JP7240308B2 - Vehicle pillar structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle pillar structure having a closed cross-sectional shape.

Conventionally, a first panel extending in one direction and a second panel arranged on the vehicle outer side of the first panel and having a hat-shaped cross section are joined at both side edges to form a closed cross-sectional shape continuously in one direction. Various vehicle pillars have been proposed.

For example, in Patent Document 1 below, a first surface portion and a wide second surface portion face each other, and widthwise ends of the first surface portion and the second surface portion are connected to each other by two side surfaces to form a closed cross section. In such a vehicle frame structure, a structure is proposed in which a bent portion protruding toward the inside of the closed cross-section is provided at an intermediate position between the first surface portion and the second surface portion of each side surface portion.

In such a vehicle frame structure, when an external input load acts on the longitudinally intermediate position of the first surface portion, a force acts on the end portion of the side surface portion on the side of the first surface portion or in the vicinity thereof in the outward direction of the closed cross-section. However, the bending portion protruding toward the inside of the closed cross-section generates a force that cancels the outward force of the closed cross-section. Therefore, even if a large external input load acts on the first surface portion, it is possible to prevent buckling of the side surface portion on the side of the first surface portion.

In Patent Document 2 below, a pillar outer member and a pillar inner member are arranged to face each other and are fixed by welding at flange portions on both side edges. A vehicle side structure has been proposed in which a ridgeline is provided by bending in the middle of the direction. In this structure, when a load is applied from the outside in the vehicle width direction, the side wall bends around the ridgeline, preventing excessive load from being concentrated on the flange and breaking the weld point on the flange. is suppressed.

JP 2013-159121 A JP 2018-94964 A

However, in such a conventional vehicle pillar, a bent portion extending in the longitudinal direction is provided in the vertical wall portion between the outer wall portion on the vehicle outer side and the inner wall portion on the inner side of the vehicle, which are arranged opposite to each other. When an impact load is input from the outside of the vehicle, the buckling of the vertical wall portion is suppressed or the vertical wall portion is actively buckled. This is because, in a vehicle pillar in which a vertical wall portion is provided with a bent portion extending in the longitudinal direction, the strength at the bent portion changes discontinuously from other portions of the vertical wall portion.

However, as a result of CAE analysis, if the vertical wall has a bent portion extending in the longitudinal direction, the vehicle pillar is deformed at the initial stage when the impact load is input from the outside of the vehicle in the event of a side collision. , it became clear that the region outside the bent portion of the vertical wall portion swells and bends, and the strength of the material cannot be fully utilized effectively.
As a result, in conventional vehicle pillars, strength is ensured by increasing the plate thickness of each part such as the outer wall and vertical wall, and there is room for further improvement in strength when impact load is input. It turns out there is.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle pillar structure capable of reducing weight while ensuring strength when an impact load is applied from the outside of the vehicle.

A pillar structure for a vehicle according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is provided by a first panel extending in one direction and a second panel arranged on the outer side of the vehicle from the first panel and having a hat-shaped cross section that continues in one direction. A pillar structure for a vehicle in which a closed cross-sectional shape is continuously formed in one direction by being joined at a portion, wherein the second panel includes an outer wall portion provided at the top of the hat-shaped cross-section, and an outer wall portion. and a vertical wall portion provided between each side edge portion, the vertical wall portion having a curved shape that is continuous from the outer wall portion to each side edge portion without a bent portion, and the side edge portion of the The angle to the first panel tapers continuously from the outer wall to each side edge .

Preferably, in the vehicle pillar structure of the present invention, the radius of curvature of the vertical wall portion gradually decreases from the outer wall portion to each side edge portion.
In the vehicle pillar structure of the present invention, the angle of the side edge with respect to the first panel is preferably a right angle in the range from the outer edge continuous with the outer wall to the inner edge continuous with the side edge in the vertical wall. It changes continuously from the following angles.

