Side sill

Abstract

A side sill (100) comprises: a side-sill inner member (10); a side-sill outer member (20); and a reinforcing member (30). The reinforcing member (30) is disposed in a space (S) formed by the side-sill inner member (10) and the side-sill outer member (20). A top plate (31) of the reinforcing member (30) is disposed on the top plate (11) side of the side-sill inner member (10) with respect to joining parts (41, 42) of the side-sill inner member (10) and the side-sill outer member (20). Flanges (331, 332) of the reinforcing member (30) are joined to portions, other than flanges (131, 132, 231, 232), of the side-sill inner member (10) and the side-sill outer member (20). In the reinforcing member (30), L < H when L is the width of the top plate (31) and H is the height of vertical walls (321, 322).

Description

Side sill

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a side sill for a vehicle body.

[0002] A side sill is a type of structural component used in the body of an automobile or other vehicle. The side sill is located on the side of the vehicle and extends in the longitudinal direction. For example, when a vehicle or other vehicle is hit by a side collision, the side sill deforms under the impact load and absorbs the impact.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a rocker (side sill) for an electric vehicle. The rocker in Patent Document 1 includes a rocker inner (side sill inner), a rocker outer (side sill outer), and a reinforcing member. The reinforcing member has a closed cross section. The reinforcing member is disposed within a space formed by the rocker inner and the rocker outer, and occupies a large proportion of the space.

[0004] Special Publication No. 2023-526816

[0005] As described in Patent Document 1, side sills are required to have resistance to side collisions (crash resistance). Therefore, reinforcing members are provided within the space formed by the side sill inner and outer panels. By providing multiple reinforcing members, the crash resistance of the side sill can be improved. However, this increases the number of parts in the side sill and the weight of the side sill.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to reduce the weight of a side sill for a vehicle body while maintaining good collision resistance performance of the side sill.

[0007] The vehicle body side sill according to the present disclosure includes a side sill inner, a side sill outer, and a reinforcing member. The side sill inner includes a first top plate, a pair of first vertical walls, and a pair of first flanges. The first vertical walls are connected by the first top plate. The first flanges are disposed on the opposite side of the first top plate with respect to the first vertical walls. The side sill outer includes a second top plate, a pair of second vertical walls, and a pair of second flanges. The second top plate faces the first top plate. The second vertical walls are connected by the second top plate. The second flanges are disposed on the opposite side of the second top plate with respect to the second vertical walls. The second flanges are each joined to the first flanges. The side sill outer is disposed outward in the vehicle width direction from the side sill inner when the side sill is assembled to the vehicle body. The reinforcing member is disposed in a space formed by the side sill inner and the side sill outer. A cross section of the reinforcing member perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the side sill is an open cross section. The reinforcing member includes a third top plate, a pair of third vertical walls, and a pair of third flanges. The third top plate is arranged on the first top plate side with respect to the joint between the first flange and the second flange. The third vertical walls are connected by the third top plate. The third vertical walls extend from the third top plate toward the second top plate. The third flanges are arranged on the opposite side of the third top plate with respect to the third vertical walls. The third flanges are joined to portions of the side sill inner and side sill outer other than the first flange and the second flange. In the reinforcing member, when the width of the third top plate is L and the height of the third vertical walls is H, L<H.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the weight of a side sill for a vehicle body while maintaining good collision resistance performance of the side sill.

[0009] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a side sill according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the side sill shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill according to a second embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill according to a modified example of the second embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill according to another modified example of the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill according to a third embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill according to a modified example of the third embodiment. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill according to a modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill according to another modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill according to yet another modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill according to yet another modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill according to yet another modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 15 shows reaction force-displacement curves for Example 1 and Comparative Example.

[0010] A side sill for a vehicle body according to an embodiment includes a side sill inner, a side sill outer, and a reinforcing member. The side sill inner includes a first top plate, a pair of first vertical walls, and a pair of first flanges. The first vertical walls are connected by the first top plate. The first flanges are located on the opposite side of the first top plate with respect to the first vertical walls. The side sill outer includes a second top plate, a pair of second vertical walls, and a pair of second flanges. The second top plate faces the first top plate. The second vertical walls are connected by the second top plate. The second flanges are located on the opposite side of the second top plate with respect to the second vertical walls. The second flanges are each joined to the first flanges. The side sill outer is located outward in the vehicle width direction from the side sill inner when the side sill is assembled to the vehicle body. The reinforcing member is located in a space formed by the side sill inner and the side sill outer. A cross section of the reinforcing member perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the side sill is an open cross section. The reinforcing member includes a third top plate, a pair of third vertical walls, and a pair of third flanges. The third top plate is disposed on the first top plate side relative to the joint between the first flange and the second flange. The third vertical walls are connected by the third top plate. The third vertical walls extend from the third top plate toward the second top plate. The third flanges are disposed on the opposite side of the third top plate relative to the third vertical walls. The third flanges are joined to portions of the side sill inner and side sill outer other than the first and second flanges. In the reinforcing member, when the width of the third top plate is L and the height of the third vertical walls is H, L<H (first configuration).

[0011] In the first configuration, the reinforcing member is disposed in a space formed by the side sill inner and side sill outer panels and has a convex shape toward the side sill inner panel. Specifically, the reinforcing member includes a top plate (third top plate) disposed on the side sill inner panel relative to the joint between the side sill inner panel and the side sill outer panel, a pair of vertical walls (third vertical walls) extending from the top plate toward the side sill outer panel, and a flange (third flange) joined to the side sill inner panel and / or the side sill outer panel. Because the reinforcing member has a convex shape toward the side sill inner panel, the flange of the reinforcing member located on the side receiving the collision load is likely to deform during a side collision of the vehicle body, i.e., when a collision load is input from the side sill outer panel and the side sill is deformed. More specifically, the reinforcing member deforms such that the pair of flanges move apart in the width direction of the top plate. In addition, the width L of the reinforcing member's top plate is smaller than the height H of its vertical walls. Therefore, the reinforcing member is likely to deform such that the vertical walls approach each other in the width direction of the top plate before the vertical walls complete their deformation in the height direction. Furthermore, because the top plate of the reinforcing member is positioned closer to the top plate of the side sill inner than the joint between the side sill inner and outer panels, the vertical wall of the reinforcing member is relatively long, making it more likely to deform when a collision load is applied from the side sill outer. As a result, contact (self-contact) between the vertical walls of the reinforcing member is likely to occur. For example, after the reaction force of the side sill reaches its peak in response to the collision load, self-contact at the reinforcing member suppresses the decrease in reaction force. This improves the crashworthiness of the side sill.

