JPH10329752A - Reinforcing structure for center pillar - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the shock to a seated person by providing a rupture preventing means preventing a flange from being broken when the lower section of a center pillar is deformed by the shock on a reinforcing member. SOLUTION: A gap portion 3' is provided between the extension portion 2' of the hinge brace 9 and the lower brace 6 of a center pillar 10, a cavity 8 opened from the side face facing the outer panel 19a side toward the front and rear faces is formed on the extension portion 2' of the hinge brace 9 as a rupture preventing means, thus a buckling structure 11 buckled more easily than other portions is formed. An outer panel 19a and an inner panel 19b having a nearly U-shaped cross section are connected together by a flange 19c into a closed cross sectional space to form the center pillar 10. A reinforcing member is constituted of the hinge brace 9 and lower brace 6. The buckling structure 11 is provided at the position containing the hip line 7 of a seated person.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an outer panel and an inner panel which constitute a center pillar when the lower part of the center pillar is deformed by the impact of another vehicle against the side of the vehicle. The present invention relates to a reinforcing structure for a center pillar, which prevents a flange for joining a center pillar from breaking.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A center pillar 19 of a vehicle 20 shown in FIG.
As a reinforcing structure for the hatched portion 18 in the lower portion, for example, a device disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 6-72787 is known. This invention, as shown in FIG.
An outer panel 19a having a substantially U-shaped cross section and an inner panel 19b having a substantially U-shaped cross section are joined to each other by a flange 19c, and a reinforcing member disposed on the outer panel 19a side in the center pillar 19 formed in a closed cross-sectional space. Is divided into an upper hinge brace 1 and a lower hinge brace 2,
The center pillar 19 is bent at the time of a side collision in the gap 3 between the two. Reference numeral 5 denotes a hinge attachment portion.

[0003]

However, in the reinforcing structure of the conventional center pillar 19, since the thickness of the upper hinge brace 1 and the lower hinge brace 2 is increased to increase the strength, the structure is shown in FIG. Thus, the axis L of deformation of the center pillar 19 at the time of a side collision is located closer to the outer panel 19a. As a result, a large tensile stress in the vertical direction in FIG. 6 acts on the flange 19c, so that the stress concentrates on the flange 19c corresponding to the gap 3 and the portion is easily broken. There is.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a center pillar reinforcing structure that is not easily broken even when another vehicle collides from the side.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an outer panel having a substantially U-shaped cross section and an inner panel having a substantially U-shaped cross section are joined to each other by a flange and closed. In a center pillar reinforcing structure having a center pillar formed in a cross-sectional space and a reinforcing member provided on the outer panel side inside the center pillar, a lower portion of the center pillar is deformed by an impact on the reinforcing member. In this case, a break prevention means for preventing the flange from breaking is provided.

According to the present invention, even if the center pillar is deformed due to an impact on the lower portion of the vehicle from the side, the breakage preventing means can prevent the flange from being broken.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the breakage preventing means has a buckling structure.

In the present invention, it is possible to prevent breakage by bending the buckling structure.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the buckling structure is characterized in that a buckling portion is formed by a cavity opened from the side of the reinforcing member of the center pillar to the front and rear surfaces.

According to the present invention, by forming a cavity in a portion of the center pillar that is to be bent, it is possible to make this portion easier to bend than other portions.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the buckling structure is formed between the striker portion and the hinge portion and at a position including the hip line of the occupant.

In the present invention, the buckling structure is located at an intermediate position between the striker portion and the hinge portion, so that there is no hindrance to attachment of the component to the center pillar, and the buckling structure is located at a position including the hip line. Even if the lower part of the structure is deformed toward the passenger compartment, the deformed portion corresponds to the lower part from the knee of the seated person, so that it is possible to reduce the impact on the upper body.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the reinforcing member includes a hinge brace and a lower brace, and a gap between the two is provided below the break prevention means.

In the present invention, since the gap between the hinge brace and the lower brace is below the break prevention means, it is possible to avoid stress concentration on the gap.

[0015]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the flange for joining the outer panel and the inner panel constituting the center pillar to each other is provided with a means for preventing breakage when the lower part of the vehicle collides from the side with another vehicle. Even if the center pillar is deformed, the breakage preventing means can prevent the breakage of the flange, thereby reducing the impact on the occupant.

