JP7707937B2 - Vehicle frame structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle frame structure.

The following Patent Document 1 discloses an invention relating to a mounting structure for a vehicle-embedded antenna. In this mounting structure for a vehicle-embedded antenna, a recess is formed in the roof or other part of the vehicle body, and an antenna (communications device) is stored in this recess.

JP 2003-309409 A

However, simply forming a recess in the roof of the vehicle body may result in the vehicle body not being rigid enough to withstand a rollover or when the vehicle is moving. In other words, the above prior art leaves room for improvement in terms of ensuring the rigidity of the vehicle body against rollovers, etc., while still providing space for placing communication equipment in the vehicle body.

The present invention takes the above facts into consideration and aims to provide a vehicle frame structure that can ensure the rigidity of the vehicle body against rollovers, etc., while also ensuring space for placing communication equipment in the vehicle body.

The vehicle frame structure according to the present invention as set forth in claim 1 includes a first closed section structure portion extending in a vehicle width direction and having a closed section shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and disposed on a vehicle front side of a communication device, a first support piece portion extending from the first closed section structure portion towards the communication device and capable of supporting the communication device, a second closed section structure portion extending in the vehicle width direction and having a closed section shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and disposed on a vehicle rear side of the communication device, and a second support piece portion extending from the second closed section structure portion towards the communication device and capable of supporting the communication device, and further includes a roof reinforcement that forms a part of a roof portion of a vehicle body, and the communication device includes a resin case that forms an outer shell, and the case is provided with the first support piece portion or the second support piece. a resin roof panel that is attached to the roof reinforcement from above the vehicle and covers the communication equipment from above the vehicle, the first support piece portion being provided on a portion of the first closed section structure portion on the upper side of the vehicle and the second support piece portion being provided on a portion of the second closed section structure portion on the upper side of the vehicle, the locking portion being capable of being locked to one of the first support piece portion and the second support piece portion from below the vehicle, and the case being attachable to the other of the first support piece portion and the second support piece portion via the mounting member from below the vehicle .

According to the present invention described in claim 1, a part of the roof of the vehicle body is formed of a roof reinforcement. This roof reinforcement includes a first closed cross-sectional structural part and a second closed cross-sectional structural part that extend in the vehicle width direction and have a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction. Therefore, in the present invention, the first closed cross-sectional structural part and the second closed cross-sectional structural part can reinforce the roof of the vehicle body against loads caused by rollovers, etc.

In addition, in the present invention, the communication device is disposed on the vehicle rear side of the first closed section structure and on the vehicle front side of the second closed section structure. A first support piece extends from the first closed section structure toward the communication device, and a second support piece extends from the second closed section structure toward the communication device. Therefore, the communication device is supported by the first support piece and the second support piece, and the communication device can be installed between the first closed section structure and the second closed section structure in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction.

According to the present invention , the outer shell of the communication device is made of a resin case, and radio waves can be transmitted through the case to enable the communication device to transmit and receive radio waves. The case is provided with a locking portion that can be locked to the first support piece or the second support piece, and according to the present invention, when the communication device is installed, the locking portion can be locked to the first support piece or the second support piece to position the communication device.

According to the present invention, the locking portion of the case is locked to either the first support piece or the second support piece. Also , the case is attached to the other of the first support piece or the second support piece via an attachment member. Therefore, according to the present invention, when installing the communication device, it is easy to position the case relative to the attachment location where the case is attached.

According to the present invention, the resin roof panel is attached to the roof reinforcement from above the vehicle, and the communication device is covered from above the vehicle by the resin roof panel. Therefore , in the present invention, the communication device can be hidden by the resin roof panel while being capable of transmitting and receiving radio waves above the vehicle.

In addition, in the present invention, the first support piece is provided on the vehicle upper side of the first closed section structure, and the second support piece is provided on the vehicle upper side of the second closed section structure, so that the communication device can be attached to the vehicle upper side of the roof of the vehicle body.

The locking portion provided on the case is locked to either the first support piece or the second support piece from the underside of the vehicle, and the case is attached to the other of the first support piece or the second support piece from the underside of the vehicle via an attachment member. Therefore, in the present invention, the communication device can be removed from the underside of the vehicle from the roof portion of the vehicle body.

The vehicle skeleton structure of the present invention as described in claim 2 is the invention as described in claim 1 , wherein the roof reinforcement constitutes a part of the vehicle rear side of the roof portion, and a first centroid of a cross section, as viewed from the vehicle width direction, of a portion of the first closed cross section structure portion that overlaps with the communication equipment as viewed from the vehicle fore-and-aft direction is located above the vehicle with respect to a second centroid of a cross section, as viewed from the vehicle width direction, of a portion of the second closed cross section structure portion that overlaps with the communication equipment as viewed from the vehicle fore-and-aft direction.

According to the present invention described in claim 2 , the roof reinforcement constitutes a part of the vehicle rear side of the roof portion of the vehicle body, and a first centroid of a cross section, as viewed from the vehicle width direction, of a portion of the first closed cross section structural portion that overlaps with the communication device as viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction is located on the vehicle upper side with respect to a second centroid of a cross section, as viewed from the vehicle width direction, of a portion of the second closed cross section structural portion that overlaps with the communication device as viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction.

