Center pillar structure

Details Center pillar structure Center pillar structure

1999-10-05

2001-12-25

Gordon, Stephen T. (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Bodies

Structural detail

C296S205000, C296S193040

Reexamination Certificate

active

06332643

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a center pillar structure for a vehicle body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, using aluminum for structural members of a vehicle body has been considered as a means for reducing the weight of a vehicle. In addition, a frame structure shown in
FIG. 5
is one of those designed for passenger vehicles. A center pillar
11
of such a frame structure is displaced at an upper portion thereof inwardly in a transverse direction of the vehicle body so as to correspond to the surface of a side window glass, while at a lower portion the centerpillar
11
is displaced in such a manner as to project outwardly in the transverse direction of the vehicle body so as to accommodate a seat belt retractor.
It is difficult to form the center pillar
11
with an aluminum extruded frame structure, since the configuration of the center pillar
11
is relatively complicated as described above. In addition, it is necessary to cut a portion of the frame after a bending process in order to secure a high accuracy at the joined portions of the frame. The cutting process is complicated and it is hard to form the center pillar as designed. In addition, an aluminum material is first extrusion molded into, for instance, a shape having a quadrangular hollow cross-section. After extrusion molding, the aluminum member is subjected to a bending process as shown in
FIG. 6
to achieve the desired configuration. Consequently, a problem arises in which the aluminum member breaks at the time of bending.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the aforesaid problems, it is an object of the invention to improve workability and degree of freedom of design of a center pillar formed of an extrusion molding.
To attain the above object, according to the present invention, a center pillar structure is provided at an intermediate portion in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body in such a manner as to erect thereat. The center pillar includes: an extrusion molded upper member; and an extrusion molded lower member, an upper end portion of the lower member being joined with a lower end portion of the upper member so that the lower member is positioned outwardly relative to the upper member in a transverse direction of the vehicle body. The upper end portion of the lower member is cut in a transversely outward and downwardly inclined direction of the vehicle body.
According to the above center pillar structure, the center pillar is divided into upper and lower members that are joined to each other with the upper member being positioned inwardly relative to the lower member in the transverse direction of the vehicle body. Consequently it is possible to form easily a configuration inherent in a center pillar in which a lower half below a so-called waist line of the vehicle body and an upper half are positioned, respectively, outwardly and inwardly relative to each other in the transverse direction of the vehicle body. Also, it is easy to reduce the concentration of stress to the joined portion where strength is markedly increased due to welding by cutting a portion of the joined portion of the lower member that project outwardly in the transverse direction of the vehicle body in an inclined fashion.
In addition, according to the center pillar structure wherein the upper member is joined to the lower member in such a manner that the upper member is inclined rearward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, it is possible to easily form a center pillar into a configuration in which the center pillar is bent in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.
Furthermore, according to the center pillar structure wherein a lower portion of the lower member is joined to a side sill of a floor portion of the vehicle body, wherein a reinforcement plate is secured to an outer side of the lower member in the transverse direction of the vehicle for reinforcement of the joined portion of the lower member with the side sill, and wherein the reinforcement plate is made to extend so as to overlap a lower portion of the upper member and is then joined thereto, the joined portion of the two members can be concealed by an extension portion of the reinforcement plate for reinforcing the joined portion of the lower member with the side sill.


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