Vehicular shock absorbing member and side sill structure

Abstract

A vehicular shock absorbing member (10) is provided with: a beam member (20) having a continuous closed cross-section in the longitudinal direction; and a wavey plate member (30) disposed inside the beam member (20) so as to be aligned with the beam member (20). The wavey plate member (30) is configured by arranging, in parallel, a plurality of single-wave members each having a single wave, or is configured with a multiple-wave member having multiple waves, and is disposed so that a ridge line (31) passing through the apexes of the waves extends in the transversal direction. At least one of the beam member (20) and the wavey plate member (30) is configured with a steel plate.

Description

Impact absorbing member for vehicle and side sill structure

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle impact absorbing member that absorbs collision energy during a side collision, and a side sill structure that includes this vehicle impact absorbing member.

[0002] Various vehicle body structures have been proposed to cope with side collisions (see, for example, Patent Document 1 (FIG. 3)).

[0003] Patent Document 1 will be described with reference to the following figure. Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional impact absorbing member for a vehicle. As shown in Figure 20, an outer reinforcing member 102 and an inner reinforcing member 103 are housed in a side sill 101 of a vehicle. In the event of a side collision, the outer reinforcing member 102 collapses to absorb the collision energy, and the inner reinforcing member 103 collapses to absorb the collision energy, thereby protecting occupants and the like.

[0004] The outer reinforcing member 102 is formed of an extruded shape made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and having a closed cross-sectional structure (Patent Document 1, paragraph 0060).

[0005] Since aluminum is significantly lighter than carbon steel, the technology of Patent Document 1 allows for a reduction in the weight of the outer reinforcing member 102, i.e., the vehicle impact absorbing member. In addition, aluminum softens at a lower temperature than carbon steel, making it easier to extrude. This extrusion process has the advantage of making it possible to manufacture relatively complex cross sections.

[0006] On the other hand, aluminum is more expensive than carbon steel, and because aluminum has less strength than carbon steel, it is difficult to make the wall thickness thinner, which results in a large, thick impact absorbing component for a vehicle.

[0007] As more compact and less expensive vehicles are required, there is a demand for a vehicle impact absorbing member that can be more easily made thinner and less expensive than the outer reinforcing member 102 disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0008] Patent No. 7191704

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide an impact absorbing member for a vehicle that can be easily thinned and can be manufactured at low cost.

[0010] The present invention defines the longitudinal direction as the front-to-rear direction of a vehicle when viewed from the driver's seat, and the lateral direction as the lateral direction, with the side closer to the center of gravity of the vehicle defined as the inner side and the side further from it defined as the outer side, and provides an impact absorbing component for a vehicle that is arranged in the lateral direction and on the outer side, the impact absorbing component for a vehicle comprising a beam member having a continuous closed cross section in the longitudinal direction, and a corrugated plate member that is arranged alongside the beam member on the inner side of the beam member, the corrugated plate member being composed of a plurality of single-wave members having a single wave arranged in parallel, or a multi-wave member having a plurality of waves, and being arranged so that the ridge lines passing through the peaks of the waves extend in the lateral direction, and at least one of the beam member and the corrugated plate member being made of steel plate.

[0011] According to the present invention, during a side collision, the beam member undergoes plastic deformation (bending deformation), and then the corrugated plate member undergoes plastic deformation (buckling deformation) in the continuous direction of the wave cross section. The presence of the beam member distributes the collision force in the vertical direction, increasing the number of corrugated plate members that undergo plastic deformation, resulting in plastic deformation over a relatively wide area. Because the collision force is distributed, it is possible to respond to localized collisions such as pole collisions, and the corrugated plate member can be made thinner, thereby reducing carbon dioxide emissions. In addition, both or one of the beam member and the corrugated plate member is made of steel plate. Steel plate is significantly cheaper than aluminum plate. As a result, the present invention provides a vehicle impact absorbing member that can be easily thinned and cost-effective.

[0012] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle impact absorbing member according to the present invention. (a) to (e) are views illustrating a manufacturing method of a beam member, and (f) is a view illustrating a modified example of the beam member. (a) to (e) are views illustrating the configuration of a corrugated plate member. (a) is an exploded view of a vehicle impact absorbing member according to the present invention, (b) is a side view of the vehicle impact absorbing member, (c) is a cross-sectional view of (b) along line c-c, and (d) is a cross-sectional view of (b) along line d-d. (b) are views illustrating a modified example of a vehicle impact absorbing member. (a) to (d) are views illustrating the operation of a vehicle impact absorbing member according to the present invention, (c) and (d) are views illustrating the operation of an embodiment, and (a) and (b) are views illustrating a comparative example. (a) to (c) are views illustrating another operation of a vehicle impact absorbing member. (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of a side sill structure according to the present invention. (a) and (b) are exploded and cross-sectional views of another side sill structure. (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views of yet another side sill structure. 10(a) and 10(b) are diagrams illustrating in detail the beam member shown in FIG. 10(a). 10(a) is a diagram illustrating in detail the upper corrugated plate member shown in FIG. 10(a), where (a) is an exploded view, (b) is a view taken along the arrows b-b in (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view. 10(a) is a diagram illustrating in detail the lower corrugated plate member shown in FIG. 10(a), where (a) is an exploded view, (b) is a view taken along the arrows b-b in (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view. 10(a) is a perspective view illustrating a further modified example of a vehicle impact absorbing member. 10(a) is a plan view of a further modified example of a vehicle impact absorbing member, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line b-b in (a). 10(a) is a cross-sectional view of a further modified example of a vehicle impact absorbing member. 10(b) is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modified example of a side sill structure according to the present invention. 10(b) is a diagram illustrating Gr and Gp in a vehicle impact absorbing member. 10(b) is a graph illustrating impact absorption performance, where (a) shows a comparative example and (b) shows an example. 10(c) is a cross-sectional view of a conventional vehicle impact absorbing member.

