JP5853740B2 - Front pillar structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a front pillar structure.

  Some front pillar structures include a patch (support member) provided on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the front pillar inner panel (see, for example, FIG. 8 of Patent Document 1 below). A steering support member (instrument reinforcement) is fastened to the patch via a front pillar inner panel by fastening members such as bolts and nuts. As a result, the patch receives the steering support member.

JP-A-4-38276

  By the way, when the suspension tower provided on the vehicle front side of the front pillar is tilted inward in the vehicle width direction at the time of the offset front collision of the vehicle, a rotational moment with the axial direction as the vertical direction acts on the front pillar inner panel. For this reason, the front pillar inner panel tends to twist and deform with the axial direction as the vertical direction.

  On the other hand, when a patch is provided on the front pillar inner panel as in the above-described front pillar structure, the front pillar inner panel has an abutment portion that abuts against the patch and an abutment that does not abut against the patch in the vehicle longitudinal direction. There is a contact part. Thereby, in the front pillar inner panel, a difference in bending strength occurs between the corresponding contact portion and the non-contact portion. For this reason, at the time of an offset frontal collision of the vehicle, the front pillar inner panel is torsionally deformed with the axial direction as the vertical direction triggered by the boundary between the corresponding contact part of the front pillar inner panel and the non-contact part, and the front collision load There is a possibility of deteriorating the transmission efficiency to the door belt line part.

  In consideration of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to provide a front pillar structure that can suppress torsional deformation of a front pillar inner panel when a support member is provided on the front pillar inner panel.

The front pillar structure according to claim 1 includes a front pillar inner panel in which a front end portion and a rear end portion of a front pillar reinforcement provided inside a side outer panel are combined to form a closed section in a plan view, and the front pillar structure. provided the front pillar reinforcement side of the pillar inner panel, to support the instrument panel reinforcement through the front pillar inner panel, Rutotomoni extending front end portion to the front end position of the front pillar reinforcement, the front end A support member disposed between a front end portion of the front pillar reinforcement and the front pillar inner panel and coupled to the front pillar inner panel.

The front pillar structure of claim 1, and the front pillar reinforcement is provided on the inner side of the side outer panel, front and rear ends of the front pillar reinforcement is combined with the front pillar inner panel, when viewed A closed cross section is formed. Accordingly, the front pillar inner panel has a closed cross section that forms a closed cross section with the front pillar reinforcement.

Here, a support member is provided on the front pillar reinforcement side of the front pillar inner panel, and the support member supports the instrument panel reinforcement via the front pillar inner panel. The front end portion of the support member extends to the front end position of the front pillar reinforcement Rutotomoni, disposed between the front portion and the front pillar inner panel of the front pillar reinforcement is combined with the front pillar inner panel Yes.

  For this reason, the front end portion of the support member is disposed on the vehicle front side portion of the closed cross-sectional portion of the front pillar inner panel, and the support member extends from the front end portion to the vehicle rear side. That is, in a plan view passing through the front end portion of the support member, the support member and the closed cross-section portion come into contact with each other and extend in the vehicle front-rear direction. Thereby, it is possible to suppress a difference in bending strength in the closed cross-section portion in the vehicle front-rear direction, and as a result, it is possible to increase the bending strength of the closed cross-section portion with respect to a rotational moment with the axial direction as the vertical direction.

  Therefore, when a rotational moment with the axial direction as the vertical direction acts on the front pillar inner panel at the time of a frontal offset collision of the vehicle, the support member acts as a strength member, and torsional deformation of the front pillar inner panel is suppressed. The Thereby, torsional deformation of the front pillar inner panel when the support member is provided on the front pillar inner panel can be suppressed.

The front pillar structure according to claim 2 is the front pillar structure according to claim 1, wherein a front end portion of the front pillar reinforcement and the front pillar inner panel are linearly coupled , A second coupling portion in which a front end portion of the support member and the front pillar inner panel are coupled in a dot-like manner, and the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion are arranged apart from each other in the vertical direction. ing.

The front pillar structure of claim 2, the front end portion of the front pillar reinforcement and the front pillar inner panel, the first coupling part can be coupled by arc welding. Further, the front end portion of the support member and the front pillar inner panel, the second coupling part can be coupled by spot welding.

  Here, the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion are arranged apart from each other in the vertical direction. Thereby, it can avoid joining a front pillar inner panel, a supporting member, and a front pillar reinforcement by spot welding in a 2nd joint part. That is, it is possible to avoid joining three sheet metals by spot welding. For this reason, the coupling | bonding quality (for example, peeling-proof performance etc.) between the support member and front pillar inner panel in a 2nd coupling | bond part can be improved.

