JP2011201389A - Vehicle body upper part structure for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sufficiently retain the restraining performance of a sitting person by a seat belt even if an inertia force of the sitting person given to a center pillar through a shoulder anchor or the like through a front collision is excessive.SOLUTION: A pillar inner panel 17 includes: an inner panel 24 for bonding front and rear panels 22, 23 to each other; and front and rear outward flanges 25, 26 formed on the front and rear panels 22, 23. The front and rear outward flanges 25, 26 on the upper end part of the center pillar 8 are bonded to a roof side rail 29 by spot welding S3, S4. The shoulder anchor 49 for hooking the seat belt 47 is mounted to a portion of the inner panel 24 on a midway part of the center pillar 8. In a vertical direction, a bead 54 extending in a longitudinal direction is formed on the upper end part of the inner panel 24 at a position higher than the spot welding S4 part of the rear outward flange 26. The rear end part of the bead 54 is positioned at a side rearer than the rear end part on the upper end part of the inner panel 24.

Description

  According to the present invention, an upper end portion of a pillar inner panel forming a side surface of a center pillar casing is spot-welded to a roof side rail, and a front bump is formed on a portion of the pillar inner panel in a longitudinal middle portion of the center pillar. The present invention relates to a vehicle body upper structure to which a shoulder anchor of a seat belt that supports an inertia force of an occupant is attached.

  Conventionally, the vehicle body upper structure of the vehicle is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below. According to this publication, the sheet metal pillar inner panel in which the casing of the center pillar forms the side surface is separated from each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, the rear panel, and the casings in these front and rear panels. An inner panel that integrally joins each end edge of the waves to each other, and a front and rear outward flange formed integrally with each other end edge of the front and rear panels. Front and rear outward flanges at the upper end of the center pillar are joined to the roof side rail by spot welding. A shoulder anchor for attaching the seat belt is attached to a portion of the inner panel in the middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the center pillar.

  When the vehicle travels, a seated person who is seated on a seat inside the vehicle body is normally restrained by the seat belt. When the vehicle collides with a certain object located in front of the vehicle while traveling forward (front collision), the seat occupant tries to move forward from the seat side due to the inertial force. The seat belt is supported mainly by a center pillar via a shoulder anchor that hooks the seat belt, and the forward movement of the seated person from the seat side is prevented. In other words, the seated person at the time of the front collision is held and protected while being restrained on the seat by the seat belt.

JP 9-328080 A

  By the way, the inertial force of the seated person at the time of the front collision is supported by the center pillar via the shoulder anchor as described above. Specifically, the inertial force is supported by the inner panel of the center pillar via the shoulder anchor. Here, if the inertial force is excessive, the inertial force causes the inner panel to begin to deform toward the front, and the front panel of the rearward outward flange is caused by the rear panel interlocked therewith. It begins to deform so as to be pulled away from the roof side rail by being pulled toward the vehicle interior side in the vehicle body width direction.

  Then, a large tensile stress is generated in the spot welded portion of the rear outward flange with respect to the roof side rail, and this welded portion may be broken. Then, if the rear outward flange is peeled off from the roof side rail due to this breakage, the seat belt is unnecessarily loosened, so that the restraining performance of the seated person by the seat belt is reduced. Arise.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above-described circumstances, and the object of the present invention is to prevent the above-mentioned problem due to a frontal collision when the vehicle travels in which a seated person is restrained via a seat belt and a shoulder anchor on the seat. Even if the inertia force of the seat occupant applied to the center pillar via the shoulder anchor or the like is excessive, the restraint performance of the seat occupant by the seat belt is maintained well.