[0013] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0014] [Terminology] Side collision: In this invention, this refers to a pole collision where a utility pole or the like acts on the left or right side of a vehicle. Vehicle impact absorbing member: A member that absorbs collision energy by plastically deforming during a side collision. It is housed in the side sill or placed outside the side sill. For example, it may be placed inside the side frame of the battery housing of an electric vehicle located under the floor. Side sill: An element of the vehicle body, equivalent to the threshold of a side door.

[0015] ・Panel: Refers to a metal panel. The metal can be carbon steel, aluminum alloy, stainless steel, or any other metal, and the type of metal does not matter. ・Grooved bead: A groove press-formed into a panel. The word "grooved" is used to distinguish it from a weld bead. It is used to increase the strength and rigidity of a component, improve impact absorption performance, and control bending and buckling modes. ・Weld metal: Metal deposited by welding, a general term for nuggets created by spot welding and beads created by seam welding.

[0016] ・Longitudinal direction: refers to the front-to-back direction when viewed from the driver's seat. ・Horizontal direction: refers to the left-to-right direction when viewed from the driver's seat. ・Inside: the side closer to the vehicle's center of gravity (lateral center) when viewed from the driver's seat. ・Outside: the side farther from the vehicle's center of gravity (lateral center) when viewed from the driver's seat. The outside as opposed to the inside. ・Closed cross section: a closed cross section such as a rectangle. The shape is not limited to a rectangle. ・Ridge line: the curved surface at the corner where the surfaces that form the corrugated sheet intersect.

[0017] ・Upper: Upper position relative to the element placed below ・Lower: Lower position relative to the element placed above ・Upper: Element used in the upper position ・Lower: Element used in the lower position

[0018] 1, the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 mainly comprises a beam member 20 having a continuous closed cross section in the vertical direction, and a corrugated plate member 30 arranged inside the beam member 20 alongside the beam member 20. A ridge line 31 of the corrugated plate member 30 extends in the horizontal direction. Preferably, the beam member 20 and the corrugated plate member 30 are connected by an upper panel 11 and a lower panel 12. However, the upper panel 11 and the lower panel 12 are not essential.

[0019] 2(a) to 2(e), a preferred method for manufacturing the beam member 20 will be described. As shown in Fig. 2(a), a blank 21 is prepared. The blank 21 is preferably a thin carbon steel plate, but may also be an aluminum alloy plate.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2( b), the blank 21 is rotated by roll forming to form a first surface f1, a second surface f2 perpendicular to the first surface f1, a third surface f3 perpendicular to the second surface f2, and a fourth surface f4 perpendicular to the third surface f3.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 2(c), a fifth surface f5 perpendicular to the fourth surface f4 is subsequently formed. As shown in Fig. 2(d), a sixth surface f6 perpendicular to the fifth surface f5, a seventh surface f7 perpendicular to the sixth surface f6, an eighth surface f8 perpendicular to the seventh surface f7, and a ninth surface f9 perpendicular to the eighth surface f8 are subsequently formed.

[0022] 2(e), the first surface f1 and the fifth surface f5 are joined by the weld metal 22, and the fifth surface f5 and the ninth surface f9 are joined by the weld metal 22. The first surface f1 corresponds to one end of the blank material 21, the ninth surface f9 corresponds to the other end of the blank material 21, and the fifth surface f5 corresponds to the intermediate partition wall.

[0023] That is, the beam member 20 is a structure formed by wrapping a single blank material 21 around itself and joining its ends (the first face f1 and the ninth face f9) to the intermediate partition wall (the fifth face f5). This structure has two closed cross sections 23 separated by the intermediate partition wall (the fifth face f5).

[0024] 2(f), the beam member 20 may be a structure having a rectangular cross section with one closed cross section 23. That is, the beam member 20 is made up of a first surface f1 to a fifth surface f5 and a deposited metal 22 joining the first surface f1 to the fifth surface f5. The beam member 20 is also a structure formed by wrapping a single blank material 21 around itself and joining the end (first surface f1) to the fifth surface f5.

[0025] [Corrugated Plate Member] As shown in Fig. 3(a), the corrugated plate member 30 may be a multi-wave member 32 having multiple waves. This multi-wave member 32 is obtained by plastic forming a sheet of blank material while sandwiching it between a pair of upper and lower die rolls. The blank material is preferably a thin carbon steel plate, but may also be an aluminum alloy plate. Die roll forming is suitable for mass production.

[0026] 3(b), the corrugated plate member 30 may be formed by arranging a plurality of single-wave members 33 each having a single wave. The single-wave members 33 are obtained by plastic forming a blank material while sandwiching it between a pair of upper and lower dies. Die forming is more suitable for small-scale production than die roll forming.

[0027] In this example, a gap 34 is provided between adjacent single-wave members 33, but adjacent single-wave members 33 may be connected by welding. When connected by welding, the single-wave members 33 will have the same shape as the multiple-wave members 32.

[0028] 3A and 3B, the ridge line 31 passing through the crest of the wave extends in the direction from front to back of the drawing. The direction from front to back of the drawing corresponds to the "horizontal direction." In other words, as shown in FIG. 1, the ridge line 31 extends in the horizontal direction.

[0029] In Figures 3(a) and (b), the waves are trapezoidal waves. However, the waves may be rectangular waves as shown in Figure 3(c), triangular waves as shown in Figure 3(d), or arc waves as shown in Figure 3(e), and the wave shape is not limited to trapezoidal waves. Forming groove-shaped beads (Figure 1, reference numeral 35) on each surface increases the impact absorption energy during buckling deformation.

[0030] 4(a), a beam member 20, a corrugated plate member 30, an upper panel 11, and a lower panel 12 are prepared. Preferably, a groove-shaped bead 35 is provided midway in the lateral direction of the corrugated plate member 30, running around the cross section of the corrugated plate. The groove is preferably a V-groove, but may also be a U-groove.

[0031] When the height dimension of the surface of the corrugated plate member 30 facing the beam member 20 is Hw and the height dimension of the surface of the beam member 20 facing the corrugated plate member 30 is Hb, Hw = Hb may be satisfied, but preferably Hw < Hb. The reason for this will be explained later with reference to Figures 7(a) and (b).

