Tailgate

Abstract

A tailgate (2) according to the present disclosure comprises an outer panel (3) forming the outer surface of the tailgate, an inner panel (4) constituting a surface part on the inner side of the tailgate, a rear glass (5), and a dynamic damper mounted on the inner panel (4). The inner panel (4) has a first stiffening part (11) extending in the vehicle width direction along the lower edge of the rear glass (5), second stiffening parts (12) extending from the outer edges of the first stiffening part (11) in the vehicle width direction toward the center in the vehicle width direction and toward the bottom of the vehicle, and damper attachment parts (14) located on the inner side of corner portions (13) formed by said edges of the first stiffening part (11) and the second stiffening parts (12). The dynamic damper is attached to the damper attachment parts (14).

Description

tailgate

[0001] The present invention relates to a tailgate provided at the rear of a vehicle.

[0002] Hatchback and minivan vehicles are provided with a tailgate (also called a back door) at the rear of the vehicle. The tailgate is likely to generate large vibrations, for example, while the engine is idling or while the vehicle is moving. To reduce such vibrations, a technique for providing a dynamic damper (also called a dynamic vibration absorber) on the tailgate is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] JP 2015-127171 A

[0004] By attaching a dynamic damper to a tailgate, which is the object to be damped, the damper functions to absorb vibrations at a specific frequency generated by the tailgate. However, if the part where the dynamic damper is attached has low rigidity, even a slight deformation of the attachment part may prevent the dynamic damper from fully functioning. As a result, the vibrations at the targeted specific frequency may not be fully absorbed, and the vibration reduction effect of the dynamic damper may be reduced.

[0005] The present invention was devised in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and one of its objectives is to provide a tailgate that can properly exert the function of a dynamic damper and suppress vibrations of a specific frequency. However, in addition to this objective, another objective of the present invention is to achieve effects that cannot be obtained by conventional techniques, which are derived from the configurations shown in the below-mentioned detailed description of the invention.

[0006] The disclosed tailgate can be realized as the following embodiments (application examples) and solve at least part of the above problems. Each embodiment from embodiment 2 onwards is an embodiment that can be selected as an additional option, and each embodiment 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 tailgate includes an outer panel that forms the outer surface of a vehicle tailgate, an inner panel that forms the inner surface of the tailgate, a rear glass fixed to an upper opening of the tailgate, and a dynamic damper attached to the inner panel. The inner panel has a first reinforcing portion that extends in the vehicle width direction along the lower edge of the rear glass, a second reinforcing portion that extends from an outer end of the first reinforcing portion in the vehicle width direction toward the center of the vehicle width direction and below the vehicle, and a damper mounting portion that is located inside a corner formed by the end of the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion and that mounts the dynamic damper.

[0008] Aspect 2. In the above aspect 1, the inner panel preferably has a bead that connects the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion and is formed with a convex cross section. In this case, the bead is preferably disposed on the opposite side of the apex of the corner portion relative to the damper mounting portion and in close proximity to the damper mounting portion.

[0009] Aspect 3. In the above aspect 2, it is preferable that the second reinforcing portion is formed to bulge toward the vehicle front relative to the seating surface of the damper mounting portion. It is also preferable that the bead is convex toward the vehicle front relative to the seating surface, the amount of protrusion is smaller than the amount of protrusion of the second reinforcing portion, and a step is formed at a connection position between the second reinforcing portion and the bead.

[0010] Aspect 4. In any aspect including the aspect 2 described above, it is preferable that the inner panel has a working hole disposed adjacent to the bead on the opposite side of the damper mounting portion with respect to the bead and extending therethrough.

[0011] Aspect 5. In any aspect including Aspect 2 above, the tailgate preferably includes a trim that forms an interior surface of the tailgate. In this case, the inner panel preferably has a trim mounting portion disposed adjacent to the damper mounting portion on the opposite side of the bead with respect to the damper mounting portion, and to which the trim is attached, and the trim mounting portion preferably bulges forward of the vehicle relative to a seat surface of the damper mounting portion.