According to the vehicle pillar structure of the present invention, the second panel, which is joined to the first panel at both side edges to form a closed cross-sectional shape, includes the outer wall and the vertical walls on both sides of the outer wall. Since the wall portion has a curved shape that continues from the outer wall portion to each side edge portion, the strength when an impact load is input from the outside of the vehicle is provided by the vertical wall portion between the outer wall portion and each side edge portion. There are no discontinuously changing sites.

Moreover, from the outer wall portion of the vertical wall portion to each side edge portion, since the angle of the side edge portion with respect to the first panel is gradually reduced, it is formed in a continuous curved shape without corners. When an impact load is input from the outside of the vehicle, the outer wall side of each vertical wall is prevented from bulging or flexing in the initial stage, and the entire area from the outer wall to the side edge of each vertical wall is It can support impact loads evenly distributed.

Therefore, according to the vehicle pillar structure of the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle pillar structure capable of achieving weight reduction while ensuring strength when an impact load is input from the outside of the vehicle.

In the vehicle pillar structure of the present invention, if the radius of curvature of the vertical wall portion gradually decreases from the outer wall portion to each side edge portion, the impact load from the outside of the vehicle can be distributed and supported over the entire vertical wall more efficiently. can.

In the vehicle pillar structure of the present invention, in the vertical wall portion, the angle of the side edge portion with respect to the first panel is a right angle or less in the range from the outer end portion continuous with the outer wall portion to the inner end portion continuous with the side edge portion. If it is configured to continuously change from It is possible to prevent a bent portion from being generated and a decrease in strength.

1 is a side view of a vehicle pillar structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1 showing the vehicle pillar structure according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to AA of FIG. 1 in a state where the first panel and the second panel are joined according to the embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a diagram showing a cross section of a vehicle pillar structure set in an example and a comparative example of the present invention, (a) is the structure of Example 1, (b) is the structure of Comparative Example 1, and (c) is the structure of Comparative Example 2. Show structure. FIG. 2 is an FS diagram obtained by simulation in Examples and Comparative Examples of the present invention;

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, as a vehicle pillar structure, an example of a structure of a center pillar 10 including three panels that are combined so as to overlap in the vehicle width direction will be described.

In the structure of the center pillar 10, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an inner panel 11 as a first panel extending in the vehicle vertical direction Dh as one direction, and a hat-shaped inner panel 11 disposed on the outer side Do of the vehicle from the inner panel 11 A center pillar reinforcement (hereinafter referred to as center pillar RF) 13 as a second panel whose cross section is continuous in the vehicle vertical direction Dh, and an outer panel 15 extending in the vehicle vertical direction Dh are provided.

Although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, the inner panel 11 and the outer panel 15 are joined to the roof side rail portion 19 and the rocker portion 17 at upper and lower ends, and the center pillar RF 13 is connected to the roof side rail portion 19. to the middle position of the center pillar 10.

The inner panel 11 has a three-dimensional shape corresponding to the outer shape of the vehicle body and the shape of the passenger compartment, and also has various attachment portions, joint portions, beads, etc., but these are not the main point of the present invention, so detailed descriptions are not shown in the figure. It is omitted, and is simplified and illustrated in a substantially flat plate shape.
The outer panel 15 has a hat-shaped cross section and extends in the vertical direction Dh of the vehicle. Parts, beads, etc. are provided, but detailed illustration is omitted.
Flange-shaped side edge portions 15a are provided on both sides of the outer panel 15 in the vehicle front-rear direction, and these side edge portions 15a are joined to the side edge portions 11a on both sides of the inner panel 11 by welding or the like. Thus, a closed cross-sectional shape that continues vertically is formed.

The center pillar RF13 includes an outer wall portion 13b provided at the top of the hat-shaped cross section, and flange-like sides provided on both sides in the vehicle front-rear direction Df formed with a width narrower than the width between the side edge portions 15a of the outer panel 15. It has an edge portion 13a and a pair of vertical wall portions 13c provided between the outer wall portion 13b and each side edge portion 13a.