[0032] 4(b), the upper panel 11 connects the upper part of the beam member 20 to the upper part of the corrugated plate member 30. The lower panel 12 connects the lower part of the beam member 20 to the lower part of the corrugated plate member 30. As a result, the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 is completed.

[0033] The completed vehicle impact absorbing member 10 may be connected to the battery storage case 50 using an appropriate connecting member 51. Alternatively, the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 may be connected directly to the battery storage case 50. With this structure, the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 can protect the battery storage case 50 in the event of a side collision.

[0034] The horizontal widths of the upper panel 11 and the lower panel 12 may be the same or different. For example, in this embodiment, the horizontal width of the lower panel 12 is set to be wider than that of the upper panel 11.

[0035] Figure 4(c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line c-c in Figure 4(b). As shown in Figure 4(c), the upper opening 36 of the corrugated plate member 30 is open, but the lower opening 37 is closed by the lower panel 12, forming a closed cross section 23. The wide closed cross section structure increases the buckling strength of the corrugated plate member 30, improving its impact energy absorption performance.

[0036] Fig. 4(d) is a cross-sectional view taken along line dd in Fig. 4(b). As shown in Fig. 4(d), the upper opening 36 of the corrugated plate member 30 is closed by the upper panel 11, and the lower opening 37 is closed by the lower panel 12, doubling the closed cross section 23 on the beam member 20 side (the portion close to the beam member 20). Due to the doubled closed cross section structure, the buckling strength of the corrugated plate member 30 is further increased and the bending deformation of the beam member 20 is dispersed in the front-to-rear direction.

[0037] The horizontal lengths of the upper panel 11 and the lower panel 12 may be the same. Alternatively, the horizontal length of the upper panel 11 may be greater than that of the lower panel 12.

[0038] The beam member 20 and the corrugated plate member 30 may also be directly connected without using the upper panel 11 and the lower panel 12. A specific example of this is described with reference to Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 5, a tongue 38 is extended from the corrugated plate member 30 and bent at an angle of 90°. The tongue 38 and the beam member 20 are then joined with the welded metal 22 to obtain the vehicle impact absorbing member 10.

[0039] [Function of Vehicle Impact Absorbing Component] The function of the vehicle impact absorbing component 10 described above will be explained with reference to Figures 6(a) to 6(d). Figure 6(a) shows a comparative example, in which the vehicle impact absorbing component 10 does not include a beam member and is composed only of a corrugated plate member 30. Consider the collision of the vehicle impact absorbing component 10 with a pole 52. As shown in Figure 6(b), plastic deformation is concentrated in one of the first-wave members 33 of the corrugated plate member 30. To achieve a predetermined buckling strength (buckling load), the plate thickness of the first-wave member 33 must be increased. Increasing the plate thickness increases the mass of the first-wave member 33, making the vehicle impact absorbing component 10 heavier.

[0040] In the embodiment shown in Figure 6(c), the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 includes a beam member 20 and a corrugated plate member 30. As shown in Figure 6(d), when the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 collides with a pole 52, the beam member 20 first undergoes plastic deformation (bending deformation). This beam member 20 serves to disperse the impact force in the vertical direction. Next, the impact force is applied to the corrugated plate member 30, causing multiple (e.g., three) single-wave members 33 to undergo plastic deformation (buckling deformation). Because the buckling strength (buckling load) per member is small, the single-wave members 33 can be thin. By making them thinner, the mass of the single-wave members 33 decreases, making the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 lighter.

[0041] [Height dimension of beam member] Preferably, as shown in Fig. 7(a), the height dimension Hb of the surface of the beam member 20 facing the corrugated member 30 is made larger than the height dimension Hw of the surface of the corrugated member 30 facing the beam member 20. As shown in Fig. 7(b), in the initial stage of a side collision, the corrugated member 30 bites into the beam member 20 midway in the height direction. Thereafter, the beam member 20 is restrained by the corrugated member 30 and does not move upward or downward. As a result, the collision energy is preferably absorbed.

[0042] 7(a) to 7(c), as the impact absorption progresses, the presence of the grooved beads 35 causes the corrugated plate member 30 to fold in a V-shape. This fold promotes the absorption of the impact energy. In Fig. 7(c), the V-shape (groove-shaped bead 35) on the top surface of the corrugated plate member 30 is the starting point of the fold, and then the V-shaped fold on the side surface of the cross section progresses, and all of the ridges (reference numeral 31 in Fig. 1) of the corrugated plate member 30 buckle parallel to the cross-sectional direction (horizontal direction), thereby absorbing the impact.

[0043] In general, the impact absorption performance of the corrugated plate member 30 is controlled by increasing or decreasing the plate thickness, the shape of the ridge lines, and increasing the number of ridge lines by adding grooves. On the other hand, the folding mode of the groove-shaped beads 35 that intersect the ridge lines (see FIG. 1, reference numeral 31) can be controlled by changing the lateral position and shape of the groove.

[0044] As explained in Fig. 4(b), it is recommended that the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 according to the present invention be disposed on the outside of the battery storage case 50, but it is also recommended that it be disposed within the side sill 61. Specific examples of such configurations are explained below.

[0045] 8(a), the side sill structure 60 includes a vehicle impact absorbing member 10 and a side sill 61 that surrounds the vehicle impact absorbing member 10. The side sill 61 is made up of a side sill outer 62 with a channel cross section that is disposed on the outside, and a side sill inner 63 with an inverted channel cross section that is disposed on the inside. Furthermore, the beam member 20 faces the vertical side 62a of the side sill outer 62, and the corrugated plate member 30 faces the vertical side 63a of the side sill inner 63, and is disposed along a pair of continuous horizontal sides 62b, 63b of both.

[0046] During a side collision, the side sill outer 62 collapses, then the beam member 20 undergoes bending deformation and collapses, and then the corrugated plate member 30 undergoes buckling deformation in the continuous direction of the corrugated plate cross section and collapses. As explained in Figures 6(c) and 6(d), the impact force is dispersed by the beam member 20 and the corrugated plate member 30 undergoes plastic deformation over a relatively wide area, improving impact absorption performance and effectively protecting objects (e.g., a battery) located inside the side sill inner 63.