[0012] Aspect 6. In any aspect including Aspect 1 described above, the tailgate preferably includes a trim that forms an interior surface of the tailgate. In this case, the inner panel preferably has a trim mounting portion that is disposed adjacent to the damper mounting portion and to which the trim is attached, and the trim mounting portion preferably bulges out toward the front of the vehicle relative to a seat surface of the damper mounting portion.

[0013] Aspect 7. In any aspect including Aspect 1 described above, it is preferable that the first reinforcing portion extends in the vehicle width direction immediately below a joint where the ends of the inner panel and the outer panel are joined at the lower end and has a convex cross section, and the second reinforcing portion is formed to bulge forward of the vehicle with respect to a seat surface of the damper mounting portion.

[0014] According to the disclosed tailgate, the inside of the corner formed by the first reinforcing part and the second reinforcing part, which is intended to increase the rigidity of the tailgate, is highly rigid, and by locating the damper mounting part in this area, the rigidity of the damper mounting part can be increased. This allows the dynamic damper to function properly, thereby suppressing vibrations at a specific target frequency.

[0015] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle equipped with a tailgate according to an embodiment; 2 is a front view of the tailgate according to an embodiment as seen from the inside (front) of the vehicle cabin, with the trim omitted; 3 is a perspective cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 2; 4 is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. 2, showing a cross section of FIG. 4, where (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D, (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E, and (d) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line F-F. 5 is a perspective view for explaining the configuration of a main part of the tailgate according to an embodiment;

[0016] A tailgate according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiment is merely an example, and is not intended to exclude various modifications or applications of techniques not explicitly described in the following embodiment. The configurations of the embodiment can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the embodiment. Furthermore, the configurations can be selected or combined as needed.

[0017] In the following description, the forward direction of the vehicle is referred to as the front of the vehicle (simply referred to as "forward", "FR" in the drawings), and the backward direction is referred to as the rear of the vehicle (simply referred to as "rear", "RR" in the drawings), with left and right defined based on the forward direction. The left and right direction can also be said to be the vehicle width direction, and the fore-aft direction of the vehicle is simply referred to as the "fore-aft direction". Note that "RH" in the drawings indicates the right. The up-down direction is defined by assuming that the direction of gravity is downward and the opposite is upward ("UP" in the drawings). Note that the up-down direction does not have to coincide perfectly with the vertical direction and may be slightly inclined relative to the vertical direction. Similarly, the front-back direction and left-right direction do not have to coincide perfectly with the horizontal direction. The front-back direction and up-down direction of the tailgate are both based on the tailgate being in a closed state.

[0018] Vehicle structures are often formed with near bilateral symmetry (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 completely symmetrical shape is not required. Furthermore, the type of vehicle to which the tailgate according to the embodiment is applicable is not particularly limited, and it can be applied to, for example, gasoline-powered vehicles, electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), etc. A plug-in hybrid vehicle is a hybrid vehicle whose battery can be externally charged or externally powered from the battery. A plug-in hybrid vehicle is provided with a charging port (inlet) for inserting a charging cable that supplies power from an external charging facility and a power outlet for external power supply.

[0019] [1. Overall Configuration] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle 1 equipped with a tailgate 2 according to this embodiment, as seen from the left rear. Fig. 2 is a front view of the tailgate 2 of the vehicle 1 of Fig. 1, as seen from the inside (front) of the vehicle compartment, with the trim omitted. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a cross section taken along the line A-A in Fig. 2.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 1, a tailgate 2 of this embodiment is applied to a hatchback or minivan vehicle 1. The tailgate 2 is a door (back door, rear gate) that is provided at the rear of the vehicle 1 and can be opened and closed to provide access to a rear luggage compartment (not shown) of the vehicle 1. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the tailgate 2 includes an outer panel 3, an inner panel 4, a rear glass 5, and a dynamic damper 6 (hereinafter referred to as "damper 6"). Although not shown, the tailgate 2 of this embodiment also includes a trim that forms the interior surface thereof.

