JP3817102B2 - Body structure of small vehicles - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a small vehicle on which about one or two people ride, and more particularly, to a simple vehicle body structure that can rationally guide rainwater from a roof.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, from the viewpoint of reducing exhaust gas and energy consumption, a small vehicle that can be moved by one or two people has been developed and put into practical use.
Such a small vehicle is equipped with, for example, a small displacement engine or an electric motor (moreover, a combination of the engine and the electric motor) as a power source. It is used as a means that can move.
[0003]
As such a small vehicle, for example, a small vehicle described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-286348 is known.
This small vehicle has a vehicle body structure in which a frame-shaped vehicle body frame made of a metal pipe material such as aluminum is covered with a plastic body cover that is divided into upper and lower parts. The upper body cover forms a roof and the lower side. The body cover constitutes an occupant seat, and the body cover constitutes a cabin on which the occupant is seated.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In this type of small vehicle body structure, in addition to being lightweight, it is required to simplify the structure and reduce the cost by reducing the number of parts and assembly steps. Furthermore, for example, even in a small vehicle with a simple vehicle body structure, the rainwater collected on the roof covering the occupant seating portion is treated so that the occupant can move comfortably even during rain. Is required.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle body structure for a small vehicle capable of rationally guiding rainwater with a simple structure.
Further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A small vehicle according to the present invention has a vehicle body structure in which a roof panel is supported above an occupant seat by a front pillar erected on both front sides of the occupant seat and a rear pillar erected on the rear of the occupant seat. A long pillar is covered with a molding material to form a front pillar, and a groove portion having a substantially U-shaped cross section is formed on the opposite side of the molding material, and the front window panel is formed by the groove portions of both front pillars. Is provided on both sides of the roof panel, and a flange extending in the front-rear direction is provided on both sides of the roof panel. The roof panel flange extends along the front pillar on the side opposite to the groove of the front pillar molding material. It is the vehicle body structure which provided the collar part which guides the rainwater from the bottom.
As a result, the front window panel can be attached with a simple structure, and rainwater collected on the roof can be guided to the lower side of the vehicle body by the front pillar flange portion located at a position away from the seating portion.
[0007]
Further, in the vehicle body structure of the small vehicle according to the present invention, cross members are provided between the front pillars at the upper and lower portions of both front pillars, and a press panel is attached to these cross members so that the front window panel The upper part and the lower part were clamped via a rubber member.
Thereby, a front window panel can be attached with a simpler structure.
[0008]
Further, in the vehicle body structure of the small vehicle according to the present invention, the front body cover constituting the front part of the vehicle body is configured as a separate part from the body cover constituting the occupant seating part, and the edge part of the occupant seating part body cover is arranged at the front part. Formed slightly overhanging from the edge of the body cover, a saddle part that guides rainwater from the front pillar saddle part to the lower part was formed at the joint part of the occupant seating part body cover and the front body cover.
Accordingly, the vehicle body can be configured with a simple structure, and rainwater collected on the roof can be guided downward from the side of the vehicle body via the front pillar flange.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will be specifically described with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the small vehicle of this example is a four-wheeled vehicle having two wheels on each of a front wheel 1 and a rear wheel 2, and a seat 3 on which one occupant sits in the center. Is provided.
The basic vehicle body structure of this small vehicle consists of a frame-type vehicle body frame 4 made of a metal pipe material such as aluminum, a front body cover 5 constituting the front portion as shown in FIG. 6, and a central portion. The center body cover 6 and the rear body cover 7 constituting the rear part are covered with a resin body cover 8 divided into three parts. Further, a resin roof panel 9 is arranged above the center body cover 7. A cabin is configured to cover the passenger seat 3.
[0010]
Here, as shown in FIG. 2, a metal front beam 11 made of aluminum or the like is provided so as to project forward from the vehicle body frame 4, and these three front beams 11 are provided inside the front body cover 5. Thus, the load from the front is supported and absorbed.
