A vehicle body structure relating to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
Note that arrow UP in the drawings indicates the upward direction of the vehicle, arrow FR in the drawings indicates the frontward direction of the vehicle, and arrow IN indicates the direction inward in the transverse direction of the vehicle.
A vehicle, to which the vehicle body structure in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied, is shown in
As shown in
An enlarged cross-sectional view along cross-section line 1-1 of
As shown in
A flange 18B, which is formed toward the vehicle transverse direction inner side at the front end portion of an inner wall portion 18A of the front pillar inner 18, is joined by welding or the like to a vehicle transverse direction inner side end portion 16B of a front wall portion 16A of the front pillar outer 16. Further, an inclined portion 16C, which is inclined from the vehicle transverse direction inner side front toward the vehicle transverse direction outer side rear, is formed from the vehicle transverse direction outer side end of the front wall portion 16A of the front pillar outer 16. An outer wall portion 16D is formed toward the rear of the vehicle from the rear end of the inclined portion 16C.
An inclined portion 18C, which is inclined from the vehicle transverse direction inner side front toward the vehicle transverse direction outer side rear, is formed from the rear end of the inner wall portion 18A of the front pillar inner 18. A flange 18D is formed toward the rear of the vehicle from the rear end of the inclined portion 18C. The flange 18D of the front pillar inner 18 is joined by welding or the like to a flange 16E which is formed toward the rear of the vehicle at the rear end portion of the outer wall portion 16D of the front pillar outer 16.
Accordingly, the front pillars 14 are disposed at the both vehicle transverse direction end portions of the front portion of the vehicle cabin 12, such that the longitudinal directions of the front pillars 14 run along the vehicle up-down direction. The cross-section of the front pillar 14, in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction thereof, is a closed cross-section 20 due to the front pillar outer 16 and the front pillar inner 18.
Note that the term “closed cross-section” is used herein to mean a cross-sectional structure which is highly-rigid and high-strength and in which the outer peripheral portion of the opening of the cross-section which is the object is substantially continuous. Further, note that the term “substantially” is used herein to mean that a structure is included in which, even if a hole or the like whose cross section is small as compared with the outer peripheral length are formed locally, no such hole or the like exists and the member at the periphery of the opening portion is continuous as viewed in the direction orthogonal to the cross-section (at the near side or far side in the drawing in the case of the front pillar 14 shown in
The vehicle transverse direction outer side portion of the vehicle body 10 is shown in
The vehicle transverse direction outer side portion of the vehicle body 10 is structured by a side member outer 24. A front pillar portion or front wall portion 24A of the side member outer 24 covers the front pillar outer 16 from the outer side of the vehicle body. Further, a front pillar outer reinforcement 26 is disposed at the vehicle body inner side of the front pillar outer 16, along the front pillar outer 16. A front pillar inner reinforcement 28 is disposed at the vehicle body outer side of the front pillar inner 18, along the front pillar inner 18.
As shown in
A step portion 24D, which is concave toward the vehicle transverse direction inner side, is formed at the rear end portion of an outer wall portion 24C of the side member outer 24. The vehicle transverse direction inner side surface of a flange 24E formed at the rear end of the step portion 24D is joined by welding or the like to the vehicle transverse direction outer side surface of the flange 16E of the front pillar outer 16. Note that a front portion 32A of a front side door 32 is provided at the vehicle transverse direction outer side portion of the step portion 24D of the side member outer 24.
The front pillar outer reinforcement 26 is structured by a plate member which is bent along the front wall portion 16A, the inclined portion 16C, and the outer wall portion 16D of the front pillar outer 16. The front pillar outer reinforcement 26 is joined by welding or the like to the front wall portion 16A, the inclined portion 16C, and the outer wall portion 16D of the front pillar outer 16. Further, the front pillar inner reinforcement 28 is structured by a plate member which is bent along the inner wall portion 18A and the inclined portion 18C of the front pillar inner 18. The front pillar inner reinforcement 28 is joined by welding or the like to the inner wall portion 18A and the inclined portion 18C of the front pillar inner 18.
A front pillar garnish 40, which is formed from a resin material, is disposed in the vehicle up-down direction along the front pillar inner 18 at the vehicle cabin 12 side of the front pillar inner 18, and covers the front pillar inner 18 from the inner side of the vehicle cabin 12. To explain more concretely, the cross-sectional configuration of the front pillar garnish 40 as seen from the vehicle up-down direction is curved in a substantial L-shape. A front portion 40A of the front pillar garnish 40 covers the front pillar inner 18 from the vehicle transverse direction inner side, and a rear portion 40B of the front pillar garnish 40 covers the front pillar inner 18 from the vehicle rear side.
