Rear side structure for vehicle

Abstract

A rear side structure for a vehicle comprises: a rear side member extended along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; a shock absorber mounting member coupled to the rear side member; and a rear wheelhouse panel coupled to the rear side member; wherein the shock absorber mounting member is coupled to the rear wheelhouse panel, so that the shock absorber mounting member and the rear wheelhouse panel can form a wheel arch.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rear side structure for a vehicle, and more specifically, to a rear side structure for a vehicle in which the rear side member, the rear wheelhouse panel, the reinforcing member, and the shock absorber mounting member can be manufactured by a low-pressure hollow casting method by simplifying the connection structure of the rear side member, the rear wheelhouse panel, the reinforcing member, and the shock absorber mounting member, thereby reducing costs and weight. Background Technology

[0002] Recently, as awareness of the environmental crisis and the depletion of petroleum resources has increased, eco-friendly vehicles such as electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are gaining prominence. Electric and hybrid vehicles have batteries mounted in the lower part of the vehicle body; consequently, due to the relatively heavy batteries, their weight increases compared to internal combustion engine vehicles (vehicles equipped solely with internal combustion engines).

[0003] For eco-friendly vehicles, it is very important to reduce the weight of the vehicle to improve the All Electric Range (AER), and accordingly, there is a trend to apply lightweight materials such as aluminum and CFRP to multiple members and panels that make up the vehicle body.

[0004] Meanwhile, the vehicle rear side structure includes a rear side member, a shock absorber mounting member connected to the rear side member, and a reinforcing member connected to the shock absorber mounting member. The rear side member serves as a collision member, and the rear side member is manufactured using a hot stamping method with a rigid material such as steel. The rear side member includes an inner member and an outer member. To enhance the rigidity of the rear side member, multiple bulkheads are mounted inside the rear side member, and these bulkheads can be individually positioned at sections where the cross-section of the rear side member changes. Additionally, the inner member of the rear side member can be manufactured through high-vacuum die casting, and the rear side member has a closed cross-section as the flange of the inner member is joined to the flange of the outer member via a Self-Piercing Rivet (SPR). The shock absorber mounting member can be connected to the rear side member through welding or the like, and the upper part of the rear shock absorber can be mounted and supported on the shock absorber mounting member. A reinforcing member can be connected to the shock absorber mounting member, and the shock absorber mounting member can secure input point stiffness and formability through the reinforcing member. The reinforcing member and the shock absorber mounting member are combined with the rear wheelhouse panel.

[0005] In conventional high-vacuum die-casting rear side structures, the inner and outer members of the rear side member are joined through SPR, which can lead to a decrease in the rigidity and crash performance of the rear side member.

[0006] In addition, conventional steel rear side structures have the disadvantage that the weight and manufacturing cost of the rear side member are relatively high as multiple bulkheads are placed within the rear side member.

[0007] Conventional rear side structures have the disadvantage of increasing weight and cost, and requiring a relatively large number of parts, as shock absorber mounting members and reinforcing materials are joined to the wheelhouse panel through multiple welding points.

[0008] The matters described in this background technology section are written to enhance understanding of the background of the invention and may include matters that are not prior art already known to those skilled in the art to which this technology belongs. The problem to be solved

[0009] The present invention has been devised in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide a rear side structure for a vehicle that can reduce costs and weight by simplifying the connection structure of the rear side member, rear wheelhouse panel, reinforcing member, and shock absorber mounting member, thereby enabling the rear side member, reinforcing member, and shock absorber mounting member to be manufactured by a low-pressure hollow casting method. means of solving the problem

[0010] A rear side structure for a vehicle according to the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned purpose comprises: a rear side member extended along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; a shock absorber mounting member coupled to the rear side member; and a rear wheelhouse panel coupled to the rear side member; wherein the shock absorber mounting member is coupled to the rear wheelhouse panel, thereby the shock absorber mounting member and the rear wheelhouse panel can form a wheel arch.

[0011] The above rear side member includes a cavity, and the cavity may have a closed cross section.

[0012] The above shock absorber mounting member includes a cavity, and the cavity may have a closed cross section.

[0013] The above shock absorber mounting member includes a shock absorber mounting wall on which the top of the shock absorber is mounted, a front reinforcement member located in front of the shock absorber mounting wall, and a rear reinforcement member located behind the shock absorber mounting wall.