[0021] The outer panel 3 is a panel member that forms the outer surface of the tailgate 2, and its front (rear) plate surface is painted or textured for a decorative effect. As shown in Figures 2 and 3 , the inner panel 4 is a panel member that forms the inner (front) surface of the tailgate 2 and is disposed in front of the outer panel 3 with a predetermined distance therebetween. The outer panel 3 and the inner panel 4 are integrated, for example, by joining their respective peripheral edges. The inner panel 4 may also be provided with textures to increase strength and rigidity, or with holes (openings) to improve workability and reduce weight. The detailed structure of the inner panel 4 will be described later.

[0022] An upper opening 2a penetrating in the front-to-rear direction is provided at the top of the tailgate 2, and a rear glass 5 is fixed to the upper opening 2a. The upper opening 2a is formed by joining the ends of an opening located at the top of the inner panel 4 and an opening located at the top of the outer panel 3, with the openings overlapping in the front-to-rear direction. Hereinafter, the portion of the upper opening 2a where the ends of the inner panel 4 and the outer panel 3 are joined at the lower end 5a of the rear glass 5 will be referred to as the "joint 2b."

[0023] The damper 6 is a component for suppressing vibrations of a specific frequency that occur in the tailgate 2, and is attached to the inner panel 4 as shown in FIG. 3 . In this embodiment, the damper 6 is attached to the rear surface of the inner panel 4, facing the outer panel 3. The damper 6 includes a mass 6A (weight) and a spring (e.g., rubber), not shown. The mass 6A vibrates via the rubber at a specific frequency, thereby reducing vibrations of the inner panel 4 (and thus vibrations of the tailgate 2). The damper 6 is attached to the inner panel 4 by, for example, a fastener (e.g., a bolt 6B, described below) fixed to the tip of the spring. In the tailgate 2 of this embodiment, the rigidity of the portion where the damper 6 is attached is increased to ensure that the damper 6 functions properly. The attachment position of the damper 6 will be described later.

[0024] [2. Main Part Configuration] Next, the inner panel 4 and its surrounding configuration, which are main parts of the tailgate 2 of this embodiment, will be described in detail with reference to Figures 4 to 6. Figure 4 is an enlarged view of part B in Figure 2, Figures 5(a) to 5(d) are cross-sectional views of four locations in Figure 4, and Figure 6 is a perspective view for explaining the main part configuration of the tailgate 2. The rigidity of the mounting portion of the damper 6 is improved by adjusting the mounting position of the damper 6 and the shape of the inner panel 4, preferably by devising the same shape.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, the inner panel 4 is formed approximately symmetrically and has two types of reinforcing portions 11, 12 and a damper mounting portion 14. One of the reinforcing portions 11 extends in the vehicle width direction along the lower edge 5a of the rear glass 5. Hereinafter, this reinforcing portion 11 will be referred to as the "first reinforcing portion 11." The other reinforcing portion 12 extends inward and downward in the vehicle width direction from the outer end (hereinafter also referred to as the "outer end") of the first reinforcing portion 11. Hereinafter, this reinforcing portion 12 will be referred to as the "second reinforcing portion 12."

[0026] Only one first reinforcing portion 11 is provided, whereas the second reinforcing portion 12 is provided on at least the side where the damper mounting portion 14 is disposed. For example, if the damper mounting portion 14 is disposed on only one of the left and right sides, the second reinforcing portion 12 may be provided on either the left or right side, or on both the left and right sides. Note that two second reinforcing portions 12 may be provided (on each side), regardless of the location of the damper mounting portion 14. In the tailgate 2 of this embodiment, as shown by the dashed lines in FIG. 1 , dampers 6 (damper mounting portions 14) are provided on both the left and right sides, and two second reinforcing portions 12 are also provided (on each side).

[0027] The first reinforcing portion 11 is a portion for increasing the rigidity of the inner panel 4. The first reinforcing portion 11 illustrated in this embodiment is provided at the lower end 5a of the rear glass 5, extending in the vehicle width direction immediately below the joint 2b formed by joining the ends of the inner panel 4 and the outer panel 3. As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5(a), the vertical cross-sectional shape of the first reinforcing portion 11 (a cross-sectional shape cut along a plane along the up-down direction and the front-rear direction) is formed into a convex cross-sectional shape that is convex toward the front (toward the interior of the vehicle compartment). The cross-sectional shape (convex shape) of the first reinforcing portion 11 may be uniform or may vary in the vehicle width direction.

