Vehicle body structure
The vehicle body structure with integrated roof side rails, center pillars, and center reinforcement, along with adhesive layers and die-casting, addresses load distribution and vibration issues, enhancing rigidity and reducing noise.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-21
AI Technical Summary
Existing vehicle body structures lack efficient load transmission and distribution mechanisms, leading to potential deformation and reduced rigidity during collisions, and they do not adequately address vibration-induced noise and aesthetics.
A vehicle body structure incorporating a ring-shaped configuration with integrated roof side rails, center pillars, and a center reinforcement, along with adhesive layers and die-casting techniques, to enhance load distribution and reduce vibrations.
Improves overall vehicle body rigidity, reduces noise, and enhances aesthetic appeal by efficiently distributing collision loads and suppressing vibrations.
Smart Images
Figure JP2025034262_21052026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Vehicle body structure
[0001] This specification discloses a vehicle body structure having a pair of roof side rails, a pair of center pillars, and a center line force.
[0002] The vehicle body is required to have high rigidity so as to protect the passenger compartment even when receiving a collision load. Therefore, many techniques for improving the rigidity of the vehicle body or its components have been proposed conventionally.
[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle frame structure including a frame member forming the vehicle frame and a reinforcing member provided inside the frame member. In Patent Document 1, a pre-stress is applied to the reinforcing member in a direction opposite to the stress generated by the collision load input to the frame member during a vehicle collision. With such a configuration, it becomes possible to withstand a larger collision load compared to the case where no pre-stress is applied.
[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-118875
[0005] However, in Patent Document 1, the structure for transmitting and distributing the impact load applied to one frame member to other frame members has not been sufficiently studied. Therefore, the technology of Patent Document 1 has room for improvement from the viewpoint of improving the rigidity of the entire vehicle.
[0006] Therefore, this specification discloses a vehicle body structure that can further improve the rigidity of the entire vehicle.
[0007] The vehicle body structure disclosed in this specification includes a pair of roof side rails provided at both ends in the vehicle width direction of the upper part of the vehicle body, a pair of center pillars that are frame members each connected to the pair of roof side rails, a center line force that is a frame member connecting the pair of roof side rails and whose front-rear direction range at least partially overlaps with the front-rear direction range of the center pillars, and a windshield glass fixed to the center line force.
[0008] This configuration allows loads applied to either the center reinforcement or the center pillar to be more easily transmitted to and distributed to the other. As a result, the concentration of load on the center reinforcement or the center pillar is reduced, making them less prone to deformation. Consequently, the overall rigidity of the vehicle body is improved.
[0009] In this case, the vehicle body may further include a lower member located between the pair of center pillars and connecting the pair of center pillars at the lower part of the vehicle body.
[0010] This configuration creates a ring-shaped structure passing through the center reinforcement. As a result, the load applied to the vehicle body is distributed more efficiently. Furthermore, the formation of the ring-shaped structure improves the section modulus of the vehicle body. Consequently, the rigidity of the vehicle body is further improved.
[0011] The lower member may include a floor panel. The lower member may also include a cross member, which is a skeletal member extending in the vehicle width direction. The lower member may also include a battery.
[0012] By utilizing existing components that are also necessary in existing vehicles, rather than creating dedicated components for the lower structure, it is possible to improve the rigidity of the vehicle body while keeping the number of parts to a minimum.
[0013] Furthermore, the center reinforcement comprises an outer panel having an upper wall and an upper flange, and an inner panel having a lower wall facing the upper wall vertically and a lower flange joined to the upper flange, and the windshield glass may be fixed to the upper wall.
[0014] By fixing the windshield glass to the highly rigid upper wall, rather than to the less rigid upper flange, vibrations of the windshield glass, and consequently, abnormal noises in the vehicle cabin, can be effectively reduced.
[0015] In this case, the vehicle may further include a rear window positioned behind the windshield glass, the upper end of which may be fixed to the upper wall.
[0016] By placing the rear window behind the windshield, a large portion of the vehicle's roof becomes a "window," improving the sense of openness inside the cabin. Furthermore, by fixing both the windshield and rear windows to the upper wall, vibrations of these windows are effectively suppressed, more effectively preventing unwanted noises inside the vehicle.
[0017] In this case, adhesive layers may be provided between the windshield glass and the center reinforcement, and between the rear glass and the center reinforcement.
