Cargo box structure of vehicle

Abstract

The disclosed cargo box structure of a vehicle is applied to a vehicle (10) comprising a floor panel (15) of a cargo box (11), side panels (12) erected on both sides of the floor panel (15) in the vehicle width direction, and a columnar strut (1) provided in the side panels (12) and extending in the up-down direction relative to the floor panel (15). The cargo box structure comprises: a planar reinforcement (5) that hangs downward from the floor panel (15) and extends in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle; and a bracket (6) that connects the strut (1) and the reinforcement (5). The bracket (6) has a lateral extension (61) that extends in the extension direction of the reinforcement (5) and is coupled to the reinforcement (5), and a longitudinal extension (62) that extends beyond the lateral extension (61) in the up-down direction and is coupled to the strut (1).

Description

Vehicle cargo box structure

[0001] This case relates to a vehicle luggage box structure.

[0002] Conventionally, in vehicles such as trucks and pick-up trucks equipped with cargo boxes, structures have been known in which the side gates (side panels, side plates, and side gates) of the cargo boxes are reinforced with struts. A strut is a columnar portion, formed, for example, so that its horizontal cross section is substantially closed. The location of the strut is determined based on the strength, rigidity, and application required of the cargo box, and is, for example, located at the front or rear end of the side gate (see Patent Document 1). The provision of the strut can improve the strength and rigidity of the side gate against vertical loads.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-008026

[0004] On the other hand, the strut's reinforcing performance may be insufficient against horizontal loads, depending on the magnitude and location of the load. For example, when the vehicle turns, a load placed on the cargo box may act on the upper end of the side gate toward the outside of the turn. This may cause deformation in which the entire strut rotates outward around the strut's base end. Furthermore, when an external force acts on the side gate toward the inside of the vehicle width, deformation in which the entire strut rotates inward may occur. It is desirable to minimize these sideways rotational deformations in order to improve the robustness (performance, quality, durability, etc.) of the cargo box.

[0005] One of the objectives of the present invention, which was invented in light of the above-mentioned problems, is to provide a luggage box structure for a vehicle that can improve the robustness of the luggage box with a simple configuration. However, in addition to this objective, another objective of the present invention is to achieve the effects derived from the respective configurations shown in the "Description of the Invention" below, which are not obtainable with conventional technology.

[0006] The disclosed vehicle luggage box structure can be realized as the following disclosed embodiments (application examples), which solve at least part of the above-mentioned problems. Each of the embodiments from embodiment 2 onwards is an embodiment that can be selected as an additional option, and each of the embodiments from embodiment 2 onwards is an embodiment that can be omitted. None of the embodiments from embodiment 2 onwards discloses an embodiment or configuration that is essential to the present invention.

[0007] Aspect 1. The disclosed vehicle cargo box structure includes a cargo box floor panel, side panels erected on both vehicle widthwise outer sides of the floor panel, and columnar struts attached to the side panels and extending vertically relative to the floor panel. The structure also includes a planar reinforcement that hangs downward from the floor panel and extends across the vehicle width, and a bracket that connects the strut and the reinforcement. The bracket also has a horizontal extension portion that extends in the direction of extension of the reinforcement and is connected to the reinforcement, and a vertical extension portion that extends vertically beyond the horizontal extension portion and is connected to the strut.

[0008] Aspect 2. In the above aspect 1, it is preferable that the strut has an inclined surface portion that faces inward in the vehicle longitudinal direction and in the vehicle width direction along the up-down direction, the bracket is formed into a surface shape in which the vertical extending portion is inclined forward and backward with respect to the horizontal extending portion in accordance with the inclination of the inclined surface portion, and the vertical extending portion is joined in a state where it is overlapped with the inclined surface portion.

[0009] Aspect 3. In the above-mentioned Aspect 1 or 2, it is preferable that the vertically extending portion extends to the vicinity of the lower end of the strut and is fixed to the strut at a plurality of locations spaced apart in the up-down direction. Aspect 4. In any of the above-mentioned Aspects 1 to 3, it is preferable that the laterally extending portion has an outer joint portion that is joined to the reinforcement at a position near the outer end of the reinforcement in the vehicle width direction, and an inner joint portion that is joined to the laterally extending portion at a position near the inner end of the laterally extending portion in the vehicle width direction that is spaced from the outer joint portion in the extension direction of the reinforcement.

[0010] Aspect 5. In any of Aspects 1 to 4 above, it is preferable that the strut is disposed at the rear end of the side panel, and that a rear end panel is provided at the rear end of the cargo box, the rear end of the cargo box having an L-shaped cross section and extending in the vehicle width direction, the L-shaped cross section having a horizontal surface portion connected to the floor panel and a vertical surface portion extending downward from the rear end of the horizontal surface portion. It is also preferable that the reinforcement is located forward of the rear end panel, attached to the horizontal surface portion or the floor panel, and connected to the vertical surface portion via a connecting member.

[0011] Aspect 6. In the above-described aspect 5, it is preferable that the structure further includes an auxiliary bracket connecting the strut to the outer end of the rear end panel in the vehicle width direction. The auxiliary bracket preferably has a rear surface portion connected to the vertical surface portion, an upper surface portion connected to the horizontal surface portion, and a side surface portion connected to the inner surface portion of the strut facing inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0012] Aspect 7. In Aspects 5 or 6 above, it is preferable that the strut has a strut outer at a portion at the rear end of the side panel that houses a tail lamp unit of the vehicle, forming a space for accommodating the tail lamp unit between the strut outer and an outer panel that forms the exterior of the side panel. It is also preferable that the strut outer have a front surface portion facing forward of the strut, an inner surface portion facing inward in the vehicle width direction of the strut, and an inclined surface portion that faces in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and inward in the vehicle width direction along the vertical direction and connects the front surface portion and the inner surface portion. It is also preferable that the bracket connects the strut outer and the reinforcement in the vehicle width direction.

[0013] Aspect 8. In any of Aspects 1 to 7 above, it is preferable that the bracket has an oblique reinforcing portion that diagonally connects the inside corner portion of the horizontally extending portion and the vertically extending portion when viewed from the front. Aspect 9. In Aspect 8 above, it is preferable that the bracket is formed in a funnel shape that widens in the vertical direction from the horizontally extending portion to the vertically extending portion when viewed from the front.