[0014] The above front reinforcement member includes a cavity that communicates with the cavity of the shock absorber mounting member, and the above rear reinforcement member may include a cavity that communicates with the cavity of the shock absorber mounting member.

[0015] The above rear side member includes an outer flange facing the exterior of the vehicle, and the shock absorber mounting member and the rear wheelhouse panel can be coupled to the outer flange.

[0016] The rear side member may include an upper wall, a floor wall facing the upper wall, an interior side wall facing the interior of the vehicle, and an exterior side wall facing the exterior of the vehicle. The cavity of the rear side member may be defined by the upper wall, the floor wall, the interior side wall, and the exterior side wall. The exterior flange may protrude upward from the upper wall.

[0017] The shock absorber mounting member may include an upper side wall extending radially outward from the shock absorber mounting wall toward the wheel arch, an outer wall extending from the upper side wall toward the exterior of the vehicle, an inner wall spaced radially inward from the outer wall toward the wheel arch, and a lower side wall extending radially inward from the shock absorber mounting wall toward the wheel arch. The cavity of the shock absorber mounting member may be defined by the outer wall, the inner wall, and the upper side wall.

[0018] The lower side wall can be connected to the exterior flange of the rear side member through a plurality of fasteners.

[0019] The front reinforcement member may include an interior protruding bead protruding toward the interior of the vehicle from the front edge of the shock absorber mounting member, and an exterior protruding bead protruding toward the exterior of the vehicle from the front edge of the shock absorber mounting member. The cavity of the front reinforcement member may be defined by the interior protruding bead and the exterior protruding bead.

[0020] The lower edge of the indoor protruding bead of the front reinforcing member and the lower edge of the outdoor protruding bead of the front reinforcing member can be joined to the rear side member.

[0021] The rear reinforcement member may include an interior protruding bead protruding toward the interior of the vehicle from the rear edge of the shock absorber mounting member, and an exterior protruding bead protruding toward the exterior of the vehicle from the rear edge of the shock absorber mounting member. The cavity of the rear reinforcement member may be defined by the interior protruding bead and the exterior protruding bead.

[0022] The lower edge of the indoor protruding bead of the rear reinforcement and the lower edge of the outdoor protruding bead of the rear reinforcement can be joined to the rear side member.

[0023] The above shock absorber mounting member further includes a plurality of reinforcing ribs, and the plurality of reinforcing ribs may be provided integrally on the interior side of the shock absorber mounting member. Effects of the invention

[0024] According to the present invention, by simplifying the connection structure of the rear side member, rear wheelhouse panel, reinforcing member, and shock absorber mounting member, the rear side member, reinforcing member, and shock absorber mounting member can be manufactured by a low-pressure hollow casting method, thereby reducing the overall number of parts of the rear side structure and reducing costs and weight.

[0025] According to the present invention, the rear side member may have a front connecting part connected to a front body part such as a side sill, and a rear connecting part connected to a rear body part such as a rear longitudinal member. Since the rear side member, the front connecting part, and the rear connecting part are manufactured through a low-pressure casting (hollow casting) method, the rear side member, the front connecting part, and the rear connecting part may form a single body. Through this, the number of parts of the rear side member is reduced compared to the conventional method, thereby reducing the weight of the vehicle and manufacturing costs.

[0026] According to the present invention, as the shock absorber mounting member, the front reinforcing member, and the rear reinforcing member are manufactured through a low-pressure casting (hollow casting) method, the shock absorber mounting member, the front reinforcing member, and the rear reinforcing member can form a single body. Through this, the number of parts of the shock absorber mounting member is reduced compared to the conventional method, thereby reducing the weight of the vehicle and manufacturing costs.

[0027] According to the present invention, as the shock absorber mounting wall is positioned between the front reinforcement and the rear reinforcement, the upper end of the shock absorber can be positioned between the front reinforcement and the rear reinforcement, and thus the mounting rigidity of the shock absorber can be reinforced by the front reinforcement and the rear reinforcement. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0028] FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a rear side structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the CC line of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a bottom view taken from the direction of arrow D in Figure 1. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a rear side structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from inside the vehicle. FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a rear side member of a rear side structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 is a drawing showing the rear side member viewed from the direction of arrow E in Figure 7. FIG. 9 is a drawing showing the shock absorber mounting member and rear wheelhouse panel of a rear side structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention separated. FIG. 10 is a drawing illustrating the combination of a shock absorber mounting member and a rear wheelhouse panel of a rear side structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0029] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings. It should be noted that in assigning reference numerals to the components of each drawing, the same components are given the same reference numeral whenever possible, even if they are shown in different drawings. Furthermore, in describing the embodiments of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known components or functions would hinder understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, such detailed description is omitted.

