JP2013091458A - Center pillar structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a center pillar structure capable of keeping the number of components small while securing sufficient strength.SOLUTION: In the center pillar structure including an outer panel 21 and an inner panel 31 each of which is obtained by molding a plate material in a three-dimensional shape, the outer panel 21 and inner panel 31 are joined to each other via a joint surface to form a closed cross-section shape part 41 elongated in a vertical direction. In the inner panel 31, streaky protrusions 35 elongated in the vertical direction in such a manner as to protrude to a vehicle interior side from the joint surface 23 are molded on the sides of both edges in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, and each streaky recess 37 elongated in the vertical direction in such a manner as to be depressed to the side of the outer panel 21 with respect to the center C of figure in a horizontal section of the closed cross-section shape part 41 is molded between the front and rear streaky protrusions 35.

Description

  The present invention relates to a center pillar structure in which an outer panel and an inner panel are joined to form a closed cross-sectional shape portion that extends in the vertical direction.

  In the center pillar structure of the vehicle, a closed cross-sectional shape portion extending in the up-down direction is formed by joining an outer panel and an inner panel formed of a plate material into a three-dimensional shape. In many cases, a seat belt retractor is mounted on the lower end side of the center pillar.

  In such a center pillar structure, various reinforcements are arranged in the vertical direction on the outer panel side of the closed cross-sectional shape portion in order to ensure sufficient strength when stress from the outside in the vehicle width direction to the inside of the vehicle is applied. (For example, refer to Patent Documents 1 to 3 below).

An example of a conventional center pillar structure is shown in FIGS.
In this center pillar structure, as shown in FIG. 5, an outer panel 51 and an inner panel 52 obtained by forming plate materials into a three-dimensional shape are joined together with a plurality of reinforcements 53 extending in the vertical direction interposed therebetween. . The upper and lower ends are joined to the roof side rail component 54 and the rocker component 55.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the outer panel 51 and the inner panel 52 are joined to form a closed cross-sectional shape portion 56, and a reinforcement 53 is disposed in the closed cross-sectional shape portion 56. The reinforcement 53 is fixed in a state of being sandwiched between the joint surfaces of the outer panel 51 and the inner panel 52, and is normally placed on the outer panel 51 side, so that it is loaded from the vehicle width direction outer side to the vehicle inner side. Sufficient strength is secured against stress.

  In this center pillar structure, as shown in FIG. 7, an opening 52a for mounting the retractor 57 is provided on the lower end side of the inner panel 52, and a part or all of the retractor 57 is accommodated in the opening 52a. It is fixed in the state. Since the opening 52a is provided in the inner panel 52, strength reduction is prevented by arranging the reinforcement 53 on the outer panel 51 side of this part.

JP 2010-95087 A JP 2009-101794 A JP 2008-230453 A

  However, in the conventional center pillar structure, the reinforcement 53 having various shapes is disposed at various positions, thereby obtaining a large reaction force against the stress applied from the vehicle width direction outer side to the vehicle inner side. In particular, at the portion where the retractor 57 is mounted, the opening 52a is provided in the inner panel 52, so that reinforcement by the reinforcement 53 is necessary.

  For this reason, in the conventional center pillar structure, a large number of parts have to be joined to each other, the number of parts is large, it is not easy to join them together, and labor is required for manufacturing. Moreover, since the number of parts is large, the weight is easily increased and it is difficult to reduce the weight.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a center pillar structure capable of suppressing the number of parts while ensuring sufficient strength.

  The center pillar structure of the present invention that achieves the above-described object includes an outer panel and an inner panel formed by molding a plate material into a three-dimensional shape, and the outer panel and the inner panel are joined to each other at a joint surface, thereby closing in the vertical direction. It is a center pillar structure in which a cross-sectional shape is formed, and the inner panel is provided on both edge sides in the vehicle front-rear direction and protrudes from the joint surface toward the passenger compartment side and extends in the vertical direction, and the front and rear A streak-shaped concave portion that is provided between the streaky convex portions and is recessed in the outer panel side and extending in the vertical direction from the centroid in the horizontal section of the closed cross-sectional shape portion is formed.

This center pillar structure can be applied to a structure in which a seat belt retractor is disposed on the vehicle compartment side of the streak-like concave portion on the lower end side.
In this center pillar structure, it is preferable that the line-shaped convex part and the line-shaped concave part are provided substantially continuously between the roof side rail and the rocker. Further, it is preferable that a patch is installed between the streaky convex portions.

