Vehicle body structure

Abstract

A vehicle body structure comprises: an inner panel (10) which has a smooth part (15) in which a flat surface and a curved surface are smoothly continuous with each other through press forming of a plate-like member; and a wheel house (30) in which a house body (31) having a shell-like shape, a connection part (34) formed at an opening edge of the house body (31), and a damper fixing part (35) supporting a damper are integrally formed by die casting, and which is joined to the inner panel (10) via the connection part (34). In the inner panel (10), the smooth part (15) is disposed at a joint part (12) which is joined to the connection part (34) and in the periphery of the joint part (12).

Description

Vehicle body structure

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle body structure in which a wheel house is formed by die casting.

[0002] In recent years, in order to enable more people to have access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and advanced energy, research and development on weight reduction that contributes to energy efficiency has been carried out. For example, in vehicles, in order to protect passengers when the vehicle is collided, it is required to increase the strength, and in order to improve fuel consumption and electricity costs, weight reduction is required. In such a trend, in Patent Document 1, a technique has been proposed in which a pair of left and right wheel houses on the rear side of a vehicle, a cross beam connecting these wheel houses, and a longitudinal beam extending in the front-rear direction are integrally formed by die casting. When the vehicle is collided from the rear, the collision load is transmitted to the longitudinal beam and the cross beam.

[0003] Specification of Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 117360634

[0004] By the way, in the configuration proposed in Patent Document 1, since the load transmission path is configured in the same manner as the conventional vehicle body structure, there is still room for improvement from the viewpoint of weight reduction.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle body structure capable of achieving weight reduction of a vehicle while increasing the strength against a collision load. And it contributes to energy efficiency.

[0006] To achieve the above object, a vehicle body structure according to the present invention includes a panel member having a smooth portion in which a flat surface and a curved surface are smoothly continuous by press working on a plate-like member, a house body having a shell shape, a connecting portion formed at an opening edge portion of the house body, and a damper fixing portion for supporting a damper, which are integrally formed by die casting, and a wheel house connected to a joint portion of the panel member through the connecting portion, and the panel member is characterized in that the smooth portion is arranged around the joint portion.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle body structure that can reduce the weight of the vehicle while increasing its strength against collision loads. This can, in turn, contribute to energy efficiency.

[0008] This shows the body structure of the first embodiment, a side view of the left rear portion of the body as seen from inside the vehicle. This shows the body structure of the first embodiment, a perspective view of the left rear portion of the body as seen from above inside the vehicle. This shows the body structure of the first embodiment, a side view of the left rear portion of the body as seen from outside the vehicle. This is a cross-sectional view along line IV-IV in Figure 1. This is a cross-sectional view along line VV in Figure 1. This is a cross-sectional view along line VI-VI in Figure 1. This is a cross-sectional view along line VII-VII in Figure 3. This is a cross-sectional view along line VIII-VIII in Figure 1. This shows the body structure of the second embodiment, a side view of the left rear portion of the body as seen from inside the vehicle.

[0009] <First Embodiment> The vehicle body structure S of the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 8. In this description, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] The vehicle body structure S of this embodiment comprises a structural element SS and an inner panel 10 (panel member) that constitute the rear portion of the vehicle body V. The structural element SS is formed by die-casting of an aluminum alloy (see Figures 1 and 2). The structural element SS comprises a floor portion 20, a right rear wheel well 30 (not shown), and a left rear wheel well 30.

[0011] Below the floor section 20, a vehicle power source (not shown), such as a motor and a reduction gear, is mounted. The right rear wheelhouse is located on the right side of the rear of the vehicle body and rotatably houses the right rear wheel (not shown). The left rear wheelhouse 30 is located on the left side of the rear of the vehicle body and rotatably houses the left rear wheel (not shown).

[0012] The right rear wheelhouse and the left rear wheelhouse 30 are positioned with a predetermined gap in the vehicle width direction, but are integrally connected by the floor section 20. In other words, the structure SS consists of a pair of wheelhouses 30 and the floor section 20 connecting them, which are integrally formed by die-cast molding.

[0013] In this embodiment, the structure SS is constructed by integrally die-casting the left and right wheelhouses 30 and the floor section 20, but the structure is not limited to this configuration. For example, it is possible to construct the left and right wheelhouses 30 from separate components without providing a floor section, and even in such a configuration, the same effects and advantages as in this embodiment can be achieved.