[0012] As described above, in the side sill according to the first configuration, the reinforcing member is more likely to come into contact with itself during a side collision of the vehicle body. This improves the crashworthiness of the side sill, reducing the need to provide other reinforcing members in the space formed by the side sill inner and outer panels. This reduces the number of parts in the side sill and contributes to reducing the weight of the side sill.

[0013] In this way, according to the first configuration, it is possible to reduce the weight of the side sill for a vehicle body while maintaining good collision resistance performance of the side sill.

[0014] In the side sill according to the first configuration, at least one of the third flanges may include a base and an end portion, the base portion protruding from the third vertical wall to an outside of the reinforcing member, and the end portion bending from the base portion toward the first top plate (second configuration).

[0015] In the second configuration, at least one flange (third flange) of the reinforcing member includes a base portion that protrudes outward from the vertical wall (third vertical wall) of the reinforcing member, as well as an end portion that bends from the base portion toward the top plate (first top plate) of the side sill inner. Both the base portion and the end portion of the flange of the reinforcing member can serve as a joint portion for the side sill inner or side sill outer. That is, the flange of the reinforcing member may be joined to the side sill inner or side sill outer by the base portion, or may be joined to the side sill inner or side sill outer by the end portion. This improves the flexibility in assembling the side sill inner, side sill outer, and reinforcing member.

[0016] Furthermore, because the flanges of the reinforcing members are bent, the reinforcing members are less likely to tilt within the side sill inner and outer panels during a side collision of the vehicle body, which makes it easier for the reinforcing members to make stable self-contact and helps the side sills to exhibit good crashworthiness.

[0017] In the side sill according to the first or second configuration, the reinforcing member may be formed of a plurality of metal plates (third configuration).

[0018] When a reinforcing member is formed from a single metal plate, it may be difficult to form the reinforcing member depending on the shape of the reinforcing member, etc. In contrast, in the third configuration, the reinforcing member is formed from multiple metal plates. In this case, each metal plate can be formed separately, so even reinforcing members that are difficult to form from a single metal plate can be produced relatively easily.

[0019] In the side sill according to the first or second configuration, the reinforcing member may be formed from a single metal plate (fourth configuration).

[0020] In a fourth configuration, the reinforcing member is formed from a single metal plate. That is, the reinforcing member is molded from a single metal plate. In this case, the number of steps required to manufacture the reinforcing member can be reduced compared to when the reinforcing member is formed from multiple metal plates.

[0021] In a side sill according to any one of the first to fourth configurations, when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, at least one of the third vertical walls may have a concave shape on the inside of the reinforcing member in at least a portion thereof (fifth configuration).

[0022] In the fifth configuration, when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the side sill, the vertical wall (third vertical wall) of the reinforcing member is partially or entirely concave inward. In this case, when a collision load is applied to the side sill from the side sill outer side, the reinforcing member is likely to undergo deformation such that each vertical wall is folded starting from the bottom of the concave portion. This makes it easier for the reinforcing member to come into contact with itself, further improving the crashworthiness of the side sill.

[0023] The side sill according to any one of the first to fifth configurations may further include an auxiliary reinforcing member. The auxiliary reinforcing member is disposed, for example, in a space formed by the side sill inner panel and the side sill outer panel. In this case, the auxiliary reinforcing member is joined to at least one of the side sill inner panel, the side sill outer panel, and the reinforcing member (sixth configuration).

[0024] In the side sill according to the sixth configuration, the auxiliary reinforcing member may be disposed between the second top plate and the reinforcing member (seventh configuration).

[0025] In the sixth and seventh configurations, in addition to the reinforcing member described above, an auxiliary reinforcing member is disposed in the space formed by the side sill inner and outer panels. The auxiliary reinforcing member can, for example, suppress deformation of the side sill except for the portion where self-contact of the reinforcing member occurs. In this case, the self-contact of the reinforcing member is more likely to occur stably, and the side sill is more likely to exhibit good crash resistance performance.

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In these drawings, the same or equivalent components are designated by the same reference numerals, and the same description will not be repeated.

[0027] <First embodiment> Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a side sill 100 according to the first embodiment. The side sill 100 is used in the body of a vehicle such as an automobile. The side sill 100 has an elongated shape. The side sill 100 is incorporated into the vehicle body and disposed on the lower side of the vehicle body. When incorporated into the vehicle body, the side sill 100 extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body (vehicle length direction).

[0028] Referring to FIG. 1 , a side sill 100 includes a side sill inner 10 , a side sill outer 20 , and a reinforcing member 30 .

[0029] Referring to FIG. 1 , the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20 form the main body of the side sill 100. The side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20 are each elongated members. The side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20 extend in the vehicle length direction when the side sill 100 is assembled to the vehicle body. The side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20 are typically formed from metal plates. The side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20 may also be formed from steel plates. The side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20 can be manufactured by press molding, for example.

[0030] When the side sill 100 is assembled to the vehicle body, the side sill inner 10 is disposed inside the side sill outer 20 in the left-right direction (vehicle width direction) of the vehicle body. The side sill inner 10 includes a top plate 11, a pair of vertical walls 121, 122, and a pair of flanges 131, 132.

[0031] The top plate 11 connects the vertical walls 121 and 122. More specifically, the vertical wall 121 is connected to the top plate 11 via a ridge portion 141. Furthermore, on the opposite side of the vertical wall 121, the vertical wall 122 is connected to the top plate 11 via a ridge portion 142. The ridge portions 141 and 142 are corner portions between the vertical walls 121 and 122 and the top plate 11, respectively. The vertical walls 121 and 122 are arranged to face each other. When the side sill 100 is installed in the vehicle body, the vertical walls 121 and 122 face each other in the up-down direction of the vehicle body (vehicle height direction) and are connected by the top plate 11 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction.

[0032] The flanges 131, 132 are disposed on the opposite side of the top plate 11 from the vertical walls 121, 122. One flange 131 is connected to one vertical wall 121 via a ridge portion 151. The ridge portion 151 is a corner portion between the vertical wall 121 and the flange 131. The other flange 132 is connected to the other vertical wall 122 via a ridge portion 152. The ridge portion 152 is a corner portion between the vertical wall 122 and the flange 132. The flanges 131, 132 protrude from the vertical walls 121, 122 toward the outside of the side sill inner 10.

[0033] When the side sill 100 is assembled to the vehicle body, the side sill outer 20 is disposed outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the side sill inner 10. The side sill outer 20 includes a top plate 21, a pair of vertical walls 221, 222, and a pair of flanges 231, 232.

