JPH1148887A - Car body structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve safety by surely absorbing energy received at side collision so as to protect passengers in the car body structure. SOLUTION: A car body side member 28 connected at the front and the rear of a vehicle 11 is arranged on both sides of a cabin 31, and this car body side member 28 is constituted by a front fender part 29, a rear fender part 30, and a side protector 31, provided opposite to the outside of right and left doors 24 for connecting the front fender part 29 to the rear fender part 30, is capable of rotation outward.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a vehicle body structure for protecting a passenger in a cabin.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, the body of a passenger car has a body frame mounted on a chassis frame, a hood panel in a front engine room is mounted, and a trunk lid is mounted in a rear trunk room. Door panels are mounted on both sides of the cabin located at the center. Therefore, in order to protect the occupant in the cabin against a side collision, it is necessary to increase the rigidity of the vehicle body side. Conventionally, as a method of increasing the rigidity of the vehicle body side,
The structure of the center pillar was changed, and the impact bar was built into the door.

[0003]

However, when the structure of the center pillar is changed or the rigidity of the side of the vehicle body is increased by incorporating an impact bar into the door, the structure is difficult to change due to the layout of the vehicle body. Absorption was insufficient.

As an energy absorbing structure at the time of a side collision due to such a structural change of the center pillar, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei. 8-239057 discloses a method of connecting a floor side end of a vehicle and a lower part of the center pillar. There is a structure. The one disclosed in this publication strengthens the vicinity of the fixed portion between the lower end of the center pillar and the side sill without a large protrusion to the vehicle interior side, and reduces the amount of deformation of the center pillar and the side sill to the inside during a side collision. It reduces the damage to the occupants. However, even with the “joint structure between the floor end of the vehicle and the lower part of the center pillar” disclosed in this publication, the structural change becomes difficult due to the vehicle body layout as described above, and energy absorption at the time of a side collision is reduced. There is a problem that it cannot be performed sufficiently.

An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle body structure in which safety is improved by reliably absorbing energy received in a side collision and protecting an occupant. And

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle body structure comprising: a vehicle body side member connected to a front portion and a rear portion of a vehicle; This vehicle body side member is
It comprises a rear fender section and a protector section which is provided opposite to the outside of the left and right doors so as to connect the front fender section and the rear fender section and is rotatable outward. Therefore, the energy at the time of the side collision is received and absorbed by the protector portion and the door, and the occupant in the cabin is reliably protected and safety can be improved.

Further, in the vehicle body structure according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the protector portion turns outward, the inner side surface is used as a step. Therefore, when the protector rotates outward and the door opens, the occupant in the cabin can easily and safely exit the vehicle using this step.

In the vehicle body structure according to the third aspect of the present invention, an energy absorber is incorporated in the protector. Therefore,
The energy at the time of the side collision is absorbed by the energy absorber of the protector, so that the impact to the door can be absorbed and the occupant in the cabin can be reliably protected.

[0009]

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

FIG. 1 is an external view of a vehicle having a vehicle body structure according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of the vehicle of this embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a side view of the vehicle with a door in an open position. 4 shows a cross section of a main part of the vehicle body showing a door opening / closing mechanism, and FIG. 5 schematically shows a main part of the vehicle body showing a side protector opening / closing mechanism.

As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle 11 has a cabin 13 disposed in a central portion of a vehicle body 12, and headlamps 14 are mounted on both sides of a front portion of the vehicle body 12, while a rear portion is not shown. Not equipped with stop lamps. The communication lamps 15 and 1 are located at the front and rear of the vehicle body 12 so as to be located on both sides of the cabin 13.
6, 17, and 18 are mounted. Also, this vehicle 11
In accordance with the vehicle traveling state, the cabin 13 is freely movable between a lower position where the outer surface is substantially flush with the outer surface of the vehicle body 12 and a raised position where the outer surface protrudes upward from the outer surface of the vehicle body 12. ing.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cabin 13 is disposed substantially at the center of the vehicle body 12, and is rotatable up and down by support shafts 21 provided on both sides of the front part. . A pair of left and right hydraulic cylinders 22 is mounted on the rear part of the vehicle body 12, and the distal end of the drive rod 23 is connected to the rear surface of the cabin 13. Accordingly, by operating the hydraulic cylinder 22 to extend and retract the drive rod 23, the cabin 13 is rotated about the support shaft 21 as a fulcrum, and is shifted between a lower position shown by a solid line in FIG. 2 and an upper position shown by a two-dot chain line. You can move.

Further, as shown in FIGS.
A gull wing type door 24 is provided in the cabin 13 which is supported so as to be rotatable up and down with respect to 2. That is, the gull wing type door 24 has an L-shaped vertical cross section, and its upper end is rotatably supported by a hinge 25 at a support portion 13 a along the front and rear at the center of the ceiling of the cabin 13, and is mounted on the cabin 13. The distal end of the drive rod 27 of the hydraulic cylinder 26 is connected to the door 24. Accordingly, by operating the hydraulic cylinder 26 to extend and contract the drive rod 27, the door 24 can be turned between the closed position shown in FIG. 4A and the open position shown in FIG. 4B. .