[0014] Furthermore, the right rear wheel well and the left rear wheel well 30 are constructed symmetrically with respect to their center plane in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, in the detailed explanation that follows, only the left rear wheel well 30 will be discussed, the right rear wheel well will be omitted, and the left rear wheel well 30 will be referred to simply as wheel well 30 in the explanation.

[0015] The wheelhouse 30 comprises a house body 31, a connecting portion 34, and a damper fixing portion 35. These house body 31, connecting portion 34, and damper fixing portion 35 are integrally formed by die-casting. The house body 31 has a roughly quarter-spherical shell shape formed by a side portion 31a and a vehicle width portion 31b (see Figures 1, 2, and 8). The side portion 31a is formed in a roughly semi-circular plate shape and is positioned facing the vehicle width direction. The vehicle width portion 31b is formed as a strip-shaped member that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from the arc edge portion of the side portion 31a and curves along the arc portion of the side portion 31a. The inner edge portion of the vehicle width portion 31b in the vehicle width direction and the peripheral edge portion of the side portion 31a are smoothly continuous via a curved surface.

[0016] Furthermore, the concave surface formed by the outer surface of the side portion 31a in the vehicle width direction and the outer surface of the vehicle width portion 31b in the vehicle width direction, and which curves in a substantially spherical shape, is referred to as the concave portion 32. Also, the convex surface formed by the inner surface of the side portion 31a in the vehicle width direction and the inner surface of the vehicle width portion 31b in the vehicle width direction, and which curves in a substantially spherical shape, is referred to as the convex portion 33. In other words, the recessed surface on the outer side of the house body 31 in the vehicle width direction is referred to as the concave portion 32, and the surface that protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction of the house body 31 is referred to as the convex portion 33.

[0017] The housing body 31 is formed in a roughly quarter-spherical shell shape with a concave portion 32 and a convex portion 33. Thus, the housing body 31 is positioned on the vehicle body V with the concave portion 32 facing outward in the vehicle width direction and the convex portion 33 facing inward in the vehicle width direction, and the opening portion opening outward in the vehicle width direction and downward on the vehicle. In addition, reinforcing ribs 36 are provided on the convex portion 33 (see Figures 2, 4, and 5).

[0018] The reinforcing ribs 36 are erected along the vehicle's longitudinal direction on the surface of the wheelhouse 30, extending from front to rear, approximately parallel to the panel surface, on the convex portion 33 of the vehicle width portion 31b that constitutes the wheelhouse 30. Furthermore, the reinforcing ribs 36 are arranged in a way that they branch out from front to rear. In other words, there is one reinforcing rib 36 in the front portion, one branch from the intermediate portion between the front portion and the top to the top, and the innermost rib branches into two towards the rear from the top, resulting in a total of three ribs.

[0019] This is because the width dimension (dimension in the vehicle width direction) of the vehicle width section 31b is set to increase as it goes towards the rear. Furthermore, each reinforcing rib 36 is arranged to be approximately parallel to each other, except for the branching sections.

[0020] In this embodiment, the vehicle body structure S is configured such that the number of reinforcing ribs 36 is increased or decreased according to the width dimension of the vehicle width section 31b, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, if the width dimension of the wheels (not shown) housed in the wheel well 30 is larger than that of this embodiment, it is possible to increase the number of reinforcing ribs 36. Also, in vehicles with relatively heavy vehicle weight, it is possible to increase the number of reinforcing ribs 36 by narrowing the spacing between them.

[0021] In other words, in the case of a vehicle where a large load is applied to the damper fixing part 35, it is possible to reduce the spacing between the reinforcing ribs 36 and increase the number of ribs. Also, if the width dimension of the wheel housed in the wheel well 30 is smaller than in this embodiment, it is possible to reduce or eliminate the reinforcing ribs 36.

[0022] The connecting portion 34 is configured to fix the left and right wheelhouses 30 to the inner panel 10 that constitutes the vehicle body V. The connecting portion 34 is composed of a strip-shaped section that extends continuously from the front end to the rear end of the wheelhouse 30, along the opening edge of the wheelhouse 30 facing the inner panel 10, while facing the plate surface of the joint portion 12, which will be described later. In other words, the connecting portion 34 is formed in a flange shape at the part of the house body 31 that contacts the inner panel 10 of the vehicle body V. To put it another way, the connecting portion 34 is formed continuously from the front end to the rear end of the wheelhouse 30 on a single plane perpendicular to the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body V. The connecting portion 34 is then joined to the inner panel 10 at multiple joining points 34a using methods such as spot welding and bolting (see Figures 1 to 3).