[0034] The top plate 21 faces the top plate 11 of the side sill inner panel 10. When the side sill 100 is installed in the vehicle body, the top plate 21 is positioned outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the top plate 11 of the side sill inner panel 10. The top plate 21 connects the vertical walls 221, 222. More specifically, the vertical wall 221 is connected to the top plate 21 via a ridge portion 241. On the opposite side of the vertical wall 221, the vertical wall 222 is connected to the top plate 21 via a ridge portion 242. The ridge portions 241, 242 are corner portions between the vertical walls 221, 222 and the top plate 21, respectively. The vertical walls 221, 222 are arranged to face each other. When the side sill 100 is installed in the vehicle body, the vertical walls 221, 222 face each other in the vehicle height direction and are connected by the top plate 21 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction.

[0035] The flanges 231, 232 are disposed on the opposite side of the top plate 21 from the vertical walls 221, 222. One flange 231 is connected to one vertical wall 221 via a ridge portion 251. The ridge portion 251 is a corner portion between the vertical wall 221 and the flange 231. The other flange 232 is connected to the other vertical wall 222 via a ridge portion 252. The ridge portion 252 is a corner portion between the vertical wall 222 and the flange 232. The flanges 231, 232 protrude from the vertical walls 221, 222 toward the outside of the side sill outer panel 20.

[0036] The reinforcing member 30 is disposed between the side sill inner panel 10 and the side sill outer panel 20. The reinforcing member 30 includes a top plate 31, a pair of vertical walls 321, 322, and a pair of flanges 331, 332.

[0037] The top plate 31 connects the vertical walls 321 and 322. The vertical walls 321 and 322 are arranged to face each other. The flanges 331 and 332 are arranged on the opposite side of the top plate 31 from the vertical walls 321 and 322. The flanges 331 and 332 protrude from the vertical walls 321 and 322 toward the outside of the reinforcing member 30.

[0038] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100 shown in FIG. 1 cut perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Hereinafter, for the side sill 100, the side sill inner 10, the side sill outer 20, and the reinforcing member 30, a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the side sill 100 will be simply referred to as a cross section.

[0039] 2 , the flanges 231, 232 of the side sill outer 20 are joined to the flanges 131, 132 of the side sill inner 10, respectively. The flanges 231, 232 of the side sill outer 20 are, for example, welded to the flanges 131, 132 of the side sill inner 10. The side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20 are joined to each other to form a hollow closed cross section. The reinforcing member 30 is disposed in the space S formed by the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20.

[0040] In this embodiment, a single reinforcing member 30 is provided in the space S. The reinforcing member 30 extends in the longitudinal direction of the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20 in the space S. In the longitudinal direction, the length of the reinforcing member 30 is, for example, 15% to 100% of the length of the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20. In the longitudinal direction, the length of the reinforcing member 30 is more preferably 50% or more of the length of the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20.

[0041] A plurality of reinforcing members 30 may be provided in the space S. When the plurality of reinforcing members 30 are arranged in the space S in the longitudinal direction of the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20, the combined length of the plurality of reinforcing members 30 in the longitudinal direction is, for example, 15% to 100% of the length of the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20. It is preferable that the combined length of the plurality of reinforcing members 30 in the longitudinal direction be 50% or more of the length of the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20.

[0042] The reinforcing member 30 is a member that has an open cross section when used alone. That is, the cross section of the reinforcing member 30 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the side sill 100 is an open cross section.

[0043] The reinforcing member 30 has a hat-like shape that protrudes toward the side sill inner 10 in a cross-sectional view. The top plate 31 of the reinforcing member 30 is disposed on the top plate 11 side of the side sill inner 10 relative to a joint 41 between the flange 131 of the side sill inner 10 and the flange 231 of the side sill outer 20. The top plate 31 of the reinforcing member 30 is also disposed on the top plate 11 side of the side sill inner 10 relative to a joint 42 between the flange 132 of the side sill inner 10 and the flange 232 of the side sill outer 20. In other words, when the space S is divided into a space S1 on the side sill inner 10 side and a space S2 on the side sill outer 20 side by an imaginary line (two-dot chain line) connecting the joints 41, 42 in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100, the top plate 31 of the reinforcing member 30 is disposed within the space S1 on the side sill inner 10 side.

[0044] The joint 41 can be defined, for example, as the end of the contact area between the flange 131 of the side sill inner 10 and the flange 231 of the side sill outer 20 on the space S side in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100. The joint 42 can be defined, for example, as the end of the contact area between the flange 132 of the side sill inner 10 and the flange 232 of the side sill outer 20 on the space S side in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100.

[0045] 2 , the top plate 31 of the reinforcing member 30 faces the top plate 11 of the side sill inner panel 10 with a gap therebetween. In other words, the top plate 31 of the reinforcing member 30 is not joined to the top plate 11 of the side sill inner panel 10.

[0046] In the reinforcing member 30, one vertical wall 321 is connected to the top plate 31 via a ridge portion 341. The other vertical wall 322 is connected to the top plate 31 via a ridge portion 342 on the opposite side of the vertical wall 321. The ridge portions 341, 342 are corner portions between the vertical walls 321, 322 and the top plate 31, respectively. The ridge portions 341, 342 may have, for example, an arc shape in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100. In this case, the ridge portions 341, 342 may have a radius of curvature of 3 mm or more. The ridge portions 341, 342 may have a radius of curvature of, for example, 150 mm or less. In a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100, the vertical walls 321, 322 extend from the top plate 31 toward the top plate 21 of the side sill outer 20. The vertical walls 321, 322 may extend parallel or non-parallel in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100. The angle (opening angle) formed by the vertical walls 321, 322 may be greater than or equal to 90° and less than or equal to 180°. When the vertical walls 321, 322 extend parallel in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100, the opening angle between the vertical walls 321, 322 is 180°. When the vertical walls 321, 322 become increasingly spaced apart as they move away from the top panel 31 in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100, the opening angle between the vertical walls 321, 322 is less than 180°. The vertical walls 321, 322 may have an overall flat shape. However, the vertical walls 321, 322 may have, for example, a concave bead on the inside of the reinforcing member 30 or a convex bead on the outside.

[0047] In the reinforcing member 30, one flange 331 is connected to one vertical wall 321 via a ridge portion 351. The other flange 332 is connected to the other vertical wall 322 via a ridge portion 352. The ridge portion 351 is a corner portion between the vertical wall 321 and the flange 331. The ridge portion 352 is a corner portion between the vertical wall 322 and the flange 332. The ridge portions 351, 352 may have, for example, an arc shape in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100. In this case, the ridge portions 351, 352 may have a radius of curvature of 3 mm or more. The ridge portions 351, 352 may have a radius of curvature of, for example, 150 mm or less. In this embodiment, the flanges 331, 332 protrude outward from the vertical walls 321, 322 of the reinforcing member 30. Since the reinforcing member 30 is a member having an open cross section by itself, the tips of the flanges 331 and 332 are free ends.