A pair of front arms 12 are pivotally attached to the front portion of the vehicle body frame 4 around the pivot 13, and the front wheels 1 are rotatably supported by the front end portions of the respective front arms 12. By applying a steering force from the steering wheel 14 via the steering mechanism, the front wheel 1 changes its direction so that the traveling direction of the vehicle can be arbitrarily changed.
[0011]
A frame-shaped swing frame 16 is swingably mounted around the pair of pivots 15 at the rear of the body frame 4, and an engine, a transmission, a differential mechanism, and the like are integrated on the swing frame 16. A power unit 17 is provided. The rear wheels 2 are respectively attached to the ends of a pair of axle shafts 18 protruding from the differential mechanism of the power unit 17, and the rear wheels 2 are driven by the power from the power unit 17.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 19 denotes an exhaust pipe and a muffler drawn from the engine of the power unit 17. A suspension mechanism (not shown) is provided between the swing frame 16 and the vehicle body frame 4.
[0012]
Next, the body structure of the small vehicle will be described in more detail.
The roof panel 9 is attached and supported by a pair of front pillars 21 and a pair of rear pillars 22. The lower end of the front pillar 21 is erected while being supported by the vehicle body frame 4, and extends upward from the joint between the front body cover 5 and the center body cover 6 while being slightly inclined rearward. The rear pillar 22 is erected with its lower end supported by the body frame 4, and extends substantially vertically upward from the joint between the center body cover 6 and the rear body cover 7.
[0013]
These front pillars 21 and a pair of rear pillars 22 are composed of a long metal pipe material such as aluminum, and the surface is molded and coated with resin or rubber. The rigidity is sufficient to support the roof panel 9. Has strength.
In this example, a roll bar that surrounds the side and upper part of the occupant seated on the seat 3 is configured as a U shape in which the rear pillars 22 standing on the side of the seat 3 are connected to the left and right.
[0014]
As shown in detail in FIGS. 7 and 8, the roof panel 9 has a generally curved shape formed by resin molding, and groove-like flange portions 9 a extending in the front-rear direction are formed on both sides thereof. At the rear end portion, a groove-like flange portion 9b that is continuous with the flange portion 9a is formed, and the rainwater collected on the roof panel 9 is received and drained by the flange portions 9a and 9b provided on the three edge portions. In addition, it does not fall down on the seat.
In this example in which the roof panel 9 is also curved rearward, a through hole 9c is formed at the bottom of the flange 9b, and rainwater collected at the rear of the roof panel 9 is drained to the rear of the rear pillar 22. I am doing so.
[0015]
Front pillars 21 erected on both front sides of the cabin attach and support the roof panel 9, and a front window panel 25 made of transparent resin or glass is gripped and attached between the front pillars 21 from both sides.
As shown in detail in FIG. 9, the front pillar 21 has a structure in which an aggregate 31 made of a metal pipe is covered with a resin molding material 32. A U-shaped groove portion 32a is formed extending in the longitudinal direction of the pillar, and both sides of the front window panel 25 are fitted and held in the respective groove portions 32a, whereby the front window panel 25 is attached to the front pillar 21 on both sides thereof. It is attached.
[0016]
As shown in detail in FIG. 10, the front pillar molding member 32 has a cylindrical shape having an inner diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the aggregate 31, and has a split surface in the longitudinal direction to grip the front window panel 25. The tube can be opened on the side to be used.
A pair of projecting pieces 32b constituting the groove 32a are formed on the split surface portion of the molding material 32, and the base portions of the projecting pieces 32b have some elasticity and can be fitted to each other. The front pillar bone is formed by opening the molding 32 at the split surface and covering the aggregate 31 and fitting the flanges 32c between the protrusions 32b with the edge of the front window panel 25 interposed therebetween. The front window panel 25 can be attached to the front pillar 21 while the material 31 is covered with the molding material 32.
