JP2010254187A - Pillar structure for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pillar structure for a vehicle capable of ensuring required bending strength while attaining light weight. <P>SOLUTION: The pillar structure 10 for the vehicle includes a center pillar 12 of an opened cross section structure inwardly opened in a vehicle width direction as a whole; a hinge reinforcement 28 provided in the opened cross section of the center pillar 12 and reinforcing a fixed portion of a door hinge in the center pillar 12; and a seat belt slider reinforcement 30 for supporting a seat belt slider 32 movably in a vehicle vertical direction. In the seat belt slider reinforcement 30, a vehicle lower end part is bonded to a vehicle upper end of the hinge reinforcement 28 in the opened cross section of the center pillar 12 and the vehicle upper end part is fixed by a roof side rail 16. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a pillar structure for a vehicle.

  A pillar structure in which a reinforcement is disposed in a closed cross section formed by a pillar outer and a pillar inner is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). Further, a structure is known in which a guide rail that supports an adjustable anchor so as to be slidable in the vehicle vertical direction is fixed to the passenger compartment side of the pillar inner (for example, see Patent Document 2). Further, there is known a center pillar structure in which a pillar outer and a pillar inner both facing inward in the vehicle width direction are fitted to form an open cross-sectional structure as a whole (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2001-199361 A JP 2001-328507 A JP 2007-331571 A

  However, the conventional techniques as described above are not efficient from the standpoint of ensuring both the bending strength of the pillar and reducing the weight, and there is room for improvement.

  An object of the present invention is to obtain a vehicle pillar structure capable of ensuring a required bending strength while reducing the weight.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, a pillar structure for a vehicle includes a pillar body having an open cross-sectional structure that is opened inward in the vehicle width direction as a whole, an open section of the pillar body, and a door hinge in the pillar body. Hinge reinforcement for reinforcing the fixed portion, and a lower end in the vehicle vertical direction within the open section of the pillar body are coupled to an upper end in the vehicle vertical direction of the hinge reinforcement, and an upper end in the vehicle vertical direction Is supported in the vehicle width direction by a roof skeleton member extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction at the upper end portion of the pillar main body or the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the roof, and a belt anchor support for supporting the seat belt slider so as to be movable in the vehicle vertical direction And a member.

  In the pillar structure for a vehicle according to claim 1, the belt anchor support member is supported in the vehicle width direction at the upper end portion by the upper end portion of the pillar body or the roof skeleton member, and the lower end portion is hinged within the open section of the pillar body. It is connected to the vehicle top of the reinforcement. For this reason, a belt anchor support member will be arrange | positioned in the vehicle width direction outer side compared with the structure fixed to the vehicle width direction inner surface (outside a closed cross section) in the pillar of a closed cross-section structure, for example. That is, the belt anchor support member is disposed on the side subjected to compression accompanying bending due to side collision in the pillar body. Thereby, a pillar main body is efficiently reinforced with respect to a bending using a belt anchor support member, and it contributes to the weight reduction as the whole pillar structure.

  Thus, in the vehicle pillar structure according to the first aspect, the required bending strength can be ensured while reducing the weight.

  A vehicle pillar structure according to a second aspect of the present invention is the vehicle pillar structure according to the first aspect, wherein the belt anchor support member is located in the open section of the pillar body over the entire length.

  In the vehicle pillar structure according to claim 2, since the belt anchor support member is located in the open section of the pillar main body over the entire length, in other words, the belt anchor support member is generally inward in the vehicle width direction of the pillar main body. It is located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the opening end of the vehicle. For this reason, the belt anchor support member is disposed on the compression side of the pillar main body, and the pillar main body is efficiently reinforced against bending by the belt anchor support member.

  The pillar structure for a vehicle according to a third aspect of the present invention is the pillar structure for a vehicle according to the first or second aspect, wherein an upper end portion of the belt anchor support member is a front-rear direction of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction outer end of the roof. The roof frame member is coupled to the roof frame member in contact with the outside of the roof frame member extending in the vehicle width direction.