[0048] The flanges 331, 332 of the reinforcing member 30 are joined to portions of the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20 other than the flanges 131, 132, 231, 232. That is, one flange 331 of the reinforcing member 30 is joined to at least one of the vertical wall 121 of the side sill inner 10, the top plate 21 of the side sill outer 20, and the vertical wall 221 of the side sill outer 20. The other flange 332 of the reinforcing member 30 is joined to at least one of the vertical wall 122 of the side sill inner 10, the top plate 21 of the side sill outer 20, and the vertical wall 222 of the side sill outer 20. In this embodiment, the flanges 331, 332 of the reinforcing member 30 are joined to the side sill outer 20. More specifically, the flanges 331, 332 are directly joined to the top plate 21 of the side sill outer 20. The reinforcing member 30 and the side sill inner 10 and / or the side sill outer 20 are joined together by welding, for example.

[0049] In the reinforcing member 30, when the width of the top plate 31 is L and the height of the vertical walls 321, 322 is H, L<H. In the cross section of the reinforcing member 30, when the width direction of the reinforcing member 30 is, for example, a direction corresponding to the vehicle height direction, the width L of the top plate 31 is the linear distance in the width direction from the end of the rounded corner of one ridge line portion 341 on the top plate 31 side to the end of the rounded corner of the other ridge line portion 342 on the top plate 31 side. In the cross section of the reinforcing member 30, when the height direction of the reinforcing member 30 is, for example, a direction corresponding to the vehicle width direction, the height H1 of the vertical wall 321 is the linear distance in the height direction from the end of the rounded corner of the ridge line portion 341 on the vertical wall 321 side to the end of the rounded corner of the ridge line portion 351 on the vertical wall 321 side. The height H2 of the vertical wall 322 is the linear distance in the height direction from the end of the R of the ridge line portion 342 on the vertical wall 322 side to the end of the R of the ridge line portion 352 on the vertical wall 322 side in the cross section of the reinforcing member 30. The maximum value of H1 and H2 can be set to the height H of the vertical walls 321 and 322. In this embodiment, the height H2 of the vertical wall 322 is equal to the height H1 of the vertical wall 321. Here, the R ends of the ridge line portions 341, 342, 351, and 352 are set to the end of the R on the outer surface of the reinforcing member 30.

[0050] The width L of the top plate 31 and the height H of the vertical walls 321, 322 need only satisfy L / H<1.00, but preferably satisfy L / H≦0.75, and more preferably satisfy L / H≦0.60.

[0051] In the cross section of the reinforcing member 30, when the angle that the vertical wall 321 makes with respect to the width direction (vehicle height direction) of the reinforcing member 30 on the inner surface side of the reinforcing member 30 is α and the angle that the vertical wall 322 makes with respect to the width direction of the reinforcing member 30 on the inner surface side of the reinforcing member 30 is β, the sum of the lengths of the vertical walls 321 and 322 can be substantially expressed as H1 / sin α + H2 / sin β. Furthermore, in the cross section of the reinforcing member 30, the distance between the flanges 331, 332 in the width direction of the reinforcing member 30 can be substantially expressed as L + H1 / tan α + H2 / tan β. It is preferable that the reinforcing member 30 be configured so that the total length of the vertical walls 321, 322 is greater than the sum of the width L of the top plate 31 and the widthwise distance between the flanges 331, 332 in the cross section. That is, it is preferable that the reinforcing member 30 be configured to satisfy H1 / sin α+H2 / sin β>L+(L+H1 / tan α+H2 / tan β).

[0052] In this embodiment, the reinforcing member 30 is formed from a single metal plate. The reinforcing member 30 may also be formed from a single steel plate. The plate thickness of the reinforcing member 30 may be the same as or different from the plate thickness of the side sill inner 10 and / or the side sill outer 20. Furthermore, the tensile strength of the reinforcing member 30 may be the same as or different from the tensile strength of the side sill inner 10 and / or the side sill outer 20. The reinforcing member 30 can be produced, for example, by press molding.

[0053] [Effects] In the side sill 100 according to this embodiment, the reinforcing member 30 is disposed in the space S formed by the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20. In a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100, the reinforcing member 30 has a convex shape extending from the side sill outer 20 side toward the side sill inner 10 side. Therefore, when a collision load is input from the side sill outer 20 side during a side collision of the vehicle body, causing the side sill 100 to deform, the flanges 331, 332 of the reinforcing member 30 are likely to deform, resulting in deformation such that the flanges 331, 332 are separated in the width direction (vehicle height direction) of the reinforcing member 30. Furthermore, because the top plate 31 of the reinforcing member 30 is disposed closer to the top plate 11 of the side sill inner 10 than the joints 41, 42 between the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20, the vertical walls 321, 322 of the reinforcing member 30 are relatively long, and therefore the vertical walls 321, 322 are likely to deform. The height H of the vertical walls 321, 322 is greater than the width L of the top plate 31. Therefore, the reinforcing member 30 is easily deformed in the width direction of the top plate 31, that is, in the direction in which the vertical walls 321, 322 approach each other. This allows the vertical walls 321, 322 to come into contact (self-contact) with each other in the reinforcing member 30. After the reaction force of the side sill 100 against the collision load reaches its peak, the self-contact of the reinforcing member 30 suppresses a decrease in the reaction force. As a result, the collision resistance of the side sill 100 can be improved.

[0054] In the side sill 100 according to this embodiment, the reinforcing member 30 is more likely to come into contact with itself during a side collision of the vehicle body, and improved crashworthiness can be expected. Therefore, there is little need to provide an additional reinforcing member in addition to the reinforcing member 30 in the space S formed by the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20. This reduces the number of parts in the side sill 100, allowing for a reduction in the weight of the side sill 100. In other words, the side sill 100 according to this embodiment allows for a reduction in weight while maintaining good crashworthiness.

[0055] In the side sill 100 according to this embodiment, the reinforcing member 30 is preferably configured to satisfy H1 / sin α + H2 / sin β > L + (L + H1 / tan α + H2 / tan β). In this case, the length (cross-sectional line length) of the vertical walls 321, 322 in a cross-sectional view of the reinforcing member 30 can be sufficiently ensured. Therefore, when a collision load is input from the side sill outer panel 20 side due to a side collision of the vehicle body and the side sill 100 is deformed, the vertical walls 321, 322 of the reinforcing member 30 are more likely to come into contact with each other (self-contact).

