JP7752579B2 - End board mounting structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an end board mounting structure.

The luggage compartment structure for a vehicle described in Patent Document 1 is known. In the luggage compartment structure described in Patent Document 1, a plate-shaped member is placed between a tonneau cover that covers the luggage compartment of the vehicle and the tailgate trim to cover the gap between the tonneau cover and the tailgate trim. The rear end of the plate-shaped member is attached to the tailgate trim via a hinge, and the front end is attached to the tailgate trim by being suspended from the tailgate by a string. In a luggage compartment structure configured in this way, because the plate-shaped member is attached to the tailgate trim, the plate-shaped member also moves up and down in conjunction with the opening and closing of the tailgate.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-36957

In the above configuration, when the tailgate is closed, the plate-shaped member is attached to the tailgate trim via a hinge so that it is positioned at the same height as the tonneau cover. Therefore, if luggage that is taller than the tonneau cover is placed in the luggage compartment and the tailgate is closed, the plate-shaped member will hit the luggage with great force. This impact places a heavy load on the plate-shaped member and hinge, which could cause them to break. There is also a risk that the luggage will be damaged due to the impact of the plate-shaped member hitting the luggage.

In this way, if the plate-like member, hinge, or string is damaged by the impact when the tailgate is closed, the plate-like member and the tailgate trim may become partially detached. If the tailgate is opened in a state where the plate-like member and the tailgate trim have become partially detached,
There is a risk that the plate-shaped member may fall from the partially detached portion and hit the user.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a simple mounting structure for an end board to a tailgate trim that can stably support the end board whether the tailgate is open or closed.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the technology disclosed in this specification relates to an attachment structure for an end board to a tailgate trim, wherein the end board is arranged between a trunk board arranged in the luggage compartment of a vehicle and the tailgate trim, and the tailgate trim comprises a trim main body portion, an insertion recess having an opening that opens toward the front of the vehicle on the interior surface of the trim main body portion, a first locking portion provided within the insertion recess, and a second locking portion provided at the opening of the insertion recess, and the end board comprises a board main body portion and an insertion portion that extends toward the rear of the vehicle from the rear portion of the board main body portion in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and is inserted into the insertion recess from the front of the vehicle. The end board is attached to the back door trim so that it can assume three states: a first state in which the insertion portion is engaged with the first engagement portion within the insertion recess; a second state in which the first state is released when a load is applied to the end board from below; and a third state in which the insertion portion is engaged with the second engagement portion when the back door is opened in the second state.

With the above configuration, when the end board's insertion portion is in the first position and luggage that is taller than the tonneau cover is placed in the luggage compartment and the back door is closed, the end board hits the luggage, releasing the end board's insertion portion from the first position and unfastening the end board to the back door trim. Therefore, the end board does not hit the luggage with force, preventing damage to the end board or the luggage in the luggage compartment. Furthermore, even if the back door is closed and the end board's insertion portion is released from the first position, and the back door is opened so that the opening of the insertion recess faces downward, the end board is no longer locked with the first locking portion, but is still locked with the second locking portion, preventing it from falling. Thus, with the above configuration, the end board can be supported by the back door trim with a simple structure, whether the back door is open or closed.

the insertion recess has a bottom portion disposed on the opposite side of the opening in the vehicle longitudinal direction, an upper wall extending from the bottom portion toward the opening, and a lower wall facing the upper wall, the first engaging portion being provided on the upper wall, and the second engaging portion being provided on a lower opening edge of the opening,
In the first state, the insertion portion may be engaged with the first engaging portion at the bottom side within the insertion recess from the rear side of the vehicle, and in the third state, the insertion portion may be engaged with the second engaging portion at the opening from the rear side of the vehicle.

With the above configuration, the end board can be reliably supported by the tailgate trim in both the first and third states.

The insertion portion has a base end extending from the board main body, a tip end inserted into the insertion recess, and a central portion connecting the base end and the tip end. In the first state, the tip end of the insertion portion is engaged with the first locking portion on the bottom side within the insertion recess, and an abutment portion that is part of the central portion abuts the second locking portion. In the first state, a load from below allows the end board to rotate around the abutment portion, and as the end board rotates, the tip end disengages from the first locking portion, releasing the first state and entering the second state.

With the above configuration, a load from below on the end board causes the end board to rotate around the abutment portion, disengaging the tip end from the first locking portion. In this way, the end board's engagement with the tailgate trim can be released by the simple action of rotating the end board.