[0014] According to the disclosed vehicle luggage box structure, by fixing the vertically extending portion of the bracket to a strut provided on the side panel, the distance (vertical distance) between the rotation center of the side panel when it falls to its side and the fixed point of the strut and bracket can be secured. This allows the side panel to be efficiently prevented from falling to its side. Furthermore, the distance (vertical distance) between the rotation center of the reinforcement when it falls to its side and the fixed point of the strut and bracket can be secured, allowing the reinforcement to be efficiently prevented from falling to its side. Therefore, the robustness of the luggage box can be improved with a simple configuration.

[0015] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle to which a luggage box structure as an embodiment is applied; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a strut provided on a luggage box of a vehicle; FIG. 3 is a perspective view looking up at the lower part of the strut from below the floor panel; FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a bracket; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an auxiliary bracket; FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a part of a reinforcement and a connecting member; FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the structure around a rear end panel; (A) is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a strut above the floor panel, and (B) is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a strut below the floor panel; (A) and (B) are perspective views showing modified examples of the bracket.

[0016] The disclosed cargo box structure is applied to a vehicle shown in the following embodiment. The vehicle is a vehicle equipped with a cargo box, such as a truck, a pick-up truck, or an SUV (sports utility vehicle). The cargo box here refers to a container-shaped area in which cargo is placed. The cargo box in this embodiment includes a loading platform and a luggage compartment. The interior of the cargo box (the space in which the cargo is placed) may be open to the outside, or may be a closed space that is not open.

[0017] The floor surface of the cargo box is formed into a substantially flat shape, for example, by a planar floor panel. Alternatively, the floor surface may have an uneven shape or ribs to increase surface rigidity. Side gates (side panels, side doors, side gates) are provided on the left and right sides of the cargo box, and a rear gate (rear door, rear gate) is provided on the rear side of the cargo box. Each of the side gates and the rear gate may be rotatable relative to the floor panel, or may be fixed so as not to rotate. In other words, each of the side gates and the rear gate may be a movable gate that can be opened and closed, or a fixed gate that cannot be opened and closed.

[0018] Regarding the definitions of directions in this embodiment, the front-rear direction (vehicle length direction) is defined based on the forward / reverse direction of the vehicle, and the left-right direction (vehicle width direction) is defined based on the front-rear direction. The up-down direction is defined based on the state in which the vehicle is stopped on a flat road surface. Note that, in the vehicle width direction, in the portion to the left of the vehicle body centerline in a top view of the vehicle, the left is the outer side of the vehicle and the right is the inner side of the vehicle. Also, in the portion to the right of the vehicle body centerline in a top view of the vehicle, the right is the outer side of the vehicle and the left is the inner side of the vehicle. Note that the body structure of a vehicle is often formed to be approximately symmetrical (mirror symmetry with respect to a plane including the yaw axis and roll axis passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle), but a perfectly symmetrical shape is not required.

[0019] [1. Cargo Box] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle 10 to which a cargo box structure according to an embodiment is applied, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a corner at the left rear end of the vehicle 10. As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle 10 is provided with a passenger compartment (cabin) and a cargo box 11. The cargo box 11 is located at the rear of the passenger compartment. The vehicle 10 of this embodiment has a ladder frame-type chassis structure, and the cargo box 11 is mounted on a ladder frame (not shown). A ladder frame is a ladder-shaped frame formed by combining a pair of left and right side members extending in the fore-and-aft direction and a cross member connecting these side members in the left-right direction.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 1, the cargo box 11 includes a side gate 12 (side panel, side wall), a rear gate 13, a front panel 14, a floor panel 15, a rear bumper 16, and a tail lamp unit 17. The side gates 12 are wall-like portions that stand on the left and right side ends of the cargo box 11 and on both outer sides of the floor panel 15 in the vehicle width direction. As shown in Fig. 2, for example, the side gate 12 is configured by combining an outer panel 18 (side gate outer panel) that forms the exterior of the side gate 12 with an inner panel 19 (side gate inner panel) that is disposed inside the outer panel 18 at a predetermined distance. The outer panel 18 and the inner panel 19 are fixed to each other by, for example, overlapping their edges and welding them together.

[0021] The rear gate 13 is a door-like (wall-like) part erected at the rear end of the cargo box 11. The rear gate 13 is provided so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction, for example, around a central axis near its lower edge. Note that FIG. 2 shows the rear gate 13 removed. The front panel 14 is a wall-like part erected at the front end of the cargo box 11. The front panel 14 may be omitted or may be formed integrally with the passenger compartment provided in front of the cargo box 11. The floor panel 15 is a flat part forming the floor surface of the cargo box 11. The plate surface of the floor panel 15 is formed with, for example, concave-convex shapes or ribs to increase surface rigidity. In addition, a reinforcing member (such as a cross sill) (not shown) is attached to the underside of the floor panel 15.

[0022] The cargo box 11 is defined by the side gates 12, rear gate 13, front panel 14, and floor panel 15, and has an overall flat box shape with an open top. The rear bumper 16 is a shock absorber located rearward of the rear end of the cargo box 11, and is provided so as to connect the rear ends of a pair of left and right side members and extend in the left-right direction. The tail lamp units 17 are taillight (rear lamp) devices provided at both left and right ends of the rear end of the cargo box 11.

[0023] A strut 1 is provided at the rear end of the side gate 12 to house the tail lamp unit 17 and reinforce the area around the tail lamp unit 17. The strut 1 is a columnar reinforcing structure that extends vertically relative to the floor panel 15. In this embodiment, the struts 1 are provided in two locations, one on each side of the rear gate 13, to correspond to the positions of the left and right tail lamp units 17. The strut 1 in this embodiment is formed by combining the outer panel 18 of the side gate 12 with an inner strut 2 and an outer strut 3, and is formed so that its horizontal cross section is approximately closed.

[0024] The inner strut 2 is a component that, together with the inner panel 19, forms the interior of the cargo box 11 (the inner surface of the cargo box 11) on the floor panel 15. The inner strut 2 is formed in a three-dimensional shape that forms three adjacent faces of, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped, and is fixed to the floor panel 15 and the inner panel 19. The inner strut 2 shown in Figure 2 has a face facing forward, a face facing inward in the vehicle width direction, and a face facing upward.