In the invention of claim 1, the sheet metal pillar inner panel 17 in which the casing 10 of the center pillar 8 forms the side surface is opposed to each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 2, the rear panels 22, 23, The casing 10 in the rear panels 22 and 23 is formed integrally with the inner panel 24 that integrally couples one end edges of the wings to each other and the other end edges of the front and rear panels 22 and 23. Front and rear outward flanges 25 and 26 are provided, and the front and rear outward flanges 25 and 26 at the upper end of the center pillar 8 are joined to the roof side rail 29 by spot welding S3 and S4. In the vehicle body upper structure of the vehicle in which a shoulder anchor 49 for hooking the seat belt 47 is attached to a portion of the inner panel 24 in the middle in the longitudinal direction,
A bead 54 extending in the front-rear direction is formed at the upper end of the inner panel 24 at a position equal to or higher than the height of the spot weld S4 portion of the rear outward flange 26 in the vertical direction, and the rear end of the bead 54 is the above-mentioned The vehicle body upper structure is characterized in that it is positioned rearward of the rear end portion of the upper end portion of the inner panel 24.

  In addition, in this section, the reference numerals and drawing numbers appended to the above terms are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention to the “Example” section and the contents of the drawings described later.

  The effects of the present invention are as follows.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the sheet metal pillar inner panel in which the casing of the center pillar forms a side wall faces the front panel, the rear panel, and the front and rear panels of the front panel and the rear panel. Each of the one end edges of the center pillar and the front and rear panels are formed integrally with the other end edges of the front and rear panels. The front and rear outward flanges of the vehicle are connected to the roof side rail by spot welding, and the vehicle body upper part of the vehicle is mounted with a shoulder anchor that hangs the seat belt on the inner panel in the middle part of the center pillar in the longitudinal direction. In structure
A bead extending in the front-rear direction is formed at the upper end portion of the inner panel at a position equal to or higher than the height of the spot welded portion of the rear outward flange in the vertical direction, and the rear end portion of the bead is the upper end portion of the inner panel. It is made to be located behind the rear end of the.

  For this reason, since the strength of the external force from the front-rear direction of the vehicle body with respect to the upper end portion of the inner panel is improved by the bead, the front panel is given to the inner panel through the seat belt and the shoulder anchor at the time of a front collision. Even if the inertial force of the seated passenger is excessive, the inertial force prevents the inner panel from being deformed to move forward.

  Therefore, it is possible to prevent the inner panel from being deformed forward by the inertial force, and the spot welding of the rearward outward flange with respect to the roof side rail is sequentially broken in conjunction with the deformation. The peeling of the rear outward flange of the pillar inner panel from the side rail is prevented. As a result, even if the inertial force of the seated person at the time of the front collision is excessive, the restraining performance of the seated person by the seat belt is maintained well.

  In addition, since the above-described good holding performance of the restraint is achieved by forming a bead on the upper end portion of the inner panel of the pillar inner panel, the thickness of the pillar inner panel is increased or a separate reinforcing material is used. It can suppress providing. Therefore, good holding of the restraining performance can be achieved with a light and simple configuration.

It is the perspective view which looked at the vehicle body from the passenger compartment. It is a partial side surface simplified view of a vehicle. FIG. 2 is a development view of FIG. 1. It is the side view which looked at the vehicle body from the passenger compartment. It is sectional drawing which looked at the thing of FIG. 4 from the back of a vehicle body. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 4. FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 4.

  The vehicle body superstructure of the present invention relates to the inertia of a seated person given to the center pillar through the shoulder anchor or the like due to a front collision when the vehicle travels in which the seated person is restrained via a seat belt and a shoulder anchor on the seat. In order to realize the object of maintaining the seating person's restraining performance satisfactorily by the seat belt even if the force is excessive, a form for carrying out the present invention is as follows.

  That is, in the upper body structure of the vehicle, the sheet metal pillar inner panels that form the side surfaces of the center pillar casing face each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, face the front panel, the rear panel, and the front and rear panel casings. An inner panel that integrally couples one end edges of the glue to each other, and a front and rear outward flange formed integrally with each other end edge of the front and rear panels. The front and rear outward flanges at the upper end of the center pillar are joined to the roof side rail by spot welding, and a shoulder anchor is attached to the inner panel portion at the midway in the longitudinal direction of the center pillar. It is done.

  A bead extending in the front-rear direction is formed at the upper end portion of the inner panel at a position equal to or higher than the height of the spot welded portion of the rear outward flange in the vertical direction. The rear end portion of the bead is positioned behind the rear end portion of the upper end portion of the inner panel.

