JP3140507B2 - Car side body structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a side body of a motor vehicle comprising a hinge pillar extending in the vehicle body vertical direction at the side of the vehicle body, and an apron reinforcement extending in the vehicle front-rear direction and having one end joined to the hinge pillar. Regarding the structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an automobile, hinge pillars extending in the vertical direction of a vehicle body are generally provided on both sides of a front end portion of a vehicle compartment, and a rear end portion of an apron reinforcement extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction is joined to the hinge pillars. .

[0003] The joining of the apron reinforcement to the hinge pillar is usually performed by abutting the rear end of the apron reinforcement against the outer surface of the hinge pillar.
The various loads input to the vehicle body cause the apron reinforcement to swing up, down, left, and right with respect to the hinge pillar, and the vehicle body is likely to be deformed. Therefore, in order to improve the bonding strength, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-215679, a reinforcing member such as a gusset is provided at the bonding portion, and the bonding strength between the two is improved by the reinforcing member. A technique has been adopted.

[0004]

However, in the method of providing a reinforcing member such as a gusset to reinforce, it is necessary to prepare such a separate reinforcing member and join it together, thereby increasing the number of parts and increasing the weight. This is not a preferable method because it causes an increase in the number of steps and the number of bonding steps.

In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a side body structure of an automobile in which a hinge pillar and an apron reinforcement can be joined with high joining strength without using a reinforcing member such as a gusset. It is in.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a side body structure of an automobile according to the present invention has a hinge pillar extending vertically in the vehicle body at a side part of the vehicle body, and a hinge pillar extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction and having one end extending in the vehicle body longitudinal direction. An apron reinforcement joined to the vehicle body, wherein the hinge pillar has a recess formed in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and one end of the apron reinforcement is connected to the hinge pillar. Apron rail fitted into the hinge pillar , joined to the hinge pillar over a predetermined length in the vehicle longitudinal direction , and fitted into the recess.
At one end of the vehicle
And a connecting portion with the steering support member extending to the front is formed .

Further, the hinge pillar is fitted into the recess of the hinge pillar.
One end of the above-mentioned apron reinforcement is
It is open to the center in the vehicle width direction and
Each has a U-shaped cross section having a flange portion,
One end of the apron reinforcement is the hinge
Outside of the pillar inner at the center of the pillar recess in the vehicle width direction
It is characterized by being joined to the side by the above flange
I do.

The term "joining over a predetermined length range in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body" is not limited to a mode in which the entire range of the predetermined length is joined, but at least both longitudinal ends of the predetermined length range are joined. It is good if it is.

[0009]

According to the present invention, the side body structure of the automobile is as follows.
As described above, a recess is formed in the hinge pillar, one end of the apron reinforcement is fitted into the recess, and the one end is joined to the hinge pillar over a range of a predetermined length in the vehicle longitudinal direction, so that the apron reinforcement is formed. When viewed in the longitudinal direction, it is not a single point joint as in the past, but is joined over a predetermined length range in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, regarding the load acting on the apron reinforcement in the vertical and horizontal directions, the conventional A sufficiently large bonding strength can be obtained without using such a separate reinforcing member.
Furthermore, an apron reinforce fitted into the concave portion
A connection part with the steering support member is formed at one end of the
This makes the steering support member a rigid part.
And the bonding strength between the two
The degree can be further improved.

Further , the hinge pillar is inserted into the recess of the hinge pillar.
One end of the apron reinforcement
Open to the center and the upper and lower edges of the open end.
Formed in a U-shaped cross section with a flange,
Insert one end of the reinforcement into the hinge pillar recess
On the outer surface of the pillar inner at the center in the vehicle width direction,
By joining at the flange portion , the torsion and bending strength of the hinge pillar can be improved, and the joint strength between the two can be further improved.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a dash upper panel in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a cowl upper plate and an apron reinforcement in FIG. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a hinge pillar in FIG. 1 and a joining state of an apron reinforcement to the hinge pillar, and FIG.
6, 7, and 8 are sectional views taken along line VV of FIG.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along lines I-VI, VII-VII, and VIII-VIII.