[0025] The outer strut 3 is a reinforcing member that is provided on the outer side of the vehicle (inside the inner strut 2) than the inner strut 2. The outer strut 3 is shaped to form a storage space for the tail lamp unit 17 between itself and the outer panel 18. The outer strut 3 shown in Figure 2 has a substantially L-shaped (angle-shaped) horizontal cross section, with a surface facing forward and a surface facing inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0026] The outer struts 3 are arranged to face the left and right rear corners of the outer panel 18. The outer panel 18 has a rearward facing surface and a surface facing outward in the vehicle width direction at each of the left and right rear corners of the vehicle 10. Therefore, by combining the outer panel 18 and the outer struts 3, a closed cross-sectional structure with a substantially rectangular horizontal cross section is formed. The space formed by the outer panel 18 and the outer struts 3 serves as a storage space for the tail lamp unit 17.

[0027] A rear end panel 4, a reinforcement 5 (rear end panel reinforcement), and a connecting member 8 are provided at the rear end of the floor panel 15. The rear end panel 4 is a member for reinforcing the rear end of the floor panel 15 and extends in the vehicle width direction. The rear end panel 4 functions to increase the rigidity of the vicinity of the rear end of the floor panel 15, where the load of the luggage acts first, for example, when the rear gate 13 is opened and luggage is placed on the luggage box 11. The rear end panel 4 also has the function of covering and concealing, for example, the edge of the floor panel 15. The rear end panel 4 of this embodiment has an L-shaped (angled) vertical cross section. The left-right dimension (width dimension) of the rear end panel 4 corresponds to (e.g., is approximately the same as) the left-right dimension of the rear gate 13.

[0028] The reinforcement 5 is a planar member for reinforcing the rear end panel 4 and the floor panel 15, and is suspended downward from the floor panel 15, extending across the vehicle width. The reinforcement 5 is formed in a strip shape that is long in the left-right direction and short in the up-down direction, and the extension direction of the reinforcement 5 is the left-right direction. The left-right dimension (width dimension) of the reinforcement 5 corresponds to (e.g., is approximately the same as) the left-right dimension of the rear end panel 4. The reinforcement 5 is disposed in front of the rear end panel 4, and is connected to the rear end panel 4 and the floor panel 15 via a connecting member 8.

[0029] The reinforcement 5 extends downward from, for example, a portion of the floor panel 15 that is reinforced by the rear end panel 4. The reinforcement 5 may also extend downward from a portion of the rear end panel 4 that is substantially flush with the floor panel 15. In either case, if the rear end panel 4 is considered to be an element that constitutes a part of the floor panel 15, the reinforcement 5 is defined as a planar member that hangs down from the floor panel 15.

[0030] [2. Brackets] The cargo box structure of this embodiment is provided with a bracket 6 and an auxiliary bracket 7, shown by dashed lines in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the state of looking up at the lower part of the left strut 1 from below the floor panel 15, in order to explain the structure of these brackets 6 and 7. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the various components shown in Fig. 3. In Figs. 3 and 4, the means for joining the various components (fasteners, etc.) are not shown.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3, the bracket 6 is a member that connects the strut outer 3 and reinforcement 5 that make up the strut 1 in the vehicle width direction. For example, a pair of brackets 6 are provided near both left and right ends of the reinforcement 5, and function to connect the reinforcement 5 to each of the left and right strut outers 3 below the floor panel 15.

[0032] The auxiliary brackets 7 are components that connect the outer strut 3 that constitutes the strut 1 to the rear end panel 4. A pair of auxiliary brackets 7 are provided, for example, near both left and right ends of the rear end panel 4 (the outer ends in the vehicle width direction), and function to connect the rear end panel 4 to the outer struts 3 and floor panel 15 below the floor panel 15. In this embodiment, the brackets 6 and auxiliary brackets 7 are provided in pairs on the left and right, but it is also possible to provide only one on the left or right.

[0033] Next, the specific structures of the strut outer 3, rear end panel 4, reinforcement 5, bracket 6, and auxiliary bracket 7 will be described. The strut outer 3 is formed by bending a sheet metal cut into a predetermined shape. As shown in Figure 4, the strut outer 3 has a front surface 31, an inclined surface 32, an inner surface 33, a rear support portion 34, a front support portion 35, and a second front support portion 36.

[0034] The front surface portion 31 is a planar portion of the strut 1 that faces the front of the vehicle (forming the front side of the strut 1) and is formed so that its normal is horizontal and faces forward when attached to the vehicle 10. The inner surface portion 33 is a planar portion that faces inward in the vehicle width direction of the strut 1 (forming the inner side of the strut 1) and is formed so that its normal is horizontal and faces inward in the vehicle width direction when attached to the vehicle 10. A side surface portion 71 of the auxiliary bracket 7, which will be described later, is fixed to the inner surface portion 33.

[0035] The inclined surface portion 32 is a planar portion provided between the front surface portion 31 and the inner surface portion 33, and is formed so that when attached to the vehicle 10, its normal is horizontal and faces inward in the vehicle longitudinal direction (forward) and in the vehicle width direction. The inclined surface portion 32 is formed between the front surface portion 31 and the inner surface portion 33 so as to connect them in the up-down direction. The surface orientation of the inclined surface portion 32 is preferably set so that it is inclined at approximately the same angle with respect to the front surface portion 31 and the inner surface portion 33. In other words, it is preferable to set the surface orientation of the inclined surface portion 32 so that the angle between the front surface portion 31 and the inclined surface portion 32 is equal to the angle between the inner surface portion 33 and the inclined surface portion 32 in a horizontal cross section. A vertically extending portion 62 of the bracket 6, which will be described later, is fixed to the inclined surface portion 32.

[0036] The rear support portion 34 is a flat portion extending inward in the vehicle width direction from the rear end of the inner surface portion 33. The rear support portion 34 is joined to the rear end panel 4 and functions to fix the outer strut 3 to the rear end panel 4. In this embodiment, a rear surface portion 72 of an auxiliary bracket 7 (described later) is welded and fixed in a three-layer configuration to a vertical surface portion 42 of the rear end panel 4 (described later) and the rear support portion 34.

[0037] The front support portion 35 is a flat portion extending forward from the outer end of the front portion 31 in the vehicle width direction. The front support portion 35 is fixed to or engaged with the inner panel 19 or the outer panel 18, thereby improving the posture stability of the outer strut 3. The front support portion 35 shown in Figure 4 has its front end bent outward in the vehicle width direction, and its tip abuts against the outer panel 18.

[0038] The second front support portion 36 is a flat portion extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the outer end of the front portion 31 in the vehicle width direction. The second front support portion 36 is fixed to or engaged with the outer panel 18. This improves the posture stability of the outer strut 3. The second front support portion 36 shown in FIG. 4 has its outer end in the vehicle width direction bent rearward and in surface contact with the outer panel 18. In this embodiment, the second front support portion 36 is in surface contact with the edge of an attachment opening for the tail lamp unit 17 formed in the outer panel 18. The tail lamp unit 17 is also fixed to the outer panel 18 and the second front support portion 36.

