JPH11189176A - Impact energy absorbing structure for automobile equipped with mobile roof - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To absorb an impact force generated from the peripheral edge part of a fixed roof along the glass surface of a window shield glass when a mobile roof is opened. SOLUTION: A structure for absorbing impact energy directed from a peripheral part 18 around the opening 10 of a fixed roof 12 to a window shield glass 16 is provided with an energy absorbing material 20 attached to the peripheral edge part of the fixed roof, to which an impact force is probably applied when a mobile roof 14 is opened and arranged having an interval D for deformation toward the peripheral edge part. This energy absorbing material is positioned in a direction where the glass surface 17 of the window shield glass is extended or in a direction practically parallel to the glass surface of the window shield glass.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an impact energy absorbing structure for a vehicle having a movable roof, and more particularly to a movable roof of a type called a convertible, a T-bar roof or a targa top which opens and closes an opening provided in a fixed roof. The present invention relates to a structure for absorbing impact energy applied to a peripheral portion of a fixed roof around an opening when the moving roof opens the opening.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There has been provided a trim structure for a vehicle in which an energy absorbing material for absorbing impact energy is attached to a header of a fixed roof type vehicle having no moving roof (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-11 / 1990).
No. 7596). In this trim structure, the energy absorbing material is located inside the windshield glass in the direction of extension of the glass surface in front of the fixed roof.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
For example, in convertible vehicles, the windshield glass has a generally gentle slope and there is no obstacle in the opening when the moving roof opens, so when an impact load is applied to the peripheral portion of the fixed roof from the vehicle interior, it is substantially An impact force is generated along the windshield glass surface. However, in the trim structure described in the above publication, as described above, since the energy absorbing material is located inside the glass surface of the windshield glass, the impact along the glass surface of the windshield glass at the peripheral portion of the fixed roof. Not effective against force.

[0004] The present invention relates to a moving roof having an opening.
Provided is an impact energy absorbing structure for an automobile with a movable roof, which can absorb an impact force generated from a peripheral portion of a fixed roof along a glass surface of a windshield glass.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a motor vehicle having a fixed roof having an opening, a movable roof for opening and closing the opening, and a windshield disposed in front of the fixed roof. A structure for absorbing impact energy directed from the peripheral portion of the fixed roof toward the windshield glass, wherein the movable roof is attached to a peripheral portion of the fixed roof where an impact force may be applied when the opening is opened, An energy absorbing member is provided at an interval capable of being deformed toward the peripheral portion. The energy absorbing material is located in a direction in which the glass surface of the windshield glass extends, or in a direction substantially parallel to the glass surface of the windshield glass.

Preferably, the energy absorbing member is formed by bending a metal plate. In this case, the energy absorbing member extends in the same direction from the contact portion and the fixed roof. A pair of support legs attached to the peripheral portion.

Further, the pair of support legs of the energy absorbing member are welded to a peripheral portion of the fixed roof so as to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body and not substantially overlap in the front-rear direction. Preferably.

[0008]

[Operation and Effect] The energy of the impact force generated at the peripheral portion of the fixed roof due to the load from the interior of the vehicle is substantially parallel to the direction in which the glass surface of the windshield glass extends or the glass surface of the windshield glass. It is effectively absorbed by the energy absorbing material located in the direction. In addition, since the energy absorbing material is located in a direction substantially along the glass surface of the windshield glass, the energy absorbing material does not obstruct the view or narrow the view.

Since the energy of the impact force to be generated at the peripheral portion of the fixed roof is absorbed by the energy absorbing material, the impact applied to the occupant can be reduced. Also,
Since the energy absorbing material is located in a direction substantially along the glass surface of the windshield glass, the energy absorbing material does not obstruct the view or narrow the view.

[0010] The energy absorbing member is formed by bending a metal plate, and includes a contact portion and a pair of support legs extending in the same direction from the contact portion and attached to the peripheral portion of the fixed roof. If so, the energy absorbing material can have a simple structure. In addition, energy absorption characteristics with a sharp rise can be obtained.