[0028] The second reinforcing portion 12 is also a portion for increasing the rigidity of the inner panel 4. As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6, the second reinforcing portion 12 is formed to bulge forward relative to a seating surface 14a (described later) of the damper mounting portion 14. Therefore, the vertical cross-sectional shape of the second reinforcing portion 12 includes a planar shape (inclined surface) extending forward from at least the seating surface 14a, as shown in Figure 5(c). Note that the vertical cross-sectional shape of the second reinforcing portion 12 may also be a convex shape including this planar shape. The two second reinforcing portions 12 exemplified in this embodiment are formed substantially identically (bilaterally symmetrical) to each other.

[0029] The damper mounting portions 14 are portions for mounting the dampers 6, and are provided in the same number as the dampers 6. In this embodiment, since two dampers 6 are provided, two damper mounting portions 14 are also provided. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the damper mounting portion 14 is disposed inside a corner 13 formed by the first reinforcing portion 11 and the second reinforcing portion 12. The second reinforcing portion 12 is a portion extending from the outer end of the first reinforcing portion 11, and can also be said to be a portion branching off from the first reinforcing portion 11 at the outer end of the first reinforcing portion 11. Therefore, an acute corner 13 is formed by the first reinforcing portion 11 and the second reinforcing portion 12 near the outer end of the first reinforcing portion 11. The damper mounting portion 14 is disposed in a region inside this corner 13 (a region forming an interior angle). This region is sandwiched between the two reinforcing portions 11 and 12, and therefore has high rigidity. Since the damper mounting portion 14 is disposed in this high-rigidity region, its rigidity is also enhanced.

[0030] Here, the configurations of the damper 6 and the damper mounting portion 14 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 3, the damper 6 has a substantially cylindrical mass 6A, a spring (not shown) provided integrally with the center of one end face of the mass 6A, and a bolt portion 6B fixed to (or integrated with) the tip of the spring and extending in the direction of the center line of the mass 6A. The damper mounting portion 14 also has a seat 14a on which the mass 6A of the damper 6 is placed, and a mounting hole 14b (see Figure 4) through which the bolt portion 6B of the damper 6 is inserted. The damper 6 is mounted to the inner panel 4 with its center line oriented substantially perpendicular to the seat 14a.

[0031] The seating surface 14a is a planar portion having an area at least equal to or greater than the size of one end face of the mass 6A. In this embodiment, the seating surface 14a is located closer to the outer panel 3 than the portion surrounding the seating surface 14a, and the entire damper mounting portion 14 has a concave shape when viewed from the front of the inner panel 4. The seating surface 14a may be flat or slightly curved. The mounting hole 14b is a hole that penetrates the seating surface 14a in the front-to-rear direction at approximately the center of the seating surface 14a. In the tailgate 2 of this embodiment, the bolt portion 6B is inserted from the rear side of the inner panel 4, and a nut 6C is fastened to the bolt portion 6B from the front side of the inner panel 4 facing forward, thereby fixing the damper 6 to the inner panel 4.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 4 , the inner panel 4 of this embodiment further includes a bead 15, a step 16, and a trim mounting portion 17. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4 , the bead 15 is a portion extending in the vertical direction to connect the first reinforcing portion 11 and the second reinforcing portion 12, and has the function of blocking transmission of vibration to the damper mounting portion 14 and preferably also has the function of increasing the rigidity of the damper mounting portion 14. In this embodiment, the bead 15 has an upper end located more inward in the vehicle width direction than the lower end in a front view of the inner panel 4 from the front, and extends downward and outward in the vehicle width direction in a substantially linear manner from the upper end to the lower end. As shown in Fig. 5(d) , the cross-section of the bead 15 taken along a plane perpendicular to the extension direction thereof is formed into a convex cross-section that is convex toward the front (inside of the vehicle cabin).