[0018] When such an adhesive layer is provided, the adhesive layer functions as a vibration damper, more effectively suppressing vibrations of the glass and, consequently, abnormal noises.
[0019] Furthermore, at least one of the pair of roof side rails and the center reinforcement may be integrally molded.
[0020] This configuration reduces the number of parts and thus lowers the vehicle's cost. Furthermore, integrating the roof side rails with the center reinforcement allows for more reliable load transmission and distribution.
[0021] Furthermore, at least one of the pair of roof side rails and the center pillar may be integrally molded.
[0022] This configuration reduces the number of parts and thus lowers the vehicle's cost. Furthermore, integrating the roof side rails and center pillar allows for more reliable load transmission and distribution.
[0023] Furthermore, the center reinforcement, the pair of roof side rails, and the pair of center pillars may be integrally molded.
[0024] This configuration reduces the number of parts and thus lowers the vehicle's cost. Furthermore, integrating the center pillar, roof side rails, and center pillar allows for more reliable load transmission and distribution.
[0025] Furthermore, there may be no cross member connecting the pair of roof side rails between the center reinforcement and the lower end of the windshield glass.
[0026] This configuration prevents the windshield glass from being divided by cross-shaped components, resulting in a more refined aesthetic.
[0027] Furthermore, the front-to-back range of the center reinforcement may be entirely within the front-to-back range of the center pillar.
[0028] The body structure disclosed herein provides greater rigidity to the entire body.
[0029] This is a side view of the vehicle body. This is a top view of the vehicle body. This is a schematic diagram of the A-A section in Figure 2. This is a cross-sectional view of the B-B section in Figure 3. This is a cross-sectional perspective view of the area around the center reinforcement. This is a diagram illustrating the normal direction of each part of the windshield glass. This is a diagram showing another example of the fixing configuration of the windshield glass. This is a diagram showing another example of the center reinforcement.
[0030] The vehicle body structure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a side view of the vehicle body 10, and Figure 2 is a top view of the vehicle body 10. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the A-A section in Figure 2. In the drawings, Up, Fr, and Rh indicate the top, front, and right sides of the vehicle, respectively.
[0031] The vehicle body 10 in this example has glass panels 60 and 66 on the roof, giving it a roof structure called a "sunroof" or "panoramic roof." The vehicle body 10 is also constructed by combining multiple skeletal members. These skeletal members may be constructed by combining multiple sheet metal members. They may also be formed by die-casting. In the following, we will explain using the case where multiple sheet metal members are combined to form a single skeletal member as an example.
[0032] The sides of the vehicle body 10 are provided with vertically extending structural members: a front pillar 12, a center pillar 14, and a rear pillar 16. Each of these pillars 12, 14, and 16 is provided on both the left and right sides. The front pillar 12 is a structural member that defines the front edge of the front door opening 30. The upper end of the front pillar 12 is connected to a roof side rail 18, which will be described later, and the lower end is connected to a rocker 22, which will be described later.
[0033] The center pillar 14 is a structural member located behind the front pillar 12. The center pillar 14 defines the rear edge of the front door opening 30. The upper end of the center pillar 14 is connected to the roof side rail 18, and the lower end is connected to the rocker 22. As shown in Figure 3, in this example, the center pillar 14 is constructed by joining a pillar inner 14I and a pillar outer 14O together. The rear pillar 16 is located behind the center pillar 14 and defines the rear edge of the rear door opening 32. In this example, there are three pillars 12, 14, and 16 arranged on the side of the vehicle body 10, but the number of pillars 12, 14, and 16 may be changed as appropriate depending on the type of vehicle.
[0034] A roof side rail 18 is provided at the boundary between the side of the vehicle body 10 and the roof. The roof side rail 18 is a structural member positioned at both ends in the vehicle width direction on the top surface of the vehicle. The roof side rail 18 defines the upper edges of the front door opening 30 and the rear door opening 32. As shown in Figure 1, the roof side rail 18 extends from the upper end of the front pillar 12 toward the rear of the vehicle in a gentle arc. The front end of the roof side rail 18 is connected to the front pillar 12, and the center pillar 14 is connected to the middle portion of the roof side rail 18 in the front-rear direction. As shown in Figure 3, in this example, the roof side rail 18 is constructed by joining a rail inner 18I and a rail outer 18O.
