JP3292050B2 - Panel reinforcement 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 panel reinforcement structure for reinforcing a hood panel by joining a reinforcement to the hood panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A hood panel such as a front hood panel and a trunk lid panel of an automobile body has an inner panel disposed inside an outer panel to maintain strength. By joining the two panels together, the strength of the entire panel is improved, but the strength is partially insufficient. The following methods have been proposed in order to solve the insufficient strength, but all methods have problems.

[0003] 1. The problem of increasing the panel thickness is that the weight increases. 2. There is a problem in that the method of beading the panel is limited in design and reduces the degree of freedom in design. 3. The method of filling a rubber-based sealing material between both panels has a problem that rigidity is weak and strength cannot be sufficiently improved.

Therefore, a structure has been proposed in which a reinforcement is joined to a panel portion having insufficient strength by using a joining member such as a mastic sealer to join the reinforcements. In this structure, the joining members are applied intermittently in a plurality of rows in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body so that air pools do not occur between the panel and the reinforcement during electrodeposition coating or the like.

[0005]

However, in the above-described structure in which the reinforcement is joined to the panel, the joining members are applied in a plurality of rows only in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and not in the lateral direction of the vehicle body. There is a problem that the surface rigidity of the portion between the joining members is insufficient and the dent resistance is low. Also, if the joining member is applied also in the left and right direction of the vehicle body, the surface rigidity of the panel will be improved and the dent resistance can be improved, but it will be difficult for air to escape during electrodeposition coating etc. There is a problem that an air pocket is generated during the operation. In addition, there is a problem that a large amount of joining members is required to apply the joining members between the panel and the reinforcement in the front-rear and left-right directions of the vehicle body, resulting in an increase in cost. Furthermore, since a large number of joining members are used and the joining members intersect in the front-rear and left-right directions of the vehicle body, there is a possibility that the panel may be distorted due to a shrinkage phenomenon at the time of curing of the joining members.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a panel reinforcing structure for preventing the formation of air pockets during electrodeposition coating and for reinforcing the strength of the panel without increasing the cost.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a panel reinforcing structure for reinforcing a panel by bonding a reinforcement to a hood panel of a vehicle body. This is a configuration in which the second joining member is interposed between the hood panel and the reinforcement. The first joining member extends in a band shape in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, and an opening for an air passage is formed by removing substantially the center thereof. The second joining member extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, is arranged in a plurality of rows along the first joining member, and has a predetermined interval between the second joining member and the first joining member. Further, the second joining member can be provided on the front side of the first joining member.

[0008]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a front hood of a vehicle. The front hood 1 is a hood outer panel 2
(Hereinafter referred to as an outer panel) and the outer panel 2
Inner panel 3 (hereinafter referred to as inner panel), a striker 4 for locking the front end of the front hood 1 to the vehicle body, and a hood hinge (not shown) provided at the rear end of the front hood 1 (See FIG. 3).

In some cases, the front hood 1 is closed by pushing the front end of the outer panel 2 by hand, and engaging the striker 4 with a latch (not shown) provided on the vehicle body side. At this time, if the rigidity of the front end portion of the outer panel 2 is low, this portion is dented and it becomes difficult to lock the striker 4 to the latch. 5 are provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, the reinforcement 5 includes an outer reinforcement 6 on the outer panel 2 side and an inner reinforcement 7 on the inner panel 3 side.
The reinforcement 5 is provided at a predetermined position on the front end of the outer panel 2. That is, when the front hood 1 is closed, the front hood 1 is provided so as to correspond to a part pressed by hand. The outer reinforcement 6 and the inner reinforcement 7 each have a channel-shaped cross-sectional shape, and both edges 6a and 7a are joined to each other so as to form a closed cross-section. Both edges 6a, 7a are welded to the inner panel 3 by spot welding.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a mastic sealer 10 (hereinafter, referred to as a joining member) for joining to the outer panel 2 is provided on an outer surface of the convex portion 6b of the outer reinforcement 6.
(Referred to simply as a sealer). Sheila 10
It comprises a band-shaped sealer 11 as a first joining member and a fragmentary sealer 12 as a second joining member. The band-shaped sealer 11 is applied in a band shape in the vehicle width direction (the left-right direction of the vehicle body), and a substantially central portion thereof, that is, the highest portion of the camber of the front hood 1 is removed. Are formed. Fragmented sealer 12
Are applied intermittently along the band-shaped sealer 11 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, in front of the band-shaped sealer 11, that is, at a position corresponding to the lower side of the camber of the front hood 1. The arrangement interval of each fragmented sealer 12 is the outer panel 2
Can be adjusted in a range that does not impair the dent resistance. Further, the fragmentary sealer 12 is also applied to the belt-like sealer 11 at a predetermined interval. This predetermined interval is provided for the flow of air, similarly to the air passage opening 13.

The fragmentary sealer 12 applied to the central portion of the outer reinforcement 6 is applied so as to enter the air passage opening 13 toward the rear of the vehicle body from the other fragmentary sealers 12. By entering the air passage opening 13, the sealer application area of the air passage opening 13 is increased, and the dent resistance can be improved.

