JP4577141B2 - Body structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle body structure with an improved front pillar.

  Conventionally, in order to secure a field of view in front of the vehicle, an automobile (vehicle) is conventionally provided in front of a vehicle interior space a (a space formed in the vehicle body f) in which an occupant enters as shown in FIGS. A window member b is provided. Most of the front window member b supports both sides in the vehicle width direction using a pair of front pillars d that rise from the front part g of the vehicle body f to the roof part c. In addition, k shows the triangular window provided in the front pillar d.

  In general, the front pillar d is disposed in front of the driver i sitting on the driver seat h as shown in FIG. 8 in order to support the side portion of the front window member b.

  By the way, the driver i often visually recognizes the front side of the vehicle to ensure safety while driving the car (when turning left or right, or turning a curve).

  However, when viewed from the eye point j of the driver i, the front pillar d is visually recognized as protruding obliquely forward and downward from the roof portion c. For this reason, when the driver i looks at a diagonally forward side of the vehicle, for example, in order to see a pedestrian in the diagonally forward direction of the vehicle, for example, the lower part of the front pillar d protrudes into the visual field. A blind spot occurs.

  This is because, in recent years, the front window member b has a tendency to protrude greatly toward the front of the vehicle and increase the inclination of the front window surface (falling angle: small). It is easy to be placed at a point far away from the vehicle, and the lower part of the vehicle is easily projected over the field of view of the driver i, that is, the field of view β when viewing the vehicle diagonally forward from the eye point j of the driver i. It depends on.

  Moreover, the front pillar d has a tendency to use a thick member for ensuring collision safety (to ensure rigidity and strength), and the front view of the front window member b is also obliquely viewed from the structure of the pillar itself. It is easily damaged.

As a means for improving the visibility in front of the vehicle obliquely, a front pillar that is entirely bent toward the inside of the vehicle body as disclosed in Patent Document 1 is disposed behind the vehicle from the driver's eye point, and the blind spot is obliquely forward. There has been proposed a structure that eliminates the problem.
Utility model registration No. 3042529

  However, with the same structure, a part of the front pillar is disposed in a state of abnormally approaching the driver, which may cause a driver to feel uncomfortable.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle body structure in which a visual field area obliquely forward of a vehicle can be expanded without causing the driver to feel uncomfortable.

In order to achieve the above object, the front pillar supporting the both sides of the front window member in the vehicle width direction is obliquely forward as viewed from the driver's seat and is located below the middle of the front pillar. the portion to be the Hekomase deflect the rear side of the vehicle front-rear direction, is formed in S shape by recessing deflect a portion to be the upper to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body front side from the middle of the front pillar.

With this configuration, the lower part of the front pillar, which has been a blind spot, is retracted from the field of view when the driver visually recognizes the vehicle diagonally forward. As a result, a wide field of view is secured obliquely forward of the vehicle. Furthermore, according to this configuration, a wide field of view is ensured without giving the driver a feeling of pressure.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above object, the impact energy applied from the front portion of the vehicle body is not concentrated at the portion connected to the vehicle body skeleton member of the front pillar, but the skeleton member of the roof portion of the vehicle body via the front pillar. So that the upper end of the front pillar is smoothly and continuously connected to the first skeleton member constituting the skeleton of the roof portion of the vehicle body from the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the lower end is the skeleton of the front portion of the vehicle body. It was made to connect smoothly and continuously from the front-rear direction of the vehicle body to the second skeleton member constituting the.

In addition to the above object, the invention according to claim 3 further includes a reinforcing member provided in the front pillar in accordance with the entire length of the front pillar in order to secure a wider field of view obliquely forward of the vehicle. Using the configuration, the front pillar itself was made thinner.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a window portion that fits in a lower portion of the recessed front pillar is provided on a side portion of the front window member.

According to the first and fourth aspects of the present invention, a wide field of view with reduced obstacles (dead spots) can be secured obliquely forward of the front window member from the driver.

  Therefore, it is possible to visually recognize the vehicle obliquely forward with good visibility. Moreover, since the front pillar has a structure in which the lower portion is recessed, the front pillar does not abnormally approach the driver, and the front pillar does not give the driver a sense of incongruity.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above-described effects, the impact energy from the front part of the vehicle body is transmitted not only to the part connected to the front pillar and the vehicle body frame member but also to the frame member of the roof part via the front pillar. Can be dispersed and supported, and a vehicle body excellent in collision safety can be configured.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above effect, the front pillar can be reduced in diameter by providing the reinforcing member, thereby ensuring a wider field of view obliquely forward of the vehicle.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on a first embodiment shown in FIGS.

  FIG. 1 shows a side view of the front side of a vehicle to which the present invention is applied, for example, a passenger car, FIG. 2 shows a perspective view when the front side of the same vehicle is viewed obliquely, and FIG. 3 shows the front side of the same vehicle. FIG. 4 shows an enlarged front pillar structure.

