JP2008285019A - Impact beam for side door of automobile, and side door structure of automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a barrier from entering into a vehicle compartment at the time of a side surface deformable barrier collision against a side door having an impact beam made of aluminum extruded material, get a high connecting strength between the impact beam and a bracket and concurrently to prevent an increase in production cost, increase in the number of component parts and increasing in its weight. <P>SOLUTION: An impact beam 11 comprises closed sectional portions 12, 13 and a plate-like rib 15 for connecting the sectional portions, and a connecting bracket 16 is fixed to the plate-like rib 15 with a bolt 17 and a nut 18. The impact beam 15 is arranged so that the closed sectional portions 12, 13 may be positioned inside the door in an upward or downward direction of a vehicle body and the impact beam is connected to the inner panel with bolts through the bracket 16. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an impact beam made of an extruded aluminum material disposed inside a side door of an automobile, and a side door structure in which the impact beam is installed.

  In recent years, as automobile fuel efficiency regulations have been tightened, it has become an urgent task for automobile manufacturers to reduce the weight of their bodies. From these trends, it is considered to reduce the weight of side doors, which are the outer panel parts of automobiles. For example, a lightweight aluminum extruded shape is used as an impact beam to be installed inside the door in order to increase the safety of passengers during a side collision. The material has been used. The impact beam made of an aluminum extruded profile has a mainly rectangular cross section, and as seen in Patent Documents 1 to 3 below, a bracket is fixed to the end of the extruded profile (bracket method), or The end portion is crushed in the vehicle width direction or the end portion is obliquely cut and bolted to the inner panel without a bracket (bracketless method). As one type of bracketless system, the end of the extruded profile may be welded to the inner panel.

On the other hand, domestic and overseas safety standards related to automobile crash safety are becoming stricter year by year, and regarding the side structure of the vehicle body including doors, it is required to satisfy the safety standards at the time of a deformable barrier collision to the side. Yes.
In order to increase the safety of passengers during a deformable barrier side collision, it is necessary to suppress entry of the barrier into the passenger compartment. As a method for realizing this, (1) the collision surface side of the door is covered with a strong member such as an impact beam, and secondarily, (2) a method of absorbing the collision energy by compressing and deforming the barrier is also used. . However, in the impact beam having a substantially rectangular cross section that has been generally used in the past, the projected area in the collision direction of the beam is small, so that the barrier cannot sufficiently be prevented from entering the vehicle interior from the door portion not covered by the beam. In addition, since the projected area of the beam is small and the compressive deformation of the barrier due to the beam reaction force occurs only in a narrow range, energy absorption due to the barrier deformation does not occur sufficiently, and there is a tendency for the barrier to enter the vehicle interior again. It was.

  7A and 7B show a case where a deformable barrier 3 simulating another vehicle collides with a side door 2 in which an impact beam 1 having a substantially rectangular cross section is installed inside (a white arrow indicates a collision direction). The deformation | transformation state of this side door 2 is shown typically. FIG. 7B shows that intrusion of the deformable barrier 3 into the vehicle interior increases at the door portion not covered with the impact beam 1.

JP-A-9-58386 JP 2001-301462 A JP 2007-39003 A

  A conventional aluminum extruded profile impact beam is generally composed of inner and outer flanges that are substantially parallel to each other and a plurality of webs that connect the inner and outer flanges substantially vertically, and has a cross section perpendicular to the extrusion direction. Since the shape is substantially rectangular and the width of both flanges in the same cross section is not so large, the barrier enters the vehicle compartment at the time of a deformable barrier side collision. On the other hand, if the width of both flanges of the aluminum extruded profile is increased and the number of webs is increased in accordance with the width (see FIG. 8), the impact surface side of the door can be covered widely in the vertical direction by the impact beam. It is possible to increase the strength against bending deformation, so that it is possible to more effectively prevent the deformable barrier from entering the vehicle interior. However, there is a problem that the weight increases and the effect of weight reduction decreases.

