JP6217367B2 - Vehicle roof structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a roof structure applied to a roof portion of a vehicle.

  A part of sound emitted from a power plant including an engine, a transmission, and the like disposed in an engine room of the vehicle may be transmitted to the roof portion through a skeleton member of the vehicle body. In addition, vibration input from the road surface during traveling may be input to the vehicle body via the tire and transmitted to the roof portion. Since the roof portion is provided with the roof panel, vibration of the roof panel (roof vibration mode) may be excited. The vibration of the roof panel not only becomes annoying noise for the passengers in the vehicle interior, but also causes noise in the vehicle interior and makes the vehicle interior uncomfortable.

  A sound absorbing and insulating material is sometimes used to suppress the vibration of the roof panel, but depending on the degree and frequency of vibration, sufficient sound absorbing and insulating performance may not be exhibited. Although it is possible to reinforce the roof panel by bridging the roof bow between a pair of left and right side roof rails forming the skeleton of the roof part and adding a reinforcing member extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body to the lower surface of the roof panel, A simple reinforcing member is not cost effective and may be difficult to adopt in terms of cost.

  On the other hand, a vehicle equipped with a vehicle-mounted communication device usually has a dedicated antenna for the communication device. In particular, an antenna mounted on a vehicle is also important in order to cope with the construction of an in-vehicle information communication network such as telematics. As an antenna for a communication device, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, an antenna in which an antenna element is built in a roof rail provided on a roof portion of a vehicle body has been proposed. Alternatively, as described in Patent Document 2, it has also been proposed to arrange an antenna element on the lower surface of a vehicle resin body or glass body.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-263828 JP 2008-182523 A

  A roof structure in which a simple reinforcing member is attached to a roof panel as in the prior art described above is not cost-effective and may be difficult to adopt in terms of cost. In the roof rail with a built-in antenna disclosed in Patent Document 1, since it is necessary to dispose an antenna element that is a part different from the roof rail in the roof rail, not only the number of parts but also the structure becomes complicated, and the cost becomes considerably high. Since the antenna device of Patent Document 2 also uses a dedicated antenna element, it is difficult to say that the cost is advantageous.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle roof structure that can serve both as a reinforcement of a roof portion and a function as an antenna.

  A roof structure according to the present invention includes a frame member of a roof portion, a roof panel provided on the roof portion, and a communication device mounted on the vehicle that is fixed to the lower surface of the roof panel along the roof panel. A reinforcing rib structure having a length corresponding to the wavelength of a radio wave to be used and having at least one rib member to which an antenna wire of the communication device is connected, and the rib member and the roof panel are electrically connected to each other. And an insulating material that electrically insulates.

In one embodiment, the roof portion has a front roof bow and a rear roof bow extending in the width direction of the vehicle body of the vehicle , and a plurality of the rib members between the roof bows in the width direction of the vehicle body. They are spaced apart from each other. Further, among the plurality of rib members, a rib member having a length closest to a quarter of a wavelength of a radio wave used by the communication device for communication may be connected to the antenna wire of the communication device. Good.

  Further, a rib member connected to the antenna wire may be used as a monopole antenna of the communication device. Alternatively, the rib member may be composed of a pair of rib elements having a common length, and these rib elements may be used as a dipole antenna of the communication device. Further, the reinforcing rib structure includes a plurality of rib members arranged at intervals in the width direction of the roof portion, the rib members extend in the front-rear direction of the roof portion, and the distance between the rib members is You may arrange | position the said rib member so that it may change to the front-back direction of this roof part.

  According to the roof structure of the present invention, the roof portion can be reinforced by the reinforcing rib structure provided on the roof panel, and excitation of the roof vibration mode can be suppressed. It can function as an antenna for in-vehicle communication equipment. For this reason, the utility value of a reinforcement rib structure increases and it can raise cost effectiveness. In addition, since the reinforcing rib structure also serves as an antenna, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of parts of the communication device, and it is also possible to suppress a complicated structure.

