JP2023161344A - Vehicle body side part structure - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a vehicle body side part structure capable of enhancing yield strength of a B-pillar with respect to a side collision load.SOLUTION: An end edge 8 in an inner side of a vehicle width direction of a second plate part 73b extending in a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of a vehicle body of a B-pillar outer reinforcement upper 7 is formed in a waveform shape which repeats unevenness in the vehicle width direction over the vertical direction. Accordingly, when a side collision load in vehicle side collision is input in the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper 7, recessed curve parts 8A, 8B, which are recessed toward the outside in the vehicle width direction, are deformed in a direction in which the length of the recessed curve parts 8A, 8C is shortened (reduced). Therefore, breakage due to the side collision load is hardly generated in this portion so that rapid reduction in yield strength due to the breakage is suppressed. Thus, the yield strength of the B-pillar with respect to the side collision load can be enhanced.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle body side structure. In particular, the present invention relates to an improvement for increasing the resistance of a B-pillar to a side impact load during a side collision of a vehicle.

The general structure of the B-pillar (also called center pillar) that connects the rocker and the roof side rail and separates the front door opening and the rear door opening is as follows: , a B-pillar outer located on the outside in the vehicle width direction, and a B-pillar outer reinforcement as a reinforcing member disposed inside a closed cross-section structure formed by joining these B-pillar inner and B-pillar outer. .

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the structure around the joint between the rocker a and the B-pillar outer reinforcement b at the lower end of a conventional general B-pillar. In FIG. 6, the arrow FR indicates the front side of the vehicle body, the arrow OUT indicates the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and the arrow UP indicates the upper side.

In the one shown in FIG. 6, the B-pillar outer reinforcement b is composed of two upper and lower members: a B-pillar outer reinforcement lower c joined to the rocker a, and a B-pillar outer reinforcement lower c connected to the outside of the B-pillar outer reinforcement lower c. It has a B-pillar outer reinforcement upper d which is joined and extends upward and is joined to a roof side rail (not shown). The lower part of this B-pillar outer reinforcement upper d is a flat plate part e that extends in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction (extends in the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body). It is joined to the outer surface (surface facing outward in the vehicle width direction) f of the B-pillar outer reinforcement lower c.

Generally, the rear end of the impact beam (a member for absorbing the side impact load in the event of a vehicle side collision) installed inside the front side door is joined to the panel material of the front side door at a position that overlaps the bottom of the B-pillar. (The position overlaps the lower part of the B-pillar when viewed from the vehicle width direction with the front side door closed). Therefore, in the event of a side collision of the vehicle, the side collision load input to the impact beam will be input from the impact beam to the vicinity of the flat plate portion e, which is the lower portion of the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper d. If the flat plate part e deforms to bend inward in the vehicle width direction due to the input of this side collision load, the proof strength (reaction force) of the B pillar against the side collision load will rapidly decrease. There was a limit to reducing the speed of deformation toward the interior of the vehicle.

In particular, in recent years, the evaluation conditions for side collision evaluation tests have become stricter, and the input from the impact beam (input from the moving barrier in side collision evaluation tests) has increased, resulting in a relatively large side impact at the bottom of the B-pillar. Since loads will be input, there is an increasing demand for improving the strength of the lower part of the B-pillar against side collision loads.

Patent Document 1 discloses that the lower part of the B-pillar outer reinforcement has a hat-shaped cross-sectional shape that opens inward in the vehicle width direction. According to this, the rigidity of the lower part of the B-pillar outer reinforcement is increased, and it is possible to increase the resistance of the lower part of the B-pillar to a side collision load to some extent.

JP 2022-12253 Publication

However, in the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a side collision load is input, the B-pillar outer reinforcement is bent inward in the vehicle width direction, and the B-pillar outer reinforcement is bent inward in the vehicle width direction. The line length of the inner edge in the vehicle width direction (the inner edge in the vehicle width direction of the part that extends in the vehicle width direction that extends in the direction that intersects with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body) is deformed in the direction in which the line length is extended (in the vertical direction). There is a high possibility that a tensile load acting on the outer edge will cause the edge to break. Even if such a rupture occurs, the proof strength (reaction force) of the B-pillar against the side collision load will rapidly decrease. Therefore, there is room for improvement in order to sufficiently improve the resistance of the B-pillar (particularly the lower part of the B-pillar) against side collision loads.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle body side structure that can improve the resistance of a B-pillar to side collision loads.