Furthermore, when an aluminum extruded profile having a substantially rectangular cross section is used as an impact beam, there are the following problems (see JP 2006-240420 A).
(1) When holes for attaching other parts (for example, brackets) are formed by press punching at the ends of the inner and / or outer flanges of the aluminum extruded profile, the web parallel to the pressing direction is deformed. In order to suppress this deformation, it is necessary to insert a tool called a core (or core metal) into the hollow inside of the shape member, which increases the production cost.
(2) As shown in FIG. 8, when the extruded shape member 4 is bolted (bolts 6a, nuts 6b) to other parts (for example, brackets) 5, as shown in FIG. As a result, the cross section of the extruded shape member 4 is deformed, and a predetermined bonding strength cannot be obtained. In order to prevent this, as shown in FIG. 9, a part of one flange 4a may be cut out by cutting to form a work hole 7, and bolted with the other flange 4b. It is necessary to provide two holes 7 and the bolt hole 8, which increases the production cost.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10, it is conceivable to insert another sleeve-like component 9 in the bolt joint portion to prevent crushing at the time of bolt joining, but there is a problem that the number of components increases and the weight increases. .
(3) When the end portion is crushed by the bracketless method, or when the end portion is obliquely cut, if the crushed portion is applied, the web is subject to extreme bending deformation and breakage, or the bending deformation resistance of this portion is extremely high. However, the oblique cutting has a problem that the production cost becomes high.
Further, when the inner flange is welded to the inner panel (for example, fillet weld) in a bracketless manner, there is a problem that the outer flange hinders the welding operation.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems that occur when an aluminum extruded profile having a closed cross section is used as an impact beam. When a side deformable barrier collides with a side door, the deformable barrier is a vehicle. The main purpose is to provide an impact beam that can more effectively suppress entry into the room. Furthermore, suppressing the weight increase of the side door, obtaining high joint strength between the impact beam and bracket (bracket method) or impact beam and inner panel (bracketless method), suppressing the increase in production cost and the number of parts. Etc. for other purposes.

The impact beam according to the present invention is an impact beam made of an aluminum extruded section that is joined to an inner panel of a side door of an automobile and disposed inside the door. The impact beam includes a plurality of closed cross-section portions and the plurality of the cross-section portions. It consists of a solid plate-like rib connecting the closed cross-section portions, and is arranged such that the plurality of closed cross-section portions are positioned in the vertical direction of the vehicle body inside the door.
There are a bracket-less method and a bracket method as specific joining forms of the impact beam and the inner panel. As the bracket-less method, for example, a bolt hole for joining the inner panel is formed in the plate-like rib, and this bolt hole is formed. As a bracket method, a bracket for joining to the inner panel is fixed to the plate-like rib, and the impact beam is joined to the inner panel via the bracket. Can be mentioned. In the bracketless system, welding can be considered.
Further, as a specific form of the impact beam, for example, each closed cross-section portion is arranged in parallel with the inner flange disposed on the passenger compartment side, the outer flange disposed on the outer side thereof, and the vehicle width direction. It is comprised by the some web which connects an outer side flange, The said inner flanges or outer flanges are connected via the said plate-shaped rib, and it is mentioned that it is continuing in flat form. In the present invention, the inner side generally means the passenger compartment side, and the outer side means the opposite side.

  The impact beam according to the present invention is formed by connecting a plurality of closed cross-section portions with plate-like ribs, and is disposed so that the plurality of closed cross-section portions are positioned in the vertical direction of the vehicle body. The projected area in the direction can be increased, and a large area on the collision surface side of the door is covered with an impact beam and has a plurality of closed cross sections, so that it has high strength against bending deformation. Thus, the intrusion of the deformable barrier toward the passenger compartment can be suppressed. Since the plate-like rib portion is not a closed cross section, the whole is lighter than that of the closed cross section, and the strength against bending deformation at the time of collision does not substantially decrease.

This impact beam is composed of a plurality of closed cross sections connected by solid (solid) plate-like ribs, so that the bracket (bracket method) and inner panel (bracketless method) can be fixed by fastening bolts. By setting the point to this plate-shaped rib, it is not necessary to use a tool such as a core or to form a work hole in one flange, and the bracket can be easily fixed by pressing the plate-shaped rib. A hole for joining to the inner panel can be formed, and a low-cost impact beam can be provided. Needless to say, there is no deformation of the impact beam cross section, which becomes a problem when the closed cross section is bolted, and there is no increase in the number of parts or an extra weight.
The same applies to the case where the bracket is fixed by other fixing means such as a self-piercing rivet (SPR). By setting the fixing point to a plate-like rib, it is not necessary to form a work hole in one of the flanges. The bracket can be fixed. Further, even when the impact beam is joined to the inner panel by welding or the like, the plate-like rib portion does not have an outer flange, so that the jig and the welding rod can be easily directed to the welding location, and workability is improved.
It is desirable that the plate-like rib is entirely flat or partly flat. When fixing the bracket to the location or joining the location to the inner panel, the structure of the bracket itself can be a simple structure with at least a hole in the flat plate, etc. There is an advantage that the cost can be reduced, and there is an advantage that the joining with the inner panel (bracketless method) also has a simple shape between the flat surfaces.