The perspective view of the vehicle provided with the roof part which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The perspective view which shows a part of frame | skeleton member of the vehicle body of the vehicle shown by FIG. The top view which looked at the frame | skeleton member of the roof part of the vehicle shown by FIG. 1 from upper direction. Sectional drawing of a part of roof part which follows the F4-F4 line | wire in FIG. The perspective view of the vehicle provided with the roof part which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. The perspective view which shows the frame member of the vehicle body which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. The top view which looked at the frame member of the roof part concerning a 4th embodiment from the upper part.

Below, the roof part of the vehicle provided with the roof structure which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated with reference to FIGS. 1-4.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle 10. On the upper part of the vehicle body 11 of the vehicle 10, a roof portion 12 that forms a vehicle body upper structure is formed. In FIG. 1, the direction indicated by the arrow X1 indicates the front of the vehicle body 11, the arrow X2 indicates the rear of the vehicle body 11, and the arrow Y indicates the width direction of the vehicle body 11 (also referred to as the vehicle width direction).

  A cabin (cabinet) 13 formed in the vehicle body 11 is surrounded by a roof portion 12, a windshield glass 14, and the like. An engine hood 20 is provided in front of the cabin 13. An engine room 21 is formed below the engine hood 20. The engine room 21 houses a power plant 25 including an engine (or motor) and a transmission. The power plant 25 is a sound source.

  FIG. 2 shows a part of the skeleton member 30 that forms the skeleton of the vehicle body 11. The frame member 30 includes front pillars 31 and 32, center pillars 33 and 34, side sills 35 and 36, upper frames 37 and 38, side roof rails 39 and 40, a cowl top member 41, cross members 42, 43 and 44, and a roof front member. 45, roof bows 46, 47, 48, a roof rear member 49, and the like. The roof bows 46, 47, 48 are arranged between the side roof rails 39, 40. The side roof rails 39, 40, the roof front member 45, the roof bows 46, 47, 48, the roof rear member 49, and the like are examples of skeleton members that form the skeleton of the roof portion 12. A steering wheel 50 is disposed on the driver's seat side in the cabin 13.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view of the skeleton member of the roof portion 12 as viewed from above. In FIG. 3, the direction indicated by the arrow X <b> 1 indicates the front of the roof portion 12, the arrow X <b> 2 indicates the rear of the roof portion, and the arrow Y indicates the width direction of the roof portion 12. The roof portion 12 includes side roof rails 39, 40, roof bows 46, 47, 48, a roof panel 55 (shown in FIG. 1), and the like. An example of the roof panel 55 is formed into a predetermined shape by pressing a metal plate such as a steel plate. The roof panel 55 is made of a steel plate having a thickness of 0.6 to 1.0 mm, for example. However, an aluminum alloy may be used as the material of the roof panel 55, or synthetic resin or glass may be used in part.

  The roof bows 46, 47, 48 are arranged in the width direction of the roof portion 12 along the lower surface of the roof panel 55. Each roof bow 46, 47, 48 has, for example, a hat-shaped open or closed cross section, and is provided between the side roof rails 39, 40, respectively. These roof bows 46, 47, and 48 are fixed to the lower surface of the roof panel 55 by a sealer that functions as an adhesive. Both ends of the roof bows 46, 47 and 48 (both ends in the width direction of the roof portion 12) are coupled to the side roof rails 39 and 40 by welding or the like, respectively.

  A reinforcing rib structure 60 is disposed between the front roof bow 47 and the rear roof bow 48. The reinforcing rib structure 60 includes a first rib member 61, a second rib member 62, and a third rib member 63. These rib members 61, 62, and 63 extend in the front-rear direction of the roof panel 55, and are fixed to the lower surface of the roof panel 55 (surface inside the vehicle) in an electrically insulated state. The roof bows 47, 48 and the rib members 61, 62, 63 are also electrically insulated.