The tailgate trim may further include a third locking portion provided on the upper opening edge of the opening, and in the third state, the tip of the insertion portion may be clamped between the second locking portion and the third locking portion.

With the above configuration, even in the third state in which the first state is released, the tip of the insertion portion is clamped between the second and third locking portions, so the end board will not fall even when the back door is open and can be held stably.

The tip of the insertion portion may have a cross-sectional shape along the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle that is U-shaped and opens upward, and in the first state, the engaging end of the U-shaped tip portion on the rear side of the vehicle engages with the first engaging portion from the rear side of the vehicle, and in the third state, the abutting portion is positioned outside the opening of the insertion recess, the engaging end of the tip portion abuts the third engaging portion, and the bottom of the U-shaped tip portion engages with the second engaging portion, so that the tip portion is sandwiched between the second engaging portion and the third engaging portion.

With the above configuration, stable holding of the end board is achieved with a simple structure in both the first and third states.

The bottom of the U-shape of the tip portion may have a hooking protrusion protruding from the outer surface, and in the third state, the hooking protrusion may be engaged with the second engaging portion from the rear side of the vehicle.

With the above configuration, even if the opening of the insertion recess faces downward in the third state when the back door is opened after the first state is released, the hooking protrusion remains engaged with the second locking portion, preventing the insertion portion from coming loose from the second locking portion, and preventing the end board from falling off the back door trim.

The tailgate trim may further include a support body portion that protrudes from the interior surface of the trim body portion toward the front of the vehicle and supports the end board from below, and the end board may further include a locking portion that protrudes from the underside of the board body portion and is removably locked from above to the support portion of the support body portion, and when the insertion portion is in the first state, the locking portion is locked to the support portion, and when a load is applied to the end board from below, the insertion portion is released from the first state and the locking portion and the support portion are disengaged.

The above configuration allows the insertion portion to be held in the insertion recess in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the protruding locking portion to be locked in the up-and-down direction with the support portion, so the end board can be stably and reliably held by the tailgate trim in the up-and-down direction and the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

The attachment structure for attaching an end board to a tailgate trim disclosed in this specification provides a simple attachment structure for an end board to a tailgate trim that can stably support the end board whether the tailgate is open or closed.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the interior of a luggage compartment of a vehicle having an end board mounting structure for a back door trim, viewed from the front inside of the vehicle. Rear view of the tonneau board and end board arranged in the luggage compartment Rear view of end board FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the end board and the back door trim attached by the first attachment structure, taken along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the end board and the back door trim in the first mounting structure, cut along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, with the locking portion and the support portion disengaged. An enlarged cross-sectional view of the locking portion and the support portion in the first mounting structure taken along the vehicle width direction. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the end board and the back door trim attached by the second attachment structure in which the insertion portion is in the first state, taken along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the end board and the back door trim in the second mounting structure, cut along the front-rear direction of the vehicle, with the insertion portion in the second state. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the end board and the back door trim cut along the front-rear direction of the vehicle when the insertion portion is in the first state and the back door is open. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the end board and the tailgate trim cut along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle when the insertion portion is in the third state and the tailgate is fully open. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the end board and the tailgate trim removed from the tailgate trim in the second mounting structure, taken along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

One embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiment, and can be implemented in various forms with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the symbols F, R, U, and D indicate the front, rear, top, and bottom of the vehicle, respectively. However, these directions are merely defined for convenience and should not be interpreted in a limiting sense.