According to the present invention, the streak-like convex portions protruding from the joint surface to the vehicle compartment side are provided on the both sides of the inner panel in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the outer panel side from the centroid between the streaks. A streak-like recess that is recessed up to is provided.
Therefore, when a stress is applied from the outside in the vehicle width direction to the inside of the vehicle, the compressive stress acting on the outer panel side from the centroid is the streak between the outer panel in the closed cross section and the inner panel arranged on the outer panel side. Can be received by the concave portion. Further, the tensile stress acting on the passenger compartment side from the centroid can be received by the line-like convex portions before and after the inner panel in the closed cross-sectional shape portion. Furthermore, a large section modulus can be ensured by the streaky convex portions of the inner panel and the side walls of the streaky concave portions provided in a wide range from the vehicle compartment side to the outer panel side than the centroid from the joint surface.

  Therefore, even if no reinforcement is arranged between the outer panel and the inner panel, it is possible to realize a sufficient strength of the center pillar against a stress applied from the outside in the vehicle width direction to the inside of the vehicle. As a result, it is possible to provide a center pillar structure that can reduce the number of components while ensuring sufficient strength.

It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the center pillar structure in embodiment of this invention. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. 1 which shows the center pillar structure in embodiment of this invention. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG. 1 which shows the center pillar structure in embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the lower part of the center pillar structure in embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows an example of the conventional center pillar structure. It is CC sectional drawing of FIG. 5 which shows an example of the conventional center pillar structure. It is DD sectional drawing of FIG. 5 which shows an example of the conventional center pillar structure.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the center pillar 11 is disposed vertically between the roof side rail 13 and the rocker 15, and a door opening 17 is provided adjacent to the vehicle front-rear direction. A seat belt retractor 19 is fixed to the lower end side of the center pillar 11. A garnish or trim material is mounted on the vehicle compartment side, but detailed illustration is omitted.

  The center pillar structure of this embodiment is configured by joining an outer panel 21 and an inner panel 31 formed into a three-dimensional shape. The outer panel 21 is obtained by forming a plate material into a three-dimensional shape by pressing or the like, and is formed integrally and continuously with the outer panel 13 a of the roof side rail 13 and the outer panel 15 a of the rocker 15.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the outer panel 21 includes a joint surface 23 formed on both side edges in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a convex portion formed between the joint surfaces 23 so as to protrude outward in the vehicle width direction. 25. The joint surface 23 and the convex portion 25 are formed by bending or bending a plate material by, for example, drawing or bending, and are integrally provided over substantially the entire length of the center pillar 11 in the vertical direction.

  The outer panel 21 is conventionally made using a high-strength plate material. As the plate material constituting the outer panel 21, for example, a plate material such as high-tensile steel different from the plate material constituting the inner panel 31 can be cited. Here, a steel material having a tensile strength of 440 MPa and a plate thickness t of 1.2 mm is used. I use it.

  The inner panel 31 is obtained by forming a plate material such as ultra-high strength steel into a three-dimensional shape by pressing or the like. As shown in FIG. 1, the inner panel 31 is integrated with the inner panel 13 b of the roof side rail 13 and the inner panel 15 b of the rocker 15. It is formed continuously. Here, a steel material having a tensile strength of 980 MPa and a plate thickness t of 2.0 mm is used.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inner panel 31 is formed on both side edges in the vehicle front-rear direction between the joint surfaces 33 formed on both side edges in the vehicle front-rear direction and the front and rear joint surfaces 33. A line-shaped convex part 35 and a line-shaped concave part 37 formed between the front and rear line-shaped convex parts 35 are provided. The joint surface 33, both streaky convex portions 35, and streaky concave portions 37 are formed by bending or curving a plate material by, for example, drawing or bending, and are integrally formed over substantially the entire length of the center pillar 11 in the vertical direction. Is formed. In this embodiment, the line-shaped convex part 35 and the line-shaped recessed part 37 are arrange | positioned seamlessly over the substantially full length between the roof side rail 13 and the rocker 15. FIG.

  The streak-shaped convex part 35 protrudes from the joint surface 33 toward the passenger compartment and extends in the vertical direction. The protruding amount of the line-like convex portion from the joint surface 33 is smaller on the lower end side than the upper side of the center pillar 11. In the streak-like convex portion 35, a top portion 35a having a curved surface shape without a corner portion is disposed closest to the vehicle compartment side, and side wall portions 35b on both sides in the front-rear direction of the top portion 35a are disposed along the vehicle width direction. Here, the space between the front and rear streak-shaped convex portions 35 is wider on the lower end side than the upper side of the center pillar 11.

