JP2000103360A - Car body structure for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a front pillar from being strongly affected by a clashing load applied to a wheel apron reinforcement at the time of clashing. SOLUTION: A gap C is formed with the rear end (connecting piece 8a) of a wheel apron reinforcement 2 without the existence of a hinge pillar reinforcement 7 between a front extended part 4a corresponding to the upper end of the hinge pillar part H of a front pillar outer panel 4 and a front extended part 6a corresponding to the upper end of the hinge pillar part H of a pillar inner upper panel 6. The front extended parts 4a and 6a are deformed as is weakend parts where the strength of a car body forward/backward direction is weakend by a clashing load, and clashing energy is absorbed and mitigated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a vehicle body structure, and more particularly to a countermeasure against a front pillar collision.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vehicle, if a cabin is to be widely secured with the same size and length, the front portion of the cabin is positioned forward of the dash panel. In this case, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-38047, a front end portion of a roof side rail inclined forward and downward toward the front of the vehicle body, an upper end portion of a front pillar extending vertically, and By connecting the extending wheel apron reinforcement, a triangular space is formed between the three. If this space is closed by a panel, the visibility of the side of the vehicle body deteriorates. Therefore, it is common practice to fit a window glass into the window and use it as a triangular window.

A front door is mounted between the front pillar and a center pillar behind the vehicle body. When a front window is provided with a triangular window as described above, a lower portion of the front pillar is connected to a hinge pillar portion. A front door is pivotally attached to the hinge pillar so as to be freely opened and closed.

[0004]

When a vehicle collides, a collision load is applied to the wheel apron reinforcement, and the wheel apron reinforcement retreats. When the wheel apron reinforcement and the front pillar are connected as in the above-mentioned publication example, when the collision load is large,
There is a concern that the front pillars will be pushed backward by the wheel apron reinforcement, and therefore, it is necessary to take measures such as providing a shock absorbing portion of the vehicle at the front portion of the vehicle.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to prevent the influence of the collision load applied to the wheel apron reinforcement at the time of the collision from acting strongly on the front pillar to prevent the rear pillar from deforming backward. Is to prevent it.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized by devising a connection at a connection portion between a wheel apron reinforcement and a front pillar.

More specifically, the present invention is directed to a vehicle body structure having a triangular window at a front portion of a front pillar extending vertically in a side portion of a vehicle body and having a door opening behind the triangular window. A solution like this was taken.

That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the lower rear portion of the front pillar below the triangular window is configured as a hinge pillar portion on which a front door is pivotally opened and closed.
Further, a front portion of the front pillar corresponding to the upper end of the hinge pillar portion and a rear end of a wheel apron reinforcement extending in front of the front portion thereof in the vehicle front-rear direction are formed such that the strength in the vehicle front-rear direction is weaker than that of the hinge pillar portion. Connection.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the vehicle collides and the wheel apron reinforcement retreats, the strength in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body connected to the rear end is weaker than that of the hinge pillar. The above-mentioned collision load is applied to the portion where the collision occurs, and the portion is deformed without enduring the collision load, and the collision energy is absorbed and reduced by this deformation.

Therefore, even if a large collision load is applied to the wheel apron reinforcement, the influence of the collision load does not strongly act on the upper end (upper end of the hinge pillar portion) of the front pillar below the triangular window. The part does not retreat, or even if it retreats, the amount of retreat is extremely small, so that the situation where the door does not open is eliminated and the occupant can escape.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the front pillar includes a front pillar outer panel and a front pillar inner panel. Further, the front pillar inner panel includes an upper pillar inner upper panel and a lower hinge pillar reinforcement. Also, the front ends of the front pillar outer panel and the pillar inner upper panel are connected to the rear end of the wheel apron reinforcement. In addition, a portion where the strength in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is weakened is provided by providing a space between the rear end of the wheel apron reinforcement and the front end of the hinge pillar reinforcement.