  In the impact beam according to the present invention, the inner flanges or the outer flanges of each closed cross-section portion are connected via the plate-like ribs to be connected in a flat plate shape (the whole is like a single flat plate). In this case, the plate-like rib is arranged at a position away from the center of bending (the center of the thickness of the impact beam), and the bending strength of the impact beam is improved accordingly. Further, the extrudability is improved by connecting the plate-like rib to the inner flange or the outer flange.

Hereinafter, the impact beam and the side door structure according to the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to FIGS.
The impact beam 11 shown in FIG. 1 is obtained by cutting an aluminum extruded profile into a predetermined length, and the cross-sectional shape thereof includes two closed cross-section portions 12 and 13 formed at intervals, and both closed cross-section portions 12 and 12. 13 is formed of solid plate-like ribs 15, and bolt holes (not shown) are formed in the plate-like ribs 15 at both ends, and the bracket 16 is bolted thereto (bolts 17 and nuts 18). In the present invention, the aluminum extruded profile is used to include an aluminum alloy extruded profile. On the other hand, the bracket is made of, for example, a steel plate, but other materials can also be used.

  The closed cross-sections 12 and 13 are rectangular with the same shape, and are composed of outer flanges 12a and 13a and inner flanges 12b and 13b that are parallel to each other, and webs 12c, 13c, 12d, and 13d perpendicular to them. Each has a uniform thickness and is basically flat. The plate-like ribs 15 are also flat with a uniform thickness, and are connected to the inner flanges 12b and 13b and connected in a flat plate shape. The plate-like rib 15 and both inner flanges 12b and 13c are as if they were one flat plate, and this plate (the plate-like rib 15 and both inner flanges 12b and 13c) can be regarded as one inner flange. The inner surface to which the bracket 16 of the plate-like rib 15 is fixed is a flat surface that is flush with the inner surfaces of the inner flanges 12b and 13b. The white arrow indicates the collision direction.

  The impact beam 11 is disposed inside the side door 2 (see FIG. 2) with the length direction directed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and the closed cross sections 12 and 13 positioned in the vertical direction of the vehicle body as usual. Then, bolts are joined to the inner panel 2a of the side door 2 (bolt holes are formed in the bracket 16 and the inner panel 2a, respectively). The impact beam 11 has a configuration in which two closed cross sections 12 and 13 are formed on one side of a plate (inner flange) made up of a plate-like rib 15 and both inner flanges 12b and 13b. In this case, the thickness in the vehicle width direction is small, and it can be installed comfortably inside a narrow door almost the same as a conventional impact beam.

According to this side door structure, the projected area of the impact beam 11 in the door collision direction is large, a wide area of the side door 2 is covered, and the impact beam 11 has two closed cross-section parts 12 and 13. Since it has high strength against bending deformation, it is possible to effectively suppress the penetration of the deformable barrier 3 toward the passenger compartment. Moreover, weight increase can be suppressed by forming the plate-like rib 15. FIG. 2 schematically shows a deformed state of the side door 2 when the deformable barrier 3 collides with the side door 2 on which the impact beam 11 is installed.
Further, since the plate-like rib 15 to which the bracket 16 is fixed is solid and flat, a bolt hole can be easily formed by pressing, and the bracket 16 also has a simple hole in the flat plate at least with respect to the attachment portion to the plate-like rib 15. Since it is possible to use a simple structure as described above, manufacturing is easy, and both can be reduced in cost, and there is no problem in fastening the plate-like rib 15 and the bracket 16 with bolts. Similarly, when the bracket 16 is fixed to the plate-like rib 15 with a self-piercing rivet, it can be easily constructed.