  A front pillar structure according to a third aspect is the front pillar structure according to the second aspect, wherein the second coupling portion is provided at one location.

  In the front pillar structure according to claim 3, since the second coupling portion is provided at one location, the support member is provided at the second coupling portion and the location where the instrument panel reinforcement is coupled via the front inner panel. Connected to the front inner panel. Thereby, the joint location of the support member with respect to a front inner panel can be set to the minimum.

  The front pillar structure according to claim 4 is the front pillar structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the front pillar structure is provided on a front side of the front pillar reinforcement, and the side outer panel and the front pillar are provided. A first reinforcement member coupled to the reinforcement, and a second reinforcement member provided inside the front pillar reinforcement and on the vehicle rear side of the first reinforcement member and coupled to the front pillar reinforcement. I have.

  In the front pillar structure according to the fourth aspect, the first reinforcing member is coupled to the side outer panel and the front pillar reinforcement on the vehicle front side of the front pillar reinforcement. Moreover, the 2nd reinforcement member is provided inside the front pillar reinforcement, The 2nd reinforcement member is couple | bonded with the front pillar reinforcement in the vehicle rear side of the 1st reinforcement member.

  Accordingly, the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion extend in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the front collision load at the time of the offset frontal collision of the vehicle can be received by the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion.

  According to the front pillar structure of the first aspect, the torsional deformation of the front pillar inner panel when the support member is provided on the front pillar inner panel can be suppressed.

  According to the front pillar structure of the second aspect, it is possible to improve the coupling quality between the support member and the front pillar inner panel in the second coupling portion.

  According to the front pillar structure of the third aspect, since the coupling portion of the support member to the front inner panel can be set to a minimum, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of steps for assembling the support member to the front inner panel, and to increase the cost. Can be suppressed.

  According to the front pillar structure of the fourth aspect, the front collision load at the time of the offset frontal collision of the vehicle can be received by the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion.

1 is a cross-sectional plan view (a cross-sectional view taken along line 1-1 in FIG. 2) illustrating a main part of a vehicle to which a front pillar structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a main part of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the left side of the vehicle. FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the fastening bracket shown in FIG. 2. It is a plane sectional view showing an important section of a vehicle to which a front pillar structure of a comparative example is applied. It is the side view to which the bracket for fastening used for the comparative example shown by FIG. 4 was expanded.

  FIG. 1 is a plan sectional view of a main part of a vehicle 10 (automobile) to which a front pillar structure S according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied as viewed from above. In the drawings, the front side of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow FR, the right side of the vehicle is indicated by an arrow RH, and the upper side is indicated by an arrow UP. Further, since the front pillar structure S is configured symmetrically in the vehicle width direction, the front pillar structure S on the right side of the vehicle will be described, and the description on the front pillar structure S on the left side of the vehicle will be omitted.

  As shown in this figure, the vehicle 10 includes a front pillar 12. A cowl side outer 50 is provided on the front side of the front pillar 12, and a front suspension tower 52 is provided inside the cowl side outer 50 in the vehicle width direction (the vehicle left side in FIG. 1). A front door 54 is provided on the rear side of the front pillar 12, and a belt line reinforcement 56 is provided along the vehicle front-rear direction in the belt line portion of the front door 54.

  The front pillar 12 includes a side outer panel 14 and a front pillar inner panel (hereinafter referred to as “inner panel”) 16, and the side outer panel 14 and the inner panel 16 are each made of sheet metal. The side outer panel 14 is formed in a substantially hat shape that is opened inward in the vehicle width direction in a plan view, and extends in the vertical direction.

  The inner panel 16 is disposed in the opening of the side outer panel 14 with the plate thickness direction being the vehicle width direction, and extends in the vertical direction. And the vehicle rear side end portion of the inner panel 16 is bent into a substantially crank shape in a plan view, and is joined to the vehicle rear side end portion of the side outer panel 14 together with a front pillar reinforcement 18 described later by welding or the like. Yes. Further, the end of the inner panel 16 on the front side of the vehicle is coupled to the end of the side outer panel 14 on the front side of the vehicle by welding or the like, thereby forming a closed cross section between the inner panel 16 and the side outer panel 14. .

