JP2015067159A - Vehicle body upper structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle body upper structure which can efficiently resist a load at the time of lateral collision without impairing tensile rigidity of a roof panel.SOLUTION: A vehicle body upper structure comprises: a pair of left and right roof side rails extending to a longitudinal direction of a vehicle; a roof panel connected to each roof side rail; an upper side brace part which extends to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, is connected to each roof side rail, and is disposed along the roof panel on an indoor side of the roof panel; a pair of left and right brackets connected to the lower part of left and right ends of the upper side brace part respectively and forming a closed cross section with the left and right ends of the upper side brace part; and a lower side brace part extending to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and connected to the lower part of each bracket.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle body upper structure having a pair of roof side rails extending in the front-rear direction and a roof panel connected to the roof side rail.

  Generally, in an automobile vehicle, roof side rails extending in the front-rear direction are provided above left and right door openings, and a roof panel as an outer plate member is connected to each roof side rail. A roof panel reinforcement for connecting the roof side rails. A roof structure is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to the invention described in Patent Document 1, the connecting bracket is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape surrounding the airbag inflator from above, and one end edge in the radial direction of the connecting bracket supports the end edge portion of the reinforcement main body from below. In this state, it is bolted to the end edge portion, and the other end edge of the connection bracket is connected to the roof side rail.

  In addition, the rear pillars are formed on the roof side rails on both sides of the roof forming the roof of the passenger compartment, and the ends of the roof arch members are joined to each other, and the roof panel is joined to the intersection where these three members are joined. In the vehicle upper structure, both leg portions of the U-shaped reinforcing bracket are joined to the inner member of the rear pillar, and the upper surface of the reinforcing bracket connected to the both leg portions is disposed outside the inner member of the rear pillar. There has also been proposed a vehicle upper structure in which a reinforcing panel is joined and an outer portion disposed outward is joined to the reinforcing panel (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2009-73373 A JP 2009-40100 A

However, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, since the roof panel reinforcement is not formed along the roof panel, the roof panel cannot be supported by the leaf panel reinforcement, and the tension rigidity of the roof panel is ensured. I can't. This may impair the merchantability of the vehicle.
Further, in the invention described in Patent Document 2, a load is transmitted to the inner member of the pillar portion at the time of a side collision, and the amount of movement of the pillar portion into the vehicle interior may increase.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle body upper structure capable of efficiently resisting a load at the time of a side collision without impairing the tension rigidity of the roof panel. There is to do.

  According to the present invention, a pair of left and right roof side rails extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, a roof panel connected to each roof side rail, and the roof panel extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle and connected to each roof side rail. A pair of left and right upper braces disposed along the roof panel and a pair of left and right sides that are connected to the lower sides of the left and right ends of the upper brace and form a closed cross section with the left and right ends of the upper brace. There is provided a vehicle body upper structure provided with a bracket and a lower brace portion extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle and connected to the lower side of each bracket.

According to this vehicle body superstructure, when a load is applied from the roof side rail to the indoor side during a side collision, the load can be resisted at two locations, the upper brace portion and the lower brace portion. As a result, the amount of movement of the pillars, roof side rails, and the like to the indoor side during a side collision can be suppressed, and passengers in the vehicle compartment can be protected accurately.
Moreover, since a closed cross section is formed by the upper brace part and each bracket, both ends of the upper brace part have relatively high strength. And since the lower brace part was connected to this high intensity | strength part, a deformation | transformation of the attachment part of a lower brace part can be suppressed, and a load can be made to act on a lower brace part exactly.
Furthermore, the total plate thickness of each brace part can be made thinner than one conventional brace part by sharing the strength required for one brace part between the upper brace part and the lower brace part. The weight of the vehicle body can be reduced. In particular, since the closed cross section is formed by the upper brace portion and the lower brace portion, the section modulus is dramatically improved as compared to the case of one brace portion. Furthermore, not only the strength at the time of a collision but also the rigidity of the entire vehicle body is improved, and the steering stability of the vehicle is improved.
The roof panel can be supported by the upper brace formed along the roof panel, and the tension rigidity of the roof panel is not impaired.

  In the vehicle body superstructure, components of the sunroof device may be disposed between the upper brace portion and the lower brace portion.

  According to this vehicle body superstructure, by disposing the component parts of the sunroof device between the upper brace part and the lower brace part, in the vehicle equipped with the sunroof, the arrangement position of the component parts of the sunroof device can be lowered or It is possible to accurately protect the occupant during a collision without wasting space.