  In the vehicle pillar structure according to the third aspect, the vehicle upper end portion of the belt anchor support member is in contact with and coupled to the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the roof frame member. Thereby, the belt anchor support member can receive the load input from the seat belt via the seal belt anchor at the upper end portion of the belt anchor support member as a whole on the contact surface with the roof skeleton member. For this reason, the belt anchor support member can support the load from the seat belt with an appropriate plate thickness, and contributes to weight reduction of the entire pillar structure.

  As described above, the pillar structure for a vehicle according to the present invention has an excellent effect that a required bending strength can be ensured while reducing the weight.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 1-1 of FIG. 4 showing the vehicle pillar structure according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 4 illustrating the vehicle pillar structure according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the main members of the pillar structure for vehicles which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 1 is a side view showing a schematic structure of an automobile to which a vehicle pillar structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is sectional drawing corresponding to FIG. 1 which shows the pillar structure for vehicles which concerns on the modification of embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the pillar structure for vehicles which concerns on the comparative example with embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the main member of the pillar structure for vehicles which concerns on the comparative example with embodiment of this invention.

  A vehicle pillar structure 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Note that an arrow FR appropriately shown in the drawing indicates a forward direction in the vehicle longitudinal direction, an arrow UP indicates an upward direction in the vehicle vertical direction, an arrow IN indicates an inner side in the vehicle width direction, and an arrow OUT indicates an outer side in the vehicle width direction. First, a schematic configuration of the automobile 11 to which the vehicle pillar structure 10 is applied will be described, and then a main part of the vehicle pillar structure 10 will be described.

  FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of a part of the automobile 11 to which the vehicle pillar structure 10 is applied. 1 is shown in a cross-sectional view taken along line 1-1 in FIG. 4, and FIG. 2 is shown in a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. As shown in these drawings, the automobile 11 includes a center pillar 12. The center pillar 12 is a skeletal member that is raised along a vehicle vertical direction from a substantially middle portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction in a rocker 14 that is a skeleton member at the outer end in the vehicle width direction that is elongated in the vehicle longitudinal direction. .

  The upper end portion of the center pillar 12 in the vehicle vertical direction is connected to the vehicle front-rear direction intermediate portion of the roof side rail 16 as a roof frame member. A passenger opening / closing door opening 20 surrounded by the center pillar 12, the rocker 14, the roof side rail 16, and the front pillar 18 is formed on the front side of the center pillar 12 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. On the other hand, a door opening 24 surrounded by the center pillar 12, the rocker 14, the roof side rail 16, the rear pillar 22, and the like is formed on the rear side in the vehicle longitudinal direction with respect to the center pillar 12.

  Further, as shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 4, door hinges 26 of a rear side door (not shown) for opening and closing the door opening 24 are provided at two positions above and below the middle part of the center pillar 12 in the vertical direction of the vehicle. It is attached. The lower part including the attachment portion of the door hinge 26 in the center pillar 12 is reinforced by a hinge reinforcement 28. Specific structures of the center pillar 12 and the hinge reinforcement 28 will be described later.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, a seat belt slider reinforcement 30 as a belt anchor support member is provided on the vehicle interior side above the middle portion of the center pillar 12 in the vehicle vertical direction. The seat belt slider reinforcement 30 is elongated in the vehicle vertical direction along the center pillar 12 and supports a seat belt slider (seat belt adjuster rail) 32 so that the position in the vehicle vertical direction can be adjusted by sliding. .

  The seat belt slider 32 protrudes into the vehicle interior so as to be operable from the vehicle interior side with respect to the pillar garnish 33 as an interior member (design member) that covers the center pillar 12 from the vehicle interior side. A shoulder anchor (not shown) around which an intermediate portion of the seat belt webbing is wound is attached to the seat belt slider 32.

  The upper end portion of the center pillar 12 described above in the vehicle vertical direction is connected to the intermediate portion of the roof side rail 16 in the vehicle front-rear direction. The roof side rail 16 is configured such that a roof side skeleton member 34 constituting a main skeleton part thereof is covered with a roof side outer panel 36 from the outside of the vehicle, and the roof panel 38 constituting the roof of the automobile 11 has a vehicle width direction. It is joined to the outer end. Further, a roof reinforcement 40 that extends in the vehicle width direction and reinforces the roof panel 38 is joined to the lower surface of the intermediate portion of the roof panel 38 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Further, the roof reinforcement 40 and the roof side frame member 34 are connected by a center pillar gusset 42. The center pillar gusset 42 in this embodiment is fastened at the inner end in the vehicle width direction by fastening means 52 made up of bolts 52A and nuts 52B, and the roof side skeleton member 34 (described later) by spot welding at the outer end in the vehicle width direction. To the outer convex portion 34A and the inner convex portion 34B).