The solution of the present invention to achieve the above object is based on a vehicle body side structure that includes a B-pillar that has a B-pillar reinforcing member that has a U-shaped cross section that opens inward in the vehicle width direction. shall be. In this vehicle body side structure, the inner edge in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle width direction extending portion of the B pillar reinforcing member that extends in a direction intersecting the vehicle body longitudinal direction is arranged so that the inner edge in the vehicle width direction extends in the vehicle vertical direction. It is characterized by a wavy shape that repeats unevenness in the width direction.

Due to this specific matter, the shape of the edge of the wave-shaped B-pillar reinforcing member (the edge on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the part extending in the vehicle width direction that extends in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body) is Convex curved portions that are convex toward the inside in the vehicle width direction and concave curved portions that are concave toward the outside in the vehicle width direction alternately exist in the vertical direction. When the side collision load at the time of a vehicle side collision is input to the B-pillar reinforcing member, the deformation of the concave curved portion that becomes concave toward the outside in the vehicle width direction will cause the linear length of the concave curved portion to decrease. The direction is to shorten (shrink) it. Therefore, this portion is less likely to break due to a side impact load, and a rapid decrease in proof strength due to breakage is suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to improve the resistance of the B-pillar against side collision loads.

In the present invention, the inner edge in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle width direction extending portion extending in the direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body in the B-pillar reinforcing member is made to have unevenness in the vehicle width direction in the vertical direction. It has a repeating wave shape. Therefore, the end edge is less likely to break due to a side collision load, and a rapid decrease in proof strength due to breakage is suppressed, making it possible to improve the proof strength of the B-pillar against a side collision load.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a side portion of a vehicle body according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a structure around a joint between a rocker and a B-pillar outer reinforcement at the lower end of the B-pillar according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram for explaining the deformation state of the edge of the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper when a side collision load is input in a comparative example in which the edge is made straight. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a deformed state of the edge of the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper when a side collision load is input in the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a structure around a joint between a rocker and a B-pillar outer reinforcement at the lower end of a conventional general B-pillar.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. This embodiment describes a case where the present invention is applied to the lower part of the B-pillar outer reinforcement in a structure in which the B-pillar outer reinforcement includes a B-pillar outer reinforcement upper and a B-pillar outer reinforcement lower. . Note that the B-pillar outer reinforcement is not limited to one made up of two members, but may be made up of one member or three or more members.

-Schematic configuration of the side of the vehicle body-
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a side portion of a vehicle body (around a left door opening) according to the present embodiment. The arrow FR in FIG. 1 indicates the front side of the vehicle body, and the arrow UP indicates the upper side. Although the configuration of the left side of the vehicle body will be described below, the right side of the vehicle body also has a similar configuration (symmetrical configuration).

As shown in FIG. 1, the structure of the side portion of the vehicle body includes a B-pillar 1 that stands upright so as to partition a front door opening FO and a rear door opening RO. The B-pillar 1 is erected so as to constitute the rear edge of the front door opening FO, and its lower end is joined to the rocker 2, and its upper end is joined to the roof side rail 3.

The rocker 2 is a vehicle body component having a closed cross-sectional structure that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body along the lower end of the vehicle body side portion (left and right ends of the floor). The roof side rail 3 is a vehicle body component having a closed cross-sectional structure that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body along the upper end of the vehicle body side portion (left and right ends of the roof).

Further, an impact beam 10 is provided inside the front side door FD (indicated by a phantom line in FIG. 1) of the vehicle according to the present embodiment. The impact beam 10 is arranged so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body when the front side door FD is closed. Mounting brackets 10a, 10b are provided at both front and rear ends of the impact beam 10, and the impact beam 10 is joined to the panel material of the front side door FD by the mounting brackets 10a, 10b. The position of the mounting bracket 10b at the rear end of the impact beam 10 is a position overlapping the lower part of the B-pillar 1 (a position overlapping the lower part of the B-pillar 1 when viewed from the vehicle width direction with the front side door FD closed). It becomes. Therefore, in the event of a side collision of the vehicle, the side collision load input to the impact beam 10 is input from the impact beam 10 to the lower part of the B-pillar 1 via the mounting bracket 10b.