For this reason, in the present invention, in the portion of the roof reinforcement that overlaps with the communication device when viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction, the size of the cross section in the vehicle vertical direction when viewed from the vehicle width direction is smaller on the front side of the vehicle than on the rear side of the vehicle.

In addition, compared to a configuration in which the first and second centroids are set at the same position in the vertical direction of the vehicle, the second moment of area of the roof reinforcement against bending in the vertical direction of the vehicle can be increased.

As described above, the vehicle frame structure according to the present invention described in claim 1 has the excellent effect of ensuring the rigidity of the vehicle body against rollovers, etc., while ensuring space for arranging communication equipment in the vehicle body.

Furthermore, the vehicle frame structure according to the present invention has the excellent effect of enabling smooth communication by the communication device, and also making it possible to improve the efficiency of the installation work of the communication device.

Furthermore, the vehicle frame structure according to the present invention has the excellent effect of facilitating the installation of communication devices.

Furthermore, the vehicle frame structure according to the present invention has the excellent effect of making it possible to improve the efficiency of maintenance work on communication devices from inside the vehicle.

The vehicle frame structure of the present invention described in claim 2 has the excellent effect of ensuring rigidity of the roof portion of the vehicle body against bending in the vertical direction of the vehicle while ensuring space above the rear seats.

1 is a cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view showing a state cut along line 1-1 in FIG. 4) that shows a schematic configuration of a main part of a vehicle body to which the vehicle frame structure relating to the first embodiment is applied. 2 is a plan view (view taken in the direction of arrows 2 in FIG. 4 ) that illustrates a schematic configuration of a main portion of a vehicle body to which the vehicle frame structure according to the first embodiment is applied. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view showing a state cut along line 3-3 in FIG. 4) that shows a schematic configuration of a main part of a vehicle body to which the vehicle frame structure relating to the first embodiment is applied. FIG. 1 is a perspective view seen from the left rear side of a vehicle, illustrating a schematic configuration of a vehicle body to which a vehicle frame structure according to a first embodiment is applied; FIG. 11 is a perspective view seen from the front left side of the vehicle, illustrating a schematic configuration of a vehicle body to which a vehicle frame structure relating to a second embodiment is applied. 6 is a cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view showing a state cut along line 6-6 in FIG. 5) that shows a schematic configuration of a main part of a vehicle body to which a vehicle frame structure relating to a second embodiment is applied. FIG.

First Embodiment
A first embodiment of a vehicle frame structure according to the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Note that the arrow FR shown as appropriate in each figure indicates the vehicle front side of a "vehicle 10" to which the vehicle frame structure according to this embodiment is applied, the arrow UP indicates the vehicle upper side of the vehicle 10, and the arrow LH indicates the left side of the vehicle 10 in the vehicle width direction.

First, the general configuration of the "vehicle body 12" that constitutes the main portion of the passenger compartment of the vehicle 10 will be described with reference to Figure 4. The vehicle body 12 is provided with a pair of left and right front pillars 14 (see Figure 5), a pair of left and right center pillars 16 (see Figure 5), and a pair of left and right rear pillars 18 on its outer sides in the vehicle width direction. The upper ends of the front pillars 14, center pillars 16, and rear pillars 18 are connected by a pair of roof side rails 22 that constitute part of the "roof portion 20" of the vehicle body 12. The vehicle body 12 is configured symmetrically with respect to a center line CL (see Figure 2) that extends in the fore-aft direction of the vehicle.

The roof side rails 22 are spaced apart from each other in the vehicle width direction and extend in the vehicle front-rear direction, and as shown in FIG. 3, are composed of an outer panel 24 that forms the outer portion in the vehicle width direction and an inner panel 26 that forms the inner portion in the vehicle width direction. The roof side rail 22 has a closed cross-section structure in which the cross section viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction is a closed cross-section, as the outer panel 24 and the inner panel 26 are joined at joints (not shown) by spot welding or the like.

A roof panel 28 is placed between the roof side rails 22. The roof panel 28 is formed by pressing a steel plate, and is shaped like a plate extending in the vehicle front-rear and width directions with the plate thickness direction being the vehicle up-down direction. The upper surface of the roof panel 28 forms part of the design surface 20A of the roof section 20 on the upper side of the vehicle.

The first feature of this embodiment is that the roof portion 20 is reinforced by a "rear header reinforcement 30" that serves as a roof reinforcement provided on the vehicle rear side of the roof panel 28. The second feature is that a pair of "antenna units 32" and "antenna units 34" serving as communication devices, which will be described later, are supported by the rear header reinforcement 30. The following is a detailed description of the configuration of the rear header reinforcement 30 and its surrounding area.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rear header reinforcement 30 includes a rear header upper panel 36 that constitutes the upper portion of the vehicle, and a rear header lower panel 38 that constitutes the lower portion of the vehicle.

In more detail, the rear header upper panel 36 is formed by pressing a steel plate, and includes a first upper wall portion 36A, a first vertical wall portion 36B, a second upper wall portion 36C, a second vertical wall portion 36D, and a rear extending wall portion 36E. The first upper wall portion 36A constitutes the main part of the rear header upper panel 36, and extends in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle front-rear direction with the plate thickness direction being the vehicle up-down direction. In addition, the vehicle rear side peripheral portion of the roof panel 28 is joined to the vehicle front side peripheral portion of the first upper wall portion 36A at a joint (not shown) by welding or the like in a state where the peripheral portion is in contact with the vehicle from above.

