, the area of ​​the closed cross section 5 can be set larger without excessively increasing the vehicle front-rear direction width D1 of the front pillar 20. More specifically, in the cross section illustrated in FIG. 4 , the front flange 34 is bent inward in the vehicle width direction like the flange 34c, thereby suppressing its extension forward in the vehicle. Therefore, without excessively increasing the width D1, the front wall portion 31 can be positioned further forward in the vehicle, and the vehicle front-rear direction dimension D2 of the cross section of the front pillar 20 can be set larger. This allows the area of ​​the closed cross section 5 to be set larger, thereby more reliably ensuring the rigidity of the front pillar 20. Furthermore, the cross-sectional performance of the front pillar 20, such as the section modulus and moment of inertia, can be improved without increasing the thickness of the panel material constituting the front pillar 20. In other words, the cross-sectional performance of the front pillar 20 can be improved without increasing the weight. Therefore, with the vehicle side structure according to this embodiment, the rigidity of the front pillar 20 can be sufficiently ensured without excessively increasing the width D1 of the front pillar 20 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Note that the width D1 is the width of the front pillar 20 in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and in the example shown in FIG. 4 , it is the distance in the vehicle longitudinal direction between the tip of the flange 34c and the tip of the rear flange. Furthermore, the dimension D2 is the dimension of the cross section of the front pillar 20 in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and in the example shown in FIG. 4 , it is the distance in the vehicle longitudinal direction between the inner end of the front wall portion 31 in the vehicle width direction and the inner end of the rear wall portion 33 in the vehicle width direction.

[0043] (2) The first joint portion 34c may include a portion 34c1 of the outer member 30 that is equal in height in the up-down direction to the portion 22 to which the door hinge 4 of the vehicle V is attached.

[0044] This allows the area of ​​the closed cross section 5 of the portion of the outer member 30 where the hinge mounting portion 22 is set to be larger, thereby more reliably ensuring the rigidity of the portion of the front pillar 20 to which the load of the front door 3 is input.

[0045] (3) The front pillar 20 may include an inner member 40 that forms an inner side of the front pillar 20 in the vehicle width direction. At least a portion of the first flange 34 other than the first joint portion 34c may be joined to a second flange 44 that is formed on the front side of the inner member 40 in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0046] This makes it easier to position the outer member 30 when joining the outer member 30 and the inner member 40 together. Therefore, the vehicle side structure according to the embodiment can be configured more easily.

[0047] (4) The first flange 34 and the second flange 44 may be joined above and below the first joint portion 34c.

[0048] As a result, the front flange 34 and the front flange 44 are joined above and below the flange 34c. That is, the front flange 34 and the front flange 44 can be joined to each other at two locations. This makes it easier to position the outer member 30 when joining the outer member 30 and the inner member 40 to each other. This makes it easier to configure the vehicle side structure according to the embodiment.

[0049] (5) The second flange 44 may include a second joint 44c in which an edge 44d on the vehicle front side is disposed rearward of the first joint 34c of the outer member 30. The second joint 44c is joined to the dash panel 10 in a second region 13 on the vehicle rear side of the first region 12 of the dash panel 10 to which the first joint 34c of the first flange 34 is joined, and at least a portion of the first region 12 may have the same vertical height as at least a portion of the second region 13.

[0050] This allows the number of components to be joined to the dash panel 10 when joining the flange 34c to the region 12 to be further reduced. For example, in the cross section shown in FIG. 4 , the flange 44c of the inner member 40 is not disposed between the flange 34c and the dash panel 10. Therefore, when joining the flange 34c to the region 12, it is sufficient to join the flange 34c, the flange 54c, and the side portion 11 by means of welding or the like. Note that if the reinforcing member 50 is not disposed inside the front pillar 20, it is sufficient to join only the flange 34c and the side portion 11. In this way, by reducing the number of components to be joined together, it is possible to more reliably join the flange 34c and the dash panel 10. Therefore, the vehicle side portion structure according to the embodiment can be more easily constructed.

[0051] (6) The dash panel 10 may define the rear side of the wheel house 1 of the vehicle V in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0052] This allows the front portion of the inner peripheral edge of the front door opening 2 to be positioned closer to the wheel house 1 while ensuring the rigidity of the front pillar 20. As a result, the dimension of the front door opening 2 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle can be set larger, making it possible to provide a vehicle V that makes it easier to get in and out of the vehicle.

[0053] V Vehicle 1 Wheelhouse 4 Door hinge 10 Dash panel 12 Area 13 Area 20 Front pillar 22 Hinge mounting portion (portion) 30 Outer member 34 Front flange (first flange) 34c Flange (first joint portion) 34c1 Portion 40 Inner member 44 Front flange (second flange) 44c Flange (second joint portion) 44d Edge portion

Claims

1. A vehicle dash panel; a front pillar joined to an outer side of the dash panel in a vehicle width direction; Equipped with The front pillar includes an outer member that forms an outer side of the front pillar in a vehicle width direction, and an inner member that forms an inner side of the front pillar in a vehicle width direction, At least a portion of a first flange formed on a front side of the outer member in a vehicle front-rear direction is bent inwardly in a vehicle width direction to form a first joint portion to be joined to the dash panel, At least a part of the first flange other than the first joint portion is joined to a second flange formed on a front side of the inner member in the vehicle front-rear direction and extending forward in the vehicle front-rear direction, A vehicle side structure, wherein a portion of the first flange that is equal in height in the up-down direction to the first joint portion is not joined to the second flange that extends forward in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction.

2. The vehicle side structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first joint portion includes a portion of the outer member that is equal in height in the up-down direction to a portion to which a door hinge of the vehicle is attached.

3. The vehicle side structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first flange and the second flange are joined above and below the first joint portion.

4. the second flange includes a second joint portion having an edge portion on a vehicle front side that is disposed rearward of the first joint portion of the outer member, the second joint portion is joined to the dash panel in a second region on a vehicle rear side of a first region of the dash panel to which the first joint portion of the first flange is joined, The vehicle side structure according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the first region has the same height in the up-down direction as at least a portion of the second region.

5. 3. The vehicle side structure according to claim 1, wherein the dash panel defines a rear side of a wheel house of the vehicle in a front-rear direction of the vehicle.