[0056] In the reinforcing member 30, the width L of the top plate 31 and the height H of the vertical walls 321, 322 satisfy L / H<1.00. The width L of the top plate 31 and the height H of the vertical walls 321, 322 preferably satisfy L / H≦0.75, and more preferably satisfy L / H≦0.60. This allows the crashworthiness of the side sill 100 to be improved with greater weight efficiency.

[0057] 3 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill 100A according to a second embodiment. The side sill 100A according to this embodiment differs from the side sill 100 according to the first embodiment in the shape of the flanges 331, 332 of the reinforcing member 30A.

[0058] 1 and 2, in the side sill 100 according to the first embodiment, the flanges 331, 332 of the reinforcing member 30 protrude from the vertical walls 321, 322 to the outside of the reinforcing member 30. In a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100 installed in the vehicle body, the flanges 331, 332 of the reinforcing member 30 extend substantially in the vehicle height direction. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, in the side sill 100A according to the present embodiment, the flanges 331, 332 of the reinforcing member 30A are folded back toward the side sill inner panel 10.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 3 , one flange 331 of the reinforcing member 30A includes a base 331a and an end 331b. The base 331a is disposed closer to the vertical wall 321 than the end 331b and protrudes outward from the vertical wall 321. In a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100 installed in the vehicle body, the base 331a extends substantially in the vehicle height direction. The base 331a is connected to the vertical wall 321 via a ridge 351. The end 331b is provided continuously with the base 331a. The end 331b bends from the base 331a toward the top plate 11 of the side sill inner 10. In the example of FIG. 3 , the flange 331 is provided along the top plate 21, ridge 241, and vertical wall 221 of the side sill outer 20.

[0060] At least one of the base 331a and the end 331b is joined to portions of the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20 other than the flanges 131, 132, 231, and 232. More specifically, at least one of the base 331a and the end 331b is joined to at least one of the vertical wall 121 of the side sill inner 10, the top plate 21 of the side sill outer 20, and the vertical wall 221 of the side sill outer 20. As shown in FIG. 3 , the end 331b of the flange 331 may be directly joined to the vertical wall 221 of the side sill outer 20, for example, by welding. The base 331a of the flange 331 may be directly joined to the top plate 21 of the side sill outer 20, for example, by welding.

[0061] In this embodiment, the other flange 332 of the reinforcing member 30A also includes a base portion 332a and an end portion 332b. In the reinforcing member 30A, the flanges 331 and 332 have substantially the same configuration, so detailed description of the configuration of the flange 332 will be omitted.

[0062] 3, both of the flanges 331, 332 of the reinforcing member 30A are joined to the side sill outer 20. However, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, at least one of the flanges 331, 332 may be joined to the side sill inner 10.

[0063] 4, in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100A, the flanges 331, 332 of the reinforcing member 30A are asymmetric. In one flange 331, an end portion 331b is joined to the vertical wall 121 of the side sill inner 10. In a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100A, the end portion 331b is bent with respect to the base portion 331a and extends along the vertical wall 221 of the side sill outer 20 and the vertical wall 121 of the side sill inner 10. In contrast, in the other flange 332, an end portion 332b is joined to the vertical wall 222 of the side sill outer 20. The base portions 331a, 332a of the flanges 331, 332 face the top plate 21 of the side sill outer 20 with a gap therebetween.

[0064] 3 and 4, the reinforcing member 30A is provided across the space S1 on the side sill inner panel 10 side and the space S2 on the side sill outer panel 20 side in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100A. On the other hand, in the example shown in Fig. 5, the reinforcing member 30A is arranged so as to fit within the space S1 on the side sill inner panel 10 side in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100A. In the example shown in Fig. 5, end portions 331b and 332b of the flanges 331 and 332 are joined to the vertical walls 121 and 122 of the side sill inner panel 10, respectively.

[0065] 3 to 5, the reinforcing member 30A has a convex shape facing the side sill inner panel 10 in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100A, and is configured so that the width L of the top plate 31 is smaller than the height H of the vertical walls 321, 322. Therefore, the side sill 100A according to this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side sill 100 according to the first embodiment.

[0066] In the side sill 100A according to this embodiment, the flanges 331, 332 of the reinforcing member 30A are each folded back toward the side sill inner 10. This increases the number of possible joints between the flanges 331, 332 of the reinforcing member 30A and the side sill outer 20. That is, the flange 331 of the reinforcing member 30A may be joined to the side sill inner 10 or the side sill outer 20 by a base 331a, or may be joined to the side sill inner 10 or the side sill outer 20 by an end 331b. Similarly, the flange 332 of the reinforcing member 30A may be joined to the side sill inner 10 or the side sill outer 20 by a base 332a, or may be joined to the side sill inner 10 or the side sill outer 20 by an end 332b. This improves the flexibility in assembling the side sill inner 10, the side sill outer 20, and the reinforcing member 30A.

[0067] The ends 331b, 332b of the flanges 331, 332 of the reinforcing member 30A are bent toward the side sill inner 10, thereby supporting the vertical walls 321, 322 and making the reinforcing member 30A less likely to tilt within the space S during a side collision of the vehicle body. This makes it easier for the reinforcing member 30A to stably contact itself, and makes it easier for the side sill 100A to exhibit good collision resistance.

[0068] 3 to 5, both flanges 331, 332 of the reinforcing member 30A have a shape that is folded back toward the side sill inner panel 10. However, only one of the flanges 331, 332 may have a shape that is folded back toward the side sill inner panel 10. That is, only the flange 331 may include a base portion 331a and an end portion 331b that is bent toward the side sill inner panel 10 relative to the base portion 331a, or only the flange 332 may include a base portion 332a and an end portion 331b that is bent toward the side sill inner panel 10 relative to the base portion 332a.

[0069] 6 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill 100B according to a third embodiment. The side sill 100B according to this embodiment differs from the side sills 100 and 100A according to the other embodiments in that a reinforcing member 30B is formed of a plurality of metal plates 361 and 362.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 6 , the reinforcing member 30B is formed of multiple metal plates 361 and 362. In the example shown in FIG. 6 , the metal plate 361 forms a portion of the top plate 31, one vertical wall 321, and one flange 331 of the reinforcing member 30B. The metal plate 362 forms a portion of the top plate 31, the other vertical wall 322, and the other flange 332 of the reinforcing member 30B. The metal plate 362 is joined to the metal plate 361 at the position of the top plate 31. The metal plates 361 and 362 are joined by, for example, welding. The metal plates 361 and 362 may be joined with their end faces butted together (butt joint) or with their ends overlapping each other (overlap joint). The metal plates 361 and 362 may be joined after being individually formed into a predetermined shape by, for example, press molding.

[0071] The metal plates 361 and 362 may be steel plates. The thicknesses of the metal plates 361 and 362 may be the same or different. The tensile strengths of the metal plates 361 and 362 may be the same or different.