3 to 6 show other examples of the cross-sectional shape of the impact beam.
The impact beam 21 shown in FIG. 3A has the same positional relationship between the closed cross-section portions 22 and 23 and the plate-like rib 25 as the impact beam 11, but the inner flanges 22b and 23b of the closed cross-section portions 22 and 23 are respectively It extends outward (in the inner flange 22b, upward in the vehicle body, and in the inner flange 23b, downward in the vehicle body)). The bracket is fixed to the inner surface of the plate-like rib 25.
In the impact beam 31 shown in FIG. 3B, the outer flanges 32a and 33a and the inner flanges 32b and 33b of the closed cross sections 32 and 33 are extended outward. The bracket is fixed to the inner surface of the plate-like rib 35.
In the impact beam 41 shown in FIG. 3 (c), the outer flanges 42a and 43a of the closed cross-section portions 42 and 43 extend outward and inward (downward in the vehicle body at the outer flange 42a and upward in the vehicle body in the outer flange 43a), respectively. The inner flanges 42b and 43b are extended outward. The bracket is fixed to the inner surface of the plate-like rib 45.
Thus, by forming the extension part of each flange, the buckling strength with respect to bending deformation can be improved.

The impact beam 51 shown in FIG. 4A has three closed cross sections 52 to 54 and two plate-like ribs 55 a and 55 b, and the vertical length is longer than the impact beam 11. The bracket is fixed to the inner surface of one or both of the plate-like ribs 55a and 55b. The impact beam 51 is long in the vertical direction and can cover the side door widely in the vertical direction.
The impact beam 61 shown in FIG. 4B is different from the impact beam 11 in that the outer flanges 62a and 63a of the closed cross sections 62 and 63 have a semicircular shape. The bracket is fixed to the inner surface of the plate-like rib 65. The impact beam 71 shown in FIG. 4C has a large radius of curvature at the connecting portion (corner portion) between the outer flanges 72a and 73a of the closed cross-section portions 72 and 73 and the webs 72c, 72d, 73c and 73d. Different from the impact beam 11. The bracket is fixed to the inner surface of the plate-like rib 75. Since the impact beams 61 and 71 are formed with round corners of the outer flanges 62a, 63a, 72a and 73a, the gap between the side door and the outer panel can be reduced, and the rise of the reaction force at the time of collision is accelerated.

  The impact beam 81 shown in FIG. 5A is different from the impact beam 51 in that the outer flange flanges 82a, 83a, and 84a of the closed cross-section portions 82, 83, and 84 are curved in an arc shape as a whole. The bracket is fixed to the inner surface of one or both of the plate-like ribs 85a and 85b. The impact beam 91 shown in FIG. 5B is different from the impact beam 11 in that the outer flanges 92a and 93a of the closed cross-section portions 92 and 93 are curved in an arc shape as a whole. The bracket is fixed to the inner surface of the plate-like rib 95. The outer flanges 82a, 83a, 84a, 92a, and 93a of the impact beams 81 and 91 have an inner shape of the outer panel of the side door as compared with the outer flanges 52a, 53a, 54a, 12a, and 13a of the impact beams 51 and 11, respectively. It is a shape along the side, and the gap with the outer panel of the side door can be reduced, so that the reaction force rises quickly in the event of a collision. In addition, the same effect | action can be acquired by setting it not only in circular arc shape but in the shape along the outer panel inner surface shape of a side door.

The impact beam 101 shown in FIG. 6A has the same cross-sectional shape as the impact beam 11, but the installation direction inside the side door is reversed. That is, the plate-like rib 105 is connected to the outer flanges 102a and 103a of the closed cross-section portions 102 and 103, and is continuous in a flat plate shape. The plate-like rib 105 and both outer flanges 102a and 103a constitute one plate, and this plate (the plate-like rib 105 and both inner flanges 102b and 103c) can be regarded as one outer flange. The bracket is fixed to the inner surface of the plate-like rib 105.
In the impact beam 111 shown in FIG. 6B, the plate-like rib 115 is connected to the outer flanges 112 a and 113 a of the closed cross-section portions 112 and 113 as in the case of the impact beam 101, but the center portion of the plate-like rib 115 is the inner side. It is bent into a trapezoid shape. A portion corresponding to the top side of the trapezoid at the center is a flat flat portion 115a, in which a bolt hole (not shown) is formed, and a bracket 116 is fixed to an inner surface thereof. In the case of the impact beam 101, a part of the bolt (or nut) protrudes outside the outer surface of the plate-shaped rib 105, but the impact beam 111 can be accommodated inside the outer surface of the plate-shaped rib 105. It is advantageous to be placed inside a narrow door.
As described above, the impact beam may be arranged so that the plate-like rib is connected to the outer flange and located outside the vehicle body, or may not be entirely linear (flat plate-like).
6A and 6B, when the plate-like ribs are connected to the outer flange, the pressure receiving area at the time of collision can be increased, but the bolt connection (fixing of bracket, inner In contrast, in the case where the plate ribs are connected to the inner flange (impact beams 11 to 91), the pressure receiving area is slightly reduced, but the bolts are easily joined.