[0047] The vehicle impact absorbing member 10 is spaced apart from the lower or upper surface of the side sill 61 (the pair of lower or upper horizontal edges 62b, 63b that form the channel cross sections of the side sill inner 63 and the side sill outer 62) via a gap, but may be adjacent to it. Adjacent to the lower surface improves the strength and rigidity of the lower portion of the side sill 61. Adjacent to the upper surface improves the strength and rigidity of the upper portion of the side sill 61.

[0048] Furthermore, when the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 is placed adjacent to the lower surface of the side sill 61, the bottom surface of the corrugated plate member 30 follows the cross-sectional shape of the pair of horizontal edges 62b, 63b of the adjacent side sill 61, but the non-adjacent side (the upper surface of the corrugated plate member 30) is not affected by the shape of the side sill 61. Because it is not affected, a ridge line extending in the horizontal direction is easily formed on the upper surface of the corrugated plate member 30. The same applies when a lower panel 12 is attached to the corrugated plate member 30. Furthermore, when the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 is placed adjacent to the upper surface of the side sill 61, the top surface of the corrugated plate member 30 follows the cross-sectional shape of the adjacent side sill 61, but the non-adjacent side (the bottom surface of the corrugated plate member 30) is not affected by the shape of the side sill 61. The same applies when an upper panel 11 is attached to the corrugated plate member 30.

[0049] For example, in Figure 8(a), the upper horizontal edge of the side sill 61 is inverted V-shaped, so when adjacent to the upper side, the upper side of the corrugated plate member 30 is inverted V-shaped and the lower side is straight. By aligning this lower ridge line laterally with the vehicle body cross member (Figure 10(a), reference numeral 71), occupants in the vehicle cabin can be protected from side collisions. When adjacent to the lower side, the ridge line is aligned with the cross member of the battery storage case (Figure 10(a), reference numeral 50).

[0050] During a side collision, the side sill outer 62 is crushed, followed by the beam member 20, and then the corrugated plate member 30. As explained in Figures 6(c) and 6(d), the collision force is dispersed by the beam member 20, and the corrugated plate member 30 undergoes plastic deformation over a relatively wide area, improving impact absorption performance and effectively protecting objects (e.g., a battery) located inside the side sill inner 63.

[0051] In addition, as shown in FIG. 8( a), the side sill structure 60 comprises the vehicle impact absorbing member 10, an upper panel 11 extending from the upper part of the corrugated plate member 30 and connected to the upper part of the beam member 20, a lower panel 12 that covers the lower opening of the corrugated plate member 30 and extends laterally to connect to the lower part of the beam member 20, a side sill 61 that surrounds the vehicle impact absorbing member 10, the upper panel 11, and the lower panel 12, and a first bracket 64 extending from the lower panel 12 and connected to the side sill 61, and the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 is attached to the side sill 61 by this first bracket 64.

[0052] In the event of a side collision, as shown in Fig. 7(b), the force applied to the beam member 20 is transmitted to the corrugated plate member 30 via the upper panel 11 and the lower panel 12. This allows the plastic deformation of the beam member 20 and the plastic deformation of the corrugated plate member 30 to occur continuously, thereby achieving a smoother impact absorption effect.

[0053] 8A, the first bracket 64 is preferably sandwiched between the joint 65 of the side sill outer 62 and the side sill inner 63. When the side sill outer 62 and the side sill inner 63 are welded together, the first bracket 64 can be joined at the same time. This reduces the number of welding steps compared to joining the first bracket 64 to the side sill 61 separately.

[0054] The first bracket 64 can be omitted. A specific example of this is described with reference to FIG. 8(b). As shown in FIG. 8(b), the second tongue 39 extends inward from the corrugated plate member 30, is bent 90 degrees, and is joined to the inner surface of the side sill inner 63 with welded metal 22. Because the first bracket 64 is not required, the number of parts can be reduced, leading to cost savings. The vehicle impact absorbing member 10 can be positioned at any vertical position on the inner surface of the side sill 61.

[0055] Furthermore, the first bracket 64 can be omitted by using a different part. Specific examples of this are described with reference to Figures 9(a) and (b). As shown in Figure 9(a), a long bolt 67 for suspending the battery storage case 50, a cylindrical collar 68 through which the long bolt 67 passes, and a flanged nut 69 threadably coupled to the long bolt 67 are prepared. The collar 68 is placed on the inner surface of the side sill inner 63 and secured with the welded metal 22. The flanged nut 69 is then placed on the lower panel 12 and secured with the welded metal 22.

[0056] 9(b), the long bolt 67 is screwed into the flanged nut 69. As a result, the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 is fixed while being housed in the side sill 61. With this structure, the first bracket 64 and the second tongue piece 39 are not necessary.

[0057] As mentioned above, it is recommended that the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 shown in Fig. 1 be disposed outside the battery storage case 50 for the purpose of protecting the battery (see Fig. 4(b)). In vehicles that do not have a battery storage case 50 (non-electric vehicles), the impact absorbing member 10 can be housed in the side sill 61 to provide protection for the occupants.

[0058] In recent years, electric vehicles have become increasingly popular. Therefore, there is a demand for a side sill structure 60 that can achieve both battery protection and occupant protection. An example of a modification that can meet this demand will be described below.

[0059] 10A, the side sill structure 60 is still composed of a side sill 61 and a vehicle impact absorbing member 10 built into the side sill 61. However, the side sill structure 60 is disposed outside the vehicle body cross member 71 and the battery storage case 50.

[0060] In this example, the combined height of the vehicle body cross member 71 and the lower battery storage case 50 is sufficiently large, so the beam member 20 is vertically long. The corrugated plate member 30 is composed of an upper corrugated plate member 30A and a lower corrugated plate member 30B. As a result, the height (or more accurately, the internal dimension) of the side sill 61 is at least twice the larger of the height of the upper corrugated plate member 30A and the height of the lower corrugated plate member 30B.