[0023] The damper fixing portion 35 is a base that supports the upper end of the damper (not shown) that suspends the wheel (see Figures 1, 2, and 8). When the vehicle is in motion and goes over unevenness or steps in the road surface, a vertical load (damper load) is input to the damper fixing portion 35 via the damper. The damper fixing portion 35 is located at the uppermost part of the area where the side portion 31a and the vehicle width portion 31b of the concave portion 32 connect.

[0024] The damper fixing portion 35 is die-cast together with the house body 31 so as to protrude through the house body 31 from the concave portion 32 to the convex portion 33. In addition, two damper fixing portions 35 are provided to fix the upper end of the damper by sandwiching it from the front and back.

[0025] The inner panel 10 is a plate-shaped member that constitutes the structural part of the rear side of the vehicle body and is positioned facing the vehicle width direction (see Figures 1 to 3). A decorative panel (not shown) that forms the outer shape of the vehicle body V is installed on the outer surface of the inner panel 10. The inner panel 10 is set so that its plate thickness dimension T10 is thicker than the decorative panel and thinner (smaller) than the shell thickness dimension T31 of the housing body 31, which will be described later (see Figures 4 and 5).

[0026] The inner panel 10 comprises a panel body 11, a joint 12, an opening 13, and a reinforcing portion 14 (see Figures 1 to 7). The panel body 11 includes a smooth portion 15. The smooth portion 15 is composed of a smooth plate surface that does not have a bent shape that provides strength against vertical loads such as ribs and steps, or a reinforcing joint member (not shown). In other words, in the smooth portion 15, a flat surface and a curved surface that curves without bending are smoothly continuous.

[0027] Furthermore, the smooth portion 15 extends from the joint portion 12 to the reinforcing portion 14, and constitutes the entire panel body 11, including the periphery of the joint portion 12. In other words, the smooth portion 15 is positioned to connect the joint portion 12 and the reinforcing portion 14. In this embodiment, the smooth portion 15 constitutes the entire panel body 11, but this configuration is not limited to this. For example, it is possible to configure the smooth portion 15 to be positioned only in the periphery of the joint portion 12.

[0028] The joint portion 12 is set as the part to which the connecting portion 34 of the wheelhouse 30 is connected (see Figures 1 to 5). The joint portion 12 is composed of a single flat surface facing the vehicle width direction, while being aligned with the direction of expansion and contraction of the damper (vertical direction). In other words, the joint portion 12 is formed as a single plane perpendicular to the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body V, at a position opposite to the connecting portion 34. The flat surface constituting the joint portion 12 is smoothly continuous with the smooth portion 15.

[0029] The opening 13 penetrates the surface of the inner panel 10. The opening 13 in the inner panel 10 includes a rear seat entry / exit opening 13a, a fixed window opening 13b, and a rear gate opening 13c (see Figures 1 to 3).

[0030] The reinforcing portion 14 is bent so that its ridge extends along the edge of the opening 13, and is bent in a way that creates an uneven surface relative to the panel surface (see Figures 4 to 6). In other words, the cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing portion 14 is bent into a crank shape, an L shape, etc. By providing the reinforcing portion 14, the strength of the opening 13 (inner panel 10) is increased. In addition, a reinforcing member 16 is installed on the outer surface of the panel facing outward in the vehicle width direction of the reinforcing portion 14.

[0031] The reinforcing member 16 is installed as a structural member to further increase the strength of the peripheral portion of the opening (see Figures 6 and 7). In this embodiment, for example, the reinforcing member 16 is installed on the reinforcing portion 14 of the rear seat entrance / exit door 13a. The reinforcing member 16, together with the reinforcing portion 14, forms a closed cross section having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape. In this way, the reinforcing member 16, together with the reinforcing portion 14, forms the opening edge of the opening 13.

[0032] Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described. In the vehicle body structure S of this embodiment, the wheelhouse 30 is formed by die-casting. This allows the load input from the damper (not shown) to be firmly received, and the damper load can be distributed throughout the entire wheelhouse 30. Furthermore, since the connecting portion 34 is connected to the joint portion 12 over a wide area from the front to the rear of the wheelhouse 30, the damper load distributed throughout the entire wheelhouse 30 can be transmitted and distributed over a wide area of ​​the inner panel 10 (panel member).