The streak-like concave portion 37 is provided continuously from the side wall portions 35b of the two streaky convex portions 35, and is recessed from the vehicle compartment side and extends in the vertical direction. In the streak-like concave portion 37, a flat bottom portion 37a along the vehicle front-rear direction is disposed in the vicinity of the outer panel 21, and side wall portions 37b are disposed along the vehicle width direction from both front-rear sides of the bottom portion 37a. Both side wall portions 37b are smoothly continuous with the side wall portions 35b of the streak-like convex portions 35 so as to form substantially the same surface here.
As a result, the streak-shaped concave portion 37 is formed in a shape that is largely recessed toward the outside of the vehicle and extends vertically. The width in the front-rear direction at the bottom 37 a of the streak-shaped recess 37 is wider on the lower end side than above the center pillar 11.

  In the center pillar 11 of the present embodiment, the joint surface 23 of the outer panel 21 and the joint surface 33 of the inner panel 31 face each other and are joined by welding or the like, so that a closed cross-sectional shape portion extending in the vertical direction is formed. 41 is formed over the entire length between the roof side rail 13 and the rocker 15.

  In the closed cross-sectional shape portion 41, the streak-shaped recess 37 is provided so as to be recessed from the centroid C in the horizontal cross section at each position in the vertical direction, and the bottom portion 37 a of the streak-shaped recess 37 is disposed outside the centroid C. Arranged on the side. The centroid is the position that is the center of the shape of the outer panel 21 and the inner panel 31 in each cross section in the vertical direction. Specifically, it is the center position of the closed cross-sectional shape portion 41 formed by the joint surface 23 of the outer panel 21, the convex shape portion 25, the joint surface 33 of the inner panel 31, the streaky convex portion 35, and the streaky concave portion 37.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a single patch or a plurality of patches 43 arranged between the front and rear streak portions 35 are disposed on the vehicle side of the closed cross-sectional shape portion 41, and welded to the streak portions 35. Etc. are joined together. The patch 43 is formed of a plate material having a length between the streaky convex portions 35, for example.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a seat belt retractor 19 is mounted on the lower end side of the closed cross-section portion 41 adjacent to the rocker 15. An arrangement space for the retractor 19 is provided on the passenger compartment side of the streak-like recess 37 on the lower end side of the closed cross-sectional shape part 41, and the retractor 19 is accommodated in the streak-like recess 37 as shown in FIG. These are fixed to fixing portions provided in the patch 43, the rocker 15 or the like. Here, a large opening is not provided through the inner panel 31 in order to accommodate the retractor as in the prior art.

  According to the center pillar structure having the above-described configuration, the straight protrusions 35 that protrude from the joint surfaces 23 and 33 toward the passenger compartment side are provided on the both sides of the inner panel 31 in the vehicle front-rear direction. A streak-like recess 37 that is recessed from the streak-like projection 35 to the outer panel 21 side from the centroid C is provided.

  Therefore, when a stress from the outside in the vehicle width direction to the inside of the vehicle is applied, the compressive stress acting on the outer panel 21 side from the centroid C is arranged on the outer panel 21 in the closed cross-sectional shape portion 41 and on the outer panel 21 side. It can be received by the bottom 37a of the streak-shaped recess 37 of the inner panel 31. Further, the tensile stress acting on the vehicle compartment side from the centroid C can be received by the streaky convex portions 35 before and after the inner panel 31 in the closed cross-sectional shape portion 41. Further, the section coefficient is increased by the side wall portions 35b and 37b of the inner panel 31 provided in a wide range between the position on the vehicle compartment side with respect to the joint surfaces 23 and 33 and the position on the outer panel 21 side with respect to the centroid C. Can be secured.

Therefore, even if no reinforcement is arranged between the outer panel 21 and the inner panel 31, it is possible to achieve sufficient strength of the center pillar 11 against stress applied from the vehicle width direction outer side to the vehicle inner side.
As a result, it is possible to provide a center pillar structure that can reduce the number of components while ensuring sufficient strength. Further, by reducing the number of parts, it is possible to simplify the manufacturing effort, reduce the cost, reduce the mass, and reduce the weight of the vehicle body.