  In the vehicle body upper structure, the sunroof device may include an inflator portion, and a support member that supports the inflator portion may be provided across the lower brace portion and the roof side rail.

  According to this vehicle body upper structure, it is possible to directly transmit the load applied to the indoor side from the roof side rail at the time of a side collision through the support member to the lower brace part. Further, a closed cross section is formed by the lower brace portion, the support member, the roof side rail, and the bracket, so that the rigidity and strength of the vehicle body are further improved. Furthermore, the input from the roof side rail can be received at two places, that is, the bracket and the support member, and the load of the moment acting on the roof side rail can be resisted accurately.

  In the vehicle body upper structure, the lower brace part includes a connection part connected to the bracket, an obliquely extending part extending obliquely downward from the left and right inner ends of the connection part toward the left and right inner sides, and the extending part. Left and right inner ends of the lower brace part, and the support member may be connected to the left and right extension part.

  According to this vehicle body upper structure, the load acting on the roof side rail at the time of a side collision is mainly a load in the left and right direction, and by preferentially applying a force in the compression direction to the left and right extension part of the lower brace part, The movement amount of the roof side rail at the time of a collision can be further suppressed.

  According to the vehicle body superstructure of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently resist a load at the time of a side collision without impairing the tension rigidity of the roof panel.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle body superstructure showing a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the vehicle body superstructure. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the vehicle body superstructure. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle body superstructure showing a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a vehicle body superstructure showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

  1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle body superstructure.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle body 1 is configured by, for example, collecting panel-like members obtained by press-molding steel plates and joining them by spot welding or the like. The vehicle body 1 includes a pair of left and right roof side rails 10 extending in the front-rear direction, a roof panel 20 connected to each roof side rail 10, and an upper brace portion 30 provided along the roof panel 20 below the roof panel 20. And. Each roof side rail 10 is connected to a front pillar (not shown), a center pillar 70, and a rear pillar (not shown) of the vehicle body. In the present embodiment, the upper brace portion 30 is connected to the vicinity of the connection portion with the center pillar 70 in each roof side rail 10. In the present embodiment, a sunroof device 80 is provided at the top of the vehicle. The sunroof device 80 has a strength member that is stretched over each roof side rail 10 separately from the upper brace portion 30.

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the vehicle body superstructure.
As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle body 1 includes brackets 40 attached to both ends of the upper brace portion 30, and lower brace portions 50 extending from the brackets 40 to the indoor side. In the present embodiment, the lower brace portion 50 includes a pair of left and right patches 51 connected to each bracket 40 and a brace body 60 that connects each patch 51.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the vehicle body superstructure.
As shown in FIG. 3, the lower brace portion 50 is detachably fixed to each bracket 40 by a fastening member 52. The outdoor end portion of each patch 51 is formed wider than the upper brace portion 30 in the front-rear direction, and the fastening member 52 is disposed at a position that does not overlap the upper brace portion 30 in plan view. Thus, by making the lower brace part 50 detachable from the bracket 40, it is possible to attach the lower brace part 50 having different specifications according to the destination.

4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, each roof side rail 10 is formed in a hollow closed cross section by a panel-like outer panel 11 and an inner panel 12. The outer panel 11 and the inner panel 12 respectively have first flange portions 11a and 12a on the indoor side upper side and second flange portions 11b and 12b on the outdoor lower side, and the first flange portions 11a and 12a and the second flange are respectively provided. It joins by spot welding in the parts 11b and 12b.

  Moreover, each roof side rail 10 has the reinforcement 13 arrange | positioned in a closed cross section. The reinforcement 13 has a first flange portion 13a on the indoor side upper side and a second flange portion 13b on the lower side of the outdoor side. The first flange portions 11a and 12a and the second flange portions 11b and 12b of the outer panel 11 and the inner panel 12 are provided. Joined together.

  The roof panel 20 includes an outdoor flange portion 20a that is formed at the outdoor end portion and extends in the left-right direction, a vertical extension portion 20b that extends upward from the indoor side end portion of the outdoor flange portion 20a, and a vertical extension portion 20b. And a left and right extending portion 20c extending substantially inwardly from the upper end. The outdoor flange portion 20a is connected to the first flange portions 11a, 12a, and 13a of each roof side rail 10 by spot welding. The vertically extending portion 20b is inclined upward and to the left and right, and the horizontally extending portion 20c is inclined slightly upward toward the center of the left and right.