As described above, the outer panel 2 and the inner panel 3 are joined in a state where the strip-shaped sealer 11 and the fragmented sealer 12 are applied to the outer reinforcement 6, so that the outer panel 2 and the outer reinforcement 6 are joined. Are joined via a sealer 10. With the band-shaped sealer 11 having a predetermined length in the vehicle width direction and the fragmentary sealer 12 applied in a plurality of rows in the vehicle front-rear direction, the usage amount of the sealer 10 can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. Further, even if the area for mounting the outer reinforcement 6 to the outer panel 2 is increased, the arrangement interval of the fragmentary sealers 12 is adjusted within a range that does not impair the dent resistance of the outer panel 2, so that the use of the fragmentary sealers 12 is improved. The amount can be reduced.

Next, the thermosetting of the sealer 10 will be described. When the assembly and welding of each part such as both panels 2 and 3 and both reinforcements 6 and 7 are completed, the vehicle body is conveyed to a painting process, and the vehicle body is subjected to a plurality of coatings such as undercoating, intermediate coating, and topcoating. At the time of undercoating, coating by electrodeposition coating is generally performed. Electrodeposition coating is performed by placing the vehicle body in a paint tank in which paint is stored. At this time, if air is trapped in a closed cross section or at the end of the front hood 1, the portion is painted. And coating failure occurs. Therefore, not only the entire surface of the panel, but also the inner peripheral surface that forms a closed cross section between the outer panel 2 and the inner panel 3 and the inner peripheral surface that forms the space between the outer panel 2 and the outer reinforcement 6, Need to be covered with paint.

In this embodiment, an air passage opening 13 is provided in the band-shaped sealer 11 corresponding to the position where the camber of the front hood 1 is highest, and the band-shaped sealer 11 and the fragmented sealer 12 By providing the predetermined interval therebetween, the air between the outer panel 2 and the outer reinforcement 6 is exhausted as shown by an arrow A in FIG. Therefore, the occurrence of air pockets between the outer panel 2 and the outer reinforcement 6 where air pockets are likely to be generated is prevented, and the paintability of the paint at the time of electrodeposition coating is improved, and coating failure can be prevented.

After completion of the undercoating, the vehicle body is baked and dried. The sealer 10 is hardened by the heat of the baking and drying, and the outer panel 2 and the outer reinforcement 6 are joined. At this time, the outer panel 2 and the outer reinforcement 6 are substantially integrated by the strip-shaped sealer 11 having a predetermined length in the vehicle width direction and the fragment-shaped sealer 12 applied in a plurality of rows in the vehicle longitudinal direction, The rigidity of the front end of the outer panel 2 is increased, and the dent resistance of the front end of the outer panel 2 is satisfied. Since a predetermined interval is provided between the band-shaped sealer 11 and the fragmentary sealer 12, the shrinkage phenomenon at the time of curing of the sealer 10 is suppressed, and the outer panel 2
Distortion is also prevented.

Next, a modified example of the sealer 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the sealer 10 to be applied to the outer reinforcement 6 may be applied in the order of the fragmentary sealer 12, the band-like sealer 11, and the fragmentary sealer 12 from the front of the vehicle body.
By applying the sealer 10 in this manner, the rigidity of the outer panel 2 can be further improved. Also,
By moving each end of the belt-shaped sealer 11 inside the vehicle body to the rear of the vehicle body and inclining the belt-shaped sealer 11 with respect to the vehicle width direction, air in a space formed between the outer panel 2 and the outer reinforcement 6 is formed. Can be improved.

In the above-described embodiment, a mastic sealer is used as a joining member, but a thermosetting resin may be used instead of the mastic sealer. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the outer panel of the front hood and the outer reinforcement are joined has been described, but it is a matter of course that the panel reinforcing structure of the present invention may be used for a trunk lid panel or a roof panel. .

[0019]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the first vehicle body extends in the lateral direction of the vehicle body in a band shape, and the substantially central portion thereof is removed to form the opening for the air passage. A joining member and a fragmentary second joining member extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, arranged in a plurality of rows along the first joining member, and having a predetermined interval between the joining member and the first joining member Is interposed between the hood panel and the reinforcement, so that the joining member extends in the front, rear, left, and right directions of the vehicle body. Therefore, the use amount of the joining member can be reduced without impairing the dent resistance of the panel, and the cost can be reduced. Further, at the time of electrodeposition coating, air is discharged from the opening for the air passage and a predetermined distance between the first joint member and the second joint member, so that the air accumulation between the hood panel and the reinforcement is achieved. Is prevented, the paintability of the paint at the time of electrodeposition coating is improved, and coating failure can be prevented. Furthermore, the first
Since there is a predetermined interval between the joining member and the second joining member, shrinkage phenomenon at the time of curing of the joining member is suppressed,
The distortion to the hood panel can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of a front end portion of a front hood employing a panel reinforcing structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an outer reinforcement showing a modification of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 front hood 2 hood outer panel 3 hood inner panel 5 reinforcement 6 outer reinforcement 7 inner reinforcement 10 mastic sealer 11 strip sealer 12 fragmentary sealer 13 air passage opening

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-8-72750 (JP, A) JP-A-4-55175 (JP, A) JP-A-3-50080 (JP, A) 121185 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 2-72176 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model 64-64280 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Utility Model 63-139180 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B62D 25/10

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A panel reinforcing structure for reinforcing a panel by bonding a reinforcement to a hood panel of a vehicle body, wherein the panel extends in a lateral direction in a lateral direction of the vehicle body, and a substantially central portion thereof is removed to form an air passage. A first joining member having an opening formed therein, extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, being arranged in a plurality of rows along the first joining member, and between the first joining member and the first joining member. A reinforcing structure for a panel, wherein a fragmentary second joining member having a predetermined interval is interposed between the hood panel and the reinforcement.