[0072] 6, the reinforcing member 30B is formed of two metal plates 361 and 362. However, the reinforcing member 30B may be formed of three or more metal plates. In addition, the joining positions of the metal plates may be changed as appropriate.

[0073] In the example shown in FIG. 7 , the reinforcing member 30B is formed by metal plates 361, 362, and 363. The metal plate 361 mainly forms the top plate 31 and the vertical walls 321 and 322 of the reinforcing member 30B. The metal plates 362 and 363 mainly form the flanges 331 and 332 of the reinforcing member 30B, respectively. As in the second embodiment, the flanges 331 and 332 may have a shape that is folded back toward the side sill inner 10. The metal plates 362 and 363 are joined to the metal plate 361 by, for example, welding. The metal plates 362 and 363 may each be butt-joined to the metal plate 361 or overlap-joined. The metal plates 361, 362, and 363 may be joined after being individually formed into a predetermined shape by, for example, press molding.

[0074] 7, the metal plates 361, 362, and 363 may be steel plates. The thicknesses of the metal plates 361, 362, and 363 may be the same or different. The tensile strengths of the metal plates 361, 362, and 363 may be the same or different.

[0075] 6 and 7, the reinforcing member 30B has a convex shape facing the side sill inner panel 10 in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100B, and is configured so that the width L of the top plate 31 is smaller than the height H of the vertical walls 321, 322. Therefore, the side sill 100B according to this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side sills 100, 100A according to the other embodiments.

[0076] In the side sill 100B according to this embodiment, the reinforcing member 30B is formed from multiple metal plates. In this case, each metal plate can be shaped separately. Therefore, even if the reinforcing member 30B has a shape that is difficult to shape from a single metal plate, the reinforcing member 30B can be manufactured relatively easily.

[0077] However, if molding is not difficult, the reinforcing members 30, 30A may be formed from a single metal plate. In this case, the reinforcing members 30, 30A can be molded, for example, by a single press molding, and the step of joining the metal plates together can be omitted, thereby reducing the number of steps required to manufacture the reinforcing members 30, 30A.

[0078] 8 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill 100C according to a fourth embodiment. The side sill 100C according to this embodiment differs from the side sills 100, 100A, and 100B according to the other embodiments in the shape of the vertical walls 321 and 322 of the reinforcing member 30C.

[0079] In other embodiments, the vertical walls 321, 322 of the reinforcing members 30, 30A, 30B extend substantially linearly in a cross-sectional view. On the other hand, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 8, at least a portion of the vertical walls 321, 322 has a concave shape on the inside of the reinforcing member 30C in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100C.

[0080] In the example shown in Fig. 8, the vertical walls 321, 322 are bent midway, so that the vertical walls 321, 322 have an inwardly concave shape as a whole. The vertical walls 321, 322 are bent inward at their intermediate portions in the width direction of the reinforcing member 30C. As a result, the vertical walls 321, 322 are formed with bent ridge portions 321a, 322a, respectively.

[0081] The bending ridges 321a, 322a extend in the longitudinal direction of the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20. The angle formed by the portion of the vertical wall 321 on the side sill inner 10 side with respect to the bending ridge 321a and the portion on the side sill outer 20 side with respect to the bending ridge 321a on the outer surface of the reinforcing member 30C is less than 180°. Similarly, the angle formed by the portion of the vertical wall 322 on the side sill inner 10 side with respect to the bending ridge 322a and the portion on the side sill outer 20 side with respect to the bending ridge 322a on the outer surface of the reinforcing member 30C is less than 180°. The distance A1 in the width direction (vehicle height direction) of the reinforcing member 30C of the vertical walls 321, 322 at the position of the bending ridge portions 321a, 322a is smaller than the distance A2 in the width direction of the reinforcing member 30C of the vertical walls 321, 322 at the position where the R of the ridge portions 351, 352 ends (on the vertical walls 321, 322 side).

[0082] In this embodiment as well, the reinforcing member 30C has a convex shape facing the side sill inner panel 10 in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100C, and is configured so that the width L of the top plate 31 is smaller than the height H of the vertical walls 321, 322. Therefore, the side sill 100C according to this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side sills 100, 100A, and 100B according to the other embodiments.

[0083] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when viewed in cross section of the side sill 100C, the vertical walls 321, 322 have a concave shape toward the inside of the reinforcing member 30. In this case, when a collision load is input to the side sill 100C from the side sill outer panel 20 due to a side collision of the vehicle body, the vertical walls 321, 322 are likely to deform, folding from the bottom of the concave portion. In the example shown in FIG. 8 , the vertical walls 321, 322 can deform, folding from the bending ridge portions 321a, 322a. As a result, contact (self-contact) between the vertical walls 321, 322 in the reinforcing member 30B is more likely to occur, further improving the collision resistance of the side sill 100C.

[0084] In the example shown in FIG. 8 , the vertical walls 321, 322 are bent, so that the vertical walls 321, 322 as a whole have a concave shape toward the inside of the reinforcing member 30C. However, the method for forming at least a portion of the vertical walls 321, 322 into a concave shape toward the inside of the reinforcing member 30C is not limited to this. For example, the vertical walls 321, 322 may be partially concave by providing at least one bead on the vertical walls 321, 322, or the vertical walls 321, 322 may be partially or entirely curved inwardly toward the inside of the reinforcing member 30C. The vertical walls 321, 322 may have a concave portion that can serve as a bending point when the vertical walls 321, 322 are deformed due to a collision load input from the side sill outer panel 20. The concave portion may be provided in the vertical walls 321, 322 at a central portion in the height direction (vehicle width direction) of the reinforcing member 30C, or at a location other than the central portion. In addition, in the height direction of the reinforcing member 30C, the position of the recessed portion provided in one vertical wall 321 may be the same as or different from the position of the recessed portion provided in the other vertical wall 322. It is preferable that at least one bending ridge portion 321 a, 322 a is formed on each of the vertical walls 321, 322, as in the example shown in FIG.

[0085] In the example shown in FIG. 8 , the vertical walls 321, 322 are symmetrical in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100C, but the vertical walls 321, 322 may be asymmetrical. For example, in the height direction of the vertical walls 321, 322, the position of the bending ridge portion 321a in one vertical wall 321 may be different from the position of the bending ridge portion 322a in the other vertical wall 322. Alternatively, a bending ridge portion may be provided on only one of the vertical walls 321, 322. In other words, in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100C, at least a portion of only one of the vertical walls 321, 322 may have a concave shape toward the inside of the reinforcing member 30C.