[0039] The rear end panel 4 is formed by bending a rectangular steel plate. As shown in FIG. 4 , the rear end panel 4 has a horizontal surface portion 41 and a vertical surface portion 42. The horizontal surface portion 41 is a planar portion that is connected to the floor panel 15 at the rear end of the cargo box 11. An upper surface portion 73 of an auxiliary bracket 7 (described later) is fixed to the horizontal surface portion 41. The vertical surface portion 42 is a planar portion that extends downward from the rear end of the horizontal surface portion 41. A rear surface portion 72 of the auxiliary bracket 7 (described later) is fixed to the vertical surface portion 42. The angle between the horizontal surface portion 41 and the vertical surface portion 42 is approximately a right angle, and the longitudinal cross section has an L-shaped (angled) shape.

[0040] The reinforcement 5 is formed by punching and bending a sheet metal cut into a predetermined shape. As shown in FIG. 4 , the reinforcement 5 is provided with a reinforcing surface portion 51, an edge portion 52, and an arm portion 53. The reinforcing surface portion 51 is a planar portion disposed substantially parallel to the vertical surface portion 42 of the rear end panel 4. The reinforcing surface portion 51 has a plurality of openings formed therein through which piping and wiring material routed below the cargo box 11 is inserted. The reinforcement 5 is attached to the horizontal surface portion 41 of the rear end panel 4 or the floor panel 15, and is connected to the vertical surface portion 42 of the rear end panel 4 via a connecting member 8.

[0041] The edge portion 52 is a planar portion extending forward from the upper end of the reinforcing surface portion 51, and is fixed in surface contact with the horizontal surface portion 41 or the floor panel 15. This results in the reinforcement 5 being attached to the horizontal surface portion 41 or the floor panel 15 in front of the vertical surface portion 42. The arm portion 53 is a planar portion that extends outward in the vehicle width direction from both left and right end portions of the reinforcing surface portion 51 on the same plane as the reinforcing surface portion 51. A lateral extension portion 61 of the bracket 6, which will be described later, is fixed to the arm portion 53.

[0042] The bracket 6 is formed by bending a sheet metal cut into a predetermined shape. As shown in Fig. 4, the bracket 6 is provided with a horizontally extending portion 61, a vertically extending portion 62, and an oblique reinforcing portion 63. The horizontally extending portion 61 is a planar portion that extends in the extension direction of the reinforcement 5 (the left-right direction in this embodiment) and is joined to the reinforcement 5. The horizontally extending portion 61 is fastened and fixed to the arm portion 53 in a state of surface contact with the arm portion 53.

[0043] The vertically extending portion 62 is a flat portion that extends more vertically than the laterally extending portion 61 and is connected to the outer strut 3. The vertical dimension of the vertically extending portion 62 is formed to be at least greater than the vertical dimension of the laterally extending portion 61. In this embodiment, the vertically extending portion 62 is formed to extend downward from the outer end of the laterally extending portion 61 in the vehicle width direction, and extends to the vicinity of the lower end of the outer strut 3. Note that the vertically extending portion 62 may be formed to extend upward from the end of the laterally extending portion 61, or may be formed to extend upward and downward from the end of the laterally extending portion 61.

[0044] The vertical extension portion 62 is formed in a plane shape (a plane shape that is neither parallel nor perpendicular) that is inclined relative to the horizontal extension portion 61. While the horizontal extension portion 61 is flat and makes surface contact with the arm portion 53 of the reinforcement 5, the vertical extension portion 62 is formed in a plane and makes surface contact with the inclined surface portion 32 of the strut outer 3. In a top view of the bracket 6, the vertical extension portion 62 has a shape that is bent forward from the plane to which the horizontal extension portion 61 is extended.

[0045] The angle formed by the vertically extending portion 62 with respect to the horizontally extending portion 61 is preferably an obtuse angle (an angle greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees), for example, approximately 135 degrees. In this way, the bracket 6 is formed into a surface shape in which the vertically extending portion 62 is inclined forward and backward relative to the horizontally extending portion 61 in accordance with the inclination of the inclined surface portion 32. Furthermore, the vertically extending portion 62 is joined to the inclined surface portion 32 in a state where it is overlapped on the inclined surface portion 32.

[0046] The diagonal reinforcement portion 63 is a planar portion that diagonally connects the inside corner portion between the horizontally extending portion 61 and the vertically extending portion 62 when viewed from the front of the bracket 6. The diagonal reinforcement portion 63 acts as a diagonal member between the horizontally extending portion 61 and the vertically extending portion 62, suppressing torsional deformation of the bracket 6. The diagonal reinforcement portion 63 in this embodiment is formed to be flush with the horizontally extending portion 61, and is fastened and fixed to the arm portion 53 together with the horizontally extending portion 61 in a state of surface contact.

[0047] Furthermore, the bracket 6 has a funnel shape that expands vertically from the horizontally extending portion 61 toward the vertically extending portion 62 when viewed from the front. In other words, the diagonal reinforcing portion 63 in this embodiment is provided so as to fill the recessed corner between the horizontally extending portion 61 and the vertically extending portion 62 without any gaps. In this embodiment, since there is only one recessed corner between the horizontally extending portion 61 and the vertically extending portion 62, the diagonal reinforcing portion 63 is provided only on the lower side of the horizontally extending portion 61.

[0048] The connecting member 8 is a member for fixing the rear end panel 4 and the reinforcement 5 together, and is provided so as to connect the rear end panel 4 and the reinforcement 5 in the front-rear direction near the center in the vehicle width direction. The overall shape of the connecting member 8 is a shape that extends in the left-right direction (the vehicle width direction, the extension direction of the reinforcement 5). The left-right dimension (width dimension) of the connecting member 8 is set appropriately so as not to interfere with surrounding members, and is set to a length that is, for example, about half the left-right dimension (width dimension) of the reinforcement 5.