[0033] Furthermore, the smooth portion 15 that constitutes the inner panel 10 is positioned around the joint portion 12. With this configuration, when the damper load is transmitted from the connection portion 34 to the joint portion 12, localized stress concentration does not occur, and the load can be smoothly distributed over a wide area of ​​the inner panel 10. In other words, the damper load, which is distributed throughout the highly rigid wheelhouse, is transmitted from the connection portion to each component that makes up the vehicle body via the smooth portion, thus distributing the load over a wide area.

[0034] Furthermore, by distributing and transmitting the damper load over a wide area of ​​the inner panel 10, reinforcement becomes unnecessary, and the inner panel 10 can be made thinner. This allows for overall weight reduction of the vehicle. In addition, the inner panel 10 is made of a press-formed part, which is easier to form into thinner sheets than die-cast parts. This allows for overall weight reduction of the vehicle by making the inner panel 10 thinner.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, reinforcing portions 14 are provided on the peripheral edges of the openings 13 (rear seat entry / exit opening 13a, fixed window opening 13b, rear gate opening 13c) that are uneven against the panel surface. This configuration allows the damper load, which is distributed over a wide area via the smooth portion 15, to be transmitted over an even wider area. In addition, the reinforcing portions 14 are formed to be more rigid than other parts of the vehicle body V. As a result, the openings 13 can more firmly receive the damper load transmitted from the panel body 11.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the smooth portion 15 is positioned to connect the joint portion 12 and the reinforcing portion 14. In other words, the joint portion 12 and the reinforcing portion 14 are connected only by the smooth portion 15. With this configuration, the load can be evenly distributed throughout the entire inner panel without localized stress concentration. This makes it possible to make the inner panel thinner, thereby reducing the overall weight of the vehicle. In contrast, if a member is added to connect the joint portion and the reinforcing portion, stress will concentrate around the added member. Therefore, further reinforcement will be required to increase the rigidity of the stress-concentrated area, resulting in an increase in vehicle weight.

[0037] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the joint portion 12 is composed of a single flat surface facing the vehicle width direction while being aligned with the direction of expansion and contraction of the damper (vertical direction). In addition, the connecting portion 34 has a single flat surface that is aligned with the opening edge of the wheelhouse 30 facing the inner panel and is parallel to the plate surface of the joint portion 12, and is composed of a strip-shaped section that extends continuously from the front end to the rear end of the wheelhouse 30. With this configuration, stress does not concentrate locally, and the damper load can be smoothly transmitted to the inner panel 10. Also, since the connecting portion 34 is formed on a single flat surface facing the vehicle width direction, even if the wheelhouse 30 and the inner panel 10 are formed as separate parts, precision control during assembly can be easily performed.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the plate thickness dimension T10 of the inner panel 10 (panel member) is set to be smaller than the shell thickness dimension T31 of the house body 31. This configuration allows for weight reduction of the entire vehicle while maintaining sufficient rigidity and strength against damper loads. The damper load input to the damper fixing part 35 is distributed in the wheel house 30 and then further distributed over a wider area in the inner panel 10. For this reason, the inner panel 10 can be made less rigid than the wheel house 30. In other words, the plate thickness dimension T10 of the inner panel 10 can be made smaller than the shell thickness dimension T31 of the wheel house 30.

[0039] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a reinforcing member 16 is joined to the peripheral edge of the opening 13. The reinforcing member 16, together with the inner panel 10, forms a closed cross-section. This configuration improves the rigidity of the opening 13, allowing it to more firmly withstand the damper load transmitted from the wheelhouse 30. This makes it possible to further reduce the overall weight of the vehicle.

[0040] Furthermore, in this embodiment, reinforcing ribs 36 are provided on the convex portion 33 of the wheelhouse 30. This configuration further improves the overall rigidity of the wheelhouse 30. As a result, the wheelhouse 30 can firmly receive and widely distribute the damper load input from the damper fixing portion 35.