The center pillar RF 13 has flange-shaped side edges 13a on both sides thereof contacting the side edges 11a of the inner panel 11 substantially in parallel and joined by welding or the like. In this embodiment, the side edge portions 13a on both sides are provided extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the side edge portions 15a of the outer panel 15 are arranged outside the side edge portions 13a so that the inner panel 11 side is provided. It is joined to the edge portion 13a in a layered state. The center pillar RF13 is joined to the inner panel 11 to form a closed cross-sectional shape that continues in the vehicle vertical direction Dh.

Each vertical wall portion 13c of the center pillar RF13 has a specific shape. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, first, each vertical wall portion 13c extends from an outer end portion 13d at a position continuous with the outer wall portion 13b to an inner end portion 13e at a position continuous with each side edge portion 13a. The side edge portion 13a has a curved shape without corners, preferably without corners and flat portions, so that the angle θ of the side edge 13a with respect to the inner panel 11 gradually decreases.

In each vertical wall portion 13c of the present embodiment, the angle θ of the side edge portion 13a with respect to the inner panel 11 is a right angle or less at the outer end portion 13d of the vertical wall portion 13c at a position continuous with the outer wall portion 13b. It is preferably an angle less than a right angle that approximates a right angle. On the other hand, the angle θ of the side edge portion 13a with respect to the inner panel 11 is 0 degrees at the inner end portion 13e that is continuous with the side edge portion 13a and parallel to the inner panel 11. As shown in FIG. Therefore, in each vertical wall portion 13c, the angle θ of the side edge portion 13a with respect to the inner panel 11 continuously changes from a right angle or less to 0 degrees.

In each vertical wall portion 13c of the present embodiment, the curvature radius of the curved shape, that is, the curvature radius of the vertical wall portion 13c in the hat-shaped cross-sectional shape when the center pillar RF13 is cut in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is The outer wall portion 13b side is larger, and each side edge portion 13a is smaller, and the radius of curvature gradually decreases from the outer wall portion 13b to each side edge portion 13a.
In this embodiment, the vertical wall portion 13c is divided into a plurality of regions in the inner and outer directions, and the radius of curvature is substantially gradually decreased by changing the radius of curvature for each region.

Further, in the center pillar RF13 of the present embodiment, the portion of the outer wall portion 13b adjacent to the vertical wall portion 13c has a shape curved in the opposite direction to the curved shape of the vertical wall portion 13c, and the radius of curvature has an inflection point. By continuously changing through the outer wall portion 13b and the vertical wall portion 13c, a continuous curved shape is maintained without forming a corner portion or a flat portion in the vicinity of the boundary between the outer wall portion 13b and the vertical wall portion 13c.

In such a structure of the center pillar 10, when a lateral impact load is input from the outer side of the outer panel 15 to the inner side Di of the vehicle in the event of a side collision of the vehicle, the outer panel 15 is deformed in the initial stage, and the center pillar is deformed. An impact load is applied to the RF 13 from the side of the outer wall portion 13b. When this load is applied to the vertical wall portion 13c, the impact load is efficiently absorbed by the deformation of the closed cross-sectional shape with the inner panel 11, which is distributed over the entire vertical wall portion 13c.

According to the structure of the center pillar 10 of the present embodiment as described above, the center pillar RF13, which is joined to the inner panel 11 at both side edge portions 13a to form a closed cross-sectional shape, is positioned between the outer wall portion 13b and both sides of the outer wall portion 13b. Since the vertical wall portion 13c has a curved shape continuous from the outer wall portion 13b to each side edge portion 13a, the strength when an impact load is input from the vehicle outside Do is There is no portion that changes discontinuously in the vertical wall portion 13c between the outer wall portion 13b and each side edge portion 13a.