  In this embodiment, the roof side skeleton member 34 has an open cross-sectional structure composed of a single member. Specifically, the roof side skeleton member 34 opens to the inside of the vehicle and protrudes outward from the vehicle, and the roof side skeleton member 34 opens to the outside of the vehicle on the vehicle lower side of the outside protrusion 34A and also inside the vehicle. The inner convex portion 34B projecting in the direction is connected to form a substantially wave shape. Also. The roof side skeleton member 34 is composed of a high-tensile steel plate. The high-tensile steel plate in this embodiment refers to, for example, an automotive steel plate having a tensile strength of 350 MPa or more, and a high-tensile steel plate having a tensile strength of 590 MPa or more may be referred to as an ultra-high strength steel plate. As a result, the roof side skeleton member 34 in this embodiment has an open cross-sectional structure as described above, but can obtain sufficient strength against bending due to side collision or rollover. The roof side frame member 34 described above may be regarded as the roof frame member in the present invention.

  Further, in the automobile 11, the roof panel 38 and the roof reinforcement 40 are covered from below the vehicle (vehicle interior side) with a roof head lining 44 as a ceiling material. Furthermore, a curtain airbag device 46 is disposed between the roof side rail 16 and the end of the pillar outer reinforcement 44 in the vehicle width direction.

  In the vehicle pillar structure 10 applied to the automobile 11 described above, as shown in FIG. 2, the center pillar 12 has an open cross-sectional structure that opens inward in the vehicle width direction as a whole. Specifically, the center pillar 12 includes a pillar outer panel 48 having a cross-sectional hat shape that opens inward in the vehicle width direction and a pillar outer reinforcement 50 having a cross-sectional hat shape that opens inward in the vehicle width direction. By joining at 48A and 50A, the open cross-sectional structure as described above is formed.

  In this embodiment, the pillar outer reinforcement 50 is formed of a high-strength steel plate, thereby forming a main skeleton part of the center pillar 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper end portion 50 </ b> B in the vehicle vertical direction of the pillar outer reinforcement 50 is joined to the outer surface of the outer convex portion 34 </ b> A of the roof side skeleton member 34 by spot welding or the like. On the other hand, the pillar outer panel 48 is formed together with the roof side outer panel 36 as a part of a cycle outer (side outer panel) that is a large press part forming the outer plate portion of the automobile 11. In this embodiment, the pillar outer reinforcement 50 alone or a structure in which the pillar outer reinforcement 50 and the pillar outer panel 48 are joined corresponds to the pillar main body in the present invention.

  The hinge reinforcement 28 has a cross-sectional “U” shape that opens inward in the vehicle width direction, and is joined to the lower inner surface of the pillar outer reinforcement 50 by spot welding or the like. The attachment part (refer FIG. 4) of the door hinge 26 is reinforced. In this embodiment, the hinge reinforcement 28 is configured to reinforce the center pillar 12 against bending.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 has a cross-sectional hat shape that opens outward in the vehicle width direction, and is formed at the lower end of the vehicle in the vertical direction as shown in FIGS. The lower flange 30A and the upper flange 30B formed at the upper end of the vehicle in the vertical direction. The seat belt slider reinforcement 30 is coupled to the upper end portion 28A of the hinge reinforcement 28 in the vertical direction of the vehicle at the lower flange 30A. In this embodiment, the lower flange 30A of the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 is formed at a substantially intermediate position between the upper end 28A of the hinge reinforcement 28 and the pillar outer reinforcement 50 in the vehicle vertical direction by fastening means 52 including bolts 52A and nuts 52B. Fastened to the part.