On the other hand, the roof side rail 22 is joined to the outer peripheral edge of the first upper wall portion 36A in the vehicle width direction at a joint (not shown) by welding or the like. The first upper wall portion 36A is provided with a pair of through-holes 40 and a through-hole 42, as shown in FIG. 2.

The through-holes 40 are formed in the first upper wall 36A on one side in the vehicle width direction and on the other side in the vehicle width direction, and are rectangular in shape with the vehicle width direction as the longitudinal direction when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction. In addition, most of the antenna unit 32 (described later) is contained inside the through-hole 40 when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction.

The through-hole 42 is formed in the center of the first upper wall portion 36A in the vehicle width direction, and is rectangular in shape with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as viewed from the vehicle top-bottom direction. The length of the through-hole 42 in the vehicle front-rear direction is set to be approximately the same as the length of the through-hole 40 in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the length in the vehicle width direction is set to be shorter than the length of the through-hole 40 in the vehicle width direction. Most of the antenna unit 34 (described later) is contained inside the through-hole 42 as viewed from the vehicle top-bottom direction.

The first vertical wall portion 36B extends from the peripheral edge of the first upper wall portion 36A on the rear side of the vehicle toward the lower side of the vehicle with its plate thickness direction aligned in the vehicle front-to-rear direction, and the second upper wall portion 36C extends from the peripheral edge of the first vertical wall portion 36B on the lower side of the vehicle toward the rear side of the vehicle with its plate thickness direction aligned in the vehicle up-down direction.

The second vertical wall portion 36D extends downward from the peripheral edge of the second upper wall portion 36C on the vehicle rear side with its plate thickness direction aligned in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the rear extending wall portion 36E extends downward to the rear of the vehicle from the peripheral edge of the second vertical wall portion 36D on the vehicle lower side. The rear portion of the rear extending wall portion 36E extends upward on the vehicle, and a weather strip (not shown) is attached to this portion.

On the other hand, the rear header lower panel 38 is formed by pressing a steel plate, and includes a first lower wall portion 38A, a first inner peripheral wall portion 38B, a first inner extending wall portion 38C, a second inner peripheral wall portion 38D, a second inner extending wall portion 38E, an outer peripheral wall portion 38F, an outer extending wall portion 38G, a rear vertical wall portion 38H, a second lower wall portion 38I, and a lower extending wall portion 38J.

The first lower wall portion 38A constitutes the main part of the rear header lower panel 38, and extends in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle front-rear direction with the plate thickness direction being the vehicle up-down direction. The vehicle rear side portion of this first lower wall portion 38A is joined to the vehicle front side portion of the second upper wall portion 36C at a joint portion (not shown) by welding or the like. And, as also shown in FIG. 2, the first lower wall portion 38A is provided with a pair of through-holes 44 and a through-hole 46.

The through-holes 44 are formed in the first lower wall 38A on one side in the vehicle width direction and on the other side in the vehicle width direction, and are rectangular in shape with the vehicle width direction as the longitudinal direction when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction. In addition, the antenna unit 32, which will be described later, is entirely contained inside the through-hole 44 when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction.

The through-hole 46 is formed in the center of the first lower wall portion 38A in the vehicle width direction, and is rectangular in shape with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as viewed from the vehicle top-bottom direction. The length of the through-hole 46 in the vehicle front-rear direction is set to be approximately the same as the length of the through-hole 44 in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the length in the vehicle width direction is set to be shorter than the length of the through-hole 40 in the vehicle width direction. The antenna unit 34 (described later) is entirely contained inside the through-hole 46 as viewed from the vehicle top-bottom direction.

The first inner peripheral wall portion 38B extends from the peripheral edge of the through portion 44 toward the upper side of the vehicle, and is formed in a square tube shape when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle. The first inner extending wall portion 38C extends from the peripheral edge of the first inner peripheral wall portion 38B on the upper side of the vehicle toward the center of the through portion 44 when viewed from the upper side of the vehicle, with the plate thickness direction being the vertical direction of the vehicle. This first inner extending wall portion 38C is arranged so as to overlap the peripheral edge of the through portion 40 in the first upper wall portion 36A of the rear header upper panel 36 when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle, and is joined to the peripheral edge at a joint (not shown) by welding or the like.

On the other hand, the second inner peripheral wall portion 38D extends from the peripheral edge of the through portion 46 toward the upper side of the vehicle, and is formed in a square tube shape when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle. The second inner extending wall portion 38E extends from the peripheral edge of the second inner peripheral wall portion 38D on the upper side of the vehicle toward the center of the through portion 46 when viewed from the upper side of the vehicle, with the plate thickness direction being the vertical direction of the vehicle. This second inner extending wall portion 38E is arranged so as to overlap the peripheral edge of the through portion 42 in the first upper wall portion 36A of the rear header upper panel 36 when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle, and is joined to the peripheral edge at a joint (not shown) by welding or the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, the outer peripheral wall portion 38F extends from the outer peripheral edge of the first lower wall portion 38A toward the upper side of the vehicle, and the outer extending wall portion 38G extends from the peripheral edge of the outer peripheral wall portion 38F on the vehicle upper side opposite the through-holes 44 and 46 when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle, with the plate thickness direction being the vertical direction of the vehicle. This outer extending wall portion 38G is disposed so as to overlap the outer peripheral edge of the first upper wall portion 36A of the rear header upper panel 36, and is joined to the outer peripheral edge at a joint (not shown) by welding or the like.