  In this center pillar structure, the seat belt retractor 19 is fixed to the passenger compartment side of the lower-side streaky recess 37, so there is no need to provide an opening for disposing the retractor 19 on the lower end side of the inner panel 31. . Therefore, the strength on the lower side of the center pillar can be greatly improved, the configuration on the lower side of the center pillar can be simplified, and the number of parts can be reliably reduced.

  In addition, since the streak-shaped recess 37 is provided to be recessed toward the outer panel 21 with respect to the centroid C in the horizontal section of the closed section-shaped portion 41, the streak-shaped recess 37 is formed sufficiently deep. Therefore, the retractor 19 is not disposed in a state of excessively projecting toward the passenger compartment side, and it is possible to prevent the interior design of the passenger compartment side from being deteriorated.

  In this center pillar structure, the line-shaped convex part 35 and the line-shaped concave part 37 are provided substantially continuously between the roof side rail 13 and the rocker 15, so that the section coefficient of the inner panel 31 is substantially the entire length of the center pillar. Can be provided continuously. Therefore, it is possible to secure a sufficient strength against the stress applied from the outside in the vehicle width direction of the center pillar to the inside of the vehicle, and it is difficult to generate a portion where the stress is easily concentrated.

  In this center pillar structure, since the patch 43 is installed between the streaky convex portions 35, when a stress is applied from the outer side in the vehicle width direction to the inner side of the vehicle, the streak convex portion 35 or the streaky concave portion 37 falls down. It is possible to prevent the section modulus from decreasing due to deformation in the direction, and to maintain sufficient strength more reliably.

  In this center pillar structure, since the outer panel 21 uses a plate material having a strength higher than that of the conventional one, when the stress is applied from the outer side in the vehicle width direction toward the passenger compartment side, the strength on the compression side is improved. It is possible to improve the strength of the center pillar structure efficiently while suppressing an increase in mass.

The above embodiment can be appropriately changed within the scope of the present invention.
For example, in the above description, the example in which the outer panel 21 and the inner panel 31 are formed integrally with the constituent members of the roof side rail 13 and the constituent members of the rocker 15 has been described. You may comprise so that the outer panel 21 and the inner panel 31 which were made may be connected to the roof side rail 13 or the rocker 15. FIG.

  In the above description, the streak-shaped convex part 35 and the streak-shaped recessed part 37 are provided on substantially the entire length of the center pillar 11. For example, between the lower end of the center pillar 11 where the center pillar 11 is connected to the rocker 15 and the center pillar 11 in the vertical direction. The streak-like convex part 35 and the streak-like concave part 37 may be provided continuously. It can also be provided at other sites.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which no reinforcement is arranged in the center pillar structure has been described. However, it is also possible to arrange the reinforcement. Even in that case, since the strength of the closed cross-sectional shape portion 41 made up of the outer panel 21 and the inner panel 31 is high, the used reinforcement can be suppressed to a small extent, and the same effect as the above embodiment can be obtained. it can.

C Centroid 11 Center pillar 13 Roof side rail 13a Outer panel 13b Inner panel 15 Rocker 15a Outer panel 15b Inner panel 17 Door opening 19 Retractor 21 Outer panel 23 Joint surface 25 Convex part 31 Inner panel 33 Joint surface 35 Streaky convex part 35a Top portion 35b Side wall portion 37 Streaky recess portion 37a Bottom portion 37b Side wall portion 41 Closed cross-section shape portion 43 Patch 51 Outer panel 52 Inner panel 52a Opening 53 Reinforcement 54 Roof side rail component member 55 Rocker component member 56 Closed cross-section shape portion 57 Retractor

Claims (4)

The center pillar structure includes an outer panel and an inner panel formed by molding a plate material into a three-dimensional shape, and the outer panel and the inner panel are joined to each other at a joining surface to form a closed cross-sectional shape portion extending in the vertical direction. And
The inner panel is provided between the front and rear direction edge portions of the vehicle and protrudes from the joint surface toward the passenger compartment side and extends in the vertical direction. A center pillar structure in which a streak-like concave portion that is recessed toward the outer panel side and extends in the vertical direction from the centroid in a horizontal section of the cross-sectional shape portion is formed.   The center pillar structure according to claim 1, wherein a seat belt retractor is disposed on a vehicle compartment side of the streak-like concave portion on the lower end side.   The center pillar structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the line-shaped convex part and line-shaped concave part are provided substantially continuously between the roof side rail and the rocker.   The center pillar structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a patch is installed between the streaky convex portions.

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