As shown in the figure, in this side body structure, hinge pillars 2 extending in the vehicle body vertical direction are provided on both sides (only the left side is shown) of the front end of the vehicle compartment.
Is connected to a front pillar 4 at an upper end thereof, and a side sill is connected to a lower end thereof (not shown).

A rear end portion of a cowl upper plate 6 which forms a part of a wheel apron extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction is joined to the hinge pillar 2, and an apron rain extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction is connected to the cowl upper plate 6. The cowl upper plate 6
In addition, a closed cross section extending in the vehicle front-rear direction is formed, and a rear end of the apron reinforcement 8 is joined to an upper end of the hinge pillar 2. In addition, the above
The rear end 8a of the reinforcement 8 is shown in FIGS.
As shown, it is open to the center in the vehicle width direction and its open end.
U-shaped cross section with flanges on both upper and lower edges
Is formed.

In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a cowl panel extending in the vehicle width direction and both end portions are joined to the cowl upper plate 6, and reference numeral 12 denotes a cowl panel 10 which is located below a side end portion of the cowl panel 10 and a hinge pillar. 2 and a dash upper panel joined to the cowl side panel 14 extending in the vehicle up-down direction along the hinge pillar 2.

The cowl upper plate 6 forms the upper end of the rear end of the wheel apron. In other words, the cowl upper plate 6 is connected to a wheel apron body (not shown) whose front end is located forward of the cowl upper plate 6 and is joined to a shroud panel (not shown) at the vehicle front end. Although not shown, the apron reinforcement 8 extends to the front of the vehicle body and has a front end joined to the shroud panel, and a vehicle body front extension of the apron reinforcement 8 is also joined to the upper end of the wheel apron. To form a closed cross section extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the hinge pillar 2 has a closed cross-sectional structure composed of a pillar inner 16 and a pillar outer 18. An opening 20 is formed in the pillar outer 18, and the hinge pillar 2 is formed by the opening 20. Is formed with a concave portion 22 (the concave portion 22 is formed of a space inside the hinge pillar 2). The rear end 8a of the apron reinforcement 8 is fitted into the recess 22 through the opening 20, and the rear end 8a is positioned in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, i.e., in the closed cross section of the hinge pillar 2 in the apron reinforcement. upward along the longitudinal direction of the range of a predetermined length L of the reinforcement 8 to the outer face of the pillar inner 16
It is joined at the lower flange .

By fitting the rear end 8a of the apron reinforcement into the recess 22 of the hinge pillar in this manner, the rear end 8a of the apron reinforcement is formed.
A node is formed in the closed cross section of the hinge pillar 2 by the upper and lower surfaces 8b and 8c.

The pillar inner 16 is provided with a support bracket 26 that extends in the vehicle width direction at the front of the passenger compartment and supports a side end of a steering support member 24 that supports a steering shaft (not shown). Bracket 26
The nut 28 which is a connecting portion to the pillar inner 16 is
The steering support member 24 is provided at a rear end portion 8a of the apron reinforcement fitted in the inside 22. The steering support member 24 is connected to the nut 28 by screwing a bolt 30 through the support bracket 26.

In the side body structure of the automobile constructed as described above, the concave portion 22 is formed in the hinge pillar 2 as described above, and the apron reinforcement 8 is formed in the concave portion 22.
The rear end 8a is fitted to the hinge pillar 2 and is joined to the hinge pillar 2 over a range of a predetermined length L in the vehicle longitudinal direction, so that the apron reinforcement 8 is in a conventional manner when viewed in its longitudinal direction. It is not a one-point joining but a joining in the longitudinal direction over the length range of the predetermined length L. Therefore, regarding the load acting on the apron reinforcement 8 in the vertical and horizontal directions without using a separate reinforcing member as in the related art. A sufficiently large bonding strength can be obtained.