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, on both sides of the cabin 13, there are provided vehicle body side members 28 which are connected in a frame shape at a front portion and a rear portion of the vehicle. , Front fender section 29, rear fender section 30, front fender section 29 and rear fender section 3
Side protector 3 as protector section connecting 0
And 1. The front fender section 29, the rear fender section 30, and the side protector 31 are connected so that the outer surfaces thereof are flush with each other, and the side protector 3
1 is located outside the door 24 to face.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the side protector 31 has a front fender portion 29 and a rear fender portion 30 at the lower front and rear ends thereof being hinged.
Is rotatably supported. The drive rod 3 of the hydraulic cylinder 33 attached to the front fender 29
4 is connected to the side protector 31.
Further, the side protector 31 has a built-in support pipe 35 as an energy absorber and a built-in reinforcing rib (not shown), while the rear fender 30 has a lock fitted and detached from the support pipe 35 by an actuator (not shown). A pin 36 is mounted. Therefore, by operating the hydraulic cylinder 33 to extend and contract the drive rod 34, the side protector 31 can be turned between the closed position shown in FIG. 4A and the open position shown in FIG. 4B. Further, the inner surface of the side protector 31 is
When the side protector 31 rotates outward, the step 37 becomes substantially horizontal, and can be used for getting on and off the occupant at the open position shown in FIG.

In the vehicle 11 of the above-described embodiment, when the vehicle 11 is running at low to medium speeds, the hydraulic cylinder 22 is extended as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
Is an ascending position rotated upward. Then, the traveling speed of the vehicle 11 increases, and at the time of high-speed traveling, as shown by a solid line in FIG. 2, as the hydraulic cylinder 22 contracts, the cabin 13 rotates downward and moves to the lowered position, and the vehicle body 12
Of the cabin 13 and the outer surface of the cabin 13
The air resistance of the vehicle is reduced to improve running stability and fuel efficiency.

Further, when the vehicle 11 is stopped, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 5, the hydraulic cylinder 33 is extended to rotate the side protector 31 outward, and as shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 5, the side of the cabin 13 can be opened by extending the hydraulic cylinder 26 and rotating the door 24 upward. Therefore, the occupant can get out of the cabin 13 by using the step 37 with the side protector 31 turned outward.

As described above, in the vehicle body structure of the present embodiment, the front fender portion 29, the rear fender portion 30, and the side protector 31 are provided on both sides of the door 24 of the cabin 13.
The vehicle body side member 28 is disposed, and a support pipe 35 as an energy absorber is attached to the side protector 31.
And a step 37 is provided inside so as to be rotatable outside. Therefore, the energy at the time of the side collision is absorbed by the side protector 31 (the support pipe 35) and the door 24, so that the occupant in the cabin 13 is reliably protected and the safety can be improved. When the occupant gets on and off, the side protector 31 is turned outward to expose the step 37, so that the occupant can easily and safely use the step 37 to get on and off.

In the above-described embodiment, the lower part of the side protector 31 is pivoted outward and downward by the hinge 32. However, the front end or the rear end of the side protector 31 may be rotatably supported. Good.

[0020]

As described in detail in the above embodiment, according to the vehicle body structure of the first aspect, the vehicle body side members connected at the front and rear portions of the vehicle are disposed on both sides of the cabin. The vehicle body side member includes a front fender portion, a rear fender portion, and a protector portion which is provided to face the outside of the left and right doors so as to connect the front fender portion and the rear fender portion and is rotatable outward. Therefore, the energy at the time of the side collision is received and absorbed by the protector and the door, so that the occupant in the cabin can be reliably protected and safety can be improved.

Further, according to the vehicle body structure of the second aspect of the present invention, when the protector portion is turned outward, the inner side surface is stepped. Therefore, when the protector portion is turned outward and the door is opened, An occupant in the cabin can easily and safely exit the vehicle using this step.

According to the vehicle body structure of the third aspect of the present invention, since the energy absorber is incorporated in the protector portion, the energy at the time of a side collision is absorbed by the energy absorber of the protector portion. The shock can be absorbed and the occupant in the cabin can be reliably protected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a vehicle having a vehicle body structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the vehicle according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the vehicle with a door in an open position.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part of a vehicle body showing a door opening / closing mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a main part of a vehicle body showing an opening / closing mechanism of a side protector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Vehicle 12 Vehicle body 13 Cabin 14 Head lamp 15, 16, 17, 18 Communication lamp 21 Support shaft 22 Hydraulic cylinder 24 Door 26 Hydraulic cylinder 28 Body side member 29 Front fender part 30 Rear fender part 31 Side protector (protector part) 32 Hinge 33 Hydraulic cylinder 35 Support pipe (energy absorber) 37 Step

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle body side member connected at a front portion and a rear portion of a vehicle is disposed on both sides of a cabin, the vehicle body side member includes a front fender portion, a rear fender portion, the front fender portion and a rear fender portion. And a protector portion provided opposite to the left and right doors so as to connect the left and right doors and rotatable outward. 2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the protector portion forms a step when the protector portion rotates outward. 3. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein said protector section has a built-in energy absorber.