  On the other hand, the upper flange 30 </ b> B of the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 is joined to the roof side frame member 34. In this embodiment, the upper flange 30B of the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 has a lower flange 34C extending downward in the vehicle vertical direction from the vehicle width direction outward opening edge of the inner convex portion 34B of the roof side skeleton member 34, The fastening means 52 is fastened and fixed in contact with the vehicle width direction outside.

  In the vehicle pillar structure 10, the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 is arranged close to the bottom side of the center pillar 12 having an open cross section, that is, the outside in the vehicle width direction. Specifically, in the seat belt slider reinforcement 30, at least the lower flange 30A and the upper flange 30B are arranged on the outer side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the opening surface 50C inward in the vehicle width direction of the pillar outer reinforcement 50. In this embodiment, the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 is disposed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the opening surface 50C at each position in the vehicle vertical direction. In other words, the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 can be regarded as being disposed in the open cross section of the center pillar 12.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

  In the vehicle pillar structure 10 configured as described above, for example, when a collision load inward in the vehicle width direction is input to the center pillar 12 due to a side collision with the automobile 11, the center portion in the vehicle vertical direction is opposed to both ends of the center pillar 12. Bending such as displacement inward in the vehicle width direction occurs. Along with this bending, a compressive load acts on the outer portion of the center pillar 12 in the vehicle width direction.

  Here, in the vehicle pillar structure 10, the hinge reinforcement 28 and the seat in which the vehicle width direction outer side portion of the center pillar 12 (mainly the pillar outer reinforcement 50) is connected at the vehicle vertical direction intermediate portion of the center pillar 12. Reinforced by the belt slider reinforcement 30. For this reason, in the vehicle pillar structure 10, necessary strength is secured against compression (hereinafter, simply referred to as “compression”) accompanying bending due to a side collision with the automobile 11. That is, in the vehicle pillar structure 10, the center pillar 12 is efficiently reinforced against compression using a reinforcing member that also functions as another function, which contributes to weight reduction.

  This point will be supplemented while comparing with the vehicle pillar structure 100 according to the comparative example shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In the vehicle pillar structure 100 according to the comparative example, the center pillar 102 includes a pillar outer reinforcement 104 having a shape similar to the pillar outer reinforcement 50, and a pillar inner panel 106 that closes an opening end of the pillar outer reinforcement 104. And a main skeleton portion having a closed cross-sectional structure, and the main skeleton portion is covered with a pillar outer panel 48 (not shown in FIG. 7). In the vehicle pillar structure 100, the seat belt slider reinforcement 108 is fixed to the pillar inner panel 106 at both the upper and lower ends. Further, in the vehicle pillar structure 100, the hinge reinforcement 110 is extended to the vehicle upper portion of the center pillar 102 (installation range of the seat belt slider reinforcement 108).

  In the vehicle pillar structure 100 according to this comparative example, the center pillar 102 ensures necessary strength by the pillar outer reinforcement 104 and the hinge reinforcement 110 against the compressive load. That is, in the center pillar 102 having a closed cross-sectional structure having the pillar inner panel 106, the seat belt slider reinforcement 108 cannot be used as a reinforcing member for the side collision by being arranged on the compression side of the center pillar 102, and the hinge reinforcement 110 is extended to the upper part of the vehicle to secure the strength against bending.

  On the other hand, in the vehicle pillar structure 10 according to the present embodiment, the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 can be arranged on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, that is, on the compression side with respect to the center pillar 12 having an open cross-sectional structure. As a result, the lower flange 30A of the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 and the upper end portion 28A of the hinge reinforcement 28 are combined and used as a reinforcing member against compression as described above, thereby realizing efficient reinforcement. In particular, in the vehicle pillar structure 10, the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 is disposed in the interior (space) of the pillar outer reinforcement 50 over substantially the entire length, in other words, along the pillar outer reinforcement 50. Since the reinforcing member is disposed, more efficient reinforcement by the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 and the hinge reinforcement 28 is realized.

  Thus, in the vehicle pillar structure 10, as described above, since the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 is used as a reinforcing member against compression to achieve efficient reinforcement of the center pillar 12, compared with the comparative example described above. The hinge reinforcement 28 can be downsized (shortened). Thereby, in the vehicle pillar structure 10, the weight can be reduced by at least the upper portion of the seat belt slider reinforcement 108 and the pillar inner panel 106 compared to the vehicle pillar structure 100 according to the comparative example.