[0049] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a pair of left and right brackets 6. The dashed lines in Figure 5 illustrate boundaries between the laterally extending portions 61 and the diagonal reinforcing portions 63. The brackets 6 are provided with a plurality of fixing portions (fastening holes) through which fasteners (bolts, rivets, studs, etc.) are inserted. With regard to these fixing portions, the laterally extending portions 61 are provided with an inner fixing portion 64 (inner connecting portion) and a second intermediate fixing portion 67 (outer connecting portion), the diagonal reinforcing portions 63 are provided with an intermediate fixing portion 66, and the vertically extending portions 62 are provided with a plurality of outer fixing portions 65. The vertically extending portions 62 are fixed to the strut outer 3 at a plurality of locations spaced apart in the vertical direction.

[0050] The inner fixing portion 64 and the second intermediate fixing portion 67 are arranged spaced apart in the left-right direction (the vehicle width direction, which is the extension direction of the reinforcement 5), and the outer fixing portion 65 is arranged spaced apart in the up-down direction. The second intermediate fixing portion 67 is a portion that joins the bracket 6 and the reinforcement 5 at a position near the outer end of the reinforcement 5 in the vehicle width direction with respect to the reinforcement 5. Furthermore, the inner fixing portion 64 is a portion that is located at a position spaced apart from the second intermediate fixing portion 67 in the extension direction of the reinforcement 5 and that joins the bracket 6 and the reinforcement 5 at a position near the inner end of the laterally extending portion 61 in the vehicle width direction.

[0051] Furthermore, when attention is paid to the position of each fixing portion in the vehicle width direction, the inner fixing portion 64 is located furthest inward in the vehicle width direction, and the multiple outer fixing portions 65 are located furthest outward in the vehicle width direction. The multiple outer fixing portions 65 are all located at the same position in the vehicle width direction. The intermediate fixing portion 66 and the second intermediate fixing portion 67 are provided at a position sandwiched horizontally between the inner fixing portion 64 and the outer fixing portion 65. The intermediate fixing portion 66 and the second intermediate fixing portion 67 may be located at the same position in the vehicle width direction, or one may be positioned shifted outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the other.

[0052] The auxiliary bracket 7 is formed by bending a sheet metal cut into a predetermined shape. As shown in Figure 4, the auxiliary bracket 7 has a side surface 71, a rear surface 72, and an upper surface 73. The side surface 71 is a flat portion that is joined to the inner surface 33 of the strut 1, and is fixed, for example, by welding and fastening in a state of surface contact with the inner surface 33. The fixing point between the side surface 71 and the inner surface 33 is set rearward and above the fixing point between the bracket 6 and the inclined surface 32, so that the auxiliary bracket 7 does not interfere with the bracket 6.

[0053] The rear surface portion 72 is a planar portion orthogonal to the side surface portion 71 and is a vertical surface that is connected to the vertical surface portion 42. The rear surface portion 72 is welded and fixed in surface contact with, for example, the vertical surface portion 42 (or the rear support portion 34 that is integrally fixed to the vertical surface portion 42). The top surface portion 73 is a planar portion orthogonal to the side surface portion 71 and the rear surface portion 72 and is a horizontal surface that is connected to the horizontal surface portion 41 (floor panel 15). The top surface portion 73 is welded and fixed in surface contact with, for example, the floor panel 15. In this embodiment, the floor panel 15, the top surface portion 73, and the horizontal surface portion 41 are welded and fixed in a partially triple-layered state.

[0054] 6 is a perspective view of a pair of left and right auxiliary brackets 7. The auxiliary bracket 7 is provided with a plurality of fixing portions (fastening holes) through which fasteners (bolts, rivets, studs, etc.) are inserted, and a plurality of fixing portions (welding points) to be fixed by welding. With regard to these fixing portions, a side fixing portion 74 and a second side fixing portion 77 are provided on the side surface portion 71. A rear fixing portion 75 is provided on the rear surface portion 72, and an upper fixing portion 76 is provided on the upper surface portion 73. In this embodiment, the side fixing portion 74, the rear fixing portion 75, and the upper fixing portion 76 represent welding points, and the second side fixing portion 77 represents a fastening hole.

[0055] The side fixing portions 74 are arranged at multiple locations spaced apart at least in the vertical and front-rear directions. In the example shown in FIG. 6 , there are four side fixing portions 74. Furthermore, multiple pairs of side fixing portions 74 are arranged spaced apart in the front-rear direction, with each pair consisting of two side fixing portions 74 spaced apart in the vertical direction and at the same position in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the second side fixing portions 77 are arranged at multiple locations spaced apart in the front-rear direction. In the example shown in FIG. 6 , two second side fixing portions 77 are provided that are spaced apart in the front-rear direction and at the same position in the vertical direction. The vertical position of the second side fixing portion 77 is preferably set to a position sandwiched between the upper side fixing portion 74 and the lower side fixing portion 74.

[0056] The rear fixing portions 75 are arranged at multiple locations spaced apart in the vertical direction. In the example shown in FIG. 6, two rear fixing portions 75 are provided that are spaced apart in the vertical direction and at the same position in the left-right direction. Similarly, the upper fixing portions 76 are arranged at multiple locations spaced apart in the front-rear direction. In the example shown in FIG. 6, two upper fixing portions 76 are provided that are spaced apart in the front-rear direction and at the same position in the left-right direction. One of the two upper fixing portions 76, located on the front side, fixes the floor panel 15 to the upper surface portion 73. Furthermore, the other, located on the rear side, fixes the floor panel 15, the upper surface portion 73, and the horizontal surface portion 41 to one another.

[0057] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the reinforcement 5 as viewed from below the floor panel 15 toward the rear of the vehicle. The dashed lines in Figure 7 indicate the connecting member 8. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of the connecting member 8. The connecting member 8 is formed by bending a cut sheet that has been cut into a predetermined shape. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the connecting member 8 is provided with a connecting front surface 81, a connecting upper surface 82, and a connecting rear surface 83.

[0058] The connecting front surface portion 81 is a planar portion that is joined to the reinforcing surface portion 51 of the reinforcement 5, and is fixed by welding, for example, in partial surface contact with the reinforcing surface portion 51. The connecting upper surface portion 82 is a planar portion that extends from the upper end of the connecting front surface portion 81 toward the rear of the vehicle to a position that reaches the rear end panel 4. The longitudinal dimension of the connecting upper surface portion 82 corresponds to the distance between the rear end panel 4 and the reinforcement 5 (separation distance in the longitudinal direction).