[0033] 2 and 3 , the bead 15 is disposed on the opposite side of the apex of the corner 13 with respect to the damper mounting portion 14, and is disposed close to the damper mounting portion 14. In other words, the bead 15 and the apex of the corner 13 are disposed so as to sandwich the damper mounting portion 14 therebetween, and further, the bead 15 is disposed near the damper mounting portion 14. Therefore, in other words, the damper mounting portion 14 is disposed within a substantially triangular region defined by the first reinforcing portion 11, the second reinforcing portion 12, and the bead 15.

[0034] As shown in Figure 5(d), the bead 15 of this embodiment is formed in a shape that is convex forward relative to the seating surface 14a of the damper mounting portion 14. Furthermore, the protrusion amount of the bead 15 (the dimension corresponding to the height from the seating surface 14a to the top of the convexity) is smaller than the bulge amount of the second reinforcing portion 12 (the dimension from the seating surface 14a to the top surface of the second reinforcing portion 12). In other words, as shown in Figure 3, when the seating surface 14a is used as a reference plane, the second reinforcing portion 12 protrudes forward more than the bead 15. Therefore, as shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5(b), a step 16 is formed at the connection position between the second reinforcing portion 12 and the bead 15.

[0035] 2, the inner panel 4 is provided with a plurality of work holes 21 to 24 for the purpose of improving the workability of an operator when attaching various components to the tailgate 2, or for the purpose of preventing components attached to the tailgate 2 from interfering with the inner panel 4. The work holes 21 to 24 are all holes (openings) that penetrate the inner panel 4. Here, work holes 21, 22 provided on the left and right sides, respectively, and work holes 23, 24 provided approximately in the center in the vehicle width direction are shown as examples. Note that the number, arrangement, shape, size, etc. of the plurality of work holes 21 to 24 may be set as appropriate.

[0036] Of the multiple work holes 21 to 24, the work hole 21 located adjacent to the bead 15 will be described. This work hole 21 is an opening through which a worker inserts their hand from the front side of the inner panel 4 to attach the damper 6 to the rear surface (damper mounting portion 14) of the inner panel 4. As shown in FIG. 4 , the work hole 21 is located adjacent to the bead 15 on the opposite side of the damper mounting portion 14 from the bead 15. In other words, the damper mounting portion 14 and the work hole 21 are located so as to sandwich the bead 15. That is, the bead 15 is located so as to separate the damper mounting portion 14 from the work hole 21. Vibrations are likely to occur around the work hole 21 during driving, but the bead 15 blocks transmission of vibrations from the work hole 21 to the damper mounting portion 14. Note that the work hole 21 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 has a generally pentagonal shape with sides aligned with the extension direction of the bead 15 when viewed from the front, but the shape of the work hole 21 is not limited thereto.

[0037] Incidentally, when a trim is provided on the tailgate 2, the trim is attached to the front surface (the surface facing the passenger compartment) of the inner panel 4. For this reason, the inner panel 4 has a plurality of trim mounting portions to which the trim is attached. All of the plurality of trim mounting portions are formed to be highly rigid. Each trim mounting portion has a seat surface on which the trim-side mounting surface rests and a hole through which a fastener is inserted. The number, arrangement, shape, size, etc. of the plurality of trim mounting portions may be set as appropriate.

[0038] Of the multiple trim mounting portions, the trim mounting portion 17 (see FIGS. 2 to 4) disposed adjacent to the damper mounting portion 14 will be described. In this embodiment, the trim mounting portion 17 is disposed adjacent to the damper mounting portion 14 on the opposite side of the bead 15 relative to the damper mounting portion 14. In other words, the trim mounting portion 17 and the bead 15 are disposed so as to sandwich the damper mounting portion 14 therebetween. In other words, the damper mounting portion 14 is sandwiched between the trim mounting portion 17 and the bead 15 in the vehicle width direction, and between the first reinforcing portion 11 and the second reinforcing portion 12 in the up-down direction. In this way, the damper mounting portion 14 is surrounded on all four sides by highly rigid portions, thereby achieving even higher rigidity.