[0035] The cowl top side 36 is a structural member that extends forward from the front end of the roof side rail 18 to the front of the vehicle. The pair of left and right cowl top sides 36 are connected by the cowl 34. The cowl 34 is a part located at the upper and rear end of the power unit compartment.
[0036] A pair of rockers 22 are provided at the lower part of the vehicle body 10 and at both ends in the vehicle width direction. The rockers 22 are structural members that extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The lower ends of the front pillar 12, the center pillar 14, and the rear pillar 16 are connected to these rockers 22. As shown in Figure 3, in this example, the rockers 22 are constructed by joining a rocker inner 22I and a rocker outer 22O.
[0037] A pair of left and right rockers 22 are connected by a floor panel 24 and a cross member 26. The floor panel 24 is a panel member that functions as the floor surface of the vehicle compartment. For example, both ends of the floor panel 24 in the vehicle width direction are welded to the rockers 22. The cross member 26 is a skeletal member that extends in the vehicle width direction. For example, the cross member 26 is a sheet metal member with a roughly hat-shaped cross section. The cross member 26 is welded to the upper or lower surface of the floor panel 24 to form a closed cross section between it and the floor panel 24.
[0038] Hereafter, the components connecting the pair of center pillars 14 will be collectively referred to as the "lower member 20". In this example, the rocker 22, floor panel 24, and cross member 26 function as the lower member 20 connecting the pair of center pillars 14. However, the configuration of the "lower member 20" is not particularly limited. Therefore, the lower member 20 may have a battery 28 instead of the cross member 26, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3. For example, in that case, the battery 28 may be suspended and held by the pair of rockers 22.
[0039] The roof of the vehicle is further provided with a center reinforcement 40. The center reinforcement 40 is a skeletal member that connects the intermediate portions of a pair of roof side rails 18. In this example, the center reinforcement 40 is formed by joining an outer panel 42 and an inner panel 48.
[0040] Here, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the area around the center reinforcement 40. As is clear from Figure 4, the outer panel 42 has an upper wall 44 and upper flanges 46 that protrude outward from both ends of the upper wall 44 in the front-rear direction. Similarly, the inner panel 48 has a lower wall 50 and lower flanges 52 that protrude outward from both ends of the lower wall 50 in the front-rear direction. The upper flanges 46 and the lower flanges 52 are joined together in an overlapping state. This forms a closed cross section between the outer panel 42 and the inner panel 48.
[0041] Here, the longitudinal range of the center reinforcement 40 overlaps, at least partially, with the longitudinal range of the center pillar 14. For example, the longitudinal range of the center reinforcement 40 at its widthwise end may overlap, at least partially, with the longitudinal range of the center pillar 14 at its upper end. The upper end of the center pillar 14 refers to the portion at the same height as the upper edge of the window opening. Alternatively, the longitudinal range of the center reinforcement 40 may be completely contained within the longitudinal range of the center pillar 14. In any case, the longitudinal range of the center reinforcement 40 overlaps, at least partially, with the longitudinal range of the center pillar 14. The reason for this arrangement will be explained later.
[0042] The roof of the vehicle is covered by two panes of glass 60 and 66. The windshield glass 60 is a pane of glass that covers the front half of the roof, and a portion of it functions as a windshield positioned in front of the driver. The lower end of the windshield glass 60 is fixed to the cowl 34, and the upper end is fixed to the center reinforcement 40. For example, the lower and upper ends of the windshield glass 60 are fixed to the cowl 34 and the center reinforcement 40 by adhesive. In other words, an adhesive layer 68 is provided between the center reinforcement 40 and the windshield glass 60.
[0043] Further, the rear glass 66 is disposed behind the windshield glass 60 and is a glass that covers the rear half of the roof. The upper end of such rear glass 66 is fixed to the center line force 40, and the lower end is fixed to the rear roof cross 58. For example, the lower end and the upper end of the rear glass 66 are fixed to the center line force 40 and the rear roof cross 58 by an adhesive.
[0044] As is clear from the above description, in this example, the space from the cowl 34 to the center line force 40 is covered by a single glass, that is, the windshield glass 60. On the other hand, no other skeletal member is provided between the cowl 34 and the center line force 40.