  The upper brace portion 30 is composed of a single plate-like member in which a circular hole, a bead extending in the left-right direction, and the like are formed, an outdoor flange portion 30a formed in the outdoor end and extending in the left-right direction, An obliquely extending portion 30b that extends obliquely upward from the indoor side end of the outer flange portion 30a toward the left and right inside, and a left and right extending portion 30c that extends substantially inward from the indoor side of the obliquely extending portion 30b. Have. The outdoor flange portion 30a is connected to the first flange portions 11a, 12a, and 13a of each roof side rail 10 and the outdoor flange portion 30a of the roof panel by spot welding. The left and right extending portions 30c are disposed along the roof panel 20, and support the roof panel 20 through a sealing material at a predetermined location. In this manner, the upper brace portion 30 can ensure the rigidity of the roof panel 20.

  The bracket 40 is made of a single plate-like member on which a bead or the like is formed, and is disposed on the lower side of both ends of the upper brace portion 30. The bracket 40 includes a first connecting portion 40a formed at the end portion on the room side and extending in the left-right direction, and an obliquely extending portion 40b extending obliquely upward from the indoor side end portion of the first connecting portion 40a toward the left and right inside, A second connecting portion 40c extending substantially inwardly from the indoor side end of the obliquely extending portion 40b. The first connection part 40a is connected to the outdoor flange part 30a of the upper brace part 30 by spot welding, and the second connection part 40c is connected to the left and right extension part 30c of the upper brace part 30 by spot welding. The 1st connection part 40a is piled up and arrange | positioned under the outdoor side flange part 30a of the upper side brace part 30, and protrudes indoors rather than the indoor side edge part of the outdoor side flange part 30a. Moreover, the 2nd connection part 40c is piled up and arrange | positioned under the left-right extension part 30c of the upper side brace part 30, and is located in the indoor side rather than the outdoor side edge part of the left-right extension part 30c. That is, the diagonally extending portion 40 b is disposed at a distance from the diagonally extending portion 30 b of the upper brace portion 30, and a hollow closed section A is formed by the upper brace portion 30 and the bracket 40.

  The patch 51 is made of a single plate-like member on which a bead or the like is formed. The patch 51 is formed at the outdoor side end portion and extends in the left-right direction, and from the indoor side end portion of the flange portion 51a toward the left and right inside. It has an obliquely extending portion 51b that extends obliquely downward, and a left and right extending portion 51c that extends substantially inwardly from the indoor side end of the obliquely extending portion 51b. The flange portion 51 a is disposed so as to overlap the lower side of the first connection portion 40 a of the bracket 40, and is connected to the first connection portion 40 a by the fastening member 51. In the present embodiment, the flange portion 51a is connected to the outside of the first connection portion 40a.

  The brace body 60 is made of a single plate-like member on which a bead or the like is formed, and both ends thereof are connected to each patch 51 by spot welding. In the present embodiment, the brace body 60 is disposed so as to overlap the left and right extending portions 51 c of each patch 51. In the present embodiment, the flange portion 51 a of the patch 51 forms a connecting portion of the lower brace portion 50 connected to the bracket 40, and the obliquely extending portion 51 b of the patch 51 serves as the obliquely extending portion of the lower brace portion 50. None, the left and right extending portions 51 c of the patch 51 and the brace body 60 form the left and right extending portions of the lower brace portion 50. A part of the components of the sunroof device 80 is disposed between the upper brace part 30 and the lower brace part 50. Further, an inflator 82 of the airbag device is disposed inside the roof side rail 10.

  According to the vehicle body upper structure configured as described above, as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 4, a load from the center pillar 70, the roof side rail 10, and the like to the indoor side is applied during a side collision. At this time, with respect to the load applied from the roof side rail 10 to the indoor side, the load can be resisted at two locations of the upper brace portion 30 and the lower brace portion 50 as shown by arrows in FIG. Thereby, the amount of movement of the center pillar 70, the roof side rail 10, and the like during the side collision to the indoor side can be suppressed, and the passengers in the vehicle compartment can be protected accurately.

  Moreover, since the closed cross section is formed by the upper brace part 30 and each bracket 40, both ends of the upper brace part 30 have relatively high strength. And since the lower brace part 50 was connected to this high intensity | strength part, a deformation | transformation of the attachment part of the lower brace part 50 can be suppressed, and a load can be made to act on the lower brace part 50 exactly.