[0039] As shown in Figures 5(d) and 6, the trim mounting portion 17 is formed to bulge forward relative to the seating surface 14a of the damper mounting portion 14. As shown in Figure 6, the seating surface 17a of the trim mounting portion 17 is formed in a substantially flat shape, with a hole 17b formed substantially at the center thereof. The amount of bulge of the trim mounting portion 17 (the dimension from the seating surface 14a to the seating surface 17a) is smaller than the amount of bulge of the second reinforcing portion 12 (the dimension from the seating surface 14a to the top surface of the second reinforcing portion 12). Therefore, a step 18 is also formed at the connection position between the second reinforcing portion 12 and the trim mounting portion 17.

[0040] In the inner panel 4 of this embodiment, the bead 15 and the trim mounting portion 17 are connected to the second reinforcing portion 12. However, steps 16, 18 are provided at the connection position between the second reinforcing portion 12 and the bead 15 and at the connection position between the second reinforcing portion 12 and the trim mounting portion 17. Therefore, the ridge line corresponding to the mountain fold line of the second reinforcing portion 12 is not interrupted at the connection position between the bead 15 and the trim mounting portion 17. This ensures the rigidity of the second reinforcing portion 12.

[0041] [3. Function and Effect] (1) In the tailgate 2 described above, the damper 6 is attached to the inner panel 4 that constitutes the inner surface of the tailgate 2. The inner panel 4 has two types of reinforcing portions: a first reinforcing portion 11 that extends in the vehicle width direction along the lower edge 5a of the rear glass 5, and a second reinforcing portion 12 that extends downward and from the outer edge of the first reinforcing portion 11 toward the center in the vehicle width direction. A damper mounting portion 14 for mounting the damper 6 is provided inside a corner 13 formed by the outer edge of the first reinforcing portion 11 and the second reinforcing portion 12.

[0042] Since the inside of the corner 13 formed by the first reinforcing portion 11 and the second reinforcing portion 12 for increasing the rigidity of the inner panel 4 is highly rigid, the rigidity of the damper mounting portion 14 can be increased by arranging the damper mounting portion 14 inside this corner 13. This allows the damper 6 to function appropriately, thereby suppressing vibrations at a specific targeted frequency.

[0043] (2) The inner panel 4 of this embodiment further includes a bead 15 that connects the first reinforcing portion 11 and the second reinforcing portion 12 and is formed with a convex cross section. The bead 15 is disposed on the opposite side of the apex of the corner 13 relative to the damper mounting portion 14 and in close proximity to the damper mounting portion 14. In this way, the bead 15 disposed on the opposite side of the apex of the corner 13 can block the transmission of vibrations from the periphery of the damper mounting portion 14. In addition, the bead 15 can be expected to further increase the rigidity of the damper mounting portion 14. This allows the damper 6 to perform its function more appropriately, thereby improving the vibration suppression effect at a specific frequency.

[0044] (3) In the inner panel 4 of this embodiment, the second reinforcing portion 12 is formed to bulge forward relative to the seat surface 14a of the damper mounting portion 14. The bead 15 is also formed to be convex forward relative to the seat surface 14a, and the amount of protrusion is smaller than the amount of bulge of the second reinforcing portion 12. As a result, a step 16 is formed at the connection position between the second reinforcing portion 12 and the bead 15. By forming this step 16, the ridge line corresponding to the mountain fold line of the second reinforcing portion 12 is not interrupted at the connection position of the bead 15, and the rigidity-enhancing effect of the second reinforcing portion 12 can be maintained.

[0045] (4) The inner panel 4 of this embodiment further includes an access hole 21 located adjacent to the bead 15 on the opposite side of the damper mounting portion 14 from the bead 15. In other words, the bead 15 is provided at a position separating the damper mounting portion 14 from the access hole 21. The access hole 21 located adjacent to the damper mounting portion 14 makes it possible to attach the damper 6 to the rear side of the inner panel 4 from the front side of the inner panel 4, and improves the ease of installation. Furthermore, although the area around the access hole 21 has low rigidity and is prone to vibration during driving, the bead 15 is located between the damper mounting portion 14 and the access hole 21, and therefore the bead 15 can block the transmission of vibration from the access hole 21 to the damper mounting portion 14. Therefore, the rigidity of the damper mounting portion 14 can be maintained high while improving workability.