As shown in Figure 1, the tonneau cover 2 is installed in the luggage compartment 4 of a vehicle and serves the functions of dividing the luggage compartment 4 vertically and hiding luggage placed in the luggage compartment 4 from view from the outside. The luggage compartment 4 is covered from the rear of the vehicle by a back door 1. The back door 1 is configured to be able to open and close the luggage compartment 4 by rotating around its upper end as the rotation center.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the tonneau board 2 is composed of three plate-shaped board members 6A, 6B, and 6C connected by hinges. By folding the tonneau board 2 via the hinges, the cargo compartment 4 below the tonneau board 2 can be opened. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, of the three board members 6A, 6B, and 6C lined up in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, the rear end 6R of the board member 6C located furthest to the rear of the vehicle is curved so that its central portion in the width direction of the vehicle protrudes toward the rear of the vehicle. The front end of the end board 20 located behind the board member 6C is shaped to follow the curved shape of the rear end 6R of the opposing board member 6C. This configuration makes it easy to hook a finger onto the protruding portion of the rear end 6R of the board member 6C when folding the tonneau board 2, making it easy to lift the tonneau board 2.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an end board 20 is disposed between the tailgate trim 10 of the tailgate 1 and the tonneau cover 2 to close the gap between them. The end board 20 is a separate member from the tonneau cover 2, and as shown in Figure 4, a gap is provided between the front end 22F of the end board 20 and the rear end 6R of the board member 6C of the tonneau cover 2. Furthermore, because the end board 20 is attached to the tailgate trim 10 by the first attachment structure 100 and the second attachment structure 200 in this embodiment, it moves together with the tailgate 1 when the tailgate 1 is opened or closed.

The first mounting structure 100 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the tailgate trim 10 includes a trim main body 12 that forms the rear wall of the luggage compartment 4, and a support main body 14 that protrudes forward from the interior surface of the trim main body 12 toward the front of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the support main body 14 protrudes forward from the interior surface of the trim main body 12 at both ends in the vehicle width direction and supports the end board 20 from below. An upwardly opening 14B is provided in the front end 14A of the support main body 14, and a support portion 16 is attached to the opening 14B. As shown in Figure 6, the support portion 16 has a clamping portion 18 made of a U-shaped elastic member that opens upward, and the clamping portion 18 can clamp the locking portion 24 of the end board 20 in the vehicle width direction by elastic force.

As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6, the locking portions 24 of the end board 20 protrude from the underside (rear surface) of both ends of the board main body 22 in the vehicle width direction. The locking portions 24 are located in the center of the board main body 22 in the vehicle fore-aft direction or further forward. The locking portions 24 are thin plate-like members extending in the vehicle fore-aft direction, with protrusions 26 at the tips of both plate faces. The locking portions 24 are fixed by clamping both plate faces in the vehicle width direction between the clamping portions 18. The clamping direction of the locking portions 24 between the clamping portions 18 is perpendicular to the plate faces of the locking portions 24. As shown in Figure 4, when the end board 20 is fixed to the back door trim 10, the board main body 22 is arranged so that it slopes downward toward the rear end 22R. The front end 22F of the board main body 22 is approximately flush with the rear end 6R of the tonneau cover 2.

Also, as shown in FIG. 6, the locking portion 24 protrudes perpendicular to the plate surface 22S of the board main body 22, and the two opposing plate pieces 18A of the U-shaped clamping portion 18 extend perpendicular to the opposing surface 14S of the support main body 14 that faces the board main body 22. With this configuration, the locking portion 24 is locked to the support portion 16 so that the attachment/detachment direction relative to the support portion 16 is perpendicular to the plate surface 22S of the board main body 22.

As shown in Figure 6, at the bottom of the clamping portion 18, there is a gap between the opposing U-shaped plate pieces 18A that is large enough to accommodate the tip end 24A of the locking portion 24, including the protrusion 26. The upper parts of both plate pieces 18A of the clamping portion 18 have locking protrusions 18B protruding from the inner surface, and the gap between the opposing plate pieces 18A is narrower than the gap between the opposing plate pieces 18A at the bottom of the clamping portion 18. The distance between the locking protrusions 18B at the top of the clamping portion 18 is smaller than the dimension of the tip end 24A of the locking portion 24 in the vehicle width direction. The plate pieces 18A of the clamping portion 18 are elastically deformable.

When attaching the end board 20 to the tailgate trim 10, the locking portion 24 is inserted into the clamping portion 18 from the upper opening. The tip 24A of the locking portion 24, which has the protrusion 26, elastically pushes outward the upper portion of the clamping portion 18, which has the locking projection 26B, while moving downward between the plate pieces 18A. The tip 24A fits into the space between the plate pieces 18A at the bottom. This locks the protrusion 26 of the locking portion 24 to the locking projection 18B of the clamping portion 18, restricting vertical movement of the end board 20 relative to the tailgate trim 10. Furthermore, because the locking portion 24 is clamped by the clamping portion 18 in the vehicle width direction, the end board 20 is fixed to the tailgate trim 10 and restricted from moving in the vehicle width direction. To remove the end board 20 from the tailgate trim 10, the end board 20 can be lifted and removed by following the reverse steps of the installation procedure described above.

