Automobile body structure

Details Automobile body structure Automobile body structure

2002-05-14

2003-05-27

Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Bodies

Body shell

C296S204000, C296S205000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06568745

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an automobile body structure which allows for reduction in manufacturing cost and weight of automobile bodies.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 8 and 9
hereof illustrate a conventional automobile body structure. Referring to
FIGS. 8 and 9
, A body
100
has left and right center pillars
101
(only the right center pillar is sown) from which opposite gussets
103
and
104
extend towards each other. Front ends of the gussets
103
and
104
are coupled to middle portions of a stiffener
106
for a floor crossmember
108
(see
FIG. 9
) provided on a floor panel
105
. Herein, an arrow (front) indicates a forward direction of the automobile.
When another automobile strikes against the side of the above automobile, for example, the impact load applied to one of the left and right center pillars
101
is transmitted via the gusset
103
or the gusset
104
to the other center pillar
101
to be dispersed, so that the center pillar
101
having received the impact is prevented from deformation.
In order to resist the excessive load acting on the floor crossmember
108
and the stiffener
106
during the above load transmission, the stiffener
106
has a greater plate thickness or, alternatively, an additional reinforcing member
107
is mounted on the stiffener
106
between the gussets
103
and
104
. The stiffener
106
is mounted on the floor crossmember
108
. The reinforcing member
107
is mounted on a front upper portion of the stiffener
106
. Reference numeral
111
denotes a bolster in a rear seat. The plate thicknesses of the members shown in the figure are exaggerated for purposes of illustration (this applies hereinafter).
The use of the reinforcing member
107
in the conventional automobile body structure requires a die for forming the reinforcing member
107
in a shape conforming to that of the stiffener
106
, resulting in increased die cost. Further, the necessity of the greater thickness “t” of the stiffener
106
or the reinforcing member
107
increases the weight of the automobile body.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present Invention provides an automobile body structure which allows for the reduction in manufacturing coot and weight of automobile bodies.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automobile body structure, which comprises: a left center pillar; a right center pillar; and a crossbeam interposed between and connected to the left and right center pillars, the crossbeam comprising a beam body and gussets mounted to the opposite ends of the beam body, respectively.
When another automobile strikes against the side of the automobile, the input load inputted to one of the center pillars can be received by the other center pillar via the crossbeam. This, for example, prevents a crossmember from directly receiving the input load, eliminating the need for the reinforcement of the crossmember.
Each of the gussets has a divergent shape with the width increasing from the beam body toward the center pillar. That is, the area or the load receiving surface of the gusset to receive a load from the center pillar is increased. Thus, an input load to the center pillar is securely transmitted to the crossbeam.
Each of the center pillars of the present invention has a structure with hollow cross-section comprising an outer panel and an inner panel; and a reinforcing member for reinforcing the center pillar is interposed between the outer and inner panels and positioned on an extension line of the crossbeam so as to transmit a transverse load inputted to the center pillar to the crossbeam. An input load at a side collision is smoothly transmitted from the outer panel of one of the center pillars, through the reinforcing member, inner panel and crossbeam, to the other center pillar.
A crossmember is provided on a floor panel of the automobile body, extending between the left and right center pillars; and the beam body is fixed to the crossmember. That is, the beam body is supported on the crossmember, thereby to prevent the bending or buckling of the beam body due to an input load to the crossbeam.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4355844 (1982-10-01), Fantini Muzzarelli
patent: 5213386 (1993-05-01), Janotik et al.
patent: 5354115 (1994-10-01), Esaki
patent: 5435618 (1995-07-01), Sacco et al.
patent: 5820204 (1998-10-01), Masuda et al.
patent: 5954390 (1999-09-01), Kleinhoffer et al.
patent: 6129412 (2000-10-01), Tanuma
patent: 6267438 (2001-07-01), Jonsson
patent: 6273498 (2001-08-01), Hillman et al.
patent: 6-211164 (1994-08-01), None

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