On the other hand, the rear vertical wall portion 38H extends from the peripheral portion of the first lower wall portion 38A on the rear side of the vehicle toward the lower side of the vehicle with its plate thickness direction aligned in the vehicle front-to-rear direction, and the second lower wall portion 38I extends from the peripheral portion of the rear vertical wall portion 38H on the lower side of the vehicle toward the rear side of the vehicle with its plate thickness direction aligned in the vehicle up-down direction.

The lower extending wall portion 38J extends downward toward the rear of the vehicle from the peripheral portion of the second lower wall portion 38I on the vehicle rear side, and the lower extending wall portion 38J is joined to the portion of the rear extending wall portion 36E of the rear header upper panel 36 on the vehicle front side at a joint (not shown) by welding or the like.

In this embodiment, by configuring the rear header reinforcement 30 as described above, a "front closed cross-sectional structure 48" is configured as a first closed cross-sectional structure in the portion of the rear header reinforcement 30 on the front side of the vehicle. In addition, a "central closed cross-sectional structure 50" is configured as a second closed cross-sectional structure in the central portion of the rear header reinforcement 30 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction. Furthermore, a rear closed cross-sectional structure 52 is configured in the portion of the rear header reinforcement 30 on the rear side of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 3, outer closed cross-sectional structure portions 54 are formed on the outer portions of the rear header reinforcement 30 in the vehicle width direction, and a pair of inner closed cross-sectional structure portions 56 are formed in the center portion of the rear header reinforcement 30 in the vehicle width direction.

Returning to FIG. 1, the front closed cross-sectional structure 48 is composed of the vehicle front portion of the first upper wall portion 36A, the vehicle front portion of the first lower wall portion 38A, the vehicle front portion of the first inner peripheral wall portion 38B, and the vehicle front portion of the outer peripheral wall portion 38F. This front closed cross-sectional structure 48 extends in the vehicle width direction, and has a rectangular closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

The central closed cross-sectional structure 50 is configured to include the vehicle rear portion of the first upper wall portion 36A, the first vertical wall portion 36B, the vehicle rear portion of the first lower wall portion 38A, and the vehicle rear portion of the first inner peripheral wall portion 38B. This central closed cross-sectional structure 50 extends in the vehicle width direction, and has a rectangular closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction that is larger in the vehicle up-down direction than the shape of the front closed cross-sectional structure portion 48 when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

The "first centroid G1" of the cross section of the portion of the front closed cross-sectional structure 48 that is located on the front side of the through-holes 40 and 42 when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction is located above the vehicle relative to the "second centroid G2" of the cross section of the portion of the central closed cross-sectional structure 50 that is located on the rear side of the through-holes 40 and 42 when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction.

On the other hand, the rear closed cross-sectional structure 52 is composed of the vehicle rear side portion of the second upper wall portion 36C, the second vertical wall portion 36D, the rear vertical wall portion 38H, and the second lower wall portion 38I. This rear closed cross-sectional structure portion 52 extends in the vehicle width direction and has a closed cross-sectional shape that is smaller when viewed from the vehicle width direction than the shape of the front closed cross-sectional structure portion 48 when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and the upper edge portion 58A of the back door opening 58 is reinforced by the rear closed cross-sectional structure portion 52 (see FIG. 4).

3, the outer closed cross-sectional structure 54 includes the vehicle width direction outer portion of the first upper wall portion 36A, the vehicle width direction outer portion of the first lower wall portion 38A, the vehicle width direction outer portion of the first inner peripheral wall portion 38B, and the vehicle width direction outer portion of the outer peripheral wall portion 38F. This outer closed cross-sectional structure 54 extends in the vehicle front-rear direction and has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction, and is disposed so as to follow the vehicle width direction outer peripheral edge portion of the through portion 40 when viewed from the vehicle top-bottom direction.

On the other hand, the inner closed cross-sectional structure 56 is configured to include a portion of the first upper wall portion 36A located between the through-holes 40 and 42, a portion of the first lower wall portion 38A located between the through-holes 44 and 46, an inner portion of the first inner peripheral wall portion 38B in the vehicle width direction, and an outer portion of the second inner peripheral wall portion 38D in the vehicle width direction. This inner closed cross-sectional structure 56 extends in the vehicle front-rear direction and has a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction, and is arranged so as to follow the inner peripheral portion of the through-hole 40 in the vehicle width direction and the outer peripheral portion of the through-hole 42 in the vehicle width direction when viewed from the vehicle up-down direction.

Returning to FIG. 1, a ceiling material 60 is disposed on the vehicle underside of the roof panel 28. This ceiling material 60 has a curved portion 60A that is curved so as to be convex toward the upper side of the vehicle when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and a general portion 60B that extends from the curved portion 60A toward the rear side of the vehicle. In addition, the rear end of the general portion 60B is engaged with a weather strip attached to the rear end of the rear extension wall portion 36E.