[0017]
Further, on the side opposite to the split surface of the front pillar molding member 32, a flange portion 32d that extends along the front pillar 21 and that opens to the front of the vehicle is formed, and the left and right flange portions 32d are at the upper ends of the roof panel 25. The front end communicates with the left and right flanges 9a. As a result, rainwater on the roof panel 25 received by the flange portion 9a is guided through the flange portion 32d along the front pillar 21 and drained to the lower portion, and from the side of the roof or the side of the front window. Rainwater does not drip into the cabin.
Therefore, with such a structure, the mounting of the molding material 32 and the front window panel 25 to the front pillar 21 and the formation of the rain gutter on the side of the front window can be simplified with a very small number of parts. It can be done at once in the assembly work.
[0018]
An upper end portion and a lower end portion of the front window panel 25 are attached to an upper cross member 35 and a lower cross member 36 which are attached to the left and right front pillars 21.
That is, as shown in detail in FIG. 11, the upper cross member 35 is welded and attached to the upper end portion of the front pillar aggregate 31, and is provided substantially continuously at the distal end portion of the roof panel 9, The lower cross member 36 is welded to the lower end portion of the front pillar aggregate 31 and is provided substantially continuously at the rear end portion of the front body cover 5. The upper cross member 35 and the lower cross member 36 are formed in a stepped cross section and have sufficient strength and rigidity. A front window panel in which rubber members 37 and 38 having a U-shaped cross section are mounted on these stepped portions. 25, the upper and lower end portions of the front window panel 25 are accommodated by screwing or the like, and the upper and lower end portions of the front window panel 25 are attached to the rubber member 37. , 38 are fixed between the front pillars 21 in a waterproof state.
[0019]
As shown in detail in FIG. 6, the body cover 8 has a three-part structure of a front body cover 5, a center body cover 6, and a rear body cover 7. These resin parts 5, 6, and 7 each have a required structure. It is molded into a shape.
That is, the front body cover 5 has a shape in which a front bumper portion 5b is bulged at the front portion of the rounded front hood portion 5a, and a front fender portion 5c covering the front wheel 1 is bulged at both sides. The hood portion 5a is formed with a hole 5d for accommodating the front light unit.
[0020]
The center body cover 6 has a shape in which a dash panel portion 6c is formed in the front portion of the cabin floor portion 6b in which the seat base portion 6a on which the seat 3 is provided is formed, and the rear body cover 7 has a rounded rear hood portion. The rear bumper portion 7b is bulged at the rear portion of 7a, and the rear fender portion 7c that covers the rear wheel 2 is bulged on both sides. A pair of holes (not shown) for accommodating the tail light units 45 are formed in the upper part of the rear bumper portion 7b.
The inner cover 50 provided in the front part of the cabin is configured separately from the body cover parts 5, 6, and 7, and the inner cover 50 includes a meter cover part 51 that accommodates meters such as a speedometer, A column cover portion 52 through which the steering column is passed and a container frame portion 53 constituting a container are integrally formed around the meter cover portion 51.
[0021]
The rear end of the front body cover 5 and the front end of the center body cover 6 are joined by screws or the like, and the rear end of the center body cover 6 and the front end of the rear body cover 7 are joined by screws or the like. 8 and the inner cover 50 is attached to the upper part of the dash panel portion 6c.
Further, the front pillar 21 extends upward from the joint portion between the front body cover 5 and the center body cover 6, and the rear pillar 22 extends upward from the joint portion between the center body cover 6 and the rear body cover 7.
[0022]
Here, as shown in detail in FIG. 12, the amount of protrusion of the dash panel portion 6c in the vehicle width direction is slightly larger than the amount of protrusion of the rear edge of the front fender portion 5c in the vehicle width direction. By joining the body cover 5 and the center body cover 6, a flange 60 extending downward from the vehicle body that is continuous with the front pillar flange 32 d is formed at the joint, and is formed from the roof via the front pillar flange 32 d. The rainwater that has been guided is drained through the buttock 60.