[0046] (5) The tailgate 2 of this embodiment further includes a trim that forms the interior surface of the tailgate 2. In this case, the inner panel 4 is provided with a portion for attaching the trim (a trim mounting portion). The inner panel 4 of this embodiment has a trim mounting portion 17 that is disposed adjacent to the damper mounting portion 14. This trim mounting portion 17 is formed to bulge forward relative to the seat surface 14a of the damper mounting portion 14, thereby increasing its rigidity. In this way, by disposing the highly rigid trim mounting portion 17 next to the damper mounting portion 14, the trim mounting portion 17, in addition to the two reinforcing portions 11 and 12, can also contribute to improving the rigidity of the damper mounting portion 14.

[0047] (6) In this embodiment, the trim mounting portion 17 is disposed on the opposite side of the damper mounting portion 14 from the bead 15. In other words, the trim mounting portion 17 and the bead 15 are disposed so as to sandwich the damper mounting portion 14 therebetween. That is, the damper mounting portion 14 in this embodiment is sandwiched between the bead 15 and the trim mounting portion 17 in the vehicle width direction, and between the first reinforcing portion 11 and the second reinforcing portion 12 in the vertical direction. In other words, the periphery of the damper mounting portion 14 can be surrounded by a high-rigidity portion. This further increases the rigidity of the damper mounting portion 14.

[0048] (7) In the inner panel 4 of this embodiment, the first reinforcing portion 11 extends in the vehicle width direction directly below the joint 2b located at the lower end 5a of the rear window 5 and is formed with a convex cross-section. The second reinforcing portion 12 is formed to bulge forward relative to the seat surface 14a of the damper mounting portion 14. The lower end 5a of the rear window 5 and the joint 2b have higher rigidity than other parts of the inner panel 4, and the convex cross-sectional shape of this portion further increases the rigidity of the first reinforcing portion 11. The second reinforcing portion 12 is also formed with a bulge, thereby increasing its rigidity. Positioning the damper mounting portion 14 inside the corner 13 formed by these two reinforcing portions 11, 12 further increases the rigidity of the damper mounting portion 14.

[0049] [4. Other] The above-described embodiments are merely examples, and are not intended to exclude various modifications or applications of techniques not explicitly described in the above-described embodiments. Various modifications of the configurations of the embodiments can be implemented without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. Furthermore, they can be selected and / or combined as needed.

[0050] In the above-described embodiment, the first reinforcing portion 11 is formed with a convex cross section extending in the vehicle width direction immediately below the joint 2b, but because the lower end 5a of the rear glass 5 itself is a high-rigidity portion, this lower end 5a may also be considered the first reinforcing portion. In other words, instead of providing a convex cross-sectional portion immediately below the joint 2b, the damper mounting portion 14 may be provided inside a corner formed by the lower end 5a as the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion 12 extending downward and centrally in the vehicle width direction from the outer end of the lower end 5a in the vehicle width direction. Even in this case, a configuration similar to that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

[0051] Although the second reinforcing portion 12 is formed to bulge forward relative to the seat surface 14a of the damper mounting portion 14, the shape of the second reinforcing portion 12 is not limited to this and may have any shape that at least functions to increase the rigidity of the inner panel 4. Furthermore, in the above-described inner panel 4, the trim mounting portion 17 is disposed adjacent to the outer side of the damper mounting portion 14 in the vehicle width direction, and the bead 15 is disposed adjacent to the inner side of the damper mounting portion 14 in the vehicle width direction, but these configurations are not essential. For example, the trim mounting portion 17 does not have to be disposed inside the corner portion 13. In this case, the rigidity of the damper mounting portion 14 may be improved by positioning the damper mounting portion 14 closer to the apex of the corner portion 13, compared to the arrangement in the above embodiment.