In addition, in this embodiment, the rear seat 62 is positioned so that it overlaps with the curved portion 60A when viewed from the top-bottom direction of the vehicle, and a predetermined clearance is ensured between the rear seat 62 and the curved portion 60A.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the antenna unit 32 includes a "case 64" that forms its outer shell and is made of a material such as resin that is permeable to radio waves, and a number of antennas 66 that are stored in the case 64 and are capable of at least one of transmitting and receiving radio waves.

In more detail, the case 64 includes a case main body 64A that is rectangular and box-shaped when viewed from the top-bottom direction of the vehicle and that houses the antenna 66, a pair of "locking portions 64B," and a pair of mounting plate portions 64C.

The locking portions 64B are arranged at intervals in the vehicle width direction on the vehicle front side of the upper surface of the case body 64A. The locking portions 64B are configured in an L-shape when viewed in the vehicle width direction, and include a rising portion 64B1 that protrudes from the case body 64A toward the upper side of the vehicle, and an extending portion 64B2 that extends from the rising portion 64B1 toward the vehicle front side.

The portion of the first upper wall portion 36A extending from the front closed cross-sectional structure portion 48 toward the rear of the vehicle and the portion of the first inner extending wall portion 38C extending from the front closed cross-sectional structure portion 48 toward the rear of the vehicle are engaged between the upper surface of the case main body portion 64A and the locking portion 64B. In the following, the assembly of the portion of the first upper wall portion 36A and the portion of the first inner extending wall portion 38C that can be locked with the locking portion 64B will be referred to as the "first support piece portion 68." The locking portion 64B can be locked to the first support piece portion 68 from the underside of the vehicle.

On the other hand, the mounting plate portion 64C is provided at a corner of the case body portion 64A on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and on the vehicle rear side, and at a corner of the case body portion 64A on the inner side in the vehicle width direction and on the vehicle rear side, and is a plate-like shape with its plate thickness direction being the vehicle up-down direction. The mounting plate portion 64C is provided with a penetration portion 70.

On the other hand, a plurality of "weld bolts 72" are arranged at predetermined intervals in the vehicle width direction as mounting members on the portion of the first upper wall portion 36A extending from the central closed cross-sectional structure portion 50 toward the front side of the vehicle and on the portion of the first inner extending wall portion 38C extending from the central closed cross-sectional structure portion 50 toward the rear side of the vehicle. The weld bolts 72 are attached with their shaft portions 72A protruding toward the vehicle lower side of the first inner extending wall portion 38C.

Then, with the shaft 72A of the weld bolt 72 inserted through the through-hole 70 of the mounting plate 64C, a "nut 74" as a mounting member is fastened to the shaft 72A from the underside of the vehicle, thereby fixing the antenna unit 32 to the roof 20. Note that hereinafter, the assembly of the portion of the first upper wall 36A to which the mounting plate 64C can be attached and the portion of the first inner extending wall 38C will be referred to as the "second support piece 76."

In addition, the antenna unit 32 overlaps with a portion of the front closed cross-sectional structure 48 that is located on the front side of the through-hole 40 when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle, and with a portion of the central closed cross-sectional structure 50 that is located on the rear side of the through-hole 40 when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle, when viewed from the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the antenna unit 34 includes a "case 78" that forms its outer shell and is made of a material such as resin that is permeable to radio waves, and a number of antennas 80 that are stored in the case 78 and are capable of at least one of transmitting and receiving radio waves.

Similar to the case 64, the case 78 is configured to include a case main body 78A, one "locking portion 78B," and one mounting plate portion 78C. With the locking portion 78B locked to the first support piece portion 68, the mounting plate portion 78C is attached to the second support piece portion 76 via a weld bolt 72 and a nut 74, thereby fixing the antenna unit 34 to the roof portion 20.

In addition, the antenna unit 34 overlaps with a portion of the front closed cross-sectional structure 48 that is located on the front side of the through-hole 42 when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle, and with a portion of the central closed cross-sectional structure 50 that is located on the rear side of the through-hole 42 when viewed from the vertical direction of the vehicle, when viewed from the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

The types of antenna 66 and antenna 80 include, for example, antennas for DCM (Data Communication Module), GPS (Global Positioning System), wireless LAN (Local Area Network), and ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) antennas.

Returning to FIG. 1, a "plastic roof panel 82" is disposed above the antenna unit 32 and antenna unit 34. This plastic roof panel 82 is made of a resin such as polycarbonate that is permeable to radio waves, and is in the form of a plate that extends in the width direction and the front-rear direction of the vehicle with its thickness direction being the vertical direction of the vehicle.

The resin roof panel 82 is joined to the first upper wall portion 36A of the rear header upper panel 36 by an adhesive joint 84 that is provided to surround the penetration portion 40 and the penetration portion 42. The upper surface of the resin roof panel 82 is painted with paint and forms part of the design surface 20A of the roof portion 20. A sealing member (not shown) is attached to the gap between the outer periphery of the resin roof panel 82 and the vehicle body 12.

(Actions and Effects of the Present Embodiment)
Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a part of the roof portion 20 of the vehicle body 12 is configured with a rear header reinforcement 30. The rear header reinforcement 30 includes a front closed cross-sectional structural portion 48 and a central closed cross-sectional structural portion 50 that extend in the vehicle width direction and have a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, the front closed cross-sectional structural portion 48 and the central closed cross-sectional structural portion 50 can reinforce the roof portion 20 of the vehicle body 12 against loads caused by rollovers, etc.