  In order to explain the present invention in more detail, an embodiment thereof will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a vehicle exemplified by an automobile, and an arrow Fr indicates the front in the traveling direction of the vehicle 1.

  The vehicle 1 includes a sheet metal body 2 and a front wheel 4 and a rear wheel 4 before the body 2 is supported on the traveling surface 3. The vehicle body 2 includes a vehicle body lower member 6 composed of a side sill and a floor panel, front and center pillars 7 and 8 projecting upward from respective side portions of the vehicle body lower member 6, and upper ends of the pillars 7 and 8. And a roof 9 supported by the portion. The interior space of the vehicle body 2 surrounded by the vehicle body lower member 6, the pillars 7 and 8, and the roof 9 is a vehicle compartment 10. Rear door openings 11 and 12 are formed in the front and rear areas of the center pillar 8 before the inside and outside of the vehicle compartment 10 are communicated, and the door openings 11 and 12 are closed so as to be opened and closed from the outside of the vehicle body 2. Front and rear side doors 13 and 14 are provided.

  The center pillar 8 includes a pillar inner panel 17 and a pillar outer panel 18 that face each other in the width direction of the vehicle body 2 and a pillar reinforcing panel that is sandwiched between the panels 17 and 18 and reinforces both the panels 17 and 18. 19. The pillar inner panel 17 forms the outer surface of the casing 10 of the center pillar 8, and the pillar outer panel 18 forms the outer surface of the center pillar 8.

  The pillar inner panel 17 is integrated with the front and rear panels 22 and 23 facing each other in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 2 and the one end edges of the front and rear panels 22 and 23 of the passenger compartment 10 of the rear panel 22 and 23. And the front and rear flanges 25 and 26 are formed integrally with the other end edges of the front and rear panels 22 and 23, respectively. Thereby, the said pillar inner panel 17 is made into the hat shape where each cross section of the longitudinal direction (up-down direction) is convex toward the passenger compartment 10.

  The roof 9 includes left and right roof side rails 29 that extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 2 by constituting left and right sides thereof, a roof panel 30 that is supported by the left and right roof side rails 29, and the left and right roof sides. A roof reinforcing panel 31 is supported by being laid on and supported by the rail 29 and supports and reinforces the roof panel 30 from below, and each side of the roof side rail 29 and the roof reinforcing panel 31 is installed. A roof gusset panel 32 that reinforces the roof reinforcement panel 31 is provided.

  The roof side rail 29 is sandwiched between a rail inner panel 35 and a rail outer panel 36 facing each other in the width direction of the vehicle body 2, and both the panels 35, 36 to reinforce both the panels 35, 36. A coupling panel 38 that is interposed between the rail inner panel 35 and the rail reinforcement panel 37 at the same position as the center pillar 8 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 2 and the rail reinforcing panel 37; An extension panel 39 that integrally extends downward from the lower edge of the rail inner panel 35 at the same position as the center pillar 8 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 2 is provided. In this case, the upper end edge of the pillar outer panel 18 of the center pillar 8 and the lower end edge of the rail outer panel 36 of the roof side rail 29 corresponding to the upper end edge are formed integrally with each other.

  In the center pillar 8, the front outward flange 25 of the pillar inner panel 17 and the front end edges of the pillar outer panel 18 and the pillar reinforcing panel 19 are coupled to each other by spot welding S <b> 1. The flange 26 and the respective rear end edges of the pillar outer panel 18 and the pillar reinforcing panel 19 are spot-welded S2.

  An extension panel 39 of the roof side rail 29 is sandwiched between the upper end portions of the pillar inner panel 17 and the pillar reinforcing panel 19 at the upper end portion of the center pillar 8. The upper end portion of the front outward flange 25 and the front end edges of the pillar outer panel 18, the pillar reinforcing panel 19 and the extension panel 39 are spot-welded S3, and the upper end portion of the rear outer flange 26 of the pillar inner panel 17 is The rear outer edge of the pillar outer panel 18, the pillar reinforcing panel 19, and the extended panel 39 are spot welded S4. By the spot welding S1 to S4, the center pillar 8 has a closed cross-section structure in which each section in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) is hollow, and has sufficient strength and rigidity.