[0059] The connecting rear surface portion 83 is a flat portion (edge-like portion) formed by bending the rear end of the connecting upper surface portion 82 upward, and is welded and fixed in partial surface contact with, for example, the vertical surface portion 42 of the rear end panel 4. As shown in Figure 8, the rear end of the floor panel 15 forms a reinforcing structure with a closed cross section surrounded by four sides: the vertical surface portion 42 of the rear end panel 4, the reinforcing surface portion 51 of the reinforcement 5, the connecting upper surface portion 82 of the connecting member 8, and the horizontal surface portion 41 of the rear end panel 4 (or the floor panel 15). This stabilizes the attachment state of the rear end panel 4 and the reinforcement 5, increases the rigidity near the rear end of the floor panel 15, and improves the robustness of the cargo box 11.

[0060] The plate surfaces of the connecting front surface portion 81 and the connecting top surface portion 82 may be formed with a plurality of openings through which piping or wiring material is inserted, similar to the reinforcing surface portion 51 of the reinforcement 5, for example. Alternatively, the connecting member 8 may be disposed in a position where it does not interfere with the piping or wiring material. Also, a structure for increasing the rigidity of the connecting member 8 may be applied to the connecting member 8. For example, reinforcing structures such as ribs or beads may be provided on the plate surfaces or curved portions of each of the connecting front surface portion 81, the connecting top surface portion 82, and the connecting rear surface portion 83.

[0061] 9(A) is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the strut 1 above the floor panel 15 with the rear gate 13 removed. The tail lamp unit 17 is disposed in a storage space surrounded by the outer panel 18 and the strut outer 3, and is attached to the outer panel 18 and the strut outer 3. The floor panel 15 located on the inner side of the strut 1 in the vehicle width direction is reinforced by the rear end panel 4. The underside of the rear end panel 4 is further reinforced by reinforcements 5.

[0062] 9(B) is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the strut 1 below the floor panel 15. The reinforcement 5 and the outer strut 3 are connected in the left-right direction by a bracket 6. The horizontal extension 61 of the bracket 6 is fixed to the arm 53 of the reinforcement 5, and the vertical extension 62 of the bracket 6 is fixed to the inclined surface 32 of the outer strut 3. This prevents the outer strut 3 from tipping over and rotating, improving the robustness of the cargo box structure.

[0063] The vertically extending portion 62 of the bracket 6 is arranged to be inclined with respect to the horizontally extending portion 61 of the bracket 6. As a result, when the strut outer 3 is subjected to lateral tilting and rotational deformation, a load acting on the fixed portion between the vertically extending portion 62 and the inclined surface portion 32 acts in a shear direction on the fastener, efficiently suppressing deformation of the strut 1. Furthermore, when the strut outer 3 is subjected to tilting and rotational deformation in the fore-and-aft direction, a load acting on the fixed portion between the vertically extending portion 62 and the inclined surface portion 32 acts in a shear direction on the fastener, efficiently suppressing deformation of the strut 1. The same applies to flapping deformation in the fore-and-aft direction of the rear end panel 4 and the reinforcement 5, and deformation of the rear end panel 4 and the reinforcement 5 is efficiently suppressed.

[0064] An auxiliary bracket 7 is provided behind the bracket 6, connecting the outer strut 3 to the rear end panel 4. A side surface 71 of the auxiliary bracket 7 is fixed to the inner surface 33 of the outer strut 3, and a rear surface 72 of the auxiliary bracket 7 is fixed to the vertical surface 42 (rear support portion 34) of the rear end panel 4. This restricts relative displacement between the outer strut 3 and the rear end panel 4, and efficiently suppresses deformation of the outer strut 3 and the rear end panel 4. In addition, the upper surface 73 of the auxiliary bracket 7 is fixed to the horizontal surface 41 of the rear end panel 4 and the floor panel 15. This more reliably suppresses deformation of the outer strut 3 and the rear end panel 4.

[0065] [3. Effects] (1) The cargo box structure according to this embodiment is provided in a vehicle 10 including a floor panel 15 of a cargo box 11, side gates 12 (side panels) erected on both outer sides of the floor panel 15 in the vehicle width direction, and columnar struts 1 attached to the side gates 12 and extending vertically relative to the floor panel 15. The cargo box structure also includes a planar reinforcement 5 suspended downward from the floor panel 15 and extending across the vehicle width direction, and a bracket 6 connecting the strut 1 and the reinforcement 5. The bracket 6 has a horizontal extension portion 61 and a vertical extension portion 62. The horizontal extension portion 61 extends in the extension direction of the reinforcement 5 and is joined to the reinforcement 5. The vertical extension portion 62 extends vertically further than the horizontal extension portion 61 and is joined to the strut 1.

[0066] In this way, by connecting the vertically extending portion 62 of the bracket 6, which extends in the vertical direction, to the strut 1, it is possible to ensure the distance (vertical distance) between the center of rotation during lateral tilting and rotational deformation of the side gate 12 and the fixed points of the strut 1 and bracket 6. This makes it possible to efficiently suppress lateral tilting of the side gate 12. In addition, it is possible to ensure the distance (vertical distance) between the center of rotation during longitudinal flapping deformation of the reinforcement 5 and the fixed points of the strut 1 and bracket 6, making it possible to efficiently suppress flapping of the reinforcement 5. Therefore, the rigidity of the side gate 12 and the floor panel 15 can be easily increased, and the robustness of the cargo box 11 can be improved with a simple configuration.

[0067] (2) As shown in FIG. 4 , the strut 1 has an inclined surface portion 32 that extends vertically in the vehicle longitudinal direction and faces inward in the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and 9(B) , the bracket 6 has a surface shape in which the vertical extension portion 62 is inclined forward and backward relative to the horizontal extension portion 61, in accordance with the inclination of the inclined surface portion 32. Furthermore, the vertical extension portion 62 is joined in a state overlapping the inclined surface portion 32. This facilitates applying a load in the shear direction to the fastening point (fastener) between the vertical extension portion 62 and the strut 1. For example, even if the strut outer 3 rotates left and right or forward and backward in the cross section shown in FIG. 9(B) , a shear load acts on the fastening point of the vertical extension portion 62. The same applies when the arm portion 53 of the reinforcement 5 rotates rearward.

[0068] If the vertical extending portion 62 is formed into a plane parallel to the horizontal extending portion 61, a load in the peeling direction acts on the fixed portion of the vertical extending portion 62 when the outer strut 3 or the reinforcement 5 rotates in the front-to-rear direction. If the vertical extending portion 62 is formed into a plane perpendicular to the horizontal extending portion 61, a load in the peeling direction acts on the fixed portion of the vertical extending portion 62 when the outer strut 3 rotates in the left-to-right direction. On the other hand, if the vertical extending portion 62 is inclined with respect to the horizontal extending portion 61, the load in the peeling direction as described above is less likely to be applied, and deformation of the strut 1 can be efficiently suppressed. This further improves the robustness of the shipping box 11.