In addition, in this embodiment, the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 are disposed on the vehicle rear side of the front closed cross-sectional structure 48 and on the vehicle front side of the central closed cross-sectional structure 50. A first support piece 68 extends from the front closed cross-sectional structure 48 toward the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34, and a second support piece 76 extends from the central closed cross-sectional structure 50 toward the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34. Therefore, the first support piece 68 and the second support piece 76 support the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34, and the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 can be installed between the front closed cross-sectional structure 48 and the central closed cross-sectional structure 50 in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction.

Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to ensure the rigidity of the vehicle body 12 against rollovers, etc., while ensuring space in the vehicle body 12 for arranging the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34.

In addition, in this embodiment, the outer shell of the antenna unit 32 is made of a resin case 64, and the outer shell of the antenna unit 34 is made of a resin case 78. This allows radio waves to pass through the cases 64 and 78, making it possible for the antenna units 32 and 34 to transmit and receive radio waves. In addition, the case 64 is provided with a locking portion 64B that can be locked to the first support piece 68, and the case 78 is provided with a locking portion 78B that can be locked to the first support piece 68.

For this reason, in this embodiment, when installing the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34, the locking portion 64B and the locking portion 78B can be locked to the first support piece portion 68 to position the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34. Therefore, in this embodiment, communication by the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 can be performed smoothly, and the assembly work of the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 can be made more efficient.

In addition, in this embodiment, the locking portion 64B of the case 64 and the locking portion 78B of the case 78 are locked to the first support piece 68. Furthermore, the case 64 and the case 78 are attached to the second support piece 76 via a weld bolt 72 and a nut 74. Therefore, in this embodiment, when installing the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34, the case 64 and the case 78 can be easily positioned relative to the mounting locations to which they are attached, and as a result, the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 can be easily assembled.

In addition, in this embodiment, the plastic roof panel 82 is attached to the rear header reinforcement 30 from above the vehicle, and the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 are covered from above the vehicle by the plastic roof panel 82. Therefore, in this embodiment, the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 can be concealed by the plastic roof panel 82 while still allowing them to transmit and receive radio waves above the vehicle.

In addition, in this embodiment, the first support piece 68 is provided on the vehicle upper side of the front closed cross-sectional structure 48, and the second support piece 76 is provided on the vehicle upper side of the central closed cross-sectional structure 50, so that the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 can be attached to the vehicle upper side of the roof portion 20 of the vehicle body 12.

The locking portion 64B on the case 64 and the locking portion 78B on the case 78 are locked to the first support piece 68 from below the vehicle, and the case 64 and the case 78 are attached to the second support piece 76 from below the vehicle via the weld bolt 72 and nut 74.

For this reason, in this embodiment, the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 can be removed from the underside of the vehicle of the roof portion 20 of the vehicle body 12. Therefore, in this embodiment, the maintenance work of the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 from inside the vehicle 10 can be made more efficient.

In addition, in this embodiment, the rear header reinforcement 30 constitutes a part of the vehicle rear side of the roof portion 20 of the vehicle body 12. The first centroid G1 of the cross section, as viewed from the vehicle width direction, of the portion of the front closed cross section structure portion 48 that overlaps with the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 when viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction is located on the vehicle upper side relative to the second centroid G2 of the cross section, as viewed from the vehicle width direction, of the portion of the central closed cross section structure portion 50 that overlaps with the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 when viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction.

For this reason, in this embodiment, in the portion of the rear header reinforcement 30 that overlaps with the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 when viewed from the vehicle front-rear direction, the size of the cross section in the vehicle vertical direction when viewed from the vehicle width direction is smaller on the vehicle front side than on the vehicle rear side.

In addition, compared to a configuration in which the first and second centroids G1 and G2 are set at the same position in the vertical direction of the vehicle, the second moment of area of the rear header reinforcement 30 against bending in the vertical direction of the vehicle can be made larger. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to ensure the rigidity of the roof portion 20 of the vehicle body 12 against bending in the vertical direction of the vehicle while ensuring space above the rear seat 62.

Second Embodiment
Next, a vehicle frame structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. In this embodiment, a through-hole 90 extending in the vehicle width direction is formed in the center of the roof panel 28 in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 are attached to a "center header reinforcement 92" serving as a roof reinforcement arranged along the periphery of this through-hole 90.

More specifically, the center header reinforcement 92 includes a center header upper panel 94 that constitutes the upper portion of the vehicle, and a center header lower panel 96 that constitutes the lower portion of the vehicle.

The center header upper panel 94 is formed by pressing a steel plate, and extends in the width direction and the front-rear direction of the vehicle with the plate thickness direction being the vehicle up-down direction. The peripheral edges of the center header upper panel 94 on the front side and the rear side of the vehicle are joined to the peripheral edge of the penetration portion 90 in the roof panel 28 at joints (not shown) by welding or the like. The center header upper panel 94 is formed with a penetration portion 98 extending in the vehicle width direction, and the antenna unit 32 and most of the antenna unit 34 are contained inside the penetration portion 98 when viewed from the vehicle up-down direction.

The center header lower panel 96 is formed by pressing a steel plate, and includes a "front lower wall portion 96A" as a first bottom wall portion, a front outer peripheral wall portion 96B, a first outer peripheral extension portion 96C, a front inner peripheral wall portion 96D, a first inner peripheral extension portion 96E, a "rear lower wall portion 96F" as a second bottom wall portion, a rear outer peripheral wall portion 96G, a second outer peripheral extension portion 96H, a rear inner peripheral wall portion I, and a second inner peripheral extension portion 96J.