[0041] <Second Embodiment> Next, the vehicle body structure S of the second embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figure 9. The vehicle body structure S of this embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment described above in the configuration of the inner panel 10. In this description, the same reference numerals are used for elements that are the same as those in the first embodiment described above, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0042] In the vehicle body structure S of this embodiment, the members forming the inner panel 10 are composed of a main panel 17 and a sub-panel 18. The main panel 17 and the sub-panel 18 are formed using sheet metal of the same material and the same thickness. The main panel 17 constitutes the lower part of the inner panel 10, and the sub-panel 18 constitutes the upper part of the inner panel 10.

[0043] In other words, the inner panel 10 is divided into a main panel 17 and a sub-panel 18 at two points: the front side of the lower edge of the fixed window opening 13b and the rear side of the lower edge of the fixed window opening 13b. These two dividing points are set as joint portions 17a. The main panel 17 and the sub-panel 18 are then joined at the two joint portions 17a by joining means such as spot welding, forming a single member.

[0044] In addition, the main panel 17 includes a joint portion 12 to which the connection portion 34 of the foil house 30 is connected. Then, from the joint portion 12 to the continuation section 17a of the main panel 17, a smooth portion 15 is set. The joint portion 12 and the smooth portion 15 are smoothly continuous without a step or the like, and the continuation section 17a and the smooth portion 15 are smoothly continuous without a step or the like.

[0045] Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the inner panel 10 is formed by joining a plurality of members. By adopting such a configuration, it becomes possible to form a larger inner panel 10. As a result, even when the vehicle body V is relatively large and it is difficult to cut out the inner panel 10 from a single plate-like member, the connection portion 34, the opening 13, and the reinforcing portion 14 can be connected by the smooth portion 15.

[0046] In this embodiment, the main panel 17 and the sub-panel 18 are made of the same material and have the same plate thickness dimension, but the present invention is not limited to such a form. For example, the plate thickness of the sub-panel 18 can be made thinner than that of the main panel 17, and the above-described effects can be achieved. Furthermore, by adopting such a configuration, weight reduction and lowering of the center of gravity of the entire vehicle can be achieved.

[0047] Also, in this embodiment, the smooth portion 15 of the main panel 17 is arranged from the joint portion 12 to the continuation section 17a. That is, from the joint portion 12 to the continuation section 17a, only the smooth portion 15 is connected. By adopting such a configuration, local stress concentration does not occur, and the damper load can be evenly distributed over the entire inner panel 10. As a result, the inner panel 10 can be made thinner, and weight reduction of the entire vehicle can be achieved.

[0048] S Body structure 10 Inner panel (panel member) 12 Joint 13 Opening 14 Reinforcement part 15 Smooth part 16 Reinforcement member 17 Main panel 17a Joint part 18 Sub panel 30 Wheelhouse 31 House body 34 Connection part 35 Damper fixing part 36 Reinforcement rib T10 Plate thickness dimension T31 Shell thickness dimension

Claims

1. A vehicle body structure comprising: a panel member made of a plate-like member and having a smooth portion in which a flat surface and a curved surface are smoothly continuous; a house body having a shell shape; a connecting portion formed at the opening edge of the house body; and a damper fixing portion that supports a damper, all integrally formed by die-casting and connected to the joint portion of the panel member via the connecting portion, wherein the smooth portion of the panel member is arranged around the joint portion.

2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein the panel member comprises an opening that penetrates the surface of the panel and a reinforcing portion that is uneven with respect to the surface of the panel around the opening.

3. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein the panel member comprises a main panel to which the wheelhouse is joined, and a sub-panel made of a plate-like member and joined to a joint portion set around the main panel.

4. The vehicle body structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the smooth portion is arranged to connect the joint portion and the reinforcing portion.

5. The vehicle body structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the smooth portion is arranged to connect the joint portion and the sub-panel.

6. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein the joint portion is composed of a flat surface facing the vehicle width direction, and the connecting portion is composed of a strip-shaped section that extends continuously from the front end to the rear end of the wheel house, facing the plate surface of the joint portion, while following the opening edge of the wheel house facing the panel member.

7. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness dimension of the panel member is set to be smaller than the shell thickness dimension of the house body.

8. The vehicle body structure according to claim 2, wherein the panel member is provided with a reinforcing member joined to the plate surface of the panel member, while forming a closed cross section together with the panel member at the peripheral edge of the opening.

9. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein the wheel well is provided with reinforcing ribs erected along the vehicle's longitudinal direction on a convex surface portion that protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction of the wheel well body and is made up of a curved convex surface.

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