Furthermore, from the outer wall portion 13b of the vertical wall portion 13c to each of the side edge portions 13a, the angle θ of the side edge portion 13a with respect to the inner panel 11 is gradually reduced, so that a continuous curved shape is formed without forming corners. Therefore, when an impact load is input from the vehicle outer side Do to the outer wall portion 13b side of the center pillar RF13, the vertical wall portion 13c is prevented from being bulged or bent in the initial stage, and each vertical The impact load can be evenly distributed over the entire area from the outer wall portion 13b to the side edge portion 13a of the wall portion 13c to support the impact load.
As a result, according to the structure of the center pillar 10 of the present embodiment, it is possible to reduce the weight while ensuring strength when an impact load is input from the vehicle outer side Do.

In the structure of the center pillar 10 of the present embodiment, the curvature radius of the vertical wall portion 13c gradually decreases from the outer wall portion 13b to each side edge portion 13a. It can be distributed and supported throughout.

In the structure of the center pillar 10 of the present embodiment, the portion of the outer wall portion 13b adjacent to the vertical wall portion 13c is curved in the direction opposite to the curved shape of the vertical wall portion 13c and is continuous with the vertical wall portion 13c without corners. ing. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a bending portion from being formed in the connection portion with the vertical wall portion 13c immediately after the impact load is input to the top portion of the outer wall portion 13b, thereby preventing a reduction in strength.

In the structure of the center pillar 10 of the present embodiment, the inner panel of the side edge portion 13a extends from the outer edge portion 13d of the vertical wall portion 13c continuous with the outer wall portion 13b to the inner edge portion 13e continuous with the side edge portion 13a. The angle θ with respect to 11 is continuously changed from an angle less than a right angle. Therefore, when an impact load is applied to the outer wall portion 13b, it is possible to reliably prevent the vertical wall portion 13c from bulging or bending on the outer wall portion 13b side. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of a decrease in strength.

This embodiment can be changed as appropriate within the scope of the present invention.
In the above embodiment, an example in which the vehicle pillar structure of the present invention is applied to the structure of the center pillar 10 has been described. .

In the above embodiment, an example of a vehicle pillar structure configured by combining three panels, that is, the inner panel 11, the center pillar RF 13, and the outer panel 15, is described. Although the second panel is the center pillar RF13, the combination is not particularly limited.

For example, the first panel may be the inner panel 11, the second panel may be the outer panel 15, and another center pillar RF may be arranged between them to construct the vehicle pillar structure of the present invention. It is also possible to construct a vehicle pillar structure in which the first panel is the inner panel 11 and the second panel is the outer panel 15, and the two panels are combined in the vehicle inward and outward directions. Further, in the above description, the structure of the center pillar 10 has been described, so that it is arranged in the vertical direction.

Examples of the present invention will be described below.
[Example 1]
A four-point bending test was performed on a vehicle pillar structure whose cross-sectional shape is continuous in the uniaxial direction, as shown in Fig. 4(a). carried out.

This vehicle pillar structure includes an inner panel 11 as a first panel made of steel, an outer panel 15 as a second panel made of steel and having a hat-shaped cross-section, which is arranged on the vehicle outer side Do of the inner panel 11, A center pillar RF13 made of steel laminated on the inner surface of the outer panel 15 is provided.
The inner panel 11 is provided with a pair of flange-shaped side edges 11a that are continuous in the longitudinal direction and are arranged in parallel on both sides in the width direction.

The outer panel 15 has a hat-shaped cross section, and a pair of flange-shaped side edges 15a provided continuously in the longitudinal direction at the same intervals as the side edges 11a of the inner panel 11 on both sides in the width direction, and a hat. It has an outer wall portion 15b provided facing the inner panel 11 at the top of the shaped cross section, and a pair of vertical wall portions 15c provided between the outer wall portion 15b and the side edge portions 15a.

The outer wall portion 15b of the outer panel 15 protrudes from the side edge portions 15a and has a width narrower than the width between the side edge portions 15a. A portion of the outer wall portion 15b adjacent to the vertical wall portion 15c is curved in the opposite direction to the vertical wall portion 15c and continues.
Each vertical wall portion 15c of the outer panel 15 forms an angle θ with respect to the side edge portion 11a of the inner panel 11 from the outer end portion where it is continuous with the outer wall portion 13b to the inner end portion where it is continuous with the side edge portion 15a. It has a continuous curved shape such that . The radius of curvature of each vertical wall portion 15c gradually decreases from the outer wall portion 15b side to each side edge portion 15a side.