[0030] In describing the components of the embodiments of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc., may be used. These terms are intended merely to distinguish the components from other components, and the essence, order, or sequence of the components is not limited by the terms. Furthermore, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this application.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 1, a rear side structure (10) for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a rear side member (11) extended along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a shock absorber mounting member (12) connected to the rear side member (11), and a rear wheelhouse panel (13) connected to the shock absorber mounting member (12).

[0032] A pair of side bodies (2) may be individually positioned on both sides of the vehicle body, and floors (4, 5) cross the lower ends of the pair of side bodies (2). The floors (4, 5) may include a center floor panel (4) and a rear floor panel (5). A pair of side sills (3) may be connected to the edges of both sides of the center floor panel (4), a pair of rear longitudinal members (6) may be located at the rearmost end of the vehicle body, and a pair of rear longitudinal members (6) may be spaced apart along the width direction of the vehicle.

[0033] A pair of rear side members (11) may be spaced apart in the width direction of the vehicle, and a pair of rear side members (11) may be individually connected to both edges of the floor (4, 5). FIG. 1 illustrates a left rear side member (11) located on the left side of the vehicle, and an unillustrated right rear side member is located on the right side of the vehicle.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 2, each rear side member (11) may include an upper wall (31), a floor wall (32) facing the upper wall (31), an interior side wall (33) facing the interior of the vehicle, and an exterior side wall (34) facing the exterior of the vehicle.

[0035] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the upper wall (31) may be configured to face upward on the vehicle, and the upper wall (31) may extend along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Each rear side member (11) may include an outer flange (35) that extends along the outer edge of the upper wall (31). The outer flange (35) may protrude upward from the outer edge of the upper wall (31), and the outer flange (35) may face outward from the vehicle. The outer flange (35) may have a shape corresponding to the shock absorber mounting member (12) and the rear wheelhouse panel (13). The shock absorber mounting member (12) and the rear wheelhouse panel (13) may be joined to the outer flange (35) through welding, fasteners, etc.

[0036] The floor wall (32) may be configured to face the underside (or ground) of the vehicle, and the floor wall (32) may extend along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0037] Each rear side member (11) may include a front mounting hardware component (38) and a rear mounting hardware component (39) on which chassis parts such as a rear subframe (40) are mounted. The front mounting hardware component (38) and the rear mounting hardware component (39) may be provided integrally with the floor wall (32). The front mounting hardware component (38) is relatively close to the front part of the rear side member (11) (front side connection part (21) described later), and the rear mounting hardware component (39) is relatively close to the rear part of the rear side member (11) (rear side connection part (22) described later). Referring to FIG. 5, the front mounting hardware component (38) may be located relatively close to the front of the vehicle, and the rear mounting hardware component (39) may be located relatively close to the rear of the vehicle. The front mounting portion (41) of the rear subframe (40) may be mounted to the front mounting hardware component (38) via a front elastic bush, and the rear mounting portion (42) of the rear subframe (40) may be mounted to the rear mounting hardware component (39) via a rear elastic bush. According to one example, the front mounting hardware component (38) may be a pipe nut extending vertically from the floor wall (32), and the rear mounting hardware component (39) may be a mounting stud or mounting rod extending vertically from the floor wall (32). Referring to FIG. 1, the floor wall (32) may have a first mounting surface (32a) provided with a front mounting hardware component (38) and a second mounting surface (32b) provided with a rear mounting hardware component (39), and the first mounting surface (32a) may be located further forward than the second mounting surface (32b). The first mounting surface (32a) and the second mounting surface (32b) may be configured to be flat, taking into account contact with the front elastic bushing and the rear elastic bushing.In this way, since the mounting hardware components (38, 39) for mounting the subframe are provided integrally on the bottom wall (32) of the rear side member (11), a separate bracket or the like is not required for assembling the mounting hardware components (38, 39), thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and weight.