[0052] The shape of the bead 15 and the amount of protrusion of the convexity may be set as appropriate. In the above embodiment, one bead 15 adjacent to the damper mounting portion 14 is exemplified, but a bead connecting the two reinforcing portions 11, 12 may also be provided at the position of the trim mounting portion 17 (instead of or in addition to the trim mounting portion 17). Note that the step 16 formed at the connection position between the second reinforcing portion 12 and the bead 15 is not an essential configuration and may be omitted. Similarly, the step 18 formed at the connection position between the second reinforcing portion 12 and the trim mounting portion 17 may also be omitted.

[0053] The inner panel 4 is provided with a plurality of work holes 21 to 24, but these can be set as appropriate. Depending on the method (work method) of attaching the damper 6 to the damper attachment portion 14, the work hole 21 may also be omitted. Furthermore, the damper 6 is not limited to being attached to the inner panel 4 from the rear surface of the inner panel 4, but may be attached to the front surface of the inner panel 4. The inner panel of the present invention may have a first reinforcing portion extending in the vehicle width direction along the lower edge of the rear glass, a second reinforcing portion extending downward from the outer edge of the first reinforcing portion toward the center in the vehicle width direction, and a damper attachment portion located inside a corner formed by the outer edge of the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion.

[0054] The present invention is applicable to the manufacturing industry of vehicles equipped with tailgates.

[0055] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 vehicle 2 tailgate 2a upper opening 2b joint 3 outer panel 4 inner panel 5 rear glass 5a lower end 6 damper (dynamic damper) 11 first reinforcing portion 12 second reinforcing portion 13 corner 14 damper mounting portion 14a seat surface 15 bead 16 step 17 trim mounting portion 21 to 24 work holes

Claims

1. A tailgate comprising: an outer panel forming the outer surface of a vehicle tailgate; an inner panel forming the inner surface of the tailgate; a rear glass fixed to an upper opening of the tailgate; and a dynamic damper attached to the inner panel, wherein the inner panel has: a first reinforcing portion extending in the vehicle width direction along the lower edge of the rear glass; a second reinforcing portion extending from the outer edge of the first reinforcing portion in the vehicle width direction towards the center of the vehicle width direction and below the vehicle; and a damper mounting portion arranged inside a corner formed by the edge of the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion, for mounting the dynamic damper.

2. The tailgate according to claim 1, wherein the inner panel has a bead that connects the first reinforcing part and the second reinforcing part and is formed with a convex cross section, and the bead is located on the opposite side of the apex of the corner with respect to the damper mounting part and in close proximity to the damper mounting part.

3. The tailgate according to claim 2, wherein the second reinforcing portion is formed to bulge toward the front of the vehicle relative to the seat surface of the damper mounting portion, the bead is convex toward the front of the vehicle relative to the seat surface and the amount of protrusion is smaller than the amount of protrusion of the second reinforcing portion, and a step is formed at the connection position between the second reinforcing portion and the bead.

4. A tailgate according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the inner panel is disposed adjacent to the bead on the opposite side of the damper mounting portion with respect to the bead, and has a working hole formed therethrough.

5. A tailgate according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that it comprises a trim that forms the interior surface of the tailgate, the inner panel having a trim mounting portion that is arranged adjacent to the damper mounting portion on the opposite side of the bead with respect to the damper mounting portion and to which the trim is attached, and the trim mounting portion is formed to bulge out towards the front of the vehicle relative to the seat surface of the damper mounting portion.

6. A tailgate according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a trim that forms the interior surface of the tailgate, the inner panel having a trim mounting portion that is disposed adjacent to the damper mounting portion and to which the trim is attached, and the trim mounting portion is formed to bulge out towards the front of the vehicle relative to the seat surface of the damper mounting portion.

7. A tailgate as described in claim 1, wherein the first reinforcing portion extends in the vehicle width direction directly below the joint where the ends of the inner panel and the outer panel are joined at the lower end and is formed with a convex cross section, and the second reinforcing portion is formed to bulge forward of the vehicle with respect to the seat surface of the damper mounting portion.

Images