  In the roof 9, each of the upper edge portions of the rail inner panel 35, the rail outer panel 36 and the rail reinforcing panel 37 of the roof side rail 29 and the side edge portion of the roof panel 30 are spot-welded S 5, and the rail inner panel. Each lower end edge portion of 35 and the rail outer panel 36 is spot-welded S6. By the spot welding S5 and S6, the roof side rail 29 has a closed cross-sectional structure in which each section in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction of the vehicle body 2) is hollow, and has sufficient strength and rigidity.

  Above the spot welds S3 and S4, the front and rear upper ends of the inner panel 24 of the pillar inner panel 17 of the center pillar 8 and the rail inner panel 35 of the roof side rail 29 are spot welded S7 and S8. Yes. The upper end edge of the pillar reinforcing panel 19 of the center pillar 8 and the connecting panel 38 of the roof side rail 29 are spot-welded S9 (FIG. 5). Further, above the spot welds S7 and S8, the upper edge of the inner panel 24 of the pillar inner panel 17, the middle part of the rail inner panel 35 of the roof side rail 29 in the vertical direction, the coupling panel 38, and the roof gusset The bottom edge of the panel 32 is spot welded S10. By the spot welding S3, S4, S7 to S10, the upper end portion of the center pillar 8 and the midway portion in the longitudinal direction of the roof side rail 29 are firmly coupled.

  The upper edge of the roof side rail 29 and the side edge of the roof reinforcing panel 31 are spot welded S11, and the rail inner panel 35 of the roof side rail 29 and the lower edge of the roof gusset panel 32 are spot welded. The roof reinforcing panel 31 and the upper edge of the roof gusset panel 32 are spot-welded S13. By these spot welds S10 to S13, the roof panel 30 of the roof 9 is firmly reinforced by the roof reinforcing panel 31 and the roof gusset panel 32.

  A seat 43 having a driver as a seated person 42 is provided in front of the center pillar 8 and on the right side of the front portion of the passenger compartment 10. The seat 43 is supported by the vehicle body lower member 6. A three-point seat belt device 44 is provided that allows the seated person 42 seated on the seat 43 to be restrained on the seat 43.

  The seat belt device 44 is fixed to the lower portion of the center pillar 8, and is connected to a retractor 45, generally referred to as ELR, so that one end is elastically wound around the retractor 45, and the other end is the seat 43. A seat belt 47 fixed to the vehicle body lower member 6 side by an anchor 46 is provided in the vicinity of the side of the vehicle outer side.

  The seat belt device 44 is attached to a middle part (upper part) in the longitudinal direction of the center pillar 8 by a fastener 48, and a shoulder for latching the middle part of the seat belt 47 so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction. A seat belt 47 between the anchor 49, a buckle 50 connected to the vehicle body lower member 6, in the vicinity of the side of the seat 43 in the width direction of the vehicle body 2 in the vehicle body 2 width direction, and between the anchor 46 and the shoulder anchor 49. There is provided a tongue plate 51, which is slidably latched in the longitudinal direction thereof and detachably latched to the buckle 50. Specifically, the shoulder anchor 49 is attached to the middle portion of the inner panel 24 of the pillar inner panel 17 in the upper part of the center pillar 8 by the fastener 48 in the middle of the width direction (front-rear direction).

  The middle part of the seat belt 47 from the anchor 46 to the tongue plate 51 and the other middle part of the seat belt 47 from the tongue plate 51 to the shoulder anchor 49 are seated on the seat 43. The seat 42 is restrained on the seat 43 by elastically contacting the seat 43.

  In the above configuration, a bead that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 2 at the upper end of the inner panel 24 at a position that is equal to or higher than the height of the spot weld S4 between the rearward outward flange 26 and the roof side rail 29 in the vertical direction. 54 is formed. The bead 54 is convex toward the side of the vehicle compartment 10, and the rear end portion of the bead 54 is located behind the rear end portion of the upper end portion of the inner panel 24. Specifically, the rear end portion of the bead 54 and the rear end portion of the upper end portion of the inner panel 24 are located at the same position in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 2.