The front lower wall portion 96A constitutes the front portion of the center header lower panel 96 and is shaped like a plate extending in the vehicle width direction when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction, and is arranged so that it slopes downward from the front side of the vehicle to the rear side when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

The front outer peripheral wall portion 96B extends from the vehicle front side peripheral edge of the front lower wall portion 96A to the vehicle front upper side, and a first outer peripheral extension portion 96C extends from the vehicle upper side peripheral edge of the front outer peripheral wall portion 96B to the vehicle front side. The first outer peripheral extension portion 96C is joined to the vehicle front side peripheral edge of the center header upper panel 94 at a joint (not shown) by welding or the like.

On the other hand, the front inner peripheral wall portion 96D extends from the peripheral edge of the front lower wall portion 96A on the vehicle rear side toward the upper side of the vehicle, and a first inner peripheral extension portion 96E extends from the peripheral edge of the front inner peripheral wall portion 96D on the vehicle upper side toward the rear side of the vehicle. The first inner peripheral extension portion 96E is joined to the peripheral edge of the penetration portion 98 in the center header upper panel 94 on the vehicle front side at a joint (not shown) by welding or the like.

The rear lower wall portion 96F constitutes the rear portion of the center header lower panel 96 and is shaped like a plate extending in the vehicle width direction when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction, and is arranged so that it slopes downward from the rear side to the front side when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

The front outer peripheral wall portion 96G extends from the vehicle rearward peripheral edge of the rear lower wall portion 96F toward the vehicle rearward and upper side, and a second outer peripheral extension portion 96H extends from the vehicle upper peripheral edge of the rear outer peripheral wall portion 96G toward the vehicle rearward. The second outer peripheral extension portion 96H is joined to the vehicle rearward peripheral edge of the center header upper panel 94 at a joint (not shown) by welding or the like.

On the other hand, the rear inner peripheral wall portion 96I extends from the peripheral edge of the rear lower wall portion 96F on the vehicle rear side toward the upper side of the vehicle, and a second inner peripheral extension portion 96J extends from the peripheral edge of the rear inner peripheral wall portion 96I on the vehicle upper side toward the front side of the vehicle. The second inner peripheral extension portion 96J is joined to the peripheral edge of the penetration portion 98 on the center header upper panel 94 on the vehicle rear side at a joint (not shown) by welding or the like.

In this embodiment, by configuring the center header reinforcement 92 as described above, a "front closed cross-sectional structure portion 100" is configured as a first closed cross-sectional structure portion on the vehicle front side of the center header reinforcement 92. In addition, a "rear closed cross-sectional structure portion 102" is configured as a second closed cross-sectional structure portion on the vehicle rear side of the center header reinforcement 92.

In more detail, the front closed cross-sectional structure 100 is composed of the vehicle front side portion of the center header upper panel 94, the front lower wall portion 96A, the front outer peripheral wall portion 96B, and the front inner peripheral wall portion 96D. This front closed cross-sectional structure 100 extends in the vehicle width direction, and has a rectangular closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

In addition, in this embodiment, the locking portion 64B and the locking portion 78B can be locked from the underside of the vehicle to an assembly of a part of the center header upper panel 94 and the first inner circumferential extension portion 96E joined to that part. In the following, the assembly of the part of the center header upper panel 94 to which the locking portion 64B and the locking portion 78B can be attached and the first inner circumferential extension portion 96E will be referred to as the "first support piece portion 104."

On the other hand, the rear closed cross-sectional structure 102 is composed of the vehicle rear side portion of the center header upper panel 94, the rear lower wall portion 96F, the rear outer peripheral wall portion 96G, and the rear inner peripheral wall portion 96I. This rear closed cross-sectional structure 102 extends in the vehicle width direction, and has a rectangular closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

In addition, in this embodiment, the case 64 and the case 78 can be attached to an assembly of a part of the center header upper panel 94 and the second inner circumferential extension 96J joined to that part by means of the weld bolts 72 and nuts 74. In the following, the assembly of the part of the center header upper panel 94 to which the case 64 and the case 78 can be attached and the second inner circumferential extension 96J will be referred to as the "second support piece 106."

The rear seat 62 is located on the rear side of the center header reinforcement 92, and the front seats 108, such as the driver's seat, are located on the front side of the center header reinforcement 92.

On the other hand, a "plastic roof panel 110" is arranged on the upper side of the center header reinforcement 92. The plastic roof panel 110 is a rectangular plate whose longitudinal direction is the vehicle width direction when viewed from the vehicle vertical direction, and covers the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 from above the vehicle.

The plastic roof panel 110 is joined to the center header upper panel 94 at a joint 112 made of adhesive or the like that is provided to surround the through-hole 98. The upper surface of the plastic roof panel 110 is painted with paint and forms part of the design surface 20A of the roof section 20. A sealing member (not shown) is attached to the gap between the outer periphery of the plastic roof panel 110 and the vehicle body 12.

With this configuration, even if the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 cannot be placed on the rear portion of the roof panel 28 due to the specifications of the vehicle 10, the same effect as the first embodiment described above can be achieved.