  1 to 4 show a box-shaped vehicle body. The vehicle body 1 has a vehicle interior space 2 (only FIG. 3 is shown) that forms a room for the occupant M. The vehicle interior space 2 includes a floor surface 3 (only FIG. 3 is shown) arranged at the lower part, a roof part 4 arranged at the upper part, a front window member 5 arranged at the front part, and a rear window member (not shown) arranged at the rear part. ) And the like. A front portion 6 (corresponding to the front portion of the present application) is formed in the front portion of the vehicle interior space 2. Although not shown in the figure, an engine room that houses a power unit serving as a travel source is formed inside the front portion 6. Further, on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the passenger compartment space 2, there are provided an entrance 8 and a front door 9 and a rear door 10 that open and close the entrance 8, and an occupant M is installed on the floor surface 5 through the entrance 8. The driver seat 11 and the passenger seat 12 (both seats: only FIG. 3 is shown) are seated.

  Note that the front window member 5 arranged along the vertical direction has a lower end protruding from the upper end (the front end of the roof portion 4) toward the vehicle front side. That is, the front window surface is inclined.

  However, the upper end portion of the front window member 5 is supported by the front end edge of the roof portion 4, and the lower end portion is supported by the rear portion of the front portion 7.

  On the other hand, a pair of front pillars 14 protrudes upward from both side portions (both sides in the vehicle width direction) of the front portion 6. Each of the front pillars 14 is an elongated member having a closed cross section, for example, a square tube member made of a steel plate. The front pillar 14 extends to the front both sides (both sides in the vehicle width direction) of the roof portion 4 through both sides (vehicle width direction) of the front window member 5. The front pillar 14 supports the side portion of the front window member 5 on the vehicle body 1.

  The front pillar 14 is provided with a hand to improve the field of view obliquely forward of the vehicle. For this, a structure is used in which only the lower part of the front pillar 14 is recessed toward the vehicle interior space 2 side (inside the vehicle body). As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, a structure in which an S-shaped portion 15 is formed in each part of the front pillar 14, for example, the middle stage of the front pillar 14 is used. Specifically, for example, the S-shaped portion 15 draws an arc from the middle to the lower side of the front pillar 14 (the portion corresponding to the lower portion of the front pillar) toward the vehicle interior space 2 (corresponding to the inside of the vehicle body). On the other hand, the upper part (the part corresponding to the upper part of the front pillar) from the middle to the upper side is warped toward the front side of the vehicle body (corresponding to the outside of the vehicle body). Reference numeral 15a denotes a portion bent toward the inside of the vehicle body, and 15b denotes a portion bent toward the outside of the vehicle body in the opposite direction. With this recessed front pillar 14, the driver (occupant M) seated in the driver's seat 11 retracts the lower part of the front pillar 14 that becomes an obstacle (dead angle) from the field of view α when the driver sees diagonally forward of the vehicle. ing.

  Further, on both lower sides (vehicle width direction) of the front window member 5, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, a pair of side window panels 17 (only one side is shown: corresponding to the window portion of the present application)) Are connected together. These side window panels 17 are shaped to compensate for the recessed pillar portions 15a. That is, the side window panel 17 protrudes from the both side portions (vehicle width direction) of the front window member 5 to the vehicle interior space 2 side. These side window panels 17 are fitted in the recessed spaces of the pillar portions 15a. The side window panel 17 is supported by the pillar portion 15a. Thus, the side window 18 is formed in the recessed space of the pillar portion 15a. Accordingly, a field of view without the lower portion of the front pillar 14 that becomes an obstacle (dead angle) is obtained obliquely forward from the driver (occupant M).

  As shown in FIG. 4, the upper end portion of the front pillar 14 has roof side members 20 on both sides (both sides in the vehicle width direction) constituting the skeleton of the roof portion 4 (skeleton members extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body: the first skeleton member of the present application). To the front end of the vehicle body, and continuously connected while drawing a circular arc from the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The lower end portion is smoothly and continuously from the front-rear direction of the vehicle body with respect to the rear portion of the front upper member 21 (a skeleton member extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body: corresponding to the second skeleton member of the present application) constituting the skeleton of the front portion 6. The front pillars 14 and the vehicle body skeleton members are connected to each other so that they can withstand impact energy applied from the front of the vehicle body.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a reinforcing member, for example, a pipe member 22 is inserted into the front pillar 14 along the entire length. In the drawing, reference numeral 22a denotes a small diameter portion (thin portion) of the pipe member 22, and 22b denotes a large diameter portion (thick portion) of the pipe member 22. The lower end portion of the pipe member 22 is connected to, for example, the rear portion of the front upper member 21 (or the lower side of the front pillar 14 or the like), and the upper end portion is connected to, for example, the roof side member 20 (corresponding to the second skeleton member of the present application). Has been. When the diameter of the upper end portion 22 b of the pipe member 22 is increased, the load at the time of collision can be dispersed from the front pillar 14 to the skeleton of the roof portion 4. The upper end portion of the pipe member 22 is a cross member (not shown) provided at the front edge of the roof portion 4, a roof bow (not shown) provided in the middle of the roof portion 4 in the front-rear direction, or a center pillar. You may connect with an upper end part (all are not shown in figure) (all correspond to the 2nd frame member of this application). The interior of the pipe member 22 reinforces the entire front pillar 14. The front pillar 14 is reduced in diameter using this reinforcement.