  Inside the front pillar 12, a front pillar reinforcement (hereinafter referred to as "front pillar R / F") 18 made of sheet metal is provided at a position on the rear side of the vehicle. The front pillar R / F 18 is formed in a substantially hat shape opened to the inside of the vehicle in a plan view, and extends in the vertical direction. A front flange portion 20 is formed at an end portion of the front pillar R / F 18 on the front side of the vehicle, and the front flange portion 20 is bent toward the front side of the vehicle and disposed to face the inner panel 16 (see FIG. 2). ). The front flange portion 20 is joined to the vehicle longitudinal direction intermediate portion of the inner panel 16 by arc welding (see the zigzag solid line in FIG. 2), and the joint portion between the front flange portion 20 and the inner panel 16 is The first coupling portion 22 is used.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front flange portion 20 is formed with a flange-side protruding portion 20 </ b> A for placing a bracket-side welded portion 32 of a fastening bracket 30 described later. The flange-side protruding portion 20A is raised outward in the vehicle width direction from the front flange portion 20 by drawing or the like, whereby a gap is formed between the flange-side protruding portion 20A and the inner panel 16 in the vehicle width direction. Is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle rear side end portion of the front pillar R / F 18 is bent rearward of the vehicle and joined to the vehicle rear side end portions of the side outer panel 14 and the inner panel 16 by welding or the like. Yes. Thus, a closed cross section is formed by the front pillar R / F 18 and the inner panel 16, and a portion of the inner panel 16 that forms the closed cross section with the front pillar R / F 18 is a closed cross section 16A.

  Further, a front bulk 24 as a “first reinforcing portion” is provided inside the front pillar 12 on the vehicle front side of the front pillar R / F 18. It is formed in a substantially U shape that is open to the back. The front bulk 24 is bridged between the vehicle front side wall of the side outer panel 14 and the vehicle front side wall of the front pillar R / F 18 and is coupled to both by welding or the like. Thereby, the side outer panel 14 and the front pillar R / F 18 are connected by the front bulk 24.

  A rear bulk 26 as a “second reinforcing portion” is provided inside the front pillar R / F 18 on the rear side of the front bulk 24, and the rear bulk 26 is opened inward in the vehicle width direction in plan view. It is formed in a substantially U shape. The rear bulk 26 is bridged between the vehicle front side wall and the vehicle rear side wall of the front pillar R / F 18 and is coupled to both by welding or the like. As a result, the front bulk 24 and the rear bulk 26 extend in the vehicle front-rear direction inside the front pillar 12, and the front pillar 12 is reinforced by the front bulk 24 and the rear bulk 26.

  Next, the fastening bracket 30 as the “support member”, which is a main part of the present invention, will be described.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the fastening bracket 30 is made of sheet metal and is formed in a substantially triangular shape with the bottom side facing down in a side view. The fastening bracket 30 is provided along the outer side surface in the vehicle width direction of the closed section 16A of the inner panel 16.

  A bracket-side weld 32 that protrudes toward the front of the vehicle in a side view is formed on the lower portion of the fastening bracket 30. The bracket-side welded portion 32 is disposed at the position of the flange-side protruding portion 20A of the front pillar R / F 18 described above in the vehicle front-rear direction, and is disposed in the gap between the inner panel 16 and the flange-side protruding portion 20A. Has been. Thereby, the flange side protruding portion 20A at the flange portion 20 (front end portion) of the front pillar R / F 18 and the bracket side welded portion 32 (front end portion) of the fastening bracket 30 overlap in the vehicle width direction in a side view. Is arranged. Moreover, the bracket side welding part 32 is couple | bonded with the inner panel 16 by spot welding. Thereby, the connection part (refer the part of * mark shown in FIG. 2) of the bracket side welding part 32 and the inner panel 16 is made into the 2nd connection part 34, and the 2nd connection part 34 is set to one place. In addition, the first coupling portion 22 is disposed apart from the first coupling portion 22 in the vertical direction.

  Further, the lower portion of the fastening bracket 30 extends from the bracket side welded portion 32 to the front side of the vehicle rear side end portion of the inner panel 16. That is, the lower part of the fastening bracket 30 is arranged from the vehicle front side part to the vehicle rear side part of the closed cross section 16 </ b> A of the inner panel 16.

  The fastening bracket 30 is provided with a pair of fastening holes 36 and 38 for fastening instrument panel reinforcement (not shown) (see FIG. 3). The instrument panel reinforcement is formed in a pipe shape and extends along the vehicle width direction on the inner side of the inner panel 16 in the vehicle width direction. The fastening hole 36 is provided in the vehicle rear side corner portion of the lower portion of the fastening bracket 30, and the fastening hole 38 is provided in the upper corner portion of the fastening bracket 30. The instrument panel reinforcement is fastened to the fastening bracket 30 via the inner panel 16 at fastening holes 36 and 38 by fastening members such as bolts and nuts (not shown). As a result, the fastening bracket 30 is in contact with the inner panel 16 and receives instrument panel reinforcement.

