Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-12
2001-09-25
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Structural detail
C205S203000, C205S203000, C205S067000, C403S230000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293618
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pillar joint structure for an automotive vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, the use of aluminum for structural members of a vehicle body has been considered as one means for reducing the weight of a vehicle. A frame structure shown in
FIG. 4
is one type of frame structure adopted for passenger vehicles. A front pillar
112
and a center pillar
113
as a pillar of an automotive vehicle are joined to a side sill
111
, respectively, at lower end portions thereof
In joining the pillars to the side sill as described above, for instance, the lower end of the front pillar (center pillar) is butt welded to the side sill so that the both members are integrated with each other as part of a frame structure. However, there remains a risk that a strength sufficient to protect against a side collision cannot be obtained by butt welding the center pillar to the side sill only where the former abuts with the latter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above problem, it is an object of the present invention to secure a sufficient strength without increasing the number of components in the joint of an automotive pillar with the side sill or the like.
To attain this object, according to the present invention, there is provided a pillar joint structure for an automotive vehicle, including: a side member having a stair-like joint portion, the stair-like joint portion including an upper surface, a lower surface and a rise surface contiguously provided orthogonal to the upper and lower surfaces; and a pillar member joined substantially orthogonal to the side member at the stair-like joint portion. The pillar member and the side member are welded to each other in a state that an axial end face of the pillar member is brought into abutment with the lower surface of the side member and an axial end portion of the pillar member is brought into abutment with the rise surface of the side member.
According to the above structure, since the pillar member and the side member, which are provided so as to meet each other substantially at right angles, are joined together not only at the axial end face of the pillar member but also at the rise portion of the side member, the axial end portion of the pillar member can be supported by the rise portion of the side member even when an external force is applied to the axial end portion of the pillar member as a result of a side collision, thereby making it possible to obtain a sufficient strength against a side collision.
In addition, in the present invention, the pillar member includes a center pillar extrusion molded so as to have a quadrangular hollow cross-section partitioned with an intermediate wall in a transverse direction of a vehicle body, and the side member includes a side sill of a floor portion of the vehicle body. The intermediate wall of the quadrangular hollow cross-section partitioned therewith extends along the full length of the center pillar for use as a partition, and a transversely outward quadrangular hollow cross-sectioned portion of the center pillar is cut at an upper portion thereof so as to leave a transversely inward quadrangular hollow cross-sectioned portion thereof, while a transversely inward quadrangular hollow portion of the center pillar is cut at a lower portion thereof so as to leave a transversely outward quadrangular hollow cross-sectioned portion thereof, so that an axial end face of the lower portion of the center pillar is brought into abutment with a step portion of the side sill (
1
), while a lower end portion of the lower portion of the intermediate wall is brought into abutment with a rise portion of the side sill, whereby the center pillar and the side sill are welded to be joined to each other.
According to the above structure, a center pillar configuration can be formed using the extrusion molded member having the quadrangular hollow cross-section partitioned with the intermediate wall in which upper and lower portions of the center pillar are displaced, respectively, inwardly and outwardly relative to each other in the transverse direction of the vehicle body, and the lower portion of the center pillar left so as to remain as a quadrangular hollow cross-sectioned portion is brought into abutment with the rise portion of the side sill, whereby a sufficient strength can be secured against a side collision.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4552400 (1985-11-01), Harasaki et al.
patent: 4747636 (1988-05-01), Harasaki et al.
patent: 4986597 (1991-01-01), Clausen
patent: 5352011 (1994-10-01), Kihara et al.
patent: 5372400 (1994-12-01), Enning et al.
patent: 5603581 (1997-02-01), Fujita et al.
patent: 5829219 (1998-11-01), Sugawara et al.
patent: 6003898 (1999-12-01), Teply et al.
patent: 6123378 (2000-09-01), Teply et al.
patent: 599 161 (1934-06-01), None
patent: 195 17 922 (1996-11-01), None
patent: 0 336 781 (1989-10-01), None
patent: 62-11262 (1987-03-01), None
patent: 3 32990 (1989-06-01), None
patent: 4 66375 (1990-07-01), None
patent: 4 221276 (1990-12-01), None
patent: 5 286457 (1992-04-01), None
patent: 6 227 428 (1993-02-01), None
German Office Action dated Jan. 26, 2001.
Nakashima Akira
Sukegawa Akihiro
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Pape Joseph D.
Patel Kiran B.
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
LandOfFree
Pillar joint structure for automotive vehicle does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Pillar joint structure for automotive vehicle, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Pillar joint structure for automotive vehicle will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2504780