A gap is formed between the front portion 40A of the front pillar garnish 40 and the inner wall portion 18A of the front pillar inner 18. A front pillar reinforcing member 44 is disposed as a reinforcing member between the front portion 40A of the front pillar garnish 40 and the inner wall portion 18A of the front pillar inner 18.
The front pillar 14 and the front pillar reinforcing member 44 are shown in
As shown in
Although not illustrated, the lower end portion of the front pillar reinforcing member 44 reaches (and is preferably fixed to) the rear end portion of an apron upper member and a vehicle transverse direction end portion of a cowl panel.
Further, the front pillar reinforcing member 44 is mounted to the front pillar inner 18 by fastening members 48 such as bolts or the like which are provided at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction.
As shown in
Accordingly, the front pillar reinforcing member 44 is fixed by the fastening members 48 to the front pillar inner 18 and the front pillar inner reinforcement 28.
Note that, in
In the present exemplary embodiment, the front pillar reinforcing member 44, which extends along the front pillar 14 in the vehicle up-down direction, is provided between the front pillar 14, which is disposed at each of the vehicle transverse direction end portions of the front portion of the vehicle cabin 12 such that the longitudinal direction thereof runs along the vehicle up-down direction and which is a closed cross-section running along the vehicle up-down direction, and the front pillar garnish 40, which is provided at the vehicle cabin 12 side of the front pillar 14 and covers the front pillar 14. Therefore, the cross-sectional secondary moment of the front pillar portion 10A greatly increases due to the closed cross-section 20 of the front pillar 14 and the closed cross-section 45 of the front pillar reinforcing member 44. As a result, the rigidity and strength of the front pillar portion 10A of the vehicle body 10 are ensured without making the closed cross-section 20 of the front pillar 14 large.
Thus, when a load (arrow F1 in
The load applied at the time when the vehicle rolls-over fluctuates in accordance with changes in the vehicle weight which arise due to differences in the operator cab (single cab or double cab) and the engine (the engine capacity or the like). In the present exemplary embodiment, the front pillar reinforcing member 44 is fixed to the front pillar 14 by the fastening members 48. Therefore, the front pillar reinforcing members 44 having different strengths can easily be mounted to standardized front pillars 14 in accordance with the vehicle weight.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the front pillar reinforcing member 44 is provided at the vehicle front side (the side near the front windowshield glass 30) between the front pillar 14 and the front pillar garnish 40. Therefore, an interval M1 along the vehicle longitudinal direction between the front pillar reinforcing member 44 and a vehicle occupant S who is seated in an unillustrated front seat becomes wider. As a result, if the vehicle occupant S who is seated in the front seat moves toward the front of the vehicle (in the direction of arrow A in
The joined portion of the front roof header 50 and the front pillar 14 is shown in
As shown in
The flange 62A of the roof header extension 62 is joined by welding or the like to the vehicle transverse direction inner side surface of the inner wall portion 18A of the front pillar inner 18. Further, the upper end portion 44A of the front pillar reinforcing member 44 and a front wall portion 62B of the roof header extension 62 are close to one another, and a distance L1 between the upper end portion 44A of the front pillar reinforcing member 44 and the front wall portion 62B of the roof header extension 62 is small. Namely, the distance L1 between the upper end portion 44A of the front pillar reinforcing member 44 and the front wall portion 62B of the roof header extension 62 is set to the minimum value which takes into consideration errors in welding, errors in assembly, and the like.
Accordingly, in the present exemplary embodiment, the upper end portions 44A of the front pillar reinforcing members 44 and the front wall portions 62B of the roof header extensions 62, which structure the vehicle transverse direction both end portions of the front roof header 50 which connects the upper end portions of the left and right front pillars 14 to one another, are disposed near to one another.
Therefore, when the front roof header 50 deforms toward the rear of the vehicle as shown by the two-dot chain line in
Further, the load F2 which is applied to the front roof header 50 is efficiently transmitted to the front pillar reinforcing members 44, and is efficiently transmitted to the front pillars 14 as well. As a result, deformation of the front roof header 50 and of the vehicle body overall, which arises at the time when the vehicle rolls-over or the like, can be suppressed.