[0086] 9 is a cross-sectional view of a side sill 100D according to a fifth embodiment. The side sill 100D according to this embodiment differs from the side sills 100, 100A, 100B, and 100C according to the other embodiments in that it further includes at least one auxiliary reinforcing member 50.

[0087] In the example shown in Fig. 9, the side sill 100D includes a plurality of auxiliary reinforcing members 50. Each of the auxiliary reinforcing members 50 is disposed between the top plate 21 of the side sill outer 20 and the reinforcing member 30D. In Fig. 9, the auxiliary reinforcing members 50 are provided so as to follow the vertical walls 321, 322 and flanges 331, 332 of the reinforcing member 30D, respectively. The auxiliary reinforcing members 50 may be joined to the reinforcing member 30D by, for example, welding. It is preferable that each of the auxiliary reinforcing members 50 extends along the reinforcing member 30D in the longitudinal direction of the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20.

[0088] The auxiliary reinforcing member 50 may be joined to the side sill outer 20. In this case, the reinforcing member 30D may be joined to the side sill outer 20 via the auxiliary reinforcing member 50. The reinforcing member 30D may be joined directly or indirectly to a portion of the side sill inner 10 or the side sill outer 20 other than the flanges 131, 132, 231, and 232. The reinforcing member 30D being directly joined to a portion of the side sill inner 10 or the side sill outer 20 other than the flanges 131, 132, 231, and 232 means that a direct joint (e.g., a weld) between the reinforcing member 30D and the side sill inner 10 or the side sill outer 20 exists in a portion of the side sill inner 10 or the side sill outer 20 other than the flanges 131, 132, 231, and 232. The reinforcing member 30D being indirectly joined to a portion of the side sill inner 10 or the side sill outer 20 other than the flanges 131, 132, 231, 232 means that a direct joint (e.g., a welded joint) between an intervening member such as the auxiliary reinforcing member 50 and the side sill inner 10 or the side sill outer 20 exists in a portion of the side sill inner 10 or the side sill outer 20 other than the flanges 131, 132, 231, 232. The portion of the side sill inner 10 or the side sill outer 20 other than the flanges 131, 132, 231, 232 is, for example, the vertical walls 121, 122 of the side sill inner 10, the top plate 21 of the side sill outer 20, or the vertical walls 221, 222 of the side sill outer 20.

[0089] Each of the auxiliary reinforcing members 50 is typically formed of a metal plate. Alternatively, each of the auxiliary reinforcing members 50 may be formed of a steel plate. The plate thickness of the auxiliary reinforcing member 50 may be the same as or different from the plate thickness of the reinforcing member 30D. Furthermore, the tensile strength of the auxiliary reinforcing member 50 may be the same as or different from the tensile strength of the reinforcing member 30D. Each of the auxiliary reinforcing members 50 can be produced, for example, by press molding.

[0090] The shape of the auxiliary reinforcing member 50 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 9 . Each of the auxiliary reinforcing members 50 may, for example, have a substantially hat-like shape in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100D. Furthermore, the position of the auxiliary reinforcing member 50 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 9 . Each of the auxiliary reinforcing members 50 may be disposed within the space S formed by the side sill inner 10 or the side sill outer 20. However, it is preferable that the auxiliary reinforcing member 50 be disposed so as to support the reinforcing member 30D. A plurality of auxiliary reinforcing members 50 may be disposed within the space S, or a single auxiliary reinforcing member 50 may be provided.

[0091] In this embodiment as well, the reinforcing member 30D has a convex shape facing the side sill inner panel 10 in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100D, and is configured so that the width L of the top plate 31 is smaller than the height H of the vertical walls 321, 322. Therefore, the side sill 100D according to this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side sills 100, 100A, 100B, and 100C according to the other embodiments.

[0092] The side sill 100D according to this embodiment is provided with an auxiliary reinforcing member 50 in addition to the reinforcing member 30D. The auxiliary reinforcing member 50 can suppress deformation of the side sill 100D except for the portion where self-contact of the reinforcing member 30D occurs. In the example shown in FIG. 9 , the auxiliary reinforcing member 50 supports the reinforcing member 30D on the flanges 331 and 332 side. This makes it difficult for the reinforcing member 30D to tilt during a side collision of the vehicle body, and self-contact of the reinforcing member 30D is likely to occur stably. This makes it easier for the side sill 100D to exhibit good crashworthiness.

[0093] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0094] In the side sill 100 according to the first embodiment, one flange 131 of the side sill inner panel 10 and the other flange 132 are disposed at substantially the same position in the vehicle width direction. However, as shown in FIG. 10 , the positions of the flanges 131, 132 of the side sill inner panel 10 may differ in the vehicle width direction. In this case, the positions of the flanges 231, 232 of the side sill outer panel 20 also differ in the vehicle width direction. Even if the positions of the flanges 131 of the side sill inner panel 10 and the flanges 231 of the side sill outer panel 20 are misaligned in the vehicle width direction from the positions of the flanges 132 of the side sill inner panel 10 and the flanges 232 of the side sill outer panel 20, the top plate 31 of the reinforcing member 30 is disposed within the space S1 on the side sill inner panel 10 side with respect to the imaginary line (two-dot chain line) connecting the joints 41, 42 between the side sill inner panel 10 and the side sill outer panel 20 in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100. Similarly, in other embodiments of the side sills 100A, 100B, 100C, and 100D, the flange 131 of the side sill inner 10 and the flange 231 of the side sill outer 20, and the flange 132 of the side sill inner 10 and the flange 232 of the side sill outer 20 may be positioned offset in the vehicle width direction.

[0095] In the side sill 100 according to the first embodiment, the top plate 31 of the reinforcing member 30 faces the top plate 11 of the side sill inner panel 10 with a gap therebetween. However, as shown in Fig. 11 , the top plate 31 of the reinforcing member 30 may be joined to the top plate 11 of the side sill inner panel 10. Similarly, in other embodiments, the top plate 31 of each of the reinforcing members 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D may be joined to the top plate 11 of the side sill inner panel 10. However, from the perspective of the assembly order of the side sill inner panel 10, the side sill outer panel 20, and the reinforcing members 30, 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D, it is preferable that the top plate 31 not be joined to the top plate 11 of the side sill inner panel 10.

[0096] In the side sill 100 according to the first embodiment, a single reinforcing member 30 is disposed in the space S formed by the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20. However, as shown in Fig. 12, multiple reinforcing members 30 may be provided in the space S. Each of the reinforcing members 30 has a convex shape facing the side sill inner 10 side in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100, and is configured so that the width L of the top plate 31 is smaller than the height H of the vertical walls 321, 322.