[0061] The details of the beam member 20 will be described in Figures 11(a) and (b), the details of the upper corrugated plate member 30A will be described in Figures 12(a) to (c), and the details of the lower corrugated plate member 30B will be described in Figures 13(a) to (c). Figure 10(b) will be described later.

[0062] [Beam Member According to Modified Example] In a modified example, it is necessary to increase the height dimension of the beam member 20. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 11(a) , a vertically long first molded panel 24, a vertically long second molded panel 25, a meandering third molded panel 26 extending vertically, and a stay 27 are prepared.

[0063] The first formed panel 24 is formed by plastically deforming a blank material and is positioned on the outside. The second formed panel 25 is formed by plastically deforming a blank material and is positioned on the inside. The third formed panel 26 is formed by plastically deforming a blank material into a serpentine shape. The stay 27 is an L-shaped member formed by plastically deforming a blank material.

[0064] As shown in Figure 11 (b), the third formed panel 26 is attached to the second formed panel 25 and joined with the welded metal 22. Next, the first formed panel 24 is fitted to the second formed panel 25 so as to cover the third formed panel 26, and joined appropriately with the welded metal 22. Finally, the stay 27 is attached to the third formed panel 26 and joined with the welded metal 22. As a result of the above, a sufficiently long beam member 20 having five closed cross sections 23 is obtained. Note that the order of assembly and the number and positions of welding points may be changed as desired.

[0065] [Upper Corrugated Plate Member] Figure 12(b) is a view taken along the line b-b in Figure 12(a). As shown in Figures 12(a) and (b), the corrugated plate member 30, the upper panel 11, the lower panel 12, and the upper second bracket 72A are prepared.

[0066] As shown in Figure 12 (a), the upper panel 11 and the lower panel 12 have an L-shaped cross section, and the horizontal length of the L is approximately equal to the horizontal length of the corrugated member 30, and the vertical length of the L is approximately equal to the vertical length of the corrugated member 30.

[0067] 12(c), the corrugated plate member 30 is sandwiched between the upper panel 11 and the lower panel 12 and joined appropriately with the welded metal 22. The upper second bracket 72A is joined to the upper panel 11. In this way, the upper corrugated plate member 30A is obtained.

[0068] 12(b), the upper opening 36 of the corrugated plate member 30 is closed by the upper panel 11, and the lower opening 37 is closed by the lower panel 12, thereby increasing the buckling load and bending rigidity. In other words, with this structure, manufacturing is easy, bending rigidity is increased, and the corrugated plate member 30 can be buckled over a wide range, as in FIG. 6(d).

[0069] [Lower Corrugated Plate Member] Figure 13(b) is a view taken along the line b-b in Figure 13(a). As shown in Figures 13(a) and (b), a pair of corrugated plate members 30, an intermediate plate 73, and a lower second bracket 72B are prepared.

[0070] As shown in Figure 13(c), a pair of corrugated plate members 30 sandwich an intermediate plate 73 and are joined together with welded metal 22 as needed. Then, a lower second bracket 72B is joined. This completes the lower corrugated plate member 30B. Since one of the upper opening 36 and the lower opening 37 of the corrugated plate member 30 is closed by the intermediate plate 73, the buckling load and bending rigidity are increased.

[0071] That is, this structure is easy to manufacture and the height dimension can be easily increased. If the upper and lower cross sections can be enlarged, bending deformation due to collapse during buckling can be suppressed and buckling in the lateral direction can be promoted.

[0072] 10(a) and 10(b) . As shown in Fig. 10(a) , an upper second bracket 72A is sandwiched between the joint 65 of the side sill outer 62 and the side sill inner 63, thereby holding the upper corrugated plate member 30A within the side sill 61. Similarly, a lower second bracket 72B is sandwiched between the joint 65 of the side sill outer 62 and the side sill inner 63, thereby holding the lower corrugated plate member 30B within the side sill 61.

[0073] 10(b) is a partial cross-sectional view taken at a different position from that shown in FIG. 10(a). As shown in FIG. 10(b), the beam member 20 is held within the side sill 61 by sandwiching the stay 27 at the joint 65 between the side sill outer 62 and the side sill inner 63.

[0074] [Further Modifications] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a further modification of the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 will be described. As shown in Figure 14, the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 mainly comprises a beam member 20 having a continuous closed cross section in the vertical direction, and a corrugated plate member 30 arranged inside the beam member 20 alongside the beam member 20.

[0075] [Connecting Member] The upper portion of the corrugated plate member 30 is connected to the beam member 20 using a connecting member 40. The connecting member 40 is, for example, a third tongue piece 41 protruding from the corrugated plate member 30. Preferably, the connection is made by seam welding with the weld metal 22. The connection may also be made by spot welding with the weld metal 22.

[0076] 15(a), the ridge line 31 of the corrugated plate member 30 extends in the horizontal direction. The corrugated plate member 30 is composed of single-wave members 33 arranged with gaps 34 between them. The single-wave members 33 have a flange 33a at the location where they come into contact with the lower panel 12. The flange 33a is joined to the lower panel 12 with weld metal 22 by spot welding.

[0077] As shown in Figure 15(b), the lower panel 12 is joined to the side sill inner 63 by spot welding the front and rear ends of the corrugated sheet member 30 or the adjacent corrugated sheet member 30 with deposited metal 22. When spot welding to the adjacent corrugated sheet member 30, as shown in Figure 15(a), a semicircular notch 33b is formed in the flange 33a. As shown in Figure 15(b), the semicircular notch 33b allows the welding electrode for spot welding to contact the lower panel 12 without interfering with the flange 33a.

[0078] 16 , the height dimension Hb of the surface of the beam member 20 facing the corrugated plate member 30 is the same as the height dimension Hw of the surface of the corrugated plate member 30 facing the beam member 20. When the height dimension Hw2 of the corrugated plate member 30 at a portion sufficiently distant from the beam member 20 is taken as Hw2, a step 42 may be provided at the bottom of the corrugated plate member 30 so that the height dimension Hw2 is greater than the height dimension Hw of the surface facing the beam member 20. In this case, a step 12a is also provided at the lower panel 12, corresponding to the step 42 at the bottom of the corrugated plate member 30.