  At the time of a frontal collision of the vehicle 1, the seated person 42 tries to move forward from the seat 43 side by the inertial force F. The inertial force F is applied to the seatbelt 47 and a shoulder anchor that holds the seatbelt 47. 49, which is mainly supported by the inner panel 24 of the center pillar 8 and prevents the seated person 42 from moving forward from the seat 43 side.

  Here, when the inertial force F is excessive and the inner panel 24 is deformed to move forward by the inertial force F, the rear panel 23 interlocked with the deformation of the inner panel 24 is An attempt is made to pull the front portion of the facing flange 26 away from the roof side rail 29 by pulling the front portion of the direction flange 26 toward the inside of the passenger compartment 10 in the width direction of the vehicle body 2.

  When this occurs, in particular, a large tensile stress is generated in the welded portion of the spot weld S4 at the upper end portion of the rearward outward flange 26 with respect to the roof side rail 29, and the welded portion is broken. The rear outward flange 26 is peeled off from the side rail 29, and the seat belt 47 is loosened unnecessarily, resulting in a disadvantage that the restraining performance of the seated person 42 by the seat belt 47 is lowered.

  However, according to the above-described configuration, the bead 54 that extends in the front-rear direction is formed at the upper end of the inner panel 24 at a position equal to or higher than the height of the spot weld S4 portion of the rear outward flange 26 in the vertical direction. The rear end of the bead 54 is positioned behind the rear end of the inner panel 24.

  For this reason, since the strength of the external force from the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 2 with respect to the upper end portion of the inner panel 24 is improved by the bead 54, the vehicle heads forward through the seat belt 47 and the shoulder anchor 49 at the time of a front collision. Even if the inertial force F of the seated person 42 applied to the inner panel 24 is excessive, the inner panel 24 is prevented from being deformed forward by the inertial force F.

  Therefore, the inner panel 24 is deformed forward by the inertial force F, and the spot welding S4 of the rearward outward flange 26 with respect to the roof side rail 29 is prevented from breaking in conjunction with the deformation. That is, peeling of the rear outward flange 26 of the pillar inner panel 17 from the roof side rail 29 is prevented. As a result, even if the inertial force F of the seated person 42 at the time of the front collision is excessive, the restraining performance of the seated person 42 by the seat belt 47 is maintained well.

  Further, since the above-described good holding performance of the restraint is achieved by forming the bead 54 on the upper end portion of the inner panel 24 of the pillar inner panel 17, the thickness of the pillar inner panel 17 can be increased, Providing a separate reinforcing material can be suppressed. Therefore, good holding of the restraining performance can be achieved with a light and simple configuration.

  Further, the bead 54 formed at the upper end portion of the inner panel 24 of the pillar inner panel 17 of the center pillar 8 has a convex shape toward the side of the vehicle compartment 10.

  For this reason, since the cross-sectional area of the center pillar 8 including the bead 54 is enlarged, the strength and rigidity of the upper end portion of the center pillar 8 are improved. Therefore, the center pillar 8 is more reliably prevented from being deformed by the inertial force F of the seated person 42 at the time of the front collision, and therefore, the pillar inner panel 17 from the roof side rail 29 described above faces outward. The separation of the flange 26 is more reliably prevented, and the restraint performance is more reliably maintained better.

  Further, front and rear concave seat surfaces 56 and 57 are formed at the upper end portion of the inner panel 24 near the upper side of the bead 54, and these concave seat surfaces 56 and 57 are formed on the roof side by spot welding S7 and S8. The rail 29 is coupled to the rail inner panel 35 of the rail 29. Further, in the side view of the vehicle body 2 (FIG. 4), the rear concave seating surface 57 is disposed in the vicinity of the ridge line 58 that is a mountain-like connecting portion between the rear panel 23 and the inner panel 24 in the pillar inner panel 17. The bead 54 and the rear concave seating surface 57 are connected to each other.