  The first rib member 61 and the third rib member 63 are each made of one steel material (for example, a structural material having a hat-shaped cross section formed by press-forming a steel plate) extending in the front-rear direction of the roof portion 12. The second rib member 62 includes a pair of rib elements 62a and 62b having a common length. Each of the rib elements 62a and 62b is made of one steel material (for example, a structural material having a hat-shaped cross section formed by press-molding a steel plate). The rib elements 62a and 62b are electrically insulated from each other.

  3 includes a pair of side roof rails 39 and 40, a front roof bow 47 and a rear roof bow 48 extending in the vehicle width direction, and includes a front roof bow 47. A reinforcing rib structure 60 including a plurality of (for example, three) rib members 61, 62, 63 is provided between the rear roof bow 48 and the rear roof bow 48. These rib members 61, 62, 63 are arranged independently of each other in the width direction of the roof portion 12.

  The rib members 61, 62, and 63 are arranged effectively to suppress excitation of the vibration mode (roof vibration) of the roof panel 55. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the rib members 61, 62, 63 are moved from the rear to the front of the roof portion 12 so that the distance between the rib members 61, 62, 63 changes in the front-rear direction of the roof portion 12. The distance between 63 is gradually increased. When the strength required for the roof panel 55 differs depending on the right and left according to the rigidity distribution of the roof portion 12, rib members having different lengths and plate thicknesses are attached to the roof panel according to the required strength distribution. You may arrange in 55 right places.

  FIG. 4 representatively shows a cross section of the first rib member 61 among the rib members 61, 62, and 63. An electrically insulating adhesive 70 that functions as an insulating material is provided between the rib member 61 and the roof panel 55. Similarly, the second rib member 62 and the third rib member 63 are fixed to the lower surface (the vehicle inner surface) of the roof panel 55 by an electrically insulating adhesive 70. The rib member 61, 62, 63 and the roof panel 55 are electrically insulated from each other by the adhesive 70.

  At least one of the rib members 61, 62, 63 (for example, the first rib member 61) has a length corresponding to the wavelength of radio waves (electromagnetic waves) used for communication by the communication device 80 mounted on the vehicle 10. ing. For example, the length of the first rib member 61 is close to a quarter of the wavelength of the radio wave used by the communication device 80. The antenna wire 81 of the communication device 80 is connected to the first rib member 61. For example, when the communication device 80 is an 800 MHz mobile phone, a rib member having a length close to 95 mm is used as an antenna for the communication device 80. When the communication device 80 is an FM radio, a rib member having a length close to 900 mm is used.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the case of the vehicle 10 on which a plurality of types of communication devices 80 and 82 are mounted, rib members 61 and 62 corresponding to the wavelengths of radio waves used by the communication devices 80 and 82 are provided for the communication devices 80. , 82 antennas. For example, the first rib member 61 is used as a monopole antenna by being connected to a transmission / reception circuit of one communication device 80 via an antenna wire 81. The second rib member 62 can be used as a dipole antenna by connecting the pair of rib elements 62 a and 62 b to the other communication device 82 via the antenna wire 83.

  Thus, the rib which has a length suitable for the wavelength of the radio wave of the communication device so that at least one of the plurality of rib members 61, 62, 63 constituting the reinforcing rib structure 60 functions as a dipole antenna or a monopole antenna. The antenna wires 81 and 83 of the communication devices 80 and 82 are connected to the members.

  In the case of a communication device used for an in-vehicle information communication network such as telematics, traffic information, city information, life information, etc. are received via a mobile terminal, for example, and a display screen for car navigation is used. To display. When a telematics communication device is a target, among the rib members having various lengths arranged on the roof portion 12, a rib member having a length corresponding to the wavelength of the telematics communication device (for example, a mobile phone) is used as an antenna. Use it. Thereby, an information dispatch function can be given to a vehicle, and it can be used for construction of an intelligent transportation system.

  The roof portion 12 of the vehicle 10 having the roof structure according to the present embodiment is provided with a reinforcing rib structure 60 that reinforces the roof panel 55 on the roof portion 12. Roof vibration mode) can be suppressed, and “in-car noise” that causes in-vehicle noise can also be reduced. Thus, since the reinforcing rib structure 60 combines the vibration suppressing function (reinforcing material) of the roof portion 12 and the function of transmitting and receiving information, it can be used as a multipurpose roof reinforcing rib that combines so-called reinforcement and communication. Can be increased.