[0038] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the interior side wall (33) may face toward the interior of the vehicle and may extend along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Each rear side member (11) may include an interior flange (36) that extends along the longitudinal direction of the interior side wall (33), and the interior flange (36) may protrude toward the interior of the vehicle from the lower edge of the interior side wall (33). The interior flange (36) may extend along the edge of the rear floor panel (5), thereby allowing the interior flange (36) to be joined to the edge of the rear floor panel (5) through welding, fasteners, etc.

[0039] Referring to FIGS. 2 and FIGS. 3, the exterior side wall (34) may face outward toward the outside of the vehicle, and the exterior side wall (34) may extend along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 2, the rear side member (11) may include a cavity (11a) defined by an upper wall (31), a bottom wall (32), an interior side wall (33), and an exterior side wall (34). The cavity (11a) of the rear side member (11) may have a closed transverse cross-section defined by the upper wall (31), the bottom wall (32), the interior side wall (33), and the exterior side wall (34). In particular, as the upper wall (31), the bottom wall (32), the interior side wall (33), and the exterior side wall (34) are continuous along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the closed transverse cross-section of the rear side member (11) may be continuous along the longitudinal direction of the rear side member (11). In this way, the present invention allows the closed cross-section of the rear side member (11) to be continuous along the longitudinal direction of the rear side member (11), thereby significantly improving the stiffness or strength of the rear side member (11) without additional reinforcing material.

[0041] Each rear side member (11) may include a front connecting part (21) located at its front and a rear connecting part (22) located at its rear. The front connecting part (21) may be a part connected to a front-side body component such as a side sill (3), and the rear connecting part (22) may be a part connected to a rear-side body component such as a rear longitudinal member (6). For example, the front connecting part (21) may be connected to the rear end of the corresponding side sill (3) through fasteners, welding, etc., and the rear connecting part (22) may be connected to the front end of each corresponding rear longitudinal member (6) through fasteners, welding, etc.

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the front connecting portion (21) may include a front upper wall (21a) facing the top of the vehicle, a front floor wall (21b) facing the front upper wall (21a), a front interior side wall (21c) facing the interior of the vehicle, an upper flange (21d) extending along the edge of the front upper wall (21a), and a lower flange (21e) extending along the edge of the front floor wall (21b). The front connecting portion (21) may have a cavity (21f) defined by the front upper wall (21a), the front floor wall (21b), and the front interior side wall (21c), and the cavity (21f) of the front connecting portion (21) may be open toward the exterior of the vehicle. The cavity (21f) of the front connecting part (21) can accommodate the rear end of the corresponding side sill (3), and the front connecting part (21) can be connected to the rear end of the corresponding side sill (3) through fasteners, welding, etc. The front upper wall (21a) can be integrally continuous along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the upper wall (31) of the rear side member (11), the front floor wall (21b) can be continuous along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the floor wall (32) of the rear side member (11), and the front interior side wall (21c) can be continuous along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the interior side wall (33) of the rear side member (11).

[0043] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the rear connecting portion (22) may extend from the rear portion of the rear side member (11) toward the rear of the vehicle. In particular, the rear connecting portion (22) may extend along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the rear connecting portion (22) may be connected to the rear longitudinal member (6) through fasteners, welding, etc. The rear connecting portion (22) may include a rear upper wall (22a) facing upward toward the vehicle, a rear floor wall (22b) facing the rear upper wall (22a), a rear interior side wall (22c) facing the interior of the vehicle, and a rear exterior side wall (22d) facing the exterior of the vehicle. The rear connecting portion (22) may include a cavity (not shown) defined by the rear upper wall (22a) and the rear interior side wall (22c). Accordingly, the cavity of the rear connecting part (22) may have a closed cross section defined by the rear upper wall (22a), the rear floor wall (22b), the rear interior side wall (22c), and the rear exterior side wall (22d). The cavity of the rear connecting part (22) may communicate directly with the cavity (11a) of the rear side member (11). The cavity of the rear connecting part (22) may accommodate the front end of the rear longitudinal member (6). The rear upper wall (22a) may be integrally continuous along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the upper wall (31) of the rear side member (11), the rear floor wall (22b) may be integrally continuous along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the floor wall (32) of the rear side member (11), the rear interior side wall (22c) may be continuous along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the interior side wall (33) of the rear side member (11), and the rear exterior side wall (22d) may be continuous along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the exterior side wall (34) of the rear side member (11).