Further, since the upper and lower surfaces 8b and 8c of the rear end portion 8a of the apron reinforcement fitted in the concave portion 22 form a knot in the closed cross section of the hinge pillar 2, the kink of the hinge pillar 2 is twisted by the knot. In addition, the bending strength is improved, so that the bonding strength between the two can be further improved.

A steering support member is provided on the rear end 8a of the apron reinforcement fitted in the recess 22.
By forming the connecting portion 28 with the steering wheel 24, the steering support member 24 can be used as a rigid component, whereby the coupling strength between the two and the above two can be further improved.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 described above, the recess 22 is formed in the hinge pillar 2, and the rear end 8 a of the apron reinforcement 8 is fitted into the recess 22 and joined to the hinge pillar 2. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, a convex portion 32 is formed in the hinge pillar 2 instead of the concave portion 22, and the rear end portion 8a of the apron reinforcement 8 is fitted to and joined to the convex portion 32. .

More specifically, as shown in FIG.
A flange-shaped convex portion 32 protruding by a predetermined length L in the vehicle front-rear direction is integrally formed, and the rear end portion 8a of the apron reinforcement is fitted to the convex portion 32 to be brought into contact with and joined thereto. The side surface 8b and the lower surface 8e of the rear end portion 8a of the apron reinforcement are brought into contact with the side surface 32b and the lower surface 32c of the convex portion 32, and are joined over a range of a predetermined length L. In this case, the upper surface 6b of the rear end portion 6a of the cowl upper plate 6, which forms a closed cross section together with the apron reinforcement 8, is also in contact with the upper surface 32a of the convex portion and is joined over a range of a predetermined length L.

As described above, the protrusion 32 protrudes in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
And the rear end 8a of the apron reinforcement 8
Is fitted to the convex portion 32 and is joined to the convex portion 32 over a range of a predetermined length L in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
As in the case of 22, the apron reinforcement 8 is joined over the range of the predetermined length L in the longitudinal direction, and a sufficiently large bonding strength can be obtained without using a separate reinforcing member.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a dash upper panel in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a cowl upper plate and an apron reinforcement in FIG. 1;

4 is an exploded perspective view showing a hinge pillar in FIG. 1 and an apron reinforcement joining mode to the hinge pillar;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII of FIG. 1;

8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Hinge pillar 8 Apron reinforcement 8a One end (rear end) 8b Upper surface of one end 8c Lower surface of one end 22 Recess 32 Convex

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-246877 (JP, A) JP-A-63-108870 (JP, U) JP-A-1-176581 (JP, U) JP-A-2-176 18777 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Showa 55-52481 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Showa 55-25590 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Showa 62-130984 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Utility Model 63-36871 (JP, Y2) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B62D 25/08 B62D 25/04

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A side body structure of an automobile, comprising: a hinge pillar extending in a vehicle body vertical direction at a side part of a vehicle body; and an apron reinforcement extending in a vehicle body front-rear direction and having one end joined to the hinge pillar. the above hinge pillar is formed no recesses Recessed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, one end of the apron reinforcement is fitted into the recess of the hinge pillar is joined over a range of vehicle longitudinal direction by a predetermined length in said hinge pillar, the recess Apron reinforcement inserted inside
One end of the vehicle has a front end extending in the vehicle width direction at the front of the vehicle interior.
A side body structure of an automobile, wherein a connection portion with a tearing support member is formed . Wherein the upper Symbol the apron reinforcement at one end which is fitted into the recess of the hinge pillars, the vehicle width direction
Open to the center and the upper and lower edges of the open end respectively
The apron reinforcement is formed in a U-shaped cross section having a flange , and one end of the apron reinforcement is
Of the pillar inner at the center of the pillar
The side body structure of an automobile according to claim 1, wherein the flange is joined to an outer side surface of the vehicle.