In this manner, in this embodiment, the end board 20 is removably fixed to the tailgate trim 10 by engaging the locking portion 24 with the support portion 16 of the tailgate trim 10. As shown in FIG. 5, if luggage 80 that is taller than the tonneau board 2 is placed in the luggage compartment 4, when the tailgate 1 is closed, the end board 20 also moves downward and hits the luggage 80. When the end board 20 hits the luggage 80, a load is applied to the end board 20 from below.

In this embodiment, when a load is applied to the end board 20 from below, the locking portions 24 of the end board 20 and the support portions 16 of the tailgate trim 10 are disengaged. Therefore, even if the tailgate 1 is closed and luggage 80 that is taller than the tonneau cover 2 is placed in the luggage compartment 4 and the end board 20 hits the luggage 80, the end board 20 is detached from the tailgate trim 10 and will not receive a strong impact. In this way, the end board 20 is stably supported with a simple configuration, and when a load is applied from below, the locking portions 24 of the end board 20 and the support portions 16 of the tailgate trim 10 can be easily disengaged, preventing damage to the end board 20 or the luggage 80 in the luggage compartment 4.

The action of the locking portion 24 disengaging from the support portion 16 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 4 and 5. As shown in Figure 4, when the locking portion 24 is locked to the support portion 16, the rear end portion 22R of the end board 20 is in contact with the upper surface of the base end portion 14C of the support main body portion 14. The end board 20 is attached so that the board main body portion 14 can rotate about the rear end portion 22R when a load is applied from below. As shown in Figure 5, when the tailgate 1 is closed, the end board 20 hits luggage 80 and a load is applied to the end board 20 from below, the front end 22F of the end board 20 lifts up and rotates upward and toward the rear of the vehicle about the rear end portion 22R. As the end board 20 rotates upward, the locking portion 24 also moves upward.

As the locking portion 24 moves upward, the protrusion 26 of the tip 24A elastically pushes outward the upper portion of the clamping portion 18 that has the protrusion 26, and moves upward until it reaches the opening of the clamping portion 18, disengaging the locking portion 24 from the support portion 16. In this way, when a load greater than a certain level is applied from below, the end board 20 rotates, easily disengaging the locking portion 24 from the support portion 16. When the load from below becomes greater than the elastic clamping force of the clamping portion 18 on the locking portion 24, the locking portion 24 disengages from the support portion 16. Furthermore, because the clamping portion 18 clamps and holds the locking portion 24 with its elastic force, the support portion 16 can be locked and unlocked with a simple configuration.

Also, as shown in FIG. 4, when the end board 20 is fixed to the back door trim 10, the board main body 22 is arranged so that it slopes downward toward the rear end 22R, the plate surface 22S of the board main body 22 is parallel to the opposing surface 14S of the support main body 14, and the rear end 22R is in contact with the base end 14C of the support main body 14. Furthermore, as described above, the engaging portion 24 is engaged with the support portion 16 so that the attachment/detachment direction relative to the support portion 16 is perpendicular to the plate surface 22S of the board main body 22.

With this configuration, the direction in which the locking portion 24 disengages from the support portion 16 is approximately parallel to the direction in which the end board 20 moves due to the load it receives from below as the tailgate 1 closes (the direction of the arrow in Figure 5). Furthermore, the closing direction of the tailgate 1 and the direction in which the end board 20 moves due to the load it receives from below are also approximately parallel. Therefore, when the tailgate 1 is closed, the impact load exerted on the end board 20 by luggage that is higher than the tonneau cover 2 can smoothly release the lock between the locking portion 24 of the end board 20 and the support portion 16 of the tailgate trim 10.

The locking portion 24 is a plate-like member that extends parallel to the surface along the rotation direction of the board main body 22, and the clamping portion 18 holds the locking portion 24 by clamping it from both plate surfaces. With this configuration, when the board main body 22 rotates, force is applied evenly to the plate-like member, making it possible to smoothly release the lock between the support portion 16 and the locking portion 24.

In the first mounting structure 100 for mounting an end board 20 to a tailgate trim 10, the tailgate trim 10 comprises a trim main body 12 that forms the rear wall of the luggage compartment 4, and a support main body 14 that protrudes forward from the interior surface of the vehicle compartment of the trim main body 12 and supports the end board 20 from below. The end board 20 comprises a board main body 22 and a locking portion 24 that protrudes from the underside of the board main body 22. The first mounting structure 100 is primarily composed of a support portion 16 provided on the support main body 14 and the locking portion 24 that is removably locked to the support portion 16 from above.