  Further, the fastening bracket 30 is formed with a bead 40 (which is an element grasped as a “reinforcing portion” in a broad sense) between the bracket-side welded portion 32 and the fastening hole 36 (FIG. 3). reference). The bead 40 protrudes from the fastening bracket 30 to the outside in the vehicle width direction and is disposed along the vehicle front-rear direction.

  Next, the operation and effect of the present embodiment will be described in comparison with a comparative example shown below.

  In the vehicle 100 to which the front pillar structure S ′ in the comparative example is applied, the shape and arrangement of the fastening bracket 30 used in the vehicle 10 to which the front pillar structure S according to the present embodiment is applied differ as follows. Yes.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 5, in the front pillar structure S ′, the outer shape of the fastening bracket 30 ′ is formed in a substantially long track shape, and the fastening bracket 30 ′ moves upward as it goes to the vehicle front side in a side view. It is arranged to be inclined. Further, in the fastening bracket 30 ′, the bracket side welded portion 32 of the present invention is omitted, and thereby, the end portion on the vehicle front side of the fastening bracket 30 ′ extends to the front flange portion 20 of the front pillar R / F18. Not.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the front flange portion 20 of the fastening bracket 30 ′ is bent at the position of the flange-side protruding portion 20 </ b> A of the present embodiment, and is protruded outward in the vehicle width direction by the inner panel 16. A bead 17 is formed so as to project, and the front flange portion 20 and the bead 17 are joined by arc welding. For this reason, in a cross-sectional view passing through the fastening hole 36 of the fastening bracket 30 ′, the closed cross-section portion 16A of the inner panel 16 contacts the fastening bracket 30 ′ and the fastening bracket 30 ′. There are non-contact portions that are not contacted. As a result, in the closed cross-section portion 16A, a difference in bending strength occurs between the contact portion and the non-contact portion.

  When the front suspension tower 52 is tilted inward in the vehicle width direction (in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 4) due to a frontal collision load at the time of an offset frontal collision of the vehicle 100, a rotational moment with the axial direction as the vertical direction is generated. It acts on the panel 16. For this reason, there is a possibility that the closed section 16A of the inner panel 16 is twisted and deformed with the axial direction as the vertical direction triggered by the boundary between the contact portion and the non-contact portion with the fastening bracket 30 '. That is, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4, the inner panel 16 may be deformed and the cross section of the front pillar 12 may be broken.

  Here, in the vehicle 10 to which the front pillar structure S according to the present embodiment is applied, the bracket-side welded portion 32 (front end portion) of the fastening bracket 30 is the front flange portion 20 (front end portion) of the front pillar R / F 18. To the inner panel 16 by spot welding. The fastening bracket 30 extends from the bracket-side welded portion 32 to the front side of the vehicle rear side end portion of the inner panel 16 along the closed section 16A of the inner panel 16.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the front and rear of the vehicle while the closed cross section 16 </ b> A of the inner panel 16 and the fastening bracket 30 are in contact with each other in a plan view passing through the bracket side welded portion 32 and the fastening hole 36 of the fastening bracket 30. Extended in the direction. Thereby, it is possible to suppress a difference in bending strength in the closed cross-section portion 16A in the vehicle front-rear direction, and as a result, it is possible to increase the bending strength of the closed cross-section portion 16A with respect to a rotational moment with the axial direction as the vertical direction. .

  Therefore, when the rotational moment with the axial direction being the vertical direction acts on the inner panel 16 at the time of the offset frontal collision of the vehicle 10, the fastening bracket 30 acts as a strength member, and the torsional deformation of the inner panel 16 can be suppressed. . Thereby, it can suppress that the load transmission efficiency to the beltline part (beltline reinforcement 56) of the front door 54 via the front pillar 12 of a front collision load deteriorates.

  In addition, the fastening bracket 30 is coupled to the inner panel 16 at one place of the second coupling portion 34 by spot welding in the bracket-side welding portion 32. The fastening bracket 30 is coupled (fastened) to the instrument panel reinforcement via the inner panel 16 at the fastening holes 36 and 38. That is, the fastening bracket 30 is coupled to the inner panel 16 at three locations of the second coupling portion 34 and the fastening holes 36 and 38. Thereby, since the joint location of the fastening bracket 30 with respect to the inner panel 16 can be set to the minimum, an increase in man-hour when the fastening bracket 30 is assembled to the inner panel 16 can be suppressed, and an increase in cost can be suppressed.