[0069] (3) As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the vertically extending portion 62 extends to the vicinity of the lower end of the strut 1 and is fixed to the strut 1 at multiple locations spaced apart in the vertical direction. In other words, the outer fixing portions 65 are arranged at multiple locations spaced apart in the vertical direction. By fixing the vertically extending portion 62 to the strut 1 at multiple locations spaced apart in the vertical direction (longitudinal direction), it is possible to more reliably prevent the strut 1 from tipping over, further improving the robustness of the shipping box 11.

[0070] (4) As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the lateral extension portion 61 has a second intermediate fixing portion 67 (outer joint portion) and an inner fixing portion 64 (inner joint portion). The second intermediate fixing portion 67 is a portion that is joined to the reinforcement 5 at a position near the outer end of the reinforcement 5 in the vehicle width direction. The inner fixing portion 64 is a portion that is separated from the second intermediate fixing portion 67 in the extension direction (left-right direction) of the reinforcement 5 and is a portion that is joined to the reinforcement 5 at a position near the inner end of the lateral extension portion 61 in the vehicle width direction. In this way, by setting the fixing points between the lateral extension portion 61 and the reinforcement 5 at multiple positions spaced apart in the extension direction (left-right direction) of the reinforcement 5, flapping deformation of the reinforcement 5 can be more reliably suppressed, and the robustness of the cargo box 11 can be further improved.

[0071] (5) As shown in Figure 2, the strut 1 is disposed at the rear end of the side gate 12. A rear end panel 4 having an L-shaped cross section and extending in the vehicle width direction is provided at the rear end of the cargo box 11. As shown in Figure 4, the rear end panel 4 has a horizontal surface portion 41 connected to the floor panel 15 and a vertical surface portion 42 extending downward from the rear end of the horizontal surface portion 41. The reinforcement 5 is located in front of the rear end panel 4 and is attached to the horizontal surface portion 41 or the floor panel 15, and is connected to the vertical surface portion 42 via a connecting member 8.

[0072] In this way, by providing the rear end panel 4, the rigidity of the vicinity of the rear end of the floor panel 15 can be increased, and the floor panel 15 can be effectively reinforced. Also, by reinforcing the rear end panel 4 with the reinforcement 5, deformation of the rear end panel 4 itself can be suppressed. Furthermore, by connecting the rear end panel 4 and the reinforcement 5 with the connecting member 8, the rigidity of the vicinity of the rear end of the floor panel 15 can be further increased, and the robustness of the cargo box 11 can be improved.

[0073] (6) The above-described cargo box structure is provided with an auxiliary bracket 7 that connects the outer end of the rear end panel 4 in the vehicle width direction to the strut 1. As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the auxiliary bracket 7 has a rear surface portion 72 that is connected to the vertical surface portion 42, an upper surface portion 73 that is connected to the horizontal surface portion 41, and a side surface portion 71 that is connected to the inner surface portion 33 of the strut 1 that faces inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0074] In this way, by connecting the rear end panel 4 and the strut 1 with the auxiliary bracket 7, it is possible to more reliably prevent the side gate 12 from tipping over and the reinforcement 5 and the rear end panel 4 from flapping in the fore-and-aft direction, further improving the robustness of the cargo box 11. Furthermore, the structure of the left and right sides (struts 1) of the rear gate 13 is made more robust, preventing deformation and malfunction of the rear gate 13. Furthermore, by setting the orientation of the surface to which the auxiliary bracket 7 is fixed in three directions: rearward, sideward, and upward, the rigidity of the auxiliary bracket 7 can be increased, and the fixed state by the auxiliary bracket 7 can be stabilized. Therefore, the robustness of the cargo box 11 can be further improved with a simple configuration.

[0075] (7) The strut 1 described above is a portion that houses the tail lamp unit 17 of the vehicle 10 at the rear end of the side gate 12. The strut 1 has an outer strut 3 that forms a space for housing the tail lamp unit 17 between it and an outer panel 18 that forms the exterior of the side gate 12. The inclined surface portion 32 described above is formed between a front surface portion 31 of the strut 1 that faces forward of the vehicle and an inner surface portion 33 of the strut 1 that faces inward in the vehicle width direction, so as to connect the two in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the bracket 6 described above connects the outer strut 3 and the reinforcement 5 in the vehicle width direction.

[0076] This configuration improves the robustness of the area near the rear end of the side gate 12, stabilizes the mounting state of the tail lamp unit 17, and prevents failure of the tail lamp unit 17 due to, for example, vehicle vibration. In addition, the structure of the left and right sides (struts 1) of the rear gate 13 is made sturdy, preventing deformation and malfunction of the rear gate 13.

[0077] (8) As shown in Fig. 5, the bracket 6 has a diagonal reinforcing portion 63 that diagonally connects the inside corner portion between the horizontally extending portion 61 and the vertically extending portion 62 in a front view. By interposing a diagonal member between the horizontally extending portion 61 and the vertically extending portion 62 in this way, the rigidity of the bracket 6 can be further increased and torsional deformation of the bracket 6 can be suppressed. Therefore, the robustness of the shipping box 11 can be further improved with a simple configuration.

[0078] (9) As shown in FIG. 5 , the bracket 6 is formed in a funnel shape that expands vertically from the horizontally extending portion 61 to the vertically extending portion 62 when viewed from the front. In other words, the diagonal reinforcing portion 63 is formed in a shape that fills the corner between the horizontally extending portion 61 and the vertically extending portion 62 without any gaps. This ensures a large joint area between the bracket 6 and the reinforcement 5, further stabilizing the fixed state of the bracket 6. In addition, torsional deformation of the bracket 6 can be more reliably suppressed. Therefore, the robustness of the shipping box 11 can be further improved with a simple configuration.

[0079] [4. Other] The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to exclude various modifications or applications of techniques not explicitly described in the present embodiments. Each configuration of the present embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present embodiments. Furthermore, each configuration of the present embodiments can be selected as needed, or can be appropriately combined with various configurations included in known techniques.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the struts 1 are provided at the corners of the left and right rear ends of the vehicle 10 (on the left and right sides of the rear gate 13), but the location of the struts 1 is not limited to this. For example, the struts 1 may be located at the front end of the side gate 12, or in the middle between the front and rear ends of the side gate 12.