Next, the second mounting structure 200 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 and 7 to 11. As shown in Figures 2 and 7, an insertion recess 30 is provided on the interior surface of the vehicle compartment of the trim main body 12 of the tailgate trim 10, and the insertion recess 30 has an opening 30A that opens toward the front of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the insertion recess 30 is provided at both ends in the vehicle width direction. The insertion recess 30 is composed of a bottom portion 30B located on the opposite side of the opening 30A in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, an upper wall 30U extending from the bottom portion 30B toward the opening 30A, a lower wall 30L facing the upper wall 30U, and two side walls facing each other between the upper wall 30U and the lower wall 30L.

A locking member 31 is attached within the insertion recess 30. The locking member 31 is composed of an upper locking portion 31U provided on the upper wall 30U and a second locking portion 34 provided on the lower opening edge of the opening 30A. The upper locking portion 31U is a plate-shaped member extending along the upper wall 30U and has a first locking portion 32 disposed within the insertion recess 30 and a third locking portion 36 provided on the upper opening edge of the opening 30A of the insertion recess 30. The end of the upper locking portion 31U of the plate-shaped member facing the insertion recess 30 is the first locking portion 32, and the end facing the opening 30A is the third locking portion 36. The second locking portion 34 is a plate-shaped member extending along the lower edge of the opening 30A, which extends in the vehicle width direction. The vertical opening dimension of the insertion recess 30 is the distance between the second locking portion 34 and the third locking portion 36 at the opening 30A. The locking member 31 may be configured as a single member that integrally includes the upper locking portion 31U and the second locking portion 34, or may be configured as separate components.

As shown in Figures 3, 7, and 8, the end board 20 has an insertion portion 40 that extends rearward from the rear end 22R (rear portion) of the board body 22. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the insertion portion 40 is composed of a base end 42 extending from the back surface of the board body 22, a tip end 46 that is inserted into the insertion recess 30, and a central portion 44 that connects the base end 42 and tip end 46. Specifically, the base end 42 extends downward from the back surface of the board body 22, and the central portion 44 extends from the lower end of the base end 42 toward the rear and upward, bending rearward to form a recess that opens downward. The tip end 46 is located behind the central portion 44, and its cross-section along the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle has a U-shape that opens upward.

The base end 42 is fixed to the board main body 22 by a fixing member 50. The central portion 44 has an abutment portion 44C that abuts against the second engagement portion 34. The U-shaped tip portion 46 has a hooking protrusion 48 that protrudes from the outer surface of the bottom portion 46B, and in the state shown in Figure 7, a gap is provided between the hooking protrusion 48 and the lower wall 30L. Furthermore, in the state shown in Figure 7, a gap is provided between the rear end portion 22R of the board main body 22 and the back door trim 10 of the end board 20.

In this way, in the second mounting structure 200 for mounting the end board 20 to the tailgate trim 10, the tailgate trim 10 has an insertion recess 30 provided on the interior surface of the trim main body 12, and a first locking portion 32 and a second locking portion 34 provided in the insertion recess 30, and the end board 20 has an insertion portion 40 extending from the board main body 22. The second mounting structure 200 is mainly composed of the insertion portion 40 and the first locking portion 32 and second locking portion 34 to which the insertion portion 40 is locked.

Next, the operation and effect of the second mounting structure 200 will be described. As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 7, when the end board 20 is properly secured to the rear door trim 10, the insertion portion 40 of the end board 20 is in the first state shown in Figure 7 relative to the locking member 31. In the first state, the insertion portion 40 is locked to the first locking portion 32, and the tip portion 46 is locked to the first locking portion 32 on the bottom 30B side within the insertion recess 30 from the rear of the vehicle. More specifically, the U-shaped locking end 46E of the tip portion 46 on the rear side of the vehicle is locked to the first locking portion 32, which is the rear end of the upper locking portion 31U. In addition, in the first state, the abutment portion 44C, which is part of the center portion 44 of the insertion portion 40, abuts against the second locking portion 34.