When the pair of support legs of the energy absorbing member are welded to the periphery of the fixed roof so as to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body and do not substantially overlap in the front-rear direction, In order to suppress the occurrence of bending deformation along the welding line of the energy absorbing material, which is likely to occur when welding in a shape, it is possible to sufficiently buckle and deform the energy absorbing material by an impact force, thereby achieving energy absorption.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1 which shows a sectional view of a shock energy absorbing structure, a fixed roof 12 having an opening 10, a movable roof 14 for opening and closing the opening 10, and a front of the fixed roof 12 are arranged. And a shock absorber directed to the windshield glass 16 from the peripheral portion 18 of the fixed roof around the opening 10 in the vehicle having the windshield glass 16 and the energy absorbing material 20.
Is provided.

The fixed roof 12 has a header 22, and an energy absorbing material 20 is attached to the header 22. The header 22 is formed such that the respective flanges of the roof panel 24, the header inner panel 25, and the header outer panel 26 are overlapped and spot-welded to exhibit a closed cross-sectional structure.

The movable roof 14 has a known structure called a top stack formed by reinforcing a roof panel 28 with a frame 29. Moving roof 14
Closes the opening 10 when in the position shown, the header 22
Closely adheres to the weather strip 30 attached to the base. The movable roof 14 moves from the position shown in the figure and opens the opening 10.

The energy absorbing member 20 is attached to the peripheral portion 18 of the fixed roof 12 to which an impact force may be applied when the movable roof 14 opens the opening 10, at a distance D at which the energy can be deformed toward the peripheral portion 18. Are located. The energy absorbing material 20 is located in a direction in which the glass surface 17 of the windshield glass 16 extends, or in a direction substantially parallel to the glass surface 17 of the windshield glass 16. Here, when the energy absorbing material is positioned in a direction in which the glass surface of the windshield glass extends or in a direction substantially parallel to the glass surface, the distance D having a size of 10-30 mm substantially exists in this direction. Means that the energy absorbing material 20 is disposed.

In the embodiment shown, the energy absorber 20
Is formed by bending a steel plate.
A pair of support legs 3 extending in the same direction from the contact portion 32
3, the pair of support legs 33 are welded to the peripheral portion 18, and the contact portion 32 is located at a distance D from the peripheral portion 18. The energy absorbing member 20 may be made of a steel plate having a thickness of about 1 mm, or may be a grid-like resin rib or a block-like resin pad. In this case, the distance D
Is the height of the resin rib or resin pad necessary for the resin rib or resin pad to deform and absorb energy.

When the energy absorbing material 20 is made of a steel plate,
The energy absorbing material 20 can be welded to the peripheral portion 18 by fillet welding or spot welding so that the welding lines are aligned. However, it is preferable to perform welding as follows. That is, the pair of support legs of the energy absorbing material are welded to the peripheral portion 18 so as to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body and not substantially overlap in the front-rear direction.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the pair of support legs 33 of the energy absorbing member 20 have a front end portion 34 and a step portion 35 spaced apart in the front-rear direction A of the vehicle body. Since the support leg 33 is partially cut away to leave the tip portion 34 and the step portion 35 is formed, the tip portion 34 and the step portion 35 do not overlap in the front-rear direction. The energy absorbing member 20 is welded to the peripheral edge portion at the tip portion 34 and the step portion 35 by fillet welding.

Instead of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, welding can be performed as follows. When notching the ends of the pair of support legs 33, the support legs 33 are cut in a sawtooth shape to perform a saw-tooth fillet welding, or the tip portions 34 of the support legs are formed in a straight line and spaced apart in the front and rear. In addition, spot welding can be performed in two rows so as not to overlap in the front-rear direction, or spot welding can be performed in a sawtooth shape.