Operation of the present exemplary embodiment will be described next.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the front pillars 14, which are formed as closed cross-sections along the vehicle up-down direction, are disposed at the both vehicle transverse direction end portions of the front portion of the vehicle cabin 12 such that the longitudinal directions of the front pillars 14 run along the vehicle up-down direction. Further, the front pillar reinforcing members 44, which extend in the vehicle up-down direction, are provided along the front pillars 14, between the front pillars 14 and the front pillar garnishes 40 which are provided at the vehicle cabin 12 sides of the front pillars 14. Therefore, the cross-sectional secondary moments of the front pillar portions 10A are greatly increased due to the closed cross-sections 20 of the front pillars 14 and the closed cross-sections 45 of the front pillar reinforcing members 44.
As a result, the rigidity and strength of the front pillar portion 10A are ensured without making the closed cross-section 20 of the front pillar 14 large. Therefore, when load (arrow F1 in
Further, the load which is applied at the time when the vehicle rolls-over fluctuates in accordance with changes in the vehicle weight which arise due to differences in the operator cab (single cab or double cab) and the engine (the engine capacity or the like). However, in the present exemplary embodiment, the front pillar reinforcing member 44 is fixed to the front pillar 14 by the fastening members 48. Therefore, the front pillar reinforcing members 44 having different strengths can easily be mounted to standardized front pillars 14 in accordance with the vehicle weight. As a result, standardization of the front pillars 14 is easy.
Further, in the present exemplary embodiment, the front pillar reinforcing member 44 is provided at the vehicle front side (the side near the front windshield glass 30) between the front pillar 14 and the front pillar garnish 40. Thus, the spacing M1 along the vehicle longitudinal direction between the front pillar reinforcing member 44 and the vehicle occupant S seated in an unillustrated front seat is increased. As a result, when the vehicle occupant S who is seated in the front seat moves toward the front of the vehicle (in the direction of arrow A in
Moreover, in the present exemplary embodiment, the upper end portions 44A of the front pillar reinforcing members 44 and the front wall portions 62B of the roof header extensions 62, which structure the both vehicle transverse direction end portions of the front roof header 50 which connects the upper end portions of the left and right front pillars 14 together, are disposed so as to be close to one another.
Thus, when the front roof header 50 deforms toward the rear of the vehicle as shown by the two-dot chain line in
Further, the load F2 which is applied to the front roof header 50 is efficiently transmitted to the front pillar reinforcing members 44, and is efficiently transmitted to the front pillars 14 as well. Thus, deformation of the front roof header 50 and of the vehicle body overall, which arises at the time when the vehicle rolls-over or the like, can be suppressed.
A vehicle body structure in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described next with reference to
Note that members which are the same as those of the first exemplary embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
The vehicle body structure of the second exemplary embodiment is illustrated in
As shown in
Accordingly, operation and effects which are similar to those of the first exemplary embodiment are obtained by the present exemplary embodiment as well.
A vehicle body structure in accordance with a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described next with reference to
Note that members which are the same as those of the first exemplary embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
The vehicle body structure of the third exemplary embodiment is illustrated in
As shown in
Accordingly, operation and effects which are similar to those of the first exemplary embodiment are obtained by the present exemplary embodiment as well.
A vehicle body structure in accordance with a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described next with reference to
Note that members which are the same as those of the first exemplary embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
The vehicle body structure of the fourth exemplary embodiment is illustrated in
As shown in
Accordingly, operation and effects which are similar to those of the first exemplary embodiment are obtained by the present exemplary embodiment as well.
A vehicle body structure in accordance with a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described next with reference to
Note that members which are the same as those of the first exemplary embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
The vehicle body structure of the fifth exemplary embodiment is illustrated in
As shown in
Note that the mounting portion 44D of the front pillar reinforcing member 44 may be fixed by the fastening member 70 such as a bolt or the like to the overlapping portion of the front wall portion 62B of the roof header extension 62 and a front wall portion 60B of the front roof header lower 60.
Accordingly, operation and effects which are similar to those of the first exemplary embodiment are obtained by the present exemplary embodiment as well.
The present invention is described in detail above with respect to specific embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described respective exemplary embodiments, and it will be clear to those skilled in the art that various other embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above respective exemplary embodiments, the cross-sectional configuration, as seen from the longitudinal direction, of the front pillar reinforcing member 44 which serves as the reinforcing member is a rectangular pipe shaped, a rectangular, or a substantially hat-shaped cross-sectional configuration. However, the cross-sectional configuration of the reinforcing member as seen from the longitudinal direction may be another shape such as the shape of a round pipe or the like.
Further, in the above-described respective exemplary embodiments, the vehicle transverse direction outer side end portion 60A of the front roof header lower 60 is joined to the roof header extension 62. However, the front roof header lower 60 and the roof header extension 62 may be structured as a single part.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-280445 | Oct 2006 | JP | national |