In the first state, when the tailgate 1 is closed, the locking end 46E of the insertion portion 40 is locked to the first locking portion 32 from the rear of the vehicle within the insertion recess 30, restricting forward movement of the insertion portion 40. Furthermore, the abutment portion 44C in the opening 30A abuts the second locking portion 34 from above, restricting downward movement of the insertion portion 40, and the insertion portion 40 is supported by the second locking portion 34. With this configuration, the insertion portion 40 is stably held in the first state, restricting forward/backward and downward movement of the end board 20, and the end board 20 is stably held to the tailgate trim 10.

When the tailgate 1 is opened in the first state, as shown in FIG. 9, the opening 30A of the insertion recess 30 faces downward, and the end board 20 hangs from the tailgate trim 10 of the lifted tailgate 1. Even in this state, the locking end 46E of the insertion portion 40 is locked from above by the first locking portion 32 within the insertion recess 30, and the abutment portion 44C of the insertion portion 40 is supported by abutting against the second locking portion 34. This configuration ensures that the insertion portion 40 is stably held in the first state, and the end board 20 will not come off the tailgate trim 10.

As shown in FIG. 8 , if luggage 80 that is taller than the tonneau cover 2 is placed in the luggage compartment 4, when the back door 1 is closed, the end board 20 also moves downward and hits the luggage 80. When the end board 20 hits the luggage 80, a load is applied to the end board 20 from below. When a load is applied to the end board 20 from below, the front end 22F is lifted, and the end board 20 rotates around the abutment portion 44C of the insertion portion 40 that abuts against the second retaining portion 34. As the end board 20 rotates, the locking end 46E of the tip portion 46 moves downward, releasing the locking between the locking end 46E and the first locking portion 32 and separating the locking end 46E from the first locking portion 32. In this way, the first state is released and the insertion portion 40 is placed in the second state.

A gap is provided between the bottom 46B (hooking protrusion 48) of the tip portion 46 and the lower wall 30L, and a gap is also provided between the rear end portion 22R of the board main body 22 and the tailgate trim 10, allowing the end board 20 to rotate around the abutment portion 44C. Load applied to the end board 20 from below causes the end board 20 to rotate around the abutment portion 44C, disengaging the locking end 46E of the tip portion 46 from the first locking portion 32. In this way, the simple action of rotating the end board 20 releases the lock of the end board 20 with the tailgate trim 10.

In addition, even if luggage 80 taller than the tonneau cover 2 is placed in the luggage compartment 4 when the back door 1 is closed, the insertion portion 40 and the first locking portion 32 disengage when the end board 20 hits the luggage 80, entering the second state. This means that even if the end board 20 hits the luggage 80 with force, the impact can be cushioned. In this way, the end board 20 is stably supported with a simple configuration, and the lock between the insertion portion 40 of the end board 20 and the first locking portion 32 of the back door trim 10 can be easily released when a load is applied from below. This prevents a strong impact from being applied to the end board 20, preventing damage to the end board 20 or the luggage 80 in the luggage compartment 4.

When the back door 1 is opened in the second state shown in Figure 8, it rotates upward, lifting the end board 20 along with it. Then, as shown in Figure 10, the opening 30A of the insertion recess 30 faces downward. Because the locking end 46E of the insertion portion 40 is no longer locked to the first locking portion 32, the end board 20 moves downward due to its own weight. Therefore, the insertion portion 40 also moves downward, causing the abutment portion 44C to separate from the second locking portion 34 and the tip portion 46 to move toward the opening 30A.

When the tailgate 1 is fully opened, the insertion portion 40 is in the third state shown in Figure 10. In the third state, the hooking protrusion 48 of the tip portion 46 is engaged with the second locking portion 34 from above (the rear side of the vehicle) in the opening 30A, and the locking end 46E abuts and locks against the third locking portion 36. In the third state, the tip portion 46 of the insertion portion 40 is clamped between the second locking portion 34 and the third locking portion 36, and the central portion 44 and base end portion 42 are positioned outside the opening 30A. In the third state, the end board 20 is hanging from the tailgate trim 10.