[0023]
In other words, on the side edge portion of the dash panel portion 6c, a hook protrusion 6d is continuously provided in the downward direction of the vehicle body, and a bonding protrusion 6e is provided slightly inside the hook protrusion 6d. By inserting the rear edge of the front fender portion 5c between the flange protrusion 6d and the bonding protrusion 6e and bonding the front fender portion 5c to the bonding protrusion 6e, A groove-like flange portion 60 is formed in the remaining space between 6d and the front fender portion 5c.
Therefore, with such a structure, the attachment of the front body cover 5 and the center body cover 6 and the formation of the rain gutter on the body cover portion can be performed at once with an extremely small number of parts and simple assembling work. It can be carried out.
[0024]
In the above description, a single-seat four-wheeled vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine has been described as an example. However, in the present invention, for example, an electric motor or a combination of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor is used as a drive source. Various modifications can be made, such as a thing, a plurality of occupants can get on, a tricycle type, and a suspension type.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in the small vehicle, the groove portion for holding the front window panel and the hook portion for guiding rainwater from the roof to the lower portion are formed in the molding material of the front pillar, so that the front window panel can be simplified. It can be attached with a simple structure, and rain water collected on the roof can be guided to the vehicle body at a position away from the seating portion.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, the upper and lower parts of the front window panel are sandwiched via the rubber member by attaching the presser panels to the cross members respectively installed on the upper and lower parts of the front pillar. Can be firmly attached with a simpler structure.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the collar portion for guiding the rainwater from the front pillar collar portion to the lower part is configured at the joint portion of the center body cover and the front body cover, the vehicle body can be configured with a simple structure. The rainwater collected on the roof can be guided downward from the side of the vehicle body via the front pillar collar.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a small vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a small vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a left side view of the small vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the small vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front side.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view seen from the back side of the small vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a body cover according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a left side view in which a part of a roof panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is omitted.
FIG. 8 is a view showing a part of the roof panel according to the embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the back side.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a front pillar in a section taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 4;
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a front pillar according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a perspective sectional view showing a mounting structure of a front window panel.
12 is a cross-sectional view showing a joint portion between a front body cover and a center body cover in a cross section taken along the line XII-XII in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
3: Seat, 5: Front body cover,
6: Center body cover, 7: Rear body cover,
9: roof panel, 9a: roof collar,
21: Front pillar, 22: Rear pillar,
25: Front window panel, 31: Front pillar aggregate,
32: Front pillar molding material, 32a: Molding material groove,
32d: Mall material collar, 35, 36: Cross member,
37, 38: Rubber material, 39, 40: Presser panel,
60: Body cover buttock,

Claims (3)

In the vehicle body structure of a small vehicle provided by supporting a roof panel above the occupant seating part by a front pillar erected on both front sides of the occupant seating part and a rear pillar erected on the rear side of the occupant seating part,
A long pillar is covered with a molding material to form a front pillar, and a groove portion having a substantially U-shaped cross section is formed on opposite sides of the molding material, and the front window panel is formed on both sides of the groove portion of both front pillars. Grip and provide,
In addition, flanges extending in the front-rear direction are provided on both sides of the roof panel, and extend along the front pillar on the side opposite to the groove of the front pillar molding material to guide rainwater from the roof panel flange to the lower part. A vehicle body structure for a small vehicle, characterized in that a collar is provided. In the vehicle body structure of the small vehicle according to claim 1,
Cross members are installed between the front pillars on the upper and lower parts of both front pillars, and the upper and lower parts of the front window panel are clamped via rubber members by attaching a press panel to these cross members. A vehicle body structure for a small vehicle. In the vehicle body structure of the small vehicle according to claim 1 or 2,
A front body cover that forms the front of the vehicle body is configured as a separate part from the body cover that forms the occupant seat, and the rim of the occupant seat is slightly extended from the edge of the front body cover. A body structure for a small vehicle, characterized in that a saddle part for guiding rainwater from the front pillar saddle part to the lower part is constituted by a joint part of the front part body cover and the front body cover.

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