[0079] 17 , a side sill structure 60 includes a vehicle impact absorbing member 10 and a side sill 61 that surrounds the vehicle impact absorbing member 10, and a corrugated plate member 30 is connected to the side sill 61 by a vehicle body connecting portion 75. In addition to being joined by the aforementioned weld metal 22, in this example, the vehicle body connecting portion 75 includes a flanged nut 69 and a long bolt 67 that is threaded into the flanged nut 69.

[0080] Preferably, a collar 68 is attached to the battery storage case 50. The side sill structure 60 is placed on this collar 68. Then, the long bolt 67 is inserted into the collar 68 from below and screwed into the flanged nut 69. In this way, the battery storage case 50, together with the side sill 61, is fixed to the vehicle impact absorbing member 10.

[0081] This fixation connects the corrugated plate member 30 to the side sill 61. That is, the corrugated plate member 30 is connected to the side sill 61 at the vehicle body connecting portion 75.

[0082] 18, consider the case where a pole 52 collides relatively with the side sill structure 60. As described above, when the pole collides, the beam member 20 mainly undergoes bending deformation, and the corrugated plate member 30 undergoes buckling deformation.

[0083] Here, the strength equivalent value of the beam member 20 is Gr, and the strength equivalent value of the corrugated plate member 30 is Gp. Gr of the beam member 20 is defined as (tensile strength of the beam member 20) x (plate thickness of the beam member 20). The unit of Gr is, for example, MPa mm. Furthermore, Gp of the corrugated plate member 30 is defined as (tensile strength of the corrugated plate member 30) x (plate thickness of the corrugated plate member 30). The unit of Gp is, for example, MPa mm.

[0084] Preferably, Gr of the beam member 20 is set to be larger than Gp of the corrugated plate member 30. By setting Gr > Gp, a balance is achieved between the bending deformation of the beam member 20 and the buckling deformation of the corrugated plate member 30 in the event of a pole collision. The effect of this balance will be described with reference to Figures 19(a) and 19(b).

[0085] Figure 19(a) shows a comparative example where Gr < Gp, with the horizontal axis representing the deformation stroke and the vertical axis representing the pole collision load. As shown in Figure 19(a), in the early stage of deformation, the beam member has low strength and therefore undergoes small bending deformation, resulting in the load being concentrated in a small wave and generating a peak load. It is desirable to reduce this peak load.

[0086] In contrast, as shown in Figure 19(b), when Gr > Gp, peak loads did not occur. In other words, in the early stages of deformation, the beam member has high strength, so it bends and deforms greatly, dispersing the load into many waves and eliminating peak loads. If peak loads do not occur, the increase in the average load (pole collision load) can be kept constant, and stable impact absorption performance is demonstrated.

[0087] 18, a beam member 20, which is a bending deformation member, is placed on the input side (pole 52 side), and a corrugated plate member 30, which is a buckling deformation member, is placed on the output side, with a space 44 of a predetermined size set between the beam member 20 and the corrugated plate member 30. With this setting, the space 44 adjusts the bending deformation of the beam member 20, making it possible to suppress the occurrence of peak loads.

[0088] As shown in Fig. 7(a), by providing a space 44 between the beam member 20 and the corrugated plate member 30, the same effect as that in Fig. 18 can be obtained. Also, by providing a space 44 in Figs. 8(a), (b) and 9(a), (b), the same effect as that in Fig. 18 can be obtained.

[0089] 18, the beam member 20 as a bending deformation member and the corrugated plate member 30 as a buckling deformation member are disposed in the lower part of the side sill 61. As a result, the upper surfaces of the beam member 20 and the corrugated plate member 30 can be aligned with the upper surface of the battery housing case 50. As a result, the beam member 20, the corrugated plate member 30, and the battery housing case 50 can be aligned in the lateral direction, which can prevent damage to the battery in the event of a pole collision.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 14 , the corrugated plate member 30 extends in the vehicle width direction (lateral direction) and is a single-wave member 33 (wave) with a so-called hat-shaped cross section. A plurality of single-wave members 33 are arranged on the lower panel 12 and fixed with deposited metal 22 by spot welding. The single-wave members 33 with a hat-shaped cross section and the lower panel 12 form a cylindrical body. Additionally, the beam member 20 is a hollow, elongated member. The beam member 20 and the corrugated plate member 30 are placed on and fixed to the common lower panel 12. The presence of the lower panel 12 contributes to reducing the weight of the beam member 20 and the corrugated plate member 30. Additionally, the beam member 20 can be easily attached to the lower panel 12, and the corrugated plate member 30 can be easily attached to the lower panel 12.

[0091] 16, the bottom surface of the beam member 20 and the bottom surface of the corrugated plate member 30 are connected by the lower panel 12, and the top surface of the beam member 20 and the top surface of the corrugated plate member 30 are connected by the third tongue piece 41. Since the beam member 20 is sandwiched between the lower panel 12 and the third tongue piece 41, the beam member 20 and the corrugated plate member 30 can be easily connected.

[0092] However, there are cases where it is necessary to match the connecting performance of the upper and lower panels. As shown in Figure 15, increasing the width W of the third tongue 41 increases the connecting performance of the upper panel, and decreasing the width W of the third tongue 41 decreases the connecting performance of the upper panel. As a result, as shown in Figure 16, even if the thicknesses (plate thicknesses) of the lower panel 12 and the third tongue 41 are different, the connecting performance of the lower panel 12 and the third tongue 41 can be easily matched.

[0093] 17, the lower panel 12 is higher on the outer side (the side of the outer side sill 62) than the stepped portion 12a. Therefore, when the outer side sill 62 moves horizontally during assembly, the outer side sill 62 does not interfere with the lower panel 12. As a result, the assembly work is easier.