[0097] When multiple reinforcing members 30 are provided in the space S, these reinforcing members 30 may be separate bodies as shown in FIG. 12 or may be integrated as shown in FIG. 13. In the example shown in FIG. 13, the flange 332 of one reinforcing member 30 is continuous with the flange 331 of the other reinforcing member 30. In each of the reinforcing members 30, the height H1 of one vertical wall 321 is different from the height H2 of the other vertical wall 322. In this case, the height of the vertical wall 321, 322 that is taller is treated as the height H of the vertical walls 321, 322. The shorter vertical wall of the vertical walls 321, 322 has a height that is at least half of the height H.

[0098] In the first embodiment, the top plate 31 of the reinforcing member 30 has a substantially linear shape in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100. However, as shown in Fig. 14, the top plate 31 may be provided with at least one recess 311. The depth of the recess 311 is less than half the height H of the vertical walls 321, 322. Similarly, at least one recess 311 may be provided in the top plate 31 of each of the reinforcing members 30A, 30B, 30C, and 30D.

[0099] The present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to examples, although the present disclosure is not limited to the following examples.

[0100] For the side sill 100 according to the first embodiment, an analysis was performed using general-purpose software (LS-Dyna, manufactured by Ansys) to simulate a side collision while changing the L / H ratio. In this analysis, the top plate 11 of the side sill inner 10 was completely fixed, and a forced displacement was applied in the vehicle width direction from the top plate 21 side of the side sill outer 20 to deform the side sill 100. In this analysis, the material of the side sill inner 10 and the side sill outer 20 was assumed to be a steel plate with a tensile strength of 1180 MPa and a plate thickness of 1.4 mm. The material of the reinforcing member 30 was assumed to be a steel plate with a tensile strength of 980 MPa and a plate thickness of 2.0 mm. The L / H conditions and the analysis results are shown in Table 1.

[0101]

[0102] In Table 1, the "weight of the reinforcing member" is the weight per unit length of the reinforcing member 30, calculated by multiplying the cross-sectional area of ​​the reinforcing member 30 by its density. The "weight efficiency" is calculated by dividing the maximum reaction force (load) of the side sill 100 by this weight. In the reinforcing member 30 of the comparative example, the width L of the top panel 11 was equal to the height H of the vertical walls 321, 322 (L / H = 1.00). In each of the reinforcing members 30 of Examples 1 and 2, the width L of the top panel 11 was less than the height H of the vertical walls 321, 322 (L / H < 1.00). As shown in Table 1, in Examples 1 and 2, the deformation of the side sill 100 caused contact (self-contact) between the vertical walls 321, 322 of the reinforcing member 30. On the other hand, in the comparative example, no self-contact of the reinforcing member 30 occurred. Therefore, in Examples 1 and 2, the ratio of the maximum reaction force to the weight of the reinforcing member 30 (weight efficiency) was greater than that of the comparative example. In Example 2, which satisfied L / H≦0.75, weight efficiency was significantly improved compared to the comparative example, but in Example 1, which satisfied L / H≦0.60, the reinforcing member 30 was lighter than in the comparative example, and the maximum reaction force was greatly increased, resulting in particularly improved weight efficiency.

[0103] FIG. 15 shows the reaction force-displacement curves for Example 1 and the comparative example. As shown in FIG. 15, in Example 1, the reaction force peaked due to self-contact of the reinforcing member 30, then began to decrease and then significantly increased again. More specifically, in Example 1, after the side sill 100 was forcibly displaced from the side sill outer 20 side, the reaction force of the side sill 100 reached its first peak when the top plate 31 of the reinforcing member 30 contacted the top plate 11 of the side sill inner 10. The reaction force then gradually decreased, but began to increase significantly when the vertical walls 321, 322 of the reinforcing member 30 began to contact (self-contact). Then, when the vertical walls 321, 322 were in contact, their deformation increased, and the reaction force of the side sill 100 peaked again. On the other hand, in the comparative example, the reinforcing member 30 did not self-contact, so there was no significant increase in the reaction force after the peak.

[0104] As described above, it has been confirmed that, since the reinforcing member 30 has a convex shape toward the side sill inner 10 side in a cross-sectional view of the side sill 100, and the width L of the top plate 31 is smaller than the height H of the vertical walls 321, 322, self-contact of the reinforcing member 30 occurs during a side collision, and the collision resistance performance of the side sill 100 can be improved in a weight-efficient manner.

[0105] 100, 100A, 100B, 100C, 100D: Side sill 10: Side sill inner 11: (First) top plate 121, 122: (First) vertical wall 131, 132: (First) flange 20: Side sill outer 21: (Second) top plate 221, 222: (Second) vertical wall 231, 232: (Second) flange 30, 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D: Reinforcing member 31: (Third) top plate 321, 322: (Third) vertical wall 331, 332: (Third) flange 331a, 332a: Base 331b, 332b: End 41, 42: Joint 50: Auxiliary reinforcing member

Claims

1. A side sill for a vehicle body, comprising: a side sill inner including a first top plate, a pair of first vertical walls connected by the first top plate, and a pair of first flanges arranged on the opposite side of the first top plate with respect to the first vertical walls; a side sill outer including a second top plate facing the first top plate, a pair of second vertical walls connected by the second top plate, and a pair of second flanges arranged on the opposite side of the second top plate with respect to the second vertical walls and each joined to the first flange, and arranged outward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the side sill inner when the side sill is assembled to the vehicle body; and a reinforcing member arranged in a space formed by the side sill inner and the side sill outer, and having an open cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the side sill, wherein the reinforcing member comprises: a third top plate arranged on the first top plate side with respect to the joint between the first flange and the second flange; a pair of third vertical walls connected by the third top plate and extending from the third top plate toward the second top plate a pair of third flanges that are arranged on the opposite side of the third top plate with respect to the third vertical wall and are joined to portions of the side sill inner and the side sill outer other than the first flange and the second flange, wherein, in the reinforcing member, when the width of the third top plate is L and the height of the third vertical wall is H, L<H.

2. A side sill as described in claim 1, wherein at least one of the third flanges includes a base portion that protrudes from the third vertical wall to the outside of the reinforcing member, and an end portion that bends from the base portion toward the first top plate.

3. A side sill according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member is formed from a plurality of metal plates.

4. A side sill according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member is formed from a single metal plate.

5. A side sill according to claim 1, wherein, when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, at least one of the third vertical walls has a concave shape on the inside of the reinforcing member in at least a portion thereof.

6. A side sill according to claim 1, further comprising: an auxiliary reinforcing member disposed within the space and joined to at least one of the side sill inner, the side sill outer, and the reinforcing member.

7. A side sill according to claim 6, wherein the auxiliary reinforcing member is disposed between the second top plate and the reinforcing member.

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