  In the above example, the bracket type impact beam has been described, but each impact beam can be used as it is as an impact beam of a bracketless type (directly bolted or welded to the inner panel). In the above example, the bracket is bolted to the plate-like rib of the impact beam, but other fixing means such as a self-piercing rivet (SPR) can be used.

1 is an end view of an impact beam according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing explaining a deformation | transformation form when a deformable barrier collides with the side door which installed the impact beam which concerns on this invention. FIG. 6 is an end view of another impact beam according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is an end view of another impact beam according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is an end view of another impact beam according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is an end view of another impact beam according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing before the collision (a) explaining the deformation | transformation form when a deformable barrier collides with the side door which installed the conventional impact beam, and (b) after a collision. It is sectional drawing explaining the problem at the time of the bolt joining of the aluminum extrusion shape material of a substantially rectangular cross section, and other components. It is a perspective view explaining the problem in the case of press-molding a bolt hole in an aluminum extrusion shape material. It is sectional drawing explaining the problem in the case of bolt-joining the aluminum extrusion shape material of a substantially rectangular cross section, and other components.

Explanation of symbols

11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 91, 101, 102 Impact beam 12, 13, 22, 23, 32, 33, 42, 43, 52, 53, 54, 62, 63, 72 73, 82, 83, 84, 92, 93, 102, 103, 112, 113 Closed section 12a, 13a, 22a, 23a, 32a, 33a, 42a, 43a, 62a, 63a, 72a, 73a, 82a, 83a 84a, 92a, 93a, 102a, 103a, 1112a, 1113a Outer flanges 12b, 13b, 22b, 23b, 32b, 33b, 42b, 43b Inner flanges 15, 25, 35, 45, 55a, 55b, 65, 75, 85a , 85b, 95, 105, 115 Plate-shaped rib 16, 116 Bracket

Claims (8)

It is an impact beam made of extruded aluminum material that is joined to the inner panel of an automobile side door and placed inside the door, and consists of a plurality of closed cross sections and solid plate-like ribs connecting the plurality of closed cross sections. An impact beam for a side door of an automobile, wherein the plurality of closed cross-sectional portions are arranged in the vertical direction of the vehicle body inside the door. The impact beam for an automobile side door according to claim 1, wherein a bolt hole for joining to the inner panel is formed in the plate-like rib. The impact beam for an automobile side door according to claim 1, wherein a bracket for joining to the inner panel is fixed to the plate-like rib. Each closed cross-section portion is constituted by an inner flange disposed on the passenger compartment side, an outer flange disposed on the outer side thereof, and a plurality of webs disposed substantially parallel to the vehicle width direction and connecting the inner and outer flanges, The impact beam for a side door of an automobile according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inner flanges or the outer flanges are connected via the plate-like ribs and are connected in a flat plate shape. An impact beam is disposed between the outer panel and the inner panel, and the impact beam includes a plurality of closed cross-section portions and solid plate-like ribs that connect the plurality of closed cross-section portions, and the impact beam is joined to the inner panel. A side door structure for an automobile, wherein a plurality of closed cross sections of the impact beam are arranged so as to be positioned in a vertical direction of the vehicle body. 6. The side door structure for an automobile according to claim 5, wherein the impact beam is bolted to the inner panel through a hole formed in the plate-like rib. 6. The side of an automobile according to claim 5, wherein a bracket for joining to the inner panel is fixed to the plate-like rib, and the impact beam is joined to the inner panel via the bracket. Door structure. Each closed cross-section portion is constituted by an inner flange disposed on the passenger compartment side, an outer flange disposed on the outer side thereof, and a plurality of webs disposed substantially parallel to the vehicle width direction and connecting the inner and outer flanges, The side door structure for an automobile according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the inner flanges or the outer flanges are connected to each other via the plate-like ribs and are connected in a flat plate shape.

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