[0044] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rear side member (11) may be made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and the rear side member (11), the front connecting part (21), and the rear connecting part (22) may be manufactured through a low-pressure casting (hollow casting) method. As the rear side member (11), the front connecting part (21), and the rear connecting part (22) are manufactured through a low-pressure hollow casting method, the rear side member (11), the front connecting part (21), and the rear connecting part (22) may form a single body. Through this, the weight of the vehicle and manufacturing costs can be reduced by reducing the number of parts of the rear side member (11) compared to the conventional method.

[0045] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, the shock absorber mounting member (12) can be coupled to the exterior flange (35) of the rear side member (11) together with the rear wheelhouse panel (13). The shock absorber mounting member (12) can be positioned behind the rear wheelhouse panel (13), the rear wheelhouse panel (13) can be relatively adjacent to the front of the vehicle, and the shock absorber mounting member (12) can be relatively adjacent to the rear of the vehicle. Referring to FIG. 9, the front edge of the shock absorber mounting member (12) is joined to the rear edge of the rear wheelhouse panel (13) through mechanical fasteners (86), such as a Self-Piercing Rivet (SPR), so that the shock absorber mounting member (12) and the rear wheelhouse panel (13) can form a wheel arch (15). Accordingly, the shock absorber mounting member (12) and the rear wheelhouse panel (13) may have a shape corresponding to half of the wheel arch (15).

[0046] Referring to FIG. 2, the shock absorber mounting member (12) may include a shock absorber mounting wall (41), an upper side wall (42) extending radially outward from the shock absorber mounting wall (41) toward the outside of the wheel arch (15), an outer wall (43) extending from the upper side wall (42) toward the outside of the vehicle, an inner wall (48) spaced radially inward from the outer wall (43) toward the inside of the wheel arch (15), a lower side wall (44) extending radially inward from the shock absorber mounting wall (41) toward the inside of the wheel arch (15), and an outer flange (46) extending along the outer edge of the outer wall (43). The shock absorber mounting member (12) may include a cavity (49) defined by an upper side wall (42), an outer wall (43), and an inner wall (48), and the cavity (49) of the shock absorber mounting member (12) may have a closed cross section defined by the upper side wall (42), the outer wall (43), and the inner wall (48). The upper end of a rear shock absorber (9), which acts as a damper for the rear suspension system, may be mounted on the shock absorber mounting wall (41). The shock absorber mounting wall (41) may be flat to stably support the upper end of the shock absorber (9). The upper side wall (42) may extend vertically upward from the outer edge of the shock absorber mounting wall (41), and the outer wall (43) may extend in an arch shape corresponding to half of the wheel arch (15). The lower side wall (44) may extend vertically downward from the inner edge of the shock absorber mounting wall (41). Referring to FIG. 2, the lower side wall (44) may be connected to the outer flange (35) of the rear side member (11) through a mechanical fastener (81), such as a Self-Piercing Rivet (SPR). The outer flange (46) may be connected to the corresponding side body (2) through welding, a fastener, etc.

[0047] Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, the shock absorber mounting member (12) may further include a plurality of reinforcing ribs (47), and the plurality of reinforcing ribs (47) may be provided integrally on the interior side of the shock absorber mounting member (12). Each reinforcing rib (47) may have an "L" shape extending along the shock absorber mounting wall (41) and upper side wall (42) of the shock absorber mounting member (12), and the plurality of reinforcing ribs (47) may be configured to reinforce the rigidity of the shock absorber mounting member (12). In this way, the mounting rigidity of the shock absorber (9) can be improved by reinforcing the rigidity of the shock absorber mounting member (12) with the plurality of reinforcing ribs (47).

[0048] Referring to FIG. 1, the shock absorber mounting member (12) may have a front reinforcement (16) and a rear reinforcement (17), and a shock absorber mounting wall (41) may be positioned between the front reinforcement (16) and the rear reinforcement (17). That is, the front reinforcement (16) may be located in front of the shock absorber mounting wall (41), and the rear reinforcement (17) may be located behind the shock absorber mounting wall (41). The front reinforcement (16) may be provided integrally on the front edge of the shock absorber mounting member (12), and the rear reinforcement (17) may be provided on the rear edge of the shock absorber mounting member (12).