[0081] In the above embodiment, the reinforcement 5 that reinforces the rear end panel 4 and the floor panel 15 is illustrated, but the rear end panel 4 is not an essential element. The reinforcement 5 only needs to reinforce at least the floor panel 15, and only needs to be a planar member that extends downward from the floor panel 15. Furthermore, the extending direction of the reinforcement 5 does not have to be the left-right direction, but may be, for example, the front-rear direction.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the bracket 6 includes the horizontally extending portion 61, the vertically extending portion 62, and the diagonal reinforcing portion 63, but the diagonal reinforcing portion 63 can be omitted. Also, the auxiliary bracket 7 can be omitted. By providing at least the horizontally extending portion 61 and the vertically extending portion 62 on the bracket 6 and connecting the strut 1 and the reinforcement 5 with the bracket 6, a shipping box structure that achieves the same effects as the above embodiment can be realized.

[0083] 10A is a perspective view showing a modified bracket 6A. The diagonal reinforcing portion 63 of the bracket 6A is formed to connect the horizontally extending portion 61 and the vertically extending portion 62 while leaving a gap at the corner between the horizontally extending portion 61 and the vertically extending portion 62. This structure makes it possible to reduce the weight and cost of the bracket 6 while suppressing torsional deformation.

[0084] 10B is a perspective view showing a bracket 6B as another modified example. The vertically extending portion 62 of the bracket 6B is formed in a shape extending upward and downward from the outer end of the laterally extending portion 61 in the vehicle width direction. In addition, since there are two corners between the laterally extending portion 61 and the vertically extending portion 62, diagonal reinforcing portions 63 are provided on both the upper and lower sides of the laterally extending portion 61. This structure can further increase the rigidity of the bracket 6 and improve the resistance of the bracket 6 to torsional deformation.

[0085] The present invention can be used in the manufacturing industry of vehicles equipped with luggage boxes, as well as in the manufacturing industry of luggage boxes and vehicle body structures around luggage boxes.

[0086] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Strut 2 Strut inner 3 Strut outer 4 Rear end panel 5 Reinforcement 6, 6A, 6B Bracket 7 Auxiliary bracket 8 Connecting member 10 Vehicle 11 Luggage box 12 Side gate (side panel) 13 Rear gate 14 Front panel 15 Floor panel 16 Rear bumper 17 Tail lamp unit 18 Outer panel 19 Inner panel 31 Front portion 32 Inclined surface portion 33 Inner surface portion 34 Rear support portion 35 Front support portion 36 Second front support portion 41 Horizontal surface portion 42 Vertical surface portion 51 Reinforced surface portion 52 Edge portion 53 Arm portion 61 Lateral extension portion 62 Vertical extension portion 63 Diagonal reinforcement portion 64 Inner fixing portion (inner joint portion) 65 Outer fixing portion 66 Intermediate fixing portion 67 Second intermediate fixing part (outer coupling part) 71 Side part 72 Rear part 73 Top part 74 Side fixing part 75 Rear fixing part 76 Top fixing part 77 Second side fixing part 81 Connecting front part 82 Connecting top part 83 Connecting rear part

Claims

1. A luggage box structure for a vehicle comprising: a floor panel for a luggage box; side panels erected on both outer sides of the floor panel in a vehicle width direction; and columnar struts provided on the side panels and extending vertically relative to the floor panel, A planar reinforcement member that is suspended downward from the floor panel and extends in the vehicle width direction; A bracket connecting the strut and the reinforcement is provided, The bracket has a horizontal extending portion that extends in the extension direction of the reinforcement and is connected to the reinforcement, and a vertical extending portion that extends in the vertical direction more than the horizontal extending portion and is connected to the strut. A luggage box structure for a vehicle, characterized in that:

2. the strut has an inclined surface portion that faces inward in the vehicle front-rear direction and in the vehicle width direction along the up-down direction, The bracket is formed into a surface shape in which the vertical extending portion is inclined forward and backward in accordance with the inclination of the inclined surface portion based on the horizontal extending portion, The longitudinally extending portion is joined to the inclined surface portion in a state where the longitudinally extending portion is overlapped with the inclined surface portion.

2. The vehicle luggage box structure according to claim 1.

3. The vertically extending portion extends to the vicinity of the lower end of the strut and is fixed to the strut at a plurality of locations spaced apart in the vertical direction.

3. The luggage box structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The laterally extending portion has an outer joint portion that is joined to the reinforcement at a position near the outer end of the reinforcement in the vehicle width direction, and an inner joint portion that is joined to the laterally extending portion at a position near the inner end of the vehicle width direction, separated from the outer joint portion in the extension direction of the reinforcement.

3. The luggage box structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2.

5. the strut is disposed at the rear end of the side panel; A rear end panel is provided at the rear end of the cargo box, the rear end panel having an L-shaped cross section and extending in the vehicle width direction, the rear end panel having a horizontal surface portion connected to the floor panel and a vertical surface portion extending downward from the rear end of the horizontal surface portion, The reinforcement is located in front of the rear end panel, attached to the horizontal surface portion or the floor panel, and connected to the vertical surface portion via a connecting member.

3. The luggage box structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2.

6. an auxiliary bracket connecting an outer end of the rear end panel in the vehicle width direction to the strut; The auxiliary bracket has a rear surface portion connected to the vertical surface portion, an upper surface portion connected to the horizontal surface portion, and a side surface portion connected to an inner surface portion of the strut facing inward in the vehicle width direction.

6. The vehicle luggage box structure according to claim 5.

7. the strut has a strut outer that is a portion at the rear end of the side panel that houses a tail lamp unit of the vehicle and that forms a space for housing the tail lamp unit between itself and an outer panel that forms an exterior of the side panel, the strut outer has a front surface portion facing the front of the strut toward the vehicle front, an inner surface portion facing the inside of the strut in the vehicle width direction, and an inclined surface portion formed along the vertical direction, facing the front-rear direction of the vehicle and the inside of the vehicle width direction, and connecting the front surface portion and the inner surface portion; The bracket connects the strut outer and the reinforcement in the vehicle width direction.

6. The vehicle luggage box structure according to claim 5.

8. The bracket has an oblique reinforcing portion that obliquely connects an inside corner portion between the horizontally extending portion and the vertically extending portion in a front view.

3. The vehicle luggage box structure according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The bracket is formed in a funnel shape that expands in the vertical direction from the horizontal extending portion to the vertical extending portion when viewed from the front.

9. The vehicle luggage box structure according to claim 8.