As such, even in the third state after the first state is released, the tip 46 of the insertion portion 40 is clamped between the second locking portion 34 and the third locking portion 36, so the end board 20 will not fall even when the back door 1 is open and can be stably held. Furthermore, in the third state, the abutment portion 44C is positioned outside the opening 30A of the insertion recess 30, the locking end 46E of the tip 46 abuts against the third locking portion 36, and the U-shaped bottom 46B of the tip 46 is locked by the second locking portion 34, so the tip 46 is clamped between the second locking portion 34 and the third locking portion 36. This configuration prevents the end board 20 from falling even when the back door 1 is open and can be stably held. Furthermore, even in the third state, when the opening 30A of the insertion recess 30 faces downward, the hooking protrusion 48 is engaged with the second engaging portion 34 from above, so the engagement between the insertion portion 40 and the second engaging portion 34 will not come loose, and the end board 20 will not fall off the back door trim 10.

Within the range of movement of the insertion portion 40 from the second state to the third state accompanying the downward movement of the end board 20 when the back door 1 is opened, the dimension of the tip 46 of the insertion portion 40 (the dimension from the locking end 46E to the hook protrusion 48) is set to be larger than the opening dimension between the second locking portion 34 and the third locking portion 36 in the opening 30A. With this configuration, even if the back door 1 is opened while the insertion portion 40 is in the second state, the insertion portion 40 will not come off the insertion recess 30, and the end board 20 will not fall.

When removing the end board 20 from the back door trim 10, as shown in Figure 11, the insertion portion 40 is moved from the first position to the second position, and the end board 20 is then rotated while being pulled out toward the front of the vehicle, thereby first moving the hooking protrusion 48 out of the insertion recess 30. The end board 20 is then rotated downward to also move the engaging end 46E out of the insertion recess 30, allowing the tip portion 46 to be removed from the insertion recess 30. The tip portion 46 can be inserted into the insertion recess 30 by performing the reverse action of the removal action.

The end board 20 and the rear door trim 10 can be configured with either the first mounting structure 100 or the second mounting structure 200 alone, but they may also be configured with both the first mounting structure 100 and the second mounting structure 200. In a configuration with both the first mounting structure 100 and the second mounting structure 200, as shown in FIG. 2, the first mounting structure 100 is positioned further outboard in the vehicle width direction than the second mounting structure 200. Furthermore, the second mounting structure 200 is positioned further rearward of the vehicle than the second mounting structure 100.

When attaching the end board 20 to the tailgate trim 10 in a configuration including the first attachment structure 100 and the second attachment structure 200, with the tailgate 1 open, the insertion portion 40 is first inserted into the insertion recess 30 in a direction toward the vehicle's interior side of the trim main body 12, resulting in the second state shown in Figure 8 . The end board 20 is then rotated toward the rear of the vehicle around the abutment portion 44C of the insertion portion 40, and the locking portion 24 is inserted into the support portion 16 in a direction along the vehicle's interior side of the trim main body 12. In this way, the first attachment structure 100 allows the end board 20 to be attached to the tailgate trim 10 in a direction perpendicular to the plate surface, while the second attachment structure 200 allows the end board 20 to be attached to the tailgate trim 10 in a direction along the plate surface.

When removing the end board 20 from the tailgate trim 10, with the tailgate 1 open, the end board 20 is rotated toward the front of the vehicle around the abutment portion 44C of the insertion portion 40 and separated from the support body portion 14, thereby releasing the engagement between the locking portion 24 and the support portion 16, and the engagement between the locking end 46E and the first locking portion 32 is released. Then, the end board 20 is pulled toward the front of the vehicle while being rotated, thereby removing the insertion portion 40 from the insertion recess 30. In this way, the end board 20 can be attached to and removed from the tailgate trim 10 reliably and easily.

Furthermore, in the above configuration, when the insertion portion 40 is in the first state, the locking portion 24 is locked to the support portion 16, and the insertion portion 40 is locked to the first locking portion 32 and the second locking portion 34, so that the end board 20 is stably held relative to the tailgate trim 10 in the up-down direction, the vehicle width direction, and the vehicle fore-and-aft direction. Furthermore, when a load is applied to the end board 20 from below in the first state, the end board 20 rotates upward around the insertion portion 40, disengaging the locking portion 24 from the support portion 16 and releasing the insertion portion 40 from the first state to the second state. In the second state, the locking portion 24 and the support portion 16 are disengaged, but even if the back door 1 is subsequently opened, the insertion portion 40 returns to the third state, and the tip 46 of the insertion portion 40 is clamped between the second locking portion 34 and the third locking portion 36, so the end board 20 will not fall and can be held stably.

<Other Embodiments>
The technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and the following embodiments, for example, are also included in the technical scope.