[0049] Referring to FIG. 3, the front reinforcement member (16) may include an interior protruding bead (16a) protruding toward the interior of the vehicle from the front edge of the shock absorber mounting member (12) and an exterior protruding bead (16b) protruding toward the exterior of the vehicle from the front edge of the shock absorber mounting member (12). The front reinforcement member (16) may include a cavity (16c) defined by the interior protruding bead (16a) and the exterior protruding bead (16b), and the cavity (16c) of the front reinforcement member (16) may have a closed cross-section defined by the interior protruding bead (16a) and the exterior protruding bead (16b). The cavity (16c) of the front reinforcement member (16) may communicate with the cavity (49) of the shock absorber mounting member (12). The front reinforcing member (16) may have an outdoor flange (16d) provided at its upper end, and the outdoor flange (16d) may be connected to the corresponding side body (2) through fasteners, welding, etc. The outdoor flange (16d) of the front reinforcing member (16) may be continuous along the longitudinal direction of the shock absorber mounting member (12) from the outdoor flange (46) of the shock absorber mounting member (12).

[0050] Referring to FIG. 3, the lower edge of the indoor protruding bead (16a) of the front reinforcing member (16) can be connected to the outdoor flange (35) of the rear side member (11) through fasteners (82) such as a Flow Drilling Screw (FDS). The lower edge of the outdoor protruding bead (16b) of the front reinforcing member (16) can be connected to the outdoor side wall (34) of the rear side member (11) through fasteners (83) such as a Flow Drilling Screw (FDS).

[0051] Referring to FIG. 4, the rear reinforcement member (17) may include an interior protruding bead (17a) protruding toward the interior of the vehicle from the rear edge of the shock absorber mounting member (12) and an exterior protruding bead (17b) protruding toward the exterior of the vehicle from the rear edge of the shock absorber mounting member (12). The rear reinforcement member (17) may include a cavity (17c) defined by the interior protruding bead (17a) and the exterior protruding bead (17b), and the cavity (17c) of the rear reinforcement member (17) may have a closed cross-section defined by the interior protruding bead (17a) and the exterior protruding bead (17b). The cavity (17c) of the rear reinforcement member (17) may communicate with the cavity (49) of the shock absorber mounting member (12). The rear reinforcement member (17) may have an outdoor flange (17d) provided at its upper end, and the outdoor flange (17d) may be connected to the corresponding side body (2) through fasteners, welding, etc. The outdoor flange (17d) of the rear reinforcement member (17) may be continuous along the longitudinal direction of the shock absorber mounting member (12) from the outdoor flange (46) of the shock absorber mounting member (12).

[0052] Referring to FIGS. 4 and FIGS. 8, the rear side member (11) may have a rear protruding bead (37) that protrudes toward the exterior of the vehicle from the rear edge of the exterior side wall (34). Referring to FIG. 4, the lower edge of the interior protruding bead (17a) of the rear reinforcement (17) may be connected to the exterior flange (35) of the rear side member (11) through fasteners (84), such as a Flow Drilling Screw (FDS). The lower edge of the exterior protruding bead (17b) of the rear reinforcement (17) may be connected to the rear protruding bead (37) of the rear side member (11) through fasteners (85), such as a Flow Drilling Screw (FDS).

[0053] As the shock absorber mounting wall (41) is positioned between the front reinforcement (16) and the rear reinforcement (17), the upper part of the shock absorber (9) can be positioned between the front reinforcement (16) and the rear reinforcement (17), and thus the mounting rigidity of the shock absorber (9) can be reinforced by the front reinforcement (16) and the rear reinforcement (17).

[0054] According to the prior art, a shock absorber mounting member on which the upper part of the shock absorber is mounted and reinforcing materials that reinforce the mounting rigidity of the shock absorber are manufactured separately, and then the reinforcing materials are joined to the shock absorber mounting member through fasteners, welding, etc. In contrast, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the shock absorber mounting member (12) may be made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and the shock absorber mounting member (12), the front reinforcing part (16), and the rear reinforcing part (17) may be manufactured through low-pressure hollow casting. As the shock absorber mounting member (12), front reinforcement member (16), and rear reinforcement member (17) are manufactured through a low-pressure casting (hollow casting) method, the shock absorber mounting member (12), front reinforcement member (16), and rear reinforcement member (17) can form a single body. Through this, the number of parts of the shock absorber mounting member (12) is reduced compared to the conventional method, thereby reducing the weight of the vehicle and manufacturing costs.