[0045] Here, in a conventional vehicle, a front header, which is a cross member connecting a pair of roof side rails 18, was provided between the cowl 34 and the center line force 40, more specifically, at the position P1 in FIG. 1. In this example, by eliminating such a front header, a large window portion that extends seamlessly from the front end surface of the passenger compartment to the roof can be configured. And thereby, the sense of openness in the passenger compartment can be significantly enhanced. Further, in this example, a rear glass 66 is disposed behind the windshield glass 60. Thereby, the sense of openness in the passenger compartment can be further improved.
[0046] By the way, when there is no front header, in other words, when there is no cross member between the lower end of the windshield glass 60 and the center line force 40, naturally, the rigidity of the vehicle body 10 may decrease accordingly. In order to prevent such a decrease in the overall rigidity of the vehicle body 10, it is conceivable to increase the rigidity of other skeletal members (for example, the center line force 40 and the roof side rail 18). Specifically, measures such as increasing the plate thickness of other skeletal members or adding a separate reinforcing member to other skeletal members can be considered. However, in that case, naturally, another problem of weight increase and cost increase of the vehicle will be caused.
[0047] Therefore, in this example, in order to improve the rigidity of the entire vehicle body 10 while suppressing an increase in the weight of each of the skeletal members, the front-rear direction range of the center line force 40 is overlapped with the front-rear direction range of the center pillar 14. With such a configuration, a part of the load acting on the center line force 40 is smoothly transmitted to and dispersed by the center pillar 14. Also, a part of the load acting on the center pillar 14 is transmitted to and dispersed by the center line force 40. As a result, the concentration of the center line force 40 or the load on the center line force 40 is alleviated, and deformation and breakage of these skeletal members are effectively prevented. In other words, by overlapping the front-rear direction range of the center line force 40 with the front-rear direction range of the center pillar 14, the rigidity of the entire vehicle body 10 is improved.
[0048] Furthermore, in this example, a lower member 20 that connects the pair of center pillars 14 is provided at the lower part of the vehicle. In the case of this example, the lower member 20 includes a pair of rockers 22, a floor panel 24, and a cross member 26. By providing such a lower member 20, as shown in FIG. 3, an annular structure 70 indicated by a broken line is formed in the vertical plane passing through the center line force 40. That is, in the vertical plane, an annular structure 70 is formed that passes through the center line force 40, the left roof side rail 18, the left center pillar 14, the left rocker 22, the floor panel 24 and the cross member 26, the right rocker 22, the right center pillar 14, the right roof side rail 18, and returns to the center line force 40 again. With such a configuration, the load input to the skeletal members constituting the annular structure 70 can be dispersed over a wide range of the vehicle body 10 through the annular structure 70. Also, by forming the annular structure 70, the sectional coefficient of the entire vehicle body 10 becomes high. And thereby, deformation of the vehicle body 10 due to the load can be effectively suppressed, and the rigidity of the vehicle body 10 can be further improved.
[0049] Furthermore, if the lower member 20 includes a skeletal member, such as a cross member 26, the longitudinal range of the cross member 26 may overlap with the longitudinal range of at least one of the pair of center pillars 14. With this configuration, the load acting on the center pillars 14 is more reliably transmitted to and distributed by the cross member 26. This further improves the rigidity of the annular structure 70. Also, as mentioned above, the lower member 20 may include a battery 28. A battery 28 usually has very high rigidity to protect the battery cells inside. If the lower member 20 has such a high-rigidity battery 28, the annular structure 70 is less prone to distortion, and the rigidity of the annular structure 70, and consequently the vehicle body 10, is further improved.
[0050] Furthermore, in this example, the front header is eliminated, and the upper edge of the windshield glass 60 is fixed to the center reinforcement 40. This reduces the bounce resonance of the center reinforcement 40. This will be explained in detail below.
[0051] Vehicles have a bounce-mode resonance characteristic in which they vibrate in a bouncy manner in accordance with their mass and rigidity due to road surface irregularities, etc. These bounce-mode vibrations are also transmitted to the windshield glass 60 via the fixing part at the upper end of the windshield glass 60 (hereinafter referred to as the "upper fixing part 62") and the fixing part at the lower end of the windshield glass 60 (hereinafter referred to as the "lower fixing part 64").