  Here, in the vehicle pillar structure 10, for example, when an occupant is restrained by a seat belt webbing due to a frontal collision of the automobile 11 or when a seat belt anchorage test or the like is performed, the seat pillar slider 32 is used. A load is transmitted to the seat belt slider reinforcement 30. At this time, in the vehicle pillar structure 10, the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 is joined in a state where the upper flange 30B is in contact with the lower flange 34C of the roof side frame member 34 from the outside in the vehicle width direction. The entire surface of the portion can receive a load from the seat belt slider 32.

  In the vehicle pillar structure 100 according to the comparative example described above, the seat belt slider reinforcement 108 is fastened to the inner surface in the vehicle width direction of the pillar inner panel 106 by the fastening means 52, so that the nut 52B (bolt 52A). The load of the seat belt slider 32 is received only by the area of the heel diameter (portion protruding from the bolt shaft). Therefore, in the vehicle pillar structure 100, it is necessary to increase the diameter of the nut 52B (bolt 52A) or increase the plate thickness of the seat belt slider reinforcement 108 in order to ensure the required strength from the seat belt device. Yes, the mass will increase.

  On the other hand, in the vehicle pillar structure 10, since the load from the seat belt slider 32 (seat belt device) is received by the entire contact portion of the upper flange 30B with the lower flange 34C as described above, the diameter of the bolt 52A and the seat The required strength from the seat belt device can be secured without depending on the thickness of the belt slider reinforcement 30. Therefore, in the vehicle pillar structure 10, the required strength from the seat belt device can be ensured while the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 has an appropriate thickness, which also contributes to weight reduction.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the upper flange 30B of the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 is independently joined to the lower flange 34C of the roof side skeleton member 34 is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, for example, As shown in FIG. 5, the upper flange 30 </ b> B may be fastened (co-fastened) to the lower flange 34 </ b> C together with the lower flange 42 </ b> A formed in the center pillar gusset 42. This configuration contributes to a reduction in the number of assembling steps for the vehicle body.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the example in which the roof side rail 16 has the single roof side skeleton member 34 as the main skeleton portion is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the roof side inner and the roof side The vehicle pillar structure 10 may be applied to the automobile 11 in which the roof side rail 16 is configured with a closed cross-section structure formed by joining with the outer as a main skeleton.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the example in which the seat belt slider reinforcement 30 is fixed to the lower flange 34C of the roof side frame member 34 in the upper flange 30B is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, The flange 30 </ b> B may be joined to the vicinity of the upper end of the pillar outer reinforcement 50.

10 Vehicle pillar structure 12 Center pillar (pillar body)
16 Roof side rail (roof frame member)
26 Door Hinge 28 Hinge Reinforcement 30 Seat Belt Slider Reinforcement (Belt Anchor Support Member)
32 Seat belt slider 34 Roof side frame member (roof frame member)
50 pillar outer reinforcement (pillar body)

Claims (3)

Pillar body with an open cross-sectional structure that is opened inward in the vehicle width direction as a whole
A hinge reinforcement provided in an open section of the pillar body, for reinforcing a fixed portion of a door hinge in the pillar body;
The lower end portion of the vehicle vertical direction in the open section of the pillar main body is coupled to the upper end portion of the hinge reinforcement in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the upper end portion of the vehicle vertical direction is the upper end portion of the pillar main body or the vehicle width of the roof. A belt anchor support member supported in the vehicle width direction by a roof skeleton member extending in the vehicle front-rear direction at the outer end in the direction, and supporting the seat belt slider so as to be movable in the vehicle vertical direction
Pillar structure for vehicles with   The vehicle pillar structure according to claim 1, wherein the belt anchor support member is located in an open section of the pillar main body over the entire length.   The upper end portion of the belt anchor support member is coupled to the roof skeleton member in a state of being in contact with the outer side of the roof skeleton member extending in the vehicle front-rear direction at the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the roof. The vehicle pillar structure according to claim 1 or 2.

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