After the energy absorbing member 20 is attached to the peripheral portion 18 of the fixed roof, a garnish 40 made of hard resin is attached to put it in use. When a load from the vehicle interior is input to the contact portion 32 of the energy absorbing material 20, the energy absorbing material 20 is deformed. Referring to FIG. 3A schematically shown, the support legs 33 of the energy absorbing material 20 are spaced apart in the front-back direction and are not overlapped in the front-rear direction.
Because it is welded to the peripheral portion 18 of the header 22 at 4 and 35, it deforms as shown by the imaginary line B, and this deformation advances over the interval D and finally buckles. In this case, by providing the recess 44 in the support leg 33 of the energy absorbing material 20, the energy absorbing material can be replaced by the imaginary line E in FIG.
It becomes easy to deform like. On the other hand, when the support leg of the energy absorbing member 20 is attached to the peripheral portion by linear welding, the energy absorbing member 20 bends and deforms as shown by the imaginary line C in FIG. Can not absorb.

Now, as shown in FIG. 4, the header is a, and the lower end of the chlorofluorocarbon and the pillar (the lower end of the windshield glass).
B, the tip of the rocker or side sill is c, the rotational spring constant at point b is k, and the rotational spring constant at point c is k.
₀ , assuming that the displacement amount of the load F in the input direction is 1, a straight line ab is an upper portion of the front pillar, and a straight line bc is a lower portion of the front pillar. Determine the dimensions as shown,
The rotation angle θ about the point b is obtained. kθ + k ₀ (L / L ₀ ) θ = FL cos (π / 2−α) (k + k ₀ L / L ₀ ) θ = 1 / L ₀ (L ₀ k + Lk ₀ ) Therefore, θ = / where: L ₀ cos (Π / 2-α) FL, = L ₀ k
+ Lk ₀ l = Lθ cos (π / 2−α) = / where: FL ² L ₀ cos ² (π / 2−α) When the energy absorbing material 20 is deformed, there is a certain value as shown in FIG. Assuming that the load is changed to F by linearly deforming up to the displacement l, the energy of Fl / 2 is absorbed during that time. Assuming that the mass of the collision body is M and the collision measure is V, the following relationship must be satisfied. From Fl / 2 ≧ MV ² ..., Cos ² (π / 2−α) ≧ MV ² (L ₀ k + Lk ₀ ) / F
² L ² L ₀ .

Now, F = 10 kN, L = 0.73 m, L ₀ = 1.01
m, k = 5.68 × 10 ⁵ , k ₀ = 3.94 × 10 ⁵ , M = 4.59 kg,
If V = 6.69 m / s, α = 55 °. Therefore,
The present invention can be applied to an automobile in which α, that is, the inclination angle of the front pillar is 55 ° or less.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a structure for absorbing impact energy of an automobile with a movable roof according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an energy absorbing material.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic views showing the operation of the impact energy absorbing structure according to the present invention, wherein FIGS. 3A and 3B show different modifications.

FIG. 4 is an analysis diagram of a load.

FIG. 5 is an energy absorption characteristic diagram.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Opening 12 Fixed roof 14 Moving roof 16 Windshield glass 17 Glass surface 18 Peripheral part 20 Energy absorption material 22 Header 32 Contact part 33 Support leg

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An automobile comprising: a fixed roof having an opening; a movable roof that opens and closes the opening; and a windshield glass disposed in front of the fixed roof. A structure for absorbing impact energy directed to windshield glass, wherein the movable roof is attached to a peripheral portion of the fixed roof where an impact force may be applied when the opening is opened, and can be deformed toward the peripheral portion. An energy absorbing material disposed at a distance, wherein the energy absorbing material is located in a direction in which the glass surface of the windshield glass extends or in a direction substantially parallel to the glass surface of the windshield glass. Impact energy absorbing structure for vehicles with moving roofs. 2. The energy absorbing member is formed by bending a metal plate, and is formed by bending a contact portion, a pair of extending portions extending in the same direction from the contact portion, and attached to a peripheral portion of the fixed roof. The impact energy absorbing structure for a moving roofed automobile according to claim 1, further comprising a support leg. 3. The pair of support legs of the energy absorbing member are welded to a peripheral portion of the fixed roof so as to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body and not substantially overlap in the front-rear direction. An impact energy absorbing structure for a vehicle with a moving roof according to claim 2.