-B-pillar configuration-
The B-pillar 1 includes a B-pillar outer 4 having a hat-shaped cross-section that opens toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, and a B-pillar inner (not shown) having a hat-shaped cross-section that opens toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. There is. Flange portions 41 and 42 extending in the vertical direction are provided on both sides of the B-pillar outer 4 and the B-pillar inner in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, respectively.

Further, inside the B-pillar 1, a B-pillar outer reinforcement 5 (see FIG. 2) is arranged. The B-pillar outer reinforcement 5 has a hat-shaped cross-sectional shape that opens toward the inside in the vehicle width direction. The flange portions 63, 66, 72c (these flange portions will be described in detail later) provided on the front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body in the B-pillar outer reinforcement 5 are the flange portions provided on the front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body on the B-pillar outer 4. 41 and the flange portion of the B-pillar inner provided on the front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and are integrally joined by welding (spot welding, etc.). In addition, the flange portions 66 and 72d (these flange portions will be described in detail later) provided on the rear side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body in the B-pillar outer reinforcement 5 are the flange portions 66 and 72d provided on the rear side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body on the B-pillar outer reinforcement 5. The part 42 and the flange part of the B-pillar inner provided on the rear side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body are sandwiched and welded to be integrally joined. As a result, the B-pillar 1 has a closed cross-sectional structure extending in the vertical direction, thereby achieving high rigidity.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure around the joint between the rocker 2 and the B-pillar outer reinforcement 5 at the lower end of the B-pillar 1. In FIG. 2, the arrow FR indicates the front side of the vehicle body, the arrow OUT indicates the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and the arrow UP indicates the upper side.

The structure around the joint between the rocker 2 and the B-pillar outer reinforcement 5 at the lower end of the B-pillar 1 will be described below with reference to FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the rocker 2 is constructed by joining a rocker inner panel 21 and a rocker outer panel 22 that extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The rocker inner panel 21 has a hat-shaped cross section that is open outward in the vehicle width direction. Further, the rocker outer panel 22 has a hat-shaped cross-sectional shape that is open inward in the vehicle width direction. A closed cross-sectional structure is constructed by joining the flanges 21a, 22a, 21b, and 22b formed on each of these panels 21 and 22 to each other.

The B-pillar outer reinforcement 5 is composed of two upper and lower members. Specifically, the B-pillar outer reinforcement lower 6 is joined to the rocker 2, and the B-pillar is joined to the outside of the B-pillar outer reinforcement lower 6 and extends upward, and is joined to the roof side rail 3. It has an outer reinforcement upper (B-pillar reinforcing member in the present invention) 7.

The B-pillar outer reinforcement lower 6 has a hat-shaped cross-section that is open inward in the vehicle width direction. This B-pillar outer reinforcement lower 6 includes a first plate part 61, a second plate part 62, a third plate part (not shown in FIG. 2 and therefore not labeled), a front flange part 63, and a rear flange part 63. (Since it is not shown in FIG. 2, the reference numeral is not attached).

The first plate portion 61 extends in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction. The second plate portion 62 extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the edge of the first plate portion 61 on the front side of the vehicle body. The third plate portion extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the edge of the first plate portion 61 on the rear side of the vehicle body. The front flange portion 63 extends from the tip edge (inner tip edge in the vehicle width direction) of the second plate portion 62 toward the front side of the vehicle body. The rear flange portion extends toward the rear side of the vehicle body from the tip edge (inner tip edge in the vehicle width direction) of the third plate portion.

The lower portion of the B-pillar outer reinforcement lower 6 includes flange portions 64, 65, and 66 that are joined to the rocker outer panel 22. Specifically, the first flange portion 64 is joined to the outer surface of the rocker outer panel 22, the second flange portions 65, 65 are joined to the upper surface of the rocker outer panel 22, and the second flange portion 65 is joined to the flange portion 22a of the rocker outer panel 22. It has three flange parts 66, 66. The first flange portion 64 is continuous with the first plate portion 61. The second flange portions 65, 65 are continuous with the second plate portion 62 and the third plate portion. The third flange portions 66, 66 are continuous with the front flange portion 63 and the rear flange portion.