[0055] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the rear wheelhouse panel (13) may include a support wall (51), an upper side wall (52) extending upward from the support wall (51), an upper wall (53) extending outward from the upper side wall (52) toward the exterior of the vehicle, and a lower side wall (54) extending downward from the support wall (51). The support wall (51) may be continuous from the shock absorber mounting wall (41), the upper side wall (52) may be continuous from the upper side wall (42) of the shock absorber mounting member (12), and the upper wall (53) may be extended in an arch shape corresponding to half of the wheel arch (15). The lower side wall (54) may be continuous from the lower side wall (44) of the shock absorber mounting member (12), and the lower side wall (54) may be connected to the exterior flange (35) of the rear side member (11) through a mechanical fastener such as a self-piercing rivet (SPR). The lower side wall (44) of the shock absorber mounting member (12) and the lower side wall (54) of the rear wheelhouse panel (13) may be connected to the exterior flange (35) of the rear side member (11). The rear wheelhouse panel (13) may be made of steel or aluminum.

[0056] In the rear side structure of the prior art, the shock absorber mounting member and the rear wheelhouse panel are made of steel, and since the shock absorber mounting member is joined to the rear wheelhouse panel through (spot) welding, there is a disadvantage that the number of welds is large and the welding process is very cumbersome. In contrast, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the front edge of the shock absorber mounting member (12) is joined to the rear edge of the rear wheelhouse panel (13) through mechanical fasteners (86) such as SPR (Self-Piercing Rivet), thereby reducing the number of joints (number of welds) of the shock absorber mounting member (12) and the rear wheelhouse panel (13) and simplifying their joining process (welding process).

[0057] According to the present invention, by simplifying the connection structure of the rear side member (11), the shock absorber mounting member (12), and the rear wheelhouse panel (13), the rear side member (11) and the shock absorber mounting member (12) can be manufactured by a low-pressure hollow casting method, thereby reducing the number of parts and reducing costs and weight.

[0058] According to the present invention, the front connecting part (21) and the rear connecting part (22) are integrally connected to the rear side member (11) through a low-pressure casting (hollow casting) method, etc., so that the front connecting part (21), the rear connecting part (22), and the rear side member (11) can form a single body. Through this, the weight of the vehicle and manufacturing costs can be reduced by reducing the number of parts of the rear side member compared to the conventional method.

[0059] According to the present invention, the front reinforcing member (16) and the rear reinforcing member (17) are integrally connected to the shock absorber mounting member (12) through a low-pressure casting (hollow casting) method, etc., so that the front reinforcing member (16), the rear reinforcing member (17), and the shock absorber mounting member (12) can form a single body. Through this, the number of parts of the shock absorber mounting member is reduced compared to the conventional method, thereby reducing the weight of the vehicle and manufacturing costs.

[0060] According to the present invention, as the shock absorber mounting wall (41) is positioned between the front reinforcement (16) and the rear reinforcement (17), the upper end of the shock absorber (9) can be positioned between the front reinforcement (16) and the rear reinforcement (17), and thus the mounting rigidity of the shock absorber (9) can be reinforced by the front reinforcement and the rear reinforcement.

[0061] According to the present invention, the rear side member (11) and the shock absorber mounting member (12) can be made of a lightweight material such as aluminum, and as the rear side member (11) and the shock absorber mounting member (12) are manufactured through a low-pressure casting (hollow casting) method, mold costs, etc. can be reduced and the degree of freedom of forming compared to steel can be increased.

[0062] In particular, the rear side member (11) can have a closed cross section by low-pressure casting (hollow casting) method, and the shock absorber mounting member (12) can have a closed cross section by low-pressure casting (hollow casting) method, so the rigidity of the rear side structure (10) can be greatly improved.

[0063] The above description is merely an illustrative explanation of the technical concept of the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will be able to make various modifications and variations within the scope of the essential characteristics of the present invention.

