JP2000085503A - Occupant crash protection structure in upper part of automobile body - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively absorb energy in relation to an injury value of an occupant's head and to improve visibility in a vehicle, by providing an energy absorbing body between an inner panel and an interior trim material, by providing a rigid part in the interior trim material, and by forming parts for connecting between a panel side and the interior trim material side in nearly doglegged shapes. SOLUTION: An energy absorbing body formed in a hollow shape in section by aluminum extrusion is joined to an interior trim material (a garnish) with an adhesive or is fastened to an inner panel 13 with screws. The energy absorbing body has a larger wall thickness, i.e., a rigid part 15a, in a garnish side that is a head collision range, than a general part 15b. Connection parts 15c, 15d connecting between the rigid part 15a and the general part 15b contacting with the inner panel 13 are formed in nearly doglegged shapes. Thereby, an initial partial deformation of the energy absorbing body is suppressed so that a load to the energy absorbing body rapidly reaches to an appropriate load, and then, the deformation continues at respective apexes of the nearly doglegged shapes. Accordingly, the load to the energy absorbing body is suppressed so that energy can be ideally absorbed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle body structure for protecting an occupant in a secondary collision, in which an energy absorbing material is provided between a panel and an interior material to absorb impact energy to the occupant. Yes,
In particular, the present invention is applied to a front pillar, a center pillar, a rear pillar, a roof side rail, and the like of a vehicle body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With respect to the safety of an automobile, studies have been mainly made on prevention of deformation of the vehicle upon collision and a structure for absorbing collision energy (primary collision). However, from the viewpoint of preventing fatal injury to the occupant as much as possible, the collision energy absorbing structure when the occupant makes a secondary collision inside the vehicle due to the recoil of the vehicle collision has also become very important.

In such a secondary collision, a structure capable of absorbing high energy with a small displacement while keeping the load applied to a person at a certain level or less is indispensable. As a conventional technique as a secondary collision countermeasure, a protection structure in which a space is provided between a pillar garnish which is an interior material disposed inside a front pillar of a vehicle body and a metal bracket for energy absorption is disposed in the space. It has been proposed (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
-113160).

[0004]

Normally, in the front pillar and other pillars, an appropriate thin metal bracket as shown in the prior art is arranged in order to reduce an impact load generated upon collision with the inner panel. However, when the occupant's head collides, the thin metal bracket is locally deformed and has a certain stroke to reach an appropriate load.

Further, as the deformation progresses, the area under pressure increases, and the deformed portion moves gradually, so that the load gradually increases, so that the energy absorption efficiency is poor and the occupant's head collision can be sufficiently prevented. If it is attempted to absorb the pressure, it is necessary to take a large stroke. Therefore, the livability and visibility are impaired.

[0006]

According to the present invention, an energy absorbing space provided between an inner panel of a front pillar of a vehicle body or other pillars and an interior material (garnish) and an interior material are formed separately. Attached to one of the inner panel and the interior material, comprising an energy absorber disposed within an energy absorption interval, forming the energy absorber in a hollow shape, and providing a rigid portion in the interior material portion, A portion connecting the panel portion side and the interior material portion side is formed in a substantially rectangular shape.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In the shape of an energy absorbing material having a hollow cross section according to the present invention, an interior material portion and a rigid body portion are provided, and a portion connecting a panel portion side and an interior material portion side is formed into a substantially rectangular shape. Formed.

As a result, the initial local deformation is suppressed, the load reaches the appropriate load promptly, and the deformed portion is constant at each of the substantially V-shaped points. Energy absorption becomes possible. In particular, it is best if the side length of the substantially rectangular shape is 1: 1.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a front pillar 1 comprises an outer panel 11, an inner panel 1
2, 13, a garnish 14, an energy absorber 15, and the like.

The energy absorber 15 is formed in a hollow cross section by aluminum extrusion, and is bonded to the garnish 14 with an adhesive or fastened to the inner panel 13 with a screw (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 3, the energy absorber 15 is formed of an extruded aluminum material, and the garnish 14, which is the head collision area of the energy absorber 15, is made thicker than the general part. In addition to forming the rigid portion 15a, the connecting portions 15c and 15d connecting the rigid portion 15a and the general portion 15b that is in contact with the inner panel 12 are formed in a substantially rectangular shape.

As a result, the head 2 colliding with the front pillar 1 as shown in FIG.
, 15c ′, 15c ″, 15c ″ ″, 15d ′,
Deformation of 15d ″ and 15d ″ ″ is started immediately, and the end deformation portion remains unchanged, and energy is absorbed. Thereby, ideal energy absorption as shown in FIG. 5 is performed.

[0013]

According to the present invention, energy can be efficiently absorbed with respect to the injury value (safety standard) of the occupant's head without increasing the pillar interior material inward. Further, the visibility of the vehicle can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a pillar portion of an automobile according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a pillar portion in the present invention (I
-I cross section).

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a pillar portion according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows deformation of a cross section of a pillar portion in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a displacement-load curve in Example 1.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle body structure comprising a panel and an interior material for protecting an occupant in a secondary collision, wherein an energy absorption space provided between the panel and the interior material is formed separately from the interior material. An energy absorber attached to one of the panel and the interior material, the energy absorber being disposed within the space, forming the energy absorber in a hollow shape, and providing a rigid portion in the interior material portion. An impact energy absorbing structure, wherein a portion connecting the panel portion side and the interior material portion side is formed in a substantially rectangular shape.