A ridgeline A between the first plate part 61 and the second plate part 62 at the lower part of the B-pillar outer reinforcement lower 6 curves downward and toward the front of the vehicle body. Moreover, the ridge line B between the first plate part 61 and the third plate part curves downward and toward the rear of the vehicle body.

Next, the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper 7 will be explained. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper 7. As shown in FIG. 3, the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper 7 has an upper part 71 that joins to the roof side rail 3, and a hat-shaped cross-sectional shape that continues below the upper part 71 and opens inward in the vehicle width direction. It has a central portion 72 and a lower portion 73 continuous to the lower side of the central portion 72.

The upper portion 71 has a cross-sectional shape that matches the outer surface shape of the roof side rail 3, and is a portion that is overlapped and welded to the outer surface of the roof side rail 3.

The central part 72 includes a first plate part 72a, a second plate part 72b, a third plate part (not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and therefore not labeled), a front flange part 72c, and a rear flange part 72d. It is equipped with

The first plate portion 72a extends in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction. This first plate portion 72a is a portion that is overlapped with and welded to the first plate portion 61 of the B-pillar outer reinforcement lower 6. The second plate portion 72b extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the edge of the first plate portion 72a on the front side of the vehicle body. This second plate portion 72b is a portion that is overlapped with and welded to the second plate portion 62 of the B-pillar outer reinforcement lower 6. The third plate portion extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the edge of the first plate portion 72a on the rear side of the vehicle body. This third plate portion is a portion that is overlapped with and welded to the third plate portion of the B-pillar outer reinforcement lower 6. The front flange portion 72c extends toward the front side of the vehicle body from the tip edge (the tip edge on the inner side in the vehicle width direction) of the second plate portion 72b. This front flange portion 72c is a portion that is overlapped and welded to the front flange portion 63 of the B-pillar outer reinforcement lower 6. The rear flange portion 72d extends from the tip edge (the tip edge on the inner side in the vehicle width direction) of the third plate portion toward the rear side of the vehicle body. This rear flange portion 72d is a portion that is overlapped with and welded to the rear flange portion of the B-pillar outer reinforcement lower 6.

The lower part 73 includes a first plate part 73a, a second plate part 73b, and a third plate part (not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and therefore not labeled), and opens toward the inside in the vehicle width direction. It has a U-shaped cross-section.

The first plate portion 73a extends in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction. Like the first plate part 72a, this first plate part 73a is a part that is overlapped and welded to the first plate part 61 of the B-pillar outer reinforcement lower 6. The second plate portion 73b extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the edge of the first plate portion 73a on the front side of the vehicle body. The third plate portion extends inward in the vehicle width direction from the edge of the first plate portion 73a on the rear side of the vehicle body. Therefore, the second plate portion 73b and the third plate portion correspond to a vehicle widthwise extending portion (a vehicle widthwise extending portion extending in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body) in the present invention.

The feature of this embodiment is that the edges of each of the second plate part 73b and the third plate part in the lower part 73 (the inner side in the vehicle width direction in the vehicle width direction extending part extending in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body) are edge) in the shape of 8.

The shape of this edge 8 is a wave shape that repeats unevenness in the vehicle width direction over the vertical direction. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a first convex curved portion 8B and a second convex curved portion 8D are provided as convex curved portions that are convex toward the inside in the vehicle width direction. . Further, a first concave curved portion 8A and a second concave curved portion 8C are provided as concave curved portions that are concave toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. A first concave curved section 8A, a first convex curved section 8B, a second concave curved section 8C, and a second convex curved section 8D are successively arranged in this order from the upper side of the edge 8. The curvatures of the edge shapes of these concave curved portions 8A, 8C and convex curved portions 8B, 8D can be set arbitrarily. For example, it may be an arcuate shape having a predetermined curvature, or it may be a curved line whose curvature changes. Further, the shapes of the concave curved portions 8A, 8C and the convex curved portions 8B, 8D may be the same shape or different shapes. The shape of this edge 8 is formed at the same time as the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper 7 is pressed. Alternatively, the edge may be formed into a straight line during press working, and then the edge may be processed to form a wave shape.