The center pillar RF13 has a cross-sectional shape similar to that of the vehicle outer side portion of the outer panel 15, and both side edges thereof are fixed to the inner surface of the vertical wall portion 15c of the outer panel 15 at a certain distance from the inner panel 11. there is

In Example 1, such a center pillar RF13 is overlapped and joined to the inside of the outer wall portion 15b and both vertical wall portions 15c of the outer panel 15, and each side edge portion 15a of the outer panel 15 and each of the inner panel 11 By joining with the side edge portion 11a, the closed cross-sectional shape continues linearly to form a vehicle pillar structure.

When four-point curve CAE was performed on such a vehicle pillar structure, an FS diagram as shown in FIG. 5 was obtained. The peak load was 165 kgf and the mass efficiency was 0.156 kgf/mm ² . Further, during the deformation, substantially no deformation such as outward swelling of the outer panel 15 occurred.

[Comparative Example 1]
As shown in FIG. 4(b), the vertical wall portion 15c of the outer panel 15 is formed in a substantially continuous inclined planar shape without being curved. A structure was set and a simulation was performed.
FIG. 5 shows an FS diagram obtained by performing CAE analysis of four-point bending. The peak load was 142 kgf and the mass efficiency was 0.127 kgf/mm ² . Furthermore, when deformed, the outer panel 15 swelled outward greatly and deformed.

[Comparative Example 2]
As shown in FIG. 4(c), the vertical wall portion 15c of the outer panel 15 is not curved and is formed into two inclined planar shapes bent along a bending line 15f continuous in the longitudinal direction at an intermediate position. , a vehicle pillar structure was set in the same manner as in Example 1, and a simulation was performed.
FIG. 5 shows an FS diagram obtained by performing CAE analysis of four-point bending. The peak load was 156 kgf and the mass efficiency was 0.147 kgf/mm ² . Furthermore, when deformed, the outer panel 15 swelled outward greatly and deformed.

As is clear from Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, each vertical wall portion 15c of the outer panel 15, which is the second panel, has a curved shape without a bent portion as in the example of the present invention, so that the peak It was confirmed that the load could be increased and the mass efficiency could be improved.

Dh Vehicle vertical direction Do Vehicle outer side Di Vehicle inner side Df Vehicle longitudinal direction θ Angle with respect to inner panel 10 Center pillar 11 Inner panel 11a Side edge 13 Center pillar RF
13a side edge portion 13b outer wall portion 13c vertical wall portion 13d outer edge portion 13e inner edge portion 15 outer panel 15a side edge portion 15b outer wall portion 15c vertical wall portion 15f bending line 17 rocker portion 19 roof side rail portion

Claims (3)

A closed cross-sectional shape is formed by joining a first panel extending in one direction and a second panel arranged on the vehicle outer side from the first panel and having a hat-shaped cross section continuous in the one direction at both side edges. The vehicle pillar structure continuously formed in one direction,
The second panel comprises an outer wall portion provided at the top of the hat-shaped cross section, and vertical wall portions provided between the outer wall portion and each of the side edges,
The vertical wall portion has a curved shape that is continuous from the outer wall portion to each of the side edge portions without a bent portion, and the angle of the side edge portion with respect to the first panel is continuous from the outer wall portion to each of the side edge portions. A pillar structure for a vehicle, which gradually decreases in size . 2. The vehicle pillar structure according to claim 1, wherein the vertical wall portion has a radius of curvature that gradually decreases from the outer wall portion to each of the side edges. In the vertical wall portion, in the range from the outer end portion continuous with the outer wall portion to the inner end portion continuous with the side edge portion, the angle of the side edge portion with respect to the first panel is a right angle or less. 3. A vehicle pillar structure according to claim 1 or 2, which is variable.

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