The effect of claim 2 is that the portion provided with the buckling structure is more easily buckled than the other portions, so that breakage can be prevented.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a buckling structure can be formed by the hollow portion opened from the side of the reinforcing member of the center pillar to the front and rear surfaces.

The effect of claim 4 is that the position of the buckling structure is intermediate between the striker portion and the hinge portion, so that there is no hindrance to the mounting of the components. Since only the portion below the bent structure, that is, the portion below the knee of the seated person is deformed, it is possible to reduce the impact on the seated person.

According to the fifth aspect, the hinge brace of the center pillar is extended below the break prevention means and connected to the lower brace, whereby it is possible to avoid concentration of bending stress in the gap between the two.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a reinforcing structure of a center pillar.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state of stress concentration, and FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating deformation of a center pillar due to an impact.

In the center pillar 10 of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper hinge brace 1 of the conventional center pillar 19 is formed as a hinge brace 9 which is extended to a position shown as a lower brace 2 below.
A gap 3 ｀ is provided between the lower end of the hinge brace 6 and the lower brace 6, and an outer panel 19
A cavity 8 opened from the side surface facing the a side to the front and rear surfaces is formed, whereby a buckling structure 11 is formed, and this portion is configured to be more easily buckled than other portions. The center pillar 10 has an outer panel 19 having a substantially U-shaped cross section.
a and the inner panel 19b having a substantially U-shaped cross section are joined to each other by a flange 19c to form a closed cross section space.
The reinforcing member includes the hinge brace 9 and the lower brace 6.
Consisting of

The buckling structure 11 is provided between the striker mounting portion 4 and the hinge mounting portion 5 and at a position including the hip line 7 of the occupant in FIG. The portions indicated by reference numerals 12 and 13 in the cavity 8 are provided by extending the surface of the hinge brace 9 for attaching other parts.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the other vehicle collides from the direction shown by the arrow, the extension 2 'of the hinge brace 9 is deformed. By buckling at the 15 position
Deforms as shown by the two-dot chain line. At this time, the flange 1
9c is subjected to a tensile stress in the vertical direction as in the prior art. However, as shown in FIG.
The axis L # of the deformation 0 is located closer to the inner panel 19b than before because of the presence of the cavity 8, so that the stress acting on the flange 19c corresponding to that portion is significantly reduced. That is, it is possible to prevent breakage at the flange 19c. By buckling at the buckling structure 11 of the rupture prevention means 15, the rupture prevention means 1
The bending stress does not concentrate on the gap 3 </ b> 下方 located below 5.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a reinforcing structure of a center pillar according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state of stress concentration.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing deformation of a center pillar due to an impact.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a body reinforcing structure of the vehicle.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a connection portion of a conventional center pillar.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a state of stress concentration.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 3 gap portion 4 striker mounting portion 5 hinge mounting portion 6 lower brace (reinforcing member) 7 hip line 8 cavity 9 hinge brace (reinforcing member) 10 center pillar 19a outer panel 19b inner panel 19c flange 11 buckling structure 15 break prevention means

Claims (5)

[Claims] An outer panel having a substantially U-shaped cross section and an inner panel having a substantially U-shaped cross section are joined to each other by a flange to form a center pillar formed in a closed cross-section space, and the center panel is provided inside the center pillar on the outer panel side. In the reinforcing structure of a center pillar having a reinforcing member provided, the reinforcing member is provided with break prevention means for preventing the flange from breaking when the center pillar lower portion is deformed by receiving an impact. A center pillar reinforcement structure, characterized in that: 2. The reinforcing structure for a center pillar according to claim 1, wherein said break prevention means has a buckling structure. 3. The reinforcing structure for a center pillar according to claim 2, wherein the buckling structure is formed by forming a buckling portion by a cavity opened from the side of the reinforcing member of the center pillar to the front and rear surfaces. 4. The center pillar reinforcement according to claim 2, wherein the buckling structure is formed between the striker mounting portion and the hinge mounting portion and at a position including the hip line of the occupant. Construction. 5. The reinforcing structure for a center pillar according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member comprises a hinge brace and a lower brace, and a gap between the two is provided below the break prevention means.