[0052] Now, consider the case where the upper end of the windshield glass 60 is fixed to the front header located at position P1. In this case, as shown in Figure 6, the angular difference between the normal direction D1 at the lower fixing part 64 and the normal direction D2 at the upper fixing part 62* is small. Therefore, the upper fixing part 62* and the lower fixing part 64 vibrate in almost the same direction. As a result, when the upper end of the windshield glass 60 is fixed to the front header, the upper and lower ends of the windshield glass 60 vibrate in almost the same direction, making it easier for bounce resonance to be amplified. Then, vibrations and abnormal noises are generated due to the bounce resonance of the windshield glass 60, impairing the comfort of the occupants. Here, the resonance frequency of the windshield glass 60 is similar to the rolling resonance frequency of the tires and the resonance frequencies of the front and rear of the passenger compartment. Therefore, when the resonance of the windshield glass 60 becomes large, noise in that vibration frequency band is likely to become a problem for the occupants.
[0053] On the other hand, consider the case where the upper end of the windshield glass 60 is fixed not to the front header, but to the center reinforcement 40 located further back. In this case, as shown in Figure 6, the angular difference between the normal direction D1 of the lower fixing part 64 and the normal direction D3 of the upper fixing part 62 becomes large. As a result, the upper fixing part 62 and the lower fixing part 64 vibrate in different directions from each other. Consequently, when the upper end of the windshield glass 60 is fixed to the center reinforcement 40, as in this example, the amplification of vibrations of the windshield glass 60 is suppressed, and bounce resonance can be kept to a minimum. As a result, vibrations and abnormal noises are suppressed, and occupant comfort is improved.
[0054] Furthermore, in this example, the upper end of the windshield glass 60 is fixed to the upper wall 44 of the center reinforcement 40. This allows for more effective suppression of vibrations in the windshield glass 60. That is, the upper end of the windshield glass 60 could also be fixed to the upper flange 46 of the center reinforcement 40, as shown in Figure 7. However, the upper flange 46 is usually less rigid than the upper wall 44. If the upper end of the windshield glass 60 is fixed to such an upper flange 46, the upper part of the windshield glass 60 is prone to significant vibrations. On the other hand, in this example, since the upper end of the windshield glass 60 is fixed to the highly rigid upper wall 44, vibrations in the upper part of the windshield glass 60 can be effectively suppressed.
[0055] Furthermore, by fixing both the windshield glass 60 and the rear glass 66 to the upper wall 44, the center reinforcement 40 becomes less conspicuous. In other words, it gives the impression that the majority of the vehicle's roof is composed of glass 60 and 66, and in some cases, it can be mistaken for the vehicle's roof being made of a single large piece of glass. This results in a unique and sophisticated aesthetic that is significantly different from conventional designs.
[0056] Furthermore, vibrations of the upper flange 46 can be suppressed by providing a mass damper. Therefore, if vibrations of the upper flange 46 can be suppressed using a mass damper, the upper end of the windshield glass 60 may be fixed to the upper flange 46 as shown in Figure 7. With this configuration, the amount of protrusion H1 of the center reinforce 40 as seen from the passenger compartment can be kept small, improving the design of the passenger compartment.
[0057] Furthermore, as is clear from the explanation above, in this example, a rear window 66 is provided behind the windshield glass 60. With this configuration, a large portion of the vehicle's ceiling functions as a window. This further enhances the sense of openness in the passenger compartment.
[0058] Furthermore, as mentioned above, in this example, the glass 60 and 66 are fixed to the center reinforcement 40 with adhesive. Fixing the glass 60 and 66 with adhesive simplifies the fixing process. Also, fixing with adhesive forms an adhesive layer 68 between the glass 60 and 66 and the center reinforcement 40. This adhesive layer 68 functions as a vibration damping member, reducing the vibrations transmitted from the center reinforcement 40 to the glass 60 and 66. As a result, vibrations of the glass 60 and 66 can be suppressed more effectively.
[0059] By the way, in the explanation so far, the structural members of the vehicle body 10 have all been constructed by joining multiple sheet metal parts. However, the structural members and panel materials that make up the vehicle body 10 may also be manufactured by die-casting. For example, in recent years, a manufacturing method called "giga-cast" or "mega-cast" has become known, in which a part of the vehicle body 10 is manufactured using a large die-casting machine. The structural parts described so far may also be manufactured by this giga-cast or mega-cast method.