  Furthermore, the strength required for one brace part in the past is shared by the upper brace part 30 and the lower brace part 50, so that the total plate thickness of each brace part 30 and 50 is greater than that of one conventional brace part. Can be made thinner, and the weight of the vehicle body can be reduced. In particular, since the closed cross section is formed by the upper brace part 30 and the lower brace part 50, the section modulus is dramatically improved as compared with the case of one brace part. Furthermore, not only the strength at the time of a collision but also the rigidity of the entire vehicle body is improved, and the steering stability of the vehicle is improved.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, the upper brace portion 30 extends obliquely upward at the obliquely extending portion 30b, and the patch 51 of the lower brace 60 extends obliquely downward at the obliquely extending portion 51b. The load applied to 60 can be accurately distributed up and down, and the roof side rail 10 and the like can be supported integrally by the upper brace portion 30 and the lower brace 60.

  According to this vehicle body superstructure, by disposing the components of the sunroof device 80 between the upper brace portion 30 and the lower brace portion 50, the arrangement position of the components of the sunroof device is lowered in a vehicle equipped with a sunroof. It is possible to accurately protect the occupant at the time of collision without wasting indoor space. That is, the upper brace portion 30 becomes thicker and the arrangement position of the components of the sunroof device is lowered by that amount, as in the case where the strength is secured only by the upper brace portion 30 without providing the lower brace portion 50. There is no.

  In the above embodiment, the inflator 82 is disposed separately from the roof side rail 10, the lower brace portion 60, and the like. However, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, for example, the inflator 82 is supported. The support member 65 may be provided across the roof side rail 10 and the lower brace part 60. In this case, the input from the roof side rail 10 can be received at two places, that is, the bracket 40 and the support member 65, and the load of the moment acting on the roof side rail 10 can be resisted accurately.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 5, one end of the support member 65 is connected to the flange portion 51 a of the patch 51 of the lower brace portion 50, and the other end is connected to the second flange portion 12 b of the inner panel 12 of the roof side rail 10. be able to. In FIG. 5, one end of the support member 65 is fixed to the lower brace portion 50 and each bracket 40 by the fastening member 52. The other end of the support member 65 is fixed to the inner panel 12 of the roof side rail 10 by the fastening member 65. Here, the roof side rail 10 has a closed cross-sectional structure, but can be fastened by, for example, previously welding a nut or the like to the inner panel 12. In this case, the load applied to the indoor side from the roof side rail 10 at the time of a side collision can be directly transmitted to the lower brace part 50 via the support member 65. Further, a closed cross section is formed by the lower brace portion 50, the support member 65, the roof side rail 10, and the bracket 40, and the rigidity and strength of the vehicle body are further improved.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 6, one end of the support member 65 may be connected to the left and right extending part 51 c of the lower brace part 50. Here, the load acting on the roof side rail 10 at the time of a side collision is mainly a load in the left-right direction, and by applying a force in the compression direction preferentially to the left-right extension part 60 of the lower brace part 50, The amount of movement of the roof side rail 10 can be further suppressed.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although what comprised the lower side brace part 50 from the patch 51 and the brace main body 60 was shown, the lower side brace part 50 may be comprised from one member similarly to the upper side brace part 30. FIG. it can. Further, the upper brace portion 30 may also be composed of a plurality of members similarly to the lower brace portion 50.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the example of the vehicle provided with the sunroof apparatus 80 was shown, of course, this invention is applicable also to the vehicle which is not provided with the sunroof apparatus 80.

  While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments described above do not limit the invention according to the claims. In addition, it should be noted that not all the combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Car body 10 Roof side rail 20 Roof panel 30 Upper brace part 40 Bracket 50 Lower brace part 51 Patch 60 Brace body 80 Sunroof device 82 Inflator

Claims (4)

A pair of left and right roof side rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
A roof panel connected to each of the roof side rails;
An upper brace portion extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle and connected to each roof side rail and disposed along the roof panel on the indoor side of the roof panel;
A pair of left and right brackets connected to the lower sides of the left and right ends of the upper brace portion, respectively, and forming a closed cross section with the left and right ends of the upper brace portion;
A vehicle body upper structure comprising: a lower brace portion extending in a left-right direction of the vehicle and connected to a lower side of each bracket.   The vehicle body superstructure according to claim 1, wherein a component part of a sunroof device is disposed between the upper brace part and the lower brace part.   The vehicle body upper structure according to claim 1, wherein a support member that supports an inflator portion of the airbag device is provided across the lower brace portion and the roof side rail. The lower brace portion includes a connecting portion connected to the bracket, an obliquely extending portion extending obliquely downward from the left and right inner ends of the connecting portion toward the left and right inner sides, and left and right from the left and right inner ends of the extending portion. A left and right extending part extending inward,
The vehicle body upper structure according to claim 3, wherein the support member is connected to the left and right extending portions of the lower brace portion.

Images