  FIG. 5 shows a vehicle 10 including the roof portion 12 of the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the lengths of the first rib member 61 and the second rib member 62 are the same, and each rib member 61, 62, 63 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. At least one of the rib members 61, 62, and 63 has a length corresponding to the wavelength of the radio wave of the communication device, and the rib member is used as an antenna of the communication device. Other configurations and effects are the same as those in the first embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 4).

  FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment. In the reinforcing rib structure 60 of this embodiment, the lengths of the first rib member 61 and the second rib member 62 are the same and short, and the rib members 61 and 62 are between the roof bows 47 and 90. Is arranged. The third rib member 63 is longer than the first and second rib members 61 and 62 and is disposed between the roof bows 47 and 48. At least one of the rib members 61, 62, and 63 has a length corresponding to the wavelength of the radio wave of the communication device, and the rib member is used as an antenna of the communication device. Other configurations and effects are the same as those in the first embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 4).

  FIG. 7 shows a fourth embodiment. All of the rib members 61, 62, and 63 are disposed at positions sufficiently away from the roof bow 46 and the roof rear member 49. The rib members 61, 62, and 63 are arranged so that excitation of the vibration mode of the roof panel 55 is suppressed as in the first to third embodiments. At least one of the rib members 61, 62, and 63 has a length corresponding to the wavelength of the radio wave of the communication device, and the rib member is used as an antenna of the communication device. Other configurations and effects are the same as those in the first embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 4).

  As described above, in carrying out the present invention, the specific aspects such as the number, length, and arrangement of the rib members constituting the reinforcing rib structure are various as required, and thus are limited to the above embodiment. It is not something. Needless to say, the material, design, and arrangement of the roof panel and frame member can be variously changed. There are various in-vehicle communication devices. In short, any communication device having at least one function of transmission and reception can be applied in the same manner.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Vehicle, 11 ... Vehicle body, 12 ... Roof part, 25 ... Power plant, 30 ... Frame member, 39, 40 ... Side roof rail, 46, 47, 48 ... Roof bow, 55 ... Roof panel, 60 ... Reinforcement rib structure, 61, 62, 63 ... rib member, 70 ... adhesive material (insulating material), 80 ... communication device, 81 ... antenna wire, 82 ... communication device, 83 ... antenna wire

Claims (6)

A skeleton member of the roof portion of the vehicle;
A roof panel provided in the roof portion;
It is fixed to the lower surface of the roof panel along the roof panel, has a length corresponding to the wavelength of the radio wave used by the communication device mounted on the vehicle, and is at least connected to the antenna wire of the communication device A reinforcing rib structure including one rib member;
An insulating material that electrically insulates the rib member and the roof panel from each other;
A vehicle roof structure characterized by comprising: The roof portion has a front roof bow and a rear roof bow that extend in the width direction of the vehicle body of the vehicle , and a plurality of the rib members are arranged between the roof bows at intervals in the width direction of the vehicle body. 2. The vehicle roof structure according to claim 1, wherein the antenna wire is connected to a rib member corresponding to a wavelength of a radio wave of the communication device among the rib members. The antenna wire is connected to a rib member having a length closest to a quarter of a wavelength of a radio wave of the communication device among the plurality of rib members. Vehicle roof structure.   4. The vehicle roof structure according to claim 3, wherein a rib member connected to the antenna wire is used as a monopole antenna of the communication device.   The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rib member includes a pair of rib elements having a common length, and the rib elements are used as a dipole antenna of the communication device. Roof structure.   The reinforcing rib structure includes a plurality of the rib members arranged at intervals in the width direction of the roof portion, the rib members extend in the front-rear direction of the roof portion, and a distance between the rib members is The vehicle roof structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the roof structure changes in the front-rear direction of the roof portion.

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