[0094] 17, a downward force is applied to the flanged nut 69 by the long bolt 67. This downward force acts as a bending force on the lower panel 12. However, as shown in FIG. 14, the flanged nut 69 is placed below the hat-shaped one-wave member 33. The lower panel 12 is reinforced by the one-wave member 33. Because the flanged nut 69 is placed in a reinforced area, the lower panel 12 can be thin.

[0095] As shown in Figure 15(a), a semicircular notch 33b is provided in the flange 33a. Two semicircular notches 33b together form a circle. A spot welding electrode is passed through this circle. This facilitates the formation of spot-welded weld metal 22, as shown in Figure 15(b). Additionally, the provision of the semicircular notch 33b allows the size of the gap 34 between the flanges 33a to be narrowed.

[0096] 16, the first surface f1 overlaps the fifth surface f5, and the ninth surface f9 overlaps the fifth surface f5. The partition wall separating the upper and lower closed cross sections 23 has a double structure, which increases the bending strength of the beam member 20. As a result, the amount of energy absorption by the beam member 20 increases.

[0097] Based on the above, the present invention can be summarized as follows: That is, as shown in Fig. 1, the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as viewed from the driver's seat is defined as the longitudinal direction, the left-right direction as the lateral direction, and the side closer to the center of gravity of the vehicle as the inner side and the side further from it as the outer side, and a vehicle impact absorbing member 10 disposed in the lateral direction and on the outer side, the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 comprising a beam member 20 having a continuous closed cross section in the longitudinal direction, and a corrugated plate member 30 disposed inside the beam member 20 alongside the beam member 20, the corrugated plate member 30 being configured as a plurality of parallel single-wave members 33 having a single wave as shown in Fig. 3(b), or as a multi-wave member 32 having a plurality of waves as shown in Fig. 3(a), and being disposed so that a ridge line 31 passing through the crests of the waves extends in the lateral direction, and at least one of the beam member 20 and the corrugated plate member 30 being made of a steel plate.

[0098] Both or one of the beam member 20 and the corrugated plate member 30 is made of steel plate, which is significantly cheaper than aluminum plate.

[0099] Preferably, the beam member 20 has one closed cross section 23 as shown in Figure 2(f) or multiple closed cross sections 23 as shown in Figure 2(e), and if there are multiple closed cross sections, the multiple closed cross sections 23 are lined up vertically.

[0100] With this structure, the beam member 20 can be easily manufactured by plastically deforming and welding a thin blank material of about 1 to 2 mm. In addition, because the beam member 20 is thin, it can be made lighter while maintaining its rigidity.

[0101] Preferably, as shown in Fig. 7(a), the height dimension Hp of the surface of the beam member 20 facing the corrugated plate member 30 is made larger than the height dimension Hw of the surface of the corrugated plate member 30 facing the beam member 20. As shown in Fig. 7(c), in the event of a side collision, the corrugated plate member 30 bites into the beam member 20, suppressing movement of the beam member 20 in the up-down direction.

[0102] 16 , the height dimension Hp of the surface of the beam member 20 facing the corrugated plate member 30 is set to be the same as the height dimension Hw of the surface of the corrugated plate member 30 facing the beam member 20. By making them the same, the impact force applied to the beam member 20 can be smoothly transmitted to the corrugated plate member 30.

[0103] 4(c) and 4(d), at least one of the upper opening 36 and the lower opening 37 of the corrugated plate member 30 is preferably closed by a panel (upper panel 11, lower panel 12). By forming the corrugated plate member 30 into a closed cross section 23, the rigidity of the corrugated plate member 30 can be increased.

[0104] Preferably, the beam member 20 is a structure constructed by winding a single blank material 21 around itself and joining it to form at least one closed cross section, as shown in Figures 2(a) to 2(f). This allows a closed cross-sectional structure to be easily obtained. In addition, the beam member 20 can be easily manufactured.

[0105] Preferably, the beam member 20 is a structure constructed by combining a plurality of folded formed panels 24 to 26 and joining them to form at least one closed cross section, as shown in Figures 11(a) and 11(b). This allows for an easy formation of a closed cross section structure. In addition, the beam member 20 can be easily manufactured.

[0106] Preferably, as shown in Figure 8 (a), there is provided a side sill structure 60 comprising: a vehicle impact absorbing member 10 of the present invention; an upper panel 11 extending from the upper part of the corrugated plate member 30 and connected to the upper part of the beam member 20; a lower panel 12 that closes the lower opening of the corrugated plate member 30 and extends laterally to connect to the lower part of the beam member 20; a side sill 61 that surrounds the vehicle impact absorbing member 10, the upper panel 11, and the lower panel 12; and a first bracket 64 extending from the lower panel 12 or the upper panel 11 and connected to the side sill 61, wherein the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 is attached to the side sill 61 by this first bracket 64.

[0107] Since the beam member 20 and the corrugated plate member 30 are connected by the upper panel 11 and the lower panel 12, the plastic deformation of the beam member 20 and the plastic deformation of the corrugated plate member 30 can be continuous during a side collision.

[0108] Preferably, as shown in FIG. 10( a), there is provided a side sill structure 60 comprising the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 of the present invention and a side sill 61 surrounding the vehicle impact absorbing member 10, wherein the side sill 61 is composed of a side sill outer 62 arranged on the outside and a side sill inner 63 arranged on the inside, wherein a second bracket (an upper second bracket 72A or a lower second bracket 72B) extends from the corrugated plate member (an upper corrugated plate member 30A or a lower corrugated plate member 30B), and this second bracket (72A...an upper second bracket 72A or a lower second bracket 72B) is sandwiched at a joint 65 between the side sill outer 62 and the side sill inner 63, thereby providing a side sill structure 60 in which the corrugated plate member (an upper corrugated plate member 30A or a lower corrugated plate member 30B) is attached to the side sill 61.

[0109] The corrugated plate member (upper corrugated plate member 30A or lower corrugated plate member 30B) is held within the side sill 61 via the second bracket (upper second bracket 72A or lower second bracket 72B). The second bracket (upper second bracket 72A or lower second bracket 72B) is simply sandwiched between the joints of the side sill 61, making installation easy.