  Furthermore, the fastening bracket 30 is formed in a substantially triangular shape, and the bracket-side welded portion 32 is provided at the vehicle front side corner portion of the lower portion of the fastening bracket 30. Further, the fastening hole 36 is provided in the vehicle rear side corner portion of the lower portion of the fastening bracket 30, and the fastening hole 38 is provided in the upper corner portion of the fastening bracket 30. That is, since the bracket-side welded portion 32 and the fastening holes 36 and 38 are respectively provided at the corners of the fastening bracket 30, it is possible to suppress an increase in the outer shape of the fastening bracket 30 and eventually increase the weight of the front pillar 12. Can be suppressed.

  Moreover, the 1st coupling | bond part 22 and the 2nd coupling | bond part 34 are spaced apart and arrange | positioned at the up-down direction. Thereby, in the 2nd coupling part 34, it can avoid joining inner panel 16, fastening bracket 30, and front pillar R / F18 by spot welding. That is, since it is possible to avoid joining the three sheet metals by spot welding, it is possible to improve the coupling quality (for example, peeling resistance performance) between the fastening bracket 30 and the inner panel 16 in the second coupling portion 34.

  Further, a front bulk 24 is provided inside the front pillar 12, and the front bulk 24 is coupled to the side outer panel 14 and the front pillar R / F 18 on the vehicle front side of the front pillar R / F 18. A rear bulk 26 is provided inside the front pillar R / F 18, and the rear bulk 26 is coupled to the front pillar R / F 18 on the vehicle rear side of the front bulk 24. As a result, the front bulk 24 and the rear bulk 26 extend in the vehicle front-rear direction inside the front pillar 12, and the front pillar 12 is reinforced by the front bulk 24 and the rear bulk 26. Therefore, the front collision load at the time of the offset front collision of the vehicle 10 can be received by the front bulk 24 and the rear bulk 26.

  In the present embodiment, the outer shape of the fastening bracket 30 is formed in a substantially triangular shape in a side view, but the outer shape of the fastening bracket 30 can be arbitrarily set. For example, the outer shape of the fastening bracket 30 may be formed in a rectangular shape.

  In the present embodiment, the flange side protrusion 20A is provided on the front flange portion 20 of the front pillar R / F 18, and the bracket side welding of the fastening bracket 30 is performed between the flange side protrusion 20A and the inner panel 16. The part 32 is arranged. Instead, the bead 17 of the inner panel 16 shown in the comparative example is provided on the upper side and the lower side of the bracket-side welded portion 32, and the bracket-side welded portion 32 is disposed between the beads 17 and the bead 17 and the front side. The flange portion 20 may be coupled. In this case, it sets so that the front side flange part 20 may be arrange | positioned in the position of the flange side protrusion part 20A.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the fastening bracket 30 is coupled to the inner panel 16 at the bracket-side welded portion 32 by one second coupling portion 34. Instead of this, the fastening bracket 30 may be coupled to the inner panel 16 by two or more second coupling portions 34 in the bracket-side welded portion 32.

  In the present embodiment, the front bulk 24 and the rear bulk 26 are provided in the front pillar 12. Instead of this, the front bulk 24 and the rear bulk 26 may be omitted.

12 Front pillar 14 Side outer panel 16 Front pillar inner panel 18 Front pillar reinforcement 22 First coupling portion 24 Front bulk (first reinforcing member)
26 Rear bulk (second reinforcing member)
30 Fastening bracket (supporting member)
34 Second coupling part S Front pillar structure

Claims (4)

A front pillar inner panel in which a front end portion and a rear end portion of a front pillar reinforcement provided inside the side outer panel are joined to form a closed cross section in a plan view;
The front pillar inner panel is provided on the front pillar reinforcement side, supports the instrument panel reinforcement through the front pillar inner panel, and the front end extends to the front end position of the front pillar reinforcement, and the front end A support member that is disposed between a front end of the front pillar reinforcement and the front pillar inner panel and is coupled to the front pillar inner panel;
Front pillar structure with A first coupling portion in which a front end portion of the front pillar reinforcement and the front pillar inner panel are coupled linearly ;
A second coupling portion in which a front end portion of the support member and the front pillar inner panel are coupled in a dotted manner ;
With
The front pillar structure according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion are spaced apart in the vertical direction.   The front pillar structure according to claim 2, wherein the second coupling portion is provided at one location. A first reinforcing member provided on the vehicle front side of the front pillar reinforcement and coupled to the side outer panel and the front pillar reinforcement;
A second reinforcing member provided inside the front pillar reinforcement and on the vehicle rear side of the first reinforcing member, and coupled to the front pillar reinforcement;
The front pillar structure according to claim 1, further comprising:

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