In the second mounting structure 200, the locking member 31 is constructed as a separate member from the insertion recess 30, but the locking member may also be provided integrally with the insertion recess.

1...Tailgate, 2...Tonneau board, 4...Luggage compartment, 10...Tailgate trim, 12...Trim main body, 14...Support main body, 16...Support portion, 20...End board, 22...Board main body, 22F...Front end, 22R...Rear end, 30...Insertion recess, 30A...Opening, 30B...Bottom, 30U...Upper wall, 30L...Lower wall, 32...First locking portion, 34...Second locking portion, 36...Third locking portion, 40...Insertion portion, 42...Base end, 44...Central portion, 44C...Abutment portion, 46...Tip end, 46B...Bottom, 46E...Lock end, 48...Hooking protrusion, 100...First mounting structure, 200...Second mounting structure (mounting structure)

Claims (7)

An end board mounting structure for a back door trim,
The end board is disposed between a trunk board disposed in a luggage compartment of a vehicle and the back door trim,
The back door trim includes a trim main body portion, an insertion recess having an opening that opens toward the front of the vehicle on the interior surface of the trim main body portion, a first locking portion provided in the insertion recess, and a second locking portion provided at the opening of the insertion recess,
The end board includes a board main body portion and an insertion portion extending from a rear portion of the board main body portion in the vehicle front-rear direction toward the rear of the vehicle and inserted into the insertion recess from the vehicle front direction,
The end board is attached to the tailgate trim so as to assume a first state in which the insertion portion is engaged with the first engaging portion within the insertion recess, a second state in which the first state is released when a load is applied to the end board from below, and a third state in which the insertion portion is engaged with the second engaging portion when the tailgate is opened in the second state. the insertion recess has a bottom portion disposed on the opposite side of the opening in the vehicle front-rear direction, an upper wall extending from the bottom portion toward the opening, and a lower wall facing the upper wall,
the first engaging portion is provided on the upper wall, and the second engaging portion is provided on a lower opening edge of the opening,
In the first state, the insertion portion is engaged with the first engaging portion at the bottom side within the insertion recess from the rear side of the vehicle,
2. The end board mounting structure according to claim 1, wherein in the third state, the insertion portion is engaged with the second engaging portion in the opening from the rear side of the vehicle. The insertion portion has a base end portion extending from the board main body portion, a tip end portion inserted into the insertion recess, and a central portion connecting the base end portion and the tip end portion,
In the first state, the tip end of the insertion portion is engaged with the first locking portion on the bottom side within the insertion recess, and an abutting portion that is a part of the central portion is in contact with the second locking portion,
The end board mounting structure described in claim 2, characterized in that in the first state, the end board can rotate around the abutment portion due to a load from below, and as the rotation occurs, the engagement between the tip portion and the first engaging portion is released, thereby releasing the first state and entering the second state. The back door trim further includes a third engaging portion provided on an upper opening edge of the opening,
4. The end board mounting structure according to claim 3, wherein in the third state, the tip of the insertion portion is clamped between the second locking portion and the third locking portion. the tip end of the insertion portion has a cross-sectional shape along the vehicle front-rear direction that is U-shaped and opens upward,
In the first state, a locking end of the U-shaped tip portion on the vehicle rear side is locked to the first locking portion from the vehicle rear side,
The end board mounting structure described in claim 4, characterized in that in the third state, the abutment portion is arranged outside the opening of the insertion recess, the engaging end of the tip portion abuts the third engaging portion, and the U-shaped bottom of the tip portion is engaged with the second engaging portion, so that the tip portion is clamped between the second engaging portion and the third engaging portion. The end board mounting structure described in claim 5, characterized in that the bottom of the U-shape at the tip has a hooking protrusion protruding from its outer surface, and in the third state, the hooking protrusion is engaged with the second engaging portion from the rear side of the vehicle. The back door trim further includes a support body portion that protrudes from the interior surface of the trim body portion toward the front of the vehicle and supports the end board from below,
The end board further includes a locking portion that protrudes from the lower surface of the board main body portion and is removably locked from above to the support portion of the support main body portion,
When the insertion portion is in the first state, the locking portion is locked to the support portion,
The end board mounting structure according to claim 1, characterized in that when a load is applied to the end board from below, the insertion portion is released from the first state and the engagement between the locking portion and the support portion is released.