[0060] For example, the center reinforcement 40 and at least one of the pair of roof side rails 18 may be integrally molded by die casting. In this case, as shown in Figure 8, the center reinforcement 40 may have a groove-shaped main portion 54 that opens downward and a plurality of reinforcing ribs 56 that stand within the groove of the main portion 54. By providing reinforcing ribs 56 integrated with the main portion 54 in this way, the rigidity of the center reinforcement 40 can be improved. It should be noted that such reinforcing ribs 56 are difficult to mold by press molding, but can be molded to a certain extent by die casting. Also, the cross-sectional shape shown in Figure 8 is just an example, and the shape of the center reinforcement 40 may be changed as appropriate as long as it has sufficient rigidity. In any case, integrally molding the center reinforcement 40 and the roof side rails 18 reduces the number of parts, simplifies the manufacturing process of the vehicle body 10, and consequently reduces the cost of the vehicle. Furthermore, by integrally molding the center reinforcement 40 and the roof side rail 18, the load acting on one of the center reinforcement 40 and the roof side rail 18 can be more reliably transmitted to and distributed to the other.
[0061] Furthermore, at least one of the pair of roof side rails 18 and at least one of the center pillars 14 may be integrally molded by die casting. Moreover, the center reinforcement 40, the pair of roof side rails 18, and the pair of center pillars 14 may all be integrally molded by die casting. By adopting such a configuration, the number of parts can be further reduced, the manufacturing process of the vehicle body 10 can be simplified, and consequently, the cost of the vehicle can be reduced. In addition, the load acting on the vehicle body 10 can be distributed more reliably.
[0062] Furthermore, the above descriptions are merely examples, and other configurations may be modified as appropriate, as long as the configuration described in claim 1 is met. For example, a metallic roof panel may be provided instead of the rear glass 66. Additionally, an additional structural member, such as a front header, may be provided between the lower fixing portion 64 and the upper fixing portion 62 of the windshield glass 60.
[0063] 10 Body, 12 Pillar, 12 Front pillar, 14 Center pillar, 16 Rear pillar, 18 Roof side rail, 20 Lower member, 22 Rocker, 24 Floor panel, 26 Cross member, 28 Battery, 30 Front door opening, 32 Rear door opening, 34 Cowl, 36 Cowl top side, 40 Center reinforcement, 42 Outer panel, 44 Upper wall, 46 Upper flange, 48 Inner panel, 50 Lower wall, 52 Lower flange, 54 Main part, 56 Reinforcement rib, 58 Rear roof cross, 60 Windshield glass, 62 Upper fixing part, 64 Lower fixing part, 66 Rear glass, 68 Adhesive layer, 70 Annular structure.
Claims
1. A vehicle body structure characterized by comprising: a pair of roof side rails provided at both ends in the width direction of the upper part of the vehicle body; a pair of center pillars, which are skeletal members connected to each of the pair of roof side rails; a center reinforcement, which is a skeletal member connecting the pair of roof side rails, the front-rear range of which at least partially overlaps with the front-rear range of the center pillars; and a windshield glass fixed to the center reinforcement.
2. A vehicle body structure according to claim 1, further comprising a lower member located between the pair of center pillars in the lower part of the vehicle body and connecting the pair of center pillars.
3. A vehicle body structure according to claim 2, wherein the lower member includes a floor panel.
4. A vehicle body structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the lower member includes a cross member which is a skeletal member extending in the vehicle width direction.
5. A vehicle body structure according to claim 2, wherein the lower member includes a battery.
6. A vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein the center reinforcement comprises an outer panel having an upper wall and an upper flange, and an inner panel having a lower wall facing the upper wall vertically and a lower flange joined to the upper flange, and the windshield glass is fixed to the upper wall.
7. A vehicle body structure according to claim 6, further comprising a rear glass positioned behind the windshield glass, wherein the upper end of the rear glass is fixed to the upper wall.
8. The vehicle body structure according to claim 7, characterized in that an adhesive layer is provided between the windshield glass and the center reinforcement, and between the rear glass and the center reinforcement.
9. A vehicle body structure according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the pair of roof side rails and the center reinforcement are integrally molded.
10. A vehicle body structure according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the pair of roof side rails and the center pillar are integrally molded.
11. A vehicle body structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the center reinforcement, the pair of roof side rails, and the pair of center pillars are integrally molded.
12. A vehicle body structure according to claim 1, characterized in that there is no cross member connecting the pair of roof side rails between the center reinforcement and the lower end of the windshield glass.