[0064] Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in this invention are intended to illustrate, not limit, the technical concept of the invention, and the scope of the technical concept of the invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of this invention shall be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical concepts within an equivalent scope shall be interpreted as being included within the scope of rights of this invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0065] 10: Rear side structure 11: Rear side member 12: Shock absorber mounting member 13: Rear wheelhouse panel 16: Front reinforcement 17: Rear reinforcement 21: Front connecting part 22: Rear connecting part 31: Upper wall 32: Floor wall 33: Interior side wall 34: Exterior side wall 35: Outdoor flange 36: Indoor flange 41: Shock absorber mounting wall 42: Upper side wall 43: Outer wall 44: Lower side wall 47: Reinforcement rib

Claims

Claim 1 A rear side member extending along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle; a shock absorber mounting member coupled to the rear side member; and a rear wheelhouse panel coupled to the rear side member; wherein the rear side member includes an exterior flange facing the exterior of the vehicle, an exterior side wall facing the exterior of the vehicle, and a rear protruding bead protruding toward the exterior of the vehicle from the rear edge of the exterior side wall, and the shock absorber mounting member and the rear wheelhouse panel are coupled to the exterior flange, the shock absorber mounting member is located behind the rear wheelhouse panel, and the shock absorber mounting member and the rear wheelhouse panel are connected in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle to form a wheel arch, and the shock absorber mounting member includes a shock absorber mounting wall on which the upper end of the shock absorber is mounted, a front reinforcement located in front of the shock absorber mounting wall, and a rear reinforcement located behind the shock absorber mounting wall, and the rear reinforcement is the A rear side structure for a vehicle comprising an exterior protruding bead protruding toward the exterior of the vehicle from the rear edge of a shock absorber mounting member, wherein the lower edge of the exterior protruding bead of the rear reinforcing member is coupled to the rear protruding bead of the rear side member through fasteners. Claim 2 A rear side structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the rear side member includes a cavity, and the cavity has a closed cross-section. Claim 3 Claim 1, wherein the shock absorber mounting member includes a cavity, and the cavity has a closed cross-section, a rear side structure for a vehicle. Claim 4 A rear side structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the front reinforcing member includes a cavity communicating with the cavity of the shock absorber mounting member, and the rear reinforcing member includes a cavity communicating with the cavity of the shock absorber mounting member. Claim 5 delete Claim 6 A rear side structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the rear side member comprises an upper wall, a bottom wall facing the upper wall, and an interior side wall facing the interior of the vehicle, and the cavity of the rear side member is defined by the upper wall, the bottom wall, the interior side wall, and the exterior side wall, and the exterior flange protrudes upward from the upper wall. Claim 7 In claim 4, the shock absorber mounting member comprises an upper side wall extending radially outward from the shock absorber mounting wall toward the wheel arch, an outer periphery wall extending from the upper side wall toward the exterior of the vehicle, an inner periphery wall spaced radially inward from the outer periphery wall toward the wheel arch, and a lower side wall extending radially inward from the shock absorber mounting wall toward the wheel arch, wherein the cavity of the shock absorber mounting member is defined by the outer periphery wall, the inner periphery wall, and the upper side wall, forming a rear side structure for a vehicle. Claim 8 A rear side structure for a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the lower side wall is coupled to the exterior flange of the rear side member through a plurality of fasteners. Claim 9 In claim 4, the front reinforcing member comprises an interior protruding bead protruding toward the interior of the vehicle from the front edge of the shock absorber mounting member and an exterior protruding bead protruding toward the exterior of the vehicle from the front edge of the shock absorber mounting member, and the cavity of the front reinforcing member is defined by the interior protruding bead and the exterior protruding bead, forming a rear side structure for a vehicle. Claim 10 A rear side structure for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the lower edge of the interior-side protruding bead of the front-side reinforcing member and the lower edge of the exterior-side protruding bead of the front-side reinforcing member are joined to the rear side member. Claim 11 A rear side structure for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the rear side reinforcing member includes an interior-side protruding bead protruding toward the interior of the vehicle from the rear side edge of the shock absorber mounting member, and the cavity of the rear side reinforcing member is defined by the interior-side protruding bead and the exterior-side protruding bead. Claim 12 A rear side structure for a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the lower edge of the interior-side protruding bead of the rear-side reinforcing member is joined to the rear side member. Claim 13 The vehicle rear side structure according to claim 1, wherein the shock absorber mounting member further comprises a plurality of reinforcing ribs, and the plurality of reinforcing ribs are integrally provided on the interior side of the shock absorber mounting member.

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