JPH08216921A - Center pillar structure of automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a center pillar structure which materializes effective and rational reinforcing structure substantially without being subjected to the restriction of the problem of weight or cost. CONSTITUTION: A part of a center pillar member is integrated by a side outer panel 12, and a quarter panel 11 is coupled outside of it. A center pillar inner panel 12a is made integrally by a side outer panel 12, and also a center panel outer panel 13 made as an item member is coupled with the center panel inner panel 12a, whereby a center pillar member is constituted. Here, the rigidity can be changed, according to the thickness and the sectional form of the center pillar outer panel 13. The body can be effectively and rationally reinforced without incurring weight increase more than necessary.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a so-called side member-integrated center pillar reinforcing structure for vehicles such as passenger cars.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 shows an example of a structure around a conventional center pillar in a vehicle of this type. In the figure,
1 is a quarter panel, 2 is a side outer panel, and 3 is a center pillar inner panel. The center pillar outer panel 2a that constitutes the center pillar together with the center pillar inner panel 3 is integrated by the side outer panel 2. In addition, each arrow Fr, Rr, IN in the drawing
And OUT respectively indicate the front-rear direction, the inside and the outside of the vehicle.

The center pillar inner panel 3 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (A) and (B), the center pillar outer panel 2a is joined from the inside, and the quarter panel 1 is joined to the outside of the center pillar constituted by both.

The side outer panel 2 constitutes a side member (side member outer panel) 2b, that is, in this example, it is a side member integrated type center pillar. By the way, in this type of center pillar structure, the center pillar outer panel 2a mainly serves to reinforce the body against a load from the side surface of the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a side collision). Therefore, it is important to secure the rigidity of the center pillar outer panel 2a particularly in terms of safety in the event of a side collision.

[0005]

However, in the conventional center pillar structure, if it is attempted to change the plate thickness and the cross-sectional shape of the center pillar outer panel 2a in order to increase the rigidity of the center pillar outer panel 2a as a countermeasure against a side collision, the center pillar outer panel 2a is integrated with the side outer panel 2. As a result, the weight and cost will increase significantly. As described above, changing the plate thickness of the center pillar outer panel 2a or the like has restrictions such as weight, which cannot be easily performed.

In this type of side member integrated structure, in the roof side rail part, the side member changes from the rail outer to the rail inner, and in the rear part of the rocker, the side member changes to the wheel house gusset. Things are known. This is intended to eliminate restrictions on the welding process.

In view of the above points, it is an object of the present invention to provide a center pillar structure which realizes an effective and rational reinforcing structure without being substantially restricted by problems such as weight and cost.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a center pillar structure for an automobile, wherein a part of the center pillar member is integrated by a side outer panel, and a quarter panel is connected to the outer side of the side outer panel. However, in particular, the center pillar member is formed by integrally forming a center pillar inner panel by the side outer panel and coupling the center pillar outer panel formed as a single-piece member with the center pillar inner panel. Is.

Further, in the center pillar structure according to the second aspect, the rigidity can be changed according to the plate thickness and the sectional shape of the center pillar outer panel.

[0010]

According to the present invention, the center pillar outer panel, which functions to reinforce the body, is formed as a single member separately from the side outer panel. The problem of increasing the weight of the outer panel) can be eliminated. As a result, the rigidity can be effectively increased only by adding the minimum necessary weight of the center pillar outer panel itself without adding a new component.

In this case, by changing the plate thickness and the cross-sectional shape of the center pillar outer panel, that is, the plate thickness of only the center pillar outer panel portion, which greatly contributes to the rigidity of the center pillar (body), can be changed. The part can be effectively and reasonably reinforced without increasing the weight of the part more than necessary.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of a vehicle center pillar structure according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows an example of the structure around the center pillar in this embodiment. In the figure, 11 is a quarter panel, 12 is a side outer panel, and 13 is a center pillar outer panel. In this example as well, the side member is integrated with the center pillar, but the center pillar inner panel 12a that constitutes the center pillar together with the center pillar outer panel 13 is the side outer panel 1.
It is integrated by two.

The center pillar outer panel 13 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (A) and (B), the center pillar inner panel 12a is joined from the outside, and the quarter panel 11 is joined to the outside of the center pillar constituted by both. The center pillar inner panel 12a is configured by the side outer panel 12, and the center pillar outer panel 13 is formed as a single-piece member separately from the side outer panel 12.

In the center pillar structure for an automobile according to this embodiment, the center pillar outer panel 13 is shown in FIG.
Although it has a cross-sectional shape as shown in (A) and (B), by changing the cross-sectional shape and the plate thickness, for example, by increasing the plate thickness of the center pillar outer panel 13, the center pillar, that is, The rigidity of the body can be increased. In this case, the plate thicknesses of the quarter panel 11 and the side outer panel 12 may be left unchanged, and the plate thicknesses of only the center pillar outer panel 13 that greatly influences the rigidity may be changed, so that the weight does not increase more than necessary. Can be effectively and reasonably reinforced.

Further, since the center pillar outer panel 13 is the only part where the plate thickness or the like should be changed, the labor or work for it can be simplified and the man-hour and cost can be suppressed to the necessary minimum. The center pillar outer panel 13 can be further divided into a plurality of parts, for example, two or more parts. In this case, the reinforcement can be made even more rationally.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a rational solution method as a countermeasure against a side collision in a side member integrated type center pillar.
Moreover, not only is the actual profit high by suppressing the increase in weight and cost to the minimum necessary, but also the bending and torsional rigidity of the vehicle is effectively increased to improve its steering stability and so-called NVH performance (vehicle vibration characteristics). It has an advantage that it can be remarkably improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration example around a center pillar in an embodiment of an automobile center pillar structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a connecting structure of a center pillar according to the present invention,
1A is a sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. 1, and FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration example around a center pillar in a conventional center pillar structure.

FIG. 4 shows a conventional center pillar coupling structure, (A)
3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 3, (B) is B of FIG.
It is a schematic sectional drawing which follows the B line.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Quarter panel 12 Side outer panel 12a Center pillar inner panel 13 Center pillar outer panel

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A center pillar structure for an automobile, wherein a part of a center pillar member is integrated by a side outer panel, and a quarter panel is connected to the outside of the center pillar member. The center pillar inner panel is integrally formed by the side outer panel. At the same time, the center pillar member is configured by joining a center pillar outer panel formed as a single-piece member to the center pillar inner panel. 2. The center pillar structure for an automobile according to claim 1, wherein the rigidity can be changed according to the plate thickness and the sectional shape of the center pillar outer panel.