  For this reason, the cross-section of the combined body 54, 57 of the bead 54 and the rear concave seat surface 57 has a continuous concave and convex shape, and the rear concave seat surface 57 is rail welded to the rail inner panel 35 of the roof side rail 29 by spot welding S8. Therefore, the strength and rigidity of the upper end portion of the inner panel 24 of the pillar inner panel 17 are more effectively improved. Accordingly, the pillar inner panel 17 is more reliably prevented from being deformed by the inertial force F of the seated person 42 at the time of the front collision, so that the pillar inner panel 17 from the roof side rail 29 faces outward. Separation of the flange 26 is further reliably prevented, and the restraint performance is more reliably maintained better.

  Further, in the side view of the vehicle body 2 (FIG. 4), the portion of the outward flange 26 of the pillar inner panel 17 above the spot weld S4, behind the bead 54, and below the rear concave seat surface 57 A step portion 60 is formed. The step portion 60 is formed such that the lower portion is positioned on the outer side of the vehicle body 2 than the upper portion in the portion of the outward flange 26.

  And according to the said level | step-difference part 60, the intensity | strength and rigidity of the rear panel 23 of the pillar inner panel 17 connected with this level | step-difference part 60 can be improved. Therefore, the pillar inner panel 17 is more reliably prevented from being deformed by the inertial force F of the seated person 42 at the time of the front collision, and therefore the pillar inner panel 17 from the roof side rail 29 described above faces outward. The separation of the flange 26 is more reliably prevented, and the restraint performance is more reliably maintained better.

  Even if the welded portion of the spot weld S8 of the rear concave seat surface 57 is broken by the inertial force F, in this case, the stepped portion 60 is extended by the inertial force F, and the inertial force is increased. An increase in the load on the spot weld S4 due to F is suppressed. Therefore, peeling of the rear outward flange 26 of the pillar inner panel 17 from the roof side rail 29 is more reliably prevented, and the restraint performance is more reliably maintained better.

  Although the above is based on the illustrated example, the spot weld S4 portion between the rearward outward flange 26 and the roof side rail 29 and the bead 54 may be located at the same height in the vertical direction. Further, the rear end portion of the bead 54 is positioned behind the rear end portion at the upper end portion of the inner panel 24, that is, the rear end portion of the bead 54 is formed on the rear panel 23. Good. The rear end of the bead 54 may be formed to extend along the ridge line 58.

  Further, the bead 54 may be convex toward the outside of the vehicle body 2, and in this case, it is preferable that the rear concave seat surface 57 is a convex seat surface. In this way, the cross-section of the combined body 54, 57 of the bead 54 and the rear concave seating surface 57 becomes a continuous uneven shape, and the same effect as described above is produced.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle 2 Car body 8 Center pillar 9 Roof 10 Car compartment 17 Pillar inner panel 18 Pillar outer panel 19 Pillar reinforcement panel 22 Front panel 23 Rear panel 24 Inner panel 25 Outward flange 26 Outward flange 29 Roof side rail 35 Rail inner panel 36 Rail Outer panel 37 Rail reinforcement panel 38 Connection panel 39 Extension panel 42 Seated person 43 Seat 44 Seat belt device 47 Seat belt 49 Shoulder anchor 54 Bead 56 Concave surface 57 Concave surface 58 Ridge line 60 Stepped part S Spot welding F Inertia force

Claims (1)

The sheet metal pillar inner panel in which the casing of the center pillar forms the front side is separated from each other in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, the rear panel, and the front and rear panel cabins are connected to each end edge of the side. An inner panel integrally coupled to each other, and front and rear outward flanges integrally formed at the other end edges of the front and rear panels, and front and rear outward at the upper end of the center pillar In a vehicle body upper structure of a vehicle in which a flange is coupled to a roof side rail by spot welding, and a shoulder anchor is attached to a portion of the inner panel in the middle part of the center pillar in the longitudinal direction.
A bead extending in the front-rear direction is formed at the upper end portion of the inner panel at a position equal to or higher than the height of the spot welded portion of the rear outward flange in the vertical direction, and the rear end portion of the bead is the upper end portion of the inner panel. A vehicle body upper structure, characterized in that the vehicle body is located rearward of the rear end of the vehicle.

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