According to the above-described structure, in the second aspect of the invention, the structure of the portion in which the strength in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is reduced is embodied. That is, the front end portions of the front pillar outer panel and the pillar inner upper panel are each deformed by the collision load.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, a bending area for bending the wheel apron reinforcement inward due to a collision load is provided at a rear end of the wheel apron reinforcement and a pillar inner upper panel. It is characterized in that it is provided at a connection portion with the front end.

According to the above configuration, in the invention according to the third aspect, the wheel apron reinforcement is subjected to a collision load in a bending region provided at a connection portion between the rear end of the wheel apron reinforcement and the front end of the pillar inner upper panel. As a result, the amount of retreat is smaller than in the case where the vehicle is retracted straight, and the impact of a collision load on the hinge pillar is further reduced.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, the bent area is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction toward the rear of the vehicle body.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the configuration of the bent region is embodied. That is, the wheel apron reinforcement is reliably bent inward by the collision load.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 4 show a vehicle body structure of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein 1 is a front pillar extending vertically in a vehicle body side portion, and 2 is a front side of the front pillar 1 and a side of an engine room. This is a wheel apron reinforcement that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

The front pillar 1 has a triangular window 3 on the front side for securing a view on the side of the vehicle body, and the rear of the triangular window 3 serves as a door opening. The above front pillar 1
The lower rear portion of the triangular window 3 is formed as a hinge pillar portion H to which a front door (not shown) is pivotally opened and closed. The front pillar 1 includes a front pillar outer panel 4 and a front pillar inner panel 5 inside the front pillar inner panel 5, and the front pillar inner panel 5 includes an upper pillar inner upper panel 6 and a lower hinge pillar reinforcement 4. Ment 7. Among these three members, the front pillar outer panel 4 and the pillar inner upper panel 6 have front end portions extending forward of the vehicle body and provided with front extension portions 4a and 6a at the upper end, while the hinge pillar reinforcement 7 is provided. The front pillar outer panel 4 and the pillar inner upper panel 6 are shorter than the front pillar outer panel 4 and the pillar inner upper panel 6 by an amount corresponding to the absence of such an extension.

The wheel apron reinforcement 2 is formed by connecting an upper frame 8 and a lower frame 9 made of a channel-like steel material in a vertically overlapping manner. Of these, a rear end of the upper frame 8 is provided on the inner side. The connecting piece 8a extends rearward of the vehicle body.

The front end of the front extending portion 4a of the front pillar outer panel 4 is connected to the rear end of the upper frame 8 and the lower frame 9 of the wheel apron reinforcement 2 by a connection plate 10, and the pillar inner upper panel is provided. The front end of the front extension portion 6a of the wheel 6 is connected to a connection piece 8a which is a rear end of the upper frame 8 of the wheel apron reinforcement 2. In this connection state, the dash upper panel 1
1, panels such as cowl front 12, cowl panel 13, and cowl side 14 are assembled.

In the state where the front ends of the front pillar outer panel 4 and the pillar inner upper panel 6 are connected to the rear end of the wheel apron reinforcement 2 as described above, the rear end of the wheel apron reinforcement 2 and the hinge pillar are connected. Reinforcement 7
An interval C is formed between the front end and the front end. This interval C is
The front extension portions 4a, 6a such as the front pillar outer panel 4 and the pillar inner upper panel 6 are not provided in the hinge pillar reinforcement 7, but are formed by being shortened accordingly. And
The space C constitutes a portion in which the strength in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body is weaker than the hinge pillar portion H of the portion where the hinge pillar reinforcement 7 exists.

As described above, since the space C is formed between the rear end of the wheel apron reinforcement 2 and the front end of the hinge pillar reinforcement 7, the portion deformed by the collision load of the vehicle is located at the hinge pillar rain. The force C is not extended, and the strength is weakened only at the front extension portions 4a and 6a of the front pillar outer panel 4 and the pillar inner upper panel 6, and thus the space C is reduced. The collision load of the wheel apron reinforcement 2 to be deformed at the relevant portion can absorb and reduce the collision energy.