  In the figure, 23 is an instrument panel, 24 is a handle, and 25 is a triangular window provided on the front pillar 14. Although not shown, when the antenna is disposed inside the front pillar 14, the antenna may be accommodated inside the pipe member 22.

  According to such a structure in which the lower portion of the front pillar 14 is recessed, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, when the driver (occupant M) visually confirms the front side of the vehicle, the front window member 5 in the same direction is passed. From the field of view α, the lower part of the front pillar 14 is visually recognized as being absent or at a point that does not get in the way.

  As a result, a wide field of view α with no obstacles (dead spots) as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 can be secured diagonally forward of the vehicle from the driver (occupant M).

  Therefore, the vehicle diagonally forward can be visually recognized with good visibility. In particular, since the front pillar 14 has a smaller diameter than the reinforcement of the pipe member 22 (reinforcing member), further excellent visibility can be secured.

  In addition, since the front pillar 14 is recessed only at the bottom, there is no problem that the front pillar 14 abnormally approaches the driver (occupant M), and the front pillar 14 does not give the driver a sense of incongruity. In particular, the structure in which only the lower part of the front pillar 14 is recessed has good visibility because a wide field of view is secured below the horizontal direction of the eye point of the driver seated in the driver's seat. In addition, since the lower part of the front pillar 14 is arranged to be shifted to the rear side of the vehicle body, even if a person falls from the front part of the vehicle to the lower part of the front pillar 14, Since the front window member 5 and the side window 18 excellent in shock absorption are received (impact is absorbed by buckling deformation), safety may be achieved.

  Further, the structure in which the S-shaped portion 15 is formed in the front pillar 14 as a concave structure not only can ensure a wide field of view α in front of the vehicle obliquely as described above, but also when an impact force (impact energy) is applied from the front of the vehicle. Since the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the pillar 14 are smoothly and continuously connected to the skeleton member of the roof portion 4 and the skeleton member of the front portion 6 from the vehicle longitudinal direction, the impact force (impact Energy) can be distributed to the front pillar 14 and the skeleton members of the roof portion 4 without being concentrated at the connecting portion with the front pillar 14, and as a result, the vehicle body 1 having excellent collision safety can be configured.

[Second Embodiment]
5 and 6 show a second embodiment of the present invention.

  This embodiment is characterized in that the side window panel 17 is not formed integrally with the front window member 5 as in the first embodiment, but is provided on the front window member 5 with a separate structure.

  Specifically, the side window panel 17 is connected to both side portions (both sides in the vehicle width direction) of the front window member 5 via a connecting tool, for example, an adhesive molding 30.

  Even when such a front window member 5 with the side window panel 17 is used, the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above can be obtained.

  However, in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the same parts as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, You may implement in various changes within the range which does not deviate from the main point of this invention. For example, in any of the above-described embodiments, a four-door passenger car has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention may be applied to other types of different automobiles. Further, the front pillar may have an upper portion of about 1/3 or 1/4 of the entire front pillar, and conversely the lower portion may have about 1/3 or 1/4 of the entire front pillar.

The side view which shows the front side of the vehicle body which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the front window vicinity of the vehicle body. The cross-sectional view of the same vehicle body. The perspective view which expanded the periphery of the front pillar which supports a front window member, and expanded and showed it partially. The perspective view which shows the front window periphery of the vehicle body which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. Sectional drawing in alignment with the AA in FIG. The side view for demonstrating the front pillar of the conventional vehicle body. The cross-sectional view of the same vehicle body.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle body, 2 ... Car interior space, 5 ... Front window member, 14 ... Front pillar, 15 ... S-shaped part, 15a ... Pillar part (concave part), 17 ... Side window panel (window part), 20 ... Roof side member (first skeleton member), 21 ... front upper member (second skeleton member), 22 ... pipe member (reinforcing member).

Claims (4)

A front window member disposed at the front of the vehicle interior space of the vehicle body;
A driver seat provided in the vehicle interior space;
A front pillar disposed on both sides of the front window member in the vehicle width direction and supporting a side portion of the front window member in the vehicle width direction;
The front pillar is recessed obliquely forward as viewed from the driver's seat, with a portion from the middle to the lower side of the front pillar warped toward the rear side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and from the middle to the upper side of the front pillar. vehicle body structure, characterized in that portions are formed on the vehicle body S shape was longitudinal deflecting by recessing the front side.   The upper end portion of the front pillar is smoothly and continuously connected to the first skeleton member constituting the skeleton of the roof portion of the vehicle body from the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, and the lower end portion is the second skeleton constituting the skeleton of the front portion of the vehicle body. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle body structure is smoothly and continuously connected to the skeleton member from the vehicle longitudinal direction.   The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein a reinforcing member is disposed in the front pillar along the entire length of the front pillar.   2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein the front window member has a window portion that fits in a lower portion of the recessed front pillar at a side portion of the member.

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