In addition, if the antenna unit 32 and the antenna unit 34 can be arranged on the rear portion of the roof panel 28, more space can be secured in the vehicle body 12 for arranging communication devices, and more communication devices can be installed.

In addition, in this embodiment, the center header reinforcement 92 constitutes a part of the center of the roof portion 20 of the vehicle body 12 in the vehicle front-rear direction. The front lower wall portion 96A of the front closed cross-sectional structure portion 100 has a downward slope from the front side of the vehicle to the rear side of the vehicle when viewed from the vehicle width direction, and the rear lower wall portion 96F of the center header reinforcement 92 has a downward slope from the rear side of the vehicle to the front side of the vehicle when viewed from the vehicle width direction.

For this reason, in this embodiment, space can be secured on the vehicle front and rear sides of the center header reinforcement 92 at the vehicle upper side within the vehicle cabin, and as a result, space can be secured on the vehicle rear upper side of the front seat 108 and the vehicle front upper side of the rear seat 62 while ensuring the rigidity of the roof portion 20 of the vehicle body 12 against bending in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

<Supplementary explanation of the above embodiment>
(1) In the embodiment described above, the rear header reinforcement 30 and the center header reinforcement 92 were made of steel plate. However, depending on the specifications of the vehicle 10, etc., these may also be made of carbon fiber reinforced resin.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the roof reinforcement is divided into an upper side and a lower side of the vehicle, but the configuration of the roof reinforcement is not limited to this. For example, depending on the specifications of the vehicle 10, the closed cross-sectional structure of the roof reinforcement may be configured with a rectangular tubular member extending in the vehicle width direction.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, the first support piece and the second support piece are integral with the closed cross-sectional structure extending in the vehicle width direction, but the configuration of the first support piece and the second support piece is not limited to this. For example, depending on the specifications of the vehicle 10, the first support piece and the second support piece may be formed of a separate member from the member that constitutes the closed cross-sectional structure. The positions of the first support piece and the second support piece may also be set in the portion of the closed cross-sectional structure on the lower side of the vehicle. Furthermore, clips, adhesives, etc. can be used to attach the communication device to the first support piece and the second support piece.

(4) In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the locking portion provided on the case of the electronic device is locked to the first support piece portion. However, depending on the specifications of the vehicle 10, the case may be provided with a locking portion that can be locked to the second support piece portion. Also, the locking portion may be configured to be fixed to the first support piece portion or the second support piece portion by an attachment member such as a clip.

10 Vehicle 12 Vehicle body 20 Roof portion 20A Design surface 30 Rear header reinforcement (roof reinforcement)
32 Antenna unit (communication equipment)
34 Antenna unit (communication equipment)
48 Front closed cross-section structure (first closed cross-section structure)
50 Central closed cross-section structure part (second closed cross-section structure part)
64 Case 64B Locking portion 68 First support piece portion 72 Weld bolt (mounting member)
74 Nut (mounting member)
76 Second support piece portion 78 Case 78B Locking portion 82 Resin roof panel 92 Center header reinforcement (roof reinforcement)
96A Front lower wall part (first bottom wall part)
96F Rear lower wall part (second bottom wall part)
100 Front closed cross-section structure (first closed cross-section structure)
102 Rear closed cross-section structure (second closed cross-section structure)
104 First support piece 106 Second support piece 110 Resin roof panel G1 First center of gravity G2 Second center of gravity

Claims (2)

a first closed cross-sectional structure portion extending in a vehicle width direction and having a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction, the first closed cross-sectional structure portion being disposed on a vehicle front side of the communication device;
a first support piece portion extending from the first closed cross-sectional structure portion toward the communication device and capable of supporting the communication device;
a second closed cross-sectional structure portion extending in a vehicle width direction and having a closed cross-sectional shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction, the second closed cross-sectional structure portion being disposed on a vehicle rear side of the communication device;
a second support piece portion extending from the second closed cross-sectional structure portion toward the communication device and capable of supporting the communication device;
With the above in mind,
A roof reinforcement that constitutes a part of the roof of the vehicle body is provided.
the communication device includes a resin case forming an outer shell, the case being provided with a locking portion that can be locked to the first support piece or the second support piece;
The locking portion is locked to either the first support piece portion or the second support piece portion,
the case is attached to the other of the first support piece and the second support piece via an attachment member,
The vehicle further includes a resin roof panel that is attached to the roof reinforcement from above the vehicle and covers the communication device from above the vehicle,
The first support piece portion is provided on a vehicle upper side portion of the first closed cross-sectional structure portion,
The second support piece portion is provided on a vehicle upper side portion of the second closed cross-sectional structure portion,
The engaging portion is capable of being engaged with either the first support piece portion or the second support piece portion from a lower side of the vehicle,
The case can be attached to the other of the first support piece portion and the second support piece portion from a lower side of the vehicle via the attachment member.
Vehicle frame structure. The roof reinforcement constitutes a part of the vehicle rear side of the roof portion,
a first centroid of a cross section of a portion of the first closed cross-sectional structure portion overlapping with the communication device as viewed from the vehicle width direction is located on the vehicle upper side with respect to a second centroid of a cross section of a portion of the second closed cross-sectional structure portion overlapping with the communication device as viewed from the vehicle width direction.
The vehicle frame structure according to claim 1 .