Thus, even if a large collision load is applied to the wheel apron reinforcement 2, the influence of the collision load is reduced by the distance C (the front extending portion 4a, 4c).
It is possible to attenuate and transmit to the hinge pillar portion H behind 6a), so that the front pillar 1 can be prevented from retreating. Also, even if the vehicle retreats, the amount of retreat can be made very small, and the situation where the front door is not opened by being sandwiched between the front pillar 1 and the center pillar can be resolved, and the occupant escapes. Can be made possible.

Further, the connecting portion between the connecting piece 8a, which is the rear end of the upper frame 8 of the wheel apron reinforcement 2, and the front end of the pillar inner upper panel 6 is inclined outwardly in the vehicle width direction toward the rear of the vehicle body. A bent area 15 is formed, and the wheel apron reinforcement 2 is bent inward in the bent area 15 by an impact load as shown by an arrow A in FIG.

That is, by inclining the bent region 15 outward in the vehicle width direction toward the rear of the vehicle body, it is possible to apply a collision load to the vehicle body inner side. The load can be reliably bent inward, and the amount of retreat can be reduced as compared with the case of retreating straight, so that the impact of the collision load on the hinge pillar portion H can be further reduced.

In the above description, more specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, a connecting member 15 for connecting the rear upper surface of the upper frame 8 of the wheel apron reinforcement 2 and the front extending portion 4a, and Upper frame 8
A connecting member 16 for connecting the lower portion and the front extension 4a can be provided. A gusset plate 17 may be provided on the inner rear side surface of the upper frame 8.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, the front portion corresponding to the upper end of the hinge pillar portion of the front pillar and the rear end of the wheel apron reinforcement extending in front of the front portion thereof in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body are provided. Since the connection is made at the part where the strength is weaker than the hinge pillar, the part where the strength is weakened is deformed by the collision load acting on the wheel apron reinforcement due to the collision of the vehicle and the collision energy is absorbed. Thus, the influence of the collision energy on the front pillar portion can be reduced as much as possible so that the opening and closing of the front door is not adversely affected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II of FIG.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle body structure according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the vehicle body structure according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front left side.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the vehicle body structure according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front right side.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a detailed vehicle body structure corresponding to FIG. 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 front pillar 2 wheel apron reinforcement 3 triangular window 4 front pillar outer panel 4a, 6a front extension 5 front pillar inner panel 6 pillar inner upper panel 7 hinge pillar reinforcement 15 bending area C gap (vehicle longitudinal direction) H Hinge pillar part

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle body structure for a vehicle having a triangular window at a front portion of a front pillar extending vertically in a side portion of a vehicle body and having a door opening behind the triangular window. The side portion is configured as a hinge pillar portion to which a front door is pivotally opened and closed. A front portion corresponding to an upper end of the hinge pillar portion of the front pillar, and a rear end of a wheel apron reinforcement extending in front of the front portion in a vehicle front-rear direction. Is connected at a portion where strength in the vehicle longitudinal direction is weaker than that of the hinge pillar portion. 2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein the front pillar includes a front pillar outer panel and a front pillar inner panel, and the front pillar inner panel includes an upper pillar inner upper panel and a lower side. The front end of the front pillar outer panel and the front end of the pillar inner upper panel are connected to the rear end of the wheel apron reinforcement to reduce the strength in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. A vehicle body structure for a vehicle, wherein an interval is provided between a rear end of the wheel apron reinforcement and a front end of the hinge pillar reinforcement. 3. The vehicle body structure according to claim 2, wherein a connection portion between a rear end of the wheel apron reinforcement and a front end of the pillar inner upper panel is formed by bending the wheel apron reinforcement inward due to a collision load. A vehicle body structure for a vehicle, wherein a bending area is provided. 4. The vehicle body structure according to claim 3, wherein the bent region is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction toward the rear of the vehicle body.