[0110] Preferably, as shown in Figure 10 (a), a side sill structure 60 is provided, which includes the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 of the present invention and a side sill 61 surrounding the vehicle impact absorbing member 10, wherein the height dimension of the side sill 61 is at least twice the height dimension of the corrugated member 30, and when the corrugated member (upper corrugated member 30A) is positioned in the upper part of the side sill 61, the corrugated member (upper corrugated member 30A) is positioned outside the body cross member 71 at the same height as the body cross member 71, and when the corrugated member (lower corrugated member 30B) is positioned in the lower part of the side sill 61, the corrugated member (lower corrugated member 30B) is positioned outside the battery storage case 50 at the same height as the battery storage case 50.

[0111] Both the vehicle body cross member 71 and the battery storage case 50 are protected by a single side sill structure 60.

[0112] Preferably, as shown in Fig. 14, the upper portion of the corrugated plate member 30 is connected to the beam member 20 using a connecting member 40 (third tongue 41). Note that the connecting member 40 may be the upper panel 11 shown in Fig. 1. Alternatively, the connecting member 40 may be the tongue 38 shown in Fig. 5.

[0113] The connecting member 40 can reliably connect the upper part of the corrugated plate member 30 and the beam member 20 .

[0114] Preferably, as shown in Fig. 17, the side sill structure 60 includes the vehicle impact absorbing member 10 and a side sill 61 that surrounds the vehicle impact absorbing member 10. The corrugated plate member 30 is connected to the side sill 61 by a vehicle body connecting portion 75 (a flanged nut 69, a long bolt 67). The vehicle body connecting portion 75 may be the first bracket 64 shown in Fig. 8(a). The vehicle body connecting portion 75 may also be the lower second bracket 72B shown in Fig. 10(a). The vehicle body connecting portion 75 may also be the welded metal 22 shown in Figs. 15(a) and 15(b).

[0115] The vehicle impact absorbing member 10 and the side sill 61 can be easily connected by the vehicle body connecting portion 75 .

[0116] The impact absorbing member for a vehicle of the present invention is preferably built into a side sill.

[0117] 10...vehicle impact absorbing member, 11...upper panel, 12...lower panel, 20...beam member, 21...blank material, 22...welded metal, 23...closed cross section, 24...first formed panel, 25...second formed panel, 26...third formed panel, 30...corrugated plate member, 30A...upper corrugated plate member, 30B...lower corrugated plate member, 31...ridge line, 32...multiple wave member, 33...single wave member, 35...groove-shaped bead, 36...upper opening, 37...lower opening, 50...battery storage case, 60...side sill structure, 61...side sill, 62 ...Side sill outer, 62a...vertical side of side sill outer, 62b...horizontal side of side sill outer, 63...side sill inner, 63a...vertical side of side sill inner, 63b...horizontal side of side sill inner, 64...first bracket, 65...joint, 71...vehicle body cross member, 72A...second bracket for upper part, 72B...second bracket for lower part, 40...connecting member, 75...vehicle body connecting part, Hb...height dimension of the surface of the beam member facing the corrugated member, Hw...height dimension of the surface of the corrugated member facing the beam member.

Claims

1. A vehicle impact absorbing component that is positioned horizontally and on the outside, where the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as viewed from the driver's seat is defined as the longitudinal direction and the left-right direction as the lateral direction, and the side closer to the center of gravity of the vehicle is defined as the inside and the side further from it as the outside, and that comprises a beam member with a continuous closed cross section in the longitudinal direction, and a corrugated plate member that is positioned alongside the beam member on the inside of the beam member, and the corrugated plate member is composed of multiple single-wave members with a single wave arranged in parallel, or multiple-wave members with multiple waves, and is positioned so that the ridge lines passing through the peaks of the waves extend horizontally, and at least one of the beam member and the corrugated plate member is made of steel plate.

2. A vehicle impact absorbing member according to claim 1, wherein the beam member has one closed cross section or multiple closed cross sections, and in the case of multiple closed cross sections, the multiple closed cross sections are arranged vertically.

3. A vehicle impact absorbing member according to claim 1, wherein the height dimension of the surface of the beam member facing the corrugated plate member is greater than or equal to the height dimension of the surface of the corrugated plate member facing the beam member.

4. A vehicle impact absorbing member according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the upper opening and the lower opening of the corrugated plate member is closed by a panel.

5. A vehicle impact absorbing member according to claim 2, wherein the beam member is a structure formed by wrapping a single blank material around itself and joining it to form at least one closed cross section.

6. A vehicle impact absorbing member according to claim 2, wherein the beam member is a structure formed by combining a plurality of bent molded panels and joining them to form at least one closed cross section.

7. A vehicle impact absorbing member according to claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the corrugated plate member is connected to the beam member by a connecting member.

8. A side sill structure comprising the vehicle impact absorbing member according to claim 7 and a side sill surrounding the vehicle impact absorbing member, wherein the corrugated plate member is connected to the side sill at a vehicle body connecting portion.

9. A side sill structure comprising a vehicle impact absorbing component as set forth in claim 1 and a side sill surrounding the vehicle impact absorbing component, wherein the side sill comprises a side sill outer with a channel cross section located on the outside and a side sill inner with an inverted channel cross section located on the inside, wherein the beam member faces the vertical side of the side sill outer, and the corrugated plate member faces the vertical side of the side sill inner and is arranged along a pair of continuous horizontal sides of both.

10. A side sill structure comprising the vehicle impact absorbing member of claim 1 and a side sill surrounding the vehicle impact absorbing member, wherein the height dimension of the side sill is at least twice the height dimension of the corrugated plate member, and when the corrugated plate member is positioned in the upper part of the side sill, the corrugated plate member is positioned outside the vehicle body cross member at the same height as the vehicle body cross member, and when the corrugated plate member is positioned in the lower part of the side sill, the corrugated plate member is positioned outside the battery storage case at the same height as the battery storage case.

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