Further, in this embodiment, two convex curved portions 8B, 8D and two concave curved portions 8A, 8C are provided, but the present invention is not limited to this, and one convex curved portion and one concave curved portion are provided. They may be provided one by one, or three or more of each may be provided.

-When inputting side impact load-
Next, the deformation of the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper 7 during the operation when a side collision load is input will be described.

As mentioned above, the position of the mounting bracket 10b at the rear end of the impact beam 10 is such that it overlaps the lower part of the B-pillar 1, and in the event of a side collision of the vehicle, the side collision load input to the impact beam 10 is is input from the impact beam 10 to the lower part of the B-pillar 1 via the mounting bracket 10b. In other words, the side collision load is input to the lower part of the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper 7.

In this embodiment, since the edge 8 of the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper 7 is wave-shaped, when a side collision load is input to the lower part of the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper 7, , the first concave curved portion 8A and the second concave curved portion 8C are deformed in the direction of shortening (shrinking) the line lengths of the concave curved portions 8A, 8C. In other words, since a tensile load directed outward in the vertical direction is not applied to this portion, it becomes a portion that does not deform in the direction in which the wire length increases. Therefore, each of the concave curved portions 8A and 8C is less likely to break due to a side impact load, and a rapid decrease in proof strength of the lower portion of the B-pillar 1 due to breakage is suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to improve the strength of the B-pillar 1 against side collision loads.

Hereinafter, the deformed state of each concave curved portion 8A, 8C will be specifically explained. FIG. 4 shows a comparative example in which the edge E of the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper (the inner edge in the vehicle width direction of the portion extending in the vehicle width direction that extends in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body) is made straight. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a deformed state of the edge E when a side collision load F is input in FIG. In FIG. 4, the right side in the figure is the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and the side collision load F is inputted to the straight edge E from the right side. When this side impact load F is input, the deformation of the edge E is in the direction of lengthening (stretching) the line length of the edge E (see the arrow in the tensile direction indicated by the broken line in FIG. 4). In other words, since a tensile load directed outward in the vertical direction acts on this edge E, it is likely to be deformed in the direction in which the wire length increases and breakage is likely to occur.

On the other hand, FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the deformed state of the edge 8 of the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper 7 (deformed state of the first concave curved portion 8A) when the side collision load F is input in the embodiment. It is a diagram. As described above, when the side collision load F is input, the deformation of the first concave curved portion 8A is in the direction of shortening the linear length of the first concave curved portion 8A (in the compression direction indicated by the broken line in FIG. 5). (see arrow). In other words, since no tensile load directed outward in the vertical direction is applied to this portion, it is a portion that does not deform in the direction in which the wire length increases. Therefore, the first concave curved portion 8A is less likely to break due to the side collision load F, and a rapid decrease in proof strength of the lower portion of the B-pillar 1 due to breakage is suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to improve the strength of the B-pillar 1 against the side collision load F.

As described above, in this embodiment, it is possible to improve the strength of the B-pillar 1 with a relatively simple configuration such as changing the shape of the edge 8 of the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper 7.

-Other embodiments-
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and all modifications and applications can be made within the scope of the claims and equivalent ranges thereof.

For example, in the embodiment described above, the configuration in which the edge 8 of the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper 7 is wave-shaped is applied only to the lower part of the B-pillar outer reinforcement upper 7, but it is also applied to the vertically central part. It may also be applied.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is applicable to a vehicle body side structure for improving the resistance of a B-pillar to a side impact load during a side collision of a vehicle.

1 B-pillar 7 B-pillar outer reinforcement upper (B-pillar reinforcement member)
8 B-pillar outer reinforcement upper edge 8A First concave curved section 8B First convex curved section 8C Second concave curved section 8D Second convex curved section

Claims (1)

In a vehicle side structure including a B-pillar having a B-pillar reinforcing member having a U-shaped cross-section that opens inward in the vehicle width direction,
The inner edge in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle width direction extending portion extending in the direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body in the B pillar reinforcing member has a wave shape that repeats unevenness in the vehicle width direction over the vertical direction. The vehicle body side structure is characterized by the following.

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